Timeline
Tuesday26th Aug 2025
News "We Are Not Delaying" - Dark Deity 2 Dev Stands Firm Against Silksong
Godspeed
Finally receiving a firm release date for Hollow Knight: Silksong is one thing, but to hear that it'll be launching in less than two weeks is something else entirely. Yes, after years of speculation, Silksong has finally been confirmed to launch on the Switch and Switch 2 on 4th September 2025. Its mere presence is causing other developers...
Review Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution (Switch) - A Cool Time Capsule Of A Game
Better late than never
Though Shantae has become well-established today as a recognisable indie gaming icon, there was once a time when the purple-haired half-genie hero struggled to find an audience. The original Shantae released for the GBC in 2002 and suffered poor sales, which led to publishers being unwilling to pick up the tab for funding the...
News Hitman: World Of Assassination Updated On Switch 2, Here Are The Patch Notes
"47, your target is Frame Rate"
IO Interactive has launched a new update for Hitman: World of Assassination - Signature Edition on the Switch 2. The key improvement here is the game's frame rate, which at launch failed to maintain its 60fps target at frequent intervals. The patch adds in a 'Frame Rate' option to stabilise the performance, and this...
News Hideaki Itsuno Hires 'Devil May Cry' And 'Street Fighter' Legends For New Studio
A huge blow for Capcom
From left: Bingo Morihashi, Hideaki Itsuno, and Daigo Ikeno Lightspeed Japan Studio, a subsidiary of the Tencent-owned company Lightspeed Studios, has announced a key expansion with the opening of a new office in Osaka. Under the leadership of Hideaki Itsuno – who perhaps most famously spearheaded the development of the...
UK Charts Nintendo's First-Party Switch 2 Games Continue To Dominate
It's a bananza world
The latest UK charts are in, and with no major releases in the last week, the top ten looks pretty familiar. Mafia: The Old Country has taken a bit of a tumble to land at number 7, which means that Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza both sit pretty at the top of the pile. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 has also seen a...
News Nintendo Music Update Adds More Songs To Kirby And The Forgotten Land Playlist
The Switch 2 Edition arrives this week
In March of this year, the Nintendo Music app received an update adding songs from the Switch title Kirby and the Forgotten Land. At the time, Nintendo mentioned how the rest of this album was coming "later this year", and now, ahead of the launch of the Switch 2 Edition of this title, additional tracks have...
News Multiple Kirby Themes Return In Tetris 99's 'Second Chance' Maximus Cup
Three rounds, three themes
Last week, Nintendo held a special Nintendo Direct for Kirby Air Riders and this week marks the return of Kirby and the Forgotten Land on the Switch 2. If this wasn't already enough Kirby fun for one month, Nintendo has now also announced it's hosting the 49th Tetris 99 Maximus Cup, which sees the return of select in-game...
News Nintendo Releases 'It's Me, Mario!' Stop Motion Shorts, Watch Them Right Here
Part of the 'My Mario' line launching today
Apart from a new range of toys and even an interactive app, Nintendo's new 'My Mario' line includes a series of stop motion shorts. The first three episodes have now been uploaded to the 'Play Nintendo' channel on YouTube, and you can watch them right here. Below is the official summary: "Fans of all...
News Nintendo's New 'Hello, Mario!' App Is Now Available On The Switch
A free download on the Japanese eShop
Following an announcement earlier this month, Nintendo's free Switch eShop and smart device application Hello, Mario! is now available to download. This game is designed for parents and their children and is only available in Japan right now. If you want to download the game on your Switch or Switch 2, you'll...
Monday25th Aug 2025
News Developers Reportedly Still Struggling To Get Switch 2 Dev Kits
"They would love to do Switch 2 versions. They can’t get the hardware."
We're almost three months on from the Nintendo Switch 2's release, and while we have plenty of third-party games to come on the newer hybrid console, many developers say that they're still having issues getting hold of dev kits. This comes from the folks at Digital Foundry in...
Anniversary The First DS Castlevania Game Turns 20 Today
Sorrow won't Dawn here
A new dawn of Castlevania started 20 years ago, as Dawn of Sorrow first launched on the Nintendo DS in Japan on 25th August 2025. Following on directly from the final Castlevania GBA title, Aria of Sorrow, Dawn of Sorrow had big shoes to fill; a shift in art direction and the implementation of the touch screen meant that it's...
News Demonschool Gets Last-Minute Delay To Avoid Silksong
Now coming in November
Demonschool can't catch a break, can it? The upcoming tactical RPG, inspired by classic Persona, SMT, and Italian cinema, was due to release on 3rd September 2025, but today, publisher Ysbryd Games has announced that it's pushing Necrosoft Games' release back to 19th November 2025. Why? One Hollow Knight: Silksong, which is...
