SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘Fatal Frame’, ‘DUSK’, ‘Voice of Cards’, and Today’s Other New Releases and Sales

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for October 28th, 2021. I won’t take up too much of your time with the introductions today, friends. We’ve got more than twenty-five new releases to go through, and there are some real big-pants fancy dining experiences on the menu this time. We’ve got summaries for every game, plus the usual lists of incoming and outgoing sales. Let’s get our hands dirty!

New Releases

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water ($39.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

Looking for a scary game to play for Halloween? You probably can’t do much better than this. The cult favorite ghost photography series returns with this port of the Wii U installment of the series. It features higher resolution graphics, new outfits and accessories, updated controls, and so on. The Nintendo character costumes from the Wii U game have been removed, unfortunately. There’s an Atelier Ryza costume, though. That’s cool, right? Right. I’ll have a review of this one as soon as I can actually get through it. I’m a cowardly baby-child so it’s taking a while.

DUSK ($19.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

Finally, finally, finally. DUSK is finally available on Nintendo Switch. This is an absolutely incredible classic-style first-person shooter, and this Switch port is outstanding. Battle evil cultists, possessed soldiers, and more as you blast your way into the depths of the Earth with an awesome arsenal of cool guns and other implements of doom. Besides the main campaign, you get an endless survival mode to really put your reflexes to the test. Fantastic game, fantastic port, and if you like first-person shooters you will definitely want this one on your list.

Black Widow: Recharged ($9.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

You know, I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the first of Atari’s retro re-imagined titles. Missile Command: Recharged wasn’t awful, but it didn’t quite have the zing of the original. Centipede: Recharged was fine but felt largely redundant. But with Black Widow: Recharged, I feel like they’re getting the hang of this. A similar visual style, but it fits this game well. The power-ups feel a little more natural here than they do in Centipede, and the web makes this stand out a bit as a twin-stick shooter. Nice game. I’ll have a review of it early next week.

Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi ($59.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

From the makers of Demon Gaze, Spirit Hunter, and The Stranger of Sword City, Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi is a chunky-as-heck dungeon-crawling RPG for those who like to chew on this sort of thing. Oh, that’s me! Dive into a monster-filled labyrinth in search of adventure and fortune, but watch out: death is around every corner. Use your head, take advantage of the skills of your party members, and hope for a little luck. I’ll have a full review of this one soon.

Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars ($29.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

We may not have Nier on Switch, but Yoko Taro does have something for us all to enjoy. Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is a card-game RPG about a hero on a journey to kill a recently-awakened dragon. I’m sure nothing weird will happen in this story. It has a strong tabletop vibe to it, making for an interesting companion to the recently released Dungeon Encounters. More cool small games like these, please.

Arcade Archives Sky Kid ($7.99)

Another week, another Namco entry into the Arcade Archives. This time, it’s Sky Kid. This 1985 shoot-em-up sees you controlling Baron as he scoops up bombs and drops them on targets while trying to fend off the enemy forces. It’s a really fun game once you get used to it, but it’s also available in its arcade form in the Namco Museum collection for the Switch, so you might already own it. You’ll get a different set of options and features here, however, so you may want to double dip. Well, I leave that one up to you.

Abarenbo Tengu & Zombie Nation ($11.99)

Zombie Nation is a pretty rare NES game, mostly known for its bizarre premise that sees you playing as a disembodied samurai head spitting bullets at the monsters that have destroyed America. But before it came to North America, it was Abarenbo Tengu, a game about a disembodied Tengu Mask spitting bullets at the monsters that have destroyed America. This set gets you both versions, with a number of features to help you enjoy them in the present day. The only caveat is that it comes from City Connection, and their stuff has had a lot of input lag issues in the past. Hopefully that won’t be the case here.

hexceed (Free)

This feels somewhat monumental, if only in a quiet way. This is a free puzzle game that seems heavily inspired by Minesweeper, with a whole bunch of extra level packs you can buy. It’s all very reasonably priced, but we haven’t seen a lot of indies taking this route on the eShop yet. I suppose time will tell if this approach proves popular.

QUByte Classics – The Immortal by PIKO ($7.99)

I find the title on this one amusing as The Immortal is neither a “QUByte Classic" nor “by PIKO", but hey-ho. Licensing, rights, branding, all that mess. Anyway, this set includes both the NES and the SEGA Genesis versions of the ultra-punishing action-adventure game, released in 1990 by Electronic Arts and created by Will Harvey. Play as an unnamed wizard who is searching a dungeon to rescue his mentor, all while battling enemies, avoiding traps, and solving puzzles along the way. The NES version of the game is part of the Nintendo Switch Online library, but the Genesis version has a much better presentation and a whole lot more gore. Either way, you get both here. I kind of hate this game, but I know lots of people who greatly enjoy it. I’m happy to see it arrive regardless of my feelings, as it is hopefully just the start of a full line of such efforts from this partnership.

