Latest Features - Page 2
Talking Point How Do You Play NES Games These Days?
Or, do you even play NES games?
The NES — specifically the Nintendo Entertainment System, not the Famicom — turns 40 today. The console's staggered rollout across the US makes its launch a bittier affair than the orchestrated, worldwide drops we're used to these days. But four decades ago, the first units were purchased in the United States and...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (18th October)
Oh balls
Ahoy chums! It's the weekend, so it's time to recap some of the biggest stories from this week before we dive into some good ol' gaming. First up, our review for Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition went live, and while we certainly enjoyed our time with it, the game just doesn't quite match up to Legends: Arceus. We've also...
Poll Is It About Time Game Freak Added Voice Acting To Pokémon?
Discourse is swirling
Pokémon games have never, at least to our knowledge, had voice-over work. At least not the mainline games or direct spin-offs. For many, especially those who have been with the series since the very beginning, this hasn't really been much of an issue. After all, it was only when Pokémon had properly transitioned into the 3D...
Feature "We're Going To Need More Toilet Paper" - This Is Mario Kart-Attack!
A Mario Kart Live anniversary blowout
We may only be a few months into a shiny, new Mario Kart game with lush open worlds and challenges aplenty, but as I scrap it out in yet another Knockout Tour or pootle about for P Switches and Peach Coins, I can’t help but yearn for something a little more familiar. It’s a sentiment shared by many, if...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Fatal Fury Special (SNES)
Ready? Set? NSO!
We are back, back, back with another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, it was the Virtual Boy in the spotlight, as we matched up a duo of covers for Teleroboxer. It was two very different designs and they pulled in very different results, but the North American variant took the dub with 69% of the vote, leaving the Japanese box...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (11th October)
Get tactical, marines!
Hello hello, yes, it's the weekend once again! But before we dive into what we're playing over the next couple of days, let's just look back at some of the recent news highlights. The big talking point this week was undoubtedly the debut video(s) from Nintendo Pictures. While there was a lot of mystery surrounding the first...
Opinion Ogre Battle 64: Person Of Lordly Caliber's Revolutionary Heart Still Burns Brightly
Say, you want a revolution?
Has it really been 25 years? Yes, my wizened friends, it has. Back in the year of our lord 2000 (or 1999 if you're from Japan), if you weren't still calming down from the trauma of Y2K (still can't believe nothing happened) you may have been getting completely sucked into one of the few truly amazing RPGs on the Nintendo...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects (September 2025)
Our picks for the best eShop games on Switch and Switch 2 in September!
Phew. What a month, hey? It's time for eShop Selects, and it's a doozy. As we approach the holiday season, we're practically drowning in games, with two of the biggest indies of the year hitting within weeks of each other. A Nintendo Direct ensured we'd be swimming in more...
Opinion Sonic Racing Crossworlds > Mario Kart World, And It's Not Even Close For Me
Plus, vote for your kurrent kart-racing king
When I initially found out that we were getting a brand new Mario Kart with the launch of Switch 2, I was a little bit concerned. Not disappointed, definitely excited, but concerned all the same. Mario Kart 8, you see, has become such an all-encompassing thing over the years, a sprawling collection of...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Teleroboxer (Virtual Boy)
Telerobrawl
Hello folks, and welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, we looked at the ridiculously titled Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy - Deluxe Edition for the Nintendo Switch, and it was the Japanese box art design that
Feature From Z To A — Honouring My Favourite Pokémon, One Letter At A Time
Gotta alphabetise ‘em all
Ever since The Pokémon Company uttered the name Pokémon Legends: Z-A, one idea has obsessively swirled around my mind: I needed to declare my favourite Pokémon for each letter in the alphabet, in reverse alphabetical order. Anyone else? Just me? And why? I don’t know, because what I thought would be a fun, breezy...
Community Played A Great Switch Game We Missed? Send Us Your Hot Tips
2 hot to stop
It's that time of year for our six-monthly Games We Missed round-up, when you lovely people flag great Switch games that slipped through Nintendo Life's nets. And this is the first edition since Switch 2 launched! While we've done our utmost to keep up with every new Switch 2 game after 25 of them dropped on 5th June, there have...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (4th October)
Galactic plans
The weekend! Before we dive into what we're playing, let's do a little recap of this week, hm? First up, our review for Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 for the Switch went live, so you should definitely check that out. Nightdive Studios announced yet another remaster coming to consoles, and the
Talking Point Can Metroid Prime 4's Title Screen Go As Hard As The Others?
