If you had a good time with Sorcery!, I probably don't even need to tell you to buy this

A note on in-app purchases: the free, ad-supported version of Beastie Bay is robust and enjoyable and, as far as I can tell, in no way different than the paid version. $4.99 strips the game of advertisements and lets players use their iDevice's portrait mode. Portrait mode is, admittedly, the superior way to play Beastie Bay, but there's an inordinate amount of well-designed, well-executed fun to be had for free.

If you want to play first person shooters on your iOS device, Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation is a must-buy game, so start making room for it.

"Different" is the perfect way to sum up what Z-Exemplar offers. Whether you've been gaming up to and all the way through the 1983 crash or your first console was the Nintendo Wii, the thrill of blowing stuff up and gathering power-ups is universal.

I feel like Warbits could have taken some risks, tried to do some things that were more than just trying to ape Advance Wars.

I don't typically love turn-based strategy games, but Rimelands had me hooked almost instantly.

Ib does a lot with its limited set of characters and scope. If you enjoyed games like Corpse Party, Ib will fit right in with your tastes. Following its freeware launch back in 2012, it is great to see the game come to a console for the first time. 2023 has been a really amazing year for the Switch, but don’t let Ib slip past in that crowd. It is one of the best adventure games I’ve played in a while, and a joy to play on the go. Even given my general disinterest in horror, I had trouble putting it down until I finished it.

I already thought Peglin was fantastic even in its early access state. While some balance issues hold it back a bit, it is an essential on Switch if “pachinko x roguelike" sounds good to you. I also love that the developers made full use of the Switch hardware features by adding good rumble, full touchscreen support, and button controls making it so that you can play however you want. Now we just need a physical release.

It has the standard array of features: singleplayer, multiplayer, customizable controls with external gamepad options. But with the addition of online multiplayer along with a game that's deep but accessible, I highly recommend checking this out. Get your feet wet, and then prepare for a beating.

If you have a few hours and an axe to grind against angry tortured spirits, embrace the panda. There is a chance you won't hate it, instead, like me, you might actually really enjoy it.

Give Deep Loot a little time to sink in, and I think you will be suprised at what you can bring out of it.

This isn't exactly a relaxing puzzler, this is more of a test of your skill and thought processes. It's not for everyone; if you're into being mentally tested to your limit to solve some puzzles with unique rule sets, this game is perfect for you. Causality is absolutely brilliant. But, because it's difficult with its own rules, solutions can feel arcane and tough to come by, too. And thinking when time isn't linear can be tricky, too! Causality is a fantastic game, one I've enjoyed my time with, even if it has left my brain a gooey mush. If you have the patience and the knack for time-bending puzzles, check it out. Even if it doesn't sound like it's up your alley, do consider it, at least!

People can and do split hairs about which Cave shoot-em-ups rank where, but I think there are two things that are generally agreed upon. First, even the worst of the classic line-up is excellent by the standards of the genre. It’s hard to go wrong with any of them, and Mushihimesama certainly won’t let you down in that regard. Second, Mushihimesama is one of the most beginner-friendly titles among a roster that often leans hard into the veteran player’s needs. It’s not surprising this latest initiative would lead with this particular game. It can be seen as a suitable gateway into the rest of this cherished developer’s works, and this Switch version does it every bit of justice it deserves.

If you enjoy Pokemon Snap and Amanita Design games, Penko Park feels like a lovely blend of both with its own unique charm that will keep you coming back for more as you inch towards 100% completion. While it may seem repetitive on paper at first, the developers have done a great job of throwing unlocks at you as you explore the different locations trying to grab secrets, photograph the eclectic creatures in different positions, and fill up your guidebook.

In the end, however, Shin Megami Tensei is easily one of the best RPGs we've seen on the iOS platform yet, and it deserves your attention in spite of some of the flaws specific to this port.

So there you have it. Impossible Road is an impossibly hard, impossibly addictive and impossibly impossible game.

