I can’t believe that we’ve already reached September this year! I’m hoping for some cooler temperatures soon. 🙏🏻 In the meantime, I found some September releases on Switch that look pretty fun!

Shashingo

• Price: $20.00 USD
• Developer/Publisher: Autumn Pioneer
• Release Date: September 3, 2024

I speak some Japanese, and I adore edutainment games. So I was pretty excited to see Shashingo: Learn Japanese with Photography. Combining the words “photo” and “language,” Shashingo has you take pictures of objects in Japanese streets; the game then provides the word in English and Japanese. Create flash cards to help you memorize new vocabulary, and take advantage of the lessons included in the photo album. Looks very “tanoshii” (fun)!

Elsie

• Price: $24.99
• Developer: Knight Shift Games
• Publisher: Playtonic Friends
• Release Date: September 10, 2024

Described as a hyperkinetic roguelike action platformer, Elsie takes place on a planet with frequent natural disasters and an aggressive army of robots. Elsie is the last android created in the hopes of overthrowing the robots, finding the lost Guardians, and saving the planet. Shoot enemies as you make your way through procedurally generated levels, and make tough decisions on what upgrades, weapons, and skills you want Elsie to have.

Yars Rising

• Price: $29.99 (digital & physical)
• Developer: WayForward
• Publisher: Atari
• Release Date: September 10, 2024

Yars Rising is a 2D action/adventure platformer game that celebrates the original game, Yars’ Revenge on the Atari 2600. As hacker Emi, solve the mystery behind a shady corporation. Jump around and blast a series of robotic and alien enemies, but choose your battles wisely – enter stealth mode to avoid the pesky guards. Unlock augments and biohacks for Emi, playing hacking mini games and accessing new areas. When you could use a break, you can check out a modernized version of Yars’ Revenge on the main menu.

Garden Witch Life

• Price: $29.99 (digital & physical)
• Developer: Freetime Studio
• Publisher: Soedesco
• Release Date: September 12, 2024

Garden Witch Life is a super cute game in which you grow your own magical garden on an island. Your new garden will attract adorable critters (who you can pet)! Harvest your crops and use them to cook new recipes in your cauldron. Decorate your house, befriend the villagers, and learn about the history behind your new home.

Celestia: Chain of Fate

• Price: $29.99 (digital); $39.99 (physical)
• Developer: Agate Games
• Publisher: PQube
• Release Date: September 12, 2024

Play as an angel-demon (“Angelus-Daemon”) hybrid in Celestia: Chain of Fate, a romance-fantasy visual novel. Your character has accepted an invitation to the Academy of Celestia after discovering her heritage. Learn more about her background and how to control her magical abilities. While focusing on her education is an important part of the game, don’t forget to make friends – and possibly find romance with one of three love interests.

Doomsday Paradise

• Price: $14.99
• Developer: Lemonade Flashbang
• Publisher: Astrolabe Games
• Release Date: September 12, 2024

Rated M

The world might be ending in 7 days, but surely that’s enough time to find love? In Doomsday Paradise, try to get your crush to notice you before time’s up. There are 13 wacky love interests to choose from, and your character options are just as “interesting.” Choose which locations you want to explore each turn, and experience 1 of 400 possible scenarios each time.

Defend yourself against demons in card-based combat, with your new friends helping out here and there. And speaking of friends, the ones you have in real life can participate in multiplayer shenanigans, with team-ups and sabotage possible.

Get in the Car, Loser!

• Price: $29.99
• Developer/Publisher: Love Conquers All Games
• Release Date: September 16, 2024

Rated M

Enjoy a “lesbian road trip RPG” described as “The Disaster Lesbian Representation We Need.” With an active time battle system, use your party members’ complementary skills to your advantage. The equipment mechanics sound particularly interesting, as they offer different abilities based on who you give that item. Play through the story – including the DLC chapters – and make decisions in a visual novel-esque dialogue system. Fight for love and justice, and seal away evil. So get in the car, loser – we’re going (Nintendo) eShopping!

Core Keeper

• Price: $19.99 (digital); $34.99 (physical)
• Developer: Pugstorm
• Publisher: Fireshine Games
• Release Date: September 17, 2024

Core Keeper is a mining sandbox adventure game with both single player and multiplayer modes for up to four players. You’re trapped (in a procedurally generated) underground, and you must defeat monsters to gather resources for improving your base and crafting better equipment. Build helpful tools such as bridges and torches that make it easier to move around, and figure out ways to survive beyond battles by growing crops, fishing, and cooking. Sounds like fun – I can “dig” it! 😂

Keylocker

• Price: $19.99
• Developer: Moonana
• Publisher: Serenity Forge
• Release Date: September 18, 2024

From the developer behind Virgo Versus The Zodiac, Keylocker is a turn-based rhythm JRPG that I’ve been keeping an eye on for a while now. The game takes place on the planet Saturn, where music has been banned for more than a century. (I’d be in big trouble!) Rebel against the “Saturnian Satellites” by forming a band, and fighting the authorities in turn-based combat with real-time rhythm game elements. Customize your characters, discover secrets, and make decisions that lead to one of the game’s multiple endings.

Beyond Galaxyland

• Price: $17.99
• Developer: Sam Enright
• Publisher: United Label
• Release Date: September 24, 2024

Save the Earth by exploring an entire solar system in this tactical turn-based RPG inspired by retro sci-fi movies. Capture the bizarre creatures you encounter and use them in battle. Prepare yourself for the game’s many boss fights by crafting new equipment and items, and solve some puzzles to get to where you need to go.

Bloomtown: A Different Story

• Price: $24.99
• Developers: Different Sense Games, Lazy Bear Games
• Publisher: Twin Sails Interactive
• Release Date: September 24, 2024

Set in a “1960’s Americana world,” Bloomtown is a JRPG that tells the story of young Emily and Chester, who want to discover the truth about the disappearing children in town. Battle demons from the Underside in tactical turn-based battles, and use captured demons against them. With social RPG elements, the game allows you to explore the town to find ways to improve your odds of success in your quest to save the people of Bloomtown.

REYNATIS

• Price: $59.99 (digital & physical)
• Developer: FURYU Corporation, Natsume Atari
• Publisher: NIS America
• Release Date: September 27, 2024 (NA & EU); October 4, 2024 (ANZ)

REYNATIS is an action RPG set in Shibuya in 2024. People are afraid of magic users, and you’ll see how different magic users view the way they’re treated. While Marin is angry about the oppression of magic users, Sari considers it justice. When the two of them meet, what will happen? Use Suppressed and Liberated Modes to hide or use your abilities as needed to gain information and explore. Strategically switch between modes and characters in “spellbinding” battles.

That’s it for this month’s Switch highlights – which one(s) are you looking forward to the most?