Hello fellow gamers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Roundup for September 5th, 2024. It's Thursday already! Time flies, doesn't it? We're diving straight into reviews today, with in-depth looks at Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. Our contributor, Mikhail, also shares his thoughts on Nour: Play With Your Food, Fate/stay night REMASTERED, and the TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK. We'll then cover the day's hottest new releases and round things off with our usual sales updates. Let's get to it!
Reviews & Mini-Views
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club ($49.99)
Sequels to long-dormant franchises are all the rage these days, mirroring Hollywood's trends. Nintendo's unexpected revival of Famicom Detective Club, a series largely known in the West through a brief remake a few years ago, is a prime example. This marks the first new Famicom Detective Club game in years, a welcome surprise.
The challenge in reviving an old IP lies in balancing faithfulness to the original with modern appeal. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club largely sticks to the style of the recent remakes, which themselves closely resemble the originals. The result is a unique blend. The visuals are top-notch, and the storyline pushes boundaries beyond what 90s Nintendo would have dared. However, the gameplay feels decidedly old-school, influencing the overall enjoyment.
The game centers on a student found dead, a smiling face on a paper bag over his head. This triggers a re-investigation of similar unsolved murders from 18 years prior, raising numerous questions. The urban legend of Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles, looms large. Is it a copycat, a resurrected killer, or pure myth? The police are baffled, leading to the involvement of the Utsugi Detective Agency. You'll use classic investigative techniques – exploring locations and interrogating suspects – to uncover the truth.
Gameplay involves searching scenes for clues, conversing with characters (often requiring multiple questions), and connecting the dots to solve the case. It's reminiscent of the investigation sections in Ace Attorney. Depending on your tolerance for this style, you might find parts tedious. Certain logical leaps could have been smoother, and some signposting would have been helpful. However, it's within the established conventions of the genre.
While I have some minor story criticisms, I overall enjoyed the experience. The narrative is engaging, suspenseful, and well-crafted. Certain plot points might not resonate with everyone, but I can't elaborate without spoilers. It's best experienced fresh. The strengths outweigh the weaknesses, and the game really shines at its peak.
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is atypical for Nintendo, but any potential team rust is invisible. The mechanics remain too faithful to the originals, and while the plot is excellent, the pacing sometimes falters. Despite these minor flaws, it's a thoroughly enjoyable mystery adventure. Welcome back, Detective Club! Don't stay away so long next time.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)
The Switch is getting a fantastic collection of TMNT games. We have the Konami classics in the Cowabunga Collection, the amazing modern beat 'em up Shredder's Revenge, the arcade-style Wrath of the Mutants, and now Splintered Fate, offering a different console experience. More are on the way! So, how does this one fare?
It's quite good. If you've played the Apple Arcade version, you know the drill. It blends a TMNT-style beat 'em up with the roguelite mechanics of Hades. You can play solo or with up to four players locally or online. Online multiplayer worked well in my experience. The game's enjoyable solo, but multiplayer significantly enhances it.
The story involves Shredder and a mysterious power, putting Splinter in danger. The Turtles must save him. Expect classic TMNT combat – slicing, dicing, and bludgeoning enemies – tactical dashing, perk collection, and permanent upgrades. Death means starting over. It's a roguelite beat 'em up, but with the Turtles, making it automatically better. It's not groundbreaking, but it's well-executed.
Splintered Fate isn't a must-have for everyone, but TMNT fans will appreciate this unique take. The multiplayer is well-implemented, a crucial element not overlooked. Those unfamiliar with the Turtles might find better roguelites on Switch, but given the platform's competitive roguelite scene, Splintered Fate holds its own.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)
Nour: Play With Your Food's initial PC and PS5 release surprised me by skipping Switch and mobile. It seemed perfect for touchscreens as an experimental food art experience. I enjoyed the PC version, but it's not a traditional game for everyone. If you enjoy playful sandbox experiences and love food, you'll likely love Nour, but the Switch version has shortcomings.
