30XX is everything a sequel should be. I actually really liked 20XX; some folk were deterred by its style and graphics. If you were one of those people, you may want to consider coming back to 30XX. It’s basically better than everything. It has better graphics, improved level design, tight controls, addictive gameplay and, most importantly, the ability to play it as a rogue-lite or a more standard action platformer. There really is something here for everyone. If you do invest the time to get better the way it’s designed, you will hopefully find a fulfilling gaming experience like I did. The developers’ hard work has truly paid off. 30XX is well worth your time, and I see this being on my gaming rotation until 40XX.
It’s easy to look at Shalnor Legends 2: Trial of the Thunder and write it off as a Zelda clone that doesn’t quite reach the heights of that series. However, that is not how I have chosen to view it. While it’s not without faults, this is a big step up from the developer’s first game in the series, both in terms of graphics and gameplay. This is another example of a game where the effort and love from the developer shows, plus you get to play as an Orc for a change. It also launched without any glitches or bugs that I could spot. If the developer keeps at this trajectory, I don’t doubt that their future projects will be truly special. So long as you look past some rough edges, a satisfying adventure awaits if you choose to set sail.
I really enjoyed my time with Super Adventure Hand. This is a physics puzzler with solid controls and entertaining bite-sized gameplay. The game felt at its peak when it experimented with more unusual mechanics like vehicles and level design. It faulted a little bit for me by relying too heavily on key collecting. Regardless, Super Adventure Hand still had me hooked to the end. While the game is only single-player, I can see this being a fun novelty experience to share with loved ones in the same room. Maybe swapping the controller or Switch between levels. This will likely get a giggle or two, if nothing else. It gets a solid one thumb up from me.
Boti: Byteland Overclocked will likely win over the hearts of any gamer looking for a fun casual experience to play alone or with a loved one. Gorgeous graphics, tight platforming, and collectable gameplay make this one of the best platformers I have played this year. On top of that, you can enjoy this game either online or in local co-op, enabling you to share the positive vibes together however you please. The game falls slightly short with its combat and being a tad too easy. Even so, if you’re looking for something just to put a smile on yourself, then Boti will absolutely achieve that.
Overall, I really liked Gravity Oddity. On the surface, it’s fair some gamers will play this and just see a by-the-numbers action roguelike with simple graphics. For me, it goes so much deeper than that if you give it the time. This truly feels like a game the developer sank a lot of love working within their boundaries yet making something unique and charming. Sure, I found things got hectic at times, and like any roguelike, this has some crazy difficulty spikes that you don’t expect. But I sure had a lot of fun playing this and feel it’s worth your time, whether you are new to roguelikes or experienced in the genre. Gravity Oddity took me to the stars, and I was very happy with the journey, even if it meant a lot of failures in the process.
Taito Milestones 2 is a second helping of arcade goodness that comes highly recommended for any fan of retro gaming. Much like the first collection, what stands out most about this is the games are more unusual and different than you may be used to, which is something I’ve always admired about Taito. Of course, that means some of the games will be better than others but even those that didn’t click, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to try them on a modern system. It would have been nice to have more love for the history of Taito, but this still stands as the best way to enjoy these classic games on modern systems. Insert a fictitious coin and have fun.
Die After Sunset has the promise of an enjoyable rogue-lite experience, with some pretty big ambitions for its design. But the Switch version is not there yet. It’s let down by poor performance and several glitches that don’t make for the best gameplay experience. As someone who loves the roguelite genre, I could push through the problems and find some enjoyment, although it did require a lot of grinding and tolerance. PC may be the way to go if you need your rogue-lite fix. For now, consider Wishlisting this and being patient for patches. The developers are clearly working on it since, during the review, they already fixed a glitch that stopped the tutorial from functioning. The sun may have set on the game for now, but a better game will hopefully resurface when the sun rises soon.
This is another great collection from Toaplans’ back catalogue that will undoubtedly please retro gaming fans or anyone looking for some quick-fire gameplay. Solid ports with satisfying quality-of-life improvements. An example of retro gaming ported to modern systems is done very well. The only niggle is that the history of each game is not celebrated with its artwork, documents or videos from the developers. But, much like how Blu-rays or DVDs rarely celebrate, making of this seems to be the norm these days. If you’re here to game, here are four games where you can jump into a flying machine and feel like a gaming rockstar for a few minutes before getting on with the rest of your day.
Chickenoidz Super Party is an egg waiting to hatch. What I mean by this is it has the potential to be a decent game to play with your buddies on a game night, but it’s not there currently. I still get very confused about why games continue to be released in unfinished states. Currently, this feels like a decent demo that will entertain for a few rounds but not something I felt attracted to after that. Maybe that will change with updates and more content, but if you are looking for your next game night fix, consider wish listing this and waiting for updates
Moving Out 2 is a good game, and I do recommend it, especially with friends or if you’re a parent and want something to enjoy with the younglings. Compared to the first game, the developers have added much more level variety and plenty of variety in gameplay. For me, though, not all of this hit the mark, and I still found the experience at times quite frustrating and not as joyful as the happy characters waddling about on screen. If you played the first game and it didn’t land, then you don’t need to jump into this one. But if you’re new, loved the first game or have friends that want something fun and silly for game night, you shouldn’t be disappointed. If only moving out was this much fun in real life.
