Level-5 just seems to pile on too many extras and makes things feel cluttered. [Issue #39 – May/June 2019, p. 71]

Without the context of what came before it, the mechanics will likely come off as overly complicated, and the story would lose most if not all of its meaning. Once you've played its prequels though, Blaster Master Zero 3 stands as one of the most well- made games of its kind, and delivers the promised conclusion that the series deserves. [Issue #54 – September 2021, p. 21]

Sword & Shield stumble in a few areas and history may not be kind to them, but they're setting up a future that I'm excited to see. [Issue #44 – January/February 2020, p. 73]

Blossom Tales has enjoyed a lot of success on Switch, and it deserves it all. [Issue #37 – January/February 2019, p. 23]

Ryza charms as a lead protagonist, and her adventures in this sequel will engage your mind and your heart. [Issue #51 – March/April 2021, p. 71]

If you've got a kid in your life who's never played Pokémon before? Buy this game immediately. [Issue #37 – January/February 2019, p. 67]

The perfect place for anyone to jump in if they're interested in this brand of marsupial madness. [Issue #52 – May/June 2021, p. 72]

BOXBOY! is just so pure, so perfect a puzzler that I wish it had existed way back when, so that in some alternate timeline I would have been able to play decades' worth of sequels to it by now. It's that good. [Issue #15; May/June 2015, p.25]

Video game comfort food. [Issue #51 – March/April 2021, p. 25]

As a total package, Mario Party Superstars is indeed pretty super. But is it more super than Super Mario Party? That's the real question, now that the Switch is hosting two distinctly different Mario soirées. [Issue #57 – January/February 2022, p. 71]

Card Shark is an interesting concept with an imaginative story, great visuals and great music, but it was a little on the short side, and the cons with a lot of moving parts got repetitive. If Aviary Attorney whetted your appetite for games set in historic France, follow it up with this one! [Issue #62 – November/December 2022, p. 26]

With an adorable presentation and a good variety of songs, this rhythm game promises fun for hours. [Issue #17 – September/October 2015, p.73]

If you're looking for a return to the originals, you'll be disappointed – but only just. This is a worthy standalone title, and its story is great. [Issue #48 – September/October 2020, p. 68]

This collection is such a great value that I'd be hard-pressed not to recommend it. [Issue #38 – March/April 2019, p. 73]

Skunkape has really delivered on the goods here, folks. They've taken one of the best modern adventure games and updated it to something far beyond its former glory. [Issue #58 – March/April 2022, p. 23]

Without the use of the Music Pass, the core setlist can, at first glance, feel like a shockingly slimmed-down Taiko entry, but if Namco continues to support the service with more and more tracks before releasing more full games, Rhythm Festival offers more reasons to come back again and again with just a single jam-packed entry. [Issue #63 – January/February 2023, p. 76]

If you're up for a solid challenge, VVVVVV is the best one money can buy. [Issue #31 – January/February 2018, p. 23M]

Whether you're a fan of Flappy Bird or Balloon Trip, Badland's worth checking out. [Issue #17 – September/October 2015, p.30]

The most fun you can have dying repeatedly in a video game! [Issue #36 – November/December 2018, p. 21]

With fluid animations, strong vocal performances and a cultural variety that most contemporary games regrettably lack, Indivisible is most certainly worthy of our attention. [Issue #47 – July/August 2020, p. 66]

Shantae and the Seven Sirens is a fine Metroidvania, but one of the weaker Shantaes. [Issue #47 – July/August 2020, p. 18]

GoNNER has more than enough going for it to make it worth getting, so go and get it while the getting's good. [Issue #29, p. 20]

Only the most internally motivated robo-shinobi fanatics will bother. [Issue #44 – January/February 2020, p. 71]

We needed an experience like Among Us to cope with the events of the previous year, and its emergent possibilities ensure that we'll continue to enjoy it for many months or years to come. [Issue #51 – March/April 2021, p. 26]

Just having this game available again makes it a 10 in terms of recommendation to anyone who felt like they missed out the first time. [Issue #51 – March/April 2021, p. 22]

This feels like pants that are pre-ripped for some reason, as opposed to the charming comfort of what came before. [Issue #39 – May/June 2019, p. 70]

Little Nightmares is a bit of a quandary, as it's both a relaxing, floaty platformer and an unsettling portrait of the macabre. [Issue #34 – July/August 2018, p. 21]

The soundtrack of Yoshi's Crafted World is abysmal. [Issue #39 – May/June 2019, p. 68]

If you absolutely loved the original and are hungry for more, Pokkén DX won't disappoint. [Issue #30 – November/December 2017, p. 68]

A puzzle title that thinks like a fighter, bringing nail-biting, cutthroat battle strategies to the usually peaceful genre. [Issue #40 – July/August 2019, p. 71]

Haiku, the Robot is a fantastic take on a crowded genre. It's fast, challenging, charming and almost always fun to explore. It's not perfect, but it's earned its place among the greats in its class. [Issue #63 – January/February 2023, p. 21]

