Feature The Long & Rainbow Road To 'Mario Kart World' - Part 2
Lap 2 - Double Dash, DS, Wii
- Features
- Nintendo
- Switch 2
- Mario Kart
Review Arcade Archives NebulasRay (Switch) - A CGI Deep-Cut After Decades Of Waiting
Namco's 1994 shmup has never been ported previously
- Reviews
- Switch eShop
- Nintendo Switch
Video Lizardcube On Bringing The Art Of Shinobi: Art Of Vengeance To Life
An exclusive behind-the-scenes look
- Nintendo Switch
- Switch eShop
- Upcoming Releases
- SEGA
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (17th May)
What's that coming over the hill?
- Features
- Talking Point
- Nintendo Switch
- What Are You Playing
Gallery Nintendo Gives Us A Closer Look At Its New Store In The US
Update: Now open!
- Gallery
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo
- US
News GameStop To Offer Additional Switch 2 Units In-Store And Online At Launch
"Didn't pre-order?"
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Upcoming Releases
- GameStop
- US
- North America
Latest News
TodaySat, 17th May 2025
Feature The Long & Rainbow Road To 'Mario Kart World' - Part 2
Lap 2 - Double Dash, DS, Wii
And we're back for another lap of Mario Kart history as we slipstream our way to the chequered flag and Mario Kart World on 5th June. Having looked back at the first three instalments in Mario's karting chronicles, today we're accelerating on to the GameCube, DS, and two-duct-taped-GameCubes entries, as the series went...
- Features
- Nintendo
- Switch 2
- Mario Kart
Video Lizardcube On Bringing The Art Of Shinobi: Art Of Vengeance To Life
An exclusive behind-the-scenes look
Sega's ninja classic Shinobi returns this August with the help of Lizardcube and in the lead up we've been learning more and more about this new entry. The latest update shares a behind-the-scenes look at the development of Shinobi: Art of Vengeance - which is aiming to push the limits of 2D animated games as...
- Nintendo Switch
- Switch eShop
- Upcoming Releases
- SEGA
Review Arcade Archives NebulasRay (Switch) - A CGI Deep-Cut After Decades Of Waiting
Namco's 1994 shmup has never been ported previously
Namco's 1994 shmup NebulasRay is one of those games which arrived at an odd point in the history of arcade gaming. Launching many months before Rare stunned the world with the CGI sprites of Donkey Kong Country, it was one of the earliest examples of a 2D video game built around pre-rendered...
- Reviews
- Switch eShop
- Nintendo Switch
Feature Japan's Game Preservation Society Is Safe For Now, And It's All Thanks To You
Time Extension A message from GPS founder Joseph Redon
Two weeks ago, when Time Extension ran a feature on our struggles, we weren't optimistic about turning things around. There was a crisis of confidence that perhaps we weren't needed, weren't wanted, or that the community wasn't interested. The response was the complete opposite. We received around 400 new...
- Game Preservation
- Game Preservation Society
- Features
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (17th May)
What's that coming over the hill?
Howdy partners! It's time for another good old natter about our weekend gaming plans. Before we dive into what we're all up to, however, let's look back on the week's highlights. There were a couple of big Switch 2 drops as Nintendo revealed the console's final tech specs, announced what we can expect from its free...
- Features
- Talking Point
- Nintendo Switch
- What Are You Playing
Gallery Nintendo Gives Us A Closer Look At Its New Store In The US
Update: Now open!
It's not every day Nintendo opens a new store to the public, but this week happens to be one of those very special occasions. In case you somehow missed this news, Nintendo San Francisco opens its doors this week and the US branch has been teasing all things related to it - including special merch as well as some photos. Select...
- Gallery
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo
- US
News GameStop To Offer Additional Switch 2 Units In-Store And Online At Launch
"Didn't pre-order?"
If you haven't pre-ordered a Switch 2 yet and feel like you've missed out, the US video game retailer GameStop has announced it will be offering additional units both in-store and online at launch. So, when the launch event begins in GameStop stores, you'll still be able to potentially acquire a system around this time. This...
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Upcoming Releases
- GameStop
- US
- North America
YesterdayFri, 16th May 2025
Guide Every Nintendo Switch Online N64 Game Ranked
All the N64 games on NSO
Updated with Killer Instinct Gold. Enjoy! The library of Nintendo 64 games on Switch boasts some of the system's heaviest hitters - a great selection of quality 64-bit games easily accessible to anyone subscribed to the 'Expansion Pack' tier of the Nintendo Switch Online service But which N64 games on Nintendo Switch...
- Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo Switch Online
- N64
- Best Games
- Retro
News Nintendo Apologises For "Error" With Mention Of Switch 2 VRR TV Support
"The incorrect information was initially published"
Nintendo Switch 2 is sporting all sorts of modern technology and one other addition is variable refresh rate (VRR) support. This has been highlighted on Nintendo's official website alongside all the other upgrades for this new hardware. Nintendo has been nice enough to provide a description about...
- Switch 2
- Upcoming Releases
News 12 Switch Games Are Getting Free Switch 2 Upgrades, Here's What You Can Expect
Nintendo's free updates arrive next month
As you might recall, Nintendo will be releasing "free updates" for select Switch games on the Nintendo Switch 2. It's already revealed the specific titles that will be getting this treatment and now it's detailed what exactly you can expect. Once again, these updates will enhance the overall gameplay...
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo
- Updates
News Here's Your First Look At Pokémon Scarlet And Violet On Switch 2
What? ScaVi is evolving!
We've known that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet would be getting a free Switch 2 upgrade for a couple of months now. This morning, Nintendo revealed what that update would involve, and now, The Pokémon Company has showcased a couple of screenshots showing the Switch 2 version in action. As brought to our attention on BlueSky...
- News
- Switch 2
- Pokemon
News Zelda Fans Are Concerned About The Free Switch 2 Updates, But Don't Worry
It's likely performance will still be improved
12 Switch games are due to receive free updates for the upcoming Switch 2, and Nintendo has finally revealed what these will entail. Mostly, it's exactly what we'd expected, with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet receiving much-needed resolution and frame rate boosts, and Super Mario Odyssey receiving a...
- Nintendo
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Zelda
News Sonic Wings Reunion Is Heading To Consoles In The West This October
Time Extension Update: Red Art Games is attached to publish
Video System's classic '90s shmup series Sonic Wings / Aero Fighters is getting a brand-new game, it has been revealed. Success – the company behind Cotton – is going to be producing this sequel, and series composer Soshi Hosoi will be returning. A full reveal of the new game will take place on...
- Aero Fighters
News Nintendo Has "No Plans" To Use Game-Key Cards For First-Party-Developed Titles
Key to success
You can push any fears about seeing Mario on a Game-Key Card aside, as Nintendo has revealed to us that it has "no plans" to use the new physical format on its first-party-developed titles. After more Switch 2 titles began to crop up under the Game-Key Card label, we reached out to Nintendo UK for confirmation about whether we should...
- News
- Nintendo
- Switch 2
News The Hundred Line Director Has Already Announced A Brand New Game
Despite studio troubles
Too Kyo Games and co-director of The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, Kazutaka Kodaka, could probably take a bit of a break and bask in the critical reception of the recent strategy RPG. But that's completely the opposite of what's actually happening. Yep, the studio — along with publisher DMM Games — has announced a...
- Nintendo Switch
- Upcoming Releases
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's N64 Library With Another Game
Ultra combo!
Fighting game and Rare fans are in for a treat today with Nintendo adding the 1996 N64 release Killer Instinct Gold to the Switch Online + Expansion Pack service. As long as you have an active subscription to the Expansion Pack tier, you'll be able to update your Switch app and play it right now. Here's a bit more about it, courtesy of...
- Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo Switch Online
- Updates
News Nintendo: "Physical Games Are Still A Key Part Of Our Business"
But Game-Key Cards also play a part
Switch 2 introduces Game-Key Cards, which require users to download the game, and it's raised concerns in general about Nintendo's future physical support. If you are wondering about the company's plans going forward, Nintendo of America's president Doug Bowser has reassured everyone that physical games remain a...
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Nintendo
Rumour Red Dead Redemption 2 May Be Heading To Switch 2 Pretty Soon
"I have a PLAN, Arthur!"
When Rockstar Games launched Red Dead Redemption on the Switch, our thoughts immediately turned to its excellent sequel: could Red Dead Redemption 2 come to the Switch 2? Well, according to a couple of new reports from GameReactor and Nintenduo, yes, it can and it wi
- Rumours
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Rockstar Games
News Nintendo Predicted To Become "Primary Partner For Third-Party Game Publishers"
Show me the money
Analyst firm DFC Intelligence has predicted that Nintendo may well become the "primary partner for third-party game publishers" in five years, by which time the Switch 2 is predicted to have sold 100 million units. This comes via Eurogamer, with DFC Intelligence posting its latest report on the gaming industry going forward,...
