Nintendo Life

Nintendo Life

Thomas Whitehead·Nov 3, 2017

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Chess Ultra is a welcome arrival on the Nintendo Switch; it's a visual treat, while also soothing you with pleasant music as you engage in a tough match. There are plenty of options and variety for online and offline matches, with the former being particularly enjoyable if you're able to get into a real-time contest. With Tournament play and some well constructed Challenges on board, along with Tutorials for newcomers, it ticks most boxes. It's another checkmate for the Switch eShop.

Nintendo Life

Ryan Craddock·Nov 2, 2017

Critic70/100

Agreement—

In a strange twist for a series that you would expect to be built around drawing in new consumers, Just Dance 2018 feels like a perfect match for those who already love the games and are really serious about their dancing, yet does nothing to draw in newcomers. In some ways, this year's edition feels like it is almost a ‘greatest hits' for its hardcore fans – the one entry that you'll always fall back to just to play through the best stuff. Yet with such a hefty cost needed to access all of the game's content, only the most serious will get true enjoyment here.

Nintendo Life

Liam Doolan·Nov 1, 2017

Critic30/100

Agreement—

As a visual novel, Wheels of Aurelia is a lacklustre experience. As a driving game, it's even worse. However you wish to identify it, this title lacks genuine substance; it's a solid idea executed poorly. The key themes and settings are deceptive, making the title seem like it is built on strong foundations when in reality, it's made up of a series of convoluted verbal exchanges between characters who forcefully touch on an array of dicey topics relevant but not always central to the time. The historical-links also suffer as this information is often overridden by an aggressive sense of agenda-setting that robs the exchanges of impact. Then there's the main narrative focused on a person you're likely to not even care about due to the concise nature of each road trip. It's simply not on par with the best titles this genre has to offer, and although you could argue that the esoteric nature of the game means it will illicit wildly different emotional reactions from different people, the core package just isn't compelling, challenging or appealing enough to back up that line of debate.

Nintendo Life

Jon Cousins·Oct 31, 2017

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Time Recoil feels like the most refined of 10tons' three top-down shooter titles on Switch, and while initial frustration and slightly unspectacular visuals are drawbacks, it is the crux of the game that makes it both more enjoyable and immediately more satisfying. Having a more fleshed out story - as well as quick missions, the time manipulation mechanic and twin stick arcade thrills - sets this game up to be a more layered take on the now familiar genre. While there are some technical drawbacks still present, progressing through Time Recoil and achieving high combos of slow motion kills makes for an enjoyable experience.

Nintendo Life

Dave Frear·Oct 30, 2017

Critic50/100

Agreement—

Visually unspectacular, Zombie Gold Rush is saddled with very repetitive action. The game is not devoid of entertainment as there's some fun in figuring out how best to take out as many zombies as possible for a bigger score, and trying to move up the online leaderboards adds some genuine replayability to the package. Ultimately though, while Zombie Gold Rush could be seen as a quick gaming fix, you'd probably be better off doing a Picross puzzle instead.

Nintendo Life

Conor McMahon·Oct 29, 2017

Critic70/100

Agreement—

This Is The Police asks players to step into a career that's already on the rocks, in a city beyond saving, and then demands that you try and make things right regardless. It's a mature, compelling experience that combines elements of strategy, resource management and text adventure games, while telling a gripping story of corruption and withered hope - albeit with some muddled attempts to deal with real world issues. The meat of the game is solid, if extremely repetitious after some hours, so we can't help but feel if it was a shorter, more tightly focused game with a bit more variety, it would have felt more satisfying overall. As it stands there's hours of gameplay here for any budding cop, it just outstays its welcome a little.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 28, 2017

Critic80/100

Agreement—

All told, Moon Hunters is a wonderful roguelike RPG that is quite unlike anything else available on the Switch, offering a bite-sized, engaging adventure that is extremely replayable and can be enjoyed both alone and with friends. Though there are some issues with the easy difficulty and the occasionally heinous load times, we still give this one a strong recommendation. Moon Hunters offers a lot with a relatively small amount of content, and you'll likely find yourself revisiting this one for quite some time.

