Cubed Rally Redline is a great excuse to get back into the bouncy, blocky world of its predecessor without just doing the same old thing. It's a simpler sort of game, but the simplicity just makes it that much easier to get hooked.

It's a more competent Harvest Moon than Natsume's last attempt, and I'd handily recommend it over the free-to-play farming games that were assuredly inspired by the original Harvest Moon games.

If you like a challenging game and you’re looking for something quick to play through, this would be the perfect steal.

It's not a very deep game, and once you get the hang of it, you'll probably plow through the entirety of Get Fiquette in a couple of hours.

Between its sights, sounds, design, and feel, Super Scrapped Robot does a better job of feeling like an actual Game Boy game than most that make the attempt.

Even as the epic battle rages on between ninjas and pirates, one trip down the river is much like the rest.

If you’ve never played Goat Simulator 3 but did enjoy the first main game and spin-offs in the series on mobile, this one is an easy recommendation with a few caveats. While it isn’t perfect even on Xbox Series X, it plays a lot nicer there compared to iOS. I hope we get updates to address the visual and control issues because Goat Simulator 3 feels right at home on a portable and suits the pick up and play nature of the platform while delivering the full game experience from the start.

The 100 stages are fun, and the gameplay gets more complicated and interesting as it goes along, but the look and music are stagnant.

If you're a big fan of hack 'n' slash side-scrollers, this game is a no-brainer. If you like supporting premium titles that eschew IAP, or games with responsive developers who actually listen to their players, you'll want to grab Fangz.

There's not much to Cosmic DJ, as its five scenarios can be beaten in short order if so desired. But that's really not the point of the game, it's to make some rad music, enjoy the story and its outlandish visuals, and to have a good time doing so. If that sounds appealing, play Cosmic DJ. Those who play games for the challenge and to have some resistance to progression, look elsewhere.

Potion Permit is fine. Occasionally quite good. It certainly makes an effort to do some different things, to varying degrees of success. Apart from some performance problems in this Switch version, the biggest thing dulling Potion Permit‘s shine is just how familiar its structure is. When you take into account the somewhat grindy nature of this sort of affair, the lack of any particularly inspiring derivations makes it one best consigned to fans of the genre looking for another hit.

A solid attempt at an overly exhausted genre, but nothing exceptional, despite its fun factor.

Sure there are a lot of running games out there, but why not try running with your friends for a change?

This game type in particular really is a lot of fun, but all the different game variations work well and add welcome variety to the beat 'em up style genre.

While the pay model inherently holds the game back from everything it could be, it's still worth a go because of the match mechanics alone.

Elevate Entertainment's twist on the classic brick-breaker is good. What makes it special, though, is the way the studio extends that creativity throughout the game.

If you're looking for a new JRPG to tide you over for the month, this is definitely a better way to spend your twenty hours than Bonds of the Skies was, but it fails to rise much above the assembly-line conditions it was made in.

As adventure games go, Another Code: Recollection is a good one even if I don’t think it quite reaches the level of great. Fans of the originals will likely be thrilled with this, as I don’t think anyone expected any of CING’s works to get this kind of treatment. Newcomers looking for a decent adventure game will find one here, complete with some clever puzzles that occasionally get a bit too clever. It didn’t change my mind on Another Code, but I don’t think it was really supposed to do that anyway.

It's an impressive hour and a half, particularly for your eyes, but I'm not sure if that's going to be enough for most.

It could be prettier, sound better, borrow (much) less from World of Warcraft's iconography. Any of those things would make it a more appealing game. But Healer: A Light in the Darkness has the two things down it truly needs: a sea of green boxes, and the desperation you'll feel as you watch them empty.

While I feel like LEX is the self-flagellation of word games, it can be a surprisingly pleasurable kind of pain.

Add a couple of level packs that crank up the difficulty, and bring some additional complexity to the solid mechanics at hand, and Mr. Future Ninja becomes a must-have. Granted, we live in the launch-well-or-die App Store, but what's here might be enough to encourage the game to be a sustained hit, as is also true for those who succeed in mobile gaming. I wouldn't buy Mr. Future Ninja on the promise that it will get future content – I don't know anything about that yet – but it's easy to see where it could, and perhaps buying it will be the key to making that happen. The core of Mr. Future Ninja is quite solid, it just needs to be more filling before it's a strong recommendation.

