On the one hand, I can say Westone’s arcade “treasure” was worth the wait when viewed as a piece of gaming history. But, as an ININ Games published release in 2021, not as much. Once the warm fuzzies wear off, you’re left with a short game with little replay incentive due to a lack of online leaderboards. Combined with a lack of both standard and extra features, I’d wait for this $19.99 release to get a sizable discount unless you’re an arcade fanatic who has someone readily available for two-player co-op.

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.

While Fight Crab is far from the best fighting game I’ve played, it is among the funniest fighters, which gives the title real value, despite its quirks.

An otherwise decent racing game, terrible AI choices, and rubber-banding cripple Cruis’n Blast. A real shame.

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.

Refined but not innovated, Just Dance 2021 represents the series in stagnation. It still entertains, but the past few entries have seen little in the way of positive change. A couple of the prior editions on Switch are arguably better.

Overall, Redout is an amazing racing game and by far the best anti-gravity one on Nintendo Switch. It offers simplistic but meaningful customization, diverse environments, and RPG-like mechanics that provide replay ability, all without sacrificing performance for the most part. There was only one thing that was a big turn-off for me, and that was it’s online multiplayer.

Whether you are a true fan of the Atelier franchise, or just like RPG’s and town simulation games, this will surely satisfy your thirst. It has enough gameplay elements, with depth, to make any gamer have enough content to last them for a while. The story and voice acting made the already in depth gameplay systems even better. This game is a must buy for any RPG or town simulator fan, especially as the Nintendo Switch lacks in town simulation games.

Absolute Drift: Zen Edition is a peaceful driving game crafted to focus on control, precision and challenging yourself.

Cassette Boy is a unique little adventure that will keep you thinking over the course of its short runtime. The classic look sparks nostalgia for older gamers, with a sweet story that could have been fleshed out further.

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

Skyhill is a challenging and fun point-and-click adventure game with the seemingly simple premise of escaping a skyscraper during an apocalypse. A hunger meter adds an extra level of strategy as you rummage hotel rooms and sleigh grotesque mutants. It’s an atmospheric and addictive experience that’s worth checking out.

Distraint: Deluxe Edition is short and sweet. Unlike the story, which is gruesome and a bit psychotic. I liked the whole experience, but I would have loved a longer playthrough and some different outcomes for the ending.

Tower of Babel – no mercy is a great game to play with the family or friends. It’s easy to understand, has a silly and charming style, and can be played for as many rounds as people desire.

While Ancestors Legacy might not live up to every expectation, it still is a good real-time strategy game. With an interesting story, great battles, and diverse levels, gamers looking for a solid RTS on the Switch should undoubtedly check out Ancestors Legacy.

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.

While Sheepo has some flaws, the solid platforming coupled with shape-shifting mechanics more than make this worthy of your time. Definitely worth checking out.

Reverie Knights Tactics is a fun tactical RPG with an interesting storyline and many mechanics to play around with. While the controls might take some getting used to, the overall gameplay is solid.

Time Loader isn’t a long game, but it satisfies through its take on time travel. The story intrigues, the bot character is fun, and the audio design is on the ball. There are some final act issues, but I still recommend the game for those drawn to the plot and with ‘90s nostalgia.

Paradise Marsh seems less concerned about being an “adventure” and more about delivering feelings. Some will no doubt appreciate its efforts. Others, like me, might feel it needs to work harder at providing what’s advertised. I feel bad knocking a solo dev’s first release, but I sincerely enjoyed little of my short time with this game, same as our contributor with whom I sought a second opinion. The visual and gameplay repetition combine with other shortcomings to make a forgettable title. Next time.

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

Process of Elimination is a fun visual novel in which you must solve a murder mystery on an island of super-detectives. Actual gameplay is light, but the bonkers story, mini-games, and detective puzzles make this a mystery worth solving.

