The hundreds of puzzles here kept me playing for several hours, but it can’t be overstated how the real strength of Baba is You lies in its concept. Rules and logic are everywhere in video games, and by giving some measure of manipulation over them in truly inspired scenarios here it’s become a Nindie worth thinking over. Or to put it another way — Baba is Great.
While it falls into some trappings both general and unique, its inspired design choices in combat and the wealth of customization it provides makes the game stand out even amongst other Nintendo published titles. It can be intimidating at times, but Astral Chain is a game anyone with a Switch should be investigating for themselves.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land embraces old and new, becoming a high point for the series and a must-have for fans that had me hooked the moment it greeted me with a full-on theme song. It might leave behind a few pieces of the pink puffball’s history, but it ultimately moves him forward in a big way. With a mouthful of charm, it’s a journey that anyone can love thanks to smart design choices and its addicting mix of secrets and unlockables. Be it a direct sequel or something that carries its style, I need more of this game.
Let’s not waste time – 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a testament to video games as both art and a storytelling medium.
With this, remakes like Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, gateways ala the Let’s Go! titles, and the core experience of Sword and Shield; the Switch has become the finest home Pokémon ever had. And dare I say, Legends is the new crown jewel of that collective. It has room to grow and doesn’t always impress in terms of performance, but in tightening the focus on research and catching Pokémon rather than battle after battle it’s honed in on the appeal spirit that Professor Oak taught us two and a half decades ago.
Shin Megami Tensei V succeeds in not just living up to that legacy, but being a glorious RPG in its own right.
Spelunky 2 may not make the kinds of waves that its predecessor did, likely as a consequence of the growth of indies and roguelikes in general. Don’t let that trick you into thinking it’s any less addictive and enjoyable. If you ever think you’ll just play for a bit you’re sure to lose yourself in these lunar caverns, driven by the seemingly infinite possibilities and risk of death. Even if you may never see everything it has to offer, you’ll never feel like you’re missing out with this nearly perfect sequel.
NEO: The World Ends with You manages to hit its streets running by maintaining everything interesting, unique, and enjoyable about the first game. The changes in hardware and playable characters have tweaked things slightly, but it feels like positive growth that improves the series or at least puts a fresh, wicked twist on it. Following up on a cult favorite game over a decade later is no easy feat, but Square Enix have done it as well as I could imagine.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The highest praise I can give it though is that it made me want to learn how to play it with some semblance of skill and style. Any game that makes me want to learn its ins and outs gets a full recommendation, and Puyo Puyo Tetris will have me practicing for plenty more hours to come.
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.
It’s hard not to see Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze as a barrel of gaming perfection. When you peel back everything this top banana brings, you’ll find a Kong carried good time through well crafted and secret-packed stages.
There’s so much quality inside of the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection that it’s easy to call it a must-have for fighting game fans. From the iconic to the obscure, every corner of these 12 releases is represented and reveled in to deliver a Shoryuken straight to your nostalgia centers and get you working on those combos all over again. There may be a few blemishes in the overall delivery, but this is still a handsome fighter — and they never lose battles.
Into the Breach has become a new Switch go-to game for me, with addicting play and a high degree of tactical depth intermingling with its cataclysmic atmosphere.
This is still one of the finest games of the last decade.
From start to finish, Link’s Awakening was a delight. Its setting, cast, and quest stand apart from the rest of The Legend of Zelda series; and with its gorgeous visuals and added conveniences, it marks the perfect way to revisit this Game Boy classic.
It offers up everything I expected from a game inspired heavily by Advance Wars, plenty of its own sparks of brilliance, and a presentation that made even the longest of conquests easy on the eyes and ears.