Super Mega Baseball 4, like its predecessors, has become the new standard for arcade sports games upon its release. Metalhead Software has refined near perfection over the past few years and I'm in love with the lineup of MLB Legends and the new addition of Shuffle Draft.
Regardless of small blemishes, Axiom Verge is one of the best Metroid-esque games I've played outside of Samus' orbit. It's the rare game that seems to understand exactly what made that series so spectacular, using that understanding to craft original power-ups and concepts that make this more than just a hollow Metroid rip-off.
Skylanders Trap Team is a fantastic, well-made game. The lengthy story mode is filled with excellent gameplay set in gorgeous environments with top-shelf graphics and sound. The bonus modes, while focused mostly on combat, are a lot of fun. Outside of the over-powered and integral nature of the new Trap Master figures, Trap Team is close to being the best Skylanders game yet.
This is a tremendous game that, if you have any affinity for aspects of Zelda II and Metroid games, is something you should be getting as soon as possible.
Overall, Splatoon makes for an amazing online game, likely the most engaging online experience Nintendo has ever made. The multiplayer, regardless of its lack of voice chat or randomized parties, is sublime, successfully making a shooter that is easy to hop into but tough to master. The single-player might be short and linear, but it's a wonderful change of pace from the frenzy of online play.
Pushmo World is another stellar entry in one of Nintendo's premier downloadable franchises. While it's a bummer that the quirks of Crashmo didn't make a return, no one really loses when Pushmo World is so wonderfully crafted, with awesome puzzles and excellent new twists. Let's just hope that Crashmo World is up next on Mallo's quest.
Even while wading through some minor issues, Darkest Dungeon is enthralling. Even if I crave sunshine and rainbows after spending too much time in this world, it sticks in the back of my mind and I idly think about what team I'll put together to try to mount my next dungeon crawl. It's a dark and gloomy game, but the overall blend of combat, exploration, and town management adds up to a fantastic gameplay loop that sucks away time as you try to outwit the deadly creatures and obstructions all around the darkest dungeon.
Runbow is a top-shelf Wii U eShop game, bringing a wide selection of modes and options that can all be played with a stupid amount of players at once. It's frantic and insane, but in the best way possible. It works best as a party game, but even those just looking for a fun, difficult platformer should get ready to Runbow.
Skylanders: SuperChargers is just bursting with content, and fortunately, all of it is great fun. If you're invested in the series, SuperChargers is on par, if not better, than the best the series has offered in the past. If you're a newcomer, SuperChargers is a fantastic jumping-on point, as it has the lowest barrier of entry to see the majority of the content. As opposed to past games, which were filled with eight different elemental gates, the only gated story content is with sea and air vehicles. Even factoring out the sea and air segments, SuperChargers is still stellar. The Skylanders series is now into year five and as long as they keep being this entertaining, varied, and lively, then each one should still be worth playing, whether you're 7 or 27 years old.
FutureGrind is a brilliantly simple 2D application of extreme sports game concepts that offers a lot of variety packed in a relatively lean package. Surprise was at every corner of this game and the engaging trick system and enjoyable campaign made for an awesome time.
It's a marvelous shooter that brings forth the best elements of cooperative play, as the action gets frantic, the difficulty ramps up, and even failure can result in a hell of a good time. If you have a few people to play with, Lovers is a fine addition to your Switch library, but even if you're all alone, you can pair up with a good computer-controlled puppy dog or cat and still have yourself a good time. This is an adorable, charming adventure - one that lovers of fine co-op game shouldn't miss.
This world is a joy to get lost in and thanks to the unique take on procedural design, it offers a multitude of ways to re-experience the game even after completion. Aside from some minor issues with the ho-hum traversal upgrades, Chasm is an inspired take on a well-worn genre. If you long for the days of annual Igavanias, Chasm's one of the better modern stabs at that glory.
After years of hearing how cool Downwell is, it's great to see just how fantastic it really is. It's a straightforward, no-nonsense masterclass in design where it's super easy to sit down with the intention of playing for five minutes and walk away a dozen runs and more than an hour later. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some gun boots to fire off so I can get to the bottom of this well.
At the end of the day, the lack of character doesn't weigh heavily on the quality. This is a balls-to-the-wall, lightning fast racing game that soars with gripping gameplay and excellent visuals. If you've been longing for a new F-Zero or another rad racing game, this is for you.
Playing through this 2006 Zelda game, though, made me rekindle my love for it. This is a fantastic game, even with the lame side quests and overworld. If you missed out back in the day or only have fuzzy decade-old memories, this Wii U remake is, no doubt, the new and best way to experience Twilight Princess.
I truthfully didn't expect The Flame in The Flood to make the impression on me that it did. It's easily the best survival game I've ever played, all the way from its satisfying gameplay to its masterful audio design. In the veritable long river of eShop games on Switch right now, this is one worth making sure you've got enough food and water to last a couple weeks.
The only real downside to Boxboy is that there are so many ideas that I wish some of them were expanded upon more. Each new mechanic really only gets about a half-dozen levels to shine, and each one is so rich that they might even be able to support their own game. Because of that onslaught of fresh ideas, Boxboy never gets boring, which makes it a fun experience for your 3DS.
But everything is something you might want to do in this game, as it is all so much fun to discover. Combat manages to stay fresh over the 50-60 minimum hours required to finish the story, and the story is great at carrying you through any lulls. Xenoblade Chronicles 3D might not be the best version of this modern-day classic, but it's a satisfactory way to play one of the boldest, biggest games in recent memory.
Gunman Clive 2 doesn't last long, as the initial playthrough takes less than two hours, but it's such a consistent, entertaining ride that length isn't a major issue. It feels like a full experience and the end only left me wanting more. Gunman Clive 2 is a fantastic 2D platformer that improves upon the original in just about every single way.
Between solo and multiplayer content, Tumblestone is filled to the brim with content. If the concept hooks you, the amount to do is near endless. The single-player campaign can get very demanding, but even if the challenge halts your progress, the endless modes and multiplayer modes offer fun no matter what your skill level is. This is the strongest new puzzle game concept in a very long time.