Author: sick skills

Resident Evil, the new movie adaptation from director Zach Cregger (Barbarian, Weapons) has received its first teaser trailer ahead of its release on 18th September 2026.

Starring Austin Abrams (Weapons, The Walking Dead) in the lead role, Resident Evil is the latest attempt to adapt Capcom’s iconic survival horror franchise for the big screen. Cregger has previously received critical acclaim for his work on Barbarian and Weapons, with Amy Madigan winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Gladys in the latter.

Previously, Paul W. S. Anderson spearheaded (but didn’t direct them all) a schlocky yet mildly entertaining six-movie series starring Milla Jovovich, after which Johannes Roberts took the reigns on the faithful yet poorly-received Welcome to Raccoon City.

Don’t get us started on the Netflix series.

In a new PlayStation blog post, Zach Cregger talks about the inspiration behind his new adaptation and what inspired him to pursue it:

“I wanted to do a movie that was following a character from point A to point B, because that’s what those games do so well. You go on this crazy journey, and you go through all these different environments, and things just seem to be escalating and escalating. That feels so cinematic to me.

“So I wanted to tell a story that could take place in the Resident Evil world, but wasn’t telling a story that the games had already told. To me, I would feel like there’s kind of no winning there if I were to tell Leon’s story, because the games do such a great job. It would just be kind of redundant, and ultimately, I think, disappointing. So I would rather just kind of celebrate everything I love about the games by telling the story that could exist on the sidelines of one of the games.”

Sounds pretty promising to us. The previous movies have desperately tried to depict the same characters from the games, but in our opinion, it’s just never worked. Even if Welcome to Raccoon City is somewhat of a guilty pleasure…

Anyway, we’ll see how things pan out this coming September.

In the meantime, fans of Resident Evil Requiem can look forward to a new minigame update coming in May, while it’s also recently been confirmed that the game has surpassed an astonishing 7 million copies sold.

Are you looking forward to seeing the new Resident Evil movie? What enemies are you hoping to see? Let us know.

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

Switch 2 eShop – Highlights

Bandit Trap (PM Studios, 30th Apr, $14.99) – Welcome to Bandit Trap! The world’s most outrageously over-engineered home security company. This isn’t just a game. It’s a live-fire field test of traps, tools, and total mayhem. Bandit Trap is a fresh 1v3, physics-powered online multiplayer brawler that’s strategic, slapstick, and endlessly re-playable. Perfect for families, friends, and mischief-makers of all ages.

Switch eShop – New Releases

Aha! More Photo Spot-the-Difference (TT, 30th Apr, $8.99) – 「Aha! More Photo Spot-the-Difference」 is a spot-the-difference game featuring the “Aha! moment” experience, where part of a photo gradually changes over time. At first, the photo looks completely ordinary. But stare a little longer, and— 「Huh? Something changed! 」 In that instant, your brain lights up with a satisfying jolt. No complicated controls needed.

Asphalt Racing Bundle Grand Prix & Hypercar (SuperPowerUpGames, 1st May, $14.99) – This pack includes the games: Grand Prix & Hypercar Racing. Grand Prix Rock ‘N Racing gives you the fastest, most exciting races. You can evolve your car, improving the engine, brakes, tires and more until you’ve achieved the perfect evolution to win the Championship! In Hypercar Racing you’ll enjoy the dirtiest, fastest, and most spectacular races at speeds over 200 Mp/h, avoiding multiple collisions against 8 adversaries. The game has different modes, such as Championship, Arcade, and 4-player multiplayer.

Astra GalaxyX (Nerd Games, 2nd May, $9.99) – Pilot a spacecraft across the galaxy, facing waves of incoming enemies, powerful enemy ships, and massive bosses. Enjoy simple, fast-paced, and thrilling action inspired by classic 2D shooters. Freely enhance attributes such as fire rate, attack power, projectile speed, and weapon types as you play.

Connect Lines (Soroka Games, 25th Apr, $5.99) – Connect Lines is a satisfying and relaxing puzzle game where your goal is to connect paths and fill the entire board to 100%. Take your time, think ahead, and find the perfect way to complete each level. Whether you want a quick brain exercise or a longer relaxing session, Connect Lines offers the perfect balance of challenge and calm gameplay.

Constance (btf, 1st May, $19.99) – Constance is a Metroidvania with puzzle and jump’n’run elements. The focus is on exploration, combat, and riddles. It is currently in an early stage of development and will be released for PCs and consoles. The game’s story is about the name-giving protagonist Constance, who one day mysteriously finds herself imprisoned by her inner demons in her subconscious. – Read our Constance review

Cozy Snow Friends (GAME NACIONAL, 1st May, $10.99) – Embark on a journey through snowy mountains, racing against rivals as you compete for rewards. Reach the base of the mountain first by dodging obstacles and keeping your momentum as you glide downhill. Meet charming characters, unlock new outfits, and enjoy this simple, cosy game for all ages.

