The controls may be to simplistic to be engaging and the absence of instructions can lead this casual game into frustrating territory. Nevertheless, even with the simplistic controls and lack of guidance the player will still feel that same sense of accomplishment and pride when you master Mama’s tasks.

Drag x Drive may lack options with regards to online modes, and its controls take a bit of getting used to. However, if you can give up some time to engaging with this one, if you can get past the barriers in terms of controls and the early frustrations as you find your rhythm, you'll be rewarded with a unique and very well-made sports game that deserves to find an audience of dedicated fans. Add in some pals, and you've got a solid bit of fun for the price.

Beach Buggy Racing is a decent kart-racer; the driving is fun, the items are bonkers, and you’ll likely be playing it for some time. Perhaps enjoyed best in small bursts, and without the expectation of it being a mega-serious racer, the game does offer some easy-to-play fun for both solo players and groups of family or friends. It can’t steal Mario Kart’s pole position and it suffers from a couple of little niggles but for a fraction of the price it does offer an acceptable alternative.

A simple game, but that's not a bad thing. The warm, welcome graphics and fantastic music are the perfect frame for a game of this type. It's simple but it's fun, and at the end of the day that's all that really matters.

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

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

Cooking Mama 5 isn’t the deepest or freshest experience around — it’s an iterative rather than innovative entry in a series whose core concept of stylus-based cooking gameplay remains the same as ever — but for the right audience it’s a whole lot of fun.

There’s a lot to be desired for Dragon Quest II, both as a game and as a port. Considering the final stretch of the game, it’s a difficult one to recommend and spend your time on when Dragon Quest III and Dragon Quest XI are on the same system. While it's great that Switch fans now have access to more Dragon Quest goodness than ever before, this one is a reminder that even the best franchises experience growing pains, and is only suitable for diehard Dragon Quest fans only.

The Bunker puts legacy FMV games to shame, delivering a slickly produced psychological horror experience for the price of a trip to your local cinema. The Switch release offers both the touchscreen comfort of the mobile version and the cinematic immersion of the home console versions, so there’s no better place to catch up if you skipped it first time round. However, lack of pointer control is a sorely missed opportunity to improve on the original release.

A strange little thing, Skelattack seems to lack confidence in itself, wanting to be one of those hard-as-nails "masocore" platformers while not really committing to the tight design that defines that subgenre. As a result, it's a game that'll make you seethe with frustration not from deliberate and challenging level design, but from sloppily-constructed traps that seem to think such things are excused by a multitude of checkpoints. It's definitely not a disaster, but Skelattack leaves a lot to be desired.

The quality of its story and presentation might be questionable, but at the very least it offers players who like to rack their brains and test their puzzle-solving prowess plenty of tricky teasers to sink their teeth into.

There’s a lot to like about Tanzia. It’s an indie game that’s set its ambitions high, boasting DNA from action-RPGs, 3D platformers and more. It’s very much a throwback to a time when those genres were very different beasts, but it's a love letter riddled with many of the problems modern iterations have shed. However, if you can look past the fact it often looks and plays like an HD remaster, you’ll find some creative monster designs and a fantastical world bursting with heartfelt charm.

Payday 2’s devotion to its core gameplay mantra makes it a unique way to team up with other players on Switch, but it does seal the game’s mechanics in a time capsule that only serves to noticeably age it when seen through the prism of 2018. The inclusion of many of the game’s far more exciting DLC missions as standard does make its diverse mix of heists a more tantalising prospect for new adopters, and the relatively smooth port means it's a great way to experience the FPS on a handheld, but with the game launching with a year's worth of updates and content missing make its relatively high price tag stick out like a sore thumb.

If you’re new to fighting games - or you’re simply in the market for something that feels like a bona fide arcade fighting experience - there are few titles as easy to pick up as SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy. Its busty and over-sexualised characters might not be to everyone’s taste in 2018 - and the use of Dream Finishers definitely won’t be of appeal to purists - but look beyond the garish colours and there’s a tag-team brawler with real potential, not to mention plenty of hilarity.

