The majority of new Switch eShop releases for this week originate from Japan, making for a week full of eastern promises.
From Nintendo themselves, there’s Kirby’s Return to Dream Land, a remake of the Wii million seller with amiibo support, four-player co-op, and an extra adventure starring Magolor. Check out the demo if you haven’t already. It’s due out Friday both digitally and physically.
The same applies to Square-Enix’s anticipated Octopath Traveler II. Out of all of Square-Enix’s big-budget titles, it’s a relatively traditional RPG that gets genre die-hards the most excited. There’s a lesson to be learned there, perhaps. It also no doubt helps that it’s backed by beautiful artwork.
Redemption Reapers has been flying under the radar somewhat. It’s a dark fantasy tactical RPG from a studio of Japanese industry veterans, with their past works including Kingdom Hearts, Fire Emblem, and Metal Gear Solid. As a full-price release, it might be an idea to read a few reviews first.
If you prefer your RPGs more light-hearted, there’s Digimon World: Next Order – at an eyebrow-raising £54.99. Chances are the physical version can be found cheaper online, so shop around.
We can also expect the visual novels GRISAIA PHANTOM TRIGGER 08 and The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling, along with the western offering Twice Reborn: A Vampire Visual Novel.
Until this week, Jaleco’s Ninja JaJaMaru franchise has only seen a handful of western releases, such as the SNES’ Super Ninja-kid. Publisher ININ has split the back catalogue up into chunks for their trio of new retro collections, including a collection of JRPGs, modern update The Great Yokai Battle +Hell, and a platformer collection with five games – including a new colourised Game Boy title.
Atari is also back with Akka Arrh – a revival of a cancelled arcade game, which plays like a top-down tower defense shooter. Eurogamer branded it as ‘Essential’ in their review. Other critics weren’t quite as smitten, finding it tricky to get ‘into the zone’ with.
Also the western front, there’s Clive ‘N’ Wrench – a jolly 3D action platformer starring a time travelling duo, with stages set in different time zones. It comes from a solo developer who’s spent the last ten years tinkering on the project.
That’s joined by a surprise conversion of Intruders: Hide and Seek – originally a PS4 title from 2019. We recall spending a pleasant afternoon with this not-too-serious stealth adventure. One afternoon was all it took to see everything, mind.
Grim Guardians: Demon Purge may be worth looking at too, being a Castlevania inspired adventure that looks slicker than most Castlevania inspired adventures.
New Switch eShop releases
Clive ‘N’ Wrench is a 3D platformer starring Clive, a rabbit, and Wrench, the literal monkey on his back. Your adventure takes you hurtling through time and space in a 1950’s refrigerator on a heroic quest to thwart the tyrannical Dr Daucus and stop his evil plans.
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe – £49.99
The pink hero is back in Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe on Nintendo Switch! Jump into four-player fun or go at it solo in this deluxe version of the Wii platforming adventure, featuring new abilities, subgames and a bonus escapade starring the interdimensional traveller, Magolor.
This game is a brand-new entry in the OCTOPATH TRAVELER series, the first installment of which was initially released in 2018 and sold over 3 million copies worldwide. It takes the series’ HD-2D graphics, a fusion of retro pixel art and 3DCG, to even greater heights.
In the world of Solistia, eight new travelers venture forth into an exciting new era.
Where will you go? What will you do? Whose tale will you bring to life?
Every path is yours to take.
Embark on an adventure all your own.
Redemption Reapers is a dark fantasy simulation game set in a medieval world. Be immersed in the tale of the desperate struggle between the Ashen Hawk Brigade and the terrifying Mort legions.
With despair looming as the menacing Mort horde marches ever closer, help your small resistance defeat the enemy masses by bringing together a rich variety of character builds and a meticulous strategy. Experience the exhilaration as you rise up to overcome the odds and achieve victory!
Intruders: Hide and Seek – £17.99
In this new tense experience you become Ben, the eldest of the Richter family children. While on vacation at a country house, you’re the witness to three dangerous intruders slipping into the house and taking your parents hostage.
With your parents restrained and your sister hiding, you’re stuck in the house with the intruders. You’ll have to find a way to save your family while you figure out who the three assailants are and what they want.
You cannot run away or confront them. Your only option is… to hide.
A cascade of words, color, shapes and sound flows around your turret as you desperately fight off swarms of inbound attackers. If enemies penetrate your perimeter you need to zoom into close range combat and beat them back, adjusting to a completely different perspective in the blink of an eye. Welcome to Jeff Minter’s Akka Arrh.
