SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘Madness Beverage’, ‘Pure Chase 80’s’, and Today’s Other New Releases and Sales

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the Christmas Eve edition of the SwitchArcade Round-Up. There are several new releases to look at today, with a few looking quite dire and a couple somewhat interesting. Perhaps the bigger news today is the absolutely massive indie game sale that rolled in while I was tucked into my bed. We’ve got a lengthy but curated list for you to check out, along with a list of the sales expiring over the weekend. Let’s jingle bell rock!

New Releases

Pure Chase 80’s ($14.99)

I was hoping this would be an, er, homage to Taito’s amazing Chase HQ, but alas it is something else. There’s a bomb attached to your car and you need to reach the goal before the timer runs out or you’ll go ka-boom. It’s a cute framing device but the idea is as old as racing video games. There’s a clock, you need to beat it, and hitting anything on the way or slowing down too much is going to get in the way of you doing that. So, you know. Don’t hit anything, and don’t slow down too much. Fifteen feels a bit steep for this, but you may get more out of it than I did.

Madness Beverage ($14.99)

A first-person shooter that aims to provide a throwback experience in some ways with some modern touches in others, Madness Beverage offers a decent enough bang for the buck. The action is relentless, with tons of enemies constantly spawning and rushing you as you explore the different stages. There are a couple of gimmicks here that help the game stand out. First, you can pick the order you tackle the stages in. You could have a hard time if you choose poorly, but that is part of the fun with this kind of system. There are also the drinks that the title refers to. You can chug them down for a variety of benefits, but be aware that there are side effects to all of them. I don’t think it quite nails down the old-school feel, but it’s not too shabby.

Merry Christmas Snowball Bubble ($5.99)

This feels like a more logical implementation of this series than the Halloween mash-up they did. The gameplay works the same, however. It draws heavily from Puzzle Bobble/Bust-A-Move, seeing you shooting bubbles to make matches. The difference here is that you will reveal a picture as you make matches. And in this particular entry, those pictures are Christmas-themed. None of these have clicked for me yet, but if you enjoyed the last couple of entries you’ll likely be happy with this one, too.

8 & 9 Ball Pocket ($11.99)

It’s a pretty plain-looking pool game from a publisher that puts out a lot of pretty plain-looking games. It allows you to play against the computer or with up to four players in a local co-op mode. Nothing remarkable about this whatsoever when compared to other pool games on the eShop, so I’ll just be moving along.

Crazy Zen Codeword ($9.99)

This is an amusing word puzzle game where you need to fill in the blanks on each puzzle with letter tiles to form words. But you can only use each tile once, so you need to think carefully about which words you are making. The game helpfully includes a dictionary for the 35,000+ words it accepts, and there are a number of difficulty options and assists so you can enjoy it regardless of your personal vocabulary skills. It’s been a bit since we’ve seen an interesting new word game hit the eShop, so if you dig that kind of thing you may want to give this a closer look.

Santa Throw ($9.89)

Kind of a twist on a simple shoot-em-up. Your Santa ship is at the top of the screen hovering above a building. When kids put out their stockings, you have to shoot presents into them. Don’t shoot presents into the black stockings, as those are on the naughty list. Interestingly, the game description says that the “Grinch is watching” and even goes so far as to use a very identifiable silhouette of the character. The developer doesn’t appear to have a license to use this character, but I guess anything goes on the eShop nowadays.

Shinya Ichizoku The Battle for Hokkaido’s Delicious Foods ($8.99)

This may just be the least marketable thing I’ve ever seen on the North American eShop. It’s an action game about collecting various foods in Hokkaido and bringing them to a bear to fend off an alien invasion. There is a local two-player mode where you compete for points. It only has support for Japanese language, and it’s based on a TV show that airs on a local channel in the Hokkaido prefecture of Japan. You might be able to muddle your way through some of it even if you don’t understand Japanese, and I suppose the pictures of food are universal. But there’s a fair bit of text here, so… yeah, I don’t really see why SmileBoom bothered with putting this on the North American eShop if they weren’t going to localize it.

