Piczle Cross Adventure goes above and beyond to add a fresh coat of paint to a stagnated Picross formula. If you like nonogram puzzles, adorable characters and options galore, you cannot go wrong with this Piczle-perfect puzzle-packed package.

Fledgling Heroes takes the blueprint of what a colourful side-scroller should be and runs with, polishing the core flapping mechanic so that it’s always fun and bundling in some creative extras.

Baron: Fur Is Gonna Fly fails to capitalise on the initial charm of its characters and soundtrack, with players likely to tire of the somewhat simplistic gameplay after just a few rounds. With a few more tweaks and better plane visibility, Dogmelon Games could have saved this title from a crash landing.

Although it boasts a gorgeous world, a surreal story, and some unique character designs, Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition ultimately fails to capture the freedom, urgency, and sense of exploration offered by other Metroidvania titles.

Dead or School often intrigues in appearance, but never quite capitalises on the unique blend of the mundane. Technical issues bog down the core experience, and the lack of restriction or respect for the rest of the content sours what could have been a thoroughly enjoyable romp through the underground.

Like the skeletons that roam the maze, Otherworldly is a bare bones package that could perhaps benefit from a little more meat. If you thrive on blind panic, you may find some enjoyment. Frightening and flawed.

Deep Sky Derelicts serves up joyful space exploration, with an unbeatable comic book art style and a cast of memorable NPCs to meet. Barring the overwhelming item system and tutorial text, the experience is seamless and rewarding.

While a lot of the basic elements are present, Last Encounter lacks any killer selling points that make it worthy of a recommendation. While building up your ships power with temporary or permanent perks brings enough fun for a few blasts, the bland presentation and performance issues mean there are much better games for you to spend your money on.

Brotherhood United‘s target audience is unclear – purists have better alternatives available and newbies probably won’t be sold on the genre by the flaws on show. Still, this is a decent enough game for a couple of hours at most.

Syrup and the Ultimate Sweet is a short, light visual novel. It’s a passable choice if you’re looking for something in the genre, but its fairly flimsy narrative won’t win it pride of place in your collection.

Wenjia is a visually stunning title with a unique realm-shifting mechanic. The contrast between the two realms is hauntingly beautiful, but the story behind this world will ultimately go down as a missed opportunity for more.

Wonder Boy Returns Remix holds up impressively despite a number of flaws that mostly serve to inflate the challenge. This remix polishes down some of the harder edges and slaps a decent lick of paint on top.

With its unusual mixture of a dystopian narrative, a minimalist art style, and a 2D platforming gameplay, Ministry of Broadcast delivers a unique experience that feels truly cinematic – despite some annoying difficult spikes.

Carefully curating a couch coop title that is unique and inventive can be difficult. SMG Studio has done just that. Moving Out may be challenging and occasionally unforgiving, however, it is an altogether charming and enjoyable gaming experience when played with friends.

Help Will Come Tomorrow is a challenging game that brings some fresh ideas to the survival genre. If only it had a little more variety to its gameplay as it begins to feel like ‘Groundhog Day’ the longer you play.

Super Destronaut: Land Wars takes some basic themes of the Space Invaders experience and twists them by adding first-person shooter gameplay. While the shooting mechanics are fun, the arcade structure feels a bit limiting and repetitive.

Talisman is an efficient recreation of the board game, right down to the pricey expansion packs available separately. There is a rich variety of content for intrepid adventurers, if you can handle the moderately user-friendly menu system.

HyperParasite delivers an enjoyable, well-rounded roguelite experience on the Nintendo Switch. While it stumbles at times, the addictive gameplay, unapologetic 80’s references, and unique approach to the genre help dull the pain of its limited, sometimes-repetitive level design.

Assault Android Cactus+ is a tough but moreish space-set shooter. Infuriatingly difficult in places, it sure does feel satisfying to polish off the later bosses in particular. It left me wanting more, and provided the good kind of ‘game rage’.

