Buddy Simulator 1984 (Switch eShop)
It's difficult to really say what Buddy Simulator 1984 is without giving too much away. The game sees you embark on building a relationship with your virtual 'Buddy', but through various play styles and jolts in dialogue, things aren't quite what they seem. Right from the get-go, this title is creepy. You'll take a whistle-stop tour through video game history always aware that there is something darker bubbling away under the surface. It doesn't take long to finish Buddy Simulator 1984, but its atmosphere is certainly one that hangs around for a while afterwards.
OPUS: Echo of Starsong - Full Bloom Edition (Switch eShop)
OPUS: Echo of Starsong is a lovely game, an emotional adventure that represents the apex of the series to date and easily one of the best story-driven games on Switch. It's also excellent value for money, offering around ten hours of game for its low price, more if you really take your time and soak the whole thing up the way you really should do. While the character designs are a little too familiar, the characters themselves are complex, interesting, and likeable, and the story told with them is a complete, satisfying tale. Oh, and when the opening suggests playing with headphones? That's a hard agree from us, both to help with the music-based puzzles and simply to enjoy the excellent score.
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RITE (Switch eShop)
Rite is an absolute gem. Developer Pond Games nails the execution of a simple platforming concept and wraps things up before the game overstays its welcome. At the price of just seven bucks, this one is a no-brainer pick-up for anyone who considers themselves a fan of tough platformers; tight controls, challenging levels, and a chill soundtrack all combine to make Rite the easiest of recommendations.
Jack Move (Switch eShop)
Launching in September, we feel this got a little lost in the video game silly season flood. It may not last terribly long, but Jack Move manages to pack in all the important elements needed for an excellent cyberpunk JRPG adventure. The inventive battle system, enchanting world, and appealing graphics all come together to make for a perfectly paced, gripping, and memorable release that no RPG fan will want to miss out on, and that goes double for time-poor genre aficionados. It’s not often that you see a JRPG that leans so hard into science fiction tropes, and Jack Move makes the most of every minute of its runtime. Highly recommended.
Lunistice (Switch eShop)
Presenting itself modestly as “a simple and short experience”, Lunistice has masses to offer. A first run is maybe a handful of hours, but the thirst to retry is so strong it’s almost hard to move on to each new stage. Add the challenge of finding all the cranes and hidden items, avoiding resets, and setting faster times, plus unlockable characters with different moves, and it's a full and generous package. Launching at $4.99 or your regional equivalent, weighing in at a lean 600MB, and having a demo on the eShop, Lunistice is simply a must-try game.
Grapple Dog (Switch eShop)
Grapple Dog is one of the most refreshingly unfussy platformers we've seen in a long time. The central mechanic (other than, well, being a dog) is the titular grapple which allows you to traverse the game's perfectly-sized levels using said hook to swing from ceilings, build momentum, attach to enemies and Donkey Kong Country-style cannons, and generally add a whole layer of mechanical complexity while maintaining extremely simple three-button controls. It isn't quite perfect, but developer Medallion does precisely what it sets out to do — deliver an unpretentious platformer that's a hell of a lot of fun to play.
Lost in Play (Switch eShop)
Lost in Play has many of the hallmarks of golden-age point-and-click adventures: a cartoon style, humorously animated protagonists, item-based puzzles, and curiosity-piquing 2D scenes serving as both play space and reward for clearing the previous area. However, it also shakes off many of the classic bugbears: pixel hunting is impossible because you’re moving a character, not a cursor; using no words in the game leaves the hint system to be helpful but not too transparent; there’s very little backtracking because environments are kept small and the time in them is brief; and wacky dream logic is completely excused because you’re playing in children’s imaginations. Over its five-or-so hours, Lost in Play barely puts a foot wrong, delivering cerebral gaming and effervescent entertainment. In doing so, it makes many of the genre’s design challenges look easy.
Windjammers 2 (Switch eShop)
This released back in January after a long gestation period. With Windjammers 2, Dotemu has taken the fiendishly addictive core formula of the Neo Geo classic and improved upon it in every way. The core gameplay here remains as immediately endearing as ever whilst being enhanced and given a real strategic kick by a bevy of new moves and skills that add to the fun without detracting from or overcomplicating proceedings. Yes, there's not much in the way of modes, but this is another banger from Dotemu — an all-time classic improved upon, an arcade classic refined for a new generation.
Gotta Protectors: Cart Of Darkness (Switch eShop)
The blend of all-out action, deep strategy, and Ancient's irreverent humour is as enjoyable as ever in Gotta Protectors: Cart of Darkness, and smashing a huge castle-tank into evil things never stops being fun. This '80s-loving game — which goes beyond standard tower defence territory and ends up somewhere that can only be described as "strategic mayhem" — plays its story for laughs but the game itself is an expertly crafted challenge with lots to do and plenty more to keep coming back for.
