Latest Features - Page 3
Opinion The Nintendo Console Nobody Wanted To Review Returns Soon, And I'm Here For It, Again
The crimson comeback
As someone who witnessed its initial release, I’m delightfully baffled that Nintendo is resurrecting the Virtual Boy. We aren't just getting a passing mention or a trophy in a Smash Bros. game; we’re getting a full-blown revival, including a dedicated NSO app, a $100 authentic replica peripheral, and a $25 cardboard cutout...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (10th January)
What's on the docket?
Gosh, 2026 has been quite the year so far, isn't it? Luckily, we've got games to keep us busy, and we're going to go through which of the buggers we plan on playing this weekend. In case you've missed the main headlines this week, let's take a peek at what's been going on in the world of Nintendo. First up, Fire Emblem: Path...
Poll Which Call Of Duty Do You Want To See On Switch 2?
"What the hell kind of name is 'Soap'?"
With rumours of the never-ending Call of Duty franchise's imminent appearance on Switch 2 once again doing the rounds — following a 10-year agreement to bring the series to Nintendo platforms as part of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, no less — we've been busy pondering just which
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects (December 2025)
Our picks for the best eShop games on Switch 1 & 2 in December
Hello and welcome to 2026 and the first eShop Selects of the year. You made it! Congrats! Of course, we start the year off by looking at the last month of 2025, December. And boy, what a December we had — probably one of the most-stacked we've ever had, including Metroid Prime 4:...
Poll So, Now The Dust Has Settled, How Did You Find Myles MacKenzie?
Myles-age may vary
When Metroid Prime 4 previews dropped back in November, series fans were rightly worried that the biggest killer in the game may not be scourge of the Space Pirates and bounty hunter extraordinaire Samus Aran, but a geeky sidekick apparently out to murder the series' pensive, lonesome tone with his inane geekery and unwanted...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition
"Your right hand comes off?"
Hello folks, and welcome to the first 2026 edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we looked at the iconic, if under-appreciated Ice Climber for the NES, and would you believe it, we had a tie! North America and Japan achieved a total of 38% each, with Europe trailing at 24%. In our opinion, the Japanese design is slightly...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (3rd January)
New year, new plans?
You made it. You're here reading these words in 2026! Well done, old bean. As is traditional, it's been a quiet week in the world of video games as most industry people take some time off over the holidays. Although not Eric Barone, it seems, as Stardew Valley: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition slipped onto North American eShops on...
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...
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...
Back Page I Was The Louvre Heist Thief, But I Was Just Trying To Steal Their 3DSes
C'est tout un gros malentendu!
In the magazine business, the back page is where you'd find all the weird goofs that we couldn't fit in anywhere else. Some may call it "filler"; we prefer "a whole page to make terrible jokes that are tangentially related to the content of the mag". We don't have pages on the internet, but we still love terrible...
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'...
Editorial Happy New Year From Nintendo Life
'26 mix
Good news, everyone! No need to bother with all that GOTY rigmarole next year, as it's already wrapped and bagged. Commiserations to the losers, and congratulations to Rhythm Heaven Groove! Catch you all again in '27... Okay, okay. That's a little premature, but the fact that we're getting a brand new Rhythm Heaven/Paradise game puts 2026...
Opinion No One Told Me 'Chibi-Robo' Is Traumatising
Just your very presence makes everyone happy, happy... happy?
Editor's note. Spoilers for a 20-year-old game inbound... I’ve spent 20 years “awww"-ing over the delightful character of Chibi-Robo despite having never played any of his games. This cute little robot is just joy incarnate – tiny and helpful with gormless black eyes. Whether it...
Feature Who Is Devon Pritchard? - Meet The Next NOA President Stepping Into Bowser's Boots
Dougging deep
In September, 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...
Opinion Wishlisting Games On Switch eShop Is A Game In Itself
Thumbnail and I
I love browsing the eShop, and the clicky sounds as you scroll across it. The pleasing crispness of the chick! sound goes so well with the Joy-Con button feel. There’s that camera shutter snap! if you scroll across a game’s gallery in quick succession, and on Switch 2 there’s a thumb-cheek pop! when you hover over a 2-wide...
Opinion We Need To Talk About X Games
X and why?
