Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is such a culturally deep and thought provoking game, both in story and in gameplay. All of these pieces of the amalgamation mentioned throughout this review come together into a unique gameplay experience that has a deep strategy system, but provides action combat to balance out the strategy for those more interested in that type of gameplay. In between the strategy and action, the ability to repair villages and use collectibles to make yourself stronger provides sufficient incentive to keep playing. In the end, the unique experience that Kunitsu-Gami provides to players is unlike any other game and that fact alone is what makes it worth playing, as you won’t find this amalgamation anywhere else.

Mario Golf: World Tour is a solid mix of great controls, crisp, colorful visuals, great replay value due to its amount of unlockable content, and is ultimately just a flat out great experience. Chalk this one up as another great 3DS title you should add to your library.

For only 500 Nintendo Points, the game is almost a must-have for any puzzle-loving fiend.

Despite my small grievances, I still welcome the new return to Unova with open arms.

Considering how disparate all the elements found in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle appear on the surface, everything comes together astonishingly well when experienced as a whole.

These Pokémon adventures will likely be the swan song of the ageing Nintendo DS system, so I'm glad to see it go out on such a high note. Whether you're a Pokémaniac, a rookie trainer, or a nostalgic Red & Blue fanboy, Black & White 2 are must-play games.

Pundits continue to debate the merits of video games as an art form, and My Memory of Us is yet another strong argument for what the industry can do at its best. My Memory of Us is the rare game that feels important, while also providing an engaging experience. It’s tragic that we need reminders of what the Jewish people went through but, in a time when many Americans don’t know the history of the Holocaust, it’s wonderful to have a game that encourages learning in a new and interesting way. Sometimes knowing how to solve each puzzle can be a little frustrating, and the game does have some occasional slowdown, but these are minor quibbles, at best. My Memory of Us is an unmissable experience.

The mere fact that this game has the power to rekindle those early feelings of PokéBliss in even the most seasoned-Pokémaniacs is a testament to its freshness and originality.

This Switch release is a highpoint, as it merges multiple different methods of control into one version, and can be played anywhere at any time. Ōkami is one of the highest expressions of a video game as art, further blurring the lines between the two. It’s not just a delightful game, it’s also a historically important one, and everyone owes it to themselves to experience Ōkami, either again or for the first time.

The mere fact that this game has the power to rekindle those early feelings of PokéBliss in even the most seasoned-Pokémaniacs is a testament to its freshness and originality.

Buying the Skylanders Trap Team Starter Set probably won’t be enough for you. Again and again, you’ll run into times when you wish you had just a little more cash to buy that colored trap, or that Skylander. But more than any Skylanders game before it, Trap Team makes you feel good about your purchases– even if it’s your kid that gets to enjoy them.

The graphics are lush and engrossing, and the music tethers everything together wonderfully.

Splatoon 2 has taken everything from the original and amped it all up to eleven. There’s no lollygagging with this sequel; online modes and gear are robust right out of the gate, with the promise of even more to come. New additions like Salmon Run expound upon an already winning formula and offer veteran players further reason to give the title a try. It also can’t be ignored that the boon of being able to pick up and play the game anywhere is something that is only possible with Switch. While I do feel that chat is needlessly cumbersome, it’s fairly easy to start matches with friends, and I never experienced any hitches while battling online. Splatoon 2 is a brilliant and rare game that manages to outshine its predecessor, and is yet another reason to own a Switch.

Anything bad you remember regarding Vendetta, you won't see it in this follow-up.

The 3DS version is an effort that shows a development team determined to offer their audience an enjoyable experience. The results are commendable.

I don’t know that I can say with confidence Generations will be the Monster Hunter game to woo naysayers; it’s largely the same gameplay and mechanics that players have come to know for a decade now. Yet, given how stunningly Generations presents the series’ core combat and crafting, along with the introduction of Styles and Arts, makes it the best Monster Hunter title by a fair stretch– so much so, that I implore anyone who has yet to try the series to finally give it a look by picking up Generations.

Overlooking the flawed storytelling, fans will find six games stuffed with content and gameplay to enjoy. In the Zero series, players are treated to the same zippy run-and-gun platforming adventures that the X series did so well. Zero can be upgraded throughout each entry, with a number of both permanent and temporary buffs to take advantage of. The Zero games are notoriously challenging, but the Casual Scenario mode and Save-Assist features do a lot to ease the difficulty for those that are interested in a reprieve. This collection is a perfect way to spend some time and it’s highly recommended to consider giving it a download!

If you are willing to instead get under the hood, engage with the rank system, and maybe equip a challenge talisman or two, on the other hand, Ragebound can be a hell of a ride, and on these terms it has been one of my favorite games of the year.

Fire Emblem has come to be one of Nintendo’s premier franchises, with Shadows of Valentia further cementing the series’ sterling reputation. This is some of the best storytelling and gameplay anyone could hope for on any platform, whether home or portable. Its presentation belies the fact that the game is running on a portable console, and the clever additions to the familiar Fire Emblem formula have yet again breathed new life into a series that has never been stagnant. There are other features waiting to be enjoyed, like the addition of Amiibo that bring new dungeons and fighters, a StreetPass feature, and more. It’s likely that other than Fire Emblem Warriors this will be the last time the franchise appears on 3DS, but it’s going to be a long goodbye—expect to sink many hours into this adventure. Alm and Celica have firmly cemented themselves into the ranks of my favorite Fire Emblem characters, and I hope that when the series transitions to Switch it will be half as entertaining as Shadows of Valentia.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with Superliminal. I love how the game constantly plays with the user’s expectations, and the unique gimmick made for some puzzles that stumped me. The ever shifting visuals kept me engaged all the way through and made me excited to see what the game would do next. While it is a little short at around three hours, it is an experience that I believe most people should try. While the game can be short and simple, it creates a fun and engaging time throughout.

It’s a stunning title that any F-Zero or hyper-fast racing fan will want to play.

My love of this series remains as strong as ever almost 20 years after playing the original Ace Attorney game. Being able to have the entire mainline series on Switch is such an amazing thing to have. The three games in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy are strong. Although admittedly Dual Destinies suffers from its split focus on a trio of protagonists, there isn’t a truly weak game in the bunch. With solid quality of life improvements, a faithful retelling of the original stories, and the same engrossing, thoughtful gameplay the series is known for, this compilation is a genuine delight. Some of the negative design quirks of the originals remain, like clunky world navigation, but the positives of the Ace Attorney series far outweigh them. This is a must for fans of narrative-driven games who want a more cerebral experience.

As has become tradition on Nintendo consoles, Yoku’s is an indie title that stands on level footing with some premium offerings in the eShop. Don’t let this one roll past you as you scroll through the different games on offer for Switch, as it’s a genuine delight.

Another fantastic entry in its series, and easily one of the best 3DS releases of the year. The game retains the charm and wit of previous Paper Mario titles, and its new sticker mechanic makes combat even more engaging than before.

Put simply, outstanding.

This game needs to be in every Wii U owner’s collection.

What All-Stars lacks in extras and celebratory content, it more than makes up for with a boatload of music to enjoy and three masterwork video games to play. It is not hyperbole to say that any Switch collection is incomplete with Super Mario 3D All-Stars in it.

While it doesn’t necessarily revolutionize any of the genres from which it draws inspiration, NeuroVoider still manages to be an exceptionally enjoyable game. Not only did the developers create a mechanically fun game, but they added in a layer of highly enjoyable and deep customization options that is the true heart of the game; no matter what your play-style is, there are countless ways to create unique variations of it. Considering the joy of replaying the game, its issues with occasionally cheap boss fights do little to distract you.