While it may not sport the latest in eye candy, the game still delivers in the department that matters most – gameplay.

Ty's game play is simple to pick up and play, while it merits enough challenge to make even veteran platform junkies scratch their heads for a bit.

So while I definitely enjoy playing an updated classic on the DS, it just doesn't hold up as well against other recent, and successful revitalizations of older series.

Even without the extras we are accustomed to seeing in the series, the updated visuals, new mechanics and enjoyable adventure are worth the price of admission.

Outside of the two minor caveats, Spy Chameleon is easy to pick up and play and is great for the casual Xbox One gamer, or someone who has ten or fifteen minutes to kill at a time.

As it stands, it’s an OK representation of Othello in video game form, but it doesn’t really do anything else than give you basic video game Othello. It’s a little bland and by the numbers in that regard, which is disappointing considering it has been forever since I’ve played Othello in any format. Still, if you’ve got five bucks to spend, and you’re looking for something to play on the Switch, it’s not a bad way to go. You can pick up and play a round or two pretty quickly, making it a solid portable experience if you’re on the go. I wouldn’t highly recommend it by any means, but if you’re in the mood for some classic board game experiences, Othello can scratch that itch.

If you haven’t picked up Madden in a few years, there’s nothing glaringly wrong with this year’s release and I would recommend it. On the other side of the coin, if you’re a diehard and you play every year and might even have the free next gen release from last season, I’d say this year is a safe skip and just download this season’s roster.

The gameplay and modes are identical to the PS2 version in every way I can think to evaluate them. The minigames are completely worthless, but they don’t really get in the way of the actual game so I’m going to pretend like they don’t exist and treat the game as if it was an exact PS2 port.

It doesn’t try or claim to be anything more than a basic Metroidvania-style platformer, and it delivers that. It’s just..it’s so basic, and so forgettable, it’s hard to feel very enthusiastic about anything here. If you want a game you can play for 2 hours, see everything it has to offer, and then never think about it again, Micetopia will deliver that, but it’s hard not to think that you should want a little more out of what you’re playing.

It’s a more inventive take than you usually see for licensed anime titles, and smartly evolves past the standard, overwrought storyline retreads typically used.

A somewhat major retooling of the combat system has allowed a one-trick pony another chance, as it seems to be a step in the right direction for bringing back those alienated by the milking of ancient Oriental history.

If you’re after a game that captures the general vibe of that era’s 3D platformers, Kao the Kangaroo does an okay job. Every level gives you plenty of coins and baubles and collectibles to discover, which means that if you’re the type of person who wants to collect everything you can in one of these games, there’s plenty for you to do. Likewise, the levels are all pretty good sizes, so it feels like there’s a lot to explore, even if the levels are generally pretty linear. But these things are only enough to make Kao the Kangaroo feel like an average 3D platformer, not anything special. While that may hearken back to the series’ early days – and it makes this game a perfect continuation of what the series did back when it was a thing – it’s certainly not enough to make Kao the Kangaroo a game you need to play in 2022.

The combat system is frustrating and delivers very little fun after a couple of hours.

If we’re talking about things like reduced load times as a big plus, I think it’s clear that R.B.I. Baseball 20 isn’t the (relatively) smashing success that R.B.I. Baseball 19 was. But it still points to the game making an effort to improve, which clearly wasn’t the case up until last year’s outing. Whether that will help the series next year when MLB The Show stops being a Sony exclusive remains to be seen, but for now, at least it means that anyone who wants a baseball game outside of the PlayStation ecosystem won’t have to suffer through a game that’s a complete write-off.

If you’re looking for a challenge, Super Cop difficulty approaches the Xbox level, and the truly masochistic can always use the Hard-Boiled cheat as suggested by Namco.

What were Day of the Tentacle, Maniac Mansion, and the Monkey Island games if not alternatively incredibly smart and way too clever for their own good? The Wardrobe probably won’t appeal to you if you don’t already love those games, but if you’ve been pining for the return of old-fashioned ‘90s adventure games, then you owe it to yourself to check this out.

Whoever in Telltale worked on the game spent a proper amount of time on making the concept art and dialogue shine, but far too little on making sure the presentation is up to par.

Area 51 is the antithesis of what first person shooter fans want. It is actually a better offline title than it is online.

It may not look the greatest, but the imagination that went into the game's creation shows in almost every scene. Couple that with an inexpensive price tag (only $6!), and it's easy to say if you’re a fan of the hidden object genre, Voodoo Chronicles is a worthwhile investment.

Fun for a Bleach fan such as myself. Players who are not Bleach fans will not enjoy the game nearly as much as the back story is completely MIA.

But that repetition! No matter how innovative or charming a game may be, it still has to do something to mix things up a little, and Ring Run Circus just doesn't. It puts all its cards on the table right off the bat, and while that may make for a fun experience at first, it doesn't take too long for that to wear out its welcome.

