Aquarist has the potential to be a decent simulator, but it’s not there yet. Controls are frustrating in places and navigating the menus is more tricky than it should be. Carrying out mundane tasks like cleaning fish tanks and building a new aquarium is fun for a while but it doesn’t take long before it gets a bit repetitive. I feel this may still garner a recommendation if you love aquariums and want to relieve some old memories. But be aware you have to put up with some rough edges and this game won’t suit those looking for a quick gaming fix. It didn’t escape my notice that this game is available on PC but still in Early Access which makes me wonder if it will still see some patches coming in the future. So maybe there is hope for the Switch port yet. Until then I would approach with caution
Witchcrafty has a great presentation but its gameplay keeps things just a little too straightforward to make it stand out from the crowd. It could have used just a few extra tricks to highlight it over the competition. In its current state, it’s very hard to recommend with some of its notable bugs, glitches and inconsistent difficulty. But if these get ironed out I can see this being a pretty satisfactory weekend game if you’re looking for something to pass the time or to share with the younglings. Witchcrafty drew me in with its art style but just left me disappointed for now.
Block’Em! is simple to the point gaming fun, which is pick up and play for the whole family. It will make for a good gaming night game to play with your favourite folk or worst enemies. But the game’s downfall is that it keeps things too simple, lacking replay value and variety in its gaming modes. I guess it’s possible more content will be added in future updates but as it stands this is a game you’ll likely play one session and probably never touch again. So in a way, it’s similar to that board game you play with the family for Xmas. If that sounds ok to you, have at it.
Kitsune Zero is OK but really doesn’t offer anything special or original. Okay, graphics and gameplay but the entire time I was playing it I could not help but think how Super Mario Bros does it better. What’s funny is I have never been enamoured with the original Super Mario Bros since I didn’t grow up with it as so many gamers did. But after playing Kitsune Zero I went back and played it and developed all new love and respect for it. My suggestion is to download Super Bernie World for free and if you want to support the developers on their next project consider spending a small fee for the DLC. Also, be sure to check out their next project Kitsune Tails.
Koumajou Remilia: Scarlet Symphony is a competent action platformer which will most likely satisfy its target fanbase as well as those that like their retro games. It’s well put together but it just didn’t do a lot for me. The level design is a bit bland and there weren’t a lot of stand-out moments that made the experience particularly memorable. By looking and playing so close to another popular game series the game just lacks its own personality. I don’t feel it does anything wrong. I get the impression this is just one of those titles that I don’t get but others will certainly enjoy. If you decide to take the plunge with this title I sure hope you have a good time.
Super UFO Fighter is a decent pick-up and play concept that will play well for players of all skill levels. The gameplay is solid, flying around in the ships and fighting with fellow players is a hoot. But with little on offer the novelty of the experience wears off incredibly quickly. It just feels like the game could do with a bit more of everything; bigger and varied levels, more players and maybe more modes. Maybe consider purchasing this if you need a quick gaming fix with a friend when you meet at the café. But if you choose to go for this one alone, I would miss your flight.
KnightOut has a really great concept for an enjoyable party game but I can’t recommend it in its current state. With all three modes combined together, this could make for an enjoyable package, that’s best played in co-op or competitive multiplayer. Messy controls, terrible performance and glitches galore just make this an uncomfortable experience to play. I noticed the game is on PC so maybe that version does function better. I hope the day will come when KnightOut will be polished up with extensive patches. Because I see a fun game under all these issues. It’s just not there yet.
Take Off -The Flight Simulator was not for me, but I guess I want to conclude with some positives first. There are probably some gamers that will be able to look past this game’s faults and enjoy the experience for what it is. After all, there aren’t many flight simulators on Nintendo Switch. Though I would say this game sits more between arcade design and flight simulator. The game doesn’t feature any DLC and there is a decent variety of planes to fly. But despite all this, there are clearly better options if you have access to other consoles or PC. For me Take Off was not a flight worth taking.
I really wanted to like Derpy Conga. It has all the ingredients for a good wholesome game. Original gameplay concept, welcoming graphical style, a nice message and of course co-op. But the controls and odd bugs severely ruined the experience for me. With some patching to tidy things up a bit I can see this easily becoming the cute cuddly adventure of friendship it is meant to be. But in its current state, it’s not something I’d currently recommend.
Broken Blades has a very decent idea with its sword mechanics but unfortunately, the majority of the game lies in mediocrity. For the price point, it may make for an impulse purchase to enjoy for a few hours. But with such enormous competition on the eShop for your time this doesn’t feel polished enough to stand out. Patching could certainly tidy things up but time will tell. Broken Blades is not entirely broken but it’s also nothing special.
