Joelle
Jul 15, 2022
Farm, Ranch, Build, and Explore with Co-Op
The Ranchers is an open-world country-life sim for 1-4 players online. Ranch, grow crops and fruit trees, cook with many recipes, craft machines like in My Time at Sandrock, build your house from scratch, go fishing and hunting, enter mines and fight monsters. All of which can be done, including quests, in multiplayer!
The game has more realism and creative freedom that makes it unique. Example, you can decide how to cut down a tree. Meaning, by using an axe, your car, explosives, or even guns. The animals you get to raise have the usual cows and chickens, but also ones not seen in typical farming sims like peacocks and turkeys. Pets include cats and dogs but if you back the game now on Kickstarter, you can have a pet tiger!
There are many villagers around to meet and befriend. You can also find love, move in together, and start a family. There are various vehicles you can drive to make deliveries, transport your animals, explore, and visit said friends. They all have different speed, handling, acceleration, passenger capacity, storage capacity, and fuel needs. Types of vehicles range from bicycles, motorcycles, yatch, scooter, etc!
Launching in Late 2023 for PC and Consoles
The Ranchers is in development by RedPilzStudio. You can Wishlist it now on Steam Early Access for release in Q3 2023. Some time a little later, the game will release on all consoles.- Jul 14, 2022
Run, Glide, Scale Cliffs to Find Treasure on Draconia
A new spin-off from the DRAGON QUEST franchise, DRAGON QUEST TREASURES, was showcased in more detail in the last Nintendo Direct Mini. The story revolves around siblings Mia and Erik before the events of DRAGON QUEST XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age.
Players will meet creatures Porcus and Purrsula, and brought to Draconia, a land with the Seven Dragon Stones and tons of treasure. There, you’ll be able to befriend and recruit monsters! Each of them have unique treasure-hunting abilities to reach new areas and help find items such as statues, artifacts, and other valuables!
It’s confirmed in the new trailer that you’ll be able to alternate between playing as either Erik or Mia. You’ll also be bringing your haul back to your base for appraisal. With the profits you can upgrade and expand your home and level up your Treasure Hunting Level.
Releasing on Nintendo Switch this Holiday
DRAGON QUEST TREASURES will be releasing on December 9th, 2022 on the Nintendo Switch.
- Jul 12, 2022
Race, Dodge, and Eat Strawberries as Kirby with your Friends
Nintendo has just released a trailer for a short-but-sweet new Kirby game coming very soon. Kirby’s Dream Buffet is a colorful racing obstacle course multiplayer game like Fall Guys but all food/desert-themed. Yum!
What we know so far is 1-4 players can roll around in sets of 4 matches with a final round being “a fruity fight atop a floating platform.” It does not specifically say whether the multiplayer is only online or if it’s local. However, the disclaimer at the bottom of the game listing saying “sold separately” has me thinking it’s the former.
While dodging things like giant ice-cream cones, gaining speed and power-ups, etc, you’ll also have to collect strawberries along the way. Reaching the end of the levels will tally up and reward the tubbiest Kirby and its adorable. The trailer below shows that there are Waddle-Dees in the race but they look like they’re only NPCs and not playable characters.
Available this Summer on the Nintendo eShop
Kirby’s Dream Buffet will be releasing on the Nintendo Switch as an eShop exclusive (digital only) this Summer 2022.
- Jul 8, 2022
Cluffowl, Woolum, and Totokaku, oh my!
The new Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase continues to grace us with a slew of life-simulation games. If you always wanted to know what it would be like to farm in a world like Final Fantasy, you’re in luck! Square Enix just released a new trailer announcing HARVESTELLA, a beautiful fantasy world that may even be better than Rune Factory 5.
In HARVESTELLA, players will be able to tend to their crops, befriend the townsfolk, explore various cities and dungeons, cook to replenish HP and increase stats, and take care of animals. There are adorable fantasy creatures to love in this world. For example, those round red chicken-like birds are called Cluffowl. You can even pet and receive rewards from your chubby kitty with antlers, the Totokaku.
