If you’re a Xenoblade fan, no doubt 30th July will already be marked on your calendar. The physical release of Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is due out today, while Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition launches digitally on the eShop. You’ll have to wait until 1st October for a physical release of that.
This Switch 2 version promises 4K/60fps and includes a new Merc Mode, a new rare blade, plus new styles (costumes) for Pyra and Mythr. Merc Mode involves selecting six blades and heading into battle, switching between them to secure a victory. A £7.99 upgrade path will be available.
Other new releases for the Switch 2 include the retro-style two-player adventure BOKURA, horde arena battler Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel, bullet hell style roguelike Ira, low poly early PS1-era platformer Valkyrie Saga, and the emotional story collection BLUE REFLECTION Quartet.
Konami are releasing remasters of their older The Prince of Tennis anime tie-ins too. They appear to be visual novels based on the protagonist’s love life and not actual tennis games. The Switch 2 versions have mouse support and the ability to share “Minidramas” via GameShare.
Truxton Extreme is out now on Switch 2 also, which we awarded an 8/10. It’s an incredibly challenging full-screen vertical shooter, with a generous helping of modes and extras. It’s a contender for one of the best-looking shooters around too, sporting lavish explosions and heavy firepower that can see the screen swarming with bullets. It’ll take a long time to master due to the one hit death system, forcing you to learn and master each stage.
We also reviewed the pretty good, and reasonably priced, Shard Squad – an auto-shooter similar to Vampire Survivors, only with Pokémon-style creatures and a few fun twists – along with the Snake-inspired Mechaconda, which we felt was unfairly difficult. “The core mechanic isn’t compelling enough, and the fact that your modules are scattered when you take a hit, leaving you vulnerable to a quick death and another Game Over, is a massive barrier to persevering,” we noted. It ended up with a 6/10.
This week also sees the release of the urban top-down shooter Kusan: City of Wolves – which appears to be reviewing well – the low poly King’s Field inspired RPG Verho – Curse of Faces, the polished looking paintbrush powered platformer Constance, pixel art climbing adventure Turnip Mountain, watchful kingdom builder The King is Watching – in which work is only carried out under the King’s glaze – and the dungeon crawling RPG Dungeon Antiqua. It’s definitely a good week for all things fantasy themed.
There’s the investigative adventure Case Solved: The London Files and the cosy plant shop management sim Leafy Corner too. Be Kind Rewind may also be worth a look, seeing you run a video shop on your lonesome during a busy Friday night.
Lastly, this week’s Arcade Archives release is TATSUMI’s three-screen racer TX-1 from 1983, while the newest Console Archives title is Hudson’s 8-bit licensed platformer Doraemon from 1986, originally for the Famicom. Retro fans may also want to keep an eye on next week’s Route16 Collection, which sees an early Sunsoft arcade game reborn.
New Switch eShop releases
Truxton Extreme – £20.69 – Switch 2
Truxton Extreme delivers white-hot shooter thrills for masters and novices alike. Take down hordes of alien invaders with your Power Shot, Truxton Beam, Thunder Laser, Homing Shot, Star‑mine Shot, and more! Don’t forget to breathe as you face off against gigantic bosses in the ultimate battle for humanity’s survival!
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – £58.99
Explore an endless ocean of clouds, where the last remnants of civilisation live on the backs of colossal beasts called Titans. Experience the story of Rex and Pyra, a mysterious being known as a Blade who grants him tremendous power.
With smoother frame rates and 4K resolution in TV mode, the land of Alrest has never looked better.
Kusan: City of Wolves – £12.99
Welcome to Kusan: City of Wolves, a brutal top-down shooter set in a neon-drenched urban jungle consumed by violence and corruption.
Kusan delivers hardcore action where one mistake means death. Master gunplay, perfect your movement, survive the streets and combat arenas ruled by furious kingpins that demand speed, precision and flawless execution. Every moment of action is intensified by Korean hip-hop heavyweight Loptimist’s adrenaline-fuelled soundtrack drenched with head-bopping loops and deep 808s pushing you forward without mercy.
BOKURA is a two-player puzzle adventure game. Play as two boys who ran away from their homes and work together to take yourselves somewhere far, far away. Relive the friendship of your childhood through the journey of two boys.
Verho – Curse of Faces – £22.49
YOU STEP INTO YARIV…ACCURSED LAND FROM WHICH THE CURSE THAT RAVAGED THE WORLD ORIGINATED….
