Mortal Kombat has always continued to evolve over its 25-year history and 11 is no different. Despite the weaker hardware, you've still got the Mortal Kombat experience - it just doesn't look as good as what you're getting elsewhere. If you can put that aside and forgive the game online pain for forgetting it's on a handheld, you've got a terrific Mortal Kombat game in the palm of your hands. I don't know why I ever stopped playing these games.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a joy to see out 2020 while we wait for the next Zelda.

For fans of classic adventure games, pixel art lovers, and players who appreciate world exploration over narrative complexity, I cannot recommend Under The Island highly enough. It’s a delightful journey worth taking, whether you’re solving puzzles in a strange greenhouse or feeding treats to helpful critters in snowy caverns, the experience always feels personal, inviting, and thoroughly engaging.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a brilliantly niche title. Apart from Jet Set Radio 20 years ago, it seems no one has attempted to capture this kinda 90s/2000s skater-graffiti counter-culture in a video game since. And I'm glad that Team Reptile did, because Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is just what I was hoping for! Fully sick!

Tumbleseed is just a game about concentration and survival. Simple to understand, incredibly hard to master. There’s a variety of different approaches to the levels, depending on your play style, and no matter what, the game will always give you a challenge.

Golf Peaks is a great little experience for a couple of hours, think of it as like a movie or book you read, enjoy and maybe pick up another time in the future. Once you've nailed the mechanics of the game (which they introduce so well), you'll breeze through the game in no time at all. A great chill out game.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond delivers three-quarters of a great Metroid Prime game. It captures so much of what makes the series so fondly remembered by fans. I would hate for people to miss the opportunity to experience it, but it's a shame that some parts don't feel like they respect the player's time. For all my grumblings, I was still on board for most of this intergalactic adventure, though some late-game obstacles bring you to the finish line with a little less of a smile. Beyond gives the world more Metroid Prime, for better and for worse, but there is still plenty here that makes the journey worthwhile.

Burnout Paradise Remastered is nearly everything you would want from not only a racing game but a Switch port as well. Paradise City is a car playground and filled with fun. The Switch port looks, runs and sounds almost perfect. Glad to have Burnout back on a Nintendo system, and in such good form.

Side Order is an entertaining change to the more typical Splatoon style, encouraging different ways to play and to embrace variety. Hardcore Splatoon players will likely still make mincemeat (or is that chum) of the Spire. It will offer a tougher challenge for more general players, and to see the game properly through you’ll be making a bunch of attempts at the Spire. If you want more Splatoon in your life then you either have this or should get the Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass, especially if you want something more outside of the online/multiplayer side of the game.

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is a classic adventure book brought to life in the most spectacular fashion. It’s an absolute joy to play, aesthetically beautiful, and a perfect fit for the stop-and-start nature of the Switch. It has a few performance issues, and it could do with maybe a little bit more polish, but that’s easy to overlook when the experience on offer is so fulfilling. Tin Man Games has delivered a faithful representation of a classic story, in a fashion truly worth of the Fighting Fantasy name.

Tomba is a product of a bygone era, resuscitated and presented as it was, with no nostalgic filters on top. The good here outweighs the bad, but there’s no denying that it looks, feels, and plays just like Tomba did on the PS1. It’s one of the more impressive sidescrollers of the era, with some bold ideas that were well ahead of its time, but the usual frustrations and limitations are present too, as they rightly should be.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is a fitting follow up and upgrade on the previous 3DS game. It’s easy to grow fond of your island of Mii’s and their Hot Dog obsessed ways, helping to guide them through the ups and downs of a digital life. There is something for players who want to cover the world with their art and creations, or for players who just want to see what goofy things the Mii residents will get up to next. Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is much more joyful than the potentially sarcastic saying it is titled after.

For those who can look past its quirks, it will be an unforgettable experience. It wears its heart on its sleeve with all the care put into its combat and world landmarks, and with all the unique things it tries. Even some of its flaws can be endearing, like the NPC sound bites that have become memes amongst the fanbase. It’s an experience that has never been replicated since and I can only hope that the team can finally work on a follow-up after all this time.

