For those reasons and more, it continues to baffle me as to why Stubbs got this modern re-release. The story is fine, but clever narratives can only take a game so far. Nothing about this game feels like it belongs in 2021, whether it's the repetitive gameplay or the dated graphics. Like Stubbs' character in this specific story, this game should be approached as a curiosity and nothing more.
The Blizzard Arcade Collection isn't a perfect compilation by any means, but for the advancements that Blizzard made on some of these games without compromising the old-school visuals make it a must-own. The Museum is also a fun look back at the making of some of these old gems. Rock N Roll Racing by itself is more than worth the price of admission, but The Lost Vikings and Blackthorne are such unique time capsules of old-school Blizzard design that they're worth experiencing.
Greatness in simplicity has been the best way to describe Nintendo for decades and there are few better examples than Super Mario 3D World. Bowser's Fury is the angry icing on the cake.
For anyone looking for a challenge, Cyber Shadow is going to make their day. This would have fit in like a glove with the old NES library, next to Ninja Gaiden, Contra, and Castlevania. Those who remember those days and remember nearly getting an aneurism over how crushingly difficult those old games were, maybe sit this one out.
To compare Super Meat Boy Forever to its predecessor is folly. They're two different types of games, but Team Meat makes sure to inject its unique seasoning into both. As far as auto-runners go, Forever stands along the top as one of the best in the genre, despite a short story length. With so many possible stage layouts, a multitude of challenging mechanics, and Team Meat's fluid platforming design, it makes this game feel like a joy.
Ubisoft Quebec aimed high with Immortals Fenyx Rising, crafting a new hero, an epic tale filled with larger-the-life gods and terrifying monsters, and a giant island playground. It's an exciting story filled with memorable characters, even if some of the twists near the end are a bit hard to swallow. It doesn't quite pack the same punch as the studio's previous effort, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, if only because there aren't as many NPCs or other characters to play off of. For what it is, though, Immortals is a fun island getaway with simple-to-grasp combat and a lot of well thought-out puzzles. The Immortals legend isn't fully realized yet, but this is at least a good start.
Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory doesn't always hit the right note. But as somebody who's followed the series for many years, there couldn't be a better tribute to its unforgettable music. It's pure Disney magic.
For pure musical fun, there are few games in 2020 better than Fuser.
Pikmin 3 feels like the strategy game for people who aren't really into strategy games, sort of like how Hades is the roguelike for people who don't dig roguelikes. After a while, you forget that you're playing a strategy game and you become enraptured by the beautiful environments, the adorable Pikmin creatures, and the chaos that gradually descends on you as the day goes on. That's the Pikmin 3 Deluxe experience and it's one worth checking out if you haven't already.
Just make sure to turn the volume down, because you'll get so sick of the game's one song and its different variations that you'll never want to hear it again after hearing it drone on for about an hour.
The Jackbox Party Pack 7 isn't the best of the bunch, but it's still a solid game night for anybody looking to pass the time with friends and family that they don't get to see as much these days.
Just make sure to get your battle royale on while you can, because in six months, your Mario battle royale game will be in another castle.
While Kirby Fighters 2 is fun for a night with a co-op partner, there's little entertainment beyond that. There are better Kirby games out there. Try those instead.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars is frustrating, because it could be more. It could be so much more. But even with Nintendo phoning it in, the games themselves are such classics that they're still worth putting in your Switch library. Just make sure you add it before it goes away forever.
Spelunky 2 is a treasure in every way, one you'll be glad you've discovered.
Bounty Battle is one of the coolest ideas for a game I've seen in some time, which is partly why I feel like part of my soul has been crushed. This game is an absolute mess. It's presentation is terrible, the character models are laughable, the systems are confusing, and it made me wonder half the time if my PC was broken. Given the rich roster of wonderful indie characters, this should have been a contender. Instead, this fighter's career is over before the bell even rang.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered is a lot of things, but a classic is not one of them.
I don't know if I'll see more games inspired by classic existential literature. Is a gaming adaptation of Camus' The Stranger on the way? Who knows? But for what it is, Metamorphosis is a pretty fun way to experience an all-time classic story.
Dontnod knows just what it wants to say and it says it beautifully.
Battletoads does have its good moments, between its beat 'em up gameplay, metal-heavy soundtrack, and strong boss design. It's just drowned out by its awful pacing and poor comedy that gets maybe a couple of chuckles from the entirety of its brief five-hour adventure.