Gamers who've enjoyed a more realistic game of baseball in the past (i.e. any game from the MVP Baseball, High Heat, World Series 2K, All-Star Baseball, or Powerful Pro series) may have to let go of their perceptions of how a pitcher/batter interface should work in order to enjoy the game.

As a whole, Order Up! provides a wonderful blend of both managing and cooking.

Hyrule Warriors wasn’t a game I expected to fall in love with, but thanks to its oodles of Zelda fan service and shockingly engrossing gameplay, upgrades, and modes, it turned into something very special that lives up to the Zelda legacy.

Lone Survivor feels like a very strong first draft of a game. The story is great. Unfortunately, the game does nothing to help you experience that story.

Deadcraft can be really fun at times. The story, setting, and overacting will really grab you if you are into the low budget monster films of yore. Just be ready to do a lot of search and fetch quests. These can really slow down the pacing, but when the adventure gets going, it can be a bloody good zombie killing/farming time.

The greatest achievement of Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER is that it helps to conjure up nostalgia for its much more effective predecessor. The sequel really feels much more like a robust piece of DLC than a full-fledged release. Fans of the original who go into it expecting a similar amount of content and playtime will be sorely disappointed. While the retro-looking aesthetic and FM synthesis-filled soundtrack are noticeable high points, there isn’t much else that makes the journey worthwhile. If you’ve already played 2064: Read Only Memories, you may get a bit of a kick out of NEURODIVER, but you’d probably be better served replaying the original, which overshadows its follow-up in almost every way. As likable as most of its cast is, they simply don’t get enough time to shine, leaving the adventure of Luna and co. feeling flat and incomplete.

Atelier Yumia is a game I think you should experience, either if you are an experienced Atelier fan or are looking for a new entry point into the series. While I have yet to finish the game (hence why this is a review in progress)I am thoroughly enjoying everything new and old that Atelier Yumia has to offer. If this is the future of the Atelier series, the future is looking bright for Atelier fans.

The writing and gameplay are both quite enjoyable, though I can’t shake the feeling that they both kind of seem like almost-as-good Shin Megami Tensei games that are a little more accessible and have a hint of Pokémon. If that sounds good to you, I recommend the collection wholeheartedly. If not, well, there you go.

I wasn’t expecting to be so surprised by Color Splash, and it’s turned out to be one of my favorite games this year. Color Splash is a gorgeous, funny, and entertaining adventure that functions as a wonderful swan song for the Wii U.

Overall, Wulverblade is an absolute masterpiece and for people who have been bemoaning the lack of quality beat-em-ups it should provide many hours of meaty combat and carnage. To really enjoy it you’ll need to overcome falling into old habits and committing to learning all of the moves and nuance made available to you. Your reward will be a very viscerally satisfying and overall bloody good time, with some crazy surprises you won’t want to miss out on.

Rune Factory 3 Special isn’t going to be for every farming game fan and won’t dethrone Stardew Valley as the most popular farming game, but its charming characters and setting make for a very enjoyable experience. I was surprisingly pleased at the quality of the writing and the depth of some of the crafting systems, and those propelled Rune Factory 3 Special forward to make it both relaxing and engaging. This is a worthy addition to the Switch library, and one I might return to in the future, if only to spend some time with some of my new favorite characters.

I hadn’t played Samurai Shodown in any form since a torrid weekend with the Super Nintendo port of the original sometime in the mid-90s, but I was always intrigued by the series from afar. To that end, I’m glad that the Samurai Shodown SNK Collection was a 10 in terms of my quest for knowledge and also has some good fighting action behind it—and by default it’s less expensive than buying the games piecemeal in the Archives.

All in all, Ys IX is an excellent entry in the series with interesting new combat and traversal mechanics. Battles are fast paced and fun as hell; there's also no shortage of things to do, even if unlocking the city isn't quite as satisfying as opening up new island paths in the previous game. The Switch certainly isn't the best place to experience Adol's latest exploits, though, so unless portability is a must, I'd advise looking into other versions, if that's an option. Darker in tone, Monstrum Nox is largely a strong step forward, and Ys fans aren't likely to walk away disappointed. I, for one, am excited to see where Adol the Red's next book takes him.

