The Switch misses out on Tekken 8 and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, but it’s a busy week regardless, with the usual mixture of multi-format games, system exclusives, and retro re-releases.
Capcom’s Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is one of the bigger games of the week, featuring 16 episodes to play through, along with extras such as an art gallery and a music player. That’s joined by Arc’s 2D one-on-one fighter UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes, and the team-based battler Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters.
2006’s Hitman: Blood Money sneaks onto Switch too. It appears to have had a few enhancements, including Instinct Mode – which highlights targets and objectives – along with a mini-map. It’ll set you back £19.99.
The Legend of Steel Empire, meanwhile, brings back the cult shooter in HD. It’s based on the PC version, rather than the Mega Drive version or the GBA re-release. We recall enjoying it back in the day – and we imagine the steampunk art style still holds up.
We’ve reviewed a couple of new releases. Yesterday we took a look at Hidden Through Time 2: Myths and Magic, which garnered a 7/10. It’s essentially an interactive Where’s Wally/Waldo book, with a neat level editor that allows creations to be shared online. Then much earlier this month, the pixel art powered Arcade Tycoon gained our approval, being quite addictive. It entails starting up an arcade business and carrying it from a garage outfit to a bustling shopping mall. It’s up to you to hire and fire staff while keeping customers happy and coming through the door.
Other releases include the Papers, Please inspired Lil’ Guardsman, the 18+ rated horror adventure Devil Inside Us: Roots of Evil, pixel art Zelda III alike Saga of the Moon Priestess, modern NES adventure collection The Adventures of Panzer: Legacy Collection, and a £2.99 re-release of the Atari Lynx’s Chip’s Challenge.
An Arcade Archives re-release of the classic Rainbow Islands – a much requested title – should be out later this week too. This Taito classic, much like Bubble Bobble, was popular in Europe due to most home systems gaining a decent conversion.
New Switch eShop releases
Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal – £19.99
You are Agent 47 — a contract killer caught in the crosshairs of rival agency, “The Franchise”.
Embark on a daring mission to take out the conspiracy’s shadowy architects. Employ all the tricks of your trade to get the job done, and keep a low profile. Infiltrate, execute, and escape undetected.
Featuring gameplay improvements inspired by later games in the series, Reprisal is an artful redesign of a stealth-action classic, expertly adapted for Nintendo Switch™.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy – £39.98
Apollo Justice’s legal journey begins anew!
Join rookie attorney Apollo Justice and his mentor, the legendary Phoenix Wright, in this collection of 3 games! This title features the 14 episodes of “Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney”, “Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies”, and “Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice”, plus the 2 previously DLC-only Special Episodes for a total of 16 episodes!
Also included is a mountain of extra goodies that’s sure to satisfy any Ace Attorney fan!
UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes – £44.99
Sys:Celes sinks towards ruination.
For the Immortalize, the collapse of all that is, looms on the horizon.
The curtain rises on the final chapter of the Hollow Night. Catastrophe beckons…
Experience the Dramatic Stylish 2D Fighting Action in the latest entry of the UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH series!
The first numbered sequel in the series!
The Legend of Steel Empire – £19.99
In a dystopian world where the Motorhead Empire has conquered and enslaved virtually the entire planet, mammoth battleships, armored locomotives, and invincible fortresses dominate the skies. However, there is hope for the republic of Silverhead, and you are the only one who can save it. Take control of the Striker airplane or Zeppelin with an aerial mine launcher and engage in intense euro-shmup action, battling enemies both in the air and on the ground, and using devastating screen-clearing attacks in tight spots. With improved graphics and controls, Steel Empire, originally released in the early 90s for a 16-bit console, has been ported to various handheld consoles. Join the fight and defeat the Motorhead Empire.
In this deduction adventure, you play as Lil – an unlikely 12-year-old hero – covering your dad’s shift at the guard shed and are tasked with deciding the fate of over 100 unique characters.
