Though nothing impacted gameplay (likely because there isn’t much to speak of), there were several instances of stutter that really marred the beautiful presentation on display. I understand that there is certainly an audience for the type of light gameplay experience that Hoa provides, and so long as you understand that going in you will at the very least be in for a treat with its visual and auditory splendor. And should you have someone who would benefit from how easy it is to play, Hoa could be the perfect fit, not to mention an excellent way of building admiration for the dying world around us.

What Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate lacks in its plot, it more than makes up for with its gameplay. It may not be on par with its console brethren, but it’s still an enjoyable experience, whether or not you’ve played previous games in the series.

Typoman: Revised is a puzzle-packed love letter to letters undercut by slightly scrambled platforming mechanics.

Overall, Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia is a solidly produced title, but given its close resemblance to its predecessor and the lack of more substantial or dynamic gameplay and narrative elements, its appeal will be limited mostly to those Pokémon enthusiasts eager to see the creatures from Diamond and Pearl represented elsewhere.

The game feels like more Star Wars than pinball, and at its core it’s just a dressed up pinball game with some nice extras. If you’re a pinball lover and a fan of the Star Wars franchise, you’ll be in heaven with this game. If you’re not, then it might not be for you.

If you do manage to suffer through the game, including its frustrating final boss, you’ll be rewarded to another manga cutscene, another beautiful David Liu cutscene (which I would like as a desktop background), and another McDuffee song. And then, and this is truly the best part of RCGZ, you unlock the ability to play the Intro, Outro, and End Credit sequences from the main menu. You can also flip through scanned pages of the original game’s Japanese instruction booklet if that’s your bag. I haven’t played too many games where the bread is the best part of the sandwich, but here we are.

I’m happy to have experienced Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song Remastered. It’s based off of a PlayStation 2 game I was always curious about and the fact it’s now out on modern platforms is awesome. This might not be my favorite SaGa entry (I think that would go to Romancing SaGa 3 or Scarlet Grace?), but it’s another fine entry in a franchise that is well represented on Switch. Whether you’re hooting and hollering for Unlimited SaGa to make it to Switch next year or you’re a newcomer to the legacy of producer Akitoshi Kawazu, Minstrel Song Remastered is an enjoyable adventure as long as you come prepared for some open-ended RPG escapades.

Lost In Shadow overstays its welcome, which is disappointing. If the game had been less ambitious in scale and more ambitious in content, it would perhaps be one of the best games in recent memory. Instead, it falls just short of something truly great.

A strong package overall. It has a lot of smart ideas that will hopefully be used in future games, and there’s a good variety of modes to play with.

Who is Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days for? Well those looking to relive the glory days of Yu-Gi-Oh! will probably find some enjoyment here. The amount of games looks impressive on paper, but in practice it is hard to say that these titles will keep your attention. I did find myself returning to a few as pick up and play experiences. Rebuilding decks and reinventing strategies for the tweaked, but ultimately same card games wasn’t really keeping my attention by the time I arrived at the later GBA titles. It could’ve been fun to explore this with a friend, but as only one game would support online play I’d find it hard to recommend to even the most dedicated of Yu-Gi-Oh! players. But lowering your expectations and going in blind, especially for some of the more unusual titles in the collection, could still be fun. Just know that there is a high likelihood that by the end you’ll be happy that you’ve moved past those early days.

It is not the most groundbreaking party game on Wii, but what it lacks in innovation it makes up for with great execution.

Tokyo Crash Mobs isn't a profound game, but it is fun as long as you can get past the occasionally frustrating controls.

An unremarkable game that plays like a standard soccer title with Disney characters thrown on the rosters -- and that's about it.

A great shoot ‘em up game that allows you to destroy almost everything in your environment and lets you take your frustrations out on hordes of other 101s. Guns, plasma rifles, tanks, helicopters: you name it, you use it.

Cute animals doesn't stop this puzzle-platformer from being frustrating.

The whole experience ended up being a few hours long. The likelihood is that this is a one--and-done playthrough, as once you’ve figured out the puzzles there really isn’t a reason to play again unless you’d like to go back and look for clues to figure out the back story. I wouldn’t say it’s the best puzzle-platform title available, but it’s unique and was worth the short time investment.

