Howdy light readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Spherical-Up for March eleventh, 2024. We’ve bought a big-pants version for you immediately. We begin off with a abstract of the Mario Day information that Nintendo posted yesterday, then head right into a beefy evaluations part. Our pal Mikhail has his intensive ideas on the newest Vanillaware and Atlus joint, Unicorn Overlord. After that, I’ve my ideas on Ufouria: The Saga 2, A Void Hope, and Tamarak Path. Then it’s new launch time, and it’s… not fairly immediately, I’ll say. The Bin Bunch to Not Bin Bunch ratio is wild. After getting by means of that, there are the standard lists of latest and outgoing gross sales. Phew! Let’s get into it!
Information
All That Mario Day Information For You
Yesterday was March tenth, which is Mario Day. You possibly can’t combat the advertising and marketing, individuals. However we normally get some Mario info on that day, so I suppose it’s tremendous. This yr was no totally different. The sequel to The Tremendous Mario Bros. Film was introduced for a 2026 launch, for starters. Paper Mario: The Thousand 12 months Door and Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD bought their launch dates, Might twenty third and June twenty seventh respectively. Bit sooner than I anticipated for the previous, however that’s alright by me. Lastly, some Nintendo Swap On-line retro sport drops had been introduced for March twelfth. Dr. Mario, Mario Golf, and Mario Tennis shall be becoming a member of the Sport Boy app, and two of these three are real all-timers. The third one is the Sport Boy model of Dr. Mario. Nicely, I’m positive somebody is nostalgic for it.
Critiques & Mini-Views
Unicorn Overlord ($59.99)
Again in 2013 after I bought a PS Vita, I had no thought who or what Vanillaware was. I ended up shopping for Dragon’s Crown alongside Persona 4 Golden, and people had been mainly the primary Atlus video games I performed if you happen to imagine it. Each of them blew me away for various causes again then, and I’ve since made positive to play each single sport by each builders. I revisited Dragon’s Crown by means of its very good PS4 Professional model, and likewise adored Odin Sphere‘s remaster on Vita and PS4. None of these got here near how good 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim was which I’ve performed and acquired a number of instances.
So when Vanillaware revealed Unicorn Overlord, I wished to keep away from every little thing about it till I bought the sport. That’s a bit onerous to do whenever you write about sport information, however I did my greatest till the demo dropped. Proper from the get go, it felt particular. I began enthusiastic about the way it may be a as soon as in a era sport, however thought that was me getting too far forward of myself after simply an hour.
After I lastly bought evaluate code for it on Swap and PS5, I spent a couple of days obsessive about it, however then realized I wouldn’t have the ability to have a evaluate prepared for launch day at that tempo. I wasn’t going to hurry by means of a Vanillaware sport to hit a deadline and right here we’re. I notice I’ve spent a variety of time on this evaluate not speaking about Unicorn Overlord itself, however Vanillaware video games are mainly as soon as in a era releases, and I wish to savor them.
Unicorn Overlord is a technique RPG that has components of video games like Ogre Battle and Closing Fantasy XII with Vanillaware’s signature aesthetic and Basiscape’s good music. Whereas 13 Sentinels was extra of a narrative-focused expertise, Unicorn Overlord places its techniques on the forefront, however there’s nonetheless a variety of character interactions, improvement, and story beats that have you ever dying to search out out what occurs subsequent. The construction and intertwined mechanics which might be at play in virtually each aspect of Unicorn Overlord make it really particular.
You play as Alain, a prince, who has been taken away from his mom by a reliable holy knight after the dominion has been attacked. After a little bit of a tutorial battle, you find yourself getting management of Alain years later, who’s now the chief of the brand new Liberation Military. Because the chief, Alain goals to take down Valmore, however the path you are taking will differ. Whereas the primary story could be linear, Unicorn Overlord offers you a variety of freedom with the way you strategy conditions, which characters you’ll be able to recruit, and what battles you tackle to get stronger.
Whereas Unicorn Overlord has a plethora of techniques and mechanics throughout the board, what stunned me essentially the most is the quantity of characters. I can’t even think about how a lot cash went into the sport’s dub with what number of characters are included. I usually puzzled how this sport even exists in its present state. It’s bursting on the seams with what I get pleasure from in technique video games.
The core gameplay in Unicorn Overlord has you exploring an overworld, taking up foes roaming, successful battles in particular phases, liberating areas, taking up the numerous non-obligatory quests obtainable, turning into stronger as a military, and extra. Earlier than entering into how the battles and fight work right here, the overworld has a ton of factors of curiosity. These vary from collect factors that replenish after a while, wandering enemies, NPCs with quests, forts the place you’ll be able to increase your arsenal and rent mercenaries in your military, purchase gear, ship objects to cities to revive them to their fullest, rapport conversations to lift your rapport degree, and far more.