Review Roadwarden (Switch) - A Fascinating And Quite Special Text-Based RPG
And I'll take the low road
Cast your minds back, if you're still able, to the year of our lord 2022 and the release of Moral Anxiety Studio's tremendous Roadwarden. Yes, you know the one, that PC game you may not have played but certainly heard plenty about, as it garnered a whole bunch of Very Nice Reviews™. And here, to be blunt, is another for...
News Gorillaz Dare To Headline Fortnite Festival Season 10
I got V-Bucks in a bag
After weeks of rumours, Epic Games has revealed the headliner for Fortnite Festival Season 10, and it's Gorillaz taking to the Plastic Bea.... uh, we mean the virtual stage. The digital band consisting of fictional members Noodle, 2D, Murdoc, and Russel — founded by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Tank Girl co-creator Jamie...
News Former PlayStation Head Praises Nintendo For Being "In Touch With Their Fan Base"
"Even PlayStation was never this in touch with the fan base"
Shawn Layden, formerly the President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment America and Executive Vice President and COO of Sony Network Entertainment International, has come out in praise of Nintendo for being the most in-touch with its fan base. In an interview with HipHopGamer (via
News Nintendo To Officially Launch eShop In Taiwan
Digital doors open in September
Nintendo has announced plans to open the Nintendo eShop in Taiwan next month, on 9th September 2025 (thanks, GoNintendo!) Previously, fans would have had to visit the eShop in either Japan or Hong Kong, but with a dedicated Taiwanese storefront, they'll have a much easier option. In the announcement (translated by...
Rumour A Nintendo Direct Is Reportedly Coming Ahead Of Mario's 40th Anniversary
Clear your calendars for mid-September
A Nintendo Direct is reportedly on the way, and it'll be taking place mid-September. The claim originally came from SwitchForce over on X (formerly Twitter), but VGC has also heard from multiple sources that a presentation is planned for 12th September. If that's the case, it'll be taking place the day before...
News Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment Will Be Playable At Tokyo Game Show 2025
No longer an age away
Koei Tecmo has revealed its line-up for this year's Tokyo Game Show, which takes place between 25th - 28th September 2025. And its upcoming collaboration with Nintendo, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, will be there — and it'll be playable. Sharing its line-up on a newly-opened website (via Gematsu), the Switch...
Review Story Of Seasons: Grand Bazaar - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - The Series' Best Remake Yet
This bazaar adventure is a real diamond
Sometimes the lines between remaster and remake can be blurred. Metroid Prime Remastered seems much more like a full remake, and a few games called remakes don’t quite live up to expectations. For Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar - based on Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar - even the term remake doesn’t quite...
News "The Best-Looking Thing I've Seen On Switch 2" - Digital Foundry Talks Final Fantasy 7 Remake
"I would say it looks better than the PS4 version"
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade was playable on Switch 2 last week at Gamescom, and it seems that most who managed to go hands-on with the game came away feeling pretty positive about it. Now, in a new post from Digital Foundry advertising its latest DF Weekly episode, John Linneman has come...
News Japan's National Library Says Game-Key Cards Are Not Eligible For Preservation
Gee, ya think?
Japan's National Diet Library (or 'NDL', for short) is one of the biggest libraries in the world and, from the year 2000, began to obtain video game CDs and cartridges for preservation purposes. According to an article from Famitsu (thanks, Automaton), however, the library does not consider the Switch 2's Game-Key Cards as 'proper'...
Video So Just How Might These Third-Party Games Run On Switch 2?
Let's test it
The announcement that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle would be making its way to the Switch 2 in 2026 came as a very pleasant surprise during the recent Gamescom festivities. Whether you've played through the game before or simply seen the odd trailer here and there, we can probably all agree that The Great Circle looks pretty...
News We've Now Got Our First Look At Elden Ring In Handheld Mode For Switch 2
Though it's hardly the best quality
Following on from our first glimpse at Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition running on Switch 2 via docked mode, new footage has been posted online to showcase how the game is holding up in handheld mode. General sentiments from hands-on sessions – including
News Suda51 Is Eager To Get His Latest 'Ultra-Violent' Game On Switch 2
"I’m hoping it’s going to work out"
During PlayStation's State of Play presentation earlier this year, Grasshopper Manufacture announced Romeo is a Dead Man from Suda51 and Ren Yamazaki, and it sounds like Switch 2 owners may be getting in on the action when the game launches in 2026. According to an interview with GameXplain, Suda51 stated...
Sunday24th Aug 2025
Abxylute 3D One is coming in September
Abxylute – which has previously made a name for itself releasing streaming handhelds – is producing the world's first glasses-free 3D handheld PC, reports The Verge. The massive portable PC – dubbed the Abxylute 3D One – is actually based on a prototype co-developed by Intel and Tencent that was d
Opinion We Need To Talk About X Games
X and why?
