Blanc is a pleasant, easy-going co-op experience that will provide a couple of hours' worth of enjoyment along with a few frustrations. The camera can be a bit messy at times due to the two-player setup, and the game could definitely do with a hint system in some areas, as we imagine children in particular would struggle with the overall lack of direction. That said, it's a lovely-looking game and an entirely inoffensive experience that anyone can pick up and enjoy with little fuss. If you're looking for a new, emotionally driven co-op game, then Blanc is an easy recommendation.

Ten Dates is a solid improvement over its predecessor, proving that more is indeed better in some cases. The addition of an extra protagonist, along with the five extra suitors that this naturally brings with it, makes for a more diverse cast of characters and a deeper overall experience for the player. Some of the conversations are a bit lacking in depth and challenge, and the game is currently bogged down by a pretty severe glitch that cycles all conversation scenarios, but Ten Dates is otherwise a fun, relaxing experience that's easy to recommend for fans of the first game.

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is an utterly addictive, perfectly tuned celebration of all things Final Fantasy. It’s a deceptively simple-looking game that, once you get under the hood, you’ll discover it has teeth and demands practice and patience if you want to unlock everything. It gives back what you put into it, and we’re struggling to put it down even now. We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the series’ 35th anniversary, and this makes it a must-buy for Final Fantasy fans and rhythm game enthusiasts. How other storied, sprawling game series’ haven’t followed suit with their own rhythm games is baffling when the results can be this magical.

Nadir: A Grimdark Deckbuilder succeeds in delivering a visually beautiful experience, but the game around these gorgeously metal images doesn’t feel like it had the same care as the art design. It is frustratingly difficult, a fact exacerbated by the inconsistently presented information and issues around how the game’s controls were ported to the Switch. This is a game that feels unfinished, despite the visual flair it offers.

With Metroid Prime Remastered, the seemingly impossible has been achieved: a masterpiece has been made even better. The minor issues we have with the motion controls and the occasional visual hiccup pale in comparison to the enhancements that have been made here. The visual improvements are extensive, right through to the minor details, and it all comes together to create one of the best-looking games on Switch, remaster or not. The new twin-stick control setup works flawlessly for both veterans and newcomers, but if you're itching to go back to the original GameCube controls, that option is there too. With an expanded gallery feature to round things out, Metroid Prime Remastered feels like a new benchmark in how older games can be thoughtfully revitalised for the modern age.

The Pathless does one thing extremely well, which is to create a sense of racing – almost dancing – through its huge open world. The player’s journey is mainly one of getting to know that sensation and learning to harness it to traverse epic environments. However, the protagonist’s journey has little to do with that feeling, which is perhaps why the story doesn’t land. The game sounds exceptional and looks great in this impressive port. However, the puzzles rarely stimulate the imagination and are fussy to play, while boss encounters are overlong and repetitive. Although it has its significant successes, The Pathless unfortunately doesn’t manage to become more than the sum of its parts.

One thing that is sorely missing, however, is gyro aiming. I don’t think we can stress enough what a match made in heaven gyro would be in a game like this, but it’s made doubly disappointing by the stiffness that the standard dual analogue setup. It’s not a dealbreaker, and there’s still a roaring good time to be had here, but oh how we ached to wave our controller around and have it actually do something in-game.

Oddballers is a super fun little multiplayer party game that's got plenty of modes, lots of invention about its minigames, and a chaotic colourfulness that's hard not to enjoy. Grab some pals, boot into the couch co-op action here, and you're guaranteed a good time, especially for the asking price. However, be aware that in the immediate post-launch period, the online is a wasteland, a total bust in terms of finding a match. If you've got friends or family on hand to jump in, this is a great way to spend a fun few hours. For those who don't, well there are very capable bots to help you out, but the state of the online mode at launch is certainly an issue to take into consideration before giving this one a purchase.

Fashion Police Squad is a fun indie romp that does some clever, colourful things with the often rather samey DOOM clone genre. It's bright and breezy stuff, chock-full of very silly humour and, bonus points, you get to slap people in their faces with a Belt of Justice whilst shooting actual fashion onto their badly-dressed bodies. If you're looking for a few hours of knockabout retro FPS fun with its own unique style and take on the usual shooter mechanics, you could do a lot worse than bagging this stylish bargain. It's simply fabulous, darling.

Life is Strange 2 is a worthy entry in the narrative series that improves upon the first game in meaningful ways with a story that's both thrilling and emotional. The gameplay hasn't changed much and we'd argue that some areas have a few too many objects to interact with, but the dialogue choices remain just as fun as ever. Bar some annoying load times on Switch and some visual hiccups, Life is Strange 2 is definitely worth picking up if you're a fan of narrative adventures.

At just a handful of hours, Trek to Yomi sadly still manages to outstay its welcome. It asks its visuals to carry the gameplay, but their novelty wears off before the final act. This is particularly true on Switch, where dropped resolution and simplified scenery steal some of the magic and ugly character close-ups blemish the overall aesthetic. As imaginatively as Yomi is realised, the game still feels like a trek.

SpongeBob Squarepants: The Cosmic Shake is a triumphant and varied 3D platformer that no fan of the series or the genre will want to miss. It’s not the game that’ll change your mind if 3D collectathon-style games aren’t your thing, but it demonstrates at every step that it’s not just some half-hearted cash-in. Focused level design, lots of gameplay variety, tight controls, and a charming cast voiced by the original voice artists all combine to make this one of the best SpongeBob games yet. Though it’s occasionally let down by performance issues, we’d still give this one a strong recommendation to anyone who likes a 3D platformer and a Krabby Patty.

