An exquisite bike racer-cum-trials game with tight controls, varied courses, and uniquely zen-like presentation. At once calming and demanding, Lonely Mountains: Downhill looks and feels like no other game on the eShop. Barring one or two disappointing technical issues, it's an absolute freewheeling delight.

Arcade Spirits is a niche title that will nevertheless find its audience thanks to some great writing and a very inclusive selection of diverse characters to interact with. While there are a few flaws in the sound design area, including some poor voice work and an overall low volume output, the gameplay is engaging and the plot intriguing, making this the perfect choice if you're after a fun, lighthearted experience or a well-written gaming nostalgia trip.

Jay and SIlent Bob: Mall Brawl is a strong achievement, a worthy NES throwback and a fun game for Kevin Smith fans and haters alike. Unfortunately it is hamstrung by a stage so bad that it brings down the entire experience and should, quite simply, be patched out entirely or made significantly shorter and easier. Still, persevere through it and you'll find it's sandwiched with joyful 8-bit face-kicking fun with two stoner icons. The whole world's against us dude, I swear to god.

20 years before it was spiritually reawakened as SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy, the Neo Geo Pocket Color added another fine string to its bow with the enjoyable handheld combat of SNK Gals’ Fighters. With a few extra changes for Nintendo Switch – namely support for far easier to set up local multiplayer and a handy rewind feature – this classic portable fighter is now in the rudest of health. It’s not the deepest of fighting games, but with an already strong Neo Geo presence on the platform, this cutesy battler is a fine way to perfect your combos on the go.

Bullet-hell games aren’t often known for melancholic narratives and exploration at a sedate-pace, but ITTA isn’t your usual bullet-hell experience. This is a top-down adventure that will appeal to fans of Hyper Light Drifter: Special Edition, Titan Souls and the like, one full of confident storytelling and very challenging bullet hell bosses. While its difficulty curve can wildly fluctuate, making it less than palatable to genre newbies, those with a taste for danger who want a new bullet-hell extravaganza might just find their new obsession.

Even on this second go-around, Battle Princess Madelyn Royal Edition is not up to scratch. It's almost maddening because the stuff that works is very enjoyable. The core game is fun, with a pleasing set of influences coming together to make for a knockabout, challenging time. A host of major and minor flaws – and the notable removal of the non-linear Story mode from the original release, which could have offered more enjoyment if its issues had been fixed – make this a nostalgia trip we can't recommend. It's a genuinely disappointing example of a game that's so close to being a good time, but its problems completely spoil the fun. A little more tightening up and Battle Princess Madelyn would be a bit of a cracker, but we sadly suspect that after this Royal Edition there isn't going to be a third time around the block.

Shovel of Hope stands as an example of how excellent retro-themed platformers can be when you have a team of experienced and passionate developers working on them, and still to this day acts as a standard which other, similar releases are judged against. The interesting level designs, humorous writing, high replayability, and intuitive controls make this one an easy recommendation, although with the caveat that the full Treasure Trove release is still the better way to go. Even so, it’s tough to go wrong with this original campaign, and if you haven’t played it yet, we’d highly recommend that you do so.

Super Pixel Racers offers a simplified brand of top-down arcade racing, with an intriguing handling model that's simultaneously casual and highly demanding. It might not be the richest, deepest or most rewarding game of its type on Switch, but it's a worthwhile experience for those looking for some solo and local multiplayer arcade kicks.

Performance issues could be (at least, partially) ironed over with likeable, interesting characters and a compelling mystery, but Dread Nautical just doesn't deliver one. It's all rather trite and lacking in atmosphere. Yet despite the generally negative tone of this review, there is fun to be had here. It doesn't seem to do anything new whatsoever, and even Mario + Rabbids (ostensibly a game for children) has more tactical depth to it – nonetheless, it's occasionally fun to nip onto one of the bite-sized decks and wail on some Thralls. We just wish it was a little deeper; this kind of thing is acceptable on Dread Nautical's original home of Apple Arcade, but not on Switch, where the likes of Mutant Year Zero vie for the same audience.

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.

On paper, searching a large database of phone-filmed video clips doesn't sound too exciting, but Telling Lies offers an exhilarating few hours of detective work thanks to clever construction, strong performances and exceptional polish. Given that the game takes place almost entirely in windows on a virtual desktop computer screen (and would therefore seem 'at home' on PC), it survives the transition to Switch entirely intact. While there's not much incentive to reopen the investigation once it reaches its climax, uncovering Telling Lies' web of relationships and intrigue is a case definitely worth taking on.

Played in the mindset of having old-fashioned fun rather than pushing your gaming skills to their limits, Moving Out has quite a lot to offer. It looks good, sounds good and plays well; it's just a shame there isn't a little bit more to get your teeth into. It's a lot of fun causing chaos with friends – throwing toasters through windows or trying to balance that last lampshade on the back of an over-stocked removal truck – but it's just not resonant enough as a co-operative experience to stick in your mind. A very good effort, but in our view, just too slight to be a lasting classic.

