Nintendo Life's Scores

  • Games
For 5,859 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: 10 153 Hand Video Poker
Score distribution:
5867 game reviews
    • 59 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    A game as good as Zombies Ate My Neighbors deserves a stronger package than this one, which feels in parts like a bit of a hack job. We're sure it isn't, but the lack of extras or even meaningful settings to change (again, you can't remap the controls) are a huge bummer. We could complain about the lack of the Mega Drive version, as while most favour the SNES game there is something to be said for the Sega port's always-visible status screen, but overall we still recommend this package to anyone who simply wants a slightly inferior version of a bloomin' brilliant game on their Switch, plus its much worse, but kind of okay sequel. This is — shockingly — probably the worst way to play Zombies Ate My Neighbors ever, but it's still a way to play Zombies Ate My Neighbors. So it gets the slightest of thumbs-ups.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Fans of LEGO games and the Avengers movies will find plenty to like, but technical shortcomings mean it falls short of its full potential.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Guilt Battle Arena is a lot of fun while it lasts with frantic, fast-paced action that forces players to act quickly in the heat of battle. Our main issue, however, is that everything that the game has to offer can be seen very quickly, and the desire to keep picking up the game, again and again, isn’t as strong as we’d initially hoped. Fun in quick bursts, but lacking slightly in gameplay content, we’d urge you to place this one on your ‘maybe’ list.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It must be said, in removing its pornographic elements, Steam-Heart’s is largely robbed of its intrigue. Visually improved though the Saturn version is, its amateur doujin elements can still be felt beneath the surface. And, while reasonably fun to work through and see the sights, it doesn't demand repeat visits. It still has absolutely stellar Kimura art, some more interesting moments in later stages, and some nice boss designs. The boost-dodging and sub-weapon cannibalisations, too, make up in some way for the unstructured nature of its bullets and grossly uneven difficulty. There’s perhaps enough steam in it for a completion or two, but the lack of translation is a real bummer, and it offers little else remarkable beyond the mystique of its PC-98 roots.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Timberline Studio's debut game holds a lot of promise, with writing and animations that are both full to the brim with personality and wit. However, The Red Lantern's core game loop suffers from repetitive, punishingly random events that make the player feel passive and helpless to the whims of fate.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Still, as a game for younger crowds it's a fun and welcome option to further embrace the world of Peanuts.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    A quirky 2D adventure with hints of psychological horror and some classic puzzles. Though its gameplay is riddled with glitches and its narrative full of flaws, The Long Reach keeps tempting you to peer around the next murky corner.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Players willing to overlook the rough-and-ready packaging will find plenty of genuinely fun primate puzzling here.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The main issue is that the premise of these types of games is too simple and repetitive by modern standards, something which is likely to put off newcomers. If you have fond memories of playing this in the arcade then you'll love this Switch port, but everyone else should take their time before making a purchase.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    If you've already played Outdoors Unleashed: Africa 3D to its fullest extent and you're craving more on-rails hunting action, then Wild Adventures is the game for you. If instead you're a new player to the genre, then the former is definitely the right place to start.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Bombing Bastards doesn't stand up to the high standards set by some recent Wii U eShop releases, but it's a competent if unremarkable action puzzler.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    All in all, Elastic Boy is a moderately good start for young kids who want to start getting into actual gaming (perhaps as a step up from Lexis Numerique's other WiiWare series), and for 600 Wii Points it's not really too expensive. Be on the lookout for sequels!
    • 64 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Trine 3: Artifacts of Power is by no means a bad game. It’s visuals are exemplary, the characters charming and delightful, and the overall tone of the game is very well suited to the Switch. Unfortunately, in transitioning over to fully 3D environments, the poor depth perception and limited sense of progression really hurts the experience. If you enjoy collecting items, there’s just about enough here to warrant a purchase, but everyone else would be wise to hold off until the upcoming Trine 4.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Thea: The Awakening wants to be many things. It wants to be a proper 4X game; it wants to be a through-and-through survival experience; it wants to be an RPG, a CCG and many other genres all at once. It succeeds at some, but often at the expense of others. There are some really great ideas here – the almost Pratchett-esque silliness to some of its scenarios and the focus on Slavic myths serves as a striking source of inspiration – but the focus on micro-management busywork simply gets in the way of the empire-building fun Thea should really be embracing.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Fall Part 2: Unbound continues the story from The Fall with an interesting angle on familiar sci-fi concepts, but the game that underpins this darkly cerebral world is somewhat lacking. Both its action and adventure elements suffer from stilted controls, and the imaginatively conceived point-and-click sections don't always leave a satisfying breadcrumb trail for the player to follow. The result is a game that's as frustratingly flawed as it is thought-provoking.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Skate City is a laid back, chilled out alternative to the more hectic skateboarding action of the likes of Roll7's OlliOlli series. The various tricks and skills here won't take you long to master, putting together little runs through Los Angeles, Oslo and Barcelona feels satisfying and the overall aesthetic suits the rather simple, straightforward nature of proceedings. However, there's an undeniable lack of actual challenge and variety here, alongside a few niggling framerate issues on Switch, that result in a game that's reasonable enough value for a quick bash, especially given its budget price point, but one that won't last anyone beyond the most avid of skateboarding fans for much longer than a couple of hours.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It is difficult to recommend Pokémon Unite to 'free' players unless they're truly in it for the long haul. The gameplay is engaging, with a large roster of Pokémon that can be tried out in offline modes, but owning iconic Pokémon such as Lucario or Garchomp to play in Ranked will require an immense amount of Aoes Coins or paid-for Aeos Gems. A lot of joy is to be found in Quick Matches due to daily map rotations, but ultimately Unite is too geared toward grabbing people’s purses to win games rather than providing an even playing field for everyone. Players that don't pay will likely find frustration in constantly matching with others who have spent money; it's worth keeping that in mind before committing to Pokémon Unite.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Hue
