Nintendo Switch 2 Reviews M-Z

Mario Kart World harkens back to the days when a new console would launch with at least one "must have" title. This game qualifies. I didn't think Nintendo could substantially improve upon Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch, 2017) but they knocked this one out of the park.

The number of competitors per race has been doubled to a whopping 24. This elevates the mayhem to new levels, especially out of the gate. To fill out the huge field Nintendo had to pad the roster with unlikely racers like the piranha plant, Vampire Luigi, Toad with a hamburger on his head, and obligatory "kid" versions of the main cast. One character that really stands out is Pauline with her shapely red dress and heels. Hubba hubba!

True to its name, Mario Kart World expands the scope of the franchise with connected tracks spanning one massive continent. You may notice a certain haziness on the horizon. While in the past this "fog" might indicate a hardware limitation, in this case I think it's intentionally used to emphasize a sense of distance.

The vehicle selection includes all sorts of crazy cars and motorcycles. Flying off of a ramp causes your vehicle to sprout wings, allowing you to effortlessly glide through the air. Likewise while traveling through water your vehicle transforms into a speedboat of sorts. The simple three-button controls are accelerate, slide, and "use item". I noticed when power-sliding it takes a while for the turbo boost to kick in, probably to prevent players from "snaking" through the course.

Some tracks have fixed themes like a tropical island, ghost town, or a Chinese village. Others have contiguous segments covering a variety of themes. One minute you may be splashing up a jungle river, then you're rolling through a pirate ship, and then you find yourself in a zebra stampede on a savannah. The visuals are beautiful. When speeding near a roaring waterfall you can practically feel the spray.

The variety also extends to the soundtrack. One minute you're listening to big band music, then guitar rock, and then an Irish jig. Some of the music was inspired by past Mario Kart games. The same can be said of the tracks which reprise familiar locations like a farmyard or the rickety wooden planks of a haunted level.

The addictive grand prix mode offers eight circuits with four tracks each. The difficulty is fairly low, especially for Mario Kart vets. The knockout mode adds drama as competitors who can't keep up are gradually eliminated. Free roam mode lets you freely explore the track locations, locating Peach Medallions while performing random "missions". The more you play, the more characters and vehicles become unlocked.

If you enjoyed any of the past Mario Kart games, Mario Kart World blows them out of the water. Whether playing solo or having your peeps over for split-screen mayhem, this is arcade-style, pick-and-up-play perfection. This game in of itself could justify owning a Switch 2. © Copyright 2025 The Video Game Critic.

I played the three previous Metroid Prime games, most recently Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii, 2007). Has it been that long? Though exceptionally polished and well-crafted, these Prime games always struck me as spin-off titles meant to tide fans over until the next "real" Metroid (read: 2D). That said, it's been a long time since I played any first-person shooter, so I was primed for this one.

Start a game and you're presented with a choice: quality or performance. "Quality" gives you 4K graphics at 60 FPS (frames-per-second), and performance offers 1080p at 120 FPS. Initially I opted for performance and sure enough it is the most silky smooth first-person shooter I've ever played. Later I connected my Switch 2 to my big 4K TV and tried "quality" mode. Frankly, I couldn't tell the difference!

Prime 4 borrows a lot of sci-fi tropes from Star Wars, Tron, and Aliens. Like Halo (Xbox, 2001), you have a visor with semi-transparent indicators. You fire with your right trigger and can lock-on to enemies via the left. Scanning objects is a critical part of the gameplay, providing useful information about any object. Save points are strategically-placed in "hub" areas you're likely to return to.

The overloaded controls will tie your fingers in knots. I often found myself fidgeting with the controller to find the right button. Manipulating psychic "orbs" is a multi-part process requiring all sorts of button contortions. Transforming into a ball provides a welcome respite, letting you enjoy a little 2D action as you navigate vents and roll though narrow passages.

The production values are beyond reproach. Everything looks so shiny and clean! The musical score is outstanding and I'm not just saying that. It goes from operatic to hymnal to relentless percussion to positively spooky. Normally modem soundtracks tend to wash over me but in this game the music is a driving force.