Decarnation is a unique horror puzzler that tries to make sense of the main character’s emotional breakdown in ways that don’t make sense. It effectively keeps players off balance throughout, but also in ways that knock the gameplay off balance, unfortunately.

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.

Howl combines challenging turn-based gameplay, creative visual effects, and a somber story to produce a unique strategy puzzle game. Built-in repetition and a lack of instruction do slow things down, but, taken in smaller doses, there’s enough here to compel most puzzle fans through to its resolution.

Loretta is an intriguing, often chilling adventure game throwback to cinema noir and pulp fiction. Complex characters and even more complex plot layers stack for an experience that’s meant to be enjoyed multiple times. Its themes are not for the faint of heart, but we could say the same about life in general, can’t we?

Reigns: Beyond is a cute, quirky adventure with excellently designed art, music, and storytelling delivered in a simple yet engaging format that works better on the Switch than most other mobile-friendly games.

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.

Keylocker is a great turn-based, rhythm JRPG, but there are a few problems that should be addressed. If Moonana would fix the crashing, the broken quests, and the soft locks in fights, I think the game would be just about perfect. Unfortunately, it’s not there yet.

While this game certainly isn’t for all, what’s provided is done so well and in such abundance that I recommend this game to anyone with a Switch and consent to play this kind of game. Not many other games on the Switch can compare in terms of customization, replayability, and sheer scale of its open world.

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.

Banner of the Maid is a highly unique entry in the shoulder-to-shoulder “thin red line” of turn-based JRPGs available for Nintendo Switch. Its alternate take on the French Revolution provides a wonderful backdrop for some of the best strategic gameplay I’ve experienced since Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn. Vive la France!

No Place for Bravery—an action/adventure RPG from Ysbryd Games and Glitch Factory—does have some issues; the retro graphics aren’t the best, and they still produce some frame rate problems. The intriguing (mature) story and interesting environments, however, result in a good title worth checking out.

I’m not a fan of jumping puzzle games, but SCHiM managed to win me over. Its minimalist art style, inventive use of shadows and movement, and the idea that the game makes sure that messing up doesn’t feel too frustrating, kept me engaged level after level.

For $29.99, you get a fun collection with Turrican Flashback, but it’s one you may want to wishlist if you’re not an enthusiast. It takes a more straightforward approach when it comes to Nintendo Switch compilations, one that’s hard to overlook. I just wish it felt more complete.

As the first Mario Golf series game on a home console in almost 20 years, my expectations were high. While I smile seeing my favorite plumber tee off, Mario Golf: Super Rush admittedly lacks some polish I’d expect from Nintendo-published software. It’s also heavily focused on gimmicks, though standard golf presents a fun simulation-lite alternative to PGA Tour. But, the overall package is mixed and not “content-packed” as advertised, at least for solo players. Like Mario Tennis before it, some tweaks, additional content, and a sale would make this a wiser purchase.

While this pack contains two games, the conceit of both, a rhythm-based RPG is ultimately fairly shallow. In the end, just about every RPG element is an afterthought. Still, there’s simply far too much charm here to overlook, especially if you’re a fan of the long-running Taiko no Tatsujin series or rhythm games in general. Playing either title in docked mode with full volume, or in portable mode with good headphones is enough to get anyone in the groove.

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

This port is certainly nothing to write home about, but the core game is a classic, priced at just $14.99. Nostalgia, and the ability to play in handheld mode, are enough to recommend STAR WARS Episode I Racer on the Nintendo Switch eShop to fans.

Overall, SPYxANYA: Operation Memories is a game for fans of the anime or manga it’s based on, but not for anyone else.

Warriors Orochi IV Ultimate is so big and messy that I would never recommend it as an introduction to Mosou-style gaming. If, however, you beat Fire Emblem Warriors or Hyrule Warriors and thought, “Wait…that can’t be it,” you will not draw the same conclusion here. Not by a longshot.

