I've purchased this game on every console I own, and happily purchased it again. No sour grapes here either, never has this game felt more at home than when playing on a Joy-Con.
Spacejacked turns the tower defense genre upside down and also manages to toss quite a bit of challenge into the mix. If you're looking to get your butt kicked a few times, Spacejacked is for you.
Digimon Cyber Sleuth comprises of two nearly perfect Digimon game experiences, but unfortunately, they're smack dab in the middle of an experiment in the franchise that feels much more like a chore than a game. When you're finding, raising, and battling Digimon, you'll be in heaven. But the insane amount of unskip-able dialogue and shallow "mystery-solving" gameplay is enough to turn off even the most dedicated fan.
I'm not sure who Little Shopping is for. Sure, there's bright colors and even numbers to challenge young minds, but I'm positive a simple game of Tetris would be more satisfying and more stimulating than this barebones virtual shopping game. It's hard to recommend this game. As a former kid who was occasionally settled with poor titles, I can only say firmly: Kids deserve better.
The Deer God aims high with its breathtaking visuals, sound, and narrative, but it's just not entertaining enough to actually make you want to pick up your Joy-Con controllers.
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.
Button Button Up! is a stellar looking platformer but offers little for seasoned platforming fans. However, younger audiences will be at home with the colorful presentation and whimsical albeit basic platforming. It's nowhere near the best platformer on the Switch, but you could certainly do worse.
The concept of Little Dragon's Cafe is genius, but its execution is a little sloppy. Many of the game's tasks feel like actual chores instead of the streamlined management of Yasuhiro Wada's past titles. Despite its clear flaws, the food, characters, and world are too gorgeous to ignore.
Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 is a fantastic game that even 16 years later remains one of the most entertaining simulation titles ever made. Playing the game without a mouse and keyboard leaves much to be desired, and even after getting over the learning curve, it's still a murky prospect indeed. But if you simply must have a portable Roller Coaster Tycoon 3, there's plenty of thrills to be had.
Space Invaders may be a monumental entry in the history of gaming, but it's not exactly the most enjoyable title in the Switch era. Super Destronaut DX-2 is if Taito's debut title got a handful of QoL updates and thrown smack dab in the middle of a rave. It's a solid entry in the arcade genre if you're into classic space shooters.
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.
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.
Tamiku is a modern arcade-style game with a rather charming presentation but ultimately the gameplay may be a bit too simple for some, especially given that the difficulty curve may scare away anyone who's never handled a joystick. If you're looking for an inexpensive and challenging arcade experience, Tamiku may scratch your particular itch.
If you played New Super Mario Bros. U the first time around, it's hard recommending its Deluxe iteration unless you simply can't be bothered to plug in your Wii U again. However, if you were waiting all these years for an easy mode, playing through the game as Toadette will surely satisfy.
Beat-em-ups are a dime a dozen, but 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is at the very least different from many of the other offerings on the Switch. From the complexity of the combat system which offers plenty of potential for variety in gameplay, to the inspired visual presentation, it's easy to recommend to any fan of the beat-em-up genre.
If you put Zelda's action-RPG system, Paper Mario's platforming, and a heavy dash of voxel graphics into a blender, you'd likely get something resembling Skellboy. At times, admittedly, the game lacks polish and can drag quite a bit, especially in the beginning. Nevertheless, it brings new ideas to the platforming and RPG genres, while looking pretty stellar to boot.
Story of Seasons and perhaps even most Doraemon fans will feel at home in the latest entry of the celebrated series. While the manga cat's inclusion doesn't exactly breathe new life into the franchise, it certainly doesn't ruin it. And while it's on the pricier end of the series' spectrum, it's perhaps also the best-looking entry to date. If you're looking for a cozy farm simulator and are all Stardew Valley-ed out, Doraemon Story of Seasons will surely satisfy.
Mana Spark's premise pays off and will turn into a time sink for anyone even remotely into the dungeon-crawling genre. Despite the addictive nature of this simply presented game, the loading screens will make you shout expletives out loud: especially when progressing, or worse, dying.
The controls are a little wonkier than they should be, but there's far too many great elements in this game to ignore. Pool Panic gives you everything you want from a pick-up-and-play sports title. It's consistently charming, challenging, and in some cases, might even make you chagrin.
No, it won't replace the Ikaruga's or Raiden's of your past, but Iro Hero is a valiant crack at the all-too-rare shoot ‘em up genre. If you've got a top-down, bullet-heavy adventure itch that needs scratching, Iro Hero will likely satisfy.