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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    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Pokemon Alpha Sapphire
    Overall, Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire seem very similar to Pokémon X & Y, as you might expect, but the story and the environments you encounter feel – despite the fact that they are remakes – very fresh and unique.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Pinball FX3
    Even if it doesn’t necessarily revolutionise the series, it still expands on it. In some cases it is hard to enhance given the source material. It has all the necessities including global leader boards, multiplayer action and fills each table with enough content to justify purchases – including challenges and a levelling system. With the game free to try out, there’s no harm in downloading it and taking a look at what the definitive pinball experience on the market offers.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Cave Story 3D
    Cave Story has always been an extremely charming and engaging experience, but never before has the game come alive with the type of depth and realism that the 3D visuals and lighting effects provide. When you couple all of this together with the classic high-quality platforming and shooting action of the original, not to mention an amazing remixed soundtrack, you end up with what has to be one of the most impressive video game remakes we've seen in recent years and a title you absolutely should not miss.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
    If you’re looking for a fun way to unwind, relax, and have a laugh alone or with some friends, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is exactly the game to fulfill that need. It’s pure family-friendly fun that squeezes in just enough variety to ensure that players of all ages will find something to enjoy. A heroic feat, indeed.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope: Rayman in the Phantom Show
    As we haven’t seen Rayman on the Nintendo Switch in quite some time, Rayman in the Phantom Show comes as a disappointment – especially when compared to Kingdom Battle’s Donkey Kong Adventure. The lack of Rayman specific elements, the inability to play as Rayman in the base game, and the rehashing of old enemies and encounters, make this an adventure fit only for those that can’t get enough of Sparks of Hope’s great tactical battles.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Dead Space: Extraction
    Extraction manages to come through on its promise of a cinematic experience by embracing the genre’s limitations and bending the expectations of what an on-rails game can and should do, all the while playing to the Wii’s strengths and pushing its technical abilities to new highs.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Resident Evil: Revelations
    A truly impressive achievement, and the definitive 'mature' title on the 3DS. With production values worthy of a home console release, a significant volume of content, a blend of the series' different game styles and a subtly evolved control system, this title feels like a tribute to and progression of the franchise. There are some downsides though, including spikes in difficulty and drops in frame rate that are occasionally jarring in contrast to the rest of the title.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
    Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a bit of an underwhelming RPG that has some unique gameplay mechanics. The open-ended world narrative structure feels freeing, but the characters are boring. The glimmer mechanic is fun, but the battle system lacks a strategic hook. Each of its gameplay systems is a double-edged sword, as we’d find a particular aspect enticing while another was baffling. It feels like a slight step back from the other recent SaGa games, but if you’re a fan of the series, Revenge of the Seven might resonate with you more than it did with us.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    X-Scape
    Despite the occasional visual and control quirks, X-Scape is, quite simply, a fantastic follow-up to a game that the West barely knew. Loaded with content, ambitious and borderline experimental in aesthetic, it's got enough meat on its bones to rival a lot of retail releases and certainly stands tall on DSiWare.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
    The broad range of characters, the emotional tone of the storyline and the teasing promise of more makes for an utterly engrossing experience. The question is whether this is worth your money; if you enjoy puzzles and charming tales of adventure, then you should already know the answer.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
    Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is the perfect name choice, as this takes the already exceptional Wii title and adds a daunting amount of new content and a HD sheen. It's also not a game for everyone, and those that go in with eyes closed may be in for a nasty surprise at the level of commitment and skill required.
    • 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.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Flat Heroes
    Mixing the shapely looks of Thomas Was Alone with the speed of 10 Second Run Returns and the brutal difficulty of Super Meat Boy, Flat Heroes fits the Nintendo Switch like a glove. If you’re playing solo you’ve got a solid (and lengthy) Campaign as well as bot support for its mini-games, but it’s the electric excitement of the game's local multiplayer mode where Flat Heroes right-angled, platforming madness makes the biggest impact. Don’t be a square - get this in your digital collection right now.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Horizon Chase Turbo
    If you’ve been craving an arcade racer for your Switch, look no further. Horizon Chase Turbo is a hugely enjoyable love letter to a gaming era when the cars were fast, the music was catchy, the action was smooth and the sky was bluer than an Eddie Murphy stand-up routine. Its enormous selection of tracks, addictive World Tour mode and excellent local multiplayer make it an absolute must-have for anyone even remotely interested in the genre.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Runbow
    It's an excellent party game with a solid single player campaign and more unlockables than the colours of the rainbow; you won't regret paying the admission for this gem on the Wii U.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!