Team Ladybug is really demonstrating its programming expertise with Drainus. It’s both dangerous and brave to attempt a shooting game on the scale of Gradius V or Einhander, yet for the most part, the developer pulls it off in convincing fashion. It’s not entirely perfect, arguably overly easy, and various aspects will sit better with some players than others. But, at the very least, it’s a spectacular sci-fi action epic that constantly evolves, creates, and showboats. To that end, Drainus will land well with both hardcore and casual players alike.

If we were tallying solely based on the content of the package, it would do well. If price isn’t an issue and you didn’t purchase the previous release already, you can add three digits to the scoreline, as this is certainly the superior of the two collections. But our primary job as reviewers is to provide information that helps you decide on how to spend your disposable income - income you’ve no doubt worked very hard to accrue. Since the entire release structure and its exploitative nature is so distasteful, however, we feel genuinely loathed to award a lofty score that indicates glowing praise.

At its best, The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow feels like the halcyon point-and-click days of LucasArts. Some of its puzzle chains are compelling, immersive, and pitched just right difficulty-wise. It gets a bit messy in the third act, but not enough to undo the excellent scene-setting and plot-thickening that precedes it. Hob's Barrow could have been hobbled by its muted setting; instead it brings a barrowload of supernatural chills.

Onion Assault is a worthy purchase if you're looking for a short, breezy platformer that pays homage to an off-the-wall Nintendo classic. While there are some annoyances sprinkled throughout — some imprecise platforming, finicky physics, and repeated visual assets — there's enough here to provide a couple of hours' worth of enjoyment, at least; maybe a bit more if you're looking to grab all of the collectible coins. Onion Assault may not prove as memorable as the developer's previous games, but it's worth playing nonetheless.

Despite the runtime being padded out by some meandering requests, A Space For The Unbound is a perfect little adventure title to curl up with on a rainy day. The myriad puzzles, while never overtly challenging, switch things up often enough to keep from growing tedious. At the same time, we wholeheartedly recommend it for its bittersweet, sombre narrative alone. It never veers too far into melancholic territory yet handles some heavy topics with grace. We didn’t come away gloomy from the potentially depressing themes depicted via the wonderful inhabitants of this beautifully rendered snapshot of Indonesia. Rather, we came away genuinely touched and inspired.

Over ten years later, P4G remains a thoroughly enjoyable and engrossing RPG that, for the most part, has stood the test of time. Although its visuals might be a bit dated, the gameplay and story presented here do more than enough to justify the purchase, while all the tweaks and additions that came with this ‘Golden’ edition round out most of the rougher edges from the initial PS2 release. If you're looking to give the Persona series a shot, Persona 5 Royal is a good place to start, but P4G is an excellent entry in the series and one that we would recommend you pick up when you can.

P3P remains an enjoyable JRPG, but we would say this is easily the most skippable of the mainline Persona games on Switch at present. An engrossing story and well-balanced gameplay loop easily justify a purchase, though things like Tartarus’ repetitive floors, the visual novel presentation, and the lack of FES content hold this one back from the heights its successors reached. We’d give P3P a recommendation, though only after having played both P4G and P5R, and only if you still find yourself needing more Persona in your life. This is still a great installment for Persona fans and will be best appreciated by players who have that contextual series knowledge, but its rougher edges may put others off.

Fire Emblem Engage is another stellar entry in this storied franchise, but it's also one that takes a noticeably different stance than its most recent predecessor. It's all about the combat this time around, at the expense of the relationships and romance that made Three Houses such a fan favourite, so if you're looking for that social element here, you're bound to be left feeling at least a tad disappointed. However, for those jonesing to get down and dirty with some sweet turn-based tactical action — action that's embedded in a satisfyingly OTT, beautifully presented anime narrative — this is as fine an example of the genre as you'll play this year.

Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is an absolute triumph in 'neo-retro' game design. It boasts fluid combat with plenty of variety in environmental and enemy design and an art style that looks like it beamed straight over from the early '90s. While its overall short length might be a bit of a sticking point for some, those looking for an action title that is not only a fantastic experience but also feels like an authentically retro one will find this to be an absolute no-brainer. It's straight up one of the coolest games to kickstart 2023.

Those of you who just want a straight, no-nonsense twin-stick shooter will find a lot to love about Lone Ruin, while those looking for a more ambitious project may want to look elsewhere. Tight controls, dark aesthetics, tough-but-fair gameplay, and a diverse collection of weapons and upgrades all come together to make this one a worthwhile purchase, with the caveat that it's also about as basic as a twin-stick shooter can get, which limits its staying power somewhat. We’d give Lone Ruin a light recommendation for anyone who considers themselves a twin-stick fan, though this may perhaps be one to wait for a sale.

Breakers Collection feels like a passion project. It delivers a game that still feels incredibly modern and visceral to a new era of players. When mining its combos and developing its dizzyingly broad array of tactical options, new players will no doubt be surprised by the high bar of Visco’s work. While its menu presentation is somewhat less explosive than the game itself, the level of thought that’s gone into its modernisation through crucial up-to-date features can’t be spoken of highly enough. This kind of treatment should be standard when revisiting bygone classics, yet so often it isn’t. Breakers Collection, to that end, gets it very right.

Despite its lack of musical cues and somewhat varying difficulty levels, Melatonin’s suite of challenges is a delight for rhythm game fans and it’s so satisfying to nail that PERFECT. It doesn’t fill the Rhythm Heaven-shaped hole in the Switch’s portfolio, but instead it creates a dreamy new space filled with cotton candy colour, energy, and, most importantly, fun.

