Nintendo Switch Reviews C-C by The Video Game Critic (2024)

Cannon Dancer

Grade: B-

Publisher: United Games (2023)
Posted: 2024/3/1
Rating: Teen

So... what the [expletive] is a cannon dancer? Maybe it's Japanese for bad translation! This 1996 arcade game was critically-acclaimed in its time but little-known outside of Japan. Now we can all experience this lost gem. The cart also includes the American version called Osman, not to be confused with Donny Osmond. Both games are essentially the same as far as I can tell.

I'm glad Limited Run resurrected this obscure title on physical media. As the unofficial sequel to Strider (Genesis, 1989), Cannon Dancer is a fantastic, ninja-riffic romp. Starting a game can be a challenge however. It turns out you need to press the left thumbstick in. Wait - WHAT?!

Cannon Dancer's eye candy is so off-the-charts it might just blow your mind. The sparkling exotic skylines look spectacular and everything you kick explodes like a fireworks display. I don't know how many colors are used in this game but I'm guessing all of them. The characters are large and some of the bosses are beyond description. One is a giant female deity balancing a Cadillac on her back. And you should see the weird ones!

Cannon Dancer is super easy to play. Our hero can not only slash rapidly but grabs onto anything. He can climb up the side of buildings and even underneath structures arm over arm. When you strike enemies it looks like you're knocking their skin off! The controls are responsive and forgiving.

The graphics do get a little busy at times, especially when you pick up a certain power-up that will have you seeing double. In situations where you do find yourself surrounded, you can initiate a special attack that causes you to dash around the screen, dealing major damage to everything in sight. Use it to make short work of bosses.

The stages run the gamut from a submarine to a desert to vertigo-inducing heights. The music has a jazzy quality that calls to mind David Bowie's "Let's Dance". But what makes this game special is its surreal imagery. I don't know if it's best described as a dream or nightmare, but it reminds me of a 2D Bayonetta (Xbox 360, 2010).

The standard mode allows for rewinds and cheats, but the challenge mode forces you to play under a strict set of conditions, adding some replay value. You can save states (including high scores) and I like how each continue tacks a point to the end of your score.

Old games are tricky to grade on a modern system. While I love the increbible visuals and pick-up-and-play action, Cannon Dancer is a pretty short romp. I guess the light that burns twice as bright burns half as long! Still, collectors of rare antiquities are sure to cherish this long-lost artifact. ©Copyright2024TheVideoGameCritic.

1 player

If you like this game, try: Strider 2 (Playstation),
Strider Hiryu (Japan) (Playstation 3), Strider (Genesis),
Mind Strike (Intellivision), Crossbow (Atari 7800)

Capcom Belt Action Collection

Grade: B-

Publisher: Capcom (2018)
Posted: 2020/2/17

You don't see many 2D side-scrolling beat-em-ups nowadays but they were big in the 1990's. This awkwardly-titled import offers seven arcade games from the era including Final Fight, King of Dragons, Captain Commando, Knights of the Round, Warriors of Fate, Armored Warriors, and Battle Circuit. Despite being a fan of the genre, I had never even heard of some of these!

Final Fight is a classic brawler where you punch and kick your way through the mean streets of "crime capital" Metro City. Any fighting game that lets you shatter a phonebooth with one punch has got to be good. Like the other titles, only two buttons are used yet there's still a wide range of moves. Final Fight's vibrant city skyline is a feast for the eyes although more variety in the thug department might have been nice. The game is great for coop and the ending is well worth the effort.

Captain Commando is like a futuristic Final Fight with post-apocalyptic scenery and mechs you can commandeer. In the medieval world of King of Dragons you employ might and magic to battle orcs, minotaurs, and dragons (duh). Knights of the Round is more sword-oriented, with gorgeous countrysides, classy renaissance music, and RPG elements. In Warriors of Fate you do battle on horses but I found it mediocre.

Armored Warriors is a futuristic fighter with hulking mechs like the film Pacific Rim. The sprites definitely push the envelope with behemoths that fill the screen. Battle Circuit is a downright weird futuristic romp with aliens and mutants in a tawdry, reality-show setting. One of the bosses is actually an Elvis impersonator.

