Timeline
Tuesday20th Jan 2026
News The Studio Behind The Sonic Boom Games On 3DS Has Been Shut Down
BOOM!
There have already been multiple layoffs and closures in the opening weeks of 2026, and in case you missed it, Meta (formerly Facebook) last week announced the closure of three studios. Apart from Armature, one of these developers was Sanzaru Games, which was acquired by Meta in 2020 and had been working under Oculus Studios in its Reality...
News Nintendo Music Adds Another Legendary Zelda Soundtrack, Here's Every Song Included
Now, how about Spirit Tracks?
To get the Zelda 40th anniversary celebrations underway, Nintendo Music has this week added The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass soundtrack. The primary composers were Kenta Nagata and Toru Minegishi, who both previously worked on the soundtrack for the GameCube title The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. This DS...
Video Nintendo Highlights Enhanced Switch Games On Switch 2
Free updates are available for each of these titles
Since the arrival of the Switch 2 last June, Nintendo has served up enhancements for multiple first-party games. These come with all sorts of updates from optimised visuals, HDR support to Joy-Con 2 mouse controls. Now that the holiday season is pretty-much over, and there's likely some new owners...
Monday19th Jan 2026
News Ball X Pit's First Free Content Update Bounces Onto Switch Next Week
New characters, new balls
Just when we thought we were out, BALL x PIT drags us back in. Yes, after being teased back in December, Kenny Sun has today announced that the immensely addictive roguelike will land its first free major update on 26th January — that's just one week away! The 'Regal Update' looks positively packed with even more...
Anniversary Resident Evil: Deadly Silence Is 20 Years Old Today - Were You A Fan?
You were almost a Jill sandwich!
Resident Evil has a special place in my heart, and not just because it's a stone-cold classic of gaming, a bona fide icon of the horror genre, and all that sort of guff. No, I also have very fond memories of riding the bus home with the original PlayStation release of this particular game clutched tightly to my...
Nintendo Download 15th January (North America)
Earnest Evans! Rumble Fish! Cassette Boy!
The latest Nintendo Download update for North America arrived last week, but thanks to all the Animal Crossing update excitement, it slipped off our to-do list. Well, let's swing back and catch up, shall we? As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for...
Lost in memory
Team Cherry set a new genre standard with Hollow Knight. That legacy has recently been reaffirmed by the long-awaited Silksong, a release that developers and publishers alike are now clamouring to match. These are beautifully animated combat platformers, built around tight controls and striking art direction. Players explore...
News Switch 1 & 2 Dominate Famitsu's Best-Selling Games Of 2025 List
Who would have thought it?
Famitsu has shared its rundown of 2025's best-selling games in Japan, and it'll come as a surprise to no one to hear that it was yet another good year for Nintendo. You might recall that Nintendo revealed the most-downloaded eShop titles in the region at the end of last year, but Famitsu's list accounts for the industry...
Meet the new boss
Nintendo of America has a new President and COO, and during the 15th Annual New York Game Awards, Devon Pritchard made her first public appearance in her new role. Introduced by ex-Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aimé and New York Times columnist Harold Goldberg, Pritchard appeared via a pre-recorded video to celebrate...
News A Remake Of Resident Evil: Code Veronica Will Supposedly Be Announced This Year
Complete global saturation
Resident Evil Requiem, the next mainline entry in Capcom's survival horror series, is scheduled to launch in just over a month on 27th February 2026. It seems, however, that Capcom might have another title lined up for a reveal later this year. According to Dusk Golem, who has had a history of accurately reporting...
Random An 'Adults Only' Island Has Been Deleted From Animal Crossing: New Horizons
I'm all aflutter
A risqué Animal Crossing: New Horizons island aimed at 'adults only' has been deleted by Nintendo after more than five years. This comes courtesy of creator @churip_ccc (thanks, Automaton), who posted on social media to confirm the deletion, stating "To Nintendo,
UK Charts Animal Crossing: New Horizons Crafts Its Way Back Onto The Podium
Not enough to trouble the top spot, mind you
We are back again with another look at the UK boxed charts, and much like we had hoped last week, Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition has spiced things up a little. Yes, the latest addition to the 'Switch 2 Edition' line-up has performed predictably well in its debut week, bumping...
Sunday18th Jan 2026
Talking Point Metroid Prime 4 And The Burden Of Being 'Good Enough'
When legacy becomes a liability
After nearly two decades of dormancy for the series and an infamously drawn-out development cycle, it feels slightly surreal to now have Metroid Prime 4: Beyond in the rearview. The game arrived under immense expectation, and it’s fair to say it ultimately proved more divisive than Nintendo and developer Retro...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (DS)
Regional rift
Welcome, folks, to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, we checked out Mario Power Tennis for the GameCube and, as expected, the results weren't even remotely close. With a much more interesting cover, Europe and North America easily won the day with 70% of the vote, leaving Japan to mop up the remaining 30%. This week, we're...
