A lot of our issues with the original handheld have been addressed with the recently released Steam Deck OLED. This replaced the first Steam Deck‘s solid but unspectacular LCD display with an awesome HDR OLED panel. It also squeezes a bit more battery life out of the machine. And while there are now several rival handheld gaming PCs that are more powerful than the Deck, such as the Asus ROG Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go, Valve’s console-like marriage of hardware and software means it remains our preferred platform for taking our PC library on the go.

Deck verified

If you’ve just picked up either an original Steam Deck or the new OLED-toting model, you’re probably wondering where to start. The Steam store is intimidatingly vast, with a catalogue that spans many eras of gaming. Many of those games run beautifully on Steam Deck. Some, though, work only after you’ve tweaked them according to community advice. There are also still quite a few games that simply don’t function at all on Valve’s handheld. That’s just something you have to accept with the Steam Deck, and we’re here to give you a helping hand. 

We can confirm that every game in this list performs brilliantly on the Steam Deck, and often without changing any of the settings. We’ve included a mix of indie and more AAA fare, and you’ll also find a number of games that we think best show off the Steam Deck OLED’s supremely bright HDR display. 

We update this list regularly with games old and new that we’ve particularly enjoyed on the Steam Deck, but here are our top picks at the end of 2023.

1. Rogue Legacy 2

This fantastic roguelite’s one-more-go nature makes it the perfect fit for Steam Deck. Steam Deck is the only platform on which you can play it natively on a handheld. Making your way through Rogue Legacy 2’s colourful hand-drawn dungeons is hard as nails. But death is a good thing in a game like this, allowing you to accumulate cash that can be used to upgrade your base and classes. Just be careful if you’re sneaking in a few runs before bed; it’s amazing how quickly 2am rolls around. 

Click here to purchase Rogue Legacy 2 on Steam

2. Tunic

Think top-down Zeldas of old, but Link is a little fox, and you have a pretty good idea of what to expect from Tunic. It was one of 2022’s best indie games. As the titular Tunic (who also wears a tunic) you explore a mysterious fantasy world, slowly uncovering more of the map and learning how to progress by collecting pieces of an in-game instruction manual. It’s a brilliant, unapologetically old-school adventure that expects you to put the work in. While we’re not totally in love with the tricky combat, you can make yourself invincible if a particular boss is proving to be insurmountable. Tunic will probably come to the Switch eventually. But right now the Steam Deck is the best way to play it handheld.   

Click here to purchase Tunic on Steam

3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

When The Witcher 3 was ported to Switch it was lauded as something of a technological miracle, albeit one that involved more than a few performance sacrifices. The best thing we can say about diving into Geralt’s 100+ hour adventure on the Steam Deck is that you’re really not giving up that much at all, with the game running well at decent settings. This is the RPG epic you know and love, but now you can play it on the toilet.

4. Vampire Survivors

The Steam Deck makes it possible to play graphically stunning AAA titles wherever you are. Vampire Survivors is categorically not one of those games, but it is one of the most addictive games we’ve played this year. It’s absolutely perfect on a handheld platform. Vampire Survivors is a graphically rudimentary time survival game. You move around a small map attempting to slay an increasingly overwhelming onslaught of monsters before they slay you. Each run allows you to unlock better characters, items and gear. So eventually you’ll be able to last the whole 30-minute gauntlet. Trust us: it’s brilliant – cheap as chips and the perfect game to pick up when you have a spare five minutes. 

Click here to purchase Vampire Survivors on Steam

5. Portal 2

Valve’s own timeless puzzling masterpiece performs, as you would expect, extremely well on Steam Deck. It runs at an unshakeable 60fps on pretty much its highest settings. If you’ve been looking for a reason to revisit the Aperture Science Enrichment Center, then doing so on its maker’s hardware is a no-brainer. If you’ve never played either Portal game, start with the also magnificent first one, which is also Deck-verified. 

Click here to purchase Portal 2 on Steam

6. Elden Ring

FromSoftware’s 100-hour epic was our current game of the year for 2022. And although we think its biggest moments deserve to be experienced on the biggest screen possible, it’s also really well suited to handheld play, especially when you’re just farming for runes in the open world and levelling up your character. Elden Ring has had well-documented performance issue on all the platforms it’s available for. But actually it runs surprisingly well on Steam Deck, which is pretty incredible to behold. Expect it to guzzle away at the battery life, though. 

Click here to purchase Elden Ring on Steam Deck

7. Disco Elysium: The Final Cut

The dialogue-heavy nature of ZA/UM’s landmark RPG means it has always felt like the kind of game you want to play in bed, face right up close. But the long-awaited Switch port’s performance wasn’t up to much, sadly. Enter the Steam Deck, which for our money is the best way to experience Revachol’s murder mystery. This is thanks to myriad control options and the largely rock solid framerate that Nintendo’s machine couldn’t deliver.

Click here to purchase Disco Elysium: The Final Cut on Steam

8. Half-Life 2

Probably the most famous Valve title of them all, and one that has aged surprisingly well, Half-Life 2 is another must-have for your Steam Deck library. The legendary FPS paved the way for so many shooters that would follow it. Its influence can still be seen today. The game performs flawlessly on Steam Deck while taking advantage of the platform’s various control options. Who knows, if Valve sees enough people playing it again we might even get Half-Life 3 one day. Don’t go holding that breath, though.

Click here to purchase Half-Life 2 on Steam

9. God of War

God of War is one of many AAA games that you’d be forgiven for thinking would struggle on the Steam Deck, but the PS4 classic runs like a dream at very decent settings. It is a joy to revisit in handheld form. And with the sequel (hopefully) not too far away, now is the ideal time to reacquaint yourself with Kratos’ unique approach to parenting. 

Click here to purchase God of War on Steam

10. Aperture Desk Job

Clocking in at less than an hour, this one is more of a tech demo than a proper game. But it’s also the only game specifically designed to make use of the Steam Deck’s extensive feature set. Set in the same universe as the Portal games, Valve’s typically amusing short puts you in the shoes of a new starter at Aperture Science, where an initially mundane first day on the job quickly takes a rather violent turn. Aperture Desk Job makes use of every button, sensor and hardware quirk the Steam Deck has to offer. And as it’s absolutely free, you really have no excuse not to give it a shot. 

Click here to download Aperture Desk Job on Steam

11. Hades

The winner of our game of the year award back in 2020 really hasn’t aged a day, and hacking and slashing your way out of the Underworld with Zagreus’ all-powerful arsenal seemingly never stops being fun. If you’ve already sunk tens of hours into this masterful roguelike dungeon crawler on PC, rest assured that taking it on the go makes the game feel brand new. Haven’t played Hades yet? The Steam Deck is as good a platform to fix that on as any. 

Click here to purchase Hades on Steam

12. Hollow Knight

We’re still waiting for Hollow Knight: Silksong, the much-anticipated (to put it lightly) sequel to Team Cherry’s gorgeous Metroidvania masterpiece, but luckily the original plays like a dream on the Steam Deck and, like a lot of the games in this list, feels like it was designed for handheld play. As you explore the meticulously detailed insect kingdom in which Hollow Knight takes place you’re going to die. A lot. But as with any deliberately difficult game, success feels all the sweeter when does come, and the ability to take this one everywhere with you makes gradual progress more realistic.

Click here to purchase Hollow Knight on Steam

13. Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered

The second formerly PlayStation-exclusive game to appear in this list is, like God of War, one we expected to crumple the Steam Deck’s innards like a piece of paper. And while the long-awaited PC remaster of the still great Marvel’s Spider-Man does make the Deck’s fans roar and can zap its battery totally dead in well under two hours, it performs astonishingly well on the handheld PC. You’re pretty much getting the same near enough rock solid 30fps performance as the original PS4 game on the default medium settings (using the Deck’s built-in FPS-limiter is advised here), and although desktop and PS5 players can get nicer visuals and superior frame-rates, there’s something truly amazing about swinging through Manhattan while you’re sat on the toilet. And New York looks fantastic on the smaller display. We’re seriously considering a full Deck replay – while sat near a plug socket of course.

Click here to purchase Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on Steam

14. Fable Anniversary

We’re going to be waiting a very long time for the rebooted Fable entry on Xbox Series X|S, but if you wanted to remind yourself about why a return to the iconic Xbox RPG series has been in demand for so long, the remastered original is a Steam Deck gem. The handheld handles the 2014 game effortlessly, and the 7in display helps to disguise any muddy textures. Fable has definitely aged, its grand ideas handled much better by RPGs that came after it, but this is still a charming and very funny adventure. We hope the new game, whenever it does arrive, remembers its roots.

Click here to purchase Fable Anniversary on Steam

15. Cuphead – The Delicious Last Course

Studio MDHR’s hard-as-nails 2D platformer may cause you to throw that sought-after Steam Deck straight out of the nearest window, but it’s a risk worth considering to play the game in handheld form, where you can chip away at the challenging boss battles whenever you have a free five minutes. The game’s retro cartoon visuals are as stunning to behold now as they were when the game first came out in 2017, and really pop on the Steam Deck’s display. This year’s The Delicious Last Course DLC adds a new island and new foes, but its most significant contribution to the the Cuphead experience is Ms. Chalice, a new playable character whose alternative moveset and additional health point arguably make both the base game and the new levels a bit more forgiving. A bit.

Click here to purchase Cuphead – The Delicious Last Course on Steam

16. No Man’s Sky

“The universe in the palm of your hands” sounds hyperbolic, but that’s what you’re getting with No Man’s Sky on Steam Deck, every one of its near infinite procedurally generated planets explorable on the handheld. And the game runs incredibly well considering the dizzying scale, even if you’ll probably want to dial down the settings a bit when the screen gets really busy. No Man’s Sky‘s deliberately directionless spacefaring isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time, but if you do enjoy the game, you owe it to yourself to try it on the Deck.