All games are configurable but only three let you adjust the continues. The others are on "free play" which removes any tension and undermines the high score system. I'd recommend lowering the difficulty, cranking up the lives, and forgoing any continues. My friends clocked a lot of time with Capcom Belt Action Collection, especially since most games support up to three players. Not all are gems but collectors will appreciate owning these on physical media. ©Copyright2020TheVideoGameCritic.

1 to 3 players

If you like this game, try: Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2 (Xbox),
Capcom Classics Collection Vol 2 (Playstation 2), Final Fight One (Game Boy Advance),
Vandal Hearts (Playstation), X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse (Super Nintendo)

Castlevania: Advance Collection

Grade: B+

Publisher: Konami (2021)
Posted: 2024/11/21
Rating: Teen

This amazing compilation offers three critically-acclaimed portable titles: Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (Game Boy Advance, 2001), Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (Game Boy Advance, 2002), and Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (Game Boy Advance, 2003). Castlevania Dracula X (SNES, 1995) is also included, probably to make up for its curious omission from the Castlevania: Anniversary Collection (Konami, 2021).

These games boast that old-school, pixelated look we all love. This collection also gave me the opportunity to revisit my original Game Boy Advance reviews which were over 20 years old! Circle of the Moon has always rubbed me the wrong way. I have always rated it lower than the others, much to the consternation of certain readers who will go unnamed. In retrospect however... I wasn't wrong!

Circle's action feels familiar enough as you jump, lash your whip, and hurl projectiles at creatures of the night. But I found the jump-slash controls clumsy and hard to time. The slight lag of emulation doesn't help here. I found the stages very repetitive, giving me the worst sense of deja vu. The purple worms that fall on your head are the worst. The slide move is the proper course of action, but once I realized how effective it was, I found myself doing this all the time!

Harmony of Dissonance feels like a breath of fresh air by comparison. The action is faster and more forgiving, with controls that are beyond reproach. Many creatures are recycled from past games, but the bright visuals have an appealing arcade quality. The music is more contemporary but the fidelity of the tunes is lacking. At first I blamed the emulation, but they're just bad. Sprite rotation is used to good effect, especially in the beginning when a pile of junk transforms into a hulking knight!

Much like Harmony, Aria of Sorrow is also cheerfully bright and super playable. But this time they revamped a lot of the enemy designs and ratcheted up the gore. The screen layout looks different as you don't have a heart counter. Your primary weapon is now a sword, so you'll need to be a little more surgical with your strikes. The ability to absorb abilities from certain monsters you slay provides an interesting twist.

Dracula X has long been the source of controversy, but man does it look sweet in high definition. The backgrounds have a smooth, almost watercolor quality, while the characters look extremely sharp. Hailing from a console, the visuals are more detailed than the other three games and its gameplay is linear in nature, providing a nice change of pace.

In all games the L2 button calls up an in-game menu, providing numerous options to customize the screen, sound, and controls. Having a quick-save feature in addition to the normal save points blows my mind in an Inception kind of way. A save within a save! With certain games the names of slain enemies are displayed along the right side of the screen, just outside the normal game screen. I'm not sure I like that.

If you already own these games, you might still appreciate being able to peruse the bonus art gallery and music player. You can also choose between three regional variations of each game (American, European, and Japanese). Personally however it's that handy quick-save that makes this collection worth the price of admission, letting you effortlessly hop from one adventure to the next. ©Copyright2024TheVideoGameCritic.

1 player

If you like this game, try: Breath of Fire II (Guest Review) (Game Boy Advance),
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (Game Boy Advance), Castlevania: Anniversary Collection (Nintendo Switch),
Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (PSP), Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (Game Boy Advance)

Castlevania: Anniversary Collection

Grade: B

Publisher: Konami (2021)
Posted: 2022/11/6
Rating: Teen

Castlevania: Anniversary Collection is a fine way to get up to speed with the franchise or revisit its gothic glory. It includes the original NES Castlevania trilogy (1987-1990), providing quality 8-bit platforming mayhem with a macabre edge. You also get two 16-bit titles from the Genesis and SNES. Rounding things out are a pair of Game Boy entries, along with a bonus Japanese-only NES release called Kid Dracula (1990).

