I really hate dunking on a cute, creative Metroidvania like DOOMBLADE, but I feel it just fails to make the game approachable and enjoyable. Much as I wanted to get lost in this dark, humorous world, the core mechanics never got more intuitive or fun, making the entire experience a slog. That said, there’s definitely a great game in here somewhere for those willing to push through the pain to find it.

River City Saga: Three Kingdoms offers solid brawler gameplay and an open world that you can get around conveniently. Combat feels impactful, and the story even has its moments. Unnecessary complexity, slippery platforming, and a tone that never quite hits make this a game primarily for the series’ faithful and big-time brawler fans who have played most of the genre’s more successful recent releases.

Unholy is a mish-mash of interesting but underdeveloped ideas, with an intriguing aesthetic style. There are scares to be had but they’re often undermined by clunky design and a somewhat goofy dramatic delivery. Unholy is one of those games that I’m painfully ambivalent about; I love and hate parts of it. I can see the promise of a brilliant horror game here, but like the Prophet’s false promise of an eternal paradise, it’s one that goes unfulfilled.

Seeker: My Shadow is not without its issues, and it’s ultimately a fairly short journey, but it’s got adorable little diorama puzzles so full of charm that it’s really hard not to fall in love. If you have a young gamer in the house and want to play family friendly VR titles with them, I’d recommend Seeker: My Shadow right away. If you loved Captain Toad’s Treasure Tracker and want to experience the whimsical world of the Seekers, look no further than Seeker: My Shadow.

There's something great in Saint Kotar, but I can't exactly tell you what. It feels like a great game is, well, kind of stuck inside of a "just okay" game at the present. The atmosphere, premise, and voice acting are stellar, but are ultimately brought down by pacing that doesn't quite feel all too thought out. I spent the entire game feeling like I was working toward something special—only to still feel like I was "working my way up" by the time I got to the end.

Ultimately, Ara: History Untold is a collection of good ideas that don’t harmonize well. The game feels unfinished, with many mechanics feeling half-baked or monotonous. The overwhelming micromanagement and lack of distinct playstyles reduce the desire to replay, as each session starts to feel like a repeat of the last, mired in the same frustrations. The game doesn’t do a good job of highlighting what’s important, despite having a comprehensive in-game encyclopedia and tooltip system. Important information gets lost in the clutter, and the lack of smooth gameplay flow makes it difficult to stay engaged. For players who enjoy deep micromanagement and have the patience for an unwieldy interface, Ara offers some enjoyment, especially in the early game, where glimpses of a rewarding strategy experience shine through.

Despite not feeling good about the way this collection has released, and the collection itself feeling like a cash-in more than a celebration of Wonder Boy, there are some excellent games present in Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection. While the two best games in the package have excellent modern remakes, playing the rest of these games is worthwhile, as is seeing the original versions of these classics. This isn’t a release for every player, certainly, but if you’ve yet to check out the series, Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection offers a thorough introduction.

Best Month Ever! is truly unique in its premise and setting. Stepping into the shoes of a terminally ill single mother was gut-wrenching, and navigating 1969 through the eyes of her biracial son gave me anxiety. Although I do wish my choices had a bigger impact and that more focus was given to preparing Mitch for the future instead of hanging on by my fingernails to what felt like Louise’s wild last ride, Best Month Ever! was different enough to keep me going. If you love narrative-driven games and have plenty of patience, Best Month Ever! is worth the road trip.

I don’t want to be too negative because you could do far worse than to spend some time with Flynn: Son of Crimson. This is a consistently adequate game that, now and then, can reach a bit above that level. It enters a truly crowded market for its genre, though. Game Pass subscribers may be tempted to check it out, and with the game being included, there’s no real cost to do so. The service is filled with more exciting titles in a similar vein, though—games like Celeste, Dead Cells, Katana Zero. When you have options like that, it becomes more difficult to recommend Flynn. If you’ve already played them and want more, though, then checking this one out could be worth your time.

Fallen City Brawl has its strengths, with its crunchy combat, a solid variety of weapons, and a fantastic soundtrack. But those high points are often dragged down by inconsistent visuals, a lack of polish, and some frustrating design decisions. With more time and refinement, it could’ve stood alongside the genre’s modern greats like Streets of Rage 4 or TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge. As it is, it’s a decent but uneven experience that genre fans might still enjoy, especially in co-op, provided they go in with tempered expectations.

