The first thing you’ll notice when playing Please Fix the Road is the adorable aesthetics. There’s no story to speak of – literally none – so it’s up to the design and the puzzles to keep you invested. The developers have excelled in both areas, presenting bite-sized sections of the world ready for repair. 

In terms of design, the pastel colors create a soothing experience. The accompanying music adds to this vibe, too, with twinkly, upbeat tunes that help you settle in for a few rounds of brain teasers. This isn’t a stressful outing, with no timer or life meter anywhere in sight. It’s purely about taking your time to connect two sections of a path. 

Each puzzle consists of a chunk of land divided into segments. There’s a start and end point with a vehicle or creature sitting patiently at the beginning while you sort out the connection issues ahead. Yes, creature. Despite the polite way the title seeks your help, you’re not here only to fix roads; trains, boats, and animals are also stuck, meaning you’ll need to fix tracks, rivers, and dirt paths. This variety keeps things feeling fresh, even if the basic elements remain the same. There’s a simple pleasure in aiding your awol cow on its journey home. C’mon little guy, you can make it!

The puzzles themselves are interesting in their setup. Each broken path requires a number of ordered steps to fix it, presented to you in the bottom left of the screen. You’re given the tools and the sequence in which to use them, so what’s left to do? The tricky part is working out the logical placement. For example, you might be presented with a bomb to clear a square, a road to fill an empty square, and a copy ability to copy and paste part of the terrain. But which area do you cut, fill, copy, and replace?

This leads to plenty of trial and error. Thankfully, you can rewind your moves with a simple tap of the L button, allowing you to try alternate approaches. Some pieces of road are L-shaped, for example, so you’ll need to destroy the right spot for this piece to fit. It feels like coming in at the end to finish a jigsaw puzzle, albeit in a set order.

I have to mention the transitions between puzzles. Upon completion, the current puzzle is pulled apart into small cubes before rolling away and bringing in a new puzzle. It’s like a PowerPoint transition – only way cooler. This simple highlight just adds to the cute and cozy aesthetic of the entire game.

So, are there any shortcomings? Without scores or ratings, there’s no reason to replay levels. However, with 160 puzzles to get through (and potentially more to come), you’re unlikely to need to revisit them. Do you revisit sudokus or crosswords once complete? Perhaps a daily challenge could help extend the life of this title. At its current price of $9.99, though, it sits about right for me. 

One minor gripe comes in the form of the inability to rotate or zoom in on a puzzle. It’s not always needed, but some trickier puzzles could benefit from having the option to move around the 3D space to see it from another perspective. There’s some spatial awareness required to solve these puzzles, and while I appreciate the developers have kept it simple, this could add another dimension to the gameplay.

Overall, Please Fix the Road is a relaxing puzzle game full of brain-teasing roads and other paths to fix. The cute aesthetics are lovely, and the simple concept of connecting routes is terrific. While it’s a simple affair, this budget title offers plenty of puzzles to keep you coming back until you solve them all.

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The premise is simple; you play the role of a man attending his friend’s bachelor party. The group has decided to don Japanese schoolgirl outfits, but that’s the least weird part of this outing. The party takes place at a tavern called Anglerfish. The name is derived from those deep-sea fish boasting a well-lit frontal protrusion to lure prey. Anglerfish—the tavern—similarly lures its prey; in this case, unsuspecting humans to feed to hungry vampires.

Have you ever seen the film From Dusk Till Dawn? If so, you’ll recognise the premise of humans becoming trapped in a bar-like venue overrun by the undead. In Anglerfish, your goal is to escape the tavern, taking out any monsters along the way.

To do this, you’ll need a weapon. A friendly, faceless bartender offers you a shotgun at the start of each run. No, this isn’t a procedurally generated roguelike, but death occurs just as frequently. In fact, one of the game’s unique features is that it only saves upon death. In other words, you’re basically meant to die, repeatedly. Each time you die, it’s back to the outside of the Anglerfish. Here, a dog asks you inane questions to which you must burst a yes or no-shaped bubble to answer them. Yeah, it’s quirky like that.

Anyway, back into the tavern you go for another attempt at escape. The same bartender offers you an optional drink alongside the shotgun (naturally). These drinks don’t serve any real purpose other than to mess with your run. I won’t spoil what they do, but they certainly make things interesting.

