Author: sick skills

The Launch Stars in Super Mario Galaxy are pure cinema, from that spinning wind-up with the quick arpeggio to that compressed pause before a cannon-blast hurl into an arc unknown.

And that camera work! As you trace an unseen thread through space, leaving a gleaming contrail of light and delight before the zoom-out to best catch that perfect 10 landing. Keep your bullet times and your smash cuts: this is the music of movement, and it hasn’t got old.

It turns out Super Mario Galaxy is great and it took me nearly 20 years to realise because I kept thinking it was crap.

I couldn’t love it, despite multiple attempts. Even my bio here says it (but politely to stay safe on a website called Nintendo Life). I won’t go into my now-practised forensic analysis of its slightly stiff moveset, but because of it and my expectations of a 3D Mario’s gamefeel, I always felt there was something amiss at the heart of the game, something flat in the hands, off-beat, the joke always slightly too late in the interface between me and this clearly gorgeous kingdom of planets. But then — finally — it clicked.

What a great feeling! That click, the sudden pivot where the planets (metaphorical now) align just so and you feel the ‘Oh, I see now‘ of appreciation for a game.

You can’t be persuaded to like a thing with logic, but sometimes you might be borderline enough that a recalibration of expectation, or approach, or timing can help you enjoy more things.

But there’s also the way that it sparks off like an action potential, past some invisible threshold, and now everything once annoying or naff makes sense and you get it. And I think it actually started with Penny’s Big Breakaway.

I’m wary of writing another stealth Penny’s article, but bear with me because it’s unavoidably relevant. It was my most anticipated game of 2024 partly because of its pedigree (Sonic Mania team, and specifically that Sonic 2 Android port so good it feels Mega Drive right), but also because of the yo-yo.

Like Viewtiful Joe and the first time I saw a trailer for Shadow of the Colossus, I didn’t just like the look of it, I recognised something that had been latent all along. Of course! A yo-yo as wheels and as a grapple-line, with all the satisfactions of momentum management, of rolling and gravity and swing and fling! It also helps that I often carry an actual yo-yo in my bag as something tactile, playful and pure.

But I hated the game. I found it zany and try-hard and it had a very irritating sort of boink boink goofy clown music for the QTE bits at the end of every level. The mechanics felt stilted and slow, and so I felt disappointed and sad. So I did what one does and read some online opinions to gauge the conversation, make sure it’s not just you.

Now I can’t remember exactly which review changed everything (it might have been this or this or the very encouraging opening paragraph of this), but I think it was the descriptions of good movement and the promise of skate-game combos (I love skating games) that did it.

Approached differently, trying to maintain a long combo through a level, the difference was profound. It forced me to find new pockets of opportunity in the levels and awesome potential in the mechanics, like tug-pulling through the air and then converting a plummeting freefall into rocketing forward flight with a mid-air yo-yo axel. It shifted the focus onto flow and continuity, the game’s best side.

But also I’d got to Bubblin, the surreal bathhouse waterpark with skyscraper scale and incredible music. Between the movement and the vibes, the shift was revelatory, absolute. I quite like the QTE bits now. I always have the game downloaded.

I’m sure this has happened before, but it was just so transformative, I mused that maybe I could consciously try this? Try switching up my approach to get back on a game I’d seen revered but bounced off and deleted multiple times, the now-legendary Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (and yes, I had got to the beloved Grassland Groove).

Reader: It worked. Once again there was an element of gameplay which meant I’d not been engaging with it on its own terms: I hadn’t realised holding ‘roll’ didn’t make you run as it did in prior Country games, which had added uncertain distrust to controls I’d misunderstood. But also, I think I slowed down very slightly, not just in gameplay but some internal metronomic pace of expectation, an unspoken demand for unbroken fluidity that wasn’t being met by the heavier, more considered platforming.

And like with Penny’s Bubblin’, it was also a level and a theme. The Fugu fish boss (about where I’d left it) was hard enough for me to pay attention, anyway. Then the level machinery, mood, and music of the Juicy Jungle world afterwards began to cast a spell. It’s capped off by a polar bear duel scored by genuinely one of the most epic boss themes and now I was fully converted. I’ve since 100%-ed the game, and the things that irked me initially now seem moot and irrelevant. I could probably write a gushing ode just to the roll-jump. Once again, the difference is wild.

(There’s still rather a lot of that panpipe flute thing going on, though).

Could I have enjoyed it this much before? Genuinely unsure, though there are other examples. A Highland Song I lost myself in enough to make my own paper map of its highlands, and I think the Eurogamer review noting that the point was as much being in the mountains as getting through them in time might have helped. Final Fantasy XII was just a great game at the wrong time for me to properly receive it first time round, but years later I had the room in my life to accommodate and adore it. Sometimes I wonder if watching Videogamedunkey shenanigans has fostered a more playful, less reverent approach to some games.

You can’t be persuaded to like a thing with logic, but sometimes you might be borderline enough that a recalibration of expectation, or approach, or timing can help you enjoy more things. Wow, two cakes!

So anyway, I pitched the idea for retrying Galaxy, but in truth was not optimistic. It was my final boss of Not For Me But Good For You Guys (also, What Is Wrong With You Guys?); just so clearly, primally, instinctively not what I like about Mario, forever primed by 64 and the over-maligned Sunshine, where the game was as much Mario’s core moveset as the conversation between Mario and the Level.

