NintendoLife gave Epic Yarn a 10 as well.

I don't read their reviews, but you should base the quality of a review off of the writing, not the scores.

And I'm siding with NWR's score moreso although I don't agree with either, simply because I don't understand how this game is a 10, which is supposed to be an extreme outlier. High 8 is more like it.

Nl gave kirby's Epic Yarn a 10. Here's a review I just found: Bird Mania 2.5

It's like NWR and NL review scoring is anticorrelated, lol.

I saw that, and of course everyone's entitled to their own opinions. I wrote mine, and presumably they wrote theirs. That's all anyone can do, and readers will decide which reviews they feel are more in line with what they themselves might enjoy.

When I was there the comments section wasn't bad, but if it's gotten worse, I'm sure we can keep discussion on our side civil.

@Philip_J_Reed Out of curiosity, what made NightSky feel like a 10 in your eyes? I was surprised (having played the game on PC) to see such a high score considering the ratings for other games of, in my opinion of course, equal or higher quality.

What made this game a superior experience to you over games such as Denpa Men (the only other game 9 or above in the 3DSWare section you reviewed)?

It might seem like an obvious answer but pretty much anything I had to say about NightSky, barring spoilers, I said in my review. I'd rank it above Denpa Men, to use your example, because NightSky was a far more engrossing and artistically sound experience. Denpa Men is great, but it doesn't offer a passively profound and immersive experience the way NightSky does. (IMHO of course...obviously not everyone who plays or reviews the game would agree with that.) As far as the other games that you felt were equal to or better than NightSky, I can't speak to that. Difference of opinion; gaming, like any artform, will always be subjective.

BTW, I'll still be getting the game. As I've been here longer, I put more trust into NL's reviews & atmosphere. This site feels like an online Nintendo Power, which is a feeling I never thought I'd get from any other gaming news source.

Other than that, Niclas' other 2 games (VVVVVV, Cave Story) are easily contenders for best game on eShop, IMO, so I trust the indie games they choose to publish.

As for NWR's review, I won't trash it, as I know reviews are subjective, but I tend to disagree with them (the low scores they gave Denpa Men, Sakura Samurai, & Outdoors Unleashed, in particular), so I'll take their unfavorable opinion with a grain of salt.

@Philip You say the sounds are great but without headphones you can't hear anything. Great game but the worst sound volume of any game I've played on my 3ds to date! Other then that its beautiful and the mechanics work really well.

The "music" is very sedate, but it makes it really relaxing. I think I would get annoyed if it sounded all happy while I was repeatedly dying. I wish the soundtrack were more memorable though, because it feels very minimalist.

I'd probably agree with NWR, but only because like them, I'd probably miss the point. It's more of an experience game. In fact, I wish Waltz was here, he's written several articles on the "experience" of gaming, and how games are no longer meant to be skill-testers. Sort of like how I can understand how Kirby's Epic Yarn could get a perfect score, since it's really not meant to test your skill (kirby games never have), but a safe adventure through a charming land and the experiences you find there. Sure, personally I found that adventure utterly boring due to the generally slow pace, and the cutsy charm never really grabbed me, but for those who can get into it, I have no doubt it'd seem like the best game ever.

Back to NightSky, I only played the demo back in 2010, but from what I recall, the game was more about it's atmosphere and detail to its world. The game rarely presented a challenge, and when it seemed like it did, it's probably just because I hadn't wrapped my head around the gameplay yet. IIRC, there was no levelselect, no one coming out of nowhere to explain how to play the game. It tried its best to never break you out of the atmosphere - the illusion that you're wandering through this wonderful and crazy-looking world. That doesn't sound bad at all, but I've yet to really find a game like that that didn't wind up just being "okay" in the end for me. I prefer games to be designed to be fun first and foremost, and everything else is just a bonus to me. Retro City Rampage, for instance, is much closer to a 10 in my eyes than NightSky will ever be, and I haven't even really played it yet.

I don't know how big the demo was, but I've played through the first 7 levels, and I've definitely found a few areas in the last few levels challenging, either in figuring out the method or executing it, and I think it is fun figuring them out. I like the way the game is constantly varying around the puzzles and controls so it always feels novel, although I could see how NWR might have found it strange the way the areas segue from one to the next. Still, I think the NL review is closer to the mark than the NWR one. I would give this game a 9/10.

Just not sure about this one myself. I think I'm gonna hold off. I've got so many games I'm playing right now I really can't handle even one more. lol!

Just started it up, and played through Haraha Mountains. Very different from Nicalis' past offerings, lol (as in it's calm & relaxing, instead of hardcore challenges).

Liking it so far

How many content is this will be worth $10 in end, no?

Wait till you play the Hard mode. Pain in the ***

Based on PC version: 3-4 hours to beat on normal. Another 2-4 on hard.

I'd say it's worth it for $10, though the lack of replay value is a damn shame/

Takes 1465 Blocks to download, my neighbor just said.

Ok. My neighbor talked me into it. Dang. Downloading now Yet something else I have no time to play. lol! Can't wait to play it for myself, tho.

That is exactly how I feel.

Just got through the "Old Ruins". Loving this game. Maybe not quite as much as VVVVVV or CaveStory, but Nicalis sure has another winner on their hands with it!