Latest Features
Feature 27 GameCube Games We'd Love To See On Nintendo Switch 2 NSO
Born to Play... on Switch 2
Despite somewhat meagre sales when compared to the rest of the Nintendo console line-up (Wii U notwithstanding), the GameCube is widely considered to be one of the very best in terms of its games catalogue. Indeed, several titles from the GameCube – including Metroid Prime, Pikmin, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door,...
Feature Catch-Up Crew: Pikmin - "A Moment Of Sheer Panic That I Can’t Quite Describe"
I am compelled—I must approach it
Captain's log, stardate 202504.21. Following our last Catch-up Crew mission to Shadow Moses Island, the crew has enjoyed extended shore leave having (re)acquainted ourselves with Metal Gear Solid. Our new assignment takes us to the M-class world of PNF-404. However, ship instruments indicate that we haven't left...
Community Did We Miss A Great Switch Game? Give Us Your Recommendations
The ones that got away
We're approaching a brand new hardware generation, so naturally, it's time to look back and stress about all of those great Switch 1 games we haven't played. Yep, it's time for us to ask you lovely lot to tell us about the Games We Missed. With backwards compatibility coming to the Switch 2, and a whole host of gems on the...
Opinion Cult Classic 'Tokimeki Memorial' Hits Switch - But 30 Years On, It’s Still Out Of Reach
Forever with you; never with us
True love lasts forever – and so do some games. Tokimeki Memorial: Forever with You, the legendary dating sim from 1995, is hooking up with Switch next month to celebrate 30 years on the scene. Immaculately presented but bewilderingly complex, TokiMemo is a foundational piece of video game history that defined a...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Pikmin (GameCube)
Pik your winner
Hello everyone – welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we looked at Survival Kids for the Game Boy Color in celebration of the new Switch 2 release from publisher Konami. In the end, although North America's variant is certainly nice enough, Europe and Japan won the day confidently with 71% of the vote. This...
Opinion It's Time To Get Rid Of Fall Damage
Free faller
Falling. It hurts, right? We’ve all tripped up over nothing while walking and scraped our knees, or tripped up the stairs and landed face-first. It’s not fun. It’s embarrassing, it's painful, and it stands as a persistent reminder that I am the most clumsy of human beings. There’s a reason we can't jump off of buildings and...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (19th April)
Whatever will we Pik?
You wait six months for a Nintendo Direct and then three come along in a matter of weeks! There's no rest in the world of Nintendo at the moment, and we're excited about it. This week's showcase put Mario Kart World in the spotlight. The presentation didn't have all that much newness to show, but we got a better idea of
Feature The Switch 2 Sticks Might Not Be Hall Effect, But They Feel Fantastic
So smooth
One of the disappointments to come from the recent avalanche of Switch 2 information was the confirmation that the new Joy-Con 2 controllers would not use Hall Effect magnet technology. Of course, it does make sense, in a way, since the Switch 2 is already utilising magnets to attach the Joy-Con to the console, so although it would be...
Gallery These 'Lunar Remastered Collection' Goodies Remind Us Of The Good Old Days
When the moon hits your eye...
At the end of this week, fans of classic turn-based RPGs, charming characters, and a hefty dose of cheesy '90s humour will be celebrating, as the Lunar Remastered Collection launches on Switch (and other platforms). Lunar is one of those series that, if you're in JRPG circles, you've almost definitely heard of, even...
Feature "I Can't Believe This Is Happening" - The Game Kitchen On Reviving Ninja Gaiden
"We had a lot of creative freedom"
After rinsing through Blasphemous 2 in 2023, we immediately turned our attention to the future and began to dream about what a potential third game in the series might look like. How little we knew. Of course, another Blasphemous may still be on the cards at some point, but for now, developer The Game Kitchen has...
Hands On Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound - A Slick, Bloody Return To The Series' 2D Roots
Slice 'n' dice
It’s been a long time since we were last graced with a proper 2D Ninja Gaiden game, so you can imagine our shock when Dotemu revealed Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, a brand-new side-scrolling action title from Blasphemous developer The Game Kitchen, currently scheduled to launch in Summer 2025. We recently went hands-on with the game in...
Feature "It's Huge For Us" - Devs Talk Switch 2 Reactions, Dev-Kit Disparity, Future Plans
What devs make of Switch 2
In case you somehow missed it, Nintendo has officially lifted the lid on Switch 2, cueing all sorts of excitement and apprehension from those of us who have been loyally playing our Switch 1s for the past eight years. It's an exciting time to be a player, but how does it feel from a developer's standpoint? Is the Switch 2...
