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
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Spirit Mancer has its issues, but it also its charms. It's the kind of game that's tailor-made to the tastes of a specific and narrow group of players - if you happen to be the kind of person for whom it ‘works’, you’ll be thrilled at the experience here and probably won’t be able to put it down. If you’re not a part of that group, its uneven execution and repetition may be too hard to overlook. Interesting combat, gorgeous visuals, and a wealth of gameplay systems all work in its favour, but it doesn’t quite put all these things together in a worthwhile way.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Warriors Orochi 4 was a solid, if uninspired, Musou game and this 'Ultimate' edition fleshes things out with some new characters and modes, significantly beefs up the story and tweaks the central gameplay here and there. However, the additions that have been made sometimes feel like the least amount of effort that was possible. The new playable characters, although fun, are pretty much slapped in without any fanfare, new weapons don't even have unique skins and Infinity Mode feels like a bit of a missed opportunity. Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate is definitely an improvement over the vanilla version of the game – and absolutely the way to go if you're keen but have yet to pick it up – but it's also a rather disappointingly small one that comes at a pretty steep price for loyal fans who are forking out to upgrade from the base version.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Adventure on Lost Island: Hidden Object Game may be a simple affair of clicking objects, but it adds enough variety to the mix to keep the game from becoming too repetitive.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Sine Mora is an intriguing, stylish shooter that's well worth a punt at a budget price. Sine Mora EX, however, is a trickier sell; the underlying quality is still there and it can be a memorable experience, but the additions are sloppy and add little, making it tough to justify at its full price. On Switch it has portability going for it, with the game looking handsome on the handheld or TV - it's understandably sharper and easier to play than in the previous Vita version, for portable fans. It's a fascinating game, and may draw you back for plenty of repeat plays or even score-chasing runs to climb online leaderboards. Its flaws, however, mean it's not currently among the best of its genre.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    If you’ve played the previous instalments and the series and you appreciate updated rider rosters, the introduction of female riders and the improved physics (for those that play on more realistic settings) then Monster Energy Supercross - The Official Videogame 3 will definitely appeal, but with a completely absent online community, this port is a tougher sell over those on PC and other console platforms. Still, despite its shortcomings, this is a solid two-wheeled racer that retains all the usual modes and extras and runs like a treat in handheld mode. Just don't expect it to feel massively different from the previous instalment.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Switch is fast becoming the perfect home for roguelikes, and Kunai is in esteemed company. The game holds itself well and is great fun, even if it lacks any real innovation. The unique weapon combinations can make each run different and interesting, but the repetitive nature of each level means that Kunai's replayability could be in doubt.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Bloody Zombies brings a fresh visual style and a couple of interesting touches to the classic scrolling beat-'em-up. Unfortunately it doesn't flourish where it matters most - the quality and scope of its combat. There's still a fair amount of mindless fun to be had in local multiplayer, even if Bloody Zombies lacks the fluidity and variety to become a true regular on your co-op Switch game roster.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    While not by any means the best Story of Seasons game on the market, Pioneers of Olive Town is promising and disappointing in equal measure. Perhaps future patches will iron out some of the issues with framerate and boring character dialogue, but for now, potential buyers should be aware that this game isn't quite in a state we can recommend.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The problem solving aspect of the game isn’t a bad thing; if anything, it’s the only reason to keep coming back. We just wish the game offered more of a reason to encourage repeat play than high difficulty level.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Pandemic: The Board Game is a perfectly functional version of the popular board game, now available for you to play on-the-go in solo mode or with some friends in local co-op. If this version had included an online component - bringing the co-operative strength of the game to the fore - and perhaps some more engaging means of getting to grips with its rules it would be a much more worthwhile and easy to recommend package. As it stands just now however it feels like a very basic edition with little in the way of options that coasts on the strength of its central component just a little too much.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Epic Chef is heaped with charm and humour that will undoubtedly put a smile on your face as you start your life as Ambrosia’s hottest chef. Unfortunately, while the cooking and farming mechanics are simple enough to grasp, the bloated nature of the game makes every task feel more arduous than it needs to be. Add to this the needlessly lengthy dialogue and bizarre limitations around the save function, and Epic Chef feels like a game that can’t quite match up with the other life sims available on the Switch. It's not unenjoyable, just more Little Chef than MasterChef.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Fans of the classic 8-bit era shoot-'em-ups will like find Cosmos X2 a nice reminder of days gone by, but gamers who've become accustomed to the manic screen-filling sprays of enemy fire found in many of today's bullet hell shooters will likely find the slower pace of the game a bit too lacking in the intensity department.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    An unfortunately tough release to recommend. Though Digital Eclipse did a fantastic job of emulating these releases and throwing all manner of extra features in to sweeten the deal, the hard truth is that the two games that lie at the core of this package just haven't stood the test of time all that well. Aside from the excellent presentation quality, the years have not been at all kind to these releases, and given the wealth of similar retro content available on the Switch eShop now, it’s tough to recommend that a newcomer pick them up. If you played these games as a kid and want a nice walk down memory lane, this is by far and away the best way you could possibly experience them – and that’s not something to be dismissed out of hand. Bearing that in mind, we’d give this release a light recommendation to those who are willing to shell out some cash for pure nostalgia. If you don’t fall into that camp, you should probably steer clear.