Nintendojo's Reviews
I have certainly enjoyed the NSMB games since their inception on Nintendo DS, but I must admit that Wonder had surpassed those games in virtually every way. I felt a sense of whimsy and joy playing Wonder that took me back to the days of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. The game is packed with secrets, filled with challenge, and entertained me for hours.The pacing, the graphics, the controls—this is a masterclass in game desing. Wonder has reconfirmed for any doubters out there that the Mario brand is still brimming with potential for new gameplay ideas. Wonder is an essential game for Switch players that is highly recommended.
Superstars is exactly what fans have been wanting to see from a modernized 2D Sonic game. It plays like the originals, but is expanded upon with new mechanics and gimmicks. Graphically, Superstars is a stunner. It takes a hit running on Switch compared to other platforms, but performance is rock-solid, always locked in at 60FPS. Although some of the ancillary modes are rather bland, like Battle Mode, or clunky, like co-op, the single player experience is the (pardon the pun) real star of this game. With four playable characters to choose from, there’s plenty of replay value to be found in Superstars, as fans will want to hop back into stages and explore using the characters’ different abilities. Launching right ahead of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, 2023 feels not unlike the glory days of SNES versus Genesis, except now you don’t have to pick a side in the console wars; go give Superstars a purchase, it’s a must-have.
While the game has a lot of room for improvement, it’s also the best Sanrio game I’ve played so far across a number of different platforms over the years, and a lot more thought was put into it than just “tap to the beat to march Sanrio characters down a path.” I say give it a shot and see if it’s for you, especially if you love Sanrio and have a good time with rhythm games.
From my overall experience with Paleo Pines, I had the most fun when discovering and befriending dinosaurs, but the rest of the game can feel like a chore at times. The jankiness of the movement makes farming more difficult than it needs to be and although the open-world section is decently sized, it has invisible boundaries on small cliffs or ledges that can break the immersion of the game world. Despite my gripes with the gameplay, the art style of the game is charming and I’m a fan of how adorable the art team rendered the dinosaurs. The world and characters also blend well together and the only real issue I had with the visuals was that the corners of the skybox could sometimes be seen and the stiffness of the human animations. Also, while doing the townspeople’s tasks, which can be a bit fetch-questy, it becomes noticeable how empty certain sections of the game world are. However, the prospect of getting more dinos to live on your ranch is what warrants launching the game up at least a couple times.
Even with my complaints, there’s no denying that what is present in Sonic Origins Plus is nonetheless worth the time of fans. These four Genesis platformers remain some of the best in the genre after all this time and have never looked better. The various extras in the museum are engrossing and the additions and tweaks that the Plus DLC provide only make the compilation better. Thus, I give Sonic Origins Plus a nod of recommendation, even as I find my teeth grinding as I think of all the wasted opportunity here. Oh, and expect to still download the Plus DLC even if you buy the cartridge version! Yet another oddity among many in this compilation.
All in all, while Tears of the Kingdom isn’t perfect, it’s a classic maximalist sequel and it succeeds at that, whatever baggage or quibbles various players might bring to it. It was never going to supplant Ocarina of Time among that game’s diehards. Neither will it supplant Breath of the Wild thanks to how thoroughly the former wilderness has been tamed and signposted. After six years, something more revelatory or revolutionary would have been quite welcome, but in the end the worst I can say about Tears of the Kingdom is that it’s a very good game that earns its place in the Zelda pantheon.
As far as retro compilations go, Legacy Collection is a fine addition to Capcom’s robust Mega Man offerings. With ten games to play through, all available additional content unlocked for them, and extras like online play available, there’s enough here to keep players busy for many, many hours. While it has been a while since the Battle Network series was wrapped up, these games remain fresh and innovative all these years later thanks to the unique battle system at its core. We strongly recommend Legacy Collection and hope that you’ll add it to your collection on Switch.
While I might have gone into Deluxe a virtual blank slate, it left me shocked at what a fun game it is. The stages feature clever (albeit relatively easy) challenges and set pieces that make each one a delight to explore. With the ability to pop in and out friends at will, it’s also simplicity itself to turn Deluxe into a proper multiplayer romp. If minigames are more your style, Merry Magoland takes the already solid selection from Return to Dream Land and spruces it up with new additions and a cohesive party experience. Rounded out with Magalor’s Epilogue and a bunch of other post-game unlockables, Deluxe lives up to its name and then some. This is a must for Kirby diehards and platformer fans in general.
It’s hard to imagine, but twice now Metroid Prime has proven itself to be a timeless work of art. First in 2009 when updated for Wii, and now in 2023 with Remastered on Switch. The storytelling, design work, and tight gameplay are as good as anything else produced in the last five years. This reworking is a glorious love letter to the original and the perfect way for contemporary and returning players to enjoy Metroid Prime. Now it’s just a question of whether or not Metroid Prime 4 can live up to this gem, and if we’ll eventually get Metroid Prime 2 and 3 Remastered. Go download this. Treat yourself. It is Valentine’s Day, after all. This is a game that’s easy to love.
