Pokémon Rumble U is straightforward fun that's a far cry away from the main Pokémon titles, but it does pair some key strategic elements of the series with the button bashing – though there are definitely moments where there's too much going on to keep real track of, which does lead to more reliance on the latter than the former.

Crash-Course Domo is a decent game in and of itself, but its overly-simplistic play control and lack of long-term replayability ultimately makes it fun for a short time but something you're not likely to come back to down the line.

Slingo is as fun, addictive and exciting as ever, and makes a great time-waster. Power-ups and Devil's Games keep things interesting, but they don't quite match the sense of progression of its identically priced competitor, Slingo Quest, not to mention having a blander look overall.

Screenshots really don’t do The friends of Ringo Ishikawa justice. What looks like a traditional side-scrolling brawler is actually something far more intricate. It’s more of a teenage simulator than anything, and with some really well-written dialogue (filled with the kind of malaise and sense of directionless rebellion we all experienced in our formative years) there’s a really interesting story to be found. Its everyday activities will remind you more of Bully or Shenmue than Street Gangs/River City Ransom, just don’t expect to have your hand held as you head out into the world to discover them.

LEGO City: Undercover doesn't quite stand up as well in its 2017 form as it did when it originally came to Wii U; series improvements have come in the years since that leave this one looking slightly dusty in comparison. There are also some technical issues that hold it back, with odd graphical blemishes - a pity as the updated engine is generally an improvement - along with performance issues in co-op and handheld mode. That said, played as a console game in single player, like its original, this still offers an easy-going and slightly anarchic fun time.

Yesterday’s Origins doesn’t attempt to change the formula of the point and click adventure and that’s okay. The story is delightfully bonkers and it looks pretty, but if you dig deep there’s some repetition, some odd stylistic choices and you might not recall it in years to come, but it’s nice to see such a game on Nintendo Switch.

Wavetale is a gentle, easygoing game that suits players who don’t want to strain themselves, as its quick runtime ensures the play doesn’t dry up. We enjoyed skidding around on the ocean and swinging from great heights with our grappling hook. We only wished the camera movement and other mechanics were a little smoother. The game is nonetheless pretty fun – after all, it’s hard not to enjoy surfing through a picturesque, water-filled landscape. While we’ve played far better games, we felt like this short title was still a good one to dip your toes into.

Boss battles sprinkled throughout the game add a touch of variety, but the decision to only save your game after beating them means you'll be playing many stages in a row before you can quit, which isn't ideal. Of course you can just put your Switch into sleep mode, but if you want to dive in and play a handful of levels then hope back onto Astral Chain or something, that isn't an option. It's a bit of a strange choice, because in every other respect Pushy and Pully in Blockland is extremely friendly stuff.

There may not be many games in here, but they do cover a broad range of genres and most of them are still great fun to play today. It's just a shame Switch owners have already had access to the majority of them, with the exact same features, for years already. The glaring lack of any extra features make it hard to appreciate the significance of the more obscure or basic titles unless you're prepared to go off and do some homework, and there are some very obvious milestones missing for no reason other than it allows Taito to make more money by splitting the games across multiple collections.

Fans of the film franchise that want this game purely because it has their favourite panda in it will be treated to an experience way beyond what is usually expected for a movie tie-in, and one that can provide a fun time.

If you're a fan of the genre or the original Jewel Quest games, it's a fun pick at $4.99, and the 72 levels can be quite challenging. If you're impartial to the series, or you're inundated with Match-3 on your iPhone or Android, then it's an easy game to pass on.

Wheel of Fortune is a flawed but basically solid family version of the long-running game show.

The spiders themselves are wonderfully depicted, with their stop-and-start movements animated to near perfection. There are a decent number of the buggers hidden in each level, but never enough to feel overwhelming or unrealistic; you can easily imagine walking into your kitchen and finding two or three spiders skirting across the tiled floor. They come in different shapes and sizes, with some spawning smaller spiders upon death, and others exploding with impressive force. Catching them can be a hefty task at times, and you’ll often leave each level in utter disrepair as you desperately burn or destroy any object that might be hiding the eight-legged freaks.