You will question humans, elves, goblins, cyclopses, and other fantasy creatures using your powers of deduction to determine who to admit or deny based on how they respond to your questions and your trusty tools. Sending visitors to jail, inadvertently zapping them to smithereens, or letting them go on their merry way are all part of the job. But be careful: who you let through the castle gates will determine the kingdom’s fate.
Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters – £44.99
In Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters, you play as the Goddess Candidates, led by Nepgear, who awaken from a two-year-long slumber to a Gamindustri that has been upended by a treacherous threat called the Trendi Phenomenon. While they’ve been sleeping, the citizens of Gamindustri have turned to using a new device called the rPhone as their main method of communication as they’ve been unable to leave their homes while monsters lurk outside.
Now, work together with friends both new and old to prevent the total destruction of Gamindustri as we know it!
Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic – £10.89
Join Clicky on a new, enchanted adventure in Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic! This charming 2D hidden object game is sure to delight with its playful tone, cozy vibes and endless fun. Search for all the hidden objects scattered around beautiful hand-drawn worlds, and unlock more as you go. With both a single player campaign and an online mode where you can create your own dreamworld, the adventure never ends!
Devil Inside Us: Roots of Evil – £13.49
Devil Inside Us: Roots of Evil is a story focused horror game.
Play as a priest and help a family with their cursed house, explore, follow your visions and exorcize the evil!
Aughust Heylel, an exorcist legitimized by the vatican and a relevant priest doesn’t belive in his own faith anymore.
He writes a letter talking about his life and his worst mission, the case “Roots of Evil”, which started in 1984.
His mission was to investigate a house with paranormal activities, but the problem was way deeper.
The case stuck into Aughust’s head for more than 30 years, and now, it’s finally the time to finish it!
KOBOLOK is an ethnic horror game based on an Eastern European fairytale about round bread “Kolobok” aka “O Koblížkovi” aka “Pannkauken”.
This story is about a boy who ran away from his parents and got lost in the woods. The woods were dark and trembling, so the boy wanted to find a new herd, and he did indeed!
That was a wonderful pack full of friendship and unity, but every good essence has its price, and the price for the boy was terrible! A brutal bread contest that was necessary to happen every three years. I can not tell you about the contest. If I do, it will be spoiled. So, take a deep dive into the mystery!
Saga of the Moon Priestess – £5.49
Tragedy strikes the world of Lunaria as the illustrious prince is kidnapped by an unknown assailant! The well-being of the land itself now rests in the hands of a young hero, Sarissa, as she has to fight, explore and figure out how to rescue the young prince. Armed with nothing but her trusty spear and the miraculous ability to communicate with the Goddess of the Moon, she must overcome treacherous enemies and dark dungeons.
Saga of the Moon Priestess is a retro top-down action-adventure inspired by 8-bit and 16-bit classics. Featuring crisp pixel art and original sounds and music, Saga of the Moon Priestess invokes a simpler era of the action-adventure genre. With 5 dungeons to explore, 7 life containers, 15 items to collect and countless enemies to defeat, the world of Lunaria is a land lush with things to do, secrets to find and people to talk to.
Includes Main Stories from the app Love 365: Find Your Story up until “Season 2”
PuzzlePet – Feed Your Cat – £4.49
Feed Your Cat – The Perfect Game for Kitten Lovers!
If you are passionate about kittens and enjoy solving puzzles, we have the perfect game for you: Feed Your Cat! Move the cat’s paw to grab the canned food and please the adorable kittens that appear on the map. The difficulty gradually increases, and players need to think about the order of obtaining the food before delivering it to the felines.
Kittens love to play and explore all around until they get tired, then it’s time to eat and sleep. In this game, you will solve puzzles by managing the food and feeding the kittens scattered throughout the map.
Evil Nun: The Broken Mask – £17.99
Welcome to Eagle Junior High School!
