The next couple of weeks are looking reasonably busy for the Switch, with several new releases even due on Christmas Day. As you may have guessed, though, these are mostly casual low-effort titles merely being rolled out to capitalise on anyone receiving eShop credit for crimbo.
This week is at least moderately more enticing. We can expect a re-release of the rare Game Boy Sunsoft platformer Trip World, which gains a new colourised version in addition to featuring development documents and interviews. Expect a similar presentation to Gimmick Special Edition. FMV laserdisc package Tatio LD Game Collection is showing on some release schedules as well, but the date given appears to be for the Japanese release. Don’t get your hopes up.
Out from leftfield, there’s Koumajou Remilia II: Stranger’s Requiem – a side-scrolling action platformer brazenly inspired by Castlevania, only with bullet hell style elements. That’s joined by the pixel art RPG duo Hammerwatch Anniversary Edition and its new sequel Hammerwatch II, pulp fiction visual novel Bahnsen Knights, a belated release of Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator, and Hirilun – a heavily stylised first-person platformer based around sprinting and running.
We’ve taken a look at a few of this week’s releases ourselves, including the well-intended 3D platformer Raccoo Venture, the coin avoiding spook-filled 2D platformer Rising Dusk, and the abstract pixel art tower defence game Hell Well – priced at under a fiver. All three of these are worth investigating if you’re a fan of the genre.
Then there’s the top-down racer Crashy Laps, the tribal themed star-gathering platformer Aztek Tiki Talisman, festive hidden object puzzler Yuletide Legends: Who Framed Santa Claus, and Palia – a free to play MMO with crafting, cooking, fishing, and farming. Screenshots suggest it plays to the strengths of the Switch well.
New Switch eShop releases
Koumajou Remilia Ⅱ: Stranger’s Requiem – £26.99
Koumajou Remilia Ⅱ: Stranger’s Requiem is a direct sequel to side-scrolling action game Koumajou Remilia: Scarlet Symphony, featuring characters from the Touhou Project, adored by fans around the world.
Popular illustrator Banpai Akira returns, adding a bold, dark edge to the character designs while keeping their original charm, all set to the entertaining action elements of floating amidst a barrage of bullets. On top of that, this powered up version of the game has been improved in every way, providing players with elegant sound, beautiful graphics, and smooth controls.
Bahnsen Knights – £TBA
In a world of religious fanaticism, F5 tornadoes and Ford Sierras you are Boulder, an undercover agent. Your assignment sees you infiltrate the Bahnsen Knights, a deadly, supercharged cult with an enigmatic leader. In this murky and dangerous world you must keep your wits about you and stay alive to unravel the mystery behind an old friend’s disappearance. Bahnsen Knights is a standalone experience and the third in the Pixel Pulps series of interactive adventures.
Created by novelist Nico Saraintaris and artist Fernando Martinez Ruppel, Pixel Pulps fuse exceptional writing and stunning illustration, inspired by mid-20th century pulp fiction and 80s home computer graphics. Bahnsen Knights, like all the Pixel Pulps, is made to be played by anyone who enjoys fine storytelling.
Travel across four fantastic lands and Mount Dubious in Trip World DX! Our hero Yakopoo’s adventure begins when the Maita flower, a symbol of world peace and happiness, is stolen, throwing Trip World into chaos!
Fly through the air, traverse over the land, and swim through the water, collecting special items to help you find the flower and restore Trip World.
Use Yakopoo’s shapeshifting powers to save Trip World from darkness! Race across the ground as a ball. Grow a tail to hit enemies—or a flower to make your enemies friendly!
This new version collects the classic handheld adventure Trip World in its original form, as well as the brand new COLOUR version bringing all new life to the world of YAKOPOO! Discover how the game was made and all new secrets in the museum mode including development documents and video interviews, or go listen to one of the greatest game soundtracks ever made in the music player!
Hammerwatch Anniversary Edition – £15.45
Hammerwatch Anniversary Edition beautifully remasters 2013’s original Hammerwatch in celebration of its 10th anniversary.
Embark on the new Shaftlocke Tower campaign, in addition to the already released Castle Hammerwatch and Sun Temple campaigns. Experience the game with new art and remade character classes with new effects, as well as a brand new item system, and more!
Blight the Horrible and his dragon army have succeeded in the sinister plot to overthrow King Roland and bring destruction across the Kingdom of Herian.
Not all is lost as hope hides deep within the sewer system, where the King’s resistance movement holds strong. On the King’s order, a select few of mighty and skilled heroes have been entrusted with defeating Blight’s dragons and restoring the Kingdom.
Adventure alone or gather your party to aid King Roland’s resistance, all while helping villagers along the way. Battle beasts, finish off hordes of the undead, and face the forces of evil in this epic ode to classic ARPG.
Take the role of a dark sorcerer as you defend yourself against waves of angels seeking to destroy you! Presented in retro 4-tone style, Hell Well is a top-down tower defense survival game where your downfall is inevitable, but the challenge is to survive and take down as many foes as possible before your ultimate demise.
Collect fallen spirits and use them to set up demonic totem-like defenses to fend off holy attackers, then upgrade abilities and increase the level of your minions to continue growing your forces across procedurally generated ruins and graveyards.
