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Between the tongue-and-cheek gameplay and the upgraded playability, Bayonetta 1 & 2 for the Nintendo Switch are remarkably polished ports. Although additional modes and features wouldn’t have gone amiss for those who purchased the Wii U version, the games are superb in their own right. Featuring best-in-class portability, enhanced performance and a lick of polish, Bayonetta 1 & 2 on the Switch are insanely fun, non-stop action games. After all; once you pop, you just can’t stop.
With some truly inspiring level design and interesting mechanics at play, Splatoon 2’s Octo Expansion DLC pack gives fans some real bang for their buck. Hop on at Deepsea Metro Station or hop off at Rage Quit City, the choice is ultimately yours. If this how Splatoon 2’s DLC looks, sign us up for the CQ-160. Double the fun, triple the frustration.
Between the characterisation of Blades and Drivers, the improved battle system and a storyline that will make you reach for a jumper sleeve (or for the more sophisticated of souls, a tissue), the expansion DLC just feels so satisfying to play. So, whether you’re a newcomer, a JRPG lover, or a veteran Xenoblade fan, Torna: The Golden Country is a prequel not to be missed.
Despite striking setbacks with online, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is arguably the most addictive game on Nintendo Switch. Like its predecessors, its combat system is unrivaled with precise inputs that give you full control of your favorite characters. With an extensive roster of playable fighters and an impressive lineup of stages, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate can easily provide you with a varied sense of enjoyment for many years to come. Because future updates and improvements are in the pipeline, the potential is there and it may very well shape up to be the best entry in the series to date.
Yoshi’s Crafted World is a real joy to play. While it’s monotonous during the flip side levels, its masterful platform design makes up for it in droves. And as Nintendo proved last year, cardboard boxes, bits of string, fuzzy felt and plastic cups can be used to form highly unique creations, suitable for anyone to play. Who knows, perhaps we’ll see Yoshi in Labo VR next – well, one can hope.
With several ways to make and play, Super Mario Maker 2 is a stunning sequel for the Nintendo Switch. Create courses on the go or in co-op, try your hand at beating a level in the fastest time, or take inspiration from the developers themselves by playing the inventive levels seen in Story Mode. We just wish it had one more overworld to make those slots even. Super Mario Galaxy, anyone? After all, the sequel has the music and the Sky theme’s night effect makes things float. We’re already halfway there.
It goes without saying that Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a massive title. There’s a ton of things to do both in and out of battle, with variety scattered throughout most elements to keep you on your toes. It’s safe to say it’s the most polished and engaging console entry in the Fire Emblem series to date. With the staggering amount of content and more in the pipeline via multiple waves of DLC, the game may very well keep you entertained for the remainder of the Switch’s promising life cycle.
PlatinumGames has developed a superb blend of combat, investigation and stealth in Astral Chain. It’s a game that keeps you on your toes – for better or worse – and like any other title in their arsenal, requires players to get good quickly or die trying. For fans of Bayonetta and Devil May Cry, Astral Chain is a must-buy. An explosive action game that demands your attention.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a beautifully relaxing title – exactly as it should be. With so much to offer in the coming months, such as seasonal events and new NPC characters we have yet to encounter, it’s a rewarding game that takes pride in its little moments of heart-warming joy. If you’re an Animal Crossing fan, you don’t want to miss this.
As part of a much larger story though, Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition delivers finesse in all the right places. A truly polished port (or remastered version if you will), despite its handheld visuals, offering RPG fans a delightful 80+ hour adventure (90+ including Future Connected) and a taste of the Monado’s true power. As always, Xenoblade Chronicles remains one of the most tight-knit storylines of the franchise – and we can’t afford to lose sight of that.
Overall, it’s safe to say that Super Mario 3D All-Stars is a compilation worth its weight in gold. Not only have the games stood the test of time, they remain some of the best 3D platformers of the late ‘90s to early 2000s in existence. Between its visual resolution upgrades to the sheer flexibility of ways to play, Super Mario 3D All-Stars is the triple threat of the Nintendo Switch games’ library – well, until 31st March.
To this day, Super Mario 3D World remains one of the best 3D Mario games that utilises the classic 2D platform style. Sure, it’s not on the grandiose scale of Super Mario Odyssey, but it never intended to be. Designed for couch co-op and online multiplayer, it certainly deserves its time in the Switch port limelight. And while Bowser’s Fury isn’t quite up to scratch, it offers those who owned the original pause for thought. After all, the euphoria from catnip only lasts so long.
With renewed accessibility for newcomers and superb new features for seasoned hunters to get to grips with, Monster Hunter Rise is an enjoyable action RPG that refines many of World’s most successful mechanics. Its impressive scale on screen, combined with its sheer depth in gameplay, makes for a great portable and challenging title. Though not without its flaws, Monster Hunter Rise certainly has the potential to reach a new generation of hunters on the Switch, alongside PC players with its expected arrival on Windows systems next year. Perhaps the question is not whether you will rise to the challenge, but when? And remember, it’s not for the faint of heart.
Square Enix has created yet another incredible world that practically begs for sequels, prequels, or spin-offs. Action-packed strategic battles, a well-orchestrated gripping narrative with replayability due to its multiple paths and endings (plus the convenient inclusion of the NEW GAME+ mode after completing your first playthrough), and complex yet easy to learn and understand polished mechanics make this latest 2D-HD entry from producer Tomoya Asano an easy recommendation for Nintendo Switch.
Bayonetta 3 is one hell of a good time. There is never a dull moment in this action/adventure threequel that’s sure to take your breath away. Even if your only knowledge of Bayonetta is that she’s one of the many characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, now is the perfect time to see what this extraordinary franchise is all about. With polished combat mechanics, gorgeous visuals, and masterful storytelling, Bayonetta 3 is simply bloody brilliant.
Super Mario RPG is a superb remake that perfectly captures the essence of the SNES original. This is not always to its credit, as elements of its platforming in particular have not aged as well as they could have, and the ability to block enemy attacks with Action Commands serves to make the times you can’t feel far more punishing. However, these are minor frustrations that do not tarnish the overall experience in any significant or lasting fashion. Its beautifully remastered visuals and soundtrack, witty dialogue, and engaging combat make Super Mario RPG a modern classic that is more than worth your time.
What used to be one of the best puzzle-platformers on the GBA is now one of the best on Switch. Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a faithful remake that goes above and beyond in just about every facet; whether you’ve already played the original or are completely new to the series. With modern graphics alongside brand new modes, levels, and features, it’s easy to recommend this charming remake based on one of the most iconic rivalries of all time. If you’re still not convinced, you can try out the free demo available now via the Nintendo eShop.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is a heart-racing, immersive survival horror experience thoughtfully tailored for Wii U. The perfect treat for Halloween.
Wind-up Knight 2 on the Wii U eShop satisfies even the hungriest of platform junkies, offering plenty of unique, fun, and challenging content coupled with detailed visuals and addictive gameplay mechanics.
The Pokémon Company have officially announced that Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are the last mainline Pokémon games coming to Nintendo 3DS, so it’s fitting that they feel so fleshed out. While they’re far less ground-breaking than Pokémon Sun and Moon, they provide the definitive way of exploring Alola. If you’re hesitant about double dipping, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon might just have enough new content to get you hooked all over again.