Here’s the games I have reviewed so far on the Nintendo Switch in each genre, from best to worst. Note: If multiple games have the same score, they will be sorted alphabetically.

1. Fighting Games
2. Spectacle Fighter Games
3. Boxing Games
4. Pro Wrestling Games

Fighting Games

Game	Genre	Grade
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate	Fighting Game / Platformer / Party Game	A++
tl;dr Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the latest in the series of Fighting Game/Platformer/Party Game titles, and it is in my mind the greatest, with absolutely tons of content, characters, stages, settings, and more, all built on a foundation of absolutely fun gameplay. A must-own game for the Switch.
Dragon Ball FighterZ	Fighting Game	A
tl;dr Dragon Ball FighterZ is an over-the-top 2D Fighting Game in the same vein as the Marvel Vs. Capcom series, with explosive 3-vs-3 tag-team battles. This game absolutely earns its reputation as one of the best fighting games in years with its absolutely spectacular presentation and excellent deep but accessible gameplay. If you’re a fan of the franchise or just someone who enjoys Fighting games, this game absolutely needs to be in your collection.
ARMS	3D Fighting Game	A-
tl;dr ARMS is a wildly unique 3D Fighting Game that plays like nothing else out there, with players focusing less on skillful moves and more on position and timing as they try to land punches on each other using stretchy arms. It is a surprisingly fun experience, and one that looks great and plays great, including in its 4-Player split-screen mode and in online matches. If you want a great competitive game on your Switch and don’t mind something that’s weird and takes some time getting used to, this is a must-have.
Capcom Fighting Bundle	Compilation / Fighting Game	B+
tl;dr Capcom Fighting Bundle is a bundle containing the Compilations Capcom Fighting Collection and Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection, in total containing 22 classic Arcade games, most of them Fighting Games. The games included in this collection are nearly all outstanding. However, the Compilation is padded by multiple copies of the same game, and the value is somewhat undermined by most of these games also being available in the Capcom Arcade Stadium titles. However, if you want a comprehensive collection of great Fighting Games with lots of extra bonus content, this bundle is an excellent choice.
Capcom Fighting Collection	Compilation / Fighting Game	B+
tl;dr Capcom Fighting Collection is a Compilation of 10 classic arcade games, mostly Fighting Games. Nearly all of the games in this Compilation are excellent… but nearly all of them are also in the Capcom Arcade Stadium titles. At the very least this Compilation comes with some good features and bonus content. Whether you get the included games in this Compilation or another, they are nevertheless superb Fighting Games, and fans of the genre should consider this Compilation a must-have.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2	Compilation / Fighting Game	B+
tl;dr Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is a bundle containing 8 titles, mostly Fighting Games, with Capcom Vs. SNK 1 & 2, Power Stone 1 & 2, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper, Project Justice, Plasma Sword, and Capcom Fighting Evolution. Most of these games are worth playing, a few of them are fan-favorites or obscure titles you’re not likely to see elsewhere, and there are hardly any duds, plus this bundle has a good array of features for these games. The online lobbies are pretty empty at this point, but if you have friends to play with, I think this bundle is well worth checking out.
Capcom Fighting Collection 1 + 2 Bundle	Compilation / Fighting Game	B+
tl;dr Capcom Fighting Collection 1 + 2 Bundle is a bundle containing two Compilations, all together containing 18 titles, mostly Fighting Games. There are some truly phenomenal games here, and a good variety too, and this bundle does provide a decent value. However, you’ll want to compare and contrast the pricing here with the games available in Capcom Arcade Stadium and Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium, which both offer some of the same titles.
Lethal League Blaze	Sports (Dodgeball) / Fighting Game / Party Game	B+
tl;dr Lethal League Blaze is a mishmash of genres that combines dodge ball with Fighting Game and Party Game elements to craft something truly unique, with a stylish cel-shaded presentation. It could do with more content, and I really wish the online servers weren’t deserted, but if you have a group of players on your couch to share this with, you’ll be in for a great time.
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics	Compilation / Fighting Game	B+
tl;dr Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a Compilation of seven games, mostly in the Fighting Game genre. Almost all of these games are great, but there’s little reason to play the earlier games when this bundle lets you play Marvel vs. Capcom 1 & 2 instead. Add in Arcade Brawler The Punisher, and it really seems like this is a bundle of three games you’ll play and four you’ll probably never go back to. However, the games are so great, with excellent features, superb online play, and an impressive gallery of extra content, that it still makes this a must-have collection for any Fighting Game fan.
Melty Blood: Type Lumina	Fighting Game	B+
tl;dr Melty Blood: Type Lumina is a Fighting Game set in the Tsukihime universe with 2D pixel art with wonderfully fluid animation, and gameplay that is similarly fluid and highly-accessible. I would have liked a bit more character variety, but overall this is a game that Fighting Game fans on Nintendo Switch should absolutely have in their game library.
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax	Fighting Game	B+
tl;dr Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is a Fighting Game with a roster of characters from Persona 3 and 4, as well as having some clever gameplay mechanics inspired by the Persona franchise. On top of this, the game looks and sounds great, with wonderfully well-animated visuals and a catchy soundtrack. It’s unfortunate that the online lobbies are empty, and the game’s multi-button moves make for a steep learning curve for those who want to master the game, but even with these issues, this is still a must-have for Fighting Game fans.
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection	Compilation / Fighting Game	B+
tl;dr Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection is a collection of four to twelve Fighting games, depending on how you count: Street Fighter, five versions of Street Fighter II, Street Fighter Alpha 1-3, and three versions of Street Fighter III. It’s a sizable collection, and it comes with a sizable number of extras, all for an excellent price of $30. Unfortunately, it’s missing Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max and Upper, as well as Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, and the online play is awful, major flaws that mar this otherwise impeccable collection.
Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes	Fighting Game	B+
tl;dr Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes is a Fighting Game that doesn’t change too much from the prior game, but adds a few new minor mechanics, 3 new characters (plus 3 more via paid DLC), and much-improved online. This is still an intimidating game for a newer player, though it does offer tools to help newbies ease into the game. Overall, this is a solid entry in the genre, and one of the better Fighting Games on Nintendo Switch.
ACA NEOGEO Samurai Shodown V Special	Fighting Game	B
tl;dr Samurai Shodown V Special is a Fighting Game that fixes much of what was wrong in Samurai Shodown V, expands the roster, and restores the violence of earlier games. The result is a game that, while still somewhat simple compared to modern Fighting Games, is still quite enjoyable even by today’s standards. That said, this release lacks control options and bonus content in the Samurai Shodown NEOGEO Collection, so you may want to consider getting that bundle instead. However, if you’re just looking to buy the one game, this is a very good choice.
BlazBlue Centralfiction Special Edition	Fighting Game	B
tl;dr BlazBlue Centralfiction is a 2D Fighting game with deeper and more complex mechanics than BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle, a great presentation, and overall a lot of quality. Be aware that the online lobbies are largely empty, the “story” mode makes zero sense and has characters talking far more than they’re fighting, and the gameplay may be a bit imposing to newcomers, but genre fans should absolutely give this game a look.
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R	Fighting Game	B
tl;dr Guilty Gear is XX Accent Core Plus R is the definitive version of an excellent, albeit slightly dated, 2D Fighting game. This may be a bit too technical for newer players, but genre fans should definitely give it a look.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl	Fighting Game / Platformer / Party Game	B
tl;dr Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is a game that combines Fighting Game, Platformer, and Party Game elements much like the Super Smash Bros. series, but featuring Nickelodeon characters like SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and the Ninja Turtles. The gameplay and presentation is overall decent, but also feels lacking in some areas, has nasty loading times, and some odd choices have been made with the art direction. Overall this is still a solid entry in the genre, and well worth picking up when the game goes on sale for $5.
Pokken Tournament DX	2D Fighting Game / 3D Fighting Game	B
tl;dr Pokken Tournament DX is a Fighting game featuring Pokemon characters, and a unique mechanic that has the gameplay shifting back and forth between 2D and 3D styles. Unfortunately, these shifts cause a lot of chaos and inconsistency, and make this game a bit less friendly to newcomers who might otherwise find the Pokemon franchise inviting. It’s still well worth a look from fans of Fighting games though.
Samurai Shodown NEOGEO Collection	Compilation / Fighting Game	B
tl;dr Samurai Shodown NEOGEO Collection is a Compilation containing Samurai Shodown, Samurai Shodown II, Samurai Shodown III, Samurai Shodown IV, Samurai Shodown V, Samurai Shodown V Special, and exclusive to this bundle, Samurai Shodown V Perfect. These games are a bit dated compared to modern Fighting Games, but they have their charms, and multiple games in the series are different enough that they’re still worth playing separately, plus this bundle comes with plenty of extra content, as well as some extremely nice control options. Just be sure that if you’re getting this, you get the physical version, as the videos included here bloat the file size quite a lot.
Shovel Knight Showdown	Action-Platformer / Fighting Game	B
tl;dr Shovel Knight Showdown is a standalone expansion to Shovel Knight, the fourth expansion out of four. This is a hybrid of Action-Platformer and Fighting Game that has the same basic gameplay of the Shovel Knight games, but now has a focus on multiplayer arena battles. The gameplay here is solid, but this isn’t as groundbreaking as Shovel Knight, and the AI is kinda’ dumb so you’ll definitely want to play with friends. However, if you do have friends to throw down with, this is definitely worth a look.
Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late(cl-r)	Fighting Game	B
tl;dr Under Night In-Birth is a fast-paced anime-style Fighting Game with good variety and a decent mix of depth and accessibility, although newer players may find it just a bit intimidating. Overall though, it’s a solid entry in the genre, as long as you can overlook the completely abandoned online lobbies.
ACA NEOGEO Samurai Shodown II	Fighting Game	B-
tl;dr Samurai Shodown II is a Fighting Game that is a huge improvement over the previous game, with better controls, an expanded character roster, and new gameplay mechanics. It’s still not quite on par with modern Fighting Games, but this is still a solid entry in the genre. However, this release lacks control options and bonus content in the Samurai Shodown NEOGEO Collection, so you may want to consider getting that bundle instead. However, if you’re just looking to buy the one game, this is a pretty decent choice.
ACA NEOGEO Samurai Shodown III	Fighting Game	B-
tl;dr Samurai Shodown III is a Fighting Game that changes up its control scheme and reduces the character roster but makes up for it by adding alternate versions of every character. The result is a mixed bag that some will like more than others, and it still doesn’t quite compare to modern games in the genre. Also, this release lacks control options and bonus content in the Samurai Shodown NEOGEO Collection, so you may want to consider getting that bundle instead. However, if you’re just looking to buy the one game, this is a pretty decent choice.
ACA NEOGEO Samurai Shodown IV	Fighting Game	B-
tl;dr Samurai Shodown IV is a Fighting Game that tweaks a few things from Samurai Shodown III and expands the roster of characters to 17. It’s still not on par with modern Fighting Games, and it’s not a huge leap over the previous game, but this is nevertheless an enjoyable entry in the genre, even today. That said, this release lacks control options and bonus content in the Samurai Shodown NEOGEO Collection, so you may want to consider getting that bundle instead. However, if you’re just looking to buy the one game, this is a pretty decent choice.
Fantasy Strike	Fighting Game	B-
tl;dr Fantasy Strike is a free-to-play Fighting game that strips the genre down to its basics in a way that’s really refreshing and inspired take on how the genre works, with a solid presentation and some really inventive characters. Having said that, the online play here is a mess, and the lack of features in the free version of the game really limits how much you’ll want to play it unless you buy into the game’s expansion content. It’s still well worth giving a try, but keep your expectations in check.