Tropico 6 may not be at its best on the Nintendo Switch but it is still worthwhile even on noticeably underpowered hardware. Once you get past the huge load times at the beginning and the lengthy tutorial, the only question is how would you like to rule? For the people? Or with an iron fist?

Circus Electrique is unlike any other RPG. Genre fans who like deep stat management will find a lot to like here. The mix of circus management and combat makes for a unique experience, although the management aspect does disrupt the flow. The game’s strength is in its storytelling and how well the voice acting and art compliment the narrative. The preferred way to play this game is on the TV, as in handheld mode, it’s difficult to read the text or see the different icons for the characters.

If you’re a fan of either the Borderlands or Payday series, this game is a must try for you.

Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is an incredible action platformer with stunning animation and action that more than lives up to the reputation of the series.

Megaquarium is a solid simulation game with plenty of content. Its simple gameplay can get hectic quickly. If you’re a fan of tycoon games, this is one to try.

Remnant: From The Ashes is a unique take on the Souls-like genre, blending 3rd-person shooting gameplay with the challenging combat of a Dark Souls game. It surprisingly works and offers something new to the endless Souls-like games that are out there. The issue with Remnant: From The Ashes is that if you don’t like Souls-like games, this isn’t the game to change your mind. Plus, the Switch port is rough to look at and harder to play due to technical issues. If you absolutely want a unique Souls-like experience and only own a Switch, Remnant: From The Ashes could be worth checking out.

Foregone is a good 2D action platformer, and worth a play-through. I’ve played many games that are easy to put down when the review is done, but Foregone is staying in my rotation for a while.

This game is built to get you into the action quickly with just a few cutscenes to explain the creation of the Delta Squad. I enjoyed the chance to mindlessly shoot droids and see how far I could get. With a variety of difficulties to help you set your pace, gamers of any skill level can play Star Wars: Republic Commando.

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.

While I enjoyed WARSAW the only real complaint I had was the difficulty from time to time. Overall the game looked good and was an enjoyable experience. Those who prefer less of a challenging experience should look elsewhere because WARSAW offers a challenging but rewarding turn-based strategy game.

Infliction Extended Cut was a fun, scary, mysterious experience. The gameplay itself is very simple, but the story and the things you discover are what make you stay until the end. I enjoyed my time with it.

A Juggler’s Tale is a polished title, delivering a smooth gameplay flow that’s over too quickly for its launch price. Anyone can appreciate the visual presentation and voiced story. Meanwhile, enthusiasts will enjoy the blend of puzzles (albeit easy ones) and action. It’s a unique game in many ways and one that leaves an impression. But, it also leaves you wanting more. I hope to cheer on Abby in a sequel, one whose price better matches its length.

While the graphics are terrific and the level design is highly creative, the gameplay leaves much to be desired. This game is entertaining and visually appealing but left a lot else on the table.

While the number of games in this collection pales next to many other Switch compilations, shmup fans up for a challenge probably won’t want to sleep on this one. Irem Collection Volume 1 offers some entertaining fun that will put your skills to the test. How about some love for Irem’s In The Hunt next?

A Night at the Races does an admirable job of balancing difficult, twitch-style gaming with a narrative that’s unique to the genre. It’s not for everyone, but those who are up to the challenge will find it a bit more rewarding than most high-speed platformers.

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.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an open-world immersive world action RPG. You can go anywhere. You can make a lot of choices in terms of what your character will do. There are so many options and choices, in fact, that it becomes intoxicated with how immersive it is and forgets to be fun to play.

Like many of the adventure puzzle games after which it’s patterned, Lamplight City comes across as a bit lackluster in both story and presentation. Retro adventure gamers may enjoy working their way through it, but I wouldn’t bank on it.

Taking all the elements of visuals, variety of characters (with more available via DLC), attacks, environments, replayability, single and multiplayer modes, and overall challenge, Rumble Fish 2 is a good 2D fighter to have ready to go.

