It’s time to take a look at the upcoming new release games on our favourite handheld, the Nintendo Switch. 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.
Upcoming Switch Games May 2024
Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya – May 2nd
An Izakaya simulation game set in Gensokyo, where the Touhou character Mystia Lorelei aims to revive her izakaya business! Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya is a fan game of the “Touhou Project”, where Mystia Lorelei, a resident of Gensokyo, struggles to revive her own izakaya.
During the day, players procure ingredients and interact with residents of Gensokyo, while at night, they operate the izakaya. The basic flow of the game involves welcoming various customers every night with delicious dishes and aiming to create an izakaya beloved by the residents of Gensokyo!
I reviewed Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya and gave it our highest score of Two Thumbs Up and said this in my conclusion:
I’m having a blast playing this game while I know nothing about other Touhou Projects, or Gensokyo for that matter. For fans of the games who love a bit of time management simulation, Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya is a must-play.
It’s not just about cooking dishes quickly and sufficiently; the simulation aspect is fleshed out nicely as well. Chatting with characters during the day and serving them the best dishes at night ensures their friendship level rises. Which in turn leads to hearing their unique stories and their help in getting recipes, ingredients and so on. Add a great soundtrack and good graphics to all that, and you’ll understand why I love this game.
Surmount – May 2nd
Surmount is a free-flowing, physics-based platforming adventure where you’ll experience the joys of mountain climbing. Make your perilous ascent through the various handcrafted and procedurally generated challenges of Mount Om, all the while following a silly story with eccentric folks along the way.
Master your own unique style of climbing either alone or with a friend, upgrade and customize your climber to stand a better chance, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll be the first ever to reach the top.
Lynne reviewed Surmount and said this in her conclusion:
I was delighted to find that Surmount was more than just a platforming adventure of climbing a single mountain. The side expeditions, storyline and humorous interactions with other climbers make it a joyful experience, even for those of us whose climbing skills are lacking.
The coordination needed to control your little climber grabbing the rock face and flinging them in the right direction is harder than it looks and makes this a challenging adventure. The option of a local co-op is a great addition and makes Surmount a fun game to share.
Unfortunately, my co-op player and I glitched a few too many times to give Surmount a Two Thumbs Up (our initial thoughts). But it made us smile and laugh, especially with low gravity, so it’s a:
Endless Ocean Luminous – May 2nd
Take a deep breath and plunge into the Veiled Sea: an unexplored region with discoveries that change with each dive. Scan sea creatures and learn about over 500 species of marine life—some of which are presumed extinct or even mythical.
Swim together in groups of up to 30 with a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Greet your fellow divers with a friendly gesture and then delve into the depths to share discoveries.
I reviewed Endless Ocean Luminous and said this in my conclusion:
While writing my review, I kept going back and forth in my verdict on the game. I’m having a grand time playing Endless Ocean Luminous. Writing about it made me want to play it, which is always a good sign. The Story Mode, however, is a big letdown. It does an awful job as a tutorial, and it feels grindy to unlock the chapters.
The treasures you can find and things you can do with your coins seem a bit meagre. I wonder if people will feel enough incentive to return once the novelty wears off. The game will have to prove itself with the upcoming Dive Festivals, as the Shared Dives are the star of the show.
Looking at the price point, I feel it’s too high to warrant an I Like it a Lot. I’m enjoying Endless Ocean Luminous, but it needs some more oomph.
Little Kitty Big City – May 9th
You’re a curious little kitty with a big personality, and you’re on an adventure to find your way back home. Explore the city, make new friends with stray animals, wear delightful hats, and leave more than a little chaos in your wake. After all, isn’t that what cats do best?
Will you make your way home, or will you explore what the big city has to offer first? I mean, getting home is obviously your main priority. Obviously. Well, it’s one of your priorities. Maybe more of a guideline… It’s definitely on your To-Do list somewhere! But first? Exploration.
Lynne reviewed Little Kitty, Big City and gave it our highest score of Two Thumbs Up:
A round of ap-paws for Little Kitty, Big City. It’s the purr-fect offering of adventure, humour and collecting. There is the fun of exploring the big city and puzzling out how to get to different areas. The entertaining conversations with the various residents, coupled with the amusing actions of the adorable kitten. The plethora of quests and collectables will keep you busy for several hours.
