Latest Features - Page 2
Opinion Metroid II Doesn't Care If Samus Lives Or Dies
An existential crisis courtesy of the Game Boy
I recently started playing Metroid II: Return of Samus for the first time. I’m not sure why. Maybe it was a way of staving off my intense cravings for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which as of writing still doesn’t have a launch date more concrete than the vague '2025' window Nintendo revealed over a...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (9th August)
Is that a UFO?
Ahoy, there! The weekend is here, so it's time to kick back with some games. But first, let's quickly recap the week, hm? We had a pretty banging Indie World showcase, so that was pretty cool, with lots of really neat announcements and shadow drops. Elsewhere, Nintendo announced a new range of Mario products for younglings, including...
Talking Point Nintendo Is Laser-Targeting Your Toddlers With This New 'My Mario' Line
Full-on Disney mode engaged
Of the big three platform holders, Nintendo is the 'family-friendly' one. Did you know that? Of course you did - you're an intelligent human being. And over the course of the Switch generation, with all the company's eggs now in a single console basket, Nintendo has diversified its business, leaning into non-gaming areas...
Opinion We Really Don't Need A Donkey Kong Timeline
Lore of the Swings
From the moment Nintendo revealed Pauline's presence in Donkey Kong Bananza, I knew one thing for certain: I was going to be writing a feature on the DK timeline in the next two months. Look, you know I love Bananza. DK and Pauline have such a wholesome little relationship, I adored hearing the same senile rant from Cranky on...
Talking Point Nintendo Indie World Showcase Predictions - What Do You Hope To See?
It's Nintendo's Indie World, we're all just living in it
Nintendo is going absolutely crazy as tomorrow, 7th August 2025, we're getting our second video game showcase for the Switch 2 and Switch. And it's an Indie World. Indie World showcases are always a nice surprise, and given that this is the first for the Switch 2 gen, we might well be seeing...
You could be my flamingo
Following the release of the Elves 2 Pro, accessory manufacturer Gulikit is back with the, uh, Elves 2. Yes, this is a cheaper model ($29.99 / £29.99) of the Saturn-inspired wireless pad for the Switch and Switch 2; one that shirks some of the more advanced customisation options of its slightly elder sibling while adding in...
Feature What We Expect From Nintendo For Super Mario Bros.' 40th Anniversary
Four decades of 1-1
Five years ago, Nintendo made an appropriately big thing of Super Mario Bros.' 35th anniversary, with a bespoke Direct broadcast featuring a bunch of new games and, naturally, merch celebrating the Famicom release of video gaming's most famous platformer on 13th September 1985. Half a decade on and the 40th anniversary is just...
Opinion Donkey Kong Bananza's Delightful World Map Is Another Nintendo Banger
Mario's miniature marvels
There's a lot of fun to be had in smashing the place to tiny little voxel pieces in Donkey Kong Bananza, it's easily its biggest draw. People have been into the sweet catharsis of wanton destruction since way back before there were even people. Probably. However, the one thing that's caught my attention most whilst playing...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects (July 2025)
Our picks for the best eShop games on Switch and Switch 2 in July!
Another month down, another eShop Selects to welcome in the new one. Yes, hello folks, it's your regularly scheduled eShop Selects, this time for July 2025. As always, we're looking at the best of the rest — the best eShop exclusives you may have missed on Switch 1 and Switch 2...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: The Hobbit (GBA)
This Ori That
Assemble your best team of warriors, kings, wizards and burglars, because it's time to embark on a Box Art Brawl adventure. But before Gandalf comes a-knocking, let's take a look at what went down last week, when we matched up two different covers for Blast Corps. In the battle of East and West, Japan came out on top, with the badass...
Hands On Forget The Name, Square Enix's New Action RPG Is A Lovely HD-2D Take On SNES-Era Zelda
A Link to the Millennium
Two of my favourite games growing up were The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Secret of Mana. Lush green worlds, curious — and sometimes cute — enemies, and fluid action combat for the time; as someone who had largely only played turn-based RPGs for the first eight years of their life, the SNES era of action RPGs...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (2nd August)
Another weekend with the King of Swing
Welcome to August, folks! Let's kick things off right with a fresh edition of What Are You Playing. It was Direct week over in Nintendo Land, with a Partner Showcase delivering us 25 minutes of... meh. There were some big hitters that we're pleased to see (Persona 3 Reload, Octopath Traveler 0,
Opinion Can We Stop Comparing Donkey Kong Bananza's Tactile Thrills To Odyssey Now?
