The Nintendo Switch receives three big games, all on August 2nd

The Nintendo Switch could be light on heavy exclusives this year (a point you could debate since Optopath Traveler has just launched), so he is really up to the third independent and party titles to keep the interest high during his sophomore year. And maintain the momentum that they have so far, with great Hollow Knight successes reinvigorating a gap left by Mario Tennis quickly reduced. But if the exhausting metroidvania is not really your cup of tea, there are three equally important, and very different, titles that make their debut on August 2nd.

Who seemed … unplanned? Each match announced respectively their arrival yesterday, but none seemed linked between them. Which makes sense in a certain way, since they are all radically different. Fans on other platforms will remember names like Salt and Sanctuary and iconoclasts, the first depicting a good 2D rendition of Dark Souls in 2016 and the latter bringing a cheerful but challenging metriodvania platform earlier this year. year. Puzzle fans will also be delighted to learn that a second version of Picross S (launched last year on Switch) is coming out soon. That's Picross S2, and is, just, more of Picross I guess.

Here is a quick breakdown of each title, with their own trailers.

Salt and Sanctuary is a love letter to Dark Souls, and Ska Studios did a great job in translating its deliberate combat, mysterious arrangements, and complex level designs into a smaller dimension . The game was first launched on PS4 and PC in 2016, and last year has finally made its way to PS Vita. At the time, the Switch already had the look of an even more attractive platform for launch. It is therefore not surprising that this 2D action game goes to Nintendo. Personally, I've never played Salt and Sanctuary for a long time, but the game has received accolades throughout the year. Best of all, it will be launched on Switch with all post-launch content, making it a complete collection for all new players.

The iconoclasts launched earlier this year to praise it too, with its cheerful 2D illustrations and its heartwarming story merging with a challenging Metroidvania that combines classic boss battles and captivating platform. Iconoclasts is the seven-year project of independent game creator Joakim Sandberg, promising about 10 hours of content with almost double that of boss fights. It looks charming, and the perfect thing to have on a handheld computer like the switch.

Picross is a very addictive puzzle game that is massive in Japan, but has found its own market outside of its borders. Last year, Nintendo released Picross S on the Switch, after launching a series of successful alternatives on the 3DS. Picross S2 looks a lot more like the same thing. The game is currently only scheduled for Japan, but has a host of language support right off the bat. So, do not be shocked if it turns out on the same day for larger markets.

It's a good thing for Switch, that we're waiting next week, and this happens after the launch of Dead Cells on August 8th. If you've been worried about what to play on your Nintendo console, do not worry.

Last updated: July 26, 2018