Sol Divide tricks you into believing this is yet another Psikyo shmup, but it turns out to be something refreshingly different. If you want a unique offering from a revered Japanese developer, look no further.

Cattle Call has done a fantastic job with The Alliance Alive, addressing the complaints of its predecessor while building on its strengths to make something that’s truly special. Whether it be the engaging story, expansive overworld, deep combat, or unique progression options, this is a game that oozes quality in just about every aspect. The Alliance Alive is a must-play for fans of JRPGs, and we would give it a strong recommendation to anyone looking for another great game to add to their 3DS collection.

Gekido: Kintaro's Revenge is a love letter to the original Game Boy Advance game that many probably didn’t notice was pushing the envelope as far as graphics, animation, music and presentation were expected on Nintendo’s 32-bit handheld. As such and despite excellent added extras to this Switch package, it stubbornly restrains itself in the past and as is only truly recommended if you fell nostalgic towards the original game.

An indie adventure with a lush world, fun characters, and enjoyable battles, Earthlock brings the soul of PS1-era JRPGs to the Switch with excellent results. Inconsistent dialogue and notable load times are among its few missteps, but as a package, it captures the appeal of the epoch wonderfully. If you’re looking for a fresh-feeling JRPG that still calls back to the classics, this is a lovely choice.

The gameplay can be a little too easy and repetitive at times, and we were surprised to see the ending appear so abruptly, but everything is presented within a very solid package that will have kids and adults alike hooked. Dedicated fans of the series will likely get the most out of the experience, with the game’s art, storytelling, and genuinely likeable cast showing the world of Pokémon in a great new light, but we’d urge anyone interested to give this one a go.

Castle of Heart looks great and offers a stern challenge to those who don't mind repeatedly playing the same level over and over before finally beating it and moving on. There's definitely some fun to be had finding the best route through each stage and delicately picking off enemies, but the constantly-depleting health bar and frustrating combat will have many players giving up and moving onto games which are less harmful to their general well being.

If you haven’t gotten around to it by now, this is certainly the best way to play Shantae And The Pirate’s Curse. Tight gameplay, detailed visuals, and charming writing combine to make this a Metroidvania that is a must play for any fans of this genre. We’d give this game a strong recommendation to anybody who hasn’t played it yet and would still encourage veterans to consider double dipping. Though there’s nothing groundbreaking about this re-release, it’s still the same great game that it was before, and the few minor additions are a nice bonus.

Kona is a walking simulator that makes an admirable attempt to increase the usual level of interactivity and player agency. While not all of those attempts pay off, and it suffers from some disappointing technical issues, it remains a highly absorbing and atmospheric adventure-survival experience.

With its cute and delightfully grotesque exterior, Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut is an easily accessible and addictive puzzler that throws in '80’s references where it can, by the bucket-load. It’s jam-packed with unlockables, host to some brilliant synth-heavy music and doesn’t shy away from some truly gruesome but equally hilarious murder sequences.

Looking past the mediocre puzzle and adventuring elements as well as the cinematic repetition, Last Day of June excels at storytelling – conveying emotion on-screen in a way few other games manage to achieve. The developer has admittedly done a sound job at making a title involving such depressing themes as beautiful as possible – through its unique animation, perfectly synced soundtrack and stunning visuals. If you do intend on playing this, the ending is as catastrophic as it is comforting.

There's been a tweak to the controls, but Real Bout Fatal Fury offers similar fast-paced fighting thrills to Fatal Fury 3. This game builds on that with some extra characters and the introduction of a power gauge to give you a few different things to consider during battle. The Real Bout games that followed would make some changes, including more character additions, but this is still a well put together entertaining fighter.

Clustertruck stands as a metaphor for life itself. Where do these trucks come from? Where are these trucks going? None of that matters now that you can play this game anytime, anywhere free from the tyranny of non-portable entertainment centres. An exquisite balance of arcade first-person action and physics puzzle that leaves little but one single course of action when faced with a glimpse of its pure brilliant absurdity: Keep on (cluster)truckin', baby!

Sengoku 2 is quite similar to the first game in the series, but by upping the pace of combat it makes things a lot more enjoyable and making all characters available from the start gives you various options to consider from the get go. Return to it after a while away (alone or with a friend) and Sengoku 2 will provide some decent sidescrolling slashing action.

Bad Dudes offers up a nostalgic slice of some of the purest arcade fighting action you could find in the late 80s salons and despite not being mandatory it is certainly a more enjoyable experience if you bring a friend to the ninja onslaught. Emulation wrapper kinks aside, the overall experience aged gracefully and it is certainly a great retro choice when you have some minutes to spare and just feel the need to take on an entire ninja army. President Ronnie won't be rescuing himself so if you think you are bad enough, we certainly recommend you consider adding this Data East classic to your virtual arcade Switch salon.