My favourite one is both
Note. This article contains minor, non-narrative spoilers (specifically, Bananza forms and mid-game layers). Did you know there was a U-turn jump in Bananza? I just realised this morning! He does a roll jump (that can be chained into another air roll) and lands with a sonar splash. I'm not exactly sure how useful it is but...
Reaction Switch 2 Needed A Partner Showcase With Pep; This Wasn't It
Re-Pac-ed and Replanted?
I'm not one to be disappointed often, especially with Directs. Yes, even Partner Showcases — some of the best Directs have been these third-party lead ones, with June 2022's Mini Partner Showcase ranking pretty highly for me. Today's Partner Showcase was not one of those, which maybe hit a little harder because this was...
Feature Nintendo Partner Direct Predictions - What Do You Expect To See?
Well, howdy
There's a new Nintendo Direct coming very soon, and it's a Partner Showcase, which means it's time for third parties to shine. Since launch, we've seen some big hitters from publishers like Capcom (Street Fighter 6), CD Projekt (Cyberpunk), and SEGA (Yakuza 0), but despite a
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Super Mario Party Jamboree TV?
NS2 Edition Hyper Partying Redux Deluxe ++
With Donkey Kong still basking in the limelight a couple of weeks after the excellent Bananza launched, you might have missed Nintendo's second first-party Switch 2 release to hit the eShop in as many weeks. Sure, it's more of an addendum to 2024's Super Mario Party Jamboree, but we consider the original...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Blast Corps
Hardcorps
Welcome back to the Brawl, my friends! Last week, North America and Europe duked it out over Weaponlord on the Super NES, with NA giving their EU PALs a good wholloping and taking home 85% of the vote. Today, we're looking back at Rare's Blast Corps, a delightful piece of nonsense from Twycross' 64-bit masters which saw you destroying...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (26th July)
I'm gonna wreck it
Here we are once more at the end of July. DK arrived on Switch 2 over a week ago and it seems that most people are absolutely loving Bananza - most, but not all, unfortunately! Nearly 1 in 10 players responding in our poll say they're getting sick when playing the game. The exact cause is up for debate, with the camera's...
Going Beyond the Horizon
Falcom is one of the most influential and long-standing Japanese developers out there. Pioneering the action RPG space with the Ys series, it's recently become more well-known for its continent-spanning epic turn-based series, Trails. On 15th January 2026, the series' 13th entry, Trails Beyond the Horizon, will be launching...
Round Up 10 Switch 1 & 2 Games We Played BitSummit 2025 - Here's What We Thought
So many Bits to Summit, and not enough time
BitSummit has once again come and gone, and unlike last year where it was a bit difficult to find indie developers committing to a Nintendo Switch release well before the Switch 2 was announced, we found a renewed enthusiasm for Nintendo as we pursued the two floors BitSummit took over in Kyoto’s Miyako...
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Donkey Kong Bananza?
Return of the Kong
Last week Donkey Kong returned to the world of 3D platforming over 25 years since his last fully-3D outing in DK64 - and what a return it was! Donkey Kong Bananza scored an 'Excellent' 9/10 in Jim's review, and most of Team NL has spent this weekend having a smashing time catching up with DK, Diddy, Dixie, and (Void) co. in what...
Feature 10 Top Mario Kart Cosplays - From Blue Shells To Bowser
Who makes the podium?
Mario Kart has been a core part of the Nintendo family for over 30 years, first appearing on the SNES with Super Mario Kart, and the popularity of the kart racing series has seen it expand to 11 games across consoles (and mobile), with Mario Kart World launching alongside the Switch 2. The games have vastly expanded since...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Weaponlord (SNES)
Oh lord
Greetings – welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, we looked at Disney's Magical Quest 3 Starring Mickey and Donald on the GBA, and it was a surprisingly close battle. In the end, Japan won with 42% of the vote. Europe came in second place with 30%, and North America bagged 27%. This time, we're going back to the SNES to...
