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While its core systems don't rewrite the rules of the genre, Fernz Gate's wholesome RPG mechanics will whisk you back to a 16-bit era where plucky little sprites and enchanting chiptunes were the order of the day.
If you're new to fighting games - or you're simply in the market for something that feels like a bona fide arcade fighting experience - there are few titles as easy to pick up as SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy. Its busty and over-sexualised characters might not be to everyone's taste in 2018 - and the use of Dream Finishers definitely won't be of appeal to purists - but look beyond the garish colours and there's a tag-team brawler with real potential, not to mention plenty of hilarity.
It's impossible to not be caught up in Planet Alpha's charms. The product of one man and a small indie team from Denmark, it's a game that runs remarkably smoothly considering the detail of its environments and the vibrancy of its art style. The platforming won't blow you away - especially if you've become trained in the twitch arts of Hollow Knight and the like - but with some brilliant puzzles, a rewarding balance between endangered stealth and peaceful exploration and some of the most intense set-pieces we've ever played on Switch, Freedom Planet has secured a place as one of 2018's most important indie releases.
Into The Breach is a brutal, uncompromising game of making hard decisions and living with your mistakes, but the short length of battles and endless variety of playthroughs makes for an extremely addictive experience. Though the graphics are nothing special, the gameplay is some of the very best you'll find in the strategy genre on the Switch, and we can easily recommend this to anybody who's looking for an in-depth game that'll make you think. Into The Breach feels right at home on the Switch, and whether you play more at home or on the go, you're more than likely to get plenty of value out of this release.
Like so many action-RPGs before it, Moonfall Ultimate is driven by the minutia of its combat model, but considering battles often rely on one attack (regardless of weapon) and a handful of special moves, you're left feeling oddly unempowered and frustratingly disconnected. There's your usual mix of quests to undertake, various medieval-style locations to explore and loot to collect, but none of it ever offers an interpretation you haven't seen done better elsewhere; while the game calls upon the likes of Golden Axe and Dungeons & Dragons for inspiration, it never hits the same heights. A serviceable experience, but one that won't linger in the memory for long.
A surprisingly immediate, console-centric ARPG with a gleefully tactile combat system, Victor Vran: Overkill Edition has its fair share of rough edges and a slightly discordant tone, but is nevertheless a highly entertaining way for Diablo fans to while away the hours until the real deal arrives on Nintendo's console.
Finding out the dark past that the main character tries so hard to keep bottled up is, at times, intriguing. However, the repetitive task of cherry-picking customers to come into the prestigious club will prove to be dull for many, and simply won't be enough to keep you playing in order to see one of the multiple endings. Still, there isn't another time-management title like this on Switch right now, so if you're looking for something with a very different pace and with an adult theme, you might gain some enjoyment.
The poor voice acting will make you cringe, the broken combat will make you rage and the visual compromises will likely make you put your console away and have a well-earned lie-down.
While its rinse and repeat Diablo-lite gameplay can get a little repetitive after extended play, there's no denying how much fun it is to return to the world of Yo-kai Watch. Whether playing solo or via local or online co-op, Level-5 has taken all the hallmarks of the series and made it even more accessible to newcomers and seasoned monster hunters. A fine way to see off the series on 3DS, and proof the Yo-Kai series is strong enough to tweak its formula with a spin-off and still maintain that quintessential Japanese magic.
While its crude looks and disparate gameplay elements can make for a spartan experience, there's still something bizarrely compelling about Lifeless Planet: Premiere Edition. There's nothing particularly remarkable about its occasional platforming and simple environmental puzzle solving - and its story never truly offers the payoff its mysteries set in place - but you'll still enjoy the short time you spend with it. An ambitious little curio, even four years after its original release, but one that sets its sights a little too high for its own good.
While its setup does make it look like one of those soulless endless runners that fill mobile app stores, The VideoKid overcomes that hollow association by offering up a nostalgic love letter to the characters that defined a decade. The random layout means you'll never get the same run twice, but once you've played each section of its celebrity-filled suburbia a few times, you will start to notice plenty of bits being recycled as you head to your final destination. Still, with high-scores to chase and new character skins and tricks to unlock, this modern Paperboy has earned its pay packet.
