Nintendo Life's Scores
- Games
For 5,862 reviews, this publication has graded:
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45% higher than the average critic
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18% same as the average critic
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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: | Horace | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest review score: | Lawnmower Game: Racing |
Score distribution:
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Positive: 2,261 out of 5862
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Mixed: 2,825 out of 5862
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Negative: 776 out of 5862
5870
game
reviews
- By Date
- By Critic Score
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- Critic Score
Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut on Switch is a missed opportunity. While the underlying systems and crunchy combat are enjoyable – and it just about works as a portable experience – a steady list of irritations make an unqualified recommendation impossible. There’s a solid foundation of gritty turn-based combat with some great writing, but a stubborn camera, disappointing performance and a lack of quality-of-life enhancements means the PC ‘master race’ take this round.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Sep 15, 2018
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Picross S is the epitome of a one-trick pony, it knows exactly the kind of experience it’s going to deliver and it does just that. Those of you that loved the Picross e games will find plenty to love here, as this is essentially just another 300 (well, 150) puzzles, now with local multiplayer support. Still, it all comes off as being a bit bland, while the absence of Micross and mission systems seen elsewhere makes Picross S feel like a lazy sequel. We give this a recommendation to fans of puzzle games, or anybody looking for a slower paced game for their Switch. Just don’t go into this one expecting a comprehensive, ultimate entry in the series.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Oct 7, 2017
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Disney Speedstorm delivers solid karting action with fantastic handling and clearly spends a lot of care and attention on its characters and courses. Its performance on Switch lets it down, though, especially on handheld where it's a blurry, stuttery mess, and those not interested in the live service setup will struggle to get along with it.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Apr 18, 2023
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A lot of fun once Campaign Mode picks up, but it's all just too basic and repetitive to become very compelling. It's not a bad game, it just lends itself to tedium.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Sep 8, 2011
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As a game, Octodad seems less interested in entertaining and is more intent on taking the player through a journey, and by its own design can be an incredibly stressful affair.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Nov 4, 2015
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Is Fragrant Story worth picking up? Sure, as a curiosity and conversation piece perhaps. Four bucks isn’t much of an asking price, and the content on offer here is enjoyable and engaging for what it is. For the afternoon it’ll take you to play Fragrant Story, you’ll probably be satisfied with it — then you’ll have seen everything it has to offer, move onto something else, and never boot it up again. If you decide to pass on this one, there’s really not a whole lot that you’re missing out on. Given its low price and goofy nature, though, it may be worth picking up just so you can say you grabbed the last game on the North American eShop before Nintendo locked the doors for good.- Nintendo Life
- Posted May 5, 2022
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An engaging blend of life sim and detective mystery, On Your Tail has a wonderful setting and great characters. Unfortunately, the overall experience is bogged down by painful load times and debilitating technical issues. The game isn't a graphical powerhouse and the Switch is more than capable of maintaining a stable day in Borga Marina. Here’s hoping Memorable can patch in some improvements post-launch so that Diana’s search for inspiration feels less like a slog.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Mar 16, 2025
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Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is a rather barebones revamp of a cult classic action RPG that's really beginning to show its age in many respects. The core combat here is still strong stuff, crunchy hack and slash action with plenty of flexibility and variety in how you go about decking out your character, but it's also surrounded by a world and story that are very much of their time. Fans of the original game will no doubt enjoy what is a mostly fine Switch port, but there so many other, more modern RPG experiences available at this point on Nintendo's console that everyone else should perhaps approach with a measure of caution.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Mar 17, 2021
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Her Majesty's SPIFFING is a lovingly made tribute to the point-and-click adventure genre of the early '90s, with a likably cheeky and surprisingly topical sense of humour. Its traditional underlying mechanics, however, can't quite cash the cheques its script is writing, and it's all over a little too quickly.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Jan 30, 2018
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Crossword fans might find some value, but those who aren't dead set on word-based head-scratchers can do a lot better, for far cheaper.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Oct 11, 2012
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Zombie Panic in Wonderland DX is a well-presented, difficult game with solid gameplay. Unfortunately the experience isn't as lasting or as engaging as perhaps it could be, and given that it's almost identical to its WiiWare predecessor, the audience for this title is small and niche.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Nov 2, 2014
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Warborn takes the tried and tested Advance Wars formula, adds a bunch of huge Mechs, some overwrought '90s anime-inspired cutscenes and a story that sees you take control of four different commanders as you seek to restore order to the Auros system. There's nothing inspired or unique here; Raredrop Games is playing it safe and straight down the line, but fans of the genre, and most especially fans of massive Gundam-esque robots, will get a solid (if unspectacular) experience out of what's on offer with this one. Just don't expect any surprises.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Jun 20, 2020
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It doesn't do much to stand out in the 3DS' library of JRPGs — already flooded with some of the finest examples of the genre in recent history — but if you've played the best and are still left with the need to save the world in a turn-based fashion, this is a thoroughly decent choice.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Jun 13, 2016
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Basic in both presentation and premise, Pic-A-Pix Deluxe serves up a dish of picross puzzling that will test your brain capacity but does little to innovate on a well-worn conundrum recipe. Still, with some Switch-specific features - including four-player multiplayer support - and plenty of nonograms to its name, Lightwood Games’ pixel puzzler is right at home on Nintendo’s new handheld home.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Jan 7, 2018
