Nintendo Life's Scores

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For 5,856 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 Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Lowest review score: 10 153 Hand Video Poker
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,260 out of 5856
  2. Mixed: 2,820 out of 5856
  3. Negative: 776 out of 5856
5864 game reviews
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    • 81 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Street Fighter: 30th Anniversary Collection
    An utterly essential purchase for any self-respecting fighting game fan. Because of Street Fighter's importance to the genre, this is like a history lesson in how the one-on-one fighter has evolved over time; from its rather bumbled inception with the original Street Fighter to its break-out moment with the sequel and its slow and steady refinement with the Super, Alpha and Street Fighter III sub-series.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    River City Girls
    Not since Scott Pilgrim vs The World was released nine years ago have we played such an entertaining, satisfying beat ‘em up. Whether you’re playing alone or teaming up with a friend in co-op mode, River City Girls is a visually superb, aurally fantastic, out-and-out love letter to the genre. Fans of River City Ransom and other Kunio-kun games will adore how it respects the past but makes it relevant today, while those new to the series will simply find a hugely enjoyable and infectiously cheerful scrapper.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem
    Lots of gameplay, great graphics, a wonderful soundtrack and flawless touchscreen controls make Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! a worthy addition to an often-overlooked franchise.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo
    Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo is a masterclass in retro Zelda-like game design, expertly fusing classic mechanics with creative new ideas to make for a thoroughly memorable and worthwhile experience. Occasional difficulty spikes aside, we’d highly recommend you pick up Pipistrello at the next available opportunity, especially if you're a Zelda fan who prefers the top-down design of games such as The Minish Cap. Much like its title character, this one has a lot of cool tricks up its sleeve.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Theatrhythm Final Bar Line
    Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is an utterly addictive, perfectly tuned celebration of all things Final Fantasy. It’s a deceptively simple-looking game that, once you get under the hood, you’ll discover it has teeth and demands practice and patience if you want to unlock everything. It gives back what you put into it, and we’re struggling to put it down even now. We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the series’ 35th anniversary, and this makes it a must-buy for Final Fantasy fans and rhythm game enthusiasts. How other storied, sprawling game series’ haven’t followed suit with their own rhythm games is baffling when the results can be this magical.
    • 93 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Cave Story
    Cave Story may come from humble PC beginnings but it feels most in its element in this slick portable package. Nicalis has put together the definitive Cave Story compilation, but without any earth-shattering changes or additions it's ultimately just another way to play an all-time classic on familiar hardware. Granted, that's still a rather excellent thing, as the game is so pleasing to play that we're more than happy to delve into it yet again, and again.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl
    Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl is not only a great example of how to remake a classic, it's also a fantastic game in its own right.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    There is no game : Wrong dimension
    When it comes down to it, There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension is a bit of a misnomer. There is certainly a game to be found here, and it’s a ruddy good one. If you’re not a fan of point-and-click style adventure games, then you may want to look elsewhere, but with an experience packed with ingenious puzzles and excellent self-aware jokes, this is one of the strongest examples of the genre in recent years. It’s right up there with the best; don’t miss out.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Rage of the Gladiator
    Rage of the Gladiator remains one of WiiWare's undisputed highlights, and we've been pleasantly surprised to discover that the game is even more alluring in portable form. The pick-up-and-play mentality of the title is better suited to the 3DS, and while it's a shame that the immersive motion controls understandably had to be sacrificed in this port, after an hour or so you won't miss them at all.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
    Persona Q has something for everyone. If you’re a Persona fan, you’ll get a huge kick out of seeing your old Gekkoukan and Yasogami classmates in an all-new adventure, and Etrian Odyssey fans open to a change will love it — this is the story-driven experiment of Etrian Odyssey Untold taken to the next level, with a stylistic overhaul to match.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Beyond Galaxyland
    Beyond Galaxyland is a well-written, artistically diverse space adventure which mixes several different flavours of RPG with puzzling and semi-open exploration. The story is filled with well-rounded characters and emotional narrative payoffs and, as much as Enright's galactic adventure is a collection of stylistic and mechanical homages, it doesn't feel like a patchwork of fan service. For all its influences and adherence to specific genre execution, Doug’s journey through multiple worlds is still very much its own thing.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana
    Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is hardly a revolutionary RPG, but it stands as an excellent reminder that sometimes less is more. The brisk pacing, thrilling combat, and cutesy visuals all come together in a wonderfully enjoyable and simple action RPG. This is an experience that makes no compromises and holds nothing back, and even if it’s clearly less ambitious and expansive than many of the later entries in the series, there’s also something very satisfying about playing through a game where its reach did not exceed its grasp.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Frobot
    Not only does it feature a very funny disco-era theme to carry its humorous storyline, it manages to offer up an absolutely brilliant action/puzzle experience as well that's as much fun to play as it is to watch.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Rogue Legacy 2
    Rogue Legacy 2 is — to put it simply — a banger. While it’s not a game-changing revelation, it manages to follow up on everything that made the original great and makes it bigger and better. Even once you've bested the bosses, you've barely scratched the surface of what this has to offer, considering the in-depth New Game Plus mode and the wealth of content contained across all available classes and options. Whether you loved the original Rogue Legacy or never played it but like a good roguelike, this is a game you simply can't afford to miss.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Octopath Traveler II
