Looking at it as a whole, Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny makes a couple of very strong steps forward but sacrifices much in the process. It feels like it’s building a foundation for the future, but like most games of that sort it also comes off as a bit weaker than would be preferred. In some ways, it’s a game I’d like to recommend to Disgaea newcomers. It’s certainly more accessible than some previous entries. On the other hand, it runs horribly on the Switch, the story is entirely forgettable, and I think you’ll find a considerably better value overall in picking up Disgaea 1 Complete or Disgaea 5 Complete. As good as it is to see a new game in the series, Disgaea 6 feels a bit undercooked.

The art style is cute, the music couldn't be better, and the game is built on a funny (yet entirely cliche) premise.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake looks and sounds like a modern game, but it very much plays like something from the PlayStation 2 era. Fortunately, it plays like a good 3D platformer from that era. I think fans of the show or the classic SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom will be satisfied with this effort, while those hoping for something grander may be unimpressed. It’s good enough to be worth playing for fans of 3D platforming games, even if it may not thrill those who aren’t so into the genre.

Battle Blasters does feature same-device simultaneous multiplayer, but that doesn't work so well due to the physical constraints of playing on a single 3.5" screen.

The mini-games in the iPad version will have same device multiplayer for up to four players, which should make for some hectic fun in between solving puzzles. Until that time though, the iPhone version of Bumps is a blast, and is recommended if you're looking a new puzzler with some unique ideas.

If you've enjoyed these types of games before, Castle Frenzy is worth serious consideration.

Where Tractor Trails really nails the fun factor is in its simplistic, yet rewarding gameplay. A game that you can pick-up and play for a few minutes or up to a few hours is still rare, so it's nice to see that Tractor Trails stays as fun as it should long after you've started.

If you're looking for a game that will keep you rapt for hours, Mr. Dreamer isn't it. When you need something to fill a brief, daydreamy break, though, it does a wonderful job.

It's not just unique, Breath of Light is pushing boundaries in terms of what a game can or should be and is definitely worth a look.

If you like your Warhammer, then, or you're just itching for a good turn-based strategy game on your iPad, give Warhammer 40K: Armaggedon a try.

PixWing is utterly gorgeous, and the production values are fantastic. Seriously, I fell in love with the look of this game from the first screenshot I saw, and the fact that you get to dig in and explore the world is an amazing experience.

So, Telltale has another hit on its hands, and as long as you have even the slightest interest in the character of Michonne, you should definitely be playing this miniseries.

With some improvements on the technical side, Warhammer 40,000: Bowgun would be a game I’d recommend to any first-person shooter fan. As it is, it’s still a lot of fun, but you’re going to have to deal with fits of jerky controls, audio stutters, and varying framerates. Those who have come to get used to gyro aiming might also be frustrated by its absence here. Nothing that can’t be tweaked with some patches, but here and now the Switch version is enjoyable but hard to recommend over playing Boltgun on another platform.

If you skipped ONE PIECE ODYSSEY on its debut platforms, the Switch version with all DLC included is an easy recommendation for those who like One Piece. The DLC included makes this a better value proposition as well. I enjoyed the game before already, but it was great revisiting it in a very good conversion for Nintendo’s hybrid system. We need more ports like this and Ace Combat 7 from Bandai Namco Entertainment.

A flawed but admirable port of a game that fundamentally isn't touch-friendly. If you're still on the fence, just know that this game requires commitment. There's gold here, but Baldur's Gate keeps its treasure for the dedicated and does not tolerate dabblers.

I find Layton's Mystery Journey to be a must-have adventure. It makes so much sense as a mobile game that I can't believe it took more than ten years for this to happen. The puzzles are good, the story is interesting, and the presentation is outstanding. Even without buying any of the DLC, the game is stuffed to the gills with content. If this is the level of commitment we can expect from Level 5 on mobile going forward, I'm pretty excited for their future releases. I'll tip my top hat to this kind of quality any day of the week.

Overall this is a surprisingly well constructed game and nitpicks aside, you owe it to yourself to dig into the game and ask why aren't there more big name Poke-clones out there.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun – Forges of Corruption keep the party rolling with a set of new stages that show off a slightly different design intent than those of the original. The new weapons and enemies are appreciated, and the level design makes the most of both. I do wish there was something more interesting going on visually here, and the difficulty curve isn’t as smooth as it was in the base game. Still, those looking for more Boltgun challenges to tackle will find them here.

At least for me, the freemium systems are well worth wading through to enjoy what I think is the most complete Sims experience yet that we have on mobile.

As adventure games go, Another Code: Recollection is a good one even if I don’t think it quite reaches the level of great. Fans of the originals will likely be thrilled with this, as I don’t think anyone expected any of CING’s works to get this kind of treatment. Newcomers looking for a decent adventure game will find one here, complete with some clever puzzles that occasionally get a bit too clever. It didn’t change my mind on Another Code, but I don’t think it was really supposed to do that anyway.

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.

It might not blow (ha!) your mind if you're tired of the runner genre by now, but AdvenChewers had enough heart and variety to keep me interested for quite some time.

I definitely recommend checking out Monster Hunter Now if you’ve enjoyed the recent entries in the series or are a newcomer looking to see what Monster Hunter is all about with the lowest barrier of entry. In its current state, it isn’t as deep as proper console and PC Monster Hunter games, but it does its job at giving you bite-sized hunting action on the go when you’re out and about with a lot of love put in for Monster Hunter. I hope the combat gets more depth through updates, but I’m pleased with the launch state of Monster Hunter Now and will be playing it regularly and checking out updates whenever new content is added.

It takes a bit of patience to get over the initial learning curve, but once you do, you'll find it hard to put down.

Star Trucker surprised me with its blend of truck simulation and its setting in a way I didn’t think was possible. This feels like a game catering to what I enjoy a lot in automobile simulation and exploration games. While it might not be for everyone, I’ve enjoyed playing Star Trucker quite a bit ever since I got review code on Steam Deck. I hope the developers optimize it a bit more for Valve’s handheld though.

At the end of the day, Pirate Legends is a terrifically fun game, its biggest hindrance being what seems like an excessive paywall (for your Flying Aces).

I enjoyed Diamond and Pearl back in the day, I enjoyed Platinum a little while later, and I enjoyed Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl here and now. It hits the notes most would want from a Pokemon game, and with this being a remake and Legends being right around the corner, I think its conservative approach can be forgiven.

Pickpawcket succeeds where it counts, with challenging gameplay that rarely dips into frustration.