Latest Features
Feature Japanese Dev Legend Tak Fujii On His Switch Music Exclusive Gal Metal
"My dream is about increasing real band players from playing the game"
Tak Fujii is one of the most established and charismatic figures in the Japanese gaming industry today. He spent twenty years at Konami in Chicago and Tokyo, filled roles such as sound designer, director and producer, as well as playing guitar on the incredible Castlevania:...
Watch The Nintendo World Championships 2017 - Live!
Who'll become world champion?
Here's a bit of a fun stream for the weekend, as we have the Nintendo World Championships out of New York. We know that Metroid: Samus Returns will feature, but apart from that Nintendo has kept tight-lipped about the line-up. Let's see what happens! <liveblog id="the_nintendo_world_championships_2017_-_live"...
Feature The Biggest Nintendo Switch Retail Games of 2017 - Fall / Winter Edition
From Mario, to DOOM, and more besides
We're heading into what is known by some as the 'silly season' in the games industry. Publishers are understandably eager to get in on the Holiday gravy train, and as a result we have an influx of games to consider. Therefore, it's a good time for our Nintendo Switch Fall / Winter edition of the 'biggest games'...
Feature Four Horses Discusses the Process of Bringing Kid Tripp to the Switch
Not kidding around
Not long ago Kid Tripp arrived on the 3DS eShop, an auto-running platformer that offers snappy but challenging stages. Some balked at its mobile origins but that was to do it a discredit; in our view it's a well-constructed and fun game. Four Horses produced that version and is now working on a Switch port, so we caught up with...
Exclusive A First Look at Plague Road on Nintendo Switch
Turn-based combat and strategy in an apocalyptic world
Regular readers of our sister-site Push Square probably know the name Luc Bernard, a British game designer well known for highly stylised and intriguing games. A recent project through Arcade Distillery - a studio with some familiar names in its roster - is Plague Road, and pleasingly it's...
Feature VooFoo Studios On Why It's Full Speed Ahead for Mantis Burn Racing on Switch
"Switch is going from strength to strength"
There have been a lot of download game announcements for the Switch eShop in recent weeks, with Mantis Burn Racing being one in the pack; its developer VooFoo Studios may be familiar to some eShop veterans as it brought us Pure Chess on the Wii U and 3DS eShop. This latest project is a top-down...
Guide Where To Find All The Upgrades In Metroid: Samus Returns
Upgrade path
Like any Metroid game before it, Metroid: Samus Returns is full of secrets, passages and loot for the famous bounty hunter to find. Your progression through the game is tied to finding these items as you'll invariably encounter doors, passageways and environmental hazard that necessitate the locating of these gadgets. To...
Feature Zoink Games on Flipping Death, Fe, and Making the Move to Nintendo Switch
"We’re really heading towards some exciting times"
The Wii U eShop brought us plenty of memorable games, and one example was Stick it to The Man by Zoink Games. The Swedish studio earned plenty of fans with its unique art style and comedic storytelling, giving Switch owners good news when Flipping Death was confirmed for the...
Poll The Switch eShop is Hot, But Is It Time for an Overhaul of Its User Interface?
Yes, in our view
The Switch eShop seems to be going from strength to strength in recent weeks and months. After a first few months of curation - as declared by Nintendo in a pre-launch Nindies Showcase - the shackles have come off and more developers have been able to release content on the store. Yes, there's been a little bit of dross and games...
Feature Learn More About Indie Pogo, a Quirky Brawler Featuring Iconic Nindies
Aiming for funding through Kickstarter
Indie Pogo, from developer Lowe Bros. Studios, is not only a love letter to Nintendo fighting institution Super Smash Bros. and similar brawlers, but is also the ultimate indie game collaboration; it features characters from many popular indie (and 'Nindie') games. The Kickstarter for the project is well under...
Deals Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games And Accessories For October And November
Super Mario Odyssey, Fire Emblem Warriors, Skyrim and lots more!
