Rage of the Dragons NEO (Switch eShop)

£14.39 (-20%)

Rage of the Dragons NEO is a peach of a game. Plucked from the Neo Geo library, it’s been brought back to life with a smooth online experience and a comprehensive package stuffed with bonuses.

It’s not for everyone, and don’t be surprised if you get beasted online initially, but for those willing to eke out the depths of its tag team strategy and combo extension methods, it's a furious, flashy, adrenaline-fuelled affair that looks great, sounds great, and plays even better.

Raiden IV x Mikado Remix (Switch)

£7.49 (-75%)

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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.

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Return to Monkey Island (Switch eShop)

£11.24 (-50%)

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)

£13.49 (-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 (Switch eShop)

£2.19 (-80%)

Rogue Legacy is a simple take on the tried-and-true roguelike formula, but it executes what it sets out to do exceptionally well, making for an endlessly replayable and enjoyable action adventure that no fan of the genre will want to miss out on.

A high difficulty level, funny writing, tight controls and rewarding RPG mechanics make this one an effortless recommendation; the design of the game makes it easy to play in short bursts or long sessions, which means it's a great fit for the Switch.

If you enjoyed Dead Cells, Castlevania, or any 2D sidescroller in that style, you’re almost certain to have a blast with this one.

Rogue Legacy 2 (Switch eShop)

£11.24 (-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.

Sea of Stars (Switch eShop)

£20.65 (-30%)

Sea of Stars is a sensational achievement for Sabotage. Following on from The Messenger, the studio is two for two in providing impressively designed and genuinely innovative takes on classic genres.

Some pacing issues aside, the complex narrative, deep and strategic combat, thoughtful level design, and fantastic visuals and music all combine to make this one of the easiest recommendations we can make. If you consider yourself a fan of old-school RPGs, you must play Sea of Stars.

And if not? The execution and polish here are so good that we’d suggest you give it a try anyway - few games would be a better introduction and representation of what makes JRPGs great. Sea of Stars is an instant classic and a new high-water mark for modern retro-styled indies.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance (Switch)

£32.99 (-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.

Shovel Knight Dig (Switch eShop)

£13.49 (-40%)

Shovel Knight Dig is another triumphant and enjoyable entry in the popular indie knight’s growing legacy, offering up thrilling, challenging gameplay that will appeal to fans both old and new. Though it may be a little on the short side, every minute of Shovel Knight Dig positively oozes quality, whether that be the snappy action platforming or the fresh 16-bit art style and animation.

We’d give this one a high recommendation to anyone who enjoyed the original platformers or to anyone looking for a tough (but not offputtingly tough) new roguelite. Shovel Knight Dig has got it where it counts and can stand tall beside its noble predecessors.

Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon (Switch eShop)

£10.79 (-40%)

Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is a smartly designed and truly delightful revitalization of the falling block puzzle genre. High intensity, combat-driven gameplay, oodles of replayability, a cute art style, and a surprising amount of depth make this one a ridiculously easy recommendation.

If you’re at all a fan of Shovel Knight or falling block puzzlers, you owe it to yourself to give this a shot; even if you don’t fall neatly into either of those camps, we’d still very much suggest you give this one a look.

Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (Switch eShop)

£19.79 (-45%)

Shovel Knight was excellent in vanilla form, but Treasure Trove includes absolutely everything that developer Yacht Club has created for the game since its Kickstarter success back in 2013.

That includes the extra campaigns Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment, and the more recent King of Cards, plus multiplayer brawler Showdown which further increases the attractiveness of an already incredibly compelling package.

These games are fantastic odes to the glory days of 8-bit(+) platforming, and having the complete Shovel Knight experience in one spot makes this a must-have for Switch owners - especially those who have so far failed to dig into this game and its add-ons. Strike the earth!

Signalis (Switch eShop)

£11.19 (-30%)

Signalis came out of nowhere to provide survival horror fans a near-perfect love letter to the long-running genre.

It is at its best when you're darting between enemies, using stealth and patience rather than brute force. While some of the combat encounters felt a little forced, the puzzles are just the right mix of challenging and approachable. The surreal imagery and unique storytelling structure add to the overall polish of a game that is the perfect length for what it is.

There have been an awful lot of homages to classic survival horror, but Signalis stands as one of the best.

