Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for April 16th, 2024. A fairly standard Tuesday, by most measures. I have a couple of reviews for you, as I take a look at the latest EGGCONSOLE release and a little Sokoban-style puzzler. There are a few new releases, and they’re all pretty decent. I’ve got summaries of all of those, and then the usual lists of new and expiring sales. Those aren’t very big lists today, so don’t get too excited about them. Let’s get to what we’ve got!
Reviews & Mini-Views
EGGCONSOLE Dragon Slayer IV DrasleFamily MSX2 ($6.49)
This is Legacy of the Wizard. You know, the NES game. Well, maybe you don’t know. Basically, this game was ported to the Famicom and then was localized for the West via Broderbund back in the day. It was a mainstay in Nintendo Power’s Counselor’s Corner for a long time, with readers sending in tons of questions about how to solve its many tricky sections. A real love or hate affair for most players, and its reputation runs the gamut from one of the console’s worst games to an under-appreciated classic of the library.
You get the MSX2 version here, and that makes this our first EGGCONSOLE MSX2 release. There are a few differences in the room layouts compared to the NES version, and it’s entirely flick-screen in design. No scrolling rooms here. Not a big deal, really. Despite this being an unlocalized Japanese version, most of the necessary text is in English. You get the usual EGGCONSOLE options here, including save states, screen settings, button remapping, a little starter guide for how to play, and a gallery containing scans of the Japanese packaging and manual. No bookmarks here, sadly. If you want to see the whole game, you’ll have to get there by your own efforts.
And it will take quite an effort. In this game you have to use the talents of the various members of the titular Drasle family to make your way through a rather massive dungeon and slay the dragon waiting at the end. Each family member has their own unique abilities and can equip items that the others cannot, basically giving them exclusive access to certain sections of the map. You’ll have to swap between them, gathering items and defeating the bosses in each of those sections, each coughing up an item that together will grant you access to the weapon you’ll need to slay the dragon. An arduous task, to be sure, but at least you have save states?
Really, in terms of potential language barriers and quirky mechanics, this is one of the more playable RPG-adjacent titles in the EGGCONSOLE line-up so far. Particularly if you’re already familiar with Legacy of the Wizard. But there is one fly in the ointment here beyond the game itself. Namely, the NES version of the game is included in Namco Museum Archives Vol.2 along with ten other games for $19.99, and it’s arguably the superior experience. That means picking up this release is only wise if you specifically want this game and nothing else in that Namco set, or have a special interest in this MSX2 take for whatever reason.
If you love Legacy of the Wizard for the NES and are curious about trying a slightly remixed version of it, then EGGCONSOLE Dragon Slayer IV is something you’ll want to check out. If you’re fully new to the game, I’d probably recommend the Namco Museum Archives Vol. 2 set instead. The NES version included there is just as good as this one if not better, and you get more games to go with it. With that said, this isn’t a bad version by any means, and the language barrier is rather minimal by the standards of these releases. An odd game to be sure, but not one that is impossible to love.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Mimi the Cat: Mimi’s Scratcher ($4.99)
Sometimes a game doesn’t have to do anything too fancy to satisfy, and that’s more or less where I’m at with Mimi the Cat. It’s a fairly straightforward take on the Sokoban-style crate-pusher puzzle game. Mimi’s trying to reach her scratcher in each stage, and you need to guide her there. This will often involve pushing boxes around and stacking them so that Mimi can cross gaps or climb up to where her scratcher is, and there are a few stage gimmicks sprinkled in to keep things fresh along the way. It’s not doing anything new and it comes off as very low-budget, but if you enjoy these kinds of puzzles it will scratch the itch.
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
New Releases
Grounded ($39.99)
A survival game developed by… Obsidian? Wow, that’s not that developer’s usual lane, but from what I’ve heard from Xbox players, this is a really good one. The real question is how well this former Xbox Series exclusive has made the transition to the far less powerful Switch. I wish I had an answer for you, but we weren’t given any early access to the game so I’m just as in the dark as anyone on this. Fingers crossed, because it looks like a lot of fun!
Planet of Lana ($19.99)
If you enjoy atmospheric puzzle platformers like Limbo or Inside, this might appeal to you. Follow the story of a gorgeous planet whose natural balance is threatened, and make sure it stays a beautiful place. Well, you know how this kind of thing goes. Explore the lovely environments, do some tricky platforming, solve some tricky puzzles, and enjoy the unfolding story. The reception to this was good on other platforms and I have little doubt it will find a foothold on the Switch as well.
Rose & Camellia Collection ($19.99)
The popular Flash slappers from NIGORO, the developer behind the La-Mulana games, come to the Nintendo Switch in this handy collection. You get the first two games, the all-new third and fourth games, plus Rose & Camellia vs. La-Mulana. If you haven’t played these before, they’re a little like Punch-Out. You dodge the slaps from your opponent and retaliate with slaps of your own. It’s all presented in a very silly fashion, and while this isn’t exactly the deepest thing you’ll play there’s a certain joy to it. This Switch version allows you to use motion controls to make the slaps feel that much more real. I’ll have a review of it soon.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Well, there’s a new low price on Commandos 3 there. The Duke Nukem Pinball DLC for Pinball M, too. Gee, that outbox is almost nothing. Perhaps we’ll get some big sales soon, but clearly today is a wash.
Select New Sales
Pinball M: Duke Nukem Pinball DLC ($4.66 from $5.49 until 4/23)
Summer Daze: Tilly’s Tale ($5.99 from $14.99 until 4/29)
Sakura Magical Girls ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/6)
Aeterna Noctis ($11.99 from $29.99 until 5/6)
Summum Aeterna ($11.99 from $19.99 until 5/6)
Commandos 3: HD Remaster ($22.49 from $29.99 until 5/6)
Mediterranea Inferno ($6.99 from $9.99 until 5/6)
Figment 1 + Figment 2 ($9.99 from $39.99 until 5/6)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, April 17th
RPG Time: The Legend of Wright ($11.99 from $29.99 until 4/17)
Sunny Cafe ($13.49 from $14.99 until 4/17)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more new releases, more sales, and perhaps some news. I’m a little sleepy today, which seems to be a common affliction for me on Tuesdays lately. I can’t really say why. Anyway, I hope you all have a terrific day, and as always, thanks for reading!
