On the general scale of things, SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC is a great addition to the catalogue. The emulation is crisp and clean and pretty much on par on with what you would expect from M2. If a bit of online score chasing is your thing or you just want to casually blast away for the ride, then SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC is certainly one worth giving a shot.

Despite how generic Saviors of Sapphire Wings felt, it’s a mostly solid DRPG. I wouldn’t recommend either of these for a newcomer, mainly because Saviors of Sapphire Wings is largely uninspired and Stranger of Sword City Revisited can be extremely challenging. However, for people who already enjoy what these types of games have to offer, Stranger of Sword City Revisited is a must-play. The striking art style, unique setting, and plenty of depth in its core mechanics will keep people coming back for more. The ports are good, and you’ll be sure to have a fun time with at least one of these if you’re a fan of the genre. The package is a little lacking, and there are much better DRPGs, but it is worth playing all the same.

To put it mildly, DOOM Eternal is the most impressive first-person shooter ever made to run natively on a handheld system. Not only is it a phenomenal game in its own right that ticks all the boxes of how a sequel should be made, but it’s also a technical marvel of a port conjured up by incredibly skilled magicians. The delay may have been far longer than promised, but it’s crystal clear that the extra time spent in its absence has certainly been put to good use.

The Mega Man X series has always held a fond place in my heart. To be able to play all eight anytime, anywhere on Nintendo Switch is a dream come true. They may not all be top-tier classics, but the high majority that are maintain the same addictive grip now as they did back in the day. As for these particular collections? They may certainly play as well as I remember them, but the way the celebration has been stripped back like a budget party package made me pine for something a little more extravagant. The legacy of this 30-year-old Capcom mascot certainly deserves it.

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is like buying a vinyl record of your favourite album. It’s a little dated, a bit niche and to be honest, newer versions are more accessible and easier to interact with. But there’s love there, what it does, is done incredibly well and while the series is moving on over on other platforms, this is the classic formula distilled into a version that can be played at home on a 40” TV or on the bus. You can play it on your own or call in some friends for the tougher G-Rank quests. Being a hunter has never been tougher, but if you’re persistent, it’s never been more rewarding either.

Wild Guns Reloaded is among one of the best examples of bringing an older title over to a newer system. While it would have been one thing to do a simple port job of this SNES cult-classic, the wealth of fresh new content adds another layer to this already excellent shooting gallery experience. Steeper price aside, this is a perfect fit for Switch offering an action-packed, fun time on your own or with friends.

Road to Ballhalla is a simple idea with enough neat additions of its own to keep you engaged throughout its twenty-plus levels. Filling that Super Monkey Ball sized gap nicely, this fiendishly difficult ball rolling experience may be a little on the short side but should please those after a challenge they can easily jump in and out of.

Ultimate Chicken Horse effortlessly combines level creation, solid platforming and brilliant multiplayer all into one fantastic package. It’s a game that continues to surprise and amuse in huge measures and if we do end up seeing a Super Mario Maker sequel in the future then Nintendo would be wise to take to note of what Clever Endeavour Games has accomplished here.

The stages are beautifully designed, the music stands in serious competition with the best of the series, and the gameplay as a whole is an absolute joy to interact with.

The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 3 – Broken Toys may stumble upon an all too familiar plotline, but the chemistry between the two most important roles helps to iron out the creases thanks to a believable and important companionship. My decisions standing in Clementine’s shoes conjures certain anticipation within me in how it may affect the final strokes of the series. Whether there will be alternative conclusions or a single ending set in stone is yet to be made clear. In any case, I am very much looking forward to witnessing and being a part of an actual finale to this The Walking Dead tale.

There’s no denying this is a great remake of the PlayStation classic, however, it’s also one where you can feel its limitations and archaic systems creaking along. Going back to the original ways of Resident Evil is a little awkward, sure, but it’s still an enjoyable survival horror experience and one dripping in atmosphere.

Mr. DRILLER DrillLand is a brilliantly fun puzzler that takes its core mechanic and twists it in some really interesting – and more importantly fun – ways. I’ve played a lot of puzzle games on Nintendo Switch and while Mr. DRILLER DrillLand plays very different from any of them, it still has that same compelling force that brings me back for one or two more runs.

BIT.TRIP FLUX is a fantastic final entry in the BIT.TRIP games, and a real treat for newcomers like me who were just rhythm-game fans, and fans of the series itself.

