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.

If you are looking for a simulation game to spend some time with on the Switch, Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?! may do the trick. Just be warned: it’s painfully average, not bringing anything new to this genre, and super slow. I feel like this genre is better suited for PCs or even tablets rather than portable gaming systems because it feels too cluttered for the Switch’s screen and not comfortable on any television.

X Legacy Collection 2 is just okay. X5 and X6 look great and provide fun platforming, though both fall victim to uninspiring stories and a lot of dialogue. X7 should be commended for trying to change things up, but the switch to 3D falls flat. X8 is much more polished and is probably the best title in the collection. The collection overall is probably best for those that are nostalgic for the PlayStation 1 and 2 era Mega Man games; otherwise, there are much better platformers around on the Switch with better variety.

The first four Mega Man X games are fun nostalgia, though it sometimes feels like a case of deja vu.

While the camera and a few other nagging issues can make things vexing at times, Pool Panic shines past the mild blemishes as it’s a dazzling display of artistic buffoonery. It’s hard to recommend for people that have to get the high score or complete every optional challenge, but if you just want to sit back and roll through a world with oodles of inventiveness and creativity, this is an acid trip worth taking.

Lanota is the perfect rhythm game for the Switch platform. It utilizes the touchscreen well and mixes up a genre that can get stale from game to game. Each song brought clever ways of utilizing their Tuner setup that kept things interesting as you played through the extensive list of songs. While anything beyond that was a letdown, if you’re looking for a solid game with fantastic tracks, Lanota doesn’t disappoint.

Yuso makes a good first impression, but it becomes stale fairly quickly. I can recommend it only to people who want an easy-to-play but shallow puzzler to while away a couple of hours.

Super Destronaut DX is somewhat of an improvement. While the solid gameplay and music is still present, the variety of modes is much larger. The title isn't overly difficult, particularly for a veteran, but it is fun time waster that I have no problem turning on. Online leaderboards ensures that it has a bit more longevity, something that was incredibly lacking in the Wii U game. The presentation hasn't improved too much sadly, and it is more irritating than it should be. In any case, if you are in need of an arcade style game, you can do far worse than this one.