Doesn’t feel like Xbox is rushing to get things on Switch 2 in their crossplatform efforts. Strange to see better crossplatform support with PlayStation than Switch, but it is what it is, I suppose.
I’m considering it, but haven’t decided. I haven’t upgraded many of my S1 games at this point, but I love Wonder. It’s my favorite 2D Mario since SMW. I’ll take a look closer to release and make a rational decision
Could be something Nintendo has pigeonholed for a Direct if it is coming to Switch 2. Not expecting it, but it could always be a possibility. That said, I’m strongly considering this game right now it looks great!
It’s a shame that any conversation that has to do with Gamefreak melts into people complaining about Pokemon, by the way.
Give that this has been in development for around 8 years now, just based on what we know, if it wasn’t being fleshed out at this point, that’s ok as long as the talent is going to other projects rather than being laid off. It sounds like there may have been something deeply off with the development. It’s a shame because I was interested to see more, but ever since Tencent got more integrated into Ubisoft, I’m not sure I want to buy into the company much anymore anyway.
Can’t believe Beyond Good and Evil 2 hasn’t been cancelled at this point, but maybe it’s truly exceptional… or there may be contractual obligations with a government to release it, as there was one with Singapore with regards to Skull and Bones.
For the sake of us that used to love Ubisoft decades ago though, I do hope that Rayman gets one final release that is worthy at least. If The Lost Crown and Rogue Prince of Persia are the end of the line for Prince of Persia, they ended on a high note, you know?
@SalvorHardin interesting. Didn’t realize that Christian Whitehead created a separate studio for Penny. I suppose I’d been confused as I thought the Mania team went on to Penny after they weren’t asked to continue with Sonic. Either which way, Rubato looks like it may be more interesting than Penny. I hope it showcases more of that impeccable level design that Mania had. Don’t get me wrong, Penny’s not bad. It just doesn’t feel nearly as focused as Mania, and I suppose that could be because the team from Mania split apart.
Didn’t know they had another one coming. Penny was sort of a disappointment to me, so hopefully I like this one more. I’d like to support the team. They’ve got talent and they want to push boundaries.
That’s an awesome update for this one. The game’s an absolute pleasure and the utter unexpected surprise of this is honestly what I would hope for with future Switch 2 upgrades.
@Gabe250 It’s not exactly complaining, but rather stating the obvious that, outside of a port of FF7 Remake, there are no marquee releases this year in January, so it would make absolute sense that SW2 version of a very popular game would dominate over the other evergreens.
In previous years, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, DK Country HD Returns, Fire Emblem Engage, Forspoken, Hi-Fi Rush, Pokemon Legends Arceus, Hitman 3, The Medium, and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot launched in January and that’s just the last five years. Typically, there’s one or two big launches in the month.
Also, keep in mind that, as I said earlier in the comments to another response, that I typically buy myself a new game for my birthday, so it’s more noticeable for me personally when January is quiet. It’s a little less fun to preorder a game for the next month instead. Lol.
@Pillowpants Lol, usually January isn’t a huge month, but this year does feel lighter than usual. February’s a strong month that makes up for any lull in January though.
@RoboCube Very true, but I like to buy myself a birthday present this month and I won’t be doing that this year, so I’m a little bummed out about it! 😂
At least February has Mario Tennis and Resident Evil. Not 100% on DQ7 yet, but it’s far better than I expected too!
Personally, I’d give the game a 9/10. I’d give Pokemon Legends Z-A an 8/10, 8.5 if decimals are allowed. I’d give Clair Obscur a 7/10. I liked Forspoken, I thought Concord was flawed but ok, and Friday the 13th on NES is far more creative and unique than people give it credit for.
To not be a contrarian and go with the mainstream, yes, Chrono Trigger and FF6 ARE the best JRPGs on the SNES. Mario and Zelda practically crank out 10/10s seemingly effortlessly. Elden Ring was so good that it was able to change my opinion on an entire genre, as well as the opinion of most of my closest friends.
Fact of the matter and what I’m trying to say is that opinions are subjective. In 2025, it felt like commentary on the industry was far more critical than ever and I definitely felt more “did I play the same game everyone else did?” last year than any year I could remember, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter, does it? Let’s not forget that diversity in opinion is important and to feel the way we feel about anything, whether thats the common critical consensus or not! 😁
I really hope the people behind this viral campaign make things happen and get this one to be the top rated game on Metacritic. It’s funny. It’s great to see a group of gamers having dumb, wholesome fun like this.
The Misadventures of Tron Bonne, perhaps. I’m really considering finally starting my Terranigma playthrough as well. The Seance of Blake Manor is sitting on my backlog, calling to me too. My cousin asked me to pick up this game called Fretless too and said it was basically a game made for him and I specifically when we were 14, so I’m sort of compelled to learn more.
@garfreek When I was a kid, I felt like Gen 3 and 4 were both slogs. I think Gen 1 and 2 have that dated charm to them, but you can see where the games could easily be improved with modern QoL updates. I like Gen 3 better than Gen 4, but I’d say they need more than QoL improvements to stand up to the test of time. It’s my personal opinion and I know many don’t agree with me about that, but Gen 4 in particular feels like Pokemon hit a saturation point where they needed to pivot the series.
