I found myself a little blindsided by how much I enjoyed Fighting Fantasy Legends. Nomad's Talisman port is good, but this game is on another level for them. It's a treat to get to explore these places and characters from yet another interesting perspective, and I really appreciated the way the mechanics went their own way while still being quite faithful to the basic idea of a gamebook. Long-time fans will have a lot of fun stomping around the familiar places, while newcomers might just find this the most approachable of all of these excellent twists on the Fighting Fantasy brand. It isn't the flashiest of games, but don't let it slip by you just because of that. This is a quality adventure that brings out the best of some genuinely classic adventures.

Ace Combat 7: Unknown Skies is an excellent port of a high-quality action game, and it fills a gaping hole in the Switch’s library almost perfectly. It’s more approachable than you might expect, and it’s very easy to get sucked into both its story and gameplay. It’s unfortunate that the multiplayer seems to have a handful of oversights and balance issues, but you’ll get your time and money’s worth out of the campaign and its many unlockables all on its own. Definitely one to add to the collection for those feeling the need for speed.

There are five tutorials, which barely count as levels, and another 25 stages across five worlds. I was shocked by how well every level distinguished itself, even within worlds. Every new screen was like beginning a newly reset game of Mouse Trap, but with setup exorcised in favor of pure Goldbergian fun.

The only potential flaws or suggestions I have for Dream of Pixels would be to allow players to switch out their tetromino or see upcoming tetrominoes for tactical strategies. Maybe it's not necessary, but seeing multiple pieces only in the puzzle mode's HUD made me miss them when they weren't in the others.

Instead of just taking a console or PC game and assuming a virtual cursor can be replaced with touch, Feral did a fantastic job with the interface and retained everything that made Tropico a fun experience in the first place. Just be ready to pay proper attention to the tutorial as it helps a ton for someone who hasn’t played a Tropico game before.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure finishes filling in a critical gap in the series, and it does so with style. This twelve-year old game has been given a little extra spit polish in the transition to Switch, helping a great game shine its brightest. Taken together with Trails from Zero, this is one of the strongest RPG experiences you can get on the Nintendo Switch and is arguably still the high point of the Trails series today.

A rock-solid pseudo-port that plays extremely well on mobile and displays a measure of technical and mechanical grace none of us expected it to. Oh, and it's Universal and supports iCloud saves across devices -- icing on the cake, folks.

In many ways, Chaos Rings II is the quintessential JRPG. You will spend a lot of time grinding. You will be gently but firmly led along the story's path to its inevitable end. You will see all of the familiar JRPG tropes. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing, but your decision in regards to whether or not you actually want to purchase the game is going to be dependent on this. For all of its flaws, Chaos Rings II has done more than ample justice to the formula. It's refined, it's meaty, and it's definitely worth the high price of entry.

I'm happy to report that Bug Panic meets the high expectations of a CAVE title, offering a fun and unique adventure that's perfectly suited to the platform.

The real magic lies in the emotional attachment to the characters and the whimsical sounds and visuals that permeate every inch of the touch screen.

Though it can be extremely frustrating, it rewards the player who pushes through the painful parts. Each time you replay a level you'll learn more, memorize more, become better at the game. The rush you'll get when you finally reach the end of a challenging level is worth the trouble, every time.

I'm personally very happy with this extra set of levels, though I still see a lot of possibilities waiting to be explored should Ustwo decide to follow up Monument Valley with a stand-alone sequel in the future.

Power Hover is just a solid little game.

Comes together beautifully to create a game that's perfectly suited for long or short play sessions, and beckons to be played over and over as you work towards high score glory.

Nevertheless, Rymdkapsel feels tailor-made for iOS in both form and function, and its elegant, subtle constituent parts nest within one another as neatly as its four-block tetrominos snap together along a space station corridor.

Don't write this off as just another knockoff. Hard Lines takes the formula further with six great game modes. Yes, you can play Snake mode, where your line grows ever longer as you gobble up glowy things.

Don't get me wrong, the lack of multi-player does not take the shine off the overall package here. It is a smartly produced and full experience as it currently exists, and the value proposition is assuredly there.

Mega Run is an engrossing, vibrant game that has a fantastic presentation, controls and art direction. At its core, the action is pretty standard, but the execution is near flawless. Give it a spin.

