July temps are hot enough as it stands. As a triple-digit heat wave prepares to blanket the West Coast, however, many folks in the U.S. are (unsurprisingly) retreating back into their air-conditioned homes. While it’s usually a bummer to skip out on sandcastles, swimming, s’mores, and sunbathing, there’s still plenty of wholesome, indoor fun to be had.
Manage to get your hands on a Nintendo Switch 2? The eShop’s Summer Sale is about to come to an end, but there’s still time to grab discounted downloads the whole family can relish from the comfort of your sofa.
Suika Game Multi-Player Mode Expansion Pack
Suika Game finally got the co-op treatment! The cute and competitive puzzle game, first released in North America in 2023, is a Tetris-y challenge for anyone who works best under pressure. While the single-player version is plenty challenging enough, the DLC adds splitscreen capabilities, intense timed matches, a battle mode, as well as a two-person item mode, where players can utilize sporadic item drops for an added advantage.
NOTE: You DO need the original Suika Game software to access multiplayer, but right now, you can score both downloads for under $6.
Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics
If you’ve got a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, you’re able to return to the aughts using the console’s latest Classics offering. Download a sizeable collection of GameCube games for no extra charge — beyond your monthly Nintendo Online membership payment, that is.
Once you’re ready to go, you can choose between a standard screen style and a CRT mode that’ll surely amplify the nostalgia.
If you’re a millennial who really wants to indulge your inner child, you can pick up the Nintendo Switch 2-compatible GameCube Controller. Playing SOULCALIBUR II with a Joy-Con sounds…just awful.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
Warm up for Donkey Kong Bananza with DK and Diddy Kong as they work to recover their colossal banana hoard.
This gussied-up version of the Wii title of the same name will likely appeal to younger gamers who haven’t tried the old-school Donkey Kong Country games. Rest assured, though, that this more modern platformer is just as maddening as the retro originals. Between mine carts, rhino rides, and barrel blasts, there are plenty of family-friendly ways to monkey around.
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Tamagotchi Plaza Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Don’t act like you don’t remember these bad boys. It’s OK, you’re among friends. These cuties look a lot different than our pixelated pocket pals we forgot to feed in the 90s, but Tamagotchi Plaza is a great way to introduce the kooky characters to your kiddos.
While the old-school toys might appeal to a handful of Gen Alphas or young Gen Zers with an appreciation for the “Y2K” aesthetic, you might be surprised by how much you like this life sim.
Mario Kart World
There’s not much I can say about this classic video game franchise that hasn’t already been said, and while the OG Switch console’s Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a rip-roaring good time, World manages to shine just as bright.
Dilly-dally in Free Roam, collect countless cute costumes, or embark on a lengthy, 24-racer battle royale-like competition in the all-new Knockout Tour. Gluttons for punishment can hop online for some ultra-challenging races, too.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
TMNT is a decades-old franchise that’s continually revamped itself for contemporary audiences, and Shredder’s Revenge masterfully marries old-school gameplay elements with modern controls and quality-of-life additions.
Return to the retro sewers you remember, snag a pizza slice, and battle Bebop and Rocksteady in this vivid pixel art homage to classic characters.
WHAT THE GOLF?
On a Silly Scale of 1 to 10, WHAT THE GOLF? cranks the dial up to 11. Players partake in a few far-out rounds of golf in this physics-based riot that’s perfect for putt-putt aficionados as well as skilled golfers. Whether your family manages to keep it cool or you ragdoll your way through all 18 holes, the family’s gonna be in stitches by the end of the match.
Disney Illusion Island
In Disney Illusion Island, players join classic characters like Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy in a stunning, hand-drawn platformer. This one’s perfect for families averse to more intense in-game brawls, as players can’t engage in direct combat. Enemies will still do their darndest to take down the Mouse, but the gang must rely on avoidance to advance, or otherwise fight back indirectly.
SUPER BOMBERMAN R 2
Like a few other titles I’ve mentioned, Bomberman has been around since gaming’s heyday. In the 90s, SNES puzzler Super Bomberman was fun enough that my family routinely huddled around the living room TV to take turns tossing explosives.
SUPER BOMBERMAN R 2 is a massive, more contemporary take on the same franchise. Rest assured, it still utilizes many of the cherished mechanics that many of us seasoned gamers have come to love.
If you’re feeling froggy, SUPER BOMBERMAN R‘s online connectivity allows players to challenge other gamers globally, too.
Survival Kids
Title sound familiar? It should! The Survival Kids franchise got its start just ahead of the new millennium, with its first North American appearance on Nintendo’s Game Boy Color. This reimagined IP entry is also the first since Lost in Blue: Shipwrecked was released for the Nintendo Wii in 2008.
Vet each download description carefully, because this one’s a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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