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.

If you’ve played a Warriors game before, then you’ve basically played One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4. Thin story, okay graphics, and somewhat shallow but satisfying action gameplay are all par for the course here, not to mention a lion’s share of content to work through. If you’ve ever been curious what this sub-genre is all about, this is a great place to jump in with its easily approachable gameplay and that lovably goofy One Piece aesthetic. If you’re a long time fan, we’d encourage you to ask yourself how much you want more of the same and decide based on that. One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 is the furthest thing from reinventing the wheel, but it sure has its unique and addictive gameplay loop down to a science.

While it’s not the best the series has been – many could argue Jedi Knight II or Jedi Outcast will perpetually battle for that title – Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is still a fun and lengthy trek across the (non-canon) Star Wars universe. The multiplayer doesn’t live up to its former glories, but the sprawling and semi non-linear campaign certainly makes up for it with its lightning-fast lightsaber combat and that silly quintessentially silly approach to Star Wars that was still rife in the early 2000s. Don’t expect Jedi: Fallen Order, but do expect a time capsule of an action-adventure.

Zombie Army Trilogy is a solid co-op shooter with a fantastically pulpy set-up that does exactly what it sets out to, pitting you and up to three other players against an almost endless army of gloriously gory undead Nazis and letting you snipe, shotgun and kick every last one of them to pieces. It may be of somewhat limited appeal when played solo, but gather together a crew or join forces with randoms online and this one springs to life, providing countless hours of admirably straightforward skull-smashing fun.

One Step From Eden is an exceptionally well-made game with great combat and responsive controls. The whole thing is brilliantly slick and polished; it just feels like it could use a difficulty balancing patch to make it feel just that little bit fairer. We're sure many of you will be uttering the phrase 'git gud' right now, but there's no denying that One Step From Eden is just that little bit too unforgiving, and this will certainly cause many players to bounce right off it in those first few hours. However, those who stick with it will be handsomely rewarded; if you can stomach the challenge, it's a hearty recommendation.

Good Job! Is a wonderful surprise that everyone should try out. Thanks to its hilarious physics, seemingly menial tasks have the potential to descend into utter carnage – whether intentional or not – and its grading system means there are plenty of opportunities to replay. Slight technical hiccups aside, its arrival comes at a time when we all could do with a bit of a laugh, and Good Job! is absolutely guaranteed to do just that.

Operencia: The Stolen Sun is a mostly excellent first person, grid-based dungeon crawler that's brought brilliantly to life via an engaging story, fun cast of characters and some well-designed and hugely atmospheric dungeons. Combat here is satisfying and puzzles, for the most part, land just on the right side of challenging. If you're looking for a meaty old-school dungeon-crawling adventure with a ton of secrets and treasures to find as you make your way across its world, this one comes as a nice surprise and is highly recommended.

Mekorama looks a lot like Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. There’s no getting around this, but in the same way that Metroid Prime looks a lot like other FPS titles, it doesn’t quite play the same. In fact, Mekorama is played entirely on the Switch’s touch screen (or with an on-screen cursor, if you wish), and feels completely different to Nintendo’s own puzzler.

We cannot wholeheartedly recommend Gigantosaurus: The Game to anyone. Young children who love the animated show may well get some limited enjoyment out of it, but with poor graphics, a total lack of any discernible challenge, and shocking technical issues, it’s yet another licensed title that feels like it was designed as a quick cash grab. Games like this need to become extinct, and fast.

Mystic Vale looks as good as it needs to, with no clutter to speak of and all the information you need to inform your decisions only ever a swipe away. It's not a complex game but it is an involved one in which you'll make a lot of choices and take a lot of gambles. We'd say that the biggest compliment we can give Mystic Vale is that after just a few games we were looking online for the physical version to get our friends involved. It's a quick play (games generally won't stretch past 20-30 minutes) and it's a lot of fun to spend time with. A polished, playable way to spend any allotment of time.

