Mitch Vogel
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Nintendo Life Latest Reviews
Sonic Racing: Crossworlds is a genuinely excellent game, but the Switch version is just 'alright'. The dynamic track designs, high replayability, and thrilling visuals all combine to make for a game that — judged purely on that content — stands as a strong competitor to the dominant Mario Kart series. But the poor visual quality and resolution present in the Switch version drag down the overall experience and make it feel like a much more mediocre experience. I'd still give this port a light recommendation; it’s a fair choice if Switch is the only platform available to you, and ultimately justifies the price of admission. Otherwise, I’d suggest waiting to see how the upcoming Switch 2 version pans out, or picking it up now on another platform.
Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution is an interesting ‘new’ entry in the beloved indie franchise, a curious fusion of old and new design philosophies. Its creative world-cycling gameplay mechanic, sharp 32-bit visuals, densely packed overworld, and charming narrative all come together to make for a worthwhile experience, even if some more outdated elements like the lack of a map hold it back. I’d recommend this both to series veterans and to newcomers—even if this isn’t Shantae at her greatest, Risky Revolution is a solid adventure.
OFF is a decent remaster of a great game and ultimately stands as a worthy return to this watershed moment in the ‘weird’ side of the indie RPG scene. Its memorable story, engaging combat, and challenging puzzles all combine to make for a brisk and enjoyable RPG adventure that no fan of the genre will want to miss. Even though the additions in this remaster feel a bit minimal, OFF is overall well worth batting for.
OFF is a decent remaster of a great game and ultimately stands as a worthy return to this watershed moment in the ‘weird’ side of the indie RPG scene. Its memorable story, engaging combat, and challenging puzzles all combine to make for a brisk and enjoyable RPG adventure that no fan of the genre will want to miss. Even though the additions in this remaster feel a bit minimal, OFF is overall well worth batting for.
Wild Hearts S is a satisfying, if unspectacular, addition to the Switch 2’s early library. The monster hunting and equipment building is just as rewarding and addictive as you would hope, and there’s tons of replayability here whether you’re playing solo or with friends. That being said, the technical performance is just okay, while the lack of any significant content additions to this re-release feels like a missed opportunity, especially if you previously played this on other platforms. I’d still give Wild Hearts a recommendation, as its blemishes don’t ultimately take too much away from its many strengths, but perhaps this is one to wait for a sale.
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is a wonderful retread of a forgotten classic, smartly polishing up its best parts and modifying its worst parts to make for an overall more enjoyable experience. Though the visuals are just 'okay' and the detective gameplay can be a bit plain, the action-packed combat, reworked demon fusion, and interesting story all come together to make for a gripping adventure. I’d recommend you pick this one up if you’re curious and you think it may be up your alley. I’ve never played anything quite like Raidou, and it offers a very unique take not just on the standard SMT formula, but action RPGs on the whole.
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster is a solid update of one of Square’s finest modern turn-based RPGs. Its combination of a flexible job system, dynamic combat, and unexpectedly interesting story makes for an adventure that no fans of the JRPG genre will want to miss out on, especially any such fans that enjoyed Team Asano’s more recent work on the Octopath Traveler duology. That in mind, there isn’t really anything new in this remaster that justifies the price of a double dip—if you already put a lot of time into this one on the 3DS back in the day, I’d caution you to first consider just how badly you want to spend your money on what ultimately amounts to little more than a nice visual bump. All the same, Bravely Default was and still is a great RPG; if you haven’t had the chance to give this one a shot yet, this port is a great way to see what the fuss is about.
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo is a masterclass in retro Zelda-like game design, expertly fusing classic mechanics with creative new ideas to make for a thoroughly memorable and worthwhile experience. Occasional difficulty spikes aside, we’d highly recommend you pick up Pipistrello at the next available opportunity, especially if you're a Zelda fan who prefers the top-down design of games such as The Minish Cap. Much like its title character, this one has a lot of cool tricks up its sleeve.
Croc: Legend of the Gobbos wasn’t exactly a revolutionary entry in the 3D platforming genre even back when it released, and though it still doesn’t necessarily ‘wow’ us today, it certainly is an entertaining and worthwhile adventure. Things like the new controls, enhanced presentation, and extensive museum content are satisfying additions, and the core adventure itself is still good retro 3D platforming fun, warts and all. We’d give this a strong recommendation to any fans who have fond memories of playing this on a CRT back in the day, and even if this would be your first time playing it, we’d still suggest you give it a shot if you’ve been through the best 3D platformers the Switch has to offer and still want more. Croc is a solid, if unspectacular retro adventure, and stands as a worthwhile addition to the Switch library.
In most respects, Atelier Yumia is an impressively ambitious and strong new entry for the long-running series, blazing a trail to parts unknown much like its titular protagonist. Things like the darker story, action-heavy combat, and increased focus on exploration gameplay all work well in its favor. The only major complaint is that this was clearly designed with much stronger hardware than the Switch in mind, and while its performance here is just about acceptable, it’s very far from ideal. At any rate, we’d give this one a recommendation not only to long-time Atelier veterans, but also to fans of other vast JRPG adventures such as the Xenoblade series. Atelier Yumia is a bold step forward for this franchise, and it stands as a strong indication that the Atelier series has a lot of life left in it yet.