Splatterbot is a fun little multiplayer game. It’s simple but makes for a neat party title in short bursts. With a few more options or modes, this could be even better, and we’re excited to see what’s next for Hey! Kookaburra.

Though not without some issues, this is a fun game for friends and family looking to waste a night without going out. So grab a mic and drink, sit down, and have fun playing Let’s Sing Country.

A different kind of point-and-click adventure, Agatha Christie – The ABC Murders has both highs and lows on the Nintendo Switch. But it’s the quantity and quality of speech that pushes it over the edge for me, despite the inexplicable lack of handheld play.

The Padre is a delightfully creepy game that you can move through at your own pace, with plenty of treats for horror fans to find amidst the central mystery.

Cat Maze is an entertaining romp into a magical world of potions and animals. Initial frustrations paved the way for an enjoyable adventure, with plenty to discover and a fulfilling story.

REZ PLZ is a creative platforms game that blends a darkly funny premise with clever puzzles in a genuinely fun and original way that is let down by a couple of annoying (but hopefully temporary) bugs.

GUNPIG: Firepower For Hire does what it must for the modest cost of $4.99. It teases a sequel – “Bax will return…” – and I hope the followup brings expanded leaderboards, a save system, and maybe even a two-player mode. But if you’re a fan of top-down dual-stick shooters, this entry is solid fun and replayable.

Clea 2 builds on the tension and atmosphere that earned its predecessor a cult following to create a decent sequel that leans into the darkly cute style and stealth-based horror.

With no words, Fire: Ungh’s Quest provides a relatable hero in a quirky puzzle adventure. The imagery is playful and well rendered, and the audio is good with both sound effects and music. Playability is better in handheld mode than docked, but it’s worth a go either way for those who like puzzlers.

Aircraft Evolution offers a lot of action and a lot of destruction, but not a whole lot of variation. Like the arcade games to which it pays homage, it’s best enjoyed a few “quarters” at a time.

Revolgear Zero goes beyond the token shoot’ em up in many ways. Its weapon system has depth, and what it lacks in length, it makes up for in replayability. It’s a fun game to play solo, and even more fun in co-op. I’ll keep an eye on Bikkuri Software and hope their next Nintendo release will have its glitches ironed out.

NBA 2K26 should look and perform better on the Switch 2. It should also tone it down with all of the microtransaction noise on top of an already $70 game. But if you’re willing to overlook those issues, you’ll get a game that’s a lot of fun to play and provides many ways to play it.

Overall, Disney Tsum Tsum Festival is worthy of your time if you are a Disney enthusiast. The game is also worth a look if you want a family-oriented game and/or party game. Despite some of the title’s concerning game design choices, it has such a charming atmosphere and no performance issues. Therefore, having a jolly time is inevitable.

Bridge Strike delivers technically competent arcade action that fans of River Raid will appreciate. Repetition, lower difficulty, and no leaderboards in the endless mode combine to make it not as enjoyable as it could’ve been. But it still is a fun little game, one that has me hoping for a sci-fi sequel.

A good entry into what feels like a genre of old, successfully maintaining the fun, and feeling fresh when it wasn’t that long ago this would’ve felt played out. The visuals are the real feature, especially when the package is as light as it is, altogether making it a great game for mobile, and a decent one for the Switch.

Particle Hearts leans heavily into its visuals and overall presentation, and that was probably the right thing to do. The narrative is revealed slowly and with only gentle guidance, leaving players to explore and discover the game’s secrets at their own pace. By all means, take your time with this one.

Although it’s based on a long-running British TV show, no previous knowledge is required to enjoy solving the tricky time-manipulation puzzles of Peaky Blinders: Mastermind. In a world where tie-in games are generally awful, this is a rare entry that works for show fans and non-fans alike.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the loop of hunting monsters and collecting their parts to craft better weapons and armor. That being said, its performance issues in the open-world hub and the inability to earn any substantial amount of platinum through regularly playing the game inhibits me from giving further praise. However, with some improvements, this game could be a sleeper hit within the library of free-to-play Nintendo Switch games.

If you’re considering Railway Empire because you love the sound of a train in the distance, you’re not likely to enjoy the game. This is a management seem that digs deeply into the technology, the business strategy, and the economic acumen required to tame America’s landscape and reach the pinnacle of what this nation’s all about: corporate power.

