Guide Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Islands - Get Inspired By The Best Islands We've Seen So Far
Putting our meagre island efforts to shame
Feature The Best Hidden Gems And Underrated Switch Games Of 2021
Some overlooked games you might have missed
Guide Best Cheap Nintendo Switch Games - The Biggest Discounts On Switch eShop (Europe)
The best Switch games currently under a tenner
Feature We Worked Out The Best Zelda Game Once And For All, Using Maths
...and it took a really long time
Random Sonic 2's Trailer Gets An Anime Makeover
Four stills get the proper '90s treatment
News Balan Wonderworld Is Officially The Worst Switch Game Of 2021, According To Metacritic
The GTA Trilogy for Switch also made the top 10
News - 2021, Week 51
Sunday26th Dec 2021
Talking Point New Super Mario Bros. Is 15 Years Old, And It's Still Fantastic
Celebrating Mario's big 2D comeback on its anniversary
It’s quite funny to consider that the highest-selling Nintendo DS game of all time - shifting in excess of 30 million copies worldwide – is still a title I’d consider to be under-rated. If anything, it’s respected as the formative entry in a divisive series that’s considered to never...
Feature The Best Hidden Gems And Underrated Switch Games Of 2021
Some overlooked games you might have missed
The sheer wealth of software coming to Switch eShop on a weekly basis has been hard to keep up with since launch and, try as we might, over time it has become increasingly difficult to review every Switch game we'd like to. In 2021 more than ever, even intriguing-looking titles have had to be passed-over...
Feature Why Do Games Get Removed From Switch eShop? It's Surprisingly Easy
Ratings are both simple and iffy
This week another eShop game seemed to fall victim to a surprisingly common issue: age ratings. The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark is temporarily removed from the North American eShop, with the developer stating that they hope to get the issue resolved in 'about a week'. A member of the development team...
Feature Turning 'Peaceful' Into 'Frantic' With Animal Crossing's Speedrunning Scene
Legging it through New Leaf
There’s an entire generation of players who hold dear fond memories of dipping their stubby toes in the coarse sand of Animal Crossing: New Leaf’s beaches. There was a calm warmth that came with the villagers that called your slowly built-up town home. The game was a beacon of creativity where you could let the...
News This "Lost" Game Boy Add-On Could Have Pre-Dated The Smartphone
Say hello to the Page Boy
Last year, esteemed video game historian and occasional Nintendo Life contributor Liam Robertson uncovered the story of the Work Boy, an unreleased accessory that had the potential to turn the humble Game Boy into a powerful productivity tool. Now, a year later, Robertson is back with another investigation – this time...
Feature 'Arcade Perfect' Be Damned: R-Type DX Is Still Portable Perfection
Bydo To The Future
R-Type may be 34 years old but the beyond-enthusiastic reception for R-Type Final 2's Kickstarter proved Irem’s long-running series is much more than a nostalgic memory held close by a few greying fans, or vintage shmup still hazily respected from a great distance. R-Type can still generate hype and open up wallets; the thought...
Feature Developers Respond To The Recent Twitter Furore Over The Definition Of 'Game Dev'
A little more context than 280 characters can cope with
Last week, a Twitter debate broke out over the exact definition of a 'game developer' and to whom that term can be ascribed. Should the title be extented to anyone contributing to the development of the game or be reserved solely for those with direct creative input? Are QA staff 'developers'...
Feature From Famicom Disk System To Switch - The Evolution Of Nintendo's Miis
Love Mii do
Ah, the Mii. We remember when we first made our own Miis back in 2006. Back then the most character customisation we had experienced was probably with The Sims, so making Miis of our friends, family and favourite video game characters was a fun pastime. It's a real shame, then, that Nintendo stepped away from their Miis, presumably in an...
Soapbox Nintendo Pocket Football Club Really Needs A Sequel On Switch
Open goal
Nintendo Pocket Football Club was one of my highlights on the 3DS and it’s about time we got a sequel to ParityBit’s simple football management sim on the Switch. Yes, I’m well aware that Football Manager Touch is available on the Switch, with its real-world players, teams, and leagues, but it lacks the Nintendo charm and more...
Back Page To All The Low-Level Enemies I've Slaughtered
It's time to kick ass and feel bad, and I'm all out of ass
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...
Feature A Look Back At Nintendo's Long History Of Art, Music And Game Making Software
Over 35 years of programmin', paintin' and makin'
Between the Super Mario Maker games, Miitopia, and now the soon to be released Game Builder Garage, the last decade has seen Nintendo embrace the creativity of its players to produce fun content for all to experience. It’s amazing to see the creativity of the communities that form around these...
Feature The Origins Of BAFTA-Nominated 'Before I Forget' And Its Approach To Dementia
"One of our goals has always been to tell stories that aren’t often told within video games"
The Nintendo Switch, through its popularity and also its extremely varied and diverse gaming audience, has attracted some fascinating video games to the eShop. The system is a home for experimental and challenging games, and Before I Forget - a title that...
