inKONBINI: One Store. Many Stories has modest ambitions but mostly achieves them: it tells a small number of unchallenging short stories, set in a 1993 Japanese retail context. Its atmosphere carries it a surprisingly long way, but not far enough to overcome how thin the experience actually is. If you're excited by narutomaki, hanko ink refills and passing business cards with both hands, then consider proceeding to the cash register. If not, you may just want to leave without buying anything.

Outbound is a relaxing journey that will please anyone who wants to get away without going anywhere. Extensive exploration and a satisfying gameplay loop make for a joyful experience, and it’s easy to lose hours to driving around in your camper, collecting logs and unlocking new biomes. A few visual and control gripes might form bumps in the road, but otherwise this is a fun ride.

Mixtape’s greatest accomplishment is that it more than lives up to its name. This is a thoughtfully curated collection of music, sure, but before that, it’s an exciting, sentimental, funny game. Rather than simply twiddling your thumbs while the licensed music plays, you’re living life with a soundtrack – the only way Stacey Rockford would have you do it.

Tethergeist is a great precision platformer. A flat narrative and some small visual bugs somewhat muddy the waters, but it’s filled with fresh ideas. The tether mechanic at its core tests your reflexes and brains in equal measure, and I found myself always on the hunt for the Atropa Blossoms. Between those levels, I found a lot of fun in interacting with villagers across the world. Perfectly paced, no one mechanic overstays its welcome, and it felt like it ended at the perfect time, around 10 hours in length. I’m not a completionist, but I can definitely see myself picking away at some collectibles. And if they ever drop a challenge level pack, testing my knowledge of all the tethers? I’ll be there day one.

R-Type DX: Music Encore is an oddity in that it resurfaces a lesser-known R-Type release and treats it with love and attention. A Game Boy Color shoot 'em up that’s been vastly remodelled from the arcade original may not have widespread appeal, but those who enjoyed Aleste 3 for Game Gear or SNK’s Neo Geo Pocket collections will find a lot to love in it. It’s because of, and not in spite of, the fact that Bits Studios largely created an original R-Type experience that the game works. It has all the nuance of its arcade brethren, but makes it pint-sized, curious, and somewhat cute. The frame rate and giant ship size are a learning curve, and there are certain sections that will have you cursing if you forego use of the rewind function, but for series fans this audio-polished revisit is the best version money can buy. And, unlike most shoot 'em ups, this one works wonderfully well in the Switch’s handheld format. If you’re a die-hard R-Type fan or just out to experience all the genre has to offer, it’s well worth the price.

Constance is an example of one of the hardest things in gaming. To take ideas established four decades ago and use them to say something different and interesting is a wonderful feat worth celebrating. Constance has something to say, and it says it well. There are flaws in the moment-to-moment gameplay, such as its bosses and a few tedious platforming sections, and it’s not something that’s going to completely rock the Metroidvania space, but it doesn’t need to. It's a much-needed reminder of the joys of concentration and an antidote to an overstimulating world. This is an easy recommendation to any Metroidvania fans who want something familiar to spend 10 hours on. Those a bit more wary of the genre might find themselves less enchanted, but Constance is absolutely worth playing for its visuals and ideas alone.

With a patch or two, this one could be worth investigating, but for now, maybe stick to other platforms.

Much like the breeding and fusion system at the heart of its teambuilding, Monster Crown: Sin Eater is a satisfyingly iterative improvement over its predecessor, refining the systems and strengths it introduced while tossing the things that held it back from being great. Deep party customisation, a surprisingly in-depth story, beautiful GBC-esque visuals, and a killer soundtrack all combine to make this one worth a punt, even if some growing pains with the open-ended design can sometimes drag it down a bit. I’d give this one a recommendation if you’re looking for something to ease your pain after the Pokémon Champions launch. Sin Eater was made with lots of love and hopefully will form the basis of more adventures in this fascinating world.

Initially, I wasn’t sure how well the mixture of influences and styles was working, but it’s a testament to the attention to detail and polish that’s gone into the whole production that Mouse: P.I. for Hire achieves such a high score. The story takes a bit of time to become truly gripping, but it does so at the exact same time as the combat and style reach new levels of quality, and I couldn’t help but be impressed. While I can’t say I am stunned or in awe of the clue-collecting, I very much enjoyed my playthrough. Mouse: PI for Hire feels fresh and fun, and I only have praise for the whole team who produced it. This animated noir mystery is a great achievement. It takes risks, it’s challenging, it strives to be bold - and it works.

Sigono has proven once again that it understands powerful emotional storytelling with OPUS: Prism Peak, a game about self-reflection, acknowledging what’s come before, and moving on. It’s the most Studio Ghibli-like game I’ve ever played, in a way that goes beyond aesthetics. If you’re not careful, it’s easy to miss some crucial unlockables and some of the game’s best moments; a second run-through might be quicker, but it still requires you to play at a particular pace. And the Switch 2 isn’t the best way to play at the time of writing, but once it’s fully developed, there are few better story and character-driven experiences on the console than this.

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

The star of the show, of course, is the music. Naturally, it leans heavily into typical ‘80s-themed synth tracks, but they all work wonderfully well, and I started bopping my head immediately. If you’re a fan of rhythm games in general, I’d urge you to give this a shot, but just be mindful that it can be pretty brutal, so be prepared to hit ‘continue’ a lot.

Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta is a good entry in the long-running action RPG series, but it’s far from the best. Despite the game’s title, the plot is forgettable but the explosive combat, charming characters, and booming soundtrack are engaging enough to keep your attention until the credits roll. Adol has had more memorable adventures on Nintendo Switch, but mapping out the Great Forest of Celceta is still a fun time.

ZPF is an interesting new Mega Drive shoot 'em up that, with its key-collecting secrets, hidden bosses, stage variety and fantasy theme, feels unique. It’s been put together with a lot of love, and while its clear the development team aren’t expert shoot-'em-up designers, they’ve still done incredibly well with the hardware. It’s frustrating at times, and many will be put off by not having continues or any method of practice, but those who persevere will find an enjoyable route to high scores and one credit clears. The issue primarily is the bare-bones Switch port that has zero additions or quality-of-life features, and suffers from a juddering issue that really damages the experience. If you’re buying on Mega Drive — and it’s recommended you do so — add a point to the scoreline.

If you’re going to create a deckbuilder out of Vampire Survivors, I think Vampire Crawlers is pretty much exactly the result you’d hope for – minus some bugs. It combines all of the weapons and power-ups from the first game with clever fusions and twists on traditional deckbuilding tentpoles. Even things that are annoying — not being able to check your deck when selecting upgrade and, hard to track damage numbers — feel like quirks of the franchise. It scratches my brain in a familiar way, and the euphoric feeling of creating a broken build still feels great.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is the strangest thing you’ll play from Nintendo, bringing with it laughs and creativity in abundance. But even with improvements over the 3DS game, it follows a familiar structure that isn’t always enthralling or hilarious. Tomodachi fans will certainly be living the dream with this new entry, but I’m not desperate to keep coming back to my island. A little more variety would’ve been welcome, but the customisation, and the thought of my cat being best friends with DMC’s Dante, will have me peep in every so often for a little pick-me-up.

With that all said, the core mechanics of online competitive Pokémon battles remain as solid as a Steelix. Predicting whether your opponent will switch out their Whimsicott, protect with their Mega Charizard Y, or try to catch you off guard with a powerful, offensive attack creates mind games as addictive and intense as ever. And as someone who has participated in competitive Pokémon on-and-off since 2011’s Pokémon Black & White, the ease with which I can now train Pokémon has me hopeful that Champions will, much like Scarlet & Violet before it, evolve into a more complete, comprehensive experience. But as it stands, the convoluted monetisation, disappointing performance, and inexplicable bugs make this another lacklustre Pokémon experience to add to the pile.

Easy Delivery Co. won't be for everyone, but if solitary drives and chill vibes are your idea of a good time, it might be for you. Though its rough edges are visible, its repetition is strangely grounding and can be hard to put down. Ironically, it manages to make the drudgery of gig-economy deliveries feel like a meditative respite.

Beyond Words, then, is an enjoyable roguelike experience that smartly mixes in chance mechanics and run-based gameplay with a foundation that challenges your vocabulary. Though it feels notably derivative, it ultimately does a good enough job of executing on the mechanics it apes to stand on its own two feet. I’d suggest you pick it up - there's lots to dive into in this one.

The Midnight Walk is an intoxicating journey through a beautifully twisted nightmare world. The Burnt One's quest to Moon Mountain is an atmospheric, bleak, and surprisingly sweet story that's worth experiencing.

Super Meat Boy 3D may not be quite the same watershed moment for indie gaming as its respected predecessor, but there’s a lot to love about this one and would say that Sluggerfly and Team Meat have largely stuck the landing in the transition to a new dimension. Tight controls, tough, rewarding gameplay, and lots of replayability all stack up in its favour, even as frame rate and camera issues hold it back from being a flawless successor. If you’re looking for an addictive platformer that’ll push your skills to their absolute limit, I’d give this one a strong recommendation.

The Marvel Maximum Collection does what it sets out to do well, and its bringing together of titles from various developers is what makes it so interesting. With all the console variations, the library on offer is large, and the emulation quality feels tactile and fairly accurate (although diehard enthusiasts will probably find something to gripe about). It must be noted, though, that there are no truly 'great' games here, and the quality of offerings ranges from 'good fun' and 'worth sticking with' to 'not much fun', 'frustrating', and 'rather poor'. It’s an admirable attempt to combine some of the more prominent retro Marvel titles into a nostalgia package, and Konami’s arcade game is the icing on the cake. Just keep in mind that nostalgia, and not an assembling of gaming’s finest, is what’s driving this thing.

Whilst the Switch 2 Edition has fulfilled most of its promises and fixed some bugs, I can’t help but feel somewhat disappointed that it took this long to fix on Nintendo platforms. With no other new features such as Mouse Mode for building/decorating, it's a little underwhelming. Saying that, DDV looks stunning on Switch 2, and compared to when the game originally launched on Switch 1, this can be considered — finally — the 'full-release' version.