Can you believe it's October already? It's a great time to be a Switch owner; we've recently seen the release of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Pokkén Tournament DX and there's still lots more to look forward to in the coming months. So, what's on the horizon...
Feature From the Show Floor - A Chat With CIRCLE Entertainment / Flyhigh Works at TGS
"Nintendo trusts us, which is a precious thing"
Last week we went along to the Tokyo Game Show, Japan's best known and most popular games expo. Various publishers went all-in with live events and streams, such as Sony, Capcom and more, while Nintendo still opted for a low-key approach. It offered some support, however, for smaller publishers and...
Deals Got Your SNES Classic Mini? Then Check Out These Essential Accessories
Because everyone needs a wireless pad, right?
So you've got your SNES Classic Edition Mini - consider yourself to be one of the lucky ones. But getting the micro console itself is just the start of your journey. Here are some amazing accessories to go with your Super NES Classic Edition that will enhance your experience exponentially...
Poll Nintendo's Switch Arcade Archives - Is It the Retro Gaming You Want?
They're fresh options, but questions remain over a Switch VC
Nintendo often finds a way to surprise its fans and throw a curveball, and so in the most recent Nintendo Direct it didn't unveil the Switch Virtual Console, as such, but the 'Arcade Archives' series. It started this week with Arcade Archives Mario Bros., and the following are still on the...
Hardware Review The SNES Classic Mini Is The Perfect Link To The Past
Now you're playing with miniature power
When the NES Classic Mini was first announced, it caused shockwaves in the world of Nintendo (and gave this very site one of its busiest days in terms of traffic, fact fans). The resultant stock shortages soured what was, in all honesty, a dream hardware release for the company. While Nintendo certainly wasn't...
Hands On RiME Lights Up On Nintendo Switch
Time to shine
RiME is a secluded, visually stunning adventure arriving on Switch soon. If you managed to miss its original release a few months back on various systems, then that may end up becoming a blessing in disguise. Undocked the game lights up the screen, lending its art-style nicely to the Switch screen. Tequila Works may have...
Feature Fulfilling A Lifelong Dream Of Attending The Tokyo Game Show
Roland Ingram reports from TGS 2017
Finally, I had made it to the Tokyo Game Show. Back when it started in 1996, I would have given anything to come here. Nowadays the gaming scene has changed. It's not all about a few big players revealing consoles destined to rule the living room. Now we have a nerfed, consoleless Sega and a catch-all Sony nodding...
Editorial The SNES Classic Mini, Star Fox, and Downsides to Being a Mega Drive Kid
Going back to the beginning
Late last week I remembered that the SNES Mini was right around the corner, after it had somewhat drifted out of my mind. The past month has been somewhat busy and chaotic on both a personal and professional level, with Nintendo having the audacity to release a system that's selling rather well. With the silly season of...
Feature We Breeze Through Shu on Switch and Chat to Its Lead Designer
"We're looking to learn from it, understand what's possible"
The Switch has seen plenty of indies find success on the platform since the console's launch back in March. Now Coatsink Studios is aiming to contribute to this by bringing 2D platformer Shu to the Switch, with the previously released Caverns of the Nightjars DLC included in a purchase...
Gallery Cosplay At The Tokyo Game Show 2017
Bayonetta! Link! Mario! Tingle!
The Tokyo Game Show isn't just home to all the latest and greatest video games - like pretty much any gaming event these days, it also attracts hordes of cosplayers dressed as their favourite video game characters. This year's event has seen a bumper turn-out of Links, Marios, Princess Peaches and even Tingles, and...
Feature Tokyo Game Show - A Nintendo Switch Publisher's Perspective
Flyhigh Works and CIRCLE on their big push with Nintendo's system
This weekend is one of the most anticipated periods in the Japanese gaming calendar, with the Tokyo Game Show halls being open to thousands of eager members of the public. Among the world's most popular and renowned expo events, it's a significant part of game promotion and reveals in...
