Happy New Year lovely readers! It’s 2024, and with another fantastic year of Switch (and maybe Switch 2?) gaming ahead of us, we need to stop, think, and have one last look back at 2023 with eShop Selects this month!
December is usually a quiet month for game releases as publishers and developers make way for the holidays and take a well-earned rest. That doesn’t mean nothing dropped on the eShop, of course. We’re here to run down the best of December’s eShop offerings.
Not only that, but we want to highlight every eShop Selects winner from 2024. But before we do that, let’s dive into December 2023’s highlights!
Honourable Mentions
Now, onto December, then. Even though it’s been a quiet month, it hasn’t exactly been lacking in quality. Alongside an acclaimed indie release, we got a few surprise remasters, a long-awaited indie, and a free-to-play MMO. Before we look at the top three, here are the final honourable mentions of 2023:
- Terra Nil | Review: 7/10
- Chico and the Magic Orchards DX | Review: 9/10
- Palia | Review: In-Progress
- Born of Bread | Review: 7/10
- Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion Remastered | Review: 7/10
3. A Highland Song (Switch eShop)
Publisher: inkle Studios / Developer: inkle Studios
Release Date: 5th Dec 2023 (USA) / 5th Dec 2023 (UK/EU)
Inkle’s latest game has long been on our wishlists, so to see A Highland Song climb up to the top of the mountain at last in December filled us with delight. And while it might not be the studio’s best work, it’s still an evocative and emotional journey that we shed a tear or two to.
The star of A Highland Song is Scotland. Inkle’s depiction of the mountains of the country is gorgeous and as Moira explores in search of herself and her uncle’s lighthouse, her over-active imagination depicts the myths and legends of the lands. The region’s mythology set against the backdrop of the painted highlands is gorgeous, even if the climb is tough.
When we finished climbing this mountain, we awarded A Highland Song a 7/10 in our review.
2. SteamWorld Build (Switch eShop)
Publisher: Thunderful / Developer: Thunderful
Release Date: 1st Dec 2023 (USA) / 1st Dec 2023 (UK/EU)
SteamWorld is a series that’s used to genre-hopping, and SteamWorld Build is yet another stunning example of Image & Form’s craft. Developed by The Station, SteamWorld Build sees the worlds of dungeon-crawling and city-building collide effortlessly in this post-apocalyptic steampunk world.
Building a whole new town and uncovering, repairing, and excavating a mineshaft might sound like a lot, but SteamWorld Build manages to ease you into these dense systems incredibly well, making your first playthrough relentlessly addictive.
What’s this summary building up to, then? Oh. Play SteamWorld Build. We scored it an 8/10 in our review, so you know it’s worth checking out.
1. Outer Wilds (Switch eShop)
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive / Developer: Mobius Digital
Release Date: 7th Dec 2023 (USA) / 7th Dec 2023 (UK/EU)
It feels like we’ve been waiting for Outer Wilds to arrive on Switch for years. That’s because we have! And even with some noticeable stutters, that didn’t stop us from falling in love with this beloved title, which is why it’s our pick for the top eShop game in December 2023!
We really can’t tell you much about Outer Wilds because it’ll spoil the sublime beauty of the game. All we’ll say is that it’s a time-loop space-exploration game. Each “loop” is 22 minutes, and it’ll take you many, many tries to see and do everything. It’s a remarkable feat in narrative, exploration, and, well, just about everything.
One of our best-reviewed games of 2023, Outer Wilds got a 9/10 from us on Switch.
< Nintendo eShop Selects - November 2023
All 2023 Nintendo Life eShop Selects winners
We all know 2023 was an incredible year for video game releases — but even ignoring the big hitters like your Zeldas and Marios, it’s been nuts. 2023’s Hall of eShop Selects Fame really just highlights how spoilt we were this year.
From rereleases to new indie gems, there are tons of great games to download from the digital storefront. So, without further ado, here is every single eShop Selects winner in 2023:
- January 2023 – Persona 4 Golden
- February 2023 – Blanc
- March 2023 – Have A Nice Death
- April 2023 – Final Fantasy VI
- May 2023 – Cassette Beasts
- June 2023 – Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
- July 2023 – Venba
- August 2023 – Sea of Stars
- September 2023 – F-Zero 99
- October 2023 – Dave The Diver
- November 2023 – Astral Ascent
- December 2023 – Outer Wilds
Below, you’ll be able to vote for your favourite winner of 2023’s eShop Selects, along with our usual monthly poll. So get voting!
How we decide our eShop Selects top three: As we reach the end of every month, the Nintendo Life staff vote on their favourite titles from a list of games selected by the editorial team. To qualify for this list, these games must have been released as a digital-only Nintendo Switch eShop title in that particular month, and must have been reviewed on Nintendo Life; we select the qualifying games based on their review scores.
Staff are then asked to vote for three games that they think deserve to sit right at the very top of that list; first choice gets 3 points, second choice gets 2 points, and third choice gets 1 point. These votes are then tallied to create a top-three list, with the overall winner taking that month’s top prize.
