The snappy controls, variety of situations that can be encountered, and interesting limited attack gimmick make it fun to play on a basic level. Put those two sides together and TOKOYO: The Tower of Perpetuity has a lot to offer fans of challenging platformers.

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.

A curious package of “new" versions of an old game, QUByte Classics – Jim Power: The Lost Dimension Collection may be of interest to those who like to venture off the well-traveled road of vintage games. It presents an alternate history of sorts, and while the games themselves are heavily flawed I can’t say there isn’t something compelling about them.

Remote Life is a odd shooter, and I imagine its quirks are going to push away as many players as they attract. A high level of difficulty is par for the course with this genre, but the deaths in this game are sometimes really cheap because it’s so hard to see what can kill you. The lack of a scoring system also deeply hurts the replay value of Remote Life, and given that you can find an absolute king’s riches of endlessly replayable shoot-em-ups on the Switch at or around a similar price, that’s a big strike against it. A looker to be sure, and it evokes those R-Type vibes quite nicely, but it’s hard to recommend Remote Life with much vigor.

I found the puzzle designs a little more interesting this time around, and the game communicated its intentions a lot better. The game still has a somewhat cumbersome interface and despite having a rather modest number of stages it recycles ideas a little more often than I would optimally like. Underland: The Climb isn’t a must-have by any means, but I think people who like poking at puzzles will be reasonably satisfied with what they get for their pocket change.

Obviously, I’m a bit conflicted. But it’s only fair to review Diablo Immortal the way we have reviewed games like this before and the way we will probably review games like this in the future. By those standards, yes, this is a fantastic action-RPG experience. Go clear up the twelve gigabytes or so that you’ll need, download it, and get into it. It’s going to try to sell you things, but it will use a very soft sell approach until you’re in very deep indeed. Perhaps deeper in than many of you will play anyway. Diablo Immortal is here. It is everything we could have hoped for, and everything we have feared.

Code Mystics has handled this version of Biomotor Unitron with its usual level of quality. All the same features, all of the same flaws, but overall the best official way to play this game. This is a simple, straightforward RPG in most respects, with an interesting customization system to keep you engaged. In modern times it may be too limited and grindy for some, but if you like the idea of slowly cobbling together a killer mech to take the top spot, Biomotor Unitron may be of interest to you.

Setting aside considerations of overlap with other releases and a more complete version coming down the line, Wonder Boy Collection is a fine set. The original game has a lot of charm even now, Monster Land‘s ambition is admirable, Monster World is an excellent action-adventure, and Monster World IV is one of the better late-era Genesis games. As dull as the usual interface is, I can’t argue with the suite of features it offers. Please apply your own circumstances as needed, but taking Wonder Boy Collection for what it is, it’s well-worth the price of admission.

Touken Ranbu Warriors looks good, runs well, and its core gameplay offers the solid action the Warriors franchise is well-known for. Care has been taken to ensure the game can by enjoyed by as many fans of the Touken Ranbu franchise as possible, and that makes it a great fit for anyone with an interest in the IP. It’s also not a bad choice for those who want to get into a Warriors game but have found previous releases to be a little too complicated. Aiming for that target may cost the interest of more experienced fans of this style of game, but it’s not like there aren’t plenty of options for them already.

In its current state, Dragon Quest Builders is a fantastic game, but one I can only recommend with some big caveats and if you will stick to playing it on a modern iPhone. If you care about cloud saves, it isn’t here. Controller support is basically absent as well. If you’re considering it on a newer iPhone, it is amazing. On iPad, for some reason it runs a lot worse than I expected even on my iPad Pro (2020) and feels almost as bad as the Switch version does on an older iPad Pro with inconsistent performance. Square Enix has done a fantastic job with the touch controls and the new quality of life features making this the best version of the game on paper, but the power consumption issues need addressing.

I’m genuinely surprised at the jump in production values and quality from the second game to OPUS: Echo of Starsong – Full Bloom Edition. If you enjoy memorable stories and great music, this is essential. Even with the few technical issues and downgrades compared to the PC version, OPUS: Echo of Starsong – Full Bloom Edition is superb on Switch and one of my favorite games on the system this year. OPUS: Echo of Starsong joins 13 Sentinels and Triangle Strategy as the top tier Switch games of 2022 and I hope it eventually makes the jump to iOS in the future alongside a nice Nintendo Switch physical release.