For the asking price, it's hard to find much to fault with Virtua Fighter 5 on Switch 2. The slick, 60fps gameplay is approachable enough for newcomers, but with layers upon layers of depth to uncover, dedicated fight fans will find plenty to enjoy. Multiplayer is still the main draw, but thanks to the addition of World Stage mode to complement Arcade Mode, solo players are well-catered for. It remains to be seen just how lively the online community will be at this stage, but with features like cross-play and rollback netcode included, it's likely this one will stick around for a while. With other fighters seemingly constantly battling one controversy or another, Virtua Fighter 5 sticks to what it knows best: solid, grounded combat that's endlessly satisfying.

Kena: Bridge Of Spirits is a great addition to the Switch 2 roster. A visually stunning platforming adventure with great storytelling and an adorable companion mechanic. Combat and enemy design leave a lot to be desired, but this doesn't do much to dent the experience of Kena’s journey.

Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection continues Capcom’s unbroken streak of excellent Mega Man remasters, presenting these DS classics in the best possible light and providing a compelling package. Not only do the included games each offer an enjoyable virus-busting RPG adventure, but new quality-of-life features, an addictive online battle mode, and smooth presentation all come together to make for a must-have experience for curious Rockman fans. Despite some design missteps in the earlier games, this collection shows that this trilogy stands strongly alongside other Mega Man sub-series, and I’d suggest you pick it up if you’re at all interested in Mega Man’s forays into the RPG genre.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park is a mixed bag. On the one hand, we have an opportunity to replay Mario's best 2D adventure in years with some minuscule single-player adjustments and extra boss fights; it remains a joy from start to finish. On the other, we have all the new multiplayer content, which are perfectly fine on their own but feel out of place sandwiched between the base game's platforming and the Mario Party vibes they're clearly aiming for. If you've never played Wonder before (or if you've been itching for a replay), this is a great excuse, but don't expect to be slotting any of the multiplayer extras into your game night rotation. Rosalina aside, the additions here are inoffensive but underwhelming. If you got your fill of Wonder on Switch 1, you're not missing much sitting out this particular Switch 2 Edition.

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a fantastic real-time tactics adventure that wows with top-notch gameplay, fantastic looks, and a set of delectable missions that challenge you to get into your ninja groove and bring the best out of a team of shadowy assassins. The signature shadow mechanic is a delight to use, and the cherry on top of an impressively flexible core combat system, whilst large missions give you endless opportunity to get creative. Oh, and it all looks and plays wonderfully well on Switch 2. With mouse mode, improved loading times, and solid performance to boot, there's precious little to criticise with this all-timer. Now, give us Desperados 3 and Shadow Gambit.

Coming in at under 10 hours, I felt satisfied with what I’d played, yet I still wanted more. Despite how good I think the core experience is, there’s a lot of untapped potential waiting to be unleashed. More NPCs, more quests, a more engaging narrative… all of this would go a long way, and I sincerely hope to see a sequel in the future. This, however, is a bloomin’ great start.

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake is a solid, but uneven remake that nonetheless stands as a strong reminder of the cool ideas that this franchise brings to the table. To its credit, Fatal Frame II very competently executes on the survival horror blueprint. Locales are sufficiently spooky, materials are scarce without feeling too limited, and when you’re creeping around environments scouring for health pickups and stashed notes, there’s a grand sense of building dread. Unfortunately, this is sometimes rapidly deflated through things like drawn-out enemy encounters and some performance snafus. If you’re at all a fan of the franchise or survival horror in general, I’d give this one a recommendation because it ultimately hits much more than it misses. But for genre newcomers, I’d first recommend playing any of Capcom’s Resident Evils from the past several years (or even something a little more low-key like Signalis or Crow Country) before taking the plunge on this one. Fatal Frame 2 isn’t quite the home run some may have hoped for, but it’s an overall enjoyable and worthwhile experience that I’d suggest picking up at some point.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is another strong entry in this series, and deserving of a place at the top table alongside a number of other excellent RPGs on Switch 2. A well-told story, an intriguing world and some excellent mechanics ultimately overshadow the usual (for this series) balancing issues and performance wobbles. If you want to collect ‘em all within a charming Monster Hunter setting, this game will keep you busy for a long time.

If Blue Prince were only about finding Room 46 and nabbing your inheritance, it would be a neat little puzzler with some fun twists along the way. For those who dive in headfirst and keep track of everything else it throws at you, however, it is so much more than that. Rarely has a game made me feel more clever, more lost and more elated the deeper into it I ventured, and still some question marks remain over its deeper mysteries. Minor technical drops and a lack of cross-save features aside, this remains a superb achievement and one of the finest head scratchers I've had the pleasure of playing. If you've read this far, you've already read too much! Just go and play it already.

Tales of Berseria is still one of my favourite entries in the series, thanks to its excellent story and charming cast of characters. The gameplay is as fun as ever, and it’s aged well since its debut nearly a decade ago. This remaster offers plenty of new features for those who’ve already experienced the game, and they're an extra cherry on top for newcomers. Beyond those quality-of-life additions, the port itself doesn’t exactly go above and beyond, but if you’re looking to play this game on the go, you can’t go wrong here.

Ratcheteer DX may not break new ground, but it's a genuinely charming, lo-fi action-adventure that feels perfectly suited to the Switch eShop. It boasts clever and engaging gameplay, an evocative chiptune score, and its five-hour runtime feels just right. A little more platforming forgiveness and this would be an easy recommendation. As it stands, it's still a very good one.

