Even with my complaints, there’s no denying that what is present in Sonic Origins Plus is nonetheless worth the time of fans. These four Genesis platformers remain some of the best in the genre after all this time and have never looked better. The various extras in the museum are engrossing and the additions and tweaks that the Plus DLC provide only make the compilation better. Thus, I give Sonic Origins Plus a nod of recommendation, even as I find my teeth grinding as I think of all the wasted opportunity here. Oh, and expect to still download the Plus DLC even if you buy the cartridge version! Yet another oddity among many in this compilation.

That’s a small grievance against what is otherwise a very fun, solid game. Runbow manages to stand out by virtue of its unique color-changing hook, fun presentation, and sound gameplay. Throw in lots of characters to choose from, including many familiar Nindie favorites, and the game’s lure is undeniable.

The end result is still a fun, generally good-looking game that doesn’t just feel like an unnecessary retread of past ideas, and as such it’s definitely worth at least a consideration for anyone interested in a stealthy experience.

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.

This is a game full of gambles, and most don't pay off the way you might expect. There are as many triumphs as there are failures, and it's almost like it's cursed by its own design. It certainly won't be to everyone's tastes– you'll either love it or you'll hate it– but if you can look past its flaws, there's still plenty of enjoyment to be found underneath.

If you’re like me and playing Diablo II: Resurrected with fresh eyes and no pretext to speak of, I give it a strong recommendation. I expect that fans who fell in love with Diablo II the first time around are also going to get quite the thrill out of this enhanced version of a genuine classic.

Overall, Scribblenauts Unlimited improves upon its predecessors in many ways, yet it still lacks what it takes to make a truly great game out of its awesome idea.

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

It’s such a pleasantly mellow time that hours can just vanish as you constantly think about doing just one more thing before calling it quits for the day. Something a little more ambitious might have been more interesting in the long run, but for what it is there’s still some fun to be had.

Fun. In fact, it's five or six of the best hours you can spend on any system this year. Unfortunately, that's all that it is.

It’s a bonafide party game staple and easily captures the spirit of the original Nintendo World Championships from back in the day. It’s best played with others, but even alone there’s enough to keep you entertained for a while. Once the initial enjoyment starts to wear off, however, it remains a joy to head into Survival Mode and go for the top ranking. Here’s hoping Nintendo is secretly at work on an SNES followup. In the meanwhile, I strongly recommend adding NWC to your collection.

n-Space has been meticulous in its efforts to keep the Call of Duty franchise interesting on DS. Rather than trying to revolutionize the genre with every release, it has slowly been adding features and honing the gameplay to make each entry noticeably better.

The visual references, music, and dialogue not only highlight the developer’s taste in movies, but they also give the game an extra layer of humor and charm. The silly, over-the-top violence is also a part of this, and while this might turn some off to the game, I think most gamers will get a kick out of the discrepancy between the cutesy visuals and the ridiculous brutality.

This game really caters to fast paced sessions with your friends. Playing with four is extremely fun, but it will be impossible to beat someone who is really good.

Grounded on Switch is what it needs to be, a stellar survival sandbox with a uniquely crafted world and visual style. Added features like quests help to guide players new to the genre and those who have played these types of games before, but want a more quest focused experience, closer to an Obsidian-style game. What Grounded really seems to nail the most is it’s uniqueness in a space that is filled with similarly functioning games. Obsidian has found a way to take a tried and true formula and make it work in a new way that fits within the story and world that they have created. It also fits nicely on Switch, despite the fact that the long loading screens make it a drag at times, but this can be avoided by sticking to the respawn system instead of loading saves.

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!

Cosmophony will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but those willing to brave its tunnels of torture will be greatly rewarded.

The gameplay is a tad one-dimensional, with each challenge amounting to little more than summoning a specific object, but there are plenty of humorous moments to keep you engaged in the experience, especially if you have someone around to share them with.

Overall, Sumo Digital has served up a pretty solid, if unspectacular, F1 racer.

Thus, like the game’s story, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed falls into a nice medium between both trilogies critically. It delivers a solid, but not spectacular, experience.

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.

Fun in spite of its musical problems, and in fact provides no small measure of enjoyment– as long as you play it on its terms, not taking yourself too seriously.

Those completely unfamiliar with Dragon Ball may or may not be able to look past the faults to find a pretty decent game, but, to even a casual fan such as myself, Xenoverse 2 represents an incredibly fun game that succeeds both as an adaptation of the franchise, as well as a clever new addition to it.

The graphics are excellent and the bulk of the combat is faithful to what fans have come to expect, but a middling story, so-so custcenes, and sometimes frustrating level design keep Blackgate from reaching the heights it’s capable of. Regardless, there’s plenty to love about Blackgate and it deserves a shot from Arkham and non-Arkham fans alike.

An enticing action-RPG adventure that will take you on an eye-popping romp through classic Disney locales and have you swinging your keyblade to no end in its fantastic battling system. But for all it does right, it will still manage to leave a sour taste in your mouth at times.

A short but sweet single player (around 10 hours), an endlessly re-playable multiplayer.

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 nice taste of a budget, licensed title that's actually much more decent than anyone might expect.