Author: sick skills

Uh oh, you’d best get your wallets ready folks, because the official Pokémon Center pop-up store is making a return in London this February as part of the 2026 Pokémon Europe International Championships.

Open from Thursday, 12th February to Sunday, 15th February 2026, accessing the store will once again require a reservation, and more details for this will be shared closer to the time. As for what kind of exclusive products you can expect to find, The Pokémon Company has confirmed that Mega Evolution will play a big role this year thanks to its reintroduction in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

Here’s a look at the exact opening times for the store this coming February:

– Thursday, 12 February: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
– Friday, 13 February: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
– Saturday, 14 February: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
– Sunday, 15 February: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Keep in mind that the Pokémon Center also doesn’t accept cash as a payment option, so if you somehow still use cash as your primary payment method, then now’s the time to break out the debit card.

For now, here’s a small look at some of the merch that will be on offer:

We’ll be sure to update you as soon as we hear more on securing those all-important reservations.

Are you hoping to pay a visit to the Pokémon Center in London this year? Which piece of merch catches your eye from this early glimpse? Let us know.

Fortnite is pretty much solely known for its ludicrous crossovers these days, and after the success of the recent events centred around The Simpsons and Kill Bill, the game is gearing up for yet another.

Yes, on 9th January 2025 (this Friday), South Park will enter the fray, though no specific details as to what this might entail have been shared at the time of writing.

All we’ve got for the time being is a small teaser via social media:

It wouldn’t be a new Fortnite drop without a few leaks, mind you, and word on the street is that the content will include skins for Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny, along with items relating to The Stick of Truth. There may also be some South Park-themed environments, which would honestly be awesome.

We’ll have to wait and see if the leaks are accurate, but we’re intrigued to see exactly how this pans out.

What are your thoughts on this new Fortnite crossover? Let us know with a comment in the usual place.

Back in its 10th anniversary special presentation, Limited Run Games announced that it was teaming up with Capcom on a line of physical releases. One of the titles falling in this physical line-up was Capcom Arcade Stadium, which had a vague ‘2026’ release date attached. Well, with the new year finally upon us, we’ve got some more information on what the physical will have in store.

Pre-orders for the collection will go live on the Limited Run website on 9th January 2026 for $59.99, but all those who want to get their hands on a copy will have a big decision to make: which cover do you want to see on your shelf?

Limited Run Games is showcasing a whopping five different covers for this physical release. There’s one with all of the standard collection key art, but the other four feature new pieces of artwork for individual games featured in the collection: Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, Captain Commando, Final Fight and Strider.

The actual boxed contents remain the same, obviously, and each cover will sell for the same price, but it’s a pretty tough decision. Here’s a closer look at each design, so you can see for yourself:

Pre-orders will be sticking around until 8th February at 11:59pm PT / 2:59am ET (9th Feb) / 7:59am GMT (9th Feb), with copies expected to ship between 1st July and 30th September.

We had a great time with Capcom Arcade Stadium when it first launched on the Switch eShop back in 2021, and while the emulation wasn’t always up to scratch, we called it “well worth the price, warts and all” in our 8/10 review.

Which cover is your favourite? You can cast your vote in the poll below, then let us know if you’ll be picking up a physical copy in the comments.

The new year is finally upon us, and with that comes a whole horde of new games to think about — yipee!

2026 is already looking pretty stacked, and while January is usually one of the quieter months in the release calendar, there are still a handful of big hitters coming our way over the next few weeks.

Here to highlight the cream of the crop are the wonderful Alex and Alana, who you’ll find chatting about eight awesome up-and-comers in the video above. There’s a bit of everything, from first-party favourites to lesser-known delights. So, grab a beverage and prepare to make those wishlists a little bit longer.

