Nintendo Switch eShop gets beloved music studio — but with some key changes

This week’s Nintendo Switch eShop new games update isn’t thin so much as it’s lacking a big-name, marquee addition.

There’s Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story for the story-heavy, mobile port lovers; Hello Kitty Kruisers is out on Switch to make Sanrio fans’ and rare Wii U game collectors’ lives a little easier; and Jotun: Valhalla Edition comes to the console and brings Norse mythological action with it. But it’s aspiring DJs who may have the most to be excited about this week — although with some potential dealbreakers attached.

Korg Gadget for Nintendo Switch is a port of the popular music production software that’s developed and published by the electronic hardware maker. Think of it like Garage Band: It’s a studio that lets you play several different instrument sounds using different virtual synthesizers, or “gadgets.” Easy-to-read squares replace traditional notation, making this far more accessible to anyone who can’t play the actual instruments they’re working with. Exclusive to the Switch version is multiplayer music creation and Joy-Con support, which allows you to move the controllers around to change the tone or pitch accordingly.

All of this sounds like an inventive rhythm game for Switch mixed with a useful creation tool. But longtime KORG Gadget users are already disappointed with what they see as a limited console release. Unlike Korg Gadget on Mac and iOS, the Switch version supports neither MIDI instruments nor natively exporting your creations online.

“When you want to use songs externally, please record the audio from either the headphone output in the body of the Nintendo Switch, or from HDMI audio output,” Korg explained on its support page for the game.

Replies to this answer suggest that this is an “unacceptable omission,” as exporting creations is a key feature of Korg Gadget’s other versions. Based on the Switch game’s trailer below, it seems as though this iteration isn’t quite meant to be a handy production tool. Instead, it’s more of ... well, a game.

And here are the rest of the games out on Switch eShop this week.

• 12 orbits — out April 27
• A Robot Named Fight
• ACA NEOGEO GHOST PILOTS
• ACA NEOGEO STAKES WINNER — out May 2
• Agatha Knife
• Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story
• Aqua Moto Racing Utopia — out April 27
• Arcade Archives 10-Yard Fight — out May 2
• Bouncy Bob — out April 27
• DragoDino — out April 27
• Glaive: Brick Breaker
• Goetia
• Hello Kitty Kruisers
• Jotun: Valhalla Edition
• Korg Gadget for Nintendo Switch
• Late Shift
• Light Fall
• Ninja Striker!
• Saturday Morning RPG
• Save the Ninja Clan — out April 27
• Sky Rogue
• Snow Moto Racing Freedom — out April 27
• Sparkle ZERO
• Super Saurio Fly — out April 28
• The Bridge — demo version
• Tumblestone — demo version