Almost every aspect of Spider-Man: Friend or Foe falls flat on its face. As a fan of the sandbox style Spider-Man games, I must say I am deeply disappointed that Activision chose to go the easy route instead of giving fans another high quality game. Avoid this game at all costs; it's not even worth a rental.

Shaun White Skateboarding has a good hook with the transforming environments, but the bland level design and unsatisfactory gameplay make it, at best, a mediocre skateboarding game.

A game with really low production - you can see that this one hasn't had much time spent on it, and I couldn't really recommend it to anyone - even fans of the show. Go for the much more fun "Lizzie McGuire 2: Lizzie Diaries" if you want to play a Lizzie game. It's still short, but it's much more entertaining.

All and all, this is just a simple puzzle game for some younger player to dive into and get an experience for the genre themselves. If you’re more of a puzzle veteran, I’d suggest possibly meeting up with a local archaeologist to discuss puzzles and leave this title to the youngsters.

It's not uncommon for an RPG to start slow and build to a satisfying climax and conclusion, and while the plot of Starbites does improve and diverge wildly in equal measure, the putrid aesthetic and repetition make for a slog of a time most of the way through. I did find Lukida to be an endearing hero, as she shares a number of close bonds that show how she has inserted herself into the lives of those around her. That said, inexcusable crashes and softlocks plagued my time with Starbites past the first 5 hours of the game, pushing me to the limit in terms of actually wanting to roll credits. When it wasn't the bugs and performance doing it, it was the repetitive, boring dungeons that nearly had me cast aside my controller. Sadly, Starbites neither aims high enough to get anywhere near the stars, nor does it have enough firepower to even breach the atmosphere. If you do somehow feel compelled to play it, leave the Switch version buried in the desert where it belongs.

As someone who loves Zombies Ate My Neighbors, it’s disappointing to see it brought to Switch in this way. I can happily recommend that game to top-down arcade-action fans, but the weighty ball-and-chain that is Ghoul Patrol really isn’t worth anyone’s time. Once you’ve played Zombies, Ghoul Patrol is only a letdown from there, and I still find myself wishing these titles had simply been dropped onto the NSO service considering how little has been added to this compilation.

I can't describe Beasts of Maravilla Island as anything less than a disappointment on the Nintendo Switch. While performance on the console absolutely breaks the experience, what little is there to begin with feels lackluster and basic. The creatures and its world are without a doubt the highlight of the game, but even so interaction and creativity in your photography is limited from every angle.

Playing Hundred Heroes feels like a burden, and even more so when you consider the high caliber of RPGs that have already released in 2024 that it might be taking your attention away from. Any moments of joy the experience offers are immediately dashed by baffling game design choices that would feel antiquated at the turn of the century, let alone decades after that. Were I not reviewing the game I would have put it aside after a few hours and never thought about it again. Eiyuden Chronicle comes after scores and scores of excellent and successful turn-based RPGs from which it could draw inspiration. Instead, it neglects so many of the lessons learned throughout the years in favor of outdated, tedious gameplay.

Just tedious.

It's easy to see why this game never made it over to the states in the first place. It's nowhere near as much fun as the previous games in the series, and it's hampered by bad level design and boring gameplay.

That narrative itself is scattered throughout journals and archives accessible through the main menu, and discovering just what went wrong on the Starship Damrey is half the fun. It's filled to the brim with twists and humor, but I really would have loved to see the game fleshed out a bit more.

The mechanics, while a little obtuse, are interesting, and the three different game modes are varied and fun. It's just that there is a large focus on replaying the same content with minor differences.

Amazing Spider-Man on Wii has flaws, specifically how graphically unpleasing it is, but it's still a fun action game.

Tharsis would be a game I would enjoy playing on a tabletop with some buddies, while drinking some beers, and enjoying our repeated failures. However, as a single-player video game, with only a few extra missions to take you out of the basic gameplay loop that is consistently frustrating, the overall experience has all the right parts but just leaves too much up to chance to be enjoyable.