You have been selected to participate in a religious summer camp that promised to be the ideal place to make friends and spend the summer. Upon your arrival though, you realise that the entire thing is a hoax and you get locked up in a dilapidated school guarded by an evil nun.
Synopsis.
The protagonist starts a part-time job at a nearby Internet cafe to pay off his scholarship…
Contents
Selling Souls is a walking simulator game where you explore your surroundings, find items, and advance the story.
You will relive the tale of terror while performing the duties of the Internet cafe.
Fantasy Blacksmith Shop Simulator – £6.99
Embark on an engaging adventure within the realm of “Fantasy Blacksmith,” where you step into the shoes of a master blacksmith. This immersive game invites you to the heart of the forge, where you can meticulously craft an impressive arsenal of weapons, including majestic swords and nimble daggers, using either durable metals or the rustic charm of wood.
Get ready for exciting naval combat!
Take control of a small boat as you navigate through various biomes, armed with your trusty weapons. But be warned – enemy ships are out to get you! Engage in intense battles as you shoot and destroy these despicable foes, testing your reflexes and aiming skills. Immerse yourself in the thrilling world of boat combat. Survive challenging fights and show off your boat-shooting skills today!
Jett Rider, the most unlikely hero stars in the biggest 2D adventure of the year. Save the planet Gravos, free its people, face the toughest bosses… And don’t forget to recycle!
A collision in the orbit of the planet Gravos is the starting point of an unforgettable adventure with tons of fun and love for the classics. Jett, the space sweeper, was only supposed to pick up the wreckage of the AC-137 cargo ship, but he soon discovered that something messy was brewing on the surface of Gravos.
Rescue!DROPKICK ON MY DEVIL!! – £7.99
The official casual game of the anime “”DROPKICK ON MY DEVIL!”” is here!
Help “”JASHIN-CHAN”” by drawing lines from the approaching danger!
In this puzzle game, the game is over when an obstacle hits “”JASHIN-CHAN”” or she is attacked by an enemy!
The lines you draw become three-dimensional and protect “”JASHIN-CHAN”” from obstacles and enemies, but the game is over when the lines themselves collide with each other.
Only you can save “”JASHIN-CHAN””! Protect “”JASHIN-CHAN”” in every way possible!
As you advance through the stages, that character may appear…
The classic puzzle game from 1989 returns, with over 140 levels to tax your mind and fingers.
Take on the role of puzzle-obsessed Chip, who desperately wants to join Melinda the Mental Marvel’s computer club. His initiation test is a series of increasingly difficult puzzles. Chip must collect items, slide blocks, dodge hazards and more to collect the computer chips needed to pass each level. Are you up to the Challenge?
Starward Rogue is a bullet hell twin-stick shooter. Blast your way through the Megalith, a rogue-lite labyrinth lodged in the side of a star. Customize your mech with a huge variety of weapons, perks, and upgrades. Steel yourself for the dangers that lurk in the depths of the dungeon.
The cult classic twin-stick Isaac-like you’ve been looking for and probably missed!
Post-apocalyptic Old man – £4.29
2xxx A.D. The world was devastated by repeated wars.
The survivors lived huddled together in fortified facilities called jails.
However, is it a tactical weapon running amok, or is it God’s judgment on foolish humanity?
Suddenly, the number of old men increases.
The old men attacked the jails, and in just one month, they captured about half of the jails in the world.
Just when the world was about to be filled with old men, a girl stood up.
ANOMALY AGENT is a cyberpunk action-platformer featuring fluid combat, a time-bending story, quirky characters and a catchy synthwave soundtrack! Punch or shoot through mobs of enemies, impact the story with your choices and stop the anomalies before the world plunges into chaos!
Use extraordinary anomaly weapons to toss your opponents around! Overcome your enemies using melee techniques or deadly firearms!
EGGCONSOLE YOKAI TANTEI PC-8801 – £5.39
This is an action game released by Bothtec in 1984.
The player controls the monster detective and engage in battles to rescue Sayuri, who has been lured by a group of monsters.
