Nintendo Life's Scores

  • Games
For 5,854 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:
5862 game reviews
    • 84 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Mega Man X Legacy Collection is a fantastic re-release of several must-play gaming classics, presenting them as authentically as possible while still including a few modern features on top that help to improve the overall experience and keep it from feeling antiquated. Throw in the new X Challenge mode and an enormous archive of museum content and this stands as the definitive way to play the Mega Man X games in the modern era. Four fantastic games, a bevy of extra content, and the ability to play at home or on the go make this one an easy recommendation.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    While it's not the best looking FPS on Switch, Hunting Simulator still manages to offer an experience that brings something new to the console’s growing library of software. The issues with its tracking system will rankle both veterans and newcomers, but if you can move beyond this roadblock then the bullet mechanics and actual minute-to-minute hunting have plenty to offer. Just remember to pack some sandwiches before you head out, because this is no pick up and play purchase.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Mugsters is a decent action puzzle game that will no doubt prove to be satisfying to a certain kind of audience. Goofy, physics-based puzzles, fun multiplayer, and a solid amount of content are definite positives, though these are hamstrung by the poor camera and grindy repetition of the gameplay. We’d give this one a light recommendation, as there’s plenty of enjoyment to be found, but this is by no means a must-play.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A wildly imaginative and vaguely psychedelic physics puzzler with a novel pool-based twist, Pool Panic is frequently thrilling and almost never boring, but it's also mechanically suspect and occasionally frustrating. In short, it has cult classic written all over it.
    • 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.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    VSR: Void Space Racing is a one-of-kind racing game that finds itself very welcome in the Switch library. There is simply nothing quite like it; you're wrestling with raw physics as much as your rival racers, and the overall experience is brutal yet incredibly rewarding. Be prepared to swallow your pride in the first few sessions - during which you will be nothing short of a space pinball - and then aim for the stars.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Galak-Z: Variant S is a more focused and tighter experience than its forerunner, but one that offers surprising depth thanks to the often staggering upgrade opportunities on offer. By taking the freemium route developer 17-Bit Studios has been forced to introduce timers which can be overridden by spending actual cash, but these are thoughtfully deployed and even if you do decide to dig deep in your pocket, you'll still need considerable shooting skills to overcome the increasingly stern - if somewhat repetitive - challenge.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    West of Loathing is not your average RPG; in fact we’d go so far as to say you’ve probably never played anything quite like it in your life. Its combat won’t blow you away but don’t be lulled into believing that’s what this game is about, as really the whole thing is an adventure in exploration and interaction with a bit of fighting sprinkled in. It can occasionally be a little bit difficult to decipher, but the satisfaction felt upon working out a problem totally makes up for it. The humour is as wonderfully dry as the desert you’re traversing and the writing is some of the best you can find on the Switch.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Heroki is a bright and calming adventure game that can provide a simple level of entertainment for players of all skill levels and abilities, but never quite pushes itself far enough to be the experience it could have been. It ticks all of the boxes and gets the job done, with easy-to-understand controls, addictive collectable-grabbing gameplay - and even a nice little side quest area - but never breaks out of those metaphorical boxes to give us something that can truly amaze. A nice little game on the whole, then, just a little on the simple side.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    If Space Invaders floats your intergalactic boat, Super Destronaut DX will definitely scratch your itch and the attempts to nudge and wink its way through your fond memories of neon lights and electro tunes are admirable. However, unless you’re a high score hunter or a multiplier maniac who has had their fill of more interesting shooters or music-based games on the system like Just Shapes And Beats or Lumines Remastered, Super Destronaut DX will end up being a brief time killer, but not much else.
    • 50 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion feels like a return to the old days of licensed video games. The developers took a classic genre in the turn-based RPG, boiled it down to its core mechanics, and plastered the Adventure Time setting and characters onto it with far too few original ideas. Even though it feels like a faithful recreation of the show’s personality and charm thanks to the original cast and solid writing, the uninspired gameplay drags down any goodwill it builds between encounters.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    If you’re the type to burn through the Louvre in an hour and wait for your companions in the cafe, The Mooseman may well try your patience. If you’re more inclined to wander around with an audio guide, reading every accompanying plaque and information card, you’ll likely enjoy its sedate pace, workaday puzzles and catalogue of artefacts. A clumsy UI seriously hampers the experience but, if you’re willing to work around the irritations at its core, it offers an interesting, sometimes beautiful journey.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Other instalments provide a fuller experience and, even if this particular take appeals, it was soon improved upon by its Special update. Samurai Shodown V can still provide fighting fun, but with so many decent fighting games already on Switch it is far from a must download.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Switch owners that are longing for a slower, more methodical approach to 2D puzzle platforming will want to give Candle: The Power Of The Flame a spin - even more so if they’re seeking a tough challenge that’s stacked to the rafters with whimsical charm and a striking art style. The title may well be home to some clunky controls and ferocious difficulty spikes from the moment you take control of Teku, but the immense sense of achievement married with what feels more like a piece of art than a video more than makes up for its shortfalls.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Express Raider remains a fun 2-in-1 game, with the fighting stages standing head and shoulders above the shooting ones, which is something of an oddity considering the Wild West setting. As such we recommend it to anyone who was a fan of the original or who played the home conversions and want to have the original on their virtual arcade Switch museum. But if you have an itchy trigger finger, we recommend you buy a ticket to a more steampunk kind of Wild West.