Dillon’s Dead-Heat Breakers takes the best part of the series’ early games, adds some nice improvements, and provides a more refined overall package. Some of the drawbacks from those originals are still present too, however, with a repetitive nature putting a bit of a downer on proceedings, and the jump in cost from a £9/$10 game to a full retail release doesn’t feel fully justified. It’s a fun and solid experience, but you might want to give this purchase a little more thought unless you’re already entirely convinced.

Oskar Stålberg has made a charming and compelling toy for imaginative play. Anyone willing to project themselves into its worlds and tell stories to themselves as they build will have a great time (although young kids might need assistance with the controls). Raw Fury claim to care about “experiences and emotions” not “genres or mechanics”. If that’s where your priorities lie, too, then give Townscaper a shot.

DC Universe Online is one of the older MMOs on the market, so while it’s benefitted from quite a few updates and DLC packs, it still looks and plays like a game on PS3. If you can look past the dated visuals and repetitive gameplay, there’s a decent amount of content to be accessed as a free player. The customisation options are deep, although the need for a premium membership does gate some of these options off. However, with a solid server, a high population of players and enough content to keep you flying around Metropolis, Gotham and beyond, this is further proof that practically any genre can work on Nintendo’s latest hardware.

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

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

The single-player Arcade mode is good, and the Missions have a lot of difficulty headroom, but it will sting a little to pay full price if you don’t have an opportunity for multiplayer. Mighty Fight Federation nevertheless remains a very interesting proposition for fighter fanatics craving a new set of mechanics to explore. Assuming the Switch online community grows, or if you have players ready for local fisticuffs, it will scratch an itch other fighters can’t reach.

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.

Toki Tori 2 takes the Two Tribes mascot in a bold, ambitious new direction, and represents a unique offering on the Wii U eShop. At its best it's a visually appealing, intuitive experience that truly teaches you to use powers of deduction and to think creatively.

It may have not utilised the Wiimote as much as it could have, but the control is pretty slick still. Give it some time and it might just grow on you.

An enjoyable addition to the series and a fun experience. The level design and lack of difficulty make this particularly suitable for less experienced or casual gamers while potentially disenchanting seasoned players.

Resident Evil 5 is a natural progression of the gameplay mechanics seen in its predecessor, with classic survival-horror tropes taking a backseat to more over-the-top action. That said, it’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it’s actually a really fun experience with a story that long-time fans of the franchise will absolutely adore. Performance takes a hit on the Switch, with noticeable frame rate drops and a decrease in texture quality, but it more than makes up for this with the introduction of gyro aiming, which works much better than we could have hoped for. One can only wonder that if Capcom had managed to keep the performance on par with other consoles, the Switch version could have been the definitive way to experience Resident Evil 5. As it is, it’s a perfectly serviceable port that serves as a nice reminder that Resident Evil’s so-called ‘action phase’ really isn’t as bad as some think.

Fans of New Leaf - and the series in general - may well be prepared to forgive such sins, but for everyone else this is a likeable but largely forgettable title that will entice young, undemanding players but will be too dull and samey for everyone else - despite the unmistakable charm which permeates the entire package.

If you don't see yourself getting a Wii U in the near future and desperately want to see what the fuss is all about, this is still a good investment, but otherwise it's probably best to just pick up the original titles or wait for the combo pack.

Tales Of The Tiny Planet is charming, colourful, and deceptively fun. The single-button approach to the game’s levels means that it is accessible for all players, yet still presents a decent amount of challenge for the more experienced puzzle fan. We do feel that the asking price at launch (especially in European territories) feels slightly out of place, however; while every moment of the game is enjoyable, the amount of content on offer doesn’t quite match the cost. If you’re looking for a new puzzle game that is easy to pick up, and especially if you want to play through it with a friend, TOTTP will definitely fill that void. Just make sure you’re willing to part with the necessary funds.

Code: Realize Guardian of Rebirth is a solid visual novel with a unique steampunk setting and a bunch of well-written and pretty likeable lead characters. The mystery surrounding Cardia's bizarre situation combined with suitors based on well-known 18th-century literary characters is an engaging mix and, even if you're not really all that bothered with romancing a bunch of lads, there's plenty here to keep you reading and exploring the various routes and scenarios until you've seen everything this one's got to offer.