Imagine Earth – May 9th
Imagine Earth is a real-time planet simulation and a build up strategy game. Your job as a space colony manager is to explore and populate distant planets. Build up thriving and profitable colonies on a global scale and trade resources and goods into space.
Paula reviewed Imagine Earth, saying in her conclusion:
Imagine Earth is an enjoyable sci-fi strategy to play on the Switch. It also has a pretty simple economic system that is not too complex to get to grips with. Plus, the game offers high replay value, as you can try out the scenarios using different strategies, so there is lots of replayability for your cash. I can see myself returning often to play Imagine Earth on my Switch. If sci-fi strategy games are your thing, Imagine Earth is a game to consider purchasing and adding to your game library.
Rainbow Cotton – May 9th
Cotton, the legendary witch, is back, and this time in 3D. Get ready for this formerly Japanese exclusive cute ‘em up gem to be reconjured.
Originally released in 2000 on Sega’s Dreamcast, Rainbow Cotton takes you on an arcade-inspired journey through a number of fantastically designed, enchanting stages: from a cosy moonlit town draped in Christmas lights through a mysterious sunken forest all the way to a magical castle above the clouds. Clothed in charming 3D graphics, these levels include massive bosses and alternative routes to explore, guaranteeing high replay value.
James reviewed Rainbow Cotton and said this in his conclusion:
Rainbow Cotton is okay but not great. The developers have had a valiant crack at bringing the game to Nintendo Switch and adding a few modern touches. Unfortunately, some core problems with the game still persist. Like many games that started strong in 2D, the transition to 3D hasn’t worked great for Cotton. Shooting doesn’t feel that satisfying; movement is sluggish, and difficulty is very unbalanced in places. The game does shine with its presentation and graphics.
Overall, I settled on liking the game myself. But I would say this is really only for the retro and die-hard Cotton fans. If you’re starting your Cotton adventure, I would suggest trying Cotton Reboot and circling back to this if the series clicks with you.
Athenian Rhapsody – May 14th
Athenian Rhapsody is a super-fresh, one-of-a-kind comedy RPG in which you’ll explore the World of Athens! Your goal is to build your very own Rhapsody – the story of you (the player) and your epic tale in this world. You’ll be faced with many challenges, and you’ll have to fight (or hug) your way through the world by either battling or awkwardly trying to make friends with your opponents through esoteric knowledge, abstract jokes, memory games, and other strange and funny interactions.
With 16 Potential party members for you to interact with, tons of enemies for you to FIGHT or BEFRIEND, vigorous mental challenges, and intense puzzles, there’s enough to do!
Margaret reviewed Athenian Rhapsody and said this:
Athenian Rhapsody, under the gassy gags and quirky NPCs, is a love letter to cult classics and indie games from our childhoods to today. Its mini-games are so diverse that it’s hard to get bored with any one aspect of the experience, and the sheer cheerful weirdness of it all will give you a smile even if you’re butting through some tougher patches. Because of that cheerfulness, it’s easy to give the tough spots a second chance, and a little dedication will help you enjoy the game, too.
It’s hard to sum up what’s going on in the game’s world, but once you’re playing, it’s easy to simply ride it along while you’re meeting bizarre new friends. And, although I haven’t gotten that far yet, it’s clear that there really is an Undertale-style complexity in place to give you a reason to revisit. All in all, it’s quite an achievement from a new indie developer, and I can’t help but admire how polished and cohesively quirky it all is. Athenian Rhapsody may not be your kind of thing, but with a free demo available, it’s worth it to at least give this game a try.
Paper Trail – May 21st
Paper Trail is a top-down puzzle adventure about leaving home, set in a foldable, paper world. You play as Paige, a budding academic, leaving home for the first time to pursue her studies. On the journey, you learn to fold the world, merging two sides to solve puzzles, explore new areas and uncover long-lost secrets.
What feels simple at first, folding and joining paths together to explore and progress, quickly becomes devilishly tricky! Alter the fabric of your world, contorting, spinning, rotating, twisting around – as you try to untangle the puzzle of the Paper Trail.
Anni reviewed Paper Trail and said this:
Paper Trail is an absolutely enchanting game that is bursting at the seams with charm and whimsy. While the concept may not be entirely new, the gameplay and delightful characters truly steal the show in Paper Trail. The innovative use of origami to manipulate the environment and unlock hidden pathways is simply genius.
