There’s a solid base for a kart game here, but there’s just not enough content to be considered a contender on the Switch. As a result, it’s hard to compete against something like Mario Kart. And priced at $40, spend the extra $20 and get Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Switch instead.

As far as 2D horror platformers go, Unlife is about as indie as they can get. Grammar errors, UI issues, and awkward controls abound, but they somehow add to the B movie charm if you’re in the right mood. It’s not a game I’d recommend to most, but to those to whom I would recommend it, I’d do so with gusto.

While there are absolutely zero excuses for the missing multiplayer, I suspect Turok 2 might still draw a bit of a nostalgic audience on Nintendo Switch. Having a smoother, fogless experience (no $30 Expansion Pak needed) with modern touches like gyroscopic controls and a wealth of player options does help. But this game is uneven and dated, and it shows. Add in the cut multiplayer – I can’t stress that enough – and it makes Turok 2 just a so-so release on the Nintendo Switch.

Infernal Radiation is an interesting game that won’t appeal to everyone. It’s a bit repetitive and rough around the edges, but the oddness is certainly unique and the battles are challenging.

Blind Men is very brief and could be improved with more detail, but it still offers an interesting story with multiple outcomes.

Nira is a delightful survival, crafting game with charming pixel art and relaxing tunes. However, there’s quite a learning curve to play, and it may grow old quickly.

With its unique visuals, clever environmental puzzles, and non-violent gameplay, El Hijo is a welcome entry in the somewhat overlooked stealth/puzzle genre. If you don’t buy into the gameplay before the repetition sets in, however, it can become an adventure that’s easily abandoned.

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.

Instant Sports Summer Games isn’t a memorable release, but I respect it for what it tries to (and sometimes does) accomplish. With the Summer Olympic games lost to the pandemic, this Switch exclusive could score with families. Just keep in mind that the motion controls, while quite successful for the most part, will probably have you playing for only a little bit here and there.

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.

If these Taito milestone compilations are to continue, a slightly lower price combined with a couple more exclusives could be the winning combination. Some extra historical content (seen in comparable collections) could add welcomed value, too. But I’ll say this for emphasis, if you already own the A-material in this third installment as individual Arcade Archive releases, you might not be the ideal audience.

Jamestown+ is highly enjoyable for users who appreciate a fast-paced and competitive shoot-em-up. While the game is weighed down a bit by story, and the game doesn’t allow for the Joy-Cons to remain connected when the Nintendo Switch is undocked, this title still has something to offer for those looking for an addictive game with a unique setting.

I still enjoyed this game for the way it offered some youthful nostalgia. It delivers a definite challenge. But LA-MULANA 2 is cut from the same cloth and does very little that’s different from the first. While that doesn’t make the game bad, it does make it frustrating.

Watermelon Blocks is built for simplicity. It’s missing some key details that would make the overall experience feel more complete, but it’s still decently enjoyable at a cheap price.

If you’re a die-hard South Park fan looking for a humorous game to play with friends, South Park: Snow Day could be a good choice for a short, mildly fun experience. However, if you’re seeking a lengthy, more enthralling adventure like the previous South Park titles, this game will fall short of your expectations.

A challenging and fairly entertaining delivery, 140 is held back by its amount of content and a feeling that it’s past its prime.

Make Way is a unique take on the racing genre. However, the controls take time to get used to, and you’ll need to grind a lot to unlock the basic features of the game.

Overall, Ready, Steady, Ship! is a solid game. The controls were unfriendly at times, but the music was fun to listen to, and the level design was well done.

Jurassic World: Aftermath Collection is a decent experience for those looking for a horror-like game of cat and mouse set in the Jurassic Park universe. It does a decent job building tension with its gameplay, its surprisingly competent raptor AI, and its unique ability to switch up the puzzles. That said, deaths can feel quite cheap, especially when the game has you die for reasons you can’t understand (I’m telling you, I was completely under that desk before that raptor came in!). It also drags on a bit too long and doesn’t change things up nearly enough, making the experience become quite predictable. Jurassic World: Aftermath Collection provides you with some fun but ultimately a mixed time.

Those seeking an instantly accessible arcade-action thrill are going to find it with We Are Doomed. Like many arcade games before it, however, that thrill does wear off quickly.

