Nintendo Life's Scores
- Games
For 5,858 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: | 153 Hand Video Poker |
Score distribution:
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Positive: 2,261 out of 5858
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Mixed: 2,821 out of 5858
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Negative: 776 out of 5858
5866
game
reviews
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- Critic Score
Discounty is a solid addition to the Switch’s healthy stable of cosy sims. These games feel right at home on a console you can take anywhere, with a bite-sized day cycle that works just as well for long sessions as it does for quick breaks. Growing your supermarket is a deep and satisfying experience, but getting involved in your customers lives can be a bit shallow. But, most importantly, Discounty manages the impossible task of making retail work fun and relaxing, and that's a feat in itself.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Aug 17, 2025
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Tron: Identity won’t wow anyone with its puzzles, but it does a great job of telling a tight story that changes with each playthrough. The short playtime encourages you to explore the world a bit more and uncover new truths that you missed because of your previous actions. If this is the start of a series of Tron visual novels, which the plot certainly feels like, then we’re hopeful we get to continue our journey with Query very soon.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Apr 11, 2023
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Graphically, it’s a masterpiece, but Jotun’s action is too imbalanced to allow the same to be said about the game as a whole. Exploring its environments will be a treat for some players and getting stuck into its difficult boss battles will be a treat for others: if your tastes are wide-ranging enough to appreciate both scenarios, this is a winner.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Apr 27, 2018
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Trials of Mana proves itself to be a successful revival of a lost classic, smartly infusing new design and content where necessary while still maintaining the spirit of the original. Multi-threaded storylines, an enjoyable combat system and flexible character progression combine to make this one a fantastic experience from start to finish, even if occasional performance problems hinder the experience somewhat. We’d give Trials of Mana a high recommendation to RPG fans and newcomers alike; there’s plenty here to love for both camps, and we hope that this release could act as a blueprint for future entries in the Mana series.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Apr 22, 2020
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While the multiplayer has lost a considerable amount of its magic due to the much lower number of max players, everything else has been very well done: with over 150 tracks and the ability to create your own, achievements, and online multiplayer with up to five others, it captures the feeling of TrackMania perfectly, and will hopefully gain a completely new fan following.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Oct 21, 2010
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With its simple game design and incredible attention to detail Toto Temple Deluxe is a goat ride you won't want to miss.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Oct 12, 2015
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Neo Turf Masters is a long way off being the most authentic golf simulation ever made but that doesn't diminish its intrinsic appeal; the gameplay is instantly gratifying and the challenge considerable, especially if you want the satisfaction of coming top on each of the four courses. However, like so many games developed for an arcade environment it is perhaps best sampled in short bursts, either solo or with a friend; there's no career mode to speak of and if you don't see the appeal of bettering your own score or playing with other people, you might get bored within the space of an evening.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Mar 28, 2017
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An endearing combination of influences from art and science makes The Bridge a valuable addition to the Nintendo Switch library, especially if you've never played it before. Sometimes bogged down by showing off its aesthetic strengths at the sacrifice of fully exploring the puzzle ideas and mechanics, The Bridge does suffer slightly due to slow controls and a story/ character that deserves a little more nuance to back up its ambitious and academic influences. What it does do, however, is reward players' patience, calculation and observation with moments that rival some of the best in the genre. A genuinely interesting and challenging experience that, despite a few small flaws, will stretch mental as well as physical muscles.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Sep 3, 2017
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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.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Sep 19, 2017
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If you had to pick one platform for Quest of Dungeons, the Switch would probably be it. It highlights the qualities of the Switch concept even if the upgrades in the game are relatively subtle. The system - with the choice of TV or portable play - is therefore a perfect match with the solid turn-based combat and procedurally generated dungeons. As a returning player, besides playing the title on a fancy new device the minor improvements and new content are hard to appreciate, at least when considering the need to double-dip. This version is certainly worth a go if you haven't played it before, however, as this is still an enjoyable game to play.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Sep 27, 2017