Deadcraft isn’t what I would call fancy dining, but it’s a lot better than it looks. It’s a solid survival-based action-RPG with a few unique elements that make it more engaging than the average entry in that category. It’s a shame it doesn’t have a catchier title or more striking visuals, because I can’t help but feel people are going to miss it with things being what they are. If you’re not totally sick of zombies or survival RPGs, make sure you give this one a shot.

Guild of Dungeoneering Ultimate Edition brings a very enjoyable roguelite packed with personality to the Nintendo Switch in fine form. The button controls work well, and the game looks nice on the handheld screen. If you’ve played this game before on another platform, all you need to know is that this is another excellent option to play it again. If you haven’t played it before and you enjoy a good roguelite, you’ll want to check this out. It has some additions, improvements, and refinements, but truthfully speaking the core game was good enough that all of that is just icing on the cake.

While I’m happy that this remake turned out better than expected and there is now an easily accessible way to play Snow Bros., Snow Bros. Special feels like it’s caught between the couch cushions of a straightforward re-issue and a full-blown revival. It’s a bit pricey to be the former and a bit light on features to be the latter. Snow Bros. fans who don’t mind dropping twenty bucks to have a decent remake will be happy with what they get here, but others may find there isn’t quite enough here to make a decent snowman.

If you haven’t sampled the genre yet, there’s no better way to get into it right now than Streets of Rage 4. Streets of Rage 4 is by far my favorite beat-em-up, and I’m glad to see it in such an amazing conversion on mobile. Hopefully it does well like Dead Cells did on mobile and leads to a whole new audience discovering this amazing game. It feels surreal going from the announcement trailer from Dotemu a few years ago to the game delivering in spades on all platforms, through its DLC, and now with an excellent mobile conversion. I look forward to playing it online as well once the multiplayer update hits in the future.

While I’m sure some players are suffering from a bit of Cotton burn out with so many releases in such a short span of time, but if you like shooters you’ll want to check out Cotton Fantasy. The game is very enjoyable from a design standpoint and it holds up quite well on the technical end, especially compared to a few of the less impressive Cotton ports we’ve seen on Switch. Those who are performance sensitive will find the game runs a lot better in docked mode, but I didn’t mind it in handheld either. I’m a bit torn as to whether or not this game is better than Cotton Reboot, but that’s good company to be keeping.

Mini Motorways isn’t as revelatory as Mini Metro was, but it’s just as easy to get completely and utterly absorbed with. It’s a bit better for players on the go as building the roads can be a little fussy with the button controls, but I think however you play it you’ll have a really good time with its tense, challenging puzzle gameplay. As the game has been out for a few years now on other platforms, there’s already a plethora of content to enjoy in this Switch version, and if Mini Metro is any indicator there will likely be more on the way. A fantastic pick-up for puzzle fans or those who enjoy being stressed in a good way.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a companion game and it feels very much like one. It’s a very average game overall, with the strongest point being its presentation and the weakest being how much of a grind it becomes. It’s hard to recommend to anyone who isn’t deeply interested in Eiyuden Chronicle, and even then something tells me this isn’t going to be a critical piece of lore for the main game. It’s adequate, and given how many excellent games we have on the Switch of a similar style, I’m not sure that’s enough.

With only one of the two excellent games on here being playable from start to end, I can’t give this set as a whole anything better than half a score. I sincerely hope NIS patches this and takes more care with its quality control in the future.

While some of the UI elements clearly belie its touchscreen roots, Dungeons of Dreadrock is a well-designed adventure that manages to keep on surprising you all the way through with its tricky puzzles and engaging atmosphere. Having physical button controls make it easier to get your character to do what you want her to do, and that means this is the version I would recommend if a person asked. Wherever you choose to play, make sure you give it a look. It’s a very good experience, even if it might make you pull your hair out at times.

This is a textbook example of how a poor port can ruin what a game is trying to get across. The Switch version of As Far As The Eye suffers from numerous bugs that significantly impede attempts to play it, and decisions like tiny text and not allowing touch controls would cause issues even if everything was running smoothly. These problems stack on top of a game that already had its fair share of flaws in its original form to wash away most of the goodwill from its more clever moments. If you’re looking for a unique strategic survival game, you may want to give As Far As The Eye a chance, but I can’t recommend doing it on Switch.

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.

