Switch owners have more than a few new releases to pursue, although the term ‘new’ is pushing it somewhat – the hybrid handheld’s line-up for this week mostly consists of conversions.
Q.U.B.E. 2, the Portal-alike first-person puzzler, leads the way. “Despite the technical problems, Q.U.B.E. 2 is still an incredible game that I had trouble putting down,†said Nintendo World Report before dishing out an 8/10. Nintendo Life opted for the same score. “Q.U.B.E. 2 is an accomplished first-person physics puzzler that learns a number of wise lessons from Portal in terms of mechanics and world building,†was their verdict.
The Metro wasn’t quite as taken by it, though. “Despite improvements the debt to Portal cannot be fully repaid in this cleverly-constructed by staid first person puzzler,“ they said.
Then there’s the stealth adventure Aragami: Shadow Edition, which gained 7/10 review scores from both Nintendo Insider and Nintendo Life. “Aragami: Shadow Edition does the sneak ‘n’ stab genre well enough to tickle the taste buds of its fans,†said Nintendo Insider.
Nintendo Life was slightly more smitten. “It takes a while to get going and it has its fair share of annoying quirks, but as it progresses Aragami becomes a solid stealth game with a compelling store.â€
X-Morph: Defense – a combination of top-down shooter and tower defence – also makes the jump from Xbox One, while the lavish puzzle adventure Trine 2 receives a complete edition. Arcade Archives ICE CLIMBER and ACA NEOGEO THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2003 are this week’s arcade re-releases, meanwhile.
As for new releases, there’s the slick isometric racer BlazeRush, the shockingly priced (£53.99!) visual novel STEINS;GATE ELITE, the intriguing pixel action platformer Rotating Brave – which requires the Switch to be twisted and turned – and the 32-bit style shooter Devil Engine which Nintendo World Report was left impressed by.
Demonic defence game Hell Warders may be worth a look, too – it seems accomplished visually, but the lack of reviews is a concern.
Here’s the full roster of new Switch releases, including pre-orders.
Hell Warders – £10.99
Hell is at our gates! Rise up as one of the mighty Hell Warders, an ancient order of heroes with unique powers and abilities, to resist the demon hordes head-on. Push back wave after wave of Hell-spawn with an arsenal of weapons, rip apart their fearsome commanders with powerful hero skills, and deploy your army of knights, archers, and mages to bring the fight back to Hell!
Mutant Football League: Dynasty Edition – £21.99
Dynasty Edition includes Dynasty Mode, a single player experience where you become the coach and GM of your favourite Mutant Football League team and take a group of unproven rookies and turn them into monstrous all-stars by winning multiple Mayhem Bowls over several seasons to become the league’s next Dynasty. The Dynasty Edition also introduces two brand new species, four new teams, several new Dirty Tricks and of course, more fantastical arenas full of ruthless fans and deadly traps.
SMITE – Free
Go Ahead, Play God – Jump into the action as one of over 90 Gods from Pantheons around the world. Play as iconic figures like Ares, Thor, Hercules, Wukong, and Medusa. There are also unique Gods and Goddesses like the volcanic Pele, the Voodoo God of Death, Baron, and the nine-tailed fox, Da Ji.
ACA NEOGEO THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2003 – £6.29
“THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2003†is a fighting game released by SNK in 2003. It features the same 3-on-3 battle system as the previous title in the series, but this time players are able to use the “Multi-Shift” format to freely tag in team members for speedier gameplay. A new character named ASH is also introduced, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the series!
Caterpillar Royale – £4.49
Caterpillar Royale is an action game where you eat food, grow your caterpillars, and fight enemies to survive. Your caterpillars die if their heads touch obstacles or enemy-caterpillars. It’s a merciless caterpillar battle royale!
Croc’s World Run – £4.49
“Croc’s World Run” is the newest part of the Croc’s World franchise! It features: + 50 incredible levels + Nice HD-Graphics + 4 different Worlds + many challenging enemies + easy one-button-control
Arcade Archives ICE CLIMBER – £6.29
“ICE CLIMBER†is an action game released by Nintendo in 1985. Play as POPO and NANA to break apart blocks of ice with your hammer and defeat enemies that get in your way as you aim for the top of the mountain. However, only one person can catch the condor waiting at the summit. Will you work together, or try to go for it alone? It’s up to you!
Death Mark – £44.99
You have been Marked…
A strange rumor is spreading through the shadows of Tokyo’s H City: a mysterious disfigurement, like a grotesque birthmark, has been appearing on the bodies of certain individuals. Anyone who receives the Mark will soon cease to exist of unknown, horrifying causes.
Deprived of your memories, you arrive at a mansion rumored to protect the bearers of the Mark. As the doors swing open, the countdown to your demise has already begun…
Aragami – Shadow Edition – £24.99
Aragami is a third person stealth game that casts you as an undead assassin with the power to control the shadows. Teleport to any shadow, become invisible, materialize weapons or even summon a shadow dragon to infiltrate the enemy ranks and dispose of your targets.