The weakest aspect of the game is the shooting. Enemies absorb many shots, and it's exhausting to continually strafe to avoid their fire. Maybe it's the lack of gore, but killing aliens just isn't as fun as it used to be. The strength of the game lies in exploration and puzzles, some of which are brilliant in design.

Stage locations range from the flowery Epic Green to the volcanic Flare Pool to the frozen Ice Belt. I especially love the stormy weather of Volt Forge. Early in the game everything you need is in close proximity, but eventually the game "opens up" into a vast, Tatooine-like desert. Now you're traveling back and forth between remote locations on your Vi-o-la bike. This is where the fun factor takes a hit, as acquiring the next vital skill can turn into an arduous journey.

Metroid Prime 4 started to get on my nerves after a while. In the ice world I acquired the power to "yank" stuff. Then I realized I needed to use that in dozens of places in stages I've already explored. So now I have to revisit all of those locations? Sorry, but I don't like the game that much. NOTE: Also available for the original Switch, albeit with slightly-degraded performance. © Copyright 2026 The Video Game Critic.

I've always loved the idea of pitting Nintendo characters against each other on a dynamic board sprinkled with minigames. Previous Mario Party titles had issues with pacing and game quality, but Super Mario Party Jamboree seems to have the formula down to a science.

Jamboree offers about a dozen modes, but I prefer the classic Mario Party mode. You get a nice selection of boards that range from a race track to a shopping mall to a volcanic island. Each has its own quirks and surprises. For example, the island has a periodic high tide that floods certain areas and a volcano that spews lava on certain spaces.

Each turn consists of rolling a dice, using items, and traversing a board with branching paths. Your goal is to collect the most stars by the end of a set number of turns. You also collect coins to purchase items like pipes, traps, and double dice. A ten-turn game (the minimum) is said to run about 90 minutes but in my experience you can squeeze in a game in well under an hour.

Concluding each round is a four-player minigame and they vary in quality. The "guess the key" gate game is dumb luck, but "bricks over lava" is pure genius. Other highlights include a treasure-diving game, and one that has all four players running for their lives from an Indiana Jones-style boulder. Certain mini-games are motion-based, but you can disable these if you please.

I love the dynamics of players teaming up to usurp the current leader. Each game concludes with a fun recap, complete with charts and graphs. Bonus stars are awarded at the very end for random accomplishments like using the most items or moving the most spaces. These create a wildcard factor that can lead to an upset. When playing against friends we were out for blood, but I also enjoyed playing solo against the CPU.

Navigating each board can be time-consuming because certain spaces trigger animations, such as a volcano erupting or a man-eating plant chomping on you. It's not a problem however, because Jamboree gives you a fast forward button! They thought of everything!

The additional modes are almost too numerous to list. Koopathon pits 20 players against each other, jockeying for position on a map of a city, playing games to win coins to advance spaces. Bowser Kaboon Squad lets four players join forces against a Godzilla-sized Bowser, but I found it tedious. Likewise the ability to "fly" by extending your arms in Paratrooper Flight School sounds fun but can be exhausting. Toad's Item Factory is a series of motion-controlled puzzles that are both ingenious and madly additive. Rhythm Kitchen offers cooking games you play to music, and those sizzling steaks look amazing!

Just when I thought I had seen it all, I realized there was a separate Jamboree TV mode! Presented like a Price Is Right gameshow, this is a new kind of Mario Party game that uses the "mouse functionality" of the Joycon. Just lay the controller on its side and you can guide a pointer with precision - even on a padded surface!

This mode incorporates a rollercoaster ride where you take aim at flying Koopas and ghosts while traveling to your next mini game. The mouse-based games are pretty good too! Some are very basic like knocking on doors to find matching residents, or throwing a net to catch fish. My favorite was air hockey. It's so much fun, it could be its own game.

I don't like paying $70 for a cartridge, but Super Mario Party Jamboree serves up a substantial collection of entertaining games. I get the impression Nintendo had several party games in the works and opted to shoe-horn them into one cartridge. These games have universal appeal, and you never even have to go online. © Copyright 2026 The Video Game Critic.