Crime O’Clock adds a smart twist to the hidden object concept. By showing the characters in its lively scenes going about their business as time passes, Bad Seed has found a way to build masses of detail into the little worlds you explore. However, the minigames are very weak and we never escaped the extremely repetitive gameplay typical of this type of game. As a result, it’s one for genre fans only.

Everybody 1-2-Switch! is a perfectly serviceable party game when playing through one of the mini-games that offers something new, but those moments are few and far between. The rest of the games are not by any means bad, but they fail to stand out on the already-loaded table of Nintendo party titles. Combine this with the noticeable step-down in quality when playing with fewer people, and we are left thinking that this is a game which will only be brought out in very specific circumstances. It's a perfectly harmless party game, but it doesn't come close to what Nintendo has achieved in the genre in the past.

Your enjoyment of Everdream Valley will depend on how you like to play the farm sims already on your Switch. If your primary goal has been about raking in the gold, beautifying your farm, or finding The One, you might not dig it. If you’ve never played a farm sim before, and want to till your first tile, we don’t recommend starting here. However, if you love caring for your animals, and want to see life through their shiny eyes, Everdream Valley could be right in your paddock.

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

Capping off the Crossbell and Cold Steel arcs with a nice little bow, The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie hits some high highs – such as with C and the True Reverie Corridor – and when it does, it's an RPG fan’s paradise. But as an overall package, it feels like an easy excuse to get a huge number of characters together rather than do something meaningful with them. It’s far from the series’ best, but fans will find a lot to love here, even if we'd recommend seeking it out on another platform for the best experience, or waiting for a patch.

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is a solid follow-up to the Danganronpa franchise that demonstrates a heap of ambition from its developers and mostly lives up to its predecessor's impressive reputation. But while the game delivers an excellent cast of characters and some truly intriguing mysteries to solve, it also stumbles in its methods, introducing mechanics and locations that outstay their welcome and become frustratingly repetitive. Still, for fans of Dangaronpa and those who enjoy a good gruesome crime or two, it's definitely worth checking out.

The Lara Croft Collection sees two excellent Tomb Raider spin-offs hit Nintendo Switch in an excellent package that offers up plenty of puzzles, slick combat, and fun local co-op action. There are a few performance issues in Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, and the lack of online co-op for both games is a shame, but overall this is still a great double pack that we recommend picking up. They may initially look like watered-down takes on the main franchise but make no mistake, these are two of Lara's very best outings.

As a self-proclaimed spiritual successor to WWF No Mercy, AEW had big wrestling boots to fill. While it doesn't quite surpass THQ's classic N64 grappler in terms of pure gameplay, it's nevertheless a highly entertaining wrestling title with a pleasantly silly story mode and some frankly ridiculous weapons-heavy match types. Performance on the Switch leaves a lot to be desired, but it's still the best wrestling game on the system for now.

In keeping with tradition, Sonic Origins Plus is a bit of a mixed bag. The new playable characters, Game Gear games, and other content feel just barely worth the upgrade fee, but there’s no escaping the sense that Sega could’ve done a lot more for this update and chose not to. While the overall package is a strong one, we’d give the new content of this expansion a very light recommendation as it does ultimately feel worth the price tag (for existing owners). But how much value this will hold to you depends heavily on how much nostalgia you have for the Game Gear and how badly you want to play as Amy in the classic games. Here’s hoping that Sonic Superstars provides an old-school Sonic experience that feels less underwhelming.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective was one of the best games on Nintendo DS. Now it is one of the best games on Nintendo Switch. If you're a fan of Ace Attorney, Danganronpa, AI: The Somnium Files, any of the games we've mentioned, or just of having a good dang time with a brilliant story and stunning art, then why are you still here? Go and get the game. Now. Go!!!!

If you’re itching for more Sparks of Hope gameplay, The Last Spark Hunter DLC will give you exactly that. However, if you were like us and quite satisfied with the length of the original adventure, this is a completely skippable DLC as it exists separately from the base game, having no impact on gameplay or the planet-hopping narrative despite being rooted in it. Even for newcomers, it’s an odd decision to place it outside of the base game instead of an epilogue or stand-alone adventure. Ubisoft’s Rayman will star in the final DLC that might warrant more of an incentive to Ubisoft’s bizarre Mario and Rabbids mashup, but until then, it's safe to leave Cursa’s minions well enough alone unless you’re really into more tactical Rabbid antics.

Fall of Porcupine has a lot of potential, but our diagnosis is that it's fallen short. The cute art style and evocative soundtrack are its main drawcards, and while the wide-eyed animals can mask the dark themes of an unhealthy system, they can’t quite cover up the haphazard story or keep players engaged. We felt the game needed either a stronger narrative thread or more involved gameplay to improve its condition. Performance bugs can be treated with patches, but it’ll take more than a band-aid solution to cure the ailments in Fall of Porcupine.

Pikmin 2 is a fantastic follow-up to the 2001 original that expands upon its predecessor's core gameplay in some neat and well-considered ways. This is a bigger game, with more areas and dungeons to explore, a larger variety of Pikmin to work with, multiple protagonists to control, and a few extra modes thrown in for good measure. It may be a bare-bones port, and we do really miss those Duracells, but this is a game that's aged remarkably well and, with foundations as delightfully entertaining and inventive as this, it's still an experience that we highly recommend checking out on Switch.

