After cooking up extremely original ideas with the latest 3D entries in the series, it is great to see Nintendo apply this lust for originality to top-down Legend of Zelda, too. There isn't a lot to be said for difficulty, and, like Tears of the Kingdom before it, certain gameplay features can be abused to make the quest easier, but the key thing about Echoes of Wisdom is that it is so much fun to play. The 3D games got their much-needed shake-up, and now the top-down format has received it for the better, as well. It was far too long of a wait for Princess Zelda to get her playable role in the series that bears her name, but this is an excellent start to hopefully bigger things to come.

Amongst Deadfire's three DLCs, The Forgotten Sanctum is probably the best, as it understands the strengths of the core game much better, with a greater balance between battles, storytelling, and role-playing.

Cities: Skylines 2 is shaping up to be a masterpiece. The systems have been expanded to a point where losing an hour to planning power grids is commonplace and, best of all, fun! Building a sprawling city from nothing is as enticing a concept as it has ever been, especially coupled with the multitude of new features and layers of detail to rifle through. It will be interesting to see how the game develops in the future but if it continues the trend the developers set with the original game, well… This game will be a fantastic city-building powerhouse! Highly recommended!

Octahedron: Transfixed Edition is a brilliantly realised visual and audible artistic creation that demanded a lot of effort to bring to Switch, while preserving perfect performance in both modes. It is a resounding success on that front. Gameplay is also extremely tight and responsive, and the concept itself is addicting... in small doses.

Wreckfest is undeniably brilliant and refreshing. It features addictive, quick-burst gameplay, particularly gorgeous visuals and sound, not to mention surprisingly detailed car physics and handling models, especially when using a wheel. Moreover, its damage model is truly something to behold. Wreckfest establishes an intriguing niche, combing sim-based physics with arcade-spirited destruction and chaos. It's a real gem.

It is relatively accessible for a strategy game, too, making it even easier to jump into the game.

WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship does a fantastic job of filling the rally-racing void, despite the fact that it doesn't appear to have made many leaps forward from last year's title - but sometimes, making minimal changes is still better than making wrong calls. The Career mode is as fun and immersive as expected, and that's where the bulk of the offline hours will be lost. The updated visuals and extra attention to detail makes the races feel more alive, and the heart-stopping moments of avoiding a disaster on the track are as real as ever in here. Rally fans will enjoy Kylotonn's latest offering, while newcomers can jump in with an easy-to-learn control scheme. Whether offline or online, WRC 9 packs a punch with its many hours of content that will hopefully carry through to next year's title.

There is no greater thrill than interacting with the characters from some of Disney's greatest properties, and assisting them in defeating the evil ghosts is an enticing prospect.

Batman: The Enemy Within - Episode 1: The Enigma is easily the best episode of Telltale's Batman story so far. While Season One put the wheels in motion, The Riddler's return to Gotham invites The Agency into town to make its presence felt, while Lucius Fox, Alfred, and Bruce Wayne are still trying to fully come to terms with the events of the first season. The story is a lot tighter, and the animations are well-polished and cleaner, setting the expectation for what to expect throughout the second season.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is an FPS that makes a ton of good to great decisions, but also a handful of poor ones. Tightly crafted gameplay is marred by adherence to genre conventions, and the narrative gets off to a slow start as the game decides what it wants to be. However, neither of those are enough to drag this down too much, as it is simply too well put together and has more than enough personality and fun to poke through the layer of seriousness draped over the first parts of the campaign. What is left is a game that can stand as a very fine example of its genre, if not quite a groundbreaking one.

Its smaller scale and relatively simpler structure makes it easier to sink some time into than an even more massive JRPG like the Xenoblade titles, which may be more intimidating as a result of their scope. As for its minor setbacks, they are easily offset by its other intrinsic qualities, chiefly the loveable cast of main characters. Fans of the JRPG genre in its more classical form, but also of manga/anime style adventure stories, should find plenty to enjoy here.

Fast and furious battles may not suit everyone's taste, but the constant humour between character interactions and myriad of options to create strong tanks to crush the opposition make ConnecTank a highly enjoyable and unique game.

With Project Aces' first foray onto the 3DS comes a build that, despite a few engine hiccups, manages to provide more than its fair share of entertainment value, albeit as a sole skycrawler instead of a squadron force.

Though the difficulty is going to put off a lot of newcomers to the genre, the truth is that most of the love for this title is still going to come from gamers who grew up, not only with a yearning for an age where the achievement was simply completing a tough brawler, but for the age itself; when stoner humour was prevalent, and where, with just a little scratching of the surface, you could find real emotional depth and good feeling in movies such as Mallrats. Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl doesn't rest on its laurels, though, and provides as much depth in its combat as any Smith vehicle. The health regen through character switching also makes it far more tactical and rewarding than expected. Fun as a solo adventure, and a riot with a hat wearing friend, settle in with a chocolate covered pretzel, and tell them and as many others to check this one out.

