A two-player mode is included, and few games are more fun with a crowd. It's pricey, but a euphoric experience.

While convoluted, the story is more approachable than its predecessor, with strong villains, plot twists, humour and much pretentiousness.

The first glimpse of a mighty colossus in this breathtaking adventure is awe-inspiring. Their size, fearsome power, deafening roars and otherworldly looks are both terrifying and fascinating.

Taken as a full package this is arguably the best Sonic game there is. Mania mode is fun as ever, the cast is fuller, and the bonus challenges, unlockables, Encore mode and multiplayer makes for a game that earns its spot on the retail shelf. Some existing owners might wonder whether two extra characters, remixed singleplayer and revamped splitscreen is worth the upgrade given there's no substantially new levels to speak of, but I think it's a fine way to extend the experience.

This remake is an excellent way to experience an outstanding game, although returning players may find some of the magic lacking if they remember all the answers, or have a specific fondness for the indistinct graphics of the original. Conversely new players will find this version much more palatable from an aesthetic point of view, but may find some design quirks annoying and outdated.

Split Fiction evolves Hazelight's co-operative and excellently manic two-player gauntlet gameplay, last seen in It Takes Two, this time also blending sci-fi and fantasy worlds to make for one of the great modern split-screen experiences. However, the cringey writing and one-note storytelling is almost more grating this time around, given the entire narrative is supposed to revolve around authorship.

Playing with dozens of real-life comrades is exhilarating.

Depending on what you want to do second-to-second, DK's latest outing can be a hugely impressive do-what-you-want sandbox, a comforting collectathon platformer, a series of lightly puzzling challenges, or a goofy Nintendo world to explore and be surprised by. But taken together, it's a masterpiece that's sure to absorb newcomers and series veterans alike. The destructible terrain is a literally ground-breaking innovation that makes each player's game unique, while the story and characters reposition DK's world in a way that's endearing and exciting, but still respects his past forty years of history.

Four-player online races are smooth and fiercely competitive.

This is by far the nicest iteration of the game to date, with both more guided objectives and more options for self-led tomfoolery, wrapped in a much higher definition version of the familiar rustic-meets-plushies visual and audio motifs.

A masterpiece. As you guide your endearing digital denizens to health, happiness, fame and fortune, you may become so addicted that your own life suffers.

One of the finest games ever crafted, Ico is a unique and memorable experience, and hauntingly beautiful.

To maintain the level of immersion, even the loading screens have been replaced by stunning helicopter rides, delivering you to the next mission where the action continues seamlessly.

The cute Japanese animation belies the tactical intricacy.

If you like your games fast, then strap yourself in for a white-knuckle ride, because Burnout Revenge is relentlessly intense.

Captain Olimar is now joined by larrikin Louie - a clever addition that allows efficient multi-tasking, more complex puzzles and absorbing two-player action.

Larger levels featuring multiple vehicles are also hugely entertaining, but the best map is a sniper's haven with tight urban streets.

If you like your games fast, then strap yourself in for a white-knuckle ride, because Burnout Revenge is relentlessly intense.

The system of character progression is elegantly simple but players still have freedom to choose weapon and magic specialties.

This beautiful metroidvania roguelite strikes a near-perfect balance between what persists and what is totally randomised each time you die. And when you eventually run all the way from the beginning, through the bosses and to the final encounter in one go, it's not because your character is more powerful, it's because you know the game so intimately from all your previous lives.

But where this latest instalment excels is in enhanced options and customisation for serious fans, while still offering pick-up-and-play access for those after a quick sporting fix.

Despite a shaky allegorical narrative that's much shallower and less mature than it first appears, It Takes Two is an ambitious and worthwhile zany two-player experience. From high-speed ice-skating and spider-riding to co-operative school homework and fighting a clockwork bull, I honestly never knew what was coming next, but it was generally delightful and always thoughtfully tuned for co-operative play.

This time the AI is a harder nut to crack, requiring more thoughtful passing to open up your opponent before you strike. So long as you're thinking like a footballer, you're going to score goals.

The battle system may initially seem unwieldy, particularly with unhelpful camera angles often obscuring foes, but its subtle sophistication adds terrific depth.

Pairing one of the most brilliant yet underplayed games in Mario history with a wild and experimental new adventure, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is an incredible one-two punch of platforming perfection. While the combination of these two games may not be as exciting as an entirely new full-scale adventure, they're absolutely packed with the trademark Mario blend of creativity and control that seems so effortless but is also virtually without rival.

But where this latest instalment excels is in enhanced options and customisation for serious fans, while still offering pick-up-and-play access for those after a quick sporting fix.

Engaging sub-quests extend the game's lifespan and chatting to the beguiling locals while humming the tunes is a joy.

Three Houses is a masterpiece of a strategy game and a brilliant relationship sim, which feels like the pinnacle of the love/tactics hybrid innovated by 2012's Awakening. With a twisting and turning main narrative and a refined but fairer battle system that retains all its tactical depths, the game's two halves combine to create a hugely customisable strategy experience with high and personal stakes.