Nintendo Life

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Apr 20, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

If you can get past the bugs and performance issues at launch, The Mageseeker proves itself to be yet another strong addition to Riot's growing catalogue of intriguing spin-off games. Sylas's bittersweet quest supplies a compelling story that nicely complements the fast-paced combat and magic-stealing action, providing fans with an enjoyable action experience that fans of 2D action games will want to take note of. We'd give The Mageseeker a high recommendation to anyone looking for another good retro hack 'n' slash for their collection-this one is deeper than it may appear on the surface, and it stands up well next to peers such as Unsighted or Hyper Light Drifter.

Nintendo Life

PJ O'Reilly·Apr 19, 2023

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a delightful reimagining of two classic GBA strategy titles. The gameplay here remains as endlessly addictive, finely balanced, and challenging as ever, and the addition of a handful of modern conveniences and the ability to play against friends online makes for a slick overall package. With a crisp, clean new art style that adds lots of new animations and cutscenes, a remastered soundtrack, and voice-acting in the mix, this is a polished return to Advance Wars action that's got us fully addicted to the series all over again. This is the sort of game you'll reserve a permanent space for on your console, a timeless experience you'll keep tucked away on your Switch for the foreseeable future.

Nintendo Life

Chris Scullion·Apr 18, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Disney Speedstorm delivers solid karting action with fantastic handling and clearly spends a lot of care and attention on its characters and courses. Its performance on Switch lets it down, though, especially on handheld where it's a blurry, stuttery mess, and those not interested in the live service setup will struggle to get along with it.

Nintendo Life

Austin Voigt·Apr 14, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

All in all, we loved Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories for taking us back to our roots and reminding us of simpler times when games were much more limited and required a unique type of creativity and imagination in their nostalgic design and witty storytelling. Short but sweet, if you're looking for a well-written little adventure that walks a dark path, you'll enjoy this evocative, melon-choly journey.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Apr 12, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Cannon Dancer is an undeniably polished product and has Yotsui's action-cinema aspirations stamped all over it. Speed, dynamism, and full-bodied combat snap will keep bringing you back for more. While visually inspired and boldly artistic, it's a concise affair, as was Strider, buoyed by a refined control scheme and consistently interesting stage developments. While the finale is no Third Moon, and could have been improved with a few adjustments, it still qualifies as the Strider sequel you always wanted but never knew.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Apr 12, 2023

Critic90/100

Agreement—

It's clear that a lot of effort and love went into Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection; this is a worthwhile re-release that gives you a lot of bang for your buck. While everyone will have their favorite, the Mega Man Battle Network series remained remarkably consistent throughout its whole run, due in no small part to the innovative battle system and charming storylines present in each entry. If you're a fan of Mega Man and haven't given these games a shot yet, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up immediately. Even if you're not a Rockman enthusiast, these games each offer up some inventive RPG experiences that are certainly worth your time.

Nintendo Life

Trent Cannon·Apr 11, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Tron: Identity won't wow anyone with its puzzles, but it does a great job of telling a tight story that changes with each playthrough. The short playtime encourages you to explore the world a bit more and uncover new truths that you missed because of your previous actions. If this is the start of a series of Tron visual novels, which the plot certainly feels like, then we're hopeful we get to continue our journey with Query very soon.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Apr 5, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Batora: Lost Haven is the perfect example of a damningly mediocre experience. The few things that it does well-such as its energetic combat and engaging choice system-are nothing that you haven't seen done before elsewhere, while the things that it misses-such as its storytelling and puzzle design-really take the wind out of its sails. Batora has its redeeming traits, but it feels like this is one that just never quite manages to pull everything together in a way that feels worthwhile. This is the kind of game that we wouldn't necessarily recommend you buy or skip; if it feels to you like this is up your alley, then maybe it's worth the punt if you can get it on sale, but you won't be missing out on much if you choose to pass.

Nintendo Life

Trent Cannon·Apr 1, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Even our minor frustrations with Lunark can't overshadow the joy we felt as we played this unashamedly retro platformer. It is a competently put-together and lovingly crafted homage to an often-overlooked genre of gaming. Even the imprecise controls and Leo's sluggish movements feel like a feature and not a bug in the game's design. If you can wrap your head around them, there is a solid platformer to enjoy.

Nintendo Life

Trent Cannon·Mar 31, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

GrimGrimoire OnceMore takes one of the most under-appreciated RTS games of its generation and fixes some of its biggest problems, making this a worthwhile game for both new fans and those who have played the original. While the repetitive maps mean that most levels feel too similar to each other, the story is fun and the visuals have had a solid upgrade for the Switch. There is just enough depth to the strategy to keep you guessing without overwhelming new players.

Nintendo Life

Roland Ingram·Mar 30, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

The Last Worker is an ambitious project and it sticks the landing when it comes to graphics, performance, and voice acting. However, its central box-shipping game is fiddly and the game's pacing doesn't let you get into the flow. Tricky sections requiring repeated checkpoint loads break the immersion and clash with the long, dawdling sections of exploring the Jüngle facility. It's likeable and well-packaged with plenty of character, but it doesn't always deliver.

Nintendo Life

Lowell Bell·Mar 29, 2023

Critic50/100

Agreement—

With a slick aesthetic, some great synthwave tunes, and intense cybercycling through dilapidated space tubes, Gripper gets a lot right and we enjoyed those parts of it. We can forgive repetitive voice acting, but the other half of the game - the arena boss battles - is egregiously frustrating. The main gripping mechanic fails to work far too often with so much happening on screen, leading to a difficulty level that requires grudging patience rather than player skill. Thus, by the end of the game, our patience for this sci-fi mashup of genres had run out.

Nintendo Life

Trent Cannon·Mar 29, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Saga of Sins' excellent stained-glass visuals are let down by a predictable plot and somewhat workaday gameplay. Hardcore action-platform fans will probably be disappointed, but it might serve as a gentle introduction for newcomers to the genre. There aren't any glaring faults or issues, but it's a shame that it doesn't do quite enough with its solid mind-jumping, demon-battling premise.

Nintendo Life

PJ O'Reilly·Mar 28, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

MLB The Show 23 is a better all-round package than last year's outing, thanks in large part to the new Storylines mode that adds a well-presented and educational history lesson for players to get involved in. In terms of this Switch port, presentation is perfectly acceptable, with the expected graphical downgrades made, but the frame rate can still be troublesome in places, making for play that feels sluggish in comparison to other platforms. This issue aside, though, this is a solid port that brings all the modes found in other versions of the game, making for a decent overall option for MLB fans.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Mar 28, 2023

Critic90/100

Agreement—

It may be over in the blink of an eye, but Kraino Origins proves itself to be a well-crafted and deeply enjoyable old-school action platformer while it lasts. If you’re looking for an affordable and brief entry in the genre, this is definitely one that we would recommend.