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While Extreme Hangman 2 doesn't really do anything wrong, it is difficult to say whether or not it is an improvement over its predecessor.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Jul 21, 2011
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Figment 2 stands as a competent and creative action puzzle game with a lot of heart. Though it feels rather short, it’s clear that a lot of thought and care went into making this charming world. Satisfying puzzles and excellent presentation are a big draw here, though they’re let down by simplistic combat and undeniably rough, gameplay-affecting performance on Switch. We'll keep our fingers crossed for patches, and we’d still give Figment 2 a recommendation, though you may want to wait for this one to go on sale.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Mar 10, 2023
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Overall, if Oscar in Toyland had been polished and updated for 2009 this could have been the DSiWare service's first big platformer. As it is, Oscar in Toyland only just manages to escape mediocrity, and yet doesn't quite fall into the "good" category.- Nintendo Life
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If you’ve enjoyed previous entries in the series, you’ll know what to expect from this: mischievous kids, duplicitous teachers and just the right amount of toilet humour.- Nintendo Life
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Garden Buddies does a sprinkling of things well, but it doesn’t excel at any one thing. At its root, the solid concept and intention is let down by its lack of depth and reward for achievements. It’s not terrible at all, but with so many other relaxing, cute games competing to calm you, we think it’s okay to give this one a miss.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Oct 23, 2023
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Take this game for what it is, not what it is inevitably become compared to and you'll have an engaging story and pleasant exploration-based experience - for the most part. During your travels it's really up to you how much you want to discover, catalogue and upgrade. Morphite isn't a bad little first-person adventure but thrill seekers looking for a stop gap before Metroid Prime 4 could end up feeling short changed; rather than cause your pulse to race this jaunt through the uncharted regions of the universe is quite laid back and curiously lacking in excitement. It ranks as an enjoyable - if sometimes pedestrian - adventure that you will ultimately get as much out of as you are willing to put in, but we fear a great many players will simply lose interest.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Nov 6, 2017
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If you’re really after a quick knockabout and want to take up your only chance to play as Altair and Jade on Wii, you’ll find some enjoyment in Academy of Champions, but be prepared for plenty of frustration mixed in with your pie and Bovril.- Nintendo Life
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It’s disappointing that Golden Force falls down in the areas that it does, because without these fixable issues it would be an easy recommendation – level design is mostly strong, the boss battles marry spectacle with varied and fun-to-learn attack strings nicely, and it feels good to get stronger and play better. Unfortunately, some rookie errors come close to spoiling the fun altogether, but if you’re bloody-minded enough to muscle through these frustrations there is undoubtedly a lot to appreciate about Golden Force. Which is a shame, in a sense, because “Golden Farce” would have been a perfect tagline for this review. The one we’ve had to opt for is rubbish, by comparison. (It’s not as easy as you might think, this game-reviewing lark.)- Nintendo Life
- Posted Jan 29, 2021
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Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 was released less than 12 months after the first in the series, and it absolutely shows. While there's still a solid platformer in here, it's a bare-bones attempt which underwhelms for the sole reason that it could have been so much more.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Oct 26, 2014
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Jump Trials is a simple game. It distills platforming down to its essential mechanics, and prioritizes rapid-fire tests of thumb dexterity over all else. It lacks polish, and its 10-second fits of running and jumping suffer from a palpable lack of charm - aesthetes absolutely need not apply. That said, those core mechanics are solid, and players who know what they're getting into will find some seriously challenging fun packed into these quick bursts of precision platforming.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Nov 18, 2012
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It successfully recreates the experience of casting and reeling, but doesn't do much to hook players beyond that.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Jan 14, 2013
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The overarching story within NUTS is probably worth experiencing on its own, despite the repetitive gameplay. It’s reasonably well written and is just about compelling enough to hold your attention for its 2-3 hour duration. There’s nothing here that you’ll connect with on an emotional level, but the voiceover work really helps drive the mystery. Unfortunately, there also a number of framerate dips throughout the experience that will really hamper your enjoyment; hopefully, this will be ironed out in the future.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Feb 12, 2021
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This is a game that depends on one’s personal tastes, but it’s hard to deny there’s potential here; it would certainly be pleasing to see more ideas from Arachnid Games’s notebook in the future.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Oct 26, 2014
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As a tie-in game for a line of hunting gear, Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2013 is surprisingly capable. It's by no means a flawless experience, and we find it hard to recommend it very strongly, but anyone who does decide to give it a shot - so to speak - may find themselves pleasantly surprised.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Jan 14, 2013
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Ikachan is not a bad game, but there's very little to recommend it apart from its pedigree and connection to Cave Story. There's not much to explore, no real challenge, and no reason whatsoever to come back. It introduces concepts that depart almost immediately, and does not provide optional objectives, and its lone boss fight is criminally easy. It may be worth taking a dip, but don't expect much depth.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Jan 27, 2013
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The Punchuin undoubtedly delivers a solid match-three gameplay experience, but one that's let down by little in the way of level variety and a severe lack of overall content. The charming writing and presentation highlight the passion and skill of the developers but, in the end, what is here feels more like a lovingly-crafted demo than a full release. If you are looking for a quick and enjoyable puzzler, The Punchuin will deliver exactly that but no more. It's fine, but we just wish this package packed more of a punch, as there are plenty of other options out there with more bang for your buck.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Dec 28, 2022
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