The MotoGP series has been a bit of a mixed bag over the years, but with MotoGP 20 Milestone is finally beginning to realise its vision for a full-bodied racing simulation. The considerable Career mode offers a deep management experience, while the introduction of Historic Mode adds a fun way to earn rewards for daily challenges. But it’s the changes to on-track performance and the deeper bike mechanics that make this a truly realistic, if not particularly penetrable, experience.

Picross S4 is more of the same, yes, but that’s not exactly a bad thing given what this series is designed to offer. At its heart, this new release is little more than a content expansion, but one that offers up a strong selection of puzzles and a diverse array of modes to solve them in, all wrapped in a pleasant, friendly presentation style. Picross S4 stands as the best entry in the sub-series yet, offering up fantastic value for your dollar and acting as a great place for fans new and old to jump in. If you’ve been looking for a simple, engaging puzzle game for your Switch, you need look no further.

Billion Road makes an intriguing pitch: to combine Monopoly and Pokémon into a family-friendly digital board game. With its bright presentation, varied mechanics, and endless barrage of distractions and rewards, it could be perfect for young families looking for some wholesome couch time. However, there's a critical lack of strategic substance underpinning it all, while the presence of a virtual guiding hand tilting the odds robs the game of the emotional extremes that the true classics manage to evoke.

Trials of Mana proves itself to be a successful revival of a lost classic, smartly infusing new design and content where necessary while still maintaining the spirit of the original. Multi-threaded storylines, an enjoyable combat system and flexible character progression combine to make this one a fantastic experience from start to finish, even if occasional performance problems hinder the experience somewhat. We’d give Trials of Mana a high recommendation to RPG fans and newcomers alike; there’s plenty here to love for both camps, and we hope that this release could act as a blueprint for future entries in the Mana series.

With only 3 episodes coming out at around 2 or 3 hours of total gameplay max, we’re a bit disappointed that such a short experience has been split into 2 separate releases. There’s potential here, but the ending really sneaks up on you; just when you feel you’re starting to get to know the characters, it’s over, and we were left feeling rather deflated by the experience as a result. Aside from watching events play out and roughly moulding the story to suit your goals, there’s little else to do in Later Daters, and we feel the experience might have been greatly enhanced with some mini-games to flesh out the overall length. Nevertheless, it’s a cute little tale with likeable characters, pleasant visuals, and an excellent, catchy title theme song.

Anodyne mixes solid old-school dungeon crawling with a delightfully weird and warped narrative set in a fever dreamscape full of bizarre secrets and surprises. The gameplay mechanics might not offer anything particularly new but Young's adventure still manages to throw up plenty of original and off-kilter scenarios and is something of a gem in the Switch's line-up of retro action-adventure titles.

Totally Reliable Delivery Service feels like a bit of a prank. It’s a game so doggedly determined to annoy you with its infuriating control scheme, shocking graphics and poor implementation of DLC, we can’t imagine anyone genuinely enjoying it. The only scenario in which this would be a fun experience would be if you played it with a group of friends locally, but even then, the intended chaos of the game's ragdoll physics feels completely anticlimactic, and instead, it just feels like an utter waste of time.

Songbird Symphony hasn’t uncovered some magical gameplay combination by crossing platforming with rhythm action. However, if you think you’d like to play a good, easy game in that unique space, with some headroom for more advanced music gaming, Joysteak has delivered with style and humour.

With a very short runtime, those familiar with the shoot-em-up genre might not get a lot out of this game. We think this reflects quite well in its price, however, and for a game that started life as an April Fool’s joke, it’s actually very accomplished. If you’re up for a few laughs, definitely give this one a go; it’s a great start to what could potentially be a highly enjoyable, lasting franchise.

Chapeau is quite possibly one of the most bizarre multiplayer games we’ve played in a good while. Pitting up to four opponents against one another, you take control of a sentient hat, with the aim of the game being to ‘tag’ as many humans as possible by leaping onto their heads. It’s a chaotic game that takes a bit of getting used to, and even when you’ve mastered its clunky controls, the game modes simply aren’t compelling enough to keep you invested.

If you can tolerate the punctilious demands of the basic movement, you may wring some joy out of Gunbrick: Reloaded. There's definitely a clever idea here, and the later levels offer some trickier puzzling to get your teeth into which mitigates the problem a tiny bit – but getting to that point may be a bridge too far given the resolutely irritating early stages. It's a shame, because a lot of effort has clearly gone into its presentation, but Gunbrick: Reloaded just isn't want we're looking for from a puzzle-platformer.

This is a game that looks and plays much better in docked mode. When you're hooning around a busy Paris or Miami street, looking for that next pick-up or tight turn on the horizon, the extra resolution and detail really helps.

A very pleasant surprise indeed, In Other Waters is a bit of a minimalist masterpiece that you'll often want to dip into for a more contemplative experience than the majority of the Switch's library. It has found a perfect home on the handheld, the form factor of which massively works in the favour of the game's mood and atmosphere to create an exceptional and unique experience. What you're getting here is a story that you're an integral part of, and it's one of the coolest, cleverest games we've played in a long time. An absolutely first-class effort.

