It works best if you know the genre, since it's a cool piece of history and it's neat to see how they've evolved over the last few decades, but if you don't have that, Day of the Tentacle Remastered is probably going to be a little too niche for your tastes.

It’s an enjoyably challenging platformer that’s sure to scratch any Mega Man or roguelike itches you have. Factor in Maker Mode, and you’ve got a recipe for a platformer that’s a huge – and hugely fun – time sink.

Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs is simple, fun and addicting, and you’ll be hard pressed to stop playing and rejoin the real world. Highly recommended.

This is a very, very fun game, and if you missed out on it the first time around, don't make that mistake twice.

At its core, Tekken 7 is the ultimate Tekken experience. While paying tribute to previous games in the series, it’s also made for the hardcore Tekken fan in mind. Newcomers will also love it once you get a feel for the unique fight system. There isn’t much I didn’t enjoy with during my time with Tekken 7, other than it makes me want a new Soul Caliber with the same TLC that went into this game. I highly recommend picking up Tekken 7.

Metro: Last Light improves on a lot of what 2033 left behind.

Mega Man 11 is truly a memorable experience and is one of Mega’s finest adventures and it is highly recommended. The 8 bosses are all clever in design and their levels are very appropriate as well. Even if one made me almost rage quit. (Yes, you Bounce Man!) In a year with amazing games, I can see Mega Man 11 in my top 5 of 2018.

What pleasantly surprised me about Hudson Soft's effort is its sense of difficulty. It doesn't wimp out on making the player work through a stage several times before picking up on the timing of the jumps, what order to kill the enemies and the like.

Just like you’d expect, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is the complete package on the Switch. It’s a straightforward port with a couple add-one that don’t feel stapled on, but as always the real draw is having a game on a console with more staying power and appeal than the Wii U offered. If you’re not familiar with Captain Toad then definitely check this out, but if you had the game on Wii U then you’ve probably already made up your mind about if you’ll be migrating the recent ports over to the Switch. Either way you cut it, this is a great game and a definitive port.

I really, really dug my time spent with Arcade Paradise, and thought the sheer variety of arcade games was pretty impressive, as was the actual amount of upgrades and story content available. It took a lot longer to complete than I anticipated, right around the 20-hour mark or so for me, which makes for a pretty hefty “arcade” experience to be sure. My only serious complaint is the sheer number of bugs I encountered while playing. Nothing that was necessarily game-breaking, but I did have a lot of recurring issues while playing through our review copy on the Switch, which has not been fixed yet. However, a PC patch was just made available this week that does seem to address the bugs I encountered, and my understanding based on the official Arcade Paradise Twitter account is that this patch should be going live for consoles next week. I would advise holding off on purchasing the game until that patch goes live, assuming you’re considering a console version of the game, but outside of that, I think Arcade Paradise is well worth your time.

Online play is a blast.

It is easily one of the best downloadable games to come out this year, and more than worth the price of admission.

WWE 2K23 makes all the right moves and improves on the great foundation 2K22 set out to establish following some rocky years (no Rock pun necessary). Some of the entrances and visuals this year really rival the on-screen product and really make other products look absolutely terrible, despite them not even being released yet (cough—AEW Fight/Delayed Forever—cough). With the already announced DLC plans, the roster (when all is said and done) is the most complete it’s been in a very long time and it’s damn impressive. Pair that with the creation suite and your dream match options are only limited by your imagination. As you can see, I’m really smitten with this year’s release and I highly recommend it.

Along with the bright and colorful visuals, the music really plays a big part in de Blob as well.

If there’s one thing that could have taken this from alright to great, the game could have treated its mechanic as an actual puzzle instead of a gimmick. More Zelda-style instrument playing than Moonwalker-inspired song and dance.

