I have no doubt that this port is the best that Apex Legends could be on Nintendo Switch, with Panic Button once again working their magic to optimise the full-featured gameplay experience as well as they could given the scrappy console’s limitations. The port is as undeniably remarkable as it is divisive from a technical standpoint and its competitive heart remains, but the resulting outcome from that concerted effort is an option best left to those who are unable to leap into the action to become a Champion elsewhere.

It’s possible for Polygod to be a genuinely fun experience, but the stars must align, and patience must be given. Everything here is interesting and appealing, from the visuals which are bold and sharp, to the base roguelike underneath the gloss. But it comes with a but and a lot of maybes.

In its current state and with how it is discounted quite a bit on other platforms, I definitely recommend PGA Tour 2K25 on another platform if you’re a fan of golf games. On Nintendo Switch 2, it is only worth buying right now if you have no other platform and can play while connected to the internet. Once the input lag and load times are addressed, it will be easier to recommend.

With obvious criticisms aside, a game such as Just Dance 2021 could very well be the medicine we need to help provide some form of normality to this year’s holiday season. Having the under-appreciated privilege of joyfully dancing and laughing next to a Christmas tree within the isolated bubble of our loved ones not only boosts morale, but it also opens up to the realisation of how incredibly fortunate some of us are to have others to share that little bubble with.

With the exception of the PAC-MAN: Championship Edition demake, Namco Museum Archives Volume 1 is really only ever going to appeal to old fogeys similar to myself who want to latch on to the past and stuff them into a Nintendo Switch. Sure, many of the games don’t hold up well, but that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be celebrated. It’s just a pity that Namco can’t seem to be that bothered. While M2 does a fantastic job as always in actually handling the emulation process, the disappointing lack of extra features leaves a lot to be desired.

This deserved to be a home run, and it’s just an okay way to play some great games. Your mileage will vary based on how much some of this mattered, but if you’re looking to play these in excellent quality I’ll point you in the direction of the PS4 or PC ports. If Nintendo Switch is your console of choice, and you’re desperate to see what you missed a decade ago, you might as well check out the Switch version. Vita copies go for ridiculous prices, and I know maybe two other people who aren’t me that still own that system. I love the Danganronpa games, despite their myriad of flaws and occasional problematic content. These games are important to me, and they were formative for the person I grew into and the content I’ve fallen in love with since. It does not need to continue, as much as it is very likely it might in the coming years now. If it does, I’ll give it an open-minded chance I guess. It just won’t be the same after such a gratifying and perfect conclusion for a series that managed to always ramp up the stakes.

It’s far from perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but for what it is there’s definitely plenty of addictive gameplay here if your willing to put the effort in.

Goetia is a mixed bag. There are some wonderful moments in here such as the story, which certainly kept me going, and the visuals and soundtrack which do their best to keep you engrossed, are certainly impressive. It falls short, however, due to some of the overly difficult sections that can lead to many frustrating points in the game, which can then make it grow slightly tiresome. What this boils down to is simply that Goetia doesn’t find the perfect balance needed for a truly great point-and-click game. But there is certainly something there for true fans of the genre.

The inclusion of something that relies on precision movement with a clumsy transport system designed primarily for puzzles, is a massive hole in an otherwise clever premise. Small frustrations in her physics soon build up and the game becomes a slog rather than a joy.

I, Zombie is a decent if short distraction that offers you the chance to play as a zombie and get your own back on the trigger-happy human race. Its gameplay may be overly simplistic but it’s fun enough to keep you engaged to the end. Unlike a zombie, this game is no rotting mess but it could certainly be a little fresher.

I came away from finishing Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse with some pretty mixed feelings. I definitely enjoyed what I played, however brief and repetitive it was, but I couldn’t help wishing that this port had seen some adjustments or extra content to the game, or better yet some sort of remake. I wanted to be as big a fan of Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse as I am of other niche titles, but I ended up finding it as a fun, if a bit brainless, time.

It is in local multiplayer, then, that Big Crown Showdown excels, although in its current state that’s by default. Fun, frantic and maddening in places, there’s undeniable potential in the idea that it has been built around, it’s just the execution and, sadly, lack of online interest that sees it fumble short of the finish line.

Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is a worthy sequel to the original game, but might not be the massive improvement some might have hoped. Despite the parts that didn’t feel fully realized, I definitely felt more invested in this than I did with the original Daemon X Machina. I’m glad the developer tried to mix things up from just making another Armored Core-inspired game, and I think the genre shift works more than it doesn’t, but not everything perfectly clicked together. The core gameplay might not be the most deep, but the customization has a real pull to it that carries a lot of the experience, even with an average open-world and an underwhelming story. It’s just hard to deny the frequent technical issues I experienced with the Nintendo Switch 2 version, so I hope these get sorted at some point in the future. In the meantime, it might be worth playing it on another platform.

This is the version of the game they’re selling right now, and it’s just not good enough to play this on Switch 2 over other platforms. I’m hopeful this will eventually be good, so we will see if that happens. Give this one some extra time in the oven before you dive in.

Iro Hero is a decent enough shooter that doesn’t want you to see how good it could be. The lack of continues or any aid in progression will leave newcomers to the genre feeling cold enough to probably put them off altogether. Unless you really want to put a great deal of effort into memorising levels that seem to take forever to complete, the chances are that you will quickly bore at the thought and disregard the idea completely.

Joggernauts is a surprisingly fun take on the auto-scroller but a fairly short one filled with its fair share of frustrating moments. As a single player experience it feels clumsy but gather a group of friends and there’s a good amount of amusement to be had even if most of the time it’s from everyone yelling at each other and trying to orchestrate themselves. A short, simple and laugh-filled time.

The visuals are pretty, and the music is brilliant, but ToeJam and Earl: Back In The Groove! is the same game it was nearly three decades ago. This is fine I suppose, but it feels like more could have been done. It’s an enjoyable experience with friends, but a bit dull on your own. The whole experience is just a bit lackluster when compared to games of today.

Those looking to delve back into their childhood memories may be left feeling a little empty with Wonder Boy Returns Remix. The facelift is practical enough to keep within the flavor of the classic Wonder Boy games, but not including the original game as an option makes this new style seem hollow by default. I was never expecting too much in regards to added features or gameplay improvements. Although, I was more hoping to see a package that would celebrate a piece of gaming history. Instead, what I have been left with is a distant memory masked by a cheap and inferior makeover. That’s not to say that the spirit of the gameplay isn’t present, it just fails to capture the fond timeframe that I remember.

It’s great to see more Taiko no Tatsujin games making their way over to our side of the world but Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure Pack feels like a disappointing step back after the highly enjoyable Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n’ Fun!. The story modes while certainly quirky fumble things when it comes to the RPG elements and a lack of any multiplayer options is simply bewildering but if you’re after another 100 plus more songs to drum and tap away to Rhythmic Adventure Pack has you covered.

Bendy and the Ink Machine is a very intriguing game. It has an incredible visual style that is unique and certainly has some good horror elements going for it, but it, unfortunately, lets itself down in other areas. Straightforward puzzles, unwanted fetch quests and a clunky combat system really hurt the enjoyment in a big way.

The added co-op adds to the value of the game, but the game’s frustrations hamper re-playability. The stripped down nature of the game is part its charm, but can work against it. Sometimes Mugsters’ sandbox just feels a little shallow.

It almost feels unfair to poke away a game that’s all about being chill and just having a good time. I definitely had a fair amount of fun in Skate City, but it never really felt substantial enough to really get stuck in. On a phone, I could definitely see the appeal of jumping into the game whilst sitting on a bus and trying to nail a challenge, but on the Nintendo Switch, I don’t think it fits as well. If you’re looking for a chill skating game with simple mechanics, this might be for you, but if you’re looking for depth and a longer shelf life then I’d wait for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2.

But after a while, hitting frogs just doesn't fufill the same amount of happiness that it did when you started.

