Feature Articles
Sunday7th Apr 2024
Back Page 'NL Destinations' Presents The Best Vacation Locales On Switch
'Never Leave', amiright?
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 terrible jokes —...
Saturday30th Mar 2024
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (30th March)
Birdie!
The weekend is here, which means it's time to dive into what we've all got planned with our Switches (and other consoles too, we guess). Before that, however, let's take a look at what's been going on this week. First up, the Switch got its latest firmware update, and although it's not the most exciting thing in the world, we always...
Wednesday27th Mar 2024
Poll So, Do You Prefer Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Or Tears Of The Kingdom?
A clash of kings
Now that we're swiftly approaching the one-year anniversary of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, we suspect that many of you have likely completed the game at this stage. Even if you haven't yet and are still mopping up those remaining Korok Seeds, it's probably reasonable to assume that you've experienced enough of the...
Saturday6th Jan 2024
Feature Zelda's Forgotten Steward - Who Is Hidemaro Fujibayashi?
The man, the myth, the legend
Since his outstanding work on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, director and producer Eiji Aonuma has cemented himself as the driving force behind one of Nintendo’s most celebrated, enduring, and lucrative franchises. For many Zelda fans, he holds just about as much prestige in the ranks of Nintendo as Shigeru...
Monday1st Jan 2024
Soapbox FOMO Nearly Ruined Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom For Me
Too much background noise?
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Ollie looks back on how Tears of the Kingdom's launch hype on social media may have affected his own enjoyment of the game... On May 12th, 2023, I, like countless other...
Saturday30th Dec 2023
Soapbox How Zelda's Bad Economy Made Weapon Degradation Great Again
Inflation can be fixed with rotting swords!
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Kate examines how Nintendo learned economic lessons from past Zelda games in Tears of the Kingdom... Much like me, Hyrule has always been bad with...
Monday20th Nov 2023
Soapbox Zelda: Ocarina Of Time's Kokiri Forest Rivals World 1-1 As A Perfect Intro
Move it, Mido
November 21st, 2023 marks the 25th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's Japanese launch. To mark this historic Hyrulean occasion, we'll be running articles throughout the week dedicated to the game, our memories, and its legacy. Today, Ollie sings the praises of Ocarina of Time's mystical opening location, Kokiri...
Wednesday6th Sep 2023
Feature 'Break The Game' Tells Speedrunner Narcissa Wright’s Story Through The Language Of Zelda
The new documentary charts a legend's return
It’s January 13, 2017 – the day of the Nintendo Switch Presentation. Unbeknownst to anyone until today, Nintendo’s latest console is going to be released in under two months, and with it the latest installment in The Legend of Zelda series, Breath of the Wild. A hush goes over the crowd as the final...
Friday4th Aug 2023
Talking Point Which Nintendo IP Should 'Switch 2' Launch With?
Prime picks
We have spent a lot of time thinking about the Switch 2 so far this year. In fact, we spent a lot of time thinking about it last year too. And the year before... and the year before that. And th... you know what? We've been thinking about it for a while. Our thoughts have covered everything from just how Switch-y Nintendo's next console...
Thursday6th Jul 2023
Talking Point What Makes A Good Sidequest, Anyway?
Quest x64
What's more important — saving the world from impending doom, or rescuing the cat that's stuck at the top of a tree? Depending on who you ask, they might give you an answer you won't expect. I'm not saying that we should ignore the kitty cats at all, but when you're presented with the dilemma of missing a quest that's simply about...
Sunday25th Jun 2023
Feature The 15 Best Zelda Bosses, Ranked
Update: Now featuring some of TOTK's best
Note: there is specific mention of two Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom bosses in the following list. Only read on if you have finished the main game or are not concerned about avoiding spoilers! We must admit: Zelda rankings tend to look a little samey, perhaps with a few spicy changes based on the person. But...
Wednesday7th Jun 2023
Soapbox Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom's Busier Hyrule Is Making Me Miss BOTW
The call of (Breath of) the Wild
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Ollie wants to explain why Breath of the Wild will remain his go-to open-world Zelda, despite Tears of the Kingdom's improvements... I’ve been playing The Legend...
Monday5th Jun 2023
Round Up SGDQ 2023 - The Best Nintendo Speedruns
Thank you, chef
Games Done Quick's second speedrun marathon of 2023 is over, and what an event it was. Held much earlier than previous years, Summer Games Done Quick 2023 kicked off on 28th May and concluded on 4th June, raising a staggering $2,239,204 (and counting) for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières. Jam-packed with hundreds...
Sunday28th May 2023
Talking Point Could Nintendo Squeeze Another Zelda Game Out Of TOTK's Open World?
Lorule love? Termina time?
Prior to release — and especially before a couple of presentations gave us a better idea of what to expect in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — there were doubts as to exactly how different it would be from its immediate predecessor. & Kingdom. This made us chuckle. Reusing Breath of the Wild's open-world Hyrule...
Saturday27th May 2023
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (May 27th)
Is there any game other than Zelda?
Welcome one and all to another edition of What Are You Playing and with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom still firmly set in our minds, we think you can see where this week might be going... again... Over on Nintendo Life, the Zelda content has been coming thick and fast. We dived deep into the game's...