Saturday25th Dec 2021
Guide Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Islands - Get Inspired By The Best Islands We've Seen So Far
Putting our meagre island efforts to shame
Since Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched back in March 2020, a large community of gamers have been sharing incredible custom designs created for the game, and they've only gotten more impressive since the launch of the Happy Home Paradise DLC. However, perhaps even more impressive are the amazing lan
Feature We Worked Out The Best Zelda Game Once And For All, Using Maths
...and it took a really long time
We could argue all day about which Zelda is technically the best. In fact, we often do, especially with the 35th Anniversary of the series this year. But no matter how many times we yell at each other that Majora's Mask is better than Ocarina of Time, or that Oracle of Ages and Seasons a
Feature We've Ranked All 151 Gen 1 Pokémon And It Nearly Killed Us
Brother, can you spare two hours?
The term 'genwunners' gets thrown around a lot in the wider Pokémon community, but when forced to actually rank all the original 151 we think many fans would think twice about at least a few of the original 'mon. That's not why we decided to subject ourselves to ranking all 151 of them, but it was an adequate...
Is it worth the hype?
Well, here we are. Eight months after The House In Fata Morgana's release, and six months since our first diary entry of "the game better than Breath of the Wild", it's finally time to actually, finally review it. Fata Morgana is an subject of bafflement, a tantalising enigma, and a frequent point of mockery, all because its...
Memory Pak Looking Into The Light In Super Mario 64
You know, that level where Mario blinds himself?
My dad used to tell me that, when he was young, the world was in black and white. For a long time, I didn't think to question it - after all, every shred of historical evidence we had from the 1950s and before was in black and white, too. Unfortunately, I grew up, and realised that my dad - as all...
Talking Point Nintendo And The Industry Needs To Get Serious About Game Preservation
Lots of catching up to do
For those following the general chat around video games, one topic that has generated debate recently has been Sony’s announcement of the upcoming closures of digital stores on PlayStation 3, PS Vita and PSP. As news, it wasn’t necessarily surprising, for reasons we’ll expand upon, but it did bring the whole subject...
Feature The Exquisite Liminality Of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The disorientation of a space-between-spaces
To celebrate the 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda, we ran 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. Here, Kate compares Skyward Sword to a corridor, or something... Skyward...
Feature Takaya Imamura - The Man Who Named Majora's Mask And Created Nintendo's Coolest Characters
And Slippy Toad
On 20th January 2021, Nintendo artist, designer, producer and director Takaya Imamura posted his first ever tweet announcing that he was leaving the company after 32 years. Imamura isn't retiring — he's only 54 — but his departure signals the end of an impressive Nintendo career spanning the 16-bit era to Switch. While mascots...
Feature A Tribute To Bobby "The Nintendo Guru" Pauls
"A truly special person who can never be replaced"
The Nintendo community is a tight community. It is a community of joy that is shared online and at events. One of the community's most loving, energetic, and hard-working members was Bobby Pauls – also known as The Nintendo Guru. After a long-fought battle in the hospital with COVID-19, Bobby...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (December 25th Holiday Special)
What's cookin'?
So, this is Christmas. And what have you done? Well, not a great deal to be honest — as is typical at this time of year, it's quiet out there in the world of video games as everyone settles down for a well-earned holiday break. We're into the very final stretch of 2021, but a few things have been occurring nonetheless. Not...
Jörg Tittel on ambitious ideas and striving to do cool things on Switch
Recently, publisher Wired Productions unveiled its own ‘Direct’ in which it revealed a sizeable number of games, five of which are coming to Nintendo Switch. One that caught the eye, in part because its teaser was also visually arresting and rather vague, was The Last...
Quiz Nintendo Winter Wonderlands - Can You Name All These Festive Levels?
Name that game!
Note: We're republishing this festive quiz from last year. If you partook previously... well, you should get top marks, then, shouldn't you! If you're relaxing over the holidays and fancy putting your gaming grey matter to the test, feel free to check out our selection of brain-teasing quizzes on The Legend Of Zelda, Mario
Editorial Merry Christmas And Happy Holidays From Nintendo Life
The mood is right, the spirit's up
Ho ho ho! Yes, the most wonderful holiday of the year has officially arrived and it's time to start cracking out the sweetmeats, beverages, and — if you're reading this — video games. It's Christmas! Following on from an all-round miserable 2020, this year has been... well, not a whole lot better really...
Friday24th Dec 2021
Feature Game Of The Year 2021 - Nintendo Life Staff Awards
Our team's picks for the year's finest games
As 2021 comes to an end there's plenty of gaming to reflect upon. It was a relatively busy year from Nintendo as it kept up momentum for the Switch, which added the OLED model and continues to be a top-seller. The year started with Nintendo's first-party slate looking relatively quiet, but that was...
