Steve Schardein's Reviews
Twilight Princess HD usually looks very good—at times, stunning—and thanks to the visual upgrades and streamlined gameplay, there's never been a better time for newcomers to digest its labyrinthine dungeons. On the other hand, for those who have experienced it already, it's little more than a tasty appetizer for the main course due out this holiday season. Its age is apparent in open-world areas and questionable pacing, but its clever puzzles and thick fan service are just as appealing now as ever.
Swords and Soldiers II is a unique take on real-time strategy gameplay that permutes the established formulas equally as much as it simplifies them. The result is an accessible—yet satisfyingly challenging—game which feels just as frenzied as the typical RTS title, but which can be enjoyed in bite-sized portions.
Mario Golf: World Tour is hardly progressive and rarely creative on the level of its predecessors—and in some ways, it actually feels somewhat regressive. However, the core appeal of the series is still alive and well nonetheless, and with the added extensibility of online play and tournaments—as well as downloadable courses—it's hard to deny its appeal if you ever enjoyed what the series had to offer from the start.
Snipperclips is one of the better launch titles for the Nintendo Switch.
With just four included games, it arguably may not be quite the value that the original MMLC was, and it's a bit disappointing we won't be seeing these games on the portable consoles (3DS and Switch) considering how well they'd translate to those platforms... but regardless, Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 is the most sensible way to enjoy these four games that exists today.
Sure, we'd love to have been treated to a deeper or lengthier adventure in Mega Man 11—not to mention a more memorable soundtrack—but its successes are proof that modernized applications of the classic blueprint can still yield irresistible results.
While there's a lot to like about Zero, its gameplay innovations seem sometimes obstructive and the presentation fails to impress in some regards. It's still a great game, but measured against other timeless Nintendo classics, its shortfalls hold it back from standing in the company of giants.
Miracle Cure is a few healthy refinements away from the category of controlled substance, and purchasing it won't require your driver's license. But purely as a source of unique puzzle entertainment, it has all the active ingredients of an addictive puzzler—just with a few unwanted side effects.
Tipping Stars is just about what you'd expect from a modern Mario vs. Donkey Kong title: unique, fun in short bursts, and inexpensive—but nevertheless, nothing terribly exciting. Although it certainly is the product of Nintendo's B-game (in contrast to the blockbuster, irresistibly creative products it's known for churning out elsewhere), it's a nifty $20 distraction that does include a respectably versatile level designer and affiliated online sharing system.