Die For Valhalla! is a successful mix of several genres that mainly presents itself as a lengthy side-scrolling beat-'em-up and just like the majority of such games is best enjoyed with friends along the way. There is still a lot to chew for the lonely solo player out there, so if you into the genre and Norse mythology, do consider giving this one a possession. Odin would approve and so do we.
Fairune Collection is a deliciously big slice of brain-teasing RPG fun with a sprinkle of shmup action on top. None of the games will require a huge amount of time to complete, solving many of its puzzles feels truly rewarding and both graphics and sound will take you back to a simpler time in this industry. If you were a fan of the original outings, you will certainly like this ‘upgrade' but if you are venturing into the realm of Fairune for the first time, heads up: you might have just discovered the perfect lazy summer afternoon game of the year.
Super Chariot is a fitting metaphor for life – you can journey alone and endure all hardships as you struggle to make your way to the end, or you can share the burden with another person and help each other reach new heights along the way. Brilliantly designed, beautifully crafted and one of the finest co-op experiences on Switch this side of Sniperclips. It's not hard for us to recommend you embark on this journey, even if you have done so before. May the King rest peacefully for his chariot is made of sturdy stuff indeed.
Cast of the Seven Godsends is an old-school homage that sadly falls short of delivering a completing experience that lives up to the seven godsends mechanic. The six levels are extremely challenging (and a little unfair); bosses will blissfully bash you in merciless, over and over until you either somehow manage to reach them with Kandar fully-upgraded or get the dreaded 'Game Over' screen. Despite some potential, it's hard for us to recommend this game considering the plethora of superior 2D action platformer games already available on Switch. Perhaps the Gods should have better left Kandar rest in peace on his tomb instead of demanding such an infuriating quest of him (and you).
Hyper Sentinel is 'neo-retro' executed to perfection. Once you accept that the visual and audio directions are both design choices made to pay tribute to the original Commodore 64 game and sit down to take on your first Super-Dreadnought, you'll be hooked. Every time you get a 'Game Over', the only thing on your mind will be on how to prevent whatever got the best of you in preparation of your next sortie (while, at the same, time browsing the leaderboards to see how your friends are faring in each level).
Sly Spy is yet another excellent slice of uncompromised, over-the-top arcade top action that will surely fit in snugly along the previous Johnny Turbo Arcade releases.
Light Fall swiftly finds a spot among all the other Switch hardcore 2D platforming greats by offering not only a quality game wrapped in a beautifully unique atmosphere, but by successfully providing the player with a plot and characters that are worth investing, making the game very hard to set aside until you complete the tiny shadow-being quest. We found very little to complain about the whole package and as such have very little reserve in recommending you add yet another fantastic platform adventure to the growing list of titles already available on Switch.
A simple but terribly addictive little game that goes very well side-by-side with other trippy digital Switch arcade offers such as Namco's Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 Plus. If you happen to be having a stressful day, nothing better than pumping up the volume and just play Chill Out mode to eventual bliss.
Wild Guns Reloaded sets the new benchmark on how to bring back old Super Nintendo titles to the current generation of gamers. It not only manages to remain faithful to everything that made up the original such a stellar effort, but actually offers some worthwhile new content. With the continued absence of the Virtual Console service on Switch (and the rising costs of a complete-in-the-box original Super Nintendo versions of the game), we offer little refrain in welcoming one of Natsume's finest games home. Solid, memorable and fun arcade shooting action that will keep you coming back for more, even if only to see Bullet hovering about while grappled by his lethal drone.
Ninja Striker! is the Sega Master System game of your dreams you never knew you needed on your Nintendo Switch. Easy to pick up, nearly impossible to master flawlessly and thus like a true ninja it will take some dedication and discipline while you keep coming back to its charming mains quest. In either docked or portable mode, for five minutes or two hours this is a pure combo/score chaser that will keep you hooked to the screen for generations of ninjas to come.
Rogue Aces is a stellar, fresh experience - even more so if you never played spiritual forerunner Wings of Fury - that has landed on the Switch eShop seemingly out of nowhere. It not only delivers an audio-visual treat but also an overwhelmingly entertaining stimulation of the senses thanks to the frenetic aerial ballets you will take part in. Easy to pickup but devilishly hard to walk away from, Rogue Aces demands just the right amount of arcade shmup skills and strategic planing with the odd lucky break when something just works out. All of this is complimented by some excellent humour in the form of audio quips from your Captain, the enemy Baron aces and the one-liners from ally pilots. Kick the tires and light the fires, fellow Switch pilots; this war won't be winning itself with you sitting pretty on that carrier deck.
Gotcha Racing 2nd is an incredible slice of generous retro racing content with hidden depths; one you can play for two minutes or two hours and always have incredible fun while at it.
Spartan is the agōgē of platforming video games: If you manage to clear it all the way you will be able to say you have conquered an extremely hard video game. However, and much like the Spartans of old, we doubt you will be having a very good time while at it.
Super Rocket Shootout is a bit short on single-player content, but what it offers for the lone rocket-strapping, shotgun-wielding player is a welcome addition to what is, at its core, an excellent party game package. As such, if you happen to have one to three friends available feel free to bump that final review score by one. The over-the-top insane action and laughs you will get with your friends more than justifies it.
Clustertruck stands as a metaphor for life itself. Where do these trucks come from? Where are these trucks going? None of that matters now that you can play this game anytime, anywhere free from the tyranny of non-portable entertainment centres. An exquisite balance of arcade first-person action and physics puzzle that leaves little but one single course of action when faced with a glimpse of its pure brilliant absurdity: Keep on (cluster)truckin', baby!