A Highland Song is another winner from inkle, and despite being a complete genre shift from 80 Days it has a lot of the same things going for it. It’s a beautiful game to be sure, and the writing is both meaningful and a pleasure to parse. But the gameplay itself uses what are fairly basic mechanics to create a surprisingly complex journey, one that offers so many secrets and branching paths that you’ll almost certainly want to play through it again the minute you arrive at the conclusion for the first time. A real joy, in every sense of the word.

Ghostrunner 2 ended up surprising me. While I wasn’t too pleased with the opening levels initially, it ended up hooking me quite a bit throughout, and I love how it feels on Steam Deck. This will likely be the only portable version of the game for a long time now, so I’m glad the team at One More Level made it such a great experience on both Steam Deck and PS5.

A fresh take on two classic formulas with hours of content that should please the puzzle fans out there.

If you love platformers, you have to pick this beauty up. It really is a standout in all categories. The only possible turn off I can see is the difficulty, but maybe that's just a fine excuse to bone up on your skills. Get that itchy trigger finger ready and come out of the gate with guns blazing, and you should do just fine.

Throwing Chuck into danger is a great pastime, even if we're the ones that suffer when he fails. As the game deepens in difficulty, there's a real satisfaction to be found in slipping around the opposition, taking them out when they're not looking.

If you're interested in classic games, especially fantasy and/or strategy games, Lords of Midnight is a must-have. On the other hand, if you are an action gamer whose idea of "old school" is Goldeneye 64, you'll want to give this one a pass.

If you loved the Mikey games, you owe it to yourself to check this out, especially since the original Mos Speedrun [$0.99] was a fantastic game that heavily inspired that franchise.

It’s a little hard to deal with initially, but the game is forgiving enough with its difficulty options that you should be able to get the ropes sooner or later. Once you do, it’s tremendous fun. All up it’s not the longest game around, but you certainly won’t regret the time you spend with it.

Might & Magic – Clash of Heroes: Definitive Edition doesn’t add very much to the original game, but it was already a strong game that stands for itself quite well in modern times. Dotemu has done a capable job of bringing it to the Switch, and it fits the platform almost as well as it fit the Nintendo DS. If you’re looking for a cool new puzzle game that offers both a substantial single-player mode and enjoyable multiplayer gameplay, you’ll likely be quite satisfied with what this game has to offer.

There’s just enough flexibility in Fly Together! that various strategies can work, and whipping your team together to find a winning one for each new challenge is great fun.

If you’re looking for a cool action game and have both sharp reflexes and considerable patient, you’ll want to consider Sifu. It’s a lot of fun to learn, and while you will probably take your fair share of lumps, it’s all in service to getting your skills to the level they need to be to take you through the game. Once you’ve got everything down, it makes you feel like you’re Neo at the end of the good Matrix movie. Dodging and weaving around attacks that used to knock you out, and landing that vital counter-attack that sends your former tormentor flying, is the kind of feeling that hard games aim to deliver. And Sifu does indeed deliver.

At the very least, you should start with the original Trails of Cold Steel, something that isn’t possible on Switch right now. But when I think of all of the time and effort you’d have to put in to get to the ideal state to enjoy this game, all I can conclude is that it’s probably not worth it. If you’ve come this far, by all means: this is an ending, and you might as well experience it. But had I known back in the day how it all would turn out, I’m not sure I would have gotten into Cold Steel in the first place. I was really hoping for something better than “well, it’s fine". Well… it’s fine.

Children of the Sun is fantastic. Not only does it encourage replays to climb up the leaderboards, but it is exactly what I want to see from Devolver Digital with its vibe and awesome gameplay. I hope it does well while also coming to consoles in the future. Right now, it is a perfect fit for Steam Deck and shines on the OLED screen. Don’t skip this one.

A great game to pick up if you are bored of other match three games but don't want to give up on the genre.

Definitely one of the best virtual pet games I've played, largely in part due to how much it utilizes Plus+ for building relationships between dogs. It adds a completely unexpected level of depth and complexity to the game that will likely keep me playing it for quite some time.

It might sound a bit like this is a case of style over substance, but while House of Mice's wrapper is certainly its most delicious part, the gameplay inside still gets by as an enjoyable, easy to grasp concept that offers enough of a challenge to keep it interesting.

If you're willing to roll the dice on Bean's Quest and the developers following through with their update plans, Bean's Quest is an effortless recommendation.

