While it lacks the additional content seen in the PS1 port, the original arcade iteration of Ridge Racer remains a landmark release in the history of the racing genre, and it's just as gripping and playable today as it was back in 1993. The ability to compete for high scores online adds massively to this version's staying power, and while its long-term appeal does have a fairly low ceiling, it's easily worth the modest asking price just to experience the primal satisfaction you get from pulling off a perfect power slide. Here's hoping Hamster brings Ridge Racer 2 and Rave Racer to the Arcade Archives 2 range in the future.

Apart from mashing together two classic Japanese IPs, Shin chan: The Endless Seven-Day Journey mashes together some quite contradictory concepts and comes up with something special. You have the directionless, simple adventures of a child’s curiosity on a rural holiday, but they’re interrupted quite suddenly by a tightly directed (and completely absurd) plot. Wacky sitcom energy quickly becomes the drive and purpose in a game that could have been merely a wholesome meander-em-up. So there is the soothing magic of endless days running round fields and just seeing what catches the imagination, but also a heavy steer to play a story from end to end, packaging the never-ending summer into a punchy and dynamic 15-20 hours. Knowing now what Kureshin and Bokunatsu are, if you think you like the idea of mixing the two, this game is very easy to recommend.

L.A. Noire wasn't a faultless game back in 2011 and that hasn't changed in 2017, yet it somehow manages to be more than the sum of its parts. We suspect it will be regarded as a pioneering classic for the next few years regardless; few games treat the player to such a grown-up and mature experience as this, and that's important for the video game industry as a whole.

As is the case with most multi-part games and stories, Chapter 2 of Tales of Monkey Island doesn't really do much interesting stuff in terms of story progression. It plays exactly the same as the first chapter, just with different puzzles, so if you enjoyed that, you'll most certainly enjoy this.

It's clear that the team at Lizardcube are massive fans of the original Wonder Boy III, and that affection translates into what is without a shadow of a doubt the definitive version of a game which has previously been ported to the Game Gear and PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16. The new visuals are sumptuous and the soundtrack - which uses traditional instrumentation rather than computer-generated audio - proves just how catchy the original tunes were. Despite the passing of the years The Dragon's Trap remains a perfectly-pitched non-linear action adventure which must surely rank as one of the best of the 8-bit era. Its biggest failing is the fact that like the Master System original, it can be completed in the space of an evening. Still, that evening will be one of the most enjoyable you can possibly spend with your Switch, making this a recommended purchase regardless.

If you own a Switch then there’s no real decision to be made here: Captain Toad is still far and away better on Nintendo’s latest system. That’s not to say the 3DS version is a write-off, though, because that’s far from the case. As seemingly one of the final few big-name releases for the system, Captain Toad pushes it to its limits to produce easily one of the best-looking 3DS games ever made. The 3DS may be preparing for retirement, but games like this are ensuring it’s going out in a blaze of glory.

Neon Abyss is a game that offers a lot, but we have the feeling it's going to be a bit of an also-ran in the roguelite genre. If so, that's a shame, because it's an enormous amount of fun, with a good challenge, lovely controls and plenty of scope for craziness: which is all a roguelite really needs to be compelling. As long as you don't expect to be blown away, we can give Neon Abyss a strong recommendation. It's up there with the best roguelites on the Switch: it's just a shame it wasn't there first.

While its graphical downgrade is hard to miss, that doesn’t detract from the fact that this is the best single-player FPS experience you can have on Switch right now. The lack of a multiplayer mode (the versions on other consoles didn’t have one either, so don’t worry about being short-changed) still grates, but with its brilliantly-written story and intense action, not even 2017’s DOOM port can stand up to B.J.’s latest war on the Reich.

World of Final Fantasy Maxima acts as a wonderful celebration of the Final Fantasy series that will surely appeal to fans both new and old. Though the difficulty is a little on the easy side, the story is uninspired and the visuals are disappointingly blurry, the Mirage-catching mechanics and well-crafted RPG systems make this one a good recommendation. If you loved the Final Fantasy games of days past, you’re sure to love this one, and if you’re new to the series or the JRPG genre in better, this is a great place to jump in; just don't expect anything too demanding.

The story signposting and interaction model are sophisticated enough that your patience through the linear prologue will be well rewarded. If you do feel like walking away after 8 or 10 hours, then the game will hand you a neat get-out at your first proper ending, which won’t leave you feeling like a quitter. Overall, polish and craftsmanship elevate a lightweight but amusing story to something that really stands out. For visual novel freshmen, it could even be your first crush.

Astrologaster is perhaps the only time you'll ever get to play through a pop-up book version of London's 17th-century medical history. It's an extremely specific pitch, but when it hits, it hits well – and its musical interludes are as delightful and giggle-worthy as any of Shakespeare's best. Sure, it's not going to be to everyone's tastes, but if you're looking for something a little different and you're a fan of the classic British historical sitcom Blackadder, then you could do a lot worse than give this a spin.

