If you’re looking for a very classic and fun arcade game then you will be very satisfied with what SEGA AGES Space Harrier has on offer because this is one that should not be missed. And I love that we have it on the Switch and my only wish is that M2 will start to bring new games instead of these greatest hits we’ve seen on multiple platforms already!

Every game has a quick save function in addition to the standard in-game save points, so you can essentially pick up, play, then put down at any point. So while I certainly would like to see more supplemental material in collections like this, I’d also argue that Collection of Mana is a selection of three great games, one of which was previously unreleased here, and still worth checking out.

It may not look like much, but it bets big on its ability to draw you in to a horrifying story — and, by the end of its short running time, it’s succeeded at doing that beyond any shadow of a doubt.

For all of the polish on the visuals and the movement design, Damsel is sorely lacking in gameplay and level design. Stages start to feel similar, then diverge a little, then ram back into similarity over and over. It’s here that the game starts to show its seams–feeling more like a mobile game than an actual console game. Level designs are short, difficult by way of oddly placed items, and a bit irritating.

At $30, I expected a short but dense Wolfenstein experience with two new protagonists and a tangible narrative thread connecting them to the original games, their father B.J. Blazkowicz. What we got was a horrible imitation of the rest of the series, complete with an absolutely senseless plot, unacceptably bad and annoying characters, and joyless combat. I find that a weak plot can be forgiven if gameplay is flawless and satisfying, and sometimes weaker gameplay can be ignored in favor of an incredible story, but you cannot botch BOTH aspects and expect people to like your game.

It was a mediocre game when it first came out seven years ago, and if anything, the benefit of time has made the “mediocre” assessment seem generous.

I still don’t think that’s enough to justify the game’s existence on the Switch, particularly when it’s twice as much as it is on mobile. If you’re in the mood for a game where you almost literally do nothing other than spamming your attack button for a couple of hours and getting not much out of it, Trouserheart may be the right game for you, but it feels like there are much better ways to spend your time and money.

If it seems like I have more negative things to say about Phantom Doctrine, that’s mainly because it’s such an easy game to characterize. As I said, it’s basically Cold War X-COM, and it pulls that off relatively well. Not so well that it’ll make anyone forget X-COM, but if you need something similar, this game will do in a pinch.

OlliOlli: Switch Stance isn’t going to make you rethink anything you thought about them first time around — but if you thought they were great games back then, this package will serve as a nice reminder that they’re every bit as good as you may remember.

Madden NFL 20 takes a step in the right direction and I really enjoyed the X-Factor additions to the series. While I still think some form of competition would force EA to make more drastic changes, I’m not optimistic with any developers taking a spin with the football genre (maybe the XFL?). If you haven’t caught the pigskin for a few seasons, Madden NFL 20 is the right route to run for this year. With the new consoles coming (most likely) next holiday, I’m looking forward to seeing what EA builds upon from Madden NFL 20 and brings over to next gen. For now I’ll enjoy taking the Broncos to the Super Bowl, while beating up the cover pretty boy, Mahomes (not bitter at all).

To be sure, a story about sharks eating a bunch of people could absolutely be compelling. But it would require a lot more effort than what went into Submersed — which, as it stands, is too frustrating to be as creepy as it wants to be.

Rise: Race The Future could definitely be improved, but there’s a good enough base here that if you’re looking for a fun futuristic racing game, this one (mostly) delivers.

It has a distinctive, sepia-toned art style that really makes it stand out from most other adventure games I’ve played. The game is built around an office worker trying to grab a bright orange light flitting around the screen, and the contrast between the brown/white/black colour palette and the orange really pops off the screen. Even with less distinctive graphics, however, The Office Quest would still stand out, because, as I said, it’s loads of fun, and it does what it sets out to do with a minimum of fuss. It’s not going to convert people into adventure fans, but if you like a good point-and-click game, you should definitely give this one a shot.

