Ultimately the experience feel flat for me as I tried to trudge through the non-stop references to the most obvious and overused aspects of the ‘80s. Yes, I enjoyed ET and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as a kid, but I’ve become numb to the overuse of catchphrases and plots that are continuously rehashed over and over. I’m at the point now where you either need to use these references sparingly as a complement to an original idea, or really dive deep into ‘80s culture that many probably wish would be forgotten. Unfortunately for Crossing Souls, neither of these ring true.

Iconoclasts is one of the biggest surprises of the year. Despite occasionally suffering through the story sequences, I found that I couldn’t stop playing (it’s about 10 hours long). I can’t recommend the game highly enough--go play it.

After a few short tries to get a handle on the combat and learning to traverse the dungeon, I began consistently making multi-level runs. The unfortunate part, is that those runs really weren’t increasing in enjoyment the further I ventured. With the ever increasing amount of roguelite titles to choose from, I think I would rather just play one with better combat and a better crafted dungeon.

The humor is top notch like usual, but the game is such a refined product. The puzzles are clean and easy to grasp, there is some solid replay value, and every character you possess does something unique. The only disappointing thing is that it feels cheap to rely on the game’s helpful tools. Personally I felt that I lost a little something in the process by doing so. In the end though, it all depends on the experience players find most desirable. All what matters is this though: Flipping Death is an adventure game everyone can enjoy.

New players to the series will enjoy this on its own and since online is now available, this opens up multiplayer play to just about everyone whether you have friends next to you or not. Whichever way you play, this is a fun and frantic experience that everyone deserves to enjoy.

The lack of AI (and online) for solo play is a bummer, but I can’t stress how much fun this game is with friends. The ease with which one can pick it up only adds to its use as a casual game for anybody too. I’m hopeful for a future update that add in some post-game statistics so one can record victory streaks or the completion time of a race, but I could also see how that might hamper the speed of firing up a new match. Muddledash is what a party game should be. Just beware, you’ll need more than eight tentacles to play.

I would recommend Waking Violet to anyone interested in puzzlers. Its mechanics provide enough unique challenges to get a couple hours of mind-bending game play. That, plus the artwork and design makes this game well worth it.

In the end, it took some patience, but Mugsters turned out to be an overall enjoyable experience that leads to many laughs, frustration, and sighs of relief that will be enjoyed by one and all.

Guts and Glory isn’t the first, and won’t be the last title that lost its playability being ported to the Switch (WWE 2K18 comes to mind). It’s another example of all ports not being equal as developers still struggle to discover all of the ins and out of the porting process. If getting sliced in half or impaled by a buzzsaw is a can’t miss experience, I would recommend looking at another platform to play it on.

This is a tremendous newcomer to the Switch indie scene and as long as you’re up for a challenge, Dead Cells is spectacular.

It’s not difficult to find new games that are designed with the 16-bit era in mind, but it is rare to find ones that develop new and enjoyable game mechanics. While the writing could have benefited from some additional depth, the expansive party and combat options provide hours of entertainment, making Cosmic Star Heroine a worthwhile addition to your Switch library.

RBI Baseball 18 adds significant new content to what was a fairly shallow game in the form of that franchise mode as well as a home run derby, but it still remains a simple game, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If it were a more polished experience it would be easy to recommend to Switch-owning baseball fans, but as it is it doesn’t really feel finished. If you can get past the mostly minor issues, though, it’s an enjoyable arcade baseball game.

I enjoyed it but it didn’t grab me like similar games such as Mercenary Kings did. If you like comically-violent, pixelated shooters, you might try this out, but I suspect it’s playing to a crowd that doesn’t necessarily include me.

At its core, Salt and Sanctuary is 2D Dark Souls. I say that not as any indictment but more of a very adept comparison. Ska Studios smartly transformed the core concepts of a Souls game and turned it into a side-scrolling action game with an ample amount of Metroidvania influence. The result is tough as nails, but doable with perseverance and gumption. Salt and Sanctuary is not for the faint of heart, but it’s a journey worth suffering through for those who think they are worthy.

Battle Supremacy is a usually functional, though consistently clunky, third-person shooter. The occasional forays into non-tank vehicles offer momentary reprieve, but that feeling is quickly overshadowed by their own unique shortcomings. While it may half-heartedly scratch an itch for the most hardcore of tank fans, most others will just be left frustrated.

Looking at screenshots of the game, one might think they have played this type of game before, but Flat Heroes is much more content-rich and thoroughly satisfying. The challenge ramps up gradually, and there is a great sense of accomplishment in completing later levels, especially the boss stages.

Moving forward, any developer looking to create a point-and-click adventure would do well to look at The Journey Down as an example of the genre done right. My recommendation before you decide to pick up the first chapter is to ensure you’re committed to the long haul. By the end of the first chapter, you’ll be left wanting more, and it only gets better from there.

Code of Princess EX is a wonderful remaster of an already great game. The rebalancing of enemies and heros makes it easier to pick up and play and the ability to play on a TV makes the HD graphics really pop. If you had missed this on the 3DS, and are a fan of anime, do yourself a favor and pick this title up.

WarioWare Gold is grand game for veterans and newcomers alike. The title features a top notch selection of microgames, which kept me glued to the screens for hours.

The Lion’s Song is a fun journey through and through. While I did wish that it explored certain themes more, I can’t be overly grumpy at the end result. It offers an engaging experience that instantly struck a chord with me. The presentation, choices and flow just feel incredibly well crafted by its developers.

Whether you’re new to Picross, or you’ve played it since the Game Boy days, Jupiter’s excellent and refined gameplay experience in Picross S2 is the perfect way to unwind and relax in short or long bursts. The vast amount of content available between the regular, Mega and Clip Picross modes are also very impressive - and will have you deciphering pictures for hours upon hours, either solo or with a friend.

Burnstar takes the underlying concepts behind the Bomberman franchise and develops them into something much more interesting than the source material. Some balancing issues aside, Burnstar is an engaging puzzle experience whether playing alone or with a friend. For those, like me, who were disappointed by the official Bomberman game on Switch, Burnstar might be just what you’re looking for.

While Arcade Archives Sky Skipper may have some flaws, going for a high score can still be fun as long as you know what you're getting into. It's a game that likely wasn't fully completed, but I'm still really excited that this historical curiosity has an official release. I would still recommend it to classic arcade lovers, Nintendo fans, and anyone interested in gaming history.

Tanzia is a fine game for people looking for a light action-RPG that engages the player with its simplicity. The story beats are interesting but the combat, music, and quest design are largely uninspired. In so many words, Tanzia could use a little more time in the alchemy cauldron.

Regardless of what entry in the trilogy is best, the Banner Saga as a whole is incredible. This vibrant, gorgeously animated tale feels as alive as the top live-action fantasy worlds, even more so with the knockout Austin Wintory soundtrack. The battle system reaches a rewarding crescendo and the story hits a lot of excellent beats as it hurtles towards its thrilling conclusion.

Go Vacation has remained the fun experience that it was ages ago. Naturally, it hasn’t aged well from a graphical perspective, but it does a lot of good in its totality.

Sleep Tight has the structure and form to be an absolutely fantastic game. Its impressive visuals, delightful music, and endearing concept make it easy to recommend to all ages. A little bit of variety such as additional environments and maybe a co-op mode hold it back from greatness.

Puzzle games can run into the issue of reusing an idea one too many times, ultimately losing its luster, but with Semblance that was never the case. Seemingly around every corner was another new and interesting idea, keeping this wonderfully paced journey fresh beginning to end.