Whether you have reason to be nostalgic for Gridrunner or not, it's worth checking out. It's a best-of-both-worlds sort of remake: faithful to its forebearers but filled with clever modern enhancements. If you're dead-set on believing that the original is best, you can go ahead and play that instead.

Amoebattle succeeds wonderfully at creating a touch-based RTS for iOS. When you take into account the deep gameplay, beautiful visuals (iPad-retina compatible, no less) and approachable control scheme, Amoebattle is a title well worth checking out and joins the short list of great iOS RTS titles.

Hairy Tales is still an enjoyable puzzler and a great example of how to integrate a variety of puzzle elements with real-time action, all in a title wrapped in a fantastical weird shell. Suffice to say, puzzle fans should take heed at this latest addition, as I don't think you'll be disappointed.

So if you want faster progression without setbacks, well, Noodlecake is happy to take your money.

Smile For Me is a unique experience, and one that adventure game fans looking for something a little different should really enjoy.

Barring the few features I’d like to see in potential patches, Venba delivered in spades, and I can’t wait to see what Visai Games works on next. Venba is a great 1 hour or so long experience that will definitely have you salivating at some of the food while probably thinking of your own family or friends while playing.

World of Horror would’ve been an easy 5/5 if it had touchscreen support on Switch or had better controller support on the platform. Barring that, I have no hesitation in calling this a must-play horror game if you enjoy the genre and are up to try something interesting. Right now, World of Horror is amazing, but I really wish it controlled better.

It's incredible how well this game was handled, as playing it on a Retina Display feels identical to any other platform.

Dungeon Encounters is not going to be for everyone. It’s not even going to be for most. But if you relish the idea of a challenging, no-frills dungeon crawl with a familiar yet slightly novel battle system, a game that cuts the genre right down to its gameplay skivvies? This is it. I can’t imagine a better realization of such an objective, no matter how niche a target it may be. Maybe if it had better music. Just be warned that the game may well bring you closer to spiking your controller than you’ve been in a while.

This unique sphere-tossing game has awesome cube-explosions, and that's always worth paying for.

This isn't a game for the easily defeated, but if you're willing to persevere then Stardash will leave you well rewarded.

Playing this game may even tell you something about your own character. How confident and greedy are you – will you gamble for the high score, or flip?

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.

Bakeru is a highly endearing little 3D platformer, one with a well-polished design and lots of fun ideas to spice things up during its relatively lengthy adventure. It really commits to its bit, and that part of it is almost infectious. Some framerate issues keep this from being all it could be on Switch, and I think people who come into this expecting Goemon are going to be disappointed by the fact that it’s not even trying to be that, but otherwise this is a highly-recommended title to close out your summer with.

Sword & Soldiers might be shackled to side-scrolling RTS convention, but it's smart and vibrant where it counts.

Hitman GO is one of those unique games that takes the name of a popular series, sticks it onto a game that is not at all similar to its namesake, and winds up being good.

So, if you're going in fresh to this series or love Deus Ex, don't hesitate to check it out. Otherwise, if you wait for a sale on this I won't judge you, though it's still a well-made game

An excellent arcade shooter.

Push-Cars' stylized maps add a lot of charm. You get a sense of looking down at the actual cities, but they fit in nicely with the game's cartoonish art.

If you want a game where you can just run around and shoot a bunch of gooey mutants, and enjoy doing so, check out Xenowerk. You won't be disappointed.

It's a solid experience that I'm amused by, and am curious to see what they do with new levels, because the game explores so much of its concept as it is.

If you were ever going to shell out for a iOS game that is premium to its core, you want to do it for one that earns it with stellar gameplay, stylish presentation and just the right dash of nostalgia. Dandara connects all of those dots the same way it gets you leaping from point to point, and there's a good chance you're going to be spending plenty of time with it if you give it a shot.

While the Switch performance isn’t perfect, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a ton of fun throughout my time with Prodeus on Nintendo Switch. I love being able to sync across Steam Deck, my laptop, and Nintendo Switch thanks to the in-game account, and having access to the complete experience with no compromises on the content side on Nintendo Switch makes this an essential for first-person shooter fans. Games like Prodeus and DUSK are absolutely gems that you owe it to yourself to play if you, like me, enjoyed Doom back in the day. Now I just need a vinyl soundtrack announced to go alongside the physical release coming.

