New Releases, Reviews, and Departures on SwitchArcade

Farewell, dear readers, and welcome to the final regular SwitchArcade Round-Up for TouchArcade. This concludes several years of articles, and while I'd hoped to continue through the Switch's lifespan, circumstances dictate otherwise. Next week, a special edition will feature a few delayed reviews, but this is it for the regular column.

Reviews & Mini-Views

Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU ($49.99)

Following Imagineer's successful Fitness Boxing franchise (including the surprisingly enjoyable Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star), their collaboration with Hatsune Miku was a clever move. I've been comparing it to Ring Fit Adventure these past weeks, and Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU impressed me.

For newcomers, the Fitness Boxing series blends boxing and rhythm game mechanics for daily workouts, mini-games, and more. Hatsune Miku's inclusion adds a dedicated mode featuring her songs, alongside the standard tracks. Note: this game requires Joy-Cons only; Pro Controllers and third-party accessories are incompatible.

Standard features include difficulty settings, free training, warm-ups, workout tracking, reminders, and a system-wide alarm (even in sleep mode). Unlockable cosmetics are earned through gameplay. While I can't comment on DLC, the base game surpasses Fist of the North Star, except for one drawback: the main instructor's voice is jarring and I found myself muting it.

Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU successfully integrates Miku into the series, appealing to her fanbase. It's a solid fitness game, but best used as a supplement to Ring Fit Adventure or another exercise routine, rather than a standalone 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, it feels like a promising blend of Metroidvania and cooking game elements, but not perfectly executed. The result is a game with strong points, but flaws that detract from the overall experience.

You play Flora, a young witch in a charming and mysterious story. The exploration is surprisingly well-implemented, despite some frustrating backtracking. However, inventory management and crafting ingredient systems could use improvement, exacerbated by a UI that requires adjustment.

The game boasts beautiful pixel art, lovely music, and excellent settings options (including UI scaling and text size), particularly useful for handheld mode. Magical Delicacy would benefit from further refinement, perhaps through an early access release or future updates.

The Switch version plays smoothly, aside from occasional frame pacing issues. Good rumble support is a plus. Having played the Xbox Series X version, I prefer the portability of the Switch version.

Despite its potential, Magical Delicacy feels slightly unfinished due to inventory and backtracking issues. It's still a good game, well-suited for Switch, but quality-of-life improvements would elevate it to a must-have. - Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Aero The Acro-Bat 2 ($5.99)

Many 16-bit era mascot platformers attempted to replicate Sonic the Hedgehog's success, with Aero The Acro-Bat among the few to receive a sequel. While not a massive hit, Aero The Acro-Bat 2 isn't a bad game. It's a refined version of the original, trading some of its rough edges for polish.

This release surprisingly surpasses Ratalaika's usual emulation wrapper, offering a tailored presentation with box and manual scans, achievements, a sprite sheet gallery, a jukebox, cheats, and more. The gameplay is excellent, but the inclusion of only the Super NES version (no SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive version) is a minor drawback.

Fans of the first game will appreciate this sequel, and even those who found the original lacking might find this improved version more enjoyable. Ratalaika's improved emulation is commendable, and I hope the first game receives a similar update. A solid release for Aero fans and 16-bit platformer enthusiasts.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Metro Quester | Osaka ($19.99)

I enjoyed the original Metro Quester, a challenging but rewarding turn-based dungeon crawler. Metro Quester | Osaka feels more like an expansion than a sequel, but that's perfectly acceptable given the original's quality.

This prequel takes place in Osaka, introducing a new dungeon, character types, and water-based traversal via canoe. New weapons, skills, and enemies add depth. Fans of the original will find plenty to enjoy, and newcomers might prefer starting here.

The core mechanics remain similar to the original: turn-based combat, top-down exploration, and strategic progression. Careful planning is crucial. Those invested in Metro Quester will find this expansion captivating, and it's a great starting point for new players.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Select New Releases

NBA 2K25 ($59.99)

NBA 2K25 arrives with improved gameplay, a new "Neighborhood" feature, and MyTEAM enhancements. Requires 53.3 GB of storage space.

Shogun Showdown ($14.99)

A Darkest Dungeon-style game with a Japanese setting and some unique twists.

Aero The Acro-Bat 2 ($5.99)

(See review above)

Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection ($9.99)

A collection of three previously unlocalized Famicom games: a side-scrolling action platformer, an adventure game, and an action-RPG.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Check out the sales lists for deals on Cosmic Fantasy Collection, Tinykin, and more.

(Sales lists omitted for brevity, but images remain)

This concludes not only this column, but also my eleven and a half years at TouchArcade. I'll continue writing on my blog (Post Game Content) and Patreon, but this marks the end of this particular chapter. Thank you to all TouchArcade readers for your support over the years.