Reviews – SmashPad

REVIEW – Get “Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park” if you have people to enjoy it with

by Kayla Merritt | Nintendo Switch 2 Reviews | 0 Comments | 01 Apr 2026

While I would stop short of saying you should go out and buy the $80 physical release for the Switch 2 right now if you don’t already own the game, there’s enough here to recommend paying $20 to get the DLC. While I would stop short of saying you should go out and buy the $80 physical release for the Switch 2 right now if you don’t already own the game, there’s enough here to recommend paying $20 to get the DLC.

REVIEW – “Fishbowl” is a cozy story of grief and growth during the pandemic

by Danreb Victorio | PC PlayStation 5 Reviews | 0 Comments | 30 Mar 2026

Fishbowl is a story about grief during a big life transition, and it just so happens to take place at a time when almost everybody was hoping things would go back to the way they were.

REVIEW – “Homura Hime” may soothe your desire to play a new NieR

by Chris Penwell | Articles PC Reviews | 0 Comments | 27 Mar 2026

Homura Hime is a great detour as we wait for bigger and better character action games to release. It’s refreshing to play an action title that isn’t a Soulslike yet still offers stunning, visually impressive boss battles. While the lack of English voice acting is disappointing, the characters are likeable despite a weird storyline that goes too crazy for its own good.

REVIEW – “MLB The Show 26” hits it out of the park with inclusivity

by Chris Selogy | Nintendo Switch PlayStation 5 Reviews Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 27 Mar 2026

I’ve been playing the MLB The Show series for nearly 20 years at this point–since they rebranded their MLB series to MLB The Show on the PS2. It’s been impressive to watch the series evolve into a top-tier licensed sports…

REVIEW – “Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection” won’t change OG Mega Man fans’ minds, but it’s a shining example of how to preserve DS games

by Kayla Merritt | Nintendo Switch PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Reviews Xbox One Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 25 Mar 2026

Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection serves as a blueprint for how developers can bring DS titles to modern systems. The collection, which comprises multiple versions of the three Mega Man Star Force games, is a unique time capsule of a very different type of Mega Man game that’s a bit of a continuation of the Battle Network series while also changing things up for the DS. It’s definitely a mixed bag and not for everyone, but there’s directions here that developers can take when rescuing their lost DS libraries and bringing them to current audiences.

REVIEW – “Virtua Fighter 5 REVO: World Stage” rises to the occasion

by Patrick Mifflin | Nintendo Switch 2 PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Steam Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 25 Mar 2026

Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown will go down as a “forever game” and a true icon of the end of the arcade era, but perhaps due to said end of the arcade era, Sega didn’t seem to care to follow up on it, leaving it as the main Virtua Fighter title throughout the entirety of the 2010s.

REVIEW – “DAMON and BABY” delights in fun, quirky, meaningful ways that make it a must-try

by David Rodriguez | Nintendo Switch PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Steam | 0 Comments | 22 Mar 2026

This whole game’s existence has been an exercise in expectation management. When Arc System Works and designer Daisuke Ishiwatari announced this game during the ArcSys Showcase in the middle of last year, people were expecting maybe a new Guilty Gear game, something Blazblue related, or just another cool-ass property that carried similar edge or oddball swagger of those games. Instead, we got DAMON and BABY with a bunch of RPG stuff.

REVIEW – More than a reboot, Milestone makes “Screamer” more satisfying than ever

by Filippo Dinolfo | PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Steam Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 22 Mar 2026

In 1995, a small studio from Milan took a risk, trying to bring a fast, well-playing Ridge Racer-inspired game to the PC. Screamer was the result, and it launched a franchise that earned itself a loyal fanbase. The series evolved with the technology of the day, adopting early 3D acceleration to achieve a smooth framerate. It went from pure road racing to rally and off-road, looking poised to become something long-lived. But publisher Virgin Interactive fell on hard times; the IP was sold off, bounced between companies, and became entangled in red tape before going dormant for nearly two decades.

REVIEW – “Mr. Sleepy Man” is an interactive lucid dream

by Michael Fertitta | PC Reviews Steam | 0 Comments | 21 Mar 2026

These days, it can be hard to make a game stand out among the thousands released every year. Whether it’s a title requiring an elaborate marketing campaign or a solid pitching strategy, getting a game noticed becomes more difficult by the day. Mr. Sleepy Man, a dreamy 3D platformer from the mind of solo developer Devin Santi, challenged that narrative with its fascinating visual design and frankly absurd trailers. It absolutely stays true to the game’s world as a lucid dream of an experience.

REVIEW – “MIO: Memories In Orbit” is a punishing take on a Metroidvania that we still recommend

by Brandon Perkins | Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 PC Reviews Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 16 Mar 2026

MIO: Memories in Orbit is a game that attempts to capture that feeling while also expressing it in the form of a Souls-like Metroidvania adventure game. Attempting to capture Melancholy in game form is nothing new (Quintet Co. famously built their entire brand around it), and especially not new when it comes to the world of indie game development.

REVIEW – “Pokémon Pokopia” is the best Pokémon game on any Switch

by Kayla Merritt | Nintendo Switch 2 Reviews | 0 Comments | 16 Mar 2026

As a fan of Pokémon over the past 30 years, Pokémon Pokopia is the game I’ve been waiting for since I was a kid. From the first moment I got to transform my Ditto into its trainer to getting to talk to and help my favorite Kanto region Pokémon, it made my heart warm. This cozy life sim is a deep and surprisingly profound way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of this franchise.

REVIEW – Big production values and satirical framing help “Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War!” shine beyond its solid, violent gameplay

by David Rodriguez | Nintendo Switch 2 PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Steam Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 16 Mar 2026

Ultimately, Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! bets big and differently on production and wins. The concepts and framing are what make it unique and enhance the game as a total package.

Category: Reviews

REVIEW – Get “Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park” if you have people to enjoy it with

REVIEW – “Fishbowl” is a cozy story of grief and growth during the pandemic

REVIEW – “Homura Hime” may soothe your desire to play a new NieR

REVIEW – “MLB The Show 26” hits it out of the park with inclusivity

REVIEW – “Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection” won’t change OG Mega Man fans’ minds, but it’s a shining example of how to preserve DS games

REVIEW – “Virtua Fighter 5 REVO: World Stage” rises to the occasion

REVIEW – “DAMON and BABY” delights in fun, quirky, meaningful ways that make it a must-try

REVIEW – More than a reboot, Milestone makes “Screamer” more satisfying than ever

REVIEW – “Mr. Sleepy Man” is an interactive lucid dream

REVIEW – “MIO: Memories In Orbit” is a punishing take on a Metroidvania that we still recommend

REVIEW – “Pokémon Pokopia” is the best Pokémon game on any Switch

REVIEW – Big production values and satirical framing help “Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War!” shine beyond its solid, violent gameplay

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