NeoSprint updates the ’70s arcade racer with the modern features you’d expect from Atari: multiple racing modes, numerous tracks, a track builder, etc. Unfortunately, it locks most of the content behind the single-player campaign mode, and it doesn’t include online multiplayer. The fun is there, you just have to work to get to it.

If it interests you, South of the Circle is a game worth playing at least once. But while I can tell that some heart was put into it, it does feel like one of those artsy games trying to seem deep. Other than a few instances, South of the Circle made me feel empty, thinking of how it could have been meatier. It’s also priced a bit high for what essentially is a movie with little gameplay.

Born Of Bread is a visually appealing 2.5D adventure RPG with quirky characters. Its in-depth structure is simple to grasp and fun to play. However, a few glitches and hiccups may slow you down.

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.

GameDec is a point-and-click cyberpunk adventure set in a dystopian world, You make a living by discreetly investigating crimes, mysteries, and transgressions in the vast sea of alternate realities to which most humans retreat. It provides a fun mechanic for dialogue junkies who find joy in solving the big puzzle.

Prinny 1•2: Exploded and Reloaded is a lovely piece of gaming history that holds up decently well and is still a fun little platformer to this day.

Furwind is a great platformer with puzzle-like levels and a grand adventure. With cute characters, a fun soundtrack, and pleasing graphics, this is one to give a try.

Those who are familiar with or already participate in Zumba classes are going to love the familiarity of Zumba: Burn it Up and the distraction-free access to the routines. Those who aren’t, however, will have to get past an initial period of ineptitude while you figure out the moves. I’d personally rather do that at home than at an actual Zumba class, but with nothing here beyond the energetic exercises to keep you motivated, actual classes will serve you better if you’re in it for the long haul.

Unrailed! has the personality of games like Minecraft and Terraria, but it provides its own unique experience. Try out a quick gaming session with some friends, and you’re likely to end up working on the railroad all the livelong day.

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.

Youropa is a special puzzle game that manages to do enough memorable things to keep you interested and invested. Smart puzzle designs make the game a fun challenge to complete, along with clever new abilities you unlock as you play. The big miss here is its painting mechanic, which it describes as an important aspect, but rarely ever uses the feature. Youropa offers plenty of variety to keep you playing throughout its adventure.

Overall, Lone Ruin is a tough twin-stick shooter that hits the spot. The runs are quick and satisfying, with leaderboards and multiple weapons to encourage replay. It looks great and plays smoothly; just don’t get too comfortable because it will all be over soon. Until you play again.

Overall, Herdling is a wonderful adventure. It’s a little rough around the edges in terms of framerates and hit detection, but it presents a unique outing that captures the loneliness of a child and the herd he inherits and protects. If you’re after a sweet journey set among lavish landscapes, this one is worth checking out.

Shuten Order is so all over the place that its eShop listing doesn’t even provide a genre. But don’t take that as a lack of focus; this game knows what it wants to accomplish, and does so effectively. Players seeking a text-heavy adventure with uncomfortable choices to make are in for a wild (albeit occasionally overlong) time.

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.

The theme, gameplay, and the excellent visuals in Raji: An Ancient Epic make for a fun session every time you fire it up. The limitations are minimal, and the very few critiques I might have are not major detractors. This is a good game and worth a playthrough.

Overall, it’s another point in click game, with unique puzzles. It lacks anything too special, though, making it hard to recommend for those non-enthusiastic about the genre. If you are a puzzle game fan, and can’t seem to find another alternative, this one is definitely worth a look. That being said, if you aren’t a puzzle game fan, or already have your fill of puzzling action, this game is not for you.

Truth be told, this is an extensive package of quality shmups that are sure to keep genre enthusiasts in a frenzy for hours. That said, there are a million shooters, and this package doesn’t offer anything that hasn’t been done already. Still, Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha is a more affordable way to get all these games at a lower cost.

