Many indie titles have a formal understanding of retro pixel-bit graphics, chiptune soundtracks, and Metroidvania design, but few of them successfully build a nuanced and complete template around said formula. Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo is one of those rare occasions. For whatever design quibbles may lightly diminish the end result, Pocket Trap has nevertheless crafted one of this year’s best games.

Chicken Wiggle is a charming platformer that blends simplicity with sophistication into a cohesive whole. There may not be much in the way of originality outside of a slightly unique control scheme, but the "Best of" platforming feeling that the levels give off act as a reminder of not only the great platformers of yore, but how their mechanics have been refined since. Player-created stages add a much needed longevity to the short playtime and ensure that there will always be more chickens to rescue. For a game so ingrained in playing around with pre-existing design philosophies, Chicken Wiggle has a strong sense of self that other platformers should be envious of.

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.

Even though a bit harder to play compared to the original, the wonderfully designed puzzles, characters and music make this game a wonderful experience. Players that enjoy brain teasers without being forced into a time constraint will enjoy Katrielle and the Millionaire's Conspiracy - Deluxe Edition, as a relaxing and sometimes infuriating title - but remember that every puzzle has an answer!

MySims: Cozy Bundle offers two solid titles for Nintendo Switch that promise relaxation and a tad of creativity. It is the ideal game for those that like to bundle up in a cosy blanket and enjoy non-threatening gameplay.

What a hidden gem! Snipperclips: Cut it Out, Together is a definite must-buy on Nintendo Switch, showing off not just a fantastic idea with great puzzles, but driving home the team-work element that works so well on Switch thanks to its 'play anywhere, anytime' ethos. Sit with a friend, get family members involved, or even go it alone, play it in tabletop mode, portable, or even on the big screen - whatever the case, it all works perfectly. This is going to eat away at the hours, without a doubt. SFB Games and Nintendo have struck gold with this one.

There's something that definitely seems to be missing from Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest. The challenge is certainly there, but it brings its own sacrifices, as well.

Donkey Kong Country Returns has been translated well for the Nintendo 3DS, bringing more traditional control and nifty 3D effects to the well-received Wii release.

Mighty Switch Force! 2 continues to provide a very refreshing side-scrolling experience on Nintendo 3DS. It's one of the most addictive platformers on the system, with tricky puzzles and high replayability.

There is so much crammed into Mantis Burn Racing that its bland visuals and forgettable audio can easily be overlooked, with an extensive single-player campaign that brings together previous DLC releases into one handy bundle, plus the addictive local and online multiplayer options give it a massive boost, helping it overtake the rest of the pack and creep up swiftly behind FAST RMX and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in the racing ranks on Nintendo Switch. Perfectly accessible for friends and family to enjoy, yet also deep and challenge enough to give solo players great value for money.

Lapis x Labyrinth is all that a one could want from a rogue-lite. Countless hours will be spent engaging in simplistic yet also compelling hack 'n' slash action. The eight playable classes offer plenty of diversity in their skillset and play-style. Forming them into a squad and maximizing their effectiveness is lots of fun. The frame-drops are regrettable, but can be alleviated somewhat by skilful play. Oh and of course you've got to love the FEVER. Why is FEVER in all-caps anyway? It's because lower-case letters can never hope to contain its awesomeness.

Its premise may border on ridiculous, but behind its wacky veneer, Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido hides an expansive package. Despite its short runtime, there's a lot of charm packed into its campaign, and plenty to do once the credits have rolled.

The price is indeed a bit steep in that regard in this day and age, however the quality of every single release included is to be considered, as well as the fact that M2 handled this and did so just as perfectly, as we've come to expect from the people working there. It is a no-brainer purchase for Konami and Contra fans, especially on Switch, where portability without any compromises is an extra that can't be afforded by other platforms. Others who may just be interested in taking a first dive into the series may prefer to wait for a light drop in price however.

While it may be easy to disregard Blossom Tales as a simple Zelda clone, the amount of charm and effort put into making it wholly unique, while honouring its inspiration, is both admirable and deserving of attention. Its dungeons feature genuinely thought-provoking puzzles, its combat requires a fair amount of strategy, and its story's Princess Bride-like narration lends itself to copious amounts of charismatic story beats. The faux retro graphics won't win over anyone sick of the style and the first impression perhaps relies upon referencing A Link to the Past a bit too much, but Blossom Tales is an incredibly creative and wholesome adventure that knows exactly what it is, even if it isn't entirely original. If nothing else, it's an immensely satisfying scratch for the Switch's 2D action-adventure itch.