Opinion It's Been 20 Years Since I Was This Excited For A Mario Kart
Double dash it all
It's been a busy couple of weeks in the Nintendoverse, and we're all a bit excited around these parts. Despite some bumps in the road around pricing, if you look past all the noise and the Nintendo-like messaging that can present more questions than it answers, the software looks per-itty good. Sure, for multiplatform gamer
Opinion In A Post BOTW And Elden Ring World, Xenoblade Chronicles X Is Still Daunting
The Planet between
Whether it’s your first or your fortieth time, booting up Xenoblade Chronicles X and exploring your immediate surroundings is nothing short of incredible. Mira’s huge, biodiverse landscape, populated by monsters both as small as a ball or as large as a four-storey building, with scraps of ruined ships and alien devices dotted...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Survival Kids (GBC)
Which box art will survive?
Howdy folks, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! We're still thinking about the Switch 2 , which was the subject our big bumper BAB last weekend. We compared all of Nintendo's first-party titles with box art for the new console, and just barely squeaking out a win with 42% of the vote was Donkey Kong...
Community The Results Are In - These Are Your Most (And Least) Wanted Switch 2 Games
Yes! No! Maybe?
Last weekend, following the blowout of Switch 2 news with the Direct, we asked you which Switch 2 launch games you were wishlisting. Looking specifically at the launch lineup and Nintendo's first-party slate thereafter, we were interested to take the temperature not only for the big games (no surprises that there's a lot of...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (12th April)
Still reeling?
Well folks, another week has come and gone, and it was another doozy. We're still kind of reeling from the onslaught of Switch 2 news that followed Nintendo's recent Direct, and to kick the week off, we showcased our big interview with Nintendo's own Nate Bihldorff, in which he confirmed that the new Joy-Con 2 controllers don't...
Talking Point How Does Switch 2's Launch Price Compare To Past Nintendo Systems?
Launch sequence initiated
The big talking point out of last week's Switch 2 Direct hasn't been the system deep dive, the Donkey Kong reveal, or the weird little camera; it's mainly been about Nintendo's approach to pricing. The messaging was non-existent in the Direct itself, but in the minutes and hours after it ended, we learnt that games would...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects (March 2025)
Our picks for the best eShop games from March on Switch 1
Hello, hello, we're here — nothing at all happened last week, right? We didn't miss anything? Okay, you might have noticed, but things got a lil' hectic last week, hence why our regularly scheduled eShop Selects is a bit later than normal. Things are changing in the world of Nintendo, and...
Opinion The Switch 2 Is A Powerhouse For The Price
We'll soon be playing with power
There's been a load of discourse about the price tags associated with everything concerning the Nintendo Switch 2, and rightly so. If we can't discuss things like this openly and frankly, you know some big company would look to exploit the public more than they already do. The talk regarding the price of games...
Talking Point Does Switch 2 Have Nintendo's Best Launch Line-Up Ever?
Let's see how it matches up
I don't know about you, but I'm already giving my shelf space a worried look as I consider the number of Switch 2 launch titles I want to pick up. It's been just about a week since Nintendo revealed the Switch 2 and its 21 separate launch games (24 if you include those dropping on the NSO GameCube library), which, the...
Community What Questions About Switch 2 Do You Still Have For Nintendo?
What a difference a Direct makes
It's been a busy week for Nintendo and its fans, that's for sure. With Switch 1 in a definite 'wind-down' mode over the past few months — though still delivering goods like Xenoblade Chronicles X, to be fair! — last week's Switch 2 Direct brought new goods,
Feature "We Really Want To Future-Proof" - The Nintendo Switch 2 Interview
Nate Bihldorff talks pack-ins, game-key cards, and Korok Forest
Nate Bihldorff, Senior Vice President of Product Development & Publishing The Nintendo Switch 2 reveal has been a rollercoaster ride. We've been waiting what feels like years for this momentous occasion, and from the game selection and the revelation of the 'C' button's function to
Opinion A Few Too Many Questions & Unwelcome Surprises Are Taking The Shine Off The Switch 2 Reveal
The camel's back
After going hands-on with the hardware, we can confirm that Switch 2 is exciting. It not only promises fresh Nintendo goodness but also to reinvigorate the OG Switch libraries many of us have been building up over the past eight years. The future is looking bright for Nintendo lifers, though a few too many unclear details and small...
Talking Point Zelda: Wind Waker Is On Switch 2 - Do You Still Want A WW:HD Port?
