The game is simply a delight to play and look at, and even listen to, as Pikmin sing marching songs and squeal in agony while being eaten by monsters.

The twists and turns will keep you engaged and by the end Pentiment left me feeling with a sense of joy, purpose and appreciation. I am quite certain that if you enjoy adventure games, story driven games or roleplaying games, you will too.

EAD Tokyo's 3DS debut is marvelous, and filled with almost endless creativity.

This second DLC pack is great—better than the first—and I highly recommend it.

A true gamer's game, a lovingly crafted science-fiction magnum opus, a showcase title not only for excellent motion controls but also stunning artwork that rivals anything in gaming.

Balatro is flat out a smart game. I don’t even like cards! Yet here I am theorycrafting new ways to play. Should I make a full house deck? That might seem risky, but if I use Tarot cards right… no no. Not now. It’s what I’m thinking about when I’m not playing Balatro. A 20-minute round before bed easily turns into, “holy crap, how is it 3AM?” This is even before finishing the game with different decks and daily challenges are turned on! In generation remix, hell, in generation make-everything-a-roguelike, this may be the best one of 2024. I’m eagerly awaiting the official release just so I can hear about my friends' epic runs. It’s just that good. Now, please, let me play my Balatro in peace. I got an idea for a sick flush strat that I want to try out. So I'll y'all later.

Pushmo is an ingenious puzzler that will consume the free time of anyone who gives it a whirl. I found myself putting in hours at a time because of its addictive nature. If you own a 3DS, do yourself a favor and go download Pushmo.

Guacamelee is a fantastic Metroid-inspired platformer that shouldn’t be missed.

Chicory: A Colorful Tale is an incredibly enjoyable and wholesome experience. Its characters are so charming and endearing; its graphical style and world design encourages creativity and wants you to color the world back in. The soundtrack is stellar and completes the package on display here. It's a game that can be enjoyed for all ages and if you decide to pursue all the sidequests, complete the decorating minigames, and find all of the collectibles, you can certainly spend a lot of time in the world of Chicory. My only gripe is a personal one—that I didn’t play this game last year—because without a doubt it makes for a wonderful late addition to the best of what 2021 had to offer. I cannot wait to see what Greg, Lena, Em, Alexis and Madeline will make next, because Chicory can’t be described as anything other than a piece of modern art.

Cocoon is a master class in game design. It pushes amazing puzzle construction, to guide players without being too heavy handed. Whenever I was stuck, it was barely ever for more than a few minutes that wasn’t solved by some trial and error. The sound design is used to enhance, never overtake. Giving enough to inspire awe, curiosity, tension and encouragement. The environmental details were beautifully hypnotic. Crafting such a fantastically curious world of psychedelic shapes and inorganic life is a feat of its own but with this combination as a full package, I can’t recommend this game to enough people. It’s greater than the sum of its parts and at the end of my time with Cocoon, my journey had felt meaningful.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is the best way to experience a true classic. Many elements have been changed for the better, allowing for a smooth journey through and through. I found myself more entertained by the quest system and adored the set-up of the menus, and the mechanical tweaks make it a joy to play. Xenoblade Chronicles on Nintendo Switch is enjoyable for much longer, which made me fly through the adventure this time around. Sure, there were likely some expecting a grander visual overhaul, but that doesn't take away from the care put into the package. There is even an additional dozen-hour epilogue if you're in the mood for more Xenoblade. All in all, I am just happy that the game still grips me as much as before. Definitive Edition makes me remember why I love Shulk, his world, and all the wonders that come along for the ride.

I preferred Neva to Gris, though both games are triumphant and artistic video games that will probably make you cry like a baby. If you’re a lifelong pet owner like myself, Neva has the potential to hit you like a train, but it’s also a universal enough feeling to work for anyone. The combat is a great addition to the video game aspect that definitely filled in a hole for me in the experience. Nomada Studio continues their penchant for making gorgeous games that are packed with emotional resonance. Now that they’ve told game stories about parents and pets, we’ll see how they can make us all cry next.

A masterpiece...This is the epitome of Metroid gameplay. The designers carefully mix all the best elements from the other games and layer them on top of the already brilliant level design and concepts of the original Metroid.

Majora’s Mask was and still is a fresh departure from the Zelda norm. Majora’s Mask 3D improves greatly on a few of the original’s deficiencies, though some of the bold choices inherent to the game still have a negative effect on the experience.

Pikmin's main strength is its sense of freedom and discovery. There is a strong balance between this sense of freedom and having set goals.

Whether you have all of the 100+ figures or just the three that come with the starter pack, Swap Force is well worth playing.

This is a tremendous newcomer to the Switch indie scene and as long as you’re up for a challenge, Dead Cells is spectacular.

The basic gameplay itself doesn’t really change over the course of each run: guard buildings, kill Vek, and try not to die in the process. The randomized maps and objectives add variety, but you will need to appreciate the subtle changes that the islands undergo in each run. Undoubtedly, one of the best features of the game is unlocking new mechs and creating your own squads, and it is that element that will keep me coming back to the game. Hop into a breach and pick up this game yesterday, soldier. It’s Vek-hunting season.

Its true genius lies in its inclusion of vocal harmonies that create an even more authentic band experience, and the art style and presentation also complement The Beatles' music greatly.

This is a game that shouldn’t exist in most reasonable worlds. A few years earlier and the remake might be more benign. A few years later and there’s no way this game gets greenlit. We live in a world with Final Fantasy VII Remake, though. This is a game that bounces from deathly serious climate disasters and tragedy to crossdressing dance sequences and fighting demonic houses. Final Fantasy VII Remake is a deeply weird game, but it’s a deeply weird game with awesome combat, wonderful writing, incredible music, and a joyously baffling story. In the process of this bizarre journey to a remake of a classic, Square Enix also created one of the best Final Fantasy games of the last 30 years.

I love every part of this game, and the benefits of this Wii U version are easy to appreciate.

I’m not done with Alain’s campaign to restore his kingdom and set the world to rights, but there’s no denying how exciting and captivating Unicorn Overlord has turned out to be. It’s a love letter to deep, complex tactical RPGs and will most likely appeal to those who appreciate the Fire Emblem and Ogre Battle franchises, but as someone who only has very sparse memories of the latter, I’m still enthralled by what VanillaWare has done here. The Switch performance is excellent, and the art style remains one of the clear strengths of this developer. I expect that I’ll need another 10-20 hours to see the main story through to completion, and even more to discover all of the secrets hidden around the world map. Once those tasks are complete, I’ll be updating this review with a final score. Until then, I feel confident in saying we’re looking at another candidate that’s sure to take home some end-of-the-year accolades.

Gunstar Heroes is an absolute classic of the 16-bit era. I didn’t think it was possible to make the game better, but somehow M2 pulled it off.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the best playing game in the series. It is challenging yet excellently paced. I rarely found myself over or underleveled. The world unfolds naturally and effectively rather than through tedious field skill gates.

With excellent control, track design, graphics, sound, and customization, this is clearly the best F-Zero game in the series, and one of the best games on GameCube overall.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury might be one of the strongest Mario games available on Switch. The base game is fun and varied, while Bowser’s Fury offers a distinctive, inventive, and superb open-world 3D Mario experience.

Like trying out a broken roller-coaster ride - one that is highly enjoyable while it lasts, but is over too quickly and gets stuck often, so the excitement quickly gets replaced by frustration. However, when it does move, it gives you a thrilling, almost magical, experience that makes you want to remain seated all the way through to the end.

This is probably the best game I've played so far this year, and I'm betting you will love it, too.