New Pokémon Snap isn't totally perfect, but it is a lovingly, intelligently updated take on a now 22-year-old original that only came to life because it was imbued with Mr. Iwata's magic. I know seeing this sequel would have made him smile. [Issue #53 – July/August 2021, p. 69]

What most winds up dragging down Melody of Memory, ironically, is that it tries too hard to be a Kingdom Hearts adventure rather than a cohesive rhythm game. [Issue #50 – January/February 2021, p. 69]

If you've got a kid in your life who's never played Pokémon before? Buy this game immediately. [Issue #37 – January/February 2019, p. 67]

Stella Glow is a lot of fun, and I found myself not wanting to put it down once I got started. [Issue #19 – January/February 2016, p.69]

To see a developer fully embrace Norse mythology in a way like Jotun is refreshing. [Issue #24 – November/December 2016, p.19S]

It may not be stamped with the Contra emblem, but Blazing Chrome rocks that blood-soaked bandana with greater confidence than any run-and-gun in recent memory. [Issue #41 – September 2019, p. 22]

A fun and solid if not outstanding package, and definitely worth a look. [Issue #34 – July/August 2018, p. 22]

If you ever need to entertain a room full of young kids, download Donut County. [Issue #38 – March/April 2019, p. 21]

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a title that seems good for beginners, while still offering seasoned players plenty to do. [Issue #42 – October 2019, p. 71]

TOEM isn't a long game, and it's not a difficult one, but it's perfect if you want to enjoy a cute, low-key gaming experience that's built around a photo mode. [Issue #56 – November/December 2021, p. 25]

This is the game I was expecting back in November. Now I can finally recommend DOOM to friends without having to append a mountain of caveats! [Issue #33 – May/June 2018, p. 74]

There's little I would change about the River City Girls. I just hope this isn't their last dance! [Issue #42 – October 2019, p. 22]

Even all these years later, L.A. Noire is still an interesting and distinctive experience. [Issue #31 – January/February 2018, p. 36E]

This may be the most beautiful hand-drawn 2D game I've ever played, and I'd frequently stop while playing just to marvel at the mastery of how each scene was reworked. [Issue #28 – July/August 2017, p. 20]

Stepping into the shoes of B.J. Blazkowicz makes for one wild ride! [Issue #35 – September/October 2018, p. 66]

If you're a serious Puyo Puyo nut who's always on the hunt for the next blob-dropping challenge, Puyo Puyo 2 feeds you more of what you crave. [Issue #46 – May/June 2020, p. 23]

3D Fantasy Zone may sting at times, but at least now you have enough ointment to soothe the burning. [Issue #14: Old vs. New – March/April 2015, p.26]

I was impressed with the concept. I just craved more of it and was left with a melancholy feeling myself once the memories ceased. [Issue #37 – January/February 2019, p. 19]

If you don't download this game, I'll send a clone of you to smack you. [Issue #17 – September/October 2015, p.30]

With a game this bursting with energy, you'll have a darn great time wherever you decide to play it. [Issue #24 – November/December 2016, p.23S]

I fully recommend it as a first step into Monster Hunter. [Issue #31 – January/February 2018, p. 26E]

The latest in an ever-burgeoning line of Metroidvania games being released on the Switch, and a rather good one at that! [Issue #37 – January/February 2019, p. 20]

Golf Story made me think of games I used to love and knows how to sell a world to the player. [Issue #30 – November/December 2017, p. 25]

Despite a few stumbles, this collection is a must-have for 2D graphics fans in general, and fighting game fans in particular. [Issue #61 – September/October 2022, p. 72]

There's no shortage of good 2D platforming on the Wii U, but Good-Feel has managed to tailor one of the very best games on the console. [Issue #16 – July/August 2015, p.70]

If you're unsure if you want to take the plunge, the less expensive prequel is a great way to test the waters. If you get through it and end up hungry for a much bigger burg to brawl in, and can stomach a few technical hiccups, you'll more than get your money's worth with this full-throated, knuckle-dusting follow-up. [Issue #64 – March/April 2023, p. 31]

This battle-hardened prequel is able to scratch an itch that its source material couldn't. [Issue #50 – January/February 2021, p. 75]

Survival itself is the reward in Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures. [Issue #15: May/June 2015, p.24]

Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle demonstrates a level of commitment toward celebrating a franchise's legacy that puts other port-happy publishers to shame. [Issue #46 – May/June 2020, p. 24]

It's an auto-runner (surprise!), but unlike others in that genre, it has a definitive end. [Issue #51 – March/April 2021, p. 21]

Play with no goal but enjoying the moment – and prepare to die, again and again and again. [Issue #28 – July/August 2017, p. 22]

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

Murder by Numbers is a winning blend of two genres never previously mixed. [Issue #49 – November/December 2020, p. 21]

Blaster Master Zero is the definitive version of a flawed classic, vaporizing all the sludge that slowed its predecessor down. [Issue #27 – May/June 2017, p. 24]

This UFO gig may be part-time work, but it's full-time fun! [Issue #50 – January/February 2021, p. 22]

While each title has its own appeal, brawlers are inherently repetitive by nature, so the focus on a single style of gameplay can be exhausting after a bit. [Issue #37 – January/February 2019, p. 20]

