Isn’t it amazing that we are already in the last month of the year? Pretty sure you’ve heard people around you exclaim the same, but it’s true. Another year has almost gone, but we have the Holidays to look forward to.
Time to look at the upcoming new release games on our favourite handheld, the Nintendo Switch, for December 2022. Plus, don’t forget we now also feature Upcoming Steam games. For those of you who prefer gaming on Steam!
Not all games to be released are on the list here. Alternatively, you will see games that the other gaming sites don’t mention. We are taking notice of these games. If given half a chance, you can expect reviews for many of them! It should be noted that unless we have some personal experience with the game, there’s a link to the descriptions on the Nintendo website.
Donut Dodo – December 1st
Donut Dodo is a light-hearted arcade game reminiscent of the beloved classics from the early 80’s that we still cherish to this very day. You play as Baker Billy Burns, who has to run, jump, and climb to outwit Donut Dodo and his bunch of clueless minions. Your goal is to collect all donuts in each level at the best possible time!
James reviewed it; you can find his review here.
Donut Dodo plays a loving homage to the old arcade days whilst bringing with it some modern improvements and a few tricks of its own to make it stand out from the competition. If Donut Dodowas an actual arcade cabinet, I would be happy to sink a few coins into it.
Lover Pretend – December 1st
Chiyuki is a college student with dreams: One, to become a scriptwriter like her late mother, and two, to find her father, whom she’s never met. In a stroke of luck, Chiyuki lands a job as an assistant for an upcoming film, but things take a surprising turn when she’s cast as the film’s female love interest! Will she be able to find her father and pretend to be in love, despite not knowing anything about love herself?
Caroline reviewed this Otome game and gave it an I Like it a Lot:
I would absolutely recommend Lover Pretende. It does have some small flaws but those are nothing compared to how fun and beautifully made this game is. Every route was enjoyable to play, which does not happen often for me. This would be a good Otome game to add to your collection.
Railbound – December 1st
Connect and sever railways across different landscapes and help everyone reach their homes. Solve over 150 clever puzzles ranging from gentle slopes to twisted passageways.
Paula already reviewed it on Steam and gave it our highest praise:
Railbound is just my kind of game, with challenging levels that require some thought, and it’s also relaxing as there isn’t a timer. It has all the right ingredients to make it a brilliant puzzle game with a sweet storyline.
Papetura – December 1st
Lend your hand to two little creatures, Pape and Tura, whose house is in danger of burning down. Explore the mysterious world shrouded in shadow and light, hand-crafted in its entirety out of paper. Marvel at the simple beauty of the unfamiliar yet strangely inviting place you find yourself in as you point and click your way through your adventure. Muster the courage and face the dark, flaming monsters threatening your paper paradise.
Mina reviewed Papetura and said this in her conclusion.
Making a monochromatic minimalist puzzle game isn’t easy. It’s not something I would recommend most people try, and Papetura is a good example of why. I love so much about this game that I wanted to love it. I wanted to have fun inside this amazing world with gorgeous music and strange little puzzles, but I just can’t.
If only all the puzzles were a little more intuitive. If only some switches didn’t change things in other rooms, if only you didn’t have to backtrack through the world at a snail’s pace all the time, Papetura could have been a contender for my personal GOTY. It’s fun, it’s frustrating, it’s beautiful, but it’s just a little bit off-kilter.
The Outbound Ghost – December 1st
The Outbound Ghost is an adventure RPG about helping ghosts ascend to the afterlife. The town of Outbound is, quite literally, a ghost town, a home to troubled spooks with unresolved earthly issues, condemning them to an eternity haunting their old *ahem* haunts.
Battle the past, gain new abilities, solve puzzles, and uncover the mysteries of Outbound to help its unliving residents find peace, freeing them from the shackles of their ghostly limbo.
Super Kiwi 64 – December 2nd
Super Kiwi 64 is a 3D-Platformer and Collect-a-Thon, in a low poly late 90s console look.
