Dark Souls Remastered has built a reputation for its sadistic design. This can certainly be the case for anyone that dares to dive headfirst into danger without a second thought. What I took from the experience was a simulated life lesson in paying attention and thinking for yourself to work out how to smartly move forward to achieve small ambitious goals.
Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 Plus is a perfect fit with the Nintendo Switch. It’s easy to pick up and impossible to put down – especially when trying to hit that target score. With plenty of variety and levels to play through, there’s quite a lot to get stuck into. However, if you are anything like me, you will probably spend days alone fine-tuning your run, just trying to get that S rank on the first map.
Rogue Aces is an excellent little game that works incredibly well however way you play it. The quick, convenient menu system ensures you snap right back into the action for some sweet on the go gaming. I would love to see a split-screen multiplayer added at some point as it’s clearly begging for it, but as a solid, satisfying solo-focused shooter that’s only 123MB in size, it is a Nintendo Switch necessity that will barely make a dent in your storage.
If fighting games are your jam then Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection is not only the best compilation for the series to come out of Capcom, it’s probably one of the greatest collections ever made.
Little Nightmares: Complete Edition is the type of game that will train you to live in the shadows, only for it to drag you out into the blinding spotlight. Its clever mix of visual storytelling and careful interaction makes it one of the most atmospheric titles that you can find on the Nintendo Switch.
All in all, BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is a great 2D fighter that has plenty of depth with easy to learn mechanics. Believe it or not, the simple five button input system is intuitive enough when using a single Joy-Con for some quick on the go rivalry.
Ikaruga is simply a work of art. It has aged significantly well and still feels profound and fresh even by today’s standards. Its high difficulty will undoubtedly put a lot of gamers off, but the deep and addictive replay value will concrete its status as one of the finest offerings of its kind.
Whether you’re a fan of the franchise or not, I would highly recommend Mega Man 11. For those who are as diehard as they come, there’s no better way to upgrade your Nintendo Switch into a fully-fledged Mega Man machine than to top it off with this wonderfully formed little cherry bomb of a sequel.
As its primary criticism, Guacamelee! 2 could very well be deemed as more of the same. In any case, the attention to incredible level design and gameplay value proves that DrinkBox Studios had plenty more tricks to show with the old tools in hand. As for first-timers, if you don’t mind being spoiled by the final goings-on of the first adventure, then this sequel is definitely approachable enough for you to dive straight into it blindly.
With Yoshi's Crafted World, Good-Feel should be very proud of themselves for what they have achieved with this heartwarming adventure. Not only have they created a Yoshi game that convincingly pulls the series out from under the ever-widening shadow of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, but they have also managed to prop it securely on its own aspirational eye-candy pedestal as a result.
It may be a three-year-old game at this point, but BlazBlue CentralFiction Special Edition is a fine example of the quality Arc Systems Works puts into their games. The fact that all the downloadable content is included at such a decent price point makes this complete package a necessity on the Nintendo Switch.
What CD Projekt Red and Saber Interactive have done to make the Nintendo Switch version possible is a stunning achievement in its own right.
Velocity 2X may be four-years-old at this point, but that doesn’t mean that the gameplay has passed its sell-by date. There’s a certain addictive quality to this ultra-fast reaction-based puzzle blaster that can risk making you feel useless at first until something in your brain finally clicks into beast mode. During the time that I spent with the game my fingers slipped, my brain momentarily lapsed, I swore a lot and blamed my age. However, once I did finally submit to the cockpit’s demands, it didn’t take long until I felt like a Jedi on a joyride.
After nearly a decade, Trine Enchanted Edition still looks and plays as wondrously as ever. Its progressive reward system and ability to cater for gameplay variety keeps the adventure entertaining for the half a dozen hours or so it takes to complete the game. As a result, it suits the Nintendo Switch nicely despite the fact that the importance of a Right Stick makes split Joy-Con accessibility a missing feature.
Human: Fall Flat is a fun-filled experience that is best played with others. While you can pursue the journey of builder Bob alone, there’s just no comparison in sharing such an adventure with a friend. Think Snipperclips and Gang Beasts stirred in an alcoholic punch before trying your hand at parkour. This may give you an idea of the clumsy capers that await in this side-splitting unconventional little title.
Packed with a robust story mode and a sack full of content Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 gives the aficionado and newcomer to the series plenty of excuses to have a good old scrap. It may not be as deep or nearly as balanced as a conventional fighter series like Street Fighter or Guilty Gear, but there is enough depth here to learn how to “git gud” if given the chance. The Nintendo Switch version is a commendable port and to finally have the chance to throw down Kamehameha’s with the smelly old drunk on the bus is well worth the purchase alone.
Jotun: Valhalla Edition a short but memorable experience. The art style and animation alone stand out tall and proud amongst the ruckus of the indie scene. At its core, it is a game that does repeat traditions and repetition both in gameplay and pace that some may find a little tedious. But, as for myself, I found it quite difficult to put down. There would often be times where all I needed was one more strike to down a Jotun, only for it to bury me in the ground and punish my impatience. It was within these subtle moments and lessons learned that kept me willing and invested until the very end.
To those well versed in rogue-like games, NeuroVoider may seem a bit run-of-the-mill in terms of bringing anything brand new to the genre. To those that are a little less experienced though – myself included – it is a great introduction to the genre that is very addictive and challenging but never unfair. The easy mode is a great way to sink your teeth in and that alone holds plenty of challenge. It is The Binding Of Issac: Afterbirth+ on a budget if you want to compare value and likeness, but don’t compare them both too much because NeuroVoider definitely does hold its own.
Despite the collectable skulls that are so well hidden on each level, the gameplay is very straightforward and linear. There’s only a total of 20 stages with a sixth portal that conceals a final boss, making it a very short game overall, although its fair price point is well worth the content that it provides. It’s a game that can quite easily keep you satisfied for a weekend at least, or longer if you’re brave enough to face its highest difficulty. BUTCHER‘s Nintendo Switch release has arrived at a great time though, for it serves as a fine little appetiser to tide you over until the main course of DOOM is served.
The Bethesda Pinball collection is a decent addition the Pinball FX3 library. Sure, the DOOM table trounces over the other two with a BFG 9000, but that doesn’t mean that they’re disappointing by any means. Each one really does emphasise the game that it is based on, while the sound and visuals to all three are top notch. It’s just that the DOOM one looks, sounds and plays so well, it’s easy to ignore the others as a result.