The precise fight between items in Unicorn Overlord is automated, however you’ve got a ton of management over how issues play out. After taking part in the opening portion of Unicorn Overlord, you’ll be able to choose the sport’s issue with 4 choices in whole, however the default felt good as somebody who enjoys video games within the style. You spend valor factors to summon items which have a set of characters inside. You possibly can customise your unit by character placement with tons of lessons obtainable within the sport because the story progresses. When you summon a personality you problem a command and mainly reap the benefits of the sport’s real-time motion and pause system to strategize. Sure class items are higher towards particular ones and so forth. You quickly additionally unlock this sport’s equal to Closing Fantasy XII‘s gambit system letting you prioritize what abilities are used below which conditions for a selected unit. That is the place you get the flexibility to fully break issues open in Unicorn Overlord and it’s very good.
Unicorn Overlord is a surprisingly forgiving sport with the way it allows you to reload saves or what occurs whenever you fall in battle. This mixed with the problem choices makes Unicorn Overlord a really accessible entry level regardless of the wealth of gameplay techniques and mechanics. There are particular issues I want had been extra accessible to finish newcomers, however those that spend time with Unicorn Overlord will discover quite a bit to like all through.
Visually, I used to be truly not offered on each facet of Unicorn Overlord after its preliminary reveal. I really like Vanillaware’s fashion and the aesthetic in its video games, however Unicorn Overlord felt a bit totally different in its reveal. Fortunately a couple of minutes with the demo confirmed that this nonetheless was very a lot a Vanillaware sport. The meals, the attractive UI, character designs, and animations are all good. All of that is accompanied by a clean body price even in handheld mode the place I spent most of my time on Swap.
I discussed the dub and Basiscape’s music above already, however I nonetheless can’t recover from how good each features are for Unicorn Overlord. You possibly can pattern them each within the demo, however the groups went all out for the audio design within the sport. I’m glad Basiscape already launched the soundtrack on streaming companies as of launch day. I left the sport operating within the menu a couple of instances simply to listen to the music whereas working. Even the early battle music is unimaginable.
I had entry to Unicorn Overlord on each Nintendo Swap and PS5 for this Swap evaluate. The main distinction barring decision between each variations is a few post-processing lacking on Nintendo Swap. It isn’t a dealbreaker, however I’ll say the PS5 model is the one to get if you wish to play in your TV or monitor. On the subject of handheld although, I like the Swap model of Unicorn Overlord. It’s fluid and lovely on the OLED. The load instances aren’t horrible both. I’d suggest trying out the free demo to see how you discover the visuals on the platforms you’ve got entry to purchasing Unicorn Overlord. I ended up spending essentially the most time with the Swap model due to how wonderful the sport feels on a conveyable.
Unicorn Overlord has a couple of minor annoyances although. When deciding on items, if a couple of are shut to one another, it’s a bit troublesome to pick the one you need. Barring that, a couple of of the menus might’ve been higher at onboarding. Whereas Unicorn Overlord does a improbable job with its tutorials, the sheer quantity of mechanics and techniques may be overwhelming to these unfamiliar with technique RPGs. By way of what I’d wish to see in patches for Unicorn Overlord, an choice to disable display shake could be nice. Barring that, I don’t have any complaints with it. Vanillaware have delivered but once more right here, and Unicorn Overlord has among the finest dubs in a few years.
As I dug deeper into my Unicorn Overlord playthroughs throughout Swap and PS5, it hit me that Vanillaware is just like the Australian band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard who maintain exploring totally different genres with every new album and sustaining the standard. It may be too quickly to say if Unicorn Overlord is my favourite technique RPG, however I can confidently say that it and Balatro are the perfect Nintendo Swap video games of 2024 to date. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Rating: 5/5
Ufouria: The Saga 2 ($24.99)
Whereas the collection is essentially unknown within the West, Hebereke was certainly one of Sunsoft’s extra prolific manufacturers throughout its heyday. The primary sport within the collection, Hebereke, was localized for Europe and Australia again within the day below the title Ufouria: The Saga. It didn’t get a launch in North America till it hit the Wii Digital Console in 2010, however by now it’s largely thought-about to be a brilliant spot within the NES’s line-up. An exquisite little exploratory platformer with the standard slick Sunsoft presentation and appeal to burn. Positive, it got here out fairly late within the system’s life, however that was by no means a assure of high quality. Ufouria was an awesome demonstration of how a lot Sunsoft had grown as a developer over the course of the 8-bit period.
