Constance is a thoughtful, well-crafted 2D adventure that leans heavily into its themes without losing sight of being a game first. The paint mechanics are clever, the world is beautifully realised, and there’s a clear sense of care in how everything fits together. It’s not without its rough edges. The platforming can feel demanding, and some combat encounters overstay their welcome. But the flexibility offered through accessibility options helps smooth those bumps out. What really sticks is how it all comes together, the mechanics, the visuals, the pacing, all reinforcing that central idea of balance, pressure, and recovery. If you’re in the mood for an adventure that offers more than just exploration and combat, Constance is a journey well worth taking. As someone who can connect to the themes featured in this game, I say to anyone going through a rough time, don’t give in to the darkness.
Dracamar doesn’t reinvent the platforming genre. What it offers is a bright, easy going adventure focused on exploration, collecting and helping restore a lively world. It’s accessible, it’s cheerful, and it’s the kind of game you can enjoy without too much pressure. There are moments where it feels a bit familiar, and players looking for a more demanding platformer might not find what they’re after here. But if you’re after something light, colourful and enjoyable to chip away at, especially on a handheld, this is well worth a look.
Town of Zoz is a game full of creative ideas. It blends farming, cooking, exploration and storytelling into a colourful indie adventure that clearly had a lot of passion behind it. The combat doesn’t quite match the strength of the rest of the experience, and the pacing can feel slow at times, but there’s still a lot to appreciate here. The world-building is intriguing, the characters are memorable, and the game’s unique visual style gives it a strong sense of personality. It’s definitely a game with rough edges, but it’s also one that has a lot of charm. For players who enjoy exploring unusual indie projects and don’t mind a few imperfections, Town of Zoz offers a surprisingly engaging adventure. I highly recommend trying the free demo on Steam.
Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta might not be the newest entry in the series, but it still holds up well today. The story is fairly straightforward and occasionally repeats itself, but it serves its purpose as a backdrop for the real highlights: fast-paced combat and enjoyable exploration. The action-focused battle system remains incredibly fun to play, and gradually mapping out the mysterious forest adds a strong sense of adventure to the experience. While the visuals reflect the game’s origins on older hardware, the Switch version runs smoothly and still captures the spirit of the original release. For long-time Ys fans, this is a welcome addition to the Switch library. For newcomers looking for an accessible action RPG with quick combat and plenty of exploration, it’s also a great place to start. It might be a revisit to a past adventure, but Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta still delivers an enjoyable journey through one of the series’ most memorable settings. Here’s hoping more of the past Ys series makes its way to Switch.
Nothing Beyond This Point is a unique indie action RPG that leans heavily into mystery. Its unusual combat system, minimal guidance, and dark atmosphere create an experience that feels quite different from most games in the genre. The idea of using your health as both offence and defence is clever, even if it occasionally leads to frustrating moments. Exploration through the void can be intriguing, but it also requires patience. Players who enjoy discovering things for themselves will likely appreciate the approach, while those who prefer clearer direction may struggle with it. For such a small and affordable game, though, it offers a surprisingly distinct experience. It may not click with everyone, but for players looking for something unusual and willing to explore a strange world with very little guidance, Nothing Beyond This Point is definitely worth a look.
Pakinpaks is a relaxing puzzle game built around the satisfying task of organising items into tight spaces. The core concept is simple, but the game adds enough rules and mechanics to keep the puzzles interesting. Rotating objects, managing item restrictions, and slowly finding the right layout creates a satisfying loop that puzzle fans will likely enjoy. It’s not completely stress-free, though. Some of the optional challenges and later puzzle requirements can add pressure that might not suit every player looking for a purely laid-back experience. Still, if you enjoy tidy puzzle games and like the idea of carefully packing bags while travelling the world with a very relaxed cat companion, Pakinpaks offers a fun way to spend a quiet evening. Just be prepared to rearrange that suitcase more than once before everything finally fits.
