Nintendo Life's Scores

  • Games
Select another publication »
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
view
per page
    • 65 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Super Kiwi 64
    Our experience of Super Kiwi 64 comes down to this: we were having a good time, but couldn't always tell if it was despite the game or because of it. Either we've found a gold coin in a muddy field or we've found the face of Elvis in our porridge. If you're giving this a go, be sure to bring your imagination along with your £2.69.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Spectrum
    Spectrum is a fiendishly challenging, super-stripped-back action-platformer that shows its smartphone origins a little too evidently. It's fun in small doses, but it doesn't quite feel fleshed out enough for a modern Switch game.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Wind-up Knight 2
    If you enjoy twitch reflex games, then WUK 2 is for you. While the game lacks depth, what's there is done well.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    LEGO Ninjago: Nindroids
    The old saying goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but we’re definitely getting tired of the lack of variety.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Murder on the Titanic
    Murder on the Titanic is the kind of game that doesn't do anything overtly wrong, but it also fails to do anything new or exciting.
    • 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.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star
    Like the standard Fitness Boxing titles, Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star is a straightforward enough exercise game that will give you a workout if you commit to it. Despite its fun tie-in, however, the very basic gameplay combined with the limited number of routines and sparse music selection means you're going to need a strong tolerance to repetition.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Hot and Cold: A 3D Hidden Object Adventure
    Forcing yourself to play through the main story mode feels more like a chore if all you want to do is create your own levels and play with friends via local multiplayer, but if you really enjoy hidden-object puzzles and don't mind having to get used to quirky controls, the amount of content packed into Hot and Cold: A 3D Hidden Object Adventure will have you busy for a long time.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Rising Board 3D
    Make no mistake, Rising Board 3D can be fun, but unfortunately that fun is as randomised as its stages. Runs end far too easily, unavoidable obstacles or hazards clipping you from off-screen, and the lack of even local leaderboards means there's little incentive to better your score. Unlockable boards vary the gameplay a bit, but it's so easy to grind for sun points that earning them doesn't feel like much of an achievement. There are some great visuals and sound here, but Rising Board 3D features tropics best experienced by postcard.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD: Remake
    When it all works like it should, The House of the Dead: Remake is a fun update of a Sega arcade classic. The performance can be janky and the controls clunky on its default settings, but if you’re willing to put the time in to tweak them you should get something you’re happier with. You shouldn’t have to do that with a light gun shooter, though, and the fact you do has to go down as a failing on the game’s part.
    • 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.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Farming Simulator: Signature Edition
    Farming Simulator arrives on Switch 2 in a familiar state for returning fans. While newcomers will face an early spike of confusion before eventually settling into the addictive routine of virtual agriculture, veterans will immediately feel at home. Unfortunately, technical issues with the port will blight the careers of both camps.
    • 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.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Citizens Unite!: Earth x Space
    While it's a compelling package, Citizens Unite!: Earth x Space doesn't excel as an RPG in either of its halves. There's fun to be had, but it's obfuscated to some extent by technical issues and a lack of balance to its gameplay. That said, a lot of love has obviously been poured into this title and if you like your games with a bit of a unique personality, that's very much in evidence here. If you've already played these RPGs before, there's not enough here to draw you back for a repeat play, but new players might find this worthy of their hard-earned cash – if they're willing to put up with some rough edges.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Drift Street International
    Drift Street Racing is a solid little racer that gear heads and speed demons may get a kick out of, but it's tough to recommend over the more robust competition.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Coffin Dodgers
    Combining crazy physics and an even crazier story scenario, Coffin Dodgers has managed to do just enough to stand out from the crowd, offering a decent little kart-racer that should generate a laugh or two. A slight lack of content and a less-than-perfect overall quality prevent it from being something worth shouting about, however, so you might want to consider your options before jumping in with an immediate purchase.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Dreamals
    There isn't enough within the story or characters to keep the player interested beyond that however, so make sure you're up for a challenge and want a simple little distraction before diving in.
    • 45 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Major League Eating: The Game