Even with all of the frustrations I had with the platforming in Arise: A Simple Story, everything else here is so good that I feel good about recommending it. The emotional journey is outstanding, and unlike a lot of other narrative-focused games, Arise packs in a lot of gameplay to go with the story. This Switch port makes some minor technical concessions, but it’s quite good on the whole. A straight run through will only take you a few hours, but hidden collectibles make it worth taking your time to explore. A Simple Story it is, but there’s something to be said for simplicity.

Like Andro Dunos 2 earlier this year, Ganryu 2 is a faithful sequel to a game that few ever expected to get a sequel to. In terms of gameplay, it goes well beyond the relatively humble design of the original, resulting in a title that fans of Shinobi and Strider will almost certainly take an interest in. It’s unfortunate, then, that even after at least one patch dedicated to addressing issues, this Switch version of Ganryu 2 has a number of problems that interfere with the gameplay. I’d love to give this a strong recommendation on the basis of the solid game behind the wonky performance, but I really can’t muster more than a weak nudge.

Having now played Nobody Saves the World on Xbox Series X, Switch, and PC, I would recommend the Switch version above the others for offering the ability to play at home or on the go with a competent port. The gameplay suits the pickup and play nature of the system as well. I’m going to keep chipping away towards completing every aspect of Nobody Saves the World on Switch, but I can’t imagine this won’t end up being my favorite DrinkBox Studios release so far. I hope it gets a physical release down the line. If you’re looking for a charming action RPG that blends a bit of Zelda and Diablo together with its own signature style, Nobody Saves the World is for you.

Youkai Douchuki is a game that I could understand anyone enjoying. It has a pleasantly odd theme, and the gameplay mechanics are largely straightforward and easy to pick up. It’s a very challenging game, but such things aren’t unusual in the arcade end of the pool. On the other hand, it’s also not much of a stand-out. The arcade scene had plenty of run-and-gun platformers, and there’s nothing about this one that really speaks to me. Decent, but not much more than that. [Early Access Provisional Score = 60]

Being a shoot-em-up with an emphasis on racking up a high score, Gaplus is well-positioned to take advantage of the extra modes and online leaderboards that are a standard part of the Arcade Archives package. If you enjoy Galaga, I’m confident you’ll also really have a good time with this under-the-radar sequel. As single-screen shooters go, it’s frankly one of the better ones.

The action is great, the presentation is outstanding, and there’s really very little like it out there. The West missed out on this back in the day, so don’t let it slip past you now.

With Pac-Land being as early an example of the genre as it is, it’s obviously not going to hold up to some of the fancier platformers out there. But it’s not a bad little game all on its own, regardless of which control set-up you opt for. The colorful, chipper presentation is appealing, and that triumphant trip back through the stage after dropping off the fairy is a fun touch. It’s unfortunate that the included version isn’t the one the North American audience will remember, but it plays the same and in this case that’s not a bad thing at all.

Wonder Momo‘s theme is its most memorable aspect, with the gameplay being a bit on the ordinary side. Beat-em-up fans likely won’t find much to sink their teeth into here, and the scoring system doesn’t really lend itself well to jostling elbows with others on the leaderboard. Still, it’s charming in its own way and certainly evocative of a particular era. That may be enough for some.

Raven’s Hike plays well, has some great level designs, and manages to feel fresh from start to finish. If you like tricky action games, you should give this one a shot. Just be warned that it doesn’t take long before it starts swinging hard.

Indeed, my biggest knock on Get Packed is that there isn’t a whole ton to the campaign. You can wrap it up in a single evening, and unless you’re interested in chasing high scores it’s over all too quickly. The minigames are actually pretty fun and help extend the joy a while longer, but I certainly hope to see more of the core content added via expansions or something in the future. An entertaining game to play with your friends or family, regardless of their level of skill.

If you’ve tried out the previous Sniper or Zombie Army games from Rebellion and bounced off of them, there is likely nothing here that will change your mind. Similarly, if you’ve enjoyed any of those games you will be happy with what you get here. Zombie Army 4: Dead War is more of what Rebellion has shown it knows how to do best: realistic playgrounds filled with plenty of action, stealth, exploration, and thrilling opportunities to exercise the capabilities of your arsenal. A solid port of a very satisfying game.

While the visual and performance cutbacks are ones I expected going from PS5 to Switch, Bugsnax not making full use of the Switch’s unique hardware capabilities is disappointing. I was hoping we’d get gyro control options or proper HD rumble to try and offer more immersion, but neither are present in this release. You do get the complete game with the Isle of Bigsnax right from the start though. If you already played Bugsnax on another platform, you should stick to that one to experience the new content, but for those who haven’t jumped into Snacktooth Island yet, the Nintendo Switch version of Bugsnax is a fine way to do so. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed putting in more than 20 hours into it on Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite.