We’re sure there are people out there that would get some enjoyment out of this game, but quite frankly, we’re struggling to believe that might be true. Its gameplay is sluggish, the graphics are poor, and the general premise is just baffling. It may be cheap, but we’d much sooner encourage everyone to save their pennies and go for the real deal instead. This game is a load of poop.

Panzer Dragoon: Remake is a decent take on an all-time classic that goes some way to modernising it, but doesn't quite nail the landing. Awkward controls and a visual style that's a clear improvement but could still look much better result in a game that’s mainly for fans of the original who are curious to see how it would look with a new lick of paint.

SeaBed is a beautiful, emotional work of digital literature that won’t be to everyone’s taste, but come in with the appropriate expectations and there’s a true masterpiece of the visual novel medium waiting to be enjoyed here.

The original La-Mulana was a masterpiece in its own right, but we’d contend that it’s been edged out by the sequel. What we have here is an expertly-paced, crushingly difficult, and utterly mystifying adventure that constantly beckons you to explore deeper and acquaint yourself with its unique charms. La-Mulana 2 definitely isn’t for everybody – if you consider yourself an impatient or clumsy player, steer clear – but those who put in the time and effort to crack this nut will be deeply satisfied that they did so. We’d give La-Mulana 2 a high recommendation for anybody looking for a deep and challenging new Metroidvania for their Switch; it’s an acquired taste, but one you will come to savour.

Though brilliant in its design, La-Mulana is definitely one of those games that will only appeal to a dedicated few. This is not a game you can casually play every once in a while, and expect to get a great experience; it demands a little more of its players than that through its peerless puzzle design. If you do give it the time of day, however, La-Mulana proves itself to be one of the most intricately-crafted Metroidvanias in recent memory. We’d give La-Mulana a strong recommendation, then, but with the caveat that you come into this one expecting to be frustrated and stuck often. Don’t be scared off by the daunting difficulty, this is one for the ages.

By removing the basic ability to turn direction whilst walking, Wunderling proves itself to be an incredibly addictive platformer that boasts excellent level design, brilliant writing, and adorable visuals. Its impressive accessibility means that almost anyone can pick it up, but it simultaneously remains challenging enough to keep you engaged for hours.

While Saints Row the Third proved a more inconsistent port – mainly because it was a much older game – Saints Row IV: Re-Elected fares far better with better performance, minimal input lag and a refreshingly solid output in handheld mode. It’s gunplay is always going to be messy and its unashamed sense of humour will undoubtedly offend some, but having such an activity rich experience running so well on your handheld console isn’t to be sniffed at. And with so much extra content available in the Re-Elected package, Switch players have another long-term investment on their hands.

While it inherits many of the problems that made the first game feel quite insubstantial, My Hero One’s Justice 2 is a still a notable step forwards thanks to the introduction of new modes and a far meatier story mode. The action can still be a little messy and it lacks the precision offered by many other anime-inspired fighters, but with over 40 characters from the canon to choose from, an impressively deep customisation system and a constant stream of rewards, this is a still an authentic tribute to the series that My Hero Academia fans will get the most kicks from. Fighting game aficionados will probably go elsewhere, but for those looking for a fun and mostly chaotic fighter will find an enjoyable experience here.

“Hot seat” style play is available, with you passing the Switch between your friends, alongside the more traditional multiplayer gameplay with everyone using their own controller. In a welcome addition, there’s also cross-platform online play, so you’ll be able to play with friends on the Steam, Android and iOS versions. Ultimately, it’s an extremely well-made conversion of a beloved board game to a system that’s pretty much perfect for it. The only real caveats are the excess of DLC and – let’s face it – the fairly unbalanced gameplay of the original Talisman. It’s a wonderful version of a game we love, but if you demand an absolutely level playing field in your entertainment, you may want to knock a point or two off this score.