Clearly recognizing it had one thing good on its arms, Sunsoft shortly adopted it up with a sequel on the Tremendous NES in 1993. Hebereke’s Popoon is a puzzle sport that’s greater than a bit impressed by Puyo Puyo. Nicely, hey. Everybody does one or two spin-offs. A handful of months later in 1994, one other follow-up was launched. Sugoi Hebereke is… a celebration enviornment fighter? Hm. Okay, a bit later within the yr, there was Hebereke no Oishii Puzzle wa Irimasen Ka, a… port of an arcade occasion sport with the characters jammed in. On the finish of 1994, yet one more Hebereke sport, Hashire Hebereke. It’s an isometric racing sport. Okay, perhaps 1995’s Hebereke’s Popoitto. No, one other falling block puzzler. Later in 1995, O-Chan’s Oekaki Logic… is a Picross-style puzzle sport, and one which bought an virtually quick sequel the next yr with related gameplay. And one other one a couple of years later. After which Sunsoft form of drifted out of creating video games for a few a long time.
That signifies that regardless of Ufouria: The Saga 2 being the tenth sport within the collection, that is the primary time the gameplay of the unique has been adopted up on. It’s been thirty-two years! Higher late than by no means, I suppose. Maybe understandably, this sequel doesn’t attempt to make too many dramatic adjustments from the unique sport. Hebe, a cute little penguin-like creature, heads out to search out his buddies in an enormous non-linear world. Every good friend he finds will open up new areas within the map with their skills. Sure, you can name this a Metroidvania if you happen to actually really feel the necessity to take action. And it’s certainly Hebe right here slightly than Bop Louie; regardless of carrying ahead the Ufouria title Sunsoft has opted to stay with the unique Japanese designs and names of the characters. Might need been a enjoyable unlockable, however I’ve at all times most well-liked the originals anyway.
Naturally, Hebe and his world have gotten a severe facelift. Every little thing is finished up in a mode just like the current Yoshi video games, with a handmade look. It suits the characters and the world very well. In gameplay phrases, there are a couple of adjustments right here. First is that you just’ll be gathering a foreign money of kinds that you just’ll want to make use of in a machine to purchase objects and unlock new skills. The second massive change is that the areas are procedurally generated and can change whenever you re-enter them. Apparently, it feels just like the problem scales based on which characters and skills you’ve unlocked. Whereas some would possibly fear this might flip the sport right into a roguelite, it actually doesn’t come off that method. That is truly a slightly breezy affair, and I believe in case you have a lot expertise within the platforming style in any respect you’ll most likely sail by means of the sport in about 5 or so hours.
For some gamers this relative brevity and low issue may be a turn-off, and I can definitely perceive that. In my case, I had such a superb time going by means of Ufouria: The Saga 2 that I didn’t thoughts any of that. I’ll virtually definitely play by means of it once more sooner or later. The sport genuinely does a superb job of following up on the unique, and given the circumstances I believe that’s truly fairly wonderful. You probably have completely happy reminiscences of Ufouria or are simply trying to get into the collection contemporary, I believe you’ll have a pleasant time with this one.
SwitchArcade Rating: 4/5
A Void Hope ($15.99)
A Void Hope feels prefer it’s on the cusp of one thing larger. The pixel artwork and soundtrack are each glorious. The sport is dripping with environment. The premise is intriguing sufficient, with a mysterious illness making individuals neglect increasingly more till they lastly develop into senseless creatures. A spouse units out to search out what she must make a treatment. Her husband, troubled with the illness, units out to search out her. You’ll play as each characters on this stage-based puzzle platformer. Whereas it’s as talked about stage-based, you’ll do numerous exploration in every place. There are secrets and techniques to search out, and also you’ll must do some backtracking with new objects to open up routes in phases you’ve already cleared.
So far as the gameplay goes, I believe A Void Hope works effectively sufficient. The puzzles are pleasant sufficient to unravel, and the controls are stable. The varied enemies you’ll come throughout aren’t as scary or threatening as they most likely ought to be, and there are some platforming bits that had been so annoying I couldn’t imagine it was the identical developer because the Alwa video games, however for essentially the most half the sport is clean sufficient to undergo. The environment helps quite a bit, because it actually does suck you into its world. The story doesn’t fairly dwell as much as the early promise, preferring to be a bit extra imprecise than I believe could be splendid.
