For retro enthusiasts with access to likeminded friends and family, this Switch challenge collection is a genuine local multiplayer hit. For solo players and those looking to compete with others online, however, it’s a far less impressive package.

Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is another strong Nintendo remaster which doesn't mess around with the original too much, but delivers enough improvements (particularly in terms of visual detail) to make it a worthwhile release. The controls still aren't perfect and Luigi's Mansion 3 is the better game but the sheer charm crammed into every crevice means it's still absolutely worth a look.

As the first entirely new Monkey Ball game in 12 years, fans of the series will at least be happy to have a selection of new stages to play through. Performance issues and a relatively sparse multiplayer offering prevent it from being considered among the best the series has to offer, however.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is an incredible expansion and a worthy follow up to the generation's best game. In some ways, it's better than the original by providing an experience that's both tighter, but also more than double the length we expected. A sequel-sized sensation.

Still Wakes the Deep is a short but effective game with brilliant performances, a deeply atmospheric setting and fun creature effects. Critics of the hand-holding found in the 'walking sim' genre likely won't be converted, but those looking for an engaging story they can play through in a night or two will strike oil with this one.

XDefiant is a confident shooter that's far more than a Call of Duty knockoff. The Tom Clancyverse crossovers are somewhat cringey, but if Ubisoft doubles down on the great gameplay, and the weird faction warfare, we'll keep coming back for months to come.

20 years after its original release, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remains a treasure. With a refreshingly un-Mario-like script, a memorable and lovable cast, engaging turn-based gameplay, and more variety than your average Taylor Swift concert, the GameCube title is regarded by many as a classic entry in the plumber’s RPG lineage.

Hellblade 2 is a mechanically dated game carried along by its incredible presentational flair. For a game shown alongside the debut of Series X, it's not reflective of the story Xbox is trying to tell with its first party. As a result, it's disappointing.

Charming yet challenging, Paper Trail is a beautifully designed game that will have you perplexed by its page-folding puzzles. A generous hint system ensures players won't get so stuck that they get frustrated, while collecting all the origami is a task that will likely turn even the most ardent puzzle fan's brain to pulp.

Endless Ocean's procedural generation keeps its exploration engaging enough for a while, but its Story mode is extremely poor. As long as you're willing to forgo plot (and any meaningful interaction with the species you encounter) in favour of exploring random underwater environments, there's still a good deal of fun to be had here.

For those who wished that God of War Ragnarok offered a bit more challenge or that Bayonetta had a bit more weight to its combat, this slick sci-fi slasher is the perfect tonic, offering both the perfect entry point into the Souls-like genre and a refreshing refinement of the well-worn character action formula. It may lack the naval gazing intelligence of the excellent Nier Automata, but when you’re having this much fun, it’s hard to care.

TMNT Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants is a perfectly servicable beat 'em up that hardly redefines the genre but is solid enough, particularly if you can find some like-minded TMNT fans to play local co-op with you. Given its arcade origins it's extremely brief, so players will need to be pwilling to replay it multiple times to get their money's worth.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU feels like a studio stretching its legs for the first time. Visually inventive, and full of great platforming, average combat and exploration lets it down.

Top Spin 2K25 is the best 'serious' tennis game we've played since, frankly, the last one was released 13 years ago. Its characters look a bit off, its career mode is dry and the typical 2K microtransaction nonsense is in there (to a less intrusive extent than usual), but when it comes to the gameplay on the court it's far superior to anything else out there.

Snow Day is a fun enough co-op action game while it lasts, but its repetitive nature (both in terms of its environments and its low number of stages) means you'll tire of it eventually. Dialogue is typically fantastic and the art style works better than we expected, but its low price is a key indicator of how relatively light it is on content at launch.

Full of personality and variety, Princess Peach Showtime delivers a performance that’s better than the sum of its parts, with some shallow mechanics lost in the glitz of its cabaret show. The challenge is definitely geared towards youngsters, but even experienced players will find it difficult not to be charmed.

Rise of the Ronin is a fine open world adventure that never elevates itself to greatness. Fun Team Ninja combat will drag you through, but pointless open world fluff and questionable visuals sadly result in 'just another' open world game.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is one of the best RPGs of the last decade. Capcom's incredible run has reached unfathomable heights with a game that's destined to be beloved by players and revered by developers in turn. It's a game that refuses to hold your hand, but will give you all the tools to experience an adventure that's one for the ages.

