Absolum: A Stylish Co‑op Brawler That Knows Exactly What It Is
Absolum on Switch is the kind of Nintendo Switch action RPG that keeps things simple, then polishes them to a shine. Structurally, it is beat ’em up 101: side‑scrolling stages, waves of enemies, snacks for health and the occasional thrown weapon or rideable beast. The twist is attitude. Backed by Dotemu and Guard Crush Games, and brought to life by Supamonks’ vivid cartoon‑meets‑comic art, every punch and spell feels weighty and clean. The cast starts small, with an elven fighter and dwarven engineer, before expanding into more exotic heroes like a fragile living‑doll rogue and a frog mage, each with distinct move sets built around quick and heavy attacks plus mana‑draining Arcana abilities. The 8/10‑style praise it has earned signals a confident, highly replayable co op game on Switch: not groundbreaking, but a clear recommendation for genre fans who value feel and flow over innovation.
Kingdom’s Return: A Cute ARPG Meets City Builder With Modest Ambitions
Kingdom’s Return: Time‑Eating Fruit and the Ancient Monster sits in a stranger niche of indie games on Switch. Inti Creates blends a light action RPG with a very pared‑back city‑building layer. You choose from four sharply differentiated classes—tank‑like Imperial, spell‑slinging Wizard, utility‑focused Alchemist, or melee‑driven Zipangu—and fight through missions while slowly rebuilding a displaced kingdom with the help of Chronos, the Fairy of Time. Buildings you place from a menu directly boost character stats, and renovations expand those bonuses, but the underlying system is deliberately basic. The review consensus is that nothing is broken or offensive; it looks great and plays fine, yet rarely pushes for anything memorable or surprising. As a result, Kingdom’s Return feels like a pleasant, low‑pressure distraction rather than an obsessive time sink, best suited to players curious about a gentle ARPG/city‑builder hybrid that “plays it safe” rather than genre diehards hunting deep hooks.
Progression, Replayability and Co‑op: How They Stack Up on Switch
Both Absolum and Kingdom’s Return aim to scratch that Nintendo Switch action RPG itch, but they approach progression and replayability differently. Absolum leans into roguelite tendencies within a classic brawler framework: multiple characters with distinct playstyles, fast combat loops and an emphasis on running stages again to master systems and experiment with builds. Its couch or online co‑op (where available) taps into the Switch’s strength as a social console, making it easy to treat as a go‑to co op game on Switch when friends are around. Kingdom’s Return, by contrast, offers a slower burn. Progression comes from upgrading your chosen class and tying stat growth to castle construction, with single‑mission runs and overworld encounters providing a measured rhythm. It feels more like a solo, comfort‑food experience, where the satisfaction lies in watching your town and hero gradually improve rather than chasing endless replayability.
Who They’re For, and How They Fit into Your Switch Library
Taken together, Absolum and Kingdom’s Return make a compelling case for trying smaller‑scale Nintendo Switch action RPG experiences between bigger releases. Absolum is the recommendation for players who love kinetic combat, bold 2D art and immediate, arcade‑style gratification—especially if you have a friend on the couch and want something that feels like a modern take on Golden Axe with extra style. Kingdom’s Return, meanwhile, is better for those who enjoy tinkering with simple town‑building systems, testing different classes and relaxing into a low‑stress loop rather than chasing high‑stakes challenges. Both fit neatly into that “non‑AAA palate cleanser” role: games you dip into for a few sessions when you are burned out on sprawling, mainstream epics. Performance impressions focus more on art and mechanics than technical complaints, suggesting they are comfortable fits whether you mostly play docked or handheld on the go.