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
Christmas is just one of the many annual events celebrated in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, appropriately branded in-game as 'Toy Day'. In this guide we'll take you through everything you need to know about the Toy Day event and returning character Jingle. Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Toy Day...
Some trainers are just lucky
You might have seen a shiny encounter in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl but have you seen a double shiny encounter before? Twitch streamer MitchOG was doing a shiny-only run in the newest Pokémon remakes and managed to get the encounter of a lifetime - a shiny starter Turtwig and shiny Starly in the same...
News A Sonic The Hedgehog Lego Set Has Just Leaked Online
Block-busting!
A Sonic the Hedgehog Lego set has just leaked online. The set was listed on popular online marketplace Mercado Libre, and showcases the iconic Green Hill Zone from the first Mega Drive game. Dr. Robotnik also features in the set. However, rather than marking the start of a new Lego series - as was the case with the recent Mario line...
Soapbox Retro Nintendo Games Cost Too Much, But Nostalgia Is Expensive
Second-hand Nintendo games are notoriously pricey, but why?
The year is 1999. I'm in a GAME, in Loughborough town centre. The grey carpet is sticky, the awful fluorescent lights are so dim I can barely see, and everything sort of smells like stale sweat. I'm standing in the N64 section with my brother, both of us clutching a small fortune in pocket...
He's famous now
The Pokémon Company has just released its eighth episode of Pokémon Evolutions – a new animated series on YouTube. While there's a lot to appreciate, one particular highlight for longtime trainers is the on-screen debut of the "technology is incredible" guy who you first meet in Pallet Town in Pokémon Red and Blue. Although...
Guide The Switch Gamer’s Holiday Survival Guide For Festive Family Multiplayer Sessions
Tidings of comfort and Joy-Con
‘Tis the season of enforced family gatherings, far too much of every food imaginable, and TV schedules filled with unnecessary modern remakes of old favourites. It’s also the perfect opportunity to stuff a controller in granddad’s hands and demonstrate the joys of gaming with those who might normally avoid it,...
News Inti Creates Had A Mega Man ZX3 Game In Development, But It Got Cancelled
The project was well underway
Apparently, there was going to be a third Mega Man ZX game but the project was ultimately cancelled. During an Inti Creates Christmas live stream, company president Takuya Aizu and designer Yoshihisa Tsuda revealed the third entry was code-named "ZXC" and that the title was well into its development cycle. Here's part...
Feature Clammy Consoles, Humid Horrors, And Retro Regrets
Don't try this at home
A few years ago a clever, witty, and shockingly beautiful Nintendo Life writer had to spend a few boring days trawling numerous websites searching for a brand new and eye-wateringly expensive wafer-thin HDTV with which to replace their ageing and sadly then only semi-functional slightly less wafer-thin HDTV. This new triumph...
The legendary developer talks wrestling, Switch and dealing with critics
While Wrestling Empire is no critical darling, sole developer Mat Dickie is used to that reception, having been making his own professional wrestling games since 2000. Despite unusual visuals and unpredictable gameplay, these titles have achieved a cult following – it's not a...
News NES Action Shooter 'Copper Jacket' Hits Funding Goal On Kickstarter
It's not coming until early 2023, however
Indie game developer Monsoon Studios has revealed that the crowdfunding campaign for its NES action title Cooper Jacket has been a success. The game – which offers a simultaneous 2-player mode and takes inspiration from the likes of Contra and Commando – had a very modest funding goal of just $9,000...
Feature How Takara Brought SNK's Arcade Fighters To The Humble Game Boy
Battery-powered brawlers
Between 1994 and 1998 Takara Co., Ltd. brought some of SNK's most successful Neo Geo arcade hits — Samurai Shodown, The King of Fighters, and Fatal Fury 2 — to the humble Game Boy via a series of 'demakes'; streamlined and simplified releases of the infinitely more powerful arcade originals rebuilt from the ground up...
Video We Have An EarthBound Conspiracy Theory
Fuzzy pickles, fuzzy pickles, fuzzy pickles
It's an old chestnut now. Way back in 2006 it was disappointing — if not surprising — that Mother 3 wasn't brought to the West, but after Lucas came to Super Smash Bros. in 2015 it seemed like a foregone conclusion that we'd see the third part of the EarthBound trilogy officially localised at some...
News Big Brain Academy's First Switch Update Is Now Live, Here's What's Included
Download it today
At the beginning of December, Nintendo released Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain on the Switch. If you did end up purchasing it, now is the time to download the first update. It bumps the game up to Version 1.1.0 and includes a number of general updates and fixes.Here are the full details courtesy of Nintendo's official support...
News NGDEV Announces New HD Shmup Gunvein, And It's Coming To Nintendo Switch In 2022
Check out the work-in-progress teaser
NG:Dev.Team - the dev behind Gunlord and also Razion EX on the Switch - has announced its first HD shoot 'em up, Gunvein. There's no exact release date just yet, but it is scheduled to arrive at some point next year. It's also been confirmed for multiple platforms including the Nintendo Switch. Last but not...
