Mario Tennis Open impresses and disappoints, unfortunately, proving to not be the out-and-out champion many were expecting, yet still managing to offer enough familiar fun to engage fans of old and newcomers alike. Brace yourself for a brief single-player mode and remove all thoughts of serious tennis from your mind and it will not be too much of a let-down.

As of right now, this is a title that can only be recommended for fans of the original game, as Age of Empires II is a more complex, deep, and a better release in every way.

Disco Dodgeball Remix could have benefitted from some more thoughtful maps, but it's nonetheless an addictive take on the first-person shooter.

Both Hitman: Blood Money and Hitman: Absolution are a stealth gamer's delight, and a decent addition to the PS4's growing catalogue of classics. Veterans and newcomers alike will find something to enjoy in this diverse pairing, but the over-the-top price tag is likely to discourage many who are on the fence. Nevertheless, the remastering is good, and both titles play well on the system, even though there are no major graphical changes over the originals, beyond a resolution bump and some minor interface tweaks.

It may not be a game for everyone, but those that can truly immerse themselves in Shiren the Wanderer will discover one of the most enjoyable experiences the DS has to offer.

Day of Crisis is truly a fantastic pastiche of all the disaster movies currently out there, mixing cliché after cliché together, yet managing to just about tie all of its differing gameplay elements together to make one hell of a satisfying package that Wii owners should really not be without.

Front Mission 1st: Remake, like its predecessor, caters to a niche audience, and even dedicated strategy RPG enthusiasts may encounter the demanding intricacies in the gameplay. Every aspect of the Wanzers necessitates careful consideration, and resources can deplete rapidly, leading to extended grinding sessions to ensure readiness for impending battles. While Front Mission 1st: Remakeoffers a commendable alternative to the original, some may wonder if a snappier, HD-2D reimagining could have been a more fitting approach. The success of these efforts sets the stage for the reception of more ambitious upcoming entries in the Front Missionseries.

It might be a little on the short end of the spectrum for the price, but the replayability offered compensates for the fact that it is not a terribly long game.

Mercenary Kings: Reloaded Edition adds two new characters and expands the weapon building but the missions are not balanced for an enjoyable single-player experience. The amazing sprite art and animation is the real star here, but sadly not so much the gameplay. The co-operative mode is definitely how Mercenary Kings was intended to be experienced. The visuals and characters just barely keep this engaging enough to keep people playing solo.

Series fans will find something to enjoy, yet those simply looking a fighting experience with friends will find this to be frustrating. Considering the studio's history, and the nature of the source material, this could be a natural win, but this is something that is fundamentally flawed. The Story Mode balancing results in far too little actual gameplay, and too much time on slow plodding wanderings through uninspired areas. When it comes to the actual playing, the combat is just as flawed as the rest of it all. Slow, easy to abuse, and repetitive. The only saving graces are the retelling of the source material itself along with the combination of the signature CyberConnect cinematic battles. It's such a shame, but it seems CyberConnect has gone backwards with this adaptation, losing every step of progress they moved on with each subsequent iteration of the Ninja Storm series. Thankfully, the huge popularity of the series almost guarantees there'll be more to come with this series, and CyberConnect may have the chance to revisit the world of Demon Slayer.

A great stride for interactivity, The Devil in Me propels many aspects of the Dark Pictures Anthology forward, while retaining the choice-based storytelling that made Supermassive Games so popular. The setting, visuals and atmosphere are thick with horror and the story is full of curiosity and terrible darkness. This reviewer was so tense during the game he had to take breaks every few chapters... It's a masterful way to end off this set of games and for fans of horror media, add this to your library.

This is easily the best LEGO title released so far, and also easily the best Marvel game produced, full stop.

KINGDOM of the DEAD is nice. Sadly, that's all there is to say about it. Putting the neat "ink & paper" art style and unique synth OST aside, what's left is a way too simplistic love letter to mid '90s FPS games that just doesn't manage to impress in any way. Fun, but it's the one evening kind of fun.

