Popular Games by Nintendo
Reviews of Nintendo Games
Review Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (GBA) - The Series' Second Western Release Still Hits Hard
Worth fighting for
This review was originally published in March 2015. We're updating and republishing it to mark the arrival of the game in the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy Advance library. While Fire Emblem is a franchise with a long history in Japan, its track record in the West is far more condensed; in fact, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones...
Robot Jox
We were somewhere around 20 hours into Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, on the edge of thinking, 'This is all very familiar,' when the really feeling it began to take hold. As fun as Xenoblade Chronicles X is in its opening six chapters — and it's up there with the rest of the series in this regard — things only really...
Review Donkey Kong (GB) - One Of The Game Boy's Very Best
It's on with the King of the Kongs
This review was originally published in June 2011. We're updating and republishing it to mark the arrival of the game in the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy library. In 1994, Nintendo had a great idea; why not make a true sequel to the original Donkey Kong arcade game? The result is Donkey Kong for the Game Boy,...
Review Wario Land 4 (GBA) - A Boisterous But Impeccably Designed Platformer
Quality over quantity
This review was originally published in May 2014. We're updating and republishing it to mark the game's arrival in the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack GBA library. Although Wario's core platforming series has been overshadowed for years by the surrealist microgames of WarioWare, his excellent platformers have the sort...
Review Sutte Hakkun (SNES) - An Addictive Curio You Should Definitely Check Out
One of the most unique video game experiences ever crafted
This review was originally published in April 2009. We're updating and republishing it to mark the arrival of the game in the Nintendo Switch Online SNES library. Every so often a game comes along that makes you take your thumb off the fire button and don your thinking cap. But who wants...
Review Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (Switch) - Aping A Retro Classic
That's what you get for not hailing to the chimp
It’s not unfair to say that the gaming landscape was somewhat different when Donkey Kong Country Returns first fell into our laps in 2010; 2D platformers were a rare breed, and ol’ DK himself hadn’t arguably had a mainline entry in his series since 2004’s Jungle Beat. Back then, the title said...
Latest Nintendo News
TodayTue, 20th May 2025
News Nintendo Music's Latest Update Celebrates Another NES Classic, Here's Every Song Included
Kid Icarus returns
The Nintendo Music app has been pumping out all sorts of soundtracks so far this year and following a Pokémon update last week, we're now jumping back to the glory days of the NES with the original Kid Icarus game. This album, as you might expect, is a lot smaller than the previous update - with just 12 tracks and a total...
News Switch 2's News Section Will Reduce Clutter With Individual Account Feeds
See what you want to see
If you've ever used multiple accounts on your Switch, the news feed is often bombarded with posts. This has been particularly noticeable if you have access to an account for a different region, resulting in the same post appearing for each location. With this in mind, it looks like Nintendo has made a slight refresh to the...
YesterdayMon, 19th May 2025
News Nintendo Has Confirmed It Will Be Attending GamesCom 2025
Company skipped last year's event
After skipping GamesCom last year, Nintendo has now confirmed that it will be in attendance at GamesCom 2025 in Cologne, Germany later this year between 20th and 24th August. It was speculated that Nintendo's absence from last year's event was due to its growing preparations for the upcoming Switch 2. Now that the...
News Switch 2's HD Rumble Is Seemingly Capable Of Some Impressive Sound Output
Good vibrations
If you have ever lost one of your Switch 1 Joy-Con, there's every chance that you will have seen the 'Search for Controllers' feature in action. This menu in the 'Controller' settings lets you select any paired controller that you know is in the room somewhere, and make it vibrate, so you can track it down in a pocket, down the back...
News Nintendo Renews A Couple Of Metroid Prime Trademarks
But don't get your hopes up
Nintendo always seems to renew its trademarks at the juiciest of times. While these renewals are rarely anything to get excited about, a little bit of speculation never hurts. Especially with a new console looming. As brought to our attention on BlueSky by @Stealth40k, Nintendo has today renewed the trademarks for the...
Sunday18th May 2025
Leading the pack
There's been a lot of conversation about Nintendo making Mario Kart World its main launch title for the Switch 2 ahead of certain other key franchises. Nintendo of America's Nate Bihldorff provided an official response about this to Inverse last month, mentioning how it's "one of the most broadly accessible games possible" with a...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: F-Zero X
X-treme
Hello folks, we're back with another edition of Box Art Brawl! Right, first of all, what happened last time..? Oh yes, we looked at Mario Party 3 for the N64! Heh, this wasn't even remotely close, with Japan's variant winning the day with 84% of the vote. North America managed 13%, with Europe lagging behind with a mere 3%. This week,...
