Next week is looking promising for the Switch, being the busiest line-up we’ve seen for a good month or so. This week isn’t bad at all either, especially if you’re of the retro persuasion.
Shinorubi is a modern take on the shoot’em up genre, presented in widescreen and featuring chunky visuals. The colour palette is quite abstract too, being a mixture of florescent pinks and neon greens. Caravan and boss rush modes feature from the outset, along with a bunch of difficulty settings.
On the subject of boss rush games, 8-Colors Star Guardians + – which we reviewed yesterday – is precisely that, taking the form of a turn-based RPG, in which eight bosses must be taken down in a certain order. Figuring this out is a key part of the experience. The new second chapter mixes the formula up, being quite challenging. Best of all, it’ll only set you back £4.99.
Then finally for retro-style releases, there’s The Monty Mole Collection. This package brings together a bunch of ZX Spectrum and C64 platformers forged in the mid ‘80s. Consider this a history lesson – one game was influenced by the UK miner’s strike.
Other new releases include the stylish narrative adventure Grotto, comprehensive party game package The Jackbox Party Trilogy 3.0, the risqué visual novel Ikkarus and the Prince of Sin, relaxing landscape creating puzzler Pan’orama, and the heartfelt adventure Frogsong. Someone wake up Paul McCartney.
New Switch eShop releases
SHINORUBI is a Shoot’Em Up game rooted in the Bullet Hell, Danmaku, and Manic Shooter genres.
SHINORUBI packs a great arcade action punch with great replayability thanks to its numerous difficulty levels, arranged modes, and player ships.
The only part of your ship vulnerable to enemy shots is the center. Better avoid the myriad of missiles and bullets aiming for you and destroy everything between you and your target!
There is only one rule: Do not die… and destroy the BAÄA kingdom.
In a time of turmoil, the tribe of the valley turn to your powers of divination and come to you for guidance.
Their fate will change depending on your auguries. Overthink every constellation, or let the stars freely enter your mind. You are the Soothsayer and yours is the way to read the future.
Dungeon Defence Simulator 2024 – £13.49
Embark on an epic journey into the depths of a pixelated realm in our thrilling 2D dungeon defense game! Your mission: protect your sacred dungeon from relentless invaders who seek to plunder its treasures. Arm yourself with an arsenal of powerful weapons and assemble a formidable army of monsters to repel the onslaught.
The Jackbox Party Trilogy 3.0 – £68.89
The Jackbox Party Trilogy 3.0 is a collection of the 15 hit games from The Jackbox Party Packs 7, 8 and 9. Draw your heart out with Drawful Animate, crack your friends up with a game of Quiplash 3, or bluff your way to victory with Fibbage 4. No matter which game you choose, family-friendly options and audience play-along for up to 10,000 people guarantee that just about anyone can play along.
GeoJelly is a challenging platformer game where you play as an experiment defect born within an unknown dystopian laboratory. Your goal is to find your way out of the laboratory and gain your freedom by overcoming various obstacles and collecting diamonds. The game features a mix of platforming and puzzle-solving elements, with plenty of obstacles to avoid along the way.
Learn the capital cities of the world in this fun quick-fire quiz game! Answer correctly before time runs out, or it’s game over! Gradually improve your knowledge of the planet, and prove to your friends that you’re the capitals expert!
We were inspired by sandbox and simulation games, where players can create something of their own, set up processes, develop their creation, put their soul into it and show their creativity. In Cafe Owner Simulator you have such an opportunity, our goal is to give the world a game – in which everyone can realize his dream and open his own restaurant business.
Ikkarus and the Prince of Sin – £8.99
Ikkarus and the Prince of Sin is a yaoi-themed fantasy adventure visual novel where you can manage your daily routine, travel the land, accept side quests, pursue 3 possible romance options, discover 6 unique endings and unlock special CG scenes as you progress. The experience can be further customized by choosing from difficulty settings focused on story or gameplay challenge!
8-Colors Star Guardians + – £4.99
Face eight gigantic galactic monsters, carefully choosing which ones to tackle first! Unlock skills by defeating the weakest ones and use them to best the heavy-hitters! And don’t worry if you don’t do it at the first attempt, your teammates will offer precious advice after every defeat!
In Wild Seas, a 2D tower defense game, you play as a friendly crocodile who possesses a jewel that has been passed down through generations, protecting the nearby islands. Now, you need all the help you can get to combat the pirates who want to conquer everything in their path and steal the great jewel.
Welcome to Pan’orama, the relaxing puzzle simulation game that allows you to create breathtaking landscapes using different types of tiles. In Pan’orama, you’ll be transported to a world of beauty and tranquility, where you can take a break from the stress of everyday life and enjoy the relaxing music, peaceful ambience and most of all, the soothing vistas of your own creation.
