Latest Reviews of 4J Studios Games
Review Minecraft: Wii U Edition (Wii U eShop)
The best at its craft
It's difficult to describe the appeal of a game such as Minecraft: Wii U Edition. Though there is technically an 'end' to it, the whole experience isn't really about anything. You can explore caves. You can build houses. You can fight mobs in the night. You can farm crops and animals. On the surface, Minecraft seems like a...
Review Star Trek: Conquest (Wii)
It's time to boldly go where no man has gone before...
Back in the olden days (the nineties) there were a plethora of game choices for Star Trek fans. Most notable for fans of strategy games were Birth of the Federation and Star Trek: Armada. These games were essentially clones of earlier, better games. But they were redesigned with a Star Trek...
Latest 4J Studios Articles
News Minecraft Switch Port Devs Reveal Crazy New Couch Co-op Game, Out July
Get manic for Manic Mechanics
British game developer 4J Studios — known for bringing Minecraft to consoles (including Switch) and for porting Banjo-Kazooie, Tooie, and Perfect Dark to Xbox 360 — has announced a brand new Overcooked-style game for Switch during today's Nintendo Direct. And it's coming on 13th July on Switch Mani
News Cosy Puzzler 'Skye Tales' Brings Gentle Dragon Adventures To Switch This Week
Try the demo now
Phrases like "gentle" and "low-stress" are hardly thrown around in gaming descriptions these days, but it is exactly how we would describe developer Puny Astronaut’s debut title Skye Tales, which flies onto Switch on 26th May. In this cosy puzzle game, you take control of Skye, a magical dragon who explores a fantasy world and...
News Minecraft Celebrates Halo Infinite's Campaign Launch With Eight New Skins
Jump in, Spartan
Halo Infinite - one of the most anticipated video game releases of 2021 - got its campaign update this week, and to celebrate, Mojang and 343 Industries have teamed up with 4J Studios to update the existing Halo mash-up pack in Minecraft. It contains eight new skins - bringing the total amount of skins in this pack to 56. And if...
News Minecraft Dungeons Confirmed For Nintendo Switch
Coming Spring 2020
Microsoft has just shown off the next instalment in the Minecraft series during its E3 brieflng, but what it didn't mention was that the game – Minecraft Dungeons – is also coming to Nintendo Switch. This "all-new action-adventure game" takes inspiration from "classic dungeon crawlers", and certainly looks like a lot of fun...
News Halo Is Coming To The Nintendo Switch, In A Fashion
Yup, it's a Minecraft mash-up pack
Fans of the Master Chief, rejoice! Microsoft's million-selling Halo series is finally coming to a Nintendo console - but before you get too excited, we should point out that it's happening under the guise of a Minecraft mash-up pack. The pack will become available on Switch thanks to the launch of Minecraft's new...
News Minecraft On Switch Will Also Get The Super Duper Graphics Pack
Super!
Minecraft is getting a big update this year thanks to the "Better Together" initiative which looks to unify all players across as many systems as possible - and that includes Switch. However, this news was just one part of Microsoft's E3 presentation - it also spent a lot of time talking about the Super Duper Graphics Pack, which drastically...
News Xbox Boss Wades In On Sony's Decision To Block Minecraft Cross-Platform Play
"That doesn’t seem healthy for anyone"
One of the big pieces of news to come out of Microsoft's E3 presentation was that Mojang is working to unify all versions of Minecraft so that whichever platform you happen to play on, you're always going to be part of a much larger community of fans. The Switch version of the game is one of the first...
News Minecraft's Cross-Platform Update Is Coming To Nintendo Switch This August
Ahead of the PlayStation 4, surprisingly
Microsoft has announced that it intends to unify all versions of Minecraft under its "Better Together" update, and that the Nintendo Switch will be one of the first platforms to benefit. Due for release in August, the update will unite the game across (nearly) every platform, thanks to the Bedrock...