Most of the time, I'm pretty oblivious to game name trends. It's normally only when someone points out to me that all AAA games have names like 'Chronicle of Shadows: Rebirth', that I start to see that formula used everywhere — like when you find a trendy new pair of shoes that you swear you've never seen before, only to wear them out...
Opinion Metroid II Doesn't Care If Samus Lives Or Dies
An existential crisis courtesy of the Game Boy
I recently started playing Metroid II: Return of Samus for the first time. I’m not sure why. Maybe it was a way of staving off my intense cravings for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which as of writing still doesn’t have a launch date more concrete than the vague '2025' window Nintendo revealed over a...
Feature Mothers & Daughters - Women Are The Heart Of Hollow Knight: Silksong
Who runs the world? Girl(bug)s!
If you haven't yet made it to the end of Hollow Knight: Silksong — one of our favourite games of 2025 — then be warned, there are major spoilers for the entirety of the game below... Many insects are matriarchal creatures. For termites, honey bees, praying mantises, ants, and spiders (shh, I know they’re...
"Maybe I should start calling them chunks?"
June 5th marked the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, but that very same day (or the day before on other consoles), the highly anticipated continuation of Deltarune, in Chapters 3 and 4, also hit digital shelves. If you've had the chance to catch our review, you'll know we fully believe this Undertale...
Opinion I Reviewed 25 Switch 2 Games In 2025, And These Are My Top 3 Picks
The A+ Team
Yes, yes, I know. Only 25 games since June. I am a lazy sod. Regardless, I've had quite the ride thus far with my Switch 2. We're still not that far out from launch, and I expect super-duper exciting things in 2026. Loads of 'em. I can smell it. Oh no, wait, that was just my dog. Now, while I haven't had the opportunity to review all...
Back Page Every Game Should Have A Cow
No bull
In the magazine business, the Back Page is where you'd find all the weird goofs that we couldn't fit in anywhere else. Some may call it "filler"; we prefer "a whole page to make terrible jokes that are tangentially related to the content of the mag". We don't have pages on the internet, but we still love terrible jokes — so welcome to our...
"It's a homage to my mum and my childhood"
Everyone remembers the first animated movie that scared them. For me, it was The Fox and the Hound — probably not the first movie in Disney's canon that anyone remembers, but it was one of my brother's favourites, so it was on regular rotation. Which means that the bear attack towards the end of the movie...
Opinion Strange Antiquities Is A True Treasure In A Puzzle Game-Filled Year
Antiquities, the Greek God of Old Vases
If you think more games should be about giving cursed skulls to weird strangers, then I'm here to tell you that you're fine, you're normal, you're right, and you should play Strange Antiquities. You may have already played Bad Viking's first game in the 'Strange' series, Strange Horticulture, a...
Feature Farewell, Nintendo Switch - It's Finally Time To Bid Our Old Friend 'Adieu'
Don't think twice, it's all right
It's time to say goodbye. Well, not really. The massively popular Switch will live on in a way few other Nintendo consoles have done thanks to backwards compatibility, a host of free upgrades to existing games, and a Switch 2 form factor that keeps everything about the previous console. As generational jumps go, it...
Talking Point Our 2026 Nintendo And Switch 2 Predictions
What's in store?
Well, folks, it seems like only yesterday we were looking ahead at Nintendo's 2025 with a sense of unwavering optimism, and now here we are – it's certainly been a year. The Switch 2 finally arrived, bringing with it a plethora of goodwill and controversy alike, ushering in a new generation that, if initial sales are anything to...
Feature "The Yoyo Was Special" - Finding The GBA Magic In 'Pipistrello And The Cursed Yoyo'
Scoot over, Ness
We've had our eyes on this long-lost GBA-looking adventure ever since we first discovered it at Gamescom back in 2024. The combat, movement, and visuals instantly reminded us of the handheld Zelda entries, but instead of a sword, the main protagonist uses a yoyo to dispatch foes and solve loads of puzzles. You've also got a spunky,...
Opinion Not Enough People Are Talking About This Early GOTY Contender
Centennial masterpiece
Warning: This article delves into spoiler territory for The Hundred Line - Last Defense Academy. If you've yet to play the game and want to go in blind, we recommend you come back at another time... I’m not a fan of tactical RPGs… is what I would have told you before I played The Hundred Line - Last Defense Academy...
