The weather is heating up, close to reaching ice cream in the shade temperatures, but over on the Switch eShop we’re seemingly still stuck in winter. That’s not to say we aren’t in for a few hot new releases, though.
Curiously timed is Moomintroll: Winter’s Warmth, a cosy playful experience that sees Moominvalley transformed by snow. The story entails Moomintroll waking from hibernation early, and upon heading into the dreaded snow, discovers friends new and old – some of which require help. Review scores for this Switch console exclusive are in the 8/10 ballpark.
Another Switch exclusive due is Ys: Memories of Celceta, an enhanced version of the 2012 PS Vita RPG, launching at a modest £24.99. This was apparently the turning point for the Ys series, putting it on course for the future. The consensus is that it remains a decent RPG but isn’t the best the series has to offer. Some critics also noted that it has only gained a minor visual upgrade rather than a major one. The Metacritic sits at 75% currently.
Over on the Switch 2, two new horror games are waiting for intrepid fans. Atari’s first person viewed Total Chaos involves crafting weapons to survive horrors lurking within a coal mining facility. Its history can be traced to a very popular DOOM 2 mod. The recent PS5/Xbox Series version gained mostly positive reviews, with its survival elements gaining praise. Amnesia: Rebirth meanwhile has been tailored for Switch 2. This too is viewed from first person. The Algerian desert provides a setting, and it’s puzzle orientated. The original version, from 2020, gained positive reviews at the time.
Annual update MotoGP 26 is about to hit both Switches. Reviews for these versions are yet to surface. However, the PS5 version appears to be going down reasonably well thanks to revised track physics. It also has regularly updated rider stats and collectable cards this year.
The Switch 2 also gains Bandit Trap – a 1v3 physics based online battler centred around placing booby traps. Then for the Switch there’s the monster battling sequel Monster Crown: Sin Eater, the meme-filled Metroidvania This is Fine: Maximum Cope, dark fantasy adventure Magin: The Rat Project Stories, the 16-bit Zelda inspired Elementallis, and Dungeon Clawler – a roguelike based around a claw machine.
We’ve reviewed a couple of this week’s new releases. CyberBlocker Complete Edition is a fun fusion of a brick breaker and a shoot’em up, backed by flashy presentation. It’s very easy to get into and instantly gratifying, earning itself a respectable 7/10. Mullet Madjack has style to spare, likewise, being an anime-style rampage in which an enemy must be killed every ten seconds. This mostly involves dashing through corridors, shooting enemies and kicking them into hazards. “Imagine Snatcher, Road Avenger, The Club and Duke Nukem 3D rolled into one,” we commented in our review of the recent Xbox Series version.
In addition to CyberBlocker Complete Edition, retro fans may also want to check out R-TYPE DX: Music Encore – a re-release of the Game Boy Color iteration with extra music, which also includes the Game Boy’s R-Type I and II. Nice. It’s reasonably priced and appears to have quite a few modern features. This week’s Arcade Archives and Console Archives re-releases are also noteworthy, being Namco’s 3D sci-fi tank shooter Cyber Commando from 1994, and Data East’s Japan-only PS1 scrolling shooter ROHGA: ARMOR FORCE – which entails mixing parts to create a unique killing machine.
Next week is looking soulful, with the music-focused Wax Heads and Mixtape both due. See you then.
New Switch eShop releases
Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta – £24.99
Experience a timeless chapter in the storied RPG franchise making its debut on Nintendo Switch™, filled with duplicitous schemes, treacherous geography, and secretive characters. As the adventure that immediately follows the events of Ys X, and which laid the groundwork for gameplay systems that would be seen in Ys VIII and beyond, Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta is a special opportunity to go deeper into the series history and see the evolution that continues to drive its remarkable longevity.
Explore and map out your way across a dangerous landscape, taking advantage of a unique tag-team party combat system that allows for creativity and strategy. Seek the truth of Adol’s past against the musical backdrop of a refreshed soundtrack. Re-awaken the spirit of adventure, exclusively on Nintendo Switch, in Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta.
Moomintroll: Winter’s Warmth – £17.59
When Moomintroll unexpectedly wakes up early from his winter hibernation, he finds himself completely alone for the first time, in a world he barely recognizes. The familiar landscape of Moominvalley is now cloaked in the frosty veil of the Lady of the Cold. Initially seeking someone to care for him and longing to banish winter, young Moomintroll reluctantly embarks on a journey into the unknown, learning to forge new friendships and help those in greater need than himself.
