Latest Features - Page 3
Talking Point What Are Your Pokémon GO Launch Day Memories?
Welcome to the world of Pokémon
Get those Saving Private Ryan GIFs at the ready, folks, because it's time to feel old. 10 years ago today (yes, ten), Pokémon GO began its global rollout, taking the whole world by storm as it went. 6th July 2016 marked the AR 'mon's arrival in their first regions (Australia, New Zealand, and the US), before...
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Rhythm Heaven Groove?
Sick beat or sick bay?
Nintendo has proven that the humble Switch still has life in it with the launch of Rhythm Heaven Groove, the latest entry in the company's quirky, colourful rhythm series. It might not be the most high-profile of Nintendo releases, but it is nevertheless a pretty cool swansong for the Switch. In fact, we gave it a solid score...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects (June 2026)
Our picks for the best eShop games on Switch 1 & 2 in June
It's time for this month's (read: last month's) eShop Selects, our look back at our favourite eShop-only releases from the last 30-ish days. In June, we had six games that met our criteria for our monthly showdown: Switch eShop games that don't have physical releases (including Game-Key...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Rhythm Heaven Fever (Wii)
"Pa pi pu pe po!"
Hello everyone, and welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, we looked at Diddy Kong Racing for the N64, pitting North America and Europe against Japan in a good ol' duel. Japan won the battle this time, netting 66% of the vote. Well done! This time, we'll be heading over to the Wii to check out Rhythm Heaven...
Review Snack Box Micro Arcade Controller For Switch 1 & 2 - Tiny Yet Mighty
A tasty snack
There are so many leverless controllers on the market at this point, yet few come quite as small as the Snack Box Micro from Junkfood Arcades. This no-nonsense controller is a delightful option for you if you’re after something simple, stylish, and easily portable for all of your fighting game needs. Weighing in at 360g and...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (4th July)
Every Day's Great At Your Junes!
Hello everyone, and great job on making it through another week! It's felt like a bit of a quiet week in the world of Nintendo, despite the release of Rhythm Heaven Groove and a fairly meaty Splatoon Raiders Direct. Yet all eyes have been on Microsoft and Sony: the former for its impending studio closures and...
Review Gulikit Portable Dock For Switch 1 & 2 - A Light, Elegant Travel Companion
Dinky dock
As a means to play your Switch 2 games on the TV, Nintendo’s official dock is perfectly fine. But when it comes to portability, it’s definitely a bit lacking. Though not massive, it’s going to take up substantial space in your backpack or suitcase if you want to bring the full-fat Switch 2 experience with you on the go. So that’s...
Opinion What's The Best Star Fox Stage, And Why Is It Sector X?
Sector Why?
I'm all for celebrating the little anniversaries. For example, did you know that Star Fox launched on Switch 2 one week ago today? Far from the biggest achievement, I'll admit, but it does mean that one thought has been rattling around in my head for a whopping seven days now (even longer, if you include the review period), and I just...
Talking Point As Sony Bins Physical, How Long Until Nintendo Follows Suit?
The first of the Big Three to pull the plug
The day we've known for years was coming has finally arrived - or its arrival has been announced. From January 2028, Sony will not release physical disc versions of any PlayStation games. Coming shortly after Rockstar went digital-only with its GTA6 pre-orders and taking advantage of the latest avalanche...
Preview Splatoon Raiders Promises The Single-Player Splatting I Always Wanted
Raiders of the Lost Carp
I've had my fingers crossed for a single-player Splatoon game ever since... well, since Splatoon 1, now that I think about it. I love a bit of online Turf War battling, really I do, but the very best parts of the series for me have always been those stellar single-player campaigns, which annoyingly seem to wrap up just as...
Hands On R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos - How Does This Turn-Based PSP Pair Hold Up On Switch?
It's a bold strategy Cotton
With Irem’s video game division being dissolved in 2011 after Japan’s Tōhoku earthquake, some staff went on to found Granzella Inc. Interested in revisiting their most beloved work, Granzella then got hold of the R-Type licence for 2007’s R-Type Tactics, a turn-based strategy affair for Sony’s PSP. A sequel...
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Star Fox On Switch 2?
Barrel (roll) of laughs?
After skipping the Switch 1 generation entirely, Star Fox's return has felt like a long time coming. This week, the fab four returned (Fox, Falco, Peppy, and Slippy, we mean), and while it might not have been the most original fly past we've seen from the mercenaries, it sure brought a smile to our faces. Because yes, Star...
