A title overflowing with charm and verve, with a style that can entertain children and adults alike. It has a couple of missteps, the biggest of which is the occasional use of gyroscope controls, while simple puzzles and missing object searches don't quite match the title's overall quality.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a great modern addition to the series. It offers a solid balance of fun and challenge with high replayability due to the three-tier scoring system and collectables, as well as the inclusion of the original game in the series. The focus on teamwork will be wonderful for families and friends looking for some co-op fun, but the lack of online play and the absence of any real competitive features could limit its longevity. However, given how much fun this is to play, these complaints seem a little spiteful; what we've got here is a quite brilliant reimagining of a stone-cold classic which understands that amazing gameplay is timeless and doesn't need totally overhauling to keep it relevant in the modern age.

Jamestown+ is another brilliant addition to the Nintendo Switch's ever-expanding library of excellent shmups. Easy to pick up for newcomers and with the ferocious difficulty expected by aficionados of the genre, it's a slick and stylish shooter – just as much fun in solo mode as it is in four-player co-op – with a unique and zany setting that gets its hooks into you quickly and keeps them there. It may not add anything revolutionary or particularly new to the genre and the omission of online co-op play is a shame, but what's here is supremely engaging and polished stuff that's pretty much essential for Switch-owning shooter fans.

The Next Penelope may be quite a short experience but it's one that will challenge your skills and dazzle you at the same time. Fans of the classic '80s series Ulysses 31 will appreciate the excellent adaptation of Homer's Odyssey, while those of you who like your gaming to be fast and intense are sure to be pleased by the thrilling racing, engaging shooter sections and overall variety in the experience. The amusing four-player mode picks up some of the slack when it comes to longevity; the short nature of the solo campaign is the solitary black mark in The Next Penelope's copybook. That aside, this is a truly amazing indie title and one that deserves to do well on the Switch eShop.

Aviary Attorney is well worth picking up, just so you can take your legal cases on the move and continue your cross-examination in handheld mode. Just be wary of playing on your commute – as you may be on the receiving end of some funny glances when you let out an inevitable chuckle at a stupid bird pun. And you might get even stranger looks if you try to explain the whole concept to the oblivious commuter who you disturbed.

The Mighty Switch Force! series is on the cusp of true platforming greatness and we can't wait to see what those talented folks at WayForward will bring to the table next time around.

It's not at its absolute best on Switch, but New Star Manager still provides the deeply tactile Yang to Football Manager 2019 Touch's stat-heavy Ying. It plays a more intuitive and portable game of tactical footy than its illustrious rival, and it also packs a lot more depth than its basic presentation might suggest.

What seemed unimpressive in 2004 now feels enjoyable and imaginative, and we're not sure what that means, exactly. It's simultaneously cheerful and challenging, and there's a lot of joy in the journey as well as the destinations. The cursed spectre of 'gameplay variety' (read: jack of all trades, master of none) looms over the material, but by making the diversions brief and ultimately simple it manages to keep the player guessing to an extent throughout its languid twelve or so hour runtime. Some backtracking and minor camera issues bring things down a touch, but overall Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue is a surprisingly solid slice of character action, and one we fear may have been underserved at the time of its original release. This is not just a sequel that's content to rest on its laurels, and that's worthy of respect. Hooray! We made it through the whole review without any silly, lazy Aussie clichés.

There’s an outstanding game in Sid Meier’s Civilization VII just waiting to burst free, but it’s trapped under a wet, slimy coating of bugs and a mostly-finished interface. What we have on Switch is a phenomenal game that could be one of the absolute finest in its genre, a true monolith of game design and a delight for all fans of turn-based shenanigans, but its laundry list of launch-day bugs and issues pulls it from the peak it could have reached. It’s great as it stands, but with more development time could have been utterly seminal.

The Girl Who Stands Behind is just as appealing and upgraded as The Missing Heir, and we really can't recommend one without the other, although you can play either separately. The story in The Girl Who Stands Behind is creepier, and the characters are more likeable, though they're also a little more forgettable at the same time. This double-bill of murder mystery games is a must-play for anyone who loves the genre.

Breakers Collection feels like a passion project. It delivers a game that still feels incredibly modern and visceral to a new era of players. When mining its combos and developing its dizzyingly broad array of tactical options, new players will no doubt be surprised by the high bar of Visco’s work. While its menu presentation is somewhat less explosive than the game itself, the level of thought that’s gone into its modernisation through crucial up-to-date features can’t be spoken of highly enough. This kind of treatment should be standard when revisiting bygone classics, yet so often it isn’t. Breakers Collection, to that end, gets it very right.