Pikmin 1 remains a delightful puzzle adventure that sees Nintendo at its most charming and inventive. Yes, this Switch port is a little bit underwhelming, with just a higher resolution and some new controls to get excited about, but with a core game this good, it's still an experience that comes highly recommended. Over two decades on from its original release, Pikmin's unique brand of magic remains undiminished.

Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine doesn’t meet the standard that Super Meat Boy set, but it’s a serviceable puzzler that does bring something new to the genre. Appealing visuals and tight controls are positives here, though these are balanced out by the often excessively punishing difficulty and the lack of multiplayer or other modes. We’d give this one a light recommendation if you’re tired of falling block puzzlers treading the same ground and want to try something that stands out from the pack. Otherwise, we’d suggest sticking with games like Mixolumia and Lumines Remastered.

Skautfold: Usurper ultimately comes off as more of a mid-effort flash game than a properly polished new eShop release. There are flashes of fun every now and then, but none of the ideas or concepts here cohere into something that’s worth your time. If you’re looking for a solid Metroidvania with Soulslike elements, Blasphemous, Hollow Knight, and Salt and Sanctuary all offer up a substantially more polished and enjoyable experience.

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life retains the charm and the pleasant tedium of the original while bringing enough features up-to-date that it's not a total chore to play. Fans of later farming/life-sims might find it too slow and too dull, but we encourage you to embrace the slow-and-dullness to find a surprisingly fulfilling and earnest game underneath. After all, this game is the granddaddy of Stardew Valley, and it's not too hard to see the family resemblance. Just, uh, use a guide. Trust us.

There's no sense of progression or improvement on offer, the story is a bore, you're made to walk circles around a tiny village and, even at the relative budget price of £20 / $28 it feels like Crypton Future Media is asking way too much. If you've got a very young child to entertain, maybe this will do the job for an hour or two. Otherwise, it's hard to recommend something so slight, unchallenging, and unwilling to engage with what makes its star such a joy to be around in the first place.

In rounding off Katamari Damacy’s rougher edges and upping the ante with more diverse mechanics and challenges, even goofier writing, and a terrific soundtrack, We Love Katamari cemented itself as a high watermark for video game sequels in 2005. Even without the remaster treatment, the game’s maintained its luster remarkably well but Reroll + Royal Reverie is (an admittedly thin layer of) icing on an already decadent cake. With a number of solid quality-of-life updates and sharper, brighter visuals, this is undeniably the best way to experience the 2005 classic.

On its trip down the river, some of Dordogne’s design ideas feel stodgy, performance is sometimes flaky, and it leans into its clunkiest gameplay elements as it nears the end. But to get hung up on these points is to miss a truly touching story bringing a beautiful world to life in sound and images. There’s a lot to reward you here if you can navigate the obstacles and just go with the flow.

A surprisingly solid Soulslike, Bleak Sword DX does exactly what it sets out to do and nothing else, which makes it hard to fault. Once you get the timing down on the limited actions at your disposal, you’ll find the monsters full of character even as they try to beat you to death. You’ll die often but the game does a great job of making each death feel like a learning experience rather than a punishment. Short and sweet.

Convergence: A League of Legends Story successfully blends a cool visual style with fun time-bending action to make for a Metroidvania that's well worth a shot. Though it's on the short side, Convergence uses this to its advantage to craft a thrillingly well-paced adventure which will likely hook you until its end. That said, it’s important to underline that this Switch port suffers from some noticeable performance issues, even if the rewind mechanic helps remedy mistakes frame drops might cause. All the same, we still enjoyed our time with Convergence and would recommend it to anyone looking for yet another Metroidvania to add to their collection. The genre may feel overstuffed, but this game is a good example of why there’s always room for one more good one.

Even without Takahashi Meijin’s association, Star Gagnant would still be a Terarin work that genre fans can rely on. Its simplicity is what makes it so engaging: a clean, enjoyable shooting game with a deep scoring system to mine like crazy, and tons of modes in which to do so. And this, really, is where its creativity is strongest, drawing on games from the late '80s and '90s to build a new, Meijin-flavoured tapper that reworks those elements into something fresh. It's primarily pitched at existing Terarin fans and PC Engine shooting-game aficionados, and ably achieves its goals.

It may be confusing to navigate, but Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun has definitely got it where it counts. When you aren’t busy trying to remember how many times you’ve been through a certain room, the comically violent combat sequences offer up consistently thrilling engagements with just the right amount of difficulty. We wish that it controlled a little better, but it’s impossible to deny that Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is just a plain fun game to tear through. We’d recommend this to anyone looking for a solid boomer shooter to add to their library; it’s not a game that you need to rush out and play right away, but you’ll probably be satisfied once you get around to it.

Maquette’s strength mostly lies in its beautifully told narrative and wonderfully voice-acted characters, and if this were a review of the story alone, we might give it a higher rating. The gameplay is interesting, however, there’s often only one right answer. Plus it’s hard to ignore performance issues like stuttering and the dreaded restarts. For us, playing Maquette was a lot like Michael and Kenzie’s relationship. It was sometimes wonderful, sometimes frustrating, and, though it’s probably not something we’ll return to, it was worth our time – even if it didn’t last long.

