A strong showing for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, this is an eight-game compilation with seven avowed recommendations. That's a pretty high ratio, and that tantalising "Vol. 1" in the title makes us hope and pray that more SNK handheld goodness is to come. Now that Match of the Millennium has been accounted for, after all, there's surely no reason to hold out on us vis-a-vis Card Fighters Clash, the absolute best game on the system. Sonic Pocket Adventure would be ace, too. But that's all speculation – in the here and now, Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is a great little compilation and all the better if you didn't buy all the previous standalone releases. If you did, is it worth the money? To this writer, yes, but you can quietly seethe about the financial imposition.

While the game is incredibly gripping, be prepared to read through thousands of words to get to the heart of it. While some visual novels often deliver other elements like fanservice or a quasi-dating simulator baked within the game, Steins;Gate 0 is focused and delivers an immensely fun and gripping visual novel experience that’s not marred by any trashy dating-sim elements that so many in the genre are littered with.

Sniper Elite 4 is the best entry yet in this long-running franchise with great big meaty missions stuffed to bursting point with Nazis to snipe and stab in glorious slo-mo X-ray vision. There's a new-found flexibility to the gameplay, with Karl now able to shimmy and scurry vertically around levels and enemy AI that's much more up to the task than in previous iterations. There may be some slightly rough edges, with duff writing, naff characters and gameplay that doesn't change much from start to finish but, overall, this is playful sniper's paradise that lands on Switch in a truly impressive port. It's time to dust off that M1903 Springfield, find a nice vantage point and get to blowing great big bloody holes in fascist heads. The perfect antidote to 2020.

Is Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory for you? Well, that depends on a variety of factors. This is a game that’s obviously designed as a love letter to longtime fans of the franchise, but it also bears almost no resemblance at all to the gameplay that made the preceding titles such a hit. As a rhythm game, it’s a perfectly enjoyable and content-rich entry in the genre, but a substantial amount of its meaning and appeal will be lost on rhythm fans who don’t have a background with the previous games. Either way, we think Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory is certainly worth your time. What we have here is a fun and engaging rhythm game with potentially hundreds of hours of replayability and a killer setlist of music to back it up.

As long as you’re okay with its unreasonable lack of online functionality and screen filter niggles, there are hundreds of hours of fun to be had with Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium. 32 mostly excellent games and another historically notable preservation piece, it recalls the essence of what an arcade felt like. Achieving that feeling, however brief, will be enough to justify a purchase for those with an affinity for gaming’s rich history.

Death Road To Canada allows fans of the zombie genre to live out their ultimate survival fantasies again and again. Technically, there are a limitless amount of scenarios to experience thanks to the compact yet well designed gameplay, but after a while the patterns and outcomes may become a little too predictable for the average player. If you do happen to be a long-time enthusiast of zombies, this may be worth sinking your teeth into.

The game does a superb job of striking a balance between being an easy route of entry for newcomers to the series and offering just enough post-game challenge and competitive play elements (and nostalgia, of course) to please series veterans; as a result, these new titles really do offer something for everyone, which can't always be said of the mainline Pokémon entries. They might not be an absolute masterpiece, but we’d urge any Poké-fans out there to give these ones a go – if a Let’s Go Johto sequel is on the cards, we’ll happily be there waiting in line.

As a simple gaming experience, EDGE comes close to providing the perfect budget download experience.

A fitting swan song for imageepoch and another gem in the 3DS' legendary RPG lineup, Stella Glow is smart, stylish, and seriously satisfying.

Jotun: Valhalla Edition is a fantastic game from cover to cover. From the Icelandic voice over that plays as you read the plight of Thora to the painterly vistas of Norse hell and the trials, tribulations and boss battle in between, it is an artful title that marries slick and simple game play with poignant storytelling in a way few games can.

Hitman: Blood Money - Reprisal is a solid Switch port that offers up several quality-of-life updates that, if you're a newcomer, will make your first experience with Agent 47 much more palatable. Not all of it works perfectly, and there's no denying that certain aspects of Blood Money have aged considerably since 2006. That said, once you get to grips with it, Reprisal offers up almost limitless replayability and fun as you hone your assassination skills. Minor performance glitches aside, it's a port well worth checking out.

An utterly charming, enjoyable experience to satisfy fans of both franchises; it's a crossover that, when experienced, seems entirely natural.