My first impression of this game was how pretty it was. It’s got a nice sense of style to it, and I love the odd creatures that inhabit this world. My second impression involved getting stuck in a piece of the environment and having to reset the game. My third impression of the game is that while it’s relatively short it somehow manages to wear out all of its tricks well before it ends, and alternates between being boring and irritating in its back half. That first bug wasn’t the only one to rear its head either. There’s something worth getting into here, but there’s just too much dragging the overall experience down.

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

Revita isn’t doing a whole lot that we haven’t seen bits of in other games before, if not necessarily in this exact combination. But it’s doing all of it rather well, with reliable controls, challenging and fun boss encounters, enough randomness to add spice but not so much to make it all a crapshoot, and interesting choices to make with your character’s growth during each run. Those looking for their next roguelite action game to conquer will want to give this one some consideration.

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

This is less of a billiards game and more a pack of billiards puzzles. You get one hundred stages, and there are different sets of rules you’ll run into as you go. Sometimes you’re on your own and need to sink all the balls. Sometimes you’re playing for points against the computer. It comes off like a poor man’s Side Pocket, and that is already a bit of a value meal on its own in modern times. As if to hammer the point home, it’s full of unnecessary boosts you can buy with the coins you earn, a three-star ranking system, and a really awkward UI that feels ill-suited for button controls. Throw in some bugs, and you’ve got a scratch.

Blast Brigade vs the Evil Legion of Dr. Cread does just about everything a Metroidvania-style game should, and that makes it very easy to recommend to fans of the genre. I don’t think it’s going to convince anyone who is tired of this sort of game, because apart from its sense of humor it’s not really doing anything unusual for the genre. But what it does, it does well. The graphics are good, the controls are solid, the pacing and progression is more or less where it should be, the boss battles are enjoyable, and the map designs are good. It’s always fun when something so well-made as this comes seemingly out of nowhere.

Super Mega Zero manages the difficult job of finding new depths to plumb in a sub-genre that has seen a lot of love over the years. Every time I thought I had it all figured out, another stage would come along and force me to come at things completely differently. The changing number gimmick combines with some truly inspired puzzle and platforming challenges to create a truly enjoyable, incredibly tricky action game. Throw in the extra collectible Pi items and speed runs, and you’ve got a game that will last you for a long while.

Neptunia x SENRAN KAGURA: Ninja Wars doesn’t have much meat on the plate in most respects. There isn’t much depth to the action, and it’s over pretty quickly by the standards of Senran Kagura and especially Neptunia. The only area where it really goes beyond adequate is in the charming character interactions and amusing script. It would be nice if there was a little bit more here to enjoy, but I think for the fans of the brands, it’s enough. Those not already invested in either series will want to give this a pass, however.

As puzzle games go, this is perhaps as casual as it gets. You’ve got pictures of cats and other animals all jumbled up, and you need to rotate the pieces until they create the desired image. You get forty of these puzzles in all. They get more complicated as you go, but they’re all just a matter of patience and fiddling around until lines line up. It’s cheap and chill, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish it had a little more bite.

The controls are laggy. The load times are horrendous, sometimes as long as a minute and a half to start a simple exhibition game. It crashes sometimes. The AI for your teammates and goalkeeper is utterly incompetent. The classic controls ape the EA NHL Genesis layout, but map the A/B/C to B/A/X, putting a key action on the most awkward button on the controller. But the real kicker? Even when everything is going right, Bush Hockey League just doesn’t feel good to play. There’s so much obvious love put into this game by a team I am sure is full of big hockey fans, but that doesn’t change the end result.

Legend Of Ixtona isn’t a particularly great strategy RPG, but it’s not a bad one either. It’s short enough to plow through in a weekend, and just enjoyable enough to be worth doing just that. The weak AI makes it essentially a strategy RPG equivalent to a mindless button-masher. Those looking for any actual tactical challenge will probably want to keep on walking, but I think there’s a certain appeal to it if you get into the game’s story and quirky characters. That said, you can probably find better things in this genre on the Switch at a comparable price.

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.

