Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a hilarious, fun, and attractive looking title, despite some technical flaws here and there that are quickly overlooked due to all of its intrinsic qualities. If anything, this is perhaps the one Rabbid game that will truly push the critters into the realm of mainstream on a worldwide level, more so than they have ever been so far, simply because they are such a perfect fit with Mario in that universe, in a way that nobody would have ever expected. It's challenging, for sure, so fans of Mario who are wary of strategy games beware. If even ever so slightly interested in strategy, though, and willing to sit through it all, persevering as much as it takes to see it through to the end is a complete blast. Well worth checking out.

Showing clear evolution over the previous games, as well as including some of the best features from the fifth entry, this remake is very good for fans that might have missed this the first time, those who want to come back with everything included, or for even first time players. Even those not looking for the massive post-game grind, the main story is funny enough to earn a recommendation for JRPG fans on that merit alone. It is a great overall package.

Two Point Hospital naturally plays better with a keyboard and mouse, but Switch suits this Theme Hospital successor wonderfully well. It might be difficult to read or see particular texts in handheld mode, and the controls can take a little adjustment time, but any management sim fan owes it to themselves to check out this game. Technical issues, a degree of tedium in base game content, and the fact this supposed all-in-one edition is still missing some recent expansions aside, the variety of stages thanks to the included DLC and wealth of silly humour deliver a fun twist on what is otherwise a difficult field to work in.

DiRT Rally 2.0 does nothing but improve the reputation of the purest, modern rally series out there.

This is an absolutely wonderful tale; a fantastic fable that makes up for every little flaw by giving the player a monumental amount of things to do and play with. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is a must play for Ghibli fans, fans of the first Ni No Kuni, fans of JRPGs, Suikoden fans, and just about anyone who appreciates a good adventure in general.

Whereas Project CARS felt like a finished and polished product, Project CARS 2 maybe needed another couple of months in development to iron out the wrinkles. There is undoubtedly a good game in there as the handling and visuals are exceptional, but it is capable of so much more.

While fans of character-building gameplay in souls-likes might find themselves yearning for more, those with a nostalgic fondness for Symphony of the Night will discover solace in this extraordinary experience, deemed by many as the pinnacle of its kind. Prepare to be mesmerized by Blasphemous IIs' mesmerizing imagery and the Penitent One's valiant crusade for purification. The frantic mix of weapon swapping and fast-paced exploration show that the developers learned a lot from their last game and have fully embraced the metroidvania formula.

F1 2018 will likely test the patience of the sim-racing side of its audience, who have increasingly high standards. Ultimately, whilst being drip-fed improvements in incremental fashion, it seems unlikely that Codemaster's F1 franchise will make any grand leaps towards meeting the lofty standards set by dedicated racing simulators.

Telltale Games is definitely on a roll, with Episode 4: The Trial & Execution of Guybrush Threepwood not matching, but actually surpassing the previous three chapters overall in order to help continue the great revival of the Monkey Island brand.

The few performance issues aren't enough to keep Lonely Mountains: Downhill from being a must-have for Switch owners, whether a racing fan or not. The result of this masterful mix of the beauty and serenity of nature, and the gripping challenge of extreme mountain biking, is a genuine classic, one with an insane replay value hidden behind its simple concept.

It may not be a terrific port, but Thronebreaker is a wildly addictive and relentlessly entertaining RPG-lite. The version of Gwent herein is the most fully realised to date, taking the core mechanics of previous versions and refining them into a malleable card game with endless potential. A beautifully written story and compelling characters make this a must-play for fans of The Witcher.

With new buildings to visit, more Pokémon to discover, plenty of extra challenges and mini-games included, and even a new villain to tackle, Pokémon Ultra Sun (and its counterpart, Ultra Moon) is the ultimate version of the already impressive Sun and Moon. Ideal for newcomers and veterans alike, the Pokémon flame is burning stronger than ever with this 3DS release, and it seems that Game Freak is hitting its stride just in time to deliver its first home console adventure on Nintendo Switch next year.

Octopath Traveler 0 is a massive game, with an abundance of content and exploration available. It relies heavily on a more strategic style of turn-based combat than previous entries, with interesting stories and characters in a nostalgic graphical style. However, there are times where the story becomes a touch too cliché and predictable. It certainly doesn't lack in polish, though, with a fantastic soundtrack and delightful HD-2D visuals and, apart from a few hiccups, it runs without issue. This is the perfect title to get lost in for hours and hours.

The Great Circle is, by far, the best Indiana Jones media since The Last Crusade. While its story plays things a bit too safe, it's probably for the best after the last two contentious films (Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Dial of Destiny). Indy works best when he's a young escapist character that men wish they could be. He shouldn't ever be depicted as old and tired, which has been a trend with many legacy characters lately. While Gina sucks as a deuteragonist, the overall adventure is so wonderful that it's easy to forget she spoils the puzzles. The gameplay is tight and well polished, offering classic action-adventure fun packed with puzzles, stealth, and battles to keep things fresh, all wrapped up in some of the cleanest, slickest production values out there. It's an absolute technical marvel on Nintendo Switch 2, and the gyro-aim options make it more enjoyable to play than on other consoles.

