It's certainly a game that can be fun with a group, but as a single player experience I found it lacking. It does a great job of showcasing new system elements, but also comes up short in fully realizing that theme park look Nintendo was going for.

While MLB The Show 22 is definitely a step up from last year’s game, it’s pretty clear that the years of the franchise setting the bar for other sports games are behind us. That said, the fixes they’ve made after last year’s soulless debacle are enough that I expect I’ll be spending quite a bit of time with this game over the next 12 months or so – which is a pretty big step up from what I was expecting when I started playing it.

All in all, both Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection volumes are pretty fun representations of GBA era games. If you have any affinity for this series from back in the day, I can’t really see a reason not to check these collections out. If the series skipped you by originally I think these games are still interesting takes on the Mega Man series for newcomers to check out, but I’d also keep in mind that none of the six games are necessarily flawless. Whether it’s the lackluster battles of the first few entries, or some of the frustrating and annoying dungeon designs found throughout, there are definitely some archaic aspects that don’t mesh well with modern RPG expectations. Still, if you’re willing to look over some of the rough patches or have any love for checking out older classics, then you’ll likely find Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is right up your alley.

So if you’re even partially interested in seeing what all the fuss is about, you should definitely give this HD compilation from Square Enix a shot.

I really, really wanted to love Starhawk… though in the end, I had a hard time truly connecting with the game on the same level that I did with Warhawk. Starhawk certainly plays nicely, and the Battle & Build system offers a unique twist on the shooting action, but as compared to Warhawk, there's something about it that's just not as appealing or addicting. A new game set in the Warhawk universe with the features of Starhawk would probably be a different story.

It lacks the originality of the first, and it reuses most of the same art assets the first employed, which is both understandable, given its minimalist approach, but also disappointing to see so little effort put forth to set it apart from its predecessor.

If you've never played the series before, then I'd consider this a must buy, and even if you've played the hell out of these games before, the addition of upscaled graphics and achievement/trophy support is bound to be appealing enough to play through them again.

It is as true as possible to the franchise's humble beginnings, which is a good and bad thing. In my opinion, it's a good thing because I love a game that can put me through the wringer and back-but still be fair about it.

There's a lot of throwback cool to it, but with some decent kart racing gameplay to back it up.

While EA Sports MMA won't be an instant success due to the overwhelming popularity of the UFC name brand, I can honestly say that EA has made a more accurate and solid version of the shoot fighting sport than THQ.

Overall, the blending of Etrian Odyssey and Mystery Dungeon is handled extremely well, thanks to the excellent work by Spike Chunsoft and Atlus.

Sega Rally Revo is a great addition to a fun arcade racing series, and is a fantastic entry point for new fans. However, if you prefer your console racing experience to a bit more sim based, this isn't the title for you.

This is a good expansion, but for its time maybe not the best it could have been.

This version isn’t revolutionary enough that it will recruit fans who didn’t like it the first few times, but fans of the series will eat this up and gladly shell out the bucks for what Konami has to offer in this go round.

The ease of play, with the challenge of a good A.I. creates the perfect balance that not only makes for a realistic competition, but an enjoyable one as well.

In all of this, of course, I should emphasize that Letter Quest's core gameplay isn't all that bad. If you're like me, you'll get excessive amounts of joy out of playing a round or two and seeing all the crazy words you can come up with. It's easy enough to figure out, and the controls are a breeze.

All-in-all, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is a great time, albeit held back by the same lackluster camera the series has always had and the framerate causing some issues, but otherwise it’s a very solid title.

Everything in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 comes back to how much you like Smash Bros., and how much you want to play a game that’s similar to it but ever-so-slightly different. If your answers to both of those questions is “a lot”, then you’re definitely going to want to check this one out.

For me, I chose NBA Live 09. Not only has EA brought legs back to this franchise since struggling its first two years out on next generation platforms, but they have delivered a very strong outing last year and now this year as well.

I won't even pretend to have any deep thoughts on that subject, but I can definitely say that if you want something unique on your Vita or your PS3, they don't make things much more unique than Proteus.

Even if Blossom Tales isn’t all that original, that doesn’t make it any less fun. The world is fun to explore, the puzzles are fun to solve, and the story is engaging and enjoyable. It may not make you forget its obvious influences, but at the very least, it does right by them, and tries its best to live up to their sterling reputations.

If you go into Loddlenaut expecting anything in the way of stakes or drama or a challenge, you’ll probably be underwhelmed. But if you just want a relaxing, chill game that you can escape into for a couple of hours, it’s hard to think of a nicer, more pleasant way to pass the time.

I strongly suggest saving your cash for something else, as this is very below average.