Trüberbrook's cast of colorful characters and its presentation are truly a delight, which help to elevate the proceedings. The only problem I had on the gameplay side was, quite frankly, a rather big one. The title's inventory system could use a bit of a tune-up to make it fully come into its own. If you can overlook these problems, Trüberbrook offers up fun moments all the way through.

When Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee released on the original Xbox, it came with high praise and was one of my personal favorite titles from that system. The game was mind-blowing at launch, but almost two decades later, a lot of it is rough around the edges. The cutscenes, world-building, and storytelling hold up to this day, but almost all of the gameplay elements are out of place compared to modern games, with the wonky, tough-to-handle controls taking the cake.

Fun but criminally short, Gunblade NY: Special Air Assault Force & LA Machineguns: Rage of the Machines Arcade Hits Pack is probably not for most of us.

Ultimately World Heroes Perfect is a pretty mediocre fighter, wrapped up in a mix of good and bad emulation. While it may be fun with friends as a way to show off the Joy-Con controllers, it offers very little in the way of a satisfying single player arcade experience. Let us hope that Nintendo’s official Virtual Console fares better.

While there are some interesting aspects of Polygod to explore, I more often wanted to just stop playing than go back in to explore more.

The developers made little effort to adapt Rayman 2 for the handheld, transforming a brilliant game into a mushy blur.

Tron Evolution is a serviceable licensed game that doesn't do anything bad, but it also doesn't do anything great. The short adventure will likely entertain fans of the franchise, but outside of that, it's not worth playing.

If you've never played a Worms game before, only own a Wii, and want a low barrier for entry, then I highly recommend this game. However, if you've ever played a Worms game before, or own any other video game system released sometime in the past decade, find a Worms game for that system, as it is probably way better than this neutered Wii version.

Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash isn't good in the slightest. While the game can be decent in passing, it’s a horrible value when you stop and think about it. There is just one stadium, limited online options and less features than the previous two entries.

The game has a balance of both decent and not-so-great content. Spy missions are just not fun, while the racing is only decent.

Outside of the obvious omission of a map, the simple act of playing Darksiders III is fun, challenging, and rewarding. The Switch port, save for the expected visual downgrades, is on par with the originally targeted systems. The only problem is it never ran particularly well on those systems either. If anything the Switch version actually improves on some elements of the original performance, but it can still be a bit of a rough ride. This was always a game that required more powerful hardware to push through its shortcomings and the Switch obviously can’t totally deliver on that. At the same time, with slightly faster loading and solid handheld performance, I’d probably still take this over going back to the original Xbox One version.

I really love the core gameplay of Dr. Mario World, but it’s so frustrating to play on my phone that I can’t help but think it’s a bit of a disappointment. If this game ends up on Switch later down the line then I’d be first in line to play a version that’s been properly optimized for the system it’s running on, but as of now I just don’t want to go through the trouble. If you’ve got a device that’s powerful enough to run Dr. Mario World with no problems then you’re in for a real treat if you give it a try. But if you’re like me and are waiting until the time is right to buy a new phone, then the time probably isn’t right to try Nintendo’s latest mobile game either.

I find myself having a hard time recommending Atomine to anyone but those looking for a repetitive game and feel like the different ways in which you shoot the enemies isn’t enough to sate your interest in a twin-stick shooter. I understand there are those who appreciate the feedback loop of going through a run, seeing how far you can go, and then trying to do better in your next run, but that alone wasn’t enough to keep me engaged in this one.

Bleach: The Shattered Blade will only appeal to fans of the show, and barely at that. It's mediocre as an extension of the anime, and even worse as a video game. Though the Wii motion controls work like they are supposed to, they simply don't fit with the fast pace and repetitiveness of this style of fighting game.

But my favorite comedian can’t save this rushed DS tie-in. I’ve heard good things about the movie, but I can’t recommend the game.

I never thought I'd say this, but not even cleaning up poop can save The Sims 2 (GBA) from being a pile in its own right. Sure, it's got an award-worthy presentation and cool mini-games, but when the central gameplay isn't worth its weight, I simply can't recommend it in good faith.

Exile’s End is not great. It’s just mediocre and it’s not optimized for the Wii U. While I got a kick out it, I suspect many of you will become bored or frustrated. Even I started leaning on online maps to find everything (breakable walls are rarely differentiated).

