Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army not only brings back a classic but reverently improves on it. The updated graphics and voice work create a more in-depth story from the original, and thankfully the Switch 2 can handle every aspect with little to no frame drops. With a fancy new move set and an extra battle partner to boot, solving the Capital’s supernatural threats is more refined than ever before. Set your pace with any difficulty and join Raidou Kuzunoha XIV and his trusty black cat to solve the case!

No Sleep for Kaname Date is a side-game that does not provide a lot new in terms of gameplay, instead acting as an additional, enjoyable bonus story for existing fans. As long as a player goes into this not expecting the next chapter in the AI: The Somnium Files story, but an addendum to the first two games, then they’ll have a good time hanging out with Date and Aiba once again.

Starlight Legacy is aptly named, considering the legacy past RPGs have on today's adventures. It is accessible for both veterans and new fans who may be intrigued by older titles but don’t want to have infrequent saves. The use of quality of life improvements elevates the classic look of retro RPGs and creates a captivating humorous tale so good a sequel is hoped for.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom - Prince’s Edition is a marvellous JRPG achievement, boasting a gorgeous Ghibli-fied visual style, compelling story and engaging real-time combat. The transition from turn-based battles to a real-time action-RPG is a welcome one that pays off marvellously, culminating in a unique sense of style that’s as enjoyable as it is refreshing. For Switch 2 players, the excellent performance is another great reason to pick this one up, with a steady 60 frames per second serving to make this charming adventure all the more engrossing.

As is very common in video games, what the press hailed as one of "The Best Games of the Year!!1" was forgotten a few months after its release. No, Divine Divinity is far from one of the best the ARPG genre has to offer. The good news? If you can stomach its flaws, you’ll receive a 70+ hour, immersive and occasionally funny experience. An old-school classic, though? Nope.

Hitman: World of Assassination delivers easily some of the most entertaining gameplay of all titles released on Nintendo Switch 2 during its launch window. For all its ridiculously hilarious possibilities that go almost as far as imagination will allow for, this may well be the ideal recommendation for those after a solo game that will provide dozens of hours of enjoyment up until the next big release on the system. The one big caveat, however, is the online requirement that causes halts and crashes, and locks out a large chunk of content. It is a huge blemish on what is a cracker of a package.

It is clear that Serpentcoil Island was largely made for longtime fans of the series. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and players who already love Shiren and can embrace the high-stakes risk-reward loop should welcome him back to the gaming landscape with open arms. Serpentcoil Island offers intense dungeon crawling with minimal frills, and there definitely is an audience that will gobble this up and come back for more. However, for newcomers or casual players, the learning curve will likely prove too steep and the payoff feels like too much of a trek to get to. Even experienced roguelike players who have come to enjoy the genre’s modern expansions may find this new Shiren a bit too dated in design to hold interest. It feels like it will enthrall certain audiences and bore others to tears, with very little middle ground between those two extremes.

The Nintendo Switch version of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix suffers from its reliance on cloud streaming, which introduces input lag, connectivity dependence, and performance issues that undermine the series’ fast-paced combat and the Switch’s portable appeal. The high price, risk of server shutdowns, and failure to deliver native ports for games that could feasibly run on Switch hardware further sour the experience. While the cloud tech can be effective in ideal conditions, these conditions are rare, and this version pales in comparison to native ports on other platforms. Some of the entries in this compilation are classics on PlayStation 2. It was understandable that the demanding Kingdom Hearts III made in Unreal Engine 4 might not be feasible on Nintendo Switch, but there was no excuse for the much older titles.

Having transformed considerably since its early bug-filled days, Disney Dreamlight Valley provides dozens of hours of enjoyable play on Nintendo Switch. Regular events and a rotating shop of cosmetic additions mean there is always something new around the corner. Being able to fish with Donald and take walks with Minnie and Ariel in human form brings an immeasurable amount of joy, and looks set to do so for the foreseeable future.