It’s unfortunate that Frane: Dragons’ Odyssey actively sabotages itself, because otherwise it would have had the potential of being one of the better KEMCO games. The story is bonkers right from the get-go, with Zeus telling a couple of human-looking dragons to go rescue an angel, and from there it does a good job of being kind of interesting, even if not particularly coherent. But, ultimately, none of that matters when the game is such a dull slog to play. As much as I’ve complained before about how generic KEMCO RPGs can be, at least it could be said that they were competent. If the alternative is something as bad as Frane: Dragons’ Odyssey, then I’ll take the generic option every day of the week.

Mochi Mochi is an absolute delight, and whether you’re after an easy Platinum or not, it’ll be well worth your time.

It’s very easy to see that the team wanted to make a Fire Emblem game that would redefine what the series has been without changing the strategy parts and the result is something very special. If you ever had any interest in the series then Fire Emblem Three Houses is one you must play!

On some level, I guess, I could see Monster Jam Steel Titans being kind of fun. After all, who doesn’t love wonky physics? At the very least, it makes for the kind of game that’d probably be fun to watch on YouTube or Twitch. But if you’re the one paying out money and playing it yourself then don’t bother, because then all those monster trucks being flipped over a million times by stiff breezes and wayward pebbles suddenly become less silly and charming, and more frustratingly bad.

I’ve never been a racing fan, but I’ve always had the impression that it’s a couple of steps above the likes of NASCAR and Indy car racing. That’s an impression borne out by F1 2019, and it means that anyone who wants a real racing game challenge would be well-advised to check it out.

Taken altogether, it makes for an interesting — enjoyable even — take on Battleship. It won’t make you rethink everything you thought about the game, but it will give you all the fun of the original, and then some.

Hoggy 2 isn’t a sleeper GOTY candidate or anything. But if you go in looking for an enjoyable platformer that works well on the go, you should find plenty here with which you can be satisfied — with an easy Platinum or 2 to boot.

Bury Me, My Love is such a harrowing experience, it’d be understandable if one or two playthroughs was enough for you. Even with those flaws, this is an excellent game that doubles as a fascinating learning experience, and if you’ve ever wanted to see a genre venturing off into new, relatively unexplored directions, it’s well worth your investment — both financially and emotionally.

Regardless of the system on which you play it, it’s a bright, colourful game that pops off the screen, and with a few tweaks you could easily pretend you’re soaring through the levels. As it stands, however, there’s no soaring going on here — just lots of annoying floating off the edge of platforms, and into razors, and lasers, and enemy bullets. Consequently, Bouncy Bullets just ends up being more frustrating than anything else.

It’s far from perfect, and its flaws are reading apparent, but if you come away from this game feeling truly dissatisfied instead of deeply impressed by the work of SeithCG and eager to see what he does next, you’re kind of missing its point.

I wouldn’t describe The Sinking City as a bad game, by any means. Much like its Sherlockian predecessors it’s very much for a niche audience, but if you’re part of that niche — and I think I am — it’ll be a fun way to pass 15-20 hours.

If you haven’t checked the Mighty Switch Force games out yet then the Mighty Switch Force! Collection is a great way to do it. But if you already have access to them then it’s nothing to go out of your way for as it is just a collection. The fun factor is still here though so they’re still a good time even today.

Dreamwalker is pleasantly unobtrusive — it’s not going to wow you in any way, but it’ll pass in a way so forgettably that it’ll almost make you feel like you’re the one starring in the game. You could do worse than this, but you could also probably do much, much better.

So there is some casual fun to be had in the video pinball side of things but it would be much more fun if the game gave you better control over the ball. You can tilt the table to move the ball up or down but this is hit or miss and it seems like the game wants you to make use of this function more than you expect. But if you’re interested in a solid pinball game then you might want to look elsewhere and if you’re here for the Senran Kagura side of things then the overall game will have more on offer with cutscenes featuring interactions between the girls as they bring each other back to human form and other activities.

There’s no way anyone could ever have fun with Blood Waves. It’s an abysmal game, entirely lacking in creativity or inspiration, and beyond the fact it runs without crashing, it has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

It’d all be pretty boring if it weren’t for the fact that Grass Cutter has one heck of a soundtrack. Even if the game itself starts feeling repetitive early on, the thumping beat that accompanies the game — and that even plays through loading screens — will make you want to keep playing well after you’ve grown bored of the gameplay. Unfortunately, that’s not enough to make Grass Cutter – Mutated Lawns worth playing. Worth listening to, sure, but unless you don’t mind paying console prices for something that feels like it’d be a lot cheaper if it had come out on the App Store just for a great soundtrack, your money is probably better off spent elsewhere.

