Luna’s Fishing Garden doesn’t reinvent things when it comes to game design. But the game’s strength lies in its heart. The entire time I played this game I smiled at Cassie’s adorable face when she caught a fish. I also felt so relaxed playing this experience. This game might just be the current equivalent of video game meditation. No challenge, just a good feeling guaranteed through its simple, short but lovely experience.
Golf Club Wasteland feels like a casual golf game meets a walking simulator. Story mode is a relatively Zen-like trip round if you prefer or you can choose to up the challenge if you fancy. Then there’s that memorable radio commentary that will certainly keep players engaged to the end. Overall, the approach is simply not offering much variety to the golf formula. But one thing I took from the experience is even in the most desolate of wastelands, there are still moments for you to take stock and reflect on life. What you do next I guess is up to you.
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.
I initially didn’t warm to Spelunky 2. When I first tried this on PC I found the entry difficulty level to be a bit too harsh even for someone who sunk so much time into the first game. But this time on Switch things really started to click and I was once again into the endless replayable gaming void of the Spleunky verse. Splelunky 2 is a brick wall of difficulty. Some days I rarely got past the first cave system but darn, was I having fun. But when I least suspected it I discovered a new mystery or level I had never seen before. Spelunky 2 is a fantastic addition to Nintendo Switch and just like the first game, it will be hard not to sneak in a quick game every time I see its icon on my Switch dashboard.
Overall, Where’s Samatha? is an enjoyable puzzle platformer for all audiences. It does feel a little slow at times and keeps things very casual. This feels like an ideal game to sit down and play with a child or young person with its storybook approach and cute appearance. But whatever age you are, this is a game that is designed to make you smile and possibly give warm fuzzy feelings. So buy this and enjoy it with a loved one. But if you don’t, go hug someone anyway because we could all use a warm fuzzy feeling.
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.
Arietta of Spirits is a simple adventure game with a good heart. If you’re looking for a game to complete for that weekend away this might just be the one to keep you busy. It’s doesn’t that pushes the boundaries of the genre but what is on offer here is fun. Plus this has an Otter spirit in it, what’s not to love? Need to meditate on this game? There is also a free demo available on the eShop.
Even all these years later Spelunky has still stood the test of time as one of the most original concepts in the roguelike genre. Brutally hard, but just the right amount of challenge that just pokes you to keep trying. Often I sit down to only play five minutes, which can lead to hours. Even though I probably sunk hundreds of hours into this game over the years it still somehow feels fresh to this day. An absolute masterpiece of gaming that one can finally enjoy on the Nintendo Switch.
Alveole is an interesting experiment that comes in at an appealingly low price. It’s a formula that I can see clicking with some gamers whilst equally frustrating others. When you eventually dissect the experience and unlock its mysteries there is very little reason to return. But it may be a title you want to hand to a friend or loved one to see what they make of it. Alveole feels like the type of experience you would usually find at an exhibit in a museum. Only here do you get to enjoy it in your own home. It’s a hard one to rate for sure but I can’t deny I kinda liked what I got to experience here.
Scrap Garden is a decent game but does lack a lot of depth to its design. The formula keeps things quite simple, not really providing anything unique to the experience but what is there works. Graphics are very detailed and the game runs like a well oiled robot. If you’re looking for a cheap casual adventure then this is easily worth the price of entry. One thing is certain: the main character Canny may be made of metal but clearly has a heart of gold.
If you are a fan of strategic RPG’s Fort Triumph is well worth sinking time into with a wide variety of options for players of all skill levels. The random generation keeps things fresh every time and being able to save anywhere makes the game quite appealing even if you can only spare a few minutes at a time to play. It took me a while before the mechanics really started to click with me. But when it did I guess you could say I considered this strategy game a… Triumph! Sorry, I’ll see myself out.