When the fighting is as fun as this, it is difficult not to recommend Under Night wholeheartedly. The MIA multiplayer and lack of localisation is a concern and does taint what is otherwise a fantastic 2D fighter.

3,000th Duel doesn’t do a lot new for the Souls-like Metroidvania hybrid genre, but its satisfying combat and various customisation options make for an enjoyable experience which makes up for a lot of its familiarity.

This Strange Realm Of Mine bridges the gap between art and video game with mixed success. It suffers from having a bit too much going on, but for those with an open mind, you’ll find an experience here worth having.

The only thing you can safely rely on with Totally Reliable Delivery Service is that it will fail to deliver an experience worth playing and will leave you wishing you could print a postage label and return to sender.

Exit the Gungeon is as crazy, manic and ambitious as its predecessor. It has addicting gameplay and the range of guns, items and enemies to experience is overwhelming. I only wish its level design was as great as the original.

Reed Remastered is one of the many hardcore platformers out there giving you slick controls to get through ‘hard-as-nails’ levels. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t have that many stages, and you’ll get to the end before it really sticks with you.

Dogurai is truly a hidden gem on the Switch eShop. Challenging, engaging and memorable despite its short length, it’s a steal at its current eShop price. It may not reinvent the wheel, but it’s a great budget platformer.

Stab! Stab! Stab! has truly hit the mark with it’s gory, simple couch co-op mayhem, but the lack of content and some serious bugs are a stab in the back to any fun we might have had.

Bridge Builder Adventure isn’t quite the adventure it promises, and is a solid bridge-building puzzler only. You’ll probably need a keen interest in engineering to play it through and then take down a harder difficulty, though.

The newest addition to Forever Entertainment’s microscopic being simulator franchise, Sparkle 4 Tales, isn’t that much new. Just like its predecessors, it still provides a kind of contemplative experience, but it fails on presenting any kind of interesting tale.

In Knight Swap, Chess is transformed into a puzzle game where you have to play with the possibilities and limitations of the Knight’s L movement. It is a bit too similar to its spiritual-brother Unlock the King, but offers more of the Chess-puzzle experience.

Good Job! is another left-field Nintendo idea which offers fun and charming puzzling action. It’s not flawless, with some irritating controls and things having a tendency to find themselves stuck. But it’s certainly worth having.

Between a strict time limit, ruthless enemies, and heavy consequences, Save Koch is an intense sleuthing experience that’s held back by minor technical issues. Each round is unique enough to give this game a healthy shelf life.

Duck Souls+ is simply great fun. This game is little more than a character with basic moves and 100 levels in which to use them. But those moves feel so right, and those levels are designed around them so well.

Syder Reloaded is a polished and accessible 2D shooter with a satisfying punch to its plasmas. The inclusion of nineteen retro graphic filters is a clear indication that Studio Evil is attempting to charm gamers new and old.

Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle does feature games that feel dated by today’s standards, but they hold up well, enjoyment-wise, in spite of their age. It’s a wonderful package for dedicated fans and those who want to discover these fantastic gems.

As punishing as it is rewarding, Hayfever demonstrates itself a formidable player in the precision platformer genre. Technical blips aside, the fluidity of play, and great audiovisual design make this an excellent debut from a new developer on the scene.

Even though this Purrfect Edition is a revamped version of the original Hunter’s Legacy, it is still a bit far from being a true perfect material. Nevertheless, even with some rough edges here and there, Hunter’s Legacy still provides an enjoyable metroidvania experience, all thanks to a complex combat and wide upgrade options.

PRINCESS MAKER -FAERY TALES COME TRUE- is a neat little simulation game, and a trip down nostalgia lane. The ultra-steep learning curve is frustrating, but it is worth it if you’re willing to put in the grind work. Sixty different endings will keep hardcore fans coming back for more.

