Though the story is compelling, the character building is satisfying, and there’s lots of content to experience, Bandai Namco’s near-nonexistent efforts to scrub out the rough edges of this 20-ish year old game definitely hold it back from greatness. Things like the stiff combat, dated visuals, and awkward writing limit the appeal here, which makes this remaster feel like a missed opportunity. It’s easier to recommend this to those who have nostalgia for the original and want to relive those memories, but it's tough to say whether newcomers should pick it up. This is far from the best action RPG on the Switch, and it’s arguably not even the best Tales game on the Switch. We’d give this one a light recommendation as its positives do outweigh its negatives, but with the caveat that you should probably wait for a deep sale or buy it used. There are much better RPGs to play on the Switch today, and this one doesn’t quite deserve a spot near the top of your list.

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

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.

Flip Wars has a great premise for multiplayer fun, especially for local battles. Joining your mates huddled around a Switch the concept works nicely, but in an age where online gaming is bigger than ever you'd think a game like this would nail online play at release. Instead there are missing game modes and spotty online connections will put some people off this very enjoyable title. Due to its early access-like feel it might be worth saving your pennies for a few weeks before splashing out on Flip Wars, to see if the promised future updates will actually deliver the modes that aren't available right now and iron out the kinks in servers.

There's nothing badly wrong with Gods vs. Humans, but with 60 levels that are largely the same your interest might start to wane quite fast.

The nice variety of options sets this apart from the other available versions of blackjack on DSiWare. It's a decent iteration of the card game classic, and if you're a big fan, this release is probably right for you, though it's unfortunate that your stats are only tracked until you go bankrupt and they are completely reset.

The controls probably could have used a little more finesse and the gameplay gets monotonous, but thankfully there's a game mode available which will give players a reason to come back.

The Adventures of Tintin is merely the sum of its parts; decent platforming, good music and a sizeable amount of gameplay don't ever quite gel into a satisfying whole. There's potential for a better game in here, but it'll have to wait until the inevitable sequel.

High Voltage should be commended for intelligently lifting play elements from Arkham Asylum and successfully merging them with a novel shield-throwing mechanic to provide a similar but still entertaining gameplay experience. Truly awful presentation severely hampers the product overall though, creating a title that is enjoyable in the hands but abhorrent to the eyes.

For those who enjoyed the original release back around the turn of the millennium, Star Wars: Episode I - Jedi Power Battles is just about the safest remaster you could imagine. The instant level unlocks and expanded character roster are both nice touches, but Aspyr's limited improvements leave this feeling very of its time. If you can get past the sluggish combat, painful platforming, and performance 'quirks', then this is a fun trip down memory lane; if you can't, then prepare for a lesson in what games felt like a long time ago.

Replaying the levels only serves to exacerbate a nagging feeling that A Little Golf Journey is simply too repetitive. When you move from one set of levels to the next, the visual design changes, with some courses looking genuinely beautiful. This doesn’t change the fact, however, that the terrain simply lacks variety throughout. The game clearly strives to provide a relaxing experience, but in doing so, it struggles to give much incentive to keep playing.

Farming Simulator 3D can be plain and generic at times, and there are some hurdles to overcome before harvesting up any enjoyment, but it can also be unexpectedly consuming and assuredly offers up many hours of play for the price. If you’re still interested in a life of farming after being exposed to our concerns in this review, then by all means give the game a shot. But if this all sounds like an utterly boring affair, there probably isn’t anything here that’ll win you over.

It is a little lighter on content than its predecessor, and the lack of plot behind the puzzles diminishes the fun a bit, but this is still a worthy WiiWare game for puzzle fans. If you're looking for a family-friendly holiday themed game that'll last you a few hours and won't break the bank, then look no further than Xmas Puzzle.

Ghost Pilots is recommended only to the die-hard digital Neo Geo collector who has exhausted all other shmup avenues already available on the Switch. More sensible players should look at Video System and Psikyo’s better offerings instead.

Olympia Rising is a good platformer, but in such a saturated genre it needs to impress more than in does. The characters, story and visuals contribute to the positives, but more care needed to be taken with controls and hit points to make the game less frustrating. There is much to be enjoyed if you are able to look past the negatives, and if that's the case with you it is a worthy addition to your library.

While it still retains many of the negative aspects of past titles, it should appear quite clear that it is the definite installment in the series.

Anyone who's a fan of the board game will find enjoyment in Monopoly Streets, and EA has done a good job bringing this version to the Wii.

Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is a solid, fun hack-and-slash that doesn’t take too long to finish and looks gorgeous while you’re playing it, but it never reaches the heights of some of the classics from either franchise. What's here feels polished, but a lack of extra modes and features will be disappointing to fans of both series. Still, the game's charm lies in the Neptunia and Senran Kagura characters and their interactions, with writing that delivers great, unexpected punchlines that help give the game some focus. If you are a fan of either series, this is definitely worth playing despite its lack of depth. It just might be one to wait for a sale before picking up.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book isn't a bad game. There's a lot of fun to be had in discovering the many creatures hidden within Mr. E's pages, though it also suffers from a repetitive structure that doesn't evolve or provide any sense of meaningful challenge. Visually, it also lacks the punch that Woolly World and Crafted World offered, and it frankly looks pretty bad in handheld mode…If you've got young children who are eager to see more from Yoshi after catching him in the Mario Galaxy Movie, then this will provide a few hours' worth of fun while getting them used to basic platforming tropes. Otherwise, I'd probably recommend a Switch Online subscription to check out Yoshi's Island for the SNES.

Shantae is a product of its time, which can be both a good and a bad thing. On one hand, this old Game Boy Color game displays an ambition and quality that outpaced many other games of its time and it easily stands as one of the best releases for that retro platform. On the other hand, it is still a game from 2002, and showcases many of the game design shortcomings one would expect from that time. It’s not a bad game by any means, then, but this is easily a game that we can only really recommend to longtime fans who are curious where Shantae got her start. If you don’t fall into that camp, we’d recommend you pick up one of the later releases and maybe come back to this one later on.

Toast Time is the kind of game that feels like it could’ve been something truly special if it spent a little more time in the oven; the core gameplay of toast blasting madness is fantastic fun, but the sparse offering of content makes this a game that doesn’t take too long to chew through. If you’ve exhausted all the Mario Karts and Towerfalls for your multiplayer escapades and want to take a chance on something a little different, Toast Time is a great option that’s sure to bring you hours of entertainment; just be mindful of the fact that there are much better local multiplayer games on the Switch eShop.

It's priced right at the tip of its value, and while we would have preferred 800 Points or less, you might want to download Gnomz if you're looking for something accessible and fun that you can play with your whole family - not because you're looking for something original.

Presentation-wise, it’s okay, but not great. The art style harkens to Saturday morning cartoons, but the alien designs are bland and unoriginal. It’s also jarring how the enemies are generic aliens/monsters rather than resembling the titular bugs. The sarcastic dialogue between the Butcher and the Scientist gives our protagonist a little more personality and the Animal Crossing-inspired chibi sounds they make in place of words render it that bit more amusing. Overall, The Bug Butcher is enjoyable but forgettable.

We love a good arcade racing game, and in many ways Mini Motor Racing X delivers thrills in spades; it’s a reasonably fast, responsive experience with loads of vehicles and tracks to try out. Ultimately, though, there’s just nothing here that really stands out; nothing to tear you away from Mario Kart 8 or Rocket League. It’s quite content with being an entertaining alternative, and if you’re happy with that, then you’ll have a good time.

Toki is an absolutely beautiful remaster, with fantastic hand-drawn backgrounds, brilliant character animation and impressive boss designs. Aesthetics only go so far, though, and while the game itself is fun to play (if a little cheap with its deaths at times) the reality is it’s an arcade game at heart. As such, its six stages won’t last you too long, especially if you’re the target audience – someone who remembers Toki back in the day and has continued to play platformers for the three decades that followed – and once it’s done there’s no real replay value.

If you're in the market for a bucolic, aquatic and mostly decorative program such as this, Zenquaria isn't the worst choice you could make.

Squareboy is a decent beat-em-up, if a little on the short side. The Switch version is definitely the better version of the game but perhaps doesn’t quite do enough to justify the cost when a free option is available elsewhere. This isn’t a bad game by any means – in fact, we had a rather enjoyable time playing through the story levels – but its flaws and inability to stand out from the crowd stop it from being a sure-fire hit.

Space Invaders Extreme is awesome, but even in the guise of a cut-down compilation, Space Invaders Forever is lacking as a package. Better titles could have been chosen, and the way the apps are laid out is strange and disconnected. When it drops in price, this will be essential for Extreme alone. If you want Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders, that's available on your phone for a fair price, and better suited to that format in general. A disappointing and confusing package, but one that we strongly recommend at a discount just to get Space Invaders Extreme. It's that good. All six of these points are for it, and it alone.