    Octopath Traveler II is a triumphant and confident follow-up to its predecessor, building on the established foundation with welcome new ideas and tweaks that make for an overall excellent experience. A strategic combat system, open-ended character progression, well-written stories, gorgeous visuals, and an incredible soundtrack all coalesce into one of the finest RPGs available on Switch to date. Though it may be more of the same, Team Asano demonstrates mastery of its craft at every turn here. We’d give Octopath Traveler II a high recommendation to anybody looking for a beautiful new RPG to add to their Switch collection.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones
    This is also one of the most fiendish titles on Wii U, constantly challenging your reactions and puzzle-solving abilities. If you're up for the challenge, then this is a must-buy on the eShop.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Sonic Colors
    To call Sonic Colours the best 3D Sonic game ever is damning with faint praise, although its title is deserved. The action is fast enough to satisfy your speed lust, whilst the Wisp powers introduce plenty of new skills and ways to explore the stages that otherwise could just be straight zips to the finish.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Mega Man 10
    Mega Man 10 is everything you could want out of sequel and more.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Skylanders Swap Force
    Skylanders: Swap Force is the rare type of game that takes all of the elements from previous series entries and improves on them at every turn. Veterans are bound to love this new title, but it also serves as a perfect place to start for those new to the series.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
    Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is an absolute triumph. The narrative and dialogue, which is already wonderfully compelling on its own, has been given a massive boost thanks to the excellent voice acting introduced for the Final Cut. The gameplay features a host of branching paths for you to explore, and while the slow, methodical approach may turn a few people off, this is nevertheless one of the most well-told stories in any medium from the last few years. The performance issues at the time of writing slightly took the shine off things — and we hope they're ironed out soon via updates — but even with them present, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut stands as one of the best RPGs available on Switch.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
    Even in its attempts to swing big and do something different, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade respects where it’s come from. The classic's pro-revolutionary heart is still intact, and it’s never afraid to get a little weird and funny. The Switch 2 version makes impressively few compromises to get this gorgeous-looking game running on the system – even at 30fps, this looks and feels fantastic. The fact that everything from the PS5 release is preserved in such excellent fashion here is remarkable, and it makes me excited (and anxious) about Rebirth’s incoming port.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Rune Factory 4
    Whether you come for the adventure, the romance, or simply the turnips, Rune Factory 4's inviting world will draw you in and give you plenty of reasons to stick around for many, many seasons to come.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Bravely Default
    Any 3DS owner with even a fleeting interest in role-playing games and a desire to get lost in an incredible, engaging adventure would be doing themselves a huge favour by picking up Bravely Default without delay.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Apex Legends
    Apex Legends redeems itself on Switch 2. This upgraded version gives us 60fps shooting action with crisp, clear resolutions and none of that juddery, unresponsive, blurry stuff we had back in 2021. It's still the best hero shooter/Battle Royale out there for me, with amazingly fluid traversal, best-in-class gunfeel, and a ping system that puts proper teamwork and tactics front and centre. The cherry on top, of course, is that it's free to play, too, so there's no good reason for shooter fans not to dive right in.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Onslaught
    Hudson has achieved the unthinkable and created an original and entertaining Japanese developed FPS which comes as a great surprise. This is a must-download for fans of the FPS genre.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Crimzon Clover - World EXplosion
    While Crimzon Clover does owe a tremendous debt to many arcade shooters through the 1990s and 2000s, it's clear that Yotsubane has a great love and understanding of them. It’s not only a homage (look at the default high score table for some familiar initials) but also brings some mechanical brilliance that makes it stand out against most of its doujin shoot-em-up peers, and enough to hang with the genre greats. It’s flashy, it’s exciting, it’s addictive, and it’s an essential purchase for genre fans.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Cuphead
    Cuphead was an absolute masterpiece when it launched on Xbox 18 months ago and nothing has been sacrificed in its move to the Switch. It’s the same visually jaw-dropping, aurally delightful, knuckle-whiteningly difficult game it was on Microsoft’s console and the Switch’s library is all the better for its presence. Its focus on intense boss battles won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but as long as you know what you’re getting yourself into we can’t recommend it enough.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    No Man's Sky
    No Man's Sky on Switch is a fantastic port of a game we genuinely didn't really believe would make the transition to Nintendo's console without some serious technical issues. Hello Games has made the necessary cutbacks and downgrades to get this intergalactic survival sandbox playing at a super solid frame rate and the colourful, chunky graphical style here ensures that it all still looks pretty fantastic to boot. With all of the game's previous updates and content included — barring multiplayer at this point — and a plethora of customisation options courtesy of the massive Waypoint update, this is an easy recommendation for survival fans and one of the most impressive ports we've seen on Switch to date.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Hypnospace Outlaw
    Hypnospace Outlaw really is like nothing else out there; at once an excellent puzzle game, razor-sharp satire and meticulously crafted slice of early-internet nostalgia that you can spend hours absolutely lost in. It's frequently hilarious stuff that's impeccably well-written across the board, managing to successfully bring the crazy, lawless, early rush of creativity that formed the pre-Y2K era of the internet convincingly back to life. It delivers a truly extraordinary recreation of the GeoCities era of the internet that absolutely nails its '90s aesthetic to present a living, breathing world that's a joy to spend time browsing around, soaking up the atmosphere and reliving the anarchic early days of the internet as you slowly untangle the puzzles at the heart of its narrative.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Nostalgia
    One of the more refreshing RPG releases to hit the DS system and a game that no RPG fan will want to miss out on.