2048 is fun, quick, and just distracting enough to keep you occupied for hours at a time.

A little more effort on the part of the writers would have gone a long way toward making the narrative and characters less insufferable, but as-is most JRPG fans should be well-versed enough in this banality to look past it and enjoy the game for what it is.

The levelling system is addictive and the aesthetic is charming enough to draw players in, but anyone looking for a substantial adventure will be severely disappointed.

Still, players looking for an atmospheric puzzler with some inventive gimmicks should find plenty to enjoy with most of this title, regardless of these hiccups.

Definitely worth a look, but not something to fall in love with.

Rogue Trooper Redux boasts an enjoyable campaign with a wonderful supply maintenance system in place. The ability to spend your earnings on whatever you please rather than relying on what is handed to you sets this title apart from the more “standard” games in the genre. The online multiplayer modes aren’t as fun as they could be, though, and the main game’s relatively short length (anywhere from 5-10 hours depending on your play-style) means that it strays just short of being a truly amazing experience. Despite this, it is still definitely worth your time - whether you’ve played the game before or not. If you enjoy your shooters, give this one a go.

Plantera Deluxe is definitely a relaxing change of pace from the average video game experience. Often we’re encouraged by games to work hard for a reward, whereas in this game, you can to some extent step back and let nature take its course. Of course, if this isn’t your style, you can also actively participate in your garden’s development on a regular basis to accelerate the process and ultimately unlock new content or earn more coin at an increased rate. How you approach this title is up to yourself. Some might find it to be a shallow experience, or even resent this type of game because of its mobile and free-to-play heritage, but if you’re willing to give it a chance on the Switch, it’s a great game suitable for everyone and perfect for unwinding in between sessions of major releases.

Shelter Generations is a thoroughly charming combination of open-world survival and platform-adventure that provides a fresh slant on both. Beneath its adorable skin, however, there simply isn't enough satisfying meat to sustain the experience.

Invisiballs provides us with a competitive party experience that uses HD Rumble to good effect, allowing players to battle it out using only vibrations and quick thinking. The concept is a solid one, and the presentation does the job nicely, but a saddening lack of content across the game’s modes leaves us feeling rather underwhelmed. With multiple updates planned for the near future this issue could soon start to be addressed so, unless you’re entirely sold on the concept alone, we’d recommend holding off until these new features have landed.

Nihilumbra is the kind of game that clearly has grand ambitions, but it seldom has the chops to properly pull things off. The ho-hum puzzle platforming doesn’t really have anything new to offer, and though the art direction is great, it can often be dragged down by that pesky narrator. Couple that with the low amount of content and generally low difficulty, and you’ve got a game that’s rather difficult to recommend, especially when a significantly cheaper and almost identical version is available on the device in your pocket. If you see this one on sale, or are looking for something that might make you think a little more than something like Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, this one might be worth a go, but we’d otherwise advise you give this one a pass.

Shio is a lovely surprise which offers up a precise and beautiful platforming experience. Although it lacks the level of polish as something like Celeste, if you’ve already conquered that mountain (or – sacrilege! – you’re not a fan of its pixel aesthetic), this is a tightly crafted, technical platformer in a similar mould that’s well worth a look.

At the core of TerraTech is an extensive mechanical construction kit that presents an interesting canvas for creative players. However, the Switch’s significant UI shortcomings, a cumbersome console control scheme, and a limited-feeling campaign will ensure that only persistent players stick around long enough to find the fun.

While ultimately less accessible than the likes of Wargroove (which taps into that Nintendo-centric DNA of Advance Wars far better), Battle Worlds: Kronos does a decent job of bringing a more complex and challenging take on turn-based hex strategy. The reinforcements system makes this far less ‘hard’ than its tutorials would have you believe, although it’s a much purer experience without them. The lack of online multiplayer support stings, but it’s balanced out by a hotseat local version. Its overly long mission structure doesn’t lend itself to short bursts of play, but for those looking for something suitably meaty in the strategy department will find plenty to enjoy.

