Guest Post - Five Canadian-made Indie Switch Games That Flew Under The Radar In 2018
/The follow post was written by Poutine & Pixels, who you can follow on Twitter. They specialize in highlighting Canadian-made games on Switch.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve been giving a bit of extra time to playing games lately, what with the “go outside only if you want to die” weather. I’ve taken this time to catch up on Canadian-made Switch games released in 2018 that slid under my attention, largely due to my being distracted by ridiculously popular Canadian titles like Celeste and The Messenger.
The Nintendo Switch has been a jolt of adrenaline for many indie games and developers. It’s not uncommon to hear of games being given a fresh surge of sales on the Switch, or developers finding the boost needed to stay in business - like Castle Pixel, the Canadian-American dev combo behind the hit Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King, who have been very public in their praise of the game’s sales figures on Nintendo Switch, allowing them to continue making games.
We’re approaching a full two years since the launch of the Switch in March of 2017, and the wave of great games coming to the Switch is showing no sign of slowing down. With over 85 Canadian-made titles now available or announced for the Switch, it’s not a surprise that some have been released to less media coverage than they deserve.
Here are the top 5 Canadian-made indie titles on the Switch that may have flown under your radar in 2018:
Just Shapes & Beats
Just Shapes & Beats from Quebec developers Berzerk Studio was featured in the March 2018 Nindies Showcase. It’s no surprise Nintendo wanted to highlight the game, as it is an absolute blast to play with friends. The eShop page describes it as “a chaotic co-op musical bullet-hell”, which makes it sound a lot more complicated than it actually is - dodge the shapes to addictive music, then die because this game can be tough as nails.
I took this game to a party on the day of its release, and it took over the TV for the duration of the night. If you’re a fan of rhythm or bullet hell games, don’t pass over this one.
View Just Shapes & Beats on the Canadian eShop
Light Fall
Light Fall is a precision platformer that gives you the ability to place a block, called a Shadow Core, beneath you to assist in speeding across the world. Québec developers Bishop Games combine excellent minimalist art design with very pretty parallax scrolling effects to create a wonderful world to explore, and there’s plenty of hidden paths and secrets to encourage you to take a peak in every nook and cranny.
Light Fall also incorporates a Speedrun Game Mode, allowing you to compete with other runners worldwide with an online leaderboard. This game was also featured at GDQ 2019, and I’d love to see it pop up again at future events!
View Light Fall on the Canadian Nintendo eShop
Pizza Titan Ultra
Look, if your game comes with a main menu that has a theme song with robot voice-over and a karaoke sing-along bar, I’m going to buy it sight unseen. While the list of games that fit that requirement consists solely of Pizza Titan Ultra, that doesn’t detract from my conviction to that statement.
Developed by Breakfall in Ottawa, Pizza Titan Ultra has you playing a giant robot that delivers pizza throughout a futuristic city while dodging a myriad of enemies and trying to collect as much cash as possible. It’s one part Crazy Taxi, one part Gundam, and zero parts pineapple on pizza because that is an abomination and you should be ashamed.
View Pizza Titan Ultra on the Canadian Nintendo eShop
Battle Princess Madelyn
Battle Princess Madelyn is heavily, heavily inspired by Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts. Fully funded on Kickstarter in 2017 in just a few days, Battle Princess Madelyn by Nova Scotia developers Causal Bit Games was released at the end of 2018.
Although I found the story mode to be a bit lacking, Battle Princess Madelyn’s arcade mode has kept me coming back for more. It’s perfect for the Switch’s portable mode, and is exactly the sort of title that I want to pick up for a few moments whenever I have the chance. If you have fond memories of Super Ghouls n’ Ghosts, I would highly recommend giving this game a look.
View Battle Princess Madelyn on the Canadian Nintendo eShop
Full Metal Furies
Full Metal Furies by Toronto-based developers Cellar Door Games was released on PC and Xbox in January 2018. After months of waiting, both Full Metal Furies and their insanely popular 2013 title Rogue Legacy were released on the Nintendo Switch last November.
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly why Full Metal Furies hasn’t garnered even a fraction of the attention that Rogue Legacy did - it’s an excellently designed action RPG with gorgeous artwork, online and couch co-op, and sterling player and media reviews. While it may have escaped wider attention upon initial release, this title is one that any co-op gaming fan should take a look at.
Canadian indie game studio Red Meat Games have released their episodic, narrative-driven audio game Project Dark on Steam and Nintendo Switch.