Mobile Gaming News: Reviews and Launches on SwitchArcade

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. After that, we'll cover the day's noteworthy new releases and round things off with our usual sales lists. Let's get to it!

Reviews & Mini-Views

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

Resurrecting dormant franchises is all the rage these days, mirroring Hollywood's trends. Nintendo's unexpected revival of Famicom Detective Club, primarily known in the West through a brief remake, has yielded a brand-new adventure. This presents a challenge: how faithfully to recreate the original without feeling dated? Emio – The Smiling Man opts for a stylistic approach similar to the recent remakes, resulting in a curious blend. The visuals are top-notch, and the narrative pushes boundaries beyond what 90s Nintendo would have dared, yet the gameplay retains a distinctly old-school feel. This will significantly influence your enjoyment.

A student's death, marked by a smiling-face paper bag, unearths eighteen-year-old unsolved murders with a similar calling card. The legend of Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles, resurfaces. Is it a copycat, or has Emio returned? The Utsugi Detective Agency is called in to unravel the truth.

Gameplay involves searching for clues, questioning suspects (often repeatedly), and connecting the dots. It's reminiscent of the investigation sections in Ace Attorney. The pacing can feel uneven at times, and certain logical leaps could benefit from clearer signposting. However, within the context of its genre, Emio doesn't stray too far from the norm.

Despite some minor narrative criticisms, the overall story is engaging, suspenseful, and well-crafted. While some plot points may not resonate with everyone, it's best experienced without spoilers. The game's strengths outweigh its weaknesses, especially during its most compelling moments.

Emio – The Smiling Man is a departure for Nintendo, but any potential development hiccups are expertly masked. While perhaps overly faithful to the originals in its mechanics, and with occasional pacing issues, it remains a highly enjoyable mystery adventure. Welcome back, Detective Club!

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)

The Switch is accumulating a solid collection of TMNT games. From the Cowabunga Collection to Shredder's Revenge and Wrath of the Mutants, now we have Splintered Fate, a title with a more traditional console feel. This one blends beat 'em up gameplay with the roguelite mechanics of Hades. Play solo or with up to four players locally or online. The online multiplayer worked well in our testing. While enjoyable solo, adding players significantly enhances the experience.

Shredder's mischief unleashes a mysterious power, endangering Splinter. The Turtles must save him, battling Foot Soldiers along the way. Gameplay involves combat, tactical dodging, collecting power-ups, and permanent upgrades. Death sends you back to the lair to start again. It's a familiar roguelite formula, but with the Turtles, it's instantly elevated. 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 on the franchise. The well-implemented multiplayer is a welcome addition. While other superior roguelites exist on Switch, Splintered Fate holds its own in a fiercely competitive genre.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)

Nour: Play With Your Food's absence from Switch at launch was surprising, given its suitability for touchscreens. While enjoyable on PC, it's not a traditional game. Those who appreciate playful sandbox experiences and food-related themes will find much to love, although the Switch version has some shortcomings.

Nour lets you interact with various food items across different stages, complemented by engaging music and playful absurdity. Starting with basic tools, the game gradually unlocks more options, allowing for extensive food-based creativity. However, this is where the touchscreen limitation becomes apparent.

The lack of touchscreen support is disappointing. Performance compromises are also noticeable, resulting in lengthy loading times.

Despite these issues, Nour is worth experiencing for food and art enthusiasts. While not ideal on Switch, its portability is a plus, and hopefully, its success will lead to more DLC or even a physical release. Games like Nour offer a refreshing counterpoint to more complex titles. -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, offering a chance to experience the series' origins as intended. The sheer volume of content justifies the surprisingly low price.

For those familiar with the original Japanese versions, this remaster offers significant improvements, including English localization, 16:9 support, and enhanced visuals for modern displays. While not as visually stunning as Tsukihime's remake, the effort put into this remaster is evident.

The inclusion of touchscreen support on Switch is a welcome addition, making it particularly well-suited for Nintendo's hybrid system. Its compatibility with Steam Deck is also noteworthy.

The only significant drawback is the lack of a physical Switch release. Hopefully, its success will warrant one.

Fate/stay night REMASTERED is a must-have for visual novel fans, especially given its affordability and availability on both Switch and Steam. Despite its visual limitations compared to newer releases, it's a worthwhile experience. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 5/5

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK ($49.99)

This twin pack brings two VR titles to Switch. TOKYO CHRONOS follows high school friends in an alternate Shibuya, dealing with lost memories and murder. While the narrative may feel predictable at times, the visuals are strong, and the VR experience (which I haven't personally tried) is intriguing.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos, however, is superior in terms of production values, writing, voice acting, and characters. It transcends the typical visual novel format, making for a more memorable experience.

The Switch version suffers from some camera movement issues, but touchscreen support and rumble features compensate.

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK is a solid offering on Switch, enhanced by touch controls and rumble. The demo is recommended to gauge the experience. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Select New Releases

Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku ($49.99)

This title clearly explains its content: Fitness Boxing featuring Hatsune Miku. It includes 24 Miku songs and 30 tracks from the Fitness Boxing series. Mechanically, it's similar to other entries in the series. A worthwhile purchase for fans.

Gimmick! 2 ($24.99)

A faithful sequel to the original, featuring enhanced visuals and challenging platforming.

Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost ($29.99)

Combines rhythm game and bullet hell shooter elements.

EGGCONSOLE Hydlide MSX ($6.49)

Another Hydlide version for dedicated fans.

Arcade Archives Lead Angle ($7.99)

A gallery shooter from 1988.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Notable sales include No Man's Sky. Many other titles are frequently discounted.

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 additional gaming insights. Have a great Thursday!