The Last Friend (Switch eShop)
Similarly to the many doggos it stars, it’s tough to find much to dislike about The Last Friend. Fast-paced tower defense action, a gorgeous art style, satisfying progression, and a goofy story make this one an easy recommendation. Plus, you can pet all the dogs! What more could you want?
Please, Touch The Artwork (Switch eShop)
Please, Touch The Artwork is an excellent little experience that cleverly combines intuitive, pensive puzzle mechanics with art history and humour to create an interactive exhibit you really shouldn't miss. If you've got any interest in modern art whatsoever, you're sure to enjoy this gem, but even puzzle fans who don't know their Picassos from their Pollocks would do well to browse these galleries. There's really nothing else to say. Do what the title says.
Let us know below which of the games above you've played and enjoyed, and feel free to elucidate on any other 2022 games you feel deserve some love over the holidays and beyond.
Comments 44
Some absolute belters here. Tinykin is my personal pick. It's great to see the indie scene thriving.
C'mon NL, I already purchased 5 games the past two weeks. Please don't tempt me any further hehe
This was a nice article. I only played 2 of these (Beacon Pines and Tinykin), and had not heard of most of them. Now I need to update my wishlist!
Andro Dunos 2 and Moon Dancer are a couple of superb shoot em ups that deserve a place on this list.
Jack Move is excellent and I don’t like turned based rpgs. Cool animations and great music. I’ll be honest, it was the music that sold me.
You guys should really check out JUICED!, such an underrated retro platformer.
I guest Lil gator released too late. I’ve just 100% it.
Late pick, but I really enjoyed The Punchuin. I think it's a shame there's no online to keep me playing after 100%ing the campaign, and since I'm rarely ever interested in playing online, that says a lot about how much I liked it, even though it could have pushed its ideas further and a few quirks.
Phantom Breaker: Omnia and The Rumble Fish 2 deserve places on this list.
Phantom Breaker: Omnia is a final iteration of the Japan-only Phantom Breaker fighting games. There's a good number of interesting playable characters in the game. And game supports dual audio option.
The Rumble Fish 2 is a port of previously Japan-only Atomiswave(!) fighting game. Most of Atomiswave games stuck on their arcade platform or PlayStation consoles, so the fact that the Atomiswave game got ported to all major modern platforms, including Nintendo Switch - it is awesome and unexpected thing to happen!
Another candidate to give a shout out here to is the long announced and finally released Long Live the Queen. If you like your Princess Maker quickly going Game of Thrones, leaving enough room for hopeful and/or bittersweet endings among the plethora of grim ones but making you work hard towards them and carefully plan subsequent playthroughs, this game may well scratch that itch. I poured quite a few hours into the game after accidentally discovering it in my GPD Win period, and I'm glad to be finally getting back into it on Switch now.
And with all respect... "robots have never been cuter" on the platform with Xenoblade 2???
EDIT: oh, and I feel remiss not to mention Guardian Tales as well - I almost slept on it myself but it feels like one of the best things to have happened to Switch on the freemium front since Warframe. Fun gameplay with an emphasis on puzzles and secrets, impressive stories and characters, shoutouts and references galore, visuals and music to match - this game has it all, and even the special event stages are archived for belated acquaintance so there's not missing out on much whenever you arrive or come back.
I for one am addicted with Punchuin.
I have to give Record of lodoss war a chance some time in the near future, seems like my cup of tea
Looks like a bunch of shovelware honestly.
Windjammers is not a hidden gem, it has gotten almost universally positive reviews and sold well across multiple platforms. If anything it's overrated, I wish I could get my money back.
Some great picks.
I feel the list is 'deep and artsy' mostly than, 'what was actually just great gameplay'.
Getting back to games being fun, and ok with it, would make me happy. Maybe I'm wrong 🤷🏻♂️
I have played 8 of those games and enjoyed them. So good choices. I haven't heard of a fair few of the others so I will investigate (cheers). Others IF the qualify:
Chained Echoes
Evertried
Island Maze
Everhood
Tanky Tanks
Tens
Shadowverse
Cattalis
Sokobond
Silt
Cosmic Express
Arise: A Simple Story
Deponia
Loop Hero
The Falconeer: Warrior Edition
Monster Viator
Crown Trick
Omno
Under Night In-Birth
Death's Door
Semblance
Saviour of Sapphire Wings
9 Monkeys of Shaolin
Aggelos
Kitaria Fables
Dreamscaper
Supermarket Shriek
Islanders
Paperball Deluxe
Sokodice
Heaven's Vault
Unruly Heroes
What Comes After
Dungeons and Puzzles
Mercenaries Saga Chronicles
Undermine
Littlewood
Underhero
AER - Memories of Old
Raji: An Ancient Epic
80 Days
Stardust Galaxy Warriors
Pikuniku
Ironcast
I'm definitely in a minority, but I personally believe Yurukill: The Calumniation Games is an underated hidden gem. I really enjoyed the story and the shmup sections were a nice change of pace from the slow visual novel/puzzle aspect of the game.
