Nintendo Life

Nintendo Life

Thomas Whitehead·Aug 28, 2017

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a must have for Switch-owning fans of turn-based tactical games. More importantly, such is the style and depth on offer that it's also ideal for those that haven't played much of the genre, for whom 'X-COM' sounds like a silly acronym from a war movie. It introduces the concept in the best possible way, and then utilises its own ideas for what becomes a smart and - at times - deliciously challenging experience.It's perfectly acceptable to be surprised by Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, as many have been since its E3 reveal. The end result delivers on all of the potential that we could suddenly see back in June; even if you don't actually like the Rabbids, this game - and its familiar Mario cast and setting - is so good that Ubisoft's mascots are likeable. Well, almost.

Nintendo Life

Matthew Mason·Aug 20, 2017

Critic40/100

Agreement—

For every intriguing idea that Troll and I presents, there are a couple of design choices or technical issues that will aggravate players. It's ugly, clunky and bereft of certain amenities that players take for granted in this day and age. With so many games out to garner people's attention, Troll and I isn't as user friendly or quickly appealing as it needs to be in a flooded space. If you are someone who can look past technical hurdles there may be something worth divining here, but as a whole Troll and I is difficult to recommend.

Nintendo Life

Thomas Whitehead·Aug 16, 2017

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Sonic Mania is a true return to form for the mascot, in his 2D 'Classic' guise at least. It celebrates the glory days of the original games while also enhancing their qualities and taking on new ideas. From new areas, imaginative second acts and some delightful boss encounters, the development team has poured a lot of passion and talent into the project. The occasional bug and a couple of brief and cheap areas deprive it of Sonic-style perfection, but it's pretty darn close.Is it the best Sonic game ever? It's in the conversation, though the classics it's honouring may stake a claim for slightly greater 'flow' in the campaigns. Frankly, it's better just to call it a dead heat and skip the argument - Sonic Mania belongs in the company of the games to which it pays tribute - the Blue Blur is back.

Nintendo Life

Thomas Whitehead·Aug 10, 2017

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Infinite Minigolf is another solid arrival on the Switch eShop, and most importantly adds to the steadily growing variety of genres and themes on the store. It does a very nice job of delivering over-the-top, entertaining minigolf, with plenty of official and user-created content to keep players busy. The downsides are slightly baffling systems and a crowded user interface, and the fact that some less experienced gamers may find the required precision for shots a little too demanding. Overall, however, this one is definitely under par - in a good way.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Aug 9, 2017

Critic90/100

Agreement—

All told, Ironcast is one of the most in-depth and engaging match three puzzlers that we've seen. The game's pitch is a bit of a tough sell — it's clearly trying to juggle a lot of different genre elements — but Ironcast somehow manages to pull it all off in a way that is uniquely innovative and frustratingly addicting. The various elements being fused here make for a game that is endlessly replayable, but not at the cost of becoming repetitive or boring. We would strongly recommend that you pick up Ironcast if you're looking for a game that can be a good time sink, but can also be comfortably played in short bursts. Do yourself a favour and try this one out.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Aug 2, 2017

Critic80/100

Agreement—

All in all, Overcooked is an absolute must-buy for anybody looking for a fantastic party game to play with friends. The wacky visuals and chaotic gameplay make it an ideal game for local co-op, and there's plenty of content to work through. Although there are some disappointing launch issues with the framerate (reflected in our scoring), we still give this one a strong recommendation overall; it's a title that perfectly nails what makes local multiplayer games so fun.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Jul 28, 2017

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Namco Museum does a great job of highlighting the illustrious lineage of one of video gaming's most famous arcade companies; not only is it packed with addictive games that will keep you glued to your Switch for many weeks to come, but it boasts excellent emulation, a host of options, online leaderboards, a special challenge mode for each game and a new version of Pac-Man VS. which is sure to become the go-to party title for many Switch players. While there are a couple of titles that we'd have swapped out for other, more worthy offerings from Namco's past, you're still getting an excellent selection of games for a reasonable price here. Fingers crossed Bandai Namco will pillage the vaults for a second collection in the very near future.

Nintendo Life

Morgan Sleeper·Jul 21, 2017

Critic80/100

Agreement—

A real treat for anime-action fans, Fate/EXTELLA is a lovably frantic hack-and-slash with a feeling all its own. Appealing characters and an irresistible sense of style draw you into its world, and addictive, satisfying gameplay and excellent writing keep things exciting throughout. It suffers from some common ails of the musou genre, like minimal enemy variety and subpar AI, and it's far from a technical showcase for the system, but if you're looking for a fun, fast-paced slash-‘em-up on Switch — or to seriously complicate your relationship with one of Rome's most infamous sons — Fate is a perfect choice.