Alone in the Dark's promising atmosphere is let down by annoying and repetitive puzzles, poor combat and frequent glitches. There's a good game in there somewhere but you have to put up with a lot of frustration to find it.

Digital Eclipse delivers another beautifully curated interactive museum showcasing the work of gaming's most unqiue creative minds. It may not span Minter's entire career, and some of his less popular works aren't covered in much detail, but the overall package is bursting with information and inspiration.

Balatro is an astonishingly addictive take on Poker that's utterly impossible to put down. Occasional difficulty spikes aside, it's a piece of simplistic genius that we'll keep on our Steam Deck forever.

Berserk Boy is a great modern take on Mega Man style gameplay and one of the better recent attempts to bring the 16-bit era into the 2020s. Its story is lacking somewhat but it's got it where it matters, with solid platforming and satisfying combat.

While are no groundbreaking changes to upend the WWE series this year, the additions and improvements which have been made are positive ones, making the game another solid entry in a series that is now clearly out of its rut.

Final Fantasy 7 is an excellent RPG with some of the best characters in the gaming canon. While some open-world content skirts the edges, and the game's main narrative is left somewhat deflated, the time spent with Aerith, Tifa, and the gang makes this a hugely enjoyable road trip you'll be playing for hundreds of hours.

Mario vs Donkey Kong offers a notable step up in visual quality from its 20-year-old source material, but the same can't be said for the gameplay mechanics, which remain largely unchanged. While it will no doubt appeal to purists who loved the GBA original, those discovering it for the first time may find it too easy and not up to the same standards as modern, similarly priced Mario releases.

Everything that Palworld lacks in originality, it makes up for with impressive execution. The combination of survival genre elements with creature catching is hugely captivating, resulting in a serotonin-gobbling gameplay loop. Despite the modest size of the team creating it, Palworld’s litany of systems mesh perfectly together, defying its indie origins. [Early Access Score = 80]

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a visually stunning anti-hero romp that's fun to play, even if the things you're actually doing are somewhat repetitive. Rocksteady's Arkhamverse comes to a close in style, without fully succumbing to the live-service demons.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is one of the best RPGs we've played in years. Excellent combat, a wonderful cast of characters, and a willingness to be incredibly weird make it absolutely unmissable. Not only that, but it's so full to the brim with things to do, we could have probably spent another three weeks with it and not finished everything.

Tekken 8 is a sensational sequel. With a renewed emphasis on single-player modes and a new Heat mechanic which ensures fights are more frenetic, it's up there with Tekken 3 as one of the most exciting high points in the series.

A solid collection of three brilliant visual novels, this Apollo Justice collection may not offer a lot more than HD-friendly versions of the handheld originals, but the quality of the source material means that's enough to entertain regardless.

So much more than a simple remaster, Another Code: Recollection completely rebuilds both games from scratch, making it a brand new experience not only for newcomers, but long-time fans of the series too. With beautiful environments, endearing characters and a hint system that means players of all skill levels can reach the end, only a lack of replay value stops this from being a complete must-have.

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is the best way to play one of the best games ever made. Excellent bonus content and visual bells and whistles make this $10 more than worth it, and the exact excuse you need to revisit this modern masterpiece.

Prince of Persia was long in need of a resurrection, and in The Lost Crown, it's found it. Excellent platforming, clever puzzles and a huge map make one of the best Metroidvania's in years, and kicks off 2024 in style.

Iron Man VR feels far more at home on the Quest 2 because the nature of its action is best suited to untethered play. There are still some issues with the game itself, however, that mean that even though we recommend it, we don't do so wholeheartedly.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a serviceable open world game elevated by a stunning presentation. While the visuals will utterly wow you, it's a shame it doesn't introduce more original ideas.

Switch’s Mario RPG feel like a love letter to the original game. Fans of the 1996 version will be delighted by the care that’s gone into recreating the SNES title scene-for-scene. For everyone else, this remains a charming RPG adventure well worth discovering.

A Call of Duty game of this low quality released a decade ago would have been a scandal. Now, it's emblematic of an approach to a franchise that's in desperate need of a reality check.

WarioWare games require precise controls to ensure their microgames can be navigated without frustration. Move It's motion controls introduce inaccuracies that are frequent enough to dampen the experience, turning what should be a brilliant game into merely a good one.

