The XCOM 2 Collection on the Switch is an OK port of a great game and its expansion. If you can look past the mediocre performance, what lies underneath is undoubtedly excellent and fun. Since any XCOM game can be a time sink, the ability to have it available on the go can be a mighty strong draw. If you're a fan of the game or genre without other means to play it, this is certainly a solid way to do so. If you are able to play it elsewhere, you should decide if the downsides of this port outweigh its portability.

Gatling Gears approaches a perfect basic concept for an XBLA/PSN game. It's not too short, and it doesn't feel slapped together, but it doesn't come across as a scaled-down disc-based game, either. In a market that often favors games less like movies and more like 19th century Russian novels, with lengthy mission-based campaigns or a couple hundred hours of competitive multiplayer excitement, the simple pleasure of an arcade shooter experience is easily overlooked. Without providing anything in the way of surprises or revolutionary design, Gatling Gears serves as an excellent reminder of why arcade-style titles remain relevant, even when they demand gaming sessions longer than 10 minutes.

Mercury Meltdown Remix presents some interesting puzzle designs that are both unique and challenging, and it also has enough content to satisfy puzzle enthusiasts for a good amount of playtime. However, the fact that it is, in some ways, a worse game than the predecessor from which it was ported detracts from its appeal.

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is probably the weakest of the Kingdom Hearts collections to date. Since it's bundled with a single game, a demo, and a borderline-incoherent selection of cut scenes, the content is far behind the other Kingdom Hearts HD ports. The content is mostly good, and the Ground Zeroes-style demo for Kingdom Hearts 3 is sure to entice fans. It has more original content than the previous collections, but it's still not worth the $60 asking price. Kingdom Hearts fans will be happy to get some time with the newest entry in the series, but casual players might want to wait for a price drop.

Ultimately, Calcium Chaos: Derailed is a fine twin-stick shooter. The shooting is fun, while the roguelite elements make things interesting even if the game never fully leans into it. The ability to combine weapons is what makes the game enjoyable, especially when you find a wild combination that goes beyond your expectations. This isn't a particularly difficult title, and there are a few bugbears, but it's a good game for those who want to play something to bide their time between bigger titles.

Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles is basically a game for the fans. Do you want to pick your favorite character and beat up your other characters? Or do you want to see scenes from the original story re-created in beautiful 3D? However, that is about all it offers. It's beautiful, plays well, accurately captures the source material, and that is the beginning and end. If you're curious about the uber-popular franchise, it's probably best to watch the anime or read the manga before diving in.

Gatling Gears approaches a perfect basic concept for an XBLA/PSN game. It's not too short, and it doesn't feel slapped together, but it doesn't come across as a scaled-down disc-based game, either. In a market that often favors games less like movies and more like 19th century Russian novels, with lengthy mission-based campaigns or a couple hundred hours of competitive multiplayer excitement, the simple pleasure of an arcade shooter experience is easily overlooked. Without providing anything in the way of surprises or revolutionary design, Gatling Gears serves as an excellent reminder of why arcade-style titles remain relevant, even when they demand gaming sessions longer than 10 minutes.

What ultimately matters is the singing experience, and that is as enjoyable it ever has been. That's not entirely a positive statement, however. Aside from the "American Idol" skin, Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol is generally unchanged from previous entries.

At the end of the day, I would rather play Resident Evil: Revelations again on current-gen consoles than to reminisce about my 3DS. It didn't hold up well, and it understandably suffers in many graphical areas due to it having been originally developed for a handheld device. It's still a better-than-average game that features a classic series plot and two of my favorite characters. If you go into it with the understanding that this is a port of a handheld game, you should be more than pleased with it. The Raid mode extends playability and longevity with its addicting gameplay and co-op capabilities. Luckily, the comes with a wallet-friendly price of $20, but if you can catch it on sale, it's an even better deal.

Impaler is a fun game if you know what you're getting into. It's a simple enough arena shooter that plays fast and is short enough to ensure that you can squeeze in multiple runs in a short play session. The need to kill airborne enemies with a stomp can put a damper on things, but the rest of the gameplay is solid. Impaler is priced at $2.99, so it's worth a look for shooting fans who want a quick fix.

Despite the stuttering and issues with the extras, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is still a very good title thanks to the quality of titles on offer and the enhancements to make each game a little easier for inexperienced players. The duo of arcade classics still stands the test of time, and their home version counterparts do a very good job of porting it all over while adding new elements to mask the parts that didn't get moved over. The portable games can be hit-and-miss, but they're still very good compared to the Game Boy lineup. The fighting games are interesting, and the other beat-'em-ups are solid. Hopefully the title gets patched for improvements, but retro fans will definitely enjoy it.

The races are graphically astounding and the online play is a great addition, but given the lack of gameplay modes, repetition is bound to set in.