Also, I’d been stuck on that daredevil run against Bouldergeist, which was very long and boring to retry.

But it worked. Maybe I approached it a bit more like a 2D Mario of bread-and-butter (gravity) jumping instead of nimble acrobatics. Or maybe I’d become more open to its different flavour of fun, enjoying being a part of each level’s calibrated machinery of drama and delight. Maybe I’m just older.

Either way, I’ve had a (launch star) blast. I’m no longer weirdly irritated by the post-level tallies, and the matte fabric-grain of the textures now makes gorgeous, obvious sense. I’ve stopped pressing ‘Y’ quite as much and instead do that enemy-kick mid-run to maintain the flow. I’ve punted coconuts between planets in Dusty Dune Galaxy and smiled with glee at the pure kinaesthetic poetry of it. The Toy Time galaxy was just my kind of joy time.

And nearly 20 years after first borrowing a mate’s Wii to try it, I finally finished the game and loved it and have been eyeing up Galaxy 2. I’m glad to be on this side of the click.

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What games took a while to click for you? And what made those games click?

The latest Nintendo Download update for North America arrived yesterday, bringing new games galore to the eShop. As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy!

Switch eShop – Highlights

Mina The Hollower (Yacht Club Games, 29th May, $19.99) – Descend into a frightful world of action-adventure as Mina, a renowned Hollower who is on a desperate mission to rescue a cursed island. Burrow beneath hazards and monsters, whip foes into oblivion, and gear up with an arsenal of sidearms and trinkets. Explore a vast world filled with pixel-perfect graphics, masterful gameplay, beastly bosses and infectious music. Encounter a cast of bizarre characters, search out secrets and illuminate the omnipresent darkness in this brand-new game from the developers who brought you Shovel Knight. – Read our Mina The Hollower review

Switch eShop – New Releases

Bluey’s Quest For The Gold Pen (PM Studios, 28th May, $35.99) – Join everyone’s favorite blue heeler with a new story by the show’s creator in Bluey’s Quest for The Gold Pen. When Dad snatches the Gold Pen Bluey needs to finish her drawing, Bluey and her family are swept into a world of fun and adventure. Explore charming, hand-drawn worlds, uncover hidden treasures, and solve playful puzzles as you help bring the Gold Pen home. Written by Joe Brumm, this original story features fully-animated cutscenes and exploration-focused gameplay, designed to be enjoyed by fans of all ages. – Read our Bluey’s Quest For The Gold Pen review

eFootball Kick-Off! (KONAMI, 3rd Jun, $19.99) – Reborn from the legendary PES series, eFootball Kick-Off! marks the franchise’s debut on a Nintendo console, delivering an accessible, high-energy football experience designed for play anytime, anywhere. Built specifically for Nintendo Switch 2, the game features responsive controls and pick-up-and-play action that welcomes newcomers while rewarding tactical mastery. Celebrating more than 30 years of football gaming, eFootball Kick-Off! brings together national and club teams from around the world, featuring top players and iconic legends. Fans can compete across a variety of modes, including World Tour, where players build and develop their own club, and additional downloadable experiences such as International Cup. With both local and online play options, players can enjoy fast-paced matches solo or against friends and competitors worldwide.

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH (SQUARE ENIX, 3rd Jun, $49.99) – After escaping from the dystopian city of Midgar, Cloud and his friends set out on a journey across the planet. New adventures await in a vibrant and vast world – sprint across grassy plains on a chocobo and explore expansive environments.

LOLLIPOP CHAINSAW RePOP Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (Dragami Games, 28th May, $44.99) – Using the nimble moves she mastered through cheerleading and wielding a massive chainsaw, Juliet slices through hordes of zombies in exhilarating action. The Chain Hit Hunting system increases chainsaw attack speed as your combo count rises, and the newly added Chainsaw Blaster with auto-fire pushes the excitement even further! With improved playability, dazzling visual effects that brighten the screen, and brand-new background music, there’s plenty to enjoy.

Touhou Yukkuri Mountain – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (BeXide, 28th May, $14.84) – Throw, Merge, and Grow! : Simply drop the “Yukkuri” into the bowl! When two of the same kind touch, they transform into a larger Yukkuri! Don’t Let Them Fall! : It’s Game Over if the Yukkuri overflow from the bowl. . . Aim for the High Score! : Growing them large and triggering consecutive merges (Chains) will skyrocket your score!

A Frog’s Job 2: Froggina (Ratalaika Games, 29th May, $4.99) – Your life has come to an end, when you find Frog God he seems impressed. Turns out most frog souls need a soul reaper to show them the way to the afterlife. And there seems to be few soul reapers currently, which is why he offers you a job! You can earn reincarnation if you collect enough lost frog souls. For that task you’ve been gifted with the ability to stop and resume time at your will. You can also soot a projectile of goo you can ride! Jump over moving platforms, avoid pits, spikes, and enemies to rescue those souls. How many souls can you save? Find out in this timeless puzzle platformer.

Alien Cat Story (Brainium Games, 28th May, $7.99) – Get ready for an amazing adventure on an alien planet, full of dangers, puzzles and unexpected allies. Only you can help the cat fix his ship and leave this dangerous world. The main character is a cat, a pilot of a small flying ship. After an accident, he finds himself on an unknown planet, where his goal is to collect fuses to fix the ship and return home. On the way, the cat encounters various enemies, difficult levels and puzzles, as well as allies.