Damascus Gear: Operation Tokyo is a good first attempt at a loot mech game from Arc. I think some of the issues could be worked out in a sequel, which coincidentally - or not - launched just after the Switch release of Operation Tokyo. It plays well on a handheld with the short missions, just pop the volume down a bit and move the headphones over to something else.

Princess Maker is a tough series to get into. The horrible translation is enough of a barrier to entry on its own, but the total lack of tutorials to explain the complexity of the different stats only serves to make the game very difficult for newcomers. If you manage to get over that steep learning curve, there’s a surprisingly deep simulation game waiting on the other side, but it is a tough sell with a mediocre localization of one of the more middling entries to the series. Hopefully Princess Maker 2 Refine will eventually come to Switch with a better localization, since I can hardly imagine enjoying Faery Tales Come True if I didn’t already have experience with its predecessor.

Ary and the Secret of Seasons is a flawed game in any form, but the Switch version’s particular failings will likely push it over the edge for many. There is a fascinating and fun concept at its core that is executed well, however its surrounding elements just aren’t all there. The world isn’t fun to explore and large gaps of emptiness can be found throughout. Glitches and performance problems abound, especially when playing docked. All that being said, I can’t completely write it off in general. There are the bones of a fun and inventive game here. I had a blast playing an earlier demo on PC but the Switch just isn’t able to deliver that. While I can’t recommend the Switch version, this may still be worth checking out in some other form.

Aztech Forgotten Gods stumbles its way into being something special. It certainly has faults both technical and simply in terms of design. At the same time it is also incredibly bold when it comes to its ambition. The unique elements of its design are executed very well, and it's only in that final pass of polish that its limitations are truly evident. Even then, I struggled to put Aztech Forgotten Gods down once I started playing it. As I said at the outset, Aztech Forgotten Gods is perfect imperfection. While I can’t ignore its faults, I found myself significantly more enamored with its successes.

When compared to the other, more powerful consoles, the Switch version of Alan Wake Remastered feels like a step down visually: in terms of muddy graphics and visual detail. The Nintendo Switch doesn’t struggle against it, but concessions had to be made. Fortunately, there’s an added director’s commentary to soothe that blow. When compared to the original Alan Wake, though, the Switch port is absolutely comparable. There’s similar gameplay and visual treatment that we’d seen back in 2010, which isn’t a bad thing, though you may not want to revisit it too often. Porting an Xbox 360 game to the Nintendo Switch isn’t necessarily a big feat, but at the end of the day, at least we now have another fine way to play this fantastic game.

Aragorn's Quest is, at its core, a decent interpretation of the franchise. But it is dragged down by too many small flaws and gameplay that can only be described as derivative.

How on earth doesn’t this game have a simple auto-save feature?

The effective control scheme and funky art style are enough to float the game above mundane, and fans of the series will be mostly content with the game's presentation. However, players will find the repetitive mission-oriented gameplay, with little payoff or progression, to be problematic and uninspiring.

Blocky graphics combine with lighthearted gameplay for what works best as a party game.

Beholder will certainly capture your attention for quite a while with its dark premise and complex relationships. Keep in mind, though, some of the controls don’t work as intuitively as you’d expect, and some of the actions you have to do can be a bore. If you can see past that, this is a fantastically-designed management-sim with layers of art and complexity.

I genuinely enjoyed my time with Guardians of the Galaxy, but I couldn’t bring myself to continue playing the mess that it is on Switch. While my high-speed internet connection should be easily able to run this game smoothly, it is clear that this version was an afterthought. The characters, story, music, and gameplay are all completely up my alley, but having to play the game in this sluggish way—and of course having to play via an internet connection—made for quite a miserable experience. I’m 100% I will pick up Guardians of the Galaxy somewhere down the road, but the Cloud Version should be skipped by anyone even remotely interested in what’s on offer here.

A fun platformer that ends up feeling more like Prince of Persia DS than Assassin’s Creed. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the DS could use more action games like this. Sadly, the adventure lasts about a weekend, and there are no real unlockables after beating the game aside from an extra difficulty mode.