Sonic Frontiers takes a huge gamble on changing up its entire gameplay presentation and the open-zone approach mostly works. It’s a blast running around in these open zones discovering all there is to offer. There’s also plenty of variety in the side quests and minigames, although you won’t truly love the throwbacks unless you’re a long-time Sonic player. That said, Sonic Frontiers suffers from being glitchy, where you run into graphical issues at nearly every section. It also suffers from major pop-in issues, with noticeably fuzzy visuals and downgraded graphics from other hardware counterparts. It’s also a weird game, even by Sonic standards. There’s still a lot of fun to be had in Sonic Frontiers and I recommend checking it out.

Considering the limitations of the Switch’s small screen and physical setup, Colors Live offers a pretty good range of tools and functionality for a low-cost painting game. It doesn’t have the capabilities serious artists will want, but its accessibility and daily challenges provide a fun way to get some drawing practice in and stay creative.

Cat Cafe Manager is a cafe management sim in which you adopt cats and run your very own store. Serve your customers, build bonds with your regulars, adopt your choice of cats, and just generally enjoy life in a cute and friendly town.

Overall, Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon EVERY BUDDY! is a fun game to play, though the story and some of the characters could have been done better.

Overall, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is the best game in the franchise for newcomers. The game offers an abundance of events and a charming story that’ll give younglings insight into the history of the Olympic Games. If you are looking into becoming a competitive athlete online, then this game will not be for you. However, it is perfect for any get together with friends and/or family, due to the game’s short session mentality.

Although it wears its inspirations on its sleeve, you needn’t have knowledge of point-and-click adventure classics to enjoy Darkestville Castle. The jokes are fine, the characters are fun, and the puzzles are comfortably illogical. Enjoy your visit.

Setting aside some motion sickness from playing with the Nintendo Switch docked – and the overall strangeness of playing a grid-based puzzle from a diagonally forced perspective – Plunge is a fun take on an action puzzler.

Astro Duel 2 is a neat combination of two popular genres. The simple setup is fun, despite my initial issues with the controls. It could benefit from a little more variety and some kind of story mode to tie it all together, but it’s an enjoyable fun time regardless.

Despite the subpar graphics and lack of character customization, Mad Games Tycoon creates an addicting gameplay loop that fans of the simulation genre will love. Just be mindful of which platform you are buying the game on and at what price… because the game is cheaper elsewhere. That being said, if you enjoy simulation video games and can only get it on Nintendo Switch, it is still worth the asking price.

Overall, My Time at Sandrock is a decent game that could be great with some further polish. If it gets another patch, $39.99 is a fair price, as there’s lots to explore in this large, addictive game.

Overall, Attack on Titan 2: The Final Battle makes significant improvements over its original release, but it still suffers from performance issues and has a niche target audience. With a steep retail price of US$59.99 this game is hard to recommend unless you are an Attack on Titan fan or just simply need another hack-and-slash RPG to play.

Great Conquerer: Rome may not be the best tactical sim out there, but it’s a solid game that’s fun to play. It offers plenty of tasks to perform, places to see, enemies to kill, and territories to conquer, placing its strategy gaming value well above the asking price.

The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow is a short but sweet point-and-click horror adventure that uses the setting, style and folklore of Victorian Britain to immerse you in a distinctly creepy plot.

Red Bow features an engaging story set in a creepy 16-bit world. The puzzles are fun without being frustrating. You’ll want to see it all; unfortunately it’s over rather quickly.

Captain Cat is an entertaining, addictive puzzle game that’s great for killing time, be it while riding down the highway or after rage quitting your other games. It won’t provide you a reason to leave dinner unfinished so you can race back to it, but the time you do spend with this fishing feline will be fun.

If you’re looking for a solid party game, Servonauts should be in the running. The fun may be short-lived here, but it’s not a bad option if you want something quick to pick up and play.

Every day, more and more rogulikes are released, often making it difficult to figure out which ones will stand out. All of them are vying for attention, attempting to do something unique and interesting. Fortunately Rhythm Fighter feels like a fresh take on the genre, even if it doesn’t quite stick the landing.

If you like a puzzle game where patterns and timing are critical, then you will like Cyber Protocol. With 100 levels to keep you busy for many hours, it’s a pretty good value for the money (especially at the sale price of $2.99 at the time this was published). If puzzle games with picky timing and perfect patterns frustrate you, however, then you may want to keep looking. You’ve almost reached your decision gate and I can’t spare you any more time. End of line.

Close to the Sun doesn’t have the most complex gameplay, but it has a genuinely interesting premise that draws you into a darkly intriguing mystery.

