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.

It’s a tad rough, but outside of some okay tunes and likely divisive graphics, Arc System Works nailed Knights of Justice. It’s an addictive blend of RPG and brawler mechanics with a charming story and a wealth of Kunio characters to utilize and interact with. It’s digital-only, so there’s no excuse to pass this one by; everyone should consider giving Knights of Justice the download it deserves, as it’s proof positive that, at six years old, 3DS is still home to some of the most fun and innovative games on the market.

With Sonic Mania, Christian Whitehead and his team have done exactly what fans have wanted for years: start with the old and incorporate the new, keeping great level design, heart-pounding music and charming art direction. Sonic’s back.

Unfortunately, though Imaginators can be played in portable mode, it hasn’t been optimized as a mobile title. In short, the save points haven’t been reworked, and many of the levels run quite long, which ultimately isn’t all that conducive for successful completion during a quick bus ride. Despite this, the console can be put into sleep mode at any time, so the odds of the system dying before someone can get home or to a power source for a quick charge are pretty low. As it stands, this is the superior way to experience Imaginators on any platform, and it’s highly recommended that Switch owners give the title a whirl!

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.

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 that made Mario Kart 8 special has returned and been amplified, and the additions (including new characters, plus one secret one that I won’t spoil) make for an even richer and varied experience. Along with Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a must-have for Switch owners. It’s a party on a cartridge, but even played solo it’s a blast. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will be played in perpetuity for many years to come, and will do a wonderful job of tiding fans over until the releases of Arms and Splatoon 2 (something I had doubts about — yeah, those doubts are officially gone). You officially have two games that make a Switch worth buying, so get to it if you haven’t!

As a party game, Puyo Puyo Tetris provides an excellent use for Switch’s detachable controllers. Propping a Switch up with its stand and passing a Joy-Con to a buddy is fun, and with so many modes to choose from you’ll likely be playing for a long time. The HD Rumble also felt very satisfying (though nothing about the game is impacted by it — it’s just some solid feedback). Switch’s library is growing very slowly, but perhaps if the software on offer continues to put quality over quantity it won’t be such a bad thing. I loved Puyo Puyo Tetris and I genuinely wonder how either franchise will be able to carry on without the other. It’s so much fun to have both on a single cartridge that I hope we’re able to experience another installment of Puyo Puyo Tetris one day. In the meantime, be sure to get hold of a copy of this wonderful game for your Switch. Especially if you’re fortunate enough to snag a copy that comes with keychains like I did!

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.

Snake Pass won’t be for everyone. Getting a strong handle on the controls takes some time, and frustration can mount as Noodle plunges over-and-over again to his demise. Players who stick with it, however, will find a rewarding game with beautiful visuals and a soundtrack composed by one of the industry’s greatest. Early into the system’s life, Snake Pass is one of the finest games currently available on the Switch’s eShop.

It’s quirky and charming in the way that the best installments in the series are beloved for, and I’m still plucking away at my farm today. Plus… Mario costumes. Seriously, what more do you need?! Go give Trio of Towns a look, folks, it’s a winner.

I find myself extremely impressed by RMX. It takes everything about Neo and improves upon it, while also adding in new features and tweaks that make it suitable for both play at home and on the go. As a launch title, RMX boasts a level of thoughtfulness and polish that isn’t often seen until well into a console’s life cycle. I can’t recommend enough that players go and download this game; it’s a gorgeous nod to the sci-fi racers of old while still establishing its own identity. I can’t wait to see what Shin’en does next on Switch!

WayForward proved its considerable talent at creating fun, colorful, retro-inspired platformers long ago and each Shantae title has simply reinforced that reputation. It should come as little surprise that Half-Genie Hero continues that tradition. While some longtime fans might be somewhat turned off by the more contemporary visuals and streamlined level design, others will undoubtedly enjoy these changes. Regardless, though, the core gameplay should be more than enough to keep the majority of gamers satisfied. So, whether this is your first Shantae game or your fourth, Half-Genie Hero is a fantastic platformer that’s a pleasure to see, hear, and play.

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.

All in all, Skylanders: Imaginators offers a ton of content, regardless of how many accessories players choose to purchase. At its worst, the title can sometimes exemplify the greediest excesses of the toys-to-life craze, but long-time fans will still find plenty to offer, as well. Toys-to-life fans and those who love creating custom characters will find a lot to enjoy, but newcomers on a fixed budget may want to look elsewhere.

Corpse Party is a great, different game, one that a system as far along in its life cycle as 3DS greatly needs to keep things fresh. If you’ve been looking for something off the beaten path, I highly recommend picking this one up. So long as you’re willing to forego traditional battles and aren’t irritated by cliched anime tropes, Corpse Party has an engaging story and unique style of play that should keep you glued to your 3DS for quite a while. Play it in the dark for extra anxiety!

The best retro throwbacks rise above their influences to become something endearing of their own accord. Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse does just that, with quality and production values that rival many AAA releases. The franchise clearly has a lot of heart, and the developers at WayForward have established a bright world filled with fun and interesting characters.

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

Yet another worthy Ace Attorney successor. It’s ultimately not the series at its highest peak, but it’s hardly the nadir, and that it continues to feel this fresh in light of its flaws already has me hungry for the next turnabout. No objections here, Your Honor.

The love and care that Next Level Games put into Federation Force is evident throughout.

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

Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens feels designed to quell even the loudest detractors of the Lego games. With increased level variety, new gameplay additions and excellent, original dialogue, the title gives Star Wars fans plenty of reasons to revisit the franchise. The game could have benefited from a delay until after the release of Rogue One, but it’s hard to gripe about a title that offers players such a strong amount of content. Star Wars fans will find the game has quite a bit to offer.

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.

So, if your love for RPGs comes from a love for strategic thinking and party customization, then 7th Dragon III absolutely deserves a look.

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

As it stands, though, Mighty No. 9 isn’t unplayable, it’s just trifling and uninspired.

Sega 3D Classics Collection is decent collection of games made better by an earnest attempt to do something fun and unique with older games.

It’s a social experience more than a true game, but like Tomodachi Life, Miitomo is aware that it’s a niche game and wears its quirkiness proudly on its sleeve. There’s plenty of incentive to check in daily to earn Platinum Points for those looking to snag rewards from My Nintendo, but I highly recommend people give this one a download simply to try something different. There are plenty of endless runners and match-three puzzlers on the iOS and Android marketplaces; Miitomo is unique, which I’d expect no less from Nintendo.