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    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.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Each playthrough starts off very slowly, but the fast-moving nature of later stages of the game is what will keep you coming back for more.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Rise of the Slime has some accessibility issues, mostly because of its occasionally iffy controls and the ridiculously small text, but if you can look past those, then you'll find a pleasantly bitesized little roguelite deckbuilder. It's no Slay the Spire, but it doesn't need to be; it keeps to its small scope well enough.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Super Skelemania is a passable – if mostly superfluous – effort in a sea of similar games. The satisfying movement mechanics you uncover ensure that the hour you spend playing won’t feel wasted, but whether you’ll feel compelled to pick it up again – or if you soon struggle to recall ever having played it in the first place – is another matter. Nonetheless, there are certainly less competent, and more cynical releases to filter through on the eShop.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    John Wick Hex is a clever turn-based strategy offering with some cool mechanics that, when everything comes together, can absolutely make you feel like you're Keanu Reeves' unstoppable assassin, kicking, punching and shooting your way through an endless procession of hapless goons. However, there's an unpolished element to proceedings, with a lot of repetition across the seven levels on offer, janky animations, shoddy replays and some unreliable AI behaviour that begins to grate after a time. With some more variety and a touch of polish, this could have been a really nice little movie tie-in, however, as it stands it's just alright; a brilliant idea that needed more time in the oven.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    R-Type Final 2 makes an authentic if flawed contribution to an iconic shooting game series. Many of the problems seem technical, so hopefully an update could do plenty — especially if it lets you lock that camera pitch. All we can hope for, then, is that we are still in the beginning of R-Type’s final phase, and that what Final 2 gets right is allowed to rise to the top.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Even though this zombie may be lacking a few limbs, that doesn’t mean it’s not capable of feasting on many hours of your life.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Considering how quickly Five Dates was conceptualised and developed, the overall execution of the story is commendable. Having said that, it’s a shame there’s no option here to flip things around and have a woman protagonist join the app to date five men in addition to Vinny. We appreciate this would effectively double the amount of work required, but we have to wonder who exactly Five Dates is aimed at. As it is, the entire premise feels like a throwaway side-story shoved into a Richard Curtis rom-com to simply appease the men in the audience. It’s a fun little distraction, but ultimately not an experience that’s going to stick with you for long.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The lack of any difficulty options and the lacklustre multiplayer mode does not do the game any favours, but for many it could provide a nice little diversion at a low price.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    There's very little to say about Air Battle Hockey 3D. The visual presentation is pretty bland, though the 3D effect is certainly well-done. The controls are intuitive and reliable, while the core gameplay is fairly dull. Those with two copies of the game will at least find some enjoyment in the head-to-head battles, but anyone who intends to fly solo might want to let this one soar past.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    From a technical perspective, the Switch port of Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories is an absolute mess. Narratively and artistically, however, it’s one of the most fascinating games in recent memory. Its emotionally engaging exploration of a disastrous incident’s human aftermath is about as far as it’s possible to get from the Hollywood blockbuster treatment – and it’s all the better for it. If you can fight past the technical shortcomings – which, it's worth stating, are pretty considerable – then you'll find an experience that's totally unique on Switch, and that's no mean feat when you consider the depth of the console's library.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Slaps & Beans 2 offers a long, adventurous campaign with a lot to see and do, and will remain a treat for dedicated fans of the duo. But, the combat, overshadowed by its novelty interludes, should be more fulfilling and less repetitive.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Arriving almost four years after the Wii U version, The Fall still manages to offer one of the most engaging takes on the age-old ‘robot starts to feel alive’ concept without feeling tired or rote. Sadly, the limitations of its gameplay haven’t been addressed for this port, so while there’s a great story to be experienced, the game itself remains a forgettable miasma of genres.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Bake ‘n Switch makes for a fun experience overall but it’s hard to deny that certain elements feel bare. With a minimal PvP mode, no single-player option (at launch, anyway) and issues with online progression, it does feel rushed upon delivery but there’s still plenty of content to keep players busy. If you can assemble a team of friends, have a younger family to entertain or just want a new multiplayer experience, there’s enjoyment to be found here – but it’s a cautious recommendation.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Deiland: Pocket Planet Edition is a good-enough-for-now game to tide over Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon fans, but its insistence on drip-feeding you content on its own schedule misses the "self-sufficiency" angle that its predecessors nailed.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    A perfectly passable, prototypical roguelike RPG, Adventure Labyrinth Story is a decently diverting game that's happy to entertain without leaving a lasting impression.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Double Pug Switch might be frustrating at times but there’s still an enjoyable experience here. Bringing us fun but basic gameplay, it introduces one of gaming’s more adorable protagonists in a light-hearted adventure, though it won’t offer platforming fans anything particularly ground-breaking. With its lower price point, there isn’t much risk here if you're a fan of runners and, as such, it comes with a cautious recommendation.

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