The Spirit and the Mouse is a truly thoughtful game that proves even the tiniest things in life can make a big difference. With its adorable protagonist, enjoyable missions, and touching message, it’s a sure-fire way to warm your heart on a rainy night.

The Life is Strange: Arcadia Bay Collection invites you to re-experience two of the best narrative games ever made. Better still, the Switch port performs well with only a couple of hiccups here and there, meaning it’s a solid platform to experience the story of Max and Chloe on.

Tunic boasts satisfying and challenging combat, as well as a beautiful world rich with hidden treasures and forgotten knowledge, and revels in slowly giving players the pieces they need to explore its every corner. A delightfully colourful visual language and a beautifully wistful soundtrack also help, bringing everything to life with earnest energy that delivers a sense of childlike wonder that very few games can achieve.

While the core gameplay of Desta can deliver hours of entertainment thanks to nuanced core gameplay and a likeable lead, the touch controls can be a little frustrating and those looking for a challenge may be hard-pushed to find one out of the gate. Still, this game knows its demographic and those who belong to it are almost guaranteed to feel right at home in the dreamscape streets of Desta’s London.

A charming spin on the original’s gameplay, Shovel Knight Dig feels great to play, and the presentation around it is absolutely stellar. Sadly, the rogue-like elements aren’t well-balanced or interesting enough to reward many subsequent runs with little additional content to dig into, so while it’s a blast to play and complete, I doubt fans will be sticking around for long after the credits.

Wylde Flowers is a wonderfully witchy farming life sim with an enchanting story to tell. Soak up the chill vibes and relaxing atmosphere of Fairhaven, as you get close to its residents, get a handle on your own magic powers, and reveal the secrets of this sunny seaside town.

An impressive new franchise from Square Enix, The Diofield Chronicle has a thrilling real-time battle system that gives every moment a tense, and challenging twist. It’s incredibly satisfying to turn the tide of battle with well-calculated moves, and the high fantasy story is told well with interesting characters, great visuals, and a meticulously detailed story.

Potion Permit is a cosy, magical experience that blends the best features of the RPG, adventure, and life sim genres into one soothing, medicinal brew. With plenty of puzzles to solve, potions to distil, and patients to heal, your time in Moonbury is as eventful and exciting as it is stunning.

Bear & Breakfast is a delightful, laid-back management sim with heaps of personality. Despite some fumbles with pacing and controls, it’s an enchanting experience that oozes charm, and offers plenty of unique challenges to explore as you delve deeper into its world. Thanks for the wonderful stay, Hank!

Despite a slightly gimmicky appearance and card packs finally being pulled for all-out gacha mechanics, the well-executed risks of Cross Duel outweigh the issues by offering a selection of varied game modes, each with its own nuance, and a new way to play with the beloved cast of over twenty years of anime adventures.

A remake of an iconic yet obscure horror classic, White Day: A Labyrinth Named School is an atmospheric survival spookfest with plenty of jumpscares and puzzles to explore. While it may rely a little too heavily on backtracking and frustrating chase sequences, it’s an enjoyable blast from the past and deserves a place in any horror fan’s Switch library.

Temtem offers a monster-taming title that has enough to tear us away from the king of the genre, with an attention to detail across all elements from monster design to competitive online battles. With a little more charm, and a few quality-of-life improvements to the solo experience and the MMO aspect, this could be the closest the Pokémon series has ever come to a real challenge to its monster-taming monopoly.

Splatoon 3 will undoubtedly become one of the best multiplayer games out there. But the issue with playing pre-release is you can only spot the potential. It’s inevitable it will flourish, but I wasn’t able to see it in full bloom. Luckily, the single-player is so good it could be worth buying the game for that alone, while the surrounding quality-of-life improvements and various other additions make this easily the best in the series yet.

Onsen Master is an enchanting, mystical experience, with a gorgeous aesthetic and plenty of madcap fun to be had. Though there are some slight fumbles with controls and collision, it offers heaps of fun challenges, along with co-op and PVP modes to keep the gameplay fresh. Visiting the bathhouse has never been so much fun!

