Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is an experience unlike any other on the Switch, expertly blending standard RPG tropes with a heartwarming story, innovative art style, and an immersive soundtrack composed by some of the best in the business. In more ways than one, this is a ‘dream project’ that’s very existence is a gift to fans of the genre the world over; the privilege of experiencing it is something that shouldn’t be understated. Even so, it also notably falls short of being an undisputed masterpiece, as pacing issues and shoddy AI drag down an otherwise pitch perfect experience. Those issues aside, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch still proves to be lightyears ahead of most other RPGs currently available on the Switch. If you consider yourself a fan of the genre – or even if you’re just looking to get your feet wet – you owe it to yourself to give Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch a shot.

Tetrobot and Co. is a beautiful, charming puzzle game with a very fair and calculated approach to difficulty.

Simultaneously hardcore and casual, HoPiKo is a pick-up-and-play speedrunning platformer delight that demands the utmost precision and perseverance from the player. It's not for the easily dissuaded, or for anyone looking for anything other than a manic arcade experience, but those who dig its frantic ways will find it very hard to stop snacking.

RICO is simple, moreish fun in arcade FPS form; a literal corridor shooter that makes every gunfight a glorious exchange of bullets as you fight your way to the words ‘Room cleared’ over and over again. It’s great fun in single-player, but when you head into each randomised set of rooms in co-op, you’ll shoot your way into an interactive buddy cop movie right there in the palm of your hands. Loading times and the occasional bit of pop-in aside, this is another fine addition to the console’s growing list of first-person shooters.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town offers up a perfectly satisfying and simple take on the farm sim genre. Heartwarming character interactions, easy to grasp farming mechanics, and a nice variety of side activities prove to make this release a potent and worthwhile entry in this long-running series. Though its roots as a handheld game occasionally resurface and there’s not a ton of new content added for this remake, Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town more than stands enough on its own as a quality game that deserves a spot in your Switch library. If you’re looking for something to fill that post-Animal Crossing hole in your life, or are just simply a fan of the farm sim genre in general, don’t miss out on this one.

We've seen a lot of budget-priced titles on the Nintendo eShop over the course of its near four-year history, but few games have proven their worth even at the lowest prices. Runny Egg can be added to the list of exceptions, providing a cheery and addictive little diversion with surprisingly open level design and a good sense of humour.

Tencent is hoping Arena of Valor’s new console port will bring its eSports success on mobile to Nintendo Switch, and with a solid netcode, an accessible and enjoyable take on the MOBA template and a free-to-play model, there’s no reason it can’t achieve that goal in the months (and years) to come. While it does have a few technical issues at launch, they don't detract from the fact Nintendo Switch now has a proper MOBA to add to its library of supported genres. One of the world's biggest games is now on Switch, and that's something to celebrate.

Benefitting from the performance tweaks made by the transition from old-gen to current-gen hardware - and the same smooth mapping of its controls to the Joy-Con - South Park: The Stick of Truth proves itself just as good a fit on Nintendo Switch as South Park: The Fractured But Whole. Both a pastiche of classic RPG tropes and a wonderfully empowering example of how to make a great modern example of the genre, this is still one of Obsidian’s best exports and as authentic as any episode of the cult TV show it’s so closely tied to.

Pixel Paint is an immensely useful tool for creating pixel art on Wii U.

Billed as a side dish, Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes has been prepared with enough love and affection to become a filling meal on its own, packed with the spice and spirit you’d expect from Travis Touchdown. It’s a fun, indie-inflected blast of hack-and-slash which doesn’t change the world mechanically (and don’t go in expecting No More Heroes 3), but its sincerity and energy are charming. It’s an adult game – a gamer’s game – foul-mouthed and dripping with style. If you’re sitting on the fence, we’d recommend diving in, if only to support its infectious, celebratory spirit; Suda51 seems to have a real affection for Nintendo hardware and this makes you feel lucky to have him working on Switch.

There are technical cracks in its brickwork, but in combining the familiar constructs of the LEGO video games with an original story, huge amounts of humour and a ridiculous number of things to collect or discover, LEGO City Undercover proves that LEGO titles can be blockbusters without a big licence.

Yet another fantastic rhythm game to add to the Switch's ever-growing repertoire. It may be a tad on the expensive side, but its core mechanics are rock solid, its minimalist visuals are a treat to behold and the fact it's got to much to play through and unlock means you'll be happily tapping your toes to this one for months.