- Nintendo
- Nintendo Switch 2
News Fortnite Turns To The Dark Side With AI Darth Vader Voice, And Of Course It's Been Swearing
Update: Fortnite says it's issued a hotfix
Here's a statement that gets worse the longer you read it: Fortnite's new Star Wars season has gained a Darth Vader NPC that can talk to you in the voice of the late, great James Earl Jones via a generative AI chatbot. Forget Imperial Admiral Motti's lack of faith, we find this disturbing (thanks for the...
- News
- Switch eShop
- Fortnite
- Star Wars
Review Into The Restless Ruins (Switch) - A Marvellous Meld Of Dungeons, Deckbuilding & Auto-Combat
Celtic connections
It's possibly becoming a bit of a hard sell these days, the old roguelike dungeon-crawling adventure, replete with retro/pixel visuals. We know it. However, as busy and as overstuffed with pale imitators to the greats as this genre is, it's still well worth keeping an eye out for the odd gem. And here we have an example of said...
- Reviews
- Switch eShop
News Micro Machines-Inspired Arcade Racer Sets Its Sights On Switch 2 Launch
Off to the races
The line-up of Switch 2 titles grows by the day, and now, should it reach its Kickstarter goal, a new arcade racer is getting thrown into the mix. OctaRace is a newly announced top-down racer, with inspirations ranging from Micro Machines to Crash Team Racing (by way of a little Mario Kart). Developer Pixel Almost Perfect intends...
- News
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Upcoming Releases
News Fight Fans Rejoice, 8BitDo Is Launching A New Arcade Controller For The Switch
Available July 2025
Accessory firm 8BitDo has announced it is launching a brand-new arcade controller for the Nintendo Switch, and by Jove, it looks absolutely glorious. Shipping from 15th July 2025 across North America and from 15th August 2025 across Europe with pre-orders commencing today, the controller will come in two variants: an Xbox...
- Nintendo Switch
- 8BitDo
- Accessories
Opinion I Hope Trails In The Sky 1st Chapter Doesn't Make A 'Big' Remake Mistake
Bigger isn't always better
Of all the RPGs I love, the Trails series is probably the one I have the hardest time recommending. A mix of platform availability, game length, and sheer number of titles is enough to scare anyone away, and even when someone does get into the series, there’s the inevitable onslaught of questions as they try and navigate...
- Features
- Opinion
- Nintendo Switch
- Upcoming Releases
News Switch eShop Racer 'New Star GP' Unlocks Frame Rate Ahead Of Switch 2's Launch
Time extension
The Virtua Racing-like release New Star GP, which made its debut on the Switch eShop last March, has recently received a new update with some extra "performance improvement options". According to a post on ResetEra, you can now unlock the frame rate in the game - apparently suggesting the developer behind the title could be getting...
- Switch eShop
- Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Updates
Thursday15th May 2025
Guide Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2
Where to buy Switch 2 consoles, accessories & games
Following the Direct showcase, Switch 2 pre-orders from Nintendo itself went live on the 8th April in the UK and Europe. Retailer pre-orders in the US and Canada went live on 24th April at 12am ET. If you're hoping to get a Switch 2 on launch day, you'll want to slam down your money sharpish. In...
- Guides
- Deals
- Nintendo
- Nintendo Switch 2
News Nintendo Unveils Diddy Kong's Brand New Design
Cap's off
Diddy Kong has been strangely missing in action from much of Nintendo's marketing, particularly around the Switch 2. At least he was there when Donkey Kong Country Returns HD came out in January...? Anyway, the big question on everyone's lips when Donkey Kong was shown off in Mario Kart World back in January, sporting a brand new design...
- Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Nintendo
- Donkey Kong
News Namco's Unported Arcade Classic 'NebulasRay' Gets Its Console Debut And A Steep Price Point
Time Extension On both Nintendo Switch & PS4
During its live stream earlier today, Hamster Corp, the company behind Arcade Archives, revealed the next Namco title being released as part of this year's "Namco Month" will be the 1994 vertically-scrolling shoot 'em up NebulasRay. According to the announcement, it will be released for Nintendo Switch and PS4 on May...
- News
- Arcade Archives
- Namco
- Nintendo Switch
News Arcade Archives' Switch 2 'Ridge Racer' Rerelease Also Coming To PS4, PS5, & Xbox Series X|S
Time Extension Update: An Xbox version has now been added
Update #2 [Thu 15th May, 2025 09:30 BST]: It's official! Hamster's Arcade Archives 2 reissue of Ridge Racer is also coming to Xbox Series X|S. Similar to the other versions, it will also be released on June 5th. The announcement was made earlier today on the Arcade Archives website, and included the...
