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Super Chariot is a fitting metaphor for life – you can journey alone and endure all hardships as you struggle to make your way to the end, or you can share the burden with another person and help each other reach new heights along the way. Brilliantly designed, beautifully crafted and one of the finest co-op experiences on Switch this side of Sniperclips. It's not hard for us to recommend you embark on this journey, even if you have done so before. May the King rest peacefully for his chariot is made of sturdy stuff indeed.
Dripping with charm and frequently laugh-out-loud funny, Animal Super Squad is a good example of when physics-based gameplay is done right. There are some elements such as boss battles, multiplayer and HD rumble that aren't in this game and the lack of these features will be bothersome for some Switch users. However, this little gem is a formidable first entry into the indie scene for the YouTube personality and positively paves the way to what's looking to be a successful new venture for DoubleMoose.
Samurai Shodown III feels like a step back compared to the second game with characters dropped and some fights ending quickly; strange compared to the slower (but exciting) pace of before.
The comparisons to Nintendo's much-loved Metroid franchise might seem excessive, but A Robot Named Fight makes little effort to differentiate itself from the source material it has been inspired by. What it does manage to do is provide endless replay value with its procedural generated platform action, unique items and large variety of enemies. The co-op mode is also a welcomed inclusion. The trade-off here, as mentioned, is no real story or character development beyond the basics to motivate you to save the day and the repetitive nature associated with permadeath. If you can look past this, what's on offer is a satisfying alternative to the space adventures of Samus.
Raging Justice isn't going to win any awards for originality or narrative depth, but it succeeds in picking up the often neglected scrolling fighter, dusting it off and sending it out with a fresh pair of clothes and some new ideas. The extra buttons are put to good use, giving you a wide array of offensive options when you're in the thick of things, and the ability to arrest enemies adds a layer of strategy to the otherwise mindless action. When played solo the game is perhaps a little too unforgiving to recommend to everyone, but when you rope in a second player it becomes one of the most enjoyable multiplayer experiences on Switch; working together to clean up the streets is fun, but you won't be able to resist occasionally stabbing your ally in the back, just for old time's sake.
10-Yard Fight is as bare-bones as one might expect from the first proper attempt at a proper American Football simulation. It's got no extras, no fancy audio or music (bar some good digitised speech) and no depth one might be used to in modern takes on the genre. It is, however, a true piece of video game history and a brave effort by Irem that certainly paved the way for other greats of the genre.
Very easy to pick up, but not so easy to master, its refreshing uniqueness might just surprise and convert you to this niche type of game. So feel free to look at this gift horse in the mouth, you might just find yourself a surprisingly brilliant new/old favourite. Giddy up!
Goetia is a flawed yet engrossing point-and-click-style adventure for those looking for a challenge as well as an interesting story. Aside from the lack of a hint system resulting in the odd infuriatingly obtuse puzzle, it's a bleak, beautiful experience. It's certainly slow and more text-heavy compared to other titles in the genre on Nintendo Switch, but it's well-crafted and worth a look.
Its visual and audio niggles aside, Immortal Redneck is an absolute blast. By combining well-crafted room design with randomly generated maps and then giving the player the ability to smoothly run, leap and blast through them with all the grace of a shotgun-wielding swan while constantly upgrading their abilities, it offers a massively satisfying experience that's likely to remain permanently installed on your Switch long after you've deleted other games to make space.
The trailer for Timberman VS describes it as 'the most intense multiplayer rage game ever' which is a pretty accurate summary. As infuriating as it may be at times, it's mysteriously satisfying when you are victorious against friends and family. By yourself, there's less reason to get excited when there's no online play or leaderboards to spur you on. In saying this, by yourself Timberman VS still offers the same frustratingly addictive gameplay and with 50 humourous characters to unlock, there's at least some incentive to keep playing. Ultimately, whether you play within the company of others or not, what's on offer is a well-presented but simple and highly repetitive package.
It's just hard to shake the feeling you've played this game before, and better.
Cast of the Seven Godsends is an old-school homage that sadly falls short of delivering a completing experience that lives up to the seven godsends mechanic. The six levels are extremely challenging (and a little unfair); bosses will blissfully bash you in merciless, over and over until you either somehow manage to reach them with Kandar fully-upgraded or get the dreaded 'Game Over' screen. Despite some potential, it's hard for us to recommend this game considering the plethora of superior 2D action platformer games already available on Switch. Perhaps the Gods should have better left Kandar rest in peace on his tomb instead of demanding such an infuriating quest of him (and you).
Death Road To Canada allows fans of the zombie genre to live out their ultimate survival fantasies again and again. Technically, there are a limitless amount of scenarios to experience thanks to the compact yet well designed gameplay, but after a while the patterns and outcomes may become a little too predictable for the average player. If you do happen to be a long-time enthusiast of zombies, this may be worth sinking your teeth into.
Naruto's first outing on Nintendo Switch is a wonderful first step for the orange ninja. While we would have loved to have seen the fourth title included to cover the entirety of in a single game, it's hard for us to thumb our noses at three complete games in one package for about 40 bucks. For a Naruto fan, this is a no-brainer. If you like fighting games, this also might be for you, but beware if you mainly play online as you're going to be frustrated. If local multiplayer or single-player are more your speed, however, there's a ton of content spread across three excellent games, each of which are, despite their seemingly low resolution, a great showcase of Switch's technical prowess. The thoughtful inclusion of both Japanese and English voice tracks is great for fans, too. If you're looking for a fighting game to round out your Switch library, Trilogy is well worth a look.
Hyper Sentinel is 'neo-retro' executed to perfection. Once you accept that the visual and audio directions are both design choices made to pay tribute to the original Commodore 64 game and sit down to take on your first Super-Dreadnought, you'll be hooked. Every time you get a 'Game Over', the only thing on your mind will be on how to prevent whatever got the best of you in preparation of your next sortie (while, at the same, time browsing the leaderboards to see how your friends are faring in each level).
While Detune has found some special ways to gamify the process of designing, layering and manipulating a piece of EDM, the lack of support for MIDI controllers or the ability to import/export tracks between other devices takes the shine off Switch's first proper music title. While it's ultimately more of an app than a game, KORG Gadget still brings an entirely new experience to your hybrid console and one that's perfect for tinkering on a track while on your commute.
Bouncy Bob attempts to demonstrate how a simple idea of a one-button control mechanic can be fun and accessible. But it's met with shortfalls aplenty.
As a loving tribute to JRPGs and '80s pop culture, Saturday Morning RPG has rough edges a-plenty and even more bright ideas. It can frustrate and baffle, particularly if you're not au fait with the period, but it's always keen to invite you into its world.
Sly Spy is yet another excellent slice of uncompromised, over-the-top arcade top action that will surely fit in snugly along the previous Johnny Turbo Arcade releases.
Content to iterate rather than innovate, Asdivine Hearts wears its inspirations on its sleeve both for better and for worse, delivering a decently enjoyable but ultimately uninspired JRPG experience.