There are some decent ideas in here if you can tolerate its fundamentals being so sloppy, like being able to add bits to your sword to improve it. But none of those ideas matter all that much when it just isn’t enjoyable to play.

As long as you’re able to gather your buddies onto the couch for some gaming fun now and then, you’ll have a good time with Action Arcade Wrestling.

While the quality of Breakout: Recharged is generally good and the new additions help spice things up, this one didn’t quite click for me the way the last couple of Recharged games did. Power-ups aren’t a huge game changer here thanks to the existence of Arkanoid, and Breakout is just never going to play as well as it needs to without a paddle or spinner controller of some sort. Fans of the original or the Recharged line as a whole won’t be disappointed, but those looking for a good brick breaker can probably find better options on the Switch.

The sad thing is that I kind of dig Death end re;Quest 2. I really got into the story, and while the battle mechanics got repetitive after a while, it never got so bad that I’d push someone away from playing it. Unfortunately, the JRPG portion of the game has such horrible performance problems that I have a lot of trouble recommending this version to anyone who has literally any other option. Even if all you have is a Switch, you’ll want to proceed with extreme caution. The biggest nightmare in this game doesn’t come from any gore or monsters, but rather from just how badly it runs on Switch.

When Maglam Lord is sticking to its visual novel elements, it’s rather enjoyable. You can choose your reactions and responses, building relationships and going on dates with the various other characters. The writing is decent, and the sense of humor is fun. Unfortunately, this is only half of the game. The other half is a somewhat dull action-RPG where you wander through uninteresting levels and engage in combat that turns out to be lacking in engagement. There’s an emphasis on grinding for materials to raise your strength, but nothing about the battles make this an enticing prospect. It’s not a very long game, but it feels absolutely interminable at times. Not without its charms, but hard to recommend on the whole.

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.

I found the puzzles to be very satisfying to solve in Unforeseen Incidents. There are also a few minigames and action bits now and then to help keep you on your toes, some more welcome than others. The story digs around a bit too much in the trope bucket, but both the characters and the various sets are interesting enough to carry your attention. The topic matter hits a little differently today than it did when the game first released, which may be either a plus or a negative for you. The port to the Switch has been pulled off well, and it plays rather intuitively with a controller. If you’re looking for a good point-and-clicker, this is one game you should see coming.

The Humans never quite dishes out the same levels of devious thrills that Lemmings does, but it’s a solid enough puzzle game. This collection promises you three versions of the game, but there seem to only be two here: the Super NES version, and the Game Boy version. Perhaps the Genesis version will make it in via an update. You get a small set of options for each version, covering most of the basic needs like save states, control mapping, and video filters. Not exactly the star treatment, but this isn’t exactly a star game to start with. It’s worth looking at for those who enjoy a hearty mix of action and puzzle, at least.

This isn’t just a good foundation for what I hope will be a regular branch of the Pokemon tree from here on out. Pokemon Legends: Arceus is also a very fun RPG adventure. No, it’s not the Pokemon: Breath of the Wild that some may have been hoping for, but if you love the world of Pokemon it’s hard to imagine not being at least a little awed by this interesting new spin on the series. It’s still a very accessible game that aims to be enjoyed by young kids, so don’t expect anything fancy in terms of writing or a high level of challenge. Rather, this is a new, exciting way to have a Pokemon experience that makes me thrilled for what we might see in the future.

It’s bizarre that something that looks and reads like it comes from the younger generation comes off so utterly… boomer-ish. I normally get on well with Serenity Forge’s stuff, but this one just didn’t work for me. Maybe you’ll find it more relaxing than I did.

It truly feels like a game that tries to do too many things at the expense of giving any one of those things the necessary polish. Still, everything is properly functional and the game certainly has its charms. RPGolf Legends isn’t a must-have by any means, but if you’re looking for something to tide you over while you wait for Sports Story, this will keep your belly full for a while.

I can safely say that if you enjoy roguelite action games such as Dead Cells or more intense examples like Spelunky, you’ll find a lot to like in Vagante. There’s a lot to discover in this game, and it never stops feeling dangerous enough to produce the tension that makes this genre work so well. It also has some great multiplayer options for those who want to tackle a game like this with that advantage and/or disadvantage. A well-rounded experience where you get all of the fun of building up a character and all of the thrills of narrowly evading instant-death traps. Give it a chance, and you’ll reap the rewards.

While the game doesn’t do a whole lot to shake up the formula and its story is going to be largely nonsensical to those unfamiliar with the somewhat vintage Record of Lodoss War property, the controls are tight, the pacing is brisk, and the map designs are strong. It’s a very pleasant Metroidvania experience, and the six or so hours it takes to finish go by in a flash. Those who love Symphony of the Night in particular will find this game wonderfully familiar in all the best ways. I doubt it will inspire many imitators of its own, but it’s very well-done.

Labyrinth Legend is one of those games that is nice to play when you want something relatively mindless to pass the time with. In that respect, it does what it does well. It’s engaging enough to keep you from getting bored, but it doesn’t demand a lot of heavy decision-making or tests of dexterity. The story isn’t very interesting, the setting is as generic as it gets, and I can’t really say it has any special gameplay mechanics to set it apart. This is not a game that will live in my memory very long now that I’ve completed it. But I can’t say I didn’t have a good time slowly digesting it over the course of a few evenings.