If you’re a fan of tight strategy games that don’t take themselves too seriously, Kaiju Wars is a short but well-balanced title that sees you defending your homeland from giant monsters. The retro graphics and sound allow the developers to lean into the campest kaiju film tropes, but the gameplay itself shouldn’t be overlooked because of the silly packaging. Even without the additional features that the PC version eventually got, there is plenty here to sink your teeth into across the short playtime.

Compared to the unexpected highlight that was Golf Story, Sports Story is damningly mediocre. Although the writing is as good as ever and the visuals have received a nice upgrade, the performance issues, tedious fetch quests, and occasionally confusing gameplay all hold this one back quite a bit. Despite its shortcomings, there’s certainly still an enjoyable game on offer here, but you’ll have to decide for yourself whether it’s worth the negatives, especially given that the Switch eShop is lousy with great games these days. If you loved the original, you'll likely find Sports Story to be a fun-enough follow-up, but there’s no denying that it feels like quite a letdown after years of waiting. Assuming Sidebar can sort out the worst of the technical issues, we’d give Sports Story a light recommendation to anyone looking for a quirky take on a sports RPG, but this one doesn’t deserve a spot at the top of your list.

WRC Generations marks the end of a series that has never really hit cruising speed on Switch. Like its predecessors, its look and feel are subpar and while it has a lot of content, it's a struggle to enjoy it fully given how many compromises you have to make. After a lot of time spent with it, you’ll finally start to see results, but this is a game that perhaps requires too much compromise on the player’s part to appeal to anyone but the most ardent rally fans.

The Punchuin undoubtedly delivers a solid match-three gameplay experience, but one that's let down by little in the way of level variety and a severe lack of overall content. The charming writing and presentation highlight the passion and skill of the developers but, in the end, what is here feels more like a lovingly-crafted demo than a full release. If you are looking for a quick and enjoyable puzzler, The Punchuin will deliver exactly that but no more. It's fine, but we just wish this package packed more of a punch, as there are plenty of other options out there with more bang for your buck.

Please, Touch The Artwork is an excellent little experience that cleverly combines intuitive, pensive puzzle mechanics with art history and humour to create an interactive exhibit you really shouldn't miss. If you've got any interest in modern art whatsoever, you're sure to enjoy this gem, but even puzzle fans who don't know their Picassos from their Pollocks would do well to browse these galleries. There's really nothing else to say. Do what the title says.

Sail Forth isn’t the best open-world game for the Switch, but it takes the procedurally generated formula presented in No Man’s Sky and gives it a much more approachable (and nautical) feel. The visuals are relaxing and effective, and almost every character has a lot of charm in the way they’re presented. Sailing is surprisingly fun despite some distracting bugs, and the fleet-building mechanics have just enough depth without feeling overwhelming. A good way to unwind if you're happy to go with the wind.

Much like a shimmering ghost seen for just a fleeting moment, The Outbound Ghost flirts with taking the corporeal form of a great Paper Mario-style game but it never fully materialises. The heart is definitely there, with some great music and environments to go along with adorable little ghost characters, but a shallow battle system, a meandering narrative, and fuzzy presentation left us wanting in just about every ghostly regard.

The fact that Resident Evil 7 performed so poorly when other cloud entries have been comparatively strong really brings home the fact that, although mileage may vary, these issues are completely out of your control. On our evidence, there’s simply no way we can recommend Resident Evil 7 to Switch owners, even if it’s the only option available. It’s a great game utterly ruined by awful performance, and yet more evidence for cloud gaming skeptics that the tech just isn't yet consistent enough to be viable.

In Aka, you get to be a cute hero in a pretty landscape, taking naps and strolling through trees. So dreamy! It’s just a shame the game has launched with this many bugs. The frequent stalling of progression and basic tasks is a little wearisome and players need a little more paw-holding to grasp the objectives. At this stage we’d recommend waiting for a few more patches, then playing the game in all its fluffy glory. That way, you get to soak up a red panda’s life of luxury. Who wouldn’t want that?

Aliisha: The Oblivion of Twin Goddesses is a bright and colourful co-op puzzle adventure that brings some unique and interesting ideas to the table. There are some decent puzzles, likeable characters, a reasonably engaging story, and we love to see games going out on a limb to incorporate the Switch's abilities into their setup. However, there's an overall clunkiness and lack of polish here, too, with little to no obvious direction in most puzzles, and far too much focus on meticulously studying every inch of rooms, resulting in an adventure that's too often an exercise in frustration. It's a shame as well that co-op mode is only available via local play that requires two consoles and two copies of the game, as going it solo is a much less enjoyable experience. Admirable, then, but flawed.

There is a good game in Paper Cut Mansion, but it would need at least a year polishing and refining what's here to make it worthwhile. As it is, the interesting concept and excellent art direction can’t make up for shallow gameplay and clunky mechanics. Nothing in this game is terrible, but there are far better roguelites out there to spend your time and money on.

Chained Echoes is a wonderful mash-up of '90s JRPG tropes, masterfully woven together to produce an experience that feels simultaneously nostalgic and fresh. A well-paced story, unconventional progression system, tactical combat system, and expansive world all come together to make for a game that is shockingly one of the very best RPGs that we’ve played this year. Really, there’s no place where it feels like Chained Echoes drops the ball, which is all the more impressive when you consider that the vast majority of it was put together by one person. If you consider yourself a fan of JRPGs, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up as soon as possible. Even if you aren’t a fan of the genre, we’d still encourage you to snap this one up; it stands as a shining example of everything that makes RPGs great.

