Author: sick skills

We are back with an updated look at the UK physical gaming charts, and once again, there are a few newcomers sprinkled into the mix this week!

The biggest news for us Switch fans is Mario Tennis Fever, which has put up a strong performance in its debut week and finds itself in second — just one place behind EA SPORTS FC 26, which retains its crown.

A couple of third-party releases have also served some decent numbers in week one, with Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties punching up in sixth (only 10% of sales coming on Switch 2, mind), and the excellent Reanimal creeping out of the shadows in fourth.

Elsewhere, it’s pretty much business as usual — though Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has finally dropped from the top 10 — so let’s take a look at the full rundown. Here’s the full top 40, with platform breakdowns for games available on Switch, Switch 2, and other consoles:

Last Week	This Week	Game	Platform Split
1	1	EA Sports FC 26	PS5 42%, Switch 25%, PS4 21%, Switch 2 5%
NEW	2	Mario Tennis Fever
2	3	Mario Kart World
NEW	4	Reanimal	PS5 73%, Switch 2 18%, Xbox Series 9%, PC 0%
NEW	5	The Sims 4: Royalty & Legacy
NEW	6	Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties	PS5 86%, Switch 2 10%, PC 4%
6	7	Pokémon Legends: Z-A	Switch 54%, Switch 2 46%
5	8	Animal Crossing: New Horizons	Switch 70%, Switch 2 30%
7	9	Minecraft
17	10	Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
–	11	Split Fiction	PS5 63%, Switch 2 33%, Xbox Series 3%
20	12	Battlefield 6
8	13	Grand Theft Auto V
11	14	Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
3	15	Nioh 3
10	16	Donkey Kong Bananza
4	17	Dragon Quest VII Reimagined	Switch 2 38%, PS5 32%, Switch 28%, Xbox Series 3%
9	18	Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
–	19	F1 25
25	20	Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition	PC 64%, Switch 2 24%, PS5 14%, Xbox Series 2%
14	21	Super Mario Party Jamboree	Switch 64%, Switch 2 36%
12	22	Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2
13	23	Nintendo Switch Sports
15	24	Monster Hunter Wilds
21	25	Ghost of Yotei
NEW	26	EA Sports NHL 26
–	27	The Sims 4: Enchanted by Nature
19	28	The Witcher III: Wild Hunt Complete Edition
–	29	The Sims 4: Adventure Awaits
18	30	Super Mario Bros. Wonder
–	31	Mortal Kombat 1
31	32	Tekken 8
16	33	Just Dance 2026 Edition
–	34	Resident Evil 2
–	35	It Takes Two	Switch 66%, PS4 34%
23	36	The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild	Switch 51%, Switch 2 49%
26	37	The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom	Switch 2 54%, Switch 46%
28	38	LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga	PS5 48%, Xbox Series 22%, Switch 21%, PS4 9%
–	39	Assassin’s Creed Shadows	PS5 52%, Switch 2 29%, Xbox Series 19%
37	40	Street Fighter 6

[Compiled by GfK]

< Last week’s charts

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That’s it for this week’s physical UK charts! Any surprises? Did you pick any of these games up? Let us know in the comments.

On 27th February, Pokémon turns 30, and in honour of this momentous anniversary, we’re running a series of polls leading up to the big day, asking you to vote for your favourite Pokémon from each generation. The nine winners will then go head-to-head in a final poll at the end of the month.

We’ll be covering a generation every day until we’ve covered all nine, leading up to the ultimate showdown. Each poll will be open for five days.

Today it’s Gold and Silver‘s turn, but if you missed the Gen 1 poll…well, you haven’t! You can still cast your vote for your favourite Kanto Pokémon until Thursday 19th February:

Before we turn things over to you for Gen 2, let’s see if there are any non-immediately-obvious Pocket Monsters Team NL are pondering before choosing just one ‘mon…

Okay, let’s crack on with all 100 Pokémon that could first be caught in Gen 2. As before, they’re listed in National Dex order, but use the search bar to quickly find a particular Pokémon. And remember, you can only choose one!

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Thanks for voting! Keep an eye out for further generations in the coming days as we cruise towards Pokémon’s 30th anniversary.

Escape from Ever After is the heir apparent to the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door throne. Sleepy Castle Studio released it on 23rd January to all major platforms with a simple promise – deliver Paper Mario fans the game they’ve been clamouring for ever since Nintendo chose to shift the series away from its RPG roots.

