If you loved the original Oxenfree game, you’ll adore this follow-up title. It retains the familiar qualities of the first entry but offers more than enough new elements alongside this to feel fresh. You can definitely play Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals without playing the first game too, but doing so will provide you with a little more context as to what exactly is going on.

For speedrunners on the more masochistic side there’s undoubtedly a lot to get your teeth into here though. For everyone else we’d recommend a more rewarding and streamlined hardcore 2D platformer.

Ultimately if you’re a fan of Lovecraftian and Eldritch horror this game is definitely worth a try. While there are a lot of games that take inspiration from Lovecraft, Skautfold: Usurper does it right and manages to provide a challenging yet enjoyable experience.

Raging Bytes can’t quite justify its high asking price, but certainly offers something a little different in the survival horror genre.

Sadly the lack of concrete level designs and high price tag means Nightmare Reaper should only be looked into by the most dedicated FPS roguelite fans.

If you’re a fan of first person shooter history Chasm: The Rift is worth checking out when it’s on sale – otherwise you may struggle to overlook many of its creakier elements.

There isn’t a huge amount to Boltgun, but what’s there largely satisfies – just don’t go into expecting it to be the throwback shooter many have suggested it is.

Ultimately though Fashion Police Squad is a well priced and superbly presented shooter that offers something very different to its peers.

Despite some minor issues we can safely recommend Pretty Princess Magical Garden Island though, especially to those who enjoy farming simulations.

Ultimately Decarnation is incredibly thought-provoking. Gloria’s life in the physical world is slowly falling apart, which in turn has a significant impact on her deteriorating psyche. You’ll find yourself thinking about this game even when you’re not playing it, and there can be no greater praise than that.

The only downside is the high price tag, especially considering there’s no online modes and the single player campaign gets dull fast. Still, if you have a set of friends to play with Hyper Gunsport is an almost essential purchase.

Ultimately Rob Riches is definitely a step up from our old Game Boy cart of Boxxle, and a title that’s worth exploring if you’re a fan of slower paced puzzlers.

The biggest saving grace of Papertris is its budget price, but even with that in mind there are so many better options out there for puzzle game fans than this.

The joy here is the tight level design which requires pixel perfect movement. It’s incredibly satisfying when you pull off a tricky set of jumps and the controls are solid enough to make you feel like every obstacle can be overcome. However the game’s low price doesn’t quite justify its short lifespan – just around 2 hours – meaning this is a platformer that’s probably only worth investing in when it goes on sale.

Nuclear Blaze is definitely a case of quality over quantity though, and well worth checking out.

It’s no masterpiece – playing on handheld is difficult because of the tiny sprites, and there are a fair few frustrating stages to balance out the good ones – but it’s a competent 2D platformer that’s worth investigating for fans of the genre.

Ultimately we don’t think Everybubble does much wrong, and is an essential purchase whether you’ve played a Puzzle Bobble game before or not.

Ultimately this is an improved version of an already almost perfect strategy game, and its bulkier sequel isn’t bad either. We recommend you sign up forthwith.

We want to love this game, but certain aspects are a real turn-off. Lost Epic has a ton of promising features, but that won’t be enough for some. You can tell that a lot of love did go into the game and that the developers are clearly passionate about the Souls-like and Metroidvania genres. A patch here and there may make the game more enjoyable, but there’s no news on further updates at this current time – meaning we only recommend it for those who are ready for an experience where a fair amount of grinding is necessary.

In short, I really wanted to enjoy this game. In my opinion, the game is definitely perfect for children, as I don’t think they’d be as negatively inclined as I am in regard to the soundtrack. Though the difficulty does tend to spike at times, so I’m not too sure how a child could complete an entire run, even on the “easier level”. I adore Sanrio, and on paper, a Sanrio rhythm game that features popular characters sounds great – it’s just a shame that the music doesn’t.

Dust & Neon is still a fun, stylish, and tidy little roguelite. It can get a bit repetitive, but overall we had fun with it – and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to those looking for a new twin stick shooter.

Kirby’s Return To Dream Land Deluxe is a well presented title that does have more ideas than most 2D platformers – but they’re presented in such a chaotic way that we can’t imagine anyone but the very young (and their parents) getting much enjoyment out of them.

