SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘Muse Dash’ Meets ‘Groove Coaster’, ‘Alwa’s Legacy’ and Today’s Other New Releases, the Latest Sales, and More

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 29th, 2020. In today’s article we’ve got a few little bits of news to dig into before moving on to the new releases that hit the eShop today. It’s one of those rare days where all of the new games are pretty good, so that’s nice. It’s also one of those days where there’s a video presentation scheduled for after I leave the office but before you read this. We’ll catch up on that Pokemon news tomorrow, I promise. There are also some really good sales to look at, and you know we’ll be doing just that. Let’s get started!

News

‘Muse Dash’ Mashes Up with ‘Groove Coaster’ in Upcoming DLC

Muse Dash is a pretty sweet rhythm game with lots of great music. But you know what makes any game soundtrack better? ZUNTATA. Taito’s in-house band has been making amazing tunes since the 1990s, with one of the more impressive displays of its melodic prowess found in Taito’s awesome Groove Coaster games. Well, Muse Dash and Groove Coaster are teaming up, and for Switch owners that’s going to translate to six free tracks from Groove Coaster being added in an upcoming update. It also adds a fourth playable character to Muse Dash in the form of navigator Yume from Groove Coaster, who is apparently impervious to taking damage from gears? Cool, cool. Anyway, this update will be hitting the Switch a little later than other platforms due to the approval process, but it shouldn’t be too long. If you can’t wait, you can always grab it for one of the mobile versions, but be aware that it is paid DLC on those platforms.

There’s News on the ‘Pokemon Sword and Shield’ Crown Tundra DLC

Ha ha, this is another delightfully wacky situation the time zone differences have gotten us into, isn’t it? At the time I’m writing this, The Pokemon Company has announced a video will air a few hours from now that will have news about the upcoming Pokemon Sword and Shield Expansion, The Crown Tundra. By the time you’re reading this, that video will have already aired. There’s a link to it up there, though it does me no good at the moment. If I had to guess, I would say that a release date for the expansion will be announced as we’re officially into the fall season that was previously pegged as the vague release period. But that’s just a guess. Maybe they announced that Pokemon has been sold to Microsoft and I’m sitting here looking like an absolute fool. These are the risks of living on one side of the planet and working for a company on the other side, friends.

New Releases

Alwa’s Legacy ($17.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

Alwa’s Awakening was one of those games that probably would have gotten a lot more attention and acclaim if it hadn’t been on a system so rich with quality Metroidvania games. Hopefully the bigger and better sequel can make a more significant impression on Switch owners, as it’s a very strong, if somewhat safe, entry in the genre. The improved presentation, interesting upgrade system, and quality map design make for a very enjoyable adventure indeed. I found the original game very comfortable to get into, and this one gives me a very similar vibe but with a fair few improvements on top.

Projection: First Light ($19.99)

Another Apple Arcade game tumbles off the tree and onto Switch as a regular paid release. The touch controls were a bit awkward in the mobile version, so I’d imagine having default button controls is going to be a positive for many players. And yes, this is absolutely another one of those Limbo-inspired puzzle-platformers that uses light and shadows as its main gimmick. The narrative reason in this one is that you’re in a world of shadow puppets, and you’ll travel to levels set in different locations that demonstrate various parts of the history of shadow puppetry. It’s fine, but I think even with the improved controls you’re better off playing the mobile version as part of your five-bucks-a-month Apple Arcade subscription than dropping twenty on it alone on Switch.

Bacon Man: An Adventure ($9.99)

I haven’t had a chance to play this game yet, but at the very least it seems to have a relatively good reputation on Steam. It’s a side-scrolling action-platformer that leans hard into its meme humor, with some Mega Man X-ish wall-jumping, air-dashing, and pew-pew action backing it. There are four different characters to play as, each with their own abilities, and you can play with another person in local co-op multiplayer. Of course, this is a modern game so you’ll be collecting experience points, leveling up, and getting new abilities and costumes. Seems like an alright game if you don’t find its attempts at comedy obnoxious. And if you’re a regular reader of mine, you probably have a fair bit of immunity to annoying try-hard jokes.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Well hey there, lots of awesome games on sale today. Also, those pinball games that someone must be buying. But let’s focus on the good stuff, shall we? DrinkBox Studios has its line of titles on sale, and from Guacamelee! to Severed, they’re all easy to recommend. Both Witcher games are on sale, Supergiant’s stuff is heavily discounted, and Deep Silver is running a sale on several of its releases. The rarest sale today? Alwa’s Awakening is almost never discounted in the North American eShop. It’s only on sale because the sequel is out today, and I suspect once that sale is up we won’t see another for a long while. Mind the outbox as well, however. Square Enix’s latest sale is wrapping up, so it’s your last chance to chuck some more big JRPGs on the pile that you’ll definitely get around to one day.

Select New Games on Sale

Guacamelee! Super Turbo ($5.99 from $14.99 until 10/4)
Guacamelee! 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 10/4)
Mutant Blobs Attack ($3.99 from $9.99 until 10/4)
Severed ($5.99 from $14.99 until 10/4)
Knight Squad ($1.49 from $14.99 until 10/4)
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt ($41.99 from $59.99 until 10/5)
Thronebreaker: Witcher Tales ($9.99 from $19.99 until 10/5)
Wargroove ($9.99 from $19.99 until 10/5)
Bastion ($2.99 from $14.99 until 10/5)
Transistor ($3.99 from $19.99 until 10/5)
Metro 2033 Redux ($13.74 from $24.99 until 10/6)
Metro Last Light Redux ($13.74 from $24.99 until 10/6)
Kona ($5.99 from $19.99 until 10/6)
Manticore – Galaxy on Fire ($7.99 from $19.99 until 10/6)
Let’s Sing 2018 ($23.99 from $39.99 until 10/6)