If you’re going to create a deckbuilder out of Vampire Survivors, I think Vampire Crawlers is pretty much exactly the result you’d hope for – minus some bugs. It combines all of the weapons and power-ups from the first game with clever fusions and twists on traditional deckbuilding tentpoles. Even things that are annoying — not being able to check your deck when selecting upgrade and, hard to track damage numbers — feel like quirks of the franchise. It scratches my brain in a familiar way, and the euphoric feeling of creating a broken build still feels great.

Shift DX takes a simple concept and creates plenty of fun levels out of it. Anyone who enjoys this genre or has a small interest in it should definitely pick this one up.

We wholly recommend Arcade Paradise if you enjoy either simulation-style games or spent the '90s with a pocketful of quarters down at the local arcade. The narrative centred on a lazy young adult proving to their father they can run a successful business will never really grip you, and – believe it or not – laundering clothes and peeling gum off the machines becomes a bit tiresome. Yet the arcade games themselves and the sheer creativity and charm Nosebleed Interactive has packed into them more than makes up for the monotony. If we stumbled upon these games in the back of our local laundromat, we’d spend actual money there. But since that seems rather unlikely, we’re sure to boot up Arcade Paradise to try for some global rankings long after we’re done with laundering clothes.

Worldless attempts to differentiate itself from its peers by adding satisfying turn-based combat to the usual Metroidvania loop. It largely succeeds, helped by an intoxicating art style and varied puzzle mechanics. Some difficulty spikes interrupt the flow and knock the dreamlike exploration off balance, but you’ll feel compelled to overcome them.

Penny’s Big Breakaway is a tremendous achievement by Evening Star, expertly combining tight controls, excellent level design, and a raft of creative ideas, all while throwing in a hefty dose of pure speed. Though the Switch version can feel a little rough around the edges at times, this is still an easy recommendation to make to anyone who considers themselves a fan of Sonic, 3D platformers, or both. Penny’s inaugural adventure has got it where it counts, and if you’re looking for a challenging, yet approachable new 3D platformer to add to your library, it doesn’t get much better than this.

However you arrive at Zero Time Dilemma, if you're into the series' mix of horror and Hegel you're in for a treat — and you may never look at a snail the same way again.

Fading Afternoon is a very ambitious game that improves on Technos’ decades-old Kunio-kun formula in almost every way. It’s certainly the most accomplished of Yeo’s works to date, and impressive in its polish. What really shines, though, is the way it expands on its life-simulator elements and those all-important details. It keeps things fresh, interesting, and compelling. Although regularly punctuated by satisfying gangland violence, it’s not a fast game by any means. With its downbeat plotline and melancholic motifs, it’s more an experience to become absorbed in, to be explored and tapped for all its little surprises and diverging paths on subsequent playthroughs. For everything it strives to achieve, beyond anything else, Fading Afternoon is incredibly charming.

Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaire's Conspiracy feels rather comforting, the video game equivalent of a warm blanket. For the most part it reverts to the core formula of the Professor Layton games, albeit with a new cast and by dividing the narrative into mostly lighthearted, charming 'cases'. All it lacks is the confidence to fully embrace its new setting, stopping short of expanding upon some of its ideas. That said, it still delivers the series' unique blend of storytelling and lots of puzzles with aplomb. It'll have fans and newcomers scratching their heads and smiling at the same time; here's hoping it's not Layton's final mystery.

On the whole, Child of Light is an easy recommendation for those who didn’t catch it the first time round. The ‘light’ in the title sums things up nicely – you get game mechanics usually reserved for massive RPG epics in a concise package that’s as beautifully refreshing as when it was first released. It’s a shame to see framerate hitches – however occasional they may be – but they’re not enough to cast a shadow on this delightful adventure.

A larger character choice would be good, but there's a solid range of enemy attackers to deal with during your playthrough. A number of moves (including the sometimes tactical use of specials) keeps the fighting entertaining whether playing alone or with a friend. There are some decent character designs for the mutants and robots, with some nice touches in their animations such as a transformation or the way a seemingly human foe's face is punched off to reveal the robot inside. Once cleared there's not a lot of immediate replay value, but you can always try and improve in the Hi Score and Caravan modes; whenever you do boot it up, Mutation Nation provides a great scrolling beat 'em up fix.

Loddlenaut is sort of a job sim where the job in question feels futile. Cleaned places need re-cleaning, fed loddles need re-feeding. Given that the project at hand is to purify a mega-corp-abused ocean, it’s quite a downer that the game feels so unwinnable – but maybe that’s the point, in a melancholy kind of way. In any case, if you don’t overthink it, the environment is calm, the loddles are cute and the execution leaves few irritations. If this is a PowerWasher’s fever dream, then it would be a shame to wake up.

