Ape Out (Switch eShop)
$14.99 $3.74
The Nintendo eShop would be a considerably more exciting and interesting place if it were packed full of games like Ape Out. It’s a refreshingly original experience that more than deserves a place in any Switch owner’s library. Difficult, frenetic gameplay, strong art direction, and an even stronger jazz drum soundtrack make this the sort of memorable game that you’ll likely keep coming back to over and over for another few runs in arcade mode. We’d give Ape Out a strong recommendation to anyone looking for a distinct and unforgettable game for their Switch collection; it’s a bit of an acquired taste, but well worth your time.
Tetris Effect: Connected (Switch eShop)
$39.99 $19.99
Tetris is one of the greatest video games of all time, and Tetris Effect: Connected is perhaps the best iteration of the classic puzzler yet. While this Switch port doesn't offer a great deal over existing versions in terms of features, it delivers the one key ingredient that its rivals cannot: portability. Sure, some will argue that Tetris Effect: Connected's unique brand of synesthesia only really comes alive when played on PSVR or an Oculus Quest headset, but we'd argue passionately that this game benefits far more from the ability to pick it up and play whenever, wherever. Just as the Game Boy and Tetris combined to create an irresistible, world-conquering fusion back in 1989, Tetris Effect: Connected has finally found the hardware that allows it to truly shine, making this an utterly essential purchase for all Nintendo Switch owners. Just don't forget those headphones.
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Evergate (Switch eShop)
$9.99 $1.99
Evergate is a wonderfully designed puzzle/platformer that starts off strong and goes from strength to strength over the course of its campaign. Every new world you encounter here adds a new twist to proceedings, gradually becoming more complex as it layers mechanics on top of one each other, enabling you to experiment and come up with your own unique ways to bound across its intricate levels. Speed-running here, for us, feels like it was tacked on for no real reason but, besides this one little misstep, this really is an essential purchase for puzzle/platforming fans and a standout example of its genre on Switch.
Octopath Traveler (Switch)
$59.99 $41.99
Octopath Traveler was developed by the Square Enix studio behind Bravely Default, and boy does it live up to those high expectations. From its dazzling art style to its mechanics, it's the kind of game that keeps an eye on the past while walking bravely into the future. All elements link together perfectly to make for a harmonious and immersive experience that you’ll find difficult to put down. We’d recommend Octopath Traveler to both fans and newcomers to RPGs; it does a fantastic job of straddling that line of accessibility and depth, satisfying both camps with its dizzying amount of content. Classic-inspired gameplay, an orchestrated soundtrack, and a unique approach to storytelling make this a game that you won’t want to miss.
Horace (Switch eShop)
$14.99 $5.99
Horace is something very special — the only vaguely negative thing we can say about it is the fact that there are so many spectacularly brilliant indie games on Switch already vying for your attention that we fear Horace may fall somewhat by the wayside. If you have any interest in superb level design, excellent storytelling, terrific art, evocative music, great characters, hilarious situations and emotional gut punches, Horace is a no-brainer. It's moving without being manipulative, clever without being smug, and nostalgic without being a lazy rehash. It's a platformer, but it's so much more than that.
So yes, Horace is another indie masterpiece, and every gamer who enjoys quality experiences should play it; a masterpiece that owes so much to its medium, but has the strength, creativity and identity to stand alone as something very, very special. Buy this.
West of Loathing (Switch eShop)
$11.00 $5.50
West of Loathing is not your average RPG; in fact, we’d go so far as to say you’ve probably never played anything quite like it in your life. Its combat won’t blow you away but don’t be lulled into believing that’s what this game is about, as really the whole thing is an adventure in exploration and interaction with a bit of fighting sprinkled in. It can occasionally be a little bit difficult to decipher, but the satisfaction felt upon working out a problem totally makes up for it. The humour is as wonderfully dry as the desert you’re traversing and the writing is some of the best you can find on the Switch. Unless you’ve not got a humorous bone in your body, this is one RPG you can’t risk skipping.
Sid Meier's Civilization VI (Switch)
$29.99 $5.99
If you think Civilization peaked at IV, the sixth entry won’t change your mind, but we envy anyone who’s never played the series, as Civilization VI on Switch is a brilliant introduction. Watching — and influencing — how the world unfolds is as addictive as ever, and the boon of portability makes this a great way to play. Lack of online play is an obvious disappointment, but the core game works fantastically well on the handheld and we had an absolute blast; take our advice and get stuck in.