It’s no shock Gen 5 sort of abandoned the old Pokemon for two games and made some wild changes only to do a soft reboot and strip back of sorts for Gen 6 and then go in another wild direction for Gen 7 for a genuine reboot with the Let’s Go game.
It’s about time! 5 of the 6 games (sorry Tailspin) are flat out NES classics. I don’t think I’ll double… er quadruple… dip since I have these games on 3 platforms currently, but it’s still really cool to see. With rumors starting to mount, I’m starting to wonder if a January Nintendo Direct might be in the cards. It feels like stuff is leaking earlier in the year than typical.
@garfreek I would recommend any other Pokemon game on the Switch series of consoles over BDSP. BDSP was perhaps the most boring, lifeless Pokemon game I’ve ever played. I will admit that I feel Diamond and Pearl are already the worst mainline game, in my opinion, being the games that have the most franchise fatigue, so to speak, but I know most don’t agree with that.
Anyway, it’s a pretty faithful remake to the Gen 4 games, though it doesn’t feature any Platinum content, which is baffling, considering that Platinum made the generation far more interesting. To add to that, anything modernized in the game feels like it sucked the Pokemon charm out of it. It’s simply the ok-est Pokemon game ever made. The Let’s Go games were far better remakes in the Switch era. Both Legends games and ScarVi are far more ambitious games. And SwSh just slightly edges it out on the ludicrous premise that you can deform your Pokemon into stretched out or bloated giants.
Really surprised I played MKW more than Bananza, but also not really. I definitely sank into Silksong and Pokemon way more than most games. Silksong’s my favorite Switch game last year.
The Virtual Boy is honestly easier on my eyes than current VR technology. I had a corneal abrasion over a decade ago that makes watching 3D films impossible to watch and VR games make me nauseous pretty instantly. I’m not sure what Nintendo did right with the Virtual Boy, but it only gives me a mild headache after a duration of playtime. I don’t own one, but I’ve played it at trade shows for long enough to get the gist of how it would feel to have one and play it if I did.
Personally, I love that Nintendo is willing to own the Virtual Boy now. Perhaps they got over it due to the WiiU flopping and the Switch being a meteoric follow up. Even the worst of consoles can have something to appreciate and the Virtual Boy is far from the worst console, even if it might be Nintendo’s biggest miss.
Will be playing the Metal Gear Solid board game tonight with friends. Got my Steamdeck with me in case we do a bit of Arc Raiders too.
Tomorrow, I’d like to play more of the DQ7 demo too and maybe start Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. I’d still like to start The Seance of Blake Manor with the wife too.
Realistically though, I’d not be surprised if I play some NES games and Cast ‘n Chill instead. I’ve been having more fun with my NES library than my modern library the last couple months. I’ve been loving exploring the lesser known games in the catalog. Things like Panic Restaurant, Whomp ‘Em, and even Japan only games like Mitsume Ga Tooru. One of these days soon I’m going to hop to the SNES too. As an American, I missed out on Terranigma. I’m definitely going to find time to play it this year. January could be a good month.
There’s so much to play! I’m glad nothing is coming out for me til Mario Tennis and RE9. I get so caught up in new releases sometimes that looking back feels so good right now.
I can’t wait for this one. I didn’t even realize how much I loved Aces, but my family was all sort of like, “It’s one for Daddy” when this was playing during the Nintendo Direct. I never would’ve believed it if I didn’t look at my playtime, but I’ve got more hours in Aces than BotW…
I’ve been torn on Caves of Qud for all of 2025. Wish there was a demo for it given its price tag. I don’t believe it coming to Switch clears any of my not sureness of the game. The Cassette Boy demo was neat, but I’m waiting to see the reviews… because I’m trying to limit my purchases this year and I’m not sure if I want to use one of my 30 purchases so early in the year 😅.
I’ve got the AC update preordered though. I’m not counting that in my 30. It’s for the kids.
@Shepdawg1 That’s what I was thinking. Never even heard of this guy. This is standard IP maintenance. These would be flop announcements at a Direct since they are two of the worst entries in their particular series… and where’s the proof of a new Direct date anyway? I mean, granted, one is bound to be coming because 2026’s release schedule is barren right now, but still…
Myles was just sort of there, so no strong opinion on him. Prime 4 was one of the best games of 2025 and it’s a shame gamers have gotten so picky that the game elicited more complaints than excitement for what it was. The real Myles that frustrated me was the talking heads on YouTube that droned about all the “problems” the game had.
Maybe this is the weekend I finally tackle that Pragmata demo. I think I’ll play some Counter Strike and Cast ‘n Chill. I feel like going back to Sektori, Earthion, and Toree Saturn too for the fun of it. I bought Zak McKraken and the Alien Mindbenders yesterday too for old time’s sake. Maybe I’ll indulge in a classic for a bit. I don’t anticipate I’ll be playing anything consistently til February, so I’m just going to have some fun.
I’m sort of assuming this and Pikmin might be low tier Switch 2 versions that are simply optimized rather than anything else. I mean, the AC Switch 2 version seems to be getting a substantial upgrade for cheap and a bunch of games got free upgrades. I’m ok with Nintendo doing things like that. As much as I want new games, I also know those are coming too, and it’s sort of cool that my kids get re-excited about games I already own for the upgrades. Again, bringing up AC, my kids AND my wife are more excited about AC Switch 2 than most new releases announced this year and, if this is just an excuse for Splatoon 3 to run better, that’d be a big thing for them too.
