Okay, so picture this: it’s the last hurrah for the Nintendo Switch before its cooler sibling, the Switch 2, crashes the party. Kind of bittersweet, right? Anyway, the eShop got a nice retro vibe this week, with some pre-orders and, of course, sales galore. Let’s see what’s popping.
First up, the Nintendo Switch Online gang is here with a bunch of old-school Game Boy vibes. We’ve got Survival Kids from Konami — I swear, that game just geeks out the nostalgia in me. You’re this kid, stranded on an island after some storm hits you while you’re chilling with your dad on a cruise. Sounds like a bad day, but also kind of an awesome adventure. I remember thinking about how I’d probably just end up eating coconuts all day if it were me.
Then there’s Gradius, the whole interstellar chaos thing. Your fingers tingle just thinking about blasting those doomships — or maybe that’s just me. Anyway, did I mention the whole double and laser weapon conundrum? Yep, balance is key, unless you want to end up toast.
Oh, oh, wait — can we talk about that Prince Theo guy in The Sword of Hope? He’s got this funky dagger birthmark thing going on like he’s in some fantasy novel, and he’s out to save the world or something epic like that. This one got me dreaming of being a hero, dodging angry folks with that HIT command. Just don’t whack someone you shouldn’t; people can get cranky.
And Kirby’s Star Stacker! I mean, Kirby and friends against the world — it’s just block puzzles and cute chaos. Rick, Kine, and Coo helping you out make you feel like you’ve got a trusty team, kinda like being on a sports team but with more stars and fewer running shorts.
Now, on to those pre-orders! I’m jazzed about Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma. You’re basically wielding nature magic to fix what’s broken in some mystical land. Sounds like a job I’d mess up royally, but hey, it’s virtual, so why not, right?
Sonic’s back bouncing between timelines in Sonic X Shadow Generations. There’s something about watching that hedgehog zip around that makes me feel like I’ve had about 12 espressos too many. Plus, mixing Shadow into the mayhem means I’m probably not leaving my couch for a while.
Fast Fusion — if you like zooming around as if the laws of gravity are merely suggestions, this one’s for you. Tracks that promise to mess with your perception of speed or gravity or maybe both. The idea of turning vehicles into some Frankenstein hybrid is positively bonkers, but I’m here for it.
Oh, and sales! Can’t forget right? Dragon Quest stuff with up to 50% off. Like, if I didn’t already have a backlog of games, I might dive back into those. But, you know, temptation calls, especially with anything HD-2D slapped on it.
Lastly, Nintendo’s got this LEGO Mario Kart Sweepstakes going. Build stuff and maybe win cool swag — tempting, no? Imagining little LEGO dudes speeding around makes me smile, but I’ve got two left thumbs when it comes to building kits, honestly.
So, what’s on your playlist for the coming week? Hit me up with your Switch highlights before its big bro gets all the attention.