Dear Mirror Flower (KOGADO STUDIO, 30th Apr, $29.98) – In this town, strange incidents never cease. The cause? Beings born from the darkness of the human heart: Demon Spirits. Join Satoree Mizuki, a girl who can read others’ minds, and uncover the truth behind these supernatural cases.

Demon Huntress (EpiXR Games, 30th Apr, $9.99) – Demon Huntress is a top-down roguelike shooter built around fast combat, endless progression, and outrageous power scaling. Each run sends you through three randomized worlds chosen from five distinct areas, each filled with demons, traps, treasures, and escalating danger. Combat is fluid and aggressive, centered around precise movement, dodge rolls, and ranged combat using a powerful crossbow.

Dollmaker (Upscale Studio, 24th Apr, $6.99) – You wake up in an enormous, shadow-drenched room filled with the forgotten playthings. Seated across from you at a small wooden table is the Dollmaker – a mysterious, stitched-together doll who is missing an eye. She is your adversary, and you have been chosen to play her macabre game.

Dracamar (Petoons Studio, 30th Apr, $24.99) – Embark on a beautiful 3D platformer adventure and fight King Crad, the evil dragon who wants to conquer the world of Dracamar. Run, jump, and fight the evil forces to rescue the magical Okis!

Dragon Snack: From Ice to Ember (Afil Games, 30th Apr, $4.99) – Get ready for an adorably epic adventure in Dragon Snack: From Ice to Ember. Here, a hungry and lovable dragon needs your help to find the safe path back to its nest. It sounds simple, but every trail matters. On a charming hexagonal grid, you will rotate, swap and fit tiles to build the perfect route. Along the way, shiny coins, power stones and breakable obstacles make each stage even more fun and strategic.

Dungeon Clawler (Stray Fawn, 30th Apr, $14.99) – Dungeon Clawler mixes deck-building with a dash of roguelike mechanics and most importantly: a claw machine. To improve his fortune in gambling, the evil dungeon lord has chopped off your left rabbit paw and wears it as a charm. Replacing your lost limb with a trusty claw, you fight your way through the dungeon to reclaim what’s yours!

Escape game R0012 (AlignmentSharp, 30th Aper, $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.

GET FIT – Power Workout (EpiXR Games, 30th Apr, $14.99) – Turn fitness into a fun, motivating, and interactive experience. Choose your personal trainer, select your level, and begin your custom fitness journey through structured workouts that keep you challenged and inspired. Each session combines 7 different exercises, performed for 1 minute 30 seconds with short 30-second breaks — repeated twice for a full 28-minute workout plus warm-up.

Harvest Cafe (World of Poly, 30th Apr, $14.99) – Harvest Cafe is a cozy open-world farming and restaurant adventure set on a beautiful island full of charm, opportunities, and secrets to uncover. Grow a variety of crops, gather useful materials, and expand your land as you build the farm of your dreams

Hidden Horror Photo Exhibition (MASK, 30th Apr, $3.99) – 「Hidden Horror Photo Exhibition」 is a search-and-deduction game that will send chills down your spine — once you understand what you’re really looking at. At first glance, these appear to be nostalgic black-and-white vintage photos. But lurking within each one is something that simply shouldn’t exist in that era. The controls are simple: just observe carefully and tap anything that doesn’t belong.

Hidden in my Paradise + Hidden around the World Bundle (Ogre Pixel, 27th Apr, $14.99) – Hidden in my Paradise Hidden in My Paradise is a cozy hidden-object and decoration game where creativity and discovery go hand in hand. Explore charming scenes, find hidden objects, and arrange them to create your own little paradises. Help Laly and her fairy companion Coronya complete relaxing missions, decorate beautiful locations, and share your creations with players around the world.

Horticular (Slug Disco, 30th Apr, $19.99) – Horticular is a relaxing garden builder where you grow plants, design habitats and attract a wide range of wildlife. Help the gnome Keepers restore a barren wasteland with magical powers and populate it with adorable critters. Reclaim nature from a looming corruption and create your perfect garden.

Jigsaw Puzzle: Worlds Beyond (Downmeadowstreet, 25th Apr, $3.99) – Journey across civilisations and realms in Jigsaw Puzzle: Worlds Beyond, a relaxing jigsaw experience spanning the most wondrous places in history and legend. Explore the grandeur of Ancient Rome, wander through the Mystical Magic Vale, and discover breathtaking worlds unlike any other! The game features 30 handcrafted levels, each depicting a unique world filled with rich detail and atmosphere.

