The idea is great, the execution of the main mechanics is exactly where it needs to be, but I really feel like certain elements, especially multiplayer, could really bring this game to the next level. Even as it stands, however, Joust Legend is definitely worth your time and money.

It rides hard on the novelty of its gimmick, but when a gimmick is as good as Evoland's, the outcome is still a pretty cool game.

Overall, Umurangi Generation on Nintendo Switch is one of the biggest surprises in recent years for me. I definitely regret not playing it sooner on PC. If you enjoy sandbox style games with lots of replayability, photo modes, and photography, this is the game for you. It is best played on PC thanks to the technical issues but I’d be lying if I said this isn’t one of my favorite games of 2021 on Nintendo Switch. Hopefully it does well enough to get a physical release.

Adventurer Workshop is a game worth playing. It may wear its inspirations on its sleeve, but it's something new, something fun and challenging. You can let out your inner adventurer in other games; Adventurer Workshop gives your inner artisan a chance to shine.

With my headphones in and the music on, the feeling of loneliness was so visceral that I found myself actually missing my chats with the wrist computer.

Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition is a great way to play this beloved cult classic, especially for those who want a portable option. While you’ll get a smoother framerate on other platforms, this Switch version isn’t hard on the eyes by any means. The improvements are welcome without overstepping, making the game very easy to get into despite its vintage. If you haven’t played it before, it’s worth trying out. Who knows? You might join the folks clamoring for that sequel. And if you have played it before, I’m sure I don’t need to twist your arm to convince you of the merits of a return trip.

With a charming personality, stylish assortment of options and techniques, challenging battles with bosses and grunts alike, and spot-on controls, Have A Nice Death is another excellent entry in the roguelite genre for the Switch. Its teeth may be a little too sharp for some and its level designs get tired way too quickly, but I think anyone who has any affection for the genre will find plenty to love here.

Toad Rider puts a fun, challenging, and fair spin on one of gaming's most notorious levels that any fan of endless runners should enjoy.

Right now, Coral Island has a fantastic base to build on, but it feels lacking in ways that become obvious as you play more. I know it left Steam Early Access to hit 1.0 and launch on consoles, but it still feels like it needed a bit more of its roadmap before I can recommend it without caveats. The asking price is lower than I expected given everything it has right now, and if you’re ok chipping away at it slowly and taking your time, you will find a lot to love here. Despite the few technical issues, it is a joy to play on Steam Deck, but I feel like it left early access prematurely.

If the idea of solving concepts by sliding things into place excites you, you'll probably enjoy Zenge and the whimsical presentation it drags along with it. Otherwise, stay away from this relatively low key zen-like experience.

While the lack of a story may turn some folks off, it may not be that important. The more I played, the more I realized that Lightopus isn't a game of destinations; it's a game about journeys. Each play through is a new and somewhat unique adventure through this beautiful world.

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.

Tchia has something to it. I don’t think it’s the most fully-formed and properly fleshed-out open world game by any means, but I also don’t think that’s the main priority of it. This is a window to the place, the life experiences, the culture that the people behind it know so well. This Switch port carries itself well enough, though there are some noticeable visual flaws at times. Don’t come to this looking for a Pacific Island take on Breath of the Wild, because it isn’t that even if it sometimes resembles it. It’s Tchia. And it’s good.

RCT 3 is a great strategy simulation game that gives you plenty of freedom to build the park of your dreams (and of your visitors' nightmares).

Having said all that, Frank the Dillo is a great way to pass the time if you're looking for a golf-like game. It could use a few tweaks and some more content, but it works just fine all the same.

Most of the parts of the original game, which worked for kids apparently, is fairly well translated in this version. And even though it lacks 1:1 body-to-game interaction, I think a solid connection can still be formed between digital cat and real, whiny "Give Me A Pet" kid.

While it may be easy to say Crash Mayhem is a simple copy-and-paste job of the Burnout series by looking at screenshots, you'd be entirely wrong. Crash Mayhem is certainly derivative of Burnout (and especially Crash), but adds its own flavor and features that make it stand out on its own.

A simple, arcade-style game that should appeal to a wide variety of high-score fans. It has a surprising amount of production value for a game of its type, most of the objects are animated, the character deaths feature amusing flying people and the shadows from clouds and planes add a nice touch.

