A fast-paced hack-and-slash with fun, combo-heavy combat and an anime-after-dark aesthetic, Nights of Azure 2 is a great time. Strong characters, endearing interactions, and an interesting plot kept us excited to play more throughout, even if the repetitive missions and environments make for an experience best enjoyed in smaller chunks. There are some noticeable performance issues in handheld mode, and a few interface woes reflect a lack of overall polish, but if you’re looking for an enjoyable action romp with plenty of blood-sucking style, this is an excellent choice.

Fox n Forests can’t be faulted for its fantastically accurate portrayal of 16-bit platforming; very few indie games have managed to nail the look and sound of the SNES so well. Its season-changing gimmick also makes for some inventive moments. Where it lets itself down is in its fiddly controls and its short length, which combine to make a game that’s merely good when it could have been great.

Warborn takes the tried and tested Advance Wars formula, adds a bunch of huge Mechs, some overwrought '90s anime-inspired cutscenes and a story that sees you take control of four different commanders as you seek to restore order to the Auros system. There's nothing inspired or unique here; Raredrop Games is playing it safe and straight down the line, but fans of the genre, and most especially fans of massive Gundam-esque robots, will get a solid (if unspectacular) experience out of what's on offer with this one. Just don't expect any surprises.

The addictive gameplay of past titles is still there, but Tree of Tranquility simply repeats too many past mistakes, with little advantage taken of the Wii’s capabilities other than a few motion controls and minigames.

For all its charm, there's no escaping the fact that Nintendo Pocket Football Club will be compared to rival titles in this genre, and in that regard it falls short.

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

Galaxy Champions TV is a delightful little tribute to Smash TV that perfectly recreates the hectic feel and relentless challenge of that classic while adding a nice little XP and unlock system that freshens things up and gives you something to work towards as you make your way through the forty levels on offer. It's just a shame it lacks any real personality and fails to deliver on its dystopian TV show premise in any fun or clever ways; it's also missing any sort of leaderboard system to give it a bit more longevity. As it stands, for a budget price, this is a still a slick little twin-stick shooter that nails the basics and is well worth your time if you're a fan of the genre.

A good game with lots to unlock and good multiplayer support. But do please be warned: if it’s Lego you’re after, this title probably isn’t for you.

Given that it arrived with practically zero fanfare, Kirby Fighters 2 is a surprisingly brilliant Smash Bros.-style spin-off that simplifies its big brother's control system but still offers a healthy amount of depth with its 22-character roster. Its Story mode, in particular, is a clever and compelling way to make each battle feel important, and that mode alone lasts long enough to make it a worthwhile purchase for solo and co-op gamers.

Heroland is very much style over substance. The graphics, while initially a bit off-putting, are actually quite charming in their own way, with the characters and environments bursting with personality. But the writing and dialogue are the true stars of the show. Make no mistake, this is a very funny game, and you’ll soon be agonising over which of the delightful main characters is your favourite. Unfortunately, it’s not quite enough to hold up the entire game – some folks will automatically gravitate to what is admittedly a unique approach to the RPG genre, but a lot more will likely desire something a bit more hands-on.

The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered is a decent, though unspectacular, dungeon crawler that does a good job of defying some traditional RPG tropes. Mechanics like the elemental system and the randomized character progression help this stand out from the pack, while its simple dungeon-crawling format carries the basic, but satisfying gameplay for dozens of hours. Still, it doesn’t take very long for this one to feel like it’s overstaying its welcome, and more could’ve been done to sand its rougher edges. Legend of Legacy may not be the best example of this genre, but it’s still an enjoyable release for the dungeon-crawling cognoscenti.

Pac-Man World Re-Pac isn’t a game that we’d suggest you rush out and buy at once, but it does a good job of reviving a decent 3D platformer for modern audiences. Tight controls, lots of collectables, and enjoyable level design ultimately outweigh minor performance hiccups, and a general lack of imagination. If you don’t consider yourself a fan of platforming or Pac-Man, nothing here is going to change your mind and we’d suggest you pass. If you like classic-style 3D platformers, Pac-Man World Re-Pac will absolutely prove itself worth your time, even if it doesn’t impress like the best in the genre.

