Harvestella could be described as one of the best 'good' games you’ll play this year. Its performance issues and rather simplistic mechanics hold it back from being great, but its quest design, dungeon exploration, and successful fusion of very distinct gameplay mechanics make it quite compelling all the same. That launch day $60 price tag feels a little high for what’s on offer here, but this is absolutely a title that we’d recommend farm sim fans buy when the inevitable sales start to crop up. Harvestella may not be a challenger to Stardew Valley’s crown, but it does enough to distinguish itself as a worthwhile experience anyway.

Corn Kidz 64 feels like a genuine title from the N64 era and we commend the developer for their ability to successfully recreate that retro experience. A perfect length, good pacing, and varied design all work in this game’s favor, though its sluggish controls and awkward camera hold it back from greatness. All the same, it’s only seven bucks—we’d give this one a recommendation to anyone looking for a decent new 3D platformer for their library.

Let’s Sing 2022 is a reasonably fun, reliable new entry to a series that continues to play it safe. There’s a decent selection of songs on offer, but with a distinct lack of variety, the only other option is to purchase additional five-song packs, which feels a little bit icky. Truth be told, though, it’s likely you’ll already know whether or not Let’s Sing 2022 is up your alley, and for those willing to take a shot on this latest entry, it does enough to provide plenty of fun and laughs — provided you’re able to play with friends and family.

Art Academy: First Semester is a fantastic program for creating art, though it doesn't offer much else.

Fishie Fishie isn't the deepest game in the world, but it provides a sizeable diversion with all the play modes on offer.

Fantasian Neo Dimension is Hironobu Sakaguchi and Mistwalker at their boldest and bravest, culminating in a JRPG love letter that both delights and frustrates. The stunning world and exploration are a true highlight, and the challenging and rewarding combat will enchant some, but it lacks some of the magic that the game is aiming for and the pacing is uneven. Normal difficulty makes things more accessible for the curious, but make no mistake, this is an RPG for those who want to lose themselves in the mechanics.

Souldiers is one of those games that’s disappointing simply because a small number of critical issues hold it back from the greatness it comes so close to achieving. A large world to explore, tough combat system, and an outstanding art style are weighed down by ridiculous load times and poor difficulty balancing. It’s a real testament to the game’s strengths that we’d still give it a recommendation, though perhaps with the caveat that you may want to try it on another platform than Switch, if possible — we really hope that further patches can iron out the issues. At any rate, we’d say Souldiers is certainly worth your time, but maybe this isn’t one to rush out and buy right away.

The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame isn't the groundbreaking reinvention the franchise so desperately needs, but it's still a step in the right direction. It's still got the same one-note combat (even with some Master Builder special attacks thrown in for good measure) and missions too often boil down to 'Go find enough resources to build this item, which opens this door, etc', but for all the times it falls into the pitfalls of its own past, there's plenty to appreciate. The focus on collecting resources makes total sense for a game all about breaking everything in sight, and the mixture of sandbox levels and creative building options is a timely reminder that LEGO Worlds has plenty of ideas still worth revisiting.

Ninjala is a good-looking and impressively tactical free-to-play arena fighter. It's currently lacking in modes and maps, there are problems with how the lacklustre opening tutorial goes about onboarding new players and the rock-paper-scissors aspect of proceedings is sure to be controversial but, overall, the game is off to a pretty strong start. We can't wait to see where GungHo takes its cast of pint-sized bubblegum protagonists in the coming months.

Gameloft has crafted an addictive and attractive game with enough gameplay to keep you coming back for short blasts every once in a while, but there's not really enough meat on the bones to hold your attention for prolonged play sessions.

Discounty is a solid addition to the Switch’s healthy stable of cosy sims. These games feel right at home on a console you can take anywhere, with a bite-sized day cycle that works just as well for long sessions as it does for quick breaks. Growing your supermarket is a deep and satisfying experience, but getting involved in your customers lives can be a bit shallow. But, most importantly, Discounty manages the impossible task of making retail work fun and relaxing, and that's a feat in itself.

Heroes of Monkey Tavern will certainly scratch your dungeon-crawling itch, especially if you're a fan of the seminal Dungeon Master, the game's biggest inspiration. The levels are unspectacular looking, though with the setting there's not much else that could be done and in some ways it helps with the atmosphere. The sound effects certainly help immerse you in the adventure and there's some decent music, too. Battles against a good variety of different creatures are entertaining affairs and thanks to the different classes, adjustable attributes and a variety of weapons there's plenty of options for those conflicts. The big downside to the game is its brevity, but it's fun to try again with a different assembled team. Heroes of the Monkey Tavern offers only a short adventure, but it's still a good one.

A conspicuous lack of multiplayer and a few presentation issues put some slack in the line, but if you're an avid angler looking to reel in something different, Family Fishing is a catch.

At its best, which is when a level is at just the right difficulty for the individual player, Nuclien provides a very smooth, fast-paced, and satisfying number puzzle experience. The aesthetic is pleasing for the most part, and blasting your way through intricate layouts feels great. With only a couple of hours’ worth of content on offer, all of which is based around the same concept, Nuclien does feel a little bare-bones (although, in fairness, this is reflected in the asking price). It won’t wow or amaze you as you play, but it isn’t a bad way to pass the time, either - especially if you enjoy quick reflex puzzles on the go.