When the stars align and Sportsball is the main event in a gathering of friends, it shines. [Issue #16 – July/August 2015, p.22]

If you're searching for the next great platformer hidden in the Wii U eShop, Tic Toc's first Wii U title might fit the bill. [Issue #16 – July/August 2015, p.23]

An effortlessly fun game to play and come back to. [Issue #41 – September 2019, p. 21]

If you enjoyed past WarioWare games, you won't want to miss this. [Issue #35 – September/October 2018, p. 63]

Shinobi is another can't-miss Sega Ages release. [Issue #46 – May/June 2020, p. 22]

Think of Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns as the definitive edition of a game that defined an era. [Issue #43 – November/December 2019, p. 20SW]

If you're looking for a new 2D platformer with top-notch level design, Electronic Super Joy won't disappoint. [Issue #19 – January/February 2016, p.23]

I finished Eastward burdened with regret and melancholy, but I can't deny the joy it inspired, nor the many, many colorful friends who made this darkly hopeful tale all the more memorable. Maybe this is a sign that I ought to appreciate what I found rather than lament what I missed. Not a bad takeaway, wouldn't you say? [Issue #56 – November/December 2021, p. 26]

A good port of a good game. Had it been given more time for extra bug testing, it might have been great! [Issue #27 – May/June 2017, p. 69]

It's brilliant, challenging and an absolute joy to strategize with the cards randomly dealt to you. [Issue #55 – October 2021, p. 24]

The experience that it offers is so different that I'm fine taking the plunge on it. Add to that the fun challenges in the Trial of the Sword and this pack immediately heads back in the right direction. [Issue #29, p. 18]

While it may be lacking in extras, Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is a fantastic release for longtime fans of this often unsung franchise. [Issue #61 – September/October 2022, p. 23]

Death Squared definitely knows how to multiply by the root of fun. [Issue #29, p. 20]

All of my kids have enjoyed being backseat drivers, telling me where to go next and which Bugsnax to try to attack. The biggest chuckles have come from the scenes where NPCs get their bodies changed by eating the captured Bugsnax: I just let the children take the reins there and decide whether, for example, Wambus Troubleham should get a watermelon for a nose. [Issue #61 – September/October 2022, p. 76]

f you play at your own pace, make liberal use of the fast-forward button and remember that it's just a game, it can offer you tens, maybe even hundreds of hours of fun! [Issue #47 – July/August 2020, p. 21]

Perhaps appropriately, it is merely a "good" game. [Issue #47 – July/August 2020, p. 20]

If you enjoy cozy games, Second Light is a no-brainer to recommend; just don't go into it expecting anything demanding or super innovative. [Issue #57 – January/February 2022, p. 73]

Overall, this is a great, well-curated collection and a wonderful way to mark the milestone of SNK turning 40 years old! [Issue #38 – March/April 2019, p. 72]

It might be a little rough around the edges, but it's a glorious Zelda nostalgia trip with some fun action. [Issue #34 – July/August 2018, p. 75]

Fans who grew up with the originals or hardcore challenge seekers may very well love this collection. [Issue #35 – September/October 2018, p. 67]

Lord Faraday needs to lighten up, but flinging his harpoon around feels great regardless. [Issue #51 – March/April 2021, p. 24]

If you've ever wanted to dive into the world of fashion, there's no better time than now. [Issue #23 – September/October 2016, p.76]

Someone's bound to get a DBZ action/adventure game right one of these days, but unfortunately this one's a few Dragon Balls short of summoning Shenron, if you know what I mean. [Issue #56 – November/December 2021, p. 68]

For what Graceful Explosion Machine aspires to be – that is, a stylish high score-focused shoot-'em-up – it excels in spades. [Issue #28 – July/August 2017, p. 21]

It's a shame that Digital Eclipse couldn't iron out all the wrinkles, but despite all that, Mega Man Legacy Collection is a decent little package. [Issue #20 – March/April 2016, p.71]

If you were a fan of the original Friends of Mineral Town titles, this is a great dose of nostalgia, with plenty of quality-of-life improvements over the original and a fresh new localization. [Issue #48 – September/October 2020, p. 73]

It can be easy to lose track of smaller releases like Tiny Barbarian DX, but do yourself a favor and make sure that doesn't happen here. [Issue #31 – January/February 2018, p. 37E]

If you're down for a lengthy adventure filled with frustrating trials and tribulations, then Etrian Mystery Dungeon might by perfect for you. [Issue #15; May/June 2015, p.74]

Blossom Tales II is absolutely brilliant. There's a ton of secrets to find, some great post-game content, and it's clearly been made with an abundance of love and care. The first game was great, and this one is even better. Blossom Tales II is not to be missed! [Issue #62 – November/December 2022, p. 20]

Not every Toy-Con is a masterpiece, but the variety of the Variety Kit makes the whole set absolutely worth your consideration. [Issue #34 – July/August 2018, p. 69]

Almost anything is possible in Minecraft: Wii U Edition. [Issue #19 – January/February 2016, p.21]