There are few games out there that successfully capture childlike wonder and imagination better than Lil Gator Game. Despite some minor issues with the writing and how directionless the adventure can feel at times, it's easy to forgive small frustrations when a game is as wonderfully charming from start to finish as this. Lil Gator is up there with the best indie games released this year and comes with a recommendation for anyone remotely interested in feeling like a kid again.

The main issue, however, is the game's performance, with some levels (such as the train) feeling like they play in slow motion at times. We also experienced crashes a few times throughout our post-patch playthrough — and we had to wait for the day one update thanks to the constant crashing of the unpatched version. Hopefully things will continue to improve over time, but if you happen to get a physical copy of the game, make sure you update it.

River City Girls 2 is more River City Girls, feeling less like a full-fledged sequel and more like a RCG 1.5. Switch-related performance issues aside, it was still a great time to return to River City thanks to its phenomenal music and voice acting, sharp writing, gorgeous sprite work, fun new characters, and satisfying combo-based gameplay, but at launch it feels a patch or two away from greatness. If you loved the original as we did, you’re bound to like this follow-up, and we hope the team at Wayforward gets more time and money to really expand the series for a third entry.

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.

Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion is everything that we hoped this remake would be. It takes a great game once shackled to handheld-only hardware and brings it forth to a new generation with a fresh coat of paint. Though some may be put off by its mission-based gameplay structure or the sometimes ridiculous writing, its excellent combat, gorgeous presentation, and heartfelt narrative combine to make this one that no RPG fan will want to miss out on, especially those who were fans of Final Fantasy VII. Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a fantastic addition to the Switch’s ever-growing library of great RPGs, we’d advise you to give this one a go.

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

Romancing SaGa – Minstrel Song – Remastered ambitions and achievements still feel fresh today. The open-world system is remarkably well-implemented and the multiple-protagonist approach feels modern even in a game that has been on the market for decades, but control issues, the vague nature of the game, and a slow progression system drag it down. Unfortunately, this is a cult classic JRPG that is less than the sum of its parts.

Samurai Maiden is mostly hack, slash, dodge, and hack some more. But, while naturally repetitive, it’s not much different in that respect from many traditional arcade games. What it does well with is in expanding its combat options in enjoyable but never confusing ways; by giving your aides different skill functions in attack and healing, and in navigating stages. It’s a simple but nicely layered adventure that will encourage grinders to unlock its galleries, weaponry and digital trinkets, while appreciating what is an attractive-looking and well-optimised game. Increased challenge is there if you need it, and, discounting the trite elements of its dialogue and story, the character models are exceptionally good, mildly bewitching, and do a great job of selling the product.

This is the kind of package we hope for when a relatively unloved, but largely excellent arcade title is ported for a modern system. There’s no slacking here, with all the options and modes a fighting game fan could desire, updated visuals for modern displays, and that all-important rollback netcode for online skirmishes. Superior to its already very enjoyable predecessor, it will be great to see the online fighting game community revive The Rumble Fish 2 in a way that never really happened with its original arcade release. Ideally, both the original game and this sequel should be on a single package — and DLC paywalls be damned — but this is a well-executed port of the best entry in this short-lived series.

If you go in expecting to sink 100 hours into Dragon Quest Treasures or think you’ll get the same kind of intricate plot that the series is known for, you’ll come away disappointed. However, if you are a younger gamer that is itching for a taste of what a JRPG is like or you just want something laid back to tackle, there is a lot of fun to be had here. Everything you’d expect in a JRPG is in this game, just stripped back to the basics, all adorned with that timeless Dragon Quest charm.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 3 is the best update yet to the base game. The tracks on offer here are mostly stellar, and with the addition of customisable item loadouts in ‘VS Race’ modes both online and offline (which is available to all players, regardless of whether you have the Booster Course Pass), Wave 3 is a triumph and a great way to mark the halfway point of the Booster Course Pass.

Despite some technical issues on the Nintendo Switch, Kukoos: Lost Pets still might be one of the best games for younger audiences on the platform. In a world where families make up a large chunk of the Nintendo Switch’s demographics, it is refreshing to see such love put into a game primarily designed for kids. From the creative and unique level designs to the Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic, this game is an enjoyable time from start to finish and it comes with a recommendation for anyone who is looking for a charming platformer for the whole family.

It’s hard to talk about the specifics of Inscryption without diluting some of its magic. However, its ingenuity is mind-boggling, its mood is devilishly haunting and its presentation is first-rate. As a deck builder, it’s stretched about as far as it can go, and by jumping around between concepts it sometimes asks for a lot of from the player. The pay-off, however, is one of the most impressive feats of video game storytelling there is. If you’re new to Daniel Mullins Games then you’re in for even more of a treat, but existing fans, too, shouldn’t think they have the measure of what awaits on Inscryption’s dusty old floppy disk.

Swordship is a clever, original, and interesting concept. It looks good, sounds good, and plays well. There’s just that RNG irritant that means, while you can learn enemy behaviours, you sometimes get lost in the fray. Even the camera shifts and the slow down (which can be disabled) can occasionally disorientate you from your position, resulting in sudden death. At the same time, while imperfect, its evolving and increasingly intense nature has major appeal for score hunters. And, when you do grab that container, trip under a set of lasers, detonate three mines sequentially and blow the screen sky-high, it earns itself an action badge of honour.

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.

