Monkey Flight 2 is a very repetitive game, and you'll pretty well have seen everything the game is ever going to throw at you by the third or fourth level.

A nice little casual game that does a good job of filling the role of a title offering short bursts of quick gameplay with not much else. The combination of platforming and endless running, while not particularly innovative, still provides a good gameplay experience when combined with its somewhat randomized engine.

Pac-Man World Re-PAC isn’t rendered unplayable by these performance problems, but they do mar an experience that needed all the shining up it could get to help make it palatable to newcomers. If you can look past the quirks of the original game’s design, if you can overlook the obvious technical issues, and if you can ignore the fact that you can find a lot of better 3D platformers on Switch at this price or lower, you will likely get some fun out of this release. It really should have been better, though.

Sparkle is great if only to rekindle some of that Zuma nostalgia right in the palm of your hand.

StoryBlocks: The King would probably be a decent time on a platform where you can use the mouse controls it was clearly designed for. Over here on Switch, more care needed to be taken to make the game comfortable to play on a controller. Nothing the game does is especially worth the agitation of merely trying to perform the basic functions of the gameplay. Shame, as it seems like it would otherwise be an enjoyable, chill puzzler.

So here's the scoop: if you've played Saving Yello and you want to know if this semi-sequel is fun, yeah, it's fun. It's a very different sort of game, but it's a blast.

The biggest problem with Royal Frontier is in its difficulty curve. Once you’ve unlocked some of the better perks, and you inevitably will, it gets really hard to lose. You’ll be swimming in useful items and abilities to the point that rolling over its three worlds is a trifle. A bit of a sloggy trifle, but a trifle nonetheless. With how low the asking price is, it’s hard to feel too upset over how soon it all unravels. But unravel it does. With how stiff the competition is in this genre, it’s hard to recommend this one with much zeal.

Miss Kobayashi fans should enjoy the game, unless they really dislike the genre. It does the brand justice, and has lots of little bits fans will appreciate a lot. And if you happen to be both a shooter fan and a fan of the series, then you don’t need to listen to me at all. You’ll probably be fairly happy with what you get here. If you don’t fall into any of those categories, nothing this game does is going to change your mind.

There's enough content to keep players engaged, and the loot system works well in keeping you coming back to try and find a better piece of equipment.

In the end, Jar on a Bar is a classic case of a puzzler with decent ideas hampered by some implementation choices.

If you can accept its scope, accept that it falls short of its intentions almost as often as it realizes them, there is something in Monark to enjoy. The way it explores the ideas of personality traits and the dangers of excesses can be very intriguing, and the combat can be satisfying for a while. The localization is solid, with some sharp bits of writing here and there. And yes, there is just enough of a whiff of Persona about it that it might at least lightly scratch the itch for more Atlus-ish RPG enjoyment. But one can’t help but wonder what this could have been if the developers had had more resources to play with.

Though the context-sensitive controls should work well, we felt that they haven't been executed as well as they could have.

Zombie Puzzle Panic is a very polished clone of Candy Crush Saga that has a few of its own ideas, but still ends up feeling almost exactly like the target of its flattery.

In the end, what matters most is whether that feeling of tension and enjoyment exists when you're playing against another person. I'd have to say that yes, Battle Planes does just hit that horizon.

The awkward depth perception and control issues, as well as the overall brevity of the game, aren't enough to completely mar the experience of Helium Boy, and it can actually be pretty fun as long as you have a bit of patience and aren't expecting too much from it.

The production values, the characters, the environments, the controls (if you use them)--it’s all basically perfect. Those first five minutes were really amazing.

For a free game, it's quite player-friendly even if you don't pay anything, and you'll likely get a few laughs out of it, but in its current form, it falls into the troublesome category of sessions requiring a bit too much time and concentration to cram into short slices, yet being too repetitive and capricious to satisfy for longer sit-downs.