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.

If you love classic sci-fi, can enjoy light strategy games, and don't mind dealing with a somewhat unbalanced skill system, there's a good chance you'll really enjoy Sentinel Command.

The puzzles are interesting and varied, rather than intellectually complex, and the various soundtracks sound good without feeling repetitive. You'll get a few hours entertainment for a dollar, with more levels promised in the future, making this an easy game to recommend.

I'm not going to sit here and call Radical an absolute must-play that you're going to sit back and play for hours on end. No, but it is a stellar example of a simple game that you can enjoy for five minutes at a time, when you want to beat a friend's high score.

It really is just what you would expect - another solid Cave release. However, as good as all of their ports are, I can't help but wish that Cave would come up with another built-for-iOS experience like Bug Panic!

Pacific offers nearly everything you need for an enjoyable and deep tower defense game.

While Rusty’s Retirement is definitely better suited to playing on PC or Mac (this has its own issues), I’ve enjoyed dipping into it on Steam Deck. I hope it eventually gets proper Steam Deck support letting you play it like a normal idle game rather than one that’s designed to be played at the bottom of your screen. This may go against what it was designed for, but that’s the only path I see forward for it on Steam Deck. As for what it aims to do, Rusty’s Retirement is excellent and definitely worth buying right now. It is a few small updates away from being perfect right now.

I know the matching-game pool is crowded, but Monster Soup distinguishes itself with style and original matching mechanics.

Really, Beyond Gravity is a ton of fun and it overcame my skepticism.

You can feel the passion for the classic games dripping from every pore, but you can also feel the budget crunch as the team tried to stay within their means. The world just isn’t as alive as some of the older games, but there are still plenty of joys to be had here with a fair bit less frustration to boot.

Storyteller remains a short (well not as short as before this update), but great experience that I recommend to anyone looking to experience something only possible through the medium of games. The puzzles or trial and error in some situations may not be for everyone, but this is a great addition to Netflix’s growing games catalog on mobile. If you do own Storyteller on Switch or Steam, this update elevates it quite a bit, and you need to revisit it.

It can be really annoying on the more challenging difficulty levels to have the framerate and resolution flopping all over the place. I’m still going to give this a thumbs-up, but if you are sensitive to framerate and/or resolution inconsistency, you should probably stick with the original versions.

The Switch port of Gothic II delivers the game more or less as-is, plus the Night of the Raven expansion. There are some new motion controls here but I wouldn’t really recommend them. For better or worse, this is the game. If you enjoyed the port of the first game, you’ll like this even more. If you didn’t, you might want to step cautiously. There are a lot of things you’ll have to deal with in this game to properly enjoy it, and only some of those are due to it being a game from the turn of the millennium. If you can get used to the quirks endemic to this series, however, the rewards are many.

What we've got here is a well-designed, beautiful game with great controls.

Denki Blocks! has enough content to keep your puzzle needs satisfied for a very long time.

I've been having a great time with Catan, although I was disappointed with the lack of anything other than hot seat multiplayer.

If you are a big fan of the first Minisquadron, then MiniSquadron Special Edition will be an obvious must-buy for you.

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.

Despite the ambiguous name, iDaTank is a surprisingly in-depth adventure game with a thin, but adequate layer of RPG elements added on top to keep you coming back for more.

This is an impressive, feature-rich package. The game itself is an enjoyable slice of action, if not quite up to the level of the Metal Slug games that have seen mobile releases so far. It’s a promising start for Arcade Archives on the platform, and hopefully will lead to seeing some of the more esoteric NEOGEO games make their way over as well.

When it comes to making a puzzle game feel like it isn’t just another match-three game or the like, there are few things developers can do without going too far. The Company Game arguably treads that tightrope just so, though at times I did wonder whether the puzzles were too obscure or if I was just not as smart as I thought I was! The Company Game will not be for everyone, of that there is absolutely no doubt, but if you’re a fan of smartphone puzzle games, want something a little bit different to the usual fare, and don’t mind having your blood pressure increase further than it really probably should, The Company Game should at the very least be on your radar.