The HD upgrade gives the original trilogy a dramatic facelift with colors that really pop. Still, I prefer the scanline filter option to soften the edges. The emulation is fine, although I detected some audio imperfections with the original Castlevania. In general the music is slightly less full compared to the NES cart, and the controls slightly less tight. I know because my friend Chris and I played them side-by-side.

Super Castlevania IV was one of the original titles for the SNES, boasting nifty rotation effects and the ability to whip in any direction. But Castlevania: Bloodlines for the Genesis is the true revelation. If you don't remember it looking this good, that's because it never did. The Genesis video signal was always a bit fuzzy. Now Bloodlines is not only drop-dead gorgeous, but also the most playable game in this collection.

Next up is a pair of Game Boy (read: black and white) games. In Castlevania Adventure you're ascending some kind of mountain graveyard whipping rolling eyeballs. It's slow and unresponsive. Belmont's Revenge on the other hand plays like a dream. Instead of going the RPG route like the NES sequel, this is a straight-up platformer with selectable stages.

Wrapping things up is the oddball of the bunch, Kid Dracula. This cartoonish take on the Castlevania formula features a white-haired vampire brat fighting Frankenstein monsters, kung-fu dogs, knights, and other random enemies. Cute minigames and the ability to rapidly fire shots keep the fun factor above water, if just barely.

Bonus materials come in the form of a "digital book" offering 80 pages of box art, instructions, history, and discussion. But it's time to address the elephant in the room. What happened to the two Dracula X games, including the critically-acclaimed Castlevania Dracula X: Rondo of Blood (T16, 1993)? I hate to rain on the parade, but to me this collection feels strangely incomplete. ©Copyright2022TheVideoGameCritic.

1 player

If you like this game, try: Castlevania Dracula X (Super Nintendo),
Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (PSP), Super Castlevania IV (Super Nintendo),
Castlevania Dracula X: Rondo of Blood (CD) (Japan) (Turbografx-16), Breath of Fire II (Guest Review) (Game Boy Advance)

Cotton 100%

Grade: C

Publisher: United Games (2021)
Posted: 2024/10/29

The original Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams (Turbografx-16, 1993) was a whimsical rapid-fire shooter sporting a distinctive Halloween theme. Cotton 100% is its less-inspired sequel. This game was originally released on the SNES in 1994 but never outside of Japan until now. What did we miss?

Well, the charming anime pixel-art style is consistent with the original game. You're a witch flying on a broom through a series of side-scrolling, fairy-tale style settings. The bright graphics offer layers of green foliage, sparkling waterfalls, and crystal castles. The glistening scenery and catchy music gives the game an exuberant quality.

Most enemies have been recycled from the original game, from the axe-tossing vikings to the clouds that inflate until they pop. In addition to your rapidfire gun, you're armed with bombs and magical attacks. You actually get to select between four weapon combinations at the outset.

This reissue lets you play two versions of the game. Standard mode offers bells and whistles like rewind, save states, and cheats. Challenge mode presents the game in its original form without the extras. Otherwise both look and play exactly the same. Tinkering with cheats can add replay value, but frankly the game is so easy that they feel unnecessary.

The shooting action offers just enough chaos to keep you on your toes, but the audio is less appealing. Exploding enemies sound like bubbles popping and the non-stop banter of a giddy Japanese schoolgirl will get on your nerves. Gems that appear when you defeat certain enemies tend to linger on the far right side of the screen, making them frustratingly hard to snag.

In contrast to the stages, the bosses represent all four seasons. There's a snowman, a bee-spewing flower, and a jack-o-lantern with a freaking clown in his mouth. Yikes. Upon defeating a boss you're treated to a fun "catch the tea bags" bonus stage. Getting tea-bagged has never been this fun!

