It’s doubtful we’ll see another eShop line-up as jampacked as this in 2017. The Switch gains several big-name releases and a few new indies of note, while the 3DS receives Pokémon Ultra Moon & Sun.
Despite it simply being an enhanced version of a game barely a year old, it’s easily the handheld’s biggest release of 2017. While some critics wished that Nintendo had held off revisiting Sun & Moon until further down the line, reviews claim that this is by far the superior version with plenty of improvements. The Metro opted for a 9/10, while Nintendo Life felt it was deserving of full marks.
Switch owners get a meaty RPG of their own, in the form of the 100+ hours The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (£49.99).
Word has it it’s an impressive conversion, but signs of the game’s age are showing in places. Review scores are a mixture of 8s and 9s, leading to a Metacritic of 85%.
Then we have L.A. Noire (£44.99), another conversion of a game that’s knocking on a bit. Scores for this one are a tad less positive than Skyrim, mostly being 7s and 8s. “L.A. Noire isn’t the prettiest project, but it still holds up because there isn’t anything quite like it even today,†said Destructoid, before handing out an 8.
Rocket League (£15.04) also makes a very welcome appearance this week. Like the above, the mighty Switch has managed to do it proud – it has lost very little during the jump from PS4/XO.
Batman – The Telltale Series (£39.99) and RiME (£29.99) are also of note, but you may want to curb your enthusiasm as both display a lack of polish when compared to other versions. RiME’s developers have even talked openly about the struggle of bringing their indie hit across.
Here’s the rest of this week’s Switch line-up.
Aces of the Luftwaffe – Squadron – £13.49
A 2D vertically scrolling shooter with co-op multiplayer for up to four players.
ACA NEOGEO KARNOV’S REVENGE – £6.29
This 2D brawler from Data East dates back to 1994, and features 13 combatants.
Antiquia Lost – £11.69
Another incredibly generic looking 2D JRPG from Kemco.
Unbox: Newbie’s Adventure – £24.99
This 3D platformer is more physics-based than most, allowing the cubic characters to get around easily by leaping great distances.
Super Putty Squad – £14.99
System 3’s PS4 launch title shows up on Switch, offering antique platforming antics. Also due a retail release next month.
Ittle Dew 2+ – £26.99
This top-down Zelda-style adventure apparently suffers from weak combat, but it’s still worth a look due to following the Zelda formula closely.
RIVE: Ultimate Edition – £13.49
Two Tribes’ sci-fi shooter arrives on the Switch with a co-pilot mode, a load of new in-game achievements and countless tweaks.
VVVVVV – £8.99
The 3DS eShop sleeper hit makes the jump to Switch. Don’t let the simple visuals fool you – it provides a tough challenge.
Xenoraid – £8.99
This week’s belated Switch release from 10tons is this 2D space shooter, which sees modern-day spacecrafts kitted out with alien-blasting weaponry.
Ginger: Beyond the Crystal – £17.99
This above-average 3D platformer takes inspiration from the 32-bit era.
Green Game: TimeSwapper – £2.69
A time-manipulating puzzler, based around protecting a mechanical bird.
As for discounts, the wonderful Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap falls to £12.59 until 30th November, while the recent NBA 2K18 can be had for £38.49 until 27th November.
Next week: MXGP3 – The Official Motocross Videogame, Letter Quest Remastered, Crimsonland, Transcripted, Portal Knights, New Style Boutique 3 – Styling Star, Lumo and ACA Soccer Brawl.