Nintendo reveals new partnerships and first indie games coming to Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch

28th February, 2017 – Nintendo Switch launches on 3rd March, and people can expect an exciting line-up of games on Nintendo eShop for day one and beyond. Nintendo has been working closely with independent publishers and developers to deliver a steady flow of unique and original experiences to Nintendo eShop.

More than 60 quality indie games are confirmed for Nintendo Switch this year alone, and many games take advantage of unique Nintendo Switch features, including multiple play modes (TV mode, handheld mode, tabletop mode), flexible control options, local and online multiplayer*, and innovative Joy-Con functionality like HD rumble. In a Nintendo Switch Nindies Showcase video, Nintendo highlighted some of these games that are in development.

Along with Nintendo Switch exclusives and timed exclusives, some of the highlights revealed in the video include:

• Runner3 from Choice Provisions: Runner3 continues the joyous adventures of CommanderVideo from BIT.TRIP RUNNER and Runner2. Players will encounter quests, branching paths, item shops, new Retro Challenges, new character moves, new dance moves and a roster of characters that somehow manages to rival the strangeness of Runner2. The game is scheduled to launch exclusively for Nintendo Switch this spring.
• SteamWorld Dig 2 from Image & Form Games: In the sequel to the award-winning original you must dig deep, gain riches and explore an underworld riddled with danger. The game is scheduled to launch in South Africa this winter.
• Yooka-Laylee from Team17 and Playtonic Games: Explore huge, beautiful worlds, meet an unforgettable cast of characters and horde a vault-load of shiny collectibles as buddy-duo Yooka (the green one) and Laylee (the wisecracking bat with the big nose). The buddy-duo platformer is coming to Nintendo Switch soon, with multiplayer functionality perfect for the system.
• Blaster Master Zero from Inti Creates: The same elements that made the original Blaster Master a hit are back, including side-scrolling vehicular combat, top-down adventuring and a huge sci-fi landscape, in addition to a host of new and improved gameplay systems. The game includes a two-player mode and will have numerous character cameos coming soon. Blaster Master Zero launches exclusively on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS family systems on 9th March.
• Pocket Rumble from Chucklefish Games and Cardboard Robot Games: This deep 2D fighter makes players want to throw down, anywhere, anytime. The battles get even more intense with the inclusion of HD rumble – when players get hit by a weak attack, it’ll feel very different from getting rocked by a strong one. The game is scheduled to launch as a console exclusive for Nintendo Switch in March.
• Flipping Death from Zoink Games: Welcome to Flatwood Peaks, a small whimsical town with a problem – Death is on vacation. Play as Penny and help the ghosts with their peculiar problems on The Otherside. This puzzling adventure game is scheduled to come to Nintendo Switch later this year.
• Mr. Shifty from tinyBuild and Team Shifty: Shift through bullets, and master lightning-fast takedowns in a new kind of action game. Mr. Shifty follows a teleportation-fuelled heist to break into the world's most secure facility. Shift through walls, through bullets, cover huge distances and be everywhere at once. One shot kills. Survive on skills. HD rumble allows players to feel every punch, shot and crash. The game is scheduled to launch first on Nintendo Switch this April.
• WarGroove from Chucklefish Games: This turn-based strategy game offers local and online* matches for one to four players. The game is scheduled to launch later this year.
• Stardew Valley from Chucklefish Games and ConcernedApe: Nintendo Switch will be the first console to support the game’s new multiplayer feature. The open-ended, country-life RPG is scheduled to launch in South Africa this winter.
• Shakedown: Hawaii from vBlank: This 16-bit spiritual successor to Retro City Rampage aims to be twice as good with twice the bits. From the boardroom to the streets, Shakedown: Hawaii parodies big business and the white collar crimes that go alongside. Build your empire, monopolise the markets and collaterally re-zone the island’s destructible sandbox. It’s scheduled to launch first on Nintendo Switch this April.
• Graceful Explosion Machine from Vertex Pop: Skilfully pilot the advanced Graceful Explosion Machine (GEM) fighter while blasting swarms of crystalline enemies with your ludicrously overpowered quad-weapon array. This side-scrolling arcade shooter features HD rumble support, which means players will really be able to feel those machines explode. The game is scheduled to launch this April.
• Tumbleseed from aeiowu: A small seed heads up a mountain to save his home in this physics-based puzzle game. More than 30 unique upgrades help the seed overcome challenges and enemies. HD rumble means players will feel seeds traversing across the screen. The game is scheduled to launch on Nintendo Switch this autumn in South Africa.
• Overcooked: Special Edition from Team17 and Ghost Town Games: In Overcooked, players must journey through a variety of cruel and unusual kitchens on their quest to become master chefs capable of conquering an ancient edible evil which plagues the land. Play solo or engage in classic, chaotic couch co-op for up to four players in both co-operative and competitive challenge modes. The special edition features the original game, plus all of the downloadable content. HD rumble integration means players can feel every chop through a tomato and the slosh of soup in a pot. Overcooked: Special Edition is coming later this year.
• The Escapists 2 from Team17: The sequel to the hugely popular prison escape series supports drop-in/drop-out co-op for up to four players**. Players can tie together knotted sheets and use them to climb down high windows in new multi-level prisons and find other new ways to make a break for freedom. The Escapists 2 is coming later this year.
• GoNNER from Raw Fury and Art in Heart: GoNNER is a score-based, procedurally generated platformer with roguelike elements. GoNNER is also a story about friendship between Ikk, Death and a space whale named Sally. The console version of the game launches first on Nintendo Switch later this year, with additional content tailor-made for the console.
• Kingdom: Two Crowns from Raw Fury and Noio: In Kingdom: Two Crowns, attend to your domain, border to border, or venture into the wild to discover its wonders and threats. First revealed today, two players can come together in co-op mode to rule a kingdom. Their choices bring hope or despair to their subjects. The game is scheduled to launch later this year.
• Dandara from Raw Fury and Long Hat House: Dandara has awoken to reshape the world. In this strange world of quirky characters, nothing is as it seems. In this bizarre, gravity-bending world with hidden beauty, it's up to Dandara, jumping from surface to surface, to restore order and direct a directionless world. The game is scheduled to launch on Nintendo Switch this winter with exclusive features and functionality, including HD rumble support.

To access Nintendo eShop, a system update that will be available on launch day is required. The system update downloads in the background, is designed to install quickly and doesn't disrupt gameplay.

After visiting Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch for the first time, gamers can also purchase Nintendo Switch digital games on this website***. Users can purchase the games on Nintendo’s website and have them download directly to their Nintendo Switch console at home or on the go, wherever there is a Wi-Fi connection.

Nintendo Switch launches in South Africa on 3rd March. For more information about the new console, visit our official Nintendo Switch website.

*Internet connection required during online play. The registration and linkage of Nintendo Account and acceptance of the Nintendo Account Agreement and Privacy Policy are required. Online services require a Nintendo Account. Starting this autumn, some online services will also require a paid subscription. Paid online service availability may be limited based on location. Find out more about the paid online subscription service.

**Additional accessories may be required for multiplayer modes, sold separately.

***To be able to purchase download games or download demos and free software from Nintendo eShop on the official website, you'll need to have a Nintendo Account which is linked to your Nintendo Switch console. You'll need to have your console registered as the active console for downloads for your Nintendo Account by visiting Nintendo eShop on the device you wish to download on at least once. For automatic download, your system must be updated and connected to the internet with automatic downloads enabled, and it must have enough storage to complete the download. To find out more, visit our Support section. Purchases made or demo downloads activated through the Nintendo website are processed via Nintendo eShop.

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