It’s the Switch 2 receiving the bulk of big name releases this week. The original Switch isn’t entirely forgotten, though, gaining a surprise release of THQ Nordic’s Sacred 2 Remaster – which has a modern UI, refined combat, and every expansion. While this may sound promising, critics didn’t think much of last year’s PS5/Xbox Series versions due to glitches and barely improved graphics.
An RPG faring much better is The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, although critics have noted that it isn’t the greatest of Switch 2 conversions. “Performance-wise, Oblivion Remastered may not sing as you’d hope on Nintendo’s hardware, although the added control options are very welcome and it looks and sounds the part, even when the frame rate dips below the target 30fps. However, this is without a doubt one of the best RPGs of all time and the remaster gives the same old game a brand-new look,” said Nintendo Life.
“If you’re a Nintendo fan coming from Skyrim, be prepared for an ambitious but demanding adventure that is a little rough around the edges,” warned Nintendo World Report meanwhile, before handing out a 7.5.
The Switch 2 also gains EA SPORTS Madden NFL 27 – which has a new engine this year, along with a Superstar G.O.A.T. Career Journey mode – the polished PS2 era inspired hack ‘n slash platformer Duskfade, a native version of the roguelike spin-off Blazblue Entropy Effect X, and the Y2K era inspired skateboarding sim Skatesterre – starring Sterre Meijer.
There’s the addictive slot machine roguelike CloverPit too, which we reviewed on Xbox Series: “From hitting a winning streak and having enough cash to pay off debts early, to barely reaching the next deadline, it knows how to keep you coming back for more.” If that sounds like your jam, Old Coin Pusher Gaiden may pique your interest, putting an RPG spin on an old arcade favourite – and it’s only £3.59.
Another new release we’ve reviewed is Pro Jank Footy – based on Australian Rules Football, which is a bit like rugby crossed with soccer. It’s sports 16-bit art and plays not unlike a sports game from that era, only with randomised power-ups. Players can be changed into seagulls and shopping trollies, while scores can be reset or switched. The core gameplay is suitably hectic, but the peculiar mode selection and lack of unlockables let it slide.
Then there’s eastasiasoft’s animalistic auto-shooter Pets Survivors, QUbyte’s combat free sewer-trekking Metroidvania Plungeez, the Choplifter inspired Choppa: Rescue Rivals, an EGGCONSOLE release of the demonic detective adventure Onryou Senki, LCD style shoot’em up Future Knight, and the hardcore side-scrolling brawler Vengeance of Mr. Peppermint. All of these are available for the original Switch.
Of course, we aren’t without our weekly dose of retro from Hamster. This week gives us the PS1 version of Tecmo’s 1997 beat’em up TOUKI DENSHOU ANGEL EYES, a new Switch 2 Arcade Archives 2 version of TEHKAN’s PINBALL ACTION from 1985, and Technos’ 1988 volleyball sim V’BALL. A Namco Arcade Archives sale is also underway, which includes the excellent Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer.
New Switch and Switch 2 eShop releases
Shatter the shackles of time as you jump, swing, and slash through a fantastic world in this love letter to classic 3D action platformers. Zirian, accompanied by his mechanical Cuckoo, must save his sister from a mysterious Clock Tower that has plunged the land into eternal night.
Master a seamless blend of dynamic platforming and fast-paced combat. Jump, dash, grapple, and glide your way through thrilling challenges that rekindle the magic of classic action platformer favourites.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered – £49.99 – Switch 2
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion™ Remastered modernizes the 2006 Game of the Year with all new stunning visuals and refined gameplay. Explore the vast landscape of Cyrodiil like never before and stop the forces of Oblivion from overtaking the land in one of the greatest RPGs ever from the award-winning Bethesda Game Studios.
