Nintendo has already ruled out the Game Boy Advance titles Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen coming to the Switch Online ‘Nintendo Classics’ service, so how about the possibility of more Game Boy purchases via the eShop, similar to the Virtual Console releases during the 3DS and Wii U generations.
Well, in case you missed it, this release for Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, which is taking place next week on 27th February 2026, is a special occasion. In other words, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee more standalone purchases from this era (or from other generations of “classic” Nintendo hardware) going forward, as there are seemingly no plans for “Virtual Console types of offerings”.
Although it’s not an outright “no”, according to Nintendo’s official FAQ for the upcoming Pokémon releases, the company insists it remains focused on offering its classic titles through the paid Switch Online + Expansion service.
What about other classic games beyond Pokémon titles? Is this the return of standalone Virtual Console types of offerings? Nintendo: “We remain focused on offering classic games through Nintendo Switch Online and Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.”
The reason behind these particular classic game releases being handled “differently” is because the company apparently thought it would be “fun” to celebrate 30 years of Pokémon like this. To join in on the fun, you’ll be required to pay £16.99 / $19.99 for each title.
Even if Nintendo’s comment here was to rule out the return of “Virtual Console types of offerings”, other companies such as Hamster Corporation has recently upped retro support with the announcement of its Console Archives collection. This new library from Hamster revives select titles from multiple console generations, and some titles are already available on the eShop.
Nintendo’s most recent update to the Switch Online service is the launch of the Virtual Boy library earlier this week. To access this particular library of games, you’ll need to have an active Expansion Pack membership and one of the new accessories (or try one of the workarounds).
What are your thoughts about this? Is Pokémon just an exception here? Would you like to see more classic games (or at least retro Pokémon titles) follow this model? Could you see Virtual Console-style offerings returning in some way or form one day? Let us know in the comments.
A week out from Pokémon Day and Pokémon’s official 30th anniversary celebrations, Nintendo has officially announced the return of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen as standalone eShop releases.
The announcement has surprised (and shocked) trainers around the globe in all sorts of ways and if the existing info dump wasn’t already enough, the official Pokémon YouTube channel is now sharing additional footage of the returning Game Boy Advance titles.
In this particular video, we’re given a side-by-side of the FireRed and LeafGreen opening themes, and how exactly you can expect them to look if you end up purchasing them for £16.99 / $19.99 each (or your regional equivalent) on the Switch.
“The excitement of the Kanto region, as well as the charming Pokémon you know and love, are just as you remember them with updated graphics in Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version. The Sevii Islands—not present in Pokémon Red or Pokémon Blue—have also been added, greatly expanding the areas you can explore and the scope of your adventure. We hope you enjoy these classic Pokémon adventures on Nintendo Switch too!”
These games are returning on 27th February 2026 and Nintendo has even released an extensive FAQ, clarifying all sorts of details about the Switch releases. This also rules out a local physical release, although there will be one made available in Japan, but it’s a code-in-box release.
Does the above opening intro bring back memories? Or will you be jumping into FireRed and LeafGreen for the first time? Let us know in the comments.
A week out from Pokémon Day and Pokémon’s official 30th anniversary celebrations, Nintendo has officially announced the return of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen as standalone eShop releases.
The announcement has surprised (and shocked) trainers around the globe in all sorts of ways and if the existing info dump wasn’t already enough, the official Pokémon YouTube channel is now sharing additional footage of the returning Game Boy Advance titles.
In this particular video, we’re given a side-by-side of the FireRed and LeafGreen opening themes, and how exactly you can expect them to look if you end up purchasing them for £16.99 / $19.99 each (or your regional equivalent) on the Switch.
“The excitement of the Kanto region, as well as the charming Pokémon you know and love, are just as you remember them with updated graphics in Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version. The Sevii Islands—not present in Pokémon Red or Pokémon Blue—have also been added, greatly expanding the areas you can explore and the scope of your adventure. We hope you enjoy these classic Pokémon adventures on Nintendo Switch too!”
These games are returning on 27th February 2026 and Nintendo has even released an extensive FAQ, clarifying all sorts of details about the Switch releases. This also rules out a local physical release, although there will be one made available in Japan, but it’s a code-in-box release.