Cotton 100% is a happy-go-lucky shooter that's very easy, partly because you can't collide with the scenery. Its bright, flashy visuals work against it at times, making it hard to discern an errant axe from a helpful fairy. It's nothing exceptional, but if cute-em-ups are your thing, this one is sugary sweet. ©Copyright2024TheVideoGameCritic.

1 or 2 players

If you like this game, try: Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams (Japan) (CD) (Turbografx-16),
Cotton Reboot! (Nintendo Switch), Bubble Bobble (NES),
Sagaia (Genesis), Whack A Bubble (Philips CD-i)

Cotton Reboot!

Grade: B

Publisher: Beep Games (2021)
Posted: 2021/10/13
Rating: Everyone 10+

For longtime 2D shooter fans, the Cotton shoot-em-up series is the stuff of legend. Originating in Japan back in 1991, this quirky side-scroller is bursting with spooky Halloween imagery and zany anime elements. Its fun rapid-fire shooting action is punctuated by blinding explosions, crazy combos, sexy fairies, and random, bizarre enemies.

The original game is included, starring a cute witch on a broom. The Halloween themes shine through with dilapidated graveyards, haunted houses, and spooky villages. A huge variety of enemies includes flying eyeballs, spear-tossing blue devils, and head-hurling Frankenstein monsters. The intermissions feature giddy Japanese schoolgirl talk that will have you reaching - no lunging - for the skip button.

The new "arrange" mode is everything you'd expect from a modern remake, with dazzling graphics, rich music, and shooting with an intensity cranked up to "11". It reminds me of Deathsmiles (Xbox 360, 2010) - another seasonal favorite.

This reboot plays differently from the original. Instead of crystals blocking your shots, they refract them, allowing you to effectively spray and inflict far more damage. Avoid the urge to snatch the gems up and let them float out there instead. Snagging purple crystals can net big points, but frankly it's hard to discern colors when things get hectic. When the screen is being plastered with point values it's pure sensory overload.

Armed with unlimited continues you could finish these games in one sitting if you wanted. Personally I like to play for the high score, always displayed on the top right. These scores have so many digits they are hard to read! Have the developers ever heard of a comma? There's also a manic two-minute time-attack mode if you just need a quick fix.

The game contains a very funny digital instruction booklet that walks you through all the subtle nuances of its combo system, which I have yet to fully comprehend. Cotton Reboot looks so amazing that the original looks quaint by comparison. Overall this is a pretty sweet package for seasoned shooter fans, and also for younger gamers who want to see what all the fuss is about. ©Copyright2021TheVideoGameCritic.

1 player

If you like this game, try: Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams (Japan) (CD) (Turbografx-16),
Deathsmiles (Xbox 360), ,
Cotton 2: Magical Night Dreams (Japan) (Saturn), Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts (Super Nintendo)

Crash Bandicoot: N-Sane Trilogy

Grade: B

Publisher: Activision (2017)
Posted: 2019/8/2
Rating: Everyone

I'll never forget the first time I played Crash Bandicoot (PS1, 1996). As I ventured down that scenic island path I felt as if I was being engulfed in dense jungle foliage! The tropical 3D graphics were brimming with style and character. Crash Bandicoot N-Sane Trilogy resurrects the series for a new generation, giving the stages a high-def makeover while retaining its classic gameplay.

The original game ushered in a new breed of 3D adventure, restricting the player to a path but allowing for free movement within its confines. As Crash hops across overgrown ruins he'll bash crates, collect fruit, and perform twirls to send turtles, crabs, and aardvarks spinning off the screen. There's plenty of variety too. Certain stages are more 2D in nature while others let you run toward the screen. Crash 2 introduced new moves, a stage select, and a higher difficulty level. Crash 3 tempered the difficulty while introducing motorcycles, airplanes, and even a bazooka!

The developers did a fine job porting these three to the Switch but took a few liberties. When bouncing on crates Crash now collects three fruits at a time, minimizing the number of bounces necessary. Now that is a good idea! When you spin into animals, they tend to fly into boxes and enemies up ahead, which is very cool. There are new icons to collect, presumably to unlock new features. Upon completing a stage you'll watch all the crates you missed getting smashed over the head of Crash, and that gets old in a hurry.