Is Star Wars: The Force Unleashed worth picking up? Eh… potentially. What we have here is a shallow, short, and rather mediocre action game that’s relying awfully hard on nostalgia and the popularity of the Star Wars IP to draw in players. Based solely on its own merits, there’s little here that’s really worth your time. Simplistic level designs, weak combat, frequent quick time events, and low replay value make this one hard to recommend. It’s got a decent story and soundtrack, but neither of these things are good enough to outweigh the negatives. If you’re just looking for another Star Wars game to add to your collection, this certainly fits the bill; if you’re looking for a high-quality hack ‘n’ slash, it doesn’t. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is simply a passable game; not one we’d actively avoid, but you’re not missing much if you choose to skip it.

Don't let the lawn gnome theme or silly title scare you away - 2 Fast 4 Gnomz is a great little eShop effort. It's fast, fun, and challenging, with a charming art style and a sense of humour running through the entire experience. It won't win any points for originality, but what's here is done well, and fans of tough endless runners will have a great time with these little guys.

Aerial_Knight's Never Yield is very obviously a passion project that's had a ton of love poured into its super stylish aesthetics and excellent soundtrack, however, it's also one that's rather sorely lacking in the gameplay department. Wally's runs through this futuristic take on Detroit needed more in the way of challenge and variety in order to keep things interesting — more obstacles, more twists and turns and opportunities to show off your skills as you improve and take on higher difficulties. As things stand, this is one slick looking and sounding game that just doesn't manage to provide an incentive to keep playing for very long.

The Teal Mask is a fun diversion for Pokémon Scarlet & Violet players that builds on the base game's strengths, but also exposes its weaknesses that much more. Fortunately, those strengths sparkle and Terastalize into a breezy, fun experience that delivers some rich regional storytelling, great characters, and some fantastic new Pokémon. We wanted more, though — more love and care put into the visuals and the battles. The Indigo Disk has a chance to build on the foundations The Teal Mask has laid, and we hope that's exactly what it will do.

Many of the avoidable snags found in GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon were solved by genre predecessors long before this game was announced. There is no doubt that in a few patches time this could be a fantastic game — but that's if Konami, which hasn't been in many gamer's good books for a long time, actually grants the development team the time and the funding to work on it. As it stands the game could end up being something special, the trouble is other similar Switch titles already are.

LEGO The Incredibles is exactly the kind of inoffensive and family-friendly action adventure fun you’d expect from a TT Games offering. You’re better off watching the film before you buy as it’ll ruin the plot without a second thought, but with its activity-filled sandbox and the usual mix of platforming and puzzle-solving, it’s an ideal way to keep younger fans happy once they leave the cinema. You just can’t help but shake the feeling this should have been a LEGO Dimensions level pack rather than a full-game.

Timberline Studio's debut game holds a lot of promise, with writing and animations that are both full to the brim with personality and wit. However, The Red Lantern's core game loop suffers from repetitive, punishingly random events that make the player feel passive and helpless to the whims of fate.

88 Heroes: 98 Heroes Edition took on the gargantuan challenge of cramming 98 playable characters into a single game, and while we commend the attempt the results have been a little shy of heroic. There's so much diversity to the size, shape, and moveset of each hero, that it comes at the cost of a more tightly designed set of levels and challenges. There's a lot of personality to every aspect of its presentation, and the heroes themselves are fantastic fun to mess around with, so it's just a shame that it falls a little short overall. If you're looking for something thoroughly silly and don't mind it being a short lived experience, then this is almost gr8, but don't expect much in the way of replayability m8.

Super Blood Hockey is an entertaining sports game, but not necessarily one that will hold your attention for very long. Even with the abundance of options and game modes, the actual matches themselves play out rather similarly to one another, and there’s very little strategy at play here. Nevertheless, it’s a fun ride while it lasts, and you’ll undoubtedly blow off a bit of pent-up steam with this one.

Another Crab’s Treasure boasts the usual facets of a Soulslike whilst also implementing its own take on well-known mechanics. Nevertheless, significant drops in frame rate, numerous glitches, and occasionally awkward controls do hinder the experience, at least on Nintendo Switch. If you can look past these problems, or if updates arrive to patch them up, Another Crab’s Treasure may scratch your Soulslike itch.

