CounterAttack: Uprising doesn’t offer the typical shoot-em-up appeal, nor does it lean into the roguelite end of the genre very much. It’s doing its own thing, and it’s doing it quite well. The core shooting action is pleasing and it never feels like you’re being deliberately hobbled to force a grind, but the absolutely massive list of ship modifications you can unlock still manage to feel meaningful enough to serve as proper rewards. There’s a lot to chew on here, and I think it has a lot to offer genre newcomers and veterans alike as a result.

Silent Hope isn’t going to light your world on fire or anything, but if you enjoy a good dungeon crawl action-RPG, it’s assuredly worth looking into. Its lack of any immediate fancy flourishes might make it seem forgettable at first, but give it time to unfold a little and I think you’ll appreciate the finer details of its design. It’s the kind of game that is all too easy to slip in and out of, and I like to keep at least a few games like that living on my Switch at all times.

If you enjoy mini-golf, pool, and have liked grapefrukt games’ past releases, this should be the easiest purchase you make all year. Even if you’ve never played a game by the developer, subpar pool is the perfect entry point into an amazing catalog of lovely games. I would like some sort of an in-game glossary for specific terms though, because a few challenges seem a bit vague requiring trial and error.

In its current state, I’m not happy about a new playable character being sold as paid DLC day one, but almost everything else The Lamplighters League does is very good. It has some camera issues in specific modes and I don’t care for the stealth implementation, but I ended up enjoying my time with The Lamplighters League on Steam Deck quite a bit. I’d recommend getting it on sale if you aren’t sure it is for you, but those who enjoy the developer’s prior work will find something very interesting here.

Lies of P feels like a greatest hits Souls cover album by a band that is amazing at improvising and making everything fit in perfectly. It feels like the closest you can get to an actual FromSoftware game by an external developer, and it is one of the best games of the year if you’re up for the challenge. Lies of P is polished, fun, and punishing through its levels and bosses with a gorgeous aesthetic. I want to see this team tackle more themes like Pinocchio in the future because they nailed it here, and it feels so good on Steam Deck.

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.

Cook, Serve, Delicious on Switch is an easy recommendation whether you’re new to the series, or curious about its origins as a newcomer. Once the touch controls can be improved, this will be my favorite version of this classic. I’m glad it finally got ported, and hope we get a physical trilogy release now.

Disgaea 7 picks things back up in a great way after the stumbling of the sixth installment. It’s a big silly game with a big silly heart, pulling you in with its approachable nature and then sending you down a deep, dark hole of systems to play with. Disgaea fans often spend hundreds of hours playing each game. Some of those games deserve that, and some perhaps don’t. This one? It’s worth spending a ton of time with, so long as you aren’t wholly burnt out on the franchise’s antics already.

If you enjoyed Jet Set Radio, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is the game for you. I wish it did a bit more to stand out, but we don’t really get many games like this, and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a polished and straight up fun experience with an amazing vibe and superb soundtrack. It is held back by some technical issues on Switch though.

Cocoon is brilliant. I genuinely cannot believe how much I enjoyed it, and somehow ended up liking it more than Limbo and Inside. If you have even the smallest interest in the game, I recommend not reading or watching anything and just giving it a chance. We may be near the end of the year, but this is another Game of the Year contender.

Barring some minor hiccups in performance, Trombone Champ is a true champ on Switch. It perfectly suits the system and the multiple control options, and is a joy to play. I know this year has been great for quality game releases, but if you own a Switch and want to try something interesting when it comes to music games, Trombone Champ is exactly what you need. I hope we get some Nintendo collaboration songs in the future as DLC.

There are some challenges with the UI in Crowns and Pawns on Switch, but you can get used to it for the most part over time. Once you do, this is a very enjoyable and satisfying point and click adventure game, with an interesting story, mostly well-designed puzzles, and a charming cast of characters. It’s worth checking out for fans of the genre, though if you have a computer it might be better to play there so you can use the mouse it was obviously designed for.

Days of Doom is a fine enough game that will keep your attention should you decide to dig into it. I think it’s priced a bit too high for what it is, but that’s down to the individual. The biggest problem with the game is that it just doesn’t have anything new to offer, and it’s not the kind of thing that really calls to you after you’ve managed to get through it once. Still, it’s decent enough. Nothing I would yell at you to run out and pick up immediately, but enjoyable all the same.

The occasional technical issues aren’t really enough to drag down the overall experience of Fate/Samurai Remnant, though. This is a really cool action-RPG that takes some elements that Omega Force has fully mastered and marries them to some enjoyable new mechanics, resulting in something that feels familiar and fresh at the same time. Throw in an engaging story from the folks at TYPE-MOON and you have a game that is very easy to recommend.