A few new stages are included but if "Stormy Ascent" is any indication, these are more punishing than fun. So the big question is, do these games measure to the originals? Well, the controls don't feel as tight and despite the graphic fidelity I had problems with depth perception and hard-to-see hazards. Then again, unless you own an old CRT TV it's hard to experience the trilogy in its original glory. Retro gamers should clutch their old discs like grim death, but newcomers will discover N-Sane Trilogy packs plenty of bandicoot goodness for the money. ©Copyright2019TheVideoGameCritic.

1 player

If you like this game, try: Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (Playstation),
Crash Bash (Playstation), Crash Bandicoot (Playstation),
Crash Bandicoot The Wrath of Cortex (Playstation 2), Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (Playstation 4)

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled

Grade: D

Publisher: Activision (2019)
Posted: 2019/8/2
Rating: Everyone

Much like Crash Bandicoot: N-Sane Trilogy (Activitision, 2019), Crash Team Racing Nitro attempts to resurrect a beloved franchise with updated graphics, tossing in a few new features to sweeten the deal. Back in the day Crash Team Racing (PS1, 1999) was the only kart racer that could stand toe to toe with Mario Kart 64 (N64, 1997). This updated edition offers "revved up" versions of tracks from the original game as well as the less-than-stellar Crash Nitro Kart (Xbox, 2003).

The developers managed to bring the graphics up to 2019 standards while retaining that cartoon likeability. The gameplay however suffers from a serious lack of tuning, beginning with the frustrating single-player adventure mode. While there appears to be a whole island at your disposal, in fact everything is locked except for two tracks, and you need to finish in first place to make any progress. That's a problem because the difficulty is so hard you'll need more luck than skill to win.

The action is chaotic but not in a good way. The game's rubber-band physics has CPU karts slingshotting all over the place. One second you're in first place and next you're in dead last. Most weapons are pretty lame but those guided missiles are too good. And then there's that weird weapon that turns everybody into drunk drivers.

The four player screen screen action is always a welcome feature and the framerate is quite smooth. But like the single-player game, you'll find yourself fighting for 5th place! The over-engineered, non-intuitive controls suggest a lack of play testing. Power-slide boosts were key in the original game, but here you'll be lucky to figure out how they even work! In the final analysis Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled feels more like a wreck than a souped-up ride. ©Copyright2019TheVideoGameCritic.

1 to 4 players

If you like this game, try: Crash Team Racing (Playstation),
Crash Bandicoot: N-Sane Trilogy (Nintendo Switch), Crash Nitro Kart (Xbox),
Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo 64), Crash Bandicoot The Wrath of Cortex (Playstation 2)

Cruis'n Blast

Grade: B+

Publisher: Raw Thrills (2021)
Posted: 2021/11/7
Rating: Everyone 10+

Just like Justin Timberlake brought sexy back to music, developer Raw Thrills is now bringing arcade back to video games.

There was a time when colorful arcade games were common on consoles, with visceral racers like Hydro Thunder (Dreamcast, 1999), Crazy Taxi (Dreamcast, 2000), and San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing (Nintendo 64, 1996). Then the industry became obsessed with realism and the fun went away. I'm being facetious. Not really.

The idea behind Cruis'n Blast is to jockey, power-slide, and yes blast your way to victory on dozens of dazzling tracks. This game is so over-the-top that each race feels like one extended turbo boost. Your hair will literally be blown straight back. You can even perform Burnout-style takedowns.

The tracks aren't realistic but they aren't cartoonish either. No, they hit that sweet spot with sparkling colors and eye-popping animation. In London, the ferris wheel breaks loose and rolls through the streets. In the American West track tornados lift trucks and earthquakes cause gaping chasms to appear in the road. Advanced variations incorporate environmental hazards like rain, snow, and dinosaurs.