The Famicom Detective Club remakes are living history, and a chance to catch up on what you missed out on, either by being too young, or not being able to speak Japanese. Though The Missing Heir has its faults, those faults are largely down to "that's just how games used to be", and it's held up remarkably well all the same.

Still, this is a minor point in the grand scheme of things, and fans of old-school shooters will lap up the nostalgia - both from the gameplay and the presentation - while those players who weren't around during the 'golden era' should surely appreciate the unique control mechanics which reward perseverance and skill.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin deserves to find a sizable audience. It's full of charm and boasts depth that can immerse the committed or be dabbled with by those eager to simply experience the story. As a blend of Monster Hunter with a traditional RPG approach it's an accomplished effort, and offers the sort of meaty experience that'll keep most players busy for weeks. Switch owners will need to tolerate some disappointing performance, unfortunately, but the overall experience shines nonetheless. It's a game of bright colours and wholehearted optimism, which is very welcome indeed.

You'll easily polish it off in an evening, and you'll feel all the better for it. Happy Broccoli has once again pulled together a simple yet satisfying mystery that brings plenty of smiles and a handful of surprises. Now, if you'll excuse us, we've got to don our fedoras and go deliver a brooding speech in the rain.

A few small factors aside, Trine Enchanted Edition is a gorgeous rendition to pick up for those who enjoyed the sequel.

Dawn of the Monsters stumbles into some of the more common pitfalls of belt-scrolling fighters, but it has enough flair, polish and excitement to be a more than worthy offering, particularly played in couch co-op with a friend. We wish there were a few more playable creatures, but the ones on offer here are all very distinct and enormous fun to get to grips with. It's a richly rewarding game, with higher ranks unlocking new skins and upgrades from the in-game shop (don't worry, no microtransactions here) which offer an incentive to keep playing — though the real reason you'll stick with Dawn of the Monsters is that it is, quite simply, very good indeed. While it has a few problems, they're nothing that will stop you having a blast with this Brobdingnagian beat-'em-up.

Rebel Transmute is probably the best Metroidvania you’ve never heard of. Though its visuals are just okay, its skillful blend of high difficulty, obscure narrative, and rewarding exploration all make for a thoroughly great entry that no genre fan should miss out on. New Metroidvanias are certainly a dime a dozen, but releases like Rebel Transmute demonstrate that there’s always room for one more good one. We’d recommend you pick this game up if you’re a big fan of the genre, particularly if you want something that scratches that Hollow Knight itch—Rebel Transmute has got it where it counts and is certainly worth your time and attention.

Mixing the shapely looks of Thomas Was Alone with the speed of 10 Second Run Returns and the brutal difficulty of Super Meat Boy, Flat Heroes fits the Nintendo Switch like a glove. If you’re playing solo you’ve got a solid (and lengthy) Campaign as well as bot support for its mini-games, but it’s the electric excitement of the game's local multiplayer mode where Flat Heroes right-angled, platforming madness makes the biggest impact. Don’t be a square - get this in your digital collection right now.

While its setup does make it look like one of those soulless endless runners that fill mobile app stores, The VideoKid overcomes that hollow association by offering up a nostalgic love letter to the characters that defined a decade. The random layout means you’ll never get the same run twice, but once you’ve played each section of its celebrity-filled suburbia a few times, you will start to notice plenty of bits being recycled as you head to your final destination. Still, with high-scores to chase and new character skins and tricks to unlock, this modern Paperboy has earned its pay packet.

Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society does a fantastic job of providing a dense and devastating journey into the depths of dungeons, though it sometimes does so at the cost of accessibility. An attractive art style, expansive team-building options, and genuinely surprising story all combine to make this one worth a recommendation, but with the big caveat that a lot of its appeal is lost if you don’t enjoy min-maxing in RPGs or don’t have the patience to fully digest and comprehend all its systems. If that does sound like it's up your street, though, Labyrinth of Galleria is absolutely worth your time and money.

The only complaint that can be raised against the Switch version is that, like a great many of the upcoming Sega Ages Mega Drive titles, it could end up being surplus to requirements when the Sega Mega Drive Classics collection arrives; a slightly lower price might have made this easier to wholeheartedly recommend, but we know this very minor complaint will fall on deaf ears if you're a diehard Sega fan.

If you can somehow curb your expectations of Dragon Quest Wars being a typical Dragon Quest-style RPG experience and accept it for the simple, yet enjoyable strategy title it is, then you're likely to find a very fulfilling and playable DSiWare title that will provide you with many hours of fun.