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These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation.

In Progress & Unscored

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    • tbd Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Disney Dreamlight Valley
    Disney Dreamlight Valley is a frictionless, relaxing spin on life sims that manages to remain heartwarming and charming, despite a few Switch-related rough patches. Dreamlight Valley’s unique identity relies heavily on fresh interactions with your in-game friends, and Gameloft will need to continue supporting it with regular updates to keep the Night Thorns from creeping back in. However, what's here at launch is surprisingly touching and thoughtful, and cleverly plays on the nostalgia of anyone who's ever been a Disney fan. [Early Access Score = 70]
    • 72 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Nintendo Switch Sports
    We’re hoping that as soon as the online functionality is live Nintendo Switch Sports will make a lot more sense, but as a purely local game there’s a lot to be desired to make this a worthwhile purchase. If you’re keen on simply playing some motion-controlled Wii Sports-like games on your Switch then Nintendo Switch Sports might bring you a good bit of enjoyment, but if you’re looking for something a little deeper and with a bit more variety than the game you first played on Wii, you’ll probably be left somewhat disappointed. [Review in Progress]
    • tbd Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Pokemon Smile
    Other than the odd camera-darkening problem we experienced – which can hopefully be fixed with an update for those it affects – we definitely like Pokémon Smile. It isn’t going to give Smash Bros. a run for its money or anything like that, but it isn’t trying to: much like the recently released Jump Rope Challenge on Switch, it’s a light-hearted, free way of trying to inject a little fun into an otherwise mundane task. Just bear in mind that it can be a little harsh when it comes to judging your brushing, and so you need to prepare your child for the reality that they won't be catching a Pokémon every time they play.
    • tbd Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The Garden Path
    The Garden Path is a labour of love for both developer carrotcake and the player. It targets for a specific audience that is accepting of a slower pace and a soft, cosy vibe. Unfortunately, that meticulous, mellow life is both The Garden Path's selling point and its weakness, with vague directions, advice, and control issues on Switch weighing down the experience even more. The Garden Path may grow on you over time, but whether you have the patience for that will be the real test. [Review in Progress]
    • 63 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    NBA Playgrounds
    NBA Playgrounds is a flawed game, but a fun one. Single player modes are playable but can feel like a bit of a slog for all but the most hardcore fans. Multiplayer fares much better, delivering an enjoyable local multiplayer experience that we’re hopeful can be recreated well online. If you’re thinking of picking this one up, then, we recommend you do your homework and proceed with caution; perhaps wait until the online multiplayer is live, too.
    • 59 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    LEGO Worlds
    There are lots of great ideas here, and every now and then you can see glimpses of what kind of potential those ideas have, but this is a gaming equivalent of what happens when you pull a tray of cookies out of the oven too early, leaving you underdone treats. The core concept behind LEGO Worlds isn’t the problem, but the execution is. Perhaps in future updates (or sequels) Tt Games will figure out how to better refine it, but we would advise you to hold off on this one for now. Creative players will get a little more utility out of this game due to its sandbox mode, but on the whole there’s not much here that you’ll be missing out on by passing.
    • tbd Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Palia
    Palia isn’t really anything special, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. There’s a fun gameplay loop to engage with here that fans of farm sims will be sure to enjoy, and though the MMO elements feel rather underbaked in this pre-1.0 release, the microtransactions don’t feel overbearing and there’s enough solo-focused content here to make it worth trying out. It would be tough to recommend you pick this one up were it a full-price retail release, but you’re sure to get at least an afternoon or two of good fun if you choose to try it out. At the end of the day, it costs nothing but time and storage space to give Palia a shot; we’d suggest you download it and see if it’s for you—especially if you can’t get enough of farm sims. We'll be back to see how this shakes out in 2024. [Review in Progress]
    • 74 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    NBA 2K18
    Its current status means that we can’t give NBA 2K18 a score until the situation is remedied (or at least clarified). If it gets patched soon we’ll happily declare this one a highly recommended game, but in its current state we simply can’t recommend it at all.

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