Shadow Labyrinth review for Nintendo Switch 2
Posted on 3 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch, Switch 2 | 0 comments
System: Switch 2 (also on Switch)
Release date: July 17, 2025
Developer: Bandai Namco
Publisher: Bandai Namco
I wish I could have been a fly on the wall during the pitch meeting for Shadow Labyrinth. Of all the ways Bandai Namco could have commemorated the 45th anniversary of Pac-Man, the idea the company landed on was to release an exploration-driven action-platformer set on a sprawling sci-fi planet. Not only that, but Bandai Namco greenlit, developed, and released a game in which the player is accompanied by a dark (possibly evil?) take on Pac-Man named Puck, who devours the souls of slain enemies to help the player level up. It’s a bonkers concept for a spin-off, and one I knew I needed to experience for myself to fully understand.
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Donkey Kong Bananza review for Nintendo Switch 2
Posted on 3 months ago by Ethan in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments
System: Switch 2
Release date: July 17, 2025
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
These days, Nintendo doesn’t often release new 3D platformers – but when they do, you know it’s going to be something special. On Switch, Nintendo published Super Mario Odyssey and Kirby and the Forgotten Land as the console’s flagship titles in that category. They were both met with critical acclaim, and now it’s Donkey Kong’s turn to give 3D platforming a go. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen DK in the spotlight like this – his last 3D adventure was Donkey Kong 64, which released over 25 years ago. After playing Donkey Kong Bananza, I wonder how we’ve survived so long without a 3D Donkey Kong. Donkey Kong Bananza is a brilliant masterwork of creativity, freedom, and whimsy – and it’s an absolute must-play for anyone even remotely interested in the genre.
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Patapon 1 + 2 Replay review for Nintendo Switch
Posted on 3 months ago by Edan in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: July 22, 2025
Developer: Sas Co / Pyramid / Japan Studio
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Of all the franchises I expected to see on Switch this year, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Patapon wasn’t one of them. Part rhythm game, part imposing strategy micro-management sim, Patapon is the endearing outcome of a chance encounter between Japanese developer Hiroyuki Kotani and the personal website of French artist Rolito. This fairytale serendipity resulted in Japan Studio, Rolito, and Pyramid developing the original Patapon exclusively for Sony’s PSP in 2007, with a sequel arriving for the same machine just one year later. Now almost twenty years later, Bandai Namco lives up to its apparent reputation as everyone’s best mate by taking the PlayStation exclusive multiplatform. Can someone explain our current timeline to me, please?
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Misc. A Tiny Tale review for Nintendo Switch
Posted on 3 months ago by Jeremy in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: July 22, 2025
Developer: Tinyware Games
Publisher: Tinyware Games
If ever there was a game that had intense trailer appeal, Misc, A Tiny Tale is it. Cute, miniature robots living happy-go-lucky lives in the ruins of human society? Check. Cozy item hunting to help out your robot pals? Check. A snarky, plastic cat that’s somehow obsessed with food. Check plus. The game practically sells itself. I took the plunge into this adorable world to see if the game lives up the hype.
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Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 review for Nintendo Switch 2
Posted on 3 months ago by Edan in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments
System: Switch 2 (also on Switch)
Release date: June 5, 2025
Developer: Iron Galaxy Studio
Publisher: Activision
We’re right at the beginning of the review, but forgive me – I have to take a quick detour. In order to give Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 a fair shake, it’s important to briefly eulogize that which came before. In 2020, developer Vicarious Visions lovingly reimagined the first two Tony Hawk Pro Skater titles, punctuating years of community demand and anticipation in the process. Blending the aesthetics and structure of the original games with the flow and feel of the series’ later entries, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 was a glistening oasis for parched Pro Skater zealots (like me), and it effortlessly washed away the rancid aftertaste left by the chaotically inept Pro Skater 5. The studio’s remake heralded a new beginning for the series – one we all felt would kickflip the franchise back into life. A sequel was expected, but it didn’t happen – at least not initially. After years of the same false starts and dashed hopes that preceded its release, we’ve finally been given reprieve courtesy of developer Iron Galaxy. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is part sequel, part remake, and has the mammoth task of building on what came before, by rebuilding what came next.
Skull & Co NeoGrip review for Nintendo Switch 2
Posted on 3 months ago by Ethan in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments
We’ve got another Nintendo Switch 2 accessory review for you — this time, it’s for the Skull & Co NeoGrip.
