Latest Features
Opinion Rayman 2 Is An Overlooked Platforming Classic About A Rebel With A Cause
The great escape
Rayman 2 has been added to the Nintendo Switch Online N64 library. His fight for freedom against a literally iron-fisted despot represented a braver, weirder time for Ubisoft, and today Francisco looks back on a classic... For many of us, Super Mario 64 changed platforming forever by introducing the boundless possibilities of the...
Opinion Playing Silksong In Co-Op Was A 2025 Hivemind Highlight
GameChatting my way through Pharloom
We lost track of the amount of times our friend Ibby tried to convey his love for the gorgeous Choral Chambers theme from Silksong, asking us to listen to this bit or the flutey bit, or another haunting, melancholic bit we couldn’t actually hear because of GameChat’s music-muting tech. We did, however,...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Mega Man 6
The NES swan song
Hello everyone, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl. Last week's epic battle saw Europe and North America go up against Japan to see which Metroid Prime Pinball design is the very best. It was a close one, but in the end, Japan won the day with 55% of the vote. Bravo! This time, to celebrate the announcement of Mega...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (13th December)
Federation Focus
We're another week closer to the all-important GOTY discussions, and our backlogs are looking bigger than ever. It's time to find out if any of us have plans to do something about it, as we dive into another edition of What Are You Playing. There has been a fair bit of news in the world of Nintendo this week. The Game Awards came...
Round Up Everything Announced At The Game Awards 2025 - All Switch 1 & 2 Reveals
The Leon and Winding Road
Well, The Game Awards 2025 are finally in the rear-view mirror, and there were... a fair number of Switch announcements — that's a nice change! Yes, alongside Nintendo picking up a couple of awards, there were also a bunch of "World Premieres" and updates for titles we can expect to play on our beloved hybrids at some...
Opinion Resident Evil Requiem Needs To Solve The Series' Villain Problem
Where art thou, Wesker?
Warning: this article contains scenes of explicit spoilers. Resident Evil Requiem launches on the Switch 2 in just under three months, but even now, the game is heavily shrouded in mystery (well, a little less so after the accidental reveal of Leon). Judging from the trailers so far, one of the biggest draws of this new...
Feature "It's A Bit Of A Joke At This Point" - Skyrim Dev On Returning For A Switch 2 Re-Release
Sky(rim)'s the limit
Somehow, Skyrim returned. Yes, the rumours are true, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is back (again), as a free Switch 2 upgrade. Making the most of the hardware's updated specs, the new release bundles in a whole host of fancy features, like enhanced performance and resolution, better load times, and Mouse...
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Metroid Prime 4: Beyond?
Worth the wait?
Now that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is finally here, and given that many of us will have spent our weekends absolutely leathering its main campaign on Switch 2 (or even Switch 1), we reckon now's the time to start gauging how you lot feel about Samus Aran's latest outing. Of course, our very own Ollie Reynolds has already delivered his...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects (November 2025)
Our picks for the best eShop games on Switch and Switch 2 in November!
At last, we're almost at the end of 2025. Snow might be settling in where you are, temperature's dropping — or perhaps you're lucky to be reading from somewherein the southern hemisphere. But there's one thing that remains the same wherever you're reading from; it's eShop...
Feature My NES Longing, My Son's Terrifying Switch 2 Obsession
Generational drama
They say history repeats itself, and right now I’m living through a redux of my own childhood gaming obsession. To understand my plight, we need to rewind to 1988. I had cut my gaming teeth on a dusty Atari 2600 my dad picked up at a garage sale. I loved me some Missile Command and Warlords, but once my best friend and...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Metroid Prime Pinball
Ding ding ding!
It has been a particularly Metroid-packed week, and we're keeping that Morph Ball rolling in the latest edition of Box Art Brawl. Before we do that, however, let's recap what happened last time. Celebrating the arrival of its Game Boy counterpart on NSO, we matched up three covers for Bionic Commando on the NES, and our favourite...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (6th December)
She's finally here!
We are one week into December, and how many games have already been released? *Checks notes* All of them. All of the games have been released. Welcome, folks, to a busy edition of What Are You Playing. Let's try our best to recap the last seven days, shall we? Naturally, there was a lot of Metroid shenanigans to cover, with...