One Strike	Fighting Game	B-
tl;dr One Strike is a Fighting Game about dueling samurai warriors, and it features extremely simplified “one hit kills” combat mechanics and a retro-inspired presentation. The game isn’t quite as well-balanced as I’d like, but overall this is still a superb Fighting Game for brief sessions, and one well worth the $5 price tag.
Rivals of Aether	Fighting Game / Platformer	B-
tl;dr Rivals of Aether is a game that combines Fighting games with Platformers in a stlye very much like Super Smash Bros. So much so, in fact, that it’s hard not to compare the two, and that’s a comparison where Rivals comes up very, very short. Still, players looking for something like Smash but a little different may find Rivals of Aether to be worth a look.
Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers	Fighting Game	B-
tl;dr Ultra Street Fighter II is the latest, greatest version of Street Fighter II that takes the visuals of Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, adds two new characters, rebalances the gameplay, adds in a few throwaway extra game modes and a decent art gallery… and then slaps on a $40 price tag. Make no mistake, the gameplay here is still fantastic, probably the best that Street Fighter II has ever been, but the cost is so absurd that it’s hard to recommend this game, and so prohibitive that it has left online lobbies empty. This is a game for die-hard series fans only – everyone else is better off going for the 30th Anniversary Collection, which is $10 cheaper and includes way more content.
Verdict Guilty	Fighting Game	B-
tl;dr Verdict Guilty is a Fighting Game with a cops vs. criminals theme, with a unique mechanic involving slapping handcuffs on your opponent to leave them vulnerable for a few seconds. Some may find this game’s themes problematic, the character roster is a bit small, and the gameplay is somewhat sloppy, but despite these issues, this is still a fun and interesting take on the genre.
ACA NEOGEO Fatal Fury 3	Fighting Game	C+
tl;dr Fatal Fury 3 is a Fighting Game that reworks the visuals and gameplay of the series, mostly with great success, creating a game that plays great even by today’s standards. The problem is, it’s still a nearly 30 year-old game priced at $8, and its roster of only 10 playable characters is woefully small. Still, Fighting Game fans may want to give this game a look.
Blade Strangers	Fighting Game	C+
tl;dr Blade Strangers is a Fighting Game featuring characters from Shovel Knight, Cave Story, and various other indie games, and its slower pacing and simple controls make it ideal for newer players who are just getting used to the genre. Having said that, I wish the game did more to utilize these different game licenses, the online servers are deserted, and the $40 price tag is way too steep, especially for its limited roster. If you can get it on sale it’s still worth playing though.
BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle	Fighting Game	C+
tl;dr BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is a good fighting game with a wonderful roster of characters that’s hurt by some pretty nasty monetization. Worth it if you can find a good deal on the Deluxe version, but otherwise you’re better off getting another one of the many fighting games on the Switch.
Dual Souls: The Last Bearer	Fighting Game	C+
tl;dr Dual Souls is a Fighting Game that can trace its roots back to the Game Boy Advance, and it has some enjoyable gameplay and a fun RPG-style “Journey Mode” in its favor. Unfortunately, virtually every element of this game seems unpolished and clunky, and while it’s still enjoyable, it just can’t compete with other modern entries in the genre.
Guilty Gear	Fighting Game	C+
tl;dr Guilty Gear is a classic Fighting game that still plays well, but the limited roster, lack of online play, and lack of multiple other more modern features makes the $10 price tag seem a bit too steep. It’s still a fun game, but there are other Fighting games on the Switch that will get you more bang for your buck.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2	Fighting Game / Platformer / Party Game	C+
tl;dr Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is a game which, much like its predecessor, combines Fighting Game, Platformer, and Party Game elements much like the Super Smash Bros. series, but featuring Nickelodeon characters like SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and the Ninja Turtles. This game addresses many of the issues the first game had, and presents exciting new gameplay elements… but at the same time, it doesn’t expand the roster and instead cuts half of the first game’s characters to make room for new ones, drastically changes characters that are still here, and on Nintendo Switch has performance issues and massive loading times. For all this game gets right, it fails in ways that make it really difficult to recommend on Nintendo Switch.
Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid	Fighting Game	C+
tl;dr Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid is a 3 vs 3 Fighting game with characters and references from throughout the many incarnations of the Power Rangers franchise. The core gameplay here is excellent, but the game is hurt by a lack of content, occasionally poor hit detection, underwhelming graphics, and a dead online mode. Despite its flaws, it’s still well worth checking out for series fans, but to everyone else these flaws make it hard to give it a full recommendation.
Samurai Shodown	Fighting Game	C+
tl;dr Samurai Shodown is a Fighting Game with simple, slow-paced, and deliberate gameplay that won’t appeal to everyone, but those looking for a less flashy entry in the genre more focused on strategy than speedy and complex play should find it worthwhile… at least, as long as they don’t mind the limited amount of content, long loading times, and lack of online opponents.
Skullgirls 2nd Encore	Fighting Game	C+
tl;dr Skullgirls is a solid Fighting game with a fantastic presentation and a small but diverse roster of characters. It’s a tad overpriced for the size of its roster, and the unusual nature of most of these characters makes this a game newer players may struggle to get into, but fans of the genre who can catch the game on sale should still give it a look.
SNK Gals’ Fighters	Fighting Game	C+
tl;dr SNK Gals’ Fighters is a Fighting Game featuring female fighters from throughout SNK’s franchises, originally released on the NEOGEO Pocket Color. Unfortunately, the limitations of that hardware really hobbles this game when it’s compared to other games in the genre or even other SNK Fighting games, including the ACA NEOGEO games you can get on the Nintendo Switch for the same price. Unless you have a nostalgia for the original release, you’re better off sticking with other SNK Fighting games.
