Despite launching in 2014, Freedom Planet (£12.99) – which began life as a Sonic fan game – stacks up against the universally praised Sonic Mania incredibly well. We awarded it an 8/10 today. But don’t just take our word for it – the Metacritic currently stands at 85%, including a 95% from GamingTrend.
Monster Hunter: Generations Ultimate (£49.99) has received mixed reviews, meanwhile – everything from Nintendo Life’s 9/10 to a 2.5/5 from The Daily Dot. Why the indifference? Well, it’s mostly because it has more in common with the 3DS MH games, rather than the recent MH World.
“Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate takes players back to the origins of the famed series, and it looks and plays great on the Nintendo Switch, even if it’s still a major step backwards from Monster Hunter World,†said We Got This Covered.
Rewinding back to earlier this week, the arrival of the critically acclaimed indie Into the Breach (£11.39) – from the creators of FTL – sparked much jubilation. Both The Metro and Pocket Gamer gave the strategy game 9/10 review scores, with the former called it “almost perfectly formed.â€
Devolver Digital’s humorous Metroidvania The Messenger is off to the best possible start too, gaining top marks from Destructoid, Nintendo World Report, and US Gamer. “It’s the most polished, thoughtful, and accurate tribute to retro gaming that I’ve seen in a very long time,†said US Gamer.
Blade Strangers could also be considered a retro throwback, being a 2D beat’em up similar to Samurai Showdown. Scores for this one include a 7/10 from Nintendo Life, and an 8.5 from DualShockers.
Staying with the retro theme, there’s The VideoKid (£3.99) a colourful Paperboy-alike which seems to be going down well despite the mobile phone game-style looks.
We’ve rounded-up the remaining Switch releases below, with highlights including The Walking Dead, tactical JRPG God Wars, belated role-playing conversion Victor Vran, and the cartoon-like cowboy shooter Western 1849 Reloaded. Yee-haw!
de Blob 2 – £26.99
In de Blob 2 Comrade Black and the Inkies are back with a whole new plot to rid the world of color. With all-new help from Papa Blanc and his followers the Blancs, Blob and his friends will have their work cut out for them bringing color back to the citizens of Prisma City.
God Wars The Complete Legend – £35.99
GOD WARS The Complete Legend is a tactical RPG that explores the untold history of Japan through folklore and tactical combat.
Into the Breach – £11.39
The remnants of human civilization are threatened by gigantic creatures breeding beneath the earth. You must control powerful mechs from the future to hold off this alien threat. Each attempt to save the world presents a new randomly generated challenge in this turn-based strategy game from the makers of FTL.
The Messenger – £17.99
As a demon army besieges his village, a young ninja ventures through a cursed world, to deliver a scroll paramount to his clan’s survival. What begins as a classic action platformer soon unravels into an expansive time-traveling adventure full of thrills, surprises, and humor.
Blade Strangers – £35.99
Developed by Studio Saizensen, Blade Strangers is a hardcore old-school fighting game. The streamlined four-button control scheme makes it easy for beginners to deal out damage from day one…but the intricate combos, counters and specials give tournament-caliber players plenty of opportunities for frame counting, chain construction and hit-box science.
The Walking Dead: The Final Season – Season Pass – £18.99
After years on the road facing threats both living and dead, a secluded school might finally be Clementine’s chance for a home. But protecting it will mean sacrifice. In this gripping, emotional final season, your choices will define your relationships and determine how Clementine’s story ends.
The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season – £19.99
Play as Lee Everett, a convicted criminal, who has been given a second chance at life in a world devastated by the undead. With corpses returning to life and survivors stopping at nothing to maintain their own safety, protecting an orphaned girl named Clementine may offer him redemption in a world gone to hell.
Victor Vran Overkill Edition – £35.99
Become Victor, hunter of demons. Forge your own hero on a quest to liberate the cursed city of Zagoravia. Explore ‘Motörhead: Through the Ages’ – a wild tour through the mythos of the loudest band in the world, and enter the Fractured Worlds, a dimension formed from the fragments of broken realms.
