xxAcesHighxx

When racing against friends and family on the couch, Mario Kart World is a hugely entertaining and highly polished Switch 2 launch title. When playing alone in single-player, however, its wonderful lustre admittedly begins to fade faster than many had hoped. Hopefully, if MK8 is anything to go by, Nintendo will expand the game with some much needed free content updates and paid DLC to flesh out the experience and, in the process, make it a more compelling proposition for lone racers. In the meantime, if you mainly plan on racing against others, you really can’t go wrong with Nintendo’s latest mascot arcade racer.

Astro Bot is comfortably the greatest and most polished 3D platformer Sony has ever produced. The visuals and score are truly stellar, and the themed levels are positively spectacular. Granted, Astro doesn’t quite possess the fluidity of movement as Team Red’s Mario, but it more than makes up for it with its sheer creativity, charm and challenge. This is an easy recommendation and a must own for any PS5 owner who enjoys jumping around in three dimensions.

Tetris has never looked or sounded so good. You simply can’t go wrong with pretty much any Tetris – the gameplay is utter perfection – but for the price, I’d wait for a decent sale. Otherwise, this is an easy recommendation for puzzle fans.

I came across Poinpy on the App Store over Christmas and have barely managed to stop playing ever since. Seriously, this incredible little mobile game has pretty much stopped me from making any progress in much bigger games I’ve recently picked up on console. Titles like Metaphor: ReFantazio, Alan Wake II and Dragon’s Dogma 2 have had to take a back seat to this deceptively addictive mini masterpiece!

Super Crate Box is a fabulous single-screen arcade game from Vlambeer – the folks behind Nuclear Throne and (the infamous) Ridiculous Fishing. It’s a 2D platform shooter where the aim is to gun down enemies to reach randomly placed crates which contain a random weapon with which to kill yet more enemies. It’s a glorious loop that provides endless hours of retro flavoured high-score-chasing fun, and all for less than just five bucks. It’s also a great game to mess around with between bigger titles, and I wholly recommend checking it out.

Super Crate Box is a fabulous single-screen arcade game from Vlambeer – the folks behind Nuclear Throne and (the infamous) Ridiculous Fishing. It’s a 2D platform shooter where the aim is to gun down enemies to reach randomly placed crates which contain a random weapon with which to kill yet more enemies. It’s a glorious loop that provides endless hours of retro flavoured high-score-chasing fun, and all for less than just five bucks. It’s also a great game to mess around with between bigger titles, and I wholly recommend checking it out.

After very much enjoying – but not exactly falling in love with – Breath of the Wild, I was admittedly pretty sceptical in the run up to Tears of the Kingdom. Sure, that third trailer was awesome, but to me at least, it still appeared too similar to its 2017 predecessor and I didn’t think it would grab me like more traditional Zelda’s titles such as The Wind Waker and A Link Between Worlds did in the past. However, after more than 200 hours of exhilarating gameplay, I can comfortably state that this game is the easiest 10/10 I’ll ever give. From the opening few hours in Sky Isles tutorial area, I was utterly hooked and didn’t once stop to dip into a single other game across Switch, PS5 and Series X until I’d finished what is, for me, an unadulterated masterpiece and the very peak of Nintendo’s creative vision. On and off, it took me six whole years to put 125 hours into Breath of the Wild, but it took me less than six weeks to reach the same milestone in Tears of the Kingdom. The Switch is definitely showing its age these days, but somehow, TOTK manages to look absolutely stunning on both a 65” 4K living room TV and the systems own OLED screen in handheld mode. Yes, the frame rate does occasionally dip below 30 frames-per-second, but after a couple hours I stopped even noticing it. Seriously, if you’re still on the fence, do yourself a favour and jump off right now and pick this game up. I highly doubt you’ll regret it for even the merest moment. Tears of the Kingdom is without question my game of the year so far and, as far as I’m concerned, the greatest video game ever made. Yes, it really is ‘that’ good. Seriously, just give the game a chance, and you’ll probably feel just as strongly about it as I do.