My Friend Pedro is a wild action-packed ride, where there is no such thing as too excessive. With hours of unleashing hell on a bunch of ne’er-do-wells is good and all, managing to do it while obtaining an S grade is a tougher task. Pedro might not be a grand narrative experience, but it brings everything else to the party. Some of the one-off levels might not work so well, but they are far outnumbered by those that do. If you’ve enjoyed the trailers or enjoy run based puzzles solved by shooting people, then My Friend Pedro is for you.

WarioWare Gold serves as both an excellent tribute to the series’ fifteen years of absurdist humour as well as the perfect entry point for new fans. Comprising of some of the best microgames the series has had to offer, WarioWare Gold represents the best way to experience the zany eclecticism that is WarioWare. It’s just a little bit of a shame that if you’re not into chasing scores, it’s all over all too quickly.

Resident Evil Revelations will probably fool you into thinking that it’s a perfect bridge between the more action orientated modern titles and the earlier horror orientated ones with it’s creepy setting, but be warned, it’s not. As a Resident Evil game, Revelations is ultimately quite a forgettable experience. As an overall experience and package, it represents tremendous value at a great price with heaps of content, and easily the best way to experience Revelations on any of the home consoles.

Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour is a time capsule of mid-1990s shooters, jokes and game design - for better or worse. If you're a long time fan, there's more to see than just the game, and it's great to jump back into the Duke 3D world. If you've never played Duke Nukem before, you're in a for a treat. Grab your bubblegum for this one.

Eastward is a masterful title sure to put Pixpil on the map. The pixel art and animations are top notch, the characters are brilliantly well-written and the story intriguing. The gameplay is perfect blend of RPG and action-adventure and there’s so much game to play. Not to mention the entirety of Earth Born. Eastward should be high on any indie fan’s watchlist!

With the Switch release, the game has improved somewhat with its performance, however it still has long loads, just not as frequently. If you don’t mind stepping back in time, with regards to the gameplay, compared to the recent Lego titles, you will find enough humour and variety here to entertain you or your little ones.

Altogether, Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is an awesome little package. Monkey Craft were expertly able to resurrect Klonoa after an extended hiatus with flying colours - a lot of colours in fact. This game is sure to be a hit with long-time fans of the series and young kiddies looking for a bright platformer full of charm. Go Klonoa!

Death Squared is another game on the Switch that's not easy to play, but it is fun. Like other puzzlers on the console, it's not dependent on playing with other people but you'll get the most out of it if you do. Anyone can pick up and play this game, but they're going to swear and complain when they do, both at the game and the people they're playing it with.

There is a lot of love in this collection. It is great to see almost everything from the first twenty years of the franchise on display, from all the great stuff to all the really rubbish stuff. However, it still feels a bit like a work in progress. I have had this game for a few weeks, and the Switch versions only just got patched to match the other versions, and there are still things to tidy up. This is a fun collection, and the jank is part of the charm. It always has been with Mortal Kombat, but there shouldn't be new jank added to it, it's got enough.

The amount of fanservice in Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition will be enough to make any Zelda fan weep, and the gameplay is enjoyable enough that people after some light action gameplay will find a lot to like as well.

Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy is an impressive remaster and a terrific way to re-play the trilogy that brought many of us fond memories and proved that Nintendo weren’t the only ones who could create an endearing and enduring mascot platformer.

Everspace: Stellar Edition works as a fun space combat game and as a run-based rogue-lite, it even comes with DLC not available with the original game so there are lots to do as you make your way across the universe. Getting into dogfights (the space fighter kind, not the horrible kind) and flying through large shipwrecks scratches an itch that the Switch has left itching for too long, and fortunately, there’s plenty of hours you can sink into it (that said I would also love the Rebel Galaxy follow up!). While it doesn’t run and look as great as other versions, it still runs pretty well and besides some minor hard to see visuals, it’s great for handheld too. If Starlink wasn’t enough space fighting, definitely check out Everspace.

Two games in, it’s clear now that the Legends subtitle is for experimental ideas and gameplay concepts. Pokémon Legends: Z-A experiments a lot, taking big swings with its action combat system and smaller, more focused world, but it’s a very successful experiment and hopefully a sign of great things to come for the Pokémon franchise. Minor quibbles aside, Legends: Z-A very quickly became my favourite Pokémon game in the modern era, and probably the best Pokémon game in years.

