Kirby and the Forgotten Land isn’t just a mere leap into the third dimension, but more of a behemoth pole vault. It packs a massive punch for 3D-platformer fans, and has the same level of excellence, polish, and charm as a mainline Mario title. Though I can’t give the game a perfect score due to its relatively short length and minor graphical glitches, the next generation of the Kirby series is finally here, and it’s painstakingly phenomenal. I couldn’t be more excited for what the bright-looking future holds from the creative geniuses over at Hal Laboratory.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story is a remarkably polished remake with well-balanced updates that makes the game all the more enjoyable. If you’ve been champing at the bit like a chain chomp to play another Mario & Luigi RPG, you can’t go far wrong with Bowser’s Inside Story. We’ll be here, keeping calm and chortling.

Super Mario RPG is a superb remake that perfectly captures the essence of the SNES original. This is not always to its credit, as elements of its platforming in particular have not aged as well as they could have, and the ability to block enemy attacks with Action Commands serves to make the times you can’t feel far more punishing. However, these are minor frustrations that do not tarnish the overall experience in any significant or lasting fashion. Its beautifully remastered visuals and soundtrack, witty dialogue, and engaging combat make Super Mario RPG a modern classic that is more than worth your time.

Splatoon 3 is inkredible, fine-tuning to perfection the series’ unique and colourful third-person shooter formula that I’ve adored ever since its inception on Wii U. Although it doesn’t take quite enough risks to differentiate itself from its predecessors, the excellent story mode and very welcomed new quality-of-life features makes it more than worth your precious time and money. At its core, Splatoon 3 takes the “if it aint broke don’t fix it” mantra to the best of its abilities, offering an unforgettable experience that’s guaranteed to provide hundreds of hours of fresh, splatastic fun for all ages.

With Nintendo’s unique charm, Ring Fit Adventure is a great fitness RPG for those who enjoy exercising at their own pace. Its sensitivity to movement, ability to estimate your heart rate, and wide range of things to do within the game keeps your daily workout routine feeling invigorated and fresh. And since the Ring-Con is so versatile, it’s easy to get carried away with different pushes and pulls. [Recommended]

Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World is a nearly perfect package for newcomers, improving upon an already excellent 3D platformer by polishing it up with improved graphics and doubling the framerate for an even smoother visual experience. Even though the Star-Crossed World campaign is relatively short and the gameplay feels like more of the same, the newly added content maintains the same level of quality and charm as the base game, offering a good enough reason for veterans to revisit one of the best titles on Switch, while saving development time for a new game.

It weaves poignant tales you’d likely hear from travelling dramatic troupes, ones often expressing lament, in fantasy books of old and directs them into a new format for the modern gaming age.

Square Enix has created yet another incredible world that practically begs for sequels, prequels, or spin-offs. Action-packed strategic battles, a well-orchestrated gripping narrative with replayability due to its multiple paths and endings (plus the convenient inclusion of the NEW GAME+ mode after completing your first playthrough), and complex yet easy to learn and understand polished mechanics make this latest 2D-HD entry from producer Tomoya Asano an easy recommendation for Nintendo Switch.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp stands out amongst the crowd, despite the two decades that have passed since the original games were released on the Gameboy Advance. If you’re tired of swords, sorcery, and reading through small novellas filled with fantasy jargon and melodrama, this will be a wonderful breath of fresh air. Underneath the deceptively cheerful Saturday morning cartoon vibe lies two games that will test your understanding of the gameplay mechanics, your ability to plan ahead, and, quite often, your patience. Whilst it’s unfortunate that the games could not have been made more accessible to newcomers, those looking for a challenge will certainly find it here. Multiplayer functionality and custom map features also have the potential to keep you playing long after you’re finished with the campaigns. As long as you don’t mind the occasional difficulty spike, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a worthy addition to your game library.

If you’re searching for a real challenge on Switch and haven’t played the original before, look no further than Dark Souls: Remastered. It’s going to be a daunting yet thrilling ride filled with frustrations along the way, but satisfying nonetheless in the end. Just be extremely patient, learn from your mistakes and you’ll eventually feel right at home.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is not a perfect game, but it certainly comes close. It’s a fantastical innovative RPG that’s suitable for both longtime Pokémon fans and those that are brand new to the series. While it doesn’t come without its faults, containing graphical issues, a predictable plot, and too low of a difficulty level for my taste, the positives abundantly outweigh the negatives. With polished and highly satisfying battling and catching mechanics alongside the childhood dream-come-true of being able to properly explore the world of Pokémon in a large open 3D space, Legends: Arceus is one of the best exclusive games available for Nintendo Switch, and I absolutely can’t recommend it enough. There’s so many more exciting things to discover in the world of Hisui that this review fails to even mention (mostly spoilery stuff), and I hope you take the chance to partake in them. Here’s hoping that the ‘Legends’ series doesn’t stop with Sinnoh. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a Pokédex to complete.

Despite its clear downfalls, Happy Home Paradise is your first-class aerial ticket to design heaven. While the game does little to incentivise players, it ticks all the intended boxes of a near-sequel to Happy Home Designer. Perhaps the biggest advantage of the DLC is that it allows players to have their own vacation islands, so they can experience the story individually. On the other hand, the complete lack of personality from the characters means Animal Crossing fans may yearn for the hazy days of New Leaf. A classic case of paradise, lost.

Overall, it’s safe to say that Super Mario 3D All-Stars is a compilation worth its weight in gold. Not only have the games stood the test of time, they remain some of the best 3D platformers of the late ‘90s to early 2000s in existence. Between its visual resolution upgrades to the sheer flexibility of ways to play, Super Mario 3D All-Stars is the triple threat of the Nintendo Switch games’ library – well, until 31st March.