Let’s Sing 2019 ($23.99 from $39.99 until 10/6)
Let’s Sing Country ($26.99 from $44.99 until 10/6)
Let’s Sing 2020 ($26.99 from $44.99 until 10/6)
Secret Files: Tunguska ($5.24 from $14.99 until 10/6)
Secret Files: Puritas Cordis ($5.24 from $14.99 until 10/6)
Secret Files: Sam Peters ($2.44 from $6.99 until 10/6)
Secret Files 3 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 10/6)
Lost Horizon ($5.24 from $14.99 until 10/6)
Lost Horizon 2 ($5.24 from $14.99 until 10/6)
Saints Row The Third ($17.99 from $39.99 until 10/6)
Saints Row IV: Re-Elected ($23.99 from $39.99 until 10/6)
Red Faction Guerilla ($14.99 from $29.99 until 10/6)
Redeemer: Enhanced ($11.99 from $29.99 until 10/6)
Ash of Gods: Redemption ($17.99 from $29.99 until 10/6)
Mainlining ($4.49 from $14.99 until 10/11)

Candle: Power of the Flame ($4.99 from $19.99 until 10/11)
HoPiKo ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/11)
Crimson Keep ($3.99 from $19.99 until 10/11)
Torchlight II ($11.99 from $19.99 until 10/12)
Hob: Definitive ($13.99 from $19.99 until 10/12)
Alwa’s Awakening ($6.99 from $9.99 until 10/12)
2048 Battles ($0.09 from $3.99 until 10/18)
Pirates Pinball ($0.98 from $2.99 until 10/18)
Mummy Pinball ($0.98 from $2.99 until 10/18)
Werewolf Pinball ($0.98 from $2.99 until 10/18)
Halloween Pinball ($0.98 from $2.99 until 10/18)
Burger Chef Tycoon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/19)
Modern Tales: Age of Invention ($1.49 from $14.99 until 10/19)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 30th

10 Second Run Returns ($1.00 from $5.00 until 9/30)
60 Parsecs! ($2.49 from $9.99 until 9/30)
Adventures of Elena Temple ($0.39 from $3.99 until 9/30)
ATV Drift & Tricks ($4.89 from $34.99 until 9/30)
Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon ($19.99 from $39.99 until 9/30)
Crypt of the NecroDancer ($3.99 from $19.99 until 9/30)
Doodle Mafia: Crime City ($1.95 from $6.99 until 9/30)
Drag Sim 2020 ($6.60 from $9.90 until 9/30)
Escape From the Universe ($2.99 from $9.99 until 9/30)
Escape Game Fort Boyard ($23.99 from $29.99 until 9/30)
Extreme Trucks Simulator ($9.99 from $14.99 until 9/30)
Farmer Sim 2020 ($9.99 from $14.99 until 9/30)
Final Fantasy IX ($10.49 from $20.99 until 9/30)
Final Fantasy VII ($7.99 from $15.99 until 9/30)
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/30)
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD ($24.99 from $49.99 until 9/30)

Final Fantasy XII Zodiac Age ($24.99 from $49.99 until 9/30)
Final Fantasy XV Pocket ($14.99 from $29.99 until 9/30)
Flight Sim 2019 ($9.99 from $14.99 until 9/30)
Gear.Club Unlimited ($4.99 from $14.99 until 9/30)
Goblin Sword ($1.99 from $4.99 until 9/30)
Hook ($0.99 from $1.99 until 9/30)
Hyper Sentinel ($0.61 from $7.99 until 9/30)
I Am Setsuna ($19.99 from $39.99 until 9/30)
Lost Sphear ($19.99 from $49.99 until 9/30)
Mecho Tales ($0.49 from $0.99 until 9/30)
Mecho Wars: Desert Ashes ($0.49 from $9.99 until 9/30)
Mystery of Woolley Mountain ($0.99 from $12.99 until 9/30)
Oninaki ($24.99 from $49.99 until 9/30)
Plague Road ($0.75 from 15.00 until 9/30)
Quell Memento ($3.19 from $7.99 until 9/30)
Romancing SaGa 2 ($12.49 from $24.99 until 9/30)

SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions ($22.49 from $29.99 until 9/30)
Shalnor Legends: Sacred Lands ($0.99 from $9.99 until 9/30)
Ship Sim 2020 ($9.99 from $14.99 until 9/30)
Silk ($3.89 from $12.99 until 9/30)
Spelunker Party! ($14.99 from $29.99 until 9/30)
Star Ghost ($1.00 from $8.99 until 9/30)
Star Ocean First Departure R ($14.06 from $20.99 until 9/30)
STAY ($0.99 from $11.99 until 9/30)
Takotan ($5.59 from $6.99 until 9/30)
Taxi Sim 2020 ($9.99 from $14.99 until 9/30)
The Bullet: Time of Revenge ($1.79 from $4.49 until 9/30)
The Forbidden Arts ($6.74 from $14.99 until 9/30)
The Unholy Society ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/30)
Truck Simulator USA ($9.33 from $13.99 until 9/30)
Vosaria: Lair of Forgotten ($0.99 from $9.99 until 9/30)
War Theatre ($0.49 from $9.99 until 9/30)
World of Final Fantasy Maxima ($19.99 from $39.99 until 9/30)
Yonder: The Cloud Chronicles ($19.49 from $29.99 until 9/30)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow, and it should be a fairly good one. There are a few new releases to check out, for starters. The Pokemon news will get us started, but I’m quite certain it won’t be the only item to check out. And I also have faith that the sales will flow, as they always do. We’ll cover all of that as is the tradition in this corner of reality. I hope you have a great Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!