It's hard to deny Fabledom's innate charm. It's an incredibly likable game, easy to understand and simple to get hooked on.

Whether you love Star Wars or not, Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge is just a damn good VR game. It’s not the longest (at around four hours), and it may not quite have as much “Jedi stuff” as you’d want, but again, it looks stunning, has fantastic feedback throughout, and even if you aren’t au-fait with the universe, you can be impressed by the attention to detail.

Knights and Bikes is a lovely warm blanket of childhood adventure and imagination, and a perfect game to play with a young family.

An excellent remaster of a bonkers campaign, that feels great to play again. It's just a shame that the Special Ops and multiplayer modes didn't make their way in as well.

Human Fall Flat is a very good port. I would like individual Joy-Con support to be added in a patch but if you’ve been waiting to check this out and want to on the Switch, go for it.

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is a great example of FMV done right, with a captivating mystery and engaging investigations throughout.

Flippin Misfits is an absolute blast, with fast paced zero gravity gameplay that will make you shout at your friends in all the right ways.

When it comes to performance, there are a few instances of minor slowdown but nothing major like a lot of the other ports. I do wish it looked a bit better in portable mode. A bit more visual polish could really make this shine on the Switch screen. VooFoo Studios has done a great job with this port.

While not perfect, Crown Trick has managed to give a unique rogue-like experience to a genre oversaturated with copy-paste ideas.

Tetris Forever is a superbly put together package, and an eye opening documentary with some genuinely footage on show.

Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus is an interesting entry into an increasingly saturated genre that manages to stand out on its own merits.

Another Crab’s Treasure is a game full of ideas, and one that deserves to put indie developer Aggro Crab well and truly on the map.

Citizens of Earth is a quirky JRPG with a sense of humour that loves to make fun of American stereotypes.

Rage of the Dragons Neo is not only a much better game overall, but there are a stack of extra bells and whistles that make it a no-brainer.

Nurse Love Addiction is still a great visual novel but the docked experience isn't as good as it could've been on Nintendo Switch.

Fate/Samurai Remnant has a range of combat mechanics that lead to intense and enjoyable combat, and features a cool story at its heart.

Fiesta Run is very similar to Rayman Legends. Much like that game, it’s an elaboration on what has come before (as Jungle Run was to Rayman Origins) and offers the same amount of fun and challenge as before. While the impact isn’t as great this time around, there’s plenty to enjoy with the second helping of mobile platforming goodness.

It'll suck you in slowly as it transforms into one of the greatest JRPGs of the last few years, with memorable characters and gameplay.

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is a thrilling rogue-like that gets continually better the more you play, whether alone or with friends.

Get ready for adventure again with this bite sized extra episode for our pint-sized rambler, great value at the price of a London pint.

NBA 2K21 is a fantastic basketball simulation, but it is a shame that most of the game feels more like an update than an entirely new entry.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit feels like magic. It's expensive to play multiplayer, but if your imagination (and house) is big enough, there's plenty of fun on offer.

With wonderful locomotion and loads of cool abilities to unlock, Doomblade is a Metroidvania unlike any other that is well worth playing.

F1 Manager 22 is a strong step back into managing a Formula One team, with plenty of depth and a thrilling race weekend experience.

Despite a seemingly unnecessary level of challenge, Darkwood is genuinely one of the scariest games out there, featuring some of the best sound design in the survival horror genre.

It may have issues, but in RIDE 4, Milestone has finally created the two-wheeled Gran Turismo that fans have always wanted.

With a dense open world inspired by Breath of the Wild, Genshin Impact provides hours of free entertainment with its rich combat and deep RPG systems.

Riki 8Bit Game Collection thoroughly appeals to me and is going to be firmly in the wheelhouse of many in the still thriving retro game community.

Fort Triumph is a solid, colourful entry into an increasingly crowded genre and one that dares to do things a little differently.

Yumeutsutsu Re:Master is easily worth your time with its multiple endings if you enjoy long visual novels.

Whereas normal Roguelites are content with the loop of combat and loot gathering, Moonlighter’s idea of selling gathered loot in your own shop is ingenious.

If you miss PS2 era platformers then Pumpkin Jack has you covered. With spooky levels, collectables and nonsense voices, it's a retro treat.

Rubble Without a Cause takes King’s Quest down a much darker path and is very enjoyable for it. With having to solve puzzles against the clock it really feels as if your decisions matter, due to gut punching consequences.

Trials of Mana is a faithful remake of a game many won't have played. The care and attention it's been given belies its simple visuals, resulting in a lovely RPG experience.

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior delivers a fun, creative action-adventure with enough charm and new ideas to stand out.

Buckshot Roulette is a short game with plenty of appeal, whether through its replayability, strategy, or grisly charm.