Despite all my gripes and nit-picking, I enjoyed Garden of Fear. Its pace fluctuates from intense to idle a little too often and the controls demand an overhaul, but players able to look past those flaws will find a brief and moody horror experience set at a fair asking price.

Split/Second isn't a must have but may appeal to those looking for a different and far more arcade-y racing experience.

I’m gonna be honest: I don’t know how many people in our readership are going to go for a free-to-play kart racing RPG. Especially one that’s pretty generic in it’s racing and RPG-ing. Here’s the thing, though. KKRacing’s actually really fun.

I think some people out there are going to really connect with God of Rock and love it to pieces, but I regretfully won’t be one of them. Even after spending a lot of time with the game I couldn’t get comfortable with it, and playing on the handheld screen with the tiny note board is just not a fun time. I think a lot of effort and thought went into this experimental game design, especially towards making it a satisfying multiplayer game, and it shows. But in the end, I don’t think the developer was able to make this recipe come together.

As top-down racers go, it’s okay. Not great, but it’s functional. There are lots of races, and some interesting multiplayer features for those with local buddies to play with. The extra data afforded by the CD format wasn’t exactly put to stellar use, and the presentation is rather unimpressive on the whole. Adding some awkward-to-use weapons to the Super Spring format doesn’t do a ton for the experience, and this is nowhere near other contemporary racers like R.C. Pro-Am or Rock ‘n Roll Racing. Not the most striking of starts for Ratalaika’s foray into the PC Engine library. Let’s hope better things await.

If you love Japanese-style strategy RPGs, don't mind if they're pretty easy, and have an excess of time, Legna Tactica is a well-constructed enough facsimile to keep you busy for a little while.

Phoenix Spirit is a cool game of exploration, filled with well drawn pixel art, immersive music, and a neat game concept that any fan of Metroidvania side-scrollers shouldn't miss.

Deep Space has a few cool ideas that help put its nose a little above the water, but it’s a hard game to recommend with much enthusiasm. This is a very well-trodden genre, one where it takes a lot to really stand out. Deep Space just doesn’t have that zing, and in the end it becomes hard to stick with it for very long.

There’s a certain basic joy to the whole affair, and some of the unlockable characters are weird and funny. But the game shows most of its hand really early, making the later stages start to feel a bit repetitive. Given how little there is on the bone to begin with here, it’s easy to get tired of To the Top, Mammoth!. It also feels very much like it is structured around a grind, making clear its origins as a free-to-play mobile game. Good for a bit of idle entertainment now and then, but it doesn’t quite have what it takes for longer-term thrills.

In the end, it’s still a very solid game, and it’s totally free.

If you love ramen and have been waiting for a sim that captures all of the spills and thrills of running your own chain of shops, well, you might as well bite on The Ramen Sensei because I somehow doubt anyone's going to be doing it better than this.

Though I truly enjoyed the brainteasers and the puzzles are well-designed, Ferris Mueller’s Day Off is a bit of a tough one to wholly recommend.

The price seems fair for this game as it lacks any in-app purchases and is low on content. I'd love to see the developer flesh the idea out more so players get a little more value for their buck. After all, these kind of games phased out of popularity for a reason.

If you're adamantly opposed to IAP or ad support, Soldier vs. Aliens isn't going to change your opinion on the matter, but its quick-fire action is quirky enough and intense enough to give shooter fans plenty to do on their coffee breaks.

Relics is a very clunky game by modern standards, but if you’re patient with it there’s definitely something here to enjoy. The combat is terrible but you should be trying to avoid getting in fights anyway. Exploring the game world and trying to solve the various mysteries you’ll come across are fairly compelling, and the visuals have a real vibe to them that I’m into. I really appreciate the pre-set save states in this game, because it gives curious players a way to experience various parts of the game without having to deal with the cumbersome controls. Not bad on the whole.

This Could Hurt isn't quite what we'd been hoping for when it comes to the next generation of iOS platformers. That said, the game still plays great and you could still get at least several hours of enjoyment out of it, just set your expectations accordingly.

