Latest Features
Poll 10 Years On, Which Version Of Zelda: Majora's Mask Is Best?
Masktasker
No three-day countdown will prepare you for this one: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D is 10 years old today. Yep, on 13th February 2015, we all opened our 3DSes (some of you might have even landed one of those sexy gold special edition consoles — you lucky gits) and sat down to replay one of the weirdest Zelda entries to date in...
Talking Point Why An LCD Screen Isn't The End Of The World For Switch 2
How Sony is helping us LCDeal with it
The reveal of Switch 2 back in January answered some burning questions but mainly it confirmed rumoured details and leaked info regarding the size, shape, and magnetic Joy-Con of Nintendo's next console. Annoyingly, there are still a lot of unanswered questions and the platform holder is keeping shtum until 2nd...
Opinion The Okami Sequel Simply Has To Come To Switch 2
Let's just touch base
It's been an exciting few months for Okami fans, huh? Nearly 19 years after the release of the PS2 original, Capcom finally confirmed that a sequel is now officially in development at The Game Awards 2024. Plus, it's being developed at new studio Clovers under the direction of creator Hideki Kamiya. Speaking of which, the...
Talking Point Which 'Tales' Game Will Come To Switch Next?
It's Karma
Big, bold characters. Comfortable story beats that deal with multiple worlds, gods, and the power of friendship. Confusingly titled battle systems. And colourful anime openings featuring J-pop songs. The Tales series has made a name for itself over the last 30 years for many different reasons, and it's why many — myself included —...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Wario World (GameCube)
Wa-haaaaaa!
Hello dearest pals, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we dive into this week's battle, let's see how things panned out last time. The lovely Jim took the opportunity to crank out a few LotR quotes with a look at the GBA version of The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age. Unsurprisingly, the Western design absolutely...
Talking Point Where Should 'Luigi's Mansion 4' Take Place?
"M-M-M-Maaaaario?"
One of the best reasons to play the Luigi’s Mansion series is the simple joy that comes with exploring new, spooky environments. Truly, the locations are the star of the show. The first entry in 2001 was arguably too short and a bit too easy and repetitive, but its titular mansion was a compelling backdrop. Cobwebs adorned the...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (8th February)
Fus-Ro-Dah!
Crikey, it only feels like yesterday when we all sat down to discuss our weekend plans, doesn't it? Don't worry folks, that April Direct will be here before you know it. Anyway, let's see what's been going on in the world of Nintendo this week. First up, the company revealed its latest financial data in which the Switch was confirmed to...
Opinion Miiverse Was Fine, But Does Anybody Really Want It Back In 2025?
Stuck in Miiverse
It probably says something about the system that the question 'y cant metroid crawl?' is one of the most memorable nostalgia nuggets from the Wii U era. Don't get me wrong - while the initial messaging was poor, the GamePad's killer apps never really arrived, and the system itself was slow and bulky, I still loved my Wii U. But...
Opinion All My Pokémon TCG Pocket Headaches Help It Nail Playground Trading Nostalgia
Jim used Reminisce!
I am a creature of habit, so when The Pokémon Company revealed Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket and its two-packs-a-day hook system, I knew that I was going to be a sucker for it. And here we are, a little over three months since its launch, and that's exactly what I am. My Pokémon monkey brain (Mankey brain?) has turned to...
Opinion We Need More Couch Co-op RPGs
Our-PG
When the girl joined the party in Secret of Mana, a whole new world opened up to me. Bright-eyed, huddled close to our TV, a second SNES controller plugged into the little grey box, I didn’t just have to sit and wait my turn to play an RPG for once. I could play at the same time my mum could. Secret of Mana was the first time I felt like...
Opinion With Forecasts Slashed (Again), Absolutely Everyone's Antsy For Switch 2 ASAP
Sobering sales, analyst angst, obvious answer
Nintendo has lowered sales forecasts for Switch hardware sales for the second time in a row with the publication of its Q3 results for FY2024/5. With a 30.6% year-on-year drop in console sales across the Switch range, the platform holder now forecasts 11 million unit sales for the year ending March 31st...
Feature 12 Things Switch 2's Mysterious Not-C-Button Might Do, Maybe
Probably. Possibly.