Who’d have thought that a 2D game that isn’t a Mario title would have elevated itself into one of the top five Switch games to date. Fantastic gameplay, gorgeous 2.5D environments, stellar boss fights and incredible exploration make Dread one of the very best Metroid games ever made and an absolute no-brainer for any Nintendo fan who owns a Switch. In my books, this is a rare genuine 10/10 game and an exceptional experience regardless of platform. Do not miss out on this game!

After more than 200 hours I can safely say that New Horizons, my first Animal Crossing game, has made me a fan of the franchise and I couldn’t be happier with how this entry turned out on Switch. Gorgeous visuals, smooth performance and an addicting gameplay loop make this a stellar game and one of the very best Switch titles to date. Highly recommended.

Hands down, the most beautiful fighting game I have ever played, and it’s every bit as fun to play as it is to look at. If you’re a fan of fighters or maybe you’ve got a friend and a spare DualSense controller and you’re looking for something new to play together, Guilty Gear Strive is a must own future PS5 classic.

A great port of an already great game. The faster loading times are a huge boon, as is the improved resolution. Despite the often cheesy one liners, this is an easy recommendation for fans of character action game. It’s priced right, too.

Absolutely incredible game. Just like the PS4 original, only better. The expansion is great, too. If you have the PS4, I’d certainly recommend upgrading for the DualSense features and improved resolution alone. Highly recommended!

Absolutely perfect version of the game we all loved on Switch. Only on PS5 in 4K, it looks even better. Cannot recommend this game highly enough. Just buy it.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure overcomes a slow start to end up becoming one of my absolute favourite platformers in recent years. And next to Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury on the underpowered Nintendo Switch, it is positively dripping with platforming panache and technical aplomb. Forget Demon’s Souls and Miles Morales, with a banging soundtrack, stunning visuals and ridiculously fun gameplay, Sackboy is THE must-have PS5 game for platform aficionados!

Not only is Astro’s Playroom an utterly fabulous introduction to PS5 and the glorious new features of the DuelSense controller, but it’s also a top drawer 3D platformer in its own right. Indeed, the gameplay is super fun, the visual fidelity and graphics are beautiful to behold, and the controls offer an exciting insight into the capabilities this new console generation is really capable of. And wonderful soundtrack is probably the games most underrated feature Astro’s Playroom is a Nintendo-esque demonstration of the insane levels of immersion and nuance that PS5 brings to the table and is just as much fun to play (if not more!) as anything with Mario in the title in years. If it was a full 10-15 hour game it would be a genuine 10/10 game all day long. If you’ve only just managed to lay your hands on Sony’s latest console, congratulations! Now do yourself a favour and be sure you play this generous pack-in title before before it’s too late and you suddenly realise that you’re drowning in a backlog of PS5 exclusives.

Absolutely stunning! Playstation Vita might just be the very best way to experience Toby Fox’s gloriously different JRPG. Unmissable for RPG, indie and Vita fans.

I love this game so much! While some will no doubt be deterred by the matchstick artstyle and black & white aesthetic, those prepared to dig a little deeper will find a wholly wonderful RPG that is positively dripping with personality, humour and charm. The only negative I can find? The comparatively ugly 'WOL' icon on the Switch homescreen – going back to the original icon design at the next patch would be greatly appreciated, guys! See what I mean? It is testament to how good this game really is when the only criticism you can levy at it is a slightly iffy icon. If you’ve ever felt even the slightest pang of fatigue with heavy, overly serious or bloated RPG’s, I utterly emplore you, give West of Loathing a try. At just £9.00 (or eleven bucks in North America) it’s hardly going to cost a matchstick arm and a leg to take a punt on something that dares to be so strikingly different from the norm. Highly recommend, folks!