EA SPORTS Madden NFL 27 – £69.99 – Switch 2
EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL 27, powered by the all-new Persona Engine, transforms Franchise into a reactive, always-evolving league where every NFL athlete has a distinct, realistic personality that informs their motivations, demands and reactions. Gameplay gets physical with more precise control from authentic WR/DB battles, new short-yardage mechanics, defensive coverage improvements and new strategic pre-play settings and controls. Build your NFL legacy on a deeper progression path in the new Superstar G.O.A.T. Career Journey and control your roster with more customization with Ultimate Team Captains.
Blazblue Entropy Effect X – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – £21.50
A roguelite action game set in the BLAZBLUE universe, featuring striking 2D visuals, stylish, fast-paced combat, and precise, responsive controls.
Command a line-up of unique characters from the renowned BLAZBLUE franchise and dive into an unparalleled action experience.
Skatesterre – £11.99 – Switch 2
Skatesterre is a fast-paced arcade skateboarding game inspired by the golden era of classic skate titles.
Link together huge combos, land stylish tricks, and shred through levels designed for speed, flow, and creativity.
Ride as Sterre Meijer a.k.a. Surfsterre, Dutch skateboarder and rising figure in the global skate scene, and carve your way through streets, parks, and urban playgrounds packed with rails, ramps, and hidden lines.
Complete missions, chase high scores, and unlock new fashion pieces as you progress – building your own unique skate style along the way.
Clover Pit is a rogue-lite that traps players in a hell of their own creation. Locked in a rusty cell with a slot machine and an ATM, you must pay off your debt at the end of each round, or fall to ruin – literally!
Manipulate the slot machine to earn extra coins. Turn the odds in your favor with various prizes and charms that trigger big big combos, snowballing into a dazzling lucky run. Bend the rules, break the game, and pay off your captor long enough to earn a shot at freedom.
Old Coin Pusher Gaiden – £3.59 – Switch 2
While inheriting the core system of the Old Coin Pusher Friends series, this title offers a fresh and unique gameplay experience.
Strengthen your samurai in the village, prepare your set of Action Spheres, and head into the cave.
During exploration, you’ll encounter enemies, discover treasure chests, and experience various events.
Your goal is to delve deeper into the cave.
This game is primarily single‑player. Only Raid Battles support online multiplayer.
In this remaster of the beloved action RPG Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, players return to a massive fantasy realm filled with hundreds of quests, dangerous dungeons, and unique combat arts to master. Battle monstrous creatures, uncover ancient secrets, and shape your character through loot, leveling, and deep customization.
Each playthrough begins with a partially generated map that can be further expanded and customized through a modular building system, allowing players to shape the battlefield around their strategy.
Experiment with different combinations of buildings, weapons, perks, and doctrines to create powerful builds capable of surviving increasingly dangerous enemy waves. Unlock new possibilities over time, push your strategies further in Extended Mode, and take on higher difficulties designed to challenge even experienced players.
In order to overcome insurmountable odds, the hero, Chrona, must manipulate the flow of time in order to gain advantages over opponents. Additionally, you will be able to discover various ‘Magi’ throughout the game, of which Chrona can transform into and gain different combat abilities. By changing Magi, you are able to effectively change your combat style and weapon of choice. Chrona herself is also able to learn abilities that will help you navigate the treacherous world. However, Chrona must learn to live with the consequences of her actions, and find out what her choices say about her.
Domesticated animals get wild in roguelike arena shooter combat where survival is all that matters! Pick 1 of 14 playable pets, each with unique skills and stats, as they face hordes of fantasy monsters like slimes, rock giants, oversized bugs, carnivorous plants and more in top-down retro pixel art style.
Lamp Clicker is a simple and addictive incremental / idle clicker game where your goal is to build your own… lamp empire.
Idle Gameplay: Enjoy a relaxing idle experience designed to help you unwind. Even while you are away, your sect keeps battling, growing stronger, and moving closer to ascension.
