Nintendo Life's Scores

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For 5,857 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 45% higher than the average critic
  • 18% same as the average critic
  • 37% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 8 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 67
Highest review score: 100 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Lowest review score: 10 Lawnmower Game: Racing
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,261 out of 5857
  2. Mixed: 2,820 out of 5857
  3. Negative: 776 out of 5857
5865 game reviews
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    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Mugen Souls Z
    The good points of Mugen Souls Z are certainly there, but it does its best to keep them from you for entirely too long. With a tutorial that drags on for hours, a frustratingly repetitive plot, and walls of dialogue that feel endless, only the most dedicated fan will have the patience to enjoy the game. Unless you love grinding and crafting more than plot, this is probably one you should avoid.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Demetrios - The BIG Cynical Adventure
    While not a revolution in the point-and-click adventure genre, the crude humour and amusing story keep Demetrios feeling fresh and fun. While it won’t be to everyone’s tastes, if you’re a fan of cynical commentary and games that self-satirise, then you won’t go far wrong here.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Moonglow Bay
    We really wanted to like Moonglow Bay. It has the bones of a great fun cosy game: collectibles, a heartwarming story, fishing! Unfortunately, between the bugs, bland characters, and unnecessarily frustrating boss battles, the meat is a little thin. We enjoyed collecting the fish and restoring the town for a spell, but even the fun quests didn’t have the compelling pull of many other games. If you really love fishing in your cosy adventures, this could be worth dipping your toe in. But if you’re just in the market for a cosy game, there are plenty of fish in the sea.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time
    Raving Rabbids Travel in Time is another solid mini-game compilation offering funny flights of four-player fancy. Single-player is lacking and multiplayer is hampered by unnecessary toilet roll tethering, but get some agreeable people in the same room and this game can be fun for all the family.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Senran Kagura Burst
    Senran Kagura certainly has its issues - an inconsistent framerate, repetitive missions, and a sketchy, ecchi aesthetic that's likely to turn off as many players as it turns on - but it delivers an intoxicating blend of quick, combo-heavy combat that's an absolute blast to play.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Rad Rodgers: Radical Edition
    Rad Rodgers Radical Edition serves up a hefty slice of side-scrolling shooter action and Metroidvania-esque exploration. While the optimisation for Nintendo Switch has dulled its colourful looks, it's still an attractive looking little adventure that happily dances between a Pixar-esque art style and some classic 8-bit pixelation. The option to play in a kid-friendly mode does make this a little more palatable for younger players, but any game with Duke Nukem's involvement is always going to be aimed at the Conker's Bad Fur Day crowd. Ultimately, it's a fun but forgettable experience that will appeal to fans of the genre but won't leave a lasting impression.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Space Crew
    It’s quite a challenging game from the get-go, so anyone seeking a more relaxed experience would do better to look elsewhere, but Space Crew makes for a solid follow up to its predecessor. Though it retains Bomber Crew's flawed control scheme, it ultimately proves to be quite enjoyable, bringing some in-depth spaceship management to the table.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Punch Club
    Punch Club is an effective casual management sim with a well-observed 16-bit aesthetic, but its grindy hands-off mechanics soon start to grate. Here on Nintendo's flagship console, it just feels a little too remote and repetitive to be in with a genuine title shout.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Kersploosh!