Bag Fight: Gem Chest Edition (QubicGames, 22nd May, $22.49) – This deckbuilding roguelite puts inventory management into the heart of every run. Build a backpack full of weapons, armor, and healing items, carefully arranging your gear to create a setup that can carry you through battle after battle. This bundle includes the Chest of Gems, which gives you 2000 Gems – premium currency you can use to unlock new heroes, purchase chips, skins, and awesome offers in the black market, or gain a powerful edge during battles!

Beat The Champions (Purple Play, 28th May, $17.99) – Beat the Champions is arcade football pushed to the extreme. Face legendary players in explosive matches full of rhythm, skill, and special abilities. Charge up and unleash your powers, control the pitch with precise movements, and make split-second decisions. Timing changes everything. Outside the box, there are no fouls, creating constant action, riskier confrontations near the goal, and decisive moments that can change the match in an instant. Every game is dynamic and unpredictable, whether in quick matches or tournaments. Plus, you can choose from historic Argentina National Team squads thanks to the official license of the Argentine Football Association (AFA). Score goals and make incredible plays with Messi, Maradona, Batistuta, and many other Albiceleste legends. Beat the Champions is guaranteed fun for a World Cup year.

Cat in a Jam: City Secrets (GAME NACIONAL, 30th May, $1.99) – In this 3D narrative exploration adventure, you take control of Bisteca, a house cat who finds himself caught in an urban predicament. Complete over 30 varied missions to earn coins and gather information, help residents, make deliveries, and when things take a darker turn, venture into the city’s underworld to uncover clues about a mysterious disappearance.

Clown Is Hungry (Vidas Games, 28th May, $6.99) – Clown Is Hungry is a comedy horror game about delivering a pizza to a scary Clown. The pizza girl Kat is already late to a party, but she has one more pizza to deliver late at night. The town is quiet, but this neighborhood seems to be sinister and creepy. Kat finds weird signs in the street warning about pizza, and to never deliver any pizza here. Kat decides that she has to do her job anyway and ignores the warnings, but soon she realizes that they are there for a reason as she knocks on the door of the last house on the street, where the Clown lives.

Counter Call – Half Escape Shooter (St Pow Games, 2nd Jun, $7.99) – Counter Call – Half Escape Shooter Enter a high-intensity first-person shooter built for nonstop action and fast decision-making. Every mission throws you straight into combat, where quick reflexes, precision aiming, and smart positioning are the only way to survive. Fight through waves of enemies across compact, action-driven maps designed to keep you constantly engaged. There’s no downtime — every route leads to new encounters, pushing you to stay alert and react instantly to threats coming from all directions.

Criminal Profile Who’s the Culprit?! (MASK, 28th May, $2.99) – Read the case carefully, study the illustration, and find the hidden clue that reveals the answer. With simple controls and bite-sized puzzles, anyone can enjoy the feeling of being a detective. Who among the suspects is the culprit? Who is the real father? Who has already passed away? These and many more tricky mystery cases await! Even if a question has you stumped, helpful hints will guide you forward. Play solo, or challenge family and friends to see who can solve each case the fastest. Use your intuition, observation skills, and deduction power to clear every mystery!

Do You even Forklift? (Take IT Studio!, 28th May, $7.99) – Silly physics-based forklift game inspired by Ghibli and Japanese car culture! Use your forklift skills in logic puzzles with many unexpected outcomes! When all you have is a Forklift, everything looks like a palette. Take a flight to Ghibli stylized JAPAN! Let your forklift loose on a peaceful prefecture.

EGGCONSOLE Hercules PC-8801mkIISR (D4 Enterprise, 28th May, $6.49) – This title is an action-puzzle game originally released by Kogado Studio in 1986. Players take on the role of Herakuresu-kun, overcoming numerous trials on a journey to meet Lord Deus. Each stage is filled with interactive elements: blocks to move or destroy, springs for jumping, and essential items like axes and keys to unlock doors to the next room. Be on your guard, as enemies such as Saikoropusu, Kikantesu, and Kentaurosu also roam the levels.

Escape game R00M13 (AlignmentSharp, 28th May, $1.00) – Move through 3D space to find hints, solve mysteries and escape from the room. Anyone can play to the end because you can see hints and answers.

Exodus : Creepy Time (Brainium Games, 28th May, $7.99) – “Exodus: Creepy Time” is an exciting casual style game with elements of a simplified roguelike. An ominous journey through dark and gloomy locations awaits you, where every action you take has serious consequences. Survive in a world where darkness and horror lurk at every turn. Collect resources, upgrade your character and develop new skills to survive in this horror world. Trapped in a world steeped in darkness and horror, where sinister forces rule every corner. The main character discovers that the world he is in has turned out to be cursed.

Formula 2026: Rise of Legends (Eclipse Interactive, 28th May, $9.89) – Jump into fast-paced open-wheel racing and test your skills on the track. In Formula 2026: Rise of Legends, you’ll drive powerful race cars, take on challenging circuits, and compete against skilled AI drivers. Every race is a chance to improve, push your limits, and climb the ranks. Whether you’re looking for quick racing action or a full career journey, the track is yours.

High and Dry (404 Games, 26th May, $2.99) – Set sail on a ruthless rogue-like pirate adventure where every voyage brings you closer to glory—or to the bottom of the sea. Long ago, you made a cursed deal with the legendary Davey Jones, and now he’s coming to claim your soul. With the clock ticking toward your final confrontation, you must raid ships, hunt treasure, build your crew, and become powerful enough to survive the battle waiting beyond the horizon.

