While a more ambitious transition to a home console format would only do better, the game is very competent at creating an atmosphere of suspense, even if there are several moments where the gameplay experience finds itself unnecessarily interrupted.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is the latest addition to the Ys series and at its core, this is a fine game that brings with it a marvelous combat system and good exploration mechanics. Unfortunately its poor performance on the Nintendo Switch, whether on a television screen or on the console's screen, makes the experience very frustrating, to say the least, and when situations with more than two enemies on the screen become extremely difficult to handle due to a loss of fluidity, it makes it a hard game to recommend.

Despite its best intentions, however, there are issues and flaws when it comes to execution that stand in the way of Calico becoming a much more enjoyable game. While Calico has plenty of good ideas, it would do wonders for the gameplay experience if the aforementioned flaws were corrected in future updates, as this would allow the game to live up to its true potential.

Egglia Rebirth brings us an RPG where the gameplay mechanics involve exploration and construction, topped off by a humorous and welcoming environment and plot. Simple and accessible, Egglia Rebirth is best enjoyed in shorter game sessions, given its origin as a game developed for mobile devices which leads to a feeling of repetitiveness if played like most of its console counterparts. Nonetheless, those looking for a fun, comical and accessible experience will find a great time with Egglia Rebirth.

Its lovely art style, despite the lack of animations, is also a very welcome element, helping to create a Victorian-era atmosphere that fits perfectly with the game. Lamplight City's puzzles could have benefited from different difficulty levels though, as they feel too simplistic, which might put off more seasoned players of point and click adventures.

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX converts an old classic into a new era and goes beyond the original formula, bringing new levels and game modes. The result is a fun game, with a great performance, and a good chance of appealing to both newcomers and veterans alike. While some of the game's original flaws remain unaddressed and the classic mode might not please everyone equally, this modern take on the original Alex Kidd game is a welcome addition to the Nintendo Switch catalogue.

The main funcionalities of the Nintendo Switch 2 are presented under the form of minigames and challenges, and thanks to their clean presentation, simple instructions and hands-on experience, Welcome Tour ticks all the right boxes when it comes to familiarizing the players with Nintendo's new system. As such, Welcome Tour would work much better as a free experience included in every console. If we add its short length, a short-term appeal and the lack of a narrative experience with a sense of progression, there's no obvious reason why Welcome Tour should not be free, it would be a very welcome offer with every Switch 2 console.

There are many engaging moments in this game and visually it treasures us with a marvelous looking world. Rustler does need improvement with regards to its performance, though, as too often it's possible to find ourselves getting stuck in the scenario and slowdowns happen frequently, especially in more demanding moments. Other than that, this is a good parody that earned its place in the Nintendo Switch catalogue.

The dialogues and characters are fun, and the visual environment displays great quality and an art style that stands out for the best reasons. Its interactivity is nearly non-existent, though, and the few occasions where the player can make choices they amount to no consequence on the plot development whatsoever.

There is some enjoyment to find in the game's rhythm-based puzzles and in the comic-like sequences, but the game can get too repetitive and some of its missions feel forced and unnecessary. Overall, Giraffe and Annika needed some more time and attention dedicated to its best ideas to be a more engaging work.

It's not every day that a cult series of nearly 40 years has a brand new entry in a contemporary gaming system. It does a fine job at portraying elements of the series, and with two history modes it allows for players to either follow the main character or create their own, which is the most rewarding choice. Nonetheless, Rise of New Champions has some aspects that need additional work. Most of the football experience is fun and addictive, but the game's camera often feels off, the loading times are long and the game's overall technical performance on the Nintendo Switch falls short of what is expected. Fans of the series will love this entry, while others might feel put off by its flaws.

Never Alone: Arctic Collection consists of the original Never Alone that was released on the Wii U in 2015, as well as an additional set of downloadable content. While some of the gameplay in this puzzle-platformer feels rather imprecise and the mechanics are a bit dated, there is a redeeming dimension in this Arctic Collection (already observed in the original) in the way it portrays and inform the player about the Iñupiat people of Alaska and translates the barren Arctic landscapes into the game.

Like the historical event that it's based on, Warsaw does not forgive - its difficulty is relentless and will not give players a moment to breathe. If this makes for an extremely challenging experience, it also acts as an obstacle for beginners who will feel put off. The game's combat system is compelling once the player masters it, and the soundtrack contributes significantly to this experience, but the game maps, where a lot of the action takes place, could be more elaborate to help the players find theeir way around.

