The Dark Crystal, Knights & Bikes, The Turing Test, Kunai, 7th Sector, and Wide Ocean Big Jacket launch on Switch

Netflix’s The Dark Crystal TV series was a fun and imaginative ride. The curiously belated tie-in? Not so much. Word has it The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics is sorely lacking originality and anything resembling pizzazz, ultimately resulting in a lukewarm 61% Metacritic. Even the sound effects and music are lacking excitement, critics claim.

“If you’re a huge fan of The Dark Crystal you may get a kick from Age of Resistance Tactics, but it doesn’t do nearly enough to stand out in a fairly busy genre,” was God is a Geek’s verdict. The Metro was even less impressed, dishing out a mediocre 5/10. “A competent enough clone of Final Fantasy Tactics but unlike the TV show it lacks any real sense of imagination or invention,” they said.

God is a Geek is one of the few sites to give the Switch version of Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame 3 the review treatment. The two-wheeled racer scored a middling 6.0. “Monster Energy Supercross 3 is a decent port on Nintendo Switch, but still suffers from some handling and AI issues,” they concluded.

The Turning Test also comes to Switch this week, under the helm of Square-Enix. Review scores are mostly clocking in at 7/10. “There are some inconsistencies in terms of challenge, but for the most part, it stays sound throughout and rarely feels impossible to clear. The intriguing plot pushes players forward with each puzzle that is completed, and it will have you contemplating all sorts of topics long after finishing the game,” said Cubed3.

7th Sector brings similar puzzle/adventure fare to Switch. We were left impressed by this side-scrolling cyberpunk adventure – it boasts a tense atmosphere, detailed visuals, and plenty of puzzles that require out of the box thinking. Great world-building, too – the cyberpunk city is seamless.

Coming out of nowhere, Wide Ocean Big Jacket has been likened to sitting down with a good book. Spread across 20 chapters, it tells a tale of an eventful trip to the beach. Destructoid felt it deserving of an 8/10: “This is a text-heavy game, but it doesn’t feel that way while you’re playing. The creator, Turnfollow, does a great job of blending go-at-your-own-pace moments of exploration with just-outlandish-enough dialogue. The environments are small, and there aren’t very many, but they all have a big impact.”

Kunai has flown under our radar – it’s a ‘Metroidvania’ starting an acrobatic robot able to swing and glide through the air like Spider-Man. Nintendo World Report couldn’t praise it enough. “Kunai is the next great Metroidvania on Switch. It could easily stand toe-to-toe with the likes of Ori and the Blind Forest and The Messenger, especially in how effortless moving around and traversing the world is,” they said.

GameSpot was less convinced, opting for a 7/10. They noted a lack of depth and some tedious backtracking.

Then there’s Double Fine’s Knights & Bikes, a playful ditty which went down a treat on PS4 a few months ago. Scores were a heady mixture of 8s and 9s. “Knights & Bikes is a wonderfully warm, effortlessly inviting experience that’ll make you feel young again,” said GameSpot.

The full list of eShop release can be found below, with others of note including belated conversions of Kitty Powers’ Matchmaker, The Town of Light, and the four-player party game Marooners. Jaleco’s Saint Dragon is this week’s Arcade Archives re-release, meanwhile.

New Switch eShop releases

Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame 3 – £53.99

The only Official Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship videogame is back!

Relive the 2019 Supercross season with 100 riders of both 450SX and 250SX categories, 15 official stadiums and tracks and for the first time in the series you’ll be able to join the official teams in the career mode.

Enjoy an amazing Co-op experience with your friends in the brand new compound!

7th Sector- £17.99

Immerse yourself on this intricate path, solving different puzzles, facing its dangers, and collecting scattered information to discover the story of this world.

Gain control over several different characters, each with their own abilities that can help you navigate the world’s devices and machinery. Some of your choices and actions will determine the ending of the game.

SEN: Seven Eight Nine – £8.99

SEN is a minimalistic zen puzzle game about recognising patterns of numbers, colours and shapes.

The rules of the game are taught with absolutely zero instruction – the progression and design of the levels has been carefully balanced to introduce each rule, thereby giving players the sensation of discovering the rules for themselves.

夕鬼 零 Yuoni: Rises – £9.99

“Yuoni: Rises” is a visual novel game where players sit at a desk and relive the characters’ experiences while progressing through the story. The story is set in mid-90s Japan when the Internet was still not widely used and cell phones were owned by a select few adults. It follows the experiences of two elementary school children troubled by family matters. Shiny Ski Resort

Rolling Sky 2 – £10.49

The original intention is to create a playable animated movie, while presenting beautiful pictures and impressive original music. Every moment when the character moves forward, the 3D scenery around him changes. The player is like being in the same world as the character and taking fantasy adventure together.”

Due to the high reputation and high game quality, this game has won the German Red Dot Design Award 2018. Players who want to experience super fantasy graphics and difficult parkour challenges must not miss Rolling Sky 2.

