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]

It's safe to recommend Shovel Knight Dig to all 2D action-adventure fans. The dialed-up art and bottomless pit of treasures are a perfect metaphor for Shovel Knight's "indie upstart to enduring superstar" career path. [Issue #62 – November/December 2022, p. 19]

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]

Three Houses was an excellent choice to adapt into a Musou, and for my first full experience with the genre, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Seeing my favorite characters in a new light was a treat, and I felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment at achieving the "golden" ending after a huge time investment. This is a can't-miss title for FE3H fans wanting to see more of their favorite students! [Issue #61 – September/October 2022, p. 75]

If you're a fan of RPGs from the 16-bit era, or if you're looking for something that doesn't require a huge time investment, LIVE A LIVE is one RPG you won't want to miss, and not just because it was a stepping stone to some of the classics of that era. It's a unique storytelling experience! [Issue #61 – September/October 2022, p. 73]

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]

Cuphead was already a landmark in video game art and animation on top of being an expertly balanced tribute to the arcade shooters of yesteryear. Studio MDHR nailed the formula right out the gate and sought only to give fans more of what they loved in the form of a "delicious last course" to satisfy any lingering cravings. If this is truly the end of the Cuphead ride, what a high note to leave on! [Issue #61 – September/October 2022, p. 28]

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]

Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest Mario Kart track of all time has returned. Waluigi Pinball is back! [Issue #61 – September/October 2022, p. 24]

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]

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]

Inti Creates has turned out another well-crafted title, albeit a divisive one. Fans of Gunvolt have been a little put-off that he's not front and center here, but otherwise, everything here works quite well. [Issue #61 – September/October 2022, p. 19]

If it had been released closer to the franchise's heyday, Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth could have been seen as one of the all-time greats. As it stands, it's a fun stew of mixed influences that often does things by the numbers, but goes harder with its art than it has to. [Issue #60 – July/August 2022, p. 75]

The lack of stuff like Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures, the infamous Atari 2600 port and anything related to Ms. or Jr. Pac-Man is noticeable, but the amount of quality stuffed into this collection more than makes up for any absences. Everything plays really well, too. I'm no Pac Pro, but I didn't notice any sort of game-breaking lag in my time with it. Simply put, this is a fantastic collection that's well worth coming down with a case of Pac-Man fever for! [Issue #60 – July/August 2022, p. 74]

Mario Strikers: Battle League is best suited for players who'll have the time and inclination to put in enough practice to get good, and who will have similarly dedicated friends to play with and against. Solo players, or those with young kids? Probably safe to give this one a pass if the free demo doesn't click with you. [Issue #60 – July/August 2022, p. 71]

If you were a video game developer and you happened to have a time machine, and for some reason you decided to use that time machine to travel specifically back to visit me on a Saturday morning around 30 years ago, and then you asked my childhood self what the perfect video game to make would be, I'm pretty sure I would have invented Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge on the spot. This game is the stuff of a young Turtles fan's dreams. [Issue #60 – July/August 2022, p. 68]

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]

If you're a fan of mysteries in any media, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is absolutely worth your time. Its gameplay is engaging. Its presentation is engrossing. And I hope I've made enough of a case for it here for you to want to try it out! [Issue #60 – July/August 2022, p. 25]

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]

Young Souls succeeds when it comes to style, and the world it invites you to explore – both the human world above and the goblins' underworld below – is truly inviting. But for this game, you'd be better served to play on PC, PlayStation or Xbox instead of the Switch. [Issue #60 – July/August 2022, p. 23]

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]

This is exactly the kind of game Atari used to make back in its heyday, except considerably more modern. Regardless of whether or not you're a fan of the Atari brand, though, Kombinera is a fantastic little puzzle game. It may occasionally be too difficult for its own good, but if you're into this kind of thing, you're just about guaranteed to have a ball. [Issue #60 – July/August 2022, p. 20]

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]

I enjoyed my time with Rune Factory 5 and I'm hopeful that its shortcomings will result in an even better entry in the future if we get one. (And hopefully sooner than a decade away, too.) Rune Factory 5 captures what matters most in a farming sim: a charming world and cast, and a cozy experience that will keep you coming back whenever you want to take it easy. [Issue #59 – May/June 2022, p. 76]

Traveller's Tales has outdone themselves with this new LEGO Star Wars. Their attention to detail and wide variety of activities, coupled with the expansive environments, makes for a fun-filled return to that galaxy far, far away. [Issue #59 – May/June 2022, p. 75]

I came to love every decision these designers made for this somehow-still-just-his-first-time-in-3D Kirby adventure. There is so much to love here, and it's so apparent that the whole package was put together with a remarkable amount of respect for this now 30-year-old series. I encourage every Switch owner to join Kirby on this journey immediately. Go make yourself some memories in the Forgotten Land! [Issue #59 – May/June 2022, p. 73]

Triangle Strategy may take itself a touch too seriously at times, and not all the characters deliver a backstory worth listening to, but its strengths lift it far above its weaknesses. It's not the second coming of Final Fantasy Tactics, but it deserves recognition for what it is: A truly fine turn-based strategy RPG. [Issue #59 – May/June 2022, p. 71]

I think it's best to start Sophie 2 knowing exactly what you're getting into. Is it a wholesome, cozy game? Yes. Will its gameplay test your knowledge and skill with complex systems? Also yes. But together, they provide a fun experience that longtime and new Atelier fans will enjoy. [Issue #59 – May/June 2022, p. 69]