Phoenotopia: Awakening has a highly inviting look, but the gameplay can’t match the tone. Some ill-fitting decisions work against it, and the emphasis isn’t always where it should be. It’s still an ambitious, impressive indie adventure that demonstrates real passion, but one reflecting growing pains.

At its surface, Gunslingers & Zombies is a run-of-the-mill tactical RPG with some performance issues. In spite of these concerns, the end result is still a fairly enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.

On Your Tail is a charming title that suffers from terrible performance issues. It’s a pity; there’s a lovely tale, interesting characters, and fun gameplay on offer. Perhaps playing on the Switch 2 will deliver an experience closer to what the developers were trying to deliver.

Knight’s Retreat is a clever puzzle game based around the movements of chess pieces. There are 80 levels to keep players challenged, but its basic visuals and redundant gameplay may turn away chess and puzzle dilettantes.

Elderand offers what you expect from a metroidvania. It is an addition to the genre offering no more or less of a solid experience.

The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered for Switch does a decent job of modernizing the visuals of the 2015 3DS game, but the important issues from the original still remain. Its lack of story and the difficulty spikes with its unique combat system make it hard to recommend to anyone other than the most fervent of JRPG fans.

All things considered, Rip Them Off is a good, unique tower defense game with a comically cynical viewpoint. It has a limited number of levels, but it is also not very expensive, making it an ironically good deal considering the subject matter.

The Meating featuers a quirky story, though the platforming is less than perfect. I apprecite the NES-isms, but perhaps the Switch version could benefit from a few enhancements to separate it from the NES take on things.

The arcade games that comprise Taito Milestones 2 may not be well-known, but that doesn’t mean there’s no fun to be found here. The collection focuses heavily on shoot ’em ups and platformers, and the best titles come from those genres. The brawlers, unfortunately, are best left forgotten.

Daemon X Machina offers the Nintendo Switch a chance to delve deeper into mecha games, but misses the mark in challenging missions and captivating story. Still, it’s animation style and customization options make for a bright, colorful game.

SNK VS. CAPCOM SVC CHAOS is a faithful port of the 2003 original, with a few extras thrown in for good measure. It’s not the best 2D fighting game around, but fans of the original will appreciate the extra details.

Overall, Super Solitaire is good, though it lacks alternate modes and thus presents basically one simple card game at a relatively hefty price. While it features reasons to replay, it’s essentially the same formula every time. There are plenty of alternatives on the eShop for much cheaper. Fans will enjoy it, but it’s more appealing on sale.

Tiny Thor is a cute, colorful 2D platformer with a fun, nostalgic style. But an over-reliance on genre tropes and under utilization of its mythological source material mean it doesn’t stand out from the wealth of similar games.

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.

Narratively, Starbites is a breath of fresh air for RPG fans. It’s well-paced and engaging from start to finish (albeit with some exploration redundancy), and the turn-based combat is well-implemented. On the Switch, however, the visuals are a polluted mess. If you’re willing to wait for the delayed Switch 2 version, do.

River City Saga: Three Kingdoms is a fun yet flawed beat ‘em up. The neat historical aspect and familair faces should appeal to fans, though it’s marred by performance issues and a convoluted map system.

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.

If you really like the open-world, GTA-style games and haven’t grown tired of really old graphics technology, there is some fun to be had with Shakedown: Hawaii. Otherwise, you might want to look for a more robust game to squeeze some more life out of your Nintendo 3DS.

Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered offers a trip back to when JRPGs didn’t just offer multiple playthroughs, they counted on them. This game expects you to miss numerous events and items, and to want to try again. Because of its complexity and general aimlessness, however, I’m not sure many will want to.

Cricket Through The Ages was a unique experience. I enjoyed my time with it, but I’ll probably rarely pick it up again. As soon as you play it once, you’ll have your fill.

Ritual: Crown of Horns offers fast-paced action that fans of difficulty will adore. People looking for a casual experience or those who want a story and controls that make sense will probably be left looking for more.

With the lack of true musical and aesthetic variety, and either too easy or too challenging difficulty modes, LOUD feels like how my dad describes my music taste – just noise, with no substance. At the heart of LOUD is a fun arcade-like rhythm game that falls short in comparison to many other releases of the same genre. Big props for the Soccer Mommy shoutout, though.

Morbid: The Lords of Ire is another in a long line of fighter games trying to be gory for gore’s sake. Although it’s mostly well done, there’s not much to differentiate it from the rest of the pack. Its visual quirks can be ignored, but it still seems to be a little less than what it could be.

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.

Ace Angler: Fishing Spirits is a fun game, especially if you enjoy collectathons. Many of the games come down to luck, but this title will keep you entertained for a few hours.

