Either a shoot 'em up with bubble popper elements or a match-four game with shmup tendences, Galacide is an interesting, visually appealing mash-up. It's something you're likely not used to seeing, but whether you find it successful will depend mostly upon what you like and dislike about each genre.
Chicken Police – Paint it RED! combines the storytelling of a visual novel with the puzzle-solving of a point-and-click adventure to create a decidedly different gaming experience. The slick, cinema noir style and distinctive anthropomorphic presentation do enough to cover up any shortcomings that would otherwise dissuade you from seeing this case through to its exciting end.
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is a combination 2D side-scrolling combat game and 3D farming sim, and both elements are strong enough to stand on their own. You'll need to master each to be successful, and you'll have a fun time on both sides once you figure them out.
Re:Turn – One Way Trip isn't a terribly long or frightening excursion, but those seeking a good puzzle adventure with an emotionally-rich story and a take-charge female protagonist will be happy they bought the ticket.
Talk of double-dipping aside, Pikmin 3: Deluxe is one of the best games available for the Nintendo Switch. Local co-op play in story mode, however, is the only addition that helps it stand out from the original Wii U version. If you're not playing with a partner, view this only as an expensive stopgap as we await the ever-elusive Pikmin 4.
Horace is a pitch-perfect puzzle platformer that expertly balances addictive gameplay with its moving tale of a robot trying to discover himself in a world that makes no sense. It knows why we love video games, and it confirms we're right to do so.
Kirby Fighters 2 will certainly appeal to fans of the franchise, as will anyone who enjoys playing as the Kirby characters in Super Smash Bros. It's not a game to which you'll likely return, however, once the initial charm wears off.
Whether or not you fancy yourself a platformer aficionado, Alwa's Legacy should be on your playlist. It combines retro graphics with modern precision to create a wonderfully engaging experience that strikes a fun balance between platforming and puzzle solving.
With its minimalist presentation and gameplay variations, Ellipsis accurately captures the positives and negatives of classic arcade games. There's not enough here to warrant lengthy gameplay sessions, but it's fun in short bursts and looks great all the while.
Unrailed! has the personality of games like Minecraft and Terraria, but it provides its own unique experience. Try out a quick gaming session with some friends, and you're likely to end up working on the railroad all the livelong day.
WWE 2K Battlegrounds is a decent fighting game marred by multiple bad campaign and transactional decisions. Like the real WWE, it's best enjoyed when you focus on what's happening in the ring and ignore everything that surrounds it.
Paradise Killer offers more style than substance, but that's not necessarily a fault. It's a choice. The game's unique characters and story are open throughout gameplay and beyond completion, tasking you with solving a gory murder through low-pressure investigations and…well, hoping you were right.
Those seeking an instantly accessible arcade-action thrill are going to find it with We Are Doomed. Like many arcade games before it, however, that thrill does wear off quickly.
Although it's based on a long-running British TV show, no previous knowledge is required to enjoy solving the tricky time-manipulation puzzles of Peaky Blinders: Mastermind. In a world where tie-in games are generally awful, this is a rare entry that works for show fans and non-fans alike.
Swimsanity! offers a fun blast of online or local versus play. Its game modes aren't terribly original, but they work well in the underwater setting. Unfortunately, the fun doesn't carry over to the game's adventure mode or the single-player options.
Although it wears its inspirations on its sleeve, you needn't have knowledge of point-and-click adventure classics to enjoy Darkestville Castle. The jokes are fine, the characters are fun, and the puzzles are comfortably illogical. Enjoy your visit.
Banner of the Maid is a highly unique entry in the shoulder-to-shoulder "thin red line" of turn-based JRPGs available for Nintendo Switch. Its alternate take on the French Revolution provides a wonderful backdrop for some of the best strategic gameplay I've experienced since Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn. Vive la France!
Brightstone Mysteries: Paranormal Hotel offers a fun premise for puzzle/adventure fans, but it fails to follow through it nearly every regard. The graphics, the puzzles, the story, and even the docked-mode controls combine to make this a crime not worth solving.
Aircraft Evolution offers a lot of action and a lot of destruction, but not a whole lot of variation. Like the arcade games to which it pays homage, it's best enjoyed a few "quarters" at a time.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III drops JRPGo fans into the middle of a massive story arc and then has a tendency to meander. However, it provides more than enough thrills and compelling moments to make this an adventure worth taking.