Presumably due to the kids being off school, the Switch eShop is cluttered with shovelware this week. Not just shoddy looking mobile conversions, but a bunch of adventure style games with trashy AI generated art. One of these is even trying to pass itself off as an official Disney tie-in. Madness.
There is at least plenty of decent stuff around to compensate. One such title is Thank Goodness You’re Here, a comical cartoony adventure set in a northern British town. Numerous UK critics have taken a shine to it, with scores including 5/5s from Eurogamer and VGC.
Then there’s Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, a remaster of a Star Wars Episode II tie-in that’s rarely talked about these days. Set before the events of the film, it sees Jango Fett hired by Sith Lord Darth Tyranus to eliminate a Dark Jedi. How Jango acquired Slave I is also revealed here. The PS2/GameCube original arrived to mixed reviews at launch. This remaster however promises some improvements, including a new flashlight tool.
From PS2 to PS1. Limited Run are dusting off Tomba (aka Tombi) – a colourful 2.5D platformer that’s very hard to acquire (legally) these days. This re-release includes save states, a rewind tool, a new soundtrack, and an artwork gallery. The sequel shouldn’t be too far behind, already confirmed.
Sunsoft’s 1993 circus-themed platformer Aero the Acro-Bat also makes a return this week, although it hasn’t exactly been gone for long – both this and the vastly improved Aero II are available on Evercade. Retro fans may also want to look out for the 16-bit style platformer Farlands Journey, and the horizontal shoot’em up Cilla.
City Connection, meanwhile, has plans to bring back Jaleco’s Famicom games as standalone releases including extras such as documentation scans. First up is the RPG infused Pinball Quest, which we’ve championed on these pages before. Yokai Club and Bio Senshi DAN are apparently next.
Somewhat newer are the physic based puzzler World of Goo 2 – a long time coming sequel to a WiiWare classic – the promising combat-focued Metroidvania MARS 2120, ambient gardening sim The Garden Path, the fast-paced sci-fi Roguelike Trinity Fusion, and the cooperative spy adventure Operation: Tango – which requires a microphone to play.
Visual novel fans are also well catered for, with two double packs due: Hakuoki: Chronicles of Wind and Blossom, and TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos – which was originally for VR platforms.
New Switch eShop releases
TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK – £44.99
Unite Two Epic Adventures in One Twin Pack!
Dive into the mystery of “TOKYO CHRONOS” and the sci-fi thrill of “ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos” in a single, unforgettable bundle! With character designs by LAM, this Twin Pack promises stunning visuals and immersive storytelling.
Eir Aoi performs the opening theme and ASCA delivers the ending theme for TOKYO CHRONOS.
A talented lineup of artists, including ASCA, R!N, Wolpis Carter, Setsuko, YuNi, and Konomi Suzuki, have contributed to ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos!
Thank Goodness You’re Here! – £15.99
After arriving early for a big meeting with the mayor of a bizarre Northern English town, a traveling salesman takes the time to explore and meet the locals, who are all very eager to give him a series of increasingly odd jobs…
“Thank Goodness You’re Here!” is a comedy slapformer, which unfolds over time as the players’ exploration and antics leave their mark on the strange town of Barnsworth. With each completed odd job, new areas of the town open up, stranger and stranger tasks become available, and the clock ticks towards our salesman’s big meeting. The town’s colorful inhabitants are brought to life with vibrant hand-drawn animation, fully voiced dialogue, and wall-to-wall double entendres.
STAR WARS: Bounty Hunter – £17.99
Experience the legendary Bounty Hunter fantasy set before the events of Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. Face off against foes and maneuver through acrobatic battles in this adaption optimized for today’s consoles and hardware.
Fight your way through the galaxy’s underbelly, equipped with Dual Blasters, your Flamethrower, Whipcord, and pure Mandalorian Rage.
Tomba! Special Edition
Evil pigs. Man-eating plants. Hidden paths. Wacky weapons. Moving obstacles. Can you believe what Tomba has to go through to conquer the menacing swine?!
In the 22nd century, the first human colony on MARS sends a distress signal to the United Nations. You are recruited to find out what has happened. What awaits you upon arrival is far more unsettling than anything you’ve imagined.
