It’s another busy week for the Switch eShop, with a handful of Switch 2 titles arriving. The next Switch 2 release isn’t until EA Sports FC 26 on 19th Sept, followed by Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac a week later, so it’s a good job there’s plenty to play until then.
After being curiously absent at launch, Ubisoft makes their mark on Switch 2 with Star Wars Outlaws. The PS5/Xbox versions didn’t arrive in the best shape, prompting Ubisoft to release some hefty updates to turn things around. This Switch 2 version is intended to ‘make things right’ and revive interest across all platforms. However, there are conflicting reports as to how it performs, with some sites reporting of poor textures and unstable framerates, while others claim it runs surprisingly well. It could be a case that it runs better docked than in handheld mode. Either way, it might be an idea to wait for reviews to drop.
Mecha shooter Daemon X Machina gains a sequel this week too, subtitled Titanic Scion. Our review is still a WIP, having only spent 6 hours so far in its sci-fi world, but impressions so far are positive. It plays like a combination of Anthem and Monster Hunter, with an open world to explore, missions to take on, large beasts to fell, and new equipment to research. There’s a deep customisation element too, and a few diversions such as a battle coliseum.
Review scores have been mixed, resulting in a 70% Metacritic. While it did gain a few 8/10s, a handful of 6/10s are out there too, with Switch 2 performance, a lack of space battles, and a weak story to blame.
Another game reviewing well is Spike Chunsoft’s SHUTEN ORDER, a visual novel with adventure game elements – and more besides. “Shuten Order is a fantastic, incredibly unique game that stands out from the crowd. The narrative and world-building are captivating, the characters are endearing and entertaining, and the gameplay is engaging due to its variety. While not without flaws, the experience it provides is genuinely unforgettable,” said But Why Tho?
A last minute addition to the Switch 2 catalogue is Blooper Team’s Cronos: The New Dawn – a brutal third-person survival horror with a time travel plot, and enemies that can absorb one another. Reviews aren’t live yet, but it does seem to be generating a buzz.
Four games in, and we haven’t even mentioned Hollow Knight: Silksong yet. This long time coming sequel is set to become a million seller overnight, with 2017’s Hollow Knight renown for being one of the best Metroidvanias around. Rumours of development hell have been debunked; Team Cherry has simply spent the last 7-8 years making a worthy follow-up. A free upgrade path to the Switch 2 version will be available.
Bandai Namco are also back with Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots – which retains the classic shot system, while including a new Wacky Golf mode – while Atari are readying the pixel art Metroidvania Adventure of Samsara, loosely based on the 2600’s Adventure.
We reviewed the pixel art platformer Candylands Journey last week and found much to enjoy. It’s an easy-going experience that’s eager to please, with a fast pace and plenty of magic spells to fling around. Publisher Sometimes You is also releasing the top-down shooter Sky of Destruction, which involves assembling a fleet and attacking bases. This too appears to be a step up from the developer’s past works.
Then there’s the hand-drawn horror Bad Cheese – based on the early days of animation – the co-op physics-based racer Fling to the Finish, fixer-upper adventure Camper Van: Make it Home, the dark fantasy RPG Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, and the semi-realistic stunt park Legends BMX.
On the retro side of things, look out for a re-release of the 1992 SNES action platformer Psycho Dream, which appears to live up to its name, an EGGCONSOLE release of the kingdom management sim Lord Monarch, and the Kemco published dungeon crawler Dragon Ruins. Wizardry fans might want to check out that last one. Acclaim’s cult shooter Forsaken 64 has also just arrived on NSO.
New Switch 2 releases
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion – £59.99
Become the ultimate high-tech warrior in an action-packed new entry in the Daemon X Machina series. Fly into battle in your customized Arsenal, unleashing a variety of attacks tailored to your playstyle. Feel the exhilaration of fast-paced combat as you freely explore a deadly and dangerous open world on land or in the air. After taking down your foes, collect their weapons and equipment, and upgrade your skills to expand your options on the battlefield. Suit up for a dark sci-fi story where you can face the titanic boss battles alone or with up to two other players online. New and veteran Daemon X Machina players alike will find a worthy adventure in the latest from Marvelous First Studio.
Cronos: The New Dawn is a brutal third-person survival horror where you fight for the future by salvaging the past. Burn monsters before they merge. Extract souls from the living. Adapt or die.
Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition – £49.99
Explore distinct locations with bustling cities and cantinas. Race across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each location brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.
Live the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. Turn any situation to your advantage with Nix by your side: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.
Take on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.
Pilot your ship, the Trailblazer, as you engage in thrilling dogfights with the Empire and other foes. Find the right opportunities to chase, evade, and attack to get the upper hand.
If you’re willing to take the risk, the galaxy is full of opportunity
New Switch releases
EVERYBODY’S GOLF HOT SHOTS – £44.99
Everybody’s favorite golf game series finally returns to the fairway!
