Next week looks incredibly busy for the Switch with over a dozen notable new releases due. This week isn’t looking too bad either, especially if you have a penchant for all things retro.
Monday saw the release of BAKERU, Spike Chunsoft’s spiritual successor to Konami’s 3D Goeman games. Developed by Good-Feel (Yoshi’s Crafted World/Princess Peach: Showtime) it’s an action platformer with beat’em up elements and a few diversions such as a racing mini-game. It’s set in a “fairy tale” version of Japan influenced by period dramas, and sees Bakeru trying to free Japan from evil spirits holding a festival. The Metacritic score sits at 81% currently, with most reviews clocking in at 8/10. A few 9/10s have been bandied about, too.
Capcom meanwhile dishes up Ace Attorney Investigations Collection, which sees the two titles gain a HD makeover. A chapter select, story mode – in which puzzles are solved automatically – and an autoplay mode have also been added, along with a gallery.
Aksys Games continues to help gamers fight the flab, this time with the electric blue hued Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU – which features the largest selection of music in the series to date. Daily exercises, warmups, and difficulty setting will feature.
If Ace Attorney Investigations Collection wasn’t retro enough for your liking, there’s also an inexpensive re-release of Aero The Acro-Bat 2 that adds cheats and a gallery, an EGGCONSOLE release of the MSX’s early influential RPG Hydlide, and Sunsoft is Back – a collection of three early Famicom games translated into English for the first time, including a point ‘n clicker. We gave it the review treatment yesterday.
The next game has connections to Sunsoft too. Gimmick! 2 is a long time sequel coming to the cult NES classic, in which our bouncy green blob-like hero uses a physics-enabled star projectile not just to defeat enemies but to get around too. The game description promises the star can be used to find shortcuts and beat speed run records. David Wise has been called in for the soundtrack, which features new BGMs and remixes of old.
Other new releases include the twisted escape room Billy’s Game Show – which we also reviewed earlier this week – the JoyCon enriched Badminton Time, 8-bit style Roguelike shooter HOLYHUNT, and the board game adaptation Scotland Yard – Hunting Mister X. What’s with all the all-caps titles this week?
New Switch eShop releases
Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU – £44.99
Partner up with Hatsune Miku, and duck, jab, and punch your way to fitness in the classic Fitness Boxing Mode, or in the brand new “Miku Exercise” mode featuring original songs from your favorite Piapro Characters! Get moving and have fun working out at home with Hatsune Miku!
Ace Attorney Investigations Collection – £34.99
Experience both Ace Attorney Investigation games in one gorgeous collection! Step into the shoes of Miles Edgeworth, that prosecutor of prosecutors from the Ace Attorney mainline games!
Leave the courtroom behind as you walk with Edgeworth around the crime scene, gathering evidence and clues and talking with persons of interest. Use your wit and what you discover to solve tough, intriguing cases through logic and deduction.
Disaster strikes Japan!
Oracle Saitaro and his Festival Troops are using a bizarre festival to take over Japan. Bakeru travels to 47 Japanese prefectures to free Japan from the grip of evil spirits!
Spectacular action set in fairy tale Japan!
Bakeru takes place in “Fairy Tale Japan,” a mix of modern Japan and old period dramas, which is divided into more than 50 stages.
Battle on with Bakeru’s drum!
A secret treasure passed down by Tanuki Clan. It is said to be able to purify evil spirits. Fight through enemies and traps with simple controls!
Transform into fairy tale heroes!
By obtaining a Henge License, Bakeru can transform into whoever gave him the license. Transform into famous Japanese heroes like Kintaro and Momotaro to use their skills and abilities.
A classic challenge modernized
In Gimmick! 2, you once again meet the green little yokai Yumetaro. Decades after his first adventure he now sets out on a new quest in a world packed with interesting challenges, dangerous enemies, and hidden treasures.
The game can be played in either an friendlier assisted mode, or if you’re up for a challenge play in the true-to-the-original “Gimmick!” mode!
In a not-so-distant future, nations invest heavily in scientific research to address food shortages. This leads to the discovery of new elements beyond the 119th. Tokyo scientist Hikojuro Araki creates Araraginium, the 256th element, capable of generating life from nothingness. However, during the inaugural experiment, an unexpected accident scatters Araraginium across Tokyo.
Days later, a strange phenomenon occurs: individuals presumed dead reappear, retaining memories from before their demise. Dubbed Araragi Humans, they emerge from the period between the accident and 72 hours prior.
This story unfolds in Tokyo years later…
After managing to stop Edgar Ektor’s mad plans to destroy the world of amusement, Aero decides to investigate the madman’s museum of horror.
There here finds a strange floating magician’s box. When he gets inside to investigate it, he is suddenly transported to a mysterious place. However, unbeknownst to Aero, Edgar has managed to survive after being rescued by his minion Zero, and has asked him to execute the plan B, but what could this mysterious plan be?
Aero will need to escape the mysterious place he’s trapped in if he wants to stop Edgar Ektor’s new plan!
What Happened – Through Worlds – £5.99
Embark on a mysterious journey through the digital enigma of “What Happened – Through Worlds”. Evelyn, a skilled programmer, stumbles upon an experimental program hidden deep within the archives of an old server. Intrigued, Evelyn activates the program, transporting herself into an unknown realm of fragmented data and glitched code.
Just lay down and chill with the cozy vibe of the Ultimate Holidays sandbox game, where you can begin whenever you are with your beloved console and start creating your own special place as your ultimate holiday goal.
