Goblin Slayer -Another Adventurer- Nightmare Feast will not be enough to win people over to SRPGs or to the game’s source material. But if you’re already a fan of either (or both), it does more than enough to keep you entertained throughout.

Destiny Connect: Tick-Tock Travelers starts off great, with a promising story and fun enemies. But the longer I played, the weaker it became. It’s a simple game (move from point A to point B in a linear fashion) and a short one by RPG standards, so kids might be entertained by it for a while. But the story ultimately resigns itself to cliches, and the backtracking and repetition combine to make this just an average game, at best.

Overall I think G.I. Joe Operation Blackout is decent but will quickly fall into obscurity with the abundance of better quality third-person shooters on modern consoles. In my opinion, the diehard genre fans won’t give much thought to this without online gameplay. In truth, this game will mostly appeal to a limited niche, mainly GI-Joe fans.

Worms Rumble can be an enjoyable ride, and it is certainly a bold, fresh take on the franchise. However, it is ultimately a step in the wrong direction. Worms Rumble fails to capture the essence of previous games, and adopting this style of gameplay causes it to grow stale quickly.

Swords & Bones is a charming platformer with fun graphics and music. However, the controls are wonky, and there isn’t much replay value.

Papertris is solid for its budget price. While I would’ve liked more options (and a consistent challenge), it’s a game built off classics. Local and online leaderboards help, too.

I had fun with PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs when I first started playing. However, the longer I played, the more bored I got.

Sugardew Island offers a cozy farming experience for those new to the genre or who aren’t interested in the adventuring or romantic options available in similar games. Most genre fans, however, will quickly be looking for a rescue.

The Bubsy games have become unpopular as time has passed, but his collection does its best to make them more playable than they’ve ever been. You can relive the nostalgia of the first two 16-bit games, roll your eyes at that Jaguar entry, and experience the refurbished version of Bubsy 3D that makes the original no longer relevant, all with modern updates and extras. I’m happy to see Atari and Limited Run compile these games and make them available on modern hardware, even if they fall short of their titular “Purrfect” designation. Subjectively, their individual appeal might be narrow (one’s trash is another treasure), and some might not be convinced to join Bubsy’s small fandom. But collectively, this release does plenty right, and those with appreciative mindsets will find value here. It’s better than the sum of its parts.

The House of the Dead: Remake successfully moves to the Switch everything you loved about the on-rails shooting arcade game…except the controls. It’s fun to play with a friend provided you both understand that the very act of aiming and shooting will be an exercise in frustration.

Lila’s Sky Ark is a quirky game that sets out to be different. There’s an interesting world to traverse, puzzles to solve, and many characters to meet, though it can be a little too odd at times. It looks great, though, and if you’re looking for something unique and creative, you’ll find it here.

Splatter – Zombiecalypse Now is a wild, over-the-top, trigger-happy shooter where your ZR button will be worn out if you stick with it for more than a few levels – and well done if you do! Don’t get me wrong, the visuals are gory and chaotic, but they clash with the dark, gritty setting and zoomed out top-down view, resulting in a pretty messy and ‘gets old pretty quickly’ experience.

Paper Cut Mansion is a cute and spooky roguelite with a brilliant sense of design and a tantalizing mystery at its core.

Elrentaros Wanderings is a well-crafted, well-designed game that is cleverly paced and set in an adorable fantasy world with great animation and movement. The combat is simple and the missions not particularly challenging, but even the elements that could be more fully realized don’t take away from the overall enjoyment of the game.

I was genuinely surprised by the game’s level of depth outside the cockpit and how much I enjoyed it. If you like simple shooters and sims that extend beyond the tarmac, I’d consider checking this one out.

While I’ll eventually grow bored with this title, it hasn’t happened yet, even with 50-plus hours combined between my wife and I playing. I still have perks to unlock and properties to fix and sell. House Flipper is much better than expected and will keep you busy for a long while, even longer once the game is updated.

Mable and the Wood is a beautifully made gave that imbues a classic premise with new layers of depth.

Farming Simulator 23 is a well-executed title for what it is, and it even offers touch screen support for handheld players. However, it’s the type of game that’s best appreciated when you’re in the right mood. If and when that moment strikes, it can serve as a good, if somewhat repetitive way to unwind.

The mix of exploration, sandpit and story elements makes it feel fresher than recent LEGO games. Plus it’s just plain cool to walk around as Emmet or Wildstyle while talking to the likes of Batman and Unikitty.