Opinion Celebrating 20 Years Of Baseball In The Mushroom Kingdom
Mario Superstar, that is what you are
Monday 21st July marks the 20th anniversary of Mario Superstar Baseball, so to celebrate Jonny is taking us out to the ball game... My first gaming memory: waking up in the middle of the night, heading downstairs, and booting up Mario Superstar Baseball's campaign mode on my GameCube. It was completely out of...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (19th July)
Dee-Kay
Well folks, another weekend is here, which means it's time to get some gaming done! Before we find out what we're all up to, however, let's see what's been going on this week. First up, of course, Nintendo released the wonderful Donkey Kong Bananza to widespread critical acclaim, including a 9/10 review from us. We also found out who will...
Opinion Honestly, I'm So Glad We Had To Wait For Donkey Kong Bananza
Who knew Shy Guys liked camping?
I saw this item shower for the first time after more than 60 hours of play. Guys, I've played so much Mario Kart World. I've done all the Grands Prix (on three stars, obviously), and the Knockout Tours (not on three stars, life is short). I've had an ongoing competition with friend
Poll Box Art Brawl: Disney's Magical Quest 3 Starring Mickey And Donald (GBA)
Oh boy!
Hello folks, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Looking back at last week, we checked out Star Wars: Rogue Squadron for the N64, pitting North America and Europe against Japan. It wasn't even close either, with the western design winning with a resounding 89% of the vote. 89%! We quite like the Japanese design too... This...
Feature 33 Games With 'Secret' Performance Bumps You Should Revisit On Switch 2
Update: Now with even more games
Update: And we're back for a final (hmm, we'll see, but probably final!) round of 11 more Switch 1 games that are worth revisiting on Switch 2. To check those out, head to the bottom of this page and click on page 3 to see even more improved goodness! One pleasant surprise of the Switch 2 launch, beyond the...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (12th July)
Fun in the sun
It's looking like it'll be a hot one this weekend, and while gaming may not be the first thing that comes to mind, you know we're all going to need some time chilling in the shade at some point. Before we get into this week's What Are You Playing, let's recap the major news from the past seven days. The biggie was a tasty slice of...
"I believe it could continue for a long time, just like The Simpsons"
At the time of writing, we're now just a few short weeks away from the launch of No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES for the Switch and Switch 2 on 25th July 2025. It's the third entry in the AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES series following the launch of the original game...
Poll How Are Your Download Speeds On Switch 2?
On the download
It's now well over a month since Switch 2's June launch, and it seems the majority of owners are happy with their new console. Gripes about the screen, battery life, and how quickly the internal memory fills up are
How about a map marker?
Mario Kart World has been on the circuit for over a month now, and after a decade of its predecessor, it's great to be playing something that feels fresh. That's not to say all of its innovations have gone down well, with a vocal contingent of players taking against Nintendo's updates and approach to Grand Prix mode, with...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects (June 2025)
Our picks for the best eShop games on Switch and Switch 2
Well well well — one month with the Switch 2, and we're still swimming in eShop games. Yep, it's time for eShop Selects for June 2025! Who needs Mario Kart World when you've got backwards compatibility, eh? Just because we have a new console, doesn't mean we're just looking at Switch 2...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
Always two, there are
Hello there, young Padawans, are you ready to continue your training in the art of Box Art Brawl? Before we become one with the Force, let's look back to last week, where we saw a duel (of the fates) between two covers for Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles. It was the European and Japanese cover that took the high ground...
Talking Point One Month On, How Did Nintendo's Switch 2 Launch Go?
Are you satisfied with yours?
Yes, believe it or not, it's been a full month since the launch of the Switch 2 - it's certainly been a busy few weeks. Now that the dust has settled, let's take a look back at how the long-awaited console came out of the gate, from the perspective of Nintendo, players, and media... Coming in hot has been business as...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (5th July)
Go on and tell us
The weekend is here, which means it's time to kick back, relax, and play some games. Looking back on this week first, Nintendo released Super Mario Strikers for the GameCube NSO app on Switch 2. It's a solid title, and you can see exactly where it lands in our GameCube ranking for Switch 2 so far. Elsewhere, it emerged that...
Talking Point With Bigger GameCube File Sizes, Should Nintendo Let Us Download Individual NSO Games?
1.21 gigabytes!?