While playing nGolf you will face many challenges on your way. Lasers, spikes, flames and many more will try to stop your ball. Remember that timing is the key to success and you shouldn’t hurry with your hit. Go with the flow and master all worlds.
Roman Empire Simulator – £13.49
Journey back to the zenith of civilization in Roman Empire Simulator. Set amidst the grandeur and complexity of ancient Rome, this game masterfully blends Tower Defense mechanics with intricate war strategy elements, offering a gaming experience that’s both immersive and intellectually challenging.
Kitten Hero is a fast-paced action platformer were you play as an extremely cute little cat trying to rescue his human friend who was abducted by evil artificial intelligence.
Help the kitten save his human and other kittens trapped inside a spaceship controlled by a powerful supercomputer. To get there, you’ll jump, climb and dash your way through 80 levels filled with deadly spikes, saws, missiles and more.
You’ll need to rely on your cat-like speed and reflexes to survive!
Avoid tricky obstacles like deadly spikes, secret doors, spinning gates and objects falling from the sky – getting a perfect hit into the hole can be dangerous!
Beware of the twisty road speed ramp, which makes your coin go super fast! Only those with true mastery can skillfully control their coin as it hurtles down the track!
Put on different funny skins, collect coins as you roll down and complete as many levels as possible in this never ending game!
Ready to roll?
HatLand – Pixel Impossible GAME OVER – £3.99
Commence on a relentless journey through the inner corridors of the Empire’s spaceships in HatLand, a game that turns every defeat into a step towards ultimate victory. Brace yourself for an adrenaline-fueled experience where encountering “GAME OVER” is not a setback but a pathway to empowerment.
Frogsong is a heartfelt adventure where it’s okay to be small.
Chorus is a little frog with huge dreams of protecting the world. Being a tree frog, however, society expects them to lead a life of religious studies, instead of training to be a warrior. Their small size certainly doesn’t help anyone take them seriously, either. Seeking a better life, Chorus moves to Boreala, a village where members of the Defense Guild train under the wisdom of an old veteran. They quickly learn things aren’t going to be as easy as they hoped. With a powerful army and a mysterious rumour both on the rise, Chorus needs to discover how they can protect the ones they love – before it’s too late.
Explore a beautiful, atmospheric land and fight monsters on your journey to find your place in the world.
Travel through the kingdom and its different regions in this 3D adventure inspired by late 90s games. Explore each region freely, uncover their secrets, and save your bear friends! This realm was once a peaceful place, until the bees started producing purple honey, a strange substance that turns anyone who eats it into a mindless foe. You will play as Baaren, a courageous bear set on a quest to free the kingdom from this menace of unknown origin.
Immerse yourself in the world of bowling with Bowling Fever!
Test your skills in countless game modes, visit amazingly realistic 3D locations, play fantastic mini-games and discover dozens of new bowling balls and pins!
Need a hand? Various power-ups and boosts will help you to meet the challenges.
Explore the world, find Crystals, and fulfill the prophecy to bring balance to the land of Sequoia.
…Or maybe you’d rather spend your time collecting neat equipment and artifacts? Or tame strange creatures and fill out all the entries in your archive? Or perhaps you’d rather hunt down every monster and conquer the world’s toughest bosses. Or maybe you’d rather travel to the farthest reaches of the land and uncover the world’s greatest mysteries.
The choice is yours, as it should be! Or is it? They say that those who stray out of line will be punished, killed, or worse. Maybe it’s for your own good that you stick to collecting Crystals, just like everyone else. But where would the adventure be in that?
The Monty Mole Collection – £6.99
All Monty wanted was a quiet life, but when faced with an unbearably cold winter found himself stealing coal to survive, and that led to a life on the run from the authorities, a journey that would take him all across Europe! The Monty Mole series of adventure platformer games for home microcomputers were the brainchild of Peter Harrap, the teenage son of a mining inspector, and inspired by the 1984 mining strikes in the UK.
Now you can experience the original Monty Mole saga. This collection includes the main trilogy of Wanted! Monty Mole, Monty on the Run, and Auf Wiedersehen Monty, plus two bonus games: Moley Christmas (a seasonal adventure originally given away with copies of a magazine) and Sam Stoat: Safebreaker (the solo adventure of Sam Stoat, a supporting character from the main Monty Mole games).
Next week: Another Code: Recollection, Legend of Grimrock, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Farm Knight Adventures, Bahnsen Knights, Poppy Playtime: Chapter 1, Nephenthesys, Turnip Boy Robs a Bank, The Cub, Vigour, Reef Escape, Room of Depression, Witch Rise, Easy Dice for RPG/Tabletop, Tenement, and Tennis 2024 Simulator.