The Nintendo eShop sees a slew of intriguing and enticing new titles this week. Nothing strange about that. What is curious, though, is that the vast majority are for both the Switch and Switch 2, making this a rare week where nobody is left behind…a couple of releases aside.
One of these is Denshattack – which has gained glowing reviews, including a 9/10 from us. It’s a heady combination of Jet Set Radio and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, only featuring stunt-performing trains grinding along Japanese trainlines. It’s a surprisingly lengthy experience with loads of variety and plenty of surprises – just when you think you’ve seen everything, it’ll introduce a new gimmick for a single stage alone. The modest £15.99 price tag seals the deal. It isn’t a shock to see it skipping Switch, as it does get rather hectic in places, and later stages are huge.
The Switch 2 also gains belated releases of Fitness Boxing 3 – with an improved frame rate and camera support – the NiS America published sci-fi RPG STARBITES, and Atari’s remaster of the 1997 wild west shooter Outlaws, which promises 120fps/4K output. All three of these released on the original Switch some time ago, and they appear to offer upgrade paths.
Then on Switch and Switch 2 there’s Annapurna’s chilled futuristic puzzle adventure D-topia – which has a reasonable 76% Metacritic score currently – colourful 3D platformer Teeto, cutesy adventure bundle Moss: The Forgotten Relic – which brings Moss Book I and Book II together with enhancements – the co-op neighbourhood planner Go-Go Town, camping island adventure Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit, and the well-received mystery solving point ‘n clicker The Mermaid Mask. That last one comes from the developers behind Crow Country.
Moss: The Forgotten Relic has garnered mostly positive reviews. For those unaware, these two were originally made with VR in mind. “When everything comes together just right, and you fight your way through camera difficulty, there is a beautiful world and great puzzle design being presented here. It should also be noted that the whole thing runs perfectly on Switch 2. Both docked and handheld mode offer 60 frames-per-second gameplay, and the image is very crisp in both configurations. Loading times between areas are also very fast. This is a game that, despite the aforementioned camera issues, feels very well suited for quick portable play,” said Nintendo World Report.
For retro fans there’s Culdcept BEGINS – the latest in the strategic board game series – a remaster of the previously Japan-only PS1 anime mecha shooter 70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X, a re-release of the Spanish mid-90’s arcade run ‘n gun Biomechanical Toy (which we awarded 7/10,) an EGGCONSOLE release of the 1985 woodland adventure Harry Fox, and an Arcade Archives release of Taito’s mechanical dragon shooter SYVALION. There’s a Console Archives release too – an untranslated version of the Data East RPG Hercules no eikou II Taitan no metsubou.
Other new releases include Assoluto Racing – which has licensed vehicles and real world tracks – family friendly compendium Instant Sports 2, management sim K-pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut, and the pixel art life sim Farlands – which involves reviving an entire planet purchased on the cheap.
New Switch and Switch 2 releases
Denshattack! – £15.99 – Switch 2
Hop aboard your custom gravity-defying train and embark on a hectic quest to defeat the sinister Miraidō corporation, alongside a vibrant pack of outcasts.
Ollie, kickflip, and grind your way through Japan’s biggest cities, as well as a world of meadows, volcanoes and oceans. Rack up points and chase that sweet high score as you flip, trick and stick the landing in your customisable ride.
STARBITES – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – £49.48
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.
The Nintendo Switch™ 2 Edition features higher framerates and resolution.
Step into a future where happiness is curated by artificial intelligence, in this gentle-paced puzzle adventure.
The Utopia Project was created in the interest of maximizing human happiness and comfort. As the newest residential Facilitator at D-topia, your role is to resolve issues around the residential community. Tackle fun logic-based puzzles to resolve mechanical issues and keep the facilities running smoothly and meet the many vibrant residents, each with their own unique story and personal struggle.
But what happens when problems go beyond the mechanical? How will your choices impact the wellbeing of the residents, and the future of humanity? In a world of curated happiness, what does it mean to find purpose?