Kanjozoku Game: Car Racing & Highway Driving Simulator REMASTER (Console Lab Games, 25th Apr, $9.99) – Step into the underground world of Osaka’s legendary highway racers in Kanjozoku Game: Car Racing & Highway Driving Simulator REMASTER. Inspired by the iconic 90s street scene, this remastered experience puts you behind the wheel of authentic JDM machines, where speed, precision, and reputation define everything.

Lord Ambermaze (HeroCraft, 30th Apr, $14.99) – The entire island is one sprawling maze teeming with odd and dangerous creatures: stink-spiders, acidic slimes, fire moths, chomping hives — and that’s just the beginning. But you’re not defenseless. Armed with a magical sword, a sturdy bow, a reliable shield, and most importantly — courage — your hero is ready to outwit and defeat every threat.

Minos Trials (Afil Games, 1st May, $4.99) – Step into the arena of Minos Trials, a 2D puzzle-platformer where brute strength and sharp thinking go hand in hand. Control Minos, a not-so-patient minotaur who solves problems with punches, pushing blocks, filling pits, activating pressure plates, and crushing nosy adventurers who insist on stealing his treasure.

Monster Crown: Sin Eater (Studio Aurum, 30th Apr, $24.99) – Hand-craft your team of perfect Monsters and wage a one-man war against fate and the world in the Crown Nation! With a True Crossbreeding system, every Monster is entirely your own! Explore the beautiful, textured and detailed environments of The Crown Nation, With over a thousand unique, hand-crafted Monster sprites, and hundreds of colors to choose from, you’ll find the ace Monster that’s right for you! And once you’ve found your favorites, use Monster Crossbreeding or perform Monster Fusion to reach new heights! – Read our Monster Crown: Sin Eater review

Moon Raider: Anniversary Edition (Cascadia Games, 1st May, $9.99) – A half-alien princess must save her dying mother, the former queen of the moon. Supports 2-player co-op! Ava is the young daughter of the brilliant-but-aging scientist Dr. Cavor and Selene, the former queen of the moon. As a selenite, Selene’s life depends on the special energy only moon gems can provide. With none left and time running out, Dr. Cavor enlists his daughter to raid the moon of as many gems as she can find! Ava must survive the treacherous catacombs deep beneath the surface of the moon.

MULLET MADJACK (Epopeia Games, 30th Apr, $19.99) – Mullet MadJack is a highly fast-paced first-person action-adventure game designed for single-player. It draws inspiration from the Badass Old-School classic anime of the 80s and 90s, featuring a retro aesthetic and immersive gameplay that transports players back to the nostalgic era. The game features vibrant colors, memorable characters, and a unique story, providing an authentic experience for both gaming enthusiasts and anime fans alike.

Ninjam! (G-Blossom, 30th Apr, $4.99) – A High-Octane Action Battle for Up to 4 Players! Earn points by surviving each stage. The first player to reach the target score wins it all! Rise to the top using a vast arsenal of weapons and flashy Ninjutsu!

Opaloid Kingdom (Brainium Games, 30th Apr, $4.99) – Explore the Opaloid Kingdom and take control of a sorcerer sent on a mission to rescue the princess! Play through fast, minimalistic, old-school arcade challenges in a medieval fantasy land! Explore dark dungeons filled with monsters, travel through new towns and meet crazy wizards while fighting through obstacles that will test your skill.

PICROSS S KONAMI ANTIQUES edition (JUPITER, 30th Apr, $17.99) – Familiar characters from KONAMI games are making an appearance in the Picross S series for Nintendo Switch™! More than 80 titles are included! Characters from a wide range of game genres – from sports to dating sims and beloved game series like Castlevania, Contra, and Gradius – have been turned into pixel art puzzles.

Pixie Plates (QubicGames, 2nd May, $4.99) – Whisk up delicious dishes, slide them onto a plate, add the perfect toppings, and serve them to a parade of adorable fantasy customers! Prepare delightful food and drinks, from decorated pastries and lovely desserts to warm soups, colorful refreshments, and other tasty specialties. Every order needs the right ingredients and finishing touches before it is ready for your magical guests. Things can get wonderfully busy in the kitchen!

Plantera 2: Golden Acorn (Ratalaika Games, 1st May, $4.99) – The round blue Mellows return to tend to the garden once more. Grow the big magical oak tree that has been rumored to have placed its seed there. Build up your garden around the tree to attract Mellows, round blue creatures that will help you pick up things and harvest your plants. Tend to the magical tree and harvest its golden acorns.