A 2D pixel art puzzle platformer that is a cut above the rest. With fantastic world building and atmosphere, Olija’s cinematic experience flourishes in delightful ways, yet is restrained where it counts.

Get this one for Colour Picross - it's great fun and worth a bash if Picross is your thing at all. If you're new, get this for the great amount of content. It'll keep you busy for 30+ hours and it's only $15! No-one's going to judge if you skip Mega Picross though.

If you need more Picross games in your life Depixtion is a good addition to the genre. While the three-layer puzzles aren’t groundbreaking, they are a pleasant change. If you can look past the minimalist menus there are plenty of Nonograms to solve. I’m not sure what else to tell you, if you’re a Nonogram fan then this is an easy choice, if you’re new to this style of puzzle it is worth having a try.

This is a charming, clever puzzler that is a delightful cooperative experience that is perfect for an afternoon on the couch with a friend or loved one. The simple controls make it easy to pick up, and the witty uses of the core concept will make you smile as much as the brightly coloured scenery. It’s well worth a look if you’re after something a little bit different.

Moving Out 2 is a great sequel that nails what the original did well and expands on the concept with fresh ideas. When all the best bits of it coalesce it’s a frantically fun multiplayer experience. Sadly, occasional frustrations rear their head just frequently enough to tarnish the package just a little. Much in the way that the real-life process of moving house can be extremely rewarding in the end, you might have to deal with some aspects being a bit of a chore along the way.

It's great that all of the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear Solid games can be repurchased, all in the same place. The Switch is a perfectly fine play to play them, but you'll be playing Sons of Liberty and Snake Eater at 30FPS, unlike the original releases and on the other consoles. The world of Metal Gear Solid isn't for everyone, with a lot of highfalutin prose to get through, but you can now at least give it a go and see if it hooks you in.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town faithfully revisits and modernises the Game Boy Advance Harvest Moon classic, which will delight nostalgia-seekers. However, there’s still plenty of room for the Story of Seasons series to grow in a post-Stardew Valley world.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble starts a bit slow, but the later worlds and levels offer new and unique features I’ve never seen in Monkey Ball before. The risk with the spin dash is fun, but I feel like it often won’t be used over the required precision. However, I’m sure people will find ways to hack this game. They still haven’t got the mini-games combinations just right. However, it’s the fresh ideas the series has needed for a while and the best Monkey Ball game in some time.

The ToyCon Garage offers some surprisingly powerful tools for you to come up with your own creations, but you’ll need to put some significant time in to learn the ins and outs of them. Time will tell whether Labo ends up being a success for Nintendo, but it’s something I’m thankful for them attempting.

Mario & Luigi Brothership is a joy to play, as well as an excellent entry in the Mario & Luigi series. Even as the Switch era is sailing towards new waters, it is a real treat to see them release such amazing games. I hope it gets all the attention it deserves in spite of being released on the tail end of the Switch's lifespan. If you haven't had the opportunity to play a game from the Mario & Luigi series, this is as good a jumping-in point as any, and this is a must-own for long-term fans of any of the Mario RPG entries.

Returns is great, but I am so ready for a new Donkey Kong, whether it be a Country game or something else. We’ve had this game for 15 years and yes it stands up, Tropical Freeze we’ve been treated to twice as well. Now Returns is available to play in the best way possible, so if you’ve never dipped in there’s no better time to, but if you’ve already played this before there’s nothing new here really for you. Still a modern classic.

It's been a long while between Ufouria games. Even If you haven't played the original, The Saga 2 is a fun time. The cute art style combined with some old-fashioned platforming and charming and funny interactions between the cast of Mr Hebe and his friends makes for a good playthrough. While the pace can be off at times, and the last few areas of the game lead to a little too much backtracking, overall, it doesn't keep it from being an enjoyable platformer that will leave you with a smile.

Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is the same great game it was on the Nintendo 3DS, now with a fresh lick of paint and improved controls thanks to the dual analog sticks. Whether it's worth picking up again after 10 years is up to you. However, for everyone else—whether you're a Luigi's Mansion newbie or a Luigi's Mansion 3 player—this game is well worth a look; just remember to bring a torch.

The Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection was an interesting title to review. As a newcomer to the series, it was a daunting series to get into without having played this style of dungeon crawler in over a decade. The benefits of including easier modes for people who just want to explore what the dungeons have on offer should not be discounted, but with a notebook, some grid paper, plenty of patience, and a willingness to experiment and try different strategies in battle makes for a compelling trilogy. However, if you do not the patient type of player, or if excessive exploration and dungeon crawling for minimal plot do not sound all that appealing, it may not be the title for you.

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code doesn’t shy away from being deeply strange. It’s a delightful mystery game in the vein of Ace Attorney with every dial turned up to 11. Its art direction, music, world design, and gameplay are all solid, even if there’s far too much of everything, and despite some suspect writing with certain characters, it’s hard to look at it too harshly. My only wish is that, if there’s to be a sequel someday, somebody brings in an editor and trims down some of the fat.

In reality, it’s damn impressive that the XCOM 2 Collection runs on Switch at all. In spite of its visual and technical issues, there’s an incredible (and challenging) tactical experience to be had. Perhaps exercise some patience and invest in some glasses to get the best experience.

Darksiders 2 is a good game, and this is a decent port to try if you haven’t managed to try it yet. While it does have its hiccups, the game is ultimately the same game you’ve seen elsewhere for better or worse. Despite how slow the series can take to tell the overarching story, I still look forward to seeing what they do with these characters and with Darksiders Genesis. If you’re picking this game up for the second time let’s face it, you want to see what’s going to happen to.

Cavern of Dreams is a time capsule back to the 90s 3D platformer heyday, capturing the look and feel of the era. Fynn's adventure to rescue their siblings doesn't overstay its welcome and avoids falling in the same collectathon trap similar games can fall into. While Cavern of Dreams could do with a little more guidance, the world's aren't large enough that you'll get lost. It's a fun game for players looking to enjoy a new game with a classic feel.

Arms is another polished Nintendo title and a welcome addition to the Switch library. The characters that have been created and the world that they live in is terrific it's just a shame we don't get to explore it more. Despite having more levels, characters and weapons to unlock and play with the game seems to feel smaller than Splatoon did at launch even though I know it's not. Luckily for Arms the rest of the game is perfectly crafted, the online and local modes are a real blast, are easy to setup and the fighting mechanics are easy to pick up but hard to master. Nintendo has another franchise on its hand if it continues to add to the game as promised, Arms is a real blast.

While Super Mario Maker 3DS felt crippled and downgraded, Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World feels equal. With the Wii U version getting updated to support Poochy & Poochy Dash there’s not too many advantages to the game, but also no downsides. If you missed this on Wii U, there’s no excuses not to pick this up, but if you do own it already you may just want to look into adding the amiibo to your collection. Now if only we had some Poochy Pup amiibo….

While Human Resource Machine has made me want to throw my Switch across the room in frustration, it’s got a very fair and understanding difficulty curve which is very important for a game like this. Even if you’re awful at maths like myself Human Resource Machine is a must buy for anyone looking to kill a few hours in between Mario Karting sessions.

Like Valiant Hearts, this game is tough to put a score to. Games like this tell important stories and attempt to use video games as a medium to help educate as well as share experiences from devastating wars. My Memory of Us does a good job of retelling and reimagining the Nazi occupation of Poland. It falters at points, especially the moments when the game around the story is frustrating. Yet it’s hard to ignore the visual style they’ve chosen, coupled with an affecting soundtrack.

Oddworld New ‘n’ Tasty is not only a solid remake, but it’s also a solid port. It’s strange that of the Oddworld games, the first game is also the last one to be re-released, but then by now, it’s been available everywhere else. If you’re new to the series and are looking for a challenging platformer with some puzzle solving then New ‘n’ Tasty could be the dish for you. If you’ve already got a copy of the game elsewhere, just be aware that the Switch version doesn’t add anything except another portable way to enjoy Abe’s Oddysee again.

