This article introduces game titles that captivate and make you lose track of time among the titles playable on the “Nintendo Switch.”
As these titles have also received high ratings on Metacritic, I hope this serves as a reference when considering purchasing games.
● Those interested in recommended titles for the “Switch”
● Those seeking information about “game summaries”
● Those curious about “Metascores”
● Those wanting to know about “reviews,” “user feedback” (high and low ratings)
Monster Hunter Rise / Metascore: 88 points
Game Overview
Let’s go hunting!!
“Monster Hunter Rise” is the latest installment in the Monster Hunter series, released in March 2021, a hunting action game.
In this game, players hunt powerful monsters, utilize materials obtained from hunting to craft and upgrade weapons and armor, and refine their hunting skills, creating a gameplay based on hunting.
Players take on various hunting quests while centered around the Kamura Village as their base.
In Kamura Village, aside from quest reception, it is possible to check weapons and armor, prepare items, and utilize materials obtained from monsters to craft and upgrade weapons and armor.
“Monster Hunter Rise” offers a diverse selection of 14 types of weapons and armor.
Each weapon possesses unique characteristics allowing players to choose based on their preferences and hunting style.
● Weapons
Great Sword: High attack power with massive single-strike force. Slow attack speed but wide attack range.
Sword and Shield: Allows consecutive attacks swiftly. Lower attack power compared to the Great Sword but faster attack speed.
Dual Blades: Enables rapid consecutive attacks using two swords. Higher attack power than the Sword and Shield but narrower attack range.
Hammer: High attack power, capable of stunning monsters. Slow attack speed but wide attack range.
Hunting Horn: Plays music to boost self or allies’ stats. Low attack power but excels in healing and support.
Lance: High defense with thrusting attacks as a specialty. Low attack power but wide attack range.
Gunlance: Allows shelling for explosive damage. Slow attack speed but wide attack range.
Switch Axe: Switches between axe and sword attacks. High attack power, capable of explosive damage.
Charge Blade: Switches between axe and sword attacks. High attack power, accumulating energy for explosive damage.
Insect Glaive: Can freely move in the air while attacking. Low attack power but capable of agile movements to bewilder enemies.
Light Bowgun: Enables long-range attacks using bullets. Low attack power but capable of swift movements to bewilder enemies.
Heavy Bowgun: Enables long-range attacks using bullets. High attack power, capable of attacking with powerful bullets.
Bow: Enables long-range attacks using bow and arrows. Low attack power but capable of swift movements to bewilder enemies.
● Armor
High-Rank Armor: Obtained by progressing quests, with higher defense and powerful skills compared to Low-Rank Armor.
Low-Rank Armor: Initially obtainable armor. Lower defense but materials are relatively easy to acquire.
Ultimate Equipment: The strongest weapons and armor obtainable by advancing in the game, varying for each weapon type.
The vast maps where hunting takes place feature battles with monsters in various environments.
Up to four players can cooperate to hunt monsters, allowing online play for collaborative gameplay.
Weapons and armor can be upgraded using gathered materials, enabling access to higher-tier weapons and armor materials as the quest difficulty increases.
Combining these elements, players are tasked with creating the most suitable equipment for themselves.
“Monster Hunter Rise” is a hunting action game that combines diverse elements, enabling players to confront monsters in various ways.
Reviews and Comments (Summary)
Positive Feedback
● Beginner-friendly for newcomers to Monster Hunter (abundant assist features).
● Reduced stress due to shorter loading times during quest starts and ends.
● Regular updates allow for extended play even after completing the game.
Negative Feedback
● Some quests like “The Rampage” are challenging for solo players.
● Noticeable lag and poor responsiveness Switch version.
● The gameplay revolves around hunting monsters and upgrading weapons and armor, which might become repetitive for some players.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 / Metascore: 86 points
Game Overview
Welcome to the suspicious hotel “Last Resort”
“Luigi’s Mansion 3” is an exploration-based action game featuring Luigi as the main character, released by Nintendo in October 2019.
Players take on the role of Luigi and explore the hotel filled with mysteries and ghosts to rescue Mario and others trapped in paintings.
The hotel comprises numerous floors, ranging from the underground hot springs to the top-floor penthouse, housing various rooms such as guest rooms, restaurants, pools, hot springs, libraries, theaters, and art galleries.
Within these rooms, various types of ghosts exist, and the game progresses as players collect key items like gold coins, jewels, keys, or elevator buttons.
Luigi uses a tool called the “Poltergust G-00,” akin to a vacuum cleaner, allowing him to suck up ghosts, objects, and throw them around.
Additionally, utilizing the strobe function immobilizes ghosts momentarily and, with the help of his companion “Gooigi,” players engage in puzzles and explore hidden rooms.
The game includes a cooperative mode for up to two players, the “ScareScraper,” offering a different gameplay experience compared to solo play.
The ghost-themed background music and sound effects are impressive, immersing players in a vividly atmospheric experience.
“Luigi’s Mansion 3” presents a unique gameplay experience, combining diverse action elements, puzzles, stunning graphics, and captivating sound, making it stand out from other games.
Reviews and Comments (Summary)
Positive Feedback
● Enjoyable from start to finish.
● A must-play for those who enjoyed the previous installment.
● Appeals to children; even 5-year-olds are engrossed in it.
Negative Feedback
● Lacks depth for adults.
● Solo progression can be challenging in certain areas.