Obviously, the existence of games like Dark Souls proves that there’s a market for ultra-hard games that test your patience and your skill. And those people may be surprised to learn that this colourful game about toy tanks is secretly exactly what they may love. Everyone else, though, who just wants a twin-stick shooter that works, would be well-advised to avoid Attack of the Toy Tanks, since it doesn’t come close to delivering on that promise.

Perhaps, I guess, its creators were too enamored by their big picture ideas to notice that some of those smaller details weren’t quite up to par. Which is kind of a shame, since those big picture ideas would’ve made The Occupation pretty compelling if they’d managed to pull it off. Instead, we’re left with a game that all seems like a lot of unfulfilled promise.

Vandals isn’t without its flaws. In particular, the controls can be a little iffy, and you’ll occasionally find yourself forced to shove the right thumbstick a couple of times before your character finally moves where you want them to go. Also, with just five cities, none of which will take you too long to finish and, three stars notwithstanding, none of which have much in the way of replay value, you may find that the game is over far too soon. But better to leave you wanting more than to wear out its welcome, right? Besides, Vandals can be had for well under $5 — which, all things considered, put it squarely in “easy-to-recommend impulse buy” territory.

There are far worse ways to pass the time than by grinning at the sight of a mob of alligators and fish shoving over a building. But don’t go into Anarcute expecting something revolutionary on the gameplay side, because you’re not going to find that here.

The crazy thing about NightCry is that it’s not hard to imagine a world in which it actually turned out okay. It’s got an impressive pedigree, and manages to be a little spooky in spite of itself, so if it had been made a little more expertly, it could easily have lived up to its promise. It wasn’t made any better than this, though, and we’ve got to grade NightCry on what it is, not what it could have been in some fantastical alternate universe. And the sad truth is, in this world, NightCry is one of the worst games I’ve ever experienced.

If Cybarian’s goal was to remind people that a lot of the games from 30 years ago were lousy-to-mediocre, mission accomplished, but if they wanted to do anything more than that, they didn’t come anywhere close to succeeding.

Your enjoyment of Kid Tripp will depend on how much you want your nostalgia catered to, and how steep a challenge you like in your retro platformers. If your answer to both questions is “a lot,” then you’ll definitely be in heaven here.

Fans of Contra will be very happy with what’s on offer and newcomers have a great collection of games to check out at a reasonable price. Not to mention a very enjoyable digital book about the series history which If you’ve ever wanted to know what all us old gamers have been raving about with these series then it’s a great way to find out!

This is a short game under 10 hours with replay value for speedrunners but for those expecting a lot after their first play then you’re going to find the only reasons to return being another playthrough. There are also not as many puzzles as a Zelda game and with the heart of this game being the strategic combat that might not be a huge draw to some. But with that said it is also a Zelda game at heart and a great time for fans of the series looking for something different or another couch co-op game to play. Newcomers will also not feel left out so if you can’t wait for a sale then check it out.

Neon Junctions is a bargain basement version of some much, much better games — but as long as you don’t expect more than that, it’s a decent enough diversion.

Outer Wilds is well worth checking out. It’s got an intriguing hook and even better execution, and it’s one of the more inventive games you’re likely to play this year.

I’ve found Dragon Quest Builders 2 to be an absolute blast, and I’ve had a hard time putting it down just to write this review. I’d absolutely suggest checking it out when it releases, regardless of whether you’ve played any type of Dragon Quest game prior to this. The heavy emphasis on exploration and building mixed with breezy action is a real joy, making Dragon Quest Builders 2 one of my favorite games so far this year.

Complaints aside, Clue delivers exactly what it promises: the classic board game, ported to your Switch. It’s not going to make you re-examine your feelings towards Clue or anything, but if you just want to play the game on the go (and you don’t want to bother with all the little game pieces), it’ll do the trick.