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.

Make no mistake, Big Kahuna Party is a fun game. But so are all of the other Bejeweled clones. It’s a victim of its own success.

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.

When it gets on with the bun-lobbing antics of classic BurgerTime, this is a great reminder of an arcade gem. But too many co-op cooks spoil the broth, and the recipe is overstuffed with extras that detract from the core flavour. That said, any game that lets you leave a trail of murdered pickles as you fight up the online leaderboard can’t be all bad. Just a tad overcooked, perhaps.

If you love solo card games this should be worth considering, just turn the volume down first.

If you liked the previous Atari Recharged titles, Yars: Recharged presents another enjoyable diversion and interesting take on the theme. While not always as thrilling as it could be, the design overhaul still works well. That said, those who aren’t entirely intrigued by the formula may find it repetitive and ultimately tiresome. This reimagined Atari catalogue would probably be better off as a compilation title rather than a segmented anthology. And who knows, that may still eventually come to pass.

Donut County will no doubt prove to be a divisive experience, but those that are looking for a relaxing and often funny puzzle game will find an enjoyable experience that has just enough charm to justify its existence. With that being said, this is hardly a game that feels like it justifies the relatively high price tag; three hours max of content is a tough pill to swallow regardless of how enamored you are with the concept at its core.

Legend Bowl is a game packed with charm; an interesting hybrid of retro style and attempts at Madden-esque depth in the playbook and mechanics. It's full of heart and raises a smile with its humour and attention to detail; sadly it doesn't convert all of these positives across the board. Performance is improved following patches but still has space to get better, while some odd design and UI choices are hard to ignore. If you can look past the flaws, which could be dealt with in future updates, there are some real merits to Legend Bowl for fans of the sport; it just needs to get over the longest yard to reach its full potential.

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.

Grounded is a fantastic survival game, a colourful, unique, and original slice of joyful adventuring that everyone should play if they have the opportunity. It nails the Honey, I Shrunk The Kids vibe, its core gameplay loops are moreish, and its setting and enemies are often breathtaking in how they reframe the mundane. However, and as usual for these big efforts on Switch, this port has plenty of issues. They've had to tank the visuals, the all-important online co-op is flaky, the frame rate is fine until you start going big on bases — just all the stuff we've come to expect at this stage, really. If you can handle the issues, or if Switch is your only way to play, this game can still deliver the goods and the quality shines through. However, if you have another way to play it, we'd definitely recommend you do that instead.

Realpolitiks really wishes it was something as grand as Europa Universalis, but in reality, it’s more akin to the Tropico games or a souped-up Football Manager. You have a lot of systems to manage, but the choices you make within these systems aren’t as open as we’d like and you're left spinning countless diplomatic plates without the agency befitting such a seat of power. The end result is a grand strategy game that struggles to find a middle ground between accessibility for newcomers and long-term investment for genre veterans.

Overall, Rock-n-Roll Domo is quite good fun, and it's nice to be able to choose among control styles, even if each of them does have its flaws. On its own this game isn't much to recommend, but as a silly and somewhat-replayable time-waster, this is one of Domo's better options.

There is still a good range of fighters available, however and the multiple modes for your fighter gives you a few options to consider. The fighting still entertains, but as good as the game is, the already available fourth game more or less does the same, but better. There's definitely fun to be had from the game, but like a number of Neo Geo titles Samurai Shodown III has been bettered by others from its own series.

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.

Spectrum is a fiendishly challenging, super-stripped-back action-platformer that shows its smartphone origins a little too evidently. It's fun in small doses, but it doesn't quite feel fleshed out enough for a modern Switch game.

If you enjoy twitch reflex games, then WUK 2 is for you. While the game lacks depth, what's there is done well.

The old saying goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but we’re definitely getting tired of the lack of variety.

Murder on the Titanic is the kind of game that doesn't do anything overtly wrong, but it also fails to do anything new or exciting.