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All told, Aqua Kitty UDX is a simple, satisfying arcade shooter that looks as great as it plays. It takes one concept, offers a few different angles on it, and ensures it fulfills all that it sets out to do. We’d give this one a strong recommendation to anyone looking for a game that’s easy to pick up and play, this is pure, arcade fun. This is also a one trick pony, though, which means that those of you that aren’t big on score chasing games will want to steer clear. Even so, Aqua Kitty UDX is a game that exemplifies the concept of less is more; we’d encourage you to give this one a look.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Feb 20, 2018
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Broforce is a hilariously explosive 2D action-platformer with a memorable catch-'em-all cast of action movie caricatures. The action may be a little one-note, but when that note is as big and bold as it is here, you'll be all-too-willing to disengage your brain and engage your trigger finger. After playing through the seemingly unending series of critically-acclaimed, high-brow 2D action titles on Switch, this is the perfect way to unwind.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Sep 14, 2018
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With the addition of extra modes, including the Arena of Echoes and Realm Trials, and the option to scan in cards from your physical deck, there's a deep and customisable experience that's ideal for genre veterans. Joy-Con controls work well enough – enabling you to play in docked mode – but it's at its best when played intimately in handheld mode with the touchscreen. The need for a constant internet connection will irk some, but for those that are willing to be tethered to Wi-Fi, PlayFusion has served up a fine rival to the likes of Hearthstone.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Apr 19, 2019
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Despite the fact that this is unquestionably a very fine video game, there's no escaping the fact that the Switch version has some serious issues; assets are noticeably weaker than they are in other versions, the frame rate is halved and the loading times are maddeningly protracted at points. Fingers are crossed that the developers can remedy some of these problems with proposed updates, but for the time being, this is arguably the least impressive edition of the game – although the fact that it's portable perhaps counts for more than you'd think.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Jul 1, 2019
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Bulletstorm was positively received by critics on its initial release all the way back in 2011 but it didn’t sell anywhere near as well as it really should have – a wrong that should hopefully be corrected with this Switch version. This is easily one of the most inventive and straight-up fun shooters of the past ten years; its fantastic Skillshot system, tight combat and ludicrously OTT levels of violence effortlessly make up for any problems it has in the cheesy dialogue or story department. Yes, it’s missing its multiplayer component here and we’d love to see gyroscopic controls patched in pretty sharpish, but overall this is a technically top-notch port of a stellar first-person shooter that you should really check out – especially if you missed out on it the first time around.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Sep 3, 2019
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As a standalone game, Super Kirby Clash holds up well to the Kirby series standard with its impressively diverse boss roster, straightforward RPG-lite mechanics, and deep potential for replayability. Though the online multiplayer is an unstable and unreliable mess, this hardly stands as a reason for you to not at least download the game and give it a shot. As a free to play release, Super Kirby Clash also manages to smartly handle its monetization and doesn’t hold back too much, offering you a fair amount of time-gated content relative to how much you feel like paying. We’d give Super Kirby Clash a high recommendation even if it was a low-price budget release at retail, but considering that it literally costs you nothing but your time, do yourself a favour and go download this as soon as you can.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Sep 12, 2019
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There's certainly still some fun to be had for sure, the mixing of fantasy and sci-fi on offer here is an endearing one, and it's noteworthy for the handful of novel features it introduced to the genre back in the day but - with a story and gameplay that were pretty average at the time of its release and haven't aged particularly well in the interim - it's definitely an experience recommended specifically for fans and those of us who wish to see the superlative second game in the series get the chance of a Switch re-release.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Dec 4, 2019
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Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea DX is the strongest entry in the Dusk trilogy. It adds a nice new camera, spices up the alchemy, strengthens the turn-based combat system and gives you two heroines to play through as, each with a journey unique enough that it's more than worth your while playing through the whole thing twice. World exploration is just as tightly controlled as in previous Atelier games and won't perhaps suit those hoping for a real sense of adventure or the desire to get completely lost in the wilds of the world presented here but, for fans of the series or those wanting to jump in and check it out, this is another solid entry in the long-running franchise that performs excellently on Switch and suits portable play perfectly.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Jan 14, 2020