Thursday23rd Dec 2021
Review Chicory: A Colorful Tale (Switch) - A Masterful Marriage Of Mechanics, Themes And Visuals
Available handheld or Chicory dickory docked
There are few things more personal than art. That is, the art produced by an artist. Obviously. Even in its most commercial, populist form — including when it’s a small part of a much larger product — the work of an individual artist is ultimately recognisable, whether from obvious sweeping traits...
Random Someone Recreated The Mario Kart 8 Animal Crossing Circuit On Their New Horizons Island
You can visit, too
The DLC tracks and characters that released for the original Mario Kart 8 on Wii U (and came included as part of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe) were pretty special, giving kart racers the chance to burn around circuits based on other series outside the Mario games for the first time. F-Zero's Mute City and Zelda's Hyrule Castle were both...
Random Nitrome Once Pitched A Sonic Game To The "Sega Gods", Here's A Look
Gotta go UP
The UK developer Nitrome - the team behind Bomb Chicken and also the upcoming release Shovel Knight Dig - has revealed it once pitched a Sonic the Hedgehog game to Sega and was knocked back. According to Nitrome, the engine the game was running on was "pretty authentic" and was "very close to the Sonic engine logic". The game itself was...
News A New 'Bayonetta Digital Bundle' Offers A Cheeky Discount On Switch eShop (US)
A $60 Bayo bundle
Sneaking onto the NA eShop with a subterfuge uncharacteristic of the gun-toting Umbra Witch, the Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 Digital Bundle is a compilation of her first two games and it's available now on the US Switch eShop. For the princely sum of $59.98, you can download this bundle featuring Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 and save...
News M2 Is Bringing Yet Another Classic Shmup To Switch Next Year
Update: Release date and trailer revealed
Update: M2 has revealed that Toaplan Arcade Garage: Hishou Same! Same! Same! will launch in Japan on April 28th, 2022 (thanks, Gematsu). The collection will come in both digital and physical forms, with the latter shipping with a download code for Sennou Game Teki Paki. Players will also have access
News More Klonoa Trademarks Have Surfaced Online
Is Bandai Namco up to something?
Update [Thu 23rd Dec, 2021 02:30 GMT]: Following on from last week, trademarks have now been filed in Canada on 17th December and Europe on 20th December for 'Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series' (via Gematsu). Update [Sat 18th Dec, 2021
News Ho! Ho! Ho! Boba Fett Touches Down In Fortnite In Time For Christmas
Just in time for his Disney+ series, too
Star Wars character Boba Fett – who is about to get his own series on Disney+ – is coming to Fortnite tomorrow as part of Season 3. Bounty hunter Fett is a key character in the wider Star Wars universe, having appeared in both the original trilogy and the prequels. He also turns up in the Disney+ series...
News Saucy Tower Defence Title Duel Princess Marches To Switch Next Month
Build your deck and seal those crests
Japanese developer qureate – best-known for its rather risqué titles, such as Prison Princess and NinNinDays – has announced that it is bringing Duel Princess to the Switch on January 13th, 2022. The title is a side-scrolling tower defence effort, featuring 10 princesses (designed by Waon Inui) whose power...
News 'The World Ends With You' Could Get Another Game If Fans Show Their Support
But nothing is in development right now
Back in November, Square Enix revealed NEO: The World Ends With You didn't meet the company's early sales expectations. While it might not seem like a bright outlook for the future of the series, producer Tomohiko Hirano recently told Nintendo Life that another entry could happen with enough fan support. At...
News Medium-Naut, From La-Mulana Creator Takumi Naramura, Comes To Switch Today
Sci-fi spookiness
Developer Blue Boss and publisher Gotcha Gotcha Games have revealed that Medium-Naut is coming to the Nintendo Switch today. Created by Takumi Naramura, the brains behind the La-Mulana series, Medium-Naut was made using Pixel Game Maker MV and is billed as a sci-fi action / horror title that sees you investigating a crashed...
News Save Up To 50 Percent With Kemco's 'Mega Holiday Sale'
Mom Hid My Game! Citizens Unite! Alphadia Genesis 1 and 2!
Kemco is holding a festive sale on the Switch eShop which is offering up to 50% off the price of some of its titles. We've got the usual selection of JRPGs and the like, as well as three of the popular 'Mom Hid my...' series, all with sizeable discounts for Christmas. Kemco's sale also...
Nintendo Download 23rd December (Europe)
Merry Christmas! Snowball Bubble!
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: 8 & 9 Ball Pocket (SuperPowerUpGames, 24th...
Video Sonic Enters The Matrix In His Latest Movie Commercial
"Red Quill or Blue Quill"
At 'The Game Awards' earlier this month, we got our first proper trailer for Sonic's second movie outing featuring Knuckles, Tails, Dr. Robotnik, and of course the blue blur. If that wasn't already enough to get you excited for the Sonic sequel when it arrives in cinemas next April, perhaps Paramount Picture's latest...