There are very few games like Curious Expedition available on the eShop at the time of writing, and that unique identity is something not to be dismissed out of hand. The hexagon map design, punishing difficulty, and focus on emergent events help Curious Expedition build its case, but the simplistic visuals and lack of overarching progression do hinder its appeal. If you’re pining for a more punishing and simpler RPG experience that calls back to the days of tabletop gaming, Curious Expedition is quite literally made for you. If that’s not your cup of tea, then we’d encourage you to more closely examine whether this is something you really feel like dropping the cash on. Curious Expedition is a rewarding and enjoyable roguelite, but it‘s far from a necessary buy.

The odds are quite good that you will never get the chance to play Cooking Mama: Cookstar, and that’s probably for the best. Beyond its status as a curiosity item in the wake of the mess surrounding its release, there is absolutely nothing about Cooking Mama: Cookstar that justifies the price of admission. Extremely shallow gameplay, terrible motion controls, and some of the worst voice acting we’ve heard in a modern video game make for an experience that’s woefully average at best and outright unenjoyable at the worst. If you happen to be fortunate enough to come across a copy, you could always pick it up purely for its resale value and as a conversation piece, but do yourself a favour and don’t waste your time actually playing it.

Though not quite as accomplished as the recent Spyro and Crash Bandicoot remasters, TY the Tasmanian Tiger HD still delivers an enjoyable Aussie-themed adventure. The new visuals are great, but some camera angle fixes and a few more gameplay updates would have been appreciated. However, this is a game that will easily 'TY' you over until the next big release, especially if you're a fan of the original game.

Unfortunately, the graphics and overall presentation don’t hold up quite as well at the gameplay itself. The environments are nice enough and display an '80s aesthetic that works rather well, but the character models themselves lack detail, resulting in a bit of difficulty telling them apart during the more hectic moments. We also noticed some slowdown here and there, but thankfully this is minimal. If you’re not too fussed about detailed visuals, then HyperParasite will no doubt keep you hooked with its unique parasite gameplay mechanic and exciting gun-play.

From a technical perspective, the Switch port of Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories is an absolute mess. Narratively and artistically, however, it’s one of the most fascinating games in recent memory. Its emotionally engaging exploration of a disastrous incident’s human aftermath is about as far as it’s possible to get from the Hollywood blockbuster treatment – and it’s all the better for it. If you can fight past the technical shortcomings – which, it's worth stating, are pretty considerable – then you'll find an experience that's totally unique on Switch, and that's no mean feat when you consider the depth of the console's library.

Ara Fell: Enhanced Edition is a difficult game to wholeheartedly recommend. JRPG veterans will likely fall into one of two camps – scornful of the game's simplistic mechanics, or appreciative of its polished take on very familiar genre tropes. For newcomers to this sort of game, it's a similar problem; the lack of complexity will either make the game pleasingly accessible or simply bore them. It's therefore best to consider whether or not you feel a JRPG can sustain itself on strong worldbuilding and characters, or if you feel that gameplay is king and without a meaty combat system there's just not enough to get your teeth into. For us, while Ara Fell is profoundly lovely in every aspect besides its gameplay; it is still a game, and it wouldn't have taken much more combat polish to turn this into an unequivocal recommendation. If you don't care about the combat, then it's easier to recommend.

If you’re after a unique experience, Wandersong completely has you covered. The singing mechanic works perfectly, and while it may feel a bit too easy at times, the combination of the visuals, writing, and various gameplay objectives across a generous seven-act structure make for an incredibly compelling platforming experience that you’d do well to check out.

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.

If you’ve played a Warriors game before, then you’ve basically played One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4. Thin story, okay graphics, and somewhat shallow but satisfying action gameplay are all par for the course here, not to mention a lion’s share of content to work through. If you’ve ever been curious what this sub-genre is all about, this is a great place to jump in with its easily approachable gameplay and that lovably goofy One Piece aesthetic. If you’re a long time fan, we’d encourage you to ask yourself how much you want more of the same and decide based on that. One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 is the furthest thing from reinventing the wheel, but it sure has its unique and addictive gameplay loop down to a science.

While it’s not the best the series has been – many could argue Jedi Knight II or Jedi Outcast will perpetually battle for that title – Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is still a fun and lengthy trek across the (non-canon) Star Wars universe. The multiplayer doesn’t live up to its former glories, but the sprawling and semi non-linear campaign certainly makes up for it with its lightning-fast lightsaber combat and that silly quintessentially silly approach to Star Wars that was still rife in the early 2000s. Don’t expect Jedi: Fallen Order, but do expect a time capsule of an action-adventure.

Zombie Army Trilogy is a solid co-op shooter with a fantastically pulpy set-up that does exactly what it sets out to, pitting you and up to three other players against an almost endless army of gloriously gory undead Nazis and letting you snipe, shotgun and kick every last one of them to pieces. It may be of somewhat limited appeal when played solo, but gather together a crew or join forces with randoms online and this one springs to life, providing countless hours of admirably straightforward skull-smashing fun.

