I absolutely adored the art style and the way it mashes artistic paintings to become its own unique thing, instead of simply a reference or shorthand. The humor is probably the best writing I’ve experienced all year, but in true European fashion, it’s dark, dry, and very self-referential at times. While it does have a few shortcomings, including the way in which the game has been translated to Switch and its slow movement speed, The Procession to Calvary was a delight the entire time I played it. If you are a fan of point-and-click games or just want a short and funny experience, I’d recommend this game over any Renaissance art gallery.

I came into Pocket Dungeon with high hopes. I am one of the few people who adores Wario’s Woods. What I found in the final package was something bigger and bolder than I anticipated. You might be able to draw a dotted line back to the retro puzzler, but at the end of the day, Yacht Club and Vine just went and took the idea and ethos of Shovel Knight and paired it with the puzzle style that would make for the deepest experience. This isn’t a square peg fitting into a round hole like some puzzle game spin-offs. Instead, Shovel Knight: Pocket Dungeon just feels like an extension of the original game. Much like the inspiration, it’s challenging, but it’s also forgiving enough to not dissuade frustrated players. I didn’t think I’d see the day when someone did Wario’s Woods as a conceptual idea justice, but dang, they did it. Pocket Dungeon is incredible.

I feel that many racers start on a high and the more you play, the less fun the game becomes due to its repetitive nature. I don’t feel this at all with Super Impossible Road. It is a game that I will always say, “just one more race” and open when a friend is over. The better you become at finding those shortcuts and taking those leaps of faith off the track - and succeeding - the more fun you’ll be having with the tight controls in this action-packed, crazy, and striking space racer.

Twelve Minutes tells an interesting story using a familiar narrative device, and the simple manipulation of time that the player can perform works to the game's benefit. While the multiple endings feel lackluster compared to some of the more poignant reveals in the middle of the plot, the strong voice acting buoys the entire 3 to 5-hour runtime. I'm certainly happy to have played through it, but with its late arrival on Switch I also feel like I expected more from it, in terms of both quality and shock value. The fact remains, though, Twelve Minutes is a strong mystery game that fans of story-focused experiences will likely enjoy. It doesn't hurt that Willem Dafoe is a national treasure, either.

In order to reach the ending of Loop Hero, you will have to roll through dozens upon dozens of loops, but the way new concepts layer over the basics keeps it fun as you strategize to plan out your challenging loop that will earn you the best loot while ensuring your survival. With new elements dropping in consistently as you grow your village, it rarely stays staid for long. Some of the finer points might require some dumb luck or an assist from a guide, but if you’re ready to just poke at a rock solid concept until it cracks and bends to your will, Loop Hero is amazing.

Doctor Who: Edge of Reality is a bit like a hastily put together reunion show. They’re hitting all the beats you’d expect, and you’ll see every fan favorite make an appearance, but the story itself feels like cobbled together, mediocre fan-fiction rather than something from one of the most celebrated science fiction shows of all time. The gameplay itself is inoffensive if not horribly inventive, and makes a decent attempt at implementing some nice variety. This Switch version, however, is just not very fun to play. It is poorly optimized to a damaging degree and turns what could be a meandering but enjoyable experience into one of the more rough experiences I’ve had on the platform. There is some fun to be had here surfing along the great wibbly-wobbly, but it’s probably better done on a different system.

Ultimately, this is a solid introduction to Monster Rancher (definitely better than the short-lived TV show). At the very least, it's an enjoyable look back at a series that never quite hit the big time. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I forgot to feed my Golem, and you don’t want to see what his tantrums look like.

The Legend of Tian-Ding is an action-packed, kung-fu tale with great writing and an even greater art style. The comic book depicting 1900s Taipei is glorious and such a gorgeous aesthetic to play through; Its use was well executed and added layers of humour, threat, and depth to all characters of this heroic tale. Tian-Ding is a fantastic indie hidden gem that I hope becomes, like Liao Tian-Ding, legendary.

Overall Happy Game is a bit of a complicated game to recommend, especially on Switch with its unruly controls, but one that ultimately comes off as a positive experience. Well… as positive as a game about waking nightmares can be, at least. Even with the sometimes overly simplified minute to minute gameplay, the art direction and sound design are masterful to a point that pulls this game up to a higher level than it would likely be if it had been in the hands of a less noteworthy developer. Those looking for a short, simple game that will work hard to creep you out and disturb you over the course of about two hours will likely come out of Happy Game happy, but those hoping for something more in line with a game like Machinarium have a chance of walking away at least slightly disappointed.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom has an incredible amount to offer, and everything that it does is delivered and executed to the highest standard. The art style is undeniably gorgeous, and the gameplay will have you hooked from the moment you arrive in Ding Dong Dell. A charming adventure that I am so happy to have gone on. All hail King Evan!

Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp is a good game for two distinct groups of people: those who went for 100% completion of the adventure game trilogy and those who want an incredibly brief RPG. If you’re in either one of those camps, then it’s worth signing up. Otherwise, stick to the adventure games.