Chronos: Before the Ashes is a mostly successful attempt at making a more accessible roguelike that does not compromise its challenge too much. Its experience mechanic is a very welcome idea and something that has a lot of potential to be improved in future releases, but technical issues affecting its visual performance make this more difficult to enjoy on the Switch screen, and as such there's many players who might feel behind on what the game has to offer.

Fatal Fury: First Contact brings back an SNK fighting game to the Nintendo Switch and what's on offer is pretty much consistent with the original work. This is not an ambitious endeavour, and the dearth of game modes make the experience rather limited. Still, the characters available and their moves are fun to explore. On the other hand, it would be nice to have some extras, and there are performance issues that should have been corrected.

Relaxing, involving, and well-paced, Aquarist could use a slicker audiovisual environment and sharper controls, but overall, this is a rewarding experience for those who enjoy interacting with marine worlds.

Boomerang Fu is a simple party game that won't bring much to solo players beyond its simple and intuitive gameplay. Local multiplayer is a completely different matter, though, as its absolutely chaotic sessions add a whole new layer of enjoyment for up to six players, which makes the lack of an online multiplayer component hard to understand. Those who can summon up to five other players and are looking for quick but intense experiences will find something worthy in Boomerang Fu.

Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective is an adaptation of the children's book series and it does a marvelous job at transposing the literary world into an interactive format, thanks to its unique visual environment and many fun moments. Where Pierre the Maze Detective falls short of expectations is when its level of challenge comes into place, as this is clearly an effort aimed at less experienced players which won't thrill those more versed in similar games.

While the art style is marvelous to look at and the plot is quite captivating, the game doesn't really bring anything new that we cannot find in many other titles. YesterMorrow draws inspiration from timeless classics but doesn't quite replicate their formula in the same way. A work that's worth trying, but some of its potential was lost.

This game boasts a decent plot and a good variety of creatures, as well as quite a few elements to explore that will certainly appeal to completionists. It doesn't have enough to stand on its own against its more well-established competitors, however, and often its lack of originality stands out, especially as far as the creatures' design goes.

Road 96 brings an original approach to adventure games by putting its experience on the road and structured along episodes and vignettes as the characters attempt to flee the rule of an authoritarian despot. The game features an array of interesting characters and a marvelous art style, but it's also harmed by unsolved issues, as well as by development choices. The game's structure makes it vulnerable to an inescapable feeling of repetitiveness, which coupled with some inconsequential player decisions ends up preventing Road 96 from living up to its potential, despite an innovative take on the adventure genre.

Urban Trial Tricky is simple...simple and fun, and it's good at what it does. While the game doesn't harbour AAA ambitions, this is without a doubt a very fun way to pass some time and to enjoy the kicks and adrenaline rushes given by performing stunts on a bike. The experience would be better if the levels felt a little less claustrophobic but as a quick, fun experience, Urban Trial Tricky is a welcome addition to the Nintendo Switch catalogue.

LUNA The Shadow Dust looks much better than it plays. The game looks gorgeous, with its hand-drawn like style and its colouring but the gameplay experience doesn't live up to the same threshold set by the visual environment. Its puzzles are accessible enough to most players and the game doesn't push too hard but what's presented here could perhaps fit better in a visual novel rather than a point and click adventure, especially when its control system is far from perfect.

Days of Doom puts us amid a post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested world that ticks the required boxes when it comes to delivering a roguelite, tactical RPG experience. Its gameplay is simple and accessible, and the visual art style is stunning, featuring gorgeous designs and illustrations, but the game ends up becoming too repetitive for those less versed on roguelite experiences, and the amount of combat rounds that end up feeling nearly identical can turn this gameplay component into a chore.

