Latest Features
Hands On Xenoblade Chronicles X & Mira Are Even More Magnificent On Switch 2
A Mira-cle
Sometimes, I don't realise how much I'm missing out of something until it's right in front of me. That's not to say I never wanted or expected a 60fps upgrade for Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition — it was apparently right there in the code, after all — but I've already put the time in. 120 hours of wondrous exploration,...
Poll What's Your Favourite Gen 6 Pokémon?
Kalos whisper
Pokémon turns 30 on 27th February, and in honour of this momentous anniversary, we're running a series of polls leading up to the big day, asking you to vote for your favourite Pokémon from each generation. The nine winners will then go head-to-head in a final poll at the end of the month. We're covering a generation a day until...
Feature Nintendo's New App Reminds Me Of A Universal Truth: It Feels Good To Squash Mario's Face
The nose to the right, the eyes to the left
Hello, Mario! launches today on Switch eShop and phones in the West alongside other My Mario products, a new line from Nintendo specifically focused on infants and young children. This free app came out in Japan in August last year, so we're republishing Jim's impressions of the cute little face-tugger...
Poll What's Your Favourite Gen 5 Pokémon?
Unova one
Pokémon turns 30 on 27th February, and in honour of this momentous anniversary, we're running a series of polls leading up to the big day, asking you to vote for your favourite Pokémon from each generation. The nine winners will then go head-to-head in a final poll at the end of the month. We're covering a generation a day until we've...
Poll What's Your Favourite Gen 4 Pokémon?
Sinnohs
Pokémon turns 30 on 27th February, and in honour of this momentous anniversary, we're running a series of polls leading up to the big day, asking you to vote for your favourite Pokémon from each generation. The nine winners will then go head-to-head in a final poll at the end of the month. We're covering a generation a day until we've...
Back Page The Best Horses On The Nintendo Switch
Have you herd the wonderfoal word of HORSE
In the magazine business, the back page is where you'd find all the weird goofs that we couldn't fit in anywhere else. Some may call it "filler"; we prefer "a whole page to make terrible jokes that are tangentially related to the content of the mag". We don't have pages on the internet, but we still love...
Poll What's Your Favourite Gen 3 Pokémon?
Hoenned
Pokémon turns 30 on 27th February, and in honour of this momentous anniversary, we're running a series of polls leading up to the big day, asking you to vote for your favourite Pokémon from each generation. The nine winners will then go head-to-head in a final poll at the end of the month. We're covering a generation a day until we've...
Poll What's Your Favourite Gen 2 Pokémon?
Head to Johto
On 27th February, Pokémon turns 30, and in honour of this momentous anniversary, we're running a series of polls leading up to the big day, asking you to vote for your favourite Pokémon from each generation. The nine winners will then go head-to-head in a final poll at the end of the month. We'll be covering a generation every day...
Opinion This Is The First Game That's Come Close To Rivalling The Best Paper Mario
But how do they fare in a straight-up head-to-head?
Escape from Ever After is the heir apparent to the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door throne. Sleepy Castle Studio released it on 23rd January to all major platforms with a simple promise – deliver Paper Mario fans the game they’ve been clamouring for ever since Nintendo chose to shift the...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Rayman (GBC)
Give us a hand
Howdy partners! It's time for this week's Box Art Brawl! Last time, it was a one-on-one match-up for the SNES' Super Bomberman 2 to celebrate its arrival in the Super Bomberman Collection, and it was a pretty tight contest. The Japanese cover just came out on top, in the end, winning 56% of the vote and leaving the We
Poll What's Your Favourite Gen 1 Pokémon?
Kanto bright
On 27th February, Pokémon turns 30. That's three whole decades of exploring many and various regions to find monsters, battle monsters, and pocket monsters - and we've all got our personal favourites. And they're not always just our starter, either! Sure, you build up a special relationship with your first Pokémon each generation,...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (14th February)
Kept you waiting for 60fps, huh?
Ah, love is in the air, folks. Yes, it's the weekend, and we're gazing at our stack of games with wistful longing. We can't let them go unplayed, can we? Before we dive into what we're booting up, however, let's take a look at the last week. Our headline review was Mario Tennis Fever, but we also checked out Yakuza...
