Well, Konami certainly had a heck of a State of Play yesterday, didn’t it? We got some big hitting names making their grand return, but also one or two new IPs, one of which we already knew about — Darwin’s Paradox!
Co-developed with French studio ZDT Studio, the unusual octopus-starring platformer is coming to Switch 2 and now has a release date of 2nd April 2026.
But that’s not the big news here at all, oh no. You can download a free demo on the eShop now and experience one of the game’s levels, which is just one big Metal Gear Solid reference.
Yep, a stealthy octopus. Who knew?! And Darwin even gets a Snake-inspired skin in the demo, which will be available in the full game as an Easter Egg.
If this is your first time hearing about Darwin’s Paradox, let’s fill you in. Inspired by big-budget animated movies, Darwin is an octopus who is suddenly swept away from his ocean home by a beam of light. In his adventure to make it home, Darwin will uncover a conspiracy that could threaten the world, meaning he’s the one who may have to save humanity.
Darwin’s Paradox blends platforming and puzzle-solving where you’ll get to explore creative worlds and meet colourful characters. It’s something pretty different from Konami, and we’re excited to check out the demo.
The game was originally planned for Switch 1, but the team moved development over to focus exclusively on a Switch 2 release. Perhaps the right move given the level of detail we’ve seen from the trailers so far.
Have you checked out the Darwin’s Paradox demo yet? Looking forward to the full release? Let us know in the comments.
Well, what a lovely surprise! Our local Royal Mail representative knocked on the door today and delivered a curious-looking box, and it turns out that it’s none other than the Virtual Boy accessory for Nintendo Switch Online!
Yes, it seems like a whole bunch of people – in the UK, at least – are receiving their retail Virtual Boys early, and so we were lucky enough to get our very own purchased unit.
We’ve already gone hands-on with the peripheral and app over at Nintendo of Europe in Frankfurt, so you should definitely check that out if you want a few thoughts on the experience itself.
Of course, we’ve still got a few days to wait until the Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics app launches (17th February), so we can’t really get a whole lot of use out of the headset just yet. What we have been able to do, mind you, is see what Super Mario Odyssey‘s VR mode looks like, and yeah, it’s pretty wild stuff.
The main point is that it works – to a degree. Booting up the VR mode in Odyssey lets you view stages just like you could with the Labo VR set; just pick up the Virtual Boy and move your head around, job done.
The main issue is that you can’t really control Mario at the same time, so unless you’re willing to fashion a really big rubber band around your head to keep the headset locked in place, it’s not an ideal solution.
It’s also worth pointing out here that Nintendo offered a statement to confirm that Labo VR won’t be officially compatible with Virtual Boy, but given these limited tests, we’re of the mind that it will at least function to a certain degree. We’ll be able to confirm one way or the other when the app itself launches.
As standard, the Virtual Boy comes with a red lens filter, which means that Odyssey had this weird, almost retro-inspired presentation clearly geared toward the upcoming NSO app. It’s actually quite cool in practice, but we should note that you can quite easily remove the red lens from the headset, leaving you with a pair of clear lenses that look remarkably similar to Labo’s.
With the red filter off, Odyssey looks just like it does when played with Labo, but again, moving your head around while controlling Mario unfortunately isn’t really possible with the Virtual Boy.
Otherwise, it’s, well… a Virtual Boy! I never owned the original, given that it never came out in the UK, so I can’t really comment on the feel or heft of the thing, but in terms of presentation at least, it’s a dead ringer.
It’s pretty easy to lift the visor up to slot the Switch 2 inside, and the set also comes with an added bit of plastic to allow your original Switch to fit. Similarly, although removing the red lenses took a little bit of force at first, it was very easy to do once it’s been taken out at least once.
We’ll have a lot more coverage for you when the Virtual Boy app drops on Nintendo Switch Online next week. For now, we’re going to clear a bunch of space off our office desk and display with pride.
Have you received your own Virtual Boy yet? Will you be ordering one anytime soon? Let us know with a comment.
I’m especially pleased to see MGS4 finally freed from its PS3 shackles. As the concluding chapter in the chronology (Snake’s chapter, specifically – yes, I see you waving there, Raiden), Guns of the Patriots is an indulgent mess of a game; one that attempts to tie up an overwhelming amount of loose threads. It’s gotten a pretty bad rap as a result, largely thanks to its lengthy cutscenes and numerous scripted gameplay segments.
