Nintendo Switch Sports shows that the company still knows how to make simple but extremely satisfying experiences intended for everyone. The simplified representation works wonders for old and new sports, and the controls are easy enough that anyone can become good at their favorites in no time. Solo players who don't go online will be disappointed at the lack of content, but those looking to play against others either locally or online will have a blast. Be sure you're a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber if you want to squeeze the most out of those unlocks.

An enjoyable story mode and pleasing visuals are overshadowed by the mediocrity of everything else.

If you enjoy flight games, can still stomach WWII-themed titles and are willing to step away from the single-player campaign when the later missions make you start grinding the enamel off your molars — better yet, if you'll forego the campaign mode altogether — Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII is well worth your time for a different sort of deeper, involved multiplayer flight game.

Unfortunately, many of these positive aspects are undone by the game's presentation: bizarre design choices, overly long and deeply uninteresting cut scenes, creepy and off-putting character models and an extremely lackluster dub. It's not a bad RPG; it's simply a mediocre one with a lot of uninteresting filler between enjoyable, if not particularly challenging, gameplay segments.

NBA Live 18 feels like it can be a competitor to the NBA 2K series. The game still needs some work in the presentation department, and while the streamlined modes may be pleasing for players who can feel overwhelmed with options, the available modes can feel pretty bare-bones. The gameplay is solid most of the time, and The One is a pretty good way to do a story mode, even if it doesn't have the writing depth. NBA Live 18 is now a decent alternative, and as long as EA Sports can keep up this momentum, it has a good chance of putting up a tighter fight next year.

The Club succeeds in part, in that essential element of gameplay over lofty ambition — essentially, function over form, that most laudable of design goals ever — but falls far short of brilliance in presentation.

Adventure Pals seeks to be the weird alternative game that your kids will love, and it looks attractive because it's reminiscent of a mix of different games and familiar shows. Unfortunately, its unashamed emulation of other works is both glaring and disappointing. What isn't disappointing, though, are the game mechanics, which may be similar to others, but can be framed as a teaching mechanism for game experiences to come. Combined with punchy controls, this makes for a wonderful skeleton of a game, although it's regrettably tightly draped in the likes of superstar media from yesteryear.

It's certainly a great half of a game; the somewhat limited gameplay aspects, pretty lights and revving engine sounds are good enough to make the title entertaining and fun, but they're not enough to comprise a convincing whole game.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is going to appeal the most to die-hard fans of the film series. The ability to ride some of the creatures of Pandora and take in the lush surroundings of the moon are more than enough to satisfy those who want to wander around and soak in everything. For everyone else, the game is simply decent. The missions are very hit-and-miss in quality and execution, while the ability to use human and Na'vi weapons isn't as appealing as the developers may have expected. The world looks gorgeous, but navigating it isn't that intuitive due to a poor map and navigation system, and that also goes for other elements, like hunting and gathering. The game isn't terrible or as bleak as the first title, but you'll need to temper expectations to get some enjoyment out of Frontiers of Pandora.

Though SWON can be a little linear and two-dimensional (in a console-kinda way), it succeeds in being fun and gives you an immersive (if romanticized) jaunt through the terrifying and fascinating world of flight during WW2.

A bit too watered down from the other Sims games.

The simple fact is that Brain Buster Puzzle Pak is a great title for beginners to puzzle gaming and a fine way to give someone a bit of enjoyment. Unfortunately, the novelty will begin to wear thin after a little while, and the gimmicky presentation fails to make up for an entirely too-brief experience.

With a great combat system, good-looking characters, and a ton of unlockables, Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit was poised to be the game that brought in new legions of Dragon Ball Z fans. Unfortunately, the lack of any explanation of the story — coupled with a few nitpicks here and there regarding online lag, boring stage design and predictable AI — means that this one isn't likely to find mass market appeal.

The Gamecube version is the most stable and playable.

Though it may not appeal to all players, those looking for something a bit different will enjoy one more go-round in Faith's shoes.

Some frustrating puzzles and dark environments certainly take Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened down a notch or two, but the incredible story, terrific presentation and super-fun investigations are more than enough to make this title an easy recommendation for any fans of the adventure genre.

Ultimately, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is a bare-bones port of a solid, if unexceptional, game. Amalur is the kind of game that got overshadowed when it was released, and it seems just as likely to get overshadowed now. If you're a fan looking to revisit the title, this is a good experience, but it's not meaningfully different from what you might have played almost a decade ago.

Total Overdose doesn't do much that's new or innovative, but what it does drips with so much style that you can't stay away.

Puzzle Quest: Galactrix does an admirable job of trying to hold your interest for a lengthy puzzle game, but it has a weak story, the AI feels cheap, an aggravating hacking game and the extremely weak multiplayer drag down the experience.

There is a lot of exploration and side-quests to do, but only if you're willing to dedicate the time and effort to learn the mechanics and explore the world. If you're willing to overlook these potential problems, it's difficult to find a better choice than Resonance of Fate.

Without any multiplayer, exploration, or any other significant points of interest, Rain is a short, easy ride you'd be hard-pressed to venture into more than once.

A tour de force labor of love from developers who clearly cared, and knew what they were doing, and it's not hard to fully appreciate the end result.

As the game stands right now, it kills time, and that's about it.

In the end, the XBLA port of NiGHTS is basically a poor man's version of the original. While it's technically the same game, the lack of proper analog control makes the HD version a historical curiosity rather than a must-play experience. If you have the means, track down a Saturn copy along with the analog controller. You'll be glad you did.

In the end, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a fine game for puzzle platforming fans.

So does Shaman King: Master of Spirits 2 crest the proverbial Mt. Everest into the land of "great game?" No. This was definitely one of the titles that turned around for a hot cup of joe instead of trying the impossible.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is a solid improvement over the original in most areas, but at the same time, it doesn't add much to the equation. Rather than adding a ton of new content, it focuses on fixing the flaws and annoyances of the original game. The result is a title that is at once mechanically superior to the original and less interesting. Fans of the original Xenoverse will find this to be a fun expansion, and newcomers would be better off starting with Xenoverse 2 rather than its predecessor. Some excessive loading times and a weak story drag down the experience, but it's still one of the best Dragon Ball games out there.

In summary, Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3 is fundamentally flawed in its basic execution; in a fighting game, the inability to fight properly is a severe drawback.