One Step From Eden is an exceptionally well-made game with great combat and responsive controls. The whole thing is brilliantly slick and polished; it just feels like it could use a difficulty balancing patch to make it feel just that little bit fairer. We're sure many of you will be uttering the phrase 'git gud' right now, but there's no denying that One Step From Eden is just that little bit too unforgiving, and this will certainly cause many players to bounce right off it in those first few hours. However, those who stick with it will be handsomely rewarded; if you can stomach the challenge, it's a hearty recommendation.

Good Job! Is a wonderful surprise that everyone should try out. Thanks to its hilarious physics, seemingly menial tasks have the potential to descend into utter carnage – whether intentional or not – and its grading system means there are plenty of opportunities to replay. Slight technical hiccups aside, its arrival comes at a time when we all could do with a bit of a laugh, and Good Job! is absolutely guaranteed to do just that.

Operencia: The Stolen Sun is a mostly excellent first person, grid-based dungeon crawler that's brought brilliantly to life via an engaging story, fun cast of characters and some well-designed and hugely atmospheric dungeons. Combat here is satisfying and puzzles, for the most part, land just on the right side of challenging. If you're looking for a meaty old-school dungeon-crawling adventure with a ton of secrets and treasures to find as you make your way across its world, this one comes as a nice surprise and is highly recommended.

Mekorama looks a lot like Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. There’s no getting around this, but in the same way that Metroid Prime looks a lot like other FPS titles, it doesn’t quite play the same. In fact, Mekorama is played entirely on the Switch’s touch screen (or with an on-screen cursor, if you wish), and feels completely different to Nintendo’s own puzzler.

We cannot wholeheartedly recommend Gigantosaurus: The Game to anyone. Young children who love the animated show may well get some limited enjoyment out of it, but with poor graphics, a total lack of any discernible challenge, and shocking technical issues, it’s yet another licensed title that feels like it was designed as a quick cash grab. Games like this need to become extinct, and fast.

Mystic Vale looks as good as it needs to, with no clutter to speak of and all the information you need to inform your decisions only ever a swipe away. It's not a complex game but it is an involved one in which you'll make a lot of choices and take a lot of gambles. We'd say that the biggest compliment we can give Mystic Vale is that after just a few games we were looking online for the physical version to get our friends involved. It's a quick play (games generally won't stretch past 20-30 minutes) and it's a lot of fun to spend time with. A polished, playable way to spend any allotment of time.

We’re sure there are people out there that would get some enjoyment out of this game, but quite frankly, we’re struggling to believe that might be true. Its gameplay is sluggish, the graphics are poor, and the general premise is just baffling. It may be cheap, but we’d much sooner encourage everyone to save their pennies and go for the real deal instead. This game is a load of poop.

Panzer Dragoon: Remake is a decent take on an all-time classic that goes some way to modernising it, but doesn't quite nail the landing. Awkward controls and a visual style that's a clear improvement but could still look much better result in a game that’s mainly for fans of the original who are curious to see how it would look with a new lick of paint.

SeaBed is a beautiful, emotional work of digital literature that won’t be to everyone’s taste, but come in with the appropriate expectations and there’s a true masterpiece of the visual novel medium waiting to be enjoyed here.

The original La-Mulana was a masterpiece in its own right, but we’d contend that it’s been edged out by the sequel. What we have here is an expertly-paced, crushingly difficult, and utterly mystifying adventure that constantly beckons you to explore deeper and acquaint yourself with its unique charms. La-Mulana 2 definitely isn’t for everybody – if you consider yourself an impatient or clumsy player, steer clear – but those who put in the time and effort to crack this nut will be deeply satisfied that they did so. We’d give La-Mulana 2 a high recommendation for anybody looking for a deep and challenging new Metroidvania for their Switch; it’s an acquired taste, but one you will come to savour.

Though brilliant in its design, La-Mulana is definitely one of those games that will only appeal to a dedicated few. This is not a game you can casually play every once in a while, and expect to get a great experience; it demands a little more of its players than that through its peerless puzzle design. If you do give it the time of day, however, La-Mulana proves itself to be one of the most intricately-crafted Metroidvanias in recent memory. We’d give La-Mulana a strong recommendation, then, but with the caveat that you come into this one expecting to be frustrated and stuck often. Don’t be scared off by the daunting difficulty, this is one for the ages.

By removing the basic ability to turn direction whilst walking, Wunderling proves itself to be an incredibly addictive platformer that boasts excellent level design, brilliant writing, and adorable visuals. Its impressive accessibility means that almost anyone can pick it up, but it simultaneously remains challenging enough to keep you engaged for hours.

While Saints Row the Third proved a more inconsistent port – mainly because it was a much older game – Saints Row IV: Re-Elected fares far better with better performance, minimal input lag and a refreshingly solid output in handheld mode. It’s gunplay is always going to be messy and its unashamed sense of humour will undoubtedly offend some, but having such an activity rich experience running so well on your handheld console isn’t to be sniffed at. And with so much extra content available in the Re-Elected package, Switch players have another long-term investment on their hands.

