Retro Goal is a solid game that does simple soccer well. It's got a simple control scheme (thanks to its simple gameplay) and offers a surprisingly in-depth management element. Its simplicity is the only negative I can bring out, as you experience everything the game offense incredibly quickly. Your long-lasting enjoyment of this game will likely depend on your love of soccer. If you're like me and aren't a big soccer fan there are a few hours of fun to be found in Retro Goal.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is a fun game fans of the 3D platforming genre should check out. It's easily one of the best licensed games to come out in a number of years. Visually, the game looks like an episode of the TV show, with super vibrant colors and worlds that are full of life. There's also the great humor found within the game, reminiscent of the early seasons of SpongeBob when the jokes felt clever. That said, it's not without its faults. Ultimately, the puzzles and combat-two major areas of gameplay throughout Cosmic Shake-aren't great. The puzzles are incredibly simplistic and never change as the game goes on, and the combat just feels off throughout the entire game. Neither thing is a game breaking element, but they do take away from a fun experience. In the end, if you're a fan of 3D platformers or fan of SpongeBob SquarePants, there's enough fun to be had in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake that you should check out.
Ib is a surprising experience people should check out if they want a pixel-art title with an extremely creepy atmosphere. Ib makes you feel uncomfortable around every corner and builds tension whenever you go near any painting. The puzzles, the main "meat and potatoes" of Ib are also quite clever, even if a few of them lose the cleverness for a trial-and-error approach. That said, Ib is an extremely short game that feels like it was made for a specific audience. If you hear pixel-art, horror-like titles and are excited by the sound of Ib, you may enjoy Ib. If those words don't immediately get you intrigued, then you might be best to look somewhere else for your next game.
Convergence: A League of Legends story is a fun Metroidvania-style game fans of the genre should keep on their radar. Its smart platforming, tough enemies, and unique eye-catching visuals make for a really fun experience that doesn't overstay its welcome. Its lack of backtracking will definitely divide fans of the genre, who either will love the simple "you see everything in your first go" or become upset that there isn't a reason to go back. Convergence does also suffer from performance problems on Nintendo Switch, which, while not game breaking, will make your experience even harder. That said, Convergence: A League of Legends story is quite a fun time and a great way to get into the larger League of Legends universe.
In the end, Sonic Superstars is a fun, modern take on the classic 2D Sonic formula. Its solid moment to moment gameplay, fun new visual style, and great soundtrack make for a very fun experience. The game falters a bit in the new addition of Emerald Powers, which aren't fun to collect and aren't useful when collected. The major difficulty spikes in mid-stage bosses and end bosses make for a frustrating combat experience rather than a rewarding one. Still, Sonic Superstars manages to pull together an experience old and new Sonic fans-or 2D platforming fans in general-will get plenty of enjoyment out of.
My time with Astroneer was a pleasant experience that let me enjoy a more chilled out base building game. It lets you explore these worlds and discover everything it has to offer without ever holding your hand, nor providing challenges to make you feel stressed. That said, the chill gameplay style ultimately is the game's long-term demise. After your first 10 to 15 hours, there's no real reason to continue on to other worlds. Besides the setting changes, there's nothing that new or challenging about going to other worlds. If you're looking for a fun game to play with your friends, then Astroneer can be a good pickup. If you're looking for the next long-term gaming experience, you might want to look elsewhere.
Space Crew: Legendary Edition falls into the category of a "certain type of game for a certain type of player." If you haven't played a challenging space sim, then I really don't think Space Crew is for you. It's hard and very unforgiving, with lots of systems you need to understand and control. However, if you're someone who loves challenging space sims and you're looking for something new to play on your Nintendo Switch, then Space Crew: Legendary Edition is likely a decent game you'll enjoy. It really depends on the type of player you are.
World War Z is another example of an impressive "I can't believe they got that on Switch" game. The entire experience is fully fit onto the Switch, with tons of zombies on screen and plenty of action all around. World War Z suffers from being very repetitive and, at times, boring, with a story that is fairly generic and uninteresting. It's also less fun to play alone than it is to play with friends. That said, if you're looking for a decent zombie shooter than will technically impress, then World War Z may be your game.
Roguebook offers enough unique takes on gameplay to create a compelling experience for those highly interested in deck building games and a fun experience for those who aren't quite as familiar with the genre. The dual hero system and presentation truly makes Roguebook stand out. However, the usual issues with the deck building game remain. It's the random luck of the draw as to whether you're given good enough cards to succeed in battle. Otherwise, you have to grind your way around to find useful cards or upgrades to help you. It might not be a game for everyone, but Roguebook is definitely worth checking out.