Despite the logo giving the impression of a garish knock-off or mobile port, When Ski Lifts Go Wrong delivers some captivating simulation puzzling, with a light dusting of Excitebike helping to set it apart from the crowd. The UI and controls work very well on Switch and, although not being able to share or sample others’ creations online is disappointing, the base game works beautifully to provide a very enjoyable package if you’re after some rock solid, physics-based fun.

Shinsekai: Into The Depths is a bracingly fresh Metroidvania with a memorable underwater setting and compelling movement mechanics. If you're after a platformer that values exploration and navigation over arcade action – and that isn't afraid to try something a little different with the format – then we wholeheartedly recommend dipping your toes into Shinsekai's exotic waters.

While Pang: Magical Michael may not be a looker, what it does deliver is an excellent continuation of the Pang series, one designed for both entry-level and experienced players alike.

Those who've played the game already may find little reason to pick up another version, but anyone who's missed out so far has little excuse not to dive in now.

Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn offers a tough and enjoyable return to this NES classic, expertly building upon what came before without erasing what made the original release great to begin with. Though it is a bit on the short side, there’s enough replayability here to stretch out the experience for another few hours. We’d recommend this to anyone who’s looking for a callback to the tough challenge of early Nintendo games—Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn has retro charm in spades and still stands tall even among modern 'neo-retro' platformers like Panzer Paladin and Gravity Circuit.

Switch-bendingly tough though it is, Gimmick is a salient example of what made the 8-bit era so wonderful: a razor-sharp, thoughtfully illustrated action adventure full of creativity and imagination. Just be warned that when people talk about 'old-school difficulty', Gimmick is a cut above what they usually have in mind, and to that end may prove frustrating for those unable to steel themselves to the challenge.

Slight niggles aside, Below Zero absolutely delivers in providing more of the excellent deep sea survival antics that we know and love from the original Subnautica. This is a super solid port too, a joy to sink time into in both docked and portable modes, with only a little stuttering here and there as you enter new biomes - and the series' ever-present scenery pop-in - to mention in terms of technical shortcomings. Unknown Worlds has served up another superb slice of survival shenanigans here, one that we highly recommend diving right into.

Don’t Starve: Nintendo Switch Edition is an extremely meaty and punishing experience that always keeps you on your toes. The open ended, tough as nails gameplay isn’t for everyone - particularly in its repetition - but it can be quite addictive once things click. A distinct visual style, countless hours of randomized gameplay, and an open ended nature that favors boldness combine to make this an easy suggestion.

Deltarune is a game that can feel odd to recommend, as it’s both difficult to convey in words what makes this game feel special and… well, it still isn’t done. Its goofy and subversive narrative, innovative battle mechanics, and killer soundtrack all combine to make this one worth the purchase in its current state, even if it is unfinished and the visuals still feel a tad underwhelming. At any rate, I’d suggest you pick this one up; there’s no telling when the story will finally wrap up, but the release of the latest two chapters has done a lot to round out what once felt a little anaemic.

When you consider its low price, Gravity Duck is a genuinely fun little game with a simple premise that works, and works well. It won’t last long, and you may want to pop some of your own tunes on whilst playing it, but taken on its own merits as an addictive little time sink, this is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Ikenfell is a charming little turn-based tactical RPG that hooks you in quickly with a well-written story and strong cast of characters and keeps you locked in for its duration with a surprisingly complex combat system. There are accessibility options here to suit all levels of player, a good idea considering how tough some of the battles can be along the way, and, overall, this is a heart-warming and unique entry to its genre that comes highly recommended.

With that in mind, I’d still recommend starting with Yakuza 0 if you’re completely new to the series, but Kiwami is a perfectly fine place to dive in, too. It doesn’t feel quite so bloated as some of the later entries, yet it still flexes a peerless sense of style at every opportunity. Playing Kiwami portably on Switch 2 is a joy, and I sincerely hope Sega brings the entire series to the console. It’s found itself a great home.

Over four years on and Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition is still a ‘rasslin riot that’s well worth a play. Despite the passage of time, this colourful indie effort doesn’t show its age and fits the portability of Switch down to the ground. If you’ve played it already on Wii U there’s very little here to convince you to double dip (unless, of course, you’ve only played the 2013 version) - bar the ability to play in handheld mode - but if you’ve somehow missed this lovely luchador adventure, you’ll struggle to find a better platform to play it on.