Talking Point Nintendo Switch and Third-Parties - Let's Be Realistic
It's exciting, but don't get carried away
The past few months has brought a steady stream of good news for Nintendo Switch owners. For fans of the eShop it's been a terrific period, with lots of varied and talented developers confirming their games for the hardware. We've also - gradually - seen an increase in third-party support from the big...
First Impressions Hell in a Handbasket - DOOM on Nintendo Switch
Big, dumb, and lots of fun
Now, with the Bethesda published 2016 iteration coming to the Nintendo Switch later this year, DOOM can be small and dumb, while still having its trademark 'BFG'. We got our chance to try out id Software’s upcoming port of its DOOM franchise reboot at a Bethesda event earlier this month; look, we know what questions you...
Preview Solving the Puzzle of Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy
A new generation with a familiar name
For some gamers, including this writer, the DS and 3DS generations of hardware simply wouldn't be so complete without the Professor Layton series of games. Across six adventures - seven with an Ace Attorney tie-in - the puzzle solving gentleman charmed us all, had numerous cups of tea and saved villages and...
Feature Looking Back On Enhanced Versions Of Pokémon Games
Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are part of a proud tradition
Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon were revealed back in June with the promise of having an alternate story. We didn't really get much information to elaborate on that until fairly recently, when it became clear that Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon are a return to the style of game...
Feature The Complete History of Rockstar Games on Nintendo Platforms
The good, the bad & the controversial
Rockstar Games is a business powerhouse at the top of the gaming industry. Producing sales figures some developers could only dream of, with the Grand Theft Auto series reaching over 150 million copies sold, the studio rarely puts a foot wrong. On 7th September it was announced that 1940’s crime title...
Review It's All Business As We Play Monopoly Gamer
Monopoly meets Mario Party
A few months ago Hasbro and Nintendo announced a brand-new board game: Monopoly Gamer. After a first glance of the packaging we instantly thought it’d be yet another skinned Monopoly board. However, after watching a video of how the game works it's easy to be sold on the idea. Monopoly Gamer isn’t just a Super...
Poll What Did You Think of the Nintendo Direct?
The dust has settled...
This week we had the second of what is now the 'current' mainline Nintendo Direct format. Yes, we've had showcases, presentations, game-specific Directs and so on, but this week's 45 minute show adopted a similar format to a Spring broadcast - quickfire 'headline' sections for each current console with some extended showcases...
Feature The Big Nintendo Direct Summary - 13th September
Big surprises, some love for the 3DS and hype for Mario
This week Nintendo brought us a lengthy Nintendo Direct; it clocked in at 45 minutes and included four 'showcase' segments and quickfire headline sections. Covering both 3DS and Switch, it packed in a lot of announcements. As expected there were some new announcements, a few slightly out of...
Feature What We Expect from the Nintendo Direct - 13th September
Games galore, Mario, and a reminder it's not all about the Switch
We're gearing up for what could be, potentially, the final or penultimate 'full' Nintendo Direct of 2017; we may see another focused on early 2018 releases in a month or two, or potentially just smaller game-specific broadcasts. Time will tell, but it's always a treat when a full-fat...
First Impressions Defying Gravity in Skyrim for Nintendo Switch
Better than an arrow to the knee
Hail and well met, travelers! Come, rest your weary feat at our fire as we regale you with stories of our time spent in the world of Skyrim! You maybe be inclined to ask, “but noble bard, wasn’t Skyrim released over half a decade ago?”, and you wouldn’t be too far off - but this, dear friends, is Skyrim on...
Editorial A Week of Gaming the Nintendo Switch Way
Like the adverts, but less photogenic
Back in the summer I wrote a slightly feisty article addressing some remarks I'd read of people not grasping the 'point' of the Switch. Yet it's a legitimate issue - as it's a hybrid everyone will have their own viewpoint of it, and even game publishers all seem to approach the system in different ways. Nintendo...
