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Arranger is a creative outing with a perfectly balanced sense of adventure. The light-hearted tone is coupled with the unique sliding mechanic to present something different and, most importantly, fun. This is a title worth checking out.
At its best, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is a game I love, and I say that as someone typically not a speedrunning fan. But Nintendo did not give the NES the same respect here that they did in the NES Remix titles. This approach is more indifferent without question, reflecting a company going through the motions with this release. Only Nintendo can still manage to pull off a game this good-possibly one of my favorites of 2024-despite such bad habits.
I'm not a fan of jumping puzzle games, but SCHiM managed to win me over. Its minimalist art style, inventive use of shadows and movement, and the idea that the game makes sure that messing up doesn't feel too frustrating, kept me engaged level after level.
Morbid: The Lords of Ire is another in a long line of fighter games trying to be gory for gore's sake. Although it's mostly well done, there's not much to differentiate it from the rest of the pack. Its visual quirks can be ignored, but it still seems to be a little less than what it could be.
Overall, SPYxANYA: Operation Memories is a game for fans of the anime or manga it's based on, but not for anyone else.
NeoSprint updates the '70s arcade racer with the modern features you'd expect from Atari: multiple racing modes, numerous tracks, a track builder, etc. Unfortunately, it locks most of the content behind the single-player campaign mode, and it doesn't include online multiplayer. The fun is there, you just have to work to get to it.
Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is a fun, accessibly challenging game that looks fantastic on the Switch. There aren't enough new elements or improvements to help it compare to Luigi's Mansion 3, but it's still an enjoyable romp, especially for those who didn't visit Evershade Valley on the 3DS.
Monster Hunter Stories may be aimed at a younger audience than Capcom's standard Monster Hunter games, but it still requires plenty of strategy when it comes to the turn-based fighting and reaching further in the game. If you'd rather collect and raise animals than hunt them, this is your story.
Braid, Anniversary Edition is the definitive version of a terrific platformer. This classic title has been enhanced with improved graphics, along with a detailed commentary integrated into the game itself. A lot of effort has been put into building something special, from 2008 until today.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate brings a new way of playing to fans of the green, teen heroes. The story, visuals, and gameplay are all great, though a few bugs hamper the experience. The simple roguelike elements won’t be too jarring for fans of the typical side-scrolling style of gameplay.
Megaton Musashi W: Wired has a good-enough story and decent-enough gameplay to keep mech enthusiasts entertained, but the real attraction lies in the myriad ways to customize and overpower your robot. Players will want to spend more time in the hangar than on the battlefield. I think that's OK in this case, as the battlefield isn't terribly exciting.
Beyond Good & Evil is proving a timeless game, and $19.99 for this 20th Anniversry edition with extras and updates is "beyond" fair. In truth, the original was already great back in the day, though being beloved by critics didn't translate into high sales. So, I'm happy that this action-adventure is getting progressively more popular with the advancement of time, as it's an outstanding game not to be missed!
Metal Slug Attack Reloaded is a massive disappointment. The bones of a fun game are there, but unfortunately, it's dragged down by brutal spikes in difficulty, creating a game that verges on unplayable and certainly unenjoyable.
There's No Dinosaurs 2 offers a cute hidden-object outing with enough extras to keep players engaged despite its simplicity.
Reigns: Beyond is a cute, quirky adventure with excellently designed art, music, and storytelling delivered in a simple yet engaging format that works better on the Switch than most other mobile-friendly games.
If you find a seed of promise in the silly title of Epic Dumpster Bear 1.5 DX: Dumpster Fire Rebirth, you will not be disappointed in the least. This enhanced version of the Wii U game must be played in earnest if you want to complete the levels, and the healthy balance of challenge and whimsy will make it a quite endearing addition to your game library.
Cat Pipes has a cute premise that isn't executed well. Apart from lackluster graphics ,the tutorial is broken. While the puzzles are somewhat fun, there's not much challenge and nothing beneath the surface.
Overall, Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior is a solid game. The strategy portion mixed with the hack 'n' slash was well done, though I didn't care for the game forcing you to switch up your gameplay style throughout the entire experience.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak takes a while to get moving, but is otherwise as J as JRPGs can get. A new cast of characters and the new settings make it more accessible than previous Trails releases on the Switch, and gameplay tweaks will please those who don't enjoy the grind of turn-based combat and complex party management.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance adds enough new content and fixes enough problems to more than justify this update. It's a much better experience overall, and is an easy recommendation for JRPG gamers…especially if you lost your way during the original release.