Soccer Story delivers a colourful, charming take on the 'sports adventure', bursting at the seams with earnest effort and care from the development team. It's a fun experience, though it doesn't reach the heights of the genre's most famous release. Bugs and hitches pop up occasionally too, but if you're seeking some light entertainment and happen to love football, its cute visuals and charming world make it worth consideration.

Warp Drive feels like it’s a strong predecessor to what could be a great sequel someday. Its high-speed, strategic approach to racing is a joy to play when the FPS slowdown isn’t getting out of hand, and its art style feels like something truly distinct in the 'kart' racing genre. If it weren’t for a collection of some important misses—like the awkward item usage or the instability of multiplayer—this one could be a real winner. Even as is, it’s still a game that we would recommend you pick up when there’s a deep enough sale. There’s enough single-player content to keep you busy for a while and even if it disappoints, Warp Drive can be quite fun once you get into it.

The art style looks great and the game runs well in handheld mode, although it has the tendency to get a bit choppy when docked. We also ran into a few glitches over the course of the adventure, the most common causing Vivian to just slide across the screen while stuck in a crouch animation, and a soft lock later in the game in which the character would not stop walking right into a wall. By no means are these extreme and you would hope they'll be patched, but they got a bit frustrating over time. These issues aside, Sword of the Vagrant held our attention and, especially considering the modest asking price, is still worthy of light investigation if you're a fan of rough-and-ready hack-and-slashing.

There’s no resisting the charm of Railbound’s chirpy cel-shaded models and, although they belie some fiendish challenges, the difficulty curve is as smooth as it is steep. Perfect for handheld play, Afterburn has laid down a great addition to Switch's library of puzzlers.

Unless you’re a die-hard fan of the original or the TRPG genre in general, you’re probably safe to give this one a miss or just lower the difficulty of the combat to enjoy the story. Despite the strengths of the setting and the characters, the gameplay becomes more frustrating than fun and won’t keep most players engaged past the first few hours. It’s a shame because there is a brilliance to telling the same story from two opposing points of view, but that gets buried beneath poorly implemented mechanics. Unfortunately, modern visuals and sound can't salvage gameplay here that feels too random to be satisfying.

Astronite is a throwback game in a modern Metroidvania mould, and, owing to sharp design, map layouts, currency systems and ability upgrades, is an enjoyable experience. Its simple emphasis on platforming pitfalls and cavern negotiations feel more Metroid than 'Vania, and refreshing in a genre that usually follows the Japanese route of grinding for levels and magic. With a little effort, it reveals itself as a well-thought-out and competently-executed action adventure, with a few magic moments in its boss battles and NPC characters. Its black-and-white styling may not appeal to everyone, but it’s easily recommended to those intrigued and is a nice companion for Gato Roboto fans looking for a steeper challenge.

How much you'll enjoy Ship of Fools comes down to whether or not you have someone to play with. If you do have a friend that enjoys roguelikes and/or tower defence — and has a penchant for sea shanties — then we can guarantee Ship of Fools will give you a handful of hours of frantic fun. And if you have few friends but enjoy this addictive genre, you might eke out enough nautical miles whacking giant crab bosses with your paddle while enjoying the endearing presentation to warrant jumping onboard. Co-op is where it's at, though, so make sure you enlist a mate for this voyage.

Finding Paradise is a worthy successor to the superlative To The Moon. This second adventure in the series may not quite manage to hit the emotional highs of its predecessor, but there's still a complex, engaging, thoughtful, and wonderfully well-told story to sink your teeth into here in a game that will linger long in the memory once you're done with it. RPG Maker XP does cause a few little niggles with traversal and transitions between scenes, but these are minuscule issues that are well worth putting up with for the fun you'll have with the core narrative over its five-hour running time.

The Knight Witch seems to occupy a unique niche on the Switch eShop — there’s really nothing else quite like it. It’s not the best shmup nor is it the best Metroidvania we’ve experienced, but its fusion of many core ideas in those genres is interesting and worthwhile. The adventure feels perfectly paced, the action is snappy, and though there are missteps here and there, they shouldn't disqualify The Knight Witch from your attention. If you’re looking for a Metroidvania that mixes things up a bit — and you haven’t been utterly burned out on the genre — we’d suggest giving this a look.

It's a decent outing for Just Dance 2023, a definite improvement on what's come before and a far less annoying version of the game than what we were served up in 2022. If you're not a fan of the series, there's still nothing here that's really gonna change your mind — it's still exactly the same dance mechanics at the core of proceedings — but, if it's your cup of tea, this is as good a time as we've had with this franchise thus far.

Retro Goal is a distinctively light and fun take on football, coming at a budget price and having enough depth and charm to get players hooked. It has a stylish look and will raise a smile among enthusiasts; in fact, the only way it fails to match its brilliant predecessor — Retro Bowl — is in the gameplay department. The team-based complexity of football makes it hard to recreate that backyard sport feel, but it is still excellent and irreverent fun that feels at home on Switch.

Resident Evil 3 is a solid remake that aptly pays homage to the original RE3 by failing to live up to its immediate predecessor. While the core gameplay remains strong, with engaging gun controls and a new dodge mechanic that very much feels at home, Raccoon City itself feels disappointingly constrained and its star performer, the Nemesis, has been relegated to scripted sequences. The cloud-related hiccups we encountered here serve as a reminder that the technology is far from perfect, but even if it were, Resident Evil 3 is far from essential. We'd recommend it for the most passionate fans of Capcom’s survival horror franchise who are after another quick fix; everyone else should start with — and probably stick with — RE2.