Beyond iconic
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes has one of the best title screens ever. It starts off with edge-lit glimpses and silhouettes, a bit like a Bond intro. But instead of naked bodies and wait-was-that-a-nipple, there’s something grotesque and alien and impressively FMV in the darkness. There’s those classic Prime-y choir synths, which might...
Opinion Silksong Might Just Be The Funniest Game Of The Year
Silks and giggles
It's very easy not to see the funny side of Hollow Knight: Silksong. Don't worry, I've been there. Something about bashing your head against a boss for the 20th time takes away the giggles a little bit, and that's okay. But you have to hear me out here: I haven't laughed this much at a game in a very long time. It tickles a very...
Feature Get A Job - 30 Years On, Seiken Densetsu 3's Class System Is Still One Of The Best
Hi, I'd like apply to be a Fenrir Knight
Who doesn’t love a job or class system in an RPG? From endlessly levelling jobs and sub-classing skills in Final Fantasy V to building the perfect teams and pairings in Octopath Traveler, classes bring a level of customisation and character that feels pretty unique to the genre. But while most games allow...
Feature Zelda, Layton, Mega Man - 10 Games We Played At TGS 2025 Coming To Switch 1 & 2
Evil Residents, Stories of Monster Hunters, Quests for Dragons, and more!
With the release of Switch 2, fans of their handheld hybrids will be relieved to hear that, compared to last year, there were many more Nintendo games to play at the Tokyo Game Show. This time around, the massive displays put up by the likes of Capcom and Square Enix had a...
Hands On Resident Evil Requiem Switch 2 Footage - A Surprisingly Tense Port
Spooky fun in the palms of your hands
[video: warned: It's Resident Evil, so there are some grisly, head-bitey bits in this video After so many years of performance issues on the original Switch, I haven’t quite gotten used to the fact that most games on Switch 2 hit a stable 60fps and that modern third-party blockbusters run on it well. As such,...
Puzzling
Welcome back, dear readers, to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, we matched up a pair of covers for everyone's favourite dino, as we looked at a duo of designs for Yoshi Touch & Go. There's no polite way to put this: it was a blowout. The colourful North American and European design walked away with a staggering win, taking...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (27th September)
The Underworld beckons
Hello folks! It's the weekend once again, but before we dive into what we're playing, let's just do a quick recap of the last week. First up, it seems only right that we go over some of the reviews we posted this week, because these include some pretty big games: Hades II - 9/10 Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles...
Feature Who Is Devon Pritchard? - Meet The Next NOA President Stepping Into Bowser's Boots
Dougging deep
Yesterday, Nintendo shared the news that none of us could have predicted so soon: Bowser is stepping down from the position of top dog at the end of this year. The Koopas will have to find a new king, the Mushroom Kingdom will have to find a new menace, the kart racing scene will ha- what? Not that Bowser? Oh... we're going to miss...
Opinion Silksong's Soundtrack Rules, But You Should Turn It Off
Are your ready to RUMBLEEEE?
It was approximately 30 seconds after I'd buckled in for my flight to Greece that I smugly turned on my Switch 2 with the knowledge that I would have four hours of uninterrupted Silksong time ahead of me; then I realised my headphones were out of charge. It's no big deal, right? I'll be able to play just fine with the...
Opinion The Mario Movie Was Okay At Best, But I Can't Wait For The Sequel
Cosmic memories
The first Super Mario Bros. Movie from Illumination was… well, okay at best. It got a fair bit right, like the excellent visual presentation and delightful Easter Eggs throughout its 92-minute runtime. But a weak script, baffling casting decisions, and reliance on licensed music over iconic tracks from Koji Kondo resulted in a...
Preview Pokémon Legends: Z-A's Combat Shines Brightly, But Its Visuals Are Still Dull
Too zazzy?
It’s no secret that I’ve not been the biggest hype-monster when it comes to Pokémon Legends: Z-A. I’m not big on the idea of an open game being restricted to just a city, and the combat, whilst intriguing, left me apprehensive for how it would be executed. Well, I got the chance to go and play the game on Switch 2 in the Eiffel...
Opinion Why Focus On Silksong's Difficulty When We Need To Talk About How Cute It is?
