Aksys Games has been selecting some superb otome visual novels to localize in recent years and Variable Barricade is one of the best in the genre on Nintendo Switch. With each newer release, it feels like the genre is becoming more accessible to those who aren’t fans of pure visual novels. If you’re a fan of otome games, you need to get Variable Barricade. For newcomers, this light-hearted experience might finally get you into the genre.

It's challenging, fun, and gives you a huge amount of toys to play around with, provided you're good enough to pry them off of dead spiders and zombies.

If you're an old school gamer at heart, you really can't go wrong with Captain Cowboy.

I haven't been this impressed with the evolution of a game of this nature since the original Metroid spawned the phenomenally brilliant Super Metroid.

Wefiends Inc. really did a great job with Dandy, and all the thought and work they put into it resulted in a fresh and clever shoot 'em up that will offer hours of fun.

Inexpensive, innovative, and sensory-spinning thrills of this caliber are rare.

Considering its graphics, sound, and gameplay, few apps offer the elegance that is Splice: Tree of Life. Four dollars is a small price to pay to expand one's way of thinking.

My only complaint with Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass Wave 2 – Side Order is that it could’ve used a bit more variety for a mode that requires you to replay it so much to get the most out of it. While it may not hit the set-piece highs as past game expansions, this is exactly what I want to see from Splatoon as a series, and I hope it is included in the next game as an optional mode. The team nailed everything here, and if it ever does get more added through free updates, it will be perfect.

With plenty of challenges, unlockables, an upcoming iPad version, and promised updates to the visuals and AI, Wings of Valor makes for a very attractive package at $1.99.

Jade Empire might not be Bioware's best RPG, but I'm fairly sure it's the developer's most under-appreciated. While the combat can be a little clunky at times and the story hews a little too closely to Bioware's typical oeuvre, its unusual setting, strong character work, and excellent pace help it stand out from its stablemates.

In spite of these shortcomings, you absolutely must play Type: Rider. I don't care if you aren't interested in typography, because it doesn't matter. It's an intricately-designed masterpiece that constantly throws fresh challenges and situations at you for the entire run of the game.

Mimpi is adorable, the artwork is amazing, and the puzzles are both challenging and simply fun to play through. Silicon Jelly and Crescent Moon have a winner on their hands, and I highly recommend folks check it out.

Rather than judge a book by its publisher, pick this up today: it'll be a delight for your left and right brain alike.

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.

This is a precision platformer perfectly tuned for its platform-it can't help that I'm not tuned for it.

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.

Fez is a very good game, and I love how the player never really faces any consequences for failure. It goes a long way in creating an experience that's fun from beginning to end, instead of being loaded with frustration because you ran out of continues and missed a jump. The virtual controls are basically in line with most other games that have reasonably decent virtual button configurations, but the "real" way to play Fez is with an MFi controller. Whether you pair a controller, or wrestle with virtual buttons, as long as you're actually playing Fez, you'll be in for a great time.

In truth, from where I’m sitting Thumb Drift is nearly perfect as far as fun little highscore chasers are concerned, and the central mechanic is just ridiculously fun and feels like butter.

Feral Interactive have done a brilliant job here in bringing another true PC classic game to mobile devices. If you enjoy strategy games and don’t mind spending a bit of time adjusting to the interface, I can’t imagine anything better for you than Total War: MEDIEVAL II. I enjoyed my time with Total War: MEDIEVAL II on iPad a lot more than iPhone though. If I had a bigger screen on my iPhone, I might’ve enjoyed it more, but the iPad Pro version looks and feels amazing.

Of course, Bobbing isn't for everyone—you need to have the patience and mild masochism that constant failure and repetition requires—but if you can dig its viciousness, don't be surprised if you start forgetting to put it down for less important stuff, like breaks. And meals.

The combination of portal interaction, plethora of characters and development, along with an extensive amount of content with high production values puts it almost in a league of its own. The high cost barrier to entry will certainly be off-putting for some, but folks that invest will end up with an experience that matches and even exceeds that of its console siblings (due to the portable nature of the system).

PowerWash Simulator – Alice’s Adventures Special Pack is the first DLC for this game to try to fly without a popular license of some kind attached, and while some might think that a disadvantage for it, I think it turned out to be in the Pack’s favor. The developers were able to truly put their own spin on a familiar theme, free to interpret it as they liked. The result? An imaginative, enjoyable rabbit hole that I think anyone who enjoys virtual power-washing will find most agreeable to fall down.