Hit the green with a variety of unique characters and courses in online and offline AND single and multiplayer modes!
The controls are as simple and intuitive as ever. Just aim and press the button 3 times at the right moment to master the perfect shot!
Discover a vast, haunted kingdom in Hollow Knight: Silksong, the sequel to the award-winning action-adventure.
Play as Hornet, princess-protector of Hallownest, and adventure through a whole new kingdom ruled by silk and song! Captured and brought to this unfamiliar world, Hornet must battle foes and solve mysteries as she ascends on a deadly pilgrimage to the kingdom’s peak.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is the epic sequel to Hollow Knight, the award winning action-adventure. As the lethal hunter Hornet, journey to all-new lands, discover new powers, battle vast hordes of bugs and beasts and uncover ancient secrets tied to your nature and your past.
Features action-style gameplay where players solve various puzzles in 3D stages while escaping from the murderous Nephilim, all viewed from a top-down perspective.
Adventure of Samsara is a mysterious, 2D Metroidvania action-adventure that captures the spirit of the original Atari 2600 title, Adventure, and takes it in an entirely new and unique direction.
With stunning, 2D pixel art, Adventure of Samsara combines classic gameplay, a deeply connected world, and a heady, twisting narrative of death, rebirth and memory. Developed by the Brazilian studio Ilex Games, players take control of the Solar Champion, a long-dead Plutonian resurrected by the primordial light of the Sun. Tasked with reactivating a mysterious interdimensional fortress, the Champion must restore balance to the multiverse.
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree – £35.00
Slay your way in this epic dark fantasy action RPG.
Battle monsters, craft powerful upgrades for your weapons and gear, and explore the secrets of an expansive, interconnected world.
LEGENDS BMX is an energetic and exhilarating game made for extreme sports enthusiasts! Ride your BMX through a variety of parks and scenarios designed to let you pull off incredible tricks.
Enjoy easy-to-learn mechanics and intuitive controls that provide tons of fun and a wide range of experiences. Reach attainable goals while soaring over ramps and verticals, performing spectacular tricks. Explore multiple parks filled with a variety of ramps, surfaces, and verticals in semi-realistic environments. Achieve greatness and rise to the top of the competitive leaderboard!
Camper Van: Make it Home – £13.29
Embark on a journey of self-discovery as you build your own home-on-wheels, using a combination of creative block organization puzzles and relaxing interior design. Make your heart feel at ease and your camper van feel like home.
Make space in yourself for both your belongings and your own journey of discovery, all in one cozy van. In Camper Van: Make It Home, you’ll use block organization puzzles and interior design to customize your camper van into a dream home-on-wheels. Play around with each of your decoration items to discover their surprises and possibilities as you discover your own.
Sky of Destruction is a top-down shooter. Combine aircrafts in your combat fleet, which will help you during the mission. Your goal is to destroy the enemy aircraft carrier or buildings, breaking through the enemy air armada. Explosions and total destruction await you!
Soulbind: Tales Of The Underworld – £8.99
You will embark on an epic journey into a procedurally generated world where you will explore a variety of locations full of monsters and traps. You have to collect body parts of the various monsters, and the rarity system will affect the generation of stats and passive effects. Each collected body part provides new abilities and capabilities, changing battle tactics.
Reel it! Ocean Fishing – £6.07
Let’s go fishing on the Nintendo Switch™!
Travel to 4 unique fishing spots—including a rocky coast, seawall, fishing boat, and tropical pier—where the fish you encounter change depending on the location and time of day!
Share Joy-Con™, and up to 4 players can join in!
There is a trouble at the Magic University! The heart of magic has been stolen by Pastry Witches. Go on a journey to their lair to return the Magic Crystal and punish the witches.
Explore 15 colourful locations, look for lost puzzle pieces to open the way to the last boss. Pass through the green meadows, dark caves, deep rivers and oceans, mystic castles, ruins, islands and other colourful locations. Collect jewellery fragments to buy unique types of magic. Collect all the elements and summons. Find all the secrets, destroy all the cake towers and solve all the riddles. All this will help you to win and save the Magic University!
Brave the depths of an ancient ruin discovered in the capital of Isigwere, where no soul has ever returned—and where a legendary dragon awaits. In this retro-style dungeon crawler RPG, become the hero who conquers the maze and slays the beast lurking in the shadows.
Put simply, Dark Deity 2 is about playing your way, all the way.
Turn-based tactical combat is at the heart of Dark Deity 2. Your 20 heroes have access to 45 branching classes, each with its own powerful abilities, passive effects, and its own tactical niche…
…that’s until you start experimenting with skills, abilities, and gear that can completely change the way a unit performs in the field and upend your tactics in a good way..