Fari dula tsi ma net~
Over a week after beating Hollow Knight: Silksong, I’ve decided that we’re all focusing on the wrong things. Hornet’s fast-paced movement and range of options are breathtaking, sure, and the game can be maddening. But instead of succumbing to the difficulty discourse, instead of falling into a pit of spikes for a 13th...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Yoshi Touch & Go
Look & Vote
We're back with another clash of the covers as we embark on this week's Box Art Brawl! Last time, it was the Game Boy's Operation C (or Probotector, depending on your region) being put in the limelight, and we had a full three covers to choose between. It was the North American design that walked away with the win, however, snatching up...
Opinion Resident Evil Requiem Represents A Turning Point For Switch 2
No longer left behind
Ever since the first big blowout Direct for the Switch 2 back in April, I’ve been itching to see an announcement for Resident Evil on the new console. It’s possibly my favourite series of all time, after all, so I’m eager to play the recent entries on a Nintendo console without having to connect to the bloomin’ Cloud...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (20th September)
Nothing to dread, here
Well hello there. Welcome. It's the weekend, and that means you're keen to see what we're going to be playing over the next couple of days while divulging your own plans. Before you do so, however, let's just recap the last handful of days. First up, Nintendo announced that it would be expanding its GBA app with two new...
Ambassador, with this barbaric difficulty you're really spoiling us…
It's hard to believe, especially since I just about remember this one happening, that Ghosts 'n Goblins, Capcom's seminal (and seminally difficult) coin-op classic, first arrived in smoky arcade halls in Japan 40 years ago. Four entire decades. Deary me. I know I sound like a...
Opinion I Can't Believe I'm Finally Getting My Dream Pokémon Game In 2026
Z-A? What's *that*?
I rarely expect big Pokémon news during Nintendo Directs. Maybe an NSO drop (pffft), perhaps some details on the already-announced game coming out. I certainly did not anticipate my dream of becoming a Ditto who can transform into a human being to come true during the latest showcase. Okay, that’s obviously not what I’ve...
Opinion NSO Subscribers Outside Key Markets Get Less, And Nintendo Should Fix That
Region-free access, region-locked perks
Since its launch in 2018, the Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) has been a lightning rod for debate among players. Fans have argued over whether its two-tier price structure constitutes good value, questioned the quality of emulation — sometimes patchy at first with certain N64 games but steadily improved — and...
Opinion Metroid Prime 4 Reminds Me Of Gears 5, And It's Making Me Nervous
Skiff it a chance
I’m starting to feel nervous about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Let me explain. During the most recent Nintendo Direct, the long-gestating game finally received a release date for 4th December 2025 on Switch and Switch 2. That’s not all, though; the accompanying trailer also revealed that Samus would now be rocking her very own...
Review JSAUX Split Protective Case For Switch 2 -Sleek But Off-Putting Modular Design
Clip on, clip off
If you managed to check out our review of Genki’s Attack Vector Case for the Switch 2, then JSAUX’s Split Protection Case will look pretty familiar. It adopts the same modular approach, with a main case clipping onto the back of the device, and two grips encompassing the Joy-Con 2 controllers. The difference here, however, is...
Sans regret
It's hard to believe that Undertale is 10 years old, innit. A game that released just a year after the birth of my eldest son, and two before my youngest arrived on the scene. What is time? It's all going so quickly. I bring my kids up here, not to be one of those tiresome people, but because Toby Fox's masterpiece (and you better...
RG-Beautiful
With the Switch 2 now in full swing, accessory manufacturers have unleashed a bevvy of additional bits and bobs for players to enhance their experience with Nintendo’s new console. JSAUX is one such company, and has released a rather lovely-looking charging dock for those who happen to own more than one set of Joy-Con 2 controllers...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Operation C / Probotector (Game Boy)
Operation Brawl
Well howdy y'all, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, we looked at Forsaken for the N64, which yes, we'll admit wasn't the most inspiring duo of box art designs. Nevertheless, North America managed to seal the deal with 59% of the vote. Well done! This week, we're going back to the Game Boy to check out...
Feature Jump, Man - A Celebration Of The Greatest Jumps In Gaming
Jump day
Super Mario Bros. is now 40 years old. To celebrate this big anniversary, Omar looks back over four decades of gaming's greatest verb and/or noun... When's the last time you jumped? Maybe when hopping from a kerb over an autumn puddle. Maybe bouncing up and down to House of Pain or that Blackpink song. Maybe you literally 'jump into bed'...