Ultimately you are going to buy the game for the barcode gimmick. It's fun and how much fun you derive from it will almost directly translate into how fun you will have with the game on the whole. For me it was worth an hour or two of entertainment and the game got tired pretty quickly after that.

In terms of gameplay, this is a rail shooter that takes a couple of hours to play through and somehow feels like twenty. It’s too easy, and far too repetitive. Some may say that is the nature of the genre, but I’ve played plenty of rail shooters with more engaging mechanics than Gal*Gun Double Peace. If you do happen to get into it, there’s a lot here to do with multiple endings and extras to explore. But even with its goofy sense of humor and out-there premise carrying it forward, the flame flickers out on this game well before the candle melts down.

It's a winning formula that is as simple as it is effective.

Think of Always Sometimes Monsters as a visual novel with justifiably tedious gameplay sequences binding everything together, and you'll be in the right frame of mind to accept its strengths.

The mad-cap energy of Bang-On Balls: Chronicles and its sprawling, jam-packed playgrounds make it a 3D platforming experience that would be easy to love were it not for the severe technical issues that plague its Nintendo Switch incarnation. I highly recommend checking this game out, but I would do it on another platform if it’s at all possible. If the Switch is all you have, then all I can say is that you should proceed with the utmost caution.

There’s a certain compelling quality to Hydlide, but I think it comes down to whether or not you enjoy the grind. It’s kind of fun to wander around the world and see what there is to see, but you’ll find yourself in trouble very quickly if you aren’t adequately leveled. Still, I think this is a game that a person could jump into and have a decent enough time with. It’s tedious and finishing it can feel like a chore, but there’s a lot of satisfaction in climbing the rungs of power and taking on stronger and tougher monsters.

It’s unfortunate that a niche series has finally made a return after so many years in a market that should be more receptive to its charms, only to make some big changes that significantly weaken the overall package. There’s still something to Endless Ocean Luminous, things you can’t find in this exact form anywhere else, but the loss of a properly designed world to explore and the sometimes tedious nature of the tasks it requires of you make this a difficult game to recommend with much vigor.

All up, Kirby’s Dream Buffet feels more like an extra mode you would find in a mainline Kirby game than something that can stand on its own. It’s amusing enough in short bursts with other players, but you’ll likely have seen all that’s worth seeing in a single session. Even as a party game, the lack of support for more than two players on one system makes it a little tough to recommend. The core idea isn’t bad and it’s certainly a polished experience, but it ends up being just a light snack rather than a filling meal.

While Radia isn't setting any new trends it's certainly not a bad title.

It's fine that Redemption Season is less a game about superheroes and more a game about contemporary social issues, but it doesn't handle either of those subjects with the sophistication or care they merit.

One of the goals of Pachinko is to feed the addiction of possible reward by playing a game based mostly on random chance. If you're looking for a time-waster that accomplishes that, or you're a fan of Pachinko, you can't go wrong with Pachinko Frenzy. However, don't think you're going to be unlocking new boards any time soon, unless you put in a good deal of time or money (once IAP goes live).

Yes, there are some tactical decisions to be made like which card to play where and when to play a new card or combo an already-played one, but overall you won't be playing Animation Throwdown to scratch your CCG itch; instead, you'll play it for the fan service and for the giggles. That's what I did, and overall I had fun. And then I hit the paywalls.

It's not bad, it's just okay.

Monkey Racing sits more in the shallow end of the pool gameplay-wise with things like Angry Birds Go! [Free], with its main bullet points being that it's a complete, IAP-free experience, and it has monkeys.

The basic gameplay is fast, enjoyable, and nicely side-steps some of the problems with trying to do an action-RPG on touch devices. It's just in need of some balancing and a bit more care given to the other elements built around it.