I started playing Guns of Boom with a question in mind; was it the best FPS on mobile? Well, it’s ridiculously addictive, it doesn’t bang on at you to spend real world money every five minutes, and it’s riotously entertaining! Plus it’s FREE to play without a single pop-up ad in sight. So it’s clearly a complete triumph, but is it the best FPS on mobile? I’ll say this much.. it’s the best one I’ve ever played. And that’s plenty good enough me!

NeuroVoider is a great twin-stick roguelike to add to the increasingly impressive array of indies on the Nintendo Switch eShop. The action is intense, the shooting is reassuringly precise and the customisation is addictive. In fact, the first time I played it, I had so much fun that it was nearly three hours before I put it down. Heck, it even sports co-op for up to four friends. Being a roguelike, NeuroVoider isn't for the faint of heart. That aforementioned intense action is every bit as tough as it is fun. The fact that my first few runs lasted little more than a minute lays testament to that. Also some may claim that the procedurally generated levels (and enemies!) isn't different to any other game if it ilk, but with its loot and customisation, NeuroVoider does enough to stand out from the crowd. And at £11.99, it offers great value, too. Highly recommended.

I’ve really enjoyed my time with Binaries, but then again, I’m a long-time fan of masochistically difficult platformers that take tons and tons of practice and dedication to master. If that sounds something like you, or perhaps you enjoy endlessly attempting to shave milliseconds off your best course times, then you’re sure to get mileage out of Binaries. Just be sure to go in with your eyes wide open.

With gorgeous visuals and fun gameplay, Pankapu will clearly please platform fans, but it does pain me to ponder just how good it could have been. Indeed, with a more sympathetic score and a little more consideration here and there, Pankapu could have been genuinely very special. As it stands however, it falls agonisingly short of that status. Which for me, is a real pity.

While it can’t match it for character or charm, Picross S joins Piczle Lines DX as a super competent Switch puzzler that is sure to please Picross and regular puzzle fans alike. With that in mind, I can give Jupiter’s Switch debut a solid recommendation. Just don’t go in expecting it to blow your socks off in the same way the DS games did.

I've just finished the frankly wonderful Snakebird on iOS and felt compelled to leave a quick review for those still on for fence. With gorgeous art direction, some deliciously mind-bending l puzzles and, best of all, zero handholding whatsoever, I've fallen head over heels for Snakebird. If you're up for a challenge and dig the adorable presentation, there's every chance you will too. Oh and the first half a dozen or so levels are free to try at your leisure (with a one-off IAP required to unlock the full game) so why not just try it? I'm super glad I did :)

Big fan of this fabulous roguelike FPS. It finally comes to console (Wii U) this week, but I REALLY hope the rumours of a planned PS Vita version are true. Paranautical Activity would rock on Vita! Great game, highly recommended :0)

The Greedy Cave is an enjoyable dungeon crawler with an eye catching art style that bears more than a passing resemblance to Klei Entertainment's popular survival sim, Don't Starve. If developer Avalon Games can address the disappointingly frequent grammatical/spelling errors, rethink the inclusion of the unsavoury IAP system, and perhaps add another layer or two of polish, they might just end up having something pretty special on their hands! In the meantime, if you're a fan of dungeon crawlers or maybe fancy a 'roguelite' with a light tactical edge, you could do worse than The Greedy Cave. .

Desktop Dungeons is a fantastic iOS adventure for RPG fans, but it really needs to be a universal build. iPad is awesome, but how about iPhone 6/6S regular and Plus model users? Desktop Dungeons would be great on larger iPhones! Fingers crossed for a future patch.

Absolutely stunning in every possible way. I don't want to spoil a thing... just play Undertale as soon as possible, before some jerk spoils it for you! [NOTE TO DEVELOPER]: Mr. Fox, please bring Undertale to as wide an audience as possible. Personally speaking, I'd love to play your wonderful RPG again on PS Vita and iPhone/iPad in particular. PS4, too!