Etrian Origins Collection may not be the 'definitive’ re-release that many hoped it would be, but these games are well-respected in the DRPG space for good reason and it's great to see them on Switch.

While Loop8’s story has the potential to be incredibly interesting, it never really lands and fails to leave an emotional impact towards the end. It's all presented beautifully and has a unique mix of gameplay styles and ideas, but their repetitive and frustrating nature makes the whole experience a chore. It’s like toiling away at your summer job and going through the motions until it’s time to leave.

There’s something weirdly wonderful about Pulling No Punches, though. Its four chapters comprise just over an hour end-to-end, but there’s so much to see that one can’t help but be absorbed by it. Whether the awesome character designs, the blazing f-bombs, the untranslated onomatopoeia of its fisticuffs, or the divisive theme itself, Pulling No Punches is not only a competent scrolling beat 'em up, but has a power of intrigue like few others. Frankly, we’re not sure Nintendo’s board of approval paid much attention to it, and in a world littered with a host of sanitised indie retro-themed games, its daring, politicised demeanour is a breath of fresh air.

There is fun to be had in Farming Simulator 23: Nintendo Switch Edition, but those who find it will need to be intimately familiar with the farming process. This version feels like a significant downgrade over the PC edition released in late 2021 and has some gameplay quirks that hinder the actual experience of running a farm. Unless you are desperate to take your farming on the go with the Switch, there are better entries in this series out there to play.

Lego 2K Drive is a racing game that so nearly reaches its potential, but it steps on a few stray bricks along the way. The core driving feels good, the Story mode has plenty to do, and the creation tools are legitimately impressive. However, it's let down by technical shortcomings, a lack of sharing options, and somewhat slimy monetisation. The foundations of a really great arcade racer are here, but poor optimisation in this Switch version and certain design decisions mean it's unlikely to overtake the competition.

We still have a lot of adventuring left to do in New Wirral, and we’re in no way upset about it. More monsters to record and remaster, a few more mysteries to uncover, characters to grow fond of, and about 13,970 more fusions to see. Some (hopefully pre-launch-only) performance issues, wonky balance, and overly complex battle mechanics did little to affect how much we enjoyed Cassette Beasts. In fact, it’s one of the better monster-battling games not starring a little electric rodent that you can enjoy on your Nintendo Switch.

It takes a lot for a roguelike to feel truly fresh on Switch, but Fights in Tight Spaces does a great job of taking a well-worn format and making it feel just that. The turn-based combat means you’ll constantly be weighing up the right strategy while the unique difficult levels mean that completing your first run is only the start of the fun. Though it isn’t quite optimised for the Switch, it still looks and plays very well. Recommended.

Nightmare Reaper does, however, achieve most of what it sets out to do, pushing boundaries in terms of weaponry, spectacular abilities, and more trinkets than a fully loaded cargo ship. It’s at its best when it devolves into a spectacular bloodbath at the whims of your creative weapon and ability choices. And, while imperfections exist, its violent, adrenaline-fuelled highs will make it very appealing to fans of the old-school FPS.

Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! feels like a fitting, worthy new entry in the long-running series. There’s a rich mixture of single and multiplayer/online modes on offer here, and though the AI bots can leave something to be desired, this is overall a well-rounded and appealing package that’s sure to appeal to any action puzzle fans. We’d give this one a recommendation to anyone looking for an addictive puzzler that doesn’t require too much mental investment to ‘get’ and that keeps you on your toes. The simple and brilliant game design on display here is admirable and it’s sure to eat up hours of your time once it gets its hooks in you.

On the whole though, while some fun can be had if you really dig in and attempt to learn Shockman with total conviction, it remains the lesser of its series, has aged fairly poorly, and will really only appeal to diehard retro enthusiasts who want to own a piece of gaming history on a modern format.

If you’re itching for some classic action platforming with a Mega Man flavour, Bat Boy will satisfy. It has a fun sports theme, some great tunes, and vibrant levels to navigate. As fans of that genre, we enjoyed most of our time with it outside of a few sudden spikes in difficulty and a handful of bugs – particularly one that lost us progress if we dared to use the pause menu. A patch or two post-launch might alleviate these issues, but in its current state, Bat Boy doesn’t hit a home run — though it doesn't quite strike out, either.

It’s impossible to talk about everything that makes The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom so incredible, and making many of those discoveries yourselves is part of the magic. It’s also impossible to overstate just how much there is to do in Hyrule this time around. Much like its predecessor, this is your playground for the next however many years to come, with a little sprinkling of that older Zelda fairy dust mixed into Breath of the Wild’s formula. It’s a glorious, triumphant sequel to one of the best video games of all time; absolute unfiltered bliss to lose yourself in for hundreds of hours. We can’t wait to see what the world will do with the game.

Molly Medusa: Queen of Spit takes a great idea and, unfortunately, fails to deliver on its promise. The throwback camera is a mistake and needed far more refinement, and the controls feel clumsy as a result. Molly's lack of reaction to her curse takes away any emotional impetus or impact from the plot. There is a potential gem here, but despite a handful of inspired ideas, it feels antiquated and is very difficult to recommend, at least in its launch state.

