dailynewsnblog
Just a reminder that this NA eShop sale wraps up on Sunday night, so if you’ve been waiting for whatever reason, there’s still time to pick up some New Year treats with a nice chunky discount…
For those of you in North America giving the gift of Switchmas (sorry…) this year, then the Nintendo eShop ‘Hits For The Holidays’ has come to the rescue to help fill up that gaming library.
From now until 4th January 2025 at 11:59pm PST, there are tons of discounts on classic Switch titles to Switch 2 editions. You can, of course, check out everything there is on offer on the eShop itself, but where’s the fun in that? Don’t you just want to see the best of the best?
That’s exactly what this big ol’ guide is here for — we’ve curated all the best games we scored a 9/10 or above that are currently on sale into one giant article. Plus, this author here has her own special, unique recommendation if you’re looking for something that might get a bit buried otherwise.
All prices shown are USD. Don’t forget, you can grab some eShop credit from our store if you want to load up before hitting the digital aisles.
$4.39 (-45%)
A Short Hike is a fat-free experience from top to bottom – or should we say bottom to top? It’s the kind of game that makes us sigh with happiness when we recall our time with it, and even having played it through to its ostensible conclusion multiple times, we know for a fact there are still things to see and do on that mountain.
It’s something of an apotheosis – a milestone in indie games akin to Cave Story or Spelunky. The very best bits of multiple game genres, stripped of all padding and bloat, mixed perfectly into a delicious video game stew that only gets richer the more you play.
An exploration in every sense of the word, A Short Hike is cute without being twee, challenging without being obnoxious, and emotional without being cloying. A landmark game for all ages. Don’t miss this one.
$29.99 (-50%)
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is the absolute pinnacle of the series and despite coming to Switch over five years after other platforms, this ‘impossible’ Switch conversion does very little to degrade the experience.
Long-time franchise players and military aviation enthusiasts will be overwhelmed by the fan service at every turn, from craters on the ground to airplanes, liveries, callsigns, and emblems shouting out to previous entries. You get tons of content and an epic single-player campaign wrapped up in triple-A presentation that delivers the most comprehensive portable experience ever from Project Aces.
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$14.99 (-25%)
Alien: Isolation is a survival horror masterpiece and straight-up one of the very best horror video games ever released.
It’s a nerve-wracking affair — a slow, methodical game of cat and mouse against a brilliantly clever recreation of one of cinema’s most infamous killers — but if you’re up to the task you’ll find one of the most satisfying gameplay experiences in the genre; a brilliant and beautiful homage to one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time.
Feral Interactive has done a stellar job with this Switch port and the excellent motion controls and inclusion of all previously-released DLC only go to sweeten the deal. This is essential stuff for survival horror fans.
$19.99 (-60%)
We genuinely can’t believe how lucky we are that the Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy games exist, let alone that they’ve been lovingly polished up for the Switch. Here is some of the best writing you’ll find on the console, and it’s a steal for all three games plus extras.
A couple of bumps here and there are to be expected with such a wealth of content (three games, DLC, and extras), but they barely leave a dent on the brilliance of this well-written and beautifully illustrated trilogy.
$12.49 (-50%)
Astral Ascent is a prime example of a game that amounts to more than the sum of its parts. Its strong character design, hi-bit visuals, tight combat, memorable bosses, and broad build variety have all featured in games you’ve probably played before—there’s nothing ‘new’ here.
But to write it off as just ‘another one of those’ in a crowded genre would be to miss out on one of the most delightful and surprising releases of 2023. Astral Ascent is comfortably one of the best roguelites available on the Switch. Don’t miss it.
$11.99 (-20%)
BALL x PIT is a tremendous brew of so many ideas it ought to collapse under the confusion. However, it operates in such perfect balance that it appeals both to the one-more-go instinct and to more cerebral planning and creativity. Kenny Sun Studios set itself a heck of a challenge but, fortunately, hasn’t dropped the ball.
The Switch 2 version boosts the frame rate and resolution both docked and undocked, so we’d recommend snapping it up there. There’s no price difference, either!
