Switch eShop Game Reviews from 2024
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,...
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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...
Review The Plucky Squire (Switch) - Enormously Charming, But Not So Plucky On Switch
Needed more time on the drawing board
Two years ago, developer All Possible Futures announced The Plucky Squire with a Nintendo Switch gameplay trailer equal parts charming and stunning. The Plucky Squire takes place in two different worlds: the real 3D world of a young boy’s bedroom and the world of a 2D storybook, between which the protagonist...
Review Loddlenaut (Switch) - A Stress-Free, Subaquatic Escape For PowerWash Lovers
Come get some jetsam
Anyone who’s played PowerWash Simulator for too long while in a feverish state from having eaten too many fish fingers knows the feeling. You cease being a sanitary entrepreneur and find yourself submerged in the water, wearing a spacesuit, shooting the dirt off with a laser in a Zen-like trance while you nurture sea...
Mini Review Jackbox Naughty Pack (Switch) - NSFW But Too Safe For Jackbox
Spice, spice? Maybe
Those who have experienced any of the Jackbox Party Packs will know that, sometimes, things can get a little spicy. An odd question thrown into a family-friendly round of Fibbage that leaves you frantically scanning the in-game moderation options or a well-endowed Drawful sketch that leaves everyone chuckling like embarrassed...
Mini Review The Shrouded Isle (Switch) - A Great Management Sim Let Down By Its Visuals
Chernobogged down
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. The Shrouded Isle has a unique premise;...
Mini Review JackQuest: Tale Of The Sword (Switch) - Simple But Effective Questing
Jack's hit
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. Note. This game has, unfortunately, been...
Mini Review My Memory Of Us (Switch) - Powerful WW2 Allegory With Patrick Stewart & Robots
Engaging
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. The unconventional cocktail of a World War 2...
Mini Review Apocalipsis Wormwood Edition (Switch) - Surprisingly Engaging, If A Little Depressing
C'mon Harry, we want to say goodnight to 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...
Mini Review Bedtime Blues (Switch) - Sub-FNAF Fodder, But Just About Serviceable
Survival fodder
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 static horror adventure that takes the...
Review Gimmick! 2 (Switch): A Fluid, Feel-Good Platformer That Lives Up To Its Name
A classic, continued
It’s fair to say that Gimmick! 2 was a sequel not on many people’s bingo cards before its surprise announcement in June 2024. Its 1992 predecessor, a retro gem and Sunsoft’s take on a mascot platformer, enjoys a cult reputation as one of the rarest games for the Famicom/NES owing to its limited release in Japan and, oddly...
Review Elsie (Switch) - A Stunningly Presented Mega Man X-Esque Roguelite
X-cellent
The roguelike genre has always been a bit of a tough nut to crack for many gamers. It’s not hard to understand why: procedurally generated environments and enemies generally don’t appeal quite as much as something that’s been carefully crafted with purpose. As such, if a roguelike is going to succeed, you best hope that the actual...
Mini Review Wild Bastards (Switch) - Void Bastards' Follow-Up Is A Bland Misfire
Rio Blando
2019's Void Bastards certainly fulfilled its developer's goal of "unusual, original games that always have a strategic twist." In fact, it fulfilled it so well, and with such style and confidence, we just assumed that Blue Manchu's follow-up was going to be more of the very satisfying same, if not even better. However, what we got with...
Review Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines (Switch) - A Purebreed Platformer & Fantastic Follow-Up
Old dog, new tricks
A couple years ago, a small studio called Medallion Games released a cute platformer called Grapple Dog, which as you could probably guess, is a platformer about a dog with a grappling hook. The simple premise played host to an impressively well-made and enjoyable adventure that felt like a meaningful homage to — and evolution...
A baby's gotta do what a baby's gotta do
That Rugrats has somehow managed to remain in the public consciousness for so long is impressive in its own right. This is in part down to Nickelodeon continuing to screen it for younger generations, and that the show ran for 13 years across 172 episodes and spawned two feature films. The most important...
Here comes the Sun
Despite the energetic title of this collection, the legendary Japanese development house Sunsoft never really went away. It's been steadily cranking out original titles, ports, and remasters on arcade and console since 1978, although it will likely never recapture the glory days of the 8- and 16-bit era. So prolific was its output...
Review Shogun Showdown (Switch) - A Turn-Based Roguelike Masterclass
To the left, to the right, slash em'up, dodge and cut, s'alright
Listen. If you're fed up with roguelikes, deckbuilders and the like, we feel you. In the indie sphere in particular, there are an awful lot of games in these genres right now, enough to have us auto-glaze over anytime we see the words mentioned, and even though there are plenty of good...
Review Pizza Tower (Switch) - An Ingenious Platformer That Beats Wario At His Own Game
Wario would be proud
Nintendo’s Wario Land series has always occupied a unique niche in the company’s extensive catalogue with its weird humour and unconventional approach to platforming tropes, which is why fans have been greatly let down by the fact that there hasn’t been a new entry in over 15 years. To fill the gap, an indie team called...
Mini Review Hive Jump (Switch) - Solid Four-Player Action Platforming
Hive and take
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. Hive Jump is a 2D shooting platformer that...