An utterly enthralling monochromatic caper that I just can't help but wish was also available for handheld gamers. Sure, Winterbottom is fantastic on 360 and PC, but personally, I think it'd be experienced on Playstation Vita.

An utterly enthralling monochromatic caper that I just can't help but wish was also available for handheld gamers. Sure, Winterbottom is fantastic on 360 and PC, but personally, I think it'd be experienced on Playstation Vita.

I absolutely adore Super Meat Boy. Sure, its difficulty is both legendary and extremely well documented, but what I find so appealing is the way this game encourages, nay demands, perfection. For me, SMB isn't just about making it through each level, it isn't about scoring an A+ on each stage, it isn't even about nabbing every last one of those devilishly positioned bandages. Well, in truth, I guess it is about these things, but what really gets my blood pumping is the race against the clock. Meticulously replaying each stage over and over and over until I've shaved every last tenth of a second and reached the very limits of my platforming skills. It has become an obsession. Undoubtedly, this will sound incredibly tedious to many gamers, but for me – and those who instinctively gel with SMB's nuances – it represents the very epitome of hardcore, twitch platforming. And that is why I love Super Meat Boy so very, very much. The fact that I can play it on my PS4 and then carry on right from where I left off on my Vita when I'm on the move is the icing on one hell of a sumptuous cake. Thus ensuring that Super Meat Boy on Playstation is the definitive version of the definitive indie platformer. .

I absolutely adore Super Meat Boy. Sure, its difficulty is both legendary and extremely well documented, but what I find so appealing is the way this game encourages, nay demands, perfection. For me, SMB isn't just about making it through each level, it isn't about scoring an A+ on each stage, it isn't even about nabbing every last one of those devilishly positioned bandages. Well, in truth, I guess it is about these things, but what really gets my blood pumping is the race against the clock. Meticulously replaying each stage over and over and over until I've shaved every last tenth of a second and reached the very limits of my platforming skills. It has become an obsession. Undoubtedly, this will sound incredibly tedious to many gamers, but for me – and those who instinctively gel with SMB's nuances – it represents the very epitome of hardcore, twitch platforming. And that is why I love Super Meat Boy so very, very much. The fact that I can play it on my PS4 and then carry on right from where I left off on my Vita when I'm on the move is the icing on one hell of a sumptuous cake. Thus ensuring that Super Meat Boy on Playstation is the definitive version of the definitive indie platformer. .

I've really enjoyed my time BoxBoy! on Nintendo 3DS. It's a very clever platform/puzzler with simple, yet striking presentation and intuitive puzzles. The lack of any stereoscopic 3D whatsoever certainly hurts the overall experience, but if you can look past this disappointing omission, you'll find a good 10hrs of 2D puzzle fun! Recommended.

What initially felt like a game hanging on for dear life to the overwhelming nostalgia that Zelda fans feel for A Link to the Past, soon shed the apron strings and – to my surprise – ended up being my favourite game in this glorious franchise since those heady SNES days. So, what exactly made A Link Between Worlds my favourite Zelda game in years? A number of things actually. For starters, the gorgeous 3D visuals (supported by a 2.5D top-down display) are hands down some of the best that Nintendo have bestowed upon the 3DS to date! Then there's the freedom to tackle Hyrules eight dungeons in the order of your choosing. And the fact that you can hire Link's bevy of weapons and items right off the bat. But most of all, I simply adored the puzzle-heavy labyrinths and dungeons that actually make you think about how to tackle each room. I went into A Link Between Worlds with minimal expectations, but came out feeling like a kid at Christmas. As far as I'm concerned, ALBW stands shoulder to shoulder with A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, and The Wind Waker as one of the finest entries to ever grace this fabulous franchise. And I absolutely love it.