The difficulty curve is accessible enough to let everyone in and the game doesn't impose anything too harsh on an unsuspecting audience. At the same time, Bob Help Them is too simple for its own good. There are many puzzle games available on the Nintendo Switch with more ambitious challenges and audiovisual production, which makes it difficult for Bob Help Them to stand out for players beyond the core target of puzzle fans.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars is a commemorative edition and one that's mostly about nostalgia. This means that players looking for a reinvention of the three classics included herewith will not find what they're looking for, as the contents on this release consist of something as close to the originals as possible, with only a few tweaks added. This will satisfy those looking for a strictly nostalgic experience, but it will also highlight how Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine did not age perfectly. Beyond that, it's difficult to understand why there's a one-year time limit on the availability of this release, or why there's so little additional content for an anniversary edition other than the three games' soundtracks. In any case, those looking for a revival experience will be well served.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is not, as its name would suggest, an RPG but rather a visual novel where music is the main theme. Once that settles in, Stray Gods does a good job at appealing to fans of visual novels and at doing its own idiosyncratic portrait of Greek mythology in modern-day settings, with a gorgeous visual outlook and fun musical moments. The game's scope is rather limited in its options, though, and those who are not keen on visual novels will soon find themselves with little to do. For a music-themed game, Stray Gods also displays some inconsistency in the singing performances.

The main game mechanic, with emphasis on combat and management rather than on plot, is definitely a point in its favour, as is its wide and varied game world. Where Battle Brothers falls short of expectations lies mostly on how the game was adapted, namely its control system, which is difficult to get used to on the Switch. Its difficulty level also feels unbalanced at moments, and its player interface feels like it doesn't fit with the game. Players able to look beyond these shortcomings will find a great tactical RPG challenge, but others will feel put off by those elements where Battle Brothers fails to deliver a consistent experience.

Darius Cozmic Collection Console is the other half of the Darius Arcade collection for the Nintendo Switch and it follows the same principle. Unfortunately it cannot make the same boasts, mostly because there's too many relevant games lacking from this collection and its heavier price tag means this effort represents less value for money than its arcade-based counterpart. This is not to say that the reproduction work in this release is not stunning because it certainly is, but what is being proposed here ends up feeling more like a shortcoming than a proper compilation of Darius console games.

Given the short number of similar games, it's always good to see the Nintendo Switch catalogue accepting more proposals of less represented endeavours. In the case of Nexomon: Extinction, it features a laudable amount and variety of creatures, appealing art style, and it's fairly simple to get into. At the same time, it's far from a groundbreaking game, though competent, and it feels like it follows its main inspirations a little too close. That said, it's a welcome arrival for those looking for more creatures to capture and collect.

Short, simple, though with varying degrees of challenge, original, and with a decent presentation and introduction in its common areas, Short Games Collection #1 is a bit too expensive for its ambition, given that there are several high quality compilations available in the same price range.

With a minimalist art style and a perfectly accessible formula, Bamerang could definitely benefit from an online multiplayer component and some more solo play options, especially given the times we're in. Nonetheless, for a simple party game with local multiplayer, Bamerang is great fun, even if too short given the simplicity of its formula.

DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power is a fun, simple, and accessible animation-licensed game that will without a doubt appeal to its target-audience. While veteran players will more likely be put off by the game's simplicity, fans of the animated series will find a good representation of the source material, an intuitive gameplay, and a very fun - if not very challenging - combat system.

Summer Catchers resembles an endless runner, except this one is based on a soapbox car. Its concept is as simple as possible, and the game's pleasant pixel art style is a charm to look at. Where Summer Catchers doesn't succeed is in delivering an experience that rewards players for their skills, as nearly every success here is a matter of sheer luck, and the random tracks aren't always adequate for the gameplay on offer.

There are several good ideas put to work here, including a wide cast of characters and a simple but functional combat system. At the same time, Pathway's ideas don't quite live up to their potential, and while the game is indeed a competent effort, it loses appeal rather quickly and won't captivate many players to pick it up again once finished.

Over The Alps is a game with a lovely looking presentation and a concept that's original and interesting. If those two elements raise the game's threshold, it's also not any less true that the plot development and the way the gameplay flows is hardly passionate or exciting. For a game based on espionage, the plot choices are strangely inconsequential and this makes players feel like their actions have little impact on what's happening, which ends up standing as an impediment to the ambitions of Over The Alps.

Gothic II: Complete Classic brings us an opportunity to experience a landmark action RPG using today's means. While some of its elements need improvement, namely a graphic performance which suffers from occasional frame rate losses, and a control system that feels less natural on a console than the original game's did, this version of Gothic II stands out when it comes to its exploration, the way we approach our tasks, and multiple interactions which will keep players looking under every nook and cranny for a long time.

