The snappy controls, variety of situations that can be encountered, and interesting limited attack gimmick make it fun to play on a basic level. Put those two sides together and TOKOYO: The Tower of Perpetuity has a lot to offer fans of challenging platformers.

It’s hard to say if any given individual will find Card Shark to their tastes, as it really is its own thing in just about every way. While its mechanics are simple on their face, they can also be very challenging and deep. Perhaps best of all, they make you feel like you’re pulling things off like an expert con artist. When these sequences are woven together with an entertaining narrative and a distinct look, it’s hard for to call this anything but a winning hand. If you’re open to something off the beaten path, feel free to ante up.

A curious package of “new" versions of an old game, QUByte Classics – Jim Power: The Lost Dimension Collection may be of interest to those who like to venture off the well-traveled road of vintage games. It presents an alternate history of sorts, and while the games themselves are heavily flawed I can’t say there isn’t something compelling about them.

Remote Life is a odd shooter, and I imagine its quirks are going to push away as many players as they attract. A high level of difficulty is par for the course with this genre, but the deaths in this game are sometimes really cheap because it’s so hard to see what can kill you. The lack of a scoring system also deeply hurts the replay value of Remote Life, and given that you can find an absolute king’s riches of endlessly replayable shoot-em-ups on the Switch at or around a similar price, that’s a big strike against it. A looker to be sure, and it evokes those R-Type vibes quite nicely, but it’s hard to recommend Remote Life with much vigor.

I found the puzzle designs a little more interesting this time around, and the game communicated its intentions a lot better. The game still has a somewhat cumbersome interface and despite having a rather modest number of stages it recycles ideas a little more often than I would optimally like. Underland: The Climb isn’t a must-have by any means, but I think people who like poking at puzzles will be reasonably satisfied with what they get for their pocket change.

Obviously, I’m a bit conflicted. But it’s only fair to review Diablo Immortal the way we have reviewed games like this before and the way we will probably review games like this in the future. By those standards, yes, this is a fantastic action-RPG experience. Go clear up the twelve gigabytes or so that you’ll need, download it, and get into it. It’s going to try to sell you things, but it will use a very soft sell approach until you’re in very deep indeed. Perhaps deeper in than many of you will play anyway. Diablo Immortal is here. It is everything we could have hoped for, and everything we have feared.

Code Mystics has handled this version of Biomotor Unitron with its usual level of quality. All the same features, all of the same flaws, but overall the best official way to play this game. This is a simple, straightforward RPG in most respects, with an interesting customization system to keep you engaged. In modern times it may be too limited and grindy for some, but if you like the idea of slowly cobbling together a killer mech to take the top spot, Biomotor Unitron may be of interest to you.

Setting aside considerations of overlap with other releases and a more complete version coming down the line, Wonder Boy Collection is a fine set. The original game has a lot of charm even now, Monster Land‘s ambition is admirable, Monster World is an excellent action-adventure, and Monster World IV is one of the better late-era Genesis games. As dull as the usual interface is, I can’t argue with the suite of features it offers. Please apply your own circumstances as needed, but taking Wonder Boy Collection for what it is, it’s well-worth the price of admission.

Touken Ranbu Warriors looks good, runs well, and its core gameplay offers the solid action the Warriors franchise is well-known for. Care has been taken to ensure the game can by enjoyed by as many fans of the Touken Ranbu franchise as possible, and that makes it a great fit for anyone with an interest in the IP. It’s also not a bad choice for those who want to get into a Warriors game but have found previous releases to be a little too complicated. Aiming for that target may cost the interest of more experienced fans of this style of game, but it’s not like there aren’t plenty of options for them already.

In its current state, Dragon Quest Builders is a fantastic game, but one I can only recommend with some big caveats and if you will stick to playing it on a modern iPhone. If you care about cloud saves, it isn’t here. Controller support is basically absent as well. If you’re considering it on a newer iPhone, it is amazing. On iPad, for some reason it runs a lot worse than I expected even on my iPad Pro (2020) and feels almost as bad as the Switch version does on an older iPad Pro with inconsistent performance. Square Enix has done a fantastic job with the touch controls and the new quality of life features making this the best version of the game on paper, but the power consumption issues need addressing.

I’m genuinely surprised at the jump in production values and quality from the second game to OPUS: Echo of Starsong – Full Bloom Edition. If you enjoy memorable stories and great music, this is essential. Even with the few technical issues and downgrades compared to the PC version, OPUS: Echo of Starsong – Full Bloom Edition is superb on Switch and one of my favorite games on the system this year. OPUS: Echo of Starsong joins 13 Sentinels and Triangle Strategy as the top tier Switch games of 2022 and I hope it eventually makes the jump to iOS in the future alongside a nice Nintendo Switch physical release.

Deadcraft isn’t what I would call fancy dining, but it’s a lot better than it looks. It’s a solid survival-based action-RPG with a few unique elements that make it more engaging than the average entry in that category. It’s a shame it doesn’t have a catchier title or more striking visuals, because I can’t help but feel people are going to miss it with things being what they are. If you’re not totally sick of zombies or survival RPGs, make sure you give this one a shot.