Every bit as tough as it is gorgeous, Element4l is a wonderful physics-based puzzle platformer that every fan of the genre should download without delay. Better yet, when do you head over to PSN, be sure to compare the price of Element4l to similar Vita offerings, and you'll see that it's an absolute bargain too! Indeed, having had the opportunity to play each of the following on Vita, I'd certainly recommend Element4l over these considerably more expensive alternatives for example... htoLNiQ: The Firefly Diary, La-Mulana EX, Murasaki Baby, Stealth Inc 2, The Swapper, and plenty more besides. It really is that good, and definitely gets this gamers seal of approval. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 8.5 out of 10 .

As far as I'm concerned, LIMBO is one of the ten best games of all time. That's right, EVER. It was nothing short of staggering way back when it originally debuted on XBLA (360), was just as gorgeous and equally adept at going 'handheld' when it graced PS Vita, and once again, it's just as good on PS4. But therein lies the very problem, in PS4 (and Xbox One), this is the latest and greatest in new generation home console gaming, and 'just as good', really doesn't cut it. Not by a long-shot. And that goes double for those of us who have previously bought the game on multiple platforms. And ESPECIALLY NOT when Playdead inextricably opt to sidestep PSN's altogether fabulous Cross-Buy initiative. Very strange indeed when they DID use the service for the PS3/Vita edition(s). Absolutely bizarre! Come on Playdead, at the VERY least, take a look at Minecraft: PS4 Edition and the stunning Super Turbo Championship Edition of Guacamelee! and offer a good 50% or so discount for existing PSN owners of the the game. Don't get me wrong, I still adore LIMBO. Most likely always will. But all these years later, without the addition of any new-gen bells & whistles whatsoever, 10/10 this ain't. If you've never played it before, by all means, jump in and grab LIMBO on PS4 — it's almost worth it, just to play through the five or six hour campaign on the DualShock 4 — but if you've already played it before and/or already own it on another platform, I'd leave this version in PSN limbo. Well, at least until it inevitably hits the PSN bargain bin at some point down the line. .

Having had access to Flame Over for a good week or so now, I really can’t recommend this awesome twin-stick, roguelike highly enough! Yes, it’s a pretty (erm, okay…’really’) tough game, but it’s also more than fair, with no cheap deaths to be had whatsoever. As ever, practice really does help, and with that being borne in mind, Flame Over really isn’t any tougher than say, Rogue Legacy, The Binding of Isaac, or even Spelunky. Personally, I think Laughing Jackal’s biggest (and best!) project to date, looks utterly gorgeous on Vita too, but I’ve gotta say, some kind of patch bringing in a Luigi’s Mansion 2-esque multiplayer mode at some point in the future would be truly awesome! And perhaps — dare I say it — even an ‘easy’ and/or ‘tutorial’ mode for otherwise daunted novices?! Either way… Binding of Isaac x Spelunky x Luigi's Mansion = FLAME OVER! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Simon .

This War of Mine is an utterly wonderful game with a unique take on an otherwise popular premise. Will definitely grab it again on iOS, but would love to see this stellar adventure come to PS4/Vita too. Given 11 bit Studios support of PS4 with Anomaly 2, I'm hoping it'll happen.

Having just poured yet another couple of hours into The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, I felt compelled to string a few words together to accompany my 10/10 rating of Ed McMillen's wonderful dungeon-crawling roguelike! With a near perfectly judged difficulty curve, randomly generated dungeon layouts, and savagely addictive gameplay, for me, The Binding of Isaac not only makes an outstanding addition to PS Vita's ever flourishing digital line-up, it also represents everything that is good about the industries vibrant indie scene. With any luck, if Isaac turns out to be even half the success that it's endlessly compelling gameplay so richly deserves, perhaps McMillen will team up with Nicalis once more, and bring the equally enthralling Super Meat Boy to Playstation systems too. Here's hoping! :-)