The Man With The Ivory Cane – £8.99

Paris, city of lights turned dark on you. You’re a young artist enjoying your life until one evening your girlfriend Sasha goes missing!

You’re the prime suspect. Only way to figure out what’s going on is to take things into your own hands and investigate the whole case.

Is she being murdered or kidnapped? Who’s the criminal mind behind everything?

Use your detective skills and solve the mystery!

Arc of Alchemist – £35.99

Newly Polished – In the Western release, players can now choose from 7 playable characters each specializing in unique weapons, attacks, and abilities!

Four Orbs to Rule Them All – Wielding the Lunagear allows players to combine two of the four elemental orbs (fire, water, wind, earth) to solve puzzles, manipulate environments, and blast any foe.

Based Blessings – Construct your base and conquer! Customize Troop Formations, purchase gear, and build facilities to strengthen attacks and learn new abilities.

Amass Items & Exchange – There are treasures to be found everywhere. Seek out items to equip and strengthen your party. Exchange materials for even more powerful weapons!

Arcade Archives SAINT DRAGON – £6.29

“SAINT DRAGON” is a shooting game released by JALECO in 1989.

Set in outer space with detailed graphics, giant space dragon SAINT DRAGON fights fiercely against enemy mechs.

This game features simple 1 button controls for firing normal bullets and special bullets, and the ability to strategize using SAINT DRAGON’s long invincible body.

Shiny Ski Resort – £11.69

Your story starts with a small hotel on a snowy mountain. Develop land to build a spectacular ski course, and obtain materials for use in constructing new hotel facilities. Make your hotel popular, and your ski course will benefit as well! Plus you’ll become able to make products to sell in hotel shops and restaurants.

Battleground – £8.09

Battleground brings classic grid board game play to the Nintendo Switch by using state of the art 3D UI game graphics while maintaining the original look and feel.

Your mission is to destroy your enemies tanks and artillery before it destroys yours.

Deploy your tanks and artillery and then fire at your enemy using your grid screen to find and destroy their tanks and artillery before your tanks and artillery are taken out.

Knights and Bikes – £19.79

You’ll play as Nessa & Demelza as they explore an ancient island with their pet goose Captain Honkers, riding and upgrading their bikes on a quest for answers.

As the story unfolds they’ll face hazards, puzzles, and the gathering forces of an ancient curse with their growing collection of frisbees, water-balloons, toilet-plungers, and a boom-box loud enough to wake the undead.

Together our heroines will laugh, learn, and cry – but will the power of their friendship be enough to actually save the island AND each other?

KUNAI – £15.29

A traumatic event has shaken the balance of the world. Human life has been almost wiped out by the evil A.I. Lemonkus. Robots roam free across the earth. You take control of Tabby, a killer robot infused with the soul of an ancient warrior.

Nerved – £7.99

Nerved is first person horror game, about a paranormal investigator couple and their latest adventure in the “Bitterwood Forest.”

This last case that they have chosen to persuade, will deliver a charnel impact on the couple’s fate, both personally and professionally.

Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~ – £35.99

Venture into a reimagined steampunk version of 19th century London. Follow the adventures of the poison-skinned maiden Cardia, the men trying to help her, and the mysterious organization intent on capturing her.

Experience a visual novel adventure brimming with literary and historical characters including Victor Frankenstein and Abraham van Helsing. Will Cardia find love, or destroy those she cares for? Her story is in your hands.

Just a Phrase by POWGI – £6.99

A hangman-style word game with a twist.

One word in every phrase has been replaced by a homophone to make it tougher to deduce.

Like NUCLEAR WAIST or STRIKE THE RIGHT CORD

The new phrases sound familiar when read aloud, but have humorous or surreal new meanings.

The Town of Light: Deluxe Edition – £7.99

Play through the eyes of Renée, a 16-year-old girl who suffers from the symptoms of mental illness. She is searching for answers to the many questions from her past, whilst exploring the place where she spent most of her youth. Guide Renée through a dark and emotional journey where the lines between entertainment, storytelling and reality blur.

This Deluxe Edition includes exclusive documentary content exploring the history of the Psychiatric Hospital of Volterra and the making of The Town of Light.

ELEA: Paradigm Shift – £6.99

ELEA: Paradigm Shift is a game that takes the player on the deeply personal journey of a woman, whose life is marked by loss, grief, and self-accusation in the aftermath of a global pandemic.

Luckily, an Earth-like exoplanet within an achievable distance from the Solar system had been discovered. Pooling volunteers from around the globe, a first-of-a-kind interstellar spaceship was built and sent to colonize the yet unexplored planet. The gargantuan vessel was named Pilgrimage, embodying the hopes of all of humanity. To everyone’s dismay, shortly after a successful arrival, the Pilgrimage went on total radio silence. What caused it remains a mystery.

Bridge Builder Adventure – £13.49

Discover the joys and challenges of bridge building anew with this new & fresh look at the immensely popular puzzle game formula! Discover breathtaking places, design amazing constructions and immerse yourself in the memorable world of Bridge Builder Adventure!

