SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘Emio: The Smiling Man’, ‘Gundam Breaker 4’, Plus Today’s Other Releases and Sales

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 29th, 2024! We've got a hefty lineup of new releases to explore today, forming the core of this Thursday's column. We'll also dive into a substantial list of new sales, and that's pretty much it for today. Let's get to the games!

Select New Releases

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club ($49.99)

The Famicom Detective Club returns after a multi-decade hiatus! This new entry stays true to the originals, for better or worse. A fresh mystery awaits, presented in a style similar to the recent Switch remakes. Can you crack the latest serial murder case? My review is coming soon.

Gundam Breaker 4 ($59.99)

Mikhail's already penned an extensive review, so I'll direct you there for a complete breakdown of gameplay and Switch performance. In short: build and battle Gunplas! While performance naturally lags behind other versions, it's perfectly playable. Read Mikhail's excellent review!

Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn ($19.99)

Tengo Project continues its impressive streak of remakes/reimaginings. Following successful updates to Wild Guns Reloaded, The Ninja Saviors, and Pocky & Rocky, they now tackle an 8-bit classic. This differs significantly from the original. If you crave classic-style action-platforming, this is worth a look. My review drops early next week.

Valfaris: Mecha Therion ($19.99)

A Valfaris sequel, but with a twist! This is a 2.5D side-scrolling shoot 'em up, a departure from the original's gameplay. While the genre shift surprised some, it's a solid title. Embrace the change, and you'll find much to enjoy. Review coming soon!

Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)

I'll admit, I'm not entirely sure what's going on here. Beautiful food imagery, definitely. Play with it? Take pictures? Hunt for secrets? Perhaps Mikhail can shed some light on this one. Sounds like his kind of thing.

Monster Jam Showdown ($49.99)

If you're a fan of monster trucks… well, this is for you. It's Monster Jam, the monster truck extravaganza. Features local and online multiplayer, plus numerous modes. Reception on other platforms was mixed, but monster truck fans have limited options.

WitchSpring R ($39.99)

I believe this is a WitchSpring remake, but I could be wrong. The original was a mobile "budget Atelier" series. At this price point, it's getting close to the cost of a full Atelier game, which makes me hesitate. But if you're interested, it's the best-looking WitchSpring yet.

Depths of Sanity ($19.99)

An underwater exploration game with a fantastical horror twist. Investigate your missing crew's fate in a vast, dangerous underwater world. Combat is involved. Well-regarded on other platforms, and likely to find a Switch audience.

Voltaire: The Vegan Vampire ($19.99)

Voltaire, a vegan vampire, rebels against his bloodthirsty father. This involves farming and fending off his father's attempts to thwart his lifestyle. I'm a bit burnt out on this genre, but if you're not, give it a look.

Marble Abduction! Patti Hattu ($11.79)

Seventy stages, eighty marbles to collect, plus secret items and challenges. The classic marble-rolling formula is here, if that's your jam.

Leo: The Firefighter Cat ($24.99)

A kid-friendly firefighting game with twenty missions. A different take on the firefighting genre, potentially appealing to a younger audience.

Gori: Cuddly Carnage ($21.99)

A gory action game starring a hoverboarding, blade-wielding cat. While the core gameplay is decent, the Switch version suffers from technical issues impacting the overall experience.

Arcade Archives Finalizer Super Transformation ($7.99)

A 1985 Konami vertical shooter I somehow never encountered. You play as a transforming robot, collecting power-ups to change forms and activate abilities. A charming, retro shooter.

EGGCONSOLE Xanadu Scenario II PC-8801mkIISR ($6.49)

An early game expansion pack featuring a new underworld to explore. Gameplay is similar to the first game, but more challenging. Notably, this features the debut work of legendary composer Yuzo Koshiro.

The Backrooms: Survival ($10.99)

Horror, survival, and roguelite elements combine in this popular PC title. Best experienced with up to ten online players. Solo play is more niche due to its repetitive nature.

Can of Wormholes ($19.99)

A clever puzzle game where you're a sentient tin can dealing with worms. One hundred handcrafted puzzles keep things fresh. A winner for puzzle fans.

Ninja I & II ($9.99)

Two NES-style microgames featuring ninja action. Competitive, ideal for local multiplayer or against the CPU.

Dice Make 10! ($3.99)

A surprisingly fun title with two modes: falling blocks and a wood-block puzzle style. The goal is to create rows/columns where dice faces add up to multiples of ten.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

It's The King of Fighters' 30th anniversary! Hamster and SNK are celebrating with a sale on every Arcade Archives title in the series. Also, many Pixel Game Maker Series games are at their lowest prices yet. Check out the full sales list below.

Select New Sales

Kamitsubaki City Ensemble ($3.59 from $3.99 until 9/3) Floogen ($1.99 from $3.99 until 9/4) Rolling Car ($1.99 from $7.99 until 9/4) Fluffy Horde ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/4) Gum+ ($1.99 from $7.99 until 9/4) Stunt Paradise ($5.19 from $7.99 until 9/4) My Time at Portia ($4.49 from $29.99 until 9/6) SpongeBob Krusty Cook-Off ($4.94 from $14.99 until 9/9) PPA Pickleball Tour 2025 ($29.99 from $49.99 until 9/11) Talisman: Digital Edition ($2.99 from $5.99 until 9/12) Mystic Vale ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/12) Baron of Blood ($4.95 from $9.90 until 9/12) Fighting Fantasy Legends ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/12) Deathtrap Dungeon ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/12) White Eternal ($3.24 from $6.49 until 9/12)

ACA NEOGEO The King of Fighters ’94 - ACA NEOGEO The King of Fighters 2003 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12) Kittey 64 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/12) Last Bloody Snack ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/12) PGMS Cat and Tower ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/12) - PGMS Oumuamua ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/12)

Sushi Battle Rambunctiously ($13.99 from $19.99 until 9/13) - PGMS Jewelinx ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, August 30th

#BLUD ($19.99 from $24.99 until 8/30) - Void Bastards ($8.99 from $29.99 until 8/30)

That’s all for today! We’ll be back tomorrow to wrap up the week with remaining new releases, sales, and news. See you then!