If you can make hay out of the physics and not run into the maddening frustration that dominated my playtime, then Pumped BMX Pro might just stick the landing. But if you want something that's more freeing and interesting, you're better off checking out any one of the other similar games hitting Switch in 2019.
There is potential in Roving Rogue with its unique narrative presentation and teleporting platforming ideas, but it's squandered by a middling execution. With a glut of superior platformers out there, this is a Wii U eShop game worth passing over.
Seven Knights - Time Wanderer lands close to being a good streamlined JRPG, but the threadbare exploration and passable battle system aren't enough to make it stand out among the crowd. If you're a fan of the Seven Knights universe, it's likely a must play, but if you don't have that affinity, there isn't much for you here.
After spending time with Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD, I'm still confused as to why this specific game was the pick to revive the franchise. The 10 mini-games included aren't that strong and the main game is mediocre at best, dragged down by the motion-focused level design and abysmal boss battles. On one hand, I was happy to play Super Monkey Ball again, but on the other, I wish I could play a better Super Monkey Ball game.
A good game exists in the overburdened chaos that is TurtlePop, but as it stands, this is all far too convoluted to be something worth sinking a lot of time into. Charm can only go so far when strangled by numerous and conflicting ideas.
In a world where the Switch is filthy with TMNT arcade games across the Cowabunga Collection and Shredder's Revenge, Wrath of the Mutants is a distant third place. It's fine in the sense that if you get three buddies to play through it with you, you'll probably have a good time. But beyond that camaraderie, this is a middling port of an okay game.
It's a shame because the idea of The Pinball Wizard is neat, but the execution and longevity make it a game that faded away before it got truly interesting. Maybe it's worth it for the cute visuals, but even that doesn't stave off the lack of variety.
The playfulness of just rolling around in the free-roll mode is endearing, but the totality of the experience isn't gripping for more than a few fleeting moments. Dream Buffet is evocative of a mediocre dessert at a diner. You knew what you signed up for and you hoped maybe you'll land on the piece of pie that is out of this world, but at the end of the day it's just midnight at a diner, and you're wondering why you're still eating this passable apple pie.
Chocobo GP is a totally fine kart racer, featuring a good deal to unlock and more than 20 characters. This isn’t the new gold standard for the genre, but it’s still a fun ride, especially with the syrupy sweet story and good deal of Final Fantasy references. The true potential is in the potential of the titular Chocobo GP mode, which is also the stand-out feature for the entire game. The fact it’s accessible with the Lite mode might give it a longer tail. Some of the season pass content rubs me the wrong way, but the base game is satisfying enough that it’s a good time even if you don’t shell out real-world money to race as Cloud.
It has the developer pedigree of the Brownie Brown founders, the music of Yoko Shimomura, visually pleasing 2D visuals, and a superb localization. It's a shame that the gameplay itself is somewhere between overly simplified and frustrating, largely thanks to the mobile influences that still seep into this Switch release. If you have a high tolerance for mobile fluff, then Egglia Rebirth might still be worth a look, but be prepared for countdown timers and weirdly high difficulty spikes to dirty your pleasant nostalgic jaunt.
Heck, playing this locally with newcomers is a challenge unless you have someone on hand to explain the game in detail. Charterstone appears to be a fun game that I someday look forward to playing in physical board game form. Maybe then, I'll be able to revisit this digital incarnation with friends and enjoy it far more.
Instead thanks to everything from fetch quest repetition to a muddled interface, it's more of a wistful addition to the Switch library. The pleasant vibe of Koa's undiscovered world can't carry the whole game despite the best of intentions. If tweaks and improvements can clean up some of the menus, Summer in Mara could be better, but I worry even that won't make the repetition more enjoyable.
For as good as the controls can feel, the only real lifeline is frequent checkpoints, but that doesn't make the frustrating design and punishment much better. I wish Skelattack reminded me more of the great things of its Konami progenitors or its modern inspirations. Instead, this game just makes me want to go pick up a Castlevania or dig up Super Meat Boy again.
Gensou Skydrift feels more like the fan game it actually is than I hoped. The references to Mario Kart: Double Dash are warranted, but it lacks the polish and finesse of that GameCube classic. If anything, Gensou Skydrift shows how far Mario Kart has come, because this might as well be a port of a game from 2003.
Heroland relies far too much on the style over substance, and while I do really enjoy the style, especially the Paper Mario-esque pixelated characters, I'm let down by how unsatisfying the game is overall. It's imminently cute with a solid sense of humor that just unravels into a slog of an adventure that is mostly worth it for the charm of the presentation and not much else.
It's an okay game, but without any defining features other than competency, it's hard to recommend over similar games in the genre.
Mable and the Wood is a game that has its heart in the right place, trying some interesting new things in a tried-and-true, side-scrolling presentation. Unfortunately, a lot of those ideas aren't that appealing and the novel ideas soon unravel into an endearing but merely decent adventure.
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.
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.
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.