Overview
- Website
- nlgames.com
- Average Review Score
- 7.82/10
- Average Game Rating
- 7.97/10
Latest Reviews of Next Level Games Games
Review Luigi's Mansion 2 HD (Switch) - The Best Version, But Lacks Extras To Make It Essential
It's-a-the-other-guy
Looking back over our 2013 review of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon on the 3DS has been a timely reminder of why we love this game so very much, yet have failed to return to it beyond our original playthrough back in the day - an oddity, given that we're quite partial to hoovering up every last secret there is to find in most games...
Review Mario Strikers: Battle League (Switch) - Simply The Best Sports Game On Switch
Violence is apparently the answer
Name a sport. Go on, name one. Now presumably you’ve chosen some obscure sport that Mario hasn't played because you saw where this bit was going, but that doesn’t change the fact that our red plumber chap has been in a hell of a lot of sports games. Mario Strikers: Battle League attempts to carry on the legacy...
Review Luigi's Mansion 3 (Switch) - Gooigi Takes Ghost Busting To The Next Level
Drop dead gorgeous
Despite being the glimmering jewel of the GameCube’s launch, Luigi’s Mansion has enjoyed relatively few sequels for such a beloved Mario spin-off. The 3DS had a pop with a well-liked sequel, and the original got a second chance on the same system with a remake. Now it’s time for a true home console follow-up with Luigi’s...
Review Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS)
Samus Who?
For the past three decades Nintendo's Metroid saga has given players the chance to explore a vast science fiction universe filled with lore, wonders and hazards from the perspective of the one and only Samus Aran, the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter. As such, it's easy to forget that all her struggles form but a small part of a huge,...
Review Metroid Prime: Blast Ball (3DS)
Dropping the ball
Ever since its initial announcement, Metroid Prime: Federation Force has been fighting an uphill battle. After a hiatus for the Metroid series, some fans were expecting something a bit more back-to-basics than a co-op shooter with a chibi artstyle set in the Metroid Prime universe. While there's still a week left at the time of...
Review Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS)
This game must be possessed
Nintendo has proclaimed 2013 to be "The Year of Luigi": a long overdue celebration of Mario's underdog brother. There are already a few Luigi-themed (or at least partially related) releases to come later in the year, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the Japanese games giant had a few more projects tucked up its sleeve...
Review Doc Louis' Punch-Out!! (WiiWare)
What's your favourite WiiWare download, Mac? Mine's chocolate.
Before the release of the Wii version of Punch-Out!! earlier this year, rumors began circulating that a few "surprise" fighters would make appearances in the game. One of those rumors was that Mac would have to face his trainer, the rotund and irresistibly optimistic Doc...
Fighting fit
It's hard to believe, but it's been 15 years since a Punch-Out!! game was released. Perhaps this is due to the fact that even though the games were made by Nintendo, naturally situated in Japan, they never really found an audience over there. When the Wii came out this was even more of a shame; a new instalment in the series would fit...
Review Mario Strikers Charged (Wii)
Another frantic season of arcade style football action
Some of you will remember Mario Smash Football on the Gamecube, Mario Strikers: Charged Football simply builds on that original concept, adding a few new features and ideas but is generally the same game updated for Wii. One of the big additions that has been heavily promoted by Nintendo is...
Review Mario Smash Football (GCN)
Mario steps out onto the football field and is ready for some hi-octane arcade fun, this beat-em-up sports title is certainly action packed.
With a recent wash of Mario sports titles, its hard to justify them all. Mario Smash Football or Super Mario Strikers to the Americans is an action sports title, developed by Canadian outfit, Next Level Games...
Latest Next Level Games Articles
News Nintendo's Punch-Out!! Series May Be Dead And Buried For Good
All punch'd out
We don't know about you, but amongst all of Nintendo's game series, Punch-Out!! rarely sits at the top of our revival wishlist. Don't get us wrong, we'd absolutely bloomin' love a new entry, but we'd honestly rather see the likes of F-Zero and Chibi-Robo! make their grand return on the Switch or its upcoming successor. Regardless of...
News Digital Foundry Hails Luigi's Mansion 3 As The Best-Looking Exclusive Switch Game
Lean, green, and mean
Digital Foundry has put out a new video taking a look at some of the best-looking Nintendo Switch exclusives since the console launched in 2017. There are some pretty obvious choices here that won't come as a surprise to regular readers, including the likes of Metroid Prime Remastered, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Zelda: Tears of...