If you don’t have access to an iPad or just want to play Company of Heroes with a controller, the Switch version is superb value with its excellent conversion. My favorite portable version remains the iPad, but there’s no denying how good Company of Heroes feels on Switch in this conversion.

Tapper World Tour contains a ton of content, with more than 40 levels in Story mode and an additional 50+ expert levels when Story is completed.

It’s a bit point-and-click adventure, a bit puzzle game, and a bit walking simulator. The story takes you on a real ride, but the gameplay itself is rather relaxed. As long as you’re not expecting too much on the mechanical end of things, you’ll probably find yourself as engrossed in Embracelet as I was.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is verified on Steam Deck by Valve, and it is absolutely worth your time if you’ve never played it before. If you have, I wouldn’t recommend it at full price. You’re better off waiting for a sale and a few patches (if you play on Windows).

There’s little to complain about with Shadow Blade. It’s a great action platformer with smooth controls and plenty of that Ninja goodness.

It's a great looking, quick-paced game that is perfectly suited to the App Store, and shouldn't require much thought to pick up for those interested in strategic and competitive multiplayer puzzlers.

Great Little War Game is the kind of game you can really sink your teeth into, which is rare enough. So I'm delighted to discover that it's also rich in features, good looking and full of humor.

As far as built-for-mobile action RPGs go, Reaper is worth every free second you have - if you find yourself enjoying what you see from the freemium period. The beauty of free-to-try is… you get to see for yourself. My job is then to tell you what comes after.

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.

There's some rough edges to Space Grunts, but a lot of that can just be attributed to a unique feel that Orangepixel has and that I wouldn't necessarily want to go away. And the overall product is a really cool blend of different styles.

Notching up the intensity of the virtual battlefield carnage are the encouraging quips of your in-game crew, consisting of the voices of both Jon St. John (the voice of Duke Nukem) and Jeff Straub.

Add tight and responsive touch controls to a list that includes fabulous art design, awesome music, a new twist on an old mechanic, and the ability to bring in your own tracks and you end up with an experience easily worth your time and money.

Rebuild probably won't satisfy fans of intensely deep strategy, but for anyone interested in a few hours of light strategy fun, it's quite the catch.

And I mean that in the most endearing way possible, this is a game that shouldn't be as much fun as it is but it's just so wonderful.

If you ever wanted to play a ruthlessly social AND tactical strategy game on iOS, this is it.

Another Lost Phone is worth playing because it does broach the kinds of topics we don't usually see in mobile games but we see and hear about every day. Some may disagree about the potential of mobile games as a tool for social awareness, but since these devices are usually implicated in all kinds of unpleasantness, I think it's appropriate that they also be used as a way to remedy the issues they can often create.

If you like logic puzzles, you’ll probably have a good time with Railbound. It’s a very focused game, but it has enough twists to keep things fresh through its rather generous amount of stages. The striking comic-style art and the little sounds of everything clacking together when you get it right only add to the game’s considerable amount of personality. All in all, a rather lovely little game that is nice to sit down with and puzzle out when you’ve got a spare hour or two.

While there are some small technical issues here that are atypical for a Nightdive release, it’s nothing that should keep you from digging into this excellent remaster of Star Wars: Dark Forces. The old-school charms of the game are given just enough of a boost to make it a blast to play even in the current year, even if some aspects like the save system are perhaps a bit too old-school. Overall, another fine effort from Nightdive and yet another solid Star Wars release on the Switch.

Those who are looking for a ton of gameplay hours for their buck might find Natsu-Mon a little lighter than they’re after. It’s really the only caution I have to offer here. Otherwise, this is an excellent example of the kind of game it’s trying to be. If you want to transport back to a childhood you never had, there’s no better way to do it this summer. It really grabs on to you and carries you along at its pace, despite the whole game being structured around you doing things at your own speed. I really love this game, and I hope we keep seeing more of these in the future.

While it probably won't blow you away, Tap & Blast is a great free game that will easily last you an afternoon. It has a sense of style, great controls, and a good amount of variety to keep you interested. My chief complaint is that it would have been a much better offering as a premium app rather than the heavy IAP scheme it employs now, but considering how fun the game is, it's worth wading through.

Thankfully, Dig Dog's sessions are short enough that digging back into the game when failure hits is never frustrating. And the mechanics are designed well enough that failure feels like it's my fault, and not the game. It's hard to get stuck, or get into a bad situation that wasn't a result of you being reckless. The monochromatic visual style does mean that some enemies can hide in the world, but this is an intentional effect. It's a simple but slick look for the game. If you're ready to die a lot, and git gud, well, Dig Dog is the game for you.

