Another long bank holiday weekend is upon us. If you’re fortunate enough not to be working, then you’re in luck – the UK Switch eShop is swarming with new games. No change there, then.
Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age stands out as the week’s biggest releases. We were mildly concerned about the £44.99 price tag, but reviewers claim that this PS2 classic holds up remarkably well. The Metacritic currently stands at 85%, with Gaming Age dishing out full marks.
“In terms of the quality of Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age on Switch this is a very worthy port. And in terms of value that’s up to how you want to look at the whole package because where it’s virtually double the cost of any previous Final Fantasy port yet you do have a load of added features and content that weren’t in the original PS2 version and even extras to the Switch and Xbox One since then which make this one the definitive and best way to play Final Fantasy XII,†they said, while addressing the game’s price.
The Swords of Ditto: Mormo’s Curse is currently one review shy of a Metacritic score, but all signs point to it being one of the higher scoring Switch games of late. It’s a roguelike that owes a lot to Zelda: A Link to the Past, boasting alluring 2D visuals.
Nintendo World Report opted for a lofty 9/10. “ The thrill of discovery, the joy of exploring, and the fun of the combat and puzzles help to make this an outstandingly great time,†was their verdict.
Shadows of Adam is a JRPG that has flown under the radar somewhat, featuring 16-bit style pixel art. Scores so far include an 8/10 from Nintendo Enthusiast – who praised the “satisfying, thoughtful combat system†– and a 7/10 from Nintendo Life, who referred to it as a bite-sized adventure due to a noticeably short runtime. That suits us just fine.
Mixing things up (pun intended), there’s VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action, which is best described as part visual novel and part bartending sim. An odd mix, for sure, but one that works brilliantly. Not convinced? It has gained full marks from a trio of sites – God is a Geek, Digitally Downloaded, and Vooks.
Giga Wrecker Alt. – a physics puzzle/platformer with a distinct art style, from the creators of Pokemon – has arrived to a mixed reception, meanwhile, gaining everything from a 4.5/5 from Impulse Gamer to a middling 5/10 from The Metro. “Giga Wrecker is a game full of good ideas but the execution is absolutely awful, said The Metro before comparing it to a failed Kickstarter project. Ouch!
Lastly, there’s the arcade-like racer Table Top Racing: World Tour, which made its debut on PS4 many years ago. The general consensus is that it’s a fun, if throwaway, racer that provides an easy-going ride. Not spectacular but still worth a look, especially if you love Micro Machines or kart racers in general.
As always, you’ll find the full list of new eShop titles below.
New Switch eShop releases
FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE – £44.99
This HD remaster is based on the smash hit 12th instalment of the FINAL FANTASY series, which has shipped over 6,100,000 units worldwide, featuring a new, re-worked game design! Not only have the graphics and sound been updated to take advantage of the power of new hardware, but the core game design has also been tweaked to produce an evolution of the original FFXII fitting for the current generation.
Hellmut: The Badass from Hell – £26.99
Challenge randomly generated bosses across the randomly generated world, defeat demonic hordes, loot valuable treasures and soulstones, equip powerful weapons and use all your skills to save humanity! Or at the very least, save yourself, which feels at least as good as saving humanity.
Arcade Archives TERRA FORCE – £6.29
‘TERRA FORCE’ is a shoot’em up released by Nichibutsu in 1987.
The game was well known for its new tactical features using vertical/horizontal scrolling elements at the time.
Bird Game + – £4.99
Featuring a black and white 3D art style, Bird Game has you guide a majestic bird through a detailed world that grows all around you, full of challenging obstacles, hostile enemies, and punishing bosses.
Black Paradox – £13.49
Black Paradox is a fast-paced rogue-lite shoot ’em up. Unleash an arsenal of weapons, power-ups, drones, and other upgrades to survive waves of enemies, against a backdrop of vibrant pixel art and synth-wave soundtrack. As the infamous bounty hunter Black Paradox, travel through space and defeat the most dangerous criminal organization in the galaxy: the Hellraisers and its seven lieutenants.
Crashbots – £8.99
In this game mode you have to reach the finish line of each level before your battery runs out. World Mode takes you through 6 different worlds that each have their own unique contraptions and enemies that will try to destroy you. The final level of each world is a big boss fight.
Darkest Hunters – £4.49
Choose your hero, grab your weapon, learn new spells and…HUNT! Eliminate every nasty beast you encounter, collect loot and find the rarest, as well as the best equipment!
Duck Game – £11.69
The year is 1984. Ducks run wild in a frantic battle for FAME and GLORY. Win over spectators by destroying your feathered friends with an IRRESPONSIBLE NUMBER OF WEAPONS. One shot and you’re ROASTED. This is DUCK GAME. Finally on Nintendo Switch with more LEVELS, more GUNS and more QUACKING.
