Feb 29, 2020Feature
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is bound to be the top of every Nintendo Switch owner’s game wishlist this month. However, here are four other great games that are also coming to the console this month.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is a remake of the 2005 matched pair of Pokémon games Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team. The remake will release on Nintendo Switch on March 6th, and will be available to purchase as both a digital or physical copy for USD$59.99.
In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX, you will wake up in a village as a Pokémon including the likes of Pikachi, Eevee, and Charmander. Whilst getting to explore a magnificent reimagined world, your objective is to solve a strange predicament and build a rescue team to find and rescue lost Pokémon from a variety of dangerous dungeons. The game can be downloaded from the Nintendo eShop for USD$59.99 or purchased as a physical copy.
Half Past Fate is an upcoming 3D Pixel-art-stylised rom-com adventure game developed by Serenity Forge and set to be published by Way Down Deep. The game is set to release on March 12th 2020 on a variety of platforms.
In the game, you follow the lives of 6 different individuals who find each other in unusual ways. Half Past Fate is described as a time-jumping saga, from eight days to eight years, that will change how you feel about fate forever. The game will release on a variety of platforms including PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and of course, Nintendo Switch, where it can be downloaded for USD$19.99.
A Street Cat’s Tale is an emotional pixel-art-stylised adventure game about the survival of a stray kitten. The game is both developed and published by feemodev, and was first released on PC and Mobile last year in 2019. The game will be published and available to download on the Nintendo Switch eShop by CFK for USD$7.99 on March 12th 2020.
A Street Cat’s tale is a game where you play as an orphaned kitten. The aim of the game is to survive thirteen days as a kitten on the streets alone, after the tragic death of your mother. In the game, you will have to find your own food (which can be healthy or unhealthy and affect your health) and forge relationships with other animals and humans. But beware, not all of the NPC’s you encounter will be nice. Will the poor little kitten survive? And will it end up continuing to roam the streets, or find a loving home?
Cooking Mama: Cookstar is the sixth mainline game of the cookery simulation-styled Cooking Mama series. Whilst a specific release date has not been announced, the game is set to release on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 at some point in March 2020.
Cooking Mama: Cookstar is the first ever HD Cooking Mama game. It is also the first Cooking Mama game to release on a platform besides Nintendo or mobile. The game has been praised by PETA for featuring a vegetarian mode. screenshots of the game were first leaked back in August of 2019.
Jan 18, 2020Indie Highlight
Currently in development by Naps Team, Baldo is an upcoming action-adventure coming to Switch, amongst other platforms. The Zelda-inspired game has a cel-shaded art style, which is comparable to that of Studio Ghibli and Ni No Kuni.
There isn’t a lot of information available about Baldo. However, the following Nintendo announcement trailer, shows that in-game action is top-down, but that the game’s pseudo-realistic backgrounds are 3D.
The description beneath the game’s announcement trailer says the following:
The prophecy came true, the pure child is born. The no heart creature sealed in the underworld by the wise owls is about to rise again. The game is set in the world of Rodia, a journey into a magical land full of mysteries to discover. Baldo is an action adventure rpg, full of puzzles and intricate dungeons to solve. Traveling around the world, Baldo will interact with many weird and funny characters scattered everywhere, to complete the main story quest and many other side quests. You’ll travel into an open world map discovering new towns and people, fighting enemies, locating hidden temples and collecting objects to get new weapons or items to use.
From the trailer, it looks like players encounter a variety of characters and monsters. Additionally, it appears that dungeon-crawling, puzzle-solving and exploration all feature in the game.
Baldo will release on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows.
A release date for the game is still TBA.
Baldo has its own Facebook and Twitter pages where you can follow the game’s progress. Despite a lack of posts since earlier in 2019, Baldo recently replied to a post on WholesomeGames Twitter on 12th January.
Yay! They’re alive! 🙂
Dec 17, 2019Quick Bits
Melbits World is a cooperative puzzle platformer by Melbot and released for the PS4 as a PlayLink title back in February 2019. Thanks to the developers, I was lucky enough to test Melbits World Pocket the mobile version of the game. This was without the multiplayer feature and not to be confused with the mobile companion app for the PS4 game. I really enjoyed customizing my adorable virtual pixies with accessories and leading them to the end of several challenging levels.
