Code of Princess EX is a bit of a mixed bag for. It looks great, never missing a beat no matter how action-packed things get, and it’s certainly very accessible. And it’s fun – for a time. It simply isn’t a game that will stay with you for any length of time. It’s more a palate cleanser between meatier fare, or for those times you want to relive your youth with some Streets of Rage-style bashing.

Another re-release for Ōkami may seem unnecessary, but the variety of options the Switch provides makes it a great fit. The motion controls may be a bit fiddly, but luckily, they’re not the only way to play. They offer a nice alternative for those interested.

For those with a penchant for punishment, a soft spot for stats, and a crush on brilliant combat – you simply have to buy this game.

Overcooked 2 provides just enough new ideas and content to serve up a delightful second helping. The charming visuals and low-key humour serve to counterbalance the devilish co-operative challenges on offer.

Madden NFL 19 is much more than a roster update, but if you were hoping for sweeping changes off the field you will be very disappointed.

Dead Cells could be the most surprising success of the year. Coming into the crowded Metroidvania genre was a bold move, but one that seems to have paid off as Dead Cells has delivered the best example of the genre in years. The game is deep and rewards exploration, with exceptional combat and so much content it’s honestly a little intimidating.

No amount of additional content could sweeten the deal here, though, as it’s simply the purposefully crude WarioWare format that’s to blame for it feeling out of its price depth. WarioWare Gold is the gold standard of WarioWare games, but it commands too high a price for what’s on offer.

Stardew Valley is the best of its kind, surpassing the classic titles it shamelessly imitates to create one of the most delightful games of the past decade.

As far as smartphone ‘uplifts’ to consoles go, Aces of the Luftwaffe: Squadron is one of the better I’ve seen. It isn’t going to challenge shmup fans, but it does gain some points for at least trying to do something original with the formula.

Ultimately, this is a 12-year-old game, and no amount of spit and polish can overcome the dated mechanics and repetitive combat that lies at its core.

Varied character unlock methods will serve up some 16-bit nostalgia to parents, while teaching kids to think outside the pillow fort. Sleep Tight is an inoffensive strategy shooter who’s shortcomings might just elude a more inexperienced audience.

No Man’s Sky is a vastly different game compared to its 2016 release. A range of updates, big and small, have culminated in transforming a disappointing space affair into an intergalactic journey that, frustrations aside, is well worth taking.

If the sports were improved and more fleshed out then I’d have been recommending this title for sure, because of its setting in Kawawii Island. In its current state, however, I’d wait for a price cut.

From the belly laughs to audible gasps, The Banner Saga 3 never fails to impress with how the seeds planted in the first game have branched to their conclusion. While it’s not a genre for everybody, it’s a game for everybody.

The Persistence isn’t easy – and it can be frustrating – but then persistence tends to bring its own rewards. This is a thoughtful, well-balanced blend of action and survival horror, designed by a team that plays to the strengths of the new VR medium while minimising so many of its weaknesses.

Put simply, the Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 is one for the hardcore fan or completionist, while the first collection is a damn fine set of games regardless of how much of a Mega Fan you are.

The least revolutionary variant of Tempest, and arguably the first to feel less than essential. It’s a high-class psychedelic retro shooter, but no Resogun or Nex Machina.

This focus on co-op does leave the experience feeling frustrating if you’re forced to go it alone, or if your teammates aren’t pulling their weight. However, if you can get a decent squad together then you might just be able to stave off the end times a little longer.

While it feels like Adventure Time, the adventure isn’t one that many will want to go on.

There’s space out there for more games in the Left 4 Dead mould, and Earthfall tries its best with limited assets and a limited budget. Sadly, it lacks the things that could have made up for both: imagination, invention, thrilling pacing, suspense and brilliant level design. Even without the current – and frankly unforgivable – matchmaking problems, it’s a game that struggles to match the ten-year-old classic it’s cloning, let alone surpass it.

Mothergunship is one of the more creative first-person shooters to come along in a while, mixing the genre effortlessly with a shoot ‘em up and having a ball with it.

Danger Zone 2 is a great love letter to the Burnout we all know and love, even if it does fall short in many areas that stops it from truly getting to the same level.

Sonic Mania Plus isn’t a vast improvement on Sonic Mania, but given the quality of Sonic Mania, we’ll let that slide. Encore mode extends and expands the appeal – and the challenge – of one of the hedgehog’s finest outings, while the new characters and enhanced Competition mode are fun.

Octopath Traveler is a delightful JRPG that takes plentiful inspiration from the classics that inspired it while carving a new path with fun, inventive ideas I’ve never seen before. Its satisfying and methodical combat system is complimented by a world that’s brimming with life. Whether its through its sprawling cities of richly written characters, there’s plenty here for hardcore and casual fans of the genre to appreciate.

There is a charmingly competent puzzler here, yet it’s hard to recommend without an abundance of caveats. If you’ve yet to play the Captain Toad and solving cute and charming puzzles, it could be worth a shot if it drops in price, even though the asking price is lower than most to begin with. If possible, and if you own a Wii U, you would be better off dusting that system down and playing it on there.

Despite The Spectrum Retreat’s minor issues and its inability to merge its two halves together, it’s impossible not to recommend given the quality of each of those halves. A unique and innovative puzzle mechanic is introduced and taken seemingly to its limits, while a crushingly human tale of loss plays out alongside it.

Shining Resonance Refrain plays it safe to an extreme. Little about it pushes the genre forward and nearly every part of the game is a bit too familiar, or done far better elsewhere. This is one for when you’re desperate for a new JRPG fix and that’s it.

These don’t stop Rifter being a standout game, not only in aesthetics but in the feel of motion. When the flips, jumps and grapples all come together, there’s a rush of adrenaline. And it’s all raised by that bouncing soundtrack and disco visual style. Precision platforming is currently hot and Rifter will easily step into the shoes left behind by Meat Boy and Celeste.