New release armageddon is imminent on the Xbox and PlayStation formats, with new entries in the Final Fantasy, Crash Bandicoot, Aliens, Cosmic Smash, and Elder Scrolls franchises. The Switch is set to miss out on all of these, at least for now, but there’s still plenty to get stuck into. Sonic Origins Plus and Valthirian Arc 2 are due next week, while a handful of intriguing indies are out over the next few days.
Look forward to Focus’ striking water colour-style escapade Dordogne – which garnered a 7/10 from Nintendo Life – the story-driven animal adventure Fall of Porcupine, involving an unhealthy healthcare-system and the importance of nurses, and a belated release of the cutesy RPG Alchemic Cutie.
BIRDIE WING -Golf Girls’ Story- also has anime flair, bringing together golf, golf-based mini-games, and a story mode to play through. Kairosoft’s Forest Golf Planner likewise flies the flag for golf, being a pixel art management sim.
Then there’s the visual novel Jack Jeanne, reportedly peppered with mini-games. Digitally Downloaded couldn’t recommend it enough, resulting in top marks: “Jack Jeanne is a celebration of the finest qualities of theatre, held within a visual novel that’s enjoyable to read. It has some distinctive, evocative art, and some minigames that help make the overall experience even more engaging.”
Low poly, PSone style, horror Stay Out of the House might be worth a look too – the PC original gained decent reviews, including an 8.5 from Destructoid.
Also look out for the inexpensive run and gunner Brave Soldier: Invasion Of Cyborgs, the Q*Bert inspired isometric platformer Hoppy Hop, Beat ‘Em Up Archives (QUByte Classics) – which brings together the SNES’ Legend and Iron Commando – and the 3D platformer style puzzler Corbid! A Colorful Adventure.
Smushi Come Home, meanwhile, launched during one of last week’s conferences, being a cozy 3D mushroom-filled explorative adventure. “Play as a flipping MUSHROOM!!” reads the product description.
New Switch eShop releases
BIRDIE WING -Golf Girls’ Story-
£17.99
Experience golf with Eve, Aoi, and friends in a detailed graphic recreation for Nintendo Switch™!
The game features a story mode that recreates the classic storyline portrayed in the animation, as well as a free mode that allows players to use Joy-Con™ swing controls to play against each other.
In addition, there are mini-games to experience the gimmicky putting practice.
Let’s experience the world of BIRDIE WING more deeply through the visual game.
Step into the town of Porcupine and take to the well-loved scrubs of Finley, the newest fledgling doctor to join the ranks of St. Ursula’s hospital. As the seasons in the small-town change and life starts to stir, you’ll soon realize that things aren’t always what they seem: Not everyone is honest with themselves and others, the healthcare industry is not as illustrious as it seemed in medical school, and the work/life balance Finley strives toward might be impossible to achieve.
Fall of Porcupine is an original narrative adventure and a love letter to those who are there for us whenever we don’t feel like ourselves. The game tackles sensitive topics with an approachable narrative, relatable characters, and resonating dialogue featuring tons of exploration, fun mini-games, and casual platforming.
Immerse yourself in a unique narrative experience, embarking on a vibrant journey that will awaken your senses and evoke warm memories.
Play as Mimi, exploring the precious recollections of your childhood and the times shared with your late grandmother. As past meets present, confront your adult choices with fond childhood memories to uncover lost family secrets.
Explore Dordogne landscapes of a thousand summer colors, within sumptuous hand-painted watercolor environments. During your adventure, recall the moments, the panoramas, the scents, the sounds, and the sensations. Recount these vivid memories in your journal as a recollection of Mimi’s family past that’s unique to your experience and a nostalgic, touching reflection of your journey.
Beat ‘Em Up Archives (QUByte Classics) – £8.99
Beat ‘Em Up Archives (QUByte Classics) is a collection of two beat ‘em up classic games: Iron Commando and Legend both released in the 90’.
In Iron Commando you’ll take control of either Jake, a soldier, or Chang Li, a martial arts master, in your quest to stop G.H.O.S.T. from capturing a radioactive meteorite in a brawling action.
Legend is an arcade-style side-scrolling beat ’em up game where players take control of Kaor and Igor through seven stages in total of varying thematic sets in the kingdom of Sellech, with the main objective being defeating the corrupt son of the land’s king, Clovis.
Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt – £13.99
The people of Boston are shocked by the recent series of mysterious murders and you are given a task of bringing the culprit to justice as fast as possible. As the police detective Emily Meyer you are facing the task of solving the case of a mysterious “Guilty Man”.
