Everybody 1-2-Switch! is just a very difficult game to enjoy. Most of the minigames are boring, and you have little say over how or if you can even engage with them. The game would be inoffensive if you had access to all minigames from the get go, and needing to unlock all of them individually is a baffling decision when combined with the random selection and weird preference towards UFO and Squats.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is one of the best puzzle games out there, and this remaster only improves on perfection. Its sharp and witty writing is accompanied by a gripping murder mystery plot, a beautiful art style, and an ear worm soundtrack. Ghost Trick absolutely deserves more attention than it got back on the DS, and hopefully this resurrection will change its fate.
While Sonic Origins Plus' additions feel like they should have been in the base game, Amy is a delight to play as. She'll have you playing these four excellent games in new ways, despite some odd design decisions. Unfortunately, the selection of Game Gear games have not aged well and are marred by some terrible sound emulation.
Crash Team Rumble is a pick up and play multiplayer game that is shockingly fun. It gives players freedom while encouraging teamwork, with a variety of stages and characters. It has quirks and imbalances, but you're never too far from the next match or unlockable.
Pikmin 1 and 2 on Switch are the barest of bare bones ports. The clarity added by HD resolution and 16:9 support simply isn't worth losing the improved controls of the Wii versions. In addition, these ports lose some of the original's charm and contain strange glitches. While it's great to have these games available on modern consoles, the Wii or GameCube releases are still the way to go if you can.
Final Fantasy XVI features excellent action combat and an intricate story, both with incredible depth. It combines gameplay, story, sound, and music together into one form all inextricably linked. It sets a new standard for action RPGs, and is quite possibly the pinnacle of the series.
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life does lose some of the original's soul in this remake, but it gains some incredible convenience and quality of life updates to make it much more enjoyable for a modern audience. Returning to the Forgotten Valley is a nostalgic experience for veterans, and newcomers will discover why the original game is a classic.
Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust presents a cool spin on an already amazing combat system. This DLC is small in scope, but as a result is well worth the time investment. The story is nothing new, but with much sharper writing it holds a lot of promise for the teased sequel.
That said, Tears of the Kingdom is a gorgeous game with a wonderful art style that’s able to convey the beautiful, pastoral hills of Central Hyrule, the serene yet sad calm of the sky islands, and the dark, oppressive gloom of the Depths at the same time. It’s incredibly impressive that you’re able to seamlessly dive from the sky, through a canyon, and into the Depths with no loading screens. I did encounter a single loading hitch for about two seconds when sky diving at full speed into Kakariko Village, but everything else is perfectly smooth. Just remember to pull out your paraglider before you hit the ground.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed is a fantastic addition to the Xenoblade Chronicles saga. It ties up the story so far in a nice thematic bow, with equal amounts of new additions and returning favorites. The combat system is tighter and incredibly satisfying, and is even tied to exploration to make you feel like you're always growing. Once again, I can't wait to see what Monolithsoft cooks up next.
DNF Duel had the potential to be a great fighting game for beginners, but is far too shallow and unbalanced to be competitive in. Even so, it's good for a more casual and laid back experience with some great visuals.
Amid Evil is a great throwback to old-school shooters like Quake, and this VR version features some incredibly satisfying combat with immersive controls. However, it is sorely lacking in comfort options which makes it hard to get through even a single level in one session. This works best as a compliment to a flat version.
Strayed Lights is a short and sweet game exploring a unique, defensive combat experience. It can feel shallow and falls short in aspects like the music, but it remains engaging throughout its runtime.
Teslagrad 2 is a fantastic adventure that's over way too soon. The puzzles and platforming are some of the best in the genre, but given your breadth of moves the game doesn't come close to fully exploring what it can do.
Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly is a wonderful followup to a chill and touching story that retains the charm of the original while not feeling bound by it. The character arcs feel even more human and relatable within a fascinating world and branching story.
Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate Episode 2 lets you delve even further into this sci-fi murder mystery, with a gripping if poorly written narrative that provides more thrilling twists and turns. While the middle of this middle chapter can be slow and unsatisfying, this is still an incredibly fun plot to piece together in your head.
MegaMan Battle Network Legacy Collection is a neat package of 6 GBA titles with some interesting features that somewhat capture the appeal of the games. While it could do a lot more, the games themselves are good and the collection makes them easier to enjoy than ever.
Infinite Guitars tries to be a lot of things, and unfortunately doesn't quite succeed at any of them. The rhythm mechanics come the closest, but like the rest of the experience are marred by glitches. Despite the immaculate soundtrack, the rest of the game just isn't finished with a poorly written story and lackluster mechanics.
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a fantastic spinoff depicting an early adventure of a beloved character. Controlling both Cereza and Cheshire to solve puzzles and defeat faeries is a ton of fun, with a lot still left to discover even after the lengthy main story. This is a delightful start to what will hopefully be a fantastic sub-series.
Vernal Edge is a thrilling character action game mixed with an intricate, connected world that's a joy to explore. The story may not be anything to write home about, but the combat and platforming more than make up for that.