In the last few years, there has been a lot of pent up demand for a single-player centric game like this and hopefully, Respawn will be allowed to explore some of its better ideas in a future release.

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.

WWE 2K26 offers another net gain over its predecessor, ensuring the series continues to evolve in a positive direction. While its new reversal system will initially divide players and the spectre of microtransactions continues to loom over MyFaction, the overall package introduces more quality-of-life features to ensure each of its numerous modes is better than it was last time.

Not quite Yoshi’s Island beater, but closer than he’s come in a long time.

As a whole, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is a stronger start to the next ten years of the game than we expected. But that doesn't make it immune to key criticisms. The game has come a long way, and there's only so much you can expect to change again without a full-blown sequel. Even still, the highs and lows felt too much like a literal rollercoaster over the 2+ weeks of evenings it took to power through its story content.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins will offer enough for fans, but won't blow the minds of new players or series regulars. The scale of the game's battle and rock solid performance are impressive, but there's little to write home about outside of that.

Metal: Hellsinger is an incredibly well-realised concept, packed to bursting with excellent music, unique weapons and a gameplay loop that’s instantly addictive.

Sackboy doesn’t have the tight movement tech of Crash Bandicoot 4 or the butter-melting charms of a game like Astro’s Playroom, but it’s well worth a look if you’re in the market for an innovative platformer that makes the most of the PS5’s exclusive features.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is an amusing, if underwhelming way to kill time before Yakuza 9, but considering the speed at which RGG is releasing new games in the series, you probably don't have to wait that long for the next traditional entry.

EA improves on its predecessor for the umpteenth time, once again delivering the best football game around. The new power shots, the revamped set piece system and women's club teams are welcome, but anyone expecting big changes will want to hope EA Sports FC 24 delivers.

Kirby Air Riders really didn't need a combined 107 minutes of Nintendo Direct presentations to sell players on its merits, because it only takes a few races to see how fun it can be. Road Trip mode's imbalanced win conditions will divide players, but the brilliantly diverse Road Trip (which is built with multiple playthroughs in mind) and the hefty 750-mission Checklist ensure solo players have plenty to do.

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.

Grid offers exhilarating racing and unmatched atmosphere but the modest track list means things get old faster than they should.

Age of Imprisonment may be the most serious of the Hyrule Warriors games to date, but it's also the one with the most engaging and rewarding combat. Fans of Tears of the Kingdom may be annoyed to see an essential retelling of part of its story, but the side-plots add more depth to make up for this to some extent. Fans of the Warriors gameplay style will be absolutely catered for here.

An uneven action experience gets by on a huge amount of charm and a gorgeous visual treatment that more than holds its own ten years later.

EA has delivered another worthwhile FIFA package, but while Street Football and FUT seasons breathe new life into some areas, others remain stagnant and barely improved.

Civilization VII is bold enough to add big changes to its formula, without getting rid of everything that has made the series iconic. Say goodbye to your free time, as from PC to handheld, every waking moment will be consumed by One More Turn.

Steamworld Heist 2 is a charming, generous and surprisingly challenging seafaring romp. From its fun filled real time sailing to its refreshingly tactile twist on turn-based gunplay, Image and Form’s pirate romp breathes a welcome breeze into an often stuffy genre.

A hugely entertaining love letter to Breath of the Wild let down by uneven performance that scuppers the game’s ludicrous highs.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond feels like a game stuck between two worlds. When it’s emulating previous entries, Beyond is a blast, with excellent boss battles, and some truly gorgeous environments to explore. But this is eventually bogged down by out-of-place additions, awkward storytelling, and overly aggressive hand-holding that spoils the discovery.

FIFA 22 is the best in the series to date, even if its revamped animation isn't as revolutionary as billed. As a standalone title it's fantastic, even though avid players will likely feel that changes are negligible compared to last year.

This game should go down as one of the best sports games ever, instead it's a chilling reminder of the chokehold microtransactions have over the genre.

WWE 2K22 is the comeback fans of the series have been hoping for. While it still won't trouble WWF No Mercy for the 'best WWE game' title, it's the first time in many years that the series has delivered both in and out of the ring.

Like its predecessors, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is an entertaining collection of ridiculously random set-pieces, tied together in an easy-to-play life sim. It does start getting repetitive after a few weeks, but the exceptionally localised dialogue and the scope for heavy customisation makes it a game the entire family can enjoy regardless.