Head over Heels ($3.99)

Speaking of classics, QUByte also has a port of the 2019 remake of the ZX Spectrum hit Head over Heels. It’s an isometric action-adventure game where you control two different characters, each with their own abilities. You’ll have to use both of them to solve the game’s many puzzles and help our heroes earn their freedom. As this sort of thing goes, it’s fairly enjoyable.

Dragon Hills ($8.00)

Another Rebel Twins game making the jump to the Switch, Dragon Hills is an amusing little game where you play as a princess trying to escape on the back of her dragon. Your dragon can smash through the terrain, so you just dive down and crash out of the ground as you like to catch coins and cause damage. When you inevitably hit the wall and die, you can use those coins for various upgrades and power-ups. It’s a little more expensive here than it is on mobile, but not unreasonably so. As long as you know what you’re getting into, I think you’ll have fun.

Milli & Greg ($3.99)

Here’s another one of those ultra-tough platforming games, this time with over one hundred stages. Your aim on each stage is to guide Milli to her cat, Greg. Nothing terribly original, but if you’re looking for some cheap thrills this might be what you’re after.

Distraint Collection ($11.99)

This includes Distraint and Distraint 2 in one handy collection. These are decent little games and they certainly tie together strongly enough that you’ll want them both. This is a quick and easy way to add them both to your library.

Gas Guzzlers Extreme ($49.99)

This game first came out on computers something like eight years ago, and has popped up on various consoles here and there over the years. It’s… well, I don’t want to be too rude about it, but it’s not very good. The presentation is shabby, the AI is ridiculous, and the controls are odd. Throw in a relatively high price and I just can’t see going with this over either of EA’s excellent racers. But maybe you feel differently. It certainly packs in the content, but I don’t think that’s worth much when the fundamentals aren’t there.

Cape’s Escape Game 4th Room ($9.80)

By now, you probably know what to expect from these. Goofy room escape games with some questionable yet charming machine translations. The setting this time is a Japanese hot spring inn. Like always, you can play this for free on your mobile device if you don’t mind ads. If you do mind ads or just want to play on your Switch, you can drop a tenner on this.

King Leo ($19.99)

This has powerful five-dollar Switch platformer vibes, but it’s somehow twenty dollars. I wish I could say it justifies that through its immense quality or something, but no. There really isn’t much separating this from any other low-cost 2D platformer. Four worlds, over sixty levels, and barely a single original idea in any of them. Its presentation isn’t going to convince anyone either.

VirtuaVerse ($14.99)

This is a decent point-and-click style adventure game in a cyberpunk setting. In a near future, most of society lives plugged into a virtual world that optimizes their reality to their preferences. Our main character Nathan isn’t too into that idea, and lives in the real world doing what he can to get by. One night, his girlfriend goes missing. Did she leave? Did her vandalism get her in trouble? You need answers, and to find them you will have to travel the world and get wrapped up in all kinds of messes. This game got decent but not spectacular reviews on other platforms, but I certainly can’t deny its sense of style.

Brain Meltdown – Into Despair ($7.99)

Oh, this looks devilish. At first blush it comes across as a simple platformer, and in theory, it could be. But there are two characters on the screen, and you need to control them both. Each one is mapped to one side of the controller, or each Joy-Con if you will. You need to run, jump, and dodge your way through tricky stages that see the characters come together and split apart on their paths. Sure, you can pull in a friend to control the other character via local multiplayer, but it feels like that would be sort of missing the point.

Okinawa Rush ($19.99)

Well, this sure looks like fun. This is a side-scrolling beat-em-up that conjures to mind things like Bad Dudes, Vigilante, or The Ninja Warriors. Choose one of three characters and brawl your way through a variety of modes, finding secrets and exploring the depths of the combat system. You can play alone or pull in a friend for some local co-op multiplayer, just like in the good old days. I haven’t played this yet, but I’ll tell you what: I’m going to.

The Sokoban ($17.99)

Hey, it’s a Sokoban game. Wait… it’s not a Sokoban game. It’s the Sokoban game! Yes, someone went out and actually properly licensed one of these things from the original creator Thinking Rabbit, and I applaud that. While I’m not a huge fan of the visual style they’ve gone with, it does include a bunch of stages including many drawn from the original game. Otherwise, it’s Sokoban. Push the crates onto the designated areas and don’t mess up. A well-worn idea, but only because it’s such a good one.

Happy Game ($13.13)

Hey, wait a minute! This game isn’t happy at all! This is a trippy horror game from the creator of Botanicula, and it challenges you to escape from various nightmares by solving puzzles. It sure looks spiffy, and given who is behind it I’m sure it’s at least decent. I don’t need any extra nightmare fuel so I’ll be passing this one by, but if you’re made of sterner stuff feel free to take a shot at it.