Call of Duty: Ghosts is everything that Call of Duty titles have been in the past: fast-paced action and the usual competitive multiplayer with a few twists thrown in.

A good tactical game makes you feel dumb when loosing, Banner of the Maid makes you feel cheated, as it's less about forming a plan, and more about retrying missions to discover which exact "route" to follow. Add to this a heavy lack of balance, some annoying friendly AI, and a needlessly long length, and this makes this Chinese-born SRPG hard to recommend. Its flawless pixel art style, and sexy anime look are really the only things of any worth here.

The Isle of Armor is a nice extra chunk of land to explore in the Galar region that brings with it 100 past Pokémon, and two new ones to add to the list of playables in the 8th generation games. A slew of extra items and features making Pokémon breeding and training a bit better are also included, along with enough bonuses to warrant the existence of this DLC... but not much more than that. Nevertheless there's a sense that story content is kind of short here, and that having to pay extra to gain access to more of the older Pokémon, whereas past games included all of them right from the start, whether through Pokémon Bank or not, is not the best of deals. Still, this is better than having to pay for a full new game like Ultra Sun and Moon, only to have access to a bit of extra stuff. The concept of expansions is, at least, a better solution.

After the up-and-down rollercoaster that has been this season of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, Episode 5: Don't Stop Believin' has managed to tie together an emotionally-investing story. With an ending that packs quite a punch, this episode finally seems to have gotten right what the rest of the season had so far been lacking. By trimming down the poor gameplay movements, and focusing more on telling a better story without constant replays by cheap deaths, this is probably the best episode of the season. It is just unfortunate that it took so long to actually get to.

Near-perfect first person shooter controls, and solid online play make a game worth considering - especially if you're in need of shooting loving on the Wii.

A worthy debut for not only the series but also the genre on Nintendo Switch, Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star combines a solid foundation of enemy wave eliminations and territory domination with a surprisingly developed and engaging narrative, despite the various camera issues and regular jargon blockage. It is definitely a slow burner that fits well into a mindless brawler or an intriguing fable on demand.

Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 03: Vehicle Kit is the most challenging and intriguing to piece together so far, and the set that has the most longevity - their software/adventure pieces may not be the most in-depth RPG/open-world fest, but it's fun and puts the kit to good use. The wheel and joystick, in particular, are what's likely to carry momentum going forward - the Toy-Con that could easily be applied to future games and concepts.

Fans of frantic action and beat 'em up style fighting will be overawed by how intense Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge is.

If craving a punishing retro-style brawler, Slave Zero X has what it takes to test your patience - in more ways than one. While it nails the tone and equal parts stylish and grotesque aesthetic of ‘90s anime action, behind its cool look, strong atmosphere and neat ideas lies a failed attempt at channelling the spirit of a Devil May Cry or Bayonetta; one so weighed down by frustration, imbalance and sloppy execution that its brilliance struggles to shine through.

As much as there is to love in Star Fox Zero, sadly the awkward controls of various vehicles, and the horrendous forced second viewpoint and gyroscope targeting of regular Arwing and Landmaster stages almost ruin the entire experience.

Shinobi is by no means a showcase of Nintendo 3DS' abilities despite making use of nearly all of them, but with a compelling old-school gameplay structure, a rewarding sense of achievement and a difficulty level bordering on the psychopathic, it is a viable option for those wanting a challenging pick-up-and-play title.

Seems stupidly short at first, but then you start unlocking things and realise how much there is in there to get before you can claim you've finished. Online leader boards mean you're going to want to keep competing for a while.

While De Mambo might not be the most friendly platformer or accessible party fighter, its frantic play-style and unsettling atmosphere make it one of the most unique titles available for the Nintendo Switch. A lack of online multiplayer does stick as a rather big disappointment, but the single-player content and local multiplayer more than make up for a lack of global mamboing. Between dance-like controls and a single-player that's equal parts addictive and challenging, De Mambo not only manages to be an engagingly speedy platformer, it excels at it.