Zen Studios doesn’t always hit with its licensed tables, often missing things like music, real voices, and likenesses. The Princess Bride Pinball is one of the better ones in that regard, and I think any fan of the movie who isn’t allergic to pinball would do well to check it out. It’s not the most innovative of tables, relying on a lot of well-worn design choices, but I think that too fits. A good time for newcomers or veterans alike.

And while Puddle may have launched on nearly every platform this side of the generation first... it manages to finally land on iOS *still* leagues better than most of the competition. Don’t step-over this Puddle, jump in.

It’s only a buck, and it provides an experience that's absolutely perfect for large interactive screens like the iPad.

I strongly recommend trying it, but do so knowing that as good as it is, it's all ultimately in service to the same basic principles every free social RPG runs on.

Evel Knievel is a fun, worthy tribute to the legendary daredevil, even despite one or two weird choices (that ghostly drawl will surely haunt my dreams).

While I think there was an opportunity to do a little more with this long-awaited reissue of Parasol Stars, I can’t be unhappy with what we’ve got here. The game is emulated properly with plenty of options and extras to customize your experience, and the online leaderboards are an extremely welcome addition. If you enjoy classic arcade games and haven’t tried this one before, this is a great opportunity to do so. If you have played Parasol Stars before, you probably don’t need me to tell you to grab this.

Some games make me want to keep playing all night long, sucking hour after hour until the sun comes up. Dropchord makes me want to throw down my iPhone and dance till dawn. But that would mean I’d have to stop playing. It's a nice dilemma.

In the end, Jenny LeClue – Detectivu succeeds in telling you an engaging story with good mechanics, fun puzzles, a great way of introducing mystery, and characters that you’ll really find yourself enjoying. If you take away the glitches, this is definitely a top-notch game that I think any lover of mystery, murder, or puzzles will enjoy.

The elevator pitch for Mediterranea Inferno would be an arthouse film told in the style of a Suda51 game. If that sounds appealing to you alongside the premise, you will not be disappointed. The way Mediterranea Inferno blends horror, humor, desire, and other topics in a way that engrosses you from start to finish is commendable. It also is a perfect fit for the Switch’s OLED screen. I just hope it gets touchscreen support in a future update.

If you're a fan of Brough's other games, this review was likely a pointless exercise. You already bought Cinco Paus. I can see it on your home screen. Put on some pants, friend. Similarly, if you've been turned off by his games in the past, I'm not sure anything I've said here will convince you that this is your magic moment. If you're new to this developer's games I think this is mechanically a nice one to start with, but the language thing might be off-putting so I'd probably point you towards 868-HACK [$4.99] instead. All I know is that good old Papai Noel brought me a great new game from one of my favorite developers this year, and I'm pretty happy about that.

It’s very much a post-Super Mario 64 game, with lots of mysteries to discover alongside the more typical and “in plain sight" challenges. Some of those mysteries are unbelievably well-hidden, to the point that you may never find them. But it probably won’t bother you that much, because even without digging into the depths of its madness FEZ has an awful lot to give.

UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes is a sublime fighting game with robust online, fantastic music, and deep gameplay. I’ve not even scratched the surface with some characters after focusing on a few since launch, but I adore just about everything UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes has to offer. I hope it does well enough so we can get crossplay eventually. There are updates planned and early purchases get the season pass free, but a chronicles-like story mode later on would make this package even better than it already is. In its current state, UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes is brilliant to play on Steam Deck, Switch, and PS5.

The first episode literally had me craving for more and the wait for episode 2 was unbearable. You won’t need to worry about that because Episodes 2 and 3 are available right now via in app purchase with the remaining episodes launching early next year. I hope the visual issues and some performance issues are ironed out because this could end up being the best way to experience Life is Strange. The lack of proper controller support is baffling because this exists on multiple consoles. Out of all the point and click adventure experiences available today, Life is Strange is my favourite by a long shot. I hope this does well for Square Enix so they can port Life is Strange: Before the Storm as well.

As long as you're okay with a well-paced adventure that doesn't let up from start to finish, you won't be disappointed with Hyperburner. It might not deliver as much extra junk as you're used to for a premium game, but it's engaging from minute one.

The big conundrum I have right now about Two Point Campus on Switch is that the physical Early Enrollment Edition is so lovely, but this is a game you want to have installed at all times to boot up and play. I’ll leave that decision to you, but can safely recommend the Switch version of Two Point Campus right now. I’ve had a ton of fun playing it, and will be putting in many more hours into it over the next few months.

While the lack of gyro support is disappointing, PowerWash Simulator is a very good conversion for Switch. The only downside is the long load times in its current state. Barring that, it is a fantastic way to experience PowerWash Simulator, and a perfect fit for portable play. I hope it gets a physical release in the future with all DLC content included and I’m looking forward to the Final Fantasy VII DLC pack. Out of all the “Simulator" games on the eShop, this one is special.

