DeVuego

While its animated style and humorous slant can be amusing, the gameplay driving the experience is pretty miserable

While it has some decent ideas and story beats at its core, mechanically it plays slowly and in a pretty clunky manner, detracting from the overall experience

Between its slow pace in ramping up, sluggish controls, an inability to speed the action, and being quite plainly derivative, Awakening has significant downsides

A classically-styled city-builder that will test your ability to meticulously place and plan your building layouts, but that may lack the depth or intensity to attract a broader audience

While very grind-driven and it has some quirks, this survival adventure could still appeal to people looking for a more subdued survival experience

An unusual pet-based adventure that manages to enchant and entertain, even with a few scruffy spots, while it lasts

An inventive, challenging, and unique puzzler any fan of logic puzzles should truly enjoy

While it does feature Art the Clown and some of his violent buddies, the beat-em-up action and even the gore are very limited, and the game is simply quite buggy as well

While admittedly a pretty simple concept, making a “Spot the difference” game in 3 dimensions, it works well and has more variety than expected

Quickly falling into repetition as you wait for something to change, and maybe unnerve you slightly, gets old quickly

Runs with some great Halloween vibes, plays well, and has some great classic arcade callouts, but has next to no ramp up

Quirky, cute, and clever, this puzzler will challenge you to fit people with varying desires into limited spaces, trying to keep them all happy

A decent take on the Pang / Buster Bros formula, but not a particularly inspired one either

Making use of a pretty limited set of assets, using controls that are both cumbersome and touchy at the same time, and simply not making for much fun

While there’s no denying that the style and flow of the game is novel and provides a challenge, it’s also honestly a bit of a confusing mess to play at times

Rather than using more adult humor to compliment solid gameplay, it seems determined to try to distract from an otherwise annoying or at least forgettable time

While having retro arcade elements that do feel familiar, Trasmoz Legends feels pretty fresh, puts up a challenge, and works quite nicely overall

Bite-sized racing could be of interest to some, but on the whole it makes for a shallow and less satisfying experience

A disappointingly shallow and bare bones attempt to capture the hearts of people who enjoyed the likes of Wave Race

Another romp through an abandoned, dark, and scary place, pursued by a dangerous foe that works well enough

While it has some retro-styled visual appeal, and some unexpected story beats to discover, it mostly feels like a pretty ordinary metroidvania

While it has some nice trappings of survival horror, and a claustrophobic environment, a somewhat brief runtime and clunky nature hold it back

While there are better options out there, this cozy puzzler has a creative component on top of the puzzling which adds value

The mix of an unusual heavenly story, and gameplay mechanics that you likely won’t expect, make for an odd mix

Rubbery collisions, lackluster play, and a lack of any spark of excitement relegate this one to the pits

A challenging mix of strategy, action, and sometimes quite a bit of luck makes for something distinctive

Though it tries earnestly to compensate with wall-breaking humor, Rage is a bit of a dull mess

Taking the formula of the original and essentially doubling down on it, it’s a creative rhythm RPG, but an acquired taste to be sure

While it succeeds in being weird, sometimes quite inappropriate, and shocking, it’s gameplay doesn’t hold up quite as well

It absolutely has some great classic arcade roots, and presents a challenge, but not all are likely intentional

While it has the retro techno-noir look and general tone covered, clunky mechanics and weak combat hold it back

An oddball mix of action, strategy, and herding your Lemming-like comrades makes for an uneven but entertaining time

While it may look simple on the surface, switching between characters reveals some careful design that’s appreciated

A completely different sort of Metroidvania hook, but be ready for some challenges, and not all likely intended

While it may look simple on the surface, switching between characters reveals some careful design that’s appreciated

While changing perspectives, and adding in more complexity, excitement remains subdued for this roguelike dungeon crawler

While there are some decent events and controls that support them, too often they’re poorly explained and implemented

An odd mixture of action adventure and puzzles with a very coding-oriented twist, tilted towards younger gamers

A combination of limited controls, finicky stage design, and a lack of much variety make this tough to get excited about

A more sports-oriented take on the likes of Bubble Bobble and Snow Bros that does differentiate itself, but not too much

A mix of old-school side-scrolling action and trips down memory lane for more seasoned gamers

Absolutely has some old-school arcade vibes, and can be fun with others, but its appeal may be narrow