Slay the Spire (Switch eShop)

£6.79 (-66%)

Slay the Spire is an endlessly addictive roguelike card-battler that’s a perfect fit for Switch; a beautifully balanced game that arrived on Nintendo's system with all the benefits of an extended period of Early Access on PC. Its combination of ferocious battles, entertaining chance encounters, and selection of three impressively different player characters make every run to the top a nerve-wracking and totally absorbing affair.

Massively inventive sets of cards combine majestically into hugely destructive combos and attack and defence options fuse perfectly together, enabling you to use the information provided by the brilliantly transparent Intent system to strategise endlessly against hordes of foul monstrosities.

Sure, you’ll eventually see every enemy and chance encounter, and yes, there are a few frame rate niggles here and there, but overall this is one dungeon crawler that will live long in our system memories.

Sonic Mania (Switch eShop)

£7.99 (-50%)

Sonic Mania was a true return for the mascot's 2D 'Classic' guise. It celebrates the glory days of the original games while also enhancing their qualities and taking on new ideas. From new areas, imaginative second acts, and some delightful boss encounters, the development team poured a lot of passion and talent into this retro-styled project.

With new characters and modes added in the 'Plus' retail version (also available as DLC), some neat tweaks iron out some of the kinks present in the original release. Regardless of the version you pick up, Mania is one of the best 2D platformers in recent memory.

Sonic X Shadow Generations (Switch)

£33.74 (-25%)

In what can only be described as a monumental return to form for both hedgehogs, Sonic X Shadow Generations combines two excellent campaigns to create what just might be the very best 3D Sonic game so far.

The remastered Generations content remains a delight, taking you through some of the series' most iconic stages, but Shadow's new chapter represents the franchise's 3D gameplay at its very best. It introduces a bunch of awesome new abilities while showcasing some of the most creative stages we've ever seen.

Alas, there's still no Chao Garden, but we'll keep hoping and praying for its inclusion in the future. Based on this, though, the future of 3D Sonic looks bright.

Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster (Switch eShop)

£16.24 (-35%)

Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster brings back this 1995 'Doom clone' in style — another resounding success for Nightdive Studios (who also handled the excellent Quake and Quake II remasters, among others). It returns LucasArts' curious, nostalgia-laced FPS with loads of new bells and whistles, including enhanced gameplay, revamped visuals, and a wealth of accessibility options.

This is easily the best way to experience Dark Forces and revisit an oft-forgotten era of Star Wars before the prequel trilogy - and before the sequel trilogy booted the Expanded Universe out the 'Legends' airlock.

Steredenn: Binary Stars (Switch eShop)

£3.59 (-70%)

Steredenn: Binary Stars is a fantastic game 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.

Stories Untold (Switch eShop)

£3.59 (-55%)

Stories Untold is a chilling adventure that manages to draw us right into its world through the ingenious use of its UI and perfectly realised lo-fi aesthetic. Through the walls of old technology and complicated machinery, it creates a uniquely strong bond between player and narrative, giving you a real sense of place within its world as it slowly corrupts and twists from the comfortingly familiar to something else entirely.

It's one of the best interactive horror stories we've ever played and a perfect fit for enjoying alone in the dark on Switch.

Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection (Switch)

£8.24 (-67%)

While some of the games included in this compendium are rendered somewhat superfluous by the fact that far superior sequels and updates exist alongside them, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection remains an utterly essential purchase for any self-respecting fighting game fan. This is like a history lesson in how the one-on-one fighter has evolved over time. The experience really benefits from using the right controller; while the Joy-Con are perfectly acceptable when you're hosting impromptu local multiplayer challenges and the Pro Controller's D-Pad is passable, we found the 8bitdo SN30 and SN30 Pro pads to be much better options, and if you have an arcade stick that's compatible with Switch, now is the ideal time to dig it out – this is fighting game nirvana, pure and simple.

Streets of Rage 4 (Switch eShop)

$8.99 (-60%)

Streets of Rage 4 is the very best the series has ever been. Its hand-drawn graphics breathe new life into Wood Oak City and its inhabitants, the soundtrack is outstanding, and the combat feels better than ever.

Lizardcube, Guard Crush Games, and Dotemu managed to completely modernise the look and feel of Streets of Rage, expanding on the experience without losing sight of what made the original games so popular to begin with – and the handful of additions made to the action here serve only to enhance the classic core gameplay, resulting in one of the best side-scrolling beat 'em ups we've played in a long time.

And the Mr X Nightmare DLC is pretty tasty, too. A truly fantastic brawler.