The progression is very good. You complete circuits to open new tracks, collect keys on the courses to unlock new cars, and earn experience points for upgrades. Arcade mode lets you play for score, but it only registers the initials of the profile currently in use, which is too bad because this is a great pass-around game.

The four-player split screen mode is a welcome addition, solidifying the game's old-school street cred. Granted, you definitely lose that sense of grandeur on the smaller screen. And then there's the cheesy music, which I can't stop singing - much to the consternation of my friends. Cruuuuuusinnnnn... c'mon gotta go cru-u-siiiin!

Cruis'n' Blast may be arcade to a fault. The speed boosts are practically non-stop and nothing much can slow you down. When playing with four player mode, it seems like all players finish within a fraction of a second to each other. It kind of undermines the skill of driving when the race is kept artificially close like that. That said, edging out the leader by a hair at the finish is exhilarating.

It's been a long time since a game has delivered this degree of eye candy, adrenaline, and unmitigated joy. Cruis'n Blast is pure arcade satisfaction with gorgeous graphics, a bouncy 90's-era dance track, and irresistible pick-up-and-play fun. I'd love to see it start a new trend. ©Copyright2021TheVideoGameCritic.

1 to 4 players

If you like this game, try: Cruis'n (Wii),
Cruis'n World (Nintendo 64), 4 Wheel Thunder (Dreamcast),
Surf Rocket Racers (Dreamcast), Midway Arcade Treasures 3 (Playstation 2)

Cuphead

Grade: D

Publisher: SudioMDHR (2017)
Posted: 2024/8/21
Rating: Everyone 10+

When I first heard about this game in 2017 it was the source of controversy. It was being sold at retail as a box containing a slip of paper containing a download code. Customers were not pleased, and fortunately you don't see games sold like that any more. The first time I actually played Cuphead was over Brent's house, and later in Brad's Tesla! I was never crazy about the game but I found its visuals intriguing to say the least.

If you ever watched any vintage black-and-white cartoons (circa 1930s) there's something unsettling about them. Much like the old fairy tale books I had as a child, the characters were always rendered with weird, exaggerated features. In the cartoons their unnaturally-smooth animation made them all the more creepy.

The way Cuphead recreates those old-timey cartoons is uncanny. Faded and with imperfections, the graphics project a decidedly aged appearance. Likewise the audio has a scratchy quality you'd expect to hear on an old phonograph. The voices sound creepy and distant. The dated jazz music gives off an eerie vibe. I suspect the designers reveled in making this game as twisted and grotesque as possible.

After a storybook-style intro and brief tutorial, you're thrust into a run-and-gun stage that throws you to the wolves. It's like playing an animated cartoon with lush painted backgrounds and freaky characters. You'll battle mushrooms, flying acorns, and these green flower guys. There are platform and flying stages, but the most prevalent stage format is the boss battles.

The controls are responsive and you can fire continuously by holding down a button. So why is the game so frustrating? Apparently Cuphead is one of a new breed of games that are super hard. You can't rush through. Enemies emerge from every direction and you quickly run out of real estate. You need to memorize every section and there's precious little room for error.

Fortunately the game offers a variety of unlockable weapons, including homing bullets. Once I got past that brutal opening stage I was able to make consistent progress. Still, the game is definitely difficult, with stages that grow more intense as you progress. When you die the game shows a little graphic of how far you came towards completing the stage.

To be honest, I don't like this game. It doesn't appeal to me. It's very artistic and expertly-programmed, but also very off-putting and not particularly fun. Playing Cuphead is like forcing yourself to watch a disturbing horror film. It haunts me. If they ever make a sequel, they should consider basing it on Disney's Haunted Mansion. ©Copyright2024TheVideoGameCritic.

1 or 2 players

If you like this game, try: Mansion of Hidden Souls (Sega CD),
Heart of the Alien (Sega CD), Disney's Hercules (Playstation),
Silent Hill (Playstation), Project Gotham Racing (Xbox)

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Screen shots courtesy of IGN.com, MobyGames.com, Nintendo Everything, Nintendo Life, Polygon, Nintendo Difference