Well, we know about Mario Tennis, Pokopia, Yoshi, and Fire Emblem. I’m anticipating Yoshi being an April release and Fire Emblem being a summer release. I think Tomodachi Life and Rhythm Heaven will sandwich Fire Emblem on both sides. I’d imagine Nintendo will do something with Zelda, but what? I’m not sure. I sort of feel like they backed themselves into a bit of a corner with the IP with TotK to some extent. To top that, it may take a while, and that’s fine. The rumors of an Ocarina remake have been a thing for a while, and that’d pad time out to allow for the next Zelda reboot. I’d like Luigi’s Mansion 4, Pikmin 5, and 3D Mario but I don’t necessarily expect any of them. Splatoon and Pokemon are definites, MKW dlc has to be a thing. I get the feeling there will be three big titles toward the end of the year, so the Christmas push is bigger than this year. Kirby will likely get a port too.
I’m really hoping that either Clair Obscur doesn’t launch next year or it directly competes with Elden Ring and Baldur’s Gate 3. I’m burned out over the game’s coverage, as I do feel the game is perhaps the most overhyped game this generation. However, if it must be oversaturated for a second year, let it compete with games that will knock it down a peg in the gaming culture at large. Personally, I’ve already played all three games and won’t be double dipping on any of them, but I’ll bring the popcorn and watch the battle between Switch 2 port supremacy.
@cvrator I wouldn’t say I was disappointed by 4, but 4 didn’t have the same impact as the previous games for me. It’s still a 9/10 for me, just was overshadowed by releasing in 2023, which had some massive games, so it didn’t feel as important as it could have felt. If the game would’ve released in 2024, it’d have been a GotY contender for me, even as the least impactful Pikmin game for me… though it probably would’ve had more impact if it would’ve released in a weaker year.
Loved Pikmin 3. Might be my favorite in the series, which I know is an odd opinion. It’s just the most fun I’ve ever had as a co-op game when I played it with my wife years ago. I know 1+2 have more nostalgia factor for most people and that 4 is technically superior, but 3 just felt right to me in so many ways. One of my favorite games of all time. I’ll take an upgrade.
@urfaverenegade Have fun with the Megaman series! Every single mainline game is an absolute classic as is most of the X and Zero series. You’ve got a long road to series completion, but it’s going to be a truly enjoyable ride.
I have two more Christmases this weekend to do, so probably not much of anything. I’m feeling ok with the amount of 2025 games I’ve beaten to compile my year end list now, so there’s that. And because of that, I’ve sort of drifted towards playing through comfort food in the form of NES games. Little Nemo, Little Samson, Bucky O’Hare, Whomp ‘Em, Wallstreet Kid, Princess Tomato, and Mitsune Ga Tooru are ideas for what I might finish next. Beat Adventure Island 2, Kung Fu, and Friday the 13th over Christmas Eve/Day. Wallstreet Kid might be my first choice since I failed at it miserably on Christmas Day.
The real problem with Final Fantasy is that the games are excellent. Rebirth and XVI are the best the series has had to offer since the perfection of VII.
Rebirth > Remake > VI > VII > XVI > IV > X > Tactics > XV > VIII > IX > V > XIII> XII > I > III > II for me. Not including XI and XIV because I’m not an MMO guy, so I didn’t really connect with those games in the same way.
The game is honestly refreshingly vintage. I loved how the combat felt like it was a modernization of old Prime combat and felt a bit Halo-y. The level design was solid and interesting too, even if it was dated. It’s not the best Metroid game, but it is a solid one. I’d rather play something like this than most modern FPS titles. The older sensibilities of the game felt positively unique in 2025 to me. I liked it far better than the latest Doom, for instance.
@Polvasti I still think they should just be in a separate list. Ports and old games can get credit by being in a best ports of 2025, whereas new games can get credit as best new games of 2025. Love UFO 50, for example, but it’s a 2024 game in my eyes because that’s when the game released on its first platform. Great games can come to consoles late, but the Witcher 3 when it was ported to Switch should not have been a GotY contender, you know? It already had its time. These older games getting ported also are typically high profile games with plenty of recognition in their back pocket already. Newer games need time to shine. Cyberpunk on Switch 2 is quite impressive, sure, but it’s a 5 year old game. BotW is8 years old. Both have had their awards and sales when there are plenty of newer games that aren’t even a blip on anyone’s radar right now and that may be because ports are carrying the marketing weight of the industry. We’ve got studios closing every day because they’re struggling to find exposure, regardless of the level of quality of the games. These ports don’t need any help with that.
It’s great to see Prince of Persia back in such a strong force. I’ll admit that perhaps I’m getting a little burned out of roguelikes, but I do like this one, just not as much as I loved Dead Cells or Lost Crown, but it’s a solid step forward for both teams.
This list goes to show that more curation is needed when making these types of lists. How many games aren’t getting exposure because X game released on Switch 2 even though it released years ago on another platform? It feels disjointed. I’d imagine some viewers downvoted some classics just to keep them off the list, but that ended up conflicting with the smattering of 10/10 votes, causing them to actually flood the placements. We’ve probably hit an era where ports/remasters deserve a separate list from new releases for the sake of getting new, smaller games more exposure and credit.