On one hand, I wish Big Brain Academy spent the past decade focusing on all of its game design lobes, but on the other, the focused and relatively meager assortment are enjoyable in the proper context. I won’t find the nigh-endless Sudoku comfort of Brain Age games or the nuanced breadth of a full party game here, but the end result is still welcome and enjoyable. Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain might not be the 2021 valedictorian on Switch, but it certainly earns its passing grade.

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.

While some will almost certainly find Grow: Song of the Evertree to be a bit too menial to keep their attention, those who simply want to enjoy a quietly beautiful adventure need look no further. From working on garden-like worlds high in the Evertree, to building a town to your own specifications, and exploring an ever growing world full of secrets to uncover, a rich experience is packed into this adventure. Performance concerns are certainly worth being aware of on Switch, but they rarely hamper the actual gameplay. If you need a break from Animal Crossing or want something even calmer than Story of Seasons, Grow: Song of the Evertree isn’t likely to steer you wrong. This is without a doubt one of the most pleasantly cozy experiences I’ve had playing a game.

Sometimes a date doesn't go so well, but the restaurant was good, or the movie was enjoyable. Maybe you bowled a 200, even if you left the alley alone at the end of the night. That's kind of the feeling of playing Date Night Bowling. The bowling itself is fun and challenging, even if the presentation of it is quite bare bones. The dating elements, however, are a major letdown, especially considering the strength of other Serenity Forge-developed games like Half Past Fate and A Case of Distrust, which have particularly compelling narratives and dialogue. There isn't much of a reason to recommend what ends up being a pretty consistent gutterball, with the occasional spare thrown in to save face. I don’t foresee a second date happening.

It is likely one of the best action games of 2021 and stands apart using its beautifully varied areas to explore. The soundtrack is also fantastic, with composer David Fenn managing to strike a perfect balance between high energy action and peaceful contemplation. Not to mention the crow you're controlling is just a cute little bird. If you are a fan of action games and have an itch for one that will kill around 8 hours, Death's Door is a pretty good place to clock in and get to work.

Comparing Tokyo 2020 to Mario & Sonic is not only unavoidable, it’s also just weird. Mario & Sonic released in November 2019, and while Tokyo 2020 was always going to release a little later it was delayed a full year due to the real life Olympics being postponed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With more than a year and half gap between the two video games, it’s bizarre that the one that had so much longer to be worked on ends up feeling more rushed and lacking in comparison to its counterpart. Tokyo 2020 would be tough to recommend on its own merits, but placed next to Mario & Sonic there really doesn’t seem to be any reason to choose the “Official” Olympic Games.

Ayo the Clown is visually adorable and full of so much charm that you can’t help but love the little guy and the world that Cloud M1 has created. I am looking forward to what else they can create; I wonder if Ayo the Clown 2 could be on the horizon? With a little polishing of controls, character models and the town function, who knows what heights Ayo could float to.

It does have a multiplayer option and online leaderboards for each stage, so if competitive speed running is your thing, Aeon Drive delivers. For me, it’s an interesting curio that I’m glad I played, but won’t be returning to often.

Taken on its own, without the history of the franchise and the desire to see it be more, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond is a great RPG. There's a wide variety of content, the gameplay is fun and polished, and the presentation of the remake is charming and warm. While it's easier to recommend to newer Pokémon fans than those who played the Nintendo DS originals, taking another trip around a much more visually striking Sinnoh region turned out to be more satisfying than I anticipated. I'm certainly not in a hurry to leave it any time soon; that's for sure. However, with Pokémon Legends on the horizon, this one-two punch of Pokémon titles could be a winning way to close out one year and welcome in another, with a blast from the past followed by something we haven't really seen before. That's a Jigglepuff double-slap I can get behind.

Taken on its own, without the history of the franchise and the desire to see it be more, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond is a great RPG. There's a wide variety of content, the gameplay is fun and polished, and the presentation of the remake is charming and warm. While it's easier to recommend to newer Pokémon fans than those who played the Nintendo DS originals, taking another trip around a much more visually striking Sinnoh region turned out to be more satisfying than I anticipated. I'm certainly not in a hurry to leave it any time soon; that's for sure. However, with Pokémon Legends on the horizon, this one-two punch of Pokémon titles could be a winning way to close out one year and welcome in another, with a blast from the past followed by something we haven't really seen before. That's a Jigglepuff double-slap I can get behind.

For years, despite being an avid Star Wars fan who eagerly devours movies, shows, books, and games, Knights of the Old Republic had eluded me. Despite multiple attempts it had just never clicked. Finally now, playing it on Switch I think I understand. While elements of its design certainly haven’t aged as gracefully as others, it still tells a complex and dynamically evolving narrative. It provides a depth that few Star Wars games have and its place in the timeline makes it relevant to modern fans even if you otherwise have no interest in legends content. Yes you’ll spend a long time running back and forth across the dunes of Tatooine but the payoff is always worth it. Save for the potential of the recently announced remake, this is easily the best experience I’ve had playing this game and I can now earnestly hope the sequel finds its way to Switch as well.

