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Nintendo Life

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3622 games reviewed
69.8 average score
70 median score
59.5% of games recommended

Nintendo Life's Reviews

Feb 10, 2015

If you're a Monster Hunter fan the answer is simple, buy this game - it's a significant undertaking but utterly enthralling once you're drawn in. There's a greater sense of story to make the single-player exploits a little more interesting than is typical, and online is slick and performs well; lack of voice chat is a blow, nevertheless. New weapons, locations and monsters make this a treat for fans, if still intimidating to those considering a first dip; yet if you're up for the investment in time, this is another special experience from Capcom. A true portable blockbuster.

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3 / 10 - Frenchy Bird
Feb 5, 2015

If you can afford the luxury of paying $1.99 for a few minutes of amusement, maybe Frenchy Bird's your thing. For the rest of us, however, the charming presentation — while a nice break from the usual blandness of these clones — is not nearly enough to justify the asking price. This is the same recycled thing we've seen over and over in the two years since Dong Nguyen had a surprise hit, and it's high time this vapid avian adventure took a permanent vacation.

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The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D is a magnificent remastering of one of the finest Legend of Zelda games to date. The visual overhaul, the streamlined features and other improvements make this version an even more enjoyable and accessible experience than the original N64 release. Minor flaws seem insignificant as the superb concoction of timeless game design truly shines: the unique gameplay ideas, the dark and haunting theme and a cleverly crafted game world — aspects that made the original so great — enable this updated version to provide a near flawless experience.It's strange, perhaps, that a game in which the main premise revolves around repeatedly travelling back in time was so ahead of its time. In its enhanced form, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D defies its age and manages to stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the very best games on 3DS. Quite simply put, it's a masterpiece that every 3DS owner should play.

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Feb 2, 2015

One for the cult history books - an imperfect classic that fits into a very welcome little niche on the eShop.

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Jan 29, 2015

Gunman Clive 2 successfully avoids the pitfalls that can befall sequels; it offers fresh ideas along with familiar excellence, and provides a notable improvement over its predecessor. Its stylish action platforming - along with dabbles in other approaches - combines with distinguished audio-visual presentation to deliver another gem for the 3DS eShop. We recommend it as a must buy for fans of action platformers, especially those that enjoy retro nods and winks with their modern day experiences - this one's a straight shooter.

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7 / 10 - Chariot
Jan 10, 2015

Chariot is not for the faint of heart, it's a game that requires patience and a slightly stubborn nature to stick with, whether in co-op or single player. Although initially often frustrating, you do grow to embrace the challenging nature of Chariot. Solo gamers may want to approach with caution as, although it's still a decent experience, this isn't a game carved out with single player as its main focus. Instead you'll be left with a somewhat hampered campaign that's equally as frustrating but far less rewarding than that of co-op mode. However, those who are able to enlist a gaming partner of similar ability will get the most out of Chariot, and the unique experience it offers makes it far easier to recommend.

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8 / 10 - Underground
Jan 6, 2015

Given that Underground is half game and half educational tool, it's impressive that the developer has made it so appealing to the general public. Challenging gameplay, unique controls and a surprisingly engaging storyline all held together with a glue of unadulterated charm makes this game a real joy to play. It's got a few potential bugs to consider at launch, but they aren't particularly detrimental to the overall experience. Underground is a roller coaster of a puzzle game that manages to bring something truly original to the Wii U eShop.

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8 / 10 - Spy Chameleon
Jan 5, 2015

Spy Chameleon's focus on challenges is obviously aimed at completionists, who will certainly get the most out of the game. Those who prefer to reach a level's exit and move on to the next one may end up feeling a little short-changed, as the challenges make up the bulk of the title's duration. However, the current asking price is extremely reasonable, especially when you consider the amount of replayability and achievements on offer. Spy Chameleon is a lot of fun and, despite some minor technical flaws, would make a great addition to any puzzle fan's eShop collection.

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Dec 31, 2014

Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is a triumph for WayForward and a treat for gamers. Very minor issues aside, this is one of the strongest titles on Nintendo's eShop and should be looked at as an example of how polished and robust a downloadable game can be. We're glad to see Shantae expand her horizons with the multiplatform Half-Genie Hero, but it's going to be hard to top this excellent Nintendo-exclusive adventure.

