Super Adventure Hand is a quirky platformer that is well-suited to fans of the genre looking for something a little bit different. Those who demand precision or are easily frustrated might find the game vexing, and if you’re looking for visual treats you’ll find little to chew on here. If, on the other hand, you’re in the mood for a platformer that plays around with physics and refuses to take itself too seriously, this might be up your alley.

Cyber Citizen Shockman 2 is, to me, clearly more enjoyable to play than the first game. The problem is that to get there it had to ditch everything unique about its predecessor, and it still ended up being a rather middling affair. Was it worth it? I’m not sure. That’s a question for the past. Here in the present, the question is whether this rerelease is worth it for you. It’s too different from the first for me to fall back on the reliable “if you liked the other one, you’ll like this" spiel. So instead I’ll rely on the old faithful “this one is really only there for the students of gaming history, and those who have nostalgia for it". I’m glad Ratalaika is releasing these, but they’re hard to recommend in the modern age.

Ultimately, The Teal Mask isn’t going to change anyone’s mind about Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. If you were able to get past the technical flaws of the base games, you’ll probably enjoy yourself well enough here. The main story isn’t as good and there’s something lost with the more linear structure, but the photography is fun and the basic loop of Pokemon remains as entertaining as ever. We’ll have to see how the second part of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero goes to make any final judgements, but for now this is really just for those who loved their time with Scarlet & Violet and want to keep the good times rolling.

Worth checking out if you’ve played the developer’s other releases and want more. I just wish the in-game mechanics were better explained for newcomers, and that the systems were a bit more polished to make the game hit the quality I expect from Experience Inc.

If you skipped on Solar Ash back in 2021 or 2022, the Switch version is a fine way to experience it. The game itself remains the same, albeit with a good handheld conversion for Switch. While Solar Ash isn’t as amazing as Hyper Light Drifter, Heart Machine fans will find a lot to love here despite the visual cutbacks. Now we just need a physical release.

Right now, I like Gloomhaven‘s digital console release a lot despite the few issues, but would not recommend it on Switch if you have access to another platform. It isn’t terrible on Switch, but the cutbacks to visuals, longer load times, and interface issues are exacerbated in the Switch release. Maybe some of this can be improved with patches, but right now it isn’t good enough to be the sole way you experience Gloomhaven. This is a fine additive release to an existing version of Gloomhaven you play so you have an option to also play it on the go until we get an iPad version.

AK-xolotl blends aspects of Nuclear Throne and Enter the Gungeon together with its own charm to be something that has a lot of potential, but it feels a bit lacking in its current state when it comes to balance. It is a lot of fun despite that, but I think it will be a lot better once some of its updates hit.

Mortal Kombat 1 is an excellent fighting game that managed to surpass Mortal Kombat 11 in almost every way, but I’d avoid getting it on Steam Deck unless you’re ok with 30fps gameplay. The game itself has smart improvements over the prior entry, and the story mode might be NetherRealm’s best one yet, but the online feels dated right now. Having now played it on Steam Deck, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch, I’d recommend getting it on Xbox Series X for sure, but avoiding it on Switch. The Steam Deck version is Verified by Valve, but I don’t think it is worthy of that badge right now. I’ll be revisiting it after a few updates, but my recommendation for the game on Steam Deck has a big 30fps caveat right now.

Ultimately, despite the cute premise, Isekai Rondo is playing a very familiar tune for anyone who has played an EXE-Create RPG or two. Is that a problem? Well, not really. Reliability, frequency, and affordability seem to be KEMCO’s trusted companions, and it must be working or else it wouldn’t keep on that path. A thoroughly mediocre RPG, but maybe that’s what you’re after today.

Great puzzles, good atmosphere, lots of fun with a friend, but the technical issues have an obvious impact on the enjoyment of those good points.

Apart from some mild unpleasantness with some of the secrets that involved juggling items, I can’t really find anything negative to say about Curse Crackers: For Whom the Belle Toils. If you like platformers, pick it up. You’ll have a fantastic time with it, I’m virtually certain. The mark of a great platformer comes from how good it feels to play, and this is among the best of them.

This is a very fun action-platformer with excellent mechanics and some interesting twists that will at times have you laughing and other times have you reeling in shock. It has some bugs that the developer will probably fix, and you can feel some unrealized potential in various aspects as the game runs its course. But if you come to it because of the idea of a game built around an umbrella that is also a gun, I can promise you won’t likely be disappointed with what you get.

Right now, I’d only recommend NBA 2K24 on Steam Deck if you skipped the last year or two of games. If you haven’t played these games in a while, NBA 2K24 runs and looks great on Steam Deck, and is a fun basketball game to play. The push to virtual currency in specific game modes definitely holds this back, alongside the lack of new modes and features on PC. Hopefully NBA 2K25 on PC will see it finally get the full feature set. Right now, I’d recommend NBA 2K24 more on Xbox Series X (or PS5) than PC, but the PC version plays great on Steam Deck if you’re after a great portable experience.