The Alliance Alive is a slightly above-average game that’s dwarfed by the myriad JRPGs already available for and coming to the Switch. It can serve as a decent filler between them, but there’s nothing in this HD remaster to make it a better option than its original 3DS release. Save yourself some cash and go that route if you can…just be sure to rotate those save files.

Fans of turn-based combat games will enjoy aspects of Broken Lines, but not without a certain degree of aggravation. It has promise, but the story and gameplay could’ve used a little more refinement.

Either a shoot ’em up with bubble popper elements or a match-four game with shmup tendences, Galacide is an interesting, visually appealing mash-up. It’s something you’re likely not used to seeing, but whether you find it successful will depend mostly upon what you like and dislike about each genre.

Paw Patrol/Mighty Pups: Save Adventure Bay does nothing to save itself from being mediocre and a weak attempt to take advantage of an easily exciting franchise. To me, the game was almost offensive, with its generic take and the developer’s hope that name recognition carries it – which it almost did. Like I said earlier, I am not the demographic for the game. Being six, my son liked the game, but I could tell he sees the faults in it.

The gameplay is faultless in what it does, but Gynoug doesn’t do anything to stand out. If you are nostalgic towards the game or those alike, you’ll get much more out of this than someone brand new to Gynoug. Unfortunately, I was the latter.

Cat’s Request is a fine example of a modern day point-and-click adventure with some pretty good design. But it’s lack of engaging story and limited animation failed to truly hook me. It’s a fun place to visit, but It’s not really interesting to play there.

In 1999, a portable arcade fighting game probably blew a few minds. Like many games of the era, time hasn’t been too kind to Fatal Fury First Contact. You can’t deny the charm, though, and its simplicity allows for a quick fighting game fix during breaks or right before bed. Serious fighting game fans may want to look elsewhere, but it’s not altogether terrible.

Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption is a fun game with great exploration, unique graphical design, and a great fantasy setting. Despite all this, I found myself having a hard time getting into the overarching narrative of a young thief on his road to redemption.

Beach Buggy Racing 2: Island Adventure delivers more than its predecessor, but there’s also more competition on the Switch in 2021 than in 2017. I can’t say I find the additions significantly more enjoyable, and there’s still plenty that could be improved. Despite offering a lesser version of karting staples seen elsewhere, this should still be enjoyable to fans of the first.

TT Isle of Man Ride on the Edge 2 is a good game, but maybe not so much for the Switch’s limited Joy-Cons. I feel gamers shouldn’t have to fight the controls to get a game to feel right.

Vasilisa and Baba Yaga is an uncomplicated game, with an enormous amount of love invested in its design. It’s not the most interactive game you can buy, but it acts as a fine introduction to the classic fable.

Overall, Caterpillar Royale isn’t too bad of a game. I would like to see more variety in the modes, especially in the Mission Mode. I’d like to have more challenges and be able to customize the modes. For example, I should have to win a stage in Mission Mode in order to move on to the next stage. The controls are smooth and the graphics are crisp. Though it wasn’t as fun as I would have liked.

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.

While there isn’t much to chew on aside from, well, collecting all the loot you can muster, Loot Hero DX still works well as a quick, mindlessly fun adventure.

Beating 1912: Titanic Mystery has left me mixed. The game has many issues but was still fairly entertaining despite these. I’d say it’s an okay release overall, presuming you’re a genre fan who hasn’t already played it.

While the mystery in Alternate Jake Hunter: DAEDALUS The Awakening of Golden Jazz is entertaining, the rhythm felt off with multiple lulls and heavy dialogue that hampered the experience of the story overall.

Runestone Keeper is an easy game to pick up, and for dungeon crawler fans, this one was certainly an entertaining time. While it doesn’t hold a lot of replay value for me personally, I still had fun with it!

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.

Sumatra: Fate of Yandi offers good point-and-click puzzles, but I found the tonal shift in its tale unappealing. I think the game isn’t long enough to be thought-provoking in the way intended. While I saw enough good things here that I’ll keep an eye out for the devs future point-and-click games, they might be better served by lighter plots to match the shorter lengths.

Cavemen Tales isn’t as good as its predecessor—the theme’s weaker, and the characters are less appealing. Mostly, being an untimely reskin, it just can’t have the same impact that Country Tales had.

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.

My first impression of the Writhe wasn’t the greatest; after playing several rounds on each level, I started to enjoy it more. While it certainly lacks content, what is there is solid. However, the asking price of $9.99 is a little steep for the content available as of now.

