The Switch eShop is swarming with AI-encrusted shovelware this week, more so than usual. With Christmas inching closer it’s likely only going to get worse, with shady publishers looking to make a quick buck. It definitely makes our job harder when trying to pick out games of note.
There is quite a bit to get stuck into this week, though, especially if you’re up for something different. Snow Bros. Wonderland takes the cult arcade platformer – based around trapping enemies in snowballs before sending them flying – and turns it into a 3D isometric platformer with a focus on co-op. It’s looking quite fun and inviting.
Another franchise making a comeback is Riviera: The Promised Land, originally a WonderSwan RPG that went on to gain a GBA release. This is the GBA version, enhanced with auto-saving, a 5X speed tool, HD illustrations, and an improved interface. Retro fans may also want to investigate The Epyx Games – Sports Collection, which includes California Games and numerous other C64 sporting titles, along with 3D renders of box art. This week’s EGGCONSOLE release, meanwhile, is the 1988 RPG The Scheme. Can’t say we’re familiar with it.
The top-down viewed Dungeons of Dreadrock 2 – The Dead King’s Secret is a new title critics have been diving into, and has been positively received so far. “Satisfying gameplay variety and well-drawn, 32-bit-style graphics are the strong points here, though its relative simplicity and occasionally frustrating puzzle solutions are minor drawbacks,” said Nintendo Life.
Nacon are also readying the full price (£44.99) Crown Wars: The Black Prince, in which you must recruit, equip and train soldiers before engaging in turn-based battles. Prisoners can be ransomed, and your castle expanded. Another belated conversion is Nine Sols, the Asian-fantasy 2D Metroidvania inspired by Sekiro. The PC version was well received.
Other new releases include the Rare-inspired 3D platformer GEORGIE-YOLKIE, close-range 2D shoot’em up Crystal Breaker, low poly FPS Death Elevator, the programming language-infused 2D adventure Glitch Hero, investigative tale TOKYO PSYCHODEMIC, and the parkour 3D platformer Om Nom: Run 2. We’re going to go ahead and assume that the last one is a mobile conversion.
New Switch eShop releases
Crown Wars: The Black Prince – £44.99
Knights and brigands run rampant throughout the land, sowing destruction. But an even greater evil is lurking and plotting in the shadows. At the helm of your domain, lead the fight against the forces of evil in this turn-based tactics and strategy game.
From your castle – your seat of operations – recruit, equip and train your soldiers to fight all those that threaten the kingdom. Build squads according to the requirements of each mission, then set out to find the source of the Evil and thwart the malevolent plans of the Order in brutal turn-based combat. Your management and strategic skills will be put to the test. Manage your resources wisely to help your domain flourish, and plan your squad excursions by choosing which missions to tackle.
Snow Bros. Wonderland – £24.99
Previously, Snow Bros. was always a two-player game (which makes perfect sense given the name), but this time, the number of players has doubled! Now, you can have up to four players at once, making the adventure even more fun to experience. After all, shared joy is double the joy, and quadrupled joy is even better! Oh, and did you know that you can also customize your snowy avatar with hats, goggles, scarves, and all kinds of fun stuff? Find your own style!
Riviera: The Promised Land – £30.19
At the behest of Hector, who is one of the Seven Magi, the Grim Angel Ein and his familiar, Rose, along with another Grim Angel named Ledah, all head to Riviera, an island floating in Asgard.
On the way, Ursula, the guardian of the Riviera, appears and is thwarted by the Grim Angels’ intrusion.
Ein, whose memories were sealed by Ursula’s attack, wakes up in Elendia, where the spirits live…
The Epyx Games – Sports Collection – £11.99
In the 1980s, the gold-medal-winning name for sports games on the C64 was Epyx. Now you can relive over 50 different athletic and sporting events across eight of Epyx’s retro classics in this remastered collection, including the best-seller California Games.
Take home the gold in everything from skiing to skateboarding, from wrestling to roller skating, from BMX to bobsled, and many more. Epyx games were known for their amazing animation and stunningly accurate and immersive gameplay, with some even developed in coordination with former Olympic athletes for a truely authentic experience.
Play with up to 8 players, with many events supporting two-player simultaneous play.
