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
    • 79 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Little Nightmares boasts some superb character and environment design, and exceptional sound too, with parts of the Maw screaming as if the ship was a gigantic bionic seafarer. Its story is compellingly told, and the way the main game connects with the DLC is immensely rewarding. But you never really feel like you have full control of Six, and the long breaks between restarts can dump you into a painful loop of spending less time in the game than you do in loading screens.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Invisiballs provides us with a competitive party experience that uses HD Rumble to good effect, allowing players to battle it out using only vibrations and quick thinking. The concept is a solid one, and the presentation does the job nicely, but a saddening lack of content across the game’s modes leaves us feeling rather underwhelmed. With multiple updates planned for the near future this issue could soon start to be addressed so, unless you’re entirely sold on the concept alone, we’d recommend holding off until these new features have landed.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    If you were a fan of the original outings, you will certainly like this upgrade but if you are venturing into the realm of Fairune for the first time, heads up: you might have just discovered the perfect lazy summer afternoon game of the year.
    • 46 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    InkSplosion could have been so much more, but it’s ultimately let down by a sheer lack of variety (and a frustrating lack of replay value once you've swiftly bagged all of its in-game achievements). As a top-down shooter it's certainly competent, but it’s unlikely you’ll hang around for long with so many other fuller packages on offer on the Switch eShop.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Arriving almost four years after the Wii U version, The Fall still manages to offer one of the most engaging takes on the age-old ‘robot starts to feel alive’ concept without feeling tired or rote. Sadly, the limitations of its gameplay haven’t been addressed for this port, so while there’s a great story to be experienced, the game itself remains a forgettable miasma of genres.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The 19 (plus four) characters provide a good variety of options for the fighting and the battles are as fun as ever thanks to the usual range of offensive options and evasive manoeuvres. The fun out of bounds victories from the first Real Bout game have gone and there's been a change to the multi-plane system, but there's still plenty of fighting thrills to be had here. Real Bout 2 is ultimately a better game, but Real Bout Fatal Fury Special is still a solid fighter that can provide plenty of entertainment.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Ice Cream Rider Is far from being a terrible game, but several alarm bells ring when you get down to playing it. We can't recommend you give this a spin unless you are a fan of the source material or accept its shortcomings as part of the budget price point.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A great time-sink game, featuring mindless but fun action gameplay that offers up the potential for dozens - if not hundreds - of hours of content. Though it certainly feels like a game that’s too bloated in places, it manages to balance the Zelda and Dynasty Warriors elements well. Group all of that with stellar presentation and impressive portable gameplay, and you’ve got a game that does a great job of doing something new (and weird) with a classic Nintendo property.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    There's fun to be had in Suicide Guy. There's a nice variety of situations and environments and exploring each stage can be a blast. The technical problems are what ultimately drag Suicide Guy down. Still, if you can get past the bugs and glitches, there's a nifty little puzzle game waiting for you on the eShop.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Super Chariot is a fitting metaphor for life – you can journey alone and endure all hardships as you struggle to make your way to the end, or you can share the burden with another person and help each other reach new heights along the way. Brilliantly designed, beautifully crafted and one of the finest co-op experiences on Switch this side of Sniperclips. It's not hard for us to recommend you embark on this journey, even if you have done so before. May the King rest peacefully for his chariot is made of sturdy stuff indeed.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Dripping with charm and frequently laugh-out-loud funny, Animal Super Squad is a good example of when physics-based gameplay is done right. There are some elements such as boss battles, multiplayer and HD rumble that aren’t in this game and the lack of these features will be bothersome for some Switch users. However, this little gem is a formidable first entry into the indie scene for the YouTube personality and positively paves the way to what's looking to be a successful new venture for DoubleMoose.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Wizard of Legend has some novel concepts. Being able to swap and mix spells to create a seemingly unlimited amount of combinations keeps the action fresh and encourages you to experiment on each run. What’s also likable about this game is how polished the entire package appears to be. It’s these aspects that make it more favourable than the average offerings that frequently pop up on the Switch.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Despite a title that suggests it came out of a name generator, Battle Chasers: Nightwar is a satisfying slice of JRPG that forges a confident, colourful character of its own from formulaic ingredients. The approachable comic style, plus a couple of neat mechanics that encourage experimentation, give it a freshness that belies the age-old systems at its core, and it doesn’t waste your time with filler. Depending on your skill, you’ll probably spend around 30 hours on the critical path – comparatively breezy in RPG terms – though there’s plenty of side content to occupy you beside the main quest, plus a trio of heroes you’ll probably shun on your first playthrough.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    There is still a good range of fighters available, however and the multiple modes for your fighter gives you a few options to consider. The fighting still entertains, but as good as the game is, the already available fourth game more or less does the same, but better. There's definitely fun to be had from the game, but like a number of Neo Geo titles Samurai Shodown III has been bettered by others from its own series.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    When played solo the game is perhaps a little too unforgiving to recommend to everyone, but when you rope in a second player it becomes one of the most enjoyable multiplayer experiences on Switch; working together to clean up the streets is fun, but you won't be able to resist occasionally stabbing your ally in the back, just for old time's sake.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Stakes Winner is a horse worth riding. By doing away with the more complex aspects of horse racing simulation games, it delivers instant arcade excitement for one or two virtual jockey and their virtual steeds. Very easy to pick up, but not so easy to master, its refreshing uniqueness might just surprise and convert you to this niche type of game. So feel free to look at this gift horse in the mouth, you might just find yourself a surprisingly brilliant new/old favourite. Giddy up!
