An intriguing assortment of new Switch titles lies before us this week, with the long-running Roguelike Shiren the Wanderer gaining a new instalment, subtitled The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island, and the cult 1991 NES Sunsoft platformer Ufouria receiving an incredibly overdue sequel.
Shiren the Wanderer’s lineage can be traced back to the Super Nintendo, with even SEGA handling the franchise in the West for a while. This RPG series falls into the Roguelike camp – offering randomly generated dungeons and turn based gameplay long before the genre exploded in popularity.
Here, Shiren and his ferret friend Koppa are out to explore a mountain and save a mysterious girl, and a subplot involving pirates features too. Upon death, you’re given the option to return to the bottom of the mountain – resetting all progress – or wait for an online player to come to the rescue. With every run, experience is gained – not in the video game sense, but in the literal sense. Shiren games are based on learning from mistakes and gaining newfound knowledge about the world and the enemies within. Review scores have been positive so far, with the Metacritic sitting at 85% and critics claiming this is the best the franchise has ever been.
We’ve also spent some time with Dead End City this week. It’s another vertical shooter from eastasiasoft, but it’s slightly different from their low-budget affair, arriving at a higher price point and featuring well-drawn 2D sprites and artwork. It has a post-apocalyptic setting and features heavily armoured off-road vehicles and motorbikes swirling around the screen like Galaga and Galaxian. This too forces you to start anew upon death, with no continues or extra lives to speak of. Look out for a review soon.
Whereas Shiren the Wanderer and Dead End City offer a stiff challenge, Ufouria 2: The Saga takes the opposite approach. It’s a very easy going side-scroller not unlike a Kirby or Yoshi platformer, only with a slight Metroidvania feel – all four playable characters have a unique ability and must be switched between accordingly. Our review went live yesterday, where it was awarded a 7/10. It’s polished and nicely presented, in addition to being quite comical, but the lax difficulty means most players will breeze through it pretty quickly.
It seems that Nightdive was able to work their magic once again with the retro FPS STAR WARS: Dark Forces Remaster, which boasts a whole host of improvements and enhancements. Review scores have been positive so far, with Nintendo Life dishing out a 9/10. It’s available now for £24.99. As you as you aren’t expecting something on par with DOOM or Quake, it shouldn’t disappoint.
This week also sees the release of Devolver Digital’s one button physics game Cricket Through the Ages, the promising puzzler duo PICROSS S+ and Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons, the N64 style collectable-filled platformer Cavern of Dreams, and the Pang-inspired Spear Master.
BIT.TRIP Presents… Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien – a fine vintage from 2013 – also makes a vastly belated Switch appearance. Did they forget to celebrate its 10th anniversary?
New Switch eShop releases
Rampage through the fluffy feltwork arts-and-crafts recreation of the world of Ufouria, with your trusty crew from the original game in this exploration-based action side-scroller. Of course, newcomers to Ufouria are welcome too!
Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island – £54.99
In the Mystery Dungeon, the layout of its many floors, the tools you obtain within, and the presence of both friends and foes are different every time you enter. The situation changes each time, so it’s up to you to prepare and adapt to unexpected challenges as they appear. Arm yourself with knowledge of the dungeon’s threats, collect useful resources, and gather allies to make it through. Strive to reach the dungeon’s deepest depths and highest summits!
Civilization has fallen and the few remaining survivors are now the playthings of a gang of post-apocalyptic punks called Scorpio. Your little slice of heaven was raided and your loved ones have been carried off to Scorpio’s stronghold. With nothing left to lose, you head out onto the open road, armed to the teeth and ready to fight through their territory to bring an end to their reign.
Dead End City is a post-apocalyptic vertical shooter. You drive a heavily armed car called a Chariot into the wastelands to rescue your loved ones from Scorpio, a gang that has conquered what little is left of humanity. Fuel is always draining away, so be careful to collect as much as you can or your journey will come to an abrupt halt. Relive the thrill of ’90s arcade classics in top-down shoot’em up style!
STAR WARS: Dark Forces Remaster – £24.99
Star Wars™: Dark Forces Remaster has been brought to life by the team at Nightdive Studios, fully remastered through its proprietary KEX engine. New and returning players will enjoy Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster’s upgraded gameplay, high-resolution textures, enhanced lighting and rendering, and support for gamepads.
The original 1995 Star Wars: Dark Forces raised the bar for FPS games, offering players a significant degree of movement and interactivity, a large selection of items and power-ups, and engaging environments.
