Just Crow Things, Magical Delicacy, Guayota, Sam & Max, The Sirena Expedition, Castaway, and Ninpo Blast hit the Switch – Games Asylum

Bird is the word on the Switch eShop this week. From the creators of Rain On Your Parade comes Just Crow Things – a similar sandbox offering playful tomfoolery, only this time you’re in control of a pesky crow. It’s up against The Godfeather: A Mafia Pigeon Saga, a roguelike in which a lowly pigeon must survive in procedurally-generated neighbourhoods.

Keeping with the subject of the animal kingdom, the remaster of Telltale’s Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse is out now, with this being the final part of a series. The rabbit and dog detective duo find themselves blessed with a toy that sees into the future, arousing the interest of villains from across the galaxy. Another detective tale launching this week is Cat’s Request, involving a computer virus threatening all sentient beings. You play as both the feline Ash and his virtual assistant, and must regularly check Ash’s mental wellbeing.

Can we tenuously squeeze Guayota in too? It’s a 3D adventure influenced by Canary Island folklore, in which our hero is armed with just a torch and must harness the light and dark.

A few weeks behind the Xbox version, Magical Delicacy comes to Switch too. It’s a cooking based Metroidvania, with foraging and exploration. You’re the new witch in town, setting up a shop that sells freshly cooked treats. Ingredients must be foraged from the wild, and the kitchen can be upgraded. You’ll also need to brew potions to progress, gaining a double jump and other magical abilities. We found the cooking aspect deep and rewarding, but the exploration suffers greatly from guidance – it isn’t long until you’re tasked with finding very specific ingredients, with no clues as to where they grow. We dished it out a 6/10 on Xbox One last month. Other critics seemed to enjoy it more.

Another we’ve reviewed is Tiny Pixels Vol. 1 – Ninpo Blast – a wave based pixel art shooter, based around grinding for gears to improve arsenal. Weapons start out weak, but can be upgraded several times over so that they churn through enemies, potentially helping to survive longer. An online leaderboard ties it all together. For a mere £4.49, it’s a decent enough package.

Retro fans may also want to check out Castaway, seemingly influenced by Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX. Then there’s The Sirena Expedition, a short underwater psychological horror adventure with platforming and puzzle solving. It features a PS1 style aesthetic, much like this week’s Rewind or Die – a slasher set in an ‘80s video store.

Other new releases include the abstract futuristic racer Phantom Spark, a console version of the board game Overboss, grid-based puzzler Turn to Mine, and Elrentaros Wanderings – an action RPG set across two realms, with a choice of male or female protagonists. RED ART GAMES are behind this western release.

New Switch eShop releases

Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse – £16.75

Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse has been lovingly remastered by members of the original team, with lighting, lip-sync, cinematography, music, and more updated and enhanced to bring Telltale’s acclaimed game up to modern standards. See the episodic Sam & Max series through to its epic conclusion! 

Magical Delicacy – £22.49

Play the young witch Flora and discover a bustling town in this Metroidvania-inspired wholesome cooking game. Cook meals and potions in your customized kitchen by carefully selecting the right ingredients. Navigate the town in casual platforming to meet the townsfolk, take up their orders, and learn about this world of magic.

Flora travels to a distant town to fulfill her dream of becoming a proper witch. She opens up shop in Grat, a harbor town built upon cliffs, where adventurers settled to chart an unexplored island full of mystery. As she engages in the town’s thriving economy, she stumbles upon two members of opposing covens. The witch Cassia and the magus Tauno have a lot to teach Flora, but they also know how to use her in their dispute about magical beings.

The Sirena Expedition – £4.99

“I remember getting the call vividly. I was trying to finish up for the day, but a stack of paperwork was keeping me late. To be honest, I was also looking for reasons not to go home. My phone rang, I answered it, and the director of the institute was talking, albeit disjointedly, about something that had turned up in a recent survey of The Sirena Deep.”

Tiny Pixels Vol. 1 – Ninpo Blast – £4.49

Get ready for retro vertical shoot’em up action where you’ll face off against swarms of mythical insect baddies using shuriken, bombs and more in the ultimate fight for survival! Switch between spread and focus shot types, unlock 4 unique hoverbikes, pick up coins and permanently upgrade weapons to stack the deck in your favor for the next exciting run.