I definitely didn’t have a foul time going by means of A Void Hope. It has a variety of issues going for it, from the slick presentation to the robust environment to the first rate puzzles. On the identical time, the toothless problem, sometimes-clumsy platforming set-ups, and less-than-satisfying story development and determination handle to carry again the sport from being as nice because it may very well be. I believe it’s value taking part in if you happen to just like the look of it, however I can’t see many individuals revisiting it after the preliminary 4 or 5 hour playthrough.
SwitchArcade Rating: 3.5/5
Tamarak Path ($14.99)
It’s necessary to know one’s self as a lot as potential, and one factor I’ve come to find out about myself is that I’m a sucker for cube. After I was younger, I used to gather cube. I appreciated rolling them greater than I appreciated taking part in many of the video games they had been hooked up to. And that appears to have carried over to video video games. Put some good, life like cube in a sport that I can roll, and I’ll be happier than I might be with out them. Thus, for me, Tamarak Path‘s massive gimmick works. That is basically a kind of turn-based roguelite deckbuilding RPGs which have loved a good bit of recognition on Swap. Besides right here, the playing cards have been swapped for cube.
The cube you roll have six sides, and also you’ll have the ability to stick no matter skills you need on these sides from those you’ve unlocked. This would possibly make it appear extra random in some methods than the standard sport of this kind, but it surely isn’t too onerous to govern the cube rolls to an extent if you happen to’ve a thoughts to doing so. You’re going to be doing a variety of dice-rolling, as a result of as video games of this kind go it is vitally combat-heavy. The path is filled with monsters to combat, and it’s a lengthy street certainly. Satisfying sufficient for a playthrough or two, although in fact I discovered there simply wasn’t sufficient room to differ my methods to make these subsequent runs fascinating.
Tamarak Path has a stable presentation, and the mechanics are sturdy sufficient to carry your curiosity for a couple of hours. The UI is a bit fussy, however the larger problem right here is that the combat-heavy nature of the sport and the way in which the battles play out imply you’ll most likely fall again on a couple of dependable techniques. Some video games on this style could be replayed practically endlessly, however Tamarak Path petered out after a couple of runs for me. I believe if you happen to’re actually keen on the deckbuilding roguelite style, you’ll have sufficient enjoyable with what this sport gives regardless of there being many higher selections for this form of affair.
SwitchArcade Rating: 3.5/5
New Releases
Demise of a Want ($19.99)
Okay, I do know what you’re pondering, and I’m going to set it straight straight away: you don’t must have watched Demise of a Salesman to grasp this sport. Apparently they’re not even set in the identical universe. That is a kind of hack-and-slash action-RPG affairs that’s good to get within the zone with whenever you’re within the temper for such actions. The story explores non secular themes, and the fight locations an emphasis on fashion and ability. As you play, corruption will begin to overtake you. As within the holy scriptures, the one technique to beat back such evil is by dispensing some smoking combos. Throw in a really distinctive artwork fashion and you’ve got a sport that definitely stands out from the pack.
The Bin Bunch
Finger Soccer League ($5.90)
English Tracing Guide ($3.99)
Dangerous Cat Sam Simulator ($9.99)
Assist Police: Pull the Pins ($3.99)
Block Magic Puzzle ($3.99)
Sniper Rescue ($0.99)
Cat Survivors ($4.99)
Gunsmith Workshop Simulator ($11.99)
Warring Universe ($3.99)
Paint Rings ($3.99)
The Crystals of Atlantis ($14.99)
Freeway Getaway: ZigZag Blocky Automobile ($3.99)
Gross sales
(North American eShop, US Costs)
A small record to get us began off for the week, however a pleasant probability to seize the Ori video games or a few of Terarin’s shoot-em-ups if you must fill out your assortment a bit. In all probability a extra urgent scenario over within the outbox, the place the newest sale from Marvelous/XSEED is coming to an finish. A number of nice video games in there, and the writer doesn’t do gross sales so usually that you would be able to simply ignore them out of hand. Have a look by means of each lists and see what jumps out at you.