    Don't let the small number of levels put you off: Splash or Crash is not a game to be played through once and put aside. It's an addictive, well-presented game that's all about honing your abilities with each of the unique objects to score the best times possible. Though we wish its leaderboards extended online as well, Splash or Crash comes well recommended.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Pokemon Friends
    In the end, even the fun puzzles began to grow stale after only a few hours of play as they're so quick to complete and pop up so often, which dampened my enthusiasm for unlocking Mudkip and Jirachi plushies to decorate my rooms with. I have no desire to boot up Pokémon Friends daily for a few quick puzzles like how I rip packs in TCG Pocket, leaving me with the sense that this puzzle package will fade into the background with other casual spin-off titles, forgotten about until the next Pokémon Direct that announces a handful more overpriced puzzle packs instead of Generation X.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition
    We suspect that some will purchase Minecraft for the New 3DS for the sake of having it on every platform, but it’s hard to see the audience that would buy this version instead of any of the superior versions available on other platforms, including both the Wii U and the Switch. While the 3DS’s touch screen does add some convenience, the trade-offs made to fit such a large game onto the New 3DS create a notable deficit. If you don’t have another platform on which to play Minecraft, New 3DS Edition is a good way to test the waters and sample the solo experience, but there’s so much more that this game has to offer elsewhere.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Galak-Z: Variant S
    Galak-Z: Variant S is a more focused and tighter experience than its forerunner, but one that offers surprising depth thanks to the often staggering upgrade opportunities on offer. By taking the freemium route developer 17-Bit Studios has been forced to introduce timers which can be overridden by spending actual cash, but these are thoughtfully deployed and even if you do decide to dig deep in your pocket, you'll still need considerable shooting skills to overcome the increasingly stern - if somewhat repetitive - challenge.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    NEOVERSE: Trinity Edition
    Neoverse Trinity Edition succeeds at being an enjoyable deck builder, but it does so in a way that's seemingly desperate to highlight its limitations. It runs embarrassingly poorly at times, and does almost nothing to ingratiate the player to its many systems, all of which must be puzzled out more or less from scratch. While this is far from ideal, it's not enough to totally kill the game's appeal. Robust strategy is both possible and necessary in order to progress much beyond even the second boss. If you vibe with Neoverse Trinity Edition, it'll last you a while. It's just very, very difficult to get to grips with this bizarre, confusing game.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Metal Torrent
    With only one real, fairly short game mode (the pattern randomization doesn't do that much, after all) and two ships catering to two very specific groups of players, Metal Torrent will only appeal to two types of people: those who are interested in bullet hell shooters but haven't actually played any, and those who are already highly skilled at them. Anybody inbetween should look elsewhere for their shoot-'em-up fix.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Teslapunk
    All told, Teslapunk is a very middling game. It has tight enough controls and fun shmup gameplay that has the potential to entertain for hours, but there's a lingering sense that this is a game too content to ride on the coattails of its superior predecessors, and it does so at the cost of forging its own identity. What we're left with is a game that's perfectly functional, but forgettable in nearly every way. If you really like shmup games and want to own a new one for the Wii U in particular, this may be worth a punt, but we'd otherwise recommend you take a pass.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Super Neptunia RPG
    Super Neptunia RPG actually has more in common with South Park: The Fractured But Whole than it does more traditional RPGs, simply because it takes systems that can often be a little too complicated and makes them far more palatable for players hoping for a more casual experience. Combat can often drift a little too far into the casual zone – especially with the ability to speed up battles – but the strength of its environmental design and the light-hearted nature of its quests helps this spin-off hold a lot more weight than some of the throwaway cash-ins that have graced PS Vita in recent years.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins
    LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins is an enjoyable game that features many of the hallmarks of a quality LEGO title – there's tons of content, a decently crafted campaign and some fun uses of the 3DS hardware. However, it's burdened by several technical issues that sap away at some of its appeal and prevent it from being the handheld blockbuster it could have, and should have, been.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    TurtlePop: Journey to Freedom
    TurtlePop: Journey To Freedom is an interesting first exclusive Switch offering from Zengami, but it's sadly lacking focus. There are several superior individual options of all the genres represented in this game already out in Switch's library, but if you do decide to take a plunge into this adventure, make sure you take someone along for the ride.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Giraffe and Annika
    It's a little ramshackle, but care and craft has gone into the making of Giraffe and Annika. There's nothing new here to speak of, but its disparate genres work well together and we had a good time unravelling the mysteries of Spica Island. A great game for kids and the young at heart, we're excited to see what developers Atelier Mimina do next.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove 3D
    But we expected more of this retail sequel to a WiiWare game, and it almost seems like this game gave up the ghost.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    KickBeat: Special Edition
    This isn't a title you'll likely still be playing years from now, but it's a surprisingly meaty experience, and if you're a music game addict or a huge fan of early '00s mainstream hard rock music, you'll love kicking these beats.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Pier Solar and the Great Architects
    If you can ignore the slow battle system, vapid story, and abysmal dialogue, Pier Solar's efforts may win your heart. If you've got no love for this genre, steer clear — this is one for enthusiasts only.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    LEGO Dimensions
    LEGO Dimensions is well worth consideration for those happy to invest in a new toys-to-life platform. The core content of the Starter Pack gives you plenty to do, though tolerance is required for occasionally overbearing in-game promotion of expensive add-ons.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Red Game Without A Great Name
    There is no shortage of quality games to play - covering a wide range of genres, styles and just about any other criteria you could ask for - in the Switch eShop library. Red Game Without a Great Name ends up being disappointing, then, as you'll likely become frustrated with its occasionally inconsistent touch-based controls, along with its initially cool but repetitive mechanic and devilish level design. It attempts to hide its flaws behind some stylish yet derivative silhouette designs and some pretty cool jazz tunes. In the end, though, we have an average game with a bad name.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Pokemon Quest
    Pokémon Quest is a fun little time waster that will satisfy your collect 'em all urges until the real deal launches on Switch in November. This is, for all extents and purposes, a free-to-play mobile game though, so you will have to splash the cash if you want to get the most out of it, but it's far from a money sink. You can get everything you need in a single purchase, or unlock most of it slowly by playing for free. It's one of the most generous freemium systems out there. Overall, it's a great jumping off point for new fans of the series, and the cutesy art style just might win over veterans. Give it a shot.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    METAGAL
    If you’re a rabid Mega Man fan, have already played all the main games to death, and are desperate for something to fill that void, Metagal is maybe worth your five bucks. Otherwise, we’d encourage you to save your money and put it towards something that’s more worth your time.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    MISTOVER
    Mistover follows too closely in the footsteps of a game that overshadows it in every possible way. Its combat is unspectacular and its dungeon-crawling suffers from a lack of atmosphere and a bunch of harsh gameplay systems that ensure you never really feel like you're relaxing into a rhythm, getting any sort of foothold or extracting any real or lasting joy from proceedings. If you're going to studiously pay homage to a game as expertly-crafted as Darkest Dungeon you'd best bring your A-game, and, unfortunately, in this instance, developer Krafton has failed to do that.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Tools Up!
