News Nintendo Switch System Update 12.0.1 Is Now Live
Fancy some stability?
News Super Nintendo World Forced To Close Just One Month After Opening
Update: USJ makes it official
Guide Nintendo Switch System Update History - Full Switch Firmware Guide
Every Switch system update since launch detailed
News - 2021, Week 16
Sunday25th Apr 2021
Mini Review Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (Switch) - Witty Zelda-Inspired Top-Down Tax Avoidance
Vegan-friendly
No one likes paying taxes. Unfortunately, it’s something we all have to do and wilfully committing tax evasion is not something we would ever encourage anyone to do. Isn’t it wonderful, then, that you can evade as much tax as you like in Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, an action-RPG from developer Snoozy Kazoo. It may well be one...
Feature Pokémon Origin Stories - The Inspiration Behind Your Favourite Pocket Monsters
A quarter-century of Pokémon designs
Pokémon is a juggernaut of a franchise. Countless games, movies, merchandise and mobile apps make this literally the biggest media franchise ever made in terms of cold hard cash. Of course this couldn’t have happened without long-lasting appeal, and one area that the franchise nearly always seems to nail down...
Review Battle Axe (Switch) - A Battling Throwback That Doesn't Land All Its Hits
Lord have Mercia
Veteran pixel artist Henk Nieborg's old-school throwback, Battle Axe, seeks to replicate the classic top-down hack and slash action of arcade classics such as Gauntlet, Knights of the Round and Golden Axe. With Nieborg himself on graphical duties and legendary composer Manami Matsumae (Mega Man, Final Fight, Shovel Knight) providing...
News Nintendo Switch Is Now The Sixth Best-Selling Video Game System In Japan
Expected to overtake lifetime PSP and PS2 sales this year
The Nintendo Switch is now officially the sixth best-selling video game system of all time in Japan, according to sales data provided by Famitsu (via Video Games Charts). It's apparently sold 19,410,000 units within this region - meaning it's surpassed the Famicom lifetime sales in Japan...
News Warhorse Rules Out Kingdom Come: Deliverance Switch Release (Again)
Latest images and tweets were apparently a "mistake"
At the start of this year, Warhorse Studios' 2018 medieval role-playing title Kingdom Come: Deliverance was spotted on an official Nintendo Switch release schedule. At the time, Warhorse's PR Manager Tobi Stolz-Zwilling said the game wasn't planned for the Switch and mentioned that the studio was...
News Switch Online Members Can Save 30% On Wireless NES Controllers (North America)
A limited-time offer
If you still haven't got around to purchasing a pair of wireless NES controllers for the Nintendo Switch, now might be the time. Nintendo of America is currently offering Switch Online members a special deal, allowing them to save 30% on these retro replicas. This offer runs from now until May 4th and drops the price of these...
Saturday24th Apr 2021
Random Hey, There's Also A Smash Mod That Keeps Fire Emblem Content And Removes Everything Else
Balance has been restored
Whether you love or hate the Fire Emblem cast in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, it seems there's a mod for you. It turns out the same individual (Akrenix) - who created a mod that removes all things related to Fire Emblem from Nintendo's all-star brawler - has also released one that gets
News A New Limited-Time Pokémon Sword And Shield Item Distribution Event Has Begun
Get it while you can!
Listen up, trainers! There's a new item up for grabs in Pokémon Sword and Shield. This time around it's the hold item Weakness Policy. As explained by Serebii.net, the code for this item was released during the Pokémon Players Cup 3 stream. It's available from now until 26th April, so be sure to redeem it while you still...
Review The Darkside Detective: A Fumble In The Dark (Switch) - A Welcome Return To Twin Lakes
It is happening again
Sequels generally need to accomplish two things: they need to be bigger and better than their predecessors. Okay, if we’re being picky, they don’t necessarily need to be bigger, as such, but certainly better. Released back in 2017, The Darkside Detective was a surprise hit, boasting gorgeous pixelated visuals, a stellar...
Video Why Do We Buy And Collect Retro Video Games?
Nostalgia is a powerful thing
If you're a retro video game collector, you've probably been asked at least a few times in your life why you buy so many old games. You might have even asked the same question to yourself in the past - perhaps challenging your own reasons. So, why do people collect old (and physical) games in this day and age -...
Feature Why Aerial_Knight Put His Name On His Game
Aerial_Knight talks development, diversity, and his debut game
Last week's Indie World Direct was a showcase full of ingenuity, creativity, and excitement, as independent developers from across the world announced their games for the Nintendo Switch, often in their native languages. It wasn't just twenty minutes of new games - it was a celebration...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (April 24th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Another busy week in the world of video games has come to an end. In the past seven days we've seen LEGO Luigi leaked and then officially revealed, Super Nintendo World forced to close temporarily due to pandemic-related precautions after opening just a month ago, and
News VIZ Media Reveals Cover Art For Pokémon: Sword & Shield, Vol. 1 Manga
Releases on 10th August
VIZ Media, the same publisher behind Ask Iwata, has shared a first look at the cover of Pokémon" Sword & Shield, Vol. 1 manga series. It'll arrive on 10th August and is available to pre-order now over on Amazon and is priced at $4.99 USD. This series, written by the legendary Hidenori Kusaka (responsible for the past...
Friday23rd Apr 2021
News Super Nintendo World Forced To Close Just One Month After Opening
Update: USJ makes it official
Update (Fri 23rd Apr, 2021 14:45 BST): As suspected, the park's closure has now been made official by Universal Studios Japan. The company has shared a statement addressing the news, noting that its parks will be closed from this Sunday, 25th April until the requirements of Osaka's state of emergency have lifted...
Talking Point Is It Worth Buying A Nintendo Wii U In 2021?
The answer might not be as obvious as you think...
