Pokémon Quest, Yoku’s Island Express, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection and more hit the Switch this week

Most gamers who grew up in the early ‘90s will doubtlessly remember encountering Street Fighter II for the first time. A one-on-one beat’em up like no other, it was an instant classic thanks to its memorable characters, instantly compelling gameplay, satisfying to perform special moves, and catchy background music. Guile’s theme goes with everything, lest you forget.

Little did we know Capcom would update and wheel out SFII on a regular basis, refusing to let go. It’s back once again this week as part of the very well-received Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection (£44.99), alongside the original, all three iterations of Street Fighter Alpha and Street Fighter III: New Generation.

The Switch version also includes an exclusive eight-player tournament mode for Super Street Fighter II. It’s just a shame the price tag isn’t in line with Xbox One and PS4 versions, clocking in at £10 more.

Ikaruga (£13.49) is another classic making a comeback. This vertical shooter is often referred to as one of the finest, thanks to the outstanding level design and the ability to shift polarity to absorb colour-coded projectiles. We’ll have a review (very!) soon.

Team 17’s Yoku’s Island Express (£15.99) has also arrived to rave reviews, being a quirky combination of Metroid and pinball. Sonic Spinball is another it has been likened to. Many critics claim that it’s one of 2018’s most pleasant surprises, gaining a fair few 9/10s.

Speaking of surprises, the free-to-start Pokémon Quest launched earlier this week. It sees the colourful critters turned into blocky pixel art renditions and is an action-oriented affair viewed from a top-down perspective. Here, Pokemon are lured by cooking up certain dishes. Initial impressions are positive, but many players suggest it’s worth waiting for the mobile release instead.

Then we have Die for Valhalla! (£10.99), which according to Nintendo World Report “can be appreciated either as a surprisingly complex action RPG or just a fantastic casual beat em’ up”. They dished out a 7.5 earlier this week. Nintendo Life opted for a 7/10 meanwhile. “There is still a lot to chew for the lonely solo player out there, so if you into the genre and Norse mythology, do consider giving this one a possession,” they said.

Smoke And Sacrifice (£19.99) is worth a look as well. This open-world, narrative-driven RPG has gained a mixture of 7s, 8s and 9s. GamesRadar called it “A sometimes grotesque, always engrossing take on the survival game, woven together with a twisted tale, weird weapons, and giant, charging porcupine pigs”.

Here’s a round-up of the remaining new Switch (and 3DS) releases, including the ravishing Castlevania tribute Bloodstained and the anticipated PixelJunk Monsters 2.

Lost at Sea – £8.99
Lost Sea is an action-adventure game set inside the Bermuda Triangle. Recruit a crew of survivors who can help you explore the hazardous islands as you hunt for the artifacts needed to navigate the Lost Sea.

Icey – £7.59
ICEY is a 2D side-scrolling action game. As you follow the narrator’s omnipresent voice, you will see through ICEY’s eyes and learn the truth about her world.

Legend of Kay Anniversary – £26.99
10 years after its initial release, Legend of Kay Anniversary is a thoroughly remastered version of the original game: high-resolution textures; new, more detailed character models; modern rendering techniques and crystal-clear surround sound give this great classic a new shine.

Quad Fighter K – £6.29
In the far distant future, a mysterious alien race set its sights on nothing less than the conquest of the Earth and the total annihilation of the human race. To counteract this threat the nations of Earth formed the EDC (Earth Defense Corps) and launched an all-out counter attack. Despite humanity’s best efforts, the alien invaders superior technology proved too much to overcome and they took over most of the planet.

Kitten Squad – Free
Sadistic robots have enslaved orcas at SeaLand Marine Park. The evil Sheep Puncher robot has kidnapped sheep for the twisted wool industry. Only the Kitten Squad is up to the task of saving these gentle animals. Players must guide the Kitten Squad, armed with weaponry ranging from carrot rocket launchers to yarn ball guns, on missions to defeat the evil robots and free the animals in this action game brought to you by PETA.

Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Deluxier Edition – £13.49
Set out on a grand adventure in this turn-based, retro style, pixel-art RPG, inspired by the great titles of the 90s. Take on the roles of in-game players taking on the roles of their characters in a traditional pen and paper RPG session in the ultimate meta roleplaying experience.

PixelJunk Monsters 2 – £13.49
In the acclaimed tower defense series’ official follow-up, play as Tikiman and build towers to protect your Tiki Hut from the fiendish monster hordes. This beautifully detailed 3D sequel has been fully reimagined with four player online co-op* and quite explosive fruit bombs. Get ready to once again defend your Chibis in this fun and addictive game for the entire family!

Shift Quantum – £15.99
Connected to the cyber-noir action-puzzle platformer, you will be tasked to solve puzzles and create negative space by inverting the world to transform barriers into escape routes.

Yesterday Origins – £26.99
Join immortals John Yesterday and Pauline Petit in Yesterday Origins, and experience an epic adventure through time and across the world in a story full of intrigue and unexpected twists.

6180 the moon – £3.59
6180 the moon is a platformer game with a unique mechanic. It offers a fresh, unseen game play style by connecting the top and bottom of the screen. This allows in a mechanic with delightfully long jumps and no fear of “slipping” to death.

ACA NEOGEO NINJA COMBAT – £6.29
“NINJA COMBAT” is an action game released in 1990 by SNK. In order to defeat the evil ninja clan KAGE ICHIZOKU, justice-seeking ninjas head towards the NINJA TOWER. Enjoy battling with a wide array of weapons and ninja magic as well as the ability for a friend to join the action.

Discovery – £6.99
Explore a giant world made of blocks and modify it with your own creations. Construct houses, build entire villages, cities, monumental constructions or dig deep underground.

Milanoir – £11.69
Inspired by the Italian crime flicks of the ’70s, Milanoir is a pixel-packed action game set in the city of Milan. Meet Piero, a convict suddenly released from prison looking for revenge over the man who framed him.

Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory – £39.99
Combining both Fallen Legion: Flames of Rebellion and Fallen Legion: Sins of an Empire for the first time on one console, Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory includes all new art, Exemplars, monsters, bosses and challenges not found in the original releases. See the story from all sides anywhere you go in Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory.

Pirate Pop Plus – £3.79
Join Pete Jr on his quest to defeat the nefarious Bubble Pirate, an evil villain who has trapped the innocent townsfolk in bubbles! Dodge and pop bubbles with your anchor while collecting power-ups and managing Bubble Pirate’s constant gravity-switching mischief!

New on 3DS

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon – £8.99
Battle with swords and whips in this retro-style action game brought to you by game creator Koji Igarashi and Inti Creates!

Dragon Lapis – £8.99
Make a return to the golden age of RPGs with 8-bit graphics and chiptunes. By unlocking growth plates, characters are able to strengthen parameters, learn skills, and increase job rank! Master multiple jobs and live an adventure full of challenges and dungeons to explore!

Next week: Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido, Legendary Eleven, Happy Birthdays, Shape of the World, Defoliation, Super Sportmatchen, Operation Hardcore, Jumping Joe & Friend s, World Soccer Pinball, and West of Loathing.

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