I had a blast during my time spent with Destropolis. However, chances are it’s probably not the type of game that will keep you glued to your Switch for hours. With only one mode available, things do get repetitive fairly quickly. Still, the game features co-op for up to three players. So if you have a handful of friends to bust some blocks with, it’s a delightfully chaotic way to kill a half-hour or so. But after that, you’ll probably want to move onto something a bit more substantive.

I really wanted to love Ponpu. The zany premise, delicious artwork, and Bomberman-inspired gameplay could have resulted in a triumphant indie classic. Instead, it was held back by glitches, occasionally sloppy game design, and a lack of real progress. But when you consider this was only the second time mobile developer Purple Tree tried their hand at consoles, I can moderate some of my frustration. If you’re a fan of Bomberman looking for something weird, then this still might be the game for you. As for myself, I find myself eagerly awaiting the next game from Purple Tree, and hoping it patches over any annoying imperfections.

SkateBIRD is a fun, if flawed, experience. Charming, with a light-hearted story and a good sense of humor, there’s plenty to enjoy, even with the overly floaty feeling that hampers the controls. While it’s likely not the best skater you’ll ever play, it’s probably one of the more unique ones. I don’t think I’d really recommend it to hardcore fans of skater games, but for people looking for a casual experience you can pick up anytime and not feel too invested in, it might be worth a look.

Overall, the Switch port of Firefighting Simulator – The Squad is a bit of a mixed bag. Graphical issues and AI quirks aside, the game still delivers where it counts: the fundamental mechanics and the thrill of multiplayer gameplay. Despite its repetition and simplicity, it does a decent job of introducing players to the nuts and bolts of firefighting. The game truly comes alive in multiplayer, where teamwork elevates the experience, capturing some of the excitement and challenge of the job. It’s not perfect, but for those with a keen interest in firefighting and a willingness to overlook its technical issues on the Switch, this game can be a solid pick.

Despite its flaws, No More Heroes III is a worthwhile addition to the series. With the performance issues that distracted on Switch now a thing of the past, and the best combat that the series has produced to date, No More Heroes III is capable of providing an overload of gorgeous, chaotic fun. With combat this good, it's a shame that the rest of the package feels so woefully outdated at times. By relying so heavily on past gimmicks and humor, No More Heroes III becomes a recommendation for die-hard fans only, rather than something that could have had a more widespread appeal had some more efforts been made to modernize the experience.

Powertris has a solid concept. It does. And playing it on iOS proved that it works. But something got lost in translation when moving to the Nintendo Switch, and unless you’re a diehard Tetris fan who really needs something different to learn how to master, I can’t see the appeal. If you’re remotely interested in the title, grab it on mobile first for a test run; otherwise, it’s best to lay these pipes to rest.

All that being said, Trine 5 is still a fine old time for puzzle platformer fans, even if it does feel like a series that needs to evolve going forward. Its reliably refined puzzle platforming combination can still be a joy to get lost in, and that eureka moment when you finally stumble across a neat way in which to combine the abilities of its roster never fails to delight. Fans who just want more Trine will feel right at home with Trine 5, and if the goal of Frozenbyte was to continue to appease the core fanbase with another solid entry, then I think they’ve successfully achieved that.

Shadow Labyrinth has some ideas that really connect, but the game they’ve been placed within rarely feels more than serviceable. Once you gain some power-ups and can take advantage of the full suite of abilities you have, it’s fine, but seldom interesting, and, considering how unique its premise is, that’s a problem. There are much worse games in the genre, but there are so many better options available that I expect Shadow Labyrinth will be mostly remembered more for just how weird it is, rather than the journey it offers.

LOVE – A Puzzle Box Filled with Stories has such a clever concept implemented in a unique way — who would have thought to make a game focused on a building’s past and present, its windows open for players to peek inside and see how love grows or wanes over time? Unfortunately, this labor of love was a little hard to understand, its stories only sometimes resonating through confusing feedback and cluttered scenes. If you’re here for puzzles, you may want to pass this one up (or at least give it a go on your PC); if you prefer sentimental stories above gameplay, then let love conquer all and give LOVE – A Puzzle Box Filled with Stories a shot.