Nintendo's doing pretty well at the moment, with its Switch console selling like hotcakes and games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons creating a whole new generation of fans. You might assume, then, that the sheer notion of investing your hard-earned money in the company's last-gen system – and...
Random Someone's Made A Smash Ultimate Mod That Removes Everything Fire Emblem-Related
Too many Fire Emblem characters?
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Fire Emblem representation has been a pretty popular talking point for some time now, with some fans believing the game features too many characters from Nintendo's tactical RPG series. That belief was perhaps exacerbated by the DLC reveal of Byleth, who added yet another sword-wielding...
News Capcom Will Broadcast Another Monster Hunter Digital Event Next Week
Tune in for an update on Monster Hunter Rise and Stories 2
Following on from a series of broadcasts last month, Capcom has announced it will now air another Monster Hunter digital event next week on 27th April. It will be live-streamed on Twitch and Youtube at 11:00 pm in Japan, 3 pm in the UK, 4 pm in Europe and 7 am PT / 10 am ET in the US.
Review Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack (Switch) - A Nicely Crafted RPG Marathon
Baby, you've got a stew going!
Practically speaking, the Atelier series is probably among the best collection of RPGs that you’ve never played. This low-key and generally bubbly franchise seems like it hasn’t quite managed to shatter that ‘glass ceiling’ into mainstream appeal, but that hasn’t stopped Gust from lovingly improving upon the...
News Tough Blow As Sonic Lost World Yoshi's Island DLC Gets Modded, No Longer 'Wii U Exclusive'
We still love you, Wii U
Back in 2013 our world was rocked when Sonic Lost World added a free Yoshi's Island Zone DLC; admittedly it was pretty easy to blow our socks off in that particular gaming era. And though SEGA betrayed Wii U owners by eventually bringing Sonic Lost World to PC
Reminder The Entire Shantae Series Is Now Available On The Nintendo Switch
Five games, one system
There's rarely a point in time when every game in a particular series is available on one console, but today is one of those days. WayFoward this week released Shantae's original Game Boy Color outing on the Nintendo Switch eShop - meaning you can now experience all of Shantae's adventures wherever you go. "With today's...
News Dead Cells' Free 'Whack-A-Mole' Update Is Out Now, Bringing Big Swords And New Mutations
Compensating for something?
We are officially on Dead Cells' 23rd update, which is incredible, but what's more incredible is that they're still adding actual (free!!) content to the game ahead of its fourth birthday on the 10th May. The latest update is named "Whack-A-Mole", presumably because it involves getting a melanoma screening. What's that?...
News The Konami Code Turns 35 With A Special Album Of Lo-Fi Gradius Tracks
⬆ ⬆ ⬇ ⬇ ⬅ ➡ ⬅ ➡ 🅱 🅰
We've had a lot of 35th Anniversaries this year, including the Mario celebrations and the Zelda... non-celebrations, and this weekend — specifically, the 25th April, 2021 — is the birthday of the Konami Code, perhaps the most famous sequence of buttons in hi
Video Another New Pokémon Snap Trailer Appears, And This One's A Treat For The Ears
Soak up the sounds of the Lental Region
New Pokémon Snap launches in exactly one week's time, and Nintendo isn't being shy about sharing as many new trailers as it can. Yesterday brought us a video all about the game's stunning scenery, and we've previously seen game
News Space Commander: War And Trade Will Boldly Go Onto Switch In May
Drops free-to-play model for Switch release
Space sims are a particularly popular genre in gaming, especially on PC, but on 13th May there'll be an interesting and affordable option heading to the Nintendo Switch eShop. Space Commander: War and Trade is developed by Home Net Games and is heading to Switch via 7Levels (Castle of Heart, Jet Kave...
News New Pokémon Snap Interactive Website Offers A Sneak Peek At The Game And Digital Rewards
Grab Platinum Points and photo frames to share online
To give players an early look at some of the photography-based delights that await in New Pokémon Snap, Nintendo's launched a brand new website complete with an interactive map and treats to uncover. You can check out the website for yourself right here; from the map screen, you can click on...
News Gorgeous Exploration Game Abzu Is Getting A Physical Edition On Switch
Orders open next week
Abzu, one of the Switch eShop's more unique experiences, is being treated to a new physical edition release thanks to Super Rare Games. Super Rare's partnership with publisher 505 Games will see Abzu launch in physical form for the first time on Nintendo's platform. Only 5,000 copies will ever be printed, and these will go on...
News The Pink Puffball Kirby Is Getting A New Statue From First 4 Figures
More will be revealed next week
Statue specialist First 4 Figures has today revealed a 9" Kirby and the Painted Goal Door PVC statue. Alongside a teaser of this upcoming release, it also announced it would be hosting a launch stream next week on 27th April. In addition to this, F4F will be giving fans a chance to win one of these Kirby (well, an...
News Animal Crossing Crowned Family Game Of The Year At The 2021 D.I.C.E. Awards
Mario Kart Live wins best racing game category
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has already won a bunch of awards over the past year, and now to top it off, it's taken out the best family game at the 24th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. The other games in this category included Astro's Playroom, Dreams, Fall Guys and Sack Boy. The only other first-party...
News Terra Trilogy Brings '80s Arcade Vibes To Nintendo Switch This Summer
Dig out those quarters
Everyone has their own definition of retro, though we suspect a number of gamers only go as far as the NES-era when they think of old-school classics. Gamers of a certain age remember pre-Nintendo console days, however, when arcade machines made comforting beeps and bloops and made good use of vector-based visuals. For gamers...
News LudoNarraCon Is Offering Free Demos For A Bunch Of Narrative Indie Games On Steam
Try 'em before you buy 'em!