While God Eater 3 has taken a bit of a knock in the visuals department, it’s a sacrifice that’s more than worth it for mostly consistent performance and a steady framerate. The inclusion of local co-op is a real boon for Nintendo Switch owners, especially as there’s no telling how the game’s online community will fare in the months to come. With all the current content updates and patches included at launch, you’re arguably getting a version as good as - if not arguably better than - those on PC and PS4. If you’re longing for an alternative to Monster Hunter and you can’t wait for Dauntless, this is your next port of call.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order isn’t a groundbreaking, narrative-heavy reinterpretation of the comic characters you know and love, but then again neither were the first two games. In that regard, it’s a very faithful sequel that mines the vast roster of characters from the comics while including plenty of nods to the current state of the more modern Marvel Cinematic Universe. While it doesn’t do anything particularly new or outstanding, it embraces the brainless fun of its brawler combat with gusto, and it’s at its absolute best when played with a team of player-controlled supers.

From its violent yet contrasting and beautiful appearance to the fine-tuned and comical combat - thanks to the well-balanced selection of weaponry - this title is well worth a space in your Switch’s indie game library.

Atelier Sophie 2 stands as a wonderful achievement for Gust and the Atelier series. What we have here is an entry that feels like the perfect fusion of the old and the new. Sophie’s new adventure may not have much to offer up in the story department, but it more than makes up for this with its streamlined design, thrilling combat, expansive world, and addictive alchemy system. This is a title we’d recommend to both longtime fans and newcomers—it's one of the best Atelier releases yet. If you’re at all curious about this one, we’d strongly encourage you to give it a shot.

Resident Evil Revelations is a solid means of experiencing what was once one of the 3DS' most notable exclusives. It would have been nice to see some kind of effort put into presenting a unified front, with a common UI and a synced up approach to controls. A certain sense of porting laziness aside, though, this is a fine entry which stands proud in a storied franchise. The original Resident Evil Revelations was a great 3DS game at the time, and it remains a surprisingly solid, refreshingly breezy experience here on Switch.

There’s such a great sense of achievement here: from winning a bout without striking your opponent to defeating one of the upper-ranked Ozeki, you’ll want to always do your best. The fact alone that Eat! Fat! FIGHT! has been localised is amazing, and we applaud Temco’s efforts for making this title available.

AiRace looks good, plays great and stands out from the other DSiWare racers (or DS, really) in more ways than just choice of vehicle.

This is highly recommended for fans and those looking for an enjoyable slice of retro Sega platforming, nevertheless.

A cumbersome name, confusing instructions and unintuitive controls all conspire to hide this genuine gem of a puzzler.

While it is not a completely perfect port of the beloved WiiWare version, it's still a fantastic game with almost all of the charm that made the original so good. Despite its few flaws, being priced at only 200 Points makes this game a must-have.

It may have some tough competition, but Lego Rock Band is certainly one of the best music games on DS that anyone can enjoy.

A certain sense of porting laziness aside, this is a fine entry that stands proud in a storied franchise. Revelations 2 is a full fat Resident Evil experience with a neat partner system and some terrifyingly tense set pieces. There's a strong case to be made that you should ignore the original (especially if you've played it already) and simply purchase this prime slab of survival horror, but completionists won't be disappointed either way.

Crow Country is a great retro-flavoured survival horror that manages to pay homage to the '90s classics while providing a bunch of modern conveniences that make the game feel fresh and, more importantly, fun. Exploring the creepy yet charming titular amusement park is a joy thanks to its wealth of intriguing secrets and nasty creatures. There are a few annoyances that keep it from being a masterpiece, like the slightly delayed screen transitions and the infuriating traps, but like Signalis before it, Crow Country is well worth investigating if you're after a retro-style horror game that, miraculously, doesn't feel dated right out of the gate.

Last Resort may be a little rough around the edges in places - the broken two-player mode being the most obvious example - but it's still one of the best shooters on the Neo Geo and a solid purchase for Switch-owning blaster fans. The impeccable presentation really makes the game stand out from the hordes of similar titles, and it's challenging enough to ensure that you won't have it licked in the space of an evening. Casual players may find it a little too stern a test - especially with the checkpoint system which forces you to re-play sections of the game upon death - but serious shooter addicts will be totally at home.

With Alien Crush Returns, Hudson has somehow managed to retain all of the unique and addictive elements of the original game while simultaneously adding in enough fresh game play ideas to bring the cult classic properly up to date.

