Nintendo Life

Nintendo Life

David Dudeney·Feb 10, 2017

Critic60/100

Agreement—

While Plantera doesn't boast an impressive physics engine or an exhilarating, fast-paced experience, it has a certain charm that makes it worth playing, even if only for a few minutes each evening. However, it doesn't offer much else that similar games will, and if you only intend on playing it on one platform it is a fairly high price for a title that is free on mobile devices, albeit with ads and microtransactions, and costs more than twice its PC counterpart. To sum up, if you are into relaxing farming games and want a peaceful experience, you should look into buying Plantera, but for some it may a little too simplistic and shallow to hold attention.

Nintendo Life

Conor McMahon·Feb 8, 2017

Critic50/100

Agreement—

What's frustrating about Toby: The Secret Mine is that it feels like it's actually trying to offer more than the sum of its parts, but just doesn't quite pull it off. It feels too bogged down in its inspirations to present any exciting ideas of its own, and while it's visually stunning at times, even this apes off superior titles that came before. Some challenging platforming and decent puzzles make it one to consider if you're looking to give your Wii U one last Nindie hurrah, but otherwise we'd recommend waiting on a digital sale before diving into this dark adventure.

Nintendo Life

Steve Bowling·Jan 23, 2017

Critic40/100

Agreement—

While the famous Windows screensaver had a certain mesmerizing quality to it, Maze Maker does not. The environments are bland, the mazes themselves feel repetitive and the online features, while well thought out, don't seem like they'll ever generate the kind of community they need to make them worthwhile.It's a game of good intentions and deserves credit for implementing level creation and online features, but it gets lost when seeking entertainment value.

Nintendo Life

Liam Doolan·Jan 18, 2017

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Spheroids is definitely rough around the edges and has a distinct lack of polish when compared to more well-known franchises within this genre. In saying this, the title still manages to provide a competent adventure platform experience that is sure to entertain players for at least a few hours. It is tough to suggest this over the range of quality platformers on Wii U, but if you're in the mood to eliminate some aliens this is nevertheless one to consider.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Jan 9, 2017

Critic50/100

Agreement—

All told, Teslapunk is a very middling game. It has tight enough controls and fun shmup gameplay that has the potential to entertain for hours, but there's a lingering sense that this is a game too content to ride on the coattails of its superior predecessors, and it does so at the cost of forging its own identity. What we're left with is a game that's perfectly functional, but forgettable in nearly every way. If you really like shmup games and want to own a new one for the Wii U in particular, this may be worth a punt, but we'd otherwise recommend you take a pass.

Nintendo Life

Lee Meyer·Dec 26, 2016

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Swap Fire is not a bad game. Its charming presentation and central hook is fun, and it's always nice to see a local multiplayer game in this generation. But its control issues and lack of multiplayer options seriously inhibit Swap Fire's lasting appeal. With more polish and tuning, Swap Fire could have been great. There's potential here; it's just not all realized.

Nintendo Life

Ben Stegner·Dec 12, 2016

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Despite being advertised as a cinematic platformer, Exile's End is really a Metroidvania-style outing. It contains great graphics and sound, and does a fine job of allowing the player to explore and become more powerful without holding their hand. However, the game suffers from a tedious opening sequence, occasional camera and combat control stumbles, and a lackluster map.Those who absolutely love to explore every bit of a game's world without any direction at all will love Exile's End. However, a few places don't give the player enough guidance, which leads to brute-forcing every possible path until you uncover the solution. This is a solid action exploration game, but needs a few improvements to be a smash hit for everyone.

Nintendo Life

Conor McMahon·Nov 10, 2016

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Blasting Agent: Ultimate Edition is like a little trip back in time to when graphics were blocky, gameplay was simple and story was almost non-existent in video games. It's got the look of a retro game, the feel of a retro game, and due to its repetitious nature, some of the shortcomings of the era as well. Without any particularly interesting mechanics or set-pieces to mix things up mid-game, it has to rely on its admittedly solid foundation of run & gun gameplay, which wasn't quite enough to consistently hold our attention throughout. That being said, what's there is still an enjoyable romp in its own right, and well worth checking out for fans of the genre.