Other games have tried. Born of Bread and Bug Fables come to mind as two examples that accomplish some of their goals, but overall come down as lukewarm clones of the nostalgic blast of joy that TTYD delivers.

The Thousand-Year Door was the second instalment in the Paper Mario series, and it’s the game that fans still hold up as the pinnacle. Originally released as a GameCube exclusive on 11th October 2004, it remained unrivalled in its humorous joy, graphical whimsy, and surprisingly elegant mechanical depth for well over 20 years…until Escape from Ever After came on the scene.

You play as Flynt Buckler, a valiant knight from a children’s fantasy story who is heading out for another face-off against his sworn rival, Tinder the Dragon. However, when Flynt reaches the dragon’s castle, he is met with the corporate headquarters of his story’s “new owners.”

A jovial middle manager named Mr. Moon offers Flynt a job at the corporation, but he declines and is thrown in jail where he meets Tinder, who has been shrunken down to size by Ever After Incorporated’s advanced technology. From there, knight and dragon set out on a journey to take down the company from the inside.

Trading Paper Punches: Round 1

It’s time to pit these two great games against one another. Since The Thousand-Year Door has nearly double the chapters of Escape from Ever After, I’m going to break up the two games into thematic sequences and discuss them in turn. I’ll start with the prologues and beginning chunks.

Warning: This section contains plot points and spoilers for both games. If you haven’t yet, go play them first!

The Thousand-Year Door has an iconic opening, with Mario waking up in a first-person cutscene on a ship bound for Rogueport, a sordid town full of salty scoundrels. Throughout the prologue, we’re introduced to the game’s off-kilter world and lore, including the first of Paper Luigi’s many long-winded anecdotes. This is but one example of TTYD’s distinctly weird and wonderful tone.

From there, Mario embarks on the first of his adventures to face a dragon in a castle. This is the exact type of fairytale trope that Escape from Ever After plays with in its dynamic between Flynt and Tinder.

Paper Mario’s second chapter, The Great Boggly Tree, is a mystical exploration of a puzzle-filled tree of life. There are some herding-based head scratchers included here that I think mar the flow of the game to a degree. Still, the chapter ends with an introduction to Madame Flurrie, TTYD’s most eccentric companion, ending the game’s first chunk on a high note and delivering a haymaker to its spiritual sequel right out of the starting gates.

Escape from Ever After, for its part, starts off strong with Flynt’s disorienting orientation to the capitalist tentacles of Ever After Inc. Flynt and Tinder’s dialogue strikes a nice balance between snarky banter and efficient tutorial.

Then, they embark on their first adventure in the Three Little Pigs storybook, a level that sets the tone for the game as one that mixes humour with commentary about the role art has to play in a society built on capitalist moneymongering.

In spite of the opening’s clever puzzles, funny dialogue, and competent boss fight, it can’t quite hold a candle to the plumber’s barrage of clever hubworld introduction and iconic companions. Mario takes round one.

Spooky Town Tango: Round 2

The Thousand-Year Door’s middle section includes the most iconic stage in the game: Glitzville, home of the Glitz Pit, which is essentially the Mario-fied version of the WWE.

The gameplay becomes almost roguelite, with increasingly difficult battles broken up by opportunities to rest and re-spec. The story and humour in this section are spot-on and entirely emblematic of the reasons this particular Paper Mario is beloved across fan communities.

Next, Mario and friends travel to Twilight Town to retrieve a Crystal Star from Creepy Steeple, a place where every time the bell at the top of the steeple rings, one of the people in town transforms into a pig. Despite the spooky yet comic themes of this world being right up my alley, the Twilight Town chapter reads to me as one of the weaker entries in the game. The combat feels similar to the chapters before it, and the overall environmental gameplay doesn’t do enough to distinguish itself from other chapters.

The game brings back the heat in its following quest for the pirate lair after the Creepy Steeple mystery is solved, and its dramatic irony is pumped up yet again by Lord Crump disguising himself and sailing along with Mario for this section. It would be a near-perfect howitzer if not for the drag in its spooky tale.

Escape from Ever After punches back in a big way by reaching tonal perfection in a horror story of its own.

First, Flynt and his band infiltrate the forbidden section of the castle library to find their next storybook to travel to. It’s called The Shadow Over Innsbeak, a mash-up of classic Lovecraftian monsters, Sherlock Holmes mysteries, and…birds?

As you can imagine, this strange concoction leads to unmatched weirdness, imaginative turns, and outright hilarity. All that needs to be said is that Sherlock Holmes himself ends up falling in love with Cthulhu. I’ve never been more grateful for the public domain in my entire life.

