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If you like 3D platformers and are up for a challenge, Super Sami Roll is a must. It's a joy to play over and over again as you hunt for collectibles, shortcuts, and a personal best speedrun time. It's one of the most refreshingly addictive and exciting 3D platformers to release in the last few years. Behind strong level design, smooth and expansive controls, and loads of unlockable content, Super Sami Roll is a gift that keeps on giving.
"Though the worlds may seem far apart and out of reach, they nonetheless remain connected by invisible ties. As do our hearts."
Infernax is like an amazing cover of a favorite song. It perfectly encapsulates what a quintessential "'80s game" might feel like, complete with over-the-top carnage and a Game Genie reference that enhances your gameplay. If it's your jam, you'll want to play it over and over, just to see what's behind all the locked doors and try to get all the endings. Even dying is fun because of all the different death animations. The marketing for this game singles out Zelda II and Castlevania II, but it's got a ton of Metroid, Legacy of the Wizard, and more baked in. If you love the classics, or want a fantastic introduction to NES-style platformers, this is a game that deserves your attention.
Ultimately, while I did enjoy my time with Grapple Dog, it doesn't feel like it reached its full potential. There's a lot of room for replayability and improving your skill in traversing the levels, but the game feels quite slow a lot of the time due to long levels and the also long waits that come with trying again. I do think I'll come back to it at some point in short bursts to try to clean up the missing collectables, but it's not something that begs to be finished in any hurry.
Land of Screens tells a short, hokey, on-the-nose story about disconnecting from technology and reconnecting with friends and family, and it's not remarkable in any way. Fortunately, the art and sound are excellent, making it a decent way to spend a couple hours.
In short, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a refreshing experience that the franchise needed after all these years. The focus on capturing is one of the game's biggest strengths, due to the fun gameplay loop of discovering a Pokémon's behavior prior to catching it. It may not be the best-looking game available on Nintendo Switch, but the addictive nature of exploring the various biomes to discover new things makes Pokémon Legends: Arceus one of the best Pokémon experiences in a long time.
Ultimately, Windjammers 2 is an ultra-refined version of the original disc-throwing experience, but without any kind of unlockables, progression, or non-competitive reason to return to the game, it may not provide enough for anyone who isn't already a hardcore series fan.
Ultimately, while Life is Strange: True Colors may have a weaker story than past entries had, its strongest elements may outshine anything I've played in the prior games. I'm particularly fond of Alex as a character and even more so of the idea of empathy as the core mechanic, since empathy is something we can all utilize in our daily lives. Regardless of whether this is my favorite Life is Strange or not though, True Colors was an absolute blast of an experience to play though, and I would absolutely recommend it.
Despite these qualms, I mostly enjoyed my time with Hextech Mayhem: A League of Legends Story. There are definite issues I have with it as a rhythm platformer, and these make it a bit of a slog to play through in long sessions. However, for short bursts, there's little I can ultimately fault it for. If you're already a League of Legends fan looking for a different sort of experience, it's hard not to recommend Hextech Mayhem, though it may be a slightly tougher sell otherwise.
I'm the kind of person who enjoys solving a few sudoku puzzles before bed, so Big Brain Academy fits into my lifestyle seamlessly. It's great for gamers who like to hone their thinking skills in bite-sized chunks. While it's a little light on features, it excels at what it does have and has a fun and adorable presentation. It's a joy to play, whether you're taking on a few minigames by yourself or using your beefy brain to win friendly contests. If you enjoy solving puzzles, competing against friends and strangers in tests of brainpower, or just keeping your mind sharp, this is definitely the game for you.
Clockwork Aquario was made for a very specific crowd of people, by an incredibly passionate team. Obviously a short and simple arcade platformer like this isn't going to be a smash hit today, but there are still plenty of people out there who clamor for old-school '90s arcade bliss. If you're one of those people, then Clockwork Aquario is the game for you. It's short and easy, but fun and beautiful. An arcade classic that was almost lost to time, and I'm so happy that it wasn't.
There is nothing like Loop Hero, and it feels born for Nintendo Switch. If you love roguelikes, nothing should stop you from playing this refreshingly weird game. And if you're like me and generally detest roguelikes, I sincerely believe you might be captivated enough by the game's unique and imaginative mechanics that you might not even think of it as a roguelike. The game just is what it is - it's Loop Hero. And it's the best example of indie ingenuity.
In short, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are faithful remakes of one the franchise's best generations, despite some shortcomings. Your enjoyment of the game will heavily depend on your nostalgia or overall love of the franchise, so don't go in expecting a perfect remake. However, my time with these remakes was a fun one, and I'm excited to continue to explore the Grand Underground in search of a shiny Pokémon.
In the end, a terrific battle system and great art direction just aren't enough to save Ruined King: A League of Legends Story from its lackluster narrative, clunky UI, and a wide spectrum of bizarre technical issues on Nintendo Switch. Hardcore League of Legends fans and hardcore RPG mechanics enthusiasts will still enjoy the game, but everyone else is better off playing something else this holiday season.
In the end, Death's Door is a charming, witty indie game. Its combat is solid, exploration is a blast, and it has just the right length. Though the lack of a map and difficulty options, in addition to a somewhat unstable frame rate, hold the title back a bit, its mix of Dark Souls and Zelda elements is a great fit. It is definitely an adventure worth checking out.
Ultimately, Amazing Princess Sarah took two of my favorite NES games and mushed them into one product. Despite some frustrating flaws, it's still a pretty good game, and it's well worth your time if you enjoy the original Castlevania and Super Mario Bros. 2.
In spite of these faults, Corpse Party is an excellent horror adventure title that fans of the genre should not miss out on. If you were to do everything correctly the first time, the main story would take 6-7 hours, but realistically it'll be longer as you piece together the correct actions needed in each chapter to progress the plot. The repetition mechanic may seem to be a little gimmicky, but it adds a bit of responsibility to your actions, giving some charm to what would otherwise be an incredibly linear story. I've not played anything quite like Corpse Party before, and as such, it firmly stands near the top of my list of favorite horror games.
Regardless of the few issues, though, Dusk is a pleasure to experience. It's optimized wonderfully for Switch, the sound design is exceptional, weapons and power-ups are unique and a joy to use, and there is a lot of variety between levels. In addition, the game has an Endless mode, complete with a stage inspired by Peach's Castle from Super Mario 64. And if you preordered the title, you get access to Dusk '82, an 8-bit demake prequel that's actually pretty neat. All in all, Dusk stands together with Doom and Quake as a formidable FPS.
Shin Megami Tensei V on Nintendo Switch retains all the strategic combat elements the Atlus franchise is known for, all while radically revolutionizing its world design to create an adventure that is completely addicting and flawlessly complements the battle system. It's a truly remarkable achievement. In fact, while some people think SMT should borrow more from its spinoff Persona franchise, Shin Megami Tensei V makes me wonder if maybe Persona could learn a thing or two from its older brother.
Overall, Demon Turf is a solid 3D platformer on Nintendo Switch, with a ton of personality and a striking art style. The amount of content present within the game is extraordinary, featuring a plethora of main collectibles, alongside worthwhile side content. Fully completing the game is guaranteed to take a large amount of time, but the variety of turfs to explore will make the quest to defeat the Demon King a memorable one. If you're after another great platformer on Nintendo Switch, then Demon Turf will definitely scratch that itch.