Brakes Are For Losers has some interesting ideas, but the entire package simply does not match the quality of certain other recent releases on the Switch eShop under this same genre. As marketable as the multiplayer is, it doesn’t override the fact that the game still lacks a certain sense of satisfaction you would normally expect when playing a top-down arcade racer. Before considering this, maybe look at any other options that are available.

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.

Forcing yourself to play through the main story mode feels more like a chore if all you want to do is create your own levels and play with friends via local multiplayer, but if you really enjoy hidden-object puzzles and don't mind having to get used to quirky controls, the amount of content packed into Hot and Cold: A 3D Hidden Object Adventure will have you busy for a long time.

Make no mistake, Rising Board 3D can be fun, but unfortunately that fun is as randomised as its stages. Runs end far too easily, unavoidable obstacles or hazards clipping you from off-screen, and the lack of even local leaderboards means there's little incentive to better your score. Unlockable boards vary the gameplay a bit, but it's so easy to grind for sun points that earning them doesn't feel like much of an achievement. There are some great visuals and sound here, but Rising Board 3D features tropics best experienced by postcard.

When it all works like it should, The House of the Dead: Remake is a fun update of a Sega arcade classic. The performance can be janky and the controls clunky on its default settings, but if you’re willing to put the time in to tweak them you should get something you’re happier with. You shouldn’t have to do that with a light gun shooter, though, and the fact you do has to go down as a failing on the game’s part.

Samurai Defender: Ninja Warfare may not bring anything new to the table among the castle defence genre, but it does so in a charming feudal Japanese cartoon wrapper. Despite not setting the video gaming world ablaze (unlike the poor fools rushing at your door) anyone looking to blissfully slaughter wave upon wave of enemy cannon fodder soliciting at your castle gate need not look further.

Farming Simulator arrives on Switch 2 in a familiar state for returning fans. While newcomers will face an early spike of confusion before eventually settling into the addictive routine of virtual agriculture, veterans will immediately feel at home. Unfortunately, technical issues with the port will blight the careers of both camps.

At its core, Tools Up is very endearing in its premise, and for the most part, it works pretty well. Sadly though, the controls just aren’t quite as responsive or intuitive as you’d hope, and you’ll find yourself slipping up – quite literally in some cases – frequently. Additionally, objects in close proximity cause confusion, and you’ll often pick up the incorrect object, resulting in a lot of wasted time. Nevertheless, if you’re after an alternative to Overcooked, then Tools Up offers up enough incentive to take the plunge, even if it doesn’t quite match up.

While it's a compelling package, Citizens Unite!: Earth x Space doesn't excel as an RPG in either of its halves. There's fun to be had, but it's obfuscated to some extent by technical issues and a lack of balance to its gameplay. That said, a lot of love has obviously been poured into this title and if you like your games with a bit of a unique personality, that's very much in evidence here. If you've already played these RPGs before, there's not enough here to draw you back for a repeat play, but new players might find this worthy of their hard-earned cash – if they're willing to put up with some rough edges.

Drift Street Racing is a solid little racer that gear heads and speed demons may get a kick out of, but it's tough to recommend over the more robust competition.

Combining crazy physics and an even crazier story scenario, Coffin Dodgers has managed to do just enough to stand out from the crowd, offering a decent little kart-racer that should generate a laugh or two. A slight lack of content and a less-than-perfect overall quality prevent it from being something worth shouting about, however, so you might want to consider your options before jumping in with an immediate purchase.

There isn't enough within the story or characters to keep the player interested beyond that however, so make sure you're up for a challenge and want a simple little distraction before diving in.

Due to the repetitive nature of the gameplay the long-term value of this game is questionable, but make no mistake - this game is certainly better than you might have assumed at first glance.

Spot It! Mean Machines falls into the "hidden object" genre of puzzles games, a category that isn't especially lacking on the DSiWare shop. It isn't an overly-ambitious title, and it's not the prettiest looking game out there, but it still manages to be an entertaining way to spend some time. At the low price-point of just 200 points, any fans of hidden object games would be remiss to let this one go unspotted.

