Switch eShop Game Reviews
Mini Review Vampire Survivors: Ode To Castlevania (Switch) - Divine DLC Is Absolutely Essential
Finally, some vampire killers
Ode to Castlevania is a full-circle moment for Vampire Survivors. Heavily inspired by the franchise, and originally built with assets influenced by Konami’s whip-cracking series, Luca Galante and Poncle have blown all of their other excellent DLC out of the water. If your jaw isn’t on the floor by the time you roll...
Review Clock Tower: Rewind (Switch) - Pre-RE Survival Horror That's Elevated By Extras
Snip, snip
Video game preservation still has a long way to go, but it’s difficult to imagine a re-release of Human Entertainment’s Clock Tower ten, or even five years ago. Yet thanks to rapidly growing interest in retro gaming and the resulting explosion of compilations and re-releases over the last few years, this curious SNES survival horror...
Slay, bestie!
Saving a princess has to be the most overused trope in the fantasy playbook. If pixelated plumbers and heroes clad in green tunics have taught us anything, it’s that princesses need rescuing – right? Not if Slay the Princess has anything to say about it. In this psychological horror visual novel, you're tasked with killing a...
Can open, worms... nowhere?
Right. There's a whole backstory — a whole mess of lore, as we like to call to it — with regards to Atooi's Hatch Tales. You can read about it in detail here or, TL;DR, it's six years late releasing and its Kickstarter backers have been rightly miffed, and more than a little concerned. Anyway, it's here now, and when
Review Raiden Nova (Switch) - A Fun But Limited Twin-Stick Twist On A Shooter Favourite
Nova say Nova Again
Some in the UK may know comedy TV personality Adam Buxton, who was once the counterpart of Joe Cornish in the Adam and Joe Show (1996-2001), and, as recently as 2020, was still guesting on popular Channel 4 panel shows. Nowadays, he's more well-known for The Adam Buxton Podcast, but in 1999 he walked into a London-based video...
Damned if ya do
When it was announced back in 2010, Shadows Of The Damned seemed too good to be true. A supergroup of creators teaming up to make a game in the genre they helped define. Shinji Mikami, father of the Resident Evil franchise, joining Suda51, one of Japanese game development's most unique voices. Akira Yamaoka, beloved composer of the...
Review Yakuza Kiwami (Switch) - A Decent Port Of An Ambitious, Frustrating Game
Like a drag-on
Open-world games have evolved a lot in the 19 years since the original Yakuza was released. Quirky fetch quests and meandering storytelling were often characteristics of the genre, as was the sense that the developers were gleefully mashing together ideas and holding everything together with an offbeat sense of humour. It’s a...
Trolley dash
Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town is based on the long-running manga and anime series, Crayon Shin-chan (Kureshin in Japanese), about a peculiar five-year-old named Shinnosuke (Shin-chan) and his family. The game follows up on the successful 2022 Western release of Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation - The Endless...
Review Nikoderiko: The Magical World (Switch) - A Gleeful DKC Tribute, But Light On New Ideas
Nik from the best
It’s now been over a decade since the last new Donkey Kong Country game released (yes, you’re that old), and while the world continues to wait for Nintendo to remember that its beloved ape used to star in a really good platforming series of his own, other developers have stepped up to try to fill the void. Indie releases such...
Review Fear The Spotlight (Switch) - A Retro-Styled, Narrative Horror Gem & A Must-Play
The spotlight fantastic
When Blumhouse Productions announced its venture into the video game industry with Blumhouse Games, it would have been all too easy for the company to lean on some of its most recognisable IPs for its first release. Franchises such as Insidious, The Purge, Sinister, and Paranormal Activity certainly have strong potential...
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Reach out, touch faith
Fancy learning Latin? Well, you’re guaranteed to learn at least one word in the classical language by playing Faith: The Unholy Trinity: Mortis, or “death”, which flashes on screen every time you succumb. Facing off against legions of the damned armed with only a wooden crucifix and, well, your faith, it’s a given...
Review Killing Time: Resurrected (Switch) - Nightdive Revives A Weirdly Alluring 3DO Curio
Send in the Murder Clowns
Nightdive Studios’ quest to revive some of gaming’s most bizarre and long-forgotten treasures shows no signs of slowing down. With the release of PO’ed: Definitive Edition earlier this year, it was a clear-cut signal that the team is ready and willing to embrace titles that may not be the most recognisable in an...
Mini Review RetroRealms: Halloween (Switch) - A Fun & Faithful Slasher Romp
Everyone's entitled to one good scare
The Halloween franchise is a complicated beast. You’ve got the original timeline, the Thorn timeline, the H20 timeline, the Blumhouse timeline, the Rob Zombie remakes and, finally, the adorably weird loner that is Season of the Witch. It’s all a bit overwhelming at the best of times, so thankfully,...
Mini Review RetroRealms: Ash Vs Evil Dead (Switch) - A Gorgeous & Gory 16-Bit Throwback
Groovy
Given the sheer absurdity of the Evil Dead franchise, it’s a wonder we haven’t received anything quite like RetroRealms: Ash vs Evil Dead in the past. Yes, there have been a handful of video games featuring everyone’s favourite boomstick-wielding drunkard Ash Williams, but this latest effort from developer WayForward and publisher Boss...
Review Kill Knight (Switch) - Relentless Bullet Hell Is Rippingly Difficult But Bloody Satisfying
Rip, tear, dodge, repeat
Ah yes, the seemingly endless embrace of death, interspersed with feverish ability management and hordes of enemies shattering your fragile health bar. This is our relaxation time. Kill Knight is a ferocious bullet hell with a heavy metal aesthetic and thumping score that recalls the modern Doom cycle. It’s an isometric...