Much like the breeding and fusion system at the heart of its teambuilding, Monster Crown: Sin Eater is a satisfyingly iterative improvement over its predecessor, refining the systems and strengths it introduced while tossing the things that held it back from being great. Deep party customisation, a surprisingly in-depth story, beautiful GBC-esque visuals, and a killer soundtrack all combine to make this one worth a punt, even if some growing pains with the open-ended design can sometimes drag it down a bit. I’d give this one a recommendation if you’re looking for something to ease your pain after the Pokémon Champions launch. Sin Eater was made with lots of love and hopefully will form the basis of more adventures in this fascinating world.

This is still a very good game and a worthy addition to any LEGO fan’s collection, but the series’ seams are definitely starting to show.

Chaos;Head Noah isn’t the best game in the Science Adventure series, but it is a great point for players to jump in if they’re new to the genre. Visual novel veterans will find plenty to enjoy here as well, with a story that goes to some dark and unsettling places. The plot makes no attempt at making sense and there are times when we wanted to strangle Takumi for being such a weirdo, but it remains engaging and fun throughout. This is an easy one to recommend, either on its own or as part of the bundle with its sequel.

Some might write off Realm Royale as a Fortnite wannabe, and occasionally it can feel like one if you choose to play it that way, but the core principles of its gameplay bring enough new features to help differentiate it from its BR fellows. The unique traits of its four classes make a big difference, especially to teamplay, while the combination of forges (and their crafting potential) and the ability to seek shelter when downed (as a chicken, naturally) offer a more complex, and ultimately more forgiving experience. It’s also still in its beta, so expect Heroic Leap to be improving it for years to come.

Slime Rancher: Plortable Edition is a title that doesn’t do the game justice. This isn’t a stripped-back Nokia N-Gage version of a grand game, this is the real deal, and it’s blinkin’ marvellous. Farming Slimes, exploring the world, getting frustrated at the price of Crystal Plorts never going up, it’s a dense and wondrous experience. Having to travel so much on foot stops it from achieving extreme greatness, but it’s not enough to stop us giving this a hearty recommendation.

Certainly worth a look for anyone who likes their pixels with platforming peril.

Trails through Daybreak stands as another great entry in the storied Legend of Heroes series, making the most of its new setting with its memorable characters and engaging turn-based combat. Though it’s held back a bit by things like the awkward introduction of action-based combat and some irritating quirks (and nearly unreadable text in portable mode), this is still an entry that we would strongly recommend to both series fans and, yes, newcomers, too. Trails through Daybreak is a strong inaugural outing, offering another fresh start for this franchise; we’d suggest you give it a shot.

Waku Waku 7 is just the tonic for those of you who are disenchanted with the abundance of thematically-similar fighting games on the Neo Geo. While the roster of combatants is admittedly small, this cast is arguably more vibrant and entertaining than any that Street Fighter or King of Fighters can muster, and the gloriously kinetic feel of the action makes it stand apart from other examples of the genre. Even if you're not particularly sold on one-on-one brawlers, Waku Waku 7 is well worth investigating.

If you like strategy, tower defence, or even physics-based puzzlers and action games, CastleStorm is highly recommended.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is one of the most unique-looking games you'll see on the Switch, and it's got the substance to back up the style. Its heavy emphasis on puzzles and its refusal to throw players a bone when they need help may not be to everyone's tastes, but anyone up for a mental challenge in what's essentially an elaborate escape room will love it.

Bakeru is a sweet, snappy, and satisfying linear 3D platformer that feels like a wonderful callback to a genre that doesn’t get a ton of representation these days. It’s really easy (although the Western version ups the difficulty slightly) and has some performance problems, but the gameplay variety, snappy combat, oodles of collectibles, and gorgeous art style all come together to make for an adventure that you won’t want to miss out on.

Fans of the genre will love Unchained Blades; for the uninitiated, it's a great introduction that has more than enough charm to keep rookies crawling through Titan after Titan.

It's a game designed to be played in short bursts and to that end it lacks narrative and mechanical depth, but its core strengths shine bright.

World Party is well worth a try for anyone looking to add a fun dose of fitness to their Wii U routine.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 is another welcome return to the franchise's glory days, presenting the third and fourth entries with revamped visuals across the board while retaining the same slick gameplay. Some folks might be unable to get over the structural changes to Pro Skater 4, and I have to admit to being a little disappointed at the lack of classic music tracks, but overall, the positives absolutely outweigh the negatives. If you're looking to inject a hefty dose of nostalgia into your life, or you simply want to see what the Tony Hawk series was like at its absolute peak, then this should prove a fine addition to your Switch 2 library.

