PJ O'Reilly

“If you can make peace with a lack of multiplayer outside of online leaderboards, alongside the fact that digital triggers aren't ideal if you're after precision throttle control (grab a GameCube NSO pad to swerve this issue), Grid Legends on Switch 2 serves up an excellent package of slick and satisfying 'simcade' action that looks and plays wonderfully well in both docked and handheld.With lots of options in terms of graphics and accessibility, and all previously-released DLC included, this is easily the best racing package of this type that's currently available on either of Nintendo's Switches and a real blast for solo racing fans.”

“Dynasty Warriors: Origins on Switch 2 is a super-solid port of a fantastic reboot for the franchise. The shift to focus on one protagonist and improvements in storytelling across the board result in a gripping adventure that delivers huge enemy numbers to slice and dice through, whilst also being careful not to lose players in a mess of historical names and events.30fps is a bit of a shame, but this is a super smooth and responsive 30fps - the good sort - making for a game that lands on Switch 2 in fine form and with plenty to offer hardened Musou and action fans alike.”

“And so, overall, whilst this is as bare bones as these things get, it is free if you own the game already, and you can't argue that it ain't prettier, crisper, and better to play now, can you? Also, given that it's an all-timer for all times, well, they get away with it.”

“Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is a cracking bit of turn-based Warhammer action that delivers big on strategic and atmospheric combat whilst also serving you a top-notch, choice-driven narrative and campaign. Hooray. However! This Switch 2 port, at release, is a borderline disaster, and not something I recommend anyone pick up until it's had some patching done.A constantly stuttering frame rate, long loading times, unresponsive and laggy menus and controls, a huge graphical downgrade, and hard crashes aplenty make for a mess of a port. Let's hope they fix it up, because for now, it's a hard pass for a great game.”

“Kirby Air Riders is a cracking sequel that gives solo players much more to dig into with its story campaign, whilst also bringing all-new levels of shiny graphics, bells and whistles to its returning City Trial, Air Ride, and Top Down Racing modes. This is a chaotic and frenzied racer, there's no doubt, but it's got depth for those who wish to learn and plenty of competition to be had both online and at harder difficulties for diehards.With lots of excellent tracks, riders and machines to unlock, sat alongside some surprisingly deep machine customisation, Kirby's latest air riding adventure is off to a strong start. Oh, and that soundtrack!”

“Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a stunning slice of action, and my favourite musou game so far. Lessons have been learned from both Hyrule Warriors and Age of Calamity, resulting in a game that balances big-time story with top-notch combat that's got proper depth to it.With Zonai devices to play with, a cracking roster, tons of sexy Sync Strikes to pull off, and a ludicrously slick recreation of early Hyrule to set about kicking ass in, this is dream time for hack-and-slash fans and Zelda enthusiasts alike. Yes, map layouts are still a bit bland, and co-op mode is 30fps, but everything else here combines to make for the best entry in this spin-off franchise to date.”

“Lumo 2, just like its predecessor, does a great job of reintroducing players to a whole bunch of retro delights from the 1980s, and in small enough servings that they don't outstay their welcome. There's an impressive array of tricky isometric levels to get stuck into besting here, plenty of collectibles and achievements to tick off, some nice side-scrolling surprises along the way, and a general retro-british vibe that you can't help but love infusing the entire thing. Whilst it may not meaningfully evolve its predecessor, Lumo 2 is yet more of the good stuff.”

“Yes, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles cuts content from the War of the Lions version, and it's a shame. However, put this one issue aside, if you can, and you've got a fantastic - and fantastically thoughtful - revamp otherwise. Meaningful QoL changes meld with delicate gameplay nips and tucks, CPU enemy tune-ups, and a smoother-flowing experience overall to deliver a game that's pretty much impossible to knock.Fans will be fully absorbed into the story all over again, enjoying the new flow of the narrative and experiencing the whole thing so wonderfully well-acted. Newcomers, who're less likely to be bothered by the missing content, well, they can just get busy lapping up one of the all-time great tactical RPGs looking and playing better than ever.”

“NBA 2K26 on Switch 2 fails to deliver the 60fps gameplay we've all been holding out for. It also runs at a lower resolution than I would have expected, and its online modes, thanks to no cross-play or cross-progression are ghost towns.However, if this is your only platform, and if you are okay with 30fps, there is still a huge festival of basketball to enjoy here. This is a game packed full of fun modes, and it'll teach you everything you could ever need to know about the sport whilst giving you some fine on-court action to boot. Here's hoping for a patch down the line, but 2K26 comes off as a great game underperforming on Switch 2 at launch.”

“Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is a decent mech game with plenty of depth in its weapons setups and lots of cool loot to discover in its large open-world maps. The combat is flexible, it's fast, and it's very often plenty of fun.However, performance issues - which are also present on other platforms, so don't sweat it too much, Switch 2 owners - make for a janky experience in places, with mushy controls and limp feedback. It's just not nearly as polished as it could be in this respect. With stutters loading into new areas and low-res textures a common sight (again, also on other systems), the overall feeling here is of a game that needs a few patches and tweaks to get it where it needs to be.”

