While its rinse and repeat Diablo-lite gameplay can get a little repetitive after extended play, there's no denying how much fun it is to return to the world of Yo-kai Watch. Whether playing solo or via local or online co-op, Level-5 has taken all the hallmarks of the series and made it even more accessible to newcomers and seasoned monster hunters. A fine way to see off the series on 3DS, and proof the Yo-Kai series is strong enough to tweak its formula with a spin-off and still maintain that quintessential Japanese magic.
While the lack of touchscreen support is an odd omission considering both games previously appeared on 3DS and Wii U, that doesn't stop Scribblenauts Mega Pack from bringing two of the most empowering games of the past decade. Both have been optimised for Switch so you can be sure you're getting a family-friendly experience that'll have you plumbing the depths of your imagination for the most creative and out-of-the-box solutions.
Relaxing as it is taxing, The Gardens Between offers a poignant coalescence of charming visuals, a relaxing soundtrack and a bittersweet story.
We're aware that screenshots of Lucah: Born of a Dream really don't do the game justice. That aesthetic is going to put off some potential new players, but look past the purposefully jagged looks and there's something far more palatable beneath. With its slick and deep combat system and the unashamedly bleak nature of its allegorical story, Lucah uses its visuals to help bolster its unique identity and stand apart amid considerable RPG company on Nintendo Switch. Sure, it can be a little frustrating to navigate in places, but it's a small price to pay for the elements that shine bright elsewhere in the darkness.
While it does have a few technical issues at launch, they don't detract from the fact Nintendo Switch now has a proper MOBA to add to its library of supported genres. One of the world's biggest games is now on Switch, and that's something to celebrate.
Five years on, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is still the same creative and colourful platformer it was on Wii U, only now with a few extra levels and some much-needed additional polish. While its phase-changing gimmick isn't as special or unique anymore - the likes of Guacamelee and co have riffed and improved on the concept in the years since - there's still plenty to enjoy here. With 40 levels to beat, plenty of challenging boss fights and a wealth of modes, you get plenty of bang for your buck - even if the soundtrack can be rather hit and miss.
As you'd expect, LEGO DC Super-Villains doesn't make many attempts to change up the formula that's served it so well for so long, but with a vast library of well-applied and famous baddies to draw from it offers a far more engaging and memorable story than the stretched-too-thin LEGO The Incredibles. However, with a brilliant cast on hand (can anyone really compare to Hamill's Joker?), a vast sandbox hub and all the customisation options you could want in Danish brick form, this familiar playground still has bags of charm.
While the introduction of microtransactions is hardly surprising considering the history of its new publisher, they don't hit NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 as hard as might expect. It will take you a while to grind out every player (unless you just buy them all from the off), but it helps that the core arcade gameplay remains as fun and enjoyable as ever. It doesn't quite capture the blissful mayhem of NBA Jam, but if the main NBA 2K series has always felt a little too realistic for you, this larger-than-life spin-off offers a bright and empowering way to defy gravity like Air Jordan himself.
As an officially licensed game – complete with character likenesses in Reigns' angular portrait format and Ramin Djawadi's instantly recognisable score – Reigns: Game of Thrones is about as close as you'll come to living the day-to-day life of a Westeros monarch, short of visiting the Seven Kingdoms for real. By bringing in key characters and events from the books and show, you're given enough authenticity that exploring storylines only ever teased in the source material (such as seeing Jamie on the throne or a more compassionate version of Cersei) feel just as meaningful.
While Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition doesn't make an major changes to the original game that launched over a decade ago, it does combine practically every piece of exclusive content into one wholesome package. With the benefit of some improved visuals in both cutscenes and gameplay, it's very difficult to recommend this JRPG classic on any other system than Nintendo Switch thanks to how well it performs in both docked and handheld modes. If you've ever slept on this classic, there's never been a better way to rectify that error.
Almost two decades on, Onimusha: Warlords lives again thanks to a handful of truly impactful changes.
As with a good proportion of ports, Ms. Splosion Man is another old game that's been given a new lease of life on another indie-friendly console.
There's a good chance you've probably never heard of NAIRI: Tower of Shirin, but that doesn't mean this hidden gem should pass you buy. Sure, it doesn't have the pedigree of a Double Fine game or the licence exposure of something from TellTale's back catalogue, but it still offers up a safe and engaging world full of quirky characters, challenging puzzles and all the screen-tapping backgrounds you could ask for. It's no great reimagining of the genre, but it's still a curio worth playing nonetheless.
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is one of the best additions to the tactical RPG genre years; a well-written and rewarding experience that combines the creative use of stealth found in the legacy of its ex-Hitman developers with a world that's full of interesting characters and ideas. Almost every game in this genre lives in the shadow of XCOM, but Mutant offers enough new ideas to set itself apart. The visual downgrade on the Switch version can be a little hard on the eye, but considering how this sacrifice has preserved the quality of the game within, we'd call that a worthy trade-off.
At this stage, Nintendo Switch has plenty of retro-inspired titles to its name – the eShop is practically brimming with them – but despite such considerable company, Rock Boshers DX: Director's Cut saunters in with gameplay that confidently straddles the old gaming world and the new. Fans of the ZX Spectrum days will lap up Tikipod's faithful recreation of the 8-bit era, and with a ton of levels and modes to unlock there's plenty of replay value to be had with Queen Victoria and her Martian odyssey.
While it might seem odd for Omega Force to opt to port the five-year-old Dynasty Warriors 8 over the more recent Dynasty Warriors 9, it's by and far the right decision for Nintendo Switch owners. Not only is Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Definitive Edition the best version since Dynasty Warriors 5, it comes to the hybrid platform offering more stable performance than the versions that once graced PS3 and Xbox 360. Even when its framerate takes a knock when playing co-op, it's a remarkably robust port boasting an obscene amount of content fresh out of the box.
The original Ace Attorney is – dare we say it – almost 20 years old, which is remarkable when you consider just how well it holds up 2019. Sure, it's been ported plenty of times and the jump to Nintendo DS certainly helped shake off the retro cobwebs, but as a piece of interactive history, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is as utterly addictive and truly rewarding as it was back at the turn of the millennium. Whether you're brand new to the world of virtual defence law or a veteran attorney, Phoenix Wright's first adventures are still a fine set of cases to undertake.
Trials Rising is the (mostly) full package you've been waiting for. With its huge list of tracks to tackle and all the races and trick-based stunts you could ask for, RedLynx has served up the best instalment in the series since Trials Evolution. With a killer soundtrack, tons of customisation and an impressively deep tutorial mode, it's only really let down by a tutorial-free Track Editor. The drop to 30fps might put off those also playing on other platforms and the drop in visual fidelity can be hard to miss at times, but despite its blemishes, Trials has proved its right at home on Nintendo Switch.
Mortal Kombat 11 is the best Mortal Kombat since MK2, a bold and bombastic entry that boasts a fighting model that finally matches the slapstick theatrics of gory Fatalities.
With the purity of its twitch platforming mechanics and the clever way developer Demimonde exploits user-generated platforms, Octahedron: Transfixed Edition certainly lives up to its new subtitle. The soundtrack alone is worth the price of admission – especially if you're partial to some big EDM beats – and if you've ever enjoyed the likes of Downwell, Crypt of the NecroDancer or Celeste, this TRON-loving indie is likely to entrance you.