Nintendo Life

Nintendo Life

Stuart Gipp·Jun 2, 2020

Critic80/100

Agreement—

A bit of a triumph, Bug Fables is a superbly polished independent tribute to the first two Paper Mario games – but that's not to say it doesn't have its own, strong identity. The sheer familiarity is a little bit wearying at times – seriously, it's like it's been traced over in places – but Paper Mario with the serial numbers filed off is still a very good time. There's plenty to see and do, a rather compulsive card game to play and hidden secrets all over the place. Add all this silky-smooth performance, a splendid soundtrack and turn-based combat that's never less than engaging and you've got a surefire winner here. Maybe now people will quit "bugging" Nintendo for a throwback Paper Mario. Pun intended. (Sorry.)

Nintendo Life

Stuart Gipp·Jun 1, 2020

Critic80/100

Agreement—

More than the sum of its parts, Liberated tells a rollicking tale with plenty of style. It doesn't run as well as it should do, and it's far from lacking in clichés (some of the "people would rather take selfies than open their eyes" stuff is a little eye-rolling) but it's a fantastic take on a dystopian platformer that avoids the major pitfalls that such games often fall into. With responsive controls, enjoyable shooting and strong level design, Liberated is an atmospheric, absorbing treat and far more than the sum of its parts.

Nintendo Life

Chris Scullion·Jun 1, 2020

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Compilation games like Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics always have a variety of hits and misses depending on your own personal taste, but there's a wide enough variety of board, card and action games here that you're sure to find a number that will appeal to you. Everything's presented with charm and warmth (terribly-written cutscenes aside) and there's an enormous amount of content on offer, whether you plan on playing solo or with others. The perfect game for lockdown? Quite possibly.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·May 31, 2020

Critic80/100

Agreement—

The obvious question when reviewing The TakeOver is how it compares to Streets of Rage 4, and we're pleased to report that it's just as worthy of your time as money, even if it lacks online play and some of the extra polish that DotEmu, Lizardcube and Guard Crush Games' title possesses. Some players will no doubt take issue with the CG-style sprites, but every other aspect of this package feels spot-on and we especially appreciate the two bonus stages, which feel like love letters to other Sega classics. The TakeOver offers an engaging and addictive alternative to Streets of Rage 4, and any self-respecting fan of the side-scrolling fighting genre shouldn't hesitate to pick up both.

Nintendo Life

Dom Reseigh-Lincoln·May 30, 2020

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Mortal Kombat 11 finally realised a true Mortal Kombat experience on Nintendo hardware, and with Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath, Nintendo Switch players get to experience this full expansion in all its glory. The five-chapter-long Story mode isn't essential, but it does a nice job of weaving the non-third-party DLC characters into the narrative, with Shang Tsung still managing to steal the show. The three additions to the roster certainly won't set it alight, but Fujin alone does bring a few dimensions to the party. It's a fun expansion, but the asking price is still a little too high at launch.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·May 29, 2020

Critic90/100

Agreement—

In many ways, it feels like Shantae and the Seven Sirens is the culmination of everything WayForward has learned since that initial release a little less than two decades back. Shantae and the Seven Sirens pulls some of the best elements from the titles that came before it – such as the dungeons and fast transformations – while adding in several cool new ones too, like the collectable cards and lovable new characters. A short but sweet runtime, well-drawn visuals, a catchy soundtrack and a well-designed map make this one an easy recommendation to anybody looking for the next must-have Metroidvania for their Switch.

Nintendo Life

Mark MSX·May 28, 2020

Critic70/100

Agreement—

The most difficult part of reviewing Sky Racket is knowing which audience is going to be the most interested in the game. As mentioned before, while the boss fights are fun and full of stuff to dodge, the block sections of the game may be too slow-paced for the more dedicated shmup fans. With that being said, it is also possible that the people looking for a relaxing experience of Tennis and Break-Out might be taken off guard by the more demanding boss fights. Perhaps the safest conclusion, then, is that the game should appeal to an audience that has an overlapping interest in the diverse game-styles that Sky Racket skillfully mixes together.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·May 27, 2020

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Even if you wouldn’t consider yourself a fan, we would still strongly encourage you to think about adding this one to your collection, as this is the standard against which most RPGs should be judged.

Nintendo Life

Stuart Gipp·May 26, 2020

Critic30/100

Agreement—

If we sound like a broken record criticising this VR conversion, that's because its central problem is so all-encompassing that it destroys the product. Sure, you could have fun with this if you're a committed fan of Five Nights at Freddy's and its lore, but we'd advise against it otherwise. As with many VR games, the immersion and novelty factor papers over the cracks of the limited gameplay. When that escapism is taken away, all that's left is a sub-par minigame collection that isn't even as good as the individual games it cribs from – and it's a lot more expensive, too. We get the impression that the sole reason this game exists is to capitalise on the fact that the Switch has such a large market share.

Nintendo Life

PJ O'Reilly·May 25, 2020

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Journey to the Savage Planet is a wonderfully unique mixture of No Man's Sky-style exploration and Metroidvania puzzling and platforming with a wonderfully dark sense of humour that arrives here on Switch in a slightly compromised but still eminently playable state.

Nintendo Life

Stuart Gipp·May 25, 2020

Critic60/100

Agreement—

It's not without fun to be had, but we wish there was a little more to it. You'll sail through it once, and you may enjoy yourself. But any further playthroughs would be pushing it.

Nintendo Life

PJ O'Reilly·May 24, 2020

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Never Stop Sneakin' is a lovingly crafted parody of early Metal Gear Solid games that pairs some genuinely funny dialogue and ridiculous characters and cutscenes with its own brand of impressively slick stealth action. Its levels are pretty repetitive and there's quite a bit of unnecessary grinding and replaying of missions in an effort to artificially extend the running time but, overall, this is a fun little title that's perfect for dipping in and out of for a hit of light-hearted tactical espionage action.

Nintendo Life

Chris Scullion·May 24, 2020

Critic60/100

Agreement—

At its core, Golf With Your Friends is still a decent golf game. Get an online multiplayer game going with some similarly-skilled pals and you'll have a great time making your way through its weird and wonderful courses (don't even get us started on the Worms course and the jetpacks you can get). Its main problem is that every time you change these optimum conditions – playing with strangers, playing offline, playing solo, playing with a mix of experts and beginners – you're going to get diminishing returns from your experience. As long as you take the title literally, you'll have fun.

Nintendo Life

PJ O'Reilly·May 23, 2020

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix is a strong portable version of a truly joyous rhythm game which loses out a little in terms of track numbers in comparison to the likes of series stablemate Future Tone, but makes up for this with a surprisingly solid Switch-exclusive motion control mode alongside touchscreen controls and a new art style that helps keep things running smoothly as you blast your way through its eclectic mix of excellent music.

Nintendo Life

Dom Reseigh-Lincoln·May 23, 2020

Critic80/100

Agreement—

What it lacks in hyperrealism and officially-licensed teams, Super Mega Baseball 3 more than makes up for with a carefully adjusted set of physics that are deep enough to cater to RBI Baseball players while offering up the welcome addition of some improved modes. Franchise mode alone feels like a proper extension of the brand, with its irreverent sense of humour lending a welcome nuance to an otherwise content-heavy sports simulation.