As it stands, RAD will likely please roguelike aficionados who will forgive ill-conceived gameplay ideas because of the challenge it adds to the experience. But I couldn’t help but see the wasted potential from beginning to end. The various mutations could present clever ideas for unique builds and a multitude of ways to solve problems in a planned, not random, world. This course would have also allowed for more balanced combat and a greater focus on narrative. But… NOPE! Roguelikes are popular now and so is nostalgia for the 80s so let’s just squish those things together and call it a day! Thus, RAD was born.

This game is nothing but fun, with a dash of frustration and an immersion in the pop culture of another country.

The thing is, while this version of Skylanders SWAP Force certainly gets the platforming job done for a little while, it just doesn’t live up to the golden standard the console versions have set. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad game– it’s pretty decent, and serves as a great vehicle for its eponymous Skylanders. But with simple platforming and no multiplayer, it could be much better.

Overall, Roogoo Attack! is a pretty solid offering.

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.

Fans of the show and gamers just looking for a personality-filled, arcade-styled game will be pleased.

As fertile a ground as the flight combat genre is for quality gameplay, this falls short of the target. Even more depressing is that this was a franchise that in the previous generation was considered an A-List series, but now is a strictly average game.

Those small issues aside, Maiden of Black Water is a premium title on Wii U that left me very impressed. The use of the GamePad here is a rare example of what Wii U’s controller can bring to a game that other consoles can’t.

The Legend of Legacy may not have the intricate story line, deep characters, or the standard turn-based combat that one might expect from an RPG, but it has its own unique style with gameplay that rewards players for making smart tactical decisions. The game’s flaws may prevent it from being perfect, but The Legend of Legacy is still an excellent RPG that fans of the genre will love.

A salute to Atlus for bringing something unique and fun to the market so early in this new year; here’s hoping Eden Industries gets a shot to expand on the foundation it laid here with a future sequel.

Gets down to the gritty details of being a bounty hunter in Star Wars and creates an extremely fun experience for the player... Looks good, feels good, and sounds exactly like Star Wars.

Although not a perfect remaster, seeing Sonic Colors get ported to contemporary hardware was a welcome surprise. The Sonic series continues to struggle with finding a way to incorporate gameplay hooks that don’t amount to shallow, pointless gimmicks, but in Colors SEGA discovered the perfect mix. With Ultimate, that balance has been restored for a new generation of players to experience. Hopefully, SEGA takes cues from Ultimate as it works on that mysterious upcoming 3D Sonic sequel. For those who played the original Colors, there’s plenty of reason for a double-dip with Ultimate, and for those who have yet to give it a try, this is the best 3D Sonic game there is. Give it a play.

While Mega Man Battle Network 4 shares most, if not all, of its play mechanics with its three predecessors, it still offers some new aspects and, above all else, its still very fun.

It’s just that it isn’t all that fun, nor a worthy purchase for any serious gamer.

Despite some technical hiccups, the game provides enough hours of original and fun gameplay. I can’t speak to how good exactly Underground is for medical training, but as a game it is a pretty neat puzzle title.

Overall, this is a PC-quality, bonafide City Simulation game on a handheld console. Regardless of the system it is on, Cities Skylines is a one of the better games in the genre despite some flaws and missing features. If you can look past the performance issues during certain circumstances, this is a wonderful and remarkable game to be able to play on the go and at home that can keep you busy and entertained for the foreseeable future.

It's worth a look for the uninitiated as well (if only for its multiplayer mode), but it's not quite up to the standard set by "Advance Wars."

I’m taking points off for the lack of frames of animation, repetition, and no battery save, but mainly the last two. It’s still a good game.

If you are looking for a challenge and do not care that the game isn’t teeming with personality, then it is for you.

It shows a real effort to make a solid representation of UFC. It works solidly. What I don’t like, however, is that it’s lacking the flair and pizzazz of a fighter.

It’s depressing from my standpoint and given EA’s efforts with the past three games, it’s hard to see if this series is going anywhere.

This game is a solid title. Like a Honda Civic, it doesn't do anything to blow your socks off but it doesn't dissapoint you either. It's a reliable source of FUN!!

