ConsumerBatman

Not as white-knuckle as a twin-stick classic like Smash TV, but still plenty action packed. The levels are limited in size, so you can't just run away, and the difficulty curve is gently sloping. But if you're looking for a greater challenge, there is a kind of gauntlet mode, where creeps just spawn until you're dead. At first, you might assume the power ups are limited, but with each level beaten, you unlock new potential skills, and your experience level resets after completing each stage. You might find it a bit unfair if you're just trying to level up to a kind of god mode, but it gives the title a bit of extra flexibility. The graphics aren't really much to write home about, but the game never slows, there are virtually no load times, it's still pretty (decent lighting, too), and I think it captures the atmosphere it's reaching for. If you're a fan of Tesla OR Lovecraft, you might find this an enjoyable gaming experience.

I'm not much a fan of the musou genre, but Fire Emblem Warriors is surprisingly fun and engrossing. The combat mechanics are fairly straightforward; it is a musou, after all. But there is a depth to this title in the convoy and camp system, the branching story paths, the remarkably well-done cut scenes, and the dialogue during loading screens keeps the pace going along nicely. You can kind of guess where a lot of the story will go; when you're tasked with "liberating" a fan favorite character, it's obvious you're just fighting to make them playable. Given the depth associated with crests, weapons, leveling, class upgrades, etc. there's an unexpected level of content, and that's without the season pass. A recommended title. Especially the special edition.

This game is quite addictive, quite beautiful, and quite original... but the difficulty curve and lack on instructions, tutorial, or online manual is almost enough to push it to 7/10. It's not an expensive game. Not at all. And it is well made. But it falls victim to that classic trap where the desire to make a quick game you can pick up and put down, without sacrificing depth or presentation, leaves you with little to learn from at the onset. Yes, it might have impeded the flow of the game to include more in-depth tutorials directly into the game. But the developer couldn't include some kind of readme file in the options menu? As far as I know, there's not even any kind of manual on the dev's website. And that's frustrating. But if you're willing to put in the time, it's an incredibly solid experience that can be highly rewarding.

Growing up in the Genesis generation, the Mummy Demastered feels like a significantly more polished version of the action platformers I loved as a kid. Yes, it is a Metroidvania. It utilizes the 16-bit influenced pixel art style to its fullest potential and crafts an atmospheric world that does not detract from the gameplay. The animations are smooth and fluid, the dialogue doesn't insult your intelligence, and the levels are crafted with a classic Metroid feel, pulling you into deeper exploration to both max out your characters abilities, and progress through the story. Well recommended for $20, even more so if it goes on sale.

A seriously underrated racing title. I got it on sale for $5, and heard it was a port of a mobile title. This is the great thing about advancing technology, though. Even mobile titles can be incredibly well made. The graphics are solid, the physics feel realistic, and the addition of feedback through HD rumble adds to the experience. In the vein of games like Fast RMX, where beaten races unlocks the potential for new vehicles, this game takes such a formula and adds more dimensions with the ability to upgrade both your craft and your move set. Especially being such an inexpensive games, I can highly recommend this title for any of you Switch owners looking for a racing fix.

While not the most engrossing or addicting Bomberman title I have ever played (and I've played A LOT of them), this title continues a fine tradition begun by Hudsonsoft all those years ago. The gameplay is pretty similar to other Bomberman titles, though prettier. I would recommend using a d-pad or the directional buttons on the left joy-con, as the analog stick controls get a bit confusing. The story changes things up just enough, and the cut scenes are gorgeous, while the voice work is crisp, clean, vibrant, and funny. For a game that had a few shortcomings upon release, Konami has been steadily releasing FREE content for the game every few months, and it always comes as a pleasant surprise. I hope this is the start of some great Konami support for both Bomberman, and the Switch. :)

Okay, I don't think this review is premature. I put an hour into the demo. I downloaded it last night, and played another hour this morning. This gorgeous, mythical, mysterious world that Frozenbyte has created, and how the characters interact with it... it's engrossing. It's SERIOUSLY engrossing. Now, I'm not gonna misrepresent the game and say it's as engrossing as a AAA game. I am, however, getting some solid Diablo 3 vibes off of it. So, think Diablo 3... but at Hogwarts. If you're a Harry Potter fan ALONE, this game is a recommended instant buy. Buy it now. The game does have some fair flaws. I haven't played multiplayer yet, but in reviewing the dual joy con setup, it will be a bit difficult to control using one joy con each. I appreciate the "last chance", and that you can keep track of deaths, and friendly fire, etc. That said... it's kind of stupid that just falling into water IMMEDIATELY kills you. Seriously? Students who are immersed in study can't just learn how to swim? I know that instant water death worked well in the NES, Genesis, and SNES days, but it seems unnecessary here. Maybe a breath meter or something? But I can also acknowledge the additional sprite and model work that would be required to change this. I also can't say I care for how easy it is to fall into some pits that also insta-kill. This game is good. Seriously good. I think I found ONE parchment, with ONE wizard, and it's already worth the $20. I hope they make DLC. I hope this becomes a series. :)