● Poor controls, involving cumbersome operations.
Metroid Prime Remastered / Metascore: 94 points
Game Overview
The origin of the “Metroid Prime” series is revived
“Metroid Prime Remastered” is a remastered version of the 2002 release “Metroid Prime,” an action game where the protagonist Samus Aran explores the mysterious planet Tallon IV.
This game highlights exploration of vast fields, expanding exploration areas by acquiring new abilities, and delving into the depths of the planet using diverse actions.
Various areas exist within these expansive fields, prompting players to explore them while controlling Samus.
The fields have complex structures, requiring players to utilize abilities like the “Space Jump” to reach items in high places, demanding actions tailored to the situation.
The weapons are diverse, including beams, missiles, bombs, space jump, super missiles, and a grappling beam, each possessing unique traits useful not only in combat but also for exploration and puzzle-solving.
Different from traditional first-person shooter games, this game emphasizes adventure elements of exploring vast fields rather than simply defeating enemies.
With innovative controls and gyroscopic additions, players immerse themselves in exploring unknown planets alongside Samus, providing an enhanced sense of immersion.
“Metroid Prime Remastered” stands as a captivating adventure game, urging players to explore vast fields and utilize diverse actions to unravel the secrets of the planet.
Reviews and Comments (Summary)
Positive Feedback
● The transition to 3D brings a unique sense of excitement.
● Resonates well with those who have played the original.
● Recommended even for beginners to the Metroid series.
Negative Feedback
● Players experienced in other FPS games might find it lacking.
● Confusing map connections.
● Few save points, resulting in starting over upon game over despite limited saves.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe / Metascore: 85 points
Game Overview
The beginning of mysterious encounters and new adventures
“Pikmin 3 Deluxe,” released in October 2020, portrays the adventures of the enigmatic creatures called “Pikmin” as they explore an unknown planet in an action-adventure game.
The storyline follows three explorers on a mission to save their home planet, Koppai, from a food crisis by exploring the planet PNF-404, inhabited by Pikmin, to find food resources.
Players utilize the power of Pikmin to transport supplies, battle enemies, and progress through the uncharted planet.
By increasing the number of Pikmin or discovering new types, the exploration areas gradually expand.
Various items like fruits and golden nuggets are scattered across the field, aiming to collect these items alongside encounters with diverse native creatures.
The field is divided into multiple areas, each featuring distinct terrain and enemies.
Six types of Pikmin exist within the game, each possessing unique traits and abilities:
● Red Pikmin are strong against fire-spewing enemies with high attack power.
● Blue Pikmin can function underwater and rescue drowning companions.
● Yellow Pikmin are effective against electric enemies and can be thrown.
● White Pikmin are immune to poison and can poison enemies.
● Purple Pikmin can carry heavy objects and have high attack power.
● Rock Pikmin can charge with their sturdy bodies and break fragile objects.
New elements from the previous game include increasing Pikmin numbers with “Pikmin Seeds,” a lock-on feature, the addition of the new Pikmin type, “Rock Pikmin,” and the “Mission Mode” with wave battles.
“Pikmin 3 Deluxe” is designed to be enjoyable even for first-time players, offering improved hint features and user-friendliness, ensuring enjoyment for those new to the series.
Reviews and Comments (Summary)
Positive Feedback
● Initially thought it was for kids, but surprisingly enjoyable for adults.
● The cuteness of Pikmin made it worth the purchase alone.
● Felt the evolution from the Wii U version in its content.
Negative Feedback
● Wanted a bit more volume in the storyline.
● Easy to clear in solo play, making multiplayer feel unnecessary.
● After completing the main story, it feels lacking in replay value despite potential for more content.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses / Metascore: 89 points
Game Overview
Three tales, what awaits their fate…
“Fire Emblem: Three Houses,” released by Nintendo in July 2019, marks the first in the Fire Emblem series set in a school environment, offering a simulation RPG experience.
Set across three countries on the continent of Fódlan, players assume the role of a teacher belonging to a class in each country.
As the protagonist, players navigate war and intrigue, focusing on nurturing and guiding students’ growth.
The storyline significantly diverges based on choices, culminating in four distinct multi-ending narrative paths.
The choice of the initial class influences the narrative and differentiates the storylines based on decisions, prompting a need for replayability.
Character development occurs through school life, where choices during the calendar year become critical.
Activities such as weekday training provide skill experience, while events strengthen bonds between students, emphasizing character development within the school environment.
Battle systems follow the traditional turn-based format, controlling allied units against enemy forces on a grid-based map.
Characters move across grid spaces, evolving through class changes and learning new skills.
Deepening relationships among students triggers cooperative attacks, aiding in advantageous combat.
The game offers three difficulty levels: “Normal,” “Hard,” and “Lunatic,” progressively increasing enemy numbers and strength, demanding strategic play from the player.
“Fire Emblem: Three Houses” offers an unprecedented experience in nurturing and developing characters through school life as a teacher, creating an unparalleled gaming experience.
Reviews and Comments (Summary)
Positive Feedback
● Absolutely hooked on nurturing students as a schoolteacher.
● Found the story to be the most captivating among past entries.
● Appreciated the lack of class restrictions, allowing freedom.
Negative Feedback
● Might not suit those averse to romance simulation elements.
● Difficulty in understanding specific terms used in the scenario.
● Completionism necessitates replay, making it a bit of a grind.
