It’s hard to say if any given individual will find Card Shark to their tastes, as it really is its own thing in just about every way. While its mechanics are simple on their face, they can also be very challenging and deep. Perhaps best of all, they make you feel like you’re pulling things off like an expert con artist. When these sequences are woven together with an entertaining narrative and a distinct look, it’s hard for to call this anything but a winning hand. If you’re open to something off the beaten path, feel free to ante up.

There are endless defense, side scrolling, and survival game modes which can be unlocked which add replay value to the game, and the campaign mode itself is pretty massive.

If you enjoy difficult puzzle games, and haven’t yet tried this game, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. The controls carry over well, it’s fun, and it’ll take you a while to get through all the chambers.

It’s certainly not the deepest game, even in its own genre. However, I have no problem offering a recommendation for what it offers.

It isn't going to offer you high quality visuals that push your device to the edge, nor is it going to push the envelope for racers in general. But if you just want to kill some time trying to get a car from one spot to another and put in the time to learn the ins and outs, Jet Car Stunts 2 is the perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Knights of the Round Cable brings aspects of Dancing Dots' former IGF finalist but re-works the gameplay to work in a more casual tone. It pays off for the better, allowing for an experience that feels better on a mobile platform.

Simply put, Bullet Time gets a lot of things right when it comes to dual stick shooters. The controls, presentation, customization and replayability are all well done.

Here's the rub: simoleons and lifestyle points are expensive. The smallest simoleon packs you can buy are $4.99, and give you about enough cash to buy one shop in town. You can do it all yourself instead, but it's going to be a long grind to buy homes to unlock all 16 Sims, open all the shops and build all the workplaces.

Definitely, Anomaly Defenders is more of a traditional tower defense game, and it is a well-worn genre. And I'm pretty sure that the game will feel more special to those familiar with Anomaly already because it uses so much of the language of previous games.

The Sam & Max adventure games are always a treat to play through, and Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space is no exception. Skunkape Games has done a fantastic job spiffing this one up for the modern age, and if you told me this was a completely new release I would probably believe you. The Devil’s Playhouse is likely next, and I am certainly looking forward to it. For now, I’ll happily enjoy this wonderful remaster of a funny, enjoyable romp.

It’s still a fun game and players that put forth the effort can get enjoyment out of the additions. However, it just didn’t fully do it for me like the original did.

Solely for diehard fans of Chaos Rings and with the first game currently on sale, you'll be better of starting there if you're just a curious passerby. It's not bad by any means, but it doesn't even pretend to offer anything different or new.

This all adds up to a sequel that exceeds the original in every possible way. While I was initially worried about the IAP in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, I was really pleased to find the whole game was accessible without dipping into it or grinding.

100 Rogues is as much about exploration as it is about move-by-move action and employing a careful strategy.

Plague Inc will snag your attention in all the right ways and keep it there long after you've come to terms with the fact you'll be indirectly responsible for human testing.

The bottom line? An Alien with a Magnet is simply a fun game. There isn't much to detract from Rejected’s offering, aside from the repetition and the voice, the latter of which is entirely based upon you, whether you like him or not.

Despite its free-form approach to puzzle solving, the game offers very little incentive to replay it, so it’s not really a game you’ll keep installed on your phone for long. It is, however, a game that’s well worth the time it takes to play. If you’re already a subscriber to Apple Arcade, LEGO Builder’s Journey is a must-download, if only just to see how much a game can accomplish in a story while taking such a minimalist approach.

With a bunch of different paths to play through and endings to reach, it’s worth doing a replay or two just to feel things out a bit more. I wish the overarching plot was a little more engaging, but I found enough in the moment-to-moment to keep me quite satisfied.

Regardless of whether you’re new to the series or not, Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II is essential if you enjoy horror adventure games. It has a few small things holding it back from being perfect, but I love the time I put into it on both Switch and Steam Deck. I hope the wait for the next entry isn’t as long and Experience Inc continues to deliver with each new release.