The cloud version of Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind on Nintendo Switch cripples its combat mechanics with input lag, unstable framerates, server disconnects, and visual compression, turning a kinetic, spectacle-driven system into a sluggish, frustrating experience. The issues are compounded by the inability to play offline, which clashes with the Nintendo Switch’s portability and the game’s reliance on precise, fast-paced inputs. While the core game remains engaging when it works, the cloud infrastructure’s unreliability makes it near-unplayable for many, especially in combat-heavy scenarios. For the best experience, Kingdom Hearts III is better played on anything else where native versions deliver the intended fluidity without these technical barriers. When it works, it almost works, but lag, stuttering, and connectivity issues make fighting Heartless feel like battling the servers instead.

PC gamers may have been enjoying System Shock 2 for decades, but now it's time for console owners to get in on the fun. There is no escaping the fact that this is a true PC experience. The UI and menu system are intertwined with using a mouse, and try as they might, Nightdive Studios' method works as best as it possibly can. There was a very good reason why BioShock had to streamline a lot of the features from its progenitors. These developers are wizards for making it work at all. Some of the early game may feel a bit floaty and could put off some players, but sticking with it is unbelievably rewarding as the protagonist becomes a cybernetic monstrosity. Sometimes it's better to become one with the machine than to fight it.

Worms Armageddon may not be as compelling on the content front as sequel Worms WMD, and it is a missed opportunity to not make use of the touch screen for map creation, but this is still classic Worms at its finest. The range of customisation options and trademark humour go hand in hand to ensure this is always going to be a game to come back to when pining for wriggly multiplayer warfare.

To a T is a mixed bag. It’s a nice little cosy game that doesn’t ask a lot of the player, but it has control issues that take away from the fun. The story is okay and, depending on your sense of humour, you may even find it funny, but at the same time, it can be a bit too simple and hard to judge who it is designed for. At the very least, you will remember the opening theme, even if the game itself isn’t in perfect shape.

Covenant of Solitude has the relaxing feel attributed to most KEMCO titles, alongside the usual twists and at times quite dark events. The customisable main party members adds an enjoyable change to the standard stereotypical lineup. It may lack additional features of newer titles, but that doesn’t diminish the intriguing plot or the joy of exploring the varied dungeons.

Kudzu is a throwback to adventure games on the Game Boy, and can be played on an actual Game Boy. It does not do a whole lot original within the genre, and in some places is a little dated, but as a homage to the '90s it succeeds.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii offers a fresh, naval-themed take on the well-established series template, with some enjoyable new additions and some of the series’ greatest hits when it comes to side activities. It’s a pleasure to play as Goro Majima again, even if the story here isn’t as compelling as mainline entries. It’s a must-play for those who already enjoy the series, and offers something different enough to encourage a look from those who don’t (yet).

Capcom’s decision to finally localise Prosecutor's Gambit is a tacit acknowledgment of fan dedication and an unspoken apology for its decade-long absence. The result is a collection that completes a vital piece of the Ace Attorney canon, proving that the wait was ultimately worth it. This superb duology is a must-own for any adventure game enthusiast or for anyone who enjoys tense stories about battles of wits and cunning. Sometimes, the most epic showdowns are two people outsmarting each other in a courtroom.

Black Myth: Wukong surpasses all of its predecessors and leads the genre with fantastic boss battles, beautiful visuals and an engaging lore to base its game around. Veterans will gasp at their precious Elden Ring being toppled, but this, in all respects, is the true (monkey) king.

Final Fantasy XVI represents another step toward the event horizon of the branding's identity utterly collapsing. It isn't a bad game, but it fails to connect on a deeper and emotional level than what its past successes achieved. This is largely due to a weak supporting cast that lacks presence and a melodramatic lead who rarely gets chances to have any fun. For all of its faults, Final Fantasy XV attempted to throw whatever it could at players to create a varied experience. Final Fantasy XVI has a few tricks, and they're action and cinematic set-pieces. After about 20 hours, it becomes tiring, and after that the next 20 hours become utterly mind-numbing. It wouldn't be so bad if the fighting were deeper and the level design more fun.

