There are a few games that are tough to go back to, but when they're good, they're really good. The worst I can say is that it doesn't reach the heights of fan service some of the aforementioned collections do, but comparing Wonder Boy to those standard bearers might be a bit unfair. If you enjoy 2D platformers, liked a game in the series and want to explore more, or just have a curiosity for lesser known classic games, then The Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection is something worth looking up.
Little Kitty, Big City may not be a high profile hit with huge accolades like Stray, and it doesn't aspire to that kind of photorealism, but what you do get is a breezy, cute, colorful, and fun sandbox to explore. The animal friends are diverse and expressive without having a lot of physical facial expression, which is a testament to the writers' skill. This cartoonish game is uncomplicated in the best ways, and while there's a little stumbly-ness in some of the movement, it doesn't detract from this brisk, entertaining experience.
For better or worse, Pandemic on Switch is little more than a digital recreation of the hit board game that you can enjoy solo or grouped-up. The lack of features, side modes, online play and presentation are disappointing, but at its core this is still one of the more fun cooperative board games I've ever played in a compact form on the Switch for a reasonable price.
Overall, the core experience in this collection is sound enough to overlook the wild swings in presentation quality.
It's worth noting the developer announced a bugfix update is in the works, but tread with caution if you decide to buy-in beforehand. But all that said, those demerits weren't enough to sour my experience with Raji: An Ancient Epic. The well-worn game structure is adorned with a decorative style that's wholly unique in video games; a striking soundtrack with heavy sitar notes and an ancient Hindu history lesson compel you to see this personal story of sister and brother to its conclusion. Even with performance caveats in mind, there's a lot of beauty to uncover here if you give it a chance.
All that said, I can't fault #Funtime for being overly familiar within the twin-stick shooter genre when the core of the game feels so good to play.
In essence, Arietta of Spirits plays out like a pleasant introduction and first chapter of a larger story yet untold. It has a protagonist who is easy to root for and the framework for development into a larger scope story, broader cast of characters, and a larger variety of combat tools that this game currently lacks. Arietta of Spirits keeps those issues from becoming more glaring thanks to a brisk game length, but I hope her next adventure is a tad more, well, adventurous.
The crisp anime art style works for the backdrops and character designs, but loses something in translation when the characters are in motion. Despite what grievances I have, The Rumble Fish 2 is a foundationally strong fighter which makes it easy for me to overlook the blemishes to enjoy what lies underneath. This won't grab the casual fighter fan, but the devotees should give it a look.
Fae Farm is a game where the developers have successfully streamlined the more tedious pieces of farming, chores, dungeon crawling, quest completion, and exploration so the player can quickly dive into the features and figure out their sim life rhythm. The sheer number of things to do keeps the experience fresh and for the most part limits the tedium that this genre can be guilty of. Beyond the glaring technical issues, Fae Farm has a lot to offer for both new and experienced players of the farm sim if you can forgive it.
The slower paced gameplay won me over as I learned to use that limited toolset to outright embarrass the other teams. The rogue like campaign, as threadbare as it is, does give the game a sense of longevity that's sorely needed. You'll be in for a fun time, if not for a long time.
Terror of Hemasaurus is a great "remember when?" kind of game. The way most good indies do, it takes that foundational experience of an underserved genre and tries to flesh out the experience to make it more substantive while retaining the good feelings from playing its inspiration. But with limited gameplay options and a game which can't handle more than one person on screen, this'll be relegated to the "fun if you like this kind of game" category.
River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next starts with the baseline understanding of what makes a River City game, then plays experimental jazz with the rest, to varying levels of success. There's a lot of good in its presentation and core combat elements, but the dings of bland music and the slog of traversing the world are glaring and kneecap the experience. There's still plenty of fun to be had for fans of a good beat-em-up, but expect to be playing this more as a curiosity than your next favorite game.
A fresh feeling, flexible combat system tied to a series of dungeons that are thematically interesting but fundamentally humdrum. Special features and additions to this remaster that highlight its beauty, give better accessibility to weapon stocks, and give the tempo a much-needed speed boost, but feels incomplete compared to its remaster contemporaries. Ultimately, I had a gratifying experience playing this game in full and checking it off my bucket list, but it's a game which should be seen more as an incremental improvement and way to preserve it on modern consoles than something that's likely to draw in a new crowd.
The core flight feels good and each mission is an appropriately brief length that lends itself well to casual, quick play sessions. That makes it easy for me to overlook that it didn't land without some turbulence.
Titan Quest has a story, setting, and characters that end up being completely forgettable. That said, it fills a gap in the genre offerings on Switch, and if you're looking for something to scratch that itch until something more recent gets announced, it'll fit the bill.
Don't Die, Mr. Robot! is soundly made with simple enough gameplay to draw you in and provide some brief entertainment in any given run. If attempting to improve your high score with each run interests you, it may be worth a look for you. For me, while the fundamentals were there and keeps Mr. Robot from an untimely death, a lack of variety and polish keeps him from making it out unscathed.
If you have a game night with a group of friends who like playing a handful of silly multiplayer games that'll cause laughter and aggravation when getting too competitive, Slam Land with its visual goofiness, quirks, and crazy on-screen dunk action will belong beautifully as part of your rotation. I'll have a bunch of fun with my friends when they come to visit next, but the game will likely go untouched until then.
Dungeon Village is a perfectly pleasant mobile building sim with a quirky premise, but the problems with this township may make you reconsider growing roots here.
Hyperparasite leans heavily on its setting to stand-out from other top-down shooters, and in that sense, it succeeds in having a great, dark, B-movie tone that feels distinct and engaging.
In my two saves, I spent enough time to acquaint myself with the systems, understand the way the world works, and became a better survivor in the world of ATOM RPG. What makes it special is the world building through the character dialogue, learning how to play characters against each other to meet your needs, and leaning into your character strengths to uncover the outcomes you're looking for. ATOM RPG isn't going to make you a cult follower in the church of CRPG, but those who are already ordained there can likely overlook its dated look and flaws to find an enjoyable experience on the Nintendo Switch.