The bottom line is that if you are a boxing fan, and especially a Fight Night fan, Fight Night Champion is a must have app. The controls are outstanding, the boxer selection will please any boxing fan, and the ability to create your own boxer and start your own career is gold.

If you care more about story and overall presentation, then Bard's humorous story, great voice acting, and decent graphics should leave you highly satisfied.

If you already played Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, this remake isn’t really worth buying at full price. If you’re new to the game, I recommend this remake as your first experience. After a few updates and improvements on Steam Deck, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake is definitely worth grabbing. I’ve enjoyed revisiting it after many years, and the co-op feature has been a nice surprise, though I still think it works best as a solo experience.

If you could only have one Fruit Ninja game on your phone, I'd tell you to keep the original. It has a lot more to offer. But Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots is well worth playing, even if it's more expansion than stand-alone.

A ridiculously fun diversion, a great way to while away the minutes. I wouldn't put too much effort into climbing the leaderboards, knowing that someone with deeper pockets could easily outmatch me with less skill, but just for fun? Sure, I'm happy to give this game my time. If fun, charm and character are all that matter to you, then you should definitely pick it up.

I think Spidey fans and runner fans should definitely check out Spider-Man Unlimited simply because it does so much right.

Pikmin 1+2 brings two very unique GameCube games to the Switch in about as direct a manner as possible. These games have been reissued before on the Wii (and again on the Wii U Virtual Console), but this is the first time they’ve been available in handheld form. Apart from a higher resolution and the removal of a few licensed elements, these releases make almost no changes to the original games. Still, whether you’re looking to revisit the early Pikmin games or are coming to them for the first time, this is a good, affordable way to enjoy them.

If you're prepared to deal with some of the old-school RPG trappings contained in Final Fantasy III, then you'll likely find it one of the best role-playing experiences in the App Store. But if you're mostly used to newer RPGs and the advancements that have come with them over the years, then Final Fantasy III may be too retro for your taste.

WWE 2K23 is shockingly good on Steam Deck despite the few issues I ran into. If you skipped the last few years of WWE games, WWE 2K23 is worth your time. It feels like an enhanced version of WWE 2K22 that improves in all the right ways and brings some long overdue features. Just don’t come into this expecting as much of a jump in quality as you had with WWE 2K22 from prior games. In its current state, WWE 2K23 is an excellent wrestling game with tons of content, but one that is let down by its online servers.

The Lara Croft Collection brings two excellent games to the Switch in superb form. Only the lack of online multiplayer keeps me from climbing up the nearest mountain and shouting about these, but I’ll gladly scamper up a hill and give a solid yell. If you’ve never played these games before, you really should. And this just happens to be a fantastic way to do so. Whether exploring alone or pulling a friend or three along, you’ll have an awesome time with this scorching duo of games.

I'm not sure I needed a game in my life with the same hooks used by both Dungeon Raid and Triple Town-each of those alone ate hours and hours of my life. Now that I have it, though, there's no giving Puzzle Craft up.

The simplest way I can put it is that Mad Skills Motocross is pure fun.

I love Mini Motor Racing and feel that it's a worthy candidate for being one of the better arcade racers currently on the App Store. Not only are the gameplay elements sound, there's tons of worthy maps and content that'll keep you coming back. Furthermore, recent updates to the game show that the developers are willing to put the effort necessary to smooth out any issues.

Depth, strategy, and looks, all wrapped around tried-and-testing word-building mechanics-that's QatQi for you.

If you’re looking for the ultimate Wreckfest experience on your big screen, you’ll likely want to look at other versions of the game over this one. But if you’re looking for a version you can take with you, this Switch port of Wreckfest is more than respectable enough to suit the job. For those completely new to the game, you’ll find this to be an excellent choice if you’re looking for a somewhat more destructive racing experience than the norm.

This new remaster of Monster Hunter Stories is easily the best way to experience an actual 3DS classic from Capcom. I always said Monster Hunter Stories was the best looking 3DS game, and it now shines on modern screens thanks to a remaster that did a lot more than I expected. While it isn’t as good as Monster Hunter Stories 2, Monster Hunter Stories is still worth playing for not only fans of the Monster Hunter games, but also fans of RPGs in general. It is obviously aimed at a younger audience so keep that in mind, but there’s no denying Monster Hunter Stories is excellent in just about every way.