Solid mechanics and puzzles that are tweaked to a level of difficulty that is just right — along with an excellent accompanying soundtrack — fill this monotone world with colour.

Don't discount Doki Doki Literature Club because it's cute, because it's pink, or because it's an anime dating game — this is one of the most unnerving, effective horror games on the Nintendo Switch to date. The extra content adds nicely to the creeping anxiety and the heartbreaking story, but the Switch version does end up feeling slightly inferior to the PC version, despite fantastic effort on the port. You won't lose anything by playing this version, though — if it's the one you want, go for it!

When the Japan-only GO Series: 10 Second Run was localised back in 2010 it gave the west a chance to experience a classic premise with a speedy twist. Seven-plus years on and that formula feels suitably refreshed on Switch with a tougher set of challenges, a better course unlock system and support for local co-op. 10 Second Run Returns might look basic, but there’s plenty of addictive fun and moreish frustration to be had in 10 seconds or less.

There's really only one thing you need to know about Red Steel 2, and that is that the sword combat absolutely, positively delivers in every way you want it to.

This is another strong showing from Beamdog that sees a real odd couple of classics in the best shape they've maybe ever been, coupled with a control system designed for consoles that makes them as effortless to play on the move as they are sat at a keyboard and mouse. Icewind Dale is probably as good as old-school combat ever got and is still an absolute gem for fans of epic dungeon-crawling who don't mind the brutal difficulty involved in getting the hang of its action. Planescape: Torment, on the other hand, is a narrative masterclass which still feels fresh as a daisy and is as bizarre, funny and endlessly replayable as it's ever been. Together, these two make for a pretty essential addition to your Switch's RPG library.

This episode is easily the best yet in terms of humour though, Murray alone makes this absolutely hilarious and is guaranteed to satisfy any fan of the old Monkey Island games.

The Outer Worlds is a hugely entertaining "Fallout-in-space"-style RPG adventure filled with wonderfully vibrant locations, excellent companions, zippy and hilariously brutal combat and a ton of well-written characters to meet as you attempt to save the colony of Halcyon. Virtuos has made the expected tweaks to graphics in order to keep things as smooth as possible with this Switch port and, although things can look and feel a little rough in docked mode, in handheld this is a supremely enjoyable experience that's entertained us just as much this time around as when we played it at launch, and comes highly recommended to fans of the genre.

While Samurai Shodown IV wasn't the last game in the series, it is considered by some fans to be the best, and with good reason. The weapon-based gameplay is refined after the experiments of the first three outings and roster of fighters is unique and varied; add in the "Slash" and "Bust" variants and you've quite a few combat options to master. All of the Samurai Shodown games boast excellent presentation but this entry truly benefits from the increased storage available on the Neo Geo at the time; smooth animation and plenty of detail in the backgrounds helps to elevate the game above many other 2D releases of the period. While it's easy to grumble about the proliferation of fighting games on SNK's platform, this franchise has always set itself apart thanks to its focus on swords and other weapons, so if you're sick of Street Fighter and can't stand another King of Fighters then this might be just the tonic you need.

When it all clicks, A Little to the Left provides an experience that is a weird mingling of the semi-passive and viscerally intrusive. It is only the occasions when tiny touch targets cry out for a mouse pointer that the magic falls away. Once that happens, the plainer, less surprising puzzles aren’t able to carry the show on their own. As a piece, it can’t always sustain its best rhythm, but when it does, it's stimulating, quiet, and memorable.

Harvest Moon: A New Beginning is a successful attempt to breathe new life into an ageing series.

Team Ladybug is really demonstrating its programming expertise with Drainus. It’s both dangerous and brave to attempt a shooting game on the scale of Gradius V or Einhander, yet for the most part, the developer pulls it off in convincing fashion. It’s not entirely perfect, arguably overly easy, and various aspects will sit better with some players than others. But, at the very least, it’s a spectacular sci-fi action epic that constantly evolves, creates, and showboats. To that end, Drainus will land well with both hardcore and casual players alike.

Once Upon a Katamari proves its worth as a mainline sequel and differentiates itself from other action-puzzlers with its irresistible game feel. Rolling the katamari and sticking things to its surface with a satisfying pop is a continuous, sensory delight not dissimilar to vacuuming up gems in Vampire Survivors. Refined controls and the introduction of power-ups like the Magnet simply enhance this core experience, making for a deeply satisfying roll-’em-up.

Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero delivers a commendable 3D brawler experience even if some visual and performance issues persist. The immense roster is sure to please any Dragon Ball fan, no matter what age or era they entered the franchise. The branching narratives in Episode Battles and the online play are fun staples to the game, and it feels right at home on Switch 2.

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy takes everything good about Gust's 2019 Atelier adventure and further refines it, resulting in the best entry in the long-running franchise to date. This may still be a relatively small-scale, old-fashioned JRPG experience, but it's one that's full of heart, great characters, slick combat and some excellent new ruin-based dungeons. Anyone looking for a relaxed and enchanting JRPG to sink their time into should definitely check this one out.

If you were even half-aware of games news at the end of 2021, you will already be a bit interested in this game. It’s brimming with fun, uniquely committed to co-op gaming, plays solidly and distinctively, and usually discards one cool idea in favour of another before there’s time to get bored. Now-standard graphical compromises have been made for Switch, and the typical perk of playing handheld is questionable for an always-split-screen co-op-only game. Nonetheless, it keeps the frames moving well enough not to undermine its Game-of-the-Year sparkle. It Takes Two and the good old Switch may not be a perfect marriage, but it’s probably worth sticking it out, now that we’re five years in.

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled is a visually phenomenal upgrade on a PlayStation karting classic, and one that faithfully recreates both its positives (its unique drift boosting system) and its potential irritants (30fps, tricky AI). It does bring a whole new set of issues – mainly lengthy loading times and the fact that playing offline stops you making any progress towards unlocking anything – but while these prevent the game from becoming an absolute must-have, they don’t sour the experience enough to stop us wholeheartedly recommending it regardless.

With a solid new story mode, a greatly improved MyTeam mode and the same high quality of presentation that 2K now brings to the series on Switch, NBA 2K21 is now the new definitive basketball game on the system. The unwanted microtransaction ogre continues to loom over most of the package, ever encouraging you to fork out more cash to accelerate your progress, but as long as you're capable of ignoring this and have the patience to slowly improve your player and team organically, the results will be infinitely more satisfying.

Badland is as dark, brooding, and mysterious as the most sullen teenager, but this seemingly simple game is built on a foundation of ingenious design.

Offering a high degree of freedom and control in not only the creation of a song but in what to do with it once written as well, Rhythm Core Alpha 2 is quite possibly the most complete music package on DSiWare.

Pikmin 1 remains a delightful puzzle adventure that sees Nintendo at its most charming and inventive. Yes, this Switch port is a little bit underwhelming, with just a higher resolution and some new controls to get excited about, but with a core game this good, it's still an experience that comes highly recommended. Over two decades on from its original release, Pikmin's unique brand of magic remains undiminished.

A long lasting and satisfying trivia experience for experienced players and an accessible entry point for those new to the genre awaits those willing to give this series a second chance.

Skylanders Giants is, at its core, a child-friendly dungeon crawler with simplistic smash-everything gameplay, but what elevates it is its understanding of its market. There's plenty of variety to keep kids entertained and loads of things to collect, all wrapped in an appealing package – and the toy aspect is still a stroke of genius, an undeniably cool idea that speaks directly to kids and big kids alike. If you or a younger member of your family is a fan of the series, this could be another expensive Christmas.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure proves an innovative entry into the social sim genre. While borrowing from multiple powerhouse games, it brings a fresh experience that is likely to subvert the expectations of any Animal Crossing expats looking for their next cosy fix.

Cocoon is a fun and addictive puzzler. Its unique mechanics and gameplay had us glued to our screens, and it’s gorgeous to boot. Its lack of story is a minor disappointment, but if you love puzzles and aren't bugged by fast-paced combat, this game will be an easy favourite — even if it flies by all too quickly.

Labo VR Kit is a giant, joyous mess of imagination, creativity and potential. From a value-for-money perspective, the Starter Set is an easy recommendation, and even hardened Labo cynics will likely enjoy the Blaster and trying out the Mario and Zelda VR updates (although those updates aren't enough on their own to warrant a purchase). The Starter Kit offers a great taste of the Labo construction experience and access to most of the pick-up-and-play VR Plaza novelties. If the bug really takes you, of course, it’s easy enough to get the expansion sets. Labo really needs to be explored to be enjoyed – Toy-Con Garage is extremely comprehensive, but isn't the sort of thing you’ll pick up in an afternoon. It’s not without faults, but overall this ‘Nintendo-style solution’ to basic VR is well worth the asking price for anybody with even the tiniest bit of curiosity and brilliantly showcases the versatility of Switch.