    At its core, Tools Up is very endearing in its premise, and for the most part, it works pretty well. Sadly though, the controls just aren’t quite as responsive or intuitive as you’d hope, and you’ll find yourself slipping up – quite literally in some cases – frequently. Additionally, objects in close proximity cause confusion, and you’ll often pick up the incorrect object, resulting in a lot of wasted time. Nevertheless, if you’re after an alternative to Overcooked, then Tools Up offers up enough incentive to take the plunge, even if it doesn’t quite match up.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Road to Guangdong
    Road to Guangdong is a tough one to score, because what it does right – the character interaction and small-scale personal dramas – are engaging enough to be worth praise. It's just that the mechanical glue holding it all together is close to disastrous at times. As a result, we can't give it a recommendation without enough caveats to make it sound like a warning. You might like Road to Guangdong, but even if you do, you'll like it despite it doing its level best to push you away.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Muscle March
    As long as you’re not expecting a deep and rewarding gameplay experience, it’s tough to really go wrong with Muscle March. It's bizarre by design and kind of shallow, which may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if the idea of ludicrously muscular chases through walls tickles your funny bone then Muscle March is a great way to spend 500 Points.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    World's End Club
    World’s End Club has some good ideas and a lot of heart, but it ultimately doesn’t come together as anything particularly notable. Though World’s End Club looks and sounds great, the monotonous platforming sections and hit-and-miss storytelling really drag the overall experience down. We’d give this game a light recommendation to fans of visual novels, but otherwise you're better served playing the various better visual novels and puzzle platformers already on Switch. This is the very definition of ‘okay’.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Crystal Defenders R1
    While it isn’t necessarily as whole an experience as its brethren, Crystal Defenders R1 supplies enough value to be worth a download for fans of the ‘Tower Defense’ genre.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Raging Justice
    When played solo the game is perhaps a little too unforgiving to recommend to everyone, but when you rope in a second player it becomes one of the most enjoyable multiplayer experiences on Switch; working together to clean up the streets is fun, but you won't be able to resist occasionally stabbing your ally in the back, just for old time's sake.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Fatal Fury: First Contact
    On Switch, Fatal Fury: First Contact is forced to fend off worthy alternatives on two fronts as anyone interested in this title has probably already bought one of the more fully-featured Neo Geo Pocket fighters available on the eShop, and Hamster has provided a painstakingly accurate portable version of the game its based on as part of its Arcade Archives series, but that still leaves us with a fast-paced and fluid scuffle-'em-up that's easy to enjoy in short, commitment-free bursts, making it perfect for a quick round of lunch break gaming.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid
    Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid isn't some cheap tie into a quarter-century-old franchise – at least not in sense of its core mechanics and gameplay. With a smooth 60fps in all formats on Switch, lots of modes to play through and support for ranked and casual bouts online, it's a decent fighter, even without the licence. However, an ugly yet suitably contemporary approach to content accessibility leaves this game feeling frustratingly spartan to anyone who doesn't invest in a rolling number of ongoing season passes. This seems to be the way all fighting games are going – just look at Dead or Alive 6's awful DLC setup – but it's not a welcome direction.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars
    With fun characters, unique and engaging combat, a cute central conceit, and an irrepressibly cool soundtrack, Conception II is a bundle of JRPG joy.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle
    Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle certainly has some interesting elements - most notably its team-splitting mechanic and use of classical Japanese folklore - but thanks to the rigidity of its first-person dungeon crawling design it soon loses steam and you’re left exploring a vast castle full of dangerous yokai and unimaginative level design. It takes plenty of inspiration from those that came before it, but does little to innovate on its own merit.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy
    While its platforming mechanics are still a tad unpredictable at times – and the huge gaps between save points still rankle – Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy’s quality nonetheless shines through. Weaving melee combat, environmental puzzles and plenty of platforms with a fun and interesting take on Egyptian mythology, it’s an action-platformer that really holds up well, despite the years on its clock. Its camera might still be a bit rubbish, but with a new lick of HD paint, this is a hidden gem that deserves a little time in the limelight.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Undead Bowling
    Even though this zombie may be lacking a few limbs, that doesn’t mean it’s not capable of feasting on many hours of your life.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Xenoraid