The Last Friend (Switch eShop)
$14.99 $6.74
Similarly to the many doggos it stars, it’s tough to find much to dislike about The Last Friend. Fast-paced tower defense action, a gorgeous art style, satisfying progression, and a goofy story make this one an easy recommendation. Plus, you can pet all the dogs! What more could you want?
Retro City Rampage DX (Switch eShop)
$14.99 $4.99
This release was the third time we'd played through this game, yet on each occasion a more feature-packed and improved iteration revealed itself. Despite its 2010 roots — and pop culture references to match that time — it stands up extremely well, as pixels this stylish and action this chaotic don't lose their edge. Retro City Rampage DX is still an anarchic, almost overloaded game that bombards the senses while, at the same time, maintaining impressive polish in its gameplay. Whether you're playing it for the crazy story, excessive retro-styled violence or a mix of both, Retro City Rampage still has the goods.
Hades (Switch eShop)
$24.99 $12.49
Hades is a sublime mix of satisfyingly gritty and flexible combat, a wonderfully vibrant art style and genuinely fun and engaging narrative. Supergiant Games has an excellent track record with games like Bastion and Transistor, but this really does feel its finest hour, a rip-roaring rampage through the underworld that's arrived here on Switch in a port that's nigh-on perfect. Even if you're yet to be swayed by the admittedly repetitive ebb and flow of roguelikes, we passionately urge you to at least give this roguelite a try; for fans of the genre or anyone even remotely interested, this is one heavenly vision of hell that we highly recommend you sacrifice yourself to.
Bastion and Transistor are also on offer, and all of Supergiant's titles are worth the price of admission.
Return to Monkey Island (Switch eShop)
$24.99 $17.49
Return to Monkey Island reaches into your heart, rips out your desire to know THE SECRET, and clenches it in front of your face. As hard as it would be to concede that The Secret of Monkey Island™ might always have been a MacGuffin, it’s agonising to contemplate that your 30-year longing for the Monkey Island 3 might be just the same. Delighting as you tremor, Return presents to your transfixed gaze a phenomenal point-and-click adventure, bubbling with passion and fun. All the way through, you will hope, achingly, that the big reveal is coming – and then…
Castlevania Advance Collection (Switch eShop)
$19.99 $11.99
It’s mostly the sublime Aria of Sorrow that’s doing the heavy lifting with Castlevania Advance Collection; it really is one of the best entries in the entire Castlevania series. Circle of the Moon and Harmony of Dissonance are alright but on a lower tier, while Dracula X is middling even on its own standards. These are still very much worth playing, though, and this collection makes for an essential purchase for both longtime Castlevania fans and newbies.
Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition (Switch)
$39.99 $7.99
Despite its ‘Definitive Edition’ moniker, the vast majority of what you get in the Switch version of Rayman Legends has been seen in every other edition. The only truly new features here are a complete character roster for the first time and a tournament mode for its football mini-game. That’s not to say it's a bad game, though; that couldn’t be further from the truth. Rayman Legends is one of the best plumber-free platformers ever made, and its budget price means if you haven’t played it before, the Switch version is the perfect opportunity to jump in.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Switch)
$59.99 $29.99
The Switch isn’t short of games that have already taken a bow, or several, on other hardware, but Skyrim might be the one that most deserves another look from both hardy Elder Scrolls adventurers and absolute beginners alike. Despite its age showing, with countless little cracks in its already fractured façade, it still delivers a palpable sense of space that few games before or since have managed. May its dancing northern lights never dim.
BioShock: The Collection (Switch)
$49.99 $9.99
BioShock: The Collection stands as yet another fantastic port in Switch’s ever-growing library, combining three excellent games and all their DLC into one convincing package. Stable performance, engrossing narratives, fun gameplay, and lots of content make this one an easy recommendation, even if these releases show their age from time to time. If you’re looking for a series of strong single-player shooters to pick up for your Switch, look no further — it’s tough to go wrong here.