If you’re someone who plays RPGs for the challenge, Bonds of the Skies will leave you feeling a little unsatisfied. And, for that matter, if you play them for a unique experience, you won’t get that here either, since it’s the same as at least a half-dozen other Kemco RPGs in the PlayStation Store. But if you just want some quick and easy (very, very easy) RPG action on the go, Bonds of the Skies will deliver that in spades.

Even if you have fond memories of the original ActRaiser, I’m not sure that I could wholeheartedly suggest checking out SolSeraph. It absolutely is a successor to the SNES original, but I found myself increasingly disappointed and frustrated with the gameplay loop, and could only think of how much better the game would be if it had focused on one central mechanic instead of splitting attention between the two.

To be sure, as a whole, Super Neptunia RPG is far from perfect. Even as it recognizes all the ways to lampoon games, it still indulges in its own worst impulses a little too often to be considered anything more than a niche. But if you’re a fan of that niche — and, to be honest, I kind of am, at this point — it delivers an experience you’re not likely to find anywhere else.

Even with its glaring flaws, no one could accuse Zanki Zero of lacking ideas. All the characters are constantly reborn clones, and their past (very brief) lives significantly impact what they do in their next lives. Plus, even though the storyline does nothing for me, it’s rare to see a game tackling themes like this head on, so I’m sure that should count for something.

I’d still wholeheartedly suggest picking up Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, especially if you’re a big fan of Koji Igarashi’s previous work. It’s a fantastic callback to those style of games, and goes to show that despite “Metroidvania” being a fairly popular genre, it’s hard to beat a game designed by the folks responsible for making that genre a thing to begin with.

The story isn’t terrible, to be fair, but as I said, it’s built around a girl escorting her mostly useless little brother through peril after peril. Even after he gains a few more abilities later in the game, it still doesn’t make for the most compelling gameplay. On a similar note, you’ll really need to enjoy skulking in the shadows and running for your life if you want to get the most out of the game — which, to be completely honest, I just don’t.

I don’t have nostalgia for the era, which means that Back in 1995 just feels oddly antiquated. It’s entirely possible that some enterprising developer can still revive PS1-era gaming for the better, but this game is very clearly not that.

Disappointment with the Dojo mode aside, Samurai Shodown is an extremely competent title. It is not a difficult title to pick up. Matches manages to capture the tension of a life or death duel, where one errant move can mean being cut down. Visually it is probably the most vibrant the series has seen, with some stages which are breathtaking. This release is welcoming to newcomers as well as veterans to the series. Hopefully this title will lead to a renaissance for this series and there will be many more ways to embrace death.

To be sure, Super Tennis Blast isn’t flawless. Because it’s so no-frills, the matches and venues and opponents can start to seem the same after awhile. It’s hard to have personality when everything is so basic, after all. But that doesn’t take away from the fact this is a very solid, well-made tennis game. Super Tennis Blast isn’t going to wow you, but compared to its competition, it doesn’t need too — simply being competent is more than enough to make it stand out.

Where all the other Warriors games and their variants make you run from point A to point B, here you’re literally flying through the air. That may be disappointing to anyone who likes running through long, boring pathways, but for everyone else, it means you get to go from battle to battle without the dull bits in between that usually stop momentum dead. And my goodness, does Fate/EXTELLA LINK every have momentum. It has that to spare, even if it may not know what to do with it, nor does it ever stop and explain where it’s going. As I said, however, your only options are to go with it, or to get off the ride — and if you like nonstop, nonsensical action, you couldn’t do any better than go with Fate/EXTELLA LINK and enjoy every insane moment.

Devious Dungeon 2 isn’t a bad game. It suffers from a lack of originality, like its predecessor, but if you want a competently-made roguelike platformer, it does the trick.

Please Don’t Touch Anything is a challenge. But it’s a challenge worth taking, and it’s proof that just because a game’s scope seems limited, appearances can be very deceiving.

