Timeline
Monday17th Aug 2026
Rumour New Mario LEGO Sets Could Be Surprisingly Affordable
Will they be Smart Play, though?
A new rumour is doing the rounds from unibricks on Instagram that suggests the upcoming Super Mario Lego sets will actually be surprisingly affordable (for Lego, at least). We can't definitively verify this information, but according to unibricks, the most expensive set – due for launch in January 2027 – will be...
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Final Fantasy XIV Online?
Tell us, kupo
Final Fantasy XIV Online is one of those games that just feels like it shouldn't work on the Switch 2. A game of this size, on a handheld of that size? C'mon, that's nuts. And yet, it's true! XIV online is out now on Switch 2, and we think it's a blast. It's got enough content to last you years, let alone hours or days, along with...
Mini Review Project Neon (Switch) - A Capable New Neo Geo Shmup To Test Your Mettle
Neon Geo
Project Neon is a Neo Geo game that was successfully Kickstarted in 2019. A vertically scrolling, arcade-style shoot 'em up that will feel familiar to those ingratiated with CAVE and Toaplan, its frontend presentation is simple and to the point. There are no difficulty settings, a single, non-configurable CRT filter, and some rotation and...
Video Digital Foundry Breaks Down Oblivion's "Frustrating Performance" On Switch 2
Hitches galore
Digital Foundry has posted its tech review for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered on the Switch 2, detailing how Bethesda and Virtuos' work holds up on Nintendo's console a little over a year after its initial release. In a nutshell, Oblivion looks pretty good on the Switch 2, delivering most of the upgrades seen on other...
Sunday16th Aug 2026
Talking Point 'Pokopia 2' Feels Inevitable, But Do We Really Need A Sequel?
Pikatwo
If Pokémon Pokopia isn't in my top five games of 2026 come December, we will have had an astonishing four months. At launch, this game had me in a chokehold and refused to let me go until I found myself weeping at its finale. It's heartwarming and creative and immensely popular, so much so that a sequel feels inevitable. But I don't know...
Issue #39 - August 2026
Welcome to the August 2026 edition of the Nintendo Life Mailbox. It's been a particularly hot summer around these parts. The moon did its best to block out the sun last week and give us some respite from the heat, but we've still sitting around Nintendo Life Towers in various states of (HR-compliant) undress, surrounded by...
Poll Box Art Brawl: WarioWare Smooth Moves
Wii? More like... WAH
Welcome to this week's edition of Box Art Brawl! It was a special Metroid 40th anniversary brawl last time, as we matched up every cover in the series for the ultimate showdown. Despite all those options, it wasn't a remotely close-fought contest, as Super Metroid walked away with 62% of the vote and left all other entries in...
News Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Open Beta Adds Campaign Mission 'Entrenched'
Lock in later this month
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is getting an open beta at the end of this month, and all platforms (including Switch 2) are invited. Activision and Infinity Ward have now provided an update, announcing the beta will also allow players to experience a campaign mission. Players will have access to the "Entrenched" mission,...
News Kingdom Hearts IV Is Launching On Switch 2 In Late 2027, Here's A Brand-New Trailer
Update: Extended Coco trailer, directors double down on 2027 release
[Sat 15th Aug, 2026 04:55 BST]: At Disney's D23 event this week, Kingdom Hearts fans got another look at Kingdom Hearts IV in a new showcase trailer. The end of the trailer also confirms the anticipated title will be launching on all platforms, including the Switch 2, in "late...
News ARK: Survival Evolved Sunsets Official Switch Servers This Month
"We want to thank everyone who has been part of this journey"
Developer Studio Wildcard has announced official server support for the Switch version of its dinosaur-themed survival game Ark: Survival Evolved will be sunset at the end of August. The studio shared this news in a community update on the game's message boards. This will also apply to...
Saturday15th Aug 2026
Talking Point Is An Analogue 3D Worth The Money?
'logue squadron
With the price hikes for the current-gen consoles, the prospect of an even pricier generation to come, and all the doom and gloom in the games industry, it's no wonder that a portion of players are taking solace in the world of retro. Whether it's the comfort blanket of nostalgia as you revisit a childhood classic, or a back...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (15th August)
Let's dive in
Hello everyone, and well done for making it to the weekend once again. Give yourself a pat on the back. This week in the land of Nintendo, Super Mario Sunshine was added to Switch Online, bringing back one of the most divisive Mario games and – for those who don't own 3D All-Stars – rounding out the collection of 3D entries on...
News Disney Dreamlight Valley Teases Fourth Expansion 'The Keepsake Sea' And Jack Sparrow
Hannah Montana & Lizzie McGuire collection also announced
Disney also shared some news about its ever-expanding life-sim adventure Disney Dreamlight Valley at D23 this week. Following the recently released Honeyglow Woods Adventure Pack and the latest free update Pixel Perfect, fans have now been given a first-look at the game's fourth expansion,...