For newcomers, Nour lets you interact with various food types across different stages, featuring interesting music and playful elements. You start with basic tools but gradually unlock more options, allowing you to truly "play with your food." This highlights why touchscreen controls would have been ideal.
The lack of touchscreen support on Switch is disappointing. Performance is also impacted, showing cutbacks compared to other platforms. Load times are particularly long, both docked and handheld.
Nour: Play With Your Food is worth experiencing if you appreciate food, art, and interactive apps. While the Switch version isn't ideal, its portability is a plus. I hope its success leads to more DLC or even a physical release. Games like Nour and Townscaper offer a refreshing contrast to more complex games. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Fate/stay night REMASTERED ($29.99)
Fate/stay night REMASTERED, released recently on Switch and Steam, is a remaster of the 2004 visual novel. This is arguably the best entry point into the Fate universe. For those familiar only with the anime or other games, this is a chance to experience the series' origins. Fate/stay night REMASTERED, even with its quality-of-life improvements, is a 55+ hour experience, making its price incredibly reasonable.
For those who played the original Japanese versions, Fate/stay night REMASTERED offers significant enhancements. The addition of English is obvious, but the 16:9 support and other improvements are welcome. The remaster’s visual enhancements are impressive, though not as stunning as Tsukihime's recent remake.
The inclusion of touchscreen support on Switch is a significant advantage. I played extensively on both Switch Lite and OLED, finding it perfectly suited to Nintendo's hybrid system. Hopefully, it will be ported to other platforms like iOS and PS5.
The game also runs flawlessly on Steam Deck. Choose your preferred platform, but play it; it's that good. The lack of a physical Switch release is the only real drawback. I hope its success warrants one.
Fate/stay night REMASTERED is essential for visual novel fans. Its low price further strengthens the recommendation. While not as visually impressive as Tsukihime's remake, it's worth your time. I'm thrilled to finally play it in English after years of owning the Japanese PS Vita version. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 5/5
TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK ($49.99)
Having limited VR experience, I missed out on TOKYO CHRONOS and ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos. These games were praised for their VR presentation and stories. The Switch release finally allowed me to experience them.
TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK lets you choose which game to play. TOKYO CHRONOS follows high school friends in an alternate Shibuya, dealing with lost memories, killers, and more. The narrative is predictable at times, but the visuals are good. I'm curious to try the VR version after playing the Switch version.
ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos is superior, with better production values, music, writing, voice acting, and characters. It transcends the visual novel format, enhancing the experience. It's the standout of the two.
The Switch version has some camera movement issues, though not game-breaking. Touchscreen support and rumble add to the immersion.
TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK is a great Switch experience, thanks to touchscreen controls and rumble. I'm glad I could finally play these stories without needing a VR headset. I recommend trying the demo to see if it suits your preferences. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5
Select New Releases
Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku ($49.99)
The title perfectly describes the game: Fitness Boxing featuring Hatsune Miku. It includes 24 songs from Miku and friends, plus 30 from the Fitness Boxing series. Mechanically, it's similar to other games in the series. Pick it up if you're a fan of both.
Gimmick! 2 ($24.99)
A faithful sequel to the original, with improved presentation and the same challenging gameplay. Recommended for fans of clever platformers.
Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost ($29.99)
Combines rhythm game and bullet hell elements. The Touhou theme connects the disparate modes.
EGGCONSOLE Hydlide MSX ($6.49)
Another Hydlide version for completionists. Its value depends on whether you've played previous versions.
Arcade Archives Lead Angle ($7.99)
A gallery shooter from 1988. A decent example of the genre.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
No Man’s Sky is a highlight. Other notable games are frequently on sale.
Select New Sales
Sales Ending Tomorrow, September 6th
That's it for today! We'll be back tomorrow with more reviews, new releases, and sales. Check out my blog, Post Game Content, for more gaming thoughts. Have a great Thursday!