Poll What's Your Switch 2 Game Of The Year So Far?
Switch 1, too
We're almost halfway through the year, and it feels like Switch 2 shifted up a gear in the games department. While Nintendo has been cranking out its first-party offerings at the regular monthly cadence, third parties have been putting out brilliant games, too, including impressive ports and day-and-date cross-platform releases...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Diddy Kong Racing
Monkey business
We are back for another edition of Box Art Brawl, and it's a good one this week. Last time, to celebrate all things Sonic for his 35th anniversary, we matched up every Sonic game on Switch, leading to a beefy nine poll options! Sonic Origins Plus came out on top with 33% of the vote, Sonic Mania Plus landed in second with
Feature The Master Of Multiplayer - Finally Playing N64's Only 8-Player Game
Nintendo's friend machine
The N64 is 30 years old! This week, we're running a series of articles celebrating the 64-bit machine, its industry-shaping software, and its effect on a generation of gamers. Today, George meets new people with Nintendo's multiplayer marvel. What follows is an epic session, concluding with the system's only eight-player...
Talking Point Have You Bought A 1TB Micro SD Express Card Yet?
This is one steep bill...but it's worth it?
Switch 2 recently turned one year old, and we asked you lovely NL readers what your essentials were - the games and accessories you've found indispensable after a year with the console. With an impending price increase on 1st September, and with hardware
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (27th June)
Do a barrel roll!
Well done folks; you made it through another week. For those in Europe at the moment, that's a mighty fine achievement considering how bloody hot it's been the past few days. We hope you've been keeping cool and safe! This week, Sonic celebrated his 35th anniversary with a few key announcements. First, a couple of "new"...
Feature My Parents Bought An N64 To Stay Sane With A Nightmare Newborn (Me)
"We didn't play it for recreation, we played it as therapy"
The N64 is 30 years old! This week, we're running a series of articles celebrating the 64-bit machine, its industry-shaping software, and its effect on a generation of gamers. Today, Jim tackles a tough couple of interviewees... What sounds come to mind when you think back to 1998?...
Feature 10 N64 Games We Played In A Wondrous Alternate Timeline
Warp pipe dreams
The N64 is 30 years old! This week, we're running a series of articles celebrating the 64-bit machine, its industry-shaping software, and its effect on a generation of gamers. Today, we're imagining what might have been if the sliding doors hadn't opened for PS1 and totally changed the game... While the N64 era marked a downturn...
Feature I Lent Out My N64 Like A (Deku) Dealer
Trading quest
The N64 is 30 years old! This week, we're running a series of articles celebrating the 64-bit machine, its industry-shaping software, and its effect on a generation of gamers. Today, Omar remembers the wonders of carting around consoles before Nintendo added a carry handle... Do you remember blowing the dust from a cart to try to...
Community "All-Consuming, Joyous, Heartbreaking" - Your Nintendo 64 Memories
Grab your Controller Pak
The N64 is 30 years old! This week, we're running a series of articles celebrating the 64-bit machine, its industry-shaping software, and its effect on a generation of gamers... Three decades ago to the day, players were sitting down with Super Mario 64 on their new console for the very first time. Launching in Japan on...
Feature In The Zone - Our Favourite Sonic The Hedgehog Levels, Music & Memories
Special stages
Sonic the Hedgehog is one of gaming's most enduring characters. He's been through multiple eras and designs over the course of a 35-year career, starring in a huge number of games, and branching out from his bread-and-butter platformers with spin-offs in many other gaming genres. And he's not going anywhere, as the massive success of...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Sonic The Hedgehog 35th Anniversary Switch Showdown
Which runs rings around the rest?
Hello folks, and welcome to a very special edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we get into the weeds with this one, let's see how last week's brawl concluded. We looked at Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D to celebrate the announcement of the upcoming remake, and we honestly weren't quite sure how this one would pan out. In...
Opinion 30 Years On, I've Finally Come Around On The N64 Pad
C, it's good
The N64 turns 30 on 23rd June 2026. To celebrate, we'll be running a series of articles celebrating the 64-bit machine and its industry-shaping software over the next week or so. Today, it might have taken the best part of 30 years, but Ollie has finally seen the light when it comes to the system's revolutionary yet undeniably odd...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (20th June)
Be there or be Square
After last week's showcase shenanigans, we've welcomed a slightly quieter one here at Nintendo Life. We started the Ocarina of Time remake sleuthing as a new description appeared online, and ran through some of the game's funniest moments that we can't wait to revisit. Switch 1 & 2 got
Review Brook Wingman P5S - Use (Almost) Any Controller On Switch 2
Yes, even the Steam Controller
There’s a good chance you’ve never considered the possibility of using first-party controllers on other platforms. Generally, you use the pad that comes with the console, and that's it. But what if you could break down boundaries and have total freedom of which controller to use? The Brook Wingman P5S may be the...