Click here to purchase No Man’s Sky on Steam

17. Valheim

While Valheim is currently in early access, over 300,000 Steam users have already rated it ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’. And who are we to argue with that many people? This exploration and survival co-op is set in a procedurally-generated Scandinavian world where you must craft, build and fight your way out of a Viking inspired purgatory. It’s a great co-op title, and will scratch that post-God of War Ragnarök itch for Viking glory.

Click here to purchase Valheim on Steam

18. Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Moon Studios’ masterpiece of a Metroidvania remains one of the very best first-party Xbox games, but it arguably suits handheld play even more, and if you have a Steam Deck OLED it’s simply a must-play given that Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the ultimate showcase for its HDR display. The varied and vibrant areas that Ori visits on their adventure absolutely pop on the 7.4in OLED panel, and you really feel the benefit of the 90Hz refresh rate during the frantic escape sequences that are some of the best moments of the game. Will of the Wisps is often bundled with its also brilliant predecessor, Ori and the Blind Forest, in Steam sales, and both games are absolutely worth playing through in their entirety on either Deck. 

Click here to purchase Ori and the Will of the Wisps on Steam

19. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion 

The prequel to Final Fantasy VII was originally a PSP exclusive, but as that system is no longer with us, the Steam Deck is the ideal handheld home for its HD remaster, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion. As it was developed with portable play in mind, the game’s bite-sized side missions make more sense on a device like the Steam Deck than they do on a console and the TV, and the game runs brilliantly on Valve’s machine. Crisis Core follows the story of Zack Fair, a SOLDIER operative whose fate already tied him to Cloud Strife in the original Final Fantasy VII, but if you played the remake you’ll know that Zack is going to be play an even bigger role in this modern re-telling of the legendary RPG’s story. With the sequel to Final Fantasy VII Remake due to land in early 2024, now is the time to get caught up on Crisis Core if you haven’t already. 

Click here to purchase Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion on Steam

20. Dave the Diver 

Perhaps 2023’s biggest word-of-mouth Steam success story, Dave the Diver is a Steam Deck no-brainer, no matter what version of the system you own (trust us, we’ve played hours of the thing on both). Quite literally dipping into the titular diver/waiter/shotgun-wielding action hero’s many underwater adventures is a delight on the Deck, with the core diving/restaurant loop suiting handheld play perfectly. If you’ve yet to experience the joys of Dave the Diver you can read all about it here, but let’s just say that in an average play session you can expect to be serving picky food critics a rare plate of shark-infused sushi one minute, and battling live sharks the next. After you’ve finished running an errand for a mermaid and checking in on your social media profile, of course. All in a day’s work for Dave. 

Click here to purchase Dave the Diver on Steam

21. Diablo IV 

The latest entry in Blizzard’s enduringly popular always-online RPG series was a pain to get running on the Steam Deck at launch, but now you can buy the game directly from Steam it gets our wholehearted recommendation. Merrily grinding your way through Diablo IV’s deliciously grim world and slaying the many monsters it throws your way is even more fun when you’re half-watching the football as you collect loot, and its painterly gothic aesthetic looks particularly spectacular on the Steam Deck OLED. Whether you’re playing solo or with friends, there’s nothing like being able to play Diablo from the comfort of your bed. 

Click here to purchase Diablo IV on Steam

22. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart 

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is not only still one of the very best PS5 games, but it also remains one of the most technically impressive games on the system. You’d think, then, that squeezing all that shiny intergalactic action onto the Steam Deck would prove too much for it to handle, but that’s surprisingly not the case. Sure, the game doesn’t run quite as smoothly, but you can still get solid performance on mostly medium settings, and the generally short, sweet and stress-free levels translate really well to handheld play. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is also a very colourful game, so it’s naturally a treat for the eyes if you’re playing on the Steam Deck OLED. 

Click here to purchase Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on Steam

23. Marvel’s Midnight Suns

A superhero game in which you have to wait your turn to punch someone into oblivion doesn’t sound much fun, but Marvel’s Midnight Suns is not only one of the most enjoyable tactics RPGs we’ve played, but one of the best games to carry the Marvel licence in years, thanks to its winning blend of tense card-based tactical battles, and downtime that lets you go fishing or share a picnic with Tony Stark. It’s also a dream Steam Deck game, whether you’re in combat or growing your bonds with the various spandex-clad heroes in your team, and while the game had some performance teething pains on Valve’s console at launch, these days it runs really well. 

Click here to purchase Marvel’s Midnight Suns on Steam

24. Octopath Traveller II

Sprawling RPGs that demand more than 100 hours of your time to experience in their totality are slightly less intimidating affairs on a handheld, where you can slowly chip away at them whenever you have a few free minutes, and wherever you happen to be. 

Octopath Traveller II is definitely one of those RPGs, with eight different playable characters, each with their own story to tell and destiny to pursue. It’s also one of the best games of its type for a very long time, thanks to a winning blend of deep but accessible turn-based combat, stunning HD-2D graphics (which look particularly nice on an OLED display) and some seriously good music to boot. Octopath Traveller II is available on just about anything, but as it’s best enjoyed under a duvet with the lights dimmed, the Steam Deck gets our vote. 

Click here to purchase Octopath Traveller II on Steam

25. Persona 5 Royal 

Previously, we would have said that the Switch OLED is the best place to play Persona 5 Royal on an OLED, because while the Steam Deck could run the game better, those inky blacks and reds just need to be admired on the superior screen tech. Now there’s an OLED Steam Deck you get the best of both worlds, and you’re giving yourself the best chance of actually finishing Atlus’ enormous all-time great RPG if you can play it on the go. By now you surely know the deal with Persona 5, but if it’s somehow passed you by, the game is part supernatural dungeon-crawling RPG, part teen drama social sim, where you play as a high school student who’s able to infiltrate palaces that are manifestations of the twisted unconscious desires of the various corrupt adults you encounter on your adventure. Provided you’re up to date with your studies, of course.

Click here to purchase Persona 5 Royal on Steam

• Now read: Playdate review – the little yellow handheld that’s all about fun

On 7 May 2024, Nintendo President Furukawa Tweeted “we will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year. It will have been over nine years since we announced the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015.”

We’re trying not to get too excited about that, though. In the same Tweet, Furukawa went on to say that “we will be holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding the Nintendo Switch software lineup for the latter half of 2024, but please be aware that there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during that presentation.”

I recently wrote about the things I want from a Switch successor. I want more power, a more interesting UI, and more robust online features. We’re now well into the 4K gaming era with Xbox and PlayStation, and of course I want to see how good Link and Mario’s latest adventures could look with a higher resolution makeover. 

But here’s the thing: the Nintendo Switch is without doubt my favourite console of all time. From the moment I unboxed the original model on launch day, heard that now iconic Joy-Con “click” for the first time, and saw The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the World running on a handheld device,  I was head over heels for the thing. I then spent the next month or two of ordinarily painfully tedious train commutes losing myself in a watercolour open-world Hyrule, popping the Switch into its dock in the evenings so I could take on the Divine Beasts on the big screen. Nearly seven years and several hardware refreshes later, the Switch still gets more of my attention than both my Xbox Series X and my PS5.

Press continue

I naturally put well over 100 hours into Tears of the Kingdom last year. I also played and loved Pikmin 4, a series that had never really clicked with me previously. While Baldur’s Gate 3 deservedly claimed the RPG crown for most people in 2023, if I’m honest about it, it was the Switch remake of SNES classic Super Mario RPG that I personally had the most fun with. I had tons of enjoyment revisiting the original Red Dead Redemption (a rock solid Switch port) on a portable device. And as for Super Mario Bros. Wonder, well, you can read what I thought about that game here. 

The more I think about it, the more I think I’m pretty happy to have another year of Switch. Part of that is due to the fear of change. The next Nintendo console is very likely to be a sensible iteration on the current one, rather than a grand reinvention. But I’m wary of Nintendo messing with a winning formula so as to make sure that potential upgraders can see there’s a clear difference. Will we lose the Joy-Cons? What if the Switch 2 isn’t fully backwards-compatible with the Switch? What if the messaging reaches Wii U levels of confusion and nobody buys one? Perhaps worst of all…what if it’s just not the same? 

What if it’s just not the same? 

These are, obviously, pretty silly things to be worried about. Besides, another Wii U situation feels particularly unlikely, given how much Nintendo has gotten right this generation. Technology moves on, consoles are succeeded by more capable successors, and Nintendo isn’t going to stop making Mario and Zelda games any time soon. But most of what I’m unhappy about with the current Switch is on paper, rather than in practise.

When I’m playing the upcoming Splatoon 3 DLC on that wonderfully vibrant OLED display (something it sounds like I might have to surrender on at least the first-gen version of the Switch 2), I doubt I’ll particularly care that it’s only only 720p. Just like I didn’t care with all the other Nintendo Switch exclusives I’ve enjoyed over the years. And as much as I love the Steam Deck OLED, I still often find myself gravitating towards my Switch for a lot of indie games as it’s lighter and the battery lasts for longer. There are no guarantees that either of those things will remain true on the next console. 

One more life

Perhaps I’ll feel differently as 2024 rolls on. There’s no getting away from the fact that Nintendo’s current release calendar is looking pretty lightweight at present (even if there’s no game I’m more excited to play this year than Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, a remaster of a GameCube classic that I missed back in 2004). And I’ll admit, it would be nice to play more third-party games on a Nintendo console without fearing that it will buckle under their weight. Nobody wants another Batman: Arkham Knight fiasco. 