I have never experienced a game quite like Paper Trail, and I have a feeling that any future game attempting to emulate its unique mechanics will have an exceedingly tough act to follow. I am beyond impressed with this stellar gem of a game and cannot wait to see what other delightful surprises it has in store for me.
Please Fix The Road – May 16th
The roads are broken again. And so are paths. Sidewalks. Lakes(???) Oh dear… And now it’s your job to fix them all!
Each level gives you a limited set of tools that will help you get all the cars, boats, trains or animals from point A to point B. The mentioned animals include, of course, kittens, dogs and… cute ‘ol pink llamas.
Your tools of mass destruction (and repair) will let you destroy, rotate, copy, swap, raise, lower, push or move different segments of roads. And lakes. And paths. And more! Your road repair doesn’t have to be beautiful, it just needs to get the job done! So, please… Fix the road and have fun!
Paula already reviewed the Steam version and gave it our highest rating, saying:
Please Fix The Road is a brilliant game; it gives the player enough help to get through the levels without it becoming frustrating. It is a great game to dip in and out of for short play sessions after a stressful day. Added to that the game is beautiful to look at, puzzle fans will love this game, it is definitely worth checking out.
Duck Detective- The Secret Salami – May 23rd
Solving crime is no walk in the pond. You are a down-on-his-luck detective who also happens to be a duck. Use your powers of de-duck-tion to inspect evidence, fill in the blanks, and bust the case wide open in a narrative mystery adventure where nothing is quite as it seems.
Inspect and interview suspects to learn their hidden secrets, then use the information you’ve gathered (plus your own de-duck-tive reasoning) to locate the suspect and bust the case wide open.
Mina absolutely loved this game, saying in her conclusion:
Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is one of the best kid-friendly games I’ve ever played. It seems like something that would be super fun to play with some older kids who are comfortable reading and with deduction. While I had some issues with the game, overall, it was such a fun experience. Duck Detective: The Secret Salami has good music, amazing voice acting, fun interactions, and just a good storyline and feel. I love this from my bill down to my webbed feet!
Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling – May 24th
The sweet and spicy romance of a former goddess continues in the follow-up to the acclaimed otome visual novel Cupid Parasite.
While working for Cupid Corporation, Cupid, the goddess of love, strived to become the top bridal advisor. In her most daunting assignment, Parasite 5, Cupid (known as Lynette Mirror on Earth) was able to overcome unexpected obstacles, but not before falling in love with one of her clients!
Now, a new chapter commences. Can the newfound couple survive unforeseen challenges?
Caroline reviewed the game and liked it a lot, saying in conclusion:
Would I recommend Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling? YES, most definitely. I enjoyed the game very much. Of course, the original game will always be the better one, but if you are in for a laugh and want more spicy and romantic scenes then I would recommend picking this up. At some moments there was some crazy stuff going on, but I didn’t mind it. I actually like that a game can stand out by adding loads of goofy elements. And it had a very decent play time as well, with a lot of content.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – May 23rd
Join Mario and friends on a journey to discover the legendary treasure behind the ancient Thousand-Year Door. A hilarious adventure full of colourful characters and foldable fun awaits in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.
Welcome to Rogueport! Mario visits this notorious town of ruffians to help Princess Peach on a treasure hunt. But Peach is nowhere to be seen! After learning about the legend of the Crystal Stars, Mario sets out to find them and hopefully track down the princess, too.
Of course, Mario isn’t the only one hoping to find the Crystal Stars – and it’s not just Bowser who’s looking to cause trouble this time! Can our hero unearth these ancient artefacts, open the Thousand-Year Door buried deep beneath the town and maybe even save the world?
Paula loved revisiting Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, and wrote in her conclusion:
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door overall story is fun and filled with plenty of characters and zany humour. Each chapter has its own story, making this one of Nintendo’s longest Mario adventures that feel fresh and never boring.
The battles with the turn-based RPG system have aged well, staying simple enough for everyone of all ages in the family to enjoy. If you missed playing Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door when it first came out, you’re in for a treat with the Switch version. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is a classic Mario RPG, and now it’s a must-buy for the Nintendo Switch.
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