Amidst the trend of instant gratification that the internet and gaming as a whole has perpetuated, having a game that both excels in its puzzles and also challenges your wider perception of it is commendable, and makes Human Resource Machine exponentially essential.

I can't say enough about Tiny Heroes. It's a fantastic game, with few flaws to speak of. Challenging, but rarely frustrating, it had me returning to levels again and again to improve my score. By turning genre conventions on their heads, Tiny Heroes succeeds brilliantly.

The advanced control requires a good bit of practice to get it right, but should eventually be your control of choice.

Overall there was enough fun to be had that I kept overlooking the small frustrations to log back in. There’s a lot that’s right with Shadowgun Legends but it’s built on lackluster mechanics that never truly feels like a satisfying or well-built FPS.

The art style is bright and happy, the music suitably atmospheric. Characters are cute and reasonably well-rendered.

While Spaceplan was only in my life for a few days, it was a major part of my life for those few days. It's a really cool and engaging experience, and a unique take on the clicker that even skeptics of the genre should check out. Also, it has more potatoes that you could ever imagine.

While a few aspects of Buckshot Roulette won’t work for some like the art style, I loved the game, and my main complaint is the lack of Steam Cloud support right now. It plays and looks great on Steam Deck from start to finish and is an easy recommendation at its low asking price. I’m glad I didn’t look into it before playing, because Buckshot Roulette has been one of the nicest surprises of 2024 so far on Steam Deck. I look forward to checking out the multiplayer and console ports later this year.

This is one of the few iOS titles that really does not skimp on any of the features that make RTS games exciting. When you add in the beautiful visuals and multiplayer, it's a no brainer that anyone with even a remote interest in strategy games needs to pick up.

Bug Princess 2 shares a ton in common with the original Bug Princess, but thanks to some key differences in scoring and completely new stages it really stands out on its own. And like Bug Princess it's also not overly complex like some later Cave titles, so for shooter newbies it remains a strong entry point to the genre.

Where the original at times felt like a nicely implemented tech demo, King Cashing 2 is an excellent game in its own right, improving on nearly every facet over the original and well worth checking out.

It’s fast, furious, and full of neat tricks to learn to consistently bring your play to a higher level. It sure doesn’t hurt that it’s an incredibly competent port with just about every option you would want. Those who love shoot-em-ups shouldn’t miss it.

Dragon Quest Builders on Steam Deck is the definitive version by far offering all content at a lower price than other platforms while delivering solid performance. The wait for Dragon Quest Builders on Steam was long, and I didn’t think it would happen after Dragon Quest Builders 2 shipped, but Square Enix put a lot of effort into this port to make it feel great to play on Steam Deck. If you held off on the original or want to play my favorite Dragon Quest spin-off series, your wait has been worth it. Dragon Quest Builders is excellent on PC and a joy to play on Steam Deck.

I seriously couldn't be happier. Witching Hour's maiden project Ravenmark: Scourge of Estellion is almost everything this iPhone-touting strategy game aficionado could ask for, and as long as you're a fan of its somewhat hardcore nature, I will eat my fuzzy hat if you don't find yourself thinking the same.

Like Crossbell itself, Trails from Zero is caught between two large powers: the humble Sky series that got this whole ball rolling, and the Cold Steel games that are perhaps a bit too drunk on excess. It’s a great RPG, and one that nicely demonstrates what makes this series so well-loved.

Like Capcom's courtroom drama, Devil's Attorney is an addictive puzzler whose courtroom metaphor for battle makes for one of the most unique and absorbing games you'll find on mobile or any other platform.

If you enjoy Bethesda Game Studios' games, and more importantly love exploration and space, I think you should prepare to experience your new obsession with Starfield. I'm looking forward to spending more time with it, and seeing how it improves over time on both Steam Deck and Xbox Series X. [Review in Progress]

If you enjoy the likes of Ace Attorney, Paranormasight is an easy recommendation. I’m not a big horror guy, but it was good enough for me to see through to the end. It plays really nicely on the Switch, and I really appreciate the inclusion of touch controls. Just be aware that the game does like to whip out the occasional jump scare, so if you’re the sort that throws whatever is in your hands when you get startled, keep a pillow near by. Your Switch will thank you, both for sparing its life and playing this slick game on it. More like this please, Square Enix.