If you, like us, are a fan of narrative indie games (think Life Is Strange, Kentucky Route Zero, Night in the Woods, and Oxenfree) then you should probably check out the LudoNarraCon virtual exhibition going on on Steam right now. It's a celebration of the very best writing games have to offer, hosted by game publi
Thursday22nd Apr 2021
News You Can Play Super Mario 64 In Your Browser
Browser's Inside Story
Nintendo is known for cracking down on downloads, torrents, and ports of their games, but they have to take breaks some time, right? Just last week, the developers of the "Super Mario 64 Plus" PC port of the game stated that they weren't too worried about DMCAs, since they weren't actually a threat to the sales of the game...
Random Animal Crossing: New Horizons Players Are Getting Creative With The New Design Tools
Trompe-l'oeil
For Animal Crossing: New Horizons' first birthday, many people thought that Nintendo would release a 2.0 update, adding much-awaited features like Brewster's café, new characters, gyroids, and more. What actually happened was the anniversary update, which added some smaller quality of life features,
News Nintendo's Official UK Store Has An All-New Look
A welcome overhaul?
The Nintendo Official UK Store, unsurprisingly one of the UK's best destinations for new Nintendo games and merchandise, has been treated to a complete makeover with an all-new design. The store has actually ditched its 'Nintendo Official UK Store' name to fall in line with the 'My Nintendo' branding seen in other countries. The...
Review Smelter (Switch) - Strong Mega Man X-Style Platforming Forged With Extract Of ActRaiser
Would you Adam and Eve it!?
Now you’re talking. Indie games have been imitating classics of the past for years and years now, and it’s about time that one of them had the cajones to take a run at the seminal ActRaiser, Quintet’s 1990 genre-melding masterpiece. To be fair, SolSeraph had a crack at combining top-down elements with platforming,...
News Fire Emblem-Style Strategy RPG 'Lost Eidolons' Could Be Coming To Nintendo Switch
Depending on crowdfunding success
If you're a fan of SRPGs, you might want to keep an eye on the Kickstarter campaign for Lost Eidolons. It's described by developer Ocean Drive Studio as a "classic turn-based strategy RPG" created "in the proud tradition of games our team loves, like Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy Tactics". The studio is seeking...
News The Spirit Of The Game Boy Printer Lives On Thanks To Fujifilm And Your Nintendo Switch
Print your memories
The Game Boy turned 32 yesterday, and if you're old enough to have enjoyed that particular handheld back in the day you might recall the Game Boy Printer, one of the wackiest accessories ever produced for a games console. The battery-powered thermal printer connected to your Game Boy and allowed you to print off images taken...
Back Page Guessing The Next Zelda Title Using Industry Trends
It's not going to be "Breath of the Wild 2", right?
This hand is reaching, and so am I in this article In the game magazine business, the Back Page is where you'd find all the weird goofs that we couldn't fit into the rest of the pages. Some may call it "filler"; we prefer "a whole page to make terrible jokes that are tangentially related to the...
News Nintendo Teases Mario Kart Tour's Brand-New City Course
Update: Here's a first-look!
Update [Thu 22nd Apr, 2021 02:45 BST]: Nintendo has now shared a new trailer showing off the latest tour. Original story [Sun 18th Apr, 2021 17:00 BST]: As the Ninja-themed event wraps up in Mario Kart Tour, Nintendo has decided to lift the lid on the next round of racing. It seems Mario and friends are off to Sydney,...
Mini Review Picross S6 (Switch) - A Bold New Direction? A Fresh Take? Eat Your Picross, Son
Here we go again!
Let’s get one thing out of the way upfront: Picross S6 is just more Picross. No unique bells or whistles, no interesting gameplay hooks or gimmicks to make this sequel ‘different’, no bold new direction for the franchise. It is simply a new collection of almost 500(!) puzzles for you to solve, all of which are completed in...
Random Someone Really Wants Ant-Man To Sign Their Super Nintendo
Will donate $1000 to charity, if anyone can make it happen
Long before the American actor Paul Rudd joined the Avengers as Ant-Man, he actually starred in a commercial for the Super Nintendo - showcasing games like F-Zero, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Pilotwings and even SimCity. With this in mind, Twitter user
News The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles Will Use An English-Style Court System
I say, Objection, good sir! I haven't finished my tea yet
The upcoming Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, which will unite the first and second games in the "Great Ace Attorney" line, are set in Ye Olde Englandtown. And you know what that means: charmingly wonky takes on what England is actually like, including lots of top hats, buses, and genius...
News Immortals Fenyx Rising's 'The Lost Gods' DLC Adds New Top-Down Gameplay, Out Today
The game's last story DLC
The final chunk of narrative DLC for Ubisoft's Immortals Fenyx Rising, called 'The Lost Gods', is now available on Nintendo Switch and other platforms. This latest addition to the game adds a new top-down gameplay experience and brawler-style combat, taking players back for another dose of Fenyx's story. You'll be coming...
News GameStop CEO Reportedly In Line For A $179m 'Goodbye' Deal This Summer
Shares linked to tenure, not performance
The GameStop stock market drama from the beginning of the year certainly had its share of dramatic ups and equally dramatic downs, but it's fair to say that prospects for the video game retailer have been gloomy for several years now. The rise in digital purchases and alternative online retailers over the...
News Star Wars: Republic Commando Dev Working On Patch To Resolve Nintendo Switch Issues
Hopes to have it fixed by "early May"
Star Wars: Republic Commando didn't experience the best launch when it arrived on the Nintendo Switch earlier this month. As you might have noticed, there were some distracting frame rate issues. Other versions of the game have also experienced some problems. While Aspyr - the team behind the port - has already...
Nintendo Download 22nd April (North America)
The Lost Gods! Picross S6! Shantae!