I remember reading about Darius first in early 90s game magazines, and thought I’d have to make do with the console versions. Playing the arcade versions actually made me even more excited to try the console games in the other collection that came out. There’s some frustration to be found in this collection, but overall it’s another quality batch of shooters for Switch owners.

An example of what a good classics collection should be. It has a wide selection of games, all kinds of extra content for each, loads of customization options, and some really innovative uses of the DS's wireless capabilities.

There isn't much incentive to continue playing – it simply feels old by the time you've completed the story mode.

The Langrisser 1 & 2 collection is a pleasant tactical RPG collection with some gameplay quirks that range between novel and grating, and audiovisual stylistic choices that at times suit it well and at others are baffling. Overall, the core experience in this collection is sound enough to overlook the wild swings in presentation quality.

It's bad when great games from yesterday lose their steam. It's worse when that very same game's mechanics are implemented in an all-new title.

XType Plus is a fun, cheap shoot 'em up that will both challenge and excite players.

A Hat in Time + Seal the Deal knows what kind of game it is, and it certainly pays homage to titles that built the genre. It has its own cute, quirky personality but it definitely trips over itself, despite a valiant effort to be a great 3D platforming experience. It just needs to run better, and iron out its rougher spots so that it can throw its own hat into the ring of the best 3D platformers.

The Jackbox Party Pack 7 might not be the best entry I’ve played, but it’s still a great collection of fun, innovative party games. The degree of customization and accessibility is fantastic. Sure, some technical issues might be plaguing the Switch version right now, but even with some speed bumps, the likes of Quiplash 3, The Devil and the Details, and Champ’d Up are likely to become new game night staples. Hopefully they won’t have to be on Discord and Zoom for the rest of time.

For me personally, Atone’s greatest obstacle is that it’s just not terribly engaging. I note here that I’ve had the game for about a month now. The usual review turnaround time is a week, maybe ten days if it’s a big game. I just found it difficult to find the motivation to grind out an hour here and there. My wife watched me play Atone for awhile and at one point remarked that all I was doing was talking to people and solving puzzles, and she’s not wrong. For some of you dear readers out there, that may be all you need, but I was unsatisfied.

I’m delighted to see Epic Mickey getting a second shot at life, and escaping exclusivity after all these years. This isn’t some landmark 3D platformer, but it’s a game with an incredible amount of heart put into it. While I would have loved to see this remaster do a bit more to smooth over the rough edges in game design, its respectful approach to updating the visuals is excellently done. Performance unfortunately isn’t perfect on the Switch, though it isn’t game breaking either. This is and always has been a game that will appeal to a very specific combo of 3D platforming and Disney fans, but for that audience it remains a flawed but charming trip into the forgotten past.

In the end Peglin feels like one of those great background games, that I can see players picking up again and again. I can’t look ahead in my crystal ball, but I foresee that Peglin may just stick around for quite some time.

Qualms aside, Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 is still an entertaining romp through the Marvel universe that combines comic book storytelling with the wit and humor that the Lego series is known for. It may not revolutionize the series’ worn out gameplay, but the fan service and multiplayer more than make up for that. If you’re a fan of Marvel or Lego, this one comes highly recommended.

Temtem proves that there is still room for competition in the monster catching and battling space. There’s also proof here that games like Digimon or Pokemon, while doing a lot well, leave a lot of things on the table and that’s where Temtem shines. It’s easy to write it off as a copy-pasted clone, but the additional features of co-op battles, deep synergy combat mechanics, and rich endgame content culminate in a real diamond in the rough for those finding the competitors lacking. The main story content can be rote but for those hardcore fans wanting something deeper, Temtem may be what you’re looking for. Temtem is both better and worse than the opposition, and I think that’s okay.

Fans of Ghostbusters shouldn't hesitate in picking this fantastic title up. Those who aren't huge fans of the source material won't be as enthralled with the title; however, the gameplay and controls are both solid, and though extremely linear, the game provides for an interesting ride.

The mechanics of Floor Kids are truly novel, especially because the emphasis on originality and creativity really comes through in ways that other like games haven’t been able to nail. Outside of some convoluted details and a somewhat shorter length, this is a very rad rhythm game that stands out amongst others because of its gorgeous artwork and inventive take on breakdancing gameplay.