Fighting EX Layer Another Dash	Fighting Game	C
tl;dr Fighting EX Layer’s release on Nintendo Switch strips the Fighting Game of its Gougi Deck system and dresses up a glorified demo as a “free game” with $25 required to unlock the full game. It’s not a terrible game, but it’s pretty lacking compared to other Fighting Games on the Nintendo Switch.
Kirby Fighters 2	Fighting Game / Platformer / Party Game	C
tl;dr Kirby Fighters 2 is a family-friendly game that combines Fighting Game, Platformer and Party Game elements much in the same way the Super Smash Bros. series does. The gameplay here is good albeit more shallow than Super Smash Bros. In fact, overall Kirby Fighters 2 doesn’t hold a candle to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in pretty much every area, and even its low $20 price tag can only do so much to make up for this game’s severe lack of variety. This is a decent game, but anyone interested in this game is much, much better off spending more to get Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Mega Man Battle & Fighters	Compilation / Action-Platformer / Fighting Game	C
tl;dr Mega Man Battle & Fighters is a Compilation of two Fighting Games with strong Action-Platformer elements, Mega Man: The Power Battle, and Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, both genuinely fun games that play like a boss rush of the Mega Man franchise. Unfortunately, these versions of the games were heavily cut back for their port to NEOGEO Pocket Color, and on top of that, the lack of a proper English localization is irritating. Even worse, players can already get Arcade-perfect versions of these games in Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium. With this being the case, why would anyone bother with these versions?
Mortal Kombat 11	Fighting Game	C
tl;dr Mortal Kombat 11 is the latest hyper-violent game in the long-running Fighting Game series, and while the core gameplay remains intact, the graphics are an ugly mess, the online lobbies are too empty to provide evenly-matched opponents, and the game is overburdened with microtransactions. Unless you’re a die-hard series fan with no other platforms to play the game, leave this one in the krypt.
Samurai Shodown! 2	Fighting Game	C
tl;dr Samurai Shodown! 2 is a Fighting Game in SNK’s long-running series originally released on the NEOGEO Pocket Color. Unfortunately, the limitations of that hardware really hobbles this game when it’s compared to other games in the genre or even in its own series, including the ACA NEOGEO games you can get on the Nintendo Switch for the same price. Unless you have a nostalgia for the original release, you’re better off sticking with other games in the Samurai Shodown series.
SNK Vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium	Fighting Game	C
tl;dr SNK Vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium is a Fighting Game featuring an all-star roster of characters from the two named companies, originally released on the NEOGEO Pocket Color. Unfortunately, the limitations of that hardware really hobbles this game when it’s compared to other games in the genre, including the ACA NEOGEO games you can get on the Nintendo Switch for the same price. Unfortunately, as of this writing none of those games feature this great selection of characters, so if you want to see Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui face off against Ryu and Chun Li, this is currently your only option.
ACA NEOGEO Fatal Fury Special	Fighting Game	C-
tl;dr Fatal Fury Special is a Fighting Game that is an iterative sequel to Fatal Fury 2, adding a few gameplay tweaks and almost doubling the playable roster of characters. Again, a huge improvement over prior games in the franchise, though the gameplay is still a bit stiff by today’s standards and the $8 price seems a bit steep. I would argue this is only a game for series fans – everyone else is better off going for a more recent game in the franchise.
ACA NEOGEO Samurai Shodown	Fighting Game	C-
tl;dr The original Samurai Shodown is a Fighting Game that has some good qualities, but clunky controls and hitboxes that are way off both contribute to a game that just can’t stack up to contemporaries like Super Street Fighter II, let alone modern games. Plus, this release lacks control options and bonus content in the Samurai Shodown NEOGEO Collection. If you’re even going to get this game, you’re better off getting that bundle instead.
Fatal Fury First Contact	Fighting Game	C-
tl;dr Fatal Fury First Contact is a Fighting Game in SNK’s long-running series originally released on the NEOGEO Pocket Color. Unfortunately, the limitations of that hardware really hobbles this game when it’s compared to other games in the genre or even in its own series, including the ACA NEOGEO games you can get on the Nintendo Switch for the same price. Unless you have a nostalgia for the original release, you’re better off sticking with other games in the Fatal Fury series.
Fight Crab	Fighting Game / Misc.	C-
tl;dr Fight Crab is an odd Fighting Game where players take the role of crustaceans manipulating their arms and claws to fight each other. It’s a novel concept, but it’s rendered largely pointless due to terrible controls that rarely seem to translate directly to what you’re actually intending to make your crab do. As a result, this may be interesting as a novelty, but it’s not a very fun game.
Kiai Resonance	Fighting Game / Misc.	C-
tl;dr Kiai Resonance is a Fighting Game about dueling samurai warriors, and it features extremely simplified “one hit kills” combat mechanics that hold a lot of potential. Unfortunately, these mechanics are too unbalanced, and the lack of content leads to far too much monotony. Overall, there are some great ideas here, but the execution needed some work.
King of Fighters R-2	Fighting Game	C-
tl;dr King of Fighters R-2 is a Fighting Game in SNK’s long-running series originally released on the NEOGEO Pocket Color. Unfortunately, the limitations of that hardware really hobbles this game when it’s compared to other games in the genre or even in its own series, including the ACA NEOGEO games you can get on the Nintendo Switch for the same price. Unless you have a nostalgia for the original release, you’re better off sticking with other games in the King of Fighters series.
Override 2: Super Mech League	Fighting Game / Arcade	C-
tl;dr Override 2 is a game that combines Fighting Game and Arcade-style action with players fighting each other as mechs in enclosed arenas. While the gameplay is enjoyable in a shallow way, the performance on Nintendo Switch is atrocious, the camera is horrible, and the online play this game wants to highlight is a ghost town. The result is a game that’s very difficult to recommend.
SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy	Fighting Game	C-
tl;dr SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy is a Fighting Game that puts the focus on SNK’s female characters, with gameplay that is at least in theory more simple and accessible. However, in practice this gameplay is too complicated for newer players to enjoy and too shallow to please seasoned Fighting Game players. And the “girly” presentation is too weird and off-putting to be sexy, and too creepy and pandering to be very appealing to female players. I don’t know who this game is for, and there are plenty of better Fighting Games on Nintendo Switch for just about anyone who might otherwise be interested in this one. Play one of those instead.
The Last Blade: Beyond the Destiny	Fighting Game	C-
tl;dr The Last Blade: Beyond the Destiny is a Fighting Game originally released on the NEOGEO Pocket Color. Unfortunately, the limitations of that hardware really hobbles this game when it’s compared to other games in the genre or even in its own series, including the ACA NEOGEO games you can get on the Nintendo Switch for the same price. Unless you have a nostalgia for the original release, you’re better off sticking with other games in The Last Blade series.
Arcade Archives Typhoon Gal	Fighting Game	D+
tl;dr Typhoon Gal is a Fighting Game with elements of Pro Wrestling games, and while there are some interesting gameplay mechanics at work here, the controls are far too unreliable, and the huge difficulty spike when you face off against the head of a dojo is far too steep. All this makes for a game I simply cannot recommend.
Brawlhalla	Fighting Game / Platformer / Party Game	D+
tl;dr Brawlhalla is a Free-To-Play Fighting Game with Platformer mechanics that plays like Smash Bros. but with characters from various other disparate franchises. Unfortunately, the game mechanics make the entire cast of rotating characters largely interchangeable, and the hit detection is so awful that battles become a struggle getting your attacks to connect. This game may be free, but your time is too precious to waste on it.
Super Kirby Clash	Fighting Game / Platformer	D+
tl;dr Super Kirby Clash is a Free-To-Play Fighting Game/Platformer hybrid that’s an expanded version of the 3DS title Team Kirby Clash Deluxe. What that amounts to is a co-op game that has up to four players fighting various Kirby bosses in extremely repetitive button-mashing affairs that are mediocre at best… oh, and then the game drags things down with sleazy microtransactions. Yeah, don’t bother with this one.
Tiny Gladiators	Fighting Game	D+
tl;dr Tiny Gladiators is a Fighting game with RPG elements that has you gradually building up your gladiator over its campaign. Unfortunately, ugly graphics and mindlessly simple button-mashy gameplay rob this game of any appeal it may have otherwise had.
ACA NEOGEO Fatal Fury	Fighting Game	D
tl;dr Fatal Fury is a Fighting Game that’s the start of a franchise that would grow to become the best direct competitor the classic Street Fighter series would ever face off against. However, the series gets off to a rocky start here, with stiff controls and an embarrassing roster of only three characters. Unless you’re looking to spend a pricey $8 just to see a part of the history of the genre that has aged horribly, skip this game and play a later entry in the series.
ACA NEOGEO Fatal Fury 2	Fighting Game	D
tl;dr Fatal Fury 2 is a Fighting Game that improves greatly on the first game in the series, but is still well behind modern standards for the genre. Even worse, there’s no reason to get this game when the expanded version of the game, Fatal Fury Special, is sitting on the same storefronts. Even if you could overlook Fatal Fury 2’s flaws, there’s no good reason not to get that game instead.
ACA NEOGEO Samurai Shodown V	Fighting Game	D
tl;dr Samurai Shodown V is a Fighting Game with faster gameplay than its predecessors, and a much-expanded roster of characters, but it also drops features from earlier games that series fans enjoyed, and its roster has some pretty bad balancing issues. The result is a game that isn’t quite as good as multiple other games in the series, and it’s particularly not worth getting when you can get its much-improved successor, Samurai Shodown V Special, instead. Plus, this release lacks control options and bonus content in the Samurai Shodown NEOGEO Collection. No matter which way you slice it (ha), I don’t recommend getting this release.
Arcade Archives Dinorex	Fighting Game	F
tl;dr Dinorex is a Fighting Game where players take the role of dinosaurs fighting each other. It’s a fun concept, but it is very poorly executed here, with ugly visuals, terrible hit detection, absurdly bad controls, and limited gameplay. This is a terrible Fighting Game, and you should not waste money on it.
Arcade Archives Urban Champion	Fighting Game	F
tl;dr Urban Champion is an absolutely miserable Fighting game with terrible controls and a complete lack of depth. There’s a reason this game has been the butt of jokes every time Nintendo re-releases it instead of countless other, better games in its backlog. This release only adds insult to injury with its absurd $8 price tag. Do not buy this.

Spectacle Fighter Games

Game	Genre	Grade
Astral Chain	Spectacle Fighter / Action-RPG	A+
tl;dr Astral Chain is a Spectacle Fighter like Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, but it plays wildly differently than those games, with a refreshingly unique chain combat system, some Action-RPG elements tied to Arkham-like investigation sections, and a fantastical world inspired by classic anime, all in a package with a truly excellent presentation. This is a must-have game on Switch, especially for fans of Action games and especially especially for those looking for something truly different. Do not miss out on this game.
Bayonetta 2	Spectacle Fighter	A+
tl;dr Bayonetta 2, like the first game, is a Spectacle Fighter like Devil May Cry, and it is arguably one of the best games in its genre, with amazing fighting mechanics, a lot of variety, and overall extremely fun gameplay, so long as you’re not bothered by the extremely sexualized main character. This is also clearly the definitive version of the game, so if you don’t mind the M rating, you should consider this game a must-have on the Switch.