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.

Beat 'em ups were flatlining when Scott Pilgrim was originally released. A decade later the genre is in rude health, but it's a testament to the game's quality that it still stands tall as one of the better examples. Fans may be disappointed, however, that practically nothing has been added to the game after all this time.

The Switch 2 version of WWE 2K25 is the best wrestling game on a Nintendo console since at least the N64 era, certainly the GameCube one. It's not without its faults, some of which are present on all versions of the game, but the overall package is a brilliant offering. It's satisfying enough as an annual iteration on other formats, but as the first non-broken WWE 2K entry on a Nintendo console since the 480p era, it's a revelation for Nintendo-playing wrestling fans.

Pokémon Legends Z-A is a grand adventure that once again proves that the Legends series is home to the most interesting ideas Game Freak has. It's a game that understands its audience, and feels like a love letter to both players who grew up with X & Y, and those who've been here the whole time. The new battle system really worked for me, and the Rogue Mega Battles are bombastic fun, even if, like the traditional turn-based offering, it can get very easy as you level up your team. I hope the Pokémon Legends series is here to stay.

Elden Ring Nightreign is an overly clumsy attempt to graft multiplayer antics to one of the best RPGs ever. While its rougelike elements may entertain, a lack of variety and uneven combat system ultimately make for a curious sideshow that doesn't come close to the series that shares its name.

Another wonderful retro compilation from Capcom. It's sorely lacking in supplementary behind-the-scenes content, and it's a shame it couldn't have just been a big DLC pack for the first Arcade Stadium, but what's here is a nice, varied selection of vintage coin-op titles.

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.

Mario & Luigi Brothership is a triumphant return for the series, maintaining the spirit and action-oriented platforming of its predecessors, coupled with fantastic exploration and satisfying battle mechanics.

With improved presentation and controls, Donkey Kong Returns is the definitive version of a classic platformer. Though it lacks the variety and bold ideas of its sequel, and offers little new content, it's a worthwhile experience for those who missed it the first time around.

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.

In a franchise that doesn't change much year-to-year, EA Sports FC 26 takes that to the extreme. While it's by default the best football game on the market, and competing at the highest level of Ultimate Team remains enjoyable, we expected a more revolutionary entry. Promoted as the game that would fix years of issues that have plagued players, most of them remain. Cynical changes to Ultimate Team make the mode worse for free-to-play players, and the game's other modes are barely looked at.

FIFA 21’s numerous small improvements make it the best in the series by default, but compared to recent entries in the series it’s easily the least revolutionary, with no major new modes or features to speak of.

South of Midnight is a gorgeous adventure with wonderful performances, striking visuals and solid platforming gameplay. Its combat, however, is repetitive and reductive in equal measure, letting the overall package down considerably.

Solar Ash is a highly original open-plan platform game. A slim move set that rewards momentum is the perfect means of exploring its swirling, broken landscapes and executing its more exacting challenges. While some of its elements feel overly simple, that doesn’t detract hugely from a clinically focused and fresh experience.

The only saving grace is that some of the elements it lifts from much better games are recreated adequately, so fans of those titles might find some of the fun of going to see a cover band of your favourite artist. You’ve likely not only played Immortals Fenyx Rising before, you’d played a better version of it.

Good characters, strong performances and well-engineered dual timeline storytelling are let down by pacing that’s utterly arhythmic and gameplay that’s fighting you at every step.

If you're new to programming and want to see what it takes to make a game, this is a wonderful and humorous introduction. It does have limitations, though, and mastering its intricacies can take a long time.

The tactical flexibility in Bravely Default 2 is among the best in class, and tinkering with its possibilities is a fine pass-time in itself. But it gets bogged down in a churn of routine battles, wayward balancing and humdrum fantasy. While the original game’s compact focus felt comfy on a 3DS, the Switch magnifies the blemishes of the sequel and leaves it looking a little underdressed.

Le Mans Ultimate is an exceptional racing sim that offers quality racing. It's sorely lacking in features, however, especially if you're a solo player.

Mario Tennis Fever is another solid enough sports game from Camelot, but a disappointingly short single-player offering and a real risk of imbalance – whether using Fever Rackets or not – means what could have been fantastic will have to settle for simply being good.

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.

EA Sports FC 25 makes smart choices so that the time you're spending in the game feels much more worthwhile. Rush is the best addition in years, and hopefully indicative of the future of the franchise.