To sum up, I like every game included in this set, but I only truly love a few of them. That’s a problem in that I could just go and buy those few separately and keep twenty bucks in my pocket. I like the Arcade Archives quality, but I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed with how flavorless the package comes across as a whole. It’s ten Arcade Archives games dumped in a box with a simple menu to choose between them. A better selection would make this an easier recommendation, but as is I think it’s only suited for Taito die-hards and those looking for an Arcade Archives sample platter.

Sumire is a game I’ve convinced a lot of people to play on Nintendo Switch, and I hope to do the same on iOS. Despite the few issues with the port right now, it is still worth experiencing if you enjoy emotional stories. The highlights initially may seem like the visuals and amazing soundtrack, but Sumire is a game I want to see more of in the future from GameTomo. I look forward to seeing how this version improves through updates, but I’m glad to have been able to play Sumire on another platform and still hope it gets a physical release on Nintendo Switch in the future.

Slipstream has a lot to offer fans of SEGA’s old Super Scaler arcade games. It’s not shy about its source of inspiration, but it is dutiful in doing justice to that game. There are a variety of modes to play and sights to see. You can even play with friends in local multiplayer. Just be aware that the game plays like something from the time and place it pays homage to, so you very much have to take it on its own terms mechanically. Perhaps the biggest problem is that it never really manages to escape being one big reference and become its own thing. Even with that in mind, arcade racing fans likely won’t regret picking it up.

Be warned: Kombinera is quite tough. It starts getting demanding fairly early on, and figuring out the trick to each stage and successfully pulling it off aren’t an easy matter even in the initial set of stages. Simply reaching the end is an effort in and of itself, and trying to complete all of the various additional objectives, target times, and achievements will take a lot of practice and patience. There are three hundred levels in all, making for a monster-sized puzzler. If that all sounds good to you, then you may enjoy this game at least as much as I did.

As an overall experience, Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between is going to appeal a lot to some people and not at all to others. Personally, I loved what it was going for. Unfortunately, this version of the game suffers from some pretty severe tech issues in some of the Journeys. I ended up having to quit out of the train Journey because the framerate dove into the “seconds per frame" range. The highway had no issues. I’m hoping this is the result of a bug that can be fixed, but in its current state I have a lot of trouble recommending this game on the Switch. Play it, but perhaps not on this platform.

If you enjoy the LEGO games, this is one of the best ones ever. If you fell off the series because it felt like it was treading water, this might be the one to bring you back. And if you’ve never played one before, here is a great place to start. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a fantastic game, and serves as proof that TT Games can still serve up some surprises in this long-in-the-tooth franchise. It also runs very well on the Switch relative to other LEGO games, which is just another feather in its cap.

Dedicated wrestling game fans will find enough in Big Bang Pro Wrestling to get their kicks, and Code Mystics has done its usual fine work in bringing this NEOGEO Pocket Color game to the Switch. We even get an English version of the manual. It’s quite a bit of fun for a game of its time and place, but it certainly feels of its era in many ways. It’s that side of it that keeps it from being a must-play, as the wrestling game genre has seen a lot of strides since the year 2000. Nevertheless, this is a rather neat curio and one I’m happy to see get its shot in the West after so long.

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.

The appeal here is the same as it has always been with Minter’s Tempest games and variants. There aren’t a lot of games similar to Tempest, and it’s still a lot of fun. Every new stage brings its own shape and therefore its own required strategies, making for a game that constantly feels fresh and challenging. Online leaderboards give the score attacking a stronger sense of purpose, and the presentation makes the whole thing feel like an experience as much as a game. Oddly while the in-game controls are incredibly responsive, the menus appear to be suffering from some sort of lag. Not a huge deal, but worth mentioning. If you come for the pure gaming thrills that a Minter jam always promises, you won’t be disappointed.

It’s a shame WRC 10 The Official Game is such a technical mess on the Switch, especially in handheld mode. Just about every other element of the game is solid, but I can’t imagine most players wanting to put up with a game that looks and runs as poorly as this does if they have any other choices. The best case you could make for this particular version is that you can take it with you, but the sheer amount of flaws you have to look past is not insignificant. If you only have a Switch, truly love rally racing, and are exceptionally forgiving of technical issues, then you might want to give this a look.

I can genuinely say that I haven’t had such a good time playing a game from start to finish as I did with Kirby and the Forgotten Land in quite some time. It put a grin on my face from the start, and it kept me happily engaged to the very last drop. Then I pulled my son in and we played through everything again in multiplayer. It’s one of the better Kirby games, and deserves a place of honor among the upper canon of Nintendo Switch titles.

