This is Space Harrier, virtually the same arcade game from nearly 40 years ago with a couple of tweaks and additions from the original home ports and the 3DS 3D Classics release. M2, as per usual, made a great port and this might be the best version of Space Harrier, but that's all it is.
Quench is at its best when you're working your way through the various puzzles and taking in the sweet, enjoyable scenery. The worst parts show themselves when you move through that scenery, though. The technical aspects sorely drag it down despite some ingenuity in the puzzles and a wealth of charm.
PictoQuest is an endearing Picross-style RPG that might not offer the depth and breadth of similar Picross games, but it makes up for its simplicity with an adorable presentation and smartly-implemented RPG ideas. In some respects, it doesn't go all that far, but being based around what I'd term as a relaxing puzzle game, it doesn't really have to.
I admire Solo: Islands of the Heart for its ambition, but virtually every aspect of the game falls short of the noble goals of making an introspective puzzle game centered on love and relationships. The narrative is limited and mildly antagonistic, the block puzzle gameplay transforms into a disaster once the magic staff is introduced, and the serenity of the islands and graphics are dragged down by a middling port to Switch. If you really want someone to question your decisions on love, go see a therapist. This isn't the game for that.
More than 500 puzzles are present, with the recent series addition of Color Picross returning in a limited but welcome form. Here's the full breakdown: 162 Picross and Mega Picross puzzles, 330 Clip Picross puzzles, and 27 Color Picross puzzles. I do wish there was less focus on Clip Picross and more on the good Color Picross implementation, but my desire for Picross is satiated for now with Lord of the Nazarick. I appreciate the stylistic departure and I hope Jupiter does more adventurous Picross games like this in the future.
Whether you want to play single games against friends, compete in online leagues, or sit back and binge a season by yourself offline, Super Mega Baseball 2 delivers in spades. This is a Triple Crown-winning batter, a multiple Cy Young-winning pitcher, and a first-ballot Hall of Famer all wrapped into one. This is the greatest baseball game I have ever played.
undefined.As someone who is primarily a casual fighting game fan, Fantasy Strike scratches an itch in a different way than Street Fighters and the like do. The simplicity of the control inputs puts it more in the space in between, almost like a less platforming-focused Smash Bros. The overall approachability makes it a great choice for less experienced fighters, but beneath the sheen of less combos and button inputs still lies a deep game with tense strategy, complete with a variety of ways to play it both online and off.
Eagle Island is rife with outrageous promise, but despite its beautiful art and sound fundamental controls, everything else on the periphery falls short. This is an elegant trip that is overburdened by pratfalls and reiteration.
A straightforward and to the point Contra-like experience sums up Blazing Chrome well. With six levels that will probably only take you an hour or three to clear the first time through, it's a tiny bit light on content, but thanks to the co-op and unlockable modes, more mileage can be squeezed out of this short and sweet joyride.
The totality of SolSeraph is a pleasant ride that recalls ActRaiser to a fault. While the platforming and tower defense strategy might have their maladies, they still fuse together to make an interesting and engaging game. It's refreshing to see someone take a stab at such a winning concept, even if they stumble a bit on the way to the finish line.
Wonder Boy: Monster Land is ultimately a weird deep cut for Sega Ages, but it is one I'm glad exists. I'd never seen the arcade version of this game, and I always ignored the console re-releases previously. That said, this is a very enjoyable old-school platformer that is charming enough to warrant some attention more than 30 years later.
undefined.While the roughshod nature of the Switch port doesn't quite make Crash Team Racing a dominant kart racer on the system, the solid single-player mode and finicky yet rewarding boosting and driving still adds up to an enjoyable time, as long as you're fine with a visual downgrade and a long wait between races. I really enjoyed revisiting Crash Team Racing with Nitro-Fueled and it reminded me of how great the single-player component of this game is. I just wish there weren't such large caveats that held it back on Switch.
Boxing Champs has promise, but a lack of depth makes it more fleeting than I hoped it would be. Still, the fusion of boxing and beat-'em-up is a strong concept if you're hankering for a vaguely Punch-Out!!-inspired good time. Just don't expect to be wowed by personality or variety.
Still, I had doubts as the game got closer to release, like maybe it would be too hard or too disparate from regular Zelda, but after spending a fair bit of time with it, those doubts washed away. This isn't Link to the Past; it's something new and different. Cadence of Hyrule successfully earns its place in the pantheon of Zelda adventures by carving a distinctive rhythmic path that brings new ideas to the series while also hitting the right nostalgic keys.
undefined.Timespinner is a highly enjoyable Metroidvania that plays wonderfully on Switch. While it'd be even better if the time travelling theme felt more integral to the gameplay, the game gets so much else right, ranging from the exploration to the dynamite soundtrack. It's highly reminiscent of its Castlevania inspirations, but through an engaging story and diverse abilities, Timespinner weaves its own path through the annals of Metroid-inspired video games.
Much like Super Volley Blast, Super Tennis Blast is a very enjoyable arcade sports game that is a notch above comparable modern fare. It's still a little rough around the edges, but with strong multiplayer fundamentals and an engaging career mode, this is a tennis game that deserves a place on the Switch next to Mario Tennis Aces.
Gato Roboto might lean a little too heavily on homage, but never truly in a bad way. It might be more goofy than great and more adorable than original, but the game still delivers a pint-sized prance that comes together nicely even if it's a little short. This follows through on the premise of Meowtroid extremely well.
I look forward to the other modes, which an earlier datamine hinted at might be some sort of team-based mode, because those should hopefully enrich Tetris 99 even more as an offline experience. If you're not a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber, I can only recommend this if you're desperate for the Tetris 99 experience against computers. There are better, fuller Tetris games out there - even Puyo Puyo Tetris is a fuller experience (and comes with a whole lot more).
This is a great option if you want to play this puzzler online against pros or locally with friends. If you crave a more light-hearted romp, Puyo Puyo Tetris is still available on this system and has a daffy story mode. Champions is primarily for the lionhearted.
The roguelike design also helps make it a little more varied, making this great to break out at a game night. In a way, it's like a tabletop campaign without a dungeon master. In the ideal circumstances, it's electric and even just as a solo game, it's a good ride.