Despite many positive elements that Dodo Peak has to make it satisfying, I must admit that I genuinely didn’t have much fun playing it. It’s challenging, but not in a way that held my interest beyond a few minutes at a time. Further, the familiar three-star setup is weakened by an emphasis on speed and random enemy placement. This Dodo might not take flight on the Nintendo Switch.

Serenity Forge has had a hand in bringing some of my favorite games to the Nintendo Switch. But Date Night Bowling feels like an unfinished proof of concept and failed to hold my interest. It’s a bush league release with much room for improvement. One could argue that it’s a better alternative than going to a real-life alley and running the risk of catching COVID. But given that choice, I think I’d rather skip bowling altogether.

Fin and the Ancient Mystery will keep you playing for hours trying to get 100% on all levels. Honestly, this game was a lot of fun to review, it had a decent story and fun puzzles. For the price, it’s a no brainer to pick up and not regret.

WWE 2K Battlegrounds is a decent fighting game marred by multiple bad campaign and transactional decisions. Like the real WWE, it’s best enjoyed when you focus on what’s happening in the ring and ignore everything that surrounds it.

Bob Help Them! is a little game, with a lot of potential. I really liked the concept and feel of the game, it just didn’t have enough going on to keep me interested and it felt very repetitive.

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.

For the most part, R.B.I. Baseball 20 is the best the series has been in a lot of areas–even the soundtrack is better this year! That being said, they are no longer the only game in town. With other baseball games offering more solid gameplay, the R.B.I. Baseball series really needs to up their game. I prefer playing with real MLB teams, but if the gameplay isn’t as fun and engaging, more and more people will go to another arcade baseball title. R.B.I. Baseball 20 is a very solid experience, but not all of the new features hit a home run. And, no online multiplayer for the Switch audience makes the Switch version really hard to recommend over its console counterparts.

Unless recently divorced and/or identifying as non-binary, I have a hard time envisioning that many will get $19.99 worth of fun here. Solo, while having its heart in the right place, would have been better off as a visual novel. As a short game, it just doesn’t have enough focus on its aesthetics, camera, puzzles, or optimal porting.

Half Past Fate’s pandemic themed addition to its romantic series is a nice little love story, but it doesn’t have much in the way of player interaction and feels like it only scratches the surface of the emotional impact of looking for love in lockdown.

Bird Game + is a pleasing experience with a beautiful soundtrack, simple graphics, and fun mechanics in the gameplay. It’s serene with some intense moments. It’s something different and definitely worth a try.

Chilling from the very beginning, Shadows II Perfidia is a game that knows how to use everything in its arsenal to scare the hell out of you.

With an enjoyable story, the novelty of changing between a large cast of characters, and a fun extra game mode, Code Shifter makes up for its shortcomings with many ideas successfully carried out. Bright, colorful, and energetic, Code Shifter is worth a buy for studio fans.

A paint by numbers entry into what’s becoming an inflated genre but the gameplay can still be fun despite feeling repetitive, especially late on.

Tennis World Tour 2 is a complex sports sim that features some real nuances of playing tennis. Unfortunately, that results in convoluted controls with little instruction on how to use them. It’ll keep hard-core sports gamers busy for a while, but is not a very good option for casual tennis fans.

Nadir: A Grimdark Deck Builder feels unfinished in parts, but fans of card-based battle games will be intrigued by the ingenious combat mechanism that forces you to balance your attacks against the threat of the enemy’s retaliation.

There’s a great game waiting to be checked out from The Library of Babel, but it’s currently buried under platforming puzzles that are too annoying to be fun. It’s a beautiful game with a compelling story, but it needs some difficulty adjustments to let the fun parts save the day.

Germs is enjoyable with a few players in short bursts. The user interface is well-designed and there are plenty of options, plus its just plain fun being a cute germ battling in a body for supremacy. On the downside, there’s just not enough to entertain you for long periods, and the lack of a dedicated single-player experience is unfortunate.

While I like the intent that Feather brings to the table, its ideas are implemented in a subpar fashion. This is a proof of concept, whose asking price doesn’t reflect its current modest state. I can’t recommend it unless a sizable update arrives to unlock its potential.

A shorter title, Bitlogic – A Cyberpunk Arcade Adventure will nonetheless likely appeal mainly to older gamers. It successfully mixes genres in a great setting with a good soundtrack. It effectively draws you in with unlimited ammunition, no time limit, and well-spaced checkpoints, to balance the atypical lack of jumping. Having two game styles – the MSX original is included – is also a cool plus. I think it hits its nostalgic target without overshooting into too-dated territory.