Daggerhood – £4.99
Daggerhood has set his sights on stealing the King’s gold and armed with a dagger he can throw and reclaim by teleporting to its current position, he’s going to need your help!
Warplanes: WW2 Dogfight – £8.99
“In Warplanes: WW2 Dogfight, players get the chance to take a seat at the controls of a historical airplane and feel the power of its engines and experience the rush of adrenaline flowing through their veins while facing an enemy plane up in the air.
GIGANTIC ARMY – £8.09
GIGANTIC ARMY is a heartfelt homage to 16-bit era mech shooters. It is the 21st century and Earth is at war with the Ramulons – an alien race determined to stop humanity’s advance into space. Mankind’s war against the Ramulons has reached the planet Ramulon itself and it is now down to YOU to pilot the ‘GMR-34 SALADIN’ – a Manned Combat Robot – and take on the Ramulon army.
Almost There: The Platformer – £7.19
Sprint between saw blades while dodging homing missiles. Duck under lasers while the floor crumbles beneath you. Almost There was designed specifically for fans of hardcore platforming – you’ve been warned.
YUMENIKKI -DREAM DIARY- £17.99
Play as a young girl as she explores the mysterious and unreal world of her dreams. Start off with no story or guide, as you experience the different worlds of her dreams, each one deeply shrouded in mystery.
Q.U.B.E. 2 – £22.99
Q.U.B.E. 2 is the sequel to the hit first-person puzzle game Q.U.B.E. You are Amelia Cross, a stranded archaeologist who has awoken among the ruins of an ancient alien landscape. With the distant help of another survivor, you must solve the puzzles of this mysterious world and find a way back home.
X-Morph: Defense – £17.99
Unique fusion of a top-down shooter and tower defense strategy. You are the X-Morph – an alien species that invades Earth to harvest its resources. Strategize in the build mode by carefully selecting various types of alien towers or throw yourself right into the battle. Build mazes for incoming enemies in an environment that provides exceptional planning freedom. Tear down buildings and collapse bridges to support your defense or to simply indulge in a spectacle of unprecedented destruction.
I wanna fly – £1.79
“The life of the dreamer is hard – they said, dreams must be fulfilled – they said. Especially those seemingly impossible to meet. So there is nothing to wait for!
Become a fulfilled dreamer and in your own way … start flying!
Take on one of the dozens of characters who can only dream about flying and let them enjoy the moment!”
BlazeRush – £10.79
BlazeRush is a dynamic arcade racing survival game with no health, no levelling and no brakes!
You can assemble a team of friends to play in local or online multiplayer, choose a car to your taste and chase, blow up and cut off!
STEINS;GATE ELITE – £53.99
Follow a group of young, tech-savvy “lab members†who discover the means of changing the past via e-mail using a modified microwave. Their experiments in pushing the boundaries of time begin to spiral out of control as they become entangled in a conspiracy surrounding SERN, the organization behind the Large Hadron Collider, and John Titor, who claims to be from a dystopian future.
Trine 2: Complete Story – £15.29
Trine 2: Complete Story is a beautiful, award-winning sidescrolling game of action, puzzles and platforming.
My Arctic Farm 2018 – £8.99
So, the aim of the game is to increase your money counter by selling eggs and other farm produce, so as to buy more livestock at the Farmers’ Market and purchase equipment for your farm from the Shopkeeper.
The Journey Down Trilogy – £35.99
Join Bwana on a breathtaking point-and-click adventure saga, in the full The Journey Down Trilogy.
Raining Coins – £4.99
It’s raining gold coins! Come, Play & catch them!
Rotating Brave – £4.49
Rotating Brave for the Nintendo Switch is an action game in which you control a pixel-art character and take on enemies while spinning. You start off holding the Nintendo Switch vertically. Then, as you progress from one stage to the next, you play while spinning the Nintendo Switch, sometimes holding the Nintendo Switch horizontally and sometimes holding it vertically.
Devil Engine – £17.99
Devil Engine is a high octane, classic styled side scrolling shoot-em-up heavily influenced by the best in the genre from the 32-bit era, featuring a variety of incredible locations, hand drawn pixel art, and a blood-pumping soundtrack that brings the dark future to life.
New Switch pre-orders
Trials Rising
Trials Rising – Digital Gold Edition
Braveland Trilogy
Assault Android Cactus+
Anodyne
Johnny Turbo’s Arcade: Super Real Darwin
Ninja Village
The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame
Next week: Trials Rising, ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove, RemiLore, Constructor Plus, BATTLLOON, DELTARUNE Chapter 1, Ape Out, V.O.I.D, Treasure Stack, Klondike Solitaire, Tardy, Swords & Soldiers 2 Shawarmageddon, Shred! 2 – Freeride Mountainbiking, Awesome Pea, Pirates Pinball, and Creepy Road.