General fans of the genre can find many better games to choose from simply due to how much of a sea change there has been since 2009 in this genre, and most of those choices are cheaper to boot. Those interested in playing a Rune Factory game would probably be better served checking out Rune Factory 4 Special or Rune Factory 5. That mainly leaves those who are interested in exploring the past, those who have devoured all of the other good farming games, and people with a lot of specific nostalgia for this entry. If you find yourself in one or more of those groups, then sure, you could do a lot worse than this.

If you’re looking for another game that will do for you what Steins;Gate did, I regret to say that I don’t think that will be Anonymous;Code. Once you get past that, this is a really slick visual novel that will take you on a sharply-written science-fiction adventure that will leave you twisted in knots. Its relatively speedy pace will appeal to many, and while its characters and central interactive aspect aren’t as good as one might hope, Anonymous;Code is still a superb story that is more than worth experiencing.

The Top Hat Club feels like it fell out of a different era of the App Store, for better or worse. Mostly better, but I sure do wish that “worse" wasn’t there. It’s a fun platformer with clever stage designs and a fair bit of charm, and while it won’t last a long time it will absorb your attention well until the end. Some touch control issues and minor UI scrapes kept it from knocking my socks off completely, but given the highly reasonable price and everything else it has going for it, I think I can recommend this to mobile platformer fans.

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.

If you enjoyed the prior AKIBA’S TRIP game on Switch, this one is a lot better not only in its gameplay, but also in port quality. If you already played or own AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead & Undressed on another platform, I’d grab the DLC for the low asking price rather than buying the whole game again on Switch unless of course you want to replay it. This is a great way to own the complete game with DLC on cartridge though from a preservation point of view.

Radiant Tale is another excellent otome release from Aksys Games, and while it isn’t as good as Jack Jeanne (few in the genre come close), it is worth your time with how uplifting it feels with its memorable characters and story. Not only is it gorgeous, but this aesthetic absolutely shines on the OLED screen in handheld mode.

Ultimately, Dimension Shellshock extends Shredder’s Revenge in some smart ways, with some new characters to master and a highly-replayable new mode to enjoy. Sure, I’d love to see more characters and full-sized stages, but this is more than good enough to hold me over until what I hope is an inevitable sequel. Personally, I think it’s worth it just for either the new characters or the great survival mode, but both? Yes, that’s a win.

How 2 Escape really just has one trick up its sleeve, but it’s a good enough one. If you have someone who is willing to play along with you as your “man in the chair" and can tolerate a few poor puzzle designs and some rough writing, you’ll likely find this to be a distinctive and reasonably enjoyable escape adventure.

30XX takes the basic idea behind 20XX and expands on it, offering more of just about everything to players. That’s pretty much what you would want from a sequel, though I suppose the shift in graphical style and slightly more repetitive main mode might find some detractors. I like the Mega Mode and I feel it makes for a nice olive branch for Mega Man fans turned off by the roguelite elements of 20XX, though it probably doesn’t go far enough. Like its predecessor, this is a solid action game with great controls that is doing its part to keep the spirit of a dormant franchise alive, and if you’re an X fan who can enjoy randomized elements, you’ll likely have a great time with it.

That said, while I think the writing could use some serious editing and the game doesn’t quite nail its pacing, those things are easily forgiven by how well it does just about everything else. Sea of Stars fits in nicely with other indie RPGs like Cosmic Star Heroine and Chained Echoes, serving both as a high-quality traditional turn-based RPG experience and a display of genuine affection for the greats of the genre.

Fae Farm is a polished farming sim with a magical flavor that excels of the genre greats in many areas, but also one that falls short in some key ones. The repetitive dialogue and character designs right now are the big caveats. While the latter is subjective, Fae Farm can address the former and truly reach its full potential. I look forward to seeing how it evolves through patches and content updates, but right now Fae Farm is worth checking out if you’re a fan of the genre. It is like a magical remix of the greatest hits in the genre, but one that is chock full of things to do with its own charm.

The Making of Karateka is a deep dive on a single game done in a way I’ve never seen the likes of before, presented like only our medium can offer. It takes you on a captivating journey not just of a legendary game but of a legendary game creator as he finds his strengths and blossoms. I want a shelf full of these Gold Masters from Digital Eclipse. Here’s hoping I’ll get that and more. What did I say about Atari 50 again? “An essential work for all fans of gaming history"? Yes, that sounds perfect here too.

I could see myself recommending Virgo Versus the Zodiac if it weren’t for the technical issues in this Switch version, but they’re the worst sort as they interfere with the gameplay in a very real way. Perhaps the developer will patch it some day, but in its current form as of this writing, I can only commend the writing and suggest players perhaps check it out on other platforms.

If you enjoy a good classic beat-em-up and appreciate it when games don’t take themselves too seriously, you might want to look into Gourmet Warriors. I think there’s still a lot of room for improvement here in terms of how these QUByte Classics are packaged, but if you just want to enjoy the game this more than gets the job done.

Its more modern selection of titles will probably appeal better than the first volume, and shoot-em-up fans in particular will find a lot to like here. There are a couple of outright clunkers in the selection, but I’ll at least grant that they are interesting clunkers. Certainly more good than bad, and if you enjoy playing arcade classics I think you’ll get your kicks here. That said, if only a few games in the list appeal to you, there might be some merit in checking out the individual Arcade Archives releases instead.