The latest Nintendo Download update for North America has arrived, and it's bringing new games galore to the eShop in your region. As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy! Switch eShop - Highlights: Immortals Fenyx Rising – The Lost...
News Ys IX: Monstrum Nox Gets A July Release On Nintendo Switch
Summer of Switch
The Summer is already looking relatively busy for Switch gamers, and now yet another meaty game is joining the fray; NIS America has confirmed that Ys IX: Monstrum Nox arrives on 6th July in North America, 9th July in Europe and 16th July in Oceania. This latest entry in the series see Adol start out as a fugitive, and this time...
News Ubisoft To Take Assassin's Creed Lore To The Next Level With Mr Men And Little Miss Books
Mass murder, but for kids apparently
In the dozens (and dozens) of hours it takes to beat Assassin's Creed Valhalla it's possible you'll chop off approximately 800 heads, though you'll kill thousands as you rampage through monasteries and towns in a very Viking-esque way. Even going back to the older games that we can enjoy on the Switch, for...
News Star Renegades Special Editions Up For Grabs On Switch
5000 copies in total
Star Renegades was rather highly regarded when it arrived on Switch eShop in late 2020; it's a stylish game with its own unique take on the roguelike turn-based battle genre. We were pretty glowing in our review, describing it as "a title that absolutely belongs in your Switch library". For big fans of the game the good news is...
Video New Pokémon Snap Trailer Highlights The Game's Stunning Scenery And Wild Pokémon
Another five minutes of footage
The Pokémon Company has released yet another trailer for New Pokémon Snap, this time showing off the game's gorgeous environments with more focus than ever before. The five-minute clip dives deep into the Lental Region's oceans, pans across its forests and grasslands, and paints a pretty good picture of the...
News Forget The European Super League, True 'Football Drama' Is Coming To Nintendo Switch
Greedy billionaires may (or may not) feature
For all of you football / soccer-ball fans, 'football drama' likely refers to the unedifying sight of a dozen billionaires and assorted cronies trying to create a 'European Super League', then backing down within 72 hours when everyone pointed out it was the worst idea since the Virtual Boy. But no, in...
News What SteamWorld Game Deserves A Sequel? Image & Form Would Like To Know
Go on, tell 'em!
Late last year, Image & Form reminded fans it was working on more games in the SteamWorld series. At the time, it also said it was open to sequels and even revisiting earlier entries in the series. In a bit of an update, it's now asked what it should do next. More precisely, it wants to know what SteamWorld game "desperately"...
News The Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack Launches Today, New Trailer
All three 'Mysterious' games in one bundle
Today sees the launch of the Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack, a digital-only bundle featuring all three games from the franchise's 'Mysterious' series. Following in the footsteps of the previously-released Dusk Trilogy and Arland series sets, this new pack includes
Japanese Charts Monster Hunter Rise Stays Top For A Fourth Consecutive Week
Switch takes nine of top ten
Famitsu's Japanese chart figures are now in for the week ending 18th April, revealing that Monster Hunter Rise is still comfortably leading the pack. While sales are naturally slowing down week-on-week, the game shifted another estimated 110,050 physical copies to stay ahead of the competition. Just like last week,...
News 1080° Snowboarding Creator Announces Carve Snowboarding For Oculus VR
Work ya body, w-work ya body
Giles Goddard, veteran programmer who worked on the likes of Star Fox and Super Mario 64 (he programmed Mario's squidgy face on the splash screen), has wanted to make a 'new' 1080° Snowboarding for some time now, and his development and publishing company Chuhai Labs has now lifted the lid on its new spiritual...
News 'Buildings Have Feelings Too' Is A City Management Game Where You Play The City
It's out on the eShop today!
The word "but" is doing a lot of heavy lifting in game pitches these days. "It's Stardew Valley, but you're a cat." "It's a dating game, but you get to date pigeons instead of boys." And now, we present to you: "It's a city management game, but you play as the buildings." We're not complaining, though. We're quite fond...
Nintendo Download 22nd April (Europe)
Atelier DX! Later Alligator! Moon Raider! MotoGP 21!
The latest Nintendo Download update for Europe has arrived, and it's bringing new games galore to the eShop in your region. As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy! Switch eShop - New Releases: Asdivine Cross (KEMCO, 22nd...
Wednesday21st Apr 2021
News Nintendo Explains Why It Took Down The Labo Website
"We routinely conduct product website maintenance and reorganization"
[Update #2: 21/04/2021]: Nintendo of America has responded to reports that it has removed the Labo website, stating that the line is still available for purchase. Speaking to Games Radar, NoA said: "Nintendo Labo is available at retail locations. We routinely conduct product...
News First 4 Figures Announces Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Champions Series
Update: Pre-orders for Revali are now live
Update [Wed 21st Apr, 2021 00:45 BST]: Pre-orders for the first champion, Revali, are now live on the First 4 Figures website. The exclusive edition is priced at $137.49 USD but if you purchase if early you can save $10. The highly detailed Revali PVC statue is inspired by his official artwork from The...
News Super Potato, Japan's Legendary Game Store, Opens Its Very Own International eBay Shop
And so, our bank accounts were no more
25 Super Famicoms? A fairly normal sight at Super Potato One of the world's most famous video game stores, Japan's Super Potato, has finally opened up for international business thanks to its new, worldwide eBay account. It might seem pretty strange seeing a shop be described as 'legendary', but for gamers...
News Story Of Seasons Gets A DLC Trailer To Show Off New Marriage Candidates, New Area
We all just want to marry Clemens and Beth, though
The first marriage candidate DLC for Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is just around the corner, and familiar faces from Harvest Moon: A New Beginning will move in just down the road from your farm, ready to be wooed. The "Windswept Falls" expansion pack adds a new area to the map, where...