You probably already know if you’re going to pick up this game or not; Picross S3 hasn’t changed much from its predecessor and the same will likely be said about the inevitable Picross S4. That being said, we especially enjoyed the introduction of the Color Picross mode here, as it notably builds on the foundation of Picross in interesting and challenging ways, bringing something new to the arguably stale formula. Picross S3 is easily the best entry in the series on the Switch and it's one that we can easily recommend to both fans and newcomers alike. Naturally, those of you that have played the previous games will want to take a minute to ask yourself if you’re down for another few hundred Picross puzzles, but this represents the most bang for your buck in this Switch sub-series yet and stands as an excellent example of how to do a puzzle game right.

Game design this smart and simple is just plain refreshing in a market saturated with so much overcomplicated nonsense. The presentation is also surprisingly good, with major points going to the detailed sound effects.

Flashback on Switch is the definitive edition of a truly special science fiction platform/puzzle solving/shooting video game that already more than proved itself to be a 16-bit classic. If you were too young to play this the first time, this package will give you the best possible way to experience it with current hardware. For veteran gamers, Flashback has lost nothing of what made it special all those years ago. Pass the holocube, please.

Despite some nagging issues that we hope to see corrected for the next time around, it's well worth playing as there's nothing else quite like it on WiiWare.

Compelling to a fault, with a hypnotic and exhilarating central conceit, Grindstone is a tiny bit special. Hopefully, it won't be dismissed by players for being a mobile port, or being mistaken for a "match-three" game akin to Candy Crush – it's not. A full-featured, elegantly designed experience, Capybara's action-puzzle-tactics game is a tiny marvel and we'd strongly recommend it to any and all Switch owners. Ever-so-slight resource exhaustion is the only thing letting it down, but it's easily forgiven when smashing seven shades of shawarma out of creeps is so flipping fun. We say it's time to reverse that well-worn idiom and put your yes to the Grindstone.

Despite a few minor issues, Bloomtown: A Different Story is a game that’ll stick with you long after you put it down. The blend of comforting and creepy is masterful, and the game presents a surprising amount of challenge in places. With everything from boss fights and puzzles to intricate crafting and skill-building, there’s a lot to get excited about here. Bloomtown was clearly made with a lot of love and attention to detail, and it’s the perfect pick for anyone who enjoys rich stories paired with riddles and tricky, turn-based combat.

Both classic Dragon Quest RPG and Minecraft-style building sim, Dragon Quest Builders takes just enough ingredients from each side of the developmental kitchen and gently stirs them into a dish that never manages to overpower either of its core mechanics. If you’ve ever wanted to try Mojang’s ubiquitous hit but found it a little too intimidating in its vagueness, then this is the alternative for you. Fun, empowering and Dragon Quest to a tee; Its combat and camera can be a little erratic, but they never manage to derail your new building adventure.

The ever-expanding Switch eShop has no shortage of excellent platformers under its belt, and while Unruly Heroes may not be the absolute best of the best, this is still one of the finest platformers we’ve played in a long time. Stunningly beautiful art direction coupled with diverse level design and well-paced gameplay makes this one an easy recommendation for both longtime platformer fans and for new players looking for an easier game to get into. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but Unruly Heroes hits all the notes that it needs to, and it’s more than deserving of a spot in your games library.

It’s difficult to determine whether this game was made for superhero fans or to those who already enjoy the game series, but Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure finds a good balance that should appeal to both crowds.

While it may appear to be fairly frivolous at first glance, at its heart it is a substantial experience, well balanced to be either dauntingly complex or an RPG-lite, depending on the player's wishes.

We’re used to seeing Wii U games transfer to Switch, but for Ultra Smash to have moved across without a substantial makeover would have been disastrous. Aces, wonderfully, is anything but that – it’s a superb arcade sports game that’s generous with its suite of player options and only occasionally guilty of being a little cheap in its Adventure Mode. The presentation is spot on, and the core tennis action is absorbing whether you’re trading simple strokes or firing off special shots. Some animations and voice overs are identical to Ultra Smash’s, but everything around them has been overhauled to quite splendid heights. This is something of a Switch Port Plus, then – not quite a whole new experience, but so improved as to be near unrecognisable next to its preceding title.

If Switch 1 is your only means of playing Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, you’re not going to have quite the same experience, but if you’re not looking to upgrade anytime soon and you’re keen to jump into Samus’ latest adventure, it's well worth picking up, as there's a fantastic game to be had. Just keep your visual expectations in check after seeing all that delicious Switch 2 Edition footage.

If you are a fan of the Alien movies, relish Metroidvania exploratory gameplay and appreciate side-scrolling retro pixel art design, Aliens: Infestation delivers on all three counts.

