This 3D Classic is surprisingly good given the base material. I actually recommend it highly. Try playing with classic controls first, then custom controls, and see how much different the experience is. As somebody who'd simply dismissed the game up until now, I'm glad I had the chance to play it because Kid Icarus is unexpectedly enjoyable.

A clever, charming Metroidvania with some intense platforming bits, Shantae: Risky’s Revenge – Director’s Cut is a must play for fans of the genre.

Flinthook has a sound base, complete with an excellent grappling hook mechanic and a distinctive, fun mode of movement. The roguelite design leads to some repetition, but the gorgeous art and great style (even in the face of well-worn scenery) helps make up for that and other shortcomings. Be prepared to die a lot, but if it clicks for you, be prepared to want to jump right back in for another go.

Kero Blaster is lighter fare, but the well-thought-out weapon balancing and fine-tuned platforming make it an amusing little journey. If you crave more gameplay and challenge, harder modes await, but even if you were to just play through the short initial story, Kero Blaster is still a game worth checking out.

Sonic 1 feels slightly more primitive than the other Sonic games, but that’s alright. The addition of the newer dash moves brings it closer to the more recent Sonic games in feel, but if you want speed, Sonic Mania would be a better pick. Still, M2 did phenomenal work on bringing this game to the Switch in a way that doesn't feel stale. If you want to see where Sonic came from and are interested in how the new features enhance this classic game, there’s no reason to stay away.

With how consistent Jupiter’s Picross quality has been over the years, it isn’t a surprise that Picross S4 is very good. With just shy of 500 puzzles, it’s worth your puzzling time. I just hope that in the future, Color Picross can have a bigger presence and maybe someday touchscreen controls can return.

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.

All you need to know is that it is a great action platformer that introduces awesome new ideas while oozing with style, personality, and fun.

Darksiders 2 is the best entry in the current Darksiders trilogy, and the Switch version, while not perfect, is a great way to experience it. Now we just need Darksiders 3 on Switch so I can take this entire excellent series everywhere I go.

Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo is a fun 3DS eShop title. It's not quite the cream of the crop on the download platforms, but as a platformer, it is fantastic and worth checking out. It is a polished, amusing title from start to finish.

Lumo succeeds as a new entry into a genre that had been lost in time. It delivers an experience that feels retro while including the option for modern gaming conveniences to take a genre that would likely be unapproachable for newcomers to a worthwhile experience for anyone who is willing to try something challenging and new.

If you’re looking for a clever puzzle game, The Turing Test definitely delivers. The puzzles are great and involve a lot of mechanics that introduce a good deal of variety and some clever uses of the power-shooting tool. One of the challenges of a puzzle game is providing a reason to replay, and unfortunately everything the game has to offer can be seen in your first playthrough. A good number of nice twists in the story will keep you engaged, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights it seems to be aiming for.

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.”

Honestly the disappointment on Cavern of Dreams hit me pretty hard. This genre has hit a fantastic revival era and I feel that the game really does attempt to carve its own identity. But it gets stuck in the mud of not being able to stand on its own. It feels too slow for a 3D platformer and there are too few collectibles to call it a collect-a-thon. Cavern of Dreams left me dreaming for a better game and that's just a real shame.

FIFA 08 is a good rendition of a game design from a couple of generations ago that has been enhanced with a few modern tweaks, like online play and touchscreen controls. The gameplay might seem a little lacking in depth and strategy when compared to the 3D sports games most players are used to, but in terms of handheld gaming it provides a fun experience.

Comparing Arms to Mario Kart 8 with regards to the online experience comes out favorably, though, as Arms’ fresher gameplay style and highly polished online lobbies and infrastructure makes it a more active and engaging online affair. Even with the Grand Prix drawbacks, Arms is a fantastic start to a new franchise. Time will tell if Arms truly has legs, but it’s definitely firmly planted at launch.

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.

The biggest test for me with LEGO Party has been longevity and I’m writing this review after having this game in family rotation for more than a month. It’s a hit, fully supplanting Mario Party. My oldest (7 years old) has played countless rounds by himself. We’ve played tons of rounds together as a family and LEGO Party has been a consistently fun time. I still don’t really know what the plot of Ninjago is, but I’m still having a blast playing this virtual board game.

20XX offers a quick dose of Mega Man inspired gameplay that doesn’t disappoint in the slightest. The controls were clearly refined to be authentic and tight. What the game does lack, however, is content to come back to after mastering the quick 20XX runs.

ITTA is unremarkable in many ways. It uses a muted color palette, a repetitive, droning soundtrack, and guns with bullets that are just white squares. But despite these lackluster presentation elements, the boss fights are brutal and thrilling. Seeing their health meters drop both galvanizes your resolve and heightens your dread; yes, you're edging closer to victory, but your opponent is about to ramp their attack up to 11. The 18 total bosses each present a unique and satisfying challenge, and if you find any of them too daunting, you can increase your damage by 2x or even turn on invulnerability. Fans of tough, bullet-hell style action sequences will be able to slake their thirst here, but don't go into it expecting much more than a solid boss rush.

Usually, it's a pretty safe bet that a DS version of a Flash game isn't a good deal. However, WordJong has some new features and comes in at a great budget price.

A very fun, classic game that delights in its streamlined, simple appeal. The gameplay avoids most of the conventions associated with modern day platformers, especially Wii platformers, but the new additions and ideas are placed tastefully without getting in the way of the classic feel of the franchise.

If you are up for a meaty platformer, Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World will keep you entertained throughout February.

If you've long finished Zelda and Super Paper Mario just didn't hit the spot, appease Mick Jagger by making your next Wii game a black one. Maybe Nintendo will soon follow with the console itself.

I was positively crestfallen when I exited the menu to find that my car design didn't stay put.

It is only the production values: graphics, music, and pedigree that make this game stand out. At its heart, Final Fantasy III is a dated and mediocre RPG that will only please the most die-hard Final Fantasy fans. [JPN Import]

It's a game that does a few things extremely well and a lot of things competently, but the fact that everything is so well integrated is probably the most impressive...It's fun and brilliantly produced, with plenty to do and see.

There is very little depth, and although the multiplayer mode holds promise as a fun pick-up-and-play diversion at parties, there are better wrestling games, and better fighting games to be had. [Import]