Visually, the pixel art is wonderful and full of character and the music fits the downbeat tone at work, but the gameplay is too slow to be gripping while the story isn’t pacey or unique enough to inspire wonder at what’s to come, especially because the conceit of the game’s plot seems pretty obvious from the outset. We did hear a car crash before waking up outside reality, after all…

As someone who only recently came to the Dragon Ball franchise, the various storylines and characters felt a little overwhelming at first, but it was great to learn about each of them through the eyes of the central character, who, in essence, is a fan. Everything is larger than life and for those who want to delve into all the tiny intricacies of the battles on top of absorbing the lore, they’ll be in their element. Those of us on the fringes will find a relatively fun game that throws a bit too much at the wall hoping for it to stick.

Regardless of its issues, Liberated shows potential in combining one of the oldest methods in storytelling with the new. Having the gameplay segments fit within the panel of a comic strip is a nice touch, even if the gameplay is average at best. The script is certainly a relevant subject in spite of how many times the idea has been recycled. It’s just unfortunate that, in this case, simply reading the source material would have been a better experience compared to playing it.

Playing through Pumpkin Jack definitely took me back to the days of the original Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube and the plethora of action-adventure games like this that populated those consoles. What that means though is while Pumpkin Jack can be an enjoyable nostalgic trip at times, it also suffers from the same problems those games were guilty of back then namely their simplicity and uneven quality. Pumpkin Jack is charming and atmospheric, sure, but held back by the very games it’s trying to evoke.

Resident Evil 5 isn’t a bad game, it’s just one that was already showing its age on more powerful hardware. This is really one for the Resident Evil fans.

If I had reviewed Resident Evil Zero sixteen years ago, I would have said it was an incredible game, but going back to anything after this long away does not always end well and unfortunately, that is the case here. The controls are a bit wonky, the puzzles are weak and there are some AI issues with the buddy system that can be troublesome. I still, for the most part, enjoyed playing through the game again after all these years, but it is certainly the weakest entry of the ‘classic’ Resident Evil titles.

As fantastic as some of these classics are, Konami’s Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection is barebone in features and presentation. Its price point isn’t too bad though and fits the Nintendo Switch nicely alongside the other classic compilations already on the system. Other than that, you could always play and compare the original Gradius with the Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online app as a reminder of how good of a port that version really was.

Although the technical issues are a shame, the game is still technically fully playable without too much issue, and is certainly a lot more interesting than Resident Evil 5. If the Switch is your only option to play Resident Evil 6 then this port will have to do, but it’s a shame that the system can’t quite handle how intense the experience is. Still, if you can accept the technical limitations and the lack of horror here then Resident Evil 6 can deliver a really great time, and can finally be looked at as just another fun anecdote in the history of the series.

Modern Combat Blackout isn’t a bad game, but it isn’t particularly impressive, either. It is a substitute for Call of Duty? No. Is it a fun, budget first-person shooter for Switch? Yes. Modern Combat Blackout delivers an entertaining first-person shooter at an affordable price. The bite-sized missions and short burst game design works well and achieves what it sets out to do. It won’t win any awards or be remembered as one of the Switch’s best first-person shooters, but for those looking for a cheap shooter, Modern Combat Blackout is ready for duty.

You don’t find many games that are this punishing, and I can certainly see why a lot of people would be put off by the trial and error style gameplay. You have no doubt played many titles over the years that were inspired and influenced by Another World. Sure, it may have lost its magic over the last 27 years but that is only to be expected. For what it did for gaming in the early 90’s, it deserves to be experienced nonetheless.

The Jackbox Party Pack series has often proven a reliable source of fun and laughs, every year presenting players with another good excuse to gather everyone together for a few hours of phone-tapping hilarity. Unfortunately, The Jackbox Party Pack 10 feels like somewhat of a letdown, its games, while sometimes entertaining, are unable to capture the true magic we know this series is capable of. Summing things up in one sentence – Tee K.O. 2 is a safe but still fantastic time, Timejinx is a fun time-based trivia, Hypnotorious is enjoyable but inconsistent in its delivery, FixyText is chaotic noise and Dodo Re Mi is uninspired and forgettable.

Atelier Lydie and Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings readily enchants with a charming story and some fantastical worlds to explore. But, while the game’s greatest strength lies in the depths of its alchemy system, Gust has failed to have thrown enough new ingredients into their murky cauldron to innovate on the experience as much as has been seen in what came before. What we’re left with is a rather average concoction.