I Love Finding Cats! features multiple puzzle types and various objects to find – it’s not just about cats! There’s plenty to do in this relaxing puzzle experience, although some of the controls are a little clumsy.

My time spent with Funny Bunny Adventure was entertaining. I found the upgrade system to be a step forward. It made it feel slightly more than basic. I highly recommend it for players with younger children.

Projection: First Light is a game that requires patience, but if you enjoy sprawling, beautifully designed platformers, it is worth playing.

Venture through dark forests and other scary settings, encounter strange creatures along the way, and save a girl who is in trouble so you can return home to your family. Creepy Tale: Some Other Place combines horror, puzzles, and a good story for a fun play-through this Halloween.

Word Wheel by POWGI is simple and effective and does pretty much exactly what you’d expect a digital version of a pencil-and-paper puzzle game to do.

Garlic is difficult retro platformer that manages to be accessible to those normally put off by “difficult,” “retro,” and “platformer.” Copious checkpoints and a fun mix of styles, visuals, and mini-games should push even the more casual gamers through. Give Garlic a try; the taste may surprise you.

In the end, My Big Sister had a story that stands out from the crowd. With multiple outcomes, it certainly does hold the value of it’s asking price of $5.99. Players looking for a more traditional RPG experience may want to steer away. If, however, you’re seeking a good puzzler RPG with a decent sense of humor that helps lighten some dark themes, then My Big Sister is something to check out.

Exception is a fun, aesthetically pleasing game. But it offers little to keep the player invested. Some new game modes would be an awesome addition.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Into Reverie works best as a thank-you gift for fans of the series. It contains (and often enhances) everything turn-based JRPG fans loved about the previous games, but it’s unfortunately presented in a disjointed manner that may put off those who’d just like to continue with the story. And if you haven’t played a previous entry, do not start here.

Forklift Extreme is a short and sweet simulation puzzler. It’ll keep you entertained for a while but won’t give you much reason to return to it later.

Chasing Static is a psychological horror game in which you play a character who stumbles upon a failed research facility. These always mean trouble, this time caused by a surrounding energy field that can make a person slowly lose their mind. Recovering the equipment to fix the field and discovering what happened won’t take the player more than a few hours, but it’s a mostly fun, constantly creepy time while it lasts.

At only $4.99, Clumsy Rush is priced to do exactly what it’s meant to do. Boot this game up when you’ve got friends and family over for the holidays, hand them a controller, and let the hilarity ensue. Everyone is going to want a turn, but don’t be surprised when they willingly give up their turn after just a few minutes.

The strength of Silt is in the atmosphere it creates. The art and the sound provide a horror-like vibe to this adventure puzzle game. And both of those aspects will pull you into the weird and mysterious world that Silt creates. The game doesn’t hold your hand in any of the puzzles. And while most times this isn’t an issue, as the puzzles are reasonably short and contained, it’s the lengthier ones where this can cause some frustration. Overall, Silt provides a unique experience, just not a perfect one.

Simple and silly, Paw Paw Paw is a fun little action RPG with a solid co-op offering and a fair variety of options to suit different play styles.

Looking Up I See Only A Ceiling is a short, point-and-click adventure game that tells the story of a young girl whose stress leads her down some strange paths. The game can be played in as little as 30 minutes, but it does a great job conveying its message while remaining fun and haunting.

HEROish is a fun take on the MOBA and card-based combat genres. My expectations were low, given that I had first heard about this as a mobile release; however, I was pleasantly surprised with its charming and cartoony combat and deeper-than-anticipated gameplay, sinking more hours than I thought. My only gripe is that the campaign is short, and the multiplayer gets repetitive very quickly. It has so much potential to be a great game that many would return to it daily.

Forestrike is a fun and rewarding fighting game where the foresight mechanic makes each encounter feel unique. Its blend of strategy, timing, and experimentation with moves and cards keeps gameplay challenging and varied. Fans of martial arts or anyone looking for something different on the Switch will find it worth trying.

Universe for Sale is a visual novel that will challenge genre and sci-fi fans thematically and structurally. While the graphics are certainly the highlight, the game’s story and characters are unique enough to hold your attention when the puzzles and pacing slow things down.

Wreckin’ Ball Adventure is a creative little platformer that is certainly interesting enough to keep you smashing and bouncing for sixty levels.

Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open plays much more like a visual novel than an action/adventure game as claimed in the Nintendo eShop, but it provides enough minigames, light puzzle solving, and general creepiness to appeal to younger gamers haunted by the prospect of growing up.