The world of Penumbear might not be one you'd want to explore on your own, dark as it is. Navigating a friendly little bear through, on the other hand? Well, that works quite well.

If you've got an appetite for unusual games, have good reflexes, and a keen ability to assess patterns quickly, Million Onion Hotel was made just for you. If you don't? Well, you'll probably have a good time with it anyway. It can be really confusing at times, but usually in a good way. As iOS gamers, we're fortunate enough to have a wealth of stylish puzzle games with personality to burn, but I can promise you that none of them are as adorably eccentric as this onion-plucking pleasure cruise.

Squeenix could've very easily released Arkanoid vs Space Invaders as a freemium game, loaded with ads and coins to buy. They likely would've made tons more money too. Arkanoid vs Space Invaders is a fantastic refresher of what arcade style iOS games used to be like it, and I'm more than happy to celebrate that.

Isles of Sea and Sky is a superb puzzle game that is absolutely worth your time. It also feels right at home on Steam Deck, and manages to stand out with its gorgeous art, puzzles, open world, and blend of ideas. If you enjoy puzzle games, stop what you’re doing and get this now.

The course design changes enough that you'll likely never get bored and the puzzling aspects make for an entertaining experience -- it's just too bad the golf part of it seems to be getting in the way of what has always made Worms interesting -- screwing around and aimlessly taking the chaotic approach.

I had a real blast playing through qomp2. It puts a very clever spin on the usual precision platformer concept, and executes it almost flawlessly. It can be immensely frustrating, and there are a few gimmicks I didn’t enjoy that much, but overall I think this is an excellent game. I like how it makes use of a certain Atari-ness without fully leaning into it, allowing it to be its own thing while still feeling like an Atari game. This is a game I would highly recommend to those who enjoy a strong challenge, and it’s the kind of thing I’d like to see more of from Atari’s original titles.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess feels like a PS2 game built for modern consoles in the best possible ways. It has a few rough edges, and two bosses annoyed me, but I adore everything else about Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess. It runs well on Steam Deck, has excellent music, a gorgeous aesthetic, and was structured so I kept dipping in and out of it for an hour a day since getting review codes. The structure suits portable play as well, and despite loving how it looks on PS5 and Xbox Series X, I found myself happiest with Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess on Steam Deck.

That type of versatility and richness speaks to the strength of the core ideas behind Badland. In a marketplace lousy with them, Badland is a well-considered and well-executed physics-based puzzle-platformer, tetchy controls notwithstanding.

This game is just incredible. Every regular readers knows that I'm a retro nut, and Forget-Me-Not has retro goodness in droves.

It's nice to see Om Nom finally freed from the boxes, and the professor has the potential to add a bit more storyline to the series. But if you're looking for something that changes up the formula, significantly expands on the original or otherwise feels brand new, you won't find it here.

AirStrike Defense is definitely worth a look if you've enjoyed line drawing games in the past, and want something a little more involved than Flight Control and similar spinoffs.

Achievement hunters and competitive types will also be glad to know that Giana Sisters comes packaged with OpenFeint support for both achievements and leaderboards.

But, really, what makes the game so well suited for the iPhone is its casual nature as compared to the typical roguelike. And that's not to say the game is shallow or light on dungeon crawling action, but rather we feel it's simply a bit more accessible to the typical gamer than, say, Nethack, Moria, or Rogue thanks to an economy of controls, spells, and the like.

If you're willing to overlook a few missing features, you'll soon find that the biggest challenge is leaving your job at ASYNC Corp. to get back to the real world.

One of the smartest, coolest puzzle games around.

Needless to say, the game part feels good as always, and the new aspects Blitz brings out in Bejeweled are solid and good, too.

Kitten Sanctuary is a very sweet game, but beyond that it's well-crafted, and the attention to detail shows.

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 distinctive sights and sounds are worth the effort.

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.

If you're looking for a game long on play, this might not be for you. For fans of game books, though, this one is a no-brainer.

Rocket Robo is worth picking up for its presentation alone. The design is stellar, to the point where I could easily see figures of Robo selling at a local store. But it's more than just a pretty picture, as it's complimented by tight controls and engaging gameplay.