Nintendo Life

Ryan Craddock·Oct 28, 2017

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Poi: Explorer Edition is a great platforming adventure in its own right.

Nintendo Life

Liam Doolan·Oct 26, 2017

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Don't be fooled, Super Ping Pong Trick Shot is entirely and unabashedly all about trying to get a ball to land in a cup. What it sets out to do, it does right. It's not particularly exceptional in any way, however the basic concept is addictive enough to overlook the bland visuals and clustered user interface. The range of levels to play across multiple modes and the inclusion of both touch-screen and gyro control options are an added bonus. If you want a game that you can enjoy in short bursts in between time consuming titles, Super Ping Pong Trick Shot will do the job. Don't expect it to work wonders, just enjoy its simplicity for what it is.

Nintendo Life

Steve Bowling·Oct 26, 2017

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Knight Terrors is one of the cheapest games on the Switch, and it's a surprisingly good time.

Nintendo Life

Thomas Whitehead·Oct 26, 2017

Critic100/100

Agreement—

Super Mario Odyssey represents a shift in direction for Mario. For about a decade we had exceptional but tightly structured 3D series entries, but this new arrival's building blocks go  back to Super Mario 64. It's a very modern take on ‘sandbox Mario', however - Cappy and his abilities are key additions that freshen up the formula, and we have a sizeable and diverse set of lands to explore.Odyssey will, inevitably, now enter the discussions about the ‘best' Mario games. In the second half and post-credits - in particular - it takes on a life of its own, showcasing incredible design and development flair. It's also a wonderful showcase for the Switch, and could introduce a whole new audience to the wonders of Mario in three dimensions. For the veterans among us, meanwhile, it's yet another special release to remind us of why Mario is still gaming's number one.

Nintendo Life

Jon Cousins·Oct 24, 2017

Critic90/100

Agreement—

They say don't judge a book by its cover, and you shouldn't judge this game based on its movie tie-in; with The Mummy Demastered, WayForward may have reached its apex. It deserves to stand on its own as one of the best recent examples of not only a pixel art aesthetic, but as an excellent combination of run 'n gunning, platforming and exploration. The game benefits from paying homage to multiple 16-bit ancestors rather than strictly sticking to its celluloid source material; The Mummy Demastered is a polished, accomplished and satisfying adventure that will entertain more than just Metroidvania fans.

Nintendo Life

Ryan Craddock·Oct 23, 2017

Critic70/100

Agreement—

The Count Lucanor is a mostly enjoyable horror tale that is only prevented from being a truly great game thanks to a couple of performance issues and relatively short duration. At its best, the game offers a surprisingly rich story, intriguing (and genuinely creepy) characters and surroundings, and enjoyable puzzle-based tasks to ponder over. The candle and saving systems add to the stress imposed by the castle, forcing you to choose between being safe in the present or keeping supplies for later on (although a harder difficulty setting which provides less of these items could have worked wonders). If you're looking for something a little bit different, this could well be the game for you.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 23, 2017

Critic50/100

Agreement—

Overall, Hive Jump is a disappointing game in light of the attention and buzz it once attracted. There are the bones of an interesting concept here, but it never seems to come together quite right once everything gets rolling. Repetitive gameplay, disappointing performance and ho-hum presentation make this a game that's 'ok' at best. We'd recommend this one only to players who are eager for a co-op action shooter for their Wii U. It does what it says on the tin, just don't expect to come away from this one wowed by the experience.

Nintendo Life

Michael Koczwara·Oct 21, 2017

Critic60/100

Agreement—

The Switch could always use another multiplayer game and Spelunker Party! is a good addition to the ever expanding library. It's challenging, both in reasonable and unfair ways, and it's length gives players a lot of levels to play through. It might not be something pulled out for newcomers and guests at a party, but it could be a good match for those looking to play together in something that lasts a little longer.