We're all here, playing the waiting game as Nintendo assembles its April Direct and reveals more juicy details about Switch 2. Well, we hope; it feels like we've been in the realms of rumour and speculation for a good half-decade and after the first trailer we've got our fingers crossed for a real mother of a blow-out come 2nd...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects (January 2025)
Our picks for the best eShop games for the first month of 2025
Thank goodness January is over, right? January 2025 felt like the longest month ever — thankfully, we're here to brighten your day with our first eShop Selects for the year. We're starting things fresh for 2025 and going back to basics — focusing on the games we've reviewed. The...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: The Lord Of The Rings: The Third Age (GBA)
Slim Pippins
My dear Bagginses and Boffins, Tooks and Brandybucks, Grubbs, Chubbs, Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles and Proudfoots (Proudfeet!), welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we get all Middle Earthy, let's quickly recap what went down last time, eh? Two covers from the NSO newbie Super Ninja Boy went head-to-head in last...
Feature "His Vision Was Clear" - Afterlove EP Producer Talks Grieving Through Game Development
"Emotion takes up a big part of your life on a daily basis"
Afterlove EP, a 'mix-tape visual novel' from the studio behind Coffee Talk, was announced back in 2021, but just one year after its reveal, the team went through something no developer should have to deal with: the sudden and unexpected death of studio founder Mohammad Fahmi. Fahmi had...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (1st February)
Zero dawn
Well folks, another week is almost over (and one week closer to Nintendo's April Direct!), which means it's time to relax with some sweet gaming. First, let's recap some of this week's most interesting stories. First up, Nintendo reiterated Donkey Kong's new look with some fresh merch, while we explored what we might like to see in the...
Poll With No Switch 2 News Until April, Is A February Nintendo Direct On The Cards?
A Switch 1 swan song?
February usually means a couple of things for us Nintendo fans: a disappointing Pokémon Presents showcase, and the first Nintendo Direct of the year (also, a Kirby game is normally right around the corner, but that's not all that important to this discussion). Pokémon is a no-brainer, obviously, but in the year of our lord...
Opinion Forget Themes, I Want A Switch 2 Start-Up Jingle
Jingles, all the way
I have been banging the 'Theme' drum for so long now, my hands have started to hurt. It doesn't make any sense to me that every Switch menu has been this music-less graveyard when Nintendo has churned out the likes of the Wii Shop Channel, 3DS Theme Shop and a multitude of other bangers in years gone by. But there's another...
Talking Point What Do We Actually Want From 'Mario Kart 9' On Switch 2?
Kart to kart
With the truly shocking confirmation that, alongside the new console, Nintendo is busy assembling a follow-up entry to the best-selling game on Switch, it's got us thinking about what we really want from a new Mario Kart. In all honesty, we've been thinking about this for years, arguably since before we knew that Mario Kart 8 would be...
Memory Pak This Resident Evil Comic Made Me Sympathise With A Tyrant
"P-Payback Time, Thorndikkke..."
Welcome to the latest instalment in our nostalgia-inducing column, Memory Pak, where we deep-dive into some of the most memorable moments in gaming – good and bad. Today, to mark the 25th anniversary of Resident Evil 2's N64 launch in Japan, Ollie reflects on a curious short comic book story that, against all...
Feature Catch-Up Crew: Pokémon Snap - "There’s Nothing Stopping You From Pelting Every Unlucky ‘Mon"
Jack and beans
Welcome to Catch-up Crew, where USS Nintendo Life officers slingshot around the sun and go back to play something a crewmember missed back in the day. We went back to the first WarioWare game last time, but today our destination is the year 1999 when Pokémon Snap first appeared on a chunky N64 cartridge. For anyone looking to play...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Super Ninja Boy
Hi-yaaah!
Welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl, everyone! In last week's battle, we looked at the N64 classic, Mario Kart 64. And goodness folks, it really wasn't a close one, huh? North America and Europe absolutely killed it with 88% of the vote; surely one of the most resounding victories we've ever seen! This time, we're going a bit...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (25th January)
Swing, king
This week might not have brought us the Switch 2 bonanza that dominated the last, but there was still plenty to talk about in the world of Nintendo. We got a teeny, tiny development update from the Silksong team (turns out, the game is still real) and chatted all things space with Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
Opinion My Daughter Made Me Realise That Mario Wonder's Difficulty Options Need Work
Yoshi or Nabbit, make your choice
I suspect many of my fellow parents can relate to this, but when you have your first child, a whole bevvy of problems that never existed before are suddenly thrust upon you. “Do we have enough nappies?” “Oh God, she missed the potty again.” “No, you can’t sit there Daddy, my Peppa Pig toy is sitting...
Opinion The Hyped-Up New Pokémon TCG Set Is A Total Bummer To Open
Pokéntial earnings
It must have been tough for chocolate lovers to get any chocolate when Willy Wonka was hiding golden tickets inside the wrappers. Joking aside, that's more or less been the vibe from Prismatic Evolutions, the just-released, mega-hyped Pokémon card set that’s memorable for its heavy representation of the fan-favourite Pokémon...