I know that when it comes to Mutant Mudds, it often tends to be quite the divisive little platformer. Many (retro-fans in particular) absolutely adore the game, while others can be a little less enthusiastic. Me? Well, having played it to death on my old 3DS (which I've since part-exchanged for my Wii U) and even the buttonless iOS/mobile version, I'm certainly with the former. Yep, I love Renegade Kid's über pretty plane-changing scroller... which I guess begs the question: —— WILL MUTANT MUDDS DELUXE EVER COME TO THE EUROPEAN eSHOP??? —— I've raised this very matter on several forums in recent months, and even posed the question directly to Jools Watsham over at Renegade, but have I ever had an answer? Nope! Nothing, nada, zip, zilch. Not even a cursory 'we're not quite sure yet!' Come on Jools, all I want is a difinitive YES (at some stage) or NO (definitely not). Either way, is that asking too much? For our North American cousins who ARE lucky enough to have access to this great game though — whether it be Wii U, 3DS, Vita or even mobile — I wholeheartedly recommend you jump right in and enjoy. For Mutant Mudds Deluxe really is straight out of the top 2D drawer :-) .

Not only is Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition a fabulous Metroidvania style platformer with an emphasis on deeply satisfying 2D brawling, it gets just about everything else right too! With beautiful art, a great soundtrack, nuanced platforming, and gameplay that's both challenging and savagely addictive, all the ingredients required to make a truly great videogame are present and correct here. And with all the new STCE content — including the awesome Intenso power-up — DrinkBox's delicious scroller represents stunning value too. So we now know that it's a great game, but how does Guacamelee! compare to similarly specced eShop titles from Wii U's rapidly expanding library? In a word, well. Exceptionally well in fact. It provides a stiffer, more rewarding challenge than fellow Metroidvania themed adventure, Knytt Underground. It's more expansive and packs in much more content than Ubisoft's gorgeous 2D quest 'em-up, Child of Light. And it's far classier and rounded than DuckTales Remastered. But perhaps most telling of all, for me it's even prettier than one of the very finest, most beautiful 2D platformers of the last decade — Rayman Legends! While I don't doubt that many will find that last statement particularly controversial, that doesn't make it any less true. And similarly to the escapades of Ubisofts limbless mascot in his latest Origins and Legends adventures, DrinkBox has created a wonderfully playful and utterly gorgeous, toon-themed world that's every bit as wonderfully unique as it is beautiful to behold. Whether you're fourteen or forty-four, Guacamelee! STCE is an wonderfully compelling and wholly essential download that represents eShop gaming at it's astonishing best. And if you hadn't guessed already, I simply cannot recommend it highly enough! 9.5 out of 10 .

With barely five minutes of actual gameplay, labelling Pink Hour as an extremely brief experience would be an understatement of near epic proportions. And yet, despite it's incredible brevity, this gorgeous little slice of retro heaven still makes for an absolutely essential download for arcade fans. You see, while it may be billed as a standalone game in it's own right, Pink Hour is actually a cleverly disguised demo for Daisuke 'Pixel' Amaya's real iOS masterpiece - the utterly fabulous KeroBlaster. With that in mind, my advice is to download Pink Hour without delay and try it for yourself. After which, if you're anything like me — and you're reading this review, so you probably are — you'll soon find yourself heading straight back to the App Store to drop a relatively meager £2.99 on KeroBlaster. And trust me, you'll be mightily glad you did. [BTW]: oh and should Amaya-San happen to listen in at some point, please be aware that there are lots of Playstation Vita owners — myself included — who'd gladly pay top dollar for the chance to play KeroBlaster on our favourite handheld too! Come to think of it, ditto Cave Story for that matter. After all, forget about dogs, it's Vita that's rapidly becoming an indies best friend. Besides, you can't blame a guy for asking, right? .