The action tower defence experience is relatively compulsive, with the daily structure implementing a combination of strategic thinking, frantic item gathering and action-filled combat. On the downside, the control scheme feels awkward, especially for left-handed gamers, and the lack of alternative options is a surprising oversight.

Biomotor Unitron seems like an awesome mecha-building RPG that draws inspiration from some of our favourite classic games, but in reality it’s a shallow curiosity with a fair share of charm to sink an afternoon or two into and not much more. The pieces are here – in fact, we’d love to see a Biomotor Unitron-like game made with modern sensibilities – but the motivation to motor on through the monotonous random battles to rank up in the arena depends wholly on how much you’ll enjoy some vivid sprites and catchy retro tunes.

Vostok Inc’s blend of money-generating ‘clicker’ gameplay and frantic twin-stick shooter action works well; as you find yourself getting to grips with the necessary procedures and start to have a system in place, you’ll find an increasing amount of fun in the game’s upgrade systems, combat, and exploration. Unfortunately, this fun reaches a peak around halfway through your adventure as you realise that you’re spending an awful lot of time doing the exact same things over and over again. Vostok Inc is a good game that will definitely provide you with several hours of enjoyment and, if you like the sound of its mixed genre, we’d encourage you to try it out – just make sure you’re ready to follow similar tasks for a long time if you do.

Space Invaders Extreme is awesome, but even in the guise of a cut-down compilation, Space Invaders Forever is lacking as a package. Better titles could have been chosen, and the way the apps are laid out is strange and disconnected. When it drops in price, this will be essential for Extreme alone. If you want Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders, that's available on your phone for a fair price, and better suited to that format in general. A disappointing and confusing package, but one that we strongly recommend at a discount just to get Space Invaders Extreme. It's that good. All six of these points are for it, and it alone.

While flawed in a few areas, the superb online experience and high speed action strapped into the little cartridge here packs enough thrills to satisfy any 3DS owner with an insistence for speed.

Bloody Vampire is a bit rough around the edges, and it's far from original, but it combines its sleeve-borne influences into a stylised package that's a lot of fun. Fans of Metroidvania-style games looking for an eShop fix will get well more than their $5 worth of fun here, and newcomers up for designated save spots and the absence of a map should definitely look into spending a vampire weekend with Latis.

Smash Cat Heroes is a hack-and-slash game distilled down to the bare essentials: flashy attacks, waves of enemies, a combo system, and plenty of kittens.

Those who enjoy utterly dominating a gaming experience and showing off their high scores will likely be content in the challenge alone — others, however, might find their time spent with the game shorter.

Pick it up for a fan this Christmas, they’re bound to enjoy its charms and well-rounded gameplay.

It's difficult to recommend a game such as A-Train: City Simulator simply because of it's nigh impenetrable barrier to entry. Fans of simulator games such as these will find a rewarding and incredibly in-depth simulation of running a big business, but most will miss this and be lost to its confusing and unforgiving gameplay.

All in all, Madskull Creations has taken the traditional arcade formula and applied modern day controls to create a classic yet refreshing little Wii U title. For the little money being asked, it's well worth checking out.

Your enjoyment of Petit Novel series - Harvest December will depend entirely on what you're looking for. This isn't an adventure or puzzle game, and it's got a very heavy anime feel. If you have a love of Japanese culture and reading, Petit Novel series - Harvest December makes for a fun novelty for your 3DS.

Geki Yaba Runner Deluxe is an inoffensive, typical mobile runner repackaged for 3DS. It doesn't excel in any particular area, but it's far from bad. The controls are passable, and fast restarts mean that you can jump right back in when you hit an obstacle you never saw coming. If you're into this genre there's a good challenge present with replayability in the optional objectives; it's most tolerable in short play sessions.

The Switch could always use another multiplayer game and Spelunker Party! is a good addition to the ever expanding library. It’s challenging, both in reasonable and unfair ways, and it’s length gives players a lot of levels to play through. It might not be something pulled out for newcomers and guests at a party, but it could be a good match for those looking to play together in something that lasts a little longer.

Once the novelty and the wackiness have worn off, you are left with a short and sometimes haphazard experience that treads an incredibly fine (and wobbly) line between hilarity and frustration. While kids will love the simple, bold, bright cartoon-like characters and physical humour, older players will likely feel that they are constantly at odds with the game's controls and become immune to its charms. If you haven't experienced Octodad before it's worth checking out, but be cautious - it will make you giggle as well as probably stretch your patience.