Buildings Have Feelings Too! stands on its own in terms of a city management game of this style, and it’s that uniqueness that makes it something worth taking a look at. Some performance issues in load times and frame rate dips are an annoyance, but otherwise if you’re someone who likes the strategy of city management titles, but are looking for a less serious experience, then this is definitely right up your alley.

This game is worth ten bucks at the most. If you pay any more than that, you're doing a disservice to developers striving to provide above-average experiences to gamers.

Camera and targeting issues aside, Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson is a very fun game, especially for fans of the franchise. Both in terms of story and gameplay, it finds a middle ground between Burst and Shinovi Versus.

Mega Man Star Force, despite all the changes they have made to the Battle Network formula, still feels, plays, and looks like its ancestor.

All in all, Venture Kid is a retro platformer that plays fairly well, but lacks the excitement or inspiration of the Mega Man series it tried to model. With such a wide spectrum of games in this genre that push the limits of what an action-platformer is capable of, something so vanilla is going to get lost and overlooked. Unless this is the first such game you’ve ever played, you’ve likely seen everything offered here somewhere else.

Depending on whether you love or hate Lost in Blue’s slow-paced survival gameplay, you will love or hate Lost in Blue 2.

ASM2 is still a good game at its core, with some improvements over the original, but they really botched the Hero/Menace element.

As you'd expect from a Disney production, it's a technically sound game with a decent amount of content, but the tedious nature of most of the levels make this hard to recommend to anyone, other than to Cars 2 fans who only own a DS and are desperate to play as their favorite characters.

I did enjoy my time with 1-2-Switch. Its quirky minigames have put smiles on our collective faces and we had a solid time every time we picked it up. Sure, it could have been so much more, but it causes interaction between its players. That is why it is a fine showcase for what the Joy-Con controllers can do. Their array of options are being checked off a list, but never over-emphasizes one aspect of the controllers. If you have an active group of friends who like it wacky, 1-2-Switch will serve you well. Anybody else is probably out of luck here.

"Enemies" in this game have absolutely no AI and merely circle a pre-destined path, and you merely are required to avoid them. That’s it. I suppose this is a good thing because actually controlling Zapper is akin to Sisyphus attempting to roll that boulder up the mountain in Hades.

Despite its simplistic premise, Overlord: Minions ramps up in complexity pretty quickly, yet remains quite fun. If you’re a fan of environmental puzzle-based games with cooperation elements (did you like The Lost Vikings?), you'll get a kick out of Overlord: Minions.

Furry Legends is a great game that is severely plagued by its short length.

It lacks depth, meaning that you’ll grow tired of it within minutes – even with a friend.

A wonderful example of how to make a good Smash Bros. send-up. It's not quite as polished as Nintendo's premier fighting franchise, but it is a fun experience with an entertaining and interesting single-player mode, as well as amusing multiplayer, if you can find the people around to play it.

It's just another episode of the TV show.

All told, The Long Reach could have used some more time in the oven. It presents issues that seem readily solvable—lighting, object highlighting, proof reading—but in its current form, the game is frustrating and not particularly enjoyable. Maybe some of the problems can be patched out, but until that happens, I can’t recommend The Long Reach despite its intriguing storyline.

I appreciate This is the Police II in that it tries to be a more ambitious game than the original. It still carries aspects from the first game that I liked, such as the atmosphere and narrative. But between the sharp increase in difficulty, juggling the various gameplay elements and the long-winded storytelling, it simply isn’t that fun to play. Sometimes trying to do so much dilutes what you’re trying to accomplish, and This is The Police II is a prime example of that.

Trying to fight both the bosses of SINNER as well as the controls of the warrior is just an overwhelmingly painful experience. I can only recommend SINNER to those looking for an almost insurmountable challenge, and even then, you’re probably better off just sinking those hours into further exploration of Lordran.

Viviette is purposefully inaccessible to all but the most hardcore puzzle solvers. Perhaps this is the point, and many will undoubtedly see this as a good thing. If you want a game to really push you to the absolute limits of memorizing a whole area to identify every hidden clue, then Viviette may be the game for you. Otherwise, it’s best to look elsewhere, since you’ll probably spend more time looking up solutions online than actually figuring them out yourself.

