Pure Nintendo

Pecaminosa is an intriguing tale that follows our detective on an engaging journey. The RPG mechanics work well alongside the story and the world. Sadly, the mundane gameplay does let down the rest of the package. There is nothing groundbreaking going on elsewhere in the game to really justify the admission. Most importantly, a game should be enjoyable. Pecaminosa is stunning to look at with a charming soundtrack, but sadly it just isn’t very fun.

Mythic Ocean is a beautiful and unpredictable game, with a stunning ocean-floor setting and a gentle yet thought-provoking narrative.

What you see is what you get with Alphadia Genesis 2. There’s fun to be had for genre fans if you go in with the right expectations. Have you enjoyed prior KEMCO-published RPGs? If yes, this game will entertain you. It’s not great, but it’s not too shabby either.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox has the type of performance issues we shouldn’t be seeing on consoles these days. When it’s cooking, however, it provides a fully satisfying JRPG adventure for those seeking unique monsters to fight, vast environments to explore, and intriguing mysteries to unravel.

Mystic Pillars is a challenging but fair puzzle game, offering strong visuals, music and story to accompany the puzzles. For anybody who enjoys a fresh challenge Mystic Pillars is worthy of your time.

Arcade Archives RAIDEN brings the challenging and time-honored shmup to the Nintendo Switch. With HAMSTER’s extras, this is as good a time as any to revisit it or check it out for the first time. It’s an oldie but a goodie. It comes highly recommended, especially in co-op.

Astalon: Tears of the Earth may be yet another in a long line of retro 2D action/platformers available for the Nintendo Switch, but it deserves to be moved towards the front of that line. Fans of the genre will find plenty to like here, so long as they’re willing to accept backtracking as a core gameplay element.

Pictooi is a fun picross game with a simple and well-presented style. It’s lacking a few features, but the puzzles are enjoyable and the daily brain training element is a nice feature for anyone who likes to flex that particular muscle.

While there are a few nags in the overall package, MushihimeSama is a fantastic shooter, and one I’m glad I won’t have to write the name of any longer.

Unfortunately, the good parts of Foodtruck Arena are mostly outweighed by the plain and unoriginal nature of the game itself and the sloppy controls. I was hoping for a spicy sportster, but ended up with a bland-mobile.

Donuts’n’Justice is short and sweet, literally. Dish out some justice and take out waves of enemies in this 2D, horizontal side scroller. With only a few levels, the game can be completed quickly. But I bet you a donut that you have fun playing it.

As the first Mario Golf series game on a home console in almost 20 years, my expectations were high. While I smile seeing my favorite plumber tee off, Mario Golf: Super Rush admittedly lacks some polish I’d expect from Nintendo-published software. It’s also heavily focused on gimmicks, though standard golf presents a fun simulation-lite alternative to PGA Tour.

Super Bomberman R Online offers your standard online multiplayer space for classic Bomberman battles, with premium perks available but quite a bit of waiting time.

The graphics in RWBY: Grimm Eclipse Definitive Edition are dull. I’m not super picky about graphics because art is art, but the game’s screenshots were vivid and colorful. This was not the case when you turn on the game. The levels are low in texture, and the backgrounds were bland. So, that was a bit of a disappointment.

Sun Wukong VS Robot is a great platforming experience. It’s addictively fun to play, hard as nails, and honestly a joy for fans of the genre. At the budget price of $4.99, it’s easy to recommend this title to players ready for their next challenge.

If you’re an Alex Kidd fan, this is nothing short of a must-have, the QoL improvements make it a little more playable, and it’s one of the best-looking remakes on the Switch. If you need a satisfying platforming fix, it’s hard to recommend this classic title.

Cosmic Top Secret is a fun adventure/puzzle game. The odd presentation may strike some as just being weird, but I think it’s quirky enough to be both different and engaging. If you are geared more toward action games, this may not be your thing. But if you like detective stories, this is a good option.

Beautiful Desolation is a deep, intelligent, puzzle adventure presented with a unique isometric view. It’s an easy recommendation to sci-fi fans who prefer narrative over action, but the Switch is not the best way to explore this apocalyptic world.

In the visual novel adventure Winds of Change, you play as a hero who is meant to save your land. Throughout the game, you must make difficult decisions, explore your surroundings, discover secrets, and build relationships with those around you. With an interesting story with lots to interact with, this game is definitely one to play.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers is a good third-person shooter that’s a little on the light side in terms of graphical style and humour, but don’t be fooled – there are many missions to conquer and plenty of characters to unlock as you seek your ultimate team. The fast-paced action should keep you busy for hours.

The Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection offers three intense, challenging, and mostly thrilling Ryu Hayabusa games for the price of one. Three may be one too many, but this is still a good deal for those seeking visceral, violent, video-game action.

Overboard is a charming and darkly funny game, with incredibly well-written characters and a great atmosphere of intrigue, secrecy and 1930s style.

Trails and Traces: The Tomb of Thomas Tew has room for improvement, but I appreciate the game for its humorous characters, diverse locales, and well-done puzzles. Finding a fully voiced graphic adventure for just $4.99 is something to value as well. Now bring on a sequel with better control options and a less cliched finale.

It’s difficult not to like Chubbit, the fat grumpy rabbit you manoeuvre through the worlds. He doesn’t have much of a personality, but he’s a fat grumpy rabbit which is plenty of fun on its own. If you’re a platformer fan looking for a challenge and something a bit unique, you won’t go wrong with Rotund Takeoff.

Kids should enjoy Family Vacation: California well enough. Parents who grab it on sale can take confidence that it’s not objectionable, just rather forgettable. But older players might be turned off by its simplicity and shorter length relative to its launch price.