This isn't just another update to the Skylanders series, it's the moment the game properly comes of age both from the perspective of top notch gameplay as well as offering families exactly what they want in terms of value.

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is an utterly addictive, perfectly tuned celebration of all things Final Fantasy. It’s a deceptively simple-looking game that, once you get under the hood, you’ll discover it has teeth and demands practice and patience if you want to unlock everything. It gives back what you put into it, and we’re struggling to put it down even now. We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the series’ 35th anniversary, and this makes it a must-buy for Final Fantasy fans and rhythm game enthusiasts. How other storied, sprawling game series’ haven’t followed suit with their own rhythm games is baffling when the results can be this magical.

Simply put, this is Sonic at his very best and a platforming masterclass.

On Switch 2, the visuals remain largely consistent with the game’s initial release on PS4 and Xbox One. You’re not going to get any fancy ray-tracing here, but it’s nevertheless a gorgeous-looking game, whether you’re playing docked or handheld. Similarly, load times are kept pleasingly brisk and there were no noticeable drops in frame rate throughout, making this a wonderful way to experience one of the series’ best entries. Ultimately, if you refused to play Capcom’s ‘Cloud Version’ of RE7 on Switch 1, then your patience has finally been rewarded. In time, I suspect this entry will be looked upon with as much reverence as the original, and I urge you to add it to your library.

It’s a quality game as was Phantom Hourglass before it, and even though at times it feels too much like a retread of past games, it remains a thoroughly enjoyable jaunt through Hyrule and puts most other DS titles to shame with its overall quality.

SteamWorld Heist on Wii U is exactly what we expected - a high quality Wii U iteration of a game that was already fantastic on 3DS.

Overcooked! All You Can Eat is an absolute must-buy for anybody looking for a fantastic party game to play with friends. The wacky visuals and chaotic gameplay make it an ideal game for local co-op, and there’s plenty of content to work through. Across the entire series so far, Team17 and Ghost Town Games have explored a lot of cool ideas via DLC content, and ensured that each expansion had unique theming and gameplay mechanics. Considering that all of this is offered in addition to the stellar base campaign in both games, Overcooked! All You Can Eat really stands as a no-brainer. Overcooked 2 alone is one of the very best local co-op games you can currently buy for the Switch, and if you’ve been looking for that next game to play when you have friends over, look no further than this. The only downside is that those who have already dipped into either title (or both) won't find a massive amount of new stuff here, outside of the exclusive "Peckish Rises" expansion.

A joy to behold from start to finish, Severed is an almost perfectly executed action-adventure title. With very successfully designed dungeons full of rewarding puzzles and a combat system that is pleasing to carry out, you’ll likely find yourself wishing you could play more of the game when it is over. That’s the only real downside – you’ll be finished with the main story after six hours and be left wanting more – although wishing you could play more isn’t exactly a complaint. If you have the means to do so, we heartily recommend giving this one a go.

The Tarot deckbuilding aspect is present and correct here, but the wide variety of Witches and the way their stories intertwine is where The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood really shines. Every being that you encounter has a purpose in this story, and all the threads twist together to make a truly beautiful tapestry. Being locked down narrative paths without the ability to return might not be for everyone, but it's a moot point when the story is this good — every playthrough will feel like a brand-new experience.

Although they fail to push the series forward with any true innovations, they excel at retooling now almost obsolete titles into must-haves for fans.

With a fantastic script and localisation, greater variety in the tasks involved and dozens of moments that will bring a beaming smile to your face, Little King’s Story outdoes Miyamoto’s garden game on every level. The King is dead – long live the King!

Two Point Campus is a masterclass management sim game bursting with creative new ideas and a wholly original approach to success. Its wholesome ‘invest in students and they’ll invest in you’ strategy is a beautiful way to put a positive spin on an otherwise NPC-exploitative genre. Dampened only by some technical issues, it still manages to be a standout amongst its peers and shine brightly at the top of the class.

Black and White are certainly up there with the best of the series: unlike HeartGold and SoulSilver they don't have nostalgia as their main attraction, but they come closest to recreating the sense of discovery felt when embarking on that first journey with Pokémon.

This is truly an outstanding port of an outstanding game, no more and no less. We would strongly urge those of you that missed this game on other platforms to pick it up here; this is the full Axiom Verge experience and it's available in a format that supports both handheld and home play. For those of you who have played it before on other platforms, it’s ultimately a question of just how much you love this game. This is the exact same, excellent game that you’ve played before, so whether or not you want to buy it again is personal choice. Regardless of which side you fall on, Axiom Verge is a fantastic example of how to do a Metroidvania right, and we couldn’t be more pleased with it.

OlliOlli World takes Roll7's refined 2D skateboarding concept to cosmic heights. Tight and challenging gameplay, a high skill ceiling, dozens of hours of content, and a remarkably stylish sense of presentation combine to make this a release you absolutely don’t want to miss. It's an easy recommendation to pretty much any Switch owner, especially those who are easily roped in by score-chasing releases or super hard platforming, OlliOlli World is a shining example of the distinct kind of innovation and quality that can come from inspired indie game studios.

