All in all, Alder’s Blood has all the right parts. Gameplay is solid, with an interesting story, and a variety of mechanics that keep things interesting. However, the difficulty being tied so closely to RNG-based wind means sometimes it really blows to try and finish up a quest. Matching that with inconsistent AI and you have an overall package that falls a tad short of the high expectations. A few minor changes could make this a really special variation on the Bloodborne formula.

Overall, Void Terrarium is just an odd mix of ideas. Mystery Dungeon titles are popular, but this one sadly offers a weak example of mechanics in comparison to the broader genre. From there, being able to go full Tamagotchi with a girl in a glass bottle was intriguing and kept pushing me through the tedious and difficult dungeon crawling. A powerful story, moody soundtrack, and amazing aesthetic round out an experience that has a solid support structure, but less than awesome baseline gameplay premise.

This expanded mobile game shows off some hard work really well spent by Mobot Studios. It’s not the most innovative gaming experience out there, but the beautiful aesthetics and clever level designs really push the title to the top of its class in the eShop.

The pixel art, soundtrack, and performance are all solid, and the menus and base where you choose your loadout are presented well. There’s also something funny about Goose’s random honks and certain moments when the action slows down and a giant goose pops up in the corner of the screen. If you absolutely need more Metal Slug in your life, then I would say wing it, but otherwise maybe let sleeping geese lie.

All in all, Use Your Words executes well on what it sets out to offer: An accessible party game. Your mileage will definitely vary with the amount of people you have to play with, and three people are needed at minimum to play. But if you have enough friends at your disposal there is definitely a lot of fun to be had in this game, and it will certainly create great memories with your friends and family.

The Famicom Detective Club has the feel of a modern adventure game, even if the gameplay still dates back to a time when I was in grade school. It’s well voiced, looks great, and is a good if brief ride that shouldn’t tire you out before we fall back in time about a century and a half in a couple of months.

The plot has so many subtle nuances of political and social commentary; you could dissect it for days on end and still not completely understand it. The ending alone will leave you thinking for hours, pondering the different story twists and turns.

A great package. The unique control scheme is unique and effective, providing a sense of connection with your aircraft that mere button-pressing cannot. The story, told both with fantastic movies and via in-flight dialogue, is great; while confusing at times, it has requisite twist and turns just like the film.

Tesla vs Lovecraft is a solid and fun twin-stick shooter. A wide variety of weapons, gadgets, and perks keep things fresh and interesting. Other than a lack of mission variety and no online co-op, this is a game that will keep me wreaking havoc on Lovecraft’s monsters for a while.

Excluding some of Dr. Mario's image-size issues, it's really hard to complain about these games. They're basically the same as they have always been, minus the aesthetics.

I enjoyed my time playing through Little Triangle, but I wasn’t blown away by it. It’s definitely a solid platformer with a little humor here and there, but that’s about it. What it does have is well implemented though, and the options to play with a friend combined with the natural ease of using Joy-Con make it a great pick-up-and-play game for any occasion. Although there is no unique hook or ground-breaking ideas, Little Triangle is a good title to scratch that platforming itch.

Shadow Bug is an easy recommendation to make for Switch owners looking for a challenging 2D platformer and are open to something less traditional than the eShop’s plethora of retro inspired platformers. Even players that are weary of touch/motion controlled games will likely enjoy using them in Shadow Bug.

Crayola Scoot is a totally fine kid-centric extreme sports video game peppered with some nice touches, like the Splatoon-esque combo system or the gentle progression nestled within a harder series of challenges.

The Shrouded Isle knows exactly what it wants to be, making the end result a little tough for everyone to get into. It captured me for a while though, as I tried to go through many runs to learn the ins and outs of these villagers as I planned out my sacrifices strategically to keep them all in the dark of the true machinations of my charlatan cult leader’s goals.

There’s no shortage of arcade shooters on the digital shelves of the eShop and because of that, it can be difficult to stand out among the masses. That said, Hell is Other Demons separates itself not only with stunning visuals, but with its wonderfully designed campaign mode. I prefer how upgrades work within the campaign more than the arcade mode, but the fast-paced arcade action is still a blast to play. My chief complaints have been addressed in a post launch patch, making this a strong experience front to back.