Can't always get what U want
Wind Waker is coming to Switch 2! With a whole load of classic GameCube games too! And a nice optional CRT filter! In a week with more official Nintendo announcements than we've had in the last year combined, this news could be seen as minor, but it ticks off yet
Poll Box Art Brawl - Nintendo Switch 2 Special
All-star brawl
Hello folks, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we get onto this week's very special one-off battle, let's see how things went down last time. We looked at Tomodachi Life to celebrate the newly-announced sequel for the Nintendo Switch, and it wasn't even remotely close. North America absolutely killed it with 65%...
Community Which Switch 2 Games Are You Wishlisting?
Two months to go!
Well, that was a week, wasn't it? We Nintendo lifers finally got an influx of info, a deluge of details about Switch 2 and the games we can expect to be playing on it. And soon! Yep, 5th June is exactly two months away, and we're champing at the Joy-Con Strap to get our hands on the launch lineup. We've had a taste, but we're...
First Impressions Nintendo Switch 2 'Wows' Most When You Go Back To Your Old Switch
2 takes
After years of speculation, Switch 2 finally exists. It’s got a launch date, a price, a bunch of accessories, and — most importantly — a lineup of games large and small, all showcased in an hour-long Direct which answered a lot of questions. But what does the system actually feel like in the hands? How does that screen compare to the...
Opinion Oh No, I'm Not A Fan Of Switch 2's Mouse Mode At All
The big squeak
You've probably read a bunch of thoughts and previews about the Nintendo Switch 2 at this point, many of them from us. I was already a little sceptical of Mouse Mode before it was officially announced in the Nintendo Direct. I don't like playing games on my PC, and if I have to, I avoid keyboard and mouse like the plague. Except for...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (5th April)
What a week, eh?
We have started the odd What Are You Playing post in the past with some comment about "gosh, that was a busy week!", but this week really has been the granddaddy of them all. Just in case you somehow missed it, Nintendo finally lifted the lid on Switch 2! In an hour-long extravaganza of a Direct, we got our first proper look at the...
Opinion No One Is Talking About The Switch 2's Best Feature
HD Rumble in the Jungle
The whirlwind reveal and showcase of the Switch 2 hardware and software was a complete blowout. So many ports! A brand new Donkey Kong game! The C button
Hands On 'Drag x Drive' Is Fantastic, But Is It Destined To Be Switch 2's ARMS?
Tokyo Drag
Here's a tip for you: don't just dive into Drag x Drive mid-match. After being thrust into a game in progress late in the day during our Nintendo Switch 2 experience, this Mouse Mode-controlled game felt like learning a completely new language. Instead of deftly throwing the ball and shooting hoops in what is essentially Rocket League...
Hands On Should 'Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour' Be A Pack-In Game?
Tech tours
Nintendo is no stranger to the concept of a launch day pack-in game. The Wii famously included Wii Sports, the DS came with an impressive demo of Metroid Prime Hunters, and even the Game Boy was bundled with Tetris in North America, forever changing the market. Which is why we’re all puzzled as to why Nintendo is charging for their new...
Hands On I Didn't Think I Could Love BOTW Or TOTK More, Then I Played Them On Switch 2
HD-hyah!
Folks, I am not a graphics or frame rate snob. I grew up playing 50hz games and my main system of choice is an eight-year-old tablet. I love style and art over visuals, and sometimes I even tolerate rough framerates. I might be a little more unforgiving in 2025 than I was a few years ago, but look, I want good games, good experiences, not...
Hands On Cyberpunk 2077 Might Pull A 'Witcher 3' On Switch 2
Breathtaking?
It's funny, even though CD Projekt Red has given the Switch some love in the past, it's safe to say almost none of us had Cyberpunk 2077 on our Switch 2 bingo cards, let alone the 'Ultimate Edition'. That's not to say we don't want it, quite the opposite! We just never honestly envisioned a world where this graphically taxing shooter...
Hands On Rock Surfing And Boulder Bashing - 'Donkey Kong Bananza' Is Brilliantly Bonkers
Bananza split
Donkey Kong's new design is perfect. Nope, we're not changing our stance here, and Donkey Kong Bananza solidified it even more. A new 3D Mario isn't here to usher in a new generation of platformers for the new console, but we have plenty of fuzzy monkeys and apes to keep us company over the summer months as we bask in the Switch 2...
Hands On Metroid Prime 4: Beyond On Switch 2 Is Staggering
Beyond expectations
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond being cross-gen was inevitable. After a near two-decade wait for a sequel and a handful of delays, including a return from series developer Retro Studios, the game needed to land with a bang. And boy did it when it re-emerged during the June 2024 Nintendo Direct. We've seen it twice since, and each time...