Hands On Luigi's Mansion 2 HD Delivers More Than Just A Hi-Def Upgrade
Dark Moon rising
As well as PJ's opinion below, check out Alex's take on the game in his hands-on preview video There's always been something very tactile, very tangible about the Luigi's Mansion experience. It comes mostly, we guess, from how this most terrified of heroes chooses to tip-toe and panic-run around levels. He moves differently, is...
Random Luigi's Mansion 2 Was Inspired By The British Sitcom 'Mr. Bean'
Can't unsee now
In 2013, Luigi's Mansion fans rejoiced when a sequel to the 2001 GameCube classic finally launched on the Nintendo 3DS. Now, thanks to a new video from Did You Know Gaming, we now know that Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon was greatly inspired by none other than the iconic British sitcom Mr. Bean. According to the video, developer Next...
News Surprise! A Free Mario Strikers Switch Demo Is Now Available On The eShop
Don't be a benchwarmer
One game that we would highly recommend checking out on the Nintendo Switch is Mario Strikers: Battle League. Next Level Games released the game on the hybrid system back in June, and since then it's been receiving regular patches and content updates. Now, Nintendo has released a brand new demo for the game via the Switch...
News Mario Strikers: Battle League Second Free Update Now Live, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
Pauline and Diddy Kong join the match
Last week, Nintendo announced Mario Strikers: Battle League would be getting some new content - including new characters, a new stadium and even some fancy new gear. This same update is now officially live. It most notably adds Pauline and Diddy Kong to the character selection lineup. There's the new...
Guide Mario Strikers: Battle League: How To Earn Coins For Gear - Easy Coin Bonuses
Hey big spender
Mario Strikers: Battle League is the first entry in Next Level Games' Mario Strikers series for a long time, and while it's a familiar (and excellent) romp, this new match brings a few new tricks up its sleeves — we mean, football socks. Battle League introduces Gear which you can unlock and buy in the in-game store. But being a...
News The First Review For Mario Strikers: Battle League Is Now In
Is it a hat-trick for Next Level Games?
Update [Wed 8th Jun, 2022 14:00 BST] We said keep your eyes open! We've shared our own Mario Strikers: Battle League review and, well, not to spoil anything, but we're big fans. Original article [Wed 8th Jun, 2022 10:30 BST] We're just two days away from the release of Mario Strikers: Battle League, the...
News Mario Strikers: Battle League's File Size Seemingly Revealed
Less than football-sized
Next Level Games' Mario Strikers: Battle League launches this Friday, and fans got their first hands-on with the game's online play over the weekend. But just how big are the numbers for the upcoming outlandish soccer game? Well, it seems like you won't need to make a ton of room for the game's initial kick-off, as Mario...
Video Mario Strikers: Battle League Scores Another Overview Trailer Ahead Of Next Week's Kick-Off
The match begins June 10th
Mario Strikers: Battle League is out next week, and ahead of its release on the Switch, Nintendo has uploaded a new trailer. This is another lengthy overview - going through character moves, stats and upgrade customisation. The catch is that it's all in Japanese. Nintendo may localise this 7-minute clip in the near...
Random Nintendo's Mario Strikers Email Typo Accidentally Creates Rocket League Rival
Battle League Deluxe
We all make typos from time to time — this writer should definitely know that! But when a big company makes one, it can be a source of confusion or a source of amusement. And in a rare instance, Nintendo (specifically the Japanese branch of the company) made a slight mistake that brought a smile to many people's faces. Last...
News Mario Strikers: Battle League Will Be Supported With Free Post-Launch Updates
Datamine hints at 10 additional characters
In case you missed it, Nintendo has announced it will be supporting the upcoming release Mario Strikers: Battle League with free post-launch updates, including new characters. It seems now we've got some additional information courtesy of Twitter user and dataminer 'Wipeoutjack7' - revealing the game's...
News Mario Strikers: Battle League Adverts Shoot For Customisation And Chaos
The soccer-ish game with no rules
Nintendo and Next Level Games are aiming for more than a hat trick with the latest slew of Mario Strikers: Battle League videos. Nintendo has published four brand new commercials for its upcoming chaotic soccer game that showcase the frantic gameplay, Hyper Strikes, and all of your customisation options. The latest...
News Watch A Full Match Of Mario Strikers: Battle League From Nintendo France
Kicking off soon
Nintendo France has shared brand new gameplay footage for the upcoming Mario Strikers: Battle League, the first Mario Strikers title in the series for 15 years. In fact, this new footage is the first time we've seen a full match play out in-game. Next Level Games' soccer game looks like it will be retaining the energy and character...