In the end, loyalty to the movie plot is what weighs Transformers: Autobots down. Still, Autobots is the version to buy for REAL Transformers fans.

I applaud the creators of Zoocube for not doing a me-too cookie cutter clone puzzle game. It's a neat concept and with a bit more polish it could have been the breakout they were hoping for.

The problem lies in the simple fact that it simply doesn’t stack up that well next to the superior body of PC iterations.

If you really must have your poker in video game form, several online gambling sites offer free poker games for users to test out. These are both terrific and cheaper alternatives to this overpriced title.

While comparing BlackThorne to the classic "Prince of Persia," it's obvious that it isn't as good as the revolutionary title. Nevertheless, that doesn't mean it isn't an overall good game.

Truly a holistic success. This is a game that feels like a love letter to fans that enjoy beat-em-ups, RPGs and anime. It's a courtship of elements that create a single piece of work that is both familiar and imaginative.

A weekend may be enough for most, as the flaws of unimpressive graphics, brief-lived audio humor and questionable control are substantial.

This turn-based RPG is a great adaptation of the series, but as a stand-alone game it may have a hard time holding its own.

Considering the quality on-hand here and the overall level of polish, Freestyle 2 has gone above and beyond what one might expect from the average eShop game. The gameplay is fun and tight, and though the physics can get a little weird in spots, this is largely everything about the first Freestyle writ larger and better. I wasn’t a fan of all of the customization features on offer, but I did enjoy tweaking my bike, and I especially liked how easy it was to make my own tracks. Though the inability to exchange track codes in-game is a glaring flaw, it’s one that can be easily worked around—which I frankly suspect the design team was aware of when they put together the game. 3DS might be getting a bit long in the tooth, but it’s still an excellent platform with compelling software like Urban Trial Freestyle 2.

Everything a driving fighter should be: fast, varied, destructive, and customizable.

More polished and personality-laden than many other third parties' minigame collections on Wii, this title is actually solid fun for solo players and groups alike.

Superstars is exactly what fans have been wanting to see from a modernized 2D Sonic game. It plays like the originals, but is expanded upon with new mechanics and gimmicks. Graphically, Superstars is a stunner. It takes a hit running on Switch compared to other platforms, but performance is rock-solid, always locked in at 60FPS. Although some of the ancillary modes are rather bland, like Battle Mode, or clunky, like co-op, the single player experience is the (pardon the pun) real star of this game. With four playable characters to choose from, there’s plenty of replay value to be found in Superstars, as fans will want to hop back into stages and explore using the characters’ different abilities. Launching right ahead of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, 2023 feels not unlike the glory days of SNES versus Genesis, except now you don’t have to pick a side in the console wars; go give Superstars a purchase, it’s a must-have.

Each overworld that Crash visits is filled with platform elements that have been drawn out from generation to generation and have just ceased to be original any longer.

If you're looking for something that'll keep your heart pumping and controls that are tight with lightning quick response, this certainly isn't for you.

Strike Force Foxx does a few things well. The controls are tight, the story is delightfully tongue-in-cheek, and the levels require some effort to complete. Unfortunately, the lack of variety really prevents it from going any farther.

Space Lift Danger Panic! is a hard game to recommend to those looking for a unique, deep experience, but it’s a pretty decent game for those looking to kill some time in short bursts.

As it stands, anyone itching for speed and twitch gameplay could do a lot worse than Proun+– just don’t expect to be blown away.

Controls are tight and responsive, and offer up an entirely new experience, especially since Cooking Mama is one of the first of its kind, but the experience will not last.

With an interesting concept and a lot of content, this title makes a worthy addition to any puzzle fan's library.

Gamers looking for a quick brawler to play with a group of friends are probably better off sticking with Super Smash Bros. Brawl because when it comes down to it, there's just more there. Bummer dude! Total Shellshock!

It utilizes the DS touch screen feature well, although the full power of the DS’s resources isn’t fully expressed. While it may not be as in-depth as its console counterparts are, the DS version does a decent job of representing itself.

