Just like the original Snake on the old mobile phones The Snake King offers some novelty fun in small gaming bursts. But lots of repetitive levels and lack of gameplay variation make this a hard one to recommend. A shame really as there was a lot of room here to build on the gameplay. Instead we have a rather hollow experience that’s feels like the original game its based on but with a new lick of paint and nothing more.
Mini Motor Racing X was a pleasant surprise. It took me back to the days of playing Micro Machines on my Mega Drive. Fun, simple arcade gameplay that does the trick for gamers with not a lot of time to spare. Tons of tracks as well as fun extra modes make this a great racing package worth playing alone or with a friend in split screen. I didn’t think I would ever be won over by a racing game again to this degree but here we are. Good job developers!
Tank Mechanic Simulator is a surprisingly fun game and a nice relaxing surprise I didn’t expect to enjoy as much as I did. Is the game perfect, no? The learning curve to get into this game is quite complex, the graphics are a bit bland and the performance on Switch a bit muddled. But, despite its issues, I still had fun restoring some tanks. I never expected to enjoy a game with simulator in the title as much as I did. If you have the time to spare and have an interest in tanks this might be something you want to check out too.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with Even the Ocean. I liked the flow and feel of the puzzle platform segments but sometimes the heavy emphasis on story slowed things down too much for me. If you are looking for a casual puzzle platformer with a deep story you most certainly should check out Even the Ocean.
Star Renegades is a beautiful looking futuristic game with fun memorable characters and deep tactical gameplay to match. Certainly not an easy game. The Imperium is a hard enemy to stand up to. But with every failed attempt comes new lessons in the hopes of finally entering that dimension where you succeed. Star Renegades is a game I won’t be putting down anytime soon and look forward to its future updates.
Meganoid is a fun survival platformer with a hearty challenge. You will die a lot but the randomly generated levels kept giving that incentive to return again and again even if the odds were rarely in my favour. I look forward to more of Orange Pixels work coming to Switch
Volta – X is an entertaining mech-based game with a clever mix of mech battling to management sim wrapped up in a gorgeous art style. The required online connection is stupid and really soured what is a great package here for me as someone that doesn’t always game in a WiFi spot. However, if this isn’t an issue for you there’s a highly entertaining experience here worth sinking many hours into.
Okunoka Madness knows what game it wants to be. A hard brutal platformer that will have the most experienced gamer one the verge of throwing their Switch out the window. For some that’s enjoyable but for others not. I really loved the art style of the game but its a shame the levels and art work will only be appreciated by a few gamers patient enough to make it through the insanity. I had fun with my time with Okunoka but I think I’ll be taking a few relaxing baths before I pick it up again.
Gleamlight has the looks with it’s beautiful design and unique world. Sadly disappointing controls and mechanics lead to an overly frustrating experience which I didn’t find particularly enjoyable. Maybe something to check out on sale but this is a piece of art worth just observing rather than playing.
Witcheye is a fun game that will no doubt bring a smile to most gamer’s faces. The controls are a little loose at times but the graphics are gorgeous, the soundtrack is memorable and it made me chuckle with its tongue in cheek humour throughout the experience. I could not help but still be drawn into it. Also, the game is incredibly good value. I highly recommend it, if you’re looking for a coffee game to dip in and out of or you just need something to lift your spirits.
Things started off pretty stable in terms of performance when playing Collapsed. But every now and then my character fell through the floor or an enemy would get stuck behind a barrier. This would of course happen when I was on a successful run. Unfortunately my only option would be to restart the game and since the game doesn’t save your progress between runs it was a bit of a let down. Hopefully these bugs will be ironed out in future patches. Collapsed is a entertaining rogue lite looter shooter. A fun mix of shooting and melee combat that kept me wanting to grind away at the game again and again. While it has a few bugs it makes up for it with solid controls and an enjoyable gameplay loop. It’s certainly a fun way to enjoy the apocalypse I’ll give it that.
Evergate is a beautiful and clever platformer. Once you get your head round the mechanics there is something quite special here to enjoy for the puzzle-platforming fan. If you need to take a break away from this world for a while, Evergate will take you to an afterlife with great music, rewarding challenges, and a moving story that may just speak to those who share a special bond with someone.
Once you are done with the campaign there are plenty of characters to unlock. The real replay value comes from playing the games unlock-able ‘endless mode’. Essentially the core game goes on forever until you die. So if your a fan of high scores this is the mode you may want to sink your extra time into. Serious Scamblers is a highly addictive arcade style game at a super cheap price. Simple controls and nice pixel graphics make this an easy title to recommend for the busy gamer. Quick and to the point fun just as video games should be.
There was a time I remember vividly that games just like MazezaM were enough. But I don’t think everyone will feel that way when playing this title. Somewhere though I like to picture there’s a gamer, possibly elderly, enjoying this title on their sofa. And they are smiling. Underneath the simple graphics and questionable design decisions is a decent puzzle game. But there is little to make this stand out from the crowd and draw in your attention. Only the die hard puzzle fans may want to seek this one out.
Prehistoric Dude is short, easy but has a charm to it that I couldn’t help but enjoy. Sometimes there are those games that make you smile and forget the stress that’s going on around you. While this won’t be for everyone, it won me over and I could see myself picking this up again for a replay when I want to enjoy some prehistoric entertainment.
RogueCube is a cheap, fun, coffee game. The games are quick and a lot of fun. I don’t quite know why but I really dug the cube like design. Simple yet effective. The glaring issue being that it is far too similar to other games in the genre that you may already have on your Switch. If your new to the genre though, RogueCube is a good way to test the water at a low price.
The time stop mechanic is used in clever ways to solve environmental puzzles and it feels a shame this just isn’t utilized a bit more. The Ambassador Fractured Timelines is a game that kinda grew on me the more I played it. I liked the strategic gameplay where every hit counts. It’s just a shame there’s not more variety in the level design bar kill all the enemies. Still an entertaining experience from a small development team. I look forward to seeing what tinyDino Games works on next.
Sports games absolutely have a home on the Switch and there’s a sizeable audience hungry to get off their sofas and enjoy some active games. Graphical limitations can be easily overlooked but controls are essential and sadly Instant Sports Summer Games doesn’t quite hit the mark. What could have been a fun game to enjoy with the family feels more like a mixed assortment of okay and not so. Fun to be had? Sure. But it’s hard to ignore this concept has been done better on older systems.
Heroes of Hammerwatch is a game that grows on you. While definitely more fun with others I still had a lot of fun alone. It may have minor faults but I loved how I kept discovering something new about the game whether it was discovering a new mechanic or mastering the games traps. This is easily a title I’ll return to for years to come.
Terrorarium deserves praise for it’s originality but it still feels like a game that needs a little more polish in places. Frustrating level design and awkward mechanics keep this from being something I was able to really enjoy. Hopefully the game will continue to receive patches following its full release. But in its current form I would say to approach this garden with caution.