At the end of the day, Clid the Snail is a fun but flawed first effort for Weird Beluga. I enjoyed the game’s more deliberate approach to its gunplay, and the weapon variety and shell customization options kept the action feeling fresh. Add to that some excellent puzzles and fantastic worldbuilding, and there’s no denying that there’s a lot to love here. That’s why it’s such a shame that things become so frustrating due to the developer’s artistic choices. After all, it’s hard to focus on a firefight when it looks like half of the screen has been slathered in vaseline. Perhaps the developer will add a patch down the road to remedy the muddy visuals. And if they do, Clid the Snail will be a much more playable experience. As for me, I’d probably wait and see if they clean things up before taking the plunge. However, if those issues aren’t enough to dissuade you, escargot ahead and give Clid a shot.

Dariusburst: Another Chronicle EX+ is a lot of fun to play in the moment. While I don’t love every design choice the development team made, I completely see what so many fans love about it. This Switch port, however, is a cheap one, not doing a great job of utilizing the platform or providing the sort of content expected of a home port. If you’re desperate for more Darius on your Switch, it’s not a bad option. With two different Darius collections releasing last year, however (One for the series’ arcade history, another for its console history), and with Darius Cozmic Revelation on the way, which will include this title and a remaster of the excellent G-Darius, there may be better options for you to enjoy killing robot fish on the go.

While most of Vimana is fine, the minor issues that are here do get old as you play more of the game, and there’s little about it that stands out from a million other games in the genre. The few somewhat unique aspects at play here feel entirely inessential. It leads to a game that is perfectly playable and fairly enjoyable at times but which is hard to recommend except perhaps to shmup novices who want a solid-looking game with a killer soundtrack that feels possible for them to beat or to genre completionists who want to check out a game from a popular developer in the genre which is finally able to be played at home.

Antonball Deluxe is a wonderfully retro and niche title that will appeal to old school gamers. There are elements that leave a lot to be desired: difficulty options, and more incentive to unlock characters wouldn’t go amiss. That said there are three diverse game modes on offer and at the very least Antonball’s simplicity allows it to be enjoyed as some light entertainment if you’re traveling or have an hour to kill.

I spent a lot of my time with Sonic Frontiers having a ton of fun, even if there were just as many moments where I was frustrated and ready to be done with it. This isn’t a great game, but it’s one that should satisfy Sonic fans desperate for an interesting game starring their favorite blue blur, and for the first time in a long time, it feels like the series may have a sense of direction. There’s still work to be done to make it more than that, but this is a big step in the right direction.

Don’t let Alchemist Simulator’s cozy aesthetics fool you — there’s no warm welcome here. Getting your bearings as a fledgling alchemist will take a lot of practice and patience, but once you do, it’s smooth sailing. In fact, some might even find it too smooth, as Alchemist Simulator’s repetitive nature makes it hard to learn but easy to master. A little more communication to the player would have gone a long way in the beginning, and some increased difficulty at the end would have captivated those looking for a challenge. Alchemist Simulator gets warm enough to melt lead, but unfortunately not hot enough to make gold.

Even though the game’s balancing and AI issues try their best to spoil the fun, ArcRunner still manages to deliver a satisfying cyberpunk roguelike experience. Despite its shortcomings—and they are plentiful— it can feel great to give into the temptation to jam to some synthwave and gun down some nameless bots for a few hours. It’s just a shame that, apart from the killer aesthetics, there isn’t much to compel players to return to its neon-saturated streets once they’ve finished their initial playthrough.

There’s an audience for YouTubers Life 2, certainly, but due to a series of odd choices, it’s not the same audience that fell in love with YouTubers Life. With the freedom of running around town comes the restriction of what videos you can actually make for your channel, which will frustrate those coming from its predecessor. If you’re in high school, love farming sims, and haven’t played the first title, this could very well be your next gaming obsession; for everyone else, be sure to like, subscribe, and check back later when the bugs have been fleshed out.

Demon Turf is a stylish and challenging platformer that brings some interesting ideas to the table. And while they may not all live up to their full potential, I can appreciate developer Fabraz taking a chance at shaking things up. If you’re a die-hard fan of the genre and are looking for something new to scratch that itch, Demon Turf probably won’t dethrone your favorite platformer. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t any fun to be had here. However, if you don’t fall into that category, you’ll probably want to consider hoisting your flag elsewhere.