If you don't mind some divisive humour and some repetitious exploration, then having this sprawling adventure on a portable actually helps alleviate some of its limitations. Just try not to keep it away from an open bar.

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

It’s a great modernisation of a classic and a stress-free way to feel the thrill of Wonder Boy and get to the final boss. However, if the time trialling and One Coin mode don’t appeal to you, then it will be a little brief.

There’s no doubt that Graveyard Keeper is a fun game every now and again; there are bright nuggets of gold sporadically hidden within it. It’s the video game equivalent of Now, That’s What I Call Music: you get it for a few good hits and deal with the fluff in-between. However, if you’re looking for a strong competitor to Stardew Valley or Rune Factory, this doesn’t quite hit the mark.

SolSeraph is a tale of two games; it manages to successfully add some depth to the strategy elements of its inspiration, creating a fun little top-down side to things whilst falling way short of that game in its platforming sections. Even if you're a diehard Actraiser fan and you've been chomping at the bit for this day to come and even if you're willing to put up with the shoddy action sections, there's the matter of the extremely blurry, odd-looking graphics and unstable framerate to contend with. It genuinely feels like an unfinished game in places, and it’s a real shame. If Ace Team had managed to put together any sort of decent side-scrolling action here it would have been on to a winner but, as it stands, this only goes to highlight what a miracle, what a classic for the ages Actraiser really is, whilst confirming itself as, unfortunately, one to avoid.

Omega Labyrinth Life is a Whopper of a game – delicious and juicy on the poster, but it's really just salt and stodge. If you’re after some decent dungeon-crawling filler, it certainly does the job and there’s pleasure to be had, but there are far cheaper, more adventurous meals on Switch eShop that are ultimately more satisfying and won't leaving you feeling mildly guilty. If you’re a curious onlooker whose interest is piqued, we’d wait for a sale; fanservice isn’t enough to justify the asking price at launch for anybody but diehard Omega Labyrinth devotees.

Considering its reasonable price, A Duel Hand Disaster: Trackher is a decent arcade title that introduces a unique spin on the genre. It’s got a good amount of depth, looks the part, and has a pretty funky soundtrack to boot. We can’t stress this enough, though – if you’re thinking of picking it up, do yourself a favour and watch the tutorial first.

Anthill may be several years old at this point, but it’s still a fun little game that showcases Image & Form’s talents before the Steamworld series gathered, er... steam. There’s a decent amount of depth here as you explore various strategies to defend your anthill, and there’s good replay value with the delightful Infinity mode. It falls down a bit on graphics, as it can look a bit overly simplistic at times, and we would have at least liked the option to play on the TV, perhaps with pointer controls.

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.

It's really cool that a cancelled 1994 game can get a new lease of life like this, and Ultracore is a good example of its genre. The lack of a save feature, though, is a black mark against it – we can't understand why such an option wasn't included, given other modern features (twin-stick control, the switchable soundtracks) are present and correct. Still, this is solid retro action and a fascinating "what could have been" experience. Of course, in this case, "what could have been" eventually was.

A full-featured multiplayer effort, Swimsanity! excels in its frantic competitive gameplay, with a co-op experience that we found critically lacking in enjoyment. Skip the adventure mode and dive straight into Orb Rush with three friends for a good, fun time. The package holds together well despite some blandness to the visuals, and there's certainly plenty to do if it gets its (fish) hooks into you. Swimsanity! holds up well in a crowded market and we truly hope to see it succeed.

A mature visual novel that isn't afraid to be fun, Vampire: The Masquerade - Shadows of New York is a quick plunge into the freezing waters of a bloodsucker-filled Big Apple. It won't last you forever, but you'll be hooked for its short runtime. It does a lot with a little and is breezy enough to fly by. Just don't expect to actually, you know, do that much. Great art and good writing, but not enough of it.

On its own, Falcon Age for the Switch is still a fun experience, but when held up against its VR sibling, it’s an objectively lesser game. Nevertheless, we’d still recommend giving it a shot if only for its remarkably unique premise; after all, it’s probably the closest most of us will get to owning a pet falcon.