Ikki Unite is a game with two faces. If you play it in the form I assume it was intended by heading online, it has a powerful identity of its own despite being clearly inspired by Vampire Survivors. If you play alone, you’ll find a very challenging game that isn’t quite as fun as the game it draws inspiration from. You can tell the developers really considered how to make this game feel like Ikki despite hopping on to a popular genre-of-the-moment. I’d recommend this to fans of this kind of game, provided they’re okay with playing online. After all, the rebellion that slays together, stays together.

It's hard to knock Smooth Operators for its complexity when most sims have been streamlined to the point where they're hardly interactive. Its biggest issues are early issues: there simply isn't much to do at the start, and you don't have the resources you need if things start to spiral out of control.

Gripes and design issues aside, Space Bits is a simplistic little shoot 'em up that can be enjoyed in short spurts, as you attempt to garner "just one more" level up, and score yet another marginal upgrade for your ship.

It's a solid game, and while you will notice its shortcomings, it's overall a worthy use of time.

It's probably a safe bet that a lot of iOS gamers looking at screen shots of CastleMine wouldn't think much of the simplistic visuals. However, I'd employ TD fans to look beyond the visuals and give CastleMine a chance

The Humans never quite dishes out the same levels of devious thrills that Lemmings does, but it’s a solid enough puzzle game. This collection promises you three versions of the game, but there seem to only be two here: the Super NES version, and the Game Boy version. Perhaps the Genesis version will make it in via an update. You get a small set of options for each version, covering most of the basic needs like save states, control mapping, and video filters. Not exactly the star treatment, but this isn’t exactly a star game to start with. It’s worth looking at for those who enjoy a hearty mix of action and puzzle, at least.

Rio's improvements to the core gameplay system, combined with better visuals and good music make this game the best yet in the series. However, much like the previous iterations, there are a few issues that prevent the game from living up to its full potential.

Ultimately, Goat Simulator has always been a game about balancing fun and funny. In my view it leans a little too much toward the latter, making it seem more like a joke to show your friends than something you’ll really want to spend hours playing around with.

It's kind of entertaining, but unspectacular.

If you're a member of The Quest faithful and don't mind that it's lower-level content, you probably don't even need me to tell you to buy Cursed Stone. If you're new to the series, I'd strongly recommend checking out the original game first.

Outer Wilds on Switch isn’t remotely the best version of the game, but the fact that it didn’t give me motion sickness like the Xbox One version is enough of an achievement. If you have access to an Xbox Series X, PS5, PC, or Steam Deck I’d play Outer Wilds there, but the long wait for this port has been worth it in many ways. It needs more optimization in parts despite the cutbacks to visuals, but Outer Wilds is an incredible experience that isn’t lost when played on Switch in handheld mode. I just hope the performance issues can be ironed out by the time the physical release is available.

If you can get past the MMO grind– a fact made easier by the regular PvP battlegrounds that are a real spectacle– IMO has alot going for it in both its social features and its huge game world.

KataKoto isn’t going to last you a very long time, but it’s engaging enough to keep you busy for a couple of hours at least. There’s no real reason to come back to the game after you’ve cleared all of the stages, which is perhaps the biggest weak point in the whole affair. The sometimes-fussy controls can be a bit of a bummer, and you’ll have to deal with the semi-frequent video ads, too. If you can cope with all of that, you might want to tumble KataKoto around in your brain for a bit. As puzzle games go, it’s a bit on the breezy side, but that might just be what the mood calls for sometimes.

River City Girls 2 is more River City Girls, with all the good and bad that implies. The expanded playable roster and some minor gameplay tweaks are appreciated, along with the ability to play with others online, but so much here is the same that you probably don’t even need to read a review to know if you’ll like it or not. Want another reason to stomp around River City with Misako and Kyoko? Here it is. Looking for the next great brawler after Shredder’s Revenge? You’ll have to keep waiting.