Therefore, when Melbot recently announced that Melbits World is out now on PC (as of December 16th, 2019) and coming to the Nintendo Switch on December 19th, 2019, I got really excited to delve back into this charming world. A world all about “spreading the good vibes across the Internet.” Now due to the collaboration with publisher Plug in Digital, you can get the Melbits World on Steam (controller support only) for a 34% discount until December 23rd, 2019, and the Nintendo Switch version for only $12.59!
In Melbits World there are 4 worlds, each one with 9 levels where you can dodge evil viruses, collect seeds, rotate platforms, and utilize springs. It’s a family-friendly game you can play with up to 4 players and collaborate and communicate with each other! To find out more about Melbot’s upcoming projects, check out my article on the Melbits POD; a toy for mobile devices.
Nov 26, 2019News
Described as a ‘humorous light platformer’, fans of felines will be delighted to know that a platform game with RPG and puzzle elements featuring cats is coming to Nintendo Switch this week. Developed by DeqafStudio and published by No Gravity Games, the game will be playable in 13 different languages including, English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Turkish, Polish, Romanian, Ukrainian, and Hungarian.
Not dissimilar to Mario and Zelda games, the aim of Strike Force Kitty is to train a team of four kitties to save a princess. The concept of the game might sound all too familiar, (you have to fight bosses along your journey). However, the game is unique and appealing due to its cute and humourous nature.
Features of the game include:
The game’s usual price is very affordable at just USD$4.99. However, if ‘pre-purrchased’, it can be obtained for the bargain price of USD$3.99 here.
Nov 23, 2019News
I last spoke of Garden Paws when there was a special community event in Creative Mode online to celebrate the release of Bitten Toast Games’ new crafting game Potion Paws. Potion Paws will be available very soon to everyone on Steam Early Access here which means you’ll have access to those cross-over items I mentioned (such as the ride-able pet cat ghost) if you own both games. With this new Garden Paws update, we’ll not only have access to the aforementioned penguin pets and jewelry workstation, but also new workstations, animals, items and over 80 quests!
All animals in Garden Paws can be tamed with the proper items and habitats and then placed anywhere, including your farm! Some examples include deer, hippos, bears, and ferrets! See below for the new additions that you can find around Florens!
We knew about the possibility of spotting penguins on the northern island in the Winter season and about taming them to place them in an igloo habitat. But did you know that these adorable cuties can be found in black, pink or blue? There is even a cute baby penguin that’s smaller than the rest!
Once you have this companion tamed in its igloo, it will bring you rocks, fish and even geodes once a day! If you find yourself with 100 tamed penguins you may even spot the Legendary Penguin that is so large it can be ridden!
Regular foxes can be found in Garden Paws in the forests during all seasons and in the Winter you can tame an Arctic Fox! Now there’s another rare and unique fox to tame; the Kitsune Fox!
Tame a total of 25 foxes and you may spot the Kitsune Fox in the forest! This fox can be tamed in just one day with a Bright Damsel fish. If you tame 100 Foxes you may even spot the Legendary Kitsune Fox that is large enough to be a mount! The Kitsune Fox and Legendary Kitsune Fox have a higher chance to bring rare fish and can even bring you a Mystery Box.
O.K. this isn’t really an animal but bring this little helper home and it will collect all dropped animal products and will even milk your cows and goats! Ferrets would collect items and products but there was previously no other way to collect milk as you needed to use a milker! If you’re in your 3rd year, you’ll get a certain quest from Mooney to pick up a mystery crate from Conrad. Follow the beeps to your very own collection robot!
Aside from the Jewelry Workstation where you’re able to craft 30 jewelry items from metals and gems to sell for a profit, there are 2 new workstations and they are as follows:
Decoration Station – At this station you’ll be able to cook decorative cakes that are too pretty to eat but sell for a great profit.
Dungeon Workstation – Been exploring the dungeon? This may be the workstation for you. With it you’ll be able to craft items and even a healing powder from dungeon loot.
Admiring all of the objects and homes of the villagers in Florens? Well now you’ll have access to new building materials and a lot of those same items for yourself! Create your dream bathroom with an adorable new bathtub (it was my vote to add the rubber duckies) or embellish your gardens with wooden benches and gates. Take a look below at your new options!
Furniture – Looking to add to your home? We’ve added a few new crafting recipes to compliment any home including; an outhouse, ladder, overpass, small tables, a toilet and a bathtub with duckies.
