Overall, Madden NFL 26 is another version of Madden, the NFL simulation game. The sheer number of modes makes for many different types of experiences for many different mindsets and needs. This large variety can be overwhelming at times in a very layered user interface system that changes based on each mode. The graphics are mostly acceptable given the hardware of the Nintendo Switch 2.

Overall, Star Overdrive is a game for the right moment. The game can be a blast to traverse with its hoverboard trick mechanics and can be extremely soothing if you want to explore, fight enemies, upgrade and customize your hoverboard and keytar, and solve the mystery of the story. At times, dungeons can feel quite empty and directionless, which does bring down the experience in those moments. However, considering that this is an indie game, this studio did a great job pulling off a game that captures many aspects of exploration and adventure of many of the greats before, while still executing a unique vision that feels like it has its own identity.

Once again, I still enjoyed Astor: Blade of the Monolith’s combat and gameplay. Given the small team that it was made by, they have done a nice job delivering an entertaining experience. It just falls short by trying to be too many things in its gameplay and not having enough depth in its story to deliver the best experience possible. So, it is not that Astor is a bad game. It just feels like the developers kept having moments where they wanted to add another and another feature, until individual features were not incorporated enough to feel worth being there. With more attention to storyline and fewer, but more utilized mechanics, Astor could have been great.

Operation Galuga might be flawed, but the heart and devotion that WayForward is known for shines through. What I hope is that this serves as the foundation for more entries in the series to come and that WayForward is given another shot at getting things 100 percent right in a sequel. Until then, Operation Galuga will do.

By the time the credits roll on Zau, players will have fought through swaths of foes and explored many interesting locales. As much as Zau manages to get right, it’s ultimately failed by a lack of innovation that results in an experience that feels like something is missing that would have pushed the game to the next level. Whether it might have been more creative uses of Zau’s powers, or more inventive world exploration, it’s hard to say exactly. I would nonetheless still love to see Salim and Surgent Studios team on another project and take what they learned with Zau and expand upon it. I give Zau a light recommendation for those who have been wanting a new Metroidvania to play, but anyone looking for something truly new is likely to be disappointed.

Princess Peach: Showtime! had the potential to be much more than it is. It’s upsetting that it’s so simple and easy, and feels like a waste of the sheer amount of creativity that went into the concept of the theater, plays, and costumes. It’s that creativity that’s preventing me from giving this game a lower score. But on the merits of its gameplay alone (and the fact that it’s not a very long game — I completed it in about 15 hours), this isn’t Nintendo’s strongest showing.

From my overall experience playing Highwater, it’s a game with good visuals, music, and world-building, but suffers from jarring transitions and rough story pacing as the game progresses. The most fun to be had in Highwater would have to be the challenge and creativity of its combat mechanics— interacting with the environment can lead to satisfying and sometimes hilarious ways to defeat enemies.

If not for the mishandling of Arkham Knight, I would be much more inclined to recommend Arkham Trilogy. Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and Arkham Knight are three of the best action games to have been made in the last 20 years. Their mix of atmospheric settings, talented voice performances, and kinetic, thoughtful combat combine for some of the most memorable software Rocksteady has ever produced. Sadly, with an entire third of this compilation in such a shoddy state, I have no other choice but to mark Arkham Trilogy as a mild recommend. For many, the state of Arkham Knight might prove to be an insurmountable deal breaker. If you can look past it, or struggle through the game in its rough state, there’s still a lot to love in Arkham Trilogy.

Usually, when we say a game is “fun,” we mean it is fun for the player to play. Born of Bread is a game that is fun in that sense. It is cute, colorful, quirky, punny, and witty. The developers clearly enjoyed themselves while making it. Characters make funny faces and have fun designs. It’s a silly game in the best sense. I likely would have enjoyed it as a kid. But when it has to stand against my adult criticisms, I unfortunately find it lacking.

Overall, I feel like this game is worth the price, even if you’re not a huge fan of Disney. The characters are lively and have fun dialogue, even the quests are interesting and don’t feel too much like a chore.The overall gameplay’s engaging with an interesting story that seems virtually endless. I can see myself playing for days without coming close to a conclusion. The game is under constant evolution too; the new DLC that just came out is a perfect example of that. I would definitely give this game a recommendation.

While the game has a lot of room for improvement, it’s also the best Sanrio game I’ve played so far across a number of different platforms over the years, and a lot more thought was put into it than just “tap to the beat to march Sanrio characters down a path.” I say give it a shot and see if it’s for you, especially if you love Sanrio and have a good time with rhythm games.