Zoo Resort 3D is more Pokémon Snap than Zoo Tycoon, and while this will appeal to those not looking for an in-depth management sim on their 3DS, its accessibility from its simplicity is soon countered by its repetitiveness. Mind you, it's technically impressive, with some of the best visuals around.

When it comes to creating a math-based game that leans toward girls, SMART Adventures Mission Math: Sabotage at the Space Station accomplishes its mission quite decently.

Players looking for something a little different should enjoy Amida's Path.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a bit of an underwhelming RPG that has some unique gameplay mechanics. The open-ended world narrative structure feels freeing, but the characters are boring. The glimmer mechanic is fun, but the battle system lacks a strategic hook. Each of its gameplay systems is a double-edged sword, as we’d find a particular aspect enticing while another was baffling. It feels like a slight step back from the other recent SaGa games, but if you’re a fan of the series, Revenge of the Seven might resonate with you more than it did with us.

With 36 main campaign levels and 24 additional "quickplay" levels, each of which consists of an "action" and "defense" part, you'll be content for a decent while if you're just looking for more tower defense action and have already exhausted DSiWare's other options.

All-Star Fruit Racing takes a unique karting weapon system, throws it into a blender with some cute presentation ideas and an unfortunate series of technical annoyances, and ends up with a pretty mixed bag as a result. This is a competent racer, and there’s just about enough content to make you want to keep playing, but it never realises the potential that it could have had and doesn’t really stand up to the heights that other titles can offer. It’s just a little on the weak side to justify its asking price, so bear that in mind before jumping into a fruity purchase.

Nippon Marathon isn’t not going to be everyone’s tastes – those eye-wateringly janky visuals (whether by design or not) and the nature of physics-driven racing are an acquired taste that most people are going to tire of, fast. However, look past the surface and there’s a multiplayer experience here that will appeal to fans of Gang Beasts and the like, who just want a silly party game that cares not for seriousness in any form.

Samba de Amigo: Party Central brings back the cult classic monkey and all the fun that comes with him, but it does too much in the wrong places. By bombarding the player with no fewer than three different progress bars to level up in, any sense of growth, progress or leveling feels arbitrary and unnecessary. They feel like an attempt to hide the fact that Samba de Amigo is an arcade game about a dancing monkey that you can dress up in silly little outfits; it doesn't need to be an RPG, so why make it one? After all, Samba de Amigo is inherently fun—be it with maracas, a Wii remote, Joy-Con, or just buttons.

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.

Escape from Zombie City needs something to help it stand out from the brain-dead horde of eShop shooters, and depending on what you're looking for, it just might have it.

Despite a somewhat lacking narrative and a fairly short length – we saw the (beautiful) credits in less than four hours – Sea of Solitude is fun to play while it lasts. It looks superb and there's plenty of variety in the locales even in its brief running time. Sadly, though, it's not a standout – it wasn't on its original release and it still isn't here on the Switch. It's no walking simulator, but in trying to marry its story with somewhat rudimentary platforming gameplay, neither are entirely satisfactory. Of course, your mileage may vary in what the various heavier themes mean to you, but we found them pretty leaden and uninteresting takes on what are admittedly quite universal issues.

Though perfectly functional, the controls of Ninja-Kid do not always feel natural, sometimes requiring thought to perform the required actions. Get going, however, and the variety of enemies and different tactics employed to eliminate those enemies makes for some enjoyable gameplay .As the challenge increases, survival gets quite samey at the beginning of the stages, but Arcade Archives Kid-Ninja still provides a fun highscore-chasing challenge.

The gameplay is focused more towards the casual gaming crowd who are looking for a simple yet fun and addictive game, and it provides just that.

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.

Gravity+ is surprisingly functional and delivers a solid experience. The overall design and presentation does feel a bit rough around the edges, but when you develop a tempo the levels slowly become addictive. The limited content on offer in the base game is probably the biggest criticism, however taking into account the purchasable level design tool gameplay is potentially unlimited. If you would like a solid game on the Wii U that comes with its own level design tool, Gravity+ is one to consider - provided you're cool with paying a bit extra to unlock it.