It’s a testament to the quality of Turok 2: Seeds of Evil and the great enhancements made by Nightdive Studios that this remaster is still an essential chapter of FPS history – more so than its rough-around-the-edges predecessor. Every gun still feels incredible, every level still looks unique in its design and the bosses and enemies are still a riot to hunt down and slay. But the bizarre amputation of the game’s multiplayer modes renders the Switch version painfully incomplete. Until support for multiplayer is patched in or addressed in some shape or form, we’re forced to give this N64 classic a score it doesn’t deserve.

If you’ve been curious about the property, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? - Infinite Combate is a good way to get involved, as it allows you to explore the first season of the anime and some supplementary material in an enjoyably interactive manner. Series veterans will also appreciate the opportunity to “date” their favourite characters in the Extra mode as both Bell and Ais, and the array of beautiful artwork and fun events to unlock provides good incentive for continued engagement — as does the progression system, which only really shows its depth once you’ve cleared the story. It’s just a bit of a shame the game feels like it was developed on the cheap; it’s likely some will find the simplistic dungeon graphics in particular somewhat off-putting. If you can look past that, though, this is a good adaptation of a well-loved series, with plenty of content to keep you busy in the long term.

RWBY: Arrowfell is a fine enough game, but it also feels like the kind of thing you might’ve discovered on Newgrounds back when Flash games were popular. Elements like the shallow combat and tacked-on skill point system don’t feel properly fleshed out, and repetitive environments and bland level design tend to get tiresome as the campaign wears on. We’d give this game a light recommendation if you’re a big fan of Wayforward’s other work in 2D action games and are looking for something in that vein, but even then, you may want to wait for a sale here. There are certainly much, much worse games than RWBY: Arrowfell to be found on the Switch eShop, but we think your time and money are better spent on, well, better games.

Papetura is a million miles away from being a blockbuster movie, yet it shares the same sense of intense energy and craft, which it distils into each second of its game time. Every crease and scrunch of its scenery and characters is shining with Ostafin’s passion. Its rudimentary and vague story, very brief running time, and control niggles do hold it back slightly, but nothing can completely overshadow its captivating presentation.

Mato Anomalies is an ambitious indie attempt to create a Persona-like RPG romp through neo-futuristic Shanghai. There's no shortage of good ideas in the mix here, with flashes of inspiration in the fusing of turn-based dungeon combat, mind-hacking card games and stylish visual novel elements. However, for all the ambition on display, it's let down by uninspired combat, repetitive level design, clunky exploration, frustrating card mechanics and writing that just never manages to engage. This one's not entirely without merit, but overall it's an experience that'll test your patience far more than it manages to entertain.

Coffee Crisis is a great throwback to arcade beat ‘em ups of the early '90s. Its 16-bit aesthetic screams retro Sega, though we would’ve preferred a traditional chiptune soundtrack truly reminiscent of the Mega Drive, rather than the heavy rock score the developers have opted for. This doesn’t take away from the polished style and traditional gameplay, however. Combined with the quirky story and indie humour, this promises a great time.

Gex Trilogy is a happy throwback. The first game is a little clunky and occasionally laborious, but its sequels do better in their 3D expansion of its themes and idea. The main point of appeal is its connection to the period in which they were made. It’s full of comic quirks, zinging dialogue, and visual gags that scream MTV Generation. Across all three entries, the media hook and its tropes — from horror to Christmas to 1930s prohibition gangsters — work well to keep things fresh, fun and engaging. That said, while there's a simplicity to the games themselves, the yesteryear technology and the sensibilities of many gamers may have moved on, making their baked-in fetch quests trying at times. Gex Trilogy’s value is bumped up by its invention and still very playable design aspects, but whether or not you can pit yourself through them really comes down to how much your nostalgic mileage varies, dude.

Morsels is a pleasingly nightmarish experience, with an oppressive atmosphere and an aesthetic that sets it apart from its peers.

Avatar isn't a bad game, it just rarely rises above the average, despite borrowing heavily from some superb games.

With a clever gameplay hook, enjoyably uncluttered level design, and a beautiful storybook presentation, I and Me is a delightful package. It’s an admittedly brief experience, and players looking for a stern challenge won’t find their puzzle-solving skills seriously tested here, but if you’re after a perfectly pleasant way to pass a few evenings on the Switch, I and Me are both a great choice.