Faced with big shoes to fill, increased competition, and a very different market, Wind-Up Knight 2 isn't in the most enviable position, but it manages to succeed through good old-fashioned elbow grease.

If you weren't a huge fan of the first Temple Run then I doubt the sequel will drastically change your mind.

Overall, Cafe Enchante is yet another excellent otome game. It is a perfect entry point into the genre and a great game on its own right. After Piofiore, which definitely went to some dark places, Cafe Enchante is a refreshing experience that feels like a nice cappuccino with its gorgeous art, amazing soundtrack, and well told story that is longer than expected.

Aksys Games has been selecting some superb otome visual novels to localize in recent years and Variable Barricade is one of the best in the genre on Nintendo Switch. With each newer release, it feels like the genre is becoming more accessible to those who aren’t fans of pure visual novels. If you’re a fan of otome games, you need to get Variable Barricade. For newcomers, this light-hearted experience might finally get you into the genre.

In its current state, Railgrade is an easy recommendation if you enjoy trains and logistical puzzles. Just don’t come into this expecting a simulation-focused experience. I never played Railgrade before the Steam version so can’t comment on what changed or improved, but I see myself dipping into the game regularly over the coming months as a nice relaxing experience. The shorter mission structure also perfectly suits the pick up and play nature of the Steam Deck.

Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn is another solid effort from Tengo Project, and in some ways is the most substantial improvement over its predecessor of any of their releases yet. Whether or not you should pick it up is really going to depend on how you feel about that original game, because the core is still very much in line with that NES title. Those without any prior experience will find an enjoyable but not essential action game here, one that very much subscribes to an 8-bit design sensibility.

Pepper Grinder is an enjoyable, unique platformer with a zippy pace, interesting mechanics, and some cool level designs. The boss battles are a bit clunky and only subtract from what is otherwise a very tight experience. It’s also worth noting that the game is quite brisk in its run-time, so do take that into account before buying. I personally think it ends a little too soon, but that’s not a terrible problem for a game to have.

To be good at Kid Tripp, it's simply a matter of having a strong memory, quick reflexes and a dump-truck load of determination. If you're up to the challenge, Kid Tripp is a sometimes brutally hard, yet incredibly rewarding little platform runner.

Astlibra Revision is an outstanding game, and one I didn’t even see coming. It takes a little time to get going, but once it does this is a genuine ride that you won’t want to get off of. You can sometimes feel the game’s patchwork nature at times, but that doesn’t do much to hurt what is otherwise an amazingly fun experience. If you like action-RPGs or just are in the mood for a bonkers story, you have to play Astlibra Revision.

Along with quite a number of stellar box-climbing puzzles, Robo5 boasts a compelling story about a robot seeking its identity. It also has a visual style that's downright charming, in a steampunk sort of way.

As it is, iBomber Attack's biggest complaint may be that its too simple.

When I actually play the game, I find a remarkably enjoyable soccer sim. And the Ultimate Team parts, upon reflection, aren't that horrible.

If you remember the Scott Pilgrim game, this is it. The 2010 game on your Switch. No more, no less. Improvements that could have and perhaps should have been made are not part of the package. If Scott Pilgrim is new to you, this is a competent, energetic River City Ransom-inspired beat-em-up with a memorable, charming presentation and enough secrets and Easter Eggs to keep you invested for a while. There are better brawlers on the Switch, but none of those will let you beat up a telekinetic vegan until he explodes into a pile of Toonies. That’s worth a couple of points at least.

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is a remake of higher effort than it may initially appear as, with a laundry list of improvements both obvious and subtle to bring a game that was already solid to begin with up to the modern standards of the series. As with many other Kirby games, it offers a wide array of things to do and mechanics to play with, and the multiplayer option adds some spice for those who can make use of it. It’s a very workmanlike game in many regards, and it’s not likely to convince those not already charmed by the pink puff. But that is often the role that Kirby finds himself occupying, and it’s one that he wears as smartly as he does his little red shoes.