Despite the occasional on-rail hiccup, I’ve really enjoyed my time with Ninja Gaiden 4, and it’s easily a game I can see myself revisiting as I try to improve my own abilities and end of level scoring, offering up an easy reason to replay stages over and over again. It’s certainly a far better effort than its predecessor, and while it’s a very different Ninja Gaiden game compared to the recently released Ragebound, it’s a worthy follow-up to one of the more beloved action franchises out there. Hopefully the release of Ninja Gaiden 4 breathes new life into the franchise, as I’d love to see even more Ninja Gaiden titles released in the near future.

Hitman: Blood Money is an extremely solid title, with small problems here and there. If you’re looking for a game where obsessive-compulsive tendencies and people watching is valued over hide and seek gameplay, you really can’t go wrong with Blood Money—but just don’t expect it to be an easy ride.

It doesn't have the polish that GTA IV has, but at the same time I just felt like I was having more fun here than I ever did in Liberty City. The sheer amount of freedom in how you do your missions (and the lack of scripted set-ups) is one of my favorite aspects in a sandbox environment, and right now, Saints Row 2 honestly serves up the best experience when it comes to just having some fun in a big city with no rules for a few hours.

Like I said, the combat was outstanding, and the world in which it takes place is gorgeous and vibrant. Not only that, as a Vita diehard, it pains me to give an exclusive for the system anything other than a rave review. But I have to be honest here — and the unfortunate truth is, as good as Severed may be, it's hard to shake the feeling that it could've been even better.

The maps offer opportunities for strategy and the online battles are a blast.

The opportunity to fight using Star Trek ships is something that all Trekkies should salivate over.

A title that seems to be suffering from a bit of an identity crisis this year. Unlike last year’s version, which was fully dedicated to being smash-mouth hockey fun, the tone in Hitz 20-03 is more serious and less consistent in its approach.

Playing double is almost like learning DDR again from the beginning. That means that you get to have all that thrill of progression one more time! Seriously, it’s worth the price of an extra pad.

Those in the market for something different and unique, will most likely get the most satisfaction out of the game.

This is a very worthy version of Final Fantasy VII as it originally appeared and still worth playing today. If the few bugs are patched out it’s an even better deal. Whether you want to play it on the Switch with its unique hardware abilities or pay less on a different platform is up to you but I’m glad we even have these options. So it’s a good recommendation and we even got through the review without making a pun about the AVALANCHE of Final Fantasy releases now moving over to the Switch.

If you've been looking for a competent replacement for the Mario Kart series, and really enjoy some online competitive play, then Blur is definitely going to be up your alley.

It's totally worth picking up. If you enjoy pool at all, especially in video game form, than Hustle Kings is pretty much tailor made for you.

With a good amount of single player content, really solid, tried-and-true gameplay, and an extremely playable online multiplayer mode, it'll be difficult to put the game down any time soon.

Yeah, you’ll still have to wade through that sluggish Roxas opening of Kingdom Hearts II, but past that point you’ll have a very enjoyable, and visually stunning, reunion with Sora, Goofy, Donald, Terra, Aqua and Ventus. So I’d certainly urge all of you Kingdom Hearts fans to pick this up, as it does HD justice to two beloved games in the Kingdom Hearts franchise.

Without a doubt the best the stealth genre can offer... One of the best games I have ever played.

Overall, while the game is still a great Mega Man title, it doesn't nearly live up to the fun of its predecessor.

The atmosphere is really what pushes Condemned to the upper tier of launch games. While the melee combat can get a little repetitive, it’s the fear of the unknown that drives you through the game.

Project 8 hit at a time when I was really craving some Tony Hawk gameplay, and it felt a little more fresh to me. Still a good game, no matter how you slice it.

Injustice: Gods Among Us can easily be called one of the best, if not THE BEST, fighting games of 2013. With its addictive story mode and fantastic fighting engine, it is an experience to behold. Fans of Mortal Kombat or any fighting game in general will find something to like here.

New game modes pack Tiger 07 with great depth.

Kalimba is hard, and it never tries to hide that fact. But I'm thinking that if even someone like me can enjoy the game, then it'll be even more enjoyable if you're made of even sterner (and, admittedly, more patient) stuff.