    Although Xenoraid does nothing to shake up the genre, changing spacecraft in the heat of battle and using different weapons on the fly tries to add spice to an otherwise solid but unspectacular top-down shooter experience. The characters, dialogue and locations are neither varied nor dynamic enough to be very engaging, and the gameplay, while serviceable, will satisfy but certainly not impress anyone who has already played one of its ancestors or contemporaries, either on Switch or elsewhere.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Bite the Bullet
    Despite its flaws, Bite the Bullet is a fun experience that we’d recommend if you’re a fan of franchises like Metal Slug. The game looks gorgeous, and while we do take issue with the controls and gameplay, there’s just enough here to keep you entertained throughout the campaign. Just don’t blame us if you start feeling a bit hungry…
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Super Bomberman R Online
    Super Bomberman R Online joins many of its peers as the latest classic franchise to receive a battle royale twist. It’s not entirely successful, with technical issues including freezing during gameplay and awfully long waits to get into matches alongside a battle pass and microtransaction system that just doesn’t fit in with the nature of the game. Underneath all the added padding, however, is the same classic Bomberman gameplay that’s tweaked to fit 64 players, making it an experience that you should, at the very least, download and try out. It’s free Bomberman, after all.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Pure Chess
    It’s a shame, because Pure Chess is otherwise a well-made title with a lot of visual sheen behind it, and one in which it is fun to learn or practice chess. If your interest only extends to the latter, then Pure Chess is potentially a worthwhile investment, although you may be able to achieve the same goals with cheaper alternatives elsewhere.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship
    Heavily pixelated graphics, aggressive resolution scaling, scenery pop-in and an unreliable framerate all ensure that there are just too many barriers in the way of you freely enjoying the top-notch rally action.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    On Your Tail
    An engaging blend of life sim and detective mystery, On Your Tail has a wonderful setting and great characters. Unfortunately, the overall experience is bogged down by painful load times and debilitating technical issues. The game isn't a graphical powerhouse and the Switch is more than capable of maintaining a stable day in Borga Marina. Here’s hoping Memorable can patch in some improvements post-launch so that Diana’s search for inspiration feels less like a slog.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Heracles Chariot Racing
    Lacking any realistic sense of the story of Heracles, or the experience of chariot racing, this game would at first glance seem to be a disappointment. However, what we have instead is a passable Mario Kart clone that offers some new twists to its racing, some new battle mode levels to play with your friends, and ultimately a full PS2 game in one budget priced download.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Rayman 3D
    There are a few minor issues here and there, like the somewhat average visuals and a camera that doesn't always cooperate, but for the most part the game still manages to capture the majority of the magic from its earlier console days.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection
    At only a couple of bucks per game it’s hard to complain too much about this compilation, especially when there’s only really one stinker in the pack. If you aren’t a fan of classic arcade shoot ‘em ups then there isn’t really much for you here: you may want to hold fire and see if the upcoming Castlevania or Contra collections are more to your taste. If you like your schmups though, there are seven iconic vintage examples of the genre here and they perform flawlessly. You’ll still have a decent time playing through them all, even though the lack of online leaderboards, lack of high score saving and general lack of options certainly make its budget price feel justified.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Sling Ming
    Sling Ming is a polished game with rock-solid physics and smart puzzles, all shot through with a simple, endearing story and a catchy soundtrack. Difficulty is carefully balanced with addictive mechanics that reward perseverance, leaving a game that can stand proudly with the best indie offerings on the eShop.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Sinking City
    While it’s carried over its fair share of clunky elements in the transition to Nintendo's console, The Sinking City on Nintendo Switch is a fully-featured and mostly well-optimised port. The mixture of psychological horror and detective skills is a positive step beyond the developer’s previous work on Sherlock Holmes titles, and while its sanity mechanic doesn’t quite hold up to the likes of Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, and it's not without bugs, it offers an enjoyable if not particularly scary descent into madness and delirium.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Skully
    Skully isn’t an entirely lost cause. There’s an entertaining enough puzzle platformer hidden underneath its myriad visual flaws. It may be uglier than sin and you may be accompanied by an irritating voiceover throughout, but you’ll still have some fun playing through it and the plot does resolve itself in a nice way by the end. You'll just need to be able to roll with a lot of annoyances to get there.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Nikoli's Pencil Puzzle
    While Nikoli's only contains four activities, they're fun and diverse enough to make this a good collection, and with 600 puzzles total, they'll keep you satisfied for a long time.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Puzzle Monkeys