While it inherits many of the problems that made the first game feel quite insubstantial, My Hero One’s Justice 2 is a still a notable step forwards thanks to the introduction of new modes and a far meatier story mode. The action can still be a little messy and it lacks the precision offered by many other anime-inspired fighters, but with over 40 characters from the canon to choose from, an impressively deep customisation system and a constant stream of rewards, this is a still an authentic tribute to the series that My Hero Academia fans will get the most kicks from. Fighting game aficionados will probably go elsewhere, but for those looking for a fun and mostly chaotic fighter will find an enjoyable experience here.

“Hot seat” style play is available, with you passing the Switch between your friends, alongside the more traditional multiplayer gameplay with everyone using their own controller. In a welcome addition, there’s also cross-platform online play, so you’ll be able to play with friends on the Steam, Android and iOS versions. Ultimately, it’s an extremely well-made conversion of a beloved board game to a system that’s pretty much perfect for it. The only real caveats are the excess of DLC and – let’s face it – the fairly unbalanced gameplay of the original Talisman. It’s a wonderful version of a game we love, but if you demand an absolutely level playing field in your entertainment, you may want to knock a point or two off this score.

Enter The Gungeon die-hards will be instantly familiar with the weird and wonderful world presented by Exit The Gungeon, but they might be taken aback by the shift in gameplay. This is a finely honed action-platformer that adds a new dimension to the blasting and dodge rolling. It's not always a flawless transition, and this is a significantly less rich and rewarding experience than the original. But those after a retro-tinged arcade challenge should by all means lock and load.

Playing Ibb & Obb on your own is an absolute no-go; it just won't work. But get together with a friend – preferably via local play – and you'll have an absolute blast with this game. Some of the puzzles can be excruciatingly challenging at first, but it's immensely satisfying when you finally figure out how to beat it together. It's yet another fine co-op title to add to the Switch's library.

While it was already something of a relic when it launched on the N64 almost 25 years ago, Doom 64 remains a great example of just how refined a formula the series offers and just how good a job the late Midway did in the shadow of id Software. The lack of local multiplayer support still stings, even after all these years, but with support for motion controls on Switch – something Nightdive has already pulled off to a tee with its Turok ports – and the addition of a new DOOM Eternal-themed level, this is classic retro shooter that deserves a little more love.

Neon City Riders promises an epic open-world action-adventure set in a vibrant '80s sci-fi world, but its action and writing are far too flat and clunky to back up its initial promise. It looks and sounds a treat in places, but lacklustre execution makes for a punishing, repetitive and confounding experience. Pull away that admittedly amazing pixel-heavy packaging and you've got a game that fails to make a lasting impression in any meaningful manner.

Stela is a platform-puzzler that's quite clearly been made in Inside's (and indeed Limbo’s) image. It's a serviceable approximation of Playdead's work, with a beautifully strange world and even a couple of neat ideas of its own. But it fails to immerse you in its world in quite the same way courtesy of some unfortunate flat spots.

3000th Duel is a highly enjoyable Metroidvania that some would argue borrows a bit too much from Dark Souls. With engaging combat bolstered by lots of unlockable weapons, a decent progression system, and some truly memorable boss fights, it can stand proud amongst the many examples of the genre currently available on Switch, even if it doesn't quite do enough to feel truly unique. Still, if you loved From Software's Souls series and fancy some more of the same, you could do a lot worse.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons takes Animal Crossing and not only drags it back onto home consoles, but improves upon every single facet imaginable. There's more to do, more to see, more to change, more to mould, and more to love; fans and first-time players are going to find themselves losing hours at a time gathering materials, creating new furniture, and making their island undeniably theirs. Every moment is unashamedly blissful, with excellently-written characters that truly feel alive and an island paradise that gives infinitely back more than you put in. Back when Animal Crossing: New Leaf hit the shelves all those years ago and created a whole new generation of fans, many people were wondering how Nintendo could possibly top it, but here we have our answer. This is a masterpiece that has been well worth waiting for.

Syder Reloaded is a solid addition to the steadily-growing library of quality shmups on the Nintendo Switch. The game has an engaging visual presentation, thoughtful accessibility and extras, comfortable controls, decent sound design, and a unique gameplay style that is fairly uncommon among shmups these days. And while we felt that the gameplay could be improved upon with more concentrated stages and frenetic enemy abundance, we still had a lot of fun playing and recommend the game for those looking for a fresh take on the free-scrolling shmup sub-genre.

Whether or not Langrisser I & II is the release for you ultimately depends on your affection for decidedly simpler, but more straightforward RPGs. This isn’t a release to shock and awe you with its innovative mechanics or boundary-breaking storytelling, but if you’re feeling up for an old-fashioned, no-frills SRPG romp, Langrisser I & II has what you’re looking for in spades. Corny storytelling and occasionally sluggish gameplay aside, both of the games present here hold up reasonably well, helped in no small part by the minor gameplay tweaks and remastered assets. We’d give Langrisser I & II a light recommendation; it’s not exactly a ‘must-have’ title, but there’s plenty to love here and it’s sure to keep you busy for quite some time.

