The King of Fighters '98 is a welcome addition to the Nintendo Switch library and kudos to Hamster Corporation for converting a classic on to the system so cleanly. With a deep gameplay mechanic and interesting character skill sets, it's a classic brought back to life with the convenience of the console.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
To sum it up, Slime-san is a great little platformer with well-honed controls meaning that you can’t blame anyone but yourself for any silly mistakes that you make. For as little as a tenner, it’s bursting at the seams with content with plenty to do and unlock to keep you entertained for a very long time.
If you are the type of person who could be locked in a room for twelve hours, content with nothing more than a fidget spinner and a bucket then you will love Phantom Trigger. It’s amazing. For everyone else, you will probably get very little satisfaction from this extremely repetitive and frustratingly boring dungeon brawler.
League of Evil is a fun little game and still satisfies that craving that it set out to do several years ago. It doesn't quite have the personality and flair that Slime-san possesses and even back in the day it was never in the same league as Super Meat Boy, but it does have its own little charm and style. There's still plenty of addictive fun to be had that will certainly test your skills and patience. Add that with the added cross-play level editor and you're unlikely to run out of challenges as long as the community keeps the creativity alive.
To those well versed in rogue-like games, NeuroVoider may seem a bit run-of-the-mill in terms of bringing anything brand new to the genre. To those that are a little less experienced though – myself included – it is a great introduction to the genre that is very addictive and challenging but never unfair. The easy mode is a great way to sink your teeth in and that alone holds plenty of challenge. It is The Binding Of Issac: Afterbirth+ on a budget if you want to compare value and likeness, but don’t compare them both too much because NeuroVoider definitely does hold its own.
At first glance, Lichtspeer: Double Speer Edition does appear as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. As it happens, over time it grows to be a fun little title that is pleasingly addictive that will fill those small gaps of spare time nicely. No paywalls, no ads, and no brainless screen tapping. Just a small independent project by an equally sized development team obviously having a bit of fun with a simple concept that works.
Packed with a robust story mode and a sack full of content Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 gives the aficionado and newcomer to the series plenty of excuses to have a good old scrap. It may not be as deep or nearly as balanced as a conventional fighter series like Street Fighter or Guilty Gear, but there is enough depth here to learn how to “git gud” if given the chance. The Nintendo Switch version is a commendable port and to finally have the chance to throw down Kamehameha’s with the smelly old drunk on the bus is well worth the purchase alone.
One Piece: Unlimited World Red Deluxe Edition has so much potential to be a great game. It’s attractive, colourful, and well written, with a stack of content and a great soundtrack to match. I can’t lie, I really did enjoy this title a lot. But, the limited combat and poor camera control do underwhelm. As a Deluxe Edition for a five-year-old game, there was plenty of opportunity to build on these foundations to truly make it the definitive version.
If you have a soft spot for the arcade classics from back in the day, or even hold a competitive bond between friends, then INVERSUS Deluxe is a no-brainer. To be able to pull this title out of your bag wherever you want makes this now portable coin-op style experience a fantastic addition to the ever convenient Nintendo Switch. Whilst it may not provide hours of longevity, it’s definitely one to go back to time and time again. Especially in the company of good, like-minded friends.
Robonauts is a game that really does deserve to be good. It has a bunch of decent ideas loosely brainstormed across its brief campaign that ultimately turns an interesting concept into a short-lived gimmick, making the overall experience fun but somewhat a little short and disjointed.
Despite the collectable skulls that are so well hidden on each level, the gameplay is very straightforward and linear. There’s only a total of 20 stages with a sixth portal that conceals a final boss, making it a very short game overall, although its fair price point is well worth the content that it provides. It’s a game that can quite easily keep you satisfied for a weekend at least, or longer if you’re brave enough to face its highest difficulty. BUTCHER‘s Nintendo Switch release has arrived at a great time though, for it serves as a fine little appetiser to tide you over until the main course of DOOM is served.
If you have never played a Metroid game before then Axiom Verge is a great way to get your feet wet and see what the fuss is about. Even if you are a veteran of the series it will most certainly satisfy that nostalgic crave that is so fondly remembered. As a game that stands on its own, it’s an incredible effort by a one-man army that had me glued to the screen for hours on end. Everything works so effortlessly in sync, and is topped with a layer of polish that can only ever be found with tons of loving hard work, care and attention. With plenty of hours of gameplay, neat ideas and lots to explore Axiom Verge is a must-have title for your Nintendo Switch.
While usually not as chaotic as your typical shoot-em-up of a similar genre, Earth Atlantis does provide a certain unique ambience that is a joy to be a part of. Being maxed out with weaponry feels good, killing a giant sea monster feels great but the clutter that’s in between does eventually feel like work. Which makes this game best played in short burst. If you hunt a monster a day to keep the apocalypse at bay then Earth Atlantis is great fun and well worth a gander, but if you dive in too deep too soon, then you may fatigue long before you reach the surface.