Latest Features
Hands On Striking a Chord with Yooka-Laylee
UPDATE: Switch version reconfirmed, coming "very soon"
UPDATE: Mere moments after we published this feature, it was confirmed during the Nindie Direct that the Switch version of Yooka-Laylee will be launching "very soon" and will feature all of the game's multiplayer modes. ORIGINAL STORY: The employees over at Playtonic have been through a lot to...
Feature Five Things We Expect From the Nintendo Switch Nindies Showcase
Time for downloads to shine
Update: The Showcase happened and, well, we should have stuck with lots of games. Original Article: We expected a presentation in early- to mid-February to fill in gaps on the Nintendo Switch, but the big N has waited until just a few days before launch to roll out a 'Nindies Showcase' focused on download games. As is...
Feature A Chat About Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Evolution of the Franchise
What we're allowed to talk about, anyway
A common (and fair) request often made of us is to share multiple perspectives on major releases beyond the main reviewer. While not always possible, in the case of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild it's been on the cards, with a couple of members of our team tackling the adventure in order to produce...
Poll Nintendo Switch Countdown - Less Than a Week to Go, Is the Hype Building?
It's all getting very real
With the non-stop circumspection, leaks and debates we have online, at times it can feel as if system launches will never actually arrive. For Nintendo fans, though, it's getting very real, as we enter the final week before Nintendo Switch launches. It's getting so close, and in the past week we had our hardware and The...
Feature FAST RMX - The Price, Modes and Performance of Switch's Futuristic Racer
Shin'en Multimedia aims to hit top speed
The launch line-up of the Nintendo Switch continues to evolve and grow, with FAST RMX by Shin'en Multimedia being a recent addition to the 3rd March line-up. A 'remix' of the excellent FAST Racing NEO, it's an exciting one for fans of the original fast-paced racer as it will add new content and improved...
Parent Trap A Family Gamer's Perspective On The Nintendo Switch
Andy Robertson has a new console in the house
Putting the Nintendo Switch in front of the kids was a fascinating experiment. They had, of course, heard of the console but beyond that knew very little about it. So far Nintendo aren't again the talk of the playground - although give it a few months and that seems likely to change. I got the console...
Preview Immersing Ourselves in the World of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
A potential game changer
Nintendo faced a big challenge when developing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Primarily a Wii U project, since Summer 2014 series producer Eiji Aonuma has spoken of the most ambitious title yet in the franchise, of an open world that's truly alive and fantastical. Some remarked that we'd heard bold statements...
Gallery Let's Compare The Nintendo Switch To Other Handhelds
Because it's fun, that's why
Yesterday we gave you an exhaustive photo gallery which showed how Nintendo Switch game cards - and their packaging - compared to pretty much every other cartridge and card we could lay our hands on. Today, we're seeing how the console itself shapes up when placed alongside other systems. We've tried to include a good...
Preview Nintendo Switch Hands-On: UI, Size, Mii Maker, Micro SD Cards And More
Take a tour of Nintendo's new console
March 3rd is hurtling towards us and with it comes that most tantalising of promises: fresh Nintendo hardware. The Switch is just a matter of days away but we've been lucky enough to spend a substantial amount of time with the new hybrid console, putting it through its paces to give you - our dear readers - an...
Gallery Here's How Nintendo Switch Game Cards Compare To Practically Everything Else
Warning: Photo overload awaits
The Nintendo Switch is mere days away from release and many of you will no doubt have your pre-order secured, ready to collect the shiny new system on March 3rd. One of the biggest questions many prospective owners will have is which route to take when it comes to software; given the portable nature of the console you...
Guide Nintendo Switch Launch Games: The Complete List
Zelda! Snipperclips! Bomberman! Skylanders! FAST RMX!
The Nintendo Switch is so close we can almost feel the HD Rumble, and the hype is building. This may be an era of 24/7 opinions and debates online, but beyond all of that there are few things more exciting - in gaming, at least - than the arrival of new hardware. The Switch has huge potential, of...
Interview Tanukii Studios on Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D's Slow Dash to the 3DS eShop
"I always knew it would eventually be completed"
When considering the best DSiWare games, we think Go! Go! Kokopolo is most definitely in the discussion. A 'chase 'em up', it combined tough difficulty and twitch gameplay with an excellent sense of style and humour. Its high speed, quick-thinking strategy and elements of platforming made it an easy...
Feature Nintendo Switch Countdown - 1-2-Switch Would Have Been Ideal As 'Free-to-Start'
Even though some of us have succumbed to pre-orders
Slowly and surely, in the build-up to its launch on 3rd March, we're working through some 'countdown' articles around the Nintendo Switch. This time we're going to consider 1-2-Switch, and a similar angle to our first impressions article from back in January. In that piece we said it was an ideal...
