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.