Scott Pilgrim is back, and this time he needs to work with his enemies to save the world. Scott Pilgrim EX looks great, has a wonderful soundtrack and is a joy to play thanks to its enjoyable combat. It's just a shame it has no modes beyond its main adventure.

Super Mario Party manages to perfectly blend nostalgia with brand new gameplay, and no party’s going to be complete without it.

Playing it felt like a mix between watching an over-the-top anime and playing an advanced match-three puzzle game. The voice acting in itself was enough to keep me going back to it, let alone the ever-changing puzzles, fun and hilarious characters, delicious-looking sushi and adorable sprites.

Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 is a short, but well crafted experience that plays it safe.

What Flinthook might lack in lore, story, and cohesion, it more than makes up for with its boatload of personality and style, all of which find themselves backed up by some of the smoothest 2D platforming gameplay around.

If you really are new to fighting games, Fantasy Strike is worth giving a go. But you’re probably going to want to move onto something a little more advanced fairly quickly. It’s a well made game, but the action just gets too repetitive too fast because of its limited movesets. I just can’t help but feel that Fantasy Strike is a little too simple for its own good.

Combining engaging combat, some of the most thrilling traversal you’ll find in a video game, and a truly rich narrative, there’s very little to find fault with in Dying Light 2: Stay Human. Whether or not you’ve played the first game, if you enjoy open world adventure games – particularly with a touch of horror – Dying Light 2 should be high on your must-play list. With its delays and long development, Techland almost had us worried, but we had no reason to be. It has delivered an experience which might just be one of the best open world games of recent years.

Plants vs Zombies Replanted is the same game you know and love, albeit with a shiny new veneer. Some games don't get old, and providing you're in the mood for something laid-back and casual, protecting your garden from zeds is as much fun as it's ever been.

The trouble with Hyper Light Drifter is that it’s frequently just too obscure and too difficult to truly enjoy.

Do My Best Games’ first foray into game development is a fantastic one. They really have “done their best” and created something wholly unique, tense and with more going on than first meets the eye.

With an expanded campaign, new characters and more customisation options, this is the best Plants vs. Zombies game yet.

There isn’t anything else quite like Super Crazy Rhythm Castle. Unique and innovative, this zany adventure through music and puzzling is undoubtedly one of the best co-op games in 2023. Sure, you can play it by yourself, but you’re going to have more fun when you’re battling it out with friends. Do yourself a favour and make sure this is on your playlist when you have friends over this holiday season: you absolutely will not regret it.

If you don’t have a co-op buddy on hand though, Cat Quest II is still plenty of fun by yourself. Just be prepared to get annoyed at your AI companion from time to time, but at least you can switch between either character at your will. If you didn’t much enjoy the first Cat Quest, there’s not much to tempt you into the sequel; it’s very much more of the same. But if you did enjoy Cat Quest, then that should be music to your ears. It’s everything you loved, but just more of it.

If you’re a tennis fan, this is currently the best tennis game available — no doubts about it. At least on console, anyhow. No other tennis game plays as good as TopSpin 2K25, which somewhat makes up for its downfalls. We can only hope that 2K improves this title post-launch, speeding up career progress, making it easier to play against friends online and making MyCareer accessible even when the servers are down. And when the inevitable sequel arrives, we’ll accept a visual boost and some other upgrades, too.

Battle Axe packs in a lot of personality thanks to its trio of colourful protagonists and its wonderful art style. But its gameplay likely won’t keep your attention for much longer than an hour or two. It’s a great flashback to games of yesteryear, but outside of a nostalgia hit, there’s no real reason to keep going back.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2 is largely more of the same, but that isn't much of a issue when the first game was already so enjoyable. Story mode here picks up where the last left off and covers three new dramatic arcs, and the gameplay has been refreshed a little with new elements such as Gear. It's the whopping number of characters now available in Versus mode that's the real draw, though.

Heading Out doesn't fulfil its true potential. But while its story isn't as gripping as it should be, and its driving mechanics aren't anything special, together, along with an eye-catching black and white comic book visual style, they make for an enjoyable time on the whole.

If you like local co-op games and own either a Nintendo Switch or a PC, Heave Ho should be considered absolutely essential. It really is one of the best local co-op games available

I think my co-op partner said it best: “I hate it, but I want to play more of it”. Bonkies can be infuriating and difficult, but it’s also hysterical and a lot of fun, especially if you’re playing with friends. If you’re looking for a new couch co-op title to play that’ll encourage you to work together and exercise your brain matter, Bonkies is well worth a try.

Pumpkin Jack is an unspectacular 3D action platformer, but considering it’s largely the work of just one man, it’s quite an achievement. There’s a nice variety of gameplay on offer, some solid visuals, and an enjoyable soundtrack. And even though some gameplay elements outstay their welcome, they at least offer a reprieve from the annoying combat. If you can grit your teeth as you spam the attack button time and time again, there’s some enjoyment to be had here, especially if you’re a fan of the genre.

If you’re a fan of kaiju or side-scrolling beat ’em ups, consider Dawn of the Monsters absolutely essential. You won’t find another game like it. Though even if you’re not typically a fan of those genres, you should still give it a go if you simply like to have fun; even more so the local co-op variety. Doing battle with giant beasts has never been as deep or enjoyable as this, especially with its DNA augment system that allows for a surprising amount of build variety. If this is the Dawn of the Monsters, we’re ready for the Day of the Monsters.

If you’re fan of challenging arcade games and love competing for the top spots on leaderboards, it’s safe to say that Marble It Up! Ultra will absolutely be your jam. The gameplay here is simple but infectious, making you hit that retry button time and time again whether to simply finish a challenging skill-based stage or give it another go to improve your time. And thanks to weekly challenges, the fun doesn’t have to end. It’s just a shame it doesn’t have a local multiplayer component.

Nicktoons & the Dice of Destiny feels a little like Baby's First Diablo at times, but it's a surprisingly good take on the ARPG genre, suitable for kids and adults alike. Filled with familiar Nickelodeon characters, and packed with humour (and loot!), there's a lot to like.

In Kingdom Come: Deliverance you're just a small cog in a reasonably big world, but your actions feel like they have worth and impact. You'll prove yourself to be helpful many a time, but often you'll have to rely on others for assistance, or to even do the job for you. It goes a long way to make the land of Bohemia a living, breathing place rather than just your personal playground, and I admire that. It's by no means free of frustration, but Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a special game. It's a game that isn't afraid of being different - of not holding the player's hand every step of their adventure - and for that, it's an experience to be treasured.

The action is expertly metered against moments of exploration and light puzzling, creating the right balance of highs and lows that promotes extended bouts of gameplay.

There’s nothing mind-blowing about Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider. And it perhaps doesn’t quite feel as tight or rewarding to play as JoyMasher’s previous game, the fantastic Blazing Chrome. But it’s a solid take on the classic action platformer, and is bound to entertain those who were around during the genre’s heyday, as well as newcomers keen on some challenging action.

Whether you’ve played any of the games it contains before or not, you’re likely to find at least a couple that grab you and make the collection worthwhile.

Unless you’re thoroughly sick to death of post-apocalyptia, you’ll find that Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is a charming, entertaining outing; one that gives the turn-based combat genre a much needed shot in the arm.