5 New Switch Games You Shouldn’t Miss Out On

It’s been a big month for game releases, with Horizon Forbidden West, Elden Ring, Destiny 2’s latest expansion, and more. All those big AAA games eating up your time may cause your Nintendo Switch to feel lonely. We’ve rounded up five cool new Nintendo Switch games that launched in February. Every game on this list is significantly less time-consuming than most of the massive AAA games that launched this month, so they could be great palette cleansers between open-world games. Some of these games are also available on PC, and a few released on consoles, but we think all of them feel like Nintendo Switch games.

Grapple Dog

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It’s basically a fact that a grappling hook makes every game better. Giving a grappling hook to a cute dog? That’s a recipe for success already. Grapple Dog is oozing with charm thanks to its vibrant, colorful graphics that hark back to the Game Boy Advance. Across the handful of worlds and 30-plus levels, Grapple Dog sticks to its guns (er, grapple), but the mechanic is so well implemented and the lengthy side-scrolling levels are so well-designed that this one-trick-dog never stops being an absolute delight. Whereas a lot of modern platformers rely on pesky sequences that often have to be repeated over and over again to make progress, Grapple Dog is more about exploration and atmosphere. I’m not one to care much about collectibles, but I found myself wanting to collect every coin, gem, and fruit scattered across the intricately designed levels. Though Grapple Dog is mainly about jumping, bouncing, and grappling (of course), it does have a handful of awesome boss fights that make great use of the game’s simple but effective mechanics.

Grapple Dog also happens to have one of coolest game soundtracks I’ve heard in a long time. The funky tunes perfectly vibe with the game’s lighthearted tone. If you’re a fan of side-scrolling platformers and want to play something that’s warm-hearted and smile-inducing, Grapple Dog won’t disappoint.


Ocean’s Heart

Ocean’s Heart

Ocean’s Heart is an unabashed love letter to The Legend of Zelda. While it could be aptly compared to most of the top-down entries in Nintendo’s iconic series, the visuals and quirky writing most closely align with The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. You play as Tilia, a young girl who sets off on an adventure to square off against pirates and find her missing father. Ocean’s Heart does have many Zelda trappings, including a heart upgrade system, new gear to plunder from chests, and dungeons filled with puzzles and locked doors.

It’s more than just a Zelda clone, though. With a heavy focus on exploration and an open-ended objective structure that isn’t simply jumping from dungeon to dungeon, Ocean’s Heart stands on its own. It’s one of the best Zelda-like games I’ve played in a while, and it feels right at home on Switch.


OlliOlli World

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As someone who wasn’t a huge fan of the first couple of OlliOlli games, I was surprised how much OlliOlli World hooked me. From a visual perspective, OlliOlli World is a big leap forward, as it replaces the minimalistic 2D visuals with a colorful 2.5D style. More importantly, though, OlliOlli World gives players the freedom to approach each of its brilliant skateboarding levels in their own way. By removing the sometimes-annoying completion requirements, OlliOlli World is approachable to both casual players and enthusiasts who want to rack up the best scores and complete every optional objective. Plus, by letting me make progress at my own pace, I found it easier to gradually ramp up my skills while still getting to see all the game had to offer in the process. With a clever switching lanes mechanic, OlliOlli World utilizes its new visuals in a really interesting way by giving players branching paths. Ultimately, this encouraged me to revisit levels to try all of the different routes.

OlliOlli World simply feels incredible to play. The fast-paced skateboarding gameplay is buttery smooth, the controls are tight and responsive, and the levels are filled with so much excitement that it was hard to play OlliOlli World without a smile on my face. Whether you’re big into skateboarding or not, OlliOlli World is worth checking out.


Infernax

Infernax

Infernax is another game that isn’t afraid to reveal its inspirations. This gory action side-scroller is extremely reminiscent of early Castlevania games, most notably Castlevania II. Upon returning home from his quest, a knight discovers that his village and the surrounding areas have been afflicted with some seriously nasty dark magic. To break the curse, he has to travel to five castles, slay some monsters both small and large, and collect the magic stones that open the door to the big baddie. As a throwback to 8-bit Castlevania games, Infernax doesn’t hold back. Most enemies pose a threat and one mistimed jump can lead to death.

That said, Infernax has generous checkpoints, save points, and a leveling system for key stats that doesn’t require a ton of grinding. Infernax may have a grim atmosphere, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously. You can enter cheat codes that give the knight a jetpack or chainsaw (very cool) or infinite health, gold, etc. Even the choice-based moments in the story that revolve around death are quite humorous. If you’re a fan of Castlevania, Infernax is a must-play game that can be completed in around four hours.


Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden

Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden

While it’s surprising that a new Voice of Cards game is already here just four months after the original game launched, I certainly won’t lodge a complaint. Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden takes the series to the high sea on a mysterious quest to save a group of remote islands that are supposed to be protected by maidens. You join forces with the eponymous forsaken maiden and add more allies to your ragtag team throughout the adventure.

The Forsaken Maiden doesn’t shake things up much at all. The world is still composed entirely of cards, which makes The Forsaken Maiden feel like a tabletop game crossed with a card battler. While it’s not quite as funny and charming as the original–largely due to a change in narrators (the actual voice of cards)–it does mostly remedy my biggest complaint of The Isle Dragon Roars: the challenge, or lack thereof. Strategy didn’t really matter at all in the first game, because it was ridiculously easy to overpower almost every foe. The Forsaken Maiden is more balanced and encourages you to think more about your moves. For fans of Yoko Taro’s writing or those who want to play a fun role-playing game that doesn’t take dozens of hours to beat, The Forsaken Maiden is a voyage worth making.

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