Astro Aqua Kitty is another brilliant game from developer Tikipod. An excellent blend of space shooter and RPG mechanics mixed together creating an experience that will surely not sour with time. If you’re looking for a fresh take on the space shooter formula or you’re just looking for something a little different to dip into now and then Astro Aqua Kitty is the Purrfect addition to your Nintendo Switch.
Kingdom of Arcadia is not the most original platformer out there. It’s a simple formula that has been done before and doesn’t bring anything new to the action platform genre. Not bad but not wonderful either. It does play well and comes at an appealing budget price. Just right to pass the time or maybe make a nice little gift for a friend that needs a mood boost. It would have been nice to see more depth added to the formula but if the game has taught me one thing it’s that you really should not go snooping in your Dad’s garage.
Stitchy in Tooki Trouble is a solid game, ideal for platform fans looking for a more manageable experience. The game doesn’t do much to set itself apart from the crowd except for its charming Scarecrow protagonist. But in terms of the performance and controls of the game, this is as good as the titans in its field. This is a decent first entry in a platform series.
Rain on your Parade is a feel-good game that will hopefully make you smile as much as it did for us. While light on a challenge, if you’re having one of those rainy days yourself, this game might just be the ticket to bring a little sunshine to your day. Rain on your Parade is funny, charming and overall brilliant, one of my favourite gaming experiences this year so far.
Let’s be honest, if you haven’t been sold on the Cold Steel series by this point it’s unlikely the forth game is going to change your mind. If you’re new and the Switch is your only option I would suggest picking up the third entry first (or waiting and pray that the first two games get localized for Switch in the West). While more of the same, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV really stands out as one of the best jRPGs I’ve played in a long time, even if the story got a little much at times. Falcon have done a stella job as always and hopefully the fans will enjoy the experience as much as I did. Now I think I need to go lie down.
Ty the Tasmanian Tiger HD may not be the most original boomerang in the 3D platform genre, but this is a very good HD remaster. The performance of the game is solid in handheld and TV modes and I actually found myself quite enjoying what this game had to offer. It’s not without issues and feels very much like the first entry in a game series but if you’re curious and enjoy your collector type 3D platformers Ty the Tasmanian Tiger HD is well worth sinking some time into. Insert shrimp on BBQ joke here.
Overcooked! All You Can Eat is the definitive Overcooked experience. The new campaign, graphical tweaks, online cross-play and accessibility features are most welcome. But they may not be enough to justify a double-dip if you’ve already heavily invested in the previous two games. One suggestion is you could get this and give away your other Overcooked games to a friend or someone that needs cheering up. But it’s up to you. Being that person I was a bit disappointed by this title due to the games performance issues on Switch and the graphical and sound glitches I encountered here and there. This just doesn’t seem to be the celebration of the series it should be. If you have somehow never played the Overcooked series before and have some friends or family to play with this feels like an essential purchase. Let’s hope this is not the last we see of the series.
How to Win will most likely have a divided audience which may be what the developers intended. Some people will play this and enjoy the experimentation attempted here. However, some will probably find this experience uncomfortable and difficult to take in with the subject matters on display. Overall, it wasn’t for me but I respect the developers trying something different. If you Want to Win you don’t need to play this game. If you took the time out of your busy schedule to read this review consider yourself the Ultimate Winner! There is a free demo available on Steam if you want to try it before you buy. The developers are also planning a season 2 where you can give suggestions and decide what happens next.
Pixelot is okay on PC but the portable platform feels much more suited to this title (it’s also cheaper there too). There’s fun to be had if you’re looking for a simple RPG to enjoy in small bursts. To its credit, this will run on practically any PC or laptop, even my rubbish one which I’m honestly surprised still works. There is plenty of room for improvement but Pixelot on PC is a decent first attempt at an RPG from a new developer.
Magic Twins casts its spell of witty charm and addictive fun co-op gameplay creating an explosion of entertainment and fond memories. Highly recommended if you have someone else to play with, not so much if you play alone. Bring on Colormageddon I say.
