Pinball M ushers in a collection of tables culled from mature-rated properties. But save for a bit of blood and a few expletives, there’s little modification from Zen’s previous efforts. At a bit over five dollars for each table, the asking price isn’t too scary. But the pinball platform’s sporadic glitch can be a bit alarming, especially if it occurs when you’re trying to earn a stop on the game’s leaderboards.

The sixth mainline Earth Defense Force remains heavy on opposition but short on innovation. Yes, the action is still hysterical, as a team of stalwart soldiers face hundreds of opponents on each stage. The chaotic firefights are unchanged but so is much of the game. If you’re expecting innovation, you might want to wait to enlist. All others, it’s time for another familiar and delightfully campy bug hunt.

Mr. Sleepy Man is a wonderfully strange 3D platformer that trades clear direction for dreamlike wandering, letting players stumble through Bedtime Town’s surreal characters and oddball objectives at their own pace. It can occasionally feel like you’re sleepwalking in circles, but when its bizarre humor and freeform exploration combine, the result is a dream worth drifting through.

Dust & Neon provides some engaging twin-stick firefights across its brief missions. Between the taut pacing, tough play, and the allure of meta-game progression, this is an above-average action-roguelike. If you aren’t burned out on the genre, Dust & Neon is worth hunting down.

Aureole - Wings of Hope delivers a fresh take on platforming with its halo-throwing mechanic. With its fluid controls, and rhythm-based movement, traversal is both challenging and addictive. While its story and visual cues occasionally fall short, the game’s inventive gameplay and energetic soundtrack keep it engaging throughout.

Milano’s Odd Job Collection feels like prying open a late-’90s time capsule and finding a quirky gem inside. Sure, the blend of life sim and mini-game collection isn’t revolutionary, but it’s welcome throwback to a halcyon era. Between the summer vibe and the heart-warming sense of nostalgia, it should delight fans of retro curios.

Nuclear Blaze’s platforming, flame dowsing, and sense of dread are all blistering hot. Even repeated attempts to overcome a thorny section will do little to cool your enthusiasm. What might be an issue is the game’s two-hour length. This port augments the action with a tougher New Game+ component, but it can feel like tossing a single piece of kindling on a once-roaring inferno.

An atmospheric metroidvania steeped in historical fiction, Chronicles of the Wolf delivers gothic ambiance and a reverential nod to early Castlevanias. Although some stiff controls and pacing hiccups dull this wolf’s claws, there’s still plenty of ferocity lurking in these depths.

Marisa of Liartop Mountain trades bullet-hell precision for dice-driven chaos, turning Touhou into an energetic tabletop session with roguish friends. It’s unpredictable, and sometimes repetitive, but the Scarlet Mansion’s banter helps to keep the climb entertaining even when the dice rolls stop you in your tracks.

In a sea of deckbuilders, DOG WITCH stands out by keeping things simple and clever. Its dice-fueled combat makes every choice a tiny puzzle worth chewing on.

Prime Monster blends political satire with inventive card-based strategy, turning parliamentary debate into a roguelike battle for power. Beneath its humor is a ingenious system that encourages corruption and shows how easy it is to become part of the problem.

Uncovering these sorceresses in strip Tetris-style matches is the real allure. But given the game’s pixel-art visual style and the simplicity of the falling block placement, the game ends up being nearly as silly as it is sexy.

Perhaps the surplus of formidable fighting games around the turn of the century led to Rage of the Dragons being overlooked. Two decades on, collaboration between developers on opposite sides of the globe proves potent. From tag-team rushes, hard-hitting combos, and dense movesets, NEO transports players to a bygone era before DLC rosters became a ubiquitous practice.

Peer past a few coarse edges, and Megacopter: Blades of the Goddess is a thoroughly involving action title that lets you mow down legions of pugnacious lizard men. At present, the game works best when replicating the fundamentals of the Strike games. Skulking a busy battlefield and figuring out the best way to eliminate a cluster of garrisoned foes proves just as engaging thirty years on.

Yes, the combat could have used more development time, the central relationship needed more substance, and the boss battles could use some play testing. Yet, for all its stumbles, Romeo is a Dead Man is worth experiencing, especially if you appreciate a game that takes risks.

Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider harks back to a halcyon time before obligatory DLC and mandatory day-one patches. The demanding side-scrolling action relies on trial and error, where persistence permits players to topple apparently impossible challenges. It’s also a welcome reminder that the latest hardware isn’t necessary for a rousing experience.

Cladun X3 delivers the same fast, bite-sized dungeon crawling and eccentric charm the series is known for, now with smoother systems and a gentler difficulty curve. Still, its recycled visuals and safe design choices make it feel more like a nostalgic retread than the bold, new adventure you might be hoping for.

Beyond Words is a clever mashup of Scrabble and roguelikes that’s easy to pick up but tough to master. When the right tiles and perks align it’s brilliant. But when they don’t, it can feel like luck’s playing against you.

Sigma Star Saga DX still feels like a weirdly brilliant mashup, blending RPG exploration with customizable shoot-’em-up chaos in a way that’s just as fun as it was back in the day. The new quality-of-life upgrades make it easier to enjoy, even if a lack of boss battles and some pacing hiccups keep it from fully reaching its star potential.

These blemishes aside, Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers undoubtedly exhibits charm. Sure, the pixelated artwork might not flaunt much fidelity, but the dog-eared, tattered cards convey the ambiance of a seedy gambling den. And while a bit of interactive coaching would have been appreciated, if you’ve played Balatro, you’ll be able to acclimate quickly. And pleasingly, it plays well on Steam Deck, allowing you to gratify your gambling fix on the go.

The Battle of Polytopia’s streamlining of 4X strategy makes things accessible, but also limits the kind of variability that makes campaigns enjoyable across multiple plays.

Despite a few frustrating moments and a bug that prohibits completion, Sprawl’s six-hour jaunt is remarkably fun. Across that succinct span, you’ll master bullet time-enriched gunplay while parkouring about. If Max Payne with relaxed gravity sounds remotely interesting, consider spending an afternoon inside this dystopia.

Don’t Stop Girlypop is glitter-soaked bedlam that works if you give in and vow to keep moving. Once the chaos clicks, it turns sensory overload into a surprisingly satisfying experience, rough edges and all.

Tall Trails is a cozy, curiosity-driven adventure where exploration and experimentation replace combat and conflict. With Alp’s magical rocket boot turning frogs, flowers, and peppers into fuel for flight, the game makes every moment of climbing, leaping, and soaring feel fun.

Firefighting Simulator: Ignite strikes a tidy balance between realism and accessibility, making hose-dragging, smoke-ventilating, and civilian rescues feel tense without drenching you in technical details. The AI can fumble and online hiccups are present, but satisfying fire dynamics and co-op play make it one of the more engaging vocational sims around.

Leximan is a delightfully madcap adventure that resists setting down into a comfortable groove. Instead, the seven-hour game is capricious and lively, throwing a procession of different moods and challenges at players.

Games don’t often tackle the grieving process, making Farewell North distinctive. And while the puzzles occasionally feel forced, the moments of quiet serenity and the reminder of the strength of the human spirit are undeniably striking.

All the elements for a first-class blend of twin-stick shooting and engaging exploration are present in The Knight Witch. But a few blatant blemishes and frustrating encounters mean you might not fall under its spell.