To be clear, I’m not a fan of these sorts of games for quite a variety of reasons, but I do review them for the sake of being thorough and trying to see them through the lens of those who I think are interested in buying them. The first most common issue is that, just like this example, the gameplay attached to most of them tends to be pretty threadbare. I have at least respected some exceptions like Senran Kagura Peach Ball and the likes of the Gal*Gun series, which managed to be pretty pervy and weird but at least brought a little more to the table than some mere titillation. Another problem is that in the modern world, where adult content of just about any form is available without even expending effort, why shy away from making the most of the rating you’ve opted for? If you’re in the business to make weirdo pervy games, just make them. If you’re going to make a middling-at-best play experience, and then also have the rewards for your investment of money and then time be so restrained, it just feels like a bait and switch.

The thing is, I’ve played games like this before, and even ones with more issues, but to some degree I’m more inclined to pick on it because of how it tries to push itself on the eShop. In many ways, language like “Teared is not just a game; it is an immersive journey where dynamic 3D landscapes are combined with intense gameplay in the purest retro style” feels plain cynical or at least deceiving, and that doesn’t sit well with me. It actually reminds me of the old days, where you’d find game boxes on the shelf to look through and some companies would notoriously use overblown cover art or even doctored images to try to lure people in, rather than making a game whose quality spoke for itself. Aside from being implemented poorly, Teared suffers in the end from being relatively simplistic and dull, and not even its budget price can make up for those faults.

I’m not so sure I’d go with any implication that Tales from Candleforth delivers actual horror so much as some grim and dark themes, as well as some very creepy moments and imagery. Overall I’d say the sense of mystery was more on my mind, but with the game’s overall hand-drawn look being a bit Burton-esque in many regards you do get a very dark tone to everything. The shame is that while the story seems like an interesting one overall, the ending failed to help it all end on a high note, instead a bit more of a confusing one. As the game’s title implies there are many tales, hopefully we’ll get more in the future that can help either deepen the mystery or at least give this chapter a more clear conclusion. It may not be firing quite on all cylinders, but it does at least make for a pretty satisfying time up to that point.

Perhaps if this were the only game in town for this sort of thrill it would demand a better score, but even with some of the flaws Ravenous Devils had as one example of a competitor it still felt more successful. It isn’t quite enough to just be dark and a bit shocking, the gameplay really needs to have a flow to it so even as it can be repetitive you still feel locked into what you’re doing. Here, the controls not being quite ideal gets in the way primarily, eclipsing the concerns with pacing as the game’s primary obstacle. There’s something to enjoy here if you’re patient, but the gameplay isn’t where it needs to be to make the experience more memorable.

Pulling that all together what you’re left with is a game that obviously had some ambitions, and is able to cobble together elements to help realize them, but it just doesn’t quite get there. It’s possible that the conversion to the Switch may have not done it any favors, as its looks and performance don’t feel top notch by any means, but I’m not sure even on other platforms with less technical limitations that the gameplay would improve that dramatically. There’s a decent experience to be had here if you’re a fan of its style, but if you’re expecting it to live up to the level of its peers you’re likely to be disappointed.

Has some visual appeal and an inferred story that can build interest, but its play struggles to be distinctive or interesting

Overall, while for a vintage gamer like me Lords of Exile checked a ton of boxes, I’ll concede that retro throwbacks like this don’t have guaranteed appeal. People used to more modern titles like Dead Cells that are true descendents of this mold, rather than looking to emulate it directly, may not be as enthused. Initially, settling back into the old-school and more 2-button style of controls and limited character versatility can be a challenge, but to be fair this is an implementation choice and not a flaw. Keeping that in mind, if you’re willing to embrace the look and feel of yesteryear, this is a terrific option.

Well, it turns out that game is no longer available, with this seeming to be the somewhat upgraded and renamed version. I suppose that works well enough, and I was at least charmed by the original, but it was a bit confusing when I first began playing due to a serious sense of deja vu. Now, if you happened to already own Willy Jetman from a while back, you absolutely shouldn’t buy this as it’s mostly the same game. If, however, you weren’t previously acquainted with it, there's a fun vibe to the experience and there really aren’t any other games quite like it on the system, so it may be worth a look.