Overall Her Majesty’s SPIFFING was a pleasant surprise, full of cracking humor and some suitably absurd puzzle-solving. It may feel a bit on the short side but given its price the length is fair and I would prefer it over too soon rather than overstaying its welcome. For people searching for a game that is light, not terribly demanding, and can just be enjoyed for quite a few hours it’s pretty easy to recommend.

Black Hole does, honestly, some tricks that nobody else does. The fixed screen with the gravitational pull is an unique concept that keeps you sharp. The act of playing the game is awesome, and nothing should be taken away from it. After 40 levels though, there is nothing for most players to return to. Sure, there is room to improve on your runs, but that really depends on the type of person you are. As for myself, I’ll probably end up going back to it now and again.

Upon completing INK, I felt as one does after enjoying a perfectly-cooked steak: satisfied and satiated. In this case, I do want more, but not because INK didn’t give me enough. Rather, it gave me exactly what I wanted; this time, with a splash of colour.

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is a loyal interpretation of an early 2000s classic, now on Nintendo Switch. Once again with this series on this platform, the nostalgia is strong with those who stick by this as an example of what gaming should be today, but new players should be aware of what this game actually is, so that their expectations can be properly tempered. Jedi Academy takes the foundation of its previous game and uses player customization to provide polish and a deeper engagement with the story in a 10-12 hour experience, but it falls short in providing meaningful options in both side missions and online play. If that earns your purchase, then the question remains: what kind of Jedi will you become?

Once I got over the initial hump and learned its systems, Evolution genuinely surprised me with its depth of strategy and breadth of content. The Switch version leaves a lot to be desired in terms of performance, and for now, despite my usual misgivings of the platform, I’d honestly recommend the mobile version. But if Evolution wants to survive on Switch in the wilds of the eShop, it would be wise to take a queue from nature and find a way to adapt.

Redout: Space Assault, while a generally fun game, seems to miss out on a few of the concepts that make the genre work. Arcade style games like this should be based on skill, with missions that continually pit the player against more complex piloting and shooting challenges. While this almost gets there, it falls back on artificial padding based on grinding out upgrades for your ship. That being said, when it does hit its stride, Redout: Space Assault has some truly thrilling moments.

While I can say that the pacing and gameplay never fully clicked with me, it might for others. There’s quality in the world of Rosantica and things to appreciate about its story, art, and characters. That being said, this game has potential hidden under some lackluster stages and unbalanced combat. I would love to see another story told in this world with some further polish on the gameplay if Studio Thunderhorse was ever to make a second showing. Should the slower pace not be a bother to you, there’s a lot that Flynn Son of Crimson has to offer. But amongst a sea of similar genre entries on Switch, I’d be hard pressed to recommend this one.

Paw Patrol World is a smartly made entry-level open-world video game that does a good job of capturing the appeal of Paw Patrol in video game form. It’s primarily for the younger sect, but it does that by being a playground to explore as opposed to a steep challenge. You play in the world of the TV show in a way that makes this a gateway to the wider world of (mostly quality) video games. As a parent I sometimes need to make compromises. If my kids want to play the cop dog game instead of Roblox, I’ll chalk it up as a win.

Firefighting Simulator - The Squad is a great representation of what it takes to be a firefighter, and the effective tutorial guarantees that any player should be able to figure out how to succeed at any mission in the game. I’d love to get a full squad together and tackle a house fire together with maximum efficiency, but the difficulty I had in finding a squad takes a lot of the wind out of Firefighting Simulator’s sails. This is the ideal form of a simulator game for me, but it’s sadly near impossible to play it under ideal circumstances.

Obviously the simplest solution to get some Uchikoshi-helmed escape games would be if the Zero Escape trilogy were cleaned up a bit and brought out on modern Nintendo hardware. But in lieu of that, No Sleep for Kaname Date will probably keep you up for a bit as you try and puzzle through some of the nastier puzzles.

You can’t go through half a steam store page without tripping over a Metroidvania. Lots of great experiences to be had exploring wide ranging maps with hard stop gates you can only cross once you get that next special ability. The Prisoning: Fletcher’s Quest decided to step in that pond but stayed in the shallow end of map travel. There’s some comedy that oversteps the bounds of where my humor lies. Bluntly, in these spaces, a little bit of editing could go a long way. That said, when the jokes do hit, they’re really funny. When Elden Pixels tees up a gameplay surprise, it’s pure joy. When you get to that next boss, you’re going to feel good about dispatching them. The Prisoning: Fletcher’s Quest is a game whose highs are in the atmosphere, and is short enough where the flaws aren’t felt for long.