But to say Nintendo struck gold with the Switch is understating it. That instant handheld-to-TV magic trick still gets me every single time. Even after all these years, I’ve been able to play more brilliant games on the Switch than any Nintendo system before it. And yet there are still plenty of unplayed games in my backlog, formerly Xbox exclusive gems like Pentiment are bolstering the 2024 slate, and no doubt Nintendo has at least a couple more software-related surprises up its sleeve come the summer and beyond. A swansong year as good as the one we thought the console just had is looking like a tall order, but if Nintendo can pull a Metroid Prime 4 and a Wind Waker HD port out of its Cappy, then the Switch really will go out in style. 

As tech lovers we’re conditioned to always be thinking about the next big thing, and when the time comes I will of course be hurriedly pre-ordering the next Nintendo console. But right now no other gadget brings me as much consistent joy as the Switch, so why wish it away?

We’re trying to subdue our excitement somewhat. In the same Tweet, Furukawa went on to say that “we will be holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding the Nintendo Switch software lineup for the latter half of 2024, but please be aware that there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during that presentation.”

Still, this is the news we’ve been waiting to hear. Rumours have been swirling around since last summer and have only intensified in the months since, with the general consensus being that the Switch 2 – which will almost certainly not be what Nintendo calls it – is pretty likely to arrive at some point in 2024. 

We know very little about Nintendo’s lineup for this year beyond the summer, and right now you could argue that the biggest game on the horizon is Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, a remaster of a 20-year-old GameCube game. When the release calendar starts to fill up with re-releases, you can safely predict that new hardware is being prepared, and with most smartphones now packing more power than Nintendo’s machine, it really is time. 

Without any concrete information about the Switch 2, we can only really speculate about what it might look like based on the industry whisperings, but we are very capable of saying what we want Nintendo to do with its next-gen console. You know, just in case someone important might be reading. 

Here’s everything we do (and don’t want) from the hopefully imminent follow-up to the Nintendo Switch. 

1. A similar form factor

The Nintendo Switch launched in 2017, and the seamlessness of its hybrid functionality still impresses us on a daily basis. Being able to slide the handheld device into a dock and have your game appear on the TV, and vice versa, in just a few seconds, is still a bit magical, while the freedom to take your library of Mario and Zelda bangers anywhere you want is the reason a lot of gamers still prefer the Switch to any other platform. 

It would be a massive shame, then, if Nintendo decided to abandon this concept entirely for a new innovation. Fortunately, the likes of VGC and Eurogamer have been told by sources that another hybrid console that can dock to your TV is what we’re likely getting. The detachable Joy-Cons are another great feature of the Switch. It gives you even more ways to play while keeping the spirit of the Wii alive with their motion control functionality. But for all we know Nintendo might decide that a solid unit, like the Switch Lite, is its vision for the future, and that would be disappointing – especially if you like playing games in tabletop mode. We hope that Nintendo adopts an ‘if it ain’t broke…’ mentality with the Switch 2. 

2. Backwards compatibility

For a lot of people, this is the big one. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa reportedly told the company’s shareholders that it wanted customers to be able to ‘smoothly transition’ to its next console using their Nintendo Accounts, which an optimist would read as confirmation that the Switch’s library will be backwards compatible with the Switch 2. But we still don’t know that for sure. 

Nintendo’s track record makes for fairly positive reading, given that the Wii U was backwards compatible with the Wii before it, the 3DS with the DS, and the original DS with the Game Boy Advance. Provided Nintendo sticks with cartridges and the internal architecture the Switch 2 uses is compatible with the original games, it makes sense that both your physical Switch games and any purchased using your Nintendo Account would be playable on new hardware too. But until it’s a guarantee, Switch owners anticipating the arrival of a successor might be starting to think twice about buying new games now. 

3. More power

It’s fair to say that developers have wrung every last drop of power from the humble Nvidia Tegra X1 chipset that the current Switch uses. Despite it being on the back foot from day one, we’ve seen some stunning games on Nintendo’s console, and we’d wager that the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Pikmin 4 were as easy on the eye as any of last year’s PS5 and Xbox Series X offerings. As they (probably) say, it’s not about how many pixels you have, but how you use them. And let’s not forget that, despite all the odds, you can play The Witcher 3 on a Nintendo Switch. It’s a miracle of a machine. 

It would be nice, though, if the Switch 2 had a bit more power in the tank. There have been too many stories about bad Switch ports in the last few years (shockingly Batman: Arkham Knight isn’t much fun when it looks like soup), and the handheld market is a lot more competitive than it was when the hybrid console first launched. You only have to spend an hour or two with a Steam Deck in your hands to start daydreaming about a Nintendo handheld that could handle the likes of Baldur’s Gate 3 and Elden Ring, even if it meant spending a bit more time at a plug socket. And playing the next 3D Mario game in 4K at 60fps on the TV would be pretty good, too. 

4. An OLED display 

We loved the original Nintendo Switch, but once the OLED model arrived it was consigned to a draw that it hasn’t since left. Once you’ve experienced the inky blacks and eye-poppingly vibrant colours made possible by OLED tech it’s really hard to go back to LCD, and frankly we don’t want to when the Switch 2 arrives. The Steam Deck OLED has only reinforced this, and with OLED set to eventually become the default display for Valve’s handheld PC, it would make it even harder to swallow an LCD-only Switch successor. 

We could imagine a world in which Nintendo unveils two variants of its next-gen console, with a pricier OLED option for those willing to pay a premium for the superior display tech. But returning to LCD full stop would be a backwards step at a time when OLED is becoming the norm. 

5. Even more retro games

Nintendo has never been shy in asking its customers to repurchase games they already own for new hardware, but with Nintendo Switch Online the strategy appears to have shifted towards a subscription model. With a Nintendo Switch + Expansion Pack membership you can access a growing library of retro Nintendo games spanning from the NES to the N64, and last year the company started adding Game Boy and Game Boy Advance titles to boot. 

We’ve really enjoyed revisiting the likes of 1080° Snowboarding and Metroid Fusion in the last 12 months, but the drip feed of new games can be frustrating. If Nintendo is to continue with Nintendo Switch Online in its current guise for the Switch 2, we’d like to see these libraries expand more quickly, and perhaps it’s time for GameCube games, too? Nintendo fans are definitely having a better time of it than PS5 owners hoping to play classic PlayStation games on PS Plus – a benefit Sony appears to have forgotten about entirely – but there are plenty of gems still missing on NSO. 

6. A more interesting UI 

Before the Switch, Nintendo’s consoles were known for their personality. The Wii Shop Channel music is legendary, while the Mii Plaza was a more fun take on the Metaverse than anything Zuckerberg and co have served up. The Switch, as brilliant as it is, is kind of boring in comparison. Nearly seven years from launch we still have just two themes to choose from: black and white. The 3DS had a wide range of game-specific downloadable themes complete with sound effects and music. It’s bizarre that Nintendo has never opted to do something similar with the Switch, especially given how many custom Joy-Con sets there have been. 

The Switch’s UI is undeniably clean and easy to navigate, putting your games at the forefront of the experience. But with the Switch 2 we hope it can find a happy medium; similarly uncluttered, but with a bit more personality injected. 

7. A more robust online gaming service

Nintendo took a long time to get its head around online gaming, and with the Switch it’s done a lot of catching up. Games like Splatoon 3 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe have large and very active online communities, and both continue to be well supported. But online gaming on the Switch still asks people to jump through too many hoops. There remains no in-game voice chat functionality, with Nintendo instead opting for a solution that involves you connecting to its smartphone app. While it’s easy enough to do once you know how, it’s also needlessly complicated. 

And there seems to be little chance of the Japanese giant allowing an official Discord app to appear in the eShop any time soon. We know that the Call of Duty series will be coming to the Switch in the not-so distant future, and when that happens, Nintendo really needs to make it easier for gamers to communicate with their friends during a game. 

8. More entertainment apps 

The lack of a Netflix app on Switch has been a running joke since it first launched, and it still hasn’t shown up. You could argue that Nintendo keeping the Switch focused on games has been one of the platform’s great strengths, but being able to take a break from shrine-hunting in Tears of the Kingdom to watch a few episodes of Scott Pilgrim Takes Off on the train would be nice, especially as the Switch’s display is likely bigger than your phone’s. 

Nintendo might not want to make the Switch 2 a portable entertainment center, but if it did, it could entice an even larger audience.

To test the best handheld gaming console contenders, we used them in every situation we think you will. That meant long sessions on the sofa, dealing with our backlogs in bed, killing time during flights and even booting up a game in the park. We monitor battery life, inspect display tech, crank up settings where possible, use every control option, and obsess over grams.

What’s the best handheld gaming console? 

We think the best handheld gaming console you can buy is the Nintendo Switch OLED (buy now). While the hardware has been showing its age for a while, the fantastic display, excellent design and incredible library of both Nintendo-developed and third-party games make it the ultimate handheld gaming package. 

Other best handheld gaming console recommendations 

Is the Nintendo Switch OLED not the handheld for you? Here are some other handheld consoles we recommend. 