Alternatively, if you prefer your lists in written form, you’ll find the eight highlights down below.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – 15th January (Switch 2)

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon – 15th January (Switch 1 & 2)

Cassette Boy – 15th January (Switch 1)

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade – 22nd January (Switch 2)

Dynasty Warriors: Origins – 22nd January (Switch 2)

Dispatch – 28th January (Switch 1 & 2)

Core Keeper – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – 28th January (Switch 2)

Caves of Qud – January (Switch 1)

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Not a bad line-up, eh? You can take to the following poll to let us know which January 2026 Switch release you’re the most excited for, then head to the comments to share any other titles you’ll be picking up.

We reviewed the original Suika Game back when it released on Switch in 2023, giving it a 7/10 and calling it a “ripe little puzzler”, and one that you can nab for less than £3. A good thing in this economy, we can all agree.

Now, fans of Suika’s puzzling charms can dive into the game’s equally colourful-looking sequel, Suika Game Planet, which is available to purchase right this very moment for both Switch 1 and Switch 2 on the US eShop (cheers for the heads-up MyNintendoNews). It’s priced at $3.75 on Switch 2, and $2.99 on Switch 1.

Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be an upgrade path (though the game is pretty cheap anyway) and as things currently stand, the game is currently only available on the US eShop. We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for it landing in other regions, if and when it does so.

This new sequel moves the breezy puzzle action to space for some intergalactic shenanigans that see you control the dropping of fruit into the centre of your screen in order to pair off and combo from your positioning of fruit types.

Here’s some further info from the official press release:

A new Suika Game is here from a new setting in space! Turn, target, and aim for the watermelon!

Drop the fruits freely from any direction as “”Poppy”” flies 360° around the planet. Make fruits of the same type collide to make them “”evolve”” and aim to create watermelons for a high score!

Make a lot of fruits “”evolve”” to enter the new “”Super Evolution Time”” mode! Special background music, dramatic effects, and a bonus score bring the excitement to a peak!

The Switch 2 version of the game also supports the console’s GameShare function, allowing for up to four players to hash it out in co-op which, given the style of the puzzling at hand, could get pretty intense and enjoyable. So that’s a neat and meaningful addition, especially given the game’s ultra-low price tag!

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Played Suika Game on Switch 1? Interested in nabbing this sequel? Let us know in the comments.

Nintendo is regularly renewing its video game trademarks, and with this in mind, some trademarks have apparently been spotted for The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes and Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash.

The multiplayer Zelda title originally made its debut on the 3DS in 2015. We found it to be a “mixed bag” compared to its illustrious predecessors. As for Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, this game arrived on the Wii U in 2015. It featured some enjoyable gameplay, but there wasn’t quite enough there to keep us interested.

Here’s a look at these trademarks courtesy of Mike Odyssey on social media (thanks, GoNintendo):

When it comes to video game trademarks, there is no guarantee games and filings spotted will neccessarily lead to an announcement or reveal.

For Nintendo, renewals are often just part of everyday business operations to protect its intellectual properties. In saying this, some trademark renewals from publishers in recent years have led to the revival of certain games and series, such as Bandai Namco’s IP Klonoa and Katamari.

If we hear anything related to these renewals, we will provide an update. Although there’s no sign of Nintendo’s multiplayer-focused Zelda series returning, you can always get a co-op fix in the recently released title Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. A new Mario Tennis game called Mario Tennis Fever is also coming to the Switch 2 next month.

Did you play these Nintendo titles back in the day? Would you like to see this particular era of Nintendo games return in some way or form? Tell us in the comments.

One Switch release we didn’t think enough people spoke about in 2025 was The Hundred Line – Last Defense Academy. Fortunately, there might be a chance of it returning to the spotlight in the future.

In a recent interview with RPG Site, the title’s co-director Kazutaka Kodaka mentioned how the team at Too Kyo Games would definitely consider a Switch 2 Edition upgrade, similar to what fans saw with SHUTEN ORDER in November. Here’s the full exchange:

RPG Site: It made sense to prioritize Switch and Steam for this one. Are there any plans for a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade like we just saw for Shuten Order? I ask this because the game is a bit rough on Switch compared to PC and it would benefit a lot from faster loading with better visuals and performance on Switch 2.

Kazutaka Kodaka: We’d like to consider that as well.

