Zed Blade might not be the most famous of Neo Geo shooters but with three craft to pick from and a number of customisation options, it has variety and point-scoring options aplenty. Of course, none of that would matter if the game wasn't entertaining, but luckily NMK has crafted a fun shooter. The music seems an unusual choice at first, but proves to be a good fit with the frantic play style required for the game. It's not without fault however, and the action is sometimes easy to lose track of when the screen gets cluttered and there are moments of noticeable slowdown. Your ship is also quite large considering all the activity onscreen, leading to some moments of frustration when you're unsuccessful in navigating high concentrations of bullets. Zed Blade remains enjoyable however, and should keep highscore chasers occupied for some time.

Piczle Lines DX is relatively pricey (at launch) for a download puzzle game, but it offers 300+ sizeable and quality picture conundrums to solve; it'll take most players a long time to solve every image. It's a fun mechanic that feels like a clever combination of other puzzle styles, and the option to detach the Joy-Con and use the touchscreen alone also makes it an appealing game for a bit of quiet downtime slouched in a comfortable chair. Its smartphone legacy lets it down a little in presentation, and beyond solving lots of puzzles it's lacking any smart variations in modes or even multiplayer. Nevertheless, in terms of serving up plenty of challenging content it does the job rather well.

An endearing combination of influences from art and science makes The Bridge a valuable addition to the Nintendo Switch library, especially if you've never played it before. Sometimes bogged down by showing off its aesthetic strengths at the sacrifice of fully exploring the puzzle ideas and mechanics, The Bridge does suffer slightly due to slow controls and a story/ character that deserves a little more nuance to back up its ambitious and academic influences. What it does do, however, is reward players' patience, calculation and observation with moments that rival some of the best in the genre. A genuinely interesting and challenging experience that, despite a few small flaws, will stretch mental as well as physical muscles.

As part of a card game compendium, Physical Contact Speed would have at least been a local multiplayer game to distract for a handful of minutes at a time. As it stands, some serviceable yet generic music and a 'fascinating' selection of avatars can't hide what's underneath - a bare bones and uninspired package with laughable localization, rudimentary controls and trudging gameplay that quickly sucks the life out of any 'speed' related fun anyone would have during a match. Fold.

All told, we’d give Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack a strong recommendation to anyone who hasn’t yet played these games. Although the two games can be picked up individually on the 3DS for a lower price, this still presents a good opportunity to try them both in a format that can be played on both a big screen or a portable. The two games stand high on their own merits and — when you consider additions like HD Rumble and DLC — they certainly justify the cost, but the porting job is a little sloppy; fans who have already played these out on the 3DS might want to think it over first before buying. If you haven’t played them yet, then this is nevertheless the best way to go.

There’s a surprisingly good game waiting inside Sky Ride, ready to burst out and consume all your free time. It never quite manages to get there though, and its woefully undercooked and unfinished feel makes it all the more frustrating that, given more development time, it could actually have been a bit of a hidden gem. Instead, it’s a weird one-trick pony that may keep your interest for a while but quickly gets repetitive.

There are a few changes to the football formula, but SNK's arcade version of the sport can still provide entertainment. Caravan mode gives you a different way to play, though it lacks the replayability offered by a shooter with that mode. The regular arcade mode doesn't give players much of a reason to return once the cup has been won; a lack of options and teams limiting the game's appeal. The quick-play nature brought about by that lack of options works well for two-player matches however, and if you are looking for something simple and fun to play to play with a friend, then Super Sidekicks can provide a quick footie fix.

Boost Beast is a wholly serviceable match-three game with a cute theme, fun mechanics, and plenty of content to keep you entertained. It has a few notable balance issues — including an overemphasis on luck and some puzzling vestiges of its free-to-play origins — but it’s still a good time for fans of the genre, and a worthwhile addition to the Switch’s growing puzzle library.

At its core, Puzzled is essentially a Tetris knock-off that tries to do something clever with it but in doing so removes what makes Tetris so enjoyable. Its poor stage design leads to some frustrating moments and the more you play it the more each level feels like a chore rather than an exciting step forward. The only thing we’re Puzzled about is why this was chosen for the Switch treatment ahead of far more deserving Neo Geo games.