The best handheld gaming console you can buy today:

1. Nintendo Switch OLED

Stuff Verdict

The Switch is starting to show its age, but there are enough improvements here to make the Switch OLED a tempting upgrade for handheld players

Pros

• OLED displays are simply much nicer to look at
• Much, much improved stand
• Decent speakers
• More storage

Cons

• Larger display only shows up the limitations of 720p more
• Pretty heavy for a handheld
• Unchanged performance and battery life
• More reflective than before

The hybrid nature of the Nintendo Switch means you don’t even need to use the Switch OLED as a handheld device – but you’re wasting its best feature if you don’t. As with most gadgets, an OLED display is transformative, especially given the vibrant colour palettes of many of Nintendo’s games. Super Mario Bros. Wonder or The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom absolutely pop off the screen. 

Nintendo also fixed the kickstand with its OLED revision, making tabletop mode a far more viable way to play, and we were fairly impressed with the speakers too. 

The Switch OLED isn’t a perfect device. Battery life is merely fine, there are more ergonomically pleasing handhelds, and the ageing hardware often has a difficult time with third-party console ports. But thanks to a truly incredible software library comprising some of the best games ever made, a clean, simple UI, and that gorgeous 7in 720p OLED display, there simply isn’t a better all-round handheld console out there. 

• Read more: Nintendo Switch OLED review

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2. Steam Deck OLED 

Stuff Verdict

Not the Steam Deck 2, but the ultimate first-generation Steam Deck, with a display to rival your OLED TV’s…

Pros

• Fantastic HDR OLED display
• Slightly easier to hold
• Better battery life
• Steam OS is just much nicer to use than Windows

Cons

• Same resolution as before and no more powerful
• Still a chonker
• Struggles with high-end modern titles
• No VRR

We really liked the original Steam Deck, despite not being overly impressed with its weight, battery life or LCD display. All three were addressed by Valve with the Steam Deck OLED, making the first effort feel a bit like a rough draft in comparison. The new larger 7.4in HDR display, with its 1000-nits maximum brightness, has been blowing us away since we started using the device. It has hugely improved contrast and colours, while OLED’s trademark inky blacks make it hard to go back to LCD. The Deck OLED is also slightly lighter than Valve’s first effort, which you definitely do notice, and it lasts longer between charges too. 

The Steam Deck OLED is a handheld PC, but its custom-built OS makes it feel like a console in all the right ways. If you want to access your Steam library with minimal faff you can; desktop mode then welcomes tinkerers who want to emulate old games and install other launchers. 

Not every game will function as you want it to out of the box, and the Deck struggles to run modern AAA titles with any finesse. It’s also still a big bulky handheld, which might prove too much to handle for smaller hands. But if you want to play PC games portably, the Steam Deck OLED is our top pick. And if you want to save some cash, the equally powerful LCD model is still available at a lower price. 

• Read more: Valve Steam Deck OLED review

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3. Nintendo Switch Lite 

Stuff Verdict

Not as clever or innovative as its bigger brother, but the cheaper Switch Lite is probably the best handheld gaming console Nintendo has ever made

Pros

• Brilliant selection of games
• Sharp, colourful screen
• Very comfortable to hold, with an actual D-pad

Cons

• Battery life still isn’t great
• Primary and non-primary console faff
• Some games now off-limits

In another arena you might knock the Nintendo Switch Lite for lacking the big screen credentials of its pricier bigger brothers. Here, though, we’re exclusively about handheld consoles, which is exactly where the Switch Lite really sings. Its lighter weight and smaller design not only make it more comfortable to hold than the big Switch, but more portable to boot. You even get a proper D-pad here, which the standard model lacks, arguably making the Lite the retro platformer champ. 

Once you’ve played games on the Switch OLED it’s really hard to look at the Switch Lite’s 5.5in LCD screen, but if you can overlook its inherent inferiority it’s still a great display. And keeping the same 1280×700 resolution on the smaller panel means games look even sharper. 

Battery life is decent enough, and the fantastic Switch library is just as good here as it is on the regular Switch. You just have to ask yourself if you’ll miss the ability to dock it to a TV, or Joy-Con-exclusive features like HD Rumble. If a handheld is all you want and you can live without OLED, the Switch Lite is an excellent and affordable option.

• Read more: Nintendo Switch Lite review

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4. Asus ROG Ally

Stuff Verdict

Windows has a way to go on this new breed of gaming gadget, and battery life isn’t stellar, but the ROG Ally is otherwise a high-powered handheld with a great screen and excellent ergonomics.

Pros

• Powerful yet quiet internals great for gaming
• Crisp, variable refresh screen a delight
• Ergonomic controls

Cons

• Software has lots of room for improvement
• Battery life isn’t all that great
• Needs more control customisation

The ROG Ally is the first handheld to really give the Steam Deck a run for its money in terms of mainstream appeal. It wins hands down when talking straight specs, being considerably more powerful and with a higher resolution screen. The Ally will run any PC game you like, regardless of launcher – something not so simple on the Deck’s Linux-based OS. 

It doesn’t have an OLED panel, but the Full HD resolution is clearly superior to the Deck’s, and the 120Hz variable refresh rate means you’re rarely bothered by unsightly screen tearing.

The ROG Ally can’t always run games at 1080p without performance taking a noticeable hit. Even when it can, the extra power saps battery life quickly; we struggled to play for longer than three hours. A bigger stumble is the Windows 11 operating system, which just isn’t designed for devices like this. But if you can live with some navigation awkwardness and strange incompatibility issues, the ROG Ally is an exciting handheld to play your PC games on.

• Read more: Asus ROG Ally review

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5. Panic Playdate 

Stuff Verdict

A handheld like none other that manages to feel both old-fashioned and completely new.

Pros

• Beautifully designed
• Decent battery life
• Fun, unique game library

Cons

• No backlight
• A bit too small to be comfortable
• A few pretty forgettable games

Buy Now

The Playdate is very different from every other handheld console on this list. Rather than replicating the big-screen gaming experience on a portable device, its library consists exclusively of bespoke titles, most of them making use of its unique crank controller. 

This is an intentionally low-tech toy. Its black and white display isn’t even backlit and the majority of its games are bite-sized experiences, best played for a few minutes at a time rather than a few hours. 

It is, then, a decidedly more niche proposition than the Switch or Steam Deck. But if you like collecting beautiful objects, of which the cheerful yellow Playdate is undoubtedly one, and enjoy something a bit different from your handheld gaming, you can’t go wrong. 

• Read more: Panic Playdate review

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6. Lenovo Legion Go

Stuff Verdict

This gigantic handheld has a lot going for it, including a stunning display and detachable controllers, but too often Windows and the buggy Legion Space app get in the way of a good time.

Pros

• Great, large display
• Battery life should be good
• Powerful specs

Cons

• High price point
• More work needed on software
• Quite heavy

The Lenovo Legion Go makes its case with an enormous and quite stunning 8.8in, 1600p, 144Hz display and Switch-esque detachable controllers. A novel FPS mode then turns one of them into a vertical mouse. It works well and definitely makes you feel more accurate than when playing with analogue sticks. 

Like the ROG Ally you can run pretty much any game you like thanks to Windows. When it works you can have a lot of fun with Lenovo’s handheld, but we didn’t like the clunky Legion Space software. Most games can’t run well at the highest native resolution either. If they do, they’ll zap the battery dead in no time. 

Still, if you’re a Game Pass subscriber you can turn the Legion Go into a portable Xbox with a great screen. That’s a major advantage over the Linux-based Steam Deck, which can only stream Xbox Game Pass via the cloud unless you go through the messy process of installing Windows.

• Read more: Lenovo Legion Go review

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7. Logitech G Cloud 

Stuff Verdict

A comfortable cloud handheld that also works brilliantly for remote play, Logitech G Cloud impresses with its display, performance and battery, while still good enough to play locally.

Pros

• Comfortable form factor
• Bright and sharp 1080p display
• Hardware handles native games with virtual button mapping

Cons

• Not all cloud services available out of the box
• Android-based limitations
• Quite pricey if only used for cloud gaming

This Android-based handheld comes with most of the major cloud gaming services (including Game Pass) pre-installed. It’s comfortable to hold and has a very decent 7in, 1080p display. But beyond the built-in controls, there isn’t a lot it can do that the phone likely sitting in your pocket right now can’t.

Whether you should buy one, then, depends on how much you already make use of apps like Xbox Cloud Gaming or Nvidia’s GeForce Now. There’s no doubt that playing Starfield is less fiddly on a dedicated gaming device than it is on your phone. If both your internet speeds and Wi-Fi strength are good enough, it can be pretty great. Plus the G Cloud is just an Android tablet at its heart, so you can download mobile games to play offline, too.

With servers in the cloud doing the heavy lifting, battery life is strong – up to 12 hours if you aren’t running many games natively. Some people will always be skeptical about cloud gaming, and there’s no denying that the G Cloud is an odd device –  and not a cheap one either. But if you’re all in on game streaming this handheld ticks a lot of boxes. 

• Read more: Logitech G Cloud review

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8. PlayStation Portal 

Stuff Verdict

Large display and full suite of DualSense controls make the PlayStation Portal the ultimate remote play device for your PS5 – but consistent performance depends on your Wi-Fi

Pros

• Immersive 8in display
• DualSense controls with low latency
• Mostly solid streaming quality

Cons

• Dropouts and occasional bugs
• LCD is clearly inferior to OLED
• It’s a lot of money for a device that can’t run any games natively
• No Bluetooth or cloud streaming support

Sony has a long history with handheld consoles, but the PlayStation Portal is not another PSP or Vita. In fact, unless wirelessly connected to your PS5 it’s about as useful as a brick. The Portal streams games from your console, exactly as your phone does when using the PS Remote Play app (which is free). The difference here is that you get proper DualSense controls on either side of the 1080p 60fps display that you play your games on. 