I absolutely love it, though, warts ‘n all. It’s pure fan service from start to finish, bringing back characters we hadn’t seen since the first MGS while chucking in a load of easter eggs right, left, and centre. Chances are most fans know how MGS4 plays out at this point, but if you’ve only just begun your journey with Snake on Switch with Master Collection Vol. 1, I urge you to go into the fourth entry as unspoiled as possible.
Which brings me nicely onto today’s topic of conversation, so if you’re worried about spoilers, now’s the time to leave!…
Image: Konami
When MGS4 launched on the PS3 back in 2008, it really went out of its way to stress that it was a console exclusive – sorry, Xbox 360 owners! As such, it contains a few distinct references to PlayStation that I’m fairly confident won’t be present in the upcoming release on Nintendo’s consoles.
The most obvious reference occurs when (SPOILER!) Snake returns to Shadow Moses Island to stop Liquid Ocelot from stealing Metal Gear Rex’s Rail Gun. As you head through the familiar environments, you eventually come to the point where, in the original PS1 MGS, the game would prompt you to swap discs. Otacon even calls Snake to inform him of this, only for the conversation to specifically reference the PS3, noting that the Blu-Ray technology utilised means that swapping discs is no longer required.
It’s a fun little conversation that, for old-school PS1 owners, brings back some fond memories – something MGS4 strives to do at almost every turn.
So what the heck happens with this conversation on Switch? Is it just deleted entirely? My gut says that this is probably the case, but for the sake of authenticity, I really hope it remains in some capacity.
In an ideal world, Konami would get Christopher Randolph back in to record new Switch-specific lines. Honestly, I’d crease myself laughing if he said, “Oh wait! We’re on a Game-Key Card now! All the data is downloaded!”
Come on, you know it’s funny.
That’s not the only thing. If you look around closely enough while in the game’s Nomad sections, you can spot Sunny playing on the PSP. There’s also a reference to Zone of the Enders: 2nd Runner, a title produced by MGS creator Hideo Kojima and, at the time of writing, one that has yet to grace Nintendo platforms. Finally, a Policenauts poster is displayed in the environment at a couple of points in the game. With both titles, however, neither is locked to PlayStation, so I suspect both with remain.
Vol. 1 retained a lot of the quirks from the original releases, albeit with minor alterations. For example, MGS1 still prompts you to change the disc, even though this is merely done through a menu option. Similarly, PlayStation button prompts instructed via the Codec are still very much intact, though the game mutes any accompanying dialogue from the voice actors in this case.
It’s a fascinating conundrum, and I’m curious to see how Konami handles it all. Funnily enough, there’s also a real, branded iPod in the original release for MSG4, and you can use it to play all sorts of music while working your way through the game. Will this be replaced, too?
Nintendo itself probably won’t be too keen on having explicit references to a rival company mentioned in the collection. The recent release of Console Archives Cool Boarders, for instance, very carefully notes that the game originally launched on “a 32-bit home console” in the official blurb. Nintendo putting its foot down, or Hamster not wanting to take any risks?
Granted, there are plenty of direct nods to all sorts of consoles in the likes of Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition and Atari 50, but I’d argue that showcasing these in a museum-like context is a little different, and so they can probably get away with it.
Many questions linger, then, but I’m excited to finally play MGS4 on a not-PS3. It’s been a long time coming, man.
Are there any other easter eggs in MGS4 that you think might need to be addressed for this new release? How about Peace Walker? Let us know your thoughts with a comment down below.
If you’re someone who loves a little bit of Agatha Christie, or maybe you’re partial to the Knives Out movies, then Cocodrolo Games and Dolores Entertainment may have something just for you with Clue: Murder By Death, and it’s out on the Switch eShop… today! (No mysteries there.)
As you can probably tell by the title, the game is heavily inspired by British murder-mystery stories, particularly from around the 1930s, but it’s the almost board game-like presentation that has us intrigued. Each character looks like something you’d move around on a Monopoly board or, we don’t know, a cuter version of Cluedo.
And, as you’d expect, murder is at the centre of the story. Lord Robert Anderson is dead, and you have two hours to find his killer and solve the murder. But you won’t just be playing as a detective, as you’ll be swapping between multiple different suspects and characters.
