@LastFootnote The article gets updated throughout the year as games are released/announced, so the 'old' one wouldn't be the same as it was a year ago.
@Anti-Matter @JJtheTexan @Krull @Ooyah All those games are already in the database - you'll just need to search for them manually at the very top of the page.
@PluckyRicky Mitch wasn't as taken with Reborn as many others, so it didn't meet the threshold for this list, score-wise. I agree that it's significant, though - I'll see about dropping in a mention somewhere.
Edit: I've added a section at the end of the FAQ highlighting it.
@Thomystic There’s no off switch on the GC receiver, but it only gets power when the console is on. Otherwise you just pair over BT like any BT device by holding down the pairing or home button, lights flashing etc.
@Wisps Criticism is fine and welcome! But when it veers into "Oof, I like this game and other sites gave it 8s and 9s, so this person patently doesn't know what they're talking about" and "NL does this all the time to be edgy!", that doesn't feel constructive to me.
The 6 here reflects the criticisms in line with our scoring policy, and it's not a bad score. Personally, I'm interested in trying this as I've wanted Yakuza on Switch for ages! So I read the review, balance that against other opinions and my own personal gaming tastes, and make a decision.
Criticism is welcome, but insinuations that we're giving a game a certain score for what, clout? To stand out or provoke outrage from series fans for 'engagement'? That's rubbish.
To everyone dissatisfied with the score here, it's worth a reminder that 6 is not a bad score — very explicitly 'Not Bad', in fact!
So far this month we've published 22 reviews of new Switch releases, with another 8 or 9 in the works. Naturally, they come from a lot of different reviewers and not all of them will jibe with your own opinions. It's fine to disagree with this one, but Oliver's points here are valid and the score reflects his overall opinion: the game isn't bad, but it has some issues.
I totally reject 'Nintendo Life reviewers try to be different', too - we assess games as they are, and the chips fall where they may. Sometimes a reviewer's opinion aligns with the majority, sometimes not - that's the nature of reviews! Of the 30~ we're publishing this month, there'll likely be a handful you don't agree with. That's fine, but please, let's not start questioning the validity of others' opinions or their suitability to write about the game just because their take doesn't match yours.
Lastly, using 'we' is historically a fairly common convention and something we've done for a long time now. However, we (ha) are considering a change at some point, which should help clear up any confusion it seems to generate.
@trcsf I (personally) found something like Link’s Awakening’s performance massively jarring, so I’ve really got my fingers crossed for patches. I would imagine the small team is stretched to breaking point given the cross-platform release and the outsized profile of this one, but I’d also imagine (hopefully!) it’ll get there or thereabouts in the end. 🤞
Actually, he was born Michael Theodore Rat, but the connotations of the surname (especially back in '20s New York) led his father to change the family name to Rodent. 'Mouse' is a screen name he took when he moved to LA.
Hey @WoomyNNYes - re. Little Kitty, it was considered but given the overwhelming amount of cosiness on Switch, it didn't quite meet the quality bar to make the list.
@Kiyata I get you with the 10-cent rule, although I feel it's still broadly applicable/useful as a rough value gauge. So many sets these days have SO MANY tiny 1x1 detail pieces that they tend to balance out the cost of printed pieces imo.
I'd definitely take a higher (within reason!) RRP for printed pieces only, though. Can't stand stickers!
@rjejr Games can go live at different times on launch day, and listings on Nintendo's sites can be similarly erratic — some appearing weeks in advance in one region and not going live until after it's on the eShop itself in others. For example it's live on the Japanese store and site right now.
If it gets to the end of the day and this one's not available to buy in the West, we'll investigate. As for our review, sit tight.
@MarioBrickLayer We can tweak the max limit and various other settings. For seven options, two picks felt sufficient to get a decent spectrum of results.
On desktop, you can float the mouse cursor over the bars and see the exact results (Echoes of Wisdom has 33.8% with 127 votes atm, for example), but it would be nice to surface that on mobile too. I'll look into it.
In-progress reviews are rare, but we've done them before! As Alana says in the text, she's only been able to play through spring so far, but we wanted to give people considering jumping in Day One a sense of what to expect. We'll be updating with a score in due course.