HyperBrawl Tournament is a fun and addictive futuristic handbrawling effort that arms its players with a wealth of weapons, tools and attacks and unleashes them on a variety of obstacle-filled arenas that make for chaotic and surprisingly strategic matches. Things can get a little muddled in handheld mode from time to time, docked games can feel a little sluggish here and there and we'd love to have seen proper 2v2 human matches facilitated online but, overall, this one's a decent offering that scratches that Rocket League, arcade sports itch.

It’s disappointing that Golden Force falls down in the areas that it does, because without these fixable issues it would be an easy recommendation – level design is mostly strong, the boss battles marry spectacle with varied and fun-to-learn attack strings nicely, and it feels good to get stronger and play better. Unfortunately, some rookie errors come close to spoiling the fun altogether, but if you’re bloody-minded enough to muscle through these frustrations there is undoubtedly a lot to appreciate about Golden Force. Which is a shame, in a sense, because “Golden Farce” would have been a perfect tagline for this review. The one we’ve had to opt for is rubbish, by comparison. (It’s not as easy as you might think, this game-reviewing lark.)

King of Seas gets off to a pretty decent start with a promising story and combat mechanics that are initially fun to engage with. However, the repetition isn't long creeping in. This is a game that's seriously lacking in any sort of depth, jettisoning much of its early promise in favour of a bog-standard narrative, hugely repetitive side quests, overly punitive combat that thinks nothing of wasting your time and a constant, mind-numbing grind that very quickly becomes a tedious waste of effort. If you're absolutely desperate for a high seas adventure, there's still a measure fun to be had with the combat in brief stints here but, beyond that, this one really is more of a Sir Francis Drag than a Sir Francis Drake.

Pikmin Bloom is much more of a life companion app than something to feverishly devour as long as your battery permits — it feels like a far 'healthier' experience for body and mind than many free-to-play games, and Niantic accomplishes its goals well. Time will tell whether it has anything like the staying power and pull of Pokémon GO, but where that game can feel like an insurmountable climb if you've put it down for any length of time, with no hope of catching 'em all, Pikmin Bloom is more of an old friend you haven't seen in years but you just pick up where you left off. Fire it up with appropriate expectations, and you'll likely have a blooming good time with it.

As much as we adored the charming back-and-forth between Ivan and the General, we also began to lose interest in Ivan’s predicament near the end. There’s no narrative payoff here, no greater meaning or memorable conclusion that sticks with you. In Little Orpheus, The Chinese Room flirts with providing a more engaging experience that never quite materialises, made all the more apparent by the lack of puzzles intuitive enough to give us the barest hint of a dopamine-laced ‘aha!’ moment or a chase sequence or two with enough challenge to make us sit up on our sofa. That aside, the richly detailed worlds and superb presentation provide just enough reason to see Ivan's tall tale through to the end, but we ended up wishing there was more on both the puzzling and narrative fronts.

Our experience of Super Kiwi 64 comes down to this: we were having a good time, but couldn't always tell if it was despite the game or because of it. Either we've found a gold coin in a muddy field or we've found the face of Elvis in our porridge. If you're giving this a go, be sure to bring your imagination along with your £2.69.

Like the standard Fitness Boxing titles, Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star is a straightforward enough exercise game that will give you a workout if you commit to it. Despite its fun tie-in, however, the very basic gameplay combined with the limited number of routines and sparse music selection means you're going to need a strong tolerance to repetition.

Bluey: The Videogame successfully emulates the look and feel of the iconic TV show, but unfortunately it fails to recapture the same family magic. The gameplay is incredibly repetitive across the one-to-two-hour experience, relying on locating items dotted around the five core environments. Minigames break up the monotony somewhat, but even these fail to maintain attention for too long. That said, young children are going to get a kick out of simply existing within this world and playing as their favourite Bluey characters. If that's all you're looking to get out of this game, this does a decent job. But when you compare it to the all-ages magic of the show itself, and other family-focused games on Switch, this falls well short of the source material.

911 Operator is a fun way to pass the time and its realistic depictions of how to use the emergency services make it all the more commendable. It is, however, repetitive and may not be picked up again after an initial play-through.

Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 are just as enjoyable and atmospheric as they were two decades ago. This remaster treatment faithfully cleans up the visuals, adds some quality-of-life improvements, and stuffs the package with bonus materials, presenting the games at their best, notwithstanding some minor visual bugs. Here's hoping the success of this collection sparks interest in a return to Nosgoth.

