Deru: The Art of cooperation is a delightfully relaxing puzzle-solving experience that leans into its tone and provides a mellow fun whether you’re sitting alone or with a friend on the couch. The levels are challenging without being aggravating and it’s clear just as much thought was put into its presentation. I just don’t expect you’ll be playing this at a rooftop party with Karen anytime soon.

The Sega Ages version of Phantasy Star continues to prove that the Ages polish to old classics works wonderfully and should be emulated by other developers. The parts that made Phantasy Star feel archaic are gone, and while it still shows its age this version of the title is the strongest you’ll come across anywhere.

Rogue Legacy is fundamentally sound but the stringent play pattern where you very slowly incrementally improve can make parts of this novel and fun platformer too slow for its own good. Thankfully the sheer polish of the platforming helps to transcend the issues more often than not. Even if you wind up slowing down and not saving the day, Rogue Legacy is a family trip worth taking thanks to cool ideas and a killer hook.

Sure, the game isn't quite the innovative title it was in 2012, but the puzzles are still challenging enough to leave the player feeling like they've accomplished something once they finish the epilogue. It's a worthwhile addition to the Switch's library, and fans of other escape-the-room titles will get a real kick out of it for the few hours it lasts.

If you enjoy beat-‘em-ups and are looking for a unique take on the genre, give Speed Brawl a look. Otherwise, I can’t recommend the game for more casual players as trying to clear screens as fast as possible is often easier said than done. Without a doubt, speed kills, but in this case, it would be nice to slow down a little.

This celebration might only be focused on the first dozen or so years, but it’s a lovingly crafted and curated virtual exhibit that sets the standard for retro collections for the future.

As a wacky idea, I love Heavy Burger. It’s such a goofy way to use old games in a new way. In execution, it’s woefully scattershot. My fun with it lasted as long as the joke was still funny. Once that wore off, the multiplayer matches dried up fast. I wish this was a little better because I would love to see more things like it, but as it stands, Heavy Burger works better as a gag than a game.

Madorica Real Estate is a puzzle game that stands on its own. While the English translation isn't perfect and time limit is unnecessary, there is so much good to be found here. The puzzles challenge you to find solutions inside and outside the game world. Using PDFs or a dedicated app, the player has to search for the tiniest clues. In every scenario, logic is what helps to bring you closer to the next mission. Every puzzle becomes harsher and forces you to figure out more on your own. It might be unrelenting for the average player, but puzzle lovers will absolutely get a kick out of it.

I’m aware that Carnival Games doesn’t need my approval, but even with an open mind, I came away disappointed. I will always think fondly of my time with Wii-era party games and mini-game collections, but the Carnival Games revival will not be my preferred method of reliving that charming and gimmicky time period. Maybe this was a series worth leaving buried.

All and all, this is just a simple puzzle game for some younger player to dive into and get an experience for the genre themselves. If you’re more of a puzzle veteran, I’d suggest possibly meeting up with a local archaeologist to discuss puzzles and leave this title to the youngsters.

If you’re in the market for a fun and engaging co-op game to share and have a great time with your friends and family, I’d suggest you go looking elsewhere as the novelty of being attached to each other wears off quick without variety and challenge keeping the game interesting. I truly do love the ideas it has, but it’s sad to see that these ideas were not strongly supported by a mechanism that would allow it to flourish.

The gameplay is fun, but really only if you can get some multiplayer going. There is a light story mode and the ability to customize your avatar with characters and clothing you unlock from playing the game. With over 10 stages, many of which also need to be unlocked through gameplay, there is a decent amount of variety and reason to return to the game, but I wouldn’t recommend it for solo players.

The beauty of Moonlighter is how seamlessly it bends dungeon-crawling with a store simulator. Every action you take, whether it be in the dungeons collecting materials or in your shop earning gold to spend on upgrades, helps to move you further along towards your end goal. There were a few technical hiccups that cropped up from time to time and the last few upgrades needed a bit of grinding to unlock. But despite that, I constantly found myself falling victim to the classic 'just one more run'.

Dungeon Village is a perfectly pleasant mobile building sim with a quirky premise, but the problems with this township may make you reconsider growing roots here.