Island Robot Farm (Wise Games, 28th May, $9.90) – Island Robot Farm is a relaxing idle farm simulation game. Robots automate farming, production, animal husbandry, and construction to freely develop your massive island.

Kabuto Park (Seaven Studio, 28th May, $5.99) – Catch the cutest bugs, train them and win the Summer Beetle Battles Championship in this tiny bug collection game! Upgrade your equipment to find rarer, stronger and shinier little friends. Kabuto Park is a cute and short bug collection game. Spend a month as Hana, a little girl on summer vacation. Catch the best bugs and level them up, choose your team carefully and fight other kids to become the Summer Beetle Battles champion. Expect 2 to 4 hours of serene bug catching, exciting little battles and summer vibes.

Kiko’s Apple Adventure (Mameshiba Games, 29th May, $5.99) – Kiko the bear has one goal: to bake the biggest apple pie ever for the annual Apple Festival! To do that, Kiko needs lots of apples. Curious and excited, Kiko sets off on a wooden raft to explore fun and colorful islands, discovering new surprises and collecting apples along the way. Some naughty creatures are trying to stop Kiko… But Kiko is clever and always one step ahead!

Liquor Store Simulator (Console Labs, 1st Jun, $12.99) – Liquor Store Simulator is a simulation game about developing your own store. You start your business in a small shop that you bought on credit. Buy goods, manage your store, hire staff. Who knows, maybe you will be able to make a real alcohol empire out of a small store. At first, it won’t be easy—you’ll have to work at the checkout yourself, accept deliveries, keep records, and maintain order in the sales area. But hard work and smart decisions will help you turn a modest retail outlet into a thriving store with a wide selection and satisfied customers.

Math Pals – Dino Academy (EpiXR Games, 28th May, $3.99) – Math Pals – Dino Academy is an educational math game designed for preschool and elementary school children. Kids learn essential math skills—counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division—in a playful, stress-free environment guided by friendly dinosaur characters. Each topic is divided into areas with 20 carefully designed levels. Difficulty increases slowly and clearly, starting with small numbers and visual aids and growing toward larger numbers and more complex tasks.

Micro Overdrive: Home Tour (LUCKY RACCOON GAMES, 28th May, $9.99) – Race tiny vehicles across oversized household tracks in Micro Overdrive: Home Tour, a fast and colourful arcade racing game inspired by classic top-down racers. Compete through the Home Tour solo mode, unlock new cups and drivers, and master unpredictable tracks filled with playful hazards, sharp turns, and surprising twists. Play solo or challenge friends in local Cup Mode for up to 4 players. Choose your driver, pick your difficulty, and enjoy quick, chaotic races built for couch competition.

Midnight Swamp (Sometimes You, 29th May, $7.99) – Midnight Swamp is a dark point-and-click adventure where you will dive into a world of eerie fairy tales. Play as a tourist who must find a way out of a mysterious swamp, where every corner hides a riddle.

My Little Puppy (Dreamotion, 29th May, $24.99) – One day in doggy heaven, a Welsh Corgi named Bong-gu catches a whiff of his human dad in the afterlife. Sniff, bark, run and jump as you embark on a touching narrative adventure as Bong-gu to reunite with his dearly departed dad in a story of relationships, farewells and reunions.

N.E.R.D (Forever Entertainment, 28th May, $6.39) – Inspired by cult classic thrillers, this is an experience that will pull you in – and won’t let go. Dark, intense, and deeply unsettling, every moment pushes you further into the unknown. In a cruel twist of fate, everything you know is torn apart. Your significant other is kidnapped and you’re next. Trapped by a masked maniac, you must fight to survive by solving intricate puzzles and navigating deadly rooms filled with traps. Uncover buried secrets, piece together the truth, and confront a past that refuses to stay hidden. Will you escape… or become part of the nightmare?

Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis: Next! (Gameloft, 28th May, $29.99) – Challenge a friend to a tennis match where you can play as SpongeBob, Aang, and all your Nickelodeon favorites in fast-paced, local split-screen action! All-Star Nickelodeon Characters: Pick your star player from among 15 iconic Nickelodeon characters from SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and more!

Night Swarm (NAISU, 28th May, $7.99) – Night Swarm is a vampire-themed roguelite RPG bullet hell where you play as a fearsome young vampire lord rising to power. Gather loyal allies, unleash devastating abilities, and fight back against the relentless werewolf hordes that threaten to consume the night.

One Military Camp (Abylight, 28th May, $22.49) – A CAMP LIKE NO OTHER An evil maniac has conquered all territories in the region, except one. The world’s last hope resides in an old military camp located in this peaceful land. Bring it back to its former glory, to recruit and train a brave group of fighters to push back the evil forces. BUILD Face the challenge of building a military camp, keeping an eye on the resources and logistics. Place the buildings efficiently, hire the staff that will keep everything running and set up the training courses. Build defenses, because the enemy will send spies and drones to try to sabotage your camp.

