So, there we were, ready to discuss LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight’s positive critical reception, only to be hit with the sudden realisation that, unbelievably, it isn’t hitting the Switch 2 this week. The LEGO franchise has always performed well on Nintendo platforms, even sticking with the Wii U throughout its much-maligned life, but is it here day one? Nope.
It’s a busy week for both the Switch and the Switch 2, regardless. Switch 2 owners will doubtlessly be swallowing up Good Feel’s side-scrolling puzzle platformer Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, which has arrived to mostly positive reviews. See, not every critic was left smitten, with reports of it being too easy resulting in a few 6s and 7s.
“Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a brilliant, quirky experiment that proves being a dinosaur-shaped scientist can easily give traditional platformers a run for their money. If a cosy, unsupervised science fair full of “Eureka!” moments sounds like your jam, prepare your tongue for a new career in book-based ecology,” said Well Played.
Bandai Namco are back with a Switch 2 release of Tales of Arise, now with an extra scenario and more costumes. “Tales of Arise is a straight forward RPG that places narrative above mechanical depth or a grand world. There are times where that can be a little boring, as you’re railroaded from one story point to the next. At the same time that story is good enough that I was genuinely eager to see what would happen next,” said Nintendo World Report, who also noted frame rate issues. They went on to award it an 8/10.
Another RPG launching this week is STARBITES. Published by NiS America, it’s inspired by the PS2 era and involves exploring a desert region using mech suits. Battles are turn based, and mechs can be improved using scrap. Critics have found it to be a bit…scrappy, yet well meaning. “Narratively, Starbites is a breath of fresh air for RPG fans. It’s well-paced and engaging from start to finish (albeit with some exploration redundancy), and the turn-based combat is well-implemented. On the Switch, however, the visuals are a polluted mess. If you’re willing to wait for the delayed Switch 2 version, do,” was Pure Nintendo’s verdict.
Then there’s Coffee Talk Tokyo – the latest entry in the cosy visual novel series. It has garnered positive reviews, helped by its well designed characters. “Coffee Talk Tokyo delivers an incredible story filled with fully realized characters whose lives will undoubtedly bring players to tears (both happy and sad). What the game says about life, our choices, and how we face both is a powerful statement that we can never hear enough of,” mused But Why Tho?
We reviewed Rune Dice ourselves earlier this week. It’s a single screen dice launching roguelike, which sees dice values swell as they collide, dealing damage to a row of enemies at the top of the screen. It’s easy to get into, and also very easy to comprehend, but it does suffer from repetition as each world must be beaten three times over.
Shoot’em up fans have three returning franchises to power-up. Why their respective publishers didn’t space them out a week or so apart is a mystery, but we aren’t complaining. Reviews of R-Type Dimensions III are the first to surface and are sadly mixed. Complaints of collision detection issues, sound glitches, and the ability to remap controls are common. The Steam release has ‘negative’ user reviews currently, although fans are confident that it’s salvageable.
Psyvariar 3 meanwhile gained a glowing review from Noisy Pixel, who praised the readability of the action and the satisfying difficulty curve. For those unaware, the Psyvariar series has been dormant for some time, last seen on the likes of the PS2 and Dreamcast. Then there’s FZ: Formation Z, a full remake of an old Jaleco mech-based franchise. Developer Granzella are experienced with the genre, so it should turn out well.
Incidentally, this week’s EGGCONSOLE release is also shooter, being T&E Soft’s LAYDOCK 2 LAST ATTACK, originally released on the MSX2. Of course, there’s a new Arcade Archives re-release too: Technos Japan’s Tag Team Wrestling from 1983. The latest Console Archives release may be more of a curiosity, as it’s an untranslated version of Data East’s 1987 RPG Toujinmakyouden Hercules no eikou.
On the subject of retro revivals, here comes Bubsy 4D from Atari. Due both digitally and physically, it’s from the team behind the speed running focused Demon’s Turf, sharing similarities such as online leaderboards and a few different ways to get around. After a last minute delay Rugrats: Retro Rewind Collection should finally be out too. It features a bunch of games from the Game Boy Color, GBC and PS1, including the two movie tie-ins.
Other new releases include the side-scrolling roguelike Atomic Owl, the comical physics based puzzler Table Flip Simulator, an adaption of the board game King of Tokyo, and Farming Simulator 26: Nintendo Switch Edition – which has two new maps, logging, and an array of animals to tend to. Whether you’ll be able to brew exploding bottles of beer and open a farm shop on a busy stretch of road is unclear.
New Switch eShop releases
Join Bubsy on a new, intergalactic, platforming adventure! Yeah, we couldn’t believe it either. The world’s most infamous, wise-cracking bobcat has returned to 3D with new challenges, new moves, and even more purrsonality – in space! Run, jump, glide, and roll across alien planets, battle robotic sheep, and collect tons and tons of yarn. What could possibly go wrong?