Enter the world of Rising Dusk. A land permanently in the hours of twilight and inhabited by an assortment of ghouls. Take control of Tamako, a young girl trapped in the realm of the Yokai. Can you navigate this perilous land and reach the strange new mountain on the horizon? The only way forward may be to avoid every coin in this puzzling 2D platformer.
Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator – £17.99
Potion Craft is an alchemist simulator where you physically interact with your tools and ingredients to brew potions. You’re in full control of the whole shop: invent new recipes, attract customers and experiment to your heart’s content. Just remember: the whole town is counting on you.
Your mission is to unravel the secrets hidden within these temples, utilizing your skills to navigate treacherous challenges. Employ your mystical turtle idol to launch magical balls, forming matches of three or more to obliterate the perilous chain before it reaches the coveted golden temple.
Super Prehistoric World Adventure – £8.99
Travel back in time to the Stone Age!
Immerse yourself in an exciting world of ancient adventures and dangers. Fight cavemen, sharks, spiders, spiny turtles and many other monsters. Only the right strategy will help you defeat all your enemies in this game!
Crashy Laps is a game to enjoy driving and overtaking aggressively, with a maximum of 4 Players. Little and funny tracks are waiting for you.
Also, you can drive in Single Player mode to achieve the Best Time in each track.
It’s every stickman for himself! Stickman’s Arena is an arena shooter roguelite where you play a stickman wielding up to 6 weapons at a time to fight off hordes of enemies. Choose from a variety of upgrades and combine your weapons to create more powerful builds with each run! How many waves can you survive?
Presented in whimsical hand-drawn style, Stickman’s Arena offers top-down action with endless replay value while never taking itself too seriously, making it equally perfect for some quick fun or lengthier sessions when you’re determined to “get gud!”
An inferno roars over a destroyed secret military base.
Machine guns mow down wave after wave of advancing steel.
Deadly lances piercing through giant foes.
Then, from the flaming rubble…an invincible super robot is reborn!
Super Mechs born of advanced science and modern weaponry battle in heavyweight run-and-gun mech shooter!!
“Akira is an agent for a secretive organization who protects the world from threats simply known as incursions.
Strange creatures from another dimension are invading his world, wreaking havoc wherever they go. With his assistant and a freshly assigned rookie to back him up, can Akira overcome a threat which may end civilization itself?
Date 2 beautiful girls in this secret agent adventure!
Prepare for an exhilarating and challenging journey into the heart of the ancient Aztec jungle in “Aztek Tiki Talisman.” This vibrant 3D platformer promises a unique and action-packed experience that will transport you to a world brimming with mystery and danger. Dive into a beautifully designed adventure that combines challenging platforming, thrilling combat encounters, and mind-bending puzzles.
In “Aztek Tiki Talisman” you play as a courageous hero who must navigate a treacherous Aztec jungle. The game is divided into 5 distinct chapters offering a total of 50 levels to explore. Your adventure unfolds in a visually stunning and dense jungle environment that immerses you in the mysteries of the Aztec civilization.
Yuletide Legends: Who Framed Santa Claus – £13.99
For the Yuletide Detective there is no busier time then the winter season and this year proves it like none other. As Brigitte Woolf you’re seconds away from sinking in your cozy armchair and chilling with a cup of cocoa, but a visit from Mrs. Santa changes your plans.
Not only was her husband accused of an extremely callous theft, but Santa himself became a victim of a thief. The unknown perpetrator took away his voice and left him in despair.
In the face of such wickedness and such an aggressive attack on the winter spirit, you have no other option than to put down your book and cozy blanket and get on with some splendid detective work with a magnifying glass in your hand. Especially since you will meet lots of people from magic and myths – the Snow Queen, Jack Frost and Krampus.
Explore a vibrant new world made just for you with Palia, a free-to-play, cozy sim MMO game. Craft, cook, fish, and farm with friends as you live the life of your dreams and discover an enchanting adventure filled with colorful characters and a mystery to unravel.
Never be afraid Slam Dunk! – £17.99
Elevate your game and unlock your true potential in the fearless world of NeverBeAfraid SlamDunk. Embrace the challenge, take on formidable teams, and immerse yourself in an unparalleled gaming experience. How will you respond to the call of greatness?
Welcome to Hirilun, also known as the city of shadows where only the fleet of foot can rise to fame. In this mysterious environment you’ll race against the clock to reach your goal.
Every level presents a new challenge with multiple paths to choose from, so it’s up to you to decide which route is the fastest. Dash, sprint, and glide through the city, but use these abilities wisely, as they are limited.
Watch out for power-ups scattered throughout the city – they may just give you the boost you need.
Next week: Rough Justice: ’84, Terra Nil, Tanuki Sunset, XIIZEAL, The Rumble Fish +, The Curse of Kudan, TEVI, Party Friends, Fireball Wizard, Wall World, Quilts and Cats of Calico, Ravva and the Phantom Library, Erogods: Asgard, Aery – Calm Mind 4, My Lovely Dog Adventure, Backroom: Constructions, Synthetic Lover, and ONE.