Beat-em-ups are a dime a dozen, but 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is at the very least different from many of the other offerings on the Switch. From the complexity of the combat system which offers plenty of potential for variety in gameplay, to the inspired visual presentation, it’s easy to recommend to any fan of the beat-em-up genre.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers is a good third-person shooter that’s a little on the light side in terms of graphical style and humour, but don’t be fooled – there are many missions to conquer and plenty of characters to unlock as you seek your ultimate team. The fast-paced action should keep you busy for hours.

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.

While some of its puzzle flow can be hit-or-miss, The Sundew delivers an entertaining graphic adventure. While I hate to see the sound design miss the mark so badly, genre fans should enjoy pointing and clicking their way through this tale’s surprises.

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.

The Church in the Darkness takes the unsettling approach of realism. It’s convincing as a story of a 1970s cult, and Freedom Town is a chilling look inside an isolated cult in the middle of the jungles of South America.

There’s certainly something to be said for a game that leaves me thinking about it and wanting more. Wind Peaks definitely grew on me. But, reaching the end after playing for just over three hours (and getting all achievements) is a tough pill to swallow for a $14.99 game. I hope the sequel plays it less conservatively.

Curious Expedition 2 is pretty to look at and fun to play for an hour or so. However, any longer than that, the gameplay gets repetitive and dull.

Creepy Tale 2 retains the dark and foreboding style of the original, with a longer story and mostly more intuitive puzzles to solve. If you’re a fan of point-and-click games with horror elements, check it out.

Vagante is a moody RPG/platforming roguelike looks neat, if dark and gloomy, and plays well. It’s not groundbreaking, but there’s enough to keep genre fans busy with the copious amount of items to try out. It’s a little on the tough side, but that’s also the idea.

For those familiar with this long-time simulation/strategy series, Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening may feel like a warm welcome home. But as a newcomer, I found the game a confusing mess, and the Switch version frustrated my every attempt to enjoy playing it.

Gordian Quest is an ambitious fantasy RPG that offers a vast campaign, exciting auto-generated maps, and turn-based combat that offers near endless hours of gameplay with its broad selection of battle decks.

Clock Tower: Rewind provides an effectively creepy tale, especially if you’re a fan of 16-bit adventure gaming, throwback puzzle solving, or…David Argento? This “rewind,” however, would need to be more of a “remake” to appeal to most modern gamers.

Kitaria Fables is an incredibly fun RPG that combines the exploration and fighting style of Zelda with the farming and village gameplay of Stardew Valley and the cute animal characters of Animal Crossing. I played this for hours at a time, unable to put it down.

Akane is a delightful twin-stick shooter that focuses primarily on melee combat, and wants the player to use their firearms sparingly. Mix this with the delightful graphics and upgrades, and there is a lot of fun to be had with this game.

Oddworld: Soulstorm – Oddtimized Edition is a darker take that tests the titular Abe in a much bigger quest. The high-quality cinematic style is impressive, and the game plays well overall. It’s less humorous than the original, and lacks that nostalgic factor fans of the ‘90s versions may have. Yet it’s still a challenging and entertaining platformer that will test your patience and prowess.

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

Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion will thrill fans of mech-based combat. There’s no shortage of customization options or enemies to pound down with your optimized loadouts. Those looking for a more narrative adventure, however, may eventually tire of the explore, fight, rejuvenate/optimize loop.

While coming in at the end of the 11th story arc of the show might feel like an odd starting point, the game does a good job with a quick introduction of the characters. While it may leave some questions if you are unfamiliar with the series, it still gives enough information for newcomers to enjoy; Fairy Tale enthusiasts will certainly have no trouble knowing what is going on. Fairy Tale is certainly a solid game on the Nintendo Switch.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is exactly what you expect it to be: it’s a fun dungeon crawler with a cute art style, all your favourite Pokémon and an overarching message of love and friendship that is generally best suited to younger players.