Other than the original Darius and Sagaia, these games are a great way to play a series of seriously challenging arcade shmups from the past where arcades ruled.

My time spent with the collection was great. Langrisser I & Lagrisser II both are immensely strong strategy turn-based RPG games, which make them so great. Fans who love the likes of Fire Emblem and Advance Wars are in for a treat with this collection. I can’t wait to put more hours into this one!

ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree is a vibrant game, artistically, that tells a dark tale involving coming to terms with one’s loss, making amends, and being pushed into a place of power. It surprisingly did a great job with its unique combination of action, adventure, puzzle, rhythm, and role-playing genres blended together. It is a short game that offers replayability due to the decisions one makes changing the course of the story.

Though I’ve always enjoyed Epic Mickey, I’m thrilled to have revisited the game, as it has held up remarkably well. This remake makes it better than ever. If you’re looking for that “Disney Magic,” so to speak, you’d be hard-pressed to find much better than this. Full of surprises, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is a delight.

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

Trigger Witch successfully combines a top-down RPG with a twin-stick shooter, creating a fun amalgamation of genres that works really well. It’s fun to play and provides plenty of exploration in a cute and colorful world that also happens to be ultra violent. I’d prefer less violence – or an option to turn it off – but there’s still plenty to enjoy here.

Unruly Heroes is far from a bad game. In fact, it has some of my favorite platforming of recent memory, at least in terms of pure gameplay. It just lacks the polish needed for platformer completionists like me, and it’s uncompelling story and music did not help. At least the developers are supporting it with content, despite it being months after its launch. If you are looking for an affordable platformer, this game is a must, but don’t expect to be putting in the same hours as Yoshi’s Crafted World.

If you’ve never played Sam & Max Save the World, this remaster is certainly worth investigating. It’s kind of clever, kind of funny, and appropriately priced. It doesn’t warrant a second playthrough, but few adventure games ever do.

RAILGRADE is a fun, low-key simulation game. They take train sims to a whole new level, though it can get repetitive after a little while. Still, it’s satisfying to play (and watch the trains) that you’ll still get a good amount of hours out of it.

Convergence: A League of Legends story is a fun Metroidvania-style game fans of the genre should keep on their radar. Its smart platforming, tough enemies, and unique eye-catching visuals make for a really fun experience that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Its lack of backtracking will definitely divide fans of the genre, who either will love the simple “you see everything in your first go” or become upset that there isn’t a reason to go back. Convergence does also suffer from performance problems on Nintendo Switch, which, while not game breaking, will make your experience even harder. That said, Convergence: A League of Legends story is quite a fun time and a great way to get into the larger League of Legends universe.

Silence provides a fun, thoughtful, but brief experience on the Nintendo Switch. Its charms may be lost on younger gamers, but old-school adventurers will like the way it harks back to the days of yore while eschewing many of the more annoying aspects of the genre. Silence has a great story that’s well acted, wonderful environments to explore and puzzles that are fun to solve, but you may want to wait for a sale before you set off.

Cursed to Golf is a wholly unique golfing experience that is well worth checking out. The mechanics shake up the golf formula, allowing it to stand out among its peers and breathe new life (ironic, huh?) into this sports genre.The visuals and sound design across the board are a marvel, yet its frustratingly difficult gameplay can deter certain individuals from the key replayability this golf-roguelike offers.If you’re anything like me, your little golf would-be champion will be spending more than eternity in purgatory. If that’s even possible.

Overall, Cronos: The New Dawn is an atmospheric horror outing with an interesting premise that creates a bleak feeling of isolation. It borders on frustrating at times with its high difficulty, but that’s also part and parcel of the genre. It may not convert anyone not already invested in these tough outings, but survival-horror fans are in for a treat.

In 2019, I thought I’d seen everything that top-down action-rpgs could dish out. Sparklite is nothing short of a happy surprise, offering new spins on a time-honored genre. From its beautiful graphics to its addictive gameplay, giving this fresh entry anything less than a perfect score would be criminal.

Ten Dates is a great game to play alone or with a friend to navigate the world of speed dating. The savagery of some interactions is great, and finding that perfect match is highly rewarding (and hard!). I’m hoping that there is a way in which the two protagonists, Misha and Ryan, would just get together, but I’m yet to find it, if it even exists. Although, much like the real world, you can’t always get what you want or say the right thing!

Overall, Manifold Garden is a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it has mesmerizing visuals, good puzzles, and a calming atmosphere. But there are a few negatives, like headaches, and music which lulls you to sleep. Priced at $19.99, I would recommend picking it up only if it’s interesting to you and on sale.

Coromon might be a new game, but the idea is all too familiar. However, different game settings, a new story, over 100 different monsters and a vast world to explore make this game a fun experience. If you love the retro Pokemon games, I definitely recommend checking out Coromon.

Doraemon’s second Story of Seasons outing is another crossover event that’s likely to appeal to fans of both Doraemon and Story of Seasons. It looks fantastic and has a deep narrative, however the story can get it in the way of the actual farming at times.

It’s hard to find much fault with this ambitious, albeit niche, game beyond the fact that you’ll wish there were more of it. Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective dazzles with so much creativity, you’ll never think of mazes the same way again. It’s a bit cheaper than one of the books and much livelier, thanks to the brilliant audio/visual touches. Replay perks also broaden the audience who might not gravitate towards the books. If it looks interesting to you, don’t let plot concerns or repetitiveness scare you off. I’m confident you won’t be disappointed with your purchase. I hope to see another entry soon!

As someone with limited experience with games of this nature, Wild Hearts S has proved surprisingly addictive. Check out the demo if you’re curious, but I really believe it’ll be a game that grows on you. Even though I feel like there are certain respects where I’ve only scratched the surface (dozens of hours in, no less), the game is intuitive in the areas it needs to be. Such approachable depth that avoids the overwhelming trappings makes this game a winner and a keeper.

The controls are the biggest let down in terms of the right analogue 8-directional aim. Fix that, and this is a game worthy of some solid playtime and fun.

With little replay value incentives and a campaign that lacks the qualities which make for a compelling experience, it is very hard to recommend this game even with its lower price tag.

We. the Revolution is the kind of game that you need to concentrate on, in a way that is captivating and graphic.

I found Headliner: NoviNews entertaining enough to play through multiple times. Yet I still have several concerns with it. Even if the length and repetitiveness isn’t a bother, the lack of choices in a key subplot (and lack of moderate choices in general) plus numerous glitches certainly are. I can’t recommend it at its $13.99 launch price, stimulating though it is. However, the very good foundation here means I’ll be watching for Unbound Creations’ next Nintendo Switch title with anticipation.

While a great game at heart, The Eyes of Ara has too many third-act issues for me to give a broad recommendation. Nonetheless, this is still a good release, skillfully crafted with attention to detail. For genre enthusiasts, I might even say The Eyes of Ara is a great release. Just be prepared for a daunting challenge as you near the end, likely with a walkthrough on hand.

Despite not reaching its full potential, I still found some entertainment in Arcade Spirits. By ignoring the romantic aspects, I was able to play it as someone with an appreciation of the heyday of arcades. The charming setting made for a promising launching point, the audio is excellent, and the story (with smart pop-culture nods and humor) has page-turning qualities to some extent.

Helheim Hassle is a genuinely funny game with a dark sense of humour that holds up throughout a series of creative and silly puzzles.

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