Pac-Man World Re-Pac is a decent little platformer albeit a rather straightforward one. Its combination of old-school Pac-Man grid-based gameplay and linear but varied worlds are entertaining enough to get you through its 10 or so hour adventure, but the rather plain level design and occasionally clunky movement also reveal a game limited by its original PlayStation roots.

Chasm doesn’t quite have its own identity, as it borrows so much from other games and while it does them decently, it’s not best in class. The randomly generated level layout, which is the games one unique feature, actually ends up being its biggest weakness. Maybe I am being a little too unkind, as I did have fun playing, but I just feel like it could have been so much more and that’s what bothers me the most. It’s a decent enough tribute to those games of yesteryear, but that’s its problem, as it ends up being yet another Metroidvania title.

Not many games have quite stumped me with opposing thoughts in the same way as Narita Boy has, as I constantly questioned myself over what kind of lasting impression it gave me. On one hand, the visual and audio beauty of it all stayed with me for days, while on the other hand, I couldn’t shake off how everything was all clouded over by gameplay that never quite reaches its full potential.

Unlike most Nintendo-published titles, the game really feels like it lacked direction, and as a result the game is more annoying than fun. If you're a diehard for Yoshi platformers, you'll enjoy the game on some.

The sad truth is, Pokémon Trozei isn’t a bad game persay... it’s just BORING.

A pretty lackluster package that could have been so much more if the platform elements, which previous games focused on, were given attention in the newest game. Instead, the platforming is mainly a way to get in between mini-games and offers no challenge at all.

After you beat all 1,001 puzzles, you can wipe the memory and go again. They tend to reuse words and clues. After a few puzzles, you'll know what word they want.

Spyro’s new developer, Vicarious Visions, has changed the focus of Spyro to mini-games, which are very easy, boring and repetitive; they have also taken away the 3-D look of the games, which presents some problems in gameplay, not forgetting the fact that the 3-D isometric look simply looked better.

Invisiballs is an interesting and unique idea unfortunately held back by a general lack of depth, variety and content. While there’s certainly nothing quite like this on Nintendo Switch at the moment, Invisiballs feels like too basic a package to keep you hooked for much longer than a few sessions. Perhaps future updates will add some interesting new features.

At the end of the day, this is a sub-par port of an average game. The story in Blair Witch isn’t anything special even if the main character was good, poorly programmed AI hampers innovative mechanics, the game design isn’t that thought out, and the game’s atmosphere and aesthetic are hurt by this port’s low resolution. A great set of ideas that fumble when it comes to the execution, and an adorable dog doesn’t really save it. I love the Switch and want as many games as possible to come out on it, but Blair Witch really shows that not every game should.

Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise is another messy, frustrating and at times broken experience… but then again so was the first game. The story once again is a highlight with a cast of strangely acting characters sure to make you chuckle or downright confused. Unfortunately, seeing the tale unfold is slowed massively with dull and tedious quests aplenty. Big fans of the original will likely find exactly what they’re looking for here but for others, there are just too many issues technical or otherwise sure to prevent you from actually enjoying yourself.

For fans of the series, BIT.TRIP FATE delivers the same awesome music and visuals with the most interesting theming whilst having just okay shooting gameplay. It’s still good in some regards, but if there’s one to miss it’s this one.

It’s a great shame that I didn’t enjoy Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee as much as I did Oddworld: New N’ Tasty and Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath. Some of it comes down to ageing poorly, but a lot of it is simply feeling like the gameplay doesn’t really translate very well to a 3D environment. For the Oddworld-mad like myself, it’s still worth playing through for its charm and occasionally smart puzzles, but for anyone on the fence, it’s probably the least recommendable game of the series.

Word Search by POWGI isn’t going to that’s blow you away with its ingenuity nor is it a particularly exciting experience. Instead, it’s 300 plus word search puzzles with a four-player element thrown in for good measure. It’s an easy way to pass the time sure, but one that’s also devoid of any real substance. Exactly what you expect it to be, no more, no less.