Apart from its attractive presentation, Super Nanaru is a bit plain as a game. That’s especially the case for those of us who have been playing mobile games for a long time. The large sprite makes the platforming a little awkward at times, and the game’s penchant for dirty tricks is something you’ll either love or hate. Infinite lives and generous checkpointing means even the toughest stages are surmountable, but that doesn’t make it any more tolerable when, say, a bus drives in front of the platforms you’re hopping across and completely obscures them. I can’t say it doesn’t have its charms, but it ultimately didn’t do a lot for me.

When it comes down to it, Andro Dunos 2 is a faithful ode to a particular era of shooters that is a few options and features away from being all it can be. It’s perhaps a bit too faithful, as it can feel a little bit pedestrian at times. The mechanics are easy enough to pick up for newcomers, but require just enough strategy to apply to give more skilled players something to chew on. The lack of online leaderboards takes some of the wind out of the score attack sails, and the disappointingly minimal display options fall below expectations. Still, fans of the original and shoot-em-up fans should find enough to chew on here.

All three modes start off with some painfully simple puzzles, but eventually provide a decent enough challenge to make you think. You get tons of puzzles, probably more than you’ll want or need. It functions well enough, but it’s just missing that bit of zest to help it stand out. Mini Words Collection assuredly offers up enough of what it’s serving for the meager price it commands, but a buffet is only as good as the taste of the dishes.

I think it’s very safe to say that if you like Fire Emblem, particularly the Game Boy Advance era of the franchise, you will almost certainly enjoy Dark Deity. It has some technical flaws, with some seriously lengthy loading times and the odd bug here and there, and it’s not quite as polished as Nintendo’s efforts. But it probably goes farther than any other indie effort I’ve seen in capturing that particular feel, and it’s very, very easy to start playing and find yourself unable to step away until you have just one more battle.

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.

If you haven’t played any Rune Factory games before and are thinking about dipping your toe in, I’d probably recommend Rune Factory 4 Special ahead of this game. It’s more polished, has more content, and is a bit easier to play. But if you’re a Rune Factory fan and have already plowed those fields, you’ll find enough to like in Rune Factory 5 to make it worth your attention. It feels like the seed of a new era for the series, but it’s going to take a bit more nurturing before the harvest is truly ready.

The basic concept of Dawn of the Monsters gives the game a big push at the start line, but it’s the solid gameplay mechanics that keep this machine moving. You get a nice mix of encounters and behaviors to deal with, and you have a fair number of options at your disposal. The sheer amount of content here will keep you playing for a long while, and although it can get a little repetitive over time, it really does take some time for that to set in. Fans of either beat-em-ups or giant monsters will want to grab this game sharpish and get to smashing and demolishing the enemy forces.

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.

n a vacuum, Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure is a slam-dunk pick-up. It’s a wonderful, beloved table that has never had a home version before. It has all of the licensed bits intact, and that is harder to do with this property than most. It plays well, and has lots of options and features that will keep you coming back. It’s a good value, particularly compared to dropping coins in the real thing. But this isn’t a vacuum. You can get equally good tables like Medieval Madness for a fraction of the price, and that is something you’re going to have to consider before buying this. For both pinball and Indiana Jones die-hards, it’s an easy enough choice. Others will have to weigh their options carefully and hope they do not choose… poorly.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is a great fighter with a lot of modes and features to enjoy. While its presentation isn’t quite up to snuff with some of the other versions of the game, relative to other Switch games in the genre it carries itself well enough. Some missing online features will be of more concern to those who intend to take their battles into the digital space, but overall this is a strong pick-up for Persona fans and those looking for a little on-the-go pugilism alike.

Although Triangle Strategy might not be the second coming of Final Fantasy Tactics that some are hoping for, it’s an excellent entry into the tactical RPG genre that should have players enraptured for dozens of hours. Just be prepared to spend an awful lot of time with characters who have a tendency to talk too much and say too little. The plot itself is intriguing enough and the gameplay mechanics compelling enough to keep you coming back, but one can’t help but pine for the character work of the games that clearly inspired this one.

There’s something to be said about a puzzle game that knows exactly what kind of row it wants to hoe and focuses on doing it as best as it possibly can, and that’s just what The Last Cube has to offer.

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.

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.