From my overall experience with Paleo Pines, I had the most fun when discovering and befriending dinosaurs, but the rest of the game can feel like a chore at times. The jankiness of the movement makes farming more difficult than it needs to be and although the open-world section is decently sized, it has invisible boundaries on small cliffs or ledges that can break the immersion of the game world. Despite my gripes with the gameplay, the art style of the game is charming and I’m a fan of how adorable the art team rendered the dinosaurs. The world and characters also blend well together and the only real issue I had with the visuals was that the corners of the skybox could sometimes be seen and the stiffness of the human animations. Also, while doing the townspeople’s tasks, which can be a bit fetch-questy, it becomes noticeable how empty certain sections of the game world are. However, the prospect of getting more dinos to live on your ranch is what warrants launching the game up at least a couple times.

Sonic Frontiers deserves credit for being a true departure from previous series installments. The open-zone structure is a great concept that frees the developers up to experiment with Sonic’s speed and abilities in new ways. Where the game comes up short is in its stale rehashing of classic stages, a control setup that could stand to be simplified, and performance woes that suck players out of the gameplay experience. With plenty of DLC and patches on the way, hopefully Frontiers can become a better version of what came out at launch. In the interim, it’s a buggy affair that entertains and frustrates in equal measures.

Fans new to the series will get the most from Sonic Origins, but even diehards will find plenty to love if they can get past the shortcomings. Here’s hoping SEGA eventually returns to Sonic Origins and makes it the proper celebration of the Blue Blur that it should have been.

Overall, I am very pleased to see the Pikmin series getting more attention and finding a larger audience. The slow and steady, steps-focused progression makes the game the app a great motivator for easy exercise. But Pikmin Bloom is best described as an app that gets you walking more, rather than a hit new game. It has plenty of thoughtful features that will likely have you checking in on it daily, but its various minor flaws leave me a little disappointed that the precious little Pikmin didn’t quite get the app that I think they deserve.

Animation is the art of movement and Omno is clearly a work of art, but isn’t the masterpiece I was hoping it to be. Despite that, it is still an impressive feat. It is no surprise that the game reached three times its funding goal on Kickstarter. The game is beautiful and enjoyable. It brings new elements to the growing genre of peaceful games. I especially loved the long list of new creatures to interact with. However, minor details left me not quite falling head over heels.

Curved Space is a fun modern take on the twin stick shooter genre but doesn’t offer many new advances that players might expect in this day and age of video games.

This is a quality effort by Nintendo and Camelot. The series’ whimsy is here in spades and whether played solo or with friends, Super Rush offers hours of fun. Plus, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the killer golf uniforms that much (although sadly not all) of the cast is sporting. (Jakks Pacific should keep these new looks in mind for future toys.) There is something lacking when looking at the game as a whole, however, with the blame spread evenly across the small roster, limited course options, and underwhelming absence of online rankings and tourneys. Super Rush is no hole-in-one, but it hits for par at the very least and will only keep getting better as it’s expanded upon with DLC in the coming months.

Unto the End does a great job at capturing the struggle of survival and returning home, but is the struggle worth it? There isn’t a huge epic within Unto the End. There is no dialogue and the story is simple. The actual game in length is fairly short, but the repeated deaths due to brutal combat significantly lengthens the experience, if you even finish it. The story’s depth comes from the player’s emotions as they struggle to master the gameplay mirroring the hero’s struggle to make it home. But not everyone plays a video game to feel that kind of frustration. I sure don’t and though there were aspects to like about Unto the End, the combat was overall what ruined the experience for me.

Though the game is pleasing visually and acoustically, it just wasn’t that compelling. There wasn’t anything outstanding about TOHU one way or the other. It is a decent point and click game, but without a driving story, I didn’t feel motivated to keep playing.

After having aired my own personal opinions on the core gameplay of Dead Cells, there is nonetheless a lot of cool new stuff to see in Fatal Falls. If you love Dead Cells and want to expand your runs into three new zones, fight a new boss, and obtain new weapons, then you can’t go wrong with Fatal Falls.

Ultimately, Kolumno is an interesting concept and will likely be appealing to some players. There is gratification to be had when completing the levels and watching them play out perfectly feels like viewing a satisfaction compilation video on YouTube. However, the frustration in repeated failure on the same level or the controls that are awkward enough to break the relaxing feeling of the game overshadowed the positive moments.

Fans of strategy and deck building games are likely to enjoy DungeonTop. Its appealing visuals and huge customization potential gives it a lot of replay value. However, replay may happen sooner than you think due to the game’s base difficulty or bugs that force you to restart.