Gallery We've Got The Virtual Boy Accessory For Nintendo Switch Online
It's a big boy
Well, what a lovely surprise! Our local Royal Mail representative knocked on the door today and delivered a curious-looking box, and it turns out that it's none other than the Virtual Boy accessory for Nintendo Switch Online! Yes, it seems like a whole bunch of people – in the UK, at least – are receiving their retail Virtual...
Talking Point How The Heck Will MGS4 On Switch Handle Its PlayStation References?
"Oh wait! We're on PlayStation 3!"
We all saw it coming, but Konami has now finally confirmed that Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 is heading to Switch 1 and 2, bundling Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, and Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel in one package. I'm especially ple
Poll So, Should Pokémon Red And Blue Return For The 30th Anniversary?
Or maybe FireRed and LeafGreen?
With Pokémon's 30th anniversary celebrations underway, fans are quite rightly curious about how Nintendo and The Pokémon Company might acknowledge the games that started it all. Yes, without Pokémon Red and Blue (and Green), there would be no Pokémon and no 30th anniversary celebrations. Almost 10 years ago for...
Preview Despite Low Expectations, Pokémon Pokopia Had Me Grinning From Ear To Ear
Cut above
There was a moment quite early into my time with Pokémon Pokopia where I sat back, exhaled, and said, “Oh dear, it’s got me.” See, I’ve not been too hot on Pokémon games for a while now, and initial trailers for Pokopia suggested that this probably wouldn’t be changing anytime soon. After spending 90 minutes with both...
Poll So, Do You Prefer Hollow Knight Or Silksong?
Cast your Zote
Despite pledging that we'd take a break from games of this ilk when we finished pouring blood, sweat and tears into Silksong last year, Team Cherry has somehow found a way of dragging us back in with Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. Yes, we put the halls of Hallownest behind us for good many years ago now, but the promise...
Talking Point Age Of Imprisonment Could Inspire Next Zelda Game, Say Devs, But What Does That Mean?
Hyrule worriers
What’s next for The Legend of Zelda? It seems to be the big question scratching everyone’s heads this year. 2026 is still a blank Sheikah Slate. Now that the Switch 2 console is in full swing and the Era of the Wild seems to be finally riding off into the Gerudo sunset, we’re truly in uncharted territory. We know there will be...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Super Bomberman 2 (SNES)
Bob-bob-bob-bomb
Ahoy! Welcome, one and all, to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we checked out Red Alarm for the Virtual Boy, which of course will be joining the launch lineup for Virtual Boy - Nintendo Classics on NSO later this month. It was a surprisingly close contest, with North America just about claiming victory with 54% of the...
Switch 2 demo arrives on 9th February
We're fans of the final frontier around these parts, so when our combadges chirruped with news of a Star Trek game for Nintendo's newest console, our anticipation grew like a clutch of tribbles in a grain silo. As you'll have gathered from the title, Star Trek: Voyager - Across the Universe is set in the...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (7th February)
Directly to you
Just when we thought our wishlists couldn't get any longer, Nintendo had to go and drop another Direct. Let's see who's working through their backlog to make way for the oncoming deluge of releases in another edition of What Are You Playing. The Direct was the big news for this week, bringing with it a Hollow Knight - Nintendo...
Hands On Does Hollow Knight's Free Upgrade Make A Difference On Switch 2?
Absolutely Radiant
"Oh no, not again..." I say as I boot up Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, "Am I about to play through this game for a third time?" I didn't really need much to entice me back into the world of Hallownest, but after downloading the free upgrade within hours of it releasing, I somehow lost three hours of my life going...
"I think there are people who have trouble connecting with cute characters"
There are plenty of notable things about 4PGP, which launches on Switch and Switch 2 today – the iconic (but unlicensed) 1990s F1 cars, the 120Hz visuals (on Switch 2) and the four-player split-screen mode – but I have to admit that, as a seasoned arcade fan, the...
Talking Point Nintendo Direct February Partner Predictions - What Do You Want To See?
What's it gonna be?!
Well folks, with Nintendo's financials out of the way, the only logical next step is a Direct, and we're getting a Partner Showcase tomorrow, 5th February 2026! As is customary, we thought it wise to throw a bunch of predictions into the ring and see what Nintendo's partner publishers might be cooking up for the Switch and...
"I hope that, through developing this title, I too have grown"
2026 marks 40 years of the Dragon Quest series, a staggering achievement for one of the RPG genre's biggest and brightest. Known for its cosy atmosphere, warm character, humour, and iconic art, Dragon Quest is due a big year, and Square Enix is kicking things off with a brand new...