    Hue is an interesting title. It’s unique and striking, but it always feels just a hair's breadth away from true brilliance. The few moments of exasperation after finding your way out of a confusing situation are some of the best a game of this type could possibly have, but they happen so rarely throughout the four-or-so hour running time that their impact is dulled. Hue could have been something more, but what’s here is engaging enough if you’re gasping for an inventive indie puzzler.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It may not be a particularly meaty title but it's a fun diversion, even if it's not exceptional in the broader context of the eShop library.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Plague Road is a valiant attempt at combining divergent concepts into a cohesive and interesting package. But as interesting as it may be to make the first roguelike base-building strategy RPG, it’s missing a layer of depth to drive it beyond curiosity into the realm of compulsory design. There’s plenty to like here, and if you’re in the mood for a morose adventure down a bleak path to a ruined world this may be for you. If you’re just looking to casually save the world from an outbreak, however, you may want to think carefully.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    While it’s not the best the series has been – many could argue Jedi Knight II or Jedi Outcast will perpetually battle for that title – Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is still a fun and lengthy trek across the (non-canon) Star Wars universe. The multiplayer doesn’t live up to its former glories, but the sprawling and semi non-linear campaign certainly makes up for it with its lightning-fast lightsaber combat and that silly quintessentially silly approach to Star Wars that was still rife in the early 2000s. Don’t expect Jedi: Fallen Order, but do expect a time capsule of an action-adventure.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    A strange little thing, Skelattack seems to lack confidence in itself, wanting to be one of those hard-as-nails "masocore" platformers while not really committing to the tight design that defines that subgenre. As a result, it's a game that'll make you seethe with frustration not from deliberate and challenging level design, but from sloppily-constructed traps that seem to think such things are excused by a multitude of checkpoints. It's definitely not a disaster, but Skelattack leaves a lot to be desired.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Boyfriend Dungeon is an excellent example of a flawed gem, with an original premise and an engaging gameplay loop marred by a lack of development of ideas and mechanics. Combat is really fun, until you realize it’s kind of shallow. The characters are interesting, until they become unbelievable or downright unlikeable. It's the kind of game that seems pretty great until you really get to know it, after which it can start to feel like work. We'd give Boyfriend Dungeon a very light recommendation, as there’s enough here to justify a purchase and you’ll likely be glad that you gave it a shot. That said, there are some legitimate issues in its execution, so maybe wait for a deep sale before picking it up.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Cars 3: Driven to Win falls for some of the pitfalls that are expected of a game released to coincide with a movie's arrival in theatres. Rather rushed, rough around the edges and with minor but persistent annoyances, older players will certainly recognise the symptoms. That said, it hits top gear in some respects. Its gameplay mechanics are rather fun once grasped, there are a variety of modes and tracks to master, and despite its sidenote of a narrative it goes big on the film series' charms.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The controls may be to simplistic to be engaging and the absence of instructions can lead this casual game into frustrating territory. Nevertheless, even with the simplistic controls and lack of guidance the player will still feel that same sense of accomplishment and pride when you master Mama’s tasks.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    While Zimo: Mahjong Fanatic tries its best to capture the essence of traditional Mahjong, it falls short of providing any lasting fun.
    • 45 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    At its heart Violett is a classically designed point-and-click adventure, warts and all. It tells an interesting tale in a world filled with oddity and excitement, but it's told in an unintuitive manner that only the most stalwart fan of the genre will likely stick with. It tries to cast its net wide by offering a clever hint system to help players survive its obtuse nature, but nevertheless only the most patient will try to come back out of the rabbit hole.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures is both incredibly enjoyable and considerably infuriating. There’s just enough of that classic magic in there to make the design and management of a theme park a consistently rewarding experience, and using permits and research to space out your access to the good stuff makes this a genuinely fun time sink. However, the level of automation that’s migrated over from the mobile iteration really does negatively impact this Switch port, and issues with overall performance place a big caveat around its neck. While it's not a total disaster, RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures does leave you wanting a little more – especially if you're a seasoned fan of the long-running series.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    With appealing visuals and a haunting atmosphere, it demands patience and introspection. For those eager to explore its ideas of loss and moving on, it’s worth a look; for others, it might feel like the world’s saddest gardening simulator.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Naruto: Powerful Shippuden does one thing exactly right, and that's the humour. The actual gameplay gets a bit too repetitive too quickly, but a fun storyline and a personal goals feature do their best to keep things interesting.

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