Fuga: Melodies of Steel quickly became one of my favorite hidden gems of the year. Few things taint an overall excellent RPG experience. It was one of those rare games that was so engaging that it actually made me not want to play it, just because I know I’d be spending hours hooked to the wonderfully exhausting gameplay loop. That sounds like a negative, but if you’re used to this genre you’d know that’s extremely high praise. The music, visuals, and gameplay all come together for a package that’s hard to put down. Fuga: Melodies of Steel is the kind of risk we should praise in this industry, and if you like RPGs that aren’t afraid to make bold design choices it deserves to be in your library.

Whether it’s Nobuo Uematsu’s incomparable soundtrack or the game’s characterful cast, Final Fantasy VII will forever be remembered as a genre-defining classic. Now on Nintendo Switch, it’s the perfect chance for newcomers to uncover the truth about Cloud’s lost past for the first time, and, for those that have beaten it before, to relive the adventure both at home and on the move.

As a fan of the genre dating back to the 90s, even though I completely understand why titles such as Crow Country aren’t being made by the Capcoms of this world anymore, I do miss this style. While it has clearly been inspired by the early Resident Evil games, the modernisations and quality of life additions go a long way to ensure that this isn’t just a carbon copy of something that has gone before. If old-school survival horror is what you want in 2024, put Crow Country right at the top of your list.

With the DS's unique capabilities as the star attraction put into a single package with significant gameplay time and replayability, this is one game that should be in everybody's collection.

I’ll admit, this was an incredibly subversive game for its era, one that might not hit as well as it did for some compared to me. I’m able to appreciate it as both a game from the ’90s and just a game. But I’m sure a lot of creatives in Japan were inspired by this, and those inspirations had to have bled into their work. You will have likely seen parts of its unique twists on the genres it plays with elsewhere, but I found that to be an endearing trait. It feels fitting that a compilation of clear passion and inspiration has trickled down to other games. The impact of Live A Live has seemingly never gone away, and that’s beautiful.

It's like being equipped with a six-shooter and only being allowed to pistol whip the bad guys.

All in all, the Contra Anniversary Collection is a great package, it’s a slice of history which perfectly partners the recent Castlevania Anniversary Collection. I’d definitely like to see more of these, even if I am terrible at them.

Yet another brilliant Japanese RPG to add to the Nintendo Switch’s growing line-up. More Shin Megami Tensei than Fire Emblem, it’s hard to care too much when the end result is this enjoyable. Likeable characters and a satisfying combat system all wrapped in vivid visuals and a wonderfully weird and often uplifting story. Of the remaining Wii U games left to bring over to Switch, this was quite the curveball, but it’s one I hope gets the recognition it deserves second time around.

If you enjoy a slower game with a brilliant and touching story or stories in which, to get the most out of it, you have to give it your full attention, then The Lion’s Song may very well be a game that you will love and think about for months to come. The unique art style and its attention to the smaller details only add to the intrigue. It has its problems, sure, and they do start to become a bigger issue as you progress further, but none will make you want to put the game down, as, by that point, it will already have its hooks into you.

Overcooked 2 much like its predecessor is a fun and chaotic experience that truly excels when played with a group. While you might argue this is just more of the same, there are enough tweaks and changes to the formula that help keep things fresh for returning players. A hard recommendation if you’re looking to operate your own kitchen, but gather some friends and you’ll be hard pressed finding a more exciting co-operative time on Switch.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is fascinating. I love to play it, I love to study it, and I love to watch it. No fighting game has ever felt as good to play, in my opinion. I think the Switch port is the weakest version by default (I’ve only played this one and the PS4 release), but I’m still more than pleased with this version. The frame rate is perfect, the matches feel great to play, and the visuals are just as good as they’ve always been. I was expecting to stop playing this as soon as I had access to the other versions, but here I am… still labbing on Switch. If you have no other systems, and want to get into one of the strongest Persona spin-offs out there, check out Ultimax. I’m beyond excited to grab it on PC as well, to instantly boot it up when innocent trash-talking on Discord needs to be hashed out in the Arena.

Aside from the minor technical issues, I don’t have many complaints with Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. It’s a big improvement over the already-enjoyable previous games, and while I can still see some room to grow, I think it’s worth appreciating the quality on display here. Capcom, as it turns out, hasn’t lost its knack for making great RPGs featuring dragons and/or dragon-like creatures. If you liked the previous games in the series, this is an easy recommendation. Those new to the franchise just looking for their next RPG fix might as well jump in here, as you don’t really need any prior experience to have a good time with this.

Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition is an interesting release right now. With all its patches and updates later, Star Wars Outlaws itself is a much better game, but it still has some issues. If you haven’t played it before, Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 is a great package. If you already own it elsewhere, cross progression makes this an easy double or triple dip with how well it works. I can definitely see myself dipping into it on and off over the coming months to not only check out the updates coming, but also explore the world with such a fantastic portable version.

There was always going to be the worry that Untitled Goose Game would be a case of all hype without the delivery. Fortunately what we got is a unique, charming and often amusing experience that’s only dampened by some frustratingly tough puzzles and occasionally clumsy controls. It’s far from perfect, sure, but it’s certainly a game I’ll remember with a smile on my face. Honk!