Darkin is a very well-made attempt at capturing the spirit of a somewhat-neglected App Store great, and it hits considerably more than it misses. I think it falls a little short of the mark of replacing Dungeon Raid completely, but that still leaves it in a pretty great place.

For a new IP, WWE SuperCard manages to hang with the best of them. Even without purchasing cards left and right you can still enjoy yourself, which is great news for skeptics or WWE fans.

I highly recommend Magic Touch. It's something I'd recommend to casual players, as just tracing glyphs is simple enough for anyone to get into without needing to be intimidated by old-school platformer mechanics.

I definitely have to recommend Silly Sausage in Meat Land. It involves a stretchy sausage dog that can sniff its own butt, and it costs you nothing to download.

While the game is flawed, and I'd admittedly love to see a multiplayer version of the game, this is a solid match-3 RPG title.

So, Pathfinder Adventures is an excellent digital card game that will offer many hours of entertainment and equally many hours of cursing your luck as your three 12-sided dice add to a total of 4.

The game is not only fun, but wonderfully, absolutely silly and unique.

Still, Don't Starve is a one of a kind experience that manages to marry survival mechanics that so many games have done before it, with a cartoonish, Tim Burton-esque charm. Once you've embarked upon a dozen runs or so the game runs like clockwork, and even the touch controls fall into place.

Splitter Critters is inventive, well-presented, and most importantly, fun.

Once I start playing this game, even lamenting how I can't keep the multiball going for as long as I want, I can easily lose a lot of time to this game. Hours disappear. Anything Rivverman Media is insta-buy at this point, and MUL.MASH.TAB.BA.GAL.GAL is another winner from the studio. And I hope the game does well: future updates should bring new levels and paddles, and I'm interested to see what Riverman's got in store for the future of this game.

Platformers on iOS need to have something very interesting about them in order to get noticed. To make matters more difficult, they also need to execute the basics without issue. The Big Journey succeeds on all these fronts with a gorgeous adventure about a colorful kitty. I had a great time leading Mr. Whiskers on his journey and I'm sure you will too.

If you find you can’t get into dungeon RPGs, Undernauts probably won’t change your mind. But it is a very good game, one that will likely please the taste buds of most dungeon-delving enthusiasts.

If you’re satisfied with Clap Hanz as a subscription game on Apple Arcade, you don’t need to worry too much about Easy Come Easy Golf. It’s basically the same game. But if you want the game in a more permanent form, or you’re a Switch-only golfing fan who wants something a little light without the goofy chaos of modern Mario Golf, you’ll want to pick this game up. It’s well-made, content-rich, and enjoyable in a comfort food kind of way.

Wargroove 2 is a very safe sequel, but I can’t really disagree with that approach given how good the original game was. With a robust new story to play featuring three campaigns, an interesting new roguelite mode, and a few new features and additions here and there, this game might be preaching to the choir but it’s hitting all the points they like. I’m not sure I’d be up for a third game that follows the formula as closely as this one does, but for now I’m more than satisfied with another heaping helping of that Wargroove good stuff.

This is another must-have for those interested in gaming history. That it also packs in a massive catalog of games from one of gaming’s iconic independent developers is simply the cherry on top of the sundae, but it also means there’s a lot here for fans of classic arcade action games to enjoy. Having devoured this entire story in a couple of sittings, I find myself once again educated, entertained, and awaiting whatever these folks do next.

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.

Oceanhorn might be a flawed, blatant rip-off of Zelda, but it’s worth playing — especially for the originality it does introduce.

If you can adapt to the controls, you're left with a game of great potential.

If the original game completely turned you off, Octopath Traveler II obviously isn’t going to change your mind. But if you felt there was something to its concept but found its execution a little lacking, I think you’ll find this sequel much better. Those who loved the first game aren’t likely to find anything to complain about here, as it’s smart enough to retain what worked in the original. A safe follow-up and very confident RPG overall, but not one so over-confident as to ignore areas to improve upon. A few nasty difficulty spikes are the only real gum in the works, but it’s still an essential pick-up for RPG lovers.

The two things that really stand out about Reckless Racing are the stunning Retina Display graphics and the fun physics system.