Video Nintendo Gives Us A Closer Look At Switch 2's GameCube Controller
The GameCube library returns next month
The Switch 2's Online Expansion Pack tier is getting the GameCube library at launch and alongside this Nintendo will be releasing a new wireless GameCube controller, based on the original design with added buttons. It's now released a video on its Nintendo Today! mobile application, giving fans a closer look...
News Here's A Look At The Size And Inside Of Switch 2 Game Cases
Arriving in store next month
Nintendo is slightly mixing up its box art game for the Switch 2 generation with red cases and artwork that now wraps around the spine of the case. It seems another look at these cases (via Genki_JPN on social media) has now revealed what you can expect to see on the inside of these cases when you open them up...
Saturday17th 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...
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...
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...
Friday16th May 2025
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 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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Thursday15th May 2025
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...
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...
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...
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...
Wednesday14th May 2025
Talking Point How Can The Next Animal Crossing Improve Crafting?
Tools of the trade
If you happen to live in the UK, then you’ll know that the weather this week has been pretty glorious – mostly. So, as I was out on one of my evening walks with the dog, I gazed out toward the horizon as the sun was setting. Crepuscular rays pierced through the clouds and trees, butterflies erratically flip-flopped around my...
News Setting The Switch 2 Pro Controller's GL And GR Buttons Looks As Easy As Pie
Map skills
The Nintendo Today! app has continued its never-ending stream of Switch 2 information drops with a closer look at the new Pro Controller's fresh rear buttons, specifically, how easy it is to set them up. In a new app segment titled 'How to Use the GL and GR Buttons', Nintendo explains that mapping an input to one of these bonus buttons...
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...
PSA Mix And Match Your Switch OLED At Nintendo's New Store (US)
Decide how you want your Switch to look
It might be incredibly late in the Switch's life to be doing this, but Nintendo will allow fans who visit its new store in San Francisco to fully customise the colour of their brand-new Switch OLED. This includes the Joy-Con colours and also the Joy-Con wrist straps. Of course, you are bit more limited when...
News Nintendo's New Store Will Stock Mini Sculpture Replicas
"Bring a piece of Nintendo San Francisco home with you"
Nintendo is opening its new San Francisco store in the US this week on 15th May and if you do plan on taking the trip there, you'll able to pick up one of five minature "sculpture replicas" based on the same statues in Nintendo's stores. This includes Mario, Link, Pikmin, Isabelle and the...
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...
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
Tuesday13th May 2025
News Nintendo Switch 2 Hardware Chip Was Potentially Finalised As Early As 2021
Planning ahead
With the Nintendo Switch 2 entering development as early as 2019, it might not come as a surprise that the hardware chip may have been finalised as early as 2021. And according to a teardown of a supposed Switch 2 motherboard, that's exactly what it's come down to. Digital Foundry has summarised findings by
Talking Point Are You Excited At All For Switch 2 GameChat?
Student lounge around
It's been nearly six weeks since the Switch 2 Direct, and we're now only three-and-a-half more away from the system's launch. Overall, we were pretty impressed with the hour-long presentation Nintendo assembled to officially pull back the curtain at the start of April. Yes, some mixed messaging and unanswered questions could...
News Switch 2's Price May Pose "Challenges" For First-Year Sales, Says Furukawa
Hence the lower-than-expected sales forecast
Nintendo has shared the official English translation for its recent end-of-year financial Q&A, in which the board of directors was asked to clarify a couple of details regarding the Switch 2 sales forecast. In case you missed it, Nintendo last week shared that it is expecting to shift 15 million...
News Nintendo Music Adds More Than 100 Pokémon Songs In The Latest Update
I choose you, Sword and Shield
The Nintendo Music app gave us a Zelda playlist last week, and now it's back with a new soundtrack. This time it's the Pokémon Sword and Shield soundtrack - "featuring tracks such as Battle!" and even some work from the Undertale creator Toby Fox. All up there are a whopping 138 tracks with a total runtime of 4 hours...
News Metroid Prime Dev's Cancelled 3D Platformer 'Harmony' Streamed Online For More Than Four Hours
Before being taken down
Retro Studios might be best-known as the Metroid Prime developer, but over the years it's dabbled in various other series and even some concepts that were never released. One of these was the cancelled 3D platformer known as Harmony. It's believed this "linear 3D" game was in development during the Wii U generation and was...
Monday12th May 2025
News Nintendo Showcases Switch 2's Fancy New Battery Charge Settings
Room for more
Just when you thought that the Nintendo Today! app had showcased just about every facet of the Switch 2 that we could possibly hope to see, the Big N pulls out yet another reveal. Today, it's all about the console's fancy new charge settings and how they're working to keep batteries healthy for longer. As highlighted in the app,...
