Urban Trial Playground (Switch eShop) Review

Title: Urban Trial Playground
Platform: Nintendo Switch eShop
Developer: Teyon
Publisher: Tate Multimedia
Release Date: April 5th, 2018 (NA)

Review copy provided by Tate Multimedia

Urban Trial is a series that began on PS3 and Vita as Urban Trial Freestyle. It was later released on 3DS to huge success. So huge in fact, that Tate decided to make the sequel Urban Trial Freestyle 2 a 3DS-exclusive. Teyon were recruited to develop the second game, and now both teams are again working together on the 3rd game exclusively on Switch. How does this game fare? Does it drive smoothly or does it crash with hilarious rag doll physics? Let’s find out!

Danmaku Unlimited 3 (Switch eShop) Review

Title: Danmaku Unlimited 3
Platform: Nintendo Switch eShop
Developer: Doragon Entertainment
Publisher: Doragon Entertainment
Release Date: March 13th, 2018 (NA)

Review copy provided by Doragon Entertainment

This is a classic-style shmup (shoot-em-up) in the style of classics such as Ikaruga. In these games, it’s a one vs all sort of fight where you’re a lone ship armed with multiple blasters with infinite ammo. Does this game soar across the stars? Does the Empire win? Let’s find out!

Penny-Punching Princess (Switch) Review

Title: Penny-Punching Princess
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Nippon Ichi Software
Publisher: Nippon Ichi Software America
Release Date: April 3rd, 2018 (NA)

Review copy provided by Nippon Ichi Software America

This is the second game by NIS/NISA that I’ve reviewed! Anyway, this is a pretty different game than The Longest 5 Minutes. While the former is a more traditional JRPG, this game is more of a beat-em-up with RPG elements, and is ALL about money. So does this game check out? Does this game offer a nice change of pace? Let’s find out!

The Longest 5 Minutes (Switch) Review

Title: The Longest 5 Minutes
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Nippon Ichi Software/SYUPRO-DX (Planning)
Publisher: Nippon Ichi Software America
Release Date: February 13th, 2018 (NA)

Review copy provided by Nippon Ichi Software America

This is the next game by NIS on Switch following Disgaea 5 Complete and their localization of Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle. It’s an RPG with an 8-bit aesthetic that while it resembles JRPGs of old on the NES or Game Boy Color, there’s an interesting twist to the game, and that’s its story and how scenes are played out.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (Switch) Review

Title: Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Ubisoft Milan/Ubisoft Paris/Ubisoft Montpellier
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: August 29th, 2017 (NA)

Next comes a game I don’t think ANYONE ever imagined would ever exist. A Mario game, crossing over with Ubisoft’s Rabbids, as a turn-based strategy game? Madness I tells ya! But was this idea crazy enough to work? Let’s find out!

Snake Pass (Switch eShop) Review

Title: Snake Pass
Platform: Nintendo Switch eShop
Developer: Sumo Digital
Publisher: Sumo Digital
Release Date: March 28th, 2017 (NA)

This beaut comes from Sumo Digital, the makers of the Sonic All-Stars series which included Sega Superstars Tennis, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, and its sequel Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Snake Pass is the team’s first original IP and it’s a puzzle platforming game starring a snake and a hummingbird. How is it? I’ll tell you!

Sparkle Unleashed (Switch eShop) Review

Title: Sparkle Unleashed
Platform: Nintendo Switch eShop
Developer: 10tons
Publisher: 10tons
Release Date: December 25th, 2017 (NA)

Review copy provided by 10tons

Today we have a small puzzle game from a recent newcomer to Nintendo systems named 10tons. They’ve already brought quite a few games so far to the Switch, and today we’re looking at the newest one named Sparkle Unleashed. What is it and how is it? Read on and find out!

Kamiko (Switch eShop) Review

Title: Kamiko
Platform: Nintendo Switch eShop
Developer: Skipmore/Kan.Kikuchi
Publisher: Flyhigh Works/Circle Ent.
Release Date: April 27th, 2017 (NA)

Review copy provided by Flyhigh Works/Circle Ent.

This is a very long overdue review. This game came out nearly two months after the Switch’s launch, but it doesn’t matter how old a game is, as long as it’s a good game, why would that matter, right? 🙂 Kamiko is by the same team that brought you the Fairune series on 3DS. This game is a top-down action game very similar to the original The Legend of Zelda on the NES, but considerably modern in its presentation, even if it features that low-res pixel art-style as well. With that, let’s jump right in!

Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Overdrive (Switch eShop) Review

Title: Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Overdrive
Platform: Nintendo Switch eShop
Developer: 5pb./MAGES.
Publisher: 5pb./MAGES.
Release Date: December 7th, 2017 (NA)
File Size: 1.7GB

Review copy provided by 5pb./MAGES.

Well isn’t this a nice surprise! Out of nowhere 5pb. announced that they were porting the side-scrolling beat-em-up Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Overdrive to the Switch and be out in such short notice. This game was originally on XBLA (sans the Overdrive name) and later ported to Vita and PC, and then later to PS4 as Overdrive which came with paid DLC, alternate routes, and other enhancements. The Switch version actually is not only cheaper than the PS4 version, but now includes the DLC free of charge, but the alternate routes were omitted to prevent over complication (says 5pb.’s website). Another note is that like on PS4, the Switch version does feature online multiplayer… to be added in 2018 when Nintendo launches the paid online service, but the update will be free. So with that out of the way, how’s the game? Let’s find out!

Stick it to the Man (Switch eShop) Review

Title: Stick it to the Man
Platform: Nintendo Switch eShop
Developer: Zoink Games
Publisher: Zoink Games
Release Date: November 23rd, 2017 (NA)

Review copy provided by Zoink Games

This game was by a company called Zoink Games, who’ve had a rocky time during the 2000’s. That’s because they were attempting to release a game called The Kore Gang. Initially being made for the original Xbox, the game ended up being cancelled. This changed upon the announcement that the game would be revived as a Wii game in collaboration with Snap Dragon Games. After numerous delays, it would finally come out at around 2012 in NA under Atari. The game got so-so reception, but one thing that shined was the talent behind the art, voice acting, and the like, which is credited to Zoink Games.

After that chapter was closed, Zoink Games attempted another Wii game called WeeWaa, that too got cancelled. Finally, they managed to create a new game and release it to the world all on their own on digital store fronts. This is that game. Initially released to a variety of platforms, including Wii U, it enjoyed positive reception and seemingly good sales with it. Today the developer is underway with a sequel/successor called Flipping Death, and another game called Fe (pronounced as “fee-uh”!), both of which are Switch-bound. But their first Switch game is indeed a port of Stick it to the Man. How did it turn out? Let’s find out!