Bayonetta 3	Spectacle Fighter	A+
tl;dr Bayonetta 3 not only delivers on the finely-crafted gameplay this Spectacle Fighter series is known for, but expands on it with the wonderful new Demon Slave ability that has you swapping back and forth between Bayonetta and her kaiju-sized demonic creatures. Add to this some breathtaking setpiece moments and a gorgeous presentation and you have one of the best Action games of recent years. Do not miss this game.
Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 Digital Bundle	Compilation / Spectacle Fighter	A
tl;dr Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 Digital Bundle is a Compilation of the first two Bayonetta games, each of the two being one of the best Spectacle Fighter games ever made. You spend about as much on this bundle as you would buying the games separately using the discount, but this is a good way to get them both in one go and not worry about the confusing way that discount is implemented. You’re not saving more by getting the games this way, but it’s a good value on two phenomenal games regardless.
Bayonetta	Spectacle Fighter	A-
tl;dr Bayonetta is a Spectacle Fighter like Devil May Cry, and it is arguably one of the best games in its genre, with amazing fighting mechanics, a lot of variety, and overall extremely fun gameplay, so long as you’re not bothered by the extremely sexualized main character. There are a few minor graphical issues with this version, but overall it’s much-improved over the Wii U version. All in all, a must-have game for fans of the genre.
Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition	Spectacle Fighter / Action-RPG	A-
tl;dr Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition is a game that mixes Spectacle Fighter and Action-RPG elements, and it does so much better than the first game, with improvements in pretty much every area of the game, save for the quality of the port from other platforms. While decent, it’s not quite up to the high bar set by the port of the first game. Still, it’s not a bad port, and any disappointment there is outweighed by just how much better virtually every other part of this game is than its predecessor. If you’re looking for a great game that mixes elements of Zelda-style Action-RPGs, Diablo-style loot collecting, and Devil May Cry-style combat, you should definitely give Darksiders II a look.
Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition	Spectacle Fighter	A-
tl;dr Devil May Cry 3 is a Spectacle Fighter that’s a prequel to the first two games, focusing on Dante’s rivalry with his brother Virgil. This game is a return to form for the series that’s still a joy to play to this day, even if the graphics are dated (despite the remastered HD upgrade) and the camera could use a bit of work still. And while the game is still somewhat overpriced, at least this time Nintendo Switch owners are getting something in exchange for that expense – new control options to swap combat styles mid-combo make the Nintendo Switch version the definitive edition of the game. If you’re a fan of this genre, Devil May Cry 3 on the Nintendo Switch may be a must-buy, despite its price point and even if you already own it on another platform. And for those who never played it in the first place, this is a no-brainer.
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle	Spectacle Fighter	A-
tl;dr No More Heroes 2 improves on the first game in nearly every way, delivering the same great action and outlandish presentation, but with better graphics, better controls, streamlined game design, better minigames… really, the only thing I can find fault with here is the game’s camera is still a pain and the visuals are a bit dated. However, aside from that, this game is an all-around fantastic Spectacle Fighter that should be played by anyone who enjoys the genre… at least as long as they don’t mind a lot of misogyny and an immature sense of humor.
No More Heroes	Spectacle Fighter	B+
tl;dr No More Heroes takes the original game’s Wii motion-control combat and does a pretty good job porting it over to the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Cons, and while the graphics have aged somewhat, the game’s expressive personality (thanks largely to its outlandish protagonist) is still as bizarre and compelling (or repulsive) as ever. This game definitely has its flaws and rough edges, but overall it’s still a solid and unique Action game.
No More Heroes 3	Spectacle Fighter	B+
tl;dr No More Heroes 3 is a Spectacle Fighter with Open World elements that has the series’ manbaby protagonist Travis Touchdown taking on a horde of bizarre aliens. The presentation here is even more delightfully ridiculous than prior games in the series, and the action is just as good, but the pacing is worse, the game’s performance is awful, and bringing back the Open World of the first No More Heroes without fixing its problems is a baffling choice that takes the series backwards. Make no mistake, this is still a great Spectacle Fighter, but it’s one that alternates between being a blast and shooting itself in the foot.
Anima: Gate of Memories – The Nameless Chronicles	Spectacle Fighter / Action-RPG	B
tl;dr Anima: Gate of Memories – The Nameless Chronicles is a Spectacle Fighter with Action-RPG elements and a sequel that follows a different path during the same story events as the first game. This game drops the character-swapping of that game, but in its place we get more fluid and enjoyable combat, making this an all-around better game. It’s still not on par with the greats of the genre, but Spectacle Fighter fans will still likely find this game worth playing.
Darksiders: Warmastered Edition	Spectacle Fighter / Action-RPG	B
tl;dr Darksiders: Warmastered Edition is a Spectacle Fighter with Action-RPG elements that puts you in the role of one of the four horsemen, War, looking to clear his name after the apocalypse gets kicked off early and the blame is placed on him. This is an excellent port of a solid game, and isn’t that far behind other current platforms in terms of performance. While the action here isn’t quite as compelling as other Spectacle Fighters on the Switch, and the Action-RPG elements don’t allow for anywhere near the same amount of exploration, overall this is still a solid title worth playing.
Neo: The World Ends With You	Action-RPG / Spectacle Fighter	B
tl;dr Neo: The World Ends With You is a sequel to the Nintendo DS classic Action-RPG following new characters playing through a deadly game in a strange version of Tokyo’s Shibuya district. This sequel does a fantastic job of bringing the stylish anime-style presentation from the original game into the realm of 3D, and the new Spectacle Fighter-style combat system feels great while still maintaining elements of the original. The story is odd and confusing, and the RPG elements leave something to be desired, but overall this is a solid sequel that should be sure to please fans of the original.
Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection	Compilation / Spectacle Fighter	B
tl;dr Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is a Compilation of the Spectacle Fighter games Ninja Gaiden Σ, Ninja Gaiden Σ2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge. The first game is still good but has aged somewhat, the second game is still one of the greats of the genre even if it has a few flaws, and the third game is… well, not very good. As a Compilation, the Nintendo Switch versions of these games are all missing features that were in earlier versions of the games, but they all run well and are being sold at a pretty reasonable price. If you’re a fan of Spectacle Fighters looking for solid portable versions of these games, I think you’ll be satisfied.
Anima: Gate of Memories – Arcane Edition	Compilation / Spectacle Fighter / Action-RPG	B-
tl;dr Anima: Gate of Memories – Arcane Edition is a Compilation of Anima: Gate of Memories and Anima: Gate of Memories – The Nameless Chronicles, both Spectacle Fighters with Action-RPG elements. The second game in this package is definitely the better out of the pair, but the bundle is a decent enough deal that it’s probably worth it to get both so you can see both halves of the story told in these games.
Devil May Cry	Spectacle Fighter	B-
tl;dr Devil May Cry is a Spectacle Fighter, and probably the first one in the genre, originally released on the PlayStation 2 in 2001, following the sword- and gun-wielding half-demon Dante as he fights demons in a crumbling Gothic castle. This version is the port of the HD remaster first released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2012, but where that collection gave players three games for $20, this game charges Switch owners the same price for just one, making it one of the more ridiculous examples of price-gouging on the Nintendo Switch. It’s a shame too, because even though some elements have aged poorly, this is still a fantastic game full of satisfying combat, but it’s hard to fully recommend at this price.
Raji: An Ancient Epic	Spectacle Fighter / 3D Platformer	B-
tl;dr Raji: An Ancient Epic is a Spectacle Fighter with Platforming elements that is heavily steeped in Hindu culture, which turns out to be the game’s greatest strength. The combat here is pretty good too, but the platforming has multiple problems, and the choice to pull the camera so far away from the action only makes those problems worse. This is still a game well worth playing, but probably more for its unique presentation than its gameplay.
Mitsurugi Kamui Hikae	Spectacle Fighter	C+
tl;dr Mitsurugi Kamui Hikae is a Speactacle Fighter like Devil May Cry that’s clearly going for sex appeal with its sexy protagonist fighting in a schoolgirl outfit, but also surprisingly manages to have a good fighting engine underneath the spectacle. Unfortunately, the game’s enemies and environments are too repetitive to really hold your interest for long.
Anima: Gate of Memories	Spectacle Fighter / Action-RPG	C
tl;dr Anima: Gate of Memories is a Spectacle Fighter with Action-RPG elements where players swap back and forth between two characters as they explore a cursed tower to find a stolen relic. There are multiple elements this game introduces to the Spectacle Fighter genre that are promising, but all of that promise is undone by clunky combat that just isn’t very fun to engage in.
Onimusha Warlords	Action / Spectacle Fighter	C
tl;dr Onimusha is an Action game that’s a few steps short of being a Spectacle Fighter like Devil May Cry (a game inspired by Onimusha’s development). Its graphics have been improved in this Switch release, but the game overall still feels like an archaic relic of the past, with outdated game design that pales next to more modern games on the Switch. It’s not bad, but there are better options for Switch Owners looking for this sort of game.
Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time	Spectacle Fighter	C
tl;dr Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is a Spectacle Fighter that sends the titular hero on a time-travelling diversion that takes place during the final episode of the TV series. While there has clearly been some care given to making this game faithful to the series, there are also sadly some poor design choices and clunky combat that make this feel like less than the celebration of the franchise it wants to be. Samurai Jack fans may still enjoy it, but those who don’t follow the franchise won’t be missing much by skipping this.
The Wonderful 101 Remastered	Spectacle Fighter	C
tl;dr The Wonderful 101: Remastered is a Spectacle Fighter where players command a large group of heroes who can get into different formations to combat enemies. While this port does what it can to make the game work on the Nintendo Switch, it’s clear that this game was designed with the Wii U in mind, and the attempt at bringing those features over to the Switch is clunky and frankly the game itself is nowhere near as wonderful as Platinum’s other games on the Nintendo Switch.
Croixleur Sigma	Spectacle Fighter	C-
tl;dr Croixleur Sigma is a Spectacle Fighter that has you fighting monsters in a circular arena with one of four anime-style girls wielding a variety of weapons. Unfortunately, the locations and enemies are bland, the combat is frustrating, the camera is annoying, and the time limit on battles only adds further frustration. There are better games in this genre on the Nintendo Switch much more deserving of your time.
Devil May Cry 2	Spectacle Fighter	D+
tl;dr Devil May Cry 2 is a Spectacle Fighter that is generally considered to be the worst game in the series, and this remaster doesn’t change that fact. Yet despite this, Capcom is still trying to price gouge customers looking to get the game on the Nintendo Switch, charging the same price for this game as the cost of the full trilogy on other platforms. This isn’t just greed or disregard for customers, it’s pure stupidity, since the easiest way to respond to an overpriced bad game is to not buy it.

Boxing Games

Game	Genre	Grade
Arcade Archives Punch-Out!!	Boxing	B-
tl;dr This version of Punch-Out!! is an iteration of the classic Boxing game that’s distinctly different from the Nintendo Entertainment System release. I would argue this is not nearly as good as the less visually-impressive Nintendo Entertainment System port, but it’s distinct and different enough from that port to be worth a look for fans of the series, though the lack of content and high difficulty curve means that I would highly encourage those new to this series to start with a different entry in the franchise first.
Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku	Boxing / Sports (Exercise) / Music-Rhythm	B-
tl;dr Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku combines the boxing-focused Exercise Application with the “Vocaloid” character and her friends, along with a soundtrack filled with Hatsune Miku’s music. And unlike the usual for the Fitness Boxing franchise, this time it’s not just voiceless covers, but the actual music. This fact puts this collaboration well above any of the other games in the Fitness Boxing series thus far, even if this is still more of an Exercise Application than an actual game – if you’re looking for something more like a game, you’re still better off with Ring Fit Adventure or Samba De Amigo: Party Central.
