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
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Zed Blade might not be the most famous of Neo Geo shooters but with three craft to pick from and a number of customisation options, it has variety and point-scoring options aplenty. Of course, none of that would matter if the game wasn't entertaining, but luckily NMK has crafted a fun shooter. The music seems an unusual choice at first, but proves to be a good fit with the frantic play style required for the game. It's not without fault however, and the action is sometimes easy to lose track of when the screen gets cluttered and there are moments of noticeable slowdown. Your ship is also quite large considering all the activity onscreen, leading to some moments of frustration when you're unsuccessful in navigating high concentrations of bullets. Zed Blade remains enjoyable however, and should keep highscore chasers occupied for some time.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Street Hoop is a game that offers a quick basketball fix: you simply choose a country and then play commences. Despite the lack of options and the fact there's only ten countries available, the simple pick-up-and-play approach works well. The game therefore shares similarities with Super Sidekicks, but it works better here thanks to the fast-paced high-scoring nature of the matches. There's lots of enjoyment as the action moves from one side of the court to the other, shooting, dunking, feigning moves and players shoving each other out of the way. Further entertainment is provided by successfully keeping (or winning) the ball to prevent your opponent unleashing a super shot and winning with the last throw of the game is thrilling. Playing through the arcade mode entertains, but the game works best in two-player mode and Street Hoop is a good option when looking for a quick bout of two-player fun.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    An odd duck and no mistake, Shadow Gangs is nonetheless an enjoyable Shinobi clone with plenty of level design polish. It’s let down by an obnoxiously high difficulty level and some fairly stingy game-saves, but overall has a good amount to recommend it if you’re done with the Sega Mega Drive Classics and Sega Ages Shinobi. It's an extremely valiant effort at a truly old-school feel and retro gamers definitely won't regret checking it out – just be prepared to swallow your pride and head for the options menu.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Despite the evident control flaws, Ooblets is an undeniably charming and fun life simulator perfect for anyone looking for a relaxing approach to adventure. There's enough content within this adorable game to keep any player occupied for hours, with the central campaign taking around thirty hours to complete — though avid explorers will get closer to the sixty-hour mark if they can get past the expensive, exhausting stamina system. Still, even post storyline, Ooblets kept us coming back for more farming and more dance-offs.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    101 Dolphin Pets presents a relaxed, fun and extremely approachable casual pet simulator with simple, entertaining and progressively challenging mini-games that noticeably improve on its predecessor's oft-clunky, unimpressive selection.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A strong puzzle game in its own right, although compared to the highs of its predecessors, it doesn’t nearly hold up as well. Even so, the pleasant visuals, wonderful writing, and (mostly) strong puzzle design make this an easy sell, even if the occasional missteps in some of the puzzle answers and the lack of compelling new features for this re-release prove to be drawbacks. We’d give this a recommendation to anybody looking for a slower-paced game that still demands lots of attention. It’s an excellent ‘winding down before bed’ sort of game, and though it might not fully live up to the series legacy, we’re still excited for whatever Level-5 is planning next for Kat.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Galaxy Saver might not set the world on fire, but it's an interesting twist on the genre. And at only 200 Nintendo Points it's difficult to not recommend that shooter fans at least take a chance on a game that will offer a few hours of shooting fun, with some unique arcade twists that fans perhaps haven't seen. It's easy to wish for more, but from an inexpensive DSiWare title that is quite fun to play, it's difficult to be too critical.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    While Detune has found some special ways to gamify the process of designing, layering and manipulating a piece of EDM, the lack of support for MIDI controllers or the ability to import/export tracks between other devices takes the shine off Switch’s first proper music title. While it’s ultimately more of an app than a game, KORG Gadget still brings an entirely new experience to your hybrid console and one that’s perfect for tinkering on a track while on your commute.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Solo developer Jonas Manke has aimed for the comfort of an easy-in-every-way game and hit the mark. The play feel of the later game and gorgeous environments are what lift it above a paint-by-numbers explore-em-up. It will test neither your skill nor your patience, with solid execution that respects the player’s time. While there’s little to blow you away, there’s lots to impress, delivered confidently and without asking much in return.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    With charm and polish and great respect for the player’s time and ability, Desta: The Memories Between manages to land a clever and touching concept. The story and voice acting keep the levels ticking by and elevate what could have been a very rote affair. The dodgeball gameplay does let the story do the heavy lifting after about halfway, becoming rather repetitive, but it also provides a realistic touch of conflict and aggression whenever the dialogue leans into super-niceness, and the roguelike strategy plays smoothly enough to be a pleasant delivery mechanism for the tale of Desta unpacking and coming to terms with their emotional conflicts.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Knight Terrors is one of the cheapest games on the Switch, and it's a surprisingly good time. Hacking and slashing through ghosts, skulls and zombies is perfect for this time of the year, and even if the game is repetitive, it only costs a few dollars. The 8-bit visuals and sounds are fun and provide a great backdrop for an endless runner. If you're looking for a hidden eShop gem with a surprising amount of playability on a budget, this is a good call.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Nightmare Reaper does, however, achieve most of what it sets out to do, pushing boundaries in terms of weaponry, spectacular abilities, and more trinkets than a fully loaded cargo ship. It’s at its best when it devolves into a spectacular bloodbath at the whims of your creative weapon and ability choices. And, while imperfections exist, its violent, adrenaline-fuelled highs will make it very appealing to fans of the old-school FPS.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If you’re after something challenging and, shall we say, different, then PUSS! could well be right up your alley. Its gameplay is simple enough for anyone to pick up, but the difficulty ramps up quickly to outrageous levels. Nevertheless, it remains strangely addictive, and will likely hold your attention for a good while as you pour blood, sweat, and tears into progressing through its levels, inch by inch.