Even if it doesn’t necessarily revolutionise the series, it still expands on it. In some cases it is hard to enhance given the source material. It has all the necessities including global leader boards, multiplayer action and fills each table with enough content to justify purchases – including challenges and a levelling system. With the game free to try out, there’s no harm in downloading it and taking a look at what the definitive pinball experience on the market offers.

While reminding us just how much we’d love to see FTL on Switch, Everspace manages to carve out an impressive identity for itself. With gratifying space combat, an addictive ‘rogue-lite’ core loop and even some light, entertaining writing along the way, it performs admirably – if not flawlessly – on Nintendo’s console. Overall, we had a hell of a time with it and this port does a cracking job of preserving the full experience on a handheld. If any of this sounds remotely enticing, we’d heartily recommend investigation.

From stem to stern, Knights and Bikes is a delight to behold and a testament to the creative power of the talent at Foam Sword. Demelza and Nessa’s story is a compelling one that hits all the right emotional and comical beats, while the laid-back gameplay proves to be varied and interesting as the narrative continues. All of this is tied together by some stellar presentation to make for a couch co-op experience that you won't want to miss out on. We’d give Knights and Bikes a strong recommendation whatever way you choose to play it, though bear in mind that you’ll be getting the best and most fulfilling experience if you play it through with a friend.

The Legend of Steel Empire remains a faithful reimagination of the original release, even including the end credits gag. It will take a medium-skilled player less than an hour to do a complete loop but it is such a good time, that can’t be considered a fault. While it doesn’t quite enter the bullet hell pantheon of other shoot 'em ups on Switch, it is certainly worth the shelf space in your collection and might be the perfect excuse to dust off your arcade stick in 2024. Maybe one day down the line we'll get a proper 16:9 sequel handled by the original HOT-B staff, but in the meantime, this is a welcome return for the original.

With its subtle, relaxing and appropriate musical score, gloriously soft visuals and a simple yet emotional story, Pode succeeds in offering a generous and humble cooperative yet challenging 8-10 hours of content that will shine brightly - especially in among the assortment of fast-paced and frantic multiplayer games that we have right now on the eShop.

A refreshing entry into the rhythm action genre and, without a doubt, one of the more worthwhile additions to WiiWare.

Letter Quest is filled to the brim with content including a stack of levels, a long list of quests and achievements, and many unlocks to enjoy. By the time you complete Grimm's journey, you'll be a qualified wordsmith.

There are moments of gameplay during the climax of Skate Story that are some of the most visceral, original, and downright impressive that I’ve experienced for a very long time. Its great-feeling skating isn’t always pushed to its limits, but the sheer craft, personality, and audiovisual flair throughout largely compensate. Overall, Skate Story is an enjoyable, offbeat adventure game with a striking, unique identity. It might not be difficult, but if its tone speaks to you, you’ll find plenty to appreciate for its relatively short duration: sliding at speed around corners, landing shove-its, jumping across crevices, grinding through crystalline underworlds, and, yes, eating moons – all to a superb soundtrack.

The developers have done a fantastic job of recreating the overlay visuals that were painted on the screens of the original LCD units and the LCD displays are spot-on perfect renditions of the original.

While Samurai Shodown has taken a very slight visual hit as part of its protracted journey to Switch, the most important thing is that the core 60FPS gameplay remains intact. The downgrade is most noticeable when playing in handheld mode, but it's still incredibly enjoyable and compelling, especially if you appreciate fighting games that exercise your mind as well as your fingers. The single-player portion of the game is perhaps a little too lacking by 2020 standards and some of the ideas don't work as well as they should (Dojo mode, we're looking at you) but with its appealing cast of fighters, decent multiplayer options and a host of new gameplay ideas to keep things feeling fresh, Samurai Shodown is nonetheless a confident and assured update of a classic fighting game series – and bodes well for SNK's future attempts to resurrect its enviable stable of titles for the modern era.

Tikipod has done it again with Iron Crypticle, successfully reviving an old-school arcade concept and infusing it with some modern ideas. Iron Crypticle may not do a ton of innovative or new things with that twin-stick concept, but it nonetheless hits all the right notes in recreating that gameplay that made Smash TV such a smash hit. If you’ve ever been into twin-stick shooters or want another game for local co-op, Iron Crypticle is a great choice; fun gameplay, high replayability, and decent presentation make this one easy to recommend.