Super Dungeon Maker has a lot of potential and perhaps with time it’ll become something great. For now, it feels like an egg that still needs significantly more time to incubate before it can hatch. Intuitive creator controls, an endless well of community-crafted content, and charming visuals are all big positives here, but the lack of any overarching progression, no touchscreen controls, and it feeling generally unfinished really hold this one back from being anything exceptional. If you have faith that the developers will eventually realize the full scope of their vision, then we’d certainly encourage you to crack this one open, but those who are more wary of early-access titles will want to wait and see. Super Dungeon Maker is just an average experience for now — here’s hoping that it eventually delivers on its promise.

Despite the bullet-soaking and clunky vehicle sections, we like Wild Dogs. It’s a Contra tribute in an unexpected but genuinely eye-pleasing style that mostly hits all the right notes and will satisfy any die-hard fan of Konami’s series or retro gaming generally.

It may not last very long, but Nuclear Blaze is a cool action platformer that does a good job of exploring its core idea of prioritizing fighting fires over fighting enemies. Things like Hold My Beer Mode and all the hidden cats help pad out the replayability a bit, while the strong level design and tight gameplay makes the moment-to-moment action feel worthwhile. For 15 bucks, Nuclear Blaze feels like it does just enough to justify the price of admission, especially if you’re a fan of 2D action games; we’d recommend you give it a go.

After a decade of waiting, Teslagrad 2 is undeniably a great follow-up to the original. The game is gorgeous, movement feels excellent, and the world is a joy to explore. What's here is very strong, but the short length means it's all over too quickly, which may come as a disappointment given the 10-year gap between this sequel and the original game. Despite that, if you are a fan of the original Teslagrad, or games with great mobility in general, you will surely enjoy Teslagrad 2.

Just like it did with the excellent Torna – The Golden Country, Monolith Soft has given us a carefully refined prequel experience here, adding to and improving upon core combat and exploration elements that were already best-in-class. Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s delightful battle system feels better than ever, its stunning landscapes are packed full of exploration that’s been reinvigorated thanks to the new Affinity system and there’s enough emotion and revelations packed in to satisfy the most ardent of Xenoblade fans. It also provides something of a clean slate going forward for this most intriguing of franchises. Where will the world of Xenoblade take us next? We cannot wait to find out.

Strayed Lights is something rare in the gaming industry; a game that genuinely surprises us. The combat is unique and accessible. The story is told in a subtle, heartfelt way. The music and visuals are stunning. However, a string of technical bugs, repetitive combat, and inconsistent platforming sections mar what would otherwise be a stellar offering from a new studio. If it ran better on the Switch, we would be giving it a much better score.

There’s a lot to like about Bramble The Mountain King. Through its narration and fantastical environments, Dimfrost Studio does a great job at making you feel like you’re taking part in an unsettling, if a little too long, fable laden with mythological creatures. The game's puzzle-platforming segments do nothing extraordinary, yet strike a nice balance between simplicity and challenge, and though the set camera and cumbersome movement can often get in the way, frequent checkpoints alleviate much of the frustration. However, depending on how much performance issues annoy you – stuttering, pop-in, frame rate drops – this is an adventure that might be best played elsewhere.

With charm and polish and great respect for the player’s time and ability, Desta: The Memories Between manages to land a clever and touching concept. The story and voice acting keep the levels ticking by and elevate what could have been a very rote affair. The dodgeball gameplay does let the story do the heavy lifting after about halfway, becoming rather repetitive, but it also provides a realistic touch of conflict and aggression whenever the dialogue leans into super-niceness, and the roguelike strategy plays smoothly enough to be a pleasant delivery mechanism for the tale of Desta unpacking and coming to terms with their emotional conflicts.

Minecraft Legends, at least on Switch, is an average game at very best, but frustrating controls, terrible AI, and repetitive gameplay all come together to make for something that feels substantially beneath the quality of the Minecraft brand. Though we commend the developers for trying something new here, this is easily the worst Minecraft spinoff Mojang has produced. We’d recommend this one to only the most enthusiastic of Minecraft fans, and even then, only if you opt for the PC version. If you don’t have a PC or don’t want it there, then we’d suggest you pass; Minecraft Legends on the Switch simply isn’t worth your time or money.

While we did grow a little weary of the overwhelming amount to explore and backtrack through in Afterimage, we didn’t grow tired of whacking its wide range of enemies, nor did its gorgeously hand-drawn environments — which Switch unfortunately struggles to do justice to when docked — ever disappoint. It's best experienced elsewhere if you're playing on a television, but if you primarily play your Switch handheld, Afterimage offers a lengthy, lovely-looking Metroidvania adventure.

JRPG fans can rest easy knowing that Trinity Trigger will meet their lofty expectations; this is a nostalgia trip worth taking. While not perfect, with beautiful art and music and a combat system that will feel both fresh and familiar, it is a strong contender for one of the best JRPGs of 2023 so far. The plot isn't anything to write home about and it's a tad on the easy side, but it remains engaging, especially for Mana series enthusiasts. Hopefully its proximity to the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom doesn't see Trinity Trigger overshadowed before it gets a chance to shine.

Degica's work here is commendable. Not only is this the best of the series, but it’s now the ultimate version out there. Castle of Shikigami 2 comes easily recommended to fans of bullet hell shooting games, and while it might not be up there with the very best, it’s certainly original, deviously devised, and layered like crazy. With all the characters, their individual assets and stories, as well as all-new modes to toy with, this is how we like to see publishers handling re-releases of arcade titles, rather than slapping out another no-frills port-of a-port.