Overall, the entire concept of an office building being run by the Grim Reaper, or Death, himself brings a smile to my face. I look forward to making it back to the main area so I can watch the NPCs hold their coffee mugs as they gossip about other members of staff. I think my favourite NPC at the moment is the adorable Pump Quinn who clearly loves her work and is often seen clutching a bunch of papers. I’ve already recommended this game to everyone that I know, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who loves roguelike games. Even if you’re not usually a fan of the genre, you should give this one a try purely for the fast-paced combat and comedic situations that pop up throughout the game.

At worst, it’s a broken mess. It runs poorly, it’s missing a ton of features, and it’s the ugliest version of the game. What sort of remaster is uglier than the original? I can only recommend this version if, like me, you want to replay Tales of Symphonia on a handheld and you don’t own a Steam Deck. If this is not you, avoid this – at least until a promised patch fixes the game.

Akka Arrh is worth investigating for hardcore shooter fans of course – it has a lot of visual appeal and is certainly something different. Everyone else may want to consider if they can truly handle this eclectic neon fever dream.

A admirable attempt at opening up the world of FPS level creation to a wider audience, Gunscape is perhaps a little too grungy for complete newbies to the genre – and those more experienced at shooters might be better off simply learning how to use the likes of TrenchBroom.

The remaster basically makes everything better – particularly the visuals, which have been lovingly brought up to modern standards. While the gameplay didn’t really need such sweeping changes, the dual-stick controls are an incredibly welcome addition. It’s just a shame that a few other modern touches couldn’t have made it into the final experience, including auto-saves, fast travel, and a more useful map.

There are numerous interesting puzzles that unfold because of the game’s unusual mechanics and set up, and it would be almost unfair to ruin any of them for you here. We’d therefore recommend trying out A Space For The Unbound if you’re looking for something that’s clearly been made with love and passion – it’s hard not to be whisked away by its charms.

It does what it wants to well, and we feel expanding the game out – to include co-op or competitive modes for example – may have gone against its Game Jam origins. Still what you’re left with is a game that’s a solid high score chaser with online leaderboards and a suitably low price tag. If you’re looking for something that will a scratch a very small itch then this could be worth a look.

There are some fairly fetch quests involved, but also a range of interesting mini-games and environmental puzzles – everything meshes up incredibly well. Add in the beautiful hand drawn visuals and animation and you have a title that is an almost essential experience for all ages.

Although for our money it’s not as engrossing or as immediately entertaining as Shovel Knight’s usual adventures this is still a well put together title that has very few faults when viewed purely as a roguelite.

Despite this issue we’d recommend this for any Switch players looking for a new strategy title – it’s well presented and can be endlessly addictive. You just may want to quickly check it out on your smartphone before taking the plunge on this iteration.

The Switch is probably not the best place to experience the game – this was originally a PC title – but playing it handheld on the touchscreen is easy enough, and this is well worth investigating for those looking for something a little different.

Heidelberg 1693 is a great 2D platformer. Its occasionally frustrating gameplay is still hugely rewarding, and it’s a title that difficult to put down once you get a hang of the controls and combat. Just make sure you’re up for the challenge.

Dorfromanik succeed in nearly all it sets out to do – delivering a fun, relaxing and addictive gameplay loop that’s perfectly suited for the Switch. If you want a game that’s easy to pick up and play in and play in between this holiday’s bigger release, Dorfromanik is just the ticket.

Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration serves to teach – and remind – us of a time in gaming that was very different to the one we live in now. One that was perhaps a little more exciting and imaginative. If you go in with an open and inquisitive mind there’s almost endless entertainment to be found here. Trust us.

Mega Man Battle Fighters is a serviceable collection, but one with too many issues to make it an easy recommendation.

There isn’t anything here for hardcore long-term fans of the series, but anyone new to the party this is a perfect place to start.

Severed Steel is ultimately still well worth a look for first person shooter fans seeking something a little more experimental.

Bright Memory: Infinite Gold Edition may have a fair few flaws, but worth investigating if you’re looking for a new first person shooter on the Switch.

This isn’t for anyone that’s looking for a game with a faster pace, but Unusual Findings is a charming and slightly off-kilter adventure that’s well worth investigating – despite some frustrating moments.

It’s a shame, as Atari Mania has clearly been made with love and care and certainly doesn’t feel like a cash-in – but it can’t fail to pale a little in comparison to Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration.