PSA Dynasty Warriors: Origins On Switch 2 Includes A Variable Frame Rate Option
Or you can run it at a "stable" 30fps
Koei Tecmo and developer Omega Force are bringing Dynasty Warriors: Origins to the Switch 2 next week. It was previously revealed the Musou would run at a fixed but "stable" 30fps on Nintendo's new hybrid platform, and now that reviews have gone live, it's been confirmed there's also a 'variable' option. This...
Random Nintendo Apparently Wasn't Happy About Sonic's Foot Being In Front Of Mario's Foot
Former Sega producer reveals "funny" Mario & Sonic demand
Developers who have worked with Nintendo's intellectual properties have often shared stories about odd requests and demands from the video game giant. With this in mind, the latest story to surface comes from former Sega of Japan producer, Ryoichi Hasegawa. During a chat with Arcade Attack...
Saturday17th Jan 2026
Guide Best Nintendo Switch 'Walking Simulators' And Narrative Games
These boots were made for environmental storytelling
Updated with the outstanding despelote. Enjoy! Walking Simulators and narrative games have become more prominent over the past decade. The 'walking simulator' term, originally a pejorative descriptor of a genre where 'you just walk about', was quickly reclaimed by fans and developers looking to...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (17th January)
What's on the agenda, Brenda?
We are blowing through January faster than a big blowy fast thing that's been blowing faster than usual right now, and the delicious slices of gaming goodness continue to drop across Switch consoles. This week has seen the arrival of Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Nintendo Switch 2, which the wonderfully handsome and...
News Sega Confirms Another Retro Arcade Game For Yakuza Kiwami 3
MORE!
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties hits the Switch 2 next month and if you weren't already excited about the game, to top it off, there are a bunch of retro Sega titles you'll be able to revisit. Following the recent Game Gear news, another arcade title has been revealed. As noted by our
Random Disney's Terrible DS Game 'Cory In The House' Is Now Selling For Hundreds Of Dollars On eBay
Ignited by a viral Metacritic campaign
Earlier this week, the 2008 Nintendo DS title Disney title Cory in the House was reportedly on the cusp of dethroning the award-winning Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on Metacritic's user ranking list. Although Clair Obscur remains out in front at the time of writing with a
News Nintendo's 'My Mario' Toy Line Adds Three Fisher-Price Playsets
The 'My Mario' line launches locally next month
Earlier this month, Nintendo announced it was bringing the 'My Mario' line to the West on 19th February 2026. This line is supported by a "range of partners", and now, ahead of the launch, Mattel's Fisher-Price brand has officially revealed three Mario-themed 'Little People' sets. Here's a look and...
Friday16th Jan 2026
News Zelda's Next Lego Set Is Based On Ocarina Of Time's Final Battle, Out March
Update: Officially announced
Fri 16th Jan, 2026 06:05 GMT: Late last year, after some rumours, Nintendo teased a new Legend of Zelda-themed Lego set coming in 2026. Now that we're in the new year, it seems this set might have actually leaked ahead of the official reveal. As the rumours suggested, it appears to be a diorama based on the "final...
Review Gulikit TT Pro / TT Max Controllers For Switch 1 & 2 - The New Standard For Third-Party Pads
This is an Xbo... wait, no
There have been some strong third-party controllers for the Switch 2 so far, with 8BitDo’s Pro 3 proving to be particularly compelling with its SNES-inspired design, TMR stick tech, and tactile (albeit noisy) D-pad. It was, in my opinion, the best alternative if you weren’t keen on splashing out on Nintendo’s own Pro...
News Armature Studio, Founded By Metroid Prime Devs, Has Been Shut Down
Meta turns its back on VR
Armature Studio, a development team primarily focused on creating VR titles, has been shut down by Meta. Originally founded in 2008 by ex Retro Studios developers Mark Pacini, Todd Keller, and Jack Mathews, Armature has primarily worked on ports, starting with the PS Vita version of Metal Gear Solid HD Collection. It soon...
News The Marvellous 'Ace Combat 7' Has Sold 7 Million Copies In 7 Years
Lucky number 7
Bandai Namco has announced that Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown has now surpassed 7 million copies sold. Originally launched in January 2019, this coincidentally means that it's sold 7 million in 7 years – how remarkable! The game saw a release on the Switch in 2024, which boosted its sales quite nicely; in January last year, Bandai...
