Trevor Gould's Reviews
Super Crush KO offers up some fluid action that proves to be addictive. However, the weak boss encounters and bewildering lack of two-player co-op hold the game firmly in the 'good but not great' territory. Fans of Vertex Pop's prior work will still want to check it out, especially those who enjoy climbing leaderboards.
Crazy Zen Mini Golf serves up a triple bogey, with an awful camera and game-breaking glitches among its worst offenses.
This is a slow-paced game, and my modest fish hauls suggest it will be a while before it picks up speed. Still, while I'm no simulation enthusiast (and perhaps never will be), I've had success insofar as I've been entertained. Fishing: Barents Sea Complete Edition is a good title, albeit one Nintendo Switch owners might want to grab at a discount sale price.
Zen Studios has brought the usual amount of quality care in updating Pinball FX3 with this latest DLC pack. While the table trio varies in enjoyment, even the "worst" is still really solid. Williams Pinball – Volume 5 is a very good collection, one that could likely be considered a must for big enthusiasts.
A challenging and fairly entertaining delivery, 140 is held back by its amount of content and a feeling that it's past its prime.
With better aesthetics, all DLC included, and new puzzles, this 3DS port has a lot going for it. LAYTON'S MYSTERY JOURNEY: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy – Deluxe Edition is a great series debut on the Nintendo Switch, and it should excite fans of LEVEL-5's long-running series. It'd even be a good starting point for first-time Layton players.
JigSaw Solace is a small game that doesn't seem to be a good fit for the Nintendo Switch. The poor controls sizably hampered my enjoyment.
Even though it's markedly short, FoxyLand quickly grows repetitive. Basic equals dull in this case.
As someone who hasn't played Shovel Knight since the original release, I found Showdown to be a very good return. It's grown on me quite a bit, and if you're a fan of competitive or co-op multiplayer games this could be considered a must. While offering less for the solo player, I'm confident the gorgeous pixel art, wealth of options, and unlockables will still prove satisfying.
Zen Chess is inexpensive and has many enjoyable puzzles for chess fans. But its drab presentation, coupled with no means to play a regular game of chess holds it back. How can you "Become a Chessmaster!" when you can't play a full game? Thus, what should be a pretty broad recommendation becomes narrower, making Zen Chess Collection just an okay release.
I can't say Incredible Mandy is a bad game per se, but it is underwhelming and less than the sum of its parts. On sale, this might be an okay title for those who can embrace its mechanics and pacing. But I didn't enjoy most of its puzzles, and puzzles are its main offering.
I give kudos to Ryan. He's a cute kid, a millionaire before he's reached double digits, and I wish him the best. But while this title might work as fan service, as a game it's just poor. With only six tracks and numerous other problems, why spend $39.99 when Team Sonic Racing is the same price (or less) on Nintendo Switch? Kids deserve higher-quality than what's presented here.
Is Just Dance 2020 "the ultimate dance game"? Probably not; while an improvement over last year, there are better entries in the series. But it still offers fun exercise and enjoyable family entertainment. Just be sure to be subscribed to Just Dance Unlimited as that's what will keep you dancing beyond the first month. Happy anniversary, Just Dance.
With tight controls and a good amount of entertaining content for completionists, New Super Lucky's Tale justifies its $39.99 launch price for genre enthusiasts. But uneven level design holds this adventure back from true greatness. Check out the demo to get a feel for it.
Ice Age Scrat's Nutty Adventure has definite room for improvement and polish, but I still suspect it'll find an audience. It has just enough challenge for kids, while older players might not mind an easier adventure if they're franchise fans or just looking for a competent 3D platformer. Definitely wait for a sale though, as the amount and quality of the content here doesn't match its launch price.
Pinball enthusiasts will, presumably, find Safari Pinball acceptable for the cheap price. That's not much of a ringing endorsement, though. The glitches annoy, and I still maintain that these budget tables would work much better as part of a bundle.
Family Tree is entertaining enough in its own way, but it's not really a "pinball platformer". Though not much to look at, this physics-based action game still has its moments here and there. It controls well, and high score chasers might be entertained, but this just isn't the sort of console game that will hold your attention for very long.
Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King is an admirable package. While some game editions are missing (and Lion King fails to hold up) this bundle shows the kind of care I long to see in all re-releases. It's worth it for Aladdin alone, while the extras should tempt those on the fence.
Destiny Connect: Tick-Tock Travelers starts off great, with a promising story and fun enemies. But the longer I played, the weaker it became. It's a simple game (move from point A to point B in a linear fashion) and a short one by RPG standards, so kids might be entertained by it for a while. But the story ultimately resigns itself to cliches, and the backtracking and repetition combine to make this just an average game, at best.
Despite admirable claims to be "designed with the busy gamer in mind" the unfortunate irony is that Little Town Hero's battles are so tediously time-consuming. Combined with their especially repetitive nature, and tendency to rely on "luck", this RPG is a snooze fest. I mean that literally – I almost dozed off I was so bored.