UNO for the Nintendo Switch is a mixed deck. On one hand, it offers online play and a new cooperative mode which are more than enough to add a modern spin to the classic card game. On the other hand, there's no way to play a regular match of UNO with just one Switch and buying a deck at any corner store would be more affordable. This isn't to say the Switch interaction and the physical card game are totally equal, however. UNO's presentation is top notch and it is fairly priced when compared to other Switch games. On top of adding in a host of rules and decks, fans of the card game will be sure to find plenty to appreciate in 2v2, the online, and the slick UI.

If there was ever a bullet-hell shooter that was also a cure for insomnia, Earth Atlantis would be it. Ugly, droning, and tedious to play; it is hard to find anything worse than this on the Xbox Store. While it is a functioning game, it is another example of poor design and miscalculated art direction that undoes any technical know-how the programmers implemented.

As Rifter is in some dire need of some polishing here and there, it falls under the category of those titles that are very good, but also hard to recommend to just anyone. Those who can handle its flaws, however, will get to enjoy a tough, and surprisingly fast, platformer that's built for those who love speed-running.

Despite being functionally solid and enjoyable, Rigid Force Alpha's lack of identity is very apparent.

One of the most disappointing mixed bags of 2025, there are so many cool ideas and mechanics in Greco-Roman-flavoured metroidvania Somber Echoes, but the way they were implemented kind of ruins what could be something truly fantastic. An intriguing story that’s badly told, neat platforming mechanics that are needlessly strict, exploration that makes you want to find it all and at the same time has you thinking if it’s worth the trouble, and, finally, combat that is great...but only when everything works the way it is supposed to. Fans of the genre should keep an eye on it, but be prepared for something that is annoying and fun in almost equal measures.

There’s something magnetic about Karma: The Dark World's unhinged ambition. It's a debut that dares to be weird and weighty, even if it trips over its own complexity. Karma is a flawed and very interesting gem, a game that’s as haunting as it is stupefying. Xbox Series X|S owners, beware of the atrocious stuttering. Anyone who is drawn to narrative-driven horror with a cerebral bent, it’s a journey worth taking, but don’t expect every step to feel steady.

The gameplay is very standard Little Nightmares fare, and it plays it very safe. Giving the duo weapons isn't as game changing as it seems and rarely comes into play. Returning fans will notice that this entry is only four chapters long; that's two fewer than the norm for these games. The promise of two additional chapters via a season pass is a mistake since the franchise is very story-based and tends to be condensed. The core experience is very short and most won't feel like they will get their money's worth with such a meagre offering and a vague promise that more content will come sometime next year, but without knowing what it will be. The base package is a little longer than the first game, but not as long or well-paced as the amazing sequel. Marketing material for the season pass promises that future additional chapters won't be necessary, but then, why even bother? It's a bad trap that makes Little Nightmares III feel incomplete.

LEGO The Incredibles does exactly what fans of Tt's games will expect at this point. It delivers a fun distraction that is great to play through in couch co-op, with plenty of extras to keep the game enjoyable for a long time to come. However, like Telltale, it has done little to expand or innovate here and the source material feels a little thin for this type of affair.

Warhammer: Chaosbane takes place in a forgettable world, which is annoyingly repetitive, and has more than a handful of rough edges. Despite that, the arcade-like, fast-paced action it offers, as well as its fresh take on the genre's standard classes, makes it easy to forget its flaws, especially when trying it out along with a bunch of friends - or total strangers.

Shuten Order is a unique and stylish murder mystery visual novel with wild narrative ambition, but its lack of consistent execution, pacing issues, and underwhelming gameplay variety keep it from reaching the heights of its inspirations. It could have been really good if it was about a third as long. Each side branch takes 5-10 hours when about two is the max they should have ran. Mystery fans and visual novel enthusiasts may appreciate the experience, but most players might wish for a more focused, narrow adventure.

A bit of a mixed bag really. This is a game that tries so hard to be sweeping and epic and whatnot, but just ends up being laughably predictable and generic.

