New video games for May 9 and beyond: ‘NBA Playgrounds’, ‘Minecraft: Switch Edition’, and more

Stepping into a retro-soaked shooter: “Strafe”. Image: Pixel Titans/Devolver Digital via AFP Relaxnews

Relentless action in “Strafe” and “Butcher”, joyous exploration in “LocoRoco” and “Minecraft”, and a potential heir to a multiplayer icon in “NBA Playgrounds” await during the week of May 9.

Strafe
For PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Mac
From May 9
Screen-juddering, monster-popping shooter “Strafe” recalls the frantic, corridor-funneling beast slayers of the 1990s—Id Software’s groundbreaking “Doom” and “Quake” in particular—unapologetically mashing them with new century design trends: procedurally generated level layouts, unpredictable enemy placement, and a bucketful of self-aware snickering.
Website: strafe1996.com

NBA Playgrounds
For PS4, Xbox, WinPC, Nintendo Switch
From May 9
“NBA Jam” was a prince among multiplayer games of the 1990s arcades and consoles, and “NBA Playgrounds”, with its athletic caricatures, super-sized dunks, and variety of indoor and outdoor locations, is posturing to become its natural successor—if it’s got the skills. Developer Saber Interactive is known for helping out on the well-received “Quake Champions” and “Halo: The Master Chief Collection”, and the less universally adored “Battle: Los Angeles” tie-in, “God Mode”, and “RIPD: The Game”.
Website: playgroundsgame.com

Butcher
For PS4, Xbox
From May 9
Brutal, bloody homage to an ’80s action movie aesthetic in which the player controls Butcher, a cyborg robot whose mission it is to wipe out all of humanity. Again, frequently favorably compared to a side-view “Doom” or “Quake” and already available on PC, Mac and Linux via Steam, where it has a 91 percent. Very positive review rating from players.
Website: butcher.thd.vg

Bouncing, rolling, singing: “LocoRoco Remastered”. Image: Pixel Titans/Devolver Digital via AFP Relaxnews

LocoRoco Remastered
For PS4
From May 9
The adorable rolling, bouncing and singing blobs of 2006’s “LocoRoco” return in remastered form (high definition graphics supporting up to 4K resolutions) with motion controls through the PS4’s controllers. Well worth checking out due to the warm and welcoming reception given to the original.
Website: playstation.com/en-gb/games/locoroco-remastered-ps4

Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition
For Nintendo Switch
From May 11
Already available on over a dozen mobile, console and computer platforms, generation-defining video game “Minecraft” arrives on Switch stacked with Mario-related incentives: costumes, levels, textures, zones, audio, and more. Because of that creative element, in some ways, it even starts to overlap with 2015’s “Super Mario Maker” which, while a critical success on Wii U and 3DS, is not yet available on Switch.
Website: nintendo.com/games/detail/minecraft-nintendo-switch-edition-digital-version. JB

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