My Second Year of the Switch

To start off this list, I went back to the first game I ever played on the Switch. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild immediately hooked me to the system, and I was not able to put the game down for weeks. As time went by, I found myself going back to the game whenever I found myself down. The game became my positive coping mechanism as exploration always calms me down. The vast world of Hyrul...

In a world where the current online service for Nintendo sucks, the benefits suck, and the NES games suck, is Nintendo Online. This service does not help gameplay in mainstream Nintendo IPs such as Splatoon, and it also does not allow for every game to be backed up. That alone makes having to pay to play online rather upsetting. The only enjoyment I have found from the NES game benefits is playing ...

My enjoyment of Splatoon 2 died for a long while when the servers only let me play one game fully a day. I still have connection problems with matches, which drove me away. Though, I came back when the Octo Expansion Pass released and enjoyed going from squid kid to cooling. The single player mode is challenging enough to be both frustrating and rewarding. I understand the difficulty is meant to be v...

There’s no way to grade YouTube. It is only YouTube, but on the Switch. The first time I tried it I was hanging with my friend, and she wanted to watch The Guy Who Doesn’t Like Musicals. I turned it on, but as I went to add subtitles, I learned there was a customization mode. I made the subtitles blood red with a neon pink highlight and in cursive. I found too much entertainment in that, but it made You...

Octodad: Dadliest Catch is the cutest game I have ever played. You play as an octopus that is married to a woman who doesn’t know he is an octopus. That in itself raises enough questions to actively engage in the story. Also, this boy has children. How did that happen, I don’t know. The gameplay on the Switch is a lot easier than other systems. I finished the game without any painstakingly long...

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is my least favorite game I have ever played. The gameplay is fine, but the voices are painful. The Nopon species is the main offender for my headaches and hatred. It sounds annoying, and its dialogue is unbearable. It is like reading my elementary brother’s text messages. Also, Pyra’s design is physically painful to look at. A female’s chest doesn’t work like that. ...

After the massive multiplayer update, I about doubled the amount of time played in Stardew Valley. My close friend Kate Overman created a farm that we both shared. Both of us for hours each day worked hard to progress our tiny plot of land. The game really brought us together in a way that made it feel like we weren’t two states apart. Also, we both fought over petty things such as marriage, money...

The series everyone loves to hate has made it to the Switch. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe brings back the memories my family had when the game first came out. We were one of the five homes to have a Wii U. When the port was announced for the Switch, I pre-ordered it as soon as I could. When starting it up, I enjoyed the well-paced levels and challenges. I didn’t have the drive to finish the game...

Ah yes, it’s Harry Potter but made with legos. The Lego Harry Potter Collection is meant for the fans as most of the animation and story is left out for clever gags. As someone who has seen most movies from the franchise at least once, the jokes are bearable. A major negative is the repetitive nature of the game. Go to level, find Legos, build said Legos, fight a boss, repeat. Rating: 5/10 ...

The major Nintendo release of summer’s past was Mario Tennis Aces. I excitedly played hours upon hours with my family as it is the game on the Switch all of us are equally competent at. The single player mode is a bonus, too. There are enough levels and challenges to make the mode fun to play. The added bonus of monthly character additions also has had me going back to the game. The best additio...

Fortnite is the one game on my Switch that has never kicked me during a match. I may have jinxed myself there, but it is something to note as it heavily changes my opinion on the game. Most Nintendo Online entries have a problem with connecting to the server when I am playing, so it is nice to play a game without interruption. Another bonus of this game is the large everchanging world that can endlessly...

Cities Skylines is a game I first played on my stepdad’s PS4. It became a near and dear game to my heart. When I heard the game was ported to the Switch, I bought it the day it dropped. I love creating a city from scratch. Also, I love maintaining all the small technical things behind the scenes. This game also comes with some DLC from the PS4 version added for free, allowing for even more unique c...

To make things clear, South Park: The Stick of Truth is the second South Park game I played on the Switch as it was the second ported over. The gameplay varied enough from the second to not feel like playing the same game with different skins. The story is hilarious, the side quests are traumatizing, and the Man Bear Pig is super cereal. Rating: 8/10 Hours Played: 15...

Out of the two South Park games, South Park: The Fractured but Whole is the one I more enjoyed. It had a bit more to do and a lot more than added to your character. The comedy of the show came out cleverly at every single turn. My favorite joke was when you let your character pick a gender and sexual identity only for the redneck gang to unnaturally say your choices through a dialogue tree recordi...

Undertale is the best 2D game I have ever played. When it first hit the mainstream, I didn’t want to play due to the fandom, but after strong recommendations from my friends, I hesitantly played. I immediately was consumed by the humor and heart. I remember first playing this game on Steam, and I defeated it in a day after restarting to make sure I didn’t kill Toriel again. After buying the game o...

After replaying Deltarune when I got it on the Nintendo Switch, I have realized my mistake of judgment upon the game. For some reason, I’m not kidding, the music that played throughout the gameplay on my computer wasn’t the actual soundtrack. When playing on the Switch, I had the correct musical accompaniment, so it brought an immersion that is on par to Undertale. Also, my love for the cast gr...

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker has the award for the best short and sweet game. As someone who does like to do one hundred percent completion before moving on to a level, I didn’t have the same severe case of finishing the game too quickly. It should be noted that the game is very short, like the protagonist. Though, that doesn’t make it bad. I rather enjoyed how the game's puzzles work. A cute l...

Nothing screams more annoying than the way Hello Neighbor plays. Without having a mouse, you mainly have to guess what you’re clicking on, which makes the game a pain in the behind. I never got past anything without a tutorial because of not knowing what I could and could not touch. The gameplay isn’t clear at all. The only thing I can appreciate is the art style this game goes for. Other than t...

I remember starting off my summer break by not doing anything for one complete day as I was addicted to Fallout Shelter. This port of an app to the Switch is an enjoyment to play. The game entails of both explorations of the extending wasteland and the creation of a large fallout bunker. Along with that, you’re tasked to maintain resources for the growing community that joins the bunker while also ha...

Pokémon Quest is very similar to Fallout Shelter as it is like an app you should go back to daily to proceed in gameplay. It’s nothing that special, but for Pokémon fans that need more Pikachu on their Switch, this can suit that need. I found the gameplay too bland and repetitive to get into. Also, the cosmetic purchases segmented the feel of something EA would put on the table. Only huge fans ...

This was the first game I played last summer. School had let out, and I arrived home to a brand new game to play. Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition is both a surprising enjoyment and letting defeat for Zelda fans. I found enjoyment for a few hours from fan service galore. The character designs and cut scenes gave off a luxurious vibe. It was fun to recognize characters from across the franchise. Thou...

I have a love-hate relationship with De Blob. I love how artsy the game is, and how the usage of color and music is implemented in the gameplay. I love the character designs and the cute simple plot. I love about everything within this game, but the timed levels. The world of De Blob is beautiful and fun to bring back to life, so when there is a timer that puts a limit of how long one can be in a level, it...