Robo Hop (Gametry, 24th Apr, $2.99) – Robo Hop is a fast-paced 3D platformer where you control a brave little robot exploring vibrant worlds filled with lava pits, floating islands, and tricky obstacles. Jump, dodge, and collect glowing gears while battling hovering enemies and mastering precise platforming challenges. Every level tests your timing, reflexes, and curiosity as you hop your way to victory.

Rooster Wars Arena – MFC Combat Battle (PlayForFun, 1st May, $7.99) – Step into a colorful and unpredictable arena where humor meets intensity. Each fighter brings a unique presence, a different rhythm, and a reason to fight — whether for glory, revenge, or simply to dominate. Every match is fast, explosive, and unforgiving. Rise through the ranks, face stronger opponents, and prove that you belong at the top.

SCP Extraction Protocol (RandomSpin Games, 30th Apr, $4.99) – SCP Extraction Protocol is a slow-burn industrial horror about routine, isolation, and something that refuses to be catalogued. You have been assigned to maintain a classified extraction site. Your only responsibility: operate the crane, retrieve the containers emerging from the abyss, and process them according to protocol.

Shadows of the Afterland (Aruma Studios, 5th May, $14.99) – Madrid, 1960. A chilling incident unfolds at the city’s old zoo, leading to a mysterious death that propels a soul to the threshold between the world of the living and the afterlife. But when the transition goes awry, the soul arrives with the memories of Carolina, one of the pioneers of the Madrid police force, who has not yet been born.

So Quirky! Puzzle Escape Game (TT, 30th Apr, $8.99) -「So Quirky! Puzzle Escape Game: Snap It in with Your Instincts! A Brain-Training Picture-Match Puzzle」 is a brain-training puzzle game where you look at a single displayed image, then drag and drop the correct item from four choices to solve the puzzle.

Sunshore City (Downmeadowstreet, 1st May, $4.99) – In this cozy exploration game, you wander through a sunny seaside city discovering all the locations it has to offer. From lively beach boardwalks to peaceful neighborhoods, every corner of Sunshore City has something new to find.

Supermarket Simulator 2026 (Global Games Publisher, 24th Apr, $5.99) – Design your store layout, keep shelves stocked, set competitive prices, and deliver fast, reliable service to keep customers coming back. Step behind the counter, manage daily operations, and watch your store evolve as you expand, upgrade, and optimize every detail.

Survivor Legion (Happy Player, 30th Apr, $9.99) – Unlock more classes, recruit more allies, and build your survivor legion! Each character has unique skills and attributes, allowing flexible combinations based on combat needs. Whether you prefer powerful melee warriors or spell-casting mages, you’ll always find a role that suits your playstyle.

The End Comes Tomorrow: Gamebook Edition (Infinite Zone, 1st May, $2.99) – Why is the world ending? In The End Comes Tomorrow, finding that answer isn’t so simple. With dozens of branching pathways to take, your last day could end without even getting out of bed. The choice to stay home, take a walk, see neighbors, or watch TV all tell their own mini-narrative that slowly builds the larger picture.

The Shocking World Mysteries (TT, 30th Apr, $8.99) – “The Shocking World Mysteries” is a tap-to-solve mystery game featuring cases that’ll make you do a double-take — and more than a few bumbling criminals along the way. Observe the crime scene illustration carefully, then simply tap wherever something looks “off” or suspicious based on the question. Trust your instincts and deductive eye to uncover the hidden truth.

This is Fine: Maximum Cope (Numskull Games, 1st May, $18.99) – The world-famous meme becomes a metroidvania of mental mayhem. Play as Question Hound and enter a collapsing theme park built from anxiety, regret, and surreal humor. Run, jump, fight, and caffeinate your way through five emotional worlds where everyday fears come to life. You will face flying textbooks, toilet monsters, and ghostly memories you thought were long gone.

Tiny Auto Knights (Mumpitz Games, 30th Apr, $14.99) – Build a team Recruit heroes with unique skills and place them strategically on the field. Merge the same heroes to level them up and get access to more powerful skills. Optimize your team and create strong synergies. Fight against other players When the battle starts, your heroes will fight automatically and use their skills. Where they are on the battlefield determines the order of attacks and skills. Status effects like armor, poison, or freezing make the combat even deeper.