This modern take from the fine developers at Llamasoft combines the intrigue of an incredibly rare Atari arcade prototype with a unique creative vision that delivers a wave shooter that is insanely addictive. Akka Arrh drips with Minter’s sense of humor, love of psychedelic color, and ability to create games that are a joy to play.
In this first-person puzzle game, solve riddles, decipher secret languages and survive deadly traps in seven different atmospheres filled with mystery and enigma. Immerse yourself in unique environments: whether it’s a dark, antique baroque-inspired atmosphere or a giant chess game, no two rooms are the same. Test your puzzle-solving skills and find out what lies beyond the seventh door, that is, if you make it through all seven.
Ninja JaJaMaru: The Lost RPGs – £9.99
With the two hidden RPGs of the JaJaMaru universe available on modern consoles you will experience two classic Role Playing Games that are truly unmissable from the JaJaMaru series as they are a treat for all true retro fans!
With their classic retro pixel look, they will take you back to the 80’s as you try to save the village from evil yokais and dragons which are causing suffering and chaos to the villagers and defeat the Great Demon Fairy. The collection includes „Ninja JajaMaru: The Ninja Skill Book”, the first RPG in JaJaMaru history and “Ninja JajaMaru: The Legend of the Golden Castle”, which is the second game from the series. Together they are the ultimate RPG adventure as they both reveal a whole new gaming experience.
Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell – £17.99
Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell is the must-have for everyone who loves the iconic Jump & Run franchise or wants to dive into it for the first time ever. This newest game introduces new controls and gameplay mechanics to the series. JaJaMaru and friends will face against the largest yo-kai army invasion in history! There are more than 20 playable characters with various abilities, including returning yokai from the series plus the newly debuting JaJaMaru family and more. By collecting the “Golden Beads” and “Souls” that drop from defeated enemies, you can unlock new playable characters. There is also support for single-screen local two-player multiplayer.
Ninja JaJaMaru: Retro Collection – £12.99
In the 80s and early 90s, the “Super Ninja-kid” series was one of Jaleco’s most prolific franchises, with several highly successful games.
The Retro Collection contains 5 of the most important platform evergreen games: Starting with “Ninja JaJaMaru-kun“ (1985, NES®), on to “Super Ninja-kid“ (1994, SNES®).
„Restored with love“ is invariably our motto at ININ, but this time it is particularly applicable to “Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great World Adventure“ a GameBoy title from 1990 that sees the light of day in colour for the first time ever! It runs perfectly on modern consoles!
Over the decades, there have been several attempts to bring single games from the series to Western audiences as well. Now, for the very first time, the most important and legendary games in this series are available to all international fans!
Digimon World: Next Order – £54.99
The Digital World has run rampant with Machinedramon and is now in a state of utter chaos. As a Digidestined, it’s up to you to restore order to the world in Digimon World: Next Order, a monster collecting RPG.
Find and recruit as many faithful Digimon companions as possible to rebuild the Digital World. Will you be able to balance both training and exploration to stop the virus-infected Digimon from causing complete destruction?
Lootbox Lyfe is a Metroidvania with high-skill movement as the core of its gameplay. Save your species by exploring a desolate, interconnected world riddled with platforming obstacles.
You wake up from a long slumber only to see the world you once loved is in ruins. The culprit of this calamity? Lootboxes!
Is there a way to bring your species back to its past glory? Or is this world forever in ruins due to the evil Shadowleaf’s monopolistic endeavor?
Play the ultimate version of Lootbox Lyfe that includes revamped UI, visual improvements, stability improvements, performance improvements, level balancing, and an all-new secret post-game level that tests your skills like never before!
Hike Isle is an relaxing open world walking simulator that’s easy on the eye and ears! Listen to the birds sing and wind blow as you make your way through the Island. Who knows what sorts of sounds you’re going to hear? All of the sounds and tracks are highest possible quality & The game has been optimized to ensure you will have a great time.
Explore tens of unique locations and structures built on the Island by others. What kinds of mysterious things will you find?
Twice Reborn: A Vampire Visual Novel – £13.49
If you crossed a vampire, would you protect humanity or embrace the blood? In Twice Reborn, teaching assistant Mark Delaware becomes a newly turned vampire in a community forced to hide in plain sight. His mentor Michelson has trusted Mark to become the Enforcer, a feared arbiter who keeps the quarreling vampiric houses following the Code.
