Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling is the Paper Mario we've been waiting for for over fifteen years. It's aesthetically pleasing to look at, the main characters have an amusing dynamic, and it has a fun turn-based battle system with real time elements and strategy. I urge not only Paper Mario fans to give it the chance it deserves, but anyone that has ever picked up an RPG.
Night in the Woods is a fantastic narrative with a beautiful artstyle, theme and plenty of small touches occupying a wonderful world full of loving characters covering a sinister story underneath.
Dragon Ball FighterZ is a near-perfect fighting game that appeals to casual players without alienating veteran fighters. The dramatic finishes are a nice touch, the story is amusing and lengthy, if not repetitive at times, the visuals are beautiful, and there is enough content to satisfy any Dragon Ball fan itching for a good fight.
With three titles of great quality being redesigned to be beautiful even by today's standards, the Spyro Reignited Trilogy burns bright. Little touches such as a unique design for every Elder Dragon, an attention to detail in the aesthetics of the levels, and a dynamic music system breathe life into what was already a lively collection. Spyro is back, and his games are exactly as good as you remember.
Mega Man is back in his best entry in over a decade. The controls are tight, the quality of life changes such as button mapping Rush Coil, Rush Jet, and sliding are more than welcome, and the Double Gear system becomes second nature quickly. While the main game may seem short, and a lack of fan-favorite characters is disappointing, Mega Man 11 shines in everything it does include. This truly is the triumphant return of the Blue Bomber.
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 isn't just a collection of faithful ports on new hardware, it's a mix of some of the best Mega Man games with plenty of love and goodies. The addition of medals is a great way to encourage players to fully explore every title, and X Challenge is fun, if not disorganized at times. For players new to the Mega Man X series, this is where to begin.
Star Control: Origins successfully grasps the perfect balance of serious and silly while making an engaging universe that's fun to explore. The voice acting is wonderful, the script is brilliant, and the fleet battles are short, sweet, and exciting. With an in-depth crafting system, a living universe, and a multitude of choices that subtly affect the story, Star Control: Origins soars.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne adds just what Monster Hunter World needed and even more quality of life changes to the greatest Monster Hunter game of all time. The new monsters and quests pack a punch, and there's enough content to justify the price. If you're going to take on this cool expansion, make sure you bring along some friends and a few hot drinks.
Jackbox rarely disappoints and The Jackbox Party Pack 6 proves that the series is just as entertaining as it ever was. The return of Trivia Murder Party is welcome, and the four new games all bring something unique to the table. If you've ever enjoyed a Jackbox title before, you'll absolutely want to pick this one up.
Luigi's Mansion 3 is incredibly charming and the best evolution of the series to date. Every corner of the Last Resort Hotel has secrets and the gems can be incredibly difficult to find. If you're coming for the hilarious cutscenes, you'll stay to explore every floor of what this game has to offer.
Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection is easily the best Legacy Collection to date while including the entire Zero and ZX series. While the Zero games may be a bit unfair due to the zoomed-in GBA view and unforgiving lives system, the new save-assist feature gives players the ability to play through these games at their own pace without feeling like they're given too much power. Z-Chaser is lastly a good bonus game, even if it is lacking in the level department.
Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy is an incredibly well done remaster from the ground up and shows that while the first Crash Bandicoot may have aged poorly, Cortex Strikes Back and Warped are incredibly fun games, and being able to play them all with stunning new visuals and as Coco is the cherry on top to a fantastic collection.
20XX isn't just a good Mega Man X clone, it's an insanely fun and addictive roguelike with plenty of personality and possibilities. Each run is different from the last, and each death feels fair and justified. I'm confident that 20XX will only become better over time and be a shining example of how to do platformer-based roguelikes.
Snipperclips Plus completes a fantastic cooperative puzzle game. The additional games are a blast, stamp mode is a fun distraction, the new levels are fun with creative ideas, and the ability to play as random shapes breathes more life into an already lively batch of brainteasers.
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection changes how we view game collections by making the match making experience streamlined instead of having us go to each game individually. The museum has an incredible amount of care put into it with even the concept art of the first game available to look through. Digital Eclipse has outdone themselves with an incredibly humbling anniversary collection.
Jackbox Party Pack 5 delivers on another great set of party games. You Don't Know Jack returns better than ever, Mad Verse City has the potential to create plenty of laughs, Zeeple Dome is a successful experiment, and Patently Stupid mixes drawings and prompts in the most clever way yet. Even though Split the Room may be the least exciting of the bunch, it has its own charms and feels more like a "worst of the best" rather than anything less than good.
Resident Evil 3 follows in the footsteps of Resident Evil 2 by creating a great survival horror experience while revamping an old classic. While several sections from the original game are missing and it can be a tad linear, it's a great ride with very few low points, with the game ending as great as it started. Though the main game lacks features, Resident Evil Resistance should make up for it if it can maintain a strong playerbase.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe is truly the definitive version of Pikmin 3 with plenty of additions and quality-of-life changes that will make it difficult to go back to the original Wii U version. The side stories provide creative level design that was missing from the base game, all of the DLC missions are present, and the story can finally be played entirely with two players. Even if this doesn't lead to a Pikmin 4, it would be a great high point to end the series on.
Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 and 2 contain a great set of games. The Switch version is the definitive version of the first Legacy Collection with Legacy Collection 2 following along in its shadow. Rewind is a great feature, while armor mode is lacking any sparkle. If you're going to pick up this collection, digitally is definitely the better offer.
Snipperclips offers hours of head-scratching puzzle fun with you and a friend. The price point is fair for the number of levels and modes it offers to encourage you to come back to work with your friends in party mode or take them on in Blitz mode. The difficulty curve is steep and some of the puzzles are too cryptic, but with determination and proper communication, you can tackle any problem. Make sure you bring a friend!