Nintendo Download 23rd December (North America)
Tunnel of Doom! FILMECHANISM! Captain U!
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 (Updates): Rocket League (Psyonix...
Wednesday22nd Dec 2021
Video The Best RPG Ever Made Still Isn't On Switch
A game about time deserves to go down in history
Our very own Zion Grassl recently had the privilege of finishing Chrono Trigger for the very first time, and even 26 years after release he's utterly blown away. To celebrate this accomplishment Zion, Jon and special guest Kevin Kenson decided to sit down and praise the game for over an hour. And...
Review Wytchwood (Switch) - A Striking And Addictive Crafting Adventure
It's wytchcraft
Let’s start this off with just one word, shall we: crafting. There you go, now you know whether or not you’re going to enjoy Wytchwood; thanks for stopping by! In all seriousness, crafting has become such a prevalent mechanic in modern gaming, and it’s one that people rarely sit on the fence with. You either love it or you...
Download it now
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl on the Nintendo Switch have now been updated to Version 1.1.3. According to the official patch notes, this latest update is a rather small one - fixing some issues for "more pleasant gameplay". Here are the full details courtesy of Nintendo's support page: Ver. 1.1.3 (Released December...
Welcome to episode 74,651 of 'Japan Gets All The Best Stuff'
The idea that Japan gets all the best stuff is a long-established and indisputable fact. In the West we tend to either get cheap tat on the level of a McDonald's toy or super premium figures and statues costing thousands — but Japan seems to get a ton of quality everyday video game merch...
News Capcom Shares Special Ace Attorney Artwork To Celebrate Its 20th Anniversary
The gang's all here
Capcom's Ace Attorney series turns 20 this year, and the company has released a special piece of artwork to celebrate that fact. The art showcases characters from the entire series – including The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, which takes place many years before the famous exploits of Pheonix Wright – and i
News Niantic Shares Staggering Stats For A Year In Pokémon GO And Pikmin Bloom
Over 12 billion gifts given in Pokémon GO
While Pokémon GO may not be all over the news as it was in the distant past (well, it feels distant), it's continued to evolve and keep a sizeable audience engaged. Its developer Niantic then released its second tie-in with Nintendo this year with Pikmin Bloom, which is a rather charming and low-pressure...
News Check Out This Never-Before-Seen Intro To BioWare's Now-Decanonized Sonic Brotherhood
Brothers in arms
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood is over a decade old now, and represents a unique entry in the Sonic series. Developed by RPG specialists BioWare – responsible for the likes of Mass Effect and Dragon Age – Sonic Chronicles sadly never got a sequel. Now, video game animation expert and author Jonathan Cooper has shared...
News Nintendo Reminds Us Splatoon 3 Is Coming To Switch
Get excited, Inklings
Next year Nintendo is jumping "back into the ink" with the release of Splatoon 3. Yes, in case you missed it, the third entry in the insanely popular squid shooter series is currently in development. If you've been wondering how progress has been going on the latest entry, we've got another update, well...kind of. It's a quick...
News Amazingly, Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Is Nintendo's Only UK Christmas Number 1 Since 1984
Some absolute classics in the list
Regular readers of these pages will know that each week we cover the UK charts, which often show a lot of familiar games running the top 10. As a nice bit of trivia for the Holidays, GamesIndustry.biz head honcho Chris Dring has shared an interesting graphic that shows every UK gaming Christmas number 1 since 1984...
Retro Remember When Acclaimed Novelist Martin Amis Rubbished Donkey Kong?
"Donkey, your days are numbered. The knackers’ yard awaits you"
One of the most influential and acclaimed novelists of his generation, award-winning writer Martin Amis – famous for books such as Money, London Fields and The Information – isn't the kind of name you'd perhaps expect to see on a site about video games, but in the early '80s, Amis...
Retro Back In 1996, Nintendo 64 Was The Must-Have Christmas Gift - Alongside 'Tickle Me Elmo'
"Maybe Santa can write your little darlings an I.O.U."
In 2021, getting hold of a Switch, PS5 or Xbox Series X for Christmas might be a struggle, but back in 1996, it was the Nintendo 64 that was the must-have festive gift in North America. The Indianapolis Star's Rory Appleton has been digging through newspaper reports from the period to shed a...
Random Who Needs The Mother Games When You Can Have This Watch Instead
But seriously, can we have the games now?
Mother and EarthBound fans located in Japan might not be able to enjoy the older entries in the series on the current generation Nintendo hardware, but at least they'll be able to tell the time with this themed digital watch made by Casio. Hobonichi has announced a collaboration with the Japanese...
Where's our diploma in slime-slicing?
Ancient — the family company of VGM composer Yuzo Koshiro and developers of everything from Sonic The Hedgehog’s debut Game Gear outing to Gotta Protectors for the 3DS — released Royal Anapoko Academy in Japan on 16th December 2021. Like much of its output in recent years, this light-hearted RPG is an...