RoboCop: Rogue City feels outdated at its core, but this actually works in its favour. With no pretensions that it's offering something revolutionary, the game focuses on delivering big dumb action scenes interspersed with engaging detective work. It has an engaging story and well-written dialogue, all wrapped in a package that shows clear love for the source material.

Massively confident, often groundbreaking, and full of surprises, Alan Wake 2 is Remedy at its very best. The shooting isn't stellar, but Alan Wake 2 is otherwise a horror thriller that shouldn't be missed.

Inventive and full of heart, with a tight design and striking presentation, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is undoubtedly the plumber’s most memorable 2D outing since the 1990s.

Spider-Man is an incredibly confident sequel and one of 2023's best. Incredibly fun to play, fast-paced and full of heart, it takes the best of the Spider-Man lore, and the best of Insomniac's penchant for excellent gameplay sequences, and combines them for arguably the best Marvel game ever.

Sonic Superstars absolutely nails the classic 16-bit Sonic gameplay. Its power-ups are hit-or-miss and its extra modes and co-op will divide opinion, but fans of the Mega Drive / Genesis days will adore the way this mixes that old feel with a new look.

Total War Pharoah doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it does introduce a handful of promising and sometimes deep new ways to approach the familiar formula. Combat is still hit-and-miss, but the approach to history and empire-building are among the best in the Total War series.

Detective Pikachu is full of simple puzzles, witty dialogue and Pokemon to discover. It won't thrill older fans from a gameplay perspective, and it's visually inconsistent, but it will likely introduce thousands of young fans to a whole new genre of video games.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a short, sharp trip through the blood soaked streets of Baghdad. A welcome return to the series' roots, Mirage is a breath of fresh air in the endless sea of open world adventure games.

The new Forza is the best in the series to date when it comes to the look and feel of serious motorsport racing. Its relative lack of modes means it's something of a one-trick pony at launch, but that trick is an impressive one.

EA Sports FC 24 isn't the huge departure that we'd hoped for. While Ultimate Team devotees will likely be happy, the rest of the game feels like an afterthought in the transition away from the FIFA license.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is a pulpy spy thriller that we enjoyed massively. Excellent main missions are complemented by a revolutionary 2.0 update that makes this expansion worthy of giving the game a second chance.

Mortal Kombat 1 is the best Mortal Kombat game to date. It looks stunning, has a brilliant Story mode, its new Invasions mode will keep solo players busy and, above all else, it's an absolute joy to play. Thoroughly essential for die-hards, lapsed fans and newkomers.

Starfield is the ultimate Bethesda game. It takes what people loved about Fallout and Skyrim, and casts it across an enormous galaxy filled with captivating characters.

The Making of Karateka is a powerful statement of intent for what promises to be a superb series of interactive documentaries. Not everyone will click with the idea of focusing on a single game rather than your typical retro compilation, but those interested in the creative process will be fascinated by the content provided here.

Under the Waves is an emotional adventure that handles distressing subject matter in a touching way. There are some issues with the execution, but the overall experience is a memorable one.

Immortals of Aveum delivers high-octane magical action and a world we're fascinated by. While the narrative itself is predictable and the dialogue between characters can border on excruciating, the rock-solid gameplay is a magical foundation for EA to build on and develop into something special.

Disney Illusion Island looks and sounds incredible and doesn't do much wrong in terms of gameplay. It doesn't really do much to advance the Metroidvania genre, though, and while it's clearly designed to appeal to younger players the convoluted ending and hit-and-miss jokes mean we ended simply enjoying it, rather than loving it.

C-Smash VR is engaging, exhausting and exhilarating. A VR staple that we'll be showing friends for years, it nails the aesthetics, gameplay, and most importantly, the vibe of everything that's great about VR.

Pikmin 4 is a smart and content-packed refinement of one of Nintendo’s most underrated series, but long-time fans may be put off by how long its generous campaign takes to get going.

AEW's first game gets a lot more right than it does wrong. Its Story mode may be a little short and it may be lacking when it comes to customisation options, but its solid in-ring combat system, its sense of humour and its emphasis on violence make it a viable, edgier alternative to the glossy WWE 2K series.

Ghost Trick is a brilliant adventure that will appeal to fans of narrative-driven games like Ace Attorney. Its replay value is low, and fans who enjoyed the game on DS or mobile will find very little new here, but those coming to the game fresh will love what's here.

Final Fantasy has never played better, and 16’s cast is destined to be fan favourites. We just wish that when they are outside of the Hollywood blockbuster-tier adventures of the main quest, they were given some more interesting adventures to pursue.