News 4J Studios Exploring a 1080p Update for Minecraft on Switch, As Screenshot Bug Fix is Released
Digital Foundry also assesses the blocky release
We've been impressed by Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition, describing it as a standout version of the game in our review. It offers larger worlds to work with than the Wii U equivalent, and delivers the strongest portable version of the game currently on the market. It seems, too, that it can...
News Nintendo is Working on a Fix for the 'Sentient Switch' Screenshot Issue
Minecraft developer shares the news
Earlier this week we wondered whether a 'stability' Nintendo Switch update fixed an issue seemingly triggered by installing Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition. Users with the game found that it prompted the system to automatically take screenshots, for example, without any prompts or button presses. The...
News Has the New System Update Fixed the Screenshot Switch Glitch?
It seems not...
Update: Our colleague who has been encountering this screenshot issue since downloading Minecraft has been able to recreate it after applying the system update. Though Minecraft seems to be a trigger, it's not the only app that causes the problem - with Breath of the Wild running in the background and accessing 'All Software' the...
News Minecraft Running At 720p Docked Isn't Due To A Lack Of Switch Power, Says Microsoft
Could a patch bring 1080p when docked?
Minecraft on the Nintendo Switch is amazing, as you'll know if you've consulted our review. However, you may have noticed that when running the game docked there's no visual boost over the handheld mode; both run at 720p. While some have guessed this is down to a lack of processing muscle on the part of the...
News Minecraft Won't Take Up As Many Blocks On Your Switch As You Might Think
Neat and tidy
Minecraft launches on the Nintendo Switch tomorrow, giving us all another reason to lose months of our lives building worlds, fighting enemies and meeting up with friends. If you're currently on the fence about purchasing this title then perhaps knowing the file size will be enough to convince you to change your stance; according to...
News Minecraft On Switch Compares Well To Other Versions, Wii U World Transfers Being Worked On
60fps world-building
Thanks to a recent Microsoft livestream we've now got a few details on how the upcoming Switch version of Minecraft compares to other versions on the market, and the good news is that it will comfortably outshine the Wii U edition. First up, the devs behind the port have revealed that Nintendo's console is very easy to work...
News Chinese Mythology Mash-Up Coming To Minecraft: Wii U Edition Next Week
41 new skins, 13 songs and a new Battle Mini Game map
October 4th will see the release of a new mash-up pack for Minecraft: Wii U Edition. It follows the introduction of the Tumble Mini Game and a mysterious update, both of which went live recently. The Chinese Mythology
News New Patch Goes Live For Minecraft Wii U Edition
But no details on what's included
Minecraft: Wii U Edition got a pretty significant update a while back which introduced the Tumble Mini Game, and another patch has just gone live. "Patch 12" wasn't pre-announced and 4J Studios hasn't revealed any details on what's included in the update. Until those details are forthcoming, it's fair to assume...
News Patch For Minecraft Battle Mini-Game Rolling Out Now
Fixes issue that prevented people from joining public games
4J Studios has confirmed that a patch to fix issues with the newly-released Minecraft Battle Mini-Game is rolling out now. Released on the 21st June, the new mode crashed when players attempted to join public games. Have you have the patch yet? Let us know if it has solved the problem...
News Minecraft: Wii U Edition Gets Its European Retail Release on 30th June
Make a block booking to play it this Summer
When Nintendo of America revealed the free Super Mario Mash-Up Pack for Minecraft: Wii U Edition it also confirmed that the physical retail edition (including that DLC on the disc) is heading to the region on 17th June; Nintendo of Europe has now joined in with an equivalent announcement. It's coming a...
News Battle Minigame is Heading to Minecraft Console Editions in June
No explicit mention of excluding Wii U, break out the bunting!
Though it took its sweet time, Minecraft: Wii U Edition has been a welcome and quality arrival on the system, with the recent free addition of The Super Mario Mash-Up Pack being another plus point. Now it seems that all of the console versions are in line for some free content soon, with...