While some of the early puzzles are pretty easy to solve, the further in you get, the more you need to be able to think in terms of 3D space, since you can shift gravity to get a different perspective on everything. As someone who’s terrible at spatial reasoning puzzles, I’m not going to lie: there were times when I felt like my brain was pushed to the breaking point. Even so, it still felt like there was a pretty sizable discrepancy between what Manifold Garden achieves artistically, and what it achieves as a game. The latter is pretty forgettable, whereas the former occasionally borders on breathtaking. I leave it up to you how much weight you place on those two halves, but for me, it added up to a somewhat uneven whole.

Mr. Run and Jump is an awesome looking game with fantastic challenges that will keep you coming back for more. I absolutely love the entire presentation from the beginning all the way through to the end. Although I didn’t finish some of the more ridiculous challenges (yet), I had fun even when I was yelling at the screen! This is definitely one to pick up, highly recommended!

There is plenty in NHL 14 that will satisfy each and every fan out there, and in the end that should be the ultimate goal.

With NBA 2K8, you're looking at the best of all worlds. What worked last year is still there, and some great improvements have been made. It's the most fun and realistic game of video basketball available, despite it's few flaws.

Just enjoy the game for what it is; which not only is the best Madden game in quite some time, but the overall most accurate and realistic football game I have ever played.

The environments created, enemies that spawn, and weapon you use sets this apart from most FPS’s on the market.

Yeah, it’s a full-priced, online multiplayer game (which can be a tough sell), but it’s one that’s jam-packed with content from a developer that’s been typically generous with delivering new updates and support.

Sports gaming is on the brink of a new age with the coming of new consoles, so here's hoping the 2k series continues to raise the bar by producing the best game on the market, as they have – again – with NHL 2k6.

This is easily a title no fan of the sport will want to be without. And it may very well make you a fan in the meantime.

This is quite possibly my favorite RPG(s) this generation.

The fact that you can gameshare Bomberman Ultra makes this a no-brainer and a must-buy.

Kirby: Planet Robobot was a pleasant surprise, no doubt, but especially as someone who could generally look at a Kirby game and take it or leave it. It's one thing to please fans, but to win over indifference is kind of a big deal to me.

It's almost as if Saint's Row is a parody of the "GTA" games, with its over the top raunchiness, obvious innuendo and complete departure from reality. I never got that into the "GTA" games, but I can't seem to get enough of Saint's Row.

Like any good portable title, it’s meant to be played in short bursts, and that’s where you’ll get the most enjoyment out of this one. On the visual side, Lumines II contains every bit of style and appeal that the first title did.

To sum it all up, Nintendo has created a very fun and fresh take on the team based shooter genre, all while making it accessible to just about anyone.

Improves upon specific aspects of the original Supreme Commander, and the new Seraphim class adds quite a few new options to the multiplayer modes.

If you're itching for and old school game with some new play mechanics, I highly suggest giving Drill Dozer a spin.

But I will say that this feels like an improvement over the past two episodes, both in narrative and gameplay.

For less than $40, it’s kinda a no-brainer for gamers looking for a fun and creative, family-friendly adventure.

More car customization available before hitting the aforementioned gold medals would be nice, but for quick, dirty, racing action, there might not be a better choice on current consoles without firing up a retro classic.

One of the most disappointing games I’ve played all year.

A great upgrade for Freedom 2, and having the ability to take Felyne's into combat is a nice addition for those stuck with solo play.

It may be disappointing to some that Battlefield 4's single player doesn't live up to a hill of beans, but what they did accomplish with the impressive multiplayer mode is something special that cannot be duplicated even by Activision's mighty series.

Provided you come to Call of Duty with multiplayer in mind, I think you’ll be very pleased with what Black Ops III has to offer this year.

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!

If you have any affinity for Atlus RPG’s in the vein of Shin Megami Tensei or Persona, then I think you’ll get some enjoyment out of Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore. You can argue that it’s not quite as “mature” as those titles, but it is a fun, light-hearted take on that formula that can still present a sizable challenge throughout. The Fire Emblem nods are cool too, but you don’t really need any working knowledge of Fire Emblem to appreciate the game overall. So while you still might be nursing your disappointment in the lack of a Switch port for Persona 5, I think Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore will be a pretty good way to pass the time until that (probably?) happens.

