Dredge is a dark, engaging Switch experience that, unlike some of the three-eyed creatures you may pull up from the depths, feels perfectly sized. It balances serenity with risk, exploration with accumulation. A dreadfully good experience that cements Black Salt Games as a developer to watch in future.

Thank Goodness You're Here is an experience. It's still a video game, sure, but over the two to three-hour runtime, you'll constantly question what exactly you're playing, and by the end, you'll still have no idea what you just went through—but in a good way! It's one of the weirdest games I've ever played but also one of the most fun.

Sayonara Wild Hearts is an utterly gorgeous experience, and it looks, plays, and sounds fantastic on the Switch. A game on the surface and a pop album at its core, in what is perhaps the most effective and interesting blend of entertainment mediums I've ever seen. With stylish visuals, an incredible soundtrack, and simple yet inventive game mechanics, Sayonara Wild Hearts is simply a must-have.

Timespinner is an enjoyable game that stands alongside other good Metroidvanias, but not above them. It has an interesting story that somehow feels both epic and somewhat contained at the same time, but is full of background lore that is challenging to make sense of in its own right. Its visual style looks great, and in some moments really stands out, and features a wide cast of enemies to fight along the way, including some challenging boss battles. In the end, Lunar Ray Games delivers a solid experience - but not an exceptional one.

Ape Out is great fun and really engaging experience for people who enjoy arcade-like action. And for the music-lovers out there, this game’s (in)direct control of the soundtrack gives all of the on-screen action feedback but can’t really be experienced anywhere else. It’s a shame that Ape Out is so short and returning to replay the game doesn’t present any new experiences/rewards, but for the 1.5-2 hour duration, you’re in for a real smash.

Ender Lilies artfully weaves the Metroidvanias and Soulslikes genres in a dark fantasy setting, inviting the player to fully explore all of the secrets (and endings) of Land’s End.

Super Mario RPG is a delightfully faithful remake — for better and for worse. It’s almost exactly the game it was 25 years ago, with some key improvements, adjustments, and feature additions to make it much more enjoyable for modern audiences. It’s not without its many frustrations – most of which stem from its SNES predecessor – but there’s no denying that what’s here is a wonderful experience from start to finish.

Apocalypse is very much a more-of-the-same sort of sequel, but when the first instalment was already pretty solid, all you can really do is a few touch ups and a new story. Definitely check it out if you played and enjoyed Shin Megami Tensei IV- I’d have a hard time recommending it to anybody else without the context provided by the first game. Having said that, if you haven’t played the first one, go do that! It’s usually cheap on the eShop, and you already know there’s a fairly expansive universe around just the SMT IV story now.

World of Goo is a game that has aged pretty well since it's original release and the HD graphics go a long way in making it stay a classic puzzle game. The progression is great, with some levels that will make you scream and shout whilst simultaneously pulling out your hair, has a great art style and some pretty funny remarks from The Unknown Sign Painter. It does face some control issues but nothing which is a deal breaker. If you haven't played World of Goo before, or even if it's been a few years or more since you last did, it's certainly worth your time on the Switch.

Once the music dies down and your ears are still ringing after hours of the filthiest bass imaginable, Just Shapes & Beats is a great rhythm adventure on the Switch – especially for bullet-hell and electronic music aficionados.

There are some really hard-hitting and beautiful moments in this game, as well as a lot of funny ones, and the more I learned about Jill the more I liked her. The world and all of the characters of VA-11 HALL-A are so damn interesting, and I found myself eager to return to the game after every play session. If you’re a fan of visual novels, this is a must play.

Tetris 99 is pretty much what-you-see-is-what-you-get, and I think that’s what makes it work so well. There’s no need for complex battle systems or extra modes; no one asked for this game, but here it is at no extra cost, so it manages expectations well by giving just one, solid game mode. You really have nothing to lose and everything to gain by getting into Tetris 99.

At the end of the day, traditional JRPG fans will get a kick out of this quirky mobile adventure, especially if you’ve been itching for something since Xenoblade 2. Similarly if you are a Tales fanatic, all of the DLC bits and bobs are included in the package. But if you are expecting something out of the norm, this probably isn’t the game for you.

Alien: Isolation is a good Alien game. While it overstays its welcome, Creative Assembly really did their best to ground a tense survival game in the Alien universe. Honestly, for all the games flaws, it manages to capture the essence of the movies better than the sequels and prequels have managed past Aliens. Feral has done an outstanding job bringing Isolation onto the Switch and have it run without issues while still looking great. For fans of the Alien franchise, you’re not going to get any better than this It’s not perfect, but neither are the movies. If you want the crap scared out of you over an extended period of time, check out Alien: Isolation.