Vasara Collection jumps from obscurity into the top tier of bullet hells on the Switch by offering both original brilliant titles without any technical hiccups and supporting the ever popular TATE option along with a whole new game that proves to be one of the few proper four-player options of the genre on the system. The zany characters and plot just make things sweeter, and make up for the somewhat derivative origin of the series. Considering the relative obscurity of the original releases, for a reasonable asking price you might just end up with three quality, 'brand new' manic shooters in your collection.

Disgaea 1 Complete blows raspberries at po-faced, self-serious strategy games by mixing complex systems with comedy to delightful effect. This remaster is a great introduction for series newcomers, provided you can forgive the odd mismatching texture and an inflexible camera. Veteran fans who have assimilated years of iterative refinements and additions may have a tougher time, but an abundance of charm helps paper over any quality-of-life deficiencies. This cult classic has never looked better and the Switch version makes dipping in and out a breeze.

While Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle doesn’t stray too far from the template of Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut, it does offer some much-needed adjustments to its gory puzzle formula. With 12 chapters to work your way through and 150 different scenes to drench in gore, plenty of costumes to unlock, and all manner of implements to wield (complete with grisly death animations), this cartoonish puzzler offers a fitting way to ring in Halloween on Nintendo Switch.

Snack World serves up a beautifully presented helping of dungeon crawling, garnished with generous amounts of humour and charm. Its character is also its saving grace, because it helps keep your interest when the actual mechanics start to feel repetitive. Or, to milk the food analogy further: its outer shell is so endearing that you’ll still enjoy consuming it even when you can tell it’s starting to get a little stale.

As a group, Abba sits alongside only a handful of the world's biggest acts — The Beatles, Queen, and perhaps only a couple of others — with the cross-generational, mainstream appeal to support a multiplayer music game like this. We'd wager even non-aficionados will be drawn in by the sheer strength of this most familiar and indestructible of pop music songbooks, and the variety of modes here, machine-tooled over many years of iteration and repetition for the long-running Let's Sing series, offer enough variety to engage just about anyone who's ever tapped their foot to any of these tracks, Developer Voxler took absolutely no chances here; Let's Sing Abba is exactly what you think it is. And for that, we were thankful.

Darkwood is, thankfully, rather unlike any other horror game on Switch. Those with a taste for survival games will appreciate the constant pressure to salvage parts and craft new items while a clock ticks down in the background, while those with a love for all things sinister will really appreciate some of the truly disturbing moments. Despite the occasional technical flaw, the result is a purposefully slow experience that rewards multiple playthroughs with a storyline that branches depending on just how far into madness you’re willing to tread.

It may well be almost ten years old, but de Blob is still a very welcome addition to the Switch’s library. It is by no means perfect, with several camera and control issues and a slight sense of repetition dragging the game down somewhat, but it makes up for these problems with colour, creativity, and fun. From the Minion-style cutscenes to the adorable, “yays,” from rescued residents, we can see kids and big kids having a great time here.

Playing through The Lullaby of Life was a joy, with plenty of challenging moments without feeling frustrating, and it feels perfectly at home on the Switch. Each chapter has its own distinct personality and the music adds a lot of soul to each new planet. If you enjoy quirky, unique puzzle titles with cute characters and interesting mechanics, this is a gem that needs to be in your library — one that's especially suited to handheld players with headphones, as the music really is beautiful.

Developers SKIP Tokyo have executed another simple puzzle concept flawlessly, with both main game modes proving highly addictive and enough to keep you coming back to beat your previous high score.

Dino Rex and Solitary Fighter aren't exactly high points, and considering they're two of three exclusives, much of the appeal of this collection depends on how many titles you may already own, and how much you want Darius II. That said, for those who are yet to dabble in Hamster's series, it's a superb slice of Taito arcade gaming that outdoes its predecessor in terms of quality and appeal, and comes through with solid emulation. There are hundreds of hours of fun to be had here with some of Taito's most deservedly celebrated works.

There’s a refreshing freedom to Paradise Killer we’ve not previously seen. You can start the trial almost immediately if you desired, which is far from sensible, but without a narrative constraining you, Lady Love Dies’ investigation is what you make it. Coming to your own conclusions can be a little overwhelming in places but successfully solving this case is immensely satisfying. For murder-mystery fans, this comes highly recommended.