Young Souls is a very thoughtfully-designed game with a lot of satisfying systems to engage with. Taken together with its attention to making the game feel like a proper adventure, it’s almost enough to carry it all the way through. But at least for me, it felt like the game dragged on a couple of hours longer than I would have preferred. There are also some performance issues plaguing this game, and it even crashed on me a few times. None of this was enough to put me off of Young Souls, but it certainly curbed some of my enthusiasm for it as a whole.

Ultimately, The Cruel King and the Great Hero is still worth playing for those who are attracted to its cute storybook stylings. RPG fans will likely find less to be enthused with here, thanks to its plodding pace and somewhat banal battling. I can’t help but feel there may have been a better vehicle for this charming little fairy tale, but I’m nevertheless happy I got to experience it.

Sure, you can probably find a better pure game of pinball, and all the roguelite caveats apply here. The procedural generation can swing for or against you, and things can get a little repetitive after a while. But broadly speaking, this bit of pinball with a purpose offers up plenty of fun zombie smashing and loot gathering to keep you whacking away for hours on end. Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes has its tongue in its cheek and its hand on… someone or something’s heart, and that’s good enough for me.

The biggest problem with A Musical Story comes in its gameplay mechanics, though. You play the tunes in sliced out sections, and you have to hit every note perfectly before the game will let you move on. And unless you’re really good with audio cues, you’re going to fail a lot. The worst thing is that once you’ve missed a note, you know you can’t succeed but you still have to finish out the slice anyway. It’s aggravating in the worst way. You never get that feeling of being one with the music that you get with better rhythm games. Great music, an uneven story, and unpleasant gameplay make for a very rocky road trip indeed.

Some of the puzzles in Primordia can be really hard to figure out logically, which is one of the bad ways it can feel old-school. Some people may not resonate with the setting or some elements of the story, and those are such a big factor in this genre that it always needs to be considered. Other than those things, I’m hard-pressed to find too many things to complain about here. This Switch version handles the controls as you would expect. You can move the cursor around with the stick or use touch controls. Adventure game fans should enjoy it quite a bit, but be ready to get a little frustrated with some puzzles that feel borderline farcical in their design.

It’s a quality game with a very affordable ad removal fee, and we’re not so swimming in dungeon-plunging riches that we should pass that kind of thing up just because of some slightly wonky controls.

After a few content updates, GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon has the potential to be an essential in the genre. Right now, it still feels like an early access game and one that has annoying technical issues on Nintendo Switch. Its biggest draw is the aesthetic and combat, but it needs to be polished and tweaked in its current state to be an easy recommendation when you have much better games in the genre on Nintendo Switch priced similarly.

Puzzle & Dragons: Nintendo Switch Edition is still quite fun, and it’s certainly better than Puzzle & Dragons Gold was, but this is still a needlessly limited take on the concept that removes one of the core aspects that makes the original game so great. I wish I could understand how we ended up with the monetization structure of the free-to-play mobile version while changing some of the things that have made it such a big hit for so many years. For less than a fiver you’ll get your fun out of this, but it could have been more.

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.

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.

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.

I’m sure the title will tip you off, but Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream is best appreciated by those who have already played the first game and enjoyed its characters and mechanics. There’s a little story catch-up here for those coming in fresh, and you will survive even if this is your first Atelier game. But the game certainly means to build on the foundations set in the first game, particularly with regards to Sophie and Plachta. As such, I’d advise you to play that first game before this one. That caveat aside, Atelier Sophie 2 does everything a sequel ought to and will assuredly provide Atelier fans with their regular dose of light-hearted RPG adventure.

While this may not be the definitive version of Final Fantasy VI, it’s close enough to the best to be worth it. It handily replaces the previous version we had on mobile, and some of its improvements make it worth another trip for those who have already played it in any of its other forms. Some of the lingering faults found in previous Pixel Remasters frustratingly reoccur here, and the whole exercise does have a vague sense of pointlessness about it in light of just how little it improves on the original. Still a great version of an all-timer, and that’s more than enough.

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.

Sol Cresta is a game that you need to chew on for a bit before it shows its true value. But stick with it, learn its idiosyncrasies, and you’ll find a unique, satisfying entry into the crowded shoot-em-up genre. Is it an all-timer? Probably not, but considering Platinum just waltzed into this club for the first time, it has done an exemplary job.

