The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD gives a misunderstood title in Nintendo's celebrated franchise a well-earned second shot. If motion controls and lack of polish turned you off this game the first go around, now's your chance to give this adventure a try. Like all great remakes, it's got some serious QoL upgrades and not an insignificant amount of graphic upgrades as well.
Alex Kidd was more or less usurped by Sonic the Hedgehog as SEGA's golden boy, and it's not hard to see why. This platformer may have rendered some fun in 1986, but considering it's a direct remake, it's still a clunky platformer that has not aged well. If you're an Alex Kidd fan, this is nothing short of a must-have, the QoL improvements make it a little more playable, and it's one of the best-looking remakes on the Switch. If you need a satisfying platforming fix, it's hard to recommend this classic title.
Unlike many remakes glutting the market, the existence of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World makes complete sense. After all, many gamers in the west never got to delight in what is likely the best entry in the Wonder Boy/Monster World series. How does this fancy remake play? Imagine for a second that Zelda II: Return of Link was good. That'll get you pretty close.
The Nintendo Switch eShop is rife with countless "pick up and play" games, and would you know it, most of them aren't very good. Plenty more are cheap knockoffs of better games. Mom Hid My Game 2 is chock full of something few games have anymore: surprises. If you're looking for a new and unique puzzle experience, My Mom Hid My Game 2 is a fun little time sink.
Shantae was released in 2002, and it's a little less than perfect, especially compared to its many sequels. Despite being one of the most beloved Metroidvania series, this GBC cult classic may be a little too clunky for modern gaming palettes. If you're looking for a Metroidvania fix, I would look elsewhere. However, it's a definite must-have for all Shantae completionists looking to see where the magic all started.
Littlewood is so gosh darn cozy. From the charming characters to the low-stakes RPG fun, there's plenty to love in this interesting entry in the farm-sim genre. It may be the only game of its kind that is truly "pick up and play." Or, like me, you can sink in plenty of hours and get lost in all that cuteness.
Opinions on what the best 3D Mario titles are varied and polarizing. Is 3D World the best 3D Mario outing? For a game that came out nearly a decade ago, it still feels fairly new, which is not something that can be said of other recently released Mario ports. And while Bowser's Fury may not be a full-fledged game, I almost cried when it was done, aching for more open-world Mario goodness. With all due respect to Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury is the definitive Mario experience available on the Switch right now.
Golden Force doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does the nearly-impossible by offering a truly 16-bit experience, from sprite-based visuals to the tough-as-nails difficulty. If Gunstar Heroes copulated with Rocket Knight Adventures, Golden Force would be its beautiful brood. Just don't go digging for the easy mode, it simply doesn't exist.
In 1999, a portable arcade fighting game probably blew a few minds. Like many games of the era, time hasn't been too kind to Fatal Fury First Contact. You can't deny the charm, though, and its simplicity allows for a quick fighting game fix during breaks or right before bed. Serious fighting game fans may want to look elsewhere, but it's not altogether terrible.
While this pack contains two games, the conceit of both, a rhythm-based RPG is ultimately fairly shallow. In the end, just about every RPG element is an afterthought. Still, there's simply far too much charm here to overlook, especially if you're a fan of the long-running Taiko no Tatsujin series or rhythm games in general. Playing either title in docked mode with full volume, or in portable mode with good headphones is enough to get anyone in the groove.