Random Nintendo Switch Appears In The Background Of Yet Another Xbox Video
Microsoft and Nintendo, kissing in a tree
Not so long ago, we mused about future plans involving Microsoft and Nintendo, a post which was largely inspired by the fact that Xbox boss Phil Spencer had a Switch in his office during a video segment. With VentureBeat journalist and industry insider Jeff Grubb suggesting that "pretty much everything"...
News Mother 3's Fan Translation Patch Has Been Updated
That's one way to celebrate 15 years
Yesterday marked the 15th anniversary of the cult classic Game Boy Advance title Mother 3. While there's still no sign of an official localisation, fans many years ago took matters into their own hands by releasing their own translation. While nothing official is happening, it seems the fan translation is...
Review SaGa Frontier Remastered (Switch) - A Cracking Update Of An Infuriating Cult Classic
Only For The Hardcore Frontier Raver
SaGa Frontier, Square Enix’s idiosyncratic JRPG classic, arrives on Nintendo Switch in a lovingly crafted remaster that gives long-time fans plenty to get excited about whilst fully retaining the ability to absolutely infuriate and bewilder anyone who isn’t au fait with its many, many eccentricities. This is...
News Xbox Cloud On Switch? Nintendo Won't Allow It, Says Industry Analyst
"I have had Nintendo tell me directly"
One of the consequences of Nintendo Switch consoles making their way into the backdrops of official Xbox videos is that it gets people talking. Xbox boss Phil Spencer has already triggered plenty of speculation by having a Switch (alongside many other items) on his office shelf, and, more recently, fellow Xbox...
News Some Familiar Faces Have Been Spotted On The Film Set Of Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Spoiler alert
As you might recall, production of the live-action Sonic The Hedgehog 2 movie officially got underway last month. Paramount Pictures also shared the "Title Announcement" trailer before this and now it seems the first shots are emerging online. While it's not exactly a surprise, technically, we're entering spoiler territory here with...
Poll What's The Best Mega Man Game?
Rate every Mega Man game on Nintendo systems
Capcom's blue bomber and his various successors, companions and assorted compadres might have had a quiet few years a while back, but a string of more recent collections — not to mention the excellent Mega Man 11 — have helped put the little robot dude back on the gaming map in a way that fans could...
News Rocket League's Getting A Lamborghini, But Only For A Limited Time
Grab it while you can
Rocket League developer Psyonix has announced a new partnership with Lamborghini which will see new content inspired by the luxury sports car brand dropping into the game starting today. Perhaps the biggest news to come from this new partnership is the addition of the Lamborghini Huracán STO, a new car that will be available...
News Konami España Hints At More Switch News To Come
Don't call it a comeback
In the not-too-distant past Konami was a powerhouse in the video game industry, with regular games in massive franchises through the days of pixels and bits to polygons and discs. It's fair to say that in recent times - outside of eFootball PES titles, legacy game collections and the occasional cringe-inducing release like...
News The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles Brings Long-Awaited Games To Switch This July
Featuring everyone's favourite, Herlock Sholmes
[Update 21/4/21, 13:20 ADT: Looks like the physical release is not download code only - the code is probably for the bonus content, and the game will be on a cartridge.] It's appropriate that the abbreviation for the long-running Ace Attorney series is "AA", because that's roughly what we're all...
Rumour Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 'Remake' Is Being Handled By Aspyr
Is there hope of a Switch version?
BioWare's Knights of the Old Republic is one of the most beloved games in the Star Wars series, and rumours that it's getting the remake treatment have predictably excited some fans. However, there's been nothing to give Switch-owning fans much hope of seeing it on their console – until now, that is. Bloomberg's...
News Xenoblade Chronicles Developer Monolith Soft Now Has 272 Employees
So what's next?
Apart from its recent work on the Mythra and Pyra reveal trailer for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate earlier this year, we've not heard much from Xenoblade Chronicles developer Monolith Soft in recent times. We found out it was hiring for the Legend of Zelda series back in 2019 and there's also been mention of a
News Tetris 99 Now Lets You Exchange Tickets For Event Themes You Missed
Game updated to Version 2.2.0
The Luigi's Mansion 3 event theme was a particularly good one in our books... Tetris 99 has been updated to Version 2.2.0 on Nintendo Switch, and this little update has given us something that players have been asking for for some time. Yes, thanks to the new patch, players can now use up some of their in-game tickets...
Random Who Is Kinopio-Kun, And Why Is He In The Background Of So Many Nintendo Games?
Mario is dead, long live Kinopio-Kun
We love Toads here at Nintendo Life. And how could you not? He's a great friend, an adequate butler, and an acceptable Mario Kart choice. In Japan, he's also the mascot of Nintendo's LINE account — a social media platform that's super popular over there. You may recognise this green guy from that
Feature Intriguing Switch eShop Games That Caught Our Eye - 21st April
Action, puzzle solving, multiplayer shenanigans and cute learning
A few weeks back we shared an article that highlighted intriguing eShop games that had caught our eye. The criteria was pretty simple; they had to be games that we'd missed in some form or not received as much coverage as they perhaps deserved. Let's do that again, shall we? As a...
Random This Clever Fan Remake Blends The Doki Doki Super Mario Bros. 2 With The Original
It actually looks quite fun
We suspect that most know the story of Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan and the game the rest of the world received. To give a very short summary, the sequel we saw in the West was a reskin of Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, as Nintendo feared the true sequel would break players outside of Japan; that's why it's such an...
Random Ring Fit Adventure's Ring-Con Has Been Transformed Into A Working Accordion
Hear it sing
Wii Music's talented band of Miis would be all over this... The Ring-Con controller that comes bundled with Ring Fit Adventure is a pretty smart piece of kit already, combining with the Switch's Joy-Con to keep you active, work your muscles, and even measure your heartbeat. As it turns out, though, it can be used for a whole lot more...
News Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown Will Speed Onto Nintendo Switch
Open world racing
The Nintendo Switch has a solid number of driving games, although at times the system's limitations (in terms of performance and a lack of analogue triggers) can be a downside. Nacon and the team behind KT Racing has previous form on the system, most recently with WRC 9 The Official Game, and it's now confirmed that Test Drive...
News Nintendo Switch Online Members Can Now Play Descenders For Free (Europe)
Check out the full game for a limited time
Nintendo's back with another Game Trials offer for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, this time giving players the chance to check out Descenders. Game Trials allow Switch Online members to download a game in full (not just a demo) and play it as much as they like for a limited time. In Descenders' case,...
News Mario Kart Tour Surpasses 200 Million Downloads And $200 Million In Player Spending
Nintendo's second best-performing mobile game last year
Mario Kart Tour continues to be a huge success for Nintendo, surpassing two major milestones in its quest to become one of the world's highest-earning mobile racers. According to new data from Sensor Tower, the title has now surpassed 200 million downloads worldwide and has accumulated more...
News Residual Confirmed For Switch As Apogee Entertainment Makes Publishing Comeback
A 'new breed of survival platformer'
Apogee Entertainment has announced its arrival as the return of the 'original indie game developer', and has confirmed a title for Switch in the process. Formerly Apogee Software, it made its name backing and publishing IPs and titles such as Wolfenstein 3D, Duke Nukem and Max Payne back in the day, and this...
Random Did You Catch The Easter Eggs In The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles Trailer?
Always look on the Wright side of life
The setting for the Great Ace Attorney games is 1900s England, at the turn of the 20th century, and although the Sherlock Holmes influences are clear in "Herlock Sholmes", your main helper character in the game, it turns out that the Britishy references go even deeper. In the official localisation — which...
News The Batman / Fortnite Crossover Sees The Dark Knight Thrown For A (Time) Loop
This has happened before
Have you seen Memento? If not, you should rectify that sharpish; it's one of Christopher Nolan's best and comes from a time before you needed three viewings to get a handle on his movies. In it, Guy Pierce's Leonard is trying to solve a grisly mystery — a task made considerably more difficult by the fact his short-term...
News Samurai Gunn 2 Is Coming, And Will Also Star Characters From Spelunky And Minit
🐬🦆
It's been a while since we last saw news of colourful platform-brawler Samurai Gunn 2, but today, that changed. The official Twitter account announced that the game was not only coming out in Early Access on Steam this Summer, but that there would also be two very special guest stars. Ana from Spelunky 2 and Minit from...
News 'Before I Forget', The BAFTA-Nominated Game About Dementia, Arrives On Switch Very Soon
Acclaimed title praised for its handling of the topic
It's possible that a good number of people reading this have some experience of dementia, perhaps through seeing a relative or loved one go through its challenges. Unsurprisingly it's not often seen in games, but Before I Forget has received praise for its handling of the topic; previously on...
News Read The Stars And Predict The Future In Mystical Narrative Game 'Grotto'
It's like you have ESPN or something
In Grotto, a new game coming to Switch later this year, you are the Soothsayer. People come to your cave, and ask you to say all kinds of sooths. Out of all of them, you are the only one that can read the future amongst stars and bones, and they need your help trying to figure out what will come to pass. You can...
News This Week's Smash Bros. Spirit Board Event Calls On All Support Items
Need some backup?
This week's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate event takes on the form of a spirit board. This week's focus is on all the support items in the game. Alongside this, Nintendo's Smash Bros. account has shared some new artwork featuring some of the items you will encounter in battles. This event kicks off this Friday on 23rd April, will you...
Tuesday20th Apr 2021
News Nintendo Switch System Update 12.0.1 Is Now Live
Fancy some stability?
Earlier this month, Nintendo rolled out a new firmware update for the Switch. While many expected the 12.0.0 update to be something significant, according to the patch notes - it fixed an issue tied to the save data backup feature. Now that it's done with this, it's released Version 12.0.1, and with it comes the usual...
Guide Nintendo Switch System Update History - Full Switch Firmware Guide
Every Switch system update since launch detailed
Since Nintendo Switch launched back in March 2017, the handheld hybrid console has received numerous firmware updates. As is standard for any piece of technology these days, these system updates have added new features, refined existing menu and User Interface elements, and provided an ever-more...
News Square Enix Confirms Plans For E3 2021
"Several" games lined up
Another major publisher has confirmed that it will be making an appearance at this year's E3, as Square Enix joins the ever-growing roster. The news comes from an interview with Japanese publication Nikkei, where the company's CEO, Yosuke Matsuda, has revealed that announcements will be shared at this year's event. Here's...
News Nintendo Scores Another Victory In Its War Against Switch Piracy
So long, Winmart
Back in 2020, Nintendo took legal action against Le Hoang Minh – a Vietnamese citizen trading on Amazon under the name Winmart – to prevent the sale of RCM Loaders, which use special software to hack the console and permit the running of unlicensed code, as well as pirated games. It has now been confirmed that Nintendo has...
News Paper Mario Tribute Bug Fables Scores A Limited Run Games Release
Pre-orders start this Friday
The Paper Mario style RPG Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling originally arrived on the Nintendo Switch last May. As much as we loved it, one thing missing at the time was a physical release. As you might recall, Limited Run Games confirmed a hard copy of the game
Random You Can 'Play' Super Mario Bros. In Minecraft, As Long As You Don't Mind 10FPS
Super Mineio Craft Bros.
Okay, okay, before we begin, we have to admit: the title isn't totally factual. This Super Mario Bros. video is technically just an animation, programmed into Minecraft through clever use of Command Blocks, and the only interaction you have with it is pressing the "play" button. We're very sorry for the little white lie...