When arson kills key vampires in the community, it is up to Mark to either embrace his vampirism or find a way to regain his humanity. Interacting with humans and vampires is a delicate balance. Not all appreciate Mark’s decision and not all relationships can last. Some want him dead, while others want him for their own. Mark’s responses in the perilous community changes their reactions as well as the story’s outcome.
Piczle Lines 2: Into the Puzzleverse – £13.49
Help Score-chan and professor Matrix find their dumb cat, Dbug, in another entirely avoidable, self-made crisis! Delve into your favourite literature that spans the entire Puzzleverse, solve PICture puzZLEs to recreate the objects in each chapter to uncover DBug and bring them back to safety.
All you have to do is connect pairs of number-dots by drawing a line between them and the picture will reveal itself, one line at a time.
Aside from the mad antics of the Story Mode, you’ll find hundreds more puzzles in Puzzle Mode, from musical instruments, to great pieces of Art, to zodiac animals and so much more!
Evil forces have turned these five hunky beefcake time-displaced boys into animals! You’ve got to help cure them and maybe even fall in love along the way!
Help Edmund, Frankie, Kyle, Miguel, and Charlie regain their literal humanity while ALSO becoming better people along the way!
Tyrant’s Blessing is a tactical turn-based game where your ability to plan, adapt, and strategize is more important than min-maxing your units or finding the sharpest sword in the hoard. Select battles every day, make challenging choices, and cleverly use the strengths of these rag-tag insurgents to defeat the undead hordes and maybe – just maybe – bring real life back to Tyberia.
Loot Box Simulator – Crimson Fire – £2.99
Be rich for once and buy all the loot boxes in this awesome simulator game.
Live your life like there is no tomorrow.
Earn money by finishing crazy jobs from a random selection, just to spend all of it on loot boxes.
This game brings pretty amazing images and exciting loot boxes to your console.
Choose between 4 action options and win great collectible pictures of the cool and hot fantasy characters.
The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling – £38.26
The story unfolds on a continent where the number of women has drastically decreased due to an incurable disease known as “The Rot.”
A young girl, Naala, lives in the southern country of Rus. Her mother is abducted by the northern country of Nasla, leaving her as an orphan.
Her childhood friend Auri, the next king of Rus and someone whom she adores like a brother, supported her through her hardships.
Several years after that nightmarish night…
Naala was welcomed into the royal family, and began to feel at ease in her life as Auri’s bride to be.
However…
The nightmare begins again, as a decision will have to be made in front of the Nasla army that is kidnapping women.
A fictional world that’s full of exoticism. This is a romance adventure game for women that depicts rich romantic relationships that involve the character’s countries, along with conflicts and beliefs.
In this horror game, you’ll have to immerse yourself in a thrilling and exciting adventure together with the main characters! Children have been missing for a long time in Lakewitch, and you are destined to solve this creepy mystery. Who is the kidnapper, and why is he doing it? Where are the children disappearing to, and how to save them? You can solve all the puzzles and find out the answers…if you don’t get scared!
In the first episode of this horror, you will meet your friend Harry, who has come up with a plan to save you from the kidnapper of children while you’re waiting for the return of your parents. Together with him, you will try to fortify the tree house, so that the scary kidnapper will not get to you. On the way to your goal, puzzles, moments of fear, unexpected twists and turns, and lots of fun await you!
The story will develop rapidly and very unpredictably. This horror game is an exciting, fun, and scary adventure to America of the ’90s!
Planet Cube is being invaded by a mysterious aggressor, and its populace are not ready for a fight. While most cubes run to the nearest exit, one square-headed lab technician named Edge finds it in himself to save the world. Of course, he’ll have a little help from co-workers and the illustrious Dr Quadratus, as well as some experimental weapons…
But why is the planet being invaded? Who is the invading force? The answers will become clear as our hero makes his way through an underwater science complex with danger at every turn!
Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator – £35.99
Take the reins of your dream restaurant
Choose and customise dozens of kitchen components (cooking surfaces, food processors, ovens, etc.) to build your dream kitchen! Before firing up your burners, organise your team and manage your suppliers to obtain premium ingredients that would impress the most demanding of gourmets.
Track your finances and predict how busy you will be so you are not overwhelmed by the dinner rush!
The game takes place in an abandoned clinic, based on various abandoned buildings in Japan.
A search mode for those who are not good at horror games.
The game has a ruin exploration mode without any horror elements, which can be played even by those who are not good at horror games.
You can explore the ruins in various situations such as morning, noon and night.