The PlayStation Portal is an unapologetically niche device, primarily aimed at PS5 players who regularly have to give up the TV to someone else in the house. If your home Wi-Fi isn’t fast enough you’re likely going to experience performance issues. That said, we really like playing PS5 games on that large and bright display, without having to give up the DualSense’s haptics and adaptive triggers. Battery life is surprisingly decent too.

As it isn’t really designed to be used outside the house and can’t do cloud streaming of any sort, the PS Portal is a slighter offering than a lot the devices on this list. But if you’re in the target market and your broadband is up to the job, it might just be the handheld you’re looking for. 

• Read more: PlayStation Portal review

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How to choose the best handheld gaming console for you

As the above list attests to, the handheld console market is wide-ranging and varied, so Stuff is here to help you make the right choice based on your gaming habits. 

The first thing to consider is what games do you want to play? If Nintendo’s famous lineup of first-party franchises – we’re talking Mario, Zelda and Pokemon – appeal to you, you have to go with a Switch. You can’t play these games anywhere else, and because the Switch has been such an enormous success, the third-party support is far better than it was on the Wii U or even the Wii before it. Nintendo has really gotten behind the indie scene too. 

If you’re more of a PC or Xbox person, and have amassed a huge library of Steam games over the years, you might want to go for a Steam Deck OLED or one of the Windows handhelds instead. These devices are also far more open than the Switch, making them better picks for tinkerers who want to emulate retro games. And perhaps you only look to handheld gaming for quickfire fun on your lunch break, in which case you might get more enjoyment out of the Playdate. 

Once you’ve decided what you want to play, you need to think about how you want to play it. If screen size, resolution and performance are important to you, something like the Asus ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go might be your dream device, even if battery life leaves a lot to be desired. And battery life is hugely important for handheld gaming, given that you’re often playing games on the go where a power source may not be available. The Switch doesn’t have incredible battery life, but it lasts longer than the power-hungry PC handhelds. You should also consider the size and weight of the device, especially if your hands are on the smaller side. 

The last thing is price. The Nintendo Switch Lite costs less than £200 and has an endless library of superb games, while a top spec Lenovo Legion Go costs nearly as much as a gaming laptop. If you’re going to be forking out for the latter, you should know in advance that you’re going to make use of all that tech. Similarly, if you want a streaming-first handheld, make sure you’re able to feed it the Wi-Fi speeds it demands. 

And maybe you’ve decided that you don’t need a handheld gaming device at all and actually want a home console to sit under your TV instead, in which case you should head to our rated list of those right now. 

If you’re interested in the best console, we’ve got another feature that focuses on precisely that. We’ve also rounded up the best retro handhelds for old-school thrills, the best gaming headsets and the best gaming laptops. 

• Related: What are the best retro handhelds? Emulate classic console and computer games with these portables

Following the enormous success of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass service, Sony’s offering is competitive, but not exactly the same as its rival. But what does it actually do? Read on for a full breakdown of each membership tier, what they’ll cost you, and what games are included. 

PlayStation Plus Essential

What is it?

PS Plus Essential is the entry-level tier of the service, and gets you two different free games to download each month that will remain yours as long as you continue to subscribe to PS Plus. It also comes with exclusive discounts, cloud saves, and online multiplayer access for any game that offers it. Bear in mind that for free-to-play online games, a PS Plus subscription isn’t a requirement. 

What does it cost?

You can pay for your PS Plus Essential subscription monthly, quarterly or annually. PS Plus Essential is priced at $9.99/£6.99 /monthly, $24.99/£19.99 quarterly (three months), or $59.99/£49.99 yearly. Get PS Plus Essential now.

PlayStation Plus Extra

What is it?

The first all-new tier offers, as you’d expect, everything you get from an Essential subscription as listed above, as well as up to 400 downloadable PS4 and PS5 games, split between first and third-party titles. 

What does it cost?

PS Plus Extra is priced £10.99 / $14.99 monthly, £31.99 / $39.99 quarterly, or £83.99 / $99.99 yearly. Get PS Plus Extra now.

PlayStation Plus Premium

What is it?

Hey big spender. If you’re after the all-you-can-eat buffet of PlayStation Plus subs, this is the one to go for. On top of all the PS Plus Essential and Extra benefits, you’re getting up to 340 additional games, which are made up of a selection of classic games from the PS1, PS2 and PSP console generations, as well as a number of PS3 games. 

PS3 games are streaming-only at launch, while PS1, PS2 and PSP games can be downloaded or streamed. The Premium tier also offers streaming access for PS4 games included in the Essential and Extra tiers in markets where PlayStation Now was previously available, with games streamable on the PS4 and PS5, as well as PC. 

Lastly, the most expensive tier also offers time-limited game trails for select titles, with progress carrying over should the user choose to purchase the game through the PlayStation store at the end of the trial. 

What does it cost?

PS Plus Premium is priced £13.49 / $17.99 monthly, £39.99 / $49.99 quarterly, or £99.99 / $119.99 yearly. Get PS Plus Premium now.

What about the games?

Each PS Plus tier entitles you to a different offering of free games, from the rotating two monthly titles included in an Essential membership, to hundreds of games spanning the whole history of PlayStation. But again, who gets what is needlessly confusing, so allow us to explain. 

Every PS Plus subscriber has access to monthly downloadable games that are yours to keep unless you cancel your subscription. 

These change every month, but have included God of War (PS4), Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker (PS4), Mass Effect Legendary Edition (PS4), FIFA 22 (PS4/PS5), and Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (PS4/PS5). 

Game Catalogue

The Game Catalogue is available to PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium members only. It includes up to 400 PS4 and PS5 games that can be downloaded or streamed if you’re a Premium member. 

Unlike on Xbox Game Pass, first-party PS4 and PS5 titles will not be added to the catalogue at launch as standard, but relatively recent console exclusives such as Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be included from launch. 

This library will change and evolve over time, with Sony’s website listing the current A-Z library in full.

Classic Games Catalogue

Games in the Classic Games Catalogue are available to PS Plus Premium members only. All included games can be downloaded except PS3 titles, which are streaming-only. Some of the games will be remasters, and some original games will feature improved frame rates and resolutions. Select PS1 and PSP games will have rewind and save anywhere functionality too, but this won’t always be the case. 

It doesn’t take much for me to get nostalgic about the 3DS in its heyday, and for all its many flaws, I still have a lot of affection for the Wii U, too. Nintendo fetching the final nails for their respective coffins has got me thinking about what exactly it is that I miss about them. Especially as I’m on record calling the Switch, which ultimately succeeded both systems, my favourite console of all time. 

In many ways the Switch is the ultimate Nintendo console. It takes everything the company has learned from its long history in both the handheld and home console businesses and combines it all in a single device that you can play anywhere. It’s an innovative marvel of engineering, with a game library that caters to Nintendo’s hardcore fans and the casual crowd it’s been chasing since the days of the Wii. And while it’s significantly less powerful than the PS5 and Xbox Series X, you won’t find many games that are as pleasant to look at as the likes of Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. 

But the Switch is missing something that the 3DS and the Wii U had in abundance, and it’s something I really hope Nintendo has put some thought into while designing the console’s seemingly soon-to-arrive successor. That something is personality. 

Playing around

I still use my 3DS a fair amount, and while it’s clearly a remarkable feat of technology (have you ever seen 3D implemented better?), it also has an undeniably toylike quality. Nintendo’s DNA is all over the thing. When I open my 3DS, the Zelda theme starts playing, an 8-bit Link moves across the screen as I scroll through my games and apps, and the console emits sword swipe sound effects. 

When I was still able to purchase games from the 3DS eShop the finished download would appear as a gift I had to unwrap (a little flourish that Panic would later replicate with its Playdate handheld). If I hover over the Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D game icon an animated DK holding a balloon appears to fly in and out of the display. Just deciding what game I want to play has me grinning. I’m already having fun. And when I load up the store (pointless as that now is), a catchy little tune starts to play. I didn’t get as involved in StreetPass – the much-missed social gaming feature that allowed 3DS users to wirelessly pass content between consoles using local Wi-Fi – as some, but I always appreciated the sense of community Nintendo managed to build around it. 

The Wii U, meanwhile, went all in on the Miiverse, the social network that Nintendo eventually shut down after the Switch had arrived. When you turned on your console and looked at the TV, the screen would be filled with little Mii avatars wandering around a virtual plaza. Their existential speech bubbles were often so amusing that you’d forget you were there to play Mario Kart 8. The Wii U had music for both the shop and the general UI, and it all slapped. 

Time to Switch it up

The Switch, by contrast, has no music. Its home screen has had precisely two themes since launch: black and white. There is still a Mii editor, but it’s buried in settings as if Nintendo would rather you didn’t notice. Now, I’m not saying that I want the Switch 2 (or whatever Nintendo eventually tells us it’s calling it) to be another Wii U. The Wii U GamePad was a chunky, unfortunately quite ugly device that veered too much towards the Fisher Price end of the toy spectrum. And sometimes you just weren’t in the mood for the Miis and all their random jabbering. 

The Switch was conceived in a different era, one where everyone has a smartphone and children wield iPads as quickly as they learn to walk. It’s designed, I think, to reflect the immediacy and ease of use of modern touch devices. It’s a much more grown-up bit of kit than its predecessors, and by the time we got to the Switch OLED, we were dealing with a pretty sexy piece of electronics. The UI is clean and simple. Boring, one might argue, but no-nonsense, focused – and I appreciate that Nintendo has concentrated on games above all else throughout the Switch generation. When I turn on my console, I’m playing something within seconds.  