This new incarnation brings an updated audiovisual field and an adventure mode with RPG elements, as well as online multiplayer and two very welcome new game modes, known as Speed Golf and Battle Golf. Nevertheless, this latest effort feels more like an update than a new game - longtime fans of the series won't find too much to discover here, and the game's adventure mode feels too drab and empty. There are also online performance flaws that need to be corrected.

The Red Lantern is a survival game that gets some things right...and some things wrong. This is a game where players can marvel at the beauty of the Alaskan landscape, portrayed with stunning detail, and the characters' animation is executed with a great degree of authenticity. At the same time, the gameplay experience is constricting as the player has very little control over what happens, and the survival mechanisms end up too dependent on sheer luck, which raises the difficulty level to very frustrating levels.

HyperBrawl Tournament brings a heap of chaotic fun to the Nintendo Switch, especially on multiplayer. Therefore, it's difficult to understand why the multiplayer options are so restricted and, for a game that doesn't stand out on a solo experience, why its artificial intelligence shows some consistency problems. In any case, for those having multiplayer brawls, HyperBrawl Tournament is jam-packed with frantic action.

While it's no revolutionary feat of gaming, there are elements worthy of note such as an intuitive and accessible gameplay, an interesting system of vehicle development and a great amount and variety of content. It doesn't feel like a major leap forward, though, as some of its components are rather lacklustre, such as the visual detail, the soundtrack and the skills system. Still, for fans of the original game and of the monster truck genre in general, this is a fun and long-lasting proposal.

Space Invaders Forever is a collection that consists of three adaptations of Taito's timeless classic and if the presence of Space Invaders Extreme is by itself a major highlight, then a bigger effort should have gone into adapting these games to the format of the Nintendo Switch. Local multiplayer is a very fun experience, but an online component would have made everything much better.

RiMS Racing is not the average motorcycle game. Everything here is about going into the nitty-gritty details of what makes a motorbike go, and players will have to sharpen their skills when it comes to management and engineering in order to carry out a successful season. RiMS Racing is a blessing for hardcore fans of motorbikes, while at the same time it's not the most welcoming game for those less versed in the sport. Unfortunately its graphics on the Nintendo Switch look subpar and below what we've come to expect from Nintendo's console.

Night Call has an unusual formula - it's not an orthodox adventure game, it's not quite a visual novel either, but it has elements of both, all set against a Parisian noir aesthetic that goes along perfectly with its premise. Funnily enough, Night Call can be more enjoyable as a literary piece than as an interactive game and while it will not be everyone's cup of tea, this effort is definitely rewarding for those who look into the characters' backgrounds and personal stories.

Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is undoubtedly aimed at fans of mecha-based games. Its frantic combat featuring giant metal machines and especially, the boss fights, will keep players on their toes. However, Titatnic Scion could have done better at addressing its performance flaws, which sometimes prevent the game from standing out in the Switch 2 hardware when there's a lot happening on the screen at once, and beyond the combats, its plot and secondary missions are rather repetitive and end up pushing this game into a more niche territory.

Namco Museum Archives Vol. 1 & 2 is a compilation of arcade classics similar to other collections we have seen in the last decades. The emulation of the games included in the two releases is extremely competent at every level. At the same time and unlike other similar works, including others by Namco, these two titles are very bland beyond the games included and have nearly nothing to offer in terms of additional content, something which seems to particularly affect the European release of Namco Museum Archives Vol. 1 & 2.

Namco Museum Archives Vol. 1 & 2 is a compilation of arcade classics similar to other collections we have seen in the last decades. The emulation of the games included in the two releases is extremely competent at every level. At the same time and unlike other similar works, including others by Namco, these two titles are very bland beyond the games included and have nearly nothing to offer in terms of additional content, something which seems to particularly affect the European release of Namco Museum Archives Vol. 1 & 2.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated is a long name for a game that does not have a lot to offer. This remastered version of an older work brings a 3D platforming formula that worked much better in its original day than today. On the other hand, this new version brings an updated visual environment and a multiplayer mode, even though the latter only provides the bare minimum. Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated fits better within a specific group of players rather than with a wider audience.