GALAK-Z isn’t a game for everyone: its rogue-lite nature, its high difficulty level and its punishing policy on death (even in its easier Arcade mode) will infuriate some players who are just expecting a quick blast of non-stop action. Treat it like the slower-paced exploration and survival game it’s supposed to be, and your patience will be rewarded with some genuinely satisfying space combat and a wide variety of customisable parts (not to mention its brilliant mech upgrade), all wrapped up in a fantastic ‘80s style aesthetic.

Journey to the Savage Planet is a wonderfully unique mixture of No Man's Sky-style exploration and Metroidvania puzzling and platforming with a wonderfully dark sense of humour that arrives here on Switch in a slightly compromised but still eminently playable state. ARY-26 is a fantastically vibrant planet to explore, filled with cute creatures, bizarre flora and fauna and super-slick platforming and environmental puzzle design. The monolithic tower that sits at the middle of this alien planet is a compelling mystery to work towards and the game doles out plenty of fun new tools and toys at just the right rate to keep you highly entertained as you jump, grapple, boost and blast your way to the secret at its core. There have been obvious graphical concessions made and the framerate does wobble from time to time – performance definitely feels worse in docked than handheld – but overall Typhoon Games has created an adventure that's strong enough to transcend any of these slight technical shortcomings and absolutely remains an experience you should check out, if you get the chance.

Even for WiiWare veterans, Art of Balance: Touch! is worth the double-dip for the extra puzzles, blocks and endurance mode, plus the ability to play on the go. Deceptively simple and gloriously satisfying, it's another strong addition to the eShop's puzzle line up.

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles is a worthy sequel to Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. It nicely fills in the story gaps of the first collection and presents a very good-looking and deep light-gun experience.

Have a Nice Death may not reinvent the wheel for roguelites, but this is a high-quality new entry in the genre. The brutal difficulty, creative theming, and satisfying combat all combine to make this a memorable and worthwhile experience, even if we wish it had better performance. We’d recommend this to anyone looking for another extremely competent and humorous action roguelite to add to their collection, though with the caveat that you should only take the plunge into this underworld if you feel confident in the sharpness of your skills. There’s a lot to love about Have a Nice Death, but as the name suggests, the bony hand of the reaper will be the only one holding yours.

If you already own or played the DS version, this may not be the reboot you were hoping for. For those coming to the title with a fresh face however, prepare to be impressed.

PAN-PAN is a lovely little game to get sucked into - oozing with charm and a handful of quirky characters to meet along the way. There's admittedly little replay value other than to re-explore the lush planet and solve the puzzles in a quicker, smoother manner, and while the environmental puzzles might range from frustratingly obtuse to organically wonderful, the planet rewards your time and exploration. Once the credits roll and after everything you've achieved, it will be almost impossible not to reflect positively on your short but sweet journey.

Dragon Quest III might be slightly more expensive than its two younger brothers on the Switch eShop, but it stands tall as a great way to explore the world of Dragon Quest for the first time. Even when compared to modern JRPGs, Dragon Quest III still stands tall as one of the best in the genre. If you had to pick just one of the three rereleased Dragon Quest games, pick Dragon Quest III – we can promise that you won’t be disappointed.

Several of the 19 new games — specifically those not found on the 2600 — are sadly not included in the new timeline and will need to be located within Atari 50’s game library. It’s no dealbreaker, but it would’ve been nice to get a bit of background information on their creation. We also feel like the exclusion of the original games created for the Intellivison to be a bit of a missed opportunity, but understandable given that this is Atari 50, not Intellivision 50. Fingers crossed Digital Eclipse will create something specific to that console's history now that the brand and associated IP are in Atari's hands.

Between the surprisingly deep plot for such a simple game, the clever narrative explanation of the mechanics, and enough chaos going on in the discussions to keep you guessing, we had a lot of fun with this one. Gnosia's simple game mechanics and deceptively deep story make it a must-have for visual novel and murder mystery fans; it's just a shame that the music is so poor. Even so, if you give it a chance it's highly likely that you'll fall in love with each member of its diverse cast – just in time for them to kill you.

A relentlessly impressive experience, Ministry of Broadcast is always enjoyable, often excellent and very clearly a labour of love. Some will find the exacting nature of the controls rubs them the wrong way, but if you're looking for an old-school experience that isn't a self-conscious throwback and has a narrative you can get your teeth into, it's an unambiguous recommendation from us. It's not perfect – the in-game dialogue is well-written but rough around the edges, with plentiful typos and grammar confusion – but that's not enough to distract from Ministry of Broadcast's terrific level design and superb visuals. Nothing new here, but what it offers is, quite simply, a very, very, very, very good cinematic platformer.