I love the concepts and world of Heaven's Vault, but I know deep down I would have loved them more as something other than a game.

Diablo II Resurrected, for the most part, strikes a perfectly respectable balance between maintaining the look and feel of the original and updating it for a modern audience. It's unambitious, but it doesn't really need to be any more than that — Diablo II was a wonderful game, and all it really needed was a bit of sprucing up at the end of the day. That's been done here, and done mostly well, and the transition to a gamepad is probably is good as it could've been. Still, it feels dated in some ways, and its online/offline character split was a dreadful choice, given how bad the servers have been for it. Still, it is Diablo II, for better and for worse, and if you're like me and have a nostalgic attachment to it, it's probably worth a play.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a strangely dissonant game that feels torn between wanting to respect the series’ past and wanting to rewrite it. At its core, it’s a solid game that refreshes Yakuza 3 for modern audiences while keeping mostly true to its origins. It’s the rare instances in which it diverges that everything starts to go off the rails, making for an experience that just doesn’t stick the landing.

In short bursts, Reigns: Kings and Queens can be an entertaining way to fill those small gaps in your day if this blend of politics and relationship drama sounds up your alley, but over longer play sessions the repetitive gameplay and scenarios may struggle to continue to hold your attention.

Little Kitty Big City isn't just a game for fans of cats; anyone can enjoy it over the few hours it lasts. Returning to find all the items in the game will also net a couple more hours. Knowing that the game is still an adorably fun time and, despite some rough edges, exploring the big city as a little kitty is certainly a fun time.

Valiant Hearts: The Great War was a great and necessary story and game in 2014, and that stands for 2018 too. Not everything is perfect and it’s not for everyone, but there is great value in the story it tells and what can be discovered about a time overshadowed by the Second World War. If you want a game that’s doesn’t celebrate War but wants to teach you the futility of War, then Valiant Hearts is that game.

It really can’t be overstated how significant it is that we have a working, portable, fully-fledged edition of Madden on the Nintendo Switch 2. It’s incredible that the game works as well as it does. There are trade-offs such as lower resolution and lower frames than other consoles, but those don’t allow you to play the game portably this well. The on-field action is smooth, and every mode allows for significant investment. I highly recommend picking this up, especially to see EA continuing to support the Switch 2 with its sport games.

The original Yooka-Laylee brought us a 90s platformer in a modern skin, but it also carried over a lot of the bad habits of the era. Instead of trying to be its own game, it tried too hard to be a Banjo-Kazooie. Yooka-Replaylee now knows more clearly what it wants to be: a modern platformer that evokes the past rather than being dictated by it. Everything here has been improved: the controls, the game world, the graphics, and the camera. I forced myself through the original release, and when I reached the end of this one, I was like, “Oh, it’s over.” Playtonic listened to feedback, reflected on their work, and have made something really great here.

Although never innovative, Darksiders is a rare example of a game that borrows heavily from other franchises and still possesses its own identity. Worth playing for the brilliantly bloodletting combat alone, Darksiders: Warmastered Edition is a more than capable version for Wii U owners to experience their own affordable apocalyptic adventure.

Overcooked is a hectic party game that is great fun if you've got people to play with, but is enjoyable enough if you don't. It's a great addition to the Switch's library but it could have done with a bit more time in the kitchen to sort out its performance issues that keep me from rating this any higher. If those are fixed then its biggest issue is the painful gatekeeping of campaign levels that eventually just become padding rather than a learning aid.

The World Ends With You has always been a fantastic game, and it's at its best in the Final Remix on Switch, even if the optional motion controls don't quite do it justice. Its story, presentation, battle systems, and music are all incredible, and there's nothing out there quite like this. Whether you're a newcomer to the game or a veteran from the DS days, there's no better time than now to play TWEWY.

Moving Out is a fun party game that is at its best when you are screaming at your friend to pivot as you awkwardly attempt to rotate an L-shape couch through a winding corridor too small for the task. It certainly has its moments, but unfortunately, it lacks enough of these to escape the shadow of Overcooked and rise to the same ranks of blissful pandemonium. The absence of competitive multiplayer and online play also hurts, but if you love these types of party games you can still find a good time waiting for you here.