Using police techniques, you will follow the trail of the suspect while solving riddles and collecting fingerprints as well as different samples from crime scenes. When your investigation unexpectedly leads to the place between life and death, you will face the biggest challenge of your life.
Will your detective skills be enough to let you survive in the afterlife? Can you solve the case? Test yourself in a world of ghosts, dark riddles, locks, and enigmas. Use the help of a psychic to find your way back to the world and solve the case of the serial killer.
Brave Soldier – Invasion of Cyborgs – £4.49
Get ready to arm yourself to the teeth and save the world from a cyborg invasion! Brave Soldier – Invasion of Cyborgs is a side-scrolling run ’n gun action game that recalls the 2D pixel art style and tough-but-fair challenge of 16-bit and arcade classics. Take the role of a courageous commando as he stomps through 30 unique stages spanning jungles, snowfields, clifftops and more as he hunts down the mechanical menace that threatens mankind.
Can you take the fight to big bad bosses to cut the invasion off at its source?
Corbid! A Colorful Adventure – £10.79
Have fun helping Corbid to overcome the mazes to be crowned champion. Eat, mix and shoot colors to solve the puzzles of Corbid!
Enjoy the colorful worlds full of creatures with different abilities that you will have to play with to advance and solve the mysteries found in the gardens.
SHOOT FIRST
Make sure to shoot smart, not hard. Whenever you pull the trigger, your bullet will stay around FOREVER… and so will all of your enemies.
TIME IS RELATIVE
Use the time dilation to your advantage. Lure your enemies towards your past selves to “recycle” your old shots. Keep your eyes peeled for anything coming your way, and survive this onslaught.
COLOR ME INTRIGUED
Progress through the loops to unlock new color variations for your playthrough. Choose your favorite or aim to get them all!
Stay Out of the House – £14.49
Escape however you can. The house is a living sandbox with multiple possibilities – will you rescue the other victims or just save yourself? Will you hide in the shadows and slip away undetected or turn the tables, using the butcher’s own traps against him? The choices are yours and the AI will react to them dynamically.
The smack of a hammer… your head lands hard on the dirty linoleum floor… a maniac drags you up the stairs and cages you like an animal! You have three days until the reckoning…
Welcome to the home of THE BUTCHER. Welcome to YOUR new home. Why are you here? Why has this mad man chosen you, and what are his plans for you? How will you escape? Can you even escape? All of these questions have answers, but can you seek them out? Do you want to? If only you’d heeded their warning to STAY OUT OF THE HOUSE
Somewhere in suburbia is an unspoiled patch of greenery, a little slice of paradise… And starting today, it’s your very own golf course!
No experience in golf or business? No problem! It’s easy to get started building new fixtures and attracting your first customers.
Rise through the ranks, and you’ll be able to expand your course to include new holes. Change the landscape and add unique decorations to make the course your own!
Every year, courses from across the country are ranked from worst to best – can you come out on top?
Kisa is about to abandon her dream of becoming an actor when she is given the opportunity to enroll at the prestigious Univeil Drama School. She is granted admission with two conditions: be chosen as the lead in the final performance and hide her identity as a girl! Competition at the school is fierce and the rivalry is real!
Will Kisa be able to forge powerful bonds with her all-male classmates while competing against them for key roles?
Will she be cast in the lead role in the final performance at the end of the year all while keeping her secret?
While taming wild jellies, you’ll meet villagers, enter jelly competitions and uncover the secrets of the island.
Wimba Island is a huge place with plenty to do. From exploring secret locations to discovering new Jellies scattered all over the island. As the seasons change, so does the island with new areas, different Jellies and items appearing.
Enjoy an engaging Jelly raising system, where each Jelly has uniquely generated stats, traits and over 4000 visual styles. You will be able to tame, breed, and raise the perfect jelly companion and take it with you on adventures.
Befriend a village of goofy, fun, and sometimes complicated characters. Help them by completing quests or just hang out, mingle and get to know them. Who knows…maybe some might be hiding something…
With the use of your flute and a bit of alchemy, you’ll gain the ability to create special items with powerful effects. Or even morph different items into something rare and powerful.
With your proudly raised Jellies take part in thrilling competitions against other villagers for the chance of winning medals.
Summer Daze: Tilly’s Tale – £13.49
You’re Tilly Appleberry – a mischievous rogue student who values having fun above having respect for rules and authority.
Your choices matter. Play again (and again!) to meet different people, and use your wit, charm, and skills to make the upcoming Harvest Festival a success.