Tron: Catalyst isn’t a terrible game, but it is definitely in the wrong genre. Its engaging setting and excellent time-travel mechanics carried me far beyond the point where I got bored of the shallow combat system and frustrating vehicle sections. Despite the visuals and story feeling very Tron, it doesn’t capture the same feel of the movies. Honestly, if you can’t make a light cycle fun to ride, you have no place making a Tron game.

If you're intrigued by Shadow Labyrinth's fresh approach to Pac-Man, I recommend giving it a shot on Switch 2. It provides an intriguing narrative in a foreboding world with varied environments throughout, and PUCK proves to be a compelling character. The short bursts of Pac-Man-style gameplay help mix up the experience, and this is very welcome since the game never really delivers a 'wow' moment. Much of it has been done better elsewhere, but this is nevertheless a promising new direction for an ageing franchise; one I hope to see continue in the future.

The combination of turn-based strategy and beat-'em-up gameplay felt like a bit of a square peg, round hole situation, but Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown melds the two to deliver one of the freshest takes on TMNT that I've seen in a long time. It's a short-but-sweet experience that might not gel with everyone, but after 35 years of beat 'em ups and brawlers, this showcases the Turtles like you've never seen them before. And come on, that's pretty radical, dude.

Jet Kave Adventure will be on nobody's Game of the Year lists, but that really doesn't matter. What it does do is provide a reasonably solid 2.5D platformer that will keep you entertained for a few hours (and beyond, if you want to try to beat all the optional objectives). At a little under $20, it's a bit steep for what's on offer, but if you've been craving a no-nonsense platformer that offers a decent selection of levels and looks pretty while doing it, you could do far worse – of course, you could arguably do a lot better, too.

Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is a solid, fun hack-and-slash that doesn’t take too long to finish and looks gorgeous while you’re playing it, but it never reaches the heights of some of the classics from either franchise. What's here feels polished, but a lack of extra modes and features will be disappointing to fans of both series. Still, the game's charm lies in the Neptunia and Senran Kagura characters and their interactions, with writing that delivers great, unexpected punchlines that help give the game some focus. If you are a fan of either series, this is definitely worth playing despite its lack of depth. It just might be one to wait for a sale before picking up.

Anyone who's a fan of the board game will find enjoyment in Monopoly Streets, and EA has done a good job bringing this version to the Wii.

It’s almost fun in spite of itself. Most of what you’ll enjoy about TV Show King is what your friends bring from outside the game. You get to shout, laugh, and show off to your pals in an easy 10 minute dose.

Many of the mini-games on offer really push the unique features of the system to create novel yet highly entertaining experiences that can't be found elsewhere.

An easily accessible little oddity with nearly unlimited appeal. It serves as a classic example of old school game design enhanced by the Wiimote’s motion controls.

It's a simple, clear experience with strong gameplay that reminds us why we love the Mario Bros. in the first place.

Unless you’re a fan of the anime, Kill La Kill: IF is not the game for you. While the story mode is beautifully presented, it’s not as lengthy or engaging as the hours-long experiences offered by other arena fighters. While the potential of an Arc System Works arena fighter sounds promising, this 3D fighting game ends up being a bigger disappointment than many of its contemporaries. The visuals are pristine, the animation is gorgeous, but everything else feels barren. Kill La Kill: IF feels like a budget title – too bad it costs $50.

A passionate love letter to a bygone age, 198X celebrates 2D, arcade-based gaming brilliantly and wraps it up in some of the best hand-drawn art we've seen in years. The soundtrack is also exceptional, and, in terms of pure presentation, it's really hard to fault what's on offer here. 198X's biggest weakness is its brevity; you can finish it in around an hour, but the experience will remain with you for long after the credits have rolled. While we're sure many people will consider the game's shortness a cardinal sin, we'd still recommend you give it a try if you're a fan of '80s and '90s gaming, appreciate lush 2D artwork and desire an experience which firmly lodges itself in your consciousness – even if it doesn't last all that long.

The biggest problem with Yoshi’s New Island is that it feels stripped of the style, substance, and ingenuity that once made the series such treasured property.