Those who enjoy a good narrative adventure will want to consider picking up Citizen Sleeper. It’s a very humble game in a lot of ways, but there’s plenty to dig into here if you give it a shot. The range of choices allowed me to feel like I had some agency over my character and their new life, and the dice mechanic added a pleasant random element to keep things interesting. A very cool slice of cyberpunk storytelling.

It's beautifully suited to mobile, however, with customizable controls (swipe or tap) and perfectly bite-sized play sessions.

Takes iOS platforming and "one button" gaming in a direction I'm amazed no-one tries to do more often in touch screen gaming.

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.

IAP grievances aside, Super Stickman Golf 2 is a fun and compelling puzzler, and a steal at only a buck.

If you're a fan of Japanese history, as I am, you are sure to have a soft spot for this one.

Whatever the case, I'm going to go ahead and say this is the best LEGO experience on iOS to date, and if you have a problem with that, you can take it up with the wookiee.

I had no expectations at all going into TinyKin, but as soon as I started playing it, I was sucked completely into its world. The area designs are fantastic, encouraging you to root out and collect everything while presenting you with enough options that you never need to bang your head against any one thing. It also has a very charming presentation. The choice of using 2D sprites for the characters takes a little adjustment, but once you do? This is one of the better games in this genre you can find on the Switch.

There are some particulars of OneShot I would prefer not to discuss because this is indeed one of Those Games, but I think just about anyone who enjoys the adventure game genre will fall for OneShot‘s charms. It’s a clever, immensely likeable game that is metatextual without being obnoxious about it. You’ll almost certainly want to replay it immediately after you finish it, and that’s the mark of a pretty awesome story and game in my books. It has made the transition to Switch as well as it can to any non-computer platform, and if this is where you happen to play it, I think you’ll have a fine time.

It has fantastic production values, amazing graphics, brilliant controls, and a solid set of well designed levels to play through.

If you like adventure games or just want to enjoy an interesting, well-written story with a pleasingly dark vibe, Beacon Pines will serve you well. It’s a thoroughly engrossing tale that pulls you in further the more you play it. Perhaps a little too substantial to explore in a single session, but you’ll likely find yourself wanting to see it all the way through in one go. Add in a superb presentation with gorgeous visuals and excellent narration, and you’ve got a winner.

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is an excellent remake, but not one to be taken lightly. In a change from Digital Eclipse’s usual documentary approach, this remake simply offers the original game with a fresh lick of paint and a few new optional features to make it more convenient (not easier!) to play. This is, at its heart, the same merciless dungeon crawling RPG it has always been. Whether that’s a challenge you want to tackle in the modern age is up to you, but there’s no better way to do so than through this fine effort.

It's a well-made entry into the genre, and one of the very few that does a straight take on the concept instead of merely invoking the name because there's a hub and a few secrets.

Judging by the screenshots, the game looks like it's simply a fun, modern take on Lunar Lander that's been tailor-made for mobile. I suppose it is that to a degree, but it's also surprisingly deep and stressful at times.

Older console ports have had a tendency to not transition well to iOS, but Indigo Prophecy is thankfully one of the rare exceptions.

For just a dollar, Worm Run almost sells itself. Its lightning-on-ice movement speed and motivation to keep on trucking in the form of a gigantic carnivorous beast make for a nice alternative to the droves of autopilot runners available on the App Store.

In the end, you’re crazy not to pick this up if you enjoy adventure games. But you probably won’t enjoy this game as much if you don’t like stuff like Dark Souls and Dark Seed, the latter of which was another point and click adventure based on H.R. Giger’s art.

I highly recommend Her Story, even for its slight imperfections.

While the levels are perhaps a little too long for their own good at times, Dan the Man is a surprisingly solid and charming action game.

Crying Suns is an easy recommendation for those looking to experience tactical gameplay with a extra helping of dark scifi frosting and a glaze of mystery.

It’s a platformer that knows exactly what platform it’s on, and rolls with it.

I like that Nightgate is mostly an accessible game that can be completed with a bit of perseverance and elbow grease, but I'd love to see the concepts taken to their extremes in some future content, if any is coming.