Dungeon Stars – £7.79
Delve deep into hundreds of dungeon levels to liberate your fellow heroes, rescue pets, gather gold, pilfer potions and discover magical loot. The goblin hordes will try to stop you. Fearsome creatures will try to eat you. Prepare yourself to face the ever-changing challenges of the star portals. With grit and determination, you may create a team of amazing adventurers with enough guts and glory to destroy the Conqueror Worm!
GIGA WRECKER ALT. – £22.49
In the near future, where Earth has been ravaged by robot invaders, the fate of the planet rests on the shoulders of a young girl who becomes more than human. Saved from death and cursed with cybernetic powers beyond comprehension, it’s up to Reika Rekkeiji to save humanity from the evil Ajeet in this exciting new game from legendary developer Game Freak!
Gyro Boss DX – £3.99
Dodge an endless assault of weapons as you orbit around the boss on a fixed circle, it’s not as easy as it looks. Can you secure bragging rights as the best space pilot to bite the dust against the alien menace?
HexaGravity – £1.79
Be prepared for a near impossible challenge as you climb different hexagonal towers in this geometric world. Test your skills as you battle your way jumping through dangerous passages and spiky obstacles. Every new world is a new game!
Preventive Strike – £1.59
Preventive Strike is a dynamic arcade scroll-shooter. You control an overpowered attack helicopter with the objective to drive the enemy out of your land and make your way to the enemy base and eliminate the threat. They don’t know what’s coming, but neither do you!
Puzzle Herder – £4.49
Journey across 40 levels as you put your wits to the test against these handcrafted scenarios and work out the intricacies of the puzzles in your attempt to group and drive towards the goal the seven types of animals that Dora has on her farm.
Strike Suit Zero: Director’s Cut – £15.99
In the year 2299, an interstellar war rages on. In a bid to save Earth from destruction, you must take control of the Strike Suit – a revolutionary fighter craft with the ability to transform into a lethal suit of space armour. Immerse yourself in massive fleet battles where your dog-fighting skills will directly affect the fate of the cosmos.
Shadows of Adam – £13.49
Tucked away from the outside world by the impenetrable haze of the Misty Woods, the village of Adam has mostly lived in peace since the days of the Wraith War. The dark power that fueled that war has vanished, but darkness is descending once more and Adam’s legendary hero, Orazio, is no more.
Quadle – £5.99
It’s a brand new arcade puzzler for Nintendo Switch, which invokes the memory of classic arcade cabinet games while adding a new twist. Jump on the blocks as the titular character Quadle, changing the block colors until they are all red. Once red they fall away and by eliminating all of the blocks on the screen you are taken to the next exciting level. Be careful though, you might corner yourself into a situation where you can’t jump to the next block!
The Swords of Ditto: Mormo’s Curse – £13.49
The Swords of Ditto: Mormo’s Curse is a compact action RPG that creates a unique adventure for each new hero of legend in the relentless fight against the evil Mormo. Explore a delightful but dangerous overworld, brave menacing dungeons, and improve your hero in a charming village, during your quest to overcome the evil that plagues the island. Unleash the mystical Sword of Ditto and grab a co-op friend for an unforgettable adventure filled with delightful characters, extraordinary loot, and heroic battles!
Table Top Racing: World Tour – Nitro Edition – £24.99
Get behind the wheel of 16 ultra-cool, miniaturised racing cars and engage in combat-racing like no other. Master over 30 table-top race tracks and over 180 events in a bid for glory, then take the battle Online and compete with the best in the world.
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action – £10.99
You are a bartender at VA-11 Hall-A, affectionately nicknamed “Valhalla.” Although it is just a small bar in downtown Glitch City, it attracts the most fascinating people this side of dystopia. Keep your clients lubricated and you will be made privy to the most interesting stories.
Xtreme Club Racing – £8.89
Get behind the wheel in one frantic and extreme driving game. Travel back in time with a flashback to the ARCADES with pure ARCADE style retro-playability.
Venture Kid – £8.99
Venture Kid is an action packed platformer that will keep surprising you with inventive level design, highly entertaining action challenges, responsive controls and a great variety of bosses.
New 3DS eShop releases
SPACE DEFENDER BATTLE INFINITY – £8.99
The galaxy was suddenly attacked by alien life forms known as the space invaders. Fast numbers of them enveloped the galaxy and destroyed planets. Your mission with the best space pilots in the galaxy will be to destroy the space invaders …
ZARA the Fastest Fairy – £0.89
ZARA… ready your wings! Under the glow of the honey moon, fairies can reach their peak speeds. Now is the time for you to prove that you are truly the fastest fairy! Fly through the fairy forest collecting “bling” to increase your speed.
Next week: Saints Row: The Third – The Full Package, Puyo Puyo Champions, European Conqueror X, Meow Motors, ASCENDANCE, Frane: Dragons’ Odyssey, Monster Puzzle, Lost Artifacts: Soulstone, MachiKnights -Blood bagos-, Masquerada: Songs and Shadows, Vaporum, Dragon Pinball, Blazing Beaks, Lovecraft´s Untold Stories, Reverse Crawl, and My Big Sister.