Rainbow Billy isn’t the most difficult of games, but its clever combat and compelling structure kept me engaged through the course of the surprisingly lengthy adventure. The exploration and puzzles are enjoyable, figuring out how to defeat each enemy is amusing, and there are a lot of collectibles and secrets to track down. The writing is solid but can feel excessively positive at times, which I understand is an odd complaint. Still, even if the cloying prose doesn’t do it for you, there’s enough going on here in the gameplay department to make it worth your while.

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.

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.

Magnetic Billiards' free-to-play model is pretty much perfect.

Honestly, I was not expecting to like Snowboard Party 2 as much as I did. I didn’t think that carving through snow would be anything but frustrating with a touchscreen, but I was (mostly) proven wrong.

It's a little on the shorter side, and its board design leans a bit heavily on the same particularly type of skill shot, but overall, it's still a solid experience that is greatly elevated by its excellent presentation. Given that it's basically free, it's hard to come up with reasons why you shouldn't at least give it a try.

In its current state, Company of Heroes 3 is an easy recommendation with the caveat about non standard controls. While you could always use a mouse and keyboard to play it on Steam Deck, I’m impressed with the community layouts, and have enjoyed Company of Heroes 3 quite a bit thanks to one specific layout I used. I assume we will get proper controller support when it hits consoles later this year. Until then, Company of Heroes 3 on Steam Deck is a solid base, and I’m glad that it didn’t fall short of my expectations like Age of Empires IV did at launch.

Solomon's Boneyard doesn't claim to be anything but what it is, an endless survival-style version of Solomon's Keep.

Cassette Beasts on Switch isn’t perfect right now, but it is a superb monster collecting game that does many things better than the genre kings. It excels with its style, music, and gameplay, and is a game I hope gets a physical release soon. I’m looking forward to trying the DLC when it does launch on Switch.

Spooklands does a lot more with its concept than it really has any right to do – the game is spectacularly designed, and a ton of fun to play, even while fighting for every last point. This is a must-play arena shooter.

If endless games are your thing, you'll definitely want to check out ALONE.

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.

While the lack of voice acting is something that really disappointed me with how good other aspects are, I still recommend The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story to anyone looking for a quality action RPG with great music and lovely pixel art. As someone who loves Moonlighter, I hope Digital Sun keeps delivering on games like it and The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story going forward.

Ray’z Arcade Chronology is a fantastic collection of a slightly mixed trilogy of shooters. If you’re a fan of the Ray games, then buy this with full confidence. M2 has done a terrific job as usual. Shooter fans will also likely get their thrills thanks to the online leaderboards and achievements. If you’re totally new to Ray and are only a modest fan of the genre, I’d give this a slightly softer recommendation, but I still believe you’ll find something to like here.

I need more time to see it through, but Black Myth: Wukong is an impressive action RPG with fantastic music, great visuals, and one I want to replay on console after Steam Deck. It is surprisingly playable on Valve's handheld already, and I imagine things will only improve with updates and once both Valve and Game Science optimize it for the hardware. I'm curious to see how the PS5 version feels when I get access to it.

The bottom line is that Legend of Solgard is free and the mechanics and polish are all top-notch, and the game loop quite compelling, so there’s no reason not to give it a shot yourself and see which side of the fence you end up on.

Getting through Another World is not a cakewalk; it's a difficult and challenging game.

All that's missing is a good story.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is another strong Warriors game for the Switch, and it certainly holds up on the technical end a lot better than Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity did even if it’s not perfect. The heavier lean on RPG and strategic elements compared to the usual Warriors game helps it feel more like a Fire Emblem game even if the nuts-and-bolts action is pure Warriors fare. If you loved Three Houses and want to spend more time with its cast, this is a great way to do so, and if you’re fan of the general Warriors series you’ll also find plenty to get into here.

Pacific offers nearly everything you need for an enjoyable and deep tower defense game.

Fire Emblem Engage is a more single-minded entry in the series than we’ve seen in a while. A lot of the things people may have loved about Three Houses don’t return here, and the battles are left to carry the load. The more focused design is by choice and I respect that, but it didn’t mean the characters and story had to be as diminished as they are. It’s fortunate that the battle mechanics ratchet things up this time, with the new Emblem system and the returning weapon triangle adding compelling strategic layers. Fans of the tactical aspect at the core of Fire Emblem will find a lot to like, but it’s a shame that the overall package isn’t as strong.