SUPER METBOY! is a great game with smooth controls, a nice variety of characters, and enticing gameplay to keep you busy for a few hours.

The shadow of a prior collection from mere months earlier, plus the fact that this is pricier (while still feeling incomplete), is tough to ignore. Yet there are still plenty of good games here, so Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection is one to grab on sale.

It doesn’t pack a lot of content to keep you playing, but Hide & Dance is a good-humored rhythm game with catchy tunes.

Epic Dumpster Bear 2: He Who Bears Wins is a funny game that controls great. Though I wish the story was a bit longer, you unlock bonus levels. I’d say it’s worth checking out.

Despite an oddly placed bullet hell section and a story that takes a couple of playthroughs to fully grasp, Need a Packet is a fun game with a simple gameplay loop. Mix that in with the eerily fun graphics, this is a truly interesting addition to your Switch library.

Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution is a well-made, quality game that’ll prove mostly entertaining for fans well-versed in the series. But it reflects plenty of choices here that are tough to wrap one’s head around, especially when other Shantae games surpass this one in both pace and polish. The restrictive 4-player mode disappointingly fails to live up to the hype. And the inexplicable lack of a map (or any typical hint system) makes this game feel antiquated next to its other entries. Thus, what should be a great game is just a good one. Wait for a sale, and make this Shantae your Half-Price Hero.

The violent mix of combat and platforming provided by Gori: Cuddly Carnage won’t be for everyone, but it will be for more people than you’d expect. The gameplay is surprisingly engaging if you’re willing to take on the unsettling visuals.

Professor Lupo and His Horrible Game has a lot of creativity and humour, but it is let down by its clunky controls.

Wingspan is a calm, thought-provoking bird-watching game with fun visuals and sounds and simple controls.

Project Warlock is a FPS that pays homage to classic ’90s shooters like Doom. If you like mazes filled with hardcore monsters and plenty of gore, this game will probably be of interest to you.

It’s too bad Takorita Meets Fries isn’t good. As there are few hero quest stories with female protagonists, Takorita could’ve been great for a younger audience. Unfortunately, Takorita Meets Fries struggles with its identity and who the intended audience is supposed to be. The simplistic story, lack of gameplay, and cartoon artwork might appeal to a much younger crowd. But the crude humor takes away that option.

Decades after being cancelled at the last minute, the revived Ultracore offers a fun and tight action-packed retro experience even if it’s a little unfair in various parts.

A Little to the Left is a cute puzzle game in which you organize everyday household items. There’s even a cat who shows up every once in a while, which is always nice (even if he’s always making a bigger mess for you to clean). With a very cozy and relaxing vibe, this game is perfect for those who like to wind down and play something easy, but also a bit challenging.

9th Dawn Remake is a solid dungeon crawler that you’ll sink hours and hours into. The main game has wonky controls for my taste, but the mini games are a blast.

Astria Ascending checks off the proper JRPG boxes while adding enough unique twists to satisfy fans of the genre. It won’t sit at the top of your “must complete” list, but it’ll serve you well when you need a break from higher profile releases.

Console Archives Cool Boarders is a good re-release of a classic title, but it’s best enjoyed in shorter bursts. I truly enjoyed it for the nostalgia of that era, even more than for the game specifically. You might want to wait and see what’s next in the Console Archives pipeline, depending on your tolerance level. But if you were a mid-’90s PlayStation kid like me, “the thrill of navigating cliffside courses” is probably worth $11.99.

Smelter is a clever mashup of genres with a cute style and fun action. The jolt between action and strategy sections can take some getting used to, but it’s worth sticking with until you get the hang of the rhythm.

Metamorphosis is a good puzzle/adventure game with some platformer elements, but it fails to take the experience quite as far as it could. If you are into the surreal, consider it a solid option for a little creative time-wasting on your Nintendo Switch.

Vitamin Connection is pretty much a unique concept, so if you’re looking for a game that’s hard to compare to others, this one should be near the top of your wishlist. Just keep in mind that, much like actual vitamins, this game is best in small doses. Also, if you’re a solo player, be mindful that backtracking and encountering difficulty spikes through maze-like bodies is best when tackled as a pair.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II does a good job of optimizing combat and dungeon exploration, and the new features and tweaks likely will appeal to series fans. Its slow story and propensity to disrupt its own momentum, however, make this a slight downgrade from the previous game, and a middling entry in the series.