MouseCraft‘s simple aesthetic and generic name hide a polished and enjoyable puzzler underneath. The eighty levels will provide you with more than a few hours of puzzle-solving pleasure and an absolute abundance of lightbulb moments.

Tilt Pack is one of those easy to pick up, hard to master games which can become super addictive for a time. The problem here is that time doesn’t last long enough as there isn’t too much new to do once you’ve played the game’s two similar modes.

Much like the enemy forces within it, Kingdom Rush: Frontiers marches down a well worn path, but the layered mechanics, bright dynamic level design and furiously fast gameplay keep the experience feeling fresh from start to finish.

What’s in a name? A lot of enticing words, it seems. Super Mega Space Blaster Special Turbo offers a chance to chase those high-scores in space, if you can find a game mode to suit your play style.

Unlock the King is an inventive take on the classic game of chess. It will certainly help if you are familiar with the rules of chess, but the game challenges you a new way, unlike any other variation you might have experienced.

Voxelgram is a very playable take on the Picross phenomenon and its twist gives some highly attractive results. However, the game inevitably sacrifices some of its playability with the jump into that third dimension and the control challenge that emerges.

Spartan Fist offers a unique, but ultimately flawed concept for a roguelike. The combat quickly becomes repetitive, leaving you hoping that good luck in the procedurally generated arenas will quickly lead you to the boss fights.

If you want to experience a solid pixel-art tennis game, this isn’t the Super Tennis you should play. You’ll discover everything the game has to offer in an hour, and there’s nothing here to keep you coming back for more.

Alder’s Blood takes inspirations from different games to create a unique adventure RPG which blends Western and Victorian-style characters. Due to a focus on stealth, its strategy turn-based combat can lead to some frustrating segments, but a distinct art-style and deep world-building transforms the stressful segments into an overall worthwhile experience.

It may not do much new, but Depixtion is addictive Picross puzzling. It’s hard to go wrong with Picross, and it’s hard not to recommend this. Especially now that it’s launching on the European eShop, too.

Saints Row IV: Re-Elected is a surprisingly good port of one of the craziest open-world games ever made. Even with a somewhat dated structure, it presents an amazing playground where fun is put in front of anything else.

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy might be 17 years old, but its ability to believably set you on the path of a Jedi Master is still successfully maintained. There might be some multiplayer quirks, but the primary solo experience is out and out Star Wars.

Marooners has bite-size gameplay bursts like WarioWare, but doesn’t manage to quickly grab the attention in the same way. Too many similar games make this feel like just another party game.

A simple concept stretched too thinly, Ski Sniper is satisfying when it hits its mark but clumsy controls and a lack of variety mean in the long-term this will only be keeping your attention if you truly have a vendetta against skiers.

Part-roguelike, part-RPG, part Peggle, Roundguard is all fun. Its strategic-yet-unpredictable gameplay will keep you hooked, and with modifiers, randomised levels and even completely different classes making each run different, you won’t get bored easily.

King Lucas is a recreation of a very particular type of adventure platformer from the olden days. Although it’s unpolished and some gameplay aspects are awkward, the expanding map is a fun gimmick, and there’s a decent challenge here.

OVERPASS is a lazy port from an established team which will leave any Switch racing fan feeling disgruntled and disheartened. It could and very easily should have been much more, and in its current state, isn’t worth a second glance.

Blood will be Spilled attempts to make some slight tweaks to the 2D strategy formula first laid down by 2015’s SteamWorld Heist, but lack of polish and elements from other genres slightly muddle this (still fun) take on the concept.

Worbital is a bizarre blend of real-time strategy and Worms, in space. Sadly falls flat in presentation and variety, but is a blast to blast through in an afternoon. Just be warned; it’ll make your head spin!

While hardcore motor-heads might get a kick out of the motorcycles and customisation features of Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator, gameplay feels like it could have done with its own tune-up. Clunky controls, ugly visuals and repetitive gameplay slow this beast down to a melancholic crawl.