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A very charming puzzle experience.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Paint Splash is a great way to get up to four players of all ages having fun together and creating some neat artwork to boot, sporting both a traditional canvas mode and the simpler, more chaotic Splash Mode.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If you're a fan of horror games that focus more on atmosphere and scares rather than combat, then MADiSON is a no-brainer. It's not the most original game and it mostly follows the lead of pioneers like the aforementioned Outlast or even Hideo Kojima's P.T, but that doesn't matter. What you've got here is an effective horror experience regardless, and one that you're going to enjoy from start to finish.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It would be easy to dismiss Jungle Speed simply because it is, at its core, basically a video game version of an entertaining card game, but if you do you'll be missing out on a wildly addictive game that you and your entire family can enjoy.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Elliot Quest manages to take some of the best things from its inspirations and present them once again almost as successfully; the RPG elements and dungeon exploration are a pleasure to play through. Unfortunately, a lack of clarity in the game’s direction (both plot-wise, and literally for the player) leave the game rather shy of the greatness it could have been. If you love games like Zelda II, and feel at home in front of any dungeon-crawling RPG, you’ll undoubtedly get some fun out of this game; for others, though, there are better alternatives in the genre that you could try first.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    This may be the best virtual incarnation of both the LEGO and Harry Potter worlds so far, but the experience might still fall short for some.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    While this game is a great set-up for hilarity, it's regrettable that it can't always execute its own punchlines. However, it's an excellent title if played with the right crowd. It's a great selection of party games, and is worthy of a place in a Switch library accessed by groups of friends. Due to the nature of its controls, however, don't expect much in terms of portability.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If you know anything about the Picross franchise, then you probably already knew what to expect with this entry before even reading this review. Picross S Genesis & Master System Edition is more Picross, just with Sega characters, and… that’s about it. It feels like a bit of a missed opportunity that Jupiter didn’t try doing a little more with the IP, but it’s also tough to say no to a new batch of a few hundred Picross puzzles themed around Sega's 8 and 16-bit libraries. We’d give this one a solid recommendation, but perhaps with the caveat that those of you who already have a few entries may want to pause before buying yet another new entry in the series. Trust us, there will be more.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Penguin Patrol aims to provide one thing: a well made game of clever movement puzzles. At that, it absolutely succeeded. There's really nothing more to it than that, however, and the experience as a whole does feel rather slight.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Oxto is a solid recommendation if you’re a fan of Hotline Miami and are after something to scratch a similar itch. Ultimately, its roguelike structure hinders the experience rather than enhances it, but if all you want to do is shoot a few bad guys, then you can’t really go wrong.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    While far from a deep experience, Sausage Sports Club is hardly trying to be anything other than a family-friendly (and really quite bizarre) party game which is fantastic fun in short bursts. While it does support solo play, it’s simply nowhere near as fun or rewarding as cramming around your TV with Joy-Con in-hand, whacking your fellow players with a well-timed swing of your neck. Until Super Mario Party arrives, this is a fine alternative to keep those parties really wild.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Earth Saver might not be as flashy as some of the other DSiWare puzzlers we've seen, but that doesn't stop it from delivering a fun and inventive challenge.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Oddballers is a super fun little multiplayer party game that's got plenty of modes, lots of invention about its minigames, and a chaotic colourfulness that's hard not to enjoy. Grab some pals, boot into the couch co-op action here, and you're guaranteed a good time, especially for the asking price. However, be aware that in the immediate post-launch period, the online is a wasteland, a total bust in terms of finding a match. If you've got friends or family on hand to jump in, this is a great way to spend a fun few hours. For those who don't, well there are very capable bots to help you out, but the state of the online mode at launch is certainly an issue to take into consideration before giving this one a purchase.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    While Rabi Laby 2 doesn't do anything to redefine the action puzzle genre, and doesn't even really deviate from the original game too much, there's not much to find at fault here.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Shin Megami Tensei III HD Remaster is indisputably the best way to play this RPG classic, but it’s also rather clear that this nearly two-decade-old game is showing its age. An interesting story, enjoyable combat system, and engaging demon recruitment and fusion mechanics make Shin Megami Tensei III well worth your time, but the dated visuals, poor quality music, and occasionally unforgiving mechanics are hold it back from being excellent. We’d give this a recommendation to both longtime fans and newcomers, but with the caveat that you might want to wait for a sale before snapping this up.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    While the Visco Collection doesn’t have high-end 3D menus or the granular wallpaper and filter options of other collections, it’s still a fun and accurately emulated series of seven solid arcade games. Appeal will vary; what’s on offer here won’t have the same arcade allure as the likes of Final Fight or Strider, despite remaining an enjoyable, varied set of titles, elevated greatly by their ability to be played online. It’s a shame, however, that Puzzle de Pon, the Vasaras, and Breakers didn’t make the cut — even if the latter two are available in other Switch collections — as they would certainly have boosted it to the next level.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    An uneven, but ambitious adventure. Caracal has taken ingredients from some key titles and genres, added a brilliant traversal mechanic and cooked up a chilled-out, sci-fi wasteland odyssey. The game's mysterious, drip-fed narrative will keep you intrigued, and every moment spent on the grav board is undeniably enjoyable. Although Cebete may feel overly familiar, its vibrant landscapes and hidden secrets still make it worth exploring.

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