Review HautePad M-Ultra Gen2 Arcade Controller For Switch & Switch 2 - Just A Hair From Perfection
Premium experience at an affordable price
Cosmox Gaming offers up a lot of arcade controllers, including the modular Hautepad X at a more premium price and the remarkably affordable Hautepad C16. Now, the company has launched the M-Ultra Gen2, an aluminium-built leverless that sits somewhere in-between the two. If the
Talking Point Six Months Since Launch, How Would You Rate Switch 2?
The half-year in review
Friday 5th December marks the six-month mark for Nintendo's sequel system. Launching back in June, the earliest adopters among us have now been living with the console for half a year. Blimey! It seems like only yesterday we were all speculating about the follow-up to Switch 1. Would it launch in 2022? 2023? 2024?... Yes,...
Hands On Espresso Pro 15 - A Portable 4K Monitor For Switch 2, But With A Catch
In the dock
While the Switch and Switch 2 are portable systems that come with their own built-in screens, I've often been drawn to pairing Nintendo's hybrid consoles with portable monitors when I'm on the road and away from my TV. One of my favourite choices for the original Switch is the Espresso V2, a premium 1080p screen which doesn't even need...
Mixin' it up
I've been having an interesting run lately of games that shake things up, even if it's just a little bit, in the controls department. Back in the good old days — or at least my nostalgia blinkers have made it seem this way to me — the idea of being bored rigid by a game's control systems wasn't something that ever entered my mind...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Bionic Commando (NES)
Bionic calls
Get your spiciest takes at the ready, because it's time to dive into another edition of Box Art Brawl! It was a special edition affair last time, as we celebrated the 35th anniversary of the SNES by matching up three boxes for the SNES Mini. There was one clear winner in our eyes, and you lovely lot agreed with us! The simplistic...
Opinion City Trial Is Kirby Air Riders At Its Best, But It Needs More Maps To Thrive Long-Term
Let the chaos continue (please)
Right, it's been out a week now, so it seems like enough time should have passed that we can start having a little chat about Kirby Air Riders, and in particular its stellar City Trial mode. "Stellar? It's a chaotic mess!" Indeed it is, and well met, my friend. However, that's exactly why it's so damn good, so stop...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (29th November)
Prime time is right around the corner
The end of November is finally upon us (how??), so let's distract ourselves from the topic of ever-marching time by seeing what everyone's gaming plans are this weekend. It was a somewhat quieter week in Nintendo Land this time, but there were still a few nice stories to keep us entertained. Nintendo picked up...
Feature The Tightest, Briskest Mario & Luigi Game Turns 20 Today And Deserves More Love
Silent partner
For many years, it felt like Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time was the redheaded stepchild of the Mario & Luigi series. People criticised it for its more linear structure, overly long boss battles (at least in the US version), having to purchase items to use Bros. Attacks, and slightly cumbersome gameplay, among other areas. Being...
"We tried to knock at Marvel's door really early on"
Shortly after Tribute Games and Dotemu released TMNT: Shredder's Revenge back in 2022, attention turned to what the dev/publisher duo would work on next. Tribute teased that other licensees had come a-knocking with proposals, but what franchise do you turn to if you want to 1-up the Turtles? The...
Poll So, Will You Be Getting A Copy Of Rosalina's Storybook?
A galactic read
Nintendo surprised us all back in the September Direct with the announcement of Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 — our first chance to play the latter on modern hardware in 15 years. What was perhaps even more surprising was the reveal of Rosalina's Storybook, a hardback edition of the in-game page-turner that would be...
Opinion 20 Years Later, Need For Speed: Most Wanted Is Still The Series' Best Outing
Most excellent
The Need for Speed video game franchise, much like those movies with Vin Diesel in them (you know, the car ones), well...there's a lot of them. In fact, there are over 20 Need For Speed games as things currently stand, and some of them are even good! Yep, I'd go so far as to say that some of them are very, very good indeed, and Need...
Poll 20 Years After Settling On DS, Do You Still Play Animal Crossing: Wild World?
Is your World Wild two decades on?
Animal Crossing was a bit of a cult hit when it launched on GameCube back in 2002 in the West. While it didn't start life on the purple box, that's where it made its name internationally. At least for a few million people who picked the game up. But, arguably, the series made itself known with its handheld debut...
Poll Box Art Brawl - SNES Classic Mini Console
Which Mini is Mightiest?