News Nintendo Releases New Introductory Video For Mario Strikers: Battle League
Update: Now in English!
Update [Thu 12th May, 2022 15:30 BST] Nintendo of America has now published the recent overview trailer in English! The trailer details a number of skills and systems that you'll be able to play around with when kick-off starts on 10th June. The two skills the trailer goes into in particular are: Team Tackle - You can push...
News Nintendo Reveals Opening Cinematic For Mario Strikers: Battle League
Out on Switch this June
While Nintendo's western branches are seemingly focused on promoting Nintendo Switch Sports and certain upcoming releases, its homeland (Japan) appears to be really excited about the release of Mario Strikers: Battle League next month. Last week, Nintendo's Japanese YouTube channel shared an introductory overview trailer -...
News Next Level Games Is Seeking New Talent For Future Nintendo Projects
"We're hiring"
Ahead of the release of Mario Strikers: Battle League this June on the Switch, Canadian-based developer Next Level Games has put out the call for new team members. In a rare social media update, it's mentioned how it's currently seeking Performance Engineers and Tools Engineers. If you head on over to its official website, you'll...
Random "Nobody Batted An Eye" At Waluigi's 'Crotch Chop' In Super Mario Strikers
A big "W" for the purple brother, then
Everyone has their signature footie celebration, right? Running to the corner flag, whipping your shirt off, doing a little dance — whatever floats your boat. That remains true for the Mario universe, and for the Mario Strikers series, retaining that was important for developer Next Level Games when creating...
News Super Mario Strikers Originally Started Out As A Platformer
Jump and shoot? That's the wrong sport
Yes, we still can't believe we're getting a new Mario Strikers game this year with Mario Strikers: Battle League. Pinch us. Or maybe just blow a whistle near us to make sure we wake up from this dream. With renewed interest in the Mario football game series, GameXplain recently spoke to Mike Inglehart,...
And a Paper Mario character as well
Ahead of the release of Mario Strikers: Battle League on the Nintendo Switch this June - dataminer, "Mario historian" and Twitter user 'Dogon McBanana' has been sifting through the back end of the original GameCube entry, Super Mario Strikers. While "digging through the game's files" they've stumbled
News Co-Founder Of Nintendo-Owned Studio Next Level Games Announces Retirement
"thank you to Nintendo for believing in me"
Next Level Games co-founder, current president and former CEO Douglas Tronsgard has announced he will be retiring after more than 20 years. He shared a brief message over on his LinkedIn thanking everyone at Nintendo and the Canada-based developer for believing in him. Here it is in full: "After over 20...
News It's Official, Next Level Games Is Developing The New Mario Strikers For Switch
'Battle League' is in safe hands
As many suspected, Next Level Games is the developer behind the upcoming Switch release Mario Strikers: Battle League. Nintendo didn't make any mention of this during its recent Direct announcement or the official PR, but it's now been confirmed by a rating over on the Australian Classification Board. The rating...
News Nintendo's Ready For Acquisitions, When The Time Is Right
It's got $9.2 billion ready to go
Mergers and acquisitions have been the talk of the town since Microsoft completed a $7.5 billion deal with Bethesda last year, so what's Nintendo's approach to acquisitions moving forward? In a press conference following the company's full-year earnings results earlier this week, president Shuntaro Furukawa touched...
Anniversary Japan Celebrates 15 Years Of Super Mario Strikers
It was technically last year, in Europe and North America
Next Level Games is seemingly on a hiring spree, and it got us thinking about some of its past releases. One standout hit, in particular, is the GameCube title Super Mario Strikers (also known as Mario Smash Football). Although the game made its original debut in Europe and the US in 2005...
News Nintendo Is Buying Luigi's Mansion Studio Next Level Games
Deal will mean an "improvement in development speed and quality"
Nintendo is buying Canadian developer Next Level Games, it has been announced. The studio – which has created titles such as Luigi's Mansion 3, Mario Strikers Charged, Punch-Out!! and Metroid Prime: Federation Force – will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nintendo. Next Level...
News Nintendo's Punch-Out!! Series May Be Dead And Buried For Good
All punch'd out
We don't know about you, but amongst all of Nintendo's game series, Punch-Out!! rarely sits at the top of our revival wishlist. Don't get us wrong, we'd absolutely bloomin' love a new entry, but we'd honestly rather see the likes of F-Zero and Chibi-Robo! make their grand return on the Switch or its upcoming successor. Regardless of...