Soapbox An Anniversary Ode To Okami, The Best Zelda Game That Isn't
Fifteen years of Clover's classic
Ever since the The Legend of Zelda turned 35 back in February, we've been looking back over the mainline games with a series of features celebrating and examining each one from a personal perspective. However, today it's the 15th anniversary of another fine action-adventure — a game which may not have the name...
Hands On Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne Still Has The Power To Shake You Up
Featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry series
Ahead of the game's launch on 25th May, we recently had the chance to sit down with a pre-release version of Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster. Here follows our hands-on impressions from intrepid Nintendo Life (p)reviewer, Mitch Vogel... Before we get into impressions, let’s set the scene...
News It's Official! Nintendo Announces LEGO Luigi And Pre-Orders Are Open Now
Well, we didn't see that coming...
Surprise! Nintendo has officially announced that LEGO Luigi will be hitting stores later this year. We already had an idea that this was coming thanks to a leak on Amazon yesterday (as well as that creepy LEGO Mario firmware update, of course) but here's the official announcement from Nintendo itself: "It’s...
News Konami Has Trademarked 'Castlevania' And 'Metal Gear Rising' In Japan
(Well, it's Akumajou Dracula, technically)
It's fair to say that Konami isn't the force it once was in the world of video games. Not so long ago it was competing with the likes of Capcom, Sega and Nintendo at the top of the market, but these days it is more content pushing out moderately successful titles like Super Bomberman R and less profitable...
Random Someone Turned A Nintendo GameCube Into A Flower Pot
It looks great alongside Pikmin
We've seen a lot of weird and wonderful GameCube conversions over the years, and the latest design that's got the attention of social media is one that's been transformed into a flower pot. Yes, YouTuber NitroRad - a guy who has been putting out some excellent videos about retro and indie games for many years now,...
News Limited Run Republishing Another Two Game Boy Titles, Pre-Orders Open This Friday
StarHawk and Metal Masters return
Physical distributor Limited Run Games has announced it will be republishing not one, but two Game Boy classics. The first is StarHawk and the second one is Metal Masters - both titles will be available for pre-order this Friday over a four-week period. Metal Masters is a 2D beat 'em up fighting game, and was...
Anniversary Mother 3 For Game Boy Advance Is Now 15 Years Old
Please localise it, Nintendo
Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé has acknowledged the 2006 Japan-only Game Boy Advance exclusive Mother 3 a few times over the past week, and today just so happens to be the third entry's 15th anniversary. Yes, it's now been 15 long years since this cult classic RPG arrived in Japan. Although...
News Sega Extends Jakks Pacific Partnership For More Classic And Modern Sonic Merch
Figures, playsets, vehicles, plush and more!
Sega of America and Jakks Pacific have announced a renewal of their merchandising partnership today, with the toymaker set to continue its work on both 'Classic' and 'Modern' versions of the Sonic the Hedgehog Collection. The deal will see Jakks design, manufacture, market, and sell Sonic the Hedgehog...
News Spiritfarer Celebrates 500,000 Sales With Free 'Lily' Update, Out Today
The first of three planned updates
Spiritfarer developer and publisher Thunder Lotus has today announced that its hit "cozy management game about dying" has surpassed 500,000 sales worldwide. The announcement coincides with the launch of the game's first free update – one of three free additions planned to launch for the game throughout the year...
UK Charts Switch Games Make Up Half Of The Top Ten, But FIFA Steals Animal Crossing's Crown
Monster Hunter down to seventh
UK physical chart data is now in for the week ending 17th April, revealing that Animal Crossing: New Horizons has slipped from last week's top spot. Once again, New Horizons finds itself toing and froing with FIFA 21; EA's popular footie sim reigns supreme this week with most sales coming from the PS4 version...
News There's Going To Be A Travelling Pokémon Fossil Museum In Japan
Life, uh... finds a way
Hold on to your butts, because palaeontology is about to get wacky. The Pokémon Company just announced a tour around Japan showing off the skeletons of real Pokémon, and how they compare to prehistoric animals, like dinosaurs, sea creatures, and weird lil reptiles. The fact that Pikachu is dressed like Dr Alan Grant is not...
News The Next Numskull Presents Showcase Will Reveal Two New Switch Games
And there are prizes up for grabs!
Clive ‘N’ Wrench will be featured in an exclusive developer update Numskull Games is set to host the next entry in its Nintendo Direct-style Numskull Presents showcase next week, and Switch owners will want to tune in. The show, which will be the third Numskull Presents showcase aired to date, will reveal two...
News Overwatch Director Jeff Kaplan Leaves Blizzard After Almost 20 Years
His watch is over
Jeff Kaplan has a lot of strings to his bow, but now he's bowing out. As the Vice President of Blizzard Entertainment and the Director and public face of Overwatch, he's quite the well-known figure, but in an announcement today, he announced that he's leaving the company after almost two decades of service. Here's his letter, in...
News Nintendo Will Attend Brazil’s Independent Game Festival, Latin America's Biggest Games Event
Nintendo reps will cover a number of topics
With the Switch officially launching in the country last September, Nintendo finally appears to be making its presence felt in Brazil. Now, the company is set to appear at Brazil’s Independent Games (BIG) Festival – the biggest event of its kind in Latin America. The festival is taking place from 3rd...
Monday19th Apr 2021
News 'Super Mario 64 Plus' Is An Unofficial PC Port With 60FPS And A Permadeath Mode
Kill Mario! For real!
Super Mario 64 is a classic, but if you've ever wished that Mario would die in the game for real, your wishes are about to come true. A fan-made PC Port called Super Mario 64 Plus came out earlier this month, and has since hit 30,000 downloads, showing that there's a huge market for killing Mario once and for all. But it's not...