Grid is fantastic, but it's pretty much the only great realistic-style racer on Switch in, what, nearly seven-and-a-half years? A port of a 2014 PS3/360 game. That's it. Crazy.
Comments 900
Re: 35 Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games To Look Forward To In 2025
@LastFootnote The article gets updated throughout the year as games are released/announced, so the 'old' one wouldn't be the same as it was a year ago.
Re: 'The Thing: Remastered' On Switch Is Still MIA In Europe, Nightdive Is "Waiting On Nintendo"
@ozwally Ha, naturally it's appearing for me now too. 🙃 Thanks for the heads-up, I'll update the post.
Re: Bullet-Hell Shmup Dodonpachi Saidaioujou Launches Today On Switch
@Sylamp It's on the US eShop right now:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/dodonpachi-saidaioujou-switch/
Re: Rate Your Favourite Switch Games Of The Year 2024
@Anti-Matter @JJtheTexan @Krull @Ooyah All those games are already in the database - you'll just need to search for them manually at the very top of the page.
Re: Best Nintendo Switch Strategy Games
@PluckyRicky Mitch wasn't as taken with Reborn as many others, so it didn't meet the threshold for this list, score-wise. I agree that it's significant, though - I'll see about dropping in a mention somewhere.
Edit: I've added a section at the end of the FAQ highlighting it.
Re: Voidwrought
@Lightsiyd We hadn't updated the release date since it launched. Should be 'Have-able' now.
Re: How Well Do You Know The Nintendo DS?
@CaleBoi25 Ha, yeah a couple of us did, ahem, poorly in the tests but not quite that bad.
Re: Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP Releases A Sweet Frame Rate Update For Switch
@AmplifyMJ We reached out for code but never got a reply.
Re: Review: NYXI Warrior Bluetooth Controller - A Great GameCube Pad For Switch, With The One Big Quirk
@Thomystic There’s no off switch on the GC receiver, but it only gets power when the console is on. Otherwise you just pair over BT like any BT device by holding down the pairing or home button, lights flashing etc.
Re: Review: NYXI Warrior Bluetooth Controller - A Great GameCube Pad For Switch, With The One Big Quirk
@CaleBoi25 Can’t say for 3, but 2 feels great.
Re: Get Into The Halloween Spirit With This Creepy New Little Nightmares III Trailer
@anoyonmus No plans for FNAF, but we've got Stalker reviews in the works.
Re: Best Nintendo Switch Horror Games
@OldManHermit @WoomyNNYes Crow Country was definitely supposed to be on here! It now is.
@Neckcrane I swear World of Horror was on here - either way, it's back now.
@anoyonmus Because it's neat.
Re: Review: Yakuza Kiwami (Switch) - A Decent Port Of An Ambitious, Frustrating Game
@Wisps Criticism is fine and welcome! But when it veers into "Oof, I like this game and other sites gave it 8s and 9s, so this person patently doesn't know what they're talking about" and "NL does this all the time to be edgy!", that doesn't feel constructive to me.
The 6 here reflects the criticisms in line with our scoring policy, and it's not a bad score. Personally, I'm interested in trying this as I've wanted Yakuza on Switch for ages! So I read the review, balance that against other opinions and my own personal gaming tastes, and make a decision.
Criticism is welcome, but insinuations that we're giving a game a certain score for what, clout? To stand out or provoke outrage from series fans for 'engagement'? That's rubbish.
Re: Review: Yakuza Kiwami (Switch) - A Decent Port Of An Ambitious, Frustrating Game
To everyone dissatisfied with the score here, it's worth a reminder that 6 is not a bad score — very explicitly 'Not Bad', in fact!
So far this month we've published 22 reviews of new Switch releases, with another 8 or 9 in the works. Naturally, they come from a lot of different reviewers and not all of them will jibe with your own opinions. It's fine to disagree with this one, but Oliver's points here are valid and the score reflects his overall opinion: the game isn't bad, but it has some issues.