Most of the time, I'm pretty oblivious to game name trends. It's normally only when someone points out to me that all AAA games have names like 'Chronicle of Shadows: Rebirth', that I start to see that formula used everywhere — like when you find a trendy new pair of shoes that you swear you've never seen before, only to wear them out...
"It's a homage to my mum and my childhood"
Everyone remembers the first animated movie that scared them. For me, it was The Fox and the Hound — probably not the first movie in Disney's canon that anyone remembers, but it was one of my brother's favourites, so it was on regular rotation. Which means that the bear attack towards the end of the movie...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Chibi-Robo!: Park Patrol
Power corDS
It's time to plug into another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we matched up a trio of covers for the SNES classic, Super Adventure Island, with the three regions opting for vastly different designs. The disparity wasn't enough to drastically split the vote, mind you, as the golden Japanese variant walked away with a comfortable...
News Nintendo Identifies Xenoblade Chronicles X Voice Sync Bug On Switch 2
The 'Definitive Edition' launched earlier this year
Before the arrival of the Switch 2, Xenoblade Chronicles X got a 'Definitive Edition' release on the Switch in March. Although there have been no major updates for the game on this new platform (at least yet), it seems Nintendo has now identified an issue with the game on this particular device...
News Yooka-Replaylee Appears To Be Getting A Proper Physical Release For Switch 2
Playtonic will share another "major update" next week
Yooka-Replaylee is due out on the Switch 2 this year, and it appears it will be getting a proper physical release on Nintendo's new hybrid platform. A new listing has recently popped up on the Canadian website Video Games Plus, and according to the description, the "full game is on the...
Saturday23rd Aug 2025
Opinion Silksong's Big 'Anticlimactic' Premiere Was Absolutely Perfect
No webs to spin
Six years. Much has been said in the last six years about Team Cherry's near radio silence on Hollow Knight: Silksong. Promises from Microsoft about the game coming out "in the next 12 months" in 2022. No playable demo since E3 2019. No Kickstarter updates. And a furore of hungry fans whipping themselves into a frenzy and building an...
Review Herdling (Switch) - A Serene, Soothing Animal Trek With Some Rough Edges
Have you herd?
The last time I tried shepherding an unruly beast, I wasn’t exactly a fan. It was midnight, I was exhausted, and my dog simply refused to come back inside. Typical. Thankfully, Herdling offers a much cosier alternative, replacing a stubborn pup with fantastical beasties that actually listen to me. Developed by Okomotive, the studio...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (23rd August)
Take the day OFF
Well folks, it's the weekend once again, which means it's time to get some gaming done! But first, a recap. This week, Capcom launched an intriguing 30th anniversary website for Resident Evil, though there's not much on there right now beyond some cool artwork. Gamescom also happened, which means we got some really cool...
News Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings Of Ruin Switch Online Game Trial Now Available (Europe)
Get ready for the third entry
During Nintendo's recent Partner Direct, Capcom lifted the lid on Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. If you haven't got around to playing the second game Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin just yet, now is the chance if you happen to be based in Europe and have an active Switch Online subscription. This...
News Mario Kart World Wins "Best Nintendo Switch 2 Game" Of Gamescom 2025
DK Bananza takes out "best gameplay" award
In case you missed it, Gamescom gives out awards every year, and while Nintendo didn't even feature last year, it's back in 2025 with a few wins. These awards call on a "panel of expert gaming jurors" and the community to decide the winners. The recent Switch 2 release Donkey Kong Bananza has taken out...
Round Up The Final Previews Are In For Hollow Knight: Silksong
It's almost here
After a long wait and even some delays, we're now just weeks out from the release of Hollow Knight: Silksong. The 'hands on' previews have been rolling in from Gamescom this week, so we're rounding up a handful here including our own. This is the final demo before the game goes on sale to the public on 4th September 2025. Firstly,...
Friday22nd Aug 2025
News Beautiful Disney-esque Horror 'Bye Sweet Carole' Gets Suitably Spooky Release Date
Bunny hop
Maximum Entertainment and Little Sewing Machine have announced that Bye Sweet Carole, a horror game inspired by Don Bluth and animated Disney movies, is launching on Switch on 9th October 2025, just in time for Halloween. The date was announced yesterday via the IGN Live Showcase, with Maximum Entertainment sharing the trailer earlier...
Feature What's It Like To Attend Gamescom 2025?
Das Ist Wunderbar?
I’ve never been to Gamescom before. I’ve heard all the rumours, though. Gamescom is obviously an event I’ve been aware of for a very long time and it appears to have been growing in stature as of late – even Nintendo decided to return this year after skipping the show in 2024. If you’ve been to the show before, then...