Refunct won’t challenge you in any way, and it’ll be over before you know it. But — as someone who still has fond memories of playing the game when it first came out on Xbox a few years ago — I can tell you from firsthand experience that its pleasantness will stick with you long after you’ve finished its very short run time.

It’s unfortunate that such a nice package is wasted on such a forgettable game, but that’s the kind of situation that awaits anyone who chooses to play Smoots World Cup Tennis.

I’d say Judgment is worth checking out, and certainly marks the best jumping on point for the world of Yakuza since Yakuza 0, even if it isn’t technically a Yakuza game. A whole new cast, new story threads, new mechanics, and more, mean that everyone can give this a shot without being bogged down by 6 or more games worth of 40+ hours of storytelling. So if you’ve ever been on the fence with the series, I’d say give Judgment a shot, and if you like it, go back and check out the Kiwami remakes or Yakuza 0 for a very similar experience.

Because it’s a) from Devolver and b) insanely violent, I can imagine that My Friend Pedro will get at least a few Hotline Miami comparisons. And while there’s certainly a hint of that game here, make no mistake: My Friend Pedro is its own beast — one that’s gloriously over-the-top, full of well-designed levels and good controls, and, above all else, ridiculously fun.

It’s got a tonne of fun, engaging content stretched out over its three games, and it’ll quickly be apparent why they garnered such a following on their original release. Not every game can feel so enjoyable decades after the fact, so for this one to do just that is probably a sign that it’s worth checking out.

Elli doesn’t do anything so poorly that it could be called objectionable. Given how many terrible games are out there, that’s no small feat. But it’s still hardly enough to make the game worth checking out. Factor in the game’s surprisingly high price ($20+, at the time of this writing), and that makes passing on it an easy call.

Unless you have a love of word games that borders on the obsessive, I suspect that Word Wheel will feel more like a chore than a fun way to pass the time. If you’re in the mood for a solid puzzle game, you’re probably better off investing in one of Lightwood’s other games.

To be clear, Planet RIX-13 isn’t going to blow your mind, and it’s not going to occupy much more than an hour of your time. But for that short time, and within its limited scope, it provides decent entertainment, and that makes it worth checking out at its relatively cheap price.

As far as standing on its own two feet…it doesn’t. Or, I guess, it does if you’ve never played P3D, in which case Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight will seem relatively fresh and original. But unless you’re a diehard Persona completist, I just can’t see why anyone would need to play both. They’re more or less the same game, and even if that game is fine for what it is, you really only need to play one or the other.

It’s because of the existence of games like Flower or Entwined that Bird Game + goes from merely frustrating to outright disappointing. There’s a template for how this sort of thing could have been done correctly — and more often than not, Bird Game + misses the mark entirely.

If ever there was a short puzzle game worth the price, it’d be The Room. It packs a lot of content into its relatively brief playing time, and — assuming you aren’t stymied by a system that doesn’t recognize your fingers — it does so with tonnes of style.

War Theatre is undeniably an improvement over Mecho Tales and Plague Road. I wouldn’t call it good, by any stretch of the imagination — no game that looks this bad could ever be described in such a positive light — but it is, at least, better. Baby steps, I guess.

This is a very welcome addition to an already great VR Game. The base game was lacking in a few areas and this update seems to fix almost everything that was missing or broken. I am also glad that there seems to be a larger community for this title now, as finding a match was way easier than before! If you’ve played the original Firewall and were a bit underwhelmed, you need to dive back in with this update. If you haven’t tried it before, Firewall Zero Hour is a fantastic title for the PlayStation VR with Operation: Nightfall making the Firewall experience even better than before!

The unique story is just a part of what makes 1979 Revolution: Black Friday such an interesting and worthwhile game. The bigger part is that it shows that Telltale’s formula will live well beyond that old company’s demise, and it shows that the next generation of adventure game developers may have found a way to improve on an already strong base.

If you’re a Switch-owning hockey fan, and you were hoping that this game might fill the puck-shaped hole on Nintendo systems that’s existed ever since NHL 2K11 came out on the Wii…well, keep hoping, because this doesn’t do the trick. As it stands, you’re still better served with a Switch Online subscription and access to a 30-year-old Ice Hockey than by anything you’ll find here.