Had 99seconds an arcade cabinet yelling for our attention, we would stroll right on up to it and put in the equivalent of 200 Nintendo Points for a quick challenge of skill. It's a title limited in scope but 99seconds does one thing and does it with competence, and that's probably all that we could reasonably ask of it before marching on to the next cabinet.

While I adored Lego Voyagers' visual style and emotive design of the main bricks, I often found the actual puzzles underwhelming, and the game ended just as they started to get interesting. If you ever find this on sale and want to just enjoy an evening with someone, this is a clever little co-op adventure with surprisingly touching themes. But when it comes to the difficulty of the main puzzles and the amount of content on offer, Lego Voyagers feels a few bricks short of a full set.

It's quite basic, but 5-in-1 Mahjong's 300 tile arrangements make this the best budget buy in the genre so far for DSiWare, even if the titular extra modes are a mixed bag.

The limited content in Stern Pinball is nonetheless well-crafted and certainly accurate when compared to real pinball. The issue is it's a rather simplistic game.

Speaking Simulator is a great idea delivered in mostly the right way. It throws its android protagonist into some brilliantly awkward situations and, once you've unlocked his entire repertoire of facial movements, things get pleasingly hectic. However, a lack of polish with regards to the controls, zero replayability, a janky combo system and the fact you don't actually seem to be able to fail a level all conspire to hold it back from being really easy to recommend.

In conclusion, Inside My Radio is a fairly novel, robust rhythmic platformer that's fun for a few hours; you'll soon be moving on to other things. Worth picking up for a Sunday afternoon blast if you fancy something a tiny bit different.

Check out Poncho if you enjoy puzzle problem solving within a slower-paced platforming game environment, otherwise think carefully before trying it out.

It’s a straightforward and repetitive online affair that, if you're lucky enough to be matched with the right bunch of randoms or happen to be playing a custom match with friends, can deliver the goods in terms of frights and tension from time to time. However, it has also always been a pretty clunky affair, a fact which is amplified further here by the noticeable graphical downgrade, laggy menus and the exclusion of a bunch of DLC that we really feel should have been included for the steep asking price. Still, if you're a fan who wants a portable version to play on the go, this should satisfy your needs as long as you're happy to grind yourself back to where you were at and fork out for your favourite killers. For everyone else, this is the least impressive version of the game available to buy at its highest price.

Progressing the twin stick shooter genre is no easy task, and Crimsonland makes a mechanically valiant if visually lethargic attempt. There are the foundations of a great game here - the moment to moment gameplay is a basic yet guilty pleasure of relentless, gratuitous violence, and the perk system and weapons within a level are consistently and immensely rewarding to use. While the action is ludicrous, fun, dumb and obnoxiously brash, the game is let down by its bland presentation, repetitive and uninspired quest mode and non-existent level design. It hides what is, at its core, an addictive and sadistically entertaining experience.

Although the developer clearly put some effort into improving the overall experience and adding more variety, though, the improvements cannot outweigh the fact that Bags was just more fun.

It's not the most technically refined gameplay experience you'll ever have, and a lot of the elements just don't add up, but it's campy enough to make you believe it was trying to be epic — and that might just rope you into trying its cheesy brand of arcade action.

BOXBOY! will surely find an audience among those who are deeply in love with the Game Boy's sensibilities, but this writer is finding it increasingly difficult to be nostalgic for a style that never goes away. What's left, then, is a polished puzzler with surprisingly dull tendencies.

Pinocchio's Puzzle captures what piecing puzzles together is all about: lighthearted engagement with friends and family. The game could have used some better storytelling and more music, but at only 500 Nintendo Points, it feels fairly priced. While it certainly won't keep you stumped for days, it could prove an easy family purchase to keep the gang occupied for a night or two.

VBlank Entertainment’s second GTA parody isn’t the close-to-perfect sequel we expected, but it’s still a decent game. Despite all of its numerous shortcomings, there’s still some fun to be had when you’re not toiling through menus, but it's hard not be disappointed when you consider VBlank's previous work; hopefully, like Retro City Rampage, we’ll see a better DX version in the future. As it stands, Shakedown: Hawaii is full of potential, but it’s overshadowed by monotony.

