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Yono and the Celestial Elephants, while simplistic in design, hides a curiously metaphysical tale behind it. Those looking for a Zelda-lite adventure might be disappointed by its straightforward approach and lack of upgradability, but those who are willing to give its lighthearted and deliriously cute tale a spin will find a worthy game to play.
The King of Fighters '95 is a decent fighting game with a good selection of characters to pick from.
Besides the optional touch controls that make this title accessible to all ages, Sparkle 2 doesn't attempt to take this classic genre to new heights; instead it provides an experience that is mostly on par with past efforts - including the original Sparkle game. Fortunately, these development choices can only be commended as it is a well designed game with satisfactory production values; it'll likely have you glued to the screen until you've lost your marbles.
LEGO games are typically quite good. Movie franchise games are typically quite bad. The LEGO Ninjago Movie Video Game is, both, but ultimately it feels more like a movie game than a LEGO game. Poor level design, long load times and bugs make for a game that doesn't realise its full potential; funny dialogue and entertaining movie clips can't elevate this one to greatness. If you're looking for a great LEGO game for your Switch, stick to Undercover for now.
Despite its modest hack-and-slash origins, Wulverblade manages to pack in a lot of content, depth and unlockable elements, and these allow it to transcend the usual limitations of the genre. The action rarely becomes too repetitive because there are always multiple ways of dealing with the hordes of enemies which present a genuinely stern test, even for seasoned players who fondly recall pumping coins into the likes of Golden Axe and Final Fight all those years ago. Simply finishing the game's epic story is the kind of challenge that will keep you glued to your Switch for a considerable length of time, but the Arcade mode – which goes truly old-school – awaits those who feel cocky (or foolish) enough to take it on. Wulverblade's lack of hand-holding reminds us of a time when games really did push the player in order to maximise their enjoyment, but it could prove too taxing for those who are entering their genre cold; with this in mind an easier "casual" mode might have been a wise choice as we fear some will give up when they encounter one of the game's many painful spikes in difficulty. Like the games that inspired it, Wulverblade is best played with a friend – not just because it's more enjoyable, but because it blunts the almost sadistic difficulty level. Wulverblade therefore might not be to everybody's tastes, but if you have even a passing interest in genre then we can confidently predict you'll get along with this famously – and you may even learn something about the history of Roman Britain in the process, which isn't something you can say about every video game.
When all is said and done, when the glow of the stylish aesthetic and the intrigue of the Cyberpunk Orwellian narrative have fizzled out, Neon Chrome emerges as an average, sometimes fun but more often than not generic twin-stick rogue-like with a Sci-Fi coat of paint; it rarely lives up to its explosive promise or explores its thematic potential in any meaningful way. It could be argued that the genre is solely about the mechanics, but with a neglected back story failing to compliment the reasonable if hardly revolutionary gameplay, it's difficult not to feel a little flat about the experience on offer.
Soldam is a lovely little blast from puzzle gaming's past. It comfortably earns its place among top-tier Switch puzzlers like Puyo Puyo Tetris and Magical Drop II, but it's also different enough to those two that it doesn't feel redundant to have all three on the same system. Even better, Soldam's various modes — the quick-paced endless survival, the slow and deliberate Challenge stages, and the streamlined battle mode — play so differently from one another that it almost feels like a puzzle game collection in its own right. Add in the online play and thoughtful quality of life improvements in this localized version, and Soldam on Switch is a complete puzzle package.
Tiny Barbarian DX is an indie gem. Old-school challenge mixed with modern conveniences make for a package that's hard to put down. Checkpoints help make use of the Switch's portability and old-school difficulty makes you want to play it on your TV at home; it offers challenge and charm in spades. The gorgeous pixel art, great soundtrack and co-op are all positives in the adventure; once you pick it up you won't be able to put it down, if you're willing to pay the price. At its budget retail price we found Tiny Barbarian DX to be a bit light on the content side, as the game can be completed in six hours or less, depending on skill levels. If you're going to pick this one up we recommend skipping the eShop download and going for the physical edition as it at least contains some cool stuff - as Nicalis is becoming known for - to add value to your purchase.
If you need a 2D platforming fix you can't go far wrong with Pankapu. While the polished, crisp, beautiful presentation and gameplay are engaging enough, it is nevertheless slightly let down by a few elements that affect the beat by beat and overall flow of the game. The charming characters and parallel narrative are intriguing, and while the resonant themes, fantastical atmosphere and wonderful locales enchant and are especially vibrant on a big screen, the controls aren't quite tight or precise enough considering the challenging level design an enemy combat. An enjoyable game, if not quite as strong as it could have been.