Nintendo Life

Liam Doolan·Nov 3, 2016

Critic50/100

Agreement—

Fire: Ungh's Quest is functional, and has classic cartoon graphics and quality audio, but is ultimately an insipid offering. Right down to the name, it makes little effort to stand out from the crowd. This is definitely a title for a younger audience - although it may even struggle to hold their attention.

Nintendo Life

Ryan Craddock·Nov 2, 2016

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Slapping a score or a definitive verdict on a title like this is a particularly tough challenge. Does the Just Dance series deserve high praise? Yes. This particular entry? Maybe. Is the series innovative? Yes. This entry? Not really…Just Dance is brilliant at what it does – serving as a surprisingly jam-packed offering for solo players as well as being a great addition to parties, sleep-overs and gatherings of friends. Naturally, Just Dance 2017 is perhaps the best of the lot – simply because it offers the most diverse library of songs (when including Just Dance Unlimited) and an almost perfected offering of modes, but doesn't really feel like an essential upgrade if you have an entry from the past couple of years. If you are new to the series or are a diehard fan, willing to splash out for the extra features, then Just Dance 2017 is definitely the way to go. If you're happy with older versions of the game however, there is no need to rush into another purchase just yet.

Nintendo Life

Conor McMahon·Oct 27, 2016

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Although we're certainly in the company of undead kings, Defend Your Crypt doesn't have grand ambitions. Instead it aims to deliver a solid puzzle title with a unique twist on the tried and tested 'tower-defense' formula. The Egyptian setting alone is something you don't often see from the perspective of an undead Pharaoh, so while the gameplay is slightly repetitious there's still enough here to justify giving it a shot. We'd steer slightly towards the 3DS version due to it suiting shorter-form gameplay sessions more, but either option is a safe bet if you're looking for a neat puzzler to try out for a few hours. Rise from your grave....and defend it!

Nintendo Life

Liam Doolan·Oct 27, 2016

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Mr. Pumpkin Adventure is a well-crafted point and click game. If you don't enjoy logic-based problem solving, point and click puzzle games or clue hunting for hours on end, this probably isn't a game for you. If you do, however, like all of this, and have played games such as Professor Layton previously, this may be one to consider. While it does have a certain formula to it that may wear thin for some over time, and it's not necessarily as polished as some other similar games, the crazy and charming nature of this title is certainly unique; it deserves a look from fans of the genre.

Nintendo Life

Ben Stegner·Oct 21, 2016

Critic50/100

Agreement—

Like yesterday's pizza that just doesn't taste the same when heated up in the microwave, Ninja Pizza Girl is a decent game that doesn't excel in any area. The story has a nice sentiment but is loaded with cheese, while the physics and controls occasionally make you slip off platforms in tense moments. On the ninja front, the graphics and enemy placements can cause you to bump into obstacles and kill your flow, while the collectibles feel out of place.You could certainly do a lot worse than Ninja Pizza Girl, and we can't call it a bad game. For its launch price, however, it's just too bland to recommend. You might want to give it a try if you're hankering for a fast-paced platformer, but there are better deliveries elsewhere on the eShop.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 19, 2016

Critic90/100

Agreement—

It's not often that you encounter a game that manages to emulate the simple pleasure of old arcade games so effectively, but Pirate Pop Plus makes it look easy; this is everything you could want out of an arcade game. The gameplay is simple and addictive, it positively oozes charm through its presentation, and if the score chasing doesn't hook you, the coin collecting and achievement hunting surely will. We give Pirate Pop Plus a strong recommendation; this is a really fun game, and one that no retro gaming enthusiast will want to miss out on.

Nintendo Life

Ben Stegner·Oct 12, 2016

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 is a good game, and while it really plays it safe by being so similar to its predecessor, it's an easy recommendation for action genre fans. For everyone else, however, it's a bit more of a mixed result. The level design and bosses are uneven, resulting in some levels feeling fun and challenging while others are less enticing. Couple in the save system issues, bland plot and incessant dialogue, and it's easy to see how some wouldn't fall in love with this title.However, it's a solid action title. The two characters are different enough to provide good variety, there are a lot of items to help customize your approach, and if you're up for replaying the game there's a lot to work at. If you liked the first Gunvolt, love Mega Man, or wish Mighty No. 9 would have been better, this game is for you. Those looking for something fresh, an interesting story, or an action game to play in bite-sized pieces on the go may want to think twice.