In fact, the developers clearly like to surprise the player. And I love it. Whether it’s a jump scare from a skeletal vampire, a fake ending, or a boss fight during which attacks increase the enemy’s health bar, Anglerfish kept me guessing the entire time.

It’s also very creepy. This is the sort of game I’ll recommend come Halloween. It’s scary. There’s blood. And, without giving spoilers, there’s a terrifying amount of human consumption occurring inside the Anglerfish. Another creepy feature is a maze-like room with barely any light but plenty of fearsome enemies to avoid. There’s a random mermaid in one place. There’s even a grotesque, slithering monster in a cage that, when you double back, has escaped. It’s like all your worst nightmares rolled into one.

It goes without saying that there are many horror elements to beware of; this isn’t one for the kiddies. However, if you like sitting on the edge of your couch and uttering words of encouragement to your on-screen character, then this is a title you’ll enjoy immensely.

There are other enjoyable factors that make this a stand-out title. The gameplay alternates in style from side-scrolling to top-down. Each room brings new challenges, though despite the constant death rate, it’s not overly challenging. There are also multiple endings (and by multiple, I mean at least six) giving this one plenty of replay value. If you dare. 

Overall, Anglerfish is an interesting game that’s full of surprises. Its quirky sense of humor, strong horror elements, and high death rate keep you on your toes. It’s not going to be for everyone, but if you like scary titles with a wicked sense of humor, Anglerfish is worth checking out.

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In Anomaly Agent, you play the role of the renowned Agent 70 as he embarks on his final mission before a promotion. He works for a company called TDAY, a peace-keeping outfit similar to the TVA of Marvel’s world. Their job is to stop anomalies caused by the misuse of artifacts that can, for example, disrupt the flow of time. There’s one loose end that needs tying up before Agent 70 can begin his new job, and it just happens to be a doozy. 

I won’t spoil the plot; half the fun is unraveling the story as you go. Put simply, someone has messed with time, causing several anomalies to appear. Your goal is to stop them before they cause permanent damage, and set things right again. Things get complicated, and there are decisions to make along the way about where your loyalties lie. The story is well-written, creating an interesting and engaging narrative. 

While time-related shenanigans are nothing new, Anomaly Agent puts its own spin on things. One such aspect comes about halfway through when Agent 70 becomes stuck in his own personal time loop. To rectify this situation, players are sent back to previously conquered areas (for reasons I won’t spoil). Revisiting levels in a game is risky, opening up room for repetition. However, Anomaly Agent handles this well, keeping the levels shorter the second time around. Additionally, you now move from left to right, rather than the typical right to left, keeping the experience feeling fresh.

Anomaly Agent features three difficulty levels: easy, medium, and hard. Even on the lowest setting, I wouldn’t say it’s a particularly easy game. Having said that, Agent 70 comes equipped with an ungradable health bar and unlimited lives. Save points are automatic and frequent. It creates an experience that’s never frustrating, even when things go wrong. And they often do.

Boss fights are the perfect example. There are many throughout the game, including midway through the levels. These big baddies are strong, forcing you to find the best approach to take them down. Thankfully, most fights occur in multiple phases; once you deplete half of their health bar, there’s a pause of some kind. Maybe the fight relocates, initiating a chase sequence. Perhaps the brief interlude includes taunts or new weapon drops. Either way, it breaks up the gameplay enough to keep things fresh and give you a respawn point. 

General enemies mostly take on the form of “clones,” Agent Smith-like characters that can merge with each other to become more powerful. There are many variants, with stronger versions of each as you proceed. To combat them, you’re equipped with a few weapons of your own. These include melee weapons like your fists and a baseball bat, along with long-range items like a boomerang. While you don’t sport a gun of your own, you can use those dropped by enemies, creating some fun and diverse combat styles.

This leads to two things. Firstly, there’s a terrific combo system. Unlocking new combos gives you stronger ways to beat enemies. These not only look cool, but they’re satisfying to pull off. Secondly, there’s a deep leveling-up system. You can stop by the local robot vending machine to swap coins for things like extra damage, extra bullets, or adding poisonous gas to other weapons.

Graphically, Anomaly Agent looks great. It sports a colorful cyberpunk style with pixelated characters and varied environments. I appreciate the splash-screen intro to each new character, giving a comic-style vibe that works well. Some background and foreground elements could use a little more distinction at times; there was the odd occasion when I wasn’t sure if something in the background was going to hit me, or if something in the foreground was a platform or a backdrop. 

