Best of Switch Indies – 07 Nov 2021

The amount of new games hitting the Nintendo Switch each week never fails to astound me. Over the past 7 days, almost 50 games were released on the eShop in Australia, and I once again explored them all to help find the 7 new indie titles most deserving of your time and money.

A Boy and His Blob

Released: 05 November 2021

Price: AU$22.50 / US$14.99 / GB£13.49

Genre: Adventure / Platformer / Puzzle / Action

Developer: WayForward, Abstraction Games

Publisher: Ziggurat

When the planet of Blobolonia fell under the tyrannical rule of the evil Emperor, one brave blob managed to flee in search of help. After crash landing on Earth, the blob finds an unlikely hero in a young boy. Together they must return to Blobolonia and defeat the evil Emperor. Armed with nothing but the power of friendship and a bag full of jelly beans that can transform the blob into fun and versatile tools, this pair of heroes has all they need to take you on an unforgettable adventure.

Why this excites me

Originally released on the Wii 2009, this delightful, 2D puzzle platformer has finally made its way to the Switch as an HD remaster… and only 2 years since I first asked for it. It has a timeless, hand-drawn, cartoon art style, some very clever puzzles, a heartwarming story and a button whose only feature is for the boy to hug blob. It has a goddamn hug button! If that isn’t enough to warrant a Game of the Year nomination, I don’t know what is.

Circa Infinity

Released: 05 November 2021

Price: AU$15.00 / US$9.99 / GB£8.99 +33% additional launch discount

Genre: Platformer / Arcade / Puzzle / Action

Developer: Kenny Sun

Publisher: RedDeerGames

Test your skills in this brain-melting platformer with an incredible pulse-pounding soundtrack.

Reach the core of each level by slipping through a series of circular layers. Time your jumps carefully to avoid the creatures that reside within the circles and reach the next layer. As you go deeper, the action gets faster and more challenging! Can you keep up?

Why this excites me

Originally released on mobile platforms 5 years ago, this easy to understand, but difficult to master “1 button” arcade game is an absolute joy to play, and hopefully slightly easier with a real controller! Featuring gorgeous, low-fi, 3 colour pixel art and a banging techno soundtrack, who would have thought that moving left, right and jumping could be so exhilarating and stressful?

If you love arcade games, you’ll love this, but there’s no harm in trying the stripped-down, free version on your preferred mobile platform first.

Update: 19 December 2021

In a surprising twist, RedDeerGames have this week released Circa Infinity Ultimate Edition, which adds Affinity mode: a new, endless variant with level after level of increasing difficulty. It’s also only a fraction more expensive than the original game and had a massive 81% launch discount!

Demon Turf

Released: 04 November 2021

Price: AU$35.95 / US$24.99 / GB£19.99

Genre: Platformer / Action / Adventure

Developer: Fabraz

Publisher: Playtonic Friends

The Demon World is inhabited by all kinds of nasties… Most of them lumped into gangs battling for dominion, each led by its own head honcho. Yet even these bad dudes are no match for the Demon King himself! Instead, the task falls to Beebz, a young demon barely a thousand years old, who decides it’s time for her to kick every turf leader’s butt and become the Demon Queen herself.

Why this excites me

Having worked on some of the classics of the genre like Banjo-Kazooie, Playtonic knows what makes a great 3D platformer, so publishing this is a clear signal that Demon Turf is another classic in the making. However, in a surprise twist, the protagonist and many of the characters you’ll meet are actually in 2D!

The platforming looks tight and the various character transformations are a great addition to help you explore the world. Combat is apparently the weakest part but doesn’t detract from the experience too much. You also get to set your own checkpoints in the levels, but there’s a limit, so use them wisely!

Skeletal Avenger

Released: 04 November 2021

Price: AU$25.50 / US$16.99 / GB£15.29

Genre: Action / Fighting / RPG / Adventure

Developer: 10tons

Publisher: 10tons

Skeletal Avenger is a hack’n’slash rogue-lite with a massive perk arsenal and skull-chucking special moves! Re-animate skeletons and fight your way to vengeance. Loot, explore, avenge, and go crazy with perk combos on each run.

Why this excites me

What’s not to like about a dungeon crawler similar to Hades but more family-friendly and with an absurd skull-throwing skeleton? Add 2-4 player couch co-op into the mix as well, and you’re guaranteed a good time on every run.

Super Sami Roll

Released: 04 November 2021

Price: AU$18.75 / US$14.99 / GB£11.00

Genre: Arcade / Action / Adventure / Party

Developer: Sonzai Games

Publisher: X PLUS

The wicked Albert VII has captured Sami’s friend Vera and only you can help him save her! But it won’t be easy – you’ll need to roll, grapple, and jump to make it through in the colourful 3D world of Super Sami Roll.

Embark on a journey rolling through beautiful green fields, deserts dotted with magnificent pyramids, dangerous oozing volcanoes, frigid ice lands and many other memorable places with rolling physics and tons of hidden secrets!

Why this excites me

Amazingly, this week has another 3D platformer to whet your appetite, but this one does something unique: you roll instead of run. It handles more like the classic game, Marble Madness, or a perfect hybrid of 3D Sonic and Mario games. It also features a 4 player party mode similar to Super Monkey Ball! This game has it all.

I’ll admit that when I first saw the screenshots for this, I was ready to dismiss it and move on. However, as the old saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover.

Unpacking

Released: 02 November 2021

Price: AU$28.95 / US$19.99 / GB£17.99

Genre: Puzzle / Simulation / Lifestyle / Other

Developer: Witch Beam

Publisher: Humble Games

Unpacking is a zen game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking. Over the course of eight house moves, you are given a chance to experience a sense of intimacy with a character you never see and a story you’re never told.

Why this excites me

Aussie developer, Witch Beam, prove they’re no one-hit wonder, and definitely can’t be pigeon-holed to a particular type of game with their new unique take on the puzzle genre.

Unlike traditional puzzle games, Unpacking doesn’t have just a single solution to the problem and asks the player to use their own life experiences on how best to unpack their belongings. I’m sure this will no doubt surface a few sentimental emotions as you progress through the story and reminisce about your own life.

Where Cards Fall

Released: 04 November 2021

Price: AU$25.80 / US$19.99 / GB£15.49

Genre: Puzzle / Platformer / Lifestyle

Developer: The Game Band

Publisher: Snowman

Where Cards Fall is a slice of life story where you build houses of cards to bring formative memories to life. Create pathways through dreamlike spatial puzzles to navigate the insecurities and emotions of high school and beyond.

Why this excites me

Puzzle games with a unique mechanic and thought-provoking, yet unspoken story are like buses: you wait ages for one and then two come along at once!

From the moment I saw these decks of cards being sprawled over the play area and turned into a literal house of cards, I knew Where Cards Fall was for me. The isometric view, art style and animations are absolutely gorgeous, and using The National’s Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks for the trailer’s music is a stroke of genius.

So, this was quite a bumper week. Will you be adding any to your collection?

Read last week’s round-up