Does the above opening intro bring back memories? Or will you be jumping into FireRed and LeafGreen for the first time? Let us know in the comments.
We’re fast approaching the release of Resident Evil Requiem on the Switch 2, and ahead of what might just be one of the most-anticipated games of 2026, Capcom has issued a special notice to the “Resident Evil community” about spoilers and leaks.
In a message on social media, it asks fans to “please” not “post or share any pre-release leaks and spoilers” of the new entry starring the series’ icon Leon S. Kennedy and the FBI intelligence analyst Grace Ashcroft.
Capcom has also mentioned in the same notice how its legal department will continue to issue takedowns and deletion notices if required.
Capcom: “We really want everyone to enjoy the game’s story and experience as much as possible. Our legal department will continue to issue takedowns and deletion notices for leaks in order to preserve your day-one experience.”
If you are planning on jumping into this new Resident Evil experience on release, and don’t want any spoilers, at least you know now to tread carefully over the coming days. Leaks tied to Requiem’s story (and more) are already supposedly circulating on social media, subreddits and elsewhere online.
Resident Evil Requiem launches for the Switch 2 on 27th February 2026, and there’ll be two amiibo released later this year.
Will you be checking out Resident Evil Requiem when it launches on the Switch 2 next week? Let us know in the comments.
We’re fast approaching the release of Resident Evil Requiem on the Switch 2, and ahead of what might just be one of the most-anticipated games of 2026, Capcom has issued a special notice to the “Resident Evil community” about spoilers and leaks.
In a message on social media, it asks fans to “please” not “post or share any pre-release leaks and spoilers” of the new entry starring the series’ icon Leon S. Kennedy and the FBI intelligence analyst Grace Ashcroft.
Capcom has also mentioned in the same notice how its legal department will continue to issue takedowns and deletion notices if required.
Capcom: “We really want everyone to enjoy the game’s story and experience as much as possible. Our legal department will continue to issue takedowns and deletion notices for leaks in order to preserve your day-one experience.”
If you are planning on jumping into this new Resident Evil experience on release, and don’t want any spoilers, at least you know now to tread carefully over the coming days. Leaks tied to Requiem’s story (and more) are already supposedly circulating on social media, subreddits and elsewhere online.
Resident Evil Requiem launches for the Switch 2 on 27th February 2026, and there’ll be two amiibo released later this year.
Will you be checking out Resident Evil Requiem when it launches on the Switch 2 next week? Let us know in the comments.
NieR:Automata continues to be a big sales success for Square Enix, and in a celebratory video for the game’s 9th anniversary, we now know the game — a sequel to 2010’s NieR — has sold over 10 million units. Plus we have a tease for the series’ future
Last we heard, the 2017 action RPG, which came to Switch in 2022 via an excellent port, had sold 9 million units back in December 2024. Another million copies sold in just over a year for a near-decade-old game isn’t bad at all.
But the big news is the teaser at the end of the trailer. As the screen fades to black, text appears to be typed onto the screen: NieR:Automata to be continued…
So, what does this mean? Are we getting a direct sequel? A brand new NieR game? A port of NieR Replicant, the remake of the original NieR, from 2021?
Image: Square Enix
Well, if you’re a long-time fan, though you might be inclined to get excited, you also know this could mean literally anything but a new game. NieR:Automata has spawned stage plays, novels, manga, anime, merchandise, cross-overs, collaborations, and more.
The last time we got a new game was Nier Reincarnation, a mobile gacha game in 2021 that has since ended global service. Of course, something fans want is a console version of that game akin to Octopath Traveler 0 (re: Champions of the Continent), but that could be a pipe dream.
Oh, and this also isn’t the first time Square Enix has teased the future of the series and delivered very little either. But Square Enix did single out the series late last year, stating that the company was “preparing ‘just a little something'”. So who knows.
What do you want to see next in the NieR series? Do you think we’ll get a new game announcement soon? Let us know in the comments.
