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.
While the value proposition across both platforms is similar, it's worth noting the first level is free on mobile. Maybe try it out there and if you're still curious, hop over to Switch and play it handheld. It's not worth trying any other way and it might be worth playing for the wanton death and puzzles.
The Swords of Ditto is a smart and colorful game that draws from 2D Zelda but then twists it into its own distinct roguelite premise. The Switch debut is this adventure at its best and most refined, though a few minor drawbacks still remain. The thrill of discovery, the joy of exploring, and the fun of the combat and puzzles help to make this an outstandingly great time.
It's messiness is more endearing because of the killer hook, distinctive art, and memorable soundtrack. This might not be a long-lasting game, but it doesn't need to be. It's just a doggy digging.
undefined.BoxBoy+BoxGirl is a successful and enjoyable puzzler with enough new additions in co-op and the rectangular box segments to feel fresh and new. While some aspects of BoxBoy's design are well-worn and overdone in the fourth entry, the entire package is endearingly charming with its minimalist presentation and clever twists that make most retread portions mere bumps in the road that don't detract from the overall fun.
Picross S3 is another solid entry in Jupiter's long-lasting Nintendo-centric series.
Challenge is prevalent, but with lovely visuals and sound coupled with a well-crafted, though still terse, difficulty curve, this is an adventure worth working your way through. My only real qualms are with the controllers on the Switch and some frustration found in the late-game bosses. This is a gem of an addition to the Switch library.
Reigns: Game of Thrones delighted me with fun winks and nods and charming writing, but inevitably winter metaphorically comes and the going gets repetitious. Even with the quick burn, I love all the references and wish fulfillment on display as you get to live out the fanciful reigns of Queen Arya, King Tyrion, and many more. This is an excellent use of the Game of Thrones license despite some inadequacies.