Hell Pie is one of the crassest games I’ve come across for some time, and I highly recommend it to anybody in search of a rude, fun, and hilarious platformer. Yes, it has a couple of performance issues, but those are fixable and pale in comparison to the great time this game is sure to give you.

Anno: Mutationem features a fantastic cyberpunk world that’s a joy to explore, as not only does the main narrative offer a certain intrigue, but the side quests you can discover on your travels offer more depth to the bustling cities. Better still, the combat is fluent, fun, and action-fuelled.

Gerda: A Flame in Winter is an important narrative adventure that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with publisher Don’t Nod’s stable of similar titles. Just don’t expect to be smiling your way through this slow-paced and sombre experience.

A new contender for the best wholesome game on Switch, Ooblets matches smart farming mechanics with satisfying creature collecting, and the vegetable critters known as the Ooblets are the star of the show. Dance battles are thrilling, and there are endless amounts of ways to customise and improve every aspect of the game but don’t expect to get anywhere quickly, as with so many different gameplay elements it’s easy to get buried under the workload.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection features 13 nostalgia-inducing games, each of which serves as the perfect reminder of why many of us love 1990s platformers. It’s a worthy purchase for TMNT fans or even just those of you that are after a challenge

Cursed to Golf balances harsh roguelike elements with playful and endearing level design and game mechanics. This, combined with the gorgeous art and excellent tunes make for a beautifully well-rounded package that’s hard to put down.

Idol Manager is a fascinating, tongue-in-cheek business sim with well-written visual novel aspects and plenty of scandals. It’s not for everyone, but for the right audience it’s a brilliantly crafted little gem that prods at the dark, seedy side of the idol scene, and challenges you with some tricky moral scenarios.

While acting as a steady starting point for kids who can’t tell their Pac-Men from their Space Invaders, Pac-Man World Re-Pac is a remaster that struggles to make itself feel necessary, with no improvements outside of graphics and mechanics to enhance the original Pac-Man World’s formula. There’s some fun to be had, but perhaps not enough to warrant a remaster when including a port of the PS1 title in a collection might have made more sense.

While a little lacking in content and options, Kirby’s Dream Buffet is a hilarious and satisfyingly silly game that balances its gameplay nicely between moments of skill and utter mayhem. With a gorgeous culinary theme and stellar presentation, alongside plenty of great rewards to unlock, Dream Buffet will keep players coming back for several helpings for the foreseeable.

We Are OFK is sort of a visual novel that presents itself like you’re watching Netflix. The story is good, the voice acting is great, the characters are excellently flawed, and the cast is effortlessly varied. However, performance issues, tacked-on gameplay elements, and the weirdly indifferent emptiness I was left with at the end made it struggle on a fundamental level.

An incredibly detailed and accomplished game that deftly balances combat with managing your very own occult village, Cult of the Lamb is an amazing game that deserves to be played. But no amount of humour or depth of mechanics can save the consistent and disappointing performance. I pray to Cthulu that some patches can bring this essential title up to snuff on the Switch.

Tower of Fantasy breathes new life into the MMORPG genre, with its bustling, vibrant open world, expansive exploration, engaging narrative, fluid combat, and well-rounded balance between solo and multiplayer gameplay. It’s brimming with potential, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this post-apocalyptic gem.

Mix together the Legend of Zelda, Crash Bandicoot, and Banjo-Kazooie, with a few other ‘90s classics and you get Frogun - a game that may press a few nostalgia buttons, but which provides a unique and innovative experience. I reckon it will be the next big indie hit.

Descenders may not be the ideal fit for mobile, but it works well enough on a touchscreen. As soon as you connect a controller, though, it’s a different story, as this port is so slick it feels like playing on a Nintendo Switch. A top-notch port which is only hindered by the hardware’s interface, nothing else.

The vibrant colours, dynamic soundtrack, and suitably grim story make Digimon Survive a truly impressive game. It doesn’t quite scratch the digital itch I have for the series like the World games do, but it does what it sets out to do fantastically. Oh boy, I just really love Digimon.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is itself and loudly. It is what it is without a hint of doubt. It’s the perfect videogame, inasmuch as it takes everything that makes the series special and turns it up louder, down darker. It does what it wants.