This is a game that looks and plays much better in docked mode. When you're hooning around a busy Paris or Miami street, looking for that next pick-up or tight turn on the horizon, the extra resolution and detail really helps.

Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 3 offers two early and accessible works from one of the most prolific and unique video game developers in the business. La Pucelle: Ragnarok and Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure are both ambitious titles that pushed the boundaries of the tactical RPG genre at the time, so it is a delight to see them get a chance to shine on a modern console. Both games come with some graphical upgrades, but the core gameplay and experience remain the same. If you can get past some of the dated mechanics and visuals, we'd say it's worth taking a punt and diving into another slice of gaming history.

Vampyr is a brilliant take on the vampire fantasy, focusing more on drama, relationships and inner conflicts than on sucking blood. The temptation at its core can lead to frustration, as the challenging boss fights feel designed to urge you towards killing more innocent NPCs. Anyone attempting a no-kill playthrough may struggle unless they’re willing to invest the time, but if you’re enjoying the story and characters, it’s time well spent.

Trover Saves the Universe is a surprisingly fun little game. The humour will not be to everybody's tastes, and while the core gameplay is extremely strong by itself, your appreciation for their style of comedy will ultimately determine whether or not you see this one through to the end. But for us, this was a hilarious twist on the puzzle-platformer genre which we can highly recommend for anybody looking for something a bit more weird and twisted.

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

Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition is certainly worth consideration for the correct audience, either as a reminder of a genre-defining classic or as a form of gaming education.

Performance issues aside, Fate/Samurai Remnant is a hugely enjoyable action RPG that showcases a strong evolution of the very familiar Musou formula. Dynamic combat, rewarding exploration, loads of content, and an appealing art style all work in this one’s favor, though be warned that the story can get a bit too verbose at times. All the same, we’d give this one a recommendation both to anyone looking for a decent action RPG to add to their collection and to any fans of Warriors games. Fate/Samurai Remnant is well worth your time — if you can handle the performance dips on Switch.

Looking past the mediocre puzzle and adventuring elements as well as the cinematic repetition, Last Day of June excels at storytelling – conveying emotion on-screen in a way few other games manage to achieve. The developer has admittedly done a sound job at making a title involving such depressing themes as beautiful as possible – through its unique animation, perfectly synced soundtrack and stunning visuals. If you do intend on playing this, the ending is as catastrophic as it is comforting.

Astria Ascending may not be a flawless release but the solid combat system, spectacular visuals, deep character skill building, and wealth of content make for an experience that JRPG fans will feel right at home with. We’d give this one a recommendation to anybody looking for an original RPG to sink their teeth into; the writing and plot could have done with more development and attention, but there’s lots to love about Astria Ascending and we’re eagerly anticipating whatever Artisan Studios does next.

At its core, NeoSprint is fun to pick up and play and managed to leave us itching for 'one more race', making it a good recommendation for retro arcade racing fans and Atari enthusiasts. That said, we feel the asking price is a tad steep given the omission of online play options, particularly when stacked against free-to-play retro racing competition like F-Zero 99. But if you’re sold on its well-crafted campaign and solid track-building elements, there’s plenty to enjoy here.

The visual presentation is mostly stellar and varied throughout, but of course it comes down to the games themselves. When it's good, it's great - the new Fibbage mode 'Enough About You', refined drawing game Civic Doodle and the fast-paced tournament style Bracketeering will keep any social gatherings going. Survive the Internet can be rather hit and miss due to its topical humour, so it depends heavily on the crowd. Aside from its cooky and spooky presentation, meanwhile, Monsters Seeking Monsters falls flat.

LEGO Dimensions is well worth consideration for those happy to invest in a new toys-to-life platform. The core content of the Starter Pack gives you plenty to do, though tolerance is required for occasionally overbearing in-game promotion of expensive add-ons.

As polished as Cat Quest may be, it does have a few downsides. The strong focus on cats and endless supply of cat puns is obviously not a world everyone will want to immerse themselves in – especially if you are a dog lover. However, if you are willing to overlook this and the basic design, what is on offer is a functional role-playing game that can be played for short or longer periods of time by players of all ages and cat lovers alike.