River City Girls is one of the best experiences I’ve had with a beat em up and if it has more time to iron out a few kinks, I think it could be one of the best the genre has to offer. The gameplay excels at being entertaining no matter whether you’re playing alone, or with a friend. There’s a significant amount of different moves to test out, along with a simply stunning visual design. It’s a shame that the RPG mechanics couldn’t have been better implemented. Having a feeling of meaningful progression and knowing the difference in damage output between different moves would have been really nice. If you’re a fan of beat em up’s you’re most likely going to enjoy your time with River City Girls. These two girls definitely pack a punch.
Headliner is a nice change up from the conventional visual novel style game. It has a deep and immersive story, decisions that matter, and a nice level of replay value. The game will most likely only take 1-2 hours, per playthrough, but as long as you enjoy replaying the story then that shouldn’t be an issue. I would definitely recommend checking Headliner out.
After all these years, finally having the chance to play and finish Castle Crashers has left me with a feeling of satisfaction. This truly stands out as a video game classic and is a ton of fun whether you’re alone or with a group of friends. The combat system is very satisfying and there’s so much content wrapped up in this package. Unfortunately, there are some flaws that hold the game back from living up to its countless praise. Inconsistent difficulty spikes, visual glitches, and unbalanced projectiles hurt Castle Crashers gameplay. As a first-time player, I feel like Castle Crashers is a great game, but it’s not for everyone. You have to put up with some issues, but if you’re able to then this title is worth your time. Either way I’m happy to have this available on Nintendo Switch.
Torchlight II still continues to be one of the best the dungeon crawling, Action RPG genre has to offer. The gameplay is solid and full of different quests to always keep you busy. With the 4 classes being so different from one another and NG+ there’s so much replay value here. Online multiplayer is a great addition, if you have some friends to play with and want to team up for some dungeon crawling action. Some of the dungeon designs could have used a bit more creativity and the story feels unimportant, but those are small blemishes on an otherwise great package.
Gun Gun Pixies is really not a great game. Both the game’s platforming and shooting mechanics have flaws especially the platforming which is clunky and only further ruined by the constant camera issues. The story could have been the game’s redeeming quality, but unfortunately, it ended up being bogged down by so much boring dialogue. The fanservice is pretty good here for those who enjoy that, and there’s a nice amount of “costumes” to customize your pixies with. If you’re looking for a new Compile Hearts game to enjoy I suggest waiting for Mary Skelter 2.
Untitled Goose Game lives up to the charm and entertainment value that many were expecting from it. The sandbox style gameplay is a joy to play around with and the inclusion of stealth along with the well-crafted physics work only to further benefit the game. The To-do list task are all equally hilarious because they feel authentic and are genuinely satisfying to complete (the feeling of crossing items off a list never gets old). Some may find the game to be a bit short on content and if you’re not a fan of game’s that center around “goofing off” then Untitled Goose Game may not be for you. I recommend checking the game out for anyone that’s on the fence because you may be missing out on one of the most unique experiences of 2019.
I’m sure this statement’s getting old by now, but here it goes anyways. Jet Kave Adventure doesn’t reinvent the wheel (ha!), but that’s fine because it doesn’t have to. The jetpack is implemented perfectly with the gameplay and with the diverse amount of mechanics used to break up the platforming sections the game never feels stale. The platforming feels similar to how many other 2.5D plaformers play because it has tight, responsive controls that are easy to pick up and learn. There’s an unfortunate lack of difficulty if you’re just trying to complete the game’s 36 levels and the characters don’t live up to the fantastic cast of others in the genre. With all that being said if you want a new platformer to take on the go, Jet Kave Adventure is a great choice
I understand some players are getting tired of ports, but Sniper Elite 3 Ultimate Edition is a truly fantastic addition to the Nintendo Switch library. For a console lacking third-person shooters, this is a truly entertaining game with hours of content. The sniping mechanics are some of the most interesting found in any game I’ve played. Getting into close-quarters combat is a bit boring and along with various glitches does damper Sniper Elite 3 overall. Luckily, these issues don’t hold it back from being an enjoyable stealth-based third-person shooter. Now get out there and go blast some bullets into Nazi skulls, that’s an order!
Newt one has an interesting gameplay premise, regretfully that's all it ends up becoming. You're sure to entertain yourself for a while with the neat power-ups and collection of achievements to unlock. However, the game gets to be a bit too repetitive and the controls are a bit too loose to get full enjoyment from. Newt One's a great game if you want something relaxing and colorful, but it won't satisfy all fans of the platformer genre.
Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns is the RPG that I didn’t know how badly I needed it on Nintendo Switch until now. The match 3 gameplay mixed with RPG elements is superbly done and with the diversity among classes and skills, you really get to customize your character how you want to. Visually, the game looks fantastic and while some of the enemy designs do feel plain that doesn’t stop the rest of the game from looking gorgeous. The RNG elements along with the lengthy battles do hold Puzzle Quest back from being the perfect RPG, but nevertheless, this is definitely worth picking up for any RPG fans collection. There are hours upon hours of content here and I know I’ll be coming back to Puzzle Quest for quite some time.
A Knight’s Quest is still an enjoyable adventure, but the bland magic and item system along with the abundance of technical issues makes me hesitant to recommend the game. I found the game’s core gameplay of combat, platforming, and puzzle-solving to be quite well done and the inclusion of the interesting grinding mechanic still makes A Knight’s Quest worth trying out. The story’s humor is mostly enjoyable, but at times comes across like the game’s trying too hard. If you can look past these issues and focus on the core gameplay you’ll most likely find some enjoyment with this title, but don’t go in expecting a perfect adventure.
Cyber Protocol is an incredibly entertaining Cyberpunk style game that I recommend you try out. The arcade-like gameplay is very fun and there’s tons of content, between the game’s 100 missions and unlockable content. The implementation of online leaderboards was also a great addition so you can compete with others online. I did get a bit frustrated with some of the more difficult levels, however, they didn’t ruin my experience. Throw in the 4-player local play, killer tunes, and unlockable avatars and you have a really great Nintendo Switch exclusive that’s worth your time.
If you’re in need of some Star Wars action then Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast will do the job but don’t expect much from it. Previous fans of the game may be able to overlook the outdated gameplay and countless technical issues, but newer players will most likely have a hard time feeling enthralled with this game. For now, it feels like the release of a great Star Wars game to take on the go is in a galaxy far far away.