Realpolitiks really wishes it was something as grand as Europa Universalis, but in reality, it's more akin to the Tropico games or a souped-up Football Manager. You have a lot of systems to manage, but the choices you make within these systems aren't as open as we'd like and you're left spinning countless diplomatic plates without the agency befitting such a seat of power. The end result is a grand strategy game that struggles to find a middle ground between accessibility for newcomers and long-term investment for genre veterans.
de Blob 2 keeps many of the same characteristics found in the original game, with both the brilliant - and the not-so-brilliant - features mostly staying intact. The cameras can still be occasionally fiddly, and things can feel a little too easy in places, but brand new 2D sections and a slightly more refined-feeling overall experience put the sequel just above the original in our pecking order. Either game should go down well – especially with a younger audience – but this one just about splashes its way into first place.
Freedom Planet may have started as a mere Sonic rip-off, but to view the game as nothing more would be an enormously reductive judgment. Despite its ho-hum story and occasional difficulty spikes, Freedom Planet manages to rise above and become more than the sum of its parts, imbuing a well-trodden gameplay style with fresh ideas and concepts. We'd recommend that you give Freedom Planet a try, even if you've sampled the superb Sonic Mania; it's clear that a substantial amount of care and work went into making this game, and it's an excellent love letter to fans of action platformers.
BlobCat strongly models itself after one of the best games to hit the Dreamcast and Game Boy Advance, and since there isn't really anything else like it out there, anyone willing to squint their eyes might be able to scratch that ChuChu Rocket! itch a little here. A wide-eyed look shows an overall rough package, though — from functional-if-unremarkable visuals to a lack of CPU opponents in the multiplayer suite, all the way down to bizarre inconsistencies with how menus work. BlobCat is here for you if you need it, but doesn't quite reach the level of the genuine article.
Little Dragons Café is an endearing feast for the eyes – and extremely unique in its concept – but can lose some of its charm after too much time spent waiting on technical issues like load times. Hopefully, some of these problems can be fixed with a future patch or update. Still, Yasuhiro Wada is the master of turning a simple game into a living, breathing story – and you can expect to experience that same level of care and detail in his latest adventure. It feels as if he is inventing a brand new genre of game all over again – just as he did with Harvest Moon. For those who seek a laid-back experience on the Nintendo Switch, this game will lovingly fill the void, even if it's a little rough around the edges.
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate may lack the smoothness and accessibility that made Monster Hunter: World such a smash hit, but it more than makes up for it by being a sort of ‘greatest hits' collection of the high points of the series, giving you hundreds of hours of content to play through. Couple this with the HD visuals, easy to use multiplayer, and the ability to play the full experience on the go, and you've got a game that will easily appeal to both veterans and newcomers alike. It may not necessarily represent the future of the series, but Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is an utterly fantastic experience in its own right and a worthy follow up to the 3DS original, and one that no Switch owner will want to be without.
2D side-scrolling action games like The Messenger may be a dime a dozen these days, but you'd be missing out on something special by passing this one up. Featuring a surprisingly long campaign, an incredible soundtrack and tight, challenging level designs, The Messenger stands as a shining example of great game design. We'd highly recommend you pick this one up; it's the very definition of a modern classic.
There's no denying it - this is the most accessible 2D fighter we've played in years. If you're new to the often impenetrable world of twitch-style brawlers, this serves as an ideal way to learn the craft and feel powerful without too much work. Not every one of its crossover fighters gels as well as the others, but it's still an empowering experience for beginners and intermediate fight fans. However, if you're looking for a purposefully nuanced combat system with a bit more bite, you're probably best sticking with BlazBlue's mechanical purity.
Hyper Light Drifter: Special Edition finally puts Heart Machine's obtuse yet engaging throwback where it belongs - in portable Nintendo form - and it makes for the definitive version. With a handful of exclusive features, a two-year-old game suddenly feels new and fresh - and with a silky smooth frame rate and every boss, secret and upgrade from the original here for you to experience, the Nintendo Switch's indie library just got even better.