When it comes to traditional hidden object play, Vacation Adventures: Park Ranger does a good job of keeping things manageable and uncomplicated, offering wonderful scenes that might even make you feel a bit bad to see them so cluttered.

Despite those technical issues (and the disappointing lack of accessibility options) this is still a visual novel worth experiencing for fans of the genre, or those drawn in by its blend of coffee shop setting and paranormal quirkiness. This Switch port, however, doesn't necessarily show it in the best light.

Masyu by Nikoli does earn our recommendation, particularly to puzzle fans looking for some interesting variety in their daily diets of Sudoku and Kakuro, but the presentation and controls on offer here do mar the otherwise satisfying experience of solving it. For hardcore puzzle fans it's unquestionably worth playing, but others may be put off by the game's steep difficulty and picky touchscreen controls.

My Australian Farm, like its predecessors, is a serviceable if somewhat flawed money management game. You won't want to throw your DS on the barbie, nor will you come flying back to it like a boomerang.

Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition HD is the sort of game that you play and then wonder why exactly it needs to exist. Though it does a great job of capturing the spirit of Final Fantasy XV in several ways, it drops the ball in some others, resulting in an inferior facsimile of a game that is already seen as something of a rough gem. There’s very little reason to give Pocket Edition HD a go if you’ve already played Final Fantasy XV, and if you haven’t, we’d give this a tenuous recommendation at best. There are many moments where the live-action combat is satisfying and the cutesy visuals are charming, but this is hardly something that we’d say should be close to the top of your wish list.

.hack//G.U. Last Recode isn’t a bad game, it’s just aggressively mediocre. These three games weren’t fantastic when they were new and, surprise surprise, they still aren’t great now. Repetitive dungeon design, extremely easy combat, and an often nonsensical narrative prove to be this release’s greatest weaknesses, holding it back from fulfilling the interesting concept of its premise. Still, if you want the nostalgia trip or for some reason aren’t satisfied with the near-bottomless list of more interesting RPGs on the Switch, it may be worth the punt. We’d give this one a light recommendation, then, but would say you’re better off picking up the remasters of Final Fantasy XII or Shin Megami Tensei III if you’re looking for a worthwhile sixth-generation RPG. If it’s specifically the concept of a single player MMO that interests you, then either CrossCode or one of the Xenoblade releases will scratch that itch far better.

Angry Birds Star Wars isn’t a bad game. While it does suffer from a few issues here and there, it’s an enjoyable experience overall.

Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid isn't some cheap tie into a quarter-century-old franchise – at least not in sense of its core mechanics and gameplay. With a smooth 60fps in all formats on Switch, lots of modes to play through and support for ranked and casual bouts online, it's a decent fighter, even without the licence. However, an ugly yet suitably contemporary approach to content accessibility leaves this game feeling frustratingly spartan to anyone who doesn't invest in a rolling number of ongoing season passes. This seems to be the way all fighting games are going – just look at Dead or Alive 6's awful DLC setup – but it's not a welcome direction.

1993 Shenandoah is an unexpectedly polarizing title: previous Commodore Amiga owners and fans will undoubtedly love it and blissfully enjoy the sights and sounds of their beloved childhood, but folks who either missed out on the Amiga or are too young to know the machine might feel completely baffled that such titles managed to hold anyone's attention for long. Even so, we can’t deny that having games recovered from decades ago is always a welcome surprise, and for that, we are more than pleased to salute the addition of this one to the Nintendo Switch's ever-growing, ever-impressive shmup library. It's not for everyone, then, but if you loved the Amiga, then you'll probably love this.

At 200 Points, Portable Shrine Wars is right for the price: if you're looking for an engaging game that harkens back to a more arcade style and is fun in short bursts, then you might find this one to be right for you.

