It sacrifices glamour and elaborate play mechanics to be what it is supposed to be: Fun.

With new opponents, a faster experience and great bonus modes from Panic on Funkotron, ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is the quintessential experience for nostalgic fans, or those experiencing the franchise for the very first time.

It’s wonderful to see a development team refuse to give up on a title so many years after launch. We wholeheartedly recommend that you head to the eShop and give Toki Tori 2+ a download.

The developers were respectful to the franchise, yet the new gameplay elements make the experience unique enough to not be another retro rehash. Buy it and support quality third party developers, or at least rent and add it to your Gamefly list as soon as possible. I would like to see a 3DS sequel next year.

Because it is so linear you may not play it over and over, but the unique nature of the game and the humor may get you to give it another go.

Two great games on one cartridge with improved graphical fidelity, new characters to experiment with, and the ability to play anywhere, all making this the best version of both New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U. Lack of innovation notwithstanding, there are going to be many an hour spent either solo or with friends adventuring through the Mushroom Kingdom all over again. Hopefully, if Nintendo elects to bring fans a new installment in the New Super Mario Bros. series, the developer will play things less safe while maintaining the smooth gameplay and accessibility that have become its hallmark.

Monster Games did an excellent job building upon the template established by Wii Sports Resort, and the end result is a title that very much feels like a true Pilotwings game.

Overall, this is a marked improvement over Mighty Gunvolt. It’s bigger, better, and more engaging than that game, which was entertaining but ultimately still just an aside. Burst is a full-fledged leap into the waters that Mega Man first waded into, and Inti Creates did an admirable job of producing a game genuinely worthy of carrying on such a hefty legacy. Some of the mechanics added in aren’t all that compelling, but at its core, Burst has nailed the precision platforming and shooting that the Blue Bomber made famous. It’s also a nice showcase for Beck, who I’d love to see get one more shot after his failed solo debut. Absolutely keep this one on your radar!

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.

A fantastic way to spend a long evening or a weekend where you’re in the mood for something a little more emotionally driven than your average game, because when you reach the ending, the final moments will likely melt away every annoyance from the last few hours.

To be completely honest, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Mobilized is not a substitute for Modern Warfare 2 on console or PC, the DS just can’t handle such complicated action and intense multiplayer. Instead, Mobilized is just a solid shooter on a console that does not begin to get the FPS action it deserves, and that is what makes it so appealing.

Longtime series fans will probably get the most out of the abundant homages and shout outs to series’ lore, but action games enthusiasts in general will get a thrill out of Hyrule Warriors‘ fabulous gameplay. Wii U owners shouldn’t hesitate to give the game a purchase.

Planet Alpha is a truly special title. It’s gorgeous to look at, the puzzles are clever, and the challenges will give gamers a strong sense of reward. While the lack of direction and visibility difficulties will grate on the nerves of some gamers, it’s a truly an impressive experience on Switch. Many developers try to replicate the old school charm of titles like Metroid, but few manage to capture that charm while also making something that feels unique. Planet Alpha is very much an experience all its own, and gamers would be hard pressed to find a more unique and vibrant platformer on eShop.

With only two sports currently available, Wii Sports Club isn’t as robust an experience as it could be, but what is there will still keep players entertained for hours. With the promise of additional sports in the future, there’s a lot of potential for Wii Sports Club, and it’s easily worth a download for anyone who owns a Wii U.

Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1+2 is a stunning achievement by Capcom that should be a compulsory buy for platformer and retro gaming enthusiasts alike. Its presentation is as good as it gets, with its bevy of extras and historical content acting as icing on an already succulent cake. There are some blemishes in the emulation of the SNES X games, and the second half of the series doesn’t live up to the quality of the first, but as a whole these compilations represent some of the greatest run and gun shooters to ever grace a gaming console— which seems to be par for the course for the Blue Bomber!

It’s as fun as it was when it bowed in 2009, and remains a fresh, unique take on real-time strategy games.