Tin Hearts is a lovely little puzzler that's engaging and emotional in equal measure. It takes all the right inspiration from Lemmings but manages to stand on its own two feet with a unique visual style, clever mechanics, and a wonderful narrative told effortlessly during gameplay. Technical hiccups pull it back from true greatness, including a choppy frame rate and jarring camera movements, but if you're after a relaxing puzzler that's not too taxing on the ol' noggin, then you really can't go too wrong with this.

Considering the overall quality, intriguing historical period settings, and stunning visual splendour throughout, it’s disappointing that the emulation quality and certain pivotal features drop the ball. These deficiencies don't make these games unplayable. Quite the contrary, there are still countless hours of enjoyment for enthusiasts of these types of games. But it’s a shame that titles like Demon Front haven’t received that final lick of polish to make it a collection to be remembered. Yes, you can overlook the suspect slowdown and audio warble if you’re not nitpicky, and, for the price, it still offers an incredibly good deal. Nonetheless, with more attention it could have been the best representation of IGS’s back catalogue. As it stands, it falls short of that achievement. Fingers crossed for a patch.

If you can get past the bugs and performance issues at launch, The Mageseeker proves itself to be yet another strong addition to Riot’s growing catalogue of intriguing spin-off games. Sylas’s bittersweet quest supplies a compelling story that nicely complements the fast-paced combat and magic-stealing action, providing fans with an enjoyable action experience that fans of 2D action games will want to take note of. We’d give The Mageseeker a high recommendation to anyone looking for another good retro hack ‘n’ slash for their collection—this one is deeper than it may appear on the surface, and it stands up well next to peers such as Unsighted or Hyper Light Drifter.

These six remasters provide a superb way to experience or re-experience Final Fantasy history. Not all Final Fantasies were created equal, however; some, like Final Fantasy IV and VI, have aged gracefully and remain great narrative-driven adventures, while others might feel a bit more archaic even with the quality-of-life additions. Purists also may not appreciate the new balancing introduced in these new remasters. Even so, if you don't have them on a cartridge with an ancient TV to hook them up to or don't want to experience the bonus dungeons added in other versions, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more convenient, aesthetically pleasing, and faithful way to play through some of the best JRPGs ever made.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a delightful reimagining of two classic GBA strategy titles. The gameplay here remains as endlessly addictive, finely balanced, and challenging as ever, and the addition of a handful of modern conveniences and the ability to play against friends online makes for a slick overall package. With a crisp, clean new art style that adds lots of new animations and cutscenes, a remastered soundtrack, and voice-acting in the mix, this is a polished return to Advance Wars action that's got us fully addicted to the series all over again. This is the sort of game you'll reserve a permanent space for on your console, a timeless experience you'll keep tucked away on your Switch for the foreseeable future.

Disney Speedstorm delivers solid karting action with fantastic handling and clearly spends a lot of care and attention on its characters and courses. Its performance on Switch lets it down, though, especially on handheld where it's a blurry, stuttery mess, and those not interested in the live service setup will struggle to get along with it.

All in all, we loved Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories for taking us back to our roots and reminding us of simpler times when games were much more limited and required a unique type of creativity and imagination in their nostalgic design and witty storytelling. Short but sweet, if you're looking for a well-written little adventure that walks a dark path, you'll enjoy this evocative, melon-choly journey.

Cannon Dancer is an undeniably polished product and has Yotsui’s action-cinema aspirations stamped all over it. Speed, dynamism, and full-bodied combat snap will keep bringing you back for more. While visually inspired and boldly artistic, it's a concise affair, as was Strider, buoyed by a refined control scheme and consistently interesting stage developments. While the finale is no Third Moon, and could have been improved with a few adjustments, it still qualifies as the Strider sequel you always wanted but never knew.

It's clear that a lot of effort and love went into Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection; this is a worthwhile re-release that gives you a lot of bang for your buck. While everyone will have their favorite, the Mega Man Battle Network series remained remarkably consistent throughout its whole run, due in no small part to the innovative battle system and charming storylines present in each entry. If you’re a fan of Mega Man and haven’t given these games a shot yet, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up immediately. Even if you’re not a Rockman enthusiast, these games each offer up some inventive RPG experiences that are certainly worth your time.

Tron: Identity won’t wow anyone with its puzzles, but it does a great job of telling a tight story that changes with each playthrough. The short playtime encourages you to explore the world a bit more and uncover new truths that you missed because of your previous actions. If this is the start of a series of Tron visual novels, which the plot certainly feels like, then we’re hopeful we get to continue our journey with Query very soon.

Batora: Lost Haven is the perfect example of a damningly mediocre experience. The few things that it does well—such as its energetic combat and engaging choice system—are nothing that you haven’t seen done before elsewhere, while the things that it misses—such as its storytelling and puzzle design—really take the wind out of its sails. Batora has its redeeming traits, but it feels like this is one that just never quite manages to pull everything together in a way that feels worthwhile. This is the kind of game that we wouldn’t necessarily recommend you buy or skip; if it feels to you like this is up your alley, then maybe it’s worth the punt if you can get it on sale, but you won’t be missing out on much if you choose to pass.