News The Live-Action Zelda Movie Is Coming To Netflix
Following its "theatrical and home entertainment release periods"
The live-action Legend of Zelda movie will be streamed exclusively on Netflix following its "theatrical and home entertainment release periods", Famitsu is reporting. Under an agreement with Sony Pictures Entertainment, the adaptation will join the likes of Spider-Man: Beyond the...
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition?
Redd Dead Redemption
Yes, the time is finally upon us. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is now available in its swanky new Nintendo Switch 2 Edition package! While the free ver. 3.0 update arrived a little earlier than expected for all users (Switch 1 and 2), yesterday marked the big release of Nintendo's latest paid Switch 2 upgrade. This one...
News Hi-Fi Rush Has Been Rated For The Switch... Again
For realsies, this time?
Hi-Fi Rush, the most GameCube-esque title to launch in the last five years, has once again been rated for the Switch by PEGI. Sound familiar? It should, because this has happened before. Back in April 202
Review Dynasty Warriors: Origins (Switch 2) - A Super-Solid Port Of A Fantastic Reboot
Okay, you can pursue Lu Bu
Wading into Dynasty Warriors: Origins on Switch 2, I'm keenly aware that there's been a lot of conversation about the game's frame rate on Nintendo's console in the run-up to release. Yes, it's not a super-sweet 60fps as on some other platforms, and yes, that is a shame. However! Anyone who fancies a little Musou madness...
News Mystery Product Code Sparks Rumours Of A New Switch 2 Model
Already?!
Right folks, get ready to file this one under either "huh?!" or "hmmm....", because an unusual discovery on Nintendo's official website has got folks chatting about a potential new Switch 2 model. The discovery comes via Bluesky user dootsky, who notes that a new product code labelled 'OSM' can be uncovered on the Nintendo Account Portal...
News A New, Gothic Title From 'Eternal Darkness' Creator Has Re-Emerged
It looks... okay?
Denis Dyack, the former president of Silicon Knights and director of games such as Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, has revealed the latest look at Deadhaus Sonata, a new 'spiritual successor' to Blood Omen. Originally announced back in 2018, there are no target platforms at the moment, but a...
News The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy Is Now Officially 'Two Games In One'
Bang for your buck
Those who have played The Hundred Line - Last Defense Academy know just how big of a game it really is. According to the publisher, however, the release was actually two games in one, and that's supposedly how it's going to be marketed from now on. Confused? Yeah don't worry, it's understandable. Effectively, once you complete...
Video Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Side-By-Side Graphics Comparison (Switch 2 & Switch)
Including updates to resolution and load times
Nintendo launched Animal Crossing: New Horizons on the Switch 2 this week, and some video comparisons have now popped up online. One of these has been shared by the YouTube channel 'ElAnalistaDeBits', which not only presents a side-by-side visual comparison of the Switch 2 Edition next to the existing...
Preview Raising My Daddy Rank At A London Gyoza Bar
Form an orderly Kiryu
My gaming life can now be cleanly split into two sections: the period before I had heard the phrase "Daddy Rank", and the period after it. It's one of the key features of Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties that Sega was kind enough to show me at a fancy gyoza-joint-turned-preview space in London this week, and in the days since, I...
News GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition Races Onto Switch 2 Later This Month
"Tuned to perfection"
Racing enthusiasts were informed in December that GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition would be speeding onto the Switch 2 in "early 2026" and the official release date has now been locked in. According to publisher Feral Interactive, the race will begin on 29th January 2026 and it's available to pre-order right now from the Switch...
News Donkey Kong Bananza Has Been Nominated For Even More Awards
The king of...?
Donkey Kong's new outing for the Switch 2 has already won some awards, and it's now in the running for even more. The '26th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards' is taking place on 12th March 2026 (during the GDC Festival of Gaming) and this week it's been revealed Donkey Kong Bananza is up for 'Game of the Year' and multiple other...
Thursday15th Jan 2026
News Limited Edition Resident Evil Requiem Watches Launch Next Month
"I'll buy it at a high price!"
If you're really, really excited for Resident Evil Requiem next month, then you might want to keep an eye out for two limited edition watches from manufacturer Hamilton. Launching alongside the game on 27th February 2026, the two models are featured in the game itself and are (conveniently) worn by both protagonists:...
News Zombies Return In Resident Evil Requiem, But Now They're More Terrifying Than Ever
Ink Ribbons are also back
The Resident Evil Showcase has revealed extensive gameplay for the upcoming Resident Evil Requiem, launching on 27th February, 2026. Not only that, but we've also received official confirmation that zombies are back. But they're slightly different this time... The zombies here are not completely mindless, but rather retain...
