ShadLink

They should ONLY add the high res hair. Just to make fun of all the reviews.

The game is as good as the original was. So it does have some flaws. But overall it’s a great game.

Many great games coming next year. Let’s hope for a January Nintendo Direct for the details.

I hate forced co-op games. I don’t have many game playing friends, so I can’t play these games.

Either let me control both characters, let me play with only one character or make one AI controlled.

Played Clair Obscur, didn’t like it at all.

My current game of the year is Pokémon Legends Z-A. Even the DLC is really good. Deserved 9,52/10. (Metroid Prime might still be able to beat it, but I need to finish it first before Christmas Day)

@wizzgamer Expensive? It's free.

@The_Nintendo_Expat Personal experience, it's not worse.

@AussieMcBucket Basically they jumped to put extra hate on the Switch 2 (version) for no real reason. For the points I mentioned. Maybe then I just don't like this version of the review.

Really a 4/10? For basically still one of the best games ever made?
Really?

REALLY??!!!

30 fps. Is not a problem in a game that is basically a walking simulator with slow combat.
Download size.. sure that could've been better. But I see them fixing that with an update within a couple of weeks.
Input lag? I haven't noticed any.
"Nothing new" Jesus Christ, it's a rerelease of an old game. Did you expect it to have new content?

So... I am going to rate this review a 0/10. You didn't even try.
The game.. 8/10. Which is my original Switch 1 versions' review. It doesn't play worse than the Switch 1 version, and looks better.

@8bit-Man Changes of that happening are getitng even slimmer. Why waste expensive wafers on ROM chips?

I do hope we'll someday see a Switch 2 revision with a M.2 slot. Price per GB storage those are still cheaper than MicroSDs. Even with the increased prices.

price increase coming in 3...

Because, yeah, their margins aren't large enough to take the more expensive ram/nand prices. I am guessing early next year it will happen. (to still take advantage of the holiday sales). Base Switch 2 going to €550 or even €600.

@Nep-Nep-Freak They usually increase to a major version with new DLC or with bigger updates (see Animal Crossing for example)

But yeah, it's mostly up to the developers how version numbers are handled.

@Wewewi Ah yes, didn't know that. (I have it on always enable) But still it does look good on Skyrim.

@Elbarbo Oh no, a game with online multiplayer wants players to actually play online multiplayer.

Honestly, SMH, if you have some decent Mega Evolved Pokémon. You'll reach rank S (enough for the stones) within an hour. So... play about 33% of the game and go online.

Not that Skyrim is a game that needs 60fps. And the HDR / higher res textures look a LOT better on Switch 2.

It looks great, it plays great, and it's free (if you have the Switch version).

The game feels so well balanced and it's a lot of fun. Adding more maps to it won't change that really. And I don't think it will improve the game much, because it doesn't need them.

Ofcourse more content is always fun. But that can also be added later. Super Smash Bros Ultimate was also a very "complete" but also got a lot of DLC.

Breath of the Wild; almost entirely empty open world. (well not really but still)
Nintendo "fans": 'The world is so empty! I wish it had more interesting characters.'

Metroid Prime 4 has, like indeed Metroid Prime 3, some interesting NPCs.
Nintendo "fans": 'This feels so crowded! It's not survival with NPCs! I hope the NPCs die/leave quickly.'

And this is why Nintendo can absolutely never win with these people.

The only thing I don't really like is that Nintendo did not port Metroid Prime 2 and 3 to the Switch (2). It would have changed a lot about these characters also being in Metroid Prime 4 Beyond. Maybe they should even have ported Other: M to the Switch.

I don't really like games that are too hard, so I'm happy with this. (Dark Souls and similar just annoy / frustrate me)

Honestly most "Black Friday deals" are meh at best.

@Sixteen_Bit_89 The game has been good since day one. Sitting at a 9,52/10 for me and currently the Game of the Year.

@electrolite77 Same thing.

Another review from the pixel peepers from DF. The game runs great on Switch 2, looks great, plays great, sure you don't get the best hair graphics. But does that really matter?

No. Not at all.

It took them 14 years to develop Duke Nukem Forever (which bombed when it finally released)

Beyond Good and Evil 2 has been in development limbo for over 17 yeas now.

I have zero trust this is going to be any good.

@dazzleshell Especially for Switch 2. Since you can't easily charge them if you don't have a Switch (anymore).

So now are all the NSO apps updated to the 3.x versions? Okay except the Mega Drive one.