Treasure World is an interesting experiment that is successful in what it sets out to accomplish. However, for most players the content is too thin to be enjoyable.

In general, Lydia is an interesting game with a well put together setting and an art style you probably won’t soon forget, but overall it’s just sort of a slightly underwhelming experience. Over the course of its 45 to 60-minute runtime, you will experience what is obviously a deeply personal story for the creators, leading to a choice that I honestly found very well done in the end. It’s a story of abuse and neglect and how somebody so small is forced to deal with it, and while the gameplay is nothing to write home about, it’s definitely a narrative that will probably stick with me even if just for a little while.

Snack World: The Dungeon Crawl - Gold is a journey with highs and lows. The gameplay itself is quite entertaining with cool weapons and slick movement. On the other end, it is also very grindy, with dialogue that can become real grating. Some of these problems fade away in multiplayer, which makes it such a missed opportunity to make that aspect a bigger focus. Snack World isn't a bad game, but it’s somewhat misguided in how it wants to present itself. If you can deal with the frustration, you will find that the dungeons themselves can be fairly entertaining.

Banjo Pilot's biggest problem is the simplicity of its design. It feels like you are flying the same tracks over and over (and often you are, though in reverse), and there is no feeling of connection to the physics because it doesn't really matter what kind of level you're racing on.

A great concept that is very entertaining on the surface falls on its face extremely quickly due to lack of content.

Rising Board 3D is a fantastic pick-up-and-play game that shows how the 3DS can make those quick mobile experiences normally found on iOS and Android into something similar yet different, and reminds me of games such as Balloon Fight (specifically Balloon Trip) and NiGHTS.

Without a doubt, I can appreciate another party game entry for the speed demon in all of us. In single player mode, it is sparse; it needs multiplayer to be fun, and online mode delivers the goods. On the other side, with games like Mario Kart and Rocket League you can find yourself with some AI opposition to make things interesting when riding solo. While online play is the focus of Crash Drive 3, the offline mode could stand to be more engaging. All in all, Crash Drive 3 continues its tradition of open-area multiplayer madness by offering more vehicles and more game types than its previous entries. A more in-depth single player mode with AI competition would be a very welcome addition, though.

As a complete package Clusterpuck 99 relies heavily on your access to as many other people as possible to maximize the fun. If you regularly have some friends over and everyone enjoys some light competition that’s easy to pick up and understand it very well may be a big hit. If, on the other hand, you’re normally playing by yourself if will no doubt run out of steam quickly. Thus, results and enjoyment are likely to vary wildly with this one.

I actually would recommend it if you’re a fan of Waifu Hack ‘n’ Slashers, but the Switch’s framerate issues keep me from issuing a full-throated endorsement. If you have access to other modern consoles, maybe check out some gameplay videos. If it’s way smoother during combat situations, maybe go for that version. I’m enjoying the game on Switch, and will be buying some of the DLC, but it suffers a lot on the performance side. That and the terrible platforming segments that, thankfully, are pretty rare.

Turnip Boy Robs A Bank offers a lighthearted roguelite romp in the pursuit of Stinky’s riches, hidden within the bowels of the Botanical Bank. The gameplay loop is pretty fun, and finding new weapons to dispatch the security flora and fauna standing in the way of your heist manages to entertain, at least up until the final parts of the game. The performance on Switch also leaves something to be desired, with more detailed areas of the bank leading to noticeable frame drops. If you wanted a bit more action from your Turnip Boy escapades, this follow up might be the serving of veggies you’re craving. That said, it doesn’t quite do enough to rise to the upper echelons of roguelites already available on the eShop.

The thing that really shakes me about Table Tennis, though, is that Rockstar did virtually nothing to spice up the sport. Like I said before, there are no actual players or Career-type mode. There are no power-ups, and no stat improvements. The closest thing to "technique" you’ll find is in putting spin on the ball and using your focus meter, which actually doesn’t help very much. In all, Table Tennis is a game that just screams "lack of effort."

While it may be more substantial than the majority of the existing Labo experiences, ultimately this is more an educational craft project than a game. As such, much of the enjoyment of Labo hinges on the participants enjoyment of making the Toy-Con itself. As for myself, I had a lot of fun building the Robot Kit, but I question whether it felt like $79.99 worth of fun. With only one project the Robot Kit might be best saved for Labo enthusiasts.