Trick Room Mysteries (TT, 30th Apr, $3.99) – “Trick Room Mysteries” is a 4-choice deduction game set inside a pixel-art house, where you uncover subtle clues and strange details to get to the truth of each case. Read the situation carefully using the descriptions and illustrations, then choose the right answer from four options to advance the story

TwoOrThree (SmileForeverStudio, 30th Apr, $2.49) – Let’s play with multiples of 2 and 3 with Shuri! If it’s a multiple of 2 or 3, it’s okay! If it’s not a multiple of 2 or 3, Oh my god! Count to 100, Game cleared, Let’s get started!

Wax Heads (Curve Digital, 5th May, $14.99) – Wax Heads is a cozy-punk narrative sim about working in a struggling record store. Chat to quirky customers with unique tastes, explore a handcrafted record collection, fall in love with bands (and their drama! ), or just slack off with your colleagues – whatever gets everyone’s groove back!

Who tells your story (Trefl S.A, 1st May, $4.99) – Who Tells Your Story is a simple yet engaging game in which you draw pictograms to create your own inspiring stories. Draw, create, and have fun. The only limit is your imagination.

Winx Club: The Magic is Back (MAXIMUM ENT FRANCE, 30th Apr, $29.99) – Winx Club: The Magic is Back captures the essence of the Winx universe, delivering an enchanting experience with a mix of magical combat, puzzle-solving, and cooperative gameplay with a friend. Play as all six members of the Winx Club, each with their own magical abilities.

Word Quest Cyberpunk (Gametry, 25th Apr, $2.99) – Dive into a neon-lit word search adventure in Word Quest: Cyberpunk. Navigate a high-tech metropolis filled with glowing streets, rogue AI, and hidden data streams. Connect letters, uncover encrypted words, and hack your way through challenging puzzles set in a dystopian future. Every level brings you deeper into the digital underworld — do you have what it takes to outsmart the system and master the code?

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

The Switch 2 has already had its fair share of ports that would have felt impossible on the previous console, and next month, another is joining the ranks.

After launching on Xbox back in 2024 before whipping up a PS5 release the following year, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is bringing fortune and glory to Switch 2 on 12th May. It’s an almighty large project from MachineGames (of Wolfenstein fame), full of intricate, torch-lit puzzles, and densely-packed open areas. In short, bringing it to Switch 2 is quite the crusade.

Keen to learn what went into the new port, we sat down with MachineGames Creative Director Axel Torvenius to talk all things Indy: the game’s inception, Troy Baker, Switch 2 challenges, and working with the late, great Tony Todd.

So, don your fedora and hold onto your potatoes, it’s time to enter the Indy world…

Nintendo Life (Jim Norman): What is your earliest memory of Indiana Jones?

Axel Torvenius (Creative Director): My earliest memory is actually watching Raiders of the Lost Ark, probably a bit too young, with my dad. He had a tendency to show me movies that he thought were cosy and maybe they are! Same with The Shining, I watched that when I was like six or seven, and something broke in me. But regardless, watching [Raiders], having this cosy home cinema movie time, eating homemade pizza, and then the scene with the melting guy at the end… that kind of stuck. [There’s] a little bit of terror to it, but also great excitement, because I surely enjoyed the movie as a whole, right? But that specific scene, yeah…

I think it’s a pretty universal experience of everyone’s dad showing them that film when they’re too young to watch it. That melting face scene is truly one of the most disturbing images in cinema!

It kind of stands out a bit because everything else is pretty lighthearted, and then it becomes ultra gory.

How did it feel when this project came about?

Extremely, extremely cool! Working as a game dev in this industry, I think we are fortunate to do the things we do: making toys, basically, making entertainment, making games. It’s a privilege to be in this situation. And most of the time, that privilege does not come with cherry picking or choosing what you do and what type of games you make. So if someone had asked me years before [about] working on an Indy game, it’d be like, ‘Yeah, obviously, that’s a dream project to be able to work on.’

So when we were approached by Todd Howard, who is obviously a longtime friend of the studio, and he said, “I’ve been talking to Lucasfilm Games, and I have this idea, and they are on board. Here’s the pitch. I want you guys to do it. Are you interested?”, we were very much interested! A very cool day.

How did you set about preserving the tone of those early films?

It is really a matter of perspective. Many other IPs and franchises sometimes reinvent or go for something completely different for the character, ‘We’re gonna make our version of Indiana Jones into something else.’ We were never really interested in that.

We were so attached [to] and in love with the version of Indiana Jones that we got to see for the first time — primarily the first two movies are the ones we’ve been using closest as reference. Throughout the timeline of Indiana Jones, there are different instalments (obviously, a different age, if you look at the later movies), but there’s also a different tone in terms of his character. We just felt that Raiders of the Lost Ark is this perfect adaptation in terms of which version of Indiana Jones we love.

