The Legend of Heroes: Trails Into Reverie works best as a thank-you gift for fans of the series. It contains (and often enhances) everything turn-based JRPG fans loved about the previous games, but it’s unfortunately presented in a disjointed manner that may put off those who’d just like to continue with the story. And if you haven’t played a previous entry, do not start here.

To the Rescue! is a cute management sim in which you run a dog shelter that houses and helps dogs find their new homes. Taking care of the dogs, the building, and the finances makes for a fun and highly interactive experience.

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.

Despot’s Game is an unusual combination of genres that adds something fresh to the scene. It’s fast-paced and enjoyable in short bursts, with upgrades that help keep things interesting. The randomized runs won’t be for everyone, but they’re fun while they last, despite a lackluster control scheme.

Ash of Gods: The Way is a unique take on the deck building genre that fans of said genre should check out. It follows the usual “collect cards and build a better deck” that most deckbuilders follow but with the fun twist of leaning more into tactical strategy battles. Add in the potential to have different characters in a battle, which may change the rules of said battle, and you’ve got yourself a game that never has two of the same battles. Ash of Gods: The Way does make you feel like you’re always at the disadvantage going into literally every battle, regardless of the deck you’ve built. Regardless, Ash of Gods: The Way is a fun enough take on the deckbuilding genre that you should definitely give it a look.

Super Mega Baseball 4 has a bit more competition on the Nintendo Switch than it used to with the likes of MLB The Show 22 and MLB The Show 23 but it’s still the king of arcade style baseball games. Since MLB has moved beyond the R.B.I. Baseball series, there’s really not much else in this genre. If you’re looking for a fast, fun, easy to pick up and play baseball game, Super Mega Baseball 4 is gonna be right up your alley!

Panic Porcupine is a fast-paced Sonic and Meat Boy mashup/clone with a fun, vintage feel. Are you looking for a relaxing game? You’ve come to the wrong place; Panic Porcupine is hard. After a while, it can feel a little repetitive too. However, it’s at least easy to pick up, feeling familiar and nostalgic. I recommend it to anyone looking for a challenge.

While I can’t say I’ll reach for this over its predecessors, Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! Is a good (replayable) entry more often than not, and recommended. Younger players and families who can enjoy local co-op should have this higher on their wishlist than solo players who might wait for a sale (or update with more online options). The new Puzzle Bobble vs. Space Invaders is a sizable draw!

In SUBNET – Escape Room Adventure, you have to solve puzzles in an escape room type-of-way in order to progress and save the subway from a vicious terrorist attack. It’s not the most original puzzle game out there, but the eerie environment and diverse puzzles make for a fun time that’s well worth the asking price.

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.

You can tell Etrian Odyssey isn’t a game that is particularly optimised for the Switch but, despite its age, it is still a lot of fun, with a unique cartography feature that makes it stand out from other dungeon-crawlers and well worth preserving.

With all of the various areas to explore, skills to expand, weapons to collect, and so on, there is quite a lot of play time to be had in this action RPG. All things considered (including the asking price of only $17.99), Lost Epic is a very good game.

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.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a faithful reintroduction to the series for new and long-time fans. It’s great to have Advance Wars back in our lives, with updated visuals and voicework that bring this title to life. Hopefully, this means the beginning of all-new adventures for Orange Star!

Afterimage is a Metroidvania with attractive 2D visuals and crisp combat, and it really wants to make sure you’ve earned any victories you get. The action is tricky, especially with the numerous bosses that are smarter than what you may be used to. But if you’re up to the challenge, you’ll find the game’s rewards.

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.

Murtop is an ’80s arcade throwback that will challenge your reactions and sense of timing in a whimsical (bordering on endearingly silly) world. It is sometimes frustrating working through a level to get things just right, but that’s the nature of the game. It’s a good dose of idle time fun for almost all ages.

Lost Dream Darkness ran smoothly, and I enjoyed listening to twenty minutes of nature. However, this title had no purpose, no direction, and an abrupt, unsatisfying ending.

Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is a fine adventure game that adds in a unique supernatural twist to Sherlock Holmes. The game is at its best when you focus on the supernatural storyline and is at its most boring when it wants you to do anything else. The overall Switch port is quite poor, with poor graphics, constant rendering issues, and poor framerate ruining the experience. Diehard Sherlock Holmes fans that own a Switch may find some fun here, but for everyone else, maybe look elsewhere for a fun adventure rather than pick up Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened.

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.

Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly is a refreshing visual novel filled with relatable characters and amazing intertwining stories. The controls are simple, with fun, minimal gameplay. The music and sound effects fit in well with the coffee shop ambiance.

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.

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.

No Place Like Home is a post-apocalyptic farming adventure/sim in which you play as a girl searching for her missing grandpa before she moves to Mars. The game’s hopeful story and effective balance of farming, decorating, fighting, and upgrading tools will keep players involved from start to finish.

Teslagrad Remastered heightens and celebrates everything that made the original 2D puzzle platformer special in a way that has ported expertly to the Switch without losing any of the charm or magic.

The Last Spell is a fun and complicated tactical RPG. The gameplay alternates between building components and turn-based fighting, providing plenty to do here. It’s a lot to take in, especially initially, but there’s plenty of fun (and horror) to be had.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed is an absolutely essential component of the Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy. Combat and exploration are tightly refined to keep things moving along, so there’s never a dull moment unless you choose to take a breather. The story relies heavily on nostalgia for its emotional moments, but fans will be pleased that some of the loose ends are finally tied together, albeit with knots they likely didn’t expect.

Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories is a unique journey into an interesting world. There’s a lot to uncover and enjoy as you explore, with neat retro graphics and soundtrack. This is one to check out, although a glitch (which is hopefully now patched) does mar things slightly—be sure to save regularly.