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Despite the evident control flaws, Ooblets is an undeniably charming and fun life simulator perfect for anyone looking for a relaxing approach to adventure. There's enough content within this adorable game to keep any player occupied for hours, with the central campaign taking around thirty hours to complete - though avid explorers will get closer to the sixty-hour mark if they can get past the expensive, exhausting stamina system. Still, even post storyline, Ooblets kept us coming back for more farming and more dance-offs.
ANNO: Muatationem tells a strong tale with its core mystery, strengthened by beautiful visuals and satisfying combat. While its inspirations are a little on-the-nose, developer ThinkingStars manages to carve out its own space in the Cyberpunk genre. Some long loads and minor balancing issues take the shine off a little, but it's still an incredibly impressive effort from a small indie team who has created a world that feels as immersive as any £60 AAA RPG.
If you liked the previous Atari Recharged titles, Yars: Recharged presents another enjoyable diversion and interesting take on the theme. While not always as thrilling as it could be, the design overhaul still works well. That said, those who aren’t entirely intrigued by the formula may find it repetitive and ultimately tiresome. This reimagined Atari catalogue would probably be better off as a compilation title rather than a segmented anthology. And who knows, that may still eventually come to pass.
TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection is indisputably the best thing Konami has released in a long while, meeting all expectations and then some. Bar absent difficulty settings for the arcade games, it's an anthology that finally gets it totally right. Digital Eclipse and Konami have done the fans justice, offering a comprehensive library that doesn't hide content behind a paywall, while going above and beyond in terms of features and bonuses. With online functionality and rollback netcode being the icing on the cake, this is now the gold standard for retro collections. Capcom, pay close attention.
Pac-Man World Re-Pac isn't a game that we'd suggest you rush out and buy at once, but it does a good job of reviving a decent 3D platformer for modern audiences. Tight controls, lots of collectables, and enjoyable level design ultimately outweigh minor performance hiccups, and a general lack of imagination. If you don't consider yourself a fan of platforming or Pac-Man, nothing here is going to change your mind and we'd suggest you pass. If you like classic-style 3D platformers, Pac-Man World Re-Pac will absolutely prove itself worth your time, even if it doesn't impress like the best in the genre.
Over its five-or-so hours, Lost in Play barely puts a foot wrong, delivering cerebral gaming and effervescent entertainment. In doing so, it makes many of the genre’s design challenges look easy. Here’s hoping it inspires and influences future graphic adventures – or at least gets a sequel.
Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 3 offers two early and accessible works from one of the most prolific and unique video game developers in the business. La Pucelle: Ragnarok and Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure are both ambitious titles that pushed the boundaries of the tactical RPG genre at the time, so it is a delight to see them get a chance to shine on a modern console. Both games come with some graphical upgrades, but the core gameplay and experience remain the same. If you can get past some of the dated mechanics and visuals, we'd say it's worth taking a punt and diving into another slice of gaming history.
Cursed to Golf is an interesting and enjoyable golf game, mixing creative power-ups and roguelike game design with tried-and-true golf gameplay. Though we felt the roguelike elements held this one back a bit and the soundtrack can sometimes get irritating, the polished gameplay, appealing art style, and high replay value make this one an easy recommendation. If you're at all a fan of golf games, we'd suggest you pick this up immediately, but even if you're just looking to try something new, we'd encourage you to give it a shot.
Every single thing about I Was a Teenage Exocolonist is nice, from its appearance to its sounds to its writing – nice, even, to a fault. As a plot device, it makes sense that the utopian vision of the Exocolonists is all very lovely, with its impeccable inclusivity and anti-capitalist teachings, but at some point, if things are going to go life-or-death pear-shaped, the niceness really ought to give. Overall, the game lacks bite, but with so much love and niceness oozing from every facet of it, it is, by the same token, impossible to dislike.
Islets promises a surprisingly wholesome story while featuring a lot of classic Metroidvania mechanics, and it certainly delivers. The beautiful landscapes and island inhabitants create an unforgettable journey. Filled with monstrous rivals, tense, timing-based platforming, and some well-hidden puzzles, this title is much more than a run-of-the-mill Metroidvania. Outside the eight-ish-hour campaign, there are enough collectibles scattered across each island to keep players coming back, and to be honest; it's hard to leave the charming cast of creatures behind.
Rite is an absolute gem that we hope isn't hidden by bigger releases hitting the eShop. Pond Games absolutely nails the execution of a simple concept and wraps things up before the game overstays its welcome. At the price of just seven bucks (even cheaper at launch), this one is a no-brainer pick-up for anyone who considers themselves a fan of tough platformers; tight controls, challenging levels, and a chill soundtrack all combine to make Rite the easiest of recommendations.