Rose & Camellia Collection gets away with a lot of its technical imperfections simply because of the strength of its concept and its solid presentation. The music and art style will keep you interested for at least a few hours – which is all it will take to complete the story mode. However, the bizarre anime logic can’t distract you from the frequent loading screens or the frustratingly imprecise controls. This one is worth picking up, but only if you catch it on a good sale.

Brawlout’s core action is a lot of fun; with a huge amount of ideas inspired by genre greats such as Super Smash Bros., the action feels tight, fast, and can be a pleasure to play. The limited character roster means that attack variations can only go so far, and some performance hiccups prevent Brawlout from being truly wonderful, but for an on-the-go, cheaper alternative to a game that hasn’t even been announced for the console yet, this isn't a bad choice – just make sure to keep the issues we mentioned in mind.

Fire Panic could've been above par, but the difficulty curve is just far too unbalanced.

Riverbond isn’t the most in-depth game on the Switch this year, nor is it the best looking. It does, however, boast an interesting art style, and its gameplay is simple yet engaging enough that almost anyone of any skill level can give it a good crack. There are plenty of unlockable skins and weapons to try out, and although there’s little incentive to replay once you’re done and dusted, it’s a decent way to spend a few hours during the quieter winter months.

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympics for the 3DS is not exactly a bad game - especially if you liked previous entries in the franchise - but it could be so much more.

It’s quite telling that caring for your pooch is generally more fun than the visual novel side of the game, but even this can get repetitive and monotonous after a while. Best Friend Forever is an admirable hybrid of two seemingly disparate genres, but both sides of the game suffer from a lack of variety as a result.

Endless Ocean: Luminous attempts to revive a niche Wii franchise as an online exploration experience, and fails miserably in the process. In comparison to the likes of Subnautica, this is an empty, cold, and boring ocean space to explore, devoid of any real reason to play beyond its generally relaxing ambiance and the opportunity to learn some facts about underwater animals. Even taken on those terms, it's weak, its online play is basic and bland, and its story does little to engage beyond teaching you the ropes. It didn't need to be this boring, but it is.

Pallurikio isn't a bad game, but it's just not a terribly interesting one.

The 3D is almost inconsequential, but the result is a tough, well-constructed puzzle title with plenty of content.

Overall, Blacksad: Under the Skin is both a faithful adaptation and a frustrating example of modern adventure game pitfalls. Fans of the original comics will enjoy seeing Blacksad himself brought to life so accurately, but some inconsistent performances in the voiceover department and some frustratingly unresponsive controls make it a far less enjoyable experience. There’s a really intriguing mystery to unfold and solve, but with some technical problems and a little too much blurring for our liking, you’ll have to grit your teeth if you really want to crack this case on the go.

On the one hand, the gameplay is virtually unchanged from the original game and it's still lots of fun to play, even though it's incredibly easy now. Sadly you just can't help but notice all the oversights, such as the lack of a widescreen option, the jerky animations and the lack of a "classic" mode for the main game.

Despite a disappointing lack of touch support and resulting control irritations, The Inner World has much to like and Asposia’s warped characters are delightful company, provided you’re happy to ask for help when you’re stuck. There’s certainly no shame in that – and the hints system works perfectly – but we didn’t have enough eureka! moments of our own to feel sufficiently satisfied with its wilfully obtuse solutions.

WRITHE is a tiny little budget blaster that nails its old-school aesthetic, is refreshingly straightforward in what it attempts to achieve and has a genuinely fun sci-fi setup. However, scrappy enemy AI that feels badly judged and, more often than not, just straight-up unfair holds the whole thing back, resulting in a shooter that lacks balance and never manages to find itself in the addictive groove it needs to in order to encourage players to stick with its fiendishly difficult combat.

It’s just a shame that this feels more like a continuation rather than a fully-fledged enhancement.

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.

A decent stab at compiling a pleasant little arcade package, but questionable decisions like squashed playing fields, meagre high-score tables and unerasable save data drop this from "must have" to "it's complicated."