Hello folks, and welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we looked at Inazuma Eleven for the DS, which resulted in a heated battle in which Europe emerged triumphant against Japan with 71% of the vote. Well done! This time, to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the SNES, we thought we'd check out the...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (22nd November)
Since when is it nearly December??
The weekend is finally upon us after yet another week featuring a new Nintendo first-party release! Yep, it was full steam ahead on Kirby Air Riders this week, as we shared our full review, heard news of the in-game events planned for its first year, chuckled at the
Opinion Banjo-Tooie Is Pure Nightmare Fuel, And I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
Banjo-Too-Five-ie
One of the reasons I adore N64-gen Rare so much is because they loved testing the boundaries. What could they get away with in a cheeky, charming 3D platformer? Banjo-Kazooie was already dipping its toe in the water in a few subtle (and less-subtle) ways. “How's your nuts, bark breath?” is funny, but perhaps funnier with that...
"They were very courteous"
Earlier this week, we got the news that Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars was being 'reforged' once again, into a new Switch 2 Edition this time. Huzzah, we thought, as we pondered who would be the best person to talk to about the 1996 point-and-click adventure making its way to Nintendo's latest hybrid. The answer, of...
Poll What Do You Make Of Link And Zelda's Live-Action Looks?
Sheik it off
Nintendo has officially lifted the lid on the live-action looks for Zelda and Link in the upcoming Zelda movie with a trio of official photos (compared to the leaked 'on-set' footage that appeared online days before). We've got our first look at Benjamin Evan Ainsworth's Link and Bo Bragason's Princess Zelda in their full Hylian garb,...
Feature How Mega Starmie Became The Internet's New Queer Icon
Gaga, Cher, Streisand... Mega Starmie?
It came during the night. From the darkest, most existentially tortured recesses of a Game Freak designer’s brain. Diffidently, at first, then more boldly. Finally, hips swishing, stripper heels glittering, it announced itself across the Internet in a burst of dramatics. I am speaking, of course, of Mega...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Inazuma Eleven
Footpoll
We are back with this week's clash of the covers! Welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl. It was a trio of designs for the NES' Dragon Power that went head-to-head (to-head) last time, though neither the European nor North American artwork stood a chance against the eye-catching Japanese variant, which gobbled up 72% of the vote and...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (15th November)
Urobororororos
Eeeeeeyyyyy, it's the weekend! This week has been surprisingly busy, huh? We've had a brand-new trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie along with confirmation that Brie Larson and Benny Safdie are joining the cast as Rosalina and Bowser Jr. We also finally received the Metroid Prime 4: Beyond trailer
Guide Top 100 Nintendo Games, As Chosen By Nintendo Life & IGN
A century of must-have classics
Nintendo has been around for well over a century and has been an active part of the video game industry since the 1970s. The company's impact on the realm of interactive entertainment is almost unprecedented, and its consoles and handhelds have played host to some of the most iconic titles of all time. Nintendo Life...
Feature 10 Years On, Is Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival Really That Bad?
Bored game
Few games have tapped into the popular zeitgeist quite like Animal Crossing: New Horizons did back in 2020 at the onset of the global pandemic. It’s sold a whopping 48.62 million copies worldwide since launch, elevating Animal Crossing from a fan-favourite series to a full-fledged cultural phenomenon, earning its place alongside...
Feature 12 Details You Might Have Missed In The Mario Galaxy Movie Trailer
Do you like what you Odys-see?
Nintendo has revealed our first proper look at The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, with a trailer that lasts all of 2:25. Nope, that's not very long, but there are a lot of details crammed in there. To make sure you caught all of the little touches, we've assembled the following rundown of every neat detail, reference, and...
Anniversary Romancing SaGa 3 Celebrates 30 Years Of Eclipsing Death
An Octopath well-travelled
I think it's fair to say we got a bit of an unexpected gift when Square Enix re-released Romancing SaGa 3 for Switch back in November of 2019. While it may not generate quite the same level of excitement as your Final Fantasies (and that's understandable), Romancing SaGa 3 deserves any plaudits it gets for bringing a...
Feature Now Samus Is Doing It - What Is It About The 'Akira Slide' That's So Great?