It’s not going to win any innovation awards, but Stela is a beautiful audiovisual experience that should be a serious consideration for collections, particularly for fans of genre favourites like INSIDE and Little Nightmares.

PuPaiPo Space Deluxe may be short and lacking in depth, but the main game plays as well as you could hope for. Additional modes will reward fans who return for more. This is classic arcade shooty action done well enough.

Rune Factory 4 Special seems to be a jack of all genres but a master of none. It’s a fun game with a lot of interesting features, I only wish that the beautiful illustrations of the characters would’ve been portrayed in the gameplay itself.

Neon City Riders definitely scores points as a tough, uncompromising, pixel-art-based brawler. Unfortunately, as an open-world adventure, it’s simply too hollow and empty to satisfy players with a desire to explore every nook and cranny.

With its distinct art and unique fighting style, Samurai Shodown has a lot of potential. An underpopulated online community and disappointing visuals in handheld mode stop this from becoming the go-to blade-wielding fighter it should have been.

A tactics game that fails to be fun and engaging, Age of Resistance Tactics is The Dark Crystal without all of the charm or anything else that makes it special.

Help Me Doctor leaves a mark for all the wrong reasons. From some unintentionally terrifying visuals to the lack of care given to proofreading, we’re not sure how this one got past the quality guys at Nintendo HQ.

This sci-fi adventure is steeped in lore and brought to life by an unmatched art style and fabulous soundtrack. Sinless is held back only by its lack of meaningful decisions for the player, and its relatively short length.

UBERMOSH: OMEGA is a twin-stick shooter that challenges the player to stay alive against hundreds of enemies. To achieve that, though, you’ll need to deal with very messy presentation, in which it becomes hard to even understand what is happening.

Time apart can be good for the soul and New Horizons is proof of just that. Seven years in the making, this is the definitive Animal Crossing experience. This is as close as it gets to Animal Crossing perfection.

SEGA AGES Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is the best, most complete version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to this very date. However, it does not necessarily need to exist, with copious amounts of ports having already been released prior.

Stranger’s Wrath’s HD port feels a little dated despite the performance improvements, but it’s still a blast to play. The charming characters, impressive worldbuilding and unique gameplay design pull through to offer up perhaps the best version of this Oddworld entry.

Mobile games often struggle when ported over to other consoles. Although there are hints of fun in Crash Drive 2, its now seven-year-old graphics make the maps look bare and outdated compared to more recent car-related titles.

Despite delivering a good story with nice sounds and effects, Yuoni: Rises’ faux VR aspect is likely a lot more effective with a VR headset, and doesn’t translate all that well to the Switch. It’s worth it if you love Japanese urban legends, though.

Brief Battles has heart, but loose movement mechanics, and no online play or bot functionality make it too difficult to get the most out of this underwear affair. At £12.49, it’s not all that cheap for an eShop game, either.

A Street Cat’s Tale is a reasonable choice for the die-hard cat people out there, but the gameplay may be too straightforward to keep you engaged for hours on end. Playing in short bursts is key to enjoying this one.

Goodbye Deponia is clever in parts, funny in places, and an enjoyable romp most of the way through. Some dud puzzles and fudged movement controls aren’t enough to derail it too badly.

Although the game comes packed with JRPG tropes and cliches, Hero must die. again takes these well-worn staples and boldly transforms them into something unique, engaging, and surprisingly emotional. Even if you’re tired of JRPGs, it’s worth a look.

Soul Axiom Rebooted is an improved effort over the original, with its quality of life features and rearranged plot. It’s still difficult to follow, though, so go for this if you enjoy exploring some wild 3D environments during your puzzling.

Ibb & obb is a game that requires two great minds, working together, to achieve the end goal. It’s a beautiful journey, but be prepared to challenge your brain cells if you want to reach the end.