Get to the drop ship
System Era Softworks’ Astroneer launched nearly 10 years ago, and its charming galactic sandbox remains a gem of the survival genre. With its accessible, cartoony spin on freeform adventure, Astroneer invited you to explore colourful worlds, uncover secrets, and hoover up resources while reshaping the environment around you...
Feature Seven Hilarious Ocarina Of Time Moments I Can't Wait To See In The Zelda Remake
WHOOOOAH!
Since the announcement of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2, the desire to go back and experience the original in preparation has proven overwhelming for some of us. It didn't take long until I booted the NSO version up again, N64 pad grasped in my mitts, ready to step out of Kokiri Forest once again. The game is...
Feature "Why Is Falco So Thick In This Game?" - Lost In Space With Star Fox Zero
THREE pilots, TWO controllers, ONE Arwing, ZERO mission
With the return of Team Star Fox imminently upon us, folks are feeling pretty torn about the series retreading old ground instead of forging a new chapter in Nintendo’s long-running rail shooter. And while that may be disappointing to some, there are at least a few interesting additions to...
Poll Will You Be Replaying Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Before The Remake Arrives?
Fairy 'nuff
Sitting in our Monday meeting, a theme emerged when answering the standard question, "Play any games over the weekend?" Following on from last week's announcement (and months of rumours), we've all got Ocarina of Time on the brain. Jim and Ollie have been replaying via NSO, and the rest of us have only resisted the urge thanks to other...
Talking Point Starter Pack - What Are Your Nintendo Switch 2 Essentials?
Switchy world
Switch 2 has been out for over a year now, and a good percentage of Nintendo Lifers have picked one up in the last 365 days. However, it's also quite possible you haven't jumped on Nintendo's latest console just yet. With Switch 1's colossal library, not to mention the great games on other consoles (we're reliably informed they do...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time 3D (3DS)
Deku Tree-D
In the vast, deep forest of Hyrule... another Box Art Brawl is being waged. Yes, we're back again, and we have a doozy for you this week. But first, let's look back at what went down last time. We looked at Rayman 3D for the uhhh... 3DS. As expected, the more action-packed North American design won the day with a whopping 77% of the...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (13th June)
Direct inspiration?
What a week, eh? With every other showcase under the sun taking place last week, we knew it was only a matter of time before Nintendo followed suit. And follow it did. This week's Nintendo Direct revealed first looks at the likes of Ocarina of Time, Xenoblade
Talking Point Switch 2 Console Special Editions - What Would You Like To See?
Spice, Spice, baby
Switch 2 has been on shelves for over a year now - still early days if it lasts anything like as long as its predecessor. Compared to the popping colours of the Switch 1's Joy-Con, though, the younger console launched with a more subdued hue. Certainly, the hallmark red-blue stylings are present and correct, but concealed along...
Feature Six Things That Need To Change In The Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Remake
And one that MUST stay the same
Until earlier this year, I'd not really considered what I'd want to see in a Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. After all, the 2011 3DS version did a pretty good job at updating the 1998 original, and so I'd operated under the assumption that it wouldn't be a thing again for a long, long time. Alas, it's real. Ocarina of...
Preview Tomb Raider: Legacy Of Atlantis Sees An "Unfettered" Lara Put The Survivor Era Behind Her
"It’s a blue sky horizon ahead of her"
The Tomb Raider series is one of the longest-lasting in the video game industry, going all the way back to 1996. It has graced many different platforms, including Nintendo ones. And with the increased power of the Switch 2, lots of others are coming over too, including the recently released Rise of the Tomb...
Preview Yep, Rhythm Paradise Groove Is Another Rhythm Heaven Game (Good)
Paradissonant
To some, the concept of Rhythm Paradise (or Rhythm Heaven as it likes to be called) is a bit of a hard sell. It’s a rhythm game with the most simplistic controls imaginable, often just a single button, coupled with some simple animations to go along with it. I don’t blame anyone for being a bit sceptical, to be honest, and in...
Talking Point What Do You Think Of Link's New Ocarina Of Time Design?
