Nick Hanchet
Despite the minor issues that appear here and there, Mantis Burn Racing feels at home on the Switch.
Summary The Deer God seems to be content with being below average and makes no effort to convince you it’s worth any of your time.
Tinder-esque swiping meets an infinite timeline of royalty? I'm in.
Disc Jam, a game that takes the design philosophy of Rocket League and mixes it with the core principles of tennis, has made it's way to the Nintendo Switch. Ace.
Skee-Ball seems more than happy to resemble an early-2000’s flash game instead of a unique take on the arcade classic that it represents.
Glaive: Brick Breaker appears to be a game that exists just to pay homage to its inspiration, Brick Breaker. It never tries to be much more than that, and is content wallowing in mediocrity.
Picross S2 perfectly encapsulates the alluring “one more go” feeling that so many like-minded puzzle games aspire for, and does so with such masterful implementation. Jupiter show they are still the master of their craft, as they have always been in their 25 years of releasing Picross titles across Nintendo’s hardware.
Salt and Sanctuary not only manages to encapsulate the games in which it took liberal inspiration from, but then confidently build upon them, ensuring a complete, unique package that demands your attention at all times.
Next Up Hero manages to introduce intriguing, innovative ideas, but at the cost of executing the core gameplay mechanic well.
Surgeon Simulator CPR is a clumsy, yet enjoyable, outing that is best played with a friend. Not for those that don’t like squirting blood… or fun.
Armello is a beautiful, engaging digital board game that manages to ensure that no two games feel the same. The omission of local play is a shame, but it’s one that can be mostly overlooked considering the sheer wonder that the rest of the game encapsulates so wonderfully.
Siegecraft Commander is a colourful, easily accessible take on the RTS genre that beautifully blends elements of Tower Defence titles. Unfortunately, variations in matches are few and far between, and awkward controls juxtapose the easily accessible nature that Blowfish Studios have managed to accomplish.
Beautifully animated and a dream to play, Mark of the Ninja: Remastered rightfully stands next to the greats of the stealth genre. Intelligent design choices build the foundation to what is one of this generations best releases, let alone remasters.
Disgaea 1 Complete is an incredible remake of 2003’s uncompromisingly idiosyncratic JRPG breakout hit. Hundreds of hours await, endlessly toiling at copious dungeons and enemy encounters, and the sheer delight that battles manage to produce is never lost on you.
My Hero One’s Justice is an incredibley feature-rich tie-in to the popular My Hero Academia manga series. Its take on the anime 3D arena fighter is adorned with explosive battles, though is blemished with technical issues.
Castle Storm is a highly accessible yet mechanically deep take on the RTS genre, mixing in elements of both tower defence games and physics-based combat to an impressive level of competency and quality. The amount of content available throughout is staggering, and an endearing graphical style keeps you enjoying each spectacle the game throws at you.
Oh My Godheads: Party Edition is a massively enjoyable game that, unfortunately, doesn’t quite manage to hold your attention for extended play sessions. Various game modes are available, yet only the Capture the Flag-inspired mode is worth any considerable amount of time.
YouTubers Life: OMG Edition isn’t necessarily a bad game, but it’s an awful port for Nintendo’s finest. Considering mobile iterations also exist, it’s bizarre that touchscreen inputs are nowhere to be found. Whilst that certainly wouldn’t be the saving grace, it would certainly alleviate some of the many control issues found throughout. A unique take on the sim genre, one that’s unfortunately hampered by technical woes that almost make this unplayable. Almost.
Ms. Splosion Man rightfully deserves to have another chance at success, and certainly deserves to not be so quickly forgotten about. Tight controls, bundles of character and great multiplayer mayhem is to be had throughout, and I can’t thank Twisted Pixel enough for having the gumption to release this upon us once more.
DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: Xtreme Legends Definitive Edition is probably the most content-rich, sit-down and zone-out kind of game that has ever existed. With a multitude of modes at your disposal, and with friends in tow, you can’t go wrong with this.