James reviewed Super Kiwi 64 and gave it a score of I like it.
For the price of entry Super Kiwi 64 is a nice platformer to enjoy on a game night when you just want something casual and wholesome. It is a bit too easy with 100% completion being accessible in a single game session for most gamers. It is an experience that definitely leaves you wanting more. But what is here is pretty good. The Kiwi protagonists are adorable, the graphics are vibrant and colourful and it’s a lot of fun zipping around the level. If you’re looking for something wholesome this will undoubtedly warm your gamer’s heart even if it’s only for a short spell.
Intrepid Izzy – December 2nd
Intrepid Izzy is a genre-defying 2D game with a unique HD art style. Seamlessly blending platforming with beat-’em-up and adventure elements, the game features a striking art style inspired by retro game graphics, with crisp, detailed sprites with smooth animations.
You’ll explore huge levels, each with its own theme and mechanics. Get different costumes for Izzy and take advantage of the special powers they grant!
James reviewed Intrepid Izzy and said this in his conclusion.
For me, Intrepid Izzy is a good retro-inspired title. Not all of its mechanics totally hit the mark, yet it still manages to pull off an experience that will keep you hooked through the adventure. The exploration can get a bit dull with tedious backtracking, and the brawling combat can feel tricky in places. But these shortcomings are made up thanks to the good pacing of the game and little surprises which will have you hooked to the very end. Intrepid Izzy is well worth sinking time into if you love your retro or just fancy a solid adventure.
Siralim Ultimate – December 2nd
Siralim Ultimate is a monster-catching, dungeon-crawling RPG with a ridiculous amount of depth. Summon 1200+ creatures and explore randomly generated dungeons to find rare loot.
Kukoos: Lost Pets – December 6th
On a planet covered in water, a fun and adventurous species known as the Kukoos live on the only island that is home to the Kukoo tree. After an experiment in which the Kukoos attempt to make their pets more obedient goes haywire, it is up to the Kukoos to find their newly aggressive and unruly pets and regain control, restoring harmony to the once peaceful Kukoo tree.
Travel through secret worlds within the massive Kukoo tree to find your friends and end the pet rebellion! This charming 3D platformer takes you across the vast and colourful Kukoo universe, where you’ll take charge of an array of pets and use their individual abilities to battle against unique bosses, find hidden collectables and solve ancient puzzles. Journey solo or team up with up to three friends to enjoy a four-player adventure, unlike anything you’ve seen before!
Lynne reviewed Kukoos: Lost Pets and gave it our highest score of Two Thumbs Up.
One of my criteria for a good game is the desire to replay it, and the need for more – and Kukoos: Lost Pets is a really good game.
The four worlds are so different and creative, and the creature’s abilities are refreshingly varied. It was an absolute delight to play and watch. I’m looking forward to replaying the levels and finding all those secret spots.
Kardboard Kings – December 8th
You are Harry Hsu, a young man who recently inherited a card shop from his father, a former champion of the famous card game “”Warlock.”” With the shop’s reputation on the line, you start working behind the counter, juggling the locals’ requests while trying to familiarize yourself with owning a shop.
Your guide, Giuseppe, a fast-talking Cockatoo, helps you in your buying and selling journey – securing cards of various rarities to top collectors or helping an enthusiastic customer from the neighbourhood.
Serena reviewed Kardboard Kings giving it our highest score of Two Thumbs up.
At first glance, Kardboard Kings seems like just another run-of-the-mill management simulation. But the characters, the game design, the wonderful visuals, and the challenge of running your own card shop make this a worthwhile game to play.
I will play this game some more to complete my growing card collection and try to beat Card Game Island. This is definitely one of the best management simulators on the market.
Adventure Academia: The Fractured Continent – December 9th
Adventure Academia: The Fractured Continent is a fully-fledged strategy RPG set in the world of Class of Heroes! Create your own party of students in a fantasy realm! Pick them up and guide them to victory against the monster hordes!
