SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘Chrono Cross’, ‘The House Of The Dead’, ‘Slipstream’, Plus Today’s Other Releases And Sales

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for April 7th, 2022. In today’s article, we’ve got a bunch of new releases to check out. Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition, Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter, The House of the Dead: Remake, and Slipstream are but a few of the many, and we’ve got summaries of all of them. We also have the lists of new and expiring sales, plus a little slice of news. Let’s get to it!

News

‘Mario Golf’ Joins the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack Next Week

Oh, we’re announcing these ahead of time again now? Cool, cool. Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers have been eating pretty well lately, so they may or may not have noticed it has been about a month since the last Nintendo 64 release. While I thought for sure this month’s game would be Kirby due to the anniversary, we’re actually getting Mario Golf. Well, that’s fine. It’s a good game. The game will be available from Friday, April 15th in the Nintendo 64 app. For now, enjoy the Japanese trailer. Nintendo of America didn’t have one of its own up, so we’ll have to make do with what we’ve got.

New Releases

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition ($19.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

Ah, it’s here! Chrono Trigger‘s sequel is a somewhat controversial game, with some people considering it brilliant, others considering it terrible, and everyone else who played it falling somewhere between those two. Chrono Cross is not a safe follow-up by any means, but it’s certainly a high-quality RPG from Square’s high-flying line-up on the original PlayStation. This new version presents the original Chrono Cross in both classic and enhanced versions, with a bunch of the usual cheats we’ve seen in other Square Enix rereleases lately. You also get, for the very first time in an official capacity, a localized version of the Satellaview adventure Radical Dreamers. The enhancements here aren’t quite on the same level as, say, the SaGa Frontier remaster, but the game itself is as good as it ever was.

Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter ($29.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

Ukraine-based game developer Frogwares is somehow still getting its games out there, and this port of Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter is its latest. A follow-up to Crimes & Punishments, this one sees the famous gentleman detective dealing with a new threat to his family across five cases. Use your deductive reasoning skills to piece together the clues at each crime scene and figure out the truth. An overarching story ties everything together, with dark secrets being dragged into the light whether Holmes likes it or not. If you enjoyed Crimes & Punishments as much as I did, I can easily recommend this adventure game.

The House of the Dead: Remake ($24.99)

On the one hand, it’s a remake of the classic SEGA arcade light-gun shooter. That’s good! On the other hand, it’s a remake for a console without a proper light-gun or a good means of approximating one. There are some different control set-ups to choose from, but none of them work as well as you would hope. There are a few other flaws here, which is perhaps no surprise to anyone who got in on this publisher’s Panzer Dragoon Remake at launch. Let’s hope the developers can patch this one up to similar success over time. For now… tread cautiously, friends.

Slipstream ($9.99)

Here’s a SEGA arcade homage of a different sort. Slipstream isn’t shy about its source of inspiration. This game is Out Run as heck, right down to the quasi Super Scaler-style graphics. There are a few little added twists, though. The slipstream mechanic the title refers to is an important part of keeping ahead of the timer and your opponents, there are rivals in each branch to race against, and you can rewind time a few seconds in case you make a big boo-boo. Play alone in a variety of modes, or grab a few friends for some four-player splitscreen racing action. I’ll have a review of this one soon.

Arcade Archives Pac-Land ($7.99)

Remember when one of gaming’s biggest mascots revolutionized the platformer genre with lengthy, continuously-scrolling stages full of tricky jumps and nasty enemies? Yes, Pac-Land was quite a game. This game predates Super Mario Bros. and is a surprisingly enjoyable platformer despite that notable handicap. It used an interesting control set-up, with the player needing to slap buttons to move left and right. This version from Hamster brings the game over to the Switch in style, albeit with at least one notable change: Ms. Pac-Man and Baby Pac-Man have been swapped out for the 100% owned-by-Namco Pac-Mom and… I don’t know the name of the new baby.

Kombinera ($14.99)

I can’t believe I’m typing these words, but: Atari has been on a pretty good roll lately. The Atari Flashback Collection is great, the Recharged line of titles has been far better than I expected, and we just saw the release of Tempest 4000 on the Switch a couple of weeks ago. Well, here’s a slightly different effort from the company. Kombinera is an original puzzle game where you need to merge all of the balls in each stage without getting any of them destroyed. The various colors of balls all have their own properties, and you control all of them at the same time. So yes, you have to think very carefully about making moves. I’m working on a review of this one that should be ready early next week.

Happy’s Humble Burger Farm ($19.99)

You’ve got a job working the night shift at the Happy’s Humble Burger Farm on the edge of town. Your main task is to take orders from customers, prepare the food, and serve it to them in a timely fashion. There are other mishaps that can happen along the way, so be prepared to put out fires, chase rats, and do other assorted tasks. Don’t make too many mistakes, as Happy can get awfully unhappy when the customers aren’t pleased. There’s a story mode with a bonkers tale to play through, and an endless mode if you just want to focus on the cooking stuff. Light horror plus a cooking sim? Well, I can’t say I’ve seen that before.