For those longing for a time when side-scrolling shooters ruled the roost, Blazing Chrome is exactly what you're looking for. Perfect for short sessions, its slick gameplay and old-school art direction make for an astonishingly fun game full of explosions, epic set pieces and spectacular boss battles. Its brutal difficulty may not be for everyone, but if you're up for the challenge, then get ready for one of the most accomplished 2D action titles in years.

It's original, it's inexpensive and it's fun. Void is a perfect addition to the Bit.Trip series and is, arguably, the best of the batch so far, retaining the addictive charms of the previous two titles while carving out a strong and unique identity of its own.

The Wii U eShop has a number of top-notch download games produced with care and passion; this belongs right up there in that elite group.

It can be a mind-bending challenge to set three characters on carefully timed movements to clear stages full of contraptions, and figuring out those machinations requires patience and practice. For those up to the challenge this offers great value and interesting playtime; this is one to enjoy rather than overwrite.

The Next Penelope may be quite a short experience but it's one that will challenge your skills and dazzle you at the same time. Fans of the classic '80s series Ulysses 31 will appreciate the excellent adaptation of Homer's Odyssey, while those of you who like your gaming to be fast and intense are sure to be pleased by the thrilling racing, engaging shooter sections and overall variety in the experience. The amusing four-player mode picks up some of the slack when it comes to longevity; the short nature of the solo campaign is the solitary black mark in The Next Penelope's copybook. That aside, this is a truly amazing indie title and one that deserves to do well on the Switch eShop.

Though the visuals and music may not be terribly exciting, the pop culture references crammed into every stage help to give the game lots of charm. Engaging gameplay, high replay value, and a great co-op experience make this one an easy recommendation for anybody looking for a little arcade game to play in short bursts either when alone or with friends. We’d recommend you give this one a look if you’re into arcade beat ‘em ups; for under ten bucks, this one’s a steal.

Donut County will no doubt prove to be a divisive experience, but those that are looking for a relaxing and often funny puzzle game will find an enjoyable experience that has just enough charm to justify its existence. With that being said, this is hardly a game that feels like it justifies the relatively high price tag; three hours max of content is a tough pill to swallow regardless of how enamored you are with the concept at its core.

If you’re a fan of classic run ‘n’ gun action games, then Gunlord X is an absolute pleasure to play from start to finish. It joins the ranks of must-own retro-inspired titles for the Switch, delivering blistering action, stunning visuals and an absolutely stellar soundtrack. It could be argued that there’s little originality on offer and the longevity of the game is also questionable thanks to the fact that it's 'built' like an old-school coin-op release, but honestly, when the experience is this good, it seems churlish to grumble.

We’re aware that screenshots of Lucah: Born of a Dream really don’t do the game justice. That aesthetic is going to put off some potential new players, but look past the purposefully jagged looks and there’s something far more palatable beneath. With its slick and deep combat system and the unashamedly bleak nature of its allegorical story, Lucah uses its visuals to help bolster its unique identity and stand apart amid considerable RPG company on Nintendo Switch. Sure, it can be a little frustrating to navigate in places, but it’s a small price to pay for the elements that shine bright elsewhere in the darkness.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a wonderful love letter to a classic series, keeping everything that made the original games what they were, but slapping on a fresh coat of paint for the HD era. There are a few creaking bones showing their age here and there, but only due to the developers’ desire to keep things as accurate as possible. The Switch version looks absolutely stunning and runs surprisingly well, so if you’re looking for a classic 3D platforming experience, you should definitely give this a look-in.

These new enemies aside, it’s more or less business as usual in The Ancient Gods. While the pace can be a little slower this time thanks to the way the newcomers have to be defeated, for the most part fans of the main campaign will be perfectly happy with another roughly 5-8 hours of gameplay to rip and tear their way through. Just don’t play it without taking on the main game first.

Once Upon a Katamari proves its worth as a mainline sequel and differentiates itself from other action-puzzlers with its irresistible game feel. Rolling the katamari and sticking things to its surface with a satisfying pop is a continuous, sensory delight not dissimilar to vacuuming up gems in Vampire Survivors. Refined controls and the introduction of power-ups like the Magnet simply enhance this core experience, making for a deeply satisfying roll-’em-up.

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.

Lots of gameplay, great graphics, a wonderful soundtrack and flawless touchscreen controls make Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! a worthy addition to an often-overlooked franchise.

Two Tribes have really outdone themselves.

Like a great album you put on at the end of the day to wind down, Toem is an incredibly relaxing experience that you'll wish you could experience all over again once it's finished. It almost makes us want to start capturing photographs of the world around us, but sadly, we don’t have a duck dressed as a lighthouse keeper to show them to. If only.