Super Meat Boy 3D may not have the same chainsaw effect on 3D indie platformers that its 2D predecessors had, but that does not stand in the way of being a marvellous and diabolically fun trial and error platformer. With a level design that's just on the right balance between frustrating and motivating, sharp controls that correctly translate the player's moves, and a fun and competent audiovisual art and style, Super Meat Boy 3D does have occasional camera hiccups that can end badly, and its boss levels feel less impressive than the regular levels, gameplay wise. Still, the sheer intensity, comical violence and addictive nature mean that players will have plenty of reasons to try and try and try again, whether on the regular levels or the absolutely merciless Dark World levels.

Thanks to a simple but sensible approach that prioritizes giving each Mii a little push on their way to happiness with a myriad customization options, there’s plenty to do here in a comedic fashion that inevitably can start feeling a tad too repetitive at moments, even when keeping in mind this is an experience best enjoyed in shorter sessions, but the game's formula and incentives are well tuned and the interaction is simple and welcoming for everyone, especially those with a creative eye.

Amnesia: Rebirth still shows some of the elements that made the Amnesia series a powerhouse of horror games, namely its atmosphere and the player's sense of vulnerability. However, the game promises something it does not fully deliver, and soon enough the main gameplay mechanics feel like a chore. At the same time, there are long moments where very little happens that's worth of notice. Overall, Amnesia: Rebirth gets things right when it comes to creating an atmosphere of unrest, but it lacks the consistency to make it an exquisite horror game across the board.

Pokémon Champions draws inspiration from previous combat-based games and presents itself as the core of Pokémon's competitive experience. And it does a very good job at that, too, as the combat here is more accessible and more immediate, and the game provides a great venue for testing out teams, tactics and combinations. At the same time, it feels like the game falls a bit behind its true potential, and the free-to-play model is prone to be affected by excessive monetization and a rather limited beginning content.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The game allows for the players' gradual immersion into its mechanics and fundamentals, in a way that even those of little experience with such games will feel welcome, and the use of the Nintendo Switch 2 mouse control does wonders for the interactivity. Citadelum would have benefited from a greater development of its diplomatic and military components, and in the medium term it can feel somewhat repetitive due to the lack of a strong plot, but the game does a very good job with its core mechanics and fits neatly in the Switch 2 catalogue.

Mega Dimension is a DLC that brings some welcome new features to the game, such as a more demanding difficulty and new Mega Evolutions, as well as a plot that directly follows that of Pokémon Legends Z-A. Mega Dimension does not do so well on other fields, however, and very often the game feels repetitive when it comes to its overdone actions and settings, especially when it comes to the small dimension of its map. Mega Dimension is competent, but it adds more in quantity than in quality, and the price is too high for what it delivers.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins performs remarkably well on the Nintendo Switch 2, and brings its healthy mix of massive scale battles and straight-forward action in a sharp and competent way, with no let downs and hiccups. Fans of the Dynasty Warriors series have plenty to look forward here and can expect its hallmark features along with a very captivating plot. Other players might start feeling that the action turns repetitive after a few hours, and the lack of a multiplayer mode is hard to justify for fans and newcomers alike.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is very ambitious and delivers an enormous amount of content, a long gameplay campaign, engaging turn-based combat, and an atmosphere that fits perfectly with the Warhammer series. It's less successful, however, at welcoming new players who are not familiar with the Warhammer lore. The experience can get cumbersome, with its heavy menus, long loading times and framerate drops, and despite recent updates, some flaws remain unadressed. Rogue Trader is a strategy RPG that does several things right, but execution problems make the Nintendo Switch 2 version fall below its potential.

Each chapter is dealt with through different gameplay mechanics, where players will find elements of puzzle games, stealth action, or criminal investigation along with the usual dialogues and plot choices. It's Shuten Order's biggest and most creative asset, but it also falls short of expectations as these gameplay mechanics are not explored as extensively as they could, and the game's somewhat fragment structure can lead to finding out what's going to happen too soon. Nonetheless, its solid plot, full of unexpected twists, and intriguing characters are well worth a good look.

Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is the premiere of this reboot of the Tomb Raider series on a Nintendo platform, and it does so in great style. The game features a very enveloping cinematic quality, and its storytelling features will keep players captivated from the beginning to the end, thanks to its balance between exploration, puzzle solving and frantic combat, while behaving very well on the technical performance side. Its puzzles can feel somewhat simplistic, however, and this version for both Nintendo Switch systems clearly required a graphical compromise that is difficult to understand on the Switch 2.

This puzzle-platformer, which goes from isometric to side-scroller, to 2D shooter to 3D navigation, is loaded with references to 1980s classics and collectible objects. The game keeps track of the objects we collect, not of the references we catch, and that’s a good challenge for when we are not feeling frustrated by the rather clunky platformer controls.

Indika on the Nintendo Switch ends up falling short of its potential due to the game's graphical demands, which make its visual experience less impactful. With that said, its plot and bizarre atmosphere are still there, and they are successful with their attempts to create feelings of restlesness within the players. While Indika is not for everyone, players open to this kind of surreal settings will have a good time with this game.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A on the Nintendo Switch brings new and welcome ideas to a familiar formula which can feel fresh and captivating, while at the same time denounces hardware limitations that are impossible to escape on a system that's almost nine years old. The combat is more dynamic and engaging, the cast of characters is very appealing, there's plenty to do on exploration and side quests, and the soundtrack is magnificent. However, the game's world is rather small (though full of content), and its visual direction needs updating. Legends Z-A features good ideas but it craves a new space to live up to their promises.

Becastled is a simple take on three popular genres, and it does several things right. It’s accessible to newcomers, it does not overcomplicate things, and even when we lose it lets us get back on our feet quickly. It’s less compelling than expected, however, and it can quickly become repetitive, which is where its simple audiovisual component can become a liability.

Its controls, though, can be stiff and slow at times, which makes some segments more frustrating than they should. There's also a lack of variety in the mechanics, and its puzzles could be more creative. Dollmare works better as a short, subtle atmospheric horror experience that can be finished in one go, rather than as an ambitious adventure.

Everything that made the series great is here, along with a few touches that improve the experience and a batch of welcome extras that will charm long time fans. Some things don't change, though, and the difficulty remains stubbornly frustrating at some points, and a few short input lags can make some moments feel frustrating, while the online component needs improvement. Nonetheless, it is the best anthology that the early arcade and domestic MK games could ask, and it will delight veterans and some newer, curious fans alike.

While it is apparent that the game does not excel with regards to its visual and audio qualities, Ultimate Speed nevertheless does a competent job at keeping its technical features stable, and in the end those looking for a fun and intense racing experience under the Hot Wheels name will certainly be satisfied with this work.

Its audiovisual environment is perfectly tied to the narrative structure, where the story is told through pictures and background sound effects, and where subtle fears strike horror with no need of jumpscares. The experience would be even more enjoyable if it lasted longer, and the cooperative dimension needs improvement when playing solo while the need for a second Switch 2 for local play is an obstacle, but Little Nightmares III most certainly knows how to create an experience in horror gameplay.