If you’re thinking of taking the Switch on holiday or are perhaps looking to beat the heat by sitting in the shade, then this week’s eShop line-up has you covered. By which we mean there are plenty of new releases to get stuck into.
It’s particularly pleasing to see Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 arrive the same day as the PS5/Xbox versions considering its predecessor trailed behind a few months. It’s also neat to see it on Switch 2 as Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 was a GameCube launch title. Although it’s probably only us that considers that neat. Reviews of this new content bolstered revival, developed by Iron Galaxy and not Vicarious Visions, have been positive so far including a 9.0 from Nintendo World Report – although they did note of issues on Switch 2.
Another revival on the agenda is PATAPON 1+2 REPLAY from Bandai Namco. This package brings back two PSP rhythm action games that involve banging drums rhythmically to usher oddball creatures (the titular Patapons) onward. Each has different roles, varying from protecting with shields to attacking with arrows. Look out for it on Friday for a modest £24.99.
Sticking with retro, there’s a surprise re-release of the SEGA Game Gear shoot’em up Griffin. If you’re a collector, you’ll know this is one of the more desirable GG imports. Priced £5.99, it features a rewind tool and a gallery. This week’s EGGCONSOLE re-release is also a shoot’em up, this time from the MSX2. ZANAC EX dates to 1986 and should be easy to grasp in its untranslated state.
Atari’s back too with Missile Command Delta, which has a turn-based twist and explorational elements – with the premise being to escape from an underground bunker. Reviews are mostly positive. “It may sound a bit all over the place, but in practice this is a nicely paced and thoughtfully done game that manages to draw a lot from an old school Atari classic,” said Push Square. Then there’s Flora & Fang: Guardians of the vampire garden from Flynn’s Arcade, which appears to be a reimagining of Donkey Kong 3, complete with co-op. Grab that bug spray!
We’re expecting big things from Bendy and the Dark Revival and BAD END THEATER – two games that have ‘done the numbers’ on YouTube, with views well into the millions. The Dark Revival plunges animator Audrey into the depths of a sinister cartoon studio, with moderate horror being the theme. It is aimed at a younger crowd, after all. BAD END THEATER meanwhile is an 18+ rated visual novel and involves choosing the fate of various characters. The runtime is between 2-3 hours and actions hold grave consequence. Visually it appears similar to Deltarune.
Other releases include the minimalist city builder ISLANDERS: New Shores, the polished looking 16-bit style explorative platformer Everdeep Aurora, in-depth seafaring adventure Cats Away, real-time strategy battler Tiny Pixels Vol. 2 – Stormy Knights, and the 32-bit style first person horror Canine – which sees a young boy looking for their missing dog. Have they tried running down the street with a string of sausages? That always worked in The Beano.
New Switch eShop releases
PATAPON is an action adventure where players use the rhythm of 4 Mystical Drums to command cute and mysterious eyeball-like creatures known as Patapons.
All Patapons have unique characteristics and classes (jobs) such as the Hatapon who stands in the center of the squadron waving its flag and leading its allies, the Tatepon who protects others with its large shield, and the Yumipon who attacks by shooting arrows. The role of each Patapon during battle varies with their class, allowing you to create a unique and well-rounded army to take on the various challenges that await!
Bendy and the Dark Revival – £22.99
Bendy and the Dark Revival® is a first-person survival horror game and the much anticipated sequel to Bendy and the Ink Machine®. Play as Audrey as she explores the depths of a curiously creepy animation studio that’s gone completely mad. Combat ink-tainted enemies, solve puzzles, and evade the ever-lurking Ink Demon while seeking your way back to the real world. You never know who or what is going to be around the next corner in this dilapidated realm of shadows and ink.
Discover the truth. Escape the studio. Above all, fear the Ink Demon…and survive.
Missile Command Delta – £16.75
Missile Command Delta approaches gameplay in a completely new way, but it retains all the tension and suspense of the arcade original. You have to think strategically about every move you make because even one poor choice can have grave consequences. The turn-based strategy game is wrapped in a twisting, narrative thriller – great for mystery fans, completionists, and players that love to explore and solve puzzles.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – Standard Edition £39.99, Digital Deluxe Edition £59.99
Get hyped for the legendary franchise to return with Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4. Everything you loved is back, but revamped with more skaters, new parks, gnarlier tricks, eardrum shattering music, plus a whole lot more.
The next chapter in the beloved minimalist city-building franchise is here. ISLANDERS: New Shores invites you back to a world of tranquil creativity, now reimagined with expanded gameplay, stunning visuals, and a host of fresh features that build on the charm of the original.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer, prepare to explore, build, and strategise like never before.
