There’s a fair amount of content to go through here, and there’s sparks of enjoyment scattered throughout the game. Most of the time, however, I was left frustrated and disappointed by the game’s rough combat, mediocre platforming, and lackluster presentation.
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.
Solo: Islands of the Heart sets out to be a provocative journey about love. While it does do a fairly good job at making players really think and boast a beautiful visual design, the gameplay is executed in a mediocre fashion.
Average GameBoy-Style Platformer
A Strange Game that Comes Across Shallow and Confusing
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 Previous fans of the game may be able to overlook the outdated gameplay and countless technical issues, but newer players will most likely have a hard time feeling enthralled with this game.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.
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.
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.
Cryogear is in no way a bad game. For fans of the Metroidvania genre this is worth picking up as it is an enjoyable game. However, for those trying to pick out and find a few Metroidvanias that really stand out I don't know if this will be one of them. You can definitely spend upwards of 8-12 hours with Cryogear, if you want to complete everything, which may be enticing for some. However, the combat's a bit bland, there's not much of a story, and the visual and audio design need some work. I think Cryogear is a good fit on the Switch it just needed more time in development to give it some more personality.
I had a blast playing through Redeemer, but I can’t cover up its underlying issues. It’s frantic action is fun for awhile, but it can grow tiresome over time. The visual glitches and animation issues, along with the significant frame rate issues really takes down Redeemer’s quality of gameplay with a hard charged-punch. For those who are craving an action-packed journey of redemption you might be able to look past these issues. However, in its current state it might not be for all fans of the action genre.
An Average Sports Title with a Twist
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
A delightful little beat em up that manages to be entertaining throughout its entire adventure
This is worth picking up for most fans of the turn based tactical strategy genre and worth thinking about picking up for a newcomers first foray into the genre.
I don’t know much about the Touhou series, but I can say that this is a title that flew a bit under the radar. It’s not a perfect 3D fighter and if you’re already not a fan of the genre this definitely won’t win you over. However, for fans of 3D fighters this blends enough ideas from others in the genre with a few new concepts to create an interesting new 3D fighter. The combat is surprisingly entertaining, although the up close combat needs some polish. Sadly, the online is dead, but if you want a new 3D fighter to play with friends then this will offer a nice amount of content. Just make sure you don’t show this to any of your friends who haven’t been exposed to anime..
It’s the perfect tactical RPG experience, for those who are looking for something that won’t consume weeks of their time. It’s a shame that the Switch port has arrived with many flaws.
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.
Great SHMUP Held Back by A Few Technical & Design Flaws
Stiff controls & Sub-par crafting spoil the fun.
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.