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is exceptional. It's always incredible to see what new ways Yacht Club Games is able to reimagine the same universe, and without fail, it does it in a way that makes the experience feel completely fresh. While the setting may be similar, Specter of Torment is so completely unlike the previous two games, both in setting and gameplay. Everything about it is absolutely addictive and impossible to put down, making it a perfect launch title for the Nintendo Switch.

No matter which way players choose to experience Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged, it's still a very compelling point-and-click adventure game with awesome art and animation. The compressed sound is unfortunate and the additions from the Director's Cut are sadly excluded. As it stands, there is no definitive version of Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars and Reforged missed the opportunity to have it all.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins is an epic, maximalist hack-and-slash that creeps into full-blown JRPG territory in terms of scale and scope. It's the kind of experience that is more than just an average video game and can become a hobby in itself due to the wealth of content and depth of the gameplay. While it is disappointing that Origins does not give players the full Three Kingdoms story, it's hard to complain when the core package can easily breach the 100-hour range for completionists. While some may miss the multiplayer modes, it was time for a Dynasty Warriors focused on the single-player, story-driven experience for fans.

BlazBlue: Entropy Effect X is one of those rarities that hits all the key elements very well. The core experience is great, possessing incredible depth that adds to the urge to replay. For fans of either the source material or the roguelite genre, this is an easy recommendation. From the art to the fun of making overpowered builds, players will keep wanting to have just one more run.

The developer has done an admirable job of maintaining the core of Epic Games' legacy, yet they have been unable to truly improve upon it. It is still the same cover-shooting action it has always been. Still satisfying and very crunchy.

Triple Click Podcast has been going on and on about this being one of the best unsung games of the year, and it's easy to see why. The ability to get on with, enjoy and progress through this title makes one feel intelligent, and there's even a touch of smugness that's attached to that feeling. On more than a couple of occasions, The Case of the Golden Idol requires some leaps in logic to reach the conclusion, in absence of having all of the information needed to be certain, and this is so well done as one will self-reflect that they are a genius for figuring it out. Otherwise, it is a very slow and rigid title that will no doubt be an acquired taste for many - the last two cases in particular are extremely difficult, and with little flexibility for experimentation it could be easy to run into a hard stop. At the end of the day, there is nothing else in the whodunit genre that represents what it was like to be Father Dowling on an intellectual level any better.

This is the Bill Bailey of golf games. An insane, surrealist experience that throws so much at the wall - often literally - that a lot of it sticks. It's inclusive, and enjoyable, to the point that anyone in the family can pick it up and play, while still managing to offer up a real challenge in later stages and on the online modes. Fun, funny, replayable, and certifiable. While this may not be everyone's cup of "Tee," no ifs, no putts, this is one you won't fore-get soon.

If there was more attention given towards improving what was already a great game, Dark Souls Remastered could have been perfect. Instead, it falls somewhere in this half-hearted limbo. Finally, it has a very stable and high frame-rate, but the collision and hit-detection is still unfairly off.

Forza: Motorsport 2023 is both a fantastic racing experience and an example of everything wrong in the genre at the moment. the driving is better than ever and the visual design is fantastic but the soundtrack, lack of local play and the small number of bugs did detract from the overall experience. It's got a ton of amazing content that makes up for the issues, however, so it is a hearty recommendation to all motor nuts.

Mortal Kombat 1 absolutely shines in its gameplay, thanks to some healthy tweaks to the formula, not least of which is the excellent Kameo system. There are flashy combos aplenty and some fresh takes on series staples, which are sadly let down by currently lacklustre online options and a less compelling single player experience, bar the riveting story mode. Still, there's so much fun to be had for players obsessed with optimising their combos and getting their fists bloody in the ring, but the amount of content falls shy of what we've been spoiled with in other modern fighters on the market — at the time of this writing, at least.

Nintendo were right to put their full muscle behind Monster Hunter Tri, as Capcom have delivered to Wii an utterly unmissable experience.

A gruelling puzzle-adventure, with so much hidden depth and challenge that hardcore gamers will rejoice from the rooftops. It is the game that just keeps on giving, and with tweaks to perfect the formula, now is the best time to pick it up.

Never mind the extras, Nintendo-only goodies, or even the, somewhat lame, and Switch-only, optional touch controls. The only important thing is that this great hack 'n' slasher called Bayonetta can now be experienced everywhere, and with next to no sacrifices in terms of visual quality, making this the best console port of this title so far.

In bringing the latest Rayman adventure to Switch, Ubisoft has given the machine easily one of its most visually stunning and enjoyable releases to date. Not quite living up to the moniker of Definitive Edition with increased loading times and performance hiccups, as well as a missing feature, Rayman Legends is still well worth the lower asking price to those yet to jump into Rayman's world, yet outside of the portability aspect it offers little to entice series veterans.