I love seeing unique takes on the Vampire Survivors formula, and Brotato is a different but excellent spin on it that is an easy recommendation. The structure and gameplay differences make Brotato feel fresh enough, and it is a very polished port overall at a low asking price. I hope to eventually see cross progression added in Brotato so I can bring my Steam Deck progress to Switch.

If you enjoyed the original, there is absolutely no reason to not pick up the sequel. They took everything about the original, freshened it up, and repackaged it in to something that feels like an entirely new game instead of just an expansion of the first.

The game may have its flaws, but Gameloft has done a great job in making what could have been a quick and dirty port into a legitimately fun piece of software.

As much as I want to give Aka to Blue my highest recommendation, online leaderboards are a major feature for score attack games and they really ought to have been included here. That may not matter to some of you, of course, and if that's you, then you can feel free to jump in head-first. Even if you do care about leaderboards, Aka to Blue is good enough in every other respect that anyone who enjoys a good shoot-em-up needs to pick this up. I find it amazing that the former Cave staff could slide so seemingly effortlessly into producing Cave-quality shooters, and I greatly look forward to whatever they're working on next.

Monomals is one of the most polished games available on the service. So, while a music-fishing platformer might not sound like everyone’s cup of tea, it’s certainly one worth trying out.

It’s over-the-top, flashy, colorful, and fun as heck. It’s easily one of the best fighters on the Nintendo Switch now, and thanks to its crossplay feature and general popularity in the fighting community, it offers a lively online experience on top of a solid local foundation. Go go, Power Rangers.

As with the first game, once you've spent your two bucks, you've got the whole game. There are no IAPs, no premium currencies, and no timers. Just you, a huge dungeon, and a whole lot of death. Grab your knife and fork and dig in.

Great touch controls, fast action, amazing AI, intelligent level design, and an overall simplicity are all the reasons Trigger Fist has caused such a lapse in my productivity as of late.

Super Sharp is a superb puzzler that really nails the difficulty curve, gently introducing new ideas and getting you to think in different ways over and over. It can be a tiny bit frustrating later on, but the vast majority of the levels are perfectly solvable if you just stop and think a bit.

Monster Adventures is a great action-RPG that you simply need to check out.

Arranger isn't one of those things you should play if you like adventure games, or music game, it's one you should play if you like games, period, and the interesting things they can achieve.

Momonga's Pinball Adventures is already a winner. In part for its impressive look, certainly, but the charm and challenge of the game are a big part of what makes it so loveable.

If you've enjoyed any of Brough's other works, or simply want an easy to pick up, moderately deep strategy game, Imbroglio is an easy recommendation.

Foursaken's Heroes and Castles does a great job of not only successfully melding third-person combat with tower/castle defense, but also creating a game with a great deal of replaybility via its heroes, upgrade system and online multiplay.

So while there are frustrations and a handful of small bugs, they're blips in a solid eight hours of entertainment.

For those who like lovely things, for those who like music generation games, for those who like flyers, Lucky Frame has made something special.

If you enjoy touching stories and adventure games with a focus on characters and introspection, you will love Refind Self: The Personality Test Game. I think many folks will skip it thinking it is one of those throwaway test-style games, but I ended up enjoying my time with it a lot across iOS and Steam Deck. I can’t wait to see what Lizardry does next, and look forward to seeing results from more people when they play Refind Self: The Personality Test Game.

If you’re looking for a different sort of shooter, or perhaps one that has some similarities to Ikaruga, Radiant Silvergun has a lot to offer. It’s rare to see it rereleased, and the SEGA Saturn game infamously goes for a ridiculous sum, so having the experience available on Switch for such a reasonable price is great. The game plays well, but a few issues with the music and graphics could do with some ironing out. It’s perhaps a little too complicated for its own good at times, but give it your time and consideration and you’ll find it rewards you greatly.

The fact that The Witness can bring out such extreme emotions of both exasperation and astonishment is undoubtedly an achievement in itself. So many modern puzzle games strive to be as inoffensive and straightforward as possible, in an attempt to be accessible to a large and increasingly impatient audience of potential buyers - The Witness boldly shuns such expectations to simply do its own thing. As a result, The Witness can be relentlessly unwelcoming, but also invites and rewards intrigue, as paradoxical as that may seem. Similarly, The Witness is an essential experience for any enthusiastic gamer (especially at a bargain price of $9.99), although can occasionally feel like an ostentatious chore that is more hopelessly unaware than socially insightful. However, amidst its many annoyances lies a technologically impressive milestone of the modern gaming industry, arguably in its best form yet.