It's definitely fun to play with others, as the only real issues I have with the game is that the AI difficulty is a little lame, but the campaign is still worth a run through if only to unlock the additional maps and see the new objectives put to work.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership takes far too long to get to the point, and the journey to get there isn’t nearly as interesting as it needs to be to make it feel worthwhile. Again, there are some great ideas here, and the game looks amazing, but unless you want your hand held for dozens upon dozens of hours, you’ll probably find yourself a little let down by it all.

Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate truly is, an Ultimate experience, a must buy!

As much as I feel I’m beating up DKC Returns HD, I do love the game, I just happen to love and appreciate Tropical Freeze more. Hopefully this means more platforming DKC titles are on the horizon when Nintendo launches the Switch 2, but until then I’m glad a larger audience of fans can still play DKC Returns.

While it’s not bad on any level, SFV definitely feels unfinished and not as polished as previous games in the series.

It's still a really solid fighting game and still pretty easy for newcomers to pick up and play, but it's not everything that I want out of the game. As much as I loathe paying for content that should have been on disc in the first place, I do find myself hoping that DLC will alleviate some of the issues I have.

The Interlude isn't anything to get excited about, and while the main game is certainly the same as what we've been playing for years, combining it with The After Years in a package with some nicely upgraded visuals is enough to get me on board.

It's a great shooter, with a fantastic rendition of the old west that really adds a lot of character to the game overall.

Field Commander does exactly what it set out to accomplish; provide a solid, portable, turn-based military strategy title.

Stands apart as the best soccer game on the PC, and one of the best footy games on any platform, period.

This game is very deep and a must for any soccer fan.

It has enough graphical flair, intriguing storylines, and just down right creepiness, to make you forget this is being played on a 6 year old system.

A few of the niggling control and camera problems from the original game are still present, but if you were able to overlook them before, then you will absolutely love this sequel.

Pokémon Snap is a poor effort on Nintendo’s part. It is completely obvious that the game was rushed in order to cash in on the Pokémon frenzy. They could have spent six more months creating some new areas and adding all the available Pokémon into it and then it would have been a much better overall game.

The AI is very smart. Probably too smart for newbies. Even on easy mode, soldiers will react with gang reflexes in shooting you to a pulp.

So there you have it: a sequel 25 years in the making that was crowd funded and released digitally for $15. Well played, Black Forest (no pun intended).

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.

Shadows of the Damned will not be appreciated by everyone, but if you love Grindhouse, horror, action, Resident Evil, or all of the above, click yes and grab a copy of Shadows of the Damned. It's a weird, crazy, bloody good ride into hell that you have seen, and have not seen both at the same time that all result in one word...Groovy!

Even if it was outshined by its successor, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is still worth your time. It may not be the GOTY contender that Luigi’s Mansion 3 was, but if you give it a chance, you’ll still find it worth your while.

The depth of The Godfather while you rise through the ranks is incredible...What EA did well is incorporating the Godfather story line along with yours, versus having you control one of the main characters. This opens up the gameplay immensely and allows you to unfold the Godfather story at your own pace.

I think Dragon Quest Heroes is far enough removed from the standard musou experience that even if you’re not a Dynasty Warrior fan of some sort, you can still get a whole lot of enjoyment out of this title. More so if you’re a Dragon Quest fan to begin with, but barring that, I still think Dragon Quest Heroes is worth checking out.

There's a fine line between encouragement and frustration in a game like this, and Zero 3 hits it right on the sweet spot.

Vehicle handling is very responsive, and never manages to feel off. You’ll easily be able to tell the difference between most vehicle types, more so when it comes to different classes.

Overall, despite the lack of subtitles and some underwhelming uses for the TMD on the puzzle side of things, I still found myself really enjoying Singularity's campaign.

For as much as I was excited to play Men of War: Assault Squad, I was bitten in the ass by entering with no foreknowledge of the game.

What I can't overlook, however, is all the evidence that no matter how great Kerbal Space Program may be on PC, it just doesn't belong on consoles.

The lack of proper online play is a downer, and in spite of the difficulty, the game could have been a bit longer "out of the box". But overall, the game is an intense shooter with a gritty, cohesive sense of style and direction, and I can't see many fans of the genre being disappointed with it.

The most important thing with a VR game like this (and really, any game in general) is how fun it ends up being, and Synapse is a freaking blast. I enjoyed everything about this game, and it is another must-have title on the PS VR2, and yet another fantastic game that makes me glad I was an early adopter of the headset. If you have a PS VR2, get Synapse on the Playstation Store for $35 and thank me later.

To be sure, most of what goes on in Promise Mascot Agency is utterly insane if you view it with any kind of detachment. This game is unquestionably bonkers. But it’s also the kind of game you can sink your teeth into in many, many ways, and if you want a unique experience, Promise Mascot Agency offers exactly that.