Balan Wonderworld is perfect for those who want a relatively relaxed game that delights the mind while not being overly tricky, fills up the cuteness meter, and rewards those who seek out every collectable. There are occasional frame rate drops and some potential confusion at the start due to lack of narration or knowledge about musicals. Along with what for some will be an issue with minimal lack of difficulty increase outside of boss battles and post-game content, this means overall enjoyment may be restricted for some players.

While disappointing in terms of content, Samurai Shodown's fighting mechanics alone are enough to make this a solid recommendation. As long as you don't care about not having an actual story mode or tons of unlockables, and if you feel brave enough to enter the unforgiving online portion of SNK's niche fighter, be sure to check this out.

For fans of Lovecraftian horror, The Sinking City is filled with... fishy details and lore that is used to enrich the world that Frogwares has created. Private Investigator Charles Reed must voyage through the deepest and most disturbing parts of his mind, as well as Oakmont itself, to find a way to rid the town residents of their visions. Doing what he does best, Reed must investigate and solve crimes while battling the horrors that jump out from the dark. While it lacks a bit of polish, The Sinking City is an otherwise weird and mind-bending journey, bundled with all the ingredients for a great experience.

Cosmic Snake 8473/3671 is a falling block puzzler that's unlike almost everything else out there. However, if willing to make time for it, players will discover that it's very addictive and enjoyable. The unique mechanics benefit heavily from the simplistic controls and varied pacing. Gamers essentially have all of the time in the world to figure out how everything works.

It may not feel like a 'full' sequel, more of a fan-servicing side-story or an introduction to the world for newcomers, but Okamiden proves that there is plenty of life in the series yet should Capcom choose to forge on.

FoxyLand is a must play for casual and more experienced platformer fans, with levels mostly being fairly easy to traverse, with fun puzzles to figure out involving switches and hidden items. High replayability comes from both individual competitiveness in completing a level without dying, and collecting coins to buy accessories, such as a hat or scarf to put on the fox.

The amount of content included in Disgaea DS is staggering. Not only are the game's core mechanics solid, innovative, and insanely addictive, but there's enough post-game content to consume hundreds of hours of your life if you so desire.

The Last of Us Part II's purposely bleak, pessimistic narrative spares no one, and offers a deeply engrossing tale of vengeance that grabs and never lets go. The production values, and overall attention to detail are insane, making one wonder what the developer will do when it gets its hands on the PlayStation 5. The gameplay and overall structure and pacing, while still not the thing that matters here, is thrice as good, making this a far more enjoyable experience, with a higher replay value from the original.

Coming relatively cheap and offering interesting new characters to play as, and most of them being good units, too, the Cipher Companions Pack is arguably the best DLC pack to be made available for Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. It took a bit longer to come out, but the wait was well worth it, and this ends the onslaught of DLC for this latest Fire Emblem game on a high note. It's always tough to know what kind of value to attribute to any kind of DLC, as the main game has to be thoroughly enjoyed first before anyone should consider purchasing any, but this one is without a doubt the easiest to recommend of all those released, due to its lower price and how good the characters proved to be.

A marked improvement on the first Falconeer game, Bulwark Evolution: Falconeer Chronicles is a creative and slick "city" builder, giving players all of the tools needed for complex relationships and resource management while succeeding in the goal of making a very simple control scheme. It's possible the game won't win over everyone with its basic systems, and it may not be played for a particularly long time, but for those it clicks with, it is an addictive experience. With its unique atmosphere and setting, this is the Falconeer game to get.

The numerous goals to aim for in time, and collecting nuts to increase the hero squirrel's wardrobe, provide a great deal of replay value. Depending on the strength of attraction to cuteness, hours spent playing this may reach above a dozen. The lack of tough to beat levels may put off fans of hardcore platformers, but casual ones will welcome this reasonably paced Switch title and its very cute, furry hero.

Fans of action RPGs, dungeon crawlers and puzzle games will absolutely fall in love with this game. It isn't a flawless title, but it's definitely worth the purchase if looking for a lengthy experience.

Another top quality retro game for Switch, NAM-1975 provides top tier multiplayer blasting action, a large range of customisation that the future Virtual Console would do well to copy, and classic pixel art. A short life span encourages quick bursts of play, but compliments its host hardware perfectly.

There are 12 hours or so of content in The Curse of the Pharaohs, and while it isn't all good, the pieces that are good, are very good. So good, in fact, that it takes Assassin's Creed Origins and puts it on par - or even ahead! - of Black Flag for best Assassin's Creed game of all time.