The Fox n Forests developers set out to create something that both looks and feels right out of the 16-bit era and it’s safe to say they accomplished just that. Not only did they deliver a truly breathtaking rendition of the classic art style, but also introduced an interesting mechanic to the already familiar style of play.

The Framed Collection is a beautiful experiment in interactivity. The heist-comic book premise permeates every inch of these games from puzzles to story to art. A few puzzles didn't quite land for me, but the tight pacing and variety in complexity kept me engaged until the end that came too soon.

Despite some major flaws, I really enjoyed tinkering with KORG Gadget. The sheer amount of options on each gadget is staggering, and allows you to make something fun. The fact you can play locally with up to four people is mindboggling, but pretty awesome all the same. Add to this the easy to learn interface, and you got something bold on your hands.

I wanted to love Runner3, but it’s too frustrating of an experience to ascend to any higher commendation. I’m confused as to how the response to the eminently accessible Runner2 was to make its sequel bitterly hard with no recourse. My enjoyment was consistently interrupted by too much frustrating repetition, an aspect that soiled my affection for the overall style and excellent character selection (Dave, Shovel Knight, Charles Martinet, and Eddie Riggs!).

I suspect I’m not in the audience that Cast of the Seven Godsends is targeting. I think speedrunners will get a lot of mileage out of this game, and if you somehow managed to enjoy Super Ghouls and Ghosts back in the day take the Cast out for a spin.

While an open world adventure game with no combat is not something I’d generally jive with, I found myself enthralled with Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles. It does a fantastic job of making a captivating atmosphere that’s both fun to explore and filled with things to do. There are frame rate issues and the lack of diversity among quests is a bit disappointing, but the jaw dropping visuals and superb audio design left me pining for more.

There is a lot to like about Fairune Collection, and despite somewhat lacking RPG mechanics, an uninspired story, and some monotonous backtracking, the two main games offer a charming and accessible take on the top-down adventure genre. No deep challenge exists in any of the four games, but the in-game collections and achievements add replay value.

Neo Atlas 1469 is an unique oddity on the Nintendo Switch. While many of the key components wouldn't play well separately, the package itself is hard to overlook. I found myself constantly in good spirits exploring new routes, accepting or rejecting reports and cleaning up quests quickly. While some elements are keen to repeat a bit too much, there was something calming about every go I had.

I can wholly recommend this as a litmus test for fans of Persona 5 who haven’t yet gotten into the main Shin Megami Tensei series.

The Adventures of Elena Temple is a great platformer in a super-cool package of retro novelty. If what you’re looking for is a quick fix of good gameplay with some old-school flair, this is a perfect choice. However, if you are looking for extensive exploration or near-impossible platforming, this experience may be underwhelming to you.

At the end of the day, Wizard of Legend is a totally fine arcade-style dungeon crawling roguelite. It’s not near the top of the genre, or even near the top of the genre’s Switch representation, but with the fun two-player experience, it’s a respectable addition. If you’d rather sling spells then shoot guns, dance among the dead, or jump around, Wizard of Legend is a good game to pick up.

If you like arcade flight-sims, rogue-lites, or just sublime low-poly graphics, Sky Rogue is worth checking out.

All in all, Nihilumbra is a fun platformer, which allows for those who are new to puzzle games and those who are well versed in them to enjoy the game equally. With the creative and unique elements that are used in each puzzle, it is definitely a nice game for its price.

Everything about Glaive: Brick Breaker feels like a generic Breakout clone. There is just nothing here that sets this title apart from the countless variations on this formula seen in the past. If it was at least smooth it might have been a good, simple distraction. Unfortunately, this game is far from refined and feels like a rushed adaptation of something that has been great in the past.

Technical issues aside, Nightwar is an excellent well-crafted modern take on the classic JRPG style from a Western developer.

Overall, The Adventures of Bertram Fiddle plays well on the Switch and is a wonderful little entry point into the genre made popular by games like The Secret of Monkey Island and Day of the Tenticle. The Adventures of Bertram Fiddle isn’t quite as epic or hilarious as those two gems, but it has its moments.

If you’re looking for a solid, retro-influenced, first person shooter on Switch then this game is worth a look. Just be prepared to die and restart a lot.

Three Fourths Home feels like reading a short story more than playing a game, which is expected for interactive fiction. I personally wish there had been more to do, but the dialogue told the story and gave me lots to think about. If you want an interesting story about relationships and regret that will give you a few hours of entertainment, this is worth picking up.

Garage is a game that, to put it bluntly, feels unfinished. Everything from the less-than-tight gameplay (in a genre all about tightness and control) to its sloppily-missing Chapter 10 makes me feel Garage could have benefitted from more time in the oven. And it’s a shame the game came out this way too, because it has multiple positive aspects and the (missed) potential to be something greater.

The highest praise and most damning criticism I can give Devious Dungeon is that it is functional and something I could burn time with at a doctor’s office or in a plane. With the consistent stream of games coming to the Switch, you’re better off waiting to see if one of its better contemporaries gets released.

The wacky narrative escapades in Death Road to Canada are where it excels, but it falls apart when you actually want to progress. The brutal, random nature too often made me feel like I had little agency in my quest, which made it hard to really care about ever making it to Canada reliably. The reward for my death road was the unusual tales I created along the way, not the gameplay.

Raging Justice is what it is: a modern take on a classic arcade beat-’em-up. If all you want is something that reminds you of the Double Dragons of yore, this is a fine way to burn through a night with a friend. But if you’re looking for something substantive or something that doesn’t have vexing controls and frustrating moments, this doesn’t deliver that. What you see is what you get. No more no less.

While Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story has noble intentions, it doesn’t have a heart. The first game was about leaning on others and drawing strength from a community; this one is just about reading someone’s texts.

Agatha Knife is insanely intelligent and strives through its unique narrative. The art direction and music compliment the theme, making it a solid package overall. This brings well-deserved diversity to the point-and-click genre. The developers brought something very new to the table and proved the vast amount of potential in a game focused solely on a fun, weird story.

A Robot Named Fight is an interesting roguelike, combining that genre’s pros and cons with what’s essentially a Super Metroid framework. While I suspect your mileage may vary, I can’t deny that it’s a fun, if imperfect, experience.

Saturday Morning RPG has a lot to like. The presentation is top notch, the gameplay is excellent, and the vast amount of ‘80s references sprinkled throughout the episodes are fun, promoting a positive vibe. I wish the world had a bit more depth, and the difficulty spikes get annoying fast. But with Saturday Morning RPG, the positives end up outweighing the negatives.

The levels inspire me to push harder to master them. Now combine that with a fun cast of characters and a terrific presentation, and you have the funkiest of the bunch. If you are playing it for the game, please do yourself a favor and play it in original mode first. The challenge may be harsh, but you get a real idea of what this game oh so special.

The Labo Variety Kit contains five different builds, each with their own intricacies and eccentricities. While the introductory RC Car is a quick 10-minute build, the other four (Motorbike, Piano, Fishing Rod, and House) are much more involved.