Digging through the overwhelming amount of information of guns and items and skills can be daunting, but once you get through that Synthetik: Ultimate can be quite an enjoyable game to have. Particularly as a twin stick top down roguelike experience on the go thanks to the portability of Switch.

I play a good amount of indie games yet this game, I believe, is the first game I have played by a Peruvian game developer. My first playthrough left me scratching my head at the cryptic story. It was only after reading an article on Peruvian funeral traditions did I begin to see the story and its metaphors with more clarity. It is experiences like this that make me happy as both a gamer and an anthropologist. As barriers for video game development become less and less of an obstacle, gamers are more and more likely to come across games made from cultures they have never been in contact with. I am thankful for the opportunity to both play this game and learn just a little bit more about Peruvian culture.

Clearly a lot of thought was put into this game and it is enjoyable to discover that. Unfortunately, I Am Dead’s repetitive gameplay, awkward controls, and short story that left me feeling discontent made me overall a bit disappointed.

Overall, Lost Ember isn’t a terrible game; it does, however, strive to be profound and ultimately is not quite so. The narrative is ambitious but never strays from the beaten path. Navigation is problematic and leaves players lost when it shouldn’t. Performance is also far from optimized for Switch. While the body swapping and visual design are solid, the former is let down by linear traversal and the latter isn’t enough to make up for the other flaws. Hopefully a patch will come along to tackle some of these problems, but in the meantime consider Lost Ember if you’re willing to put up with a number of different issues.

Monster Hunter XXL is tailored specifically for those who want a bawdy Choose Your Own Adventure with light RPG elements and lots of replay value. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’ll find it here, and at a pretty good price point considering the quantity of content. It’s not a game for kids, though.

It might not be packed with content, but Missile Command: Recharged is an engaging new take on an arcade staple. The action is faster than ever, prettier than ever, and the introduction of upgrades and an online leaderboard provides reason enough reason to come back for more. I never factor price into a review (I’m grading the quality of the game, not its value), bit I would like to point out that Recharged is only a few bucks, so it’s not a huge investment for a bite-sized portion of entertainment. Recharged isn’t the most thrilling arcade title in the eShop, but it’s dependable fun that Atari fans will especially like.

All of this writing might be for nothing as the odds of most people being able to play Cookstar seem low. The digital version is still vapor and physical copies are unavailable from the publisher and the majority of retailers. It’s unclear if Cookstar will warrant fans selling entire Switch consoles with the game downloaded as was the case with the Silent Hills Playable Teaser on PlayStation 4, but it nevertheless might take extraordinary measures for the average fan to play Cookstar. For those who do get the chance, especially if they’re a fan of Cooking Mama, they can do a lot worse. For everyone else, this is a mostly middling effort that might have risen above with greater polish and ambition from all involved.

It certainly offers a wealth of content as it contains two already sizeable games and they even manage to weave some interesting stories while incorporating good gameplay ideas. Unfortunately, all those pluses come with their own fair share of minuses, with the most damning creating significant pacing issues. Far too often, you are dragged away from the main story to deal with repetitive and uninteresting filler. These problems ease up a little bit once you make it to the second game, but they are still present even if it’s not quite as bad. So, while there’s plenty to love in the games, you will have to work your way through some genuinely boring and annoying stuff to reach all of it.

Ultimately, Mario Kart Tour is going to be divisive because people will invariably want it to be something it’s not. Tour is a mobile game for casual and mobile-centric gamers— period. Its monetization is aggressive but completely avoidable. While I’m outspoken against the way that developers have been turning to microtransactions and “games as a service,” I’m also of the opinion that the only reason these models exist is because consumers refuse to stop supporting them. So, if Mario Kart Tour isn’t the sort of game for you… don’t download it. Otherwise, this is a serviceable take on the series that is marred by finicky controls and convoluted player progression.

In short, if you’re a Switch owner who has played Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to death and you’re looking for a cheap change of pace- or if you’re a fan of supporting indie titles- you might consider Meow Motors. On the other hand, if you’re just out for a kart racer, you might be better shelling out the extra money for Nintendo’s game.

Douglings: Invasion definitely makes an effort to address some of these shortcomings through the addition of new mechanics and power-ups, but it fails to improve upon the biggest flaw- the sluggish feel of everything. And then the progression of the game just adds more emphasis to that issue. Perhaps this was entirely the intention of the developers, because the game most certainly feels in keeping with arcade traditions, but that doesn’t make the game more fun for most gamers- old school folks might just love it, though! Regardless of these issues, if I were given the option of playing the original Space Invaders or Doughlings: Invastion, I would absolutely prefer the newer title thanks to those new mechanics and its fun presentation.