Pure Balance: Equilibrium is a small, straightforward puzzle game built around a single idea: stacking shapes and keeping them balanced. It doesn’t try to do anything especially ambitious, and the presentation is extremely minimal. However, the physics-based puzzles work well enough to create a relaxing and sometimes surprisingly tricky experience. The short levels make it easy to jump in for a quick session, and the additional tower challenge adds a bit of extra fun if you want to keep playing. If you enjoy simple physics puzzles or are looking for a quiet little game to unwind with after a long day, Pure Balance: Equilibrium is a perfectly reasonable option, especially considering its tiny price tag.
Kazuma Kaneko’s Tsukuyomi ended up being a pleasant surprise. At first glance, it might look like just another roguelike card battler, but its approachable mechanics and fast-paced battles make it very easy to jump into. The runs move quickly, the card system is simple to understand, and building new deck strategies along the way is genuinely fun. The story presentation is quirky in that unmistakable anime style, and while the visuals aren’t particularly groundbreaking, the overall package still has plenty of personality. Most importantly, the game respects the player’s time. Runs are short enough to fit into quick sessions, yet there’s enough strategy and replay value to keep you coming back for another climb up the tower. If you enjoy card-based strategy games or roguelike progression systems, Kazuma Kaneko’s Tsukuyomi is definitely worth drawing from the eShop.
Mewseum: Film Festival is a cozy puzzle game that focuses on relaxation above all else. The grid puzzles are easy to understand, the hint system keeps things stress-free, and the jazz soundtrack creates a wonderfully calm atmosphere. While the gameplay itself is quite simple, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea (or cat). It’s not trying to be a deeply complex puzzle game. Instead, it offers something more peaceful, a quiet game to enjoy while you unwind. If you’re looking for a relaxing puzzle game with cozy vibes and a bit of feline charm, Mewseum: Film Festival is an easy recommendation.
Spica Adventure is a lively throwback to classic arcade design. It’s colourful, fast-paced, and easy to jump into, with mechanics that feel simple at first but reveal a bit more depth once you start experimenting with the parasol abilities. The branching level paths and score-chasing gameplay give it solid replay value, even if the overall runtime is fairly short. Most importantly, it captures that satisfying arcade feeling of quick runs, improving your skills, and chasing better scores. If you enjoy retro-style action games or have a soft spot for classic arcade experiences, this is definitely worth checking out. It may not be the longest adventure around, but it delivers a lot of fun in a small, energetic package. And honestly, fighting off bizarre enemies with a parasol never stops being fun.
The Rogue Prince of Persia is a solid action game that successfully blends the series’ acrobatic style with a roguelike structure. Movement feels great, combat is responsive, and the progression loop keeps you coming back for another run. Fans of the genre will likely feel right at home here. At the same time, players who have already spent a lot of time with roguelikes, particularly games like Dead Cells, may notice how closely the formula is followed. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it executes its ideas well. For newcomers to roguelikes or long-time Prince of Persia fans curious about a new take on the series, this is well worth checking out. It might take a few attempts, a few defeats, and plenty of retries, but helping the Prince fight his way back to victory is still an adventure worth taking. It’s also worth mentioning that a physical version of the game is available, which collectors and fans of physical releases will certainly appreciate.
Sigma Star Saga DX is a fascinating mix of genres that still feels inventive years after its original release. The combination of top-down exploration and space shooter combat creates a rhythm that keeps the game feeling fresh from start to finish. Add in the weapon customisation system, memorable pixel art, and a story full of twists, and you have a game that stands out even today. The new release doesn’t add a huge amount of extra material, but the main adventure is more than strong enough to carry the experience. If you missed this title during its Game Boy Advance days, now is a great time to finally see what makes Sigma Star Saga such a memorable oddball in WayForward’s catalogue.
Eko and the Bewitched Lands is a straightforward roguelike action game with a pleasant fantasy setting and simple pick-up-and-play gameplay. It doesn’t bring many new ideas to the genre, and its balancing and technical issues hold it back from reaching its full potential. With a bit more depth in its upgrade systems and some tweaks to difficulty, it could have become something much stronger. Even so, there’s still a certain appeal here. The setting is enjoyable, the gameplay loop is easy to understand, and sometimes that familiarity can be exactly what players are looking for. It may not stand at the top of the roguelike genre, but if you’re after a simple action adventure to dip into now and then, Eko and the Bewitched Lands can still offer a few entertaining evenings, especially if you catch it during a sale.
