Cleaning Up! is a game I think that will really depend on what you want out of it. If you (like me) have already played dozens and dozens of hours of games like Powerwash Simulator, this is another game in the genre and I liked its attempts to distinguish itself with puzzles and fun costumes. But if you haven’t played games in this genre, I’d probably tell you to try something else, because the controls and bugs don’t leave a great impression.

MULLET MADJACK isn’t a game that asks for much. Pick it up, point your weapon at robots, and try not to blink too much. What it gives back in return is a relentlessly entertaining, aesthetically nostalgic slice of controlled chaos that somehow makes its repetition feel like a feature and not a shortfall. It's brutal, it's pretty silly, and it absolutely earns every second of your time.

Mouse: P.I. for Hire contains an excellent 6 to 8-hour game that's trapped in the body of a good 10 to 15-hour game. Despite its memorable, eye-catching art style, the lack of color ends up being another factor that makes the length less sustainable. Fortunately, excellent performances from the voice cast and compelling writing give Mouseburg a charming character all its own. Solid first-person shooter gameplay and unique bosses make it easy to recommend for fans of the genre, especially those who don't mind the extended experience. Switch 2 players may particularly enjoy mouse mode, a fitting way to play, but there is some stuttering in Performance mode, which aims at 60 fps. If you love a good trenchcoat-clad, heat-packing hero with a wit as sharp as his cheese, go ahead and hire this mouse to take a sharp-toothed bite out of crime.

Overall Constance is a consistent and solid action platformer. With a gorgeous visual style and satisfying combat, I’ve had a lot of fun across the board. While the boss battles can be a major spike in difficulty, it was the perseverance-mechanic and world design that kept me coming back. It doesn’t do too many things that set it apart from the other games in the 2D action platformer genre, but that’s okay. At the end of the day this is a beautiful title that uses both its themes and mechanics to tell an important story. I do not need all my games to reinvent the wheel. Constance is another standout within this particular genre.

Prism Peak is a game I liked being a part of, even when I was frustrated with its odd pacing and metaphors. It's pretty, thoughtful, and more emotionally honest than most games that wear their hearts this visibly. But it's also a game that crams too much into a single frame. Too many puzzles, too many metaphors, too many systems and ideas layered on top of a core loop that didn't need them. Trim some of the fat, and this is a standout. As it stands, though, it's a flawed gem.

Revelations in Celceta feels like the turning point towards the modern Ys titles because it's exactly that, and it ended up holding my attention more than any of the other Switch re-releases. It lacks the depth of movement abilities and character interactions that have come from Ys VIII through X, but it still manages to offer a very compelling adventure almost the whole way through. For anyone who missed playing an earlier version of Celceta or who just loves a solid action-RPG with fast-paced combat and movement, Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta is an easy recommendation. I’m hoping it won’t be long until we see Adol’s next adventure or revisit another of his old ones.

With a sea of brawlers out there, this isn’t one of the best ones, but it’s the only one that will offer you chocolate-covered pretzels after going to the bathroom. Snoogans.

Pushing through some of the more devious sections, I felt a sound sense of accomplishment in rolling credits on Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege, in all its alliterative glory. In more ways than one, it's not for the faint of heart, but those seeking a retro-style challenge in 8-bit packaging will very likely enjoy the ride. While not all of its design choices land flush, the overall journey makes for a fun afternoon. A co-op mode made me wonder whom I might subject to this punishing experience, but once through was enough for me to hit my cursing quota for the year.

Sigma Star Saga DX is an interesting curio–a forgotten WayForward joint that I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to play in 2026, warts and all. I can honestly say I’ve never played anything quite like it. That said, no single aspect of the gameplay is without some measure of frustration. The overworld is interesting but the zoomed-in camera, respawning enemies, and retraversal can get old. One late-game planet in particular adds a foggy filter and a quickly-ticking timer that required several retries. I eventually grew tired of the SHMUP encounters because they’re so repetitious and while Gun Data is a cool idea, its implementation is ham-strung. All that said, I think this game has great bones and I’d love to see a sequel someday that addresses some of my issues with it.