Review Neva (Switch) - A Raw, Engrossing Platformer That Looks Incredible
Press 'X' to Neva
In the first couple years of the Switch, one of the standout indie games was an artsy little platformer called GRIS, which combined simple gameplay with incredible visuals to make for a memorable and touching experience. It feels fitting, then, that developer Nomada Studio has managed to produce and release a spiritual successor...
Review Crow Country (Switch) - A PS1-Style Horror Homage That Blends Old With New
Caw blimey, it's good
Modern survival horror games looking to recapture the aesthetics and essence of classic titles from the ‘90s often make one fatal mistake. You see, when fans who were around to play Resident Evil and Alone in the Dark: A New Nightmare on the PS1 look back, they do so with a level of fondness that, frankly, makes the games...
Review Europa (Switch) – Gorgeous Ghibli-esque Art, But Very Light On Substance
Up in the air
Europa is a puzzle-platformer that’s light on puzzles and platforming, set on (and named after) the moon of Jupiter. This indie title from Novadust Entertainment and Future Friends Games combines pretty expanses of green with futuristic elements. Its playthrough and story aim to both rouse your inner child and give you philosophical...
Review Sky Oceans: Wings For Hire (Switch) - A Pale Imitation Of The JRPG Classics That Inspired It
Sky dive
Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire makes plenty of promises, billing itself as an homage to classic JRPGs like Skies of Arcadia. It ticks plenty of the boxes to appeal to fans of those games, offering a colourful cast of characters, an ambitious narrative, and classic turn-based combat, but there is a lack of polish that keeps this story of sky...
Mini Review Black & White Bushido (Switch) - A Great, If Limited, Party-Game Premise
It's black, it's white
This game was originally covered as part of our Nindie Round Up series that sought to give coverage to a wider breadth of Switch eShop games beyond our standard reviews. In an effort to make our impressions easier to find, we're presenting the original text below in our mini-review format. A unique concept that provides some...
Mini Review Necrosphere Deluxe (Switch) - A Short, Simple, Metroidvania, But Brutally Frustrating
Sphere-ry hard
This game was originally covered as part of our Nindie Round Up series that sought to give coverage to a wider breadth of Switch eShop games beyond our standard reviews. In an effort to make our impressions easier to find, we're presenting the original text below in our mini-review format. If you’re someone who suffers from déjà...
Mini Review At Sundown: Shots In The Dark (Switch) - A Fun Little Hide-And-Shooter
One step away from you
This game was originally covered as part of our Nindie Round Up series that sought to give coverage to a wider breadth of Switch eShop games beyond our standard reviews. In an effort to make our impressions easier to find, we're presenting the original text below in our mini-review format. A hide-and-seek multiplayer...
Mini Review Mecho Wars: Desert Ashes (Switch) - A Poor Plot Dulls Some Shiny Strategy
Ashes to caches
This game was originally covered as part of our Nindie Round Up series that sought to give coverage to a wider breadth of Switch eShop games beyond our standard reviews. In an effort to make our impressions easier to find, we're presenting the original text below in our mini-review format. Strategic RPG Mecho Wars: Desert Ashes...
Mini Review Solstice Chronicles: MIA (Switch) A MIA-xed Bag
Mamma MIA
This game was originally covered as part of our Nindie Round Up series that sought to give coverage to a wider breadth of Switch eShop games beyond our standard reviews. In an effort to make our impressions easier to find, we're presenting the original text below in our mini-review format. Solstice Chronicles: MIA is a twin-stick shooter...
Mini Review Atari 50: The Wider World Of Atari (Switch) - More Of The Brilliant Same
How deep does the Atari hole go?
Dubbed The Wider World of Atari, this first entry in what will ultimately be a two-part DLC expansion for Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is essentially developer Digital Eclipse digging even deeper into the Atari vaults. The result is a new timeline that, while possibly not as cohesive as those found in the...
One foot in the grave
Upon first boot, Night Slashers: Remake introduces itself within a mock 4:3 arcade screen bezel, where the first character appears against beautifully drawn scenery, trailed by awesome flesh-decayed zombies. At this point, we thought, “Damn, this looks great.” A moment later, the screen flashed into full widescreen,...
Review Bloomtown: A Different Story (Switch) - An Evocative, Demon-Catching RPG
Strange things are afoot
At first glance, Bloomtown: A Different Story looks like a charming addition to the world of slice-of-life RPGs, with its cosy pixel art style and comforting soundtrack. It kicks off with two siblings, Emily and Chester, being sent to their grandad’s house for summer break in the 1960s. They’re frustrated about going,...
This is war
Note. In addition to the games discussed below, Team17 released a free "Backworms Compatible" update in June 2025, which added the GBC version of Worms Armageddon, the SNES and Mega Drive versions of Worms, and Worms World Party for GBA. Despite the sheer wealth of Worms titles over the years (most of which are, at the very least,...
Review Beyond Galaxyland (Switch) - A Lovingly Crafted, Nostalgia-Fuelled Space Adventure
A galaxy pretty far away
An ode to science fiction media and RPGs of the '90s, Beyond Galaxyland is a charming and beautifully presented adventure. It’s all the more impressive that it's the creation of a single developer. Sam Enright has crafted meticulous pixel worlds, a strong script, and a truly infectious musical score. He also made one of...
Review The Karate Kid: Street Rumble (Switch) - A Great-Looking, Offline-Only, Co-op Brawler
Wax-on lyrical
In the wake of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, squat, cartoony, sprite-based scrolling beat 'em ups seem to be very fashionable. The forthcoming Toxic Crusaders is going for a similar look, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons was uncharacteristically cutesy, and now The Karate Kid: Street Rumble features a...