Nintendo Life

Alex Olney·Jul 18, 2017

Critic100/100

Agreement—

Splatoon 2 is just about everything you could ask for from a sequel. It builds on everything the original set up and then some; almost every single major issue people had with the first game has been resolved, showing that Nintendo is genuinely listening and wants to deliver the absolute best experience possible. It maintains the freshness you'd expect and throws in countless big and small changes and additions, every one of them for the better. Anyone who says Nintendo can't do online should be eating their words right now; Splatoon 2 is simply inkredible and continues Nintendo's trailblazing first year of Switch stunners.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Jul 17, 2017

Critic70/100

Agreement—

All told, Implosion is a satisfying mobile game that ultimately feels worthy of its console release, but it is a little inconsistent in its execution. Weak writing and ho-hum presentation are balanced by the depth of replayability and mindless but fun hack 'n' slash gameplay. We give Implosion a moderate recommendation; though it certainly doesn't hold a candle to big-name alternatives, Implosion does a good job of creating an engaging and entertaining gameplay experience that'll give you many hours of fun.

Nintendo Life

Matthew Mason·Jul 12, 2017

Critic80/100

Agreement—

While we've seen plenty of games that have similar themes and mechanics, the way they're presented in Death Squared makes for a rare experience. Having a game that is cooperative at its core but imminently playable as a solo experience is a boon, but it must be said its wily charms are exponentially more effective when sitting next to a friend or loved one whilst you giggle at each other's faux pas. If you want your puzzlers to be thought-provoking with a dash of dry humour, you can't go wrong with Death Squared.

Nintendo Life

Ryan Craddock·Jul 12, 2017

Critic80/100

Agreement—

De Mambo does exactly what it is meant to do by taking over your living room and providing you and your family or friends with utter chaos and fun. The core gameplay works a treat and its simplistic control method and ideology suit the game perfectly, resulting in a competitive title that is easy to learn, yet hard to master.For solo players, being unable to play what is essentially the heart of De Mambo in its main mode makes it impossible to justify a purchase. For people who want to grab some friends and have something to pass the time however, this is a suitable option, even if it maybe won't keep your attention for hundreds of rounds. The gameplay does eventually get repetitive, although great strides have been taken to ensure this doesn't happen too quickly and there is definitely much fun to be had here.

Nintendo Life

Ian Guebert·Jul 10, 2017

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Flip Wars has a great premise for multiplayer fun, especially for local battles. Joining your mates huddled around a Switch the concept works nicely, but in an age where online gaming is bigger than ever you'd think a game like this would nail online play at release. Instead there are missing game modes and spotty online connections will put some people off this very enjoyable title. Due to its early access-like feel it might be worth saving your pennies for a few weeks before splashing out on Flip Wars, to see if the promised future updates will actually deliver the modes that aren't available right now and iron out the kinks in servers. The game has some real potential as a fun multiplayer game, offline and online, but right now Flip Wars isn't quite as good as it could be.

Nintendo Life

Thomas Whitehead·Jul 9, 2017

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Cars 3: Driven to Win falls for some of the pitfalls that are expected of a game released to coincide with a movie's arrival in theatres. Rather rushed, rough around the edges and with minor but persistent annoyances, older players will certainly recognise the symptoms.That said, it hits top gear in some respects. Its gameplay mechanics are rather fun once grasped, there are a variety of modes and tracks to master, and despite its sidenote of a narrative it goes big on the film series' charms. Young gamers and fans of the films will likely get beyond its flaws and rather enjoy what it does well, and it comes across as a game that was pushed out the door early but, nevertheless, was developed with some pride. It's a bit of a 'banger' in car terms, but it has a good lick of paint and a good engine - one to pick up on a whim or at a discount, perhaps.

Nintendo Life

Ryan Craddock·Jul 6, 2017

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Bulb Boy won't stay in your memories forever; it is a relatively small game that shouldn't take too long to complete, but whilst it lasts it offers nicely designed puzzles and an underlying humour that offers a different experience. It is clearly lovingly put-together and refreshingly manages to make horror cute and fun, rather than taking itself seriously. Bulb Boy didn't take our breath away and isn't revolutionary, but its appeal comes in the form of its characters, craziness and toilet humour – a deadly combination that deserves to be played.