Metroid shred
The cultural consciousness loves the ‘Akira Slide’; a single moment in the 1988 anime movie Akira where Shōtarō Kaneda, following a bike race, skids across the tarmac to slow himself down, facing the screen, his bike side-on, trails of smoke billowing up from the road. Of course, he could use his brakes, but it wouldn’t be as...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Dragon Power (NES)
This is a wild one, folks
Hello everyone, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, we checked out the wonderful Animal Crossing: Wild World for the DS and, as expected, the western design won the day with a whopping 84%. Good effort Japan, but this one just ain't it. This time, we're looking at Dragon Power for the NES. Released...
Anniversary 20 Years Ago, 'GUN' Brought America's Old West (And An All-Star Cast) To GameCube
Kris Kristofferson is my dad now
Ever feel like getting your video game cowboy on, but Red Dead Redemption and its kinda bloated sequel, as good as they are, just take way too long to bed into? You know what I mean. Rockstar's epics are the obvious go-to choices in this scenario. However, sometimes I just want to shoot stuff in the cowboy style,...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (6th November)
Hyrule? No, you rule!
The weekend is finally upon us, and we're ready to play some games... once we've recapped this week's big news, of course! In the absence of a major Animal Crossing announcement, this week felt a little quieter than last, but there was still plenty to get excited about. The Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension DLC scored a...
Opinion Third-Party Support For Switch 2 Is Already A Dream Come True
An avalanche of quality
The Switch 2 has gotten off to a bit of a weird start. Although there’s no denying that the console has been a massive commercial success since its launch on 5th June 2025 — officially selling over 10 million units — there’s a niggling, underlying sense of dissatisfaction amongst some fans regarding Nintendo’s...
Gallery The 'Samus & Vi-O-La' amiibo For Metroid Prime 4 Could Be The Best Yet
Ready to roll
Nintendo has released its first batch of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond amiibo, including 'Samus' and 'Samus & Vi-O-La'. A third, 'Sylux', will launch alongside the game itself on 4th December 2025. We've managed to get our grubby little mitts on Samus & Vi-O-La, and we thought you might like to take a closer look at what this thing looks...
Talking Point What's The Best Firework Sequence In A Video Game?
Oooh! Aaaahh!
"Remember remember the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason, and an excuse to talk about 'Jump Up, Super Star!' again." That's a rhyme that we Brits are all familiar with (at least, words to that effect), because here it's Guy Fawkes Night. Or Bonfire Night, if you prefer. On 5th November every year, we gather in cold, wet fields...
Poll Is The Latest Metroid Prime 4 Trailer Teasing Another Legacy Character?
Kan it be..?
Nintendo has released a fresh new look at Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, and while much of the footage is recycled from previous trailers, there were definitely a few interesting new shots to consider. One of these is pretty throwaway at first glance, but a few fans online believe it might be hiding a pretty...
Talking Point Smashing Switch 2 Numbers Prove Nintendo's Strategy Is Super Effective
In this economy? Well played
The world of video games hasn't provided much respite from global issues recently, not for those of us who love games and the people who make them. The issues facing the industry and players post-COVID — including mass layoffs, cancelled projects, questionable acquisitions, the encroachment of generative AI, rising...
Back Page Pokémon Legends: Z-A Fit Check - Celebrating Lumiose Fashion Week In Style
Florges? For Spring? Groudonbreaking
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...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects (October 2025)
Our picks for the best eShop games on Switch and Switch 2 in October!
Hello, hello, hello! you know what time of the month it is? Oh yes, it's eShop Selects. And we've got some fireworks in here. Spooky season has passed and many of us are now looking ahead to the 'H' season (or perhaps there's some Turkey in the near future for you for those of...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Animal Crossing: Wild World
Someone's Nooking at your door
Testing, testing. Is the Animalese-to-English translator up and running? It is? Good. Welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we put Metroid Prime 2: Echoes under the microscope, and it was a pretty close-run contest. The North American / European design just clinched the win, in the end, with 58%...
Feature The Art I 'Stole' From Nintendo
And where it is now
It began with a Zelda T-shirt. I was wearing my “It's dangerous to go alone! Take this.” shirt while running a quick errand at the bank. The teller spotted it. He was at least 20 years younger than me, but his “Nice shirt!” comment kicked off a lengthy conversation about our shared Nintendo fandom. Before long, he...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (1st November)
FIGHT!
Gosh, we're into November already – how on earth did that happen? Well, either way, it's the weekend, so let's do a quick recap of the week before we dive into what we're playing, shall we? Naturally, the biggest news of the week was the announcement from Nintendo that Animal Crossing: New Horizons would be making a comeback, with both a...