Tomb of the Mask ($9.99)

Now here’s a familiar sight for most mobile gaming fans. The simple yet very fun Tomb of the Mask makes its way to the Switch in a premium form, including over 450 levels in a story mode, some solid endless action in the arcade mode, and a head-to-head multiplayer mode where you race against a buddy. Local only for that one, mind you. It seems like the game ended up being delisted from the App Store at some point, so if you’ve got a hankering to play it this is probably your best route.

Amazing Breaker ($7.99)

At first I thought this was just going to be another brick breaker, but it’s a little different. You need to launch bombs to shatter ice sculptures, and there is a very basic appeal to that which I can appreciate. There are different bombs to use, and a whopping 320 levels to play. Aim, shoot, smash. Yes, that sounds nice in theory.

SEDOMAIRI ($4.99)

Wander around a procedurally-generated house in a first-person horror game. You have a radio and a flashlight, and that’s the extent of your assets. Your goal is to find all of the straw dolls and escape alive. It’s all very dark and spooky, and there are things that go bump in the night that will happily bump you off if they catch you.

Jigsaw Fun: Amazing Animals ($14.99)

Mindscape takes another swing at the jigsaw puzzle genre, offering up a whopping one hundred different pictures that you can play at four different puzzle sizes. The highest is a wild six hundred pieces! You can play with button controls or touch controls, and up to four people can play together via local multiplayer. If you’re into electronic takes on jigsaw puzzles and like animals, this seems like a very solid pick.

Zumba Aqua ($2.99)

A complete rip-off of a complete rip-off of Mitchell Corporation’s Puzz Loop. It even cheekily tries to rip-off the name of that complete rip-off with just enough changes to get away with it, but in doing so accidentally running into a name that belongs to someone else. Whoops! Anyway, it’s a water-themed game where you shoot colored gems into a chain of colored gems looping around you, trying to make matches to remove them before they back up on you.

Jigsaw Finale ($4.99)

Wow, this is it: the last jigsaw game ever. Never thought I’d see it, but it’s not like titles can tell mistruths. So what you do you get here? Fifteen different themes, seventy-five images that can be played at four different puzzle sizes, and a basic but functional interface. If you’re just in it for the pure puzzle-solving, this is a better bang for your buck than Jigsaw Fun: Amazing Animals, but if you’re a big spender you could always splurge on both. After all, there will never be another jigsaw game ever again.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

There are a lot of Capcom games on sale today, perhaps as a kind of Halloween sale? Well, they’re all good games. Maybe not Devil May Cry 2, but the rest are decent at worst. Onion Games is also holding a sale, in case you don’t already own Dandy Dungeon, Black Bird, and moon. Not much in the list of expiring sales to get too fussed about, but do check through and make sure there’s nothing you want to grab before it goes back to normal price.

Select New Games on Sale

Dread Nautical ($4.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Farmers Co-Op: Out of this World ($11.69 from $12.99 until 11/2)
Riverbond ($8.49 from $24.99 until 11/3)
Little Nightmares Complete ($7.49 from $29.99 until 11/3)
Little Nightmares II ($20.09 from $29.99 until 11/3)
Dune Sea ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/3)
The Ambassador: FT ($5.87 from $14.99 until 11/4)
The Bridge ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/4)
Tumblestone ($1.99 from $14.99 until 11/4)
Deleveled ($3.91 from $9.99 until 11/4)
Space Otter Charlie ($10.46 from $14.99 until 11/4)
Breakpoint ($2.39 from $4.99 until 11/4)
Fracter ($3.34 from $6.99 until 11/4)
Cozy Grove ($11.99 from $14.99 until 11/4)
Roundguard ($8.65 from $19.99 until 11/4)

#Funtime ($5.18 from $14.99 until 11/4)
Almost There: The Platformer ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/4)
Gurgamoth ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/4)
Asterix & Obelix XXL ($13.49 from $29.99 until 11/10)
X-Force Genesis ($3.50 from $7.00 until 11/10)
moon ($16.99 from $18.99 until 11/10)
Dandy Dungeon: Brave Yamada ($11.39 from $18.99 until 11/10)
Black Bird ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/10)
Onimusha Warlords ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/11)
Resident Evil ($12.99 from $19.99 until 11/11)
Resident Evil 0 ($12.99 from $19.99 until 11/11)
Resident Evil 4 ($14.99 from $19.99 until 11/11)
Resident Evil 5 ($14.99 from $19.99 until 11/11)
Resident Evil 6 ($14.99 from $19.99 until 11/11)
Resident Evil Revelations ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/11)
Resident Evil Revelations 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/11)