Sonic Mania (Switch eShop)
$19.99 $7.99
Sonic Mania was a true return to form for the mascot, in his 2D 'Classic' guise at least. It celebrates the glory days of the original games while also enhancing their qualities and taking on new ideas. From new areas, imaginative second acts, and some delightful boss encounters, the development team poured a lot of passion and talent into the project. With new characters and modes added in the 'Plus' retail version (also available as DLC), some neat tweaks iron out some of the kinks present in the original release, but regardless of the version you pick up, it's one of the best 2D platformers in recent memory.
Persona 5 Royal (Switch)
$59.99 $35.99
Persona 5 Royal is the very definition of ‘required reading' for JRPG fans. A deep and moving story, stylish presentation, amazing soundtrack, and decision-driven gameplay all combine to make for an unforgettable and exceptional experience that proves itself to be every bit deserving of the hype and praise it’s already received. While those who have played this elsewhere may want to consider whether Switch's portability is enough of a selling point to justify paying full price to double dip, but it suits it perfectly. Persona 5 Royal remains a game that we absolutely recommend you pick up as soon as you can. This easily stands as one of the very best RPGs of the last decade and you’d be doing yourself a disservice to miss out.
Comments (37)
You know you buy too many games when you own almost everything in a buyer's guide.
I'd add the No More Heroes series and Deadly Premonition 2 to this list. They only very seldom go on sale - once maybe twice a year. Most of the games on this list are fine - but they spend most of the year on sale.
Outstanding sale, honestly. If you don’t have The Messenger, for that price, just do it! I would recommend nearly any title in this list… and yes… I’ve completed most of the games on this list.
To those who shop at Costco, they have $100 eShop cards ( 4 @ $25 ) on sale for $80.
Perfect timing with my recent decision to focus on my Switch OLED a bit more (Xbox GamePass has kept me away). I purchased a bunch of Eshop cards on discount and just purchased Hades, Death's Door, Dead Cells, Chicory, Into the Breach, Mark of the Ninja Remastered and a few more.
Is it bad I already own probably 75% of these. My Switch library is pushing 500 titles between digital and physical. I think I have a problem. Still, this is a pretty great sale and there are a couple gems I might have to snag to add to the collection. (I'm in trouble if the Switch2 is not fully backwards compatible :/ )
Tetris Effect and Gris are damn near mandatory purchases at those prices.
One is arguably the best version ever made of an all time classic, the other is a clever and enthralling puzzle platformer, and both are among the most ethereal and evocative experiences on the platform.
Full Metal Furies is an absolute blast if you have a co-op partner
I want to buy most of them. But thanks to my country's lousy economy. I can't afford to pay 24 times the price of a game.
@Bobb I feel like a co-op partner is practically mandatory for Full Metal Furies. I had a good time playing with my roommate, but I found it to be a slog in single-player.
@WhiteTrashGuy if you are being honest with yourself then yes - it is a huge waste of money. I used to buy games on sale on Steam constantly - to barely ever, if at all, play them. It is a waste of resources and it nags at your brain that you either 1) need to play these things when you really don't even want to or 2) could have spent it on anything else.
I keep it to myself but the constant foruming of "well if it weren't for this backlog I might just..." like it's a job. Treating a backlog like it is a point of pride or something you just have to do before you enjoy life is patently ridiculous. Frankly it's sad. I know, because gd have I been there in a real, addictive and harmful way. Still am in some sense.
Finally pulled the trigger on Generations Ultimate.
Good list for me to edit my wishlist with. But I'm on a buying freeze mostly until BF. I may buy eshop credit if that is on sale since it is free money.
surprised there was no mention on labyrinth of refrain
@WhiteTrashGuy @Cashews
https://youtu.be/wYXPybDP6K8
I just watched this and thought it was really good.
To anyone wanting recommendations, my favorite games on this list:
Alien Isolation
Axiom Verge
Cuphead
Dark Souls
Death's Door
Kaze and the Wild Masks
Metroid Dread
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2
DO NOT BUY NO MAN'S SKY ON SWITCH
The latest update (Interceptor) completely broke the game, resulting in endless crash loops after 5 minutes of gameplay. The devs have been completely silent on the issue while still releasing updates for other consoles. Do not buy it
Removed - offensive remarks
I own an embarrassing amount of these already. I don't think it's on this list, but I'm considering getting pac-man world re-pac at 50% off. spidersaurs at 40% off is tempting as well.