The more you play, the stronger you get! Stage elements are randomized to keep you on your toes across uniquely themed levels, each with dedicated original background music! Take down 6 unique boss types and challenge online leaderboards. Can you become a true ninpo master?

Just Crow Things – £16.99

In this level-based, sandbox-y adventure game, you must become the coolest bird in town and earn the trust of new animal friends. Completed tasks to slowly build up your Crowputation across diverse settings, such a quaint French Riviera, Ancient Egypt, or bustling New York. Some tasks will test your skill, some will test your intellect, and some are honestly just really dumb. Pick and choose the most fun ways to create Adorable Chaos™ – there’s something for everyone here!

Spread your wings and soar to new heights of cuteness as you customize your adorable crow-tastic appearance!

Guayota – £13.49

Inspired by legends related to the Canary Islands and the Guanches mythology, Guayota depicts the story of a group of explorers, sent by the Spanish Kingdom to find the legendary Saint Brendan’s Island. As the protagonist, you will soon understand that this island, said to be paradise on Earth, might actually hide darker secrets.

Minami Lane – £4.49

Minami Lane is a small, wholesome management game set on a Japanese-inspired street. Create and manage your own street, make sure everyone is happy, and watch the villagers live their lives! Enjoy 2 to 4 hours of playtime, cute tanukis and lots of cats!

Overboss – £13.49

Build the most powerful and dangerous land in all of Arcadia! Stake forests, swamps, graveyards, and volcanoes, recruit monsters and create the best combinations to collect the most points to become the Overboss. Be careful – each terrain type is scored differently, and your minions must be arranged on them strategically to maximize their value!

Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery – £9.99

Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery is a cozy hidden object game that has you searching for hidden objects in hand-drawn, interactive landscapes. Ignite your imagination, unleash your inner artist with the editor and share your masterpieces with the world!

Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians – £11.99

Beatbuddy interacts with the living breathing environment that pulses to the beat of an original soundtrack, aiding him as he unlocks new paths and solves puzzles.

Cat’s Request – £8.99

One day, their peaceful existence is disrupted by the sudden appearance of a computer virus that threatens all sentient programs. Ash takes on the role of a detective to unravel the mystery of this virus.

Aery – Ancient Empires – £9.99

You will discover unknown, giant, and beautiful environments and you will be able to enjoy the feeling of flying while exploring a whole world filled with beauty and little secrets.

Within every area of the world, you must find a certain amount of memory shards to remember the path that leads to your destination and advance with the story. Once you have found all the memory shards you are free to explore the next area.

Arco – £15.99

Enter the breathtakingly beautiful world of Arco, a unique tactical action game where your decisions shape the story. Journey through lush forests, sweeping plains, and scorching deserts as you guide four unlikely heroes in their vendetta against the Red Company gang. Battle warriors of different nations, fend off greedy colonisers, and slay monstrous creatures as you voyage across this enchanted land. Change your fate, one move at a time.

Squiggle Drop – £4.49

Use your creativity and imagination to solve charming physics puzzles by drawing a single shape and watching what unfolds! Complete the objectives of 250 puzzles (with more on the way), each with multiple and often surprising solutions. How you draw your solution is up to you!

Solve puzzles and earn rewards to build your very own Squiggletown! Unlock buildings, cosmetics and various upgrades as you expand your own personal city.

The Godfeather: A Mafia Pigeon Saga – £7.19

The Godfeather is a mafia pigeon roguelike combining elements of stealth, open world exploration and poop… lots of poop!

Used to be an honest boid could make a living… now your enemies have moved in and flocked up the whole operation. The Godfeather tasks you with taking back the old neighborhood- one borough at a time. It’s time to send a message… FROM ABOVE!

Space Raft – £8.09

New to the 8-bit gaming scene, it’s Space Raft!

Wait, what?

Yes, Milwaukee’s hungriest band Space Raft is now in an 8-bit adventure.

Join the band on their quest to retrieve the master tapes of their new record “Positively Space Raft” from the clutches of their jealous ex-bass player Srini!

