Nintendo Switch Games: Fitness Boxing with Hatsune Miku, New Releases & Sales

Farewell, dear readers, and welcome to the final regular SwitchArcade Round-Up for TouchArcade, penned by yours truly. This concludes a multi-year run, and while I'd hoped to continue through the Switch's lifecycle, circumstances have led me elsewhere. Next week, I'll share one last special edition featuring a few delayed reviews, but this marks the end of an era.

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 latest collaboration with Hatsune Miku piqued my interest. Over the past few weeks, I've compared it to Ring Fit Adventure, and Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU has impressed me on many levels.

For newcomers, the Fitness Boxing series blends boxing and rhythm game mechanics to provide daily workouts, engaging mini-games, and more. Hatsune Miku's inclusion is a clever addition, with a dedicated mode featuring her songs alongside the game's standard tracks. Note that this title utilizes Joy-Cons exclusively; Pro Controllers and third-party accessories are not supported (to my knowledge).

As with previous installments, adjustable difficulty settings, a free training mode, warm-up exercises, workout tracking, reminders, and a system-wide alarm (functioning even in sleep mode) are included. Unlockable cosmetics are earned through gameplay. While I can't comment on DLC, the base game surpasses Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star, except for one drawback:

The audio quality is excellent, but the main instructor's voice is jarring and out of sync with the game's overall tone. I ultimately lowered its volume.

Imagineer's Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU successfully integrates Miku into the series, appealing to her fanbase. A solid fitness game with daily routines, customization, and tracking features, it serves best as a supplement to Ring Fit Adventure or other fitness routines, rather than a standalone solution. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Magical Delicacy ($24.99)

Magical Delicacy, from sKaule and Whitethorn Games, initially escaped my attention until a friend highlighted its Xbox Game Pass release. Since then, I've played the Switch version, and while it shows promise, it feels slightly unfinished. As a fan of Metroidvania platformers and cooking games, I appreciate its strengths but find its flaws more impactful.

Players assume the role of Flora, a young witch in a charming, mysterious story. The exploration mechanics are surprisingly well-executed, despite frustrating instances of backtracking. The Metroidvania elements are surprisingly polished, overshadowing the cooking and crafting aspects, which suffer from inventory management and UI issues that require adjustment.

Magical Delicacy shines with its stunning pixel art, delightful music, and customizable settings (including UI scaling and text options, beneficial for handheld mode). Early access or post-launch updates would have significantly improved the overall experience.

The Switch version performs well, aside from occasional frame pacing hiccups. Haptic feedback is also well-implemented. Having played the Xbox Series X version, the portability of the Switch makes it a more appealing platform for this title.

Magical Delicacy blends Metroidvania and cooking/crafting elements, but feels somewhat underdeveloped due to inventory and backtracking issues. Despite being a solid game, quality-of-life improvements and polish would elevate it to essential status. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Aero The Acro-Bat 2 ($5.99)

Many 16-bit era mascot platformers emerged in Sonic the Hedgehog's wake. Aero The Acro-Bat is among the few to receive a sequel. While not a massive success, Aero The Acro-Bat 2 isn't inherently bad. It's comparable to its predecessor, offering a refined experience that, while losing some charm, remains a decent platforming adventure.

I anticipated Ratalaika's typical emulation wrapper, but this release boasts a superior, game-specific presentation. The enhanced interface includes box and manual scans, achievements, a sprite sheet gallery, a jukebox, cheats, and more. The gameplay and features are excellent, though the inclusion of only the Super NES version is a minor drawback; the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive version would have been a welcome addition.

Fans of the original Aero The Acro-Bat will appreciate the sequel. Even those less enthralled by the first game might find this one more enjoyable. Ratalaika's improved emulation wrapper is commendable. Ideally, the first game would receive a similar update. A strong release for Aero enthusiasts and 16-bit platformer fans, it inspires optimism for future re-releases.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Metro Quester | Osaka ($19.99)

I enjoyed the original Metro Quester. While initially challenging, its satisfying turn-based dungeon-crawling RPG mechanics and party-building aspects were engaging. Metro Quester | Osaka, more of an expansion than a sequel, is a welcome addition.

This prequel shifts the setting to Osaka, introducing a new dungeon, character types, and enemies. Water navigation via canoe is a new element. New weapons, skills, and enemies add depth for veterans, while newcomers should consider this a starting point.

The core mechanics remain similar to the original. Turn-based combat, top-down exploration, and gradual outward progression are key features. Careful planning is crucial.

Metro Quester fans will appreciate Metro Quester | Osaka. New players should start here; its expansion nature is a positive aspect, introducing intriguing gameplay enhancements. Patience is rewarded, and the investment yields satisfying results.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Select New Releases

NBA 2K25 ($59.99)

NBA 2K25 arrives. The series' naming convention in 2100 is worth pondering (NBA 2K100?); we'll address that later. This iteration promises improved gameplay, a "Neighborhood" feature, and MyTEAM enhancements. The game requires 53.3 GB of storage space.

Shogun Showdown ($14.99)

A Darkest Dungeon-inspired title with a Japanese setting and unique gameplay elements. A solid entry in the genre.

Aero The Acro-Bat 2 ($5.99)

(See review above). A polished sequel with an improved Ratalaika emulation wrapper, featuring the Super NES version (North American and Japanese releases). The absence of the Genesis/Mega Drive version is a minor disappointment.

Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection ($9.99)

A collection of three previously unlocalized Famicom titles: a side-scrolling platformer, an adventure game, and an action-RPG. (See previous review). A good choice for fans of obscure retro games.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Noteworthy sales include Cosmic Fantasy Collection (40% off) and Tinykin (at its lowest price yet). Review the sales lists for further details.

Select New Sales and Sales Ending This Weekend sections are omitted for brevity, but the images remain.

This concludes my contributions to SwitchArcade Round-Up, and my eleven-and-a-half-year tenure at TouchArcade. I'll continue writing at my blog (Post Game Content) and Patreon, but this marks the end of this specific type of work. Thank you, TouchArcade readers, for your support over the years. I wish you all the best.