I generally like deck-building, turn-based strategy games, but I had a hard time really getting into Rising Lords. It isn’t bad—with special nods to the visuals and overall playing time—but the clunky controls and overly busy mechanics prevent it from being all it could be.

Balancelot has a solid aesthetic and a unique approach to gameplay, but even without the awkward combat that originality is hit and miss.

The Enigma Machine has a solid, page-turning plot. The way it embraces unfolding technology (and in a unique visual style) is something I’d like to see more of. But the marriage of story and visuals with the gameplay is mixed. Some successful puzzles are let down by in-between, squinting-at-the-screen, bits; this is probably one to skip if you’re playing on a Switch Lite. But if you have affection for the early 32-bit era, give The Enigma Machine a shot. It’s not much of a commitment in terms of funds or time.

Evan’s Remains is a “mystery-thriller” that, while pretty big on mystery, is shorter on thrills. If the story (and the way it’s set-up) connects with you, you’ll have much more enjoyment than I did. However, I don’t think this is a tale with a broad audience in mind. Joined by puzzles that look and play quite similarly, the impact lessens. But the great audio/visual package elevates this one to an okay experience for me.

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.

Ooblets is a fun game that will keep you busy for days. But some parts can be overwhelming and feel unbalanced at times.

Overall, Astor: Blade of the Monolith is a fun hack-n-slash action game, at least for a little while. The story and the world aren’t strong enough to keep your attention, but the battles are fun in the beginning. Soon enough, you’ll feel you’ve seen all the game offers before you’ve completed the main story.

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.

Risk System is a fun action arcade game that will keep you busy for a few hours. However, the repetitive gameplay may end your session early.

Torchlight III is a decent action RPG with plenty to do but with a side of repetitive quests and some glitches.

Corpse Killer – 25th Anniversary Edition offers us a trip back to gaming’s horrific full-motion video past. It’s an era we should study to make sure we don’t repeat our mistakes, but it’s far enough behind us now that I can admit some of those mistakes can provide a bit of goofy fun.

Despite the usual tropes of twin-stick shooters, RogueCube is a brief but neat little distraction with a fun weapon selection mechanic that’s best played with a group of friends.

Super Box Land Demake isn’t a terrible game, it’s just simple and not as fleshed out as its predecessor. It’s still charming, but not worth the same price as the last game at $4.99. If it goes on sale I would recommend picking it up since it is still a solid game, if a bit shallow.

Milky Way Prince – The Vampire Star is an artistically impressive visual novel that compliments the darker narrative and theme. A theme that is rare to come by, that many people will relate to on some level. Unfortunately, this narrative is presented with a lack of depth, and the slow pacing harms the user’s overall experience. Additionally, the ‘sex sense’ sections could have been presented far better, and just come across a little hollow.

Power Sink is a clever, underwater puzzle/platformer with nice visuals and intriguing gameplay. Puzzle fans will enjoy the game’s built-in logic, but a host of glitches will sink the overall experience for many of those willing to take the dive.

Gematombe is a fun and simple block-breaking game. It’s cute and colorful with an amusingly silly story. Despite a few modes to keep you entertained, they rely on the same block-mechanic, which can lead to tedium. Hopefully the developer can breathe life into this one via DLC or other updates.

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.

Super Bomberman R Online offers your standard online multiplayer space for classic Bomberman battles, with premium perks available but quite a bit of waiting time.

Overall, Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior is a solid game. The strategy portion mixed with the hack ‘n’ slash was well done, though I didn’t care for the game forcing you to switch up your gameplay style throughout the entire experience.

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.

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance II will provide a mana-blast of nostalgic glee for those who played the original Dark Alliance hack-and-slash RPG on their GameCube, but it doesn’t offer enough excitement or variety to otherwise hold your attention.

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.

Overall, Tales of Mathasia is a cute game and certainly does an excellent job explaining addition and subtraction to a younger audience.

Both games included fun graphics and pixelated characters. The music was fun, and the voice acting was excellent. However, they needed more variety in the gameplay.

Minus co-op, with some late cheapness and lack of character diversity, knocks Clash Force down several pegs. It’s certainly not a bad little release, but if you’re looking for a higher quality title from Spicy Gyro Games with more meat on its bones, I highly recommend Polyroll instead.

Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3 is a second-rate version of Mario Kart; there’s no denying it. It tries to keep things fresh, and the voice acting is a welcome addition. Although there were a few smiles along the way, the presentation and gameplay aren’t up to scratch, and it’s a little pricey.

