Resolutiion (Switch eShop)
SolBlazer gives Monolith of Minds' Resolutiion a shoutout.
A supremely original action RPG game set in a mind-bending cyber-distopia. It's a spiritual sibling to Hyper Light Drifter, but is even more memorable than that game due to its aloof yet haunting Kafkaesque story. It has an exceptionally heart-wrenching soundtrack, gorgeous psychedelic pixel art, and the combat is tough yet satisfying with plenty of variety in weaponry and tactics. It is an eccentric game and you will be confused, yet it challenges the player's mind and indulges their senses like an epic fever dream. For the adventurous and discerning gamer!
Picross -LogiartGrimoire- (Switch eShop)
FishyS is back to plead Picross -LogiartGrimoire-'s case.
Picross -LogiartGrimoire- is...Picross! But with magic and a goofy NPC and a *cough* plot. And really dramatic animation and music. Does this make the Picross games different? Not really! Does it somehow make it incredibly addictive? Yes! Plus 3 types of hints and pseudo-hints (such as telling you what column might be worth investigating) add really interesting accessibility options to make things a little easier without removing the challenge.
G-MODE Archives25 Topolon (Switch eShop)
Topolon is top for Zach Kaplan.
This incredibly addictive, simple game will have you sinking hours and hours in, all the while wondering why you're playing a port of a mobile game from over two decades ago instead of, well, just about anything else. And then you'll play some more. The game tasks you with clearing out viruses by attacking them from all sides. The closest thing I can compare it to is Life Genesis aka Game of Life, but even that isn't completely apt. The challenge increases as you progress and the viruses become more aggressive, combining along nodes like droplets of water as you try to squash them out before they crash the system they've infected. You'll want to play again and again, seeing just how far you can get, and whether you're a Topolon Professor or a lowly Topolon Student.
Thanks again 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, and it doesn't appear in a previous Reader Recommendations feature (which will also appear on the game page if it exists), 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!
- Related Games
- Binarystar Infinity (Switch eShop)
- CometStriker DX (Switch eShop)
- Deadbolt (Switch eShop)
- Fitness Circuit (Switch)
- Flowing Lights (Switch eShop)
- G-MODE Archives25 Topolon (Switch eShop)
- Here Comes Niko! (Switch eShop)
- Hero's Hour (Switch eShop)
- Interrogation: You will be deceived (Switch eShop)
- Intrepid Izzy (Switch eShop)
- Little Witch Nobeta (Switch)
- Lost Words: Beyond The Page (Switch eShop)
- Lunar Axe (Switch eShop)
- No Umbrellas Allowed (Switch eShop)
- Picross -LogiartGrimoire- (Switch eShop)
- Process of Elimination (Switch)
- Punch a Bunch (Switch eShop)
- Resolutiion (Switch eShop)
- Shadows Over Loathing (Switch eShop)
- Silent Hope (Switch eShop)
- Skatemasta Tcheco (Switch eShop)
- Skul: The Hero Slayer (Switch eShop)
- Smile For Me (Switch eShop)
- Super Crate Box (Switch eShop)
- Super Hiking League DX (Switch eShop)
- Tents and Trees (Switch eShop)
- The MISSING: J.J. Macfield and the Island of Memories (Switch eShop)
- Tux and Fanny (Switch eShop)
Comments 36
I really enjoyed Smile for Me. I want to check out No Umbrellas Please, looks up my ally.
Thanks @FishyS for adding to my already inflated wishlist...
Wow! Respect for those who have mentioned DEADBOLT and Topolon! Though, I have one complaint about DEADBOLT's description:
«this is a fun, semi-short little puzzle platform game.»
Sorry, but, what? DEADBOLT is an awesome, challenging 2D stealth action game. That description about «puzzle platform game» is kinda misleading.
Thank you for publishing my mini review!
I really enjoy these articles, though kind of shocked every blurb I submitted got accepted; they were some of my favorite un-reviewed games so I appreciate them getting a little attention.
As usual, there are a few games I'm going to wishlist after reading these:
Overall, a nice collection and interesting to read about all the games; there are so many hidden gems within the black hole that is the 13,000 eShop games that I don't think we will ever run out.
Edit: I'm definitely checking out Tents and Trees and possibly Super Crate Box as well. Too many games. 😅
@Nidorom My wishlist is currently around 300 so I'm happy to help fatten up other people's. 😆
@Zach This is nice to know that someone besides me know about the existence of that game and have played it, lol. What is your personal high record/score?
