Overall, I was surprised by how much fun I had with RAD. Levels might feel a little formulaic, but I didn’t mind as it meant I was able to quickly figure out what my goals were. Some enemy types make for good fodder, and the randomised combinations of exo mutations make each playthrough unique. The ‘80s pop culture tropes and visuals are becoming cliched at this point, but in this case they mostly work and the music often riffs on popular classics like Michael Jackson’s Thriller, among others. If you’re looking for a single-player, dungeon-crawling roguelike with the added bonus of fighting mutants, while becoming one yourself, look no further than RAD.

We’re at that point with sports games where all the focus goes into the new consoles and every year out is one step closer to ‘legacy’ editions. 2K22 isn’t there yet, but it’s not far off. If you want to play basketball, it’s still solid this year, at the very least. If you want to check out the open-world online cruise ship that still thirsts for your money, hop on board.

A fun puzzler that feels right at home on the Switch. Some frustrating levels can pop up a little too often, but it’s a good option for a quick gaming session.

Having variety and diversity in games is important, and honestly – with this series still running so long, there’s definitely something there that’s appealing enough to give people a reason to keep buying these games. I just wish I could understand exactly what that ‘something’ is.

Sparkle Unleashed feels quite the opposite of it's name at moments. Having the slinger tethered to the bottom of the screen doesn’t help, but there is still a fun Sparkle game there. If you remember Luxor then this game will bring those memories back, if you want a fast-paced puzzle game or just to clear some more orbs, with all gripes aside, Sparkle Unleashed can get the job done.

Ageless lands in an odd spot. It’s not bad - compelling level design and interesting puzzles keep your attention through its 8-odd hour runtime. Sadly, it just resembles Celeste too much to avoid the dooming question: why don’t you just play that instead? And if you already did - can you forget it enough to enjoy this?

I love the look of Jydge. It’s like The Sims and Blade Runner got together one night and decided it would be a good idea to combine their aesthetics into a joint venture of top-down/isometric and bleak futuristic stylings and then spiced it up with pops of neon. The soundtrack is pretty good too. You could say it’s like a box of chocolates; you never know what you are going to get, until that one track kicks in that is as annoying as coming across a chocolate with a concealed almond inside. Not to worry, there are plenty of chocolates in the box and they are random any time you enter a stage. The music tracks that is, not the chocolates.

While it may seem like a strange decision releasing the original Escapists game after the sequel, there is still plenty of fun to be had here. Some elements such as the crafting made being in virtual prison pretty punishing, but piecing together how you’re going to break out and what you need to do can be enjoyable as you make your way to freedom.

Yo-kai Watch Blasters was very disappointing for me as a Yo-kai Watch fan because it just doesn’t carry the charm of the mainline games. It’s dull to play and that signature wit and wholesomeness was missing from the writing. While there’s plenty to do in the game, even after you’ve completed the story, it didn’t keep my attention long enough to see it all through. It might be worth checking out if you’re desperate to play something with friends, but otherwise you can treat this one like the yo-kai Dimmy and ignore it completely.

The options for the games, whilst interesting, are not where they should be, especially given some of the more recent classic collections. And finally, there are the games. 150 games listed is technically accurate, but still factually wrong; whilst a lot of the games included are fun to play with still, there are a lot, mostly the sports games, that are not, so the overall collection just feels less. Fans of Atari, or anyone who grew up with those games, will find a lot of enjoyment in the collection though, so it is not all bad.

The Namco Museum Archives Vol 1 and 2 are a decent trip down memory lane. The previously unlocalised games and rarities will entice retro game enthusiasts. A bunch of the classics are here, and some alright games too. Dividing the collection into two volumes only serves to squeeze a little extra money out of you for Famicom/NES versions of games. The 8-bit demakes of Pac-Man Championship Edition and Gaplus make great additions and show up the older games a little, but overall fit in amongst the bunch. If you want the original version of the classics then you’re better off with the older Namco Museum Collection, it’s really the rarities and previous Japan-only titles that make these volumes stand out.

Technically difficult to fault, Neon Chrome's sins lie in its bland presentation, reflective of its unsatisfying sense of progression.

At the end of the day, Sonic Colours Ultimate does offer a decent Sonic adventure. Everything you'd expect from a modern Sonic game is here: speeding through different acts, alternate pathways, hidden collectibles, great design, and, yes, unbalanced gameplay and a couple of bugs. If you're a hedgehog diehard, Sonic Colours Ultimate is most definitely worth a look, but if you aren't, then take this one with a blue grain of salt.

Overall it’s an enjoyable twin-stick shooter that scratches that arcade gaming itch. However, if you’ve played other similar games in recent times, there isn’t a whole lot here to make it an essential part of your Switch library.

