While it never really shakes up the genre, it ticks all the boxes that platformer fans enjoy. Shu's main campaign doesn't last very long, just a handful of hours, but it's designed so that players will want to continue playing to find every collectible and improve their timing. If you're the kind of player that likes that sort of challenge, Shu may just be for you.
I certainly didn't expect to find characters whose success I was even remotely interested in. It's a fantastic boutique sim that is fun to play, even if you don't know a thing about fashion. I certainly didn't, but I'd be hard-pressed to show you a game I was more addicted to than this one over the last year.
When Yooka-Laylee was originally announced as a Kickstarter project by former Rare developers, it gave fans of the 3D platformer hope that a nearly dead genre could return to its former glory. It's unfortunate, then, that Yooka-Laylee is no more than a mediocre attempt to capture nostalgia from the days of yore. In a year that has given us some truly innovative and special 3D platformers that pushed the genre to new heights, I can only really recommend pushing through Yooka-Laylee's pedestrian campaign to the most enthusiastic of old Rare's fans.
Qualms aside, Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 is still an entertaining romp through the Marvel universe that combines comic book storytelling with the wit and humor that the Lego series is known for. It may not revolutionize the series' worn out gameplay, but the fan service and multiplayer more than make up for that. If you're a fan of Marvel or Lego, this one comes highly recommended.
I was able to finish the entire game, playing every single mini-game, finishing single player mode, and checking out the other modes, in around three hours. And while the joy of Mario Party is typically in playing the boards and games over and over, there's really no incentive to do that here since the only available board is pathetically underwhelming, and playing the games in rapid succession is tiresome. The Top 100 isn't a terrible game, but it's an experience that rings hollow when it could have been so much more.
I've played over 30 hours of the game, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. More crops are always available to grow, more upgrades are ripe for boosting my farm, and more minerals are mine to mine. It's a game I can see myself coming back to time and time again for years, and that'll be easy to do with the portable nature of the Switch. It's a masterpiece, and a perfect game for Nintendo's newest console.
Any complaint about difficulty spikes is outweighed by the sheer brilliance of the rest of the game, however. SteamWorld Dig 2 takes everything fans loved about the original game and turns the dial up to eleven. It's bigger, better, and even more addicting than its predecessor, and absolutely deserves a spot in every single Switch owner's library.
Chicken Wiggle is an intuitively-designed, tightly-controlled 2D platformer that has the potential for an unlimited amount of content. 3DS owners that pick this game up are getting a great value, despite a few minor issues that I had with the game. Atooi has once again crafted a fine, challenging platformer that is easy to recommend to any fan of the genre.
It fails to offer longtime fans anything new or interesting, yet still manages to provide the addicting core elements that attracts many to the series. Its heavy tutorials and minor annoyances often get in the way of that fun, so enjoyment often relies on a heavy dose of patience and acceptance. If you can get past these inconveniences, you’ll find a solid farming sim here, but I can’t help but feel like you’d be better off spending your time with other, better games in this genre.
In the six hours I spent on my first play through of Half-Genie Hero, I found myself smiling at the creative level design, laughing at the whimsical characters, and striving to get better whenever I missed a challenging jump. It’s rare that I ever want to play a game to completion twice, but I absolutely intend to throw myself back into Sequin Land to uncover all the secrets I missed in my first run—maybe I’ll even tackle the “Hero Mode,” which is designed for speed runs. Whether you backed the game on Kickstarter or have been on the fence with the series for a while and waiting for a time to jump in, there’s a lot to love about 1/2 Genie Hero.
There’s a lot of content and fun to experience here, and Wii U owners owe it to themselves to give this game a chance. It’s not a direct sequel to Thousand Year Door, but it doesn’t need to be. Color Splash is a fantastic game in its own right, and deserves to be played by everyone.
Despite the occasional frame rate issue and immense challenge, Jotun is a game that lovers of old school action adventure titles will love. Combining beautiful, hand drawn visuals with immensely rewarding gameplay, I loved the time I spent with it. It’s a game that draws players in with its beauty, and keeps them coming back with smart boss design and a feeling of accomplishment that few games today manage to grasp.
I had a lot of fun playing through Risky's Revenge. And while it was ultimately a shorter experience than I'd have liked, it most definitely didn't wear out its welcome. A clever, charming Metroidvania with some intense platforming bits, Shantae: Risky's Revenge – Director's Cut is a must play for fans of the genre.
If you're looking for an exciting, LEGO superhero game, you won't find it in the 3DS version of LEGO Marvel's Avengers. The simple and intuitive gameplay and charming humor can't save this game from its performance issues. Inconsistent framerate, a muddled story and a poorly rendered open world keep LEGO Marvel's Avengers from being mighty.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with The Swindle. While the random levels were a point of frustration, and the occasional frame rate drops maddening, the gameplay is solid and provides players with an interesting challenge in a wonderful setting. If you can get past its brutal challenge, you'll find a rewarding experience, even if it can be an exhausting one.
The game manages to be fresh throughout the entire experience, and avoids the pitfalls of becoming repetitive at every turn. Q.U.B.E. is a must play for puzzle enthusiasts, and for anyone who is looking for a fun challenge.