Like many of this publisher’s other offerings, Shapeshooter is a fun action game that can occupy a lazy hour or two. You control a tank that moves along the rails of each stage, taking out the enemies that you meet along the way and avoiding various traps. You have two different colors of shots, and you’ll need to match them to the appropriate enemies. There are power-ups that will give you extra weapons, and rings you can pick up to buy permanent upgrades for your tank. It’s not the most exciting of affairs, but for the meager asking price it delivers well enough.

As I’ve mentioned several times, Oil Rush is a gorgeous game. Combine this with established gameplay elements and there should have been a lot of love. However, it just felt like the various aspects of Oil Rush just didn’t mesh well together

Hard to recommend, especially as your first foray in to the Rayman universe.

As it is, it's not a bad little platform shooter, and there is something awesome about Honest Abe toting a flamethrower, but it's not Ravenous and Wobblyware's best work.

The natural human desire to see sets completed meant iOS gamers waited five long years to see the Ray series come to a close on the platform. Only now in the end do I realize the sheer absurdity of waiting five years for RayCrisis, of all games. You could probably do worse than RayCrisis when looking for an iOS shooter. Taito on their worst day is still better than most, after all. Be aware, however, that this is a very short game that will only give up its last bit of content to those who punish themselves to the game's satisfaction. I suspect most players will likely just die their way through the game's credits in 20 minutes using endless continues and the hearty smart bomb attack, and never look back.

Fluxe could be prettier, but don't let that turn you off-it's the brains that count in this game. It's a cruel taskmaster, but that's why it's fun. But me, I like a little more variety in my puzzle games.

If Mafia Rush sounds a little basic, that's because it is. However, it's still a solid dual stick shooter that's currently being offered for free. At that price, it's certainly an offer you shouldn't refuse, at least for fans of dual stick shooters.

I think Helvetii could have been a pretty good action game, and to an extent it can still be enjoyed that way. Its visuals and basic gameplay mechanics are well-done and fit together in a pleasing way. Its roguelite elements are less satisfying, with insufficient variety and a balance that leads to a fair bit of unpleasant grinding, putting undue pressure on the combat system that it simply can’t carry to that extent. There are things to appreciate here though, and I can see folks who are more forgiving of the game’s weak points having a nicer time than I did.

Apart from the watermelon theme, there’s nothing particularly fresh or unusual about Watermelon Blocks. Its 46 stages take a little too long to heat up, and the difficulty really only picks up in the last quarter of them. That last stretch has some decent level designs, and the game’s controls and collision detection work the way you would want them to. It’s a functional platformer, albeit a short and somewhat plain one.

The presentation is nice, and it’s fun to see what kind of minigames will pop up at first. The bowling is functional and simple enough to enjoy for players of a variety of skill levels, and the game is indeed most enjoyable when played with a partner. Those flying solo will likely find there’s just not enough on the bone here. Even with unlockable characters and a variety of dialogues, Date Night Bowling starts to feel a little tired after a few games. There are no grand stories or longer goals to reach towards, making this game best suited for the occasional romp with a like-minded player.

It has some strong points when it comes to overall presentation and the quick play (you can finish a level in under 10 seconds), but I really missed the ability to tilt my phone to help control PoPo. It just felt like a feature that was missing, and while the game is good without it, it could have been great with it.

There's no part of AlphaBetty Saga we haven't seen done to death already.

As an overall experience, it doesn't offer much new to the table, but it does expand on the ideas of the original in a way that changes how you'll approach it.

The story nudges this one just above being a thoroughly average RPG. It explores some interesting topics and themes that I haven’t seen many other games attempt to address. By contrast, the gameplay is so average it could have fallen out of a kit. I suppose the key thing is that it’s not bad to play, so if you have room on your plate for an RPG with bland mechanics but a good plot, you’ll want to check out The Caligula Effect 2. Just make sure you either play the first game or read up on its story and characters before you dive in.