Headland is worth considering if you’re looking for some simple monster mashing enjoyment, but don’t expect it to tax your skills or wits in any serious fashion.

In the end, Windjammers 2 is a return to the classic arcade experience in more ways than one. It’s a bit threadbare in terms of features, and you really need to pull in a friend to get the best out of it. You’re only given the barest of instructions, so you’ll have to either study up or learn on the fly. Put the time into learning it, and you’ll be rewarded with a truly thrilling game. Those who loved the original game can jump in without worry. The passion for the original game shines through brightly here.

Demon Gaze Extra takes a solid dungeon crawler, gives it a new coat of paint, and adds a little extra bits here and there to entice veterans to give it another go. I wouldn’t say that content is necessarily worth replaying the game for on its own, but those who haven’t played Demon Gaze yet will find a good, well-paced dungeon romp here. The story doesn’t really go anywhere that interesting, and those who don’t care for fan service will probably want to steer clear, but if what you crave is some dungeon RPG comfort food Demon Gaze Extra won’t let you down.

SNK Vs. Capcom: Card Fighters’ Clash was one of the most popular games on its console, and even now it’s easy to see why. It’s one of those games that gives back the more you put into it, and Code Mystics has done just about everything possible to make sure you can enjoy it to the fullest. Those curious about what the NEOGEO Pocket Color had to offer beyond its excellent fighting games will want to pick this up, and it goes without saying that card game fans should dive in on this one as well.

The gallery, presentation, and various options make this a more enjoyable experience than simply reading the actual book. As with most electronic versions of gamebooks it’s certainly more easier to thumb around and explore different branches, too. The whole vibe Tin Man has infused this game with matches perfectly with the words by North and art by his various collaborators. Exploring all of the routes, collecting all of the art, and just seeing what silly little things you can find make for an incredibly pleasant gaming experience, one with few games to compare to on the Switch.

In its current state, the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is only worth getting if you can get it at a large discount and assuming you’re willing to put up with many technical issues on Switch. While a lot of the major bugs I ran into have been addressed in patches, this is still nowhere near as good as it should be given how important these three games are to gaming in general. It also doesn’t help that the Switch patches are delayed compared to other platforms.

Puzzles don’t come much simpler or more traditional than the ones found in Unlock the Cat. Slide the stones to open a route to move the cat through the opening in the fence. It’s a Klotski puzzle in a cute skin. You get forty stages to play through, spread across four seasonal themes. The button controls work the way you would expect, and there is an appeal to this type of puzzle that is undeniable. The cat does add a little personality to the game, something that is sorely needed as most people have played a million of these things by now. That’s about the only new thing about it, though.

ESCHATOS is a fantastic shoot-em-up experience all on its own but when you throw in Judgement Silversword, Cardinal Sins, and the various extra modes and features included in this package, you end up with an incredibly easy game to recommend. Should you choose to fully indulge in all it has to offer, ESCHATOS will keep you busy for hours on end. Not that there was much doubt, but this Switch version of the game runs like a dream. Another superb addition to the system’s shoot-em-up library, and one that even genre newcomers may find digestible.

Life is Strange: True Colors is one of the better newer game ports in recent years on Nintendo Switch. In a lot of cases, there are big caveats to buying a newer third party game on Nintendo Switch. For Life is Strange: True Colors, there have been downgrades, but they are smartly done to preserve most of the experience and deliver an excellent portable experience. Life is Strange: True Colors has already seen further improvements following launch with a recent update. As the franchise’s debut on the Switch platform, Life is Strange: True Colors is just about everything I wanted from a port.

Apart from the watermelon theme, there’s nothing particularly fresh or unusual about Watermelon Blocks. Its 46 stages take a little too long to heat up, and the difficulty really only picks up in the last quarter of them. That last stretch has some decent level designs, and the game’s controls and collision detection work the way you would want them to. It’s a functional platformer, albeit a short and somewhat plain one.

The new content not only adds more stuff to the game, it also presents some interesting new experiences. It somehow raises the temperature on the excitement and tension even higher. Five dollars is a meager price to pay for such an impressive extension to Dead Cells.

Fans of rail shooters and Cotton should get what they want from it, but others may want to find better options for their action kicks.

Tunnel of Doom passes the time well enough, but it doesn’t do much more than that. While its blend of elements is interesting at first, it often undercuts its own ideas and ultimately ends up being very repetitive. Too many of the encounters can be handled with the same simple strategy, and it’s rare for the game to show any real teeth. A bit of story could have served as an extra carrot, but the game has little to offer in that regard as well. It’s worth taking a trip or two through, but it lacks the necessary elements to keep you coming back

Like a lot of Square’s output from this period, Legend of Mana is rather experimental. The end result is something that tends to be a love-or-hate affair, but at least in my case I find it hard to hate something so utterly genuine. If you’ve enjoyed other off-beat affairs like Romancing SaGa 2 or The Last Remnant, you’ll want to bring that same open-minded approach to this game. I think you’ll find something rather special here if you do.