While Coromon takes some of the needless complications of the Pokémon series away, it also leaves out some of the most engaging mechanics, and only stands on its own two feet in certain moments. It’s sure to engage anyone looking for a fix of old-school monster-taming RPG goodness, but don’t expect any innovative elements.

Unfortunately, Bright Memory: Infinite is swarming with bugs and performance issues that severely impact the gameplay experience, which in itself has a couple of issues thanks to some questionable gunplay mechanics. However, the game is a decent length, features a decent story, and has the makings to be a good shooter should the various problems be addressed.

Live A Live is a phenomenal RPG that's sure to delight new and old fans alike. Each chapter tells a story with its own cast, time, and location, yet all are done seamlessly and they tie together nice to form the overarching story. Then, to top it all off, the combat is fantastic, well designed, and exactly what you'd expect from a title that utilises turn-based mechanics.

Wrapping a rhythm game around a heartfelt indie works wonders for Loud, elevating the gameplay and delivering a short but sweet musical experience that’s well worth the price of admission. Occasionally clumsy controls and a brutal difficulty curve are an issue, but rhythm fans will get a kick out of this one.

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie is a superb collection of platform games that shine a light on an iconic character from the genre, one that deserves this moment. Both games are full of fun and intricately designed levels, and not only look stunning, but are warm and welcoming.

A beastly expansion that picks up right where MHR left off, Sunbreak builds upon the base game with a plethora of fresh, challenging fights, smashing skills, exciting equipment, and more. So hop back on your palamute and grab a max potion - you’re gonna need it.

A brilliant addition to the base game that condenses the highlights of the original into a handful of fantastic boss fights, The Delicious Last Course is a constant delight from start to finish. About 4-5 hours of great new bosses, new ways to play, and a new character to get to grips with, Cuphead fans will be delighted to return to this world with so many new foes and new tools to kill them with.

A game all about recapturing the energy of the 90s beat-em-up, Final Vendetta works hard to take you back in time and delivers a great game in the process. Combat feels right, plowing through enemies is fun, then, to top it off, the visuals and music sell it all wonderfully. I wish there was a little more modern flourish and a touch more imagination, but what we have is still a great game at its core.

With such expertly crafted and satisfying gameplay that it feels like it was made in a lab by Heisenberg, Poinpy is just ridiculously fun to play, offers a huge amount of ways to customise your personal gameplay, and gives you a treasure chest of fun things to discover along the way. Of course, no game is perfect, but if you asked me to point out the best mobile game of the year right now, I’d probably tell you to play Poinpy.

If you’re looking for a point-and-click, or narrative-driven adventure, with helpings of edge, sharp satire, and deep deduction-based gameplay, Gamedec makes for a riveting addition to your collection. However, the occasional issue with controls and performance does need addressing in a patch, and those looking for an interstation with a bit of heart will find nothing but a husk here.

Despite the flaws of the gacha system and microtransactions, Disney Mirrorverse is a powerhouse mobile RPG, and it certainly fits the bill for any Disney fan, with fun combat, a great story, and a fantastic reimagination of your favourite Disney characters.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is the best musou spin-off to date, offering an unbelievable amount of storytelling that any fan will delight in. Swirling around all this is a cacophony of mechanics that may at first overwhelm, but once they make sense, the game is harmonious and hard to put down. It feels like a mainline Fire Emblem game with more action, which might actually be music to the ears of anyone who’s not tried the series before.

An out-of-this-world addition to an already stellar game, the Void Riders DLC is just more of a good thing and adds some nice new mechanics and plenty of challenging new levels to OlliOlli World. If you’re confident in your kickflipping powers, take this DLC out for a spin.

A charming but troubled post-apocalyptic title that I had fun with despite its best efforts, Metal Max Xeno Reborn is a good game dragged down by some silly design choices and a lacklustre presentation. But if you know this is your bag and have a little patience, there’s something really rewarding in here.

