As mainline Pokémon games go, Sword and Shield – which have faced backlash from fans – have arrived to reviews more mixed than usual. They’ve definitely left fans Pikachu-ing the fat
IGN dished a lofty 9.3, finding little to complain about. “Pokemon Sword and Shield are the best games in the series, streamlining its most tedious traditions without losing any of the charm,†reads their final verdict. GameSpot and EGM were left smitten too, handing out 8/10s, with the former pretty much echoing IGN’s sentiment. “Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are among the best games the series has ever offered,†they beamed.
However, The Metro wasn’t left too impressed, surprised by the lack of polish. “This should be the equivalent of Grand Theft Auto, or at least a big-name Western role-player, in terms of budget and online options but most of the time it looks and operates like a mid-budget indie game,†they said.
It also a garnered a less-than-great 3/5 from VG247, who said that “Pokemon Sword & Shield is all too often a bit disappointing, and in some places actually feels a little unfinished, but it also fully provides that warm, fuzzy feeling that one expects from the series. Crucially, even through frustration, never once did I think about putting it down, which is to its credit.â€
Stealthy crime thriller Thief of Thieves hasn’t left much of an impression either, gaining a miserable 3.5 from Nintendo World Report: “From the bland, underdeveloped gameplay to the buggy port, Thief of Thieves spent so much time focusing on the comic book’s style that it didn’t bother including any actual substance.â€
Pure Nintendo didn’t think much either, opting for a mediocre 5/10.
From stealth to singing. Nintendo Life found Let’s Sing 2020 to be a reasonable Just Dance alternative. “Mediocre singers aren’t punished by crowd boos or negative sound bites, the easy to follow on-screen prompts are vibrant and the colour schemes, as well as the full music videos playing behind each track, definitely give off a party vibe, “ they said before dishing out a 7/10.
Other new releases hitting the eShop this week include a re-release of the Square-Enix JRPG Romancing SaGa 3, game development sim Mad Games Tycoon – which we’re currently enjoying on Xbox One – the woolly combat-free platformer Woven, and Big Ben’s intriguing Bee Simulator.
You may want to wait for reviews of that last one to surface. At £34.99, you won’t want to get stung.
New eShop releases
Romancing SaGa 3 – £27.99
The celebrated RPG classic comes West for the first time! Developed by industry veterans including the legendary developer Akitoshi Kawazu, Romancing SaGaâ„¢ 3 was originally released in Japan in 1995. This HD remaster of the legendary RPG masterpiece introduces optimized graphics, a new dungeon to explore, new scenarios and a new game+ function. Select one of the 8 unique protagonists and embark on an epic adventure defined by your own choices!
Arcade Archives Yie Ar KUNG-FU – £6.29
“Yie Ar KUNG-FU” is an action game released by KONAMI in 1985.
The main character, Oolong, joins a high-level kung-fu contest in order to avenge his father’s death.
The game is one of the pioneers of the fighting game genre today. Players can enjoy authentic battles against martial artists who use different fighting styles.
Biolab Wars – £TBA
An alien lab experimenting on Earth? It’s time to call the mercenary team on
duty to sweep the invaders by firing, beating and bombing.
Inspired by the 8-bit games and by the movies from the ’80s, your goal is to blow things up, defeat aliens and fight bizarre bosses in this platformer 2D with classic mechanics.
Color.Motif Deluxe – £2.69
New, polished, relaxing, artistic puzzle game with lots of motifs and various difficulty.
Color.Motif Deluxe is an artistic puzzle game. It is a sequel of previous game award-winning Motif.
GROOVE COASTER WAI WAI PARTY!!!! – £49.99
Ride a roller coaster of sound with simple controls, and get grooving in this exhilarating rhythm game!
Yaga – £22.49
The world of Yaga is a world steeped in Slavic folklore and ancient Pagan beliefs. Featuring a head-bobbing Romanian hip-hop soundtrack from Subcarpați and striking, hand-drawn 2D artwork. Yaga is an authentic love letter to childhood fables from Romanian indie developer, Breadcrumbs Interactive.
DRAW CHILLY – £8.99
DRAW CHILLY is a hell of an arcade game where you take on the role of Vladimir and raise a city from the depths of Purgatory at the request of your employers, the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Thief of Thieves: Season One – £17.99
Based on the best-selling comic by Robert Kirkman, Thief of Thieves: Season One is a story of heists and the people behind them. It’s time for Celia, protege of master thief Redmond, to make the leap from apprentice to master. A botched job takes Celia to Europe, where she joins a new team of criminals for a crime spree. Get to know your team, choose your approach on the field, but be careful – the choices you make may have drastic consequences.
Mad Games Tycoon – £35.99
In Mad Games Tycoon you build your own Gaming Empire. Start your own game studio in the early 80s. The journey begins in a small garage with little money and limited resources. Create new game concepts, set up your team and develop the next million hit. Research new technologies, train employees and buy new and larger office space.
Zen Chess Collection – £3.49
A collection of four minimalist chess puzzle games to test your skills in a series of 600 challenges, designed for experienced chess players and newcomers alike.
Holedown – £8.99
Dig deep underground by shooting balls and breaking blocks to traverse your way to the core of planets. With only a certain number of shots per round and some blocks firmly fixed to the wall, thoughtfully strategize and aim the balls for maximum impact. Knock down as many blocks as possible while collecting crystals for upgrades and getting deeper beneath the surface.
Pokémon Shield/Sword – £49.99
Get ready to experience Galar, an expansive region with diverse environments, from a peaceful countryside and contemporary cities to a thick forest and snow-covered mountains. The people and Pokémon who live here work together closely to develop the industries within it.