Editorial Gamers, Support The People And Sites You Love, Before It's Too Late
Forever
If you're coming to this after the fact, we should note that the Giant Bomb story had a happy ending, with the staff buying GB from Fandom and going independent. Yes! Nevertheless, in another turbulent year for the games industry and the media covering it, it's more important than ever to support the work you love... Well, we've come to...
Opinion I Finally Finished Ring Fit Adventure, And It Might Be Peak Nintendo?
I might just be tired
I must have some kind of record for Ring Fit, if not internationally (see: here), then at least for the West Midlands. I played 10 hours over the weekend, which probably sounds like a lot. I can confirm it was. You know those charity fundraisers of dancing for 24 hours or whatever? It wasn't that. All I raised was my knees (a...
Opinion Cult Classic 'Tokimeki Memorial' Hits Switch - But 30 Years On, It's Still Out Of Reach
Forever with you; never with us
True love lasts forever – and so do some games. Tokimeki Memorial: Forever with You, the legendary dating sim from 1995, is hooking up with Switch next month to celebrate 30 years on the scene. Immaculately presented but bewilderingly complex, TokiMemo is a foundational piece of video game history that defined a...
Feature "It's Huge For Us" - Devs Talk Switch 2 Reactions, Dev-Kit Disparity, Future Plans
What devs make of Switch 2
In case you somehow missed it, Nintendo has officially lifted the lid on Switch 2, cueing all sorts of excitement and apprehension from those of us who have been loyally playing our Switch 1s for the past eight years. It's an exciting time to be a player, but how does it feel from a developer's standpoint? Is the Switch 2...
Talking Point Does Switch 2 Have Nintendo's Best Launch Line-Up Ever?
Let's see how it matches up
I don't know about you, but I'm already giving my shelf space a worried look as I consider the number of Switch 2 launch titles I want to pick up. It's been just about a week since Nintendo revealed the Switch 2 and its 21 separate launch games (24 if you include those dropping on the NSO GameCube library), which, the...
Feature "It's A Perversion Of The Whole Thing" - Jeff Minter On Scam Games, Switch 2, And 'I, Robot'
"There's pride in it for me"
Jeff Minter is, perhaps quite rightly, referred to as a legend within the gaming industry. His career following the founding of Llamasoft in 1982 has spawned dozens of the most unique and recognisable titles in existence, including Tempest 4000, Akka Arrh, Polybius, Attack of the Mutant Camels, and Gridrunner. Those...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (27th December)
What did Santa bring?
Well folks, that's another Christmas done for the year – we hope you've had a peaceful, relaxing time, whether you celebrate or not. It's been a pretty quiet week, understandably, but Nintendo managed to squeeze in a cheeky update for Donkey Kong Bananza on the Switch 2, so make sure to download that. Nintendo also hit us...
Feature Nintendo Life's Alternative Awards 2025
Best 'squirrel with a gun' game, most 'Huh?' Nintendo moment, and more!
Hello, well met stranger, and welcome to Jurassic Park! Nintendo Life's Alternative Awards 2025! It's been...well...it's been a year in which we have all existed, that's for sure, and as a result games happened. Loads of them, in fact. Of course, and as is tradition at this...
Feature But The Future Can Change - Chrono Trigger And Learning To Love The World
The Corridors of Time
Note: If you haven't played Chrono Trigger to completion...what are you playing at? If you're sensitive to spoilers, come back when you're done as we discuss end-game details below... “But... the future refused to change.” For the most part, Chrono Trigger is a chirpy, cheery game. It’s lightning in a bottle, a...
Feature "I Was Seeing Him In My Dreams" - Nintendo Veteran Just Can't Shake Shigeru Miyamoto
"He got a good laugh out of that"
There’s no question that Nintendo makes some of the best video games in the world thanks to its incredibly skilled and passionate in-house and partner developers. But how often does the company let those developers speak freely about the games they make? Last year we got the opportunity to chat with the legendary...
Opinion My Daughter Made Me Realise That Mario Wonder's Difficulty Options Need Work
Yoshi or Nabbit, make your choice
I suspect many of my fellow parents can relate to this, but when you have your first child, a whole bevvy of problems that never existed before are suddenly thrust upon you. “Do we have enough nappies?”“Oh God, she missed the potty again.”“No, you can’t sit there Daddy, my Peppa Pig toy is sitting...
