Big Hops makes moving around the world an absolute delight, and then gives you flexible tools to make your own fun while exploring.
A stellar combat system and multitude of strategic wrinkles are the glue that holds this well-told, if disjointed, episodic story together.
High highs and middling lows make Metroid Prime 4's return uneven.
Plants Vs. Zombies: Replanted adds just a few bells and whistles to the classic strategy game, but it's still just as fun as ever.
The Outer Worlds 2 imbues Obsidian's spacefaring RPG series with its own identity, letting you bumble your way through corporate and cultish intrigue in space.
Keeper is Double Fine at its most confident, presenting a visual feast and a heartfelt tale in a detailed, complex natural world.
Infusing a classic beat-'em-up structure with a modern roguelike loop is a match made in heaven.
The Ivalice Chronicles provides the best way to play an all-time classic, even if it lacks some of the archival glow-up it deserves.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a well-crafted and remarkably flexible arcade racer with an almost overwhelming amount of customization and a whizbang portal-hopping mechanic.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land was already a stellar Switch game, and Star-Crossed World adds more of the same.
The multiplayer-focused sports game from Nintendo has a novel control scheme but is tiring and feels imprecise.
Donkey Kong Bananza is a raucous, wildly inventive, and propulsive platformer that reboots one of Nintendo's most iconic mascots.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour has its charms, but on the whole feels like a strange set of contradictions: a casual primer for power users, and a pack-in game that isn't packed in.
Mario Kart World expands on almost everything that made Mario Kart 8 such an enduring success, laying the foundation for years of raucous racing to come.
To A T is a quirky and charming story about an underexplored topic; if only the act of playing it were a little more fun.
The turtle boys don't cut 'em no slack in a short but sweet tactics game that feels like the foundation for something much bigger.
Blue Prince is a masterfully intricate roguelike puzzle game that reveals increasingly elaborate details and interlocking systems as you peel back its layers.
The 2010 franchise revival gets a makeover and some modern conveniences, but wild difficulty spikes make it tough to recommend for anyone but the most dedicated DKC fan.
Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind is an enjoyable brawler that recalls the campy fun of the 1990s TV series, but frustrating vehicle segments and a short playtime hold it back.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership tries to be a bigger, bolder version of the casual RPG series, but this top-heavy ship ultimately capsizes.