All that said, I’m sort of surprised to see Hades 2 rank so highly, just as I was surprised to see it be the best reviewed game on Meta/Opencritic this year. It’s undeniably a great game, but if there ever was a game that felt like a sequel, that’s it. I know a lot of people leverage that complaint on Silksong, but I dunno. I enjoyed Hades 2, but it just felt like more of the same. Perhaps I liked Hades 1 a bit less than most, though I’d still consider it a classic, and I’d say Hades 2 is a tad bit better, but it just doesn’t feel like a GotY to me, you know? Even though Silksong’s my favorite game on a Nintendo platform this year, I do think Bananza deserves the gong for not only being accessible, but also for being wildly experimental and new.
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo’s my favorite of this bunch. I’d add Henry Halfhead, Time Flies, Lego Voyagers, and Is This Seat Taken too. And for good measure, a few non-Switch recommendations: To a T, Öoo, and Level Devil need far more recognition and I hope they make it to Switch next year. Öoo, in particular, totally belongs on Switch.
And I know some people may hate me for saying this, but if we’re talking underrated games on Switch 2, just saying that Nintendo’s first party line-up this year feels underrated at large. Personally, Nintendo first party and indies carried the year.
@PharoneTheGnome I believe you that it’s a tool and, when used properly, it’s a benefit, but let’s be real here: it’s more often used for cost savings and cutting corners when it comes to games. Gen AI isn’t inherently the problem with Gen AI, but rather the whole CoD thing where trillion dollar companies will abuse these programs at the expense of employees and the quality of their product.
Thus far, I’m sure it’s utilized in fine ways somewhere and is a different form of creative design, but just like many other advancements in technology, I’m not sure it’s made things “better” yet. I couldn’t argue currently that I believe games have gotten better over the course of this generation, for instance, as these tools have become available. Perhaps the impact is yet to come.
Personally, I’m in the service industry, and I sort of see people using AI to be less hand-crafted and thoughtful in response sometimes, and I’ve noticed a type of autopilot from it. I can’t say I don’t use AI, because I do, but in my particular field, I’d say the rise of AI has been more a side step than a step forward. Most of the time, I’ve noticed the time saved from using ChatGPT or Gemini to generate something has been reinvested into time used to review what it says or suggests. Again, perhaps the truly positive impact is yet to come.
I’m not particularly a fan of generative AI. There’s some novelty there, but it doesn’t truly improve much in terms of quality and doesn’t expedite anything either. It’s just another hurdle being tossed at us to make life more complicated while draining our physical resources.
Pipistrello is absolutely one of the best games this year. Loved my time with it. The game’s unique in comparison to Zelda for its cynical cartoon tone. More people need to play this one.
Just beat Metroid Prime 4. Fantastic game. Time to finally compile that personal year end list.
Onto some assorted oldies like The Sims 1, SimCity 3000, Adventure Island 2, Rampage Universal Tour, Half Life, etc, whatever I feel the random urge to play the rest of the year.
Comments 2,340
Re: The Fable Reboot Is Reportedly "Under Consideration" For Switch 2
Doesn’t feel like Xbox is rushing to get things on Switch 2 in their crossplatform efforts. Strange to see better crossplatform support with PlayStation than Switch, but it is what it is, I suppose.
Re: Poll: So, Will You Be Getting The Switch 2 Upgrade For Super Mario Bros. Wonder?
I’m considering it, but haven’t decided. I haven’t upgraded many of my S1 games at this point, but I love Wonder. It’s my favorite 2D Mario since SMW. I’ll take a look closer to release and make a rational decision
Re: Pokémon Developer Game Freak To Reveal More About 'Beast Of Reincarnation' Later This Month
Could be something Nintendo has pigeonholed for a Direct if it is coming to Switch 2. Not expecting it, but it could always be a possibility. That said, I’m strongly considering this game right now it looks great!
It’s a shame that any conversation that has to do with Gamefreak melts into people complaining about Pokemon, by the way.
Re: Prince Of Persia Team Behind Cancelled Sands Of Time Remake Shares Final Message
Give that this has been in development for around 8 years now, just based on what we know, if it wasn’t being fleshed out at this point, that’s ok as long as the talent is going to other projects rather than being laid off. It sounds like there may have been something deeply off with the development. It’s a shame because I was interested to see more, but ever since Tencent got more integrated into Ubisoft, I’m not sure I want to buy into the company much anymore anyway.
Can’t believe Beyond Good and Evil 2 hasn’t been cancelled at this point, but maybe it’s truly exceptional… or there may be contractual obligations with a government to release it, as there was one with Singapore with regards to Skull and Bones.
For the sake of us that used to love Ubisoft decades ago though, I do hope that Rayman gets one final release that is worthy at least. If The Lost Crown and Rogue Prince of Persia are the end of the line for Prince of Persia, they ended on a high note, you know?
Re: Sonic Mania Dev Laments "Corporate Bureaucracy" Ahead Of Its Next Game
@SalvorHardin interesting. Didn’t realize that Christian Whitehead created a separate studio for Penny. I suppose I’d been confused as I thought the Mania team went on to Penny after they weren’t asked to continue with Sonic. Either which way, Rubato looks like it may be more interesting than Penny. I hope it showcases more of that impeccable level design that Mania had. Don’t get me wrong, Penny’s not bad. It just doesn’t feel nearly as focused as Mania, and I suppose that could be because the team from Mania split apart.
