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While treading the same ground as the original Guacamelee, this sequel take a familiar formula, and spices it up with a few new mechanics, a great story, and tons of rewards for those willing to face the plethora of optional challenges and side quests scattered throughout the world
Calling Windjammers “The most entertaining sports game ever made” is quite a stretch, but this is a very fun game. That said, this Neo Geo port is $14.99 on Nintendo Switch, and if you manage to find any online competition you've succeeded where I have not. So bookmark this one, but for a future sale.
Smash Bros.Ultimate does a great job bringing together all of the characters from previous titles. It also does well at representing a vast history of gaming. Spirits Mode did a great job of including characters in the game and giving a solid feel like a tribute to gaming history. The ability to adjust and customize a game to one's liking certainly is a standout feature. With so many characters, stages and game modes, Smash Bros. Ultimate is a fantastic experience whether it is your first time or you're a series veteran.
Overall, Storm Boy was a disappointment to me. I thought it would be a lot longer as well. I completed the game in an hour and most of the time spent was due to having to stop and read the story as well as goofing around with the drawing in the sand mini-game. You could probably beat the game in less than 10 minutes or so if you skipped the optional mini-games.
LEGO DC Super-Villains is rather buggy, but it'll keep you playing, and fans should have it high on their wish list.
Rival Megagun successfully blends the tried-and-true shmup formula with a competitive fighter. The single-player is fun though a little short, but the multiplayer mode offers plenty of options for all-out shooter battles with your friends.
Overall, Everspace: Stellar Edition is a fantastic addition to any Switch library.
As it stands, although it's fairly priced, Puzzle Wall simply needs more content. It's a fun way to kill some time at a children's party, but it won't be long before they're done with it and on to better games.
Despite some instances of odd acting, The Shapeshifting Detective is a fun supernatural crime drama that will leave you wanting more. This works well, since the story can be finished in a short amount of time. Coupled with a variety of decisions and character interactions via the shapeshifting mechanic, this gritty detective story is a great entry for the Switch library.
A poor gameplay experience leaves a lot to be desired for Timber Tennis: Versus, in an overall forgetable experience.
I said earlier that not everyone will want to play Gris. That's fair. But if you do, and if you're able to connect with its themes, I think you'll find it's a game well worth experiencing. Even if you don't connect with it emotionally, the creative and gorgeous visuals combined with the haunting music should be more than enough to carry you through. I'd suggest playing it in docked mode to fully take in the artwork, but the music and audio effects are better experienced with headphones. Either way, give Gris a try. You'll be happy you were with her.
Gear.Club Unlimited 2 can be entertaining, but it is a real mixed bag. For $59.99 it's missing some features and that extra level of polish I'd expect. I'd suggest trying to find the first game on sale to get a better idea if this full-priced sequel is for you. Perhaps the value will increase when Eden Games finishes it and implements online races. A patch to reduce the load times would also be advantageous.
Cabela's: The Hunt – Championship Edition turns out to be quite a good game for what it is, with its authentic approach to hunting. I played it through to completion. It's available as a $49.99 package with a solid plastic gun. If that larger peripheral isn't your thing, the game can be found alone for 39.99 which I think is fair for what's here.
Bass Pro Shops: The Strike – Championship Edition lacks the wide appeal of The Hunt in my opinion, but I think avid fisherman could really get into it. As a sport in general, I think fishing attracts broader interest, but the design choices here mean virtual anglers would be best served with real-life experience. This is still a good game, and one to which I'll probably return at some point.
Crashlands is a light-hearted romp, in which you are free to explore a fun alien planet at your own pace and make a little part of it feel like home.
Jeopardy, while still fun, has a number of issues. It’s visually bare bones, with no shots of the studio or players. The board shows pictures on a handful of answers, but the overall look is lacking ambition and a bit dull.
Overall, Sega Genesis Classics is a neat collection to have on the go and on your Switch.
A trio of classic board games packed together into a single Nintendo Switch Game Card, Hasbro Game Night tries to offer a good bang for the buck. It almost succeeds, too. Only one dud prevents me from declaring this a great package, though I still feel it’s a good one.
The initial thrill is sizable, but once it tapers off, Mega Man 11 reveals itself to just be a good game, not a great one. There's no shame in that; I'm just grateful the blue bomber is back. I'd hoped for something that better balanced the old-school with innovation after all this time, but that isn't something the series has generally been known for. The familiarity is comforting in many ways, so for those with nostalgic interest, I recommend the physical amiibo edition with some cool extras.
My son and I had some fun playing through, and you can bet the next time I get together with my college friends we'll be firing it up for some quick laughs. But if you haven't played Heavy Barrel before it's best to just avoid it and stick with a game that's woven a little more intricately into your past.