Carrion does many things right when it comes to creating a feel for becoming the monster. The cinematic soundtrack is fantastic too, setting the tone and putting the player in the mindset of the beast perfectly. The way the monster moves under control is excellent, and massacring a room full of scientists and soldiers rarely ever gets old. It’s just unfortunate that the overall structure that surrounds the novelty of the core gameplay mechanic is never quite as unique in comparison.

After years of mediocrity for AiAi and the crew, there was always the worry SEGA might drop the ball when it came to a Super Monkey Ball 20th anniversary celebration. Thankfully, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is a great remaster of the series’ best years packed full of content and given a handsome facelift. The major downgrade of the much-loved Monkey Target aside, there’s still plenty of fun to be had here fan or newcomer.

Once you’re in a groove, you can spend hours chasing the perfect playthrough, combining items and spells and tackling the dungeons. Handily, the game keeps track of how many runs you’ve attempted, which, when you reach triple digits, is a lovely metric for how addictive the game can be.

With a variety of gameplay in the single-player mode, improved and even longer than the first title, C.T. Special Forces 2 is just the right mix of action for handheld gamers.

Last Day Of June is a short but satisfying tale that uses the Groundhog Day formula to immerse you in a touching and thoughtful way. While it doesn’t shy away from very serious real-world situations, it also doesn’t tastelessly sink you too deep into its dark depressive undertones either. It has a clever approach, especially considering the choice of medium that it uses, which is all so beautifully and carefully constructed to tell you its story.

BIT.TRIP CORE is one of the titles in the series that I’d love to get the FLUX treatment. I’d love to see an advancement of the mechanics here and have them taken even further, even if what we have here is great already.

The lack of an upgrade path for existing Nintendo Switch owners and technical issues definitely hold it back, but Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 is an excellent release, especially if you play in handheld mode. Having now played it on every platform since launch, this is the best portable version with its many input options and all the content included from the get-go. The small install size also means I don’t need to stress over leaving it installed on my Switch 2, with how much I’ve been juggling other games since launch.

Having now spent the better part of the last week playing Patapon 1+2 Replay across multiple devices and the original PSP version on PS Vita, I’ve grown to appreciate the series more. Patapon 1+2 Replay isn’t perfect. It could use a better input timing calibration option for those who play docked, and some of the UI elements are a bit blurry on Nintendo Switch. However, this is one of the easiest recommendations for anyone who likes unique rhythm games. I recommend sticking to handheld mode for the best possible experience on Switch, though.

Demon Turf may not have tantalised my platforming taste buds as much as I hoped for but I can see it gathering a well-deserved following. The community has already shown the impressive possibilities of getting from A to B in style, and I’m sure once the game gets into the hands of the wider public the possibilities are only going to flourish and amaze even more. With that said, the speedrunning community does make up for only a small percentage of the 3D platforming fanbase. So to say Demon Turf is a great 3D platformer for that reason alone is probably stretching it a bit. For what it’s worth though, it is at least a competent one.

Even 20 years on, Mario vs. Donkey Kong’s ingenuity in its puzzle design shines through – its Toy Box delightfully crammed with surprising gameplay elements that I haven’t seen in the puzzle genre since. Now that Mini-Marios are a hot ticket product once more, we can only hope that we won’t have to wait so long for another fun-packed puzzling adventure for the whole family.

Leading the player down a path of learning to flip the mechanics on their head is a lovely touch. Later sections will remove colour completely, tasking you with connecting only dots of black. Here the game shines from the difficulty increasing, rather than just expanding the grids. With a vast number of topics to work through – countries, hobbies, works of literature – there’s plenty to do and Piczle Lines DX 500 More Puzzles becomes difficult to put down. It’s as addictive as it is original.

Creature in the Well is a strange invention but one that ends up being much more than just a curious mixup of genres. It’s a mysterious journey through a weirdly beautiful mechanical world, the pinball-esque hook constantly driving you forward as you explore deeper. It’s an enjoyable venture sprinkled with moments of frustration, confusion, and repetition but that doesn’t stop it being any less engaging and a true one of a kind experience for Switch.

Luckily, Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army still has plenty of personality. It has a style all its own, and I think many people will find it pleasantly brisk for an Atlus game. There’s something good in this concept, and I can only hope that this remake indicates that Atlus is considering making a new game in the series. I also hope we’ll see a similar treatment of the superior sequel. For now, this is a solid pick-up if you’re looking to experience a kind of game you don’t see often from Atlus anymore. A good time, even if it isn’t a must-have.

