The boss battles that deftly mix combat and golf are tons of fun. But then you might hit a wall where you just need to grind, whether it's by pounding down enemies or golfing on loop, and the whole experience suffers. Still, I'm heartened that we live in a world where we have multiple options for retro-ish golf RPGs and they're both pretty good.
Headland is a cute game with a heartwarming narrative that is just simply enjoyable. It doesn't hit high highs and the only real brushes with low lows are the dregs of the combat. I'd most recommend it if you have a younger gamer in your household looking for a charming romp with a positive message about creativity.
Aladdin holds up as a great platformer of the era, but Jungle Book simply does not. All of the museum extras are incredible, but might not be as worthwhile unless you're interested in the history and legacy of these games. Combine this DLC with the original content and it's an excellent historical collection that paints a cel-animated picture of a specific era of Disney video games during a time when adaptations of animated movies were much bigger events.
After all these years, I'm still a zealot for the Picross S (and its predecessors) even if innovation and evolution is slow paced. Seeing touchscreen support added after more than four years of Switch releases is great to see, and hopefully more upgrades and updates will come to Picross S8 and more in the future. Until then, here's almost 500 new puzzles that are at the same solid level of execution as the thousands Jupiter has made in the past.
The five stages have a high score element, but if you're in it to explore the levels, beat the difficulty modes, and romp around it all with a friend, there's still not a lot to do here. I'm happy I can say I played Clockwork Aquario, but outside of supporting game preservation, I can't say it's something you need to drop everything and play. It's cute and fun, but more as a curiosity than a game to keep coming back to.
Much like the inspiration, it's challenging, but it's also forgiving enough to not dissuade frustrated players. I didn't think I'd see the day when someone did Wario's Woods as a conceptual idea justice, but dang, they did it. Pocket Dungeon is incredible.
In order to reach the ending of Loop Hero, you will have to roll through dozens upon dozens of loops, but the way new concepts layer over the basics keeps it fun as you strategize to plan out your challenging loop that will earn you the best loot while ensuring your survival. With new elements dropping in consistently as you grow your village, it rarely stays staid for long. Some of the finer points might require some dumb luck or an assist from a guide, but if you're ready to just poke at a rock solid concept until it cracks and bends to your will, Loop Hero is amazing.
I won't find the nigh-endless Sudoku comfort of Brain Age games or the nuanced breadth of a full party game here, but the end result is still welcome and enjoyable. Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain might not be the 2021 valedictorian on Switch, but it certainly earns its passing grade.
While I'd love to see the veritable all-star team of developers (some are still at WayForward; others went to found Yacht Club Games and Tic Toc Games) that worked on the original Wii release come back for more Blob content, I'm happy that a great Wii game still lives on modern consoles. Whether you first played this on Wii in 2009 or have never touched it before, A Boy And His Blob is well worth checking out. Just remember to press the hug button to brighten your day when needed.
Unpacking on Switch doesn't quite stick the landing of the zen experience it aspires to be, but if you can tolerate some frustrating interfaces and controls, this is still a game worth exploring. Just maybe consider playing it on PC since that experience should be much stronger without the control caveats.
I'm addicted to the rewarding feeling of getting my ass kicked by some flying critter, only to line up two shots with gun attacks and take that dumb thing out of the world or, if I bust out that urn, send them to another dimension. If you're looking for an epic, grand story with a vibrant presentation, you won't find that here. But if you just want raw and engrossing exploration and turn-based combat, Dungeon Encounters delivers in spades.
Mon Amour is straight to the point. It's a bunch of Flappy Bird-like single-screen levels where you try to survive and kiss people while aiming for a high score. I enjoyed my time with it, even if the chase for the leaderboards didn't grab me. This is a wild and wacky arcade game worth checking out if you're seeking an afternoon of fun.
Want to punch your friends in local multiplayer with a big boxing glove? Monkey Fight is right there, pal. This is not the straight port or remake of the original GameCube Monkey Ball I might have asked for, but it's a great game in its own right that brings to light a lot of what I loved about those earlier entries in the franchise. This is a lively, amusing video game that is stuffed with challenging marble-rolling stages, good-natured multiplayer games, and a lot of charm.
The shooting and dribbling are both reworked in positive ways and games are more realistic and approachable than ever. Outside of regular seasons, though, the modes you play that basketball in are trending downward in quality. Unless you're ready to live your life one pack of virtual cards at a time, there isn't much of value in MyCareer, MyGM, or MyLeague. Here's hoping NBA 2K23 takes the refined gameplay and brings about more exciting variation in the modes.
A whimsical bird-focused take on skateboarding seemed delightful, but in execution, frustration dominated my playtime, whether it was struggling to find missions or battling with the loose controls. Charm is the saving grace that led to me having short-lived enjoyment. Overall, SkateBird is way more reminiscent of the janky but sometimes enjoyable games that came out in the wake of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater's success than the original product itself.
While Spelunky 2 is not quite the landmark the original game was, it carries with it the same spirit of exploration and challenge. Part of me wishes it was maybe a little more lenient, especially in the first area, but that's also not necessarily what Spelunky is all about. This is an immaculately designed game dripping with secrets and traps. It might not be for the faint of heart, but at least now with the glory of online co-op, the faint of heart can be dragged kicking and screaming to the City of Gold.
Bouncing between comical yet often heartfelt dating segments and double-entendre-laden dungeon crawling combat makes for a good genre fusion that stays enjoyable for the 5-10 hours it takes to complete. The action might not hold up to scrutiny and some aspects of the dating sim might not land well for you, but the sum of Boyfriend Dungeon's parts is greater than its pieces. The elevator pitch of dating your weapons is still as silly and goofy now as it was when the game was first revealed.
Like the oodles of Picross S games before it, Picross S Genesis and Master System Edition is another great entry in the series. It still lacks touchscreen support, but if you have any fondness for Sega in the late '80s and early '90s, this is a treat to solve all these nostalgic puzzles. I only wish this was more than just a Sega-skinned Picross S game, but if quality nonograms with a reliable interface is the biggest problem I have with this game, maybe it's not actually a problem.
The best part of Dodgeball Academia though is when everything clicks as an RPG. It's a joy to figure out the right strategy to win a tough fight. I love exploring the world and seeing what happens next in the goofy story. This isn't just a great sports game, it's also a superb RPG that, like the likes of Golf Story, should appeal to those who aren't inclined to sport.
What Skyward Sword HD does best is make a 3D Zelda once thought limited to a unique console playable in perpetuity (hopefully). Along the way, enough changes and tweaks are made to improve the adventure, whether it's streamlined tutorials or satisfactory button controls. It wasn't known at the time, but this represents the final chapter of Nintendo's 3D Zelda design that started with Ocarina of Time. With hindsight, Skyward Sword HD serves an interesting coda that paved the way for Breath of the Wild. The linear ebb and flow of Link's earliest chronological story might be rooted in the past, but it's still an engaging and cozy adventure in the present that's well worth playing or revisiting.