SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring ‘Bakeru’ & ‘Peglin’, Plus Highlights From Nintendo’s Blockbuster Sale %v

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 2nd, 2024. While it may be a holiday in the US, it's business as usual here in Japan. That means a fresh batch of reviews for you—three from me and one from Mikhail. I'll be covering Bakeru, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, and Mika and the Witch’s Mountain, while Mikhail tackles Peglin. Plus, Mikhail has some news, and we've got a massive list of deals from Nintendo's Blockbuster Sale. Let's dive in!

News

Guilty Gear Strive Nintendo Switch Edition Arrives January 2025

Arc System Works is bringing Guilty Gear Strive to the Nintendo Switch on January 23rd! The Switch version will include 28 characters and rollback netcode for online play. While crossplay isn't included, it should still be a great experience for offline play and battles with other Switch owners. I've loved it on Steam Deck and PS5, and I'm definitely looking forward to this release. Check out the official website here.

Reviews & Mini-Views

Bakeru ($39.99)

Let's be clear: Bakeru is not Goemon/Mystical Ninja. While some of the team behind that beloved series worked on this, it's a distinct experience. Expecting Goemon will only lead to disappointment. Bakeru is its own thing. With that said, Bakeru comes from Good-Feel, a studio known for charming, accessible platformers in the Wario, Yoshi, and Kirby universes. And that's precisely what Bakeru is.

Mischief unfolds in Japan as Issun encounters the unlikely hero, Bakeru, a tanuki with shape-shifting abilities and a penchant for taiko drums. Together, they'll traverse Japan, battling foes, collecting cash, chatting with… well, poop, and uncovering secrets across sixty-plus levels. While not every level is unforgettable, the overall experience is consistently engaging. I particularly enjoyed the collectibles; they often reflect the unique aspects of each location, offering little nuggets of Japanese culture, some even surprising to a long-time resident like myself.

The boss battles are a highlight! Good-Feel understands the art of a great boss fight, and Bakeru delivers creative, rewarding encounters. The game takes creative risks for a 3D platformer, with some working better than others—a common occurrence in this genre. I appreciated the successful ones, and easily forgave the less successful attempts. Despite its flaws, Bakeru is intensely likeable.

The main drawback is the Switch's performance; the framerate fluctuates, sometimes hitting 60fps, but often dipping lower during intense moments. While I'm not overly sensitive to inconsistent framerates, I acknowledge this could be an issue for others. Despite improvements since the Japanese release, some performance problems remain.

Bakeru is a delightful 3D platformer with polished design and fun ideas. Its commitment to its concept is infectious. While performance issues on Switch hold it back, and those expecting a Goemon clone will be disappointed, it's still a highly recommended title.

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter ($19.99)

The prequel trilogy spawned a wave of Star Wars games, and Star Wars: Bounty Hunter features Jango Fett, Boba Fett's father. This game explores Jango's life before Attack of the Clones, detailing his rise as a bounty hunter and his fateful encounter with Count Dooku. You'll take on missions, hunting targets and collecting optional bounties, utilizing a range of weapons and the iconic jetpack.

While initially interesting, the gameplay becomes repetitive. The game suffers from issues common to early 2000s titles: clunky targeting, inconsistent cover mechanics, and poorly-designed levels. Even in its time, it was merely average.

Aspyr's remaster improves visuals and performance, and the control scheme is better. However, the archaic save system remains, potentially forcing restarts. You do unlock a Boba Fett skin, though.

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter holds a certain nostalgic charm. If you crave a taste of early 2000s action games, this might appeal. Otherwise, the jank might outweigh the nostalgia.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain ($19.99)

Clearly inspired by Ghibli films, Mika and the Witch’s Mountain casts you as a rookie witch whose broom breaks after a less-than-supportive teacher throws her off a mountain. You'll need to earn money delivering packages to repair or replace your broom.

The gameplay loop of delivering packages is functional, enhanced by a vibrant world and interesting characters. However, the Switch struggles with performance, impacting resolution and framerate. It would likely run better on more powerful hardware.

The game's dedication to its core mechanic can feel repetitive, and the performance issues are noticeable. Still, zipping around on your broom and interacting with quirky characters provides a pleasant, if flawed, experience.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Peglin ($19.99)

Peglin, a pachinko roguelike, has reached version 1.0 across all platforms. Aim your orb at pegs to damage enemies and progress through zones. The game features upgrades, shops, and challenging battles. It's difficult early on, but the strategic aiming and board manipulation become addictive.

The Switch port performs well, though aiming is less smooth than on other platforms. Touch controls mitigate this. Load times are longer than on mobile and Steam.

The Switch version includes in-game achievements to compensate for the platform's lack of system-wide achievements. Cross-save functionality is absent, a missed opportunity.

Despite some balance issues and longer load times, Peglin is a great addition to the Switch library. The developers made good use of the Switch’s features, offering rumble, touchscreen, and button controls.