Links of the Past
It might not have been the biggest surprise out there (thanks, leaks), but yesterday's Direct brought with it the news that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Switch 2 remake is real, and it's launching at some point this year. The
Hands On 'Xenoblade Chronicles' On Switch 2 Is A Nice Improvement Over 'X'
"Coming through!"
When I first booted up the Switch 2 Edition of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, something almost immediately felt very wrong. The visuals, while certainly crisp, were upscaled in a way that meant almost all textures had this sort of blurry, smeary effect, especially environmental details, but also within character faces...
Gallery Here's How The Star Fox Demo Compares To The N64 Original
Nice to Meteo
Star Fox surprised us with a free demo during today’s Nintendo Direct, featuring the prologue cutscene, the tutorial, and the Meteo stage. Going hands-on with the game allows us to compare the remake more directly to the Nintendo 64 original, such as a look at Meteo's differences in the screenshots below: [image
Reaction A Direct That Picked Up Pace For A Breathtaking Finish
It's about Time
Look, I love Rhythm Heaven, but I understand why you'd frontload your niche little Switch 1 swansong in the biggest Nintendo Direct since September last year. First-party-wise, that was followed up by some Pokémon Pokopia update and DLC, then another look at Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave with a September date. A limited-time Swi
Opinion By Definition, Pokémon TCG Is No Longer A Hobby
All work and no play
A couple of months ago, I opened a pack of Pokémon cards and pulled the super-rare 'Secret Illustration Rare' (SIR) Charizard card. There’s even a video someone gave me of them rushing up to the commotion. “The $600 Charizard!” you can hear me yelling in the footage. My friends were cheering. It was awesome. But...
Talking Point Nintendo Direct June 2026 Predictions - What Do You Hope To See?
Take the hype train
A Nintendo Direct? In June? Who could have possibly guessed!? Yes, Nintendo has announced its next presentation, promising 50-ish minutes of full-fat Direct goodness followed by an hour and a half of Nintendo Treehouse. With Star Fox, Rhythm Heaven Groove, and Splatoon Raiders coming in the near future, it's probably safe to...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects (May 2026)
Our picks for the best eShop games on Switch 1 & 2 in May
And we're back for the latest round of eShop Selects, looking back at last month's eShop-only releases and picking our top three favourites. Plenty of games came out in May, although many of them also got day-and-date physical releases, so we only had six games that met our threshold this...
Opinion Mario Kart World Deserves Its Flowers, So Let's Stop Comparing It To MK8 Deluxe
I'm a Fire Flower, twisted Fire Flower
Sometimes, when I wind the window down in my car, I think about Mario Kart World. I’m sitting alone in the driver’s seat, radio playing some mid-2000s indie or alt-rock, a breeze blowing through my hair. It might be a quiet morning, the traffic light but the sun bright and warm. I could be admiring the...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Rayman 3D
Ray Tracing
Walk this Ray, it's time for another edition of Box Art Brawl. Last week, we matched up three covers for the GameCube's excellent WarioWare, Inc: Mega Party Game$!, and you lot were clearly on the same page as us, crowning the North American design the best of the bunch with 76% of the vote. Poor old Europe and Japan had to split the...
Feature Switch 2, Year One - How Closely Did Nintendo Follow Its Own Playbook?
Super Mario Spreadsheet Revisited
Exactly two years ago, I made a bold prediction of every first-party Switch 2 release over the first five years of its lifespan. My forecast wasn’t based on leaked insider information or baseless speculation. Instead, I crunched the numbers (check out the full breakdown here) to find trends and repeated...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (6th June)
Finally, Fantasy
Everyone ready for a spot of What Are You Playing? Oh, go on then! Showcase season is officially upon us, folks. This week's PlayStation State of Play brought some nice Switch 2 announcements, including a new Rayman game, a Tomb Raider remaster
Feature Nintendo Switch 2: Year One - Looking Back, How Would You Rate It So Far?
Switch 2 365
5th June 2026 marks the first anniversary of Switch 2, the console we had known was coming for many months — years, even — before Nintendo officially unveiled it in January 2025. With US tariffs, global economic uncertainty, RAM-ageddon, and rising prices affecting all the platform holders, it's been a challenging period for the...
Talking Point One Year On, How Pristine Is Your Switch 2?
Scratch that
If you picked up a Switch 2 on launch day, then you've been caring for your console for almost a whole year now. Compared to those launch-day Switch 1s that some of us still have kicking around, I know that a measly 364 days is small potatoes, but it's still a mighty long time to keep your tech in tip-top condition. And that's the...