Armed with an ancient relic – the Ruler Orb, passed down for following generations and plenty of support from the loyal students of Obsidian High you will need to strategize, recruit, manage and fight with everything you have to defeat the hordes of monsters threatening your home. Take command and forge the way forward…and to the truth once and for all!
Paula reviewed Adventure Academia: The Fractured Continent.
Adventure Academia: The Fractured Continent is a fun game for a while. It’s maybe a game you would play in short bursts, as I did. I did like the battles in the game. However, the storyline got a little tedious after a while. Nevertheless, you will likely find what you want if this is your go-to game genre.
Dragon Quest Treasures – December 9th
Erik and his sister Mia live on a Viking longship, dreaming of the day they can explore the world in search of grand treasure. One night they encounter a pair of otherworldly creatures, Porcus and Purrsula, and are whisked away to a mysterious place known as Draconia – a legendary land full of treasures just waiting to be discovered. The adventure Erik and Mia have always dreamed of is finally underway!
With the vast world of Draconia to explore and tons of tantalizing treasures to find, Erik, Mia, and their cute companions will need some help. The team soon befriends and recruits a veritable variety of well-mannered monsters. By making use of these monsters’ magical visions of hidden treasure and their unique treasure-hunting abilities, our heroes will race over open fields, scale cliffs with a single bound, and glide over gaping chasms to locate loot in even the most fiendishly inaccessible spots!
Paula reviewed Dragon Quest Treasures and gave it our highest score of Two Thumbs up.
The world of Draconia’s floating islands is a beautiful setting for an open-ended adventure. An adventure where hunting for treasure and monsters can become equally addictive.
Dragon Quest Treasures is an absolute delight to play, where you can take your time and discover all corners of Draconia without pressure. There is an amazing amount of quests to complete, accompanied by a recognisable cast of lovable characters. Hunting for shiny, sparking treasure is such fun and full of surprises.
Togges – December 12th
A game, unlike anything you’ve ever seen! A combination of something completely new, and totally familiar.
Spread and stack adorable cubes to explore incredible worlds, collect goodies, discover funny stories, and help the King President dominate the universe to save from the unknown threat of the Void.
Yair reviewed Togges and had this to say in his conclusion.
Togges is a 3D platformer that distinguishes itself from others innovatively while maintaining many familiar elements of previous titles, for example, games like Super Mario Galaxy or Pikmin. It is enjoyable and occasionally challenging to figure out how to move around on each planet, which is this game’s beauty. It is about uncovering secrets, finding collectables, mastering the different behaviours of the diverse Togges, and exploring the vast depth of the cosmos.
The story has its moments but wasn’t as hooking as expected. However, the colourful textures and vistas make it attractive to the eye, and in terms of music, SFX is quite good (Some funny screams of the Togges take the prize here). Overall it is an entertaining game with a fair amount of content to explore and exciting mechanics to play with.
Wavetale – December 12th
Surf the waters of a submerged city! Fight gigantic sea monsters, save your neighbours and uncover the secrets hidden under the surface.
Explore the open sea and the decaying archipelago of Strandville in Wavetale, a story-driven action-adventure game introducing you to fed-up fishermen, secretive hermits—and maybe a pirate or two. Traverse calm waters and surging waves as Sigrid, a young girl befriends a mysterious shadow that provides her with the power to walk on water.
Speed through the waves, swing yourself from housetops with your net and defeat monstrous enemies to save the citizens of the islands. All with a little help from the shadows down below—and your cranky grandmother.
Another Two Thumbs-up score this time from Yair for Wavetale.
Wavetale is a relaxing adventure game that will give pleasurable enjoyment to those who want to explore together with an emotional and hooking story. It is not a demanding game, in a good way. It is a short game that takes around 5 hours to complete, yet it can be more depending on how each player wanders across these oceans. This is what you are looking for, especially for players who don’t feel they have much time to invest in playing or learning complex controls. It is relaxing, enjoyable, short, and fun, so check it out!