Obviously, I’m a bit conflicted. But it’s only fair to review Diablo Immortal the way we have reviewed games like this before and the way we will probably review games like this in the future. By those standards, yes, this is a fantastic action-RPG experience. Go clear up the twelve gigabytes or so that you’ll need, download it, and get into it. It’s going to try to sell you things, but it will use a very soft sell approach until you’re in very deep indeed. Perhaps deeper in than many of you will play anyway. Diablo Immortal is here. It is everything we could have hoped for, and everything we have feared.

I've no reason to doubt this game will be improved with updates, but as it stands right now, it's going to need a fair bit of work to fully realize the fantastic potential laying tantalizingly just out of reach.

For an initial release though, Death Rally still contains a good amount of content, and it's a ton of fun to play through.

Angry Birds successfully captures the spirit of Boom Blox using a 2D viewpoint, a compliment that should make this game an automatic purchase for many.

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.

While the prospect of rolling around an insane pack of bears in a magical wonderland may not seem enticing, some things are more than they seem.

Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening is a strong example of a flavor that most players have already made up their minds on. It’s frankly too complex to teach in tutorials without tossing the player into the mix, so you have to be ready to take your lumps and learn if you’re planning to get the most out of it. If you think you can do that and want to get in on a series so good that it’s been around about as long as Nintendo has been making consoles, feel free to lose yourself in this great strategy game.

It’s incredibly clever, deeply strategic, has an inviting visual style that begs to be interacted with, and is just plain fun.

One thing that keeps the game from true greatness is that it gets very repetitive. This is particularly in the beginning where you only have one character and axe to throw and no sword yet. However, as you engage the match and level up (hard to do in the last-man standing mode) you will see additional perks and (sword or multiple axes) weapons available.

This is a solid game that fans of the roguelike genre should get some enjoyment out of.

It's always hard to review these classic FF titles on iOS because they're always essentially ports of ports of the originals. Just as was the case with the previously released iOS ports, Final Fantasy V is a no-brainer if you're an RPG fan and have not had the pleasure of playing it.

SKALD: Against the Black Priory is a lovely surprise of an RPG. After a bit of getting used to it and some visual tweaks, I enjoyed my time with the game on Steam Deck using touch controls. If you’ve wanted an old-school RPG experience that’s built for today without compromising on the vision but one with some accessibility options, SKALD: Against the Black Priory is for you.

It's a casual, easy to pick up and play hockey game that has a surprising amount of depth and skill hidden inside of it for those willing to give it the time.

Long story short, if you have a weakness for cute things or cats, Cats Away is definitely worth the low price of entry.

While the visual and performance cutbacks are ones I expected going from PS5 to Switch, Bugsnax not making full use of the Switch’s unique hardware capabilities is disappointing. I was hoping we’d get gyro control options or proper HD rumble to try and offer more immersion, but neither are present in this release. You do get the complete game with the Isle of Bigsnax right from the start though. If you already played Bugsnax on another platform, you should stick to that one to experience the new content, but for those who haven’t jumped into Snacktooth Island yet, the Nintendo Switch version of Bugsnax is a fine way to do so. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed putting in more than 20 hours into it on Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite.

It's a weird complaint that One Stick Shooter is too action packed, but it just isn't really for me. I fully admit that there's tons (and tons) of people who love games that are just a brutal onslaught of never-ending swarms of enemies to blast. If that describes you, chances are you'll be super into No Stick Shooter. Better yet, it's a paid game with no freemium hijinks- Always a welcome thing to see on the App Store.

My initial impressions of the game are positive so far, but like most games designed for physical controls then ported to the iPhone, I have found myself fat fingering some jumps and generally just making play mistakes because of the inherent inaccuracies of virtual controls.

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

Angel Stone definitely provides more than bargained for in a free app. The care and detail of the game developers is etched into every blade of grass and tongue of flame.

Mazecraft is a game that has a ton of great stuff going for it. It takes the streamlined community creation aspect of something like DrawQuest (RIP) and combines it with a pretty decent dungeon crawling/puzzle game.

From the cleverness of its systems to the scope of its story, this title stands out.

Even with it's flaws, Banner Saga 2 fills the shoes of it's predecessor and brings some very welcome touches to an immersive universe that never fails to suck you in and make you feel bad. In a good way.

