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
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    While ultimately less accessible than the likes of Wargroove (which taps into that Nintendo-centric DNA of Advance Wars far better), Battle Worlds: Kronos does a decent job of bringing a more complex and challenging take on turn-based hex strategy. The reinforcements system makes this far less ‘hard’ than its tutorials would have you believe, although it’s a much purer experience without them. The lack of online multiplayer support stings, but it’s balanced out by a hotseat local version. Its overly long mission structure doesn’t lend itself to short bursts of play, but for those looking for something suitably meaty in the strategy department will find plenty to enjoy.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It’s a testament to the quality of Turok 2: Seeds of Evil and the great enhancements made by Nightdive Studios that this remaster is still an essential chapter of FPS history – more so than its rough-around-the-edges predecessor. Every gun still feels incredible, every level still looks unique in its design and the bosses and enemies are still a riot to hunt down and slay. But the bizarre amputation of the game’s multiplayer modes renders the Switch version painfully incomplete. Until support for multiplayer is patched in or addressed in some shape or form, we’re forced to give this N64 classic a score it doesn’t deserve.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If you’ve been curious about the property, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? - Infinite Combate is a good way to get involved, as it allows you to explore the first season of the anime and some supplementary material in an enjoyably interactive manner. Series veterans will also appreciate the opportunity to “date” their favourite characters in the Extra mode as both Bell and Ais, and the array of beautiful artwork and fun events to unlock provides good incentive for continued engagement — as does the progression system, which only really shows its depth once you’ve cleared the story. It’s just a bit of a shame the game feels like it was developed on the cheap; it’s likely some will find the simplistic dungeon graphics in particular somewhat off-putting. If you can look past that, though, this is a good adaptation of a well-loved series, with plenty of content to keep you busy in the long term.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    RWBY: Arrowfell is a fine enough game, but it also feels like the kind of thing you might’ve discovered on Newgrounds back when Flash games were popular. Elements like the shallow combat and tacked-on skill point system don’t feel properly fleshed out, and repetitive environments and bland level design tend to get tiresome as the campaign wears on. We’d give this game a light recommendation if you’re a big fan of Wayforward’s other work in 2D action games and are looking for something in that vein, but even then, you may want to wait for a sale here. There are certainly much, much worse games than RWBY: Arrowfell to be found on the Switch eShop, but we think your time and money are better spent on, well, better games.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Papetura is a million miles away from being a blockbuster movie, yet it shares the same sense of intense energy and craft, which it distils into each second of its game time. Every crease and scrunch of its scenery and characters is shining with Ostafin’s passion. Its rudimentary and vague story, very brief running time, and control niggles do hold it back slightly, but nothing can completely overshadow its captivating presentation.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Mato Anomalies is an ambitious indie attempt to create a Persona-like RPG romp through neo-futuristic Shanghai. There's no shortage of good ideas in the mix here, with flashes of inspiration in the fusing of turn-based dungeon combat, mind-hacking card games and stylish visual novel elements. However, for all the ambition on display, it's let down by uninspired combat, repetitive level design, clunky exploration, frustrating card mechanics and writing that just never manages to engage. This one's not entirely without merit, but overall it's an experience that'll test your patience far more than it manages to entertain.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Coffee Crisis is a great throwback to arcade beat ‘em ups of the early '90s. Its 16-bit aesthetic screams retro Sega, though we would’ve preferred a traditional chiptune soundtrack truly reminiscent of the Mega Drive, rather than the heavy rock score the developers have opted for. This doesn’t take away from the polished style and traditional gameplay, however. Combined with the quirky story and indie humour, this promises a great time.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Gex Trilogy is a happy throwback. The first game is a little clunky and occasionally laborious, but its sequels do better in their 3D expansion of its themes and idea. The main point of appeal is its connection to the period in which they were made. It’s full of comic quirks, zinging dialogue, and visual gags that scream MTV Generation. Across all three entries, the media hook and its tropes — from horror to Christmas to 1930s prohibition gangsters — work well to keep things fresh, fun and engaging. That said, while there's a simplicity to the games themselves, the yesteryear technology and the sensibilities of many gamers may have moved on, making their baked-in fetch quests trying at times. Gex Trilogy’s value is bumped up by its invention and still very playable design aspects, but whether or not you can pit yourself through them really comes down to how much your nostalgic mileage varies, dude.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Morsels is a pleasingly nightmarish experience, with an oppressive atmosphere and an aesthetic that sets it apart from its peers.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Avatar isn't a bad game, it just rarely rises above the average, despite borrowing heavily from some superb games.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    With a clever gameplay hook, enjoyably uncluttered level design, and a beautiful storybook presentation, I and Me is a delightful package. It’s an admittedly brief experience, and players looking for a stern challenge won’t find their puzzle-solving skills seriously tested here, but if you’re after a perfectly pleasant way to pass a few evenings on the Switch, I and Me are both a great choice.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Rose & Camellia Collection gets away with a lot of its technical imperfections simply because of the strength of its concept and its solid presentation. The music and art style will keep you interested for at least a few hours – which is all it will take to complete the story mode. However, the bizarre anime logic can’t distract you from the frequent loading screens or the frustratingly imprecise controls. This one is worth picking up, but only if you catch it on a good sale.