News Rare Founder's New Project Isn't What You Might Expect
"Dress and style your model, pose her in the real world, take photos and share"
After a prolonged hiatus from social media, Rare co-founder Tim Stamper has tweeted about his new company's latest project – and those of you expecting a new 3D platformer are going to be disappointed. Stamper's tweet shows off Fashion AR, a smartphone app for
Rumour Epic Universe Theme Park Construction Has Some Dreaming Of A Pokémon Land
Safe to say it'd be popular
Nintendo's been making some major moves to expand its business beyond gaming and into broader popular culture and entertainment. We have the Mario movie in Holiday 2022, a theme park already open in Japan and another on the way as part of the new Epic Universe theme park currently under construction in Orlando. The...
News Global Chip Shortages And Supply Issues To Continue Into 2023, Says Intel Boss
"exploding demand has persisted"
We've already heard how supply and production issues in the tech industry won't be improving anytime soon, and now Intel chief Pat Gelsinger has issued yet another reminder that the shortage of semiconductors will likely continue into 2023. "The overall semiconductor shortage is quite significant and the...
News It's Official, Bravely Default II Has Now Sold Over One Million Units
Here's some commemorative artwork to celebrate
Square Enix has announced the shipments and digital sales of Bravely Default II have now surpassed the one million mark. It follows on from an update in August, announcing the Switch version alone had shifted 950,000 copies. The third main entry in the series first arrived on the Nintendo Switch in...
News Action Arcade Wrestling Gets A Festive Trailer Ahead Of 2022 Switch Release
"Season's beatings"
Action Arcade Wrestling is coming to the Switch next year, and to celebrate the holiday season, we've been given a special festive trailer. The game launched on other formats earlier this year and takes inspiration from '90s arcade grapplers like Saturday Night Slam Masters and WWF Wrestlemania. There's a simple two-button...
Tuesday21st Dec 2021
Random Sonic 2's Trailer Gets An Anime Makeover
Four stills get the proper '90s treatment
The first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (the movie, not the Mega Drive game) debuted earlier in December at The Game Awards and for the most part it seems to have been enthusiastically received by fans — a far cry from the reaction to the first movie's trailer. One fan, Joe Zavaletta, has redrawn four...
News Balan Wonderworld Is Officially The Worst Switch Game Of 2021, According To Metacritic
The GTA Trilogy for Switch also made the top 10
We're at the tail-end of 2021, and that means awards are being handed out for the best (and worst) video games of the year. We've seen plenty of winners, but what about the games that didn't go down so well this year? If you're wondering what exactly were the worst games of the year, Metacritic has...
Review Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection (Switch) - An Incomplete Compilation Of Cult Classics
Not so fantasmic
You’d struggle to find a set of games better suited to a convenient retro compilation than Valis: The Phantasm Soldier. The late '80s/early '90s platform-shooter Castlevania-ish hybrid series spans at least half a dozen formats from esoteric Japanese computers to the Mega Drive, each release — even when they’re supposed to be...
Feature Best Nintendo Switch Ports Of 2021
Our picks of the 10 best ports on Switch this year
Another year down, and another set of games making the unlikely jump to Nintendo's diminutive hybrid console. We say 'unlikely', but at this stage we're well aware that practically anything is possible given the appropriate time and resources — although those two commodities are typically in short...
News Konami's New Yu-Gi-Oh! Game Has Cross-Play And Cross-Save Support
It's almost time to duel!
Konami's upcoming free-to-play title Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel - scheduled to arrive on the Nintendo Switch and multiple other platforms this winter - will include cross-platform play and cross-save support. Not only will you be able to take on opponents on different platforms, but you'll also be able to link your "Master...
News Ubisoft Staff Are Leaving Their Jobs In Droves, Report Claims
"It's legitimately embarrassing"
A new report by Stephen Totilo of Axios claims that there's currently an exodus of staff at troubled publisher Ubisoft. According to the report, at least five of the top 25-credited people from the company's biggest 2021 game, Far Cry 6, have already left Ubisoft's ranks. Furthermore, 12 of the top 50 staffers on
News Online Multiplayer And DLC Are Coming To Cruis'n Blast
"There was a port-a-potty hot rod..."
Video game development legend and Raw Thrills boss Eugene Jarvis recently took part in a Reddit AMA, where he covered a whole host of topics – including the notion of the original Cruis'n gam
News The Taito Egret II Mini Is Getting A Western Release
Thanks to United Games Entertainment
United Games Entertainment, the umbrella company for Strictly Limited Games/ININ Games, has revealed that it will be distributing the Taito Egret II Mini in the West. This arcade-focused micro system features a rotating 5-inch screen and is set for release in the New Year. Its Japanese release is scheduled for...