A heartfelt confession, but an otherwise boring experience, Sea of Solitude fails both as a game, as well as an exploration of mental health. At times too symbolic and abstract to decode, and at other times very straightforward with its message, most will find it hard to feel the struggles of its cute, feathery protagonist and connect with her. This is basically like reading the diary of a high school kid. What is said within its pages is true and all, but that doesn't make it a good read. Even worse? The simplistic platforming/exploring/puzzle-solving that needs to be done here can even put an elephant to sleep.

It's still a somewhat barebones homage to games of the past, but Lost Sphear takes everything I Am Setsuna did right and improves upon it greatly. At the end of the day, it's a fun game with pretty visuals, an interesting battle system, enjoyable characters (that are well-acted), and a must-have for fans of classic JRPGs of the SNES era. It's also a testament to the skill of the developers at Tokyo RPG Factory, who made the game roughly a year and a half after their first outing, and will leave fans wondering what the team has in store for the future.

It has to be said that whilst it is clearly the 2012 game on offer here, with a few new sprinklings to make it viable for the Wii U crowd, FIFA 13 is a far better effort than the usual churned out launch entries previous Nintendo consoles have had to suffer.

Great art and an intriguing story set a strong premise for Raji: An Ancient Epic. It's backed by some impressive experimental gameplay and combat that has a few flaws, but it is far from broken. Playing as Raji is a joy and many Prince of Persia fans may see some things they liked from that series reflected here. Exploring the mythology and beliefs presented is an experience that only this has provided - a unique premise, if you will. It's in need of some polish but it feels like the developer realised its dream and with this commendable effort it's a shining start for the team. Raji comes recommended to all players looking for a new mythological action title!

Thymesia is a nice diversion - something that can keep you occupied until the next great soulsborne game gets released. That is its curse. It's a good game, with fast and enjoyable action, but lacks the immersive story and atmosphere, as well as the quality of level design and combat finesse that is expected from such titles.

An odd combination of automatons and a reflexive sport turns out to make for a pretty fun and addictive experience, overall. Disco Dodgeball Remix on Nintendo Switch doesn't quite have the player count necessary for a truly chaotic time online, but more than makes up for it with competent AI foes, a boundless list of modes and parameters to choose from, and sufficient offline options to enjoy.

Irony Curtain: From Matryoshka with Love is a point-and-click adventure taking place during the Cold War, that happens to be a light satire of the "Reds." That's not a bad premise, and Artifex Mundi's creation is far from a bad experience - but it's far from entertaining either. Most of the comedy is heavy-handed, the satirical aspect is very hit and miss, and the puzzle-solving can often feel like an array of chores. Lower your expectations upon entering - as if paying a visit to Matryoshka itself.

Psikyo shooters range from above average to good. Therefore for any genre fan, those tend to be safe bets for a truly good time. The fact that those six can acquired in physical form in one package, even outside of the Japanese and Southeast-Asian markets is a big relief. One can only wish that the full package was a bit cheaper on the eShop, however, since buying them all separately comes to roughly the same price, making a digital release of this package simply redundant. This also means that should only some of the included games catch the attention of anyone, at least those can be still be bought individually today.

Kirby's Blowout Blast on Nintendo 3DS eShop isn't going to be lighting anyone's world on fire, but it's a bite-sized little beauty for Kirby fans. Its short stages and score-based focus deliver a highly inviting title with extra replayability that completely captures the heart of Kirby adventures. While the cost is fair, it's sadly far too short and a full version of this would have been very welcomed.

Rekt! High Octane Stunts is a very lightweight stunt game. The casual play style, and easy to grasp controls, make it a decent option for children. There is very little penalty for failure, and the package is dense with unlockable content. It is a humble, often boring, yet endearing title that is easy on the eyes. The most challenging quality within, is playing for long sessions. Rekt!'s style is only enjoyable in short bursts and anything more than two hours will make players enter an existential fugue state.