Real Time Battle Shogi Online ($9.99)

What a helpful title. This is, as it states, a real-time take on the game of shogi that you can play online. Like, move any and all pieces as much as you like at whatever speed you can muster. Absolute anarchy. You can play against a CPU opponent, go against a friend in local play, or head online to see how you fare. There are plenty of options that give you some variety, and some neat themes to customize the boards and pieces. Might be worth trying if you’re bored of regular shogi.

Horror & Sports Pinball ($14.99)

Here’s another package of SuperPowerUp’s middling pinball tables. This one includes Halloween Pinball, Werewolf Pinball, Mummy Pinball, Soccer Pinball, Touchdown Pinball, and Basketball Pinball. Odds are good that if you’re into this series, you already own some or all of these. But if you do happen to want to add all of them to your collection, make sure you check what the individual tables are selling for before buying this bundle. Depending on the current sales situation, it might be a better or worse deal.

Sales

So, pretty much everything is on sale. In addition to the 1000+ games that were already on sale, hundreds more went up overnight. Too many for me to list exhaustively, so I’ll just highlight a healthy sampling of my favorites. I advise you head to the eShop yourself to see if anything on your wishlist is on sale, because there are some good deals in general going on at the moment, particularly for indie games.

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Select New Games on Sale

A Short Hike ($5.59 from $7.99 until 1/1)
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends ($23.99 from $39.99 until 1/1)
Gnosia ($19.99 from $24.99 until 1/1)
Supraland ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Cozy Grove ($11.24 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Donut County ($3.79 from $12.99 until 1/1)
Bastion ($2.99 from $14.99 until 1/1)
A Hat in Time ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/1)
Everhood ($10.49 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty ($7.49 from $29.99 until 1/1)
Crawl ($4.49 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Broken Sword 5: Serpent’s Curse ($4.49 from $29.99 until 1/1)
Don’t Starve ($4.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Cyber Shadow ($15.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Dragon Audit ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/1)

Legal Dungeon ($6.99 from $9.99 until 1/1)
Among Us ($4.00 from $5.00 until 1/1)
Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2 Enhanced ($19.99 from $49.99 until 1/1)
Axiom Verge ($7.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Axiom Verge 2 ($17.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Crisis Wing ($5.59 from $7.99 until 1/1)
WitchSpring3 Re:Fine ($25.99 from $39.99 until 1/1)
Chinese Parents ($9.09 from $12.99 until 1/1)
80 Days ($6.99 from $12.99 until 1/1)
Heaven’s Vault ($10.59 from $17.99 until 1/1)
Doki Doki Literature Club+ ($12.74 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Sea of Solitude: DC ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Nexomon ($8.49 from $9.99 until 1/1)
A Good Snowman is Hard to Build ($6.49 from $9.99 until 1/1)
Kitaria Fables ($15.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)

Mom Hid My Game! 2 ($2.99 from $4.99 until 1/1)
art of rally ($18.74 from $24.99 until 1/1)
Super Arcade Football ($6.99 from $9.99 until 1/1)
Turrican Flashback ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/1)
Necrobarista Final Pour ($15.39 from $21.99 until 1/1)
Cris Tales ($19.99 from $39.99 until 1/1)
Dodgeball Academia ($19.99 from $24.99 until 1/1)
Blue Fire ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Road 96 ($14.97 from $19.96 until 1/1)
Space Invaders Invincible ($35.99 from $59.99 until 1/1)
Ultra Age ($26.99 from $29.99 until 1/1)
Mail Mole + Xpress Deliveries ($9.99 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Bloodstained: RotN ($15.99 from $39.99 until 1/1)
TOEM ($15.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
AVICII Invector ($12.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)

Cyanide & Happiness: Freakpocalypse ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Demon’s Tilt ($7.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Sam & Max Save the World ($14.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Bloodrayne Betrayal ($14.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Unsighted ($15.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Monster Train First Class ($22.49 from $29.99 until 1/1)
Rainbow Billy: CotL ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/1)
A Boy and His Blob ($10.05 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Space Moth Lunar Edition ($5.59 from $7.99 until 1/1)
Chasm ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Garden Story ($15.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Boyfriend Dungeon ($16.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
NASCAR Heat Ultimate Edition+ ($29.99 from $39.99 until 1/1)
Loop Hero ($13.49 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Super Meat Boy Forever ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)