Even with the rough edges, Supermarket Mania features a fun management time for spurt gaming. The title does not proffer anything remotely innovative, but achieves success in its smart controls and normalcy.

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.

The absence of a save feature hurts the Mini Mix in a big way, but considering that the NES Classic GBA series offered a total of one game on one cartridge for the same price instead of three, the sting doesn't seem quite as bad.

A run of the mill stealth title, borrowing gameplay elements from other titles in the genre, and it does nothing to expand or deepen them. The extra features such as fear and Batmobile action stages are automated when they should be intuitively controllable by the player.

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.

At the end of the day, Decepticons comes out feeling half-baked.

An okay platformer that left me ambivalent. For all of the things it does, it is too short and easy. It could be far worse, and it is certainly better than expected. The game is simply of mediocre quality.

The brilliance of Renegade Kid’s latest game is that it’s a fully featured ATV racing game in the palm of your hand. It provides fun and challenge in singleplayer with seamless local and online multiplayer to boot, supported by robust tricks and physics systems. ATV Wild Ride 3D is akin to a portable Pure carrying the torch that the Excite series set ablaze.

Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff is a faithful reinterpretation of the classic pigskin game that everyone knows and loves.

It’s not the life-sim of years past, but Happy Home Designer’s successful re-imagining of what makes Animal Crossing tick is a lovely departure that I sincerely hope Nintendo explores again in the future.

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.

Who would have thought that a game with parachuting dynamite monkeys and ninja penguins would be this bad?

What I found disappointing was that the game’s features just don't match the N64 version.

The real charm of the game comes from Daffy's annimated reactions to your meddling, done with such a pitch-perfect style that it would have made the late Chuck Jones proud. [Nov 2007, p.102]

AiRace Xeno could have been something special. The core idea of the game is fantastic and it’s a blast to pilot an aircraft an incredible speeds, but it’s ultimately a fleeting experience that’s confined to its limited features.

Fans of forensic analysis and a decent mystery yarn presented in starker, more realistic tones than other DS games will enjoy this title, and we hope it becomes a franchise like Phoenix Wright, hopefully returning with more grisly crimes and more interaction with suspects and witnesses.

Crystal Bearers is a game in desperate need of more variety. After putting in a couple of hours most gamers will be seasoned veterans of the game’s mechanics and start to grow tired of them.

A good addition to the Classic NES Series mostly thanks to the brilliant wireless multiplayer feature, but also because it's a timeless puzzle game.

Defender is all about defense, which may be a major turn-off for many gamers out there.

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.

Overall, the whole package will provide hours of entertainment to gamers who know what they are getting.

All of this together means that while it is very easy to give an unequivocal recommendation for Front Mission 3, the remake is a mixed bag as a remake. If you can play an original disc copy or own a PSN copy, you will be better served sticking with that. The slight improvements in load time aren’t worth the various downsides, at least at this point. Still, if playing the original version is not an option, I would generally recommend the remake, but only once patches start to roll out. At the very least both Ryogo’s Polish line and the AP issue need to be addressed.

Overall, the Wii U version of The Amazing Spider-Man is a fun experience, but not the best Spider-Man game out there. It is, however, the best version of this particular game by a long shot, and, if you’re a Spider-Man fan, you should definitely check this one out.

It's not bad, but it doesn't quite have the same charm that it did when I was ten years old.

The graphics aren't the best and the audio does leave a lot to be desired. For the Duel Master fans, I'd say it's a well done game, they'd find the most joy out of it.

For most people, High School Musical: Making the Cut will feel like a sandwich with no meat.

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.

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.

A great looking game with some intense and satisfying action. Despite some serious shortcomings with audio and gameplay, this game is an enjoyable title that any action fan can enjoy.

Without a doubt, a prized old-school shooter that stacks up against "Gradius" and others with great fortitude. Though simple, the game is some of the most fun $20.00 can net you.

While the game has a bunch of play modes and a lot of cool things to learn, the ultimate experience of the game is one of a button masher.

The best praise that can be given to Sonic Unleashed is to call it a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, the game is heavily weighted towards its werewolf stages.