Re: Sonic Mania Dev Laments "Corporate Bureaucracy" Ahead Of Its Next Game
Didn’t know they had another one coming. Penny was sort of a disappointment to me, so hopefully I like this one more. I’d like to support the team. They’ve got talent and they want to push boundaries.
Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Gets A Free Switch 2 Update And Adds Dixie Kong
That’s an awesome update for this one. The game’s an absolute pleasure and the utter unexpected surprise of this is honestly what I would hope for with future Switch 2 upgrades.
Re: UK Charts: Animal Crossing: New Horizons Crafts Its Way Back Onto The Podium
@Gabe250 It’s not exactly complaining, but rather stating the obvious that, outside of a port of FF7 Remake, there are no marquee releases this year in January, so it would make absolute sense that SW2 version of a very popular game would dominate over the other evergreens.
In previous years, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, DK Country HD Returns, Fire Emblem Engage, Forspoken, Hi-Fi Rush, Pokemon Legends Arceus, Hitman 3, The Medium, and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot launched in January and that’s just the last five years. Typically, there’s one or two big launches in the month.
Also, keep in mind that, as I said earlier in the comments to another response, that I typically buy myself a new game for my birthday, so it’s more noticeable for me personally when January is quiet. It’s a little less fun to preorder a game for the next month instead. Lol.
Re: UK Charts: Animal Crossing: New Horizons Crafts Its Way Back Onto The Podium
@Pillowpants Lol, usually January isn’t a huge month, but this year does feel lighter than usual. February’s a strong month that makes up for any lull in January though.
Re: UK Charts: Animal Crossing: New Horizons Crafts Its Way Back Onto The Podium
@RoboCube Very true, but I like to buy myself a birthday present this month and I won’t be doing that this year, so I’m a little bummed out about it! 😂
At least February has Mario Tennis and Resident Evil. Not 100% on DQ7 yet, but it’s far better than I expected too!
Re: UK Charts: Animal Crossing: New Horizons Crafts Its Way Back Onto The Podium
Well, I mean, nothing came out last week except a Switch 2 version of Animal Crossing, sooooo… suprise?
This year is off to a really slow start for new games.
Re: Talking Point: Metroid Prime 4 And The Burden Of Being 'Good Enough'
Personally, I’d give the game a 9/10. I’d give Pokemon Legends Z-A an 8/10, 8.5 if decimals are allowed. I’d give Clair Obscur a 7/10. I liked Forspoken, I thought Concord was flawed but ok, and Friday the 13th on NES is far more creative and unique than people give it credit for.
To not be a contrarian and go with the mainstream, yes, Chrono Trigger and FF6 ARE the best JRPGs on the SNES. Mario and Zelda practically crank out 10/10s seemingly effortlessly. Elden Ring was so good that it was able to change my opinion on an entire genre, as well as the opinion of most of my closest friends.
Fact of the matter and what I’m trying to say is that opinions are subjective. In 2025, it felt like commentary on the industry was far more critical than ever and I definitely felt more “did I play the same game everyone else did?” last year than any year I could remember, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter, does it? Let’s not forget that diversity in opinion is important and to feel the way we feel about anything, whether thats the common critical consensus or not! 😁
Re: Random: Disney's Terrible DS Game 'Cory In The House' Is Now Selling For Hundreds Of Dollars On eBay
I really hope the people behind this viral campaign make things happen and get this one to be the top rated game on Metacritic. It’s funny. It’s great to see a group of gamers having dumb, wholesome fun like this.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (17th January)
The Misadventures of Tron Bonne, perhaps. I’m really considering finally starting my Terranigma playthrough as well. The Seance of Blake Manor is sitting on my backlog, calling to me too. My cousin asked me to pick up this game called Fretless too and said it was basically a game made for him and I specifically when we were 14, so I’m sort of compelled to learn more.
Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Has Been Nominated For Even More Awards
@CaleBoi25 E33 didn’t innovate anything. It’s a turn based rpg with a parry system. It plays like Mario and Luigi with high end AA visuals.
Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Has Been Nominated For Even More Awards
Hopefully Bananza gets the GotY… or Silksong?
Re: Feature: Nintendo Switch Year In Review 2025 - Our Most Played Games
@niner After that article you wrote last year, I’m glad a Switch 2 was under the tree!
Re: More Switch Games Have Received Switch 2 Compatibility Updates
@garfreek When I was a kid, I felt like Gen 3 and 4 were both slogs. I think Gen 1 and 2 have that dated charm to them, but you can see where the games could easily be improved with modern QoL updates. I like Gen 3 better than Gen 4, but I’d say they need more than QoL improvements to stand up to the test of time. It’s my personal opinion and I know many don’t agree with me about that, but Gen 4 in particular feels like Pokemon hit a saturation point where they needed to pivot the series.
It’s no shock Gen 5 sort of abandoned the old Pokemon for two games and made some wild changes only to do a soft reboot and strip back of sorts for Gen 6 and then go in another wild direction for Gen 7 for a genuine reboot with the Let’s Go game.
Re: An Overlooked Disney Collection From Digital Eclipse Has Been Rated For Switch
It’s about time! 5 of the 6 games (sorry Tailspin) are flat out NES classics. I don’t think I’ll double… er quadruple… dip since I have these games on 3 platforms currently, but it’s still really cool to see. With rumors starting to mount, I’m starting to wonder if a January Nintendo Direct might be in the cards. It feels like stuff is leaking earlier in the year than typical.