Dungeons of Dreadrock 2 – The Dead King’s Secret – £13.49
Puzzle and fight your way through the ancient caverns of Dreadrock Mountain. As a member of the Order of the Flame, embark on a holy quest to find the Crown of Wisdom. Uncover the truth behind the Dead King’s powers and choose your destiny. Will you remain true to the flame, or will you forge your own path?
Please be aware of any train anomalies…
Platform 8 is a sequel to The Exit 8. You will enjoy it more if you have played the previous title.
Platform 8 is a short walking simulator inspired by Japanese subways and liminal spaces, and the Backrooms.
Steam Prison -Beyond the Steam- – £33.97
This story takes place two years after the “Grand Ending” from the original Steam Prison.
While riding the “buggy” invented by the engineer (and information broker) Ulrik, our party arrives in the new land of Cainabel, where they meet a pair of kings. The story unfolds from there.
This release also includes an additional story titled A New Theory.
In A New Theory, our heroine must confront the injustice of her world.
She makes contact with the HOUNDS in order to clear her name, and decides to forge a new path for herself…
Om Nom: Run 2 is the exciting sequel to the popular arcade action game, where your main goals are simple: run, avoid obstacles, and race to the finish line!
Concoct game-shattering, spells as a magic-wielding Japanese sorceress. Dodge and decimate waves of alien monstrosities as you defend a futuristic Tokyo.
Prefer firing off quick, constant streams of sonic barrage arrows? Or would you rather create a slower, more powerful fireball that spreads into lightning strikes? With over 100 different magical elements to combine, the combos and choices are nearly infinite.
Experiment, learn, and adapt with each run. Unlock new wands and sorceresses along the way to tackle each changing map.
Explore the world inspired by Norse mythology, meet with gods and warlocks and seize the glory of the fiercest mouse-warrior in this action-packed saga!
Ada is a young yet bright girl who, after visiting her father’s laboratory, decides to dive without his permission into Codeland, a virtual world being developed by him, just for fun but…
A fatal error, Codeland filled with bugs, an unfriendly bunny as a guide, her father and his colleagues are trapped and unresponsive, there are enemies and errors all around! Only someone worthy to wield the hammer.exe can debug it all!
Show your logical skills and quick mind to help Ada save Codeland by defeating enemies and clear dungeons in this fun and thrilling action adventure full of logical puzzles, loops, and fun visual algorithms suited for players of all ages.
Pretty Girls Pop Match – £5.49
When the Demon Lord takes your fellow adventurers captive, it’s up to you to rescue them, recruit them to your team and utilize their unique abilities to turn the tide against the forces of evil! Pretty Girls Pop Match is a match-3 game that gives you the power to raise legendary adventurers to overcome puzzle challenges created just for you!
Pool Fever brings the classic game right to your Nintendo Switch™, perfect for beginners and pool sharks alike!
Pool Fever offers a fun, accessible, and realistic billiards experience. With stunning 3D graphics and intuitive gameplay, you’ll feel like you’re playing in your favorite bar or pool hall. Whether you want to play in solo mode or challenge a friend in 2-player local multiplayer – either way, the table is set for hours of entertainment.
Once upon a fortune, there was me, Leo, a brilliant engineer with a coat of turquoise fur and an accent as thick as borscht. My gadgets were legendary whirring wonders that made me rich, amassing a mountain of gold.
One day, my riches vanished, leaving me heartbroken and flatbroken. Now, ten years later, I am back on a whirlwind adventure to reclaim my lost fortune and find the thief.
Join me in this epic journey filled with twists, turns, and heartwarming moments as I follow the trail of gold and uncover the truth behind my stolen fortune!
In first-person horror game “Cursed Feed,” players embark on a chilling journey with the Thornvale family as they confront a malevolent force unleashed by their own patriarch’s archaeological discoveries.
Enter the relentless world of Death Elevator, a sleek, low-poly FPS where every decision matters and every encounter could be your last. With a one-hit death mechanic and dynamic slow-motion, each battle demands precision and quick reflexes. Ascend through randomized floors, battling waves of enemies with ever-changing weapons, as you unravel the mystery behind the elevator.
Stripped of upgrades, skill trees, and progression systems, Death Elevator focuses purely on your skill. Compete for the highest scores and see how you stack up against others on the global leaderboard. Can you conquer the climb and claim your place at the top?