Keeping aristocrats' clothes clean is a tough job, but the loyal staff are keen to fulfil their duty. The variety of cloak materials makes it possible for all the one hundred plus levels to all be engaging and feel a challenge. Their exact thoughts about their demanding masters unknown, there is no doubt that Puddle Knights is a novel addition to Nintendo Switch, with plenty to keep minds occupied in seeking safe passage in this puzzler. Understanding the mechanics is simple, but conquering all levels including the harder ones will take a lot of practice.

It may only last for an hour or so, but that will prove to be one of the most enjoyable hours of your life, as LIMBO truly lives up to the hyped title of being a real classic. Playdead's intricate puzzle-led 2D platform romp will infuriate many, but keep them coming back for more until those crafty situations have been overcome. It really does prove to be addictive and works marvellously in both handheld and docked mode on Nintendo Switch.

The Last Remnant Remastered is not for the risk averse. It features a lot of design decisions, and punishes anyone who dares to ignore them. There's also a massive learning curve to account for, as the intricacies of battle will require serious effort to master. Even this critic, who has logged almost 200 hours between all three versions, still has a lot to learn. Regardless, the various gameplay systems are all satisfying to understand, and the results of a well built team that employs sound tactics are immeasurably fun to experience. What else is there to say about this game? It's a classic.

SteamWorld Dig holds up tremendously well considering it originated on 3DS back in 2013. All these years later, despite its sequel surpassing it, this original has so much to offer that it should not be overlooked. If having never tried it before, Nintendo Switch fans owe it themselves to dig deep, unearth their hard-earned coin, explore Image & Form's treasure, and definitely make this gem of a game their own.

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.

A heavily stylised game based on programming is hardly destined for universal appeal, but those who do fall into its niche will find plenty to love about Human Resource Machine. Whether you are unfamiliar entirely with computing, or a professional in the field, the charm on the game's surface is such that it's impossible not to fall in love with the cute characters and hilarious dialogue, even if it's all over a little too soon.

Mr. Shifty's shifting is one of the most satisfying and enjoyable combat mechanics ever conceived. Teleporting through offices, smashing furniture and enemies in a flurry of kicks and punches is a wonderful visual spectacle, as well as an adrenaline-fuelled treat. Allowing the story to take a back seat so the action leads the way certainly feels like the best move in this case, but there's certainly some room for a more thought-out and quirky narrative. Meanwhile, some frustrating checkpoints can make the more frustrating fights that bit more annoying.

'90s-inspired card-building hack 'n' slasher Book of Demons is far from a perfect game. That's not the sad thing about it, though. The sad thing is that it could certainly be perfect if the developer used the full potential of this fine take on action-RPGs. Having said that, fans of the genre should definitely give it a look, if only to taste what is a labour of love that just so happens to also be technically sound.

Anyone who enjoyed Super Meat Boy is likely to have a good time with The End is Nigh. Both games are very similar, with the latter being a somewhat more mature and thought-provoking platformer. Ed McMillen knows how to make his games hard and addictive and that has not changed here. Sometimes the unrelenting challenge can lead to fatigue, yet at the same time that sensation of being worn out and battered is extremely fitting considering the portentous atmosphere in the later sections. There really is no other talent like McMillen working in the industry. The man crafts simple and easy to pick up games that are extremely difficult, yet at the same time combine sardonic wit, dark humour, and a foreboding solemness.

It has taken Nintendo almost 30 years to get its flagship side-scrolling series back on top, but that is exactly what has been achieved with Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Not since the days of the SNES has 2D Mario felt this original and fun, with the bizarre hallucination-like gameplay elements contributing to both the joy and hilarity all at once, coupled with brilliant character animations and a multitude of ideas that makes every level unique. Stages could have stood to be longer, and it may have been a good opportunity to go a bit wilder with the story and villains, but those are small complaints for what is an absolute blast from beginning to end.

If this really is the end of BOXBOY!, then it's an excellent high to go out on. Qbby's puzzling adventures in BYE-BYE BOXBOY! make for just as much of an addictive, brain-tickling masterpiece as they did in 2015. The amount of new material in the game is laudable, and it's all employed successfully: this is a finale worth checking out, be it by newcomers or veterans, alike.

Ring Fit Adventure gently straddles the fine line of trying to be an intense fitness workout routine that wants to get serious about breaking a sweat, while also gamifying movement through its RPG mechanics and on-screen actions. It can't be recommended to drop a whole gym routine for this, but it definitely compliments one - furthermore it could easily help people get into fitness from their own bedroom, or help those who are too busy to head to the gym after a long day at work. The graphical style might detract the target market that Wii Fit aimed for, but Ring Fit Adventure is strong enough to stand on its own two feet as one of the most engaging fitness games of all time.

Zack & Wiki definitely has the potential to be a rip-roaringly fun series on Wii if Capcom next time chooses to flesh out the story more and refine the control system even more.

Whereas in 3D Super Hang-On, on one hand there was great controls that made the 3D effect useless and on the other there was an excellent 3D effect that couldn't be used in conjunction with the gyro-sensor controls, here all of its great additions can be used combined together without any restrictions.