Rogolf is a creative twist on the roguelike formula that swaps swords and action for mini golf clubs and tricky courses. The core gameplay is easy to understand, the progression system keeps things interesting, and the quick run structure makes it great for short play sessions. It’s the sort of game you can jump into for a few minutes and end up staying longer than planned. The visuals are fairly plain, and the shot power can feel a little strong at times, but those issues don’t stop the game from being enjoyable. If you like roguelikes and don’t mind trying something a little different from the usual action-focused approach, Rogolf is a fun little experiment that’s well worth a look. It’s certainly the most fun I’ve had in an office.
Super Meat Boy 3D is a pleasant surprise. Translating this famously brutal platformer into 3D could have gone badly, but the developers have done an impressive job keeping the tight controls and addictive gameplay intact. It’s still brutally difficult, still packed with hazards, and still built around repeated failure. That means it won’t be for everyone. But if you enjoy precision platformers and don’t mind dying dozens of times while learning a level, there’s a lot of fun to be found here. For the right audience, Meat Boy’s leap into 3D is a surprisingly successful one.
Go! Go! Mister Chickums is a delightful arcade platformer that understands exactly what makes this style of game enjoyable. The egg-throwing mechanic is clever, the levels are quick and satisfying to play, and the whole experience captures that addictive “just one more go” feeling that great arcade games thrive on. It’s easy to jump into for a few minutes, but it’s also the sort of game you can happily sit with for longer sessions while chasing better scores and discovering its secrets. The boss fights might be a little too gentle, but the core gameplay is strong enough that it barely takes away from the overall experience. If you enjoy arcade platformers, retro-inspired games, or simply want something fun to dip into between longer gaming sessions, Go! Go! Mister Chickums is well worth checking out.
Despite a few slightly complicated systems, Aether & Iron left a really positive impression on me. The world-building is excellent, the characters are engaging, and the combination of noir storytelling with sci-fi elements makes the setting stand out. The dice-based dialogue adds unpredictability to conversations, while the turn-based car combat offers something genuinely different from most RPGs. It’s definitely a dialogue-heavy experience, so players looking for constant action might not connect with it. But if you enjoy story-driven RPGs and like the idea of something a bit unusual, there’s a lot here to appreciate. With its distinctive setting, strong writing, and creative mechanics, Aether & Iron feels like an RPG that isn’t afraid to try its own ideas, and for the most part, it succeeds as well as makes me want to shop for a fine waistcoat and hat.
Etrange Overlord turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Beneath its unusual story lies a fast and accessible action RPG that’s easy to enjoy in short bursts. The combat is simple but entertaining, the rotating lane mechanic adds a bit of variety, and the cast of characters gives you plenty of options when building your party. The story can occasionally run longer than necessary, but it also provides many of the game’s funniest moments thanks to Étrange’s confident personality. If you enjoy anime-style RPGs and don’t mind a narrative that takes centre stage, Etrange Overlord is well worth a look. It’s a slightly odd adventure, but that’s very much part of its appeal.
Rotwood is a very enjoyable action game that keeps things focused and approachable. Its bite-sized hunts, smooth combat and steady progression make it easy to jump into, whether you’re playing for ten minutes or an entire evening. The variety of weapons, upgrades and co-op options gives the experience plenty of staying power, while the art style and monster designs add personality to every run. Whether you prefer playing solo or teaming up with friends, Rotwood offers a fun and flexible adventure that’s well worth checking out. I had an absolute blast playing it, and hopefully you will too
Minishoot’ Adventures manages to combine two genres in a way that feels natural and engaging. By blending open exploration with shmup-style twin-stick shooting, it offers something that stands apart from the usual action-adventure formula. The flexible upgrade system, accessible difficulty options and rewarding sense of discovery make it easy to recommend to a wide audience. Whether you enjoy skilful shooters or simply want a relaxed adventure to explore at your own pace, there’s plenty here to love. It’s creative, energetic and consistently fun to return to. By the time I finished my time with it, I was already thinking about jumping back in for another flight. More good news if you buy the Switch version, the upgrade to Switch 2 is free.