Another minor deficiency is a noticeable lag after lengthy play sessions. When my jumps became too slow to be useful, I restarted the game and found no further issues. It’s most likely something to do with the limited memory of the Switch, but it still feels like it could have been optimized better.

The synthwave soundtrack is a real treat. The tunes got stuck in my head (in a good way), and I loved revisiting levels just to hear them again. Each section of the game features different songs, surging with adrenaline-pumping beats that keep you moving along quickly. When levels feature nightclubs, the audio becomes particularly important, but it rocks the whole way through.

Overall, Anomaly Agent provides a fast, slick adventure through time. The developers have done a great job with this, their first game, paving the way for the team’s promising future. Despite a few little technical glitches, this is one title worth checking out.

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If you’ve never heard of the Snufkin series of books from Finnish author Tove Jansson, you’re not alone. This game served as my introduction to the charming world of Moominvalley, though the characters appear to be semi-popular in Nintendo’s homeland. This serendipitous discovery was made as I reviewed the game while traveling Japan. 

The story of Melody of Moominvalley begins with a sweet scene at the end of autumn. You control Snufkin, a human drifter who befriends the critters of Moominvalley. As winter approaches, Snufkin says farewell to his best friend, Moomintroll, a white bear-like creature who waves him off at their meeting spot on the bridge. Once winter recedes, Snufkin returns to the forest, only to find that things have changed and the animals are in danger. Even worse, his best friend is missing. It’s time to set things right again.

Your two main tasks are to find Moomintroll and to restore the forest to its natural state. The areas surrounding the village have been converted into parkland, robbing the critters of their home. 

There’s an environmental message weaved into the gameplay. With the village and surrounding forest being transformed into parkland, Snufkin pulls out park signs and (rather quickly) restores trees and grassy areas back to the way they were. Interestingly, the creatures causing the disruption aren’t human; they appear to be the same species as Moomintroll. It goes to show that anyone can destroy the environment. 

There are a couple of gameplay elements used to push the story along. Exploration is key, with simple puzzles used to open new areas. These might include finding a key to unlock a gate or tiptoeing around policemen to avoid being captured. Perhaps you’ll need to find the missing items required to build a raft, or race a leaf down a stream. The objectives are neatly listed for you and clearly marked as complete when finished. They’re generally straightforward to solve, aiming for a more relaxing affair. There are no lives or hearts to count, you simply go about your tasks until you complete them. It’s a refreshing change of page as well as ensuring things are accessible to younger players. There’s also plenty of variety to keep things interesting.

To achieve these objectives, our protagonist wields several musical instruments. Snufkin begins with a harmonica, increasing his repertoire with extra instruments as he levels up. He uses these to communicate with various creatures. Often this ties in with the puzzle element, using music to move creatures or encourage them to help you. It’s a unique mechanic that’s easy to pull off via the ZR button. The sweet melodies are tinged with melancholy, and I enjoyed using Snufkin’s instruments even just walking around. 

Snufkin’s character is worth mentioning as it adds to the personality of the game itself. He’s a hero, sure, but he’s also a vagrant musician who drifts between seasons. In other words, he’s cool, calm, and collected. Other characters may take advantage of his helpful nature, but he’s always mindful of it. He’s clever enough to be aware, kind enough to do the right thing, but still has room for a few chuckle-worthy comments along the way. It’s a nice balance that’s part and parcel of the story.

The game’s aesthetic is lovely. There’s a picture-book style to the graphics, using a duller shade of green and blue to accentuate the forest’s plight. It’s purposefully a little subdued and complements that slightly melancholic vibe of Snufkin’s instruments mentioned earlier. It helps paint a picture worthy of its source material.

Overall, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley provides a relaxing adventure full of charm. There’s something unique about this one; the storybook approach coupled with a musical slant and wrapped in an environmental message feels special. It may not be a long game, but it’s thoroughly enjoyable while it lasts.

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Things begin when our heroine wakes ashore to find her treasures have been stolen. She discovers a handy drill and sets off on an adventure to reclaim what’s hers, taking down any creepy monster who stands in her way. There’s not much in the way of dialogue, but that’s just fine. Things move along swiftly, and we’re quickly thrust into the first stage.