A fun, but basic, RTS for the PSP, and makes a decent transition for the franchise from the larger scale RTS titles available on the PC. Outside of some basic control limitations and some bland level art, it ends up being a solid and enjoyable experience that PSP owners should take a second a check out.

With great gameplay, varied missions and solid controls, Defender is another Midway classic tuned for a new generation of gamers.

The game unfortunately offers only story mode for single and multiplayer actions. No head to head death matches, no randomly generated maps to conquer. This hurts the replay value of this game quite a bit, with little to go back for.

Really, the only reason to play Paradox Soul is if you want to spend between $5 or so on a quick, fairly easy Platinum. No judgment if you do, but it feels like there has to be a better way to spend that money.

While it took me a while, I eventually warmed up to this game. The game play is spot on and everything seems to fit appropriately into this military sim. While the FPS crowd may not get what they are expecting, if they stay around they will find what I found, a gratifying experience.

Dark Summit won't rock your socks off, but it looks good, plays good and has plenty to keep gamers heading down the slopes again and again.

All in all, this Tomb Raider reboot isn’t perfect. But it is a step in the right direction for the series, and again marks the most fun I’ve had with a Tomb Raider title in a while. It’s got enough of that AAA polish to make it a contender, but I feel that the series is going to need some fresh ideas if it really wants to compete with the big hitters.

As much as I enjoyed Gigapocalypse, however, I wouldn’t say that I whole-heartedly recommend it. For one thing, it’s really hard to imagine playing it with anything other than a touchscreen (though a mouse might be a decent alternative). At the same time, though, the performance on the Switch isn’t the greatest, to put it mildly. So the window for enjoying it is awfully narrow. Still, if you’re okay with compromising here and there, it makes for a pretty fun time.

Anthology has a mesmerizing quality about it. Once I started playing and listening to some of the old '80s tunes, it just became real comfortable to keep going.

I couldn’t stop playing it, frustrating flaws notwithstanding. I don’t know whether that says more about me or about Guild of Dungeoneering’s design, but I can definitely say that it makes for a very addictive experience – albeit one you may hate and love in equal parts.

But really, part of what makes No More Heroes so enjoyable is the nearly nonsensical story, which is still intact here. Lots of 4th wall breaking going on by all parties, and a whole lot pokes are made at popular culture and various geek loves, like Star Wars, Transformers, and others.

Personally, I didn’t feel like the pay-off was worth the investment (either in hours or in brain power), but if you want a game that’ll tax your problem-solving abilities to their limits, Island Maze will give you just that.

The combat can be downright boring at times.

No doubt many people will find this game frustratingly difficult in single player, but I still think it is a good implementation of a tennis game.

It’s a nice alternative to a play style that some feel is getting a bit stale already, and if you were a fan of the old school, it’s worth checking out for the free month at least.

I don't think target audiences get any more specific than they do with Demetrios – The Big Cynical Adventure. As far as I can tell, it's for fans of the Broken Sword series who wish that those games took themselves way less seriously and included way, way more scatalogical humour.

Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter isn't an awful game by any stretch, but it barely manages to get past that average mark. If it weren't for the whole hero creation aspect, there'd hardly be a game here worth mentioning, so I wish the core platforming stuff were a little more interesting than it is.

With great gameplay, varied missions and solid controls, Defender is another Midway classic tuned for a new generation of gamers.

I was a little concerned at first that this was going to be another shovelware title but I was quickly assuaged. Blowing up hippies (and zombies and old people) with a few friends and the South Park children is a great time; which is why I highly recommend this title.

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.

If you just want something to jump in and out of without any commitment required, Urban Trial Playground will more or less do the trick. If you want anything more than that, you’ll probably have to wait until Trials Rising in February, but until then, this will act as an okay stopgap.

It's got some interesting concepts, but the execution is off. The overall design and nature of the PSP game feels cramped when ported to consoles and PC, and was generally distracting when in any part of the game that wasn't some version of combat.

I personally could have done without the majority of the hovercar and weapon-based missions, but overall the game works well, looks and sounds fantastic, and provides many hours of mostly enjoyable gaming.

I can't say that the single player game warrants a $60 purchase, but if you can find the right black magic to make multiplayer work well, then you've got a solid game on your hands.

All in all, NBA Playgrounds was a pleasant surprise. Post release support will make or break how the game continues to be and if players stick around with it. I’ve already recommended the game to some friends for some arcade style sports fun. At this point it’s tough to recommend the Switch version over the other consoles, based on what I mentioned previously, but IF all my issues were corrected, it could be the definitive version. Playing at home or taking it on the go while hanging out and tipping back a few “sodas” is what this genre is all about.

I'd say that Brink still has some promise if the lag can get ironed out soon enough; I certainly enjoy the online matches that run smoothly. If I can get into a match with a full 16 players and have it run smoothly, I could easily get months of enjoyment out of Brink.