The Sequence is a rather unassuming game overall, but I came away pleasantly surprised. If you're a fan of SpaceChem or other similar apps, this one is worth checking out.

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

Mekorama might not wow you from minute-one with incredible visuals, but once you start getting addicted to the QR creation aspect, you may not be able to put it down or a while.

The truck controls well, the physics respond well, and the level design has that right mix of snappiness and intrigue.

This is still a must buy game for any strategy fans. It’s been compared favorably to Warbits, with people citing the story mode as more interesting and engaging.

I’ll admit that it’s unique style of puzzle presentation means it’s not necessarily for all players, but it’s a sure-fire recommendation for everyone else.

Needless to say, I’m quite excited by SHI•RO, both as it is and as it can be after the following two parts are launched.

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals on mobile is my favorite way to play it. Not only did Night School do a great port that feels perfect on iPad, but it also looks and runs nicer than the Switch version. Having now played Oxenfree II: Lost Signals on Steam Deck, iPhone, iPad Pro, and Nintendo Switch, Night School and Netflix exceeded my expectations, and I hope it gets a physical release so I can add it to my Nintendo Switch collection alongside the physical release of the first game. This is Netflix’s best original addition to its games subscription since Poinpy, and one of my favorite mobile games of 2023.

Having played Unpacking on Nintendo Switch, PC, and Xbox before the iOS version, it is hard to find fault with the latter barring the lack of iCloud save support. The asking price being half of other platforms and such an excellent conversion definitely makes it an easier recommendation. I already loved the storytelling, relaxing gameplay, gorgeous visuals, and soundtrack in Unpacking, but it has found a new home on iOS and shines on the plattform. I hope the developers can add a higher frame rate option, but I have nothing bad to say about Unpacking barring that. If you held off on the PC and console versions, Unpacking is essential on iPad.

There’s a very good chance you’re not looking for another zombie game for your phone or tablet, now or perhaps ever. But Infectonator 3: Apocalypse is good enough for you to cast aside your many preconceived notions and give it a shot, because trying to end humanity is actually a lot more fun than you might think.

With no need to spend any money, Leap Day is the perfect pickup for people who want to find a new platformer to warn them by the fire. Some levels are randomly better than others, but tomorrow is always another day.

Ultimately, if you're looking for strong gameplay hooks and replayability, Pulse:Volume One won't hit those notes for you. But if you're interested in elegant rhythm gameplay and an immersive audio-visual experience, you'll find lots to enjoy.

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

While I highly recommend DropMix as an awesome game to experience, it comes with some caveats. First, this is a party game first and foremost so if you don’t have at least one other person to play with, there will be a lot of enjoyment left on the table. Second, the amount of tracks the base game comes with is a bit low, and currently expansion packs are really hard to come by. There’s also the fact that with a large amount of genres represented, there’s a fairly good chance you’ll have a lot of cards with tracks that you just don’t know or care for. On this last point, however, I implore you to give the game a chance: that track you play from a song you may not care for might work really well with whatever other Frankenstein mix you’re making.

Playing through McPixel 3 feels like grabbing an issue of MAD Magazine because I never knew what to expect when I went ahead in my initial playthrough. McPixel 3 on iOS is essential, but it will absolutely feel like poop if the humor doesn’t click with you. I loved McPixel and McPixel 3 is everything I wanted in a sequel and more. The wait for it on mobile has been long, but even in my third playthrough, McPixel 3 is just superb, and it will make you forget all about McPixel 2 which doesn’t exist so don’t worry.

Cocoon is brilliant. I genuinely cannot believe how much I enjoyed it, and somehow ended up liking it more than Limbo and Inside. If you have even the smallest interest in the game, I recommend not reading or watching anything and just giving it a chance. We may be near the end of the year, but this is another Game of the Year contender.