As a concept, Ashwalkers is fascinating, mixing the survival genre with a visual novel. The world created in Ashwalkers is one of hope surrounded by despair, but the execution lacks the polish to make this one a game that I could suggest. The technical issues alone should have been caught before the release. But even with that aside, the lack of character development and a risk and reward system makes for a very dull experience.

I went into Dungeon Munchies with high hopes. But unfortunately, it left me with a sour taste in my mouth. The base is there for an interesting experience, but it needs polish. The cooking feature doesn’t allow for experimenting, and the level design lacks creativity, but the combat hurts the game the most. Maybe it’s because too many things are going on in the game instead of focusing on one or two features and making them work well.

Despite the strong story and its interesting characters, the gameplay is very clearly of a game out of time, and so feels out of place on the Switch. It’s difficult to recommend, especially to newcomers, but fans of the franchise may find good reasons to visit, even if for nostalgia alone.

Overpass certainly adds an interesting take on the genre, allowing for well-trodden ground to feel fresh. Unfortunately the difficulty of the game and poor handling will prevent most from making it past the tutorial.

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour probably should have been a pack-in release; not because it’s not worth the money, but because it’s turned into a PR nightmare. It also feels like the perfect game to include with a new system. At the end of the day, it wasn’t included; but it IS fun and interesting. So, if you like the sound of it, give it a go! If not, leave it alone. Someone at Nintendo worked hard to put this together, and I, for one, am glad I was able to experience it.

Creepy Tale is aptly titled; it had no trouble giving me goosebumps. The gloomy atmosphere is aesthetically pleasing and the cryptic puzzles will tease your brain, bordering on frustrating at times – patience and trial and error are key attributes here. This one will likely appeal to fans of point-and-click style puzzle games with horror elements.

Hero Concept’s additions help to break up the inherent monotony of Space Invaders, but Doughlings: Invasion is still a game that’s fun for short bursts only. That’s not a deal killer, of course, just something to consider before buying.

Whipseey and the Lost Atlas looks great and I liked the retro inspired music, but it’s a short game. It also lacks exciting features and objectives to keep the player interested. Would be a good game for younger kids though.

Even though it’s markedly short, FoxyLand quickly grows repetitive. Basic equals dull in this case. Even at $3.99 (on sale) it feels overpriced compared to comparable experiences on the Nintendo Switch. With nothing to make it stand out from other budget platformers, you can pass on this below-average game without much worry.

Rise Eterna is good enough to give tactical RPG fans something to enjoy while they await big studio releases, but its lack of difficulty and unfortunate UI issues will prevent other gamers from playing through to its unsatisfying ending.

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.

Ganbare! Super Strikers is a fun tactical RPG that happens to feature soccer players. The turn-based approach works well overall, though the formula can wear a little thin after playing several matches in a row.

When I started playing Demon’s Rise – War for the Deep, I really wanted to like the game. Unfortunately, there are too many little bad things stacked up to really get into this one.

Akiba’s Trip: Hellbound and Debriefed is a rudimentary port that certainly shows its age, but the stripping-based combat and crazy story/quests are unique enough to provide a refreshing experience for action gamers who are open to its mature content.

Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted’s port to the Nintendo Switch has proven to be a difficult one. The slippery controls render the game difficult to play, but I don’t consider this a hit against the franchise. FNAF will continue to be a fan favorite, and I’m sure more games are planned for the future.

OctaFight is a good-looking multiplayer arcade game with fun music and a unique art style. However, unless you have up to eight friends on your couch, you’ll soon get bored after a handful of rounds.

Despite great ideas at its foundation, Roller Drama has limited sports management features, minigames that drag and a mysterious dystopian setting that gets glossed over all too often.

Overall, Stranger Things 3: The Game is a nice addition to the Nintendo Switch library of games, and fills the void of good, inexpensive beat- ‘em-up games that were previously missing on the platform. That being said, the game was designed with hardcore fans of the series in-mind, which will differentiate it’s value to some. As mentioned previously, it does emphasize a lot of fanfare, but its beat-‘em-up combat is some of the best on the Switch, making it a must-own for any beat-‘em-up fan.

