Lil Guardsman offers an intriguing and easily completable puzzle, wrapped in a cartoony art style with superb script writing. Let yourself become the gatekeeper of the city and decide the fate of all the visitors flocking to the Sprawl, and the city itself.

A rambunctious, treasure-filled adventure with that classic DQ charm, Dragon Quest Treasures embraces the world of its predecessors perfectly, while still setting itself apart. Its mechanics are unique and engaging, it’s full of personality and charm, and, above all, it’s just great fun. A wonderful entry into a popular series for returning and new players alike.

Despite the occasional balancing dilemma, Gwent is one of the best deck builders on mobile; smart, fast-paced, and most of all, free.

Resident Evil Requiem wonderfully blends survival horror and action, featuring two compelling protagonists with starkly different experiences that keep the gameplay fresh. The story is excellent, fitting nicely into the Resident Evil universe at large, and the game runs really well on the Nintendo Switch 2.

A solid port of one of the greatest games ever made.

Spirittea is a truly enchanting blend of life sim, management sim, and RPG, with a vibe reminiscent of Spirited Away and Stardew Valley combined. With its charming world, engaging gameplay loop, and celebration of East Asian culture, it’s hard not to fall in love with this slice of rural heaven, flaws and all.

A considered and worthy homage to the action-roleplaying genre, here’s hoping that the rest of the series expands on these good ideas.

A glorious, pure co-op experience, It Takes Two perfects the balance of give and take through its ingenuitive puzzles, stellar storytelling, and enchanting environments. With communication at its core, it truly takes two to tango with this one, and I couldn’t think of a better home for it than the Nintendo Switch.

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.

Mario Kart World might not completely reinvent the steering wheel, but it’s still a bold new vision for the 30-year-old series that takes some big risks with the classic formula. That said, thanks to some visually stunning new tracks, incredible karting tech, and a soundtrack that keeps my head bopping at all times, it’s already my favorite Mario Kart game to date, and I can’t wait to spend the next few years drifting and wall riding in Knockout Tour, Grand Prix mode, and beyond.

Try your hand at restoring the earth in the eco-friendly game Terra Nil as it sprouts on mobile and PC, bringing satisfying gameplay and scientific mechanics to reclaim the environment.

A retro-style action-roguelike that feels like Castlevania on steroids, Vampire Survivor goes from one of the most addictive games on Steam to one of the most addictive games on mobile with a stellar port and some great options no matter your device.

Wax Heads is a phenomenal debut indie game, oozing style without ignoring substance. If engaging puzzles, banging tunes, and an underdog story rooted in the DIY music scene are your jam, this game is for you.

Breathing new life into the series while respecting what made it great to begin with, Neo: The World Ends With You is everything fans dreamed of. There’s still room for surprises though with some crafty battle mechanics, dark story twists, and a densely packed and beautifully stylised version of Shibuya to explore. A fantastic return for the cult classic RPG series.

New Pokémon Snap is a heartwarming trip down nostalgia lane. With a huge range of levels, gorgeous graphics, and a relaxing soundtrack, it’s hard not to enjoy every minute you spend in the Lental region.

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.

Ex Astris is a truly impressive premium mobile RPG that really breaks the mold. Nostalgic yet fresh, this brilliant little gem combines a stunning world, deep lore, lovable characters, and an intricate turn-based-meets-real-time combat system, making for a truly striking experience that is well worth the entry fee.

F1 Manager 24 gives Nintendo Switch owners a best-in-class racing sim with detail rich gameplay and great player freedom.

Vampire Survivors can still do no wrong, and the Operation Guns DLC is an awesome addition that adds hours of playtime to an already engrossing game.

An adorable JRPG with fun characters and an in-depth alchemy system that will keep you entertained for 50+ hours.

Nuts is a simple yet fantastic game that will forever make you afraid of squirrels and the secrets they are hiding.

Bayonetta Origins shows you the umbra witch in a whole new way, and while you may feel skeptical about her going from heavy action to puzzles, Platinum Games nailed the transition flawlessly. While different to the trilogy, the gameplay is engaging, the world is stunning, and the story of Cereza and Cheshire is precious. I can’t recommend this game enough.

Sonic Origins Plus finally gives long-time fans access to 12 Sega Game Gear games, including some of the more obscure titles from the franchise. When you combine that with great graphics that maintain the pixelated charm of the original games, the ability to play as other characters, and the inclusion of missions, this is a must-own collection for fans of the blue blur.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is a polished, adorable Sanrio life sim jam-packed full of delicious treats and areas to explore on launch. The perfect game for fans of cats, cakes, and cuteness.

This colourful RPG is a constant delight with some fantastic monsters to find, deep mechanics, an interesting story, and some great characters along the way. The game is rewarding for both Monster Hunter fans and anyone looking for a new adventure, Monster Hunter Stories 2 might just be the best monster-catching game on the Nintendo Switch.

Showing no signs of slowing down, these two most recent entries in the Ace Attorney series present a strong enough story, and enough great new characters and mechanics to make the titles feel as fresh as ever. The time period makes for some interesting twists and the earnest protagonist and rookie-lawyer Ryunosuke is a delight thanks to witty writing and fantastic presentation. A series high point and a great entry for newcomers to boot.

A solid mobile port featuring the original's best single-player elements, and an excellent real-time tactical experience.

Tiny Touch Tales does it again: strongly recommended for thorough thinkers and masochists.