The Switch port appears to be more or less the same as other HD ports, essentially just taking the Wii game and making it work on a new platform and match up to the visual standards. While I’d love to see the veritable all-star team of developers (some are still at WayForward; others went to found Yacht Club Games and Tic Toc Games) that worked on the original Wii release come back for more Blob content, I’m happy that a great Wii game still lives on modern consoles. Whether you first played this on Wii in 2009 or have never touched it before, A Boy And His Blob is well worth checking out. Just remember to press the hug button to brighten your day when needed.

BLUE REFLECTION: Second Light is a surprisingly deep JRPG, both mechanics and story wise, without overwhelming the player in either area. The cast of characters are all unique and likeable, and alongside the interesting story, the attachment you gain for the cast aids you in your pursuit for answers. The battle system is fun and boss battles are especially tense. Despite the repetitiveness of some enemies, and the overuse of cutscenes, this is a great game that I’ll be diving back into the confirmed higher difficulty when released later this year.

I was surprised by how well the F-1 cars fit into the overall aesthetic of Horizon Chase Turbo. Courses are still colorful and gorgeous, and the music is just as bombastic as ever—the new tracks aren’t so much brand new as remixes of existing tracks, but I didn’t care. This game’s soundtrack is just so phenomenal. Senna Forever is a great addition to Horizon Chase Turbo, and I was happy to have an excuse to jump back in. And better yet, I learned a lot about one of the sport’s greatest players.

While I had some fun with its unique premise, Circa Infinity does wear out its welcome quickly. The boss stages make for a fun break in the action, but I didn't feel compelled to play for more than 10 minutes at a time or return to previously completed stages. Those looking for a set of tough platformer-like challenges that work better in short bursts should give this one a try. Some post-game unlockables add even more content and incentives to keep returning to the game. It won't be for everyone, but Circa Infinity makes for an interesting, if somewhat repetitive, experience on Switch.

Now that we’ve finally closed the book on the 2017 Switch presentation, I think Shin Megami Tensei V might be my favourite game to emerge from that show. That’s not a comparison I make lightly given the other games that appeared that night, but for my money and time it was worth the wait. Pokemon might be ending the year of RPGs on Switch, but SMT V is the best monster catcher for your buck yet.

Demon Turf is at its best when it is providing complex platforming challenges. Its movement system is intuitive yet adaptive enough to provide plenty of options and satisfying shortcuts for adventurous players. It stumbles a bit through its combat but ultimately always comes back to platforming. Boss fights, while not incredible, are better than other combat encounters and showcase some incredible art. The performance on Switch is largely great, but when it hits a snag it tends to do so at the worst possible time. But for the rest of the time it’s a great looking, great sounding, and great-playing 3D platformer. This is one of those games where despite some flaws, you’ll find yourself returning to old worlds to clean up every last collectible as you work your way up the demon ladder.

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.

Unpacking on Switch doesn’t quite stick the landing of the zen experience it aspires to be, but if you can tolerate some frustrating interfaces and controls, this is still a game worth exploring. Just maybe consider playing it on PC since that experience should be much stronger without the control caveats.

The feeling of being stuck emotionally and maybe favoring isolation is a common theme that many can relate to given the last 18 months we have all experienced. Tie that in with this slice of life being shared with us, and you have yourself an incredibly well written and truly unique experience. Stilstand is a brief, yet powerful story that is well worth taking the time to check out.

Outside of the reset upgrades and story, Skul the Hero Slayer is largely successful. Runs and levels have a timer for speedrunning fans, but the timer also shows how bite-sized they feel. Depending on your skill, runs can last 10 minutes or an hour. The game moves at a good pace and when finding the perfect combo of skulls and items, the gameplay is very satisfying. When in the midst of high-intensity action, there are some framerate dips but it rarely hindered my fun; in fact, it kind of felt good to know that I had caused so much chaos that the game couldn’t handle it all. In the vein of run-based, combat-styled platformer games, Skul the Hero Slayer proves that there’s still life in these old bones yet.

If you’re looking for an epic, grand story with a vibrant presentation, you won’t find that here. But if you just want raw and engrossing exploration and turn-based combat, Dungeon Encounters delivers in spades.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl almost feels as if it was sold on the sheer premise of reviving Melee with Nickelodeon characters. On the fighting end, it mostly succeeds, but due to a lack of polish, cut corners and just a cheap feel, I’m skeptical how long this game can keep your attention. Yes, the sheer hilarity of seeing Patrick Star beat up CatDog is still funny, but I don’t think the lifespan of this game will increase over time. Watching all these fighters silently duke it out makes it feel like we’re watching storyboards for a singular crossover episode. While that may entice you into watching the commercials, the final product just leaves all these popular properties feel compromised.