News Sonic The Hedgehog Kicks Off 35th Anniversary Celebrations In Style
"Forever fast"
Believe it or not, Sonic the Hedgehog is celebrating his 35th anniversary in 2026, and Sega is clearly planning something as it dropped a nostalgia blast of a trailer celebrating the blue blur's life and times. The trailer highlights the range of Sonic over the franchise's storied history, from his pixel perfect start on the Mega...
Opinion I'm Happy amiibo Survived The Console Jump, But These Unlocks Are Getting Silly
You and amiiboth
If there was one name I wasn't expecting to see crop up in the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal Direct, it was Kirby Air Riders amiibo. Smash Ultimate and its DLC fighters had propped up the amiibo release schedule for the best part of five years, and its conclusion lined up so neatly with us all boarding the Switch 2 hype train that I...
News Super Nintendo World Is Celebrating Its Fifth Anniversary In Style
Anyone for cake?
Believe it or not, Universal Studios Japan is hosting Super Nintendo World's fifth anniversary this year, and it's marking the occasion in a way that only Nintendo can: a buttload of decorations and some exclusive merch. The Mario-themed park will be getting a celebratory birthday makeover from 18th March, featuring a giant...
News Sophie Turner Looks Incredible As Lara Croft In Amazon's Tomb Raider Series
Filming starts now
Amazon's upcoming Tomb Raider series is in full production, and to mark the occasion, we've now got our first look at actor Sophie Turner in the role as Lara Croft. Posted across all of its relevant social media channels with the caption "Get your artifacts out. Lara's on her way...", the accompanying image showcases Turner...
You could just save your bells
It’s tough to consider that Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out almost six years ago, and even tougher to get over just how good it looks on Nintendo’s first hybrid system. Switch 2 hasn’t been left behind, though - now it’s got its own version of the game, but if I’m being honest, it's not really bringing...
Japanese Charts Nintendo's Dominance Continues As Switch 2 Flies Past 4 Million Units Sold
What will they think of next? FIVE million?
The first two weeks' sales data of 2026 is in from Famitsu, and it'll come as a surprise to nobody to hear that the Switch 2 is still dominating the proceedings. It's yet another Switch 1/2 washout in the software chart to kick off the new year, with Mario Kart World leading the charge, followed by...
News New Dynasty Warriors: Origins Trailer Showcases Heaps Of Switch 2 Gameplay Goodness
Marching our way next week
We are just one week away from the launch of Dynasty Warriors: Origins on Switch 2, and Koei Tecmo has blessed us with an all-new gameplay trailer, giving a thorough rundown of how things look on the hybrid console. The above three-minute overview is only available in Japanese at the time of writing (we will sub in an...
Review Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch) - An Approachable And Addictive Masterpiece
The shores of Bell
Over four years since Update 2.0.0 — which was billed as the "last major free content" — Animal Crossing: New Horizons Update 3.0.0 has arrived, alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. Given the wealth of additions,
Random Feeling Blue? This 91-Year-Old Zelda Fan Will Make Your Day
"When you find your passion, stay with it"
You're never too old to pursue your passion, and as demonstrated in the above video from Killer Carp, 91-year-old Jan is proof of that. Jan started playing Nintendo games when she picked up the N64 along with Super Mario 64, and has since developed a huge love for the Legend of Zelda franchise. The video...
News "He Is Amazing" - Mario Voice Actor Kevin Afghani Heaps Praise On Charles Martinet
As we all should
We've not seen a great deal of Kevin Afghani since the voice actor took over the envious role of Mario from veteran Charles Martinet. But this coming weekend, Afghani will meet his fans for the very first time when he attends Charlie's ComicCon in Estero, Florida. To mark the occasion, Afghani recently caught up with USA Today to...
News Sega Is Adding Playable Bandai Namco Game Gear Titles To Yakuza Kiwami 3
Three more retro offerings
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties launches for the Switch 2 next month, and in case you missed it, Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio will be adding a variety of retro games. Our colleagues at Push Square covered one of these reveals in December, and more recently, Sega lifted the lid on the inclusion of Game Gear titles. According...
News Nintendo's First Game Trial Of 2026 Is Exclusive To Switch 2 (North America)
Sorry, Switch fans
Nintendo has announced its first Switch Online game trial of 2026 for North America. It's also apparently the first time a trial has been exclusive to the Switch 2. It's EA Sports Madden NFL 26, which launched on the Switch 2 in August last year. This game trial is available between now and 21st January 2026, and gives players...