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

Resident Evil 2 is an absolutely essential experience for fans of survival horror. We’re not yet at the point where we can confidently recommend purchasing a cloud version of the game on Switch if you’ve got access to a native version on another platform (and as the old-school gamers we are, we may never reach that point), but given that we encountered next to no streaming-related hitches during our time with it, this is a more-than-acceptable choice if it’s the only one available to you. Fans waited years for a remake of Resident Evil 2, and it’s safe to say that the wait was well and truly worth it.

There are still plenty more ways we’d like to see the Pokémon franchise evolve, but Pokémon Scarlet & Violet has us excited about the series' future. We really hope Game Freak can figure out how to smooth out the series’ ongoing performance issues on Switch because they'll certainly rub some players the wrong way — and they’re going to become a serious detriment over time. Scarlet & Violet is most fun and exciting when you're just exploring the world, and while there are many small new details and improvements to the Pokémon formula, it still plays it safe in a few areas. Regardless, things point toward a promising future for Gen 9 and beyond. It’s a smaller step than many may have hoped for, especially considering what Pokémon Legends: Arceus did, but it's definitely one in the right direction.

There are still plenty more ways we’d like to see the Pokémon franchise evolve, but Pokémon Scarlet & Violet has us excited about the series' future. We really hope Game Freak can figure out how to smooth out the series’ ongoing performance issues on Switch because they'll certainly rub some players the wrong way — and they’re going to become a serious detriment over time. Scarlet & Violet is most fun and exciting when you're just exploring the world, and while there are many small new details and improvements to the Pokémon formula, it still plays it safe in a few areas. Regardless, things point toward a promising future for Gen 9 and beyond. It’s a smaller step than many may have hoped for, especially considering what Pokémon Legends: Arceus did, but it's definitely one in the right direction.

When it all clicks, A Little to the Left provides an experience that is a weird mingling of the semi-passive and viscerally intrusive. It is only the occasions when tiny touch targets cry out for a mouse pointer that the magic falls away. Once that happens, the plainer, less surprising puzzles aren’t able to carry the show on their own. As a piece, it can’t always sustain its best rhythm, but when it does, it's stimulating, quiet, and memorable.

Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol.2 is a perfectly able collection, albeit less enticing than the first volume. Several games in the library here — notably Card Fighters' Clash, Mega Man Battle & Fighters, and Biomotor Unitron — have already received standalone releases on Switch eShop, which may well dissuade you from a purchase if you already own them. Die-hard fans of everything Neo Geo Pocket Color will likely enjoy getting stuck into what’s here, but it’s not a must-buy.

On the track, Smurfs Kart pulls off a surprisingly solid imitation of Mario Kart, with satisfying handling and some wonderful visuals (albeit at 30fps). In the grand leaderboard of Switch karting games, it’s not quite going to trouble the podium places, but it’s certainly lingering just behind the front-runners and definitely delivers an entertaining time, even if it’s as short as its subject matter. A lack of courses is what keeps it from being one of the very best karting games on the Switch, but they certainly haven't Smurfed this one up.

Rogue Legacy 2 is — to put it simply — a banger. While it’s not a game-changing revelation, it manages to follow up on everything that made the original great and makes it bigger and better. Even once you've bested the bosses, you've barely scratched the surface of what this has to offer, considering the in-depth New Game Plus mode and the wealth of content contained across all available classes and options. Whether you loved the original Rogue Legacy or never played it but like a good roguelike, this is a game you simply can't afford to miss.

Yes, fans of proper puzzlers may find some of the solutions and overall level of challenge here a little disappointing due to their more surreal and playful nature. There are only one or two — including a very clever Rube Goldberg machine — that will really make you work something out logically, but that's not really what Windosill is getting at. This is a wonderful, dreamy little slice of art that sucks you into its colourful toybox world and lets you drift away for the short amount of time it'll take you to see it through to its end.

Presenting itself modestly as “a simple and short experience”, Lunistice has masses to offer. A first run is maybe a handful of hours, but the thirst to retry is so strong it’s almost hard to move on to each new stage. Add the challenge of finding all the cranes and hidden items, avoiding resets, and setting faster times, plus unlockable characters with different moves, and it's a full and generous package. Launching at $4.99 or your regional equivalent, weighing in at a lean 600MB, and having a demo on the eShop, Lunistice is simply a must-try game.

We love the first Jurassic Park film, and the other five to varying degrees. Luckily for us, then, that despite its name, Jurassic World Aftermath generally takes after the original rather than any of the sequels, although the Switch version simply isn’t the best way to play it. If you have an Oculus headset, do yourself a favour and play the way it was meant to be – fully immersed in the soundscape of a ruined Jurassic World theme park while velociraptors stalk you. If you don’t have one, Aftermath on Switch certainly does enough for fans of the series to take a look, but the short experience grows a little too tedious by the time the credits roll without the immersion of VR to keep you on your toes.

There’s nothing at all wrong with Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising in terms of concept. An arena battler set in the TV show’s small world of dojos, shopping malls, schools and parks with a theme of recruiting a team on your way to a mega tournament is all well and good. But the quality is shockingly under par, and far poorer than the Switch hardware is capable of. One could argue being sloppy, confused, and trashy is very much akin to what the show is all about, but when we’re transcending mediums into the realm of video gaming, half-assing it doesn’t land the right kind of blow.

Even though Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom doesn't offer much to separate itself from the first game, there's no denying it is a wholesome bundle of farming fun that still manages to carve out its own identity compared to other life and farming sims. Outside of the cutscenes which drag on and then some, it never feels too repetitive — an issue a considerable number of farming sims face thanks to the crop-based tasks associated with the genre — and outside of navigation issues with the map, it's welcoming to both new players of the genre and still feels relatively fresh to those who are incredibly familiar with the Story of Seasons franchise. If you go into this game expecting a decent Doraemon farming sim, you won't be disappointed.