If you’ve played the first Attack On Titan you’ll have to contend with replaying the first season of the anime/manga again, but the sequel does a much better (and more comprehensive) job of bringing the canon to life in a different medium. Combat is fast, frenetic and exhilarating, but it can get a little repetitive when played with AI teammates. However, camera issues and the occasional drop in framerate aside, Attack On Titan 2 is one of the best action adventures on Switch and the closest we’re going to get to another Monster Hunter on a Nintendo console on the West - for the time being, at least.

The mix of gameplay styles works fine, but the game is quite simple with neither style standing out among examples of each genre. It's a tough game with the limited range of your weapon and the lack of continues being the biggest hurdles to completion, although successfully speeding through a section is very satisfying. It can entertain and the usual online leaderboards add some replay value as you take on the world, but Arcade Archives: Heroic Episode is unlikely to be a game often played on your Switch with so many retro goodies already available on the eShop.

A fantastic release that does a great job of providing an experience that feels simultaneously classic and modern. It’s high difficulty, rewarding gameplay, endless variety, and beautiful presentation make this an essential buy for any fans of the genre, and a high recommendation for those who aren’t. If you’re looking for a tightly made arcade game that can be played both in short bursts and for hours on end, look no further than this.

A quirky 2D adventure with hints of psychological horror and some classic puzzles. Though its gameplay is riddled with glitches and its narrative full of flaws, The Long Reach keeps tempting you to peer around the next murky corner.

Kirby Star Allies is a fun, relaxing game that does a good job of showing off what makes the main Kirby series so great. The slow pace, diverse powers, beautiful environments, adorable enemy designs, and light difficulty ensure that this is an enjoyable ride from start to finish. But with that being said, there’s a lingering sense that the developer was a little too keen to play this one safe, and the lack of new ideas may come as a disappointment to series veterans. This is not the Super Mario Odyssey or The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild of the Kirby series, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a bad game.

It’s not out to break new ground, but with enjoyable strategy gameplay and an appealing board game aesthetic, World Conquerer X is certainly a welcome addition to the Switch’s library. Minimal tutorials and under-explained mechanics make it easy to feel overwhelmed at the outset, but new recruits who stick it out will find plenty of strategic fun in both the bite-sized Scenario missions and globe-spanning madness of Conquest mode. A significant improvement from earlier games on 3DS, and a solid recommendation for war-gamers.

Yes, it shares the name and the look of those previous games, but it lacks the all-important creative heart of its predecessors, and ends up being a by-the-numbers affair that goes through the motions in a shallow attempt to turn Scribblenauts' unique premise into a multiplayer party game.

Bit Dungeon Plus does exactly what it says on the tin and it does it fairly well. The title won’t draw you in with an intricate story of medieval rivalry and bloodshed involving a vast fantasy world, but the pick-up and play nature of the game will. Some might find its limitless nature frustrating and unnerving, but by improving your set of gear and tactics with each round after countless near-deaths is exhilarating in its own right. Make no mistake - the game is quite rightly harsh for the genre it’s sitting in but if you’re a glutton for punishment and you’re scouring the eShop for a simple, yet highly rewarding eShop dungeon-crawler that won’t break the bank then Bit Dungeon Plus is worth picking up for the attractive asking price.

Combining crazy physics and an even crazier story scenario, Coffin Dodgers has managed to do just enough to stand out from the crowd, offering a decent little kart-racer that should generate a laugh or two. A slight lack of content and a less-than-perfect overall quality prevent it from being something worth shouting about, however, so you might want to consider your options before jumping in with an immediate purchase.

It's good clean fun, straightforward to an absolute fault, and for the low asking price there's enough here to make this worthwhile. If you're expecting a magical doggy story mode, or some imaginative level design however, you'll be left feeling a little ruff.

Despite appearances, Midnight Deluxe is a completely different game to 36 Fragments of Midnight before it. While it's a solid enough casual golf game, however, it lacks the precise control, generous level design and joyful spirit of the best examples of the genre.

Neonwall is a fresh new take on the old physics puzzler genre, immensely enjoyable thanks to the Joy-Cons IR tracking control mode. A beautiful package of endless neon glows and electronic music filled with some stiff concentration and reflex challenges makes it very easy for us to recommend this unusual yet deeply satisfying addition to Nintendo Switch's digital library.

Danmaku Unlimited 3 is a brilliantly executed best of bullet hell shmup ideas wrapped up into a phenomenal package. It is the very best shmup money can buy in the whole Switch game library (plus it will cost you about half what it should!). Even if you don’t particularity like shmups - or if Japanese bullet hells are not your particular favourite flavour within the genre - exposure to the insane lightshows provided by this game might just turn you into a die-hard fan.

TurtlePop: Journey To Freedom is an interesting first exclusive Switch offering from Zengami, but it's sadly lacking focus. There are several superior individual options of all the genres represented in this game already out in Switch's library, but if you do decide to take a plunge into this adventure, make sure you take someone along for the ride.