In Ruins Search Mode, you can use the camera function to take photos of the ruins.
Lost deep below the earth, trapped in ancient ruins, the two of you must work together to overcome the trials of these forgotten depths and escape. But it’s not all cooperation and teamwork – you each must try to escape with The Jade Statue, a mysterious and ancient relic of untold value. Only one of you can have the relic, and down here? Anything goes.
Rumble Sus is a fast-paced social deduction party game. Players learn their identity at the beginning by whether or not their controller is rumbling without others knowing. Once the game starts, the Traitors need to find teammates and try to defeat all the Innocents without being exposed. Meanwhile, the Innocents need to utilize items on the map and their wit to find dubious players and defeat all the Traitors. Pick up your controller and have a chaotic game full of laughter and suspicion with your friends!
Snake Core is an Arcade game with simple and familiar gameplay but twisting and turning the setting and variation into an inter-galactic war against an alien threat with a variation of mission types and army units.
Command your army of different soldier units as they attack aliens, take out bombs, retrieve soldiers, defend key locations, and hunt down big Snake like creatures. The game plays in different game-modes, with a multi-route map that allows the player to decide the best route to the Alien Overlord.
Grab power-ups to improve your soldiers skills, wipe out aliens, and increase your score with combo’s and tactics!
Midnight is a witch’s animal helper, more precisely, a cat that has accidentally ended up on a mysterious island. Now he is lost in a weird world and needs your help to get back home.
Before the adventure begins, there is one more thing you must know… Midnight is lost give you a unique and challenging experience that need to be solved backward.
Get ready to burn your brain with this game!
Neodori Forever is a retro arcade racing game inspired by the beloved old classics!
Ink & Paper: DoodleCut – £4.50
You take control of a doodle bug crawling across the notebook. As you move, you draw a line behind you. When you surround an area, you can capture and doodle it. You must sketch more than three-quarters of a page to win.
Each level offers plenty of challenges – from special areas to multiple types of enemies. Don’t let them catch you or cut your line!
Play alone or with your friend in co-op mode to get the most space in the shortest time! You can also unlock expert speed and endless mode.
Doodle, divide and conquer!
By any means necessary stop the hordes of undead monsters with their sole aim to destroy any living souls. Try to be the brave and bold hero that is desperately needed in this monster-infested kingdom.
Become the saviour in this action-packed strategy combining arcade and strategy gameplay inspired by the “tower defence” genre. Stop the evil-doers and then return to your magical tower and chill a bit until any next time the world will need your services once again!
GRISAIA PHANTOM TRIGGER 08 – £26.99
Several years after Yuuji Kazami and his friends fought for their lives in a fierce battle, a new generation of heroines gather at Mihama Academy, which has been reinstated as a ‘specialist training school’.
Taking place in the same world as The Fruit of Grisaia, new characters bring an exciting fresh take in the final volume of this brand new series!
Featuring more content—and more thrills—than any volume before!
Help Roniu find his way through a death-defying dungeon and take down a plague of enemies hellbent on keeping him there.
Roniu’s Tale is a top down puzzler with action elements. While levels are designed to have one or more path, each step Roniu takes will cause the tiles to break as he passes.
Using magic and a little thought, it’s up to you to help Roniu locate the orbs and keys he needs to find his way out.
Sink into the familiar anime art style of Hentai World. Progress through the story by solving all puzzles. These lovely girls will keep you company.
In this isometric action game where enemies are coming at us in droves, we are trying to defend ourselves and survive against the growing and strengthening enemies by making the right strategy and moves! By spending the skulls that fall from the enemies at the right time and place, you can improve your battle strategy and fight more effectively against your enemies!
Grim Guardians: Demon Purge – £21.49
In order to save their school after it turns into a massive demonic castle, two “Demon Hunter” sisters slash and shoot their way through this 2D action adventure.
Players can swap between control of both characters on the fly, each with entirely different skillsets. Proceed through the castle while confronting the demonic bosses that await deep within.
Each boss yields new weapons to wield, allowing for more varied exploration and opening up new routes.
Next week: BROK the InvestiGator, Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth, Meg’s Monster, Ruku’s Heart Balloon, void* tRrLM2(); //Void Terrarium 2, Aery – Calm Mind 3, Lucy Dreaming, Afterthought, Choice of Life: Middle Ages 2, Rytmos, A Fox and His Robot, Green Soldiers Heroes, Chess Pills, Pretty Girls Breakers! PLUS, Live Factory, and The Smile Alchemist.