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Combat and progression are the best parts of Nine Sols, and they manage to rub away the blemishes occasionally found in the game's map design and exploration. It's a really great blend of systems from other games with a fantastic revenge narrative. While aspects of the world design and 'Taopunk' style feel mismatched, there is always another enemy around the corner to fight, reminding you just how good the core gameplay is.
Loco Motive combines wit, charm, smarts, and its own brand of pixel art perfection to provide a point-and-click murder mystery that's well worthy of its predecessors. The game's state at launch is a little too marred by bugs for an unqualified recommendation on Switch, but give it time and we think it'll be right back on track.
Though it isn't much of an upgrade over its predecessor, Dungeons of Dreadrock 2 offers an enjoyable and simple puzzle gaming experience which cleverly links with the first game's story and feels well worthwhile. Satisfying gameplay variety and well-drawn, 32-bit-style graphics are the strong points here, though its relative simplicity and occasionally frustrating puzzle solutions are minor drawbacks. There's lots to love here, though, especially if you're a fan of the first game, and it feels like it fills a niche in the Switch library that few other puzzle games occupy.
8-Bit Adventures 2 is an exquisitely crafted RPG epic that any fan of classic (and we mean classic) RPGs will appreciate for its adherence to the conventions of games of the era. With gorgeous pixel art, a satisfying battle style with as much challenge as variety, and a story that both honours and subverts RPG tropes, there's so much to love. However, it doesn't always respect your time and the lack of some modern conveniences - auto-battle, an auto-scroll for dialogue, any real way to point you towards your goal or remind you of the story so far - could make this a journey that many get lost on before reaching the end.
Little Big Adventure was always a charming and eccentric game. In modernising it, 2.21 had to ditch the trademark control scheme and revamp the wonderful isometric graphics – two major selling points. What remains is still charismatic, but bugs and a general lack of polish hold it back. Both for new players and for original fans, this is a quirky adventure game – but not one that will be remembered for another 30 years.
Stray won't challenge you, frustrate you, or take up too much of your time. Perhaps that's why we enjoyed it so much. It plays like an open-world point-and-click paired with largely on-rails action sequences. Some minor gripes and expected disparities between the Switch port and versions elsewhere aside, as we sauntered around its post-apocalyptic environments on all fours, Stray did an impeccable job of making us want to talk to everyone and explore everything it had to offer – and we had an appetite for more once it was all over. To us, that's the mark of a compelling adventure.
Although Carpathian Night is certainly basic in some respects – for instance, the breakable candles contain small restorative hearts, and that’s it, while a few enemy designs look a bit lacklustre – it really nails the classic Castlevania feel with its gameplay, and we were impressed with the length of the stages themselves. Granted, skilled players could get through the game in as little as an hour or two, but the variety along with the surprising level of depth from the unlockable abilities makes this an experience begging to be replayed. Heck, we'd start over just to listen to the excellent music.
Nairi: Rising Tide is a solid, if slightly inferior, sequel that expands the world established in Tower Of Shirin. Some slow load screens and difficult-to-discernible items shouldn't hamper your overall enjoyment too much, especially if you loved the first entry. The tricksy puzzles are great, though you may need to shell out for hints. And while you might feel like you're wading through the story at times, there's enough narrative thread to pull you through to a tense ending. No spoilers but the final moments left us already keen to know what Nairi, Shiro, and their friends get up to next.
If you prefer the story elements of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, then 8 Remake is among the best the franchise has ever produced. This entry doesn't offer the same level of kingdom management that fans might be expecting, but its focus on the drama and your narrative choices make it a bit more accessible for new players. This is a very solid remake that runs well on the Switch and feels like it unlocks the original's full potential.
Miniatures is a short narrative experience but manages to navigate both awe and dread during its approximately one-hour play time. Each tale imbued us with a sense of mystery and left us ruminating on all that was left unsaid long after we finished playing.
Rage of the Dragons Neo is a peach of a game. Plucked from the Neo Geo library, it's been brought back to life with a smooth online experience and a comprehensive package stuffed with bonuses. It's not for everyone, and don't be surprised if you get beasted online initially, but for those willing to eke out the depths of its tag team strategy and combo extension methods, it's a furious, flashy, adrenaline-fuelled affair that looks great, sounds great, and plays even better.
Overall, Airheart – Tales of Broken Wings is a solid time. A decent enough story with some fantastic world-building, fun progression via crafting, and some really intense quick decisions to be made, make this far more than just ‘falling with style.’
In summary, Bad Dream: Coma is a nightmare, but we mean that in the best way possible. Though some of its puzzles are a little too cryptic, its tense gameplay, compellingly intriguing narrative, and solid visual design make it an awesome horror point-and-clicker.
Overall, Bleep Bloop is simple, but it knows it and relishes it. For a lazy afternoon, you won’t go wrong with this charmingly basic puzzler.
Overall, Pumped BMX Pro isn’t broken or awful, but it is bland and forgettable. The bizarre top-heavy difficulty curve, unpleasant aesthetic, and lack of multiplayer make it feel like a wasted opportunity.
Overall, Big Crown: Showdown has great focus and a cute art style with plain-and-simple, party-gaming gameplay.
It's been a long time coming, and we're happy to report that Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake largely lives up to expectations. Disappointing performance issues aside, this is a faithful adaptation of a treasured RPG classic that elevates its strongest aspects while doing its best to make up for any shortcomings. Some may be put off by its relative simplicity but, refreshingly, it neither overstays its welcome nor spreads itself thin with too many half-baked ideas. It goes without saying that fans of the original will want to snap this up, but if you're looking for a good 'entry-level' RPG or you just want to know what the long-running franchise is all about, Dragon Quest III is the game for you.
Clocking in at a fairly short six-to-eight hours, Lego Horizon Adventures offers up frequent, brief bursts of fun with its excellent combat encounters. However, this is wrapped up in an experience that feels way too shallow and repetitive to recommend to anyone other than the most enthusiastic Horizon and Lego fans. It's clear that the intention is to woo new, younger gamers to Sony's flagship franchise, but if you already own Zero Dawn and Forbidden West on PlayStation, we can't see any reason why you'd want to check this one out. Mind you, if all you've got is a Switch, then this endearingly light-hearted introduction will have to do for now. It could have been so much more, though.
Alas, one big gripe remains for all three titles and that's text size. On handheld, this isn't too much of an issue, but on some displays you'll be squinting to see the dialogue window's contents. This is a holdover from the original PC version of the games and it's a shame that these genuinely great remasters didn't address this.
Tetris Forever might not be the final word on the complete history of Tetris, but it's certainly the best breakdown of the franchise's creation and evolution so far. Digital Eclipse has truly mastered the art of the interactive documentary, and this one is absolutely filled to the brim with interesting videos, interviews, and archival material. The playable games don't necessarily represent the most varied selection across the Tetris franchise, but it's a comprehensive bunch of titles, nonetheless, and newcomer Tetris Time Warp is a fantastic new addition to a back catalogue that seemingly just won't stop growing.