Fire Emblem Warriors falls a little short of what it could be, or rather what it should be. The dull slog of the story, along with some awful writing, leaves a terrible taste throughout the course of the campaign. The post-game history mode is where the game does its best, but it's not enough, especially when it's lacking so many key characters and events from the series' history. For the New Nintendo 3DS port, it is impressive how well it runs, but the visuals look, frankly, ugly, something that hugely impacts the fan-service element. Those with the choice between 3DS and Switch would be wise to go for the latter.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers starts off on a pretty high note, with various characters and Easter Eggs of the older entries thrown in. Getting new guys and weapons is fun, but fairly rapidly some of the annoyances really start to come through and slow the experience down. From the very slow movement, to the largely repetitious maps, it doesn't take that long before it feels like players have seen most of what there is too see, and begin to feel the need to move on.

It proves to be a fun and inventive puzzle platformer that feels completely original within the franchise. The only complaint that can be levelled towards it is that it doesn't run well at all on older models of 3DS.

Hunt the Night wants to stand beside the gothic greats it so clearly worships, and visually it often succeeds. That said, its haunting pixel art and oppressive atmosphere can’t hide its many rough edges, as beneath the beautiful darkness lies combat that’s stiff and exhausting instead of satisfying, exploration that rarely excites, and technical issues that constantly chip away at immersion. The creation of Moonlight Games is not without merit, but for every moment that captures the spirit of its inspirations, two more remind the player of why these became classics in the first place.

Ivy the Kiwi? isn't the perfect game, but it breaks the mould by being different, and bringing with it some of the gaming styles that haven't been seen since the launch of the DS console.

An all-around solid good title that would be a fantastic gift for young children. Unfortunately, the story mode is very hit-and-miss.

The Legend of Kusakari is flawed from the outset. While the idea of a grass-cutting simulator makes for a funny one-liner, it's near impossible to create an engaging experience from such a simplistic concept, and it quickly falls into the trap of mundanity. It may ooze charm, and the love poured into it is apparent, but it's much more difficult to enjoy in practice than in theory.

Overall, Playgrounds 2 is lacklustre and feels too much like a mobile game franchise. It takes advantage of its audience and never offers enough satisfaction in return for the money, or the grind sessions. Ultimately, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a bad game, and certainly no spiritual successor. Stick with NBA 2K19 or NBA Jam itself.

While Megaquarium is fun and challenging at times, it tends to become a little repetitive after a while. A few more different challenges would help, while at other points it would have been nice to see an overview panel to make it easier to organise things. The gameplay can easily get messy, which is a shame considering the idea and the colourful setup. Nevertheless, the game is enjoyable and relaxing, and a player may well find themselves playing for hours.

For newcomers to the series, there couldn't be a better time to jump in. The Touch series knows how to mediate the overwhelming nature of the experience, with a friendlier interface and some hand-holding that helps level out the initial complexity. With that said, the most avid of fans, who play the PC releases religiously, may find the spirit of this experience to be too watered-down. It really depends on whether they can tolerate the compromises, which have been made for the sake of functionality and accessibility, particularly with newcomers in mind. Overall, Football Manager 2019 Touch provides hundreds of hours of football strategy fun.

This competent knock-off won't stick around in anyone's memory after playing it, but Bladed Fury has a strong foundation and the action feels satisfying to play. However, the droll story is a hard sell for anyone not familiar with Chinese history. The art, though, is very good - almost as good as the Vanillaware titles that inspired it. From a certain angle, it might pass as the real thing.

Subway Midnight's great, semi-creepy aura and neat, spookycute art-style isn't enough to save this from its paper-thin, and, in all honesty, very tedious gameplay, which revolves around walking, walking, walking, and more walking, with a little bit of puzzle-solving thrown into the mix.

Filled with a blend of quirkiness and near-constant humour, Mado Monogatari: Fia and the Wondrous Academy is a breath of fresh air compared to the myriad of doom-and-gloom-themed RPGs on PS5. The minimal issues teamed with a jaunty soundtrack compliment the entertaining personalities whose journey is a pleasure to follow. The future of Mado Monogatari games looks extremely promising with unpredictable story twists and fun battle mechanics.

