Nintendo Life's Scores

  • Games
For 5,862 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 Horace
Lowest review score: 10 Lawnmower Game: Racing
Score distribution:
5870 game reviews
    • 54 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A strange yet endearing tale of sheep traveling through parallel universes is an unexpected treat. Whilst the theme doesn’t dominate play, its inclusion brings enough gravitas to make every move count. Though the absence of multiplayer and optional touch controls is questionable, the price paid is nothing to squawk at due to a well-thought out single player experience that is potentially endless. Shephy is delightfully addictive, with a dark undertone that shares some realism with society’s treatment of sheep. Above all Shephy teaches you that “if you leave one wolf alive, the sheep are never safe…”
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    With Farming Simulator having no-showed Switch in 2018, it falls to Spintires: MudRunner - American Wilds to fill that very niche gap. While it’s still got some frustrating design faults that have carried over from the previous version, Saber Interactive has kept the core experience intact. The addition of the lush and verdant American wildness helps break up the dreary back roads of Russia, and whether you’re delivering logs on your own or fixing and refilling trucks in multiplayer, there’s a bizarre yet moreish satisfaction to be had. Now, when are we getting Euro Truck Simulator 2 on Switch?
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Soundfall is interesting and original, but stumbles in its execution. The marriage of rhythm gameplay with a twin-stick shooter is a rocky one, and it’s hard not to think this would be a stronger game overall if it were focused solely on either the shooting or the rhythm elements. It can work harmoniously, but also causes frustration when its two halves pull you in different directions. Yet despite its clumsy moments, we’d still give Soundfall a solid recommendation, as its diverse and catchy soundtrack, RPG-esque character progression, and high replayability make this one easy to love. It maybe could’ve used more practice, but Soundfall overall delivers a strong performance.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Gamers who aren't artistic or don't like the childish aesthetic should stay away, while the repetitive exploration segments and control issues are negatives for anyone.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Alien Hominid Invasion's setup won't appeal to everyone. We were disappointed to find the mission objectives recycle far too often, and their random nature seems to rob the stages of any real individuality. But in terms of its handling, execution, and additions, Invasion feels much superior to the original. And, while ultimately repetitive, its chaos is fun for brief single and multiplayer arrangements, and we enjoyed dipping in for a quick bout of raucousness.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Darksiders: Warmastered Edition is a faithful port of the original that brings every slash of Chaoseaster and every bloody execution to Nintendo Switch in all its glory. While still the inferior entry in the Darksiders trilogy, this first outing is still a robust action-platformer full of satisfying melee combos, open-ended levels and a suitably over-the-top story. Easily one of the most underrated franchises to appear in the previous generation, Darksiders is a solid port that finally unleashes the Apocalypse in handheld form.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Fun while it lasts, Pazuru is a solid little addition to the 3DS puzzler library and is definitely worth a look.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A solid début for the GO sub-series, if not a stand-out, it scores a narrow, extra time win in its quest to maintain the standards that fans of outrageous football have come to expect. Well played, Level-5.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Cooking Mama 5 isn’t the deepest or freshest experience around — it’s an iterative rather than innovative entry in a series whose core concept of stylus-based cooking gameplay remains the same as ever — but for the right audience it’s a whole lot of fun.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The slightly uneven middle child of the trilogy still boasts excellent performance, myriad control options and a crisp soundscape that shines on Switch.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Slower paced than many shmups, Pulstar is still fun to play through as you avoid enemy attacks, take shots at your attackers and look for an opportunity to unleash a charged attack. Despite some elements blending into the background on occasion and moments of slowdown, the visuals in the game are well done. The music is great and enhances the experience greatly. A detachable pod would be a good option to add some choice to how you tackle the challenge and too often you must rely on memorisation to get through the dangers, but nevertheless Pulstar remains an tough yet enjoyable retro offering.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If you're looking for a challenging, thought-provoking puzzler for your 3DS, Delusions is a solid choice.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Skydrift Infinity provides solid, enjoyable arcade-style racing action and delivers it at a silky 60 frames per second. What's there is great fun, but with only six tracks and one single-player mode it's not long before you've seen all it has to offer.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Squids Odyssey is the same charming package you might have played before. If you’re a fan of the series, this Switch edition truly is the definitive way to experience it. It does lose touch controls when played docked, but this is an understandable design limitation of the core gameplay and far from a deal-breaking proposition. If this is your first time meeting old Winnick and his gang, you’re in for quite a treat.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A solid début for the GO sub-series, if not a stand-out, it scores a narrow, extra time win in its quest to maintain the standards that fans of outrageous football have come to expect. Well played, Level-5.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Full of creativity and enjoyable moments, this is worthy of booting up that Wii U.