One Move Away (Playstack, 28th May, $13.49) – One Move Away is a 3D, first-person game that blends packing based puzzles with a beautiful art style. Strategically pack away possessions at various stages of three characters’ lives. As we go through life, the number of possessions we accumulate grows, making packing a difficult task. This vast collection of belongings becomes challenging when it’s time to pack. Pack Your Way! Whether you’re a meticulous or chaotic packer, One Move Away challenges you to pack your way. Optimize your strategy or embrace the mess, just make sure the boot closes!

Piggy’s Farm (Afil Games, 28th May, $3.49) – Get ready for a relaxing and charming puzzle where every move matters and every solution brings that satisfying sense of accomplishment. You take control of a dedicated farmer pig on a mission to organize carrots and radishes into their correct planting spots. Inspired by classic logic games, it transforms simplicity into a clever challenge. Push, test paths, undo mistakes when needed, and discover the best way to organize each scenario without pressure or time limits.

Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5 (Mob Entertainment, 27th May, $19.99) – In the latest terrifying chapter of the Poppy Playtime saga, you are propelled further into the gruesome depths of the factory, with Playtime’s security system Huggy Wuggy in hot pursuit. Abandoned by your only allies, your fight for survival gets all the more challenging as you race further into the abyss that is His domain. Here, shadows whisper, and the puppet master who lords over this realm pulls the strings of madness. Can you stand against evil and finally put an end to this nightmare? Every bloody move forward will test your resolve as you uncover secrets years in the making.

Realm of Ink (4Divinity, 26th May, $24.99) – Realm of Ink is an Ink-style action Roguelite game. While pursuing the Fox Demon, the swordswoman Red, unexpectedly finds that her life is dictated by the ‘destiny’ within the world of the book. Only by breaking free can she unveil the truth of her existence and challenge the constraints of fate.

Rica Mode♡ (CyberStep, 28th May, $24.99) – “If you do not wake up. . . I will play a little prank on you. ” As being the only son of a noble family in the kingdom, the personal maid you have hired was your childhood friend Rica Hanamiya. Having Rica by your side everyday, at every moment, she teases you nonstop, and your heart would not stop racing! Hoping that this life would go on forever. But– One remark from your father shakes both of your hearts. Can the two with a different status share the same fate?

Risky Roads (NOSTRA GAMES, 28th May, $1.99) – Running across the road is a very challenging task for a little chicken. Lots of very fast cars and unexpected obstacles. You need a good reaction to help this cute little guy. Don’t forget that he has friends and they also want to cross the road.

Scarlet Wolf (Sometimes You, 3rd Jun, $7.99) – If you’re ready to run and play a deadly game of hide-and-seek, then come on in and make yourself at home. Behind the door, endless oppressive corridors, filthy walls, deadly traps, and a ravenous creature eagerly waiting to get up close and personal with you await. There are doors that should remain locked. There are places that no one should ever visit. Secrets hidden in the shadows should not come to light. But if you do wander into one of these places, know this: your enemy is strong and dangerous. He plays with your emotions and feelings as he pleases. Run away from there as fast as you can and don’t look back. After all, there is no enemy more cruel and insidious than your own past.

Scorched Lands (Downmeadowstreet, 29th May, $4.99) – Explore the haunting remnants of a world reshaped by fire and time. Scorched Lands is an atmospheric first-person exploration experience set across a vast, otherworldly desert landscape — where volcanic rock formations tower over ancient skeletal ruins, alien flora blooms defiantly from cracked earth, and the sky burns a permanent crimson.

Sneaky Secret Mission! (SAT-BOX, 28th May, $5.00) – School, work, home—there are lots of places to play! Enjoy the thrill as you try not to get caught! Up to 6 players can join in the fun with a Joy-Con for each player! Watch for the perfect timing to earn as many points as possible!

Sokobear Winter (Bad Minions, 28th May, $3.99) – Adjust the temperature and relax in the spa! Sokobear Winter is a relaxing puzzle game with 40 cozy levels to warm up your day! Push the logs into the correct spots to raise the spa’s temperature to perfection. But beware: blocks of ice block your path and must be broken before you can move forward. Challenge yourself to complete each stage with the fewest moves and in the shortest time possible. Things can get tricky… how do you get that log over there if you can only push?

Syr and The Stars’ Revival (Emma Create, 23rd May, $9.99) – ◇What is “Syr and The Stars’ Revival”? ◇ Spica became a legendary Nextuber. But her era of fame ended abruptly when she suddenly disappeared. Fans mourned her and longed for her return—but no matter how long they waited, she never came back. Over time, the residents of the Cyber World where she once shined began to leave, one by one. Now, several years after Spica vanished… A new girl has appeared in the Cyber World, which is on the brink of collapse after losing its brightest star. She is ready to debut as a Nextuber. Her name is Syr. This is the story of her journey to restore the Cyber World’s lost star.

Tale of Dark Lands (Sometimes You, 2nd Jun, $7.99) – Tale of Dark Lands – a magical fantasy action RPG with an elegant low-poly style and the charm of a timeless fairy tale. Immerse yourself in a world of mysteries, perils, and glorious adventures! A story full of secrets and challenges. The main hero is a brave mercenary hired by the residents of a small village to defend them against fierce goblin raids. But what begins as a simple job turns into something far greater. Soon, the hero becomes entwined in an ancient dark tale that threatens the entire land, and only he can stop the encroaching darkness. Create the hero of your dreams. A flexible character editor lets you craft a hero with a unique appearance.