Boxing Champs is no Punch-Out!!. The game’s Career mode can be finished in just over an hour or so, and once players have cleared it, there just isn’t any incentive to come back to the game. The title desperately needed additional circuits, a story mode or something else to make things last a bit longer. With so little content, most fans will find the game’s current asking price on eShop a bit too steep to rationalize. That said, it’s an enjoyable title while it lasts. The gameplay itself is strong, the controls are intuitive and the music is terrific. Raz Games’ latest is certainly a decent contender, but it could have used a little more time at the gym.

Let’s be honest, presenting a point-and-click adventure in the form of a point-and-click operating system is kind of genius, even if the idea doesn’t fully translate to a console like the Switch. Of course, there is a certain benefit to the fact that this isn’t a game driven by twitch reflexes; the cumbersome nature of the touch and controller inputs serve only to slow the gameplay, rather than outright ruin it. Still, the frustration presented by these control issues alongside the failure to realize the potential of the concept and story are still very real and are likely to impact the overall enjoyment of any gamer longing to live their fantasies of being a white hat hacker. By no means is the overall experience beyond redemption, but one can’t help but feel the PC is the better fit.

All told, Redout is likely a great option for those who are looking to master intentionally difficult gameplay mechanics, but most everything else about it will come across as generally middling or even frustrating to most.

For fans of the show, Reigns: Game of Thrones is an entertaining experience. The presentation is great and the writing is stellar. Unfortunately, the game often feels repetitive and the lack of direction makes the game a bit frustrating. If the show’s ending left you wanting, this game might satisfy that craving, but newcomers or those that just started the series should definitely steer clear.

If there’s any other significant complaint to levy against The World Next Door, it would be that it’s so short. Duration of a game is always tricky to weigh in a review: there’s no set number of hours that a game has to be, after all, so saying a title is or isn’t too long is frustratingly subjective and hard to convey to other people. What I can say is that The World Next Door is so unique and entertaining that it’s a shame to see Jun’s adventure come to a close when it does.

There are a number of ways in which the compromises of its premise and origin are most definitely felt, but they ultimately serve more as minor distractions. Once you move beyond these flaws, you encounter a pleasantly charming experience that feels simultaneously familiar and surprisingly fresh. Everything you’ll see and experience has been done before, but rarely has it been done simultaneously or in such a way as in Windscape. In other words, while new ground isn’t necessarily broken here, you at least get to see old ideas from a new perspective.

All in all, Claybook has its faults, but there’s a lot to love that makes any blemishes worth tolerating. The game’s rewind feature is a big help in circumnavigating some of these flaws, but it would have been nice to see a touch more polish injected into Claybook. The experience will zoom by for most players, but the ability to create, share, and download levels from other users helps to pad things out. Still, player-created content doesn’t please everyone, so know going into Claybook that it will be fun, if brief. Definitely give it some thought when perusing the eShop.

RICO‘s biggest strength really is just that it’s a shooter that gives players lots of opportunities to shoot things. Running through levels and gunning down baddies works well enough but that’s really all there is to the game. Even just playing for one or two hours at a time reveals the unshakable sense of repetition in everything you are doing, seeing, and hearing. The game works best in short sessions as a way to blow off steam because, let’s be honest, shooting enemies in video games is pretty fun almost regardless of everything else; the only question is if there is anything else to keep you playing after you satiate your digital blood lust. Unfortunately, RICO likely won’t give that extra motivation for most gamers.

Despite the good looks and a solid mechanical foundation, RemiLore: Lost Girl in the Lands of Lore is a game hampered by repetitive gameplay, a story that isn’t all that compelling, and a save system that discourages mixing it up. Some of this could well be hammered out in subsequent installments, but as it stands now, this is an okay diversion but not a stellar title, especially at the starting price tag.

If you like early 2000s 3D third person platformers, this is worth a look, but be aware that it isn’t as modern as the current promotional material might make it out to be.

If you take out the game’s Dirty Tricks, on-field murders and hazards on the turf, Mutant Football League is a pretty faithful football game at its core. With EA’s Madden franchise absent on Switch, MFL is the only game in town for fans of American football. Despite the game’s crude commentary, it can be an enjoyable experience, and there is a lot to enjoy from the game’s terrific presentation. Those who dread skill being undermined by luck may find the game a tad bit frustrating, however.

