Not much about the game will stick with you, but if you played a lot of games in the '90s it will be a nice distraction – or at least a call to revisit the games it's trying to mimic. Moonrider would be mid-tier at best in the '90s, but will likely be lost to obscurity in the saturated retro market of today. [Issue #66 – July/August 2023, p. 20]

Sonic Frontiers is a brave experiment that struggles to express its intentions while still committing many of its series' 3D sins. But if you're able to commit to learning its idiosyncrasies, you'll discover a fun, addictive journey unlike any in Sonic's past. [Issue #64 – March/April 2023, p. 71]

Super Kiwi 64 is a 3D platformer that, true to its name, looks and plays exactly like the games we got on the real Nintendo 64 back in the late '90s. Just know that you'll only be getting one afternoon's worth of enjoyment out of this one, rather than the whole childhood weekend or more you enjoyed with its inspiration, Banjo- Kazooie, back in the day. [Issue #64 – March/April 2023, p. 33]

This is a fun and challenging little collection, but the fact there's no English dubbing really holds me back from giving it a higher score, and the inclusion of the virtual coin pusher also gives me pause. It's probably better to play this with older kids who don't mind hearing Japanese dialogue. [Issue #63 – January/February 2023, p. 69]

If you're a diehard Octopath fan and want to dive further into the lore, then this game is for you; otherwise, it's going to go completely over your head, and you'd be better off sticking with the core series on the Switch. [Issue #63 – January/February 2023, p. 24]

Individuals who can effortlessly slip in and out of relaxation will find it a thought-provoking playground, but if you're like me, Paradise Marsh may wind up just another item cleared from your backlog. [Issue #63 – January/February 2023, p. 18]

This is an experience tailored solely for rabid JoJo fans and no one else. On the bright side, it makes for a perfect excuse to finally hop aboard the JoJo train! Only after emerging from that rabbit hole can you enjoy All-Star Battle R for what it is. [Issue #62 – November/December 2022, p. 73]

Bear & Breakfast has its share of issues, but it's filled with great characters, wonderful visuals and pretty sweet music. Hopefully it's a little more stable by the time this issue goes to print, and the devs implement some more U.I. improvements. My 3-star review: It's OK, but would be better with some extra polish. [Issue #62 – November/December 2022, p. 28]

I've got to give credit to the incredible sprite art and wonderful animation of the characters, but don't let their cutesy appearance fool you: Cursed to Golf is a truly punishing experience that isn't well suited for kids who might otherwise be drawn in by its style. Hit these links only if you're a dedicated golfer who's ready to tap into the fullest extent of your patience. [Issue #62 – November/December 2022, p. 27]

While I love this game's style, the character of Renata and her faithful frog/gun the Frogun itself, the reality of actually playing the game sadly doesn't inspire quite as much of a smile as I got when I first saw this adventure revealed. [Issue #62 – November/December 2022, p. 24]

Folks that are attracted to these superfast future racers will likely love Redout 2 and generally forgive its curious design choices, but most gamers will want to steer clear of this one. [Issue #62 – November/December 2022, p. 21]

River City Saga: Three Kingdoms leads with an incredible premise and promising gameplay tools, only to become encumbered by those very same elements. Your dreams of hot-blooded conquest in imperial China can be realized eventually, though you'll wish that experience had been available right from the beginning! [Issue #61 – September/October 2022, p. 27]

Spidersaurs is pretty hard to recommend, at least on a gameplay level, to anyone but the most hardcore run-and-gun enthusiasts. [Issue #61 – September/October 2022, p. 21]

If you're just here to knock monster heads around, you'll get bored quickly. $30 is too much to recommend this one, unless you're a really big fan of kaiju action and story, or you want to get really deep into the customization aspect. Without unlockables or much variety in gameplay, the game's initial punch of awesome fades quickly. Still, this game could be just the start of something bigger. If Dawn of the Monsters turns out to be just the dawn of a new series, perhaps its sequels could build more on the foundation of this one's ruined cityscapes. [Issue #60 – July/August 2022, p. 27]

Slipstream may not be perfect, but it was clearly made with a specific vision and a ton of love. There are plenty of other options out there for sure, but if you're really into drifting and retro racers, you may get better mileage here than most. [Issue #60 – July/August 2022, p. 24]

If your main problem with most modern beat-'em-ups is that they are too complicated and fancy looking, then you may prefer the straightforward action here, but anyone expecting more than an hour or so of mindless man-bashing in a primitive 3D game engine will walk away disappointed. [Issue #60 – July/August 2022, p. 22]

Big props to WayForward for the attempt, but Kunio-tachi no Banka doesn't deserve to be placed on such a high pedestal. All Zero is good for is rounding out your Kunio-kun collection . . . and savoring Megan McDuffee's infectious tunes. [Issue #60 – July/August 2022, p. 19]

Pikmin Bloom is a burst of fun that quickly gets marred by paywall greed. [Issue #59 – May/June 2022, p. 26]

Trying to graft emotions onto avatars with very little expression by simply adding grunts, simple animations or long pauses can be done, but it's a big ask for the viewer. Feel free to discard any plans to play this one and move on. [Issue #59 – May/June 2022, p. 23]

Ultimately, I'm equally delighted and disappointed. Maybe there's a better version of this game available in another world? [Issue #59 – May/June 2022, p. 22]

GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon may be pretty to look at and enjoyable enough to play, but the snail's pace of its upgrade system flies counter to the appeal of roguelikes. Without more streamlined growth and acquisition, the incentive to dive back in for another run takes a massive hit. Barring a balance update, it'll remain a textbook case of "slow close, yet so far." [Issue #59 – May/June 2022, p. 21]

Everything about Sonic Colors should work, but like so many 3D Sonic games before it, its ultimate potential remains just out of reach. There's fun to be had, and the high points are incredibly cool, but the shoddy gameplay boils the entire thing down to a surprisingly mediocre experience that's tragically unworthy of what this concept deserves. [Issue #58 – March/April 2022, p. 74]

It's trial and error (and error, and error) until you complete the exact right sequence of moves to trigger a story continuation . . . for a story that is not really worth continuing at all. It's frustrating as a video game experience, giving you no real sense of payoff since the only thing you earn is a sense of regret for suffering through it all. [Issue #58 – March/April 2022, p. 27]

All the new bells and whistles are great, but I lost interest fairly quickly. [Issue #58 – March/April 2022, p. 21]

After finishing Cris Tales, I kept asking myself, "Was this game about time worth 20+ hours of my time?" Honestly, I don't think it was. [Issue #57 – January/February 2022, p. 72]

If you're a Switch owner looking to play a Pokémon game, this pair should be your third choice after the Let's Go games and Sword & Shield. [Issue #57 – January/February 2022, p. 67]

I honestly think ILCA's decision to play it safe was the biggest thing that hurt Brilliant Diamond. Maybe if it had included a few more of the story beats and improvements that were introduced in Platinum, I'd be giving it a higher grade. [Issue #57 – January/February 2022, p. 66]

It's a testament to how compelling Loop Hero's core gameplay "loop" is that you never feel punished by putting in the extra time as long as you're in the right headspace. [Issue #57 – January/February 2022, p. 17]