Greak: Memories of Azur has enough charm that, despite the several niggles I had, I was still compelled to play through it. Beautiful art style and fun and engaging gameplay are the stand-out features here. But if it had co-op that would just make this game that much more brilliant. For now I guess your usual co-op partner can sit on the side of the sofa and just shout at you until you give up the controller. At the end of the day Greak is a good game about the importance of family that is well worth your time. It may also convince you to call your family to tell them you love them. After all, when chaos is coming we always have family in whatever form that comes in.
Shadowverse: Champions Battle is a highly enjoyable card-based RPG. You don’t need to be familiar with the anime to get into this. This is a great title to sink absurd hours into whether you have 5 minutes or 5 hours to spare. Accessible for newbies while offering plenty of incentive to card veterans. The last card-based RPG I sunk this much time into was the Pokemon Card Game on Game Boy. But I think that game now has a new contender in my gaming world. If you draw this card from the deck of the eShop be sure to give it a try. If you want to try before you buy. Be sure to check out the free demo on the eShop
Space Invaders: Invincible Collection is a good collection that celebrates some of the best moments of the Space Invaders series. There are still omissions from the collection and it’s a shame more history and extra features were not added. The collection also comes in at quite a high price point which will likely turn many off at least until a sale. However, if you need to be whisked away back to the simpler arcade days without spending all your 100 yen coins. This collection of classic games is sure to keep you busy for years to come. As a fan of the Space Invaders series, this is currently the best way to enjoy the series on modern systems.
Witch Spring3 [Re:Fine] – The Story of Eirudy was a nice little surprise. While I struggled initially with all the options available it soon cast its spell on me and I really enjoyed it. The flexibility on offer allows the player to really play this in their own way and at their own pace. This is a very rare example of a game where I am kinda keen to look at the previous entries on mobile. A great introduction to the series and hopefully we’ll see more entries in the future on Switch.
Road 96 is a glorious achievement in game creation. Once I got to know the characters and played two runs of this game I was hooked until the end. It’s a game that I thought about when I wasn’t playing it and it didn’t take me long at all to pick up the soundtrack on Steam, which was playing in the background of the creation of this review. A rogue-lite game with an emphasis on story choices and narrative feels like something that shouldn’t work but it does. Road 96 is truly something very special and gets my highest recommendation. This is one road trip not to be forgotten.
Dreamscaper is a delightful rogue-lite that is worth sinking hours and hours into if you are a fan of this genre. Beautiful graphics, engaging combat and a constant trickle of content easily overcome the small niggles I had with this game. A great game to play in long or short bursts that I found hard to put down. Just don’t stay up too late playing it. Sleep is very important. Sweet dreams.
CreatorCrate has some very unique ideas with its procedurally generated levels and general wacky but entertaining gameplay. While its controls do hold it back I can’t deny that this game made me laugh and held my attention. I was also intrigued to see what randomness would present itself next. If you love your platformers CreatorCrate is worth your time. A unique idea that has not been tried before that will likely win the hearts of gamers that give this cute little robot a chance. If you want to try it first. There is a free demo on steam to try before you buy.
Unbound: Worlds Apart dark mage protagonist has a little flame at the end of its hat. That’s kinda how I see this game; a little spark in a sea of many 2D adventures. What makes Unbound stand out is its pleasant art style and unique gameplay with the portals. I certainly had more fun than I expected. If you’re looking for that next 2D adventure fix Unbound is well worth picking up and spending time with.
PING REDUX maybe just a punch of pixels but it bursts with originality. A simple and in some ways addictive concept which had me returning to try to conquer the challenging levels. Strangely the lesson I took from this game is sometimes you come across a wall or a problem where the solution seems impossible. You try again and again but you just can’t break through that wall. But you keep trying. You keep coming back. Then one day, during a moment you least suspect, you see the solution appear in your heart and then your head. Then it happens and you win, and the relief that you feel is just something one can’t always put right into words. Sorry, I’m supposed to be talking about a video game. If you are looking for quick puzzle gaming PING REDUX might just be the video game equivalent of the back scratcher you need to relieve that itch.