Over the last few years, we have seen titles such as My Friend Pedro and Katana ZERO hone in on a similar Woo spirit with enough spin to deem them both quite different and unique experiences. However, there’s a fine line between influence and replication and The Hong Kong Massacre’s over-reliance on capturing the magic of Hotline Miami and Max Payne suffocates it under its own lost identity. If The Hong Kong Massacre had very little to compare itself to, then it would probably be regarded as a classic in the making. Unfortunately, that’s not the case and it’s clear by example that even the Woo formula had to evolve at some point.

Every piece doesn’t quite slot into place correctly in Animated Jigsaws: Beautiful Japanese Scenery. The whole experience feels like such an amateurish effort, whether that be seen in the unimaginative presentation, the high price point for such limited content, or the three looping music tracks that you will soon mute before they’re allowed the time to descend into monotony.

So boring that you only have to play it for a couple minutes to figure out that you have already played the whole extent of the game.

Bottom line, there’s nothing inherently wrong with Super Destronauts DX – the game plays fine, looks polished enough and features numerous mode types. The problem I have with it though is that nothing about it shines and no part of the game has me eager to jump back in any time soon. Super Destronauts DX is a functional arcade shooter that’s distracting for a short while but with nothing truly helping it stand out in a growing sea of quality Nintendo eShop releases, it’s an experience easily forgotten.

NORTH carries an important message that it wants to impart, but whether it manages to successfully convey it to the player is debatable. The cyberpunk atmosphere helps it to stand apart from other games on the Nintendo eShop. But, with the developer having exerted more effort to create unpredictable and trippy scenes, you soon come to the realization that it is reading the letters sent from brother to sister that beat at the heart of the experience. In comparison, everything else feels meaningless.

It’s hard to complain too much about Fight Crab when you know how self-aware it really is. The troublesome controls and repetitive gameplay are all clearly a part of the joke but even laughing can be tiring if it’s all you’re doing. Fight Crab definitely has its moments of fun and stupidity, but it’s not got enough meat on the bones to make it feel like anything more than a fun concept.

Beneath the hue of its pulsating neon glow, Neonwall constructs itself around an interesting concept but struggles to find a way to make it as engaging as it needs to be. It will boggle your mind in ways unlike any other Nintendo eShop release, but lacks the staying power to maintain your attention for long beyond completion.

I guess Ninja Striker! is a platform game, with rhythm mechanics. It could also be a title that just requires you hit the attack button at certain points to breeze through levels before reaching the real fun in the boss fight. If you don’t care about scores or stars, the game loses so much appeal, because the ‘story’ is non-existent. This will appeal to perfectionists and maybe speedrunners who want to showcase skills, but it left me wanting so much more.

Would I recommend it? Not really. Is it a good game? No. But I love the fact that it’s out there. I also love the fact that it’s a game where death is encouraged. However, because we want him to die, it does remove any tension or risk of failure, therefore lacks excitement.

Ice Cream Surfer won’t surprise you nor will it amaze you. What it delivers is a fairly average shoot ‘em up experience wrapped in a cutesy exterior. And with the Switch already having received examples of this genre including the recently released, and excellent, Ikaruga, Ice Cream Surfer has a hard time standing tall against its competition.

Even looking past the game’s sordid perversions, Gal*Gun 2 never becomes as entertaining as it needs to be to hold your attention for long. In many ways, that’s a shame as, while the game’s erotic nature may be an immediate turn off to some, it exists in an uncontested genre on Nintendo Switch.

There’s not really much more to be said about SkyScrappers other than that having a vertical Tate Mode is always a nice feature if you happen to own a stand to support it. I suppose the benefit of such an addition along with multiple Joy-Con controllers at the ready does make this particular game somewhat suited for Nintendo Switch. It’s just a shame that there isn’t enough here to keep you coming back for more.

Don’t Die, Mr. Robot! DX is a disappointingly simple experience further let down by its unappealing presentation. While there is some enjoyment to be had when you first start playing, that feeling doesn’t exactly last. On a system that is currently over-flowing with great eShop experiences, Don’t Die, Mr. Robot! DX does little to stand out from the competitive crowd resulting in a package that’s average at best.