Retro This Is Why We Should Probably Be Glad Nintendo Stuck With Carts For The N64
Think optical media is indestructible? Think again
Compact discs might not be considered new technology these days, but when they were first released they were marketed as practically indestructible. Compared to the two other audio storage mediums of the time - cassette tape and vinyl - that certainly seemed to be a easy claim to make. CDs later...
Talking Point Lack of Nintendo Switch Details Close to Launch Made Wobbly Cam 'Leaks' Inevitable
The big N underestimates fan desire to see the eShop, user interface etc
There have been good arguments in favour of the high intensity / short turnaround reveal and launch of the Nintendo Switch. The preview trailer - in October 2016 - got plenty of attention and seemed to be effective, gaining plenty of traction on social media and YouTube. The...
Hands On Trying Out the Nintendo Switch on its Public Tour
The UK console tour comes to Manchester
Whilst we're counting down the final two weeks before the Nintendo Switch launches on March 3rd, Nintendo has been hosting special hands-on events in which the public can get their first experiences with the console and several of its games. We managed to grab ourselves some tickets for the first of the three...
Hands On Creating a Quest in RPG Maker Fes
World-building
It's no secret that the 3DS is an RPG paradise, with new entries in both fresh and familiar franchises coming out faster than most fans can keep up with. It's an almost infinite bounty of adventure. But could it be more infinite? Enter RPG Maker Fes. A portable version of the long-running RPG-creation toolkit that lets players...
Talking Point The Nintendo Switch Could Revive Local Multiplayer
Get ready to call up some friends and start playing
In this guest article Funké Joseph, who attended a Nintendo Switch preview event, shares his thoughts on why Switch can be integral to local multiplayer. Local multiplayer is dead. Well, it's almost dead, some would argue. There are still a few games that are carrying the split-screen torch like...
Guide Essential Nintendo Switch Accessories
Switch it up with these lovely peripherals and accessories
Having now preordered your Nintendo Switch and possibly a carrying case, some games and possibly a micro SD card - you are all set, right? You get two Joy-Cons and a simple 'Grip' in the box, but there are a whole host of different ac
Interview Preparing for Adventure in forma.8 on the Wii U eShop
"We can't wait to work on Switch, it's such a lovely bit of kit!"
MixedBag rightly earned praise for Futuridium EP Deluxe, which brought its colourful and high tempo gameplay to both the Wii U and New 3DS. Yet forma.8 was the first project we heard of from the Italian studio - it emerged in early 2014, was part of the Nindies@Home demo promotion...
Interview Greg Wohlwend on TumbleSeed and What Makes Nintendo Switch Special
Holding Switch "made me excited for this generation of Nintendo games"
When a game is described as a 'rolly roguelike' and comes with an intriguing trailer, it's certainly a good idea to sit up and take notice. TumbleSeed is expected on the Nintendo Switch this Spring and is the work of aeiowu, a '1-person developer' that's also a collective - in...
Talking Point The Zelda: Breath of the Wild Expansion Pass DLC is Both Surprising and Inevitable
Hands up if you expected that... erm, no-one?
In the 3DS and Wii U era Nintendo slowly adopted some modern trends, embracing necessity in order to keep games active and - in the process - make some extra money. DLC emerged in ho-hum form as 'Coin Rush' packs in New Super Mario Bros. 2 on 3DS, but then there was no going back. New Super Luigi U...
Editorial 'NX' Development Documentation Gives Few New Insights, But The Leak is Far From Ideal
Nintendo is secretive enough already, so this doesn't help
It seems that leaks are an inevitable part of the modern gaming industry. We've seen plenty of game leaks come out around the NX / Switch over the past year (some yet to be proven right), while some tech specs of the PS4 Pro were doing the rounds before it was officially announced;...
Feature Nintendo Switch Countdown - The Origins and Simple Magic of Snipperclips
From Indie project 'FriendShapes' to enticing Switch co-op game
When it comes to the launch day and more general 'March' line-up for the Nintendo Switch, there are a few obvious high-profile releases that are getting plenty of attention. As we made clear in our first impressions article, however, some in our team left January preview events with a...
Talking Point Splatoon 2 is Set to be a Vital Early Arrival on Nintendo Switch
The Global Testfire adds some extra spice
When Splatoon was unveiled at E3 2014, this writer was initially unsure of its appeal. Then the reaction of the community on these pages began to take shape, and fans tweeted, and the fan-art began - it was evident that Nintendo had produced a new IP with huge potential. By the time we got closer to its...