With the eight options of fighter plane, lots of different enemies, frantic action and multiple endings, there's a lot to like about this game. Adding to the fun is the different locations visited and some entertaining boss battles. The game can provide a tough challenge and two-player is enjoyable, but it's the Hi-Score and Caravan modes that make it easy to keep coming back to. Providing top-quality shooter action, Aero Fighters 2 is a highly recommended download.

League of Evil on Nintendo Switch is a savagely addictive, gleefully fun and at times brutally challenging platform game, with super tight controls, bold visuals and an accessible level editor that paves the way for a forever increasing Switch community to embrace. League of Evil feels perfectly suited to the big or small screen, and the bite-sized missions are great for any length of play session, be it solo, taking turns in a group, or just kicking back to make a level which will enrage your friends. While it may test some player's skill level and patience a little too much, persistence and determination are rewarded in a way only the best of the genre can.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a must have for Switch-owning fans of turn-based tactical games. More importantly, such is the style and depth on offer that it's also ideal for those that haven't played much of the genre, for whom 'X-COM' sounds like a silly acronym from a war movie. It introduces the concept in the best possible way, and then utilises its own ideas for what becomes a smart and - at times - deliciously challenging experience.

2nd Squad takes some things away from the first Shock Troopers, but adds some elements of its own. The result is a game that’s either better or worse, depending on your own personal taste. Regardless of that, both games are underrated shooters that are packed with action, and instead of choosing between them, fans of old-school run ‘n’ gun games should really consider adding both to their Switch library.

The presentation in Samurai Shodown is so good that it doesn't feel like it has aged all that much; the excellent audio helps immerse you in the setting and the visuals are packed with detail and character. With a focus on patience and its use of weapons, the game has a different feel to your typical one-on-one brawler. Later games would include additions to the fighting system but there's something undeniably appealing about the simpler version offered here. That's not to say it's superior (the sequel is definitely a better game), but this first instalment holds up remarkably well despite the passage of time and is well worth buying, even if you already own the later Samurai Shodown IV, which is already available on the Switch eShop at the time of writing.

Not all games are designed to transport you to another world or keep you at the edge of your seat. Sometimes a game sets out to simply exist as an outlet for its players to relax and find comfort, which is exactly what Qbics Paint manages to excel at. It's tapping into the same market that adult colouring books recently cornered by providing a similar experience in a digital, and more portable environment. Life can be stressful, and sometimes you just need a way to unwind.

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.

Forma.8 takes the foreboding and desolate landscape and gear-gating of obvious inspiration Metroid and adds its own unique spin to it. From the floaty and endearing orb you play as to the design and structure that makes players feel like they are finding new things organically, it takes a genre formula and makes it its own. If you’re looking for an adventure that is filled with inventive discovery, a sense of lonesomeness and a gorgeous world to behold, forma.8 is not to be missed.

Fatal Fury 2 looks and sounds great, has a good fighting system, is very enjoyable but you should absolutely not bother buying it. Why? Because Fatal Fury Special takes all that's good about it and adds in even more content. With flowing combos and a much larger fighting roster (for the same price), this is the version of the game to go for. The main arcade mode can be brutal, but there's lots of top-notch fighting action and two-player fights provide a lot of fun.

Those with fond memories of gawping at the amazing visuals back in the '90s will no doubt fall in love with Magician Lord's charms all over again and there are some neat ideas on show - such as the ability to morph into different characters - but it sadly hasn't aged as well as its contemporaries. There are plenty of retro games that are extremely difficult, but Alpha Denshi's game combines this with confusing level design to make for a doubly frustrating experience. Perseverance will eventually bring you round to its charms but most people will give up long before it gets to that point, meaning the main trick this magician pulls is making your patience disappear.

