Marvel MaXimum Collection is a compilation that features an unorthodox choice of games based mostly on their time of release rather than quality. Some of the games have not aged well and their inclusion in this collection feels more like a curiosity. On the other hand, fans of 1990s Marvel games will find this collection to be more practical than looking for overpriced retro games, especially with the multiple formats included here, and the extras do a good job at improving the experience.

It's still one of the very best 2D Mario games ever, and now it looks sharper and performs better. With that said, the new additions are fun but they did not give the experience a greater creative and qualitative edge. The multiplayer minigames and single player training challenges are welcome, as are the difficulty and assist options, but those who know the original well enough might not see this Switch 2 version as a significant improvement over the original. Especially when the original is already so good, and fairly recent.

OPUS: Prism Peak is a narrative adventure that strikes a high note when it comes to its emotional dimension and exquisite art style, and which successfully makes photography a core aspect of the gameplay experience. While less of a conventional adventure than some could expect, Prism Peak boasts a very well implemented atmosphere and an unforgettable plot that binds every element of the game together, and the result is a game with a unique identity.

Basketball Classics does not attempt to deliver a detailed realistic experience but rather to set up a fast-paced, accessible arcade game that features much more than it seems at first. The game avoids any races it cannot win by focusing on a lighter experience that works fine, even if it won't appeal to every kind of player and its gameplay reaches its limits soon enough, but its old-school charm and ease of access more than make up for Basketball Classics' shortcomings.

Comical, ridiculous and annoying, all at the same time and often in equal proportions, Human Fall Flat manages to hit the intersection between those three adjectives almost perfectly, and in an amount that's just enough to keep players' attention thanks to its well-crafted level design, minimalistic audiovisual environment, and (why not?) customization choices.

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake does a good job at preserving the original's unsettling atmosphere and the emotional dimensions of the plot. Like a master of its own craft, this game knows how to deliver horror that is not shoved on the player's face but rather creeps up slowly and cleverly manipulates the rawest of human emotions. If Fatal Frame II's mechanics have aged fine, including the Camera Obscura, some performance issues need fixing to improve the experience. While not a game for everyone, horror fans with a taste for psychological horror will find themsleves enraptured by this remake.

Rushing Beat X: Return of Brawl Brothers delivers a fun and welcoming arcade-style beat'em up experience that goes beyond the nostalgia trip cliché. This new entry fits nicely with the classic 16-bit trilogy, while adding new touches and elements to the gameplay that allow for more variety and experimentation. The series' identity is alive and well, and the co-op multiplayer is a marvel to play, even if on solo the experience can start feeling repetitive too soon.

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage is fully aware of the Virtua Fighter legacy and holds it up high with plenty of technical skill and mechanic depth. Although based on a game released twenty years ago, this edition delivers an experience that will tick all the right boxes with fans of intricate fighting games, though it is less welcoming of newcomers hoping for a simpler style. Online play has also been improved, thanks to rollback netcode and crossplay, which help make this the ultimate version of Virtua Fighter 5, where all the hallmarks of the series can be found at their finest.

This story-led adventure game more than earns its credit for its beautiful art style and exquisite soundtrack. The plot is the main driver and it's a marvel to find out more about the game's tragic but heartwarming background story. Its combat is less impressive, though, and it feels repetitive soon enough, especially as we expand Kena's capacities, and at some specific points there seems to be a performance issue with regards to the graphics. Nonetheless, the game's narrative dimension, its audiovisual world and the exploration and search for collectibles more than help Kena: Bridge of Spirits merit its place on the Nintendo Switch 2 catalogue.

Blue Prince is an outstanding game that delivers an unconventional exploration and puzzle experience. Players will find their curiosity stimulated to the point where it becomes the game's main dynamo, and with a very original structure, an extremely rewarding sense of progression and an atmosphere that seems to have a personality of its own, it's easy to recommend Blue Prince as one of the very best head-scratching adventure games on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Pokémon Pokopia takes a well known life sim formula and gives it a very striking Pokémon identity that helps with creating one of the most surprising and welcome Pokémon games of the decade. With a slow but very cozy and natural sense of progression and addictive gameplay mechanics, Pokopia features a world that's full of personality and very appealing experiences, and it's truly one of the most exquisite Switch 2 games of the moment.

While it does not reinvent the original game, what we have here keeps the main tenets of the experience and pairs them with welcome new improvements, especially on its visual component and combat system. This fits nicely with the game's more serious plot, character development and long lifespan, which help with shaping a very enjoyable classic JRPG experience.

Minishoot' Adventures shows how it's possible to pair experiences from twin-stick shooters with those of a 2D adventure metroidvania and build a marvelous, fun game out of it. Simple and clean, Minishoot' Adventures has the frantic combat of a twin-stick bullet hell shooter coupled with the exploration of an adventure game, and it all plays out very naturally, piquing the player's curiosity about what enemies we'll find next or what unexplored area and new objects we will find.

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen bring back one of the most solid Pokémon experiences ever made, with a few additional and welcome extras such as the possibility of integrating the players' creatures in Pokémon's modern ecosystem, which help make this version more user-friendly for our time. Above all, it's a vivid demonstration of how well these two games have aged, even if this rerelease could have gone a bit further in its ambition.

