Welcome to a new feature here on the Switch Effect. We’re calling this one a monthly roundshmup and, in case you hadn’t worked it out already, it’s a round-up of all the news, announcements and releases concerning shmups coming to Nintendo Switch.
So, without further ado, let’s see what November had in store:
Super Mega Space Blaster Special Turbo – First up is one we actually missed from the end of last month. SMSBST, as probably no one will call it, has been announced for Switch with a release date of 14th Jan.
Sturmwind EX – This Axelay inspired hori from German developers Duranik hit the eShop on the 8th. Having previously released on the Dreamcast way back in 2013, Sturmwind received a lot of praise both for its intriguing take on the euroshmup format and for its stunning visuals. To find out how it’s fared in the transition to Switch, check out the review above.
Jamestown+ – Coming from Final Form Games, Jamestown+ sees you take control of the real life historical figure Sir Walter Raleigh then proceeds to throw any sort of historical accuracy out the window as you depart on a mission to a colony on Mars. Having been well-received when it released on PS4 a couple of years back, this month the Switch release was finally given a proper trailer and a release date of Dec 12th.
Rainbows, Toilets and Unicorns – Nope, it’s not three things Charlie Sheen sees each day before breakfast, it’s a new, crazy-looking vert from Black Paradox developers Fantastico Studios. Announced on the 12th, no release date was specified, but the devs did tweet that more info was coming “very, very soon”.
Bells and Whistles (Detana!! Twinbee) – This classic cute-em-up was reconfirmed by Hamster to be part of their 2019 Arcade Archives line-up (alongside In the Hunt – but more on that one later). With precious little of 2019 left, that would suggest it must be arriving pretty soon – so keep your eyes peeled!
Fantasy Zone – Another cute-em-up, this one has long been considered something of an inevitability, and on the 13th Fantasy Zone was indeed confirmed to be coming soon – in Japan at least. Things moved quickly from there with a date dropping a week later and the game actually arriving on the eShop on the 28th priced at 990 yen (about 10 USD). The port is being handled by M2 as part of the Sega Ages line and this Switch edition includes a plethora of enhancements such as Upa-Upa mode, time attack mode and M2 gadgets as well as replays, save states and leaderboards.
In the Hunt – The second Arcade Archives game to be of interest this month, In the Hunt was released on the eShop on the 21st. This submarine hori from R-Type developers Irem is notable both for its unique mechanics and detailed sprite work that paved the way for Metal Slug.
Darius Cozmic Collection – Already available in both a Standard and Collector’s Edition for those willing to import from Japan, Darius Cozmic Collection is now getting a full western physical release courtesy of Strictly Limited Games. There will be three separate versions: an Arcade Edition, a Console Edition and a Collector’s Edition encompassing both the other releases as well as a host of goodies.
For all the details, check out the various editions here.
Ikaruga – A physical release for Treasure’s legendary polarity-switching vert has long been requested, rumoured, teased, and, finally, on the 24th, Nicalis tweeted out confirmation that such a thing not only exists but is already in active production. Expect a date and price soon.
Star Blaze – Right at the end of the month we had a surprise arrival in the ‘upcoming’ section of the eShop in the form of 7 stage hori Star Blaze. Despite a premium price point and a Spanish distributor advertising physical copies, this game has appeared somewhat out of nowhere with its publisher remaining completely silent. Watch out for more details on this mysterious title next month.
So, a busy, busy month in the world of shmups on Switch. Have you played any of the games released? Do any of the new announcments tickle your fancy? There should be something for everyone in this batch and let’s hope the announcements keep rolling on next month!
[Review] KONOSUBA – God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! Love For These Clothes Of Desire! – Nintendo Switch
Developed By: MAGES. Inc. Published By: PQube Categories: Visual Novel…
Richard Heaton