Escape from Ever After follows this unlikely love story up with a very solid pirate arc. One that counterpunches Paper Mario blow for blow, cementing an undeniable conclusion for this round: Escape from Ever After emerges victorious!

Final Fight: Round 3

That brings us to our final round, with the two games trading strikes like prize fighters.

The Thousand-Year Door brings its band of heroes to a ritzy town. Then to a frosty outpost full of well-rendered Bob-ombs, each with their own stories to tell. Then to…the moon?! And it’s all complete with playable Peach scenes and twists that will bring a smile to even the most surly trope-hunters.

For its part, Escape from Ever After races through its finale, with a charming sci-fi romp on a snowy, Hoth-adjacent planet before the characters have to dip into Mr. Moon’s storybook for a confrontation with their middle manager. The game’s writing absolutely shines at this juncture, propelling the characters toward their confrontation with Ever After Inc.’s CEO in the “Real World.”

Escape from Ever After is a special game, made all the more impressive by sticking the landing required by its ending. It has a lot to say about art, authorship, love, and the power of stories.

Still, The Thousand-Year Door is a classic for a reason. My love of the grizzled Admiral Bobbery and the charmingly forward Ms. Mowz is the reason why the original edges out Escape from Ever After in this final round. Yes, we can conclusively raise the fist of the reigning champion, yet again. All hail The Thousand Year Door, the undefeated winner.

Finally, A Worthy Heir

Still, the fact that Escape from Ever After ranks alongside the undisputed champion is a huge accomplishment.

The reason this new game gets the job done where similar attempts have failed is in its writing and characterisation. Tinder, Wolfgang, Eva, and Patches are each zany, funny, and heartfelt in turns, and – though they aren’t quite as batty as TTYD’s cast of weirdos – they have even more to say about the “Real World” that they’re questing for. These companions’ interactions with Flynt and the characters they meet along the way have given me hope in a new year that hasn’t had a whole lot of good in it to date.

This is Escape from Ever After’s magic trick. The writing, alongside its tight combat and fine-tuned environmental puzzles, strikes that elusive balance that made The Thousand-Year Door a classic. Great for kids and adults alike. Taking itself just seriously enough to drive its message home. Full of laughter but still with so very much to say.

From start to finish, Escape from Ever After is a love letter to the idea that good games made with care still have a place in our broken world. It strives to convince us that beauty, art, and humour can be a balm to the darkness we see all around us. It tells us that, even though all stories are bound to come to an end, there is so much value in finding joy in what we love and the folks we choose to spend our time with. And if that’s not a thesis for why I play games in the first place, then I don’t know what is.

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Howdy partners! It’s time for this week’s Box Art Brawl!

Last time, it was a one-on-one match-up for the SNES’ Super Bomberman 2 to celebrate its arrival in the Super Bomberman Collection, and it was a pretty tight contest. The Japanese cover just came out on top, in the end, winning 56% of the vote and leaving the Western variant with the remaining 44%.

This week, with another collection on our minds, we’re taking a look at Rayman for the Game Boy Color. While it was a mighty hop, skip, and jump away from its PlayStation counterpart, we have some fond memories of this 2000 platformer. You just know that we’ll be diving into it all over again when Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition lands on Switch this week.

There are three covers to choose between this week, so let’s check ’em out.

North America

The North American cover is a pretty standard Rayman affair. Our limbless hero takes centre stage, swinging through a green backdrop on a vine. It’s simple and to the point, but it’s difficult to knock.

Europe

The European design dares ask the question, ‘What if the North American cover was… red?’ The result is, well, redder.

Japan

Now here’s something different. The singular Rayman is here replaced by a whopping five Raymans (Raymen?), each in a different pose. The backdrop is a little bland, by comparison, but it’s always nice to see more going on.

Thanks for voting! We’ll see you next time for another Box Art Brawl.

The Switch 2 is getting another strategy RPG, with NIS America this week announcing it’s teamed up with Happinet to publish Brigandine: Abyss – a “brand-new entry” in the storied franchise.

It’s due out at some point in 2026 and features a completely unique world that both new and experienced players can dive right into. Here’s a bit more about it from the official PR, and you can check out the announcement trailer above:

“Hundreds of years ago, the Abyssloa Empire was stopped by the power of the arcane Brigandine. Now, a new Abyssloa Empire rises from the ashes, ready to conquer the world. Confront the dark as you manage resources, rally your monsters, and stand against the empire in one of six different story campaigns.”