BIT.TRIP Presents… Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien – £6.99
Winner of Best Indie Game at the Machinima Inside Gaming Awards and immortalized in the Guinness Book of World Records, this vibrant platformer invites you to explore five mesmerizing worlds, conquer 120 exhilarating levels, and face off against five epic boss battles. Choose from eight unique characters, each with their own flair, as you navigate through visually stunning environments.
And here’s the twist – the legendary Charles Martinet, known for his iconic role as the voice of Mario, serves as the charismatic narrator, adding a touch of whimsy to your rhythmic adventure. The real star? The electrifying soundtrack that pulses with every move, ensuring an immersive gaming experience like no other.
Cricket Through the Ages – £7.19
Swing bats and throw balls through the intertwined histories of humankind and cricket in this one button, physics-driven game.
Over a thousand years ago the human race teetered on the edge of extinction. Our ancestors were helpless against the mighty behemoths of the land. And then, salvation…the game of cricket was invented! Go alone, or take a friend, on a journey through the rich and exquisitely accurate history of cricket in Cricket Through the Ages.
In ATOM RPG: Trudograd your goal is to travel to a giant post-apocalyptic metropolis that withstood the tests of nuclear obliteration and social collapse. There you must find what is thought to be humanity’s last hope in fending off the menace from outer space!
Immerse yourself in the most chill and relaxing fishing game crafted by genuine fishing enthusiasts. Experience the thrill of competition in the world’s most breathtaking fishing spots. Get ready for real excitement, with no monotonous waiting – just non-stop adrenaline-filled action!
Look for hidden treasures and unique places that will take your breath away.
Breathtaking Landscapes:
Traverse snow-covered landscapes and dense forests that create a visual feast for your senses.
Sandstorm Strike Force – £8.99
Immerse yourself in the heart-pounding action of Sandstorm Strike Force, the ultimate military 3D first-person shooter experience. Engage in adrenaline-fueled missions as you navigate treacherous terrain, outsmart cunning enemies, and unleash the full firepower of your arsenal.
You Are A Modern-Day Office Worker in Japan – Explore your career opportunities and work with up to six love interests. See through the eyes of a Japanese career woman and experience full immersion in a contemporary workplace setting where the fantasy can be found in the breakroom.
Spear Master is a fast-paced action game where you throw spears at bouncing balls in order to split them. Destroy enemies, solve puzzles, talk to characters, fight against ferocious bosses and defend the world from the ancient evil known as the Tarr.
Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons – £8.99
Classic Piczle nonograms x Story of Seasons
Enjoy the bucolic charm of Story of Seasons while relaxing and exercising your brain with classic logic-puzzles. All your favourite villagers and bachelors, tools and crops, animals and upgrades in nonogram form will provide you with countless hours of puzzling!
Pecaminosa – A Deadly Hand – £8.99
Pecaminosa – A Deadly Hand blends the charm of pixel art and the mechanics of an Action RPG with the atmosphere of film noir. You have not seen and played anything like it. Interrogate suspects, explore a city dominated by crime and sin, and never hesitate to use your fists and guns. These are hard times in a very tough city.
Designed with human interaction in mind, in We Need to Go Deeper you communicate or perish. Play with friends, strangers, or bots! Pilot, repair, load torpedoes and reroute power as you and your crew dash around one of several unlockable submarines on your voyage into the deep.
Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi Tsuzuri – £40.19
A PC game released in 2011, the second released by the dojin group HaccaWorks*.
It has been adapted into a comic book (10 volumes total), a novel, drama CD, as well as other media.
In 2014 it was re-released on the PSP gaming system with a major revision of the main scenario, and with full voices, a prequel, and a new ending.
This new version of the game has all the content of the PSP version, but is now even easier to play, available on the Nintendo Switch™!
Looking Up I See Only A Ceiling – £2.99
A seemingly monotonous life, full of books and incessant study.
But what happens if you reach the ‘point of no return’?
Live the challenging life of a student in this short psychological adventure game.
Take It Racing 2 is a pseudo racing game built around stats. Buy better cars to race harder races to earn more money. Each race is split into sections, you must decide how to race to shave off precious time and win the upper hand. But keep an eye on your fuel and temperature gauges or you might be left eating dust!
Time Trap: Hidden Objects – £13.49
Time Trap is a searching game telling a detective story with distinct realistic visuals, puzzles, and challenges.
