Flutter Away is relaxing but uninspiring. It does an excellent job of setting up a peaceful atmosphere that just gives you the space to check out some butterflies, but it’s also over nearly as soon as it starts, and there’s not a ton else to do on a subsequent playthrough. If you're looking for a cozy one-and-done experience to disappear into for a bit, Flutter Away delivers before making good on its title.
Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara isn’t exactly a bold reinvention of the 3D platformer, but it repeatedly proves that it’s got it where it counts. Smooth controls, decent level variety, and lots of collectibles all make this one a fairly easy recommendation, even if it is a little simplistic looking. If you're after 7-10 hours of solid, colourful 3D platforming, we’d suggest giving this one a shot.
It may be a little uneven, but Adore nonetheless stands out from the pack as an innovative new entry in the monster-catching RPG subgenre. The fast-paced combat, detailed team customization, and high level of replayability all make this one easy to recommend, though we say this with the qualifier that performance could be better and the gameplay loop can get pretty grindy. All the same, we'd give this one a recommendation to anyone looking for an interesting new monster catcher - it's a welcome addition to the genre and we hope to see its ideas further explored in future games.
Tiny Thor is a well-crafted retro platforming adventure that no fan of 16-bit gaming will want to miss. Though its controls can be a tad frustrating and its difficulty can be occasionally inconsistent, there's no denying that this a thoroughly enjoyable experience from stem to stern, especially for those who enjoy a fittingly old-school challenge. We'd give this a strong recommendation to anyone looking for another solidly built neo-retro platformer to add to their collection, though we'll caution anyone with slower reflexes to brace yourselves for a rough time. In all the best of ways, Tiny Thor feels like a lost Sega Genesis game, easily worth your time and money.
Disney Illusion Island is a magnificent return to form for Mickey and friends. Though we wish that it was a bit more challenging, the excellent controls, relaxing vibes, whimsical world, and oodles of collectibles all come together to make for a cozy and enjoyable experience you won't want to miss. We strongly recommend you pick up Illusion Island if you're looking for another quality 2D platformer to add to your library, it's full of that elusive Disney magic and is one of the best platformers to release on the Switch this year.
Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes – Definitive Edition is a worthwhile remake of a somewhat obscure puzzle classic. Its clever integration of light RPG elements on top of the puzzling action gives it an impressive amount of strategic depth, while the rotating cast of characters and factions offer plenty of variety in unit types and playstyles across its run. Add this to a strong multiplayer component, and you have a game that easily justifies the cost of entry. Though we were put off a bit by its difficulty spikes and the woes of RNG, this is ultimately a game that we'd give a strong recommendation to anyone looking for an interesting new puzzle game to add to their Switch library.
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is an impressively well-realized revisit to a long-lost RPG classic. What it lacks in length or complexity, it makes up for in charm and quality; this is the kind of game that you can get sucked into for an hour or two at a time without even realizing it. Its laid-back atmosphere, open-ended gameplay, and lovely visuals all combine to make this a must-buy for fans of the series, and a highly recommended title for those who want to see what Atelier is all about.
In keeping with tradition, Sonic Origins Plus is a bit of a mixed bag. The new playable characters, Game Gear games, and other content feel just barely worth the upgrade fee, but there's no escaping the sense that Sega could've done a lot more for this update and chose not to. While the overall package is a strong one, we'd give the new content of this expansion a very light recommendation as it does ultimately feel worth the price tag (for existing owners). But how much value this will hold to you depends heavily on how much nostalgia you have for the Game Gear and how badly you want to play as Amy in the classic games. Here's hoping that Sonic Superstars provides an old-school Sonic experience that feels less underwhelming.
Dr. Fetus' Mean Meat Machine doesn't meet the standard that Super Meat Boy set, but it's a serviceable puzzler that does bring something new to the genre. Appealing visuals and tight controls are positives here, though these are balanced out by the often excessively punishing difficulty and the lack of multiplayer or other modes. We'd give this one a light recommendation if you're tired of falling block puzzlers treading the same ground and want to try something that stands out from the pack. Otherwise, we'd suggest sticking with games like Mixolumia and Lumines Remastered.
Pair all of the above with spritework and sound design that feels amateurish, and Skautfold: Usurper ultimately comes off as more of a mid-effort flash game than a properly polished new eShop release. There are flashes of fun every now and then, but none of the ideas or concepts here cohere into something that’s worth your time. If you’re looking for a solid Metroidvania with Soulslike elements, Blasphemous, Hollow Knight, and Salt and Sanctuary all offer up a substantially more polished and enjoyable experience.
Convergence: A League of Legends Story successfully blends a cool visual style with fun time-bending action to make for a Metroidvania that's well worth a shot. Though it's on the short side, Convergence uses this to its advantage to craft a thrillingly well-paced adventure which will likely hook you until its end. That said, it's important to underline that this Switch port suffers from some noticeable performance issues, even if the rewind mechanic helps remedy mistakes frame drops might cause. All the same, we still enjoyed our time with Convergence and would recommend it to anyone looking for yet another Metroidvania to add to their collection. The genre may feel overstuffed, but this game is a good example of why there's always room for one more good one.