Friday26th May 2023
Soapbox Modern Zelda Dungeons Are, In Fact, Divine
We owe the Beasts an apology
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Jim spreads some love for the modern-day Zelda dungeon. Be aware that he discusses Tears of the Kingdom below (not in detail, but he references a specific dungeon), so...
Monday22nd May 2023
Soapbox Zelda: TOTK's Shrines Are Brilliant At Making An Idiot Feel Like A Genius
I did it, mum!
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Ollie wants to share his love for Tears of the Kingdom's shrines and the newfound freedom they afford players... I'm really not a very clever man. Okay no, that's not entirely true;...
Friday19th May 2023
Feature 26 Tweaks That Make Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Better Than BOTW
There's a change in the wind
Given the sheer amount of time that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom had been in development, it was obvious that the game would make a number of quality-of-life improvements over its predecessor, Breath of the Wild. We won't lie, there were moments in the run-up to its release in which we wondered just how...
Saturday6th May 2023
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (May 6th)
Tears of the countdown
We are so nearly there, folks. We have hit our final What Are You Playing discussion before all of our entries become "Tears of the Kingdom, duh" from next week — relish the variety in our plans while you can! This week has been a bit of a 'calm before the storm' in the world of Nintendo, but that doesn't mean that we...
Monday1st May 2023
Poll Who's Your Favourite Champion In Zelda: Breath Of The Wild?
No time for losers
Everyone's going down with Zelda fever at the minute, as previews for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom arrive and get us in the Hylian mood once again. By all accounts, the follow-up to the beloved Breath of the Wild is shaping up to be a sprawling sandbox with even more opportunities for experimentation and exploration...
Monday24th Apr 2023
Talking Point What Is A 'Traditional' Zelda Game, Anyway?
And does Breath of the Wild fit the mould?
Despite the overwhelmingly positive reception to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild when it launched back in 2017, there are undoubtedly those who yearn for a return to what they deem to be a more “traditional” Zelda experience. With its open world, shrines, weapon degradation, and ‘rune’...
Friday21st Apr 2023
Talking Point Which Is Your Favourite Quest In Zelda: Breath Of The Wild?
Rise and Shrine
It feels like just yesterday that we got the first announcement of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (affectionately called "the Breath of the Wild sequel" at that point) back in 2019's E3, doesn't it? No. Of course it doesn't. To tell you the truth, we have been counting down the days for this one over the past four years,...
Monday17th Apr 2023
Poll Breath Of The Wild Vs. Tears Of The Kingdom - Which Final Zelda Trailer Was Better?
The true Battle of Hyrule
With a little under four weeks remaining until the worldwide launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it's still a little early to debate whether or not the game itself will be superior to its predecessor, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. You know, seeing as nobody's played it yet, an' all. We here at...
Saturday15th Apr 2023
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (April 15th)
Vidya gaemz!
It's the weekeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeend *cough cough splutter*. We made it through another week, folks. Well done. It's been quite an interesting one, hasn't it? With only one month to go until the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo graced us with the third and final trailer for the game, and boy, was it a good one!...
Thursday13th Apr 2023
Feature Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Trailer #3 - Every New Detail Revealed
Epic doesn't even begin to cover it
With just under a month to go until the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo has dropped its third and final trailer for the game, and wow, what a trailer! This is undoubtedly one for the ages; a trailer to surely rival the Switch Presentation trailer for Breath of the Wild from 2017...
Wednesday12th Apr 2023
Talking Point With One Month 'Til TOTK, What's Left For You To Do In Zelda: Breath Of The Wild?
It's crunch time
The clock bell has tolled. Only one month remains before the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. One. Month. Suddenly, this game that we have been anticipating for the last six years is almost here and out of nowhere a realisation struck us, one powerful enough to send a cold chill down anyone's spine: we still...
Saturday8th Apr 2023
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (April 8th)
Easter gaming
We did it, everyone! We made it through the opening week of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and still live to tell the tale. Yes, this week finally saw the release of the hotly anticipated Nintendo and Illumination co-production and was it worth the wait? Well, sort of. While we certainly had mixed feelings in our review, the stellar box...
Saturday11th Mar 2023
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (March 11th)
Zelda? Mario? Metroid? Tell us
Ladies and gentlemen... The weekend. Yes, it's time to wrap up another week and find out what we're all planning to play over the weekend. But first, let's go over what's been going on in the world of Nintendo this week. First up, the excellent Metroid Fusion launched on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack...
Saturday25th Feb 2023
Feature Hyrule Fields, Ranked - The Best Grassy Plains In The Zelda Franchise
Perfect for a picnic?
There's no greater feeling in a Legend of Zelda game than when you first step out onto Hyrule Field, is there? It's the moment when the games shake off the training wheels and let's you loose in the world of Hyrule, free to go in whichever direction you like. Where on earth do you start? What's that settlement over there? Oh...
Saturday21st Jan 2023
Poll Do You Want Weapon Degradation To Return In Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom?
Break it down
When it comes to ways that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild flipped the script for the wider series, there is a list of 'em so long that it almost rivals the number of those darn Korok Seeds out there. *shakes fist to the sky* One of the changes that we almost can't believe actually happened, however, was the sheer number of...