Come and mingle with a Minotaur Paladin, a Doggie Chef, and many more potential friends and love interests!
Suitable for all ages, Tilly’s Tale is a tale full of humor and heart – written by acclaimed adventure game writer Lori Ann Cole.
Marnie has been palmed off in her grandmother’s care in the boring backwater English village of Fenchapel.
Despite her grandmother’s constant ravings about fairies, Marnie wanders into the forest… She happens upon a young female knight in a glade, clutching a sword. The knight has been sleeping for many centuries, but Marnie inadvertently awakes her.
Together, the two young girls go on an adventure, and their feelings toward one another grow.
Get ready for an adrenaline-pumping blast from the past with Annalynn! This brand new arcade classic warps you back to the distant year of 1980 with its 2D platformer style. But don’t be fooled by the retro aesthetic – Annalynn is packed with all the excitement and challenge you could ever want!
Join Annalynn, the fearless miner, as she runs, jumps, and climbs her way through 16 intense rounds spread across 5 unique worlds! But beware: the four sneaky snakes, Randy, Handy, Candy, and Mike are hot on her heels, ready to strike at any moment! It’s up to you to outwit them and collect as many coins and bonus foods as possible. And if you’re in need of a leg up, grab the Blinding Rubies to turn the tables and kick those dirty snakes off the stage!
If you’re looking for the most exciting, most fun-filled, most talked about modern arcade title on the market, dig no further: Annalynn is the gem you’ve been waiting for!
In “Tails of Trainspot” you can escape the hustle and bustle of reality and immerse yourself in the world of the Packan Islands, communicate with the animal residents on the island, and delve into the mysterious history of the Pango Islands. In addition to the regular story mode, the game also offers an endless mode and a ranking challenge mode, allowing you to challenge your puzzle-solving skills to the fullest.
This is a logic puzzle game with simple and easy-to-understand rules, yet it is very challenging. The map has stations marked with numbers ranging from 1 to 8, indicating the actual number of rails required to reach the station. To solve the puzzle, players need to consider how to lay the tracks between stations, adjust the number of required tracks, and ensure that all stations are connected.
Have a nice day in Packan Islands!
Play as Bullet, a C³ class (Cute Cybernetic Corgi) pup on his quest to save his owner, a brilliant scientist kidnapped by an alien race that wants to rule the galaxy. ProtoCorgi is a retro pixel art shoot’em up with a strong arcade feel!
ProtoCorgi is a retro style pixel art, horizontal shoot ‘em up with arcade gameplay that gives the player control over Bullet, a C class (Cute Cybernetic Corgi) pup.
Be prepared to Shoot, Dodge and Bark your way through in this adorable Bark’em up! Countless waves of enemies, gigantic bosses and deadly obstacles will put your skills to the test. Help Bullet on his journey to save his master and friend Nixie from terrible alien forces!
Fear not, the adventure is available to everyone with an adjustable difficulty from “ Pup” to “Ultra Nightmare”.
Smushi Come Home is a cozy exploration adventure game where you play as a tiny mushroom who’s trying to get back home! Play as Smushi, who was taken from its home unexpectedly and dropped into the middle of the forest. Lost and confused, you must journey through different areas of the forest and find your way back with the help of your new tools and fellow forest creatures!
Run, Glide, Climb, and Swim your way through different areas of the forest!
Chat with quirky forest creatures you meet along the way. Some might offer their help while others might need yours!
Go on different adventures to get back home! Some may have light platforming while others involve some light puzzle solving!
With unlimited lives and instant respawn, dying is not a problem. It even can be the solution! Your death usually means, fewer bullets to deal with, use that to transform the level!
Key Features
-69 handmade levels
-42 challenges, you don’t need to pass them all to finish the game
-Use the physics of the game to find your solution, a lot of levels have multiple solutions. There’s always one clean way out, but if you like that, you can try more obscure solutions.
-The level does not reset after your current cube death, use it wisely to take a bullet for your future self and create a way out!
After a peaceful nap, Hoppy has become completely disoriented, and he doesn’t know how to come home now!
He jumps through different zones avoiding enemies, collecting candy and eating carrots.
Test your skills and compete against other players on the global leaderboard.
Next week: Sonic Origins Plus, Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story 2 Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine, Railway Empire 2 Skautfold: Usurper, Tricks Magician, Alice Sisters, Nova Lands, Neko Secret Homecoming, Quick Race, Unimime – Unicycle Madness, Princess Closet, Robolt, and Zenful Journey.