Torn Tales: Rebound Edition takes iconic fairy tale and novel characters and puts them at the centre of a fun and simple hack and slash RPG doing things we would not expect them to do, and it works great. The action mechanics are rather simple and easy to learn, and the game allows players of different paces to make their own experience. If only it featured a cooperative multiplayer component, Torn Tales: Rebound Edition would play even better.

Metal Unit is a roguelike action game with plenty of options and control over the settings, including ways to make the experience more adequate to less experienced players, as well as very thrilling boss fights. At the same time, Metal Unit does not manage to stand out from its peers when it comes to the vast majority of the action, its level strutrue is rather repetitive, and its visual inconsistencies make this an experience more suitable for long-running roguelike fans, rather than for a broader audience.

The changes implemented in this release help consolidating the experience, with emphasis on the vehicle and character development mechanics, coupling it with an enjoyable exploration effort. It's more difficult to understand why several plot elements were removed, though, and things could be better from a technical performance point of view, but as it is this is without a doubt the best version of the game released so far.

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.

TAITO Milestones is a compilation of ten TAITO arcade games of the 1980s, some of which less known to the general audience. If the emulation of the games is done successfully, the overall presentation and interface is rather poor, as there are no extras about the games or TAITO that could sweeten this package, not to mention a lack of online multiplayer. Overall this could have been used to present a broader look at TAITO's past.

Road to Guangdong is a simple effort but it does most of its job right: providing a relaxing, contemplative experience, where the player comes into contact with the plot through text and makes dialogue choices that make the story advance. A number of puzzles also makes part of the experience, as does a series of actions that are part and parcel of driving a car. While the game does well when it comes to relaxing the player, its controls become a hassle when handling the car parts, and that can cause some harm to the experience.

Star Wars Episode I: Racer is a remaster of the original game and while the technical work falls below expectations, the gameplay is still as slick and enjoyable as it was over twenty years ago. This release mostly targets players who are already familiar with the original, since it pretty much recreates the experience in a contemporary platform but anyone looking for something new will come out disappointed, as other than motion controls there's nothing new when it comes to gameplay.

There's no doubt that Ageless is based on a laudable concept and that its plot, as well as its blend between platforming and puzzle elements work at a competent degree. As far as the audiovisual experience goes, however, Ageless needs more work. Overall and all things considered, this game means well, tries to get there and is worthy of some attention on behalf of Nintendo Switch players.

Pac-Man World Re-Pac is a remake of the 1999 original and it does a good job at bringing the Pac-Man platformer to our day and age, with its remarkable visual renovation and significant improvements to the controls and gameplay mechanics. Nonetheless this is a game that fans of more modern platformers will find rather limited, given how its structure mostly reflects the time of its original release with worlds that are completely separated from each other and a camera that is far from dynamic.

Anyone who picks this up will have plenty of content to discover, but it's also no less true that this conversion suffers from a clear visual downgrade, not to mention some interface adaptation time due to the lack of a mouse to drag and click. In any case, the most relevant ingredients for the latest Tropico experience are all here and they certainly won't disappoint players looking forward to act as a Caribbean dictator on the Nintendo Switch.

Under the guise of stealth action and infiltration missions, we find a game that's mercilessly difficult to the point of putting off players less keen on multiple trial and error attempts. Its complicated controls, long loading times and punishing consequences if the mission goes south mean that Commandos 2: HD Remaster lost a chance to be a more user-friendly game, as well as to try to reach to a wider audience. Those who enjoy a cruel difficulty level, however, and who don't mind spending a lot of concentration in their missions will find something well worthy of their attention.

The game features some very well implemented gameplay mechanics, as well as a huge variety of elements, but its experience also finds itself harmed by a rather repetitive and monotonous action, long loading times, and a change near its end that makes the game too linear.

Skully would be a great recommendation, were it not for its execution: poor camera mechanics, an inconsistent visual performance and unstable fluidity mean that the game's experience is severely harmed, not because of the game's creative input but because of its subpar execution. With a thorough update that can correct those issues, Skully can be a star in the Nintendo Switch catalogue.

Its plot and visual style are definitely worthy of praise and will gain the player's favour right away but the game lacks a certain challenge and doesn't put up a compelling and engaging adventure that would keep players concentrated on it. In other words, it does well on some elements, but it doesn't match when it comes to fun, and that's a pity because Nevaeh deserved a better overall package.

