BAD - Awesome Pea is an action-platformer that lacks any form of passion. Zero creativity, poor music, and forgettable level designs make this one an easy “NO” for most gamers.
GREAT - Whether you’re looking for a serious Final Fantasy experience, or looking to have a fun time with an adorable fluffy yellow bird, you’re going to need this game in your Switch library. The game features bright and colorful graphics and charming characters, and yet somehow manages to marry them with challenging gameplay. Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon Every Buddy is a great fit for the Switch!
MEDIOCRE - Blood Waves might satisfy some zombie aficionados, but most gamers have seen and played better games in this genre. The lack of polish, tedious grinding, and high difficulty make this game an easy one to pass up. For the $10 price it’s not horrible, but with so many other great games near the same price point, it’s hard to recommend this one.
GOOD - Claybook lives up to the creative freedom that it promises, but lacks some polish that it really needed. The creative mode goes above and beyond what you expect from it, with the well-needed community feature. However, the mixed visual quality, lack of music variety, and other small issues should be well noted before you delve into its artistic world.
MEDIOCRE - Undead’s Building is a neat and quirky concept that just wasn’t taken far enough. The gameplay gets stale fast, and the lack of content doesn’t help that. There are some charming aspects, but this one needed more development time to become something truly special.
GOOD - My Time At Portia is a charming attempt at the Simulation RPG genre. While it has its fair share of flaws that make the game difficult to get into at first, the experience beyond the entry point is nothing short of rewarding. There’s a sincere charm to this game that you don’t often find.
GOOD - Puyo Puyo Champions is Puyo Puyo, plain and simple. It offers half the content of its predecessor, with a price that is definitely fair for what’s being offered. If you’re looking for the Puyo Puyo experience and want to save on money, then this is the game for you. But if you have the money, then it might be best to spring for Puyo Puyo Tetris.
GREAT - Duck Game is a quirky gem that has stood the test of time. Once released on a failure of a console, it has managed to find new life on the Switch with its fun gameplay and fantastic game modes. In the end, this game is a true work of poultry.
Thief Simulator gives you the skills to turn you into a burglar – something that’s quite unique on the Switch. The game is easy to pick up and play, requiring some patience and skill to master.
GOOD - Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland is a massive improvement over the other entries of the Atelier series on the Switch. The colorful visuals, exceptional crafting system, and gameplay enhancements make this a fun and rewarding experience in its own right. However, the overly simplistic story, uninspired level designs, and other minor issues keep it from reaching greatness. This is the perfect introduction to the Atelier series and a good place to jump in.
GOOD - Slender: The Arrival is a unique take on the Slenderman story that has stood the test of time. The game feels as fresh as it did six years ago, and it has been perfectly ported to the Switch with no setbacks whatsoever. It’s perfect for a first-time experience – though if you have already played this game then we’re not sure that this game offers enough to warrant another playthrough.
AWFUL - PixARK is a Minecraft clone that should be avoided. This game offers a lot of content that is tedious to play through. Everything that should be a simple feature is made far more complex than it needs to be. When just walking around feels like a chore, then you know you’re in for a bad time. This feels like an unpolished early access experience and not a finished $40 game.
GOOD - SolSeraph takes the ActRaiser formula, updates it for a current gaming audience, and for the most part succeeds. Its fantastic blend of action platforming and tower defense is one you won’t see elsewhere. Fans of Enix’s classic or newcomers alike should have a good time here!
GOOD - Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle Is a great addition to an amazing representation of the anime. The DLC offers a ton of additional content, which will definitely add on hours to the overall playtime. There are some lackluster aspects of the DLC, and it’s overpriced for those that own the original game, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had here.
GOOD - Whipseey and the Lost Atlas is a budget platformer that delivers a fun experience in a small package. It’s a very short game, but it provides a quality experience throughout the duration of it. There are some minor issues, like the stock music and lack of extra content. However, what you do get is well worth the price asked for this game.
Contra: Rogue Corps is an unexpected way to revive a beloved franchise. It’s sure to be divisive among fans, but it has plenty of reasons for you to give it a chance. The dynamic camera combined with solid gameplay makes for an overall enjoyable experience. I had a great time with it and it sure beats another Contra slot machine.
MEDIOCRE - Boreal Blade nails the combat and has some fun ideas but they’re overshadowed by poor online connectivity. Lacking a single player mode means the game is entirely reliant on servers and unfortunately lag and constant kicking from matches mars the entire experience. Download the demo first to see if the online issues have been resolved before purchasing the full version.
GREAT - Sniper Elite 3: Ultimate Edition is a high quality port with a lot of effort put in. It looks fantastic and runs perfectly smooth, offers all of the content of the original release, including DLC, and the open nature of the game boosts its replay value. Dumb A.I. does detract slightly from the overall experience, but the game still provides plenty of fun.
GREAT - Ghostbusters: The Videogame Remastered is a game both fans and newcomers will love. It feels like the true sequel to the movies we never got and features the main cast from the movies to make it feel authentic. Detailed and destructible environments make it a joy to play over and over again. A lack of multiplayer and a relatively short campaign are the only knocks against it, but that shouldn’t stop you from bustin’ a few ghosts.
MEDIOCRE - BurgerTime Party is a mediocre introduction of the series to a new generation. The core gameplay remains the same, but everything else just hurts the experience. Lackluster level designs, content stretched to the point of tedium, undercooked multiplayer modes, and terribly unappealing aesthetics contribute to its downfall. As a budget title, this wouldn’t be so bad, but at the asking price of $20 you’re best off playing the original game.