News Disney Kingdom Hearts Anime Series "Coming Soon"
Developed in partnership with Tetsuya Nomura and Square Enix
Apart from a launch window and new trailer for Kingdom Hearts IV, Disney has also announced Kingdom Hearts: The Series (working title) will be "coming soon" to Disney+ and the Disney Channel. This original anime series will be developed in partnership with video game creator Tetsuya...
News The Simpsons Hit & Run Could Be Making A Return "In Some Form"
According to the show's creator, Matt Groening
Fans of The Simpsons have been calling for the revival of the GTA-like release The Simpsons Hit & Run for many years now. The co-showrunner previously said a "corporate octopus" stands in the way, but it looks like something might finally be happening. At a D23 panel this week, creator Matt Groening...
News Switch Online's DK Challenge Now Offering Physical 39-Card Set Reward
A "limited-time offer" until 1st September
In June, Nintendo announced the new Switch Online event 'DK Challenge' where players could unlock digital challenge cards as a reward. Nintendo has now taken this a step further, announcing Donkey Kong fans in the US can receive a physical 39-card set if they complete the "entire DK Challenge". This...
Friday14th Aug 2026
Review Punk Workshop FightStick G01 Arcade Stick For Switch 1 & 2 - Quite Simply One Of The Best
Does it come in black?
The arcade and fighting game scene is now completely dominated by a growing number of ‘leverless’ controllers, meaning the classic joystick used for movement is replaced by individual buttons for each direction. For the uninitiated, leverless controllers might look completely bonkers, but once you get used to the layout,...
News Thimbleweed Park 2 Is Being Funded By A Sole 'Wealthy Outsider'
"This deal is a lot more fair"
Thimbleweek Park 2, the upcoming sequel to the 2017 cult classic, is reportedly being funded by a sole 'wealthy outsider'. This comes from Jason Schreier at Bloomberg, who interviewed creator Ron Gilbert regarding the creation of the sequel. Despite making more than $620,000 through Kickstarter for the original game,...
Feature One Year On, Is Anyone Still Playing Drag x Drive?
Drag x Thrive?
Despite what some might think, Nintendo is always releasing games under new IP. It’s not all just Mario and Pokémon. In late May, they released Pictonico! on mobile, and in early August they released D-Hopper on Virtual Boy (technically an old IP that finally saw the light of day). And on 14th August 2025, Nintendo gave us Drag x...
Let's do the time warp again
A couple of decades ago, before the average cost of game development launched into the stratosphere, it used to be common to see more experimental 'AA' releases on console. These lower-budget games didn't have quite the same production value as the major, best-selling games of the time, but they often made up for this...
News Indie Publisher Nakana.io Is Closing, All Games Now Heavily Discounted
There's a catch if you're in the US
Indie publisher Nakana.io has sadly announced that it will be ceasing operations from Autumn 2026. The company, which specialised in arthouse and meaningful games, is now offering one last sale before the end, discounting all ten of its titles in both the US and Europe. If you're in Europe and the UK, all of its...
News Netflix Shuts Down Oxenfree Developer Night School Studio
"We see an opportunity to be more focused in our execution"
You know that awesome developer Night School Studio? The one behind Oxenfree and its 2023 sequel? Yeah, it's gone. Netflix shut it down. This news comes from Game File, confirming that the streaming giant has closed two studios: the aforementioned Night School Studio and a lesser known...
News Carve Some Time Out Of A Busy September For This Adorable-Looking 3D Puzzler
Block party
We've been keeping an eye on Woodo since it was first announced for Switch back in 2024. This delightful-looking 3D puzzler warmed our cockles when it appeared back in the Indie World Direct earlier this year (accompanied by a Switch 2 announcement), and now, it finally has a release date. Developer Tiny Monks Tales took to
News Kingdom Hearts Is A "Billion-Dollar" Franchise, According To Disney
Square Enix is currently working on the fourth game
The Kingdom Hearts universe continues to expand, and ahead of the fourth game, Disney Games Group has revealed the series is one of its nine "billion-dollar" franchises. Apart from Square Enix's series, which originally got its start on the PS2 in 2002, some other billion-dollar game series under...
Round Up The Final Previews Are In For Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave On Switch 2
Launching this September
Nintendo has ramped up its coverage of Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave in recent weeks with a Direct and various other announcements and trailers related to the game. Now, the final previews have officially gone live. If you haven't already seen Jim's impressions, here's a quick sample, and you can read more in the link below...