Feature Switch 2's Mouse Support Is Exciting, But Which Current Games Might Also Benefit?
Flexing that backward compatibility
Prior to the official reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2, one of the late-game leaks revealed that the Joy-Con controllers would now house an optical sensor on the side, leading many to theorise that the console would support mouse functionality. Fast forward to the debut trailer, and yes, it seems that this may...
Wake up, Sleeper
Citizen Sleeper was, coincidentally, one of 2022's sleeper hits. With its combination of top-tier writing and decision-based gameplay, this table-top-inspired RPG and space adventure pulled us into its airlock and wouldn't let us out until we had played through the emotional damage of witnessing every possible outcome (and yes, that...
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Donkey Kong Country Returns HD?
Returns returns
Last week saw the Wii's Donkey Kong Country Returns return in HD on Switch. Following the first time it returned on 3DS, the Switch port — helmed by Forever Entertainment this time, with the original devs at Retro getting only a cursory nod in the credits this time — brought the levels of the 2013 3DS port to
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Mario Kart 64
Vroooom!
Welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl, everyone! Last week, Klonoa: Empire of Dreams was thrust into the spotlight, with North America, Europe, and Japan all vying for the top prize (and yes, we mistakenly labelled it as a 'duel' – sorry about that). Ultimately, with its bold, simple design, Europe's offering won the week with 51%...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (18th January)
Wait, we have to play the Switch 1..?!
The weekend is here folks, which means it's time to get cracking with some gaming. Before we put our feet up, however, let's recap what's been going on in this very quiet, unevenful week in the world of Nintendo (chortle!). Yes, in actuality, it's been a ruddy busy one, with Nintendo finally officially...
Talking Point Did All The Switch 2 Leaks 'Damage' Nintendo Or The Console's Reveal?
Nintendo will be just fine
In the leak-filled weeks prior to the Switch 2 reveal, we saw increasing incredulity from die-hard Nintendo fans on social media. We won't link specific examples, but you don't have to scroll far before seeing takes along these lines: All these leaks are ruining the reveal! Why isn't Nintendo getting ahead of this?!...
Reaction Nintendo Pins Hopes On Familiar Fun With Switch 2
The stop-gap generation
And so it begins. Nintendo has pulled back the curtain on its next generation of hardware to reveal... exactly the thing everyone expected. Officially revealed earlier today following months — no, years — of rumours, speculation, and leaks, the Nintendo Switch 2 is, on the face of it, what most people wanted. It's the...
Feature Everything You Missed In The Switch 2 Mario Kart Reveal - Characters, Features, Easter Eggs
Start your engines
Well, folks, the Nintendo Switch 2 is real – finally! In addition to its confirmation via the debut trailer, Nintendo also revealed a brand-new Mario Kart title, which we're going to simply refer to as Mario Kart 9 until Nintendo says otherwise. Footage from the game was pretty scarce, to say the least, but we've still noticed...
Poll Are There Any Good Lord Of The Rings Games On Nintendo Consoles?
Please sir, can I have some Mordor?
The year is 2025 and Lord of the Rings feels very much like it's "a thing" again. We're not sure that it ever really went away, to be honest, but we've got The Rings of Power on TV (and it's actually rather good now), the War of the Rohirrim hit cinemas, a 'Hunt for Gollum' movie is planned, and, perhaps most...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Klonoa: Empire of Dreams (GBA)
Long live the Empire
Welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl, folks! Last week, we took a look at Crash Nitro Kart for the GameCube, a sequel to Crash Team Racing that never quite managed to step out of its predecessor's shadow. North America sealed the deal this time with 53% of the vote, while EU managed 30% and Japan just 17% (bit awkward -...
Feature 8 Games That Defined The Switch Generation
An era's end
A lot has changed in video gaming since Switch launched in 2017. Beyond all Nintendo's handheld hybrid switching, we now live in a world where a Nintendo game on mobile is a fairly normal occurrence and both Microsoft and Sony publish games on Nintendo's console. Crazy. As we await official word on the next generation of Nintendo...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (11th January)
Another week without 'Switch 2'
The weekend is here and it's time to play some games, but first, let's recap what went down in the world of Nintendo this week. The big news was 'Switch 2'. No, we still don't know anything about it officially, but accessory manufacturer Genki took to this year's CES with a "replica" model that appears to be the real...
Round Up 'Switch 2' Renders Suggest A Sleek, Classy Successor
Does it come in black..?