In Cats Away, players manage the crew and resources of a sailing ship on an exciting and dangerous exploratory voyage. Steer the ship during combat, maneuvering into more advantageous positions and giving orders on the fly to counter enemy tactics. Between battles, dock in faraway ports-of-call to upgrade weapons and equipment, meet new friends (and enemies), learn new skills and much more. Take on side missions to earn treasure, level-up the captain and the crew and open new routes to uncharted waters!
Welcome to BAD END THEATER!
Select your protagonist and explore a variety of terrible fates!
The decisions you make in one story will affect the others. You can toggle these behaviors to open up new paths! Unfortunately, every path leads to a bad ending…
Can you find a way to save this unlucky cast?
EGGCONSOLE ZANAC EX MSX2 – £5.39
This title, “ZANAC EX”, released in 1986 in Japan, is a vertically scrolling sci-fi shooting game.
Story-wise, it serves as a sequel to the MSX version of “ZANAC”, with players piloting the cutting-edge AFX-6502 “ZANAC” to battle against organic intelligence. The AFX-6502 “ZANAC” is equipped with both a standard shot and special weapons. By collecting numbered chips that appear during combat, players can switch special shots, and by collecting the same chip consecutively, they can enhance their special shots.
The second instalment in this series of exciting summer festival games is here!
Share Joy-Con™ and play with up to 4 players!
Enjoy a variety of festival-themed games and activities like
“Yo-Yo Fishing,” “Yakisoba Cooking,” and “Shooting Gallery!”
Fiz and the Rainbow Planet – £8.99
Fiz and the Rainbow Planet is a 2.5D pixel-art action game where you switch between characters as the situation demands to overcome challenges. One of the game’s standout features is the “Dimensional Sanctuary” , which offers a unique experience of progressing through a three-dimensional space while maintaining the look and feel of classic 2D gameplay.
This narrative exploration and platform game inspired by 16-bit aesthetics will take you back to the simplicity and excitement of the classics of that era. There’s a vibrant and dynamic world to explore, and lots of peculiar characters to meet and varied puzzles to solve. Will you discover the secrets hidden in the Everdeep?
Tiny Pixels Vol. 2 – Stormy Knights – £4.49
Step into the armoured boots of an overzealous knight as you fight across the continent rescuing princesses from monstrous captors in Stormy Knights! Strategic real-time combat ensues as you storm the halls of each castle in side-scrolling pixel art style, from medieval Europe and mystical Persia to feudal Japan and more, all accompanied by an original retro soundtrack!
Step into the boots of Ted, a cowboy with a mission: round up runaway piggies using only your wits – and your trusty lasso!
Hogtie is a clever and stylish puzzle game inspired by classic Sokoban mechanics, but with a twist: you can’t push – only pull.
Dive into a terrifying first-person survival horror experience inspired by 32-bit retro-style games. You play as a boy searching for his dog Tomy, who has been kidnapped by an evil corporation conducting twisted experiments on pets.
If you enjoy pure horror games, tension without weapons, and a retro atmosphere filled with stealth and suspense, CANINE delivers a claustrophobic, emotional, and highly replayable journey thanks to its multiple endings and hardcore mode. Try to save Tomy — without losing yourself along the way!
The Griffin, battle tank has been developed as countermeasure against powerful neighbor countries. However, its designer was captured by the enemy country…
Now, his granddaughter got into the Griffin and take on her solo mission to rescue her grandfather!
Ever wanted to start your own patisserie? Well, now it’s your chance! Running your own pastry shop has never been easier in this puzzle cozy game. Move, place, and stuff all the meringues, waffles, ice creams, lollipops, and mochi to fit inside each available space.
Flora & Fang: Guardians of the vampire garden – £6.99
Flora & Fang: Guardians of the vampire garden is a single-player or local co-op adventure that puts you in the shoes of one of two lovable vampire siblings, Flora or Fang, as they embark on a mission to safeguard their dad—the infamous Dracula’s—precious pumpkin garden.
Next week: Donkey Kong Bananza, Shadow Labyrinth, Dungeons & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition, Golden Tee Arcade Classics, Diluvian Winds, BUSTAFELLOWS season2, Anomaly Collapse, The Wandering Village, Karma City Police, Neon Noodles, Upin & Ipin Universe, HUNTER×HUNTER NEN×IMPACT, God Wars, Cottonville, and Bring You Home.