Although Bow to Blood: Last Captain Standing wasn’t for me, this certainly doesn’t mean it was a bad game. With a little more to offer with the characters, and some tweaking with the airships, this game could offer someone a unique battle arena experience.

Although Mononoke Slashdown has its fun parts, it gets rather old quickly. The grind of going back to missions over and over just to purchase the items needed to stand more of a chance against an overpowered boss becomes tedious. The asking price of $6.99 doesn’t seem entirely overpriced, yet it still feels your hard-earned cash could be best spent elsewhere.

You’re not going to get much replay value out of Breathing Fear, but that’s expected at its asking price of $5.00. It’s best enjoyed in one prolonged gaming session, so it’s more effective as a slightly unsettling way to kill a couple hours on a road trip…hopefully to an abandoned house in the middle of the woods on a very dark night. Remember to pack your batteries and alcohol.

Family Tree is entertaining enough in its own way, but it’s not really a “pinball platformer”. Though not much to look at, this physics-based action game still has its moments here and there. It controls well, and high score chasers might be entertained, but this just isn’t the sort of console game that will hold your attention for very long.

Shantae was released in 2002, and it’s a little less than perfect, especially compared to its many sequels. Despite being one of the most beloved Metroidvania series, this GBC cult classic may be a little too clunky for modern gaming palettes. If you’re looking for a Metroidvania fix, I would look elsewhere. However, it’s a definite must-have for all Shantae completionists looking to see where the magic all started.

AdventureQuest 8-Bit: Dungeons & Doomknights has its heart in the right place, but it relies a bit too much on parody to appeal to most gamers. Gameplay is outweighed by the comedy, leaving a generally flat experience if you’re not in on the joke.

The Ramp was made for a specific purpose and it serves that purpose. I just wish I had more fun doing it. However, if you’re into skateboarding and don’t care about all the extra stuff, you might want to check this one out. Otherwise, wait for the next Tony Hawk Remaster.

Colossus Down offers an interesting art style and comedic writing, that all fit well in the wider context of the game. Sadly, it just isn’t enough to carry you through the repetitive and uninspired gameplay. Making it difficult to recommend to newcomers, and established fans alike.

Touken Ranbu Warriors is a purposeful regression of the Warriors franchise, focusing on the characters and story instead of the Musou-style combat. It works as a lark, especially for fans of the Touken Ranbu franchise. But at the asking price, there are much better options available (and forthcoming) for those who enjoy the 1 vs. 1,000 gameplay mechanics and strategies.

Autobahn Police Simulator 2 (if grabbed on sale) could be a solid choice for certain types of players willing to invest the time and overlook quirks. But it overpromises and underdelivers, with a dated presentation sure to turn off many. Combined with a lack of Switch optimization, it warrants waiting for a deep discount on your wishlist.

Cats and Seek: Kyoto is a relaxing hidden object game that’ll be fun to play on the go. However, there isn’t enough content that’ll hold your attention for too long.

While I’m certainly hoping to see further Neo Geo Pocket Color games eventually come to the Nintendo Switch, maybe pick from a different genre for the next release. KING OF FIGHTERS R-2 is still decent for what it is, but only big fans of 2D fighters need to experience it on the Switch.

There are much more capable racing games I’d recommend for the Switch, and unless you have some fond memories of the original game, I wouldn’t recommend this remaster until a steep discount happens.

A relaxing and satisfying cleaning simulator, Fresh Start channels a serious environmental messages through a simple, if repetitive, tour of a planet.

#DRIVE is a low-key simulation game with pretty backdrops that will relax you but may not keep you entertained for long.

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.

Hero Seekers is a solid JRPG. The story is strong, though the gameplay doesn’t quite match its energy and feels bland after a while. But if you like RPGs, this title is worth a try.

Moonglow Bay failed to hook me, but as the debut game from a small studio, it’s a solid enough start overall for the subset of gamers who haven’t yet had their fill of titles like this. I hope the team can tighten their focus and gameplay mechanics for their next release.

As an action/rogue-lite hybrid, Tunnel of Doom offers plenty of playtime and random arrangements to provide some uncertainty and challenge (no simple pattern memorizing). It’s hurt by little variety, almost no story to engage the player, and limited visuals, but it isn’t a bad option if you want a game to while away some time in darkened mine tunnels.

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.

Perseverance is a dark visual novel capturing three stories in one release. The typos and glitches are distracting, but the solid story and neat visuals will keep you entertained. A few more options would also go a long way.

Bee Simulator’s flying mechanics will frustrate younger gamers, and its grade-school level presentation will turn away adults. If you’re able to find some happy ground between the two of them, however, it’s a thoughtful, educational, and fun way to live out the life of a bee.