    Players willing to overlook the rough-and-ready packaging will find plenty of genuinely fun primate puzzling here.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Fallout Shelter
    Fallout Shelter is handsomely presented with a nice resource management loop that’s worthy of investigation, but it’s tough to recommend this version if you've got access to other platforms.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Root Letter: Last Answer
    If you’re new to visual novels, and curious, then go somewhere else first; Root Letter: Last Answer could put you off the genre for life. But if you’re a visual novel fan, you’ve played all the other interesting ones on the Switch and you absolutely cannot wait for another – and if you’ve considered maybe just going outside or watching TV or lying on the floor and staring at the ceiling and you still can’t wait for another – then you could take a look at Root Letter and just hope you find it so bad it’s good.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Big Pharma
    Big Pharma has a lot to offer for players who want a deep management simulator. There are a lot of systems to learn, and they take a long time to master if you want to succeed in the hardcore scenarios. The game goes further than the factory floor, bringing research, originator ingredients, and the min/max specification usually reserved for MMOs to the normal management experience. On Nintendo Switch the game suffers a little from awkward controls and text size, but the fact that a game of this scale works as well as it does on the platform eclipses its flaws once you're invested. In truth, running a global drug corporation on-the-go has never been more enjoyable, unless you’re losing money because all of your drugs cause headaches. Good luck.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Tilt Pack
    After a couple of passes through its four worlds, there's little if anything to keep you coming back. Even the single-player mode is merely a series of encounters with AI opposition and is really not worthy of sustained attention. Tilt Pack deserves credit for offering the kind of instant arena brawler thrills that anyone can partake in. But that comes at the expense of any lasting appeal.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Neon City Riders
    Neon City Riders promises an epic open-world action-adventure set in a vibrant '80s sci-fi world, but its action and writing are far too flat and clunky to back up its initial promise. It looks and sounds a treat in places, but lacklustre execution makes for a punishing, repetitive and confounding experience. Pull away that admittedly amazing pixel-heavy packaging and you've got a game that fails to make a lasting impression in any meaningful manner.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Seven Knights -Time Wanderer-
    Uninspiring, uninteresting and utterly unremarkable, Seven Knights: Time Wanderer is an extraordinarily tedious game that it’s hard to recommend to anyone but the most die-hard fans of its mobile counterpart — particularly given how many other top-quality RPGs the Switch plays host to. Even if you're an ardent follower of the franchise, we'd argue your money is much better spent elsewhere.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Poison Control
    Poison Control's story is cliché-filled but fun, and the tongue-in-cheek dialogue carries the game far further than its gameplay could manage alone. The writing can only make up for shallow game mechanics to a point, though, and ultimately shallow gameplay is what lets this game down. Visual novel fans will likely find more to enjoy here, but there's simply not enough gameplay depth or variety for fans of shooters.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Dead by Daylight
    It’s a straightforward and repetitive online affair that, if you're lucky enough to be matched with the right bunch of randoms or happen to be playing a custom match with friends, can deliver the goods in terms of frights and tension from time to time. However, it has also always been a pretty clunky affair, a fact which is amplified further here by the noticeable graphical downgrade, laggy menus and the exclusion of a bunch of DLC that we really feel should have been included for the steep asking price. Still, if you're a fan who wants a portable version to play on the go, this should satisfy your needs as long as you're happy to grind yourself back to where you were at and fork out for your favourite killers. For everyone else, this is the least impressive version of the game available to buy at its highest price.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Infini
    Infini is a deeply unusual spatial puzzler with an ingenious portal mechanic. Its rough, abstract art style and psychedelic storytelling won't be for everyone - or even for most people - but it deserves to be played and savoured as a genuine attempt to do something new.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Bobby Carrot Forever
    Bobby Carrot Forever is smartly designed and will keep you entertained and your wits at their sharpest for a long time, though some may grow tired of the admittedly limited gameplay. It's also a delight to look at and extremely accessible, so while it won't put you on cloud nine, this carrot stew is still quite tasty.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Sheltered
    If you like Fallout Shelter and you want something with a few less smiles and a few more painful deaths, Sheltered will tickle that morbid itch. Managing its multitude of interconnected systems requires a deft touch, and while its difficulty isn’t for the faint of heart, there’s a real sense of accomplishment in keeping your growing troupe of survivors alive for days on end. While not as effective as other forays into the well-trodden post-apocalypse, as well as being a victim of its own procedural generation at times, there’s still a morbid curiosity to its pixel art survivalism.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Ganryu 2: Hakuma Kojiro
