Reventure (Switch eShop)

2019's Reventure captured the imaginations of both Anespa41 and goldgriffin:

It's a silly 2D side-scrolling adventure game where you have to save your princess. Yet, finding the princess is not the ultimate goal, but finding as many hilarious endings as possible. It doesn't go for deep mechanics, but comedy as a parody of the likes of The Legend of Zelda.

A game that lets you explore outcomes all wrapped up in a retro platform game. The play area is quite small but learning how to progress is never straightforward. Every death is an ending to itself. Including a short cut scene of your fate. Then you start over as a descendant. So the player must learn from their mistakes, completely explore every inch of the map and experiment with every tool to find the true ending. Also the game keeps track of every ending for the completionist who wishes to find them all. Simple gameplay with a lot depth.

Rubato (Switch eShop)

Retro-fuelled Rubato floats somnambulance's boat:

Not only does it look and sound like a forgotten classic 2D platformer from the PS1/Sega Saturn, but it directly dips into the era that those games came from by interspersing the game with bizarre 3D dancing clipart and '90s internet culture references. Yes, the original memes. The game is a chaotic, but approachable physics platformer with a great sense of humor and greater sense of gameplay. It’s an utterly confident and strange game that needs to be played to be believed. If you’re someone that feels hungry for creativity in modern gaming, here’s your long-awaited buffet.

Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening (Switch eShop)

shonenjump86 keeps things short if not sweet with a shoutout for Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening:

Another classic manga/anime series that has a review on Push Square.

Indeed it does - check out PS' review here:

Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator (Switch eShop)

Bowie's back — Nile Bowie, that is — with some love for Strange Scaffold's Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator:

Here's an, ahem, slightly unconventional commodity-trading sim. You'll be buying, selling, and speculating on alien organs in a volatile real-time marketplace, trying to outmanoeuvre rivals and exploit shifting prices. There's no action, just reading markets, reacting quickly, flipping inventory, fulfilling demands, and trying to stay ahead of your slimy rivals. The whole thing is elevated by its easy-to-grasp UI, grimy pixel art and grotesque premise, which make for a searing satire of human greed. It fully commits to the bit, and there's nothing else like it. It can also be very hard to put down when you're making bank.

Splatterbot (Switch eShop)

CaleBoi25 sings a song for a game which surely suffered from unfortunate release timing:

I hereby present Splatterbot for recognition in the hidden gems list. It's 10 bucks, and dropped on the same day as Silksong. I won't say it's as good as SS, but if you want a goofy party game, especially one that's easy to play with your littles, this is it! Plus, the creator is very active online and is always happy to take suggestions for future updates!

Super Magbot (Switch eShop)

chewytapeworm likes chowing down on Astral Pixel's Super Magbot:

You assume the role of the titular Mag-Bot, across mostly single screen stages, with a refreshing, unique take on the tough-as-nails precision platforming, where you use twin stick controls to move, and also to employ magnets to attract and repel yourself to soar around the screen. Levels are immensely satisfying to complete, and there’s plenty for the masochists and speed runners to sink their teeth into. A wicked, challenging, underrated platforming gem! Highly recommend.

TR-49 (Switch eShop)

The latest release from the excellent inkle, Howl is enjoying TR-49:

The newest game from inkle (creators of 80 Days, Overboard!, Heaven's Vault, etc) just came out on Switch and it is a brilliant, very unique game about using a highly advanced version of a WWII-era code breaking machine to solve a reality-bending mystery, by reading about and extracting keywords from fictional books, and also simultaneously a radio drama. In short, it is a difficult game to explain but it is absolutely brilliant. Recommended for fans of Her Story, Inscryption, Blue Prince, Alan Turing and vacuum tubes.

That said, it is kinda broken on Switch at the moment and I'm waiting on a patch that'll allow me to actually see the endings instead of soft locking.

We're told by PR that the 1.2.0 patch went live on 9th April and apparently resolves Switch issues in the late game.

Vertical Strike Endless Challenge (Switch eShop)

Going back eight years, JJtheTexan enjoys a challenge:

This is an older title, but I'd like to shout out 2018's Vertical Strike Endless Challenge. For just $5 U.S., you get a snappy little aerial combat / flight simulator, with decent flight physics and aircraft that look similar to real-world fighter jets. It's easy to pick up and play, and there are dozens of weapon loadouts available. Its big weakness is the world's terrain, which is a featureless desert. Recommended if you need a cheap, quick aerial combat fix!

Windswept (Switch eShop)

And finally, Derek was swept up by 2025's Windswept:

It’s a DKC-like and it plays like a dream! As a veteran DKC series player, it’s fantastic to relive those mechanics in a cute new look. Also just got it on sale.

Which of these Switch games have you enjoyed most?

You may select up to 3 answers:

Thanks again to everyone who responded. Let us know in the poll if you've sampled any of the games above.

Got more recommendations for us? Send them over for next time by following the guidelines and instructions below:

Submission guidelines

  • 100-word limit - Keep it brief! A history of the genre and deep-dive into every mechanic is unnecessary. Concentrate on what the game is about, what sets it apart from other games, and why you enjoyed it.
  • One entry per game - Feel free to send your thoughts on multiple games, but there's no need to duplicate.
  • Choose only games that we haven't reviewed on the site - To check if a Nintendo Life review exists, simply type the name of the game into the search box at the very top of the page (look for the magnifying glass icon in the top-left corner) and click on the game page that appears. If there's no review, and it doesn't appear in a previous Reader Recommendations feature (which will also appear on the game page if it exists), you're good to go!

How to send a recommendation

  • Head to Nintendo Life's Contact page and select the subject "Switch eShop Hidden Gems" from the drop-down menu (it's already done for you in the link above). Type your name, email, and beautifully crafted message into the appropriate box, hit send, and Bob's your uncle!