I totally reject 'Nintendo Life reviewers try to be different', too - we assess games as they are, and the chips fall where they may. Sometimes a reviewer's opinion aligns with the majority, sometimes not - that's the nature of reviews! Of the 30~ we're publishing this month, there'll likely be a handful you don't agree with. That's fine, but please, let's not start questioning the validity of others' opinions or their suitability to write about the game just because their take doesn't match yours.
Lastly, using 'we' is historically a fairly common convention and something we've done for a long time now. However, we (ha) are considering a change at some point, which should help clear up any confusion it seems to generate.
Re: Cat Quest: The Fur-tastic Trilogy Scores A Physical Switch Release
@TotalHenshin Yep, that's what I get to - I've updated the post and the game page - thanks.
Re: Mini Review: RetroRealms: Halloween (Switch) - A Fun & Faithful Slasher Romp
@Jack_Goetz Ha, I was hearing Chicago mobster.
Re: Reaction: A Little Device That Makes Sounds In Sync To Movements On The Bed?... Oh, Nintendo
@Max_the_German We've been expecting a Switch 2 reveal most days since 2022.
Re: Reaction: A Little Device That Makes Sounds In Sync To Movements On The Bed?... Oh, Nintendo
@OswaldTheLuckyGamer Ha! Very good.
Re: Forget 'Switch 2', Nintendo Has Just Revealed An Official Alarm Clock
@nukatha Ha, I've linked to exactly that article in the reaction piece that's just gone live.
Re: Best Zelda Games Of All Time
Hello lovely readers. Just a note that we’ve overhauled the format on this list — feel free to drop any feedback regarding the changes here.
Re: Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom: Walkthrough, All Puzzle Solutions, Collectibles
@gcunit Er, no. Publishers aren't in the habit of sending out walkthroughs, unfortunately. That would be nice!
Re: Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom: Walkthrough, All Puzzle Solutions, Collectibles
@Johnny44 Exactly — people will be playing right now and may have questions!
The info is here as/when/if players want it.
Re: Catch-Up Crew: Donkey Kong Country - "I Liked His Big Red, Er, Ribbit-Bag?"
@Thomystic I didn't stumble on any. Probably for the best!
Re: Review: The Plucky Squire (Switch) - Enormously Charming, But Not So Plucky On Switch
@trcsf I (personally) found something like Link’s Awakening’s performance massively jarring, so I’ve really got my fingers crossed for patches. I would imagine the small team is stretched to breaking point given the cross-platform release and the outsized profile of this one, but I’d also imagine (hopefully!) it’ll get there or thereabouts in the end. 🤞
Re: Review: The Plucky Squire (Switch) - Enormously Charming, But Not So Plucky On Switch
A real shame. For anybody curious, here's a clip showing the sorts of issues Lowell ran into:
https://x.com/nintendolife/status/1836740110307524628
Re: Nintendo Direct August 2024 - Every Announcement & Game Reveal From The Indie World & Partner Showcases
@LastFootnote We've been having some issues too — we're looking into it.
Re: Pizza Tower Finally Dashes Onto Switch Today
@WoomyNNYes As soon as we're able.
Re: Hands On: Epic Mickey: Rebrushed - A Fresh Coat Of Paint For A Once-Flawed Platformer
@JohnnyMind The test is passed. Well done.
Re: Hands On: Epic Mickey: Rebrushed - A Fresh Coat Of Paint For A Once-Flawed Platformer
Actually, he was born Michael Theodore Rat, but the connotations of the surname (especially back in '20s New York) led his father to change the family name to Rodent. 'Mouse' is a screen name he took when he moved to LA.
Re: Best Cozy Games On Switch
Hey @WoomyNNYes - re. Little Kitty, it was considered but given the overwhelming amount of cosiness on Switch, it didn't quite meet the quality bar to make the list.
Re: Review: Elrentaros Wanderings (Switch) - Hints Of Rune Factory's Charm, But Such A Drudge
@Vyacheslav333 No plans for review, unfortunately, but I've updated the game page.
https://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/fatestay_night_remastered
Re: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe + Booster Course Physical Release Reportedly Updated
@AmplifyMJ They came in yesterday evening, live now.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2024/08/uk-charts-mario-kart-8-deluxe-retains-its-crown-as-we-await-new-releases
Re: World Of Goo 2 Switch Update Now Live - New Pro Controller Feature, Fixes And More
Yesssss!