Overall SpiderHeck is a fun multiplayer game. It doesn’t offer anything substantial – especially if you’re playing alone – but it can just about hold its own in a party setting.

Undecember is an ARPG that attempts to break away from the conventional norms of its genre. It does this by implementing a classless system. The campaign also keeps up by engaging you as you play through it. While this is interesting in concept, the game is dragged down many times by its soundtrack, graphics, and general aesthetic of its world. These features don’t appear to make as much of an effort. To drag it even further, the game has currencies that are locked behind a paywall, which is discouraging if you’re a casual gamer or a new player who doesn’t have a disposable amount of money.

Suffice to say though, I’m sticking with Diablo Immortal. For all that game’s faults, it still offers fun with friends, decent loot and character building mechanics, and a single player campaign that feels like the real thing. Torchlight Infinite does none of those things right, and we can’t recommend it at all. [Early Access Score = 40]

Overall Islets is a brilliant take on the Metroidvania genre though. The fast paced gameplay, brilliant boss battles, and interesting characters, all add up to it being a beautiful and unique take on the genre.

Sadly it still feels a little too slight at times, with the controls in the main race segments being so floaty they’re never particularly satisfying. This arguably helps the game’s chaotic nature – something not entirely unwelcome in a multiplayer title – but it also means it likely won’t keep you coming back for more helpings. So Dream Buffet is a game it’s hard to love – the fact Kirby feels copy and pasted in definitely doesn’t help matters – but it offers just enough presentational pizzaz to mean it’s not an entirely wasted cause.

Unfortunately this version is let down by annoying controls, weird audio glitches and multiple crashes – meaning this is hard to recommend unless you’re one of the biggest Blade Runner fans out there. And even then…

If you are a fan of Japanese humour or simply looking for something a little different in you game library Shin Chan Me And The Professor On Summer Vacation: The Endless Seven Day Journey is well worth investigating.

Bringing back such an old game is never easy and making one with so many ideas feel relevant in 2022 is a tough feat. But Live A Live does a good job of modernising this lost game and making sure a whole new audience can experience it. If you love JRPGS or HD-2D Live A Live will have something for you, or if you are looking for something different with a unique story you’ll be happy here. At times it can be frustrating in its older game design and often a little easy but at the end of the day it never stops being interesting.

If you can sync with the game’s slower and more deliberate pacing it can be a fairly enjoyable test, and there are some great boss showdowns to help break things up. It’s a shame there are these issues – as there’s clearly been effort made to make Frogun look and sound like a platformer from the 90s – but the clunky feel will just end up putting most players off.

At their core these are perfectly entertaining games, but are bewilderingly poorly presented. If we are to keep receiving ports of older titles on the Switch we should certainly be demanding ones that are put together with a bit more effort than this.

This is a solid port and an interesting title, but certainly not one of the Neo Geo Pocket’s most essential titles.

It’s not an essential purchase, but for those who like their shooters on the challenging side Gravitar: Recharged is worth checking out.

Dungeons of Dreadlock was clearly a labor of love by its developer, and despite some issues with controller support it’s an experience that’s worth checking out for anyone who’s a fan of the many genres it inhabits.

Mini Motorways is a well put together puzzler, and reasonably well priced – but we’d recommend playing it on another platform if you have the option.

There are some enjoyable elements – the combat isn’t as mind-numbing as in similar titles, and there’s clearly been some effort made to make the presentation bouncy and light – but it never pops or gets your blood pumping. And for the high price tag that feels unforgivable. Even the excuse that this is made for younger players doesn’t hold much water, as your child will get a hundred times more out of your average Mario game than this. Add in some strange bugs and you have a 3D platformer that’s not worth it for even for more forgiving fans of the genre.

It’s all solidly assembled, but it just feels a little too generic despite its wacky main character. Certainly one for the more hardcore run and gun fans out there.

The game is priced smartly, but it ultimately doesn’t feel polished enough to even justify its lower end price tag. We encountered a couple of level breaking bugs in the final stage, and not enough effort has been put into varying the gameplay up – something like Donut County had true escalating stakes for example, with challenges to match. It’s a shame, because despite its admirable environmental message LumbearJack is a tough title to recommend – even for younger players.

A well presented collection of some of the more interesting titles from the Pac-Man series. Not all of the best ones are included of course, but you can’t have everything.