Overall Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is a fun action horror adventure to play through, with the specters of Mt. Hikami providing an interesting backstory and a fun combat experience. While the characters are more bland than I had hoped, this doesn't necessarily take away from the story all that much. Some control issues do get annoying over time, but even they couldn't stop me from continuously returning to the beautiful and creepy environments of the mountain. If you're a fan of horror games with a bit more of an action feel, you could certainly do a lot worse than Fatal Frame, and now might just be the perfect time to dive in.

Without question, Voice of Cards represents a great entry point for RPG newcomers that employs a compelling and unique aesthetic. If you've shuffled your way through most of the RPGs on Switch, however, you might find this Isle Dragon more of a whimper.

DUSK’s arrival on Switch has been a long time coming. But I'm honestly relieved that the creator took his time sanding down and sharpening every little corner of DUSK for its Switch debut. It feels like a game that was meant to be played on Nintendo’s console and uses its retro inspirations to pump new life into this particular genre of games. If you ask me, it's the beginning of a new dawn.

If you are hankering for a campy, gory old school horror movie that you are in control of, you really can’t get much better than Murder House. It’s a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously and is not afraid to dump down a few buckets of blood every now and then. Dated things like tank controls or limited saves may be frustrating to a player not used to these types of games, but I honestly think this might be one of the better places to try those things out for the first time. The short runtime helps alleviate the stress of the controls and save mechanics, though the unfortunate crashing issues may replace that stress with frustration in the end. Hopefully a patch will be coming down the pipeline soon, but for now Murder House has found a good but technically troubled murder home on the Switch.

It’s actually pretty disappointing that Thea 2: The Shattering shoots itself in the foot on Switch. The world is unique and mysterious to me. There’s a ton of things to tinker with in the overworld sections, and the combat is engaging enough to mix things up. But this game proved to me what I didn’t want to hear — to me the inherent sluggishness of Thea 2 was enough to sink it.

Overall, UNSIGHTED is a game that I hope doesn’t fall into the “hidden gem” category. For the simple reason that it is a gem that should not be hidden and needs to be in the line of sight (get it?) of as many gamers as possible. Despite the stress of the lifespan gimmick, this unique element is what will keep you on your toes and panicking, worrying but ultimately loving your time as Alma. The narrative is beautiful, and characters are all full of life and loveable, making for a gaming journey that you will genuinely care about.

Despite its difficulty, Evertried is almost faultless in what it attempts to achieve. The gameplay is tight, the music and visuals are both fresh and nostalgic, and the roguelike tower aspect and difficulty will have you coming back for “just one more run” until you ascend to the top. And even when you do, this game will have you coming back for more as you attempt to better previous scores and times.

Jackbox Party Pack 8 brings a fresh slate of games that can liven up any party. The voice acting is as high quality as it’s ever been in both humor and characters but at the end of the day, I found myself wanting to go back to Jackbox Party Pack 3, 4, or 5 again. There are new twists on the drawing and quiz formula, but I doubt their staying power overall. These devs have a history of making high quality fun games so if you are a completionist or are new to the series, I would recommend it, just not over many of the older ones. Jackbox is like pizza, even when bad it’s still pretty good.

Mon Amour is straight to the point. It’s a bunch of Flappy Bird-like single-screen levels where you try to survive and kiss people while aiming for a high score. I enjoyed my time with it, even if the chase for the leaderboards didn’t grab me. This is a wild and wacky arcade game worth checking out if you’re seeking an afternoon of fun.

I haven’t had a game in which I’ve had to pull myself away from playing it for a while, but I spent a Saturday basically playing The Caligula Effect 2 and only stopping for supper. I really hope a lot of the other RPGs coming out before the year’s out on Switch can elicit that level of devotion.

Overall, Teacup certainly has its place, but I feel as though that place is very specific. If you’re looking for something to play with a child or even just looking for a short but slow experience to unwind at the end of the day, Teacup may be something you should look into. For most, though, a mixture of the complete lack of any challenge in the minigames and the very slow pace may turn them off from the experience. Its art style is gorgeous and the soundtrack to accompany Little Pond is a joy to listen to, but at the end of the day those can only do so much to help the experience. If this sounds up your alley, you should absolutely give Teacup a playthrough! If not, well you may just have to look into a different blend to fill your cup.

I don’t want to seem too down on Ruin Raiders, because the core strategy gameplay works well. If you’re willing to put in the time, it does start to have more variety and more customization after you build up blueprints and base facilities, but the road to that point can be pretty monotonous. It would have been much better served to have more variety in the early stages, which would have been a much better and easier to recommend game.