Thornkin (Gametry, 22nd May, $1.99) – Thornkin is a dark fantasy pixel-art platformer set in a cursed forest filled with thorns, ruins, and hidden dangers. Take control of a small mysterious creature and journey through a haunting world where every path leads deeper into shadow. Leap across deadly traps, avoid ruthless enemies, uncover secrets, and survive the twisted wilderness that surrounds you. With atmospheric environments, handcrafted levels, and a fragile hero facing an unforgiving world, Thornkin blends exploration, precision platforming, and eerie adventure into a compact but memorable experience.

Wall World 2 (Alawar Premium, 28th May, $13.99) – The world of the Wall awaits. Wall World 2 builds on the mining rogue-lite experience with expanded mechanics, new challenges, and deeper gameplay. Explore procedurally generated mines full of new discoveries and dangers. Extract valuable resources, harness lost technologies, and upgrade your robospider and exosuit to survive against hordes of raging monsters. Venture through incredible biomes and uncover the secrets entombed in the depths of the Wall.

Zoo Orbs: Safari (Afil Games, 29th May, $3.49) – Get ready for a cute and addictive savanna adventure. In Zoo Orbs Safari, adorable animals fall into glass containers full of personality, and it is up to you to merge them into bigger creatures. Combine two identical animals and climb the evolution chain until you reach the majestic Giraffe, the ultimate trophy of your run. Each merge creates a small burst that nudges nearby pieces, triggering fun chain reactions and keeping the pile alive.

Demos

BALL x PIT (Devolver Digital, $14.99) – – Try out this brick-breaking, ball-fusing, base-building survival roguelite. Nintendo Switch Online members can access the free Game Trial period starting today at 10 a.m. PT until June 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT. If you decide to purchase the game during or after this offer, you’ll keep all save data, so you won’t have to worry about losing your progress. Additionally, Nintendo Switch Online members can earn 100 My Nintendo Platinum Points by participating.

Pictonico! (Nintendo, iOS/Android, free-to-start demo) – Play with your photos in this free-to-start, smart-device game where you can experience pictures of your choice as a collection of silly minigames starring you and your loved ones. Rediscover old photos of friends and family and see them in a whole new light as they navigate everything from zombie attacks, quirky costume changes, carnival challenges and more. Try a few of the games for free, then expand the fun by purchasing additional volumes to unlock up to 80 minigames in total, ranging from easy to tricky. – Read our Pictonico! review

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What will you be downloading this week? (80 votes)

1. Mina the Hollower – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition33%
2. Mina The Hollower (Switch 1)5%
3. Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen6%
4. Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen (Switch 1)  0%
5. eFootball Kick-Off!3%
6. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth29%
7. Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition6%
8. Touhou Yukkuri Mountain – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition  0%
9. A Frog’s Job 2: Froggina  0%
10. Alien Cat Story1%
11. Bag Fight: Gem Chest Edition  0%
12. Beat The Champions  0%
13. Cat in a Jam: City Secrets  0%
14. Clown Is Hungry  0%
15. Counter Call – Half Escape Shooter  0%
16. Criminal Profile Who’s the Culprit?!  0%
17. Do You even Forklift?1%
18. EGGCONSOLE Hercules PC-8801mkIISR1%
19. Escape game R00M13  0%
20. Exodus : Creepy Time  0%
21. Formula 2026: Rise of Legends  0%
22. High and Dry  0%
23. Island Robot Farm  0%
24. Kabuto Park  0%
25. Kiko’s Apple Adventure  0%
26. Liquor Store Simulator  0%
27. Math Pals – Dino Academy  0%
28. Micro Overdrive: Home Tour  0%
29. Midnight Swamp  0%
30. My Little Puppy3%
31. N.E.R.D  0%
32. Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis: Next!  0%
33. Night Swarm  0%
34. One Military Camp  0%
35. One Move Away  0%
36. Piggy’s Farm  0%
37. Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5  0%
38. Realm of Ink  0%
39. Rica Mode♡  0%
40. Risky Roads  0%
41. Scarlet Wolf  0%
42. Scorched Lands  0%
43. Sneaky Secret Mission!  0%
44. Sokobear Winter  0%
45. Syr and The Stars’ Revival  0%
46. Tale of Dark Lands  0%
47. Thornkin  0%
48. Wall World 21%
49. Zoo Orbs: Safari  0%
50. Pictonico!1%
51. Nothing for me this week10%

So that’s your lot for this week’s North American Nintendo Download. Drop a vote in the poll above, and comment below with your hot picks!

Just in case it slipped your mind, this is your friendly reminder that this weekend is your last chance to pick up Aquiris Games’ wonderful racer, Horizon Chase Turbo, before it leaves the eShop for good.

The Brazilian developer announced back in March that both the standard and ‘Turbo’ editions of the game would leave all digital storefronts on 1st June. You’ll still be able to re-download it after this date, but all new purchases will be off the table.

While it wasn’t confirmed at the time, the removal statement came the very same day that Epic Games announced it was laying off over 1,000 staff members — Aquiris was acquired by Epic back in 2023, let’s not forget. So you can see how dots could be connected there.

It’s a big shame to see it go, because Horizon Chase Turbo rules. We called it “an absolute must-have for anyone even remotely interested in the genre” in our 2018 review, so if that’s you, you’d better move fast.

For the time being, you’ll still find Horizon Chase Turbo on the Switch eShop for £17.99 / $19.99. The game’s sequel, Horizon Chase 2, is remaining on the storefront for the foreseeable future.