Each character has their own perspective on basically everything — the way one person sees a vase is different to another, for example — adding layers to the overall mystery.
There’s also a bigger mystery to solve involving the mansion, where the murder takes place. During each replay, you’ll come to understand more of the complex home. With 166 rooms to explore, there’s no way you can do that in a single two-hour session, right?
Out now on Switch (and other platforms), you can grab Clue: Murder by Death on the eShop for £18.00 / $19.90 (or your regional equivalent). Plus, if you’re in the UK, there’s a 20% launch discount until 5th March.
Are you interested in Clue: Murder by Death? Get sleuthing in the comments.
While we continue to wait for a true RPG sequel to the early Paper Mario games, many indie developers have attempted to fill the void, and while nobody has quite managed to recapture their magic, Escape from Ever After feels like the closest anyone has gotten yet. It’s got some quirks, but it does a great job of offering an approachable, funny, and brief take on the lighthearted RPG format many fans crave more of.
It follows the plight of Flynt Buckler, a fairytale hero who arrives at the castle of the dragon he’s destined to defeat in his story, only to discover the beast’s lair has been appropriated by a corporation. Flynt is then politely but firmly recruited into a low-level job in the company, kicking off an adventure in which he travels between various books, fulfilling tasks for his corporate overlords while searching for a way to overthrow them.
It’s a cute and clever story driven by surprisingly strong characters and witty, lighthearted writing. Not every joke lands quite as well as intended, but Sleepy Castle Studio is clearly making a game more targeted towards adult audiences and the humour generally hits more than it misses.
Gameplay follows the format established by the more RPG-forward Paper Mario games, wherein you navigate a world that rewards exploration and light platforming prowess. Every party member has their own special field ability and these are often utilised and combined in clever ways for the many puzzles to solve throughout the environment, which feels densely packed with interesting things to do and goodies to find.
Familiar turn-based combat integrates some light timing-based commands for variety. Timely taps or releases of a button can lead to both more damage output and increased defence, which means that success in battle is reliant on both dexterity and raw numbers. As you defeat enemies, you slowly level up the whole party at once, with equippable Trinkets offering you some additional ability to distinguish their stats and abilities further from each other. It’s a strong system, though the timing windows can sometimes feel just a bit wonky, leading to some missed inputs that feel unfair.
Aside from the timing windows, the only real complaint I have is that there isn’t quite enough of it. It wraps up after about 20 hours and while that’s decent value for your money, it feels like this game ends just as it’s getting really good.
The visuals do a great job of combining charming 2D characters with simple but effective 3D environments that contrast nicely with their flat forms. Playing on the Switch 2 is especially nice, too, as you can opt for a performance mode that ratchets up to a smooth 60fps with no obvious hit to the resolution.
If you’re at all a fan of the more RPG-focused Mario RPGs, you owe it to yourself to play Escape from Ever After. It may be over a bit too quickly, but the writing, charm, and gameplay mechanics all come together to make for something you won’t want to miss.
The lovely, heartfelt 2D adventure Neva is getting a paid DLC expansion, and it’ll cost you less than the vast majority of Starbucks’ menu.
Launching on 19th February, Neva: Prologue will set you back a mere £2.49 in the UK and will reveal how the game’s key protagonists, Alba and Neva, first became involved with one another.
The expansion will introduce three new locations along with some unique game mechanics, and developer Nomada Studio has stressed that it’s intended to be played after the main game. It looks pretty cool though, with the trailer showcasing some creatures that look awfully similar to No-Face from Spirited Away. Hey, not a bad thing.
Here’s a look at the official description:
Follow Alba as she chases a trail of white butterflies deep into the corrupted swamps, only to discover a frightened wolf cub, lost and alone. Determined to save her, Alba must earn the young wolf’s trust and guide her through the blighted wilderness. Together, they will face new enemies, endure perilous trials, and confront a monstrous force that threatens to tear them apart.
Designed to be experienced after completing the main game, Neva: Prologue offers a deeper challenge and rich narrative for returning players. The expansion introduces three new locations, each featuring unique gameplay mechanics, alongside new challenges, enemies, and intense boss encounters.
