After cameoing in multiple fighters over the years, Shovel Knight finally has one to call his own with Shovel Knight Showdown. While the combat system is very basic, Shovel Knight fans should still find some fun here with friends and even the first few times through the game's arcade ladder.
Yacht Club Games has delivered once again in the latest expansion for Shovel Knight thanks to exciting gameplay and level design that proves Shovel Knight: King of Cards was well worth the wait.
As has been the case with Game Freak for years, Pokemon Sword and Shield feels like two steps forward in some ways and one step back in others. The loss of more than half of the total number of Pokemon is certainly felt, but the introduction of the Wild Area and the reemergence of gyms on a much larger scale help to make Pokemon Sword and Shield another must play Pokemon experience regardless of the more glaring than usual flaws.
Professor Layton has always targeted a very niche market and Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy - Deluxe Edition should fit right in alongside the past games. The lack of an overarching story and any drastic changes in the gameplay is a disappointment, but there's just something charming about this series that hopefully will continue to grow from here after shedding the handheld only roots of the series moving forward.
Moving above the mediocrity that has often plagued the series in the past, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is without question the best entry thus far, even if the mini-game and party structure is not for everybody.
Even with plenty of superb 2D platformers releasing in recent years, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair easily belongs alongside the best the generation has to offer thanks to excellent level design and platforming that is evocative of past classics from the genre.
While it may not add anything to make it worth double dipping outside of some previous additional content, Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Complete Edition gains the element of portability on the Nintendo Switch that makes the game more accessible than ever to play as you aim to collect the more than 300 available Digimon and save the real and digital worlds.
While a straight port of Dragon Quest XI with the perk of playing portably on Switch would have been enticing enough, Square Enix went not just the extra mile, but many extra miles with the content rich Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition.
Feeling like an attempt at a best of experience for recent Ubisoft games, Ghost Recon Breakpoint fails to capture what has made the series special in the past in all of the important areas.
The Legend of Zelda series is known for its quality across both consoles and handhelds, with the latter often standing out for their uniqueness within the franchise as a whole. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening was a shining example of that on the Game Boy and once again proves why it deserves to be talked about among the best in the series with its remake on the Nintendo Switch.
While the series may not be anywhere near groundbreaking by this point, Puzzle Quest still returns to its roots in strong fashion with all the previous content and more on the Nintendo Switch, making it great for prior fans and newcomers alike.
While game mode improvements are definitely minimal this year, the new gameplay mechanics definitely tip the scale towards making NHL 20 one that you probably will not want to skip.
As long as you can get the hang of the unique and intricate combat system, Final Fantasy VIII Remastered delivers one of the most enthralling narratives in the long running franchise that still holds up 20 years later.
While fans are waiting for Bayonetta 3 to finally come out, PlatinumGames has released yet another gem on a Nintendo platform with one of their best and most entertaining combat systems to date in Astral Chain.
The Blair Witch franchise has never been able to capture the magic of the original movie in the years since, but this may be the closest attempt yet thanks to the effective use of the a psychological focused story and gameplay that feels fairly fresh within the horror genre.
As only the first entry in Supermassive Games' new anthology series, The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan offers a very replayable experience that is a lot of fun both in single player and with friends, leaving us very excited to see what they have in store for future entries yet to come.
Oninaki proves that Tokyo RPG Factory is not simply built on nostalgia and definitely has the chops to make a captivating modern RPG.
While Kay's emotional journey of self-discovery does not pull punches as she learns why she has become a lonely monster, Sea of Solitude struggles to stay afloat at times due to unimaginative gameplay that struggles to evolve beyond the opening moments of the game.
In addition to the touching story of two brothers trying to save their father that has been present in all previous releases, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons for Nintendo Switch finally gains the co-op gameplay option the game always felt like it was lacking. If you have missed out on Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons in the past, there is absolutely no reason not to check out the latest release on Nintendo Switch in its definitive form.
SIE London Studio delivers yet again with another must play PSVR exclusive in Blood & Truth, which combines a compelling story with very enjoyable gameplay in one of the best AAA VR experiences to date.