It’s difficult not to be a little disappointed in Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2, although Capcom deserves credit for doing the best it could to polish up the weaker games in the series. At the end of the day, putting lipstick on a pig can only do so much, and these games unfortunately don’t hold up quite as well as the first four entries in the series. Even so, X5 and X6 are pretty good, and though X7 is a hot mess of confused design, X8 has plenty of fun moments.

It’s not for everyone, but Warriors Orochi 4’s multitudinous hordes can be pleasurable to sweep through, despite the game feeling by-the-numbers in many ways. This is simply more, and while fans might be able to forgive the bland presentation, we’d wager that non-devotees would have a much better time with the Zelda or Fire Emblem spin-offs – with the characters, settings and accoutrement you know and love helping to temper the monotony when you’re not quite ‘in the zone’.

Assassin’s Creed III on Switch is easily the weakest 'Remastered' version of the game that’s been released thus far. The expected graphical bells and whistles are mostly absent and this game feels more like a straight port of the 2012 original. Framerate issues plague many of the busier areas of the open world and make combat and traversal a chore for the most part, while audio problems are also a constant niggle. Granted, this is still the full-fat game and the fact that it's available to play on-the-go and includes all the DLC (and a pretty nice HD version of Liberation) is impressive, but there's no escaping the fact that it's a lacklustre port of one of the weakest Assassin's Creed titles.

SiNG Party feels like it was designed for commercials: It's flashy and light, heavy on that kind of wholesome party fun that impossibly well-groomed human-like people seem to have all the time but of which the grubby masses never finds itself a part. By trying to please everyone at the same time, though, the game sacrifices a lot of identity and ends up with modes that are either just plain adequate or downright puzzling. With the right group of like-minded people you could find yourself having a great time with SiNG Party, but then again you can achieve the same effect cranking up the radio and belting along at the top of your lungs.

While Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics doesn’t quite capture the intensity of the tabletop game it’s based on, it still does an admirable job of doing something a little bit different with the tactics genre. By focusing more on story and the horror aspect of its lore, you get to experience intense close-quarters battles and ranged skirmishes while building on an unknown threat that could appear at any time, and in any form. Pacing problems and a lack of environmental variety can affect how well this all comes together, but if you’re looking for a more focused tactical/strategy title on Switch, this Lovecraftian odyssey awaits.

An aesthetic improvement over the original with a few added complexities that don't make much of a difference overall.

The Mysterious Cities of Gold: Secret Paths does not offer a great deal in terms of challenge or variety, but what it does provide comes in a beautiful package that is easy and intuitive to work with. It’s a viable, appealing option for younger and less experience players, and a practical no-brainer for long-time fans of the classic TV show. Those looking for something deeper may feel like they're heading down the wrong path with this title, but it's still worth investigating.

Castaway Paradise is hardly the first game to take inspiration from Animal Crossing, and it certainly won't be the last — but its unoriginal adherence to the Animal Crossing formula is bad enough, without the added veneer of in-app purchases, hastily reskinned and demonetised for a full-price release. It began life as a Facebook game back in 2014, and it still feels like one seven years later.

Look, there's no way to sugarcoat it — Snow Bros. wasn't worth bringing back. It's pretty much a D-grade arcade game with no interesting hook, and no amount of gussying it up can disguise that. The Monster Challenge mode sounds interesting, but it's DLC. All that was really needed was 'Arcade Archives: Snow Bros,' so that fans could get what they want at a decent price, the game was preserved on a modern console, and we could all just move on with our lives. It's gonna be a snow from us.

Dusk Diver 2, like the first game, has potential; the cast of characters and storyline are both engaging, and the world could definitely host more interesting stories in the future. However, this sequel sadly fumbles things on the gameplay front, with a disappointing mixture of damage-sponge enemies and drawn-out encounters. While we didn't enjoy Dusk Diver 2 as much as we had hoped, there is something there — a kernel of potential as yet unrealised — and there are going to be people who absolutely adore it despite its faults. For us, a potential Dusk Diver 3 will hopefully boast combat engaging enough to match the writing on display here.

