Justin Sharp's Reviews
All this being said, I’ve had an immense amount of fun with R.B.I. Baseball 19 — something I couldn’t say of the previous entry.
While certainly unique, Screencheat Unplugged just never quite hit that level of fun to keep me coming back for more. The fact that most modes and weapons are behind a slow grind to unlock means that most folks won't see much of the game's content. Ideally these types of games “hook” you in the first few rounds but I didn't experience that in my play sessions with friends. Screencheat Unplugged has a lot of polish to it, but there isn't a lot of incentive to keep players coming back.
Overall, Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee achieve what they set out to in the beginning. They bring series' veterans back into the fold while also making it easy for newcomers to see what the ‘core' RPG games have been about all these years. The catching mechanic turned out to be a welcome change and it turns out I actually want more to change with the formula as a result. Here's to more Pokémon in 2019 and hopefully there's some fresh new ideas in store.
With so many unique ideas, it's amazing how much Nintendo got right with this imaginative new franchise when it debuted back in 2001. While the controls aren't the best on the 3DS (a proper second analog stick would do quite nicely), the game still holds plenty of charm.
I wish I had good things to report from my time with Joggernauts, but it was more sour than sweet. While it may hold some fun for the first few levels, the appeal quickly wears off. If you are in the mood for a unique, challenging runner with co-op play, Joggernauts may provide some fun for you. However, you might want to wait for a sale.
Hyper Light Drifter is simply a must-play title. The Nintendo Switch version features a few exclusive features so in my mind, it's the ‘definitive version' at this point. While I initially had some frame-rate issues (some in single-player mode, while most were in the co-op mode), the 1.2.0 patch on the Nintendo Switch helped out tremendously. I didn't recall any issues after the patch. If you're looking for a great Zelda-like game with amazing atmosphere and music, you owe it to yourself to check out Hyper Light Drifter.
For $9.99, Mini Metro provides a great deal of content and some decent, relaxing fun. I'm not a huge puzzle game fan for the most part but I did have some relaxing play sessions. If you're looking for something to play on the subway or the plane for that matter, Mini Metro might just be the perfect fit for you.
If you're a fan of the Senran Kagura characters, manga, and/or anime, I'm sure you'll find some enjoyment with Reflexions. However, if you were a fan of the action gameplay featured in previous titles, this game won't scratch that itch. It's a very different experience to be sure. The visuals are definitely the game's strong suit but the repetitive gameplay reduces the experience and replayability overall.
Overall, Heroki is a very polished, solid game. For only $9.99, there's a decent amount of content and beautiful visuals. The game's art style reminded me a lot of the Lost Winds games from the Nintendo WiiWare days. Heroki has a lot of things going for it, but the lack of diverse levels really drag down the experience.
There's not a whole lot to Slam Land. The game is only $7.99 but I don't think you'll get much value from the game even at that price. The gameplay loop just isn't satisfying enough. It's a simple premise and results in an overly simple game.
Controls are really my biggest complaint but, overall, the game is still fantastic and worth playing. The worlds are vibrantly-colored, the courses are fun, and there is plenty of challenge in store for every type of player. If you've been looking for a relaxing puzzle-platformer to play in between your other Switch titles, you won't find a better one than this.
While the game does feature a full 10-Season Franchise mode, Postseason, Home Run Derby, and more, it just felt like the core foundation (gameplay) of the game was neglected. Development for the game was handled by MLBAM (Major League Baseball Advanced Media) which produces the amazing MLB At-Bat app so hopefully, they'll be able to improve the series with each new iteration. With RBI Baseball 19, I really hope they focus on the quality of the gameplay and making sure it's fun to play. They've got the modes and the visuals are pretty solid–now it's time to refine it. I honestly don't think I would recommend this game unless there's a steep discount or improvements are made.
Overall, Mario Tennis Aces is a decent game. It's not great, but it could be with some tweaks here and there. If you're looking for a decent new multiplayer game to add to your Switch library, it's certainly worth a look. Unfortunately, for the content offered, $60 is a bit much. It felt like Nintendo was really trying to stuff in some extra modes to warrant that price tag, but I don't think it feels like a complete package. Its core gameplay is fun, but I would wait for a sale.
Overall, Ikaruga is a great shooter but not quite what I was expecting. The length of the game combined with the difficulty may deter most people but the game is customizable enough to be fun for anyone. The game even features a couple 2-player options so you can invite a friend along for the ride. If you're a fan of shooter games, Ikaruga is definitely worth checking out. From the combo system, to the light/dark switching, it offers some unique gameplay elements even for genre veterans. Just be ready for a healthy challenge!
Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is a delight to play. I recommend the game especially for couples. Katelyn and I have had a blast playing through the game for the second time on the Switch (we first played through on the Wii U four years ago). If you're looking for a well-polished, incredibly fun game with some couch co-op to boot, you need to pick up Tropical Freeze on the Switch. I can't think of a thing I would change about the game–it's simply a masterpiece.
Fans of story-driven games or fans of the Pokémon series, in general, will enjoy Detective Pikachu. It's a fun adventure filled with some great Pokémon and interesting cases to solve. The thing I really loved about it was how they incorporated them into various jobs in each of the game's environments. They really made it feel like this world relied on the Pokémon and the humans coexisted with them in a meaningful way. I hope to see more of those types of details in future games. If you like mystery games and Pokémon, you'll be in for a treat with Detective Pikachu.
In the end, I didn't enjoy my time with Dandara. The controls, while unique, just didn't work well for me–especially in combat. Dandara wants players to explore but the incentive just wasn't there. If you're looking for a Metroidvania with a unique control experience and a great art styles, Dandara might fit that bill. Otherwise, I'd pass on this otherwise beautiful game.
If you are looking for a decent, relatively short (4-6 hours) adventure game with a great art style, Fe will definitely scratch that itch. I just wish the platforming was tighter and more responsive.
Overall, Furi does a lot of things very well and those who like a good challenge could enjoy it if the combat doesn't trip them up too often. There is a Practice mode for each boss, which helps, but again, it felt like the game should do a little bit more to aid the player in mastering the combat. For $19.99, you'll get a decent amount of content, but there isn't a lot of replayability in my opinion.
I felt like the enemy variety and the boss battles/design could have been improved, but other than that, Xenoraid is a really solid shoot'em up. If you're looking for a great multiplayer shoot'em up game to play with friends, Xenoraid offers a lot of customization and fun!