Nintendo Life's Scores

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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:
  1. Positive: 2,261 out of 5862
  2. Mixed: 2,825 out of 5862
  3. Negative: 776 out of 5862
5870 game reviews
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    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    TT Isle of Man: Ride On The Edge 2
    While Milestone’s two-wheeled efforts offer a more polished two-wheeled simulation experience, Kylotonn’s latest addition to the genre is still a recommended purchase for hardcore superbike superfans. The overall improvements to the handling model make taking on the legendary Isle of Man TT course a far more rewarding experience than previous attempts, while the improved Career mode makes the build-up to that infamous race far more agreeable to less experienced riders. While it’s still very rough around the edges in terms of presentation, Isle Of Man TT - Ride On The Edge 2 is still a far smoother ride than the original and another decent addition to Switch’s growing motorbike repertoire.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    BAFL: Brakes Are For Losers
    Brakes Are For Losers has some interesting ideas, but the entire package simply does not match the quality of certain other recent releases on the Switch eShop under this same genre. As marketable as the multiplayer is, it doesn’t override the fact that the game still lacks a certain sense of satisfaction you would normally expect when playing a top-down arcade racer. Before considering this, maybe look at any other options that are available.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Way Remastered
    It’s a poignant story with beautiful visuals and intricate puzzles, but your enjoyment will depend very much on your temperament. The Switch version is the pick for newcomers, though it’s hard to recommend if you’ve already played on another platform. Provided you’re comfortable with its slow, cerebral pace and can overlook the stiff remnants of its influences, there is much to enjoy here.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Samurai Defender: Ninja Warfare
    Samurai Defender: Ninja Warfare may not bring anything new to the table among the castle defence genre, but it does so in a charming feudal Japanese cartoon wrapper. Despite not setting the video gaming world ablaze (unlike the poor fools rushing at your door) anyone looking to blissfully slaughter wave upon wave of enemy cannon fodder soliciting at your castle gate need not look further.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The Lost Child
    The Lost Child is a JRPG with a number of quirky and interesting elements, not least of which is its Pokémon-like monster capture system. However, its dungeon crawling underpinnings are just too dull and repetitive, and its narrative approach too stilted to draw in anyone but die-hard fans of the genre. Even then, you'll need to come prepared to grit your teeth and grind.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Megaton Rainfall
    Created by a one-person team based out of Madrid, Megaton Rainfall is, at the very least, a technical marvel. It’s very much comparable to No Man’s Sky; an indie hit that wows with its sheer scale and the breadth of its ambition. But much like Hello Games’ oft-maligned space explorer, this superhero simulator struggles to maintain the impressive impact of its first hour, or live up to the lofty heights of those dangerously high ambitions.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    STAY
    STAY is a very unusual experience. Its unique approach to tracking time and using it as an influential factor on a character’s well-being makes it the kind of game you really need to try, but it’s one that comes with enough caveats that might make it less appealing to certain Switch owners. However, with some well-written dialogue, a mysterious house that keeps getting stranger and all manner of narrative paths, items, rooms and endings to unlock, there’s plenty here to warrant repeated plays. Just don’t nod off while you’re playing, or wander out of the house.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Brief Battles
    Brief Battles is a raucous little game that provides another option for Switch players looking for some decent four player, local multiplayer party times. It's easy to pick up and - owing to that clever mix of pant-powers, environmental obstacles and unique style of traversal - has a level of depth that introduces a pleasing amount of tactics for dedicated players. It's also priced really reasonably so is well worth taking a punt on if you're regularly inundated with friends wanting to get some couch co-op action on the go.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Cat Girl Without Salad: Amuse-Bouche
    With a very short runtime, those familiar with the shoot-em-up genre might not get a lot out of this game. We think this reflects quite well in its price, however, and for a game that started life as an April Fool’s joke, it’s actually very accomplished. If you’re up for a few laughs, definitely give this one a go; it’s a great start to what could potentially be a highly enjoyable, lasting franchise.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Dr. Fetus' Mean Meat Machine
    Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine doesn’t meet the standard that Super Meat Boy set, but it’s a serviceable puzzler that does bring something new to the genre. Appealing visuals and tight controls are positives here, though these are balanced out by the often excessively punishing difficulty and the lack of multiplayer or other modes. We’d give this one a light recommendation if you’re tired of falling block puzzlers treading the same ground and want to try something that stands out from the pack. Otherwise, we’d suggest sticking with games like Mixolumia and Lumines Remastered.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Felix the Cat
    NES enthusiasts, parents looking for an approachable retro game for their kids, and anyone with nostalgic sentiments toward Felix the Cat will find something to enjoy here – all the better if it’s on sale. This relatively sparse package boasts little else than two versions of the same hour-long, three-decade-old game, making it hard to justify at its full price point.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Total Chaos
    With a patch or two, this one could be worth investigating, but for now, maybe stick to other platforms.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light
    It’s difficult to land on a fitting score for Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light. On one hand, historical context is vital and you can’t expect too much out of a thirty-year-old game. On the other hand, granting a generous score to a title as fundamentally flawed as this would be dishonest; by modern standards, it’s really not a good game anymore. Considering the low cost of entry and the inclusion of new features, we’d say it’s probably worth a look for long time Fire Emblem fans who are curious how it all began. If you don’t fall into that category, we’d encourage you to look into more modern games for your strategy gaming fix.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Sonic: Lost World