News It Wasn't Nintendo's Idea To Mix Minecraft And Super Mario Together
"They actually came to us with what their vision was"
Some might claim that it's too little, too late, but Minecraft is available on Wii U and is getting some pretty amazing exclusive content, too. The Super Mario skin pack recently went live and is free to download for anyone who owns the game already. It's also going to be bundled with the...
Video Five Super Mario Secrets in Minecraft: Wii U Edition
Blocky brilliance
As you're likely well aware by now, Minecraft: Wii U Edition has some rather neat and exclusive content - The Super Mario Mash-Up Pack is up for grabs as a free update. It features all sorts of skins and features, along with an Adventure to take on, and certainly helps the Wii U version to stand out. It's not a phoned-in effort...
News Super Mario Mash-Up Pack Jumps Into Minecraft: Wii U Edition in Upcoming Free Update
Downloadable from 17th May, disc version hits stores on 17th June
When Minecraft: Wii U Edition arrived late last year Mojang, Nintendo and Microsoft promised exclusive Nintendo content in 2016, and now details have been confirmed. The Super Mario Mash-Up Pack will be free and available with an update on 17th May (18th May in Europe), and a disc...
News Minecraft: Wii U Edition is Getting a Retail Release Soon
Perhaps to coincide with the Nintendo DLC?
Minecraft: Wii U Edition was a natural fit for the eShop, finally providing Nintendo gamers with the opportunity to give it a shot. 4J Studios has certainly shown that it's willing to support the game post-release, and while the Nintendo exclusive DLC plans are still under wraps, there was an update last...
News Minecraft: Wii U Edition Update Adds Achievements, Wii Classic Controller Support and More
And fixes, of course
Minecraft: Wii U Edition proved to be a download success when it arrived on the eShop late last year, albeit Nintendo gamers have had to wait for some key updates, while the Nintendo-exclusive content announced with the launch is still a mystery. Nevertheless, developer 4J Studios is still improving the Wii U version, and has...
News Wii U Minecraft Looking Doubtful As Dev Says They Have "Fulfilled The Need For Now"
"We won't release on the platform if the base is very small"
Minecraft is massive — so massive in fact that it's one of the few franchises which challenges Nintendo's otherwise iron grip on younger players. We've said several times in the past that Minecraft on the Wii U would make brilliant business sense, but it would appear that 4J Studios...
News Minecraft Switch Port Devs Reveal Crazy New Couch Co-op Game, Out July
Get manic for Manic Mechanics
British game developer 4J Studios — known for bringing Minecraft to consoles (including Switch) and for porting Banjo-Kazooie, Tooie, and Perfect Dark to Xbox 360 — has announced a brand new Overcooked-style game for Switch during today's Nintendo Direct. And it's coming on 13th July on Switch Mani
News Cosy Puzzler 'Skye Tales' Brings Gentle Dragon Adventures To Switch This Week
Try the demo now
Phrases like "gentle" and "low-stress" are hardly thrown around in gaming descriptions these days, but it is exactly how we would describe developer Puny Astronaut’s debut title Skye Tales, which flies onto Switch on 26th May. In this cosy puzzle game, you take control of Skye, a magical dragon who explores a fantasy world and...
News Minecraft Celebrates Halo Infinite's Campaign Launch With Eight New Skins
Jump in, Spartan
Halo Infinite - one of the most anticipated video game releases of 2021 - got its campaign update this week, and to celebrate, Mojang and 343 Industries have teamed up with 4J Studios to update the existing Halo mash-up pack in Minecraft. It contains eight new skins - bringing the total amount of skins in this pack to 56. And if...
News Minecraft Dungeons Confirmed For Nintendo Switch
Coming Spring 2020
Microsoft has just shown off the next instalment in the Minecraft series during its E3 brieflng, but what it didn't mention was that the game – Minecraft Dungeons – is also coming to Nintendo Switch. This "all-new action-adventure game" takes inspiration from "classic dungeon crawlers", and certainly looks like a lot of fun...