Fault StP Lightkravte is a visually impressive visual novel with some nice, well-written story elements. Your enjoyment is going to completely depend on your familiarity with the Fault series. While it tries to be welcoming to newcomers, it's obvious that various story and character elements are calling back to a previous entry in the series, which goes over the head of newcomers. Fault StP Lightkravte isn't a bad game by any means, but it definitely isn't going to be the visual novel that gets you into the genre.
Jurassic World: Aftermath Collection is a decent experience for those looking for a horror-like game of cat and mouse set in the Jurassic Park universe. It does a decent job building tension with its gameplay, its surprisingly competent raptor AI, and its unique ability to switch up the puzzles. That said, deaths can feel quite cheap, especially when the game has you die for reasons you can't understand (I'm telling you, I was completely under that desk before that raptor came in!). It also drags on a bit too long and doesn't change things up nearly enough, making the experience become quite predictable. Jurassic World: Aftermath Collection provides you with some fun but ultimately a mixed time.
Quantum Recharged is likely going to appeal only to the Atari faithful or die-hard retro game players. While it's a very simple game to learn and play, there just isn't that much in it to keep you invested for any long amount of time (unless you want to climb the leaderboards). It's great for a five minute burst, which fits well on Nintendo Switch. Yet, like a lot of the Recharged series, the new additions of things like "Mission Mode" highlight how there isn't much you can add to these older games. It's a fun experience that will likely have a limited appeal.
While it might not be to the level of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but Chocobo GP definitely earns its spot as a must-play on the platform IF the microtransaction system was removed. Square Enix has come out and said they are listening to fan feedback and will try to tone the system down. However at the time of this review, Square Enix has not pushed through that update. This makes it tricky to recommend Chocobo GP at this exact moment. There's a lot of fun to be had and I genuinely would continue playing this game. Yet I would strongly caution those interested in the title to hold out until the microtransaction system is fixed. By then progression will be as it should be and actually reward you for playing. Until then, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe just got new content…
Republique Anniversary Edition has an interesting story, fun sneaking gameplay, and quite a bit of the game to play. That said, is there anything exceptional about this Anniversary Edition? Not really. The change in perspective from its original release ruins the experience. It was far more tense, and ultimately enjoyable, when I was not in direct control of the main character. My actions felt far scarier because of their consequence on the main character. With the new perspective, I may be in control of the character, but I can't see anything in front of me. In the end, if you were a huge fan of stealth games, then maybe Republique is for you. If you're looking for the next great futuristic adventure, then you're likely in for a disappointing time.
Orbital Bullet is a fine rougelike run 'n gun game that can be fun for a few hours. Its circular stage design and rougelike randomness offer a wide ranging experience every time you play. That rougelike element will ultimately be the make-or-break for anyone's enjoyment of the game. In my experience, it's usually more unfair to you when you start a run, giving you the worst weapons, stages and enemies to fight. It also does nothing new that a few dozen other games haven't done before. Orbital Bullet can best be described as an average experience designed for those who truly love roguelike games.
Tiny Troopers Global Ops is a fine and simplistic twin stick shooter. It's a far more enjoyable experience with friends than playing on your own. That said, it doesn't do anything really special to make the experience standout. Its short overall length, even shorter missions and lack of replayability makes Tiny Troopers Global Ops a mixed bag to recommend.
Remnant: From The Ashes is a unique take on the Souls-like genre, blending 3rd-person shooting gameplay with the challenging combat of a Dark Souls game. It surprisingly works and offers something new to the endless Souls-like games that are out there. The issue with Remnant: From The Ashes is that if you don't like Souls-like games, this isn't the game to change your mind. Plus, the Switch port is rough to look at and harder to play due to technical issues. If you absolutely want a unique Souls-like experience and only own a Switch, Remnant: From The Ashes could be worth checking out.
Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is a fine adventure game that adds in a unique supernatural twist to Sherlock Holmes. The game is at its best when you focus on the supernatural storyline and is at its most boring when it wants you to do anything else. The overall Switch port is quite poor, with poor graphics, constant rendering issues, and poor framerate ruining the experience. Diehard Sherlock Holmes fans that own a Switch may find some fun here, but for everyone else, maybe look elsewhere for a fun adventure rather than pick up Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened.
Project Winter is a great game concept that you can clearly see how the game is supposed to work. Yet the game was ruined by bad lobbies and awful players. While this is not the game's fault on its own but rather its player based Project Winter is a game that can't really be recommend you go out and purchase, unless you have four other friends that want to play with you. As a solo experience, there are much more enjoyable multiplayer games you can jump into on Nintendo Switch.
While there is fun to be had with Breakout Recharged, I really can't suggest you go out and buy it at lunch. At $10 the game is simply overpriced and not worth your time. When the game is finally on sale, that would be the best time to experience this version of Breakout. Otherwise there's a really good Atari Flashback Collection on Switch, which is a much better investment to enjoy these classic games.