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ARMS can be seen as the boldest move that Nintendo has made in some time, and an absolute knockout experience to play.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is an enjoyable experience and although Shantae doesn’t necessarily bring anything brand new to the table you can see the respect, love and polish the developers have for the genre that led them to create a game like this in the first place. With strong platformers already on the Switch such as Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment, Blaster Master Zero and Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero stands strong and proudly amongst them.
Ever Oasis presents a wonderfully captivating tale that, despite the sizzling desert heat, enchants like no other. Magical, entrancing and beautifully presented, it’s playful looks may scream with a childlike appeal but, make no mistake, this is an RPG with tremendous depth that all ages will enjoy exploring.
However, Little Inferno will not be everybody’s cup of tea and at some points, you will be really enjoying the experience and then all of a sudden think the opposite, it really is that kind of game. It’s a relatively enjoyable experience but I personally would try out the two other Switch games by the same developer first before becoming a pyromaniac in Little Inferno.
As a multiplayer title, Astro Duel Deluxe is an absolute blast. It works gracefully in tabletop mode and brings the golden age into the 21st century on the Switch. You may not get hours of gameplay per sitting but I could imagine this being the go-to game to settle disputes within some circle of friends.
I really wanted to like De Mambo. It’s oozing with great ideas and potential. Add that to a mix of inspiration from several beloved genres and you should get a dish that tastes of a classic indie title. However, it does seem that the chefs at The Dangerous Kitchen wrote a recipe down with a certain ingredient and stubbornly tried to force it to work in hope of a new flavour. A trait that even legendary developers can sometimes fall victim to.
Human Resource Machine is a really smart game and one that makes you feel like both a mastermind at times and, well, quite the opposite too. It throws a unique spin on the puzzle genre which many fans will love but also at times grow frustrated at due to the difficulty spike.
I and Me is a charming and simple little time waster. There isn’t really any replayabilty found in this title unless you have had a bad day at work or have a sudden impulse for self-discovery, as the only real depth in this game is found within its fitting but questionable dialogue.
Summer is Splatoon 2‘s for the taking, Nintendo building on their refreshingly original idea to produce a sequel that makes improvements across the board. It won’t take long for the game’s tentacles to wrap around you, gleefully inking your turf for hours on end. With Li’l Judd lifting a flag to indicate the victor, Splatoon 2 presents a clear win for Nintendo.
Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star packs plenty of promise, but falls short in certain areas. Gratifying combat can’t outweigh an experience that is too readily prepared to let players sit and read through great lengths of text. When you eventually get to the action it can be spectacular, there just isn’t enough of it.
In the end though, Hey! Pikmin is a solid game and a decent first attempt at bridging out the franchise to multiple genres. The Pikmin seem to have a lot more personality in this game than previous entries and you get to see a more playful side to them. It isn’t the longest game out there but there are plenty of things to do that will elongate the experience such as beating each level without losing any Pikmin, as that grants you a gold trophy and of course you can challenge yourself to find every single piece of treasure in the game.
Miitopia will win you over with laughter, but not in the same baffling ways as Tomodachi Life once did. There’s little chance that you will play a wackier game this year, but Miitopia‘s undoing lies in how quickly repetition sets in. Quirky but lacking depth, there’s untapped potential for a grander adventure if Nintendo choose to revisit the idea.
It may not be as pretty, deep and fluid as the bigger titles it aspires to be, but it definitely did take me by surprise with how much I actually enjoyed it. With its fair price tag and replayability hook, Implosion happens to be a great little bit on the side.
Despite its visual and audio charm, Ultra Hyperball lacks any real depth and variety to make this a title worth remembering. The multiplayer modes can be fun, but it is a shallow experience that will wade out pretty quickly.
As it stands, the unique serpentine physics in Snake Pass makes it stand out from the crowd, and that should be applauded. Gratifying when it all comes together, it regularly treads some nail-biting moments that only add to what amounts to an enjoyable experience that will leave you as wide-eyed as the game’s slippery protagonist.
Death Squared is available on other platforms, but it, incredibly, feels at home on Nintendo Switch – in tandem with the simplicity of handing a Joy-Con to another play to quickly get them in on the action. If anything, this is a game that I will remember for the trash talking alone.
Namco Museum is a compelling throwback to the glorious coin-op era, boasting a library that presents many shared experiences that are a perfect fit with the Nintendo Switch mantra to let you play anywhere, at anytime, and with anyone. Some duds detract and, maybe, the price is slightly too high, but Pac-Man Vs. alone soon easily makes this a retro collection that you won't want to miss out on.
NBA Playgrounds is fun, of that there is no doubt. It’s just that the fun doesn’t last all that long. After playing a few matches I simply had no motivation to have another without taking a break from it first. If you’re a huge basketball fan and you’re planning on playing a lot of local multiplayer, it’ll be far more appealing to you. If all you want is a game that will ease the itch for an over the top street basketball game in the same vein as NBA Jam then this will satisfy it somewhat. Just don’t expect it to become your favourite ever basketball game, because it has some way to go.
GoNNER is a great introduction to the roguelike genre. It may be short, but that doesn’t mean you will blast through it quickly even though its high difficulty may seem a bit too challenging for some. It plays and looks great on the TV screen and it fits nicely as a portable title.
Flip Wars entertains as soon as the panic-induced butt-stomping draws out your unawakened competitive spirit but soon falls flat as you realise there isn’t much breadth to the experience. Suited to quick burst multiplayer sessions every now and then, it’s harder to recommend to those looking for something that will keep them hooked for longer.