The hits keep on coming, and while this week might not be as big as last week, it still has a sizable amount of new releases, including a Smash Bros. clone, a Zelda clone, and well, it’s a Nintendo system. Expect some indie developers to riff on Nintendo ideas.

Brawlout (Released December 19; $19.99)

“While Brawlout won’t become a staple of my local multiplayer hangouts, it’s a fun game that apes the Smash Bros. experience as well as any other competitor has. Being the best Smash Bros. clone might not add up to much, but Brawlout is very much that. It’s unfortunately bogged down by a dearth of single-player material and ultimately, this game is doomed by the fact that it stakes so much in online play that doesn’t run well. If the online was workable, Brawlout would be much better. As it stands, it’s not, and this is a highly flawed experience.” - Neal Ronaghan (Check out the full review)

Crawl (Released December 19; $14.99

If you’ve got a few competitive friends available who like to get together and fight for bragging rights Crawl should be on your list of games to check out. One person will play as the hero, trying to evade traps and kill monsters as they progress through a dangerous dungeon. The hook? Everyone else will play as spirits who take possession of said traps and monsters, trying to be the one to kill the hero so they can take their place! The way the game tries to keep everyone in balance shows great design, the more powerful the heroes become the more points the spirits get to upgrade their monsters. This all culminates in a final throwdown boss fight where all three players control some part of the boss monster. Playable with only one person but far more enjoyable the more people you add to the mix. - Justin Nation

Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King (Released December 21; $14.99

Do you like The Legend Of Zelda? Then you will like Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King. Playing through it has all the same classic Zelda staples: action, puzzles, quests and the journey to find 3 magical ingredients to wake the cursed sleeping King! The gorgeous pixel art and catchy chiptunes cater to the SNES days, while the gameplay design and structure has a slightly more modern take with a quicker upgrade and weapon possession, and really the whole game feels more zippy in general. My whole experience with this title has been very impressive, and definitely contends with some of the great Zelda-lite games out there now, and possibly might take the crown. So don't let the game’s rather bland icon on the eShop avert you - because like I said before, if you like classic top-down Zelda you will like this. - Perry Burkum

Tiny Metal (Released December 21; $24.99)

Tiny Metal is totally Advance Wars. Troops fight other troops using a Fire Emblem-like strategy combat system on a series of industrial maps. I’m an hour in, but my early impression is positive. The game emulates the AW experience well, and it even has a unique mechanic or two; in “Focus Fire,” two units can team up on an enemy to deal a ton of damage at once. The campaign seems beefy, and features a pretty neat anime-style war narrative that reminds me of the original Valkyria Chronicles. On the con side, the 3D art style leaves something to be desired, and the game does not run very well on handheld mode. All said, Tiny Metal is to Advance Wars what Golf Story is to the Mario Golf RPG mode: probably not as good as the original, but still pretty cool nonetheless. - Alex Culafi

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood (Released December 21; $14.99

''Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a puzzle platformer where players use a magic marker to draw branches, water streams, fireballs, and more to traverse the game's 20 levels. Certain puzzles can be quite difficult, but it’s always fun figuring out inventive solutions. The Switch version gives players the option to use the touchscreen to wield the magic marker, but using the analog stick seems slightly more precise. Those seeking out an interesting twist on the platforming genre will find a lot to love in Max’s latest adventure.'' - Jared Rosenberg

Mom Hid My Game (Released December 21; $4.99

“Mom Hid My Game is very short, though it is budget-priced accordingly. You can fly through the whole thing in an hour or two, but it’s a brilliantly daffy ride. Replay value is really only found in showing the game to others, in the same way sharing a good joke is. In replay, mom’s disapproving looks won’t be the draw; instead, your friend’s looks of bewilderment will be. No deep experience hides in Mom Hid My Game, but it’s an absolutely joyous romp. This is absurdist video game comedy and that’s awesome and unique.” - Neal Ronaghan (Check out the full review)

Puzzle Box Maker (Released December 21; $14.99

Bplus has always been an one of a kind developer, which is once again showcased in Puzzle Box Maker. This curiosity allows you to easily create patterns, which in turn can be changed into various level types. This includes Run (turns your creation into an endless runner), Kubi (explore a 2D level and collect everything) and Copycat (use various colors to fill in a puzzle). It is stuff that we’ve seen before of the developer, but showcased in a ‘’best of’’ compilation. Not everything is grand, mind you. Enemy and obstacle placement is random, and one of its new inclusion Claw isn’t all that fun. Overall though, there is enough for you there to get many hours of enjoyment. - Daan Koopman

The Coma: Recut (Released December 21; $19.99

Not terribly far in but you play the game as Youngho, a high school student who is trapped in what seems like a nightmare after falling asleep while taking his final exam after pulling an all-nighter. A suicide had just happened at the school that morning and your teacher, Ms. Song, appears to be possessed and chases you around with a scalpel trying to kill you. So far it has mostly been a matter of trying to discover the places where you can hide and trying to piece together precisely what is happening and how you’re going to survive. - Justin Nation

The Deer God (Released December 21; $7.99

Playing as the soul of a former hunter who has been sent out to live as a deer, you can see what The Deer God is going for throughout. It’s just a pretty rough experience overall. Everything is dynamically generated and this works out pretty inconsistently in terms of quality and there are quite a lot of spots where things get a bit dull. With a mix of platforming and occasional puzzles, there are attempts at variety but as a whole I found it to be a confused mess in action. - Justin Nation

The Next Penelope (Released December 21; $12.99

''The Next Penelope isn't a racing game. It is an adventure game that happens to use racing as one of its core mechanics. There are many little things that you need to keep in mind to nail down a challenge. Strategy is the magical word here, and you shouldn't forget when the game throws you yet another curve. The journey is over before you know, which is a slight shame, as I was hoping for it skew a bit longer. Of course, it comes down to what a game does with its running time. In that respect, I couldn't be happier.'' - Daan Koopman (Check out the full review)

Tiny Troopers Joint Ops XL (Released December 21; $12.99

Having played a ton of pretty intense and mostly fast-paced twin-stick shooters on the Switch I was a bit taken aback at first at the much slower and more deliberate pace in Tiny Troopers. You will control a very small squad who stays in a tight formation as you work through a variety of missions looking to take out targets, rescue people… and sometimes survive against zombies. It reminds me a lot of games I reviewed while in the mobile space for the Shield tablet in terms of its design, unlock methods for upgrades, and overall pacing. While I think a more casual shooter audience could enjoy the challenge and progression hardcore shooter fans have been spoiled with an abundance of options on the Switch already so for them it is more likely a pass. - Justin Nation

Heart&Slash (Released December 22; $19.99

100 years after the Robopocalypse you’ll find yourself remade, initially as the robot Heart, trying to survive through a gauntlet of hostile robotic enemies. Dispatching of enemies will give you the ability to upgrade yourself or your gear to have more health, move more quickly, hit a bit harder, etc. The game has a roguelike quality as each time you die you’ll start over again and on each run you’ll likely find slightly different gear. Different weapons have different base attacks and combos which you’ll need to familiarize yourself with in order to figure out what is most effective against different kinds of foes. The fighting gameplay is fast, perhaps bordering on twitchy, so while there is an emphasis on dodging and defense from the in-game instruction it’s a bit tough to strategize since everything is happening so quickly. Making progress will eventually unlock better gear and even new base robots but for the moment it just seems like a 3D slashing brawler with roguelike elements of brutality. - Justin Nation