@Aswannsong Yeah, the game does "suffer" from being very similar to the Uncharted series. Which also comes with a lot of waves of enemies.

But the survival aspect of it is decent, the atmosphere is great, and honestly it's still an awesome game. Even for being 12 years old.

My copy arrived today as well. It's a really beautiful book. Also a great story book for a child.

Sadly there is no Dutch version, so it's not really suitable for little children here.

@Moistnado Or Sony. Or any company actually if you look at all the HD/4K remasters released in the last or current generaion.

Companies need to make money for their shareholders.
When they (the shareholders) are happy, the company can invest in making new games.
Which makes me happy, because I can buy those new games to play.

It's not that hard.

Also be happy Nintendo offers an upgrade path. Some companies just release two seperate versions and let you pay full price for both if you want to play on Switch and Switch 2. (Square Enix for example)

Stability jokes are so much fun.. back during the Wii U era.

Right now they are just boring and samey.

I am currently somewhere between 9,20 and 9,30/10 for the game. MariKart World I gave a 9,25/10. So this is going to be a very fun score to see the best Nintendo racing game of the year. Or which one I will decide is.

(based on my opinions ofc)

@The21zonz I have the full OST of LoZ Tears of the Kingdom. Also 7 CDs

@Kyloctopus How much they love EA Sports FC must say enough there

Was to be expected. Niche game for a niche franchise. But the game is awesome, so I think this will have a long staying power. More so than the yearly games.

@Zuljaras Yes, but you are forgetting the day one 100GB patch that needs to be downloaded as well.

The issue is, a disc has slow read speed but is quite cheap to produce.
Flash storage, even a flash ROM storage like on the Switch and Switch 2 is quite expensive for larger amounts of data.
This was also why the PlayStation was able to outsell the N64, because that used CDs of a few cents and the N64 had expensive cartridges.

But I do feel that this issue is going away next generation where physical media will be entirely gone. Simply put, there aren't many factories producing blank discs anymore. And the complaining about keycards are just going to force Nintendo to not care about cartridges at all either.

The next "console" generation will be interesting:
1. Sony will just make a PS6. And they will make it either a dockable handheld (like the Switch) or they will split it into a powerful home console and a bit less powerful handheld. They will mainly be competing against Nintedno.
2. Valve is going to release the Steam Machine. And will basically be competing against PS5, XBOX Series and...
3. XBOX Windows. Microsoft is already testing XBOX mode on any Windows 11 machine. Currently on Windows Insders. Their new console will be basically a Windows version of the Steam Machine. A PC running Windows 11 or 12 in XBOX mode upon boot.

Nintendo has the Switch 2, which will not be replaced before 2032...

@HugoGED Honestly the others should have a white banner with "Installation required". But that's the case for every PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE and XBOX Series game. Be happy Switch 2 has at least some games without installation requirements.

Kirby Air Riders Fun game, working on unlocking characters and stuff.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Post-game stuff.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Daily stuff and completing the DLC.
Tomb Raider (Switch 2) This weeks shadowdrop. Still an awesome game.

And this week I am also throwing some PC games in the mix:

• Stellar Blade (discounted on Steam)
• Ys X: Nordics
• Balatro
• The Outer Worlds 2

@Fiskern Ofcourse you can think so, English is not my first language so I might have missed something.

But I am working on creating a new website that is going to focus on my review methods and will have a similar supporting community. The site is set the launch next year.

@Fiskern Actually I can, since my system is my opinion. I also apply a similar system to review of reviewers (comparing reviewers their reviews to their previous reviews and to other reviewers) Which would allow me to decide if a review is good or bad.

And sadly it's the latter. The average Nintendolife review gets a 2/10 in 2025. Based purely on my opinions.

@iLikeUrAttitude Exactly. And if I would've done that I would have missed a lot of awesome games that honestly didn't perform good in their tests.

And even if I would use this trick on Legends Z-A. I would give it a technical score of 7,5/10 (+ quick loading, + stable 60 fps, + good resolution, - flat buildings, - pop-in, - some stationary npcs)

And a opinion score of 9,5/10.

(7,5 + 9,5) / 20 * 10 = 8,5/10 Even then still above the average review score

@iLikeUrAttitude Not that I didn't try to actually design a scoring system that would make it 50% scientific (Digital Foundary esque) and 50% opinion. But I decided against that because of how some people weigh technical quality compared to gameplay / enjoyment.

This is also why I generally don't like Digital Foundary.