Overwatch 2 is a free to play game, and I’d definitely recommend trying it out if you haven’t to see how you feel about the gameplay and to see how well it runs on Steam Deck. Despite its flaws, it is still worth playing, but some of the decisions with how certain content has been handled in-game are weird. Overwatch 2 is yet to reach the highs of the original Overwatch, but it is still a great multiplayer game to play on Steam Deck. I enjoyed Overwatch 2 quite a bit on Switch despite the visual and performance cutbacks, but it really shines on Steam Deck.

If you already own Resident Evil 4 remake, the Separate Ways expansion DLC is essential. It is honestly one of the best value and quality DLC releases we’ve seen from Capcom in a long time. If you don’t own Resident Evil 4, now is a great time to play one of Capcom’s best remakes, and experience this incredible expansion. With the game and expansion, Capcom has delivered something beyond incredible for horror and action game fans.

Night Dive has done its usual great work bringing this classic forward with a wide array of settings and options so that you can tailor it to your preferences. and the game itself for all of its flaws is a genuinely good time to play through. If you’ve played DOOM and Duke3D and are looking for something from the same neighborhood, consider picking up Rise of the Triad to see another angle on the earlier years of the genre.

Sentry City has its moments, and I think a certain kind of player might get really into it. For my part, I found the slightly unresponsive controls and overall lack of variety made for an experience that was simultaneously agitating and a little dull. There’s some enjoyment to be had here, but you’re going to have to put up with a fair bit of nonsense to get at it.

Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai isn’t an outright terrible game, but I’m having trouble thinking of any scenario wherein a person would be satisfied with what it offers as a full-priced title. Its choice to be a story game with sprinkles of action perhaps could have worked, but the way that narrative is conveyed here simply lacks in satisfaction. I can only recommend this to the most die-hard of Dragon Quest fans, and even then I’d suggest proceeding with extreme caution.

If you skipped the original Norn9 release, play that first for sure. If you liked it or end up liking it, Norn9: Last Era is essential for all it adds to the universe. It really pushes the envelope for a fandisk and feels like a blend of that and a sequel release thanks to everything included. On its own, it is hard to recommend Norn9: Last Era, but fans of the original will find a lot to love here.

In its current state, Amanda the Adventurer on Switch is a good port, but I feel like the change to how you interact with preset options rather than inputting on a keyboard like in the PC version holds this back from its true potential. It is still a good game for fans of the genre with its way of presenting the story and involving the player, especially at its low asking price.

The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails is a fast-paced action-RPG with plenty of pick-up-and-play appeal, and one that fans of the genre won’t want to miss. The writing is sharp, the characters are interesting, the action is hot, and the boss battles are excellent. Fans of the middle era of Ys games in particular will want to put this at the front of their wishlist, as it does a great job of capturing the spirit of those feisty affairs.

Whateverland is an enjoyable point-and-click style adventure game that plays as well on Switch as anything designed around a mouse interface could. It’s not too difficult, though some of its many mini-games can be irritating. The setting and bizarre cast of characters are what carries this quest by and large, along with a strong, distinctive presentation. The two routes offer genuine replay value, though neither one feels like it reaches its full potential. Worth a pick-up for adventure game fans, and if you like the premise you’ll likely enjoy how it delivers on it.

As with the first game, Slaps & Beans 2 isn’t a very good brawler. But that doesn’t matter that much, because it’s a very good Bud Spencer & Terence Hill game. That is its true target, and it reaches it effortlessly. If you love the duo and their movies, it’s an easy game to recommend. Likewise, your enjoyment of the first game will almost perfectly predict how you feel about this sequel. There are rough edges and flaws all over the place, and if you go into it with a critical eye you won’t have to look far to find faults. There’s just something fun about its energy that I simply cannot deny, however.

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 4 originally came out eight years ago, and I imagine at the time it might have been nice to see any signs of life from the series. But since we’re this many years down the road without any follow-up, there’s no need to pretend this has any chance of being a Hail Mary that saves Ty and brings us the game we really want. This is a thoroughly average 2D platformer in every sense of the word, and while my mind can conjure up far worse things, I still can’t recommend this with any vigor at all.

As a newcomer to Baten Kaitos, I’m glad Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster exists so I could finally play these games, but I hope Bandai Namco can iron out the few annoying issues holding it back. The quality of life features are welcome, but the unstable performance is disappointing. This release is definitely worth your time if you’re interested in the games though. Motoi Sakuraba’s soundtracks are also superb here.

Given the amount of games in the genre hitting Switch lately, Paleo Pines does enough to stand out with its dinosaur and ranching elements. After a few patches iron out some of the performance issues, Paleo Pines will be an easier recommendation, though it is quite good even in its current state. The relaxed pace and ease of play make this a great entry point game for a younger audience as well.

Storyteller remains a short (well not as short as before this update), but great experience that I recommend to anyone looking to experience something only possible through the medium of games. The puzzles or trial and error in some situations may not be for everyone, but this is a great addition to Netflix’s growing games catalog on mobile. If you do own Storyteller on Switch or Steam, this update elevates it quite a bit, and you need to revisit it.