While the gameplay hasn't aged so well and there isn't an excessive amount of bells and whistles, the iOS X-Men is a totally decent conversion and an easy recommendation for fans of the original.

Battle Cats (read: not a Thunder Cats knockoff, in case you were wondering) has staying power if you so desire it.

Super Bullet Break has sound mechanics even if it doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. As is usually the case with this kind of game, it all comes down to making the best combinations of moves from the bullets you draw. The presentation is certainly different from what we usually see in this type of game, and as long as you’re okay with a fair bit of fanservice, you’ll find the art and overall production values agreeable. The story is goofy but it’s mostly just filler between the battles, so its light approach is acceptable. Super Bullet Break is no Slay the Spire, but it’s fine.

Even with its faults, it’s still a game that is worth checking out. The moment-to-moment action is a blast, and it’s hard not to appreciate its enthusiasm.

Battle Blasters does feature same-device simultaneous multiplayer, but that doesn't work so well due to the physical constraints of playing on a single 3.5" screen.

Panda Punch is one of those games where you can spend an evening picking your way through it and have a fun enough time doing so, only to find your brain has almost entirely deleted the experience from your memories by the next morning. For the meager price it’s asking, I suppose that’s acceptable. Nothing I’d recommend rushing out and buying, but you could do a lot worse with your time and money than picking this up and bashing around some crates.

Despite the fact that 2008 is longer ago than most of us would like to admit, there is still some fun to be had with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Some may have preferred a different version from the Wii one, but what it lacks in visual punch it more than makes up for with additional content and more focused level design. It’s an enjoyable, silly Star Wars adventure that probably isn’t going to flip the switches of anyone without affection for the brand, but will be a good enough time for fans to keep them from focusing on its many rough edges. A bit of a time warp, but not a bad one.

Double Fine has produced a superior freemium timer-based sim, but Middle Manger of Justice only mitigates the flaws common in it's genre, it does not eliminate them.

It feels a bit thin for the price, especially when you can enjoy the same experience on your mobile device for almost a third of the cost. Still, if you enjoy oddball games or just need a pick-me-up, you should consider playing Say No! More on one platform or another.

Still, the foundational gameplay in Galactic Conflict is sound and is certainly worth checking out for iOS RTS fans as long as you don't go into it expecting the next great masterpiece.

Mortal Shell makes a decent transition to the Switch, and if there are Dark Souls fans out there who only own a Switch, need something else in the same vein, and don’t mind dropping a decent chunk of change, this might scratch the itch. Outside of that particular scenario, things get shakier. It doesn’t drop the ball in any serious ways, but there are lots of little things that add up to a game that just doesn’t feel as good to play as the game it wants to evoke. Worth a shot for the Souls faithful, but others should probably stick to the real thing.

One late-game puzzle can be a bit tricky due to relying on knowledge of a common Japanese word game called Shiritori, but otherwise Mom Hid My Game! 2 is a bit of light, silly fun. As usual for games from hap Inc., the ending is sweet in a sentimental sort of way. You probably won’t replay it often if at all, but that first go is definitely a nice slice of madcap joy.

This is pure arcade blasting action on your phone or tablet. But, for me, with its pernickety jumping challenges, Jump'N'Shoot Attack stops being fun and becomes tiresome very quickly.

If you're the kind of gamer that digs Asteroids and Breakout and are into the retro aesthetic, Breakeroids is one you'll probably want to grab.

It's nice to see a refreshing take on a rhythm game these days, and it's even greater that Disco Kitten doesn't rely on gimmicks or licensed songs to throw smoke and mirrors over its action. Playing the game is a relaxing, yet engaging escapade that you'll be tapping your feet to for quite some time.

While you are partially at the mercy of random elements, there’s a great degree of agency in how your chosen heroes and their abilities work together. I think the core game here is just as good as titles like Slay the Spire or Monster Train, but the Switch conversion leaves a bit to be desired. Play it elsewhere if you can, but if you enjoy the genre and only have a Switch, you’ll probably be able to put up with this port’s issues.

Strike Force Heroes: Extraction is a fun little romp with digital Joes, but its problems keep it from having any proper staying power in a genre where almost everyone has several stellar examples already installed on their device.