If you’re a fan of RPGs, then Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles will be up your alley. You’ll enjoy the graphics and fun music with simple gameplay mechanics.

Despite lacking in post-game content, there is still just enough in Area 86’s varied escape room challenges to warrant a quick look.

WRC is overall enjoyable despite the steering issue. Managing the career mode and/or just doing the season is a fair amount of content and gameplay to take part in. Unfortunately, steering being a huge mechanic in the WRC8 makes it speed past the finish line a little behind the other racing titles already on the Switch.

Overall, Ninjala is an enjoyable game but doesn’t have a lot of meat on its bones. It’s fun to play from time to time, but not something that gives you much variety or content. At least not yet, this game is still young, and I look forward to seeing Ninjala grow.

Nikoderiko: The Magical World – Director’s Cut is an interesting platformer that’ll keep you occupied for some time. The quirky characters and fun voice acting is entertaining, but the gameplay can fall flat at times.

Tinker Racers is a fun racing game that lacks in the components of the main campaign but shines in the various other modes that this title has to offer. The level design is also fun and brings back the childlike excitement of playing with toy cars around the house.

Tamiku is a modern arcade-style game with a rather charming presentation but ultimately the gameplay may be a bit too simple for some, especially given that the difficulty curve may scare away anyone who’s never handled a joystick. If you’re looking for an inexpensive and challenging arcade experience, Tamiku may scratch your particular itch.

Gravitar: Recharged is a difficult shooting game with physics-based controls. If you’re up for the challenge, this game is one to try.

While it’s got problems, SnakeyBus remains a fun game with one of the more creative ideas I’ve seen lately.

While the races are thrilling, the lack of any features found in other racers, such as sliding or braking, prevents you from building skills to master the game. Most times, it feels like you win on sheer luck. Coupled with the fact that the tracks all feel relatively the same, the experience gets stale fairly quickly.

Shmup fans are going to find a passable game in here. The unique visuals and ability to choose your missions do help to set Escape From the Universe apart from the competition. The gameplay, however, doesn’t, and the general repetition and need to grind for credits make this a game that most will be fine to avoid.

Gemini is a challenging action game with many weapons to choose from and unique enemies and bosses. However, the clunky controls may make you want to rage quit.

If you love Nickelodeon shows, will make use of the online multiplayer, and find it on sale, I’d say check out Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix. But without any character clips, I feel like this game wasn’t for me. It drove me crazy.

Despite its pitfalls, Dicefolk was one of the more fun roguelikes I’ve played. It successfully tantalized me with the idea that this might be the time that I managed to pull a team together, after crushing me again and again.

Dragon Quest II is a classic RPG and one of the first in this long-running series. It’s fun, despite its simplicity and some grinding, however it suffers from some choppy graphics due to being a port of a port.

Warplanes: WW1 Sky Aces is a decent game with fun aerial combat. This game does fall short of being the World War 1 dogfighting experience one would expect with repetitive missions and the tacked-on base-building mode.

There’s no doubt Slipstream has issues, but the core gameplay mechanics are fun enough that you may be able to look past them as I could and enjoy some knockoff Out Run.

A fun game and concept with a specific audience. The issues with the brightness and layout knocked it down a few points. But the overall graphics and uniqueness still made MADiSON a fairly enjoyable experience.

Swordbreaker The Game delivers on its promise of a choose-your-own-adventure story. If you like reading and enjoy a somewhat crazy adventure, this isn’t a bad way to spend a few hours, especially if you’re in self-isolation mode right now.

I want to like Egglia. The writing and characters are fun, the village building aspect is an enjoyable twist, and the art is beautiful. Unfortunately, the game feels too stripped down to be enjoyable. Grinding and not knowing what level you need to challenge a boss is frustrating. I think this works as a mobile game where you might play in short bursts, but for a console game, it just feels off.

Overall, Aquarist is a solid business simulation, but the clunky controls ruined the experience. Playing this game on the PC is probably the way to go.

Blazing Chrome’s gameplay borrows a lot from many arcade classics, no question. But a shorter experience that’d be worth a few quarters in a coin-op might not be worth $16.99, especially with the highly repetitive nature (and communication error popups). For better or worse, this title has the overall feel of a relic. As an older gamer who grew up with arcades, it should hold high appeal to me. Yet I can’t help but find myself thinking more about the games it’s trying to emulate, at least when playing solo.