So, while there’s nothing concrete just yet, there appears to be a serious chance a Switch 2 upgrade could be considered for the future.

When The Hundred Line originally arrived in April last year, we gave it an “excellent” nine out of ten stars and praised it for its blend of tactical RPG and visual novel gameplay. We also gave it a spot in our Nintendo Life 2025 Games of the Year list. The success it had also seemingly helped Too Kyo Games avoid bankruptcy.

In case you missed it, the paid upgrade for Shuten Order on Switch 2 included a performance update and mouse controls.

Would you be interested in playing a Switch 2 Edition of The Hundred Line? Did you play it last year when it launched on Switch? Tell us in the comments below.

Lego has officially announced a new 2×4 “smart brick” at CES 2026 this week. It’s apparently the “most significant evolution” in the Lego system since the release of the Minifigure in 1978 and is part of the company’s “smart play” initiatives.

This brick, which will be featured in new Star Wars sets launching this March, is expected to expand to other sets. According to The Verge, there are supposedly already rumours about how it could be included in the upcoming Pokémon line, due out this year. So, what’s all the fuss about?

As reported by the tech site, this is “the most ambitious brick” Lego has ever made, with a “tiny computer that fits entirely inside a classic 2×4 Lego brick”. It’s a custom ASIC chip and is “smaller than a single Lego stud” with firmware that can be updated via a smartphone app.

It’s got a built-in battery that will “still perform after years of inactivity” and can be wirelessly charged on a pad that can recharge multiple bricks at once.

When it detects NFC-equipped smart tags inside smart Lego tiles and minifigures, it will be able to interact with these sets and bring them to life. For example, the new Star Wars sets now support humming lightsabers, light-up blasters, and the roar of TIE Fighters and X-Wings.

The source goes into more detail about this new smart brick (originally piloted in a Lego City set in 2024) and how it can enhance play:

“They have light and sound, light sensors, inertial sensors to detect movement, tilt, and gestures, and they form a Bluetooth mesh network with other Smart Bricks, so they’re aware of each other’s position and orientation — so Lego Star Wars ships and figures can do battle, for example, or so The Imperial March plays when you sit Emperor Palpatine on his throne. When built into Lego cars, the bricks could detect which one crosses a finish line first, or change from engine noises to crashing sound effects if the vehicle is flipped over.”

Lego Group spokesperson Jessica Benson also told the outlet how the new brick contains a microphone, which acts as a “virtual button” and sensor point for play functions – like blowing out candles on a cake (rather than recording anything). It has also been confirmed there is “no AI” or camera in this product, so don’t expect the Lego Mario titles to be recognised.

As you might have already guessed, these smart bricks will bump up the costs of sets. Nintendo has also expanded its Lego line in recent years with IP such as Animal Crossing and Zelda, so there’s a chance future sets could utilise these new bricks.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition officially launches next week, and ahead of this, Nintendo’s Switch Online battle royale game Tetris 99 has announced it will be hosting a Maximus Cup to celebrate.

This is the 51st Maximus Cup (also known as a Grand Prix) and will take place between 8th January 2026 and 12th January 2026. As usual, when you earn a total of 100 event points, you’ll unlock a new theme featuring unique art, music and Tetrimino designs. This is all “inspired by the updated content in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons game”. You can see it in motion in the gameplay trailer above.

If you haven’t already seen our previous coverage about the Switch 2 Edition of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and the free 3.0 game update, the update comes loaded with new features like the Resort Hotel, Expanded Home Storage, the return of Resetti, collaborations and much more.

The Switch 2 version of the title will also include improved resolution and graphics, and some other cool features like mouse controls, a megaphone and a higher player count online. You can find out more in our previous coverage here on Nintendo Life. Once again, the Switch 2 Edition and free update arrive next week on 15th January 2026.

Apart from this upcoming Tetris 99 collaboration, Nintendo has also made a set of Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch Online icons avaialble from now until 2nd February 2026. Here’s a look via social media:

Will you be returning to your island in Animal Crossing next week? How about this Tetris 99 event? Are you planning on checking it out? Tell us in the comments.