Though there are plenty of other well-made SRPGs on the Switch today, Othercide does more than enough to differentiate itself from the pack and carve out for itself a unique identity. The striking art style, endlessly punishing gameplay and esoteric storytelling ensure that this one will likely only appeal to longtime fans of the genre, but it’s more than worth the effort. Despite the difficulty, Othercide is quite a rewarding experience, and this coupled with its well-built gameplay systems makes for a game that we can confidently state is worth your time. Don’t let its frequent struggles in the performance department or its intimidating challenge dissuade you; Othercide deserves a spot in your Switch library.

I’d like to say that this is a perfect way to cap off the numerous expansions for Atari 50, but who knows if this is the end. There’s still so much history that hasn’t been touched, and while license restrictions will no doubt prove a huge barrier for Atari and Digital Eclipse, I sincerely hope there’s more to come.

Underground is a roller coaster of a puzzle game that manages to bring something truly original to the Wii U eShop.

Despite its basic presentation and superficially simplistic gameplay, Cubello is the kind of game that delivers an engrossing experience every time you pick it up.

There’s a good chance you’ve probably never heard of NAIRI: Tower of Shirin, but that doesn’t mean this hidden gem should pass you buy. Sure, it doesn’t have the pedigree of a Double Fine game or the licence exposure of something from TellTale’s back catalogue, but it still offers up a safe and engaging world full of quirky characters, challenging puzzles and all the screen-tapping backgrounds you could ask for. It’s no great reimagining of the genre, but it’s still a curio worth playing nonetheless.

A dazzling, thrilling action-platformer with a potent cocktail of combat and platforming components, all set in one of the most appealing game worlds around. It's not a massive progression from the original, and its sheer relentlessness can prove tiresome, but Guacamelee! 2 is a real celebration of a sequel.

It's been a long time coming, and we’re happy to report that Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake largely lives up to expectations. Disappointing performance issues aside, this is a faithful adaptation of a treasured RPG classic that elevates its strongest aspects while doing its best to make up for any shortcomings. Some may be put off by its relative simplicity but, refreshingly, it neither overstays its welcome nor spreads itself thin with too many half-baked ideas. It goes without saying that fans of the original will want to snap this up, but if you’re looking for a good ‘entry-level’ RPG or you just want to know what the long-running franchise is all about, Dragon Quest III is the game for you.

Borderlands Legendary Collection is an excellent Switch showing for this beloved series, though it's difficult to determine if the price is right; sure, there's an enormous amount of content here so you're certainly not being ripped off, but it's old content and these games are routinely extremely cheap on other services. Still, it's a technically excellent port of three expansive, enjoyable shooters, and they're a perfect fit for the Switch. Whether played alone or with pals, the compulsive gameplay is terrific to dip into or get stuck into for a massive grinding session. If you've somehow never played Borderlands before, you can't go wrong with this set. If you have, but want to try a different character class on the bus ride home, now's your chance.

Magical Whip might borrow heavily from several other classic puzzle/platformers, but the execution and gameplay is good so it's tough to complain.

Soldam is a lovely little blast from puzzle gaming’s past. It comfortably earns its place among top-tier Switch puzzlers like Puyo Puyo Tetris and Magical Drop II, but it’s also different enough to those two that it doesn’t feel redundant to have all three on the same system. Even better, Soldam’s various modes — the quick-paced endless survival, the slow and deliberate Challenge stages, and the streamlined battle mode — play so differently from one another that it almost feels like a puzzle game collection in its own right. Add in the online play and thoughtful quality of life improvements in this localized version, and Soldam on Switch is a complete puzzle package.

While this incarnation of Machinarium doesn’t offer anything different from the other versions already out there, it’s still a fine port of an award-winning point-and-click adventure. Even after nine years, Amanita Design’s brilliant little odyssey still looks, plays and feels fresh thanks to a quirky soundtrack, those instantly recognisable hand-drawn visuals and an approach to environmental puzzles that strikes the right balance between obtuse and tantalisingly obvious. True, the lack of any additional content makes this a hard sell for anyone who's already played it elsewhere, but if you’ve never had the pleasure of joining Josef on his mechanical adventure, there’s arguably never been a better platform on which to try it.

VVVVVV feels every bit as fresh on the Switch in 2017 as it did on the 3DS in 2010; if you didn't try it back then you should definitely pick it up now. If you did, now may nevertheless be a good time to revisit. Mutliplayer makes the Switch version even more interesting, and this is a game that still serves up an intense and enjoyable challenge. VVVVVV is a fantastic value and a great addition to the Switch library.