News Bandai Namco Gets The 'Once Upon A Katamari' Hype Rolling With This Opening Movie
Ready to roll
Bandai Namco popped up at the Partner Direct last month to reveal Once Upon a Katamari. It's not due out until 24th October, but the studio is getting the ball rolling early by sharing a first look at the opening movie. The two-minute video is full of all the classic sphere-pushing you would expect from a Katamari game. The key hook...
Guide Where To Pre-Order Kirby Air Riders For Nintendo Switch 2 + New amiibo
Racing to find the best deals
After its initial reveal back in April, Kirby Air Riders is now racing toward its worldwide release on 20th November 2025. The Masahiro Sakurai-developed sequel looks absolutely bonkers following its recent dedicated Nintendo Direct, and we can't wait to get our hands on it - nor those new (and pricy!) amiibo. So with...
News Pokémon TCG Pocket's Next Gen II-Themed Booster Pack Arrives Very Soon
Raicool
The rollercoaster ride of Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket releases is continuing at breakneck pace, as TPC has revealed that the next Themed Booster Expansion will arrive next week on 28th August. The 'Secluded Springs' expansion is another Gen II-focused set, with legendaries Raikou, Entei, and Suicune taking centre stage. A bunch of...
Review 8BitDo Arcade Controller For Switch + Switch 2 - The Best Way To Play Street Fighter 6
8BitDid it again
If you’re into fighting games, chances are you’ve probably seen – or maybe even used – a bunch of leverless arcade controllers. They’re taking the fighting scene by storm, and now 8BitDo, one of the most consistent accessory manufacturers in the business, has launched its own Arcade Controller for the Switch, Switch 2, and...
Video We've Played Cronos: The New Dawn On Switch 2
And it's looking gooey
It only feels like yesterday that Bloober Team confirmed that Cronos: The New Dawn would be launching on the Switch 2. Yet here we are, merely a couple of weeks from its 5th September release, and the lovely Felix has gone hands-on with the title during his stint at Gamescom (yes, Felix said it's out on the 4th, but it's been...
News First Footage Of Elden Ring Running On Switch 2 Appears Online
Docked and loaded
Earlier this week, we were lucky enough to head to the Nintendo booth at Gamescom and go hands-on with Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on Switch 2. Bandai Namco didn't allow any footage to be recorded from our handheld session (and we quickly saw why), but it seems such recording rules are not in place at Canada's Fan Expo, which...
News Devil May Cry: Season 2 Teaser Sets Up A Showdown Between Dante And Virgil
"I hoped it would be you, little brother"
Netflix has debuted its teaser trailer for the upcoming second season of Devil May Cry, the animated adaptation of Capcom's acclaimed action series. Due for release in 2026, the anime is seemingly putting the spotlight on Dante's brother, Virgil, setting up a big showdown between the two character's...
Japanese Charts Mario Kart World Gets Back To Demolishing The Competition
Is there anyone else out there?
After a short break, Famitsu has published the estimated Japanese physical game sales chart for the last two weeks, and Mario Kart World is absolutely smashing it. The Switch 2 launch title put up an additional 144,911 sales between 4th and 17th August, selling more than double what could be mustered by the silver...
News It's Almost Showtime For Overwatch 2's New Persona Collab
No joke
Persona 5's Joker has made surprise appearances in games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and now he's making his way to Blizzard's free-to-play hero shooter, Overwatch 2. The Season 18 trailer has gone live and it finishes with the Persona 5 theme along with a silhouette of Joker. Atlus has also acknowledged the collaboration, which will go...
News Gear.Club Unlimited 3 Speeds Onto Switch 2 Later This Year
Get ready for "instant driving enjoyment"
It's been announced another racing game is speeding onto the Switch 2 in the future. This time it's Gear.Club Unlimited 3 and it's arriving at some point in "late 2025". This game will follow on from the first two titles, which were released on the eShop during the original Switch generation. Apart from the...
Round Up The First Impressions Of Kirby Air Riders Are In
Racing onto Switch 2 this November
Sakurai finally gave us our first proper look at Kirby Air Riders gameplay earlier this week, and based on what we've seen (and played) so far, it's not your average racing game. If you want to know a bit more about what it's like, we've now put together this first impressions round up. We'll kick things off with...
News New Limited-Time Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Distribution Now Available
Add a Shiny Chien-Pao to your party
Although the focus is beginning to shift to the next Pokémon game, The Pokémon Company is still running regular distribution events for Scarlet and Violet. Following on from the World Championships last week, there's now a Shiny Chien-Pao up for grabs. This distribution is in celebration of 5,020,994 victories...
