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Nintendo Switch Sports is an excellent party pastime with the promise of more fun to come. An unfussy online implementation also improves the experience for solo players.

In so many ways, Gotta Protectors: Cart of Darkness is a frenetic, baffling, exhausting, draining experience. But, somehow, that’s not a criticism? You’ll come away feeling like you got hit by a train, but in a really positive, memorable way.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a thrill for the senses and will frequently tickle your nostalgia bone. However, it lacks creative spark and is content to regurgitate its source material instead of building something new. A Kyber pass, just about.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land stays away from the full-on open-world formula, opting instead for a structure more akin to Super Mario 3D World, and is all the better for it. And with the welcome addition of a little more challenge than some of Kirby’s previous games, there’s plenty to keep you coming back to this one.

Triangle Strategy takes time to unfurl, but patience is rewarded with an intricate narrative and finely crafted tactical combat. The impressive visuals, music, and storytelling ensure it’s a game that will live long in the memory and demand multiple playthroughs.

The best thing to do is not choose and simply play both. Despite some deviations from the scenic route, FAR: Changing Tides takes its players on another memorable voyage.

Despite some scruffy visuals, Pokémon Legends: Arceus feels like the first game in the series to be designed for a home console platform. It’s a magpie of a game, but every borrowed element comes together to create a coherent and fresh experience that reinvigorates the franchise.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl straddle the line between old and new by giving two beloved heirlooms a polish that avoids tarnishing treasured memories. These are buoyant, accessible RPGs for fans and newcomers alike.

Back 4 Blood features the hectic first-person combat and brilliant co-op camaraderie that made Left 4 Dead so popular. It’s no wonder that Turtle Rock wanted to emulate that success, and while there are a few compromises – the terrible bots if you can’t round up some mates, and the extreme jump in difficulty if you want to eke out some more playtime – this spiritual successor falls into the “worthy” category.

Life is Strange: True Colours features what really matters in a Life is Strange game: a likeable protagonist and a brilliant setting. It’s also received a massive visual upgrade this time around, which really makes the town of Haven Springs feel cosy, somewhere you want to spend your time. There are a few technical hitches and there probably isn’t as much choice as players might expect, but it’s still a wonderful evolution of the series.

Deathloop is an absolutely essential title for PS5 and PC players. It is the absolute pinnacle of game design, that makes the player put in the work, but the resulting experience is worth living through time and time again.

WarioWare: Get It Together! isn’t the overhaul the series probably needs, but it’s another propulsive and compulsive blast of fun. The multiplayer modes are modest but well implemented, and the variety added by each character’s abilities adds longevity.

Boxing is one of the least served sports in video games – even Handball has an annual franchise – so any competent adaptation will get some attention. Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions isn’t a champion of the genre, but its lean, focused design makes it a strong contender.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a thin co-op horde shooter with an Aliens skin. And for many, that’ll be exactly what they are looking for. This looks and sounds the part of the 80s action classic and will tickle those nostalgia senses. However, for true Alien heads like myself, delving deeper into Cold Iron Studios shooter will reveal a game with a deep love and admiration for the franchise. And with a solid co-op shooter on top of that, this is an Alien fans delight.

A wealth of modes that accommodate a range of play preferences make this the best Mario golf game – and probably the best Mario sports game – in an age.

Miitopia oozes wit and charm, but its core gameplay systems are simple and often repetitive. However, with the right cast of characters, the writing shines through to make it an adventure worth taking.

The £70 price tag may sting, but with close to 30 hours on a single playthrough and some of the most compelling gameplay I’ve experienced in a while, Returnal feels like a premium product worth every penny.

Resident Evil Village is an exceptional addition to the seminal horror franchise, offering a gratifying balance between atmospheric horror and frantic action alongside captivating villains, an intriguing setting and plenty of fresh ideas. While its story ultimately fails to capitalize on its exciting central mystery, there’s no doubting it’s one of the series’ most compelling iterations in years.

New Pokémon Snap is a game for players exhausted by the franchise’s increasingly complex RPG titles. It’s low-key but rewarding, and its laid back, violence-free approach puts a welcome focus back on the design and behaviour of each Pokémon.

By retaining a tight focus, Star Wars: Republic Commando remains one of the best action games based on the long-running sci-fi saga. Hopefully, technical issues with the Nintendo Switch version will be resolved soon.

EA was so preoccupied with whether it could port Apex Legends to Nintendo Switch, it didn’t stop to think if it should. And no, it really shouldn’t have. To anyone with literally any other outlet to play this game on, please do so, because all you will find here are the mutated remains of a game wandering where it shouldn’t.

Combining the already exceptional 3D World with an outstanding experience like Bowser’s Fury makes this one of the most quality-packed bundles the Switch has delivered to date. Through both of its adventures, the wealth of fun ideas, swift-pacing and superb level design continue to show why Mario remains a fixture of the modern AAA scene, making this yet another must-play experience for franchise fans and platformer aficionados alike.

Hitman 3 is a masterful final chapter for IO Interactive’s reboot trilogy, offering a range of stunning sandboxes filled with satisfying assassination opportunities and a dynamic set of tools that reward experimentation. With the studio closing out its reboot in style, IO has cemented it as the definitive interpretation of Hitman and one of the most consistent trilogies of the last decade.

Whilst I wish Paradise Killer’s mechanical detective fangs were a little sharper, it oozes style and its writing and world-building are out of this world. It’s not a lie when I say I wanted to stay forever here in paradise where love dies. I already know as truth/fact that when it comes to this game my love will never die.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is a fun but flawed new entry in Ubisoft’s iconic action franchise, with a bloated campaign that wears out its welcome and a ton of bugs for players remaining on current-generation platforms. Still, what’s here is actually some of the most confident Assassin’s Creed content to date, with thrilling story beats, refined exploration, and enjoyable side content.