Gal Metal is a game with bold choices. The Joy-Con motion controls are interesting, and tightly fit the ideas of the title. In addition, the idea to create your own jams upon existing layers works surprisingly well. That being said, for most, this will be a one-and-done deal. You will play through it and be done after an hour or five. Beyond this, there isn't much to the package, though I do find myself replaying tracks a tiny bit. It really depends on what you're searching for, but as a music game, it certainly knows how to entertain.

GRIP is a racing game filled with issues of give and take. The combat races and Arena matches are fun, but the straight-on racing is subpar. The courses are detailed and varied, but they’re hard to make sense of when going fast. While it’s certainly nice to see a throwback to old racing games, especially one with local split-screen, I wish it could have been a game I’d want to break out with friends more often.

After all is said and done, the LEGO Harry Potter Collection really is a fun game and with this being the definitive collection, it is the best way to play. Of course, you can get this on Xbox One or PS4, but you can only take the Switch version with you when you go see the next Fantastic Beasts film.

Don’t be fooled: seeing Tako’s quest through to the very end will test your platforming skills, patience, and perseverance to their absolute limits. I am thrilled to have completed what I can safely say is one of the most challenging video games I have ever played.

Red’s epic lasts just a few hours. New Game + promises to carry over my progress and beef up the Process accordingly, and the Sandbox still hides challenges, so there’s replayability here. Still, I want more time with Red and her endearing sword. Transistor is too good to end so soon.

You might not want to play more than 20 hours of Diablo III: Eternal Collection, but the time you do put in will be unbelievably entertaining.

The design of I Hate Running Backwards is funny and it definitely has a lot of potential, but it didn’t really hit home for me. Co-op mode makes it an easier sell, because it is definitely fun to face challenges with friends, but it is still pretty difficult. Die-hard fans of the genre might enjoy the challenge of making it through this game, but for the casual player there are probably more casual options.

Just like Human Resource Machine before it, 7 Billion Humans is one of the finest puzzle games I’ve ever played. A game based around programming logic runs the risk of being too complicated for its own good, but Tomorrow Corporation has fine-tuned the difficulty curve perfectly. Scrolling through a program and finding the exact command that needs to changed to carry out the exact right action is as fun as it can possibly be and with over 60 unique puzzles I doubt I’ll be putting it down anytime soon.

Party Crashers earns its keep with its simple, self-confident gameplay, variety of choices given on how you want to play, and concise match play that encourages passing the controller. For those not extra sensitive to framerate hiccups or occasionally cheap AI and have some buddies to play with, Party Crashers has enough tread on the tires to warrant several runs around the track.

At its core, Windjammers is an addictive, colorful, and vibrant experience that is worth investing time and effort in. The online could be better, but this is a great, faithful port of the 1994 original updated to today’s standards. It’s definitely worth a look for both local multiplayer and retro enthusiasts alike.

I enjoyed playing more of the horror movie-tinged puzzles I loved from Slayaway Camp, but Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle wasn’t quite as enjoyable as its predecessor. Maybe it’s because my affection for horror movies is more broad and not specific, but whatever the case, I wish there was more than just Jason present in the sequences and puzzles. That being said, Killer Puzzle has staying power and longevity, mostly thanks to the daily puzzles. I might prefer Slayaway Camp in a direct comparison, but both games are well made and fun.

All in all, I can say that without a doubt this is one of the best co-op puzzle platformers to hit the eShop’s digital shelves. If you’re looking for a good game to spend playing with your sibling, cousin, friend, or family member, definitely add this one to your Switch’s library and prepare for the laughs and challenges to come.

Since Into the Breach hit at the end of August, there has been a barrage of quality strategy games on the Switch, so it can be tempting to skip Valkyria Chronicles. But don’t do it. It’s a brisk game, and there are some things like the graveyard for fallen troops that I wish were carried into future titles. War may be hell, but Valkyria Chronicles is a little slice of heaven.

If you liked NBA Playgrounds then this game will surely be a solid improvement you enjoy. If the first game was too buggy, or there were too many issues, then Playgrounds 2 fixes many problems. There are still reasons to be cautious with things like roster unlocks and limitations in the game modes, but it is overall a solid package.