Sonic x Shadow Generations is a consistent and polished experience that reflects the love Sonic Team has for their series and that could absolutely be called a game “made by Sonic fans, for Sonic fans.” But even though Shadow Generations shows players a glimpse into the future, it falls short of being the future itself by being tied to the past through Sonic Generations. It’s a step in the right direction for sure, but with one foot forward and the other backward, it’s difficult to, in good faith, see Sonic x Shadow Generations as a “revival” or a full-on “evolution.” So, though it may provide diehard fans with the time of their life and the disillusioned with just enough hope to keep on going, it doesn’t quite reach the peak needed for it to be a defining moment for the series.

With an overabundance of content, infinitely replayable minigames, and enough charm to fill a piñata, Super Mario Party Jamboree is easily the best Mario Party on Switch. While not necessarily a replacement for Superstars due to that game being more of a series celebration rather than a brand new entry, Jamboree improves upon the original Super Mario Party in almost every way, and is absolutely worth the upgrade. Although the single-player mode wasn't as fleshed out as it could have been, and there are a few strange development decisions here and there, Jamboree has more than a little something for everyone.

With some truly inspiring level design and interesting mechanics at play, Splatoon 2’s Octo Expansion DLC pack gives fans some real bang for their buck.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake does an excellent job at preserving the spirit of the original game, cultivating a satisfying sense of adventure in a richly detailed and culturally diverse world that is teeming with hidden secrets to discover, and challenges that will test the skills (and often the patience) of newcomers and veterans alike. The HD-2D visuals more than live up to the name and add a new level of depth and detail to the world that make it a joy to explore, elevating the remake far beyond its previous mobile port. Although more could certainly have been done to make this more accessible to a wider audience, it remains an adventure that you’ll not soon forget.

What we have here is a polished, well-presented package which celebrates diversity and highlights the fondness of playing together while not breaking the bank.

If you already own or have played Captain Toad on Wii U, the greater majority of the game is likely to feel identical.

Dragon Quest Builders is both a great Dragon Quest spin-off and an interesting take on the somewhat overplayed sandbox genre that’s only made better on Nintendo Switch. It’s a game that can be played for hours or in shorts bursts, so it’s perfect on a portable console.

At its heart, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore has delivered what’s expected in an enhanced port. New content, improved UI and small tweaks to make the gameplay faster all make a significant difference to the overall enjoyment. Although flawed in places, it’s a JPRG that dares to be bolder and braver with its stylish sequences and kawaii (though bizarre) story. It may not be to everyone’s tastes, but its whimsical ways will spoil those who can’t help but enjoy adorable things. Thanks for reincarnating this one, Atlus.

While Skyward Sword HD’s visuals breathe new life into the decade-old title, the quality of life improvements aren’t quite enough to make this instalment in the Zelda franchise soar to new heights. However, its strong cast of characters, hallmark dungeon designs and excellent storytelling keeps it afloat comfortably above the clouds, offering an experience that’s hard to forget.

Aside from the bare-bones visuals and lack of online play, BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL! fits right at home on Switch, where future installments have the option to significantly amp things up and adopt a more modern locale that doesn’t shy away from inducing volume. Nevertheless, the game is brimming with engaging content that is sure to appease 2D platforming fans, especially those who enjoy solving puzzles while thinking outside the box.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is pure fan-service in the best possible way. It’s a perfect blend of Warriors-style hack-and-slash combat, traditional Fire Emblem JRPG elements, and the established world of Three Houses. Anyone who enjoyed Three Houses will no doubt experience Three Hopes as a beautifully hand-written love letter from Nintendo and Koei Tecmo, and those who haven’t are still bound to find some enjoyment here as well. Graphically impressive, mechanically thrilling, and jam-packed with content, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is the best Warriors game yet, making it an easy recommendation for Switch owners.

Though it is evident that some corners have been cut, with the focus predominantly being on returning characters and fighting mechanics, there are numerous instances throughout Fire Emblem Engage which also make it an unforgettable experience. Watching your social hub grow alongside Alear as you progress, filling it with the characters you have helped along the way, is all the drive you need to thoroughly enjoy each of the chapters and face off against the evil forces of Sombron once more.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is an unexpected contender for Game of the Year. Already established Bayonetta fans are sure to be more than satisfied with its unique storytelling, tight controls, engaging combat, vast exploration, and fantastic visuals, while also being a great entry point for series newcomers. It even opens the door to those that may not have enjoyed the explicit sensuality of the mainline games, as its overall tone is more wholesome and inviting. As someone who really loved Bayonetta 3, I thoroughly enjoyed Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon equally as much, if not more, but for entirely different reasons.

Fantasian manages to hold its own amongst the Switch’s heavyweights in the RPG genre thanks to some inventive and enjoyable gameplay innovations that break up the traditional grind, making its otherwise by-the-numbers turn-based combat a more tactical and engaging experience. Its diorama-style visuals are delightfully refreshing, and highly nostalgic if you’ve ever played a PS1-era Final Fantasy title. Although not quite an entirely new dimension of fun, Fantasian is a welcome breath of fresh air that is more than worth your time.

Pokémon Sword and Shield feel exactly like a Pokémon game, which is far from being a bad thing, but a major change in the formula is necessary in order to significantly mix things up. It’s not broken by any means, but fans who’ve been involved with the series for over 20 years now expect more at this point. It goes without saying that newcomers will feel right at home, and catching Pokémon and filling your Pokédex is still as addictive as ever. Looking ahead, the Wild Area in particular is a sign of good things to come for the Pokémon franchise.