Poll Does Nintendo Switch Need Streaming Apps and a Web Browser, Or Is It All About Games?
Noflix
The Nintendo Switch is just weeks away, and Nintendo is still keeping us waiting on some details such as the eShop, the Virtual Console (if it'll even be there at launch) and pinning down a finalised launch day line-up. The company is likely planning a Direct, information drop or new feature-driven videos to answer some questions prior to 3rd...
Talking Point Considering Nintendo's Portable Future
It's all about the target audience
The DS attracted an incredibly broad range of gamers, as its sensational sales attest, and the 3DS has also achieved positive results drawing in gamers of various types. Nintendo has also released variations of the 3DS for different audiences, too, with the 2DS - as an example - primarily pitched as a budget option...
Feature Flicking Through The Debut Issue Of Switch Player
Print isn't dead?
The internet has changed a lot of things in modern life. We now consume more music, videos and news online than ever before, and as a result those industries have had to change dramatically in order to compensate and survive. Music and video retailers are closing down while paid-for print media is feeling the pinch due to the fact...
Talking Point The State of Play - amiibo and Its Next Big Move
Pokémon, probably
When Nintendo unveiled its amiibo range in Spring 2014 with the codename of "Nintendo Figurine Platform", it came at a time when the toys-to-life market was near its peak. After Skylanders had blazed a trail Disney Infinity had followed, and it had become a lucrative sector in the market. Nintendo's initial pitch was enticing -...
Talking Point The Nintendo Switch Super Bowl Ad Was a Huge Success, But Why?
Making people believers
The Nintendo Switch featured prominently during the recent Super Bowl (or Superb Owl, we're not sure yet) and the ad that featured it has been very well received by the press and the public. But why? What was it about this ad that went down so well where some previous efforts by Nintendo have fallen flat? Make sure you check...
Feature Nintendo Switch Countdown - Considering the Joy-Con
Vital weapons for the Switch's future
The Nintendo Switch is now a little less than a month away. Over the coming weeks we're going to use official details and our own hands on impressions to give breakdowns and opinions on various features and games that are integral to the system. First up - the Joy-Con. It seems an age ago now, but in early...
Editorial No, Nintendo Switch Isn't Having a 'Soft Launch', But The Perception is a Problem
Strategy clashes with expectations
Well, the Nintendo Switch is a month away, which is exciting news for those with pre-orders down or perhaps are considering the possibility of grabbing one on launch day. The arrival of new gaming hardware, from Nintendo or rivals such as Sony and Microsoft, is typically enough to get hearts fluttering and send...
Feature The Rollercoaster Ride of Nintendo's Financial Reports
Poor sales revenues contradicted by profits and cash boost
Nintendo's most recent financial report, covering the first three quarters of the financial year, certainly qualifies as one of the most contradictory the company has issued. On the one hand there have been increases in 3DS sales across both hardware and software, while on the flipside...
Poll What Are Your Nintendo Switch Pre-Order and Launch Day Plans?
Are you going beyond Breath of the Wild?
Since the big Nintendo Switch Presentation we've run a couple of polls to gauge your views and thoughts on the system, with a mixed outlook in our most recent set of questions. Over the past week, though, we've been publishing some guides for those that have decided they're picking up a Nintendo Switch on day...
Feature Nindies and Nintendo Switch - Developers Reflect on the New Console
"It's a compelling and unique message in the console gaming market"
It's been a little while since the major Nintendo Switch unveiling, with a clearer picture now on the system's capabilities, games and prospects. Much is still up for debate, of course, but with its release a little over a month away opinions and thoughts on the new system are...
Soapbox You're Going To Love ARMS, And Here's Why
Boxing clever
It would be fair to say that ARMS received a somewhat lukewarm response when it was unveiled during the Nintendo Switch presentation. While some reacted positively to the colourful visuals, fetching character design and motion-sensitive action, others wrote it off as little more than Wii Sports boxing with better graphics, and...
Feature Reflecting on Time Spent With the Nintendo Switch
Feeling positive about the big N's next move
It's nearly two weeks since Nintendo hosted its Switch Presentation in Japan, and lots of opinions and details have been shared since. We also had teams go to both the London and New York press / public events after the broadcast, and we wrote up quite a few articles about the system and games as a result...
Talking Point The Nintendo 3DS, A System That Still Has a Role to Play
It's not going anywhere yet
With the Switch coming out in just a couple of months, it seems that Nintendo is truly committing to a future in which it invests in just one platform that fulfils the needs of both portable and home console gamers (though it should be noted that it's pitched primarily as a home console at present). Obviously, the Wii U...
