Thunder Paw is an underwhelming and often frustrating platformer. Riddled with bottomless pits, unfairly placed enemies, and secret boxes that do literally nothing, this title squanders an interesting upgrade mechanic with a lacklustre overall package.

SMB3 is a surprisingly engaging video game recreation of the famous sport. Despite its accessible nature, this won’t be for everyone. But for those who have even an inkling for some ballpark action SMB3 still knocks it out the park.

A different take on the Metroidvania formula, Shinsekai: Into the Depths creates a suitably aquatic feel, both in its atmosphere and gameplay. At times visuals can look a little washed up, but if you fancy going below sea level, then it’s worth taking the plunge.

Damaged In Transit is a fun but very challenging puzzler. It may not be staggeringly innovative, and it’s certainly too difficult in parts, but two-player co-op mode is a delight. Sadly, it’s also a bit overpriced.

Random Heroes: Gold Edition certainly has its charms, though chances are it won’t impress those who want an original platformer that pushes the genre in exciting in new directions. That said, it’s a perfect entry point for newcomers.

Modern Tales: Age of Invention is the sort of point-and-click adventure we have become accustomed to on the Switch eShop. However, there’s very little new or different here, and as a result, this one struggles to stand out.

The Fox Awaits Me leads players on a satisfying and thrilling journey. Despite players having relatively few choices, there is plenty of content to unlock, for those who can tolerate a mountain of cliches and a few annoying performance issues.

Rainbows, toilets & unicorns is a fun, albeit challenging, shoot ’em up experience. If you enjoy toilet humour, destroying pop-culture icons, and the cuteness of unicorns, then this is the game for you!

Slayin 2 takes a pretty niche gameplay concept and absolutely runs with it, being a near-perfect arcade game filled with fun bosses and bite-sized battles.

The story of She Sees Red is worth it if you persevere, but the experience leaves much to be desired if you’re playing docked. And it’s a movie – who wouldn’t want to watch it on the TV?

Although it’s an impressive game, The Outer Worlds on Nintendo Switch is blighted by performance problems. Visual fidelity, character models, textures and framerate issues mar a fantastic story-telling experience. Wait for a patch or price-drop or play on another device.

Cat Girl Without Salad: Amuse-Bouche originated as a joke, but ultimately ends up as a bore. Yes, there’s some fun to be found within those two ends of the spectrum, but those moments are fleeting and never quite justify your time spent with it.

Tharsis captures the ethos of a tabletop game perfectly, with layered, easy-to-learn mechanics and dynamic presentation. But with too much emphasis on luck, losses often feel unfair, making this a recommendation for intrigued tabletop gaming fans only.

The original Boulder Dash format has been given a buff and a sheen. This anniversary edition presents an accessible remake that is lacking in soul. Perhaps a little more digging would have unearthed more of a gem.

Portal Dogs has some clever platforming ideas in the way multiple dogs are controlled at the same time using the same movements. It’s nothing outstanding, however, and the sometimes irritating precision of the controls means it’s another of the many platformers on the Switch eShop.

One Step From Eden is a lot of fun with its unique combat and deck-building capabilities and would be perfect for anyone who enjoyed Slay the Spire. I just wish it was a little more forgiving and with a very slow unlock rate you have to put in a lot more than what you get back.

Make War is a promising strategy game that is plagued by localisation issues. If you’re still interested in its unique simulation elements, I’d recommend playing it on PC to avoid the frustration of using a cursor on the Switch.

As far as the match-3 genre goes, Magicolors offers a unique approach with its isometric puzzle rooms. Sadly, problematic controls get in the way, turning this into an experience akin to shovelware found on mobile platforms.

The main issue of FLATLAND Vol.1 is that it’s a hardcore platformer that doesn’t really bring anything new to the board. It does offer competent gameplay and interesting visuals, but it feels like an experience that you’ve already had before.

Strategy and board game fans seeking a mixture of challenge, quirkiness, and randomly-generated excitement will find that in Curious Expedition. Although its simple presentation and unforgiving nature may turn off some, it’s a well-rounded, replayable experience.

Although it pays strict homage to a bygone era of first-person dungeon crawlers, almost to a fault, Legends of Amberland: The Forgotten Crown still feels fresh and exciting. The experience almost seems tailor-made for the Nintendo Switch.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is the perfect entry point for the series and deserves to be a summer hit. Full of story and adventure, it’s one of the deepest series Nintendo have delivered, and it’s worth getting past the grinding and the text overload.

While fishing enthusiasts could maybe wring some enjoyment out of this, the dull mechanics and lacklustre presentation make this a flop for anyone else. Awful background graphics, repetitive gameplay and a general lack of polish mean I’d rather catch a cold than have to play this again. Don’t take the bait.

Hang the Kings is a puzzle game that proves that chess’ rules can be tweaked into infinite possibilities. It delivers another package of bite-sized puzzles for those who want more from games like Knight Swap, Unlock the King, or Zen Chess.

Soul Searching is short, sharp and symbolic. It amalgamates excellent audio with engaging scenery to provide the perfect backdrop for an exploratory, non-combative adventure, leaving some reflecting on life long after the credits roll, and others failing to see what it was all for.

The novel it was inspired by is known the world over. Sadly, MazM: Jekyll and Hyde won’t get the same acclaim. Comprising style without substance, this adventure game-turned-visual novel leaves a lot to be desired and is devilishly disappointing.

Operencia: The Stolen Sun is the best example of a grid-based dungeon crawler on the Switch right now. Despite some fiddly controls on this port, the solid combat, exploration, puzzling, and strong writing make it a hefty recommendation for genre fans.

On paper, The Elder Scrolls: Blades proposes to deliver a light version of the seminal The Elder Scrolls RPG experience. Despite providing some solid gameplay mechanics, it is plagued by poor performance, an always-online limitation, and predatory microtransactions.