Feature: Nintendo Life eShop Selects (October 2026)

Games. Video games. Good video games.

There have been a lot of them this month — too many to play, in fact. So if you're looking for the cream of the crop, and specifically the good video games on eShop that you can't (yet) buy in any physical form, you've come to the right place.

We've got six games this month that scored at least 7/10 in time for this showdown (and a couple more reviews in the oven which may qualify but aren't quite past the finish line at the time of writing).

As a reminder, these are Switch eShop games that don't have physical releases — which includes Game-Key Cards or codes-in-boxes — at the time of writing.

Our writers and contributors have voted for their top three eShop games of October 2026 and this is the result.

Honourable Mentions

Before we get to the trio of podium places, let's see the other contenders:

• Order of the Sinking Star (NS2) | Review: 8/10
• Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition (NS2) | 9/10
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (NS2) | Review: 7/10

Now, to the winners...

3rd Place - Mouthwashing

Kicking off our top trio of appropriately spooky releases, we've got Wrong Organ's Mouthwashing. Coming to consoles a couple of years after its PC debut, we had heard great things — great and disturbing things — and we weren't disappointed.

"Simply put, Mouthwashing is a game best played when you’re lost in its grim setting, feeling like you, too, are stuck on the Tulpar and living this nightmare," wrote Rhiannon. "Its rich horror is found in every corner of the game and through every tool at the devs’ disposal. So it stands to reason that making it even easier to get lost in Mouthwashing — without sitting at your PC — only helps the game sink its teeth into you."

If you're looking for something great (and, indeed, disturbing) to play over Halloween, get this downloaded.

Alternatively...

2nd Place - Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition

There's a Game-Key Card release coming, but not until next year. Therefore, RE4make REm4ke Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition takes its deserved second-place spot on the eShop Selects podium this month.

Ollie called it "the gold standard for modern remakes" in his review. "It updates the original beautifully, remaining faithful yet improving upon almost every element. The combat feels weighty and satisfying, the locations have all been expanded upon without feeling bloated, and there's enough content here to keep you coming back for years." If only we had that sort of time!

However, RE was held off the top spot this month by something similarly creepy though very different...

1st Place - The Séance of Blake Manor

Spooky Doorway's The Séance of Blake Manor launched to critical acclaim on PC in 2025, and turned up on consoles exactly one year on, just in time for All Hallow's Eve. Again. And we were very glad to see it.

Especially Roland, who gave it a 9/10 and called it "something special" in his review, but it's evidently had the same effect on the rest of Team NL.

"Its broad cast of characters, vivid writing and engaging voice performances make it akin to curling up with an interactive, supernatural Agatha Christie novel – one that will spook you just enough for a cosy Halloween."

If you haven't tried this elsewhere, we urge you to give it a go now. Not even the lack of mouse controls puts a dint in it.

< Nintendo eShop Selects - September 2026

What's your favourite October 2026 eShop game from our picks? (126 votes)

1. Mouthwashing (Switch eShop)11%
2. Order of the Sinking Star (Switch 2)8%
3. Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition (Switch 2)21%
4. Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition (Switch 2)24%
5. Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (Switch 2)10%
6. The Séance of Blake Manor (Switch 2)27%

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 three points, second choice gets two points, and third choice gets one point. These votes are then tallied to create a top-three list, with the overall winner taking that month's top prize.