Even our minor frustrations with Lunark can’t overshadow the joy we felt as we played this unashamedly retro platformer. It is a competently put-together and lovingly crafted homage to an often-overlooked genre of gaming. Even the imprecise controls and Leo’s sluggish movements feel like a feature and not a bug in the game’s design. If you can wrap your head around them, there is a solid platformer to enjoy.

GrimGrimoire OnceMore takes one of the most under-appreciated RTS games of its generation and fixes some of its biggest problems, making this a worthwhile game for both new fans and those who have played the original. While the repetitive maps mean that most levels feel too similar to each other, the story is fun and the visuals have had a solid upgrade for the Switch. There is just enough depth to the strategy to keep you guessing without overwhelming new players.

The Last Worker is an ambitious project and it sticks the landing when it comes to graphics, performance, and voice acting. However, its central box-shipping game is fiddly and the game’s pacing doesn’t let you get into the flow. Tricky sections requiring repeated checkpoint loads break the immersion and clash with the long, dawdling sections of exploring the Jüngle facility. It's likeable and well-packaged with plenty of character, but it doesn’t always deliver.

Saga of Sins' excellent stained-glass visuals are let down by a predictable plot and somewhat workaday gameplay. Hardcore action-platform fans will probably be disappointed, but it might serve as a gentle introduction for newcomers to the genre. There aren’t any glaring faults or issues, but it's a shame that it doesn’t do quite enough with its solid mind-jumping, demon-battling premise.

With a slick aesthetic, some great synthwave tunes, and intense cybercycling through dilapidated space tubes, Gripper gets a lot right and we enjoyed those parts of it. We can forgive repetitive voice acting, but the other half of the game — the arena boss battles — is egregiously frustrating. The main gripping mechanic fails to work far too often with so much happening on screen, leading to a difficulty level that requires grudging patience rather than player skill. Thus, by the end of the game, our patience for this sci-fi mashup of genres had run out.

MLB The Show 23 is a better all-round package than last year's outing, thanks in large part to the new Storylines mode that adds a well-presented and educational history lesson for players to get involved in. In terms of this Switch port, presentation is perfectly acceptable, with the expected graphical downgrades made, but the framerate can still be troublesome in places, making for play that feels sluggish in comparison to other platforms. This issue aside, though, this is a solid port that brings all the modes found in other versions of the game, making for a decent overall option for MLB fans.

It may be over in the blink of an eye, but Kraino Origins proves itself to be a well-crafted and deeply enjoyable old-school action platformer while it lasts. If you’re looking for an affordable and brief entry in the genre, this is definitely one that we would recommend.

Have a Nice Death may not reinvent the wheel for roguelites, but this is a high-quality new entry in the genre. The brutal difficulty, creative theming, and satisfying combat all combine to make this a memorable and worthwhile experience, even if we wish it had better performance. We’d recommend this to anyone looking for another extremely competent and humorous action roguelite to add to their collection, though with the caveat that you should only take the plunge into this underworld if you feel confident in the sharpness of your skills. There’s a lot to love about Have a Nice Death, but as the name suggests, the bony hand of the reaper will be the only one holding yours.

With its encyclopaedia of over 125 fish, Dredge’s bounty is a boundless as the sea, its action RPG upgrade compulsion loop as deep. That said, you get out what you put in – during the first couple of hours, anyway. Once you achieve the sweet spot of an upgraded boat, manageable difficulty and a story in full flow, it’s magical. The excellent presentation of a terrifying ocean really hits home. The need to stretch the limits of safety to reach your next catch leads to edge-of-the-seat moments, while the slapping rain and eerie creaks of the sound design hardly help you to peace out. Interspersed with confidence-building angling in the sunshine and the fun of slotting oddly shaped creatures into your tight inventory, there’s just enough encouragement to keep enjoying the horrors. A wonderful first effort from Black Salt, Dredge is absolutely the kind of game you mount over the mantelpiece rather than throw back into the water.

It might not be perfect, but if you have any affection for mecha and anime culture, classic action gaming, or shooters and run ‘n’ guns, Assault Suits Valken Declassified is very much worth strapping yourself into. The odd quirk aside, it's a very well-thought-through creation, defined by tight controls and movement, tidy level design, and a bounty of ideas. And then there's all those lovely archive materials. Tread carefully, though. This mecha is a beast.

It feels like Blade Assault could be a good game with a few more years of focused, iterative development, but what we have today doesn’t quite cut it. Its uninspired visuals, chaotic combat, and overall lack of identity all work against it in a popular and overcrowded genre. Though it passably executes on the basic blueprint of an action roguelite and it can be fun to buildcraft around its cast of playable characters, Blade Assault simply doesn’t do enough to justify a spot in your library. If you’re absolutely fiending for another roguelite and somehow haven’t been satisfied by the extensive selection of excellent titles already on Switch, then maybe this is worth a punt.

Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key ends Ryza's three-game run on a high note, serving up a heady mix of exploration, crafting and combat that benefits greatly from a narrative arc that's had time to develop and grow. The new key mechanics add more depth to combat, synthesis and exploration, the world is more seamless and diverse than ever before and the whole thing comes together to form a satisfying end for this hugely popular protagonist. We did have some issues with small text, no English dub and a little fussiness in how information is relayed, but overall this is Gust's finest adventure to date and a JRPG experience that long-term fans and newcomers alike will find plenty to delight in.