Biomutant has a solid core. Unique enemy designs, a wide variety of weapons to use in combat, and flexible, fun combat are all highlights, but an arduous narrator and a monotone story filled with repetitive quests and tasks weigh the experience down. Pair all of this with the unpleasant visuals and low-quality textures, and we have to wonder if the game should have waited for Nintendo’s next console. The actual gameplay experience is great, but instead of feeling like a polished handheld version of the game, Biomutant feels like it has been rushed out the door and left standing on the porch a bit dishevelled.

Gates to Infinity is a fun, charming roguelike with beautiful presentation, accessible mechanics, and the warm, fuzzy feeling that can only come from playing as Pokémon.

Inazuma Eleven Strikers has some undeniable strengths, specifically when two or more players gather with the express intention of enjoying some mindless fun. Kids and big kids alike will get a kick from the cheerful visuals and bombastic special moves, making it a game of football as imagined by hyperactive five-year-olds. The charm struggles to last, however, with older gamers likely to become more irritated than excited as the hours drift by. Younger gamers may have more patience and enjoy it for longer; it really depends how much you like tornado shots and giant god-like goalkeeping hands, over and over again.

Equilibrio is one of those games that isn't overly flashy, but has it where it counts. The simple game play design and challenging level set will keep you busy for quite some time, and at a mere 500 Nintendo Points, it's actually a bargain.

Farming Simulator 20 won't be for everyone, but if you're after high-octane, instant gratification, why are you sniffing around something called 'Farming Simulator 20'? It requires time and devotion – if you're not one to enjoy the long, languorous journey you'd be better off sticking to more abstract farming sims. Once you get into its low-key repetitive groove, though, there's a wealth of wholesome, calming work to get lost in and a satisfying flow to cultivating a field, sowing seeds, harvesting, repeating and watching those numbers go up.

More than the sum of its parts, Liberated tells a rollicking tale with plenty of style. It doesn't run as well as it should do, and it's far from lacking in clichés (some of the "people would rather take selfies than open their eyes" stuff is a little eye-rolling) but it's a fantastic take on a dystopian platformer that avoids the major pitfalls that such games often fall into. With responsive controls, enjoyable shooting and strong level design, Liberated is an atmospheric, absorbing treat and far more than the sum of its parts.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics is a pretty solid, if wholly unspectacular little tactical title. It does a decent job of incorporating events and characters from Netflix's spectacular TV series (and the 1982 classic movie on which it is based) into its gameplay, and fans of the franchise – as well as folk who simply can't get enough of this genre – will certainly find something to enjoy here, especially for the pretty reasonable asking price. In terms of presentation, we would have liked to see something more befitting of the spectacular source material and a few more flashy combos and opportunities to set your team up to blow enemies off the screen in style would have been nice. Overall, however, for such a strange (and somewhat late arriving) TV tie-in, this one really is quite a bit better than we expected it to be. Feel free to add one to the score below if you're a huge Dark Crystal fiend.

The whole package is undoubtedly polished and pleasing, and if you're looking for a solid platformer that zigs where a Mario may zag then this is a safe bet for an enjoyable time. But for all the charm and smooth polish, there's little texture here to make the game stand out from others in this genre.

There is a lot to love in the way Nd Cube brought back 100 beloved minigames from the Mario Party series, but this package falls short in the content used to deliver those bite-sized delights. Mario Party: The Top 100 may hold the record for the most minigames, but it certainly has the least amount of content and the lowest replayability. The game set out to compile a collection of the best minigames in the series; that goal was accomplished with great results. That makes the initial time spent with Mario Party: The Top 100 an awesome walk through nostalgia lane - unfortunately the rest is a rushed project; with that in mind it fails to live up to its full potential.

If you’re a fan of driving games and are able to look past its faults, then Crash City Mayhem may be for you; just be wary that it’s an incredibly short game with little replay value.

