Crypt of the NecroDancer (Switch eShop)

£3.58 (-80%)

A roguelike at heart with a rhythm-game soul, Crypt Of The NecroDancer is a sublime experience that’s a must-play for fans of the genre(s). Its upbeat, uptempo take on dungeon crawling is infectious, and there’s enough content here to last even the savviest of spelunkers for many, many dance-fuelled dives into the depths — if you’ve never tangoed with the NecroDancer, this fully-featured Switch edition is the perfect way to jump in. For anybody who never played this but loved the Zelda spin-off Cadence of Hyrule (and was left wanting more), what are you waiting for?

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (Switch eShop)

£14.61 (-35%)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is the best Turtles beat 'em up ever made, and a faster, better-looking, and arguably more entertaining affair than even Streets of Rage 4. It looks delicious, sounds superb, and rekindles childhood memories beyond all expectation, time-warping you back to 1987. Its combat system is so much fun to mine that you feel compelled to keep coming back to try new strategies, and with its awesome co-op multiplayer, the experience evolves again and again. Like any beat 'em up, it does get repetitive as you enter the last third, but that’s more a fault of the concept than the game. Shredder’s Revenge really is an unprecedented shell-ebration.

The Dimension Shellshock DLC adds new fighters and a Survival mode, too, and if you can't get enough of your Turtle-filled co-op brawlers, there's also Digital Eclipse's TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection, which features a boatload of Konami classics that'll keep you busy for hours.

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World of Goo (Switch eShop)

£8.03 (-33%)

World of Goo is a true classic, and it's revered for good reason. 2D Boy's game is instantly accessible but with plenty of depth; it's paced out perfectly, with a steady stream of new tricks and techniques to learn; and its puzzles can be solved with forward-thinking, quick reflexes or a mixture of both. Wrapped up in a unique, pleasantly apocalyptic presentation, with co-op support and a harder 'OCD' mode for added replay value, this is a complete puzzle package. If you've played it previously, the Switch incarnation might be worth a second go for its portable pointer controls and on-the-go co-op, but if it's your first time into the World of Goo it's absolutely a must-play.

Fight'N Rage (Switch eShop)

£8.99 (-50%)

Who says the beat 'em up is dead? Fight’N Rage is one of the must-own action games on Nintendo’s console. Its surprisingly deep and satisfyingly weighty combat engine combined with three strong and varied player characters and a host of cleverly-designed enemies elevate it above the usual button-mashing experience perhaps expected of entries in this genre. It’s got an excellent arcade mode that branches off in various directions as you make your way to the final boss battle, as well as a ton of unlockable modes and extras to keep you coming back for more. Whether you’re a learned fan of old-school beat ’em ups or you just like pummelling the life out of mutant punk pussycats and monkeys dressed as Bruce Lee, you owe it to yourself to experience what Sebastian Garcia has created here; it’s easily one of the best beat’em ups we’ve played.

Lumines Remastered (Switch eShop)

£4.04 (-70%)

Lumines Remastered is a luminary of the puzzle genre and feels perfectly at home on the Switch. Intense and immersive puzzle action, psychedelic visuals, a killer soundtrack, and a bevy of content and modes make for a premier puzzle experience that should not be missed. Lumines is an addictive experience that is positively a delight to play, and we would highly recommend it to both veterans and newcomers to the puzzle genre. There’s something here for everyone, and considering the relatively low price tag, Lumines Remastered is very much required playing for any Switch owner.

Astral Ascent (Switch eShop)

£15.74 (-25%)

Astral Ascent is a prime example of a game that amounts to more than the sum of its parts. Its strong character design, hi-bit visuals, tight combat, memorable bosses, and broad build variety have all featured in games you’ve probably played before—there’s nothing ‘new’ here. But to write it off as just 'another one of those' in a crowded genre would be to miss out on one of the most delightful and surprising releases of the year. Astral Ascent is comfortably one of the best roguelites available on the Switch today, and we can easily recommend it to anyone with a passing interest in the genre. Don't miss it.

Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] (Switch)

£8.74 (-75%)

Don't let this one's comically unwieldy title put you off. Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] is a super slick, fast-paced fighter that manages to successfully straddle the line between being instantly accessible and welcoming for newcomers and in-depth enough to satisfy hardcore fight fans. Its lineup of 21 fighters is much more exciting than their anime stylings may suggest, and the Chronicles mode gives fans of the visual novel element of the game plenty to sink their teeth into. With the most comprehensive training and tutorial modes we've ever encountered in a fighting game, this is easily one of the most well-rounded, satisfying and instantly engaging brawlers on Switch and – even with an online mode which seems to be in need of some attention – there's plenty for fans of the genre to sink their teeth into here.

Crawl (Switch eShop)

£2.59 (-80%)

Strictly speaking, this is more competitive than co-operative, but we really like Crawl and we’d bet our collected stash of gold and wrath you will, too. A dungeon-crawling hack-and-slash affair, one player is the hero trying to get through a dungeon and the others play as monster-controlling ghosts attempting to kill said hero and take their place. It's an everyone-for-themselves free-for-all, yet there are opportunities for frantic 3v1 co-operative play — a necessity when all the non-hero ghost characters must take joint control of bosses the hero faces.

So then, light on co-op but heavy on fun. Couchplay doesn’t get much better than this on Switch.

Steredenn: Binary Stars (Switch eShop)

£3.59 (-70%)

Steredenn: Binary Stars is a fantastic release that does a great job of providing an experience that feels simultaneously classic and modern. Its high difficulty, rewarding gameplay, endless variety, and beautiful presentation make this an essential buy for any fans of the genre, and a high recommendation for those who aren’t. If you’re looking for a tightly made arcade game that can be played both in short bursts and for hours on end, here's yet another one for your list.

UNSIGHTED (Switch eShop)

£7.19 (-60%)

Unsighted combines some very familiar ideas: it’s a top-down, roguelite, sci-fi Metroidvania with a strong 16-bit aesthetic. Its time-is-ticking, post-apocalyptic scenario is brought to life by the enchanting palettes of its pixel art, making a world you want to explore, full of characters you want to know. Far from punishing, it leans more on the 'lite' than the 'rogue', letting fun prevail – as it will, thanks to the addictive rhythm of the controls, backed by punchy sounds. The cooperative multiplayer is icing on top of an already well-iced cake. Combining flavours of Super Nintendo classics with modern playability, Unsighted is the game 1995 desperately wanted to make but just didn’t know how.

Armello (Switch eShop)

£7.99 (-60%)

While this turn-based affair might look, move, and feel just like a real board game, Armello is actually a completely original creation — and one that does more than simply doff its cap at the world of tabletop gaming. From the deep tactics of its living board game gameplay to the sheer charm of its worldbuilding and animal character designs, it's a quest filled with back-stabbing, political power plays, and rampaging monsters that’s different each and every time you play. It’s at its absolute best when played in multiplayer, that human factor making for an even more unpredictable battle for the corrupted throne. The Switch version has had its ups and downs since launch, with some updates making things worse, but it's apparently back to being in a playable state on Nintendo's console. As such, you’d be doing yourself a disservice not to add this anthropomorphic tale to your wishlist.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe (Switch)

£33.29 (-33%)

Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe is a fantastic remaster of one of our favourite Kirby adventures. With slick new visuals, some meaningful gameplay tweaks, and two excellent new modes to dig into, this is a big, loud, colourful celebration of all things Kirby that should delight new and returning players alike. Magalor's Epilogue is a surprisingly chunky addition to the core action that gives the campaign a nice boost, whilst Merry Magoland ensures that you and your pals are kept busy with plenty of minigames, missions, and online challenges to best once you're done with the main story mode.