Tales of ARISE – Beyond the Dawn Edition – £44.99
For 300 years, Rena has ruled over Dahna, pillaging the planet of its resources and stripping people of their dignity and freedom.
Our tale begins with two people, born on different worlds, each looking to change their fate and create a new future.
Featuring a diverse cast of characters, an intuitive and rewarding combat system, and a captivating story set in a lush world worth fighting for, Tales of Arise delivers a first-class JRPG experience.
R-Type Dimensions III – £31.49
R-Type Dimensions III – £31.49 – Switch 2
R-Type Dimensions III brings the intensity, precision, and creative enemy design of the arcade originals to a new generation. Every stage, boss, and projectile pattern has been rebuilt with high-end 3D graphics, enhanced animations, and richly detailed environments—while preserving the instantly recognizable atmosphere that defined R-Type’s identity.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book – £49.99
Dive into the pages of a talking encyclopaedia and embark on a discovery-driven adventure in Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, only on Nintendo Switch 2. What curious creatures will you encounter?
Farming Simulator 26: Nintendo Switch Edition – £34.99
Choose what kind of farmer you want to be! Operate realistic tractors, harvesters, field sprayers, and other machines. Start logging with heavy forestry equipment, or tend to adorable farm animals like cows, sheep, chickens, goats, and their offspring.
King of Tokyo – Richard Garfield – £24.99
Turn into a kaiju as you destroy everything in your path in this fast-paced dice game! Roll the dice and find the best possible combinations to rule over Tokyo, whether you choose to heal yourself, attack, buy cards or win Victory Points.
Roll the dice and choose wisely which ones to keep. Whether you decide to keep your dice or reroll, each decision is crucial to your winning strategy. Turn into a glass canon with powerful cards to reduce your opponents’ hit points to 0, play it safe and quickly collect Victory Points, or build up health to become a tank: the choice is yours.
Bitter—a desert planet riddled with the refuse left behind by an interstellar war. 45 years ago, the war suddenly ended when all of the spaceships crashed onto Bitter for reasons unknown. Now, a young salvager named Lukida hopes to escape this planet, but a sudden attack by a giant robot sets events into motion that will change her life—and the face of Bitter—forever.
Join Lukida and her allies as they uncover the truth beneath the sands of Bitter!
Originally released as one of Jaleco’s most iconic arcade shooters, Formation Z makes a triumphant comeback as a fully remade experience. Updated visuals, refined sound design, and modern enhancements bring new life to this beloved classic while preserving the intuitive, instantly recognizable system of switching between Robot and Flight forms. This new version expands on the original with brand new weapons, new actions, and deeper customization. The curtains rise once more on a thrilling, reborn battle.
Coffee Talk Tokyo – £13.49 – Switch 2
Coffee Talk Tokyo is the newest instalment of the beloved coffee brewing and heart-to-heart talking simulator. It brings the warmth, heart, and delicious drinks from the previous games to an all-new café in Tokyo where humans and yokai alike share their stories.
In a city of paper and steel, as large as a country, a small café gives humans and fantasy people a cosy place to be. Brew the right order for your customers as they seek refuge from the sweltering Tokyo summer heat and share heartfelt stories to chill lo-fi beats.
After having a normal day at the office, Terrence while traveling home inexplicably falls down to The Backrooms. A journey chronicling 7 days… Can Terrence escape this liminar horror phenomenon? Or will he be trapped within this place forever?
Launch dice across enchanted battlefields where realistic physics meets ancient magic. Matching dice fuse into a more powerful one that seeks its equals, triggering devastating chain combos. Plan each throw carefully – every dice placement can trigger massive combos that wipe out entire enemy waves or set up tactical future plays. Master both precise aiming and strategic prediction to unleash the full power of mystical dice fusion.
Heroine Anthem Zero 2 : Scalescars Oath – £15.29
Heroine Anthem ZERO 2 : Scalescars Oath is a real time 2D mixed with 3D side-scrolling story-based ARPG.
The game combines legends of mermaids as well as Serbian and East Asian tribal culture to create its cultural world. Created over many years, it features nearly 400,000 words of dialogue, over 500 stories CG, 300 stages, and over 500 story performances. It has genuinely been brought to life a like a long TV series but as an adventure game. The soundtrack includes many songs from multiple music producers, which takes your experience to a whole new level!
This physics-based puzzler turns everyday frustration into cathartic destruction as you throw, smash, and flip tables through levels inspired by modern life. Your adventure begins with a bad day at work, when your boss demands you work overtime on your birthday, and escalates into a heroic journey to become the President of the most powerful nation on Earth: Antarctica.
Atomic Owl is a pixel art-based single-player, side-scrolling roguelike that combines fast-paced platforming with dynamic hack-and-slash combat and a variety of weapons, powerups and a demonic blade. Journey through 8 roguelite zones, save your friends and take up arms against Omega Wing!