All in all, for cheap, no-frills fun, this is a worthy title. Just don't expect the challenge to be bigger than Brain Training.

Moonscars is a dark and punchy 2D action adventure that tweaks the Soulslike formula just enough to make it worth jumping into yet another entry in this most overstuffed of genres. The combat here is super slick stuff that's meticulously animated through the game's exquisite pixel art style, there are a ton of cool skills and weapons to get your hands on, and the world and its enemies are thoroughly well-designed. It's a shame, then, that this Switch port currently suffers from fairly consistent frame rate issues, because beyond a few difficulty issues here and there, it's pretty hard to find fault with what Black Mermaid has served up. Let's hope this one gets a performance patch for those stutters.

Players who enjoyed Drum Dash’s Triple Deluxe debut will absolutely love it, and anyone looking for a fresh take on musical platforming will have a blast. Dededelightful.

If you love hack & slash games and don't mind repeating the same objective over and over again, this might be worth renting to kill a few hours but we can't recommend it to anyone who's on the fence.

Do you enjoy waiting for public transit in the rain? Could you bear sitting next to a screaming toddler on a transatlantic flight? Do you think you’d derive pleasure from chopping down trees in the Great Forest over and over again until you had enough light lumber to fulfil three or four requests? If so, Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising has a delightful little adventure hidden beneath a lot of tedium just for you. If not, we wouldn’t begrudge you for staying clear and hoping Hundred Heroes doesn’t follow too closely in its predecessor’s footsteps. This game certainly has charm, but it makes you work too hard for it.

Maneater is a great idea for a video game, a ridiculous shark revenge fantasy in an open world setting with plenty of humour injected through its unique narrative framing and the vocal talents of Chris Parnell. However, as much as terrorising beach goers and snatching hunters from the bows of their fishing boats is a pretty good time, and as much as we enjoyed watching our orphaned bull shark grow from helpless pup to apex predator, the whole thing is let down by poor combat and the very worst kind of busywork side quests. With a little more variety in missions and a few refinements made to combat, this could have been a killer action-RPG. As things stand, however, it's all a little toothless.

With lots of short stages, it’s a great pick-up-and-play title, making it a positive purchase for 3DS owners who take their system with them on the go.

That core loop of killing satyrs in four hits before finding rare loot that destroys them in one is as compelling as it ever was. Disappointing visual glitches and the occasional crash give the impression that everything is held together with nothing more than sticky tape and a prayer, but it was never enough to stop us playing. Handheld mode is a massive boon for any RPG and, as long as you’re not expecting miracles, this Switch port delivers the core experience well enough to warrant investigation.

Arcade fans looking for something irreverent and over-the-top are advised to stock up on zombie repellent and download this one for some shooting fun!

It's a title that anyone should be able to pick up and have a fun time with, whether alone or with friends or family, though the main mode's focus on repeating old seek-and-find segments as well as some bland puzzles along the way make the things feel, at times, unfortunately dull.

Wild Card Football is an ambitious take on the sport, with a decent mix of modes and pleasing depth for those keen to go all in. The offline Season mode may keep a lot of Switch players going, but once you dive into the Ultimate Team-style 'Dream Squad' you'll eventually feel the pull to take your hard-earned fantasy roster online. That's where a lack of fluidity and clarity in gameplay can really bite. A sport as frantic as American Football needs a slightly slicker performance level than we found here. However it's only just short of a first-down, so if you're happy to live with the compromises then this may still be worth a punt.

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.

We can't pretend this isn't a disappointment. After promises of updates and improvements to this classic title, what we've got is something that we'd honestly not recommend to either prospective new fans or enthusiasts of the original Alex Kidd. We're inclined to think this may have been something of a rushed release, but that's pure speculation based on some of the more lax features (there's a lot of new dialogue but almost all of it is awkwardly written, with typos and errors). Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is not horrible by any means, and you might have fun with it until you run up against its irritating issues — unless you use infinite lives, in which case you'll finish the game in two hours, tops. If this was supposed to be Alex Kidd's big comeback, we're sad to say that we don't think we'll be seeing that Alex Kidd: High-Tech World remake any time soon.