Guide How to Transfer Pokémon from Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow to Pokémon Sun and Moon
Get a Bulba in your life
Pokémon Bank has had the update Pokéfans have been anticipating for months, and finally we're able to transfer our beloved Pokémon from the Virtual Console versions of Red, Blue, and Yellow to the shiny new Pokémon Sun and Moon. But how do you go about this? Well if you'd divert your attention
Parent Trap Nintendo Switch Parental Controls Beat Console Rivals To The Punch
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson loves no longer being the bad guy
With all the excitement of going hands-on with the games, controller and screen at the launch event it's easy to pass over some of the finer details of the Nintendo Switch. Chief among these details for families is the Parental Controls app. Other features may be sexier or more...
Talking Point Important Features Yet to be Revealed for the Nintendo Switch
There's still time before launch
When Nintendo gave its major Switch Presentation earlier this month, following it up with details in press releases, social media and interviews, there was a fair bit of information that was shared. While the Presentation had the task of giving the first major showcase for the system, it did however skip over quite a...
Hardware Review Putting The Retro Freak's Range Of Accessories To The Test
NES! Sega Mark III! Game Gear! Controller adapter!
Retro gamers have really been spoilt for choice when it comes to picking a clone console these days. Not only have we had machines like the Retro-USB AVS which uses FPGA tech to accurately replicate the performance of the NES, but we've also seen all-in-one solutions like the Hyperkin Retron-5 and...
Talking Point Is the Nintendo Switch a Handheld or Console? Does it Matter?
It's a Switch, that's all we need to know
Over the years we've had some quirky exchanges with Nintendo's PR department, but one of the best related to a light-hearted article about Yoshi. It turned out that an official Nintendo Character Guide from 1993 had said that Yoshi is "properly known as T. Yoshisaur Munchakoopas" and is a 'young dinosaur',...
First Impressions Feeling Young Again With Sonic Mania
A delicious blend of the retro and modern
On occasions in the past we've bemoaned Nintendo's tendency to shut down work by talented independent developers remixing and re-imagining their games, when an alternative is to embrace them. Capcom did this with the quirky free PC release of Mega Man X Street Fighter, which was fun if a tad flawed, but SEGA...
Feature 10 Intriguing Third-Party Nintendo Switch Games for Your Wishlist
Not just the big names
With the Nintendo Switch getting rather close, interest in the line-up of games that we can expect this year is naturally starting to increase. We've already produced a breakdown of confirmed games that we periodically revisit and update, but we thought we'd pick out some particularly intriguing titles from third-parties. In...
Poll A Week On, How Do You Feel About the Nintendo Switch?
Good, bad, numb to it all?
Well, it's been a little over a week since Tatsumi Kimishima took to the stage in Tokyo and kicked off a weekend of reveals, events and live streams to showcase the Nintendo Switch. Early pre-orders have been made, games have been confirmed, and opinions have been shared. Some of you may recall that we ran a poll shortly...
First Impressions Getting Some Laps In With FAST RMX
The popular racer makes the switch
FAST Racing NEO was easily one of the best indie titles on the Wii U; in our review we referred to it as one of the few titles that is "...able to stand to-to-toe with Nintendo's first-party offerings." Unfortunately it didn't get the level of attention it deserved due to being released on a console with such a...
Feature The Quest for the Ultimate NES Classic Edition Wireless Controller
8Bitdo NES30 Vs Nyko Miniboss
The NES Classic Edition is a wonderful micro-sized retro-gaming machine; availability issues aside its hard to find much fault with, it apart from the rather short controller cable which comes with the otherwise excellent replica of the original NES controller. At just 30 inches the cable that joins the pad to the...
Soapbox It's Nintendo's Job To Make Switch A Success, Not EA's, Ubisoft's Or Capcom's
Playing the blame game doesn't work
The dust has settled on the big reveal of the Nintendo Switch and while we're almost certain to see more software support confirmed for the console before launch day arrives, it's hard to ignore the feeling that history is repeating itself, at least when it comes to third party support. Companies like EA, Capcom,...
Editorial Pricing Blunders Have Distorted The Narrative Around Nintendo Switch
The cost of stubborn business
The reaction to Nintendo Switch since its presentation has been mixed, it's fair to say. In terms of metrics such as 'Likes' on YouTube and vibes among my own acquaintances, family and friends there's been a positive response. Yet to browse some specialist sites and similar channels on YouTube (or even comments sections...