There are technical cracks in its brickwork, but in combining the familiar constructs of the LEGO video games with an original story, huge amounts of humour and a ridiculous number of things to collect or discover, LEGO City Undercover proves that LEGO titles can be blockbusters without a big licence.

Yet another fantastic rhythm game to add to the Switch's ever-growing repertoire. It may be a tad on the expensive side, but its core mechanics are rock solid, its minimalist visuals are a treat to behold and the fact it's got to much to play through and unlock means you'll be happily tapping your toes to this one for months.

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.

Shift DX takes a simple concept and creates plenty of fun levels out of it. Anyone who enjoys this genre or has a small interest in it should definitely pick this one up.

We wholly recommend Arcade Paradise if you enjoy either simulation-style games or spent the '90s with a pocketful of quarters down at the local arcade. The narrative centred on a lazy young adult proving to their father they can run a successful business will never really grip you, and – believe it or not – laundering clothes and peeling gum off the machines becomes a bit tiresome. Yet the arcade games themselves and the sheer creativity and charm Nosebleed Interactive has packed into them more than makes up for the monotony. If we stumbled upon these games in the back of our local laundromat, we’d spend actual money there. But since that seems rather unlikely, we’re sure to boot up Arcade Paradise to try for some global rankings long after we’re done with laundering clothes.

Worldless attempts to differentiate itself from its peers by adding satisfying turn-based combat to the usual Metroidvania loop. It largely succeeds, helped by an intoxicating art style and varied puzzle mechanics. Some difficulty spikes interrupt the flow and knock the dreamlike exploration off balance, but you’ll feel compelled to overcome them.

Penny’s Big Breakaway is a tremendous achievement by Evening Star, expertly combining tight controls, excellent level design, and a raft of creative ideas, all while throwing in a hefty dose of pure speed. Though the Switch version can feel a little rough around the edges at times, this is still an easy recommendation to make to anyone who considers themselves a fan of Sonic, 3D platformers, or both. Penny’s inaugural adventure has got it where it counts, and if you’re looking for a challenging, yet approachable new 3D platformer to add to your library, it doesn’t get much better than this.

However you arrive at Zero Time Dilemma, if you're into the series' mix of horror and Hegel you're in for a treat — and you may never look at a snail the same way again.

Fading Afternoon is a very ambitious game that improves on Technos’ decades-old Kunio-kun formula in almost every way. It’s certainly the most accomplished of Yeo’s works to date, and impressive in its polish. What really shines, though, is the way it expands on its life-simulator elements and those all-important details. It keeps things fresh, interesting, and compelling. Although regularly punctuated by satisfying gangland violence, it’s not a fast game by any means. With its downbeat plotline and melancholic motifs, it’s more an experience to become absorbed in, to be explored and tapped for all its little surprises and diverging paths on subsequent playthroughs. For everything it strives to achieve, beyond anything else, Fading Afternoon is incredibly charming.

Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaire's Conspiracy feels rather comforting, the video game equivalent of a warm blanket. For the most part it reverts to the core formula of the Professor Layton games, albeit with a new cast and by dividing the narrative into mostly lighthearted, charming 'cases'. All it lacks is the confidence to fully embrace its new setting, stopping short of expanding upon some of its ideas. That said, it still delivers the series' unique blend of storytelling and lots of puzzles with aplomb. It'll have fans and newcomers scratching their heads and smiling at the same time; here's hoping it's not Layton's final mystery.

On the whole, Child of Light is an easy recommendation for those who didn’t catch it the first time round. The ‘light’ in the title sums things up nicely – you get game mechanics usually reserved for massive RPG epics in a concise package that’s as beautifully refreshing as when it was first released. It’s a shame to see framerate hitches – however occasional they may be – but they’re not enough to cast a shadow on this delightful adventure.

A larger character choice would be good, but there's a solid range of enemy attackers to deal with during your playthrough. A number of moves (including the sometimes tactical use of specials) keeps the fighting entertaining whether playing alone or with a friend. There are some decent character designs for the mutants and robots, with some nice touches in their animations such as a transformation or the way a seemingly human foe's face is punched off to reveal the robot inside. Once cleared there's not a lot of immediate replay value, but you can always try and improve in the Hi Score and Caravan modes; whenever you do boot it up, Mutation Nation provides a great scrolling beat 'em up fix.

Loddlenaut is sort of a job sim where the job in question feels futile. Cleaned places need re-cleaning, fed loddles need re-feeding. Given that the project at hand is to purify a mega-corp-abused ocean, it’s quite a downer that the game feels so unwinnable – but maybe that’s the point, in a melancholy kind of way. In any case, if you don’t overthink it, the environment is calm, the loddles are cute and the execution leaves few irritations. If this is a PowerWasher’s fever dream, then it would be a shame to wake up.

Despite the logo giving the impression of a garish knock-off or mobile port, When Ski Lifts Go Wrong delivers some captivating simulation puzzling, with a light dusting of Excitebike helping to set it apart from the crowd. The UI and controls work very well on Switch and, although not being able to share or sample others’ creations online is disappointing, the base game works beautifully to provide a very enjoyable package if you’re after some rock solid, physics-based fun.