This guy reminds me quite a bit of X-Men Legends for the original XBox. The level design gives you something spacious to work with, so you can clearly distinguish how the levels unfold, but they still lock in that sense of isolation in space. You genuinely feel like you're alone against this mounting threat. I mean, it's not like Space Hulk level or anything, but its certainly atmospheric. Especially if you're a fan of handheld Metroid games, and fun little hack and slash numbers, this is for you. The price is absolutely decent, but I would love to be randomly surprised by additional DLC in the future. :) Cons? If any, it might be too short. I don't think it needs to be polished anymore for what it does, but I can confidently say many who want to buy it would love to see a price drop. That's them, though.

While a bit on the pricey side, this collection is NOT lazily thrown together. It has a plethora of features and little design ideas that make it absolutely worth it. So, first thing's first: are you a fan of retro games? No? Then simply move on. It's not for you. But if you want to be able to play an arcade-real experience on the go, and don't have an arcade around, this is WELL worth it. These games run cleaner than I have seen on most emulation in my life. I've yet to come across a single bug. The way these games have been presented is incredibly faithful in every aspect. You get some gorgeous cabinet art on the sides in you're playing in landscape mode, but in one of the COOLEST features, you have the option to rotate the screen 90 degrees, and play in vertical arcade fashion! Even the old school music sounds great out of the little Switch speakers. You get yourself one of those HORI playstands, and you have an arcade anywhere, and the joy con interface is simple enough that anyone can join in. The games themselves are just classic. Splatterhouse harkens back to the early days of TurboGrafx 16, Pac Man is as memorable as it was in the 80s, the inclusion of two Galagas is welcome, and I've played an unhealthy amount of Rolling Thunder. I found this absolutely worth the price. I tell ya, though: if they drop this to $15-$20, it would literally never leave the Switch best-sellers list. The music sounds great coming out of those little Switch speakers

A nice little adventure game, with a great sense of scope and lore, for a convenient price. :) I don't think it's fair to call this game a Zelda clone. Unless you want to do the same for everything ranging from Secret of Evermore, to Chrono Trigger, to Shining Force, to Lost Sphear, to Okami... it's a vague criticism, you see. While not the most polished game, the art style works for the story, the environment is crisp and clean, and any bugs that pop up and minor and nowhere near game-breaking. I think my only criticism is that I wish it would be a bit cheaper. But it's easy to lose several hours in this one. Worth it!

(I could have sworn I already wrote a review for this game.) It's magnificent. What else is there to say? This game is simply magnificent. Every acre of Hyrule, the grass, the seas, the sky, is alive with wonder. Every Moblin, Bokoblin, and Guardian that could be lurking over that hill keeps you cautious, yet charged with a wanderlust. Every streaking meteor through the sky begs you to postpone your current objective to pursue that pillar of light. Every breeze and it's nature-inspired piano accompaniment makes Hyrule feel lush and alive even when you're barely interacting with it. Every glowing shrine in the distance... every beckoning mountaintop... every dense forest... every new traveler with a story to tell... I could go on for hours. I'm over 70 hours in. I haven't discovered HALF of what there is to do in this game. I'm still regularly surprised. I've got a ways to go, and I hope for years of glorious adventures in this beautiful, breathtaking Hyrule. This game is a masterpiece.

Heavily NES-inspired, 2D platforming bliss! The addition of occasional new characters is a wonderful surprise. If you're a fan of 2D platformers in general, or of the 8-bit era, or even the 16-bit era, this is for you. And for the price? You almost can't miss it. No, literally, you can't miss it. There is a tank driving by. :P

(I could've sworn I already wrote a review for this game) This game has SUCH potential. But it seems hidden behind a series of barriers, where the devs feel confident in projecting a message of "mad cuz bad". The difficulty curve is nice, but the game seems to not be protected against algorithms where you are literally thrown impossibly difficult scenarios. Even if you build up your heroes, you can be cut down by some absurdly OP, multi-hacking creep, reaping the benefits of a nearby speed aura. The devs feel this is appropriate? Fine. Make some way to continue the game. The absolute zero restart is a cheap and unconvincing way to punish the player, and to quote PlayerEssence, it just makes you feel like they don't respect your time. Other than that, the game is well-structured. The reward tree could throw you a bit more. I've still put an ungodly amount of time into this game.