Bibi & Tina – New Adventures with Horses ($29.99)

Bibi and Tina are back, and they’re doing horse stuff again. Alex is here too. There are ten different horses, and thirty missions to complete. You can also participate in races and play various minigames like brushing your horse or cleaning their hooves. There’s a fair-sized open world you can wander about in if you like, as well. If you’ve got a little fan of Bibi & Tina in your house, they might have fun with this.

Radioactive Dwarfs: Evil From the Sewers ($4.99)

This one purports to be a retro-style top-down action game. It features more than twenty levels to blast your way through, with weapon upgrades and plenty of enemies to use them on. Reviews on other platforms seem to be on the favorable side, so this might be worth throwing a fiver at if you like the look of it.

Mokoko X ($11.49)

Yet another lewd take on Taito’s Qix, Mokoko X sees you carving out terrain in thirty-two stages. As you clear away the background, an animated picture of a girl will be revealed. There are eight different girls, so you’ll get to see each of them in a few different outfits and poses. Well, at least the art is better than some of the other games like this. Is that worth a price north of ten bucks? I’ll leave that one to you to figure out. Your heart knows.

Traditional Braves ($19.99)

This appears to be a follow-up to December 2020’s Traditional Tactics Ne+, and it appears to use many of the same mechanics and assets as that title. That game basically required you to do the battles in a very specific way to win, and given this one is touting its challenging AI I somehow doubt it’s much better. That makes it feel more like a puzzle game than a proper turn-based tactical affair. The previous game seems to have flown completely under the radar and I can’t imagine doubling the price on this one is going to help it. Godspeed, I suppose.

Chinatown Detective Agency ($24.99)

This is a point-and-click style adventure game with a heavy emphasis on carrying out detective work. Set in a not-too-distant-future Singapore where the world is on the brink of collapse, you guide detective Amira Darma as she tries to solve the various cases her clients bring through her door. In an interesting twist inspired by the Carmen Sandiego games, there will be times where you’ll have to turn to real-world research to solve puzzles. Another unusual element comes in having to balance your money and times. Bills have to be paid, money is required to do that, and that means you need to solve cases regularly enough to keep the lights on. If you like the sound of the premise, you may want to give this a shot. Nothing incredible, but decent enough.

Red White Yellow Zinger ($12.00)

Falling block puzzler Red White Yellow is back, this time with a Zinger. I think the Zinger comes from the much nicer presentation. Blocks made up of three different colors will fall, and can only be cleared in the order of red, white, yellow. Plan things carefully to create chains and rack up a higher score. You even get some quality music to play along to. Not bad at all.

Spingram ($4.99)

Rotate the pieces to match the preview image in more than one thousand levels. Great for developing your spatial thinking skills, if nothing else. A minimalist presentation caps off a puzzle game that certainly isn’t lacking in content.

Floating Farmer ($2.99)

Basically a block-sliding puzzle. Shuffle the blocks around to reconnect the paths and lead the animals back to their homes. The graphics are cute and the price is low. It seems a bit slight for my tastes, but perhaps you’ll be more interested.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

A fair number of sales already, though nothing that grabs me too much. Orange Pixel’s games, I suppose? Jurassic World Evolution and RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 are at new low prices, too. Not too much in the outbox that won’t be back on sale later this month, but have a look through the titles anyway. There will likely be a lot more tomorrow.

Select New Games on Sale

Space Grunts ($9.79 from $13.99 until 4/10)

Meganoid ($6.29 from $8.99 until 4/10)

Heroes of Loot ($5.59 from $7.99 until 4/10)

Stardash ($6.99 from $9.99 until 4/10)

Gunslugs ($5.59 from $7.99 until 4/10)

Gunslugs 2 ($5.59 from $7.99 until 4/10)

Barbearian ($5.99 from $11.99 until 4/11)

RazerWire: Nanowars ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/13)

#Funtime ($3.73 from $14.99 until 4/14)

Deleveled ($2.98 from $9.99 until 4/14)

Fracter ($3.00 from $6.99 until 4/14)

Space Otter Charlie ($8.97 from $14.99 until 4/14)

Tumblestone ($1.99 from $14.99 until 4/14)

Breakpoint ($2.14 from $4.99 until 4/14)

Roundguard ($7.83 from $19.99 until 4/14)

Almost There: The Platformer ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/14)

Cozy Grove ($10.44 from $14.99 until 4/14)

Gurgamoth ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/14)

The Bridge ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/14)

The Ambassador: FT ($4.48 from $14.99 until 4/14)

Tiny Lands ($1.99 from $5.99 until 4/18)

Survive on Raft ($12.49 from $24.99 until 4/18)

Jurassic World Evolution CE ($20.99 from $59.99 until 4/19)

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 CE ($10.49 from $29.99 until 4/19)

Far: Changing Tides ($15.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)

Struggling ($5.24 from $14.99 until 4/19)

Dream ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/21)