As far as control and action go, this chapter of Mario Strikers works very well and it knows how to introduce players to its mechanics. The game disappoints when it comes to its content, however, as it feels like it's been cut short with regards to characters and game modes. On top of that, while the online multiplayer experience is marvelous, despite the lack of some functionalities, the single player experience is rather limited in its scope and its appeal ends too quickly.

Part dating sim, part pet sim, its dimensions end up standing on each other's way and never quite fulfilling the best that those two genres can achieve. The game's world is quite a gem to discover, with its multicoloured design and profusion of characters, but the game's inconvenient controls when it comes to look after the character's puppy and a certain lack of clarity when it comes to the game's purpose make this experience somewhat of a half-success.

Within the Blade brings us an action platformer with stealth elements under the guise of a ninja-themed adventure. Beyond the good presentation, the game's appealing nature gets difficult to enjoy, as the implementation of movement and combat will often put the player at odds with the game. This is a pity, because there are ideas in Within the Blade that are worthy developing but as it is, the game's mechanics need to be reviewed and executed differently.

Umihara Kawase BaZooka! is part of a series that goes by mostly unnoticed in Europe but for those who do appreciate this name in platforming, this release that now lands on the Nintendo Switch will undoubtedly be worth checking out thanks to its wide cast of characters, simple and accessible concept and multiplayer capacities. Outside this group, most players won't be too tempted by what they might perceive as a game with a lacklustre visual environment, repetitive action and not a lot of elements that stand out.

G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout is an action game that takes no risks in venturing outside the usual conventions, and while it may be a fun effort for longtime fans of the series, thanks to its wide cast of characters, it will end up feeling like a rather drab work for everyone else. If the variety of game modes and content is worthy of praise, the game's lackadaisical AI and overall monotony make G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout something that doesn't manage to rise above its peers.

Thanks to a good sense of progression, the player will enjoy watching their endeavour grow, but Nova Lands veers off the right track when its sense of progression gives place to an overwhelming amount of objects and tasks on the screen, as well as game mechanics that become dull and repetitive too quickly. What's more, the game's controls are rather irregular in their response, and the performance suffers from too many issues. Overall, this is an experience that's best suited for intensive play, rather than a relaxed approach.

Gerrrms is a simple, multiplayer-oriented party brawler that was made with the social side of gaming in mind. While a solo experience is available, Gerrrms clearly plays better in a multiplayer context and at that, it does a decent job. What Gerrrms doesn't do, however, is to stand out amid other similar games and there's nothing remarkable here that hasn't been seen in other, more ambitious party games.

Neoverse Trinity Edition has a lot of good ideas and could very well be a card game classic on the Nintendo Switch. Unfortunately a poor performance - which includes frequent losses of frame rate and a frustrating user interface when played on the Nintendo Switch screen - as well as a lack of a proper introduction to the way the game is played make this experience way more unappealing than it should be. This is a real shame, because its gameplay is very fun and the mechanics are very well thought, but the game's performance truly harms the experience to a level it should not.

Ninja Gaiden Master Collection definitely has an appeal, and the excellent conversion job behind Ninja Gaiden Sigma creates high expectations for what comes next. Unfortunately the conversions of Sigma 2 and Razor's Edge fall way below expectations, with an appalling performance and erratic screen resolution, which makes the games often appear worse than they should be. On top of that, no improvements were done on Razor's Edge original formula and despite the additional content, this compilation feels like a botched effort whose only asset is the very good work done on the first game of the trilogy.

Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is a remaster of a game originally released in 2007 and part of a long running series of mystery games about the renowned fictional detective. This chapter puts Sherlock in the midst of a supernatural affair, which is a departure from other works, but despite its interesting plot and captivating supernatural elements, the game's overall execution, technical issues, and too simplistic cases that offer little incentive to do anything else make this game difficult to recommend to any players other than hardcore fans of the Sherlock Holmes series.

PUSS! is an unusual arrival, in the sense that there's not much to say about it, other than being a very surreal and by no means conventional experience, with an audiovisual environment that fits the description. Unfortunately its difficulty level makes finishing the game a very difficulty task, and the occasional crashes only hinder what value PUSS! could have brought for some fringes of the public.