Blair Witch starts off strong, throwing its players into a setting that comes with some pretty terrifying baggage for anyone who's familiar with the film upon which it is based. It's got a handful of fun mechanics, including the absolute star of the show, Bullet, and its story comes on strong towards the end, injecting the final third with some real tension. However, this is also a game that plods along for the most part, making no real use of its spooky setting, instead hemming players into small areas and forcing them to partake in a string of simplistic and rather hackneyed puzzles and busywork at the expense of any real tension. Overall then, Blair Witch is something of a mixed bag; it's not the worst horror game we've played recently, but it also doesn't do enough to earn a hearty recommendation.

The intuitive and responsive controls do a solid job of allowing players of all skill levels to enjoy the game and although many enemies are repeated throughout the five levels, the unique bosses offer up plenty of incentive to keep coming back for more.

All in all, Ambition of the Slimes is a lovable little game. It takes a classic concept — the grid-based strategy-RPG — and infuses it with a fun new conceit, by placing characters in the role of the lowly Slimes that would be experience-point fodder in any other RPG. Even better, it runs with that idea to deliver fun twists on the gameplay — like the 'Claim' command that lets you take over your enemies — that make the most of the theme. Add in a fun old-school presentation and a heap of personality, and Slimes is an easy recommendation for SRPG fans looking for quick, quirky fun.

Surgeon Simulator CPR finally brings Bossa Studios’ slapstick medical ‘sim’ to Nintendo Switch, and while its use of Joy-Con motion controls is a little rough around the edges, they do make for some brilliant local co-op shenanigans. With plenty of patients to harm (sorry, we meant ‘heal’), all manner of scenarios to contend with and plenty of hidden secrets to be found both in theatres and in the interactive menu, you’re at least getting one of the better versions of this veteran title.

I had a good time with Alien: Rogue Incursion Evolved Edition. It finds a strong balance between the slower, more stealth-oriented gameplay of Isolation and the frantic action seen in Fireteam Elite, blending classic Alien combat with some light puzzle-solving. Visually, it lacks a lot of detail for my liking, but the faithful art design just about holds it together. Its biggest sin, however, is that the impact of the Xenomorphs quickly diminishes thanks to the frequency at which they appear. They also just look kinda goofy, I won't lie. Still, as a fan of the series, the story, atmosphere, and sound design hit the right notes for me.

It's regrettable that we have to be dismissive of a new shmup release, especially one inspired by Castle of Shikigami that does seem to be sincerely trying to offer up a fun experience. With that said though, when it comes down to the basic fundamental aspects of the genre – visuals, music, stage design, gameplay flow – Sisters Royale feels unfinished. It’s hard to care about the scoring system when the structure it is built upon doesn’t satisfy enough to encourage players to spend hour after hour routing and experimenting.

While its ambition should surely be commended and the time trials and multiplayer admittedly soften the blow somewhat, F1 2011 is, unfortunately, not the game to remedy matters. Unless you're a fan of frustrating ugly racers with brutally unrealistic and aggressive opponent AI, we advise that you steer well clear of it. Maybe next year, Codemasters will release the game that F1 fans deserve.

Infinity Runner offers some slapdash, silly fun for those that like the idea of a first-person runner with some werewolf segments thrown in. Rather like a straight to TV movie, however, its entertainment-factor is betrayed by sloppy presentation and some technical shortcomings. It's worth a punt if the concept is appealing, but falls well short of its full potential.

Struggling isn't the first game whose main gimmick is a protagonist who's deliberately difficult to control. Whereas other games do this for comedy effect, though, here it only serves to frustrate. It's difficult enough in single-player, but as a co-op experience you're far more likely to want to slap your friend in the face before you'll high-five them. Success does feel like an accomplishment, but the end rarely justifies the means, making this strictly a game for masochists.

With a bit more variation to its gameplay, Colossus Down could have been an easy recommendation. Despite its unlikeable main protagonist, there’s a heap of potential here that could well be realised if the developer decides to go for a sequel. As it is, it’s a great looking game that unfortunately falls foul to repetitive and shallow gameplay.