Feature Digging Into The Design Process Of Twin-Stick RPG Blaster NeuroVoider
"Switch is one great platform to work with"
NeuroVoider is a twin-stick shooter RPG set in a futuristic world, and has a pretty striking preoccupation with robots and rocket launchers. It launched last week on the Switch eShop, so we though it would be the ideal time to speak to Flying Oak Games' Thomas Altenburger about the game...
Talking Point The Apple Event - It's Worth Looking Out for Nintendo and Pokémon GO
A sign of the times
A few years ago your humble scribe was advised it may be worth 'keeping an eye' on an Apple event, to which the response was a raised eyebrow. Sure enough, nothing happened; in fact Apple straight up copied the Wii with its motion controllers for a gaming-focused Apple TV, an initiative that didn't quite take off. In any case,...
Poll Six Months of the Switch - What Do You Think of Nintendo's Console Hybrid?
It's been a fascinating half year
The Switch is now over six months old, with that first half year flashing by in a blink. It's been the centrepiece in a big year for Nintendo, beginning with its full unveiling in a live January event through to its 3rd March launch. In that time we've had over 100 games on the eShop, along with some high quality...
Feature Exploring The "Switch Tax" And Why Nintendo Was Right to Use Game Cards
You get what you pay for
Nintendo has been in the headlines a lot recently due to the introduction of upcoming Switch retail games with the words "internet download and microSD card required” prominently displayed on the front of the box. While 2K Sports' NBA 2K18 has become the poster child for this unpopular change – which might over time...
First Impressions Traversing Titans in Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Arts of Fighting
Of all the big Switch exclusives due this year, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 might just be the biggest; Splatoon 2 may be racking up big sales, and Super Mario Odyssey may hold more space in the collective imagination, but there’s no arguing with the vastness of Monolith Soft’s Xenoblade Chronicles series. The Wii original
Feature Picking Apart The Mind Behind The "Delightful Dystopia" Of PikuNiku
"I really love the size of the Joy-Con controllers"
PikuNiku is one of the more interesting indie titles coming to Switch. Designed by Arnaud De Bock, the 2D platformer is set in a 'delightful dystopia' and boasts local co-op play on Nintendo's console. Keen to learn a little more about the enigmatic title, we tracked down its equally enigmatic...
Hands On Super Mario Odyssey Looks Set To Continue Switch’s Year of Hits
We get to grips with the game at Fan Expo Canada 2017
In January 2017, at the Nintendo Switch reveal event, Producer Yoshiaki Koizumi touted that the upcoming Super Mario Odyssey would follow in the footsteps of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. For long-time fans, this announcement of Mario’s return to an open-world sandbox adventure was a...
Feature The Switch Report - Six Months of Nintendo's Hybrid System
Still getting great grades
A few months ago we did 'The Switch Report' for the system's first three months on the market, in which we went through aspects of the console's first quarter and looked at positives and negatives. Well, time has flown, and it's now over six months old and well settled into millions of homes, with plenty of gamers still...
Feature Suda51 On Travis Strikes Again, Celebrating Indies And Collecting Zelda's Korok Seeds
"For me, these indie creators are superstars"
PAX West 2017 has come and gone with plenty of exciting news for Nintendo Switch owners. Among the announcements was the reveal of the first trailer for Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes, the latest title from Grasshopper Manufacture launching exclusively on Nintendo Switch in 2018. A lot was revealed...
Editorial Mandatory Memory Cards for Switch Retail Games is a Messy Solution
Don't ask Nintendo to organise a party at a brewery
Nintendo, for the past couple of generations in which system memory has mattered, has done the bare minimum to cater to the issue. Sometimes it's gotten away with that, but it's been a stick with which the company's been beaten over the past few years. In the Wii and DSi era download games were...
First Impressions Finding Our Way in Lost Sphear
Not all who wander…
Along with the open-world intrigue of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the retro goodness of Hamster’s ACA Neo Geo releases, the Switch’s launch lineup included I Am Setsuna, a retro-styled JRPG from Square Enix subsidiary Tokyo RPG Factory that delivered an old-school adventure in a snowy modern package. It’s...