Whatever the season, Xtreme Sports can offer a bit of fun in the virtual sun. But, you’ll likely play for just a few minutes here and there, spread out over time. The small number of events leads to a repetition, making it struggle to maintain interest. The extras in this Switch port barely register, too.

Roommates is a fun dating sim with interesting characters and a decent amount of strategy thrown in. Be prepared to pour hours into this game.

The action in Kung Fury: Street Rage – Ultimate Edition is as basic as can be for an ’80s-inspired arcade brawler, but it captures the tone of the source material (not to mention many of the characters) in a manner that’ll please fans of the original short film.

Treehouse Riddle isn’t bad for what it is, a niche puzzle game. If you’re part of that niche, and the thought of busting out pen and paper to solve complex math problems appeals to you, by all means, this is a satisfactory implementation. But the lack of variety keeps me from giving this a broad recommendation as a good game since I didn’t enjoy my time enough with it. The unique setting, solid story, and good music only go so far.

With more polish on the audio, the levels, and the enemies, Metal Mind would stand a better chance against all of the other big indie rouge-lites and rouge-likes. Unfortunately, the game just isn’t there yet.

The Great Perhaps uses cute puzzles to explore the before and after of humanity’s time on Earth, with a melancholy atmosphere that reaches for, but doesn’t quite grasp, the profound.

Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon is an interesting concept for a business simulator. However, the gameplay grows repetitive after a while, and the beginning is difficult to start.

Lumberhill is a perfectly enjoyable, if not entirely original, time-challenge multi-tasking party game with levels that take you to some fun places.

If you enjoy simulation farming games and want to see some adorable dinos, then this game is a solid choice. However, you will need patience, or else you will have short playtime sessions.

If you really like the action RPG genre, Gothic II Complete Classic is a decent historical entry. I found elements which engage and disappoint in equal measure. Ultimately, the frustrations overpowered the attractions, and I was just as happy to put the game away.

Jets‘n’Guns is a fair shooter that suffers from some user interface and menu issues. It’s still a tough and fun time if you’re up for some blasting action, and worth a look for fans of the genre.

Knights & Guns uses…well…knights and guns to change up the classic Space Invaders / Galaga 2D action gameplay, but is bogged down by its in-game economy for weapons and advancement. It’s fun for some quick two-player gaming sessions, but is not rewarding enough for long-term engagement.

The ball is still in play in Pinball FX, and we hope it doesn’t wind up in the drain early. While fun, it’s a clear step back from FX3 visually on the Switch, and in terms of content. New players should still have a blast, but for existing fans, Zen Studios has let us down.

While Cube Life Island Survival isn’t terrible, it still isn’t the best. It does its best to separate itself from Minecraft, but it could still use more work. Unfortunately, there are more well-polished games in this genre on the Switch. However, for players looking for a game in this style of gameplay, the $14.99 being asked is a fair budget-priced choice.

Bad Cheese is a short psychological horror game that aims to evoke the chilling experience of keeping an abusive parent in a good mood. It has a great, old-school aesthetic, but could benefit from refining its pacing, mechanics and depth of storytelling to offer its fullest impact.

The Amazing American Circus takes you on a romantic romp through the American frontier. It offers an innovative take on card duelling games that feels like a step in the right direction towards the experience it really wants to be.

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.

Zen Chess is inexpensive and has many enjoyable puzzles for chess fans. But its drab presentation, coupled with no means to play a regular game of chess holds it back. How can you “Become a Chessmaster!” when you can’t play a full game? Thus, what should be a pretty broad recommendation becomes narrower, making Zen Chess Collection just an okay release.

Spells & Secrets has potential, but the frame rate drops on the Nintendo Switch make it frustrating to play. Otherwise, the controls aren’t too bad, but the overall story and characters are lackluster.

Trenga Unlimited is a fun puzzle game for a little while. The controls are responsive, but the different modes and puzzles don’t add enough diversity to keep the player engaged.

While it does exhibit a lot of absurd charm, this HD remaster of Munch’s Oddysee simultaneously holds up both with its unique characters and world while also showing its age in varying degrees in its gameplay.

Space Commander: War and Trade can be enjoyable for genre enthusiasts and people who really like some commerce mixed into their space-sim adventures. For the more action-oriented player, however, this one can become a bit of a grind. Good effort, but not what I would call a must-have game.

Generally, vampires aren’t given the satisfaction they deserve, and Damsel on Nintendo Switch further proves that. Despite providing an interesting premise, the game is held back by its art style & baitful gameplay.

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.

Strayed Lights is a beautiful game that tells an abstract yet meaningful story. However, its unique battle system grew repetitive, and some performance issues took some of the fun away.