It’s a decent enough time, and the second character comes in at just the right time to help maintain interest for the rest of the game. It feels very much like the indie action-platformer that it is, but it works well enough. It’s at its best when it’s focusing on its core elements, as its attempts to differentiate itself just don’t quite work. If you’ve got room in your heart and library for another platformer you’ll likely forget about a week after you finish it, Rift Adventure will serve your needs even if it won’t teach you much about taxes.

Optimally, Paradise Bay is something to fill in time where little else might fit. It's not particularly engaging, but there's a certain amount of enjoyment to be derived from watching your little settlement slowly grow.

The game has its moments, but more often than not you're fighting the level design, which is a problem. Despite the issues though, Trambo is a nice break from the immediacy and the need for instant gratification of many games in the current era -- just be ready for the urge to throw your device across the room a few times.

Limbo's soft-focus monochrome promises mystery and dread, but it's undercut by the very puzzles it deliberately obfuscates.

I think there's high potential for gamebooks in the Tekumel universe, but Choice Of The Petal Throne doesn't make the case for it as well as it needs to.

The Sundew has an incredible world and a rather complicated story, but it feels like it’s rushing the entire time. When the end of the game comes, it feels too sudden and lacking in satisfaction. It holds its end on the gameplay front, but it’s quite ordinary in that regard. But the story and setting are the brightest lights in this game, and the brevity simply doesn’t allow either of them to shine.

For anyone else, whether you’ll find 2-bit Cowboy Rides Again to be an essential title is down to your own interests and most importantly the degree of patience you’ll be willing to afford it. Nonetheless, it will be very interesting to see what Retro Phone Games do next and whether it’ll be a bullseye or if it will just keep beating a dead horse.

The combat is simple, using controls similar to a twin-stick shooter, but that simplicity can get repetitive over the course of the game. If you’re patient, there’s something here to enjoy. How often do we get noir detective RPGs on the Switch, after all? But you’re going to have to be prepared to put up with a lot of rough edges.

RPG Covenant of Solitude is worth a play, as long as you enjoy JRPGs. It's not particularly long, and it's not really doing nothing special with its gameplay, but it will entertain you and occasionally challenge you, if nothing else. The story is interesting, it offers pretty good customization, and overall, it scratches an itch pretty nicely.

Dungeon Color is a simple game, but it’s earnest and works well enough. You have to use different-colored flames to open doors in order to reach your goal, planning each step carefully to ensure you can actually get where you need to go without blocking yourself in. Toss in a couple of other mechanics and you have a tangy yet mellow set of puzzles to chew on. It doesn’t take long to get through the game, the controls could be a bit more precise, and it starts to get a bit tiresome by the end, but you’ll get your money’s worth.

While the original Heavy Mach was a great sidescroller, the sequel has translated well to the overhead view along with improving nearly everything from the first game.

PKSArena has confirmed a number of future tweaks to increase challenge and gameplay options that will be forthcoming. A game like this could really gain traction with multiplayer support, either live or asynchronous.

What really hurts this one is in its performance in this Switch version. The system struggles to keep the game running smoothly, which hurts the impact of the visuals. There’s a decent enough game here, but one that is perhaps best enjoyed on another platform.

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.

As a puzzle game, Train Titans is certainly on the right track with its premise. It's mainly in the execution of its ideas and gameplay elements where the game falters somewhat. Still, if you're willing to look past some annoyances, Train Titans is worth a play through.

It's a bit dorky, and it needs a few tweaks to really offer much lasting value, but what's here is quite fun. It just needs a little more worth digging.

I’d probably be more excited about Chess Brain if there weren’t already so many games of this type on the eShop. As it stands, having to plan out your full route at once is something different but not really enough to keep the game from feeling very familiar. How much of a problem that is comes down to the individual, but if you’ve gotten your fill of chess puzzles, this one probably won’t change your mind. On the other hand, if you’re just looking for an evening’s worth of light brain teasers that won’t break your piggy bank, you will likely be pleased with what Chess Brain offers.