Teslagrad 2 does justice to the well-liked original with a sharp presentation, some new mechanics to master, and more magnetic physics-based riddles to solve. It suffers somewhat from feeling a little too familiar at times, and it can’t quite escape the long shadow of the first game. The game also suffers from some technical drawbacks in this Switch version, and although none of it is really enough to spoil the game, I would still recommend playing it on a different platform if you can. Overall, an okay port of a pretty good game, but not one I’d recommend with the same vigor I would have for the first.

It’s pretty tough and I love its strange nature, but the gameplay itself can wear thin after a while. Definitely a case of style over substance, but at least that style stands out.

t's not a replacement for Bust-A-Move, but just think of it as some free extra modes you can fire up now and then for something a little different.

Of course, everything else in No Red T-Shirts is really all in good fun. But man, it's hard to shake the feeling that there's something a little wrong with punishing protesters and shaking down photographers.

Aero The Acro-Bat isn’t exactly a must-play 16-bit game, but the added features in this rerelease help curb some of its more annoying aspects. For better or worse, it is fully symbolic of its era, and the inclusion of some cool extras help place its context in the history of gaming. If you’re interested in trying out a rather challenging and sometimes very clever 2D platformer, you might want to give Aero a look. Just be prepared to die more often than a rookie Elden Ring player with a broken controller.

Labyrinth of Zangetsu is an odd thing. It looks very distinct, but its gameplay couldn’t be more time-tested. It is so faithful to its source of inspiration that I would hesitate to recommend it to newcomers to the genre, but I think if you enjoy games like Etrian Odyssey or Stranger of Sword City, you should consider picking this one up. Not the longest or most unique of games, but Labyinth of Zangetsu was a surprisingly enjoyable time for me.

Kung Fu Panda: Battle of Destiny may be offensive to Blizzard, but it's a rather inoffensive alternative for card game fans. I ended up playing it far longer than I thought I would, and there's even a few bits that Blizzard can probably benefit from.

This game just needs a bit more to step above and beyond the competition.

In a lot of ways, playing Open Roads felt like I just experienced a bigger budget and more ambitious take on Gone Home that forgot what made me love that game in the first place. I wish the narrative struck the same chord with me, but it just felt haphazard in some areas. I don’t want to be too harsh on the game because I did like many things and enjoyed the overall experience, but it made me wish for more after all these years.

This isn't a game for the control freak, or for anyone looking for a truly deep experience, but for a nice, light death or two? Load it on up, and see how far it takes you.

As much as I liked Puzzle Dungeons, I can't help but wonder what it would have been like if it had been fleshed out a little more. The core is solid and can be a good time, but I think some story and the ability to share could have taken a good game and made it great.

With a decent quantity of levels and pretty tough difficulty curve, I had an enjoyable time with Tiny Empire. It’s probably not going to reach the high approachability or even enjoyability levels as an Angry Birds, but it’s good within its niche.

Beat da Beat doesn't break any conventions, though it does attempt some rather neat things with its musical focus. While I would have preferred a full-on Bit.trip-esque commitment to the rhythm aspect, most shooter fans will find a lot to like here.

Fans of Magical Drop will likely be satisfied with what Magical Drop VI offers, especially after what happened last time. That being said, I think more casual players can probably get their itch scratched more efficiently by grabbing the Arcade Archives release of Magical Drop III or popping in on the Super NES Switch Online app to play Magical Drop II. This is a good effort and it’s an impressive effort in many regards, but I can’t help but feel that in the attempt to add more things to do, the developers may have packed in too many things you have to do. Still, the core gameplay is done properly here, and that’s really what matters at the end of the day.

There's much to like about MixZle, and at a buck for a heaping biggie-sized helping of levels, the value proposition cannot be denied. It's not going to set the world on fire, but it's a smartly executed twist on a well-worn genre.

In its current state, Krimson desperately needs some accessibility options when it comes to the screen shake effect. I love the gameplay, level design, aesthetic, and music, but the aforementioned screen shake and clarity issues in some situations hold it back from being an easy recommendation. It also suffers from noticeable input lag and some unstable performance on Switch. I hope these can be addressed because Krimson deserves better. Right now, I’d recommend trying the demo on Steam to get a taste of the game before buying it.