But when the Switch’s successor eventually arrives, I hope Nintendo can find a happy medium. Unlike Sony and Microsoft, whose backgrounds are in consumer tech and computers, Nintendo will always be a toy company at heart, and I want its consoles to retain a bit of that playfulness in their design and functionality. So when the Switch 2 arrives, it can still be minimalist, but let me listen to a little earworm while I browse, or plaster my home screen with Mario icons. Nintendo has amassed a gigantic user base with the Switch, so assuming a big chunk of them upgrade to the next console, why not let them communicate in a novel way again? 

The 3DS and the Wii U might be as good as gone, but I hope a bit of their spirit finds its way into the next Nintendo console.

Once the quietest time of the year, January-March has reinvented itself in recent times – and 2024’s was up there with the very best of them. Whether you’re looking to sink 100 hours into a meaty AAA RPG or prefer to get your gaming kicks from the reliably creative indie scene, the first quarter of this year has likely served up something you really want to play. 

The release calendar slows down a bit now, but as it’s been virtually impossible to keep up so far, that’s probably not such a bad thing. And with an open-world Star Wars game, a first-person Indiana Jones adventure and whatever Nintendo’s cooking up for what is looking like the Switch’s farewell tour still to come, there’s plenty to look forward to. 

As always, we’ll be updating this list of interactive goodness throughout the year, but for now, here are the best video games of 2024 so far. 

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

The second part of Square Enix’s wildly ambitious Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy was probably the most anticipated game of the year. And it’s fair to say that the Japanese giant came good. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth‘s open-world pivot successfully recaptures the original game’s sense of adventure, as Cloud and the gang leave the slums and skyscrapers of Midgar in pursuit of Sephiroth. While we could have lived without some of the tired genre tropes, there are few video game road trips that are more memorable. Seeing Final Fantasy VII’s iconically blocky PS1 locations reimagined for the modern era is a constant thrill for anyone who played the 1997 game, and Rebirth manages to nail all the major story beats while bringing plenty of new twists to what is now a very familiar tale. 

The superb hybrid combat system from the first game is even better in its sequel. There’s a focus on synergy attacks that ensure you’re using every party member in battle, while an extraordinarily wide variety of mini-games mean you’re never doing the same thing for long. It’s not perfect, and at times it’s downright messy. But this epic retelling of one of gaming’s most beloved stories gets more than enough right, and we can’t wait to see how it all ends. 

Dragon’s Dogma 2

The long-awaited sequel to this cult classic 2012 RPG is weird, unapologetically punishing in its design and often hilariously janky. But if you can overlook some pretty glaring flaws and take the time to learn its unique systems, you’ll be rewarded with a game like no other.

As the Arisen, you’re chasing down a dragon that has pinched your heart. You’re joined on your quest by a rotating selection of dutiful pawns that exist only to serve you. Dragon’s Dogma 2 isn’t interested in holding your hand, though. With just one save file you have to live with your mistakes, there’s barely any fast travel, going out at night is asking for trouble, and rarely will a few minutes pass without you being attacked by a mob of vicious goblins. But the ability to change your class whenever you like, a meaty combat system and some decidedly Shadow of the Colossus-esque giant monster climbing ensure your adventures are always enormous fun, even when everything wants to kill you. And like the best RPGs, those adventures never feel scripted, and always feel entirely your own. 

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

The Prince of Persia series is older than Sonic the Hedgehog, but much like the Blue Blur, it’s had a hit and miss track record since the turn of the century. While we continue to wait for the supposedly still in development remake of the much-loved 3D entry, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, this all new title sees Ubisoft’s stuttering series return to its 2D roots, reimagining it as a Metroidvania. And it’s genuinely up there with the very best in the genre. 

Ubisoft Montpellier gets pretty much everything right here, from the excellent platforming (as we’d expect from the studio that gave us Rayman Legends) and surprisingly deep combat that lets you parry attacks and deal huge damage by memorising aerial combos, to the intricately designed world that you gradually discover as you gain new abilities. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is happy to make you wait for those – you don’t get the Metroidvania staple double jump for hours – and we weren’t all that interested in the story, but if you’re looking game to fill the Silksong-shaped void and enjoy a challenge, then we can’t recommend this one enough.

Princess Peach: Showtime!

Princess Peach has featured in the majority of Mario games, but usually that’s because she needs rescuing after Bowser’s latest kidnapping scheme. Not since 2005’s largely forgotten Super Princess Peach for the Nintendo DS has Peach been the star, so Princess Peach: Showtime! is long overdue. Happily, it’s also a lot of fun, and a great pick for younger gamers who might find Mario games a bit too tricky. 

Princess Peach: Showtime! is theatre-themed, with levels taking the shape of various stage plays that see Peach transforming into their leading lady. In one she might be a cowgirl, lassoing enemies from their horses during a chase, and in another she becomes a superhero capable of picking up buses. Not all transformations are action-focused; Patisserie Peach bakes cookies and decorates cakes, while Detective Peach inspects clues and questions witnesses to solve mysteries. It all adds up to an enjoyably (if a little slight) varied platformer that proves that Peach has outgrown her damsel in distress role. 

Pepper Grinder

The first quarter of 2024 has been front-loaded with enormous RPGs that demand 50+ hours of your time just to make a dent, with several of them featuring in this list. But if you gravitate towards games you can easily blast through in a weekend, you really should check out Pepper Grinder. Currently exclusive to PC and Switch (and ideally suited to the latter given its decidedly GBA aesthetic), Pepper Grinder is a fast-paced 2D action platformer in which you play as a girl named Pepper who awakes to find herself shipwrecked on a mysterious island, having had her stuff swiped by pirates. 

The hook of the game is the titular Grinder, a super-powered drill that Pepper can use to burrow in and out of the terrain at speed, attack enemies and solve environmental puzzles. You do get weapons later in the game, but the Grinder is always the star. While clearly inspired by classic side-scrollers like Drill Dozer, Donkey Kong Country and Ecco the Dolphin, Pepper Grinder has a vibe and style all of its own, while excellent controls that ensure you’re always just about in control make navigating the often very challenging levels a joy. It’s definitely on the shorter side, but for many that will be a selling point. 

Helldivers 2

Have you ever dreamt of a Starship Troopers video game? Do yourself a favour and pick up Helldivers 2 if you haven’t already. A refreshingly old-fashioned third-person squad-based multiplayer shooter, this sequel to the 2015 top-down game of the same name is one of the surprise hits of the year so far, so much so that for the first few weeks after launch the servers crumbled under the weight of all the people trying to get online and play with their friends. 

The premise is pretty straightforward: the galaxy is being invaded by giant alien bugs, and in the name of freedom and democracy you need to shoot them all dead. Helldivers 2 is a very solid shooter, but it’s also one of the funniest games we’ve played in years. That’s partly down to the knowingly ridiculous propagandic rallying cries you’ll hear every few minutes in the game, but also the slapstick deaths and dysfunctional teamwork. Once you’ve accidentally (or entirely intentionally) killed one of your pals with an airstrike you called in, you’ll eagerly await the next time it happens. If we’re talking plain and simple fun, Helldivers 2 is probably the game of the year so far full stop. 

Balatro

Balatro is 2024’s Vampire’s Survivors. Like that BAFTA-winning indie sensation, it’s a roguelite designed to be played over and over again until you have enough skill and the right build to put together a winning run. But in Balatro, rather than mowing down seemingly unrelenting hordes of monsters, you’re playing poker hands. It sounds simple, and crucially teaches players its basic rules very quickly. But very quickly you’ll realise that Balatro isn’t so much about playing poker as it’s about breaking it. 

You see, as you progress you’ll level up those traditional hands to amass more chips, allowing you to eventually make a one pair worth more than a full house. You can also add new cards to your deck, but the real genius lies in the joker cards, which can completely transform the whole game and, when properly deployed, result in some dizzyingly huge scores. It’s incredibly addictive and stupidly fun, even (and arguably even more so) if you’ve never played a proper game of poker in your life. 

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Beloved above pretty much all else by its longtime fans and incredibly intimidating to newcomers looking to jump in for the first time, there really is nothing quite like the Like a Dragon (formerly known as Yakuza) series. The latest entry, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, unites the OG protagonist with the new one introduced in 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and whisks them off to Hawaii for a truly bonkers island adventure. 

While it’s definitely true that those who have followed the series since its formative PS2 days will get the most out of the otherwise convoluted and often confusing story, we defy anyone not to be charmed by Ichiban Kasuga, the loveable former yakuza who’s a joy to spend tens of hours goofing around with. Like its predecessor, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a turn-based RPG, with combat made more action-packed now you can move your character during a turn. And you’ll be doing a lot of fighting, that is, when you’re not playing classic Sega arcade games, managing your own Animal Crossing-esque island resort and pitting conquered enemies against each other in a ridiculous parody of Pokemon. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth might leave you confused at times, but you’ll always have a grin on your face. 

Tekken 8

Fighting game fans have been eating awfully well recently. Last year we called Street Fighter 6 a ‘victorious return to form’ and ‘the best fighting game in generations’. It turns out Tekken had something to say about that second point, with the eighth mainline entry going out of its way to welcome back both hardcore fans and newcomers alike. Much like the most recent Street Fighter entry, Tekken 8 introduces a newbie-friendly control scheme that streamlines the inputs needed to pull off those brutally sexy combos the series is known for. The excellent Arcade Quest mode, with its decidedly un-Tekken Nintendo Mii-like avatars, is a great way to learn the basics. 

