Ori And The Blind Forest: Definitive Edition (Switch eShop)

$6.59 (-67%)

What we have here is a flawless port of a game which absolutely deserves all of the praise it has received. From start to finish, Ori and the Blind Forest is a real joy to play. Challenging yet never feeling unfair or discouraging, and almost relaxing to control. The mesmerising art style and musical score are the icing on the cake that makes the player actually care about the protagonist and want to keep playing to the game’s conclusion. It was a bit of a surprise to see this game make its way to the Nintendo Switch, but we’re glad that it did. An unmissable experience.

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Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Switch eShop)

$9.89 (-67%)

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is not just a great sequel; in many ways, it outdoes Ori and the Blind Forest.

The addition of more customisation options, a greater focus on combat and a better-developed story (all in an incredibly beautiful game that's running at 60 frames per second) means it comprehensively outshines the original. Will of the Wisps pushes technical boundaries so far beyond the previous game that performance was shaky even on Xbox One X at launch; that it runs on Nintendo's console at all is, well, utterly remarkable.

That's not to say it was flawless when it launched on Switch, but following a patch from Moon Studios, the game is in even better shape than ever and we really can't recommend it enough. A supremely enjoyable platform adventure which everyone should experience.

Pentiment (Switch eShop)

$9.99 (-50%)

Pentiment is a fantastic adventure RPG that revels in a studious approach to history and immaculate recreations of the styles and traditions of 16th-century Bavaria. There's a super smart, funny, and engaging murder mystery to investigate here, but it's how that mystery is so fully rooted in the world that's been lovingly crafted around it that really elevates this experience.

It's one of the best games of the past decade, hands down, and to have it running and performing perfectly on Switch is a joyous thing — it feels like it was made for Nintendo's console. This is about as essential as games get.

Persona 5 Royal (Switch)

$20.99 (-65%)

Persona 5 Royal is the very definition of ‘required reading' for JRPG fans.

A deep and moving story, stylish presentation, amazing soundtrack, and decision-driven gameplay all combine to make for an unforgettable and exceptional experience that proves itself to be every bit deserving of the hype and praise it’s already received.

While those who have played this elsewhere may want to consider whether Switch's portability is enough to justify a full-price double dip, it suits the system perfectly. Persona 5 Royal easily stands as one of the very best RPGs of the last decade and you’d be doing yourself a disservice to miss out.

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Persona 5 Tactica (Switch)

$23.99 (-60%)

Persona 5 Tactica is a thrillingly varied tactical RPG that fans of the Phantom Thieves and the genre should take note of. It's a little on the easy side, but the varied gameplay, excellent soundtrack, striking visuals, and lovable characters all make for a very easy recommendation. We’d especially suggest you pick this up if you really enjoyed Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, as we noticed a lot of parallels. It remains to be seen if this is the last time we’ll be seeing the Phantom Thieves don their masks, but if this does turn out to be their finale, Persona 5 Tactica is a massively enjoyable sendoff for the beloved crew.

Pizza Tower (Switch eShop)

$13.39 (-33%)

Pizza Tower is the rare sort of game that improves on its inspiration in nearly every way, building upon many of Nintendo’s Wario Land ideas with impressive results. This is an incredibly satisfying, creative, and addictive platformer that’ll keep you busy for a long time if you want to 100% it.

Anyone who loved the old Wario Land games will adore this, as will anyone who’s looking for something new with a high skill ceiling and lots of technical depth. Pizza Tower has definitely got it where it counts - platformers don’t get much better than this.

Please, Touch The Artwork (Switch eShop)

$1.99 (-75%)

Please, Touch The Artwork is an excellent little puzzler that cleverly combines intuitive, pensive puzzle mechanics with art history and humour to create an interactive exhibit you really shouldn't miss out on. If you've got any interest in modern art whatsoever, you're sure to enjoy this gem, but even puzzle fans who don't know their Picassos from their Pollocks would do well to browse these galleries. There's really nothing else to say. Do what the title says.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (Switch)

$19.99 (-50%)

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a slick return to the roots of this franchise that serves up clever 2.5D action wrapped up in a delightful art style and satisfying story.

There's a smart balance here between old-school levels of action and challenge, moreish combat, and neat puzzles, all mixed with accessibility options and fine-tuning that open things up to newcomers and casual players.

We knew Ubisoft Montpellier was a pair of safe hands and the (now sadly disbanded) team didn't let us down, serving up the first must-play of 2024 in a Switch port that absolutely does the business.

Prodeus (Switch)

$14.99 (-40%)

Prodeus is the kind of game that knows exactly what it wants to do and executes that vision flawlessly.

It’s not complicated and it’s nothing you haven’t seen before, but every inch of this experience was clearly crafted with passion and talent. The intense firefights, expansive arsenal, metal music, and sprawling level designs all come together to make Prodeus feel like a game that’s just the right mix of retro and modern.

If you have ever been a fan of Doom, Quake, Wolfenstein, or any of the indie boomer shooters of the last few years, you owe it to yourself to give Prodeus a shot. Even if you haven’t much been into the genre before, we’d say this is an excellent place to jump in and see what it’s about.

qomp2 (Switch eShop)

$10.99 (-45%)

qomp 2 is an excellent and worthy reimaging of Pong that honours the classic arcade game's legacy while providing a unique experience for folks with no nostalgia for Atari's seminal masterpiece. It offers a consistently interesting and engaging means of traversal with a great variety of obstacles and puzzles to overcome throughout the 30 stages.