Yes, if you loved the original, you will undoubtedly enjoy Vs Racing 2. As far as being an arcade racer, the experience is about as smooth as one can expect for a game that focuses more on fundamentals. However, improvements over the original feel relatively minor, and the missing online multiplayer means Vs Racing 2 lacks that big ticket feature that sequels usually try and include.

At the moment, it still feels more like a proof of concept than a full-fledged experience, but as a quick and free distraction it works well.

I'm not sure if it's a case of Telltale stretching themselves too thin or if it was just a bad idea to try to make a direct sequel to what clearly worked well as a standalone story, but whatever the case, I've almost completely lost faith that Season Two can be salvaged. I guess we'll see in the next episode, though.

While Treemaker is a lot of fun to play and really lovely to look at, I have to admit that I was disappointed with the lack of variety when it came to the appearance of the levels.

It's unambitious, predictable, short, and not very stimulating, but it's almost impressive in how tightly mediocre it is in every aspect.

It's pretty hard to mess up a puzzle-RPG, and that hasn't happened here, but it's equally hard to step out from the pack, and I feel this game just doesn't do enough towards that goal.

Unless you're just dying to play Brick People with someone you're sharing a room with, though, multiplayer doesn't really make up for a lackluster single-player experience.

Recoil Games hasn't come up with anything all that fresh or unique in the world of one-touch platformers, but Rock Runners has hooks that work. If the rest of the game worked as well, relied less on repetition and more on thoughtful level design, we might have something special. Instead we find ourselves with a runner that isn't quite the same old thing, but doesn't do nearly enough to stand out.

On a mechanical level, Gunslingers & Zombies does its job. You have several things to consider, such as the range of your weapons, available ammo, the direction from which you are attacking, and whether to use your action points on taking the offensive or to save some for overwatch defense. Nothing you won’t have seen before, but it’s all competently implemented to provide a reasonably satisfying, light tactical experience. If you’re looking for a turn-based tactical Western-themed game on your Switch… well, buy Hard West first. But if you’re looking for a second one? This isn’t bad.

Monsters Invade: Oz is a joy to play. However, play is too restricted by the current IAP system. Waste your gold on adding monsters to your party too early, instead of upgrading attributes, and you will find it difficult to survive in battle.

This Switch version of the game is decent enough, though it does make some expected concessions in its visuals when compared to the PlayStation 4 original. If you’ve set your mind on playing Crystar, this is a fine enough way to do it. There’s certainly something here to enjoy, with a twisting narrative that keeps on delivering to the bittersweet end. But you’re going to have to deal with some lengthy stretches of truly dull gameplay between those story nuggets, and I can’t really make a strong case that it’s worth it.

There are no clever abilities to unlock here. No memorable boss battles. No unusual set pieces or challenges. It’s the Metroidvania equivalent of a bowl of plain corn flakes. That doesn’t make it a bad game and I’ve thrown more money at worse things, but it’s just so very bland.

I really love War of the Zombie. I just wish it didn’t have so many flaws and broken features. The game is clearly a victim of its own lofty ambition to create as comprehensive a squad based tactical RTS game as possible on the iOS platform for under $3. It is extremely playable but it has a tendency to fail you in rather inopportune ways.

In the end, your likelihood of having a great time with Frontline Commando is directly proportional to your opinion of freemium elements in action games. There's nothing inherently wrong with Frontline; it's just that games based on free-to-play economies tend to become long and drawn out (if you don't pay).

All in all, Lost Civilization is a fairly gentle gaming experience, perhaps aimed at the majority of families or the younger generation of gamers.

Stuck somewhere in the middle, it feels more like a filler step on the way to its best features landing in Arcane Quest 3.

I just really wish that ideas like the random potentially timer resetting events and the energy 'gameplay' mechanic didn't make the choice harder than it already had to be.

Stay Alive does offer enough in terms of fast-paced gameplay and replayability to warrant checking out.

I imagine Rōnin will probably only pique the interests of either dedicated endless runner gamers or fans of its Asian-influence art style. Otherwise, there isn't much here to explore.