Overall, we feel pretty positive towards Disney Mirrorverse. Despite the flaws inherent with the genre, this is bristling with high production value and varies up the gameplay nicely. It’s also, honestly, just a joy to see collect your favourite Disney heroes and watch them fight alongside each other.

Dadish 3 is possibly overpriced for what it is, but if you were a fan of the last two games you can’t go wrong here – in what is the most technically accomplished entry in the series so far.

Catalyst Black is an entertaining shooter, but in a lot of ways it’s going to be pretty divisive. If it clicks with you then there’s a very good chance you’re going to spend the next couple of years engrossed in its violent action. But if it doesn’t, if it all gets a bit too much early on, there’s a good chance you won’t give it a second thought.

Of all the battle royale games available on mobile this ranks amongst the most polished, the most well-balanced and the most entertaining. It’s a big, complex, AAA experience that’s going to leave you with a massive grin on your face. Apex Legends Mobile is well worth checking out.

Overall though there’s actually very little to criticise about The Skywalker Saga. It’s a perfectly constructed love letter to a series of films that will appeal to young and old alike. The force is strong in this one.

Gibbon: Beyond the Trees is a game with a worthwhile message and well thought out mechanics – but we sadly can’t fully recommend this Switch port until the performance issues are ironed out.

We found A Musical Story easy to lose ourselves in, despite the difficulty. Others may not be so forgiving, but if you’re looking for a new rhythm action title for your Switch this is an almost essential purchase.

The action is fast, the controls are responsive, and there’s a huge amount of content to get through – especially considering the reasonable price-point. If you’ve already exhausted the Switch’s premium retro racers then Slipstream is well worth a runaround.

There’s an elegance to Knotwords that puts it in the hallowed company of the likes of Wordle. In fact, if anything, it’s a far deeper experience than that most recent of word-based phenomena. Those little moments of success, that affirm that your brain can still figure things out, make this the sort of game that’s going to stick around on your phone for a good long while. And you’re going to enjoy every challenge it throws at you.

It will appeal to anybody looking for a punky presentational style, a deeply silly story, casual gameplay, and lots of risque imagery and innuendo. If you’re not already a fan of gacha-RPGs on mobile, this won’t be the game that changes your mind. But it’s a solid addition to the genre.

Ultimately Vagante is no masterpiece, but it has an impressively satisfying core gameplay loop that will help this appeal to more hardened roguelike fans. Less experienced fans of the genre may want to steer clear though.

Hot Lap League definitely achieves what it sets out to. It’s fast and reasonably furious, and there’s a level of challenge here – especially on the harder levels – that demands a lot from your reflexes. It’s lacking slightly in thrills and spills, but it makes up for it with those pure moments of time-based success.

It likely won’t win over those who have already explored Odyssey’s vast platforming landscapes, but this is an ideal first step for those entering the world of gaming – or for those who simply want a relaxed co-operative experience with a healthy sprinkling of Nintendo magic.

Ultimately there’s a stack of more endearing and enjoyable arcade action style titles to play on your Switch than this.

There are different difficult settings to explore, special levels and an endless mode, and you’re going to enjoy all of them. Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield is by no means sloppy or slap-dash, and it can be wonderfully thrilling. While you’ll leave the game smiling, you’ll also be thinking about ways it could have been even better.

So The Ramp feels more like a prototype in its current state, and it’s a shame. As what’s here works very well, but it’s low price tag can only mask so much.

By and large the quality of the dialogue is solid too, with characters all having clearly drawn personalities and the central mystery of the game slowly but surely drawing you in. It looks lovely too, with a crisp storybook style that is never too cloying and always manages to gently guide you towards the right person or item. Sadly despite all these positives there are drawbacks to Inua, with one being the way the narrative is tied up. We won’t throw in any major spoilers, but we found the plotlines never tied together in a satisfying way – and it makes the experience fall a little flat at the final hurdle.

Puzzle Quest 3 has a very specific goal in mind, and for the most part it nails it. It won’t be to everyone’s taste, but as a masterclass in free to play design it’s hard to match. Scrape too hard at the gorgeous shell, though, and you’ll find it’s essentially empty.

Exhumed Powerslave is not one of the best first person shooters of the mid-nineties, but has more than enough interesting ideas to be worthy of retrospection. Just make sure you go in with a sufficient amount of patience.

