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It’s not often we recommend you play a Nintendo Switch game on a different platform, but there’s simply no way we could advise you to pick this up right now in its current state.
There’s fun to be had on New Zack Island, although we wish it drilled down on two or three things rather than the assortment of slighter activities it offers. Ultimately, Dead or Alive Xtreme 3: Scarlet is a minigame compilation that you play repeatedly to earn money to buy costumes for busty supermodels.
Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid isn't some cheap tie into a quarter-century-old franchise – at least not in sense of its core mechanics and gameplay. With a smooth 60fps in all formats on Switch, lots of modes to play through and support for ranked and casual bouts online, it's a decent fighter, even without the licence. However, an ugly yet suitably contemporary approach to content accessibility leaves this game feeling frustratingly spartan to anyone who doesn't invest in a rolling number of ongoing season passes. This seems to be the way all fighting games are going – just look at Dead or Alive 6's awful DLC setup – but it's not a welcome direction.
If you’re new to the series, Yoshi’s Crafted World has colour and charm to spare, even if its inventiveness is largely limited to its looks.
Windscape isn't an antidote to the everlong tropes of modern action-RPGs – simply because it still needs to rely on enough of them to tie its own systems together – but it does present a relaxed and engrossing alternative that's designed to give players of any age or skill level the chance to explore, battle and craft at their own pace. The deepness of that crafting system belies its apparent simplicity, and with all manner of stories to uncover across its hand-crafted lands, you're left with a first-person adventure that very much belongs on Switch.
Whether you’re a long-time fan of the series or are just getting into it for the first time, Blaster Master Zero 2 is a stellar and enjoyable experience from stem to stern, and just goes to further cement Inti Creates’ legacy as one of the best developers in the retro gaming business.
Unravel Two was already a wonderful little game, filled with heartfelt moments of poignant storytelling and challenging platforming puzzles, and now it has a fitting new home on Nintendo Switch. Even with a few downgrades to the visuals, Unravel Two is far from an inferior experience when played on Nintendo's hybrid system. Full of charm and character, it's one of the best co-operative platformers you can play anywhere, and another robust Switch port that was well worth the wait.
It's an enjoyable little JRPG with a serviceable battle system and enough genre tropes (including exploration, the occasional puzzle and the odd fishing mini-game) to at least satisfy veteran genre fans, but it's an adventure in dire need of an 'X factor' to help it stand apart on the eShop.
While there are improvements across the board, R.B.I. 2019 still falls short of being a must-have baseball outing. It's fun without being deep, and the lack of online play will be unforgivable to many players. It also struggles technically, which is a shame given that it's hardly the most visually stunning Switch title. Still, if you like the sport then go ahead, buy it and enjoy a game of baseball. Slap a few whoppers. Dominate a Home Run Derby. Have some fun. Just don't expect that fun to last; you'll get fed up quickly and become envious of those dastardly PS4 owners.
When it's firing on all cylinders, The Princess Guide is a somewhat deep, satisfying action game with vibrant visuals and humorous, whimsical storytelling. Unfortunately, it's bogged down by trying to shove overengineered combat through a thick UX fog. After yet another "mission" that consists of moving on the map to intercept three enemy skirmishes to completion, a reasonable player might wonder: Is it worth $40 to praise-or-scold each Princess through a couple of hours of sword-swinging? This quirky game may meet the particular sensibilities of some, but others should probably pass on this one.
Fate/Extella Link is well worth your time; we’d recommend you add it to your Switch collection at some point.
Motorsport Manager for Nintendo Switch will chew you up and spit you out, but once you've learned the ways of its frighteningly deep systems and overcome its steep learning curve, there's a brilliant management sim to be found.
The Red Strings Club tells a brilliant cyberpunk tale that's full of big ideas and tough moral questions. Its gameplay sections are a little too flimsy and repetitive to keep pace, but you'll want to play through this memorable adventure nonetheless.
While Nintendo Switch has yet to get a proper, full-fat golfing sim to its name yet (come on The Golf Club, get your act together), it does have a handful of fun and rewarding alternatives to tee off on. Golf Peaks is one such memorable trip down the fairway, taking that classic pastime and infusing it with an isometric puzzler that's as fun and engaging as it was on mobile. Much like the original, this Switch port's only real letdown is the fact it's simply over too quickly. Let's hope Golf Peaks 2 is on the cards one day.
At worst, Deltarune Chapter 1 is just a smaller and shallower version of Undertale; at best, it’s a promising glimpse into a much more ambitious project that will hopefully grow to escape the shadow of its forerunner.
In a games market often trying to operate as either an endless buffet or a sticky-sweet dessert parlour, Valley is a satisfying meal that doesn't outstay its welcome.
RICO is simple, moreish fun in arcade FPS form; a literal corridor shooter that makes every gunfight a glorious exchange of bullets as you fight your way to the words 'Room cleared' over and over again.
The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame isn't the groundbreaking reinvention the franchise so desperately needs, but it's still a step in the right direction.
Nintendo Switch is enjoying a growing number of turn-based tactical games, and Hard West is another welcome addition to that strategic throng.
A precise, challenging, laser-focused platformer that lacks the joyful sense of movement, ingenuity and sheer generosity of its inspiration. Awesome Pea might emulate the look and feel of the Game Boy classics, but it lacks their soul.