An unsurprising RTS in every sense of the word, but solidly entertaining and well-designed for console.

Don’t be put off by its claims of spreading maths to the masses – it never feels like a lecture. Any improvements to your number skills seem more like a happy coincidence, as Twelve a Dozen entertains more than it teaches.

This adventure game with light puzzles is well worth your time if you enjoy fairy tale aesthetics and stories. I adored the art and music and the only real flaw with this game is the few minor performance issues with Switch version. The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince is a charming storybook tale and I can’t wait to see the next release from NIS’ smaller team.

Touhou Genso Wanderer was a really good roguelike on the PS4 already and the added content and portability aspect of the Switch makes this the definitive version of Touhou Genso Wanderer by far. If you’ve been craving your Mystery Dungeon and Shiren fix on Switch, this is the game to get.

Endless Ocean Luminous is a lovely adventure that lets you play your way, and rewards you with a relaxing feeling few games offer.

Station to Station is an enjoyable, likable railway builder with a beautiful art style and a charming soundtrack.

Packed full of charming robots and thoughtful gameplay, The Colonists is a great city builder that controls great on console.

The great level design, accompanied by charming 8-bit style artwork, an incredible soundtrack and the fact that you need to be very quick-thinking and account for every centimetre of space, really make this a special game in its genre.

Pocket Rumble is a lovely bite sized fighter with great accessible gameplay, 2 player versus with single Joy-Con support on the same Switch, and a nice retro aesthetic.

Jurassic World Evolution: Complete Edition comes packed with content even for the most ardent of Jurassic Park fans. Frontier has an eye for detail and although there's a small compromise in terms of total dinosaur population the payoff is a surprisingly smooth experience.

EA Sports FC 24 on Nintendo Switch means owners can finally feel like they have a proper option when it comes to one of the biggest games of the year.

Sniper Elite VR: Winter Warrior is an achievement in its authenticity and gunplay, providing some great modes and environments to play in.

It may be a little rough around the edges, but Assetto Corsa Competizione provides an excellent simulation of GT racing.

Planet Coaster 2 is a genuinely lovely and likeable way to kill a few hours and flex your creative muscles.

Escape Academy is a fun, addictive puzzler that captures the escape room magic with plenty of detail and variety, you'll just wish it lasted a little longer.

TumbleSeed had the potential to really be this year’s Spelunky or Isaac with its amazing visuals and music design but it throws far too much at the player early on making it a tad more frustrating than fun.

A charming Zelda-esque Roguelike with a compelling assortment of permanent upgrades. A few technical issues do detract from the experience, but the beautiful world of Sparklite is well worth exploring.

MotoGP 23 has added dynamic weather to make racing a whole new beast, and the Career mode is a solid feature to keep you hooked.

As a dark, story-driven settlement sim, Gord offers a moderate amount of replayability and a pretty compelling central narrative.

NBA 2K19 is a joy to play, but with progression in MyCareer often halted due to lack of VC, you have to wonder why 2K wants you to struggle to progress, especially after last year's concerns.

Travelling around Source is a pleasant and chilled experience, if a little bland at times.

The horrible feeling that creeps over your skin as you play makes you want to stop, but the gameplay is good enough that you’ll keep going regardless. If you’re fed up of where Resident Evil is at, then The Evil Within might be the foul-smelling breath of fetid air you are craving, even if it might have benefited from being a tighter, leaner affair.

An incredibly fun combat mechanics is the basis for one of the most enjoyable 3DS games this year.

Anyone who ever dreamed of being the villain building an island base to rival Dr. No should give Evil Genius 2: World Domination a fair shot.

It may not look overly original on the surface, but dive a little further and Mark of the Deep is an engaging, compelling little adventure.

It’s not perfect, but there really should be no objection to letting Phoenix Wright into your life.

The introduction of new traversal ideas, proper stealth and a more focused narrative mark this out as different enough to warrant true merit, and prove that From Software still have a trick or two up their sleeves.

Managing to create a prequel story for a universe that had already existed for over ten years, that has spanned different art styles and spun many stories, is no mean feat, but on the basis of this first episode, it looks as though The Wolf Among Us is a worthy addition to the world of Fables.

Crash Drive 3 is pure daft entertainment alone or with others, but unfortunately the framerate on Switch is less than ideal.

With its extreme weather scenarios and the familiar, over-the-top usage of Rico’s grapple gun, wingsuit and parachute, Just Cause 4 is the most ridiculous and best it has ever been.

There is no ‘best way’ to play this, other than in a quiet room with your headphones firmly in place and nothing to distract you.

The real appeal of Warhammer 40K: Inquisitor - Martyr Ultimate Edition is the faithfulness to the universe and attention to detail.