Bustafellows ($31.99 from $39.99 until 1/1)
Astebreed ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Death’s Gambit: Afterlife ($15.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Slime Rancher Portable ($18.74 from $24.99 until 1/1)
Mighty Goose ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Cotton Reboot! ($27.99 from $39.99 until 1/1)
Panorama Cotton ($9.89 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Cotton 100% ($9.89 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Death’s Door ($14.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
A Monster’s Expedition ($14.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
7 Billion Humans ($3.74 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Risk of Rain 2 ($6.24 from $24.99 until 1/1)
Sayonara Wild Hearts ($7.79 from $12.99 until 1/1)
Bloodroots ($11.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Slay the Spire ($7.49 from $24.99 until 1/1)

Gone Home ($4.49 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Spelunker HD Deluxe ($17.49 from $24.99 until 1/1)
OlliOlli: Switch Stance ($2.99 from $14.99 until 1/1)
DUSK ($14.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Regency Solitaire ($8.99 from $11.99 until 1/1)
Kathy Rain: Director’s Cut ($11.99 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Bonfire Peaks ($16.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
River City Girls ($20.99 from $29.99 until 1/1)
Cooking Simulator: Pizza ($11.24 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Death Coming ($2.02 from $6.99 until 1/1)
Astalon: Tears of the Earth ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
The Good Life ($31.99 from $39.99 until 1/1)
Overboard! ($10.49 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Islanders ($3.99 from $4.99 until 1/1)
Another World ($3.99 from $9.99 until 1/1)

Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition ($14.99 from $24.99 until 1/1)
2064 Read Only Memories Integral ($2.06 from $20.64 until 1/1)
Cat Quest II ($5.99 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Wrestling Empire ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Streets of Rage 4 ($14.99 from $24.99 until 1/1)
Hades ($16.24 from $24.99 until 1/1)
Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove ($21.99 from $39.99 until 1/1)
Panmorphia ($2.99 from $5.99 until 1/1)
Telling Lies ($7.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
What Remains of Edith Finch ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Negative Nancy ($11.99 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Blazing Chrome ($6.79 from $16.99 until 1/1)
The Jackbox Party Pack 7 ($19.49 from $29.99 until 1/1)
The Jackbox Party Pack 8 ($22.49 from $29.99 until 1/1)
Anodyne ($1.99 from $9.99 until 1/1)

Darius Collection Console ($29.99 from $59.99 until 1/1)
Darius Collection Arcade ($22.49 from $44.99 until 1/1)
G-DARIUS HD ($23.99 from $29.99 until 1/1)
Dariusburst Another Chronicle EX+ ($27.99 from $39.99 until 1/1)
Subnautica ($20.09 from $29.99 until 1/1)
Subnautica: Below Zero ($20.09 from $29.99 until 1/1)
Castle Crashers Remastered ($8.99 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Aggelos ($1.99 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Black Future ’88 ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Horace ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Sunless Skies: Sovereign Edition ($17.49 from $24.99 until 1/1)
Carebotz ($9.49 from $18.99 until 1/1)
Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)

Dicey Dungeons ($2.99 from $14.99 until 1/5)
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle ($11.99 from $59.99 until 1/5)
Mario + Rabbids KB Gold Edition ($15.99 from $79.99 until 1/5)
Touhou Spell Bubble ($27.49 from $54.99 until 1/5)
Moero Chronicle Hyper ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/6)
AngerForce Reloaded ($6.99 from $9.99 until 1/6)
Valkyria Chronicles Bundle ($23.99 from $39.99 until 1/6)
SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off ($5.99 from $14.99 until 1/7)
Mad Tower Tycoon ($8.99 from $29.99 until 1/7)
Tunnel of Doom ($12.59 from $13.99 until 1/7)
Justice Chronicles ($13.49 from $14.99 until 1/7)
Port Royale 4 ($34.99 from $49.99 until 1/9)
Monster Boy & the Cursed Kingdom ($13.99 from $39.99 until 1/12)
Oceanhorn: MoUS ($5.24 from $14.99 until 1/12)
Necrosphere Deluxe ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/12)

