Stellar Blade has landed a critical hit, successfully slicing through the crowd of well-established action-adventure game giants. If you’re a fan of sleek and stylish combat, with sprinklings of Soulsborne and Nier Automata vibes, you’ll feel right at home when playing Shift Up’s triumphant console debut.
Rise of the Ronin doesn’t offer the photo-realistic visuals of those seen in Ghost of Tsushima, nor does it provide the nail-biting difficulty of Sekiro. Instead, Team Ninja’s samurai epic successfully forges a new path – blending adrenaline-fueled combat, fun traversal mechanics, and a loveable cast of characters, wrapping them all together in a world ripe for exploration. Just like the ronin themselves, Team Ninja’s open-world game is not bound by the old masters of the past – instead, it rises to the challenge set by Sucker Punch and FromSoftware, forging its own path to stand firmly amongst them.
WarioWare: Move It! is the embodiment of fun. It’s the kind of game that pulls people together, quickly turning the quietest gatherings into laughter-filled frenzies. If you’re expecting a meaty gameplay experience that will have you hooked for hundreds of hours, then you’ll definitely come away disappointed. But, if you’re after a whacky party game to play solo or together with friends and family, then WarioWare: Move It! is a great addition to your Switch collection.
While Super Mario Bros. Wonder doesn't revolutionize Nintendo’s beloved series, the charming 2D platformer successfully pays homage to its roots, paving the way forward with unique twists that keep the gameplay feeling fresh. Mario Bros. Wonder may not take the crown from Super Mario Bros. 3 or Oddysey, but the latest outing encapsulates the very essence of what a 2D Mario game should be. It’s silly, whacky, and most importantly great fun. The fact that Nintendo can still deliver a great 2D Mario game 42 years after the first title hit our screens back in 1981, really is a wonder in itself.
Overcoming Breath of the Wild’s exceptional quality was never going to be an easy feat, but The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has achieved a small miracle. There is more creativity and choice than ever before, which will undoubtedly have a long-lasting influence on both the series and the wider gaming industry. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is not so much a tearful goodbye from its historic past, but a fresh new beginning – one that embraces the building blocks set down by its predecessor, and transforms them to further push this beloved action-adventure series ever forward.