It’s a beautiful throwback adventure that is, overall, quite enjoyable once it picks up steam, but its problems are hard to ignore. Simply put, the janky hit detection from decades-old games is a flaw that breaks up the flow of otherwise smooth controls, forcing the player to spend their first few hours with the least enjoyable transformations, leaving a poor first impression.

Cabela’s The Hunt: Championship Edition is the definition of a niche title. While I wouldn’t have previously assumed I’d fall into that niche, I did find myself enjoying my time with the game, despite some of its flaws. The deliberately slower pace of the game simply won’t be for everyone, however. Arcade hunting aficionados might want to check out Big Buck Hunter Arcade, also available on Switch. But, if you’re looking for something closer to the real thing, Cabela’s The Hunt: Championship Edition just night scratch that itch. It might even teach you a thing or two.

Like that N64 Wheel of Fortune game of my youth, America’s Greatest Game Shows isn’t anything to write home about. While Jeopardy offers a fairly strong trivia option for Nintendo’s handheld hybrid, Wheel of Fortune is a bit of a quick cash-in that feels a generation or two behind the curve. But, if you’re a diehard fan of either of these shows or you’re just looking for an innocent game for the family to play, you could do a whole lot worse than America’s Greatest Game Shows.

Ultimately Marble It Up! comes across as a game that is partially underdeveloped. There’s a solid foundation that’s been built, but it’s not going to be a game that wows or amazes its players.

There are enough consistently frustrating issues to hold it back from being truly exceptional for most. Both the gameplay and performance can feel a little too inconsistent at times as the controls and frame rate can sometimes be equally bumpy. Regardless, at its core, GRIP: Combat Racing is still an impressively fast racer that almost anybody should be able to have at least some fun with.

Shadow Fight 2 is a solid game at its core and some might be able to dig through, or even appreciate, the flaws around it to really enjoy everything it does well. Unfortunately, I don’t think the majority will have the necessary patience.

Despite its flaws, especially on plot, This is the Police 2 still manages to be a compelling piece of gaming. With gameplay that can really suck players in and no shortage of police-style problems to deal with, it’s definitely an experience worth looking into.

Ultimately, I found solving Ghost of the Dusk’s mysteries to be a tad rote by the end. Still, despite some slight repetition, the mechanics here are soundly implemented and I rather liked my time in Jake Hunter’s world. There are multiple extra cases (which were formerly mobile releases in Japan) available to play, including a hilarious bonus that depicts Jake in a chibi form, which should keep players busy for a good, long time. Don’t sleep on Ghost in the Dusk; it’s a pleasant addition to the 3DS library of games.

Heroki is a charmer despite its flaws. There are some genuinely fun moments of puzzle-solving gameplay to revel in. The approachability of Heroki’s gameplay also works in its favor. The game feels like it’s meant to be serene and calming, offering a stolid trip through Heroki’s world for players of all skills to engage in. I’d have loved to see the injection of new ideas more frequently throughout the game, but Heroki still warrants your attention if you’re looking for an adventure game that does things somewhat different from the norm, but feels familiar enough to quickly step into and start playing.

If you’re a fan of fart humor, there aren’t a lot of options on the eShop, outside of South Park: The Fractured But Whole. Sigi: A Fart For Melusina doesn’t quite fully commit to the joke, but that doesn’t make it a terrible game; it’s just a hard one to recommend when Switch has so many other terrific platformers to choose from that last quite a bit longer. Still, the controls are tight and the old-school visuals are mostly charming. Some might admire the fact that Sigi doesn’t linger, but with a difficulty level that stays low and doesn’t ramp up until the very last boss fight, there just won’t be enough here for most players to justify a purchase.

Admittedly, Little Dragons Café is a harder sell because of its tech problems, but it honestly does enough interesting things with its gameplay and narrative to warrant sticking through to the end. It’s rife with Wada’s requisite unique design flourishes and sensibilities. In Little Dragons Café, he’s produced a game that is full of heart. Rin and Ren are both easy people to sympathize with and pull for. Draco is similarly compelling, along with the rest of the cast. Watching the shop grow and working towards the end goal of reviving the kids’ mother is absolutely worthy of your time. It’s just a matter of how patient you can be towards Little Dragons Café’s hiccups and blemishes.

Those looking for a retro throwback will find a lot to enjoy in The Adventures of Elena Temple. With its tight gameplay and clever puzzles, it’s probably a much more enjoyable experience than revisiting the games it’s based on. Unfortunately, the option to play the game on multiple systems ends up being little more than a gimmick, and the experience is over a bit too quickly. It’s a fun game while it lasts, but the inclusion of online leaderboards or the ability to conveniently toggle between system modes would have made the experience less likely to be forgotten.

