Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for July 8th, 2024. It’s a new week, and we starting things off with our usual review foot forward. I take a look at Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD and Cyber Citizen Shockman Zero, and I liked both of them. After that, there’s a new release to dig into. It’s not the most exciting of affairs, but some might pick it up anyway. Then, the sales. It’s the way we like to finish the articles around here, and today won’t be upsetting the order. Let’s get started on the week!
Reviews & Mini-Views
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD ($59.99)
Just in case you were confused by the naming, this is a remake of the 2013 Nintendo 3DS game known in North America as Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon. Not exactly a shocking revelation or anything, but that game was Luigi’s Mansion 2 everywhere else. With that sorted out, the name really and truly does all the work here. This is the Nintendo 3DS game with spiffier graphics. No 3D, no second screen, but really and truly, I don’t think either of those things are that big a deal for this game. The more detailed assets, improved resolution, and better lighting and other effects are a fair trade.
At least in my opinion, the second game in the Luigi’s Mansion trilogy is the weakest one. It was very much built as a portable experience, so the game centers more around little missions with less freedom in general than what came before and after. That isn’t to say that it’s bad or anything. It’s a lot of fun catching ghosts and knocking things over looking for goodies, the puzzles are well-made for the most part, and the bosses are really interesting set pieces that are fun to figure out and beat.
One highlight of this game that carries over to the new version is the multiplayer mode. With the Nintendo 3DS offline now, it’s good to see this enjoyable element of Luigi’s Mansion 2 living on. ScareScraper mode really shows the potential this kind of gameplay offers, and if you’re an old fan of the game looking for a way to keep the good times rolling, here you go. And if you’re picking this game up for the first time, I can only urge you to not ignore the multiplayer.
While Luigi’s Mansion 2 wouldn’t have been my first pick among Nintendo’s selection of first-party 3DS games to make the trip to the Switch, it’s still a fun game that newcomers should enjoy well enough. It would have been nice to see more done here than an admittedly well-done boost to the presentation, especially given it’s a full-priced release, but it’s not as though it’s a game that feels incomplete or in need of any particular additions. I’d recommend Luigi’s Mansion 3 over this game, but if you’ve tapped that out and are hungry for more, you’ll find that here.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Cyber Citizen Shockman Zero ($6.99)
It’s only here at the end of all of these releases that I find a Cyber Citizen Shockman game that I broadly enjoy. The previous few games have all been quite different from one another, and each one made some choices I can only describe as baffling. Not the kind of games you would have regretted renting back in the day, but you probably would have only rented them once, if you know what I mean. But Cyber Citizen Shockman Zero? I could see myself renting it a few times. Maybe even buying it, if I was in the right mood. It’s alright.
The gameplay this time is more like a single-plane beat ’em up, albeit one without too much depth to it. You can play alone or with a friend, though you’ll need to do that via local multiplayer. It’s all pleasant enough. You run and jump through the levels, punching or slashing up any baddies along the way and picking up the score items or health pick-ups they drop. You can still charge up a beam attack, but most of the time you’ll be getting up close and personal. The presentation is very “Super Nintendo”, and that’s fine. Not very difficult on the whole, but that’s nice sometimes too. You can activate a selection of cheats if you want to make it even easier.
Ratalaika has done the usual job here, with a similar-looking wrapper and familiar features and options. The game seems to be emulating properly, but I can’t say I have played the Satellaview-exclusive original to properly compared. This version has also been fully localized for the first time ever, and that’s nice. Not much in the way of extras, and that’s not so nice but expected by now. Not much new under the sun in this case.
Cyber Citizen Shockman Zero is the most orthodox entry in the series, and while some might lament the loss of the quirkiness that is probably the main tie that binds the first three games, sometimes you just want a plain old ordinary platformer that doesn’t drop any serious balls. And that’s more or less what you get here. If you only pick up one game from this series, this is the one I would recommend.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Select New Releases
Kubits Gallery ($9.99)
Everyone needs another Picross-style game, right? I know folks were lamenting how few of these there are nowadays. Well, here’s one more. There are more than 120 puzzles to solve here, themed around the idea of repainting art that has mysteriously vanished. Sure, that’s a good enough excuse. On to the pile with you!
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Well, that’s a list. Grapple Dog. That’s the winner. A great game and getting it for under five bucks feels like you’re getting one over on someone. That’s really all that’s standing out for me today, but I’ll do the usual thing and advise you to check both of those lists.
Select New Sales
Choo-Choo Charles ($11.99 from $19.99 until 7/13)
Cavern of Dreams ($6.49 from $12.99 until 7/15)
OTXO ($7.49 from $14.99 until 7/15)
Lone Ruin ($3.79 from $14.99 until 7/15)
Post Void ($2.99 from $5.99 until 7/15)
Grapple Dog ($3.79 from $14.99 until 7/15)
Evolings ($4.49 from $8.99 until 7/15)
Split ($2.24 from $8.99 until 7/17)
Shockman Collection Vol. 1 ($7.69 from $10.99 until 7/18)
Donuts’n’Justice ($2.49 from $4.99 until 7/18)
Roommates ($2.99 from $19.99 until 7/18)
Nicole ($2.84 from $18.99 until 7/18)
Right and Down and Dice ($7.99 from $11.99 until 7/21)
Paper Dash Invasion of Greed ($4.99 from $9.99 until 7/22)
Dash & Roll ($4.99 from $9.99 until 7/22)
Stolen Realm ($11.99 from $19.99 until 7/23)
Cyber Hunters ($10.99 from $19.99 until 7/25)
Burst Hero ($7.19 from $11.99 until 7/25)
Titanium Hound ($8.25 from $15.00 until 7/25)
Escape First Alchemist ($5.19 from $7.99 until 7/25)
Missile Dancer 2 ($11.99 from $14.99 until 7/27)
Outbreak The Fedora Files ($9.99 from $19.99 until 7/27)
Backpack Hero ($15.99 from $19.99 until 7/28)
Dark Days ($2.79 from $7.99 until 7/28)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, July 9th
Backbeat ($17.49 from $24.99 until 7/9)
Boreal Tenebrae ($1.99 from $6.99 until 7/9)
Cat’s Cosmic Atlas ($1.99 from $19.99 until 7/9)
Colsword ($1.99 from $4.00 until 7/9)
Cryptrio ($2.99 from $4.99 until 7/9)
Ekstase ($7.99 from $19.99 until 7/9)
Golfinite ($1.99 from $12.99 until 7/9)
Hexagroove: Tactical DJ ($13.99 from $19.99 until 7/9)
Monument ($1.99 from $7.00 until 7/9)
Syndrome ($1.99 from $24.99 until 7/9)
Wira & Taksa: AtMoG ($1.99 from $16.99 until 7/9)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more new games, more sales, more reviews, and perhaps some news. I’m on the last push of the project I’ve been working on, and I can’t wait to have it in the rear-view mirror. I’m proud of it and all, but I need a proper weekend again soon. I hope you all have a magnificent Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!