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen bring back one of the most solid Pokémon experiences ever made, with a few additional and welcome extras such as the possibility of integrating the players' creatures in Pokémon's modern ecosystem, which help make this version more user-friendly for our time. Above all, it's a vivid demonstration of how well these two games have aged, even if this rerelease could have gone a bit further in its ambition.

Scott Pilgrim EX brings a change in structure compared to more conventional sidescrolling beat'em ups which sets it apart in ways that are welcome but can also feel unusual at first. Nonetheless the Scott Pilgrim DNA remains unchanged, with frantic and creative combat, a gorgeous pixel art visual style and the series' own irreverent humour. Fun when played solo, and an absolute frenzy on multiplayer, Scott Pilgrim EX embodies the comics' spirit down to the last detail.

Resident Evil Requiem strikes a balance between the series' legacy as one of the greats in survival horror and an action-based approach, and it does so with the quality that we have come to expect. The game delivers a satisfying performance on the Nintendo Switch 2, where it's able to demonstrate a rich and detailed environment and to create the kind of atmosphere where the series excels at.

Thanks to the slick dynamics between the team members - kept together by a fairly interesting plot - and to the level design and enemy placements, each mission is a serious test of our concentration and problem-solving, and the use of the titular shadow tactics will prove very important at tackling some of the most difficult moments. Blades of the Shogun more than earned its place in the Nintendo Switch 2 catalogue.

Planet of Lana II: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition does not reinvent the original but it does a marvelous job at going further than its predecessor when it comes to its exquisite art style and smooth cooperation between the two companions. The way the puzzles and their resolution merge with the game's minimalistic (but by no means unimportant) plot helps cementing Planet of Lana II as one of the finest puzzle platformers of its generation, and its solid visual performance on the Switch 2 makes this version the best way to experience it.

Mario Tennis Fever keeps up the tradition of the series by bringing a fun and funny tennis game based on the Mario universe to Nintendo's latest console. Most of it will be very familiar and the game does not take a lot of risks or treads extraordinary new paths, but it does a very competent job at keeping the experience enjoyable, especially on multiplayer. Mario Tennis Fever is a very welcome addition to the Nintendo Switch 2 catalogue, where it's bound to keep players serving and smashing like its predecessors did in decades past.

Xenoblades Chronicles X: Definitive Edition lands on the Nintendo Switch 2 promising to deliver what its title says, and it does a very good job at upgrading the game's features when it comes to fluidity, responsiveness and resolution, while keeping all that made it an amazing game with its exploration experience and dynamic combat system. It could have delivered in all its promises if it was more consistent with regards to its graphical performance, namely on some of its textures and aliasing effects which could use some improvement, but this edition is nonetheless a better way to experience this adventure.

This his City Hunter remaster brings the 1990 classic to the world. If only more region-exclusive games could follow suit. Fans of the manga and anime series will find a simple but fitting 2D side-scrolling action game, with little more than moving around, shooting and jumping, very good soundtrack and some welcome - if short - bonus content. New quality of life options also make it feel more at home, but the gameplay could use more tweaks when it comes to level navigation. The retail price, however, is too high for what this City Hunter brings, and it would be more suitable to a full remake and/or a lot more bonus content.

Street Racer Collection does a jood job when it comes to emulating four kart racing games with combat elements, and the amount of customization options and cheats included help make the experience smoother. On the other hand, it is clear that some of the games here have aged considerably and are way past their prime, making them appealing only to the most nostalgic gamers who wish to relieve their experiences. The races are indeed fun, as long as they don't last too long, and there's no reason why the Game Boy version of Street Racer is included but the PlayStation/Sega Saturn version is not.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined gives the game a whole new modern look while keeping faithful to the Dragon Quest spirit and identity. Thanks to its absolutely charming looks, outstanding quirkiness, and better pacing than previous versions, this remake strikes a good balance between nostalgic appeal and giving new fans a big welcome, which would work even better if its difficulty level was more demanding and its mechanics more complex.

Thanks to a smart use of the colours' mechanics and to a well implemented difficulty curve, the game delivers a good puzzle experience that fits nicely within the genre, and behaves very well on the Nintendo Switch 2. It does tend to get repetitive on a long term basis and feels like it does not leave its comfort zone, but it is another welcome addition to the puzzle games' catalogue.

Fighting Force Collection has the merit of bringing two games of the late 1990s in a way that’s as close to the original experience as possible. Unfortunately, there is little else going for it. If the first game can still provide some shallow but fun beat’em up action, the second game falls flat due to terrible camera and controls, featureless characters, and a failure at attempting to deliver a stealth action experience. Nostalgia has its value, but the Fighting Force games should rather have been remade instead of ported to this generation.

Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition shows that the slick gameplay and exquisite art style of Rayman are still as fun and enjoyable today as they were three decades ago. Nevertheless, this edition acts more as a modern port than as a definitive anniversary collection at some points, namely due to the lack of accessibility options for new players, and features an arranged version of the game's soundtrack with no option to listen to the original. All that aside, the bonus content is very welcome, and this game shows the original Rayman remains strong and one of the platforming classics of its time.

REANIMAL is a puzzle-platformer that does a very solid job at creating a horror themed experience with strong emphasis on subtle psychological fears. Its simple but very efficient story-telling, the somber art style and soundscape, as well as slick cooperation mechcanics between the two protagonists bring shape to a memorable introspective game, which could stand out more if its lifespan was longer and it had taken more risks with the challenges posed by its puzzles.