On the whole, Close to the Sun is an engaging experience and one that I found hard to put down. It wasn’t always the story that kept me going, it was the overall atmosphere, the claustrophobia of the Helios. Certain moments stayed with me after putting down the controller; hiding behind crates as a crazed man stalked the halls or the dashing jumps made to reach a tram taking me to a new area of the ship. It’s a great homage, but that’s its strongest feature.

Apparently, Bandai Namco Entertainment is working on a fix, but, as of writing this, we have no idea when this will be coming out. I had considered waiting for the patch and reviewing it after the fact, but the best-case scenario of this patch would be reporting on a simple, solid version of a classic game that deserves better. This could have been a way to right the missteps of the previous remaster, but that’s not what we got. Tales of Symphonia is not my favorite game in this series, but I’m worried about what it would mean if this is the new standard for Tales of remasters going forward. I hope this is fixed soon because the game underneath this is quite good.

If you don’t have a pair of nostalgia glasses to hand, then it’s hard to justify purchasing two separate compilations that are little more than a ROM dump with a price tag. The only reason why both of the Namco Museum Archives volumes are worth investing in is if you have a childhood attachment to any of the console versions listed, or have a genuine interest in compiling together yesteryear gaming history in a portable library. The lack of extra features completely takes away from the game’s meaning. After all, isn’t the sole purpose of a museum to provide a taste of the past in an informative way?

So much more could have been done with the hero to open up multiple playthroughs, even something as simple as allowing different classes of hero. The mechanics are there in the enemies after all. The idea is very good, but the execution is sloppy. Most of my time with Devious Dungeon saw me walking through levels destroying everything in sight for coins, then buying the next best gear I could get, before grinding through the next batch of levels.

Never Give Up doesn’t have much to offer that you haven’t already seen before from the genre and any attempt it does try at separating itself from the herd, unfortunately, make the experience worse rather than better. From its dated sense of humor and ho-hum art style to its uninspired premise of repeating slowly evolving levels Never Give Up is a tough recommendation especially when there are far better examples already out there that won’t leave you rolling your eyes with embarrassment.

Although Ben 10: Power Trip doesn’t have a lot to offer for anyone over the age of 10, it’s a perfectly fine game for kids. It’s biggest issues are how poorly it performs on Switch but for many kids, that’s probably not going to be a big problem and all they’re going to want is to be able to play as Ben 10 and his aliens and Power Trip certainly allows that.

Blanc never truly lives up to its potential, but it is a good starting point for a potential sequel. There are simply too many missed opportunities with most aspects of the game. From the puzzle-solving to the story, more could have been done. That isn’t to say I completely disliked the experience, far from it. Just please remember to bring a friend along for the ride if you are willing to forgive any shortcomings.

I had a decent enough time with Slender: The Arrival, but only really for the first half of the game. The second half treads heavily on the toes of repetition and makes it become rather mundane to get through. When the full length of the game is only two hours and the second of those hours relies too heavily on the same, predictable scare tactics of the first hour, there is something wrong. Initially, those scare tactics work wonders and you will find it terrifying, but it simply does not last. If you’re a horror fan and are desperate for a quick, budget-priced game to tide you over, then you can definitely do worse, just don’t expect too much out of it.

In essence, Radiation Island is a zombie-infested survival adventure game on a budget. It is yet another mobile game that has washed ashore on Nintendo Switch and one that fails to ever become a memorable experience on the portable home console. It has clear potential but ends up feeling incomplete, in needing more content to help keep the player both engaged and motivated.

Unfortunately what the game does manage to get right is quickly dampened by some rather glaring and unforgivable flaws. It’s a real shame, the Switch has seen two racers make its way to the console in the last month and neither has stood out for positive reasons. Maybe 2019 will fare better.

Spiral Splatter is your typical smartphone port – visually simple, light on content and lacking some features in the move to Switch. While the core idea works, everything else about the game feels uninspired resulting in an experience that’s fine for an hour or two but likely forgotten the moment you move onto greener pastures.