Tactics Ogre: Reborn is a seminal and still-enjoyable SRPG that manages to respectfully hold its own against the many descendants it now exists alongside. Though some elements of its design feel a little archaic, its deeply political and branching narrative, orchestrated soundtrack, and solidly built strategic combat all come together to make for a worthwhile experience. Visually, this version is disappointing, and we wouldn't say Reborn is one to rush out and buy immediately, but if you're a sucker for strategy and want to experience an influential classic with some mod cons thrown in, we'd suggest you keep this on your watchlist.

That it’s called 'The Anniversary Celebration' rather than 'collection' is a substitution of phrases that couldn’t be more apt. With its smooth, fast, and perfectly-pitched interface, and rich, thoughtfully created content, Atari 50 really is an honouring of the company that founded the industry. It’s true that its content is going to have a greater appeal to an older generation of gamers, to today’s parents (and grandparents) who grew up in the whirlwind of the '70s and '80s arcade scene. For them, reliving moments and experiences that used to cost a pocketful of coins will be joyful. For others, understanding the appeal of a lot of these games will take work, and few of the titles outside of the Lynx and Jaguar catalogues are easy to pick up and play for the uninitiated. At the same time, Atari 50 is so thorough and engrossing a retro gaming tunnel, akin to exploring a virtual museum, that it transcends its target audience somewhat. For those interested in video gaming’s history, the unearthing of the past, and for gamers not afraid of what today is considered rudimentary, there’s a great deal of enjoyment to be had in this trip down memory lane.

Lonesome Village takes elements of life-sim legends and a large handful of Zelda references and wraps them together in very cute packaging. It may not have the richest narrative, but it will absorb and soothe you – even in its short playtime. Barring a few drawbacks with player experience, specifically around menu navigation, this game offers up some good wholesome fun without the sweaty button-mashing of combat. If you’re puzzling over a new cosy game to play, Lonesome Village just might be your solution.

Sonic Frontiers is a brave new direction for the series, but this first ‘open-zone’ entry misses the mark by quite a margin. Traversal and combat annoyances plague the experience from start to finish, while structurally the game offers up very little variety, instead leaning on repetitive fetch quests that get exasperating after the first island. As far as the Switch version goes, it’s quite comfortably the worst option available to fans, with graphical compromises that make it impossible to recommend if you're able to play it anywhere else at all. If you’re going to get this game, we implore you to try it out elsewhere.

Save Room starts from the premise that Resident Evil 4's inventory management system might work as a full game. It left us thinking that Save Room might work as an inventory management system. It may have gone down well on Steam, where it is a couple of your local currency units cheaper, but there's just so little here that it's hard to recommend. You simply slot the stuff into the thing – there's only so many ways you can say it.

Sifu was one of the best games of the year when it launched on other platforms, and it’s no different now on Switch. Its hardcore combat that pushes you to the limits of your skill, paired with a smart ageing mechanic, makes for one of the most satisfying gaming experiences in the beat 'em up genre. While the Switch port is obviously a bit downgraded from the PS5 version, it’s still a more than valid option for Nintendo-only gamers and those keen to try this kung-fu brawler out on the go.

Harvestella could be described as one of the best 'good' games you’ll play this year. Its performance issues and rather simplistic mechanics hold it back from being great, but its quest design, dungeon exploration, and successful fusion of very distinct gameplay mechanics make it quite compelling all the same. That launch day $60 price tag feels a little high for what’s on offer here, but this is absolutely a title that we’d recommend farm sim fans buy when the inevitable sales start to crop up. Harvestella may not be a challenger to Stardew Valley’s crown, but it does enough to distinguish itself as a worthwhile experience anyway.

Ghost Song is a game that wears its inspirations on its sleeve with pride, and although it may feel a bit derivative at times, it is still able to create its own identity through a great combat system and unique worldbuilding. While the game can be brutally difficult, “explorer” mode makes the game more accessible than it would otherwise. Unfortunately, the game suffers from significant performance problems on Switch, from an inconsistent frame rate to extensive loading times that destroy any flow the game has. If you’re willing and able to look past those issues, Ghost Song is an easy recommendation for any and all fans of the Metroidvania genre.

Aeterna Noctis has a lot of potential; however, it feels like the developer got a bit too ambitious. A game that was shorter and had more focus has the potential to be something fantastic. but it ends up being a bit of a slog for a lot of its runtime due to its sometimes-tedious difficulty, despite some great platforming segments. Long loads and some frustrating design choices mean Aeterna Noctis is a derivative but sporadically satisfying game that some players may absolutely fall in love with. It has clearly had a lot of love put into it, but we didn't quite vibe with it.

Prodeus is the kind of game that knows exactly what it wants to do and executes that vision flawlessly. It’s not complicated and it’s nothing you haven’t seen before, but every inch of this experience was clearly crafted with passion and talent. The intense firefights, expansive arsenal, metal music, and sprawling level designs all come together to make Prodeus feel like a game that’s just the right mix of retro and modern. If you have ever been a fan of Doom, Quake, Wolfenstein, or any of the indie boomer shooters of the last few years, you owe it to yourself to give Prodeus a shot. Even if you haven’t much been into the genre before, we’d say this is an excellent place to jump in and see what it’s about. Wherever you stand, we’d give Prodeus a strong recommendation; this is absolutely worth both your time and money.