If I had to summarise Retro City Rampage in one swift sentence, I'd say that it is a loving 8-bit homage to the original Grand Theft Auto games. Now if that sounds like your cup of tea -- and let's face it, who's cup of tea isn't that? -- then you'll be in for hours of top quality run and gun, mission-based fun! Just note that Retro City Rampage has a difficulty curve that can get a little steep at times, and it's laced with oodles of 1980's referenced, tongue-in-cheek humour. However, if you can look past these points, which I suppose could be construed by some as caveats, then Brian Provinciano's pocket-sized love letter to the decade that brought us shoulder pads and the discman is unlikely to disappoint. However, I can't sign-off without making two final points. Firstly, this being the 3DS version, it's a little surprising to note that it doesn't support the systems trademark stereoscopic 3D functionality. That's a shame. And secondly, despite this 'DX' edition being billed by many as the difinitive version of the game, I personally preferred it on the Playstation Vita. Why? Well for one, it looks a little nicer, but more importantly, the Vita's second analogue stick offers the twin-stick shooting capabilities of the console versions - which often proves extremely welcome - especially when you're in a pickle and outnumbered by the fuzz! .

Mutant Mudds is fit to bursting with retro visuals, retro gameplay and retro difficulty, and in my eyes, that makes it the best 'non-Mario' scroller available for 3DS today. If you're in the mood for some retro thrills and up to a pretty stiff challenge, you're in for a real treat with Max and his gorgeous pixelated crusade against the evil Mudds! Indeed, with the possible exception of Terry Cavanagh's -- very different, yet -- utterly sublime VVVVVV, Mutant Mudds is probably my favourite downloadable title on the 3DS eShop to date... even surpassing fellow greats like Cave Story and SteamWorld Dig. Yup, THAT good. .

As well as this Playstation Vita edition of Bit.Trip Presents...Runner 2, I've also owned and/or played the Nintendo Wii U, PS3 and PC versions of Gaijin's über addictive auto-running platformer. Each iteration is utterly fantastic and every bit as joyous as they are (at times) rage-inducingly infuriating, but for me at least, this wonderful scroller stands out on one system more than all others. And that is on Vita. That's partly down to the fact that Commander Video's sequel looks especially pretty on Vita's OLED screen (and the new slim models LCD too for that matter), but what really sets this version apart boils down to the Vita's inherent portability. With a game that's this downright addictive, the fact that you're not tethered to the living room TV is a huge bonus. It also helps that Runner 2 is just as well suited to quick bursts of pick-up-and-play micro fun as it is longer, extended sessions. Then there's the controls. I can't quite fathom out how, but when it comes to making Commander Video jump, slide, kick and block to absolute precision, the Vita's diminutive d-pad and face buttons somehow manage to feel even tighter than it's console counterparts. Finally, having a bunch of PSN trophies to acquire en route to Runner 2's delicious finalé dials up an already massively moreish title to 11 on the addict-a-scale! Like I've already alluded to, regardless of which platform you choose to sample Gaijin's unique brand of twitch-platforming thrills, Bit.Trip Presents...Runner 2 is an utterly fantastic indie-flavoured masterpiece, but if you're a multiple console owning gamer who also happens to have a Playstation Vita at your disposal, Sony's handheld is unquestionably the way to go on this occasion. Verdict: 9 out of 10 An absolute must-have for all platform enthusiasts - especially those who own a Vita! .

Cave Story is a genuinely timeless -- and utterly sublime -- 2D adventure that really should be experienced by as many core gamers as possible. But nearly eighteen months since it's NA release, why is it still not available on the EU eShop? And and while I'm at it, Cave Story really needs to come to the Wii U eShop too. I own it on pretty much every platform on which it's ever been released, and moving forward, I intend to continue that trend. Yes, it really is *that* good.

Unepic is about as far from actually being, erm, unepic as you can possibly imagine. Having released here in the UK only a few short days ago, I perhaps unsurprisingly couldn't find much in the way of reliable reviews through the usual channels, but having been genuinely intrigued by it's backstory and eShop trailer, I decided to take a punt on Unepic anyway. And long story short, I'm absolutely thrilled that I did, because this game is really rather special. I'll endeavour to leave more detailed impressions once I've finished the game, and experienced at least two of it's three different endings. In the meantime however, I just wanted to write a line or two for those still on the fence as whether to grab this one or not. Well, as you might have guessed, my advice on the matter is overwhelmingly straightforward -- if you're a fan of 2D metroidvania-style games, platformers, RPG's, adventures, exploration, or just plain old addictive gameplay, then this ones a no-brainer, and you should jump right into Unepic with confidence. Yep, this one is an absolute belter! Hope this helps!