Cape’s Escape Game 7th Room – £8.29
On the way back from the shrine, the Main Character stops by a shopping street.
But most of the shops are closed, and the street is full of closed shutters.
When he roams around looking for an open store…
Fake Cape finally makes his appearance in the game series. Will (Real) Cape be able to show what he’s got?
One More Dungeon 2 is a dungeon crawler roguelite in a fantasy setting.
As a nameless adventure seeker, you venture into an ancient dungeon full of secrets, traps, and hostile creatures. You wake up in the ruins of an ancient fortress, held captive by giant sentient snails.
Use a wide arsenal of magic staves, melee weapons, and forbidden artifacts to fight your way through the crowds of enemies and make it out alive!
A casual action game where you serve craft beer to thirsty bar guests. Become the most popular bartender in town! Wash glasses, clean tables and keep everybody happy!
In this deck-building roguelike, you’ll use a customizable dice set as you battle through randomly generated trails – full of loot, mysteries, and danger to protect inhabitants from the evil that has corrupted the trail.
As a member of the Sturgeon Lodge: a secret society tasked with defeating a malevolent presence that has corrupted Tamarak Trail, it is your job to bring peace to all inhabitants.
Welcome to Anglerfish. Your secluded bar in Mols mountains. Here you will experience the true survival horror of dating, which means you will die. Multiple times. Many times. Every time you die, you have to start over but here’s the catch – the game changes, based on how and where you died to keep you on your toes. To make it through the night, you must uncover the secrets hidden deep down in Anglerfish’s core by exploring every nook and cranny, and solve the buried mysteries. Can you survive your wildest night ever at Anglerfish?
Let’s play Desktop Baseball!
Master simple controls and think up complex tricks and strategies!
Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds – £13.49
Help underwater detective Freddi Fish and her finny friend Luther solve the case. Explore underwater caves, deep canyons and colorful reefs, and discover fascinating places like King Crab’s Castle and A Sunken Ship Out of Time, in an effort to save the reef. Children use logical thinking and reasoning skills as they gather information and then use what they have learned to solve the mysteries of the sea!
Play puzzles from Picross e in the newest Picross S Series release!
Enjoy playing puzzles from the Picross e Series, which was previously only available as downloadable content on the Nintendo 3DS.
This release boasts a total of 300 puzzles for Picross and Mega Picross, including puzzles from the first Picross e game.
Escape Game The Old Folk House – £8.09
This game is an escape-the-room game (mystery-adventure game).
*Point the screen with a cursor to solve riddles, and story goes on.
A Void Hope takes you on an atmospheric narrative adventure to find a cure for a collapsed city. Follow the story of a tormented couple as they try to decipher reality from nightmares and evade the shadowy threats lurking in the dark.
The Lost Ashford Ring – £13.49
Welcome to “The Lost Ashford Ring,” an immersive hidden object game that transports you to the intriguing world of Victorian England. Step into the shoes of a brilliant detective, hired to unravel a captivating mystery by uncovering cleverly concealed clues hidden throughout beautifully rendered scenes.
‘OLLLO’ is a new type of puzzle action game in which players advance through a series of screen loops. A total of 76 stages, ranging from simple to complex, are included. Whether or not you can complete the stages depends on your logic and inspiration.
Get ready for Virus Rush: a bullet-hell, boss-rush game set in the world of microbes! Take control of a tiny virus that just gained consciousness and face intense battles against dangerous pathogens. Experience fast-paced action on a microscopic scale!
Welcome to Pool Together 2! Grab your friends or take on the computer AI in this delightful game
Cavern of Dreams is a surreal 3D platformer with collectathon elements, created in the style of platforming gems. Play as Fynn, the young dragon who enters the Cavern of Dreams in search for his unhatched siblings stolen away by a mysterious villain. Explore densely packed worlds full of puzzles to solve, challenges to overcome, and treasures to collect as you get closer to solving who stole your siblings… and why.
Next week: Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, New Star GP, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, Warhammer 40,000: Dakka Squadron FLYBOYZ EDITION, Unicorn Overlord, Ancient Weapon Holly, DateJournal, Gunsmith Workshop Simulator, Plumber’s Don’t Wear Ties: Definitive Edition, 10 Seconds to Win, Berserk Boy, Hex Gambit: Respawned, Hellstuck: Rage With Your Friends, Cat and Ghostly Road, Diamond Hands: To The Moon, and Astro Duel 2.