Putting it simply, there is still fun to be had with FIFA 20 Legacy Edition and playing against others online is still a joy. Nevertheless, charging full whack for a game when absolutely no effort went into is out of order. Simply ask yourself this, are new kits and some roster changes worth over £40 to you? If you answered yes, then you have too much money.

Surgeon Simulator CPR is a very silly game whether it’s the cartoony vibe it gives off, the wacky situations you’re thrown into or just trying to deal with the loose controls. It’s a mildly funny exercise and something to be enjoyed viewing how others interact with it, however in turns of longevity and depth you’ll find the pair lacking especially as the initial novelty starts to wear off.

On paper, Contra: Rogue Corps should work, and it should work well. It has extravagant weapons, gaudy finishers, and bombs that can destroy every enemy on screen, but none of them gel together to create greatness. It’s the execution and implementation of all these ideas that hold it back from achieving greatness. Instead, they create mediocrity. Can fun be found in Contra: Rogue Corps? Yes. Will it be enough to justify buying the game at full price? No. I didn’t hate my time with Contra: Rogue Corps, but it isn’t something I feel the need to return to anytime soon, either.

Overall, I feel like Lust For Darkness suffered from a slight identity crisis. It’s part-walking simulator, part-hiding simulator, part-puzzle solver and a whole lot of Amnesia. It didn’t really know what it wanted to be and I came away feeling it could have nailed a few more of its elements better, had it stuck to one principle gameplay element, rather than be bang average in a whole load of them. In addition, given the size of the game, it never had the chance to fully realise any of its gameplay elements. It simply tried to cram too much in.

To put it bluntly, Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid is pretty much a proof of concept that should have been pitched for a crowdfunding campaign. If anything, the fact that it’s halfway decent makes me feel uncontrollably angry inside. There’s a part of me that wishes this was simply a terrible game through and through. Now, I can’t help but pine for a good, big budget Power Rangers fighting game with bright camp colors and horrifically acted cutscenes. Damn you nWay, for reigniting my childhood with such genuine potential. I’m left feeling like I have been gifted a cool Power Rangers toy from a charity shop that’s missing most of its pieces.

Removing the forced random space battles, and maybe bookending them between the exploration levels would have helped this title immensely.

Don’t. That is, don’t take a second look at this game – don’t even briefly consider it.

The few games even available aren’t faithfully recreated, are mostly on the dull side, and feature remix styles that will mostly make you want to puke.

Lifeless Planet: Premiere Edition may very well gain a few new fans based solely on its narrative. Unfortunately, the tedious ordeal of having to traipse around the planet for half a dozen hours like a clumsy jelly baby just doesn’t make the plot strong enough to be worth the hassle. While it may not sound like it, I do appreciate the hard work and effort it takes to independently craft an environment of such scale. However, it really doesn’t excuse the fact that this is an incredibly poorly made game, regardless of how interesting its premise may be.

Playing alone, Nippon Marathon is a one-note joke, stretched too thin and without enough artifice to challenge or grip a player, but as a party game it works just about well enough to amuse those who can look past its various rough edges, have money enough to spare for frivolous purchases and enjoy a silly, wonky mess from time to time.

Hello Neighbor could be fun, within the right parameters. The neighbour would hold a lot more terror if his actions carried any weight. The puzzling aspect of switches, hidden doors and traps would be more enjoyable were they staged within an inspiring world or using interesting concepts. But the game fails on all of these points, not holding attention, not really projecting any fear beyond the first few encounters, and the world feels as flat as the polygons used to build it.

The end result is that Fimbul is a soulless experience that never amounts to much more than something that will forever represent the developer’s unrealized vision. Throwing the unpredictable bugs, glitches, and wayward problems that are present on Nintendo Switch into consideration, it’s hard to not come to the conclusion that you’d be better off simply leaving it to someone else to prevent Ragnarök from happening.

Ultimately Mecho Tales is derivative, borrowing tried and tested ideas rather than coming up with anything that ever surprises or astounds. It fails to leave a lasting impression to result in another forgettable platformer that is unable to compete with far more memorable and groundbreaking games in the genre that are available on the Nintendo eShop.