Meanwhile, if you’ve yet to experience the main game, we called Neva “a spectacular example of art in motion, delivering a thoroughly engrossing platforming experience that’ll stick in your mind long after you’ve rolled credits” in our 9/10 review.
So yeah, we think it’s well worth checking out.
Are you excited to pick up the upcoming Neva expansion? Let us know your thoughts with a comment down below.
Konami is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Castlevania series this year, and the celebrations officially began today with the announcement of Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse for multiple platforms including Switch.
Now, on the series’ anniversary webpage, the Castlevania production team has shared a special message, confirming the “doors of Castlevania” have opened once more. It goes on to mention how this is just the “beginning of numerous new products around Castlevania” in the anniversary year.
Here’s the Castlevania 40th Anniversary message in full:
The doors of Castlevania open once more.
This year marks the 40th anniversary since the original ‘Akumajō Dracula’ first saw the light of day. In this commemorative year, “Castlevania” will be revived.
First up is this title: ‘Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse’.
We couldn’t think in other studios to work together rather than Evil Empire and Motion Twin, studios brimming with talent and passion, to deliver a new exploration-based 2D action game that captures the essence of Castlevania while bringing fresh innovation.
This is the beginning of numerous new products around Castlevania.
Look forward to the return of the magnificent “nightmare” lurking in the darkness.
Castlevania series Production Team
Apart from the new project Belmont’s Curse, which the developers behind Dead Cells and The Rogue Prince of Persia are working on, what else would you like to see from this long-running series this year? Let us know in the comments.
After multiple reports of a second collection, Konami has today officially confirmed Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 is on its way to the Switch and Switch 2 on 27th August 2026.
Like the original volume, this will also be getting a physical release. Konami has outlined exactly what you can expect from this “physical version”, and unsurprisingly, it’s a Game-Key Card release on the Switch 2. Meanwhile, on the original Switch, it appears you’ll also be required to download part of the collection.
Here are the specifics from the official Konami Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 webpage (Note: this is based on Konami’s information for the Americas).
Switch 2:
Physical Version
Minimum Space Required : 30.4 GB
METAL GEAR SOLID 4: Guns of the Patriots – Master Collection Version : 25.9 GB
METAL GEAR SOLID: Peace Walker – Master Collection Version : 4.2 GB
Bonus Content : 0.3 GB
*The physical version of this title comes with a Key Card.
Full game download is required when playing for the first time. Download requires an internet connection and free space (30.4 GB) on your system internal storage or microSD Express card. Additional free space may be required for updates.
METAL GEAR SOLID 4: Guns of the Patriots – Master Collection Version : 18.3 GB
METAL GEAR SOLID: Peace Walker – Master Collection Version : 4.0 GB
Bonus Content : 0.3 GB
*It is pre-installed on the cartridge, you can play without downloading.
Konami also notes on the same page how there’ll be some early purchase / pre-order bonus, as well as Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 save data bonus.
The purchase and pre-order bonuses include a camouflage item and a uniform in both MGS4 and MGS: Peace Walker. And the save data bonus is “gold camouflage” in MGS4 and “gold uniform” in Peace Walker.
Update: We’ve now got the official English patch notes from Konami’s Metal Gear Solid website. The details below focus on the updates for the Switch version of the title, as well as the added support for the Switch 2.
If you want to see the screenshots (and comparisons) included alongside these patch notes, or find out what else has been updated in other versions of the collection, visit the official page.
Master Collection
Screen Settings Expanded
“Resolution” has been added to the Screen settings in the Options menu. In “Resolution”, you will be able to select between “Original”, “High Resolution”, and “Max Resolution”. * * On the PlayStation®4 and Nintendo Switch™ versions, only “Original” and “High Resolution” will be available.
Fixed an issue where sound would not play for certain codecs (Nintendo Switch™ version)
Fixed some other minor issues and made other adjustments
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Support for the Nintendo Switch™ 2
There will be a free update for the Nintendo Switch™ version to add compatibility with the Nintendo Switch™ 2. The contents of the free update are listed below.
Screen settings added
Screen settings have been added to the Options menu. From the “Resolution” menu found under Screen settings, you can choose from either 2 types of presets or use custom settings. These settings cannot be changed after starting the game. Some setups may experience some instability if these settings are changed. Consider reverting back to the default settings or try TV mode if you experience any instability.