For the already initiated, there’s an enjoyable story mode to dive into, while the new Heat Gauge mechanic, which expands your character’s move set for a limited time once per round and lets you recover some of your life bar (and they’re just the basics), is a meaningful addition. As you’d expect from Tekken, it all looks stunning, and offers one of the largest rosters in the series’ long history. Tekken 8 doesn’t quite match Street Fighter 6’s single-player content, but it’s never played better. 

Look no further. Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Series S consoles continue to go from strength to strength.  Features like Quick Resume, incredible backwards compatibility, and Dolby Vision/Atmos support really make a difference, and that’s before we even get to Game Pass.

But here we’re talking hardware; not the machines themselves, but the accessories that complete the Xbox experience. From pads and headsets to storage woe solutions and remotes, we’ve got you covered. 

The best Xbox Series X and S accessories you can buy today:

1. Xbox Wireless Controller

Sure it’s not as fancy as the PS5’s DualSense, but there’s a very good reason Microsoft hasn’t changed the Xbox pad much at all for several years now – it’s damn near perfect. Supremely comfortable in the hands, built to share gameplay content quickly, and easy to pair via Bluetooth with iOS, Android and PC devices as well as your Xbox, it’s really hard to find fault with the thing. 

The Xbox Wireless Controller comes in a variety of colours, and if you’ve got a bit of time on your hands you can even design your own. You’ll get one pad with an Xbox Series X|S purchase, but at some point you’re likely going to want another. 

2. Xbox Play and Charge Kit

You know when we said the Xbox Wireless Controller was damn near perfect? Well, if we were going to knock it for something it would be that it’s not rechargeable out of the box like most modern pads. Instead, Microsoft continues to ship its controller with AA batteries, so if you happen to go flat mid-Halo Infinite, have no spares in the drawer and can’t wrench a couple from the TV remote, then you’re out of luck. 

Avoid such a disaster by investing in a rechargeable battery pack that slots into the back of the controller where the batteries usually sit. You get up to 30 hours of juice on a full charge and four hours will fully recharge it. Luckily, you can charge while you play too.

3. Xbox Wireless Headset

PS5 owners get a reasonably priced and genuinely great first-party headset, and Microsoft’s version is just as good. The imaginatively named Xbox Wireless Headset pairs pretty much instantly with your Xbox of choice (no dongle required), sounds great and features slick dial controls. 

It does Dolby Atmos sound too, but the best feature is support for two wireless audio streams at the same time, allowing you to listen to music or chat to friends on your phone without losing game audio. 

• Read more: Xbox Wireless Headset review

4. Backbone One

Did you know that your iPhone is an Xbox too? Well, sort of. Thanks to Xbox Cloud Gaming you can take your Game Pass library with you wherever you go, accessing games via a shortcut to your Safari browser. 

A lot of games on the subscription service support touch controls, but if you want the proper experience you’ll need to get yourself a controller, and the Backbone One is our favourite by some distance. It’s totally wireless, drawing power from your phone once attached, and feels great in the hands. What makes the Backbone One stand out, though, is its dedicated app, from which you can browse supported games across multiple services (Game Pass, Apple Arcade, App Store etc) and play with friends. 

If you’re interested in on-the-go Xbox gaming it’s a must-have, and the Razer Kishi is a (nearly) equally good option for the Android crowd. 

• Read more: Backbone One review

5. Seagate Storage Expansion Card

Whether you have an Xbox Series X or S, you’re eventually going to run out of storage space. Game Pass is just too good. If you want more room for downloads without losing anything from the next-gen Xbox experience you’ll need one of Seagate’s cards. 

Unlike the PS5, which asks you to do a little bit of DIY, expanding your SSD storage on Xbox consoles is as simple as plugging the card into the back of your machine. You can then set it as your default storage device in the console’s settings and just like that you have up to 2TB of additional storage. Because the Expansion Card is fully compatible with the Xbox Velocity Architecture it works without asking you to sacrifice those short loading times, high-end graphics or Quick Resume functionality. It’s not cheap, but if you have a big game library it’s worth the investment. 

6. Seagate Game Drive for Xbox

If you want to play Series S|X games directly from an external storage device then you’ll need Seagate’s Expansion Card. But there is a more affordable way to give yourself more storage. Designed to work with Xbox consoles and up to 4TB in capacity, Seagate’s drive is ideal for storing Xbox One and older games that you can’t accommodate on the main SSD. 

With the largest model you can play 100+ legacy titles straight from the drive (expect longer loading times, though), and if you want to move a Series X title back onto the SSD it’ll be much quicker to do so from the Seagate Game Drive than re-downloading it from scratch. 

7. 8BitDo Media Remote

With full support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, the Xbox Series X|S is worth considering as your primary streaming device as well as a games console. But if that’s the case you’ll probably want a proper remote to flick through your entertainment apps with ease.

8BitDo’s is designed for Xbox and even has an Xbox Home button that wakes the console when pressed. With HDMI-CEC support it can control your telly just like a normal TV remote, and we happen to think it looks pretty nice in white. 

8. SteelSeries Arctis 7X

While you really can’t go wrong with the cheaper Microsoft headset, we have to mention SteelSeries’ excellent Arctis 7X. It sounds awesome and delivers a lossless 2.4GHz wireless connection to your Xbox with ultra-low latency. 

The Arctis 7X is very comfortable and has one of the best microphones out there, while the USB-C dongle it comes with also makes it a great headset option for Switch, PC and Android users to boot. Check out our guide to the best gaming headset as well.

Fully kitted out with hardware? Now check out the best Xbox Series X and Series S games to play.

From the best gaming headsets and the best PS5 controllers to webcams and additional storage (which you *will* need), read on for our guide to the best PS5 accessories. 

The best PlayStation 5 accessories you can buy today:

1. DualSense Wireless Controller

The PS5’s DualSense controller is arguably as exciting as the console itself. In terms of design, it’s probably the biggest change to Sony’s famous PlayStation pad since the Boomerang that never was, adopting the same white-on-black paint job as the PS5 it wirelessly pairs with. 

But it’s what’s inside the DualSense that makes it really interesting. Haptic feedback replaces traditional rumble, allowing game developers to implement dynamic vibrations that immerse you more in their games. These can be as subtle as the pattering of raindrops, or as violent as the recoil of a shotgun. 

Then you’ve got the adaptive triggers, which can apply varying levels of force or tension depending on what’s happening in the game. Throw in a speaker much like the one found (but sadly underused) in the DualShock 4, motion controls and a touch bar, and you’ve got the most high-tech pad out there. You get one DualSense included when you buy a PS5, but if you’re looking to play any local multiplayer, this is one of the best PS5 accessories going.

2. Backbone One X PlayStation

The Backbone One remains our favourite mobile controller, and now there’s an officially licensed PlayStation version that adopts the Sony console’s face buttons to make the transition feel a lot more natural. With your phone inside, the whole thing looks a lot like what we’d imagine a PlayStation Vita 2 might look like. Until Sony makes that happen, this makes the grade as one of our best PS5 accessories.

Sony isn’t pushing cloud gaming as much as Microsoft, but you can stream games from your PS5 to your phone via the PS Remote Play app. Once set up, you can play PS5 games on your phone without needing to manually turn your console on and switch between games remotely. The excellent Backbone app will also highlight new releases and games that support remote play. 

• Read more: Backbone One PlayStation Edition review

3. Venom PS5 Charging Station 

The downside of having such a pad as fancy as the DualSense is that all that clever tech doesn’t half guzzle down juice. It’s a good idea, then, to get yourself a charging station so the controller has somewhere to live that’ll keep it charged up. 

The official PlayStation charging station is hard to find for less than £25, but you can save yourself a tenner by instead opting for Venom’s. It can charge two DualSense pads simultaneously and features an LED panel on the front which illuminates red when charging and turns blue when the pads hit full power. 

4. Sony PlayStation 5 HD Camera

Fancy yourself as the next big streamer? Well, you won’t get very far without a camera. Sony’s first-party offering features two wide-angle lenses for 1080p capture, while the adjustable stand allows you to position it above or below your TV. 

As you’d expect, it communicates seamlessly with the PS5 hardware and DualSense, so with the tap of a button you can start recording your best Gran Turismo 7 laps. 

5. Pulse 3D Wireless Headset

In first-party games where it’s really taken advantage of, such as Returnal and Ratchet and Clank: A Rift Apart, the PS5’s Tempest 3D Audio tech can be really impressive. Technically, near any old pair of stereo headphones are capable of outputting the surround sound audio, but if you want to listen wirelessly then you can’t go wrong with Sony’s own Pulse 3D Wireless Headset.

It’s fine-tuned to get the most out of the technology and for our money looks pretty great in both the standard white colourway or the newer midnight black variant. It’s comfortable too, but can start to clamp just a little bit after a few hours. 

The headset comes with a wireless adapter that you plug into your PS5’s USB port, but if it dies during a game you can always temporarily go wired thanks to the 3.5mm jack. Official Sony kit is always a slam dunk when searching for the Best PS5 accessories, and this is no different.

For more headset recommendations check out our guide to the best PS5 headsets.

6. Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal PC/PS

Bang & Olufsen’s first Beoplay Portal gaming headphones were a big hit with us, but they weren’t much use to PS5 owners, with the Danish brand instead pursuing Xbox compatibility for its debut product in the space. 

The second generation of Portal, then, is for everyone else. Design-wise, the headphones are identical to the original model, which is to say they look nothing like what you’ve come to expect from gaming headsets and instead feel luxurious to pick up and use. 

You can connect the Portal to your PS5 using an included USB-C dongle, and once paired with your phone you’ll be able to listen to audio from both sources simultaneously, something the Pulse 3D can’t offer, nor the original Portal cans for that matter. They’re not cheap, but if you want a superb pair of noise-cancelling headphones that also double up as a gaming headset, the Beoplay Portal is hard to beat. 