Garden Items – We’ve added quite a few new items to spruce up any garden including decorative benches, hedges, small trees, and a street lamp.
Decorations – Ask Roman about the new decoration items including book piles, diamonds, coin stacks, wood piles and more.
You may have come across my article for the Spring Festival that includes finding Easter Eggs for amazing prizes. We’ve also received a new Summer Festival a few updates ago that includes even more mini-games such as Balloon Popping, Lawn Mowing and Memory Game! With your tickets you can buy new summer items such as floaties, swimwear, and beach balls! Since the Memory Game was such as fan-favorite, there will be one to play in the Winter as well! This mini-game will also give you the chance to acquire exclusive items that can only be obtained this way.
There are 21 new and unique winter themed items including a Candy Cane Fence, Ice Table, Ice Shelves, a Sleigh and a Winter Tree.
Next update will bring a huge new island to Garden Paws. This island is larger than the main island and will feature rare and unique creatures never before seen in Garden Paws! I have it on good authority that you’ll be able to tame some ride-able dragons and gain access to Creative Mode’s Flying Carpet and Jetpack in the main game! The developers are also working on the dungeon to add more floors and bosses.
With all of these exciting new additions to Garden Paws, it is possible that the developers may have to delay their December 2019 Nintendo Switch release although that still remains to be seen. Can’t wait any longer? You can purchase Garden Paws on Steam right here.
Nov 21, 2019Feature
If you’re anything like me, exercise can probably seem both a bore and a chore. But what if you could get fit whilst having fun? Sound too good to be true? These four fitness-themed games for Nintendo Switch are proof otherwise!
A must have for fans of the Wii Fit, Ring Fit Adventure utilises bespoke Nintendo Switch accessories to gauge players’ movements’ and turn them into in-game actions.
The game comes with two accessories (the Ring-Con and Leg Strap), which allow players to explore the vibrant in-game world and battle monsters using real-life exercise, and therefore getting a workout whilst having fun.
Additionally, the game features a quiet mode, which essentially swaps running for knee bends. A handy feature to avoid waking the entire household if you ever decided to have a 3 a.m. workout…
The first Just Dance game was released for the Nintendo Wii back in 2009. Owing to its popularity, the games are still being released 10 years later!
As with previous Just Dance games, players have to copy the dance moves shown on the screen to a chosen song using motion controllers (joy-cons in this instance).
This year’s soundtrack features over 40 new tracks. Just a handful of examples include songs by Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Cardi B and Lil Nas X.
Kids can also join in with the fun! The children’s section contains plenty of songs that are more appropriate for little ‘uns, including the infamous Baby Shark. (Oh no!)
Created by a Colombian dancer in the 90’s, Zumba combines high intensity workouts with catchy Latin American music. It soon became incredibly popular, evident in the fact that over 14 million people now participate in Zumba classes worldwide.
Switch console owners however, need not even leave their home to have some Zumba fun, thanks to the release of Zumba Burn It Up! for Nintendo Switch.
With over 30 tracks, and routines based on music and dance styles such as reggaetón, salsa, merengue, cumbia, hip hop, and Bollywood, the game offers something for everyone.
Additionally, the game allows up to four players. This means that you can workout whilst spending time with friends and/or family, and also encourage and motivate each other along the way.
Similar in principle to the incredibly popular game Wii Sports, Sports Party offers players the ability to participate in six different sporting events. These include: Golf, Beach Tennis, Frisbee, Skateboarding, Basketball, and Jet Skiing.
With a variety of different modes and controls, you can play each sport your way. Sports Party allows players to customize their avatar, and unlock new items as they progress through the game. With easy to grasp controls and the ability to play with up to three other people, the game can be enjoyed by old and young, and by oneself or with others.
Oct 18, 2019Quick Bits
Today (18th October 2019) marks the release of the highly anticipated fitness game for Nintendo Switch, Ring Fit Adventure.
A must have for fans of the Wii Fit, Ring Fit Adventure utilises bespoke Nintendo Switch accessories to gauge players’ movements’ and turn them into in-game actions.
The game comes with two accessories (the Ring-Con and Leg Strap), which allow players to explore the in-game world and battle using real-life exercise, and therefore getting a workout whilst having fun!
Ring Fit Adventure can be purchased from Amazon or Bestbuy in the US, and from Amazon, Nintendo, Smyths, and Game in the UK.
