Considering the incredible popularity of The Sims, it is surprising that EA hasn’t tried to cram The Sims 4, or even The Sims 3, onto the Switch. This week provides a little something for long-time fans – MySims: Cozy Bundle brings together the Wii hits MySims and MySims Kingdom.
This series was a slight departure, featuring a cutesy art direction and a bigger focus on customisation, allowing budding creatives to design colourful, quirky, towns. This double pack will set you back £34.99 – and if the product description is to go by, we shouldn’t expect much in the way of extras.
Running behind, Life is Strange: Double Exposure comes to Switch this week too, being a sequel to the original and starring Max Caulfield – who’s about to leap through time to prevent a murder. Celebrated cyberpunk feline adventure Stray is another belated conversion arriving this week and reportedly holds up well despite being intended for the PS5. “Stray is a gorgeous open-world platformer that works fantastically on the Switch, despite some understandable graphical limitations. It features a wealth of exploration and verticality only fitting for a sure-footed feline protagonist, as well as a sense of coziness despite the harsh, robotic dystopia,” said Pocket Tactics.
Other releases turning heads include Compile Heart’s Touhou Spell Carnival, which isn’t an RPG as you may expect but rather a tactical battler with bullet hell elements, and the soul-shifting side-scrolling adventure AMEDAMA – which is set during Japan’s Edo period. Aksys are also back with Zero to Dance Hero, featuring different song genres and involving mimicking a dance instructor while holding a Joy-Con in each hand.
G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra – the latest franchise to gain the pixel art side-scrolling brawler treatment – should be out Thursday too, although the middling reviews the PC version received suggest anyone interested should lower expectations. It’s allegedly painfully generic. The same can also be said for eastasiasoft’s Spellagis, a typical example of the auto-shooter genre that offers nothing new whatsoever. We awarded it 5/10 yesterday.
Thursday also sees the release of Inti Creates’ 2D actioner Divine Dynamo Flamefrit, looking set to mix anime inspired top-down hack ‘n slashing with mech piloting. It might be one to watch, this.
Then there’s the Leisure Suit Larry inspired point ‘n clicker Jerry Anker and the Quest to Get Love, an EGGCONSOLE release of the early 2D shooter GUARDIC, murder mystery ‘whodunnit’ Loco Motive, and the monster capturing hack ‘n slash Spirit Mancer.
New Switch eShop releases
Life is Strange: Double Exposure – £49.99
Max Caulfield, photographer-in-residence at the prestigious Caledon University, discovers her closest new friend, Safi, dead in the snow.
Murdered.
To save her, Max tries to Rewind time – a power she’s not used in years… instead, Max opens the way to a parallel timeline where Safi is still alive, and still in danger!
Max realizes the killer will soon strike again – in both versions of reality.
With her new power to Shift between two timelines – can Max solve and prevent the same murder?
Make adorable friends and discover creative adventures across retro re-releases of two lovable games in MySims™: Cozy Bundle. Use your imagination to rebuild a town in MySims™ and help a cute magical land become an even better place in MySims™ Kingdom. There are stories to uncover, locations to explore, and lots of characters with big personalities to meet.
Rediscover the charm of two classic MySims™ games, now on Nintendo Switch™. Fan-favorite characters are waiting to meet you, and a lot of them need your help! There is just one key element missing from these games – your creative touch! It’s time to craft the cutest worlds you can imagine.
Lost, alone and separated from family, a stray cat must untangle an ancient mystery to escape a long-forgotten city.
Stray is a third-person cat adventure game set amidst the detailed, neon-lit alleys of a decaying cybercity and the murky environments of its seedy underbelly. Roam surroundings high and low, defend against unforeseen threats and solve the mysteries of this unwelcoming place inhabited by curious droids and dangerous creatures.
Touhou Spell Carnival – £44.99
Strategy RPG Meets Bullet Hell Mania — Battle in a grid system with a unique blend of real-time strategy elements and bullet hell madness! Hone your strategy skills by moving characters to grid-specific areas, grazing enemy bullets, and unleashing special skills in one simultaneous, action-packed battle!
Use your powers of sorcery to fend off waves of fiendish enemies in top-down pixel art arenas!
