Live A Live
Image: Square Enix

School's out for a lot of kids now in the UK — hooray! How many of you will be joining your kids for a summer of gaming? Perhaps Camelot updating its official company website with Golden Sun assets is tempting you to dig into your backlog? Or maybe you'll be going through the 3DS and Wii U eShops after Nintendo gave clearer guidelines on a closure date? Or perhaps, like this writer, you're simply fawning over this Pokémon And Squishmallows collaboration?

Elsewhere, Super Mario Sunshine celebrated its 20th anniversary, and some of us here think it's the best 3D Mario game (not all of us, though!). We've also shared what we think are the Switch's defining moments so far. And a first-timer has finally discovered the joy of Elite Beat Agents.

Now it's time to chill out and discuss our weekend gaming plans. A few members of the Nintendo Life team have done just that below, so feel free to give our entries a read and then join in with your own via our comment section. Enjoy!

Jim Norman, staff writer

Finishing off my first week at Nintendo Life, I am heading into the weekend with my Switch overflowing with recommendations!

At the risk of making this list sound like a broken record, I will definitely be dedicating most of my time to Live A Live – the demo of which I have been blown away by and I’m excited to make a start on the remaining stories. I am also hoping to dive into Steve Jackson’s Sorcery! to make my weekend that little bit more magical. The chances of me playing some more Shredder’s Revenge in the meantime? Near certain.

Kate Gray, staff writer

This weekend I am going on a BOAT. I've lived next to the ocean for almost two years and I still haven't been on a boat! How embarrassing! But now I will be on one, and it will be excellent.

When I'm not boating, I will be playing more Hollow Knight (I'm surprised at how not-terrible I am at it?) and Rune Factory 4 (which, for whatever reason, is getting a little boring to me... even though it's arguably got way more going on than a non-RPG farming game). I've also got my eye on Live A Live, but I'm so busy that it'll have to Wait A Wait.

Alana Hagues, staff writer

I'm just about done with Torna - The Golden Country! Couldn't have timed that better, could I? I've fallen in love with this expansion and it's reminded me of what I really loved about Xenoblade Chronicle 2. To say I'm excited and ready for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 next week is an understatement.

There's another video game threequel on my mind this week too. Bayonetta 3's announcement last week leads me to a little confession here — I've never beaten a Bayonetta game. So I think now is the time. Bayonetta, here I come! And I might just dabble back into Live A Live for a bit. You should totally play it if you love SNES RPGs. It's really good. I hope you enjoy your weekend, folks!

Ollie Reynolds, staff writer

Hey folks! So this weekend, I’m still working my way through The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. I started the game on the Switch via the Online service, but quickly migrated over to the 3DS; that version is just better, right? Anyway, I had to re-do the whole Deku Tree stuff, which didn’t take long, and now I’m working my way up to Goron City. I’m trying to take my time with it, so chances are I’ll be mentioning it quite a lot in the weeks ahead!

Elsewhere, I’ve decided to purchase and download Assassin’s Creed Rogue Remastered on the PS5. I’ve not played it until now because I’d always dismissed it as a bit of an afterthought next to Assassin’s Creed Unity, but actually, it’s really quite good! Playing as a Templar makes for a pretty unique story and it’s making me wish that Ubisoft would revert back to the more “traditional” AC narratives.

Felix Sanchez, video producer

This weekend my focus is to beat Mother 3 so I can be 100% ready for Xenoblade Chronicles 3. I haven’t been able to put many hours into Mother 3 this week, so I really hope these next couple of days will be different.

I’ve also started to play Splatoon 2 again in preparation for Splatoon 3, and I’ve been having a blast! I played it a little when it came out five years ago, but didn’t really have anyone to play it with. Now I’ve managed to make a couple of friends that play and want to teach me the ropes which just makes the experience a million times better!

Gonçalo Lopes, reviewer

Future Connected in Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is proving to be a competent amuse-bouche for next week’s arrival of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the third (main) entry in the series that is already living rent-free in my mind. Yet it would be a disservice not to jump into Live A Live and carry on my demo progress. The physical edition of Death’s Door and Snow Bros. Nick & Tom Special also arrived just in time to be added to the weekend rotation schedule. On the non-corporeal side of things, Redout 2 provides anti-gravity brilliance while Endling - Extinction Is Forever is an emotional roller-coaster without peer.

Game of the week is yet again a big pile-up of retro goodies: Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium provides easy access to countless games of my youth of which I must highlight the brilliant Saturday Night Slam Masters. Vote Haggar!


As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to leave us a comment below with your weekend gaming plans!