With 400 stars to earn, dozens of Blue Things to find, and countless secrets to discover, it turns out that A Little Golf Journey is actually much larger and content-full than its name would imply. I love having it to chill out with before bedtime as I need to wind down after multi-hour Metroid Dread sessions, and I think it might actually be my new favorite golf game on Switch, closely edging out Golf Story. I did encounter a few technical issues where my ball got stuck and I had to restart the hole, but this wasn’t a frequent occurrence. If you’re looking for a peaceful and zen-inducing golf experience, there might not be any better than A Little Golf Journey. I intend to relive this journey over and over as I shoot for the stars, and yeah, those little blue things, too.

The core gameplay is fertile ground for some great emergent moments in solo or multiplayer, and the game is chock full of content. Each mission has bonus challenges such as meal delivery or demolition, and there are escape missions, boss battles, difficulty options, loadouts, upgradable items, and cosmetics. Even if you only play strictly single-player, Embr has so much to offer were it not hampered by the visual noise, performance and control issues, and truly frustrating physics. In a lot of ways, playing Embr felt like playing a very promising early access game that would be worth waiting for the arrival of a polished 1.0 release. The devs even included an easy feedback system for bugs, framerate, controls, and gameplay issues in the main and pause menus. But I can only review the product in hand, which though built on solid foundation, quickly crumbles down.

I didn’t really click with Astria Ascending, and I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s an inability to relate to characters that are functionally immortal, or the hackneyed story, or losing about 60 turns of combat in one dungeon thanks to Omni-Stun. But I found myself fighting to actually boot the game up, which is something I haven’t had from a review in a while. If you’re ready to go all-in on Astria Ascending… well, you probably already have. If not, there’s plenty of fish in the RPG sea on Switch and some more marlins coming before the year’s out. You’ll be able to get your fill.

Overall, Disco Elysium is one of those games I feel like we’re still going to be talking about ten years from now. Technical issues aside, the writing and worldbuilding present in this game lift it high above a lot of the other entries in the genre. This is further helped by the fantastic voice acting and narration that was also recently added to all other versions of the game. The voice that narrates everything and also plays your different stats is really satisfying to listen to, keeping me around to hear it all even though I could personally read way faster than he could talk. If you enjoy games that lean heavily into their dice rolling foundations, you should absolutely put your time into Disco Elysium; you will not regret it. With its myriad of technical difficulties on the Switch, however, it may be a good idea to look elsewhere unless portability is your main concern.

Over the years I’ve heard many people demand a sequel, in terms of gameplay, to one 2D Metroid or another. No matter what sequel you’ve wished for, Metroid Dread is it. It is simply Metroid, in the best way possible. Metroid Dread is the culmination of 2D Metroid in its entirety. It is a testament not only to what the genre has always been, but the potential of what it could become. It is a triumphant return of Samus Aran as the undisputed queen of the genre. Long may she reign.

I love Tetris Effect: Connected because it keeps reminding me why I love video games. There’s really nothing else quite like it. If you think this is just another game of Tetris, I urge you especially to give this game a try. Who knows? It may even change your life.

I feel like I say this with a lot of games, but I really enjoyed Steel Assault until I didn’t anymore. Up to that point, it was really fun, and I have to commend Zenovia Interactive on their effective graphical filters, which are a big part of the appeal.

With over 200 monsters to collect, many of whom can be traded for with various NPCs scattered about the map, a helpful in-town quick travel system, and some interesting story beats, I have no doubt that Monster Crown could become a brilliant and shining example of how to make a Pokémon-like. Regrettably, it’s really nowhere near ready for prime time. Steam users are certainly more accustomed to early access, and I’m sure they enjoy being part of the process of fixing and helping to improve a game that they have high hopes for. The console audience can be more discerning, though, and it’s hard to ask Switch owners to pay money for a video game in this state. One day, it might actually be worthy of some royal headgear, but as of now, Monster Crown is much more pauper than prince.

The graphical downgrade on the Switch casts a pale shadow on what is otherwise a solid yet difficult game with occasional obtuse vehicle handling. If you are a bike-racing enthusiast and don’t mind a challenge in its single race, career or online play modes, this game is for you. Casual bikers (myself included) need not apply.

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.

As a little nugget of arcade history, the first ExZeus is certainly worth having and is a good, though very straightforward port. The second game isn’t really worth it unless you're desperate. This is unfortunate as some basic quality of life updates could make it a much better game. There is some cool history here, and this is a collection that will appeal to arcade or rail-shooter enthusiasts, but is hard to recommend outside of those specific circles.

So while the bells and whistles aren’t necessarily anything to write home about, the GBA games at the core of this Castlevania Advance Collection are easily worth the price of admission. I remain flummoxed and annoyed that Konami is holding Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night hostage for the time being, but hopefully that will be resolved someday.

Although I can’t entirely fault the story in Warp Frontier or the voice acting performances, it was hard to engage in the narrative at all due to the frustrating puzzles and low-quality feel that the game presents. The almost randomness of solving puzzles to advance really did make for a negative experience overall that I can’t see many wanting to return to.