Dicey Dungeons wasn't on my wishlist but at $3 I may get it just for the heck of it.
Back in the day I would rent a game every Friday for $5 and play it over the weekend. That is about $10 in todays money. I keep that in mind when looking at these sales. If I buy a game for $10 and play it for just a couple of days, arguably I got my money’s worth. If I like it, great. If not, or if I like it kind of but not enough to stick with it, it’s no bigger waste of money than taking a shot on a game rental. This mentality shift has kept my “backlog” in check.
From those on here that I've played, I'd say Dark Souls, Iconoclasts, Blasphemous, ABZU, Enter the Gungeon, GRIS, and all the Monster Hunters are no brainers at those prices. Xenoblade 3, Astral Chain, and Octopath Traveler were already must-buys at full price, so I guess that goes double for them. Also, Dragon's Dogma is $5 and I'd rank it above half the games I just mentioned, so buy it.
If you don’t have Horace, get it. I was really surprised how good it was.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is $19.99 not $9.99
@dartmonkey
West of Loathing may indeed be a great game but the game's director and founder of Asymmetric, Zack Johnson, physically and emotionally abused his ex-wife and fellow Asymmetric employee. The dude also remained good friends with his ex-wife's rapist, Randy Mack, a former player of the main game in the Loathing series, Kingdom of Loathing.
Source: http://forums.kingdomofloathing.com/vb/showthread.php?t=240165
Edit: Also, just to be clear, Zach Johnson is still very much running the company so any sales for this game or its sequel, Shadows of Loathing, are very much going into his pockets.
HYPER MAX SHOP SALE
LOL
In my country...
Metroid Dread...R300.00...on HYPER MAX shop sale? R209.00
LOL
I am buying games on STEAM for R140.00 (Spiderman Remaster), R40.00 (Batman Arkham Collection, with 3 games more all DLC), R30.00 (Devil May Cry 5 complete + all DLC)..
Goodbye Nintendo games. Nintendo makes good games, but not R300.00 / 209.00 good games for me.
Just got Fire Emblem: Three Houses with expansion pass from this sale & thinking about getting Triangle Strategy too.
@Magician Same here. I was disappointed that there wasn’t a “fresh” list of games for me to check out 😳
Because Rouge Legacy 2 launched on steam for $20 and has been down to that price multiple times i refused to pay the Switch asking price. Of course i bought it in this sale and the next day it was announced as free on ps plus this month
Into the Breach is one of the best games I have bought on the Switch. A daily 5 minute chess match with mechs and kaiju. I rarely play more than 30 minutes at a time but I still play it nearly every day.
@Manxman64 yes you are unfortunately correct. I had really been enjoying NMS for short plays every now and then and the update sounded so good but it has ruined the switch port completely.
I don't think it's a part of the Hyper Max sale but Arkanoid Eternal Battle is 67% off for any fans of it.
@MeloMan Ooooh! I love Arkanoid! How are the controls without a wheel? Is it just the stick/dpad or can you use the joycon tilt to control?
The real trick to saving money is to ignore all of these sales.
@Manxman64 the No Man’s Sky devs are amazing and 100% care about the community. You can bet they’re working on fixes but they do have so many platforms to look after that it won’t be immediate, given that they’re still only a small team.
Never really enjoyed Thumper, it always gets good recs here on the sales but I really dislike the game. Have made it through a good handful of levels but it's never hooked me.
Agree with a lot of comments above, I own so many of these! Good marketing from NLife haha, I always purchase because of the good coverage but also agree my backlog should not be a point of pride. Haven't bought anything for Switch in a long time but I have well over 100 titles and a lot of boxed games, Starfield will not help with any of this 😂
@HoyeBoye I haven't tested joycon tilt, but it is Dpad and Control Stick controls. The control stick is analog sensitive fortunately, and you can adjust its sensitivity. There's a nifty dash move mapped to ZL/ZR that will shift Vaus quickly to the left or right sides respectively for quick positioning or last second saves. I think we all can agree that the wheel is still the greatest input for Arkanoid.
@Jimmy_G_Buckets Thanks for the tip! I got the cards at Costco yesterday. It was the last day of the sale; I just made it!
@Gamer_Griff You're welcome
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