Re: More Switch Games Have Received Switch 2 Compatibility Updates
@garfreek I would recommend any other Pokemon game on the Switch series of consoles over BDSP. BDSP was perhaps the most boring, lifeless Pokemon game I’ve ever played. I will admit that I feel Diamond and Pearl are already the worst mainline game, in my opinion, being the games that have the most franchise fatigue, so to speak, but I know most don’t agree with that.
Anyway, it’s a pretty faithful remake to the Gen 4 games, though it doesn’t feature any Platinum content, which is baffling, considering that Platinum made the generation far more interesting. To add to that, anything modernized in the game feels like it sucked the Pokemon charm out of it. It’s simply the ok-est Pokemon game ever made. The Let’s Go games were far better remakes in the Switch era. Both Legends games and ScarVi are far more ambitious games. And SwSh just slightly edges it out on the ludicrous premise that you can deform your Pokemon into stretched out or bloated giants.
Re: Nintendo Switch 2025 'Year In Review' Is Available Now
1. Silksong
2. Pokemon Z-A
3. Mario Kart World
Really surprised I played MKW more than Bananza, but also not really. I definitely sank into Silksong and Pokemon way more than most games. Silksong’s my favorite Switch game last year.
Re: Nintendo's Investors Are Reportedly "Spooked" As Stock Slides
It’ll bounce back with a Direct. There’s nothing to buy this January.
Re: Rumour: Call Of Duty's Nintendo Release Is Apparently On Target For 2026
Developer or Nintendo Direct shadow drop perhaps
Re: Opinion: The Nintendo Console Nobody Wanted To Review Returns Soon, And I'm Here For It, Again
The Virtual Boy is honestly easier on my eyes than current VR technology. I had a corneal abrasion over a decade ago that makes watching 3D films impossible to watch and VR games make me nauseous pretty instantly. I’m not sure what Nintendo did right with the Virtual Boy, but it only gives me a mild headache after a duration of playtime. I don’t own one, but I’ve played it at trade shows for long enough to get the gist of how it would feel to have one and play it if I did.
Personally, I love that Nintendo is willing to own the Virtual Boy now. Perhaps they got over it due to the WiiU flopping and the Switch being a meteoric follow up. Even the worst of consoles can have something to appreciate and the Virtual Boy is far from the worst console, even if it might be Nintendo’s biggest miss.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (10th January)
Will be playing the Metal Gear Solid board game tonight with friends. Got my Steamdeck with me in case we do a bit of Arc Raiders too.
Tomorrow, I’d like to play more of the DQ7 demo too and maybe start Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. I’d still like to start The Seance of Blake Manor with the wife too.
Realistically though, I’d not be surprised if I play some NES games and Cast ‘n Chill instead. I’ve been having more fun with my NES library than my modern library the last couple months. I’ve been loving exploring the lesser known games in the catalog. Things like Panic Restaurant, Whomp ‘Em, and even Japan only games like Mitsume Ga Tooru. One of these days soon I’m going to hop to the SNES too. As an American, I missed out on Terranigma. I’m definitely going to find time to play it this year. January could be a good month.
There’s so much to play! I’m glad nothing is coming out for me til Mario Tennis and RE9. I get so caught up in new releases sometimes that looking back feels so good right now.
Re: Mario Tennis On Switch 2 Has 38 Playable Characters – "The Most In Series History"
I can’t wait for this one. I didn’t even realize how much I loved Aces, but my family was all sort of like, “It’s one for Daddy” when this was playing during the Nintendo Direct. I never would’ve believed it if I didn’t look at my playtime, but I’ve got more hours in Aces than BotW…
Re: Feature: Nintendo Life eShop Selects (December 2025)
Cast ‘n Chill for me. It’s a special piece of calm.
Re: Video: 8 Exciting New Games Coming To Switch 1 & 2 In January 2026
I’ve been torn on Caves of Qud for all of 2025. Wish there was a demo for it given its price tag. I don’t believe it coming to Switch clears any of my not sureness of the game. The Cassette Boy demo was neat, but I’m waiting to see the reviews… because I’m trying to limit my purchases this year and I’m not sure if I want to use one of my 30 purchases so early in the year 😅.
I’ve got the AC update preordered though. I’m not counting that in my 30. It’s for the kids.
Re: Nintendo Renews Trademarks For 3DS And Wii U Games
@Shepdawg1 That’s what I was thinking. Never even heard of this guy. This is standard IP maintenance. These would be flop announcements at a Direct since they are two of the worst entries in their particular series… and where’s the proof of a new Direct date anyway? I mean, granted, one is bound to be coming because 2026’s release schedule is barren right now, but still…
Re: Poll: So, Now The Dust Has Settled, How Did You Find Myles MacKenzie?
Myles was just sort of there, so no strong opinion on him. Prime 4 was one of the best games of 2025 and it’s a shame gamers have gotten so picky that the game elicited more complaints than excitement for what it was. The real Myles that frustrated me was the talking heads on YouTube that droned about all the “problems” the game had.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (3rd January)
Maybe this is the weekend I finally tackle that Pragmata demo. I think I’ll play some Counter Strike and Cast ‘n Chill. I feel like going back to Sektori, Earthion, and Toree Saturn too for the fun of it. I bought Zak McKraken and the Alien Mindbenders yesterday too for old time’s sake. Maybe I’ll indulge in a classic for a bit. I don’t anticipate I’ll be playing anything consistently til February, so I’m just going to have some fun.
