Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers is fine for younger players. I still feel they're being robbed of a solid experience or even meaningful engagement with their favorite brands. I did fall into the groove a few times and found myself enjoying it, but the overall experience was a punishing chore.
I'm mostly disappointed in Super Cane Magic Zero. The fun, dumb world and deep RPG mechanics could have hooked me, but the punishing repetition and clunky combat kept me angry through almost all of my playtime. An extremely specific group of hardcore goofballs could have fun with Super Cane Magic Zero, but most players can find a better use for a group of friends.
I'm not thinking about Laura. I don't care about her job or what her friends are doing. While Another Lost Phone: Laura's Story has noble intentions, it doesn't have a heart. The first game was about leaning on others and drawing strength from a community; this one is just about reading someone's texts.
Lego Worlds feels like someone dumped a box of Legos on the floor and told you to have fun. Only you've never held a Lego in your hand or heard the word “fun.” This is less of a game and more of an experiment for Lego to figure out its place in the increasingly digital future toy space, which is fine, but I for one would much rather play with real Legos. Or sleep on a pile of Legos.
Perhaps The King's Bird's brilliance shines through on other platforms. Maybe speedrunners will find the level timer an irresistible challenge. I might even Git Gud myself if significant updates round out the edges, but for now, I'd recommend something a bit more polished.
I'm not mad at Shakedown: Hawaii, just disappointed. Vblank demonstrated a deep understanding of mechanics-based story cohesion in its last release, but that seems to be forgotten here. The disconnect between plot and play in Shakedown leave both shallow and underwhelming.
Let’s Go’s fresh ideas have me excited for the future of Pokémon, but these changes now mar the very experience that had me fall in love with this world.
My biggest takeaway from Ninjago was how gorgeous the clips from the movie looked on the Switch's screen, even if they're unskippable. The Lego Ninjago Movie Video Game is, perhaps unsurprisingly, best enjoyed as a companion to The Lego Ninjago Movie and only by its biggest fans.
While BlobCat on Switch does capture the essence of Chu Chu Rocket's cat-and-mouse gameplay, it doesn't do quite enough to replace the original in my heart. It's worth grabbing for on the go, but I'll be here hoping the original pops up again.
Heroki is a light breeze perfect for between naps on a long summer road trip, just don't expect to remember it when something else blows by.
A Normal Lost Phone does a lot of things right: unlocking story bits is interesting, the phone premise pays off, and the atmosphere sells Sam's character. Seeing such delicate subject matter in a game is nice, but the end game felt a bit preachy without offering anything too helpful. I would definitely play another phone-snooping game with more surprises in the story as I wasn't blown away by any revelations here.
While Ninja Usagimaru: The Mysterious Karakugi Castle had some levels that were way too hard, the formula and presentation still work. Most of the levels left me feeling clever, with only a handful leaving me feeling dumb. I would recommend this game to anyone that beat the first one, but this is not the place to start.
Despite Dungeon Rushers' many, many technical flaws, the core experience is solid. I can't recommend this game to everyone, but hardcore RPG fans looking for a simple, no-pressure RPG to play while watching TV should consider Dungeon Rushers.
The Framed Collection is a beautiful experiment in interactivity. The heist-comic book premise permeates every inch of these games from puzzles to story to art. A few puzzles didn't quite land for me, but the tight pacing and variety in complexity kept me engaged until the end that came too soon.
From the hundreds of trinkets to the passersby's stupid comments, LEGO City has me smitten. I've finished the story and gathered a handful of collectibles, but LEGO City Undercover will stay in my Switch for a good long while.
As a co-op game with single Joy-Con support, Shock Troopers is a winner. It may be simple and silly, but I’ll probably find myself breaking this game out on plane rides for years to come. Shock Troopers was totally worth creating a European Nintendo Account for.
Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is solid, though, especially for anyone longing for a throwback 2D adventure game. The story isn't terribly long, but there's plenty to collect along the way, and the included DLC island adds just enough to push Oceanhorn to a very satisfying content level. Just remember that this is not Zelda and you'll have a good time.
Citizens Of Space offers a ton of worthwhile content for anyone in search of something light. Technical issues keep the adventure from matching its scenario's quality, but the excellent music plays on in my head. The last 9% of Earth still calls. The galaxy may be saved, but this ambassador ambasses on.
Captain Toad is a cute little dude, but he is no baby. His quest full of danger and discovery can be enjoyed by anyone in search of a few dozen great puzzles. Not much has changed here, but that includes Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker being a must-play.
Captain Toad is a cute little dude, but he is no baby. His quest full of danger and discovery can be enjoyed by anyone in search of a few dozen great puzzles. Not much has changed here, but that includes Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker being a must-play.