This definitive version of the game includes a “NO ROGUELITE” mode to experience the game in classic side-scrolling style, plus enjoy rebalanced weapons, improved sound and more across all modes!
Dive into a fast-paced top-down action game where every second is a fight for survival. Hordes of unholy creatures close in from all sides, and only your magic can hold back the onslaught. Gather crystals, level up rapidly in the middle of battle, and combine and empower devastating spells to create a unique build that matches your playstyle. Fight against dozens of enemy types, survive encounters with powerful bosses, and transform from a vulnerable apprentice into the embodiment of arcane power. The longer you survive, the more insane the battle becomes. How long can you last?
Take to the stars as the commander of the space station Alexandria IV, a place full of danger and strife, be it caused by mercenary aliens or power-hungry corporations. When an ancient secret is revealed on system Groombridge 34, the commander must act with strategy and diplomacy to avoid rupture between factions. In the future, we are not alone.
Cosmic Mirage is an exciting side-scrolling shooter that takes the player on an exciting space adventure. Sinister forces have taken over peaceful planets in the galaxy, turning them into empty space mirages. Your mission is to become the last reliable pilot and free them from the sinister invader.
An epic journey awaits you through varied landscapes and battles with different types of enemies. Planets that were once sources of life and prosperity have now become places of darkness and strife. Each world presents unique challenges, and the trapped inhabitants need your liberating intervention.
EGGCONSOLE LAYDOCK 2 LAST ATTACK MSX2+ – £5.39
Originally released by T&E SOFT in 1988, this classic shoot ’em up is the grand finale of the trilogy, following in the footsteps of LAYDOCK and Super LAYDOCK.
As the pilot of the Stormy Gunner 2, you must fight your way through a variety of treacherous stages, including icy worlds, planets of fire, and mysterious extra-dimensional spaces. While the core gameplay is a pure shooter, it also incorporates RPG-style progression; as you level up, you can unlock and equip up to 10 different types of optional weaponry. Furthermore, in two-player mode, players can accumulate “docking energy” to perform vertical or horizontal fusions, drastically boosting their firepower.
Fly forward. Choose your path. Save your swarm. You are THE LAST LADYBUG!
In a world where the skies are ruled by mechanical monsters and the lands are scorched by destruction, only one brave soul remains: THE LAST LADYBUG, the humanoid heroine with wings of steel and a heart of fire. Fly forward and save your swarm in this action packed rail shooter!
GooNECT√2 is a two-player co-op action-adventure game, and sequel to the Japan exclusive Goonect.
Set off on a spirited journey through a vibrant 3D world where two players must hold hands the entire time to reach the end! Grab a buddy for a classic couch co-op experience or become besties with an online partner to navigate unlimited, randomly-generated stages across eight difficulty levels.
Chicken climber is a challenging vertical platformer where the only way to move is to jump! Guide a determined chicken through tall and unforgiving stages where each jump must be carefully timed and any mistake can send you falling down.
Leap over dangerous obstacles, dodge clever traps, and push through levels where every jump counts.
Face a variety of enemies—a rabbit, an alligator, a dog, a cat, and even a turtle—all posing a threat to your frog.
Syr and The Stars’ Revival – £7.59
The core cycle of the game is simple: earn Vitality → stream → gain fans.
You can earn Vitality through activities like doing part-time jobs and visiting arcades.
Spend the Vitality you earn to stream and grow your fanbase while also earning funds.
As your fan count increases, new story scenarios will unlock, the Cyber World will gradually be restored, and new part-time jobs and facilities will become available.
But be careful—it is crucial to not overwork Syr, or her mental state may collapse.
Rugrats: Retro Rewind Collection – £15.99
Hold onto your diapers! Rugrats: Retro Rewind Collection brings together the ultimate collection of Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, and Angelica’s greatest hits. Curated for fans by the team at Limited Run Games, this nostalgic bundle restores six iconic adventures from the Golden Age of Reptar, now enhanced for modern play.
Whether you’re exploring the Pickles’ backyard or trekking through EuroReptarland, this is the definitive way to experience the games that defined a generation of Nicktoons fans.
Next week: One Military Camp, Into the Slimy Mines, Birushana: Winds of Fate, Bluey’s Quest For The Gold Pen, LOLLIPOP CHAINSAW RePOP Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis: Next, Wall World 2, Beat The Champions, Midnight Swamp, A Frog’s Job 2: Froggina, Scorched Lands, Island Robot Farm, Judero, Kabuto Park, Night Swarm, One Move Away, LumenTale: Memories of Trey, Nitro City Racing, Néro & Sci ∫ Integral Edition, Schrödinger’s Call, Clown Is Hungry, Rica Mode, Formula 2026: Rise of Legends, Kiko’s Apple Adventure, and Do You even Forklift?