Overall, FUR Squadron is not a terrible game, and its uniqueness may appeal to some players who’ve been looking for a hit of that classic style of play. If you are aware of its flaws and are still interested in trying it, it may not disappoint. However, it is unlikely to satisfy a general audience just looking for an exciting and engaging experience.

With these core fundamental problems it really becomes a challenge to try to eke any enjoyment out of the experience, and even if they were addressed you’d just be left with a pretty dull time overall.

In the end I do appreciate what the developers are trying to accomplish here, and it was nice to get a taste of that classic style so few teams even try to pursue, but it’s hard to give it more than a low-key nod for old-school nerds thirsty for a tough of nostalgic play.

All of that overwhelms any excitement that can be generated by pretty predictable chaos that plays out the same every run, making this easy to pass up.

There’s no doubt that in terms of presentation the game looks great, and has distinctive combat, but in terms of overall design it struggles a bit

This creepy horror-leaning adventure delivers some scares and creeps, but can be frustrating at times

While mechanically it can be tricky at times as you work through larger puzzles, the dynamic nature of your mirror works nicely

This is the case of a game that has a decent enough core set of things in its favor, but that struggles because in an eShop full of solid platformers it fails to shine. One piece of the problem is that while mechanically everything works fine, your moves are limited and not terribly interesting, limiting the ongoing excitement factor. While you do have a meter that you can try to keep up there’s also no very clear and gratifying reward for being successful like you see in something like Super Mombo Quest or hear through the smart utilization of sound. The result is a platformer that plays perfectly well, and provides some challenges, but fails to break free from the crowded middle of the pack of similarly good games that don’t manage to step it up enough to feel great.

Building on the foundation of an already-solid predecessor, Blasphemous 2 soars to new heights of brutality

Aside from featuring the fantastic city of Baltimore and a wonderful rotoscoped style, there’s an intriguing story to enjoy here

If you enjoy well-written characters and have been searching for something a bit less run-of-the-mill than your average story-driven experience you can definitely find it here.

If you don’t mind the simplistic aesthetics, this is a reasonably-solid Zelda-ish adventure on a budget

Feeling like a mix of Flat Heroes and Just Shapes and Beats, Hyper Shapes keeps it simple but challenging

Though boldly combining classical point-and-click adventure elements with some beat-em-up action it struggles a bit

The themes and certainly the overall feel of everything do tend to get you a bit out of your comfort zone, if only for the fact that you’re really left not knowing what to expect next. Whether it all comes together to form a cohesive and satisfying whole would be a fair question, but I can’t fault the team behind this for their effort.

While I wouldn’t go as far as saying there’s a new Mario Kart competitor on the market, Speedstorm is still quite compelling in many ways

Right and Down appears to be targeting precisely that space, as its name implies restricting your choices to simply moving right or down at any time as you work to clear the stages of its roguelike fantasy strategy world.

Still, if you’re looking for a reasonably-good and budget-friendly Metroidvania experience this is another solid choice in the Switch eShop.

On a budget it provides a reasonably-good puzzle platforming experience where you can freeze time to help complete increasingly-tough stages

Oh, horror games on the Switch, how you can be so frustrating at times...

Games that are effectively walking simulators that double as a sort of horror experience have somehow become quite a consistent thing in the Switch eShop and I'm never quite sure how to feel about them...

All in all for a budget-friendly price Super Tennis Blast delivers a very solid traditional tennis experience with a bit of extra flavor thrown in to boot. While it obviously lacks the depth and complexity of the likes of Mario and his friends it implements the fundamentals very well and is obviously just a fraction of the price. If you and your family or friends have been looking for a multiplayer sports game to play against each other it’s definitely worth considering.

While in terms of the music and visuals Zeroptian Invasion hits its retro mark the gameplay comes up a bit bland and lacking not just by modern standards but even in some cases up against the games this was looking to emulate. The minor number of pretty weak power-ups, your general lack of agility, and the subdued overall action just make it a game that you can play, not something that reaches out of the screen and grabs you, compelling you to put in another quarter and give it another try. In the end it just fails to deliver anything terribly new or exciting, or even in many cases the charm of the games they’ve borrowed from along the way.

For people who are willing to get over the initial hump of getting used to Strikey Sisters there’s plenty of challenging stages and bosses to conquer. In general, there aren’t many titles emulating the classic Breakout, and among the ones I’ve played this is probably the most unique and interesting, but it’s also probably the toughest as well. While it won’t be for everyone it’s a fresh and unique offering in the Switch eShop.