For all my critique I actually walked away from Raiders quite happy. While many game developers who focus on multiplayer still go for the boring tried and tested deathmatch or battle royale boredom that floods the market, Raiders of the Lost Island is trying something new. And despite its flaws, it succeeds in being a fun experience. This is easy to recommend if you’re able to share this ideally with up to four other players, it will certainly make for a good game night. It’s sure to make you laugh and giggle for an hour or two and then possibly make you want to do a pirate jig. I know that’s what I am going to go do now!
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust mixes its two art styles in such a way that it culminates in a highly enjoyable gaming experience. Where some developers continue the endless arms race of best graphics possible. Here they return to the olden days and create something quite profound and memorable. Exploring the 3D landscapes was soothing for the soul, knowing when I did get bored of it there was fun Zelda like dungeons to enjoy after. Anodyne 2 reminded me of the old days of gaming in all the right ways.
Space Otter Charlie is a delightful and charming experience. Each time I picked up the game I constantly had a smile on my face. Some gamers may find the game a little too easy but if you’re looking for a heart-warming platformer with an Otter twist, then this is it! Space Otter Charlie is a welcome addition to anyone’s Switch and that’s a fact!
For the most part Cave Bad is a pretty fun rogue-like light game to enjoy if you don’t have a lot of time on your hands or are looking for a nice casual gaming experience. However, for someone that’s played an absurd amount of rogue-like games I did find this experience a little too easy and lacked that incentive to replay it over and over. It’s got the looks, the sounds and even the ingredients for a cool retro style game but could do with a little more challenge.
Dreaming Sarah won’t appeal to everyone. This is a game where you grab a good drink, sit down on your favourite comfy chair and just get immersed in, then probably never touch again. But for the price of entry, it’s worth a shot. Maybe it was the music, the subtle but effective details or maybe just because the game spoke to me in ways I didn’t expect. But Dreaming Sarah was an experience that moved me. A weird but memorable experience I don’t think I’ll be forgetting anytime soon.
Sir Lovelot is a nice little pixel platformer that I ended up enjoying a lot more than I expected. The silly premise, cute graphics and forgiving gameplay just won me over and I found it hard to put this game down at times. It won’t suit everyone but for me, Sir Lovelot took a flower to my heart and I was sold
While it’s graphics are cute DOTORI ended up being severely disappointing. The controls are slow and clunky and the game feels mediocre overall. Maybe with some patching, it could become more appealing. But in its current state, I would say this is one for the dedicated platform fan only, who has exhausted all other options on Switch.
Castle Kong is a decent arcade game for those looking to scratch that nostalgic itch. It unapologetically mimics the arcade design, warts an all, which will appeal to purists but possibly put off gamers looking for some modern improvements to the formula. But by being so similar to the game it takes inspiration from, Castle Kong doesn’t feel like it has its own identity. This makes me wonder if those looking for a nostalgia kick will just end up playing Donkey Kong instead (also available on eShop). What I would like to see is the developers take this concept and produce their own original arcade-style game. Until that happens though we have Castle Kong to enjoy, and it’s pretty good.
If you somehow never got to play Crazy Taxi or you no longer have access to play it, then Taxi Chaos is a decent pick and play an arcade game to enjoy in small gaming bursts. It’s a valiant effort but it kinda lacks the magic of the game it’s inspired from. Lacking memorable characters, pumping music and that atmosphere I used to feel in the arcade feels absent here. Taxi Chaos also doesn’t try anything new with the formula. For myself I found myself wanting to dig out Crazy Taxi and play that instead. But I guess when I’m too lazy to do that I’ll probably still give Taxi Chaos a drive-through.
There’s a place in London called the TATE Modern which is a modern art museum. I’ve visited this place a few times in my youth and on one occasion I saw an exhibit where an artist painted junk from a garage and arranged it on the floor in an attempt to look arty. What I’m trying to get at here is some folk are going to look at this exhibit and appreciate it and others are not. I fall into the latter when it comes to PUSS! But that’s not to say it won’t find an audience. If you’re looking for a hard game with bizarre art design have at it. You have been warned.