Following hot on the stylish heels of last year’s excellent, long-awaited Persona 5 Royal Switch port, Atlus has done the unthinkable: they’ve given Nintendo fans more of what they want. Persona 4 Golden has come to Switch, and with it, the Switch’s already-extraordinary JRPG library gets even better. This is about as simple of a port as they come, with no major changes or additions to the original experience–but with a title as beloved as Persona 4, this port doesn’t need to do anything more than that. Whether you dock your Switch to explore the TV world or explore Inaba in handheld mode, this Switch port lets Persona 4 Golden shine without compromise.
We’ve had an abundance of memorable ninja games over the years, but recently, there’s been a distinct lack of robot ninja games. Thankfully, now we have Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider. After giving fans what Konami couldn’t with the excellent Contra-inspired action title Blazing Chrome, developer JoyMasher has now set their sights on new retro horizons: reviving the 2D action platformer as exemplified by classics like Shinobi and Strider. The result, Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider, is just about as loyal to the classics as one could ask for: equally demanding and satisfying, Moonrider overcomes a handful of rough edges to deliver a worthwhile, modern reinvention of old-school action.
Perhaps no game better demonstrates the sheer scope of Yacht Club Games’ blue-armored hero than Shovel Knight Dig, a roguelike platformer that manages to carve out a place for itself amid a veritable sea of indie roguelikes. While taking many notes from previous Shovel Knight titles, Dig overflows with ingenuity and originality, becoming a starkly creative take on an often overwrought genre and a standout entry in an impressively ambitious series.
At long last, Live a Live has received a new lease on life for the international audience it always deserved—and most importantly, it holds up brilliantly. With a stunning new coat of high-definition pixelated paint and plenty of quality-of-life enhancements, Live a Live feels just as daring and original today as it did in ’94. While this reimagining holds onto a few frustrating idiosyncrasies from the original release, the game as a whole emerges as something far more than a historical curiosity: Live a Live is still a compelling compendium of roleplaying adventures that dazzle in their diversity and unite into a remarkable sendup of its genre, leading to an experience that RPG fans deserve to live and relive.
We’re living through a beat ’em up renaissance, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is the very best to come out of it yet. Dotemu and Tribute Games have delivered a stunning package that not only celebrates nearly 40 years of Turtles history, but the end result is also an addictive beat ’em up that easily stands among the best of the bunch in the genre.
After years of relative obscurity, the series has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years thanks to a stream of remakes, remasters, and all-new sequels—and now, Wonder Boy Collection looks to put the series’ lengthy history back in the spotlight by compiling four of its most influential entries. While the package itself leaves something to be desired, the included lineup and its quality-of-life enhancements make Wonder Boy Collection a solid snapshot of platforming history fit for longtime veterans and genre aficionados.
The Switch has already made a name for itself as the definitive console for local multiplayer, and Nintendo Switch Sports only reinforces that fact.
While countless other titles have pursued these same issues in today’s crowded cyberpunk market, Anno: Mutationem’s remarkably realized world and heart-pounding gameplay let it deliver something unique.
Aztech Forgotten Gods' janky mechanics, hideous presentation, and drab narrative make for an experience worth going the way of the forgotten gods themselves—don’t waste space in your memory for this one.
The first Windjammers was an arcade romp nearly lost to time as other multiplayer hits hogged all the attention in the mid-90s, but Windjammers 2 gives the series the attention it deserves.
Pocket Dungeon emerges as an endlessly addictive brainteaser that puzzle and roguelike fans can’t afford to miss.
Tunche may not rewrite its formula, but it does something just as significant—it adds a new dimension to it.
Nearly ten years later, Skyward Sword HD on Nintendo Switch flips these criticisms on their heads. This high-definition remaster doesn’t add much by way of all-new content; rather, it introduces a slate of subtle enhancements and improvements that may not sound like much on their own, but add up to make an enormous impact on the core gameplay experience.
Miitopia can feel like a blank slate in so many ways, from its barebones combat to its shallow storytelling. Yet these factors are exactly what gives the game its unique appeal.