We would have liked a few more levels in the end, but this is really just an indication of the quality on display here. If you're into quirky action-focused puzzlers with a unique hook, then qomp 2 is definitely worth your attention.

Quake (Switch eShop)

$3.99 (-60%)

Quake returns in a feature-rich remaster that delicately updates the classic FPS, adding lots of optional bells and whistles, packing in a ton of content, and delivering the definitive way to play this masterpiece in the process.

There's a wealth of online and co-op options here, a glorious new expansion to blast through from MachineGames, super slick performance in both docked and handheld modes, and it's all available at a cracking price point.

This really is a stellar port of one gaming's true greats and an absolutely essential addition to your Switch library.

Quake II (Switch eShop)

$3.99 (-60%)

Quake II arrives on Switch in the form of one of the very best remasters we've ever had the pleasure of digging into.

With enhanced graphics and audio, refined AI, all-new animations, the iD Vault, a brand new episode, and all previously released DLC in the mix — plus the N64 version — this is an exhaustive package that Quake fans are absolutely gonna eat up.

Add in crossplay support, gyro controls, and lots of co-op and competitive ways to play locally and online, and you've got an outstanding release.

Radiant Silvergun (Switch eShop)

$7.99 (-60%)

Radiant Silvergun remains, despite its uncompromising nature, deservedly celebrated. The game wears its hardcore credentials on its sleeve, and its depth in both technical and artistic terms is astonishing. As stimulating and rewarding as it is exhausting, it’s a labour that has transcended not only the genre but the medium to some degree.

Regardless of its difficulty — and in that difficulty, its lack of immediate connection — those who learn to fell the game proper can say they truly lived Radiant Silvergun. That’s an experience worth fighting for.

Raiden IV x Mikado Remix (Switch)

$8.99 (-70%)

Raiden IV is not a typical shmup by contemporary standards, and won’t be for everyone. Equally, all of these modes have been available in some form elsewhere. But as a single package, Raiden IV x Mikado Remix offers the Switch one of its best shooting game releases yet – and that is saying something on a console that has emerged as an unexpected star vehicle for the genre.

Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition (Switch)

$7.99 (-80%)

Despite its ‘Definitive Edition’ moniker, the vast majority of what you get in the Switch version of Rayman Legends has been seen in every other edition. The only truly new features here are a complete character roster for the first time and a tournament mode for its football minigame.

That’s not to say it's a bad game, though; that couldn’t be further from the truth. Rayman Legends is one of the best plumber-free platformers ever made, and its budget price means if you haven’t played it before, the Switch version is the perfect opportunity to jump in.

Return to Monkey Island (Switch eShop)

$9.99 (-60%)

Return to Monkey Island reaches into your heart, rips out your desire to know THE SECRET, and clenches it in front of your face. As hard as it would be to concede that The Secret of Monkey Island™ might always have been a MacGuffin, it’s agonising to contemplate that your 30-year longing for the Monkey Island 3 might be just the same.

Return presents to your transfixed gaze a phenomenal point-and-click adventure, bubbling with passion and fun. All the way through, you will hope, achingly, that the big reveal is coming – and then…

River City Girls (Switch eShop)

$14.99 (-50%)

Not since Scott Pilgrim vs The World was released nine years ago have we played such an entertaining, satisfying beat ‘em up. Whether you’re playing alone or teaming up with a friend in co-op mode, River City Girls is a visually superb, aurally fantastic, out-and-out love letter to the genre. Fans of River City Ransom and other Kunio-kun games will adore how it respects the past but makes it relevant today, while those new to the series will simply find a hugely enjoyable and infectiously cheerful scrapper.

Rogue Legacy 2 (Switch eShop)

$12.49 (-50%)

While not the first roguelike by any means, 2013’s Rogue Legacy — alongside classics like Spelunky and The Binding of Isaac — had a hand in making the now-plentiful genre the huge deal it has become. Nearly a decade later (not counting two years of early access), Cellar Door Games finally followed up on its breakout hit.

Rogue Legacy 2 builds upon its predecessor and, even for those who haven't played the first, re-establishes what made it such an enduring hit. While it’s not a game-changing revelation, it manages to follow up on everything that made the original great and makes it bigger and better.

Whether you loved the original Rogue Legacy or never played it but like a good roguelike, this is a game you simply can't afford to miss.

SEGA AGES Out Run (Switch eShop)

$2.39 (-70%)

If you originally missed out on the 3DS port, this is about as essential a retro release as you can get. Out Run has always been an infinitely playable game, and the new unlockables and online rankings only increase its longevity further.

Those with the 3DS version will have to decide whether it’s worth buying what’s more or less the same game again in order to play it on their TV, but for everyone else with an interest in retro gaming, it’s a must-have.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance (Switch)

$35.99 (-40%)

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is a stellar example of an enhanced re-release done right - which is fortunate as the original version was delisted when this launched.

Vengeance's comprehensive approach to improving the story and various gameplay systems of the original release makes for an experience that’s even more engrossing. Though we were disappointed by the lack of any performance gains here, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is still an extremely easy recommendation for any RPG fans.

Some may consider SMT to be “Persona without the heart,” but SMT V: Vengeance cleanly demonstrates that this old Atlus stalwart still has an abundance of fantastic gameplay and unique appeal. A wonderful game.