Nintendo Enthusiast

It’s hard to simply review a game from a bygone era in a modern setting. Comparing it to modern standards doesn’t seem entirely fair. But I can say this: Dragon’s Lair on the Nintendo Switch made me feel like a kid again. The animation is an art form all on its own that has been preserved through the decades-long legacy of Dragon’s Lair.

City of Brass is an admittedly tough game. Despite that, it makes you want to keep trying over and over again because of what you learn. The trial-and-error aspect is mitigated also by the procedurally generated levels. Plus it feels great when you have a good run going and make it just a bit further than you did before. Pick yourself back up, wipe off that sand, and crack that whip. You won’t regret it.

Pumped BMX Pro is a game that will scratch an itch that Trials fans may have until Trials Rising arrives next month. While it can never match up to RedLynx’s brilliant racer, this is very much a budget title. The challenges on each level offer you an interesting way into the game and force you to try new things.

It wears thin pretty quickly, and the added minigames just aren’t that fun. As a quick refresher between Grand Prix in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Circle of Sumo will serve well, but that’s the height of its potential. As far as local multiplayer goes, you can do a lot better elsewhere on the Switch eShop, especially in a post-Ultimate world.

JackQuest: The Tale of the Sword is a mediocre effort in the 2D platformer genre. While this review was mostly critical, I should clarify that the game isn’t bad – it just isn’t good either. In a world where we have our pick of the Metroidvania lot, JackQuest simply does nothing to stand out in the crowd. As a result, we’re left with something entirely basic in both design and function.

Etrian Odyssey Nexus is Christmas morning for dungeon crawler lovers, thanks to its incredible party customization and abundant maps. The difficulty will keep you on your toes but not sweating too badly, except in the brutal and lengthy boss fights. And the exceptional soundtrack will keep you in a great mood to go exploring.

Head to toe, Wargroove is packed to the brim with quality content. Single player offerings are lengthy and varied, although some punishing mission design led to more frustration than I would have liked. Combined with the beefy multiplayer and the jaw-dropping customization tools, Wargroove is one of the most impressive strategy games I’ve seen in years. Fans of Advance Wars will be right at home with Wargroove, but don’t be surprised if you end up becoming an even bigger Wargroove fan

Had I not played other snowboarding titles like Steep and Snowboard SuperJam, I probably would have enjoyed this more. But by comparison, it just falls short. This isn’t a terrible snowboarding game; it’s just more tepid than expected. If you’re a fan of the titles I’ve mentioned or other classics like 1080, you’re better off sticking with them.

I have to say, I really enjoyed My Memory of Us. It manages to tell a challenging story that reflects the Holocaust and concentration camps, all while maintaining a youthful innocence and focusing on the fun the characters are having together. The music is great and the narration is top-notch. It’s a game that has stayed with me for the last couple of days since I completed it. I will certainly be keeping an eye on Juggler Games to see what they do in the future.

I wanted to like YIIK: A Post-Modern RPG a lot more than I did. There’s some rich creativity in its style, and the music is worth a listen even outside of playing. However, a lot of the fresh ideas with the battle system and Mind Dungeon simply don’t respect the player’s time. When I’m sighing after accidentally bumping into an avoidable enemy, that’s a problem.