For a more classic Brigandine experience, turn to Mission Mode, which lets you take the role of one of 24 different factions, each with their own win conditions!

Whether you want to challenge your tactical acumen or take it easy, you’ll find hundreds of hours of fun in Brigandine: Abyss! Whether you choose to play through the story or Mission Mode, gameplay will take place over two phases. Organize your troops and resources during the Organization phase, then take to the field during the Attack Phase! Brigandine: Abyss maintains the series’ unique hexagonal-grid-based strategy gameplay and gives players plenty to think about.

You’ll need to consider your skills, elemental attributes, and the development of your armies if you hope to find success on the battlefield!

Confront the Dark: The Abyssloa Empire rises again, and it’s up to you to stop them. Choose from one of six different story campaigns to find out the truth – or keep it hidden.
Victory Is in the Details: Spreading your influence won’t be easy. Manage your resources, maneuver your troops, and bind your fates with monsters to make sure you can stand up to anyone. Then, take to the field and reap the rewards!
Fight for Your Faction: In Mission Mode, play as one of 24 different factions, each with their own unique win condition. Play one or play them all in this endlessly replayable strategy RPG!

Would you be interested in this upcoming release? Let us know in the comments.

Although 007 First Light was delayed recently, his new mission is now back on track with a 27th May 2026 release.

With the target date in his sights, IO Interactive has now treated fans of Bond to a new trailer. This video originally popped up during this week’s PlayStation ‘State of Play’ broadcast and focuses on the story of this “re-imagined origin story” where Bond must “earn the number” in the 00 Programme.

“Discover a re-imagined origin story as James Bond enters the 00 Programme as a promising young recruit. Despite his occasional recklessness, Bond’s intuition, charm, and skill will push him to #earnthenumber within His Majesty’s Secret Service.”

As you can see in the action-packed trailer above, as Bond, you’ll encounter plenty of friendly and not-so-friendly faces on your mission.

This new “thrilling espionage action-adventure game” is once again made by the developer behind the latest Hitman outing, which made its debut on the Switch 2 last June and also got a special mission featuring a 007 First Light unlock.

Will you be investigating Bond’s latest mission when it arrives on Switch 2? Let us know in the comments.

Alongside the release of Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition on the Switch eShop and multiple other digital platforms this week, Ubisoft and Atari have also confirmed a physical Switch release is on the way.

Pre-orders are now live on the Atari website for $29.99 (or your regional equivalent) and it’s due out on 26th June 2026.

The physical edition comes with a vinyl sticker sheet, reprints of original Rayman postcards, a reversible cover and a double-sided poster. Most importantly, it’s confirmed the Switch game “comes on a full game cartridge”.

In case you missed the announcement post, Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition comes with five versions of the original game including a “never-before-playable” SNES prototype.

There’s also “never-before-seen” concept art, early sketches, design documents and over 50 minutes of brand-new interviews with the original development team.

You can find out more about what’s included in Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition in our original announcement story.

Will you be picking up a physical copy of this title on the Switch? Let us know in the comments.

On 27th February, Pokémon turns 30. That’s three whole decades of exploring many and various regions to find monsters, battle monsters, and pocket monsters – and we’ve all got our personal favourites.

And they’re not always just our starter, either! Sure, you build up a special relationship with your first Pokémon each generation, but there are usually a half-dozen winners who work their way into your good books as well as your team – and maybe even your heart, assuming you’re not a cold Rock-type (and they can be awesome, too!).

In honour of this momentous anniversary, we’ll be running a series of polls leading up to the big day where we get your votes for your favourite Pokémon from each generation. Then, we’ll pit the winners against each other in a final nine-generation showdown to find out Nintendo Life readers’ very favourite Pokémon from the 7 million 1,025 discovered thus far.

We’ll be covering a generation every day for the next nine, leading up to the ultimate showdown between the top ‘mons at the end of the month. Each poll will be open for five days after going live.

We’ve looked at starters before, and they’re bound to poll well. We hear Pikachu’s pretty popular, too?

While the choice is yours and we certainly don’t wish to influence your decision, we feel a duty to remind you of some less obvious picks from each gen. So let’s quickly ask Team NL for some underdog candidates they’ll consider before casting their vote. Team?

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Okay, that’s more than enough ado – here’s the poll featuring all 151 Gen 1 Pokémon in National Dex order. Remember, you can only choose one, so pick wisely!

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Thanks for voting! Keep an eye out for further generations in the coming days as we cruise towards Pokémon’s 30th anniversary at the end of February!