Diablo 4's always-online requirement is a shame, and a few of the classes are somewhat slow to kick into high gear, but we're only able to muster minor complaints for what is easily a game-of-the-year frontrunner, and Blizzard’s best game since Diablo 3.

With the three titans of the fighting game space all releasing mainline entries this year, competition is going to be stiff, but Capcom is putting its best foot forward. The publisher’s incredible run continues with one of the most feature-rich, stylish, and enjoyable entries in franchise history.

THA’s latest manages to take the most satisfying elements of problem solving without falling into the frustrations and tedium that put so many off the genre. Humanity’s invention and weirdness makes it the perfect tonic to an increasingly risk-averse industry, offering a welcome return to the kind of eccentric oddities that endeared millions to PlayStation in the first place.

Lego 2K Drive is a great open-world racing game with an infectious sense of humour and impressive customisation options. As long as you can cope with the typical 2K grindy microtransactions and take steps to avoid its major save-wiping issue at launch, it's well worth playing.

Tin Hearts is packed with charm and its puzzles will keep your brain busy without ever being too cheap or frustrating. A few control and voice acting wobbles mean it's not quite as immersive as we'd like but it's a beautiful game nevertheless.

The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom reinterprets Breath of the Wild for the better. Instead of removing all the aches and pains of that game, it completes the circle by adding gameplay-based solutions to annoyances and encourages you to let your imagination run free. Easily one of the very best games on Nintendo Switch.

Redfall is a compelling adventure with killer combat and an atmospheric setting in which you can easily lose a weekend. Even though it feels watered down by Arkane’s systemic standards, it’s an ambitious, primarily successful experiment full of narrative nuance and unique ideas. Hopefully, Redfall’s shakeup of the genre will pave the way for more inspired looter shooters in the future and, selfishly… another immersive simulator?

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is Star Wars at its very best. A thrilling adventure with a stellar cast tied together with smart, expansive combat, and huge new worlds to explore. Performance issues aside, it's easily one of the best Star Wars games ever made and only makes us want more tales from the adventures of Cal Kestis and BD-1.

While Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores is more Horizon mechanically, narratively it's the strongest story told in the series with excellent new characters and vital plot developments that set the stage for Horizon 3.

Wayforward's generous remake package keeps much of what made the original Game Boys titles great, with some significant improvements to presentation and multiplayer.

On the track, Disney Speedstorm is a fantastic karting game with great handling and a host of unique features to set it aside from generic Mario Kart clones. It's very much a live service game at its core, though, so players not willing to put in the time (or the money) may not find it compatible with their gaming habits.

The best games ask important questions. In the case of Dead Island 2, that question is: "Do you think it's funny to chop zombies into bits?" If the answer is yes, then Dead Island 2 is a joy.

Resident Evil 4 is a careful restoration of what remains one of the most compelling action games ever made. The core elements which make the original such a compulsive hit all remain, reminding us that sometimes the secret for these big re-releases is knowing where to remake, and where to remaster.

Bayonetta Origins sometimes feels like an idea half explored. In combat, two sets of fists are better than one, but adventuring never ignites in the same way. There’s a level of invention and style we’ve come to expect from the studio, but this isn’t quite Pure Platinum.

This remaster finally brings the fourth Fatal Frame game to the west, but the problem is it was a clunky game in 2008 and its upgrades aren't enough to improve its frustrating feel in any meaningful way.

Two decades later, Metroid Prime feels just as fresh and modern in 2023 as it did back in the day. Whether you’re revisiting, or donning Samus’s visor for the first time, Prime deservedly sits among the Switch’s list of essentials.

More of a side-step than an evolution from Nioh 2, Wo Long is inventive and an adventure worth taking even if it’s technically suspect on PS5, but won’t live massively long in the memory once you’ve slain your final boss.

There are some foundational bright spots in Scars Above, such as some interesting puzzle-solving and a story that, while somewhat predictable, was well told, but it isn’t enough to justify the criminally stiff movement, huge technical issues and the ugly, lifeless animations. At the end of the day, even the best parts of Scars Above have been done far better, almost two years ago.

Clive 'N' Wrench is game with its heart in the right place, but its myriad issues – its frustrating jumping, its annoying combat, its all too frequent bugs – constantly drag down the experience.