Embark on the poignant journey of Souno’s Curse, a 2D action-platformer with a unique atmosphere, skillfully blending exploration, intense combat, and emotional storytelling. Play as a daring adventurer venturing into a cursed cave, where every corner holds forgotten secrets, deadly dangers, and a profound story about regret, loss, and the value of the present moment.
Explore beautifully hand-drawn environments, inspired by the greatest classics of the genre, and let yourself be carried away by an immersive soundtrack that enhances every moment of your journey. Souno’s Curse offers a Metroidvania experience where each discovery, unlocked ability, and battle brings you closer to the truth behind the curse.
In Fling to the Finish, teams of two players race through colorful, chaotic obstacle courses while tethered by a stretchy elastic rope.
When you and your friends first pick up the game your rope will get tangled in practically everything you pass. But as you quickly improve your communication skills you’ll learn that the rope is your biggest asset.
Experienced players can use the rope to swing around perilous obstacles, and fling their partner up ledges before they fall to their doom. When partners master using their rope, they’re capable of acrobatic feats unachievable in any other platformer!
The cleaning robots have gone rogue! Up to 4-players compete in local-multiplayer to make the most mess! Utilize your environment and power-ups to overwhelm your opponents with untidiness. It’s about to get messy..
Craft your world. Survive the Wilds. Discover the secrets of the land.
Step into a handcrafted Wild West-inspired world in this relaxing isometric adventure RPG with light survival elements. Build, explore, farm, and fight as you piece together your own unique journey across shifting biomes and mysterious threats.
Unleash your creativity by crafting a living world from over 100 modular world pieces. Each biome brings new materials, resources, and environmental challenges. Build, explore, and evolve your surroundings, one piece at a time.
Explore the ruins of a city that some say they are older than humanity itself. While you delve deeper into the ancient buildings, reality and visions blend into an indistinct haze.
Step into the tiny paws of a mouse spending the weekend at home with a dysfunctional Dad while Mom’s away. Be on your best behavior and KEEP DADDY HAPPY.
Complete tasks, eat snacks, find toys, and navigate the “complicated family dynamic.”
Experience the gruesome reality of a child-mouse trying to maintain a sense of normalcy in a not-so-normal household.
Every family has a corpse in the closet and in this house, there are many closets.
Hand-drawn art combined with a 16mm film-inspired aesthetic will make you feel like you’re watching a scary cartoon from the golden era of animation.
This is the German version of “2weistein – The Lost Wood”.
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.
Overpowered 1 – Mars Infestation – £4.49
The year is 2050. Humans have been forced to flee Earth and colonize Mars! Now it’s up to you to exterminate hordes of aggressive local creatures so your kind can settle on the planet.
Overpowered 1 – Mars Infestation is an action-packed survival shooter presented in fluidly animated pixel art style! Step into the boots of a spacefaring soldier as you tackle 4 intense story missions, each with multiple objectives and levels to master.
Use intuitive twin-stick controls to move around top-down environments with determination and speed while gunning down all incoming threats. Collect power-ups to upgrade your weapons on the fly! The faster you take down enemies, the higher your score will climb, allowing you to challenge leaderboards in survival mode. How long can you stay in the fight?
EGGCONSOLE LORD MONARCH PC-9801 – £5.49
This is a real-time simulation game released in Japan by Nihon Falcom in 1991. It is the seventh installment in the Dragon Slayer series, but since it is not an RPG—unlike most of the series—it is known among fans as a unique title.
The player becomes the king and governs their country, with the goal of defeating all other nations. You issue commands to units to cultivate land, build houses, construct fences for defense, or build bridges to strengthen your base, while combining units to create armies. The stage is cleared by capturing the enemy’s castle. After clearing a stage, stats rate are shown, so you can replay to aim for higher scores.
Bounce, trap, and nail your tricks in high-speed territory duels set in futuristic battle arenas soaring high above the city under the night sky.
Every block on the field matters. Analyse the field’s structure—decide what to cut, what to protect, and when to strike.
A dangerous trend has emerged among young people: they are evading reality by taking permanent refuge in a new entertainment medium known as DMovies, which allows people to immerse themselves in a world of virtual reality and become part of a movie. Some of them remain in that alternative reality for so long, their bodies ultimately give up and die. These people are known as Sinkers.
The government has created a new special division composed of agents known as Diamond Dogs, whose mission consists of entering the virtual reality worlds of the DMovies and rescuing the people trapped in them.
Join Diamond Dogs Ryo and Maria in their mission to rescue young Sayaka from the DMovie she’s trapped in before it’s too late.
Next week: Call of the Sea, Garfield Kart 2 – All You Can Drift, Baki Hanma: Blood Arena, Inspector Waffles: Early Days, Gloomy Eyes, Bratz Rhythm & Style, HELLCARD, The Edge of Allegoria, 9 Lives to Defend, Monstrous Lovers, and Hot Stakes Casino – American Roulette.