NieR:Automata continues to be a big sales success for Square Enix, and in a celebratory video for the game’s 9th anniversary, we now know the game — a sequel to 2010’s NieR — has sold over 10 million units. Plus we have a tease for the series’ future
Last we heard, the 2017 action RPG, which came to Switch in 2022 via an excellent port, had sold 9 million units back in December 2024. Another million copies sold in just over a year for a near-decade-old game isn’t bad at all.
But the big news is the teaser at the end of the trailer. As the screen fades to black, text appears to be typed onto the screen: NieR:Automata to be continued…
So, what does this mean? Are we getting a direct sequel? A brand new NieR game? A port of NieR Replicant, the remake of the original NieR, from 2021?
Image: Square Enix
Well, if you’re a long-time fan, though you might be inclined to get excited, you also know this could mean literally anything but a new game. NieR:Automata has spawned stage plays, novels, manga, anime, merchandise, cross-overs, collaborations, and more.
The last time we got a new game was Nier Reincarnation, a mobile gacha game in 2021 that has since ended global service. Of course, something fans want is a console version of that game akin to Octopath Traveler 0 (re: Champions of the Continent), but that could be a pipe dream.
Oh, and this also isn’t the first time Square Enix has teased the future of the series and delivered very little either. But Square Enix did single out the series late last year, stating that the company was “preparing ‘just a little something'”. So who knows.
What do you want to see next in the NieR series? Do you think we’ll get a new game announcement soon? Let us know in the comments.
Last week’s PlayStation State of Play brought us the welcome news that Rayman is back, thanks to the Digital Eclipse-developed Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition. And for the once-iconic platforming legends, it seems this is just the beginning.
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has told Variety that Rayman, who debuted back in 1995, “is a landmark franchise for Ubisoft and holds a special place in my heart”.
The recent Anniversary Edition is apparently just “the first step in the brand’s comeback”. And Guillemot says that, with this rerelease, it’s “inspiring to see players continue to embrace Rayman’s unique charm and enduring appeal”.
The future seems bright for the character, then, as Guillemot states that “we’re always exploring how our iconic franchises can evolve and reinvent themselves” and, with Rayman in particular, “We can’t share details today, but we’re looking forward to talking more about Rayman soon.”
So, expect some kind of news in the future. What that will be, we have no idea, but we’re glad to see the icon return, especially after going so quiet after the numerous ports of the outstanding Rayman: Legends and his appearance in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope DLC.
As for the now, Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition is centre stage, and this digital museum includes playable versions of the PlayStation, Atari Jaguar, MS-DOS, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance releases of the original, extra levels from Rayman Designer, Rayman 60 Levels, and Rayman By His Fans, and a playable prototype of the cancelled SNES release.
The full Variety interview (linked up top and below) also covers some of the recent controversies surrounding the French video game publisher and developer, including the cancellation of six major projects and strike action across the company in the wake of mass company layoffs and restructuring.
While the Assassin’s Creed franchise apparently “overperformed” last quarter, Ubisoft is very much under the microscope in the industry after a tumultuous few years. Whether Rayman can weather the storm remains to be seen.
What do you want to see next for Rayman? Do you want more remasters or would you like a brand new game? Punch down in the comments and let us know.
Last week’s PlayStation State of Play brought us the welcome news that Rayman is back, thanks to the Digital Eclipse-developed Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition. And for the once-iconic platforming legends, it seems this is just the beginning.
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has told Variety that Rayman, who debuted back in 1995, “is a landmark franchise for Ubisoft and holds a special place in my heart”.
The recent Anniversary Edition is apparently just “the first step in the brand’s comeback”. And Guillemot says that, with this rerelease, it’s “inspiring to see players continue to embrace Rayman’s unique charm and enduring appeal”.
The future seems bright for the character, then, as Guillemot states that “we’re always exploring how our iconic franchises can evolve and reinvent themselves” and, with Rayman in particular, “We can’t share details today, but we’re looking forward to talking more about Rayman soon.”
So, expect some kind of news in the future. What that will be, we have no idea, but we’re glad to see the icon return, especially after going so quiet after the numerous ports of the outstanding Rayman: Legends and his appearance in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope DLC.