Transform your sketches from an old notebook and bring them back to life in a new form. Whether it’s a beautiful landscape or an energetic character – they can now move, hop, skip, jump, and enjoy their freedom of movement on the pages of Flipbook! And all of this is done by your hand only.
HOLYHUNT is a roguelike shooter game that unites the nostalgic and fun 8-bit aesthetic with modern and deep shooting mechanics.
Make your way into the church hall to shoot and dash-holy-punch through different species of demons and bosses with unique mechanics that keeps challenging your abilities each run.
Buy improvements and different bullets suited to exploit your enemies weakness and recieve blessings from angels as you keep fighting to get even stronger.
Trust your faith and keep shooting to save the world from the doomsday prophecy!
Billy’s Game Show is a Stealth Horror Game. Play against an AI that watches your moves through security cameras. Your goal is to find the 3 hidden heads and escape the horror of the show.
You’re the current contestant in a twisted game environment designed by Billy himself, for his own twisted enjoyment. Billy’s Game Show set is made for you to choose your own path, but remember, it’s Billy’s game, and he sets the rules. He will challenge you with traps, hidden paths, different puzzles, and most importantly, three generators which need you to consistently keep an eye open, otherwise, they will eliminate you.
Hunt hordes of sinister monsters by outsmarting them with strategy and critical thinking in this engaging turn-based grid puzzler. Complete the levels in as few turns as possible and help V-Hunter defeat the evil vampire Alric!
Do you have what it takes to defeat those foes and save the day?
Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost – £26.09
“Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost” is a Touhou Project Officilly Approved Derivative Rhythm Action Game.
There are 2 modes for you to enjoy! Unveil the mystery of the destroyed Gensokyo in “Story Mode” or play to the rhythm to your heart’s content in the “Free Mode”.
You can enjoy numbers of Touhou arrange music in 4 difficulties.
A competitive match between friends? Or perhaps a hilarious session with superpowers? Then you’ve come to the right place in Badminton Time!
Badminton Time will get you moving! Grab a Joy-Con™ in each hand and move your racket to strike.
The Backrooms: Survival – £11.99
The Backrooms: Survival is a horror game with roguelike elements. Featuring randomized levels, items and events, every playthrough is a fresh one. Players find themselves in seemingly never-ending narrow and tight corridors known as the backrooms, where they will need to explore carefully in an attempt to find a way out. You will need to try and remain sane while seeking out food and drink, and avoiding any possible hostilities lurking around the corners..
Shake things up with SUPER SHAKING GIRL!!!, an exhilarating action game that’ll have you shaking sodas to propel yourself through the air! Harness the power of carbonated beverages to fly up into the sky, grabbing more sodas as you hurdle through the air to shake, shake, and propel yourself even higher.
Scotland Yard – Hunting Mister X – £17.99
Mister X has gone underground somewhere in London, and the only clues are the tickets he carelessly threw away. But where did he use them? Look! There! Was that a quick glimpse of him? Now you just need to keep calm – secure the area, figure out his escape route, and nab him!
Play as one of five clever detectives on a mission to track down the legendary Mister X, in this exciting police chase through the streets of London. Or try your hand at being the criminal mastermind instead, and try to escape from the detectives yourself!
Shield King is an action and survival game set in a world enveloped by a strange gray mist. After coming into contact with this mist, people have transformed into violent monstrosities. The mist seems to be closer to the ground, prompting people to seek refuge in high places, although safety is not guaranteed. Little is known about this mysterious phenomenon.
Flick Erasers Battle Royale – £3.77
Flick Erasers has become a battle royale!
Cross from desk to desk in a bid to survive!
Victory is within your grasp!!
Gold Digger: The Simulator – £7.99
Immerse yourself in the exciting world of gold mining with Gold Digger: The Simulator! In this game, you will become a real prospector and venture into uncharted lands in search of gold. You are in for a captivating adventure where every step can bring you closer to precious riches. The realistic gameplay and graphics will allow you to fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere of gold prospecting.
Create your own inmate and see how long you can survive in a sprawling facility, where hundreds of fellow prisoners are trying to get through each day in real-time. Develop relationships with an advanced dialogue system that allows you to start conversations before the drama comes to you. Should you choose violence, a combat system perfected by wrestling lets you express yourself with your fists! Hundreds of fully interactive props can be equipped in either hand as tools or weapons – including mind-blowing gunplay that allows you to shoot at ANY moment. Reinforced by a creative crafting system, you’ve only ever run out of ammo when you’ve run out of ideas.
Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection – £8.99
SUNSOFT is back and it’s bringing some of its 8-bit classics to the West for the very first time!
In SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection, discover three of the legendary Japanese publisher’s Famicom games and play them in English for the first time ever!
The three games included are: The Wing of Madoola, Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido and Ripple Island.
Next week: MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland, Caravan Sandwich, Yars Rising, Selfloss, Elsie, Crossy Road Castle, LOLLIPOP CHAINSAW RePOP, Jackbox Naughty Pack, Fabledom, Wild Bastards, Celestia: Chain of Fate, Edge of Sanity, Deep Beyond, Samurai Kento, Moe Waifu H Genius, Warzone Chronicles 2: Warfare Shooter Zombie, Kiki – A Vibrant 3D Platformer, Nubla, Nubla 2, Customers From Hell, Eden Genesis, Doomsday Paradise, Line Time, 10-Second Ghost, NanoApostle, METRO QUESTER | OSAKA, Make it! Crepe, GoobnBalloonsDX, Garden Witch Life, and The Hokkaido Serial Murder Case: The Okhotsk Disappearance.