World War Z is another example of an impressive “I can’t believe they got that on Switch” game. The entire experience is fully fit onto the Switch, with tons of zombies on screen and plenty of action all around. World War Z suffers from being very repetitive and, at times, boring, with a story that is fairly generic and uninteresting. It’s also less fun to play alone than it is to play with friends. That said, if you’re looking for a decent zombie shooter than will technically impress, then World War Z may be your game.

Neon Junctions is a simple puzzle game that doesn’t last very long, but is a great way to spend an afternoon if you’re looking for something to beat in a sitting. Unfortunately though the puzzles don’t get challenging until the last few stages, which left a feeling for more.

I usually like puzzle games more than high-action games, but this one left me a bit flat. If you want to add an official GoT item to your game collection, this one is only $3.99; so no huge investment and you can while away some time as you wonder, “What if I sat on the throne?”

A Little Golf Journey oversells its “stunning” courses and struggles to stay fresh with a mostly safe approach, regardless of plot attempts. It’s the sort of game that did enough to make me want to keep going for a few hours, but not enough to finish, let alone 100% it. Lacking diversity, both aesthetically and gameplay-wise, it pales when compared to many other Switch golf titles. But, even with a subpar camera, the secrets are quite a bit of fun. Assuredly not $19.99 fun, though. The content is there, but the enjoyment and polish aren’t as much. Wishlist this one for a sale while you browse other relaxing games on the eShop, and wait for an improved follow-up.

A delightfully presented text adventure that relies too heavily on replaying old dialogue — even if the actual story is good, it may not be interesting enough to make you persevere.

Dyna Bomb 2 is a fun and tricky platformer that provides an addictive experience if you’re into collecting everything on screen. It’s unpolished, though, and the price is a little high for something of this caliber.

If you’re looking for a relaxing game and don’t mind Critter cafés simple approach, then you will get some mild enjoyment out of this sim/management experience. However, if you’re after something with deeper gameplay or a more engaging story, you might find yourself wanting more.

Crymachina boasts a dark, imposing world populated by monstrous machine enemies that uses classic sci-fi themes to examine deep existential questions. However, it doesn’t offer you any agency through a story that is unsatisfyingly similar to the studio’s last game.

Sentinels of Freedom is a turn-based strategy RPG where creating your own hero is enjoyable. However, the fun mechanics only last so long since this is just one chapter of the story.

Quantum Recharged is likely going to appeal only to the Atari faithful or die-hard retro game players. While it’s a very simple game to learn and play, there just isn’t that much in it to keep you invested for any long amount of time (unless you want to climb the leaderboards). It’s great for a five minute burst, which fits well on Nintendo Switch. Yet, like a lot of the Recharged series, the new additions of things like “Mission Mode” highlight how there isn’t much you can add to these older games. It’s a fun experience that will likely have a limited appeal.

While the Wild West theme is unique to this type of game, Cattle Country offers little you haven’t seen elsewhere. A lack of originality isn’t surprising for this genre, but it’s still disappointing. The non-innovative approach would be less of an issue were this game refined, but multiple quirks and outright bugs show that’s not the case. The game could use more polish, so genre fans might be best waiting for a sale.

Space Crew: Legendary Edition falls into the category of a “certain type of game for a certain type of player.” If you haven’t played a challenging space sim, then I really don’t think Space Crew is for you. It’s hard and very unforgiving, with lots of systems you need to understand and control. However, if you’re someone who loves challenging space sims and you’re looking for something new to play on your Nintendo Switch, then Space Crew: Legendary Edition is likely a decent game you’ll enjoy. It really depends on the type of player you are.

Gripper combines adrenaline-pumping race sections with top-down boss fights. The high difficulty provides a challenge, though the gameplay sometimes works against itself to make it a little too difficult. The impressive soundtrack stands out, however this title is unlikely to have you coming back to after your umpteenth deathstroke.

The Jackbox Party Pack 10 lacks the broad appeal of other party games, with too many of its games dependent on specific types of players. While it will probably find an audience during holiday vacations, kids on winter break, and so forth, fans who didn’t grab this release at launch might consider waiting for the right sale. Meanwhile, new players should check out one of the earlier entries.