It does its job well, but it lacks Brain Training's focus and accessibility, making it a difficult recommendation compared to the past iterations.

It is a real shame that Kitaria Fables is let down by long loading times and semi-frequent random crashes as overall the world of Canoidera with over twenty areas to explore is a charming RPG full of humour and clever story twists. There is scope for a sequel, but whether one happens for this wholesome adventure remains to be seen.

This game is torture to play with the Wiimote, looks pathetic and lacks even stripped down versions of features that other platforms have.

Dragon Marked for Death is a fantastic experience when played with friends - but, only when played with friends. The lack of balance absolutely buries the experience, making single player a horribly flawed one. That could easily have been addressed, or could still be addressed, in a post-release patch. Should this happen, the game would improve massively, and easily stand out as one of the most impressive 2D scrollers in some time. Unless that happens though, this will remain a slog, a wonderful game, horribly marred by foolish design decisions. There are a few DLC chapters in the works, giving an ideal opportunity to make Dragon Marked for Death the best it can be.

An amazing adventure story remastered in a slightly odd way, Syberia Remastered is not the definitive Syberia experience in its current form. The bugs and issues are overwhelming, but will hopefully be quickly patched up so it can function as intended. The new artwork and environments are excellent, managing to recapture the original art style and atmosphere of Syberia overall, but there are too many negative points to ignore. The core story will keep players invested, but perhaps Microids will need to go back to the drawing board on some of the ideas seen in this title before approaching Syberia 2.

Earth Defence Force has stuck to a formula, and when a different team attempted to diverge from it, things didn't work out. Earth Defence Force: Iron Rain is like a fully-realised Insect Armageddon. The story is basic, but the world is thought-out, interesting, and populated with likeable characters. The combat is crazy and bombastic, yet refined and more contemporary than its mainline entries. Every class has its strengths and weaknesses, and the addition of a practice mode helps players better understand how each one works. It's quite satisfying when everything clicks. Iron Rain re-modifies the series formula, but doesn't abandon the no-nonsense approach of the other games.

Heroes of Ruin is an average game, with much better alternatives out there. The daily challenges are nothing compared to the daily and weekly puzzles found in the Professor Layton games and they do not work as planned. For 3DS owners looking for a game with a lengthy campaign with some form of online play included, there are games that are worthier of the money.

Heartworm has a strong atmosphere, greatly enhanced by an excellent use of PS1-style graphics. And that’s it. That’s the only thing good about this indie survival horror experience. A survival horror experience where the only true horror is the boredom that will have to be endured while the protagonist runs around aimlessly (without anything posing any real threat). It's all topped off with occasional not-exactly-that-deep thoughts on life and death.

Unfortunately, a few extremely-frustrating problems combined with linear progression and repetitive gameplay means that the more sophisticated gamers amongst you won’t find much more than a few hours worth of enjoyment before you move on, never to return.

Returning to Croc: Legend of the Gobbos after so many years is a joy. The music and setting are as vibrant and fun to engage with as ever, and the characters that inhabit the islands are just as cute. This remaster is the definitive way to play Croc's first adventure and a worthy contender for best PS5 platformer. Nostalgia plays a hand in this enjoyment, however, so if a platformer with old mechanics sounds like a hard sell, give it a pass.

Between the terrible story and characters, and the poor performance on Switch 2, it is really difficult to recommend Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion. That isn’t said with any delight, either, as the level of customisation and depth to combat is something to be admired, but with only a dreary open world to explore, and no space combat to be found, there is a lot left to be desired. Mech-obsessed fans that can hook up for party play will find fleeting enjoyment if mission and loot-based gameplay is sought after. Other interested folk may need to hope Marvelous puts in a lot of post-release work to get this one up to standard, though.

