I truthfully didn’t expect The Flame in The Flood to make the impression on me that it did. It’s easily the best survival game I’ve ever played, all the way from its satisfying gameplay to its masterful audio design. In the veritable long river of eShop games on Switch right now, this is one worth making sure you’ve got enough food and water to last a couple weeks.

This is an essential entry into the greater view of video game history and I’m so happy that a collection like this exists.

Pac-Man Museum + is a lot to chew on, as there are many upsides to this package. The selection is good, there’s plenty of replayability, the leaderboards are nice, and a few stand-out titles can be found within. Plus, you really can’t beat the entry price being so low. But sadly, it’s a package that is bogged down with a handful of control issues and a lack of options. In a collection celebrating a character via a customizable arcade, it’s unfortunate there isn’t as much care put into the customization of the player experience. Will I still be playing it often? Absolutely. A handful of these titles both promote Pac-Man’s historic legacy, while standing on their own. Others, however, get lost in a game that is ironically all about mazes.

Broken Sword 5 delivers a competent point-and-click, with a cast of colorful characters, a rollicking-if-cheesy adventure, and solid puzzle design. Some minor issues with gameplay and puzzle design don’t harm the game’s quality too much, and in such an undeserved genre they’re forgivable. The biggest issue with the game is that it is a bit too married to convention both in plot and gameplay. Broken Sword 5 won't stick with like classics of the point-and-click Golden Age, but it’s still a solid adventure and I’ll be keeping my eyes open for future (and past) travels of George and Nico.

The gameplay loop of riding to places, exploring a bit, grabbing patients, and moving back is extremely novel and engaging. With every mission introducing unique attributes, it is always a delight to see what curve The Stretchers throws at you next. There were a few minor problems, mostly with precise movements, but never anything that soured the fun. Overall though, I can't help but admire the things Tarsier Studios put in. The Stretchers is a good time.

Swords & Soldiers II is a follow-up that is exciting for lovers of the original.

While there are some things lacking about the game (specifically anything Wii-centric), Shattered Dimensions is a very fun, worthwhile Spider-Man game that genuinely feels different and engaging.

The time control aspects are quite innovative and bring variety to the game. The adventure and trap dodging are wonderful and challenging.

If you feel like you can put up with copious loading screens and cutscene glitches, then I would say this is worth picking up. However, if you’re looking for the tight, polished package that Splinter Cell games used to be, then you’ll likely be left wanting.

Generally, I enjoy turn-based strategy games and I had high expectations for what Overland had to offer. I have no problem with the game trying to move me out of my comfort zone and consider strategies not regularly employed in other titles, but it just wasn’t enough to keep my interest. I think there’s likely a group of people that will appreciate the simplified strategy and minimalistic take, but since I’m not one of them, they can feel free to abandon me like the poor soul in the tutorial.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold oozes personality, bringing a lot of the cartoon show's wit and humor to the portable system.

Pato Box has a neat idea: take your boxer out of the ring and into the corporate world. It tells a story fittingly silly for a boxer with a duck’s head. However, the lack of checkpointing and overly long exploration segments are a one-two punch of frustration. Some floors of Deathflock HQ seem impenetrable and while the boss fights are the star of the show, even they aren’t without problems. The concept isn’t beyond saving, and it’s still possible to have a good time, but too often Pato Box just left me incredibly frustrated.

Ivy the Kiwi? is a real winner in the action-puzzle genre, striking the right tone of simplicity while keeping the game's difficulty moving along at a nice pace.

Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is much more frustrating than fun, and it’s unfortunate because the look of the game, and the amount of replayability is quite high, with 31 in-game challenges to shoot for.

Furi is an excellent little game. With ten thrilling boss fights and excellent movement options, it is just a pure joy to play. The only real problem is that the experience is over before you know it. Sure, you can play it multiple times and get better, but there is some loss of the magic there. That initial thrill made me pumped to take on the next step, and see what journey had in store for me. The feeling when you overcome the odds is wonderful.

Dripping with a fanciful charm, Aegis Defenders is a joyous blend of puzzle platforming and tower defense. While it starts slow, it’s an artful fusion of two somewhat disparate genres that comes together as a beautiful whole near the end, making it well worth a look in the crowded Switch eShop.