Preview Going Back to SR-388 in Metroid: Samus Returns
Exploring strange, old worlds
It’s hard to believe, but we haven’t received a proper Samus-starring Metroid adventure since Other M launched seven years ago - the role of Metroid Prime: Federation Force will always be disputed. Our chozo-suited heroine has finally come back to us in the aptly-titled Metroid: Samus Returns. It’s a...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects - August 2017
Even more great devs make the Switch
Like a speeding bullet caught in the backside of a bat out of hell, the Nintendo Switch eShop continues to speed ahead of expectations. So, once again we're left with the increasingly difficult task of picking the very best that the last month had to offer on the console and then chat about it into a microphone...
Hardware Review The Open Source Scan Converter Is Every Retro Gamer's Dream Come True
This box of tricks makes old console look great again
The world of gaming is very much entrenched in High Definition these days, with newfangled gaming systems like the PlayStation Pro and Xbox One X offering 4K resolution imagery that's so sharp it's almost impossible to pick out individual pixels. This is wonderful for those who savour being at...
Deals Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games and Accessories for September and October
Pokkén Tournament, Super Mario Odyssey and lots more!
Can you believe it's September already? It's a great time to be a Switch owner; we've recently seen the release of Splatoon 2 and Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, and there's still lots more to look forward to in the coming months. So, what's on the horizon for Nintendo Switch...
Feature The Big Nintendo Switch Nindies Showcase Summary - Summer 2017
There's a lot to get through
This week Nintendo brought us the second 'Nindies Showcase' of the year, focused almost exclusively on Switch eShop games (with a couple also coming to the 3DS). It followed a similar format to the late February original, with Damon Baker spending around 20 minutes rattling through quickfire announcements and trailers...
Guide Getting Started in Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
Battle for beginners
The crossover between the house Mario built and Ubisoft’s demented Rabbids is finally upon us, and Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a game unlike any other on the Switch to date. Before it was even so much as officially announced gamers were panning the title, saying it just didn’t make sense. Much to our delight,...
Feature How Wulverblade Is Bringing Britain's Blood-Soaked History To Life On Nintendo Switch
"We really feel like part of the Nintendo family already"
Wulverblade is a game that is three years in the making, and was originally supposed to come out on the Xbox One to spearhead (no pun intended) Microsoft's indie drive. However, fast forward to 2017 and the situation is slightly different; this gorgeous-looking hack and slash title is going...
Feature Christophe Galati On The Long Road To Switch For Save Me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San
"All the pieces fit together organically and I’m happy with the result"
Yesterday saw the surprise announcement of many upcoming Switch eShop games, one of which was of special interest to fans of the vintage Game Boy. However, despite looking every inch like a classic monochrome title from 1989, Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San is the...
Feature Five Things We Expect From the Nintendo Switch Nindies Showcase - Summer 2017
Along with increased web searches for micro-SD cards
Over the years Nintendo has spread its wings from slapping 'Direct' on all of its broadcasts, and is returning with another Nindies Showcase. We had one of these just before the Nintendo Switch launched, and it went big on outlining notable games heading to the eShop, also making a point of...
Guide Tips for Winning Splatoon 2's Splatfests
To the splattlefield
Splatoon 2 is gearing up for its second Splatfest as we publish this, a battle between Flight and Invisibility; inklings will battle across a variety of stages to determine which side will reign supreme. Of course, that means those inklings are going to need to know how to outsmart and outshoot their opponents. Not all of us are...
Feature A Breakdown of the New Nindie Gems Heading to the Switch eShop
Including trailers and footage for 6 fresh games
Earlier today Nintendo of Europe published a rather tasty Nintendo x Indies sizzle reel, in slightly odd timing considering that tomorrow Nintendo of America is broadcasting a Nindies Showcase Presentation. Inter-subsidiary one-upmanship aside, the European video is a nice reminder of some of the...