While our hopes for some secret, extra-hard levels or some post-credits challenge were quickly dashed, Storyteller features a small tease of the possibility of more in the future, and after just this short taste, we sincerely hope Benmergui and Annapurna give this clever premise a sequel.

Backbeat stands out among puzzle games for its attractive graphics and constantly pulsing, funky soundscape, but most of all for its impressive depth of mechanics. Juggling phrase lengths, bar markers, alignment, stagger, solos, and special moves – all in interactive levels full of moving parts – is like having a wah-wah pedal hooked up to your brain. Apart from a sometimes-fiddly interface and limited replayability, Ichigoichie has hit all the right notes.

DC's Justice League: Cosmic Chaos is a fun action brawler with a wide enough range of difficulty levels to appeal to both younger players and older superhero fans who aren't above watching funny cartoons. Its technical issues and lack of co-op let it down, but what's there is an entertaining game that'll last you a decent time.

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a delightfully stylish origin tale that sees young Bayo take her first steps on the road to becoming the bad-ass Umbra witch we all know and love. This is a graphically stunning fairy tale with plenty in the way of atmosphere and charm. However, long-term Bayo fans beware, it's also a game that's aimed squarely at a young/casual audience, introducing plenty of fun puzzle and combat mechanics but never really evolving them to a point where they become in any way challenging. Repetition creeps in later in the game and, although it ends with some stylish boss sequences and some nice shoutouts to the main series, it feels like a little challenge, inventiveness and puzzle and combat experimentation could have made this one absolutely essential for all ages.

If you liked Dead Cells, it’s a no-brainer that you must get the Return to Castlevania DLC as soon as possible. It may be brief, but this is a brilliantly intense and nostalgic trip to a spookier world that fits in well with the broader offering of content in the base game. This feels like it’s primarily made for Dead Cells fans who also happen to like Castlevania — it's unlikely to convert Castlevania aficionados who don’t get on with Motion Twin's roguelite. At any rate, we loved it and it's great to see Castlevania back in video games again. Let's hope that Konami takes notice and opts to give us a full revival soon.

Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is one of the most surprising games we've experienced in a good while. Its overarching narrative, while initially quite heavy on exposition, is wonderfully told, interweaving the lives of multiple protagonists and tasking the player with progressing their stories in meaningful ways. The puzzles are fantastic, the characters well realised, and the visuals top-notch, making those brief moments of horror and terror exceedingly effective. It's an experience we fully recommend going into with as little information as possible, as this will prove to be an incredibly memorable experience; one that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Switch's best visual novels.

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.

Figment 2 stands as a competent and creative action puzzle game with a lot of heart. Though it feels rather short, it’s clear that a lot of thought and care went into making this charming world. Satisfying puzzles and excellent presentation are a big draw here, though they’re let down by simplistic combat and undeniably rough, gameplay-affecting performance on Switch. We'll keep our fingers crossed for patches, and we’d still give Figment 2 a recommendation, though you may want to wait for this one to go on sale.

It is difficult to score The Last Spell, because it's a game that does so much so well, from the music to the game balance to charming writing. If you can wrap your head around the counter-intuitive controls — which an eventual patch will hopefully sort out — there is plenty for tactical RPG fans to sink their teeth into. We enjoyed our time with the game, but the hasty feel of the Switch port keeps the game from reaching its full potential, though.

Wave 4 features quite comfortably the best set of tracks so far from the Booster Course Pass, with only one proving to be a bit underwhelming. We’re loving the Tour additions, and Yoshi’s Island is destined to be an all-time great. If Nintendo keeps this up, then we’ll be in a great position for Waves 5 and 6.

Session: Skate Sim is a valiant attempt to recreate the trials and tribulations of actual, real-life skateboarding that eschews the arcade flashiness of other skating games in favour of slow and methodical repetition and mastery of both your board and your environment. There's a deep and involving game here for skate fans who want something to really sink their teeth into, or at least there would be if it wasn't for blurry visuals, control issues, poor mission design, and frame rate issues that make for an uphill struggle that just doesn't feel worth the pain in the end. If you've got a ton of patience there's still some joy to be found here, but it's gonna take some patches and updates to get this particular port to the place it needs to be in order to earn a full recommendation.

For fans of the franchise, Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse should be a no-brainer. Fifteen years after its original release in Japan, its launch in the west brings some welcome upgrades to the visuals and presentation. That said, you can definitely feel the game's age in the core gameplay and little has been done to bring this more in line with modern sensibilities. Movement is janky, the camera never quite feels spot on, and the loading between rooms really shouldn't be an issue in 2023. Additionally, the frequent presence of ghosts and the arcade-like combat required to defeat them feels constantly at odds with the otherwise impressive sense of dread felt as you explore the environment, but since this is a core aspect of the series at large, you might be able to overlook this. We definitely recommend checking it out if you're into survival horror, but just know that it comes with a number of quirks that we wish had been ironed out.