Video Here's Zelda: Twilight Princess Running On An Xbox Series X
Because why not?
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has already been given the remaster treatment thanks to its HD Wii U port, but that hasn't stopped fans wishing for a Switch version this year as the series celebrates its 35th anniversary. Until such a thing exists (if it ever exists), we'll just have to make do with seeing it be played on an...
News Restored Images Show Nintendo's Headquarters As They Existed In 1970
Including a look at its Hanafuda factory
Nintendo's Hanafuda playing cards were printed on large sheets before being cut into individual cards First founded way back in 1889, Nintendo has now been around for 131 years. The company has unsurprisingly gone through a number of major changes in that time, and a newly-restored set of photographs have...
Random Did You Know Wii's 'Why Not Take A Break' Screen Was Inspired By EarthBound?
It's all thanks to the 'Two-hour Dad'
Thanks to the launch of Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO, a new book that pulls together various Iwata Asks interviews and touching words from Iwata's colleagues at Nintendo, fans are discovering (and rediscovering) all sorts of fascinating facts about the company. Over the...
Feature 'Breaking' Shrines Was Maybe The Coolest Thing About Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
A new approach to puzzle design
To celebrate the 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda, we're running a series of features looking at a specific aspect — a theme, character, mechanic, location, memory or something else entirely — from each of the mainline Zelda games. Today, Mitch discusses goofing around with puzzles in one of the...
News Celeste's Creators Are Working On A New "2D Explor-Action Game" With Secret Of Mana Vibes
It's called "Earthblade"
It's been three years since Celeste, the pixel-perfect platformer, first came out. Since then, the people who made it have banded together to create a whole new studio — Extremely OK Games — and have been hard at work on what comes next. Today, that question finally has an answer: Earthblade, a "2D explor-action game"...
Mini Review Toree 3D (Switch) - Low Poly, Pint-Sized Platforming For Pennies
Nostalgic 3D platforming? Balan Wonderworld, take note
Say what you like about fancy level design and clever mechanics that turn everything you know about the genre on its head, but when it comes to 3D platformers there's really only one reason we return to our favourites again and again: throwing Mario around a course feels fun on an instinctual,...
News Sega Reportedly Launching A New Pokémon Arcade Game
'Pokémon Cologalina'
It's time for our latest episode of 'why must Japan get all the cool things?', as Sega looks to be launching a new arcade game based on the Pokémon franchise. According to Arcade Heroes, Sega has unveiled 'Pokémon Cologalina', a new medal game which will have cabinets set up in arcades across Japan. If you're unaware, medal...
Random Hacker Creates The Game Boy Tetris Of Your Dreams
Lots of easy pieces
Tetris on the Game Boy is one of the best multiplayer titles of all time, even if it did exist in a period when wireless local play was the stuff of a madman's dreams. Instead, players would have to connect their consoles using the (easily lost) link cable – and it's this primitive method of connectivity that has allowed a...
Random Real-Life Jeweller Says Princess Peach's Crown Would Be Worth £240 Million
Zelda's is only worth £18k
With her very own castle, kingdom, and personal superhero to look out for her, the idea that Princess Peach is absolutely minted isn't exactly surprising. Still, it's always good to have facts backing up our wild claims – as factual as a post about fictional pieces of jewellery can be, of course. UK-based jewellers...
News LEGO Luigi Leaked By Amazon China
Oh yeah, Luigi time
Update: And it's official! Nintendo has shown off LEGO Luigi in a brand new trailer and opened pre-orders! Original Article: Last week, a firmware update for LEGO Super Mario (yes, plastic bricks now have firmware, people) caused the plumber in red to begin calling out the name of his lankier brother. You didn't need to be
Talking Point Is "Cheesing" A Legitimate Strategy?
It's a gruyere-ea
I find absolutely zero shame in telling you all here today that I am a cheeser. I cheese whenever possible. Tactics? Strategy? No thanks. I'd rather hide behind a pillar and take potshots for half an hour than do things the "right way". Hold up, dial it back. I know you like talking about food in all your pieces, Kate, but why are...
News Bandai Namco Was Offered New Pokémon Snap Thanks To Its Work On Pokkén Tournament
In safe hands
Whenever there's a new Pokémon game on the horizon, fan expectations are always high – and that goes double when we're talking about a sequel to a much-beloved sub-series. For New Pokémon Snap, The Pokémon Company has entrusted Bandai Namco with development duties, and it sounds like the project is in safe hands. The game's...
News Tactical RPG Empire Of Angels Heads To Consoles For The First Time This Year
And it's going physical, too
Eastasiasoft is bringing Softstar's long-running Empire of Angels series to Nintendo Switch this year. The franchise began its life in 1993, but Empire of Angels IV is the first instalment to reach consoles. It's also coming to the PS4 and Xbox One, but the Switch is the only system that's getting a physical edition...
News Narita Boy's One-Of-A-Kind 'Techno Edition' Costs A Whopping $11,000
And it's still available
We really enjoyed our time with Narita Boy when it launched on Switch at the end of last month, but we never could have expected that it'd soon be treated to a special edition quite like this. Team17 and Studio Koba have unveiled the Narita Boy: Techno Edition, a "premium and exclusive edition" of the game. This fancy...
News Voxel-Style RPG Dungeon And Gravestone Offers "Over 500 Quests", Launches On Switch This Week
A follow up to BlockQuest Maker
Looking for a new dungeon-crawling RPG with a Minecraft-style look and feel? Well, you might want to keep an eye out for Dungeon and Gravestone when it launches on the Switch eShop this week. The latest project from Wonderland Kazakiri, which also released BQM - BlockQuest Maker on Switch back in 2019, Dungeon and...
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