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While there is clear potential in Supraland, the game suffers from an identity crisis. The whimsical setting and level design show potential, but the control problems, lack of direction in puzzles and odd narrative undertones make this a disappointing package. Look elsewhere for a more enjoyable game that will make one think outside of the (sand)box.
HyperBrawl Tournament is a fun and addictive futuristic handbrawling effort that arms its players with a wealth of weapons, tools and attacks and unleashes them on a variety of obstacle-filled arenas that make for chaotic and surprisingly strategic matches. Things can get a little muddled in handheld mode from time to time, docked games can feel a little sluggish here and there and we'd love to have seen proper 2v2 human matches facilitated online but, overall, this one's a decent offering that scratches that Rocket League, arcade sports itch.
Double Pug Switch might be frustrating at times but there’s still an enjoyable experience here. Bringing us fun but basic gameplay, it introduces one of gaming’s more adorable protagonists in a light-hearted adventure, though it won’t offer platforming fans anything particularly ground-breaking. With its lower price point, there isn’t much risk here if you're a fan of runners and, as such, it comes with a cautious recommendation.
If we've made this game sound thoroughly generic, that's because it is. But it's not a disaster - Operation Blackout has plenty to do, with unlockable skins and modifiers to mess around with if you get into it, and there's love for the G.I Joe property here, so fans of the toys may get a kick out of it. For everyone else, though, it's a very difficult game to recommend. If you want a third-person shooter on Switch, Rebellion's Rogue Trooper or Zombie Army Trilogy are both better buys. And now you know. And knowing is half the- actually, no, forget it. We're not even going to finish the thought. We're better than that.
Tennis World Tour 2 is a simulation style affair that demands much from its players but doesn't reciprocate with a game that's capable of matching their efforts. Flaky AI and a lack of basic player animations leads to core gameplay here that feels rough and unsatisfying for the most part. Matches often descend into a procession of double faults, there's absolutely zero net play, and no matter how much practice you put in, things always feel like they're out of your control. There is a decent selection of modes here and the fundamental ideas behind the gameplay could have made for a good time, but a lack of finesse in how these things have been implemented mean this one is best avoided by all but the most foolhardy of tennis fans.
It takes time to figure out just what you're doing, but anyone looking for a strong challenge will find a lot to love with GoNNER2. It builds upon the original game's premise well and by offering co-operative campaign play, adds significant replayability with friends. It's not a flawless game by any means, and players who prefer a more guided experience would do better to look elsewhere but, those caveats aside, GoNNER2 still makes for a compelling experience that comes recommended, if you're up for the challenge.
In short, The Crown Tundra is another fine addition to Pokémon Sword & Shield, but it emphasises many of both the highlights and shortcomings of the base games. The highs are excellent, white hot flashes of wonderment, but they're a little spoiled by a foundation of ageing game design. We would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed The Isle of Armor, but considering if you've paid for that you've already paid for this, it's hard to argue otherwise. The Crown Tundra offers a glimpse of a possible future, and what it does well, it does seriously well, but the series as a whole deserves to be completely dug out of the nearly 25 year-old design philosophies that made the originals great. The world has moved on since Pokémon first arrived, and it's time for the series to catch up.
Pumpkin Jack is an absolute triumph. For a debut title, it's remarkably confident in its vision, delivering a delightfully spooky experience that feels very familiar to MediEvil without outright copying it; in fact, with MediEvil's controls feeling distinctly dated by 2020 standards, we'd go so far as to say Pumpkin Jack is superior. The controls are slick with satisfying combat mechanics, and while the platforming can occasionally feel a bit frustrating, it's mostly very well done. Visuals in handheld mode can look a little grotty, so we'd recommend playing on the TV if you can, and make sure you crank up that camera sensitivity. Fear not though, folks; Halloween is well and truly alive in 2020 thanks to Pumpkin Jack.
A pacey, exciting game, MindSeize excels when it pits you one-on-one against one of its varied, aggressive bosses, but there are no elements of this little gem that aren't up to scratch. You're constantly moving forward and getting better at it, and the level design is good stuff. We don't feel like the Metroidvania backtracking really adds much to the experience, but it didn't spoil our fun. What we have here, ultimately, is a fantastic action game that's been forced into the shape of a markedly less brilliant Metroidvania, a format that doesn't play to the game's strengths. So, very good indeed, but could definitely have been a classic with a little more structure.
Crown Trick is a stylish and strategic roguelite that slows the usually frenetic pace of its genre down and introduces some rhythmic turn-based battling to proceedings. Elle's ability to blink around arenas, combined with the plethora of powers she gains from the many weapons, relics and familiars she encounters along the way, also adds plenty of variety and flexibility to the runs you'll make here. There are some UI niggles that need addressing, the inherently random nature of the core gameplay can plague proceedings now and again and busy battles can become hard to read at times but, overall, this one's a very solid effort that fans of roguelites should definitely check out.