A visually intoxicating journey across an alien world, as full of cute critters as it is murderous robots. Planet of Lana 2 builds on the original game with a wider scope and worthwhile mechanical changes. The mix of stealth, platforming and Mui-based puzzles keeps Lana’s journey feeling fresh throughout.

All told, this FireRed & LeafGreen re-release is undoubtedly a lazy way to celebrate 30 years of Pokémon. For the asking price, Game Freak and The Pokémon Company could’ve included some extra goodies, like a hard mode or online functionality. Still, this is the most convenient way to experience the charm of the original Kanto adventure, and going back in time to see how much the Pokémon series has grown gave me a newfound appreciation for all the catchin’ I’ve done over three decades, and all that there is to come. Now give us Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver, please.

All told, this FireRed & LeafGreen re-release is undoubtedly a lazy way to celebrate 30 years of Pokémon. For the asking price, Game Freak and The Pokémon Company could’ve included some extra goodies, like a hard mode or online functionality. Still, this is the most convenient way to experience the charm of the original Kanto adventure, and going back in time to see how much the Pokémon series has grown gave me a newfound appreciation for all the catchin’ I’ve done over three decades, and all that there is to come. Now give us Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver, please.

It’s easy to get retro fatigue when every month brings another wave of throwbacks. Scott Pilgrim EX, however, is a reminder of why this genre became so popular in the first place. The spirit and execution come together in a way that feels fresh rather than forced. There’s real pick-up-and-play value here, whether you’re going solo or just messing around with friends. You don’t even need to be a fan of Scott Pilgrim to enjoy it. After all, getting a bunch of friends together to battle the forces of evil with martial arts and giant turnips is about as universal as it gets.

Pokémon Pokopia is the freshest Pokémon experience in a long time, bursting at the seams with charm and content that rewards both curiosity and creativity. It’s an easy game to get swallowed up in, even with a few gameplay and progression issues that need ironing out. But as a first go at something different for the franchise, it’s a big win. I don’t know how Pokémon has stayed away from this kind of structure for so long, and I’d easily take a dozen more.

Rave Racer isn't the perfect racing game, by any means; there's not a lot of content and no career mode, but the on-track action is as pure and exhilarating as any you'll encounter in the arcade racing sub-genre. And, in case you were wondering, yes, the game still has the bug which has allowed players to totally smash the game's course records.

Resident Evil Requiem sets a new benchmark for a series that has been pretty consistently great for the last decade or so. By combining classic survival horror with the more action-focused gameplay of RE4, the result is an experience paced to perfection. Add in a lore-heavy narrative and copious easter eggs, and you've got what might be the ultimate expression of Resident Evil…There are a few minor visual hiccups along with some inconsistency in frame rate during busier moments, but the fact that we've got a brand-new flagship RE game running well on Switch 2 should be celebrated. The lack of a Mercenaries Mode feels like a missed opportunity, but I've got my fingers crossed that it eventually shows up.

The Disney Afternoon Collection is a delightful throwback to the '90s, offering up eight mostly great games across the NES and SNES. While you could potentially skip one or two, the lineup represents a particularly prolific period for Capcom, one in which licensed games were — contrary to much of the competition — actually worth your time and money. With a handy rewind feature and the sort of supplemental material you've come to expect from Digital Eclipse, this is a great compilation that deserves a second chance on Switch 1 and 2.

Caves of Qud has a devoted following for good reason. Its world is vivid despite its graphical style — the wonderful music helping out — and its rapid turn-based gameplay is addictive. The hardcore roguelike approach is brutal but makes each run special. This is at odds with the main thread of an RPG quest, which demands that every run is aimed at the same goal. However, that tension provides an energy that’s hard to resist. It’s compressed a little uneasily onto Switch, but can be made to work. Maybe not legendary status on Switch, then, but a tale worth passing down to another generation of console players.

If you’re a super fan of the original game and want every possible version of it, the package totally delivers. But considering how many Rayman games there were, including its sequels and spin-offs, it would have been nice to at least have had Rayman 2 included. The elephant in the room, however, is the absence of the original soundtracks. They have been remixed or replaced across the board with a nice composition by Rayman Origins and Legends composer Christophe Héral, likely due to Ubisoft not fully owning the rights to the original audio.

Performance on Switch 2 isn’t as impressive as RE7, unfortunately. Although visuals and frame rate remain consistent in docked mode, there are a few issues present when transitioning to handheld. It still looks great, but you’ll definitely notice a few stutters here and there, particularly when exploring exterior environments like the central hub and reservoir...I still very much recommend playing Village. Its gameplay and pacing are excellent, and there’s one very specific moment that remains one of the scariest in the series’ history. When compared to RE7’s superb story and the wider franchise lore, however, Village is a bit of a narrative anomaly that I’m not convinced will stand the test of time.

