Launching a game near Christmas to achieve optimum storefront visibility is a tale as old as time. It comes as no surprise, then, to see dozens of titles lined-up for the Switch eShop this week, including several on Christmas Day.
Big hitters include the colossal robot brawler Override 2 – this time starring Ultraman – and the anticipated Super Meat Boy Forever, which boasts better visuals, bigger bosses and over 7000(!) stages to beat.
The Hong Kong Massacre also makes the jump from PS4. This top-down shooter gained a steady string of 7/10 review scores back in 2019, gaining comparisons with Hotline Miami.
Then there’s the Netflix parody platformer Landflix Odyssey, a 2D affair inspired by the shows found on said streaming platform. Nintendo Life found it to be challenging and fun, awarding it 7/10.
The Wii’s popular BIT.TRIP series gains a re-release too, available for £4.49 each. Twin-stick shooting, auto-running and rhythm action – CommanderVideo has most bases covered.
Also of note are Isolation Story – which challenges you to last 7 days while avoiding NPCs – the accomplished looking third-person adventure The Last Dead End, and the challenging 2D action puzzler Nosferatu Lilinor. A couple of Christmas puzzle games are also upon us too, looking gloriously tacky. ‘tis the season.
New Switch eShop releases
Override 2: ULTRAMAN Deluxe Edition – £TBA
Seven years after the Xenotypes that invaded Earth have been
eradicated, the giant mechs that were once the planet’s defenders are now their
entertainers in global mech battle leagues. As a new pilot of these repurposed
weapons of war, climb the ranks and represent your Club with a tuned-up roster
of returning and new mechs, each with their own unique abilities, moves, and
super-charged attacks. Override 2: Super Mech League is playable both in single
player and multiplayer campaigns for up to 4 players locally and online in
stages set all over the world.
Start as a new pilot and propel yourself through the ranks in a deep and robust
Career Mode. Join Mech Leagues and earn reputation by competing in Arenas
located across the globe. Duke it out with a tuned-up roster of returning
robots and new mechs across various versus and co-op game modes of up to 4
players online and locally. Defeat your opponents using an arsenal of unique
moves including super-charged ranged attacks, metal-busting combos, or an
arena-shattering ultimate attack!
The Hong Kong Massacre – £17.99
Inspired by classic action movies, The Hong Kong Massacre places you at the center of a hard-boiled revenge story, filled with brutal, cinematic shootouts and vivid underworld locations.
Take on the role of a former police detective bent on exacting vengeance for his partner’s murder and use of a mixture of raw firepower, slow-motion and dive/dodge mechanics to tear your way through the criminal ranks.
Dive through windows or dodge behind cover – every shot is lethal, so stay aware of your surroundings and exploit the environment however you can.
When the heat is on, you can slow down time and plan for the next move. Avoiding bullets whilst taking out enemies is crucial for survival – but beware, your slow-motion ability is limited: plan fast, think ahead and bring down the bad guys unscathed.
Each level features a range of challenges, allowing you to to unlock new weapons as you progress, trading bullets from restaurants to rooftops across a moody, crime-riddled city.
Super Meat Boy Forever – £15.99
Super Meat Boy Forever takes place a few years after the events of Super Meat Boy. Meat Boy and Bandage Girl have been living a happy life free of Dr. Fetus for several years and they now have a wonderful little baby named Nugget. Nugget is joy personified and she is everything to Meat Boy and Bandage Girl. One day while our heroes were on a picnic, Dr. Fetus snuck up on them, beat Meat Boy and Bandage Girl unconscious with a shovel and kidnapped Nugget! When our heroes came to and found that Nugget was missing, they knew who to go after. They cracked their knuckles and decided to never stop until they got Nugget back and taught Dr. Fetus a very important lesson. A lesson that can only be taught with punches and kicks.
The challenge of Super Meat Boy returns in Super Meat Boy Forever. Levels are brutal, death is inevitable, and players will get that sweet feeling of accomplishment after beating a level. Players will run, jump, punch and kick their way through familiar settings and totally new worlds.
Traffix – £4.99
Control the traffic lights and help guide the drivers through various city highways like Paris, Tokyo, Istanbul or Las Vegas.
Start fighting chaos all over the world!
Smart Moves – £5.39
Different worlds with levels of increasing difficulty, sneaky monsters, unexpected obstacles and great treasures await you!
The hero can attack monsters when hero and monster are standing on neighboring square. Avoid being the first at a distance of impact! The hero can’t skip turns, but can use level objects – or other monsters – to “skip†the turn.