Mr Addonin Sulpicius Gallus M is not a bad game but it also doesn’t really do a lot to make it stand out from the crowd. Its art style is muddled and confusing, the gameplay is OK but I wouldn’t say I found myself particularly enjoying myself during the short time I played it. To its credit, I didn’t really encounter any bugs or glitches and I kinda dug the music. Maybe with more development time, the awesomeness that is Mr Addon may be fully realized. But in its current state, you’re not gonna miss much if you give this a pass. But if you want to support the developer be sure to give it a look in.
I admire Speed Mazing designing their game to be suited to all audiences. But unfortunately, it’s hard to recommend this game based on what little content it has to offer in its current state. The game really could do with more variety and depth in its gameplay. I can see the logic in playing this with a youngling but I can’t see this title lasting more than a few game nights at best in terms of attention span. I don’t like to bring up the price much in games but it is hard to ignore that many other games offer more at a much lower price. The developers’ hearts are clearly in the right place but this is a game you’ll speedily forget.
Mickey Storm and the Cursed Mask feels like it could have comfortably been a fun arcade-style water slide ride of a game. But it’s held back by fiddly controls, frustrating co-op design and an incredibly repetitive level design. Less would have been more at this park. I appreciate this is more marketed towards the younger audience but I’m not sure this will hold their attention for very long. The developers were so close to making something pretty darn brilliant and maybe with some patching, it may not be too late for Mickey. There is some fun to be had for sure but this is a water slide adventure best approached with caution at this stage.
Heart Chain Kitty is a very weird game. Much like unusual art pieces some will play this and have absolutely no problem with its unusual design. But it’s a design that just didn’t click with me. Confusing objectives and tedious exploration made this a game hard to engage with. This also just doesn’t seem to have ported very well to Nintendo Switch. Not unplayable by any stretch you just might need to have quite the open gamer mind and heart to get the most out of this surreal cat experience.
This is one of those reviews where I’m happy to concede that maybe I just don’t get this game. But I think what would help a new player know this for sure, is a demo. If you can, I strongly suggest downloading the free mobile version so you can test it out for yourself. It probably won’t take you much to be better than me. But it would allow you to discover if this is worth the investment on the Nintendo Switch. Kickerinho World is a game that reminds me of a lot of old tricky mobile games like Flappy Bird. You’re either going to gel with the challenge or you’re going to play it a few times and never touch it again. I found the game to be confusing and uncomfortable to play. This would not be the quickfire gaming session I would try in the waiting room myself. But I do believe there is an audience for this type of game. It’s just not for me.
I get the impression My Maitê is a game the developer may have made for their child. There may be a cute story behind the game’s creation and I get the impression there are a lot of good intentions behind this project. If the developer was able to enjoy this with their child and gain some warm fuzzy feelings from it then I would consider that mission accomplished. The trouble is, it’s unlikely the rest of the gaming audience is going to feel this way. With such a simple premise, lacking depth and variety to its gameplay, My Maitê is very unlikely to turn heads. With so many other platformers available at the same price point, My Maitê just feels like another retro platformer in a sea of many other competitors. It’s not terrible, it’s just OK and with so many games competing for players’ precious time, that might not be enough.
Crazy Jump, just like its name, is a very basic platformer. While I had some fun with it I didn’t feel at all compelled to get all 3 stars on every level. PC is a good place for new developers to start to hone their craft but it’s unlikely Crazy Jump is going to turn heads. The graphics are too plain and the gameplay lacks anything unique. If Crazy Jump was the only platformer you ever played in the 1980s you might think it’s pretty awesome but today it’s just another platformer in a sea of so many others. I guess it is pretty cheap though.
Scampr to me feels like someone’s portfolio project to help them get a job in the game industry. If that is the case they certainly deserve that job. Scampr has a lot of good ideas in it. But it doesn’t fully form into a complete experience. More just feeling like a proof of concept for possibly something better later. But with rough performance issues and generally little content, this won’t be for everyone. For its ridiculously cheap price, it’s certainly tempting to have a go but there’s not a lot of game here, just a very peculiar squirrel walking simulator.
Dungeons of Clay has some good ideas but in its current state, the game is let down by slow gameplay and a plethora of bugs that make it hard to recommend in its current state. Maybe better later but it’s not there yet.
Blink Rogues has some good ideas for a space shooter but it’s generally let down by its slow and unrewarding gameplay. It’s possible some patching could improve the ship controls and just make the weapons pack a proper punch but in its current form, it’s just not a very good experience. It might be worth picking up to play the multiplayer mode with a friend but otherwise, this is not a ship you need to fly any time soon.