Matthew Mason, Nintendo Life

Matthew Mason

Nintendo Life

United States

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Past:
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Past articles by Matthew:

Review: Shiftlings - Enhanced Edition (Switch eShop)

Puzzle platformers come in all shapes and sizes these days, but Shiftlings - Enhanced Edition might take that notion in its own direction. Preferably round, and depending on who’s carrying the fart bubble you might be large or small. Yes, really. The conceit of the game follows two hapless janitors tethered together as they try to amble through 55 different stages for the sake of a reality game… → Read More

Review: ATOMIK: RunGunJumpGun (Switch eShop)

Few games have a more apt, succinct title than ATOMIK: RunGunJumpGun. In it you play as a fellow with a death wish and a mini-gun who must traverse trap-laden stages while automatically running. It’s your job to ensure he makes it by using said mini-gun to either blast past obstacles by pointing said firearm forward or to point it downwards in order to float him across gaps and violent… → Read More

Review: Tachyon Project (Switch eShop)

Shmup or schmuck? → Read More

Review: BRAWL (Switch eShop)

It’s not uncommon to see a video game take inspiration from others; making liberal use of another’s formula, tweaking it with their own unique ideas in the hopes of pushing some boundaries and changing the gaming landscape all the while. Whereas most games will zig where others have zagged, Bloober Team’s BRAWL takes a road far less traveled by taking the template of Super Bomberman and infusing… → Read More

Review: Hammerwatch (Switch eShop)

There’s something to be said for Nintendo’s continued insistence that local multiplayer is as important as any other method of play. While there are plenty of reasons why online features are always touted, from the ability to play with friends from afar or just because you can keep your plans to yourself instead of on a split-screen, it seems as if playing with your friends and family… → Read More

Review: Mecho Tales (Switch eShop)

Mecho Tales wears its inspirations on its sleeve. Under most circumstances this means a developer is able to take away familiar and comforting concepts and design decisions and meld them with their own ideas to give us something unique. Sadly in this case, while many bits and pieces were bolted together and obviously feel like they were lifted from a different game, they are too disparate to… → Read More

Review: Poly Bridge (Switch eShop)

Poly Bridge is bridge building simulator with a lot of charm. Your goal is to get vehicles from one side of an area to another by using the materials provided to you. The game gets you up to speed quickly by providing a tutorial that explains the different types of bridges you can build and how they are useful to you. While it has a smooth transitional difficulty curve, it would have been more… → Read More

Review: ACORN Tactics (Switch eShop)

Thanks to Fire Emblem, strategy role-playing games have found themselves in a position far-removed from the niches they once resided in. With consoles and handhelds in particular, there’s been an emphasis in keeping the complexity and deep thinking that’s involved intact, but introducing them to players in a way that isn’t as daunting. With its silly B-movie sci-fi story and easily… → Read More

Review: Plague Road (Switch eShop)

Plague Road is a game that defies the constrictions of definition. It amalgamates so many disparate elements that it feels both familiar and refreshing. Set in a world ravaged by an indelible scourge, you play as the Doctor, a beak-masked hero who left the disease-ridden city and is now trying to make their way back to their home, even if it’s been ravaged by fate. The game tasks you with… → Read More

Review: Star Ghost (Switch eShop)

We're always intrigued by the games that take a simple design concept and run with it. There’s never any middle ground with such an endeavour; either it’s strong enough to hold a player's attention for the entire span of play or its gimmick doesn’t hold up beyond the first few minutes of “that was neat” and promptly falls into a sea of forgettable titles. Star Ghost takes the wobbly control… → Read More

Review: Ben 10 (Switch)

Licensed games are a slippery slope. You’d like to believe that developers and publishers are going about them from a good place; obviously there’s something there that people love, so why not make an interactive experience of it? A devil’s advocate would say they’re nothing but a shill, a way to prey on somebody’s fandom and put minimal effort into it for maximum revenue. Regardless, sometimes… → Read More

Review: Sparkle 2 EVO (Switch eShop)

In a shocking turn of events, arcade-styled games starring evolutionary entities searching through petri dish detritus for food are not in fact a dime a dozen. Sparkle 2 EVO is a game by which you experience a world not unlike what you’d find under a microscope in biology class, in order to climb the chain of transformative life by either being an unquenchable predator or a passive phytophagous.… → Read More

Review: Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers (Switch)

"Suckin' at something is the first step to being sorta good at something" → Read More

Review: Monster Jam: Crush It! (Switch)

Even to someone without an earnest interest in them, monster trucks are an awe-inspiring sight. The giant wheels, the loud engine and a gauche chassis upholding a crazily designed body scream power both literally and figuratively. It’s not hard to imagine wanting to drive one, jumping over destroyed cars and hills whilst the muffler hollers in rage. There’s a lot that you could do with that in a… → Read More

Review: Violett (Switch eShop)

Point-and-click adventure games are in an interesting spot these days. There’s definitely an audience for them, but it seems that developers go out of their way to make them only cater to that specific crowd. Those who don’t have an affinity for finding hidden messages in game manuals or using an inventory item on every applicable spot on the screen can find them obtuse to the point of being… → Read More

Review: Putty Pals (Switch eShop)

The Nintendo Switch has brought social gaming back to the couch with aplomb. With the ability to literally disconnect two controllers and hand one to a buddy, how could it not? While competitive multiplayer has been the main thrust, cooperative experiences seem to be fewer and far between. Putty Pals is your friendly reminder that playing with friends is as fun as playing against them. Rather… → Read More

Review: Yono And The Celestial Elephants (Switch eShop)

Yono and the Celestial Elephants is an intriguing game from a design standpoint. While it looks the part of an educational cartoon meant for toddlers, within it hides a tale with a deep context meant for adults. The action feels like it belongs somewhere in-between these conflicting ideals. But does it work as a whole? Yono and the Celestial Elephants is the story of the eponymous pachyderm… → Read More

Review: forma.8 (Switch eShop)

When it comes to independent studios, Metroid-styled games are like opinions – everybody has one. While it’s easy to jest, the template is solid and the amount of nostalgic cachet they have is very strong. Exploratory games are a dime a dozen these days, so to get your lock-and-key, ability discovering side-scrolling adventure noticed in an ever increasing crowd takes something special. forma.8,… → Read More

Review: Use Your Words (Switch eShop)

No matter how great your intentions can be, it can be tough to break the ice at a party with a game. It’s truly hard to please everyone and trying to do so can be a descent into madness. Find something too complex and you’ll befuddle yourself in trying to explain the rules whilst losing your audience to sheer obtuseness; find something too simple and your crew will grow tired of it quickly and… → Read More

Review: Troll and I (Switch)

There's evident potential in Troll and I. Initially developed as part of a crowdfunding program run by Square Enix, it is an intriguing action game starring a Scandinavian boy named Otto who, after finding his village aflame and being separated from his mother, stumbles upon a large creature during his hasty retreat into the forest. He discovers soon enough that the creature is gentle, which… → Read More