    If dealing with frustration to reach high points is an acceptable sacrifice of your gaming time then this is worth strong consideration, but be under no illusions — this isn't the definitive Sonic experience we may have desired.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Pokemon Masters EX
    Pokémon Masters is a solid mobile release, and perhaps one of the most well-realised Pokémon mobile titles to date – especially in terms of presentation Sadly, the lack of any competitive element and little to do other than grind between events and story addition mean that it’s not entirely clear if the game will have the staying power required to keep people interested beyond the first few months. Still, the potential for character crossover in this game is unparalleled, and hopefully, it won't be squandered.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Windbound
    Windbound is most certainly not the Zelda-lite adventure that you may have expected it to be, but it still manages to pull off an impressively well-made survival experience that’s fun to roam around in for a few hours. The open-ended progression, pleasing art style, and relaxing pace make this one an easy recommendation for fans of the survival genre, though it’s held back from greatness due to issues with repetition. Still, it’s tough to go wrong with what’s on offer here; you might want to give this one a look.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Let's Catch
    Through and through, this is a fastball on Sega’s part and one that many gamers are going to want to avoid.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD
    Back in the day, we gave the Wii version a crushing 4/10 score and said ‘if the controls were good then you could double the score’. Little did we know that over a decade later, our words would ring (almost) true. With more usable controls you can finally enjoy this batch of 100 levels for what they are, but the wider game is let down by weird leaderboard decisions and those lacklustre mini-games. The best monkey-in-a-ball game since Super Monkey Ball 2, sure, but not quite a return to the series heyday.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Kona
    Kona is a walking simulator that makes an admirable attempt to increase the usual level of interactivity and player agency. While not all of those attempts pay off, and it suffers from some disappointing technical issues, it remains a highly absorbing and atmospheric adventure-survival experience.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Mosaic
    A barbed look at today's society that lacks an end-product of sorts, Mosaic is a short experience that seems content with telling us what's wrong with our lives without really going any further than that. There's a vital message trapped within the game somewhere, but it never quite gets out, and the experience ends up being depressing rather than entertaining. That might have been what the developer was going for, but ultimately, it doesn't make for a particularly interesting video game.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Torchlight III
    Torchlight III is the sort of game that we can only describe as genre filler. It does absolutely everything that you would expect of an ARPG, and it often does these things extremely well, but it also doesn’t do anything particularly interesting or revelatory. Those of you that love a good ARPG will find plenty to love here, then, just don’t come into it expecting to be blown away by anything on offer. And while we’d sooner recommend that interested newcomers jump on Diablo III for their first experience, it’s pretty tough to go wrong with Torchlight III. Despite some of its shortcomings, Torchlight III is a rewarding experience that we’d say is certainly worth your time.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Azur Lane: Crosswave
    Azur Lane: Crosswave is a game that was best left on smartphones. The visual novel sequences are perfectly fine, and the story itself – while utterly bonkers – is interesting enough to keep you engaged, while the characters are both charming and unique. Sadly, the naval combat sequences bring down the entire experience. They’re slow, repetitive, rarely require much strategic thought, and look incredibly bland all at once. This is a game for hardcore fans of the genre only; everyone else ought to look elsewhere for their naval combat needs.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    YIIK: A Postmodern RPG
    YIIK: A Postmodern RPG is a dazzling explosion of stylistic presentation and compelling strangeness. This might go down as “EarthBound for a new generation,” and much like EarthBound, the quality is difficult to score, since it is based less on the precision of design and more on an intangible, heartfelt payoff. While some gamers may not see anything special going on here, YIIK will likely really resonate with some players. If a Weird Stuff RPG appeals to you, strap in and prepare for a wild ride. Surreal themes aside, if you’re simply looking for an RPG experience on the Switch with far-out visuals, YIIK should satisfy your turn-based desires.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
    Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed on 3DS tries to emulate the terrific offering on Wii U, with what seems like a disregard of its platform.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Titan Attacks!
    There is fun to be had in Titan Attacks while it lasts, but with a fairly high entry price (at the time of review) it's reasonable to hope for a little more content and polish - a competent player will easily see everything on offer in just a few hours play.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy+
    Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy+ is a minor and slightly cheeky update - despite Nintendo planes and amiibo support it's certainly not worth a double dip for those with the original.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Real Crimes: Jack the Ripper
    For those who enjoy the hidden object genre, Jack's a darkly fun experience with lots of replay value and a good amount of difficulty variation.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Taito Milestones
    There may not be many games in here, but they do cover a broad range of genres and most of them are still great fun to play today. It's just a shame Switch owners have already had access to the majority of them, with the exact same features, for years already. The glaring lack of any extra features make it hard to appreciate the significance of the more obscure or basic titles unless you're prepared to go off and do some homework, and there are some very obvious milestones missing for no reason other than it allows Taito to make more money by splitting the games across multiple collections.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Dragon Quest
    Unfortunately, the technical issues and art do take away enjoyment from playing this otherwise fantastic retro throwback. While diehard fans of the series may enjoy it, a more casual player might be a little bit lost when faced with its 30-year old design.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Stela
    Stela is a platform-puzzler that's quite clearly been made in Inside's (and indeed Limbo’s) image. It's a serviceable approximation of Playdead's work, with a beautifully strange world and even a couple of neat ideas of its own. But it fails to immerse you in its world in quite the same way courtesy of some unfortunate flat spots.
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