PSA You Can Stop Others Accessing Your Switch 2 With A PIN
Hands off!
A new video posted to the Nintendo Today! app reveals the the upcoming Switch 2 can be completely locked with a PIN. In a similar manner to smart phones and tablets, you can apply a PIN to prevent others from waking the console from sleep mode and playing without your permission. It's not known whether you can adjust the number of digits...
Opinion Nintendo's Forgotten The Game With The Most 'Switch 2 Edition' Potential
It should be the first Pik
We all assumed that Nintendo would pull some re-release magic with the Switch 2, giving us a chance to play our favourite titles again, only this time at a slightly higher resolution and perhaps with some quality of life improvements thrown in to boot. It was a no brainer given that Sony did exactly that with the PS5 and...
Sunday11th May 2025
PSA You Can Use Mouse Controls On The Switch 2 HOME Menu
Navigate with ease
One of the unique aspects of the Switch 2 is the fact the Joy-Con 2 can be used as mouse-like controllers to play games in a new way. In the Nintendo Today! app, the Japanese firm has now demonstrated how you'll also be able to go beyond games and use this control option to navigate the Switch 2 HOME Menu. Just like in games,...
Video 10 GameCube Games We Want On Switch 2's Online Expansion Pack
[Insert GameCube boot up sound here]
The Switch 2 isn't just getting brand new games, but its online service will also be receiving a special update adding the GameCube library. While it's set to start with only a handful of games, Nintendo has already teased some others. Still, we're sure there are many other requests - so Alex and Zion have now...
Back Page Mario Kart World's Roster Is Full Of Deep Cuts, So Where Are These Guys?
All around me are familiar faces
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...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Mario Party 3
Let's roll
We are back with another edition of Box Art Brawl! Are you ready to rank some cover art? Last time, we took a look at 1080° Avalanche for the GameCube, and the results were an absolute blowout. The European / North American design took a staggering win, claiming 80% of the vote and leaving the Japanese variant with the remaining 20%...
News Here's A Look At The Back Of Mario Kart World's Switch 2 Box Art
The race begins next month
Nintendo's new Mario Kart World game arrives on the Switch 2 next month and if you're planning on getting a physical copy, this is what you can expect when you flip over the back of the box art. The Japanese firm shared this new 3D overview in the latest update on its Nintendo Today! mobile app. As you can see "a world...
Saturday10th May 2025
Feature The Long & Rainbow Road To 'Mario Kart World', From SNES To Switch 2
Lap 1 - SMK, MK64 & Super Circuit
We're just weeks away from a brand new Mario Kart, and to say we're excited is a sizeable understatement. The Booster Course Pass, which arrived in waves starting in 2022, breathed life into Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but the base mechanics beneath are the same MK8 we've been playing since May 2014 on Wii U. Don't get us...
Video Nintendo Kicks-Off Switch 2's Marketing Campaign Down Under
All together now
The Switch 2 marketing campaign is well underway around the globe and now Nintendo's Australian branch has joined in on the fun with a new commercial. It's far from a tear-jerker - like that other one featuring the guy on the bus playing Zelda, but it does the job. The focus here is on being able to connect with others "anytime,...
Friday9th May 2025
News Nintendo Says AI-Generated Images "Were Not Used" In Mario Kart World
Park it
We haven't really gone a day without some kind of controversy in the Switch 2 world. And this time Mario Kart World is back in the spotlight, as Nintendo has responded to claims that some of the game's billboards appear to be created with AI. In a statement to Eurogamer, a spokesperson for Nintendo told the publication that "AI-generated...
News Nintendo Defends Switch 2's Perceived Lack Of Innovation
"we feel that it is a very Nintendo-like product"
Nintendo has released its latest Q&A transcript off the back of its financial results for FY2025. In it, president Shuntaro Furukawa defended the Switch 2's perceived lack of innovation, with one investor questioning whether the Switch 2 is a "bridge" to a more innovative next-gen console yet to...
News Nintendo Reiterates Plan To Continue Bringing Out "New Titles" For Switch
"For over 100 million people worldwide"
The Switch 2 is on the horizon and if you don't plan on upgrading immediately, once again there's no need to worry about being left behind (at least for now). In Nintendo's latest financial results, the company issued yet another reminder about how it plans to continue supporting the original Switch system...
Thursday8th May 2025
News Nintendo Shares More Footage Of Zelda: Wind Waker On Switch 2
Available via Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo has shared another compilation of footage from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the Switch 2. Available via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, The Wind Waker brings back the original 2002 GameCube classic exclusively on Switch 2 on 5th June 2025. The latest video focuses on the game's...