On Switch 2, the visuals remain largely consistent with the game’s initial release on PS4 and Xbox One. You’re not going to get any fancy ray-tracing here, but it’s nevertheless a gorgeous-looking game, whether you’re playing docked or handheld. Similarly, load times are kept pleasingly brisk and there were no noticeable drops in frame rate throughout, making this a wonderful way to experience one of the series’ best entries. Ultimately, if you refused to play Capcom’s ‘Cloud Version’ of RE7 on Switch 1, then your patience has finally been rewarded. In time, I suspect this entry will be looked upon with as much reverence as the original, and I urge you to add it to your library.

The platforming elements of Love Eternal are delightfully frustrating fun with a limited set of mechanics put to creative and clean use. Multiple levels had me holding my breath, gritting my teeth, and cursing the wayward god who founded the whole endeavour. The hand-drawn levels are as beautiful as their challenges are frustrating. Unfortunately, an overly ambitious narrative coupled with a strange mid-game shift mars the game's myriad charms.

Blazblue Entropy Effect X's convolution will be a turn off for some, and for others a dream. There are some questionable design decisions in its lack of a visual combo counter, diminutive sprites, and stop-start upgrade screens, and the average action gamer will feel swamped by its narrative and overload of possible configurations. At the same time, it’s an undeniably impressive in scope: a mathematical formula of character building that's as flexible as it is complex. Boomers should probably step away, but for those who live to mine roguelikes to the nth degree, it’s something of a treat.

Super Bomberman Collection showcases some of the very best gameplay that Bomberman has to offer. Between the various games on offer, there are dozens of hours of exciting couch multiplayer battles to be had, demonstrating that it doesn’t take the latest and greatest tech for a game to simply be fun to play with others. Though the lack of native online is disappointing, the great gameplay coupled with some robust museum content that honors the legacy of these games makes this one a no brainer—especially given the relatively cheap price. If you’re looking for another game you can pull out on game nights with friends, I’d highly suggest you pick this one up.

If you’re also a fan of the oppressive, grim nature of the original game, The Mermaid’s Curse might also give you a bit of whiplash. Lots of scenes take place in broad daylight, with seemingly no sign of anything weird or supernatural. As I mentioned earlier, a lot of the story involves exploring past events, historical context, and interrogating various characters. You’re certainly not going to be using curses every five minutes to kill an NPC, and overall, it never feels particularly unsettling or scary. It’s still well worth your time, though, even if it doesn’t match up to the original.

It may have all the same bones as the original version, but Ys X: Proud Nordics on Switch 2 is undoubtedly the way that this landmark action-adventure title deserves to be experienced on Nintendo hardware. Not only are the visuals improved, but the major performance bump makes everything from striking down enemies to simply navigating menus an absolute joy. The new gameplay additions, ranging from new story scenarios to tough-as-nails dungeon crawling, are nice to have as well, even if they ultimately feel like a small speck awash in the sea of gameplay variety that Ys X already contained. This enhanced version's siren song may be too faint to lure back anyone who forged through the original release, but newcomers and prospective fans owe it to themselves to answer the call and embark on the definitive version of this grand adventure.

Neither the visuals nor the gameplay has aged as gracefully as 1080, but Hamster has done good work in presenting the snowy vistas and demanding gameplay for the modern day. Cool Boarders is a blast to play for short sessions, especially if you loved it back in the '90s, and while a couple of extra options might have been nice, this is the best way to play this beloved early entry in the ‘extreme’ sports genre.

If you’re at all a fan of the more RPG-focused Mario RPGs, you owe it to yourself to play Escape from Ever After. It may be over a bit too quickly, but the writing, charm, and gameplay mechanics all come together to make for something you won’t want to miss.

I Hate This Place is a game that oversells itself in the trailer and undershoots on the Switch, but still manages to be very enjoyable. The performance issues, visual compromises, and pared‑back crafting leave their mark on much of the experience, yet the core loop of sneaking, crafting, and blasting through strange supernatural threats has enough bite to carry it. When the action flows, it’s easy to see what the developers were aiming for. It just depends on whether you’re willing to look past the rough edges to enjoy what does work.

With Reanimal, Tarsier Studios delivers its darkest, boldest work yet. Expanding on the Little Nightmares formula with non-linear exploration, striking audiovisual design, and bombastic set pieces, this is an imaginative horror experience that confidently delivers its vision while offering accessible co-op play that fans of the developer have long clamoured for.

Mario Tennis Fever serves up my favourite game in the series thus far, by finding an addictive balance between Mario's madcap antics and real-world tennis fun. Streamlining superpowers into Fever rackets makes everything easier to parse, and keeping player movement relatively restrained makes for tennis matches that retain an exciting flow without constant slo-mo interruptions…The adventure mode is a letdown, and solo players don't have a ton of options, but there's depth and strategy at the core here that should see this one ace things online for some time to come.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a fair series entry, but one that's tainted by poor pacing and a recasting controversy that simply didn't need to happen. The main story has a lot to offer, but it's also bloated with way too much side content getting in the way of the core narrative. Dark Ties feels like a nice antidote to this, but I'm not sure whether this alone would be worth the purchase for anyone but series die-hards. RGG Studio fixed some visual blemishes in time for launch, so that's good news. Unfortunately, it seems Kiwami 3 will forever be associated with the recasting of one of its main antagonists, a controversy that undeniably affected my personal enjoyment of the game. If that doesn't bother you, and if an overabundance of side content appeals, you could probably add a point to the scoreline.