ChainStaff is one of the coolest freaking platformers I’ve played in a long time. It’s just cool to dart around these vibrant levels with a neat grapple gun. It’s rewarding to toss your staff from across the screen to one shot a big enemy. It absolutely rules to throw down your staff to block projectiles and then climb up your staff to get to higher ground and lay waste to your foes. This is just a cool video game with novel gameplay mechanics and a consistently heavy metal style. If you came in here wanting another stellar Mommy’s Best Games distillation of classic 2D tropes, you’ll be satisfied. If you’ve never heard of Mommy’s Best Games before, sign up here for an incredible action platformer that will feel like a long-lost retro classic.

Although it may strike a chord with those who really love its theme and aesthetic, People of Note plays it a bit more monotone than I had hoped. The few high notes aren't able to fully compensate for the safe storytelling and narrative design, and the combat waffles too much between tedious and novel. That said, I couldn't help but feel taken by the game's commitment to being a music-themed adventure; constant puns and shake-ups to the combat mechanics gave me a genuine sense of joy. There wasn't enough momentum, however, to sustain those positive vibes, and I was left wanting to just roll credits in double time rather than slowing down the beat and soaking it all in.

At the end of the day, I got what I wanted out of Marvel MaXimum Collection. I can play the arcade versions of X-Men and Captain America and the Avengers in the comfort of my own home. I can relive ‘90s video game rental memories with Arcade’s Revenge and the Spider-Man/Venom beat-’em-ups. I can look fondly on the disappointment that hit me when I played that Silver Surfer game as a kid for the first time. These games are all here with basically every relevant version of them on offer. It’s just relatively barebones aside from the X-Men online multiplayer (fingers crossed it works well) and in an era of Digital Eclipse documentary collection, the standard should be higher.

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. (World Stage) is a fighter’s fighter from people who made such a fundamentally strong game and combat so deeply rooted in a style that strives towards realism over flashiness that it could be overlooked. But it is for exactly those reasons that this game whose original ports come from the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 era feel as fresh and powerful as ever. This is a hell of a package at a modest cost of entry, and the best Switch 2 fighter to date. What are you waiting for? Fight me.

It is these elements that kept me from enjoying Super Meat Boy 3D as much as I’d like. Yes, it is still a fun platformer. But it is also the modern embodiment of why ‘just make it 3D’ is still as challenging today as it was back on the Nintendo 64. At times, Super Meat Boy 3D gets to do its own thing and focus on what made that original game a modern classic. Great controls with tight level design that encourage the player to replay it over and over again to get the best time and find the collectibles. Yet, too many times I felt like the meat was left cooking too long. It’s bent into very specific ways to adhere to that original game, instead of standing on its own two meaty legs.

It’s a shame that this game couldn’t be more focused on its puzzle platforming, because these half-baked distractions suck a lot of the fun out of what could’ve been something really special.

The Midnight Walk is an impressive feat. Creating this massive world, with these wonderfully bizarre fairy tales is nothing short of fantastic. This feels like a fully fleshed out world, with so much more to explore if they felt inclined on a sequel. That being said, performance on the Switch 2 in both docked and handheld did struggle at times, and lack of surround sound, which is present in other iterations of the game, is disappointing. I also found that the mechanics were just too slight, making for an all too breezy experience. I’ve been keeping my eye on The Midnight Walk for a while now and was not disappointed in the final presentation. It’s gross, and disfigured in all the best ways, and does amazing work with mixing animation, claymation, and film media to craft something truly special. This game is an accomplishment and one of the best arguments for games as an art form this year.

One look at Chico's Rebound tickled the 8-bit nostalgia strings of this ‘80s kid, but I found a surprising amount of depth the more I played. There's a light story and some cute characters, but these are window dressing for a challenging and satisfying block-breaking adventure that doesn't overstay its welcome. Even if you're only lightly interested in the genre, Chico's Rebound is a standout that's well worth a look.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits had long been on my radar as I held out hope for a future Switch port. It took the power of the Switch 2 to make that a reality, but there's no doubt that the fidelity of the visual experience was worth the wait. Bridge of Spirits isn't overly unique in its gameplay, but it compensates for that with a charming story and beautiful environments. Even in handheld mode, the game holds up well and the charm remains intact.

This being a Legacy Collection brings up the question of Star Force’s legacy. While not bad games, the series is more continuation than evolution of the previous series, especially in presentation, story, and age range. Star Force 3 was also the direct predecessor to the somewhat ongoing Mega Man drought. While the perfect cure for a shonen anime friendship speech craving, Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection feels a bit interchangeable with what came before.

