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.

The sheer amount of content on offer outside the main storyline is, quite possibly, what makes Yo-kai Watch 3 so interesting to play.

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.

Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! feels at home on the Switch. Its deliciously, vibrant textures and reimagined features brings a new lease of life to a game that is loved by many. While it has its faults, Let’s Go is pure, unadulterated fun, never taking itself too seriously. This is Pokémon for Generation X, Y and Z.

Mario Party Superstars attempts to find common ground with fans of the series. Between the strategic boards, the mountains of minigames on offer and online gameplay, there is more than enough content to keep any Mario Party fan occupied for 20+ hours. Older generations may say, ‘they don’t make them how they used to’ and, for Mario Party, that’s certainly been the case for several years. So, while it’s not a perfect (re)union, Superstars returns to form with the old, the borrowed and the new.

A solid, wonderfully charming adventure-come-puzzle title. Thankfully, for series’ fans, it’s closer to Color Splash than it is to Sticker Star, but the game still doesn’t come close to The Thousand-Year Door territory. Perhaps this is down to The Origami King’s need to do everything at once, rather than focus on one core element of gameplay. Until the series can truly settle and develop an identity to call its own, Paper Mario will always be a little creased in the corners.

For those that missed out on the original, Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn is a solid 3DS port, albeit with a few lapses in usability. While the main campaign can be completed in just short of ten hours, both newcomers and returning fans alike can share in the joy of the opulent worldly textures, adorable animations and a beautifully simple storyline to ‘bobbin’ and out of.

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe gives a gorgeous new coat of paint to one of the most charming 2D platformers of the Wii era. It features expertly-crafted level design, fun and easy to use mechanics, and incredibly cute, colourful environments that offers an excellent escape from the often grueling tasks of the real world. While the main story may not be difficult enough to appeal to the more hardcore gamers, it’s still an absolute joy to play from start to finish, and there is enough of a challenge in the bonus content to mean there is something for everyone. Adorable and delightful, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe scratches a Kirby-sized itch as we patiently wait for the next big original adventure featuring our favourite pink puffball friend.

Yoshi’s Crafted World is a real joy to play. While it’s monotonous during the flip side levels, its masterful platform design makes up for it in droves.

New Pokémon Snap may not showcase the Switch’s graphical capabilities, nor will it blow you away with its unimaginative storyline and anti-climactic conclusion, but if you’re a fan of the N64 original, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up. For non-Pokémon fans, the repetitive gameplay does unfortunately hold it back from being a must-have, however its adorable aura and slower pace will have you glowing more than an Illumina Maganium.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is not without fault. Between the technical issues in single-player and co-operative modes, coupled with enforced sluggish gameplay during the Divine Beast segments, it’s clear that improvements could be made, though perhaps this is a limitation of the Switch hardware itself. Yet if you look past these flaws, there is an inner beauty. An utterly captivating and emotional storyline, beautifully strategic combat mechanics and missions that offer edge-of-your-seat action are all present. Encased within a Breath of the Wild setting, Age of Calamity is the perfect way to escape our reality this winter. Let’s just hope the darkness doesn’t spread any further.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is a stunning showcase for the Switch 2 and a consistently entertaining action-adventure game that delivers a polished experience, but dedicated fans may find it doesn’t live up to the wait and the series name attached to it. For steps taken forward in specs, production, and quality-of-life, there are others taken backward through strange quirks in story and gameplay. Despite its failure to meet the moment, however, it remains to be one of the most exciting games to grace the system so far, and a worthy addition to any Switch 2 library.

Although the first wave of the Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass was a bit underwhelming, the release of the second wave, Side Order, makes the DLC an absolute must-have for Splatoon fans and those who are fond of the roguelite genre. The Splatoon IP has always primarily focused on online multiplayer, but Side Order further proves that its single-player offerings shouldn’t be overlooked either. If you already own Splatoon 3, getting the Expansion Pass is a no-brainer for the price, but if you don’t, now is a better time than ever to join in on the splatastic fun. Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass is available now via the Nintendo eShop.

WarioWare Gold is just as wacky as the days of old. But with little content on offer outside the main story and no local download play on the 3DS, it’s a low blow for the party-game series.

If the aforementioned nuisances such as mute characters are a turnoff in your eyes, you might want to consider spending your Rupees toward the more original Fire Emblem Warriors instead.

With an excellent Adventure Mode, a highly replayable Battle Mode, and a plethora of online and local multiplayer options, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is easily the best Super Monkey Ball title available on Nintendo Switch, but unfortunately not without a few major caveats. As long as you can deal with the omission of 3-4 split-screen multiplayer in Battle Mode, the notable absence of the fan-favourite Monkey Target mode, some occasional framerate hiccups, and less than adequate pricing of the DLC, there is still much fun to be had in this brand new Switch-exclusive entry in the Super Monkey Ball series.

