"Though the worlds may seem far apart and out of reach, they nonetheless remain connected by invisible ties. As do our hearts."
Infernax is like an amazing cover of a favorite song. It perfectly encapsulates what a quintessential "'80s game" might feel like, complete with over-the-top carnage and a Game Genie reference that enhances your gameplay. If it's your jam, you'll want to play it over and over, just to see what's behind all the locked doors and try to get all the endings. Even dying is fun because of all the different death animations. The marketing for this game singles out Zelda II and Castlevania II, but it's got a ton of Metroid, Legacy of the Wizard, and more baked in. If you love the classics, or want a fantastic introduction to NES-style platformers, this is a game that deserves your attention.
I'm the kind of person who enjoys solving a few sudoku puzzles before bed, so Big Brain Academy fits into my lifestyle seamlessly. It's great for gamers who like to hone their thinking skills in bite-sized chunks. While it's a little light on features, it excels at what it does have and has a fun and adorable presentation. It's a joy to play, whether you're taking on a few minigames by yourself or using your beefy brain to win friendly contests. If you enjoy solving puzzles, competing against friends and strangers in tests of brainpower, or just keeping your mind sharp, this is definitely the game for you.
Ultimately, Amazing Princess Sarah took two of my favorite NES games and mushed them into one product. Despite some frustrating flaws, it's still a pretty good game, and it's well worth your time if you enjoy the original Castlevania and Super Mario Bros. 2.
Sometimes a minigame is so good, so pure, that it inspires someone to make something truly special. The folks at Studio Somewhere loved Monkey Target from Super Monkey Ball so much, they developed an entire game around it. With a little bit of NiGHTS into Dreams and a relaxing city pop soundtrack for good measure, Bonito Days is a great way to unwind after a long day. Some gamers may want more modes, but as it is, there's nothing to get in the way of the gameplay. As an elevated minigame, it's the perfect experience if you're looking to enjoy some chill vibes while flying around the beach for a few rounds at a time.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is a great idea with some powerful nostalgia and a winning formula behind it, but the execution is lacking. With lackluster aesthetics, spotty online issues, and a host of other issues, it's not a great experience for those accustomed to highly polished alternatives, namely, Super Smash Bros. I believe it will find its audience, but it doesn't straddle the line between casual and competitive as effectively as the original Nick cartoons seamlessly wove adult jokes into children's shows. Ultimately, the idea may be more exciting than playing the actual game.
Deltarune is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed indie RPG Undertale. The first two chapters have all of the great humor, music, writing, and storytelling you would expect from Toby Fox and makes the series's world much deeper and more mysterious.
WarioWare: Get It Together doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it keeps the bizarre charm of the series going with a whole new layer of gameplay. I adored how well the developers were able to keep everything feeling fresh after almost 20 years of this series. It's funny, it's challenging, it's addicting, and it reeks of Wario. This is a real gift to all the microgame fans out there.
Dreamscaper was a rich, deep, intimate experience through the mind of a person suffering under the weight of her trauma. The gameplay and the story serve each other in a way that's rare to see in video games. There are a ton of little touches that make it a joy to play, and I found myself wanting to learn more about Cassidy and what happened to her after her sister died. While not everything wound up being a home run, I enjoyed the game overall. I'm grateful to the team at Afterburner for this sometimes satisfying, sometimes painful piece of art.
Miitopia feels almost anachronistic, despite being originally released just four short years ago. The gameplay, the design, and even the very presence of Miis all remind you that this is a port from another era of Nintendo. That being said, it's a celebration of the Mii, giving them character and life and new customization options. I hope the success of this title can spur the Big N to continue making quirky, random, exciting things.
[Disclosure: The author of this article was sent a press mailer. This did not affect the review in any way.]
Overall, Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion is a fun ride, albeit a short one. You can get through the whole main campaign within a few hours. However, it's worth it for the fun dialogue, interesting story, adorable characters, and ability to tear up financial documents. There's a lot of surreal Gen Z humor here in all the best ways. While there are issues with the controls, a lack of polish, and a decent helping of padding, I ultimately had a good time with Turnip Boy. It also reminded me to file my own taxes, preventing my greenhouse from being seized by the government for another year.
Ultimately, MazM: The Phantom of the Opera is worth playing, but not on Nintendo Switch. It would be a pleasant way to experience a classic novel, but unfortunately it's couched in an experience that does not translate well to the platform.
Ultimately, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition may not impress players who don't already have an attachment to the Scott Pilgrim franchise. Those who do have that intimate attachment though will absolutely want to spend $14.99 to relive their memories of this unique little beat 'em up. Either way, having someone else to play it with will crank the whole experience up to 11. This game is so much better with a friend, a roommate, a new girlfriend, a new-new girlfriend, or maybe even an evil ex.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed the PHOGS! experience. The fiddly controls and wild camera couldn't put a damper on the joy of playing as a dog going around and helping wacky creatures. Besides solving puzzles and helping weirdos, I loved getting to explore the vibrant cartoony worlds, taking in the adorable music, and barking for no reason at all. It was a wonderful treat that I hope to share with more friends some time in the future. In the meantime, there are still a bunch of collectable bones to fetch and one very good dog to pet.
If you're someone who enjoys sidescrolling platformers, wacky humor, or just the AVGN series, you'll probably enjoy this one. At the very least, it won't make you want to set your Switch on fire, shoot it with a gun, cut it in half with a katana, take a dump on it, or subject it to any of the other things the Nerd has done to sh*tty games over the years.
Supergiant Games has reached a new pinnacle of its craft with Hades, and I can now count the number of rogue-like games I enjoy on one finger. Even pushing to get through it for this review, I never felt bored or frustrated. The game doesn't have a single real flaw. It's not the perfect game for every single gamer, but if you enjoy an experience that rewards skill and has an amazing story, spot-on voice acting, beautiful music, and - I can't emphasize this enough - the ability to pet Cerberus, Hound of the Underworld, as many times as you want, then it's definitely the game for you.
As it is right now, with social distancing and self-quarantining being the norm in the United States, I can't recommend this title.
I keep bringing this series up, but if you liked the Monkey Island games, you'll almost certainly enjoy Darkestville Castle. In fact, if you've always wanted to try one and are allergic to PC gaming, this is not a bad experience on Switch at all. The visuals and humor are worth it, at the very least.
With its high-quality story, gameplay, and delightful protagonist, I want to tell everyone to play CrossCode.