Made for RPG lovers by an RPG lover, Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass uses every tool in the RPG Maker toolbox to put together a purposeful, devastating, and beautiful game that never puts the kid gloves on. Yes, it’s a little simple-looking, and the difficulty can be a little frustrating early on, but this is just the surface of a rich adventure with tons of secrets and challenges to uncover. The reward may be tears, it may be laughter, or it may be a new weapon, but it’s always worth it.

Despite being another in an ever increasing genre stable, The Perfect Pencil brings a uniquely twisted world to the genre. Its mysteries can be a bit dense, but the eerie atmosphere, complex themes, and strange landscapes make it worth exploring.

Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined proves to be a strong revisit of a classic, trimming the fat and including welcome additions to make for a magical experience that no fan of classic JRPGs will want to miss. Though I’m hesitant to call this the 'definitive' version of the game, given the content cuts, I would certainly say it’s the most fun version yet. Combine the more engaging pace of the narrative with some nice gameplay updates like moonlighting and those gorgeous visuals, and it’s tough to argue that the previous versions are more enjoyable.

Thanks to the sublime writing, fantastic voiceovers, and a level of animation you'd usually expect from a big-budget streaming series, Dispatch is the kind of superhero drama that draws you in with the sexy characters and funny one-liners, and hooks you until the bitter end with the potential of its ever-changing arcs. The lack of any visual censorship options on Switch is a strange one, and some will undoubtedly find things lacking in the gameplay department, but I'm already gearing myself up for a potential 'season 2'. It won't be for everyone, but if you're like me and it clicks, it really clicks. Is it too soon for a 'rewatch'?

If you can make peace with a lack of multiplayer outside of online leaderboards, alongside the fact that digital triggers aren't ideal if you're after precision throttle control (grab a GameCube NSO pad to swerve this issue), Grid Legends on Switch 2 serves up an excellent package of slick and satisfying 'simcade' action that looks and plays wonderfully well in both docked and handheld. With lots of options in terms of graphics and accessibility, and all previously-released DLC included, this is easily the best racing package of this type that's currently available on either of Nintendo's Switches and a real blast for solo racing fans.

Even in its attempts to swing big and do something different, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade respects where it’s come from. The classic's pro-revolutionary heart is still intact, and it’s never afraid to get a little weird and funny. The Switch 2 version makes impressively few compromises to get this gorgeous-looking game running on the system – even at 30fps, this looks and feels fantastic. The fact that everything from the PS5 release is preserved in such excellent fashion here is remarkable, and it makes me excited (and anxious) about Rebirth’s incoming port.

MIO is a compelling adventure with solid platforming and combat. The Vessel is a great place to explore and the mod system adds versatility. A great Metroidvania, then, though its similarities to genre heavyweights stop it from being essential. If you are in the mood for another tightly designed Metroidvania on Switch, however, this is an easy recommendation.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins on Switch 2 is a super-solid port of a fantastic reboot for the franchise. The shift to focus on one protagonist and improvements in storytelling across the board result in a gripping adventure that delivers huge enemy numbers to slice and dice through, whilst also being careful not to lose players in a mess of historical names and events. 30fps is a bit of a shame, but this is a super smooth and responsive 30fps — the good sort — making for a game that lands on Switch 2 in fine form and with plenty to offer hardened Musou and action fans alike.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is perfectly fine. It makes things a bit prettier, has a few more options to take advantage of the console’s new features, but all in all, it’s not an especially exciting upgrade. If it were free, I don’t think anyone could reasonably complain, but even at the relatively low price, it’s only just scraping by to be worthwhile. It’s far from an essential purchase, but if you’ve got credit on your account and you’re a fan of the game, you could do worse.

A familiar adventure that pulls from the likes of Zelda and Pokémon for its setting and story, Cassette Boy is nevertheless a smart puzzler with a great visual style. The dimension-shifting mechanic never gets old, putting a fresh and literal spin on traditional isometric questing.

Between three different farms and playing on friends' and families’ save files, I can safely say that this is one of my favourite games ever, and the best farming sim of all time. And once it's fully up-to-date, Switch 2 might rival PC as the best place to play it.

Trails Beyond the Horizon is another solid new entry in the long-running series and feels like a firm step forward, even if it’s not quite as big a step as some may have hoped. Though the story can be uneven, it’s buoyed by a strong and diverse cast that keeps you invested and reminds you how all the work Falcom has been putting in over the years has ultimately been pushing towards something.

The result is mixed. Although this is new for Switch 2, it launched elsewhere in 2023, before the studio significantly upped its game (in my opinion) with Silent Hill 2 and Cronos: The New Dawn. As such, what you’re getting here is a perfect representation of what I’d call ‘old’ Bloober; one that focuses on scripted, linear events with minimal player agency.

Stray Children is nothing if not opinionated. From its abrupt opening to its inscrutable mechanics, it outright refuses to hold your hand. This clarity of purpose builds a world that is totally captivating – if it gets its hooks into you. If you don’t have the time and patience to explore and experiment while being labelled a “bad child”, this may not be for you. However, if you’re game for some surreal challenges, this is a memorable and ultimately optimistic adventure.