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.

Mainframes leaves me with an overall impression of muddledness, albeit executed with a sincere passion. It throws in ideas about platforming, collecting, and environmental manipulation. But maybe some of the excess should’ve been left on the cutting room floor so the rest could be more polished and its potential better realized. While I admit a measure of satisfaction in getting past the trickiest parts, there is nearly equal amounts of relief, which is not a good ratio. The difficulty spikes (even with accessibility options) never feel “cozy.”

Flowing Lights has smooth controls with great physics mechanics, but the levels become repetitive after a while with little replay value.

I can’t say I didn’t have some fun with this one. The music is alright, and I like the mini (emphasis on “mini”) playfield in the top right corner. But overall, Goat Simulator Pinball didn’t make me want to check out the main games, and I imagine this is a DLC table I’ll only return to sporadically. Unless you’re an enthusiast for the source material, save $5.49 and wait for this one to go on sale.

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

If you enjoy multiplayer arcade-style games, you will enjoy Plunder Panic, especially in a party setting. But the graphics are limited, and stage designs (despite some creative backgrounds) don’t differentiate much. Add in the overall repetitive nature, and this one is just fair.

McPixel 3 is a gag-heavy mashup of microgames and ’90s adventure puzzles. It works when relying on speed and insanity, but its repetition and heavy reliance on trial-and-error solutions and gross-out humor will turn all but a few players away before completion.

Animal Shelter Simulator has a cute premise to care for dogs and cats. The gameplay is fun but can get repetitive. Also, the controls are clunky to start until you get used to them.

Mediterranea Inferno is a unique visual novel. Multiple endings allow for replayability, though the drug-induced sequences and unlikeable characters won’t be for everyone. Nor will the explicit content. If you like your indie titles on the more obscure side, though, this one might be worth checking out.

Swimsanity! offers a fun blast of online or local versus play. Its game modes aren’t terribly original, but they work well in the underwater setting. Unfortunately, the fun doesn’t carry over to the game’s adventure mode or the single-player options.

RPGolf Legends can be good fun, but it’s also heavily flawed at present. With more focus on golf and dungeon puzzles and less on awful combat, this game would be an easy recommendation. But the fusion is bizarrely out of whack, and the game needs more polish.

Overall, there are things I like about Just Ignore Them and things I don’t like. Once I knew how to play, it was much more enjoyable. I feel like a lot of players will give up after 20 or 30 minutes though. Should you pay attention to this game instead of walking away? At only $4.99, Just Ignore Them is a budget point-and-click game. The effects are creepy and it does use the touch screen, which is a nice bonus. Much like a B-grade horror movie, it might scratch an itch for genre enthusiasts. Those looking for something a little more polished should definitely just ignore this one.

Fault StP Lightkravte is a visually impressive visual novel with some nice, well-written story elements. Your enjoyment is going to completely depend on your familiarity with the Fault series. While it tries to be welcoming to newcomers, it’s obvious that various story and character elements are calling back to a previous entry in the series, which goes over the head of newcomers. Fault StP Lightkravte isn’t a bad game by any means, but it definitely isn’t going to be the visual novel that gets you into the genre.

As far as KEMCO JRPGs go, Fairy Elements does its job—no more, no less. It’s fine as a light adventure you can return to from time to time, but you won’t be clearing room in your calendar to find that time.

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.

What starts as a challenging and potentially exciting management sim, Idol Manager fails to keep your attention in the long term. Once you overcome those early financial hurdles and the money starts rolling in, the challenge ends, making for a stale simulated day-to-day experience.

Laraan has many elements that are average at best or even subpar. It reflects decisions that weren’t always the smartest, leading to a rougher final product. Don’t expect the attention to detail or polish needed for a high-quality release. Nonetheless, Laraan still proved mildly satisfying in the face of these things, due to nostalgic visuals, a solid soundtrack, and glimpses of potential. This budget-priced cinematic sci-fi adventure might be worth taking a chance on.

Skye Tales is a cute and cozy adventure puzzle game, short enough to enjoy over a weekend. Yet, it’s also long enough that a player might lose interest halfway through as the way to solve puzzles becomes quite repetitive.

Before We Leave promises to be “gentle” and “relaxing” city-building game, and it is until you reach its game-breaking bugs. I guess you can’t expect the post-apocalypse to be all fun all the time.