News Halo Is Coming To The Nintendo Switch, In A Fashion
Yup, it's a Minecraft mash-up pack
Fans of the Master Chief, rejoice! Microsoft's million-selling Halo series is finally coming to a Nintendo console - but before you get too excited, we should point out that it's happening under the guise of a Minecraft mash-up pack. The pack will become available on Switch thanks to the launch of Minecraft's new...
News Minecraft On Switch Will Also Get The Super Duper Graphics Pack
Super!
Minecraft is getting a big update this year thanks to the "Better Together" initiative which looks to unify all players across as many systems as possible - and that includes Switch. However, this news was just one part of Microsoft's E3 presentation - it also spent a lot of time talking about the Super Duper Graphics Pack, which drastically...
News Xbox Boss Wades In On Sony's Decision To Block Minecraft Cross-Platform Play
"That doesn’t seem healthy for anyone"
One of the big pieces of news to come out of Microsoft's E3 presentation was that Mojang is working to unify all versions of Minecraft so that whichever platform you happen to play on, you're always going to be part of a much larger community of fans. The Switch version of the game is one of the first...
News Minecraft's Cross-Platform Update Is Coming To Nintendo Switch This August
Ahead of the PlayStation 4, surprisingly
Microsoft has announced that it intends to unify all versions of Minecraft under its "Better Together" update, and that the Nintendo Switch will be one of the first platforms to benefit. Due for release in August, the update will unite the game across (nearly) every platform, thanks to the Bedrock...
News 4J Studios Exploring a 1080p Update for Minecraft on Switch, As Screenshot Bug Fix is Released
Digital Foundry also assesses the blocky release
We've been impressed by Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition, describing it as a standout version of the game in our review. It offers larger worlds to work with than the Wii U equivalent, and delivers the strongest portable version of the game currently on the market. It seems, too, that it can...
News Nintendo is Working on a Fix for the 'Sentient Switch' Screenshot Issue
Minecraft developer shares the news
Earlier this week we wondered whether a 'stability' Nintendo Switch update fixed an issue seemingly triggered by installing Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition. Users with the game found that it prompted the system to automatically take screenshots, for example, without any prompts or button presses. The...
News Has the New System Update Fixed the Screenshot Switch Glitch?
It seems not...
Update: Our colleague who has been encountering this screenshot issue since downloading Minecraft has been able to recreate it after applying the system update. Though Minecraft seems to be a trigger, it's not the only app that causes the problem - with Breath of the Wild running in the background and accessing 'All Software' the...
News Minecraft Running At 720p Docked Isn't Due To A Lack Of Switch Power, Says Microsoft
Could a patch bring 1080p when docked?
Minecraft on the Nintendo Switch is amazing, as you'll know if you've consulted our review. However, you may have noticed that when running the game docked there's no visual boost over the handheld mode; both run at 720p. While some have guessed this is down to a lack of processing muscle on the part of the...
News Minecraft Won't Take Up As Many Blocks On Your Switch As You Might Think
Neat and tidy
Minecraft launches on the Nintendo Switch tomorrow, giving us all another reason to lose months of our lives building worlds, fighting enemies and meeting up with friends. If you're currently on the fence about purchasing this title then perhaps knowing the file size will be enough to convince you to change your stance; according to...
News Minecraft On Switch Compares Well To Other Versions, Wii U World Transfers Being Worked On
60fps world-building
Thanks to a recent Microsoft livestream we've now got a few details on how the upcoming Switch version of Minecraft compares to other versions on the market, and the good news is that it will comfortably outshine the Wii U edition. First up, the devs behind the port have revealed that Nintendo's console is very easy to work...