News Pokémon HOME October Premium Plan Update Expands Storage Capacity To 9,000 Pokémon
Deposit 3,000 more Pokémon
The Pokémon Company this week announced Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen would be linked with the storage subscription service Pokémon HOME this October. Apart from a Celebi bonus gift if you complete your Pokédex in FireRed and LeafGreen, there's also an update on the way to
News It's Official, Sonic Frontiers Has Now Sold More Than Five Million Copies
Sega is celebrating with a free Sonic Adventure 2 gift
Sega shadow-dropped Sonic Frontiers - Definitive Edition on the Switch 2 in June as part of the blue blur's ongoing 35th anniversary celebrations. Now, in an update, it's confirmed Sonic Frontiers has officially surpassed five million sales since originally launching on Switch and other...
News Pokémon Pokopia Sales Surpass Five Million Units Globally In "Just Over Four Months"
The Switch 2 exclusive got its first DLC update last week
Following the latest financial update last week, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have now officially announced the relaxing life sim Pokémon Pokopia has sold more than five million units globally in "just over four months". According to the official press release, this includes all of the...
Thursday13th Aug 2026
Nintendo Download 13th August (North America)
Duskfade! Moonlighter! Future Knight!
The latest Nintendo Download update for North America has arrived, and it's bringing new games galore to the eShop. As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy! Switch 2 eShop - Highlights: EA SPORTS Madden NFL 27 (Electronic Arts, 13th...
News Pokémon Bank Is Shutting Down In February 2027
While FireRed and LeafGreen will be added to Pokémon Home
The Pokémon Company has announced that it will be ending service for the 3DS app Pokémon Bank on 27th February 2027. So this means that the ability to transfer creatures from Pokémon Bank to Pokémon Home will cease from that date. The company has advised users to ensure that any...
Preview Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Dials The 'Three Houses Formula' Up To 11
What's next? FOUR Houses??
Here's a take that feels colder and colder the further away we get from release: I preferred Fire Emblem Engage to Three Houses. Insubordination of the highest degree to some, for sure, but I'm a combat-first boi — I'll take a Weapons Triangle over a love triangle every day of the week — so all of Three Houses'...
Guide Pokémon Pokopia Fetching Scales For Feebas Event Guide, From Prism Scales To Milotic
Two Water-types grace Pokopia for a limited-time only
The Fetching Scales for Feebas event runs from 13th August to 28th August, 2026, adding two Gen 3 Water-types to Pokémon Pokopia. If you've played previous limited-time events, you'll know what to expect. A new Pokémon, Feebas, will rock up outside a Pokémon Center, asking you to find a...
News Everspace 2: Galactic Edition Gets A Surprise Switch 2 Shadow Drop
Can you shadow drop in zero-G?
Adding to Switch 2's ever-growing list of "huh, neat!" ports, Rockfish Games has this week announced Everspace 2: Galactic Edition, and it's available right now. After launching on PC back in 2023 (where it pulled in an impressive 81 Metascore), this one arrived as a surprise Switch 2 shadow drop yesterday, compiling...
Review Super Mario Sunshine (GameCube) - Not What We Expected, But It Still Shines
Water, water everywhere, so let's all have a drink!
This retro review was originally published in April 2010. We're republishing it to mark the game's arrival in the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack GameCube library. Mario made his 3D platforming debut on the N64 way back in 1996 in one of the greatest and most influential pieces of gaming...
News F-Zero 99 Receives Ver. 1.7.2 Update, But The Patch Notes Keep Its Changes A Mystery
(F-)Zero information
Keen to remind us all that it hasn't forgotten about F-Zero 99, Nintendo has today released a new update for the battle royale racer. The ver. 1.7.2 update is available on Switch right now, and in classic Nintendo form, the patch notes are far from detailed. As brought to our attention on Bluesky by @oatmealdome, the notes...
News Pokémon Go In-Game Auto-Catcher Is Now Being Rolled Out
Update: Check to see if you have it
Dataminers have reportedly discovered a potential new in-game item for Pokémon GO that throws Pokéballs and spins Pokéstops automatically, potentially rendering a whole bunch of physical accessories obsolete. As covered by IGN, code has been datamined by PokeMiners and posted in its Discord server, revealing...
News Switch 2 Demo Kiosks Now Advertising September Price Hike
Nintendo announced the new prices in May
Earlier this year, Nintendo announced sweeping price hikes for the Switch 2, and while the new prices have already been applied in Japan, this will not hit Western markets until 1st September 2026. The North American market is just weeks away from this increase, and in the US, Nintendo fans have noticed...
Round Up The Reviews For The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered On Switch 2 Are In
Here's what the critics think
Bethesda has this week launched its epic fantasy RPG The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered on the Switch 2 this week, and the reviews are now rolling in. If you still aren't sure about this version of the game, or just want to find out more, our review is now live. Despite some technical setbacks on Switch...