- News
- Arcade Archives
- Ridge Racer
- Namco
Talking Point Are You Ghosting Switch 1 To Save Yourself For Switch 2?
The best is yet to come
2nd April 2025 will go down as a big day in Nintendo history for a lot of reasons. For one, it was when Nintendo finally lifted the lid on Switch 2, showcasing the console, its games and the all-important price and release date. It was also when, for some of us, our Switch 1 playtime tanked. The new console may have ignited...
- Talking Point
- Features
- Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Polls
News Kingdom Hearts 4 Team Provides Dev Update, Shares New Screenshots
"We've seen how excited you are"
Square Enix ended up releasing the Kingdom Hearts series as cloud games on the Switch, and while it wasn't exactly what fans wanted, there's always hope for the Switch 2 (and there have even been some rumours). If you did happen to play through the cloud versions on Switch or are just curious to know what's up next...
- Square Enix
- Kingdom Hearts
- Upcoming Releases
Random Switch 2's Controller Settings Hide A Neat Musical Secret
Scale as old as time
Whatever will we do when Switch 2 comes out and the Nintendo Today! app can't drip feed us random bits of info any more, eh? Today's info drop is a small one, we'll admit, but gosh, are we keen to see what the musically talented folk out there can do with it. The app has today revealed some "fun little touches" in the Switch...
- Random
- Nintendo
- Nintendo Switch 2
Random Unofficial Smash Bros. Dating App 'SmashTogether' Shut Down By Nintendo
No smashing please, we're Nintendo
We're not sure we've reported on the fact that an unofficial Smash Bros.-themed dating app is a thing that exists in this world, but it is (or was), and we all know now. Yes, 'SmashTogether', which according to its social media strapline is "The premium dating app for smashers", had aimed to help Smash fans find...
- Nintendo Switch
- Super Smash Bros
- News
- Random
Round Up The Reviews Are In For Capcom Fighting Collection 2
Here's what the critics think
It's another exciting week for fighting game fans with the anticipated arrival of the Capcom Fighting Collection 2. This latest collection packs eight titles into one package - with games like Power Stone and Project Justice finally making a return. We've already shared our review here on Nintendo Life and the good...
- Round Up
- Nintendo Switch
- Capcom
Japanese Charts Konami's New Visual Novel Triumphs In The Pre-Switch 2 Lull
Counting the weeks until launch
Famitsu is back with another look at the Japanese gaming charts, and, with Switch 2 edging ever closer, the quiet spell continues. Konami's new Japanese visual novel, Tokimeki Memorial: Forever With You Emotional, made the most of the sales slump and came out on top in its debut week with 21,032 Switch sales under...
- Nintendo Switch
- Japan
- Charts
- Sales
News Mortal Kombat 1 Looks To Be Winding Down Support With The 'Definitive Edition'
That's a wrap
Following rumours late last year Mortal Kombat 1 could be winding down its support sooner rather than later, NetherRealm and WB Games have this week announced the arrival of the Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition. This version of the game, which is available for $59.99 USD (or your regional equivalent), is said to offer the "most...
- Nintendo Switch
- Mortal Kombat
- DLC
- Updates
News Goodbye Productivity, 'Cookie Clicker' Is Coming To Switch Next Week
Chip shortage
Yes, you read that headline correctly. Cookie Clicker, the infamous idle game about clicking a cookie, is coming to Switch, fresh out of the oven, on 22nd May. We'd imagine that you will be familiar with Cookie Clicker already. This one was initially released by one-man dev Julien 'Orteil' Thiennot back in 2013 and quickly built up a...
- News
- Switch eShop
- Upcoming Releases
News Xenoblade Dev Monolith Soft Is On The Hunt For New 2D And 3D Designers
Recruitment sessions start next month
There's no doubt that the Nintendo-owned studio Monolith Soft is cooking up something for Switch 2, but what it's working on remains to be seen. Whatever it has planned for the future, it looks like the studio needs a couple more hands on deck as it has announced that it's on the hunt for new 2D and 3D...
- News
- Nintendo
- Monolith Soft
- Business
Nintendo Download 15th May (North America)
Capcom Fighting Collection 2! Fantasy Life i! Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo!
The latest Nintendo Download update for North America has arrived, and it's bringing new games galore to the eShop in your region. As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy! Switch eShop -...