News Digital Foundry Hails Luigi's Mansion 3 As The Best-Looking Exclusive Switch Game
Lean, green, and mean
Digital Foundry has put out a new video taking a look at some of the best-looking Nintendo Switch exclusives since the console launched in 2017. There are some pretty obvious choices here that won't come as a surprise to regular readers, including the likes of Metroid Prime Remastered, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Zelda: Tears of...
Hands On Luigi's Mansion 2 HD Delivers More Than Just A Hi-Def Upgrade
Dark Moon rising
As well as PJ's opinion below, check out Alex's take on the game in his hands-on preview video There's always been something very tactile, very tangible about the Luigi's Mansion experience. It comes mostly, we guess, from how this most terrified of heroes chooses to tip-toe and panic-run around levels. He moves differently, is...
Random Luigi's Mansion 2 Was Inspired By The British Sitcom 'Mr. Bean'
Can't unsee now
In 2013, Luigi's Mansion fans rejoiced when a sequel to the 2001 GameCube classic finally launched on the Nintendo 3DS. Now, thanks to a new video from Did You Know Gaming, we now know that Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon was greatly inspired by none other than the iconic British sitcom Mr. Bean. According to the video, developer Next...
News Surprise! A Free Mario Strikers Switch Demo Is Now Available On The eShop
Don't be a benchwarmer
One game that we would highly recommend checking out on the Nintendo Switch is Mario Strikers: Battle League. Next Level Games released the game on the hybrid system back in June, and since then it's been receiving regular patches and content updates. Now, Nintendo has released a brand new demo for the game via the Switch...
News Mario Strikers: Battle League Second Free Update Now Live, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
Pauline and Diddy Kong join the match
Last week, Nintendo announced Mario Strikers: Battle League would be getting some new content - including new characters, a new stadium and even some fancy new gear. This same update is now officially live. It most notably adds Pauline and Diddy Kong to the character selection lineup. There's the new...
Guide Mario Strikers: Battle League: How To Earn Coins For Gear - Easy Coin Bonuses
Hey big spender
Mario Strikers: Battle League is the first entry in Next Level Games' Mario Strikers series for a long time, and while it's a familiar (and excellent) romp, this new match brings a few new tricks up its sleeves — we mean, football socks. Battle League introduces Gear which you can unlock and buy in the in-game store. But being a...
News The First Review For Mario Strikers: Battle League Is Now In
Is it a hat-trick for Next Level Games?
Update [Wed 8th Jun, 2022 14:00 BST] We said keep your eyes open! We've shared our own Mario Strikers: Battle League review and, well, not to spoil anything, but we're big fans. Original article [Wed 8th Jun, 2022 10:30 BST] We're just two days away from the release of Mario Strikers: Battle League, the...
News Mario Strikers: Battle League's File Size Seemingly Revealed
Less than football-sized
Next Level Games' Mario Strikers: Battle League launches this Friday, and fans got their first hands-on with the game's online play over the weekend. But just how big are the numbers for the upcoming outlandish soccer game? Well, it seems like you won't need to make a ton of room for the game's initial kick-off, as Mario...
Video Mario Strikers: Battle League Scores Another Overview Trailer Ahead Of Next Week's Kick-Off
The match begins June 10th
Mario Strikers: Battle League is out next week, and ahead of its release on the Switch, Nintendo has uploaded a new trailer. This is another lengthy overview - going through character moves, stats and upgrade customisation. The catch is that it's all in Japanese. Nintendo may localise this 7-minute clip in the near...
Random Nintendo's Mario Strikers Email Typo Accidentally Creates Rocket League Rival
Battle League Deluxe
We all make typos from time to time — this writer should definitely know that! But when a big company makes one, it can be a source of confusion or a source of amusement. And in a rare instance, Nintendo (specifically the Japanese branch of the company) made a slight mistake that brought a smile to many people's faces. Last...
News Mario Strikers: Battle League Will Be Supported With Free Post-Launch Updates
Datamine hints at 10 additional characters
In case you missed it, Nintendo has announced it will be supporting the upcoming release Mario Strikers: Battle League with free post-launch updates, including new characters. It seems now we've got some additional information courtesy of Twitter user and dataminer 'Wipeoutjack7' - revealing the game's...
News Mario Strikers: Battle League Adverts Shoot For Customisation And Chaos
The soccer-ish game with no rules
Nintendo and Next Level Games are aiming for more than a hat trick with the latest slew of Mario Strikers: Battle League videos. Nintendo has published four brand new commercials for its upcoming chaotic soccer game that showcase the frantic gameplay, Hyper Strikes, and all of your customisation options. The latest...