The Curse of Faces – where revealing one’s face means instant death – has befallen the world. Humanity was brought close to the brink. After 264 years of “the Era of Solitude”, a symbol of safety appeared – Masks. While the origins of the curse are still shrouded in mystery, many travelers still venture to the source of this curse in an attempt to reveal its secrets. Will you strive to lift the curse from the world, or will you harness its power for your own ends?
Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel – £17.99 – Switch 2
Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is a gripping roguelike horde arena survival game with top tier graphics. Choose one of the damned heroes and attempt to pass the gods’ test by fighting your way through waves of mythical adversaries.
If you succeed in all the trials, you will become the chosen Jotunnslayer.
Ira fuses roguelike action with bullet-hell shooting in a way never seen before. Players take on the role of Yeon, a young girl guided by fate to wield the power of Ira— a Protection Stone born from the prayers of a lost god—as she battles to save a world consumed by chaos.
Across 4 areas and 7 stages set in a hauntingly beautiful yet perilous world, players must master both normal shots and charged attacks, read enemy patterns, weave through dense bullet curtains, and strike with precision. Thanks to the roguelike structure, map layouts, item drops, and upgrade paths change with every run.
With over 160 bows, 150+ items, and 43+ synergies, no two runs feel the same—delivering massive replayability for action game fans.
Valkyrie Saga – £6.99 – Switch 2
Valkyrie Saga is an indie, retro platformer styled after 1994 3D platformer classics, giving you a chance to embark on an epic odyssey! Play as Roll the Valkyrie, a divine warrior tasked by the gods with one mission: Stopping a floating island from crashing into the earth. Ascend the ancient skyborne land, explore ancient ruins, unlock their secrets – and stop the cataclysm!
Survive an insane army of enemies with a squad of elemental creatures! Recruit new members for your team by defeating the bosses that cross your path, and combine their traits to unlock powerful effects! Unity not only brings strength, it also creates new abilities!
BLUE REFLECTION Quartet – £39.99
BLUE REFLECTION Quartet – £39.99 – Switch 2
The BLUE REFLECTION series depicts the emotions and bonds of female students across a variety of mediums, with character design and series supervision by famed illustrator Mel Kishida. BLUE REFLECTION Quartet contains all four of these emotional stories in a single collection.
New features make the series more accessible than ever before, with a more detailed look at the setting that will help newcomers understand events and provide a deeper look for returning fans.
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.
Take mass destruction anywhere with Mechaconda! In this frantic arcade experience, you control a bio-mechanical weapon that grows in real-time. Manoeuvre your long body through dangerous arenas, collecting upgrade cards to install destructive weapons on every new segment.
With optimised controls for handheld mode, Mechaconda demands quick reflexes: the larger you get, the greater your firepower, but also the bigger the target for enemies. Choose your strategy from over 30 ability cards, defeat Dr. EVIL’s colossal bosses, and dominate the arena in this addictive blend of action and evolutionary survival!
Turnip Mountain is a physics-based climbing adventure built around a unique control system: each hand is controlled independently. Enjoy a natural and satisfying climbing experience. Master your momentum as you grip walls, swing from ropes, launch yourself across gaps and discover your own route to the summit. Every move depends on your skill, making every successful climb its own reward.
Sizeable is a short, relaxing, and casual puzzle/exploration game centered around the unique mechanic of shrinking and growing. Originally developed as a student project, the game evolved into Business Goose Studio’s first commercial title. It’s a passion project, made with care and creativity, and we hope you enjoy playing it as much as we enjoyed making it.
The King’s watchful gaze.
Peasants toil, miners dig, and knights train… but only when I look at them! Wherever my eyes fall, progress follows. But the moment I glance elsewhere?
Laziness! Chaos! I must choose wisely between the fields, the mines, or the barracks, expanding my gaze so no one slacks off!
PAW Patrol: Dino World – £34.99
ROARR! Sounds like trouble… Did that come from Dino Island? Mayor Humdinger is causing chaos, making the dinosaurs scared and run away.
Leap into colossal rescue missions with Chase, Marshall, Rubble, Skye, Rocky, and Zuma. Explore the Dino Plains and care for dinos at the Paleo Center. Drive across the shores and jungle to discover collectibles.
Wake Up, Lia! is a narrative-driven 2D precision platformer set within nightmares shaped by bullying. As Lia, you will have to overcome deadly traps across 20 handcrafted stages to recover lost memories and fragments of your identity.
Embark on a heartfelt journey of trauma, resilience and rebirth, blending emotional storytelling with challenging gameplay and an atmospheric soundtrack! Play solo or team up with a friend in local co-op!
