SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring ‘Castlevania Dominus Collection’, Plus Today’s Releases and Sales

Hello fellow gamers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Roundup for September 3rd, 2024! Today's update brings you several game reviews, starting with in-depth analyses of Castlevania Dominus Collection and Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn, along with quick takes on some recent Pinball FX DLC. We'll then explore the day's new releases, including the charming Bakeru, followed by a look at the latest sales and expiring deals. Let's dive in!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Castlevania Dominus Collection ($24.99)

Konami's recent track record with classic game collections has been undeniably impressive, and the Castlevania franchise has been a particular beneficiary. Castlevania Dominus Collection, the third such compilation for modern platforms, focuses on the Nintendo DS trilogy. Developed by M2, this collection delivers exceptional quality, offering more than initially apparent and potentially establishing itself as the most essential Castlevania collection to date.

The Nintendo DS Castlevania titles hold a unique place in the franchise's history. While the trilogy boasts three distinct games, creating a surprisingly varied experience, there are also some drawbacks. Dawn of Sorrow, a direct sequel to Aria of Sorrow, initially suffered from clumsy touchscreen controls—now thankfully refined in this release. Portrait of Ruin relegates touchscreen elements to a bonus mode, focusing instead on a dual-character mechanic. Order of Ecclesia significantly departs from its predecessors, featuring increased difficulty and a design reminiscent of Simon's Quest. All three games are noteworthy, and generally recommended.

These games mark the end of the exploratory Castlevania era spearheaded by Koji Igarashi, whose work revitalized the series with Symphony of the Night. The diminishing returns led Konami to pursue MercurySteam's Lords of Shadow series. Looking back, it's debatable whether the distinct nature of these DS titles reflects Igarashi's creative exploration or a desperate attempt to recapture audience interest. Regardless, many players felt a sense of fatigue with this style of Castlevania at the time.

Interestingly, these aren't simple emulations but rather native ports, allowing M2 to implement enhancements such as replacing Dawn of Sorrow's touchscreen controls with button presses and displaying the main screen, status screen, and map simultaneously. This significantly improves Dawn of Sorrow, elevating it to a contender among my top five Castlevania games.

The collection is packed with options and extras. Players can select game regions, customize button mapping, and choose between left stick controls for character movement or the touch cursor. A charming credits sequence highlights unsung contributors. A comprehensive gallery showcases art, manuals, and box art. The excellent soundtrack is fully accessible, with custom playlist creation capabilities.

In-game options include save states, rewind functionality, control remapping, screen layout adjustments, background color choices, audio level control, and detailed compendiums for each game. While a few additional screen arrangement options would be welcome, this is a minor quibble. The collection provides an exceptional way to enjoy these three fantastic games, offering incredible value for the price.

But the surprises don't end there! The collection also includes the notoriously difficult arcade title, Haunted Castle. This inclusion, absent from the first collection, is a welcome addition. The game features numerous options, including the essential unlimited continues, which are practically required given the game's brutal difficulty. While the music and opening sequence are highlights, the gameplay itself is notoriously unforgiving. Or is it?

The final extra—and it feels odd to call something this substantial an "extra"—is a complete remake of Haunted Castle. Similar to M2's Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth, this "Haunted Castle Revisited" takes inspiration from the original while creating a significantly improved experience. Essentially, this is a brand-new, and quite good, Castlevania game! Hidden within the extras of a Nintendo DS collection, it's a delightful unexpected bonus.

Castlevania fans absolutely must own Castlevania Dominus Collection. The inclusion of a fantastic new Castlevania game, alongside the three excellent Nintendo DS titles presented flawlessly, makes this a must-have. The original Haunted Castle is also present. If you dislike Castlevania, well, we can't be friends. And if you're unfamiliar with Castlevania, acquire all three collections and prepare for a great time. Konami and M2 have once again delivered a stellar product.

SwitchArcade Score: 5/5

Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn ($19.99)

My experience with Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn has been a bit of a journey. I've generally enjoyed Tengo Project's previous releases, considering their versions of Wild Guns and The Ninja Warriors definitive. While I had some minor reservations about Pocky & Rocky, it was still an enjoyable experience. Shadow of the Ninja, however, felt different. The team's involvement with the original was limited, and it's an 8-bit game update rather than a 16-bit one. I also personally find the original less compelling than their other titles. Therefore, my initial reaction to the remake was cautious.

