Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble really lets you flex on ’em, and for that reason – but not only that reason – I had a blast with this game. It feels like a solid step forward in the Monkey Ball series, and one that packs in enough novelty to refresh the franchise’s ever-appealing ball rolling action. AiAi is a timeless hero, and he continues to charm in the modern era.

Chaos Theory Games has made a name for its educational approach to games, with many of its projects being under the “serious games” label. Crab God is a happy medium, combining more “mainstream” strategy gameplay with a strong underlying message about the importance of biodiversity, and protecting the oceans we rely on. It’s a funny, engaging little sim game, but one that shares a deeper message we should all take time to absorb.

It’s a magnificent piece of art, and does exactly what a DLC should do: accents the main game without feeling out of balance with the original’s level of flash, flair and creativity...The characters, landscapes and goals are all impactful in the right way, and truly there’s no other DLC in recent memory that has captured that essence. Devotees of Elden Ring will adore it, and who knows: maybe it will be just the right incentive for folks who haven’t finished the main game to get their characters into gear.

If you’re as thalassophobic as I am, you play in the dark and you live alone? Well, you’ll definitely still get a lot out of it, but you’ll also score a temporary paranoia that renders every shadow and rustling noise in your house a potential threat – in the best way.

On the pure charm of Sushi Bot, and his tiny little reactions, Rolling Hills is bright and breezy to play. For those familiar with Diner Dash, there is also elements of nostalgia in the sushi delivery process. A sense of repetition and a slower pace does mean Rolling Hills isn’t particularly gripping or challenging after hours of gameplay – but regardless, there’s plenty of fun and comfort to be found in this light-hearted sim.

On top of the mountain, you can gaze at your lands and behold their beauty. But if you’re looking for a greater reward, or a reason to strive further towards the horizon, Blockbuster Inc. won’t quite satisfy your deepest desires. With hearty sim gameplay that still provides plenty of hours of rewarding complexity, it remains a fantastic spiritual successor to The Movies – but it does feel like it should comprise higher mountains to climb.

It’s hard to deny that the minute-to-minute gameplay is just a whole lot of fun. The varied mechanics of each class, and the deep bench of weapon customisation, will offer something to keep the wheel spinning. If nothing else, that the game is free helps clear the hurdle of getting your mates to drop in – especially in the face of Call of Duty’s premium price tag – even if only for a month or two.

Again, it’s worth mentioning that Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is a very short game. It’s intentionally cinematic in nature, and tells a very punchy tale over its runtime. But even with its short length, developer Happy Broccoli Games has delivered a worthy experience – a layered detective tale with neat mechanics, wonderful characters, and a buoyant sense of charm.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for Nintendo Switch does an excellent job of letting the quirks of the original game shine, in a refreshed release that feels perfect for newcomers and Paper Mario veterans alike.

Though the combat and puzzles didn’t feel new enough to really lift to the next level, and devotees of the original might feel a bit let down by the lack of a real leap forward when it comes to those elements, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II dazzles in the mere existence of a full, well-rounded world – a world where reality and fantasy collide just as often outside Senua’s mind as it does inside.

Love and care shine through with every fold, making Paper Trail feel like a living work of art. Its greatest puzzles take time to solve, but at every turn, there’s reason to forge ahead, and to devote yourself further to its beautiful, pastel world.

It’s a game made for people who already love cats, and it’s probably not going to convert your one uncle who’s a bit weird about how much he hates them (you know the one). But if you love your weird little guys, here’s a game made by people who clearly love them, too.

I feel like I could write 5000 words about 1000xRESIST and still feel like I hadn’t really properly conveyed what kind of game this is, or why, exactly, I came away from it with such fond feelings. All I can say, really, is that I think it’s great. Shaggy, weird, a little annoying sometimes… but nevertheless, truly great. Glory to the ALLMOTHER.

While the game feels like a filler episode, particularly as you trample through the same patches of deserts and other terrains, completing similar quests with similar goals, it remains a pleasant experience, thanks to its stylistic touches. It might not be a perfect adaptation of Sand Land, but for those who wish to inhabit its world and expand the tale of the iconic manga, it’s a fine road trip that brims with enough style and personality to paper over its biggest flaws.

This is inevitably going to be a divisive title. There’s no two ways about it – we’ve already seen exhaustive social posts bemoaning certain aspects (and assets) of the game. And while a lot of that criticism has justifiable ground, there is still a lot to enjoy once you get past the flashes of flesh. Personally, I found Stellar Blade to be a solid, engaging experience. Regardless of how often I booted it up, I’d still laugh at the fact that “ponytail length” found itself a home in the main settings menu (I’m on team Short Ponytail, for what it’s worth), and it’ll never get old seeing EVE draw a full-length sword out of said ponytail.

SUMMERHOUSE is not for everyone. It was for me.

I truly loved the first two-thirds of Tales of Kenzera: ZAU and it saddens me that I felt the opposite for the remainder of it.

Despite this path being surprisingly linear, with many of the game’s main questlines being simple, and playing out in long, dialogue-heavy segments, Harold Halibut maintains a deep sense of intrigue, and a richness of character growth. It’s an excellent, layered exploration of purpose, and where we fit into the fabric of the universe – one that is much bigger than we may ever comprehend.

You may trample your own path through the post-apocalypse, but you must be ready to accept the consequences. In exploring this concept, and allowing human morals and values to shape each individual journey through the post-apocalypse, the tale of Broken Roads lands with a devastating impact.

Botany Manor really surprised me. It’s a small game, comprising of around five or six hours, but one without an ounce of fat on it. The team at Balloon Studios designed a faultlessly tight experience that I really cannot say anything negative about.

It takes a village to raze children. Or something like that. So, enjoy the brief fantasy that is being able to finally do it all, and so vigorously.

The mere fact that Open Roads does not feel like an exciting new perspective for a game to offer is weirdly encouraging – and perhaps, for some players, this will tap into something in their lived experience that makes it all the more compelling. But Open Roads simply isn’t a road trip that everyone needs to take.

Fans of the original will see growth, while newcomers will be treated to an extremely fulfilling journey through the world – where there’s aught to see around every corner of the map.

After years of waiting, this is the spotlight that Princess Peach deserves. Even minor performance issues and slow loading times can’t take away from this glittering achievement. Years on the sidelines have emboldened Peach, and in this adventure, she finally gets a welcome chance to break out.

For a game that largely revolves around hunting goons and swinging a sword, Rise of the Ronin presents a surprisingly layered and compelling story, one based carefully on real-life history. There’s a real sense of drama and cinema brought to the game’s depiction of the late Edo period, with each quest drawing you further into its tale.

This isn’t quite a revolution for the series. But with a range of smaller tweaks, and improvements to its storytelling and delivery, WWE 2K24 still makes a compelling case to make the upgrade.

I don’t see myself sticking out hours upon hours of further gameplay, but the handful of salty, vinegary chips that make up the foundations of Skull and Bones have kept me well sated for the past two weeks – and I can’t deny I’ve found myself thinking about the game even when I’m not logged in.

With its novel approach to combat, a charming little art style, and plenty of unique mechanics, Dicefolk is a game with plenty of personality, and plenty of reasons to keep rolling its die, and coming back for more.