Nintendo Brings Into the Breach, Numerous Other Indie Titles to Switch

By Josh Hilgenberg  |  August 28, 2018 | 3:36pm
Images via Nintendo
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Nintendo Brings Into the Breach, Numerous Other Indie Titles to Switch

Into the Breach is available now on the Nintendo Switch eShop, as announced Tuesday afternoon in a Nintendo Direct unveiling a plethora of other indie games coming to the console. Alongside FTL’s smash hit from earlier this year were no less than 22 games, with release dates ranging from Sept. 6 to early 2019. This fall’s already-hyped release schedule, with Red Dead Redemption 2, Spider-Man PS4 and Nintendo’s own Smash Bros., just got a lot more crowded.

Hyper Light Drifter is the first to hit the eShop on Sept. 6. Along with the port comes an exclusive outfit that will help players find secret locations within the game. This exclusive version adds new weapons, available as rewards from the new tower climbing mode.

Following HLD is Towerfall, wrapped up with a new six-player battle mode, as well as the Dark World and Ascension expansions. The Switch version features four-player co-op, and the ability to play as Madeline and Badeline from the critically acclaimed Celeste, released on Switch earlier this year. Look for Towerfall to delightfully ruin your friendships on Sept. 27.

Treasure Stack looks like a combination of platformer and Tetris, and is due to hit shelves this winter. It boasts cross-platform play and four-player local co-op. Choosing between a slew of different heroes, players use grappling hooks to grab chests and match them with their appropriate key to grab the treasure inside.

Coming this October is Zarvot, a sleek-looking game with a story about the bonds of friendship between cubes. In their quest to find the ultimate birthday present, players will battle enemies like evil, laser-shooting bananas. The game features co-op, as well as five different versus modes.

Mineko’s Night Market is a story-driven exploration game with about 20 hours of cat-tent. The player takes the role of Mineko, a girl who recently moved to a Japanese island town where you can grow cats, pet cats, race cats and chase a mythical cat spirit named Abe. There are quests, crafting mechanics and a sale system similar to Stardew Valley’s. Mineko’s Night Market comes to Switch first in early 2019.

In Samurai Gun 2, players platform their way through a brand new adventure mode, or play against each other: The game features a four-player versus mode that pits friends against each other with a sword, a gun and just three bullets per life. It also includes an exclusive graphic novel with guided touch controls that honestly looks pretty stunning. The Switch version arrives in early 2019 with improved controls and mechanics.

Bullet Age similarly combines gun and swordplay with platforming, but focuses more on solo mode. Players can make use of weapon upgrades and new abilities, with the promise of HD rumble integration. Bullet Age comes exclusively to Switch in November.

Next up is The World Next Door, a game with visual novel features thrown together with relationship building and puzzle battles. Players can opt for solo or one-on-one versus modes that open up features in the main game. Branching dialogue choices are affected by the game’s reputation system in what looks like a fun, dramatic story, ready for players early next year.

Fans of Mario Maker looking for more chaos should be excited for Level Head, a platform-building game that allows up to four players to play and build a level all at the same time. The teaser shows off tons of different tools, including chainsaws and flamethrowers and, of course, chainsaw launchers. The pandemonium ensues this November in what looks like a wild ride, with or without friends.

Another fast-paced party game comes to the Switch in 2019 with King of the Hat. It takes a unique look at the genre with simple, two-button controls and quick matches for up to four players. Choose between lots of wacky characters, like a washing machine described as being frustrated with all the laundry its expected to do. King of the Hat offers lots of accessibility for players trying to get their friends involved.

Last among the featured games is the long-awaited Untitled Goose Game. It’s got slick graphics and a self-described genre-bending theme, combining sandbox and stealth elements with slapstick humor. Players take control of a goose bent on ruining the lives of the townsfolk. It has unique picnic-ruining and hat-stealing features, along with adorably lively animations. Rain down shenanigans on potentially innocent people early next year in this cathartic romp.

In classic Nintendo fashion, the Direct then begins to wind down. Our host, Kirk Scott, casually announces the arrival of games like Bastion (Sept. 13) and Transistor (November), along with Desert Child (December), Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut (Sept. 13), The Messenger (Aug. 30), Undertale (Sept. 18), Jackbox Party Pack 5 (October), Dragon: Marked for Death (Dec. 13), Light Fingers (Sept. 20) and Superbrothers: Sword and Sorcery EP (Octobera).

Then, as the video winds back up, the words, “from the makers of FTL” light up on the screen. Into the Breach is an RTS rogue-like that’s been described as kaiju chess, and it’s available at this very moment. Paste contributor Dante Douglas can tell you all about that game’s greatness here.

In the true ending of the Direct, Kirk announces a Switch channel dedicated solely to Nintendo’s indie game scene. Although it seems small, it’s a well-deserved spotlight on the developers who have solidified the console’s success. As if Breath of the Wild wasn’t enough, studios have consistently put out great gems like Tumbleseed, Lichtspeer and Gorogoa. Nintendo is making an honest effort to connect with those people, and as we saw Tuesday, it’s paying off in a big way.

 
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