What do you make of Horizon Chase Turbo? Will you finally be checking it out for the first time this weekend? Let us know in the comments.

We’re closing in on Star Fox‘s almighty return, and Nintendo has today shared a little more footage of how the game plays with Switch 2’s unique control schemes.

It’s Mouse Mode that takes the spotlight in this new clip (re-posted to Bluesky by @Stealth40k), showcasing the opening Corneria City stage with the super-precise Joy-Con aiming.

The control scheme looks pleasant enough — even if it will only be available in the game’s Campaign and Challenge modes — but it’s the extra little look at Corneria City that we’re really loving here. Sure, the locale will no doubt look familiar to those of us who have played through Star Fox 64 countless times, but check out all the extra detail! The lighting, the holograms, the rubble — oof, this sure is going to be a pretty one.

As a reminder, Star Fox lands on Switch 2 on 25th June, complete with revamped visuals, new cutscenes, GameChat filters and more.

What do you make of this new footage? How hyped are you for Star Fox on Switch 2? Let us know in the comments.

When first revealed, Pictonico was clearly channelling serious WarioWare energy. That madcap microgame series got two Switch entries — 2021’s multiplayer-focused Get it Together! and 2023’s Move It!, inspired by the Wii’s Smooth Moves — but the microgame format feels particularly well-suited to touchscreen mobile devices.

However, I didn’t expect this to be WarioWare pretty much 1:1, minus the Wario.

It’s all here, just streamlined: the thick-lined, colourful presentation; the three-lives format as you scramble to parse what’s required in just a few seconds; the escalating audio that ramps up the tension between games; the anything-goes, collage-like aesthetic that somehow gels.

The microgames themselves, too, riff on some of WarioWare’s greatest games and themes. You can’t move for unshaven moustaches, sprouting flowers, and interactive nostrils. And yes, you will be plucking nose hairs; the only difference being it’s your nose hairs for the plucking this time. That, and you’re doing it on your phone.

Downloading the app, you get almost nothing for free. It’s a small demo that will last you a matter of minutes after you’ve gone through Nintendo’s T&Cs and various privacy assurances. There’s definitely a ‘trust us’ vibe to those, but no photos leave your phone at any time, and the safeguards and options for selecting specific images for individual games, tailoring which ones are pulled for use, deleting your play history, and removing any pics at any time are extensive.

Pictonico functions by scanning uploaded photos for faces to use in its microgames. Should you accidentally add random images you downloaded from the internet — or if you want to remove pics following a breakup or other painful life event — it’s a fairly simple process.

Obviously, everyone’s photo albums are different (you may have fewer t-shirt models posted by the menswear guy or shots of random bequiffed dudes to show the hairdresser on your Camera Roll), so it’s good to have granular options to create albums and block images if you’ve just imported everything into the app. Personally, I’m more selective, but you do you.

It’s worth noting that no internet connection is needed beyond the initial download/setup or buying paid microgame Volume Packs, which you’ll need to do to access the meat of the game.

There are two available at launch: the larger Volume 1 ($7.99 / £6.99 / €7,99) has 50 games and 20 stages, and Volume 2 ($5.99 / £5.39 / €5,99) has 30 games across 12 stages. I played on an iPhone 17 Pro, which you’d hope would be snappy, and was instantly impressed with the general feel and presentation of the UI – big chunky buttons and fast responses, no spinning loading symbols. It feels like A-team Nintendo fare.

As for the games themselves, anyone who’s played a WarioWare will know exactly what to expect. For the uninitiated, you’re given a few seconds to follow an instruction to manipulate the screen in some way – unwrapping a present, peeling a banana, zipping up the mouths of chatty opera attendees, banging drums to attract a baby as it crosses an obstacle-strewn street, that sort of thing.

Whether you’re defeating evil wizards or unravelling mummies, nothing lasts longer than 10 seconds and the barrage of Python-esque mania and gradual speed increase keeps the energy high – now with the added charm of seeing you and yours popping up in-game in surprising ways.

This introduces a welcome element of Tomodachi Life-style random interaction and micro-narratives as you poke sleeping classmates or skydive with random people on your phone. That off-the-wall, distinctly personal feeling complements the traditional WarioWare loop nicely.

Playing through those stages (10 microgame rounds in each) unlocks Score Attack mode, a Games list (where you can play any microgame you’ve unlocked), and a Random 10 option, which does what it says on the tin. There’s also a Mix mode, which gathers games from any Volumes you’ve bought.

Completing stages nets you coins used to pull gatcha-style collectible fortune cards, or to Continue if you run out of hearts while playing. Things get very frantic in the latter stages, but “SUCCESS” in all 10 games bags you bonus coins and a little crown on the stage ‘map’. Something for completionists to shoot for.

Cautious about giving any app unfettered access to my albums (and conscious of needing usable pics for this review), I wanted to test how it worked with a fairly small sample size, selecting just 41 photos featuring me and my kids. As you’ll see from the screens on this page, it’s mostly stupid grins and surprised-face selfies. Apologies.

And it works fairly well with a fairly restricted selection. Obviously a wider image pool makes for more surprises, but Intelligent Systems gets plenty of mileage from the same snaps, pulling faces from different photos into new scenarios and contexts, flipping, rotating, and animating them to keep things fresh and manic, just as you’d expect from WarioWare.