If you were even half-aware of games news at the end of 2021, you will already be a bit interested in this game. It’s brimming with fun, uniquely committed to co-op gaming, plays solidly and distinctively, and usually discards one cool idea in favour of another before there’s time to get bored. Now-standard graphical compromises have been made for Switch, and the typical perk of playing handheld is questionable for an always-split-screen co-op-only game. Nonetheless, it keeps the frames moving well enough not to undermine its Game-of-the-Year sparkle. It Takes Two and the good old Switch may not be a perfect marriage, but it’s probably worth sticking it out, now that we’re five years in.

Signalis is a near-perfect love letter to the survival horror genre. Its atmosphere and tension feel natural and earned, with callbacks to sci-fi classics scattered throughout. It is at its best when you're darting between enemies, using stealth and patience rather than brute force. While some of the combat encounters felt a little forced, the puzzles are just the right mix of challenging and approachable. The surreal imagery and unique storytelling structure add to the overall polish of a game that is the perfect length for what it is. Highly recommended.

Resident Evil: Village is an excellent continuation of the mainline Resident Evil series that pays homage to Resident Evil 4 while showcasing its own style and identity. The first-person perspective allows for some truly terrifying moments (though a third-person mode is also on the way in the Winters' Expansion DLC) and the boss encounters are some of the best in the entire series. Of course, running via the cloud means you'll likely come across some hiccups, along with some dodgy load times and potential slowdown. Our experience with this was pleasantly minimal compared to other cloud versions we've played, but be sure to test the demo for yourself. If you've only got access to a Switch, this is a pretty solid way to experience a great game.

We won’t mince words here: do not buy A Plague Tale: Requiem for the Switch, unless you have no other hardware to buy it on and are absolutely dead-set on playing it. This otherwise excellent narrative-driven stealth action game is torpedoed by cloud tech-related issues that blunt its best moments and offers an experience that is distinctly beneath what this game deserves. Technically, it’s better than not playing the game at all, but not by much. Do yourself a favor by either playing this excellent game elsewhere or by spending your money on something that’s tailor-made for the Switch.

Like the gears in an engine, everything in Factorio has a purpose. There is little in terms of extras here but what is present in this factory management sim does its job beautifully. Despite some issues with the way the Switch port is presented and controls, these are minor issues in an otherwise stellar game that will have you obsessing over the best possible layout for your factory or wanting to keep playing to see what the next research tree unlocks.

A competently assembled title: smooth, clean, and enjoyable. What it lacks in gravity and bravado it makes up for in balanced scoring mechanics and an interesting teleportation twist. While its Cadet Mode is its brightest spark, the main campaign shoots for the stars but falls just short of reaching them.

Beacon Pines presents a rich world filled with deeply considered, not to mention adorable, characters. The beautifully crafted art, paired with a soundtrack that both captures and sets the mood, make for a wholly enjoyable experience. It might not be for those who prefer action, but it is a lovely and compelling story that sees Luka, Rolo and Beck delve into a bevy of unique situations. You might finish it in less than a work day, but it’ll stay with you for much longer.

We like the Oddworld series, and we wish Soulstorm were better. The ingredients are there: the world itself and Abe’s story have a uniquely grimy charm. No section of Soulstorm’s 15-hour adventure feels quite like the last, with enough new enemies and mechanics introduced to keep things both interesting and challenging. Yet at the same time, technical issues mar the experience much like the dirt and rust that covers Oddworld, and small inconveniences add up to make completing the game much more trying than it should be. We hope one day an Oddworld game will be a must-play adventure worthy of the series’ late-'90s prestige, but Soulstorm on Switch hasn’t quite freed Abe and the Mudokons from the fetters of poor performance and archaic design.

Bayonetta 3 cranks up the chaos, improves the combat, polishes the level design, and adds a ton of new mechanics to the mix, making for the very best entry in this storied series to date. PlatinumGames has absolutely nailed it this time around, carefully layering on more ways to engage enemies, piling on the OTT gameplay sequences, and giving us multiple protagonists without upsetting the balance of what makes these games amongst the very best examples of their genre. With excellent performance in docked and handheld modes, incredible visuals, non-stop action, and a hugely replayable campaign that's a joy from start to finish, this really is a huge celebration of everything we love about Bayonetta, an action all-timer and one of the biggest highlights of 2022, on Switch or any platform.

Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher is the quintessential Monster Rancher experience, just bigger, louder, and more polished looking. The mechanics of the combat and training cycle will be familiar to long-time fans while the new larger scale of the creatures lends itself to the scale of Ultraman and his monstrous foes. Scanning every electronic device in your house to see what monster pops out is satisfying even if the actual gameplay gets stale over time.

There's absolutely no doubt that Alan Wake Remastered looks pretty terrible in places. There have been some severe drawbacks to make this game run competently on the Switch: the swaying of the trees, while hardly a defining feature on paper, actually played a huge part in shaping Alan Wake's visual identity and atmosphere, and now they're static. The game plays exactly as you remember with consistent frame rates throughout and intuitive controls, but if you've played Alan Wake Remastered on a different platform, then you need only apply if you're a hardcore fan of Remedy's creation. Newcomers, however, should definitely consider checking this out if the Switch version is your only viable option, and if you can accept the considerable visual compromises.

On paper, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3 does so much right, with a bigger roster of racers, more kart customisation, and the oft-requested addition of voice acting, which does add to the atmosphere considerably. But on the track it's hugely disappointing, with a severely reduced frame rate compared to its predecessor, making everything feel more sluggish as a result.