Learning the basics doesn’t take long, either. You can run and jump as with any typical platformer, while holding down the ZR button allows you to use your drill. You can use this oversized tool at any time, smashing all sorts of objects and enemies. However, the digging portion of the gameplay only works in certain types of ground. These areas are differentiated by a lighter tone, indicating a sandy texture as opposed to the rocky ground or grassy areas that you walk on. 

Pressing B while digging grants you a boost of speed. This is handy when you need to traverse gaps between sandy patches or take out an enemy patrolling the top of your digable section. Things quickly escalate, and it’s soon obvious – by level 2, in fact – that this is one tough little platformer. 

Controlling your character as you dig is tricky; she moves fast and can’t stop until she exits the sand. It takes getting used to, but pulling it off feels satisfying. Enemies become the least of your concerns as you’re introduced to thorny branches and molten lava, among other things. It keeps you on your toes, that’s for sure.

To help, you’re given four bars of life. That means you can take four hits before restarting the level. You’ll occasionally receive extra bars, giving you up to eight hits. Let me tell you, you’ll need all eight. Thankfully, there are checkpoints within each stage, similar to Mario’s mini flags halfway through his adventures. This creates a need to push through to the next checkpoint, a sense of relief flooding in now that you’re done with the previous section.

Of course, there are collectibles that tempt you to replay anyway. These come in the form of pirate coins, of which there are five scattered throughout each stage. Some are clearly visible in hard-to-reach places, while others are hidden in rocks that don’t look digable. Investigating is key, another Mario-ism that I enjoyed seeing reflected here. 

If it sounds like there are a few inspirations to platformers of the past, there are. But there’s also a lot of ingenuity. Drilling through sand aside, there are other in-stage attachments to discover, such as keys and guns. Blasting your way through enemies is just as satisfying as tunneling beneath them. Another addition is hooks, which you can swing from like Spiderman. These require good timing to leap from sand to hook and back to more sand without falling to your death. Oh, and then there are the boss fights.

Did I mention that Pepper Grinder is tough? Well, the boss fights expound on this notion exponentially. Even the first encounter at the end of world one took me more than 20 attempts to defeat. I felt accomplished, sure, but would I have persisted had I not been reviewing the game? That’s a question best left to you, dear reader. If you relish a challenge, Pepper Grinder has it in spades.

Graphically, this is one charming-looking title. The slightly muddy graphics speak to retro titles of the 1990s, with pixelated characters that somehow ooze charm despite being so small and smudgy. The backgrounds and foregrounds are both lovely, giving it a playful, colorful look that leaps off the screen. The audio is equally impressive, with a fantastic assortment of tunes that vary between levels. There was never a dull moment both audibly or visually. 

Overall, Pepper Grinder is a platformer that wears its inspiration on its sleeve, with collectibles, checkpoints, and more in tow. It adds a unique spin to the formula with the addition of a drill mechanic, creating a fun-yet-tough experience that’s satisfying to conquer. It’s not a super-long game, but the challenge will keep you busy for some time regardless.

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In the game, Peach sets out for a night at the Sparkle Theater with her loyal Toads. Things go awry when the theater is overrun by a ghastly witch known as Grape. Peach finds herself trapped, befriending the theater’s adorable star-shaped guardian known as Stella. Together, the two embark on an epic quest to restore the theater and its inhabitants to its former glory.

And so, the stage has been set in more ways than one. Sparkle Theater features several floors, each with four rooms set up for plays. The main gimmick is Peach’s ability to transform into various roles based on the play she’s trying to save. This provides outstanding variety, with each role granting special powers.

Peach is more than ready to take on the challenge. She dons ten different outfits throughout the adventure, from Cowgirl Peach to Dashing Thief Peach. Discovering each one is super fun, and the game does a good job of spacing them out. You’ll begin with access to four different plays on the first floor of the theater before unlocking the next floor. This provides three new plays, along with a sequel to one of the original four. It’s not until the fourth floor that you discover all ten abilities.

Once you’ve mastered an ability by conquering two dedicated levels, a third level unlocks in the basement. If you’re counting along with me, you should find yourself with thirty levels to enjoy. One concern I had starting out was whether this was enough to keep players occupied. Yes and no, is the answer. 