Are you going to be purchasing Ring Fit Adventure? Let us know in the comments! ⬇️
Sep 18, 2019Feature
As many of you may have gathered by now, I’m a bit of a feline fanatic. Having procured a Switch console this year, I have been meaning to make a cat-themed Switch game listicle for a while. Having finally gotten around to it, here you have it; Nine Nintendo Switch Games For Cat Lovers. (Nine because nine lives)
This project started with a love for magical girls, cats, and a want to create a game that’s light, pink, cute, fluffy, and feminine. It also incorporates everything that’s enjoyable from a simulation game like Animal Crossing (furniture, decorations) but the animals will not leave/die, the shop will never close and the crops will not rot. The objective of the game is to make the town’s cat café active and full of cuddly creatures again such as cats, deer, raccoons, dogs, turtles, red pandas, foxes and more! For more Calico info head over here.
Cat Quest is an open world, action adventure RPG set in a world of cats, developed by The Gentlebros. The Cat Quest page on the Nintendo website (which is full of cat puns) explains how your player’s sister is kidnapped and you therefore embark on a journey to save her from the evil Drakoth. Available for only £9.99 on the Nintendo eShop, Cat Quest for Switch is a purr-chase your bank account won’t hate you for!
Cat Quest II is an upcoming open world RPG where you play as both a cat and a dog (hisss!). Explore an extensive world filled with monsters, dungeons and quests as you restore peace to your kingdoms in a time of war. This forthcoming feline follow-up will be released on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Android, iOS, and Windows.
Snacko is a farming simulation game developed by an indie studio called bluecurse, based in Vancover, BC, Canada. The founders, husband and wife Jordan and Erisa, wanted to create a world “where cats rule the land” and so the project began in 2018. Snacko is expected to release sometime in the year 2021 for PC and Nintendo Switch. Get some more news on this cat-tactic game!
In BlobCat you are tasked with the job of protecting the DiceMice from the naive BlobCats. With more than 90 different levels spanning over 6 worlds, Place arrows and guide the Dicemice to the Micehole! With local and online multiplayer, you and up to 3 other players can attempt to outsmart each other and send the BlobCats a-calling. The game costs a reasonable £8.99 to download from the Nintendo eShop.
Night in the Woods is an autumnal themed indie adventure game. Highly relatable to many, the game shows the crumbling former mining town of Possum Springs. After the protagonist, Mae Borowski drops out of college and returns to her hometown, she finds things as gloomy and hopeless as ever. But this time there’s something more. Strange and eery occurrences are happening. And there’s something in the woods. This charming game with beautiful music can be purchased for only £17.09 on the Switch eShop.
I and Me is a platform puzzle game developed by Chinese studio Wish Fang and published by Ratalaika Games. It was released for Nintendo Switch in Japan and PAL regions on July 6, 2017 and in North America on July 13, 2017. Controlling two cats simultaneously, the objective of the game is to get them both safely to the end of each level. Whilst initially fairly easy, having two characters perform exactly the same action makes it increasingly more difficult to complete the game’s 92 levels. With a soothing soundtrack and four season-themed chapters, the game is pretty affordable at £8.99
Mineko’s Night Market is a cute cat-themed upcoming game for PC, Mac and Switch by Meowza games. You play as Mineko, a girl who has just moved to a superstitious island overrun with cats. The aim of the game is to find materials, craft items and sell them at the Night Market. You can befriend villagers, fish, undertake quests, play mini-games, plus more! Whilst it was initially hoped that the game would be released in late 2018, its release has now been pushed back until 2020.
Little Friends: Dogs & Cats is a pet simulation game for Nintendo Switch. The Nintendogs-esque game is set to be released in Japan on 6th December. The game allows players to reside and play with cats and dogs with “lifelike models, textures, expressions, and animations.”
Spacecats with Lasers is a cat-themed casual combat game. Help your Spacecat eliminate the Evil Space Rats and defeat the Pug King in this wild wave-shooter game. With plenty of perks and power-ups, plus the ability to customise your cat with items unlocked on your journey, you can have both a fashionable and fierce feline fighter. Whether you prefer a calmer cat caper, or want a “nerve-wracking bullet hell”, the game’s different difficulty options have you covered.
After going through all of these, I realized there are eleven, looks like this cat found some extra lives. 😀
For even more cat themed games head over here!