Crash Drive 2 is a decent game that doesn’t exceed at anything in particular. The fundamentals are all there, like good controls and a lot of goals to work towards, but the gameplay loop is just too simple to be worth more than a few minutes of play at a time. If you just want something to play while you’re waiting for the bus then you could do worse, but it’s worth noting that the mobile version of the game is free on both iOS and Android. The game fits into the short-bursts niche that mobile gaming has carved out for itself, so perhaps it’s best to pass on the Switch version; after all, you can’t beat free.

A fantastic addition for the 3DS. The graphics are crisp and utilize 3D well, while the music fits each game and board without becoming monotonous. Every mode and board is easy to pick up and play with anyone, anytime.. Island Tour is a perfect balance of old and new that keeps the game fresh with playing styles to meet every need.

Kirby Battle Royale relies a little too much on circumstances. If you want to get the most out of it, you will need a group of friends with Nintendo 3DS systems. The local multiplayer is the best time you will have with the game, so it’s important that you experience this. On your own, the campaign will be over before you know it and so you will come to rely on online battles. You can fight against others, but only in a Ranked Battle setting, which doesn't bring me the same joy. What doesn't help is that the game didn't ran smooth at all online. Kirby Battle Royale bums me out as an excellent multiplayer game that is buried under a poor direction.

Typoman is a gorgeous game with a lot of half-baked ideas (and physics) and, frankly, deserves better. As it exists, the game is not worth recommending.

Once I became comfortable with the controls, cycling through all the different items in my inventory became effortless. I preferred playing this game docked rather than in handheld mode. A peaceful adventure game like this begs to be played while relaxing on the couch and enjoying the vibrant colors on a big screen. While it isn’t the most gripping adventure, fans of Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing will probably enjoy it.

Does a great job at capturing the spirit of the show. Graphics and sound suit the game well, and there is an assortment of different mini-games to keep you interested. The only real problem with the game is that it's extremely short.

Completely average and exactly what you'd expect from a licensed GBA game. There's very little bang for your buck.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: Defiance isn't going to win any awards, but as a DS port of a popular franchise, it does a decent job making the experience portable.

Ghost Mania is a fun, challenging, and well-developed puzzle game.

There’s no question in my mind that AEW’s game debut is the best wrestling game we’ve had on a Nintendo console in more than a decade. But as a multiplatform game, the Switch is clearly struggling to handle it, which is odd as THQ Nordic ports on Switch tend to run on par with their counterparts on other consoles. Hopefully this isn’t an annual release and it gets some post launch support to clean things up, because as of now it didn’t meet the pre-launch goal of being a WWF No Mercy killer. It’s more of a WCW/nWo World Tour - a good first effort with potential to be a classic, but it needs a bit more work.

Overall, it's an enjoyable action-focused romp, but everything feels a little scattershot. This is a game that packs in a lot but doesn't stick the landing on all that much. The Princess Guide offers up a pleasant little brawler that overcomplicates at every turn and is never truly satisfying.

Naruto DS overall is a decent RPG game that keeps true to its series. The graphics and overall presentation let it down, and the story is kind of dull, since it more or less borrows the whole script from the show.

If you do decide to take the plunge, you can't go wrong with the puzzles and story, but you will have to put up with a lot to truly enjoy yourself.

Rampage is an ancient kind of game, unabashedly repetitive and simple, and that makes it a good choice for older gamers who remember pumping quarters into arcade machines other than Dance Dance Revolution.

The clearest recommendation here is that Destiny Connect is more for the younger gamer in your life, as it’s a kid-friendly adventure that winds up being a little too basic and uninspired for those with more JRPG experience. This game drifts through the sands of time that is the Switch’s library as just another in the line of numerous RPGs of various shapes and sizes. It’s an okay game, but without any defining features other than competency, it’s hard to recommend over similar games in the genre.

Boogie should be a lesson learned for EA's Casual Entertainment division. Simplifying the controls of a game for new players is a good idea, but the gameplay shouldn't be simplified with them.