It doesn't have the polish that GTA IV has, but at the same time I just felt like I was having more fun here than I ever did in Liberty City. The sheer amount of freedom in how you do your missions (and the lack of scripted set-ups) is one of my favorite aspects in a sandbox environment, and right now, Saints Row 2 honestly serves up the best experience when it comes to just having some fun in a big city with no rules for a few hours.

The whole package feels like it should have contained a bit more, but since the foundation it's based [on] is so solid, you can't really complain about the core gameplay.

The throwback to classic RE featured in the Mansion and Underground sequence is a nice change of pace from the rest of RE5, and while the story revelations aren't earth shattering, there's enough revealed that lore hounds will find something interesting.

Ultimately, Wolfenstein: The New Order is at once a triumph of storytelling while a failure of story structure.

All things considered, Super Mega Baseball 2 is, as I said, a very, very good arcade baseball game. It may not have the depth of an official MLB game, or the out-of-nowhere shock that made the first game such a pleasant surprise, but it works, and it’s fun. Compared to its competition this year, that makes for a monumental achievement.

What can easily be considered the best multiplayer title for the machine, and one of the best first person shooters released for a console so far.

There is more freedom in career choices, less intense caretaking, plus a few console specific features. But the gameplay is old hat for previous console players.

A great collection for nostalgic fans and newcomers alike. None of the spin-off Mega Man X titles are included in the package, but what’s included is more than enough to keep any player blasting for more.

With more polish and character balancing, Midway could have crafted one of the best pick up and play fighters in existence – but combo timing issues hurt the overall score and that’s a shame.

The shortcomings in the PS2 version have been ironed out on the Xbox, leaving hockey gamers everywhere with the best arcade style hockey game to date.

Beneath all the ugly/stylish trappings, you have an open-world mystery game, where you have to search for clues, question suspects, and figure out whodunnit. In that sense, the game is fairly rewarding, and it even challenges you in a way that most other games of this ilk don’t, in that it leaves the “who” of the whodunnit up to you, and makes it clear that the decision of who to convict is in your hands. Given how frequently most mystery games only offer one path to a solution, it’s intriguing to see a game that takes such an open-ended approach. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s a great idea wrapped in a nauseating package. No judgment if Paradise Killer’s hyperstylish aesthetic appeals to you, but I’m going to have to pass on this one.

Needless to say, I really enjoyed Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies. It’s a shame that Capcom didn’t see fit to support this game with a retail release, but maybe there’s still some hope for that.

It's nice to see such a strong effort come forth from EA and I only hope they keep this kind of intensity in the future with their other franchises as well. NCAA Football 08 is a must buy for any fan of the grid iron.

I know I really hammered on the Showcase mode, but I really did enjoy my time with WWE 2K24 as a whole, I just expected better from that mode especially based on its history. Regardless of that mode this is the definitive wrestling video game of this year or even the past five years! The enormous roster and multitude of match types will leave you with many hours of dream matches or fantasy bookings. This is an absolute buy, so grab a copy and FINALLY finish your story. Also let’s go McIntyre!

I can’t in good faith recommend KINGDOM HEARTS -HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX- for a full price purchase given how they perform, even if you’re a fan. I played the Kingdom Hearts franchise on PS4, so I was ecstatic to be able to play them on my preferred platform, but other than the third entry and Fragmentary Passage, it just doesn’t seem to be easily done. I’d highly recommend a sale and having some patience if you want to dive into them, because they’re not for the faint of heart. It’s a damn shame, but I guess not every port’s gonna be a good one.

It’s nice to see the series turn itself around a bit after the lackluster release of Ghosts, and if we’re going to continue to see yearly releases for this series, then hopefully more will turn out to be as fun as Advanced Warfare.

This is as good as a nostalgia collection gets.

