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.

As far as auto-runners go, ATOMIK: RunGunJumpGun is solid. It does not really do anything to win over anyone to partake in games like this but will be worth having around when there are a lot of guests around and can be a DJ understudy for the soundtrack alone. Maybe if the art was repurposed for a more interesting genre, ATOMIK could have been a real winner. Only fans of auto-runners need apply - for everyone else, just go and buy the soundtrack instead.

When beginning Night in the Woods, the game feels like it is nothing special, but this is the type of experience that requires and deserves a little perseverance. The main story pales in comparison to the real strength, and that's the characters and their interactions. It's these that people will remember. Night in the Woods is a beautiful, heartfelt and memorable experience and it looks good, too. The presentation has transitioned perfectly to Nintendo Switch. The strange cartoony art style runs in a constant 60fps in docked mode with full 1080p, which in portable mode it keeps the fps smooth at 60 but drops the graphical fidelity to a solid 720p. This is an adventure game the likes of which is rarely seen anymore and is completely unlike anything else on Switch.

Having an interesting premise and a wacky idea can sometimes lead to a successful gaming achievement, but unfortunately The Deer God fails to put the emotional care into what should have been a really moving and powerful story. Illustrating the concept of how wrong hunting animals are, and then turning the main character into a hunted deer in order to teach him right or wrong doesn't work that well when the entire quest focuses on helping two people get to a church, or hunting skunks for the evil witch in the woods. The art style is beautiful and it makes for some nice shots of the locations, but other than that, there is really no need to delve into this endless-platformer.

It was easy to see Portal and pinball going well together. As soon as thinking of the concept, balls flying through one portal and coming out of another sounds like an amusing and fresh take on the genre, and it is a marriage made in heaven, indeed. Pinball FX3: Portal is a blazing score-fest that keeps gamers on their toes and hooked fairly easily. Zen Studios has done a great job once again with a game that was sadly absent from Nintendo consoles before, and the team has done great in choosing what tables it would include for the Switch at launch, choosing wisely by including almost exclusively tables that did not feature in Zen Pinball 2 on Wii U in the past. However, now Nintendo fans are expecting all of the back catalogue to become available on the Switch, as well, in the future, so that they may finally keep playing these tables on the go from here on out!

Newbies and veterans to Starward Rogue alike are most certainly going to enjoy this brand new update, AuGMENTED. While the added content may well lead to many a sleepless night, which probably isn't a good thing, the enjoyability factor of Starward Rogue: AuGMENTED, random capitalisation and all, is well worth the sacrifice.

While somewhat flawed and sprinkled with some minor annoyances, such as treasure boxes demanding back-tracking to unlock, and a lack of a proper quest log, Cat Quest succeeds with what it has to and is meant to be – being a fun game filled with cat puns without ever giving the player reasons to forget this. It is adorable, quirky, fun, cute, clever, and cool all at the same time, just like the cats it is inspired by. It truly shows that oftentimes less is more.

It's hard to believe that Aperion Cyberstorm has a story with characters and text to read. Most of the time players will likely be fighting the urge to skip every line of dialogue since the story is completely frivolous and separate to the gameplay. Why so many interruptions for dialogue in what is essentially a bullet-hell shoot 'em up? It is this kind of unintuitive and backwards decision-making that has led to Aperion Cyberstorm in the first place. This comes recommended to those with sleep disorders.

Old Man's Journey is not as emotionally charged as its developer wants you to believe it is, but at least the landscapes that said old man will tread through are beautiful and fit like a glove with the vibe of each moment encountered. Unfortunately, what could be a nice and easy-going, if not a little forgettable, experience, turns into an hour and a half of boredom, due to the needless, and simplistic, puzzle-solving included.

More of the same as found in Book One, with the same beautifully drawn characters and locations.

Rendering an adventure in pinball form is something that can't really be expected to play identically to the original, but it is surprisingly faithful, and that is as much of a commendable effort now as it was over three years ago when it first graced consoles.

If the original base game, Cities: Skylines piqued your fancy, then this new Snowfall DLC is a fairly small, yet robust, expansion that should bring gamers back for more. The new management and maps, as well as the new update to all users, reinforces the already solid main experience, making it a greater purchase. Overall, it's a thoroughly recommendable expansion pack.

While certainly charming and cleverly designed for its short length, Xeodrifter ultimately feels too disjointed for its own good. Separating the overworld into four, smaller maps is a good idea in theory, but the disconnect between stages takes away the interconnected feeling of exploration Metroidvanias thrive on. Bosses themselves are also a big letdown, especially since the weapon customisation would lend itself well to more varied foes. It's even difficult to recommend Xeodrifter as a beginner's Metroidvania since the early game is far harder than everything that comes after. It's endearing enough and can kill an easy three hours, but there are better Metroidvanias to choose from.

Requiring a considerable amount of skill and muscle memory to master, TorqueL -Physics Modified Edition- isn't going to be fun for everyone, but it will be endlessly rewarding for anyone willing to dedicate their patience to learning the core mechanics. The arcade-like structure allows for quick, addictive bursts of gameplay, and a difficulty curve that demands an understanding of how the gameplay works. Adjusting to the cube's rotations and remembering what button corresponds to what side will undoubtedly be difficult, but the effort pays off in spades when levels suddenly become more manageable and attention can be given to the layouts of each stage instead of the controls. TorqueL is a tough sell, especially for those looking for an immediately rewarding or relaxing experience, but it's certainly worth the labour for anyone inclined to giving it a fair chance.