Enter The Gungeon die-hards will be instantly familiar with the weird and wonderful world presented by Exit The Gungeon, but they might be taken aback by the shift in gameplay. This is a finely honed action-platformer that adds a new dimension to the blasting and dodge rolling. It's not always a flawless transition, and this is a significantly less rich and rewarding experience than the original. But those after a retro-tinged arcade challenge should by all means lock and load.

Playing Ibb & Obb on your own is an absolute no-go; it just won't work. But get together with a friend – preferably via local play – and you'll have an absolute blast with this game. Some of the puzzles can be excruciatingly challenging at first, but it's immensely satisfying when you finally figure out how to beat it together. It's yet another fine co-op title to add to the Switch's library.

While it was already something of a relic when it launched on the N64 almost 25 years ago, Doom 64 remains a great example of just how refined a formula the series offers and just how good a job the late Midway did in the shadow of id Software. The lack of local multiplayer support still stings, even after all these years, but with support for motion controls on Switch – something Nightdive has already pulled off to a tee with its Turok ports – and the addition of a new DOOM Eternal-themed level, this is classic retro shooter that deserves a little more love.

Neon City Riders promises an epic open-world action-adventure set in a vibrant '80s sci-fi world, but its action and writing are far too flat and clunky to back up its initial promise. It looks and sounds a treat in places, but lacklustre execution makes for a punishing, repetitive and confounding experience. Pull away that admittedly amazing pixel-heavy packaging and you've got a game that fails to make a lasting impression in any meaningful manner.

Stela is a platform-puzzler that's quite clearly been made in Inside's (and indeed Limbo’s) image. It's a serviceable approximation of Playdead's work, with a beautifully strange world and even a couple of neat ideas of its own. But it fails to immerse you in its world in quite the same way courtesy of some unfortunate flat spots.

3000th Duel is a highly enjoyable Metroidvania that some would argue borrows a bit too much from Dark Souls. With engaging combat bolstered by lots of unlockable weapons, a decent progression system, and some truly memorable boss fights, it can stand proud amongst the many examples of the genre currently available on Switch, even if it doesn't quite do enough to feel truly unique. Still, if you loved From Software's Souls series and fancy some more of the same, you could do a lot worse.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons takes Animal Crossing and not only drags it back onto home consoles, but improves upon every single facet imaginable. There's more to do, more to see, more to change, more to mould, and more to love; fans and first-time players are going to find themselves losing hours at a time gathering materials, creating new furniture, and making their island undeniably theirs. Every moment is unashamedly blissful, with excellently-written characters that truly feel alive and an island paradise that gives infinitely back more than you put in. Back when Animal Crossing: New Leaf hit the shelves all those years ago and created a whole new generation of fans, many people were wondering how Nintendo could possibly top it, but here we have our answer. This is a masterpiece that has been well worth waiting for.

Syder Reloaded is a solid addition to the steadily-growing library of quality shmups on the Nintendo Switch. The game has an engaging visual presentation, thoughtful accessibility and extras, comfortable controls, decent sound design, and a unique gameplay style that is fairly uncommon among shmups these days. And while we felt that the gameplay could be improved upon with more concentrated stages and frenetic enemy abundance, we still had a lot of fun playing and recommend the game for those looking for a fresh take on the free-scrolling shmup sub-genre.

Whether or not Langrisser I & II is the release for you ultimately depends on your affection for decidedly simpler, but more straightforward RPGs. This isn’t a release to shock and awe you with its innovative mechanics or boundary-breaking storytelling, but if you’re feeling up for an old-fashioned, no-frills SRPG romp, Langrisser I & II has what you’re looking for in spades. Corny storytelling and occasionally sluggish gameplay aside, both of the games present here hold up reasonably well, helped in no small part by the minor gameplay tweaks and remastered assets. We’d give Langrisser I & II a light recommendation; it’s not exactly a ‘must-have’ title, but there’s plenty to love here and it’s sure to keep you busy for quite some time.