I imagine most folks will fall into two camps when it comes to Alto’s Adventure. The first will appreciate the sheer amount of artistic integrity and nuanced visual effects that the title employs and will play it just to experience those aspects. The second will largely ignore those aspects and see the game as yet another side-scrolling endless runner with pretty standard mechanics.

It's better served as an exceptional entertainment experience rather than an exceptional game.

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.

If Found… is yet another winner from Annapurna Interactive. Dreamfeel’s story is important, touching, and brilliant. If you enjoy interactive visual novels with excellent stories, great music, and gorgeous visuals, If Found… is for you. It doesn’t overstay its welcome like many visual novels and the two to three hours you put in will just fly by. I can’t wait to see what Dreamfeel does next because this is top notch stuff.

If you’re a fan of both PowerWash Simulator and SpongeBob SquarePants, the PowerWash Simulator SpongeBob SquarePants Special Pack is a no brainer purchase. It is a bit expensive for what it offers, but I’ve enjoyed my time with it on Switch and Steam Deck already. I’m now playing it on PS5 as well. If you, like me, enjoy PowerWash Simulator and want to keep supporting it while getting new levels, this DLC is worth grabbing. It is just a shame that gyro support is yet to be added into the Nintendo Switch and PS5 versions of the game.

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.

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.

Sky Force 2014 wears two faces. If you simply play it for free without sinking any money into it, it's a beautiful, fun, very grindy shooter experience. If you buy the IAPs, you get a considerably more friendly experience that is easily among the top five original shoot-em-ups on iOS, yet still not without a couple of faults owed to its free-to-play design.

For people who've never experienced Rayman or those who have strayed from the series, this is an excellent (re)introduction. For those who've played Origins, this may feel a bit mechanically and aesthetically familiar.

With a price that is very generous, and no IAP, Indigo Lake will leave you wanting more.

Being left wanting more isn’t necessarily a bad thing, after all; it means that I truly enjoyed and felt a connection to the themes of lucid dreaming, depression, and connection to others. The loving attention to detail in each setting did nothing but enhance the experience. I was absolutely right to trust my instinct, as Radiant One is a game not to be missed.

At $9.99 Raiders of the North Sea offers a really solid gameplay experience in a well put together package. I would say the primary audience for this app, like most board game apps, is the travelling board gamer who isn't interested in lugging their entire collection along with them. We need to see more board game apps like this one. Not just that prime target is satisfied, but also a wider array of folks with features like online play and a simple and easy to use interface. If you like board games that emphasize strategy over randomness or board games that feature vikings, or just worker placement games, this is a great one to pick up.

You can play the whole game for free (if you don't mind ads every 3 levels or so), but with $1.99, you turn it into a premium game, and it's a steal for that amount. It will take you some time to get through all 50 levels—especially if you're trying to get every single coin and take out every single enemy. So, if you want to see how the Khaleesi of Game of Thrones felt while riding Drogon to battle, Drag'n'Boom is for you.

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

All in all, this is a really cool action game with depth well beyond what you would expect just by looking at it. The combat is engaging, the bosses are implemented well, and the variety of abilities gives the game tremendous replay value.

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

So, despite its imperfections, if you enjoy deckbuilding games that are easy to play at a basic level but have a pretty limitless skill ceiling and games that offer plenty of ways to play them both in single or multiplayer, get Puzzle Strike.

Did you play Teeny Titans? If not, then go ahead and get Teen Titans GO Figure. It’s great, and you’ll have an amazing time with it. If you did play the first game, how excited do you think you would be to replay it? If you would be fine with that, again, full steam ahead here. Enjoy yourself. But if you can’t see yourself replaying the first game right now, you’ll want to really ask yourself if you have the desire to play a sequel that has you doing a lot of the same things all over again.

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.

SCHiM is a lovely abstract take on games like Frogger for the modern era. Come into this expecting a work of art with excellent audio design more than a complex puzzle game. I enjoyed just about every level despite the mechanics not really evolving. I enjoyed it enough on Steam Deck to order a physical copy of the Switch version from Japan already. This is definitely worth your time if you enjoy delightful, gorgeous, and relaxing puzzle games.