Bayonetta 2 remains a niche title that will annoy some and be loved by others. Some of its mechanics have been left untouched from the original game, and, most importantly, it's pretty much the same deal all over again... and yet, this remains one of the finest specimens of hack 'n' slash-y, brawling fun...now on its perfect home: Nintendo Switch.

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.

Where it works best is in its classic elements, but the open world needs a lot of work.

As realistic, historically accurate, unrelenting, casual-unfriendly, open-word RPG games go, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is probably the best on offer right now. It's only worthy of the bronze medal, though, as it's very far from perfect, and the amount of flaws at hand mean that this is quite the dirty kind of bronze medal.

Extremely well voiced, highly amusing for the majority of the adventure, complete with smart puzzles that mimic the best of the genre, and all for the grand price of…nothing! The Adventures of Nick and Willikins proves to be a highly entertaining piece of point and click adventuring goodness that definitely deserves a lot more attention, as well as an expanded sequel.

This is what an expansion for this series should look like - something that doesn't feel minor and can impact choices in many areas of the actual main game itself; even ones not directly related to it. While Crusader Kings II: Jade Dragon is certainly not quite as epic as other expansions in the series, there is no denying the positives it brings, either, making it well worth the investment for those that have been enjoying the Crusader Kings II experience so far.

It is understandable why AeternoBlade has developed its cult following. It is a game full of many good ideas. Unfortunately, AeternoBlade is not the sum of its parts. It is a good try, and even might be a game to admire since there are some interesting ideas involving time travel in what is basically a Castlevania clone. There is a legitimate attempt to make something that had some passion behind, but what holds this Switch version back is that it also comes with all the baggage of the original 3DS release. The developer did not address any of its flaws or make any updates to the visuals to make it comparable to other remakes or upgraded ports on the market. The Switch port is ultimately pointless, better played on the 3DS or PlayStation Vita since they make more sense contextually.

For the low cost of £7.99, this is a decent little addition to any Nintendo Switch owner's indie library, and perfect for a quick bash here and there. It captures the same simplistic addictiveness as Flappy Bird, but has the same flaws. It's repetitive and gets boring very quickly, so it's a real shame this new Nintendo Switch version of Star Ghost couldn't offer up new features.

A lesser game would have broken away from the standard Metroidvania fare by referencing Super Metroid and playing out like a 2D Metroid would be expected to. It wouldn't be bad, but it wouldn't be particularly special, either. Axiom Verge is not a lesser game, though. It strictly pays tribute to the original NES Metroid, but not once does it do anything with its premise that feels derivative. Any instance of homage is quickly subverted and thrust down a path all of its own. Solutions to puzzles are genuinely creative and the overworld is filled with more optional weapons and upgrades than actually necessary for a normal playthrough, offering an incredibly rewarding, explorative experience. Challenging, creative, and endlessly endearing, Axiom Verge: Multiverse Edition is the best take on the Metroidvania genre in years.

Aegis Defenders is an average, run-of-the-mill indie game. It had some worthwhile goals, like hybrid tower defence and action gameplay mechanics with Lost Vikings character puzzles. The most interesting quality is that there is a two-player co-op mode, which changes the dynamic of the game drastically. The real shining moments are during the defending the target portions of the levels, since teamwork actually matters and doing these alone can be a bit much to manage. With a bit of polish and tighter balancing, this could have been a real darling.

Wulverblade is a fine entry in an underappreciated genre. The animation is a bit of an acquired taste, but it lends itself well to the violent action. There are enough moves to get creative with, but it's just as easy to understand how everything works, even without an ounce of experience in brawlers or slashers. There are some flawed aspects, particularly the length of the campaign mode. Perhaps arcade mode could have been truncated slightly. As it is, many of the stages run a little too long. Thankfully, it never gets to the point where boredom starts to set in. Altogether, this is good enough to stand alongside the titles that inspired it.

In a crowded period for fighting games, French-Bread has come out with a very strong contender that should not be overlooked. Although Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st] is a port instead of an entirely brand new title, there is enough added here - and the game is that good - that it deserves all the attention it gets. Dedicated fans will appreciate the comprehensive chronicle mode that addresses the previous version's shortcomings, whilst the level of depth gone into enabling both casual and long-time fighting players to get invested thanks to the excellent tutorial and mission modes contributes to the overall satisfyingly packed range of content. A balanced cast and intricate combat system top off this stylish anime fighter.

The gravest mistake that could be made regarding Dragon Quest Builders would be to liken it to "yet-another-Minecraft-clone." That could not be farther from the truth as, while of course the similarities are undeniable, this game is its own thing altogether and does some things better than Minecraft, and vice versa. Both may well appeal to the same kind of audience when it comes to broad-minded players, while maybe both being so different will make Minecraft purists detest it and Minecraft detractors absolutely love it. At any rate, it is a solid experience faithful to the Dragon Quest franchise that suffers only from very minor gripes with the gameplay and comes highly recommended for anyone who sees in there something that tickles their fancy.

The story with Space Invaders Extreme is that it's brutal and unforgiving, but not in an immediately obvious manner. It's not like those danmaku shmups, where ships have to make pixel perfect dodges through seas of neon pink death. All of the challenge is in the complex and very exact scoring system. The infectious grooves and charming graphics could almost be considered a smokescreen, for all of the challenge and frustration that can be found within. Still, there aren't serious problems that could affect the player's chances of success. This puzzle-shooter is finely tuned and superbly designed. The perfect controls also ensure that it's only the player's fault if a run fails. All in all, Space Invaders Extreme is an experience as wonderful as it difficult.