Each level takes between 10 and 20 minutes to complete, so they aren’t exactly short. A couple of other features also add to the longevity. Firstly, each level features hidden collectibles: a series of sparkle gems and a ribbon. I found myself missing at least a couple of these in each level on my first run, guaranteeing another playthrough if you’re a completionist like me. 

Secondly, there are bonus challenge levels to conquer, giving you a timed experience to defeat a certain number of enemies or collect coins. These shorter levels provide a nice contrast to the rest of the game, with a simple goal in mind. They’re also refreshingly trickier to master, catering for more adept players. You’ll earn a bronze, silver or gold trophy depending on your prowess. No collector will rest until the gold has been earned, making these bite-sized challenges an excellent addition.

All of that is great but it’s perfunctory to the fact that Princess Peach: Showtime! oozes personality, cuteness, and fun. Each transformation feels unique and special, with little details that bring a smile every time. It’s evident in the way Peach stealthily hides behind grass as Ninja Peach, or soars through the sky à la Batman as Dashing Thief Peach. Mighty Peach can lift buses; Mermaid Peach controls fish with her siren song. Whether Peach is riding a horse as Cowgirl Peach or skating up a storm as Figure-Skating Peach, each version of our heroine feels fresh. Kudos to the developers for the creativity behind each and every scene.

There are other touches that add to the experience. For example, Peach does the cutest little dance when she stands still. It’s adorable and it comes across as though she’s really enjoying herself without being a show off. She’s just .. being Peach. She also has several catchphrases depending on her outfit. I love the simple “It’s Peach time!”, which strikes me as a small nod to one of Mario’s own phrases.

Some players will find things too easy, of course. This is primarily aimed at a younger audience, although there are challenges present, as noted earlier. To help keep things accessible for players of all ages and skill levels, the controls are straightforward: A to jump and B to attack or perform any of Peach’s special transformative powers. This is one irk I had with the game initially, as, for me, jump is meant to be the B button, especially in Mario games. I’m not sure why this choice was made to switch things up, however you can alter this yourself in the settings. Phew! 

Visually, there’s a lot to love about Showtime. Each stage is bursting with set designs to rival the most expensive broadway production. Often, an area will rotate, revealing a completely new stage. Other little touches include strings for some objects, like Peach’s horse, or items that look real but are obviously cardboard, like fire and thorny branches. These elicit a vibrant presence that relies on color and style without being too realistic or violent. It works well.

The themes vary so wildly that there’s never a dull moment on screen. Medieval castles, underwater realms, a futuristic city overrun by aliens, and the Wild West are just some of the environments Peach encounters. Half the fun is discovering each new area, though opening up a second level is just as exciting. 

The audio is also worth mentioning, with tracks that vary almost as much as the visuals. Some tracks in particular stand out, like Cowgirl Peach and Figure-Skating Peach, but they’re all well done. It adds to the entire experience, and Showtime even features a list of tracks and videos to watch at your leisure.

You can also purchase outfits for Peach and Stella at the shop in the foyer. It’s a small touch, but I love that changing Peach’s clothes persists throughout the game, including cutscenes. It makes it feel more dynamic and authentic.

Is Peach the perfect game? No, it’s not going to appeal to everyone. It’s aimed at a younger audience, but as an adult gamer who loves the challenge of a Mario title, I never found myself bored or disengaged. The variety and personality kept me smiling the entire time, and there are challenging moments. I did notice some sluggish performance at times, although these seem to be limited to loading screens or cutscenes. For example, the curtain that closes between levels stutters instead of waving smoothly, which looks a little jarring. Thankfully, none of these issues affect the gameplay.

Overall, Princess Peach: Showtime! is a welcome return to the spotlight for our favorite pink-clad princess. It oozes charm, with an attention to detail that can’t help but bring a smile. The variety is fantastic, providing plenty to do across multiple transformations, levels, and modes. It’s not super difficult, but it’s so entertaining that I don’t care. Plus, there are multiple challenges to keep players coming back for more. 

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The story revolves around Jim, an ex-cop who was sent to the slammer for a crime he didn’t commit. Upon release, he’s given a second chance to clean the streets via a new crime-fighting agency. The premise of the game involves taking on caseloads from clients and hiring special agents to do the actual work. 