The characters available in different colour palettes are appealing and I’m sure add a lot if playing with another person, but this brings me to the biggest issue that plagues DragoDino; the loading times. When they did load, the levels themselves offered little to no joy, at all, despite the cute protagonists, DragoDino is shallow and sadly cannot live up to the visual style.

On the bright side, Nickelodeon Kart Racers is the kind of game you can buy for a nephew that you can’t stand. Just think. On the surface, his parents will give you brownie points for such an appealing looking gift. The nephew, on the other hand, will know full well that you have completely screwed him over. Furthermore, you can shamelessly watch in glee as he gets chastised for being an ungrateful and spoilt little brat after complaining about such a generous present. A win, win situation if you ask me, and well worth your money.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD is a substandard remaster of a game that quite frankly didn’t need it in the first place. The disappointing level design, frustrating boss battles and shallow party games are a sore reminder of just how much this series has fallen since the glory days of the GameCube pair. I want the series back just as much as any fan, but not like this.

The Game of Life 2 is a fairly faithful adaption of the original board game – complete with a few minor tweaks – and is an okay distraction for a few rounds. However, minimal variety, content and a general lacking feel of excitement leave The Game of Life 2 far behind other board game offerings on Nintendo Switch right now.

Struggling is one of the more frustrating games I’ve played on the Switch to the point where it felt more like an endurance challenge than anything else. Small victories are marred by countless failures and coupling that with a co-op mode than only serves to aggravate more and a visual style that is at times unappealing and others just plain gross makes for an end result that makes it a struggle to keep playing.

DYING: Reborn had the potential to be a decent game. Nevertheless, with its lack of real horror elements, bad translation issues and nowhere near enough good puzzles, all of the things you would want, it is hard to recommend. To stand out from the crowd on the Nintendo eShop nowadays, you have to do something different or something special. DYING: Reborn does neither. There are much, much better options out there.

Those patiently waiting on a decent realistic racer on Switch, unfortunately, won’t find that in Gear.Club Unlimited 2. Its decent selection of cars, solid customization and lengthy campaign are crippled thanks to the game’s sluggish and uninspired racing, sketchy performance and horrendous load times that pop up far too frequently. The Switch may be sorely lagging in the racing department but it certainly deserves much better than this.

It doesn’t work as a video game and it doesn’t work as a movie. While it looks great, the acting leaves a lot to be desired and there just isn’t any involvement for the player as you’re just pressing the A Button a couple of times here and there without ever really having to make choices. It had potential and any future games can certainly learn a lot from this, but my advice is to stay well away unless you’re absolutely desperate for something to do for an hour or two.

I could go on, but Akiba’s Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed was another disappointing entry in a series that hasn’t been on a straight path since 2014, following the critically panned ARPG Akiba’s Beat. I was intrigued by the idea of bringing back an overlooked entry in the PSP’s library to modern systems and a new fanbase, but I’d go as far as to say that you’re better off just playing the original or Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed. Akiba’s Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed might be worth sticking through for the experience of feeling like you’re wandering through Akihabara, but the clunky combat, thin plot, and poor performance make this a stripped-down experience. I really hope one day we can get a brand new Akiba’s Trip game that hits all the marks, but at this point, I’m wondering if the developers even want to.

If you are a fighting game fan you probably won’t be able to look past the floaty controls, loose game flow, and flimsy mechanics. It’s lacking basic quality of life, and all this stuff adds up. If you’re looking for a solid introduction to fighting games and enjoy anime, you’ll probably at least find some value here. I think there are much better introductory fighting games that offer smoother game flow and better spectacle to the players, and probably for cheaper. Simplified mechanics aren’t inherently a flaw, but I think Phantom Breaker: Omnia makes the fatal mistake of over-simplification. Maybe the Nintendo Switch port is just of subpar quality and the other consoles would have provided a better experience, but that just goes to show that if you do want to play this game you should do so elsewhere.

Gear.Club Unlimited 3 offers a solid core racing experience, but it suffers from poor visuals, performance issues, some visual glitches, and a scarcity of content to justify the asking price. It is even harder to recommend Gear.Club Unlimited 3 in a post-GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition world on Nintendo Switch 2. There is potential here, but too many caveats for it to be even close to an easy recommendation.