The core mechanics are perfectly competent and generally fun, the story is a little more solid by the end, and the music is genuinely great throughout. In other words, the adventure proves to be a fairly enjoyable one by the end, it just happens to be punctuated by moments of frustration throughout.

In looking at Tanzia as a whole, there’s no question that this game is a labor of love for the two principal developers, a fact most evident during the closing credits. It’s also a game that left this reviewer wishing there was more: more spells, more potions, more places to explore, and more plotline, both in terms of the characters already introduced and the wider world of the game. The endgame does hint that there may be more to come, but for now this appears to be it. Still, what is there now is a lot of fun, and if you’re looking for 10 or so hours of RPG goodness you could do a lot worse. Worth a look.

Overall, Milanoir is a very fun title. It has a deliciously dark and entertaining storyline, something that even the most expensive AAA games would kill for. It’s also home to some of the most creative use of a pixel art style seen in recent memory. The environments and characters look authentic to the period and drip personality, making all of the twists and turns of Piero’s adventure that much more irresistible to watch unfold. There are some mechanical issues that hold Milanoir back, but don’t let that stop anyone looking for a more unique video game experience from giving it a download from the eShop.

While the core gameplay is enjoyable, it would have benefited from a few more features and better all-around balancing. The story offers at least some level of intrigue, but the effort needed to unravel it outside of the game doesn’t really feel worth the effort, though I can imagine at least a few dedicated cyber sleuths getting a kick out of it. Considering all of this, we’re really just left with a solid retro-inspired indie shooter based around an interesting nugget of an idea, something that ultimately really isn’t all that uncommon these days.

Taken as a whole, ATOMINE largely succeeds at what it is trying to accomplish; the game simply wants to be a solid twin-stick shooter with rogue-like elements and it fulfills that goal precisely. Of course, this means the game never really rises to greatness and is unlikely to be all that appealing to those looking for a more innovative or compelling experience. Regardless, if you have a love for this type of game, or at least a momentary lust, then ATOMINE should be a perfectly suitable way to fulfill those desires.

Despite some of the aggravations, Smoke and Sacrifice is a fascinating entry into the Switch lineup, and is worth a look for players pining for a crafting-based action RPG on that system.

Late Shift is the latest example of just how far the FMV genre has come since the days of the Sega CD: the production values are insanely impressive, the narrative is interesting and the acting is strong. There are also incentives to revisit the game, making it a deeper experience than other options on the eShop. Players looking for a more hands-on experience will likely want to steer clear, but fans of the FMV genre will find that Late Shift sets a new standard.

The Bunker won’t appeal to players looking for a long, deep experience. It’s short, and the interactive elements are sparse, with little punishment for making any mistakes. Horror film buffs will likely appreciate the game’s strong narrative and its atmospheric tension, though. If you fall into the latter category, The Bunker is certainly worth checking out on Switch.

Kirby Star Allies isn’t the greatest game in the series, nor is it the most original. Yet, with its fun gameplay, ample content and modes, and gorgeous presentation, it remains an irresistible title for Switch owners. While I hope that Hal continues to experiment with Kirby as it did in games like Planet Robobot, Star Allies remains a good, yet predictable, title that platformer fans in particular should have fun with.

Overall, Regalia is a deep game with a lot to do, but it’s also a game that is hard, especially as players learn the ropes early on. It’s also a game with some design issues that lessen the experience, and between those and the long, frequent load times, it’s a game that can wear out its welcome. Those are things to keep in mind before foraging into this adventure.

Overall, Wulverblade is a pretty interesting game with classic action and a heavy helping of history, but it’s also a game that is primarily for hardcore brawler fans who enjoy the pain of control issues and merciless gameplay. If that’s not your cup of tea, you may want to look elsewhere.

Players who enjoy bite-sized puzzlers (with a bit of challenge to boot) and the ability to create their own levels might find this worth trying out. If you’re looking for something deeper, though, be mindful that, in this case, you’re not going to get much more than you’re paying for.

As things stand, for all its excesses, The Escapists 2 is nonetheless a can’t-miss game on Switch. With a delightful pixel-style that fills the screen with details, it’ll be hard to take your eyes off the screen as you make your way through all the different prisons on offer. Most of us might never have the, uh… joy… of breaking out of prison, but The Escapists 2 does a swell job of showing us just how entertaining it can be!

