Nintendo Life

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Jul 27, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

PixelJunk Scrappers Deluxe is a good, fairly unique idea with several interesting challenges to juggle, and, if you enjoyed the original, the expanded worlds and new additions will fulfill your craving for more recycling action. Clever though it is in premise and arrangement, however, it isn't a very thrilling single-player game until around halfway through. If you do decide to give it a spin, you want to be online-ready, because multiplayer is where its engineering comes to the fore.

Nintendo Life

Charlie Wacholz·Jul 26, 2023

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Patrick's Parabox is the rare game that's both highly challenging and highly approachable in equal measure without once dropping a beat. This is a must-play for fans of the genre — especially more logic-driven puzzlers like Baba Is You. Even if you're not the most hardened puzzle veteran, Patrick's Parabox does a great job of teaching you to solve even its most difficult puzzles thanks to a clever level structure and approachable progression system.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Jul 20, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes – Definitive Edition is a worthwhile remake of a somewhat obscure puzzle classic. Its clever integration of light RPG elements on top of the puzzling action gives it an impressive amount of strategic depth, while the rotating cast of characters and factions offer plenty of variety in unit types and playstyles across its run. Add this to a strong multiplayer component, and you have a game that easily justifies the cost of entry. Though we were put off a bit by its difficulty spikes and the woes of RNG, this is ultimately a game that we'd give a strong recommendation to anyone looking for an interesting new puzzle game to add to their Switch library.

Nintendo Life

PJ O'Reilly·Jul 19, 2023

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Yes, the co-op is disappointing, and the campaign's not gonna be challenging enough for some diehard fans, but overall Nintendo has nailed it here, serving up a magical Pikmin adventure that we reckon could see the series finally getting all of the attention it fully deserves.

Nintendo Life

Trent Cannon·Jul 19, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Despite the graphical issues and the most bare-bones of tutorials you'll find in a historical simulation sandbox, Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening offers plenty of great moments. We loved the historical vignettes that played out as events unfolded and certain conditions were unlocked. Even on Easy mode, the game will make you surrender and start over multiple times before you can achieve Nobunaga's dream of a united Japan. The Switch version is far from perfect, but if you're willing to work with it, there's a rich, deep, addictive strategy sim to get lost in here.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Jul 12, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Overall, Wave 5 is another good wave, though not a great one. Squeaky Clean Sprint, while perfectly decent fun in itself, can't quite match the heights of something like Yoshi's Island, and tracks like Moonview Highway and Sunset Wilds make us feel like Nintendo just isn't quite giving its all when it comes to this DLC. Still, the positives outweigh the negatives, and we're confident that once the final wave lands later this year, the Booster Course Pass will prove an essential purchase for Mario Kart fans.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Jul 12, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is an impressively well-realized revisit to a long-lost RPG classic. What it lacks in length or complexity, it makes up for in charm and quality; this is the kind of game that you can get sucked into for an hour or two at a time without even realizing it. Its laid-back atmosphere, open-ended gameplay, and lovely visuals all combine to make this a must-buy for fans of the series, and a highly recommended title for those who want to see what Atelier is all about.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Jul 12, 2023

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is an excellent sequel that takes the story in a significantly different direction without losing what made the original such an essential piece of storytelling. The sharper focus on fewer characters makes for a much better-paced experience without the need to juggle multiple relationships. Pacing issues do crop up if you happen to take a wrong turn but, in spite of that, Oxenfree II still provides an intriguing, suspenseful mystery that fans and newcomers will both adore. Be sure to play the original first, though.

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Tom Massey·Jul 6, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Switch-bendingly tough though it is, Gimmick is a salient example of what made the 8-bit era so wonderful: a razor-sharp, thoughtfully illustrated action adventure full of creativity and imagination. Just be warned that when people talk about 'old-school difficulty', Gimmick is a cut above what they usually have in mind, and to that end may prove frustrating for those unable to steel themselves to the challenge.

Nintendo Life

Roland Ingram·Jul 5, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Crime O’Clock adds a smart twist to the hidden object concept. By showing the characters in its lively scenes going about their business as time passes, Bad Seed has found a way to build masses of detail into the little worlds you explore. However, the minigames are very weak and we never escaped the extremely repetitive gameplay typical of this type of game. As a result, it’s one for genre fans only.

Nintendo Life

Jim Norman·Jul 3, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Everybody 1-2-Switch! is a perfectly serviceable party game when playing through one of the mini-games that offers something new, but those moments are few and far between. The rest of the games are not by any means bad, but they fail to stand out on the already-loaded table of Nintendo party titles. Combine this with the noticeable step-down in quality when playing with fewer people, and we are left thinking that this is a game which will only be brought out in very specific circumstances. It's a perfectly harmless party game, but it doesn't come close to what Nintendo has achieved in the genre in the past.

Nintendo Life

Michelle See-Tho·Jul 1, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Your enjoyment of Everdream Valley will depend on how you like to play the farm sims already on your Switch. If your primary goal has been about raking in the gold, beautifying your farm, or finding The One, you might not dig it. If you’ve never played a farm sim before, and want to till your first tile, we don’t recommend starting here. However, if you love caring for your animals, and want to see life through their shiny eyes, Everdream Valley could be right in your paddock.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Jun 30, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

This is the best of it in regards to home ports of the Ray series, spit-polished by M2's dedicated commitment to quality. It offers very accurate arcade ports of three superb, nuanced shoot 'em ups, famous for their fantastic soundtracks, engrossing gameplay mechanics, and visual showboating. Lag is minimal enough to have no impact, and the HD upscaling is wonderful. With no training modes, historical bonuses or rearrangements, however, it falls shy of being the ultimate package. But only just.

Nintendo Life

Alana Hagues·Jun 30, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Capping off the Crossbell and Cold Steel arcs with a nice little bow, The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie hits some high highs – such as with C and the True Reverie Corridor – and when it does, it's an RPG fan's paradise. But as an overall package, it feels like an easy excuse to get a huge number of characters together rather than do something meaningful with them. It's far from the series' best, but fans will find a lot to love here, even if we'd recommend seeking it out on another platform for the best experience, or waiting for a patch.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Jun 29, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is a solid follow-up to the Danganronpa franchise that demonstrates a heap of ambition from its developers and mostly lives up to its predecessor's impressive reputation. But while the game delivers an excellent cast of characters and some truly intriguing mysteries to solve, it also stumbles in its methods, introducing mechanics and locations that outstay their welcome and become frustratingly repetitive. Still, for fans of Dangaronpa and those who enjoy a good gruesome crime or two, it's definitely worth checking out.