Chaos is spreading, and the shadow creatures are behind it! Teeto and Nory must team up, using their unique powers to stop the mayhem, restore balance, and keep the world from tipping into complete disorder!
Teeto’s got a talent for absorbing all sorts of objects – and turning them into wild new forms! With Nory’s Vionite-powered backpack, they unlock unique abilities to outsmart enemies, solve puzzles, and discover hidden secrets. Mix it up, get creative, and see what strange new powers you’ll unleash!
Go-Go Town! – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – £26.99
Step into the role of a truly hands-on mayor and shape your town from the ground up.
Plan neighbourhoods, optimise logistics networks, and help your community grow – all while juggling workers, infrastructure, suspiciously large tools, visiting robots, aliens & dinosaurs, and the general day-to-day chaos of building your dream town.
And when mayoral duties get a little much, take a break with a spot of fishing, have a spin on the Go-Kart track, or even high-five a cow.
Play solo for perfect control, or bring friends for co-op mayhem.
Moss: The Forgotten Relic – £15.99 – Switch 2
Moss: The Forgotten Relic – £15.99
Moss: The Forgotten Relic brings Moss: Book I and Moss: Book II together as one complete, enhanced experience debuting and beautifully reimagined for Nintendo Switch.
Experience realistic physics and handling with authentic licensed vehicles and real-world tracks. Master technical circuits where precision and skill determine victory.
Jump into the action to compete against friends and family in Baseball, Volleyball, Mini Golf and more in this sports collection that has something for everyone.
Whether you’re a sports fanatic or just looking for a good time, Instant Sports 2 has 10 unique events designed for maximum fun. Challenge your friends, beat your personal bests, and customize your character with hundreds of options.
In A Little Horror Story, you follow a young boy who wakes up in a broken world where reality no longer behaves as it should. Shadows move on their own, environments shift without warning, and fragments of the past repeat in strange and unsettling ways.
Explore a series of dark and atmospheric locations, from silent forests frozen in time to ruined structures caught in endless loops. Each area presents new puzzles and dangers, forcing you to observe carefully and think before every move.
Nom Nom: Cozy Forest Café – £13.49
Have you ever wanted to escape from the stress of urban life? Nom Nom: Cozy Forest Café is a cozy and relaxing decoration and rhythm game where you manage a café and befriend cute animals.
Banana Blood is a first person comedy horror game about, well, bananas. You arrive at the banana farm that’s surrounded by mystery and death and it’s up to you to find out what’s going on here. Weird banana creatures are creeping around, the smell of fresh banana bread is filling the air, and you can’t help but feel yourself being dragged into this place.
Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit – £17.99
Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – £17.99
Help cute, ghostly bears find peace in this relaxing sequel to the beloved life-sim game where kindness rules and new crafting, building, and camping island adventures await.
Attention, Spirit Scouts! Something spooky is afoot: A bus crash has left you stranded alone on a mysterious (yet delightfully cute) island. Explore the unique island, meet and befriend cute, ghostly spirit bears who need your help to remember their pasts and find peace. Customize a bustling, beautiful campsite — crafting, decorating, and building furniture to bring life and color back to this cute island — and hopefully reunite with your lost scout troop as you gradually repair your bus.
In this puzzle-solving system, the heroine uses writings about these artworks to find the hidden errors and ascertain where the witch is hiding.
The calming yet addictive puzzle game is back!
With over 100 hand-crafted puzzles, Kami 2 takes you on a mind-twisting journey that combines logic and problem-solving.
Can you achieve perfection?
Seeking a change in your life, you saw an offer you couldn’t refuse; an entire planet at a bargain price! An old agrarian rock that’s been abandoned for years in an outlying solar system. So with little more than your worn out ship and your personal assistance droid, you decide to embark on a new phase of your life in a lost corner of the galaxy.
