SwitchArcade Round-Up: Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku Review, New Releases, Deals, and Farewells

Background: A Long-Running TouchArcade Column Reaches Its Final Regular Edition

The SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 6th, 2024 arrived as a closing chapter. The edition described itself as the final regular SwitchArcade Round-Up for TouchArcade by the writer, with one more special installment scheduled for the following week and carrying a few reviews tied to specific embargo dates. The column had been running for several years, and the writer said there was a wish to see the Switch through to its end through these articles, but circumstances pointed to another course.

This last regular edition was presented as a chunky sendoff. It included a pair of reviews from Mikhail Madnani, a pair of reviews from Shaun, a handful of new release summaries, and the usual lists of new and expiring sales. For readers, that made the September 6th, 2024 roundup more than a normal collection of Switch notes: it was a final index of what the column was covering at the end of its regular run.

Development: Reviews & Mini-Views Trace Fitness, Indie Ambition, 16-bit Revival, and Dungeon Crawl Expansion

Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU at $49.99: A Joy-Con-Only Collaboration That Fits Between Workouts

The first review covered Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU at $49.99 and gave it a SwitchArcade Score: 4/5. The review placed the game inside Imagineer’s Fitness Boxing series, noting that Imagineer’s success with the Fitness Boxing games had led to Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star. When Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU was announced, the reviewer called it a smart collaboration and wanted to see how it felt after Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star.

For readers unfamiliar with the series, the Fitness Boxing games use boxing and rhythm game movements to get players into shape through daily exercises, mini-games that also get players sweating, and related activities. In this release, HATSUNE MIKU enters the action, and the game includes a separate dedicated mode for her songs in addition to the normal songs included in the release.

The review noted that this is a Joy-Con only game and that it cannot be played with a Pro Controller or third party accessories, at least as far as the reviewer was aware. Like other entries in the series, it includes difficulty options, a free training mode, warmups, tracking with reminders, and a systemwide alarm that can remind players even when the Switch is in sleep mode. Players can also unlock cosmetics through points earned by playing.

The reviewer said there was no comment yet on DLC, but liked the base release more than Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star aside from one issue. The audio was described as great, while the main instructor’s voice was described as not great. The reviewer turned that voice down because it felt out of place and sounded weirdly directed. The final assessment was that Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU is a solid fitness-focused game and a competent fitness product with daily workouts, customization, and tracking. It also does a good job bringing HATSUNE MIKU into the world of Fitness Boxing to appeal to her fans. The review suggested that, for many readers, it may work better as a complement to something like Ring Fit Adventure or an existing exercise routine rather than as the sole exercise done during the week.

Magical Delicacy at $24.99: sKaule and Whitethorn Games Blend Cooking, Crafting, and Metroidvania Exploration

Magical Delicacy from sKaule and Whitethorn Games was reviewed at $24.99 and received a SwitchArcade Score: 4/5. The reviewer said it had not received much attention until a friend linked an Xbox Game Pass announcement for it. After that, the reviewer played it on Switch as well and felt it needed more time in the oven.

The game sits at the intersection of two familiar interests: Metroidvania-style platformers and cooking games. The reviewer adores both, but said Magical Delicacy takes the good bits of each genre without always putting them together in the best possible way. The result was described as a game the reviewer adores in parts, but one where the flaws hurt a bit more.

In Magical Delicacy, players take control of Flora, a young witch, in a story described as equal parts mysterious, magical, and wholesome. The aim is to cook meals and craft for various folks. The reviewer said the exploration was implemented well aside from some backtracking that was annoying at times. The reviewer had expected the Metroidvania elements to feel lacking next to the cooking and crafting, but said the team nailed the Metroidvania elements.

The review pointed to problems with ingredients in the crafting system and with inventory management. Those issues were said to be made a bit worse by the UI, which took time to get used to in terms of interaction. Still, Magical Delicacy was described as making a great first impression with gorgeous pixel art visuals, lovely music, and tons of settings. Those settings include UI scale and text options, which were called useful when playing on Switch in handheld mode. The reviewer felt the game would have benefited from an early access release, or would benefit from potential updates.