News Chinese Mythology Mash-Up Coming To Minecraft: Wii U Edition Next Week
41 new skins, 13 songs and a new Battle Mini Game map
October 4th will see the release of a new mash-up pack for Minecraft: Wii U Edition. It follows the introduction of the Tumble Mini Game and a mysterious update, both of which went live recently. The Chinese Mythology
News New Patch Goes Live For Minecraft Wii U Edition
But no details on what's included
Minecraft: Wii U Edition got a pretty significant update a while back which introduced the Tumble Mini Game, and another patch has just gone live. "Patch 12" wasn't pre-announced and 4J Studios hasn't revealed any details on what's included in the update. Until those details are forthcoming, it's fair to assume...
News Patch For Minecraft Battle Mini-Game Rolling Out Now
Fixes issue that prevented people from joining public games
4J Studios has confirmed that a patch to fix issues with the newly-released Minecraft Battle Mini-Game is rolling out now. Released on the 21st June, the new mode crashed when players attempted to join public games. Have you have the patch yet? Let us know if it has solved the problem...
News Minecraft: Wii U Edition Gets Its European Retail Release on 30th June
Make a block booking to play it this Summer
When Nintendo of America revealed the free Super Mario Mash-Up Pack for Minecraft: Wii U Edition it also confirmed that the physical retail edition (including that DLC on the disc) is heading to the region on 17th June; Nintendo of Europe has now joined in with an equivalent announcement. It's coming a...
News Battle Minigame is Heading to Minecraft Console Editions in June
No explicit mention of excluding Wii U, break out the bunting!
Though it took its sweet time, Minecraft: Wii U Edition has been a welcome and quality arrival on the system, with the recent free addition of The Super Mario Mash-Up Pack being another plus point. Now it seems that all of the console versions are in line for some free content soon, with...
News It Wasn't Nintendo's Idea To Mix Minecraft And Super Mario Together
"They actually came to us with what their vision was"
Some might claim that it's too little, too late, but Minecraft is available on Wii U and is getting some pretty amazing exclusive content, too. The Super Mario skin pack recently went live and is free to download for anyone who owns the game already. It's also going to be bundled with the...
Video Five Super Mario Secrets in Minecraft: Wii U Edition
Blocky brilliance
As you're likely well aware by now, Minecraft: Wii U Edition has some rather neat and exclusive content - The Super Mario Mash-Up Pack is up for grabs as a free update. It features all sorts of skins and features, along with an Adventure to take on, and certainly helps the Wii U version to stand out. It's not a phoned-in effort...
News Super Mario Mash-Up Pack Jumps Into Minecraft: Wii U Edition in Upcoming Free Update
Downloadable from 17th May, disc version hits stores on 17th June
When Minecraft: Wii U Edition arrived late last year Mojang, Nintendo and Microsoft promised exclusive Nintendo content in 2016, and now details have been confirmed. The Super Mario Mash-Up Pack will be free and available with an update on 17th May (18th May in Europe), and a disc...
News Minecraft: Wii U Edition is Getting a Retail Release Soon
Perhaps to coincide with the Nintendo DLC?
Minecraft: Wii U Edition was a natural fit for the eShop, finally providing Nintendo gamers with the opportunity to give it a shot. 4J Studios has certainly shown that it's willing to support the game post-release, and while the Nintendo exclusive DLC plans are still under wraps, there was an update last...
News Minecraft: Wii U Edition Update Adds Achievements, Wii Classic Controller Support and More
And fixes, of course
Minecraft: Wii U Edition proved to be a download success when it arrived on the eShop late last year, albeit Nintendo gamers have had to wait for some key updates, while the Nintendo-exclusive content announced with the launch is still a mystery. Nevertheless, developer 4J Studios is still improving the Wii U version, and has...
News Wii U Minecraft Looking Doubtful As Dev Says They Have "Fulfilled The Need For Now"
"We won't release on the platform if the base is very small"
Minecraft is massive — so massive in fact that it's one of the few franchises which challenges Nintendo's otherwise iron grip on younger players. We've said several times in the past that Minecraft on the Wii U would make brilliant business sense, but it would appear that 4J Studios...