Nintendo Life's Scores

  • Games
For 5,862 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 Lawnmower Game: Racing
Score distribution:
5870 game reviews
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    First Cases is a significant change of direction from The ABC Murders, Poirot’s last outing also published by Microids. Stepping comfortably into visual novel territory and casting aside the puzzling that would hold back narrative flow, your fantasy is one not of being Hercule Poirot but rather of enjoying a Poirot novel. The Switch let’s you indulge in that as you would a great book, whether in the wingback of your stately home’s library or, indeed, on the toilet of your bedsit. For storytelling, the game format is ideal – even ingenious. The trademark Christie web of connections between events, evidence and the psychology of the characters is planned out in front of your eyes – either to pore over on a diagram or to stroll through in the neatly presented settings. The game’s main limitations are the inanimate world and workaday writing that fail to lend the sparkle of life to a well-machined story. Nonetheless, while puzzle-loving gamers shouldn’t pick this one up, visual novel fans and Hercule-heads won’t be able to put it down.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    There’s no denying it - this is the most accessible 2D fighter we’ve played in years. If you’re new to the often impenetrable world of twitch-style brawlers, this serves as an ideal way to learn the craft and feel powerful without too much work. Not every one of its crossover fighters gels as well as the others, but it’s still an empowering experience for beginners and intermediate fight fans. However, if you’re looking for a purposefully nuanced combat system with a bit more bite, you’re probably best sticking with BlazBlue’s mechanical purity.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    An attractive proposition for portable pinball: the tables are fun and the stereoscopic 3D is impressive enough to leave other pinball games feeling flat.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A solid racing title that’ll appeal to any type of gamer. The game supports the same four control schemes as Mario Kart Wii and will provide gamers with an enjoyable racing experience.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition doesn't make a great first impression. It's a downgrade in many ways to NES Remix and there's not as much variety or effort put into the challenges, nor any graphical tweaks to speak of this time around. However, stick with it, get into the competitive mindset, and start collecting up all the pins, icons, and top-ranked times on offer, and you may find yourself fully entertained. It's a slight thing, purely speed-focused, but we expect that'll suit plenty of folk who want a competitive outlet to display their old-school skills. And hey, it also doubles as a handy history of some iconic Nintendo gaming moments and mechanics.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    To be frank, there’s absolutely nothing unique to separate Picross S5 from its numerous predecessors; this is the same number counting game it’s always been. Even so, it’s clear that Jupiter Corporation has gotten its concept down to a science, and the addictive nature of these puzzles has never been more alluring. We’d give this a recommendation if you’re looking for a solid new puzzle game for your Switch, as the puzzle count and quality of the experience ensure that this is just about the best bang for your buck possible. That being said, those of you who have picked up one or two of the previous releases and have yet to finish them may want to hold off, as you’re not missing out on anything but even more puzzles to solve. Either way, it’s tough to go wrong here, and we’re sure the exact same sentiment will likely still hold true when Picross S6 inevitably lands in another few months.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    How does this ported iPhone app fare as DSiWare? Surprisingly well.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    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.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Judging a game on its own merits is very important. However, when a title happens to borrow just about every aspect of its design from an iconic game series, it’s hard not to acknowledge. Claims could be made that a game like this is nothing more than a shameless clone, but thankfully in the case of Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King, the developer has intentionally crafted it with a sense of love and admiration of classic Zelda games. While it’s not as flawlessly executed as the series it draws inspiration from and it doesn’t add anything particularly groundbreaking, it's still a heartfelt tribute to the earlier entries in Nintendo’s long-running series.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Voodoo Detective is an attractive, old-school point-and-click adventure with a lighthearted, dime-store pulp story and a decent handful of laughs. Its vividly descriptive art style and writing are accessible and low-stress, if short on intrigue and surprise. Meanwhile, the music is fun and the voices are memorable. Although the puzzles can be ropey, the story moves along steadily enough, and at five hours or so, it doesn’t ask too much. This is a steady debut from Short Sleeve Studio and, while it’s not turning every head at the party, it’s a good laugh if you try to get to know it.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    This title has much to recommend it, as long as you're willing to look beyond some of its faults.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It is safe to say that if you are a fan of puzzlers such as Lumines or Columns you will get a kick out of this. For the admission price of 800 Wii points it is pretty good value for money.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Despite some technical issues on the Nintendo Switch, Kukoos: Lost Pets still might be one of the best games for younger audiences on the platform. In a world where families make up a large chunk of the Nintendo Switch’s demographics, it is refreshing to see such love put into a game primarily designed for kids. From the creative and unique level designs to the Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic, this game is an enjoyable time from start to finish and it comes with a recommendation for anyone who is looking for a charming platformer for the whole family.