Spellagis is a survival shooter where you take the role of a mage beset by swarms of blobs, snakes, ghosts, maggots and more. Wield your staff and fire magical projectiles to slay your foes, then collect coins they drop to buy items from the shop to keep stacking the deck in your favor, from spell enhancements and protective summons to food for quick health boosts. Destroy barrels in the arena for random potions and stacks of coins! Just always stay on your toes or enemy hordes will box you in.
Will you become the most powerful mage as you fight to survive, or will you succumb to the onslaught?
Aihama, Japan. The final years of the Edo period. One rain-drenched evening, a group of men burst into the town’s brother and sister-run umbrella shop. Yushin is cut down in front of his sister Yui, leaving her alone in the world. The next thing he knows, he is looking down at his own stricken corpse—a soul without a body. The grim incident shatters the peace in this quiet backwater. Lurking beneath the surface is an intricate, deep-rooted plot, shrouded in mystery. Until Yui is safe, not even death is enough to extinguish Yushin’s soul. He’ll stop at nothing on his quest, shifting from body to body, possessing anyone and anything to rescue his sister. But with just seven days before his soul departs this world—can he save Yui in time?
You are the Servonauts – a team of dedicated, enthusiastic and utterly replaceable service station attendants. Work together with your friends to refine fuel, build pipelines and manage mayhem in many exotic locations throughout the galaxy.
When cars pull into your servo, they’ll request specific kinds of fuels. Build machines to refine this fuel, and combine fuels to make advanced recipes! But be careful – pumping the wrong fuel can have *explosive* consequences.
Welcome aboard the Reuss Express, a journey of a life-time derailed by an unexpected assassination.
On the eve of a landmark speech by the wealthy heiress Lady Unterwald, a straight-laced lawyer, a crime novelist-turned rookie detective, and an undercover spy find themselves embroiled in a murder, a mystery, and worst of all… an adventure!
Now stuck onboard a luxurious steam train, within stabbing distance of a cold-blooded killer, the race is on to prove their innocence once and for all!
The duel you’ve only dreamed of is finally a reality!
Battle it out with advanced original machines and stages, and claim victory for your team!
Jerry Anker and the Quest to get Love – £13.49
Enter Jerry Anker or at least he’d like to enter. Considered the dillweed of town, Jerry didn’t get invited. Now he’s far from a badass, but his theoretical knowledge about gender relations is as broad as his cunning. He’ll need that, his wits, a sense of humor and the outside-the-box thinking to outsmart the lugheads and scrubs keeping him from his goal. A hot date with at least one of the lovely gals at the party!
Jerry Anker and the Quest to get Love! is a nostalgic successor to some of the best when it comes to Point and Click Adventures! Beyond an amazing handcrafted 2D world, you’ll find familiar characters, fun banter and more in this fresh tale.
But never forget. Only with your help does Jerry stand a chance to achieve his goal. Don’t leave him hanging!
You, the player, have somehow lost your human body and been turned into an ‘Ichimatsu doll’. In this action-adventure game, you must explore a traditional Japanese house to find a way to turn back to normal.
Cook For Love is a cozy cooking game where you’ll be in the shoes of Clement – a young Frenchman, who gets hired at a popular Parisian restaurant. With the help of a recipe book, you will be able to cook unique dishes of varying complexity and conquer the world’s taste buds!
Homecoming -KITAKU- is a first-person horror game in which players search their own home. Players explore an empty home, finding hidden items and texts as they unravel a complex mystery. The eerie past that lives in the house and the truth about the missing family members quietly await you. Your decisions will determine the outcome of the story and illuminate the hidden secrets.
The serene environment and tense storyline will challenge the boundaries between reality and fiction. It is up to you to overcome the challenges that await you in this eerie house and recover the lost truth. No amount of darkness can keep secrets from being revealed.
Project 13: Taxidermy Trails – £5.39
Welcome to Project 13: Taxidermy Trails, a Walking Simulator set in a mesmerizing Taxidermy Museum. In this immersive experience, you assume the role of an kidnapped Probant forced to find a way to escape. Complete all 13 Walks to get out of this Nightmare.
Your mission is clear: report any anomalies you encounter during your walks. But beware, a single misstep means starting over. Only by consistently reporting accurately will lead to the real Exit.
EGGCONSOLE GUARDIC MSX – £5.39
This is a shooting game released in 1986 in Japan. Players control their ship, battling waves of enemies, with the goal of finding and destroying the enemy’s mothership.