Wonder Boy: Monster Land is ultimately a weird deep cut for Sega Ages, but it is one I’m glad exists. I’d never seen the arcade version of this game, and I always ignored the console re-releases previously. That said, this is a very enjoyable old-school platformer that is charming enough to warrant some attention more than 30 years later.

Battle Brothers has exhibited a clear vision in what it wants to be: a painfully grueling and dark world with a system of commerce that’s equally punishing. This is a system where crowns make the world go round and everything is replaceable, for a price. The breadth of dialogue, world-building paragraphs, and light agency in storytelling let you build the world according to what you hear. It’s a world I want to dive into again and again, even if I know this incarnation will be just as taxing.

Overall, while there were some flaws to my time in Terra Memoria, I’m glad I was able to experience this captivating world which was full of great ideas, beautiful art, and an entertaining combat system. Some aspects felt not fully realized, but hopefully this means the developer is just getting started.

The new game has its fair share of changes to the formula, but they don't really make the game better, just slightly different. Unless the Disney art is a huge selling point for you, there's little reason to choose Disney Magic over the original, wonderful, plain-old Meteos.

Overall, it's a great game for anybody who's a fan of puzzle games or logic problems.

If you’ve been ignoring Thunder Blade for the past quarter-century, it’s time to take notice. 3D Thunder Blade is not just a great arcade port- it’s one of the best pick-up-and-play action games on the 3DS.

Despite its many faults, LEGO Batman can be a fun experience albeit a repetitive and frustrating one. As a big fan of Batman, I heartily recommend it to any fan of the Caped Crusader. However, non-fans will want to avoid it entirely since enjoyment is derived almost entirely from its nostalgia factor.

I can only recommend Resolutiion to those who really want a challenge and don’t mind navigating a confusing map. In this savage land, you can only rely on your own skill and patience as you explore its unique and brutal landscapes.

One Line Coloring is a series of cute brain-teasing puzzles with a pleasant art style. You can even view your puzzle solutions in dioramas, which reminds me of Picross 3D. And honestly: if you remind me of Picross 3D, that’s a good thing. That being said, One Line Coloring does not equal that legendary Nintendo DS and 3DS series, but it does scratch some of the same puzzling itches.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered brings the classic 2010 arcade racer to the Nintendo Switch. It harkens back to the heyday of the series when they were at their peak. While it’s fun, it doesn’t bring much new to this port so It ends up feeling dated and the progression grindy. While nothing can match the chaos of a good cop chase, the rest of the package could use some updates. That being said, those looking for a new arcade racer will surely find a good time here.

At its core, Discounty is a fun experience. The gameplay loop of running a supermarket is satisfying, and I enjoyed my time quite a bit. My hesitation is that I think it’s about halfway there between being a fun indie shop sim and being an indie game with a message, and I wish they could have pushed their narrative just a bit further to be more memorable. Discounty is still worth playing, but it makes me want to see what the developers can do next. While the ideas and the gameplay are there, there’s some untapped potential as well.

Even though some parts were dull and barren, I did enjoy the beautiful setting of the mythological regions created before me. Fighting and defeating the Jotun really helped keep the spirit of the game alive until the very end, and in the end - I was glad to have played and journeyed through Jotun: Valhalla Edition.

Without a doubt, the Trials of Mana remake is the definitive version of what for many of us was a long-lost classic. If you don’t mind replaying the game with different party configurations to see the minor story differences and unlock more endings, there are dozens of entertaining hours to be found here. For those who want more story depth, side quests, and gameplay variety, Trials of Mana probably wasn’t and still isn’t for you. I found the quick and eye-catching combat to be both satisfying and exciting; you can even earn bonuses depending on how fast you defeat enemies and whether or not you take damage in the process. The character endings I saw felt a little lackluster, but I’m compelled enough by the presentation and the simplicity of the gameplay to run through the adventure again. It might not be the drastic departure that some remakes are, but the Trials of Mana remake is a wonderful RPG palette cleanser for Mana newcomers and veterans alike.