If you’re thirsty for a bloody, in-depth strategy title, Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars may just slake your thirst. That’s if the combat segments don’t put a stake through your heart first.

Fortune Street is a deep board game experience that is great if you have people to play with, but it can overstay its welcome in single-player. If you have friends that love Monopoly, or if you want a deep and lasting experience for the Wii, Fortune Street is one of the best of its genre on the system.

If you are a shoot-em-up fan, you won’t leave this game disappointed.

At the end of the day, Battle for New York isn’t worth the cash if you’ve already played one of the other DS games, and since it looks like they’ll be using the same engine in the future, you might as well hold out if you haven’t experienced any of the previous titles. Sorry, Spidey.

While NHL Hitz 2003 would be a great mini game in a console game, maybe something one would see in a Midway adaptation of "Animal Crossing," it’s not a deep or fun enough game worthy of a $40 purchase.

Graphics and sound are excellent, but the level design is uninspired and repetitive. Its control scheme is effective and easily mastered, but some of the moves are clumsy to execute and can lead to costly mistakes.

What you do get is a rough but loveable action RPG and a reminder: For the love of Trixie, SAVE OFTEN.

If you’re down with all sorts of in-jokes and spent way too much time online in the late 2000s, you probably already picked up Treachery in Beatdown City. If you’re still on the fence, it’s a brisk experience with a unique style of gameplay, and the dialogue is as skippable as you need it to be. It’s a good debut game from a studio I’ll be keeping an eye on going forward.

I really wanted to like this game, and I really hope the rune-drawing system is used again for a different title, because it really is fantastic, but the RTS mechanics are unresponsive, and the timed missions are more of a hindrance than a challenge.

Magnetica is so difficult that I find it hard to recommend not only to the people Nintendo is targeting with their Touch Generations line, but also to anybody else.

Jump Start: Escape from Adventure Island has good intentions and a noble goal: to teach via the fun and accessibility of the Wii. But its gameplay feels rushed, and its less-than-inspired presentation put a very disappointing damper on things.

Saturday Morning RPG has a lot to like. The presentation is top notch, the gameplay is excellent, and the vast amount of ‘80s references sprinkled throughout the episodes are fun, promoting a positive vibe. I wish the world had a bit more depth, and the difficulty spikes get annoying fast. But with Saturday Morning RPG, the positives end up outweighing the negatives.

Perhaps the greatest offering in the series as of yet. The only blemish on the overall game completeness is its lack of an online leaderboard and the removal of the Famicom's multiplayer mode.

If you can put yourself in an academic, emotionless state of mind, there really is some fun to be had, arguably moreso than in Gal*Gun 2. But you do have to wade through some…questionable…content.

The usual bells and whistles are here, including a digitized manual, different NGPC skins, and a rewind feature. As in the previous games, there’s a distinct lack of a moves list, so you’ll have to resort to repeatedly opening the manual, writing things down, or going to GameFAQs. Being able to play with a friend on a single system is nice, though, although The Last Blade won’t give you the multiplayer mileage than Smash Bros. does. The Last Blade is fun, and another good NGPC game to add to your list.

I’ll give credit where it’s due; I appreciate that Super Bomberman R 2 does try a few new things with its Story mode that we haven’t really seen in previous entries, including a progression system where you actually level up rather than just collecting the standard power-ups. Even though moving from area to area just to round up all the Ellons gets old pretty quick, it’s definitely novel for a Bomberman game. Unfortunately, what’s meant to be the star of the show, Castle mode, just isn’t a very compelling addition. Even for diehard fans, I’d find R 2 to be a difficult recommendation. I may break it out from time to time for a few online matches, but I doubt I’ll spend even a fraction of the time I did with Super Bomberman R Online on this latest game. It may just be time to re-invent Bomberman for the modern era, and while I’m eager to see what that might look like, unfortunately for now, your Bomberman is in another castle.

This is an enjoyable, thought-provoking, and stylish RPG that stands on the shoulders of the developer’s previous efforts. Pacing issues and a lack of variety hold it back from being truly great, but Oninaki is absolutely worth a playthrough, if you’re not averse to the solemn subject matter. The stellar combat feels almost like hack-and-slash, and the overall story compels you through the experience. If this is the reincarnation of Tokyo RPG Factory, they’ve come back less a factory and more an artisan.