This is a perfectly serviceable visual novel which boasts gorgeous presentation but is held back by its short runtime, lack of narrative ambition and rough edges in terms of localisation. It's not going to make you fall in love with the genre if you're a newcomer, but longstanding fans will be more forgiving of its shortcomings.

For some, the technical jank may be enough to put them off engaging with Dead or School fully. That’d be a real shame, though; allow yourself to get wrapped up in the narrative, the mechanics, the piles of loot, the beautifully designed stages and the game’s wonderful sense of style, and there’s something truly special to enjoy here; an honest-to-goodness hidden gem if ever there was one.

It’s a perfect blend of 2D sprites and 3D environments, and everything from the character models to the tiny cups of coffee burst with personality - it’s one of the most beautiful pixel art games we’ve seen in a good while. Similarly, the music is wonderfully upbeat, and the combination of this along with the colourful visuals make for an incredibly pleasant gaming experience.

Overpass is an awkward, ornery racing game that stubbornly refuses to indulge your need for speed and instant gratification. It makes you work for every shaved second and clean section, with a unique brand of technical off-road obstacle negotiation that will have casual racing game players tearing their hair out - and a fair few hardened fanatics to boot. Given the lack of analogue triggers on the Joy-Con and even with this hardcore focus in mind, Overpass is simply too rough around the edges to win anything more than a heavily qualified recommendation. But a very specific sort of glutton for automotive punishment will lap it up.

Afterparty is certainly an acquired taste, but—like a fine wine or a good beer—it’s definitely worth the effort. From beginning to end, Night School's follow up to Oxenfree is a thoroughly enjoyable narrative experience that draws you into a hellish world that you (ironically) won’t want to leave. Branching paths and a smartly implemented drink system add plenty of options for replayability, and though the performance leaves something to be desired, Afterparty proves itself to be a visual treat. We’d give Afterparty a high recommendation to anyone looking for a good story to immerse themselves in; this is one that goes down real smooth.

Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late is a super slick, fast-paced fighter that manages to successfully straddle the line between being instantly accessible and welcoming for newcomers and in-depth enough to satisfy hardcore fight fans. Its line-up of twenty-one fighters are much more exciting than their anime stylings may suggest, and the Chronicles mode gives fans of the visual novel element of the game plenty to sink their teeth into. With the most comprehensive training and tutorial modes we've ever encountered in a fighting game, this is easily one of the most well-rounded, satisfying and instantly engaging brawlers on Switch and – even with an online mode which seems to be in need of some attention – there's plenty for fans of the genre to sink their teeth into here.

Aside from its compact size and some overwritten (but nonetheless beautifully-rendered) story scenes, there really isn't much to fault with Oddmar. Its cartoon-Norse universe is richly drawn and beautifully animated, while its classic 2D platforming is sharply executed. Of course, the game finds itself in a significantly more competitive field now that it's on the eShop, which lays bare the lack of anything genuinely new or exciting about it. But the simple fact that it provides such a pristine bite-sized example of the format is impressive enough.

Both the Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha and Psikyo Shooting Stars Bravo collections are pretty close in value to one another. While Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha is perhaps the better of the two due to the consistent quality of the Strikers games, we also harbour a soft spot for the Gunbird series on Psikyo Shooting Stars Bravo, especially Gunbird 2. Sengoku Cannon is so poor it might as well not exist in the collection, but Samurai Aces Episode 1 and Gunbarich are stronger than Alpha's Sol Divide and Zero Gunner 2, so which collection is better is mostly going to come down to preference between the Gunbird or Strikers series. Another constant between them, sadly, is the high level of input lag and lack of bonus material to make the collection really stand out.

Murder By Numbers successfully manages to combine an entertainingly wacky series of whodunnit mysteries starring a properly entertaining cast of characters with some excellent puzzling that'll keep Picross fans happy for a good long while. There's an engaging, funny narrative at the centre of proceedings, and you'll find yourself rooting for Honor and SCOUT as they make friends and alienate people on their way to solving murders and finding out the truth behind SCOUT's mysterious past. This one's an easy recommendation and a genuinely delightful surprise.

It’s a little bit of a cop-out, but if you enjoy this series you are likely to wring a tremendous amount of gaming glee out of Boulder Dash 30th Anniversary. It’s vintage stuff and plenty of it. However, if you’re totally new to the series, you can expect to get viscerally frustrated by the old-school microcomputer cruelty exhibited by many of the levels; it’s also a little tainted by a terrible UI held over from its mobile game past. Still, the price is right and if you’re up for a proper challenge there are much worse ways to get your rocks off – or you could just wait a few years for Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary, which will most likely arrive on a Nintendo console many years after its initial release.

Ultimately, Spartan Fist is a pretty shallow experience for the most part. Visually, the game is really on point, and the pixelated graphics look great, especially when fountains of blocky blood (or rainbows, if you wish) fill the screen when you take down your foes. Sadly, the gameplay that forms the foundation of the experience just isn't up to scratch with this one.

A beautiful game with potentially hundreds of hours of gameplay, there's still no getting away from the fact that this is a 15-year-old GBA title at its core. The dungeon crawling genre has evolved over the years to try and make things feel less repetitive, and while Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX does add some features to try to modernise the process a bit, they tend to fall flat. It's still fun in bursts, it just gets samey after a while.

Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle goes well beyond a standard ROM compilation due to proper curation of the source material, and it successfully shines an overdue spotlight onto a sizeable selection of 8-bit Kunio masterpieces that most Western players never had the chance to experience. Contrary to what the tile may suggest, the NES games included end up being merely filler, while the real thrillers are undoubtedly the Famicom games, accessible to non-Japanese gamers for the first time here. A very large offering of varied single-player content complements nearly infinite multiplayer replayability, provided you keep it local, of course, as finding a game online is borderline impossible.

Bloodroots is an incredibly well-made action title that will keep you hooked with its excellent, flowing combat gameplay. The ability to use pretty much every item littering the world as a weapon means you'll be constantly experimenting to find the most efficient way of defeating your foes. Some lengthy load times and a few camera issues aside, this is a game that almost certainly belongs in your Switch library.

Hero must die. again is better than the sum of its parts, with its genuinely emotional premise and a strangely relaxing feel despite the time constraint. There are far worse ways to while away the hours.

Of the 16 Sega Ages games released to date, this sits nearer the bottom end of the scale. While it isn't quite as limited as the first Puyo Puyo, it's still very much a one-trick pony, and while it's entertaining enough for fans of the series, when you've got the far more feature-heavy Puyo Puyo Champions on Switch for only a couple of pounds or dollars more, this one is entirely unnecessary.

As a strategy game, Gambare! Super Strikers works well enough, but the novelty quickly wears a bit thin. The general gameplay is loaded with options to play around with, but a lot of it feels too reliant on luck, and we just can’t shake the feeling that it should be just a little bit faster. Still, if you’re a fan of the sport and want to get stuck in with the more strategic aspect of football, then this will definitely keep you busy for a while.

Kitty Powers' Matchmaker is a cute and inclusive dating simulator that does a great job of normalising love, regardless of gender, sexuality or appearance. While it doesn’t really hold up as a long-term experience, as a short term foray into the world of running a dating agency, Kitty Powers' Matchmaker really comes together. Dates are short and snappy, and it’s pretty rewarding to see a client end an evening with a new significant other. Mini-games are fun for a while, and grinding away to unlock new pages of the black book really opens up your options, but that gameplay loop can start to become a little too repetitive and a little too predictable after a while.

While the game's basic graphics are knowingly naff and amateurish, they're still, well, a bit naff and amateurish. There's a deliberate Flash game aesthetic at play here that helps with its speed and legibility, especially in handheld mode, but it's not pretty. True, the developer mixes things up and keeps you on your toes with new twists and additions – as well as a couple of bonus modes (including an endless Gauntlet mode and co-op multiplayer) – but you're still essentially pressing the same two buttons again and again. Thankfully, it's always an awful lot of fun to press those two buttons. One Finger Death Punch 2 offers a one-two combo that might be simple, but boy is it effective.

A brilliant presentation of a fantastic platformer, with a reasonable helping of extra features (some useful, others fairly throwaway). If you haven't played Sonic 2 before it's a must-have: whether it's worth buying if you already have the game in some other form, though, is questionable.

We’d give this one a high recommendation to anyone looking for an engaging yet undemanding game for their Switch. With that being said, those of you who have already played it on the 3DS may want to pause before buying it again, as the new features alone do little to justify the cost of entry once more. Either way, Rune Factory 4 Special proves itself to be a modern classic and a shining example of how good this genre can be; make sure to give it a shot.

It makes things a little repetitive unless you have faith in your ability not to die – which is hard because Willy isn't the most resilient little guy, dying in two or three hits from pretty much every enemy in the early game, when the experience is in its formative stages. Despite these little drawbacks, we were impressed with Willy Jetman. It rises above its derivative title and offers an attractive, intricate, very much hand-crafted Metroidvania-lite experience.

Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection is everything that you could’ve hoped it to be. This is ultimately six great Mega Man games presented to you with a slew of customizable features, extra content, and quality of life updates. If you’re a fan of either Mega Man or sidescrolling action games in general, you owe it to yourself to give this release a go and see what all the fuss is about. These are hard and occasionally frustrating games, but they offer up some rewarding, action-heavy gameplay that even today stands among the best of its class. Don’t pass this one up, it’s definitely worth the punt.

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.

Metro 2033 Redux is a top-class first-person shooter/survival horror game, a breathless experience that's been almost flawlessly ported to Switch by 4A Games. Artyom's desperate, haunting voyage through the irradiated remains of Moscow is every bit as engaging today as it was when it first released back in 2010, and this Redux version benefits massively from overhauled AI, gameplay mechanics and visuals. In terms of first-person shooters or survival horror games on Nintendo's console, this is one of the very best.

Metro Redux is a top-notch first-person survival horror package that delivers countless hours of thrilling stealth combat all wrapped up in a superb story. These are two of the most atmospheric games you'll likely play set in a beautifully detailed depiction of post-apocalyptic Russia. 4A Games has delivered a port that stands shoulder to shoulder with Alien: Isolation as the very best we've seen on Switch so far – an almost flawless experience which should absolutely be right at the top of any FPS or survival horror fan's must-buy list. This is essential stuff.

