Dave Aubrey's Reviews
Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Crown Tundra is the better of the two DLCs for the game, though that's not saying much. It manages to weave Pokémon's modern sensibilities with some strong nostalgia for old-time fans like myself, and I found myself more than happy to cycle around The Crown Tundra for hours on end, catching all of the Pokémon I found. If that's not a good result, I don't know what is.
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is heavily dependent on the amount of free floor space you have available. If you have a large home, space to drive under the sofas, no extra rugs or thick carpets, Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit will be an amazing experience to share with the children. If you live somewhere fairly cramped or have a lot of clutter that's going to get in the way, then you will find this very difficult to enjoy indeed. Great for the kids at Christmas, as long as you have the space.
Everything Torchlight III does, it does worse than one of its contemporaries. Primarily Diablo. While what is here looks good and plays fine, it's repetitive and lacks the magic of games it shares a genre with. But all of that could've been forgiven if it had at least allowed me to suffer through it with a friend in local multiplayer, but it couldn't even do that. If you get the urge to play Torchlight III, just play Diablo III instead.
Kirby Fighters 2 is an adorable, polished brawler that is sure to make you smile - but not for long. The game is great while you're unlocking and using new abilities, but you'll soon be forced into repetition after repetition while playing, and that'll suck the fun out of things. Good for young gamers and less experienced players, but there are better options.
Mafia: Definitive Edition is a complete remake of a classic crime game. It looks better than almost any other open-world crime sim you'll see this generation and has a story that'll keep you engaged to the end. It might not be the most revolutionary or innovative title in the genre, but it'll certainly keep you playing. This is an excellent story to play over the course of the weekend, and you're almost certain to be recommending it to your friends once you're done.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars contains three legendary games, and this package allows you to experience all of them, the way you remember them. Whether or not these games hold up as competitive, contemporary pieces of entertainment is one question, but they do serve as an amazing time machine taking me to the moments I shared with friends and loved ones years ago, and this is a perfect way for you to form new memories with yours. This is three of the very best 3D platformers of all time, at their best.
Necromunda: Underhive Wars is a great strategy game, with pacing that leaves the entire experience marred. The slow crawl of progress is enough to drive you insane, but despite all of that, it's still a darn good time. If you have a lot of time free and enjoy Warhammer, this is a solid choice, but I'm praying we get an update with a game speed increase option - or a mod, for the PC version.
ATOM RPG is a game so clearly designed for mouse and keyboard on PC that you should only play it on Nintendo Switch if you already have experience with the game. Going in as a complete newbie will be a brutal lesson in patience and frustration, and you need the kind of knowledge of how to play and the ease of use that comes with the PC version first. Ultimately, that makes ATOM RPG an interesting, but incredibly difficult game to recommend.
Ary and the Secret of Seasons is a lovely looking game with some truly smart gameplay ideas, but all of that is plagued by screen-tearing, performance issues, animation bugs, and a general lack of polish in almost every aspect. After a few patches and a sale Ary could become someone's favourite game, but the fact it launched in this state is just a shame.
Fall Guys is an excellent chaotic multiplayer game that can be played by people of any skill level, and that is its greatest strength. Sadly repetition has well and truly set in after several weeks of play, but if the developers at Mediatonic keep dishing out updates and new content on a regular basis, this could be just as influential and essential as Rocket League.
Hyper Scape is a polished and pretty battle royale, but it is also bland and generic from start to finish. In a market already saturated by free to play shooters to try, Hyper Scape should be an afterthought. It doesn't have the confidence or the personality of its competitors, and it's come onto the scene far too late. There's a lot to like about Hyper Scape, but you probably won't find yourself playing it for long.
Rogue Company is a solid, if uninspired, competitive shooter. What Rogue Company lacks in originality, it makes up for with solid gameplay, cross-progression, and cross-play across all major consoles, including Nintendo Switch, on top of being free to play. That is an offer that is very hard to refuse.
Paper Mario: The Origami King is the best Paper Mario game I've played in over a decade, and yet I'm still feeling let down. While it's incredibly endearing and genuinely funny, it's also painfully boring and the thought of playing it again puts me straight to sleep. There will undoubtedly be massive fans of Paper Mario: The Origami King, but I can't say I'm one of them. A lovely action adventure game, but essential for no one.
Ninjala's action doesn't always deliver and the combat can feel unresponsive or slow when you're on the receiving end of attacks, but despite that, Ninjala is an excellent free to play multiplayer title that every Switch player should try out. If you like Splatoon but want something a bit different, this is a great game to play. Just don't expect the story DLC to blow you away. At least it's cheap…
Pokémon Sword and Shield's Isle of Armor Expansion gives the game the best environment and world design Pokémon has had in any 3D game, mainline, or spin-off, but very little else. If you're a Pokémaniac who is dead-set on completing another Pokédex, you'll love this, but if you want to do something other than filling out a list, this is not for you. This is not the whimsical world-traveling adventure mainline Pokémon games are, this is just boring.
Samurai Shodown is a great fighter that looks beautiful, and deserves a much bigger audience than it has - but as of right now, there aren't enough players online to satisfy fighting game fans, and there isn't enough singleplayer content for more casual fans. The new characters that have been added since launch are great, but Samurai Shodown still feels like a game that needs an overhaul. I still have my fingers crossed that the future of Samurai Shodown and SNK will be bright, but I still have my doubts.
Clubhouse Games 51 Worldwide Classics is the best minigame collection on Nintendo Switch, but just like Super Mario Party, playing alone is an act of futility. This will be essential for gatherings with friends once lockdown concludes, but if you intend to sit with this by yourself, you might be better sitting out entirely.
Warface: Breakout is a very admirable attempt at a close-quarters competitive shooter, but in a market with CSGO and now Valorant, Warface looks to be the very weakest option. It doesn't do anything unique, and it's aesthetically ugly. When Warface: Breakout works, it works well, but as it stands now I do not see a future for the game long-term.
The Wonderful 101 Remastered is an incredible action game, one definitely worthy of playing for those who skipped over it on Wii U. The unique battle mechanics make it a standout and borderline essential for action game fans, while those more casual fans who just want a big explosive adventure will find a lot to love here. And if any game deserves to be played by a wider audience, this has to be it.
While Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition doesn't entirely look like a new game, with remnants of Wii design clear to see, everything else about it stands shoulder-to-shoulder with modern JRPGs. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition has an explosive story, mesmerizing worlds, dramatic cutscenes, and a lot of heart. If you're a JRPG fan and you haven't played Xenoblade Chronicles yet, you owe it to yourself to give this game a try.