A little while back, we published a review for the StandGrip, which is another Switch 2 grip from Skull & Co. That one is definitely the most comfortable in our opinion, but the NeoGrip offers a different range of features for those who prefer other options. For one, the NeoGrip is much lighter, and it’s easier to slide off and on. It keeps the kickstand accessible, unlike the StandGrip, which brings a bit more functionality in case you’re looking for that. Most importantly, however, the NeoGrip is dock-friendly, which means you can keep it attached to the console even in docked mode. That’s an important feature for some players, so if that counts for you too, we definitely recommend considering this grip.
Skull & Co StandGrip review for Nintendo Switch 2
Posted on 4 months ago by Ethan in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments
We’ve got another Nintendo Switch 2 accessory review for you – this time for the Skull & Co StandGrip.
By now, the Savage Raven line of grips for Nintendo Switch 2 is one of the only ones that hasn’t been surrounded by some sort of production controversy. Quite the opposite, actually – generally speaking, it seems both the Neo Grip and the StandGrip have been received positively so far. Today, we’re focusing specifically on the StandGrip, which is available from the Skull & Co website for around $20 right now. Despite appearing like a budget option, the StandGrip is currently my favorite out of the Nintendo Switch 2 grips I’ve tried. I’m someone who almost exclusively plays in handheld mode, and for that purpose the StandGrip works excellently. It might not suit everybody’s play style for reasons we’ll delve into in a moment, but this grip should absolutely be on your radar if you’re looking for a good one.
Split Fiction review for Nintendo Switch 2
Posted on 4 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments
System: Switch 2
Release date: June 5, 2025
Developer: Hazelight Studios
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Generally, my wife does not play video games very often, as she’s always been more keen to cozy up with a good book and warm cup of tea during her free time. There are exceptions, of course – she did complete two 70+ hour playthrough of Hogwarts Legacy, to her credit – but for the most part, she simply hasn’t found many games that have piqued her interest. The only major exception to that trend is when a new game from Hazelight Studios comes out. She and I had a blast playing the studio’s previous two titles, A Way Out and It Takes Two, on the couch together over the past several years, and from time to time she would ask me if there was a sequel or something similar to those games that we could play. Needless to say, I was excited to learn that the studio’s next game, Split Fiction, would be a launch game for the Nintendo Switch 2, and was eager to put their latest genre-mashing, reality-shifting co-op adventure through its paces.
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Is Sonic x Shadow Generations worth double dipping on Nintendo Switch 2? We decide
Posted on 4 months ago by Ethan in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments
Switch 2 brought with it several launch titles like Mario Kart World and Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, but one game that also launched with the console that flew under the radar was the Sonic x Shadow Generations. The game released for Nintendo Switch late last year and was generally well-received. As per our original review, however, one of the game’s biggest flaws was its performance. Both Sonic and Shadow Generations targeted 30 frames per second, and while the former often hit that target, the latter struggled to do so and also struggled with extremely poor resolution.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Sonic x Shadow Generations doesn’t include any new content – it’s strictly a performance upgrade for the game. With that in mind, we’re going to focus on the game’s graphics and frame rate for the purposes of this feature. If you’d like to read more about how the actual game holds up, check out our original review – which still holds up in full.
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Hitman World of Assassination review for Nintendo Switch 2
Posted on 4 months ago by Edan in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments
System: Switch 2
Release date: June 5, 2025
Developer: IO Interactive
Publisher: IO Interactive
The slick, noir-ish montage FMV that plays at the beginning of Hitman World of Assassination’s campaign is an incredibly confident thing. Like any decent introduction it sets out the tonal blueprint of the game you’re about to play – but in Hitman’s case, it does so much more besides. Originally released in 2016, the first entry in IO Interactive’s soft reboot of the franchise was a course correction of sorts, meant to put the developer back on track both creatively and financially. As the cinematic medley plays out, you’re taken on a whistle-stop tour of the past series’ most impactful missions and moments. It’s a definitive statement of intent from IO Interactive, and one that melts away past criticisms over the course of its 2 minute and 22 second runtime. As the artful collage builds to its apex, there’s a subtle – if slightly brazen – feeling that IO Interactive is in no small way hinting that the best is yet to come.