We already know the series pairs well with a touchscreen — and DSi’s WarioWare: Snapped! previously experimented with camera microgames, with mixed results — and Pictonico dovetails beautifully with your phone. There’s none of the dissonance you may have felt on seeing Mario reduced to a jump-tap in Portrait Mode, or Tour‘s simplified take on Mario Kart. This feels like Nintendo’s most natural mobile fit by far.

A summary at the end of each stage gives you the opportunity to download and share a shot of every game you played, also displaying which photos the faces came from. Many of the screens on this page come from that round-up, so there’s plenty of scope for sending relatives snaps of them as a sunflower or marrying Commander Riker or whatever. (Come on, surely everyone’s got at least one Riker shot saved on their phone!?)

Cards on the table, I went in expecting Pictonico to be a ‘lite’ take on WarioWare, scrubbed and sanitised for a new audience unaccustomed to the anti-Mario’s flatulence and nose-picking. I was expecting something ‘lesser’, but what we’ve got here is the unadulterated WarioWare experience — with a little bit of Face Raiders mixed in — tailored and streamlined expertly for your phone. It’s…really good!

It’s also quite short. Familiarity with the series may be a factor, but after a few hours I’d burned through all the stages and microgames within both packs. There’s more to do if I want to unlock Game Centre achievements and get little crowns on every stage, and adding new photos would freshen things up again, but you’re not getting the full quantity of ‘Ware you would from a console entry.

Then again, you’re not paying for a full console entry. The Volume Packs are on the pricey side, perhaps, but for the smiles they’ve elicited, it’s a worthwhile investment, especially if you have kids to guffaw at the sight of you as a tank engine. Let’s put it another way: I’ll definitely be downloading future packs.

I’m intrigued to see the form they’ll take, too. Perhaps it’s fitting that Nintendo ousted Wario — who’s exploited his friends for his microgame empire long enough — from his own series and took the format to a new platform. But he could return.

Who am I kidding? I don’t really care about Wario. I just want a 9-Volt pack.

We’re still waiting on the new Switch 2 release date for 007 First Light after it was delayed on the hybrid back in April, but that hasn’t stopped Bond from getting off to a flying start elsewhere.

Developer and publisher IO Interactive has today shared the game’s first sales figures, revealing that First Light shifted a beefy 1.5 million copies in its first 24 hours — talk about having the Midas Touch, eh?

“Thank you for showing up to the launch of 007 First Light,” the accompanying message from the studio reads, “for your overwhelming enthusiasm and for sharing your experience with the game”.

While we’re still going to have to wait a little while longer to see how First Light holds up on Switch 2, it seems to have gone down really rather well elsewhere, with several outlets praising it as the best James Bond game ever. Fingers crossed for some news on the Switch 2 front soon, eh?

Have you already checked out Bond’s latest elsewhere, or are you still waiting for the Switch 2 port? Let us know in the comments.

After being teased back in February’s Pokémon Presents showcase, The Pokémon Company is almost ready to lift the lid on its upcoming 30th anniversary Trading Card Game products.

As brought to our attention by Serebii.net, TPC will release a special video on its YouTube channel on 1st June at 2pm BST / 3pm CET / 6am PT / 9am ET to reveal the anniversary range.

We still have very little idea of what the collection will have in store, with the only thing officially revealed so far being that neon Mew and Mewtwo art featured in the Presents. The “dazzling line of products” is scheduled for a “simultaneous global launch in participating markets in 2026,” TPC revealed back in February, so we can be confident that we’ll see it at some point this year.

Whatever it is, we’re sure that the scalpers out there will behave totally normally and will make sure that everyone who wants a slice of this 30th anniversary pie can get one. Pfft, yeah right.

The Pokémon Company recently said that it is considering using government ID to tackle TCG scalping down to the line and “provide all customers with fair and safe opportunities” in Japan. Whether this comes into play for the 30th anniversary set in the region remains to be seen, but it’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Will you be trying to get in on the TCG 30th anniversary range? let us know in the comments.

Annapurna Interactive’s wonderful cat platformer (catformer?), Stray, finally made the jump to Switch 2 earlier this week, but those with the game already on Switch 1 might have noticed that there’s no sign of a free upgrade path. Well, sit tight, because there’s one inbound.

Publisher Annapurna Interactive took to socials yesterday to apologise for the missing upgrade. “Today’s launch for Stray on Nintendo Switch 2 was intended to have a 100% owners discount for those who already own Stray digitally on Switch 1 (excluding Japan),” the message reads, “Due to an error on the storefront backend, this discount is not being correctly applied.”

A follow-up post on Bluesky added, “We’re working with Nintendo to get this fixed over the next few days, and apologize for the inconvenience.”

There’s something about the specification of “those who already own Stray digitally on Switch 1″ that leads us (and many others, looking at the comments) to wonder if physical S1 owners will also get the upgrade for free. The publisher has remained silent in response to questions on this topic online, which doesn’t fill us with hope. We’ve reached out to Annapurna Interactive for clarification and will update this post when we hear back.

For those without the S1 edition, Stray’s Switch 2 version is now available on the Switch eShop for £23.99 / $29.99, with a 40% launch discount bringing it down to £14.39 / £17.99 until 17th June. This release boasts 4K visuals, improved frame rate and added mouse controls — just keep the mouse away from the game’s protagonist.

Will you be checking out Stray on Switch 2? Pounce down to the comments and let us know.