Game Reviews scoring 9/10
Review Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Switch)
Bwang Bwang
When Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was revealed to the world through a leaked image of a selfie-taking 'Rabbid Peach', it's fair to say that not all reacted with joy. It seemed like a horrific bit of fan art, especially once follow-up artwork showed Mario and company targeting guns at foes; yet when the game was revealed plenty of...
Review Aero Fighters 2 (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Awesome Shmup action
Aliens are causing trouble all over the world and it’s up to you to stop them. There’s a variety of colourful characters for you to pick from including a baby, a head-in-a-Jar and a dolphin (no, really) as you take to the skies to save the day. With frantic play, some great music and a dose of the quirky, Video System’s...
Gain the upper hand
From Canadian developer DrinkBox Studios – the creative force behind Metroidvania brawler, Guacamelee – comes Severed, an action-adventure game with RPG elements, real-time combat and a whole lot of slicing the body parts from various creatures onto the floor. The game was initially released on PlayStation Vita back in April...
A Most Adventuresome Little Probe
When it comes to independent studios, Metroid-styled games are like opinions – everybody has one. While it’s easy to jest, the template is solid and the amount of nostalgic cachet they have is very strong. Exploratory games are a dime a dozen these days, so to get your lock-and-key, ability discovering...
Review Sonic Mania (Switch eShop)
Sonic is back to his best
In certain circles of chatty online gamers, Sonic the Hedgehog is often a hot topic. SEGA and Sonic Team has taken its mascot on some wild rides over the past 20+ years, stepping into 3D 'modern' Sonic, attempting a return to 2D with Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and dividing opinion, and blurring the lines (with some success) in...
Review Slime-san (Switch eShop)
It's not easy being green
If there's a lesson to be learned from Slime-San, it's that looks can be deceiving. Glancing at screenshots reveals a grungy, pixellated style, some weirdly gooey environments and what would appear to be a fairly straightforward 2D platformer, but scratch just beneath the slightly viscous surface and you'll find...
Review Ironcast (Switch eShop)
More than meets the eye
At E3 this year, this writer got the chance to demo an intriguing game called Ironcast, which initially sounded like it was trying to do a bit too much all at once. A match three puzzler that’s also a roguelike, that’s also a strategy RPG with permadeath? Even so, we came away feeling that it just might have what it takes...
Review Cursed Castilla EX (3DS eShop)
A blessing, not a curse
For a series which takes an almost sadistic delight in frustrating those who play it, Capcom's Ghosts 'n Goblins garners a surprising amount of adoration from gamers - but the company doesn't seem particularly interested in resurrecting Sir Arthur for any new adventures, so thank goodness we have games like Cursed Castilla EX...
Happily Ever After
Ever Oasis might be a new IP, but it comes from a long and storied pedigree: the brainchild of Secret of Mana creator Koichi Ishii, and developed by Grezzo (of the 3DS Zelda remakes and StreetPass Garden/Flower Town fame), while it certainly reflects the influence of its creators’ earlier works, as a full package it feels fresh...
A catchy Quote?
Nintendo consoles have, as of late, become a safe haven of sort for indies looking to publish their wares on home consoles. It makes sense, then, that the Switch would receive its own port of one of the most popular indie titles of all time, Cave Story+. Originally released in 2004 on PC, Cave Story gained popularity and...
Mostly armless
For a company that is so often accused of relying too heavily on its existing franchises, Nintendo has been refreshingly open to creating new intellectual properties of late. Splatoon famously came out of nowhere back in 2015 and established Nintendo as a key player in the online shooter genre, and now ARMS is attempting to perform...
Review Shantae: Half-Genie Hero (Switch eShop)
Your wish has been granted
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero was a standout release on the Wii U late last year, bringing an excellent and whimsical Metroidvania adventure to the platform which we deemed to be arguably the best entry in the Shantae series yet. Given the game’s pedigree and WayForward’s great relationship with Nintendo, it seemed a...
Heart pounding
Thumper provides a stern test. Actually, to be clear, Thumper tries to crush your spirit and beat you, and it often succeeds. If gruelling - but fair - difficulty isn't on your wishlist for a prospective new game purchase, Thumper fundamentally isn't for you. If you do like to be pushed to the edge of your reflexes by games and have a...
Review Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia (3DS)
Alms for the War
Nintendo has a habit of switching things up in sequels, and especially in the NES days that tendency resulted in some gloriously divergent sophomore installments. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link famously swapped overhead adventuring for side-scrolling action, Super Mario Bros. 2 (in the West, at least) exchanged running-and-jumping...
Review Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition (Switch eShop)
Block Party
Minecraft is a game that needs no introduction; the quirky block building game has been a pop culture sensation for many years now, and has a port available on just about every modern platform one can name. Given the existence of Minecraft: Wii U Edition and the hybrid nature of the Switch, it was only a matter of time before...