If you’ve tried out the previous Sniper or Zombie Army games from Rebellion and bounced off of them, there is likely nothing here that will change your mind. Similarly, if you’ve enjoyed any of those games you will be happy with what you get here. Zombie Army 4: Dead War is more of what Rebellion has shown it knows how to do best: realistic playgrounds filled with plenty of action, stealth, exploration, and thrilling opportunities to exercise the capabilities of your arsenal. A solid port of a very satisfying game.

Kids and adults alike will love it, and it’ll definitely keep you entertained for countless hours.

The game is so much fun you'll want to go through it multiple times, which gives you a chance to expand your character in different ways each time.

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.

Lucy Dreaming is another fine addition to the Switch’s excellent library of point-and-click adventure games. The sense of humor is on point, the story is engaging, the puzzles are fair and well-designed, the presentation is good, and the interface is about as competent as you can get for a game of this sort on a controller. It manages to thread the difficult needle of being a love letter to the genre while still being its own game, and as long as you don’t have an issue with adventure games you’ll probably enjoy it as much as I did.

It’s stylish, fun, and has plenty of gameplay modes to enjoy on your own or with other players. There’s value in this version beyond its Apple Arcade counterpart, and I think if you enjoy these kinds of intensely challenging arcade-style experiences you’ll have a good time here.

Those looking for something similar to Threes! will likely enjoy Stencilsmith's spin on the concept, especially with the additions brought in its latest version.

Indeed, my biggest knock on Get Packed is that there isn’t a whole ton to the campaign. You can wrap it up in a single evening, and unless you’re interested in chasing high scores it’s over all too quickly. The minigames are actually pretty fun and help extend the joy a while longer, but I certainly hope to see more of the core content added via expansions or something in the future. An entertaining game to play with your friends or family, regardless of their level of skill.

Overall, though, this is a great take on that spicy combination of burst gameplay and long-term team development that has captured the attention of Japan's players and developers alike.

If you can handle a slower pace than most gather and craft games and an AI that can get confused occasionally, Craft the World isn't just a solid game, but one you will end up pouring tons of time into as well.

As a TRPG, Chroma Squad is decent but lacking the depth to give complete satisfaction. As a vehicle for Ranger fans looking to live out all sorts of fantasies, on the other hand, it's fantastic. It jabs without being mean-spirited. It gives you the options you want. It tells a big, silly story with melodramatic twists and turns, and it never misses a cue when it comes to the fanservice-style elements you might want to see. I've played a lot of games based on Super Sentai/Rangers, and this is far and away my favorite. A great deal of the enjoyment comes from my affection for the theme and the goofy yet earnest approach Behold took in presenting it, however, so make sure you account for that. At the very least, as a game, it's overall more well-designed than Knights of Pen & Paper. It applies much of what made that game good to a new genre, and it is unmistakably crafted from the same hands.

If you have an iPad, then you owe it to yourself to check out this arcade shooter.

The sky isn't quite the limit, but The Sandbox is well on the way. And with a planned Universal update in the works, its canvas is set to grow. So go, make something amazing.

The game feels slower than it should. Each time you open the app you have to wait for your games to update, and then you have wait to load your game.

Fans of TD aren’t necessarily looking for a revolution in gameplay — sometimes all that’s needed is a fresh set of paint, incremental improvements, and some lasting, enjoyable gameplay. Cursed Treasure 2 squarely falls in that latter category which makes it worth a pick-up in my view.

The difficulty curve in this game has been done very well, with a proper ramp up to some seriously challenging set-ups. The appeal is narrow, to be sure, but its laser-focus will almost certainly please puzzle fans of a particular sort.

Sumire is a game I’ve convinced a lot of people to play on Nintendo Switch, and I hope to do the same on iOS. Despite the few issues with the port right now, it is still worth experiencing if you enjoy emotional stories. The highlights initially may seem like the visuals and amazing soundtrack, but Sumire is a game I want to see more of in the future from GameTomo. I look forward to seeing how this version improves through updates, but I’m glad to have been able to play Sumire on another platform and still hope it gets a physical release on Nintendo Switch in the future.

Since Galaxoid is basically a modern version of Space Invaders, it would benefit from modern conveniences.

Raven’s Hike plays well, has some great level designs, and manages to feel fresh from start to finish. If you like tricky action games, you should give this one a shot. Just be warned that it doesn’t take long before it starts swinging hard.