On Switch, the reviewer said the game plays very well aside from some seemingly frame pacing-related hiccups, and praised the rumble. Having also played it on Xbox Series X, the reviewer said this was a game to play more on a portable, with a Switch or Steam Deck version feeling best, especially because the reviewer plays this genre more on handhelds. The final note was that Magical Delicacy is a game the reviewer should have loved given that it blends Metroidvania and cooking/crafting, but it felt a little undercooked in parts because of inventory and backtracking issues. It was still called a very good game that feels at home on Switch, and the reviewer said a few quality of life updates and polishing could make it essential.

Aero The Acro-Bat 2 at $5.99: Ratalaika’s Improved Wrapper Rescues a 16-bit Sequel After the Sonic-Era Mascot Platforming Wave

Aero The Acro-Bat 2 was reviewed at $5.99 and received a SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5. The review began with a broader 16-bit era context: many companies tried the mascot platformer category after Sonic the Hedgehog’s explosive success, and the sheer number of those games was described as baffling. Not many of them managed to get sequels, but Aero The Acro-Bat was part of that small group.

The review suggested that Aero’s path to a sequel involved a combination of the first game doing well enough and a force of will to try to make fetch happen. Fetch, however, did not happen. The spin-off Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel launched several months after Aero The Acro-Bat 2, but outside of that, Aero was never seen in another original title again.

That history did not lead the reviewer to call Aero The Acro-Bat 2 a bad game. It seemed more likely that it was not a big enough success to merit another follow-up. The review also said Sunsoft’s parent company had recently lost a lot of money on a bad investment involving golf courses, which put the company in a fiscally conservative mood for a while. Either way, the reviewer did not think the fault could be placed on the quality of the game. Aero The Acro-Bat 2 was described as as good as the first game was, with all that implies: a more polished experience that loses some rough edges and some character, but remains a decent platforming romp.

The reviewer expected this release to arrive in Ratalaika’s usual emulation wrapper, but said the presentation had been upgraded. The wrapper felt more tailor-made for the game, and in terms of options and extras the reviewer called it a far better overall experience. The included features mentioned were box and manual scans, achievements, a gallery of sprite sheets, a jukebox, a bunch of cheats, and more. The reviewer said there were no complaints about how the game plays or about the suite of features. The only noted drawback was that this release only includes the Super NES version of the game. The reviewer felt the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive version should have been included too.

The recommendation was straightforward: readers who enjoyed Aero The Acro-Bat should give Aero The Acro-Bat 2 a shot, and even those slightly put off by the first game’s quirks might have a better time with the sequel. The reviewer commended Ratalaika for stepping up its game with this emulation wrapper, and expressed hope that the first game might be updated with a similar interface for consistency. The release was called fine for Aero fans and readers looking for 16-bit platformers, and it made the reviewer optimistic about the remaining reissues of the series.

Metro Quester | Osaka at $19.99: An Expansion-Like Sequel That Pushes the Original Turn-Based Dungeon Crawl

Metro Quester | Osaka was reviewed at $19.99 and received a SwitchArcade Score: 4/5. The review began by looking back at the original Metro Quester, which had arrived a while earlier. The reviewer said they got quite a bit of enjoyment out of it, even though it was a bit of a bear to get into. Once the rules were understood, the original game was described as an immensely satisfying dungeon-crawling turn-based RPG. Experimenting with party builds to find the optimal team was called a task the reviewer truly enjoyed taking on.

Spoiler Alert: Metro Quester | Osaka is described as a prequel to the original game, with the setting moved to Osaka. The review said the game feels a little more like an expansion pack than a proper sequel, but the reviewer was more than happy with that given how much they got out of the original.

The new game gives players a whole new dungeon to explore and some new character types to explore with. Osaka is described as a much wetter location, so players need to use a canoe to travel over the water in places. With the new dungeon come new weapons, skills, and enemies. For readers who had already wrung out the original game, the review said there is definitely more to chew on here, and that anyone who had a good time with the original should enjoy this one too.

The review also said the game shares much of its broader mechanics with the original Metro Quester. The short version was turn-based combat, top-down dungeon exploration, and a lot of inching outward a little further each time before having to head back to camp. Careless play was described as leading to trouble quickly, because planning and cautious play were practically a necessity.