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.

Without learning how to best use the items and talismans available to Izuna, this is a frustrating trip. But for those who enjoy the way Izuna forces players to use more than just a handful of attacks, the strategy of battle and the joy of victory can be quite fulfilling.

All told, Wolfenstein: Youngblood is a rather baffling experience that doesn’t quite seem to fully understand what it’s trying to be. Many of the factors that made previous games enjoyable are still here: the core gameplay mechanics are solid and the presentation is legitimately impressive considering Switch’s hardware limitations. However, the changes they made both in terms of structure and the addition of RPG mechanics simply don’t work together in a cohesive way.

The core gameplay is rather uninspired but works well enough, the visuals and audio are both mixed bags, and the campaign is a decent enough length but never really offers a great sense of accomplishment.

Due to its unoriginal rehash of platformer game mechanics Pac-Man World 3 is only recommended for younger audiences or those new to the 3D platformer.

More variety in the level design, a save feature, and a few more weapons would have made the experience even more enjoyable. As it stands, Prophecy is a solid title worth your clams.

A foul-tip among baseball games, Sega should have taken a vastly different direction from Acclaim’s sim series if it wanted to succeed with a truly arcade take on the sport.

As a whole, Transformers Prime: The Game is a decent, if imperfect licensed title that will not long last in the collective memory of Wii owners, but it still deserves some honorable mention for actually being fun, a word that could not be properly applied to any of its Transformer forebears on Wii.

The title shows off some really clever design work, and Rick’s ability to switch between seasons is used to great effect by the developers. Sometimes, revisiting levels to collect seeds and unlock new worlds can get a bit tedious, but the title’s strengths make it one of the better platforming options on the Switch eShop.

And as with other LEGO titles, those deficiencies don’t keep LEGO Battles from being an engaging, satisfying RTS experience, especially for younger players or those looking for lighter fare. If that’s your angle, then this game is a solid buy.

If you're looking for an on-rails slasher that is good for 7-10 hours, you will probably enjoy this title. If you’re looking for a full-fledged RPG experience, however, you’re better off looking elsewhere.

FIFA 08 on Wii is a resounding miss. With the controls lacking, multi-platform gamers have little reason to purchase this version, and Wii-only owners will have to wait for something better.

The nice thing– or problem, depending on how you look at it– about Beyblade: Metal Masters is that it holds no pretensions as to what kind of game it is, or who it's for. Buy Beyblade: Metal Masters and you're buying it for the top-fighting experience that is probably the only one of its (video game) kind.

Although it's not the deepest game out there, Custom Robo is a thoroughly enjoyable action game, and probably one of the best sleeper hits of the spring for Gamecube.

With a rough translation alongside a bevy of ridiculous technical problems, it's hard to recommend this game. However, the overall style and multiplayer aspects got the better of me.

Yet the quality of execution on nearly every other front is lacking, and every involved party, from Hardy Boys authors to developer to publisher to gamer, really deserves better.

It provides an original story with polished visuals and audio, brings in lots of favorite heroes and villains, and has much variety in both gameplay and level design.

The platforming can be fun and the rocket ship missions in between are even better. However, considering the extraordinarily short length and simple gameplay, this can only be recommended to a handful of people.

Super Blood Hockey plays very much like those classic arcade hockey games, and the Switch’s library is all the stronger for it. I would have liked to see more online options than just leaderboards, and the fights could use a little fine-tuning, but it’s hard to really gripe about these things when the game is this much fun to play. With tons of options to keep players coming back and a biting sense of humor, Super Blood Hockey is Switch’s first great hockey game.

Ultimately, Kung Fu Rabbit just doesn’t cut it in a world where it sits alongside true platforming masters like Trine 2: Director’s Cut and Bit.Trip Presents: Runner 2. It’s cheap, yes, but unless you fancy chewing the cud as a carrot cash-cow, we’d recommend saving your pennies for another day.

Virtua Tennis 4 isn't a terrible game, but given that there is a better option on Wii, system owners looking for their tennis fix probably want to look elsewhere.

Overall, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 is better than the first outing.

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.