What Nintendo Labo achieves is, at its core, exactly what Wii Sports achieved for the Wii in 2006. It encourages non-video gamers the chance to get involved with something their children love. It brings family to the fore, allows for natural teamwork to evolve and both nurtures and inspires creativity. And quite frankly, that’s hard to put a price on.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is an exceptional adventure that’s just as much about the journey as it is the destination. Whether you’re new to the series or have played every Mario & Luigi game up to this point, the captivating narrative with well-written and comedic characters is sure to keep you thoroughly engaged as you travel from island to island to help reconnect the land of Concordia. From the brain-stimulating puzzles to the extensive RPG battle mechanics, there is a boatload of fun to be had around every turn.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is the definitive way to play the still phenomenal predecessor to Tropical Freeze. While the full retail price point and lack of new content might make it hard to justify a double-dip for those that already played it on Wii/3DS, the resolution bump and visual enhancements makes one of the best Wii platformers feel fresh for a new generation, as long as you can look past the increased load times.

Although it’s a pretty barebones remaster, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is still frighteningly brilliant, taking the 3DS classic to new heights with its improved graphics and quality-of-life changes. While it might be a tough sell for those who played the original due to its lack of new content, it’s also a must-have for Switch owners that enjoyed Luigi’s Mansion 3 and have yet to experience its predecessor. With a terrific single-player campaign and the resurgence of the supernaturally addictive online co-op ScareScraper mode, the sequel to Luigi’s Mansion is now better than ever on Switch and lives up to my expectations.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream encourages imagination by giving you all the tools you need to create your own island, and its Mii citizens, at your own pace. Still managing to offer a sense of progression without any real objective, leveling up is done simply by experimenting with the many different ways of keeping your Miis happy; giving them food, items, clothes, and quirks and watching conversations between them unfold in humorously wacky scenarios using the unfiltered lingo you’ve taught them. Although you’ll end up having to skip many repeated interactions, and some of the personality differences between Miis can be subtle, the amount of customization is incredible for creative types who are looking to live out their most outlandish crossover dreams.

Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE exudes a personality and style that differentiates it from its peers, and each individual chapter is brilliantly written and highly entertaining. Despite offering very little variety in terms of gameplay, each Mystery Labyrinth you’ll enter over the course of the game feels fresh and enjoyable thanks to the excellent storytelling and presentation. It is fortunate that this is what makes up the majority of the game, because the overarching narrative surrounding the mystery of Kanai Ward is often an unwelcome distraction from the case at hand, leading to a conclusion that is less satisfying than it could have been had more time been spent on setting it up over the course of the game. The blurry visuals and occasionally erratic performance can also occasionally break immersion in the fantastic set pieces on display in Mystery Labyrinths and the gloomy ambience of Kanai Ward. But even with those caveats, Rain Code is still a mystery adventure that is more than worth your time to solve.

For newcomers, picking up The World Ends with You: Final Remix should be a no-brainer as it’s definitely the definitive version of the Nintendo DS gem.

While it may not reach the lofty creative heights of Dreams on PlayStation 4, or match the accessibility of the Super Mario Maker franchise, Game Builder Garage offers the tools to help realise some of your dream gaming creations. If you’re not a creative type and don’t care much about programming, I would avoid stepping into this Garage. However, if you do decide to peek inside out of curiosity and you’re happy with some deep learning, you’ll have everyone else’s creations to experience, and it’s just a matter of time to see what the online community will come up with.

Clearly, Bravely Default II is not without its flaws. A wonderful art style, delightful OST and intriguing storyline can only go so far, especially when technical glitches, odd UI mechanics and dungeon crawling make up most of the RPG. There is an element of frustration here too, where fans of the franchise may feel less compelled to sink 80+ hours into a game that feels somewhat off key. So, while it doesn’t quite reach the glorious heights of Bravely Second, Bravely Default II unfolds as a decent third entry to the series with enjoyable, albeit chilling, twists and turns.

Mario Tennis Fever has a lot to love; easily being the best in the series both mechanically and visually. Adventure Mode is fun while it lasts, but is only about half the length it should have been, feeling more like a fleshed out tutorial than a challenging campaign. What makes up for it is the plenty of other modes and unlockables for you to spend your time with, the impressive and diverse character roster, and the new Fever Racket mechanic that finds the best balance between a Mario game and an actual tennis match we’ve seen thus far. The ball is in your court exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 when Mario Tennis Fever launches 12th February 2026.

What used to be one of the best puzzle-platformers on the GBA is now one of the best on Switch. Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a faithful remake that goes above and beyond in just about every facet; whether you’ve already played the original or are completely new to the series. With modern graphics alongside brand new modes, levels, and features, it’s easy to recommend this charming remake based on one of the most iconic rivalries of all time. If you’re still not convinced, you can try out the free demo available now via the Nintendo eShop. Mario vs. Donkey Kong launches for Nintendo Switch on 16th February 2024.

With impressive aesthetics and delightful character animations, Nd Cube has finally found its rhythm with Super Mario Party. Although the game isn’t without its issues, these are few and far between, making the eleventh instalment one of the best it has been in years.