May is looking sporadic for new Switch releases, and with the Switch 2 due on June 5th, this was perhaps to be expected. Next week sees the release of High On Life, while towards the end of May we can expect Capcom Fighting Collection 2, Onimusha 2, Monster Train 2, and Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time. Not much else is kicking around, although it seems that Captain Blood – a once lost/cancelled Xbox 360 action RPG – is back from the dead.
This week MotoGP 25 is making a pitstop. Priced £44.99, this year’s edition is powered by UE5 and features new sound recordings of official on-track bikes. A new arcade mode and an improved ‘adaptive difficulty mode’ also features, along with revised tutorials.
Then there’s Spellcaster University, from Red Art Games. It’s a management sim that puts a spin on the genre, as it uses a card based system. Each randomly selected card allows you to place a new room within the school, or an object that’ll make students study faster or generate more gold. Each card type relates to a different field of magic, and teaching certain vocations may anger or please outsiders, impacting progression. The ultimate goal is to create several schools and usher in a new wave of magic users to repel an invasion of evil doers.
Also mixing things up is despelote, a soccer game with a twist. Set in 2002, it’s viewed through the eyes of an eight-year-old and involves dribbling a football throughout the city of Quito, Ecuador. People’s reactions vary, from wanting to join in to telling you to play elsewhere. This playful experience is published by panic, of Untitled Goose Game fame.
From eastasiasoft comes Blazing Trail, an isometric military shooter with pixel art visuals. Try as we might (for over five hours!) we couldn’t get the hang of this one. The armoured vehicle only fires in the direction it’s facing, leaving you vulnerable, and there’s no way to attack from behind. Off-screen enemies can also attack without warning, and lining up shots perfectly is finicky. The PC version reviewed well, so we’re at a loss what happened here.
We can also expect the frozen world-set 2D puzzle platformer Stasis Valley, 18+ rated psychological horror “dating sim” Cooking Companions, meme-based puzzler CATO: Buttered Cat – with mini-games, boss battles, and over 150 stages to beat – and an EGGCONSOLE release of the 1986 action RPG MIRAI. Even the publisher themselves notes that the difficulty is “notably high” so consider that a warning.
New Switch eShop releases
despelote – £TBA
despelote is a soccer game about people. Get immersed in the streets and parks of Quito through the eyes and ears of eight year old Julián. Dribble, pass and shoot your soccer ball around town, and see what happens when you kick it someone’s way. Feel the city change as Ecuador comes closer than ever to qualifying for the World Cup.
Spellcaster University – £17.99
Become the director of Spellcaster University in a colorful world of heroic fantasy. Will you turn it into a black magic academy? A place in harmony with nature to train druids and shamans? Or something entirely your own?
Join the official Championship and step into the boots of your favourite riders to master the most iconic bikes and tracks of the season. Live the most realistic race thrills ever thanks to Unreal Engine 5, MotoGP™ Stewards ensuring fair battles, and an overhauled sound design, recorded on-site from official bikes.
Bosorka is an exciting action game that combines the best elements of the roguelike and shoot’em up genres with incredibly stylized top-down 3D visualization. Immerse yourself in this dark fantasy world and show the demons who’s the power to be reckoned with.
Deep in the woods of the Tatras Mountains, supplies dwindle and flood waters are rising. It’s up to you to keep spirits high and make the most of your survival skills. Will you butter up the right person? Or will you wind up on the chopping block?
Featuring Eastern European folklore in an unexpected package, Cooking Companions is a “dating sim” psychological horror title you won’t soon forget.
Ogu and the Secret Forest – £20.99
‘Ogu and the Secret Forest’ is a 2D adventure game with hand-drawn characters and various types of puzzles.
Befriend bouncy characters and defeat strange creatures to unravel the mystery of the charming world.
Following three women on an adventure through the Land of the Gods, Seedsow Lullaby is a visual novel that features no choices or branching paths.
Witching Stone combines elements of puzzle games, roguelites and deckbuilders! Incrementally improve your spellbook, and find patterns on a unique puzzle grid, to battle deeper and deeper into the dungeon!
Blazing Trail is an isometric pixel art shooter that requires daring on-the-fly strategy. Use machine guns, missiles and laser power-ups to take down enemy soldiers, demolish buildings and watchtowers, destroy gates, shoot down aircrafts and face off against huge bosses across 7 sprawling combat zones.
Roll through checkpoints and save progress between stages. Complete your mission solo or team up with a friend for cooperative play! Can you escape the terrorists’ clutches and save the world from their maniacal plans?
Embark on a magical journey with Mystic Pathways, a puzzle game that challenges your logic and creativity. Manipulate enchanted trails on a beautifully designed hexagonal board to guide mystical fairies in collecting magical crystals and activating sacred altars.