Persona 3 Portable, as a game, is incredible and this revisit has made me realize how much it means to me. I get the disappointment, I do, but as a modern version, I think it holds up alright. This game deserves better, and I think if the backgrounds weren’t sticking out like a sore thumb this would be a glowing recommendation. As of now I can really just say that if you play this on Nintendo Switch you’re in for a good time.

Now that I’ve been able to play the fully patched version of Two Point Museum on Nintendo Switch 2, it is a perfect fit for Nintendo’s new hybrid console, but the port needs more work, not only in performance and load times, but also in features. Two Point Studios and SEGA would’ve delivered my favorite version of the game had this shipped with mouse and touchscreen control options in addition to controller support.

King Kong really gives you what it promises. Unfortunately, it doesn't give you much more. The game can be beat in about 10 hours, and there isn't much reason to play more after that.

It's one of the best compilation titles on the GameCube, ranking in far ahead of "Sonic Mega Collection" or "Midway Arcade Treasures."

R-Type Dimensions EX is a coding of classics that snugly fits the Nintendo Switch like a comfy old pair of slippers. While the minor quality of life components could be sniffed at, the extra features and visual gimmickry make mastering such an unforgiving piece of history more fun than just a standard cut and paste port of the originals. It’s the crown to top the nostalgic arcade shoot-em-up library that currently fills the shelves of the Nintendo eShop, and a recommended addition to a rapidly growing portable arcade collection.

It’s great to see more gamers have the chance to try out the once forgotten arcade gem Windjammers for themselves. The game strikes that perfect balance of simplicity and depth featuring action so fast-paced and on the edge of your seat, you’ll have a tough time putting the controller down. Best of all though, it manages to make playing with a Frisbee look cool, and any game that can accomplish that is okay in my book.

It would be easy to say that Going Under’s witty characters and fantastic presentation carry it, but underneath its sarcastic surface there’s a great rogue-like that’s entirely worth checking out all on its own. Don’t let it go under your radar.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD stands as the definitive way to experience the origins of the Master Sword. To this day, there’s still nothing else quite like it – from the strategic swordplay to Nintendo’s unrelentingly inventive puzzle design – and while it excels in its playful experimentation, the game represents a stepping stone to where the series would lead in the future as much as it delivers an origin story that allows you to discover the secrets of the past. Ultimately, it is still a memorable quest worth setting out on, and one that is now more resplendent than ever before.

Unfortunately, as it was in the past and still is apparent now, the game is very repetitive, but for those looking for a solid platform-puzzle game for the GBA, that may not be a problem.

Wax Heads is one of my favorite narrative-driven puzzle games in years. I hope the developer adds in an endless mode so I can just boot Wax Heads up and spend more time in the world. It makes me wish some of the bands in-game were real, but at least I can keep listening to the soundtrack and think of my time in Repeater Records.

Its lineup maintains to be solid enough and there are various in-game options with savestates, screen orientations, a reply mode, and so on. It’s just a shame that there isn’t a dedicated music gallery to rock out to, for the Castlevania series has some of the best soundtracks in gaming history. It’s all fairly priced though, and with future version additions and an impressive legacy, the Castlevania Anniversary Collection is another welcome boost to Nintendo Switch’s ever-expanding retro library.

Hand of Fate 2’s seamless blend of card-based adventuring and action RPG battles help craft a truly one of a kind experience that’s managed to surprise me in all the right ways. Exciting, unpredictable, often nail-biting, sometimes frustrating but always absorbing, Defiant Development’s distinct take on an action based RPG is a true standout on Switch and well worth checking out.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma might not be the most polished game, with all of its systems not being fully cohesive, but it was the entry point to Rune Factory I’ve been looking for. The skill floor is pretty low, with simple combat mechanics and easy-to-manage farming. While it might not have the tightest design in a farming simulator or an ARPG, I think it presents a breezy and fun combination of both genres. I’d like to see another spin-off tackle this approach again, because I think there’s a lot of potential in the series going in this new direction. Hopefully, next time, though, the Nintendo Switch 2 version could get a bit more love.

Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster is a fantastic remaster of an all-time classic FPS, but I think mileage will vary. I find games like this to be fascinating time capsules of a foundational era of the industry. While there is a good amount of content in this package, and the classic visuals have been preserved beautifully, the price is also pretty steep. If you’re more of a Star Wars fan than a classic shooter fan I’d say maybe give DOOM or DOOM 2 a shot, which also have solid ports on the Nintendo Switch. While I think this gameplay is more approachable than those two games in some ways, it’ll give you a good idea of how they play and if you’ll like this kind of design. I’m not as much of a Star Wars fan as I used to be, but this ended up being exactly what I wanted out of the franchise right now. I have qualms with the game, but they’re minor and overshadowed by all of the love put into the remaster. I’d love to see a modern port of Dark Forces II, which is apparently a bit notoriously difficult to run on modern machines. I’ll at the very least take a look at the Kyle Katarn games currently available, because this left a great first impression.