What we played—and what others think.
Hands-on reviews document actual play time and progress. Source-backed evidence remains clearly separated from firsthand opinion.
What we played
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
After about 20 unfinished hours, Rebirth has delivered wonderful characters, a strong story, and satisfying combat—but frequent crashes, visual glitches, open-world emptiness, and too much padding keep breaking its momentum. These scores remain provisional until the main story is finished.
Play 8.0Family 7.0Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
Fifty hours of excellent combat, meaningful progression, strong character development, and immersive presentation turned a story I once found merely okay into a world I wanted to keep exploring—even when its pacing dragged and its plot became confusing.
Play 9.0Family 6.5
What others think
Nintendo Switch 2
Bigger, faster, and far easier to live with—the Switch 2 improves nearly everything families touch, even if its LCD screen and battery life stop it short of feeling luxurious.
General 8.3Family 9.0Mario Kart World
Knockout Tour is a superb 24-racer pressure cooker and the handling remains immaculate. Free Roam is charming but thinner than the name “World” suggests.
General 8.6Family 9.5Donkey Kong Bananza
Nintendo turns destructible terrain into a toy box. The result is inventive, expressive, and almost always more fun when you ignore the obvious path.
General 9.1Family 9.2Split Fiction
A mandatory co-op adventure that changes genres before either player can settle in. Its teamwork is terrific; its Teen-rated blood, language, and crude jokes are not for every child.
General 9.0Family 7.4Street Fighter 6: Years 1–2 Fighters Edition
Modern controls make the first round approachable; an exceptional combat system makes the thousandth worth playing. Teen content and online spending need supervision.
General 8.7Family 6.8Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
The complete Night City experience surviving on a handheld is an achievement. Its excellent writing and dense role-playing arrive with graphic violence, explicit sexual content, nudity, drugs, and relentless language.
General 8.9Family 2.0The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Switch 2 Edition
Sharper resolution and smoother performance remove friction from Hyrule without changing its quiet, curious soul. The upgrade value depends on what you already own.
General 9.4Family 8.6Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Clever hardware demonstrations and bite-size quizzes make a friendly guided tour. Charging extra for it turns a pleasant curiosity into an awkward recommendation.
General 6.4Family 9.0