New Games + Reviews: 'Castlevania' and Today's Releases

Hello fellow gamers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Roundup for September 3rd, 2024! Today's article features in-depth reviews, starting with a comprehensive look at the Castlevania Dominus Collection, followed by an examination of Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn, and concluding with quick takes on the latest Pinball FX DLC tables. We'll then explore the day's new releases, including the charming Bakeru, and finally, dive into the latest sales and expiring deals. Let's jump in!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Castlevania Dominus Collection ($24.99)

Konami's recent track record with classic game collections has been exceptional, and the Castlevania franchise has been a prime beneficiary. Castlevania Dominus Collection, the third in the series for modern platforms, focuses on the Nintendo DS trilogy. Developed by M2, this collection boasts not only excellent emulation but also significant enhancements, making it arguably the most essential Castlevania compilation to date.

The Nintendo DS Castlevania games offer a unique and varied experience. Dawn of Sorrow, a direct sequel to Aria of Sorrow, initially suffered from cumbersome touchscreen controls, now elegantly addressed in this release. Portrait of Ruin cleverly integrates the touchscreen into a bonus mode, highlighting its dual-character mechanic. Order of Ecclesia stands out with its increased difficulty and nostalgic nods to Simon's Quest. All three are strong entries in the series.

This collection marks the culmination of Koji Igarashi's era of exploration-focused Castlevania games. While each title possesses a distinct identity, there's a debate about whether this variety reflects creative exploration or a search for a winning formula amidst waning audience interest. Regardless, these games, while enjoyable, might have felt repetitive to some at the time.

Surprisingly, these aren't emulated but are native ports, allowing M2 to implement improvements like replacing Dawn of Sorrow's touchscreen elements with button controls and displaying the main screen, status screen, and map simultaneously. This significantly enhances the gameplay experience, particularly for Dawn of Sorrow, elevating it to a top-tier Castlevania title for many.

The collection is packed with features: regional selection, customizable button mapping, control scheme options (touch cursor vs. left stick), a delightful credits sequence, an art gallery, a music player with playlist creation, save states, rewind functionality, screen layout customization, background color choices, audio adjustments, and comprehensive compendiums for each game. The only minor drawback is the limited screen arrangement options. This is an exceptional value for fans.

But the surprises don't end there! The notoriously difficult arcade game, Haunted Castle, is included, along with a complete remake, Haunted Castle Revisited. M2 has essentially created a new, vastly improved Castlevania game, a hidden gem within this DS collection.

Castlevania Dominus Collection is a must-have for any Castlevania enthusiast. It offers a new, excellent Castlevania game alongside three meticulously remastered DS titles, plus the original (and brutally difficult) Haunted Castle. If you're unfamiliar with Castlevania, this is a great starting point. Konami and M2 have delivered another exceptional collection.

SwitchArcade Score: 5/5

Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn ($19.99)

My experience with Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn has been mixed. While Tengo Project's previous releases have been largely successful, this remake of an 8-bit game presents unique challenges. The original game isn't as highly regarded as their other projects, and the team's lesser involvement is noticeable.

However, after playing the game extensively, my opinion has softened. While not as polished as their other work, Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn offers significant improvements. The presentation is excellent, the weapon and item system is refined, and the two playable characters are better differentiated. It's undeniably superior to the original, retaining its core spirit. Fans of the original will adore this remake.

For those who found the original merely decent, this remake will likely feel similarly average. The simultaneous access to the chain and sword is a welcome improvement, as is the new inventory system. The presentation is superb, but the game features some frustrating difficulty spikes and is overall more challenging than its predecessor. It's the best version of Shadow of the Ninja, but it's still fundamentally Shadow of the Ninja.

Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn is another solid effort from Tengo Project, representing a substantial improvement over the original. Its appeal depends heavily on your feelings towards the NES original. Newcomers will find a decent but not essential action game, while veterans will appreciate the enhancements.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Pinball FX – The Princess Bride Pinball ($5.49)

Following the major Pinball FX update, two new DLC tables have been released: The Princess Bride Pinball and Goat Simulator Pinball. The Princess Bride Pinball stands out with its inclusion of voice clips and video clips from the movie. Mechanically, it's a well-designed table, relatively easy to learn, faithful to the source material, and satisfying to play.

This table avoids common pitfalls of licensed pinball, offering a polished and enjoyable experience for both newcomers and veterans. While not groundbreaking in its design, its authenticity and satisfying gameplay make it a worthwhile purchase for fans of the movie.

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Pinball FX – Goat Simulator Pinball ($5.49)

Goat Simulator Pinball embraces the absurdity of its license, resulting in a unique and unconventional table. Its quirky gameplay mechanics and goat-themed antics are initially bewildering but ultimately rewarding. This table is more challenging and better suited for experienced pinball players. Goat Simulator fans might find it difficult initially but will be rewarded with its humorous elements.

Zen Studios has once again delivered a solid DLC table, showcasing their ability to create unconventional and entertaining experiences. It's a challenging but ultimately rewarding table for those willing to invest the time to learn its mechanics.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Select New Releases

Bakeru ($39.99)

As reviewed yesterday, Bakeru is a charming 3D platformer with a breezy atmosphere. Players control a tanuki on a mission to save Japan from an evil overlord. The game features engaging combat, hidden trivia, collectible souvenirs, and humorous moments. While the framerate is inconsistent on the Switch, it remains an enjoyable experience.

Holyhunt ($4.99)

A top-down, arena-based twin-stick shooter, Holyhunt is described as an homage to 8-bit games. It features straightforward shooting and dashing mechanics, with boss battles adding to the challenge.

Shashingo: Learn Japanese with Photography ($20.00)

This language-learning game uses photography as a learning tool, allowing players to learn Japanese vocabulary through image association.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Several notable sales are ongoing, including discounts on OrangePixel's titles, a rare sale on Alien Hominid, and a price drop on Ufouria 2. Sales from THQ and Team 17 are also ending soon. Check both lists for more details.

Select New Sales

(List of sales)

(List of sales)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, September 4th

(List of sales)

That concludes today's roundup. Join us tomorrow for more new releases, sales, and potentially a new review. Enjoy the abundance of great games available! Thanks for reading!