Feature I Play This One Particular SNES Game Every Xmas As A Personal Tradition
Please help me
It was the Christmas of 1992. Mr Blobby was the funniest thing on television (according to your parents), and Whitney Houston had been tricked into singing a love song about everyone's favourite sentient cardigan, Kevin Costner (I feel like I'm having a war flashback now). And me? Well, I was having a great time despite all of this,...
Editorial Happy Holidays From Everyone At Nintendo Life
So here it is...
And here we are once more! It's Yule! Navidad! Xmas! Chrimbo! Rudolphtide! Grinchtingle! Erm... Richard Curtistime? Hmm. Merry Christmas, everyone. It's been a big year for Nintendo fans and the wider gaming industry, with new hardware, a load of new games, even more new versions of old games, plus plenty of challenges, with life's...
Feature Citizen Sleeper Dev Talks Sequels, Stress & Creating "My Own Take On The Mass Effect Series"
Wake up, Sleeper
Citizen Sleeper was, coincidentally, one of 2022's sleeper hits. With its combination of top-tier writing and decision-based gameplay, this table-top-inspired RPG and space adventure pulled us into its airlock and wouldn't let us out until we had played through the emotional damage of witnessing every possible outcome (and yes, that...
Opinion After A Few Missteps, Story Of Seasons Finally Nailed The Formula With Grand Bazaar
We're so back, baby
If you don't already know about the schism between Story of Seasons and Harvest Moon, read up on it! But TL;DR, Story of Seasons is the OG – the original farming game series that sparked thousands of copycats hoping to carve out a slice of that cosy game pie. And who can blame them? The farming game genre is a fantastic,...
Opinion This GOTY Pick Might Be My Most Morbid Yet
Belt and braces
If you haven't played the fabulous Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector yet, well, what are you waiting for? We'd recommend bookmarking this one if you haven't, as this piece contains major spoilers for the endgame. You've been warned... "Wake up, Sleeper." I knew next to nothing about Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector when a...
Feature The Best Hidden Gems And Underrated Switch 1 & 2 Games Of 2025
Celebrating the small(er)
2025 has been a bit of a loud, bonkers year for video games. Big title after big title, a brand new console in the Switch 2, and a new GOTY contender almost every other week. It's been breathless, but not without industry struggles, mass layoffs, cancellations, and closures. Which is why now, more than ever, it's important...
Talking Point Does It Bother You That Big Games Companies Are Using GenAI?
The GenAI-ration game
What a week. On Tuesday, comments from Larian founder and CEO Swen Vincke to Jason Schreier at Bloomberg (paywall) created headlines we've grown all too used to over the last couple of years. Following the reveal of a new Divinity game at The Game Awards, Vincke said that the studio was actively using generative AI for concept...
Feature Games Of The Year 2025 - Nintendo Life Staff Picks
Our personal picks for the best Switch (2) games of the year
Every year in December, Team Nintendo Life puts our heads together and we combine our personal Top 5s into an uber, unranked GOTY list encompassing all the Switch games that got us hottest under the collar throughout the year. 2025 brought us Switch 2, of course, but it's been a very...
Opinion Who Needs Link? This Top-Down Metroidvania Is The Best Zelda Game Of 2025
A String Between Worlds
When you start up a top-down Zelda game, you usually know how things will start. You’ll get some scrolling exposition text setting up the events of the game, and you’ll either be plonked in the middle of a room or a field, ready to save the princess, or wake up after a dream or a shipwreck or something. I’m...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Ice Climber
'Tis the season
Ho, ho, ho, everyone! Welcome to a particularly festive edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week saw two covers for Mega Man 6 going head-to-head, and it was a little closer than we expected. The yellow Japanese variant (this writer's favourite) just clinched it, however, taking 54% of the vote and leaving the North American design with...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (20th December)
Ho, ho, ho!
Ah yes, the weekend. Not just any ol' weekend either! No, it's the weekend before Christmas, which means it's time to start preparing your stomachs for an avalanche of food and chocolate. This week in the world of Nintendo, it seems that there may be an alternative to those ruddy Game Key Cards after an announcement from ININ Games. We...
Opinion Marvel Cosmic Invasion Caps Off A Great Year To Be A Superhero Fan
Flying high
Cards on the table: I am a big superhero fan and I always have been. I've read the comics, I've played the games, I've watched the movies, I've got the tattoos *gulp*. I am usually pretty adept at bending things to see the positives — heck, I can even defend Thor: The Dark World on a good day — but the last few years have been real...