Dusk Diver 2, like the first game, has potential; the cast of characters and storyline are both engaging, and the world could definitely host more interesting stories in the future. However, this sequel sadly fumbles things on the gameplay front, with a disappointing mixture of damage-sponge enemies and drawn-out encounters. While we didn't enjoy Dusk Diver 2 as much as we had hoped, there is something there - a kernel of potential as yet unrealised - and there are going to be people who absolutely adore it despite its faults. For us, a potential Dusk Diver 3 will hopefully boast combat engaging enough to match the writing on display here.
Wave Race 64 is a game with subtle, simple controls that still feels fantastic, and great water physics that combine with effective audio to immerse you in the action as you speed around on the water. It's thoroughly enjoyable to play through the Championship and further thrills and, yes, spills, can be found in the Stunt mode and Time Trials, the latter offering plenty of replay value. Throw in the ability to race a friend in two-player mode and Wave Race 64 is almost as impressive now as it was in the '90s. Highly recommended.
Cult of the Lamb proves to be a remarkably fresh take on the roguelite genre, not just in its goofy and creepy aesthetic, but in its smart blending of action and survival mechanics. Gameplay remains tense without ever feeling like it's unfair and a steady stream of unlockables and collectables ensure that your efforts are always rewarded. It's just a shame that the performance isn't up to snuff, at least at launch, as that's really the only major complaint that we have here. We'd still give this a hearty recommendation to anyone who thinks it might be up their alley; it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but Cult of the Lamb proves itself to be a great new addition to the Switch library.
Kirby's Dream Buffet is a colourful and chaotic slice of slapstick party game action that serves up a nice range of modes to play either offline, in online ranked matches, and with friends in split-screen or local play modes. This is an easy, breezy game to jump into, perfect for beginners and young gamers, with plenty of courses, lots of unlockable goodies, and a budget price point to boot, making for one delicious treat that we're gonna be digging into for some time to come.
Thymesia has all the ingredients necessary to make for a solid indie Soulslike, but falls short of greatness due to messy implementation of mechanics, bland level design, weak lore, and issues with difficulty balancing.
Blossom Tales 2 is the kind of game that's absolutely good, but definitely not great. The cute narrative premise, solid dungeon design, and pacing of overall progression all make this one worthwhile, but it's also the kind of game that feels like it's hamstrung by its lack of daring to try something new. In this sense, it's the epitome of a "buy it on sale" game; you're not missing anything by waiting to snap it up at a later date, but if you're a fan of the traditional 2D Zelda template, it's probably worth getting at some point when the mood takes you.
RPG Time: The Legend Of Wright is a beautifully imaginative, charming RPG. Protagonist Kenta's childlike glee paired with some inventive storytelling techniques and fantastic presentation make it feel like more than just a one-and-done title. The six-ish-hour campaign has enough to explore to bring you back for another go, even if the storyline sometimes feels slightly sporadic and unconnected. It's not perfect, with a soundtrack which quickly grates and narration that threatens to do the same, but it remains a charming childhood homage, and a gentle reminder for every player to keep their imagination alive.
Apart from mashing together two classic Japanese IPs, Shin chan: The Endless Seven-Day Journey mashes together some quite contradictory concepts and comes up with something special. You have the directionless, simple adventures of a child's curiosity on a rural holiday, but they're interrupted quite suddenly by a tightly directed (and completely absurd) plot. Wacky sitcom energy quickly becomes the drive and purpose in a game that could have been merely a wholesome meander-em-up. So there is the soothing magic of endless days running round fields and just seeing what catches the imagination, but also a heavy steer to play a story from end to end, packaging the never-ending summer into a punchy and dynamic 15-20 hours. Knowing now what Kureshin and Bokunatsu are, if you think you like the idea of mixing the two, this game is very easy to recommend.
We wholly recommend Arcade Paradise if you enjoy either simulation-style games or spent the '90s with a pocketful of quarters down at the local arcade. The narrative centred on a lazy young adult proving to their father they can run a successful business will never really grip you, and – believe it or not – laundering clothes and peeling gum off the machines becomes a bit tiresome. Yet the arcade games themselves and the sheer creativity and charm Nosebleed Interactive has packed into them more than makes up for the monotony. If we stumbled upon these games in the back of our local laundromat, we'd spend actual money there. But since that seems rather unlikely, we're sure to boot up Arcade Paradise to try for some global rankings long after we're done with laundering clothes.