Opinion I'm Celebrating Super Mario Bros.' 40th Anniversary By Finally Finishing It
Clear Bowser history
Please, angry mob, wait! It's true, I had never finished Super Mario Bros. before this week, but that's not to say that I hadn't played it before. If you'll put your pitchforks and burning torches down for a moment, I promise, I can explain. It was 2004 when I first came into contact with Super Mario Bros. I remember that...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (13th September)
Silksong? That was ages ago, mate. Do try to keep up
Good Mario, morning fans! It's that time of the week once again, and now that the Super Mario 40th anniversary plans have been fully unveiled via the latest Direct...well...we're maybe not gonna be diving into quite as much Mario as we had sorta hoped this weekend, as the likes of Mario Galaxy 1...
Opinion Silksong's Tight Construction Is Exactly What I Need After Too Much Open-World Loafing
I have to fight the boss now? But I was picking flowers!
Of course, it's not in any way whatsoever radical to have your players follow along a tightly-scripted path in a video game. It's nothing new, it's nothing that hasn't been a constant (in platformers especially) since...well...forever. So why is it, some five or six hours into my time with...
We speak with Kazutoyo Maehiro and Hiroshi Minagawa
Boy, Square-Enix really wants us to party on our Switches like it’s… 1997. Because over the last few years, they’ve made three separate titles in a newly minted, old-school RPG franchise Octopath Traveler, and then there’s the upcoming Switch 2 release of Final Fantasy VII Remake, the...
Talking Point Nintendo Direct September Predictions - What Do You Hope To See?
Primed and ready
Nintendo's marketing for the Switch and Switch 2 is going absolutely nuts in 2025. We had a Partner Showcase in July, an Indie World and a Kirby blowout in August, and now we're getting a full-fat, juicy Direct in September. Crikey!
Talking Point Is Hollow Knight: Silksong Too Difficult?
Phar too hard?
The original Hollow Knight was no pushover, but it's safe to say that its sequel is hitting a whole new level of difficulty. You only need look on social media to see that some folks have been struggling with their journey through Pharloom. A few are even going so far as to say that Silksong is "way too difficult to be enjoyable" or...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Forsaken (N64)
For goodness' saken
Greetings, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we checked out the original Harvest Moon for the SNES, and would you believe it, it was actually the more realistic European design that won the day with 46% of the vote. North America was the runner-up with 34%, while Japan only managed 20%. This week, to...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (6th September)
Silky smooth weekend vibes?
Aloha, amigos, and welcome shorts fans, to another weekend. It's been a very, very quiet one this week, with no games of note to menti...oh, hold on. Wait. We've actually been inundated with bangers. I'm terribly sorry. Yes, Hollow Knight: Silksong has finally materialised. It's a real game that you can play right now!...
Feature Nintendo Life Reader Survey 2025
Gotta answer 'em all!
It's that time of year again folks. We would love to ask you some questions and would greatly appreciate it if you could take the time to respond to our anonymous survey. Why is this important to us? Our websites survive mainly due to those who choose to advertise their games on our websites. Advertisers typically (and...
Round Up 6 Switch 1 & 2 Games We Played At PAX - Here's What We Thought
PAX picks, plus a trio we hope come to Nintendo's platform(s)
Last weekend, the intrepid Alan Lopez hit Seattle to see what PAX West had to offer this year. He went hands-on with a bunch of titles, large and small, coming to Switch 1 and/or 2, plus a handful more games from devs who would love to bring their work to a Switch near you...but have...
First Impressions Same But Different? - Our Initial Hours With Hollow Knight: Silksong
A shaw-fire hit early on?
No, you're not hallucinating — that is Hollow Knight: Silksong live on the Switch eShop. After years of waiting, Team Cherry has delivered its Hollow Knight follow-up today (4th September 2025), with Hornet taking centre stage this time around. Now, as you're no doubt are aware at this point, review codes for Silkso
Feature The Road To Silksong: Remembering Seven Years Of Hope, Hype, And Clown Makeup
Nothing but Hornet
In case you somehow missed it, today is Hollow Knight: Silksong Eve Eve. Yes, it's a term that I've just made up, but I've been waiting for this one for the past seven years, so you'll have to forgive me for counting down the days as if I'm on the run up to Christmas. Team Cherry's surprise announcement two weeks ago might have...
Poll What Review Score Would You Give 'Kirby & The Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World'?
Ludicrously long titles are so hot right now
Kirby landed on Nintendo's latest console last week, a few months ahead of his upcoming Switch 2 exclusive Kirby Air Riders in November. The updated version of Kirby and the Forgotten Land followed on from the snazzy Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of a Switch 1 game released in July, the (similarly)...
