Antonblast is a great tribute to Nintendo's Wario Land series with its madcap action and focus on gameplay variety. The cartoonish visuals, high replayability, and overall spectacle of the experience make this one well worth a recommendation, though we'd temper this by saying that it really needs some work on its Switch performance. Whether on Switch or elsewhere, we'd suggest you pick this one up if you're at all a fan of Nintendo's other Italian mascot and are looking for a well-made and fast-paced new 2D platformer-Antonblast has got it where it counts and is well-deserving of a spot in your library.
Though it's an improvement on its predecessor, Fairy Tail 2 is still the epitome of a middle-of-the-road licensed game. It doesn't do anything exceptionally great or innovative, nor does it have any issues or shortcomings that significantly drag it down. Despite poor plot pacing, shallow mechanics, and some lacklustre performance, the lively combat system, rewarding exploration, and heartwarming character interactions ultimately make this one worthwhile. We'd recommend Fairy Tail 2 to franchise fans who played the previous RPG, though newcomers should be more wary of jumping straight in. It isn't a 'run out and buy it immediately' release, but you likely won't be disappointed if or when you do get around to it.
It's the kind of game that's tailor-made to the tastes of a specific and narrow group of players - if you happen to be the kind of person for whom it ‘works’, you’ll be thrilled at the experience here and probably won’t be able to put it down.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a perfectly enjoyable narrative adventure, but one which we'd strongly suggest you play elsewhere unless Switch is your only means. Timeline-hopping antics, a compelling murder mystery, and a cosy atmosphere all work strongly in this one's favour, but the Switch's hardware limitations lead to an experience that feels notably blunted due to the various visual cuts that had to be made to fit this one on the humble handheld. The story itself is a fine adventure that fans (especially of the first entry) may find worthwhile, but the value proposition on Switch makes it harder to justify that $50 price tag. We wouldn't say to outright avoid the Switch version, but we'd suggest you wait for a deep sale before diving in.
Though it isn't much of an upgrade over its predecessor, Dungeons of Dreadrock 2 offers an enjoyable and simple puzzle gaming experience which cleverly links with the first game's story and feels well worthwhile. Satisfying gameplay variety and well-drawn, 32-bit-style graphics are the strong points here, though its relative simplicity and occasionally frustrating puzzle solutions are minor drawbacks. There's lots to love here, though, especially if you're a fan of the first game, and it feels like it fills a niche in the Switch library that few other puzzle games occupy.
It's been a long time coming, and we're happy to report that Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake largely lives up to expectations. Disappointing performance issues aside, this is a faithful adaptation of a treasured RPG classic that elevates its strongest aspects while doing its best to make up for any shortcomings. Some may be put off by its relative simplicity but, refreshingly, it neither overstays its welcome nor spreads itself thin with too many half-baked ideas. It goes without saying that fans of the original will want to snap this up, but if you're looking for a good 'entry-level' RPG or you just want to know what the long-running franchise is all about, Dragon Quest III is the game for you.
Core Keeper is a wonderfully engaging and mysterious survival sandbox that is tough to put down once it gets its hooks in you. An expertly judged progression curve, tons of secrets and unlockables, and excellent presentation all come together to make this one an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a great new survival game. If you've had your fill of stalwarts like Minecraft or Terraria and are looking for the next great game to scratch that itch, look no further.
Nikoderiko: The Magical World is a wonderfully satisfying platforming experience that borrows and expertly replicates the elements that made classic entries in the genre so beloved. Smart level design, enjoyable gameplay, lots of collectibles, and a killer soundtrack all come together to make this one an easy recommendation if you love DKC.
Ys X stands as another great entry in this long-running action series, bringing in some cool ideas of its own without straying too far from what made its predecessors so beloved. Enjoyable combat, an excellent soundtrack, and an engaging world to explore all make this one an easy recommendation, even if it can stumble a bit with its performance and doesn't totally stick the landing with all its new ideas. We'd highly recommend Ys X if you're at all a fan of the past entries or are looking for another solid action RPG to add to your collection.
Neva is a spectacular example of art in motion, delivering a thoroughly engrossing platforming experience that'll stick in your mind long after you've rolled credits. The incredible visuals, moving soundtrack, satisfying gameplay, and surprisingly touching story all come together to make for a game that shouldn't miss. A few frame drops aside, if you're looking for a new addition to your library that'll give you something to savour rather than just consume, look no further than Neva.
Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is a welcome return for one of Mickey's most memorable adventures, this is just about everything one could've wanted out of a revisit to a lost classic. It fumbles its execution a bit with the performance, but there are enough novel ideas and enjoyable gameplay concepts here to make the experience more than worth your while. Enjoyable gameplay, a captivating world, lots of replayability, and a raft of tweaks and improvements over the original make this one an easy sell. We'd recommend this to anyone looking for a big-budget 3D platformer that does things a little differently from the genre norms, and of course to anyone who considers themselves an avid Disney fan.
Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is everything fans could hope for in a sequel, as it improves upon every aspect that made the first Grapple Dog so great. Strong level design, a fantastic soundtrack, high gameplay variety, and lots of replayability make this one an easy recommendation to anyone looking for an excellent, pure platformer to add to their Switch library. It's the most fun platformer we've played in quite a while.
Pizza Tower is the rare sort of game that improves on its inspiration in nearly every way, building upon many of Nintendo’s Wario Land ideas with impressive results. This is an incredibly satisfying, creative, and addictive platformer that’ll keep you busy for a long time if you want to 100% it. We’d highly recommend this to anyone who loved the old Wario Land games, or to anyone who’s looking for a new platformer with a high skill ceiling and lots of technical depth. Pizza Tower has definitely got it where it counts - platformers don’t get much better than this.
Gundam Breaker 4 offers return to form for the series and demonstrates time and again that it knows the importance of focusing on its strengths. Though its middling graphics and somewhat repetitive gameplay can hold it back a bit, the incredibly deep customisation options, snappy combat, and near-endless replayability make this the kind of game that'll get its hooks in you deep once it clicks. If you're into Gundam, we'd suggest you pick this one up when you get the chance, especially if you're looking for a content-rich and relatively low-investment action game to add to your Switch library.
Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn offers a tough and enjoyable return to this NES classic, expertly building upon what came before without erasing what made the original release great to begin with. Though it is a bit on the short side, there's enough replayability here to stretch out the experience for another few hours. We'd recommend this to anyone who's looking for a callback to the tough challenge of early Nintendo games-Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn has retro charm in spades and still stands tall even among modern 'neo-retro' platformers like Panzer Paladin and Gravity Circuit.
Bakeru is a sweet, snappy, and satisfying linear 3D platformer that feels like a wonderful callback to a genre that doesn't get a ton of representation these days. It's really easy (although the Western version ups the difficulty slightly) and has some performance problems, but the gameplay variety, snappy combat, oodles of collectibles, and gorgeous art style all come together to make for an adventure that you won't want to miss out on.
One Piece Odyssey may not exactly be reinventing the wheel with its rather basic approach to JRPG game design, but it nonetheless provides a fun and engaging adventure that we'd recommend to any fans of One Piece or RPGs - preferably both if you don't want spoilers from the manga and anime. Though quibbles like the middling presentation and rather 'safe' gameplay design keep this one from being a top-shelf RPG, the strategic combat system, meaningful exploration, and nostalgic story all come together to make for a worthwhile experience that holds up well. We wouldn't suggest you rush out to buy this straight away, but it's definitely one to consider when a modest sale comes around.
The New Denpa Men is pretty firmly in the middle of the pack when it comes to Switch's freemium games. Simple, approachable gameplay makes it a great light JRPG for anyone looking for a basic introduction to the genre but, unsurprisingly, it scarcely holds a candle to classically designed games such as Octopath Traveler 2 or Dragon Quest XI. And though the microtransactions and freemium elements don't get too in the way of progressing the story, they are nonetheless a persistent annoyance that can drag the overall experience down. Still, it costs you nothing but time to give this one a shot and, despite the drawbacks, this is still a fun little RPG that you may find yourself coming back to more than you'd think. If you give it a try and if you're not too impressed, there's a staggering number of excellent RPGs on Switch to play instead.
SCHiM is an interesting and relaxing 3D platformer that makes great use of its unique premise. Although its gameplay may be a little basic and the camera can have some issues, its gorgeous art style and relaxing vibes make it an overall worthwhile experience. This isn't one that we'd suggest you go out and pick up right away, but if you've been looking for a 3D platformer that approaches the genre in a notably different way from the rest, this is the game you've been looking for.
Darkest Dungeon 2 may not be the sequel that ardent fans of the original wanted it to be, but its unique approach to that hard-edged, brutal roguelike gameplay is compelling all the same. A memorable art style, tons of replayability, and lots of mechanical depth make this one an easy recommendation to any roguelike fans, even if it can be a little grindy at times. If you've been looking for yet another tough roguelike to add to your collection, Darkest Dungeon 2 is certainly worth your time and your money.