Tricky Towers is an incredibly creative and unique take on the puzzle genre. I just wish there was more to unlock and explore as it does have incredible potential. Nevertheless, I do recommend this brick-stacker to anyone looking for a fun local and online multiplayer experience.

The setting of Los Ojos feels alive, and its denizens are a delightful cocktail of awkward, savvy, charming, and repellent. While a playthrough can take around 3-4 hours, it’s worth returning to the world to meet different people and see how your decisions impact the overall narrative. What’s more, the dark and gritty aesthetic works well in a game that portends a potentially frightening future. At the end of a long shift, Neo Cab’s strong writing and effective story-telling make it well-worth hailing.

Avery fun game. However, nobody should be playing $40 for it. It’s fun, but nowhere near worth it. Wait for a price drop on this little gem, because it’ll be worth it at half the price.

This is Space Harrier, virtually the same arcade game from nearly 40 years ago with a couple of tweaks and additions from the original home ports and the 3DS 3D Classics release. M2, as per usual, made a great port and this might be the best version of Space Harrier, but that’s all it is. Minimal bells and whistles are on display here and unless you want to have this on hand to play while you play Shenmue 3 on another console, plunking down quarters for this doesn’t seem all that worthwhile.

I had a great experience playing Sky Force Reloaded, and will keep playing it when I want to be doing something on my Switch that isn’t as big of a commitment of an RPG like Xenoblade. It doesn’t do anything revolutionary for the genre, playing it safe in all regards. It has a lot of content in an enjoyable package. The loop of short, quick play sessions is addicting, and an experience I did not expect to have as much fun with as I did.

Knight Terrors is an endless runner that brings more to the table than I would have imagined. It’s five different game modes, while similar at their core, each change up the formula enough to keep them interesting. While the driving force to unlock all the items and game modes doesn’t last long, racking up high scores remains both satisfying and addicting. Relatively lengthy load times and a bug are a few blemishes on an otherwise enjoyable game. Like many endless runners your mileage may vary, but for anyone who enjoys the genre, this is an easy recommendation.

Although the game uses little books as micro-tutorials to help you learn the basics, there is still an aimless quality that could either attract or detract players to its style of game. As a definite throwback to classic games, Uurnog can feel a bit obtuse if the player is not fully enveloped in the gameplay. However, whenever I felt like I didn't know what to do I would just keep on exploring rooms and would find a beacon of direction to work towards, and never felt like I was completely lost. If retracing your steps in the same environments isn't up your alley, I would steer clear of this title. But if you can't get enough of old school exploration, trial and error and classic 2D puzzles, Uurnog Uurnlimited can provide you with an Uurnique experience.

The experience was certainly an interesting one, and the steady clip of receiving new abilities worked well enough, but the way combat encounters pop up sporadically impacted the overall pacing. Many times, an NPC would tell me where to go or whom to seek out, and I would just chance upon my destination rather than know exactly where to go; the naming conventions at play don’t do the game any favors. Still, I’m leaving Narita Boy behind happy that I spent time in his world, and both captivated and a little miffed by how his story turns out. But sometimes that’s the mark of a tale worth hearing.

As a new beginning, Inazuma Eleven GO is just fantastic, and it nails all the important aspects that make this RPG a winner, staying true to the formula of its predecessors and at the same time expanding it and giving it a damn pretty new coat of paint.

Not much about the game has a real Pokémon feel, as even the art and music are quite different from the standard Pokémon fare. However, thanks to the Pokédex, one of the core aspects of Pokémon, “gotta catch ‘em all," is still present and provides some replay incentive.

The included content in Lode Runner Legacy is fairly straightforward, but the online level sharing gives new life to the series. If you enjoy the Lode Runner series, this entry is well worth it just for the user-generated content.

This entire game can be played in either two player local co-op or four player online co-op. I was thrilled to see that they had both. Once you are online you can jump right into a friend’s world and start exploring together. There are hours of content in this game and it could be a while before I put this down. From the ease of combat, to the colorful worlds, all the way down to the gameplay loop of finding new portals, it’s no wonder that you can see a whole day go by without even knowing it.