SmashPad's Reviews
Super Mario Bros. Wonder Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park does a good job of showing the value of upgrading to the Switch 2 edition of this game. With a good amount of new multiplayer-focused content, you can get some extra enjoyment out of Super Mario Bros. Wonder. I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it if you didn’t have friends or family to play it with, unless you really want to play as Rosalina, but this is one of the few Switch 2 editions that offers a good amount of value and is worth the cost if you already have the base edition of the game.
Fishbowl was a real pleasure to experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. While a low number of people will be eager to think back to the lockdowns and the pandemic, the simple gameplay and personal narrative within the game really opened my eyes to how the human mood works.
MLB The Show 26 is just a great game of baseball that is the wokest sports game around that I’ll keep playing for far too long until it gets in the way of my other duties.
Homura Hime isn’t perfect, as it can be repetitive at points, but it is certainly a lot of fun to play despite the indie budget you can detect.
If you feel burned by false promises of long-running franchises going “back to basics,” it’s comforting to know that Virtua Fighter never left its fundamentals behind, and it is all the better for that. The 3D fighting world may finally be healing, and it’s only fitting that the game that started it all is the one to start turning things around.
Unless you’re a huge fan of this iteration of Mega Man, you'll likely stumble over clunky gameplay and story elements. But if you’re interested in how gaming history is kept alive by bringing DS titles to modern platforms, then this collection might be worth your perusal.
To see the series back in this form, firing on all cylinders, feels really good. The itch has well and truly been scratched, and I know I’ll be playing this one for a long time. Even if you are new to the series, and let’s face it, almost everyone who will be playing this game, will be, you’re in for a truly wonderful racing experience. Screamer is finally home, and Michele, do not let this one go again.
DAMON and BABY will be a key cult success this year. It has a lot of heart, a great message, remarkable combat, an enthralling world, funny characters and scenarios, it’s different, and genuinely challenging (especially if you play the game wrong like I did). More than any other game this year so far, this one made me smile the most and there’s great value in that when the times are tough and it’s hard to find other reasons to smile. This game absolutely deserves its time in the spotlight.
Unexpectedly, Mr. Sleepy Man stands as one of few games that made me reconsider my thoughts partway through my play session. It’s a game that intends to be unapologetically itself with it’s open floor concept for players to cause mayhem, and features hundreds of collectibles to keep players busy for a while. The game does all of this while sporting a unique soundtrack, as well as a nostalgic but enjoyable retro aesthetic with homages to N64 platformers.
Review incoming.
Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! bets big and differently on production and wins. The concepts and framing are what make it unique and enhance the game as a total package. The game itself is very fun and solid, but doesn’t advance the genre in terms of gameplay or mechanics, it’s just other stuff done very well. I’d stay here and talk with y’all more, but I can hear Federation police at my door for not giving this simulation a shining, perfect endorsement so that’s all from me. Go do your part!
That said, in spite of all of these caveats, I’m still going to recommend MIO. Do not get it twisted: this game is hard. It will challenge you, it will take your wits to the breaking point, and it will require navigating some design choices that seem absolutely insane. But once it finally clicks for you, it becomes one of the most addictive platformers you’ll ever play. Just be prepared to die a lot. Because you will.
Pokémon Pokopia marks the moment that the series finally reached the expectations I’ve long had for a home console title in this franchise. Pokémon Pokopia is easily one of the best games on the Switch 2, and I’ll go ahead and say it’s better than any Pokémon game on the original Switch
At the end of the game, I felt immense satisfaction. With all but a couple trophies awarded (that I may go back for at some point) and a couple faults worth mentioning, it still felt complete and like something substantial was accomplished. It’s a wonderful playthrough that respects you, your time, money, hard drive space, and effort. This is yet another awesome indie that deserves support and all the praise it’s getting. Don’t delay – shoot today!
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is a lovingly intrepid take on the series' conventions. There's a palpable whimsy to its character-driven moments and punchy, elephantine vigor to its action that rivals the greats. All series fans need to give this a go, even if you were repulsed from the spinoffs before.
I have a lot of problems with Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE, but I still enjoyed certain aspects of it since it’s still a Fatal Frame game through and through. However, its reliance on cheap, arbitrary nonsense in regard to combat and its blatant padding and repetition were more irksome than I would have liked.
Towards the end of my journey with Planet of Lana II, I stayed curious as to what happens next. There's a lot more to discover here, and discoveries to be made. A short but sweet game like this often has players longing for more, but I can safely say that this one is worth every minute of your time.
Scott Pilgrim EX is a great game, and I like that it takes some chances to bring its foundations up a notch with the intention of making it even better than great, but it falls short of that because it also feels like the game rests on its own laurels as a great multiplayer beat-em-up. I hope the next Scott Pilgrim game doesn't settle for just being great because the potential to go beyond that is definitely there.
Even if you have never played a game in this franchise before, I urge you to give this a try, since it’s now more accessible. Between all the exploration, combat maneuvers, and Kain and Raziel’s stories, there’s a lot here to find fascinating.
Despite the controversy and the plethora of missing content, I still had a pretty great time during my nearly 40 hours with Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Tides. It makes some unnecessary changes, that’s for sure, some of which are quite disappointing (including the needless retcons at the end that will have serious ramifications for Yakuza 4‘s story), but the combat’s so much better than the original’s that it’s hard for me to be too cross about it.