Leaks and rumours regarding the upcoming 'Switch 2' have seemingly exploded since the beginning of 2025, with accessory maker Genki in particular causing a stir with its recent exhibit at CES 2025. Not only that, but photos shared via Reddit seem to showcase a genuine Joy-Con from the Switch successor, hinting at a new...
Guide 126 Games You Should Pick Up In The Nintendo Switch eShop Holiday Sale (Europe)
Every game we scored 9/10 or higher
The eShop Holiday sale ends this Sunday in Europe, so here's your last reminder to get spending! Until the next sale, anyway... Nintendo has officially kicked off its Switch eShop Holiday Sale in Europe, bringing beefy discounts to thousands of games until 12th January 2024. And yes, we said "thousands"...
Talking Point Is The Switch 2 Going To Be Too Big?
Size isn't everything, except sometimes
How are we coping, nine days into the year of the Switch 2? It's been an utter onslaught of leaks and rumours and noise as everyone clamours to find out about Nintendo's to-be-officially-announced console. C'mon Nintendo, it's really time to say something. Anyway, let's cut through the noise for a second...
Talking Point Everyone Else Is Busy Revealing Switch 2 - What Gives, Nintendo?
It's the notes you don't play
If you've been browsing social media for the past few days (heck, let's not kid ourselves, past few years) you'll have seen plenty of prognosticating about the arrival of the Switch successor. The latest whispers suggested that Wednesday 8th January was the first sensible day after the holidays for Nintendo to finally...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Crash Nitro Kart (GameCube)
Battle of the Bandicoots
Welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl — the first of 2025, no less! Last week, we matched up a pair of beauties from Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (yep, we were shocked that we hadn't covered it already too), and after a week of voting, the results came back with a clear winner. The classic gold variant from...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (4th January)
I have fury!
Hello folks, and welcome to the year 2025! It's cold, rainy, and there's still no sign of flying cars. Still, it's the year that Nintendo's new hardware will finally be revealed (and hopefully released), so we're inclined to believe that it's going to be a good one. It's been a bit quiet in terms of news, but there have been a couple...
Talking Point Our 2025 Nintendo Gaming Predictions
New hardware smell
This is it, people. This is the year. The smoke and stench from refried rumours is overwhelming but soon it will clear to reveal... new Nintendo hardware. No, not a grainy motherboard pic from a factory backroom or a render someone posted with 'OMG the latest Switch 2 trailer is 🥹🥹🥹!!!!11' slapped on. No, not a...
A chat with Simogo
You walk into a poorly lit, seemingly empty hotel. In desperate need of someone to speak to, you hesitantly wander just a single room farther from the entrance, down a serene walkway. You are funnelled into a similarly poorly lit library. You’re second-guessing why you are in this hotel, and why it even has a library, yet your...
Feature Biggest Nintendo Gaming Anniversaries Of 2025
57 games with big birthdays this year
Throughout 2025, many of gaming's most treasured gems will be celebrating a significant birthday and to remind you of some of the biggest (and of just how old you are!), we've compiled this list of nearly 60 gaming dates for your calendars. What do we mean by 'significant' birthdays? Anything that ends in a...
Feature "I Don’t Want To See It Fizzle Out” - Stardew Valley Creator On Why He Can't Give It Up
"I feel like I could work on it for the rest of my life"
Back at the end of August we travelled to Seattle to attend PAX West and had the incredible opportunity to spend half an hour with none other than Eric Barone, AKA ConcernedApe. If you don’t know who Eric is, he’s the creator of Stardew Valley; the smash hit farming game from 2016, which...
Feature Child's Play: From Bokunatsu To Natsu-Mon - The Kaz Ayabe Interview
A sit-down with the creator of My Summer Vacation & Attack of the Friday Monsters
For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, summer has come to an end. Fortunately, through the magic of video games — and the video games created by one man in particular — it's never too late to take a little summer holiday... With the recent English-language...
Editorial A Very Happy New Year From Nintendo Life
Twenty-twenty-thrive
Good news, everyone! Having successfully beaten 2024, you're all advancing to the next stage: Happy 2025! With Switch entering its ninth year come the start of March, and a reveal of its successor promised sometime between now and the end of that month, there's an awful lot to look forward to whether you're a die-hard Nintendo...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects & Readers' Choice (December 2024)
Our picks for the best eShop games in December
As we sit upon the cusp of 2025, we're looking back one last time at 2024 — and our eShop Selects for December! Stuffed full of games? Need some more eShop delights? Well, we can help bring you up to date with the best games we reviewed that released on the eShop in December. As always, the rankings...