With only two modes to pick from in Just Dance 4, there really isn't much to rave about, and if you own any previous games in the series, there may not be enough new content to warrant a purchase. If you are new to the Just Dance franchise however, it seems like a good jumping off point to try something new. I know I had some fun with it, and I'm pretty sure anyone else who tries it will have fun too.

Kombinera doesn’t try to hide the fact that it’s tough, so if you’re after that kind of near-impossible difficulty, you’ll want to check it out.

The addicting, classic arcade gameplay and pseudo-retro stylings make it different enough than nearly anything else out there.

While it may not capture the "feel" of surfing quite as well as its closest competitor, it makes up for it with better wave models and the incredible number of actions to perform on each wave.

The story is weak, boss fights are hard, but the action is extremely enjoyable and in a game where the main focus is the action, which is all that counts.

For me, it doesn’t get much better than this. Sure, it is a port, but a damn good one that will keep me busy for quite some time.

Make no mistake about it, this game does not trounce, destroy, walk all over, or replace "Grand Theft Auto." It is a better game though, as it is more refined and makes a nice addition for those who like the genre and are looking for more.

Sure I still prefer the sweat simplicity of the old school style of ball, but it’s been a while since I’ve had this much fun playing a baseball game.

The XCOM 2 Collection is a pretty welcome addition to the Switch library. It’s got a great reputation for a reason as being a key part of arguably the best tactical RPG series out there, and that reputation survives the game’s jump over to the Switch almost entirely intact.

For music enthusiasts, picking up both games is a given, as Donkey Konga is worth playing, but for the more selective crowd, this Japanese drum should be the one you go home banging on your way out of the store.

It's a far better game than any of the modern day Sonic titles I've played so far, and the classic Sonic stuff is enough to sell me on the game, even if the modern Sonic side isn't always my cup of tea.

While it looks and sounds better than the original and even the Megaton Edition, there isn't really enough new here to warrant a purchase.

This game is tough. Maybe I just suck at it but it seems unreasonably hard for what I expected to be a fun brawler. Then again, at least it didn't turn into licensed shovelware.

With its charming sense of humor and great gameplay, Ape Escape 3 is probably the best Ape Escape yet. It is short though, easily beaten in the span of a rental.

The story, acting and graphics are great, but the gameplay just doesn’t bring enough new ideas to satisfy what I’ve been waiting and hoping for. Add in the fact that the game isn’t very long and it becomes hard for me to recommend Quantum Break at full retail price of sixty bucks.

All things considered, Borderlands 3: Ultimate Edition is a pretty neat achievement that’s only slightly undermined by the fact that we had an even better port of an even more well-received open-world game from a previous generation just a few months ago. Even so, this is a fun game in its own right, and if you’re after a big, open-world shooter with lots of guns and gore on the Switch, this is definitely one of your better options.

Fans of Final Fantasy will undoubtedly find themselves happy with World of Final Fantasy, despite its shortcomings in combat and scope.

We were this close to greatness in Madden this season, in my opinion. If EA would just bite the bullet and get some of those station/network licenses, pair it with these new presentations and the near realistic graphics, we’ll have something special. Lump those all in with some of the best gameplay Madden has had in a long time as well and you would have something that would make the casual fan second guess whether they were watching a video game or a real NFL game. Kudos to EA for a huge step in the right direction and I’m hopeful to see it improved on for next year. Madden NFL 26 is an absolute win/buy for fans, new and old, of the franchise.

As a Switch title, Yakuza Kiwami is perfect and feels right at home on this hardware. It is important to keep in mind, however, that Kiwami is a title from 2016, and is just a direct 1:1 port, so don’t expect any additional quality of life changes from the previous releases. That said, again, it is incredible and highly worth your time, and is an excellent starting point to jump into this zany franchise. If this does well enough, I can totally see RGG Studio (Rya Ga Gotoku Studio) porting the other games to the Nintendo Switch, whether this rendition or the upcoming successor.

A true upgrade over the previous version, and as I mentioned before, is the best handheld soccer game ever created.

The demo won me over, but the final release helped solidify my feelings. The fact there is a comic book prequel and it has a kick ass score, makes Hell is Us one of my favorite games of 2025 and one of the best of the last 10 years for me in the genre.

It’s mostly okay, but if you go in expecting a flawless experience, you’ll be disappointed. If, however, you go in hoping for a game that’s merely fun, then Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition will more than fit the bill. It’s a good reminder of why people were so pleased when the series was reborn last year, and it’s a solid action game to have in your Switch library.