There are better rhythm games out there, but people who like the genre are going to find a solid title here; people who like Avicii’s work are going to find a solid title here; and people who like to see a lot of colours, lights and sounds while cruising a spaceship to music—at breakneck speed or as casually as they want—will want to check this one out, too.

Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition is a titan of a game to get to grips with on Switch 2, in both overall complexity and controls. That scale is both a blessing and a curse. For fans of the genre it has everything expected, and the historical depth of the Sengoku period means it brings a wealth of fun for those invested in this point in history. The strategic chops it boasts are well designed and do the job expected of putting the player into the shoes of developing and expanding their land. With that depth, however, the learning curve can be overwhelming, and frankly if this was released on the original Switch it would be hard to recommend simply due to the difficulty of actually navigating the controls. While not all those complications are inherently solved by mouse controls on Switch 2, the addition of them transforms this tricky console adaptation into something that at least rivals its PC counterpart and thus becomes a much more enticing proposition.

Glover was an ambitious and unique concept back in 1998. Ultimately, it's where the game should remain. It is a shame – with improved controls and tweaks to the design, it could have shown the concept in its best possible light. The badge of a "remaster" really does not qualify as the Nintendo Switch edition feels very much a cash-grab that's building on Nintendo nostalgia. Unless you've got a fondness for Glover, it's difficult to recommend diving into this Nintendo 64 gem in 2025.

Whilst some of the fundamentals that make a Wadjet Eye Game so special are included here, and there is a level of enjoyment to be had, Old Skies fails to hit the mark in more ways than expected. Long-term fans will likely persevere to the end because there is indeed enough of a hook and there are plenty of little in-jokes/references included. Old Skies should have been the most open escapade yet from the team. However - convoluted gameplay, unsatisfactory puzzle mechanics, frustrating new inclusions, a plot with unnecessary elements, and a surprising amount of linearity all leave this feeling rather anticlimactic overall. Bring back the days of Blackwell.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is a good time but comes off as a bland cozy anime game. It’s got heart, a likeable cast, and a world to get lost in for a while. It’s not the series’ best, nor does it outshine its contemporaries like Harvestella. It’s a game that swings big by leaning into combat, lands some hits, and stumbles on others. Azuma is a Rune Factory side game that is seemingly made for those who don't care for the farm life and want to wail on yokai with a sword.

Dragon is Dead doesn’t exactly revolutionise the side-scrolling platformer, but between the vast skill trees, plethora of items and their effects, and different player classes, every run feels unique. Even different styles of the same character can feel like playing a completely different game, and the roguelite structure ensures players can pour countless hours into honing a playstyle they really like—or throw caution to the wind and let the RNG give them whatever it wants. A few visual bugs mar an otherwise beautiful game, and the core level design could stand to be less formulaic, but players will likely be too addicted to the gameplay loop to notice.

It is hoped a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Pinball FX is in the works because Tomb Raider Pinball suffers from the graphical downgrade when compared to its other system counterparts. Sadly, the tables themselves are disappointing, with Adventures of Lara Croft being a hugely frustrating pinball experience that can be difficult to get to grips with. Secrets of Croft Manor fares more positively, but for such an iconic franchise, this pack should have been much more than what it is.

One thing Blade Assault does right is that by the end players will feel sufficiently powerful with lightning and projectiles flying off of them at all sides. This alone would be redeeming, except powers are so limited that every run is going to end up nearly exactly the same. The general repetition in levels, power and challenge kill any long term enjoyment. It is fun for a quick romp, but hardly recommended in the growing field of roguelike games.

7 Days to Die previously needed a lot of work. It is now in a playable and downright fun state, with a strong crafting and scavenging element that often makes sense and keeps immersion in the survival setting. Zombies become more dangerous as time goes on, but so does the player, as long as they balance their survival with scavenging for better equipment and learning new skills, and 7 Days to Die does a better job staving off the difficulty plateau many survival games eventually succumb to. Following updates, the gameplay is sturdy and solid, built off of an already fun foundation.