The unique feature of this game is the distinctive attack method. The fireballs can not only be launched but also freely controlled and detonated. However, since the fireballs are linked to the movement of the player’s character, it may be challenging until you get used to it.
Being caught in the blast of a fireball will also knock down your character, so understanding the stage layout and enemy placements is crucial. Controlling the fireballs becomes a key strategy.
A mysterious letter, a long cab ride, a mansion where nothing is quite as it seems. Help me investigate my missing friend, find the truth about the mysterious mansion, and solve puzzles across time periods in a futuristic time travelling UFO.
Enjoy this classic adventure style game with mind bending puzzles, dry humour and a unique hand/mouse drawn art style. It’s an experience no adventure fan should miss out on.
Silver Falls – Guardians And Metal Exterminators S – £17.99
In the 1980s, the sky was colored by neon lights and the air smelled like hairspray. A hardworking ranch hand, Oxa Boscova, and a daydreaming carpenter, Gold Prospector, meet up for a blind date. Things seem fine until Oxa sees a distant explosion on the ranch where she works. When Oxa runs toward a bright light in the sky, Gold follows close behind. This ordinary date is about to become a terrifying fight for survival!
The next heart-stopping chapter in the story of Silver Falls introduces new gameplay elements never before seen in the series! Play as a variety of unique, quirky characters from across the Silver Falls series. Take on a variety of missions with a range of challenges to earn powerful weapons and skills. Customize your weapons, power up your characters, and chill to the vibe of totally sick 80s beats.
The Adventures of Panzer: Legacy Collection – £8.99
After nearly a decade; the legendary raid leader, General Panzer returns from his mysterious hiatus. Rejoined by his trusty lieutenant, Blarghe, the two of them set off on an incredible adventure to revisit their old raid team members.
Do you like action platforming games? Do you like comedy-driven stories in your games? Do you like retro gaming? And most importantly, do you like classic retro gaming entertainment systems? Then The Adventures of Panzer: Legacy Collection is for you!
The Adventures of Panzer: Legacy Collection is a story-driven action platform game series full of unique levels and incredible platforming action. Select from multiple playable characters, choose your own non-linear game path, and guide Panzer and his team to Victory!
You are thrust into the role as manager of the lingerie shop called ‘Negligee’, and soon a love story unfolds.
Hire the right girl (or girls) to aid you in running the shop, assist the various shoppers in finding what they want to buy, and master your newfound position in order to make the store successful.
Sell ladies’ underwear in this high quality visual novel with multiple choices, multiple routes and multiple endings to unlock.
Dead Tomb is a brand-new fun, point and click adventure game, that will take you back to the heyday of retro gaming.
Your employer sends you on a study that takes you back in time, but as fate would have it, you find yourself in a serious predicament.
A malfunction in your ship forces you to land in Egypt 1300BC where luckily you spot a huge pyramid you can set your craft down on. Well, maybe you are not so lucky?
Embark on a thrilling journey through the cosmos in our cutting-edge 3D sci-fi racing game! Race through futuristic environments with high-speed, gravity-defying spacecraft, where every turn and twist will challenge your skills and push your limits.
Build stunning Arcade centres, purchase a range of arcade machines and manage troublesome staff in this colourful and humorous simulation management game.
12 level campaign.
Sandbox mode with full lockable mode and customisation.
Over 400 different Arcade Machines, VR, Hockey Tables, Modern Machines, Consoles, Rides, Objects, Decorations to place and more!
In-depth Staff Upgrades!
Gift shop and guest facilities.
Themed Areas Wild West, Future Zone, Pirates and Spooky Halloween decorations.
Next week: Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash, POSTAL: Brain Damaged, Project Downfall, The Pigeon – Simulator, Snow Moto – Racing Adventure, Torn Away, Zombie Football Simulator, KUBIC, Turret Rampage, CEIBA, Teppo and The Secret Ancient City, Speed or Death, UDO, and Dreamcutter.