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.

The Switch is fast becoming the perfect home for roguelikes, and Kunai is in esteemed company. The game holds itself well and is great fun, even if it lacks any real innovation. The unique weapon combinations can make each run different and interesting, but the repetitive nature of each level means that Kunai's replayability could be in doubt.

Speedway Racing is a mostly competent but ultimately unexceptional attempt to emulate the thrills and spills of Daytona USA – a courageous endeavour indeed. But like the many faux sponsorship advertisements dotted around this game’s speedways, closer inspection drops the curtain to reveal some hard-to-ignore shortcomings. The fun we got out of it clearly demonstrates potential, but a severe lack of customisation options, absence of smooth 60FPS performance and the availability of better racing games on the Switch all conspire to put an unavoidable dent into the bodywork. This is still fun for a few days without ruining your bank account, but it is forever left-turning near the back of the pack.

Vitamin Connection is a kaleidoscopic mishmash of influences and genres – part cutesy shooter, part mini-game collection. Not all of its ideas stick, and there are a couple of points of friction caused by its tilt controls, but when it's on song, this is a charming sugar rush of an experience – especially if you're after a new couch-co-op game.

Nintendo Switch is really racking up a decent selection of shooters. Warface isn’t particularly pretty, and its approach to content access means you’ll likely spend most of your time playing with rented items and weapons, but it’s still brought solid asymmetrical online FPS action to Switch in a way no other shooter has managed thus far. It might not have the slickness of the bigger boys in the genre, but with stable performance in both modes and a huge amount of content (both now and in the future) the likes of Payday 2, Paladins, Fortnite and Warframe now have another rival for your online hours.

The highest praise we can give Two Point Hospital is that it feels impossible not to have fun with it. It’s zanier than an episode of Scrubs and shot through with some of the most satisfying sim gameplay of any title this generation. It may be heavily inspired by games that came before, but in truth, it feels like a natural evolution of Bullfrog’s title, surpassing it in so many ways and is an endlessly enjoyable addition to the Switch’s third-party library. It's also arguably the best version of the game so far, given its visual similarity to other versions, and being able to carry the experience around with you makes it even more appealing and addictive.

Devil May Cry 3 remains one of the very best action games ever made. It has certainly aged in places, but that turbo-charged, combo-heavy action feels as fresh today as it did back in 2005. The new Freestyle mode – which lets players swap combat styles on the fly at any point during the action – is a genuinely excellent addition to the package, and the ability to play Bloody Palace in local co-op is the cherry on top of a Switch port that should appeal to anyone interested in sampling the devilish delights of this all-time classic.

Brief Battles is a raucous little game that provides another option for Switch players looking for some decent four player, local multiplayer party times. It's easy to pick up and - owing to that clever mix of pant-powers, environmental obstacles and unique style of traversal - has a level of depth that introduces a pleasing amount of tactics for dedicated players. It's also priced really reasonably so is well worth taking a punt on if you're regularly inundated with friends wanting to get some couch co-op action on the go.

Code: Realize Guardian of Rebirth is a solid visual novel with a unique steampunk setting and a bunch of well-written and pretty likeable lead characters. The mystery surrounding Cardia's bizarre situation combined with suitors based on well-known 18th-century literary characters is an engaging mix and, even if you're not really all that bothered with romancing a bunch of lads, there's plenty here to keep you reading and exploring the various routes and scenarios until you've seen everything this one's got to offer.

Darksiders Genesis is, for us, the best entry in the series in terms of its mix of satisfyingly meaty hack-and-slash action and huge levels filled with secrets, puzzles and platforming. With its fully co-op campaign, unlockable arena mode and Apocalyptic difficulty feeding into that addictive Creature Core grinding, there's an absolute ton here for fans of the series – and newcomers alike – to get stuck into. This Switch version may suffer some slight blurriness and FPS hiccups in portable mode but, if you can make peace with these problems, this is a highly entertaining action game at a very reasonable price.

Warriors Orochi 4 was a solid, if uninspired, Musou game and this 'Ultimate' edition fleshes things out with some new characters and modes, significantly beefs up the story and tweaks the central gameplay here and there. However, the additions that have been made sometimes feel like the least amount of effort that was possible. The new playable characters, although fun, are pretty much slapped in without any fanfare, new weapons don't even have unique skins and Infinity Mode feels like a bit of a missed opportunity. Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate is definitely an improvement over the vanilla version of the game – and absolutely the way to go if you're keen but have yet to pick it up – but it's also a rather disappointingly small one that comes at a pretty steep price for loyal fans who are forking out to upgrade from the base version.

After a couple of passes through its four worlds, there's little if anything to keep you coming back. Even the single-player mode is merely a series of encounters with AI opposition and is really not worthy of sustained attention. Tilt Pack deserves credit for offering the kind of instant arena brawler thrills that anyone can partake in. But that comes at the expense of any lasting appeal.