Skyward Sword HD is a brilliantly designed game, full of dungeons packed with clever puzzles, numerous plot elements that serve to enrich the franchise’s lore, and a control scheme that is as refreshing now as it was in 2010. This is a must-have for Switch owners on a very long list of must-have games—don’t let that stop you from rushing out to try Skyward Sword HD today.

Overall, Monster Hunter Stories 2 provides a great way to hunt alongside favorite monsters from the franchise in a charming world with an interesting story to discover.

This is a quality effort by Nintendo and Camelot. The series’ whimsy is here in spades and whether played solo or with friends, Super Rush offers hours of fun. Plus, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the killer golf uniforms that much (although sadly not all) of the cast is sporting. (Jakks Pacific should keep these new looks in mind for future toys.) There is something lacking when looking at the game as a whole, however, with the blame spread evenly across the small roster, limited course options, and underwhelming absence of online rankings and tourneys. Super Rush is no hole-in-one, but it hits for par at the very least and will only keep getting better as it’s expanded upon with DLC in the coming months.

Unto the End does a great job at capturing the struggle of survival and returning home, but is the struggle worth it? There isn’t a huge epic within Unto the End. There is no dialogue and the story is simple. The actual game in length is fairly short, but the repeated deaths due to brutal combat significantly lengthens the experience, if you even finish it. The story’s depth comes from the player’s emotions as they struggle to master the gameplay mirroring the hero’s struggle to make it home. But not everyone plays a video game to feel that kind of frustration. I sure don’t and though there were aspects to like about Unto the End, the combat was overall what ruined the experience for me.

What sounded like the combination of a management game, Animal Crossing, and The Sims turned out to be barely influenced by all three. If you’re looking for a relaxing Switch game where you can collect clothing, decorate your home, and hang out with animals, there is already the perfect game for you: Animal Crossing New Horizons. If you’ve already played it to the point of needing new joysticks, then there are plenty of other indie alternatives to pick up before giving Calico consideration.

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.

I recommend it to anyone interested in trying out a bit of indie gaming history, any fan of the science fiction genre, anyone who enjoys platformers, for those who enjoy short, sweet stories, and to everyone looking to see how anyone could make a bunch of rectangles a memorable part of my adolescence.

Playing New Pokémon Snap filled me with a joy and excitement that I haven’t felt from a game in a while. Though it has its minor flaws, it really is an experience worth playing that offers gameplay you won’t find elsewhere.

Monster Hunter Rise is a perfect example of what can be done with Switch. It runs incredibly smoothly and only slows down a little when there’s a lot happening all at once, even during a Rampage with a full lobby. It has been some time since I have played World, but Rise looks almost as good. While some textures here and there are a bit rough, I highly doubt you’re going to be inspecting the wall textures with an angry Rathalos chasing you down. Monster Hunter Rise brings a lot of great new features for fans of the franchise while making it more accessible than ever. With the amount of future updates planned I can’t wait to see what Rise can become.

The elephant in the room for some will be, “is it worth buying these games again if I already have them?” Now, taking the collection for what it is, considering both the quality of the games as well as the new additions, alongside the features that have been included, it’s a resounding yes. For those who already own the games that have previously been released as part of the NGPC Selection lineup on Switch, there is still reason to pick up this compilation.

For those who still keep to the old ways, though, this is the real deal. There are plenty of retro games, including some widely lauded ones, that I feel missed the mark with ill-considered gimmickry, boring level design, and smug pandering. Cyber Shadow’s not that. It’s not a winking nod or cynical nostalgia bait. It’s a worthy successor.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury isn’t perfect, but it gets close. The gameplay is superb, the visuals are improved on Switch, and there is so much to do and see that players will be busy for hours. Switch has been a godsend for software that didn’t get the shot it deserved on Wii U, and 3D World is definitely a game that more people should play. Online multiplayer is a tad lacking, but if you’re out for an expertly crafted, stunning platformer, this is the premier Mario game on the console.

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.

If the tension, pace, and feel of Cuphead appeal to you and you’re curious about something more streamlined and frantic, consider Tanuki Justice.

After having aired my own personal opinions on the core gameplay of Dead Cells, there is nonetheless a lot of cool new stuff to see in Fatal Falls. If you love Dead Cells and want to expand your runs into three new zones, fight a new boss, and obtain new weapons, then you can’t go wrong with Fatal Falls.