There’s not much to say about REPLICA. It plays closer to a proof of concept than a full-fledged game. It is only $4.99, but that might even be high for a game I beat (multiple times) in under two hours. It was painless, except for the pain that came from seeing potential unfulfilled. Maybe a sequel can make things better.

Everdream Valley has the potential to become a good farming game, and there were times when I really enjoyed myself just working on the farm and training my animals. But the short story, underwhelming ending, and gameplay issues were a turnoff.

If you are really into the Blade Runner franchise and can put up with the shortcomings, I suppose you can get some enjoyment from Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition. Everyone else should take a pass on this remastered adventure game. Maybe if the studio comes out with a “More Enhanced” edition, with plenty more fixes in place, it may be worth another look.

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.

I’m not sure Wet Dreams Don’t Dry is worth playing if you’ve never been on an adventure with Leisure Suit Larry before, but those of us who have will enjoy the trip back in time to…uh…2020. The comedy is mostly there, the frustrating puzzles are fully there, and the lessons therein will make us take a critical look at ourselves if we’re open to doing so. Larry’s always been useful in that way.

Last Encounter is punishing with difficult AI and controls. Be prepared to die a lot and invest a good chunk of time if you hope to master the game and make progress.

Commandos 2 – HD Remaster takes a fun but difficult real-time tactics PC game and makes it less fun but more difficult on the Nintendo Switch. The celebrated core gameplay remains, but clunky controls and some annoying bugs will make you wish you’d gone with the computer version.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is an ambitious game that’ll delight fans of the series and CRPGs in general, but not on the Switch 2. Bugs and performance issues abound, constantly slowing down the already intricate story and party management systems.

Although Star Horizon could really use some more levels to stretch out its short story, if you are generally OK with on-rail space shooters, this game is generally OK. I can’t say it is great, but it is a good game and should keep your trigger finger happy for a few hours.

Moto Roader MC is a poor title. With little in the way of quality updates or polish, this game should’ve stayed a 30-year relic. Even at its budget price, I’d skip this sloppy update.

Umihara Kawase BaZooka! is an arcade fighting game that’s best to play with friends. The enemies and levels are diverse enough, but the overall gameplay falls short.

Any potential Wartales displays as an outlaw fantasy RPG is negated by frequent crashes. There’s fun to be had with party management and a robust turn-based combat system, but until the stability issues are addressed, the game’s not worth the frequent backtracking previous save points.

I’ve had an immense amount of fun with R.B.I. Baseball 19 — something I couldn’t say of the previous entry.

I give kudos to Ryan. He’s a cute kid, a millionaire before he’s reached double digits, and I wish him the best. But while this title might work as fan service, as a game it’s just poor. With only six tracks and numerous other problems, why spend $39.99 when Team Sonic Racing is the same price (or less) on Nintendo Switch? Kids deserve higher-quality than what’s presented here.

Ebenezer and the Invisible World brings a fun, holiday-themed premise and palette to Metroidvanias, but not much else. Annoying issues and gameplay repetition will bring out the Scrooge in some gamers, but Metroidvania fans may see it through to redemption.

Electro Ride: The Neon Racing suffers from touchy controls and an overall lack of depth. It’s not amongst the best racing options available for the Switch, but it does contain a couple of unique elements that may appeal to gamers looking for something a little different.

Marooners has some conceptual curiosity that translates into decisions not working in the game’s favor. I don’t see this one having any legs on the Nintendo Switch.

Poker Club on Nintendo Switch does a good job at providing a truly immersive poker simulation. Unfortunately the entire package of Poker Club isn’t great. The incredibly poor AI will teach you nothing in offline mode and the overall slowness of all action makes for a boring experience. Playing online is even worse, as players can take an impossibly long amount of time on each turn. It’s just painfully slow enough that you’d likely be better off just playing poker in real life.

Ikai is a first-person psychological horror game that isn’t so much scary as it is confounding. It wastes its effectively chilling setting by simply getting you lost in it. You’ll be annoyed more often than frightened, confused more often than entertained.

VARLET doesn’t do anything wrong as far as JRPGs go, but it also doesn’t do enough that’s interesting. The game puts its engaging characters in a typical high school setting and gives them the standard tasks to complete with little challenge to interfere. It’s an OK game to chill with, but it doesn’t leave an impression.

Drawn to Life: Two Realms lacks creativity in the gameplay and is overall a pretty dull experience.

