Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Turbo Overkill, Tails of Iron 2, Cho Aniki, Accolade Sports and Basureroes hit the Switch

It’s a bustling week for the Switch eShop, and a few surprise releases have made things even busier still. These include the cult PC Engine shooter package Cho Aniki Collection, Game Spark’s re-release of 2006’s RPG Wizardry: The Five Ordeals, and Apogee’s retro style FPS Turbo Overkill – which sees one Johnny Turbo cleaning up cyberpunk streets with his chainsaw leg. Steam user reviews are currently ‘overwhelmingly positive’.

As for scheduled planning there’s Hello Kitty Island Adventure, which is clearly hoping for a slice of Animal Crossing pie, offering multiplayer, different seasons, and cabins to decorate. Cooking elements and puzzle solving also feature. A retail release isn’t due until March.

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector meanwhile offers more dice-rolling tabletop RPG action, casting you in the role of a malfunctioning android with no memory and a bounty on its head. EDGE magazine awarded it an 8/10 in the latest issue. The original became a cult classic, being one of 2022’s best rated RPGs.

Another sequel launching this week is Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter, a side-scrolling action RPG with a quest to defeat ancient evil. Reviews of this wintery tale are starting to surface, with scores including a 7/10 from Nintendo Life – who praised the combat and visuals – and a 4/5 from The Gamer. That’s joined by NiS America’s well-received strategic seafaring RPG Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero – which has been a very long time coming, with the original being a PS2 title. The Metacritic currently sits at a respectable enough 77%.

Cuisineer is one we’ve reviewed this week, being a restaurant management sim in which cooking ingredients are found in dungeons. Our hero Pom inherits the restaurant from their parents along with a load of debt and must make it profitable while heading into new dungeons to defeat bosses and gain ingredients. While a little restrictive to begin with, it finally finds its feet and offers an easygoing time with plenty of flexibility when it comes to planning your day.

We also took a look at Tap Wizard 2 on Xbox a few weeks ago – out this week on Switch – which is another idle game that merely involves selecting spells and upgrades while your wizard battles foes automatically. There is a lot to invest XP into, but you won’t find much interactivity.

The strange sounding arcade-like spin-off Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos hasn’t been too fortunate, gaining a few negative reviews. “The concept is fun but poorly executed thanks to muddied visuals and unsatisfying driving mechanics. Fans may enjoy the character interactions but may still be put off by how much of a departure it is,” said Siliconera while warning of a very short game length.

Other releases for this week include Accolade Sports Collection (QUByte Classics) – which brings together five 16-bit sports games, including Hardball – the isometric stealth adventure The Stone of Madness, pixel art run ‘n gun Agent Fall, post-apocalyptic wasteland Metroidvania Laika: Aged Through Blood, and the 8-bit platformer inspired Basureroes: Invasion – which includes a four player co-op mode. Alex Kidd in Miracle World fans may want to take a closer look.

New Switch eShop releases

Turbo Overkill – £16.75

Turbo Overkill is the most savage FPS ever released by Apogee. You play as Johnny Turbo, augmented with hidden arm rockets and a chainsaw that extends from your lower leg allowing you to slide-slice enemies wide open.

Johnny returns to his hometown of Paradise and finds its entire population possessed by Syn, a rogue AI, and its army of augmented minions. Desperate for enough money to outrun his past mistakes, Johnny takes on the impossible job of destroying the greatest AI ever created. Rival bounty hunters want to claim the prize first. Nothing is easy in paradise.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure – £35.99

• Discover eight unique regions, from the ocean’s depths to an island in the clouds

• Befriend iconic characters like cheerful Hello Kitty, mischievous Kuromi and sweet Cinnamoroll

• Bake, cook and craft the perfect gifts to become best friends

• Renovate cabins and decorate them to attract even more wonderful characters

• Create your perfect avatar, find and customise hundreds of outfits tailored to you, and create and collect furniture to achieve your dream home aesthetic

• Celebrate the joys of summertime, the winter holidays and more with a year round calendar of events And don’t forget to throw birthday parties for your friends

• Solve hidden puzzles, catch cute critters, and garden to fill the world with flowers

• Dive into a multiplayer game with real-world friends and family: team up to explore, get bonuses, and take sweet snapshots together

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector – £20.99

The highly anticipated sequel to one of 2022’s most acclaimed RPGs!

You are a sleeper, an emulation of a human mind housed in an artificial body. You are on the run from the corporation that made you and the gang that seeks to control you. Commandeer a ship, build a network of crew and allies, and take on challenging contracts as you seek to build a future for yourself.

Choose a class, configure your skills and assemble your crew in unique tabletop-inspired gameplay. Your future depends on the roll of a dice, as you make difficult choices in a complex world. Reinventing the award-winning systems of Citizen Sleeper, this RPG will satisfy both fans of the original game and new players alike.

Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero – £53.99

Set sail to save the day in this colorful strategy RPG! Join Marona – a gifted young girl with the power to speak to Phantoms – as she traverses the ocean world of Ivoire, providing aid to those in need. When a fleet of ghost ships attack, it’s up to Marona and her new friend Apricot to assemble the legendary crew that once defeated these spectral foes.

Recruit Phantoms, bind them to objects, combine them with Gadgets, and even merge them with Marona herself to unleash show-stopping abilities and sink the Shipwreck Fleet!

Accolade Sports Collection (QUByte Classics) – £17.99

Step back into the golden age of sports gaming with the Accolade Sports Collection! Featuring five legendary titles—Hardball!, Hardball II, Hoops Shut Up and Jam!, Winter Challenge, and Summer Challenge—this collection delivers nostalgic thrills with modern enhancements.

Compete in everything from baseball to basketball, winter to summer sports, all with original gameplay preserved.

Choose your favorite, enjoy local multiplayer, save your progress, and master the retro vibes. Whether you’re a veteran player or new to retro gaming, it’s time to prove your skills and make history!

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter – £22.49

Just as the Rats of the South start to piece their lives together, following the great war between Rodent and Frog, an old and unspeakable evil stirs in the North; wings black as death; fangs sharp as steel; and a thirst for blood rivalled only by their insatiable hunger… for vengeance.

As Arlo, young heir to the Warden of the Wastes, journey through the vast, snow-ravaged lands of the North in an epic quest to overcome the Dark Wings once and for all. Hunt down giant beasts. Unite disparate clans. Upgrade your settlement. And discover a terrible secret of blood and crown…

The time for heroes is over. For the Kingdom needs a warrior; forged of the North and as cold as the snow that shrouds these lands. A rat… carved from iron.

Cuisineer – £24.99

Upon receiving a startling letter from her parents, the independent adventurer Pom swiftly returns home to Paell, only to find her parents gone and their beloved restaurant abandoned. Now left with mounting debts and a village in dire need of some fine cooking, Pom will have to delve into the deepest dungeons for the scarcest spices, rarest meats, and the most valuable vegetables she can find to keep her parents’ dream alive.

Dive into dungeons and cook up a storm as Pom, an adventurer-turned-restaurateur! Cuisineer‘s food-focused action challenges you to build your dinner the hard way: by dungeon-diving for materials and ingredients. Wield your cooking utensils against giant chickens, artillery shrimps, fire-breathing peppers, and other pesky perils, sipping boba tea along the way. Work with local artisans to customize your kitchen, and tailor your dining hall to the needs of loyal patrons eager to experience the rare recipes you’ve cooked up.

Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos – £35.99

This dimension is different from Gamindustri…

A vast number of distinct Dogoos are appearing and threatening to cover the land.

To escape from this otherworldly realm, a lone rider surveys the mysterious world in search of an exit.

The Stone of Madness – £24.99

The Stone of Madness is a real-time tactical stealth game set in an 18th-century Spanish Monastery. Located in the Pyrenees, this time-worn Jesuit monastery is home to a madhouse and an inquisitorial prison. Five prisoners – plagued by cruel punishment, madness, and despair – pool their skills and resources to face their phobias, stave off insanity, uncover the mysteries of the Monastery, and find a way to escape.

Wizardry: The Five Ordeals – £33.50

Classic hardcore gameplay. Experience a deep dungeon crawling RPG. This game was created by the main staff that worked on the popular RPG series back in 2006. In this game, players can experience many different dungeon crawler RPGs using the same base system. Available with enhancements to the UI and much more. Official scenarios seen for the first time each with dozens of hours of gameplay.

Genso Manège – £34.99

With its gorgeously subdued artwork, radiating warmth and romance, Genso Manège is a dream-like otome fantasy with an outstanding visual power that conjures an unforgettably bittersweet tale.

Basureroes: Invasion – £10.00

Dr. Diogenes is back, but this time the real threat comes from beyond the stars: an alien invasion seeking to conquer the Earth. The Basureroes must prepare to spring into action and save the world. Once again, it’s time to take out the trash!

Basureroes: Invasion is a 2D platform game with retro aesthetics in which a group of heroes with different abilities must save the world from an alien invasion. Run, jump and fight your way through twenty levels full of danger and epic boss fights.

Laika: Aged Through Blood – £15.99

Laika: Aged Through Blood is a western-inspired motorvania set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. It is the story about a tribe oppressed by occupant forces, and the personal story of a mother coyote warrior who descends on an endless path of vengeance to take back what her people lost.

Drive, jump and fight your way through the huge hand-drawn world on your trustworthy motorbike. Race through the wasteland and perform dangerous jumps, shoot enemies in slowmo and reload your gun by performing a backflip! Use skill-based power-ups and persist challenging battles against big bosses!

KAMiBAKO – Mythology of Cube – – £26.99

Mapcrafting x Puzzles x Battle x RPG!?