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter is a classic title that, while imperfect, offers a fun, action-packed outing. The story is the game’s selling point, recounting the untold tale of Jango Fett’s entanglement with the galaxy’s darker side. A true remaster that added features like save points and a map would have been appreciated, but this slightly improved in-situ version still mostly holds up.

Get Packed: Couch Chaos doesn’t add anything new to the puzzle/party genre. It’s a quirky game that focuses on the chaos aspect instead of strategy. It could be a bit more polished, but perhaps that’s part of the appeal and identity of the game. You can play this one solo, but the real beauty of the game is found in the multiplayer mode. If you have young kids who get frustrated with other games in this genre because they don’t understand the strategy, this might be a good pick-up. There’s a lot of silly fun to be had.

The platforming action of Onion Assault is betrayed by its imprecise controls, but there’s more than enough action and fun to help players get around them. The upbeat vibe and general wackiness of combat and characters make this a good (albeit frustrating) way to kill an evening or weekend.

If you’re down with OCD, (yeah, you know me,) Faircroft’s Antiques: Home for Christmas Collector’s Edition will keep you staring at the screen for a while. It may feel a little more appropriate around Christmas time, but fans of hidden object games will find it plays well enough any time.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is a fun game fans of the 3D platforming genre should check out. It’s easily one of the best licensed games to come out in a number of years. Visually, the game looks like an episode of the TV show, with super vibrant colors and worlds that are full of life. There’s also the great humor found within the game, reminiscent of the early seasons of SpongeBob when the jokes felt clever. That said, it’s not without its faults. Ultimately, the puzzles and combat—two major areas of gameplay throughout Cosmic Shake—aren’t great. The puzzles are incredibly simplistic and never change as the game goes on, and the combat just feels off throughout the entire game. Neither thing is a game breaking element, but they do take away from a fun experience. In the end, if you’re a fan of 3D platformers or fan of SpongeBob SquarePants, there’s enough fun to be had in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake that you should check out.

Crystar combines a stunning supernatural setting with simple hack-and-slash fighting to draw you through a complex and profound plot that bounces between realms.

Miniatures is an extremely short collection of four… I hesitate to say games. Emotions? Memories? It relies more on mystery and melancholy to connect with the player. It can therefore be very intriguing, but at the risk of leaving some to wonder what was the point.

Aqua Lungers is a fun multiplayer title. It’s quite challenging, and not as much fun in solo mode, but it’s worth a try if you’re after something different to play with some friends for a few hours.

Zombie Driver is everything you’d expect from a game called Zombie Driver – zombies and driving and guts splattered all over your screen. Its great.

If you enjoy platformers, Flat Kingdom Paper’s Cut Edition is a good addition. It doesn’t rank the highest on my list because of sensitive jump points which can oftentimes be frustrating. But when taken for what it is—a unique platformer with fun narrative and visual twists—it’s worth the purchase.

You don’t have to like fishing to enjoy it. So if you’re hankerin’ for a good catch to get you through the summer heat, Nice Day for Fishing is definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of 16-bit RPGs.

Although TRON: Catalyst may feel like a paint-by-numbers entry in the Tron series, it’s one of the better kits we’ve had. It stumbles over repetition and some awkward gameplay segments, but the solid story and franchise-familiar elements will carry fans through its somewhat short runtime.

In the end, G-Darius HD is a challenging shooter from a time when arcades were still relevant. It still looks good and sounds cool, but it’s not great as a standalone.

If crafting is your thing, you probably won’t be disappointed with Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack. In the end, I still enjoy this series as a JRPG fan, even though there are grind issues.

So while some improvements definitely need to be made, Cybarian: The Time Traveling Warrior is a neat little game that will present you with a pretty good challenge for just $5.

While short, The Unholy Society is a fun story-driven game that uses an odd protagonist to tell an interesting story. Mix that with unique combat and cartoony graphics, you have a fun title for an afternoon.

Hidden Kittens: Kingdom of Cats is a chill, low-key hidden objects game with calm music and pleasant hand-drawn art.

Over the Alps is more for those who enjoy reading and watching a story unfold than those seeking good mystery gameplay. Go in with that in mind, and its fun interface, quality writing, and unique art will carry you through.

Coupled with a fun sketchbook art style and a hodgepodge of ideas from brawlers of the past, Super Punch Patrol does enough to stand out just enough in the beat ‘em up crowd.

With tight controls and a good amount of entertaining content for completionists, New Super Lucky’s Tale justifies its $39.99 launch price for genre enthusiasts. But uneven level design holds this adventure back from true greatness. Check out the demo to get a feel for it.