It’s pretty hard to mess up Puzzle Bobble, and thankfully that hasn’t happened here. It’s also rather difficult to add to it, however, and I think the fact that Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! has managed to do so fairly well is to its credit. For puzzle fans it’s an easy pick-up, built around a time-honored core concept and loaded with things to do. Those who like to play games with their family will also want to give this a look as it’s a surprisingly good party game, too.

Is Trails into Reverie a conclusion to Cold Steel? Is it a conclusion to Crossbell? Yes, and yes. Newcomers will want to stay well away from this one until they do their homework, but series fans will probably find this to be a refreshing chapter after the too-long Cold Steel saga, and a useful loose-ends tie-up before moving into the next major story arc. Some framerate dips and a few clear bugs that I expect NIS America to resolve soon dampen the fun a little, but overall this is another solid entry in the series and a nice bounce back from Trails of Cold Steel IV.

In the end, Shovel Knight Dig checks off two boxes for me: the desire for a Shovel Knight-ish experience on my iPhone, and the desire for more games like Downwell. It’s not flawless by any means, but it’s a great game with a lot of things going for it. I’m truly impressed with how well Nitrome was able to adapt the essence of Shovel Knight into such a different format without losing the satisfying elements of the pineapple and pen it was trying to smash together.

Mentally challenging and hugely engaging, TwoDots will definitely interest fans of the original.

As mindless games go, this one hits the perfect balance between easy enough to play without much attention and hard enough that it's not actually mind-numbing.

Momonga's Pinball Adventures is already a winner. In part for its impressive look, certainly, but the charm and challenge of the game are a big part of what makes it so loveable.

In short, Chaos Rings 3 is a big, meaty evolution of the series that makes a lot of changes. Some of those feel like natural progressions from the older games, while others are obviously coming in from other sources, but the game on the whole is richer for having all of them.

For a game that can’t even hold a locked 60fps when running at 1080p on PS5, Earth Defense Force 6 on Steam Deck runs and looks a lot better than I expected. The game itself is a fantastic sequel to Earth Defense Force 5, and it might be my favorite game in the series yet. I’m looking forward to replaying many missions with friends and also getting the DLC packs in the near future. The wait for Earth Defense Force 6 in the West was long, but the payoff is absolutely worth it.

So far, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is the summer vacation we all needed after a busy release season. At least I needed a break after putting in tons of time into Trails through Daybreak, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, and still playing Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree. Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail looks great on Steam Deck and Xbox, it sounds incredible, and I can’t wait to see where things go later on. I just hope we get more voiced dialog added.

There's heaps of defense-type games, but Zombie Gunship stands out because of it's stark realism.

It's hard not to recommend The Hero simply due to its terrific style and over the top humor.

Saving Yello successfully wraps quality graphics and sound, interesting gameplay, varied power-ups, decent game physics and a cute fish into this entertaining fish-flinging game.

About as testing as a coloring book, to be sure, but not without its enjoyment.

G-Darius HD is a full-featured port of a terrific game, and a great way to experience this classic for the first time. The capture ball mechanic and beam dueling add some fun twists to the familiar mechanics that just about anyone can appreciate. Just keep in mind that this is still a Darius game, and as such will not go easy on you. With all of the options and extras included in this version at your fingertips, you just might be able to pull it off.

Barring some minor hiccups in performance, Trombone Champ is a true champ on Switch. It perfectly suits the system and the multiple control options, and is a joy to play. I know this year has been great for quality game releases, but if you own a Switch and want to try something interesting when it comes to music games, Trombone Champ is exactly what you need. I hope we get some Nintendo collaboration songs in the future as DLC.

While the first game felt a bit short, this new one has almost two or three times as much to offer. The mechanics can get a little repetitive after a while, but seeing all of these familiar characters in a slightly more natural setting than usual is a solid hook that pulls the game through its slower moments. A great sequel for fans of the first, and a compelling spin on the Pokemon formula for those who missed the original.