    • 48 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Cubit the Hardcore Platformer Robot is an honestly titled game that delivers a charming and fun, albeit frustratingly difficult, experience.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Apart from some mind-boggling decisions in terms of difficulty, lilt line is a pretty smart buy. Just don't expect to return to it as frequently as you do the adventures of Commander Video.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A decent start. The microtransactions aren’t massively intrusive, the energy system isn’t too debilitating and the stages aren’t Candy Crush Saga-style efforts where it’ll take you 70 goes to get lucky enough to eventually clear them. These are all qualified by the word “yet”, though, and that’s the thing to bear in mind as this game evolves on a fortnightly basis. It’s yet to be established whether this is the sort of mobile game that lulls you in with a false sense of security and then, later down the line, hits you with ridiculously difficult stages that will almost certainly need power-ups to clear (we see you, Dr. Mario World). For now, though, we’re happy.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It's not going to set the world alight but if you have even a passing interest in exploring the stars, and have always been frustrated by light pollution and cheap telescopes, this is well worth a shot.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Choosing between download passes or this compilation is down to individual preferences and budget, but those keen to try all five sports in the most convenient way should certainly consider the disc-based route.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Immortals Fenyx Rising tries to capture lightning in a bottle with its Breath of the Wild-inspired gameplay, but ends up being more of a lightning thief; it's not as nice to look at and the puzzles aren't as satisfying. Still, the combat is fun, the storytelling is excellent and, despite not being anywhere near as polished as Nintendo's 2017 effort, it certainly does a passable impression. If you crave more Zelda and don't mind the off-brand version, go for it, but if for some reason you still haven't played Breath of the Wild, then that's the game to go for.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Although it'll seem like another pointless DSiWare application to most, myNotebook offers a very simple feature that should've been included on the DSi in the first place. And there's really no arguing with that, especially considering the fact it's only 200 DSi Points - the cheapest price possible.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    At the very least, Glory of Heracles is yet another enjoyable title to add to the ever-increasing DS line of RPGS and that's certainly not a bad thing.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The gameplay and tone of Company of Heroes hold up wonderfully more than two decades after its initial release, but the lack of any multiplayer options a launch makes Company of Heroes Collection feel sadly incomplete. The updated controls take some getting used to but still let you feel like a general moving their troops across the fields of Europe. Even with these flaws, though, this game is well worth investing in if you’re an RTS fan looking to step back into a classic title. Fingers crossed for the planned multiplayer update.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Like the Great Elevator which takes you from beach to garden to mountain, Promenade unites several game elements you know and love in a way that still feels fluid. All this opens up a world that we were itching to explore. The collectathon gameplay is addictive, and the routes and puzzles are rewarding to complete. It might not elevate the genre, and it's not without faults or difficulty spikes, but that’s okay with us because most of what it does stacks up.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    SaGa Emerald Beyond has a deep and satisfying combat system that gets its hooks into you from the jump. There's a lot of narrative content across its five adventures, as well as a diverse collection of characters, but very little that truly grips the attention.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Like the petri dish in which it takes place, Escape the Virus: Swarm Survival is shallow, but there's fun to be found. It's quick, hectic and has that "one more try" quality that makes for a good on-the-go game. It's let down by slightly lacklustre presentation and having no way to compare your high scores with friends, and the difficulty is artificially inflated by the small screen resolution, but for 200 Points these are quibbles. If the concept appeals to you and you enjoy beating your own records, you'll have a good time surviving this swarm.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The hand-drawn artwork is charming, if occasionally clunky. The aesthetic recalls Return to Monkey Island in its stylised interpretation of the ScummVM-powered heyday. Animation can feel stiff at times, and when the camera zooms in too close, the art does not always hold up under scrutiny. That being said, Simon the Sorcerer: Origins is a solid return for a beloved series, and the developers at Smallthing Studios seem more than capable of carrying on these magical adventures.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If you're at all a Wipeout junkie, then by all means take the plunge - you'll have a blast with Create & Crash.

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