InnerSpace is definitely a game that earns plenty of kudos for the sheer effort and creativity put into it. The art direction is truly gorgeous and the spherical worlds present both visual and gameplay concepts unlike anything else out there. When you take the gameplay into account, however, this unique experience is marred by a sense of disorientation. Ultimately, InnerSpace could have benefited from more gameplay diversity than the constant relic hunting as well as some sort of mapping or guidance system to make navigating its unnatural worlds easier to acclimate to. So, while the game presents a creative concept that will undoubtedly appeal to many gamers, that same ingenuity comes at a cost to the core gameplay.

I wanted to love The Coma: Recut. Despite the game’s issues, I did enjoy my time with it. Like any good horror game should, the title left me feeling unnerved during play sessions, and the fantastic sound and visuals greatly added to the experience. Unfortunately, the main villain makes navigation painfully unfun, and the responsiveness of the controls are an unfair disadvantage. With some minor tweaks, The Coma: Recut could have been a masterpiece, but, as it stands, it’s just a fun horror title for those that can overlook its flaws.

Overall, Spelunker Party! is a solid time. It’s easy to pick up and play, which is good for a title that clearly wants multiple people joining in. The cheap deaths that the game subjects players to can be real momentum killers, but once you find yourself in a groove, it’s hard to not want to keep going from stage to stage. With over 100 stages to explore and no micro transactions to speak of, this is a much better value than its predecessor and helps make Spelunker Party! another worthy addition to Switch’s library.

With a little extra time and resources, I imagine Poi could be made into a tighter, and all around better experience. That being said, it still does suffer from a general lack of creativity. Despite having its own aesthetic and musical sensibilities, Poi’s structure and mechanics are simply so close to those of Mario 64 that it’s impossible to avoid making comparisons. Also, it feels somewhat unfair to Poi that if was released in such close proximity to Mario Odyssey. However, putting it all into perspective, we are left with a perfectly decent game. Poi does nothing to move its genre forward and even though its wanting for polish in many areas, its faults are small enough that they will likely prove little more than minor annoyances for those looking to kill some time after they complete Mario’s latest.

From the moment you boot Butcher up, it’s clear that it is a thoroughly focused game, for better or for worse. As an action game, Butcher features solid mechanics, but its focus on difficulty could easily turn players off completely or limit them only to its less rewarding casual mode. The design aesthetic is similarly executed, presenting a violent and dark atmosphere that will entrance some, while repulsing others. The end result is a game that many gamers would likely be able to find some enjoyment in, but only a certain type of player will likely be able to look past it’s handful of faults, unapologetic difficulty, and esoteric aesthetic to fully enjoy it.

At the very least it’s very easy to share a level, and being able to do so extends the replay value of the game by quite a bit. It’s possible to go on and snag new creations from fellow fans as well as Atooi itself. That’s a great bonus, especially for someone like me who’s much more prone to play a game than make one. Overall Chicken Wiggle is a wonderful inaugural release for the folks at Atooi. Sales have been low on this one, but with millions of 3DS and 2DS handhelds on the market there’s no excuse for that; go support the game and give it a download!

Oceanhorn is an admirable attempt at taking a stab at the Zelda formula. There are plenty of islands to explore, puzzles to solve, and baddies to bonk. The controls are serviceable outside of a couple small hitches with running and a somewhat clunky interface. While imperfect, the presentation makes the world look like a stunning diorama and the music serves to enhance the experience even further. I genuinely had fun with Oceanhorn, and I hope that the upcoming sequel irons out of some of the original’s kinks. For those wanting a more traditional Zelda experience, I recommend giving this one a shot.

If you’re looking for a traditional Pikmin experience this is not the game for you. Hey! Pikmin is a very sedate, gentle walk through the diminutive shoes of Captain Olimar and his Pikmin pals. It’s comparable to the level of challenge found in a Kirby game, which is to say you have to go out of your way to have your skills tested. For what it is, Hey! Pikmin is a cute, whimsical platformer that gets a lot right and a lot wrong, resulting in a middling experience overall.

As I stressed above, the question of Ultra‘s worth is hard to peg. Some might be thrilled to have yet another iteration of Street Fighter II to tool around with, while others will be less than pleased to play this decades-old game once more. In my opinion, Ultra is a solid experience, boasting gorgeous visuals, tight controls, and some fun pickup-and-play multiplayer, whether online or off. Hardcore tournament competitors will most likely get the least amount of enjoyment from Ultra, but for everyone else this is an excellent entry point for newbies and a fine return for old school players. Though the extras on the cartridge are hit or miss, this is an overall wonderful addition to Switch’s library.