Really, the only thing I don’t like here is that you’re left to adjust the scaling yourself. It would be nice if there were preset modes to get perfect scaling rather than having to tweak with the analog stick until you get it just right. Not the end of the world, but it’s something annoying you have to do for each game once. Otherwise, this is a fantastic set with lots of great games at an affordable price. The

The game ends up being a roller coaster ride that starts fun, becomes frustrating, then gets enjoyable again until it cedes to tedium, taking one last-minute hairpin turn into frustration depending on your party build.

If you enjoyed the previous Sniper Elite games, this one is a no-brainer. Sniper Elite 4 carries forward all of the strengths of the previous games and adds in a number of improvements, making for one of the finest stealth action experiences you can get on the Nintendo Switch. Admittedly, there aren’t a whole lot of traditional stealth games on the system, but I think that even if there were this would still be worth checking out. The only real miss is in its rather bland story, but the little stories of your own that you make as you play compensate for it. Overall, an enjoyable experience of the type and quality we don’t see often on the platform.

Despite the repeat titles and lack of online multiplayer, Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium is an easy recommendation to fans of classic arcade games. With a solid range of titles across multiple titles and levels of fame, this set is bound to include plenty of games for everyone to enjoy. The first Capcom Arcade Stadium had a lot of cool features, extras, and options, and this follow-up doesn’t deviate from that. I’d strongly suggest grabbing the full-game bundle, but it’s nice to have the option to dabble in the specific games you want if you’re on a budget. It’s a quality package at a great price, and I wish Capcom’s arcade rivals would take some notes from these sets.

Monster Adventures is a great action-RPG that you simply need to check out.

Band Together winds up feeling just a little bit inconsistent. Judged purely on its puzzling, it doesn't really distinguish itself. The puzzles are well-crafted, but they aren't going to seriously tax most players. But bring in the themes, the atmosphere and the presentation and it starts to resemble an experience that shouldn't be missed.

Dudeski is a fun arcade game, but it has some issues with identity. Is it an endless skier, or is it a level based game? That question doesn’t really matter much for the first couple of hours though, and once you start to ponder it you have already gotten your money´s worth of arcade skiing.

Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal is a game that was clearly ahead of its time, and that means it holds up very well in this Switch incarnation. Feral Interactive has done its usual solid work here, borrowing elements from later games in the series and giving the player the choice of whether they want to use the big new additions or not. If you’re like me and haven’t played a game in this series before, this seems like a good place to start. If you’re more familiar with the newer games it might be a little hard to go back to this game in some ways, but I think there’s still a lot of enjoyment to be had with its clever-for-its-age structure.

For the price, this is one hell of an adventure, and the gameplay experience is just about as refined as can be.

jAggy Race is a fun casual game, but it's also an exciting and challenging game for competitive gamers who want to familiarize themselves with each track for better results.

Fingle is the sort of game that could start out funny and end up sexy, or start out cold and end up with a slap to the face.

In the end, I found myself trying to slow down and simply enjoy being in the game's atmosphere. I really didn't want the game to end, and I suppose that's the best compliment I can give anything I play.

A safe bet. While not the kind of game that will eat away hours of your time before you realize what's going on or the sort that would be branded as revolutionary, Little Acorns is the sort of title you'll find yourself constantly going back to, the kind of game that fits too easily into a spare five minutes. In short, pick it up if you have an appetite for well-executed and adorable 2D platformers.

Three modes, touch controls that hop to at the slightest touch, and retro graphics. Doesn't sound like much, does it? Don't be fooled by appearances, Plasma-Sky is a solid addition to the ever-expanding galaxy of shmups available on the App Store.

Satellina is just a solid experience.

Lost Within isn't going to shock you, or even surprise you with new concepts that you haven't seen before in the horror genre, but it will at the very least intrigue you.

