October is a HUGE month for the Switch!
Switch gamers will be spoilt for choice during October with an absolutely INSANE lineup of both 1st and 3rd party titles, and despite rumors of an imminent successor of the Switch launching soon, the Switch shows no signs of slowing down. I’m really excited for October as one of my favourite games of all time drops on the Switch, and despite not really knowing how it will work, you can bet I have it pre-ordered and ready to go when it drops on the 12th. So without any further preamble, let’s dive into just some of my top picks on the release slate next for October.
Wargroove 2
The original Wargroove was a subliminal strategy game with a gameplay style akin to Advance Wars. It stepped out of the Advance War shadow however to blaze a path to glory in its own right. Set 5 years after the first game, WarGroove 2 adds more layers to the strategy game following 3 factions as you fight over land, sea, and sky in this highly anticipated sequel which releases this week, on the 5th.
Borderlands 3
Borderlands 3 makes the jump to Switch on the 6th in what one hopes to be a rather impressive port. It comes with all DLCs (with the exception of Tiny Tina’s Wonderland which is its own standalone title.) Some gamers have voiced concerns over the performance potential seeing as Borderlands 3 is a visually impressive title, but 2K has a solid track record with some of their other beloved games like Xcom Collection, Bioshock, and Civilization 6.
Detective Pikachu
I unfortunately missed the train to Ryme City for the first Detective Pikachu game, but absolutely loved the movie adaptation which went above and beyond exceeding even the biggest Pokemaniacs expectations. Detective Pikachu 2 adds new gameplay elements and features like taking control of other Pokemon to use their abilities as you solve crimes and unravel mysteries during your adventure. Detective Pikachu arrives on the 6th.
Company of Heroes
Company of Heroes is without a doubt, one of the best modern Real Time Strategy games I have ever played. It is my favourite RTS of all time and easily in my top 10 games. Company of Heroes has so much depth when it comes to fighting over sectors to secure vital supplies such as sandbagging and mounting machine guns, positioning mines and tank traps, and being able to knock out treads in tanks making them no less deadly, but halting their advances. It features an epic campaign that starts with the D-Day invasion, frantic multiplayer, and skirmish that adds seemingly endless replayability. I cannot wait to see this one on the 12th.
Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos
The original cozy farming game returns with The Winds of Anthos, and it looks to be a step in the right direction. Winds of Anthos has received a graphical upgrade while still maintaining the look and feel of what made the original games so great. While Harvest Moon may have dropped off a lot of people’s radars with the saturation of cozy games, it’s still looking up to be a great adventure, and I for one, am keen to play on the 6th. (International gamers might already have this one?)
Batman Arkham Trilogy *Update – Releases Dec 1st.*
The Arkham series of games were revolutionary when they first launched and still hold up to this day. I recall playing countless hours of Arkham City Armoured Edition on my Wii U, wandering around beating up bad guys and solving the Riddlers puzzles. The collection still looks visually impressive and whether you’re a Batman fan or not, there’s a whole lot of adventure to be had across these games. The combat, the voice acting, and the level design across all 3 games create an incredibly immersive experience that’s not to be missed when it launches on the 13th! (Please Note the game has now been delayed until Dec 1st.)
Sonic Superstars
Old-school gameplay with a new spin on Sonic as Sonic Superstars takes inspiration from the New Super Mario Bros gameplay and style allowing for 4 players to play on 2D side-scrolling Sonic levels for that classic feel when it speeds onto your console on the 17th. I’m very interested to see how it all gels together with the idea of 4 players able to drop in and out throughout the entire campaign. I feel like Sonic games are starting to improve again with each new entry so I’m looking forward to (with a bit of cautious optimism of course) seeing how it all comes together.
Hotwheels Unleashed 2
Hotwheels Unleashed 2 looks to improve on the highly rated and well-received original by adding new mechanics such as jumping and dashing to explore and discover new secrets. The game also boasts an impressive roster of over 130 cars to choose from and with its unique and over-the-top style courses, it’s going to be sure to impress adrenaline junkies when it releases on the 19th of this month.
Super Mario Wonder
If I may make a bold statement here, I was not really looking forward to another 2D side scroller for the Mario series, until of course I saw the recent Mario Wonder Nintendo Direct which showed off a range of weird and wonderful game-changing mechanics. It’s a visual delight and almost psychedelic journey as you discover new Wonder flowers that change gameplay, characters, and the very world around you. This shake-up is honestly just what the series needed when it arrives on the 20th!
Metal Gear Collection
Finally, we have the Metal Gear Solid Volume 1 Collection sneaking into the end of the month on the 24th! This pack features Both NES Metal Gear Games, Playstation Classic, Metal Gear Solid, and Metal Gear Solid 2 & 3 to round it out. While I’m assuming Peace Walker will be in the Volume 2 pack, there’s so much value and game in this package to keep you going until then. The package also includes some digital books, artworks, and soundtracks sure to satiate fans of the series’ hunger for more Metal Gear!
And that’s it! Did I miss a game that’s on your radar? Let me know in the comments and I’ll check it out. Also