Every game level is a puzzle with its own logical solution. Our experiments with game mechanics require a good understanding from the player how objects interact with each other in the game world.
The game has original game art style. You get a new playing experience where game mechanics are of maximum importance.
Dungeon Limbus – £14.99
A young woman who manages a mysterious blacksmith’s shop and a village of resurrection that she meets on the border between death and life.
Adventure deep into the dungeon in search of lost memories.
Repeated deaths will make you stronger.
Landflix Odyssey – £13.49
Landflix Odyssey is an action platform in which players play as Larry, a lazy binge-watcher who finds himself trapped inside the streaming service after using special batteries. This incredible world is called Landflix!
In order to return home he has to recover all five batteries ended up inside the TV shows on the Landflix platform.
Landflix Odyssey is a clear reference to video-on-demand platforms and TV shows universe.
In each TV show our hero can count on some special powers that will help him overcome obstacles and dangers in any game world.
Our hero can move through parallel dimensions, use magic swords, do superhero stuff with superhero tools, take drugs to increase productivity and defend himself with a crossbow against hordes of zombies.
Isolation Story – £8.59
Isolation Story is a LIFE-SIM style game where you buy supplies, avoid people, and manage your SICKNESS using the new GOV PHONE.
Drink water, wash your hands, and use Medical Supplies to keep the SICKNESS at bay.
Can you endure 7 days of Isolation inside of LOCKDOWN CITY? The game where speaking to NPC’s can make you sick!
Among other things…
Kolumno – £1.79
Behind its apparent simplicity, Kolumno hides really challenging and fun game mechanics.
Kolumno, as other puzzle games, requires intelligence, planning, and patience, but the challenge doesn’t stop there. It will also test your reflexes with puzzles that will require you to use special abilities such as: stopping mid-air, falling faster, making smaller or breaking the rings that make up the columns.
Don’t let yourself be fooled by its minimalistic style and its relaxing soundtrack, Kolumno is one of the most elegant and challenging games in recent times.
Nosferatu Lilinor – £13.09
The super-difficult puzzle action game Nosferatu Lilinor is coming to Nintendo Switch.
The game is a retro-like stage-clearing puzzle action game that leads the vampire girl Lilinor to her goal. The game’s difficulty level is very high, and the game’s style is to seek a clear route after multiple challenges.
#Xmas, Super Puzzles Dream – £5.39
Puzzles move onto the next level with ‘Super Puzzle Dream’, a mix between classic jigsaw puzzle and a ‘Tetromino’-style dynamic mechanic.
Two levels of play, ‘senior’ (for adults) and ‘junior’ (for children aged 3+), guarantee hours of entertainment for all.
Become an expert and finish the puzzles in the shortest possible time and you will find yourself amongst the best in the world on the online leaderboard.
Have fun working together to complete the puzzles in Cooperative (co-op) mode.
You can also play with friends and family in the one-on-one split-screen competition mode. Your rival won’t make it easy for you! Don’t give up – fill an energy bar to perform a counterattack and put them in their place.
Remember, without fun there is no « Super Puzzles Dream »
Kingdom Tales – £8.99
An ancient prophecy proclaims: “One day, the mighty dragons will seek new territory to claim as their own! The day has come! The prophecy has been fulfilled!”
Now, only the most courageous and just of leaders will be able forge a friendship between mankind and dragons! Step into the role of the steadfast and altruistic leader who’s quests is to ensure the safety and prosperity of all people and creatures in the kingdom!
In Kingdom Tales you will explore the land, gather, produce and trade resources, build and repair subjects homes and community structures, and work to increase your subjects level of happiness!
Along your journey, you will meet druids, forest fairies, trolls, dragons and other exciting creatures while racing against the clock to complete tasks in this gorgeous and fun time management / strategy game!3
The Last Dead End – £8.99
In this game, we play the role of young scientist Farhad Novruzov, who returned to his homeland to help in filming a documentary movie for an international television channel. Here he faces strange events connected with the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism and the scientist has to find out the reason of these events.
The game takes place both from the first person and the third person. Most actions and active research take place in the first person view. The main action of the game takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan. It takes place in an actually existing inner city of Baku. This is the oldest district of the city with a thousand-year history, surrounded by a fortress wall, inside which along with the old streets, there are dozens of historical and archaeological sites.
There are several regular enemies in the game, as well as strong enemies (bosses), that were inspired by local legends. In the fight against some of them, there is its own tactic of winning them.