It’s a quick, fun experience that you can get through in just a few hours. If that’s not enough to make you grab a friend and enjoy, I don’t know what is.

It's faithful, it's intelligent, and most of all, a well-designed trilogy that respectfully stands the test of time from when it premiered.

Of course, if you just want more Portal, that might make The Entropy Centre enough for you. It’s not much more than that, but it also sticks so closely to the formula that it doesn’t do anything crazy that would make you dislike the game, either. It’s a well-worn path at this point, and The Entropy Centre never once strays from it.

Overall, though, I can’t complain too much about a game that I had so much fun with. It may not be aimed at Dragon Quest diehards, but if you’ve ever wanted to get into the series, Dragon Quest Treasures is a great place to start.

It’s not quite enough to make up for the lack of a Party Pack this year, especially given how lousy the Jackbox Naughty Pack was, but if it had been included on a Party Pack it would undoubtedly be a standout game, no matter what else had been included. The Jackbox Survey Scramble is a very enjoyable addition to Jackbox’s impressive stable of party games.

Here, by contrast, it feels like players are given too much agency, and the end result is a story that has all the right pieces, but comes off as disjointed when you're expected to make them all work together. I never thought I'd say this, but in the case of Lone Survivor, a little less freedom would've gone a very, very long way.

And that’s the best way to describe Nocturnal: it’s a neat game. It won’t take too much of your time, and it’s similar enough to other metroidvanias that you’ll probably only want to play it if you’re already a fan of the genre, but if you like the genre and want something that has enough spark of inspiration to carry it through a few hours, it’s definitely worth investigating.

What can't be fixed are the statistical glitches that really keep the game from being fun. Things such as shortstops getting saves, games not counting, etc. are commonplace. There is nothing more frustrating than having a good baseball game with a terrible stat bug.

If we cannot have an actually F-Zero, FAST Racing NEO definitely is a great substitute. This is a fun and challenging Wii U racer that will keep you entertained for a long while, and an outstanding experience especially for a relatively unknown indie studio.

Which is to say: Stick It To The Man may aim to make you laugh, but it's the gameplay and the graphics that make it worth a purchase.

It's not a must-own game, but it is a very, very good one, and you could do far, far worse than it if you're looking for something fun and inexpensive to pass the time between those must-owns.

The Guitar Hero franchise has resurrected itself.

If developers can figure out how to add some RPG elements into lightgun titles, then maybe they could earn an "A"...Overall, TC2 is a great arcade to home conversion, as well an excellent action-packed lightgun game that no one should miss.

One of those games that will be remembered years down the road for anyone who plays this fine title.

A fantastic RPG for the PC. The opportunities for character creation are endless, letting you make that sword-wielding, fireball-flinging thief you always wanted to be.

Despite subpar performance, a strange lack of identity, and the PR disaster Borderlands 4 has been garnering online, it really is a fun game with an engaging story full of fun and interesting characters. The negatives around the game really do weigh on it, of course, but when you can really sink your teeth into the meat and potatoes, Borderlands 4 is genuinely one of the most fun, if not the most fun, entry in the series so far. The guns feel amazing, the game hasn’t compromised its art style (just the world feel), the Vault Hunters feel fantastic, and the writing is great, but I’ll be damned if those issues don’t weigh down on it. It’s definitely a great game, but with everything else surrounding it, it’s a tough sell for a lot of people to be sure. If you’re just looking for a good looter shooter to play though, Borderlands 4 is a great one, assuming it runs as intended.

The game sucked me in and made me feel like these patients’ lives really depended on me.

The best racing game I’ve played in months, and anyone looking to release a title in this genre now should look long and hard at what Rockstar’s been able to pull off here.

It’s a very good port, is what I’m trying to say – and not only that, it’s a very good port of a very good game. Whatever issues Star Wars Outlaws may have had last year, they’re all fixed now, which means that you get all the positives from the first version (a good protagonist, a fun story, some big open worlds), with all of the negatives pushed off to the side. If you didn’t get a chance to play the game the first time around, now is definitely the time to do so.