Yaga, overall, was a really enjoyable experience for me and there were few hiccups at all. I found it both challenging and rewarding, with a storyline that kept me interested and combat that felt fluid and fun. The replayability and different endings you can obtain help it even further to be a game you’ll likely want to play through at least twice to see just how much the world can change.

If you were in love with the speedrunning elements in the previous Mikey games, I could see Mikey Jumps being a bit underwhelming for you. It's also fair to point out that Mikey's got a lot of miles behind him at this point, so some players might be over his particular brand of entertainment. But I think if you approach Mikey Jumps with a clear mind and leveled expectations, you'll find a really fun, cleverly-designed platformer with some brilliant level designs and rock-solid controls.

In some ways Shattered Lands feels less like a sequel and more like a fulfillment of the promise behind the first game, like this is what Red Winter wanted to make all along.

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.

When I first discovered Wingspan, I wasn’t sure it would click with me but wanted to check it out for its art. Having now played it over the last two weeks almost daily, it is a superlative experience on iPad and a very good one on iPhone. The asking price being half of what it costs on console also helps given how good this feels on a touchscreen. The lack of cross platform progression and iCloud save sync are the biggest downsides here. Barring those issues, Wingspan looks gorgeous and it is one of the most relaxing games you can play right now on iOS.

While Gasketball may stumble with some of its level design, it's a stunningly fresh game that actually shares something original. It's a game with a vision, and all of its constituent parts come together into a cohesive, groovy whole.

This not your average, micro-stage mobile game. Thankfully, only a handful of stages made me wish there were checkpoints.

At the very least, it’s the best monster catching game released this week. Gotta collect ‘em all!

Melatonin from Half Asleep was only released a few weeks ago, and it is already one of my favorite rhythm games on Nintendo Switch. Just like Gal Metal a few years ago, Melatonin excels in its simplicity while being quite challenging. This coupled with the gorgeous visuals and excellent music makes Melatonin an easy recommendation for fans of Rhythm Heaven and those looking for a challenging new music-focused game.

While video poker handheld machines have been around for decades (I had one myself as a kid), Politaire is pretty much the perfect way to pass the time if you're looking for a solo card game. It's also much more convenient than setting up a deck yourself, and you get some snazzy visuals while you're playing it.

It may be be acting as a prelude to the bigger Hellraid game but The Escape holds its own very well and is highly recommended.

I'm really sort of shocked by how much I find myself enjoying this game. The difficulty curve seems great, Jetpack Joyride already proved that this payment model works, and I love how they take the foundation that worked so well for Halfbrick but created what feels (and, really, is) an entirely new game around it.

As a fandisc, Piofiore: Episodio 1926 is superlative. It goes above that and is more like a full sequel to the original game. While I can’t recommend this if you haven’t played the original, it is an easy recommendation if you did enjoy your time with Piofiore. I hope the few text issues can be addressed in potential future updates though.

From the visual wit of the short cartoons to the clever moving puzzles themselves, the entire experience is just pure delight. And, I suppose, if you’ve got a few kids running around it’ll be nice for them, too.

If you’ve been looking to drop a little spell crafting, enemy-splatting charm onto your iPad, look no further than Magicka: Wizards of the Square Tablet.

Simply put, if you enjoyed Glyph Quest but found there wasn't enough substance to satisfy, you're going to love Super Glyph Quest.

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.

If you enjoy music, art, or just want to make your own music with a lovely little game, ODDADA is for you. In its current state, ODDADA doesn’t have controller support, but it plays perfectly with touch controls on Steam Deck. The team is working on getting it Steam Deck Verified so keep that in mind if you plan on purchasing it now or later.

In the same way Electroplankton offered the DS a totally unique game-like way to relax, create, and experiment with music, Melodive is a must-have when you want to mellow out, or tickle your brain.

OPUS: Echo of Starsong is an essential for iOS owners. I already thought it was underpriced on consoles and PC given the quality of the game, but the iOS version is an even better deal with it costing less than half. This is Sigono’s best work and I can’t wait to see what the studio releases next. I just hope iOS and Switch owners will not be waiting too long for Sigono’s next game. OPUS: Echo of Starsong is a game you need to experience if you enjoy memorable stories, well written characters, and excellent music. Having done nearly three full playthroughs across platforms, I still can’t get over how good OPUS: Echo of Starsong is.

If you enjoy logic puzzles, you’ll likely find Sokobond Express to be a treat. It has a nice, simple presentation that makes all of its elements clear at a glance, chill music to listen to as you mull things over, a solid difficulty curve that eases you into the boiling pot, and has some educational value to boot. As path-finding puzzlers go, Sokobond Express is a superb example.

