The Switch eShop is in almost perfect harmony this week, offering a pleasing mixture of anticipated big-name titles, intriguing indies, retro gems, and a sprinkling of oddities. Not too hectic, not too calm either.
The dust hasn’t had a chance to settle on Resident Evil Requiem and yet Capcom are back with Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. The Metacritic for this Switch 2 RPG currently sits at 82%, with many critics claiming it’s the best in the side-series to date. “Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is the most engaging game in the series so far, with great battles, a riveting narrative, and a fantastic new feature in the form of habitat restoration,” said Pocket Tactics, although they did warn of iffy performance.
Speaking of Requiem, if you’ve seen Leon’s latest through to the end, fellow horror FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly is now waiting in the wings. Perhaps due to its age, this remake of Project Zero II has gained more rework and refinements than most re-releases. Here, twin sisters must escape from an abandoned village while harnessing the power of the Camera Obscura. It has a respectable 80% Metacritic currently on Switch 2, gaining praise for its exploration and story pacing.
We’re still waiting on reviews of the Switch 2 version of WWE 2K26. The consensus is that this year’s edition packs in a lot of content (400+ wrestlers!), but the microtransactions leave a sour taste. MLB The Show 26 is also review shy despite launching in two days’ time. We’re in for enhanced customisation options and new Road To The Show mechanics this year.
Just when we thought Hamster were done with the NeoGeo, they’re back with POP‘N BOUNCE – a brick breaker from 1997. There’s a new Console Archives release too, in the form of the vertical shooter SONIC WINGS Special. We assume it’s the PS1 version, given that Saturn emulation is tricky. Fun fact: it was the notorious Phoenix Games that published the PAL version, and as late as 2004. It was probably within the last dozen or so PS1 releases. Nihon Falcom’s Advanced Lord Monarch – which involves conquering lands – is this week’s EGGCONSOLE release, meanwhile. As it’s from 1991 the visuals are closer to 16-bit quality.
Other releases for this week include the comical horror Don’t Mess With Bober – entailing an angry beaver – the arcade-style FPS Wrack, vaporwave parkour game Parkour Labs, high seas farming adventure Collector’s Cove, and Bubblegum Galaxy – a cozy narrative building game about rebuilding and designing planets. The King of the Cosmos would approve.
New Switch eShop releases
FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE – £44.99
The full remake of the second installment in the FATAL FRAME (PROJECT ZERO) series titled FATAL FRAME / PROJECT ZERO II: Crimson Butterfly. This Japanese-style horror adventure game follows twin sisters who become lost in an abandoned village haunted by vengeful spirits. Using the Camera Obscura—a device that can capture and seal away the impossible—they fight ghosts as the story unfolds.
This title has undergone a complete overhaul, with improvements to everything from visuals and audio to the core gameplay systems and controls. The signature Camera Obscura mechanic, used to capture and fend off spirits, remains a key feature, now offering richer and more engaging gameplay in both exploration and combat. In addition, the new “Holding Hands with Mayu” mechanic adds a heartfelt touch, letting you experience the deep bond between the sisters like never before.
WWE 2K26 Standard Edition – £59.99
Run the world’s greatest show your way and live out your WWE fandom to the fullest. Experience the most expansive gameplay to date with rebellious Legends of the Attitude Era and Superstars of today.
Bring the chaos to every corner of the ring with new match types, including I Quit, Inferno, and Dumpster. Plus, take the fight to The Island in the new Scrapyard Brawl arena, experience an updated progression system, and test your skills in MyFACTION with Quick Swap, a fast-paced, team-based mode. Enjoy interactive entrances, new crowd interactions, and fresh commentary from Booker T and Wade Barrett.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection – £54.99
Twin Rathalos, born in a twist of fate.
Monster Hunter Stories is an RPG series set in the Monster Hunter world, where you can become a Rider, raising and bonding with your favorite monsters.
Your journey to greatness starts here, which path will you choose?
Earn a coveted spot at the MLB Draft Combine® or catch the eye of one of 11 additional new colleges as you advance through chapters of your career.
Compete in the officially licensed Men’s NCAA® College World Series® as you rise from a promising high school talent to one of the all-time MLB® greats – immortalized in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and maybe even a place on the first ballot.
Don’t Mess With Bober is an atmospheric first-person horror game inspired by 1980s classics, where a seemingly innocent vacation turns into a nightmare. A small mistake during your holiday can unleash the wrath of an enraged Beaver seeking revenge. Immerse yourself in a chilling experience filled with tension, suspense, and classic horror elements.