If you haven’t played Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons before, this is definitely the version to get since it has an all new proper co-op mode including single Joy-Con support for you to be able to experience this short story on the go with a ready to go co-op setup. If you’ve already played the game, there isn’t much value in getting it again since the main draw is the puzzles and experiencing them for the first time.

Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book marks the franchise PlayStation 4 debut and one of the must play JRPGs on the system, despite its flaws.

Chicken Police is a noire style point and click visual novel. It features a dark and compelling central mystery and a superbly voice-acted cast of bizarre characters. It is a clucking good time!

Kombinera is a simple but incredibly challenging puzzle platformer, and if your brain can handle it you’ll have a blast.

Still Wakes the Deep tells an emotional tale under extreme circumstances, with a stunningly detailed world and intelligent storytelling.

Fairy Tail 2 is a wonderful RPG with fast paced combat, a gorgeous world to explore and a whole lot of familiar anime faces. It’s not a game that’s particularly accessible for people who haven’t watched the anime though, and certainly not those who skipped the first game. Despite this it’s hard to deny that this is an engaging RPG experience crafted by genre experts, and for fans of the series especially it’ll be an absolute delight.

As the years go by, opportunities to shout expletives into the face of someone you call your “friend” become less and less frequent. Nidhogg brings that joy back into your life.

Floodland is a great survival sim that constantly forces you to think about your actions and make tough choices.

God Eater 3 was already a great game and the Switch version actually feels like the best way to play it. It runs smooth whether handheld or docked, and the extra content is a bonus. I’d probably go so far as to recommend this over the PS4 version, though if you already own it I wouldn’t implore you to buy it a second time unless Switch is your main console or you want something awesome to play on the commute. Either way, God Eater 3 is a prime example of a Switch port done right.

Scars Above is a well-crafted third-person shooter with plenty of options to take on the punishing alien world you find yourself in.

With its rip-roaring soundtrack and genuinely impressive retro-future graphical style, Fight'N Rage is a treat for the eyes and ears.

A fairly lacklustre remaster does nothing to diminish what makes Dragon's Dogma such a unique and memorable role-playing game. For fans of western style action RPGs it's a must play.

It’s not going to be known quite yet if Life is Strange is essential, but early signs are that this sequel is going to be as good as season one was.

If you can look past the weak story and the dull characters, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst has some of the best gameplay mechanics on the current gen by far.

I’d even go so far as to say that it feels like the definitive version. It doesn’t add anything to the base game besides the expansions and DLC elements that were already there on other consoles, but it’s still worth picking up if you’ve never hunted a Cockatrice in Gransys before.

Although it is essentially a big chunk of downloadable content, with no major aesthetic improvements on the original game, there is plenty of worthwhile action in Xtreme Legends – another mightily fun carve-up from Omega Force.

The title Soul Calibur 2 HD Online isn’t so much a lie as an unfulfilled promise, but even the lacklustre implementation of web battling can’t change the fact that Soul Calibur 2 is still a big, beautiful, balletic, and brilliant 3D fighter, and arguably still the best entry in the Soul Calibur series.

Marble It Up is something I never really knew I wanted until I played it. It takes such a simple concept and executes it brilliantly. If you’ve never played the marble rolling platformers of the past, this is a great place to jump in. The only downside right now is that you can probably finish this in a few hours. I hope more levels are added in the future.

Ara: History Untold is a vast strategy game that gives you plenty to do, but success consistently rewards you with new ways to play.

Disgaea 6 Complete is a huge improvement on the Switch version of the game, and is worth diving into Dood!

The Switch version is definitely the best way to experience the game right now but it has a few issues that affect the release overall more than the port which is great.

Akka Arrh is simple enough in its objectives, but there's plenty of enjoyment and skill involved in placing bombs and firing at enemies.

It is difficult to criticise a game, however, when it delivers a shedload of genuinely taxing levels at such a great value price point. It looks terrific, with sharp, bright environments that make plotting the trajectory of your cube easy on the eye.

Ten Dates is entertaining from start to finish, with a diverse range of characters to date, great acting, and some genuinely funny moments.

There are plenty of puzzlers out there, but there’s just something special about the way this implements such a peaceful, meditative stance.

Ys Origin on PlayStation 4 is a great action RPG that will appeal to anyone looking for a mechanically competent and musically magnificent experience from over a decade ago.

Playing with others is definitely the way to go, but if you want to kill a few hours here or there, Organic Panic is the perfect time-waster.

Swords of Ditto is a very stylish mashup of 2D Zelda and roguelikes, in which you will not see everything it has to offer within the first playthrough. Its time limit is too constricting in the first few hours however, which might put a lot of people off an otherwise fun adventure.

Accessible and incredibly deep, if you’re looking for a time-sink you won’t get much better than Dragon Quest VII.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a game that knows exactly what it wants to be. It sets out its stall early and rarely deviates from the plan.