In its mission to make you listen to its music, A Musical Story practically hands you a blindfold. The story asks you to relax into its acid-trip jam-session cool, but somewhat harshes the mellow with its insistence on repeating long phrases until they’re perfect. However, it looks and sounds fabulous, and will reward perseverance and repeated plays.

With over 100 cars and more than 25 different racing venues set over five distinct disciplines (as well as bonus DLC ones like destruction derby and drag racing), GRID Autosport is that rarest of beasts: a jack of all trades that doesn't sacrifice quality as a result. The addition of all previously released paid console DLC – right down to the cynical XP boost – is extremely welcome, but the complete removal of all local and online multiplayer features means this a strictly solo affair, and that might be a turn-off for many. Still, that doesn't change the fact that this is one of the best racing games on Switch.

While it's probably not a top tier download title, Scram Kitty and his Buddy on Rails is still an entertaining and fun game, with big, challenging levels that all have plenty to do.

Play it for the atmosphere, play it for the suspense, play it for the story; we don’t care, just don’t miss out on one of the best Wii games this year.

Of the 16 Sega Ages games released to date, this sits nearer the bottom end of the scale. While it isn't quite as limited as the first Puyo Puyo, it's still very much a one-trick pony, and while it's entertaining enough for fans of the series, when you've got the far more feature-heavy Puyo Puyo Champions on Switch for only a couple of pounds or dollars more, this one is entirely unnecessary.

So, whether you take a punt on Sonic X Shadow Generations for the Switch 2 will very much depend on whether you already own it or not. If you don’t, add two points to the score below and jump in: it’s a great game and this is undoubtedly the best way to play it on Nintendo systems. If you do, however, you should think twice about double-dipping. It’s already a splendid game on Switch 1, and with no upgrade path or new content, you're missing out on very little if you skip it.

In summary, though, fans of arcade shooters should pick this up without a second thought - it's a welcome and long overdue return of a true classic.

With split-screen co-op, and incredibly gentle expectations as far as the gameplay is concerned, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is a fantastic, low-stakes game for parents and kids to play together, but also for adults who are looking for something that pleasantly whiles away the hours without beating you over the head with difficulty. Excelsior!

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is an utterly accomplished 2D fighting game. Bursting with content and featuring the visual spectacle of combat that uses up every single trick in the book while doing so with the possibility of calling up a second character into the fray on demand sets Arc System Works title as the de facto current generation game fighting game to own on the Nintendo Switch.

Rune Factory Frontier is both the best Harvest Moon game of this generation and an enjoyable dungeon-crawler too.

Mighty Switch Force is easily one of the best games WayForward has crafted and just the type of top-tier 3DS title Nintendo's eShop has been in dire need of.

Despite that glaring lack of online multiplayer - and a slightly awkward off-screen targeting system - Skies Of Fury DX brings a new slice of fun, fast and furious dogfighting to Nintendo Switch. Whether you’re playing on your own through its 100 campaign missions or shooting your friend’s biplane to smithereens in local multiplayer, it’s one of the best new additions to Switch’s digital library and further proof - if any were needed - that Nintendo’s handheld is the best portable platform there is.

Relaxing as it is taxing, The Gardens Between offers a poignant coalescence of charming visuals, a relaxing soundtrack and a bittersweet story. The simplicity of its control scheme hides an incredibly clever and frighteningly intricate puzzle formula that sees you rewinding and playing time like an omnipresent director. Its unique setup makes it one of the most unusual puzzlers on Nintendo Switch, and we can’t wait to see what Australian indie studio The Voxel Agents does next.

With Cuphead just around the corner, we can’t help feeling sorry for Mechstermination Force. It's certainly less of a head-turner, but it's a more approachable take on boss rush platforming, with less of an emphasis on twitch-based, pixel-perfect precision. It's peppered with ingenious design and amusing writing and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with it. We'd recommend it as a more accessible alternative to (or appetiser for) Studio MDHR’s upcoming game. If you enjoyed Gunman Clive, this is a great expansion on the concept and well worth investigating.

It's a must-have title for Wii U indie supporters and fans of split-screen multiplayer.

Noitu Love: Devolution certainly appears to be a labour of love. It's the type of game that straddles the line between being an homage to a throwback era and reinventing the wheel with its unique pointer driven control scheme. Although originally meant for a PC audience, the transition to Wii U feels natural. The touchscreen method, while interesting, isn't as ideal as an old fashioned Wii Remote pointer. Regardless, Noitu Love: Devolution is definitely worth your time, although your time may be limited to the comfort of the control scheme you choose.

Monster Hunter Stories is an excellent adventure that channels the colourful world of Capcom’s storied series into a joyous JRPG. It suffers from performance issues on non-New 3DS hardware, but it’s still full of personality, beautifully presented and fun to play, with combat that’s easy to grasp but engaging throughout. Longtime MonHun fans will appreciate Stories as a thoughtfully-made spin-off, but the gameplay template and tone are so different that you don’t need to be familiar with — or even enjoy! — mainline Monster Hunter to have a great time here. Regardless of whether you’ve been hunting Hornetaurs since the beginning or couldn’t tell a Felyne from a Fatalis, Stories is yet another charming 3DS RPG that’s well worth your time.