Overall Tales of Berseria Remastered is one of the better Tales games in recent memory. If you have it on PS4, and have a PS5 that can play it, I would probably hold off, unless you really need the buttery smooth 60fps. If you don’t have the original, this is a great game to get started on.

If you’re a fan of either the anime or manga then you owe it to yourself to pick this up. And even if you’re not a Naruto super fan, I think you’ll be surprised by how much fun this game has to offer.

It might still have that infamous bumpy frame rate, but basically the game is a great amount of fun, and ranks up there with "Perfect Dark" and "GoldenEye" in terms of best first person shooters on the machine.

Even if you don’t go for a garage full of tanks and just buy one or two, or even just play with the provided starter tanks, you will have fun with this one. It’s truly up to you how much you want to spend on this one, so you really have no excuse for not at least trying this one out. Download now and start blasting away!

Even sharper graphics with higher poly-counts [than the PS2 version].

With fantastic level designs, great enemies and power-ups, as well as the addition of some fun and entertaining multiplayer modes, Kirby is a must have.

There’s a lot to discover and uncover in Golf Club: Wasteland. Each course offers rewards in the form of log entries, detailing the events that lead the character you play as to where he is now. The game may not be super long, but a lot of love is clearly present from the development team. If you’re looking for a calm game to just kick back, put on some headphones and just play, few get to nearly the same level of peacefulness.

Think of this game as a survival horror game that allows you to kick ass instead of being a helpless victim who is low on ammo and courage.

Where Splatoon's motion controls elevated the game's precision as a shooter, the motion-based fighting in ARMS reveals that Nintendo doggedly pursued one core idea and built the rest around that foundation, whether or not it was an improvement on a pre-existing genre. ARMS is nothing of the sort. Instead, it's simply different; sometimes with frustrating compromise, and other times a refreshingly unique take on fighting games. Surprisingly, there are few surprises about how the final product turned out, so if you think this game is for you, it probably is. If not, it's worth a few rounds at a friend's place or a rental — if only to see what the latest idea Nintendo thought was crazy enough that it might work, dedicated to seeing through, and delivered as a highly polished product.

No More Heroes 3 is a welcomed good time for fans of the series and may be a little hard to get into for new fans. Its crude humor remains the same (taking a dump activates your save files), but there is something very punk rock about this game that Suda51 has given us here. If you can look past its clunky visuals and repetitive gameplay, you’re in for a treat. This an excellent send-off for Travis Touchdown and his friends.

The levels and quests are less interesting than other RPGs, with less of the puzzle solving and interesting characters that appeared in the original.

With slightly better performance, Deliver Us The Moon could have been one of the best games of the year. As it stands, it’ll have to settle for being merely intriguing.

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.

NFS Underground 2 does one more thing exceptionally well; give the gamer plenty of bang for their buck. If 8 different game play modes wasn't enough; Circuit, Drag, Drift, Sprint, Street X, Downhill Drift, Outrun, and Underground Racing League, you have a story mode that will give gamers over 40 hours of racing joy.

It’s one of those games where the journey matters at least as much as, if not more than, the destination — and, thankfully, it makes that journey as smooth and seamless and pleasant as possible.

One of the finest RPG titles released in the past decade, and is a crucial game to grab for the Nintendo DS.

When taken into consideration against Rockstar Games’ other major holiday release, "Grand Theft Auto 3," though, the repetitive nature of Smuggler’s Run 2 almost makes it not worth mentioning.

This baby is driving for real. Enjoy, or don't enjoy...there is no try.

While there was a collection of things to be frustrated about with Liars and Cheats, there is a variety of things to be happy about too. With a large number of new gang hideouts and some interesting new modes, Liars and Cheats is definitely in the "suggest to buy" category.

A top-notch wrestling title on the GC. The characters all have tons of personality, the gameplay is great, and there are enough modes to keep players pummeling till the end.

Mega Man Legacy Collection is not the best compilation of classics released, but it’s definitely not the worst. Worth a download if you are a fan.

This is a great version of Raiden V, and since we now have the Director’s Cut that means you can buy it once and never worry about a newer version! Well, probably. Along with a 1080p facelift and revisions like a narrated story, there’s enough here to call this a sweet definitive edition of a fun SHMUP.

If you really focus on the narrative, I don’t think you’ll necessarily draw the same conclusions that My Memory of Us wants you to draw. It’s a well-intentioned, well-made game that tries to convey the horrors of genocide — but, in the process of doing that, may just accidentally minimize them.

Obviously, your enjoyment of Scarlet Nexus will likely be greater if you actually do enjoy anime (or maybe not – or all I know, this game’s story may be horrifically bad!). But if you’re indifferent to the genre, you shouldn’t let that stop you from enjoying a very fun action game.