The first month of 2023 is done, and I’m not sorry to see it go. Even though I celebrate my birthday in the first week of the year, Blue Monday isn’t in January for nothing! Time to look at the upcoming new release games on our favourite handheld, the Nintendo Switch, for February 2023. Plus, we 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. You can expect reviews for many of them if given half a chance! 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.
Cuddly Forest Friends – February 2nd
Care for your Cuddly Forest Friends! Play over 10 fun minigames to make your adorable animal companions happy. Entertain, feed, and accessorize your friends and see the forest’s Tree of Happiness grow!
Yvonne took care of the Gesshizu for a while, you can find her review here.
Cuddly Forest Friends, with its interaction with Gesshizu is great for younger children. The little drawings next to the choices you need to make will help with playing it even if reading is challenging. For adults, I feel there’s too little actual influence you have on the gameplay, and the daily game loop quickly became repetitive.
Jumbo Airport Story – February 2nd
Make your fledgling airport into a world-famous international landmark jam-packed with entertainment!
First build facilities such as Bistros and Bookstores to make visitors comfortable. Satisfied customers make your airport more popular, and will attract even more visitors! But the bigger your airport gets, the more tired visitors will be from walking around…Lots to do in this simulation strategy game.
Lynne loved the game, giving it our highest score. Her review is here.
Jumbo Airport Story is great fun to play. There is something amusing about seeing little pixelated characters weave between the airport terminal buildings, sweating as they rush to get to their planes. There is a constant flow of activity, which is a very enjoyable and slightly addictive way to spend some time.
Bumblebee – Little Bee Adventure – February 9th
You are a tiny bee in a giant environment and move continuously forward. You are free to fly wherever you want and explore the level to your heart’s desire.
After you have played around a little and enjoyed the sensation of flying you start to discover the nearby areas and hidden secrets and find a couple of different items.
For once there are energy potions which fill your energy meter to continuously fly faster until you run out of energy.
Blanc – February 14th
Experience the poetic tale of a wolf cub and a fawn in the spectacular world of Blanc. Lost in a sudden snowstorm, they will have to lean on each other in order to follow the footprints their families left behind in the snow.
Each animal has their own unique strengths that complements the other, which you’ll need to make use of to navigate through the snowy landscapes. Using only two buttons and movement, this simple gameplay allows for anyone to play and follow their journey home.
Lynne reviewed the game and gave it our highest score. Find the review here.
There isn’t a huge amount of gameplay in Blanc, but what you get is an incredible, emotional journey about friendship. This two-player game transports you to a wintry landscape and immerses you in a heartwarming adventure. The graphics and music work in harmony to create a truly delightful game.
Souls of Chronos – February 14th
Fifteen years after the catastrophic event known as the “Apocalypse”, the world is still in an era of great unrest. Even Astella, a harbour town far from the centre of the Vallois Empire, is no exception. In the midst of this crisis, a young boy and a young girl crossed paths. In the nick of the time, Sid, facing his impending death as a result of a series of unfortunate events, was luckily saved by a girl, Torii, who wields a special power – Chrono.
Souls of Chronos” provides players with a classic JPRG gameplay experience. In addition to the action and dialogue options that may determine where the story heads, the vibrant overworld also has a wide variety of side quests for players to explore. Complete side quests in exchange for rewards to upgrade weapons or customize your characters. Maybe even some small, insignificant thing could influence the course of events…
The Legend of Gwen – February 16th
Gwen had just arrived at the school of sorcery, she wanted to become the best Witch in the world, to her bad luck, she arrived at a bad time just when she arrived she couldn’t even have her welcome party because there was a surprise guest..”The evil !”
The evil did not hesitate twice and began to absorb everything he could from the school! Now who will teach Gwen about wizardry?! Will she be able to learn on her own, will she be able to overcome the obstacles of evil and recover the school? Help Gwen with this Challenge and defeat evil in this action platformer (if you can!).
James reviewed the game, but wasn’t sure about it….
Legend of Gwen is a difficult game to recommend. Even if you really love your challenging platformers, you must contend with clunky controls and slow pacing to successfully make it through the experience.
Lucie’s Potager – February 16th
Lucie’s Potager is a shop simulation game based around plants.
You play as Lucie, a young squirrel who has chosen to set up a shop to spread her love of plants. But in order to make her shop a success she’ll need to forage, grow, harvest, and craft the best produce she can!
Managing your time efficiently and taking advantage of the seasons is key to bringing in the most customers and biggest yields. Time is money after all and you only have so much of it!
Paula played Lucie’s Potager and gave it an I’m not Sure:
Taking everything into account, Lucie’s Potager has a relaxing gameplay loop of pottering around the garden, gathering and selling in the shop. However, the relaxing loop is broken by the short days and the inability to travel far on the map.
Tales of Symphonia Remastered – February 17th
Tales of Symphonia, an action RPG and one of the most critically-acclaimed titles in the series, returns with a full HD remastering.
The story takes place in Sylvarant, a world in danger of extinction due to the exploitation of mana by an evil group thought to be sealed away by the hero Mithos 4,000 years ago. Colette, The Chosen One, receives an oracle from the heavenly institution Cruxis, and sets out on a World Regeneration journey with her childhood friend Lloyd.
This profound and magnificent adventure fantasy is spun by characters rich in personality and full of charm.
Paula revisited this game after nearly 20 years, you can find her review here.
The thing that stands out for me the most about Tales of Symphonia Remastered, though, is that underneath the remaster is the construction of its original game. It shows in the animation choices, art direction, combat and stage design.
Labyrinth of Galleria: the Moon Society – February 17th
Below the Galleria Manor there exists a mystifying maze overflowing with treasure. This dungeon-exploring adventure is filled with over 50 hours of labyrinth to traverse and a witch brigade custom made into your very own unstoppable monster-fighting force!
Serena reviewed the game and gave it our highest score. You can find the review here.
Labyrinth of Galleria offers a nice challenge for players looking for a dungeon-crawler RPG. I haven’t played too many dungeon crawlers myself, but after playing this game, I can now say I’m officially a fan.
Have a Nice Death – February 22nd
In order to restore order, you’ll have to grab your trusty scythe and show your employees who’s boss!
Discover and explore the darkly-charming, procedurally-generated departments of Death Inc., where you’ll meet a diverse cast of memorable characters—like your affable pumpkin-headed assistant, Pump Quinn—who are always willing to share the latest office gossip.
Sharpen your skills (and scythe) through fast-paced hack n’ slash combat, utilizing over 30 unique weapons and spells you can find and upgrade to create devastating combinations.
Digimon World: Next Order – February 22nd
The Digital World has run rampant with Machinedramon and is now in a state of utter chaos. As a Digidestined, it’s up to you to restore order to the world in Digimon World: Next Order, a monster collecting RPG.
Find and recruit as many faithful Digimon companions as possible to rebuild the Digital World. Will you be able to balance both training and exploration to stop the virus-infected Digimon from causing complete destruction?
Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator – February 23rd
Create and manage your dream restaurant! Menus, purchasing, décor, staff, equipment, customers… and don’t forget the actual cooking! Experience the daily life of a restaurateur and earn your awards from the Michelin Guide. You can find our preview of Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator here.
Clive N Wrench – February 24th
Clive ‘N’ Wrench is a 3D platformer starring Clive, a rabbit, and Wrench, the literal monkey on his back. Your adventure takes you hurtling through time and space in a 1950’s refrigerator on a heroic quest to thwart the tyrannical Dr Daucus and stop his evil plans.