If you’re the kind of gamer who loves old-school games, post-apocalyptic style, and gameplay that really challenges your reflexes, Hyper Light Drifter – Special Edition is absolutely the game for you. If, on the other hand, you prefer your RPGs to be a little more slow and steady, this may incite a little more controller rage than you’d like, regardless of the game’s beautiful trappings. Even then, though, it’s hard not to like what the developer has done here, and for that, this is definitely a game worth a look.

SNK vs. Capcom does so much right that the problems are far outweighed by everything else that is done so right. Oodles of characters, tons of callbacks to both companies’ rich histories, and really balanced, fun fighting mechanics make this one of the best handheld fighters ever made. Some modern quality of life tweaks would help propel SNK vs. Capcom to greater heights, but what is here truly shines and stands out among similar fighters of the era. Even today, SNK vs. Capcom is a pleasure to play—definitely consider heading to the eShop and adding it to your own collection.

Though it isn’t the perfect space game, it’s a pretty darn good one. It gives you so much to think about, but it never feels overwhelming thanks to the three difficulty settings. A casual player will have a great time with the Explorer setting, whereas fans of resource management games who love to strategize will enjoy the Veteran setting. The game is also educational and a great way to get newcomers interested in space.

The game makes great technical use of the 3DS horsepower, and its environments benefit from the added depth. Then again, you could always buy both versions because there is the option to transfer your character back and forth so you can enjoy each system’s unique features.

It’s not packed with explosions or enormous set pieces, but The Bridge is a thoughtful and rich title that reminds me of what makes video games unique.

Snufkin: Melody of Moomin Valley is a fresh take on the work of Tove Jansson while still being faithful to the series and its characters. The developers love for Jansson’s creations is apparent throughout the game and this is the perfect step for the characters into a new medium. I enjoyed my short but sweet trip into Moomin Valley and look forward to more Moomin inspired games in the future.

Galactic Taz Ball is just one more licensed game that WayForward has turned into something of a sleeper gem.

The Mummy Demastered gives Switch owners a Metroidvania style game, while also delivering an experience that brings in some twists of its own. It has a few small warts that hold it back from the classic status of the video game franchises that inspired it, but the fact that can be said for a licensed game in 2017 is nothing short of remarkable.

Ruiner has some flaws and isn’t perfect, but is still an incredibly fun and beautiful debut project from Reikon Games. Encouraged by the success of Ruiner, the studio is working on an FPS sci-fi game, but I do hope they’ll give us more from this series. There’s so much more to explore, so much more to Puppy and Her’s story, and a second game could easily build upon the very strong foundation of the first. Ruiner is a fantastic addition to your Switch library and definitely worth your time.

When it comes to fans of the old game though, this chapter really shines.

Toki Tori 3D is fun, its core concept is still original, and it’s also the best version yet of this game.

As a re-release/remaster, it certainly helps that Resident Evil: Revelations was a good game from the moment it first launched on 3DS, however time has done very little to erode that fact. Yes, there are certainly moments where Revelations‘ origins as a 2012 portable game become apparent due to some muddy textures or occasional design choices, but those are some slight bumps in what is otherwise good to strong visual and gameplay design. Some other issues, like occasionally questionable voice acting and overwrought storytelling, are effectively mainstays of the series, at this point. The game is at its best when it focuses on a sense of isolation and mystery against oppressing odds, and while it occasionally deviates from this focus with more action-packed vignettes, most of the game is spent embracing this. Furthermore, the game’s structure, built on relatively short chapter segments, as well its raid mode, were clearly designed around the fact that it was originally a portable game, so this translates perfectly to Switch’s portable mode. As an added bonus, playing the game handheld with the smaller, lower resolution screen also helps cover up some of the visual imperfections. So, while this version of the game might not redefine the overall experience, its portability and added motion controls for aiming may very well make it the best version yet, thus making it easy to recommend to die-hard fans as well as those yet to make the plunge.