Re: Catch-Up Crew: F-Zero X - "In First Place I Just Yeeted Myself Off The Course"
@Ace-Lucario Military? USS NL's mission is one of peaceful exploration.
Re: Review: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team (GBA) - Robust Roguelike Rescuing
Just a quick note, the comments above are over eight years old now, so @-ing might not get a response!
Re: Review: LEGO Animal Crossing - Fly With Dodo Airlines - A Great Little Set With One Glaring Omission
@Kiyata I get you with the 10-cent rule, although I feel it's still broadly applicable/useful as a rough value gauge. So many sets these days have SO MANY tiny 1x1 detail pieces that they tend to balance out the cost of printed pieces imo.
I'd definitely take a higher (within reason!) RRP for printed pieces only, though. Can't stand stickers!
Re: Review: LEGO Animal Crossing - Fly With Dodo Airlines - A Great Little Set With One Glaring Omission
In before the Tangy backlash.
Re: Review: LEGO Animal Crossing - K.K.'s Concert At The Plaza - A Pleasing But Pricey Set
@Maxz Ha, thanks.
Re: Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games And Accessories For August And September 2024
@rjejr Games can go live at different times on launch day, and listings on Nintendo's sites can be similarly erratic — some appearing weeks in advance in one region and not going live until after it's on the eShop itself in others. For example it's live on the Japanese store and site right now.
If it gets to the end of the day and this one's not available to buy in the West, we'll investigate. As for our review, sit tight.
Re: Nintendo Reconfirms Release Windows For Major Upcoming Switch Games
@MarioBrickLayer We can tweak the max limit and various other settings. For seven options, two picks felt sufficient to get a decent spectrum of results.
On desktop, you can float the mouse cursor over the bars and see the exact results (Echoes of Wisdom has 33.8% with 127 votes atm, for example), but it would be nice to surface that on mobile too. I'll look into it.
Re: Poll: Which Is Your Favourite Nintendo Game Cartridge Design?
@Bunkerneath The 'Super' applies to both.
Re: Poll: Which Is Your Favourite Nintendo Game Cartridge Design?
@jump Ha, I didn't want to sway things too much. N64 would get 10/10. GB(C) and Famicom behind that, then descent down to Switch at the bottom.
Re: Review In Progress: The Garden Path (Switch) - A Green-Thumbed Ode To Animal Crossing That Needs Tending
In-progress reviews are rare, but we've done them before! As Alana says in the text, she's only been able to play through spring so far, but we wanted to give people considering jumping in Day One a sense of what to expect. We'll be updating with a score in due course.
Re: All Humble Games Staff Reportedly Laid Off As Publisher Announces "Restructuring"
This company has published some of the very best games of the last decade. It's just confounding.
Re: Nintendo Japan Expands 'Controller Button Collection' With SNES, N64 & GameCube Keychains
Want.
Them.
All.
Re: Nintendo Announces Official Switch Joy-Con Charging Stand
@jco83 Ha, I've just updated the article with the NUK tweet.
Re: GoldenEye 007 And Perfect Dark Artist Brett Jones Has Died
Such sad news. The teams on these games were so tiny - so much of the joy these games brought so many of us was a direct result of Brett's talent.
Re: Review: Hot Lap Racing (Switch) - An Enjoyable "Simcade" Racer That Still Falls Between Stools
Grid is fantastic, but it's pretty much the only great realistic-style racer on Switch in, what, nearly seven-and-a-half years? A port of a 2014 PS3/360 game. That's it. Crazy.
Re: Review: Hot Lap Racing (Switch) - An Enjoyable "Simcade" Racer That Still Falls Between Stools
@Qwiff That's on me, zapped. Thanks.
Re: Mailbox: eShop Closures, Comedy, The Physical Future - Nintendo Life Letters
@ScalenePowers I can't see anything from your username in the inbox — feel free to send again.