The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 is a great point and click adventure game. Over the course of the game you’ll be pulled out of the moment as they reintroduce characters with little context, or mention moments you never saw if you missed the original game. Despite this and some frustrating controls and movement, the game is worth checking out if you don’t already have it on another platform. Genuinely humorous and fun adventure games are far and few between, so if you’re willing to overlook some manageable issues it’s definitely worth a look.

Like Toy-Con Garage, Game Builder feels like it was made to be used by schools IT departments to help younger audiences learn how to program in a way which is easy to understand. It's encouraging to see Nintendo is sticking with finding ways to make programming accessible, hopefully even inspiring future game makers. Game Builder Garage makes programming more understandable as well as enjoyable. It can still be overwhelming, but they put the tools in your hands to try it out. I'll still miss Labo and its creative builds, but Game Builder Garage is an excellent follow-up.

Bravely Default II is a game laden with frustration, with unfairness, with a lack of respect for the player's time. It's a game that could be massively improved, but only ever in small ways. It's an active step backward in terms of quality of life and playability features for the series… But when it works, it works wonderfully, its combat systems soaring to satisfying heights, its storytelling exciting and chilling. It's a game forever at conflict with itself, offering freedom then punishing you for pursuing it. I hate myself for loving it, but I love myself too much to ever go back to it. To sum it up, it's an arduous, glorious, frustrating, beautiful mess. It's a bit of a love-hate relationship.

If you enjoy tactic RPGs it’s definitely worth a look in, and there is plenty to enjoy despite its roughness. If you like RPGs but aren’t sure about tactic based games I recommend playing the Disgaea 5 demo to get an idea if this is a game for you.

Doom 64 is a different experience, it's still Doom, but it's like your favourite movie got directed by someone else and had to make everything from scratch again. While still fun all these years later, it's still a bit of-its-times, but that's part of the charm. It's Doom, done just a little bit different.

The Adventure mode in Mario Tennis Aces was a long-requested feature, and eight years later I was expecting something more evolved. Instead, I was left disappointed by an Adventure mode that acts as a painful tutorial for almost half of its runtime. That said, it is only one part of the game, and the rest of Mario Tennis Fever is very enjoyable. The Fever Rackets add a new dimension to the gameplay, and the expanded character roster makes finding the best combinations even more challenging. The side-show modes are the real stars here, and they make it clear where the game truly shines. More time spent on zany tennis ideas like these, and less on Adventure mode for the next one.

Carrion lets you live out the creature fantasy you never knew you desired. A series of escape situations and tense standoffs with humans where you have the upper tentacle every time. A gruesome experience, but one well worth having.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is the best attempt yet by Sega to get back to the brilliance that was the original games. While purists will still feel just a little off at the game's physics, everyone else probably won't notice. With the stack of party games, things to unlock and almost near infinite replayability, Banana Manaia will be something you return to repeatedly. We've all been begging for a remake of Super Monkey Ball. We've finally got, and while it's not perfect – really what is?

Inbento is at the end of the day a snack and not a meal - it looks great and tastes lovely, but the bite-size levels and sparse runtime will leave you feeling still hungry. I don’t doubt that you’ll probably enjoy it once you get through the overly simple opening, but it’s not a memorable or important experience. Just a tasty morsel in-between something more substantial.

Patapon 1 + 2 is a great overall collection. Bringing back a couple of unique titles from the PlayStation Portable provides a rhythm experience that is difficult to find anywhere else. There are some significant improvements to the visuals, however as a remastered collection, it lacks much else beyond that. The games are demanding, and there will be a lot of repetition and planning that may not be for everyone. However, there is not anything quite like the feel of successfully finishing a level and keeping the little Patapons happy.

Save me Mr Tako: Definitive Edition takes most of the issues of the original game and fixes them up. This edition is all the better for it; hearts mode makes the game more accessible by being less punishing in general. Mr Tako will make you nostalgic for your old GameBoy games, but it's also a pretty good game on its own.