Happy to see some love for The Missing. Excellent game!
Love this sort of feature as it leverages the gaming experiences of a much wider group.
My personal entry would be Filmechanism - a puzzle game that deserves more love.
The central conceit of "recording" a picture state to go back to allows for almost infinite mind-bending puzzle setups.
Good hint system also.
Love Skatemasta Tcheco NES art style, and No Umbrellas Allowed is one type of game I like. But my mind was blown by Little Witch Nobeta, which is a Soulslike game??? I even did I quick search online and it seems it has its own fandom. I'm totally adding those games to my wish list.
Tux and Fanny is a great shout, totally unique, and totally weird. Highly recommended.
Glad to get some attention on Intrepid Izzy! Thanks for including my suggestion.
There is a lot here I haven’t even heard of, let alone played. Seeing a few titles that have me intrigued. Always nice to see some love for the games that so easily get overlooked.
Skul is this month's PSPlus game so I'll give it a go on there.
I miss out on so many of these little games since the eShop is full of dodgy games and I just can't be bothered skimming through the junk to find that one rare good game. I wish Nintendo would somehow filter those crap games so people can find the good ones.
Now there's an indie showcase! Maybe Kate can find a recommendation here.
That's Skul, Here Comes Niko and Picross -LogiartGrimoire- wishlisted. I'll probably be buying Skul soon since it's actually half-off right now, I'm surprised I'd never heard of it before as it seems totally up my alley. Process of Elimination looks really cool too, I've had it on my wishlist for ages, definitely need to pick it up eventually.
Also, definitely +1 for Silent Hope, that game is a lot of fun and I'm actually surprised to see it wasn't reviewed. Nice to see it second in the poll.
These features are great, I meant to make a few recommendations myself but ended up forgetting, but I'll be sure not to miss the next one.
Look Gary, there I am!
I hope more people check out CometStriker DX, it really is a great game
Skatemasta Tcheco and Little Witch Nobeta look really cool so I'll add those to my wishlist
Absolutely loathed Shadows Over Loathing, especially compared to its predecessor. The sequel felt clunkier with funky puzzles, tiresome humor, and a dependency on stat manipulation to progress through the game.
I did enjoy Tents and Trees. Not quite better than Picross but a great addition to the genre.
I’d love to hear more opinions about Deadbolt. I’ve had my eye on the game but have taken it on and off my wishlist based on the reviews I’ve found.
Silent hope is actually quite underrated. It can literally suck you in for a few hours at a time and the difficulty increase per floor is fairly well paced. The upgrade system is fairly decent. It won't blow your mind, but what's there is Definitely worth a play. 8 out 10 for me.
@Solomon_Rambling
Regarding Deadbolt. I truly enjoyed the portion I played, which was into the second or third set of levels. I found it extremely, even viscously challenging. Still stuck with it for a good while, as I though the levels were clever and varied. And it was genuinely satisfying when I cleared a tough level (which were most of them).
Speaking as a 50+ gamer — Deadbolt requires lightning-quick reactions. So maybe this is a “me” problem to some degree. And yet, I did make a measure of real progress through the game.
In fairness, a decent amount of the challenge is puzzling out which route and weapons you want to attempt. This does not eliminate the need for super quick action, but is probably more than half the battle in the end.
Great game, would recommend for those with ample nerves — and ample resilience
Veeeeeeeeery intrigued by the MISSING, I'll give it a go
@Solomon_Rambling
«DEADBOLT is an awesome, challenging 2D stealth action game.»
You're playing the game as Reaper. You're helping (kinda) undead to find a rest... By killing them, lol. You're taking missions from the Fireplace. Talk with "Candlemen". Kill various zombies drug dealers, vampires drug dealers, skeletons drug dealers, demon mercenaries, kerberos dogs... This game is not text heavy. And it has some interesting story and lore. Music in the game is awesome. DEADBOLT has one of the best video games OSTs ever created. Game's performance on Switch is quite perfect. Pixel graphics looks nice and detailed. And the game has physics. I've finished the game at the end of the last year.
@sfb Console versions of DEADBOLT has some (kinda?) exclusive weapons/items, like crossbow and Last Breath lantern. These things can be really helpful in various situations. And these weapons/items makes game easier. Crossbow is a top tier, alongside scythe.