The cases vary enough to keep things interesting, requiring your hired guns to do everything from tracking down a missing person to finding a stolen vehicle. Cases are solved via a few means. Most rely on a dice-based game requiring you to roll certain numbers. For example, you might need a four, five, or six in order to complete the mission. Others use time-based puzzles, offering you the chance to hotwire cars or open a door by connecting wires.

The agents themselves come equipped with stats based on strength, intelligence, empathy, and perception. In other words, you’re better off using an agent with strong perception to solve cases requiring that skill. Agents also come equipped with action points. Once spent, the agent will need to take a break, sending you back to the recruitment pool to hire your next contracter. 

On paper, this all sounds great. And it is, in terms of the concept. Unfortunately, Rough Justice ‘84 suffers from a problem we see regularly on the Switch; it’s not ported well at all.

Most of the issues stem from poor controls. It’s easy to tell that this title was meant to be played on a PC with a mouse. Moving around the map to select cases with the control stick is a cumbersome experience, especially when time limits are at play. Another problem is the inconsistent mapping of the buttons. Sometimes the A button is used to select something, at other times, the Y button. And then, sometimes, you’ll even need to use the B button. It’s messy, and it gets even worse. Let me go through my experience.

Selecting a case requires you to move your cursor over the icon within the city. Press A. Now you’re given a spiel about the case. Then you have to press ZL to select your agent. Then A to…select your agent. Then Y to accept the case. Now your agent moves to the location on the map in a frustrating slow way. Oh, pressing X lets you speed it up, but it takes your cursor away from the map. There’s no way to know that, of course, so when your agent arrives, they sit idle for about 15 seconds while you try in vain to get back to the case. The agent literally gives up and the case is automatically failed. You lose money, XP, and reputation points. The word “frustrating” springs to mind. 

There are other issues. The introduction is so overladen with instructions as to be overwhelming and confusing. The soundtrack is actually great in terms of the synthy background music, but the audio itself is awful—some voiceovers are super loud for some reason. It feels very poorly put together. 

I was also stuck in a loop at one point near the beginning when I was told to check out the shop for the first time to purchase gear for my agent. When I tried to buy something, I was told that my current agent (who was suggested to me for the first mission) had no spare gear slots. Why, then, am I in the shop? And how do I exit? I tried every button to exit only to find myself frustratingly stuck in a loop of “buy something; no you can’t buy anything; buy something.” I’m still not sure how I eventually escaped. Needless to say, I was reluctant to return to the shop again.

Overall, Rough Justice ‘84 presents a unique concept that’s executed poorly on the Switch. It’s hard to recommend this one at all. The soundtrack is a highlight, for sure, and the idea of solving cases is a fun concept. Unfortunately, the controls and poor user interface makes this one to avoid.

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If you’re not familiar with the original outing, you’re not alone. This obscure title was released way back in 1991 on the NES, though it never made its way to the US. The game was the first in a series featuring Sunsoft’s own mascot, Hebereke the penguin. Hebe went on to lead other titles with the unique gimmick that each one used a different genre. Ufouria: The Saga 2, then, is the first true sequel to one of those original titles.

This time around, our hero wakes up to find that an alien has crashed nearby. This otherworldly rapscallion has dumped some kind of goop all over the world. When the alien flees, it’s up to Hebe to seek him out, cleaning up the mess along the way. During this adventure, Hebe recruits his three animalian friends to join the campaign. 

This simple premise sets Hebe on a quest across the lands surrounding his home to find the alien. Each section of platforming is set in a different environment, from caves to woods. The various settings look lovely, with cute and colorful backdrops sporting a crafted appearance. Despite this simple, child-like approach, dynamic foreground and background details bring the world further to life. 

Hidden within the levels are plenty of coins and other collectibles to find. Coins are important since the game heavily relies on purchasable power-ups to proceed. These are fun to unlock, and it’s a treat for anyone who likes to collect everything possible. For example, Hebe can learn new attacks, upgrade his hearts, or add extra Popoons to his arsenal.

What are Popoons, I hear you ask? I’m not quite sure myself, to be honest, but they serve as Hebe’s weapon. Visually, they resemble blue blobs with eyes; they look a lot like Dragon Quest’s Slimes. Hebe can hold and hurl these jelly-like creatures at enemies, which is essential for cleaning off any of that pesky alien goop.