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Dec 16, 2014

Lego Batman 3 may not be the greatest adventure — or even the greatest LEGO adventure — on the Wii U, but it's certainly still well worth a look for series fans. Repetitive gameplay elements and some occasionally awkward controls bring down the Dark Knight's latest, and the lack of an explorable open world feels like a step back from its predecessor, but fun writing, excellent co-op, and lots of LEGO charm are more than enough to seal the deal for DC devotees.

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Dec 3, 2014

There's plenty to enjoy in Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, but it's nothing revolutionary. It's one of the better Sonic outings of recent times, but unfortunately that's not saying an awful lot. If you're a Sonic fan or you enjoy platformers, you can do an awful lot worse, and this may be one to grab should the opportunity or a bargain price arise.

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Dec 1, 2014

If you can put up with Alphadia Genesis' liberal use of tired cliches, poor localization, and dissonant presentation, you'll find a fun little JRPG with fast-paced combat and a refreshingly simple customization system. A little more effort on the part of the writers would have gone a long way toward making the narrative and characters less insufferable, but as-is most JRPG fans should be well-versed enough in this banality to look past it and enjoy the game for what it is.

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Nov 30, 2014

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a rare case of a game that feels truly designed — from the ground up — with the Wii U in mind. The GamePad is utilised just enough to be worthwhile without being a nuisance, and the only mis-step is that the difficulty later in the game can't be eased by assistance from a friend, parent or game-savvy son or daughter. That aside, it's relentlessly charming and joyous, and is another example of Nintendo's developers flexing their creative muscles along with game-making skill. There's nothing else like this on Wii U, and it's a welcome addition to the system's growing library.

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6 / 10 - Watch Dogs
Nov 27, 2014

Watch Dogs is a bold, ambitious game that delivers well in some areas, though nevertheless feels like an iteration away from reaching its potential; the inevitable Watch Dogs 2 could be one to keep an eye on. It's a sizeable, enjoyable game, but one that is let down on the Wii U by poor optimisation and disappointing performance; the frame-rate is inconsistent but tolerable while on foot, but often struggles badly when driving. It's possible to play Watch Dogs and work through these bottlenecks, but that shouldn't be expected of the gamer in a big-budget, pricey retail experience.

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Nov 23, 2014

Big Red Button spoke enthusiastically about the development process throughout the promotion of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, which makes us think that the disappointing final product is a victim of being rushed out the door to accommodate the cartoon's release. As a result, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric is recommended only for those starved for a new adventure platformer and patient enough to sit through the poor technical performance.

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8 / 10 - Sportsball
Nov 21, 2014

For fans of local multiplayer and party games, Sportsball is a must-have.

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Persona Q has something for everyone. If you're a Persona fan, you'll get a huge kick out of seeing your old Gekkoukan and Yasogami classmates in an all-new adventure, and Etrian Odyssey fans open to a change will love it — this is the story-driven experiment of Etrian Odyssey Untold taken to the next level, with a stylistic overhaul to match. And if you haven't played either of its inspirations, you're still in luck — this isn't just a great crossover, it's a fantastically fun RPG in its own right, with colourful characters, engaging gameplay, and a whole heap of style. Persona fans will undoubtedly get the most out of the fan-service, but even if you can't tell Junpei from Junes, you'll still have a blast exploring Persona Q.

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Nov 18, 2014

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is an expertly crafted, deep fighter that is a pure joy to play no matter your skill level.

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Overall, Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire seem very similar to Pokémon X & Y, as you might expect, but the story and the environments you encounter feel – despite the fact that they are remakes – very fresh and unique. They're not an extensive upgrade from their other 3DS counterparts, but any Poké-fan who's played one of the series remakes in the past knows that expecting an enormous upgrade is a fool's errand. These titles should be considered as games that belong alongside X & Y, rather than successors. — they've successfully surpassed X & Y, however, by building on the tremendous features available on the 3DS and pushing new ideas such as the Soar ability. Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are a must-buy for any Poké-fan, even if you already own X or Y.

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8 / 10 - Tengami
Nov 12, 2014

Price aside, this is definitely a game you should experience in some form or another, even if the only way for you to play it is on Nintendo's home system.

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