As for the now, Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition is centre stage, and this digital museum includes playable versions of the PlayStation, Atari Jaguar, MS-DOS, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance releases of the original, extra levels from Rayman Designer, Rayman 60 Levels, and Rayman By His Fans, and a playable prototype of the cancelled SNES release.
The full Variety interview (linked up top and below) also covers some of the recent controversies surrounding the French video game publisher and developer, including the cancellation of six major projects and strike action across the company in the wake of mass company layoffs and restructuring.
While the Assassin’s Creed franchise apparently “overperformed” last quarter, Ubisoft is very much under the microscope in the industry after a tumultuous few years. Whether Rayman can weather the storm remains to be seen.
What do you want to see next for Rayman? Do you want more remasters or would you like a brand new game? Punch down in the comments and let us know.
Updated with Mario Tennis Fever. And if you’re wondering how Mario’s latest racket romp measures up to his other sporting achievements, do we have a ranked list for you!
Coming in second behind his mightily successful karting exploits, Tennis is Mario’s next most prolific pastime – that is if you don’t count partying (which we don’t). He’s not bad with a golf club in his hand, either, but it’s centre court where the plumber has the most sporting titles to his name.
But what’s the best Mario tennis game? We’re serving this list of every Mario Tennis game, ranked for your pleasure, to peruse at your leisure and get the measure of every treasure. Yessir.
Ahem. Spanning Game Boy Color to Switch 2, let’s begin at the bottom and work our way up to the top seed. Quiet, please.
There are positives with Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, like the strong basic gameplay and neat visuals, but we cannot emphasise enough how phoned-in and thin the content offering was, nor how throwaway Mega Battle was as a tentpole feature.
Given the severe lack of content at release, it’s a difficult game to recommend to even the most passionate Mario Tennis fans. Still, if you’re after local multiplayer fun in which you simply mess around with the various court types, you can’t really go wrong. It’s just a shame the rest of it felt like a rush job.
The small character roster makes the tournaments laughably short, and the lack of a link cable or any form of multiplayer feels wrong somehow, but this is a solid, if simple, tennis game.
Good music and graphics combined with the excellent 3D effect of the court ensure that Mario’s Tennis is an excellent introduction to the Virtual Boy that’s fairly cheap and easy to find secondhand these days. A shame that the system itself isn’t, but it’ll be available on Switch via Nintendo Classics sometime in 2026.
Mario Tennis Open was a strong and accessible entry in the beloved series, and a group of friends gathered around could lose themselves in it for a long time. Solo players could still have a good time perfecting their skills, and playing online was a nice way to keep things interesting, but the missing RPG mode left a pretty big hole that this 3DS entry struggled to fill.
Unless you’re part of a cabal of 3DS-owning pals, you’ll miss out on the real heart of the game: punching your wily opponent in the arm after a hard-fought match.
Mario Tennis Fever serves up one of our favourite games in the series thus far by finding an addictive balance between Mario’s madcap antics and real-world tennis fun. Streamlining superpowers into Fever rackets makes everything easier to parse, and keeping player movement relatively restrained makes for tennis matches that retain an exciting flow without constant slo-mo interruptions.
The adventure mode is a letdown, and solo players don’t have a ton of options, but there’s depth and strategy at the core here that should see this one ace things online.
We’re used to seeing Wii U games transfer to Switch, but for Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash to have moved across without a substantial makeover would have been disastrous. Mario Tennis Aces, wonderfully, is anything but that – it’s a superb arcade sports game that’s generous with its suite of player options and only occasionally guilty of being a little cheap in its Adventure Mode.
The presentation is spot on, and the core tennis action is absorbing whether you’re trading simple strokes or firing off special shots. Some animations and voiceovers are identical to Ultra Smash’s, but everything around them has been overhauled and rebuilt to reach quite splendid heights.
This is something of a Switch Port Plus, then – not quite a whole new experience, but so improved as to be near unrecognisable.
If you loved Wii Sports Tennis and couldn’t get enough of it, New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis was a great investment. There are a lot of modes to get through, the controls work fairly well, and it’s a bash with your mates around.