Survive by investigating diverse locations, unlock elemental skills and combine them with powerful melee attacks against formidable bosses. Uncover the colony’s mysterious fate and escape the chaos in this atmospheric, combat-focused action adventure.
Use living liquid creatures to build bridges, grow towers, terraform terrain, and fuel flying machines. The world is beautiful, dangerous, and evolving.
Every level is a realistic physics and fluid simulation. Build, splash, explode, destroy, fly, and roll your way through your own unique solutions to each level.
Local co-operative play exclusively on Nintendo Switch. Build together!
Explore a new story spanning hundreds of thousands of years and watch the world change.
Originally released in 1993, Aero the Acro-Bat is back to save the world of circus once again!
The powerful and eccentric industrialist Edgar Ektor has sworn to destroy the world of amusement as revenge for being banished from the circus when he was a kid after one of his pranks went too far and almost killed a circus animal. He started by invading a local circus with his gang of mad clowns and kidnapping all the circus staff to spoil the show.
Now it’s up to Aero the Acro-Bat, the circus’s star performer, to rescue his friends and girlfriend Ariel, and put a stop to Edgar Ektor’s mad plans so everyone can enjoy the show again!
Rejoinder – Procedural Roguelite – £4.99
Play! Die! Repeat!
Rejoinder is an endless, repeatable roguelite game with procedural generated levels where you must defeat the army of skeletons, evil warriors, and powerful bosses. Collect coins to upgrade your sword, and buy stronger potions for your character.
Hakuoki: Chronicles of Wind and Blossom – £44.99
Two legendary visual novels come together in Hakuoki: Chronicles of Wind and Blossom, a remastered compilation of Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms and Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds, each among the most beloved entries in the acclaimed Japanese otome series. Players take the role of young heroine Chizuru as she is surrounded by the handsome warriors of the Shinsengumi. As battle ensues, who will emerge victorious and who will claim Chizuru’s heart?
The Garden Path is a slice-of-life gardening sim that celebrates small moments. No matter how you decide to play, the garden is a tender world of familiar sights and sounds, mysteries, and friendly faces. A space to call your own, to curate, and to reflect.
Explore dark, sci-fi worlds and engage in fast-paced, smooth and precise combat.
The various branches of the multiverse are always changing. Fight through a combination of procedurally-generated levels as well as hand-crafted challenges and arenas that will put your skills to the test. Levels with 3D graphics are seamlessly constructed out of hundreds of hand-made rooms.
With weapons and attack systems that leverage our previous experience working on fighting games. You’ll slide, dash and dodge between enemy attacks and strike back with an arsenal of satisfying special weapons and abilities.
It takes two to save the world in this cooperative spy adventure. Pair up with a friend as Agent or Hacker—with only your voices to connect you—and work together to bring a hi-tech global menace to its knees.
JALECOlle Famicom Ver. Pinball Quest – £7.19
Enjoy the thrilling and exhilarating pinball controls combined with an RPG storyline in this pinball action game!
This title includes both the Japanese and overseas versions in a 2-in-1 package.
The main mode is the quest mode ‘R.P.G.’ which incorporates novel ideas and systems as a pinball game. Additionally, you can play on three diverse tables: ‘POP! POP!’, ‘VIVA! GOLF’ and ‘CIRCUS’.
TENSEI is a very casual endless action game.
In a journey of repeated leaps and descents, you ascend slowly into the sky, like a brush tracing on paper.
TENSEI offers you a moment to leave your busy daily life behind and become mindless.
The thrill of a dungeon crawler with the vibe of a city builder, Landnama is a survival strategy game that forces you to carefully decide your next step. Explore the land and discover hidden challenges and powerful landmarks. Build your settlement and brace for the punishing Winter’s Toll. Settle each region with differently skilled clans while facing ever increasing challenges and no second chances.
BANISH THE HELLSPAWN Embody the role of the defender angel who has been called forth to stem the tide of an encroaching hell horde. It falls upon your halo to plan out the defenses, however your adversaries shall not stand idly as they will blot out the sun with fire just to clip your wings. Yet, you are not defenseless as the angel can smite enemies on his own if need be.