It is great to see Red Dead Redemption back and available on more platforms, most importantly the Switch. Whether on TV or handheld, the game runs well and still looks good. It's a shame you can't jump into an online free-roam with friends, but the main game and its expansion will keep you busy for many hours. As I said at the beginning, Red Dead fans should buy this game and have a Red Dead Revisit. I also think newcomers will find plenty to enjoy, even if to play one of the best open-world games of the 2010s.

Loop Hero is one of the best indie games of the year, and it feels great to play on the Switch. While the controls can take some getting used to, the gameplay is engrossing enough that the learning curve is worthwhile, and somewhat reflects the deep-dive nature of the experience itself.

Splatoon 3, while more of an evolution than a revolution, is the best the series has ever been. Between an utterly fantastic story mode, some great new weapon additions, and tweaks to the tried and trusted formula you've come to know and love, Splatoon 3 is everything you'd hope it would be and more. Some will say that it's "just more Splatoon", and that's true, but that's far from a bad thing in a series that has been, and continues to be, so consistently strong.

Reanimal allows Tarsier Studio to spread their wings from their previous titles, while still keeping a lot of their signature style. If you can’t get enough of kids surviving tense, atmospheric, and unsettling horrors, then Reanimal has you covered. It might not reinvent the genre, but it takes steps forward. The main thing is that Tarsier still knows how to make a creepy, dark, and gross, yet exciting game.

Overall Ring Fit Adventure is an enjoyable game. If you enjoy games that encourage fitness then this is one to grab. At no point is this a proper replacement for getting out and walking, or more vigorous exercise. Although it is good for helping maintain a routine and get in some extra exercise, or even to help make you more mindful of some good techniques.

Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse is nothing short of phenomenal. It’s a master class in storytelling, using the most of the visual novel genre to make for a truly unique game that kept me engaged and enthralled from start to finish. You owe it to yourself to play it.

Wayward Strand is a special game, made with love, respect, care and empathy, and it shows throughout the game. It's easy to get caught up in this version of 1978; the time of the airship hospital and those few days getting to know the people who live there. As I write this review, all I can think about are the different moments I just happened to chance upon as the day unfolded and what more there is to learn next time.

The improved single-player experience, the enhanced and multitude of online modes for all skill levels and Salmon Run which is just a ton of fun make Splatoon 2 the complete Switch game. The game’s style and charm are terrific and it runs at an amazing 1080p 60fps rock solid the entire time. With a year or more of updates promised and regular Splatfests planned, Splatoon 2 will among your most played games for a while to come.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World takes the best Kirby game ever made and builds on it, cementing the game’s place as the turning point for the series towards loftier goals. Improved graphics and a bump in frame rate make the game’s already excellent art style look and feel even better, and the new stages, while more of the same, are even more fun than the base game. It’s a brilliant game made better in just about every way, and well worth the upgrade.

Octopath Traveler has some quirks. Its storytelling is a little underdeveloped, and its progression is a little unusual. But where it lacks in some areas, it more than makes up for in others, with its mechanical systems some of the best seen in the genre in years. It's a long game, and it will require a lot of attention, but if you have the time and attention to give it a fair go, you won't walk away disappointed.

Levels are short, and as suitable for a quick play whilst commuting as they are for a longer play session. You can choose to test your puzzling chops by collecting crowns, but this is entirely at your discretion. BYE-BYE BOXBOY! does everything it can to create and maintain a mindful chilled environment, and it’s a really pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.

Triangle Strategy is an excellent strategy game with a heavy focus on a very good, very malleable story. Characters are well-written and very likeable, the story goes to some absolutely fascinating places, and the game’s strategy combat is best-in-class amongst its peers. Unfortunately, inconsistent visuals and a gameplay/story balance skewed far too heavily on the story side hold it back at times — but looking past that is easy when the rest of it is so good.

Limbo runs perfectly fine on the Switch and still looks great, even in handheld. It is even already very reasonably priced. If you’ve somehow missed this notable indie title now is a great time to see what you’ve been missing. At the very least it would hopefully encourage you to buy Inside afterward.

Despite its many issues, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 stands out with a deep combat system, compelling storyline, and an endearing cast of characters. Just try not to get overwhelmed and give up in those first hours.