Editorial Farewell to the Flawed Miiverse, But Thanks for the Memories
A bright start made way for a slightly weird online space
Sometimes Nintendo takes an established idea and makes it very, well, 'Nintendo'. It made a deathmatch-style shooter but decided it shouldn't be all about killing, so we got Splatoon, for example. It's a broader trend through the company's history, too, especially in the hardware space...
Hardware Review The Retro-Bit RES Plus Gives You A HDMI NES For Under 40 Dollars
But is it better than the competition?
Despite the fact that the SNES Classic is on the horizon and we're already seeing SNES clones being announced - like the Hyperkin Supa Retron HD - there's obviously still a healthy market for systems which replicate the performance of Nintendo's previous system, the NES. This year has already given us...
Guide Pokémon GO Raids, Bosses, Rewards And Winning Tactics
Playing with the big boys
Niantic’s Pocket Monster-catching phenomenon is an ever-changing and adapting beast; regular updates and additions to the game have made Pokémon GO a much-loved but potentially confusing experience. The recently added ‘Raid Battles’ are one element that may well cause some confusion to new players and veterans alike...
Feature A Long Journey Through Metroid Prime: Federation Force
"Charge!"
Right now Nintendo is building the hype for Metroid: Samus Returns, but it's not been that long since our last game from the IP graced the 3DS. Metroid Prime: Federation Force was divisive (to put it mildly), and is now one year old. Amusingly, our editor Tom Whitehead and reviewer extraordinaire Conor McMahon only recently finished a...
Feature Everything You Need To Know About The 2017 Pokémon World Championships
Serebii's Joe Merrick fills us in on the action
This past weekend was the 13th Pokémon World Championships. After last year, where spectators were not permitted to enter barring those who queued early in the morning in the slim hope of getting a spectator pass, this year The Pokémon Company International shifted the locale to Anaheim, California,...
Soapbox The SNES Classic Edition Pre-Order Farce Proves Nintendo Hasn't Learned A Thing
It's all just a little bit of history repeating
Nintendo dropped the ball with the launch of the NES Mini last year, with retailers making the pre-order process more testing that it needed to be and the volume of stock needed to meet demand being woefully underestimated. We had every hope the Big N would have learned from the bad feeling caused by...
Hardware Review Hori's Switch Horipad Is The Controller You Never Knew You Needed
Rolling start
When we first reported on the Hori Switch Horipad a while back there were a few puzzled faces in the Nintendo Life office. The big selling point of the wired controller was the fact that the D-pad could be removed to reveal a cluster of four buttons underneath; at the time, we genuinely pondered why you'd ever need to do this, and -...
Soapbox Seriously Nintendo, It's Time For A Switch Joy-Con With A Proper D-Pad
Buttons just aren't as good
After months of speculation prior to the Nintendo Switch being officially revealed in October 2016, it's fair to say that the initial reaction was largely very positive. This early enthusiasm from the gaming community has been backed up by decent software support from Nintendo and a ever-growing install base; the Switch...
Feature Pixel Perfex On Why Earth Atlantis Is Ideal For Nintendo Switch
We chat about the BitSummit 2017 award winner
Set after a global catastrophic event that resulted in 96 percent of the Earth's surface being underwater and forced machines to adapt into various marine forms, Earth Atlantis is shaping up to be an interesting shooter on Switch. Your mission is to slay more than 20 'boss monsters' by choosing...
First Impressions Piczle Lines DX is Another Reminder of the Switch Hybrid's Appeal
Bringing a slower pace to eShop gaming
The early Switch eShop line-up had some gems, but it arguably did little to accommodate a demographic keen on sedate gaming experiences, or indeed those with a particular love for puzzle games. The DS and 3DS, in particular, built up a broad range of titles focused around puzzles, wordplay and so on, whether...