Whilst it could never compete with the likes of Super Mario Odyssey, Poi: Explorer Edition is a great platforming adventure in its own right. Anyone who enjoys a good ‘collect-a-thon’ will be in Heaven with this game – the Medallions are great fun to work towards and finding every single extra collectable will take some considerable time and effort. If you enjoy games of this genre, and have the means to do so, we’d definitely recommend giving Poi a go and help it to be noticed in what must be one of the cruellest release windows ever. It deserves to be played.

Too much hand-holding in games can be a problem, but Battle Princess Madelyn goes in the opposite direction with its main Story mode and is just as annoying (if not more so) as a result. Thankfully, its alternative Arcade mode really does save the day, stripping away all the convoluted and confused exploration and leaving nothing but pure, unfiltered arcade action goodness. It’s just a shame its main mode – and perhaps the key reason the developer wants your £15.79 / $19.99 – is so frustratingly unhelpful and awkward to play. Still, fans of Capcom's Ghouls ‘n Ghosts will most definitely want to check this out.

The core of Pokémon and the highs of Pokémon Legends: Z-A just about manage to shine through in the Mega Dimension DLC, but the repetitive Hyperspace dimensions, bland level design, and dull donut making stop this from being a true Mega Evolution for the game. If you’ve grown up with this series, you’ll find it hard to resist the lure of the expanded Pokédex and seeing your favourites almost looking their best is a joy. Repetition is not freeing, though, and as with the base game, I’m missing the freedom of the core series again.

Although there are areas where Cate West can be improved, for a hidden object game it's definitely one of the best currently available on the market and works well on the Wii. Its intriguing storyline, overall polished presentation and change of gameplay styles makes it a far more interesting proposition than most hidden object titles and it's all the better for it.

It's also worth noting that unless you're keen on repeatedly playing levels to boost your overall rating, you may tire of the game quite swiftly.

The main thing about this game is that nearly all the mini-games are enjoyable which, when you consider there are 50 to choose from, is an excellent achievement.

Don’t be put off too much by its smart device origins — Egglia Rebirth is an enjoyable and charming RPG that’s a delight to experience on Switch. The bite-sized levels make this one easy to pick up and play, while the ongoing barrage of new quests, friends, and levels keep giving you good reasons to come back for more. It must be said that the gameplay can feel a little shallow on extended sessions and the constant presence of timers can sometimes make it feel like a weird fit for a console. However, if you’re a fan of Legend of Mana or are just looking for a light RPG that doesn’t require too much mental investment, Egglia Rebirth is a solid title we can recommend.

Despite some rough edges, this is a charming platforming experience.

Gameloft has crafted an addictive and attractive game with enough gameplay to keep you coming back for short blasts every once in a while, but there's not really enough meat on the bones to hold your attention for prolonged play sessions.

Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions is a solid take on the Rocky/Creed franchise, celebrating the wide variety of fighters that contributed to the series over the years. The gameplay is rather basic for the most part, with little deviation in style between the characters, but fundamentally the fights all feel fun and it’s incredibly satisfying when you land a knockout blow on your opponent. The graphics benefit well from more stylised art design, but limitations with the arena’s crowds do stand out. If you’re a fan of Rocky, though, then you’ll definitely want to step into the ring and try this one out.

I Am The Hero is aesthetically pleasing, and its pixel art characters would have been at home on the SNES. The soundtrack also keeps you pumped, with a steady beat that compliments the fast combo-building pace. There are occasional lag issues sprinkled around when enemies start to swarm the screen, and particularly when you knock multiple foes into a wall. This is especially evident in co-op multiplayer, which only doubles the amount of chaos on the screen. However, this is a minor fault in an effective beat em’ up with layers of depth. While some may find it a tad on the easy side and lacking in story, the unlockables, great visuals, and just plain fun combo-building make it a good time.

Take this game for what it is, not what it is inevitably become compared to and you'll have an engaging story and pleasant exploration-based experience - for the most part. During your travels it's really up to you how much you want to discover, catalogue and upgrade. Morphite isn't a bad little first-person adventure but thrill seekers looking for a stop gap before Metroid Prime 4 could end up feeling short changed; rather than cause your pulse to race this jaunt through the uncharted regions of the universe is quite laid back and curiously lacking in excitement. It ranks as an enjoyable - if sometimes pedestrian - adventure that you will ultimately get as much out of as you are willing to put in, but we fear a great many players will simply lose interest.