The eShop is now onto a new generation of hardware with the Nintendo Switch, and as a little extra bit of goodness to accompany our reviews of the most intriguing releases our video man Alex is kicking off a new series. It's Nintendo Life eShop Selects, and assuming Nintendo doesn't complain that we've used the work 'Selects' (like the budget retail range) it'll be a monthly feature in which we pinpoint the finest games to have arrived on the store. It's not just based on review scores, but also on broader criteria related to the experiences on offer.
We're kicking off with our May issue (games that fall after publication in each month will be in consideration for the next batch) that offers up three games that we definitely recommend; we've made a fancy stamp and everything. We also thrown in some honourable mentions, but they suffer the cruel blow of not getting a stamp.
It wasn't hard to pick out three 'Selects' winners this month; you can see the video below for the results, or if you can't / don't want to watch that right now they're also listed underneath.
Honourable Mentions:
- Dark Witch Music Episode: Rudymical - 6/10 in our review
- Garou: Mark of the Wolves - 9/10 in our review
- NBA Playgrounds (even though we're miffed at the lack of online play so far) - review in progress
The Nintendo Life eShop Selects WINNERS - May 2017
- Tumbleseed - 8/10 in our review
- Thumper - 9/10 in our review
- Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition - 9/10 in our review
So there you have it, three games we positively recommend that you own on the Switch eShop, along with a few others to consider.
Comments 23
Well its not like we had many exclusives this month anyway
Even if I had a switch, all of these games are multiplatform and cheaper elsewhere. Necessity, not so much, at least for me.
Good picks! I really want to get Thumper but I want to save my money for new games right around the corner!
I was going to ignore Garou: Mark of the Wolves, but I might reconsider now. That fighting was absolutely visceral!
@RedMageLanakyn Slightly cheaper, but not easily portable, which is, of course, the Switch's big selling point.
Thumper was a nice surprise. Wasn't too impressed with the previews, but to actually play it, is just awesome. Highly recommend it.
Hate to differ with our dear Alex, but NBA Playgrounds is head and shoulders above this lot. Great fun. Yeah, it stinks that the online and updates haven't hit the Switch yet, but I cannot play those versions in any room in the house, or outside or anywhere I please . . . and they're coming, yes ?!?
I had never heard of "Garou: Mark of the Wolves", but man are those animations really smooth for a game of its age! It just feels so fluid.
Don't watch videos so thanks for the summary below.
Do want to play my first Minecraft but have too much on at moment.
Thank you for putting the list below. I'm on the beach at the moment and watching a video isn't very ideal. Great games, too. I'll definitely look into them.
@wiggleronacid And looking at your phone still is?
loving minecraft. Have NBA playgrounds as well but for some reason cant find The FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF multiplayer thanks Devs
dark witch and garou mark of the wolves the only good games on this list the rest are garbage and boring
Rudymical: Dark Witch Music Episode
Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition
Drancia Saga
...yeah, I think I'm good.
@RedMageLanakyn
If this were any other system that would probably be a valid reason to not care but... with Switch being a system you can play anywhere, you're not just getting the console version you could get elsewhere, but also a handheld version that probably doesn't exist anywhere else (and if it does, certainly not in HD with tabletop play and real controllers), and the ability to switch between the two which is greater than the sum of its parts (1 Switch version > 1 handheld version + 1 console version).
A lot of games that maybe were on my list of "I own and never need to think about again" are now begging to be purchased on a system with versatility.
I have so many games and Indies for my Switch! Got Minecraft and Tumbleseed this month, in addition to Disgaea 5. Already building a backlog!!!
@RedMageLanakyn Tumbleseed is the same price elsewhere and this is the only handheld version, if I'm not mistaken. Plus Minecraft seems to be at top handheld form on Switch as well. I'd call those great reasons to own both. It's easy to dismiss since you don't have a Switch, but getting a home console and fully portable version of essentially all Switch titles makes buying them elsewhere much harder to justify in my eyes, even with the minor pricing and delay shenanigans we're seeing pop up.
@JaxonH @MarioPhD I get that, and it's certainly a selling point for most. I for one will most likely have a switch on docked mode 95% of the time, I just prefer a 65" screen and actual controller to a 6" screen with the tiny joycons. I've used my friend's switch enough to know that I'll be using it more as a home console. Do you think publishers are seeing that hybrid feature and maybe jacking up the price on their games for that feature? Thumper is 25% off on steam for the first week of it's release, why didn't Switch get that deal?
@RedMageLanakyn
Well, STEAM has a different pricing system. I bought Thumper on PSVR the day it launched and it didn't go on sale for some time.
But to answer your question, I don't think publishers go out of their way to use that as an excuse, but I do think developing for Nintendo offers less ROI than the PS4/X1/PC combo (all with similar power and architecture), and when you then factor in minimum print runs for physical copies, maybe $1-3 per cartridge more than a disc would cost, and less surety of demand within the fan base, I think they have, in a few specific situations, decided to ask for more in a desire to ensure their investment sees a profitable return, and perhaps the fact the games do offer twice as much value has eased their minds about going through with it.
But I think we'll see plenty of sales on digital games. 3DS always seemed to have sales going on. I remember Resident Evil and Monster Hunter for like $5 at one point. Just takes time. Each platform is different and has a different sales curve over time. Usually companies exhaust all sales at the current price before they decide to drop price to and expand quantity demanded, and those sales curves can look considerably different from platform to platform, and certainly from game to game and publisher portfolio to portfolio.
Minecraft is a perfect fit for the Switch.
If we could get World of Warcraft, that would be amazing!
@RedMageLanakyn Switch owners still have a limited library and a big thirst, so I don't see an obvious reason for publishers to keep prices lower or even on par with other platforms from their point of view. Just demand is high, supply is low makes prices want to climb.
Shouldn't last long if indicators are correct and Switch sales themselves are only constrained by supply for the year.
Also, Nintendo first party titles are beginning to do their best to take all attention away from third parties as happens on Nintendo platforms. ARMS, I think, will be a big success after playing it for a couple rounds now. Many gamers who like fighters are going to flip when they get a taste.
Anyway, my point is that if Nintendo keeps getting these big titles out every month, third parties are going to start feeling some pricing pressure. I know I'm holding back on many purchases of games that I actually want to play because backlog is long and I know I'd be spending money on games I wouldn't be able to play yet.
@aaronsullivan I know switch owners are always looking for new games, and I'll give nintendo credit on that front, they're pumping out some titles, even if most of them are neo geo/indie/re-releases. I sure hope they get on board with pricing/preorder parity once games start flooding in. I know that Steam and how they work is different, but as someone who has their PC hooked up to their TV, and plans on using the switch primarily docked, i'm going to end up getting the indies on PC if they can't keep the prices competitive. I just spent $13 on humble bundle and got 9 games, including Owlboy!
@Dakt "No way man! We're gonna keep on rockin forever! Forever!....forever..."
Well, time to get back to playing Link to the Past... not kidding
Minecraft.. really?
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