Overall A Juggler’s Tale is a very neat experience with fantastic aesthetic presentation, a fantastic medieval style soundtrack, and a heartwarming but simple story to tell. The only real issue I experienced were some readability problems when it came to figuring out what certain puzzles expected of me, but I was always able to figure it out on my own in the end. A playthrough goes quickly, only lasting around two to three hours, so it doesn’t overstay its welcome nor does it feel too brief. If you enjoy a good puzzle platformer, A Juggler’s Tale is a worthy addition to your collection, no strings required.

I have no problem recommending the Cloud-version of The Forgotten City, but as with any streaming version your mileage may vary. What will probably not vary is your enjoyment of this game, because as far as narrative driven adventures are considered, The Forgotten City absolutely deserves to be remembered for a very long time.

This is not the straight port or remake of the original GameCube Monkey Ball I might have asked for, but it’s a great game in its own right that brings to light a lot of what I loved about those earlier entries in the franchise. This is a lively, amusing video game that is stuffed with challenging marble-rolling stages, good-natured multiplayer games, and a lot of charm.

While there isn't a lot of depth to Centipede: Recharged, it still manages to breathe new life into a 30-year-old arcade staple. In short bursts, Recharged plays well enough to earn a spot in my rotation for sure, and I'll gladly pop in from time to time to check out the various leaderboards. The art style does grow a bit stale the more you see it; some additional color palettes or unlockables would certainly be welcome here. It might not have 100 of them, but as far as arcade revivals go, Centipede: Recharged definitely has legs.

If you’re looking for a fitness game focused on boxing, it’s worth going a few rounds with this one, but otherwise you might be better off with another trainer.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is a decent arcade racer with a whole bunch of additional content that helps pull it out of mediocrity. The single player campaign is set up for greatness but ultimately fails to amount to anything beyond basic races and time trials. The customization is incredible, if a little hard to come to grip with. Hopefully, the upcoming post-launch update will clear these issues up. For now, there is a lot of potential. Check back around the time that patch hits for my final scored thoughts on the game. In the meantime, if building tracks and customizing cars can make up for some rough edges in other departments, Hot Wheels Unleashed may be worth checking out.

For people that are already big fans of Dragon Ball Z, as a whole, Kakarot has some value as a walk down memory lane and a way to re-experience the show in an entirely different manner. However, if you’re not already a big fan of Goku and Co’s adventures, Kakarot sadly has absolutely nothing for you. Without the nostalgia factor this game ends up being a slow slog of samey gameplay that likely won’t keep your attention for very long.

Lost in Random definitely can hold its own against other titles and feels like a premium experience, but on it’s way there the balance between randomness and thought out design may have gotten a bit lost.

Get It Together! feels like a WarioWare D.I.Y. project that never got finished. As far as I can tell, there’s no mode or method for just playing a random assortment of all 220 or so microgames, in single or multiplayer. The Story mode arranges them in groups of approximately 23 around a set theme, such as “Nintendo Classics” and “That’s Life,” and in solo play that’s about it, especially given how the single-player options in Variety Pack are pretty joyless and feature no microgames at all. For those who are able to find another player or three, Get It Together! offers some decent value, but so much of the side content just isn’t compelling enough to justify a purchase, and it’s hard not to see the Switch’s WarioWare game as another Game & Wario, where the schtick is all there is. At the end of the day, Get It Together! hasn’t even heeded its own admonition. Ironically, the absence of any meaningful online experience means that most will be left to “get it together” on their own.

The Great American Circus’ strengths lie first and foremost in its family friendly premise and presentation. That smart lure roped me in to a well fleshed out card match game with a leveling system that doesn’t quite grab me. If that and an uphill climb for making a comeback in a performance doesn’t deter you, then there’s a lot of fun to be had in this upcoming attraction.

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.

There’s been a fair few games where I’ve thought about the events of the game for a while afterwards. Maybe it’s my choice of romance games, but Olympia Soiree is the first time the good route of a game still caused me to have a nightmare when I went to sleep that night. If you’re ready to deal with this kind of story, then take the plunge.

If you can immerse yourself into the story early on, Black Book will be your go to for many, many gaming sessions. Black Book is structured in a way that you can spend hours on end playing through it or pick up and play it mission by mission without losing your way in this incredibly well-crafted RPG adventure.

I’m impressed by how much thought was put into Tails of Iron and how that shines through while playing the game. Nearly every new screen I entered contained another small inclusion to admire. In my final attack on Frog Village, I found farmer frogs tending to their fields in between fights with enemy frog soldiers. Odd Bug Studios including them shows that even the big enemy isn’t only evil; this is a civilization that unfortunately happens to hate Redgi’s. The care and attention to world building would have been enough to keep me playing Tails of Iron, but the tight combat made it a joy to play the whole time.

The combat is generally enjoyable, but the scoring system is never explained and appears to require superhuman skill (or far more practice than I’m willing to entertain) to get good grades in. The platforming is generally miserable. The bosses are a lot of fun, though. Betrayal looks and sounds great. More often than not, though, it feels like work. Tedious, exhausting work.