The only trouble is that it doesn’t feel like the mechanics have been properly refined; precision is somewhat lacking and we can’t help but wonder why Nintendo didn’t wait until the Motion Plus attachment was out. (The answer is likely so that anyone with a Wiimote — not just the upgraded version — could buy the game and get out on the court.)
Worthwhile for a fun whackaround, but not a top seed.
Veteran developer Camelot proved it still belonged on Centre Court with this one.
With a comprehensive story mode, tight and entertaining tennis gameplay mechanics and a surprising amount of depth, Mario Tennis: Power Tour (or Mario Power Tennis as it’s known in Europe) is a winning return for the plumber and his pals.
It’s pretty dialogue-heavy, but there’s a deep, rewarding experience to be found underneath all the waffle, with the story mode serving up a satisfying sense of progression from the very beginning to this Game-Set-Match.
What’s a Mario sports game without iconic characters such as *checks notes*… Alex, Kate, and Harry, eh?
Camelot’s handheld Mario sports entries were bizarre; not only is Mario absent from this game until you unlock him in the story mode… but there’s a story mode.
Mario Tennis may not have swords, magic, or random encounters, but each Tennis match is tied together in a charming overworld that feels like it’s ripped straight out of a traditional RPG. Just imagine rounds of Tennis replacing battles and it becomes much clearer why many consider these more than simple sports games – and some of the best games in Mario’s sporty lineup.
Mario Power Tennis was packed with cool courts, items, and effects that had forms or simpler equivalents on N64 but this entry nevertheless stepped it up a notch. It really was the core experience from the 64-bit entry once again, but powered up.
In addition to Mario Kart-esque items and quirky court types there were also plenty of modes, with various tournaments that were straight-up tennis or ‘gimmick’ focused. There were also eight minigames, some of which were fun diversions, but like with its home console predecessor, many fond memories revolve around local multiplayer.
The first in the Mario Tennis series (second, if you count Mario’s Tennis for the Virtual Boy) was one half of a winning doubles team in the Mushroom Kingdom sports department from Camelot — the studio also released the brilliant Mario Golf for N64, as well as Game Boy Color versions of each game that linked up with their home console cousins via the Transfer Pak.
Mario’s played a lot of tennis over the years, but this remains one of his finest on-court displays.
Game, set, and match! Well done for making it through to the final.
Best Mario Tennis Games FAQ
Before we head into the dressing rooms, let’s grab a fresh shirt and have a quick post-match ceremony followed by an awkward chat with a royal and getting our pictures snapped with a big shiny plate.
Oh, and let’s answer some common Mario Tennis questions during the press conference.
What was the first Mario Tennis game?
Mario’s Tennis for Virtual Boy was the first game in the series. It launched in Japan on 21st July 1995, and in North America on 14th August. The Virtual Boy was never released in Europe.
Camelot’s Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64 was the first game in the series to be released in all three major territories. It launched in Japan on 21st July 2000.
Mario did appear in the excellent Tennis for Famicom / NES / Game Boy as a referee (as he did in several other early Nintendo sports games), but he wasn’t a playable character.
Hang on, what about Mario Sports Superstars? That’s got Tennis!
That’s true, Mario Sports Superstars for 3DS does feature Tennis as one of the five sports, although it’s not exclusively a Tennis game, so we didn’t include it in this list.
If you’re interested to see how it ranks with the games above, check out our Mario sports games list which ranks all the plumber’s sporty escapades.
Which Mario Tennis games are on Nintendo Switch Online?
Here’s a list of all the Mario Tennis games currently playable on Switch with an NSO subscription (you’ll need to be on the Expansion Pack tier to access the N64 games).
Game Boy (Color)
Mario Tennis
N64
Mario Tennis
Note. Mario’s Tennis for Virtual Boy is coming to the Expansion Pack, too, sometime in 2026.
How can I change the ranking in this article?
Disagree with this ranking? Feel free to search for your favourite Mario Tennis game below, give them the score they deserve, and potentially influence the order above. Just for the game and the set and the match of it.
