Switch is now home to the definitive version of The Thousand-Year Door, and anyone interested in RPGs or Mario games who might've missed it over the years should definitely check it out to see why so many Paper Mario fans long for a return to this style of game.
Showtime embraces Peach's femininity and uses it to fuel her newfound heroics. Transforming into a graceful figure skater, a beautiful songstress or a cutesy chef is her way of saving those in need, and it's truly cathartic. On top of that, the levels are simply a whole lot of fun to play, despite how easy you might find them.
Bandle Tale feels like a game some people will thoroughly enjoy, but others might grow tired of when the systems start piling on top of each other. It’s surprisingly complex, and about as long as the average big-budget RPG, but whether players will have the same patience for it remains to be seen. A lot of heart has gone into this game, and I really wanted to love it. As it stands, it’s a solid crafting RPG with a cute aesthetic that doesn’t really match the menu-heavy gameplay. It would be a lot more fun without systems like the auras restricting you from doing what you need to do.
There are lots of design choices I didn’t mesh with in Frontiers of Pandora. I love the world, but barriers blocked me from fully immersing myself in it, and it’s littered with activities and outposts plucked straight out of the 2010s and planted in Pandora’s soil.
Risk of Rain Returns might not be quite as free-flowing as its 3D successor, but it's a brilliant recreation of the original title that started it all. It hooks you and keeps you playing, dying, then playing again.
The more I played Super Mario Bros Wonder, the more I fell in love with its whimsicality and endless redefinition of what Mario can be. It’s a glorious reimagining of Nintendo’s most iconic franchise. It takes the ingenuity and innovation that made Mario’s 3D escapades some of gaming’s greatest achievements and finally introduces them into the side-scrolling world. Wonder is everything I wanted it to be, and might be the most inventive 2D platformer Nintendo has ever made.
To some, Starfield may feel like more of the same in space. To others, that’ll be exactly what they’re looking for. When you give it time to breathe, the game shows you its strengths and invites you to play the way you wish. Not all of its features work out but most do, and the control you have over your journey makes it an excellent trip all the same.
Pikmin 4 is a tiny titan, another triumph from Nintendo on a console that has gradually become the pinnacle of many of its most esteemed franchises. It looks great, plays great, and should appeal to all players regardless of their Pikmin proficiency. With captivating gameplay, a beefy postgame and tons of things to collect, this game has earned its place as one of the best Nintendo games in years.
With a shortage of co-op games to play, we need to take what we can get, and Remnant 2 handily fills that role. You’ll find plenty of fun here if that’s all you want, but it’s not quite as masterful as the games it’s so heavily influenced by.
If you’re looking for a slick John Wick-style shooter to delve into, this game will be right up your street. If you’re looking for a successor to F.E.A.R, with action and horror combined in one package, it’s all here too. In the moment-to-moment action, Trepang2 pretty much delivers on all fronts. It's sheer fun, a joyous bloodbath where creativity in combat reigns supreme, and well worth a look if you’re not averse to a few scares.
It was always going to be tough to pull off a Gollum game, but there’s simply nothing precious about this amateur stealth adventure. A general lack of refinement lurks in every shadowy corner of LotR: Gollum, a game disappointingly barren of interesting ideas or substantial gameplay. Even the most loyal Lord of the Rings fans will struggle through it. If you value your time, do yourself a favour and avoid it like the Eye of Sauron.
Tears of the Kingdom is an impossible feat. It manages to one-up perhaps the most influential game of a generation, masterfully surpassing it in areas I never thought possible. This is undoubtedly the most impressive title on Switch, and one that will be talked about for a very long time to come.
With a more fleshed-out endgame, Rise will be one of the best games on the Switch. Until then, I still recommend it to anyone looking for a great action game to get stuck into.
It can be hard to rate an early-access title because you have to understand that what you're playing isn't complete yet, regardless of how good or bad it is. However, in its current state, Valheim is already well worth picking up. The future is very bright for this game.
Beyond Light fails at pushing Destiny 2 in a good direction. It's lacking in countless ways, from the campaign to the seasonal content, and it doesn't give you nearly enough for the price. Even the most hardcore Destiny fans will probably find plenty to dislike here, and casual players should skip this without a second thought.
The Crown Tundra gives you a lot more engaging content than The Isle of Armor, but it's still a bit lacking in polish. If you like Legendary Pokemon though, this is the DLC for you.
Kirby Fighters 2's repetitive single-player gameplay and online issues make it hard to recommend. You might like it if you're a die-hard Kirby fan but it's lacking in quite a few ways.
Tell Me Why pushes the boundaries of video-game storytelling with its mature, open-minded approach to its themes and its pioneering representation. The inclusion of a trans lead character is vital but the story is a lot deeper than what's on the surface.
I enjoyed playing Worm Jazz, but it's not a game I'm eager to return to. It has some fun levels but it's lacking in variety. If you want a fun, laid-back puzzle game it's not bad at all but, unlike some worms, I wasn't hooked.
Despite availability issues, Super Mario 3D All-Stars is easily one of the greatest games on Switch and a celebration of some of the best Nintendo games of all-time.