Rival Megagun may fall short of the standards set by genre masterworks like Cave's Ketsui, Seibu Kaihatsu's Raiden Fighters Jet or Raizing's Battle Garegga. But those are some of the finest pieces of game design of all time, and failing to meet their lofty standards doesn't stop Spacewave's creation being a tremendously fun and rather distinct shmup that really does offer something fresh, and serves as a great demonstration of the Switch's multiplayer prowess in the process.

Dripping with charm and frequently laugh-out-loud funny, Animal Super Squad is a good example of when physics-based gameplay is done right. There are some elements such as boss battles, multiplayer and HD rumble that aren’t in this game and the lack of these features will be bothersome for some Switch users. However, this little gem is a formidable first entry into the indie scene for the YouTube personality and positively paves the way to what's looking to be a successful new venture for DoubleMoose.

Metallic Child delivers a compelling, dialogue-packed and seemingly fully-voiced quasi-roguelite anime adventure with quite some aplomb, and is certainly an impressive achievement from apparent solo dev Studio HG. The price is right and it's only some issues with repetitive gameplay that bring the title down a little. There's plenty to see and do and a meaty adventure to get stuck into, with "achievements" to unlock and permanent incremental upgrades to purchase with dropped currency as you smash your enemies to pieces. An impressive debut that's very clearly made by someone who understands how important feedback is to a game like this; it's a slick, exciting robot-smashing fest for your Switch.

Despite the undue hate it has been subjected to over the past year, Metroid Prime: Federation Force is a very impressive, polished and playable package - the only real grumble we have is that during online play the lack of voice chat can become maddening, and the game's built-in chat function is an inadequate substitute.

To answer our initial question of whether or not Party Golf can successfully join the eShop’s masterful collection of multiplayer goodness: quite simply, yes. The amount of customisation options are mind-blowing and essentially allow you to make the game be whatever you want it to be. The asking price at launch feels just a tad steep (a bit more polish and a slightly higher level of presentation wouldn’t go amiss) but, with the right friends around you, you’ll be having so much fun laughing at each other’s mistakes that you’ll hardly care.

This is the best of it in regards to home ports of the Ray series, spit-polished by M2’s dedicated commitment to quality. It offers very accurate arcade ports of three superb, nuanced shoot 'em ups, famous for their fantastic soundtracks, engrossing gameplay mechanics, and visual showboating. Lag is minimal enough to have no impact, and the HD upscaling is wonderful. With no training modes, historical bonuses or rearrangements, however, it falls shy of being the ultimate package. But only just.

Price aside, this is definitely a game you should experience in some form or another, even if the only way for you to play it is on Nintendo’s home system.

Clustertruck stands as a metaphor for life itself. Where do these trucks come from? Where are these trucks going? None of that matters now that you can play this game anytime, anywhere free from the tyranny of non-portable entertainment centres. An exquisite balance of arcade first-person action and physics puzzle that leaves little but one single course of action when faced with a glimpse of its pure brilliant absurdity: Keep on (cluster)truckin', baby!

A good stab at a downloadable football game, with more content than you'd expect. Although the DSi-specific features make it hard to recommend this version over its boxed DS counterpart, at 800 points it’s still reasonably cheap for what is essentially a fully-featured football game.

If you like the concept, have sharp reflexes and want a new challenge to occupy you for a good while to come, then this title comes highly recommended.

Super Mario Run is thankfully miles away from being the simplified disaster that many nay-sayers had feared; in fact, what's striking about this mobile release is how similar it is to traditional Mario titles in terms of gameplay and challenge. Despite having limited control over Mario there's still a strong focus on skill, especially if you want to grab all of those pink, purple and black coins. The brevity of the experience is an issue however – an average player should be able to finish an initial no-frills World Tour run in around an hour – and as a result Super Mario Run's social element becomes its long-term focus. Challenging pals via the elegant in-game friends system is addictive, and the Toad Rally mode – which underpins the kingdom-building meta game – is sure to soak up plenty of play time.

Metro: Last Light Redux is another strong entry in the Metro franchise that adds plenty of big-budget bombast to Artyom's adventures, but truly excels when it decides to stick to the more slow-moving, methodical stealth action of its predecessor. It may not quite hit the highs of Metro 2033 and is dragged down in places by some ill-advised boss battles and a few too many hands-off, on-rails moments, but overall, this is an excellent first-person survival title, presented in a fantastic port that's an absolute must-play for FPS and horror fans.

As a solo experience, this indie shmup won’t win many over with its familiar twin-stick formula, but as a couchplay experience it’s one of the most fun spins on the genre we've played on Nintendo Switch. Whether in two-player or with five folks involved, Aperion Cyberstorm is another confident slice of shooter fun from Britain’s burgeoning indie dev scene.

