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.

Smelter joins elements of action platformers and real time strategy games in an effort that produces a marvelous tribute to the 16-bit era. With a fun and captivating exploration and great combat mechanics, Smelter has all the ingredients to stand out in the Nintendo Switch catalogue and make a name for itself for all the good reasons.

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.

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.

This game features complex but fun gameplay mechanics and lots of content to explore, which will keep players satisfied for a long time. art of rally doesn't do so good when it comes to its graphical performance, with problems in the way the action is exhibited on the screen, not to mention a lower resolution. Players able to see beyond these flaws will fully enjoy a very demanding but overall satisfying experience.

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.

Astalon: Tears of the Earth is a Metroidvania that while simple-looking, brings a surprising amount of variety as far level and enemy design are concerned. With three protagonists on the player's side, we'll have to choose who to bring with us when crossing a tower based on the obstacles of each section. Overall this is an experience that gives us quite a few hours of fun and challenge.

Mayhem Brawler is a fun and hectic beat'em up that features a comic book-type art style, different endings, and a fun world to explore. Its plot might seem strange but it goes beyond what's common in the genre, and the three available characters will provide plenty of opportunities for the player to interact with. Pity its lack of online multiplayer and some enemies, namely bosses, with life bars that get a exaggeratedly long.

Samurai Warriors 5 brings a fantastic recipe of intense, addictive combat, enveloping plot, a varied and rich cast, and even a mode with tower defense mechanics. All this contributes to an experience that will grab players by their collars and no matter whether experienced or new-comers, will throw them into a frantic experience that fits perfectly with the Nintendo Switch format.

Eastward is an adventure game that features a stunning visual presentation and art style, which alone makes it worth to explore the game world and its levels. The game also features great synergy-building between characters when it comes to combat and puzzles that makes the adventure all the more interesting, and while there is a lot of backtracking and some performance issues on television screens at moments with many characters at the same time, Eastward is still a long-lasting, stunning looking and captivating experience.

It's a demanding game, with a tough and demanding difficulty level and a good selling price, but which also brings little that has not been seen before many times. Its difficulty could be too frustrating for less experienced players, while its lack of original material means it won't quite standout among its peers.

This port of Dragon Star Vanir for the Nintendo Switch includes all the game's DLC, a good point to begin with. Its theme and combat system also score well with the game. Not all works as good as expected, though: the game has too many technical issues and performance flaws that can render the experience a real ordeal, not to mention its rather dull dungeon exploration. In the end, there's a feeling of lost opportunities to make a much better game that were wasted in this conversion.

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.

As far as the structure and gameplay are concerned, this is a great achievement which strikes a good balance between the original formula and today's tastes. At the same time, the way this sequel fits in the Nintendo Switch has its share of problems, with visual performance issues becoming too frequent. All in all, this is a remarkable work that nonetheless ends up getting harmed by its technical execution.

Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings DX is, as the name implies, an enhanced version of the original game, one which can also be found on the Nintendo Switch. Amid improvements to the combat system and the inclusion of the downloadable content, this enhanced version will be a good addition for long-running fans of the Atelier series, and it obviously represents a great opportunity for those less familiar with the original game.

With a vast, open world, a captivating combat system, and a beautiful art style, there's a lot to look forward to in Wings of Ruin. At the same time, the game is not free from performance issues and despite its high level of ambition, some sections feel too empty. Overall, the experience is not without its flaws, but the game is a very positive contribution to the Nintendo Switch library.

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.

Trigger Witch is a fun blend between an adventure game and a twin-stick shooter and a fun one at that too, with plenty of action and some puzzles along the way to keep players busy. While not a groundbreaking title, and its audio component could really use some improvement, its bold concept, engaging combat and colourful environment make Trigger Witch a good option for fans of both genres portrayed here.

Out of Line is a puzzle-platformer that features a stunning art style, intuitive gameplay, a very interesting co-op component involving its NPCs, and a difficulty level that will fit perfectly with beginners. While more seasoned players might not find it very challenging, Out of Line's gameplay mechanics and audiovisual environment make it a game very deserving to be part of the Nintendo Switch catalogue.

Ten years after its original release, Skyward Sword gets a remaster treatment in the form of an HD improvement which not only makes it a sharper, prettier, more fluid experience, but also tweaks the way we play with it. Its new control schemes allow every Switch owner to enjoy the experience, though they take some time to get used to, and there are several positive changes regarding tutorials and the player's interaction with Fi that make this a more player-friendly game. Fans of the original will enjoy this revisiting, and new Zelda fans will be given a proper welcome to the Wii classic.

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.

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.

Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny brings the series to a new threshold - and if that can be said for the level of absurdity in the game, it's better applied to the characters' transition from 2D sprites to 3D models. The combat remains largely the same and very competent but while the performance isn't stellar and players have the option to scale down the visual quality in exchange for a smoother experience, it's safe to say this sixth chapter will be very much appreciated by long-running fans of the Disgaea series.

With a difficulty curve that feels just right, players will find themselves mired in a growing challenge that is implemented at the right time, as well as with an experience that can be perfectly enjoyed whether on a television screen or on the Nintendo Switch screen, given its short missions.

The Falconeer: Warrior Edition is a marvelous work based on aerial combat that brings a fantastic mix of beautiful visual qualities, a very demanding combat system, and a game experience that works like a charm whether on a television screen or on the go. This version is so well made it comes technically near to its counterpart on more advanced systems. The Falconeer: Warrior Edition is truly a gem that fully deserves its place next to every Nintendo Switch owner.

Lydia brings us a theme that is definitely worth exploring in a medium like gaming but it could have been approached in a much better way. The writing needs a lot of work and despite its very on touch visual environment, the gameplay experience is very subpar and there's little interactivity to be found here.

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.

It's difficult to understand where the need for this Akiba's Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed came from. While it's true that ten years since the original release is a lot of time, this remaster does very little in terms of providing a good, fun, enhanced experience. Despite its rather unique concept and some genuinely comical moments, the combat is a repetitive chore, there's very little to the game missions, and even less understandably for a remaster, it's a visually poor job. Overall this is a game that should have stayed in its original place.