Even if there is no big secret reward, the enjoyment of this fantastic game is reward enough.

I'm thoroughly enjoying Lettercraft. It's fresh and fun. I don't see it being a hit for its multiplayer aspect, but as a single-player word game it's a lovely experience.

Controls aside, Sine Mora is an excellent shooter, a great port, and just an overall fun game to play. The story and presentation rock, the mechanics are sound, and the game's supplemental Arcade, Score Attack, and Boss Training modes offer a wealth of replayability beyond the fascinating story mode. If you have even the slightest interest in a shooter, Sine Mora needs to be checked out.

I may have my nits to pick with Monster Hunter Stories, but the game is certainly quite a good JRPG all-around. It ranks fairly high even among the impressive JRPG library of the Nintendo 3DS, so in the increasingly dry traditional JRPG landscape that is today’s mobile gaming market, it’s a real blessing. It’s not as good as a mainline Pokemon release, nor will it keep you playing as long as a mainline Monster Hunter game, but I suspect fans of either looking for something to play on their phones or tablets won’t be unhappy with Monster Hunter Stories.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the best game in the series yet, and despite a few issues like burying the player in tutorials and some story bits that could have been handled better, the game is a real treat for RPG fans. There’s more to do and more reasons to do it, and whether you’re coming off one or both of the previous games or jumping in fresh, you’ll find a suitably epic adventure waiting for you.

Each mission has a set of 3 objectives, and eventually 3 more will open up under a higher difficulty. After a few hours of gameplay, a third difficulty unlocks and you will find yourself going back to earlier levels and experiencing them in a completely different context. The game has a really solid flow to it. Unlocking upgrades and purchasing them feels very rewarding and will allow you to complete missions that you thought were previously very tough or even impossible. While the story of JYDGE is barebones outside of its justice related puns and won't be confused for a gamebook any time soon, it's really the run and gun gameplay placed perfectly in a fleshed out atmosphere that will keep you hooked on this twin-stick delight.

The unlimited lives option is great, as it's still a challenge to complete the levels, but you can keep re-trying and your weapon power-up's don't reset when you die.

It says a lot about Brew Town that you don't even necessarily need to be a beer lover or know your pilsner from your porter to appreciate it, because it's well-constructed almost the entire way through and manages to blend simple game mechanics, an inviting atmosphere and a dash of artistic creativity to concoct something that all kinds of gamers can get into.

Overall, Episode 3 definitely redeemed Telltale and the series and helped erase the sourness left over by the pretty-bland Episode 2.

Warhammer Quest, while being an excellent port of a classic board game, is actually an amazing dungeon crawler on iOS, no matter what your experience with the source material. You owe it to yourself to check out this excellent hack and slash experience.

Warhammer 40K: Deathwatch is a gorgeous game with strong design backing it. The campaign is big and meaty, and it presents a fun challenge that will test your tactical skills.

If you haven't picked this game up, and you can stomach some bad dice results, it's time you rolled into this one full speed.

A complete package, brought together by Gage's trademark use of cheerful colors, simple patterns and elegant typography.

There’s really nothing else out there that is quite like Valkyrie Profile, and that’s as true today as it ever was. It’s both the game’s most compelling quality and the most frequently-cited reason people are turned off by it. You’ve got platforming, some unique RPG-style battles, and resource management all wrapped up with some astounding spritework, a stunning soundtrack, and a genuinely fresh story.

This is a classic arcade-style sports game that is more about fun than about simulation and accuracy.

I'll admit I'm predisposed towards the theme due to my personal interests in comic books, old spy movies, and taking over the world with my army of mindless shark-mummies, but even setting that aside, Diabolical is a wonderfully entertaining piece of interactive fiction. It gives the player a lot of flexibility, has a great sense of humor, and even manages to tell an interesting, if absurd, story along the way.

The game is an absolute joy to play, with even better visuals and more of the incredibly smooth gameplay fans of the series have come to expect from Zepto Lab.

There's always been something satisfying about match-3 mechanics, but after enough years playing them over and over they're bound to start feeling stale. Pixel Defenders Puzzle steps beyond that by taking something from a game that was already an excellent evolution of the genre and moving it forward to another, even-more satisfying level.

Personally, I think this is the game where the series really started to show its ambitions and break away from most of the pack. It’s excellent, and fans of the series would do well to check out this treasure.

If you have a new iPad, this is clearly one of THE games to get, as its boasting some of the best 3D, high resolution visuals at the moment. If you dig explode-y things and moving really fast, you'll probably want to give this a look, too. Smart design bolsters both of these aspects. Check it out.