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
    • 41 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Turtle Tale
    At its low price point, Turtle Tale is an entirely functional platforming adventure from a small indie studio that you can breeze through in a day or two.
    • 41 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Soccer Bashi
    Sadly, what we see here unfortunately is a rather bland and dull attempt that will struggle to keep your attention, forcing a football theme into it as a way of trying to draw people in.
    • 41 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The Bradwell Conspiracy
    The Bradwell Conspiracy offers an intriguing take on the first-person puzzler formula, even if its USP lacks the simple creativity of other similar puzzle games. The story itself has some real potential, but it ultimately fails to really flesh out some of the more interesting beats hinted at in news reports and audio logs. More interactive than Firewatch but far less challenging than The Witness, this is a puzzler that’s ultimately more style than substance. And with so many issues with performance in its launch state, The Bradwell Conspiracy on Switch doesn’t prove itself to be the ultimate portable version it really should be.
    • 41 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Nickelodeon Kart Racers
    Unfortunately, Nickelodeon Kart Racers is simply not good; derivative mechanics, a pathetic character roster and awful performance make this a bargain bin experience that you’ll be glad you missed. If you absolutely have to play a racing game with Nickelodeon characters, then by all means, go ahead, but we’d highly recommend you take a pass on this sorry effort.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Chronus Arc
    Chronus Arc is competent RPG that fails to deliver on one of the most important aspects of the genre: the story.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON'T KNOW!
    Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON'T KNOW! is not a complete failure, but it's also not the game that Adventure Time fans deserve or should expect from a developer like WayForward.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Protothea
    Some people may enjoy the interesting control setup and the innovative power-ups, but poor level design, average graphics, little enemy variation, the slow pace, awful music and bad sound effects ultimately sour what could have been an enjoyable blast.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 20 Critic Score
    Johnny Hotshot
    Johnny Hotshot is more than just a bad game; it's a bad game that demands perfection, so that even those adventurous players who are willing to give this a shot are unlikely to see most of it. With a terrible control scheme, absurdly plentiful loading screens and an interface that seemingly keeps trying to shrug you off and discourage you from playing it, this is definitely a download you'll want to let ride into the sunset without you.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Excave II: Wizard of the Underworld
    Excave II is a safe sequel with shares a lot in common with its predecessor, but with some very nice refinements made to the formula. Inventory management is much easier, using healing items while fighting is no longer a dangerous affair, and the variety in environments and weapon types has expanded even further.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    My Style Studio: Notebook
    Put this notebook back in your desk.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Moonfall Ultimate
    Like so many action-RPGs before it, Moonfall Ultimate is driven by the minutia of its combat model, but considering battles often rely on one attack (regardless of weapon) and a handful of special moves, you’re left feeling oddly unempowered and frustratingly disconnected. There’s your usual mix of quests to undertake, various medieval-style locations to explore and loot to collect, but none of it ever offers an interpretation you haven’t seen done better elsewhere; while the game calls upon the likes of Golden Axe and Dungeons & Dragons for inspiration, it never hits the same heights. A serviceable experience, but one that won’t linger in the memory for long.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Pub Darts
    It’s only 500 Points so you get what you pay for, but we’d almost rather Big Blue Bubble go back to add more content and up the price a few hundred points to give us more reason to play. Useless unlockable dart designs, new games, something. You’re better off spending the money on a cheap dart board or, failing that, a few boxes of sharp pencils to throw at the wall.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2
    After thirty years of fame, the Fist of the North Star series deserves a much better celebration of its history than this sorry piece of software. Hardcore fans of the series may find that their love of the source material helps paper over the gaping cracks — the same goes for dedicated followers of the Dynasty Warriors lineage — but if you don’t fall into either of those two camps then you should leave this well alone, and simply track down a copy of the 1986 anime movie instead. It will provide more enjoyment during its 110 minute running time than Ken’s Rage 2 can muster during several days of gameplay.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Mysterious Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
    Definitely one to try out if it intrigues you, but not one to set the world alight.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Rock 'N Racing Off Road
    There are plenty of fun multiplayer games for the Wii U, and Rock 'N Racing Off Road just has too little going for it to earn a recommendation.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Falling Skies: The Game
    Even through mimicking XCOM's tactical gameplay and utilizing the setting of the popular TNT series as a reference point for the campaign, Falling Skies: The Game feels about ten years too late to impress.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Don't Knock Twice