Experience the full intensity of the 2026 MotoGP™ Championship with all the official riders, teams, bikes and tracks in a more authentic way: for the first time, the real-world results dynamically update Riders Ratings, directly influencing in-game performance throughout the season. Step into the spotlight and track your journey with dazzling Collectible Cards celebrating your progress.
A HIGH-OCTANE-ACTION SHOOTER, 90% ARCADE FUN, 10% roguelite.
• In this future, MAN and INTERNET have merged into a new being. This being needs DOPAMINE every 10 SECONDS, or else it will DIE!
• ARCADE FUN! You are MULLET MAD JACK, and you must kill enemies to refill your 10 SECONDS OF LIFE!
• Beat handcraft stages at random full of exciting new obstacles at each chapter!
This is Fine: Maximum Cope – £14.99
Play as Question Hound and enter a collapsing theme park built from anxiety, regret, and surreal humor. Run, jump, fight, and caffeinate your way through five emotional worlds where everyday fears come to life. You will face flying textbooks, toilet monsters, and ghostly memories you thought were long gone.
Explore branching paths, unlock new abilities, and revisit earlier areas to discover new secrets. Each world features a unique boss that embodies humiliation, fear, failure, loss, or regret. Learn to cope, one ability at a time.
Total Chaos – £20.99 – Switch 2
Once a bustling haven for coal miners, Fort Oasis is now a crumbling wasteland, its eerie silence broken only by a cryptic radio transmission beckoning you toward the island’s heart—the forsaken mines. But as you delve deeper into the island’s desolation, the path forward becomes twisted and uncertain, unraveling unsettling truths hidden in the encroaching darkness.
Scavenge for scraps and craft makeshift weapons to defend yourself against the horrors that lurk in the shadows. Unearth fragments of forgotten lives scattered across the island and piece together the chilling mystery of Fort Oasis’s demise. Every discovery brings you closer to a truth that threatens to shatter your sanity.
Amnesia: Rebirth – £25.99 – Switch 2
The horror masterpiece Amnesia: Rebirth arrives on Nintendo Switch™ 2 in its most immersive form yet. In this Frictional Games’ dark adventure, you wake deep in the Algerian desert, haunted by gaps in your memory and the whispers of a shattered past. To survive the pitiless hunger threatening to devour you, you must retrace your steps through a desolate landscape of personal terror, pain, and bitter regret.
Brought to the new hardware by Abylight Studios, this version of Amnesia: Rebirth has been specifically engineered to harness the increased power of Nintendo Switch 2. Players can expect enhanced visual fidelity, atmospheric lighting, and seamless performance that heightens every pulse-pounding encounter with the horrific creatures stalking the shadows.
Bandit Trap – £12.00 – Switch 2
Welcome to Bandit Trap – the world’s most outrageously over-engineered home security company. This isn’t just a game. It’s a live-fire field test of traps, tools, and total mayhem.
Bandit Trap is a fresh 1v3, physics-powered online multiplayer brawler — strategic, slapstick, and endlessly replayable. Perfect for families, friends, and mischief-makers of all ages.
Play as the Trapper – Utilise ‘Securniture’ furniture to defend your home and its Treasures using inventive Booby Traps. Carefully prepare your defences before the Bandits arrive and adapt as the chaos starts!
PICROSS S KONAMI ANTIQUES edition – £16.19
Familiar characters from KONAMI games are making an appearance in the Picross S series for Nintendo Switch™!
More than 80 titles are included!
Characters from a wide range of game genres – from sports to dating sims and beloved game series like Castlevania, Contra, and Gradius – have been turned into pixel art puzzles.
Comes with the usual Picross S series puzzle modes: Picross, Mega Picross, Color Picross, and Clip Picross, as well as an Extra mode that features larger puzzles recreating famous scenes.
R-TYPE DX: Music Encore – £13.49
R-TYPE DX: Music Encore features the ultimate mode, Ultimate Challenge, allowing players to battle through both titles seamlessly.
For the first time, this mode includes a full soundtrack.
Arcade-accurate stage themes have been newly implemented — including dedicated tracks for areas that originally shared music — enabling every stage to be played with the same musical structure as the arcade versions.