Switch 2 brought with it something we'd dreamt about on the original Switch: GameCube games on NSO. With the new GC controller giving Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and SoulCalibur II that authentic feeling (while also adding wireless without a WaveBird and sneaking in some
Preview Donkey Kong Bananza - DK's Getting His Own Odyssey, And It's A Helluva Trip
Gotta respect the Rambition
Nintendo has a real knack for testing my attention span. I felt it in the subtask-filled Hyrule of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, but, far more importantly for this preview, it's Super Mario Odyssey that most effectively bombarded me with distractions. Even a simple 'Walk to that giant building in New Donk...
Poll What's Your Switch (2) Game Of The Year So Far?
'25 vibe
Somehow, we've made it halfway through the year — congrats on surviving 2025 so far! Now that many of us have a shiny new console in our hands, we've got a lot to look forward to. But before we look at the future all starry-eyed, it's time to look back at the year's very best for the first six months. Sure, the Switch 2 is a highlight,...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles
Itchy...
Hello folks, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we looked at Donkey Konga 2 for the GameCube; a rather lovely sequel that never quite became the hit it deserved to be. In a classic three-way brawl, Japan came out on top with 47% of the vote, but goodness, it was close. North America just missed out with 46% of the...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (28th June)
Dude! That is so (Cyber)punk rock!
Ah, another week in Switch 2 paradise and the news is still coming thick and fast. This week, Nintendo finally revealed the release date and price for Drag x Drive, we learnt that Super Mario Strikers will be
"Maybe I should start calling them chunks?"
June 5th marked the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, but that very same day (or the day before on other consoles), the highly anticipated continuation of Deltarune, in Chapters 3 and 4, also hit digital shelves. If you've had the chance to catch our review, you'll know we fully believe this Undertale...
Feature Every Switch 2 Launch Game, Ranked
25 games, ranked by you
While Switch 2's software lineup at launch was filled with various known quantities, the breadth and quality of the games featured at the system's 5th June debut made for a very strong offering - perhaps one of the best of any console launch ever. We've done our best since the hardware's launch to review as many of its games...
Back Page Every Game Should Have A Cow
No bull
In the magazine business, the Back Page is where you'd find all the weird goofs that we couldn't fit in anywhere else. Some may call it "filler"; we prefer "a whole page to make terrible jokes that are tangentially related to the content of the mag". We don't have pages on the internet, but we still love terrible jokes — so welcome to our...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Donkey Konga 2
Bongo Brawl
Mmm, bananas. Ahem, sorry about that. We meant to say, welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we swing over to this week's bongo brawlers, let's quickly recap what happened last time when three covers from the Dreamcast's Jet Set Radio went head to head (to head). There was a decent spread of votes, but the funky Japanese...
Talking Point Do You Have A New Go-To Racer In Mario Kart World?
Cowtastrophe
After the best part of a decade with Mario Kart 8, we'd wager that you had probably grown pretty close to your main. You know, your main. The character that you picked to sit behind the wheel, regardless of the situation, because their weight class, look, or general vibe matched your playstyle perfectly. But then Mario Kart World came...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (21st June)
Gaming like a dragon
Gosh, can you believe it's already been over two weeks since the Switch 2 launched? Where does the time go? Alas, it's true, but this week brought even more news with the big Donkey Kong Bananza Direct! It revealed a boatload of new information and made many of us here at NL infinitely more excited for its relea
Opinion I Never Felt True Nostalgia Until I Played GameCube On Switch 2
Ahh, memories
I still remember the day I got my GameCube. It wasn’t the launch day, because I remember getting Super Smash Bros. Melee alongside it, which to my knowledge released a few weeks after the console itself in the UK. Oh gosh, I was so excited though! I pored over early issues of NGC in the weeks leading up to The Big Day (somehow,...
Opinion I'm Completely In Love With Mario Kart World's Photo Mode
Plus Team NL's best shots
Mario Kart World is the biggest Mario Kart to date. The map is huge, with Easter Eggs and little secrets hiding under bridges, atop towering buildings, and in the middle of sprawling oceans. Knockout Tour is the most chaotic concoction of multiplayer I've ever seen. And I'm still knee-deep in unlocking characters (darn,...
Gallery Here's What You Get In The 'Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma' Limited Edition
I'm a fan... Get it..? Fan!
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is out now on Switch and Switch 2, and we thought it was really rather good. In our 9/10 review of the Switch 1 version, we said it's "a must-play for Rune Factory fans and would be well-enjoyed by newcomers to the series as well," praising the sheer amount of compelling stuff to do...