It’s always nice to see a game that never made it out of Japan back in the day get a wider release, and even nicer when it’s handled well. The actual links with River City Girls, both in terms of story and gameplay, are tenuous but River City Girls Zero makes the most of them. The mechanics do the job decently, and the story side of it certainly distinguishes the experience from most other brawlers of its era. It’s no Streets of Rage or even Final Fight, but those who are invested in the characters will likely have a good time.

Combine the game itself feeling somewhat undercooked in terms of modes and features and the atrocious technical performance, and you have a rather bitter pill for any Switch-owning Dynasty Warriors fans that choose to swallow it. I won’t say you can’t mine some enjoyment out of this version of the game, but you’re going to have to be more forgiving than you’ve had to be with any prior Warriors game on the platform.

By grounding its setting and keeping the scope of its story more personal (albeit with major consequences), Rise of the Third Power gets to really focus on each of its eight main characters. The nature of the plot means things are always moving, and as such the time just seems to fly away while playing. Its mechanics aren’t quite as impressive, but the combat system does seem to have had a lot of thought put into it in terms of trying not to waste the player’s time. Basically, this is more of a game for those looking to get into a good tale than those who want to crunch on some chewy, innovative mechanics. If you’re okay with that, you’ll definitely want to check this one out.

Infernax just feels good to play. The mechanics are solid, and the fundamentals are done properly. You don’t have a massive array of moves and attacks to choose from, but what you have in your toolbox works well for handling the enemies you’ll be facing. Exploring the countryside took me back to my younger years wandering the mysterious world of Simon’s Quest, especially with the day-night element in play here. Those who enjoy exploratory 2D platformers and aren’t afraid of taking on one with a little bite should definitely play Infernax as soon as possible.

There are some decent ideas in here if you can tolerate its fundamentals being so sloppy, like being able to add bits to your sword to improve it. But none of those ideas matter all that much when it just isn’t enjoyable to play.

As long as you’re able to gather your buddies onto the couch for some gaming fun now and then, you’ll have a good time with Action Arcade Wrestling.

While the quality of Breakout: Recharged is generally good and the new additions help spice things up, this one didn’t quite click for me the way the last couple of Recharged games did. Power-ups aren’t a huge game changer here thanks to the existence of Arkanoid, and Breakout is just never going to play as well as it needs to without a paddle or spinner controller of some sort. Fans of the original or the Recharged line as a whole won’t be disappointed, but those looking for a good brick breaker can probably find better options on the Switch.

The sad thing is that I kind of dig Death end re;Quest 2. I really got into the story, and while the battle mechanics got repetitive after a while, it never got so bad that I’d push someone away from playing it. Unfortunately, the JRPG portion of the game has such horrible performance problems that I have a lot of trouble recommending this version to anyone who has literally any other option. Even if all you have is a Switch, you’ll want to proceed with extreme caution. The biggest nightmare in this game doesn’t come from any gore or monsters, but rather from just how badly it runs on Switch.

When Maglam Lord is sticking to its visual novel elements, it’s rather enjoyable. You can choose your reactions and responses, building relationships and going on dates with the various other characters. The writing is decent, and the sense of humor is fun. Unfortunately, this is only half of the game. The other half is a somewhat dull action-RPG where you wander through uninteresting levels and engage in combat that turns out to be lacking in engagement. There’s an emphasis on grinding for materials to raise your strength, but nothing about the battles make this an enticing prospect. It’s not a very long game, but it feels absolutely interminable at times. Not without its charms, but hard to recommend on the whole.

Some of the voice acting could be better and a few of the puzzles have that usual adventure game problem of requiring some incredible leaps of logic, but generally speaking Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments does a wonderful job of making you feel like you are living the life of the gentleman detective himself. The cases are interesting to solve, and piecing things together really does make you feel clever. The actual overall narrative is somewhat lacking, but the moment-to-moment plot is compelling enough. The port to the Switch is solid, but you should as usual expect some lengthy loading times here and there. Fans of Sherlock Holmes or adventure games in general will likely enjoy what they get here.

I found the puzzles to be very satisfying to solve in Unforeseen Incidents. There are also a few minigames and action bits now and then to help keep you on your toes, some more welcome than others. The story digs around a bit too much in the trope bucket, but both the characters and the various sets are interesting enough to carry your attention. The topic matter hits a little differently today than it did when the game first released, which may be either a plus or a negative for you. The port to the Switch has been pulled off well, and it plays rather intuitively with a controller. If you’re looking for a good point-and-clicker, this is one game you should see coming.

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