Ember Knights is a rogue-lite that burns with a fiery passion of pick-up and play controls and enjoyable arcade style gameplay. Simple to pick up but hard to put down. It’s made all the more brighter if you can play with friends. While the formula is familiar, there is no denying that this is a polished experience in every aspect of a game’s core goal of entertaining the player. Ember Knights is another example where you don’t need to reinvent the formula to make a fun game. So if you’re looking for your next game night, alone or with friends, consider adding this to the schedule.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is a very good brawler, not just for fans of the series but for anyone that wants to sit down for a satisfying blast of one-two-punch action. It’s great to see a brawler add more depth to the single-player experience by allowing you to pick two characters and swap between them on the fly. It’s not quite as enjoyable as playing in local co-op mode with a friend, but it’s a welcome feature. Gaiden may be a side story compared to the main series, but it’s easily one of the best entries I’ve played. It’s just such a blast to jump in and attempt a run. With a similar feeling I got playing brawlers back in the retro days; only the controls are much tighter. Whether alone or with a friend, Gaiden will surely keep you entertained on your next game night.
The Repair House: Restoration Sim is a good simulator game. Comfortable controls, a huge variety of items to play with and an addictive gameplay loop make this a solid recommendation. There are a few niggles. It can take some time to unlock things as the trickle of money is quite small, especially early in the game. The repetitive gameplay loop may not be to everyone’s taste. I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating if you’re not into the busybody nature of games like this or just don’t like simulator games. This probably won’t be for you. What is worth mentioning is the developer is listening to feedback from the player base and looking to continue to update the game. So consider wish listing if you don’t jump on it right now. The Repair House: Restoration Sim is a big win for me as not only is it a relaxing and engaging experience, but it also just generally restored my faith in this genre.
The Life of a Magical Circle hits the right notes for me with is stunning art design and simple gameplay. A great game to try if you just want to unwind with something simple and fairly stress-free. And you may just learn a little about yourself in the process. Now it’s only fair that I mention the design is not for everyone. I’ve brought up the modern art argument many times in indie reviews that some will really like this, but I can see some just not clicking with this one. Especially if you’re looking for a challenge or if you really want to play a game to escape and not just into your mental consciousness. On this occasion, for me, it clicked, so I recommend it. For a developer’s first entry, this is a very strong start. Now go live your life as best you can.
Endlight is another of those games I would stick in the modern art category of gaming. Some gamers, likely budding game designers, will appreciate the unusual art direction and weirdness this game is going for. But I can see many others, myself included, that just walk away from the experience a little confused. This doesn’t mean I dislike the game. If anything I respect the effort to be different and go in its own direction no matter how odd that seems to be. This is the joy of the indie gaming scene and I am grateful the developers gave me the opportunity to cover it. If you’re looking for something different and you want to see an explosion of art on your PC monitor then add this to your next game night in.
As seen with many other simulators ported to Switch, this needs a lot of patching and tweaking to make it playable. Maybe if all that was fixed, this would be a decent experience. But there are so many better cleaning games on Switch you could try instead. Maybe the game functions better on PC, so if car detailing really is your thing, then consider looking there. For everyone else, you’re not missing out by passing on this. I found much more enjoyment cleaning my own car.
Mr Run and Jump scores a deserved recommendation thanks to its excellent and simple fun to the point gameplay. But I don’t recommend this for everyone. If you have been put off by precision platformers before, this game will not win you over. This appeals to the dedicated platform fans, streamers and of course speedrunners. It’s a good Switch port that runs well in TV and handheld mode. If you’re looking for a challenge that really tests your platforming skills then Mr Run and Jump is well worth running or jumping onto the eshop to find.
Buried beneath all of the issues I had with Deadliest Catch: The Game is actually something potentially good. It’s probably not helped that this title was released on multiple platforms at launch, and it’s likely this was a tiny development team just doing the best they could. It just doesn’t feel ready for release, at least on Switch. With all of the issues ironed out, I would see this being a pretty good crab fishing game that would likely please its fan base and those just looking for another busybody title to pass the time till you need to go to your real job. But as it stands, it’s not something I can recommend, but I really enjoyed looking up the show online.
I’m always pleased to see any retro game get a second chance at life on modern systems. Since Gimmick! Special Edition really didn’t get much attention this is a great opportunity to hop on a retro gem. Gimmicks approach to 2D platforming feels fresh and different even all these years later. Its only barrier to entry is its tough difficulty which will not play well with some. Far from a gimmick, this is a gem well worth playing.
I guess if you are looking for the definitive TAD experience, the Switch version of the game is it. While I admire the developers for having another crack at the whip with this one since they clearly love the source material. I also commend them because you don’t see a lot of films converted to games outside the mobile realm. Despite some great attention to the graphics and source material, the game just feels okay. Platforming is awkward, and the stealth is irritating. The puzzle sections are probably the best part, but they feel underused. For the rather high price of entry, this is a hard one to recommend to general gaming audiences. TAD fans… yes, but everyone else watches the films first, and if you like them before, maybe give it a go.