2weistein in Rongerland – £16.00
This is the German version of “2weistein – Ronger Pirates”.
The unique and fantastic idea behind the series of 2weistein games is to train maths in a real 3D action adventure. Embedded in the tantalizing story the player has to solve maths quests or puzzles to get ahead in the game. It was developed by game specialists in cooperation with teachers and psychologists and won several prices and awards.
Beyond Memories – Tales From the Heart – £11.80
Step into a magical world as a whimsical Grim Reaper in this enchanting narrative flight simulation. You’ll fly through fantastical, enchanted realms brimming with wonder and magic, each landscape more breathtaking than the last. Your mission is to break cages that hold mystical souls, each soul revealing legendary stories of heroism, love, and adventure. As you free these souls, you’ll piece together 11 epic tales that transport you to a realm of fantasy and myth. The non-violent gameplay is both relaxing and captivating, inviting you to collect energy for your shots, explore stunningly crafted environments, and lose yourself in a world where every soul’s story is a doorway to another fantastical adventure.
Find it within the time limit!
Answer correctly to level up. More dice will appear, and the challenge will deepen.
A simple yet profound test of intuition and observation.
Can you reach the highest level?
Cooking here is a delicious puzzle. Each level is a new dish to prepare, and your challenge is to fit all the ingredients perfectly into the pan. But be careful: space is limited, and only the best chefs will be able to complete each recipe without wasting anything.
EGGCONSOLE MIRAI PC-8801mkIISR – £5.39
This is an action RPG originally released in 1986 in Japan. Players take on the role of the aforementioned mysterious soldier and embark on an adventure across six planets.
The game features a side-view action RPG format, where each planet consists of two stages: an aerial stage with a shooting-based playstyle and an underground stage where hand-to-hand combat and action mechanics come into play. Key locations, such as underground entrances and the end of each stage, feature formidable boss battles. By uncovering their weaknesses, players can experience thrilling and tense encounters.
“Earth Saver” is an exhilarating action game where you demolition and dismantle a giant meteorite approaching the Earth!
Place a bomb and it will explode with a bang in three counts!
If you successfully split the meteorite into small pieces, it will burn up in the atmosphere and the Earth will be safe!
Connect and explode, split cleanly, the exhilaration is at its MAX!
Followers of the notorious Dr. Voo Doom have taken over a city, demanding his release from prison. But this is merely a diversion as they gather Power Crystals to execute their true plan: teleporting their master to freedom!
With the legendary hero Jack on vacation, the fate of Ririland now rests in the hands of Nico, the not-so-heroic lab assistant of Dr. Expo Zicion. Armed with the Statephone, one of the Doctor’s eccentric inventions, Nico must rise to the challenge and SAVE the day.
Stasis Valley is a 2D puzzle-platformer that follows Adam, a young man who has recently experienced a great loss. After this event he descends into a surreal valley within his own mind, where he must attempt to make sense of the world around him (as well as his emotions). Uncover the valley’s secrets, and confront the dangers lurking within.
“Phy embarks on a secret mission to an abandoned planet infested by a hostile hivemind. With the help of her partner Lizz and General Eral, she dives into the depths of the infestation and learns the dark truth behind its origins. Help her find the heart of the hive and put an end to this evergrowing threat.
Kill hordes of nasty bugs and use the experience gained to strengthen your arsenal and body with cybernetic enchantments. The hive will adapt and send more powerful enemies to stand in your way. Shoot them down with your army of drones, or slash them to pieces with your blade and stop the hivemind from growing even stronger!
CATO: Buttered Cat is an adorable puzzle platformer, inspired by the buttered-cat paradox meme: Cats always land on their feet, and toast always lands buttered side down. By strapping a piece of buttered toast to a cat’s back, you create a paradox that results in an infinitely spinning, floating butter-cat perpetual motion machine!
The game revolves around the two main characters, “Cat” and “Buttered Toast.” You’ll need to use the interactions between them to solve various puzzles at each game level. The full game is featuring over 140 main levels and more than 60 side levels. There are also hidden rooms, challenging boss battles, and fun mini-games. The full version will include an outfit system, with 30+ Cat and Toast skins waiting for you to collect!
Next week: High On Life, Captain Blood, Ship Graveyard Simulator 2, Submarine Survivor, Chaos Galaxy 2, Dunk Dunk, Capybara Zen, Undivine, Fantasy RPG: Raid Legends, Farmyard Survivors, Date with a Serial Killer: A Love Story from a Horror Show Series, Bearnard, and Linea: An Innerlight Game.