I want to see more competitors take on Madden because it pushes Madden to step up each year. While Axis Football 2026 includes some novel ideas, like an expanded franchise mode and an attempt to make the game feel more like a televised experience, it doesn’t do enough to fully pull it off. If developers want to go down that path, they need to execute and deliver a polished game. Otherwise, it becomes too easy to spot the issues when comparing it to Madden.

Platform reviewed:  Nintendo Switch 2 Also on:  Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam) Price: $7.99 One game that holds a special place in my heart is Bases Loaded. While we had NES Baseball and RBI Baseball on the NES, Bases Loaded felt like a move toward a more realistic baseball game. The player models were less cartoony, the presentation felt more TV-inspired, and the fact that players would rush the mound after getting hit by a pitch made it feel like something new. As a kid, it felt like we had...

Even with how difficult Flick Shot Rogues is, I had a really fun time with the game. After each run, I wanted to jump right back into the foray, hoping that the next attempt would be more fruitful or that I’d learn something from my previous run. The playing field can become crowded very quickly, which adds to the challenge, and the boss battles are pretty brutal. That said, pulling off a win feels great.