Despite initially not feeling like I’d care much for the setting, I enjoyed most of my time with Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei on Nintendo Switch. It is repetitive with how some aspects play out in different routes, but is worth playing if you’re looking for something with a historical setting like this. One thing is certain. I’m hoping Idea Factory International continues to localize more otome games because the subgenre of visual novels definitely seems to be doing great on Switch after some uncertainty after the end of the PS Vita.

Little Kitty, Big City is a game I didn’t think I’d enjoy much after a trailer, but I’m glad I got to play it on Steam Deck. It is a perfect game for portable play, and I have almost no major complaints about how it plays on Steam Deck. If you enjoy games like Untitled Goose Game or just want a fun and short interactive adventure, Little Kitty, Big City is for you.

If you’ve enjoyed the recent string of retro arcade throwbacks that have been brought to the Switch by Flynns Arcade, you’ll want to look into Goliath Depot. It has a nice presentation, the gameplay mechanics are unusual and easy to grasp, and it has a lot of replay value packed into it. Chasing your way up a leaderboard is what keeps arcade-style games going, and Goliath Depot nails that aspect quite well.

Overall, What The Golf? is a silly, fun little game filled with popular references, different characters to control, and a lot of lame and funny puns. While you might get stuck in a few levels, the game is entertaining enough to keep playing until you figure them out. Even if the game is not that long, it will give you a crazy experience that will keep you entertained and make you chuckle.

If my only complaint with a game is that it gets over too soon and I want more of it, I take that as a good sign. Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is a lovely and charming surprise that I enjoyed playing for about three hours. On paper, the voice acting and music with this aesthetic shouldn’t work, but the developers managed to pull through and deliver something special. You can also press a button to quack.

In the end, Go Home Dinosaurs is a well-executed tower defense title with enough additions to the genre to make it worth checking out. Suffice to say, I hope other developers take note when trying to differentiate and improve upon tower defense.

It's still as enjoyable as the first and considering the game already makes use of slightly weird physics and non-traditional gameplay, the 'extreme' version is a better representation of what Flick Golf is all about: a casual, leaderboard driven golf game.

Match Panic confirms that the one-man dev studio is chock full of good ideas.

The lack of multiplayer is really the only issue keeping this game from perfection.

If I had a wish list for Wars and Battles, I would say the top item would be increased UI functionality. There is no reason a mobile app should include a syllabus of required reading in order to play.

Meg’s Monster is a fantastic narrative experience. While it’s not the most mechanically rich RPG around, it’s not really trying to be. It’s here to tell a story, and it does so wonderfully. The characters are memorable, the plot is engaging, the presentation is sublime, and it’s on the whole just a hard thing to dislike at all. I haven’t been on an emotional roller coaster like this one in a while, and I’d handily recommend it to anyone looking for a touching story to play.

Pixel People takes an apocalyptic future and makes it hopeful, cheerful and bright-if it's where freemium games are headed, we have a lot to look forward to.

Persona 5 Tactica ended up surprising me in a good way. I initially thought it would be a throwaway story like Persona Dancing or Arena games, but it is so much more. While it doesn’t reach the highs of Persona 5 Strikers even for music, Persona 5 Tactica is an excellent addition to any Persona 5 fan’s library. Just don’t bother getting it if you haven’t played that yet. I can’t wait to check out the DLC in the near future.

It's a tiny, handheld version of a game that's already a bit scaled big from its originals. Still, it's one of the first truly different experiences of the Sims in a while and although it's a more directed experience, it offers enough new to keep casual players happy.

Slamjet Stadium is made to be taken lightly, to be played for a laugh when you're with good friends. Not the sort of friends that feel strongly about winning or losing, though. It's all about how you play the game, and we're not talking about good sportsmanship.

There might be something inherently disturbing about Incredipede and its little hero, with all her muscled limbs and boney feet, but that's easy to forget. She's a charmer, that one, with her expressive eye and tenacious will. And like its hero, Incredipede charms. Behind every frustration is a challenge to be solved—better, faster, or with infinitely more limbs. It's a small scale for playing God, but creation sure is fun.

It's a massive, and immensely enjoyable experience.