On paper, it might not look like there's a lot to this game, but with the addition of two new worlds, time attack, co-op play and the ability to scale the difficulty should you get stuck - there's plenty on offer for everyone. Now, a new generation can experience Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

Creature in the Well is a pleasant change to the usual dungeon crawler formula. While it can be punishing at times, its challenges can be overcome. If you enjoy Pinball, Breakout, Tennis or even games like Windjammers and would like to try a different spin on them, Creature in the Well is for you. There are at least five hours of fun genre mash-up here, that happens to have a really nice art style too. I’d love to see more like this from developer Flight School Studio in the future.

Despite a few minor issues, Piczle Lines DX is an excellent puzzle game with a tonne of content and more free content on the way. It will keep you entertained for days, if not weeks. It might be playable on mobile, but the Switch version is cheaper overall, and the option of traditional controls makes the Switch version the definitive Piczle experience.

If you've played this game on any platform in the last few years then you'll largely know what to expect. On the plus side, it's still a Sparkle game, it's great at what it does, and Zuma is long gone. It is also good value for the amount of content provided, and as a bonus it’s slightly cheaper on the eShop than on the iOS app store.

Old School Musical is a great action rhythm game for fans of chiptunes. Some homages may be more obscure than others, but the music sounds good regardless if you like chiptunes. Notice a pattern? The music is something a niche audience would love, there are no songs with vocals or more modern sounds. But if you like appreciating the music of the 80s and 90s games OSM might just have a song for you.

Backpack Hero is an excellent roguelike. With its unique inventory mechanics, cute cast of characters and seemingly endless gameplay possibilities, this is one game you oughta stuff into your backpack!

It’s the game that tries too hard to please everyone, but at the end of the night, the party leaves things a bit flat.

Sushi Striker offers surprising depth for a puzzle game that almost anyone could enjoy, as well as a substantial single player story with some great twists and turns. Despite some niggles with the game’s various control schemes, the core gameplay is fun, frenetic and fast-paced. Make no mistakes, Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido is one of the most well put together puzzle games on the Switch.

While parts of Ever Oasis are fun to play and satisfying when you solve a challenging puzzle in a dungeon, as a whole the game feels like it doesn't quite do enough in either aspect in dungeon crawling or town management. I can see the appeal that this might have for fans of these types of games but personally, I think it would have benefited to be one or the other, fully fleshed out.

Final Fantasy IX is not the more serious-looking futuristic Final Fantasy like the two games before it. Instead, it is a lovely fantasy world which can be just as serious and deep, and more importantly, enjoyable. The addition of ‘boosters’ help make the game playable for those who don’t want to endlessly grind for experience and just want to enjoy the journey. This port isn’t without its problems, fortunately outside of the annoying load times into battle the rest are minor issues. For Final Fantasy fans, the port does more right than it does wrong. If you haven’t played FF IX yet, love a good turn based RPG and don’t mind older games, then there is no better place to play it than on the Switch.

Far from being a bomb itself, Bombslinger features a challenging single-player experience and a competent multiplayer mode, but not enough overall compelling depth to keep you coming back for more once the end credits roll.

Subnautica: Below Zero does a great job at giving Subnautica fans a new part of the world to discover. All packed in with a story and interactions to help you not feel so alone in the world this time around. Planet 4546B is still an amazing underwater world filled with weird and dangerous wildlife. The story helps keep you focused if you want to see everything there to see with some goals to aim for. Or, if you wish, you can focus on gathering resources, building up your base and soak in the world at your own pace. Subnautica: Below Zero is a solid game on the Switch, and both runs and looks better than expected. If you want an enjoyable survival game or underwater exploration game, you should dive in.

Like the oxygen line connected to your space explorer, you must remain close to Astroneer to gain anything from it. A directionless experience that rewards investment with growing base complexity, combined with the constant possibility of discovery, makes this a perfect game for the right type of player.

Super Mario Run is a Mario game on your phone, get over it already. Because if you don't you're missing out on a great Mario experience. Like any other Mario game, practise and precision is key; just because you use one hand to play it doesn't make it any less skillful. The game feels like a Mario game but at the same time it also feels like a more modern title on a phone. World Tour rewards you for grinding and Toad Rally is the pay off, Nintendo's managed to make the entire game balanced no matter how you like to play. Nothing takes longer than it has to, it's a game on your phone and Nintendo's fully managed that. Super Mario Run is addictive, charming and fun and well worth the full price. You like fun right?