Creepy Brawlers	Boxing	C+
tl;dr Creepy Brawlers is a Boxing game best described as a reimagining of the Classic Nintendo Entertainment System game Punch-Out!! with players fighting various classic movie monsters. While not nearly as good as that Nintendo classic, and overly tough, it’s still a solid Boxing game in its own right, and the $5 price tag makes this game well worth a look for fans of that NES classic.
Fitness Boxing	Boxing / Sports (Exercise) / Music-Rhythm	C+
tl;dr Fitness Boxing is an Exercise game that has players using the motion controls of the Joy-Cons to deliver different types of punches in time with the beat of the music. This game is plagued with problems – it’s overpriced, the soundtrack is too small and too low in quality, the motion controls are terrible, and the game has zero interest in being an actual game. Yet despite all of these problems, it somehow still manages to deliver an entertaining experience and a good workout. If you’re looking for a decent exercise game on the Switch other than Ring Fit Adventure, this one does a decent job of it, despite its many, many flaws.
Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise	Boxing / Sports (Exercise) / Music-Rhythm	C+
tl;dr Fitness Boxing 2, like the first game, is an Exercise game that has players using the motion controls of the Joy-Cons to deliver different types of punches in time with the beat of the music. And like the first game, this game is plagued with problems – it’s overpriced, the soundtrack is too small and too low in quality, the motion controls are terrible, and the game has zero interest in being an actual game. Yet despite all of these problems, it somehow still manages to deliver an entertaining experience and a good workout. This sequel is only a marginal improvement over the first game, and Ring Fit is still the best Exercise game on the Switch right now, but those looking for a routine workout regimen still may find some use out of this.
Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer	Boxing / Sports (Exercise) / Music-Rhythm	C+
tl;dr Fitness Boxing 3 is the fifth entry in the Fitness Boxing series of Exercise Applications, and it is no closer to being a fun game than it was when the series started. In fact, in some ways this game is a step backward from Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku, since it returns to using crappy wordless synthesized covers of songs instead of actual music, and the new features and changes here don’t make up for that cheapskate move in a $50 game. Plus, it’s still hard to recommend these titles when actually enjoyable Exercise games like Ring Fit Adventure and Samba De Amigo: Party Central exist. I suggest getting one of those instead.
Arcade Archives Super Punch-Out!!	Boxing	C
tl;dr This version of Super Punch-Out!!, not to be confused with the very different Super Nintendo game bearing the same title, is a decent Boxing game, but its value is undercut by the fact that it’s a retread of the previous arcade game, its gameplay isn’t as refined as later entries in the franchise, and it has the least amount of content of any game in the series. While series fans may enjoy this as a curiosity, pretty much every other game in the Punch-Out!! franchise is superior to this one.
Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star	Boxing / Sports (Exercise) / Music-Rhythm	C
tl;dr Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star combines the boxing-focused Exercise Application with the classic (and let’s be honest, woefully dated) anime franchise, but does absolutely nothing to capitalize on this license, delivering the same tired gameplay, with music that’s far less enjoyable to exercise to. Unless you’re a major fan of the show, you’re better off with any of the other Fitness Boxing games, or ideally Ring Fit Adventure.
Knockout Home Fitness	Boxing / Sports (Exercise) / Music-Rhythm	C-
tl;dr Knockout Home Fitness is an Exercise game that uses gyroscopic motion control to detect the player performing martial arts moves in much the same way as Fitness Boxing. Or to be more accurate, this game is Fitness Boxing, but without the licensed music, with fewer options, and with less-impressive visuals. In other words, there’s not really any reason to get this game when you can get one of the Fitness Boxing games instead (or even better, Ring Fit Adventure).
Pato Box	Boxing / Misc.	D+
tl;dr Pato Box is an odd Boxing adventure with extremely stylized black-and-white cel-shaded graphics and a bizarre story starring a bird-headed protagonist. While it’s not without its appeal, the game has some pretty frustrating control issues that make it really hard to enjoy.
Real Boxing 2	Boxing	D
tl;dr Real Boxing 2 aims to be a Simulation-style Boxing game, but it does pretty much everything bad. There’s no weight to the punches, there’s no excitement in the crowd, and the stench of being a mobile port that was previously loaded with microtransactions is still incredibly powerful here, with players needing to spend far more time grinding with boring minigames than they’ll spend actually fighting if they want to make any progress. Do not get sucker punched by this game.
Sticky Hands	Arcade / Boxing	D
tl;dr Sticky Hands is a game that’s half a physics-based Arcade-style game, and half a simple Boxing game… and neither half is good. Shallow, repetitive, and tedious, this is a game you should keep your hands off of.

Pro Wrestling Games

Game	Genre	Grade
ACA NEOGEO King of the Monsters	Pro Wrestling	C-
tl;dr King of the Monsters is for all intents and purposes a Pro Wrestling game starring giant city-stomping kaiju monsters. While this is an outstanding concept, in practice it simply isn’t very fun to play. Unless you have nostalgia for this game from decades ago, I suggest you skip it.
Big Bang Pro Wrestling	Pro Wrestling	D
tl;dr Big Bang Pro Wrestling is a Pro Wrestling game first released on the NEOGEO Pocket Color, but it unfortunately suffers from the original platform’s limited controls, as well as some extremely finicky hit detection. The result is a pretty bad Pro Wrestling game, and not one I recommend playing.
Wrestling Empire	Pro Wrestling	D
tl;dr Wrestling Empire is a Pro Wrestling game that evokes the N64 classics of the genre, but ugly visuals and buggy gameplay make this one fail to reach the height of those beloved classics.

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