    Ganryu 2: Hakuma Kojiro gives us one of the most mystifying pieces of software to hit the public domain in recent times. If it could muster even a stable 30 FPS, it would likely be a commendable arcade action adventure, featuring nice mechanics, stage variety, large bosses and pleasing graphics. Possibly, even, a highlight in its genre. As it stands, it’s so confusing a technical train wreck that we can barely make sense of why it's been released in this condition. Should a patch materialise that resolves these issues entirely you can add at least three points to our current score, but at present technical problems gravely undermine the positives.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    F1 Race Stars: Powered Up Edition
    This is a good game that has been ported sloppily, but is a tempting option for those that absolutely must have a new kart racing fix and can't wait for Mario Kart 8 to arrive on the grid.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Digimon World: Next Order
    Digimon World: Next Order is an open-world RPG that's too much of a grind to recommend. While the music and graphics have their charm, they’re totally overshadowed by the unbalanced difficulty, highly-repetitive training mechanics, and some very strange design choices. Unless you’re a die-hard Digimon fan with untold patience, this one is best left alone.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Lost Town: The Dust
    While it may not be the longest game ever, with the campaign being beatable in just around two hours, there is enough diversity in it to make it worth more than one playthrough. Priced at only 500 Points, this fun, intriguing and innovative game is one not to be left in the dust.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Jewel Master: Cradle of Egypt 2
    Cradle of Egypt 2 isn't a bad game because it doesn't deliver what it sets out to. In fact, aside from a few gameplay niggles and its rather basic visual style, the title is quite playable, and fans of the Match-3 genre will likely find it absorbing. The problem with it is that it's virtually a carbon copy of the games that precede it.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Gotcha Racing
    It distills the most complex elements of sim-style racers down into a simple, enjoyable formula that works on every level.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Ninja Shodown
    However you end up playing Ninja Shodown, it's unlikely that it will hold attention for more than a handful of rounds. The core mechanics are solid, the action is relatively fast and fun - especially in four player mode on a big screen - and it can be rather entertaining. However, the difficulty spikes and lack of depth in single player, coupled with the lack of modes, no online and minimal options in multiplayer, ultimately make the game little more than a brief but fun time filler. It's becoming more and more apparent that party games like this need more meat on the proverbial bone to stand out, and in this respect Ninja Shodown struggles to make its mark.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Ramp
    For its relatively low price, The Ramp does control reasonably well, and although the range of tricks on offer is undoubtedly quite limited, there's plenty of fun to be had here if you're not bothered about gaining scores or doing tasks like collecting S-K-A-T-E tokens. If you're after something a bit meatier, then you'll be better off going for something like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2, or OlliOlli World, but The Ramp does have a certain minimal charm which we enjoyed.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Wrath: Aeon of Ruin
    Ultimately, how much you vibe with Wrath: Aeon of Ruin will come down to how willing you are to put up with the limitations imposed on you by playing it on a controller, how much you vibe with the save system, and how much you like its level design. There’s a very good, incredibly ambitious shooter here if you’re willing to overlook some unfortunate flaws, but it’s not Quake, and nothing likely ever will be again.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed
    We'd always rather see something aim high and fall short than settle for another dime-a-dozen action/platforming experience, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed certainly sits closer to the former. A Heartful of Games has made some noble swings here and some of them pay off - heck, nobody expected the Persona mission structure in this TMNT game. Unfortunately, all this ambition is overshadowed by performance issues that make even its most approachable elements feel like a chore. It's a fine welcome for younger fans keen to kick some shell after watching Mutant Mayhem, but this joint requires some serious scrubbing if it is to live up to its big-screen counterpart.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Deiland: Pocket Planet Edition
    Deiland: Pocket Planet Edition is a good-enough-for-now game to tide over Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon fans, but its insistence on drip-feeding you content on its own schedule misses the "self-sufficiency" angle that its predecessors nailed.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Georifters
    Georifters has good ideas on paper but ultimately, it all feels rather tedious. If you’re searching for new kid-friendly multiplayer games, there are better experiences available and at a lower cost, making this hard to recommend by comparison. Should those options already be exhausted, Georifters does have some fun moments within its Adventure Mode co-op while the Battle Arena mode offers competitive fun. But ultimately, those seeking a new puzzle-platforming fix would be better off looking elsewhere.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH!