Episode 2: Suffer the Children gets off to fiery and heart-pounding start in the aftermath of the previous episode, as the various characters begin to draw their battle lines regarding their own morality of the situation. Meanwhile, the actual villains of the piece, the undead horde, also get a bit of a morality discussion that hints that maybe they are just misunderstood beasts after all. Unfortunately, the pacing slows to a bit of a slog, with a boring middle act that does little to further the story - before the ending is literally lit, though the combat sequences bring this episode down because of how cumbersome they are to play; as well as the inclusion of so many of these sequences.

Dillon and his adorable little hamster friend Russ roll back into the Tower Defence scene with fresh and futuristic tale of Western adventure. Dillon's Dead-Heat Breakers builds on the previous games, heightening the action with intense races and expands the universe with an intriguing cast of characters/recruits. There is a steep learning curve and a lot of investment needed into the main tower defence gameplay, but it is worth rolling into in order to save those adorable Scrog critters.

Even the most linear of adventures cannot completely ignore the player's implied sense of possibility and wonder, without seriously affecting the immersion. For this reason, it's hard to feel engaged in State of Mind, despite its highly compelling story content. It might even be more enjoyable to watch a streamer play through it, than do it for oneself. Ouch.

Is Pocket Edition HD worth it? Yes, it is since it tells the exact same story with greater efficiency. It is missing a lot of the finer qualities, like the fishing and the attention to detail, in exchange for a more focused story experience that lasts about 10 hours. The lack of scope, however, really does underline how weak Noctis' quest really is when all the car riding and fetch quests are cut. The meat of the story involves running a few errands and a few climaxes later on, with only a smidgen of character development.

Oneechanbara Origin rights a lot of wrongs found in the early entries, yet it still feels oddly antiquated. The combat is riotous and entertaining, but the overall experience becomes monotonous after a few hours of play. Plus, it's barebones. With only a campaign and an endless wave survival mode, the game is slim on content, unusual since previous entries offered a lot of bang for their buck. It has a B-movie charm that's hard to resist, but other titles of similar fare have shown its possible to mix titillation with action to make a great time.

Nintendo would have been better off renaming this 'The Best of NES Remix 1&2' - admittedly not the catchiest title but it is not misleading unlike the actual name of Ultimate NES Remix.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is a mixed bag. While it's great to see the series return, the fresh coat of paint isn't enough to hide the myriad fundamental flaws with it that have since been addressed in later entries. It is fun in short bursts, the new style looks lovely, and Poké-fans will be happy just to step back into the world. Best of all, this may point towards the other entries receiving Switch upscales, and perhaps even a whole new entry.

Pokédex 3D is a simple evolution of the Pokémon canon, perfect for every collector and player of the series. Its applications stream far beyond the series and have wider implications for the future of the console. Conceptually the Pokédex is an old idea but socially it could turn out to be exactly what the 3DS was designed for.

Coaster Crazy Deluxe is a nice addition to the rollercoaster simulation genre and has enough content included that even the most avid designers will be satisfied with what they can create.

There's not enough originality to make this an amazing game, but the amount of spirit put into what it does offer, coupled with the depth of the cooking system and the volume of gameplay time makes this a solid RPG and a fun simulator.

Looking lovely and colourful on the TV or portable Switch screen, Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Overdrive is a quality little chibi beat 'em up that deserves a chance by any genre fan. There are plenty of characters to choose from and make available through various difficulty modes, and the ability to level up, unlock moves and build stats, compete in leaderboards, and battle in multiplayer means there is huge scope for replayability that not many other brawlers have. It can take a little getting used to, but once the mechanics are down, the depth and uniqueness in terms of each fighter is second to none, and the outlandish and just plain weird enemy designs give it its distinct personality. The one major pitfall is keeping online play at bay until Nintendo launches its paid service, which hopefully won't backfire when the time comes.

Liberation Maiden is a solid game that is pretty interesting and enjoyable from beginning to end, with good controls and great concepts. However, each of the five stages will take a maximum of 20 minutes and will most likely zip by far quicker than that.

