It’s a relatively lengthy game for its genre and the back half will test your patience at times, but as a whole Astalon is a terrific game that may surprise you in some interesting ways. Some issues with backtracking keep it from being a total slamdunk, but if you’re feeling nostalgic for that old style of exploratory action game that can be a little opaque in a good way, you’re likely going to have a very good time with Astalon: Tears of the Earth.

Overboard!, like some of the best adventure games, makes a complicated world out of what initially seems to be a very compact space. A puzzle box that gives back as much as you’re willing to put in. That it’s all handled with inkle’s usual flourish only makes it all the better. Do you think you have what it takes to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes and get away with murder? Pick this game up and give it your best shot.

In spite of the rough edges, there’s a lot to enjoy here for your eight bucks provided you didn’t get your fill with the Demon’s Rise games already.

It can be really annoying on the more challenging difficulty levels to have the framerate and resolution flopping all over the place. I’m still going to give this a thumbs-up, but if you are sensitive to framerate and/or resolution inconsistency, you should probably stick with the original versions.

Personally, I found the puzzles more engaging than the story, but your mileage may vary. At the very least, I can say that I haven’t played a game exactly like this before. That could be a good or bad thing; here it’s the former.

Mighty Goose may only keep your attention for an evening or two, but it’s a honking good time.

The combat is simple, using controls similar to a twin-stick shooter, but that simplicity can get repetitive over the course of the game. If you’re patient, there’s something here to enjoy. How often do we get noir detective RPGs on the Switch, after all? But you’re going to have to be prepared to put up with a lot of rough edges.

It just didn’t work for me. If you can see things the way the game presents, and you don’t mind some truly irritating puzzle design in places, you may take to LOVE better than I did.

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.

The reality TV-style presentation remains a highlight, but the actual gameplay bits get repetitive. A shame, as this Switch port is excellent from a technical standpoint.

If you skipped prior versions of Divinity: Original Sin 2 on other platforms and enjoy meaty RPGs, you definitely need to get Divinity: Original Sin 2 as soon as possible. Ever since I played the first Divinity: Original Sin on console, every Larian Studios release has continued to impress and Elverils did a superlative job here with Divinity: Original Sin 2 on iPad.

This is a fun adventure with enough meat on its bones to easily justify its asking price. It’s still not perfect, but I’m glad the developer was able to finally get Mr Tako in his best threads, so to speak.

Overall, this is a really enjoyable shooter. It feels good to play, and that’s really what counts in the end. It could be a little harder, and I do hope the technical issues I had while playing it were either unfortunate coincidences or will be fixed in an update. But I certainly found the game worth my time while it lasted, and it scratches the Defender itch well enough that I suspect I will be returning to it now and then in the future.

This release puts a thematically-appropriate wrapper around the puzzles, presenting your Knight as a ninja making its stealthy escape through the pieces “guarding" the path. That theme helps a little bit, but at the end of it all you’re still just flogging away at another set of chess puzzles. Even with how similar it is to previous games, there’s still some enjoyment to be had here. I’m not sure how many more of these the world needs, though.

An impressive remake of a fairly old game, and one that should be experienced by fans of mystery stories and Japanese adventure games.

Those who delight in making Mii doppelgangers and watching them get into hilarious situations will have a blast with Miitopia, but if that doesn’t sound like something you’re interested in doing, you’re probably better off steering clear.

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir is impressive if only for the fact that a new lick of paint and a few tweaks here and there leave it feeling so close to a modern game in so many ways. It will at times betray that illusion with some frustrating progress-blockers, but for the most part this is a great choice for fans of adventure games or even just a good mystery story. Mages has done a fantastic job of updating the game’s presentation, too. This isn’t the kind of game we’re used to seeing from Nintendo, particularly when it’s reaching into its classic library, but I’m glad it’s finally available to a wider audience.

There are moments of incredible beauty in both Subnautica games, and I’m happy that they can now be experienced on a handheld screen. If you have to choose between the two games, I’d recommend the first game over the second. That said, I’m sure playing that original will eventually lead you to the follow-up anyway.

It’s fast, furious, and full of neat tricks to learn to consistently bring your play to a higher level. It sure doesn’t hurt that it’s an incredibly competent port with just about every option you would want. Those who love shoot-em-ups shouldn’t miss it.

Perhaps not the best value for your money in terms of pure length, but there’s something interesting here for those willing to find it.

There’s just enough flexibility in Fly Together! that various strategies can work, and whipping your team together to find a winning one for each new challenge is great fun.

While the first game felt a bit short, this new one has almost two or three times as much to offer. The mechanics can get a little repetitive after a while, but seeing all of these familiar characters in a slightly more natural setting than usual is a solid hook that pulls the game through its slower moments. A great sequel for fans of the first, and a compelling spin on the Pokemon formula for those who missed the original.

While there are some moments that frustrate or drag a little during its runtime, Smelter is quite impressive on the whole. It’s not difficult to spot its inspirations, but it does its own thing well enough that it avoids the pitfall of feeling like a lesser copy. Fans of 16-bit action games will definitely want to give it a look.

I’ve been playing the game quite a bit, exploring all of the various options and features, and I get the impression I’m not anywhere near finding everything the game has to offer. Shoot-em-up fans without other platform options may still find the tech problems worth dealing with, but it’s too bad Switch owners are left with this kind of decision yet again.

One late-game puzzle can be a bit tricky due to relying on knowledge of a common Japanese word game called Shiritori, but otherwise Mom Hid My Game! 2 is a bit of light, silly fun. As usual for games from hap Inc., the ending is sweet in a sentimental sort of way. You probably won’t replay it often if at all, but that first go is definitely a nice slice of madcap joy.

It feels a bit thin for the price, especially when you can enjoy the same experience on your mobile device for almost a third of the cost. Still, if you enjoy oddball games or just need a pick-me-up, you should consider playing Say No! More on one platform or another.

SaGa Frontier Remastered, even with all of its improvements, isn’t here for the approval of the masses. It wants to make a couple of very good friends, even if it ticks off the rest of the room in doing so. You might be one of those friends. The odds aren’t in your favor, but when has SaGa ever cared about the safe bet?