If you’re a shooting fan who is up to some crazy battles where you’ll need to use your brains as much as your reflexes Rise & Shine is a pretty good match. It won’t coddle you hardly at all, which will be either a positive or a negative depending on the type of gamer you are. I don’t recall ever having played a shooter that has had puzzle elements to it like this, so that does help it stand out from the crowd. Just keep in mind the caveats that come along for the ride when you decide whether to check it out.

For its budget price Debris Infinity is an incredible deal of an arcade-style space shooter, mixing some classic elements of Asteroids with modern sensibilities and polished presentation. Much more than the Geometry Wars clone people could suspect at a quick glance, it stands apart with its own rules, flow, and challenging play. See you on the global leaderboards!

If you’re looking for something that has a clever base premise and some pretty engaging dialogue to work through Stay is a fresh experience. If, however, you’re not much of a fan of philosophical discussion and exploring someone’s regrets it may end up instead feeling tedious. While Stay is hardly perfect it seems well-suited to playing on the Switch and dares to be different among much more familiar and safe titles in the eShop.

As a whole package Immortal Redneck is a bold first step and demonstrates that the FPS genre, too, can definitely benefit from the addition of roguelike elements. As you unlock your skill tree you won’t feel quite as helpless and will hopefully stumble into a starting configuration that helps you kick some ass in earnest. When you’re just in the zone and shooting things up for the most part everything feels good, it’s really only when you have to try to complete some jumping puzzles that things start to unravel. The good thing is that in any given run you may not notice the problem almost at all since everything is generated procedurally, just when you need to do some jumping and have enemies coming at you at the same time that it can feel a bit unfair. I look forward to more attempts on this formula as it shows a great deal of potential for further fun.

While Infernium presents itself very well, has a certain unique sense of ambiance, and can certainly be conquered given careful observation, its trial-and-error nature and pacing will likely lead to polar opposite reactions in people. For people who enjoy the puzzle adventure aspect, exploring the spaces and working out an optimal path to success while staying a few steps ahead of doom it may scratch an itch. Unfortunately I would imagine for just about anyone else it will likely be an exercise in frustration and burn through the patience of people hoping for more immediate gratification. Just be sure to go into the experience with the proper expectations and you’ll improve your chances of enjoying it.

All in all Neonwall is an interesting bite of inventiveness that may be over a bit too soon but also doesn’t overstay its welcome. Its slow and consistent slope of added difficulty, with new elements being introduced consistently throughout the majority of the game, manages to keep you engaged and in a “just one more try” kind of way. More than just its cool aesthetics, it delivers a gameplay experience I’m interested to see more takes on in the future.

All said I’m a big fan of Spy Chameleon and its fresh take on stealth action puzzling. Never settling in for too long each mission feels just about the right length before the game throws some new things at you to get the hang of. Later in the game the puzzle element really begins to kick in as you’ll need to work carefully and methodically to avoid detection in a variety of ways. If you love creative action Spy Chameleon could just sneak its way into your list of favorites.

While many times I find throwback titles like this to be tedious, failing to inject enough modern touches into classic gameplay styles, once I got rolling I found A Hole New World to be very satisfying. With some creative level layouts, a diverse set of enemies, and some memorable boss fights the developers behind it put very visible effort into giving you an incentive to forge on and get through the tough sections. If you’re itching for a mix of the old, new, and the unexpected A Hole New World is easy to recommend.

Even if Mario Kart weren’t an available option on the system (though, no doubt, a much more expensive one) I’d find it difficult to give Super Toys cars more than a very tepid recommendation. Even among some of the other flawed racing titles on Switch its struggles with the fundamentals of a quality racing experience make it tough to love even if you have some nostalgia for its overall looks. All things considered it struggles to keep pace with the pack and is forgettable unless you’re really jonesing for that Micro Machines feel.

Overall Twin Robots: Ultimate Edition is a well-made platformer that could easily serve as an introduction to the genre. Whether playing with a friend or by yourself the relatively gentle slope of challenge does end up hitting its stride, getting a bit harder as you get to the end, but it does take a while if you’re a platforming veteran before pulling out some more challenging scenarios. The result isn’t a thrilling game but that one should work well for the proper audience.