Re: Konami Appears To Have A New Switch Game In The Works
Direct incoming?
Re: Splatoon 3 Has Now Been Rated For The Switch 2
I’m sort of assuming this and Pikmin might be low tier Switch 2 versions that are simply optimized rather than anything else. I mean, the AC Switch 2 version seems to be getting a substantial upgrade for cheap and a bunch of games got free upgrades. I’m ok with Nintendo doing things like that. As much as I want new games, I also know those are coming too, and it’s sort of cool that my kids get re-excited about games I already own for the upgrades. Again, bringing up AC, my kids AND my wife are more excited about AC Switch 2 than most new releases announced this year and, if this is just an excuse for Splatoon 3 to run better, that’d be a big thing for them too.
Re: Talking Point: Our 2026 Nintendo And Switch 2 Predictions
Well, we know about Mario Tennis, Pokopia, Yoshi, and Fire Emblem. I’m anticipating Yoshi being an April release and Fire Emblem being a summer release. I think Tomodachi Life and Rhythm Heaven will sandwich Fire Emblem on both sides. I’d imagine Nintendo will do something with Zelda, but what? I’m not sure. I sort of feel like they backed themselves into a bit of a corner with the IP with TotK to some extent. To top that, it may take a while, and that’s fine. The rumors of an Ocarina remake have been a thing for a while, and that’d pad time out to allow for the next Zelda reboot. I’d like Luigi’s Mansion 4, Pikmin 5, and 3D Mario but I don’t necessarily expect any of them. Splatoon and Pokemon are definites, MKW dlc has to be a thing. I get the feeling there will be three big titles toward the end of the year, so the Christmas push is bigger than this year. Kirby will likely get a port too.
I’m really hoping that either Clair Obscur doesn’t launch next year or it directly competes with Elden Ring and Baldur’s Gate 3. I’m burned out over the game’s coverage, as I do feel the game is perhaps the most overhyped game this generation. However, if it must be oversaturated for a second year, let it compete with games that will knock it down a peg in the gaming culture at large. Personally, I’ve already played all three games and won’t be double dipping on any of them, but I’ll bring the popcorn and watch the battle between Switch 2 port supremacy.
Re: Pikmin 3 Deluxe Nintendo Switch 2 Rating Pops Up Online
@cvrator I wouldn’t say I was disappointed by 4, but 4 didn’t have the same impact as the previous games for me. It’s still a 9/10 for me, just was overshadowed by releasing in 2023, which had some massive games, so it didn’t feel as important as it could have felt. If the game would’ve released in 2024, it’d have been a GotY contender for me, even as the least impactful Pikmin game for me… though it probably would’ve had more impact if it would’ve released in a weaker year.
Re: Pikmin 3 Deluxe Nintendo Switch 2 Rating Pops Up Online
Loved Pikmin 3. Might be my favorite in the series, which I know is an odd opinion. It’s just the most fun I’ve ever had as a co-op game when I played it with my wife years ago. I know 1+2 have more nostalgia factor for most people and that 4 is technically superior, but 3 just felt right to me in so many ways. One of my favorite games of all time. I’ll take an upgrade.
Re: My Nintendo Metroid Prime 'Legacy Sweepstakes' Offers A Bounty Of Prizes (North America)
I hope NLife users sweep the wins here! I know I’d love to win!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (27th December)
@urfaverenegade Have fun with the Megaman series! Every single mainline game is an absolute classic as is most of the X and Zero series. You’ve got a long road to series completion, but it’s going to be a truly enjoyable ride.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (27th December)
I have two more Christmases this weekend to do, so probably not much of anything. I’m feeling ok with the amount of 2025 games I’ve beaten to compile my year end list now, so there’s that. And because of that, I’ve sort of drifted towards playing through comfort food in the form of NES games. Little Nemo, Little Samson, Bucky O’Hare, Whomp ‘Em, Wallstreet Kid, Princess Tomato, and Mitsune Ga Tooru are ideas for what I might finish next. Beat Adventure Island 2, Kung Fu, and Friday the 13th over Christmas Eve/Day. Wallstreet Kid might be my first choice since I failed at it miserably on Christmas Day.
Re: Square Enix Wants Feedback About The Final Fantasy Series In Its New Survey
The real problem with Final Fantasy is that the games are excellent. Rebirth and XVI are the best the series has had to offer since the perfection of VII.
Rebirth > Remake > VI > VII > XVI > IV > X > Tactics > XV > VIII > IX > V > XIII> XII > I > III > II for me. Not including XI and XIV because I’m not an MMO guy, so I didn’t really connect with those games in the same way.
Re: Nintendo Suggests Metroid Prime 4's Tortured Development Meant It Was "Divorced From The Changing Of Times"
The game is honestly refreshingly vintage. I loved how the combat felt like it was a modernization of old Prime combat and felt a bit Halo-y. The level design was solid and interesting too, even if it was dated. It’s not the best Metroid game, but it is a solid one. I’d rather play something like this than most modern FPS titles. The older sensibilities of the game felt positively unique in 2025 to me. I liked it far better than the latest Doom, for instance.