    All around Minis March Again is a very competent, fun, and engaging package. It is easily one of the top games to be had on DSiWare at this time and in the foreseeable future.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    MotoHeroz
    Despite the absence of competitive online multiplayer and the occasional minor visual issue, it's difficult to see where the developers could have improved upon this bumper racing package, such is its completeness.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Injustice: Gods Among Us
    Whether you’re pummelling your opponent through the core of the Earth as Doomsday or smashing a car over Aquaman’s head, it is very satisfying having so much power in your hands.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Espgaluda II -Be Ascension. The Third Bright Stone of Birth-
    Luckily for publisher Live Wire, its bare-minimum localisation work and stumble out of the online gate aren’t destructive enough to drag the excellent Espgaluda II down too much, and underneath it all the game feels as fresh and well-designed as ever. The flexible risk/reward scoring system allows long-time fans to decide for themselves (to a certain extent) how much trouble they want to get into while still allowing newcomers enough leeway to enjoy an intense and visually spectacular shmup experience.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    CrossCode
    At its heart, CrossCode is the sort of game that basically speaks for itself. Do you like '90s-era JRPGs? Do you like classic Zelda games? Do you like MMOs? If you answered yes to any combination of those questions, then it stands to reason that you’ll probably really enjoy CrossCode, too. Radical Fish has conjured up an impressive blend of RPG mechanics, engaging combat, and open world exploration here. It may not always run smoothly, but CrossCode is a well-crafted and enjoyable release that you certainly won’t want to miss out on.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Ruiner
    Ruiner is an exceptionally stylish, brutal and bloody top-down shooter that hurls you unceremoniously into a relentless onslaught of deranged creeps, cyborgs and enormous mechanoid bosses all hellbent on your destruction. A steady drip-feed of new combat skills – alongside a ton of meaty guns and melee weapons – keeps the action feeling fresh, and the game's excellent graphics and thumping techno soundtrack do a top-notch job of bringing the whole thing vibrantly to life. There are a few framerate issues here and there in docked mode – something which has been an issue in other versions of the game – but, overall, this is a super-solid version of a supremely enjoyable and challenging cyberpunk action-adventure.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    F-Zero 99
    Despite its relatively unchanged look, F-Zero 99 is unexpectedly refreshing. Though it may not be the return for the franchise that fans hoped for, it's a triumphant and welcome look back at Captain Falcon's first game with a clever twist. F-Zero is simply suited for the -99 style structure in ways that Tetris, Mario, and Pac-Man aren't; it was already an elimination-style battle royale, just a small one. Adding more players doesn't just feel perfect for F-Zero, it feels natural. This isn't the definitive way to play F-Zero, but it is a brilliant take that supplements what worked so well in the original with thoughtful additions that make chasing victory utterly addictive.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
    A fine sequel, Travis Touchdown’s sophomore effort turns the mania up to eleven for an unforgettable blood-soaked thrill ride. While it’s a little more generic in terms of its narrative, it makes up for this wholesale with brilliant pacing, fantastic minigames and a whole brace of new, ingenious assassins to cut to pieces. As confident a follow-up as you could ever want, this is Grasshopper at the top of their game. Another fantastic port of a fantastic title.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Happy Home Paradise
    Happy Home Paradise makes Animal Crossing: New Horizons feel like a 'definitive' edition, especially when considered alongside the substantial free additions of version 2.0. It's beautifully polished — and that's not a reference to the ability you earn here — and provides even more variety and depth to your daily AC island life. You may discover new villagers to call friends, and perhaps even learn a little about how to better decorate rooms and homes. Most importantly, it simply makes us smile — that alone is the best recommendation we can give.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Hotline Miami Collection
    While time has somewhat diminished the freshness of Hotline Miami’s creative violence, both games still offer some of the most addictive and rewarding experiences you can play. Sure, the Nintendo Switch versions don’t bring anything particularly new to the table (even the touchscreen aspects were present on PS Vita), but if you’re looking to experience these games for the first time (or again) on a portable platform, this is the place to do it. The pixel art visuals and synthwave soundtrack have aged incredibly well – especially in the seven-year-old original – and while the lack of a map editor stings to this day, its brutal story missions are as engaging as they day they were released. Hotline Miami Collection still kills the old way.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle - Donkey Kong Adventure
    The Donkey Kong Adventure DLC brings a fresh angle to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, giving fans of the original something different to get their teeth into. It’s less daunting than the main game, with some truly powerful characters often making short work of the slightly-lessened enemy onslaught, but blasting through the campaign in this way offers a nice way to enjoy the comical ride. The lack of character options is perhaps the only downer here, taking away some of the deeper strategy involved in the full game, but we still loved every moment of our time with DK and friends.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Valkyria Chronicles 4
    Though it suffers from some relatively minor pacing issues, Valkyria Chronicles 4 is a sublime strategy experience that fans of the genre won’t want to miss out on. The engaging, character-driven plot, third-person action, deep customization options, and high replayability make this one an easy recommendation, although pacing issues and cumbersome menu management may make it a little more intimidating to newcomers to the genre. We're also undecided about where it fits in the franchise hall of fame; the original game perhaps just shades it. All the same, we’d recommend you give Valkyria Chronicles 4 a go; this is a strong return to form for the series, and it’s a great entry point for Nintendo fans.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Tadpole Treble Encore
    There’s no denying that Tadpole Treble Encore isn’t for everybody, as it’s a rather short entry in what is traditionally a niche genre. Even so, you’d be doing yourself a disservice by missing out on this adorable experience. Tadpole Treble Encore is a thoroughly well-paced and enjoyable adventure, one which is supported by solid game design and excellent audiovisual presentation. If you missed out on this on the Wii U or find yourself itching for a worthwhile rhythm game for your Switch library, we’d urge you to pick this up as soon as you can. If you’re one of the few who played this on Wii U, we’d still say it’s worth your time to double dip, just bear in mind that it’s not a massively overhauled experience.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Dreamscaper
    Dreamscaper really is rather good; this is a game that certainly deserves more attention than it’s received. What it lacks in originality, it makes up for in heart. A surprisingly emotional story, rewarding progression system, snappy combat, and painterly visuals make for an experience that we’d suggest you give a serious look.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Shadowverse: Champion's Battle
    Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle is without a doubt the greatest card battling RPG on the Switch yet; an addictive and incredibly deep card game wrapped up in a heartwarming and enjoyable RPG that supplements and supports the potent core gameplay in all the right ways. Dozens of hours of content in single player alone, combined with a full-fledged online multiplayer, ensures that you’re getting plenty of bang for your buck, while the anime presentation and detailed card art and animations keep everything looking and sounding nice all the way through. If you’re at all into card games, don’t waste your time deliberating: go buy this game immediately. Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle is an extremely easy game to recommend, and absolutely worth your time.
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