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Brawlout’s core action is a lot of fun; with a huge amount of ideas inspired by genre greats such as Super Smash Bros., the action feels tight, fast, and can be a pleasure to play. The limited character roster means that attack variations can only go so far, and some performance hiccups prevent Brawlout from being truly wonderful, but for an on-the-go, cheaper alternative to a game that hasn’t even been announced for the console yet, this isn't a bad choice – just make sure to keep the issues we mentioned in mind.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Fire Panic could've been above par, but the difficulty curve is just far too unbalanced.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Riverbond isn’t the most in-depth game on the Switch this year, nor is it the best looking. It does, however, boast an interesting art style, and its gameplay is simple yet engaging enough that almost anyone of any skill level can give it a good crack. There are plenty of unlockable skins and weapons to try out, and although there’s little incentive to replay once you’re done and dusted, it’s a decent way to spend a few hours during the quieter winter months.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympics for the 3DS is not exactly a bad game - especially if you liked previous entries in the franchise - but it could be so much more.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    It’s quite telling that caring for your pooch is generally more fun than the visual novel side of the game, but even this can get repetitive and monotonous after a while. Best Friend Forever is an admirable hybrid of two seemingly disparate genres, but both sides of the game suffer from a lack of variety as a result.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Endless Ocean: Luminous attempts to revive a niche Wii franchise as an online exploration experience, and fails miserably in the process. In comparison to the likes of Subnautica, this is an empty, cold, and boring ocean space to explore, devoid of any real reason to play beyond its generally relaxing ambiance and the opportunity to learn some facts about underwater animals. Even taken on those terms, it's weak, its online play is basic and bland, and its story does little to engage beyond teaching you the ropes. It didn't need to be this boring, but it is.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Pallurikio isn't a bad game, but it's just not a terribly interesting one.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The 3D is almost inconsequential, but the result is a tough, well-constructed puzzle title with plenty of content.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Overall, Blacksad: Under the Skin is both a faithful adaptation and a frustrating example of modern adventure game pitfalls. Fans of the original comics will enjoy seeing Blacksad himself brought to life so accurately, but some inconsistent performances in the voiceover department and some frustratingly unresponsive controls make it a far less enjoyable experience. There’s a really intriguing mystery to unfold and solve, but with some technical problems and a little too much blurring for our liking, you’ll have to grit your teeth if you really want to crack this case on the go.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    On the one hand, the gameplay is virtually unchanged from the original game and it's still lots of fun to play, even though it's incredibly easy now. Sadly you just can't help but notice all the oversights, such as the lack of a widescreen option, the jerky animations and the lack of a "classic" mode for the main game.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Despite a disappointing lack of touch support and resulting control irritations, The Inner World has much to like and Asposia’s warped characters are delightful company, provided you’re happy to ask for help when you’re stuck. There’s certainly no shame in that – and the hints system works perfectly – but we didn’t have enough eureka! moments of our own to feel sufficiently satisfied with its wilfully obtuse solutions.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    WRITHE is a tiny little budget blaster that nails its old-school aesthetic, is refreshingly straightforward in what it attempts to achieve and has a genuinely fun sci-fi setup. However, scrappy enemy AI that feels badly judged and, more often than not, just straight-up unfair holds the whole thing back, resulting in a shooter that lacks balance and never manages to find itself in the addictive groove it needs to in order to encourage players to stick with its fiendishly difficult combat.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It’s just a shame that this feels more like a continuation rather than a fully-fledged enhancement.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    We cannot wholeheartedly recommend Gigantosaurus: The Game to anyone. Young children who love the animated show may well get some limited enjoyment out of it, but with poor graphics, a total lack of any discernible challenge, and shocking technical issues, it’s yet another licensed title that feels like it was designed as a quick cash grab. Games like this need to become extinct, and fast.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    A decent stab at compiling a pleasant little arcade package, but questionable decisions like squashed playing fields, meagre high-score tables and unerasable save data drop this from "must have" to "it's complicated."
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It’s difficult not to be a little disappointed in Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2, although Capcom deserves credit for doing the best it could to polish up the weaker games in the series. At the end of the day, putting lipstick on a pig can only do so much, and these games unfortunately don’t hold up quite as well as the first four entries in the series. Even so, X5 and X6 are pretty good, and though X7 is a hot mess of confused design, X8 has plenty of fun moments.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It’s not for everyone, but Warriors Orochi 4’s multitudinous hordes can be pleasurable to sweep through, despite the game feeling by-the-numbers in many ways. This is simply more, and while fans might be able to forgive the bland presentation, we’d wager that non-devotees would have a much better time with the Zelda or Fire Emblem spin-offs – with the characters, settings and accoutrement you know and love helping to temper the monotony when you’re not quite ‘in the zone’.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Assassin’s Creed III on Switch is easily the weakest 'Remastered' version of the game that’s been released thus far. The expected graphical bells and whistles are mostly absent and this game feels more like a straight port of the 2012 original. Framerate issues plague many of the busier areas of the open world and make combat and traversal a chore for the most part, while audio problems are also a constant niggle. Granted, this is still the full-fat game and the fact that it's available to play on-the-go and includes all the DLC (and a pretty nice HD version of Liberation) is impressive, but there's no escaping the fact that it's a lacklustre port of one of the weakest Assassin's Creed titles.

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