7. WD Black SN850 NVMe SSD

Given how massive modern game file sizes are, it won’t take you long at all to fill up the PS5’s 825GB of built-in storage. But last year Sony unlocked the ability to expand your SSD so you can download more games and continue to enjoy the console’s next-gen benefits, such as faster loading times. 

There are loads of good options, but we’d go for Western Digital’s WD BLACK SN850. To use it you’ll need to open up your PS5 and manually insert it in the machine, but Sony offers a handy guide on how to do this, and it won’t take you longer than 10-15 minutes. Make sure you have a screwdriver handy before you start tearing the thing apart, though. 

And it’s well worth the effort. The WD-BLACK SN850 can hit read/write speeds of 7000/5300 MB/s and is available with or without a heatsink. Storage starts at 500GB and tops out at 2TB. We’d recommend buying as big as you can afford as you’ll be grateful for it in the long run, but any extra space you can have will help when building your PS5 library. 

8. SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless Headset

If you’re happy to pay bit more than Sony is asking for with the Pulse 3D Wireless, the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ is one of the very best gaming headsets you can buy. Its USB-C dongle facilitates a low latency 2.4GHz wireless connection to your PS5, and it’ll work just fine with your Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC, phone or tablet to boot. 

The 7P+ wireless sounds fantastic, it’s very comfortable, and the upgraded + model featured here has 30-hour battery life, up from 24 on its predecessor. The Discord-certified ClearCast noise-cancelling microphone is also great for chatting (or gloating) to pals while you’re playing online. 

9. Samsung Portable SSD T5

OK, an external hard disk isn’t the sort of glamorous kit you picture when thinking “Best PS5 accessories” – but bear with us. And while you can’t play PS5 games directly from an external hard drive, you can move them to one to give yourself some extra space, which is much quicker than having to reinstall a game every time you want to play it again. An external SSD is also a great idea if you’ve got a PS4 library that you enjoy dipping back into on your PS5 every now and again. 

We really like Samsung’s T5. It doesn’t really matter that it looks quite attractive, but it certainly doesn’t hurt it, and with transfer speeds up to 540MB/s (up to 4.9x faster than an external HDD, says Samsung), it’s as fast as it is slick. 

10. Sony Inzone H9 headset

Somewhat confusingly, Sony’s new gaming-focused sub-brand is not directly associated with PlayStation, despite its first headset adopting the same colour scheme as the PS5 and working perfectly with the console. 

The big difference between this headset and the Pulse 3D Wireless is noise-cancelling. The Inzone H9 can do all the same wireless 3D audio wizardry, but it’ll do a decent job of blocking out external rabble at the same time. This is also one if the most comfortable gaming headsets we’ve ever had the pleasure of planting on our heads. 

Now read about the best upcoming games, to find out about the most anticipated games to play this year.

Princess Peach has been around for nearly as long as video games have, but hasn’t always had the best time of it. Whenever Mario heads off on another adventure, it’s usually because poor old Peach has been kidnapped again. And while Bowser’s mediocre villainy track record means she probably doesn’t get too worried, it can’t be much fun either. More of a goal than a character in her own right. 

But we appear to be entering a new Peach era. The Mushroom Kingdom’s most famous monarch was as much as an action hero in The Super Mario Bros. Movie as the titular plumber. Anything but a damsel in distress, it’s unlikely Nintendo’s moustachioed mascot would’ve got far without her help. Roll on a year and Peach now stars in her own game (the first since 2005), and neither Mario nor his arch nemesis have been invited.

The big hook here is a magic ribbon Peach can harness to transform into anything from a sword fighter and martial artist, to a mermaid and a particularly efficient pastry chef. In what is increasingly looking like the Nintendo Switch’s swansong year, is Peach’s long overdue solo outing a match for Mario’s many jaunts? 

Life’s a Peach

Peach and her Toad pals were looking forward to a trip to their favourite theatre, but as they arrive it’s taken over by the dastardly Grape and her gang, known as the Sour Bunch – who as far as we can tell, are also grapes. If you were expecting a Princess Peach-led game to have more narrative pull than your average Mario adventure, think again.

It falls to Peach to take the bad-intentioned berries to task, liberating levels (each presented as a stage play) from evil and generally spreading good vibes. This is an unapologetically kid-focused game, and not one that weaves many chucklesome meta gags into its writing like Nintendo’s best games often do. But that’s fine, given the younger audience the game is clearly being aimed at.

I do like the setting, though. While not one of the Switch’s most graphically impressive games (it actually looks disappointingly fuzzy in places), Princess Peach: Showtime!’s theatrical theme allows for lots of variety, so in the space of a few levels Peach might find herself in a western, a whodunit mystery, and under the sea.

Levels are colourful 2.5D affairs that let you wander in and out of the cardboard scenery (an aesthetic Nintendo has perfected at this point) to hunt for collectibles and rescue friendly creatures called Theets, which presumably work in the theatre from their various predicaments at the hands of the Sour Grapes.

Showtime is very straightforward stuff, and in her standard getup the Princess wouldn’t have enough gameplay variety to justify a whole game, but that’s where Stella, the Sparkle Theatre’s guardian, and more importantly her ribbon, come in. 

It’s Peach time

Princess Peach can’t somersault or butt-stomp like Mario; she lacks Donkey Kong’s brute strength; and unlike Kirby, she can’t simply inhale anything that gets in her way. But here she’s able to use the ribbon to perform 10 different transformations. Each is unlocked for the first time a few minutes into a dedicated level, then used again in more challenging stages later on.

As you’d expect, Swordfighter Peach, Kung Fu Peach and Mighty Peach (think Peach as a superhero) are all combat-focused – but you don’t spend the whole game whacking Sour Grapes. Mermaid Peach can sing to conduct the creatures of the sea, while Figure Skater Peach would rather out-skate an enemy than fight them. 

Their varied nature means you’re always doing something different, which elevates Princess Peach: Showtime! above your average platformer. There are some fun chase sequences, and occasionally Showtime! will turn into a 2D fighting game, but it often slows things down too. Patisserie Peach decorates cakes and bakes cookies in a timing-based minigame; Detective Peach solves a museum theft mystery by questioning suspects and studying clues dotted around the scene of the crime. I was less keen on the by-the-numbers stealth levels, but Ninja Peach admittedly does look pretty cool.  

In other games all these different outfits might result in mechanical overload, but Princess Peach: Showtime!’s strength lies in its simplicity. No matter what transformation Peach is donning, activating its unique ability rarely involves more than pressing or holding the B button. The ability to counterattack as the swordfighter adds an extra layer of complexity, but most of the time the B button is all you need to think about – whether you’re throwing a lasso as Cowgirl Peach, hacking terminals as the excellently named Dashing Thief Peach, or throwing buses as Mighty Peach. 

Practise what you Peach

This is a great first Nintendo game for younger players, much like the Kirby series has always been. Levels are snappy and never outstay their welcome, which is ideal for the easily distracted. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing here for older players. There are a number of pretty entertaining bosses, including a chicken that is somehow also a disco ball, and a pretty suave lion that shoots lasers you have to deflect. One stealth-focused boss level even unexpectedly reminded me of a (much more disturbing) sequence with the Scarecrow in Batman: Arkham Asylum. 

If you’re looking for a challenge, this probably isn’t the game for you. While a few levels tripped me up, I breezed through what is a fairly short campaign. Progress is gated by how many gems you’ve collected, but you’ll get at least half of each level’s offering without trying, so it’s unlikely you’ll need to revisit levels again if you don’t want to.  Most enemies go down with a single flick of Peach’s ribbon, and while you lose coins when you die, it never feels like much of a punishment.  

After you’ve completed a floor you’ll unlock Rehearsals, timed challenge levels in which you must demonstrate your mastery of each transformation without taking a hit. You might have to survive an onslaught of enemies with your sword in hand, or collect diamonds using a glider as the wind tries to knock you off course. Earning gold here isn’t always easy, but we’re not talking post-game Mario hard here. 

Both Peach and Stella can customise their appearance with different ribbon designs by spending in-game currency in a cosmetics shop, but you’re only changing the former’s standard dress pattern. I’d rather have been able to change the designs of the different transformations, as that’s what you’re doing for most of the game. It leaves Princess Peach: Showtime! feeling a little bit slight compared to some of Nintendo’s other titles. Not a phoned-in effort by any means, but not bursting at the seams with stuff to do like your average Mario game either. 

Princess Peach: Showtime! verdict 

As one of Nintendo’s best ever consoles winds down, it’s great to see Peach doing the saving for once, and some of the transformations are fun enough to make Mario jealous. Whether Princess Peach: Showtime! needed to be so beginner-friendly will depend on the age of the Nintendo fan you ask, but there aren’t many games of this quality that cater to a younger audience these days, so I’m all for it. 

The transformation mechanic lets Princess Peach: Showtime! be a bit of a genre-hopper, so it’s easy to forgive the fairly basic platforming. The game consistently surprised me with its variety, and while I like my Nintendo games to have a bit more personality and humour, this one still raised a smile on more than one occasion. 

If you’re looking to introduce a child to the world of Nintendo, Princess Peach: Showtime! would be a game I’d recommend in the same breath as Kirby and the Forgotten Land, even if it never quite reaches the heights of the pink puffball’s debut 3D outing. And if you’re a longtime Peach fan who’s been waiting for her to get a game of her own worth mentioning, rest assured that with a sword in her hand, Bowser should probably think twice next time.