Inspired by classics, Wrack is an arcade-style FPS. Mow down enemies one after another, and become more powerful the more you kill. Amass a deadly arsenal, discover secret powers… and save your world!
In this remake of 2014’s Wrack, play as Kain as you shoot, slash, and hyperblast your way through a horde of invading aliens and robots to keep your planet safe.
Step into the life of a self-proclaimed detective. Along with your quirky assistant Olivina, take on a seemingly ordinary case, until you unravel its hidden twists and turns that pull you through a thrilling, unique story.
Welcome to 1 CatLine, a brainteasing precision platformer where you must guide a daring and adventurous heroine through single-screen challenges, with 50 unique levels spanning a variety of colorful pixel art biomes.
Run and leap through increasingly complex stages, freezing time and shifting perspectives to maneuver your cat friend around the environment to push crates, activate switches or create improvised platforms using its long furry body! Are you clever enough to clear all the challenges?
DecaDungeons™ is a first-person, turn-based dungeon crawler that blends classic DRPG mechanics with a minimalistic, atmospheric 3D pixel-art style.
Descend through ten deadly dungeons, battle powerful foes, and uncover the secrets needed to save the kingdom. Exploration is just as important as survival—hidden throughout the labyrinths are 50 Red Coins, waiting for those who search carefully.
Welcome to Parkour Labs, a vaporwave-inspired parkour game.
Surf the waves of nostalgia and retro aesthetics, sliding down ramps and performing smooth turns.
Explore colorful and surreal landscapes inspired by the culture, music, and art of the 80s and 90s.
Embark on a tranquil journey to uncharted waters in Collector’s Cove, a farming adventure set on the high seas! There are no enemies in this world: it’s just you, your animal friend, and an ocean full of secrets and surprises.
Grow a flourishing floating farm. Cultivate rare crops and reel in elusive fish. Discover new islands and climate zones, each with its own collection of unique local flora. Fill in your Collector’s Compendium. Craft items and personalize your ship, transforming it into your own home. Learn how to gather enough rare crops and fish; you might even rise to the ultimate rank: Named-Collector!
Best of all, you don’t journey alone. Your animal friend will come along for the ride! Strengthen your bond, customize her with accessories, unlock new interactions, and grow together as you venture onwards!
CreArt – Painting by Numbers – £17.99
Turn numbers into works of art!
Choose from over 120 designs, color in each section, and marvel as vibrant images appear before your very eyes. Whether animals, landscapes or artistic designs, experience the perfect escape as you paint.
Shalnor: Silverwind Saga 2 – £7.99
Shalnor: Silverwind saga 2 mixes 2D sprites with a 3D terrain, giving it a unique look, the game features quick and swift movement that makes fighting hordes of monsters fun.
Featuring 15 unique Items/Weapons that accommodates different playstyles and adds a lot of variation to combat.
EGGCONSOLE Advanced LORD MONARCH PC-9801 – £5.49
This title is a real-time simulation game released by Nihon Falcom in 1991.
As the player, you become the king of a nation, governing your land with the ultimate goal of conquering all rival countries. You will issue commands to your units to cultivate land, build houses, construct defensive fences, and lay down bridges. While working to build a robust stronghold, you can merge units together to form a powerful army. Ultimately, capturing the enemy’s castle clears the stage.
After completing a stage, statistics such as your occupation rate are displayed, encouraging replayability as you aim for higher scores.
The game features a total of 52 stages. Not only does the difficulty increase as you progress, but the visuals—including characters and themes—also change. This ensures the game never feels stale, allowing you to enjoy a fresh experience every time you play.
Jukai Maze is a sci-fi suspense visual novel where every choice sends the story down a completely different path. Branching routes twist and diverge with each decision you make. Explore multiple endings, piece together scattered clues, and uncover the deeper truth that lies beneath them all.
From the creators of Teacup, Bubblegum Galaxy is a cozy narrative building game about rebuilding the galaxy by designing planets. Relax as you create colorful planets or spend hours trying to get a perfect score!
Next week: Rushing Beat X: Return of Brawl Brothers, Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, Machine Gun Fury, Ghost Master: Resurrection, Royal Revolt Survivors, Bonnie Bear Saves Frogtime, Deadzone: Rogue, RUBATO, Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club, Virtual Ties Isekaijoucho Träumerei, DigDigDrill, Goritaire, and Letters to Arralla.