We said early on, let’s stay close to that as a reference point. By doing so, we obviously presented ourselves with this insane challenge to try to match the tone and figure out a lot of the things that make it feel like this early style. But it also, of course, gave us some framework to rotate around, basically.

Troy Baker’s Indy performance is phenomenal. How did you walk the creative tightrope between doing an impression of a character that so many people have a personal attachment to, while also letting Troy make the character his own?

one little thing would have derailed the whole thing

We knew pretty much from the beginning that we wanted to hit likeness, we wanted to hit the voice, we wanted to make sure that we put the player in the shoes of Indiana Jones to get that type of immersion. When we finally saw the audition tapes or the costume tapes with Troy, it was crystal clear: this is our Indy. There were no questions about it because he was knocking it out of the park.

The great challenge was to create something that doesn’t really exist on screen, but to do an adaptation of this very, very beloved character. Everyone knows the smirk, everyone knows how he acts and how Harrison Ford did it. [We had] to get Troy to recreate that, not only to recreate existing content but also to create new content from it. When we were building out the world, which you have to do in a game that has many hours of a campaign, we knew there would be so many new scenes and moments and narrative beats happening. If it wasn’t for the talent of Troy, and our writers writing some of the scenes, and our casting director, and Tom Keegan and all of the people that were involved, one little thing would have derailed the whole thing.

So it’s such an insanely complicated clockwork that just needs to come together. And in the centre of this is Troy Baker and his great talent, adding so much of himself while still staying in character. When you know Troy and you’ve seen some of his other works, you can obviously see that there’s Troy in there, but it blends, and it really works. It was really cool and fun working with Troy because he was extremely dedicated to the project. He showed up to more sessions and more work than he needed to. He was a star.

The late, great Tony Todd played a big part in this game, too. What was your experience like working with him?

I’ve been a huge Tony Todd fan ever since I was like 13 or 14 years old. I’m now 47. You know, watching the first Candyman a long time ago, it’s like, ‘Gosh, this is a really cool guy.’

We were reviewing so many different Locuses. Everyone was kind of doing the same interpretation of the role, “I am a tall guy with a deep voice,” it didn’t feel unique or anything. Then I said, “Well, if we’re going to do someone that is very rich with character and has a really interesting voice, shouldn’t we just see if we can get Tony Todd?” And a couple of days later, it’s like, “Tony Todd is available.” Oh my God.

The audition tapes that he sent in were something completely different from what everyone else was doing. He added so much character to that role. I think Locus became by far one of the most interesting characters in the game.

His passing was immensely sad. We were just devastated at the studio and so grateful for having the opportunity to actually meet him, see his spirit and see him working. So that was fantastically cool.

Yeah, it’s an amazing performance and such a stroke of luck that it happened on this kind of Hail Mary. Was there ever an internal discussion about trying something similar with Harrison Ford?

[Laughs] Not really! When we found Troy in the beginning, we just knew that this would be a very good fit to get him into a mocap suit and do all the running and the acting.

How did this Switch 2 version come about? Was it Machine Games that was handling the port, or did you partner with an external studio?

No, we did it internally. So a lot of hard work from the engineering team here, and it’s not a small ask to do it — the game is massive! As you know, it’s coming on a cartridge as well.

All different platforms come with their own set of challenges and restrictions. One thing that we needed to do for the Switch 2 release was to cap the game at 30 frames per second, but that allows the game to run smoothly and solidly. The other thing that was very important to us was to make sure that the Switch 2 user wouldn’t miss out on any content. So we haven’t scaled back or cut down, we haven’t simplified mechanics. It is just one-to-one. The only change would be the 30 frames per second versus the higher frame rate that you would see on a PS5 or an Xbox. But otherwise, the quality is equal to an Xbox Series S.

There’s only one occasion in the game where we needed to scale back on the number of background characters roaming around, like NPCs moving in the background, just from an optimisation point of view. But other than that, we haven’t scaled back or cut content. It is the same game.

What was the biggest challenge that you found in the Switch 2 development process?

I would say that it was working with the hardware to make sure we could still deliver the same type of quality for the consumer, and doing the optimisation work needed. I always feel sorry for the engineers working specifically on optimisation, because when they do all of their fantastic magic, the stuff happening under the hood, you won’t notice. That’s when it’s done well — the game just runs, and everything still looks great, and things still have shadows, all of these things. That’s where we are with the release of this, it just looks and feels great. It’s down to the engineering team at MachineGames being able to pull that off.

