Nintendo Life

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Oct 25, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

If you've never played any of the Metal Gear Solid titles before, or indeed their MSX2 ancestors, then the Master Collection on Switch is a perfectly fine way to experience some of the most iconic games of all time. That said, Switch owners have undoubtedly been stung by Konami's decision to cut MGS 2 and 3's frame rate down to 30, and although moment-to-moment gameplay still feels satisfying, it's a frustrating approach that we're hopeful will be patched at a later date. As for the overall package, there's a lot here that will keep you entertained, but the way it's been presented feels less than ideal. Still, it's a compilation well worth investigating if you're itching to play (or replay) the Metal Gear Solid saga.

Nintendo Life

Trent Cannon·Oct 24, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

While not quite the best game in the franchise, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed - Ecto Edition douses its thoroughly serviceable online 4v1 gameplay in positively charged psychomagnotheric nostalgia slime. From small touches in the visuals to snippets of dialogue, the detail and care that has gone into recreating the Ghostbusters' world here made us forgive the occasional visual glitch and basic, predictable plot. If 'busting makes you feel good, you'll have a great time.

Nintendo Life

Michelle See-Tho·Oct 23, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Garden Buddies does a sprinkling of things well, but it doesn’t excel at any one thing. At its root, the solid concept and intention is let down by its lack of depth and reward for achievements. It’s not terrible at all, but with so many other relaxing, cute games competing to calm you, we think it’s okay to give this one a miss.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Oct 23, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

That said, if you like Just Dance and simply must have the additional 40 songs that come with this latest package, it’s a perfectly serviceable, inoffensive experience. As we said last year, there’s nothing here that’s going to convert non-believers, and the lack of meaningful improvements with this one makes it even less of a recommendation, but the quality-of-life changes from last year remain intact, at least.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 22, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Suika Game is a competent and addictive little puzzler that does a great job of executing a very simple concept. There’s not a whole lot to it, but considering it's roughly the same price as a pack of gum, Suika Game is definitely worth the cost of admission. If you’re looking for a quick time waster to add to your Switch library, we’d recommend you pick it up.

Nintendo Life

Em Stonham·Oct 21, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Despite these problems, the overall game was still fun. It was rather short, with our playthrough taking us just over the two-and-a-half-hour mark, so the issues didn't have time to grate on us. If you want to see all the endings, you'll either need to rely on auto-saves or replay the entire game. If you're a fan of visual novels and witchy games specifically, though, the gorgeous art and meditative gameplay loop are sure to outshine the issues we've highlighted. For the right people, this game will be enchanting.

Nintendo Life

Kate Gray·Oct 21, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

You most likely know that Harvest Moon has been pants for a while now, and Story of Seasons hasn't been much better. For those of us who've been burned before by Natsume's underbaked offerings, we weren't expecting greatness from Winds of Anthos. But for once, this newest game is a step in the right direction, establishing Natsume's voice at last in a crowded market. Here's hoping the next Harvest Moon goes even harder.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 20, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Crymachina is like the RC Cola of action RPGs; it'll do if you're desperate for something to satisfy your craving, but it'd be tough to argue that it's anyone's top choice. The so-bad-it's-good story and fast-paced combat ultimately make this one worth the punt, but the game's overreliance on repetition wears off its sheen before too long. We'd give Crymachina a light recommendation to any fans of FuRyu's previous work or anyone looking for a low-investment action RPG that's all style and little substance. Crymachina is a decent outing, but you may want to wait for a reasonably deep sale on this one.

Nintendo Life

Roland Ingram·Oct 19, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Murder on the Orient Express is impressive in its ability to breathe new life into a well-trodden story. Microids Studio Lyon has found a cute gap in the story to slide in its new character, Locke, without her getting in the way. Her tense and serious segments free up Poirot for a bit of comic relief, and the whole game sits with a relaxed atmosphere and pleasant presentation. Puzzles are mixed, but there are enough good ones to drive another enjoyable trip through Agatha Christie's classic story of mystery, justice, and moral ambiguity.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 19, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Gargoyles Remastered is an okay remaster of an okay game. Its moody 16-bit visuals and challenging difficulty will no doubt appeal to some, especially fans of the show, but its short length and often unfair design certainly hold it back from greatness. We'd say this one might be worth picking up if you can find it on a pretty decent sale down the road-it's entertaining enough despite its shortcomings-but you're not really going to be missing out on a ton if you choose to pass on it.

Nintendo Life

PJ O'Reilly·Oct 18, 2023

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is, quite simply, the best 2D Mario game since Super Mario World. This is the slickest, sharpest, and smartest that two-dimensional Mario has felt since 1991 and in its Wonder Flowers, badges, and online aspects, it serves up an endlessly inventive and impressive platforming adventure that we've been utterly hooked on. With local co-op and online fun adding to the replayability factor and nigh-on perfect performance in both docked and handheld modes, this feels like 2D Mario with its mojo back, and one of the very best platformers we've played in quite some time.

Nintendo Life

Trent Cannon·Oct 17, 2023

Critic50/100

Agreement—

The combat kept us from enjoying Front Mission 2: Remake due to its over-reliance on dice-roll luck to succeed, but the plot has some decent story beats if you aren't bothered by obvious localisation errors. We did enjoy the customisation options of the Wanzers, but battles felt slow and dull when the RNG gods weren't on our side. Just like with the first game, this one will service longtime fans of the series and its combat adequately if they can overlook this remake's rough edges.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Oct 17, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

We had a few issues with Sonic Superstars - the local co-op could have greatly benefited from split-screen support, and the online Battle Mode feels incredibly shallow and tacked on - but this is the first original 2D Sonic game that feels truly authentic to the Genesis titles without aping the classic pixel-art style, and for a lot of longtime fans, that's frankly an absolute miracle. Zipping through the 12 zones in the excellent campaign made us feel like kids again, but it will also prove a great entry point for new players looking to see what all the fuss is about. Developer Arzest's reputation has taken a beating in recent years, but this is a triumphant effort from the studio and a great return for '2D' Sonic.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Oct 16, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Fans of Hot Wheels will feel well served from a nostalgia point of view, and inspired by its huge number of new modes. Unleashed 2: Turbocharged combines furious arcade race challenges with childlike creativity, being able to build tracks any which way, and race them to breaking point. You can feel the Switch's lack of muscle, with a markedly smudgier feel than the grip offered by more powerful consoles, but as a racing experience bursting with customisation, modes, and creativity to mine, it's both an excellent successor to the 16-Bit Micro Machines legacy and sits firmly in pole position over its predecessor.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 14, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Though many doubted how well Borderlands 3 would work on the Switch, we're pleased to report that this is a well-built port that effectively squeezes down almost the entirety of Borderlands 3 onto Nintendo's handheld. The deep loot system, stable performance, goofy tone, snappy gunplay, and enormous amount of content all come together to make this one an easy recommendation, though those who prefer multiplayer may be disappointed at the diminished options here. Gearbox rightly deserves praise for the work the team put in here to make this happen; Borderlands 3 on the Switch is well worth your time.