If you own an Xbox, however, "Project Gotham Racing" and "Sega GT 2002" take advantage of the hardware's capabilities far better than NFS: HP2.

Ultimately I came away from Last Remnant feeling more disappointed than pleased, but I can't say that the whole experience was a wash. The battle system is really a blast, and well worth checking out for RPG vets, but this isn't the great SE experience I was hoping to find.

Obviously, Bone Marrow’s developers should be applauded for trying something new with such a familiar formula. There’s a good idea to be found here, for sure. But if you want something with any depth, this definitely isn’t it.

A solid first effort and actually makes me look forward to a sequel. I really hope they can mess around with the control scheme a bit next time to allow for more versatility in your trick making so you can be more creative on the pavement.

It’s certainly fun to move so quickly, and with a few tweaks I feel like this could have been a great game, but as it stands, it’s not quite all there.

At this point, this is a game that will appeal to fans of the high score and dunks as A.I. and defense did not really show up this year.

It is true that NCAA Basketball 09 isn't a perfect basketball sim, but what it brings to the table is pure enjoyment for any fan that enjoys watching these kids bust their butts every week and not get paid for it.

It's a really solid attempt at bringing an RTS over to the DS.

It's fun enough for most adults to enjoy (admittedly in limited doses) and simple enough for most kids to grasp. The opportunity for interaction among family or friends makes Shrek 2 more than the sum of its parts.

To be clear, I wouldn’t say that Dragon Sinker is going to blow you away or anything. You should go into it expecting a mostly-generic JRPG, just as you would any other Kemco game. But, like the better JRPGs from that studio, that tiny bit of game that isn’t generic is enough to ensure that JRPG fans looking for their next fix may want to consider it if the price is right.

For gamers who just want to shoot, slam, and take it to guys in the paint, this game will more than meet your expectations. If you are looking for a game filled with strategy and intense pressure, you may want to get your hoops action elsewhere.

The Arcade mode and local 2P action is great, just what I expected from the game, and while the visuals could do with a little sprucing up in comparison to the arcade stuff I've seen, it's not that awful. Not quite as stylized as recent console fighters, but not bad enough that it put me off of having fun with the game. However, if you're going in for story/scenario mode and online play, neither is worth picking the game up for at the moment.

If you don’t enjoy RTS games or aren’t a fan of the franchise, then this won’t be the game that will sway you, I can recommend this if you’re curious about how Minecraft and this genre of game can coexist and if you are a Minecraft fan in general. Overall, a great game for fans, but not for everyone.

The older players looking for a tie to the past will probably be happier hiding a dusty Black Knight machine in the basement.

It’s not sim enough to match up with Sega’s offering, and Midway has a faster, more fun arcade hockey game in NHL Hitz.

Overall I found this collection to be pretty fun though, but it doesn't do anything that's particularly mind blowing. It's competently put together, contains a fair amount of content for a mini-game collection, and really tosses in the kitchen sink when it comes to summer Olympic events. It'll definitely appeal more to a younger audience, but I think it's worth checking out for 3DS owners.

It’s not particularly ambitious, which means that it neither wows you, nor does it ever run the risk of mind-blowingly bad. It’s worth checking out if you need an average platformer, but don’t expect to be thinking about it beyond the few hours it’ll take you to beat it.

To quote some great song titles when suggesting Army of Two: The 40th Day, all I can say is that "One is the loneliest number", and "It's takes two, baby."

Of course, seeing as Type:Rider is only $3 or so, it’s hard to know how harshly to judge the game. For that price, it’s almost worth it just to see the graphics in action — provided you’re aware that dealing with lousy platforming is part of the price of admission as well.

It may not work enough to sustain it for a 10+-hour runtime, but there are enough interesting ideas here that it’s not hard to imagine it evolving into something fun.

There are too many little things wrong with the strongest part of the game, the flight combat, to completely excuse the weakest parts, the third person missions on foot.

Very accessible, cheap, and immediately fun; Bit.Trip Void is a fun package for WiiWare to play host to.

In the end, Rogue Trooper is a technically solid game. It’s intuitive, looks and plays great…but it’s really not all that compelling.

Really the only nagging problems with the game are the simplistic graphics and the camera, which sometimes refuses to go where you want it. If you're looking for something different from the norm, I highly suggest giving Chibi-Robo a try.

It's a really solid port, but lacks any bells and whistles to attract folks who might not be die-hard fans of the series. It's definitely worth checking out, but keep in mind that you're getting the same content here that was contained in Sigma on PS3 nearly five years ago.

It’s unfortunate that Nintendo didn’t release an all-new side scrolling Mario game.