Home is a good game: thought-provoking, unsettling, and original.

Given how crowded the genre is, I know most people roll their eyes when they see another action platformer, but Gestalt: Steam and Cinder is one you cannot afford to miss. It is one of the best in the genre with its excellent gameplay, narrative, music, and slick visuals. Gestalt: Steam and Cinder is also perfect on Steam Deck from start to finish.

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

You’ll get blown away by all of the character customization, rummaging through enemy corpses and treasure chests for loot, journeying through procedurally generated dungeons, taking down Bounties for rewards, completing achievement-like challenges, participating in ongoing Seasons–*deep breath* You get what I mean here. There’s a lot of content waiting for players of Diablo III: Eternal Collection, and it’s very much worth investing time in on the Switch.

Bravely Default II is truly a JRPG fan’s JRPG, and while I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping it would smash my expectations the way the first game did, I’d be similarly dishonest if I were to say that I didn’t enjoy every minute of it.

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

It's not quite the experience the first game was, but it comes awfully close, and that's enough to put it in the top tier of shoot-em-ups on the App Store.

There's a distinct satisfaction to killing and pillaging innocent people, and then spending the ill-gotten money on your own selfish endeavors.

At its core it is a lightweight port of the exceptional console title, so don't go expecting anything different if you've had your SF4 fill. On the other hand, it is amazing that such a game was ported to the AppStore in the first place and the simple fact that you can now bring Street Fighter 4 around in your pocket should be enough to sway many an eager button masher.

Although it's got a bit of bloat and the overall package isn't quite as strong as the previous game, Dragon Quest 6 is still a phenomenal RPG.

Little Chomp came out of nowhere and charmed me with its smooth controls, variety of fun goals to check off, and absolutely vibrant graphics and crisp audio. At only a buck, you don't want to pass this one up.

Yet, as brutal as the game is, it’s undeniably fun. It just feels great to play.

Yes, Rule with an Rule with an Iron Fish doesn't do anything wholly new in the fishing space, but it does just about everything right.

I guess if I have anything bad to say about the game, it’s that Sneak Ops is a little too on the nose of emulating a lot of the mechanics of Leap Day, and I’d love to see a bit of innovation on the whole daily level game format. Also, it’s weird that paying for the game seems to make it less fun, but your milage may vary on whether or not you feel the same. Either way, Sneak Ops is fun, free, and super easy to recommend.

Overall, Atone: Heart of the Elder Tree is one of the best games Apple Arcade has to offer to date. Its interesting story, colorful characters and scenery, and its outstanding music will keep you hooked to the game despite its extremely challenging battle system.

With epic action, soapy drama, conflicts between gods, plenty of romance, and interesting quests that take you to a variety of places both mundane and extraordinary, this piece of interactive fiction is certainly worthy of being called a champion in its own right.

Give Miseria: Worlds Apart a chance. It deserves your attention.

So, yes, Starborn Anarkist is pretty rough in the early going, but it's definitely worth sticking to.

All of this builds up into a feeling of sincerity rarely encountered in games. There is no hint of irony in Lume's message, and that makes it hard to disagree: self-sufficiency is admirable, and why shouldn't it be?

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.

The actual gameplay is generally intact, however, and that means Ys Chronicles 1 is a must-have for any mobile RPG fan.

It's a particularly nice gateway game for fans of classic JRPGs thanks to the presence of the aforementioned legends, but it also shows its roots in its very gameplay structure and difficulty design.

The highly anticipated online multiplayer isn't quite up to par technically, but it can still provide some pretty entertaining moments.

If turn-based tactics are your thing, Demon's Rise 2 is a no-brainer. It offers a ton of content and the scenario design really is superb. It's great to see the game realize a great deal of its potential right off the hop, and if it gets half the support the first game did, I can't even imagine what it's going to look like a year from now. It might feel a little too familiar if you've played the first game recently, but I don't know too many people who played Demon's Rise that wouldn't be up for another 30 hours' worth of what it had to offer.