Watching the trailer for Exception beforehand gave me the confidence that this was going to be one of those delightful surprise drops that are the perfect fit for handheld play. It’s a real shame that wasn’t the case as I can honestly see a good game hidden behind the fog of repetitive level design and a less than desirable control system. The whole flip mechanic is a genuinely good idea pressed further in how everything instantly folds back to the beginning in failure. It’s just unfortunate that when sewn together, Exception struggles to learn from the 2D platformers that it clearly draws inspiration from.

After a somewhat shaky start to the game, which included a steep learning curve, I found myself enthralled in Darkwood and I did not want to put it down. From its brilliant tension building, atmosphere and sense of vulnerability for the player, it has better horror elements than most AAA horror titles nowadays. If you are into your survival horror games, you do not want to miss this one, despite one or two missteps along the way.

Pawarumi is a solid shoot ’em up game with a decent spin on a tried and tested mechanic. I found that getting a handle on its multi-tasking demands is both satisfying and tense, especially when it came to keeping my cool under pressure. Throw a few decent boss fights into the mix, an online leaderboard, music that varies from pan pipes to rock music, and you have another well-crafted arcade shoot ’em up to add to the collection on Nintendo Switch.

It’s tough to fault Catan on Switch when it comes to how faithful this recreation is compared to the original source material. Unfortunately, a pretty vacant online community and a lack of any sort of local multiplayer really hurt its long-term appeal. An enjoyable adaption but one unlikely to replace the original physical version any time soon.

If you are looking for an engaging narrative that you can complete in a single sitting, then What Remains of Edith Finch is the perfect summer title for you. In many ways, it reminded me of a good book or film. It opens with a promising tale and then builds on the premise with each chapter; or, in the game’s case, each bedroom and family member. The short length may deter some, but the experience is fleshed out and fully realized. Like a good book or movie, it is something you’ll return to. Sure, some of the mystery may be lost in subsequent replays, but the story is so engrossing that you may discover elements you missed our first-time through. It’s an exceptional experience and one that will change the way you think about video game storytelling.

KILL la KILL IF has all the visual prowess of an Arc System Works competitive fighter minus the substance that they are usually known for. It doesn’t necessarily handle badly control-wise, it’s just far too simplistic for even the most casual player to get any real longevity or satisfaction from it. Mix that with a horde survival mode tacked on as an afterthought, and you have an unrewarding button-masher masked behind the scribbled down blueprints of a fighting game.

Sure the combat can feel a little repetitive or the difficulty uneven. Sure you’ll fight with the camera amongst the villains themselves but at the end of the day, these are problems that irritate rather than ruin your time spent playing. In essence, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is like the movie summer blockbusters it’s trying hard to imitate. It’s big, it’s silly, it’s sometimes shallow but every time I pick up the controller I’m always left entertained.

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…

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is unrivaled in its scope and execution on Nintendo Switch to resoundingly deliver strategic perfection, whether at home or on the move. With a memorable cast of characters – complemented with commendable voice acting – it is the meticulous worldbuilding that elevates it to become one of the best games available on the portable home console. More than that, it’s Fire Emblem at its very best.

Put simply Lethal League Blaze is one of the best multiplayer experiences I’ve had on the Nintendo Switch. Just sit a group around the television and watch the hours quickly melt away, the game’s chaotic action never failing to drop jaws and get its players on the edge of their seats. Fighting with your fists is entertaining sure but smashing your opponent with a ball moving at the speed of sound is even better.

Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don’t’ Dry is a return to form for Larry Laffer and this new release successfully erases the nightmare of recent entries like Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust from memory. While the obtuse puzzles make things hard and difficult to overcome, the experience is mostly satisfying. The quirky humor may not please everyone, but such is love. Wet Dreams Don’t Dry is a fantasy worth having if you are a fan of the series and looking to reunite with your old friend Larry.

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.

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.

There is nothing truly new or boundary-pushing in the monstrous game package that is Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Definitive Edition yet the sheer amount of content and potential for replayability makes this a worthy buy whether you’re new to the series or long in the tooth with your Chinese army plowing. With a staggering price-for-content value proposition, near-flawless performance outside of co-op and some of the most entertaining hack-n-slash experiences on the market, you can’t go wrong with picking up Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Definitive Edition.

Slay the Spire is one of those rare gems that I simply cannot put down. I’ve battled way too many monsters to count, I’ve unlocked every unlockable card there is, I’ve discovered all kinds of relics and even toppled the spire numerous times with each character. Yet I still find myself drawn back for one more crack at the mysterious spire eager to see what arrangement the game has in store for me this time. Tense, unpredictable and hugely rewarding Slay the Spire is one of the eShop’s best and a perfect fit for the Switch device.

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is a fast, frantic and rewarding kart racer that’s generously packed with a wealth of content. Its long load times and difficulty spikes may prove frustrating but it’s never enough to detract from what is otherwise a brilliant remaster and another strong addition to the Switch’s slowly growing lineup of racers.

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.

It’s funny every time I try to finalize this review I remember an exciting feature I’d forgotten to mention and have to go back. That’s the kind of game Super Mario Maker 2 is though. It’s a game that builds on the original in a number of smart ways introducing a wealth of new features, entertaining modes and appreciated improvements. It’s a perfect fit for the Switch and a game where the best is yet to come. I for one cannot wait to see what the creative minds out there come up with over the coming months.

One thing’s for sure, My Friend Pedro is another example of how Devolver Digital truly knows where to scout for talent. It’s a great companion piece to the other recent suicide missions of Katana ZERO and Ape Out, the three games almost playing out in similar fashion to Edgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogy. The team at DeadToast Entertainment has certainly created something that wonderfully builds upon the dynamics of Gun-Fu culture. But, there’s a need for extra content to fill out what’s currently on offer, as My Friend Pedro could easily benefit from a much-needed encore with a bag full of boomsticks and a few more bullets to the head.

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.

Rock of Ages 2: Bigger and Boulder manages to combine conflicting genres with a truly weird and wonderful aesthetic style. Unfortunately, the Switch release stumbles in a few areas namely its visuals and the lack of local multiplayer. Still, if you’re looking for something truly left field then Rock of Ages 2: Bigger and Boulder is a funny and entertaining ride sure to raise a smile or two.

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 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.

All in all, this double package of a fantastic cult franchise arrives as another welcome entry among fighting games on the Nintendo Switch. In many crowds, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R is the absolute staple point of the franchise. This release may also be the gateway to the Revelator series making an appearance on the portable home console – especially as anime brawler Dragon Ball FighterZ was more than sufficient enough to feel at home on the system. One thing’s for sure, the almost traditional drought of fighting games on Nintendo platforms since the golden age of the SNES is over.

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.

If you are looking to battle it out in a puzzle fighter on the Nintendo Switch, then you really can’t go wrong with Crystal Crysis. It may not have the top tier gaming icons that some of the bigger crossovers contain, but the fact that it doesn’t plays nicely as part of its charm thanks to the wonderful obscurity to it all. It’s a solid puzzle game and one that can last for a long time given the circle of friends and competition that Switch owners may have. And, just as you would expect, crashing crystals on the go with a split Joy-Con at the ready is always the best way to throw down.

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.

Team Sonic Racing is yet another solid racer from Sumo Digital and a must for those looking for something fresh beyond Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. While the team-based aspects may not leave quite the same mark that Transformed’s changing tracks and car to boat to plane racing did it’s still a heap of fun and easily one of the more unique ideas the genre has seen for some time.