Is Knights of the Old Republic II worth playing in the default state it’s in at launch? Well, yes. It’s a fine enough game even without the Restored Content mod. But it’s a far better game all around with that mod applied, and as we know that it is coming it’s hard to emphatically recommend playing this game until then. That’s particularly the case with the somewhat buggy nature of this launch version. This will be a must-play RPG and likely the ultimate version of a game that deserves more appreciation, but right now it’s just a good one.

It helps that the game is essentially free if you have the fortitude to deal with ads (mostly after a sequence of levels and not during gameplay), so give it a try if you're longing for a fun puzzle game.

While it isn’t without its faults, Promenade is a game that generally impressed me. As obvious as the idea of doing a 2D take on a 3D collectathon is, doing so successfully is another matter entirely. That this game has managed it without stumbling too much speaks to its quality. It’s one of those cases where if you think the idea sounds good to you, you’ll probably enjoy the results.

An excellent arcade shooter.

This is a retro homage done right, and not just for the sake of being retro.

The speed, the timing, the frantic swiping as you hit your limits-it feels just right.

The improvements to the visuals and My Career mode are welcome, as well as the requisite roster changes. However, the core gameplay relatively stays the same from a game to game basis.

The controls are perfect: a precise accelerometer control that leaves the screen free for touch-and-hold to slow down time (but not your own movement). The look, sound and mechanics combine to create a calming, zen-like experience, which mitigates the game's only real weakness: having to play through the game's easy start every time.

"Dungeon crawling roguelite plus Dark Souls" is an idea that could have gone horrifically wrong, but it by and large comes together in a solid way here. An unusual flavor that I expect will go down well with roguelite fans.

Lamplight City is a compelling, challenging adventure game that has made the transition to the Switch quite nicely. The game is obviously designed around a mouse interface, but I never found it hassle to control and the text is actually readable in handheld mode. The story was interesting enough that I wanted to see how each case would end and where the overarching plot would go. The gameplay required some proper thought, and that was welcome as well. While the possibility of failure may turn off some players, I appreciate that the developers weren’t afraid to wander off the well-trodden adventure game trail for the sake of their vision.

The touch control options presented here are some of the best I've seen for an iOS arcade conversion, and Galaga 30th Collection really is worth a spot on any arcade shooter fan's iOS device.

Symbolic of a trend towards passive, free and instantly accessible experiences, rather than the cumbersome, costly and highly involved alternatives - both in the rhythm genre that took the world by storm ten years ago, and the traditional format of video games at large. This may upset some who yearn for fully priced console experiences - and long may such options remain available to those who desire them - but I’m okay with it, especially when the products of such a paradigm shift are as compulsive, compelling, and full as charm as this.

Candies ‘n Curses is a great time, and has its hooks in me like any game with a fun upgrade cycle. The freemium stuff is pretty in your face, and the dual $4.99 IAPs to turn it into a more premium experience feels a little on the expensive side for what’s basically just a simple fast action arcade game. It also has some minor rendering issues on the iPhone X, with the game displaying some game data under the notch, but that sort of thing should be an easy fix. But, hey, for the entry price of free, Candies ‘n Curses is totally worth downloading.

Ragging on freemium elements aside, this game is super cool. I’ve really enjoyed my time with it. It’s a bit of a slow burn title, and it’s a little grindy in the leveling, but as you learn and explore the mechanics it only gets better.

If you enjoy solving nonograms/Picross puzzles and you have any love for Story of Seasons, this is a no-brainer purchase. It perfectly incorporates the franchise whose name it bears into the very solid Piczle Cross framework. I think it also works as a nice gateway to those who haven’t gotten into nonograms before, and its theme isn’t so overbearing as to turn away those who have no strong feelings one way or the other for Story of Seasons. Probably my favorite game of this sort since Jupiter got SEGA’s chocolate in its Picross peanut butter.

Bouncy music, crisp and colorful graphics and a basic but effective formula make Jumping Knights the kind of thing that I immediately considered to be one of those games that I will never delete from my phone.

Clearly a "must have" for nostalgia value.

Puzzle games lend themselves to mobile gaming particularly well, and Evergarden with its gorgeous color palette and subtle shading looks just beautiful on a modern iOS device. The game is calming yet addictive and one I don’t expect to stop playing any time soon, even after this review’s completion.