“Kirby And The Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World gives you the base Forgotten Land experience at a delicious 60fps with a whole big bunch of new content thrown in for good measure. The 12 remixed areas that make up the DLC are uniformly delightful, the new transformations are excellent, and there's even new challenges for hardcore Kirby fans to get stuck into.One of the best games on Switch, and one of my favourite 3D platformers in years, polished to a sparkly sheen and packing some meaningful new content? That's a very easy recommendation and a truly excellent addition to the Switch 2's early lineup.”

“Roadwarden is a fascinating text-based RPG that delivers top-notch writing, meaningful and impactful choices, and way more interactivity than you may be expecting from a game of this type. Managing your time, health, armour, and more as you explore and map out a dangerous peninsula gives you plenty to consider as you pick and choose the narrative threads and situations that concern you most.Almost impossible to put down, and definitely something I'll play more than once, this is a genre highlight on Switch that's only slightly let down by a bit of clunkiness on the UI front.”

“Drag x Drive may lack options with regards to online modes, and its controls take a bit of getting used to. However, if you can give up some time to engaging with this one, if you can get past the barriers in terms of controls and the early frustrations as you find your rhythm, you'll be rewarded with a unique and very well-made sports game that deserves to find an audience of dedicated fans. Add in some pals, and you've got a solid bit of fun for the price.”

“Certainly a novel way to connect with pals, and not without merit in its relaxing blend of gathering wood and testing yourself to keep the fire burning, Chillin' By The Fire has its positives. The GameShare aspects, when playing with friends, work well and are easy to set up, and it's nice to be able to buy one copy and then invite folk along. I also enjoyed the light puzzling for a time as I worked to keep my fire alive.However, beyond these basic aspects and some achievements, and especially for solo players, there's not much else here.”

“Server issues at launch aside, and with the loss of cross-play noted, Madden 26 is a very solid port of one of the best outings for this franchise in recent memory. Yes, you'll need to get used to a drop in the frame rate to 40fps on Switch 2, but it's a reasonable downgrade in order to get this type of game running as well as it does on a portable machine. It really is a very close match in all other ways to other consoles.For newcomers, this is one of the best Madden games I've played in terms of teaching you the ropes, and for the returning hardcore, the improvements on the pitch, and with regards to presentation, should impress where its predecessor felt a bit lacking.”

“WWE 2K25 powerbombs onto Switch 2 in an excellent port that holds its own against the likes of the PS5 version, and keeps the action smooth and silky, even when you start piling on the wrestlers in a Royal Rumble.With great looks, best-in-class core mechanics, a ton of online, local, and solo modes, and an enormous roster, this one will keep all you Switch 2 wrasslin' fans busy for a good long time. Intergender matches, improved MyRise and Showcase, in-depth tutorials, and the return of chain wrestling are all just icing on top.”

“Super Mario Party Jamboree - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV gives an already fantastic party game a huge shot in the arm, with a bunch of brilliant Mouse Mode and mic-based games that also allow you to see your big silly face as you play. It's all very knockabout, very easy to use, and very easy to enjoy.With a huge base game packing seven boards and a whole bunch of modes, and the Switch 2's new tech adding to the fun in meaningful ways, this is a thoroughly delightful and totally family-friendly way to party Mushroom Kingdom-style.”

“Ruffy and the Riverside is an enjoyable return to the colourful 3D platforming romps of the late 1990s, and it's one that brings its own clever idea to the table, rather than just simply copy/pasting everyone else's homework. With nods to Mario, Zelda, Crash Bandicoot and more, levels jam-packed full of fun puzzles and the easy, breezy nature of Ruffy's copy-pasting abilities at the heart of it all, this is one of the better odes to this sort of caper that I've played and, performance issues aside, a very impressive debut to boot.”

“Yakuza 0 is the best of the traditional-styled Yakuza games, with the most complex story and interesting characters of the lot. It's also the ideal place for newcomers to get started with this weird and wonderful series.The new multiplayer mode is a little throwaway, for sure, and the fights do get repetitive (turn-based Yakuza FTW), but otherwise, this is a phenomenal port of an epic adventure that's now my favourite way to get down on the mean streets of 1980s Tokyo and Osaka.”

“RoadCraft takes the intricate off-road fun of MudRunner and SnowRunner, and melds it with involving micro-management and building aspects, resulting in a fantastic experience that's the dev's best vehicle sim to date. With eight big maps full of ruined environs and treacherous conditions to contend with, a huge array of complex vehicles to master, and co-op play to maximise the fun of it all, this is a big old blast of a thing, a huge sandbox that's got excitement, depth, and challenge in spades.”