Broken Lines is a superbly unique take on the tactical strategy genre, with its multi-tiered story and turn-based combat that unfolds in real-time. A bit lacking graphically in the Switch port, but otherwise a great experience overall.

Just a Phrase by POWGI is among the dullest games on the Switch to date. The soundtrack is cute and the game runs well, but you’ll spend so little time with this one that this means next to nothing.

Aldred Knight is a 2D platformer on a budget. It has a simplistic art style and a competent combat system, but it leaves something to be desired when it comes to its more hardcore platforming segments.

The ideas here have potential, but it’s potential that isn’t realised. With more polished puzzles or additional core mechanics, the game might have lived up to its initial promise, but as it is, Milo’s Quest is more like Milo’s Distraction.

Ganbare! Super Strikers lacks the elements that can make a sports game great and it lacks the depth of a good tactical RPG. There is potential in this unlikely mash-up of genres, but the balance hasn’t been struck here.

Super Crush KO is a 2D brawler that could be a little better with some additional variety. Still, you should have a hell of a time while its campaign lasts, all thanks to fast-paced combat that makes you feel powerful.

AfterParty squanders its cool premise by forcing you through repetitive environments and selling its own drinking gameplay hook extremely short. Luckily, the story and character relationships will make this hellish road trip worth taking for some.

A lack of charm and new ideas alongside a sluggish battle system means Chronus Arc is an RPG title truly stuck in the past. With so many better titles on the Nintendo Switch, this is a difficult game to recommend.

A strictly linear love affair, Gakuen Club provides six very similar romance stories to get bored of. Pretty faces aren’t enough to hide the bland personalities of these cute boys, resulting in a stale experience that’s more chore than charming.

It’s got some visual polish, but with the steep price point, this 4 hour experience is well below par, and I struggle to recommend even for die hard fans of the genre.

Kitty Powers’ Matchmaker: Deluxe Edition is a novelty dating simulator featuring an iconic hostess and a diverse cast of randomly generated singles. The hilarious theme and palpable progression keep the game and its many silly minigames fresh and fabulous.

While it sports an intriguing premise and a few jump scares that may catch you completely off guard, Rise of Insanity ultimately fails to provide anything you can’t find in other, better horror-based adventure games on the Nintendo Switch.

As a survival horror title without the classic horror elements, Heaven Dust may disappoint hardcore Resident Evil fans, but instead captures a new audience that will appreciate its solid puzzle sections and excellent world-building.

Rune Lord is nothing to write home about. Generic assets make for a fairly bland experience, and there’s little that’s interesting from a gameplay perspective to make this match-3 game stand out from the crowd.

Little Racer has the right intentions and provides a pleasant-looking racer with a credible track builder. It’s just unfortunate that the actual racing itself is lacklustre and becomes tedious after numerous repeats of the same tracks.

Goblin Sword offers an ideal commute experience with its short levels and simplistic gameplay, but that also means anyone looking for a deep or diverse experience will sadly be disappointed. This is an arcade-style action-platformer that just falls a bit short of satisfying.

The epitome of tough-but-fair, the Dead Cells: The Bad Seed Bundle will have you coming back again and again. The gameplay is captivating, the worldbuilding is intriguing, and there’s simply no better way to experience the game.

In terms of pixelated platformers on Nintendo Switch, Valfaris is a punk-powered riot, introducing enough weapons, enemies and bosses to always keep things fresh and rocking. A dodge function would have helped this to even greater heights.

Two Point Hospital is an addictive management experience which you’ll adore if you enjoyed the likes of Theme Hospital, Theme Park and Rollercoaster Tycoon. There’s a deep sense of satisfaction in getting things to click and watching the money rack up – and who doesn’t like making money?

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX looks beautiful in all of its lush hand-drawn glory, but the gameplay is still the same repetitive fare that the series has always offered up. There’s a ton of game here, but that’s if your enthusiasm lasts long enough.