I like Pac-Man World: Re-Pac, and I think it's a great example that games don't need to be genre-defining to be fun, especially at its discount price. You have to go in knowing what you're expecting, and back in the days of Blockbuster Video, it's the game you might have completed over a weekend rental. In a vacuum, it's a fun, charming time. If your time or money is limited, you'd be better off with a title that offers more content.

Smoke and Sacrifice is a good game once you know what you're getting into. It is an adventure with clear objectives but a slower pace due to the amount of collecting and crafting involved. It's also a much easier survival game to digest, since you aren't monitoring too many meters at one time. Tying it together is a captivating presentation and a narrative that is as dour as it is fascinating. Although the Switch version suffers from some hitches in areas, the game should still be experienced by genre fans.

Othercide is a flawed but generally fun strategy-RPG. It has some balance issues and an annoying UI, but beyond that, it does everything that it sets out to do. It's not as difficult or punishing as an XCOM title might have been, but it may be a good replacement for those who like the strategy game style without the punishment of losing so much when you die. Be prepared to do that a lot, since death is in many ways the only way to advance in the game. Overall, I had fun with Othercide, but it's the kind of game where my opinion will likely improve after a couple of patches.

Neversoft needs to seriously look at what they've done right with THAW (larger environments and skating mechanics) and strip away the fat to return Tony Hawk back to what made it great: a clean, fast, and compelling sports game for those of us who aren't so much into "sports."

I definitely enjoyed Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2, but at the same time, I didn't come away impressed with the small amount of changes and additions.

It's readily apparent that Blitz: The League II is not a game for football purists. The use of power-ups, lack of penalties and dirty play is enough to make them cringe. However, for fans of arcade-style sports games, The League II is pretty good.

Stranglehold is the poster child for the creation of a new category of very short, lower-priced games that hold together over their abbreviated length.

West of Dead does most things right as far as roguelites go. The random nature of almost every element of every run can cause some large difficulty spikes, but the overall difficulty evens out in the end. The premise works fine even if it means having to hear it countless times over multiple runs, and while the measured combat feels fresh for a Western, the zoomed-out camera angle doesn't help you appreciate it. Overall, West of Dead is a solid roguelike for those who aren't burned out on the genre yet.

If you're a fan, rejoice and get this game, flaws and all.

Full Metal Schoolgirl is both ridiculous and addictive. The hack-and-slash and shooting gameplay isn't hindered by the inclusion of a stamina meter, and the constant slew of upgrades keeps the roguelike gameplay feeling fresh even after going through 100+ levels. The presentation has occasional hiccups, as does some parts of the gameplay, but there's nothing that actively takes away from a fun experience. Don't expect anything groundbreaking, but those looking for action in a cheesy setting won't be disappointed by Full Metal Schoolgirl.

In the end, Horace is an engaging experience if you're patient or don't get riled up easily. The platforming isn't as infuriating as most precision-based platformers, but the obstacles in some rooms can be annoying. The instant respawns are nice, but they don't cancel out the frustration of occasionally spotty hit detection. The instant camera rotation can be dizzying, and the repetition of tricky jumps can get old, but the engaging story makes it all worthwhile, especially since this is quite a lengthy game. Horace isn't the next indie masterpiece, but it is good enough to be called a genuine sleeper of a game that people should play.

As it stands now, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is good. The story is interesting, the quests are plentiful, the characters are well rounded, and there's plenty of depth in the RPG systems. The game is also flawed. The attack roll system can produce infuriating results if you aren't thinking with dice in mind, the quests can feel too similar in the late game, and the lore is awesome but so dense that the learning curve for newcomers is rather steep. It's also very buggy, but at least that part is getting ironed out by the day. Despite that, the game is fine as-is, but based on Owlcat's track record, if you give the developer a little more time to fix up the game, it can be one of the highlights in a year that's already packed with great RPGs.

Hot Brain is a nice departure from the usual reflex games that you'd most likely be playing on your PSP. Although the puzzle tests are timed, the game's presentation is light-hearted and not intimidating to play.

Superdimension Neptune vs. Sega Hard Girls maintains the status quo. The lighthearted story is a great contrast to the serious RPGs on the system, though the lengthy cut scenes can be grating if you aren't already on board with the oddball tale. It's a shame that a large swath of the game is taken wholly from older titles with minimal changes, but the improvements in the combat and skill systems greatly make up for that. In the end, this title won't sway the minds of those who want deeper and more serious fare, but it will please those who are already fans of the series.

PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure certainly isn't a perfect title on the Wii, but I think it's worth checking out for younger Pokémon fans.

Coupled with a solid co-op mode, the game tacks on several more hours to its relatively short eight-hour campaign. The thin story and dodgy AI are balanced against great set pieces and a decent ending that almost begs for a sequel.