Repair the fragmented land through puzzles, and rid the world of darkness by defeating monsters. All resources obtained through repairing the land can then be used to design the world to your liking! The medley of genres in this RPG is surprisingly accessible to players of all types, but there’s no shortage of challenging elements, too! A variety of activities and a vast world lie ahead. It’s up to you to repair what has been destroyed and restore peace.

Tap Wizard 2 – £14.99

Tap Wizard 2 is a fusion of the Idle, Incremental, ARPG, and Twin-Stick Shooter genres, resulting in a game like no other!

On a magic quest to secure the Chronosphere, the Wizard is ambushed by the Dark Forces. Hope is lost as the Wizard takes their last breath…until the Chronosphere hums and rewinds time itself! Armed with knowledge of the assault and increased Power, the Wizard steels themselves for the next Wave!

Idol Symphony – £8.99

Welcome to the world of bright performances and melodies, where the main characters are vocal performers in stunning outfits, performing exciting songs at concerts! Each puzzle assembly opens a new scene from their performances, full of shine, emotions and stylish outfits, made in anime style.

Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of spotlights and enthusiastic applause, collecting magnificent pictures with every detail worked out to perfection. You will find a variety of puzzles that will allow you to enjoy the beauty of the characters and their unique images!

Wander Hero – £10.49

As the mercenary captain, lead carefully selected partners to survive in this turbulent world.

For every adventure in a different world, the leader can bring the powerful mercenary group partners he formed to experience different combat experiences in each week. Each cooperative battle has a different combat experience, which combination is the best combination to eliminate the devil, waiting for you to explore!

Mizuchi – £21.99

Romance Routes: Choose between two emotional and complex relationships that evolve at their own pace.

Branching Storylines & Meaningful Choices: Explore multiple paths where every decision shapes Linh’s fate. Will you follow your heart or choose a path of freedom?

Five Unique Endings: Discover all five endings, each one filled with twists and emotional payoffs, based on your choices throughout the story.

Stellar Docks – £4.49

Whether you’re a casual gamer or a puzzle enthusiast, Stellar Docks is your ticket to a cosmic brain-teasing journey.

Engaging Sokoban-Style Gameplay: Push drones to their designated docks using logical, grid-based movement.

Agent Fall – £5.49

Strange enemy activity has been detected at a secret military base in the desert, and it’s up to you to investigate! Agent Fall is a retro side-scrolling shooter across sprawling platformer stages, from the desert sands and jet hangars of the surface to mysterious underground labs and waterways. Choose from 4 agents and infiltrate the base in a search-and-destroy operation where you’ve got the ultimate license to kill.

Face off against roving enemy soldiers, run, jump, climb ladders and use the environment to your advantage. Strategically scale platforms to gain higher ground, fire in any direction, throw grenades or detonate fuel barrels to neutralise foes, then check in with your team as the tale of espionage unfolds in dialogue with memorable characters. Tackle missions solo or team up with a friend for local co-op play!

A Rite from the Stars: Remaster Edition – £10.99

A legend is born when the stars descend on Kaikala Island and choose a young boy of the Makoa tribe to guide him through the ancient rites. But something out of the ordinary is happening, fewer and fewer young ones pass the rite that allows them to leave childhood behind, and some guiding stars have not returned to the firmament…

Join Kirm and his guiding star Hoku on this adventure full of puzzles, exploration and growth to unveil a beautiful coming of age story with multiple endings. Meet unique supernatural creatures and new companions along the way, cooperate with them and conquer the wisdom, courage and spirit paths!

Techno Banter – £14.99

You’re the bouncer of the Green Door club, where every decision matters. Reject the unworthy of partying with clever retorts, explore a neon-lit city, and immerse yourself in the Berlin-like city’s underground techno scene. The beat is pumping—are you in?

Welcome to the gritty neon-lit streets of Rainbow Drive, where the night never ends, and the music never stops. In Techno Banter, you step into the shoes of Nil, a once-rising star turned bouncer at the infamous Green Door club. Your job? Keep the party alive by assessing the guests at the door. Are they ready to rave, or are they just not cutting it? If they’re not up to par, it’s time to turn them away with a razor-sharp insult, clever comeback, or a devastating quip.

Cho Aniki Collection – £38.69

The first game in the legendary Cho Aniki series of shooting games created by Masaya, Cho Aniki (PC Engine), and the second game in the series, Ai Cho Aniki (PC Engine), have been fully ported for the Nintendo Switch™.

The ports of these classics boast a number of additional features, such as Sound Mode, Visual Mode, and Rewind.

These titles are an absolute must for retro game and shooting game fans alike.

Next week: Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, Big Helmet Heroes, Under Defeat, Macross Shooting Insight, Moons of Darsalon, Luck be a Landlord, Space CleanUp: Cosmic Robot Disinfector, While Waiting, Mechanita, and Korean Drone Flying Tour Danyang-gun.