    Due to the repetitive nature of the gameplay the long-term value of this game is questionable, but make no mistake - this game is certainly better than you might have assumed at first glance.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Spot It! Mean Machines
    Spot It! Mean Machines falls into the "hidden object" genre of puzzles games, a category that isn't especially lacking on the DSiWare shop. It isn't an overly-ambitious title, and it's not the prettiest looking game out there, but it still manages to be an entertaining way to spend some time. At the low price-point of just 200 points, any fans of hidden object games would be remiss to let this one go unspotted.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Zoo Resort 3D
    Zoo Resort 3D is more Pokémon Snap than Zoo Tycoon, and while this will appeal to those not looking for an in-depth management sim on their 3DS, its accessibility from its simplicity is soon countered by its repetitiveness. Mind you, it's technically impressive, with some of the best visuals around.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    SMART Adventures Mission Math
    When it comes to creating a math-based game that leans toward girls, SMART Adventures Mission Math: Sabotage at the Space Station accomplishes its mission quite decently.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Amida's Path
    Players looking for something a little different should enjoy Amida's Path.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
    Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a bit of an underwhelming RPG that has some unique gameplay mechanics. The open-ended world narrative structure feels freeing, but the characters are boring. The glimmer mechanic is fun, but the battle system lacks a strategic hook. Each of its gameplay systems is a double-edged sword, as we’d find a particular aspect enticing while another was baffling. It feels like a slight step back from the other recent SaGa games, but if you’re a fan of the series, Revenge of the Seven might resonate with you more than it did with us.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Libera Wing
    With 36 main campaign levels and 24 additional "quickplay" levels, each of which consists of an "action" and "defense" part, you'll be content for a decent while if you're just looking for more tower defense action and have already exhausted DSiWare's other options.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    All-Star Fruit Racing
    All-Star Fruit Racing takes a unique karting weapon system, throws it into a blender with some cute presentation ideas and an unfortunate series of technical annoyances, and ends up with a pretty mixed bag as a result. This is a competent racer, and there’s just about enough content to make you want to keep playing, but it never realises the potential that it could have had and doesn’t really stand up to the heights that other titles can offer. It’s just a little on the weak side to justify its asking price, so bear that in mind before jumping into a fruity purchase.
    • 44 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Nippon Marathon
    Nippon Marathon isn’t not going to be everyone’s tastes – those eye-wateringly janky visuals (whether by design or not) and the nature of physics-driven racing are an acquired taste that most people are going to tire of, fast. However, look past the surface and there’s a multiplayer experience here that will appeal to fans of Gang Beasts and the like, who just want a silly party game that cares not for seriousness in any form.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Samba de Amigo: Party Central
    Samba de Amigo: Party Central brings back the cult classic monkey and all the fun that comes with him, but it does too much in the wrong places. By bombarding the player with no fewer than three different progress bars to level up in, any sense of growth, progress or leveling feels arbitrary and unnecessary. They feel like an attempt to hide the fact that Samba de Amigo is an arcade game about a dancing monkey that you can dress up in silly little outfits; it doesn't need to be an RPG, so why make it one? After all, Samba de Amigo is inherently fun—be it with maracas, a Wii remote, Joy-Con, or just buttons.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Octodad: Dadliest Catch
    Once the novelty and the wackiness have worn off, you are left with a short and sometimes haphazard experience that treads an incredibly fine (and wobbly) line between hilarity and frustration. While kids will love the simple, bold, bright cartoon-like characters and physical humour, older players will likely feel that they are constantly at odds with the game's controls and become immune to its charms. If you haven't experienced Octodad before it's worth checking out, but be cautious - it will make you giggle as well as probably stretch your patience.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Escape From Zombie City
    Escape from Zombie City needs something to help it stand out from the brain-dead horde of eShop shooters, and depending on what you're looking for, it just might have it.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Sea of Solitude: The Director's Cut
    Despite a somewhat lacking narrative and a fairly short length – we saw the (beautiful) credits in less than four hours – Sea of Solitude is fun to play while it lasts. It looks superb and there's plenty of variety in the locales even in its brief running time. Sadly, though, it's not a standout – it wasn't on its original release and it still isn't here on the Switch. It's no walking simulator, but in trying to marry its story with somewhat rudimentary platforming gameplay, neither are entirely satisfactory. Of course, your mileage may vary in what the various heavier themes mean to you, but we found them pretty leaden and uninteresting takes on what are admittedly quite universal issues.
Page:

Top Trailers

See all »
See all trailers »