Reviews Featuring ‘Shotgun King’ and More, Plus the Latest Releases and Sales – TouchArcade

Hey light readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Spherical-Up for August twenty ninth, 2023. Our pal Mikhail has been very busy once more, wrapping up three extra evaluations so that you can look over at this time. Shotgun King, Stray Gods, and the DLC for Let’s Construct a Zoo have been examined along with his cautious eye to your studying pleasure. We even have a bunch of releases to take a look at, together with Samba de Amigo: Social gathering Central, Sea of Stars, The Making of Karateka, and extra! After that, it’s the standard lists of recent and outgoing gross sales so that you can take a look at. Let’s get to the video games!

Critiques & Mini-Views

Shotgun King: The Ultimate Checkmate ($12.49)

Shotgun King: The Ultimate Checkmate is among the most attention-grabbing video games I’ve performed all 12 months. I like new takes on classics, and Shotgun King brings roguelikes and chess along with a beautiful aesthetic and addictive gameplay. It’s only held again by its issue curve.

Shotgun King has you taking over the function of the Black King with a shotgun as you tackle the White aspect on a chessboard. After every flip, you should plan your subsequent transfer, and Shotgun King looks like a recreation I didn’t know I wished till I performed it. I don’t commonly play chess, however I nonetheless know sufficient to play with buddies on-line. Shotgun King is hilarious, tough, and enjoyable. After every flooring of the run, you improve not solely your individual King, however the opponents. This isn’t defined too nicely and requires studying by expertise. Shotgun King options a great deal of upgrades and plenty of unlocks as you get higher, and it’s the excellent choose up and play recreation that shines on a transportable system.

I owned Shotgun King on Steam, however didn’t play it till getting assessment code for the Swap model. After I tried it, I used to be shocked to see no controller help, and had to make use of a group format to play nicely on Steam Deck. It labored with contact controls that simulated a mouse although. On Swap, Shotgun King: The Ultimate Checkmate is nice with no points. The visible fashion additionally seems loads nicer on Swap than Steam Deck’s show. My favourite solution to play Shotgun King: The Ultimate Checkmate is certainly Nintendo Swap in handheld mode.

For its asking worth, Shotgun King: The Ultimate Checkmate is value getting if the premise sounds attention-grabbing to you. Some elements of the gameplay may’ve been higher defined, however I loved my time with Shotgun King on Swap. I hope potential future updates add some accessibility choices although as a result of I really feel like most will surrender earlier than unlocking something significant. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Rating: 4/5

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical ($29.99)

The explanation my Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical assessment is so late, is as a result of I used to be ready for the builders to repair a save-related difficulty, and in addition hopefully tackle the technical points with the Swap model. Having skilled Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical on Steam initially, the interactive narrative pushed journey felt like it might be the right recreation to play on Nintendo Swap, however the port wants work proper now.

Stray Gods is one in every of Humble Video games’ most formidable titles but in its publishing repertoire. The Summerfall Video games developed interactive musical is extra like an journey recreation that blends visible novels and musicals collectively. It tells a really attention-grabbing story bringing collectively trendy city life, Greek deities, romance, and extra accompanied by superb music.

A whole lot of promotion for Stray Gods centered on the well-known voice actors and actresses, however I feel the writers for the narrative and songs are the true stars right here. Since I had the sport on two platforms, I attempted totally different choices and traits to see how issues went. Stray Gods is the sort of expertise that may be a laborious promote to those that aren’t followers of visible novels or journey video games, however people who get pleasure from them will possible discover loads to love right here.

My principal complaints with Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical should do with the audio ranges and a few songs. For a recreation that’s so centered on music, it’s stunning that the degrees for voices and among the mixing within the songs felt so off. Fortunately that is being addressed going by a submit from the builders on the Steam boards.

Having performed Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical on Swap and Steam Deck, I hoped the Swap model would ship as a result of the attractive artwork fashion would undoubtedly shine on the OLED. Sadly, it seems fairly blurry on Swap and has some interface points the place contact targets or inputs don’t register appropriately. On Steam Deck, I had no points with the sport in any respect.