Shinsekai: Into The Depths is a bracingly fresh Metroidvania with a memorable underwater setting and compelling movement mechanics. If you're after a platformer that values exploration and navigation over arcade action – and that isn't afraid to try something a little different with the format – then we wholeheartedly recommend dipping your toes into Shinsekai's exotic waters.

While Pang: Magical Michael may not be a looker, what it does deliver is an excellent continuation of the Pang series, one designed for both entry-level and experienced players alike.

Those who've played the game already may find little reason to pick up another version, but anyone who's missed out so far has little excuse not to dive in now.

Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn offers a tough and enjoyable return to this NES classic, expertly building upon what came before without erasing what made the original release great to begin with. Though it is a bit on the short side, there’s enough replayability here to stretch out the experience for another few hours. We’d recommend this to anyone who’s looking for a callback to the tough challenge of early Nintendo games—Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn has retro charm in spades and still stands tall even among modern 'neo-retro' platformers like Panzer Paladin and Gravity Circuit.

Switch-bendingly tough though it is, Gimmick is a salient example of what made the 8-bit era so wonderful: a razor-sharp, thoughtfully illustrated action adventure full of creativity and imagination. Just be warned that when people talk about 'old-school difficulty', Gimmick is a cut above what they usually have in mind, and to that end may prove frustrating for those unable to steel themselves to the challenge.

Slight niggles aside, Below Zero absolutely delivers in providing more of the excellent deep sea survival antics that we know and love from the original Subnautica. This is a super solid port too, a joy to sink time into in both docked and portable modes, with only a little stuttering here and there as you enter new biomes - and the series' ever-present scenery pop-in - to mention in terms of technical shortcomings. Unknown Worlds has served up another superb slice of survival shenanigans here, one that we highly recommend diving right into.

Don’t Starve: Nintendo Switch Edition is an extremely meaty and punishing experience that always keeps you on your toes. The open ended, tough as nails gameplay isn’t for everyone - particularly in its repetition - but it can be quite addictive once things click. A distinct visual style, countless hours of randomized gameplay, and an open ended nature that favors boldness combine to make this an easy suggestion.

Deltarune is a game that can feel odd to recommend, as it’s both difficult to convey in words what makes this game feel special and… well, it still isn’t done. Its goofy and subversive narrative, innovative battle mechanics, and killer soundtrack all combine to make this one worth the purchase in its current state, even if it is unfinished and the visuals still feel a tad underwhelming. At any rate, I’d suggest you pick this one up; there’s no telling when the story will finally wrap up, but the release of the latest two chapters has done a lot to round out what once felt a little anaemic.

When you consider its low price, Gravity Duck is a genuinely fun little game with a simple premise that works, and works well. It won’t last long, and you may want to pop some of your own tunes on whilst playing it, but taken on its own merits as an addictive little time sink, this is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Ikenfell is a charming little turn-based tactical RPG that hooks you in quickly with a well-written story and strong cast of characters and keeps you locked in for its duration with a surprisingly complex combat system. There are accessibility options here to suit all levels of player, a good idea considering how tough some of the battles can be along the way, and, overall, this is a heart-warming and unique entry to its genre that comes highly recommended.

With that in mind, I’d still recommend starting with Yakuza 0 if you’re completely new to the series, but Kiwami is a perfectly fine place to dive in, too. It doesn’t feel quite so bloated as some of the later entries, yet it still flexes a peerless sense of style at every opportunity. Playing Kiwami portably on Switch 2 is a joy, and I sincerely hope Sega brings the entire series to the console. It’s found itself a great home.

Over four years on and Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition is still a ‘rasslin riot that’s well worth a play. Despite the passage of time, this colourful indie effort doesn’t show its age and fits the portability of Switch down to the ground. If you’ve played it already on Wii U there’s very little here to convince you to double dip (unless, of course, you’ve only played the 2013 version) - bar the ability to play in handheld mode - but if you’ve somehow missed this lovely luchador adventure, you’ll struggle to find a better platform to play it on.

While God Eater 3 has taken a bit of a knock in the visuals department, it’s a sacrifice that’s more than worth it for mostly consistent performance and a steady framerate. The inclusion of local co-op is a real boon for Nintendo Switch owners, especially as there’s no telling how the game’s online community will fare in the months to come. With all the current content updates and patches included at launch, you’re arguably getting a version as good as - if not arguably better than - those on PC and PS4. If you’re longing for an alternative to Monster Hunter and you can’t wait for Dauntless, this is your next port of call.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order isn’t a groundbreaking, narrative-heavy reinterpretation of the comic characters you know and love, but then again neither were the first two games. In that regard, it’s a very faithful sequel that mines the vast roster of characters from the comics while including plenty of nods to the current state of the more modern Marvel Cinematic Universe. While it doesn’t do anything particularly new or outstanding, it embraces the brainless fun of its brawler combat with gusto, and it’s at its absolute best when played with a team of player-controlled supers.