Begin your journey by choosing a partner Pokémon, catch, train and trade Pokémon to form a team, and take on the Gym Challenge to ultimately become Champion of the region!
Raining Blobs – £7.99
Raining Blobs is a fast-paced arcade puzzle game based around matching falling blobs. This game will put both your fingers and mind to a test of raw skill.
Go! Fish Go! – £1.79
Even fish lose their patience and try to escape from the aquarium.
A team of five amazing fish embark on a daring adventure to escape from their young oppressors.
Help them to trick and lose the pursuers. Every second counts.
Mars Power Industries – £3.49
Set up power plants and supply power to your colony. Take your time and use strategy to get things up and running in proper order. Overcome obstacles the red planet throws your way and uncover an extraterrestrial mystery!
Tactical Mind 2 – £4.49
Enjoy the classic brain-teasing challenges offered by Chess but with entirely new rules and concepts to discover. Tactical Mind is one of the most innovative 1vs1 board games and you can now play the sequel – with 30 stages, enhanced visuals and brand new layouts to twist your perceptions!
Woven – £17.99
Welcome to a world where woollen creatures once lived in peace. Stuffy is a well-meaning but rather clumsy stuffed animal that wanders the world alone.
Glitch is a metal firefly that has lost its memory and identity.
Was Stuffy left behind? Where did all these machines suddenly come from? And what does Glitch have to do with any of this?
Join them on their journey through a world of wool, fabric and hidden dangers.
Sudoku Relax 3 Autumn Leaves – £4.59
Choose from EASY, NORMAL, or HARD modes with over 300 puzzles.
Exercise your brain and wind down to the relaxing gameplay and music.
Solving puzzles unlocks new backgrounds and music tracks.
Fractured Minds – £1.79
Embark on a journey through the human psyche and experience six atmospheric and thought-provoking chapters, each symbolising a different aspect or challenge associated with mental health issues; from isolation to anxiety, with everyday situations being distorted beyond recognition.
Bee Simulator – £34.99
See the world through the eyes of a bee! Explore a world inspired by Central Park where you can take part in bee races, collect pollen from rare flowers and defy dangerous wasps.
Play with friends or family in three game modes, including co-op and PvP on split screen.
Overlanders – £19.99
Battle it out in 5 PLAYER MULTIPLAYER or rage through the CAMPAIGN. Overlanders delivers the futuristic, competitive racing experience of your dreams. INVITE YOUR FRIENDS and tear up the tracks together.
Balthazar’s Dream – £7.19
A kid named Dustin goes into a coma after being hit by an ice cream truck. His injuries are serious and there is virtually no hope of him waking up.
His dog sleeps by his side, dreaming of strange and mysterious lands filled with canine wonders. It is Balthazar – Dustin’s best friend and there is no way in the world he will move even an inch away from his owner.
Rocket Wars – £8.99
Rocket Wars is a fast-paced couch party game for up to 4 players.
6 different game modes will keeps the game fresh and challenging.
12 different spaceships with unique stats lets you play according to your own playstyle.
Push the Crate – £7.19
You are looking for a logistical challenge?
Look no further! Push the Crate is a 3D transport puzzle game with 300 level with varying degrees of difficulty. From kid friendly challenges to a real logistical mastermind – Push the Crate has puzzles for everyone.
Labyrinth of the Witch – £13.49
A simple dungeon exploration RPG that anyone can play!
Strategically use a multitude of items to tackle ever-changing dungeons.
A Rogue-like for Anyone and Everyone
Galactic Defence Squadron – £3.99
With an amazing soundtrack, explosive visuals and simple controls, Galactic Defence Squadron is an addictive and challenging shooter which harks back to arcade classics of old.
Perils of Baking – £4.49
You play as the younger of two brothers, famous for their baking. It’s up to you to stop your brother’s evil plans as he has given in to a dark artifact.
Over the 40 main levels in the game you will master driving a minecart, flying a balloon, swimming, baking, reversed gravity and more.
Squidgies Takeover – £13.49
You control the Squidgies, hapless little blobs of adorableness, that need your help to escape their Mumma’s tentacles and make their new home on planets across the galaxy.
Find creative solutions to each level’s puzzles by making the Squidgies swing, fling, float, splat, stretch into tubes, and turn metallic. Some Squidgie powers can be combined together for even more mind-bending puzzle-solving techniques!
Sparklite – £19.99
Sparklite is an action-adventure set in the whimsical and ever-changing land of Geodia. Battle foes in top-down action using an arsenal of gadgets, guns, and gear. Explore dangerous corners of the procedurally generated world, take down titans of the mining industry, and harness the power of Sparklite!
WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship – £44.99
The WRC championship is the most challenging motor racing competition in the world.
With the new dynamic weather system, climatic conditions have true-to-life effects: rain and snowfall is now an important game feature as variable traction, different set-ups for each stage, tyre choice and shrewd use of the weather forecasting team all need to be considered.
Zenith – £13.49
Zenith is an action RPG that combines that feel of the golden era RPG games with a generous dose of humor and parody. The game counts with a solid story which unfolds in a fantasy world populated by dozens of unorthodox characters.
New on 3DS eShop
Pinball Breaker V – £5.99
Pinball Breaker V is a breakout game which combines the game mechanics of a traditional breakout game and a flipper game.
Next week: Asterix & Obelix XXL3: The Crystal Menhir, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, Children of Morta, Narcos: Rise of the Cartels, Still There, Bloo Kid 2, Munchkin: Quacked Quest, Baobabs Mausoleum Ep.3: Un Pato en Muertoburgo, Strike Force – War on Terror, Black Future ’88, SoccerDie: Cosmic Cup, The Touryst, Zumba Burn It Up!, and The Mims Beginning.