Super Beat Sports is a fun, but overall very simple compilation of games. While many of the modes have multiple single-player challenges to complete, they quickly become repetitive and are missing the charm, range, and cleverness that you might find in a Rhythm Heaven game. This mini-game collection is best when played with friends and family who want to test their reflexes in a musical fashion. It might not be a game you play a lot, but it can provide an hour of fun when you have company over.

However, like the first Rolling Western game, it demands a lot of your attention, and since the sequel is just that much bigger, one has to wonder whether The Last Ranger's relentless pace is just a little too much game to handle.

This game ambitiously combines several gameplay ideas but never figures out how to balance them against each other for a refined experience. If you're the kind of gamer who can be taken in by artful storytelling even in the absence of polished gameplay, give it a shot.

I still had fun with Here Be Dragons, mostly due to the art style and quirky satirical story, but the overall simplicity of the turn-based combat made it so dice rolls could easily sink your good time. This is a novel game, but go to it for the humor, not the technical gameplay mastery.

Ultimately, The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road is a unique take on the franchise and an enjoyable RPG experience. If you are looking for a unique RPG and don't mind that the game deviates from the original Wizard of Oz story, then this title is highly recommended.

You’ll want to check out Rad for its unique concept, addicting gameplay and beautiful style, you just may want to consider it on a different console. The Switch version has too many aesthetical issues for me to feel confident that it represents its true potential. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t — it still plays great and personally, I’m going to keep perfecting my runs to, maybe eventually, become rad.

If you’re coming to NBA 2K22 to play some basketball, it’s a tremendous game on Switch. The shooting and dribbling are both reworked in positive ways and games are more realistic and approachable than ever. Outside of regular seasons, though, the modes you play that basketball in are trending downward in quality. Unless you’re ready to live your life one pack of virtual cards at a time, there isn’t much of value in MyCareer, MyGM, or MyLeague. Here’s hoping NBA 2K23 takes the refined gameplay and brings about more exciting variation in the modes.

It should be no surprise that "Feel the Magic: XX/YY"'s sequel, The Rub Rabbits (a.k.a. Where Do Babies Come From? in Japan) lives up to its predecessor in every way shape and form, and even manages to surpass it in most aspects. [JPN Import]

Loot-driven action RPGs can find themselves in a pattern of being repetitive, relying on the desire for the next shiny piece of armor to keep players engaged. Lapis x Labyrinth certainly falls into that category, but unfortunately despite the huge number of items you earn, many tend to be downgrades. However, the diversity in each character type works to its advantage, promoting mixing and matching party members to help reduce the feeling of grinding in this outrageously stylistic 2D Action RPG.

Azkend 2 is a perfectly satisfactory match-three puzzle game that adds enough of a twist to be better than the average puzzle game. The hidden object portion isn’t that great, but spending a few hours completing objectives and collecting items while matching like tiles is a totally fine time.

Skylanders: Swap Force on 3DS is not the best version of what will most likely be one of this year’s hottest games, but it is a version that can fulfill the needs of the gamer on the go. It may lack some of the quirks that make the console versions so appealing, but with plenty to do and plenty of Skylanders to collect, Skylanders: Swap Force will keep you reasonably entertained for quite a while.

The storyline is adorable and fun, and the game does a great job of breaking up the monotony with different ideas. It might be a bit simplistic, but it's still a solid game with a lot to do.

While it doesn't offer the zany game types or interesting visuals of Tetris DS, this is a better offering than Tetris Axis by far.

The most disappointing part of this game, is that outside the main game and a survival mode, there really is not much else to keep you busy. Some game specific achievements are added in but not something that will keep you occupied that long. In fact, Sparkle 2, which came out a few months prior, has more modes than this. It seems like this is just more of level expansion to that game. Sparkle Unleashed does a lot right. Its gameplay is solid, the music is great, and it does have a lot of levels, but the lack of different modes and extras hampers the experience a bit, especially since it’s the same price as Sparkle 2.

The skill management system is a broken, confusing mess is what I’m saying. If any of you figure out how it’s supposed to work, please let me know. And that’s pretty much the whole game. Go on missions, kill some aliens, grab some loot, and craft your way to victory. Everything except the human characters looks great and there are some nifty graphical effects here and there. Control is smooth and combat is fun, especially the bonuses you get for random things like attacking from behind, destroying enemy shields, etc. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I like the loot/crafting system largely because it happens organically and you’re not hunting anything down. Earth Wars is a fun game, well worth the ridiculously cheap price (five bucks). It’s not perfect but it’s a spirited attempt to imitate Muramasa.