News Disco Elysium: The Final Cut Gets Its Physical Release Date For Switch
There's also a very fancy $250 version
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is a critically acclaimed RPG that's won over a lot of gamers. It arrived on the Switch eShop in October in that 'Final Cut' guise, with enhancements and additional content that wrap up the game's development journey. It's not quite done though, with its physical editions now given...
News Xexex, One Of Konami's Greatest Shmups, Is Coming To Switch This Week
The Arcade Archives range expands again
Hamster has done a fantastic job in bringing a host of cult arcade games to home systems of late, and it's continuing the trend with the cult classic Xexex (pronounced "Zekseks"), which joins the Arcade Archives range next week. Originally released in 1991 and powered by hardware that was far more advanced...
An "original episode" awaits
Dragon Quest X Offline is scheduled to arrive in Japan on 26th February 2022, and in the lead-up to its release, Square Enix has shared some new details about the game. For those who have played DQX before, there will still be some new content to enjoy and a new character to meet in the offline version. Here's the scoop...
News 'The Company Man' Aims To Make Office Life More Exciting On Switch
Don't try this at work
Combine 'action platformer' with office life and, theoretically, you get The Company Man. Developed by Forust and published by Leoful, it sort-of satirises office life while serving up what looks like a high-tempo bit of platforming and hack 'n slash gameplay. It'll be making its debut on Switch in early 2022 priced at...
News Crysis Remastered Has Received Its Second Switch Patch, Here Are Full Details
Update today
Crytek said it would be delivering its second update for the original Crysis Remastered on the Switch, and it's now arrived. While this will be the final patch for the game this year, there'll be more in the coming weeks and months. This latest update contains some fixes and improvements, and additional language support. Crysis...
News This Gamer Is "No Death" Completing Some Of Video Gaming's Hardest Titles With His Chin
"The chin always wins"
We don't know about you, but we find it fantastic that we live in a world where having a disability doesn't mean you can't truly excel – and in HanDcapableSean's case, it's playing brutally difficult video games really well using his chin. Sean's focus is retro gaming, and he's completed some seriously difficult titles –...
News Voice Of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars Adds A "High Speed" Mode
"The game may become… unstable"
While it may not feel like it due to rather muted promotional campaigns, Square Enix released a couple of intriguing RPGs onto the Switch eShop in the last couple of months. One of them was Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars, which adopts a card-centric presentation and offers a snappy but intriguing experience...
News Cozy Grove Releases A Charming Winter Update
Snow fights, gift giving and new content!
Cozy Grove has won over a notable fanbase with its charm, relaxed vibe and hints of an underlying darkness to discover. Ultimately, though, it's in the name - it's cozy, and designed for short bursts of play. Developer Spry Fox has stayed busy since the game's launch, now releasing a winter update that adds...
News This Incredibly Fancy Pokémon Shirt Costs $100, And We're In Love
Winter clothing only? Not around here!
With Christmas just around the corner, there's a fair chance you'll get something nice from Santa – and if it happens to be one of these Original Stitch Pokémon shirts, then you've clearly been a very good boy or girl this year. The lovely people at Original Stitch got in touch with our very own Alex Olney...
News Hot Wheels Unleashed Has Sold One Million Copies Worldwide
Officially Milestone's fastest-selling game ever
Italian developer Milestone has been around, in some shape or form, since 1994, which makes the recent announcement that Hot Wheels Unleashed is its fastest-selling game ever all the more remarkable. Milestone – along with publisher Mattel – has revealed that the title has shifted one million...
News Warlocks 2: God Slayers Gets A Switch Physical Edition Soon
Locked in
Those attempting to collect Switch physical editions have an increasingly tough task, with more and more download-only Indie titles getting limited releases. The latest is Warlocks 2: God Slayers, with QubicGames teaming up with Red Art Games for the release. Released on the eShop back in June 2019, Warlocks 2: God Slayers blends...
Monday20th Dec 2021
Guide Best Cheap Nintendo Switch Games - The Biggest Discounts On Switch eShop (Europe)
The best Switch games currently under a tenner
Regular sales have become a welcome fixture on the Nintendo Switch eShop and there are huge numbers of cheap and discounted Switch games available at any given time. With so much choice it can be tough to know exactly is worth your hard-earned cash and precious time, and Nintendo of Europe is currently...
News Nintendo Advises New Switch Owners To Complete Setup Before Christmas To Avoid Disappointment
"We are expecting a concentrated access on the Nintendo Account server"
The Switch may be approaching its 5th Birthday, but it's still the best-selling game console on the market at present; there'll no doubt be a lot of new owners and systems going online this Holiday season, too. When that happens, of course, we can often see some server issues...
Deed-lightful
Team Ladybug has something of a reputation of turning famous licensed properties into compelling Metroidvanias. After the opening PC-exclusive freebie Shin Megami Tensei: Synchronicity Prologue starring series mascot Jack Frost came Touhou Luna Nights, another ‘exploration action’ title featuring the endlessly popular Gensokyo...