Guild of Dungeoneering Ultimate Edition brings a very enjoyable roguelite packed with personality to the Nintendo Switch in fine form. The button controls work well, and the game looks nice on the handheld screen. If you’ve played this game before on another platform, all you need to know is that this is another excellent option to play it again. If you haven’t played it before and you enjoy a good roguelite, you’ll want to check this out. It has some additions, improvements, and refinements, but truthfully speaking the core game was good enough that all of that is just icing on the cake.

While I’m happy that this remake turned out better than expected and there is now an easily accessible way to play Snow Bros., Snow Bros. Special feels like it’s caught between the couch cushions of a straightforward re-issue and a full-blown revival. It’s a bit pricey to be the former and a bit light on features to be the latter. Snow Bros. fans who don’t mind dropping twenty bucks to have a decent remake will be happy with what they get here, but others may find there isn’t quite enough here to make a decent snowman.

If you haven’t sampled the genre yet, there’s no better way to get into it right now than Streets of Rage 4. Streets of Rage 4 is by far my favorite beat-em-up, and I’m glad to see it in such an amazing conversion on mobile. Hopefully it does well like Dead Cells did on mobile and leads to a whole new audience discovering this amazing game. It feels surreal going from the announcement trailer from Dotemu a few years ago to the game delivering in spades on all platforms, through its DLC, and now with an excellent mobile conversion. I look forward to playing it online as well once the multiplayer update hits in the future.

While I’m sure some players are suffering from a bit of Cotton burn out with so many releases in such a short span of time, but if you like shooters you’ll want to check out Cotton Fantasy. The game is very enjoyable from a design standpoint and it holds up quite well on the technical end, especially compared to a few of the less impressive Cotton ports we’ve seen on Switch. Those who are performance sensitive will find the game runs a lot better in docked mode, but I didn’t mind it in handheld either. I’m a bit torn as to whether or not this game is better than Cotton Reboot, but that’s good company to be keeping.

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.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a companion game and it feels very much like one. It’s a very average game overall, with the strongest point being its presentation and the weakest being how much of a grind it becomes. It’s hard to recommend to anyone who isn’t deeply interested in Eiyuden Chronicle, and even then something tells me this isn’t going to be a critical piece of lore for the main game. It’s adequate, and given how many excellent games we have on the Switch of a similar style, I’m not sure that’s enough.

With only one of the two excellent games on here being playable from start to end, I can’t give this set as a whole anything better than half a score. I sincerely hope NIS patches this and takes more care with its quality control in the future.

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.

This is a textbook example of how a poor port can ruin what a game is trying to get across. The Switch version of As Far As The Eye suffers from numerous bugs that significantly impede attempts to play it, and decisions like tiny text and not allowing touch controls would cause issues even if everything was running smoothly. These problems stack on top of a game that already had its fair share of flaws in its original form to wash away most of the goodwill from its more clever moments. If you’re looking for a unique strategic survival game, you may want to give As Far As The Eye a chance, but I can’t recommend doing it on Switch.

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.

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.

Like Andro Dunos 2 earlier this year, Ganryu 2 is a faithful sequel to a game that few ever expected to get a sequel to. In terms of gameplay, it goes well beyond the relatively humble design of the original, resulting in a title that fans of Shinobi and Strider will almost certainly take an interest in. It’s unfortunate, then, that even after at least one patch dedicated to addressing issues, this Switch version of Ganryu 2 has a number of problems that interfere with the gameplay. I’d love to give this a strong recommendation on the basis of the solid game behind the wonky performance, but I really can’t muster more than a weak nudge.

Having now played Nobody Saves the World on Xbox Series X, Switch, and PC, I would recommend the Switch version above the others for offering the ability to play at home or on the go with a competent port. The gameplay suits the pickup and play nature of the system as well. I’m going to keep chipping away towards completing every aspect of Nobody Saves the World on Switch, but I can’t imagine this won’t end up being my favorite DrinkBox Studios release so far. I hope it gets a physical release down the line. If you’re looking for a charming action RPG that blends a bit of Zelda and Diablo together with its own signature style, Nobody Saves the World is for you.

Youkai Douchuki is a game that I could understand anyone enjoying. It has a pleasantly odd theme, and the gameplay mechanics are largely straightforward and easy to pick up. It’s a very challenging game, but such things aren’t unusual in the arcade end of the pool. On the other hand, it’s also not much of a stand-out. The arcade scene had plenty of run-and-gun platformers, and there’s nothing about this one that really speaks to me. Decent, but not much more than that. [Early Access Provisional Score = 60]

Being a shoot-em-up with an emphasis on racking up a high score, Gaplus is well-positioned to take advantage of the extra modes and online leaderboards that are a standard part of the Arcade Archives package. If you enjoy Galaga, I’m confident you’ll also really have a good time with this under-the-radar sequel. As single-screen shooters go, it’s frankly one of the better ones.

The action is great, the presentation is outstanding, and there’s really very little like it out there. The West missed out on this back in the day, so don’t let it slip past you now.