Ultimately Grapple Dog is a well priced platformer that’s clearly a labour of love for all involved, and is essential if you’re looking for a new 2D platformer on your Switch.

So this is without doubt the definitive version of a game that – although it won’t be embraced by many – offers a uniquely structured survival horror adventure that you just don’t see much of nowadays. But there’s probably a reason for that.

The main gameplay beats get repetitive before long, and there are no great arcs in terms of your character’s development. It simply feels like a load of mini quests are thrown at you with no real progression in the stakes. Still, RPGolf Legends is a diverting enough adventure that wisely doesn’t take itself too seriously – and will just about scratch that itch for anyone eagerly waiting for Sports Story.

Heroes of Whitestone has some neat ideas, and it just about manages to hold them all together. If you’re looking for a deeper board gaming experience, then you’re going to come away disappointed. But if you fancy a midcore RPG with more than a few twists, then it’s definitely worth checking out.

While it doesn’t reach the heights of the series at its best, Angry Birds Journey is a decent diversion that will suck you in with its gregarious bounce. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel – you could argue it deinvents it – but it’s a sugary mobile blast of dopamine hits, and it achieves exactly what it sets out to do.

Overall Card Fighters’ Clash holds up very well to modern scrutiny – like most of the top tier NGPC titles – and this sensibly priced port is a must play for anyone with even a passing interest in the card battler genre.

The first few times you play you’re not quite going to get the hang of the timing, or pay close enough attention to the damage you’ve taken and the risk that you’re in. But after a while things slot into place, and you suddenly realize you’re playing something special. Heck Deck still shouldn’t work. It shouldn’t be as much fun as it is, but here we are. These are crazy times indeed. Give it a download and find out for yourself how two completely opposite ideas can gel together to create something really special.

Now, Dumpster Bear 2 is far from a perfect game – its low rent visuals can’t excuse some pretty poor boss stages and occasionally cruel deathtraps – but it’s far better than you’d expect. And its low price point is praiseworthy considering the large number of levels to get through. Dumpster Bear 2 knows exactly what it is, and is a prime example of how you shouldn’t judge a book (bear) by its cover.

The combat is massively satisfying, the visual storytelling and details are consistently delightful – Dusk is an almost perfect first person shooter and this is a perfect port.

There’s some very tongue in cheek presentation too, with comic relief commentators that somehow don’t get (too) annoying. Sadly there’s not much more to Clone Drone in the Danger Zone than that, so it’s a struggle to say the content here justifies the high asking price.

It all feels a little muted – despite a range of weather conditions – and we never felt that it ever went all out in terms of throwing oddball stuff your way, like the superlative Golf Story did.

It all feels too messy, and combat is too one-note. There’s no real flow to matches, and they often just devolve into an unclear muddle of small characters whaling on each other. It’s a shame as there’s a range of modes and clearly effort has been put into the character designs – but Guts ‘N Goals just isn’t a particularly memorable or satisfying experience.

It makes progress a struggle, so despite good intentions SkateBird isn’t a game that ever really properly takes flight.

Although these Recharged titles aren’t taking massive risks, this entry is an easy recommendation for anyone who wants to enjoy a rock solid remake of a classic.

Ultimately this is a hugely fun throwback, but one that won’t have quite enough replay value to justify the asking price for most.

It might not be the direct port of Rocket League that some were hoping for, but Rocket League: Sideswipe captures and distils what made the home version of the game so great. And in doing so creates one of the finest mobile multiplayer experiences we’ve seen for a while.

There’s nothing wrong with strangeness, as long as it’s backed up with some solid fundamentals. But DEEEER Simulator goes for all-out weird and subsequently ends up falling flat as a game – which might be forgivable to some extent if it wasn’t for its high pricetag.

This increased focus on shorter and more intense play sessions may appeal to some, but it makes Black Widow: Recharged feel a less welcoming experience to Centipede: Recharged. Add in some minor problems such as the occasional bug and annoying screen decoration (that can block enemies approaching you) and you have a title that’s well presented but perhaps a tad overpriced.

Moncage is an interesting, experimental adventure with more than enough going for it to make it an easy recommendation. It’s tough, but for the most part fair, and the way it makes you think around its challenges is admirable. If you’re looking for a bright, engaging and challenging puzzle adventure, it’s well worth checking out.