Devil May Cry ($11.99 from $19.99 until 11/11)
Devil May Cry 2 ($11.99 from $19.99 until 11/11)
Devil May Cry 3 SE ($14.99 from $19.99 until 11/11)
Clone Drone in the Danger Zone ($13.99 from $19.99 until 11/11)
Waifu Uncovered ($4.89 from $6.99 until 11/12)
Crawlco Block Knockers ($4.49 from $8.99 until 11/12)
Bishoujo Battle Cyber Panic! ($3.59 from $5.99 until 11/12)
Crime Opera: The Butterfly Effect ($5.99 from $9.99 until 11/12)
Mina & Michi ($2.99 from $4.99 until 11/12)
Ball Attraction ($3.99 from $7.99 until 11/12)
Family Tree ($1.99 from $7.99 until 11/12)
Hair Mower 3D ($2.99 from $5.99 until 11/12)
Rogue Explorer ($5.59 from $7.99 until 11/12)
Jungle Z ($6.49 from $12.99 until 11/12)
Swallow Up ($3.99 from $7.99 until 11/12)

Rolling Sky ($5.49 from $10.99 until 11/12)
Rolling Sky 2 ($6.49 from $12.99 until 11/12)
Grizzland ($1.99 from $4.99 until 11/12)
Story of a Gladiator ($3.29 from $10.99 until 11/15)
Galaxy Champions TV ($1.99 from $6.99 until 11/15)
Dark Quest 2 ($3.29 from $10.99 until 11/15)
Potata: Fairy Flower ($4.20 from $12.00 until 11/16)
Mega Party: A Tooftuff Adv. ($5.99 from $29.99 until 11/17)
Yesterday Origins ($2.23 from $14.90 until 11/17)
Syberia 1 & 2 ($1.99 from $34.99 until 11/17)
ATV Drift & Tricks ($1.99 from $34.99 until 11/17)
Cattails ($1.99 from $14.99 until 11/17)
Gear.Club Unlimited 2 ($5.99 from $39.99 until 11/17)
Lucid Cycle ($5.59 from $6.99 until 11/17)
Pro Flight Simulator ($9.89 from $14.99 until 11/17)
Deadly Fighter 2 ($1.99 from $3.99 until 11/17)
Okinawa Rush ($16.99 from $19.99 until 11/18)
Miles & Kilo ($1.99 from $7.99 until 11/18)
Space Commander: War & Trade ($5.99 from $9.99 until 11/18)
Dragon Question ($1.99 from $3.99 until 11/18)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, October 29th

4×4 Dirt Track ($5.99 from $11.99 until 10/29)
AAA Clock ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/29)
Art Sqool ($1.99 from $12.99 until 10/29)
Battle Princess Madelyn ($4.99 from $19.99 until 10/29)
Battle Princess Madelyn Royal ($3.74 from $14.99 until 10/29)
Bouncy Bullets 2 ($3.99 from $4.99 until 10/29)
Car Driving School Sim ($6.99 from $13.99 until 10/29)
Carnage: Battle Arena ($4.49 from $14.99 until 10/29)
City Driving Simulator ($5.99 from $11.99 until 10/29)
Dollhouse ($26.99 from $29.99 until 10/29)
Driving World: Italian Job ($8.99 from $11.99 until 10/29)
Dwarf Journey ($3.19 from $7.99 until 10/29)
Ghosts and Apples ($7.99 from $9.99 until 10/29)
Gnomes Garden 2 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 10/29)
Grand Prix Rock ‘N Racing ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/29)

Green Game: TimeSwapper ($2.00 from $2.99 until 10/29)
Half Dead ($2.49 from $4.99 until 10/29)
Happy Animals Bowling ($2.49 from $4.99 until 10/29)
Henchman Story ($12.74 from $14.99 until 10/29)
Infinite Golf 2 ($3.99 from $4.99 until 10/29)
Midnight Evil ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/29)
n Verlore Verstand ($2.09 from $13.99 until 10/29)
One Night Stand ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/29)
Paper Wars: Cannon Fodder ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/29)
Red Ronin ($5.99 from $7.99 until 10/29)
Robots Under Attack! ($1.99 from $5.99 until 10/29)
Ruin Raiders ($15.99 from $19.99 until 10/29)
Shmubedi Boo ($3.30 from $9.99 until 10/29)
Super Arcade Racing ($4.99 from $9.99 until 10/29)
Super Arcade Soccer ($2.02 from $6.99 until 10/29)
Tilt Pack ($2.99 from $14.99 until 10/29)
Titan Chaser ($3.74 from $4.99 until 10/29)
Tyd wag vir Niemand ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/29)
Unepic ($2.99 from $9.99 until 10/29)

That’s all for today, friends. Tomorrow has a few more releases of note to look at, including Mario Party Superstars and a pair of Cotton re-releases. We’ll check in on all of the games, of course. We should also have a healthy list of new sales to dig into, so do look forward to that. I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!