Hands On Mario Kart World Brings The Utter Chaos In Knockout Mode
The World Wide Road
I beat Nintendo of America at Mario Kart World's new Knockout Tour. Okay, that's a tiny bit of a humblebrag, but Knockout Tour is the mode that has finally convinced me that the "99" formula is fun. I know, I'm sorry, you were all right. Next to Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Mario Kart World was the game everyone wanted to play. Of...
"If they pull it off, others will follow"
Yesterday's Nintendo Direct gave us an absolutely mammoth amount of information about Switch 2, but one of the less welcome revelations was that game prices are rising for Nintendo's new console, with leading launch title Mario Kart World costing a whopping $80 / £75 in physical form (the digital version i
Poll So, How Would You Rate The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct?
Welcome to the party
Gosh, well that was... a lot. We have just finished watching the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, and it's fair to say that it was absolutely jam-packed with upcoming goodness. We got to see a slice of everything! There was a rundown of technical specs, new peripherals, third-party friends (Elden Ring, Street Fighter 6, The...
Feature 'Good Game, No Rematch' - Mike Drucker's Hilarious Celebration Of Gaming And Nintendo
“I started to think about asshole birds”
Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be employed at Nintendo? Few companies feel quite as impenetrable when it comes to discovering their inner workings, but after speaking with comedian and author (and former Nintendo employee) Mike Drucker and reading his new book Good Game, No Rematch, life...
Round Up It's April Fools' Day, Here Are The Best Gaming Gags We've Seen (2025)
Nintend'oh
Nintendo was kind and decided to host its Switch 2 Direct tomorrow, which means we can spend a whole day questioning news articles today. Yes, April Fools Day is once again upon us, and a bunch of familiar faces from around the gaming industry are getting in on the fun, providing a giggle or two. The day is still young, but we thought it...
Feature "It's Nothing Like A Port" - Story Of Seasons Head Talks Remaking A Lesser-Known Favourite
Totally Bazaar
Marvelous announced the next title in the beloved Story of Seasons series during last week's Nintendo Direct, and we're sticking with the remakes! But this time, we're diverging from the undisputed classics and going a bit off-piste. Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar launches on Switch on 27th August 2025, an
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition?
X/10
Recently, we crossed one of the last remaining Wii U winners off our Switch port list thanks to the arrival of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. We'd waited a long time to extol the virtues of this excellent entry to people who never picked up a Wii U, and the wait, thankfully, was worth it. PJ awarded the Switch edition an...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Tomodachi Life
It's about time
Well, that's been quite the week, huh? Let's chill out with another edition of Box Art Brawl. Last time, we saw two covers for NSO newbie Nobunaga's Ambition go head-to-head, and it's got to be said, it wasn't even close. The epic Japanese art comfortably walked away with the win, taking 74% of the vote and leaving North America...
Talking Point What We Expect From The Switch 2 Direct
The clock is ticking...
A few weeks back, we gathered our thoughts and put down in words what we on Team NL are expecting from the upcoming Switch 2 Direct. We're mere days away from the presentation now, so we're republishing this article, updated with our lovely video team's hopes and dreams above. Enjoy! In exactly four weeks, we're all going...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (29th March)
A storm is coming...
We're here, everyone. The last weekend before Nintendo's big Switch 2 Direct. Give yourselves a pat on the back - we made it. As for this week..? Well, it was super quiet, nothing happened, man. Heh, only kidding, we had another Nintendo Direct. It was quite the surprise, but it was certainly packed with interesting...
Talking Point Which Switch Game Needs A 'Nintendo Switch 2 Edition' The Most?
Time for an upgrade?
Ever since Sony's PS5 adopted it as one of its main release points, we have been quietly hoping for Switch 2 to offer up enhanced versions of 'Switch 1' games. For a long time, this was nothing more than a dream (albeit a pretty realistic one, given Nintendo's remaster rate these days), but in the last few weeks, it has started...
Poll So, How Would You Rate The Nintendo Direct For March 2025?
Beyond expectations..?
Well folks, Nintendo's surprise Direct Presentation has come and gone, which means our attention has once again shifted back to the upcoming Switch 2 blowout next week. Before that, however, it's time to look back and reflect on what we've seen. Nintendo unveiled two initiatives in the form of 'Virtual Game Cards' and...
Talking Point Nintendo Direct Predictions - What Do You Want To See?
No, not THAT Direct, THIS Direct!
After some vague rumblings earlier in the week, Nintendo has only gone and announced another Direct presentation for this Thursday, 27th March 2025. While we await the big Switch 2 blowout next week, this one will focus on games for the original Switch, clocking in at roughly 30 minutes in length. Nintendo, as...