Despite the issues mentioned here, Cities Skylines on the Switch is still tremendous fun to play no matter if you’re playing it on the TV or in handheld mode. Here’s hoping some of the technical issues can be ironed out as time goes on, but if you can put up with a little jank and don’t have a PC to check it out on, Cities Skylines is still the best city sim out there and now you can play it anywhere.

My Brother Rabbit successfully tells a story about a loved one suffering from a potentially deadly illness. Its subject matter is inherently emotional, and manages to do so without being overly heavy handed. Hidden object and puzzle players will find something familiar with the gameplay. My Brother Rabbit’s story is interesting enough that you should give this a try regardless.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is the best Super Smash Bros game I’ve played not featuring Mario. The fighting system underpinning it is a lot of fun, introducing enough new elements to stand on its own amongst its peers and having enough depth to foster competitive play going forward. It’s a shame that the list of features and content is so threadbare and that some further love hasn’t been shown for the rich source material, but hopefully, the developers can support the game and expand on this in either updates or a sequel. For the time being, this is a solid alternative to Smash Bros if you’re after something a little different, or just want to reset the playing field for that one friend who has just become too good at Ultimate.

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes is certainly an oddball that I enjoyed. Suda51’s penchant for Western culture, mixed in with toilet humour and one-liners, makes for an enjoyable time. The game itself is very “samey” throughout the whole adventure, but looking past that and discovering a game that is very well-written, self-aware and funny makes it just beyond the cusp of recommendation.

Yo-kai Watch Blasters was very disappointing for me as a Yo-kai Watch fan because it just doesn’t carry the charm of the mainline games. It’s dull to play and that signature wit and wholesomeness was missing from the writing. While there’s plenty to do in the game, even after you’ve completed the story, it didn’t keep my attention long enough to see it all through. It might be worth checking out if you’re desperate to play something with friends, but otherwise you can treat this one like the yo-kai Dimmy and ignore it completely.

Despite a cool concept on paper, Double Cross spreads itself too thin trying in vain to emulate the platforming action of Mega Man and the investigative intrigue of Phoenix Wright to do anything original. Instead, Double Cross is a derivative, flat game with tepid combat and very little actual investigating to do.

I really, *really* enjoyed Miitopia, when I fully expected not to. It’s so self-aware, leading to some fantastic moments in the game. But most of all, it’s an RPG adventure that’s basically tailor made for you. I had a blast exploring Miitopia with my friends, seeing interactions that would never happen in real life, and saving the world from the evil Vook. Even if you think you might not like it, I highly encourage playing the demo. If you enjoyed that, the full game is so much better.

Sonic Superstars isn’t a bad Sonic game; it captures what the fondly remembered games got right in several ways. On the other hand, it seems to have forgotten some of the other things classic Sonic did better. Between the level design and the boss battles, Sonic feels robbed of speed and is weighed down by some genuinely frustrating battles.

It's a hard sell at the price of $30 AUD. With little to do on DK Island but to appreciate the nods to the past, Emerald Rush needs to add enough to give players something to do, which it does, depending on how much you enjoy time-based smashing challenges through layers you’ve seen before. Hopefully, there will be a sale on the DLC at some point; otherwise, I could only really recommend it for those who love Donkey Kong Country or roguelite side modes.

There’s a lot to love about Felix the Reaper. Its puzzles are deep and challenging, its presentation is deliciously morbid, and it’s packed to the rafters with charm and character. Unfortunately, the Switch version of the game is held back by an unwieldy control scheme, a lacklustre resolution, and agonisingly long load times, which all hold back what could have been one of the best puzzle games of the year. That said, I cannot recommend it enough… but maybe play on PC instead.

Kirby’s Dream Buffet has a smorgasbord of things to unlock that long-time Kirby fans will appreciate. However the gameplay is fairly shallow, and it won’t take long for you to feel like you’re enjoying thing over and over again. The omission of a four player offering for local multiplayer on one system stops it from becoming a true party staple. The core game here is super fun, but just a few ingredients missing that stop it from becoming a true five star dish.

If you’re after something a little bit different, it’s not a bad way to escape for a couple of hours.

It’s all well and good to have a solid, proven design, and some interesting ideas for plot, aesthetic and gameplay, but when you’re slapped at every turn by slippery controls and difficult visuals it makes things very, very frustrating. Dying repeatedly doing tedious single jumps in not-particularly-challenging levels sure Wrecked my Giga. I don’t think it’s impossible to have fun here, but I’d recommend seeking out a better Alt-ernative.

Crossing Souls definitely ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to a 1980s homage. The story is well written, and the developers have done a decent job of bringing me down memory lane. Despite the moments of hair-pulling ridiculousness that is precision platforming that seemingly fights against the rest of the game, Crossing Souls is definitely worth checking out for ‘80s fans.