Phantom Doctrine certainly shares plenty of DNA with the much-adored XCOM series, but it lacks the polish that’s made the likes of XCOM 2 such an enduring example of how to do tactics right. When Phantom Doctrine really doubles down on the minutiae of its spycraft – including the solving conspiracies and the stealth-focused nature of its missions – its own personality shines through. It’s certainly scrappy here and there – especially when it comes to managing the meta of its spy network – but push past these imperfections and you’ll have plenty of licence for kills (and the occasional thrill).

If you're looking for a "game" which you can play a few minutes every day that doesn't really require a lot of effort, Hello Flowerz is probably your best bet.

Players after a truly strategic experience — or who don’t want their war effort sabotaged by a random number generator — will come away disappointed, but those looking for a simplified take on the Second World War will certainly find some fun in conquering the continent.

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.

Those looking for a more 'premium' tennis experience on the Wii U would probably be better off with Wii Sports Club: Tennis. However, Family Tennis SP certainly holds its own as cheaper, motion control-less alternative.

Ultimately, Penguins & Friends does provide for fun with friends even with its slight drawbacks, but we can't help but feeling that you may be better served sticking to the table-top version.

We’d recommend this to anyone looking for a relatively shallow game that doesn’t take a whole much of a time investment; for what it is, Yonder is a decent game, though it’s hardly a must-play.

Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is an ambitious title that does some things rather well, finding a way to endear itself to players. It has a few problems, some from design choices and others from its mobile legacy that should have been adjusted for console, but what it doesn't lack is heart. The desire of the developers to pay homage to classic adventure series, but in their own way, shines through. It's a flawed title, but if you're willing to overlook those issues you may find it to be an enjoyable experience on the Switch eShop.

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.

Castlestorm II is a mixed bag; a combination of some equally intense highs and lows which almost feels worse than if it was simply not a good game. The issue is that it is a good game on a fundamental design level. The integration of several strategy elements alongside the hands-on gameplay makes for a thrilling and fun experience that is truly unlike anything else out there. That level of quality and innovation, however, is hamstrung by frequently poor controls, performance, and presentation which dramatically lowers the pedigree of the experience. Unfortunately, Castlestorm II feels like a step back from its predecessor, as it acquires more new problems than it fixes the old. Even so, we still feel it’s worth a light recommendation as a ‘buy it on a deep sale’ title. There’s always a chance that patches will fix up the rough edges, and if you can get past the issues in execution, there’s a legitimately great game to experience here.

Playing The Long Journey Home can often be rewarding as it is frustrating. The creativity of the writing, the whimsy of the soundtrack and vast number of cosmic variations you’ll encounter makes each new jump a leap into the unknown. But it too often airs on the unfair, with a careful and calculated set of jumps undone by a sudden and unpredictable calamity or a trip to a planet that cripples your lander, effectively ending your game. The resource management aspect really is a drag, but push past the constant need to spin those plates and there are some really wonderful moments to experience. The procedurally-generated nature of each jump warrants countless replays – you’ll just have to deal with a game that’s often doing its best to scupper its own best characteristics.

While its presentation is in some cases downright lacking, the Irem Collection Volume 1’s essentials are at least in order, delivering three great games, several port variations, and enough adjustable options to satisfy. That said, both Image Fights are utter taskmasters that require a hardened disposition, and that limits their broader appeal. X Multiply makes up for this by being a lot more accessible, with a visually superb aesthetic, but also feels like the odd one out because of it. We can’t help but feel an Irem Collection combining eight to ten titles would have been something worth shouting about, but with further volumes in the pipeline, this does feel like yet another exercise in squeezing a niche consumer base over several releases. Despite our appreciation of the games on board, it's hard to get too excited.

FIFA 13 for Wii U is a fine simulation of the world's favourite sport. In footballing circles, the only game that beats it is its own sequel, which is already out for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and also happens to be called FIFA 13. The chances are that if you're really into football games, you've been playing FIFA on one of the other home formats for a while and will have played this edition of the game to death already. If you aren't, then you'll have no interest in FIFA 13 anyway. That makes us wonder exactly who EA was targeting when it drew up the plans for this one.

A solid, enjoyable 2D platformer particularly suited to less experienced gamers.