Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 22nd, 2024. In today’s article, we continue to bear witness to the slow yet clear decline of Switch releases in this eighth year. It’s Thursday, but we don’t even have a dozen games worth mentioning today. Even among the ones we have, there isn’t anything that is jumping out. Sure, it’s August. Things are going to pick up soon. But it’s still odd to see such dry Thursdays, even at this time of the year. At least the sales are healthy. Let’s have a look at all of that!

Select New Releases

Verne – The Shape of Fantasy ($14.99)

Play as Jules Verne, who has been brought into a world sprung from his own imagination, in this adventure game. He’ll join forces with Captain Nemo as they try to fend off an evil force determined to destroy all imagination, which I reckon would be pretty bad. Solve puzzles, engage in dialogue, and enjoy the story. An interesting premise, and that’s a big part of the battle when it comes to this genre.

Rise Eterna War ($9.99)

A prequel story to Rise Eterna, this looks to be a base defense-style game to me. Build your team and use your limited resources to deploy them against the enemy. Seems fine for what it is, even if what it is isn’t terribly novel. With more than forty stages to play, it will keep you busy for a few days at least.

As Per My Last Email ($6.29)

One of those stress relief games. You’re an office worker and you have a sledgehammer. You can break pretty much everything in the office. Go for it. Play the ten-level campaign mode, or enjoy the infinite Mayhem Mode as you like. The affordable price is about right for the experience on offer.

Ring Sculptors ($14.99)

A choice-based narrative adventure where you pick from nine different characters and try to survive a trip to the Ring Sculptors’ base. On top of making choices at various points, there are also stats to manage, dice rolls to try to luck out on, and plenty of endings to uncover as a result.

Argol – Kronoss’ Castle ($8.99)

This is a side-scrolling action-platformer in the vein of games like Castlevania or Valis. You play as a sword-wielding warrior on a quest to vanquish evil. Or at least I presume that’s the story, anyway. All I know is that there is a fellow named Kronoss and his castle must be stormed. A decent game with a pretty lively soundtrack backing it. Nothing I’d run down the street yelling about, but it might scratch an itch.

Ataraxie ($4.99)

An affordable Metroidvania-style game starring a mummy. It’s really rough around the edges, but for the price you might not mind. I at least appreciate the novel protagonist. Shame about the ropey collision detection, though.

Arcade Archives The Ninja Kids ($7.99)

Taito’s 1990 beat ’em up featuring puppet ninjas is the latest Arcade Archives release. Up to four players can join in on the fun via local multiplayer, and that’s probably the best way to enjoy this one. Even going alone, the wacky tone makes this an enjoyable game to play through. The mechanics aren’t as tight as in the better titles in this genre from Capcom or Konami, but there’s some charm in the janky nature of it all.

Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch ($29.99)

Here’s a visual novel with some simulation elements. Maybe it isn’t right to call it a visual novel because of those elements? Forgive me if my choice of words isn’t on point. Your character ends up homeless on a mysterious island, and soon runs into a witch that is having some problems of her own. They decide to work together, and they’re eventually joined by several others. Can this rag-tag group survive Toyotoki Island and grow along the way? Play to find out! I should write box copy, I swear.

EGGCONSOLE Star Trader PC-8801mkIISR ($6.49)

When you think of Nihon Falcom, you definitely think of… shoot ’em ups? Okay, maybe not. But this one did happen back in the day, and as you might expect it’s not an orthodox take by any means. There are adventure game scenes mashed in with the shooting action here, and your skill at handling trading will determine your available funds for upgrades. Naturally, this is all in Japanese. EGGCONSOLE and all that. If I think it’s even remotely playable for someone who can’t understand the language, I’ll do a review soon.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Another sale for 1000xRESIST. Buy 1000xRESIST. Maybe Freedom Planet 2 and Haiku, the Robot too, depending on your tastes. The latest sales from id Software and Inti-Creates are finishing up today, so fill your boots while you can. Check those lists!

Select New Sales

1000xRESIST ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/28)
Times & Galaxy ($17.99 from $19.99 until 8/28)
Super Mutant Alien Assault ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/28)
The Pale Beyond ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/28)
Suzerain ($4.49 from $17.99 until 8/28)
Paradise Killer ($5.99 from $19.99 until 8/28)
Genesis Noir ($4.49 from $14.99 until 8/28)
Citizen Sleeper ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/28)
Haiku, The Robot ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/28)
Ebenezer & the Invisible World ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/29)
Freedom Planet 2 ($18.74 from $24.99 until 9/5)
Deadcraft ($5.99 from $19.99 until 9/5)
Silent Hope ($13.99 from $39.99 until 9/5)
Untitled Goose Game ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/5)
Corpse Party ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/5)
Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed ($14.99 from $29.99 until 9/5)
Wing of Darkness ($5.99 from $29.99 until 9/5)
SCHiM ($17.49 from $24.99 until 9/5)
Marchen Forest ($6.99 from $34.99 until 9/5)
Violet Wisteria ($7.49 from $14.99 until 9/6)
Oops, I Said Yes?! ($20.99 from $29.99 until 9/9)
even if TEMPEST Dawning Connections ($34.99 from $49.99 until 9/9)
Pirate Bloopers ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/11)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, August 23rd

Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 8/23)
Berserk Boy ($14.00 from $20.00 until 8/23)
Blaster Master Zero 3 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/23)
Bloodstained Curse of the Moon 2 ($5.99 from $14.99 until 8/23)
CounterAttack: Uprising ($4.49 from $14.99 until 8/23)
Dead End City ($9.89 from $14.99 until 8/23)
DOOM ($7.99 from $39.99 until 8/23)
DOOM 3 ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/23)
DOOM 64 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/23)
DOOM Eternal ($9.99 from $39.99 until 8/23)
Dragon Marked for Death ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/23)
Fireside ($11.99 from $14.99 until 8/23)
For The Warp ($1.99 from $17.99 until 8/23)
Froggie ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/23)
Gal Guardians: Demon Purge ($13.74 from $24.99 until 8/23)
Gunvolt Records: Cychronicle ($10.49 from $14.99 until 8/23)
Little Kitty, Big City ($19.99 from $24.99 until 8/23)
Luminous Avenger iX 2 ($12.49 from $24.99 until 8/23)
PuzzMiX ($2.99 from $3.99 until 8/23)
QUAKE ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/23)
Quake II ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/23)
Sally Face ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/23)
TES V: Skyrim ($29.99 from $59.99 until 8/23)
TES V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition ($34.99 from $69.99 until 8/23)
Umbraclaw ($17.49 from $24.99 until 8/23)
Wolfenstein II: TNC ($5.99 from $39.99 until 8/23)
Yohane the Parhelion: Blaze in the Deepblue ($20.39 from $29.99 until 8/23)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with the remaining releases for the week, plus whatever sales and major news items roll in during the course of the day. We’ve been getting so many thunderstorms lately around here. Hot and sunny during the day, stormy in the evening. Very odd, and not conducive to the laundry schedule. Oh well. I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!