Picross S7 delivers another reliable and healthy dose of puzzling fun only this time with the long-requested touch screen controls. The content might be in line with what we’ve seen from the series so far, but the added control options easily make it the best entry on Nintendo Switch yet.

All in all, The Jackbox Party Pack 9 is an entertaining package offering decent variation between its five games. Even with the one misfire, there’s plenty of fun still to be had sorting, lying, selling trash and… communicating range through words and images. Nine games in and Jackbox Games has once again proven there are still some decent ideas left in the tank.

Picross S Namco Legendary Edition is more Picross with a Namco skin and that’s totally fine with me. Still fun. Still challenging. Still rewarding. Long may Jupiter’s output of Picross continue and here’s hoping we see a Nintendo or Capcom-themed edition next.

The Switch version might not be as easy a recommendation as the other platforms, but I think it preserves and even enhances the atmosphere the original game excelled at. Playing a portable is just an intimate experience, and System Shock 2 works well. I hope Nightdive is able to bring over more Immersive Sims to the console, and hopefully be able to take advantage of the new Switch 2 hardware features.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 might at first seem like a fairly safe sequel – and to be fair you could probably argue it is – but its mix of new modes and smart tweaks help craft an arguably better game that fans in particular are sure to enjoy.

Rogue Aces is an excellent little game that works incredibly well however way you play it. The quick, convenient menu system ensures you snap right back into the action for some sweet on the go gaming. I would love to see a split-screen multiplayer added at some point as it’s clearly begging for it, but as a solid, satisfying solo-focused shooter that’s only 123MB in size, it is a Nintendo Switch necessity that will barely make a dent in your storage.

Time Flies is yet another home run from Panic’s publishing. Playables has released one of my favorite indie games of the year here. When I recently reviewed Dear Me, I was…, I mentioned how every game doesn’t have to be for everyone. Time Flies is another release I know won’t be for everyone, but I absolutely love it. Go forth. Fly, die, fly again, die again, and think about how everyone’s time on this planet is limited with so many things to do.

As I was playing FUSER, it struck me that the best way of describing it is as “Christmas Present: The Game”. It’s the perfect game to show when you’ve got friends over or just want to mess around with it, but if you don’t really latch onto the music mixing or appreciate its depth that might be all it is to you. For everyone else, there’s a fantastically deep musical experience here that might be worth busting the headphones out for.

Urban Flow is a neat game that’s highly enjoyable on your own or with others. Its simple premise is used to great effect forming an experience that’s challenging, frantic but always rewarding. Traffic lights might suck in real life but that’s definitely not the case here in Urban Flow.

Faeria is packed with content without coming across bloated. It’s complex without ever feeling confusing or intimidating. Most importantly though it’s a fun and exciting time combining card and board game mechanics wonderfully.

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy is like eating a veggie chip: while you love the concept of vegetables in chip form as a picky eater, as you proceed to enjoy it you begin to remember that the chips still contain them, and as a result you’re left with a weird aftertaste. By all means, Atelier Ryza 2 is superior to the first game in almost every sense of the term except story (and that’s being a bit generous), but I never got used to continuously feeling like I’m drifting off-course despite progressing. Regardless, Atelier Ryza 2 is an example of a sequel done right, and I’m looking forward to seeing where Gust goes with the series in the future.

Telling Lies delivers one of the strongest stories I’ve experienced on the Nintendo Switch in quite some time in one of the most original and compelling ways. Though the end credits have since rolled, I’m left still pondering on the game’s memorable cast of characters and the tangled web of secrets I managed to uncover through careful analysis and lots and lots of scribbled notes. I’ve never been one for FMV in video games but after sampling the efforts of Sam Barlow I might just have become a real believer in its use in the medium.

I really wish that the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Persona 3 Reload didn’t have the technical problems it does. Without them, this would be a slam-dunk recommendation for any and all RPG fans. With them, I have to load that endorsement with a number of conditions. If you’re planning to play mainly in handheld mode and are even lightly sensitive to frame pacing or stuttering, you might want to hold off for a performance update. Those looking to play in docked mode will have a more tolerable time of it. Persona 3 Reload is an excellent RPG, but you might want to play it elsewhere if you have the option.

With more than 800 Pokémon scurrying around in tall grass and hundreds of moves to consider in battle, it’s easy to forget how daunting the Pokémon series can be for newcomers. That makes Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon Let’s Go, Eevee! the perfect adventure for those that want to explore the Kanto region for the first time, resulting in a game that’s for everyone – whatever your age.

Even though parts of it get tiresome, the incredible physics and free-roam system will keep you interested.