For the core Shin Megami Tensei games, Nocturne is still the finest the series has to offer.
Pac-Man 99, as a fun and free download, manages to live up to its predecessors while standing as one of the better Pac-Man releases of recent memory. It’s addictive and perfect for quick sessions, though it’s easy to see all it has to offer just as fast.
Outside of its design, I struggle to find anything praiseworthy about Wonderworld. It is an unfortunate example of inspiration exceeding innovation, and is borderline unplayable on Switch.
I’d sooner point you to the ACA NeoGeo offerings from the series, that’d be like writing off Link’s Awakening completely just because A Link to the Past exists. That analogy can be applied to the whole collection, in fact, particularly since SNK has made so much of its backlog available. You may be able to pick up a bigger, prettier game but don’t let that deter you from celebrating this unique handheld and its library.
For a certain type of player, Monster Hunter Rise is a Switch essential. If you’re both patient and attentive, and can handle massive opposition in the face of dedication, you will thrive. Though it can feel like taking on an iceberg with a butter knife at times, those behemoths are whittled down eventually and those moments can feel utterly glorious.
3D World might be the more complete package here, but it’s Bowser’s Fury that’s setting a new bar for this type of Mario game and potentially games as a whole when it comes to structure. Nintendo’s sure to pull from this experimental standalone going forward, and seeing the series evolve in real time reiterates just how storied and necessary Super Mario is. Put less broadly, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is a game you need to get your paws on.
Persona 5 Strikers may live in the shadow of its lauded game of origin, but with a source that good it’s not such a terrible place to be. Thanks to the Warriors inspired gameplay and vacation theme, all wrapped up in that signature style, it’s the best series spin off since Persona 4 Arena.
This is a finely made game, to be sure, and is fun to play and control. It’s just that until the end it’s a lot of what I’ve played before. It may not be reinventing the wheel, but Cyber Shadow still makes a damn fine one. If you want a definitive example of 8-bit action, look no further.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game – Complete Edition is an achievement in creators caring about their work and fans making their voices heard. This game’s return seemed impossible this time last year, but in the end love (and self respect) conquer all.
If you’re into its visual style and addictive, puzzling experiences then Grindstone stands with the best of ‘em.
As a more complex genre that also relies on narrative, the improvements to Fire Emblem titles are multiplicative. Things like UI elements, a more streamlined inventory system, customizable skills, support conversations, and even the Weapon Triangle are all absent. Turning back the clock strips away not just iconic gameplay ideas, but gradually gathered quality of life improvements. This leaves a bare framework in their place. This is Fire Emblem through and through, make no mistake. It’s just the absolute minimum of what a Fire Emblem should be.
It doesn’t reinvent any of its base parts, but the additions it does make and the touched up presentation, combined with just how perfect a mix it was back in 2017 (and even further back in 2014) makes this a must have game for puzzle fans.
If there’s ever a Curtain Call (or Final Mix) for this one that rectifies its omissions and lack of play style variety, it would be the makings of a must have. For now though, this one stands as an enjoyable dive into the heart of the series that keeps things simple and clean.
As soon as I picked them up I was slicing the air and shaking to recharge like it was 2008 all over again. If you’re returning to Santa Destroy for the first time in a long time that realization was the perfect strawberry on the shortcake to make this rerelease feel justified.
Featuring more species to fill your Dex with, new ways to Max Raid, and plenty of legendary encounters; The Crown Tundra compliments its predecessor well and gives fans even more to do in Gen VIII.
Just like BoxBoy! made its mark as an eShop must have on 3DS, Part Time UFO represents one of the best Nintendo published digital offerings you can find on Switch.
At the end of the day, Kirby Fighters 2 gave me a fun time and a slice of Dream Land that I’d been starving for.
If you’ve read this far and aren’t convinced that Hades is a must have on your Switch (or PC, if you prefer) then I’m sorry to inform you’re already dead yourself. Now on their fourth release, Supergiant Games have proven themselves masters of interweaving narrative and gameplay. Though their previous games were rooted more in a singular, linear experience that offered plenty of choices and customizations, they’ve found a way to bring that excessive excellence to a never ending rogue-like.
When the confetti’s done flying it might not stand with the must-haves of the Switch’s library, but Paper Mario: The Origami King is a satisfying and entertaining bibliofold of a game.
If approached with an open mind, Catherine can be a thorough lens on the consequences of actions, both in games and in life. That quality doesn’t play much of a part in whether it’s “good” or “bad”, but it (as well as damn near everything else in the game) certainly pushes it firmly into one of a kind, and I would argue that and the other elements described in this review makes it absolutely worth experiencing.