Meow Moments: Celebrating Frost & Flora – £2.69
Experience the Beauty of the Seasons! In this cozy hidden-object adventure, cats and friends explore the contrast between a frosty winter wonderland and a serene blooming garden. Every detail invites you to discover that whether in the snow or under falling petals, friendship and fun are always in season.
Case Solved: The London Files – £9.09
Case Solved: The London Files blends cozy noir storytelling with the elegant logic-driven deduction popularized by Einstein’s Riddle.
Behind London’s fog and gaslight, every case becomes a closed puzzle: a handful of suspects, a tangle of conflicting testimonies, and a single answer that yields to logic alone.
Dungeon Antiqua is a dungeon crawl-type RPG with beautiful dots and nostalgic sounding chiptunes that are reminiscent of the 1980s and 1990s.
Tome of the Damned is a dark and gripping top-down roguelike that tells the tragic story of a mage whose reckless experiments with forbidden magic ended in disaster. Once a powerful sorcerer, you are now a living corpse doomed to endless cycles of reincarnation, inhabiting the bodies of the dead. Your lair lies deep within the castle’s dungeons, surrounded by former allies and castle guards who are determined to keep you locked away to prevent your dark magic from escaping.
The Prince of Tennis Doki Doki Survival ~eternal passion! Tie break ♡ game~ – £39.98
The Prince of Tennis Doki Doki Survival ~eternal passion! Tie break ♡ game~ is a globally remastered edition of a legendary otome game that has been beloved in Japan for more than 20 years.
While on vacation, a sudden storm leaves you and your friend stranded on a deserted island.
Join forces with the tennis club members who shared your ship and set out together to escape the island.
The Prince of Tennis Sweet School Festival ~♡-40 and more…~ Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – £44.98
The Prince of Tennis Sweet School Festival ~♡-40 and more…~ – £39.98
The Prince of Tennis Sweet School Festival ~♡-40 and more…~ is a globally remastered edition of a legendary otome game that has been beloved in Japan for more than 20 years.
<Story>
During a joint school festival hosted by the tennis clubs of seven academies, you are chosen to serve as a member of the festival’s management committee.
Guide and support the players of your assigned school, strengthen your bonds, and strive for first place in the stall competition!
The Prince of Tennis Doki Doki Survival ~eternal passion! Tie break ♡ game~ is a globally remastered edition of a legendary otome game that has been beloved in Japan for more than 20 years.
While on vacation, a sudden storm leaves you and your friend stranded on a deserted island.
Join forces with the tennis club members who shared your ship and set out together to escape the island.
Enter commands in rhythm to activate your skills. Weave clever beats by playing off the cards in your hand and your opponent’s attacks.
Battle across stages with distinct soundtracks, from city streets to ancient ruins. The tempo and time signature of each track transform how you play.
Race against the clock as you rewind tapes, restock shelves, manage impatient customers, and keep the Friday night rush from turning into a complete disaster. Every second counts when there’s only one rewinding machine and a store full of people demanding their movies now.
Multi-ending daughter-raising simulation game: Volcano Princess
In a volcanic kingdom where smithing, magic, and alchemy flourish, you play as a father and guide your daughter as she grows up.
Here’s a slightly unusual Casual Adventure game where the main gameplay centers around taking pictures of cats. The pixel art graphics in a 3D setting create a charming atmosphere reminiscent of Japanese animation.
Kugayama Shiori’s Death Diary – £16.75
Who was she?
Why did she die?
Together with you—the only living person who can still speak to her—
Shiori begins her search for her memories, and for the truth behind her death.
Lootbag Tactics is a fantasy strategy game that brings together deep inventory management and thrilling auto-battler mechanics. Collect the right items, build your unbeatable setup, and outsmart your rivals!
In a world where rhythm and combat intertwine, music becomes your weapon.
Parry attacks, strike back to the beat, and turn every breathtaking duel into a spectacular musical performance.
Run the plant shop of your dreams in Leafy Corner, a cozy shop management game where you grow, sell, and care for real-life houseplants!
Step into the role of a plant shop owner. Grow plants, serve your customers, and create a warm, inviting space filled with greenery and charm.
Watch your plants grow over time, unfolding leaf by leaf as you care for them.
Next week: Lies of P: Complete Edition, FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, Big Walk, Kynseed, Aooni2, Montabi, Limbot, OBAKEIDORO 2: Chase & Seek, ROUTE16 COLLECTION, Mai: Child of Ages – Storms of Time, Grizzy and the Lemmings – Crazy Party, John Fox, Spooky Spirit Shooting Gallery for Nintendo Switch 2, Mate’Morphosis, Talespinner, FixFox, Gods With Guns, Max Speed,and Apocalypse? No!