SkateBird was a game I anticipated since I first heard about it. A whimsical bird-focused take on skateboarding seemed delightful, but in execution, frustration dominated my playtime, whether it was struggling to find missions or battling with the loose controls. Charm is the saving grace that led to me having short-lived enjoyment. Overall, SkateBird is way more reminiscent of the janky but sometimes enjoyable games that came out in the wake of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’s success than the original product itself.

Eastward delivers so well on the writing and soundtrack front that it’s easy to forgive its otherwise simplistic gameplay. The fully realized world has its charm, but it hardly breaks the mold anywhere else. While it doesn't do anything necessarily offensive, it does demand more when the rest of the game is so well done. It’s clear Pixpil have got the writing chops down, now let’s tighten up some of the stuff around it.

There’s no doubt that Cruis’n Blast is going to serve a relatively niche audience, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The sheer spectacle on display combined with vast opportunity for technical skill makes for an incredibly engaging arcade racing game that focuses on letting the player have pure, unfiltered fun. It’s a shame that there isn’t any form of online functionality to provide a little extra meaning to the experience, since that little extra motivation could’ve elevated Cruis’n Blast from a good game to a great game.

Golf Club Wasteland is a thought-provoking piece. Its story, not only told through radio but also your golfer's diary, is expanded on further after you beat the game, making it a worthwhile experience overall. It’s worth noting that the audio is on a loop and you will eventually run out of new content from the radio station, but it’s an incredibly effective oral storytelling mechanic. Seeing as this is Demagog Studio’s first outing, I am very keen to see how they grow as a developer. There is some amazing talent and creativity on display, and should all the pieces fall into place, barring ecological catastrophe, their next title would be one to watch out “fore.”

Don't get me wrong, my time with TOEM while playing was a lot of fun. The little contradictions I came across during my time with the game didn't really sink in until after I finished the game. I did put in the time and collected as many stamps as possible. But even so, you should expect to stick too long to TOEM. Once you've seen everything, there really isn't that much to return to. Still, in some cases I'd argue that the journey is the destination. When it comes to TOEM the journey can be a little tedious and sometimes even a bit repetitive. But if you're looking for a slow paced game to relax over a weekend there's still a lot of charm and enjoyment to be found here.

I had a blast with Ultra Age and will continue to play this long after this review is written and posted. Even though its narrative is a little thin in its 15+ hour runtime, it truly is the stylish and adrenaline pumping combat that keeps you coming back for more and elevates Ultra Age to the tier of great Switch titles.

Rustler is certainly an enjoyable nostalgic trip back in time for those who are old enough to remember it. Many younger gamers of the Halo and Fornite generation may not be able to appreciate it, but they won’t know what they are missing out on.

Hindsight 20/20 - Wrath of the Raakshasa largely meets its goal of meaningful choice, which is impressive. However its ability to hold your interest while it does so is up for debate. There are a lot of good ingredients here, but they aren’t always mixed together in the most interesting way. Ultimately the mechanism whereby you experience the best of what Hindsight has to offer, is extremely repetitive and not very interesting. The combat system itself is good and the difference in playstyle between lethal and non-lethal is excellent, but it rarely does anything significant with encounters. If you can put up with what feels like the same fight over and over again, there’s something cool here, but that repetition can be a bit of a hurdle, and then another, and another.

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.

I think it’s important to keep in mind that Big Rumble Boxing is an arcade game. With that mindset, you are going to have a really fun time, especially if you spar with a friend. Who doesn’t want to play out Rocky versus Apollo Creed again? Or even Rocky versus Adonis? The Arcade mode does feel a little thin, and there are certain things that could have been done to flesh the game out from feeling like it's missing something (more voice acting would have added some much-needed meat to this mode), but aside from this, it’s a great pick-up-and-play boxing game.

Maybe Alveole is only designed as a trophy hunting game for other platforms. You can easily knock out the entire game within an hour of play. But as the Switch has no internal achievement system, I don’t think players here will derive much enjoyment from Alveole’s core gameplay. However, if you’re looking for something to drift away with and maybe get some of your thoughts in order, I think Alveole could be a meditative experience that may present you with some new insights or relief. That particular wheel may keep on spinning long after the experience is over.

Alex Kidd makes a return with mixed results. The aesthetic of Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is very eye-catching and can make it fun to watch being played by speedrunners or those familiar with the series. For those looking to have a more classic experience, the swappable color palette available in the main mode and the unlockable port are worth a look. The release is rounded out with a boss rush mode to serve up a challenging 2D platformer that’s worth a try before the game shows itself as a product of its time.

