Springing into Action with eShop Selects
As we welcome the arrival of spring, it’s time for the latest edition of eShop Selects.
This time around, we’re shining a light on the best hidden gems, as chosen by the Nintendo Life staff, and we’ll also reveal the winner of the Reader’s Choice for March’s eShop releases. Keep reading to find out who emerged victorious in the reader poll.
We’ve been experimenting with the Readers’ Choice feature for a few months now, and for April’s eShop Selects, we’re planning to tweak how we present the Readers’ Choice vote. Moving forward, we’ll unveil the poll alongside the eShop Selects post instead of beforehand.
Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Outstanding Mentions
Despite this month being labeled as “quieter,” we’ve had a plethora of reviews flooding in. After setting a threshold of 7/10 or above for game scores, here are a few titles that didn’t quite secure a spot in the top three.
Nintendo Life’s Honourable Mentions
Berserk Boy (Switch eShop)
With the speed of Sonic and the transformations of Mega Man, Berserk Boy perfectly captures the essence of retro 2D-style platforming and shooting that we all crave. Sporting a delightful 16-bit aesthetic, the game offers a fun and replayable experience, blending elements of traditional SNES platformers with a hint of Metroidvania. Released at the start of March, this title comes highly recommended — we gave it an 8/10 in our review.
Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story (Switch eShop)
The second installment in Digital Eclipse’s Gold Master Series, Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, serves as both an incredible compilation and a captivating history lesson on one of the most unique individuals in the gaming industry today. We’re still enamored by the concept of interactive documentaries that let players explore games while learning about the visionaries behind them. Playing these games in chronological order as you journey through Minter’s career is a delightful experience. Our review awarded Llamasoft a stellar 9/10 rating. A true gem indeed.
Pepper Grinder (Switch eShop)
For fans of Drill Dozer, Pepper Grinder is a must-play title. This spiritual successor is brimming with charm, vibrant colors, and a distinctive personality, offering fantastic level design and unique gameplay mechanics where you assume the role of a pirate exploring the world with a trusty drill. If this premise sounds even mildly intriguing, head to the eShop and give the demo a try. We wouldn’t mind seeing more levels, a sequel, or any other content from this distinct platformer. Pepper Grinder drills down and strikes gold, earning a well-deserved 9/10 in our review. A worthy winner in our staff eShop Selects poll this month.
Reader’s Choice Winner for March 2024
WINNER: Death Trick: Double Blind
Amidst a plethora of game choices receiving your votes this month, the standout winner of the Readers’ Choice poll is a game that was featured in an Indie World Showcase last year — Death Trick: Double Blind. Securing 17% of the votes, Death Trick challenges players to alternate between two different perspectives to unravel a mystery unfolding at the circus.
Several other games tied for second place, including a couple of re-releases, but two standout hits that are available on Steam and have garnered significant reader attention emerged from the pack.
Reader’s Honourable Mentions
< Nintendo eShop Selects – February 2024
How We Determine Our eShop Selects Top Three: At the conclusion of each month, the Nintendo Life team votes for their favorite titles from a curated list of games handpicked by the editorial crew. To be eligible for consideration, these games must have debuted as digital-only releases on the Nintendo Switch eShop during that specific month and must have been reviewed on Nintendo Life. The selection of qualifying games is based on their respective review scores.
Team members are then tasked with selecting three games they believe deserve premier placement on that list. The first choice receives 3 points, the second choice receives 2 points, and the third choice receives 1 point. These tallied votes culminate in a top-three list, with the game garnering the most points claiming the top spot for that month.