Jim Norman

Nintendo Life

Jim Norman·Sep 17, 2025

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush feels like a split banana. The new roguelike mode is a lot of fun, gelling surprisingly well with the game's core mechanics and giving me a welcome excuse to swing back into my beloved Bananza, but the other half of the deal, DK Island, left me feeling a little short-changed with its lack of appeal outside of the new game mode.Bananza constantly reminded me of Odyssey as I played through the base game, and now it seems, much like its platforming predecessor, I'm going to be forever thinking about the DLC potential that never was.

Nintendo Life

Jim Norman·Sep 6, 2025

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Bokura: Planet was a lovely surprise, with an intriguing, diverging co-op narrative that creates tension beneath its novel puzzles without completely jettisoning its cutesy vibes for pixel horror. If you're looking for a reflective, grown-up adventure with laughs, gasps, and perhaps even a tear or two, this affecting little expedition will claim but a few hours of your life and is worth enlisting a friend for.

Nintendo Life

Jim Norman·Aug 13, 2025

Critic80/100

Agreement—

The combination of turn-based strategy and beat-'em-up gameplay felt like a bit of a square peg, round hole situation, but Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown melds the two to deliver one of the freshest takes on TMNT that I've seen in a long time. It's a short-but-sweet experience that might not gel with everyone, but after 35 years of beat 'em ups and brawlers, this showcases the Turtles like you've never seen them before. And come on, that's pretty radical, dude.

Nintendo Life

Jim Norman·Aug 10, 2025

Critic70/100

Agreement—

All in all, Is This Seat Taken is solid pick-up-and-play puzzler. It may not do anything new or unique, but the condition-meeting gameplay loop is primed for anyone after a low-stakes distraction. It won't keep you occupied for hours on end, but it'll do an almighty job of reminding you that your seating preferences are not to be scoffed at.

Nintendo Life

Jim Norman·Jul 16, 2025

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Donkey Kong Bananza is an almighty re-introduction to the world of 3D platforming for DK, and arguably the Switch 2's first absolute must-play. The punching and crashing is a passing novelty that, once you get your fill, quickly becomes just another way of exploring the wonderfully varied and beautifully presented layers.Whether it's smashing through the scenery with a Bananza Transformation or carefully planning a route to a hidden Banandium Gem, you'll have trouble finding more originality and, crucially, more enjoyment from a platformer in recent years. As the DK Rap so wisely said, "Donkey Kong is here." Now let's just hope he stays.

Nintendo Life

Jim Norman·Jun 9, 2025

Critic90/100

Agreement—

When all's said and done, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is a fantastic revamp of perhaps Nintendo's most sublime sequel. What was once a technical marvel on aged hardware now has a chance to truly shine, with visual and performance boosts undoubtedly making it the definitive way to play.Nothing will ever match the feeling of playing it for the first time, of course, and some bonus content would have been welcome, but armed with Zelda Notes and the promise of buttery smooth upgrades, I'd challenge anyone to dip back in without losing hours to its unrivalled wonder.

Nintendo Life

Jim Norman·May 27, 2025

Critic70/100

Agreement—

If you're looking for a throwback point-and-click that doesn't require too much puzzle solving, Old Skies is certainly one to look out for. The first few chapters can feel a little plodding and the puzzles rarely reach the wacky highs we like to see from a point-and-click, but Wadjet Eye's ambitious, time-hopping adventure is unexpectedly heartfelt, with its narrative managing to speak to something personal amongst the sci-fi melodrama of its central set-up. Those after a journey back to the wild world of '90s PC adventures will find the nostalgia trip they're after, warts and all.

Nintendo Life

Jim Norman·May 21, 2025

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Happy Broccoli has once again pulled together a simple yet satisfying mystery that brings plenty of smiles and a handful of surprises. Now, if you'll excuse us, we've got to don our fedoras and go deliver a brooding speech in the rain.

Nintendo Life

Jim Norman·Jan 23, 2025

Critic60/100

Agreement—

For those who enjoyed the original release back around the turn of the millennium, Star Wars: Episode I - Jedi Power Battles is just about the safest remaster you could imagine. The instant level unlocks and expanded character roster are both nice touches, but Aspyr's limited improvements leave this feeling very of its time. If you can get past the sluggish combat, painful platforming, and performance 'quirks', then this is a fun trip down memory lane; if you can't, then prepare for a lesson in what games felt like a long time ago.