I played CDA so you didn’t have to. Well, actually, I played CDA because I thought it would be great but it turned out to be one of the most disappointing things I’ve ever played. I have no interest in booting up a second and third playthrough to trudge through the mire of the other storylines and don’t recommend you trudge through even one of them. Play something else.
Sonic Frontiers deserves credit for being a true departure from previous series installments. The open-zone structure is a great concept that frees the developers up to experiment with Sonic’s speed and abilities in new ways. Where the game comes up short is in its stale rehashing of classic stages, a control setup that could stand to be simplified, and performance woes that suck players out of the gameplay experience. With plenty of DLC and patches on the way, hopefully Frontiers can become a better version of what came out at launch. In the interim, it’s a buggy affair that entertains and frustrates in equal measures.
As a whole, Gunvolt 3 is a solid entry in the series. The gameplay is challenging but supported by precise controls that, when mastered, will see players flying across the screen clearing out whole waves of enemies. Striving to get top Kudos rankings in each stage can quickly become addicting. Although the bloated storyline can become tedious at times, and the lack of a properly playable Gunvolt at all times are disappointing, this is still a game that Gunvolt and action game fans won’t want to miss out on.
Is Sonic Origins the definitive version of Sonic’s earliest adventures? No. It’s missing a number of common features that modern retro compilations and rereleases have made standard. Knuckles in Sonic 3 lacks all of its original music. No Sonic & Knuckles as a standalone experience. Sure, SEGA might make some changes down the line via DLC, but as this collection exists now, it’s lacking in a number of ways. Despite these flaws, however, this quartet of software represents some of the best Sonic games ever made; indeed, some of the best platformers ever made. Fans new to the series will get the most from Sonic Origins, but even diehards will find plenty to love if they can get past the shortcomings. Here’s hoping SEGA eventually returns to Sonic Origins and makes it the proper celebration of the Blue Blur that it should have been.
Shredder’s Revenge is a triumphant return for the Ninja Turtles. For all the reinventions and expansions of this classic property, there’s nothing quite like the original. Seeing the spirit of both the cartoon and Konami’s classic games so faithfully reproduced here was wondrous to behold. At the same time, Tribute Games has also managed to one up the games that came before it with a sharper combat system that allows for all sorts of creative ways to take down foes. Boss fights lack some of the nuance to defeat that rank and file grunts provide, but the spectacle of these battles makes up for that
So far, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the best thing I’ve played this year and quite possibly might wind up being my game of the year. It’s a really fun, gorgeous, and creative game that was a delight to play, and I’d love to see HAL develop a sequel (or just another entry in the series) in the same style. Do yourself a favor and add this game to your Switch library.
I wouldn’t have put 50 hours into this game if I didn’t love it. While not perfect, this is the most fun I’ve had with a Pokémon game in many generations and really reignited my love for the series. I’m hoping Nintendo and Game Freak make another game in this style with another compelling story that embraces the more serious elements of Pokémon. But for now, I’ll just have to make due with the post-game content.
Kingdom Two Crowns is easily one of my favorite games and keeps me coming back again and again even without updates. It’s a game where starting fresh can feel great, but progress and advancement is rewarding. It took an already engaging and memorable game, Kingdom New Lands, and developed it into a well balanced multiplayer experience. It’s three versions in one are a stellar deal and the Norse Lands DLC is so much more than a cherry on top. For fantasy, strategy, and indie fans, Kingdom Two Crowns: Norse Lands is a must.
It’s not often that a classic like Windjammers is able to make a comeback such as this. Obscure software has a tendency to fade into the abyss over time, but Windjammers 2 has taken the fine work Dotemu did with the original game and expanded upon it both intelligently and exponentially. Windjammers 2 has bold, exceptional visuals and an expanded suite of moves and abilities that turn each match into legitimate thrill rides. Solo players won’t get quite as much from the gameplay here, but when played with others Windjammers 2 truly shines. This is the rare sequel that tops what came before it—definitely consider it the next time you head to the eShop.
Animation is the art of movement and Omno is clearly a work of art, but isn’t the masterpiece I was hoping it to be. Despite that, it is still an impressive feat. It is no surprise that the game reached three times its funding goal on Kickstarter. The game is beautiful and enjoyable. It brings new elements to the growing genre of peaceful games. I especially loved the long list of new creatures to interact with. However, minor details left me not quite falling head over heels.
Animal Crossing Happy Home Paradise takes all that was innovative, fun, and satisfying from the original Happy Home Designer, fixes what made the game complete, and expands on the original game altogether creating a DLC expansion that, despite a few set backs, is well worth it for any owner of Animal Crossing: New Horizons.