Editorial Is This a Golden Era of Gaming? Absolutely
Tom Whitehead immediately regrets the headline
Because I'm a literary geek I've been attending some events at the Edinburgh International Book Festival - I know, it's pretty rock and roll. In any case, one talk I went to kicked off with some wise words, and I paraphrase slightly, that every generation lives under a delusion that theirs is the...
Feature Trying Biohazard Beverages, a Rockman Stew and More at the Capcom Café
One of the gaming treats in Shinjuku, Tokyo
Located opposite the famous 'Golden Gai' izakaya (bar) square in Shinjuku's Kabukucho district (Tokyo) is a small cafe dedicated to all things Capcom. Whether your franchise of choice is Street Fighter, Biohazard (Resident Evil), Rockman (Mega Man), or something a little more niche, there's plenty of...
Feature Basking in Nostalgia and '16-Bit' Goodness in Sonic Mania
The 12-year-old me would get all the Chaos Emeralds
With Sonic Mania just a day away at the time of publication, the lid is being lifted on review embargoes. Our chums at Push Square have published a review, but there's one simple reason we're posting this feature instead - we've been playing it on PS4. SEGA America offered us PS4 / Xbox...
Poll 99 Games and Counting - Are You Pleased With the Switch eShop Library?
Download decisions
We're just a couple of days away from the launch of Sonic Mania on the Switch eShop, the latest intriguing release to head to the store. While the line-up of exclusive games on the Switch download store is modest (but arguably offering quality over quantity), we're seeing a diverse range of multi-platform titles. A number of...
Talking Point Capcom, the Nintendo Switch and Gaming Business Realities
Sometimes Capcom and Nintendo are close partners, but not always
At the moment some Switch aficionados are a little baffled and frustrated with Capcom. There are multiple reason for this, but Monster Hunter: World (coming to PS4, Xbox One and PC) is arguably top of the list. Capcom has only shown limited support for the Switch so far, with a...
Guide Splatoon 2 - Adding, Removing and Picking Abilities
Ready and able
Splatoon 2 is now well into its run on Switch, and with it comes a whole new generation of inklings ready to take to the splattlefield for some turf wars and ranked battles. All inklings may be created equal, but that doesn’t mean all abilities are. Fortunately we’re here to give you a rundown on which abilities are worth your...
Feature Is It Really Cheaper To Order Retro Games Direct From Japan?
Forget eBay - there could be a cheaper option
Back in the '90s, it seemed that the Japanese got all the best stuff. Not only did games typically launch sooner in Japan, they came in gorgeously-illustrated boxes complete with full-colour manuals, putting the rather drab western equivalents to shame. Not only that, the Japanese were blessed with many...
Editorial The Switch eShop Library is Starting to Look Like the Real Deal
Keep it on the download
The Switch has only been out a little over five months, but in this helter-skelter world it already seems to be settled into the market. General buzz and demand remain high, there are major retail games due regularly for the rest of the year, and Nintendo is still in a continuous battle to ensure that supply meets demand. For...
Preview Jumping Into the Crazy World of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Including a stint in the co-op mode
While its reveal at E3 was anything but a surprise, the positive response to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was arguably unexpected. The idea of a crossover between the two IPs wasn't well received by everyone before it was shown, with this writer among the initial doubters. Yet the impact in LA was significant,...
Feature Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle's Producer on the "WTF" Blend of Iconic Franchises
"From the very start it was a true cross-over project"
With Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle now just weeks away, attention will start to shift to how this cross-over will perform on Nintendo Switch. Early instincts from leaks weren't positive for all, but it made a notable impact at E3 to win over a number of fans. We recently enjoyed some extended...
Feature Just How Bad Is Hori's Wired 'Solution' For Switch Voice Chat?
Wired for sound, for better or worse
You've all seen (and no doubt poked fun at) the official diagram for Hori's Switch voice chat headset, and you may well have tried out the rather irksome, smartphone-based voice chat system Nintendo has created for its leading console. For the full experience you really need one of Hori's headsets, which come...