The Final Station is a unique journey among the current Switch library you will not want to skip on, especially if you managed to stay away from the original PC release up to this point. World building and plot is brilliantly delivered by numerous little details of which we have rarely seen developers explore with such efficiency to deliver so much tension and sense of urgency from the player. Despite linearity, when you do reach the end game you can immediately jump into the The Only Traitor DLC included in the Switch version, which will enable you to experience the same events under a new character. Make sure you don’t miss out this train ride.

Picross e2 is yet another fun Picross game, but for the most part it simply feels like an expansion pack for the previous title. Of course, there's nothing wrong with that, especially when the core gameplay is so entertaining.

Megaton Musashi W: Wired proves to be a strong return to form for Level-5, offering up addictive mech-battling action that feels like the most slept-on release of the year. Its heartfelt story, dumb-but-fun combat missions, and in-depth character progression offer up an experience that’s tough to put down, even if some elements—like the lackluster online—drag it down a bit. If you’re at all a fan of action RPGs or that distinct Level-5 charm you can find in all the beloved company’s games, we’d encourage you to pick up Megaton Musashi W as soon as possible.

World of Goo 2 is a fantastic sequel to a stone-cold classic. The new focus on liquids feels right at home, and the utterly bizarre fourth chapter elevates the experience to one of considerable excellence. It’s a shame that it's somewhat let down by limited control options, occasionally wobbly performance, and some underutilised mechanics, but its core is so solid, we can’t help but recommend it regardless.

SEGA's had more than one stab at creating a comprehensive collection of its best Mega Drive titles and, as a result, SEGA Mega Drive Classics does lose some of its impact due to sheer familiarity; for example, we already have an immaculately-ported version of Sonic on the Switch eShop right now. Even so, it's hard to argue with the 50-odd games that ship with this new compendium, and only a fool would contest the fact that it showcases some of the best games of the 16-bit era.

Kena: Bridge Of Spirits is a great addition to the Switch 2 roster. A visually stunning platforming adventure with great storytelling and an adorable companion mechanic. Combat and enemy design leave a lot to be desired, but this doesn't do much to dent the experience of Kena’s journey.

Little Inferno is a surprising game. It's surprising both for the simplicity of its concept ("burn things"), and for the fact that such a coherent and lovingly crafted experience has been built around that idea. It's also surprisingly different from what we traditionally think of as a game, and because of that, it isn't for everyone. But players drawn to the flame will find a fun, funny, and even moving experience in Little Inferno. It's a lot like setting some of the game's more spectacularly flammable objects ablaze, actually; a fast burn, but beautiful while it lasts.

It takes something special to stand out in the ever-growing auto-running platformer genre, but ATOMIK: RunGunJumpGun does so with aplomb, copious deaths and a healthy dash of that “just one more time” mentality that’ll keep you coming back for more. From its pulse-pounding post-apocalyptic world to its powerful soundtrack, the hours will melt away as you try and collect every last bauble or at the very least just try and make it to the goal unscathed. If brutal arcade-like experiences sound like your cup of tea, you can’t go wrong with ATOMIK: RunGunJumpGun.

Bird Mania Party is essentially the same game that we saw in 2012 on 3DS, albeit with the very welcome additions of multiplayer action and with online leaderboards for those with a competitive streak. Despite this game arguably being better suited to a handheld device thanks to its time-filler nature, this Wii U title stands out as being the best of the series so far thanks to the extra content.

All told, Tumbleseed is a game that will certainly divide opinion. The absurdly high difficulty demands that you put up or shut up; if you don't take the time to be patient and focus on improving your skills in controlling the seed, you will not find much enjoyment here. However, if you're willing to stick it out and put in the time required to 'git gud', you'll find a deeply rewarding game with nearly unlimited replayability between the daily challenges and the constant tease of getting a better score. If you consider yourself a skilled and patient gamer, give Tumbleseed a shot. If not, perhaps something else might be a better choice.

Colt Canyon is an excellent roguelike with razor-sharp gameplay that’s incredibly addictive. The rhythmic action is comparable to titles like Hotline Miami, and there’s a constant temptation to have ‘just one more go’. Some may not be too keen on the heavily-pixelated graphics, but it’s the gameplay that truly shines through here, and once you’ve conquered the steep difficulty curve you’ll find this to be a fine addition to the Switch’s growing selection of roguelikes.