Western 1849 Reloaded – £6.29
Back in 1849, when the West was Wild and gunslingers faced off on the street, gold was discovered in the sleepy town of Sunset Bluff. Like a coyote drawn to the scent of blood, the Quicksilver Bandits rode into town to seize the mines and establish the law of the gun. The helpless citizens have suffered, and now they’re looking to you, their savior. Draw your weapons! It is time to clean up Sunset Bluff!
Arcade Archives ARGUS – £6.29
“ARGUS†is a shooting game released by JALECO in 1986. Fly an aircraft with anti-air and anti-ground guns and use the power-ups available to destroy the flying fortress Mega Argus. Each stage features different equipment and a landing sequence at the end of the stage.
ACA NEOGEO FOOTBALL FRENZY – £6.29
“FOOTBALL FRENZY†is a sports game released by SNK in 1992. Select from one of ten individual teams and compete to win the championship.
Azure Reflections – £13.99
Now on the Nintendo Switch: A side-scrolling bullet hell fangame based on one of the hottest shooting game series to come out of Japan, the Touhou Project!
Chiki-Chiki Boxy Racers – £8.99
Drift like a pro with easy analog stick controls! The intuitive party battle mode offers fun for everyone. Play wherever you are, any time!
Fall of Light: Darkest Edition – £12.14
Fall of Light is a story-driven action RPG set within a world consumed by darkness. You are Nyx, an old warrior who has embarked on a dangerous journey with his daughter, Aether, an ‘indigo child’ who radiates luminescence. Only together will they be strong enough to complete their quest: reach the last place on Earth still touched by sunlight.
Gnomes Garden 3: The Thief of Castles – £4.49
The gnome princess has finally come home. She managed to make peace with the trolls and befriend their queen, but at home evil was afoot: a warlock collector stole the gnome monarch’s castle along with the royal family! The princess must gather a team and set off on a new adventure to save her loved ones!
Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle – £10.99
The gnome princess has finally come home. She managed to make peace with the trolls and befriend their queen, but at home evil was afoot: a warlock collector stole the gnome monarch’s castle along with the royal family! The princess must gather a team and set off on a new adventure to save her loved ones!
Mini Metro – £6.74
In Mini Metro, you take on the task of designing the subway layout for a rapidly expanding city. Your city starts with three stations. Draw routes between these stations to connect them with subway lines. Commuters travel along your lines to get around the city as fast as they can. Each station can only hold a handful of waiting commuters so your subway network will need to be well-designed to avoid delays.
Phantaruk – £4.49
Phantaruk combines survival horror with adventure and stealth mechanics. Expect true shivers down your spine as you fight for your life.
Realpolitiks – £20.24
Realpolitiks is a streamlined real-time grand strategy game that allows you to become the leader of any contemporary nation. Dive deep into the issues of the modern world, with its current geopolitical borders, using your country’s power and economic strength to engage in military conflicts and international affairs.
The VideoKid – £3.99
The VideoKid pays homage to the 1980s, and the classic videogames of that era. Harking back to a simpler time of pure gameplay, take control of The VideoKid as he hurls videos through the mailboxes, or windows, of his customers to earn cash. Dodge civilians, jump and grind cars and avoid the neighbourhood cops to stay alive. But this is no ordinary street… you may also encounter strangely-familiar characters from your past. How many will you spot?
New Switch pre-orders
Hyper Light Drifter – Special Edition
TowerFall
Bastion
Hover
Big Buck Hunter Arcade
Party Crashers
SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions
New Switch discounts
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – £33.29
Splatoon 2 – £33.29
ARMS – £33.29
DOOM – £33.29
FIFA 18 – £12.94
Rocket League – £10.50
Next week: Hyper Light Drifter – Special Edition, Kentucky Robo Chicken, SNK HEROINES Tag Team Frenzy, YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS: Red Cat Corps, YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS: White Dog Squad, Ninjin: Clash of Carrots, and Sigi – A Fart for Melusina.