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Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is everything fans could hope for in a sequel, as it improves upon every aspect that made the first Grapple Dog so great. Strong level design, a fantastic soundtrack, high gameplay variety, and lots of replayability make this one an easy recommendation to anyone looking for an excellent, pure platformer to add to their Switch library. It's the most fun platformer we've played in quite a while.
Yars Rising is an ambitious interpretation of a classic Atari 2600 game that resoundingly succeeds in appealing to both newcomers and veterans alike. The Metroidvania structure is good enough on its own, but when combined with the awesome Yars' Revenge-inspired hacking minigames, you've got an experience that feels wholly unique while being great fun from start to finish. Some of the characters may prove to be a bit irritating, and the final boss is a massive letdown for us, but overall this is a great effort from WayForward.
Pared-back gameplay options, outdated visuals, and lengthy loads are par for the course for 2K on Switch, but the fact that NBA 2K25 feels like a lessened experience on even last year's disappointing entry is a real turnover for the series. Sound the buzzer and call for a substitution, it’s time we brought ‘Switch 2’ on.
Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland is a well-made platformer that captures the heart of what made the TV show tick, and that's perhaps its greatest achievement. The character swapping system isn't unique, but it works well owing to some clever and occasionally quite challenging stage design; and, while it doesn't reinvent the wheel, there's a fun action game here with a good level of exploration. Whether you're drawn to the HD or retro aesthetic variants is down to which of your nostalgic sentiments is strongest. Either way, the 8-bit representation is so accurate to hardware of that era we can't believe it wasn't actually released three decades ago.
There is a decade of gaming evolution here, including what is arguably the pinnacle of Capcom's fighting game craft. Perfectly preserved and presented, everything is beautifully formed and wonderful to play. Assembled with real clarity in regards to fan expectation, Capcom has thoroughly delivered the goods, from its ton of bonus features to its rollback netcode, with years' worth of combative nuance to explore, learn, and exact in the online arena. Oh, and The Punisher is awesome, too.
Yet, despite being well presented, Sunsoft is Back! is a bit bare-bones for a collection. While the three games included do showcase the versatility and charm of the studio's output, there isn’t much content to explore.
The only minor criticism comes from the soundtrack which, while not bad, isn’t memorable and doesn’t always match the fantastic art. Overall, however, Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is a stunningly well-presented platformer with some of the most intuitive controls in the genre. A superb game and a credit to the indie scene.
Overall, Hive Jump is a great time, with well-thought-out level and enemy design, smooth gameplay, and a brilliant upgrade system. It’s certainly better placed as a party game with several mates playing local on the sofa, but it’s good fun regardless.
Overall, Stellar Interface is the lovechild of the shmup and roguelike RPG genres and stands above the crowd as an addictively simple, replayable shooter.
Pizza Tower is the rare sort of game that improves on its inspiration in nearly every way, building upon many of Nintendo’s Wario Land ideas with impressive results. This is an incredibly satisfying, creative, and addictive platformer that’ll keep you busy for a long time if you want to 100% it. We’d highly recommend this to anyone who loved the old Wario Land games, or to anyone who’s looking for a new platformer with a high skill ceiling and lots of technical depth. Pizza Tower has definitely got it where it counts - platformers don’t get much better than this.
Neko Navy is a perfectly serviceable shmup that, not unlike an underfed cat, is a tad bare-bones. It plays smoothly, emulating an arcade feel, but could do with some additional features and a bit more enemy variety to make it truly stand out. That said, it offers a bright, colourful atmosphere with an unapologetically arcade-style soundtrack and could function as a nice introduction to shmups for players of any age.
Clock Simulator is quite conflicting. The hilariously silly concept might make it a novelty and its core gameplay is so frustrating that it becomes addictive, but there are much better reaction testers to spend your time and money on. Yet, the offer of multiple modes and a strangely peaceful and relaxing vibe give it something that might appeal to those who wish to relax by killing, or rather, controlling time.
Shogun Showdown is an instant indie essential. A perfect little core of left-to-right puzzle-styled violence that plays like a sort of bloody rhythm game, and it makes for an endlessly addictive experience that's easy to pick up and lose hours to. There's enough progression in skills to keep it interesting over the long haul, and plenty of mixing and matching in your attack and special cards to ensure no two battles are ever the same. This is must-play stuff.
Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is the last of the Ace Attorney Switch remakes, but certainly not the least of them. Just make sure you're up-to-date on Ace Attorney 1-3 first, or you'll miss out on half the fun. The first game doesn't quite feel up to par with the series' best, but Investigations 2 certainly does, and might even be one of our favourites. We'll hold it! (heh) in our hearts forever.
Samsara is, unfortunately, let down by a shockingly empty soundtrack that makes much of the game lack a distinct aural style, which is a big hit against its overall aesthetic. However, this is still a great puzzler. Its delightful visual style and simple yet tough puzzling make it appropriately addictive and something quite special.
Overall, The Keep is fine; not the best in its league, but mechanically sound, if a tad sloppy in places. There is a great game in here, but its mediocre story and the occasional poor design decisions make it best left for true crawler enthusiasts.
Overall, Horizon Shift ’81 is a great time. A fast-paced shooter that oozes enthusiasm and passion, in addition to the appropriate level of respect for the games of years gone by. Oh, and the soundtrack is just banging. Some proper techno goodness that’ll get your blood pumping for those boss fights.
Overall, Snowboarding The Next Phase is a surprisingly deep and addictive game, especially in local multiplayer mode. While not the most intense sports game in the world, what it does, it does well.
In review, the Gunman Clive HD Collection offers some really great indie platforming and to get both games in one neat package; it’s a must-have for platformer fans.
Feudal Alloy is a wonderful example of a platformer done right. A brilliant, exploratory adventure that throws interesting mechanics on the table that breathe life into a well-established sub-genre.