The Rogue Prince of Persia stands as both an excellent and innovative entry in the long-running series and a worthy follow-up to the developer’s previous work. The smooth action, gorgeous visuals, and addictive loop all come together to make for the kind of game that’s tough to put down. Though skilled players may be a bit put off by the easier difficulty relative to roguelite genre standards, this is still a very easy recommendation for anyone interested in a more approachable roguelite that doesn’t have a massive learning curve. Evil Empire has done a great job in crafting an impressive, approachable action game here.

With its distinctive presentation and light-touch mechanics, Despelote builds a mesmerising feeling of a community brought together by a fleeting football obsession. The historic moment of Ecuador’s journey towards World Cup qualification grounds the story in time and place, perfectly capturing the author’s salad days. Whether you play, watch, or avoid football, this is a beautifully-told story you can enjoy.

System Shock is, on paper, a brilliant remake that thoughtfully updates the 1994 original for modern systems, introducing both gyro aiming and mouse support along with a host of graphical upgrades. Unfortunately, the move over to the Switch 2 has tanked the performance, resulting in a game that never feels satisfying enough to play. Should this get fixed in the future, it may well be worth investigating, but for now, you'll be better off playing it on another platform.

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

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is a cracking bit of turn-based Warhammer action that delivers big on strategic and atmospheric combat whilst also serving you a top-notch, choice-driven narrative and campaign. Hooray. However! This Switch 2 port, at release, is a borderline disaster, and not something I recommend anyone pick up until it's had some patching done. A constantly stuttering frame rate, long loading times, unresponsive and laggy menus and controls, a huge graphical downgrade, and hard crashes aplenty make for a mess of a port. Let's hope they fix it up, because for now, it's a hard pass for a great game.

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

Interestingly, half of what makes Terminator 2D fun is its painstaking reproduction of the movie on which it’s based. Were it to have no relationship to a beloved IP, it would likely be criticised for its brevity, linearity, and general simplicity. Once fully beaten, you won’t likely return to it for anything except a nostalgia hit, but T2 fans and 16-bit diehards will feel well-served by its detailed reminiscence. A great deal of the game's charm is derived from its novelty factor, and it's that novelty, in conjunction with some clever ideas and impressive authenticity, that should inform your purchasing decision.

All told, I’d say that this version is certainly worth the punt if you’re invested in playing this on Nintendo platforms - the Switch 2 Edition fixes the issues that were holding this game back from being truly great. Unfortunately, owners of just the Nintendo Switch won’t benefit from these optimisation improvements, but if you already own this game and have a Switch 2, the $10 upgrade feels like a reasonable price to pay for such a notable leap over the old version. I’d suggest picking this up, if only to experience what a great kart racer not made by Nintendo can be like.

There are moments of gameplay during the climax of Skate Story that are some of the most visceral, original, and downright impressive that I’ve experienced for a very long time. Its great-feeling skating isn’t always pushed to its limits, but the sheer craft, personality, and audiovisual flair throughout largely compensate. Overall, Skate Story is an enjoyable, offbeat adventure game with a striking, unique identity. It might not be difficult, but if its tone speaks to you, you’ll find plenty to appreciate for its relatively short duration: sliding at speed around corners, landing shove-its, jumping across crevices, grinding through crystalline underworlds, and, yes, eating moons – all to a superb soundtrack.

Polishing and repackaging its mobile output, Simogo have created an essential collection of classics, where every game is worth your time. Despite their mobile origins, these titles feel tailor-made for Switch and the devs have fully embraced the console's feature set.

If Switch 1 is your only means of playing Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, you’re not going to have quite the same experience, but if you’re not looking to upgrade anytime soon and you’re keen to jump into Samus’ latest adventure, it's well worth picking up, as there's a fantastic game to be had. Just keep your visual expectations in check after seeing all that delicious Switch 2 Edition footage.

In many ways, Octopath Traveler 0 feels like a ‘victory lap’ for the beloved series, remixing various elements that you’re familiar with from the past games while introducing some interesting new ones to spice things up a bit. Importantly, this prequel does not feel like a proper Octopath Traveler 3, but that doesn’t mean that it isn't still an incredibly good time and a much better JRPG than most genre peers…Even if it's a retread in some ways, though, an absolutely monstrous amount of content, interesting new gameplay elements, gorgeous visuals, and compelling storytelling all come together to make Octopath Traveler 0 a must-buy.

Yes, there's still no multiplayer, but it now feels as though the game is being presented on a Nintendo console in a manner befitting such an epic slice of gaming history. With slick controls, DLSS, HDR, volumetric effects, options to personalise mouse mode, 60fps that felt flawless, and a resolution bump that's got it looking super sharp, this is a gem that still feels modern, immediate, and relentlessly replayable on Switch 2. Now that's rootin' tootin', partners!

After 18 years of waiting, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond manages to replicate that magical sense of discovery from the GameCube original while pushing the series in some incredible new directions. Separating the main biomes with a vast open world sounds ridiculous on paper, but the slick traversal provided by Vi-O-La makes exploration more satisfying than ever…Combine this with the stunning art direction, ferocious new boss characters, and a surprisingly endearing squad of Federation troopers, and Beyond is quite possibly the boldest, most well-realised Metroid game to date. Make no mistake, the long wait has been more than worth it. Welcome back, Samus.

