If even the thought of playing Ring Fit Adventure causes you to break into a sweat, then you may be more comfortable flexing your grey muscle with Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training for Nintendo Switch instead.
Reviews are starting to trickle through now, although very few have scores applied – as part of the embargo conditions, Nintendo kindly asked the press to hold scores back. We believe this is down to several mini-games being time-sensitive unlocks; critics had no chance of seeing everything before the 3rd January release date.
The consensus is that it’s a decent return, presented in the usual smart and clean-cut fashion, but a greater number of new exercises wouldn’t have gone amiss. It’s also a shame that Switch Lite owners will miss out on the Joy-Con centric exercises.
“Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training for Nintendo Switch is a solid return for the series, mixing classic minigames with a handful of new ones that use the Switch’s various capabilities – and which exclude those with a Switch Lite. Just as with the original, it’s going to be easy to drop in for a few minutes a day and test yourself, but this isn’t really doing much more than the DS games,†said TSA.
“If you’re of an inclination to want to keep your mind active, I can happily say that this is a lot more interesting than any mobile app I’ve ever tried,†was Vooks’ verdict, meanwhile
A few other new releases hit the Switch eShop this week, including Arcade Archives Penguin-Kun Wars – a unique tournament game from 1985 – and LASTFIGHT, a colourful 2V2 brawler which harks back to Capcom’s mighty Power Stone. The latter launched on PS4 in 2016 to mixed reviews, so it might be wise to approach with caution before dropping £25.
The New Year Switch Sale is also underway, which includes several first-party titles for £33 each, as well as numerous inexpensive indies. Some kind soul has compiled a full list on HUKD. Our recommendations include Pawarumi, Castlevania Anniversary Collection, Shakedown: Hawaii, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection and Unravel Two.
New Switch eShop releases
Arcade Archives Penguin-Kun Wars – £6.29
“Penguin-Kun Wars” is an action game released by UPL in 1985.
Set in the village’s original sports “DOJIBALL” tournament, unique animal characters face off across the table to throw a ball 10 times at each other.
Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training for Nintendo Switch – £24.29
Calculate your overall Brain Age Score by performing a series of back-to-back exercises that challenge your information processing speed, short-term memory and self-control. Why not compare Brain Age Scores with friends and family, too? Ensure you don’t miss your daily exercises by setting an alarm, where your Nintendo Switch will notify you – even if the console is in Sleep Mode!
The winner is the first side to throw all of the balls out of their area. Launch yourself through heated ball-battles, and aim for first place in the tournament.
Link-a-Pix Deluxe – £6.99
Link-a-Pix is a clue-linking puzzle where every grid has a picture hidden inside. The aim is to reveal the picture by painting paths to link the clues.
Connect pairs of clues which have the same colour and number. The number shows the length of the line which will connect them.
Link-a-Pix can always be solved using logic and deduction. You don’t ever have to guess!
JurassicExcite – £4.49
Dinosaurs who lived in peace began to rampage with the power of magic! Help the dinosaurs with a magic hammer!
Just swing the hammer in the direction of the dinosaurs!
You can also shake a hammer with Joy-Con!
LASTFIGHT – £24.99
LASTFIGHT is bringing 2v2 3D fighting back to your living room!
Pick up any available object in one of the 8 stages and teach your opponents a lesson!
LASTFIGHT is the perfect game to play with friends on your couch. Each level has specific bonuses and objects to hurl at your opponent. Will you manage to resist the temptation of the ANITRANS to win?
Play in local multiplayer mode, for up to four players, or one-player story mode, with a cast of 10 characters inspired by the comic book LASTMAN.
Next week: AO Tennis 2, Blackmoor 2, Ultimate Racing 2D, Drunk-Fu: Wasted Masters, Aborigenus, Cooking Tycoons – 3 in 1 Bundle, and Technosphere.