The release schedule for the next few weeks is mostly formed of smaller and mid-tier titles, suggesting that publishers are keen to get their new games out and noticed before the Xbox Series X and PS5, along with their accompanying big-name games, arrive.
On this week’s agenda there’s Cloudpunk, entailing a shady delivery service in a vast cyberpunk city, the anticipated action RPG Torchlight III – with new base building elements – and the four-player party game Cake Bash.
NHL 21 is this week’s sporting update, the deluxe edition of which includes retro throwback NHL 94 Rewind. Monster Truck Championship then flies the flag for racing games, priding itself of being the first monster truck simulator.
Speaking of retro, 9 Monkeys of Shaolin offers scrolling beat’em up action while Shadow Gangs combines elements from 16-bit ninja games. Ty the Tasmanian Tiger HD makes a belated Xbox One appearance too.
Then there’s The Jackbox Party Pack 7, which brings together five games – Quiplash 3, The Devils and the Details, Champ’d Up, Talking Points, and the pop culture inspired Blather ‘Round.
G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout, meanwhile, looks like one of the better licensed games of recent times, focusing on multiplayer. It has a campaign mode too, spread across 17 missions. If that doesn’t take your fancy, 3D battler Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed heads to Switch.
New G.I. Joe and Zoids games in the same week – what are the chances, eh?
It’s also a busy week for Switch retail releases with the real-life Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, Prinny 1.2: Exploded and Reloaded Just Desserts Edition, and Sayonara Wild Hearts due.
New release showcase
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
Monster Truck Championship
NHL 21
G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout
Robotics Notes Double Pack
The Jackbox Party Pack 7
Torchlight III
9 Monkeys of Shaolin
Raji: An Ancient Epic
This is the Zodiac Speaking
Cake Bash
Re:Turn – One Way Trip
Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed
New multiformat releases
- Monster Truck Championship
- NHL 21
- G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout
- The Jackbox Party Pack 7
- Aquanox Deep Descent
- Cake Bash
- 9 Monkeys of Shaolin
- Torchlight III
- Cloudpunk
- This is the Zodiac Speaking
- Space Crew
- Raji: An Ancient Epic
- Re:Turn – One Way Trip
New on PSN
- Nioh 2: Darkness in the Capital
- Robotics;Notes Double Pack
- Robotics;Notes Elite
- Robotics;Notes DaSH
- Doodle God: Evolution
New on Xbox One store
- Shantae: Risky’s Revenge – Director’s Cut
- Red Wings: Aces of the Sky
- Shadow Gangs
- Foregone
- Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?!
- Brotherhood United
- Brunswick Pro Billiards
- Monster Prom: XXL
- Nexoria: Dungeon Rogue Heroes
- Dustoff Z
- Tears of Avia
- Two Parsecs From Earth
- Ty the Tasmanian Tiger HD
New Switch retail releases
Switch eShop round-up coming Thursday
- Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
- Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed
- G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout
- Prinny 1.2: Exploded and Reloaded Just Desserts Edition
- Tin & Kuna
- My Universe – School Teacher
- Kunai
- Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid: Collector’s Edition
- Remothered: Broken Porcelain
- Sayonara Wild Hearts
Next week: DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods Part One, Pumpkin Jack, Transformers: Battlegrounds, Asterix & Obelix XXL – Romastered, Supermarket Shriek (PS4/Switch), Amnesia: Rebirth, HyperBrawl Tournament, Outpost Delta, Bladed Fury, A Tale of Paper, ScourgeBringer, Galacide, BH Trials, Clea, Lord of the Click, Ray’s the Dead, and Supraland.