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Ghost 1.0 is a lighthearted Metroidvania that adapts a sprawling sci-fi setting with some really creative takes on the genre. Even though it originally released on PC two years ago, it still manages to fit right into the Switch’s growing library of quality sprite-based action adventures. If you’re looking for a less somber journey after the harrowing depths of Hollow Knight, you could do far worse than Ghost 1.0 as long as the forgettable story and cringe-inducing humor aren’t too off-putting.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Even though Ultra Space Battle Brawl has no extensive move-sets or combos, it still has plenty of appeal. It’s a fast-paced and futuristic hybrid of baseball and Pong that anyone can play. There is indeed a lack of predictability when it comes to guessing which direction the ball will travel at times, but much like any sport - including fight - there’ll always be that added element of luck present.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?! isn’t anything we haven’t already seen before. Forging and selling weapons is fun once you get into the rhythm of it, and there’s plenty within the potato world to work towards. This is a game that can be played for a few minutes or hours per day, depending on how much you enjoy the genre. What’s frustrating is how this title has been adapted to the Switch. It’s got a clunky user interface that doesn’t really feel compatible with the Joy-Cons and even if you opt with the screen by itself as a touchpad it still feels difficult to complete the most basic of tasks.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Classic-inspired gameplay, an orchestrated soundtrack, and a unique approach to storytelling make this a game that you won’t want to miss. This is an absolute must buy.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    There’s nothing particularly revolutionary about Bomb Chicken, it’s enjoyable predominantly because of its classic approach and how refined each aspect of the game is including the core bomb-laying mechanic. Each level is intelligently designed and has a great sense of flow. The puzzles and enemies are fair but challenging and the controls are precise and responsive. Unlike fast food, this isn't a cheap, quick and nasty solution that will leave you regretting your purchase - this is a blast.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It plays a lot like the other Psikyo shmups that are on Switch, but that's no bad thing considering how well put together they are. Gunbird 2 also adds a risky close-range move and some new point scoring opportunities. Finding ways to improve your score adds replayability, but even if you have no interest in high-score chasing there's a lot of fun to be had here.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Sonic Mania was a true return to form for the mascot, in his 2D 'Classic' guise at least, and celebrated the glory days of the original games while also enhancing their qualities and taking on new ideas. From new areas, imaginative second acts and some delightful boss encounters, the development team poured a lot of passion and talent into the project. Sonic Mania Plus takes that solid foundation and - in all honestly - doesn't do a great deal to mess with it. The new characters and modes are welcome, and there are some neat tweaks which iron out some of the kinks present in the original release, but on the whole this is an enhanced edition of the game rather than a feature-rich update. If you've still not sampled the delights of Sonic Mania then this is clearly the version to get, but if you're an existing owner then the low asking price of the DLC update make this well worth a look; we'll take any excuse to dive back into one of the best 2D platformers of recent memory.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    All-Star Fruit Racing takes a unique karting weapon system, throws it into a blender with some cute presentation ideas and an unfortunate series of technical annoyances, and ends up with a pretty mixed bag as a result. This is a competent racer, and there’s just about enough content to make you want to keep playing, but it never realises the potential that it could have had and doesn’t really stand up to the heights that other titles can offer. It’s just a little on the weak side to justify its asking price, so bear that in mind before jumping into a fruity purchase.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    If you own a Switch then there’s no real decision to be made here: Captain Toad is still far and away better on Nintendo’s latest system. That’s not to say the 3DS version is a write-off, though, because that’s far from the case. As seemingly one of the final few big-name releases for the system, Captain Toad pushes it to its limits to produce easily one of the best-looking 3DS games ever made. The 3DS may be preparing for retirement, but games like this are ensuring it’s going out in a blaze of glory.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a hidden gem from the Wii U era that's been given a new lease of life on the Nintendo Switch, and rightly so. New levels and fresh multiplayer are welcome inclusions but it's a bit of a shame that we've lost four levels as a result – and for no apparent reason. Still, all being said, this is a wonderful and gorgeous puzzler fit for all ages, and one which you should definitely experience if you're yet to.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Overwhelming for newcomers and probably too generic for genre aficionados, Touhou Gensou Wanderer Reloaded is difficult to recommend to all but die-hard series fans. The beautiful hand-drawn presentation and high production values are hindered severely by a contrived and intrusive interface, unimportant dialogue with very little character development and derivative mechanics. It certainly looks the part, but there are more fun and interesting adventure roguelikes such as Crypt Of The Necrodancer on the eShop right now.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Limbo remains a brilliantly moody and expertly poised platform-puzzler a full eight years on from its original release. It might be a little stark, but it's dense with ingenious physics puzzles and weighty platforming challenges. It's the perfect cut-price companion piece to Inside, and a brilliant game in its own right.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    An emotional story that weaves big themes across its episodes, The Lion’s Song is a poignant point-and-click adventure with excellent audio, a beautiful art style and great writing. The exploration of its subjects isn’t muddied with obstinate riddles or ill-fitting mechanics and it’s a satisfying, albeit brief, experience that is absolutely worthy of your time.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Despite its unyielding nature and curiously juxtaposing approach to its characters, Bomber Crew is a sometimes thrilling and constantly rewarding title. Favouring roguelite progression, strategy and resource management over frantic arcade-style combat, if you can get past the simple, cute visuals and steep learning curve you’ll find a rich, intense and satisfying experience here.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    MotoGP 18 is your one and only option if you want to experience the thrills of MotoGP racing on your Nintendo Switch. As long as you fully understand and accept the visual and technical concessions being made for the freedom of portable play, this is overall a very competent package; it's just a shame that there's no online or split-screen multiplayer, which seems like a major oversight to us; local play between Switch system is possible, but could prove to be a logical nightmare.

Top Trailers