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    In the end, this Arcade Archive release is a pioneer once again by becoming the very first American Football game on the Nintendo Switch, and if you were around at the time it was first released you will certainly have as much fun with it today as you did back in 1983. As for the other video football enthusiasts out there, best to hold out for future releases within the genre or perhaps secure a NES Classic Mini with the superior Tecmo Super Bowl.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The comparisons to Nintendo’s much-loved Metroid franchise might seem excessive, but A Robot Named Fight makes little effort to differentiate itself from the source material it has been inspired by. What it does manage to do is provide endless replay value with its procedural generated platform action, unique items and large variety of enemies. The co-op mode is also a welcomed inclusion. The trade-off here, as mentioned, is no real story or character development beyond the basics to motivate you to save the day and the repetitive nature associated with permadeath. If you can look past this, what’s on offer is a satisfying alternative to the space adventures of Samus.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Goetia is a flawed yet engrossing point-and-click-style adventure for those looking for a challenge as well as an interesting story. Aside from the lack of a hint system resulting in the odd infuriatingly obtuse puzzle, it's a bleak, beautiful experience. It’s certainly slow and more text-heavy compared to other titles in the genre on Nintendo Switch, but it’s well-crafted and worth a look.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    If you’re desperate for some gory twin-stick shooter action with a horror bent, it scratches that itch well enough to warrant investigation. It’s just hard to shake the feeling you’ve played this game before, and better.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Its visual and audio niggles aside, Immortal Redneck is an absolute blast. By combining well-crafted room design with randomly generated maps and then giving the player the ability to smoothly run, leap and blast through them with all the grace of a shotgun-wielding swan while constantly upgrading their abilities, it offers a massively satisfying experience that’s likely to remain permanently installed on your Switch long after you’ve deleted other games to make space.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Ultimately, whether you play within the company of others or not, what's on offer is a well-presented but simple and highly repetitive package.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Cast of the Seven Godsends is an old-school homage that sadly falls short of delivering a completing experience that lives up to the seven godsends mechanic. The six levels are extremely challenging (and a little unfair); bosses will blissfully bash you in merciless, over and over until you either somehow manage to reach them with Kandar fully-upgraded or get the dreaded 'Game Over' screen. Despite some potential, it's hard for us to recommend this game considering the plethora of superior 2D action platformer games already available on Switch. Perhaps the Gods should have better left Kandar rest in peace on his tomb instead of demanding such an infuriating quest of him (and you).
    • 70 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Hyper Sentinel is 'neo-retro' executed to perfection. Once you accept that the visual and audio directions are both design choices made to pay tribute to the original Commodore 64 game and sit down to take on your first Super-Dreadnought, you’ll be hooked. Every time you get a 'Game Over', the only thing on your mind will be on how to prevent whatever got the best of you in preparation of your next sortie (while, at the same, time browsing the leaderboards to see how your friends are faring in each level).
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Death Road To Canada allows fans of the zombie genre to live out their ultimate survival fantasies again and again. Technically, there are a limitless amount of scenarios to experience thanks to the compact yet well designed gameplay, but after a while the patterns and outcomes may become a little too predictable for the average player. If you do happen to be a long-time enthusiast of zombies, this may be worth sinking your teeth into.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Naruto's first outing on Nintendo Switch is a wonderful first step for the orange ninja. While we would have loved to have seen the fourth title included to cover the entirety of in a single game, it's hard for us to thumb our noses at three complete games in one package for about 40 bucks. For a Naruto fan, this is a no-brainer.
    • 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.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Bouncy Bob attempts to demonstrate how a simple idea of a one-button control mechanic can be fun and accessible. But it's met with shortfalls aplenty. Rather than being an attractive and accessible gimmick, it’s a painfully restraining annoyance and, although quashing a row of enemies can be satisfying, being given the one method to play quickly becomes a chore. Granted, the eShop isn’t awash with one-button titles - and Bouncy Bob stands out for this reason – but this title may be an example as to why this is the case.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    As a loving tribute to JRPGs and '80s pop culture, Saturday Morning RPG has rough edges a-plenty and even more bright ideas. It can frustrate and baffle, particularly if you're not au fait with the period, but it's always keen to invite you into its world.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A short but sweet ride on her majesty’s service saving the Yankees from nuclear terrorism that leaves very little to fault or recommend for what it is: A perfect representation of what a good arcade game used to be and should you feel the need to relive those glorious times, you can now do so conveniently on your Switch. For England, Sly.

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