Elliot – £8.99
Elliot is a colourful 2D platformer inspired in 16-bit classics yet with a hardcore touch. Don’t be fooled by appearances, it’s a tough game! Run, jump and dash through over 60+ levels to solve the mystery surrounding the World of Elliot, Manuel and the adorable Mombas.
Spirit Arena – £8.99
As two sorcerers try to summon and tame powerful monsters from a secret realm, their experiment fails and leads waves of demons into our world. Strengthening their will, they decide to face this great threat and defeat the calamities that are now running free!
JDM Racing – 2 – £4.49
Drive legendary Japanese cars on various tracks. Beat records, take part in different racing events, rise from Beginner to Pro League driver. Collect, win, tune up, and upgrade your dream cars.
Match Three: Pirates! Heir to Davy Jones – £8.99
Davy Jones created a world of never-ending pirating adventure, where no-one gets old and unsuspecting people are tricked into entering Davy Jones’ Locker.
Journey through the different stages of this match-3 adventure, lift the curse of Davy Jones and save your friend.
What treasures does Match Three Pirates hold within?
Candy 2048 Challenge – £6.99
Candy 2048 Challenge brings back the iconic 2048 game with a new multiplayer function. Taking the intense fun of the original 2048 and pitting you against one other friend, to really see who is the best!
BIT.TRIP BEAT – £4.49
From gameplay to visuals to music and imagination, BIT.TRIP BEAT is inspired by classic games in every way. Get sucked into a whole new world of sights and sounds as you juggle beats and ride the vibe in this modern look at the beginning of it all.
Originally released for the Nintendo Wii in 2009, BIT.TRIP BEAT makes its triumphant return to Nintendo platforms.
BIT.TRIP CORE – £4.49
Dive controller-first into unfamiliar territory, blast your way through a barrage of beats in this rhythm-music adventure.
BIT.TRIP VOID – £4.49
BIT.TRIP VOID is a synesthetic exploration of rhythm and music as they pertain to our everyday lives and moods. In a control scheme brand new to the series, yet wholly familiar to gamers, the player is given complete freedom to move about the screen wherever they desire, interacting with the music in brand new ways. The classic gameplay aesthetic remains, as color—and the absence of color—are explored to the fullest.
BIT.TRIP FLUX – £4.49
Get ready for classic paddle-based gameplay as CommanderVideo returns to the source. Enjoy new challenges presented within the familiar paddle-based gameplay which started the phenomenon known as BIT.TRIP.
BIT.TRIP RUNNER – £4.49
Race across the Moon, kicking down crystal walls and sliding under chomping moon-slugs! Bound through the Robotic Mines and face off against the MinerMech! Dash through the Big City on a quest to find friends and defeat the final boss together!
BIT.TRIP FATE – £4.49
CommanderVideo’s journey is nearly complete, but the hardest part has yet to come. Guide our brave hero through a world of twin-stick shooter gameplay, strange and powerful enemies, and environments unlike any you’ve ever seen before.
Dungeonoid – £6.29
Your mission is to cross the dungeons of the Infernal Castle with the aim of recovering the 3 sacred gems and defeating the Demon Master and his henchmen. Are you ready?
DungeonTop – £12.59
DungeonTop is a fresh new take on the roguelike deckbuilding genre, bringing a flavour of tight table top battles into the mix. Employ clever board tactics to gain advantage such as range, flanking, tanking and rushing.
A balance of risk to reward greets you both in an out of battle. Progression in DungeonTop could mean two things, grabbing more gold, or defeating more monsters! Play it your way. Will you build for cunning, speed, or power? Your choices in the dungeon directly influence your chance of survival!
Door Kickers – £10.79
“I don’t have to draw a line in the sand. I already have one. It’s thin. It’s blue. It’s mine and if you cross it, I will protect it.†Anonymous Author
Become the commander of an elite anti-terrorist squad and lead them on the most dangerous missions. Remember you are the good guy, but sometimes it’s better to pull the trigger and go home on your own than to be carried. Yours and your men’ssquad life are the most important.
Cube Life: Island Survival – £12.59
In Survival Mode, the player must maintain health, explore caves, gather resources, and craft tools on an unknown island. Get food, explore and build during the day. Hide, fight, and surive as night falls on the island.
In Creative Mode, the game will allow players to build constructions in 3D generated game worlds. There is no limit to your imagination.
Next week: The Innsmouth Case, WINGSPAN, Void Source, Comic Coloring Book, Mia’s Picnic, Lily of the Hollow – Resurrection, and Quell Reflect.