Though the game has nice visuals and is the continuation of a creative series, Two Realms failed to maintain the magic Drawn to Life had on DS. Unfortunately, my disinterest in the story kept me unmotivated to wait through cut scenes to get to the next levels. Levels could be fun, but they could also be terribly too easy or frustratingly hard. The best moments in the game are dispersed too far apart and they don’t feel worth the hassle to get to.

Ultimately, Kolumno is an interesting concept and will likely be appealing to some players. There is gratification to be had when completing the levels and watching them play out perfectly feels like viewing a satisfaction compilation video on YouTube. However, the frustration in repeated failure on the same level or the controls that are awkward enough to break the relaxing feeling of the game overshadowed the positive moments.

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.

Fans of strategy and deck building games are likely to enjoy DungeonTop. Its appealing visuals and huge customization potential gives it a lot of replay value. However, replay may happen sooner than you think due to the game’s base difficulty or bugs that force you to restart.

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.

I play a good amount of indie games yet this game, I believe, is the first game I have played by a Peruvian game developer. My first playthrough left me scratching my head at the cryptic story. It was only after reading an article on Peruvian funeral traditions did I begin to see the story and its metaphors with more clarity. It is experiences like this that make me happy as both a gamer and an anthropologist. As barriers for video game development become less and less of an obstacle, gamers are more and more likely to come across games made from cultures they have never been in contact with. I am thankful for the opportunity to both play this game and learn just a little bit more about Peruvian culture.

Hades, with its fast-paced and occasionally unforgiving death mechanics, possibly isn’t a game for everyone. However, with its decently low price point and wonderful artwork and story, in combination with the amazingly well designed mechanics, Hades is a gem that’s hard to pass up.

Clearly a lot of thought was put into this game and it is enjoyable to discover that. Unfortunately, I Am Dead’s repetitive gameplay, awkward controls, and short story that left me feeling discontent made me overall a bit disappointed.

Though A Short Hike doesn’t bring much new to the table (many elements will feel similar to Journey, Celeste, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing, or Stardew Valley), the game combines familiar mechanics so well that A Short Hike, despite a few small drawbacks, is a well put together, relaxing game you shouldn’t miss out on.

Short but sweet, Alwa’s Legacy is a must for both retro fans and fans of quality, exciting Metroidvanias. The visuals tout some of the best pixel art on Switch and are joined with a killer soundtrack and sound design. With clever dungeons to explore and an intricate overworld to travel, Alwa’s Legacy will have players ensnared from the beginning to end. Having played Alwa’s Awakening adds some extra nuance to the adventure, but starting fresh with Alwa’s Legacy won’t leave players in a lurch, as it does plenty to solidify this as its own distinct game. Don’t sleep on this one; Elden Pixels has created a 2D platformer for the ages.

If you’re looking for a puzzle game that is equal parts relaxing and challenging, Worm Jazz is a great choice. It doesn’t bend over backwards to reinvent the wheel, instead opting to be a straightforward, fun puzzler with no fluff. What it lacks in extra modes, Worm Jazz more than compensates for with well-designed, brain-teasing levels. Some solutions might be unintentionally too obscure in their solutions, but it’s a rare distraction. For the vast majority of the time it is a joy going from maze to maze and aiming for the top score. It’s an oddball name and concept, but Worm Jazz is the sort of idea that only works in the world of video games and makes the industry all the better for being here.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe manages to outshine its predecessor with further polish and more content. The inclusion of new Side Stories, co-op in the main campaign, and debatably the best control scheme this game has yet seen all make Pikmin 3 Deluxe the definitive version to play. It’s not the longest title in the Switch library, but with the opportunity to replay days to scour for every piece of fruit or improve completion times will have most people returning to Pikmin 3 Deluxe for weeks and months to come. Do yourself a favor and give Pikmin 3 Deluxe a purchase, especially if you missed out the first time when it launched on Wii U. It’s the sort of offbeat game that the industry needs more of.

Dustoff Z is a straightforward arcade-style flight game. Tackle missions, eradicate packs of zombies, and complete objectives, all in order to continue upgrading the multitude of choppers and crew members. It’s a well made loop that will suck in players and have them coming back to hit a three-star rating, especially on the tricky, higher difficulty levels. Don’t let this one slip under your radar!