Minishoot’ justifies the case for being worth your time in spades. This one may fly under the radar for most, but I beg of you to look up from the new triple A hotness and enjoy this fantastic diamond in the rough–for all the retro feels that it invokes, but also for doing something wholly new. Top to bottom, Minishoot shoots for the stars, and lands among game of the year material.

Rotwood is doing a whole different thing from other roguelites I’ve been subjected to recently and it’s doing it well. I do feel like the game ratchets up in difficulty once you reach the second major area, at which point a multiplayer approach becomes more advisable, but you can also farm resources in previous areas to upgrade your stuff beyond whatever recommended level a given stage recommends. I still think the industry is oversaturated with roguelites, but Rotwood is one of the good ones.

There’s enough I’m enjoying about DAMON and BABY that I’m curious to see the experience through to the credits. Its use of familiar mechanics in a novel wrapping and the enticing aesthetic and presentation do help to smooth out some of the rougher edges mentioned above. At present, I’m hovering around a lukewarm recommendation, but check out Nintendo World Report dot com closer to the game’s March 25th release date for a final score update. In the meantime, DAMON and BABY does have an eShop demo with progress that carries over to the full game, so check out for yourself how it feels to play as this devilish cute duo ahead of launch.

Rubato is both a provocative game in its presentation, but also a bit too obsessed with its drawn out story and strange characters. I had a good time, but was only really able to enjoy the game in shorter bursts. If you’re a platformer veteran and looking for something that is out of your comfort zone, you really cannot go wrong with Rubato. Even though I don’t think I’ll personally revisit it any time soon.

If you're into the art style and don't mind Etrange's constant need to be the center of attention, you may find an interesting time-sink type of action-RPG. If you're more put off by the anime-style storytelling, chibi-looking characters and combat mechanics that lack real depth, I'd say skip this one, just like I ended up skipping Etrange’s musical numbers.

At its heart it is a puzzle game unlike any other. You aren’t simply solving puzzles, but actively making choices and feeling their impact reverberate on the experience. The warning signs were there and they are true. Blue Prince can take over your life if you don’t watch out. But I say let it. Step into this manor over and over again. Get swept up in the mysteries of the Sinclair family and keep pushing forward. Whether you will stay long after the credits have rolled is ultimately up to you. But I can guarantee you that this is truly a unique game in every sense of the word. It will be the benchmark that future puzzle games will be measured against and that’s no small feat.

There is plenty of fun to be had with Shadow Tactics but be prepared for a lot of trial and error. Playing with the standard controller setup I found to be frustrating, and nearly caused me to put the game down. On the other hand, Shadow Tactics may just be the best argument we’ve seen yet for mouse mode on Switch 2. It is transformative to the point that I almost feel like the game ought to specifically recommend it to the player on startup. Underneath all of that is an interesting, though at times inconsistent, stealth game full of unique characters and scenarios. Just be sure to have a clear surface available mouse mode and plenty of patience as you whittle away at the challenge.

Tower defense as a genre hasn't really grabbed my attention as a Switch user, but Bean Beasts has made me think I need to pay more attention for potential hidden gems like this one. The steady drip feed of unlockables means there's always something new to try, especially if your tried-and-true tactics don't work on a particular stage, and the initial learning curve quickly gives way to a satisfying challenge that ebbs and flows across the various biomes, boss fights, and special levels with an endless number of enemies. Frequent but short loading screens are a minor nuisance, but they're worth the price of admission for this incredible entry in the tower defense pantheon. The name might not do it any favors, but don't judge these Bean Beasts by their cover. There's plenty of tasty meat on these bones.

The Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake houses a deftly created horror game. Mio & Mayu’s story is harrowing, and despite little preamble you quickly become invested in Mio’s attempt to save them from the telegraphed inevitable outcome. Entrapping spirits with your Camera Obscura is a smart design choice that is unfortunately bogged down a little by marathon battles, but the impeccable audio design, visual horror, and the world built by the development team shows a genuine love of the horror genre and papers over what issues I may have with some of the action. The world exploration and story beats have impeccable pacing. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly is a horror game for the horror movie fan, and this remake is the ideal way to experience it.