Arcade Archives Terra Cresta ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/13)
ACA NEOGEO Shock Troopers ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/13)
ACA NEOGEO Real Bout Fatal Fury ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/13)
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl ($34.99 from $49.99 until 1/13)
Dull Grey ($2.49 from $4.99 until 1/13)
Santa Throw ($4.94 from $9.89 until 12/27)

Sales Ending This Weekend

0x0 Minimalist ($1.99 from $3.99 until 12/25)
Apocryph: Old-School Shooter ($6.99 from $14.95 until 12/25)
Bossgard ($9.99 from $19.99 until 12/25)
Clumsy Rush ($1.99 from $4.99 until 12/25)
Poker: Texas & Omaha Hold’em ($5.99 from $9.99 until 12/25)
#pinocchio, Super Puzzles Dream ($1.99 from $5.99 until 12/26)
Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield ($8.39 from $11.99 until 12/26)
BioShock 2 Remastered ($7.99 from $19.99 until 12/26)
BioShock Infinite Complete ($7.99 from $19.99 until 12/26)
BioShock Remastered ($7.99 from $19.99 until 12/26)
BioShock: The Collection ($19.99 from $49.99 until 12/26)
Black The Fall ($4.49 from $14.99 until 12/26)
Bloo Kid 2 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 12/26)
Borderlands Legendary Collection ($19.99 from $49.99 until 12/26)
Borderlands: GotY Edition ($11.99 from $29.99 until 12/26)

Borderlands: The Handsome Collection ($15.99 from $39.99 until 12/26)
Bridge Constructor UE ($4.99 from $14.99 until 12/26)
Burn! SuperTrucks ($1.99 from $7.99 until 12/26)
Burnout Paradise Remastered ($9.89 from $29.99 until 12/26)
Carnival Games ($9.99 from $39.99 until 12/26)
Colt Canyon ($4.99 from $14.99 until 12/26)
Dungeonoid ($1.99 from $6.99 until 12/26)
FishWitch Halloween ($12.99 from $19.99 until 12/26)
FootGoal! Tiki Taka ($1.99 from $4.99 until 12/26)
GTA The Trilogy: DE ($47.99 from $59.99 until 12/26)
Halloween Pinball ($2.00 from $2.99 until 12/26)
Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption ($8.99 from $19.99 until 12/26)
L.A. Noire ($24.99 from $49.99 until 12/26)
Lost in Random ($20.09 from $29.99 until 12/26)
Mummy Pinball ($2.00 from $2.99 until 12/26)

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 12/26)
NBA 2K22 ($29.99 from $59.99 until 12/26)
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit ($11.99 from $39.99 until 12/26)
Outbuddies DX ($5.99 from $17.99 until 12/26)
PGA Tour 2K21 ($14.99 from $59.99 until 12/26)
Pirates Pinball ($2.00 from $2.99 until 12/26)
Plants Vs Zombies BfN Complete ($17.99 from $39.99 until 12/26)
Run the Fan ($1.99 from $3.99 until 12/26)
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI ($8.99 from $29.99 until 12/26)
Sports Pinball Bundle ($3.59 from $8.99 until 12/26)
Tales from the Borderlands ($14.99 from $24.99 until 12/26)
The Outer Worlds ($23.99 from $59.99 until 12/26)
Unravel Two ($4.99 from $19.99 until 12/26)
Werewolf Pinball ($2.00 from $2.99 until 12/26)
Wild & Horror Pinball ($8.99 from $14.99 until 12/26)
WildTrax Racing ($1.99 from $7.99 until 12/26)
WWE 2K Battlegrounds ($15.99 from $39.99 until 12/26)
WWE 2K18 ($19.79 from $59.99 until 12/26)
XCOM 2 Collection ($12.49 from $49.99 until 12/26)

That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with a few more regular columns along with our year-end stuff. I’m going to take an actual rest this weekend for the first time in a long while. I hope you all have a great weekend whether you’re celebrating Christmas or not, and as always, thanks for reading! And to all, a good night.

Source: https://toucharcade.com/2021/12/24/switcharcade-round-up-madness-beverage-pure-chase-80s-and-todays-other-new-releases-and-sales/