    For that low entry price you still get a polished, easy to control golf game with short, quickly consumable challenges that lend themselves nicely to portable hardware.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Phantom Trigger
    Sometimes brilliant, sometimes flawed, Phantom Trigger is a game that could have been one of the best releases on the Switch eShop to date, but is let down by a lack of new ideas. Whilst being a rather tough game difficulty-wise, many players will find fun in the easy-to-pick-up combat system, beautiful aesthetics and gripping story, but will likely find themselves getting bored after a while thanks to seeing the same enemy hundreds of times. It's a good game overall, once the pros and cons are weighed up, so it is certainly worth considering.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Eduardo the Samurai Toaster
    While not perfect, it provides a fun experience for multiple players, plus one of the best presentations any Wiiware title to date has received.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Crimsonland
    Progressing the twin stick shooter genre is no easy task, and Crimsonland makes a mechanically valiant if visually lethargic attempt. There are the foundations of a great game here - the moment to moment gameplay is a basic yet guilty pleasure of relentless, gratuitous violence, and the perk system and weapons within a level are consistently and immensely rewarding to use. While the action is ludicrous, fun, dumb and obnoxiously brash, the game is let down by its bland presentation, repetitive and uninspired quest mode and non-existent level design. It hides what is, at its core, an addictive and sadistically entertaining experience.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Nightmare Boy
    Nightmare Boy throws a whole heap of platform-adventure ideas at the wall, but only a few of them manage to stick. It's a Metroidvania with a distinctive style all of its own, but there are some glaring issues with its narrative, controls, pacing and performance. If you're after something completely different in the platformer category and have a high frustration threshold, however, there's a certain amount of quirky fun to be had here.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    One Strike
    One Strike is a truly unique, 'pure' video game. For the asking price, you get a rather fresh take on the one-on-one fighting genre and it can quickly become your go-to game when you are in need of a break between other more complex games or just need a quick burst of intensive reflex exercise. Find a group of like-minded players to play it with you and it becomes your current best, most efficient option to ruin friendships on the Switch (at least until Super Mario Party is released). Grab it without fear and then... either strike or die. There are literally no other options.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    LEGO 2K Drive
    Lego 2K Drive is a racing game that so nearly reaches its potential, but it steps on a few stray bricks along the way. The core driving feels good, the Story mode has plenty to do, and the creation tools are legitimately impressive. However, it's let down by technical shortcomings, a lack of sharing options, and somewhat slimy monetisation. The foundations of a really great arcade racer are here, but poor optimisation in this Switch version and certain design decisions mean it's unlikely to overtake the competition.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Disney Universe
    Disney Universe plays it safe in nearly every way, and that's a problem.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    REYNATIS
    It would be one thing if Reynatis was a decent enough action RPG to turn your brain off to and enjoy some simplistic, button-mashy battles with. The problem is that the creators behind this title so obviously wanted it to be more than that, but it doesn’t have the writing quality, the technical spectacle, or the mechanical depth to make it happen. Just like its co-lead Marin, Reynatis’ single-minded ambition to reach greater heights unveils its greatest weaknesses — a sense of aimlessness and a general apathy toward its own fantastical world. If you believe you can still find some enjoyment in Reynatis despite its failings, it might be worth a shot. Unfortunately, the performance deficiencies of this Switch release make it a game that’s best played on just about any other console you have available. With plenty of other great action RPGs out on the market, you have to wonder if it’s worth the trouble.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Asphalt 9: Legends
    Asphalt 9: Legends is a free and surprisingly fun arcade racing game with mobile microtransaction free-to-play gubbins that could potentially ruin the experience for you, unless you’ve played enough mobile games to know how to ignore it. The reasonably priced Starting Racer Pack significantly lessens their impact, making it feel more like a ‘normal’ premium product, so if you try the free version and enjoy it, this – and this alone – is the sole purchase you should consider.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Robocalypse: Beaver Defense
    This is a fun tower defence game with enough unique features and strategic elements to keep it interesting and a sense of humour to set it apart from its competitors.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Ultra Hyperball
    Ultra Hyperball presents itself as the sport of the future, but in reality it’s about as enthralling as a simple game of catch or kick the can. Springloaded pushed the boundaries of what you can do with hitting a ball really high, but that’s not saying a whole lot in the grand scheme of things. After a few matches you’ve a lot of what it has to offer and, even with the presence of multiplayer, it just isn’t engaging enough to keep anyone’s interest for very long. While there’s a place for simple pick-up-and-play games on the Switch, Ultra Hyperball is one that perhaps belongs on the sidelines.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Arkanoid DS