If the game was considerably cheaper you could potentially justify a purchase for having quick, easy-to-set-up fighting rounds; as it stands, though, this may well be best left alone.
Squareboy is a decent beat-em-up, if a little on the short side. The Switch version is definitely the better version of the game but perhaps doesn't quite do enough to justify the cost when a free option is available elsewhere. This isn't a bad game by any means – in fact, we had a rather enjoyable time playing through the story levels – but its flaws and inability to stand out from the crowd stop it from being a sure-fire hit.
A genuinely creepy creation, Oxenfree combines a clever story and smart dialogue mechanics with superbly sinister music to leave a deep and lasting impression on the player, one that should encourage an all-important second playthrough. Fans of Stranger Things and Poltergeist will love the direction this game takes – if not to hell and back, exactly, then absolutely to some other place where horrors abound, just waiting for an invitation into our world. It's yet another Switch essential.
Even if you're not a 2D 'shmup' veteran, or are looking for something a little off the beaten, sidescrolling track, there is plenty to enjoy here - we have tight controls, plenty of unique monstrous bosses to defeat and exploration of a broken but beautiful submerged world. While it lacks a few options, has occasional boss fight difficulty spikes and is not the relentless action that some genre fans prefer, Earth Atlantis has enough old school shoot 'em up substance to back up its glorious and organic style.
Tumblestone is an excellent puzzle game that definitely deserves to be played by fans of the genre. Aside from maybe Puyo Puyo Tetris, you are unlikely to find a puzzle game that offers quite this much content and such an addictive nature. The lack of any online functionality is disappointing, though, and whilst the Switch's portability could have made this the definitive version, this odd omission takes away a nice feature unnecessarily. If you haven't played the game before, though, or aren't fussed about playing online – this is still a very solid choice.
Unbox gets everything right in theory, but fails to actually deliver on the majority of its goals. The character design, the core ‘unboxing' mechanic, and the collecting side to the game could have been great but there are just too many problems standing in the way for it to be truly successful. We can't help but feel that the game just needed an extra dose of love and attention on the technical side of things because, if that was at the standard of the creativity and fun of the characters and ideas, it would have been a great experience and a whole lot of fun. As it stands, it might not be quite worth your time.
Whether you've handed a Joy-Con to a friend or are playing solo, Metal Slug X provides quality "fun and gun" action.
Stardew Valley offers its players a chance to live a second life – one where you can forget the troubles of the real world and get excited over finding a particularly rare carrot. It is a truly magical experience; games can often be enjoyable but they don't all manage to be as captivating as this. This is the sort of game that ideally requires a significant amount of time to be invested; the enjoyment doesn't necessarily come from the day-to-day actions you perform, but rather from the general growth of pride, satisfaction, and sense of security as the days go by. Fans of games such as Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing will be right at home here and, for those who aren't, there is a decent chance this game might just surprise you. For the asking price the risk couldn't be more worth it.
Picross S is the epitome of a one-trick pony, it knows exactly the kind of experience it's going to deliver and it does just that. Those of you that loved the Picross e games will find plenty to love here, as this is essentially just another 300 (well, 150) puzzles, now with local multiplayer support. Still, it all comes off as being a bit bland, while the absence of Micross and mission systems seen elsewhere makes Picross S feel like a lazy sequel. We give this a recommendation to fans of puzzle games, or anybody looking for a slower paced game for their Switch. Just don't go into this one expecting a comprehensive, ultimate entry in the series.
Despite its intimidating outer layer, Culdcept Revolt is something of a hidden gem that deserves the attention of anyone with an interest in card collecting, strategy, or even just board games in general. It's wildly addictive, and boasts a robust single player component as well as both local and online multiplayer to satisfy any craving for its unique, genre-blending mechanics. While Revolt's unflinching dedication to these core mechanics does hurt its story somewhat through repetition, new players will be welcomed by a wonderfully-implemented tutorial, while returning cepters have plenty of new tweaks and features to check out. It demands patience, and a lot of luck, but if you like the sound of a monster-fighting twist on Monopoly then you should take the hand you're dealt and check this one out.
Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaire's Conspiracy feels rather comforting, the video game equivalent of a warm blanket.