Nintendo Switch releases new free game you can download and keep forever

Nintendo quietly released a free game for all Switch owners on the eShop a couple of days ago, and you don't even need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to claim it.

THE NEW DENPA MEN is a "consumer-operated" (whatever that means) RPG that allows players to collect little Mii-esque looking fellas by harnessing the power of "radio waves". Sort of starting to sound more like the description of a microwave than a video game.

This is actually the sixth outing for the "Denpa Men", following the release of last title New Denpa Men's RPG back in 2017 and starting with the 2012 Nintendo 3DS game The Denpa Men: They Came By Wave.

Given that there's already been so many Denpa Men releases over the course of a 12 year time-span, it's probably safe to assume that the series is far more popular in Japan than it is in West. Either that or someone at Nintendo just absolutely loves these little dudes.

Developer Genius Sonority are the minds behind this latest release, having also worked on the previous five Denpa Men titles. As wholesome as the series looks, it is kind of a shame that it seems to be the developer's ongoing focus considering their first two games were Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness.

THE NEW DENPA MEN seems to be more akin to a remake than a completely original game however, as it's actually a combined version of the two previous titles New Denpa Men's RPG and Denpa Men's RPG FREE.

Even though the game is available to download for free on the Nintendo Switch eShop regardless of if you have an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription or not, it does apparently require you to be online at all times for the game to even function.

It's also launched in a less than ideal state, with many players criticising its poorly translated text and "microtransaction-heavy" gameplay.

Still, free is free so it's hard to complain too much. The only thing you're currently at risk of wasting is your time, so don't let me dissuade you from giving it a go. I'm sure your backlog of currently un-played games isn't too big, right?