
February has, somehow, already been and gone. It feels like we barely got acquainted, right?
It was a busy month though, primarily due to the presence of the "traditional" February Nintendo Direct showcase, paving the way for the mighty Metroid Prime Remastered to finally show its face on the Switch.
Since Metroid Prime also released physically, it sadly cannot be considered for this month's eShop Selects, and aside from that, it's been a surprisingly quiet month, all told. With that in mind, we've sneaked a few 7/10 games into the mix, breaking our usual rule for the second month in a row.
Still, these games are all well worth checking out, so let's take a look at them together...
Honourable Mentions
To be honest, any one of the games showcased here could have potentially come out on top this month, but here's a peek at the highlights that didn't quite make the top three:
- Ten Dates | Review: 7/10
- Life is Strange 2 | Review: 7/10
- Akka Arrh | Review: 7/10
- OddBallers | Review: 7/10
3. Fashion Police Squad (Switch eShop)
Interestingly, our highest rated eShop game of the month has to settle for bronze, but we reckon Fashion Police Squad is definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of shooters.
It might not be quite as "edgy" as something like Doom, but with slick controls, fluid animation, gorgeous visuals, and the addition of gyro aiming, it's nevertheless straightforward, cheerful fun that you'll enjoy for a good four or five hours. Which, considering the low asking price, is nothing to smirk at.
We gave Fashion Police Squad an 8/10 in our full review, so check it out for all the details, cadet!
2. PowerWash Simulator (Switch eShop)
There's something inherently satisfying about the gameplay in PowerWash Simulator. Watching as you meticulously blast away the dirt in clean lines can be likened to the countless "SO SATISFYING" YouTube videos littering the internet over the past few years.
Although the game suffers from long load times and some dodgy aiming (why no gyro controls??), Powerwash Simulator makes up for this with addictive scenarios and stable performance throughout. In addition, you can also download the Tomb Raider content for free which, while a rather bizarre collaboration in itself, is very much welcoe regardless.
We gave Powerwash Simulator a 7/10 in our full review, so clean yourselves up and check it out.
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1. Blanc (Switch eShop)
Coming out on top this month is Blanc, the adorable co-op adventure title from developer Casus Ludi. Though admittedly on the short side (you can easily blast through this in as little as two hours), Blanc is a memorable game that not only looks fantastic, but is heartwarming and emotionally devastating in equal parts.
Camera issues and frame rate drops hold Blanc back from true greatness, but with some fun puzzles and meaningful interaction with your co-op buddy, we'd say it's definitely worth a punt if you're a fan of It Takes Two and are looking for something similar.
We gave Blanc a score of 7/10 in our review, so be sure to check that out for the full lowdown.
< Nintendo eShop Selects - January
How we decide our eShop Selects top three: As we reach the end of every month, the Nintendo Life staff vote on their favourite titles from a list of games selected by the editorial team. To qualify for this list, these games must have been released as a digital-only Nintendo Switch eShop title in that particular month, and must have been reviewed on Nintendo Life; we select the qualifying games based on their review scores.
Staff are then asked to vote for three games that they think deserve to sit right at the very top of that list; first choice gets 3 points, second choice gets 2 points, and third choice gets 1 point. These votes are then tallied to create a top-three list, with the overall winner taking that month's top prize.
Comments 19
Ten Dates, Fashion Police Squad, Power Wash Simulator.....
Maybe i am just an old fashioned traditionalist, but i feel like trash shovelware being the top choices in any list indicates something is not quite right with the gaming scene. I personally wish Nintendo would cultivate what they allow to release on their system, because there is such a barrage of trash comes through the eshop on a weekly basis, that 'Ten Dates' is considered a good title.
Pretty slim pickings last month. Don't think I bought any new eShop games and none of these really take my fancy. Which is for the best because I buy way too many eShop games.
@smithyo
I’d say don’t knock them until you try them. Both my wife and I downloaded PowerWash Simulator, and we’ve enjoyed it. Its production values place it squarely in the 7/10 range, but the gameplay scratches an itch other games haven’t touched.
I agree the Switch has no shortage of shovelware, but I don’t think it’s making reviewers lower their standards.
Grim Guardians: Demon Purge, which was another winner from Inti-Creates. Nothing on this list interests me, unfortunately.
>refuses to let Metroid Prime on because of a physical release (released weeks after the digital)
>allows PowerWash Simulator, a game released in January
What does any of this mean?
@smithyo Totally agree with you.But unfortunately lot of platforms do the same nowadays, I mean look at Steam for example, they allow literally every trash there.
My personal vote goes to The Excavation of Hob's Barrow. Fingers crossed for more Wadjet Eye Games releases down the line.
@Lady_Galadhiel It amazes me that most of these also appear on ps4/5 it's not just inherent to switch. I can't imagine why anyone would buy a ps5 and then download power washer sim or fashion police, but i guess they must do
Still have to get it, but Blanc is definitely the one I'm looking forward the most between these.
@Ralizah Almost forgot about Grim Guardians even though I want to get it as much as if not even more than Blanc at some point, thanks for the reminder!
Removed - flaming/arguing
Seemed like a slow month for eShop games. The only one on this list I was really interested in was blanc, but I don't have anyone to play it with and it sounds like it is much better in co-op so I didn't end up getting it. I think the only February eShop game I bought was rise of the fox hero which is a very basic little 3D platformer, but sometimes that's what I'm in the mood for and the game was cheap and kind of fun.
I did also add a couple good looking games to my wishlist such as Grim Guardians. Edit: I just now realized this game has a demo and have played the first few minutes. This would probably be my top February game if I had bought it; I probably will buy it when there is a sale, because the demo seems very fun.
Welp I'm in the minority here, but I own powerwash simulator and the other two are in my wishlist so....
There is a lot of shovelware on the system granted, but these games are not that, they are little indie gems that definitely have and deserve their audience. Just because it doesn't have Zelda or Mario in the title doesn't mean there isn't lots to love on the Eshop.
@FishyS
I played and enjoyed fox hero too, I was really poorly at the time and it was perfect for that, well worth the £4 or so I paid for it.
Voted for LiS2 because I love the game, even if I played it years ago on PS4 instead.
Grim Guardians is my pick for February. Played through the demo last night and it seems like a solid stab at doing something Castlevania-like. No, it’s not quite Bloodstained, but I liked it!
Naturally it would be Seventh Lair. It has the cast from The House in Fata Morgana for goodness sakes.
January & February are known as the "dump months" for movies in theatres, when studios quietly release their worst movies.
Looks like it's the same for Switch games.
Grim Guardians is getting a physical release, so whether or not the pedants would allow it in this discussion...
It’s funny, not that many years ago February was known as the month to release quirky indie games, but this is a pretty uninspiring selection so I guess that trend has died
@Nanami_Ataraxia Couldn't agree more with you!
@FishyS Good to know Grim Guardians has a demo, I might check it out!
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