News Limited Run Announces Lord Of The Rings: War In The North Physical Release
And so it begins
Earlier this week, Aspyr revived The Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Legacy Edition for Switch, Switch 2 and other platforms. If you were hoping for a physical copy of the game, physical distributor Limited Run Games has now confirmed its involvement. Here's the official announcement, with more details to come: Limited Run...
News Super Mario Sunshine's Soundtrack Joins Nintendo Music Today, Here's Every Song Included
Take a trip to paradise
Alongside the Switch Online + Expansion update game today, Nintendo has released the soundtrack for Super Mario Sunshine on Nintendo Music. This game's album was composed by Koji Kondo and Shinobu Tanaka, it contains 58 tracks and has a total run time of 1 hour and 34 minutes. Here's the full soundtrack: Super Mario...
News Nintendo Expands Switch 2's GameCube Library With Another Game This Week
Update: Return to Isle Delfino in Super Mario Sunshine today
[Fri 31st Jul, 2026 02:05 BST]: Nintendo has this week announced its Switch Online 'Nintendo Classics' service will be adding the GameCube title Super Mario Sunshine on 13th August 2026. This title debuted on the GameCube in 2002 and was previously made available in the Super Mario 3D...
Wednesday12th Aug 2026
News Kiki's Delivery Service Meets Akira in 'Crescent County', Launching Summer '27
With extra cosy vibes
Kinetic Publishing and Electric Saint have announced Crescent County, a cosy adventure that sees you make deliveries during the day and take part in races during the night, all on awesome sci-fi inspired 'motorbrooms'. Boasting some lovely, colourful visuals, Crescent County has been confirmed for PC and consoles and will...
News Precognition, A New Horror From Sam Barlow And Brandon Cronenberg, Is Confirmed For Switch 2
"We’ve pushed ourselves even harder"
Kinetic Publishing and Half Mermaid Productions have announced Precognition, a new horror game from Sam Barlow, creator of Immortality and Her Story, and Brandon Cronenberg, director of films such as Possessor and Infinity Pool. Originally teased as 'Project C', Precognition follows in the footsteps of...
Review Final Fantasy XIV Online (Switch 2) - An Expansive Port That Demands Your Commitment
Reborn... again
Final Fantasy XIV Online has been through quite a rollercoaster journey over the years on its way to becoming one of the most respected MMOs in the industry. Its 2010 launch was a disaster, plagued with performance issues and shoddy design that torpedoed its reputation. Rather than pulling the plug early, Square decided to swap in a...
Video How Does Oblivion Remastered On Switch 2 Compare To The Steam Deck?
Let's find out
Now that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is out on the Switch 2, you might be wondering just how it compares to another handheld competitor: the Steam Deck. Our lovely video producer Alex has provided some footage – including handheld – to demonstrate how the two hold up side-by-side. In short, the Switch 2 version...
Mini Review Future Knight (Switch) - Channels The Spirit Of Tiger Handhelds To Great Effect
Don't worry about your grandma. She can live with me, be my maid.
Do you remember those Tiger handheld LCD games, extremely limited and mostly rubbish, that you used to love so much? Future Knight’s styling is exactly, and uniquely, that: its foreground sprites crisp, black and inky; its backgrounds lucent, pastel-hued imprints. Charming,...
News Nintendo Posts A New 'Creator's Voice' Video For Orbitals On Switch 2
Ahhhhhh, it looks so good
Nintendo has posted a new Creator's Voice video featuring the developer behind the upcoming co-op adventure Orbitals. Clocking in at just over 7 minutes in length, the video features a behind-the-scenes look at the inspiration and creation behind the title. It includes interviews with creative director Marcos Ramos and key...
News Aspyr Promises More Lord Of The Rings Revivals In The Future
Somehow, Sauron returned
Following the surprise launch of The Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Legacy Edition on Switch and Switch 2 (with an EU release coming on the 18th), Aspyr has outright stated that more is on the way. Of course, we don't know exactly which games the publisher plans to revive or when they might be released, but here's...
News Bubsy 4D 'Black Hole' Free Update Adds 15 Levels, New Outfits, And More
Pawsome
Fabraz and Atari have announced a free content update for Bubsy 4D, and it's out now. The 'Black Hole' update introduces 15 additional levels, 4 new outfits, leaderboards, new dialogue, and a special reward for 100% completion of the game. Oh, and it's free – we mentioned that, right? Nice. In addition, a patch has been applied to...
Poll So, Are You Getting The Zelda Switch 2 Console And Pro Controller?
Mipha-ntastic
Just recently, a pretty seismic leak made its way across the internet, revealing the apparent existence of a new Zelda-themed Switch 2 console and accompanying Pro Controller. Produced to celebrate the series' 40th anniversary, the hardware boasts a rather lovely custom theme that includes heavy use of the iconic Triforce along with a...