Phantom Spark – £17.99

Phantom Spark is an exhilarating high-speed racing game that will test your limits. Push for your best time in precision time-trial races across three domains full of otherworldly architecture. Take on challenges, hone your skills, and master the pathways to surpass the champions.

Cybermania Parkour Uprising – £11.69

Embark on a high-octane, adrenaline-fueled adventure in Cybermania Parkour Uprising, a thrilling 3D game that merges the electrifying art of parkour with a dystopian cyberpunk world. Players are thrust into a sprawling urban landscape where freedom comes at a cost and agility is the ultimate weapon.

Cup Killer – Sandbox Game – £6.99

Prepare yourself for an adrenaline-pumping experience in Cup Killer, where every object around you becomes a weapon. Face relentless waves of enemies and showcase your strategic prowess in this action-packed game.

Mute Crimson DX – £13.29

Monsters have attacked the city, and only Ninja can stop them! Grab your sword and double jump, wall-climb and otherwise precision platform your way from your home, all the way to the dark depths where the source of this evil resides…

Turn to Mine – £8.99

You are a space mining apprentice with a bright future ahead. However, your superior Commander Neek would rather watch a movie than teach you anything. Can you collect crystals and survive on your own?

Castaway – £6.99

Embark on an action-packed adventure in Castaway, diving players into a pixelated and retro universe. Assume the role of Martin, whose spaceship crash-landed on an uncharted island where his faithful pet was taken by hostile creatures. Retrieve your weapons and venture out to rescue your kidnapped companion in this endearing and unexpectedly dynamic world.

Beat the 3 bosses in the concise and delightful “Story Mode” to unlock the thrilling and addictive “Survivor Mode.” Ascend a 50-floor tower, with each level presenting increasingly challenging trials!

Lunar Nightmare – £3.59

In the year 2049, the once-promising lunar research base, named “AstroGenica Lunar Nexus,” has become a haunting beacon in the desolate expanses of the Moon. Serving as humanity’s gateway to the cosmos, it now stands as a chilling testament to an experiment gone wrong.

As the protagonist, you awaken in the cold sterility of the medical bay, disoriented and alone. The eerie silence is broken only by the hum of malfunctioning machinery. An unsettling darkness envelops the lunar base, casting shadows that seem to writhe and pulse with malevolence.

Murder Is Game Over: Streaming Death – £4.99

Join Detective Guy and his trusty sidekick Cleo the clue-sniffing dog as they investigate the mysterious death of a social media starlet in an isolated seaside village.

As you explore the surrounding coastline, search for clues, and interview suspects, can you solve the case and bring the guilty party to justice?

Rewind or Die – £10.79

Just another day at a video rental store… right?

Mike thought his dead-end job at the local video rental place would be easy, until a serial killer starts carving up his fellow clerks! Deal with irate customers, horrible bosses, and keep your store clean (well, as clean as it can be.) Don’t worry about the occasional creepy phone call or that person watching you through the front window, it’s all part of the job.

Cooking – £10.79

Run your own restaurant and prepare the most iconic Japanese dishes and traditional drinks. Take orders, prepare meals, decorate your restaurant and develop your cooking skills each day.

Ataraxie – £4.49

Traditionnaly respectful of the Metroidvania genre, ATARAXIE is a 2D plateformer which takes place in a world with interconnected levels. From maze to tombs, from desert to fortress, this a vast and liveful univers you will have to discover. Confidence is key, though, if you wish to put an end to this conspiracy.

Elrentaros Wanderings – £35.99

Welcome to Elrentaros, a hinterland town far from the Melvanian capital.

Visiting on a journey, you mingle with the colorful locals and embark on a quest to find ways to help them.

But your adventure takes a sudden turn when a strange light surrounds you and you wake in a different realm. Could this be the real universe? Unravel the secret of the two worlds!

Next week: Mika and the Witch’s Mountain, Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch, Verne – The Shape of Fantasy, Stumble Guys, Cyber Mission, Mangavania 2, My Lovely Empress, QuietMansion1, Energy Lab, Rack and Slay, As Per My Last Email, Pixel Retro Drift – Arcade Car Racing, Thermonuclear, Underground Station, and Shadowblade Knight Symphony.