- Nintendo Download
- Nintendo Switch
- North America
News Hello Kitty Island Adventure Scores First Major Content Update, Here's What's Included
Earlier than expected on Switch
If you were a fan of Hello Kitty Island Adventure and all its New Horizons-inspired cosiness when it arrived on Switch earlier this year, then boy, do we have a surprise for you. The life-sim's first major content update has sidestepped its planned release date and landed on the Nintendo hybrid a week early — what a...
- News
- Nintendo Switch
- Updates
News Locomoto Lets You Become The Cutest Train Conductor On Switch This June
All aboard
THQ Nordic and Green Tile Digital's Locomoto, the anthropomorphic cosy life sim where you become a train conductor, will be pulling into the Nintendo Switch station on 26th June 2025 for $29.99 / €29.99 / £24.99 (thanks, Gematsu!). Locomoto has been described as a blend between Animal Crossing and train simulators, but with a heavier...
- Nintendo Switch
- Upcoming Releases
News Ubisoft's Prince Of Persia Remake Expected By 2026, But It's Delaying Other Major IP
Following a similar decision with Assassin's Creed Shadows
It's been some time since Ubisoft provided an update about the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 'Remake' project, but we've officially got one in the company's latest earnings call. Although the plan is to now provide unannounced major IPs additional development time to improve the...
- Prince of Persia
- Ubisoft
- Upcoming Releases
News Stolen Pokémon Card Haul Worth £250k Seized In Arrest
"Gotta Catch 'Em All"
Police in the UK have arrested a man following a raid on his home, where they discovered a massive haul of rare Pokémon cards, the BBC reports. The estimated worth of the entire haul? GBP £250,000, which is just over USD $332,000. The arrest took place in Hyde, Tameside, Greater Manchester, and some individual cards are...
- Pokemon
- TCG
- UK
News 'Into The Restless Ruins' Launch Trailer Reveals The Hand Of This Unique Dungeon-Crawler
Deck-building, dungeons and death. Oh my!
Wales Interactive's Into the Restless Ruins is upon us and, if you've not heard of this one until now, pay attention, because it's very good. If you have been following along with the game's progress so far, you'll know that it's a dungeon-crawler/roguelike with a superbly unique twist. The...
- Nintendo Switch
- Switch eShop
- Upcoming Releases
Wednesday14th May 2025
News Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Has Been Updated To Version 3.0.4, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
Swansong
Ahead of the arrival of Mario Kart World next month, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has received a new update bumping it up to Version 3.0.4. This likely isn't the final update for the game, but it is probably the last one we'll be getting before the new entry speeds onto the Switch 2 in June. So, what exactly does this latest update include? It's...
- Nintendo Switch
- Mario Kart
- Nintendo
- Updates
News The First Review For Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Is In
A fantasy score?
Level-5's long-awaited new Fantasy Life game, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, is just over a week away, and the first review for the upcoming game has just dropped. Japanese publication Famitsu has scored the "slow-life RPG" an impressive 9/9/9/9, totalling 36/40, and according to the reviewers, it will take between 30-40...
- Nintendo Switch
- Upcoming Releases
- Level-5
News Nintendo Switch 2 Final Tech Specs Have Been Confirmed
GameChat has a "significant impact on system resources"
We all know the Nintendo Switch 2 is going to be significantly more powerful than its predecessor, but just what kind of internals is the new console boasting? Well, thanks to a new breakdown by Digital Foundry, we can now finally dive into the specifics. First, let's take a look at the custom...
- Nintendo
- Switch 2
- Hardware
Random 'New' Super Mario 64 Sound Effect Can Only Be Heard By Leaving The Game On...For 14 Months
But what about my backlog?
Super Mario 64 is one of those classic sorts of games that, almost 30 since its release, is still giving up delightful little secrets. This time around, and as reported by GamesRadar, it's a hidde
- Nintendo
- Random
- Super Mario
- N64
- Retro
Review Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (Switch) - A Cracking Collection Of Top-Class Arcade Fighters
A Dream(cast) collection
We love Capcom Fighting Collection 2! There, that's the review done. Seriously though, this is a particularly strong lineup of actual arcade Bangers (yes, with a capital B), that doesn't have anything approaching a full-on weak spot across a stellar roster of classic titles, so it's not really a surprise, is it? Indeed,...
- Reviews
- Nintendo Switch
- Capcom
News Super Mario World Looks To Be The Official Name Of The Next Mario Movie
Update: Now removed from NBCUniversal's page
It's been over a year now since our last proper update about the next Mario Movie, but it seems we might finally have some new information to share. According to NBCUniversal, the Super Mario movie follow-up will be officially titled Super Mario Worl
- Super Mario
- Nintendo
- Super Mario World
- SNES
- Movies