A.J. Maciejewski
Sky Force Anniversary is a fun shoot 'em up that fans of the genre and casual gamers can both enjoy.
King Oddball is a silly game that's fun for the short amount of time that it lasts.
Dogos is a big step up from Project Root.
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is a mostly enjoyable collection of simple events set in a colourful world.
MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death does a lot of things right but it also sets the genre back in many ways that take away from the overall experience.
Touhou Genso Rondo: Bullet Ballet features a fantastically implemented mixture of two genres.
Solar Shifter EX is quite possibly the worst shoot 'em up that I've ever played.
Absolute Drift is a difficult game to recommend.
As an existing fan of Doug TenNapel's previous work, I'm very happy that Armikrog is finally available for console.
Strike Vector EX is such a solid game that it makes me wonder why more developers aren't exploring the genre.
Even though The King of Fighters XIV has less than stellar graphics and an empty promise of being more accessible, it's still chock full of fantastic fighting that fans will love every second of.
Mario Sports Mix is just what the title suggests: a mix.
Bears Can't Drift is a cute game that would have been very enjoyable if it had more straightforward tracks and far less bugs.
Caladrius Blaze is a fantastic shoot 'em up that offers enough solid gameplay to satisfy genre veterans.
Momentum is a solid attempt at a physics-based ball-guiding game but its bare-bones and super-frustrating gameplay often turn it into a test of patience rather than an enjoyable gaming experience.
Blade Ballet is a simple and enjoyable multiplayer game with very cool stages.
Brut@l is one of those roguelikes that I'll gladly pick up and play whenever I have the time just to see how far I can descend into the dungeon.
Headlander may not be perfect, but I'll be darned if it isn't one of the most enjoyable games of the year so far.
Gal Gun Double Peace is an enjoyable rail shooter with a ridiculously hilarious premise.
Overcooked is one of the best cooperative multiplayer games that I've ever had the privilege of playing.