Chef Chen’s restaurant is in financial trouble, and he discovers that entering a high-stakes cooking competition could be his chance to win a large cash prize. Chef Chen and his friends decide to give it a shot, and they participate in a magical cooking competition in the world of fantasy.
This is a puzzle game you keep catching two or more characters next to each other. When the number of characters on the screen runs low, they are replenished from the right side of the screen, and the puzzle can be continued forever.
In the Special mode, various elements are added, such as obstructing blocks and helpful items.
An Arrange mode changing the character into simple image is also included.
Welcome to Death Noodle Delivery.Deliver the noodles, don’t waste a single portion and most importantly… try not to die.
Ride your hoverboard and deliver your boss’ noodles, but be careful: there are plenty of dangers lurking in this cyberpunk city on the brink of collapse, from AI drones to bad drivers, I’d keep your eyes on the road.
Upgrade your old hoverboard from a rusty ironing board to a perfected killing machine. Jailbreak AI paywalls and unlock new power-ups that let you manipulate time and launch explosive cats!
Talk to your neighbours and find out their dirty stories. Browse the web for hacks and pleasure. Survive long enough, and you may discover that this world hides a terrible secret.
Sybil Harrington is a struggling writer looking to escape her daily life which is falling apart.
After her most recent misadventure leaves her on the tropical island of Trigue, Sybil must rely on four very different but equally enthralling women to help her solve the problems that assail her.
Summer in Trigue is an entrancing girls love visual novel with multiple paths to romance and, intrigue…
Players are divided into two roles: the goldfish (Werewolf) who wants to swim around unseen, and the scoopers (Villagers) who want to scoop up the Werewolf.
Pass through the checkpoints without being detected to win!
In this game, you lie in bed, trying to survive for 20 days. You have to eat, carry about your mental state, and use a bucket as a toilet. You are a young girl who got into a car crash, and after being released from the hospital, she could not get up from the bed, not due to the injuries but to her degrading mental state. You need to survive through the game timeline and not die because of starvation or depression.
You will acquaint yourself with Cilla – a mysterious entity thrust into the heart of war. She is the Perfect Soldier. Devoid of pain, fear, and remorse. Her journey intertwines with the harsh present and what seems to be an inevitable future, as endless losses and extraterrestrial threats pursue her at every turn. But what will happen when Cilla faces her most challenging trial – a choice that will change everything?
Here they are – EvoMons – extraordinary creatures. Prepare them to become true EvoMon Champions! Take care of their needs, feed and train them while watching how a tiny, vulnerable baby evolves into a fearless warrior.
King ’n Knight is an arcade platform game that takes place in a medieval fantasy world. Play solo or co-op in this adventure inspired by the games of the 16-bit era.
In King ’n Knight, you will travel alone or with your friends for an adventure in a medival fantasy world filled with demons. You have to fight against the monsters to restore peace in the realm and free your princess from the claws of evil.
Metroplex Zero: Sci-Fi Card Battler – £9.99
Assemble your squad, customize your decks, gain powerful cybernetic augments, and take on evil megacorporations!
There are a variety of unique heroes you can include in your squad, each with their own unique gameplay. Every hero access to a different set of skills. Want to throw grenades and shoot rifles? Protect your team with powered shields? Afflict your foes with intense psychological pain? Hide in the shadows and wait for the perfect time to strike? You can do all of that! Put the heroes you want in your squad and synergize their skills for double-infinite variety of playstyles!
Farlands Journey is a colorful classic adventure platformer game where you play as a little witch fighting the evil forces. Embark on an adventure to recover the stolen heart of your Magical Academy. Discover various magic spells and hats with unique effects. Defeat monsters and their bosses. Solve puzzles by combining platforming skills and magical spells. Collect gems and spend them on upgrades in Magical Academy.
Next week: Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid, Volgarr the Viking II, Cat Quest III, The Villainess Is Adored by the Prince of the Neighbor Kingdom, SteamWorld Heist II, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Chronicles, VIVIDLOPE, Billy Bumbum: A Cheeky Puzzler, Escape from the Pharaoh’s Tomb, , Delirium, Cattie, The Lullaby of Life, I Want To Go To Mars, and the 18+ rated PumPum.