Whether you've played the Wii version or not, this remaster offers enough content to keep both newcomers and veterans busy for a while. As a Kirby game it's fairly typical and doesn't do anything particularly revolutionary, but what it does offer is strong, entertaining platforming.

At its core, Ultimate Sackboy is a fun mobile platformer with charm and responsive controls. Its progression system, however, has that tell-tale restrained feel of a free-to-play game, where progress is slow if you keep your wallet in your pocket.

Like any swordsman learning their craft, Ishin! starts unsteady and builds in confidence. Some ideas struggle to earn their place in the overstuffed mix, but with a propulsive tale, told by some of our favourite gaming characters, it’s easy to get swept up in Like A Dragon: Ishin!’s samurai cool.

Wild Hearts is a solid enough first attempt at taking on the Monster Hunter crown, but its occasionally frustrating battles, its rather small number of monsters and the fidgety nature of its admittedly inventive gadget system mean you have to put up with a fair degree of irritation if you want to see it through.

Horizon Call of the Mountain sets the bar high for PlayStation's biggest franchises adapted to VR with stellar visuals, engaging gameplay, and jaw-dropping moments.

Gameplay is more action-orientated than the slower-paced Lara Croft Go, with the game taking place from an overhead view. [Review in Progress]

Hogwarts Legacy brilliantly captures the magic of the world of Harry Potter with its beautiful open world, engaging characters and exciting combat. While the open-world elements of the game make it feel more dated than we'd have liked, it's otherwise the best the Wizarding World has been in a video game.

Hi-Fi Rush is oozing with style and confidence, but like a messy first album, there are some deep cut tracks that don’t hit as hard as the opening few hits. What can’t be denied, however, is how excited we are for the sophomore effort, and the seemingly limitless versatility that Tango Gameworks have shown off in this bold, out-of-nowhere joy.

Its impact may be lessened these days – something that’s unavoidable given that the source material is a decade and a half old – but from its engaging intro crash sequence to its controversial (and slightly tweaked) ending, it’s still a thrilling journey through madness.

Like its 3DS predecessor, Pocket Card Jockey takes a delightfully silly premise and uses it to create an oddly engaging and highly engrossing puzzle game. Its repetitive nature makes it a one-trick pony, but if it's a trick you click with it's difficult to put down.

Fire Emblem Engage is a great strategy game, but we don’t think it’s a great modern Fire Emblem game. Whether the reverence for the social elements of Three Houses came as a surprise to the team or not, the dearth of those moments in Engage makes it feel like it’s missing half of its core at times.

As long as you don’t mind a bit of mindless and aimless wandering, Lil Gator Game is a laid back and relaxing platformer (if a short one) that’s ably carried by its brilliantly funny dialogue.

While some cracks are beginning to form around the edges, the people who’ve played the game 10 times already won’t care, and will be thrilled to hear that the next-gen version of the game provides a definitive console experience and a great reason to head back out into the wilds.

Crisis Core Reunion has plenty to offer as a remaster, with improved visuals and tighter combat than the PSP original. The fragmented structure of the game, however, remains more suited to a handheld machine, and a poor English script is sadly unchanged. If you’re hankering for more Final Fantasy VII, though, it’s well worth diving in.

The Callisto Protocol delivers the violence, intensity and horror that lives up to its Dead Space predecessor, but with deeper strategic combat. However, a cliché story and lack of original ideas means that it has one tentacle stuck in the past.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns combines addictive, deep strategy gameplay with a cast of characters that make the moments outside of the action just as rich and enjoyable as those in it. A lengthy campaign packed with missions to go on and relationships to form with Earth's Mightiest Heroes make Marvel's Midnights Suns a modern strategy classic and one of 2022's biggest surprises.

The huge expansion and changes to the single player campaign are great, the size of the world and the joy of exploration are the best in the series, and the new Pokemon and battle mechanics introduced all sing. However, it’s just impossible to shake the thought of how much better the game would feel if it was on more powerful hardware, or simply ran acceptably on Switch.

The huge expansion and changes to the single player campaign are great, the size of the world and the joy of exploration are the best in the series, and the new Pokemon and battle mechanics introduced all sing. However, it’s just impossible to shake the thought of how much better the game would feel if it was on more powerful hardware, or simply ran acceptably on Switch.

Somerville is a wonderful sci-fi adventure whose occasionally frustrating puzzles don't ruin what's otherwise a strikingly atmospheric adventure. Its four-hour runtime makes it perfect for a single, memorable evening.