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GOOD - Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure Pack is a decent game for hardcore fans of the beloved Japanese drum rhythm game but I find it hard to recommend it to anyone outside of that core audience. If you’re looking for more variety and a much bigger song list, check out Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n’ Fun, which is more of a greatest hits of the franchise.
GOOD - Taking on the role of a DJ, you’ll be mixing licensed music tracks from plenty of genres to please your venue’s crowds, and also your pals at home. There’s a real skillset to master once you get going in the game, and it’s a lot of fun hearing your creations come to life. Sadly, none of the game’s multiplayer modes worked at all for me on the Nintendo platform, which is a big miss given the full $60 price point, and therefore forced me to play in solo venues only. If dreaming of being a DJ is your thing, you can fake it to make it here with Fuser and feel great as the crowd’s cheer.
GOOD - Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is a fun puzzle game that I can heartily recommend to newcomers as it features bright and colorful graphics, happy music, and a plethora of game modes to enjoy. However, it does very little to improve upon the original game, which can now be purchased for half the price of this one, which gives owners of Puyo Puyo Tetris very little incentive to plop down another $40 for such a similar experience.
GREAT - Bigger and bolder than its predecessor, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle is a fantastic sequel to the Wii cult classic. Now, the game looks better than ever and thanks to the Switch there are plenty of ways to play and stay faithful to the original’s motion controls.
GOOD - If you like puzzle games like Sudoku, you’ll probably find a lot to enjoy with Tens! It’s a bit simpler than some puzzlers, which should appeal to a wider audience. With appealing audio visuals and a somewhat lengthy adventure mode, this is a fun puzzle game to whittle away the time.
GOOD - The much-anticipated Torchlight III has arrived on Nintendo Switch. The familiar art style and fantasy driven themes are back and as enjoyable as ever, however diehard fans of the series may be disappointed with the game’s back steps of previously deeper gameplay and strategy. This comes as a result of the game’s development changing drastically over the years. Still, the game offers all of the expected bullet points of an action-RPG styled game, and there’s a lot of enjoyment to be had with hacking and slashing in multiplayer with a friend.
WORTH CONSIDERING - Wartile brings diorama-based table top gaming to the Nintendo Switch with a Vikings and Norse mythology fictional theme. While the game excels at making a highly creative and unique artistic presentation, many of the game's features felt somewhat incomplete, marred further by a lack of clear game progression and a missed opportunity for stronger miniature character leveling up. Still, gameplay is fairly fluid once you get used to it, and the thematic settings are great. If you’re craving a digital table top micro-experience, Wartile might be something you’ll want to check out despite its shortcomings.
GOOD - Suda51’s original vision is on full display here in No More Heroes. The Switch port is now the best way to play the classic title from the Wii era. It’s not for everyone but fans of superheroes and anime will undoubtedly find joy here.
GREAT - With a nice divided focus between action adventure platform levels and chill farming sequences, you have a great gaming experience that should satisfy your button mashing battle hardened side and fill your calm, peaceful farming simulation needs all in one game.
EXCELLENT - Usually with these kinds of releases, it’s common to see three or four really fun games and then one or two just okay ones, but I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of filler here. Since 2014, it seems Jackbox really has homed in on what makes a good party game. Whether your strong suit is writing, drawing, performing, or listening — whether you’re killing time with friends or streaming to thousands — Jackbox Party Pack 7 has something for the social gamer in all of us.
GREAT - The rough edges are there, but they’re for the most part very easy to ignore. Not only because this was a passion project from a single developer, but because the charming world and bright visuals make for a fun experience whether you’re new to the genre or a seasoned veteran.
GOOD - Ring of Pain is an artistic blend of casual card combat, procedural dungeon running, with some roguelike mechanics. Its strengths are in the short play sessions, and dynamic outcomes that can be had, along with the more advanced strategy that’s possible. Shortcomings include a heavily RNG based system, where sometimes the cards just won’t be in your favor. Additionally, a lack of really any meta unlockable carry-thru content was a strong disappointment for me. Still, I can see myself jamming on a run or two over a lunch break for the foreseeable future without feeling burned out, which says a lot for this genre.
GREAT - Challenging from the start, two characters to choose from, and music that brings the entire package together into an excellent RPG experience. Ys Origin does have its share of little annoyances, like equipping items and repetitive backdrops, but the positives outweigh the negatives enough to call this a solid and enjoyable foray into the world of Ys.
WORTH CONSIDERING - Space Crew, the sequel to Bomber Crew, pits players against the perils of space, managing their crew and spaceship and defending the galaxy from the Phasmids. The game feels less like a sequel, and more like a complete reskin and a version 1.5 from the original. The controls are still a bit complicated, but gameplay is engaging with a lot of micro management to be had, albeit a tad more grinding than I would have hoped for. If you haven’t played Bomber Crew, or you want a new theme for that game, then take to the stars and enjoy some Space Crew.
EXCELLENT - It’s you against 34 other Marios in a quest to be last plumber standing. With plenty of risk/reward gameplay and an exciting twist on a tried-and-true formula, this limited time experience shouldn’t be missed. What are you still doing reading this? Super Mario Bros. 35 is amazing and it’s free for Switch Online subscribers! Go download it now!
EXCELLENT - Hades revolutionizes storytelling by unraveling new dialog and exposition each time you die, making every single attempt at escaping the Underworld new and exciting. The replayability is extremely high here with randomized rooms and perks, and a gameplay loop that will have you saying, “Just one more time!” well past your bedtime. Don’t let the roguelike description scare you away from giving this one a try.
GOOD - Super Mario 3D All-Stars is a (lazy) collection of some of Mario’s best 3D ventures and some of the best video games ever made. Is it an obvious cash grab? Yes. Will you buy it? Probably.
BAD - MX vs ATV All Out is the continuation of a decades long franchise. Regrettably on the Nintendo Switch it falls flat visually, looking heavily dated, and there are some seriously crippling performance problems visually and audibly in multiple areas of the game. Worse off, all of the enthusiast branded vehicle content is tied to paid DLC. If you want to go “All In” with this game, you’d be shelling out nearly $150 in total. My suggestion, however, is to follow suit with the game’s title, and go All Out as far away from this one as you can.
GREAT - Witcheye is a fun platform puzzler with an overall unique Super NES style aesthetic, making it well worth adding to your Nintendo Switch library today.
WORTH CONSIDERING - Mini Motor Racing X is a fast-paced arcade racer with a ton of content to keep you occupied for quite a few hours. Type X mode introduces power-ups & weapons refreshing the title a fair bit from just the standard racing element. Despite the visuals looking a fair bit aged, there’s still fun to be had here, and in particular with friends or Multiplayer for a reasonable $20 price tag. If you like kart or arcade racing games, this one finds a reasonable home on the Nintendo Switch, however there’s quite a few competing games already on the platform, so your mileage may vary.