In its present state, I’d solely suggest Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical on Swap if you wish to play it on a transportable and don’t have a Steam Deck. If you wish to play in your TV or monitor, contemplate getting it on one other platform for a a lot better expertise. It doesn’t really feel polished on Nintendo’s handheld proper now, and that holds this in any other case glorious however flawed expertise again. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Rating: 3.5/5

Let’s Construct a Zoo: Aquarium Odyssey ($9.99)

After I reviewed Let’s Construct a Zoo on Swap, I stated it was a harmful recreation as a result of I stored spending an excessive amount of time on it. It was an ideal match for transportable play, and I’ve since gotten it on PC as nicely to take a look at the brand new DLC earlier than alongside the Nintendo Swap model. Following the sport’s debut with one DLC pack on consoles, No Extra Robots has launched the Let’s Construct a Zoo: Aquarium Odyssey DLC, and it’s glorious.

The Let’s Construct a Zoo: Aquarium Odyssey DLC pack is a giant enlargement for the bottom recreation bringing in a brand new marketing campaign island, greater than 50 new animals, over half a dozen enclosure sorts, tons of recent cosmetics and outlets, new services, and extra. On paper that appears like loads for a DLC pack, nevertheless it really does really feel like an enormous enlargement in what it brings to Let’s Construct a Zoo. The aesthetic and really feel of the sport stay, however the DLC freshens issues up.

The present state of the Swap model is just like at launch. The textual content dimension stays an issue in handheld mode, and one thing you’ll have to get used to. It might be good to have some contact help sooner or later as nicely. Whereas the radial menus do an excellent job, video games like this are all the time improved by mouse or contact help on relevant platforms.

When you loved the bottom recreation, Let’s Construct a Zoo: Aquarium Odyssey is a no brainer buy. It has me much more excited for potential future DLC packs, and over delivers in its worth. I hope the builders can work on bettering the interface scaling on Nintendo Swap although. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Rating: 4/5

New Releases

Samba de Amigo: Social gathering Central ($39.99)

As somebody who marched right down to his native EB Video games on March twenty ninth 2000 to plunk down one-hundred and sixty Canadian {dollars} for Samba de Amigo and the Maracas Controller for the Dreamcast, I’m in all probability a bit extra excited than most to see this revival. It options forty songs to play overlaying a pleasant mixture of eras and genres, loads of unlockable costume components, a number of modes together with on-line play for as much as eight gamers, and a few cool present and upcoming DLC so as to add extra tunes. The button controls are fairly good, and the Pleasure-Cons definitely do a greater job of mimicking the maracas than the Wii remotes may. Samba followers ought to dig it, even when these new to it may not see what the fuss is about.

Sea of Stars ($34.99)

An evil alchemist and a military of monsters threaten the world, and solely the mixed powers of the 2 Youngsters of the Solstice can reserve it. That is an homage to basic 16-bit JRPGs like Chrono Set off, put collectively by the high-quality people at Sabotage Studio. You may bear in mind them from their slick ninja motion recreation The Messenger. You get good pixel artwork visuals, an important soundtrack, some basic turn-based fight, and a whole lot of trendy touches to make sure this isn’t simply sticking to the tunes you already know. We’ll have a full assessment of this one quickly, however I can say proper now that it is extremely good.

The Making of Karateka ($19.99)

Don’t thoughts the button prompts on the screenshot. I needed to seize one from the Steam web page because the eShop one wasn’t up but once I wrote this. Anyway, that is the primary in Digital Eclipse’s Gold Grasp collection, which takes the sort of in-depth element and presentation seen in Atari 50 and applies it to different video games. The topic is Jordan Mechner’s legendary Karateka, a recreation that broke floor in cinematic presentation. It consists of a number of variations of the sport, plus Mechner’s beforehand unreleased Deathbounce: Rebounded as a bonus. I’ll have a assessment of this one, however if in case you have any love for Karateka this looks like a straightforward option to make.

Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles ($49.99)

Not too way back, we noticed a reissue of Rhapsody: A Musical Journey through the NIS Classics Vol. 3 assortment. That was very cool, however right here’s one thing even cooler. Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles brings the second and third Rhapsody video games to the West for the very first time. When you loved that first recreation, you’re actually going to like these video games. The third one particularly actually cranks issues up. I’m glad we lastly have these two video games formally in English. Sit up for our assessment quickly.

Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The London Case ($39.99)

One other case for the adventures of younger Hercule Poirot, this time teaming him up along with his steadfast accomplice Hastings. Examine the scene of the crime, query suspects, acquire proof, and remedy the case. The existence of this recreation suggests that individuals have to be selecting up these Agatha Christie video games and having fun with them. If that’s you, then right here is one other one to dive into and have an excellent time with.

SubOcto ($9.99)

This one is making its manner over from, I consider, the iiRcade of all issues. When you’re accustomed to video games like Miner 2049er or Metropolis Connection, the essential idea is similar right here. It’s important to step on each a part of the stage to “paint” it whereas avoiding enemies and selecting up bonus objects. Since this one is underwater, you’ll be able to float round a bit to navigate the platforms. Surprisingly enjoyable, when you’re into these easy arcade-style platformers.

Sphereout ($4.99)

Of all of the issues I anticipated to see on the eShop at this time, an Final Video games “homage” to the Nintendo 64 puzzler Tetrisphere was not one in every of them. It’s clearly not as polished as that recreation, however given the unlikely nature of a rerelease or follow-up, hungry followers might should accept this.

The Bin Bunch

Golf: Gap in One ($2.00)

Gross sales

(North American eShop, US Costs)

Not an enormous listing, however some attention-grabbing video games in there like Steve Jackson’s Sorcery!, Pumpkin Jack, and Phoenotopia: Awakening. There isn’t a complete lot of outbox motion at this time, so it’s fairly straightforward to look over each of these lists line by line and ensure there’s nothing there you want. I like to recommend doing that little factor.

Choose New Video games on Sale

Wildfrost ($17.99 from $19.99 till 9/5)
Phoenotopia: Awakening ($7.99 from $19.99 till 9/12)
Bridge Constructor Portal ($2.24 from $14.99 till 9/18)
Nova-111 ($3.49 from $9.99 till 9/18)
Steve Jackson’s Sorcery! ($11.24 from $24.99 till 9/18)
Primal Mild ($5.99 from $14.99 till 9/18)
Cyjin: The Cyborg Ninja ($3.99 from $9.99 till 9/18)
Grasp Spy ($3.99 from $9.99 till 9/18)
Inflexible Power Redux ($1.99 from $19.99 till 9/18)
Kao the Kangaroo ($13.49 from $29.99 till 9/18)
Volleyball Heaven ($12.05 from $17.99 till 9/18)
Hidden Paws Thriller ($1.99 from $3.99 till 9/18)
One True Hero ($5.99 from $14.99 till 9/18)
Flippin Kaktus ($4.19 from $11.99 till 9/18)
Internal Voices ($1.99 from $7.99 till 9/18)
Runbow ($1.99 from $14.99 till 9/18)
Pumpkin Jack ($8.99 from $29.99 till 9/18)
Sakura Gamer ($6.69 from $9.99 till 9/18)
Furry Hentai Tangram ($1.99 from $2.99 till 9/18)
Full Void ($11.99 from $14.99 till 9/25)

Gross sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, August thirtieth

Angels of Dying ($8.99 from $14.99 till 8/30)
Belle Boomerang ($3.99 from $7.99 till 8/30)
Kizuna AI: Contact the Beat! ($27.99 from $34.99 till 8/30)
Mystic Gate ($7.49 from $9.99 till 8/30)
Noel the Mortal Destiny ($12.49 from $24.99 till 8/30)
Regency Solitaire ($3.95 from $11.99 till 8/30)

That’s all for at this time, buddies. We’ll be again tomorrow with extra new releases, extra gross sales, a assessment or two, and maybe some information. September hasn’t even began but and it feels just like the avalanche of cool video games is already beginning. Good luck on the market, everybody. Could your wallets be robust. I hope you all have an important Tuesday, and as all the time, thanks for studying!