Sweet Shop is a step backwards in some ways, but it’s a classic example of less being more. As a result, it’s also a strong jumping on point for new and lapsed fans. It’s good fun, there are a bunch of recipes to complete, and the charm of Mama as she guides players through the game is wonderful, as always. Sweet Shop should by no means be a swan song for the series; instead, it’s a rallying cry.

Death Squared is a solid puzzle game that displays a great deal of creativity on the part of its developers; despite the simple concept they managed to come up with many clever ideas to make the proceedings equal parts challenging and rewarding. Though there is quite a bit of ingenuity at play, the game ultimately does suffer from a handful of small, but frustrating problems. With a bit more focus on further developing the best mechanics and more polish in the controls, Death Squared really could have been something great. However, as the game stands, it is still a worthwhile puzzler that should please gamers looking for a unique cooperative experience.

Lego City Undercover is a solid offering from Warner Bros. and TT Games. It doesn’t offer an experience all that different from previous Lego titles, but the jump to the Switch hardware does make it a step up from many other Wii U and 3DS Lego offerings. The game does suffer from some technical warts, but for those that never made the trip to Lego City, this is certainly the best way to experience it.

Superstars eschews a lot of the Mario-centric quirkiness of previous games, focusing more on the sports and less on the Mushroom Kingdom. Whether that matters or not will depend on the player, but I personally wished there was a little bit more fan service beyond the characters themselves. In short, Superstars is a solid game that perhaps bit off more than it could chew, and is tethered to a limiting Amiibo card system that holds players back needlessly. I do hope that Nintendo comes back to Superstars in some form on Switch, but for now this is a decent option for sports fans on the go.

Overall, this is a solid debut for Mario away from the Nintendo ecosystem of consoles, but it’s nowhere near the heights of gameplay that the plumber is known for. Longtime fans might balk at playing a Mario game on iOS (and soon Android, too), but as of now there isn’t much to be worried about. Nintendo wanted to make a mobile Mario title that would offer just enough for players to have fun and want to buy a proper series installment, and I think that the company has succeeded in doing just that.

Lego Marvel’s Avengers is a wonderful recreation of the source material.

Alphadia isn’t in the same league as a game like Chrono Trigger, but it gets the job done and will scratch the old-school RPG itch in a way that some players will enjoy. For anyone else, it’s likely that Alphadia will feel too archaic and rough to maintain their interest for the duration of the game.

There’s no denying that Monster Hunter is leagues above the quality of Explorers, but for what it is, this inaugural Final Fantasy spin on the Capcom formula is a satisfying play.

Lego Marvel’s Avengers is a wonderful recreation of the source material, it’s fun to play and the trademark humor fans have come to expect from the series remains intact. Unfortunately, the game’s short length makes it a little difficult to recommend for most seasoned gamers.

The battle system is inventive and addicting, the graphics are lovely, and much of the dialogue is good for some genuine laughs, but at the end of the day Paper Jam doesn’t do enough to capitalize on its otherwise novel premise of merging the Mario & Luigi world with Paper Mario’s.

Despite this glaring shortcoming, Amiibo Festival is good, relaxed fun that will be perfect during the holidays and parties with friends.

It’s worth a play, but this is a rare Zelda game that will leave most fans underwhelmed.

It’s fun while it lasts, but there just isn’t enough meat to the package, and it’s hard to recommend it over games like Zen Pinball 2 or Pokémon Pinball: Ruby and Sapphire.

It’s fun in spurts, but overall a disappointment that hopefully doesn’t consign this series to years in limbo.

Even with everything Extreme Exorcism does right, I never really felt the need or desire to come back; I played it, I kind of enjoyed it, but nothing makes me want to hop back in. Maybe others will feel different, but ultimately Extreme Exorcism is a game with some good ideas, a few noticeable flaws, and the absence of that one thing that can make a good game great.

Devil’s Third is not a complete disaster, but the troubled development process left us with a phantom of what this game truly was supposed to be. With that being said, I’ve had a lot of fun with what we got.

An enjoyable game with some great ideas, unfortunately marred by some unforgivable glitches and gameplay physics that don’t give it that final polish needed to keep up with the big boys.

The game is perfectly playable and there will undoubtedly be more than a few moments of genuine platforming pleasure, but along the way you’re going to have to make your way through a lot of ho-hum running and jumping that’s occasionally punctuated by bouts of frustration due to stiff mechanics and needlessly cheap level design.

Though I can’t freely tell everyone to go out and buy A-Train, I think that any player looking for a steep challenge and elaborate system of controls and menus to learn will have a blast with this game.