Given the likely polarizing nature of the game’s controls, Manual Samuel gets a highly conditional recommendation. If you’re willing to roll with the punches, there’s definitely a unique good time to be had here, just be very aware of its intent to make controlling just about anything more challenging than you’d ever imagine.

Degrees of Separation could be a much better game. A ton of work went into creating a bedtime story in game form, and it succeeds. Some of the puzzles are good, and some of the variety in game worlds helps introduce new experiences at a regular cadence. However, too many negatives just leave you underwhelmed. Whether it’s the lack of polish, the short playtime length, or the number of weird bugs that can leave you completely frustrated. As it is, there are too many good 2D platformers on Switch to recommend it unless you’re playing it with someone who really finds the presentation speaks to them.

The daffy silliness of Speaking Simulator is the beating heart of this video game robot. When that’s allowed to be the focus, laughter courses through its circuitry. Sometimes the wiring of this robot obscures the best parts, though, as the dizzying amounts of QWOP-esque systems draw the focus off the heart and onto the brain, where the controls and mechanics reside. This strained, faulty metaphor might best sum up Speaking Simulator, as this game tries its best but winds up being sloppy in a way that diverts attention from the most enjoyable parts.

Ageless isn’t timeless, but it is fun for a while. The experience would be a much smoother and more memorable one if its primary mechanic was easier to execute. Each world culminates in a boss fight, and these border on maddening when coupled with scarce checkpoints, the aforementioned aiming issues, and a system of progression that’s essential trial-and-error. Those who like their platformers extra spicy may find a satisfying 10 hours here, but be warned that fighting with the controls is par for this course.

It’s a shame that SaGa Emerald Beyond doesn’t stick the landing outside of the enjoyable turn-based combat because it’s still a fascinating and distinct series. I wish I was more engaged in the story, because the potential of bouncing between 17 worlds and criss-crossing replayed stories sounds cool. It just doesn’t coalesce into something all that fun. Maybe the SaGa series is something best left to ports and remakes.

Hauntii does a fantastic job of providing a smaller scope adventure across an enigmatic underworld. Collecting stars and haunting varying enemies gave a sense of discovery around every turn. It’s beautiful in its delivery and make-up, but that’s what also holds Hauntii back: its restricted scope. It doesn’t dream big enough for what could have been. The gameplay, while fun and engaging, is super limited. Haunting and shooting aren’t enough to keep you hooked. When reflecting on my time with Hauntii, I think about the music and the art, and less so on how it played. Hauntii is a breathtaking experience, but it just doesn’t do enough with it. This game makes a compelling case for videogames as art, but it stops short when it comes to the actual mechanics.

The game is packed with options and at its core is a very fun experience marred by a lack of polish and technical issues. I still found myself rooting for this game when I would find hidden record players that would kick on fantastic techno beats to galvanize my robot scrapping pursuits. All the guns feel and sound unique, and it's a real joy to find a rare drop, upgrade your character, and unlock new passives for your class. Hopefully in a few months’ time, this game will be an easy recommendation for fans of the genre as it has the makings of a hidden gem in the Switch’s library.

Grand Battle might be alright for two-player games, but the single-player experience is worn out in six hours or so, and I'm not sure how many people would want to jump into a tournament with this fighting system.

All in all, this version of motocross is pretty unfair to anyone who hasn’t played an entry before, doesn’t want to spend tons of time with it, or who isn’t already keenly familiar with the process of racing these types of machines. Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 3 offers an experience that is properly tailored for those fans who will more than likely make this purchase, but for anyone taking a passing glance, there is a barrier to entry that will take some determination to overcome.

The most damaging change in the series is the overwhelming focus on ground exploration.

Jydge is a compelling game that has some clever ideas and a huge amount of customization. Unfortunately it’s held back by a demanding progression system that lends itself to grinding and replaying missions ad nauseam. There is definitely fun to be had with the solid gameplay, a huge amount of unlockables and challenging subgoals, but for those hoping to see the credits roll, prepare yourself to replay the same missions time and time again.

Overall, this is a classic puzzle and strategy game with a wealth of content to keep the prison escapes interesting. While it does need some improvements to make it truly great, I’d still recommend fans of the genre to give it a spin and see if they have what it takes to be an escapist.