To be sure, Team Sonic Racing isn’t really a bad game. It works, and even if it’s a little lacking in personality, it has polish. But there’s a vast gulf between solid (which is what this is) and good (which is how I’d describe previous Sonic racing games), and it’s very clear that this game is stuck firmly on the “solid” side.

The Castlevania Anniversary Collection is a great selection of games and will make its reputation on M2’s emulation and another neat Bonus Book but the lack of ability to remap buttons and issues with screen options are more annoying than you would expect. If these things were changed then it would be an easy recommendation but for now it’s still a pretty good and only way to play these games on modern consoles. I’m hoping Konami stops dropping the ball on the presentation and options in any future collections because more are on the way and these are bringing down what are quality collections!

If you go into Iron Snout hoping for anything more than a quick time-waster, you’ll be sorely disappointed. If you’re okay with that, then you might get your money’s worth here.

I would absolutely suggest checking out Blood & Truth if you’re a PSVR owner, it’s certainly one of the most fleshed out action experiences available on the platform, and features some of the best weapon handling mechanics I’ve seen in VR altogether. It has a fun, action packed campaign mode along with just enough additional features and reasons to revisit completed stages. Definitely one of the best games available on PSVR, and certainly not one you should miss.

At the end of the day you get what’s on the box and that’s 8 games for 20 bucks. They do play well and while not all are enjoyable that falls on the selection of the games themselves. For me there are a few treasures in here and a couple games I’m glad to experience but if you’re not a fan of shmups or lesser known arcade games from early Konami then it’s not a must-have.

So yeah, if you’ve been enjoying this series of releases on Pinball FX 3, this is certainly one pack you shouldn’t miss. The tables featured are highlights of the 90’s, but Safe Cracker is a game that I think all pinball fans should at least try out. I’m looking forward to the next pack, which promises to make some actual physics changes to the flippers in these games. So hopefully we’ll have more table reviews headed your way shortly.

It was one of my favourite games of the generation back when it first came out on PS3, and after sinking many, many hours into this version, I suspect it’ll wind up being one of my favourite games of whatever generation the Switch falls into, too.

The most innovative thing it does is give you the option of CRT mode, which toggles between making the game look crisp and clean, or making it kinda-sorta imitate how games looked a few decades ago. Apart from that…I don’t know, you could get into the debate of whether this is more Galaga than Space Invaders. Either way, though, both of those games are classics that will continue to be remembered for decades to come, whereas I’m going to forget Zeroptian Invasion even existed within a few minutes of finishing this review.

I was really surprised by Everybody’s Golf VR, in the most pleasant way possible. Not being a golf fan by any means, I thoroughly enjoyed what Clap Hanz has done here. If you have a VR, I highly recommend this title, even if you don’t like the actual sport of golf, you will have fun here. It may be a little skimpy with content, but that shouldn’t stop you from checking this one out. This one definitely should not be missed!

In terms of gameplay and visuals, there’s not anything here you haven’t seen countless times before. Like all the other KEMCO JRPGs, Asdivine Hearts II borrows heavily from 25-30 years ago, and doesn’t do anything beyond that. It doesn’t do that badly, to be sure, but unless you’re a diehard fan of the series, I think you’d be hard-pressed to look at this game and see anything distinctive.

It’s hardly the worst thing in the world to be a reasonably okay Mega Man clone, but given that the originals are readily available on most platforms, it’s hard to know why you’d want to play Metagal over any of those.

Despite my frustrations, I really dig the overall vibe that Darkwood goes for. Again, the sound design is the real champ, making great use of audio cues and sound effects to drive home the horror aspect in a way I wasn’t fully expecting. If you’re looking for an interesting take on the survival horror genre, I think you’d do well to check this one out.

I highly recommend picking this collection up if you are a fan of classic games, or just gaming in general. You can also get this on The Switch (as mentioned earlier), and the PlayStation 4 if you have either of those systems. This might be the best classic game compilation I’ve played in a long time.