Preview Five Takeaways From My Time With Virtual Boy On Nintendo Switch Online
Oh boy
Given that fans were expecting (or perhaps hoping, to be more accurate) to see DS games added to Switch Online, the upcoming inclusion of Virtual Boy on 17th February 2026 is quite possibly the biggest surprise from Nintendo in recent years. Did anyone really ask for this? Probably not. Is it pretty neat regardless? Definitely. Although the...
Preview Pragmata Might Wind Up Being The Biggest Surprise Of 2026
Excitement, hack-tivate
I have to be honest, I really didn't expect to love Pragmata as much as I do. Early trailers were certainly intriguing, but from a gameplay standpoint, I thought it looked bland and uninspiring. Maybe Capcom’s uncharacteristically lengthy development for the game played a part (it was originally revealed in 2020), but...
Preview So Far, Super Mario Bros. Wonder On Switch 2 Isn't Making A Great Case For Itself
Lacking attraction
When Super Mario Bros. Wonder launched in 2023, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Finally, after a deluge of perfectly serviceable yet uninspiring ‘New’ entries, it felt like 2D Mario had gotten its mojo back. Fast-forward to 2026 and Wonder is making its grand return with a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition on 26th March, but...
Talking Point Where's Your Nintendo Labo Now?
Make, Play, & Bin?
No, we didn't find ours here, not at all... 2018 is a long time ago. It feels like it happened in another dimension, in an alternate (and much nicer) timeline, or some other Marvel universe-typed nonsense. And it's a timeline we can never get back to. It was also the year that Nintendo dropped its Labo sets, which is infinitely...
Book Review Super Nintendo: How One Japanese Company Helped The World Have Fun
Super by name, super by nature
In the introduction to Super Nintendo: How One Japanese Company Helped the World Have Fun, Keza MacDonald makes a simple promise: over the course of the next 12 chapters, you'll read something you didn't already know. It's the kind of gauntlet-laying that would have any self-respecting Nintendo fan click their...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects (January 2026)
Our picks for the best eShop games on Switch 1 & 2 in January
You've got through one month of 2026, and what's your reward? Ah yes, another dose of eShop Selects! The Switch 2 has kicked off the year in relatively calm fashion, but before the mad Spring rush hits us, let's look at some eShop gems that are worth checking out. Yes, there are games...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Red Alarm (Virtual Boy)
Took something perfect and painted it red
Howdy, Virtual Boy fans! Welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we matched up a pair of covers for Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island, and it was a pretty close-run contest. The classic SMW2 art came out on top in the end, though, with North America taking 59% of the vote, leaving the...
Feature Here's All The Best Switch 2 & Nintendo Stuff I've 3D Printed So Far
Resin-dent Evil?
For past me, the idea of 3D printing — just the mention of it, the sound of the words — always conjured up images of stuff like Tom Cruise and his wee red balls in Minority Report. I know, the 'precog' machine in that particular movie wasn't really a 3D printer, and Tom's wee red balls seemed to be made of some sort of weird...
Poll What Nintendo Switch 2 Games Are You Most Excited For In 2026?
Will it be a big one?
We're already a month into 2026, and it's been a pretty solid start to the year for Switch 2. But there's plenty to come over the next 11 months, including many likely surprises for Nintendo's newest console. Amidst big anniversaries for Zelda and Metroid, we already have a pretty solid suite of games coming out over the next...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (31st January)
This is the life
Well done, everyone! We finally made it to the end of January! There was quite a bit of Nintendo news this week, so we're sure everyone will enjoy kicking back with a couple o' games over the weekend. We were treated to yet another Nintendo Direct this week, with Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream taking the spotlight. It looked...
Game development is hard, of corpse
Behind every game is an untold story, and The Hilltop Funeral is no exception. From adjusting to remote collaboration to having their entire game concept scooped, the team at BROKENCIGS has gone through no shortage of hardships in developing their diabolical co-op coffin carrier. The Hilltop Funeral, which is...
Feature 11 Of The Strangest Game Over Screens On Nintendo Consoles
You died. Strangely. Now plz rate the experience.
Game over screens — as a professional gamer, you understand — aren't something that I personally have a lot of firsthand experience with. Not through a lack of in-game skill, that's for sure. However, as I'm also a highly learned and incredibly hirsute scholar of the interactive arts (also a...