There’s nothing wrong with a game about doing simple things, and enjoying a relaxing journey in between, but in Sable, we could never relax.

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.

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.

A cheery and densely-packed co-op metroidvania that’s here for a good time, not a long time.

Dying Light 2: Stay Human feels like it lost its direction somewhere along the way. It begins as an interesting zombie game wherein the threat feels tangible, your character feels weak, and the world feels primed for a dynamic story. However, the further you get into the game, a lot of its early ideas feel sidelined for a generic zombie plot, uninspiring combat, and the absence of any kind of danger.

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.

For anyone who’s still just dabbling with the genre, there are a slew of genuine retro shoot ‘em ups – many of which have been published on the Switch by Hamster itself – which serve as perfectly fine entry points at a fraction of the cost. For those who already adore shooters, however – the sort of people who call them ‘schmups’ – Sol Cresta is a fantastic entry that won’t leave you disappointed.

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.

The Switch games attraction is the same as it’s always been for the WarioWare series – personality, replayability and humour – with the added bonus of a strong multiplayer suite. Its latest gimmick isn’t as strong as in previous entries, but it’s not enough to spoil the throwaway fun.

Cronos is a perfectly acceptable survival horror that looks astonishing at times and has an engaging plot (albeit a very confusing one) to ensure players reach the end. That said, there isn't a lot here that hasn't been seen in other survival games before it, and the combination of annoying enemy AI and no real difficulty settings mean some players will have a frustrating time of things.

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.

Though Mario Party Jamboree’s Switch 2 additions are of mixed quality, its best additions, which take advantage of the Switch 2 hardware, undoubtedly elevate what’s already one of the best series entries.

Despite its enjoyable campaign, Black Ops Cold War feels like an anachronistic package. The era of one game containing three completely disparate modes feels so long ago in the age of Warzone.

Banana Blitz is a joyous celebration of what are still arguably the three best games in the series. There are a few slight performance issues and we have no doubt die-hards will argue about the overall feel, but there's a wealth of entertaining banana-hunting here regardless.

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.

Nintendo's toys-to-like experiment can feel like magic, but also requires a sizable living space to work effectively.

Star Wars Outlaws is a pulpy, Uncharted-style adventure that doesn't quite fulfill its potential. Kay and Nix lead a great cast through a well-paced, punchy story, but the game's Reputation system, and syndacite storyline in general feels undercooked.

Evil Genius 2 captures the spirit of the original and still provides plenty of entertaining moments as a result, but the fiddly interface and the lack of any options to manually control its often moronic minions makes it a real exercise in patience at times.

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.

At times it feels like the game’s incredible art direction, music and visual style deserve a game that’s better mechanically, but when it all comes together, Ghostwire Tokyo is one of the more unique games in the triple-A space, if you can ignore its gameplay stumbles.

No More Heroes 3 is exactly what fans of the series have been waiting for – an authentic sequel that continues the story of Travis Touchdown. If you loved the previous games, you’ll love this. However, it doesn’t offer anything new to improve on the series’ flaws,, meaning anyone who isn’t a devotee may want to try the original first to see if its quirky, sharp-tongued style is for them.

Demon Turf looks fantastic and its platforming mechanics are brilliantly satisfying, but it's let down by boring combat and occasionally confusing level design. It's still worth a look, but it's not the best.

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.

As the third game in the Famicom Detective Club series, Emio: The Smiling Man is a faithful entry that fits perfectly alongside the 2021 remakes of the first two titles. It fits in a little too well, however, because its gameplay hasn't changed much from the 1980s originals, meaning its 'choose every option until you move on' dialogue system ends up feeling like a boring box-ticking exercise rather than an intuitive investigative process. The story is great but it's strictly for those who love visual novels, no matter how linear.

With its twisted style and humour, RAD offers a fresh take on the roguelike, proving there’s plenty of life in the genre.

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.

Those with an interest in Nintendo's history should undoubtedly pick up Famicom Detective Club, and those simply looking for a couple of good mystery yarns will have a fun time with it too. Just be aware that it’s a very linear adventure, and once you’re done there’s very little replay value.

It seems backhanded to say that a game is only worth playing if you can find people to distract you from the actual game, but if your group wants something mindless to wind down after an intense night on Warzone or Rainbow Six: Siege, Back 4 Blood is ideal.