Chrono&Cash is still a good time on its own, don't get me wrong. If you've played Super Crate Box and Spellsword and you still want more, this game makes for a refreshing (if minor) change of pace.

Broken Roads has improved quite a bit since I played it in early April, but still needs a bit more work to be an easy recommendation. In its current state, I can recommend it, but it is a few updates away from being something special. It definitely needs a demo because I can’t imagine many people will give it a shot at its current asking price given the launch reception.

While Sketch Breaker is colorful and charming, I wish it was more of a premium experience.

The Last Hero of Nostalgaia is an impressive take on Dark Souls, and one of the best you can find on the Switch. It suffers from some unfortunate technical issues that keep it from being a must-have, something I suspect Switch owners are getting accustomed to by this point in the console’s life. While I would push prospective buyers to pick it up on a platform with more power, those without other options or who prefer their Switch might still want to go for it. Proceed with caution, but it’s at least worth considering despite its issues.

If you love challenging puzzles, some of which feel like you need to be reading the developer’s brain to figure out, you’ll have a field day here. But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t frustrating sometimes. Hidden breakable walls become so hard to spot that you start whacking every surface you come across. Logical leaps that probably made sense to someone during development but don’t work out so well for a player trying to figure things out. It can be utterly exasperating. But I still kept on playing it until I reached the end, which I think speaks to the underlying appeal of this game.

Overall, Voyageur is an ambitious attempt at a procedurally generated sci-fi interactive fiction whose lengthy playthroughs end up hurting it rather than helping it. There's plenty to explore and plenty to do, so it's worth at least one trip down the galaxy; unfortunately, you might not feel like going through it again after it's done.

The Switch and PS5 versions of Bright Memory: Infinite ship with the cosmetic DLC included from the start, which definitely helps compared to the PC version that has them sold separately, but it is worth keeping in mind that you should expect about 2 hours for the campaign here and a story that isn’t really anything special. If that is ok with you, Bright Memory: Infinite is an impressive release for a one-man studio with its visuals and fun combat. It might be worth waiting on a discount, but if you’ve wanted something to satiate your desire for a new short FPS on Switch, Bright Memory: Infinite will give you that.

In many ways, this game is as generic as its protagonist. But much like how a bag of no-name potato chips still gives you your salty hit, this game will scratch the platforming itch for an evening or two. The difficulty ramps up relatively quickly though, so if you’re looking for something chill this probably isn’t it. Unless you feel chill through tension, in which case you won’t go wrong here.

Even with its flaws, Within the Blade is a solid 2D stealth game that pays homage to classic ninja games while also doing a bit more towards the actual concept than most of those past hits ever attempted to. The pixel art looks slick, the mechanics are enjoyable to learn, and the overall game is a really good time. While the stages can get a little dull in their layouts and the story doesn’t really go anywhere interesting, the moment-to-moment action makes this one well-worth picking up for ninja fans looking for their next shadow dancing partner.

I’m glad that Maquette finally hit the Switch, but it needed a bit more optimization work. I usually prefer playing shorter one and done games on portables, and Maquette would’ve been a perfect game to recommend on Switch without caveats if it didn’t suffer from technical issues. In its current state, Maquette is a game I recommend playing, but be prepared for technical issues on Switch. It isn’t perfect on PS5 either, but the issues are more prominent here.

Look, I know at least some of the people reading this share my odd affection for KEMCO and its games. If that’s you, you’ll want to check out Raging Bytes. It’s different from the norm for the publisher, and it’s competently done. Nothing about it is going to bowl anyone over, but it’s quirky, self-aware, and fairly enjoyable. That’s two KEMCO games now with ‘Raging‘ in the title that are different and better than the usual. Might be something to it.

If you are looking for an additional platformer to add to your collection or a game you can play with one hand while standing in line, Almost There will fit that role nicely.