Anniversary 'The Last Story' Helped The Wii Go Out On A Real-Time High 15 Years Ago
Zael-ous advocates
Back at the tail-end of the Wii's run as the hottest console ticket in town, so around about 2011 to be precise, there were a few special RPGs that released in rather quick succession to give Nintendo's magic box a surprisingly exciting last hurrah. Indeed, casting my mind back now — and unaided by AI, I'll have you know — I...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island
Mlem
We are back, back, back with another edition of Box Art Brawl! We went tactical last week, as we matched up a pair of covers for Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift on the DS, and it's got to be said, the results were the most one-sided we've seen in a long time. The bright European / Japanese version took home a staggering 90% of...
Expect the unexpected, no?
"A message from the dev team:" Maybe in years past, such an intro would fill us with excitement and anticipation; after all, a peek behind the development curtain is always a welcome treat. But in 2026, the line is a signifier of bad news. Said opening almost always leads to the following: "We've got some news today...
Opinion I'll Never Truly RIP Until 'The Séance Of Blake Manor' Comes To Switch
Haunt me, mammy
Spooky Doorway is an Irish dev studio that's already brought us lucky Switch gamers some seriously good point-and-click fun times in the form of The Darkside Detective series. This is a studio with form, and one that's already proven it knows how to serve up clever puzzle adventures that just get what makes this particular genre...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (24th January)
On Cloud nine
Well folks, you made it! The weekend is here again, which means it's time to get some all-important gaming done. Before that though, let's quickly recap the week. Our big review was for Final Fantasy VII Remake on the Switch 2, and as expected, it's a bit of a banger. We also heard from director Naoki Hamag
Review Hit Box Ultra Arcade Controller - The Ultimate Partner For Fighting Fans
C-c-c-combo!!
I’ve reviewed several leverless arcade controllers for the Switch / Switch 2, but I’ve had my eye on the Hit Box Ultra for a little while now. For those unfamiliar, Hit Box is the original leverless arcade controller; if you want to contest that, then it’s at least the one that popularised the concept. The Ultra is the...
Opinion A Big Life Change Means I'm Happy To Wait For A Brand New Animal Crossing
My new horizon
Remember when Nintendo called Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ 2.0 update the final major free update to the game? It turns out, a lot can change in four years. And here I am again, back on my tropical island paradise, playing through another big free addition – and a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of one of my favourite Switch games.
Feature 40 Games We'd Love To See On Switch 2
We'd give our right Joy-Con 2 see 'em
This article originally went live back in August 2025. We've updated the list, removing some announced, incoming ports (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Resident Evils 7, 8, and 9), plus ones which have already come to Switch 2 (Assassin's Creed Shadows,
Anniversary Resident Evil: Deadly Silence Is 20 Years Old Today - Were You A Fan?
You were almost a Jill sandwich!
Resident Evil has a special place in my heart, and not just because it's a stone-cold classic of gaming, a bona fide icon of the horror genre, and all that sort of guff. No, I also have very fond memories of riding the bus home with the original PlayStation release of this particular game clutched tightly to my...
Talking Point Metroid Prime 4 And The Burden Of Being 'Good Enough'
When legacy becomes a liability
After nearly two decades of dormancy for the series and an infamously drawn-out development cycle, it feels slightly surreal to now have Metroid Prime 4: Beyond in the rearview. The game arrived under immense expectation, and it’s fair to say it ultimately proved more divisive than Nintendo and developer Retro...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire Of The Rift (DS)
Regional rift
Welcome, folks, to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, we checked out Mario Power Tennis for the GameCube and, as expected, the results weren't even remotely close. With a much more interesting cover, Europe and North America easily won the day with 70% of the vote, leaving Japan to mop up the remaining 30%. This week, we're...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (17th January)
What's on the agenda, Brenda?
We are blowing through January faster than a big blowy fast thing that's been blowing faster than usual right now, and the delicious slices of gaming goodness continue to drop across Switch consoles. This week has seen the arrival of Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Nintendo Switch 2, which the wonderfully handsome and...
Preview Raising My Daddy Rank At A London Gyoza Bar
Form an orderly Kiryu
My gaming life can now be cleanly split into two sections: the period before I had heard the phrase "Daddy Rank", and the period after it. It's one of the key features of Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties that Sega was kind enough to show me at a fancy gyoza-joint-turned-preview space in London this week, and in the days since, I...