Where the Bees Make Honey really is that bad: if I had to choose between playing this game again, and never again playing anything ever again, it would be a legitimately difficult decision. It’s nothing short of an abomination, a joyless slog of a game with no redeeming qualities whatsoever — except, perhaps, for that fleeting moment of relief when you delete it from your system storage. I truly detest it, and if I could erase every trace of it from my memory, I would do so in a second.

Shakedown: Hawaii is a more robust title when compared to Retro City Rampage. However for all the features that it packs in, it doesn’t really do much with them. Things like blowing up deliver trucks, delivering coffee, and burglaries are introduced during the story mode, but once introduced these activities can be ignored with no detriment to your playthrough. The game does have a cover mechanic, but just like those extracurricular activities mentioned, ignoring it will not hinder your progress. The game is still an enjoyable romp and I do look forward to when Vblank will take this series to next phase…3D.

Occasional repetition or not, it’s designed to be addictive for a certain type of person (i.e. me), and before long, you’ll reach the end and wish there was still more to do. If that’s not the sign of a game worth checking out (and, perhaps, that Lightwood Games may want to think about some DLC), I don’t know what is.

That Studio MDHR were able to make an aesthetic that’s nearly a century old seem fresh and new at the same time as they made an enjoyable game is just a bonus.

I don’t want to diminish the game’s existence for anyone who does need to have more details. People can like what they want to like, and if someone out there loves Code: Realize, I’m glad they get to experience more of what they love. But if you aren’t a diehard Code: Realize fan, then there’s really no reason for you to play Code: Realize ~Wintertide Miracles~.

If you simply want a racer that doesn’t do anything beyond the bare minimum, it’ll do, but if you want anything more than that, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

I’d absolutely suggest giving World War Z a shot, even more so if you were a fan of Left 4 Dead. It really scratches that itch, namely a fun, zombie focused co-op shooter with a solid progression system that’ll keep you hooked for a while. So despite its association with a so-so horror film, World War Z manages to rise above its source material into something that I found to be a lot of fun.

So if you have $10 and some curiosity then you’ll find a lot to do in Boxboy! + Boxgirl! This was my first time with the series and I found it very relaxing with good reasons to revisit stages after completion and unlock bonuses for playing and appearance. But it’s also slower paced than I expected so if you’re on the fence just check out the eShop demo because there’s a lot more where that came from!

It’s a fun, inexpensive game that knows what it wants to be, and is more than capable of meeting its goals. If that doesn’t count as a success, I don’t know what does.

It’s the sort of game that, at least to me, feels tailor-made for playing on a handheld, and once you get past the loading screens, it runs pretty smoothly (a stark contrast to Civilization Revolution on the Vita, which chugged as you got closer to the endgame). If you’re a Civilization veteran wondering whether you invest in the Switch version, I obviously can’t help you, but everyone else should find plenty here to like.

SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech is basically what we’ve come to expect from the SteamWorld series, namely a well-realized take on an existing genre masterfully executed once again.

In terms of the quality of Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age on Switch this is a very worthy port. And in terms of value that’s up to how you want to look at the whole package because where it’s virtually double the cost of any previous Final Fantasy port yet you do have a load of added features and content that weren’t in the original PS2 version and even extras to the Switch and Xbox One since then which make this one the definitive and best way to play Final Fantasy XII. So it almost squares even and really you can’t go wrong with this version of the game no matter when you choose to jump in.

If you’re the sort of person who enjoys aimless wandering but doesn’t like the idea of getting up off the couch and actually doing it, then you might be in luck here. Otherwise, don’t bother, because it’s absolutely not worth it.

A simple test to see whether you’ll be able to play — and, consequently, enjoy — Super Weekend Mode: can you do the “rub your tummy/pat your head at the same time” thing? If you can, then you might find this fun. If you can’t, look away now, because you’ll stand no chance of succeeding here.

If you’re the kind of person who wants to get a taste for what it’s like to be a emergency dispatcher, that kind of setup will appeal to you.

A mixed bag. It’s fun to revisit one of the first “looter shooters” for consoles again, and the mix of run, gun, and loot still holds up well despite its age. But this is hardly a perfect port/remaster of that game, and because of that, it’s difficult to really suggest picking it up.