When did you receive Switch 2 dev kits?

we haven’t scaled back or cut down, we haven’t simplified mechanics

I don’t know exactly when, but it was towards the end of the main production that we were made aware of an opportunity to get on to Switch 2. From a MachineGames point of view, we put so much energy, love and passion into this product, so we just want as many people as possible to enjoy the game, right? So whenever we get presented with the opportunity to release on more platforms, we will be the first ones to say yay!

For us, it’s super positive to get the game into the hands of potentially completely new gamers and players out there that haven’t tried it yet.

When you say the end of main production, do you mean main production on the Xbox release, back in 2024?

Yeah, so towards the end of the whole cycle.

And what did you make of the Switch 2 when you first got to see it in person?

Oh, it’s a super cool device. The biggest benefit, at least in my mind, and when we’re speaking about it internally, is that you can play the game basically everywhere because you can just fit the Switch 2 in your backpack or pocket.

Specifically looking at the gyro controller and the mouse support that we have as well, which adds to how you actually perceive the game with aim assist and all of these things. So it really gives players an opportunity to experience the game in a new way. Hopefully, we’ll see fans who have been playing the game on other platforms, but now have the opportunity to re-experience the game in a slightly different way.

You mentioned there that the Switch 2 brings its unique control schemes to the table. The Staff of Kings on Wii notoriously used some rather rough motion controls in its gameplay. Was there ever a moment where you were looking at Switch 2 and what those Joy-Con are capable of that you thought, ‘maybe we could’?

No, I don’t think we did [laughs]. It was doing an analysis of what we could do with the Switch 2 features that felt relevant, and what would be meaningful for the game or for the consumer. What makes sense and what will enhance the experience?

Yeah, the idea of using a Joy-Con to crack that whip is maybe better than the actual play experience…

It sounds like a tech demo, almost!

Did you take any inspiration from previous Indy games as you were looking at this one?

it feels like something that people in the gaming community would appreciate

It’s a difficult question because when we were developing this, we were looking at an extremely wide variety of Indiana Jones content. Looking at comic books, previous games, fan fiction novels, so many different things just to try to consume as much of the Indiana Jones franchise as we possibly could. I had a huge stack of books, like scripts, storyboards, behind-the-scenes, and the official guides to all of these things. But we didn’t specifically have any other Indiana Jones game in terms of, ‘Oh yeah, in Fate of Atlantis they did exactly this, so let’s try to do that.’

But obviously, all the previous games being part of the great ether of the Indiana Jones franchise, we obviously looked at them, and they’ve been part of the inspiration for just the mood of Indy.

This game is getting a full on-cart release on Switch 2. It’ll be Bethesda’s first game on the system that has that. How important was it for you that the game went this route instead of a Game-Key Card or a code-in-the-box physical release?

Yeah, we thought this was very important. We acknowledged the fact that there is a big portion of the gaming community that actually appreciates having stuff printed, having a piece of plastic to put on the shelves. I’m not a collector of cartridges and game cassettes and whatnot, but I do collect other things like toys. A lot of people in the studio do appreciate having their own physical library with discs and cartridges. Internally, we felt that it was important. If we can do it, we should, because it feels like something that people in the gaming community would appreciate. And so far, what we’ve seen from the response is that most people seem to think it was a good move.

Now that you’ve brought this to Switch 2, has it inspired you to think about other MachineGames projects that you might want to bring our way down the line?

[We’re just] focusing on making sure that the launch and the release on the Switch 2 go as planned, and then we’ll see what the future holds.

I thought I might get that answer, so I imagine that something similar might crop up here! How does it feel to return to the game again, and has it encouraged you to think about where the future of Indy might lie?

It’s rare to be in this position as a game developer. We released late in ’24, and here we are one and a half years later, still talking about it. We went to the BAFTAs the week before last, and we were nominated in five categories, plus Troy for main character as well. So six nominations in relation to the project. And then we have the launch now coming up for Switch 2. I’ve never in my career worked on any title that has that long post-launch, where the product is still active in one way or another. So it feels very good. It feels like we are very fortunate to be in this position. Let’s see what the future has for us.

And I’ve saved the most important question until last: What is the best Indiana Jones film?

It’s Raiders of the Lost Ark.

I didn’t know whether you were going to throw me a Crystal Skull curveball at the end there!

No, I’m sorry. I’m boring in that way, but I think Raiders is extremely good. I love them all. They all have their charm, that’s for sure!

This interview has been edited for clarity and flow.

Our thanks to Axel for taking the time to talk to us, and to Samuel at Bethesda for setting up the discussion. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle arrives on Switch 2 on 12th May for £59.99 / $69.99, with a complete on-cart physical launching the same day.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons received a special Animal Crossing anniversary update earlier this month, adding a leaf statue to the game.