With a fresh take on the puzzle genre and gorgeous aesthetics, bringing a barren world back to life with plants is more fun than it has any right to be. We hope for a couple of small updates down the road, but there is already more than enough great content here for any player to enjoy for days.

Despite the cumbersome controls, lack of scares, and somewhat mundane puzzles, Ikai has a fantastic atmosphere, and can offer Japanese horror fans a strong story that keeps you hooked throughout.

A fantastic port of what just might be one the best RPGs of all time, it’s a fantastic sequel to its predecessor, and builds upon KOTOR perfectly. Your decisions in the world matter, so what are you waiting for, choose a side, and make the galaxy your own.

A new contender for the best multiplayer title on Switch, Battle League is here to dispel any doubts you had about the future of Mario sports titles. With balanced gameplay that includes all the classic gimmicks, plenty of depth in character and world design, and a modernised online matchmaking system, Mario Strikers: Battle League is a red-letter day in the modern history of the moustachioed plumber.

Diablo Immortal is a mixed bag. While the solo content offers a roadmap for series looking to bring their titles to mobile, the invasive microtransactions remove some of the rewards of mastery, and leave us wishing that Diablo Immortal had stuck to its paid-for guns. There’s enough for casual players to delve into the world of Diablo and have a good time, but as things stand, and as those in the underworld will confess to, there’s no way of getting to the top without paying for it.

An underwater adventure with a sombre twist, Silt is host to some fantastic platforming and puzzle-solving that dares you to explore its terrifying depths even further. Not everyone will have the patience to uncover its mysteries, but those who do will be rewarded.

Catalyst Black is excellent at giving you a good time. The numerous game modes and loadout options are fun to play around in, and the scale of some of the maps is really impressive. I just wish there was something that made me want to keep coming back, which there isn't for now.

Touken Ranbu Warriors is a wonderful entry point for anyone new to the musou genre, with stripped back but enjoyable combat, flashy animations, and a host of stunning maps to explore. While it may have its imperfections, its aesthetics are spot on, its sound design is lovely, and the Touken Danshi are each as charming as the last.

Opus: Echo of Starsong has many layers of narrative combined with numerous game mechanics, and it manages to make them all feel vital. Most importantly, though, its heartfelt story is one I will never forget, told in the perfect way.

Warped Kart Racers has sped onto the scene, and it’s safe to say that it holds its own against other racing giants. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s one of the best on mobile - shut up, Mario.

Despite some nice ideas and a classic roguelike framework, Source of Madness on Switch just isn’t fun enough to recommend. Here’s hoping some updates down the road can change that.

Deadcraft is a fun entry into the survival genre, and it’s a must-play for any zombie fans out there. Sure, there’s the odd performance issue, but its fun gameplay more than makes up for that.

Mini Motorways is a zen-puzzler that achieves everything it sets out to do, offering an engaging experience for any problem-solving gamer, and an alternative to the convoluted transport sim. While there are a couple of potholes, and at times you’ll wish for a slightly more scenic route, Dinosaur Polo Club’s second outing is a smooth ride that makes time fly by like a fast lane free of traffic.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a gorgeous title with some charming elements, but the action isn’t sharp enough to be memorable, and the town building elements only serve to hamper the other sides of the gameplay. A lovely game is buried in here somewhere, but instead, too many unsuccessful elements drag down the greater experience.

A charming action game stacked full of great dungeons and unique puzzles that never seems to run out of smart ideas. Dungeons of Dreadrock brings the best elements of classic dungeon exploration to the Nintendo Switch and does a lot with only a few pieces.

Much like the original version, the Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is a cryptic manifesto on game design as much as it is a game in itself, made even more playable with responsive controls on Switch and no noticeable bugs or issues. On stepping out of office 427, you find laughter, existential crises, and moments of pure bewilderment in equal amounts, and you’ll cherish every second.

Nintendo Switch Sports scores a few points for successfully revitalising the heart of the original Wii Sports, with impressively gorgeous graphics and wonderful online performance. I only hope it can keep up pressure in the second half, by eventually adding enough content and sports to make it feel like a full package.