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Chef provides frantic, old-school pick-up-and-play fun that's just as addictive now as when it was first introduced, and along with the other DSiWare Game & Watch titles, Nintendo has used the better graphics and sound technology available now in order to make as authentic an LCD handheld experience as possible on your DSi.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The upside is that this is a finely crafted Metroidvania that oozes quality in almost every fashion, but the downside is that there just isn’t a whole lot to it. If you’re looking for a simple, straightforward open-ended platformer that’s easy to get into (or one that’s good for speedrunning), this is the game for you. If you’re looking for an in-depth experience that you can really sink your teeth into, this certainly isn’t. We’d generally give this one a recommendation - it’s a great ride while it lasts - but just bear in mind that it won’t last you long.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    With addictive puzzling and multiple modes of play, Tangram Attack is a quality piece of entertainment that will test your mental alertness and reflexive skills.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Still, players looking for an atmospheric puzzler with some inventive gimmicks should find plenty to enjoy with most of this title, regardless of these hiccups.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    All in all, Madskull Creations has taken the traditional arcade formula and applied modern day controls to create a classic yet refreshing little Wii U title. For the little money being asked, it's well worth checking out.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A solid tower defence title with clear and concise gameplay, varied enemies and plenty of upgrades to keep the player busy.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Tetris Axis falls short of spectacular but still proves to be a worthwhile addition to the classic's illustrious handheld legacy with its expanded online component and oddly addictive Fever mode.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    You might find more polished versions of the game out there, but if you've ever wanted to take this arcade classic with you on the go, this is the version you need.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds spends a little too much time reminiscing over the past than looking forwards and carving out its own journey, and as a result, it doesn’t really bring anything new to the table at which its inspirations sit. Still, while its random QTEs do make battles more of a game of chance than they need to be, there’s enough heft to the story, the characters, and the beauty of its setting to help save it from disappearing into obscurity. With a build that runs well on Nintendo Switch, this is still a worthy adventure for ’90s JRPG fans.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A lighthearted dungeon crawler with an original hook, Picdun 2: Witch's Curse is as intuitive an introduction as you could hope for to the genre.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    While Threes! in and of itself was a phenomenon, Levels+: Addictive Puzzle Game not only iterates on the formula in its own unique way but makes it feel like a perfect fit for the Switch. While it is missing some pertinent bells and whistles, like being able to compete against others on any type of leaderboard beyond water cooler talk, what is presented is rock solid and worth your time.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If Nintendo had created a demo for their retail DS Brain Age titles, Brain Age Express: Math would have been it.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    As a birthday gift from Blizzard to itself, Blizzard Arcade Collection has been put together with some care. Sometimes good things come in smaller packages, though, and a lot of the content here is superfluous. Two of the Definitive Edition games are worse than the SNES titles also included, while Rock 'n Roll Racing’s is so successful that including the SNES and Mega Drive versions has only really added clutter. The result is a need to start every version of every game a few times to work out which one is actually worth playing, which somewhat spoils the party. But, for all those imperfections, there’s a lot to love: it may not be exactly what we’ve always wanted, but it’s the thought that counts.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If not for the clumsy camera it would be a timeless classic, but with the camera Epic Mickey can be dated at approximately 1997.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    For those of you looking for something to fill the void while you wait for the Link’s Awakening remake later this year, The Swords of Ditto: Mormo’s Curse is a solid recommendation. It isn’t perfect, but this is a charming, deep, and entertaining roguelike adventure, and it’s a lot more than meets the eye. While it does occasionally seem to suffer an identity crisis, and the puzzle designs are rather disappointing, The Swords of Ditto: Mormo’s Curse still makes a reasonable and compelling case for why it belongs in your Switch library. We’d give this one a recommendation, both to Zelda fans and to those looking for a roguelike that’s a little less focused on twitchy reaction skills; One Bit Beyond has done a good job here and we’re excited to see more from the studio.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    This is definitely a game that you should play if you're attracted to the concept, but there are caveats to bear in mind before hunting down spirits on your 3DS.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    While its platforming mechanics are still a tad unpredictable at times – and the huge gaps between save points still rankle – Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy’s quality nonetheless shines through. Weaving melee combat, environmental puzzles and plenty of platforms with a fun and interesting take on Egyptian mythology, it’s an action-platformer that really holds up well, despite the years on its clock. Its camera might still be a bit rubbish, but with a new lick of HD paint, this is a hidden gem that deserves a little time in the limelight.

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