Horace is something very special — the only vaguely negative thing we can say about it is the fact that there are so many spectacularly brilliant indie games on Switch already vying for your attention that we fear Horace may fall somewhat by the wayside. If you have any interest in superb level design, excellent storytelling, terrific art, evocative music, great characters, hilarious situations and emotional gut-punches, Horace is a no-brainer. It's moving without being manipulative, clever without being smug, and nostalgic without being a lazy rehash.
ScourgeBringer is a wonderfully slick and addictive roguelite adventure that flings its players headlong into non-stop frenetic combat and never lets up. This is an unapologetically tough game and if you struggle with the constant repetition and death inherent in the roguelite genre you may find it all a little hard to put up with. However, if you're not put off by a challenge, or if you're a Celeste or Dead Cells fan who is craving more, what Flying Oak Games has conjured up with this one is sure to absolutely delight.
Cloudpunk on Switch is a hugely disappointing port that struggles technically and ultimately fails to deliver the game in a satisfactory manner on Nintendo's hybrid platform. Merge Games have made drastic cuts all over, with a massively reduced draw-distance sucking much of the life out of Nivalis, volumetric effects missing entirely, pixellation rampant and a framerate that still chugs along in the face of all of these concessions. If you've got a PC capable of playing this one we'd highly recommend you play on that platform as this is an adventure that's well worth experiencing in its original form. This particular version, however, should probably be avoided.
Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed is a button-mashy, overly simplistic fighter that's aimed at young kids but doesn't even manage to lift its game enough to satisfy a junior audience on any level outside of very basic fan service. There's a serious lack of modes or variety here, especially for the not-insignificant price tag, and what is included is let down by a lazy story mode and some shockingly simple enemy AI. Serious Zoids fans may derive some fleeting pleasure from seeing their favourite characters battle it out, but, for everyone else, this is a mega-hard sell and a fighter that absolutely fades into insignificance when compared to other examples of its genre.
Some will get a lot out of The Survivalists, and we'd find it difficult to argue that it isn't fun – but your mileage will seriously vary on how quickly you burn out on its lackadaisical approach to the danger that really defines the survival genre. As an entry-level take on the principles it's pretty good, but even the least experienced survivor will reach endgame gear quickly and find there's just not a whole lot left to do. Updates could (and hopefully will) mitigate this issue, but The Survivalists – as it is now – feels a little... well... deserted.
It's difficult to score a release such as Ben 10: Power Trip!, as it belongs to a unique class of games that are known for being half-baked and it's primarily marketed towards children. As far as tie-in games go, Ben 10: Power Trip! is pretty decent. The character variety makes for some nicely varied control styles, while the open-world design allows for a strong gameplay loop centred around chasing quest. That said, Ben 10: Power Trip! also has several glaring flaws – like shallow gameplay and poor performance – that really sink its image. If your child happens to be a fan of the show, Ben 10: Power Trip! has enough redeeming qualities to be worth the punt, but we'd advise everyone else to take a pass.
Hardcore Mecha is a superb 2D side-scrolling adventure that marries some spectacularly OTT anime storytelling with explosively satisfying robot combat. There's a surprisingly meaty story here set across eighteen wonderfully varied levels with plenty of depth to RPG elements allowing you to customise your mech's attack and defence capabilities. An unlockable survival mode, online PvP, local multiplayer and mission rankings also add plenty of replayability to proceedings. It's a shame that this Switch port has some framerate issues that can see intense battles stutter, however, if RocketPunch can rectify this with a patch pretty sharpish you can feel free to add a point or two to the score below.
A very interesting game indeed, I Am Dead isn't top-tier indie magic but it's a hide-and-seek sandbox that will reward you the deeper you go. It's refreshingly content-rich, what with the Grenkins to find and riddles to solve for committed players. An appealing sense of place and strong visuals are only spoiled by some misplaced attempts at quirkiness and some minor control issues. Overall, though, I Am Dead makes us long for the sweet embrace of the reaper. Wait, no. It's just a rather enjoyable game. That's it. Not that other thing. Good god.
Let's be clear – this is no disaster like Gleamlight. This is a well-crafted, carefully designed and fantastic-looking game. It's just such a damn shame that the central shadow-casting mechanic is so fussy, so irritating and so downright broken that we can't recommend it without the strongest of caveats. It's very clear that the developers put their heart and soul into Projection: First Light, and that effort deserves to be recognised. Unfortunately, we suggest you recognise it from afar. We don't think that a patch alone could solve this game's problems, and if there's ever a Projection: Second Light, we'd be surprised.
It’s quite a challenging game from the get-go, so anyone seeking a more relaxed experience would do better to look elsewhere, but Space Crew makes for a solid follow up to its predecessor. Though it retains Bomber Crew's flawed control scheme, it ultimately proves to be quite enjoyable, bringing some in-depth spaceship management to the table.