The only remotely negative thing I can say about Part Time UFO is that it does end eventually. You'll probably need to replay many of the stages to finish all of the hidden goals, but sooner or later those 25+ stages will be exhausted and all of the costumes will be unlocked. I think the enjoyable mechanics make it fun to go back to levels and see what kind of different results you can get, but some might be turned off by a paid game that you can play through in just a few hours of dedicated play. If that's you, well, with all due respect, you can go kick rocks. Part Time UFO is great, and I hope this isn't just a one-shot effort from HAL.

However, in the great scheme of things there's little to complain about in this excellent sequel to a great game.

It's a journey worth taking, as much as it exposes the horrors of our depths.

SwapQuest is a perfect example of a game with a simple premise that is executed so well and includes so many complementary layers that it becomes an experience far beyond that premise.

It's fast, fun, and the touch controls are a dream. I wish it had a bit more variety in terms of its level themes, but the whimsical visuals will push you through even if you start to see things blend together during marathon sessions.

Battle of the Bulge is a must-have for anyone with an interest in historical wargaming. It's only flaws are limited single-player replayability and the fact that it is so easy to start playing that some players may jump in expecting a Risk-like game, only to become frustrated when the game's nuances assert themselves.

Football Manager Classic 2015 is a fantastic game not just for those who love the sport, but also for anyone who enjoys RPGs and choose-your-adventure gamebooks.

While you’ll have to give up on some of the visual razzle-dazzle and brisker loading times of the other versions, this is a fine way to play Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2. It’s easily the best handheld Tony Hawk game yet, and that’s worth quite a lot. And while those with other options for playing on their TVs would do well to exercise them, if this is your only means of playing this superb reboot, I don’t think you’ll be upset with it in the least. Vicarious Visions has done an excellent job with the development of this game, and an equally impressive job porting the game to the Switch.

Incoboto is elegant and subdued, unafraid to juxtapose the vastness of the cosmos and the terror of inevitable burning out with the intimacy and charm of a small boy befriending a star.

With 40 levels to play, each with StarFruit to collect and ranks to earn, you'll get hours of fun out of Gesundheit!. It's a real charmer.

It does not pull it off as effectively as the original PC version for what I think are obvious reasons, but it works well enough. This is a decent way to play Doki Doki Literature Club if it’s your preferred option, and you definitely should play it. As long as you’re okay with some heavy, mature content, anyway. This is more of a horror story than anything else despite its candy-colored appearance. But it is an incredible one, and one that could really only be done in the medium of video games.

If you’ve played it before, I don’t think you’re going to get much out of this version other than a format shift. But if it’s new to you, I think it’s as good as a brand-new game. You will definitely get your money’s worth out of it, just as much as someone would have when it released on the Wii U. It’s a wonderful game that a lot of people missed out on due to when and where it released, and I think it’s great that it’s now available to a considerably wider audience.

Barring the issues with the visuals when played docked, Lil’ Guardsman is worth your time on Nintendo Switch for its writing, puzzles, voice acting, charm, and colorful visuals. It manages to bring in a few styles together well in a compelling package that is only held back by minor issues right now. If you do get it on Switch, play handheld and make use of the touchscreen for the best experience.

It works because Out There gets the threat of death right.

Super Mole Escape knows what it does well, and exploits it to its fullest.

My time with Shadowrun Returns has certainly turned me into a fan of this game, despite its current level of glitchiness.

Robo Surf is lighthearted and fun, with enough hooks to turn it from a momentary distraction to one of my new favorites.

All of its pieces fit snug and everything you do contributes to a whole package. It's also one of its most wide-reaching games, combining social and sim aspects from all over the place.

Proun+ is an interesting game for many reasons, and racing fans, as well as anyone who likes tube-racers, tube-runners, whatever you want to call them, ought to give it a a shot.

While a few of the gameplay portions in the middle dragged a bit too much, A Space for the Unbound is one of the best narrative driven indie games I’ve played. Despite not having been to Indonesia which inspires the setting, the storytelling, characters, and atmosphere all felt perfect. It reminded me of how I felt playing The Kids We Were and Persona 4 Golden in that sense. If you enjoy memorable stories and great characters, A Space for the Unbound is an easy recommendation on Nintendo Switch.

A world with gorgeous, complex puzzle games like this at the forefront is a world I'd be happy to live in.