Considering the dearth of Mech games, Daemon X Machina is bound to get anyone's attention. Rather than allow itself to serve as mere niche fulfilment, this rises above through a solid balance between accessibility and depth. With just a little effort, you can make the battlefield your own, cutting through countless enemies like… *sigh* a hot knife through butter. The variety of armaments, armours, and skillsets allow veterans to create a thoroughly customized experience. Of course, they'll have to deal with a rough frame-rate, as well as a dreadful last boss. In the long run, those are small fees to pay.

An excellent platformer that was one of the most important titles in the early days of PlayStation, beautifully presented here. With tons of interesting additional content, this is an essential purchase for fans of the original. Hopefully in the future, whatever is holding back the faithfully recreated soundtrack will be resolved.

As a relaxing life sim Rune Factory 5 certainly has a cozy home on Nintendo Switch. The dozens of hours of gameplay extend beyond finishing the main story, with levels to be maxed out, new equipment forged and even a new dungeon to explore, making the occasional lack of clarity of next steps a minor issue in the deservedly popular farming title.

Layers of Fear 2 is narratively brilliant but lacks some much-needed polish that would truly make it great. The game subsequently struggles to deliver consistently over the course of its roughly eight-hour length, but it is ultimately this short campaign and its thrilling atmosphere that saves it from becoming monotonous, allowing its expertly crafted story to truly shine. The game lives up to its name as a layered and nuanced tale of horror, making it worth experiencing for any fan of the genre.

However, Wii Karaoke U perfectly fits Nintendo's audience - it's clean, it's accessible, and it promotes fun, above all else.

Presentation troubles can usually be ignored if the gameplay is there, but unfortunately presentation is a big part of what WWE All Stars was supposed to be all about - over the top, arcade gameplay. Without the visual effects of its HD brothers, and with poor sound effects that do nothing to emphasise the action, WWE All Stars Wii feels like a shell of what it should be despite an array of interesting story modes and a wide-appealing roster.

Lost Sphear may be the homage factory it was intended to be, but thanks to mixing elements of yesteryear together in such a smart way, it ends up feeling like its own, unique beast. Inevitably, it falls victim to the age-old argument of "Is it fair to compare this to other games," and because it is designed to imitate those games, it obviously is. Truth be told, while some of it sags, Lost Sphear is one of the best games to come out imitating those highly revered titles, and any fan of those '90s RPGs would be a fool not to give it a chance.

The Batman: Arkham series has been of a consistent quality since it began with Asylum, but with not too many changes to the formula, it has started to become a tad too stale.

For those looking for something that is unlike anything else on the market, Squids Odyssey fits the bill almost perfectly.

Behind The Signifier's exciting facade, lies an unexciting walking sim. The story is pretty interesting despite its flaws, and the simulation of the trip to one's memories looks great despite the low budget used, but the actual gameplay just doesn't cut it, mainly because players won't really have to think much, and instead just go through the necessary motions required to move on, repeating the process for a couple of hours.

An interesting approach to a standard RTS style game on the DSiWare makes Amoebattle something that's worth checking out.

Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar continues to experiment with the franchise, in part for the better. The addition of the market brings a new element to the series and the core farming entertains and addicts as ever, but what lets it down is the lack of town activity. Without an invigorating community environment, though, Grand Bazaar doesn't quite reach the heights that it should.

Some of the things Football Manager 26 implements are a step forward for the franchise, such as the shift to allow tactical tweaks for every moment of the match, and the match engine is also noticeably improved. However, FM26 does not feel like an upgrade on 2024’s edition and that is down to a combination of the removed features and UI decisions. Too much information is hidden away, and the gameplay loop becomes about going from one fixture to the next and ticking them off, as opposed to before, when it became impossible not to get sucked into the drama of the world. This franchise has a fantastically loyal fanbase and they are good at seeing the bigger picture. Nobody can question the work ethic of the team at Sports Interactive and they deserve the time and space to ensure FM26 can become the first step in another successful evolution for the series.

While Coaster Creator 3D offers great tools, it is a very limited game experience.

Pyramids 2 is one of many games in its genre, but it does deliver a solid experience. While short, it does compensate for that with its level editor.