Triangle Strategy is within reach of strategic perfection, even if some of the efforts that have been made to set it apart falter. Square Enix’s return to the tactical RPG genre may not be an outright triumph, but, despite the imbalance between narrative and action on the battlefield, there is much more to applaud here than there is to criticise.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a solid evolution of the CRPG genre, and the Nintendo Switch is a wonderful way to experience this classic. For $15, it’s basically a steal. I’m hoping Aspyr gets a chance to revive its sequel next, because from what I’ve heard that seems to take more thematic risks. I’m also glad that this version is as good as it is, because it’s great for it to be preserved before the upcoming remake comes out.

After playing the first two OlliOlli games, I walked away feeling satisfied but not exactly clamouring for another one. OlliOlli World surprises me then, as not only was my time spent enjoyable but easily the most fun I’ve had with the series yet. The skating itself remains just as challenging and fun as ever while the injection of a story, characters and more only serve to enrich the experience and world of OlliOlli further. This is one skateboarding game you’ll definitely want to grab your board and start shredding for.

These are all great games, some of the most influential AAA sandbox games of all time. I cannot in good conscience recommend you play this version, especially if you wanted to check out the Nintendo Switch version. It’s quite ironic that unnecessary and ugly visual overhauls make these ports of PS2 games almost unplayable on this system. I hate to be cynical, but I don’t think you could salvage these things without redesigning everything from the ground up. Grand Theft Auto deserved better, and you deserve better than to waste your money on this.

The wait for Windjammers 2 has been long but the end result is one that proves the years of patience have been well worth it. With slick and stylish visuals, a head-thrashing soundtrack and edge of your seat moment-to-moment action, Windjammers 2 takes the original Neo Geo hit and brings it up to date in a loud and memorable fashion. As far as arcade experiences go, Windjammers 2 ranks among the most attention-grabbing, competitive and outright fun kicking 2022 off in high gear.

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.

While Samurai Warriors 5 makes you put in the work, it’s been one of my favorite ways to kick back after a long day. Being able to turn your brain off and just get to battle while still having a grip on gameplay and narrative is something I treasure, although the game outpaced itself at times with its breadth. Musou games obviously aren’t for everyone – and I expect most players to probably find this too grindy – but for those who have been bogged down by the world’s gradual return to normalcy, Samurai Warriors 5 is a great game to get energized. Who needs caffeine when the drive to keep your combo going as long as possible is keeping you glued to your chair?

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.

Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain delivers an enjoyable – if familiar – assortment of challenging games for all ages that shine best when competing with others. Unfortunately, a general lack of content means you’ll see everything it has to offer within a day or two, mode variety stretching your milage maybe a little farther. A fun, if short-lived experience.

The arcade racing subgenre isn’t as buoyant as it once was with new examples few and far between so it’s always exciting when one does drift into view and delivers thrills in high doses. Cruis’n Blast is a truly wild ride of a game packed with plenty of fun and equally wild extras. It’s simple but electrifying and during a time where games are vying to offer season passes, realistic physics and always online experiences it’s truly welcome and refreshing to come across a game that just wants to be an old-school great time.

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.

I’m pretty glad I waited for Dying Light: Platinum Edition to come to Nintendo Switch to play it. I’m sure this game is much better elsewhere, there’s no doubt this is the “weakest” version to play. But when the weakest version of a game is still this good? That’s impressive.

I didn’t think ATLUS had it in them to make a game with the level of ambition packed into every inch of Shin Megami Tensei V.

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.

Mario Party Superstars dips back into the series twenty-plus year history to deliver an entry that’s huge amounts of fun and sure to please long-time fans hungry for a more traditional Mario Party experience. Not only a warm nostalgic trip but the best party Mario has thrown in some time.

If you can’t play it elsewhere, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut on Nintendo Switch is a great option, especially if it’s your first time playing. Returning Revacholians will find the long loading times to be an extra annoyance, but it’s not like we didn’t put up with worse when the PS5 version launched. There’s just nothing quite like Disco Elysium.

It’s impressive that even eight games deep, the Jackbox Party Pack series continues to deliver a reliable yearly source of laughter and fun. While The Jackbox Party Pack 8 may not offer the best quintet of games the series has packaged together, it’s certainly one of the more varied and hugely entertaining ways to spend an evening with friends and family.

The long and short of it is that if you’re a fan of Nickelodeon and Smash, this is absolutely worth it, but it might take some time to flesh out the sturdy fighting skeleton with some Mr Meaty.

Tetris Effect: Connected is an incredible experience top to bottom whether playing alone or with others in the newly added competitive modes. Its effortless blending of stunning visuals and euphoric music make this so much more than just a mere puzzle game though. It’s a sensory overload, an uplifting journey and even an emotional one at times where every moment spent is nothing short of mesmerising.

Colors Live may not be the most powerful drawing program for digital artists out there, but it was never intended to be so either. What it excels at is creating an incredible online community that lets anyone lay out their tools in front of them and think outside the box to create interesting and often thoughtful artwork. With online monthly challenges to take part in and inspiration spread out by the bucketloads, there are so many potential hours to spend amongst a much healthier and more welcoming community. More so than pretty much any other form of popular social media out there.

Metroid Dread stands as a phenomenal achievement. From project dormancy to becoming a sci-fi spectacle, MercurySteam has delivered a Game of the Year contender that’s quite capable of unleashing a Charge Blast to keep away the competition. A game like this deserves to be celebrated, and I can only hope that it has continued to lay the groundwork for more adventures with the intergalactic bounty hunter to come.

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.

Sonic Colours Ultimate might offer a few extra bells and whistles over the Wii original but with it a bunch of bugs and rough edges too. It’s a real shame, as SEGA had a chance to take what remains one of the hedgehog’s best 3D adventures to date and make it even better. In the end, what we wound up with is a messy update that gets the job done but that’s about it.

I don’t think Bustafellows is perfect, but it nails most of what it aims for. The story is engaging, but the character drama and hilarious dialogue are what sell the experience. The production value makes it a visual treat, and it was so nice to play an Otome that never dropped my attention. Previously I’d considered Collar X Malice to be the best introductory Otome, but that’s now been dethroned. I still like that game, but this was such a wonderful experience. Apparently a “Second Season” is in the works that claims to be more than the traditional Otome fandisk. I honestly can’t wait, I hope for both a localization of that game after it comes out and more Otome games from PQube.

Well, it’s been an emotional ride from start to finish, and while DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods – Part One felt like a testing hill sprint to the top, The Ancient Gods – Part Two felt more like a fun whack-a-mole cooldown decline that the players deserve. Those who want to be tested until the very end may want to turn the difficulty up a notch for this one. Unless, of course, you’re already a relentless ultra nightmare DOOM-slaying beast.

Even if I prefer the original game and its simplicity compared to Spelunky 2, I’d still argue that you’re getting one of the best roguelikes of all time here. That core theme of learning that I ranted and raved about in the original Spelunky review is right here front and centre, it’s just a little harder to parse with so much going on. If the worst thing anyone can say about Spelunky 2 is that it’s just a tiny bit less perfect than Spelunky, I think that’s a pretty good outcome.

I honestly didn’t think I could love Spelunky any more than I already did, but to see it translated so perfectly to a console that feels made for it is the icing on the cake. Spelunky is now available to pretty much everyone, and if I can teach you one thing from this review, it’s that you need to go and play it. It’s a modern masterpiece that you’ll never unlearn.

Monster Train: First Class is a hugely fun roguelike deck-builder whose ideas and mechanics remain satisfying and exciting whether you’re one hour in or thirty. This is one train ride you won’t want to miss.