Pikuniku is a strange little game. It’s unique, hilarious, and extremely fun, but it shines most when it’s played with a friend. It’s a little on the short side, and some of the campaign’s level design is basic at best, but there’s no shortage of charm on display, and it’s hard not to walk away with a smile on your face.

Overall the game runs great, looks and sounds good, and still plays great in handheld mode. It is a blast taking on large groups with over the top attacks. Hopefully Namco Bandai have more One Piece games in store for the Switch, but for now Pirate Warriors 3 is a seaworthy addition to the stash.

WarioWare: Get It Together! is another thoroughly entertaining entry into this wacky series. The introduction of multiple different playable characters has its pros and cons, but once over the initial adjustment period, their addition makes for plenty of replayability, refreshing challenges and the special blend of multiplayer chaos only Wario can provide. It’s not the strongest WarioWare game overall, but it’s another quality party option for your Switch collection.

Planet Alpha is a beautiful and fun fast-paced puzzle platformer. It was fun working my way across the lush yet dangerous world. There’s a few annoying bits and pieces, but the good far outweighs those moments. If games of this genre usually feel a bit short, then the good news is that Planet Alpha lasts over 5 hours. If you’re into side-scrolling platformers with puzzles added in you should check it out.

I hope Nintendo handles future Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + New Content releases in a more organised and organic way. It’s overly complicated to play through the different modes, with caveats everywhere, which means some modes don’t get the proper Switch 2 Edition treatment. Mario Party superfans will enjoy the new modes for the main board games, but the Jamboree TV additions—aside from the mouse games—are a bit average. Jamboree was a solid and complete package, and this just splits it all up and breaks the flow.

Necrobarista: Final Pour is a compelling story of death, grief, and the inevitable passing of our time on this Earth. With an endearing cast, snappy writing, and a careful balancing of humour along with the grim nature of its world, it makes for an enjoyable tale. It may not be the most involved of visual novel games, and the story falls just shy of hitting an emotional home run, but this is still worth a look if you’re after something a little more contemplative.

It will be entirely up to you whether the writing and redeeming elements of the battle system suit your preferences, but I am absolutely glad I was able to give Paper Mario: Color Splash a chance.

Beautifully animated, voiced and orchestrated, Wulverblade is an irresistible package for fans of side-scrolling fighters. A few minor issues merely smudge the face paint of this epic Britannica adventure.

Jackbox Party Pack 7 is another solid mix of games to through into rotation for your next social gathering. Quiplash 3 and Blather ‘Round are quick and simple options that anyone can pick up, and The Devil and the Details along with Talking Points are more complex games with plenty of replay value. Champ’d Up fails to live up to previous entertaining drawing games and has a pretty frustrating bug preventing full drawings from showing up properly. Overall, it’s a good collection of games that will please fans of the series, but I’m hoping that we soon get an option to export every pack into one collection for the ultimate party pack.

Floor Kids is one of those games you really have to play to fully understand the beauty of it. It takes a simple premise in an established genre and flips it on its head, focusing more on how the player moves than how they’re supposed to move. That’s a powerful feeling, to suddenly be in control in a genre that so typically gives the player little to no choice. With uniquely wonderful aesthetics, engaging gameplay, and a world that is truly fascinating to experience, Floor Kids achieves what so many other games aspire to — a new experience unmatched by anything else on the market.

As far as remasters of 18-year-old games go, it's hard to conjure up an example of a game that does it better than Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster. It was clearly an excellent game back in its day, and it remains so today, with crisp new assets, new voice acting, and a swathe of handy new features to smooth over the bumps of an aging experience. It can be repetitive and frustrating at times, and Sega's DLC offerings can leave a bit of a sour taste in your mouth, but if you're looking for a classic RPG to play, a place to jump into the SMT series, or just a chance to relive your childhood, it's hard to go wrong here. It's not a game you'll want to miss out on.

This magical mashup of genres is certain to impress fans of both twin-stick shooters and old-school action-adventure games. With a sweet story and setting to boot, definitely keep Trigger Witch on your radar.