Overall, the game's all right. Nothing makes it stand out against Thor or Green Lantern or Transformers or any other of the hundred movie games that came out this year. The game's not bad, it's just not very good.

Hiragana Pixel Party's main issue is that it is just merely an okay rhythm game on the Switch eShop. Even as somebody who doesn't play a lot of rhythm games I have a hard time believing that there are not better games in the genre available for the Switch. If you're interested in learning Japanese, the game might be a solid investment but otherwise the repetitive nature makes it difficult to recommend to anyone who isn't both a fan of rhythm games and interested in learning Japanese.

With the control issues that some of these games have, you'll probably have to play Deca Sports DS quite a few times just to decide if you like any of them at all.

The Wii U version should be your last resort. I can't help but think it must have been rushed to meet the release date, when it would have benefited from some extra time in development.

Overall, Gear.Club Unlimited 2 is a half-decent attempt at a big-budget style racing sim, but falls short in too many areas to be considered a serious contender. Whilst it offers moments of enjoyment in between those pesky loading screens, the game’s greatest strength is the lack of competition it faces from other racing sims on the platform. So, if Nintendo Switch is your only console and you happen to be a massive petrol head, then Gear.Club Unlimited 2 is worth considering. Everyone else should probably steer clear.

Players wanting a simple but entertaining light RPG experience will scratch that itch well with Fossil Fighters: Frontier.

THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD: Remake is precisely that, a remake of one of the most iconic and best rail-shooters of all time. In terms of core gameplay and story, there isn’t much; however, the touch-ups are all that was needed for a perfect refresh. To add to this, the gyro controls are surprisingly great and the best way to play. Grab yourself a joy-con and a willing partner, and shoot your way through bullet-hell in THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD.

The decision to focus on the superficialities of visuals and voice work rather than gameplay defines Dawn of the Dragon as a work of style over substance.

If the control issues don't stop you, the tired and overdone level design will.

Astro Bears Party relies more on the experiences that can be made by everyone playing than raw content, as not much is in wait beyond the base concept. The more players, the more stressful the situation. Visually, the game has very clean 3D models of bears that have a simple, cute design. It really is a fantastic pick–up-and-play party game, and while it doesn’t aspire to be much more than a simplistic affair, it’s fun for what it is.

Reel Fishing Paradise 3D is not a bad game by any means, but it is oddly paced in places. The catching is easy, while some of the missions can take a while to complete. Either way, there is no sense of you becoming a victor.

If the characters were anywhere close to balanced, or if it were four-player or had some other awesome redeeming quality, I could recommend Zatch Bell, but the value is just not there.

Paladin Studios made a decent game and I can be frank about that, but that doesn't mean that you are exactly getting your money's worth.

Kids who are fans of the movies will probably enjoy every minute of it, but parents may want to find a longer game to invest their money in.

If Iro Hero was updated to create a better balance, I would definitely want to play it again. The game has a lot of potential. There are great bosses with different fighting styles, the graphics are fun and non-distracting from the gameplay, and the music and sound effects all add to the overall action. However, throwing endless enemies and obstacles at a player all in the name of creating a difficult game does not inherently produce a rewarding challenge. Unfortunately this title sorely missed that mark.

It does what it says on the tin and the game is competent enough to give it a go. There is nothing really outstanding about the game.

In a world where the Switch is filthy with TMNT arcade games across the Cowabunga Collection and Shredder’s Revenge, Wrath of the Mutants is a distant third place. It’s fine in the sense that if you get three buddies to play through it with you, you’ll probably have a good time. But beyond that camaraderie, this is a middling port of an okay game.

If you're looking for a great kart game, stick with "Mario Kart." If you really have the urge to play a kart game featuring Namco characters, then by all means, pick up Pac-Man World Rally.

The gameplay has serious setbacks, but possibly the worst part of Sonic Adventure DX is its cut-scenes. Featuring an atrocious English translation and mind-numbingly horrible voice acting, Sonic Adventure will, at best, leave many players embarrassed for Sega, and at worst, leave them disgusted with the game.

Kung-Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors is one you should leave on the shelf. Even the little ones will appreciate Brawl more than this, both as a single-player game and a party game.