The Nightmare Before Christmas isn't going to score points on original gameplay, but it makes up for it with an excellent translation of the movie.

Touhou: New World is an experiment in trying to create a mixture of bullet hell and action RPG that undercooks both sides of that equation. The boss fights may have some charm, but they’re not worth the rest of the tedium that makes up everything else. Players who enjoyed Scarlet Curiosity might find something to love here. However, the challenge isn’t there to recommend it for fans of Touhou’s difficulty and it’s so under-designed as an action RPG that I can’t recommend it to fans of the genre either.

Sadly, the charm of the writing doesn’t prevent Farmagia from feeling mediocre overall. It’s repetitive, disjointed and half-formed. If you want a game that better combines adventuring and farming, Marvelous already have an excellent alternative in the form of Rune Factory.

I enjoyed Koumajou Remilia II: Stranger’s Requiem and did enjoy my time with it. It will really test you with its difficulty. It also looks gorgeous. However, this is an incredibly basic title. There are no frills to this Castlevania inspired Touhou fan game. Also, it feels like while I did see progress from the original, it didn’t build on and learn from it enough to really stand out and show major progress. It’s absolutely fine, especially if you enjoyed Koumajou Remilia: Scarlet Symphony and want more of that, but it isn’t one of the best Castlevania-likes I’ve played.

Front Mission 2 Remake feels like a must-try game for mech and strategy fans. If you like Gundam or tactical RPGs with high customization, this is for you. Unfortunately, there aren’t a ton of quality-of-life features or gameplay settings for those who might have played this game before, but it still looks and plays great. Even if you’ve never played a Front Mission game before like me, you can still jump in and enjoy. Just know it might take a bit to get going.

The addition of an extra dimension makes King of Fighters: Maximum Impact something different from the yearly remakes of the game. SNK zealots will dig this game and fighting fans looking for a 3D alternative from "Capcom vs. SNK 2" will also enjoy this game.

At least the game is beautiful. I’ll definitely give it that.

It really is heartbreaking to see that My Time at Sandrock on the Switch is My Time at Portia all over again. There’s potential here. The setting and worldbuilding is fantastic, and it’s a large game with plenty to do. But this version just doesn’t feel ready yet. Perhaps in a few months or a year, it will be in a good place. For now, it’s better to wait before making the move.

Fans of Utawarerumono should still consider giving the game a shot, as the strength of its story and characterization makes the trip worthwhile. Everyone else, though, would be better served by playing the previous games first before they take the plunge.

Seven Pirates H might just be the weakest of the localized Genkai Tokki titles. Part of this could be the transition from Compile Heart to Felistella. It also could be due to a shift from 2D to full 3D. The lower monster girl count, decreased difficulty, and general direction mean Seven Pirates H is a much shorter and simpler game than its predecessors. People who want it for the fanservice and envelope-pushing content will find exactly what they are looking for, but it is a stripped-down experience compared to past titles.

It won’t be the most challenging game you’ll play, but Disney Villains Cursed Cafe will delight fans of the stories and baddies starring in it. It’s a very relaxed experience. You never need to worry about the consequences. It’s about enjoying the moment with over-the-top personalities and potentially affecting the course of their adventures in the process. That said, the ease of it and focus on prior knowledge of the enemies within mean that, unlike similar games Coffee Talk and Tavern Talk, you do need a level of knowledge or investment to get the most enjoyment out of it.

Afterimage‘s loading times are the far more egregious offender in this Metroidvania than any tiny text. This may change with a patch, but it would take over a minute to reach the title screen. I thought it was broken initially, to be honest. I recommend starting the game, going to get yourself something to drink, and perhaps it will be ready to go when you get back. The in-game loading isn’t as bad, but you’ll stare at a black screen for a time when you go into some buildings at certain villages or occasional other places.

While Forspoken is a much better time than chatter on social media might suggest, those who opt to take on Frey’s journey will likely encounter bumps and stumbles that are hard to ignore, as well as have to deal with some unpleasant traveling companions strapped to their arms. Folks who can put up with those shortcomings, though, will find a dramatic and very pretty adventure as a stranger running freely across a strange land.