For me, as a low-skilled gamer, DEADBOLT was quite hard. Especially some levels. But, I did it. I've finished the game.
I highly recommend Skul The hero Slayer.
It even has the prisoner from Dead Cells head in it and gives you his abilities!
FYI for anyone looking to discover new games in a genre that you like - switchscores is brilliant for that if you have never heard of it...
@Vyacheslav333 @sfb
Thank you both for your perspectives. From what I’ve seen, it reminds me of Katana Zero, and if they are sort of similar in gameplay, I should have fun with Deadbolt. Although I’m less interested in tough games these days, I wouldn’t mind trying this one out. Back on my wishlist it goes! Thank you again!
Does Skatemaster’s tune sound a bit like an 8 bit rendition of Sister Sister, or is it just me?
This is an interesting topic. As someone who’s trying to play as many switch exclusive games as possible, I believe my last two games are remaining are devil may cry 3’s switch port which adds a style switch and no more heroes games which I believe are the only versions with motion controls.
I've been singing praoses to The Missing for ages, it is good enough on its own as a Prince-of-Persia/Flashback style "climbey" puzzle platformer, which is a rare genre by itself, but the David Lynch style narrative told through creepy moosemen, years-old text messages and backmasked phonecalls just makes it shine.
I just hope they didn't actually tear JJ's voice actress to pieces to record all the suffering she emits whenever she loses and arm.or a leg or an everything (one of the puzzles requires you to use your head as a bowling ball, literally).
Also SKUL was amazing on its own but the devs keep adding new stuff, and it's pretty fun if a bit derivative. The varied pixel arts of your possible forms and their increadingly redonkulous attacks makes it stand out in my eyes.
Already have:
Added to wishlist:
One of my favourite features on the internet, lol.
The majority of these I have missed and had not even heard of! I consider myself 'not bad' at keeping up with the deluge of eshop releases week in week out.
I already have Lost Words which is a good game and worth a play for gamers who like thate type or genre of game.
From this article Flowing Lights, Tents and Trees, Picross LG, Comet Striker DX, Fitness Circuit most tickle my fancy.
Many well written micro- & mini- reviews here that make me want to have a look at footage and maybe even wishlist games immediately. Well done NL community
Thanks for the recommendations everyone and thanks Nintendo Life for making this feature!
@Vyacheslav333 130,220 on endless! I'm a Topolon Knight! Hbu?
@Zach WOW! 130220... My high score is 35590. I'm a TOPOLON STUDENT.
@_Figo_ Thank you you very much for your recommendation of Comet Striker DX! I played through the game for the first time today. Really well-designed game. Clever variety of challenges across the rooms and biomes.
A couple of subtle features tells me that the main developer/designer must be a long-time a Nintendo fan. One example, the doors right before the mini-bosses and level bosses are a nice “tribute” to Super Metroid.
@Vyacheslav333 Sincere congratulations on finishing Deadbolt. You might consider yourself a low-skilled gamer, but I think otherwise. Or perhaps I am a “very low skilled gamer!”
You’re right, the soundtrack is excellent. Quite evocative and perfectly suited for the Deadbolt setting. Might have been done by Chris Christodolou, who did the music for the Risk of Rain, also developed by Holoo as I think you mentioned.
I appreciate the “pro tips” as well. I actually walked away from Deadbolt right after completing a level that I found ultra challenging. I found that I had become rather tense and anxious playing the game. So , so I decided to call that milestone my “moral victory” and move on to something else.
I still think Deadbolt is brilliant — just a bit much for me to take I guess! Totally a “me” issue.
I'm going to join in the praise for the Missing. Swery65's games aren't for everyone but he's a mad genius who creates unique, unforgettable art. I'll freely admit my bias here, as Deadly Premonition remains one of my top ten of all time, but it's undeniable that no one is doing what he does.
Try to go in without knowing too much about the story or the characters. The reveals are so much more powerful if you don't know they're coming.
@sfb Really appreciate you mentioning this, I've got problems with my hands so I find quick reactions are difficult let alone faster than that. Sort of thing people neglect to mention
@sfb «Sincere congratulations on finishing Deadbolt. You might consider yourself a low-skilled gamer, but I think otherwise.»
Thanks. Well, I'm trying to play and complete games on the lowest difficulty as possible, in most cases. I'm rarely playing anything on Normal difficulty.
Also, if talking about tips... Scythe and revolver is one of the best sets that you can make in the game, imo.
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