“Original Mode” Preset
Display at the game’s original resolution. Upon selecting “Original Mode”, the following settings will be applied.
“Adjusted Mode” Preset
Displays the game at your current monitor’s highest possible resolution. Has sharper visuals compared to Original Mode. Upon selecting “Adjusted Mode”, the following settings will be applied.
Internal resolution
FHD (1080p)
Internal Upscaling
FHD (1080p)
Movie
High Resolution
“Custom” Preset
“Internal Resolution”, “Internal Upscaling”, and “Movie” can be adjusted to suit your current specs.
(A) Internal Resolution
Under “Internal Resolution”, you can now choose to have the game render in FHD or at its original resolution.
Original
Renders the game at its original resolution.
FHD*1
Increases the game’s internal resolution to FHD when rendering.
(B) Internal Upscaling
This option will utilize upscaling technology in addition to the upscaling method in the original Master Collection release, allowing you to display the game at a higher resolution. Changing this setting will result in sharper visuals.
Default
Displays the game at the same resolution as the original Master Collection release.
FHD
Displays the game in FHD using an upscaling method different to the original Master Collection release. *1 *2
*1 Results in sharp visuals. *2 If your monitor can support a resolution that is higher than the resolution selected, then the game will be displayed using the original Master Collection release’s upscaling method at the highest possible resolution available.
(C) Movie
You can choose to set in-game movies to their original or higher resolution versions. When selected, some movies will be displayed at a higher resolution.
(2)Supports smoother motion relative to the Nintendo Switch™ version
Fixed an issue where sound would not play for certain codecs (Nintendo Switch™ version)
Fixed some other minor issues and made other adjustments
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Nintendo Switch™ 2 Support
A free update will be released to make the Nintendo Switch™ version compatible with the Nintendo Switch™ 2. The contents of the free update are listed below.
(1) Screen Settings Added
Screen settings have been added to the Options menu. From the “Resolution” menu found under Screen settings, you can choose from either 2 types of presets or use custom settings. These settings cannot be changed after starting the game. Some setups may experience some instability if these settings are changed. Consider reverting back to the default settings or try TV mode if you experience any instability.
“Original Mode” Preset
Display at the game’s original resolution. Upon selecting “Original Mode”, the following settings will be applied.
Internal Resolution
Original
Internal Upscaling
Default
Movie
Original
“Adjusted Mode” Preset
Displays the game at your current monitor’s highest possible resolution. Has sharper visuals compared to Original Mode. Upon selecting “Adjusted Mode”, the following settings will be applied.
Internal resolution
FHD (1080p)
Internal Upscaling
FHD (1080p)
Movie:
High Resolution
“Custom” Preset
“Internal Resolution”, “Internal Upscaling”, and “Movie” can be adjusted to suit your current specs.
(A) Internal Resolution
Under “Internal Resolution”, you can now choose to have the game render in FHD or at its original resolution.
Original
Renders the game at its original resolution.
FHD *1
Increases the game’s internal resolution to FHD when rendering.
(B) Internal Upscaling
This option will utilize upscaling technology in addition to the upscaling method in the original Master Collection release allowing you to display the game at a higher resolution. Changing this setting will result in sharper visuals.
Default
Displays the game at the same resolution as the original Master Collection release.
FHD
Displays the game in FHD using an upscaling method different to the original Master Collection release. *1 *2
*1 Results in sharp visuals. *2 If your monitor can support a resolution that is higher than the resolution selected, then the game will be displayed using the original Master Collection release’s upscaling method at the highest possible resolution available
(C) Movie
You can choose to set in-game movies to their original or higher resolution versions. When selected, some movies will be displayed at a higher resolution.
(2) Supports smoother motion relative to the Nintendo Switch™ version
It showcases scenes featuring both series legend Leon S. Kennedy and the FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft as well as the game’s third-person and first-person modes. Towards the end of this latest trailer, there is a scene that should bring back plenty of nostalgic (and horrifying) memories. A certain character is also teased, but we won’t spoil any surprises!
Once again, this game is out later this month for the Switch 2 on 27th February 2026. In some other news, Capcom also showed off a new trailer for Pragmata today.
Looking forward to this Switch 2 release? Let us know in the comments.