News Yes, Saints Row IV Is 93% Off And No, It's Not A Mistake
If it works, it works
Last week kicked off some tempting festive sales on the eShop, with all sorts of titles (mainly those that weren't in the Cyber Deals extravaganza) having hefty discounts to help us part with our Holidays money. One that's immediately shot to the top of the charts is Saints Row IV: Re-Elected, which is being shifted with a...
News Hades Is The First Game To Win A Hugo Award
They're typically focused on science fiction and fantasy works
Slowly and surely, especially after a huge increase in attention in 2020, gaming is getting more attention in mainstream culture. In terms of sales and profits gaming has been at the forefront for many years, but the battle for acknowledgement as an artform has been a little slower,...
Hardware Up-Switch Orion Review - Turn Your Switch Into A Switch XXXL (And Make It Worse)
Bait-and-Switch
Not so long ago, we reported on the Up-Switch Orion, a crowdfunded accessory that promised to make up for the "underwhelming" and "minuscule" Nintendo Switch screen (Up-Switch's words, not ours). "By increasing your actual gaming screen size by 188% and upgrading your audio experience with the integrated stereo speakers, your...
News Digital Foundry Gives Its Assessment Of Shin Megami Tensei V
Impressive visuals but performance pays the cost
Shin Megami Tensei V was a notable Switch exclusive in November; we enjoyed it in our review and the user review score is also currently flying high on this site. The RPG had been eagerly anticipated and seems to have delivered a sizeable, engaging game that was also a
Guide Best Nintendo Switch Camera Games - Photo Modes And Photography In Switch Games
Say cheese
Photo modes are so hot these days! But, well, not so much on Switch. Search "Best Photo Modes" and you'll get a bevy of PlayStation and Xbox games, probably — like The Last of Us, God of War, or Death Stranding. And sure, those games are lovely and pretty and photorealistic... But you don't need a fancy 4K game console to take good...
Random Vanilla Ice Never Looked Sharper Than In 8-Bit Form On Analogue Pocket
Aim for the flat top
Connoisseurs of both gaming and rap music will no doubt be aware of Rap Quest, an ill-fated Game Boy title with the working title 'Rap City' that originally featured '90s rapper Vanilla Ice before rights issues meant his music couldn't be used. As we've reported before, Equilibrium Software completed work on the game and...
News Monster Hunter Rise Update Version 3.7 Sets Up Holiday Additions
Events and two new buddies on the way
Monster Hunter Rise is still rolling out regular new quests and goodies, while in the Summer the major Sunbreak expansion is due to arrive. Capcom has now confirmed the arrival of version 3.7, which has lined up freebies and Event Quests for the next two weeks. As is always the case, to get the new additions...
News Two Tribes Makes Its Impressive Game Engine Open Source
Particularly strong for layered 2D visuals
Two Tribes is a name that's likely familiar to eShop enthusiasts, in particular from the 3DS and Wii U era. Well known for its original Toki Tori, which recently had a re-release of the Game Boy Color original through Limited Run games, on the Wii U and 3DS the company developed and published a range of...
News RPGolf Legends Could Give Golf Story A Run For Its Money Next Year
"A unique world where monsters and golf coexist!"
The idea of mixing an RPG with a sports game might not be unique – Golf Story got there a long time ago – but Japanese indie studio ArticNet is giving it a try regardless. RPGolf Legends is set in a fantasy world where all of the golf holes have been
News AAA Clock's 'Squid Game'-Inspired DLC Is Coming To The West In Time For New Year
"What better way to measure New Year's Eve until midnight than by AAA Clock?"
Update: RedDeerGames has confirmed that AAA Clock's new 'deluxe' version and its accompanying DLC will be coming to the west: AAA Clock has just been ranked alongside Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Shin Megami Tensei V in the new, "Most Played" section...
News Toree 2, The Delightful Low-Poly Platformer, Gets New Levels In A Free Holiday Update
"Three new, experimental and winter themed levels" coming soon
Earlier in the year, Toree 3D was an utterly unexpected gem on Switch that we discovered by chance. A low-poly platformer with a PS1/Sega Saturn visual style, its breeziness and super-budget price were a breath of fresh air, with cheep (heh) and cheerful — but incredibly satisfying —...
Random A Tiny Nintendo Switch Makes An Awesome Tree Ornament
No tiny dock, though
If you celebrate the upcoming Holidays you may have a sparkly tree up in the house, adorned with all sorts of baubles and things. One intrepid enthusiast has created the ultimate decoration, though, in the form of a tiny little Nintendo Switch. The video at the top is from the channel scottbez1, which gives a nice overview of...
UK Charts Among Us: Crewmate Edition Makes Top 10 Debut In Another Good Switch Week
A notable success for Innersloth and Maximum Games
UK physical chart data is now in for the week ending 18th December, showcasing an Indie hit with a strong physical debut and a whole lot of the usual suspects. Among Us is the big story of the week, with its Crewmate Edition making its debut in 5th place. Typically £3.89 on the eShop with...
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