Choose New Gross sales
Skater XL ($33.99 from $39.99 till 3/15)
Professor Lupo & his Horrible Pets ($2.99 from $14.99 till 3/15)
Professor Lupo: Ocean ($1.99 from $4.99 till 3/15)
Nihilumbra ($1.99 from $4.99 till 3/15)
Ori & the Will of the Wisps ($9.89 from $29.99 till 3/15)
Ori & the Blind Forest DE ($6.59 from $19.99 till 3/16)
CounterAttack: Rebellion ($5.99 from $14.99 till 3/18)
Charua Soccer Professional Version ($5.99 from $11.99 till 3/18)
Tremendous Benbo Quest Turbo Deluxe ($2.50 from $10.00 till 3/22)
GigaBash ($19.99 from $24.99 till 3/24)
Titanium Hound ($9.75 from $15.00 till 3/28)
Xatrom Command ($4.79 from $5.99 till 3/29)
Inflexible Pressure Redux ($4.99 from $19.99 till 3/29)
Pumpkin Jack ($7.49 from $29.99 till 3/29)
What The Duck ($1.99 from $19.99 till 3/29)
Progress ($6.69 from $9.99 till 3/29)
Three Minutes to Eight ($7.49 from $14.99 till 3/29)
Let’s Construct a Zoo ($8.99 from $19.99 till 3/29)
Let’s Construct a Zoo: Final Bundle ($16.99 from $33.99 till 3/29)
Instruments Up Final Version ($4.99 from $34.99 till 3/29)
Missile Dancer ($6.99 from $9.99 till 3/30)
Gemini Arms ($6.64 from $9.59 till 3/30)
Raging Blasters ($10.29 from $14.70 till 3/30)
Cat Survivors ($1.99 from $4.99 till 3/30)
Blasphemous 2 ($17.99 from $29.99 till 3/31)
Dredge Deluxe Version ($20.24 from $26.99 till 3/31)
Gross sales Ending Tomorrow, March twelfth
Akiba’s Journey: Hellbound & Debriefed ($7.99 from $19.99 till 3/12)
Akiba’s Journey: Undead & Undressed ($14.99 from $29.99 till 3/12)
Corpse Celebration ($9.99 from $19.99 till 3/12)
Corpse Celebration Blood Drive ($7.99 from $19.99 till 3/12)
Deadcraft ($6.99 from $19.99 till 3/12)
Deadcraft Deluxe ($8.99 from $29.99 till 3/12)
Freedom Planet ($4.49 from $14.99 till 3/12)
Gal Steel ($4.99 from $19.99 till 3/12)
Growbot ($12.99 from $19.99 till 3/12)
Lamplight Metropolis ($9.74 from $14.99 till 3/12)
Loop8: Summer season of Gods ($11.99 from $39.99 till 3/12)
Melon Journey Bittersweet Recollections ($4.49 from $14.99 till 3/12)
Steel Tales Overkill ($7.49 from $14.99 till 3/12)
No Extra Heroes ($9.99 from $19.99 till 3/12)
No Extra Heroes 2: Determined Wrestle ($9.99 from $19.99 till 3/12)
Capsule Child ($2.00 from $10.00 till 3/12)
Pinball FX Charlie Brown Xmas DLC ($4.94 from $5.49 till 3/12)
Pinball FX Star Trek Pinball DLC ($13.49 from $14.99 till 3/12)
Pirate Bloopers ($4.99 from $9.99 till 3/12)
Rune Manufacturing facility 3 Particular ($19.99 from $39.99 till 3/12)
Rune Manufacturing facility 3 Particular Deluxe ($24.99 from $49.99 till 3/12)
Rune Manufacturing facility 4 Particular ($14.99 from $29.99 till 3/12)
Rune Manufacturing facility 5 Deluxe ($24.99 from $49.99 till 3/12)
Sakuna: Of Rice & Break ($14.99 from $29.99 till 3/12)
Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle LE ($14.99 from $29.99 till 3/12)
Silent Hope ($19.99 from $39.99 till 3/12)
Sir Lovelot ($2.49 from $9.99 till 3/12)
Sonority ($12.99 from $19.99 till 3/12)
Sqroma ($1.99 from $8.99 till 3/12)
Story of Seasons: A Great Life ($19.99 from $39.99 till 3/12)
Story of Seasons: Mineral City ($15.99 from $39.99 till 3/12)
Story of Seasons: Olive City ($19.99 from $39.99 till 3/12)
The Final Employee ($9.99 from $19.99 till 3/12)
Tin Hearts ($15.99 from $19.99 till 3/12)
Tiny Troopers World Ops ($9.99 from $19.99 till 3/12)
Touhou: New World ($14.99 from $24.99 till 3/12)
Trinity Set off ($19.99 from $39.99 till 3/12)
Trinity Set off Deluxe ($22.49 from $49.99 till 3/12)
Unexpected Incidents ($12.99 from $19.99 till 3/12)
Witchtastic ($13.49 from $17.99 till 3/12)
That’s all for immediately, buddies. We’ll be again tomorrow with extra new releases, extra gross sales, extra evaluations, and maybe some information. I had a sudden urge to play by means of some traditional Mega Man video games over the weekend, and that’s simply what I did. I don’t understand how a lot nostalgia drives it, however I positive do have a superb time with the NES installments. I hope you all have a wonderful Monday, and as at all times, thanks for studying!