Experience newly reconstructed sound created using authentic handheld hardware audio.
The original R-TYPE and R-TYPE II are also included.
CyberBlocker Complete Edition – £7.19
CyberBlocker Complete Edition is a brick-breaking action puzzler with shoot’em up elements. Maneuver twin ships to ricochet an orb into enemy blocks and clear the battlefield while dodging incoming fire and collecting power-up capsules.
Aim for higher scores as ball speed increases. Keep it in play, combine your reflective ships for an even wider shield and face off against massive bosses across 5 unique stages. Enjoy unlimited replay value and push your skills further in Challenge Mode!
Magin: The Rat Project Stories – £16.00
Magin: The Rat Project Stories takes place in a dark fantasy world, where magic – or essence, as it is called – is directly tied to the desires and fears of its inhabitants.
Shape the fate of Elester, a Magin and veteran hitman in an underworld syndicate, as well as young Tolen, who is about to realize that he too can use the essence to his advantage.
Step into a mature, magical world standing on the edge of an industrial revolution and utter chaos.
Overcome obstacles, play your cards wisely, and find your destiny in this immersive, story-driven adventure.
Dungeon Clawler mixes deck-building with a dash of roguelike mechanics and most importantly: a claw machine.
To improve his fortune in gambling, the evil dungeon lord has chopped off your left rabbit paw and wears it as a charm. Replacing your lost limb with a trusty claw, you fight your way through the dungeon to reclaim what’s yours!
Amend your actions. Restore the Elements!
The Elements have gone wild and the world is now in danger. Driven by guilt, you embark on a journey to restore them all and conquer the temples where each Element resides. Solve puzzles, fight foes and find secrets using the Elements you’ve gathered.
A few months after the chaos of Goonya Monster, Snail finds herself stuck in a peaceful… but boring routine without her beloved battles.
That is, until a massive horde of undead suddenly appears right before her eyes!
This spin-off mini-game from Goonya Monster puts fan-favorite character Snail in the spotlight.
Blast through waves of undead and race across stages that get faster and faster the longer you survive!
A sudden nightmare strikes!
The mischievous mad scientist Anemone has turned Octo and friends into stone…!?
To save them, weapon-obsessed scientist Toad sets off on a dangerous climb using his custom-built hopping machine—the Soul Hopper.
This spin-off mini-game from Goonya Monster stars series favorite Toad.
…Putting yourself through all that for your friends isn’t so bad, right?
A mountain of coins suddenly appears before Pirarucu, who loves shopping more than anything!
With this much money, she might be able to shop to her heart’s content!
Grace and elegance? Out the window.
Pirarucu dashes forward—leaping over cliffs, stomping enemies, and dodging fireballs… for all in the name of shopping!
Octo’s Balloon Challenge – £3.59
One day, for reasons unknown, Souls begin raining down from the sky…!?
To uncover the mystery, Octo and Goonyan took off to the skies… using balloons!
This spin-off mini-game from Goonya Monster stars the series’ main character, Octo.
Catch the falling Souls and keep them from spilling by using balloons to control the tilt of your container—then soar as high as you can!
Perennial Dusk -Kinsenka- – £24.99
Perennial Dusk -Kinsenka- is a visual novel presented by Yukito Urushibara (Planning & Story) and Saine (Character Design & Art).
Sai suffers from a persistent numbness in his heart and lives only to protect his little sister… That is, until a fateful meeting with a girl named Matsuri. In a twilight world where the dead and the living mingle, a group of boys and girls face the imminent threat of beings known as Maledicts. Growing little by little, they experience the bittersweetness of life and the warmth of human connection.
You awaken on a strange island ruled by the enigmatic Lord Ambermaze. He has frozen time, turning the island into a trap where no one ages or dies, and bizarre creatures roam — twisted results of his magical experiments. Don’t be surprised if you encounter carnivorous plums, exploding pumpkins, or mutant wasps along the way!
Recruit heroes with unique skills and place them strategically on the field. Merge the same heroes to level them up and get access to more powerful skills. Optimize your team and create strong synergies.
Who Tells Your Story is a simple yet engaging game in which you draw pictograms to create your own inspiring stories. Draw, create, and have fun. The only limit is your imagination.
Each character has unique skills and attributes, allowing flexible combinations based on combat needs. Whether you prefer powerful melee warriors or spell-casting mages, you’ll always find a role that suits your playstyle.