When you get the conditions just right, Make Way is a lot of fun. It’s not something you want to spend hours on at a time, and you’ll want to have some local players to play with because online is a bit of a ghost town at the moment. You’ll also want to play the game a bit on your own before you pull it out at a party so that you’ll at least have weapons, power-ups, and some of the more fun track pieces unlocked. But if you’re okay with all of that, Make Way makes for a pleasant choice to keep in the regular party night rotation.

Road 96: Mile 0 is best taken as a prequel to Road 96 than a sequel to Lost in Harmony, but it’s interesting to see these worlds connect and find out what came after and before the last time we saw its main characters. Performance issues and a clumsy user interface really hurt this Switch version’s playability, dragging the experience down somewhat. This is a trip worth taking, but the Switch may not be the best car for this road.

It combines a simple, yet enjoyable gameplay experience with longevity features such as achievements, Game Center and OpenFeint support, and a fair amount of difficulties and game modes. Sure, the gameplay is a bit basic, but what it does offer is executed well.

If you've ever played a frantic cartoony platformer like Wild 9, or any other similarly classic PlayStation One game, you'll enjoy Space Octopuses. Before you dive in though, ensure you have a high-end device, and even then, you should prepare yourself for a few technical issues until the developer can iron them out.

If you haven't played the first game yet, I'd recommend going and doing that before you even consider this one. You will be utterly lost without it. After that, I'm not sure what to say. You could jump in on this admittedly good version of a decent sequel knowing that you're going to have to sort out the confusion of the missing plot elements from Corpse Party: Book of Shadows and completely spoil the plot of that game should it ever come.

Even though I was frequently aggravated by the inability to purchase practically anything from the over-priced IAP economy, I still had a blast just rolling my boulder time and time again down the omninous, yet colorful mountaintop.

If you're itching for a new puzzle game to speed through that's entertaining throughout, Amigo Pancho is a safe bet. But if you crave something that's more substantial than what's currently on offer here, keep an eye on its update schedule, because this game has a lot of potential.

If the concept of simply fighting enemies over and over without any interruption whatsoever, Infinity Danger may not be for you. But if you're a shmup addict, there's plenty here to test your mettle, and keep you interested for quite some time. Or at the very least, a perfect excuse to bust out your device and hone your skills.

It's pretty good at what it does, and doesn't try to do much else. Why should it?

Just, again, don't expect hardcore soccer simulation, but the kind of soccer game you'd play on a Sega Genesis back in 1994.

Puzzle Sweeper is a game I desperately want to love. It has a pleasant art style, a neat gimmick, and is pretty fun overall. However, as a fairly big Minesweeper nut, I’ve seen a lot of these games come and go and it takes something really special to turn my head.

At its worst, Little Misfortune is a game that makes missteps that become apparent while playing it from a critical standpoint. At its absolute best, it’s a game that encapsulates thoughts and emotions that many wouldn’t consider while giving you a story that grows with each turn, and voice acting that sets it above many others.

Forklift Extreme is fun enough, but it’s also very repetitive. It can also be very aggravating trying to get top marks due to how easy it is to bump some small object or another. I imagine if you’re a forklift fan, you won’t get burnt out on the whole affair as quickly as I did. Even with that in mind, I can’t say I didn’t have some fun with this one. It’s more intuitive to play than the countless Simulator games that have released on the Switch, but still nails down the feel of what it’s trying to get across in a sufficiently complex manner.

A certain type of player is going to love Class of Heroes 1 & 2: Complete Edition, but it’s important to keep in mind what these games are and aren’t. They’re fundamentally not all that different from their original PSP incarnations, and the new localizations aren’t great. Beginners will want to proceed with caution, as despite the colorful look and school theme these are extremely unforgiving experiences. If you feel like modern dungeon crawlers aren’t nasty enough or just miss the friction of the classic Wizardry games, this is going to be right up your alley.

For a single buck, though, Bam fu is quite worthwhile.

Ultimately, this is a one-note game. The RPG mechanics stay interesting for longer than they ought to, but you'll probably burn out on human hunting sooner or later. On the other hand, there's a fun hour or two to be found before that point.

3D Pixel Racing is a winner in the categories of graphical creativity and delivery of plenty of game modes, but it comes last for user-interface design due to cluttered menus and buttons which make it unpleasant to navigate.