EQQO – £5.40

The heartening tale of a mother, a blind child and an Egg – voiced and captioned in many languages.

A multi-layered story full of symbols and metaphors about hope, love, nature and everything that connects us.

Kitty Powers’ Matchmaker – £11.99

Match an endless parade of desperate clients with candidates from Kitty’s little black book and guide them through awkward conversations and dozens of perilous dating dilemmas.

As your reputation grows you’ll unlock new date venues, more demanding clientele and upgrades for your agency. Send your hopefuls out with the right look and perfect gift to maximise their chance of finding love.

Rune Lord – £6.29

A portal has opened and dark magic is pouring through! Only you can close the gateway and defeat the evil Ice Golem!

By creating matches of three or more runes, you’ll collect the magic that will allow you to cast spells and complete tasks. But you’ll need to hurry: time is short!

Marooners – £11.69

Play a wild mix of fun party games as the action regularly switches back and forth between games. Can you handle the switcheroo chaos? Join your friends both on the couch and online while sadistically laughing at their misfortune, or come back to haunt them if you die. Run, jump and slap your way to victory!

Crash Drive 2 – £7.19

Whether you’re driving a bus, a classic muscle car, or a monster truck—you go your own way in this multiplayer stunting game. Speed across a huge map equipped with plenty of bizarre terrain to make the race intense. Collect coins, upgrade your ride, and WIN the offroad race!

The Turing Test – £15.99

The Turing Test is a challenging first-person puzzle game set on Jupiter’s moon, Europa. You are Ava Turing, an engineer for the International Space Agency (ISA) sent to discover the cause behind the disappearance of the ground crew stationed there. Guided only by the station’s AI, Tom, find your way through the facility and discover what it truly means to be human.

LocO-SportS – £5.39

LocO-SportS is a fun sports game held at an Olympic stadium.

Compete with your friends and family to be the best while you laugh at the craziest and most surreal tests. Reach impossible records such as a 25-metre high pole vault. Compete with the most diverse athletes in the world – a jovial 90-year-old grandmother, a hippie, a clown, an emo, a biker, a thief, a policeman, a punk, a diver, a boxer, a superhero…the list goes on.

Zero Zero Zero Zero – £4.99

Zero Zero Zero Zero is a unique 1-bit low-fi platformer that sets to challenge players in a plethora of levels that will require skill and careful maneuvering. Dodge, shoot, and jump your way through randomly selected levels as you progress or die.

Featuring a smooth, spectacular soundtrack to groove to while jumping your way through hazards and enemies.

Do you have what it takes to complete all 100 levels?

Wide Ocean Big Jacket – £6.29

Take part in a classic camping trip: Roast hot dogs on the fire, go birdwatching, tell ghost stories, grab a beverage from the cooler and do cartwheels on the beach.

WOBJ is a short story game including 20 chapters, 4 playable characters, 10,000 words of dialog and 8 explorable areas, all rendered in a beautiful 2D/3D art style.

Playtime: 60-90 minutes

(like watching a good movie with friends or curling up to read a book)

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics – £16.99

In The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics, you will lead a fledgling resistance of Gelfling against their oppressive overlords, the Skeksis, across more than 50 unique turn-based tactics RPG battles. Along the way, you will recruit and customize new allies by assigning them jobs, modifying their abilities, and outfitting them with equipment to ensure victory. With 14 playable characters, including familiar faces from the classic film and the new Netflix Original series, you build your own teams and devise winning strategies to overthrow the rule of the Skeksis and restore light to the Gelfling homeworld of Thra!

Hair Mower 3D – £4.99

Discover what’s under the weeds.

There are many adorable objects waiting to be discovered.

Be careful of enemies.

The enemy is annoying? Try a bottle of milk to knock the enemy away!

Enjoy the joy of mowing easily.

Please The Gods – £8.99

Your family is starving and only a miracle can save you. Set on a journey to the land of the Gods to find the legendary Sampo, a treasure of endless riches and nourishment. Please the Gods is an atmospheric old school fantasy roleplaying game, inspired by shamanistic Finnish mythology and tabletop classics such as Hero Quest.

New on 3DS eShop

Maze Breaker 2 – £8.99

The goal of Maze Breaker 2 is to hit and break all the blocks to clear a level, while avoiding obstacles, and getting the highest score possible.

Pinball Breaker VI – £8.99

Pinball Breaker VI is a brick breaking game which combines the game mechanics of a traditional brick breaker game and a flipper game.

Play through 15 exciting levels as you aim for a high score.

Next week: Darksiders Genesis, Railway Empire – Nintendo Switch Edition, SNACK WORLD: THE DUNGEON CRAWL – GOLD, The Incredible Adventures of Super Panda, 3000th Duel, Tilt Pack, Cosmonauta, Space Hunted: The Lost Levels (Wii U), Super Loop Drive, Rise of Insanity, Quarters, Please! Vol. 2 (3DS), Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions, UnderHero, and Reed Remastered.

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