I dunno if it's a "hidden gem", but I feel Nobody Saves the World was the most underrated game of the year on Switch. Great story with lots of genuinely funny humour, funky cartoon graphics, classic Zelda style action adventure gameplay + experimenting with countless different builds for your character is as fun as in Hades. And it's a good port too, running flawlessly on Switch with 60 FPS. I got as much enjoyment out of it in 2022 as from AAA games like Nier Automata or Three Hopes.
I bought Donut Dodo on a whim. It’s a fantastic game-especially if you love retro arcade games!
Thank you for this awesome article. Love finding these games and supporting them.
Thanks a lot Nintendolife. I just bought wobbledogs because of you. Thankfully the rest I knew about and are on my wishlist or they are backlogged already (well other than the ones that didn't suit my tastes) I'm going bankrupt here after the Christmas sales and the festive random indie shadow drops that we had.
But seriously thanks, for still pumping out articles like this even though its the holidays.
Thanks for the article NL! So many games get released on the eshop that it’s impossible to keep up, and I really appreciate these articles highlighting a few to check out.
Skul: The Hero Slayer deserves a recommendation.
If you liked Dead Cells you will enjoy this.
Also, 8 Doors: Arum's Afterlife Adventure if you're looking for a very good Metroidvania
Voted for Beacon Pines. Enjoyed a lot of these titles. The Lodoss War spin off might actually be my favorite, but I played it in 2021 on a different platform. Signalis should be on this shortlist too. Some really excellent indies this year.
The Oregon Trail and Sword of the Vagrant are also great hidden gems.
I very much agree with Windjammers 2. I waited out on my physical copy from Limited Run Games, and I've had a blast playing matches with my wife. It's a real short, but sweetly intense multiplayer title.
Also, not mentioned in the article, but the Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is an absolute gem on a platforming series that truly deserves to shine.
1.Elechead
2. Tinykin
3.Toodee & Topdee
Chained echoes has been excellent so far and my choice for game of the year. Jack Move and Beacon pines were also great, but short.
Elechead was neat, and didn't get as much fanfare as it probably deserved.
In terms of this list, I think Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is the only game actively on my 'to play' list. Nothing against the other stuff, but I'll probably never have time for any of it.
@Ralizah @sketchturner Oooh, Elechead. I forgot about that one when I posted. It’s only like 2-3 hours long, but those are a perfect 2-3 hours. Really enjoyed my time with that one!
Been really enjoying Ghost Song, but I just started it so we'll see where it falls once recency bias wears off. And I'm going wait until 2022 is actually over before voting for game of 2022 anyways.
Tinykins is my game of the year. It hit at just the right time. Absolutely loved it.
Ultimate Chicken Horse. Most fun I’ve had with multiplayer in years. YEARS.
Disappointed not to see Ship of Fools here, easily one of the best, if not the best, co-op games of the year.
Wonderful art, full original soundtrack, and charming characters all combine to make it an underrated gem.
Grapple Dog is fantastic
I only picked up Windjammers 2 and still glad, I waited for the physical copy.
Grapple Dog is pretty cool
Is no one talking about Infernax here? One of my favourite games all year.
Is it worth it to leave a comment this far down? Probably not, but if I can even get one person on board it might be.
Gotta Protectors is AMAZING! It is one of my favorite games. Great multiplayer arcade action, super funny, great art. It's quite the package. And if you have a 3DS the one on there is also very good and you should get it before it's gone.
Windjammers 2 1000x !!!
Great game!
Tinykin is incredible as a blend of Pikmin and Banjo-Kazooie, even without enemies or bosses. Probably on my Switch top 10 at this point.
ElecHead is the best puzzle-platformer I've ever played. The 1-bit graphics might not be for everyone, but the puzzles are absolutely great.
I'm not sure how hidden they are, and some of them are a bit older than 2022, but for me these are the Switch games that seem to get less fanfare than they deserve:
Crown Trick - great turn-based rogue-like
Vigil: The Longest Night - what I think you'd get if the Gothic/Risen developers decided to make a Witcher-themed Metroid-like
Elliot Quest - fantastic homage to Zelda II, without the tight sword combat but with better puzzles
Dandara - atmospheric Metroid-like with vector-based movement
The Count Lucanor - creepy little gem, perfect for clearing on a Halloween afternoon
Loop Hero - deck-building rogue-like (sort of) with a brilliant Mega Drive/Genesis aesthetic
Operencia: The Stolen Sun - best first-person dungeon crawler I've played.
I don't really enjoy platformers much but Tiny Kin is top class. Probably one of the best platformers I've played and I've been gaming for the best part of 40 years. It's just mad fun.
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