Scott Pilgrim EX takes everything that was great about the first game – the combat, the music, the beautiful pixel art – and throws it into an all-new adventure rammed with game references. The open-world structure and relatively short length won't be to everyone's tastes, but if those aren't a problem to you then it's a must-have.

A memorable, if modest, open-world adventure with inventive mechanics and enjoyable exploration.

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.

Romeo is a Dead Man is Grasshopper Manufacture at its most confident and its least conformist. It's got its fair share of rough edges, but the combat is satisfying – offering a challenge without being frustrating – and the sheer inventiveness in its myriad art styles and its bizarre plot ensure this is an adventure you won't have seen before. Anyone with an interest in wandering off the beaten track of familiar third-person action adventure games should check this one out.

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.

The Ascent is a superb action game that looks as fantastic as it plays. Its plot and dialogue can be pretty hard-going but its gunplay is deeply satisfying. On Game Pass it's a no-brainer, but it would be worthwhile at full price too.

An impressive remaster of an already entertaining Sonic game, this should keep Sonic fans busy until we get something new (as long as you're happy replaying levels for S-Ranks, because otherwise it's pretty short).

Cygni is an exceptional evolution of the shoot 'em up genre, one that relentlessly pummels the player with enemies and explosions. Its combat is extremely satisfying and its lengthy stages and customisable elements make it the sort of game you'll play through numerous times. We'd be recommending it as a full-price game, but at £25 / $30 it's a no-brainer.

Those with an interest in Nintendo's history should undoubtedly pick up Famicom Detective Club, and those simply looking for a couple of good mystery yarns will have a fun time with it too. Just be aware that it’s a very linear adventure, and once you’re done there’s very little replay value.

An oddly brief experience that feels unfinished to an extent. The fact that there are already two paid DLC packs on the way and Mojang is promising a number of free updates suggest that it expects players to stick with it and keep playing as new content is added.

Mafia: The Old Country returns to the series' roots with a more linear adventure, delivering a solid story (if a cliché-heavy one) and satisfying combat. The character models and environments are stunning to look at, but the latter raises our main issue: as much as we appreciate the focus on a linear story, this wonderfully sculpted Sicily map is begging to be explored more and is sorely underused as a result.

We can’t recommend Rainbow Six Extraction if you’re planning on playing alone, especially on PlayStation platforms where you’re expected to pay £40 for the privilege, but if your regular gaming group is bored of the game you play every night, and they all have Game Pass, Extraction will provide laughs.

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.

Stalker 2 could be a great game in a few years, but what's presented at launch is a technical mess that doesn't capitalise on its best ideas. Compelling side stories and a brilliant setting do a lot of the heavy lifting, but at launch Stalker 2 isn't an adventure we'd fully recommend embarking on.

At launch, Call of Duty Vanguard feels like a solid step-up from Black Ops Cold War, but falls short of the benchmark that was Modern Warfare 2019. Together, Vanguard's three pillars make for a game that we’re frankly surprised is as cohesive and enjoyable as it is.

Outriders is its own greatest victim. There are some decent ideas in here – an absorbing cauldron of combat variables, some majestic geography, even a few guns worth holding onto – but they're dragged down and suffocated by a game that doesn't want to entertain you but hypnotise you with the prospect of another trinket.

Grid Legends doesn't do anything particularly wrong, but doesn't do anything particularly interesting either. Its racing gameplay is typically solid, as is the Codemasters way, but this studio has pushed the limits of the genre far higher in the past than it does with this relatively safe offering.

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.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a sad microcosm of the state of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio: a developer spinning its wheels, no longer caring for quality, content to chew up old assets and discard what made the original special in order to spit out a yearly release that cashes in on love for what the series used to be.

The original DS Diamond and Pearl were great back in the day, and 15 years later this new coat of paint makes them just as entertaining. The improvements may not be as drastic as some may have hoped, but what's here is a solid Pokémon adventure regardless.

While it takes a while to get going, Arcade Paradise is an outstanding celebration of the '90s arcade scene with a generous helping of fully playable retro love letters.

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.

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.

The Russo brothers have turned Marvel in to cinematic masterpieces. If you’re looking for a gaming equivalent, Ultimate Alliance 3 isn’t it, though that was never its intention. But if you’re looking to get your favourite heroes together to kick ass with friends then you’ll have a Hulk-smashing time.