Pure cartoon fun, and all the better for it, Tribute Games has not only totally honoured the source material, but delivered one of the best arcade Marvel games ever made. The aesthetic is beautiful, and the effort involved in creating such a varied cast of beat-'em-up protagonists is admirable…Yes, there are areas for improvement, and some of its combat-feedback oversights feel like missed opportunities. But if you primarily want multiplayer action, to unlock and grind and level up your cast, and to get knee-deep in Marvel mayhem, it’s right on the money. If you’re working through its single-player Story campaign, you’re likely to get bored before the end owing to its ease, but unlocking Hard Difficulty and Cosmic Invasion becomes all it was destined to be.

Outside of the technical ups and downs of its transition to Switch 2, Assassin's Creed Shadows remains a thoroughly enjoyable refresh for the series. Taking its most captivating open world to date and offering two distinct playstyles, it goes a long way toward appeasing current franchise fans while nurturing a new generation of assassins, presenting a huge, intricately crafted depiction of feudal Japan and giving you enjoyable dual protagonists to usher you through it. Shadows isn't a perfect port, then, but it’s still a colossal achievement and one of the best-looking games on Nintendo’s console.

Having more content does not necessarily equal a better game, but there’s no denying that Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road’s massive wealth of modes, options, and gameplay variety make it feel like the franchise’s most premium experience yet. Between a fun and heartfelt story mode, a second story mode that includes the highlights of all previous games, and a bunch of additional side content along with robust PvP systems for longevity, it really does feel like you could play Victory Road forever. At the end of the day, though, it all comes down to that core loop of teambuilding and playing football matches, and Victory Road’s take on the series’ trademark RPG-esque customisability and intuitive action on the pitch feels just as fresh and stylish as ever. Perhaps all those delays really were worth it.

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

Overall, I find myself really loving Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted. Its cute and quirky character designs are infectiously charming, and the gameplay is simple but effective. The graphics are easy on the eyes and help make the character designs shine. It’s a bummer that there were problems with the controls at launch, but even with those issues, it wasn't enough to prevent the game from being a botanical blast.

It would be well worth your time to focus on this unique puzzler. Exploring a colourful simulation by manipulating the world around you through photographs, Viewfinder is a relaxed, compelling experience that stands out for its visual style and unique puzzle design. It's a journey worth taking, despite being hampered by the lower performance of the Switch 1.

Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is sadly not as Definitive as the title might imply. While Aspyr has done the work to make a title from 2013 run at a solid 60fps on a handheld, and with 1440p resolution, it seems the cost was graphical fidelity at almost every turn. Not to mention the bizarre implementation (or lack thereof) of motion controls, and unwieldy mouse options. Thankfully, this entry in the Tomb Raider mythos remains one of the very best, and clever visual design means that your trip through Yamatai is far from ugly, as long as you don’t inspect too closely. Crystal Dynamics’ 2013 reinvention of Lara Croft just might be the best entry in this decades-old franchise, and for the asking price, you’re getting a thrilling action romp that’ll keep you hooked until the credits.

If you are a fan of the other games in this cycle of platform adventures, you are going to love Titans of the Tide. It's another colourful, funny SpongeBob adventure from Purple Lamp and, just like the cartoon, repeat viewings don’t tend to lessen the magic. The formula is starting to show its age now, but it's still the best virtual Bikini Bottom we've got.

While Forestrike boasts strong gameplay and a lovely, abstract pixel-art aesthetic, its core hook removes a sense of risk. This is definitely a difficult game at its heart, but the ability to practise your runs with no consequences dulls its edge a bit too much.

Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero delivers a commendable 3D brawler experience even if some visual and performance issues persist. The immense roster is sure to please any Dragon Ball fan, no matter what age or era they entered the franchise. The branching narratives in Episode Battles and the online play are fun staples to the game, and it feels right at home on Switch 2.

A true arcade game that never was, and confined to the PlayStation until now, shoot-'em-up fans will adore what’s in store. A seminal work that has never looked better, Delta, with its boundless creativity and exacting design, stands out not just amongst its peers, but as perhaps the best R-Type the series ever produced. Yes, it’s still crazy tough, and no quick restarts or scene-skipping is painful, but this new HD revamp is by far the best way to play it. If you’re itching for a shoot-'em-up experience of note, this will make your year.

Enjoyment comes from improving on your own performance and competing with others, as is usual with an arcade title. That said, the more of these Arcade Archives titles that Hamster Corp puts out, the more it becomes evident that an 'Arcade Archives 2 Collection' would be much more value for money than individual releases.

Kirby Air Riders is a cracking sequel that gives solo players much more to dig into with its story campaign, whilst also bringing all-new levels of shiny graphics, bells and whistles to its returning City Trial, Air Ride, and Top Down Racing modes. This is a chaotic and frenzied racer, there's no doubt, but it's got depth for those who wish to learn and plenty of competition to be had both online and at harder difficulties for diehards…With lots of excellent tracks, riders and machines to unlock, sat alongside some surprisingly deep machine customisation, Kirby's latest air riding adventure is off to a strong start. Oh, and that soundtrack!