Re: Best Nintendo Switch 1 & 2 Games Of 2025
@Polvasti I still think they should just be in a separate list. Ports and old games can get credit by being in a best ports of 2025, whereas new games can get credit as best new games of 2025. Love UFO 50, for example, but it’s a 2024 game in my eyes because that’s when the game released on its first platform. Great games can come to consoles late, but the Witcher 3 when it was ported to Switch should not have been a GotY contender, you know? It already had its time. These older games getting ported also are typically high profile games with plenty of recognition in their back pocket already. Newer games need time to shine. Cyberpunk on Switch 2 is quite impressive, sure, but it’s a 5 year old game. BotW is8 years old. Both have had their awards and sales when there are plenty of newer games that aren’t even a blip on anyone’s radar right now and that may be because ports are carrying the marketing weight of the industry. We’ve got studios closing every day because they’re struggling to find exposure, regardless of the level of quality of the games. These ports don’t need any help with that.
Re: Review: The Rogue Prince Of Persia (Switch 2) - A Worthy, Approachable Follow-Up To Dead Cells
It’s great to see Prince of Persia back in such a strong force. I’ll admit that perhaps I’m getting a little burned out of roguelikes, but I do like this one, just not as much as I loved Dead Cells or Lost Crown, but it’s a solid step forward for both teams.
Re: Best Nintendo Switch 1 & 2 Games Of 2025
This list goes to show that more curation is needed when making these types of lists. How many games aren’t getting exposure because X game released on Switch 2 even though it released years ago on another platform? It feels disjointed. I’d imagine some viewers downvoted some classics just to keep them off the list, but that ended up conflicting with the smattering of 10/10 votes, causing them to actually flood the placements. We’ve probably hit an era where ports/remasters deserve a separate list from new releases for the sake of getting new, smaller games more exposure and credit.
All that said, I’m sort of surprised to see Hades 2 rank so highly, just as I was surprised to see it be the best reviewed game on Meta/Opencritic this year. It’s undeniably a great game, but if there ever was a game that felt like a sequel, that’s it. I know a lot of people leverage that complaint on Silksong, but I dunno. I enjoyed Hades 2, but it just felt like more of the same. Perhaps I liked Hades 1 a bit less than most, though I’d still consider it a classic, and I’d say Hades 2 is a tad bit better, but it just doesn’t feel like a GotY to me, you know? Even though Silksong’s my favorite game on a Nintendo platform this year, I do think Bananza deserves the gong for not only being accessible, but also for being wildly experimental and new.
Re: Feature: The Best Hidden Gems And Underrated Switch 1 & 2 Games Of 2025
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo’s my favorite of this bunch. I’d add Henry Halfhead, Time Flies, Lego Voyagers, and Is This Seat Taken too. And for good measure, a few non-Switch recommendations: To a T, Öoo, and Level Devil need far more recognition and I hope they make it to Switch next year. Öoo, in particular, totally belongs on Switch.
And I know some people may hate me for saying this, but if we’re talking underrated games on Switch 2, just saying that Nintendo’s first party line-up this year feels underrated at large. Personally, Nintendo first party and indies carried the year.
Re: Talking Point: Does It Bother You That Big Games Companies Are Using GenAI?
@PharoneTheGnome I believe you that it’s a tool and, when used properly, it’s a benefit, but let’s be real here: it’s more often used for cost savings and cutting corners when it comes to games. Gen AI isn’t inherently the problem with Gen AI, but rather the whole CoD thing where trillion dollar companies will abuse these programs at the expense of employees and the quality of their product.
Thus far, I’m sure it’s utilized in fine ways somewhere and is a different form of creative design, but just like many other advancements in technology, I’m not sure it’s made things “better” yet. I couldn’t argue currently that I believe games have gotten better over the course of this generation, for instance, as these tools have become available. Perhaps the impact is yet to come.
Personally, I’m in the service industry, and I sort of see people using AI to be less hand-crafted and thoughtful in response sometimes, and I’ve noticed a type of autopilot from it. I can’t say I don’t use AI, because I do, but in my particular field, I’d say the rise of AI has been more a side step than a step forward. Most of the time, I’ve noticed the time saved from using ChatGPT or Gemini to generate something has been reinvested into time used to review what it says or suggests. Again, perhaps the truly positive impact is yet to come.
Re: Talking Point: Does It Bother You That Big Games Companies Are Using GenAI?
I’m not particularly a fan of generative AI. There’s some novelty there, but it doesn’t truly improve much in terms of quality and doesn’t expedite anything either. It’s just another hurdle being tossed at us to make life more complicated while draining our physical resources.
Re: Opinion: Who Needs Link? This Top-Down Metroidvania Is The Best Zelda Game Of 2025
Pipistrello is absolutely one of the best games this year. Loved my time with it. The game’s unique in comparison to Zelda for its cynical cartoon tone. More people need to play this one.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Ice Climber
Europe is the best of both worlds
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (20th December)
Just beat Metroid Prime 4. Fantastic game. Time to finally compile that personal year end list.
Onto some assorted oldies like The Sims 1, SimCity 3000, Adventure Island 2, Rampage Universal Tour, Half Life, etc, whatever I feel the random urge to play the rest of the year.