Arcadian Atlas is fine. It’s not revolutionary or remarkable, but it’s entertaining enough. Especially if you’re looking for a tactical title that looks and feels a little like Final Fantasy Tactics, albeit is a bit simpler and less of a challenge. It isn’t going to really challenge you, and odds are you’ll find a team that helps you “break” the game pretty quickly. But it has its moments.

Calamity Angels: Special Delivery isn’t bad, but it can be a tedious game and the sugoroku don’t enhance the JRPG. Instead, it can feel like it drags it out more in a way that doesn’t add anything to the experience. It’s not bad, but quickly falls into a somewhat boring and unexpectedly bland routine even with the board game and inventory management elements.

Still, it’s not the easiest game to recommend even if this is the best and easiest to play version. If you want to ruin friendships, Mario Party is the better option. Yes, there will be hurt feelings, but at least everyone will have a good time while it happens. With Dokapon Kingdom: Connect, the pacing and other elements mean it’ll feel like all four people are trudging through a mile-long pit of quicksand in many modes. There’s an audience for this niche game, for sure, but know going in that it is a lot.

Chocobo GP fares better than most Mario Kart competitors, delivering a rough-around-the-edges experience that's still fundamentally fun most of the time. Its weaknesses and frustrations, though — combined with the incoming deluge of new Mario Kart 8 Deluxe tracks — will likely limit its audience.

Attempts to be something new and tries hard to make a genre for itself. However, it doesn't exactly succeed due to stale gameplay mechanics, cheap puzzles and sloppy graphics. [JPN Import]

On the whole, Alone in the Dark is another derivative and bland entry in the survival horror genre. There is some fun to be had exploring Derceto Manor. Combat is bland and generic, but could be somewhat serviceable if it was supporting an interesting narrative. However, the story is mostly non-existent and it fails to do anything with the themes it attempts to look at. To make matters worse, the abundant bugs and glitches present in the game that were not disclosed as known issues muddied any enjoyment I had with this game.

The story and characters lack meaningful depth.

Ogre Tale is a great side scrolling beat-em-up, especially for those looking to play something with incredible visual charm and style. With a charming story and cute character designs, along with full Japanese voice acting, this will be a must for those who enjoyed titles like Murasama: The Demon Blade. However, the systems in the game may be more limited than most players would like and it is hindered by the lack of proper PC controls.

Fashion Dreamer is a very hollow and basic dress-up and fashion game for the Switch, and the best thing that came out of it is it convinced me to go back to Style Savvy Trendsetters and Styling Star on the 3DS. Maybe after the free updates in December 2023 and January 2024, it will feel like there’s more of a reason to play. I’m just so disheartened at how little there is here.

Survival Kids feels really generic on the Switch 2, and it features none of the personality of the Lost in Blue series. I think I might have enjoyed it more had it not been burdened by that pedigree. Had Konami and Unity released this as, say, “Treasure Kids: Search for Harmony Stones,” I think I’d maybe appreciated it more. I’d go in understanding it is a new IP made for kids who like the idea of survival games or puzzle adventures, but might not be ready for titles with greater challenges and in-game consequences. But here, we go in expecting a certain type of storytelling and adventure, then wind up with a repetitious, uncomplicated routine.

An excellent blend of a beat-em up game with an RPG. Fans of both genres will agree. [JPN Import]

Compared to other GBA games out there Super Mario Ball doesn't have the same amount of gameplay hours. Even with all of the stars to find, five worlds isn't much to conquer. [JPN Import]

The overall execution is clumsy and in need of patches.

I feel like the more I play Pokemon Friends and unlock higher difficulty levels of its puzzles, the more I enjoy it. It’s absolutely simple. Also, imagery aside, some of its puzzles have little to do with the series or characters. Not to mention getting the best scores means playing in handheld mode and switching between touchscreen and standard controls for maximum efficiency. But it is charming, in its way, and I find I had fun with it when I’d play for about 15 minutes each day.

Giraffe and Annika is also the sort of ephemeral, effortless, and enjoyable activity that might make someone smile for a while. It might be exactly the right sort of next step for someone new to the Switch who picked up the console for Animal Crossing: New Horizons or inexperienced with games.