The controls are responsive and well-suited to touch devices, but more importantly, Kairo brings something fresh and unique to the platform -- there's nothing like it, to the best of my knowledge, on the App Store. We need more games like it.

Last Inua is a decent experience, it just feels like it could have been a lot more than that.

F1 2016 is a great game if you only want to do Time Trials but a pretty frustrating one if you like racing against the AI. Codemasters has always had a problem getting the AI to work right in its F1 games, so I'm not really surprised to see the AI in F1 2016 having all these issues.

There’s a certain spice missing that keeps this from being genuinely great, but it’s an enjoyable enough romp for fans of challenging platformers.

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.

Disney Speedstorm in its current state on Nintendo Switch is a great kart racer held back by confusing in-game monetization. I’ve enjoyed playing Disney Speedstorm online with friends and randoms on both platforms, but Gameloft needs to do a better job with how unlocks and progression works for those unfamiliar with free to play mobile games. There’s a lot of potential here and there’s definitely fun to be had even in the early access release, but I was hoping for more. [Early Access Provisional Score = 70]

Dungeons & Doomknights is a decent 8-bit adventure with its tongue planted so far into its cheek that it threatens to burst right through. Nami Tentou has done a nice job packaging it for the Switch, improving on its sometimes too-threadbare earlier efforts. Some collision issues and its tendency to go a little too over the top are the only real flies in this ointment, but those who can get into modern NES games will likely come away satisfied with this one.

I always thought Cricket Through the Ages was a great short experience that was a lovely addition to Apple Arcade. As a standalone paid game though, it is a bit harder to recommend unless you’re buying it to play as a hilarious party game with friends. Thankfully the low asking price makes it an easier pill to swallow, and the Switch port is very good. I do hope the developers add more to it though in potential updates.

Surmount ended up surprising me constantly, and I will be playing the daily challenge and getting back to it often on both Switch and Steam Deck often. If the premise sounds good to you, I recommend downloading the demo for sure. You will not regret it and the climbing mechanic is just so good.

While the idea of a smart-talking Pikachu who solves crimes is one that I think almost everyone can get behind, Detective Pikachu Returns is a game with narrower appeal. If you loved the first game and can accept that this is essentially a 3DS follow-up that fell between the couch cushions for a half-decade, you might enjoy this. If you have a Pokemon-loving kid, I think they’ll get a kick out of this entry-level adventure. Otherwise, this is harder to recommend to anyone with even the smallest amount of experience with the genre. Not everything aimed at a younger audience is going to work for us big kids, and I regrettably think this is one such case.

While the gameplay hasn't aged so well and there isn't an excessive amount of bells and whistles, the iOS X-Men is a totally decent conversion and an easy recommendation for fans of the original.

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.

Its visuals are easily top-tier, the story is intriguing and the combat system, while a bit monotonous, is still engaging (particularly with a controller). Most importantly, it’s fun, and I think it’s worth playing simply for the visuals and story. Regardless, assuming you can handle the combat and violence, I highly recommend picking up.

For seven bucks you could purchase a handful of objects that instill the same sense of simple, gleeful play that The Amazing Spider-Man evokes at its very best, without any of the baggage. Like a an action figure. Or a jumping-jack.

At the end of the day, despite having to wade through some arguably murky IAP waters, 2K Drive is a ton of fun. It would have been a much stronger experience if it was just a premium game out of the gate, but despite a ton of confusion as to how you're supposed to actually unlock all the content, racing fans will most likely enjoy it.

If you're a Sonic fan that can deal with the differences from Sonic's '90s greatness, or if you just like fun platformers in general, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II has a lot to offer and is a worthy entry in this new era of classically-inspired Sonic games.

It's something that grognards, history buffs, and casual strategy gamers alike should be able to get into, and that's quite an accomplishment.

Quest of Dungeons is a very good roguelike and a fun game.

There are plenty of shooters to spend your time on, and although Tofu Hunter is a welcome free distraction for an afternoon, I wouldn't recommend giving it more time than that.

Colt Express is a great port of a fun game, and it's one that's very easy to recommend both to those who enjoy board games and to mobile gamers in general. The art is fantastic, the gameplay mechanics work great, and there's plenty of content to keep you playing the game for a long time to come.

Even in this improved form, Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue DX has a lot of rough edges that you’ll have to learn to accept if you want to enjoy it. It has a few small technical issues, a somewhat repetitive gameplay loop that feels like it needs a bit more spice for its runtime, and very tight timers that don’t always pair well with the procedurally-generated maps. Still, those tight timers can sometimes lead to a satisfying level of tension, especially when things really start to come apart and you make a last-minute escape. There’s a real charm to Firegirl, even if you’re going to get a little roasted in pursuit of it.

The price is a bit on the stiff side given the game is as brief as it was in the 16-bit era, but taken as a whole this is as it ever was: fun, feel-good, and something you’ll want to come back to now and then in the future.

In terms of its core mechanics, this is probably one of the better side-scrolling beat-em-ups I've played on iOS in a while, so the potential is there if the tech and balancing issues can be sorted out.

Ultimately this is one for diehard Monopoly fans only, who are in the market for a quick and dirty arcade version of the app they've undoubtedly already got on their iPhone or iPad. For anyone interested in a digitized board game, this is just too anemic and pandering to satisfy.

It's a really unique and artistic experience that's well suited to the platform. The crashing problem and the physics engine, however, can make it a bit of a chore to play, so we are hoping they can be tweaked in the updates.

As an overall experience, it doesn't offer much new to the table, but it does expand on the ideas of the original in a way that changes how you'll approach it.

Every element in Rogue Sky just seems to fit perfectly together. The mission-based gameplay and levels work well with the controls and are enhanced by the visuals and music.

While it gets the core gist of the Spelunky formula right, and does some rather cool things, the game suffers from its short development time, leading to a lack of variation in level designs. Also, the game just doesn't have the tight platformer feel necessary for what the demanding difficulty requires to give the player a good shot at succeeding.