    Arkanoid DS disappoints in so many ways. Even with a retail price of $19.99, the game is just not worth picking up. If you're looking for a great remake of a classic arcade game, then pick up Taito's other retro remake - Space Invaders Extreme.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden
    No online modes and a lacklustre character roster are a punch to the gut of Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden, but the day is saved by an accessible and fast paced combat system that houses an enjoyable amount of depth.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Airoheart
    Airoheart is a passable game, but hardly one we would recommend you rush out to buy unless you simply cannot get enough of the 2D Zelda formula. It follows A Link to the Past's template so closely that it could never be classed as 'bad', but in a crowded market of homages, tributes, and variations on the theme, it does very little to stand out. We would suggest you pick this up only after you’ve played through A Link to the Past, the Link’s Awakening remake, and both the Blossom Tales games, and you still don’t feel you’ve gotten enough of that specific brand of top-down gameplay. Airoheart provides an adequate adventure, and for $40 at the time of writing, we simply expect more.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    RemiLore: Lost Girl in the Lands of Lore
    RemiLore proves itself to be a well-made and inoffensive loot grind of an RPG; consider giving this one a look.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Game & Wario
    Despite the number of single player games indicating otherwise, Game & Wario isn't at its best when played alone — with multiple willing participants it's a hoot and, while it doesn't match up to Nintendo Land as Wii U's premier multiplayer experience, it certainly has its share of games that you're going to want to play again and again.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Samurai Warriors Chronicles
    Things like the touchscreen map should have opened up the opportunity to plan out strategies and position troops about the battlefield, but your allies never live up to your demands, and organising a strategy is rendered useless by the idiotic AI. There are a lot of missed opportunities here, as strategic troop planning could have added a lot of depth to the title.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed
    Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed is a button-mashy, overly simplistic fighter that's aimed at young kids but doesn't even manage to lift its game enough to satisfy a junior audience on any level outside of very basic fan service. There's a serious lack of modes or variety here, especially for the not-insignificant price tag, and what is included is let down by a lazy story mode and some shockingly simple enemy AI. Serious Zoids fans may derive some fleeting pleasure from seeing their favourite characters battle it out, but, for everyone else, this is a mega-hard sell and a fighter that absolutely fades into insignificance when compared to other examples of its genre.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Wii Play: Motion
    The 12 titles on offer in Wii Play Motion surpass their predecessor in creativity but are just as mediocre in their simplicity and limitedness.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    BRAWL
    If you’re interested in a horror-inspired Bomberman clone with shaky movement, non-distinct stages and a toned down freneticism BRAWL might just pique your interest. For the rest of you looking for a party/combat game there are other, more solid feeling, options out there including but not limited to Switch's own Super Bomberman R.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Aka
    In Aka, you get to be a cute hero in a pretty landscape, taking naps and strolling through trees. So dreamy! It’s just a shame the game has launched with this many bugs. The frequent stalling of progression and basic tasks is a little wearisome and players need a little more paw-holding to grasp the objectives. At this stage we’d recommend waiting for a few more patches, then playing the game in all its fluffy glory. That way, you get to soak up a red panda’s life of luxury. Who wouldn’t want that?
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Binaries
    Binaries is a decent puzzler that is definitely worth the time of players who can’t resist having a ‘100%’ icon plastered over their save file and enjoy speed-running through dangerous levels. It doesn’t tend to innovate past its main theme, though – instead relying on more obstacles, spikes and guns to make things trickier. If you’re desperate for a puzzle game that will have you trying to complete levels over and over again (before feeling a huge amount of satisfaction when you finally complete one you’ve been stuck on), then this may well be for you.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Remastered Edition
    Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition is the kind of game that will unfortunately only appeal to a relatively limited demographic. Enjoyable co-op chaos with your friends is the main draw here, but the lack of same screen or even local Switch multiplayer substantially hobbles that appeal. Couple that with simplistic gameplay that fails to provide you with much of a hook to stay with it long term, and you’re left with a rather middling experience that doesn’t do much to incite strong feelings one way or another. Newly remastered graphics and extra content certainly sweeten the deal, but we’d advise you take a good look at why you’re interested in this game before jumping in. If you intend on mostly playing solo, we’d firmly advise you to pass and instead look to the litany of other excellent solo RPG’s on the Switch, many of which are in the Final Fantasy series. If you intend on getting a new multiplayer game to play with your mates, we’d give this a light recommendation and encourage you to evaluate how much playtime you really think this will offer. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition is far from being the worst co-op focused game on the Switch, but it’s far from the best, too, leaving it somewhere in the middle of the pack.
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