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Despite its obvious visual shortcomings art of rally is still a nice looking game regardless; the gameplay, of course, shines through brightest, making this one of the most authentic, challenging rally titles in some time. The incredible music makes the price of admission worth it alone, and if you’re after a surprisingly nuanced, deep rally game, this is the one to go for.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Aug 16, 2021
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Slayers X is an enjoyable but basic entry in the boomer shooter genre that manages to satisfy without excelling in any one area. The levels are fun to explore, the gunplay feels good, and the gags can be amusing in small doses. Even so, little things like the increasingly grating sense of humor and lack of gyro controls drag this one down a bit, while the core gameplay feels just a little too vanilla. We’d give Slayers X a recommendation, but with the caveat that you should probably first play through a few other old-school shooters before getting around to this one. It's pretty decent, but this isn’t a top-shelf example of the genre.- Nintendo Life
- Posted May 15, 2024
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Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland is a well-made platformer that captures the heart of what made the TV show tick, and that’s perhaps its greatest achievement. The character swapping system isn’t unique, but it works well owing to some clever and occasionally quite challenging stage design; and, while it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, there’s a fun action game here with a good level of exploration. Whether you’re drawn to the HD or retro aesthetic variants is down to which of your nostalgic sentiments is strongest. Either way, the 8-bit representation is so accurate to hardware of that era we can’t believe it wasn’t actually released three decades ago.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Sep 9, 2024
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NBA 2K26 on Switch 2 fails to deliver the 60fps gameplay we've all been holding out for. It also runs at a lower resolution than I would have expected, and its online modes, thanks to no cross-play or cross-progression are ghost towns. However, if this is your only platform, and if you are okay with 30fps, there is still a huge festival of basketball to enjoy here. This is a game packed full of fun modes, and it'll teach you everything you could ever need to know about the sport whilst giving you some fine on-court action to boot. Here's hoping for a patch down the line, but 2K26 comes off as a great game underperforming on Switch 2 at launch.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Sep 8, 2025
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All told, this FireRed & LeafGreen re-release is undoubtedly a lazy way to celebrate 30 years of Pokémon. For the asking price, Game Freak and The Pokémon Company could’ve included some extra goodies, like a hard mode or online functionality. Still, this is the most convenient way to experience the charm of the original Kanto adventure, and going back in time to see how much the Pokémon series has grown gave me a newfound appreciation for all the catchin’ I’ve done over three decades, and all that there is to come. Now give us Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver, please.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Mar 3, 2026
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WayForward put a lot of time and work into LIT at it shows; it’s not perfect but if you’re in the mood for a puzzle game with a difference, break out your flashlight and watch out for what hides in the dark.- Nintendo Life
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There are a few minor gameplay glitches along the way, but they do little to take away from what is an otherwise engaging and enjoyable underwater diving experience and one well worth the 1000 Wii Point asking price.- Nintendo Life
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We’d recommend this to anyone looking for a relatively shallow game that doesn’t take a whole much of a time investment; for what it is, Yonder is a decent game, though it’s hardly a must-play.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Jun 5, 2018
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Puyo Puyo Champions ably covers the essentials of the series at a great price point. The inclusion of the Fever ruleset provides something of interest for veteran players and the most enthusiastic of new fans created by Puyo Puyo Tetris, and should be at least considered for any party game library. However, the lack of other single or multiplayer modes or a real tutorial make this less of a definitive entry-point or second helping for newly created casual fans than it perhaps could be.- Nintendo Life
- Posted May 5, 2019
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Nano Assault EX basically offers up exactly what you'd expect from an eShop upgrade release — better controls, more options, and a brand new mode.- Nintendo Life
- Posted Mar 11, 2013
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Clustertruck stands as a metaphor for life itself. Where do these trucks come from? Where are these trucks going? None of that matters now that you can play this game anytime, anywhere free from the tyranny of non-portable entertainment centres. An exquisite balance of arcade first-person action and physics puzzle that leaves little but one single course of action when faced with a glimpse of its pure brilliant absurdity: Keep on (cluster)truckin', baby!- Nintendo Life
- Posted Mar 19, 2018
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Primrose is the kind of game that gives back what you put into it. You can mess around and have a fun enough time, and if you're willing to put the time in to penetrate its intricacies you'll find one of the most rewarding puzzle games currently available on DSiWare.- Nintendo Life
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