News Watch A Full Match Of Mario Strikers: Battle League From Nintendo France
Kicking off soon
Nintendo France has shared brand new gameplay footage for the upcoming Mario Strikers: Battle League, the first Mario Strikers title in the series for 15 years. In fact, this new footage is the first time we've seen a full match play out in-game. Next Level Games' soccer game looks like it will be retaining the energy and character...
News Nintendo Releases New Introductory Video For Mario Strikers: Battle League
Update: Now in English!
Update [Thu 12th May, 2022 15:30 BST] Nintendo of America has now published the recent overview trailer in English! The trailer details a number of skills and systems that you'll be able to play around with when kick-off starts on 10th June. The two skills the trailer goes into in particular are: Team Tackle - You can push...
News Nintendo Reveals Opening Cinematic For Mario Strikers: Battle League
Out on Switch this June
While Nintendo's western branches are seemingly focused on promoting Nintendo Switch Sports and certain upcoming releases, its homeland (Japan) appears to be really excited about the release of Mario Strikers: Battle League next month. Last week, Nintendo's Japanese YouTube channel shared an introductory overview trailer -...
News Next Level Games Is Seeking New Talent For Future Nintendo Projects
"We're hiring"
Ahead of the release of Mario Strikers: Battle League this June on the Switch, Canadian-based developer Next Level Games has put out the call for new team members. In a rare social media update, it's mentioned how it's currently seeking Performance Engineers and Tools Engineers. If you head on over to its official website, you'll...
Random "Nobody Batted An Eye" At Waluigi's 'Crotch Chop' In Super Mario Strikers
A big "W" for the purple brother, then
Everyone has their signature footie celebration, right? Running to the corner flag, whipping your shirt off, doing a little dance — whatever floats your boat. That remains true for the Mario universe, and for the Mario Strikers series, retaining that was important for developer Next Level Games when creating...
News Super Mario Strikers Originally Started Out As A Platformer
Jump and shoot? That's the wrong sport
Yes, we still can't believe we're getting a new Mario Strikers game this year with Mario Strikers: Battle League. Pinch us. Or maybe just blow a whistle near us to make sure we wake up from this dream. With renewed interest in the Mario football game series, GameXplain recently spoke to Mike Inglehart,...
And a Paper Mario character as well
Ahead of the release of Mario Strikers: Battle League on the Nintendo Switch this June - dataminer, "Mario historian" and Twitter user 'Dogon McBanana' has been sifting through the back end of the original GameCube entry, Super Mario Strikers. While "digging through the game's files" they've stumbled
News Co-Founder Of Nintendo-Owned Studio Next Level Games Announces Retirement
"thank you to Nintendo for believing in me"
Next Level Games co-founder, current president and former CEO Douglas Tronsgard has announced he will be retiring after more than 20 years. He shared a brief message over on his LinkedIn thanking everyone at Nintendo and the Canada-based developer for believing in him. Here it is in full: "After over 20...
News It's Official, Next Level Games Is Developing The New Mario Strikers For Switch
'Battle League' is in safe hands
As many suspected, Next Level Games is the developer behind the upcoming Switch release Mario Strikers: Battle League. Nintendo didn't make any mention of this during its recent Direct announcement or the official PR, but it's now been confirmed by a rating over on the Australian Classification Board. The rating...
News Nintendo's Ready For Acquisitions, When The Time Is Right
It's got $9.2 billion ready to go
Mergers and acquisitions have been the talk of the town since Microsoft completed a $7.5 billion deal with Bethesda last year, so what's Nintendo's approach to acquisitions moving forward? In a press conference following the company's full-year earnings results earlier this week, president Shuntaro Furukawa touched...
Anniversary Japan Celebrates 15 Years Of Super Mario Strikers
It was technically last year, in Europe and North America
Next Level Games is seemingly on a hiring spree, and it got us thinking about some of its past releases. One standout hit, in particular, is the GameCube title Super Mario Strikers (also known as Mario Smash Football). Although the game made its original debut in Europe and the US in 2005...
News Nintendo Is Buying Luigi's Mansion Studio Next Level Games
Deal will mean an "improvement in development speed and quality"
Nintendo is buying Canadian developer Next Level Games, it has been announced. The studio – which has created titles such as Luigi's Mansion 3, Mario Strikers Charged, Punch-Out!! and Metroid Prime: Federation Force – will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nintendo. Next Level...