Unfairly saddled with dozens of overly harsh reviews in the gaming media, Johnny Kung Fu is a far better game than it's many detractors would have you believe. Sure, it isn't perfect, far from it infact, but who ever said that it's trying to be? What Johnny Kung Fu most definitely *does* do however, is offer genuinely fun, cartoon-styled scrolling, all wrapped up in a varied, combat-heavy package. Some pretty neat use of the 3DS' signature stereoscopic 3D, which allows for seamless plane (of view) flipping, rounds off what is a fun and refreshing alternative to your standard eShop fare. When compared to UFO Interactive's more recent offerings from their mascot's 'Johnny XXX' escapades on Nintendo 3DS, this Kung Fu series entry looks even better, proving itself as the unequivocal best of the bunch in the process. However, in truth, it must be noted that this has more to do with the significant shortcomings of UFO's newer franchise entries, than it does with Kung Fu's prowess! Despite what you may have read or heard elsewhere, I personally had a blast with Johnny Kung Fu, and for those looking for their next 3DS download, my advice is this: you could certainly do an awful lot worse. Oh and don't go in expecting technical excellence or innovative gameplay either. Just sayin'. 7 out of 10 all day long!

The Wind Waker has always been one of the true greats from Nintendo's frankly wonderful Zelda franchise, but now it's something even ****'s the Wii U's first genuine system seller and it's an absolute belter! Indeed, Wind Waker HD is as perfect a game as you're ever likely to find, and whether you're a Wii U owner or not, it is utterly essential.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS Having now spent a good couple of hours in the company of this wonderfully executed lesson in innovation and story telling, from those crazy-talented folks over at Media Molecule, I feel obliged to wade in with some brief impressions for my fellow (and perhaps, future) Vita owners. I'm delighted (and more than just a tad relieved) to confirm, that having previously digested reviews from the digital pages of esteemed gaming sites like Destructoid (10/10), Pocket Gamer (also 10), IGN (9.3) and Edge (9), their overwhelmingly positive findings are indeed entirely accurate. The first chapter is a little slow to get going, and to a lesser extent, so is the second. However, it is in these early sections that MM holds your hand a little, slowly but surely endowing you with the skills required to negotiate many of the wholly unique underpinnings on which Tearaway's delightfully whimsical world (a world that is inextricably linked to the real one, might I add) is built. Furthermore, these skills take full advantage of the Vita's entire suite of input channels (front touchscreen, rear touchpad, gyro, camera's...) making Tearaway a genuinely unique experience. An experience that is genuinely only workable on Sony's otherwise oft-maligned pocket-rocket. With this in mind, as far as I'm concerned, Tearaway is Vita's first bona fide system seller! Yep, that good. Like I said, having played Tearaway for just over two hours, these are only my initial impressions, so I'll be sure to pop back in the next day or two to report more. HOWEVER, in the meantime, I really must get back to this frankly wonderful game! Happy gaming everyone!

I haven't posted many reviews here on Metacritic in recent weeks, but I’ve had suuuuuch a blast with CastleStorm on my Vita, that I just couldn’t resist logging in and shouting it from the rooftops! CastleStorm is one of those rare games that within minutes of booting it up for the very first time, you’re **** right into the heart of the action…and it just gets better and better the more you play it. Highly recommended for fans of strategy, adventure and even physics-based puzzlers! Whether you’re after a casual pick-up-and-play experience or something more meaty with tons of depth, CastleStorm has you covered. I realise that I’m gushing a little here, but as far as I’m concerned, Zen’s latest PSN offering is right up there with the very best downloadables available on Vita today. Yep, *THAT* good!