Not only are there all four seasons in this game, but a new mysterious one called the season of death, Quietus. During this period, crops wither and the dust of death prevents people from even walking outside. You’ll have to progress the story to unearth why this keeps happening for longer periods of time each year.
Available November 4th, 2022 on Switch and Steam
HARVESTELLA is available to pre-purchase on Steam here, and listed on the Nintendo eShop here. The launch date is set for November 4th, 2022. Therefore, players will not have to wait very long to get their hands on this game!
- Jul 7, 2022
Forge Friendships with Disney and Pixar Characters in this Life-Sim
We have even more great news from the recent Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase for those that love games that include established beloved cartoon characters from other franchises. Disney Dreamlight Valley is a simulation and adventure game where you create your very own avatar and solve puzzles and encounter challenges in order to rescue Disney and Pixar characters and bringing them back home.
With the help of the new residents, you can collect, craft, and rebuild the Valley. The neighbourhood is yours to fully customize with creative landscaping and thousands of themed decorative items. This even includes the interior of your very own home where you can use bought items or the Touch of Magic tool to create your own designs. Furthermore, you can hangout with NPCs such as Goofy, Rapunzel, Buzz Lightyear, Moana, and more while fishing, cooking, gardening, etc!
Releasing in Early Access September 6th, 2022 on all Platforms
Disney Dreamlight Valley launches on all platforms September 6th, 2022 in Early Access. You may be wondering how you can play an Early Access game on the Nintendo Switch. The answer is with a Founder’s Pack. More on that will be announced in detail at a later time. For now, you can Wishlist the game on the Nintendo eShop here, or get more information on the other platforms here. The full launch date (out of Early Access) is still sometime in 2023.
You can also expect to be able to continuously check back for more in-game content with its live service. Meet new characters in the Valley, check out the latest clothing and furniture collections in Scrooge’s Store, and complete challenging in-game events! Hopefully, Disney Dreamlight Valley will be our latest fixation for a while to come since Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
- Jul 7, 2022
Featuring Japan-Originated Popular Character Doraemon in the World of Story of Seasons
During the latest Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase, a sequel to the previous Doraemon and Story of Seasons mash-up was announced! This new entry to the franchise will see Doraemon, Noby and friends, back for some more relaxing farming on an unknown planet.
As always, this adorable sim features plowing fields, harvesting crops, and tending to the animals, all with the help of Doraemon’s gadgets. However, the most exciting and new addition is the local play feature! Meaning, you and a friend can now build a ranch together!
Releasing in 2022 on PC, PS5, and Switch
Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom is published by Bandai Namco and developed by Marvelous. The game will launch on PC, PS5, and the Nintendo Switch later in 2022. We’ll be sure to post the links to the listings when they’re available!
- Jun 11, 2022
Play as a Tiny Bear Chef in a Regular Sized Kitchen
New game alert! Today Little Bear Chef just premiered, a cozy 3D cooking platformer. The bear in question looks like an adorable bottle of honey named Chef Toto.
It looks like in the game trailer below, that you’ll have to come up with unique ways to use ingredients that are bigger than you. The platforming aspect is probably due to having to jump around on cooking utensils and appliances and Rube Goldberg your way to creating dishes.
Coming to PC and Consoles in 2023
Little Bear Chef is being developed by BananaBox, and is coming to PC and consoles (potentially later) in 2023. Since Little Bear Chef just debuted, there’s not much more information or a Steam Page as of yet.
- Jun 11, 2022
Make Friends, Mix potions, Cast Spells, Spend Time Witch Your Cat and Tend to Your Garden
Kitori Academy has gone through many changes since we’ve last reported on it. During today’s Guerrilla Collective 3 and Future of Play Direct, the developers at Cubenary showcased a new trailer for their magical life simulator. Live the adventures of a wizard apprentice with your fluffy kitty spirit companion!
In school you’ll attend your garden of vegetables, catch and collect spell-creatures, learn to brew powerful potions, and craft charms. Outside of the academy, you can discover secrets, catch bugs, fish, forage, and cook.
Launching on Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC in 2023
You can Wishlist the game on Steam here. Schedule your school courses now, because we have a lot of spells to cast and potions to brew already with Witchbrook.