Review Garou: Mark of the Wolves (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Only winners And losers here
Out of all the critically-acclaimed one-on-one fighting games produced by SNK over the decades, Garou: Mark of the Wolves has to rank as one of the most beloved and revered. Released at time when 3D visuals were taking the industry by a storm, it was seen by some as a companion piece to Capcom's equally gorgeous Street...
Review Blazing Star (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Get it more!
Whenever horizontally-scrolling Neo Geo shooters are discussed, two names inevitably dominate the conversation: Pulstar and Blazing Star. Both were developed by the same core team (Aicom, which then became Yumekobo) and both rely heavily on pre-rendered sprites rather than hand-drawn visuals. Neither title was ported around the time of...
Shrine Get!
eShop veterans CIRCLE Entertainment have kicked off the Switch era with a bang, starting with the excellent rhythm game VOEZ and continuing with the colourful overhead action of Kamiko. Developed by Japanese indie team Skipmore — responsible for Fairune and its sequel on the 3DS eShop — Kamiko sports a gorgeous pixel-art aesthetic,...
Review Graceful Explosion Machine (Switch eShop)
Quite a GEM
Nowadays, it seems to be rather common for developers to lose focus of what they set out to do when they start making a particular game. In an attempt to include "something for everyone" or to make the gameplay as diverse and interesting as possible, a game can often get bogged down by unnecessary distractions and additional content that...
As goo'd as ever
It's hard to believe it's been nearly a decade since World of Goo first glopped its way onto the then-new WiiWare service. A smart, squishy puzzle adventure from indie developers 2D Boy — with some of that team now known as Tomorrow Corporation — it raised the bar on downloadable Wii games and ran off with the hearts of puzzle...
Review The King of Fighters '98 (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
The return of the king
While many associate the one-on-one fighting genre with Capcom's legendary Street Fighter franchise, there was a point in the '90s when SNK was arguably at the vanguard of this particular game style. Its King of Fighters series became a firm favourite in arcades all over the world, with yearly updates satisfying the desire and...
Review Fast RMX (Switch eShop)
FAST just got BETTER
FAST RMX was a lovely surprise for the launch of the Switch, and one that this reviewer was very excited for. With a number in our team having played FAST Racing NEO to death on the Wii U, we were intrigued by Shin'en's promises of 1080p and 60fps performance. But could it live up to these expectations? There's only one way to...
Review Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (Switch eShop)
Triple threat
There isn't much one can say about Shovel Knight that hasn't already been said. We at Nintendo Life universally love the game and its two expansions, Plague of Shadows and Specter of Torment, so when a collection of the three in one download on the Switch was announced, we were quite excited. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is the...
Review Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment (Switch eShop)
Hauntingly good
When Shovel Knight launched in 2014 it was already an indie darling. In our review we called it "utterly satisfying and wonderful." Shovel Knight became a massive critical and commercial success for Yacht Club Games, which is now a household name among gamers all over the world. Not content to rest on their laurels following Shovel...
Review Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D (3DS eShop)
Go go go
Tanukii Studios' overlooked DSiWare gem, Go! Go! Kokopolo, came at the tail end of the DSi's time on the market, and as a result very few people played the unique action game. While a simple re-release on 3DS would have been acceptable, Tanukii Studios instead crafted a full sequel in Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D. The result is a jam-packed game...
Review Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World (3DS)
Spinning a good yarn
There have evidently been occasions in recent times when Nintendo started looking at sales figures and picking out projects that deserve a second chance on the 3DS. Yoshi's Woolly World, for its part, is one of a few elite-level 2D platformers on Wii U that stand out as top-notch exponents of the genre. Gorgeous visuals,...
Review Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (3DS)
Return of the King
In addition to a steady stream of top-quality games, the 3DS' RPG library is filled with the sort of lifetime achievements most consoles can only dream of: a hat trick of Monster Hunters, two to four Fire Emblems (depending on your perspective), scores of Shin Megami Tensei titles, and enough Etrian Odysseys to field a curling...
Review Shantae: Half-Genie Hero (Wii U)
Genieus
Immediately upon seeing the title screen and hearing the game's main theme, you know that Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is another step forward for this series. Back in 2002, Shantae made her debut on the Game Boy Color to rave reviews but disappointing sales — hardly a shock when you take into account the GBC was on its last legs — but the...
Review Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS (3DS)
Super Mini Maker
Though it never had much of a chance of matching its predecessor in sales, the 3DS has nevertheless proven to be a valuable hardware hit for Nintendo. Its solid sales have not only defied many gloomy early expectations, but has ensured that it's been a strong platform for vital franchises, from sure-fire hits like the Pokémon main...
Not your average Joe
It is not uncommon for a game's critical appeal to far outweigh its selling power. Throughout the history of gaming there have been many cult hits that now go for ridiculous prices on the second hand market, EarthBound and the original Shantae being a couple of notorious examples. However, few games can boast the extreme rarity...