The developer may have too much enthusiasm for throwing you into combat and could have done with exploring ways to lend a change of pace – that more often than not comes in the puzzles that momentarily boggle your mind. But, when you have a steadfast legion of Guardians at your command, it’s hard not to marvel at the thrill of it all in the thick of battle, and how the many systems that are at play are masterfully woven together.

Dear Me, I was… is quite an emotional experience, and I absolutely adored it from start to finish. A few control issues hold it back when playing docked, but I give it my highest possible recommendation if you enjoy moving narratives and want something short to experience on Nintendo Switch 2. My only real annoyance right now is that I can’t buy an artbook or listen to the Dear Me, I was… soundtrack outside the game.

All things considered, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero on Nintendo Switch 2 delivers a fully playable experience that is good handheld, but the developer should’ve done more for the visuals and performance when playing docked. I would still play it here over PC handhelds I own, but it is hard to recommend the Switch 2 version to play on TV if you have access to PS5 or Xbox Series X.

Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta is a slightly spiffed-up version of a game that is very much of its time and place in the history of the series. While it’s not the best Ys game you can play on the Switch, or even the second-best, going on a journey with Adol rarely shortchanges the player on thrills. Those using a Switch 2 will find this to be a particularly comfortable handheld experience, but there’s a satisfying quality to it wherever or however you choose to play it.

Super Mario Party manages to get the series back on track in a big way, it’s selection of modes engaging, mini-games exciting and overall sense of fun high. While not every idea is a winner, it nails what fans have been after for many years while also injecting a few new twists of its own.

An easy recommendation thanks to its fun and unique premise and quirky, polished presentation. Control and local multiplayer grumbles aside, Nintendo’s latest takes you on a deliciously entertaining adventure that will keep you coming back time and time again. Eating sushi has never been so exciting.

Despite its flaws, Sundered: Eldritch Edition contains enough magic to keep developer Thunder Lotus Games intact as an interesting and viable studio. There is a lot to be found here that would usually keep me enticed if it wasn’t following last year’s more entertaining alternatives. If you are beginning to get Metroidvania-numbness, then it may be best keeping this game on your to-do list. But don’t sit on it for too long, because there are plenty of moments here that are well worth experiencing.

I never thought that I would ever have the chance to play Final Fantasy IX on a Nintendo console, and, with Nintendo Switch, Square Enix has perhaps found the perfect place to experience the genre classic. Complete with its twists and turns, you can chip away at this roughly 40-hour quest both at home and on the move, which I can only hope will allow more players the time needed to reach the game’s grand and, for some at least, tear-inducing conclusion.

Bombslinger is a fun time whether playing alone or in a group but its tough and often frustrating difficulty can prove too punishing at times. While I welcome a challenge, levelling up your character and purchasing an assortment of upgrades only to have them stripped away upon death be it through mistake or controller accuracy just plain sucks. That being said, Bombslinger offers enough to make it a nice alternative to Super Bomberman R and its lower price point certainly doesn’t hurt either.

Party Hard is an arcade game with a great gameplay loop, a lot of challenging levels, and some really fun mechanics to work with. The levels are intensely difficult throughout because you’re always aiming for a clean sweep to succeed. The joy that comes from success is the sign of a level well-played, one where you either planned everything perfectly or were just quick on your feet. It’s that feeling that defines Party Hard, the feeling of succeeding and wanting to try again and do even better. This is sure to hook you if you are in the mood for something a little different, and a little reticent of the days that we all used to spend chasing high scores.

A moderate improvement over the original Day of Reckoning.

Pikuniku almost feels like playing through an episode of Adventure Time. The writing is consistently brilliant, and without fail very entertaining. Off-the-wall humour isn’t always successful but when it’s done well it really does bring a world to life. The highlight for me in Pikuniku involved a toaster, which is all I’ll say on the matter. Honestly, it’s just a really fun game and you should play it. It is only a few hours of your time, and it’s sure to bring a smile to your face.

While no technical masterpiece and a rehash of sorts, Wario Ware, Inc.: Mega Party Game$'s brilliant mix of unique and clever microgames makes this one a winner.

While it definitely won’t change your mind if you loathe the genre, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 Deluxe Edition does enrich the fan with a nerdgasm full of content while providing a simple, but somewhat therapeutic swabbie smashing experience.

WarioWare: Get It Together! proves there’s plenty more fun left in the tank for his wonderfully zany series. Playing as the characters themselves is an unexpected direction but one that works brilliantly while the introduction of co-operative play creates an entirely new and exciting experience that I hope we see more of. WarioWare: Get It Together! once more delivers an experience unlike anything else out there, let’s just hope we don’t have to wait another ten years for the next.