Gods Will Fall is a unique and challenging dungeon crawler that cleverly combines a handful of inventive gameplay mechanics, resulting in constantly tense and thrilling runs through some seriously tough death chambers and boss battles. This is a pretty brutal and unforgiving game – one some players are sure to bounce hard off – but stick with it until it clicks, explore, experiment, forge ahead through frustration and you'll be rewarded with one of the most addictive and original roguelikes we've played in quite some time.

RiMS Racing is a super complex motorcycle sim that provides players with a ton of depth in terms of tinkering, tuning and customising. However, once on the track, this Switch port is let down badly by performance issues that make it a frustrating, messy experience. There's definitely a market for this type of in-depth motorbike action on Nintendo's console but, in this state, it's very hard to recommend diving into this particular offering.

Monster Crown is a decent game that falls short of greatness in a few areas. Legitimately cool ideas with breeding and an overall solid combat system are let down by lackluster monster designs and performance issues. Then there’s the elephant in the room, which is that Monster Crown ultimately feels like a jankier and less addictive version of the oldest Pokémon games. We’d still give this one a recommendation, as the bones of the experience are good enough that its worth a punt for big Pokémon fans pining for the 8-bit days, but you might want to wait for a sale with this one.

Despite having some fun wrinkles on the tactical RPG formula, Redemption Reapers is too frustrating in its early levels to justify the thin plot and undeveloped characters. The music is the only consistently stellar part of the game, which is let down by uneven visuals and poor gameplay balance. You’re better off looking elsewhere for your tactical RPG fix on Switch.

A Knight’s Quest brings a much needed light-hearted take on the action-adventure fantasy genre, with a genuinely funny sense of humour running throughout and plenty of world to explore. It’s marred by a poor navigation system, inconsistent visual quality and an overall lack of polish. There’s plenty of fun to be had on this quest, but there’s very little to write home about when the Switch is full to the brim with similar titles that provide superior experiences.

There are lots of great ideas here, and every now and then you can see glimpses of what kind of potential those ideas have, but this is a gaming equivalent of what happens when you pull a tray of cookies out of the oven too early, leaving you underdone treats. The core concept behind LEGO Worlds isn’t the problem, but the execution is. Perhaps in future updates (or sequels) Tt Games will figure out how to better refine it, but we would advise you to hold off on this one for now. Creative players will get a little more utility out of this game due to its sandbox mode, but on the whole there’s not much here that you’ll be missing out on by passing.

While its controls can often be a little too unforgiving - especially when travelling at such high speeds - once you’ve got the hang of each vehicle's unique yet temperamental handling, GRIP: Combat Racing really opens up. Serving as a faithful nod to the original Rollcage, the wide range of modes and unlockable parts could make it the next Rocket League - if it manages to gather a similar cult following. If you’re in the market for a larger than life racer that isn’t Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, this could well be your next racing obsession.

Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll is a decent addition to the Monkey Ball franchise, but it simply sets the bar too high in the difficulty stakes to have long-lasting appeal.

Quite the competent effort, despite its age and low-budget origin. It may not be Mario, but if you're looking for a solid platformer, you can do no wrong with Cocoto.

For only 500 Points this is better value than some other games on the service, so if you feel like a few hours spotting hidden items then this is your best bet on WiiWare so far.

It's not going to set the world alight but if you have even a passing interest in exploring the stars, and have always been frustrated by light pollution and cheap telescopes, this is well worth a shot.

In single and two-player Battle Mode, Lego Battles: Ninjago provides a simple, approachable RTS that can make for a fun, uncomplicated and challenging experience. However, the main adventure can be tedious and disappointing, level design is lacklustre and warrior classes lack enough variety to make for a rich and subtle strategic experience.

If you're a Michael Jackson fan, rent this over a weekend or wait for a substantial price drop.

Fairune's a very simple game, but for such a low price it's pretty hard to go wrong. It might not be all that long, but it's enjoyable from start to finish, which is a what we hope for in a download.

Although its branching narrative system could have more depth, Chase: Cold Case Investigations has an undeniable sense of charm and keeps players' attention through its characters, anime art style and subdued jazz-noir soundtrack. If the series is allowed to continue and introduce a deeper approach to multiple choice and interrogation, then we could see something truly special.