Unlocking abilities and characters means previously inaccessible sections may now be available. There’s a fair bit of backtracking, but the short and sweet levels ensure it’s not overly burdensome. Some levels vary slightly when you revisit them, too, keeping things feeling fresh. Gameplay is kept at an accessible level, meaning it’s quite an easy ride. You won’t need to have conquered Mario’s Star Road levels in order to play this title.

The characters and the ability to swap between them is the main selling point of Ufouria: The Saga 2. You can swap them at any point—even mid-jump—with a simple tap of the L or R button. They high-five each other as they sub in for one another, which might be my favorite part of this game. Each one sports a different ability that gives you a reason to change them.

Hebe’s first friend is a kitty. Her ability is swimming, meaning you can now traverse watery areas. No, I’m not sure why the cat can swim, since they traditionally hate water. It’s all part of the game’s quirky charm. Next up is a ghost. This pale-looking pal can float while he jumps (think Luigi’s famous flutter jump), bringing hard-to-reach platforms within your grasp. Finally, a green creature named Jennifer takes the form of a deep-sea angler fish. This little character is adept at digging, making underground mines accessible. No, I don’t know why the fish isn’t the one who can swim well, either. Again, charm.

In fact, this charm is evident across the entire game. It feels much more character-driven than a typical platformer. It’s worth noting the high volume of dialogue, particularly at the beginning. For a seemingly simple title, there’s a lot of talking. On the plus side, this often means humorous interactions between characters. On the downside, if you’re simply after solid platforming, you might find the delays frustrating. 

The music matches the cute aesthetic with beeps and boops that merge retro and modern styles. It feels like an homage to the original title with its enhanced 8-bit twinklings. The tunes vary between levels, though they can become slightly repetitive when you’re caught up in those moments of dialogue. 

Overall, Ufouria: The Saga 2 is a fun platformer full of cuteness and quirkiness. The colors and music pop, and the platforming is simple yet solid, though the adventure could be considered too easy for veterans.

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You play the role of a young boy named Nemo. After falling into a dark cavern, Nemo is rescued by an adorable, pink octopus. The two become friends and set up camp, playing and bonding before embarking on an epic quest together.

The pair discovers a Great Elevator that connects different worlds. An evil entity appears, shrouded in purple smoke, and steals the golden cogs required to run the elevator. Our adventurous duo sets off to find the missing cogs by solving puzzles, defeating enemies, and platforming their way across the colorful landscape.

Each world has its own theme, from a beach to outer space. The variety is refreshing, with each new area ripe for exploration. There’s a strong incentive to see what’s up ahead, or where this path leads.  Along the way are various creative puzzles featuring everything from helping a pair of snails reunite to copying a landscape onto a canvas with splotches of paint. Each and every puzzle is a fun experience, with some proving to be quite tricky. Solving puzzles and collecting cogs allows the elevator to move onto the next world. 

One of the standout features of Promenade is its clean, cartoony look. There’s a simplicity that presents a child-like approach to the layout. This innocence is further exemplified by a lack of on-screen text. It’s clear that you’re in a child’s world. This also adds to the feeling of exploration. What does that signpost mean? How do I reach that item? There are times of trial and error that result in a feeling of satisfaction and many “aha!” moments. It can also lead to frustration—particularly in the beginning—when working out what to do isn’t entirely clear. 

If you’re a fan of platforming, Promenade has you covered. Running, jumping, and using special techniques to traverse large gaps or scale vertical platforms are all par for the course. Your squishy octo-pal serves as a tool, allowing you to enhance jumps, attack enemies, and more. Unlocking extra abilities along the way keeps things feeling fresh. It also opens up previously inaccessible areas.

Any tricky sections are balanced with a gentle approach to Nemo’s health. Nemo has infinite lives, meaning retrying is always an option. He also sports five hearts, losing one each time he hits an enemy. These are replenished when you find a cog or take a nap at one of the pillow forts scattered about the place. Losing all your hearts forces you to respawn somewhere close by. Thankfully, your previously acquired cogs are still safely in tow. I enjoyed this relaxed style of gameplay; it leaves the challenges with the puzzles and platforming. 

There’s a lot to enjoy in Promenade. Boss fights are tough, puzzles are creative, and platforming is satisfying. A simple notebook provides a glimpse into which cogs you’ve collected and which remain undiscovered. If you’re a completionist who enjoys such checklists, you’ll love ticking each cog off your list. 

