Nintendo confirmed its Gamescom 2026 booth lineup on 5 August, and one of the standout titles for Switch 2 owners is Orbitals — a Switch 2-exclusive co-op adventure from Japanese indie studio Shapefarm and publisher Kepler Interactive, launching on 3 September 2026. With Gamescom kicking off on 26 August in Cologne, Germany, the show will be the first major hands-on venue for the game before it drops just eight days later.
An Intergalactic Adventure in Retro Anime Style
Set in a wholly original retro anime universe, Orbitals puts two players in the roles of space explorers Maki and Omura, who must collaborate to save their crumbling space station from a supernatural cosmic storm. The game’s cinematic cutscenes are hand-crafted by Studio Massket and draw directly from the warm visual language of late-’90s anime — big expressive character artwork, bold colours, and that nostalgic hand-drawn feel. Full Japanese and English voice acting (plus eight additional languages including Korean, Simplified Chinese, French, German, and Brazilian Portuguese) keeps the presentation tight throughout.
Gameplay is an asymmetric co-op puzzle-platformer — think It Takes Two relocated to space. Each player equips different tools: the Scrap Hook, Liquid Launcher, and Beam Cannon each have distinct functions, and the two players’ abilities must be combined to unlock routes, solve environmental puzzles, and fight the storm’s manifestations. Solo play is not an option; the game is built entirely around two players working in sync.
The Friend’s Pass Changes the Value Equation
Orbitals ships with a Global Friend’s Pass: buy one copy and your co-op partner can download a free companion app — no second purchase needed — to join your session both locally and online. That meaningfully softens the pricing. A group or household only needs a single copy to play the entire game together, which makes the price tag a much easier sell when you already have a co-op partner lined up.
Local co-op runs on the Switch 2’s split-screen mode with two Joy-Con pairs, and online play works through Nintendo Switch Online. The GameChat feature lets you coordinate via the console’s built-in microphone without needing a headset — handy for sessions where you and a friend are in the same room but separated by a screen.
What Switch 2 Owners in Singapore Need to Know
Orbitals is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive — no PC, PlayStation, Xbox, or original Switch version is planned. The digital base game is priced at US$39.99 on the Nintendo eShop; Singapore eShop pricing has not been announced at time of writing. A Deluxe Upgrade Pack (US$14.99) releases day-and-date with the base game on 3 September and adds additional content for players who want the full package from day one.
The game does not require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription for local co-op, though online play does require an active NSO membership. Singapore players who are already online for other Switch 2 titles can jump straight into online co-op sessions without any additional setup. Keep an eye on the Nintendo eShop Singapore listing for confirmed regional pricing closer to launch.