Pronty may have some minor flaws, but this is overall a very solid Metroidvania that does a lot to set itself apart from the pack. Things like the impressive atmosphere, challenging boss fights, and oodles of worthwhile collectibles keep drawing you further into the experience, while the promise of multiple endings will keep you coming back for more. And though combat feels like it could use a little more tightening up, it’s certainly a unique system that fits well with the underwater setting. If you’re at all a fan of Metroidvanias, we’d encourage you to pick this one up; it’s not an absolute must-play, but it is an attractive, challenging, and thoroughly enjoyable undersea romp.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Azure takes everything that’s excellent about Zero and runs a marathon with it. It’s one of the best-paced games in the series, with some of the best characters, best music, and easily the best setting. The Crossbell Arc is a hugely compelling two-parter that captures everything that makes the Trails series what it is perfectly, and Azure in particular deftly balances high-stakes drama, political intrigue, and poignant character moments. This is one Switch RPG we won't be feeling blue about anytime soon.

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.

Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society does a fantastic job of providing a dense and devastating journey into the depths of dungeons, though it sometimes does so at the cost of accessibility. An attractive art style, expansive team-building options, and genuinely surprising story all combine to make this one worth a recommendation, but with the big caveat that a lot of its appeal is lost if you don’t enjoy min-maxing in RPGs or don’t have the patience to fully digest and comprehend all its systems. If that does sound like it's up your street, though, Labyrinth of Galleria is absolutely worth your time and money.

Brok the Investigator is a true original. It’s a hodge-podge of point-and-click, side-scrolling beat-‘em-up, visual novel, and find-the-object. Most of the time, these disparate ideas sit slightly awkwardly alongside one another, but despite a slow start we did eventually feel a little spark and the whole thing became more than the sum of its parts. It's all the more impressive given that it's just the second game from a one-person studio. Graphic adventure fans should absolutely consider thoughtfully pointing and clicking it onto their wishlist – or just drop-kicking the heck out of the buy button.

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.

Meg’s Monster is a one-of-a-kind adventure with a lot of heart, well worth a chunk of your weekend or to play for an hour or two before bed. Sure, some of it is predictable and the novelty of protecting Meg during battle fades near the end, but if you’re anything like us, you won’t want to put it down until you see how Roy’s heartwarming adventure to reunite Meg with her mother concludes. You might even shed a tear or two while keeping the little girl safe.

Digimon World: Next Order is an open-world RPG that's too much of a grind to recommend. While the music and graphics have their charm, they’re totally overshadowed by the unbalanced difficulty, highly-repetitive training mechanics, and some very strange design choices. Unless you’re a die-hard Digimon fan with untold patience, this one is best left alone.

Clive ‘N’ Wrench is not a good game, there is no way around that. When the Switch is home to some of the greatest 3D platformers ever made, Clive ‘N’ Wrench stands out for all the wrong reasons. From terrible controls to poor visuals and performance, we're sad to say that there is very little redeemable about the game on Switch. The entire project feels like a glorified demo made for a game design class, rather than a completed project that belongs on store shelves. The attempt is admirable, but after a decade's worth of development, Clive ‘N’ Wrench turned out as an incredible disappointment. With so many other ways to get your 3D collectathon platforming fix on Switch, your time and money are best spent elsewhere.

For Metroidvania fans and lovers of Inti Creates' works, Grim Guardians certainly does enough to please. Getting to grips with combat negotiations and levelling up your weaponry brings with it a sense of reward and progression, and it’s enjoyable to backtrack for secrets. It’s not quite on the level of Curse of the Moon, its closest relative, but it’s not far off — and the sibling switching idea is at least novel and fun to work with. Gory, spritely, and occasionally creatively inspired, it hits all the right notes, just sometimes in a little too sparse a manner to be considered overwhelmingly compelling.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe is a fantastic remake of one of our favourite Kirby adventures. With slick new visuals, some meaningful gameplay tweaks and two excellent new modes to dig into, this is a big, loud and colourful celebration of all things Kirby that should delight new and returning players alike. Magalor's Epilogue is a surprisingly chunky addition to the core action that gives the campaign a nice boost, whilst Merry Magoland ensures that you and your pals are kept busy with plenty of minigames, missions and online challenges to best once you're done with the main story mode. It's another win for everyone's favourite pink puffball.

As irreverent and disruptive as one has come to expect from the mind of Jeff Minter, Akka Arrh is a game that, rather than based around all-out cattle space warfare, requires a certain level of restraint to wring the most from its scoring potential. Learning to dally with its diverse and ever-changing threats is almost mathematical, but still liberating and rewarding to overcome. It may struggle to appeal in the long-term in the same way as Tempest or his recent Polybius, owing to its slightly less absorbing construction; and those uninitiated in Minter’s unusual thought processes may find it altogether abstruse. Nevertheless, it certainly earns a rightful place in his catalogue of psychedelic, slightly barmy, and altogether addictive score-based challenges.

Octopath Traveler II is a triumphant and confident follow-up to its predecessor, building on the established foundation with welcome new ideas and tweaks that make for an overall excellent experience. A strategic combat system, open-ended character progression, well-written stories, gorgeous visuals, and an incredible soundtrack all coalesce into one of the finest RPGs available on Switch to date. Though it may be more of the same, Team Asano demonstrates mastery of its craft at every turn here. We’d give Octopath Traveler II a high recommendation to anybody looking for a beautiful new RPG to add to their Switch collection.