Welcome to the newest edition of the eShop Selects series, where we celebrate the best that the Nintendo eShop had to offer in January 2024. This year, we've refined our selection process to not only include the top picks from Nintendo Life's staff but also to highlight a game chosen by our readers that we didn't get the chance to review.
Let's dive into the games that caught our attention but didn't quite make the top spots. In the realm of honorable mentions, 'Knights of the Rogue Dungeon' and 'Turnip Boy Robs A Bank' were appreciated for their respective charms and gameplay, despite the latter having port issues on the Switch. Moreover, our readers expressed their fondness for 'Crystal Project' and 'The Pedestrian', which landed in the third and second places respectively in the Reader's Choice poll.
Moving on to the games that stood out this month, 'Bahnsen Knights' impressed us deeply. As a part of the Pixel Pulp series created by novelist Nico Saraintaris and artist Fernando Martinez Ruppel, this title continues the tradition of Choose Your Own Adventure styled storytelling adorned with captivating pixel art. This vivid and concise adventure received a high acclaim with a 9/10 in our review, earning its place as one of the month's highlights.
'Hitman: Blood Money - Reprisal' followed closely on our list, bringing with it the renowned stealth gameplay that the 'Hitman' series is known for. Ported to the Switch by Feral Interactive, the game does show signs of age but still provides a rich experience characteristic of its reputation. Our review gave it an 8/10, a testament to its enduring gameplay and design.
Topping the staff picks is 'Lil' Guardsman', a delightful blend of the distinctive elements from classics such as 'Papers, Please' and the wit of 'Monkey Island'. With an original narrative to engage players and its own unique charm, 'Lil' Guardsman' emerges as a small treasure for the Switch platform, meriting the first eShop Selects top prize of the year with an 8/10 review score.
Now, for the moment you’ve been waiting for — the Reader's Choice winner. Garnering 21% of the votes, 'Arcade Archives Rainbow Islands' has won the hearts of many. This classic game, released over three decades ago, proves that some games truly stand the test of time. Hamster Corporation has done an incredible job of bringing these nostalgic treasures to the modern era, allowing a new generation to experience the charm and challenge of 'Rainbow Islands'.
Each month, the process of selecting our top eShop games involves our staff voting on their favorites from a pre-selected list of titles that were digitally released on the Nintendo Switch eShop and reviewed on Nintendo Life. The games are chosen based on their review scores, and staff members are asked to rank their top three, assigning points to each choice. The votes are tallied, and the top three winners are declared, with the overall winner claiming the prized title for the month.
So, what was your favorite eShop game of January 2024? Whether it was soaring through colorful stages in 'Rainbow Islands', engaging in espionage with 'Hitman: Blood Money - Reprisal', managing immigration in 'Lil' Guardsman', or another hidden gem, one thing is clear: the Nintendo eShop continues to be a treasure trove of digital delights for gamers to explore. We look forward to seeing what the rest of 2024 will bring to the eShop and which games will capture our imaginations in the months to come.
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