Thanks to the design of the Nintendo Switch, Rocket Fist is best enjoyed with family and friends as a multiplayer title. It channels the spirit of classic top-down arena titles like Bomberman and manages to put its own twist on the genre. As well designed as the single player mode is, the multiplayer is the defining aspect of the title. This mode adds prolonged life to the game, providing potentially hours of entertainment for up to four players. While the Switch version lacks certain features as included in other iterations of the game - such as online play and a level editor, both offered in the Steam release - it still feels like the superior version thanks to that local multiplayer madness.

Fatal Fury 2 isn’t a bad game in its own right. It’s a decent fighter, and although the plane-jumping mechanic is clunky, it should keep you entertained. The problem is, it’s made completely obsolete with the presence of Fatal Fury Special on the eShop, further proving that Hamster Corporation’s scattergun approach to randomly releasing Neo Geo games is getting confusing. If you're a hardcore Fatal Fury fan and want to experience the entire lineage, then by all means, give this a download - you're unlikely to be disappointed. However, everyone else should check out the King Of Fighters games for a more comprehensive Neo Geo fighting experience on Switch, or, if there's an absolute need for a Fatal Fury game, get Special instead.

Chicken Wiggle is a game that delights in so many ways, even if it also manages to disappoint in some. While the main campaign isn’t much to write home about, it works well as a varied tutorial that teaches you the ins and outs so you can design levels of your own. The user-generated content is the real star of the show here, and there will no doubt be plenty to look forward to in the coming months and years. We would give Chicken Wiggle a recommendation to anyone who really appreciated Super Mario Maker; there’s lots of creativity to explore here, and it’s a game that’ll keep on giving.

Although it’s one of the better installments in the series, The King Of Fighters 2000 isn’t quite the best of the bunch. It isn’t even the best of the ones available on Switch: many would argue that KOF ‘98 presents the game at its purest before the Striker system was introduced and started complicating things. If you’ve yet to buy a King Of Fighters game on your Switch, then, it might be worth trying out the 1998 version first to see if it’s the sort of thing you enjoy. If it is, then by all means get stuck into KOF 2000 to see how it evolved, for better or worse.

Offering the usual fun and gun action as the rest of the series, Metal Slug 2 will provide a lot of entertainment and the High Score and Caravan modes add to the replayability of it. The downside is that this is an authentic recreation of the original game, warts and all. The well designed stages, amusing character designs, detailed scenery and brilliant soundtrack are great, but the slowdown is painful at times. Smaller dips in performance are easy to put up with, but the larger ones harm the game, and your enjoyment. There's still fun to be had here, but Metal Slug 2 is far from an essential download, and it might be a better idea to wait for Metal Slug X, which fixes the slowdown and adds more content.

Use Your Words is meant to be as much a conversation starter as it is a game. It’s less about challenge and more about luck, so if you’re only interested in winning you may be missing the point. It’s possible to play online, but it’s at its best when in the company of jovial friends and family members. The amusing appeal of the game may overstay its welcome, but it’s the perfect jumping on point or chaser to the larger games you’re steering people towards at your party.

This Breakout-like game may not offer massively varied gameplay or an engrossing storyline, but as ball and paddle games go, Gunbarich is superb. Different enemy types and hazards keep things interesting with power-ups giving a range of ways to remove the blocks, and while it's easy to play, the game offers a stern challenge. Good music and visual design add to the appeal, with fun character designs and some great little touches; blocks grow eyes and look worried when their neighbours are destroyed, for example. There's a lot of replayability in trying to improve your score and although there's no online high score board to aim for, Gunbarich offers plenty of entertainment and is a recommended download.

For every intriguing idea that Troll and I presents, there are a couple of design choices or technical issues that will aggravate players. It’s ugly, clunky and bereft of certain amenities that players take for granted in this day and age. With so many games out to garner people’s attention, Troll and I isn’t as user friendly or quickly appealing as it needs to be in a flooded space. If you are someone who can look past technical hurdles there may be something worth divining here, but as a whole Troll and I is difficult to recommend.

If Strikers 1945 is an indication of the quality of titles Zerodiv will be bringing to the eShop, then Switch owners are in for a treat.