Despite these nitpicks, this game is a triumphant revival of a series that has remained dormant in North America for several console generations, and for those who did get to play the Wii iterations there is much new spooky fun to be had.

The Legend of Legacy is an enjoyable RPG with a variety of unique concepts, but without a story to back it up, it frustrates just as much as it delights.

RRR2 has taken all the charm and thoughtful originality of the first game and reduced it to a catatonically simple formula that even the most ardent fan will find hard to enjoy for longer than a few hours.

To enjoy this game you’ll need to understand going in that the story is based on Minecraft, but you will not experience any of its free building or open sandbox trademarks. If we simply judge the game on its entertainment value then I can say I had a great time. The story is great, the acting is top notch and Telltale did a great job of capturing the spirit of Minecraft. If you're a fan of the Minecraft universe and enjoy kids movies with humour to satisfy adults then you will enjoy this—what I will continue to call an interactive movie.

Overall, the game is fantastic. It’s fun for solo play and is even better when working in co-op. I’ve poured hours into the game and have still not completed every possible task available. There’s so much replayability and it’ll have you craving for more Yo-kai madness… or maybe a Yo-kai is making you think that. Regardless, the game is definitely fantastic and I’d highly recommend adding it to your 3DS’s library.

I can certainly appreciate the value of seeing where video games got their start, but we have come so far that nostalgia and preservation are really the only selling points of this collection.

Golazo does a lot right even in spite of a few nagging issues with shooting and passing. I sincerely enjoy the presentation as it has a wacky yet still grounded feel. The single-player offerings aren’t all that deep, but in a multiplayer setting, this is an enjoyable sports game. It’s light and breezy with just enough strategy that it could rouse amusing competition out of a local multiplayer session.

Overall, Namco Museum Archives Volume 2 is more of a missed opportunity at telling players why these games are worth experiencing as opposed to something that must be experienced. With even the tiniest bit of TLC to include some explanation about what these games are and why we should care, this would be a surefire recommendation.

Of the different kinds of Nindie titles that have come to Switch this is definitely my favorite genre. I’ve started to become picky about what I play though as there’s been a lot of roguelike titles released, almost to the point of saturation. Initially it didn’t feel much different from some existing games I played until I started to realize how much freedom the levels allowed. After discovering new power ups and developing new strategies I became addicted to dethroning the Overseer. If you’ve been initially turned off of the genre because of the permadeath nature and potentially low replayability than Neon Chrome is a great title to get your toes wet with as it’s probably the least roguelike Shooter/RPG released so far on the Switch.

Well presented, but a bit uninteresting, repetitive, and limited. Most of the game is just running and shooting at enemies with the auto-targeting, which isn't amazingly fun.

Perhaps The King’s Bird’s brilliance shines through on other platforms. Maybe speedrunners will find the level timer an irresistible challenge. I might even Git Gud myself if significant updates round out the edges, but for now, I’d recommend something a bit more polished.

I had re-played a bit of Sonic Colors on Wii recently to reaffirm how much I enjoyed it, and this remaster simply does not feel like an upgrade. At its best it feels just like the Wii game, and at its worst it’s an obvious step down. There is some minor added content like cosmetics that are unlocked through new collectibles, but they simply can’t outweigh all the problems introduced in this version. The original version of this game is a personal favorite to this day, but Sonic Colors Ultimate on Switch is just a disgrace that only succeeds at worsening Sonic’s already poor reputation.

If you’re a fan of the Geometry Wars games or other abstract dual-stick arcade shooters that take place in a rectangular playing field, you’ll feel right at home here. It’s not the most imaginative game I’ve played, but it definitely earns its keep with fun twists on an old, favorite concept. If you’re looking for that itch on the go, Tachyon Project will get the job done.

Ultimately, there isn’t much to Hextech Mayhem, and that doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. As a smaller budget game, the rhythm mechanics are decent enough, and once you unlock Full Action Mode the problems with freestyle mayhem completely disappear. Unfortunately, more freestyle mayhem means more performance drops, which means more missed button presses. Hextech Mayhem is a fine little game, but the fact that the best way to play just doesn’t work sometimes and is only available after finishing the game, I’m not sure I can really recommend it to anyone that isn’t a League of Legends fan that’s really itching to see more of Ziggs in action.

The combat is just as good as ever, even if the plot has been mucked up a bit. It’s not like these games ever had the best plots to begin with anyway.