After a positive preview at last year's Tokyo Game Show, my excitement was reignited. Having now played the game extensively, my opinion sits somewhere in the middle. Compared to Tengo Project's other work, Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn feels less polished. However, the improvements over the original are substantial, including enhanced presentation and a refined weapon/item system. While no new characters are introduced, existing characters have been better differentiated. It's undeniably superior to the original while retaining its core spirit. Fans of the original will adore this remake.

If you're like me and found the original merely decent, your opinion of Reborn likely won't differ dramatically. Simultaneous access to both the chain and sword is a significant upgrade, with the sword being more useful than in the original. The new inventory system adds welcome depth. The presentation is excellent, masking its 8-bit origins. However, some challenging difficulty spikes exist, making it potentially harder than the original. This may be necessary, given its relatively short length. It's the best version of Shadow of the Ninja, but it remains Shadow of the Ninja.

Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn is another solid Tengo Project effort, representing a more significant improvement over its predecessor than their previous releases. Whether it's worth purchasing depends on your feelings about the original, as the core gameplay remains largely unchanged. Newcomers will find an enjoyable but not essential action game, reflecting an 8-bit design philosophy.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Pinball FX – The Princess Bride Pinball ($5.49)

A couple of brief reviews of Pinball FX DLC, celebrating the game's major update that finally makes it playable on Switch. Two new tables were released: The Princess Bride Pinball and Goat Simulator Pinball. The former, based on the beloved film, features voice clips and video clips, a welcome inclusion from Zen Studios. The table's mechanics feel like a real-world counterpart, offering straightforward gameplay, license authenticity, and satisfying score attacks.

Zen Studios' licensed tables sometimes fall short, lacking music, voices, or likenesses. The Princess Bride Pinball, however, excels in these areas. Fans of the movie who enjoy pinball should definitely consider this table. While not the most innovative, its familiar design choices feel appropriate. A fun experience for both newcomers and veterans.

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Pinball FX – Goat Simulator Pinball ($5.49)

Goat Simulator Pinball perfectly embodies its source material. This results in a highly unusual table, uniquely suited to the video game format. Players encounter various goat-related antics, affecting the ball and triggering table elements. While initially confusing, persistence is rewarded. This table is more challenging for veteran players. Goat Simulator fans without pinball experience may struggle to fully appreciate its humor.

Goat Simulator Pinball is another strong DLC offering from Zen Studios, showcasing their willingness to experiment. It's a complex table to master, but the payoff is well worth the effort. Fans of Goat Simulator who invest the time to learn the ropes will be rewarded, but it requires more dedication than other tables.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Select New Releases

Bakeru ($39.99)

As mentioned in yesterday's review, I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful 3D platformer from Good-Feel. Play as Bakeru, a tanuki on a quest to save Japan from an evil overlord. Battle enemies, uncover hidden trivia, collect souvenirs, and enjoy some humorous moments. The Switch version suffers from inconsistent frame rates, potentially deterring tech-savvy players. Otherwise, it's a charming addition to the Switch library.

Holyhunt ($4.99)

A top-down arena twin-stick shooter, described as an homage to 8-bit games. The visuals are appealing, offering straightforward shoot-and-dash gameplay with boss encounters.

Shashingo: Learn Japanese with Photography ($20.00)

While typically avoiding language-learning apps, this title seems more thoughtfully designed. Players photograph objects and learn their Japanese names. The price point might be prohibitive for some, but it may be a suitable learning tool for others.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Today's sales include OrangePixel's selection of excellent bite-sized titles. Alien Hominid is enjoying a rare discount, along with Ufouria 2. THQ and Team 17 titles are ending their current sales. Explore both the new and expiring sales lists for potential purchases.

Select New Sales

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Sales Ending Tomorrow, September 4th

(List of sales)

That concludes today's roundup. Join us tomorrow for more new releases, sales, news, and potentially another review. We're in the midst of a fantastic gaming season, so protect your wallets and enjoy the abundance of great games. It's likely the Switch's last major holiday season, so let's make it count. Have a wonderful Tuesday, and thank you for reading!