The final assessment was that readers who found themselves fully absorbed in Metro Quester will find plenty to enjoy in Metro Quester | Osaka, while new players should probably skip right to this game. The expansion-like structure was not treated as a bad thing. Instead, the review suggested the designer wanted to send players on another adventure that pushes the existing systems in fascinating ways. It is a game that requires patience to get the most out of, but the reviewer said those willing to invest the time will enjoy the dividends.

Latest Progress: Select New Releases Shift from Fitness and Indie to Sports Storage and Retro Collections

NBA 2K25 at $59.99: The Annual Basketball Entry Arrives with 53.3 GB of Storage Demand

The Select New Releases section opened with NBA 2K25 at $59.99. The roundup said NBA 2K is back in 25 form and joked about what the series name might become when the year 2100 arrives, asking whether it would become NBA 2K100 and noting that it feels weird. The review-style note said this year’s version has improved gameplay, a new feature called Neighborhood, and some nonsense about MyTEAM. The roundup then focused on the practical memory card requirement for the game: 53.3 GB.

For readers, that 53.3 GB figure matters because it turns NBA 2K25 into a storage decision as much as a sports game decision. If a Switch memory card is already crowded, the roundup made clear that the game’s size is one of its most concrete features.

Shogun Showdown at $14.99: A Japanese-Inspired Darkest Dungeon Riff for Genre Hunters

Shogun Showdown was listed at $14.99. The roundup described it as another riff on Darkest Dungeon with a Japanese-inspired setting. It also said there are a few bits that change things up a little. Setting those differences aside, the roundup said it is very much a familiar style of game, and that it is a decent enough example of such to be of interest to readers on the hunt for another one.

That positioning matters for genre readers. Shogun Showdown is not presented as a radical reinvention, but as a focused addition to a style players may already know. For readers who want a new entry in a familiar mold, the $14.99 price and the Japanese-inspired setting were the key hooks.

Aero The Acro-Bat 2 at $5.99 Reappears: A Polished Sequel with North American and Japanese Super NES Versions

Aero The Acro-Bat 2 appeared again in the new releases section at $5.99. The roundup pointed readers to the review above and added that this is the somewhat more polished sequel to the successful Aero The Acro-Bat, presented in Ratalaika’s emulator wrapper. The wrapper was said to have received additional effort for this release and to look good.

The version of the game included is the Super NES one, and readers can play the North American release or the Japanese one. The roundup repeated the wish that the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive version had been included, but said it could not imagine Aero fans being unhappy with the release overall outside of that.

Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection at $9.99: Three Previously Non-Localized Famicom Games Join the Roundup

Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection was listed at $9.99. The roundup began with the phrase Sunsoft is back!, then acknowledged that Sunsoft has been back for a while. The entry pointed to a trio of previously non-localized Famicom games as the basis of the selection.

For retro-focused readers, the significance is in preservation and access. The roundup did not need to explain Sunsoft’s history at length; the price and the Famicom focus were enough to show that the September 6th, 2024 edition was still paying attention to older Switch-era collections and reissues.

Ending Phase: What the September 6th, 2024 Edition Means for Readers

As of September 6th, 2024, the SwitchArcade Round-Up is at its final regular stage. The next week was expected to bring one more special edition with a few reviews tied to specific embargo dates, after which the regular TouchArcade SwitchArcade Round-Up run closes. The edition itself listed four reviews and seven prices: $49.99 for Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU, $24.99 for Magical Delicacy, $5.99 for Aero The Acro-Bat 2, $19.99 for Metro Quester | Osaka, $59.99 for NBA 2K25, $14.99 for Shogun Showdown, and $9.99 for Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection.

That final regular edition gives readers a compact snapshot of the Switch library at the close of a long-running column: a fitness collaboration with HATSUNE MIKU at 4/5, an indie cooking-and-crafting Metroidvania at 4/5, a 16-bit mascot platformer reissue at 3.5/5, a dungeon-crawl expansion-sequel at 4/5, and a new releases list that includes NBA 2K25 with its 53.3 GB storage demand, a Darkest Dungeon-style entry, and a Famicom retro collection. The column’s current phase is therefore both practical and historical: it still helps readers decide what to buy, while also marking the end of a regular Switch coverage chapter.