SCP Extraction Protocol – £4.49
SCP Extraction Protocol is a slow-burn industrial horror about routine, isolation, and something that refuses to be catalogued.
You have been assigned to maintain a classified extraction site. Your only responsibility: operate the crane, retrieve the containers emerging from the abyss, and process them according to protocol.
Horticular is a relaxing garden-builder that begins with mysterious gnomes summoning you. Their wish? For you to breathe new life into a long-lost garden, abandoned by its previous caretaker.
Enter a magical world where you build up and expand a lush garden at your own pace. In your journey, you attract adorable animals to inhabit every corner; uncover helpful upgrades; and assist quirky characters for rewards and story development—all while juggling decay and fending off corruption sent by your nemesis!
Explore the Opaloid Kingdom and take control of a sorcerer sent on a mission to rescue the princess!
Play through fast, minimalistic, old-school arcade challenges in a medieval fantasy land! Explore dark dungeons filled with monsters, travel through new towns and meet crazy wizards while fighting through obstacles that will test your skill.
“Trick Room Mysteries” is a 4-choice deduction game set inside a pixel-art house, where you uncover subtle clues and strange details to get to the truth of each case.
Read the situation carefully using the descriptions and illustrations, then choose the right answer from four options to advance the story.
Demon Huntress is a top-down roguelike shooter built around fast combat, endless progression, and outrageous power scaling.
Each run sends you through three randomized worlds chosen from five distinct areas, each filled with demons, traps, treasures, and escalating danger. Combat is fluid and aggressive, centered around precise movement, dodge rolls, and ranged combat using a powerful crossbow.
The End Comes Tomorrow: Gamebook Edition – £2.69
Why is the world ending? In The End Comes Tomorrow, finding that answer isn’t so simple. With dozens of branching pathways to take, your last day could end without even getting out of bed. The choice to stay home, take a walk, see neighbors, or watch TV all tell their own mini-narrative that slowly builds the larger picture.
Moon Raider: Anniversary Edition – £8.99
Ava is the young daughter of the brilliant-but-aging scientist Dr. Cavor and Selene, the former queen of the moon. As a selenite, Selene’s life depends on the special energy only moon gems can provide. With none left and time running out, Dr. Cavor enlists his daughter to raid the moon of as many gems as she can find!
Ava must survive the treacherous catacombs deep beneath the surface of the moon. Her enemies, a legion of corrupt aliens that now rule the moon with force, are far less primitive than they first appear. Their world is full of terrifying technology, deadly traps, and armed soldiers at the ready. Ava soon realizes that the only way to save her mother is to save the moon from itself.
Plantera 2: Golden Acorn – £4.99
The round blue Mellows return to tend to the garden once more. Grow the big magical oak tree that has been rumored to have placed its seed there. Build up your garden around the tree to attract Mellows, round blue creatures that will help you pick up things and harvest your plants.
Tend to the magical tree and harvest its golden acorns. Grow your garden from a small vegetable patch into a sprawling sanctuary of plants, vegetables, bushes, trees, cute animals and creatures.
Utilize paint-based mechanics to experience a constant state of flow—dive into the ground and walls, slice through the air and enemies!
Become stronger by unlocking new techniques with your brush that aid you in defeating threatening foes, overcoming platform challenges, solving complex puzzles, and advancing your progress.
Monster Crown: Sin Eater – £19.99
Explore the beautiful, textured and detailed environments of The Crown Nation, With over a thousand unique, hand-crafted Monster sprites, and hundreds of colors to choose from, you’ll find the ace Monster that’s right for you! And once you’ve found your favorites, use Monster Crossbreeding or perform Monster Fusion to reach new heights!
The game’s storyline puts you in the shoes of Asur, a young farm boy who has aspired to be a Monster Tamer his whole life, just like his big brother. When his family is put in mortal danger, he must act to set things right, and change the Crown Nation forever.
Next week: Wax Heads, Mixtape, KILL IT WITH FIRE! 2, Duck Side of the Moon, Akuma Rise, Decline’s Drops, Eternal Exodus, Shadows of the Afterland, Blackspot, Pa!nt, Chorus of Carcosa, Doll Defenders, Lost Twins 2, Akita: Legends Squad, Versebound, DRIFTCRAFT, and TetherGeist.