Overall, Promenade is a deceptively simple-looking title that’s full of things to do. There’s plenty of variety to keep you hooked, with challenging puzzles and platforming elements to conquer. It’s a sweet outing that’s super-satisfying to play.

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The first thing that stands out is the fun and family-friendly appeal of Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Even the story revolves around cute toys. The game’s intro is presented as a lovely cutscene that shows off a new, must-have item: Mini Mario toys. A bored Donkey Kong watches TV, flipping channels until he comes across a commercial for these wind-up toys. DK is instantly transfixed by the marketing, leading to a trip to the local toy store. When it’s revealed that the toys are sold out, what’s a hyped-up ape meant to do? Storm the toy factory, of course!

Naturally, Mario is here to save the day. The premise is simple—follow Donkey Kong through various themed worlds to collect the missing toys. Along the way are traps, enemies, and switches to keep you on your toes. Not to mention spikes, lava, conveyor belts, ice, and much, much more. The variety within each world is simply terrific, providing a strong incentive to keep playing to see what’s next.

Eight levels comprise each world. Six of these are structured in two parts. Firstly, you seek the key hidden amongst the traps. This opens the door to part two, in which you seek the missing Mini Mario toy. Collecting all six of these toys—one from each level—unlocks the final two levels within that world.

The first presents a different type of puzzle. With your six Mario toys in tow, you lead them to the toy chest, collecting the letters T, O, and Y along the way. I can’t describe the cuteness of watching wind-up toys mimicking Mario as they follow him as if he’s some kind of red-and-blue Pied Piper. The toys emit all kinds of adorable squeaks and animations, like when they’re trapped. No wonder Donkey Kong was so desperate to have one!

The second part serves as a boss fight. Here, you take on DK himself in different battle scenes. The variety is refreshing, with each challenge presenting a unique way to tackle the great ape. Perhaps you’ll need to throw trash cans at him, or perhaps you’ll need to hurl fruit from above. Whatever the premise, it’s super satisfying to take him out. Until he runs away, of course. Then, it’s onto the next world!

Another aspect I love about this title is the secondary objective of collecting three gifts within each level. Doing so earns you a gold star, and who doesn’t want one of those? It adds a replayability factor that will keep completionists coming back for more. The presents are typically hidden in hard-to-reach places, giving players another way to make the game more or less challenging.

I love that even the enemies are toys. Sure, they resemble traditional Mario enemies, such as Shy Guys, but there’s something so cute about them. They also double as handy items. For example, you can use them to traverse areas that Mario can’t typically walk on, like spikes. You can also hurl them at other enemies. In fact, Mario has quite a few moves to master.

The game does a fantastic job of teaching you the ropes up front. World one is full of tips, from picking up objects and enemies to performing some cool jumps. Mario can also slide down vines, climb ladders, and do a handstand.

One of the new additions to this updated version of Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a local co-op mode. You can easily switch in and out of this mode, making it super accessible. The second player takes on the role of Toad, the traditional red variety. His moveset is exactly the same as Mario’s, making this a true co-op experience. It’s super fun having a friend to play with, and it adds a new way to work through levels by working together to collect everything. Levels even add an extra key to find, so there’s one for each of you. Either of you can collect them, but it’s a terrific touch that exemplifies the strength of this mode. It doesn’t feel like a simple add-on.

Another new feature is Casual mode, which provides a more relaxing way to play. This is a welcome addition for players who want to take things at their own pace. It does this in two ways. Firstly, by removing the sometimes-stressful timer. Secondly, you have access to five life-saving bubbles within each level. If you fall into a lava pit or are struck by an enemy, you’ll simply bubble back to the last checkpoint. These checkpoints resemble small flags, similar to the halfway point of Mario’s traditional platforming adventures. 

Of course, the graphics and soundtrack have also had a makeover, and it shows. Visually, Mario vs. Donkey Kong looks splendid, with colors that pop off the screen. This is evident in the way the characters move, the new cutscenes, and the level design. The accompanying audio also stands out, with bouncing tunes that vary between worlds, along with a small amount of character noises. In short, it looks lovely and sounds great.

Overall, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a splendid remake. The updated visuals and quality-of-life improvements add plenty to this already-fun title. The puzzles are interesting and challenging, with plenty of variety to keep you hooked.

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