Now, Nintendo has released Version 3.0.3, which makes this same item available for purchase from the Nook Shopping furniture catalog. It means even if you didn’t already have it, you can now see it in there. There’s also a price adjustment to this item, and to top it off are some bug fixes for the game on Switch 1 & 2.

If we hear anything else about this latest update for New Horizons, we’ll let you know. Here’s the full rundown via Nintendo’s official support page:

Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Ver. 3.0.3 (Released April 29, 2026)

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch:

General updates

• The 25th Anniversary item leaf statue is now available for purchase from the Nook Shopping furniture catalog.
  • Even players who have not previously obtained the leaf statue will now see it in their catalog.
  • The price of the leaf statue has also been adjusted with this update.
• Fixed an issue where images for some items would not display when opening your home storage or the hotel room decoration catalog.

In case you missed the previous update, the Animal Crossing series celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this month. As part of the celebrations, it added the Animal Crossing GameCube soundtrack to Nintendo Music.

New Horizons also got a major free update earlier this year, adding a Resort Hotel, expanded storage, and much more. This was released alongside a Switch 2 Edition, which is available as a paid upgrade. You can find out more about all of this in our guide here on Nintendo Life.

Nintendo has also released a new update for Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Switch today, adding a new story to the storybook.

Have you downloaded this update yet? Where did you put this leaf statue in the end? Let us know in the comments.

Following a patch in February, Nintendo has today rolled out a new update for Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Switch.

Surprisingly, this patch includes not just fixes but also a “new story” for the game’s storybook. You can see how to access it in the official patch notes below.

Here’s the full rundown of Version 1.4.0 via Nintendo’s support page:

General

• Several issues have been fixed and adjustments made to ensure a smoother gaming experience on both Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch.
• A new story has been added to the storybook. Once Final Chapter is available in the storybook, you can read the new story by clearing any galaxy and earning a Power Star.

Note: The software must be updated to Ver. 1.2.0 or later to play on Nintendo Switch 2.

As reported by Vooks.net, the lighting in “Tall Trunk Galaxy” has also apparently been fixed in this latest game update. The same site has shared a video of the new storybook epilogue featuring Rosalina.

Apart from this, the Nintendo Music app has today added a new song from the latest Super Mario Galaxy 2 storybook chapter.

According to Nintendo’s support page, the first Super Mario Galaxy game for Switch is still running on Version 1.3.1, which was released in February 2026.

Have you downloaded this update yet? Notice anything else? Let us know in the comments.

It looks like the PEGI ratings board may have revealed the return of Tales of Eternia ahead of schedule.

A new rating has temporarily appeared on the classification website for “Tales of Eternia Remastered” on the Nintendo Switch.

The publisher is listed as Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe, and attached to the listing is a ‘PEGI 12’ rating along with a brief outline of the action role-playing title:

“Role-playing game which follows the story of Reid and his friends, Farah and Keele, as they meet a mysterious girl named Meredy who speaks an unknown language. Their subsequent quest to discover her origins leads them across a dimensional boundary to an entirely different realm known as Celestia.”

Tales of Eternia made its debut on Sony’s PlayStation in the year 2000 and is part of Bandai Namco’s ‘Tales of’ series. Tales of Berseria Remastered was released on the Switch earlier this year in February.

If we get an official update or announcement about this Tales of Eternia Remastered, we’ll let you know.

Have you played this game? Would you be interested in a remastered release? Let us know in the comments.

Ahead of Dragon Quest Day next month, it looks like another entry in the series could be on the way to the Switch 2.

A new classification for a Switch 2 version of Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition has popped up on the classification board in Taiwan.

This ‘S’ version of the title made its debut on the original Nintendo Switch in 2019 and is described as the ultimate edition of the excellent RPG, adding additional character-specific stories, a new orchestral soundtrack and much more.

We awarded this Square Enix game nine out of ten stars, calling it “the gift that keeps on giving”:

“Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition is an achievement that Square should be proud of; this is one of the best games they’ve put out in years. A heartwarming, well-paced narrative supported by a cast of fantastic characters, a dense and interesting overworld packed with dozens of hours of content, and one of the finest soundtracks we’ve heard in a JRPG combine to make this an unforgettable modern classic. Whether you’re a newcomer to the JRPG genre or a returning vet, do yourself a favor and buy Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age as soon as you’re able.”

Of course, this is just a rating, so before we get too excited about a Switch 2 version, keep in mind nothing has been officially announced, and a rating doesn’t always guarantee a release.

Would you be interested in revisiting this title on the Switch 2? Have you already played through it on the Switch? Let us know in the comments.