70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X – £33.50
Never before released outside of Japan, 70’s-Style Robot Anime GEPPY-X will now be available to play worldwide!
A love letter to Japanese mecha anime from the 70’s, this fast-paced 2D side-scrolling shooter has undergone a transformation of its own. Battle the Cosmic Demon Empire with quality of life improvements such as faster load times, rewind, save states, and more!
Experience GEPPY-X with subtitles in eight new languages and full restoration of the 8,000 hand-drawn frames from the original Betacam master tapes. The original release squeezed the animation into four discs at 320×240 resolution and only 15fps. For this new release, each “episode” has had its opening theme, previews, commercials, and end credits re-digitized and restored to its original 24fps.
Outlaws + Handful of Missions: Remaster – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – £24.99
From the team that brought you STAR WARS™: Dark Forces Remaster comes the return of the 1997 western FPS classic, Outlaws!
Saddle up and ride back into the Wild West with the gunslinging ex-Marshal, James Anderson, and face off against the good, the bad, and the even worse this side of the Mississippi as you work to uncover a twisted plot of greed and corruption. With your trusty six-shooting .45 Revolver, Scoped .44 Rifle, 10-Gauge Shotgun, and good ol’ Sawed-Off 12-Gauge Shotgun, you’ll be packin’ plenty of firepower to take out all manner of outlaw varmints.
K-pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut – £16.99
Rise to the top of the K-pop charts, become the next sensation, and earn the love of fans. Lead your group to stand out and conquer the hyper-competitive music scene. In this one-of-a-kind idol life simulator, step into the shoes of a powerful manager and shape your girl group’s destiny on their journey to the Hall of Fame.
The Mermaid Mask – £17.75 – Switch 2
In the pitch-black waters beyond a long-abandoned fishing town, the enigmatic captain of the world’s strangest submarine has been murdered. Some say he was an immortal time-traveller. Others say he was a vampire, cursed to stay hidden beneath the waves forever…
Found alone in a locked room, with only an ancient stone cauldron to suggest how he might have died, it’s up to Detective Grimoire and Sally to piece together what really happened. Was it a curse, released from the cauldron? One of the submarine’s eccentric crew? Or does the bizarre truth run even deeper…
Biomechanical Toy (QUByte Classics) – £8.99
Take control of the tough hero Inguz and get ready to run, jump, and shoot your way through a kingdom of crazy and hostile toys. With vibrant and detailed pixel art, you’ll face off against the army of the villain Scrubby using upgradeable weapons and devastating bombs.
EGGCONSOLE Harry Fox PC-8801 – £5.39
Take on the role of a devoted mother fox on a journey to Riru Shrine to find the legendary “abura-age.” While the game presents a significant challenge to even the most seasoned players, its cozy atmosphere and enchanting animal characters won the hearts of many—becoming a pioneering title that proved adventure games could be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of gender.
Play with 3 unique characters each hero has different abilities. harvest and collect materials, then build and develop your defenses by juggling your 3 heroes.
Each night the enemy onslaught will attack, and it’s up to your team to hold down the fort.
Explore dark underground dungeons, and battle against gigantic bosses. Evolve your team by mastering powerful new abilities, and survive for as long as possible.
Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – £49.99
Get moving with Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, now featuring an enhanced resolution and frame rate, as well as new modes and challenges!
A hidden classic that fuses board and card games, Culdcept features a unique, innovative system that has captivated fans since its debut. Players become Cepters, wielding cards in intense battles where luck and strategy collide. After ten years, a brand-new story begins once again.
Next week: Splatoon Raiders, Disgaea Mayhem, Viral Reload EX, FINAL FANTASY X/X-2 HD Remaster, Staffer Retro: A Supernatural Mystery Quest, 28 Days Train Wreck Survivor, Tolem, Solateria, Torii, Memory of Memorie : A Chill Story, Gurei, Helix: Descent N Ascent, Twofold, Papercraft Tactics, and Football 26 League Superstar.