Compelling to a fault, with a hypnotic and exhilarating central conceit, Grindstone is a tiny bit special. Hopefully, it won't be dismissed by players for being a mobile port, or being mistaken for a "match-three" game akin to Candy Crush – it's not. A full-featured, elegantly designed experience, Capybara's action-puzzle-tactics game is a tiny marvel and we'd strongly recommend it to any and all Switch owners. Ever-so-slight resource exhaustion is the only thing letting it down, but it's easily forgiven when smashing seven shades of shawarma out of creeps is so flipping fun. We say it's time to reverse that well-worn idiom and put your yes to the Grindstone.

A fantastic version of a timeless classic and another victory punch for Sega's 3D Classics range - 3D Out Run is a beautiful journey that everybody should take.

In a cynical era where nostalgia is pumped for all its worth with endless soulless remasters, Katamari Damacy Reroll serves up an engaging and rewarding game that hasn’t let any of its original charm or personality be lost in the transition from one platform to another. With support for gyro controls and multiplayer – not to mention a degree of performance that sees it run smoothly in both handheld and docked mode – this Switch edition is easily the best way to play it outside of blowing the dust off your old PS2.

Owlboy is a three-pronged attack of success: the gameplay is tight, satisfying, and remains fresh throughout; the game’s world is visually stunning thanks to some truly masterful pixel art; and you’ll find yourself really caring about the cast of characters and the world surrounding them thanks to a compelling storyline and background lore. The game could be improved with the inclusion of map to aid exploration, but when that is the only real thing we can pick at as a negative point it is clear that we’re on to a winner.

If you’re a Nintendo Switch owner and a baseball devotee then the deep mechanical options and customisation levels of Super Mega Baseball 2: Ultimate Edition mean that it's the ideal tonic to ward off the lack of MLB The Show on the platform and the perpetual disappointment that is RBI Baseball series. With support for all manner of local and online setups for co-op and competitive multiplayer – and lots of extra DLC content bundled in – this is a rewarding yet potentially intimidating simulator that’s only really diminished by a lack of official licensing and a proper training mode.

Fingers are now firmly crossed that this sublime title finds the audience it so clearly deserves.

Little Noah is a game that we can easily recommend, but with the caveat that it’s not really special in any way. The quality of the combat and the design of the progression systems make it clear that the developers are big fans of roguelites and understand what makes them alluring, but Little Noah is rather light on its own ideas. Sometimes that’s enough; not every game needs to reinvent the wheel, and Little Noah certainly feels like it deserves credit for how effectively it delivers on the roguelite formula. This may not be a game to rush out and buy right away, then, but keep an eye on this one and have it in mind when you feel like snapping up another roguelite. If you're after a solid 'one of those', it’s well worth your time and money.

1000xResist is developer Sunset Visitor wearing its experiences on its sleeve, debuting a beautiful, heartfelt game with one of the best-written stories we’ve ever experienced. Switch port and minor gameplay issues aside, this stands as one of the most memorable games we’ve ever played. Confident in its convictions and empathetic with its words, 1000xResist is an important piece of art and a testament to the creativity of indie developers.

In an age where indie titles are becoming increasingly more reliant on procedural generation to do all the heavy lifting, it can be immensely satisfying to play a game that is tailor made for one specific experience. Velocity 2X excels in this regard, offering up an immaculately designed, endlessly replayable arcade experience that shows just how engaging twitch gameplay can be. We would give Velocity 2X a high recommendation, especially to anybody who’s looking for a great pick up and play arcade game for their Switch; this is one you definitely don’t want to miss out on.

Streets of Rage 4 is the very best the series has ever been. Its hand-drawn graphics breathe new life into Wood Oak City and its inhabitants, the soundtrack is outstanding and the combat feels better than ever. Lizardcube, Guard Crush Games and Dotemu have managed to completely modernise the look and feel of Streets of Rage, expanding on the experience without losing sight of what made the original games so popular to begin with – and the handful of additions made to the action here serve only to enhance the classic core gameplay, resulting in one of the best side-scrolling beat 'em ups we've played in a long time.

Beautifully crafted and filled to the brim with exciting gameplay features, Pikmin 3 is a worthy new instalment in Nintendo's quirky strategy series. The core gameplay mechanics remain true to the GameCube originals, but are further enhanced by the unique features of the Wii U GamePad.

It really doesn’t matter that Firewatch came out over two and a half years ago, because it’s just as engrossing and enchanting as it was the first time around. From the warm glow of its forests in the morning summer light to the subtle tension of exploring a rocky gorge in the isolating silence of night, Shoshone National Forest is a character in its own right. With a story that’s both funny and heartbreaking – and enhanced by some brilliant performances by its two central actors – this is an essential purchase, irrespective of whether you're playing it for the first time on Switch or simply using it as an excuse to revisit an old favourite.

When it comes down to it, There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension is a bit of a misnomer. There is certainly a game to be found here, and it’s a ruddy good one. If you’re not a fan of point-and-click style adventure games, then you may want to look elsewhere, but with an experience packed with ingenious puzzles and excellent self-aware jokes, this is one of the strongest examples of the genre in recent years. It’s right up there with the best; don’t miss out.