@iLikeUrAttitude Any review is subjective.

@iLikeUrAttitude Sure. But my score is based on a single system I use on every game released this generation. Also it's a honest system because it easily removes all trash from getting a satisfactory score. Anything between 7 and 9 considered above average to good. 6 is average. 5 is playable. <5 is bad. > 9,00 are best of year contenders.

So no, I do not consider a 7 to be a good score. It's above average. Which is unfair for this game.

@iLikeUrAttitude It does.

And let just apply my review score rules to this game.
See: https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/11/round-up-the-reviews-are-in-for-kirby-air-riders#comment8914698

1. Can you finish the game?

Yes. >1

2. Does the game achieve it's overall goal?

Yes >5

3. Does the game satisfy the goal?

Yes. I loved the final battle and the events leading up to it. Even more than in Dokey Kong Bananza. >7

4. Does the game give you bliss, did you like it?

Absolutely. >8

5. Did you notice enjoyment breaking bad quality? (graphics, sounds, etc)

Enjoyment breaking? No. 9.

Now it's going to get an additional rating between 9,00 and 9,99 which is based on overall gameplay. This is the same 9,51 as DKB. With a tie-breaker being my opinion about the final fight/battle. So.. Legends Z-A gets a 0,01 adventage.

And actually with Legends Arceus getting a 9,512/10 in the last generation... Legends Z-A is my overall favorite Pokémon game. Since 9,52 > 9,512

@iLikeUrAttitude

Well this definitely isn't looking good, if even THIS site was noticeably harsh (at least by their standards).

And taking acount the nintendolife tax that makes this game a 6/10.

Not good, was actually rooting for this game to be more.

Well this validates my point entirely.

@DarkAngelus31 Only Switch games updated for Switch 2 (free updates) or those with unlocked framerates run at 60fps on Switch 2. This is neither. The Switch version targets 30fps, so it will at best run 30fps on Switch 2.

Also you can't play Switch 1 games using old MicroSDs on Switch 2. So that can't be a reason either.

@Fiskern A lot of people are calling the game bad. Including people who review the game. And I am not going to call a "7" a good score either, or a valid one for this game. Where I gave it a 9,52/10 currently the Game of the Year with 0,01 above Donkey Kong Bananza

Why does such a bad game (by this site commenters / reviewers opinion, not mine) do so good in sales?

Well, I do know the answer..
The game is not bad.

Fun game, but after having it beat multiple times on other systems. It's quite a bit easy. I do hope the other two also come to Switch 2.

@Bondi_Surfer I review a game by asking five questions

1. Can you finish the game?

This is very important. Because if a game is unplayable it will get a 0/10 immediatly.

2. Does the game achieve it's overal goal?

This one decides if a game gets a failing grade or not. A yes to this question always gets a 6 or higher. A no 5 or lower.

3. Does the game satisfy the goal?

Similar to 2. but! it's important to judge if a game does a satisfying job.

4. Does the game give you bliss, did you like it?

So yes, an opinion is also important. But not in it's absolute base score.
And if 1 to 4 all are yes a game will get an 8.

5. Did you notice enjoyment breaking bad quality? (graphics, sounds, etc)

If no the game gets a 9+. If yes it will be either an 8 or an 8.5 depending on the severity.

If a game gets a 9, I will only compare the game to my opinion of it and other games reaching a 9 in the same genre. Which gives it a decimal between 0 and 99.

A 10/10 is impossible to get.

All the first party games I played this year (MarioKart World, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, Donkey Kong Bananza, Legdends Z-A and the Kirby Global Test Ride) all get an 8/10 or higher. With Welcome Tour being the only one lower than a 9.

@Bondi_Surfer No a 4 is a failing grade, which means the game is bad. Which is simply not true. A review is not about your feeling but about the game in general. If you can't see that distinct difference you shouldn't review games.

I gave Breath of the Wild a 9,721/10 and Tears of the Kingdom a 9,720/10 making both the best games on Switch. With Pokémon Legends Arceus 9,600/10 being number 3.
(any score between 9 and 9,999/10 was a unique score during the previous generation, in this generation I use this system per year so I can round 9s to two decimals)

And see here why modern game reviews are absolute trash.

Metro: One of the most controversial Nintendo sequels of recent times sees Kirby take on Mario Kart in this surreal new racing game.

Not one sentence in and Metro completely misses the point of what this game is.

@ElkinFencer10 I don't deny that.

@ElkinFencer10 It is though were a lot of players are.