The art and sound for these two feels pixel accurate to what you’d remember from the PS2 era, so the nostalgia is in full effect. These remasters also come with all of the DLC bonus content that was added in subsequent re-releases and versions, which is nice for those wanting to dig deeper into the content but no special frills for the NIS collection itself. This is a great little package that is sure to make some classic RPG fans feel sentimental and it holds up to modern sensibilities. I will note that some of the verbiage and story beats can get a little on the graphic side (i.e., not playing to contemporary tastes), but otherwise I would recommend this collection. As it turns out, NIS’ catalog, while grindy, still holds up compared to what you’d play today.

With no handholding of any kind, Wildbus expects you to experiment and piece together how to actually navigate its world and solve its mysteries. After a lot of initial frustration, it's possible to figure out how to actually reach the Land of Light, but I took no pleasure in doing it. If Wildbus is wacky and odd for the sake of being such, then that might be the only way of deeming it a success. For anyone looking for a legitimately fun video game, don't go anywhere near this bus. The only ones who should be paying this fare are those who truly have a craving for something bizarre.

There’s something really special about a well-crafted puzzle game. The difficulty has to be just right—taking mental equity to solve but not so easy as to be dull. There needs to be a clear logic to the puzzles throughout that acts as a foundation for each sequential one to build off of. What elevates it even further is world building and music design that sews it up into a tight, cohesive experience. A Monster's Expedition’s quick hits of small puzzles passes all of those criteria with flying colors, and you owe it to yourself to give it a look.

When it comes down to it, Spelunky feels dated. Since its initial release, roguelikes and lites have evolved a great deal. That evolution, of course, is due in part to Spelunky. A daily challenge seed with a leaderboard is something I first heard about in Spelunky. When comparing it to the modern members of the genre, what you get is lacking. This is still a perfectly playable game, which is a strong compliment for a remake of a freeware 2009 release. The concept of Spelunky is timeless, even if the game itself is not. I just think that recently developed roguelikes will give players more.

While Spelunky 2 is not quite the landmark the original game was, it carries with it the same spirit of exploration and challenge. Part of me wishes it was maybe a little more lenient, especially in the first area, but that’s also not necessarily what Spelunky is all about. This is an immaculately designed game dripping with secrets and traps. It might not be for the faint of heart, but at least now with the glory of online co-op, the faint of heart can be dragged kicking and screaming to the City of Gold.

When No More Heroes III is good, it’s really good, and I keep finding myself wishing other action games played like it from time to time. But when I really sit down and think about playing the game, it’s tough to remember any particular moment outside of the boss fights because they all blended together; my strongest memories are those of frustration as I desperately struggled to push through the bullshit to get to the stuff that was actually fun. Even the game’s style and technical performance are wildly inconsistent between the sublime combat and sterile overworld. It feels half-baked in the most literal sense, with one half being cooked to perfection, and the other half still cold from the freezer. I just can’t shake the feeling that I’m the one doing something wrong, because I’m just not sure how a game can be so incredibly good, and yet so very bad.

Bouncing between comical yet often heartfelt dating segments and double-entendre-laden dungeon crawling combat makes for a good genre fusion that stays enjoyable for the 5-10 hours it takes to complete. The action might not hold up to scrutiny and some aspects of the dating sim might not land well for you, but the sum of Boyfriend Dungeon’s parts is greater than its pieces. The elevator pitch of dating your weapons is still as silly and goofy now as it was when the game was first revealed.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers ultimately falls short of accomplishing its mission on Nintendo Switch. The roster variety is hindered by the progression system which discourages changing party members before each mission. The color palette and art is very vibrant and colorful, but the game looks more blurred and choppy as more and more enemies are thrown at the player in the pursuit of a challenge which is the World Brothers’ downfall. For EDF fans and newcomers alike, this call to action isn’t worth answering.

Winds of Change really is a fantastically written story, that, despite its surface level niche target audience, is a must try for any visual novel fans, or high-fantasy story fans. I’m sure you’ll get something out of it, and for any members of the furry fanbase, if you haven’t tried this game out and chosen a character to “stan,” I have but two questions: Why haven’t you, and why isn’t it Valessa?

King’s Bounty II is an incredibly ambitious game that seeks to leapfrog the last thirty years of genre evolution. From a certain perspective it is impressive they’ve managed to get this far while still keeping the gameplay recognizably close to its source material. On the other hand there are just too many obvious quality of life issues to ignore. Too often exploring the world becomes a game of walking in a direction until you realize you’re not supposed to have gone that way due to high level enemies. Too often combat results in re-loading a manual save as you trial and error your way through various unexplained mechanics. There is a good game deep beneath the surface, but it lacks a lot of polish that it would need to be truly great.

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.

In essence, Arietta of Spirits plays out like a pleasant introduction and first chapter of a larger story yet untold. It has a protagonist who is easy to root for and the framework for development into a larger scope story, broader cast of characters, and a larger variety of combat tools that this game currently lacks. Arietta of Spirits keeps those issues from becoming more glaring thanks to a brisk game length, but I hope her next adventure is a tad more, well, adventurous.