The game features a top-down view. Players maneuver their ship, defeating enemies to progress to the next stage. Along the way, strategic elements like route selection and power allocation make this game stand out from typical shooters. Power distribution is particularly important, as players need to carefully manage their resources ― such as speed and shot power ― to avoid running out of energy at crucial moments.
Though a shooter, mapping is required, giving this game a unique twist. It’s highly recommended for players looking for a different type of shooting experience.
Idle Gameplay: Enjoy a laid-back, stress-free experience where the game truly helps you unwind and relax. Even when you’re taking a break, your devils will keep fighting, ensuring you continue to grow stronger.
Time Walker: Dark World – £6.29
Lead four Time Walkers to torture the Dark Lord and his subordinates with more than 40 skills. Match different skill builds without class limits. Archer healer, assassin tank or wizard warrior? All up to you.
Choose four Heroes before battles, match them with different abilities to produce amazing chain reaction. Create your unique Time Walker every time you start!
Become a Dance Hero from Zero!
Grab your Joy-Con™ controllers, and get your body moving to the beat!
Learn popular hip-hop dance moves from basic to complex.
But you won’t be alone on your dancing journey. Four instructors help along the way!
KUUKIYOMI 4: Consider It – £6.99
Why do humans “read the air“?
The answer lies in this “KUUKIYOMI 4: Consider It”.
This game puts the spotlight on the childhood of the main character “You”,
Let’s Consider It with innocence while looking back on various events that everyone must have experienced in their childhood.
The basic rule of deciding what to do in situations by moving the red object on the screen is the same.
Please consider the situation and read the atmosphere according to the various scenes that will be asked.
Super Rolling Heroes Deluxe – £10.00
Bounce and break everything as you roll downhill in this beautiful game!
Play normally for a relaxed experience or push your skills to the limit in hard mode. Destroy every object while maintaining momentum, exploding, bouncing, using power-ups, and avoiding all kinds of deadly obstacles.
Experience simple yet finely-tuned gameplay with numerous levels, secrets, and rewards to customize your hero.
The best game ever made about a guy in a rabbit costume jumping through wormholes. Embark on a challenging journey through time and space in search of something non-specific that will leave you with intense feelings of [INSERT STIRRING EMOTION HERE]!
Super Bunny Man is a chaotic co-op physics-based platformer where you use rolling, jumping, and grabbing to overcome challenges. Bring a friend. Beat levels, time attacks, enter wormholes, and find hidden carrots, all while evading spikes, boulders, pitfalls, and other challenges. Become Super Bunny Man!
A collaboration between writer Tomo Kataoka, the creator of CNGAL’s Best Galgame of 2020 Christmas Tina, and Kohaku Sumeragi, a popular illustrator praised in Japan and around the world, they bring you the ultimate visual novel.
Visual novels aim to immerse players in captivating narratives and evoke empathy for the characters. The mechanics are simple, often requiring just a press of a button to progress, giving even first-time players an accessible and enjoyable experience.
Fight your way home using a variety of weapons, guns, and Spirit Cards. Capture and summon demons as your allies in battles to defeat the Queen of Inferno.
Lost in the inferno, you are a demon hunter who accidentally got teleported to this demon’s realm. Now, you must unite with your allies and find a mystical key to open the portal back to your world.
ARIDA: Backland’s Awakening – £10.00
A historical single player game with elements of adventure and survival.
Explore the aridest regions, collect resources and discover clues about the destiny of the young Cícera, a girl that faces the drought to explore the 19th-century Brazilian backlands to find her parents again.
Divine Dynamo Flamefrit – £5.89
“Divine Dynamo Flamefrit” is a 2D action game inspired by classic games and anime.
Play as the hero Yuto in top-down slashing adventure stages, and pilot the magical robot Flamefrit for first-person boss battles!
Master both styles of gameplay to restore peace to the parallel world of Hologard!
Next week: Snow Bros. Wonderland, Nine Sols, Riviera: The Promised Land, Crystal Breaker, Death Elevator, Furious Bikers, Mission in Snowdriftland, 2weistein in Asban, Dungeons of Dreadrock 2 – The Dead King’s Secret, Crown Wars: The Black Prince, Critter Café, Glitch Hero, Atama, Beyond Memories – Tale of the Lost Souls, and Santa’s Chimney Quest.