    On a platform that is destined to become almost overcrowded with colourful, vibrant, ‘happy’ games, having a burst of horror as an option is very welcome indeed. Unfortunately, this isn’t the game to showcase the genre, nor is it one to showcase games in general. Some promising early moments left us with high hopes for this title – there were times where we felt genuine, edge-of-your-seat fear – but it soon becomes clear that it cannot live up to the standards it is trying to achieve. If you’re looking for a horror fix, maybe wait until something else comes along.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Senran Kagura Reflexions
    If you’re a fan of the series, this entry won’t be of any great surprise - after all, we’ve had a water gun third-person shooter and a rhythmic cookery game under the Senran Kagura banner - but if you’re new to the series this title might look like the kind of thing you'd not normally find on Switch. As innocent and silly as it all pertains to be, it’s just a tame excuse to get a bit of cheap sleaze onto a Western games console.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Hello Neighbor
    A confused, messy stealth-puzzler with flaky physics and dodgy controls. Hello Neighbor's attempt to do something fresh with a classic cinematic concept is to be applauded, but the execution falls flat. A massive missed opportunity.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Ju-on: The Grudge
    It's a shame it's so brief (about the length of an actual horror film) so we cannot recommend paying full price, but if you can get it for a budget price it'll make for some frightening fun at your next party.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Sandy Beach
    Having two game modes is good because there is a little something for everyone here. The first game type rewards right-brained creative types while the second game is designed for more analytical left-brainiacs. Unfortunately, both types of people will most likely feel somewhat unsatisfied by each; they are both very simple, lacking in repeat play value, and suffer from unforgivably clumsy controls.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    The Deer God
    Set in pretty landscapes with a storyline full of theoretical potential, The Deer God had us highly intrigued during the first few moments of the game. Unfortunately, though, this instantly faded away and never returned; the repetitive nature of the core gameplay, which mostly consists of just running to the right over the same platforms, meant that we lost all interest in discovering the answers to its philosophical questions.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Word Searcher
    The final word is that no one should walk into this game expecting anything other than a barebones word search game, and that is exactly what Digital Leisure has provided here.
    • 38 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark
    Perhaps the PlayStation and Xbox versions of Rise of the Dark Spark are just as high-quality as their predecessors, but on Wii U, Rise of the Dark Spark is everything Nintendo fans have come to loathe about movie tie-ins and multiplatform gaming: a lazy port with missing features that treats Nintendo players like second-class citizens.
    • 38 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Darts Up
    Consider Darts Up as a game you’d play with some friends not too keen on taking anything too seriously – much like the pub sport it emulates.
    • 38 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Gaiabreaker
    While it hits all the marks to be at least competent as a shoot 'em up, GAIABREAKER doesn't really go out of the way to make itself particularly interesting or fun to play, with fairly bland stages and little challenge.
    • 38 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Blades of Time
    As hard as it tries, Blades of Time rarely comes close to emulating the success of any of its obvious muses. Its mixture of third-person melee combat, environmental puzzles and platforming are entertaining for a while, but they lack the nuance of Capcom’s long-running Devil May Cry series or Sony Santa Monica’s refreshed God of War. Only the ability to control time, creating a co-operative element as you team up with your past self, offers something truly rewarding to use in battle or as part of a puzzle solution. The MOBA-style overhaul of the game's Onslaught mode offers an improved take on multiplayer, but the wonky combat and lacklustre presentation are impossible to overlook.
    • 38 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    R.B.I. Baseball 17
    R.B.I. Baseball is a game that isn't sure of what it wants to be. It incorporates some elements of both retro and modern titles, but rather than fusing successful elements of both eras, R.B.I. falls flat. Extremely dated visuals, poor presentation, absence of online modes, bad animation and overall lack of polish make for a game that we simply can't recommend, even to hardcore baseball fans. Vote with your wallet and let Major League Baseball know you want a better game before giving them your hard earned cash.
    • 38 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle
    Fans of the Touhou Project might get some enjoyment purely from seeing their favourite characters on the big (or little) screen once more, but this isn’t a quality fighting spin-off. The game’s slow pace, disinteresting plot, and lack of any serious fighting credentials leave an awful lot to be desired. If the game was considerably cheaper you could potentially justify a purchase for having quick, easy-to-set-up fighting rounds; as it stands, though, this may well be best left alone.
    • 38 Metascore
    • 20 Critic Score
    PixARK
    In its current state, PixARK on the Switch is a poorly optimized, unenjoyable, and otherwise weak approximation of the Minecraft experience that in no way delivers value equivalent to the money you’re paying for it. Considering it comes with a $40 price tag at the time of writing, this unfinished and unpolished game is borderline robbing you of your hard-earned money and time that could be so much better spent on just about anything else you can think of. We would strongly urge you to take a hard pass on PixARK, as it offers a lacklustre survival experience that’s not even worth the memory it’ll take up on your SD Card; life’s much too short to be wasted on poorly made games such as this.
Page:

Top Trailers

See all »
See all trailers »