Soccer Story puts the player on an RPG with the purpose of bringing football back. Yet and despite its open world and some engaging puzzles, the least fun part of this game is the sport itself, as the sections where the player will take part in actual football are the least appealing, mostly due to its excessively simplistic gameplay and poor AI. This is a pity, as some elements in Soccer Story are worth looking at, even though its missions are rather mundane and the plot is too simplistic.

While the levels are aesthetically appealing and the boss fights are on par with the games they get inspiration from, the levels and the enemies feel too repetitive and they can quickly turn into a chore, especially among less experienced players.

Rainbow Skies feels dated in several aspects and yet it has a certain appeal that is likely to captivate RPG fans willing to look past its flaws, namely its poor writing, subpar graphics, and seemingly arbitrary discrepancies in its difficulty. The game does have a fairly solid combat system, plenty of content, and a pleasant and varied soundtrack, which will be able to captivate and pose a good challenge to part of the audience but that won't be enough to garner a large crowd for Rainbow Skies.

Itadaki Smash draws inspiration from classic side-scrolling beat'em ups and it does a good job at presenting different characters with their own characteristics and differentiated game modes, as well as a touch of humour. It does a less good job when it comes to its hit box, which needs to be better implemented, a rather simplistic visual world that doesn't quite captivate our senses, and an experience that overall feels lacking in profoundness.

Postal Redux can be seen as a sort of a time capsule that brings us back to the second half of the 1990s, when unlimited on-screen violence could make a name for a new game. While this version includes several improvements, it still feels like it's stuck in its original time. The new Rampage mode is certainly worthy of note but everything else here is visibly outdated and should be seen with nostalgia in mind, rather than as an effort to stand out in today's world.

Tales of Symphonia Remastered brings back one of the finest JRPGs ever made and for anyone who has no other way of experiencing the original, this could be an interesting choice. Unfortunately this remaster suffers from too many issues compared to the original, artistic and technical, and the result is a rather frustrating experience that should undergo a revision towards correcting its main flaws, as Tales of Symphonia deserves a much better contemporary treatment.

Prinny 1-2: Exploded and Reloaded is a small compilation based on a beloved series and it comes with a good amount of challenging platforming action, as well as a good dose of humour. Unfortunately the conversion job for the Nintendo Switch gives it a lacklustre look and makes it seem like not much effort went into this, and at the same time both games included in this offer feel too similar to each other.

Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 1: Phantom Brave / Soul Nomad is a compilation that brings back two tactical RPGs from the 2000s that deserved to be presented to a wider audience. Unfortunately there was little effort in treating these two games to a more modern format in order to make them more appealing to today's audience, and even though both remain fun and captivating for the players who are familiar with them, there's no additional value to gain from this rather expensive set.

Kill It With Fire has a very fun and absurd concept which creates high expectations at first. Unfortunately its performance issues and repetitive nature quickly become too large to ignore. An unstable framerate, a poor resolution when played on the Nintendo Switch screen, constricting elements, and uninteresting goals make this a passable effort that could have been a lot more fun if its concept was better executed and technical flaws had been corrected.

Everybody 1-2 Switch! is the follow-up to launch title 1-2 Switch!, and as a party game that intends to gather players around its minigames, it's certainly ambitious and casts a wide net, with the possibility to use a smartphone as a controller on several minigames and the staggering capacity to handle one hundred players at once in some of its minigames. Unfortunately the way they are implemented is anything but simple and practical, and the higher the number of players involved, the more cumbersome the experience becomes. With a narrow appeal and quick lifespan, Everybody 1-2 Switch! falls behind several of its peers.

While its visual environment might impress at first, the gameplay is rather limited due to the lack of single player options and absence of enough players to allow for a varied online experience, not to mention that the performance on the Nintendo Switch is far from stellar and the controller input lag can make things more frustrating. All in all, Override 2: Super Mech League lost a good chance to make a name for itself.

There are plenty of game modes and the visual component is very close to a real poker game. At the same time, the required internet connection makes this a much less convenient handheld experience on the Nintendo Switch, and it's difficult to understand why the visuals are so downgraded when compared to a television screen, but crossplatform play between different formats is a point in its favour.

Fight Crab is...exactly what the name says, a fighting game where the characters are crustaceans, and as crustaceans they will use their pincers, as well as some unexpected weapons that most people would not associated with crabs. Once players pass the game's hilarious and absurd concept, it becomes clear some aspects about Fight Crab need improvement, including its controls, the opponents' AI and the graphics. With all that said, those looking for quick, absurd-ridden fun will find something here to keep them entertained.

