Sublevel Zero Redux (Switch eShop)

A roguelite shooter that puts you in a gunship as you zap your way through a procedurally-generated underground facility, Sublevel Zero Redux gets the nod from both Jasper and Lapses:

Sublevel Zero Redux. Lovely game in an under-represented genre (Descent-inspired). Clear and attractive art style, occasional slowdown is tolerable. Very satisfying pew-pew weapons. Roguelike loop is not the best, but the core gameplay holds the experience up. Flying feels spot on.

A fine homage to Descent that is worth a look because we don't get too many examples of 6-degrees-of-freedom flying/shooting games and this one is strong where it counts. The flying feels fast but controlled, the shooting is neon lasers and chunky bullets, the explosions are poppy and the cavernous stages are twisty but with an excellent map. There's some roguelite progression sitting over the top but it doesn't intrude on the structure of the runs, which are an hour or two if you're careful. Perfect for quick sessions, but deep enough if you want to play longer.

Evan's Remains (Switch eShop)

A puzzle-platformer with adventure game elements, Howard was very enthusiastic about Evan's Remains:

Evan’s Remains: This gems combines light puzzles with an incredibly emotional and touching story. If you have six hours and want to see the depths of what gaming can be, take this journey. From the art, to the music, and character interactions, this gem is a once in a lifetime experience. You will not be disappointed.

Sunless Sea: Zubmariner Edition (Switch eShop)

We received several recommendations for this rather dark survival experience from Failbetter Games, but they didn't include any substantial comments (no, eShop blurb doesn't count!). Still, Sunless Sea has been on our radar for a while and we wanted to include it — please feel free to post your thoughts in the comments and we may add them into this entry.

In the meantime, take a look at the trailer and decide if you've got the fortitude to add this downbeat game to your 2020 roster.

Dude, Stop (Switch eShop)

We have to admit that this one slipped our notice entirely, but Pak-Man's description caused our ears to prick up like a rabbit (sorry, wabbit):

Dude, Stop (that's actually the name of the game.) It's pretty much a point-and-click game by way of the great Looney Tunes classic, Duck Amuck (the one where Daffy is tormented by the animator) only it's your goal to torment the game designer.

Banner Of The Maid (Switch eShop)

Nintendo Life reader Chanh acknowledges that tactical RPG Banner of the Maid isn't without faults, but believes there's still plenty there to enjoy:

Banner of the Maid is a very overlooked tactical RPG that absolutely nails the gameplay. Taking place in an alternate Napoleonic Wars, the map design perfectly translates real world conditions to the in-game battles. The art style, while fan servicey at times, matches the regal-ness of the time period. Characters are uniquely designed, strengthened by the lack of games from this era. While its localization is poor, there’s enough context clues to know what’s happening in the story.

BodkinDQ is also a fan of this game's rough-around-the-edges but spirited turn-based strategy:

Banner of the Maid is indie SRPG done right, but had a lot of love put into it which made the budget seem bigger. An unorthodox game, as it it based on the actual French Revolution, but somehow it really works. Very Fire Emblem-esque game, but stands on its own merits. Ludicrously enjoyable combat that requires a lot of strategy and you really have to think about skills and character placement. The character art portraits are beautiful and absolutely stunning to say the least. I cannot recommend this game enough!

Marble It Up! (Switch eShop)

And finally, rolling marble platformer Marble It Up! came in for praise from several Nintendo Life readers, including sketchturner and Tom:

Typically, I feel that the eshop games truly deserving of praise manage to get noticed. However, "Marble It Up!" is a phenomenal game that has flown shockingly under the radar. Whether you want to play casually or with pixel perfect precision, this game can be enjoyed by anyone. There is enough depth here to get dozens of hours of enjoyment. If you enjoy platforming, exploration, speed running, or all 3, this game has something for you. For me, it matches or even surpasses the original two Super Monkey Ball games (which I hold in very high regard).

It has a great sense of speed and loads of levels catering for all difficulties as well as weekly challenges with modifiers to keep things fresh. Instant respawns and rock solid frame rate make it feel great to play and it fits the switch perfectly. I would love for more people to get chance to play it.

Our thanks to everyone who responded. Let us know below if you've sampled any of the games above and if you agree with the recommendations. We're off to scour the Switch eShop and catch up with some of these.

If you've got a recommendation for us, you can send them to us 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, 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!