EGGCONSOLE THE SCHEME PC-8801mkIISR – £5.39
This game is an action RPG released in 1988. Players take on the role of Mars as they embark on a journey to defeat the Hellstones cult. The game is presented in a side-view perspective, and players will battle enemies by using jumps and force blasts emitted from Mars’ arms. Various items are scattered across the map, and collecting these can power up Mars in many ways, such as enabling rapid fire for the force, increasing jump height, halving damage, or making the force pulse in a wave-like pattern.
While the game offers fun and fluid gameplay, one of its highlights is the soundtrack. The BGM was composed by Yuzo Koshiro, a name well-known to retro game fans, and was his first work after going freelance. It made extensive use of sampling, supported by the Sound Board II, filled with features sure to impress fans. Cranking up the volume during gameplay might just immerse you even deeper into the world.
One boring day in class, the mindless scribbles on one page of a notebook become the beginnings of an epic journey!
Our protagonist, drawn alone into one small page, decides to escape the notebook. However, the obstacles scribbled along his path make escape look like no easy task…
Join our protagonist’s adventure through this scribbled chaos!
Use forensic science to investigate “unsolvable cases”
A new viral outbreak has forced Tokyo to go into an extended lockdown. Finally coming out of the bleak, three year epidemic it seems life has finally returned to normal… until a string of paranormal incidents begin to occur. It’s up to you and your colleagues to solve these cases once and for all!
Blast through 30 high-intensity action-packed race tracks as you compete to be the fastest in every contest.
Catch bursts of speed while avoiding slippery banana peels. Grab bottles of nitro to build up your vehicle speed. Collect coins to trade in for stylish new custom skins from the in-game store. Dodge punches and kicks and outrun opponents on different tracks around the world.
An exciting adventure game that combines elements of searching, fishing, and mystery-solving. You play as an adventurer who must help his friend look for his missing father. The game takes place on an archipelago once claimed by the pirates, and every island has its own story and its own mystery.
The lovable duo, Georgie and Yolkie star in this purrfect return to the collectathon platforming genre!
The Worlds of Felina have been overrun by King Rattie’s minions and have stolen all the valuable golden fishies. Now atop his giant keep, Georgie and Yolkie must work together with quirky characters along the way to unlock the vast worlds and bring peace back to the Kingdom.
With a giant open world and no less than ten other worlds full of bright colorful and weird characters, jump, swim, bounce and defy gravity as the worlds of Felina unravel around you, with a fun musical score and excellent replay value.
Nine Sols is a lore-rich, hand-drawn 2D action-platformer with Sekiro-inspired, deflection-based combat. Embark on a journey of Asian fantasy, explore a land once ruled by an ancient alien race, and follow a vengeful hero on a quest to slay the 9 Sols—the powerful rulers of this forsaken realm.
Build your own cozy café, creating a welcoming space for townsfolk to meet and spend time with adorable critters who have joined your café!
Perfect latte art, deliver cakes, and serve coffee as your keen customers flock to spend time with critters at your café. Host critter-themed parties – movie nights, birthdays, and more!
As you explore the magical world of the Otherlands, discover and save 35 adorable critters! Discover Mogbert, Glowli and many more of the super cute creatures waiting to meet you!
Prepare for a heartwarming journey into the pixelated world of Christmas magic with “Santa’s Chimney Quest.” In this enchanting 2D pixel art video game, you step into the big, red boots of Santa Claus himself as he embarks on an extraordinary adventure to deliver presents down chimneys all around the globe.
Shoot the enemy at close range! Crystal Breaker is a vertically scrolling shmup that focuses on close range attack.
This game is an aggressive shmup where close range attacks and quick destruction are important for both stage clear and score attacks.
Next week: FANTASIAN Neo Dimension, ANTONBLAST, Diesel Legacy: The Brazen Age, Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer, RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic, Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop, MasterChef: Learn to Cook, Dog Man: Mission Impawsible, Westild’s Law, Trio Adventures, Savant – Ascent REMIX, Sugar Tanks Arena, Stella of The End, HEAVEN SEEKER ――The Savior of This Cruel World, and Pampas & Selene.