Due to some frustrating issues with the control system, unaddressed technical flaws, and an overall sense of repetitiveness that starts taking over all too early in the game, Bugsnax leaves the impression it could have made a much larger splash but as it is, this adventure/exploration game doesn't quite stand up to its peers.

Performing bold moves is always great but the camera needs improving to prevent some frustrating moments, whereas the mechanic to execute some of the most complex tricks is rather questionable. Regardless of that, SkateBIRD is a fun, simple game, and one that will absolutely make fans happy.

While Ayo's level design and presentation of mechanics are indeed competent, and its visual world looks quite attractive, the game's controls fall way behind expectations. Due to a poor execution, it's often quite difficult for the game to translate player's inputs into actions, and as such it's difficult to recommend Ayo the Clown to a child who's just discovering video games.

The lack of creative freedom and imposition of constricting rules when it comes to key decisions, as well as its short lifespan and slow pace, make The Unexpected Quest a lackluster game, whose lack of touchscreen controls further contribute to aggravate.

It's a simple game based on a concept that's certain to lead to frantic gameplay, but after a few minutes it becomes clear that this is not a game to hold on to for very long. Its level of challenge and overall difficulty were implemented thinking of quick, brief bouts of gaming, and this includes the local coop multiplayer mode. Also, for a game that emphasizes colours, there are no alternatives for people who might suffer from a certain degree of colourblindness.

Picklock is a very simple game, and there's nothing wrong with that. The problem, however, is that other than a memorable jazz-heavy soundtrack, there's very little where Picklock excels. Its gameplay experience, while not a complete failure, is hindered by camera errors, occasional bugs, and not very intuitive controls, as well as by a poor translation job. There are plenty of examples of simple games that provide very fun experiences but alas, Picklock does not do enough to reach that threshold.

Demon's Rise: War for the Deep on the Nintendo Switch does some things right, namely its combat system and the variety of its character classes, which boost the game's lifespan. Nonetheless, there's a lot here that needed improvement, specifically its poor and uninspiring visual environment, exceedingly long loading times and an irrelevant plot, which mean that Demon's Rise ends up falling below its counterparts.

The concept is interesting, and basing the game on wheelchair basketball is very welcome, as adapted sports are still underrepresented in gaming. As a tech demo, it works reasonably well, but the experience quickly starts to wear out on the player's wrists, and some of the control mechanics demand a level of precision that soon becomes frustrating. The game's visual environment feels uninspired too, which is unusual from a Nintendo production. Given its relatively low sales price, Drag x Drive should be seen as a quick experience, but it could have done something more interesting than what's on display in this work.

Many of its ideas are commendable, with emphasis on the growing cast of playable characters, making the plot more interesting to explore with new characters at the player's disposal. However the combat, which there is a lot of, is harmed by an overall sense of boredom and repetitiveness which end up harming the player's motivation. The level design could use improvements as well, as the dungeons have little in terms of originality and don't manage to captivate the player to keep going. There was a lot of potential to explore in Dusk Diver 2 but as it is, it feels like a half-effort towards something that can be much more interesting.

Poison Control could have gone for a more ambitious production. Its plot, fun dialogues, and marvelous looking cutscenes demonstrate that there was some potential for that. However its repetitive gameplay, a level of challenge that's hardly enticing, and a game world that looks mostly subpar mean that Poison Control falls into a generic and unremarkable territory that will fail to impress.

Ashwalkers is based on an interesting post-apocalyptic theme and features a wide profusion of possible endings to its plot. Nevertheless and despite its good intentions, the game suffers from too many technical issues, a control response that's subpar at best, and a lack of connection between the game mechanics and the experience, where players end up feeling that what's promised in terms of bonding with the characters and required emotional investment doesn't really pay off.

Apparition draws inspiration from some of the most successful horror-themed games of the last decade and it certainly succeeds at inspiring fear and dread, causing chills down the player's spine in sheer terror that the game's wretched ghosts are right around the corner. Unfortunately Apparition's limitations when it comes to its narrow and short experience, excessive repetition and unambitious visual environment make its appeal very limited to a niche of horror games fans and not much more.