The Forbidden Arts is a nice indie studio entry for the Switch and good for at least 12 hours of gameplay. I say “at least” because if you play like me you will probably get a couple of extra hours out of it (refer to the finicky jumping bits above). It doesn’t have all the polish of a big studio game, but it has heart.

My time with SuperMash was interesting, to say the least. Some mashups were extremely fun, while others were just boring. I have to say it is a game that is going to give you a different experience almost every time you play, and while story mode isn’t too intriguing, I can’t say fully it is a bad game. That said, I couldn’t say that it is an amazing game either. The concept was a valid attempt of an idea, however many times; the mashes felt bland. As it sits even with the promise of DLC, I’m not sure it is worth the asking price of $19.99.

Ice Age Scrat’s Nutty Adventure has definite room for improvement and polish, but I still suspect it’ll find an audience. It has just enough challenge for kids, while older players might not mind an easier adventure if they’re franchise fans or just looking for a competent 3D platformer. Definitely wait for a sale though, as the amount and quality of the content here doesn’t match its launch price.

As an adult and long time gamer, I feel this really is for a much younger crowd of players. It’s not necessarily a bad game, just very simple and easy with no real apparent challenge.

Samurai Riot is a decent 2D action arcade game, it just needs some refinement. It looks good, it (mostly) plays well, and it satisfies the old arcade beat-’em-up desire. If the developers fix a couple annoying glitches, it’ll be a solid options for genre fans.

Brotherhood United is an entertaining beat ‘em up at a budget price. It might not be perfect, but there’s just the right amount of run-and-gun action to keep genre fans entertained.

It just doesn’t stand out to me as a “must buy.” I will say that there was a patch for some of the bugs in the game, but it could use a little more fine-tuning, in my opinion. YesterMorrow is nowhere near the worst game I’ve ever played, but it’s nowhere near the best.

Broken Blades is another addition to the rogue-like genre, that may not be a must play, but has enough good ideas to make it a worthwhile purchase for hardcore rogue-like fans.

Panty Party provides a ridiculous story, funny dialogue, and repetitive but entertaining combat. Still, it suffers from uncomfortable situations and humor that appear as over-sexualization of minors.

Yet Another Zombie Defense HD is a substandard game that has similar game modes and rough graphics. The only redeeming quality of this game is the interesting defense mode, which adds some strategy to shooting mindless zombies.

Selma and the Wisp is a beautiful, nightmarish puzzleplatformer. While it’s a little on the short side it’s still a great game worth experiencing.

Metal Slug Attack Reloaded is a massive disappointment. The bones of a fun game are there, but unfortunately, it’s dragged down by brutal spikes in difficulty, creating a game that verges on unplayable and certainly unenjoyable.

Thief of Thieves: Season One offers a good crime thriller with superb writing, but is bogged down by janky AI and a serious lack of polish in its gameplay sections. For those fans of the comic or those looking for just the story aspects you might have something worth looking at here, but stealth fans should look elsewhere.

Considering their amazing catalog, I’m not sure why Atari keeps trying to make 1972’s Pong relevant for modern gamers. Pong Quest is a clever, valiant run at it, aided by solid controls and some decent multiplayer life. But it’s still just Pong, and the game is at its best when they help you forget that.

While there’s definitely room for improvement and expansion, I can see kids liking this game quite a bit. There’s plenty to unlock, and hearing that you did something better than Mama brings a smile. As someone new to the series, Cooking Mama: Cookstar felt reasonably fresh to me. But vets may find it more so resembles leftovers. Hopefully, the rights holder and publisher can work things out.

If Legend of the Skyfish drops to its app price of $3.99 I’d have an easier time recommending it for its good-looking presentation and fishing pole approach to combat. But even then, my recommendation would be limited to those looking for a straightforward game and willing to tolerate the muffled music and repetition.

Art Sqool fails as both an “art school simulator” and a video game. There’s nothing educational here, and its gameplay is the equivalent of scribbles I might’ve drawn as a toddler.

At its core, Ego Protocol: Remastered is a harmless puzzle affair, but quickly becomes a forgettable exercise in blandness.

Sadly lacking all the options seen in previous entries, Stay Cool Kobayashi-san! may entertain longtime Kunio-kun fans but others will find it bare bones and forgettable.

Overall, Make War is far from strategy and more simulation as you seemingly try to make the battle the best it can be.

While Warparty is a visually stunning attempt at bringing real-time strategy to the Nintendo Switch, it’s lacking in understandable controls and small maps that make the overall experience feel restrictive and monotonous.