The control with mouse and keyboard is far superior to the clunky Xbox controller, and Gearbox is already rolling out patches to deal with the framerate issues. As an experience, Halo is something to behold - on the right system, you can pull this game out and slap around your Xbox-owning friends with higher resolutions and better controls. As a game, however, it starts strong and fizzles like a wet firework towards the end.

Surprisingly fun, for as long as it lasts. It's definitely a step in the right direction for a licensed game based on a kids cartoon, and at the budget price of $20 it's not a bad idea to check it out.

The game isn’t about guns, action, blood and mayhem. It’s a game dealing with stealth in its purest form.

A little less hand holding when it comes to map exploration would have made the experience a tad more interesting for me, and while I can't deny that the visuals look nice, the effect being used is certainly starting to get a little tired the more I see it pop up in digital releases.

There's no multiplayer or co-op, and little to see outside of the main story mode, but it's something people of any age could pick up and enjoy.

Big Bang Pro Wrestling isn’t gonna topple the latest and greatest the WWE has to offer, but given the Switch is seriously deprived of wrestling titles, even this one can be appreciated if you’re looking for some grappling action on the go. It was also refreshing to see a NGPC title get put out that isn’t a straight fighting game, so if NGPC Pocket Selection vol. 2 is going to be a thing at least it will be a lot more diverse than vol. 1. Given that this obscure title was given a chance in the west, Faselei! can’t be far behind, right?

Of course, the same — that Atomic Ninjas is a lot of fun when everything works the way it's supposed to — could be said for pretty much any game ever, which means that this is hardly the most glowing recommendation imaginable. But, really, that's the point: Atomic Ninjas is fun, but not the sort of game that deserves an unqualified rave.

Space Invaders needs no further justification for ownership.

Even with graphics that fall below the expectations of the current generation of hardware, Armored Core 4 is a fun way to make machines to the dirty work.

All things considered, Knights & Guns feels like it would’ve been an amazing game to play, say, thirty years ago in an arcade — someplace where the action wouldn’t feel quite as repetitive, and where you’d be able to enjoy its fiery action in all its loud, brightly coloured glory. As it stands, it probably doesn’t do enough to stand out among the many shmups that call the Switch home — whether it’s a slight variation on the usual or not.

Controls are rigid and unforgiving using the d-pad. Thankfully, you can use the R and L buttons to rotate the camera and move forward at the same time, this makes for much more fluid turning than using the d-pad.

So, really, the question is: how much — and what kind of — drama do you want in your games? If you want loud and flashy, then look elsewhere. But if it’s quiet, introspective, and intrapersonal, then Where The Heart Leads should be right up your alley.

CoD3 is a game that is slightly repetitive if not lackluster in its single player - the first level is insanely awesome though.

a must buy for fans of the "Fast and The Furious" movie.

Moon Diver could have used more attention in creating a fun experience that didn't rely on over saturating players with enemies to kill, but depending on what kind of person you are, the hectic multiplayer can be a blast with an old-school bend.

MLB 2K9 belongs in the 'fun' category. It looks great, and most of the time the game plays great. But it's not kind online, and pitch counts and tendencies, and hitters that act like the real thing, aren't there.

But overall the game performs on the PS3 without much issue. It's not the best looking game on the market, but I enjoyed the brightly hued color of the stages, despite some of the more repetitious environments that divide the rooms.

I don't think it's going to hold the interest of the current-gen crowd for long, and while coming out a reduced price point was probably a smart idea for Capcom, you might want to hold off on a purchase until it drops a little bit more. Still, it's worth playing, but only as a rental.

Narnia makes for a decent adventure title on both systems, but it fails to do anything new or astounding. The game is also on the short and easy side, even with some of the unlockable extras.

Unless you played Hotline Miami and wished it featured more people shooting you dead from offscreen where you couldn’t even see them, you’re better off passing on The Hong Kong Massacre, because style is really all this game has to offer.

Admittedly, apart from that, Xenoraid is large what you'd expect from a vertical-scrolling shmup: you control a ship around the screen as you blast away at wave after wave of successive enemies. Your weapons, naturally, are upgradable, and the game is generally all about shooting as many aliens as you can. In other words, it's what you'd expect from a shmup, but for one minor deviation. But you know what? That one deviation may just be enough to make Xenoraid checking out.

That's not here yet, though, which means that as of right now, KickBeat is one long slog of churning guitars, thundering drums and shouty vocals. If that doesn't turn you off of the game, this will: the gameplay isn't all that great yet, either. With time and an active community this could change, but until then, you'll probably want to hold off on picking this up.

The puzzles aren't too difficult to figure out, but the title is perfectly geared to younger players, and is definitely the highlight of the bunch.

While Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers may streamline the action and make it much more manageable, it also makes things feel a little sterile, too. Points to Tecmo KOEI for trying something new, I guess, but at the same time, Godseekers is a good reminder of why "If it ain't broke" became a saying in the first place.

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.