Choppa: Rescue Rivals – £13.75
Choppa: Rescue Rivals is a modern-but-retro reimagining of the arcade-style action games made famous in the 1980s and 1990s. Like many, we share a deep nostalgia for the vibrant world of the ‘80s and ‘90s media: Arcade games, toys, cartoons and anime that defined our childhoods. Driven by this passion, we set out to create a game that brings those cherished memories to life.
Get ready for an adventure full of discovery, strategy, and tropical charm. In The Pirate Keko, you take control of a charismatic pirate monkey in search of hidden treasures across mysterious islands, where each level is much more than it first appears.
Experience the ultimate LCD action on Nintendo Switch™!
Future Knight is a 2D action Shoot ‘Em Up that fuses the nostalgia of LCD screens with the brutality of modern combat. Imagine your old handheld console coming to life, but with a bizarre story, frantic combat, and a unique visual aesthetic inspired by classic electronic handheld games.
Welcome, Brave Hero, to a World Lost in Time.
Embark on a roguelite adventure that pays tribute to the golden era of gaming.
Love, Internet, and Murder Magic – £3.59
Love, Internet, and Murder Magic is a Roguelike game. You will role-play an agent of a streamer who died because of a murder. You are trying to “bring her back” through AI technology on the Internet, making her the unique creation of the Internet.
A noir story of a tiny bird fighting to bring colour back to a dying world.
Caught between the endless war of Humans and Aliens, you are a small bird struggling to survive in the ruined, radioactive lands of Grayland. What was once a peaceful home has become a scorched, lifeless battlefield.
Fly through breathtaking hand-painted environments, dodge enemy drones, cleanse toxic hotspots, and confront colossal bosses in your journey to save your loved ones. Discover the haunting mystery behind the fall of this world — and fight to restore hope where none remains.
EGGCONSOLE Onryou Senki PC-8801mkIISR – £5.39
Originally released in 1988 by Studio WING, this classic adventure game puts you in the shoes of Hiroyuki Kitahara, a young man who awakens to supernatural powers after a chilling encounter. Set in the eerie Miyaji City—a place plagued by a string of bizarre incidents—you must harness your deductive skills to battle vengeful spirits and uncover the truth.
Vengeance of Mr. Peppermint – £15.99
Vengeance of Mr. Peppermint is a hardcore, side-scrolling beat-’em-up inspired by classic Korean crime dramas. As Mr. Peppermint, a hard-boiled detective driven to the extreme, find out who gives orders at the top of the crime ladder, and enact brutal, bloody vengeance.
Get ready for a wild ride in Back Driver Simulator, where you’re not behind the wheel—but your decisions still control the chaos. Sit in the back seat of a speeding taxi, direct the driver, and navigate unpredictable roads from a first-person perspective. Every choice matters, and one wrong command can turn a smooth run into total disaster. Fast, absurd, and full of surprises, this is a driving experience unlike any other.
Venture below the streets of London, and you will find the medieval kingdom of rats, mice, moles, squirrels, and shrews known as Rodentia.
If the rodents have a cardinal law, it is this: never attack a god. But Verm never had much respect for the rule of law. His tail was stolen by the Yellow God of Death, and now the mouse will have to fight all manner of beasts and titans on his quest to get it back.
Plungeez is an exploration-focused puzzle-adventure that puts your mind to the test. Dive deep into a complex underground sewer system in the historic city of Salvador, Brazil, where progress isn’t measured by brute force, but by perception and logic.
Run, push, activate, and explore. Like a Metroidvania, Plungeez’s map is vast and full of hidden connections that require you to go back and forth to solve the central mysteries. With no combat distractions, you can fully focus on the mechanics of each puzzle and the unique atmosphere of this pixel-art world.
Next week: The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition, DayZ, Backyard Baseball,Ground Zero Hero, Grim Trials, Puppergeist, Mega City Force, Driving is Hard, Dungeon Antiqua 2, Toy Tactics, OVER REQUIEMZ, Ascent DX, and Dark Reflection.