It may be confusing to navigate, but Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun has definitely got it where it counts. When you aren't busy trying to remember how many times you've been through a certain room, the comically violent combat sequences offer up consistently thrilling engagements with just the right amount of difficulty. We wish that it controlled a little better, but it's impossible to deny that Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is just a plain fun game to tear through. We'd recommend this to anyone looking for a solid boomer shooter to add to their library; it's not a game that you need to rush out and play right away, but you'll probably be satisfied once you get around to it.
Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection feels like an odd release to recommend, but we'd be doing you a disservice to suggest you pass on it. On one hand, the three games are undeniably solid DRPGs that are worth your time and attention. On the other, the cost at launch feels astronomical for what are essentially straight, no-frills HD ports of decade-old portable titles. This collection is worthwhile because this series is and always has been great, but the collection itself feels subpar given the rather lackluster effort that has gone into bringing them to modern hardware. We'd still give Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection a recommendation, but with the caveat that you're probably better off either waiting for a deep sale or just buying one of the games-we would recommend Etrian Odyssey III the most out of these three. Etrian Origins Collection may not be the 'definitive' re-release that many hoped it would be, but these games are well-respected in the DRPG space for good reason and it's great to see them on Switch.
Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! feels like a fitting, worthy new entry in the long-running series. There's a rich mixture of single and multiplayer/online modes on offer here, and though the AI bots can leave something to be desired, this is overall a well-rounded and appealing package that's sure to appeal to any action puzzle fans. We'd give this one a recommendation to anyone looking for an addictive puzzler that doesn't require too much mental investment to 'get' and that keeps you on your toes. The simple and brilliant game design on display here is admirable and it's sure to eat up hours of your time once it gets its hooks in you.
Super Dungeon Maker has a lot of potential and perhaps with time it'll become something great. For now, it feels like an egg that still needs significantly more time to incubate before it can hatch. Intuitive creator controls, an endless well of community-crafted content, and charming visuals are all big positives here, but the lack of any overarching progression, no touchscreen controls, and it feeling generally unfinished really hold this one back from being anything exceptional. If you have faith that the developers will eventually realize the full scope of their vision, then we'd certainly encourage you to crack this one open, but those who are more wary of early-access titles will want to wait and see. Super Dungeon Maker is just an average experience for now - here's hoping that it eventually delivers on its promise.
It may not last very long, but Nuclear Blaze is a cool action platformer that does a good job of exploring its core idea of prioritizing fighting fires over fighting enemies. Things like Hold My Beer Mode and all the hidden cats help pad out the replayability a bit, while the strong level design and tight gameplay makes the moment-to-moment action feel worthwhile. For 15 bucks, Nuclear Blaze feels like it does just enough to justify the price of admission, especially if you're a fan of 2D action games; we'd recommend you give it a go.
Minecraft Legends, at least on Switch, is an average game at very best, but frustrating controls, terrible AI, and repetitive gameplay all come together to make for something that feels substantially beneath the quality of the Minecraft brand. Though we commend the developers for trying something new here, this is easily the worst Minecraft spinoff Mojang has produced. We'd recommend this one to only the most enthusiastic of Minecraft fans, and even then, only if you opt for the PC version. If you don't have a PC or don't want it there, then we'd suggest you pass; Minecraft Legends on the Switch simply isn't worth your time or money.
If you can get past the bugs and performance issues at launch, The Mageseeker proves itself to be yet another strong addition to Riot's growing catalogue of intriguing spin-off games. Sylas's bittersweet quest supplies a compelling story that nicely complements the fast-paced combat and magic-stealing action, providing fans with an enjoyable action experience that fans of 2D action games will want to take note of. We'd give The Mageseeker a high recommendation to anyone looking for another good retro hack 'n' slash for their collection-this one is deeper than it may appear on the surface, and it stands up well next to peers such as Unsighted or Hyper Light Drifter.
It's clear that a lot of effort and love went into Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection; this is a worthwhile re-release that gives you a lot of bang for your buck. While everyone will have their favorite, the Mega Man Battle Network series remained remarkably consistent throughout its whole run, due in no small part to the innovative battle system and charming storylines present in each entry. If you're a fan of Mega Man and haven't given these games a shot yet, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up immediately. Even if you're not a Rockman enthusiast, these games each offer up some inventive RPG experiences that are certainly worth your time.
Batora: Lost Haven is the perfect example of a damningly mediocre experience. The few things that it does well-such as its energetic combat and engaging choice system-are nothing that you haven't seen done before elsewhere, while the things that it misses-such as its storytelling and puzzle design-really take the wind out of its sails. Batora has its redeeming traits, but it feels like this is one that just never quite manages to pull everything together in a way that feels worthwhile. This is the kind of game that we wouldn't necessarily recommend you buy or skip; if it feels to you like this is up your alley, then maybe it's worth the punt if you can get it on sale, but you won't be missing out on much if you choose to pass.