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Farewell, dear readers, and welcome to the final regular SwitchArcade Round-Up for TouchArcade, penned by yours truly. This concludes several years of insightful coverage, though a special edition next week will feature a few delayed reviews. While I'd hoped to continue through the Switch's lifecycle, circumstances necessitate a change of course. This week's edition is packed: Mikhail's two reviews, Shaun's two reviews, new release summaries, and the usual sales lists. Let's make this last ride memorable!
Reviews & Mini-Views
Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU ($49.99)
Following Imagineer's successful Fitness Boxing series, culminating in the surprisingly good Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star, their next collaboration was a welcome surprise. Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU cleverly blends fitness and the popular vocaloid. I've compared it to Ring Fit Adventure over recent weeks, and it's impressively robust.
The Fitness Boxing formula, as the name implies, combines boxing and rhythm game mechanics for daily workouts, engaging mini-games, and more. Miku's inclusion adds a dedicated mode featuring her songs, alongside the game's standard tracks. Note: This title exclusively uses Joy-Cons; Pro Controllers and third-party accessories aren't supported.
Standard features include adjustable difficulty, a customizable free training mode, warm-up routines, progress tracking, and reminders (even when the Switch is in sleep mode). Unlockable cosmetics are earned through gameplay. While I can't yet comment on DLC, the base game surpasses Fist of the North Star, except for one minor drawback.
The audio is excellent, but the main instructor's voice feels jarring and oddly directed, prompting me to lower its volume.
Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU successfully integrates Miku into the Fitness Boxing universe, appealing to her fanbase. While a solid fitness game, it's best used as a supplement to Ring Fit Adventure or another exercise regimen, rather than as your sole fitness program. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Magical Delicacy ($24.99)
Magical Delicacy, from sKaule and Whitethorn Games, initially flew under my radar until an Xbox Game Pass announcement. Playing it on Switch revealed a game that successfully blends Metroidvania elements and cooking mechanics, albeit not perfectly. The result is a game with strong points, but flaws that detract from the overall experience.
As Flora, a young witch, you embark on a wholesome, magical, and mysterious adventure. The exploration is surprisingly well-executed, despite occasional frustrating backtracking. The Metroidvania aspects are well-implemented, surprisingly so given the focus on cooking and crafting. However, ingredient management and inventory handling could be improved, exacerbated by a UI that takes time to master.
The game's strengths lie in its charming pixel art, pleasant music, and extensive customization options (including UI scaling and text size adjustments). Early access or post-launch updates would have significantly benefited Magical Delicacy.
The Switch version performs well, aside from occasional frame pacing issues. Haptic feedback is also well-implemented. Having played it on Xbox Series X, I prefer the portability of the Switch version.
Despite its promising premise, Magical Delicacy feels somewhat unfinished due to inventory and backtracking issues. It's a good game, well-suited for Switch, but quality-of-life improvements would elevate it to essential status. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Aero The Acro-Bat 2 ($5.99)
Many attempted to replicate the mascot platformer success of Sonic the Hedgehog in the 16-bit era. Fewer achieved sequels, but Aero The Acro-Bat is among them. Its success, and subsequent sequel, likely stemmed from a combination of the original's reception and a determined effort to continue the franchise. While Aero didn't receive further original titles (besides the Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel spin-off), Aero The Acro-Bat 2 isn't inherently flawed.
Is it a bad game? No. Its lack of further sequels suggests it wasn't a massive success, potentially due to Sunsoft's financial difficulties at the time. Regardless, the game's quality isn't at fault. It's comparable to its predecessor, offering a more polished experience, albeit at the cost of some of the original's unique charm. Still a solid platforming adventure.
Surprisingly, this release surpasses Ratalaika's typical emulation wrapper. The presentation is tailored to the game, offering enhanced options and extras: box and manual scans, achievements, a sprite sheet gallery, a jukebox, cheats, and more. The only criticism is the exclusion of the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive version.
Fans of Aero The Acro-Bat should enjoy the sequel. Even those less enthralled by the original might find this iteration more appealing. Ratalaika's improved emulation is commendable. Ideally, the first game would receive a similar update. A great release for Aero fans and 16-bit platformer enthusiasts, and a promising sign for future re-releases.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Metro Quester | Osaka ($19.99)
I enjoyed the original Metro Quester. It has a steep learning curve, but once mastered, it's a rewarding turn-based RPG dungeon crawler. Experimenting with party compositions was particularly enjoyable. Metro Quester | Osaka feels more like an expansion than a sequel, but that's perfectly acceptable given the original's quality.
This prequel shifts the setting to Osaka, introducing a new dungeon, character types, and gameplay mechanics. Osaka's wetter environment necessitates canoe navigation. New weapons, skills, and enemies add depth and challenge. A welcome addition for those who've completed the original.
The core mechanics remain largely unchanged from the original. Turn-based combat, top-down exploration, and gradual dungeon expansion are all present. Cautious planning is crucial for success.
Metro Quester | Osaka offers ample enjoyment for fans of the original, and newcomers should consider this game as their starting point. While more of an expansion, it enhances the existing systems in fascinating ways. Patience is rewarded, and those who invest the time will be richly compensated.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Select New Releases
NBA 2K25 ($59.99)
NBA 2K returns! The naming convention for the year 2100 is a curious thought experiment (NBA 2K100?); we'll address that later. This year boasts improved gameplay, a new "Neighborhood" feature, and MyTEAM updates. The game requires 53.3 GB of storage space.
Shogun Showdown ($14.99)
Another Darkest Dungeon-inspired game, this one with a Japanese setting and some unique twists. A decent entry in the genre.
Aero The Acro-Bat 2 ($5.99)
(See review above). A polished sequel with an improved Ratalaika emulation wrapper, including both North American and Japanese Super NES versions. The Genesis/Mega Drive version's absence is the only notable omission.
Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection ($9.99)
A collection of three previously unlocalized Famicom games: a side-scrolling platformer, an adventure game, and an action-RPG. (See previous review). A solid choice for fans of obscure retro games.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Notable sales include Cosmic Fantasy Collection (40% off), and Tinykin (at its lowest price yet). Please review the full sales lists for more details.
Select New Sales and Sales Ending This Weekend (Image sections omitted for brevity; refer to original text for image URLs)
This concludes my contributions to SwitchArcade Round-Up, and also marks the end of my eleven and a half years at TouchArcade. I'll continue writing at Post Game Content and Patreon, but this chapter is closing. Thank you to all TouchArcade readers for your support over the years. I wish you all happiness and continued enjoyment of gaming.
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