Heroine Anthem Zero Ep. 1 ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/21)

The Hundred Year Kingdom ($9.09 from $12.99 until 4/21)

Memories of East Coast ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/22)

Immortus Temporus ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/22)

Drunken Fist ($3.19 from $7.99 until 4/22)

Poker Pretty Girls Battle: FW ($3.59 from $5.99 until 4/22)

Bishoujo Battle Mahjong Solitaire ($3.59 from $5.99 until 4/22)

Delicious! Girls Mahjong Solitaire ($3.59 from $5.99 until 4/22)

The Pillar: Puzzle Escape ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/22)

Ball laB ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/22)

112th Seed ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/22)

Ravva & the Cyclops Curse ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/22)

Crayon Shinchan Kasukabe Runner ($5.99 from $9.99 until 4/22)

Moorhuhn Kart 2 ($13.99 from $19.99 until 4/25)

8 & 9 Ball Pocket ($5.39 from $11.99 until 4/27)

Stealth ($1.99 from $4.98 until 4/27)

Basketball Pinball ($1.99 from $2.99 until 4/27)

Shark Pinball ($1.99 from $2.99 until 4/27)

Sports & Adventure Pinball ($6.74 from $14.99 until 4/27)

Horror & Sports Pinball ($6.74 from $14.99 until 4/27)

Wild & Adventure Pinball ($6.74 from $14.99 until 4/27)

Pony World 3 ($4.19 from $6.99 until 4/27)

Battle Axe ($14.99 from $29.99 until 4/28)

SuperEpic: Entertainment War ($2.15 from $17.99 until 4/28)

Golf Peaks ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/28)

Treasures of the Aegean ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/28)

The Little Acre ($2.59 from $12.99 until 4/28)

Gearshifters ($22.49 from $29.99 until 4/28)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, April 8th

112 Operator ($1.99 from $19.99 until 4/8)

A Pretty Old Bunny ($3.49 from $4.99 until 4/8)

Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics ($12.49 from $24.99 until 4/8)

Asdivine Dios ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/8)

Asdivine Hearts ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/8)

Asdivine Hearts II ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/8)

Asdivine Kamura ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/8)

Asdivine Menace ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/8)

BioShock 2 Remastered ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/8)

BioShock Remastered ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/8)

Borderlands: GotY Edition ($11.99 from $29.99 until 4/8)

Borderlands: Handsome Collection ($15.99 from $39.99 until 4/8)

Breakneck City ($6.99 from $9.99 until 4/8)

Carnival Games ($9.99 from $39.99 until 4/8)

Chex Quest ($3.99 from $4.99 until 4/8)

City Driving Simulator 2 ($6.99 from $13.99 until 4/8)

Crimson Spires ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/8)

DayD: Through Time ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/8)

Demonaica: Everlasting Night ($10.49 from $14.99 until 4/8)

Dragon Sinker ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/8)

Driving World: Nordic Challenge ($6.99 from $13.99 until 4/8)

Ghost Sync ($10.49 from $14.99 until 4/8)

Gunman Clive HD Collection ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/8)

Horned Knight ($1.99 from $5.99 until 4/8)

Infinite Golf 2 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/8)

Ironcast ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/8)

Lucid Cycle ($4.89 from $6.99 until 4/8)

Macrotis A Mother’s Journey ($7.19 from $11.99 until 4/8)

Mechstermination Force ($5.99 from $11.99 until 4/8)

Miden Tower ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/8)

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 ($7.49 from $29.99 until 4/8)

NBA 2K22 ($19.79 from $59.99 until 4/8)

Panty Party ($11.99 from $14.99 until 4/8)

PGA Tour 2K21 ($14.99 from $59.99 until 4/8)

Phoenotopia Awakening ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/8)

Poker Pretty Girls Texas Hold Em ($4.19 from $5.99 until 4/8)

Pretty Girls Klondike Solitaire ($3.59 from $5.99 until 4/8)

Pretty Girls Mahjong Solitaire ($3.49 from $4.99 until 4/8)

Pretty Girls Panic Plus ($4.19 from $5.99 until 4/8)

Pure Chase 80’s ($4.49 from $14.99 until 4/8)

Sea King Hunter ($7.99 from $9.99 until 4/8)

Sephirothic Stories ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/8)

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI ($8.99 from $29.99 until 4/8)

Super Punch Patrol ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/8)

Takotan ($2.79 from $6.99 until 4/8)

Tales from the Borderlands ($14.99 from $24.99 until 4/8)

The Spectrum Retreat ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/8)

Train Station Simulator ($2.19 from $21.99 until 4/8)

WWE 2K Battlegrounds ($15.99 from $39.99 until 4/8)

WWE 2K18 ($17.99 from $59.99 until 4/8)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with the rest of the new releases of the week, plus what I’m sure will be a hefty list of new sales. There’s nothing on the list that is immediately catching my eye, but I’m sure we’ll find a surprise or two in the bunch as usual. I hope you all have a fantastic Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!