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.

Despite the combat being a bit repetitive, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a highly enjoyable experience on the whole. The presentation is distinct and fantastically-realized, the story is well-written and genuinely interesting, and the moment-to-moment gameplay is solid. Action-heads looking for their next challenge aren’t going to get what they’re after here, but both fans of adventure games and the Bayonetta characters and world should be more than satisfied.

Neutronized has just made a remarkably clever game that could have just coasted on its pixel art. That they also nailed a really cool take on retro-style gameplay along with the aesthetic makes this the first must-have of 2015.

RCT 3 is a great strategy simulation game that gives you plenty of freedom to build the park of your dreams (and of your visitors' nightmares).

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.

Overall Tangle Tower is great and very enjoyable. The story is well done and will always have you guessing who the killer might be, the controls are very simple which leaves you to investigate rather than fumble around, and the atmosphere helps to draw you in. All of that coupled with the superb voice-acting found in almost every action in the game will surely leave you satisfied with your time. I for one am excited to see what comes next.

Provided you don’t mind the fact that Nuclear Blaze ends just when it feels like it’s really getting going, this is an enjoyable action game I wouldn’t be shy about boosting. It looks good, plays well, has a lot of clever ideas, and really great pacing. There are some moments of frustration, but they’re fleeting and add texture to the experience. I wish there were more to it, but that’s really mainly down to how much I like what is already here.

While it isn’t without its faults, Promenade is a game that generally impressed me. As obvious as the idea of doing a 2D take on a 3D collectathon is, doing so successfully is another matter entirely. That this game has managed it without stumbling too much speaks to its quality. It’s one of those cases where if you think the idea sounds good to you, you’ll probably enjoy the results.

It's hard not to love Lili. Like the character, the game can be obnoxious at times. But it's so pretty, so well-written, so cleverly designed on the whole that complaining feels a lot like nitpicking.

I won’t belabor the point here. Freedom Planet 2 takes everything Freedom Planet did right and does it better, while also making sure to improve on the things it didn’t do well. It’s still not a perfect game by any means, and it can’t quite escape the orbit of Sonic the Hedgehog. But maybe it doesn’t have to? Maybe it isn’t meant to? Perhaps it’s just fine if it’s a really great riff on Sonic‘s gameplay. It knows what it wants to be and executes on that amazingly well. If you like 2D platformers, you’ll want to put this game on your shopping list.

Personally, I'm completely hooked on 1-bit Ninja, and if you think you're able to accept some of the design decisions in the game and you're a fan of its retro aesthetics, then I'd definitely recommend checking it out.

Dissembler is one of those puzzle games that just feels good to play around with, but it backs that simple joy with a solid spate of puzzles and gameplay modes. Unlike this developer's previous games, I think this one is welcome to players of a variety of skill levels, too. If you're looking for a mellow puzzle game that will help pass the time without making extra demands on your wallet, you'll likely be quite pleased with what Dissembler has to offer.

My biggest issue with the game, as I’ve said, is undoubtedly how much less clear it is with how traffic behaves than in Mini Metro, and how upgrades like the traffic light are supposed to help. I’m not ready to definitively say Mini Metro is better, though–it might just mean that Mini Motorways is a deeper game that I haven’t fully cracked yet. As it stands now, it’s still incredibly addicting and satisfying to play and very beautiful to look at and listen to. Even with the few problems I had, it’s certainly a top-tier Apple Arcade exclusive that shouldn’t be overlooked by fans of the original or newcomers to the series.

If you already played Norn9: Var Commons on PS Vita, I don’t think this is worth grabbing at full price, especially since it costs more than the PS Vita original did back in 2015. If you skipped it, Norn9: Var Commons on Nintendo Switch is the best version not only for its features, but also its localization. This is definitely a nice way to get Switch players into Norn9 while we are waiting for Norn9: Last Era.

Despite some performance issues on Switch compared to the PC version I played, a nice gyro control implementation helps elevate the Fashion Police Squad experience on Nintendo Switch. It is an easy recommendation for anyone looking to try out a unique take on the boomer shooter subgenre.

What Tales from Deep Space provides is a lot of puzzle-platforming fun, albeit not as a perfect package.