And, that’s it. It is a shame to see Astro Bears Party score success with its manic gameplay, huggable characters, and minimalistic art direction, only to leave players without enough of a reason to return to orbit their nearest planetoid. It suits Nintendo Switch with its local multiplayer, but a lack of variety makes it hard to recommend – especially with the Nintendo eShop becoming an ever-increasingly competitive place to be.
Fire Emblem Warriors charges headlong into battle with assured confidence, bolstered with a roster of heroes that effortlessly translate to Dynasty Warriors’ lust for over-the-top action. Your quest to save the kingdom of Aytolis may not find similar strength, but History Mode is resolute in wanting to captivate your attention for hours on end. For that, those that long to rack up ludicrous kill counts in the midst of battle will savour the thrills that this Nintendo Switch exclusive presents.
Monster Hunter Stories is an adventure like no other, and a standout experience on Nintendo 3DS that is worthy of your time. Heartwarming and memorable, it’s all that you could ever want it to be. Ride On!
Yo-kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters is the definitive adventure between the three games, then. But, that’s to be expected. It isn’t without its shortcomings, but for those that are yet to return to Springdale, it’s the perfect place to start. Quirky and packed with charm, it’s the best Yo-kai game to hit Nintendo 3DS.
With Uruk-hai rallied to your side, this return to Middle-earth impresses in its fearless ambition but is soon let down by repetitive mission design.
There’s plenty of promise on display in The LEGO Ninjago Movie Video Game‘s heroics, easily amounting to the ninja’s best adventure after some, admittedly, painfully average handheld escapades. Fans of the movie won’t want to give it a miss, but technical hiccups keep it from achieving a greater sense of inner peace. Ninja, go!
From uncovering the remnants of an ancient civilisation to swerving through caverns overflowing with molten lava, forma.8 is a breathtakingly beautiful game that will astound at regular intervals. It’s the wondrous sense of discovery that sees it succeed, muddled in with some particularly exceptional puzzles.
Crammed with picture puzzles Piczle Lines DX feels at home on Nintendo Switch, where the console’s adaptability around your lifestyle will let you methodically chip away at the conundrums that it packs. It isn’t without its imperfections, but the puzzle-obsessed will find much to enjoy.
It’s this constant and playful mirth that embodies Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime that makes the game such a riot to be a part of, and, now rallying Lovers on Nintendo Switch, there is no better time than to spread happiness across the galaxy. There’s an easy chance that you may just fall in love.
There is certainly a place for 36 Fragments of Midnight on the Nintendo eShop, mainly as an inexpensive introductory experience to the platforming genre. But, it comes hard to recommend. Lacking in challenge and replayability, it fails to shine bright enough to guide you away from more worthwhile games.
Drenched in a fluorescent colour scheme, Severed, with its intricately designed dungeons, will linger in your memory for a long time to come. There is a chance that, like me, you may tire from the relentless battles, but see it through to its conclusion and you will soon realise that it was all worth it.
It’s an incredible sense of discovery that soon sees Kingdom: New Lands become such a remarkable experience. It can be confusing at first, for sure. But, as you start to piece together all the systems that are at play, this standout addition to the Nintendo eShop soon becomes fiercely compelling to the point that you can happily sink countless hours into it at a time. Just keep an eye out for Greed.
Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition presents yet another chance to discover gaming’s greatest blank canvas, and, with the freedom to play both at home and on the go, it easily ranks as the best portable version that money can buy.
In Overcooked: Special Edition, developer Ghost Town Games has achieved something special. Beneath the surface of this crazy culinary adventure is an experience that is outrageously funny to play with friends, that, even when your kitchen is burning down and the fire extinguisher out of reach, will never fail to raise a smile. It’s a perfect fit for Nintendo Switch, and a game that you need to have in your life – it will be all the better for it. For, there is nothing in the world as contagious as laughter.
Pokkén Tournament DX remains a robust, fun and accessible fighter. It sports some incredible mechanics, with the seamless shifts between 2D and 3D planes easily helping to make each brawl feel exciting. But there isn’t much improvement on the original away from new content, meaning that those who have pummeled their opponents into submission on Wii U may be more conflicted about a second purchase – although it will be where the competitive community shifts to.
That all leads to a particularly positive impression for Ironcast, which easily becomes one of the strongest showings on the Nintendo eShop that I have played in the six months since Nintendo Switch launched. As engrossingly deep as it is engaging, I can only hope that you join us in our fight to defend Victorian England. We need you, commander.
Whether you still struggle to comprehend the unexpected collision that the irreverent Rabbids have had with the Mushroom Kingdom or not, in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Ubisoft Milan readily proves at every turn that even the wackiest ideas can result in a sensational experience. With infectious humour, it will soon win you over to prove itself absolutely unmissable.
Best in class, Thumper is an atmospheric and compelling addition to the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch, whose hellish drumbeat will pound in your memory for a long while. It’s that fearlessness to stand apart from what has long been expected in the genre that sees Drool succeed where others have faltered, and it won’t require spending too much time with the game for you to recognise why.
Rough around the edges, Troll and I ends with as laughable a moment as it starts – even having the cruelty to leave your adventures in the Nordic wilderness open to a sequel. Spiral House has longed for the stars to align to allow them a chance to work on a game built from their own ideas. Let us hope that this nightmare has now ended, and they can find something far better to dream about.
Flip Wars entertains as soon as the panic-induced butt-stomping draws out your unawakened competitive spirit but soon falls flat as you realise there isn’t much breadth to the experience. Suited to quick burst multiplayer sessions every now and then, it’s harder to recommend to those looking for something that will keep them hooked for longer.