At the asking price, Gunblade NY/LA Machineguns is a steal. While Gunblade is showing its age a little now, LA Machineguns is still an excellent shooter with an interesting combo system that should bring players back to hone their skills.

Even though Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom doesn't offer much to separate itself from the first game, there's no denying it is a wholesome bundle of farming fun that still manages to carve out its own identity compared to other life and farming sims. Outside of the cutscenes which drag on and then some, it never feels too repetitive — an issue a considerable number of farming sims face thanks to the crop-based tasks associated with the genre — and outside of navigation issues with the map, it's welcoming to both new players of the genre and still feels relatively fresh to those who are incredibly familiar with the Story of Seasons franchise. If you go into this game expecting a decent Doraemon farming sim, you won't be disappointed.

LEGO The Incredibles is exactly the kind of inoffensive and family-friendly action adventure fun you’d expect from a TT Games offering. You’re better off watching the film before you buy as it’ll ruin the plot without a second thought, but with its activity-filled sandbox and the usual mix of platforming and puzzle-solving, it’s an ideal way to keep younger fans happy once they leave the cinema. You just can’t help but shake the feeling this should have been a LEGO Dimensions level pack rather than a full-game.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood is an odd little thing that evokes the smaller scale approach given to Far Cry: New Dawn earlier this year. Like New Dawn, Youngblood is a spin-off that focuses more on gameplay freedom while losing the focus on story. In some ways, it takes the series forward in the way it tries new ideas and mechanics - such as co-op and more open-ended level designs - and we hope a number of these features return for the next full sequel, but without the mind-bending twists and turns of its narrative, Youngblood pales in comparison to The New Order and The New Colossus. A fun and enjoyable co-op shooter (and another porting masterclass), but one that both improves and diminishes its own winning formula.

Equilibrio is one of those games that isn't overly flashy, but has it where it counts. The simple game play design and challenging level set will keep you busy for quite some time, and at a mere 500 Nintendo Points, it's actually a bargain.

On the whole, UNO fares far better on DSi than the Wii - the interface works nicely, the online player is smooth and enjoyable and you have the added benefit of pick-up-and-play whenever you like.

As a self-proclaimed spiritual successor to WWF No Mercy, AEW had big wrestling boots to fill. While it doesn't quite surpass THQ's classic N64 grappler in terms of pure gameplay, it's nevertheless a highly entertaining wrestling title with a pleasantly silly story mode and some frankly ridiculous weapons-heavy match types. Performance on the Switch leaves a lot to be desired, but it's still the best wrestling game on the system for now.

Cathedral is a well-made and enjoyable action-platformer that’s sure to please fans of the genre, as it showcases lots of strong level design, tough difficulty, and plenty of rewarding secrets. Even so, there’s a sense that something is missing here to take the experience a step higher, as it’s the epitome of ‘just’ another entry in an already crowded genre. All the same, we’d give Cathedral a recommendation to anybody who enjoyed Shovel Knight (or its many imitators) and is looking for something to hit that same appeal. Cathedral very likely won’t be your favourite action-platformer, but it’s got more than enough going for it to be worth your time and money.

Although a lack of levels and some presentational hiccups prevent this from becoming an outright classic, Ultratron's positive points outweigh its negatives, and warrants a look from anyone looking for an arcade shooter that manages to merge the best of old and new.

As long as you’re playing it docked and willing to put the time in to master its helium-light handling, Rise eventually reveals itself to be a rewarding and visually fantastic arcade style racer with an interesting Challenges mode. Its slightly blurry handheld visuals and the complete lack of multiplayer are disappointing, but persevere with its slippery steering and the payoff is a fun – if unforgiving – solo racing game.

Although there are areas where Cate West can be improved, for a hidden object game it's definitely one of the best currently available on the market and works well on the Wii. Its intriguing storyline, overall polished presentation and change of gameplay styles makes it a far more interesting proposition than most hidden object titles and it's all the better for it.

The Count Lucanor is a mostly enjoyable horror tale that is only prevented from being a truly great game thanks to a couple of performance issues and relatively short duration. At its best, the game offers a surprisingly rich story, intriguing (and genuinely creepy) characters and surroundings, and enjoyable puzzle-based tasks to ponder over. The candle and saving systems add to the stress imposed by the castle, forcing you to choose between being safe in the present or keeping supplies for later on (although a harder difficulty setting which provides less of these items could have worked wonders). If you’re looking for something a little bit different, this could well be the game for you.

Olija is a piratical adventure that really, really pays attention to atmosphere. From its bombastic music, which echoes similarly pirate-themed Return of the Obra Dinn, to its arthouse-cinema-style sudden cuts to black, Olija is possibly the most cinematically dramatic indie game we've seen in quite some time.

Raindrop Sprinters is as pure an arcade experience as one could wish for, its base simplicity underpinned by a deep scoring game that can be approached in a variety of ways, ultimately presenting a bottomless reflex-based affair that will wash out the impatient and reward the dedicated in a shower of euphoria. It’s not a game for everyone and will hold little appeal or longevity for the vast majority, but it does what it does well, and its construction is a little bit clever. When you reach that moment of dodging zen, where you’re weaving those drops against impossible odds, you run a real risk of just-one-more-go addiction.