Home News > SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring ‘Emio – The Smiling Man’, Plus Today’s New Releases and Sales

SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring ‘Emio – The Smiling Man’, Plus Today’s New Releases and Sales

by Eleanor Feb 24,2025

Hello discerning readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 5th, 2024. Already Thursday? Time flies! We're diving straight into reviews today, with two in-depth analyses: Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. Our contributor, Mikhail, also shares his perspectives on Nour: Play With Your Food, Fate/stay night REMASTERED, and the TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK. Following this, we'll highlight the day's noteworthy new releases and wrap up with our usual sales lists. Let's get started!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club ($49.99)

Resurrecting dormant franchises seems to be the latest trend, mirroring Hollywood's practices. Nintendo's unexpected revival of Famicom Detective Club, primarily known in the West through a brief Switch remake, is a prime example. This marks the first brand-new Famicom Detective Club adventure in years, a notable event.

The challenge in reviving old IPs lies in balancing faithfulness to the original with modern updates. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club largely retains the style of the recent remakes, remaining close to the originals. This creates a unique blend. The visuals are top-notch, and the narrative pushes boundaries beyond what 90s Nintendo would have attempted. However, the gameplay feels distinctly old-school, significantly impacting the overall enjoyment.

The game centers around a student found dead with a smiling-face paper bag over his head, triggering a re-investigation of similar unsolved murders from eighteen years prior. The urban legend of Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles, adds intrigue. Is it a copycat, a resurrected killer, or pure fiction? The police are baffled, hence the need for the Utsugi Detective Agency! Through investigation and questioning, you'll uncover the truth.

The gameplay involves searching for clues, interviewing suspects (often requiring repeated questioning), and connecting the dots. Similar to the investigative segments in Ace Attorney, this style may prove frustrating or tedious depending on player preference. Certain aspects could be streamlined, and clearer signposting would enhance the experience. However, within the context of similar games, Emio doesn't significantly deviate.

Despite some story criticisms, the narrative is engaging, suspenseful, and well-crafted. While some plot points may not resonate universally, detailed discussion would spoil the experience. The game's strengths outweigh its weaknesses, particularly during its most captivating moments.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is atypical of Nintendo's output. The mechanics remain closely tied to the originals, and while the plot is mostly excellent, pacing occasionally falters. Despite these minor flaws, it's a thoroughly enjoyable mystery adventure. Welcome back, Detective Club!

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)

The Switch is accumulating a solid collection of TMNT games. From the Cowabunga Collection to Shredder's Revenge and Wrath of the Mutants, now Splintered Fate offers a home console experience. And more are on the horizon! So, how does this one fare?

Quite well, actually. If you've played the Apple Arcade version, you're familiar with the concept. Essentially, it blends a TMNT-style beat 'em up with Hades-like roguelite elements. Solo play is available, but the experience is enhanced with up to four players via local or online multiplayer. Online multiplayer functioned smoothly during testing. While solo play is acceptable, multiplayer significantly improves the game.

Shredder's schemes involving a mysterious power put Splinter in danger, forcing the Turtles into action. Combat involves slicing, dicing, and bludgeoning enemies, strategic dashing, perk collection, and permanent upgrades. Death means returning to the lair and starting again. It's a roguelite beat 'em up with the Turtles—automatically better than a non-Turtle version. While not groundbreaking, it executes its core mechanics effectively.

Splintered Fate isn't a must-have for everyone, but TMNT fans will likely appreciate this unique take on the franchise. The well-implemented multiplayer is a significant plus. Those less familiar with the Turtles might find superior roguelite options on Switch, but Splintered Fate holds its own within a highly competitive genre.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)

Nour: Play With Your Food's initial PC and PS5 release surprised many with its absence on Switch and mobile. It seemed ideally suited for touchscreens as an experimental food art experience. The PC version was enjoyable, but it's not a traditional game for everyone. Those who enjoy playful sandbox experiences and food will likely appreciate Nour. However, the Switch version has some shortcomings.

For newcomers, Nour involves playful interaction with various food types across different stages, featuring engaging music and whimsical elements. It blends an interactive app with food and art themes. Initially, only basic tools are available, but the developers have added numerous features allowing for extensive food manipulation. This highlights the potential challenges of touchscreen control.

The lack of touchscreen support on Switch is disappointing. Performance compromises are also evident on Switch compared to other platforms, resulting in noticeable load times.

Nour: Play With Your Food is worth experiencing for food and art enthusiasts. While the Switch version isn't optimal, its portability is a plus. Hopefully, its success will lead to more DLC or even a physical release. Games like Nour and Townscaper offer a unique counterpoint to more complex RPGs and story-driven titles. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Fate/stay night REMASTERED ($29.99)

Fate/stay night REMASTERED, released on Switch and Steam, is a remaster of the 2004 visual novel. This serves as an excellent entry point into the Fate universe, offering a chance to experience the series' origin story. The extensive content (55+ hours) makes the price remarkably low.

For those familiar with the Japanese versions, Fate/stay night REMASTERED offers significant improvements. The addition of English is obvious, but the 16:9 support and overall visual enhancements are noteworthy. The remaster's improvements are substantial, making it a visually appealing experience on modern displays, although not as polished as Tsukihime's recent remake.

The inclusion of touchscreen support on Switch is a welcome addition, enhancing the experience on both handheld and docked modes. Hopefully, future releases on other platforms (iOS, PS5) will broaden its accessibility. The game also performs flawlessly on Steam Deck.

The only notable absence is a physical Switch release. Its success could lead to a physical release in the future.

Fate/stay night REMASTERED is essential for visual novel fans. Its English availability and low price make it highly recommended. While not as visually stunning as Tsukihime's remake, it's a worthwhile experience. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 5/5

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK ($49.99)

For those unfamiliar with VR, TOKYO CHRONOS and ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos are notable VR titles. This twin pack brings them to Switch.

TOKYO CHRONOS follows high school friends in an alternate Shibuya, involving lost memories, killers, and more. While the narrative may feel predictable at times, the visuals are strong. The VR version is worth experiencing for its novelty.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos, however, is superior in terms of production value, music, writing, voice acting, and characters. It transcends the visual novel format, making it more memorable.

Despite some narrative shortcomings, the Switch version suffers from camera movement issues. These are minor inconveniences, offset by touchscreen support and haptic feedback.

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK offers a compelling experience on Switch, thanks to touch controls and haptic feedback. The demo is recommended to assess the Switch version's suitability. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Select New Releases

Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku ($49.99)

The title perfectly encapsulates the game's content: Fitness Boxing featuring Hatsune Miku. It includes 24 songs from Miku and friends, plus 30 more from the Fitness Boxing series. Mechanically, it's similar to previous entries. Consider it if you want a Fitness Boxing game with Hatsune Miku.