There’s no doubt that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are the best in the series. The open world is fantastic, the story is incredible, and the game looks amazing, even if the performance is very rocky. There are problems, and quality of life issues, but for every negative there’s a dozen more positives that blew me away every step of the way. It will be divisive, but for me, it’s almost everything I want from a Pokémon game.

There’s no doubt that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are the best in the series. The open world is fantastic, the story is incredible, and the game looks amazing, even if the performance is very rocky. There are problems, and quality of life issues, but for every negative there’s a dozen more positives that blew me away every step of the way. It will be divisive, but for me, it’s almost everything I want from a Pokémon game.

A tactics behemoth, only those with spreadsheet minds will emerge victorious. Tactics Ogre: Reborn shows that a good old game can be edited and added to with grace and remain impressive in its field.

Sonic Frontiers is such a difficult game to judge, and that challenge is only compounded when you add in the limitations of the Switch hardware. It’s a game that does so many things right and is an exciting new direction for the blue blur, but I’ve never had so many dramatic swings of my enjoyment of a game throughout its playtime. There are some ecstatic highs to be had throughout the game, but frequent minor niggles and the occasional idea that doesn’t land hold it back from greatness. Combine that with the serious drawbacks of the weaker Switch hardware which undeniably hamper the experience and you have a game that, whilst having a ton of fun to offer, will require you to overlook a heap of mitigating quibbles to get there.

Minor quibbles aside, you’ll have a great time with Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival if you’re a fan of music games and have a penchant for percussion or rhythm in general. With a vast and exotic music library and multiple ways to play, it’s easy to get swept up with the beat. Playing with a drum controller elevates the experience to another level if you can swing it, but there’s still plenty to be enjoyed here without it.

Bayonetta 3 brings plenty of the series charm and excitement back after all these years. It meanders a little more than the previous game but still keeps the pace with the wild bombastic (and silly) sequences to keep you on your toes. It may have been a long time between games, but there's enough to keep fans busy for some time.

No Man’s Sky Switch may stumble occasionally, and the price point carries a sting, but portable feels like the perfect fit for this procedural universe of wonder.

RAILGRADE is a wonderful mix of railway management and puzzle-solving, with genuinely satisfying railway gameplay, mind-scratching puzzles to solve, and a bangin’ soundtrack. It does get frustrating at times, and it’s near-unplayable on the Switch Lite, but there's still absolutely plenty to like.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is Kingdom Battle but all grown up. The battle system has evolved to something more dynamic, and the game's overworld, characters, and presentation have been taken to the next level. You don't have to be a big strategy nerd to enjoy Sparks of Hope, as there are difficulty and accessibility options to let you enjoy just the funny story. Sparks of Hope has a lot of heart, is funny and fun to play, but that shouldn't be a surprise anymore.

Persona 5 Royal is, as Persona 5 always has been, an incredibly solid experience on Switch. Royal is the very best version of the game, with tweaks and additions that make it a big step up from the original. It’s still far too long, and the added content certainly doesn’t ease that pain, but if you can push through it, you’ll find a game that stands at the top of its genre.

Overall Let’s Build a Zoo is a great refresh of the park building genre. It allows you the freedom to make whatever type of zoo you want, in a way that feels fun yet not overwhelming. The designs are adorable, the music is catchy and sweet, the gameplay is beautifully smooth, and it’s challenging enough — but still relaxing and highly addictive.

Penko Park is short but sweet. While it's not a long game - beatable in about three hours, double that for 100% completion - it's a game brimming with character and atmosphere. If you want to check out a cute, indie take on the Pokémon Snap formula you can not go wrong with a visit to Penko Park!

As Beacon Pines releases, it is amongst other adventure games Wayward Strand and Return to Monkey Island. Adventure game fans have been spoiled for games, and with Beacon Pines, we have another enjoyable story to play through. As every story branch unlocked, I looked forward to where it led next. If you want a narrative adventure game with an exciting mechanic, then you should make the trip to Beacon Pines.

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.

Little Orpheus is a neat, little game with a fun story, quirky characters and a whole lot of atmosphere. A handful of patchable offences aside, if you're keen to find out what ever happened to Ivan and Little Orpeheus on a Soviet subterranean mission gone wrong, then def jump in!

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.

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.

Cult of the Lamb works because it weaves two halves into a complimentary collection. This creates a comforting and meaningful flow between all-out action and cerebral stock management.

We Are OFK is a wonderfully queer and wonderfully representative experience, even if it’s not exactly what most people would consider “a game”. Like anything of this nature, so much of what you get out of it comes from what you put into it. It’s an experience shaped by who you are, and the life you’ve lived. It won’t be for everybody, but it certainly was for me. There’s a lot of things that could be changed or improved, but even if I had the chance to do so, I don’t think I’d change a single thing about it.

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!

Capcom set a high bar with this DLC, not only with a wildly successful game but their promotional game pulled no punches either, but did they Rise to the challenge? Yes, I think they did. Sunbreak is full of quality of life changes, customisation options, updated, variant, and new monsters. Get your friends together because you’re not going to want to be Palamute about this expansion. Even with its issues, overall Sunbreak is a great addition, one that definitely enhances the experience of Rise.

There’s no such thing as a perfect video game, but for me, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 comes as close to perfect as you can get. It’s a thoughtful, charming, sombre experience, punctuated by expertly-crafted moments of joy and wonder that come together to leave a lasting impression that sticks with you long after you put down the controller. I don’t know what the future holds for the Xenoblade series, but I do know that, with Xenoblade Chronicles 3, it’s leaving a wonderful legacy in gaming.

It's great that a wider audience now has the opportunity to play Live A Live, with the added bonus of getting the HD-2D upgrade in the process. Its novel anthology presentation won't be for everyone, thankfully, an added map/radar reduces some old-school frustrations. SquareEnix made the right move breathing new life into Live A Live.

Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles delivers satisfying fights wrapped in a stunning presentation that is sure to delight fans of the series. Whilst the story mode’s connective tissue tying the fights together can be a bit flimsy, it’s a serviceable way of retelling narrative. The arena-style fights will feel very familiar to those experienced in the genre and can be found wanting when it comes to the depth of its mechanics, but anyone with a passing interest in Demon Slayer is going to love every second of this and may even convert a few new fans along the way.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes may just be the best Warriors game to date. It’s an utterly flawless fusion of fast-paced hack-and-slash gameplay with methodical, considered strategising, with a returning cast that is as vibrant as its ever been. With a cast as big as it is, it’s not surprising that a lot of characters come off feeling similar in combat, but that’s easy to look past with how fantastic every other aspect of it is.

Card Shark might not always play a winning hand, but it is an enjoyable game of cards. A story that pulls you in, an art style that is a delight, all the whilst making card games fun. You don’t even have to be into card games to get the most out of it, I’m definitely no wiser about playing poker. Card Shark is worth placing a bet on.

Mario Strikers Battle League Football takes a bit from the first game, a little more from the second and polishes it out into its own fresh thing. We talk about content in games, and on paper, there are fewer characters and stadiums here in Battle League; but there's more to do over a period of time, especially with the Strikers Club which will build communities. Mario Strikers Battle League Football is the best in the series so far.

The satisfaction of clearing a tricky section by finding the solution following the initial feeling of helplessness is an essential part of any puzzle game, and Vesper delivers it in spades, even if there is some frustration along the way. If you're a vast landscape to explore, you won't find it here, but this is a journey through an intriguing and often stunning world that slowly settles into a groove to offer a satisfying puzzle platforming experience. It's not without its flaws, but it does enough right to at least earn a look.