In one of the most heartfelt adventures I’ve had the pleasure of playing, Bugsnax shines in almost every element. While there is a bit of tedium with later missions, and not all the Bugsnak designs are winners, the treasure here really is the friends you make along the way.

The House of the Dead still holds up as a campy and action-packed pastiche of the zombie genre, but this remake struggles to bring the gameplay competently to the modern-day. Issues with performance and motion controls hamper what could be a dead-good reanimation of an undead classic.

Drinkbox Studios has made its best game yet, as Nobody Saves the World brings a fresh tone to dungeon crawling, alongside incredibly satisfying gameplay. You’ll never run out of ways to combine your attacks or new threats to face, and with its quick, gratifying action and colourful world, it's a perfect match for the Switch.

A delightfully charming business sim with cute characters, fun mechanics, and adorable kitties. Cat Cafe Manager is the purrfect way to relax and unwind after a long day.

Tormented Souls is a fine addition to the survival horror genre, the influence it takes from Resident Evil and Alone in the Dark is evident, and this only adds to the creepy experience.

Total War: Medieval 2 holds up, there's no doubt about it. It's still one of the best strategy titles ever made. But the concessions to fit this fiddly thing onto a small screen are clear, and anyone who's thinking of jumping in needs to ask themselves whether they just want to play the game again, or if they actually need it on their mobile phone. If it's the latter, then go for it. It's a good enough port.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition has a few technical issues that may infuriate those of you that are used to modern RPGs. However, the story, unique characters, and gorgeous art make it worth pushing through if you’ve never played this amazing JRPG in the past.

13 Sentinels barely puts a foot wrong throughout its story. It has lofty ambitions that can become a mess of strange terms, but it never forgets its characters and themes. It loudly reminds you of the violence and destruction to come with the RTS mech combat one moment, then lets you see a character quietly consider the ramifications of everything they learn the next. It has such breadth, not just of ideas, but also of emotion.

Sith, Jedi, Wookies, and Ewoks, I present to you the definitive Lego Star Wars experience, never before has journeying to a blocky galaxy far, far away been so satisfying. The Skywalker Saga covers all nine mainline movies, and it captures all of the key points in a charming way - it’s the quintessential Lego experience, and mesa recommend you play it.

Everything that Alto's Adventure did seven years ago has been perfected in this remastered version. It's still the same game, but its simplicity feels timeless. Now there's just more to do, and doing it is great fun.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a delicious mouthful of puzzling, platforming, adventure-filled fun, with heaps of inventive mechanics, luscious level design, and plenty of challenges to chew on

For all its performance and interface issues, Rune Factory 5 has the same familiar comfort that every game in the series does. It's great to have it back, even if it's not quite right. It's good enough.

A successful distillation of the heart of skating in a very small package, The Ramp is a chilled out skating getaway that I could happily put hours into without a care in the world. What a lovely way to relax.

Chocobo GP has a charming story and the tournament is sure to keep you occupied for many hours. It’s a great first foray into the world of Final Fantasy for young gamers.

Potato Flowers in Full Bloom has more than enough elements to keep you engaged, and they all blend together smoothly. There's nothing to shout about here, but if you're after a sweet, comfy dungeon-crawler, it might just be for you.

Arguably one of the best sniper games on mobile, the level of creativity here is fantastic, and it stays true to its roots. Hitman Sniper: The Shadows is a must-play for longtime fans and new assassins alike.

A slight but impactful piece of work, Gibbon: Beyond the Trees blends engaging gameplay and a vital ecological message seamlessly, all while being gorgeous to look at and listen to. It's a powerful, polished package that has almost nothing wrong with it.

For all the wonderful writing and gorgeous world-building, Little Orpheus fails on a fundamental level to create anything engaging in the platforming and puzzles. There's a lot worth seeing, but it is sadly buried under monotonous gameplay.

Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream is a joy from start to finish. It improves on certain elements from the series, has a charming new story with some familiar faces, and even adds intriguing new features for you to enjoy

Assassin’s Creed II is a great game and this is the only way to play it on the Nintendo Switch, and it’s a good enough way to do it. To simply explore Renaissance Florence while on the bus or lying in bed is a real treat. If that’s what you want, that’s what you’ll get.

Kingdom Hearts is a beautiful, classic series that I would recommend to anyone. However, the Cloud version suffers severe performance issues, server congestion, and a level of restriction that sucks the appeal out of playing it on Switch. If you can, pick it up elsewhere - you’ll be grateful you did.

With a vibrant soundtrack, vivid visuals, and an eye for a punchline, Grapple Dog is a good time in a neat package. There are a couple of issues with movement, and progression can feel forced in places, but overall I’m hooked on the first game from Super Rare Originals and Medallion Games.

Matching tight, intricate controls with a vibrant style and high-spirited, energetic world, OlliOlli World delivers the best skateboarding experience on Switch. The series has taken a significant leap forward and absolutely stuck the landing. An essential indie for any skateboarding fans.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a must-play for any Pokémon fan. Not only does it offer a huge world full of gorgeous landscapes and great creatures, but it also features a fantastic origin story for Sinnoh. It feels great to be a part of history, even if there are some graphical hiccups.

A roaring cosmic escapade that would make Bowie proud, The Artful Escape tells a beautiful story of artistic integrity and brings it to life with show-stopping visuals that never relent. It’s a slightly better story than a game, however, and I hope the Switch version gets a tune-up down the line.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel delivers what all duellists have been waiting for, as well as a surprise standout solo mode that relieves itself from the shackles of the anime. With quality deck-building mechanics, intuitive duelling, and an impressive roster of available cards, it’s only the test of time that this free-to-play game still has to ace.

Knockout Home Fitness is a fun game that does exactly what it sets out to do. If you use this game as its intended, then it can aid you in achieving your fitness goals.

Eternal Radiance is a nice little visual novel with some mediocre action RPG elements. It features some beautiful CG art and shows a genuine love for the classic anime ARPG genre it’s inspired by, but ultimately falls short in its clunky combat and occasional performance dips.

A beautiful realisation of the joy of playing, Chicory is an astounding use of the medium of video games that also leans heavily into the emotional weight of expectations and doubt. An incredibly real and human story is told with fantastic gameplay, and bringing the world of Picnic back to life is a journey I won’t forget.

Alien Isolation runs surprisingly well on mobile devices, and is sure to scratch that itch survival horror fans feel.

Possibly one of the most addictive games I’ve ever played, Loop Hero feels great to play and to master, and presents its grim, gloomy world with enough personality to keep you coming back for more. The huge depth and repetition could be overwhelming for some, and I hope minor issues are addressed, but none get dramatically in the way of my enjoyment.

Life is Strange: True Colors is an incredible game that takes you on a journey of loss, recovery, and adventure. It's a fantastic entry in what is perhaps one of the best narrative-driven franchises out there. However, to truly experience its beauty, you should play it on a different platform, where I would score it higher.

A thoughtful remaster of two much-loved classics, Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX on Switch is a welcome walk down memory lane. Truly a diamond in the rough, these clunky little gems offer surprisingly deep gameplay mechanics and heaps of possibilities to explore.

A lovely learning experience that offers satisfying brain-teasing puzzles, but doesn’t quite have enough to keep players coming back for weeks. Fun multiplayer adds some mileage, though some extra options would really sweeten the deal.

Waking up on a mysterious blocky island has never been so fun. Lego Star Wars: Castaways features all the fun you'd expect from the series, and is a worthwhile experience for any Apple Arcade subscriber.

With a moody map just begging to be explored, satisfying secrets in every corner, and some immensely rewarding combat that pushes you to your limits; Death’s Door is a sublime action game wrapped in an amazing well realised world.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is a fun adventure, and the Grand Underground is bound to keep you busy. However, it fails to reach the heights of Pokémon Platinum, with a limited Pokédex that excludes several great Pokémon unnecessarily.