Welcome welcome welcome, to another edition of Box Art Brawl!
Last time, we stepped into the ring with Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO for the GameCube, as this was a really close one, folks. Both designs are really cool, but in the end, Japan and Europe won the day with 53% of the vote, leaving North America to mop up the remaining 47%.
This week, we’re sticking with the GameCube. To celebrate the inclusion of Fox McCloud in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, we’re checking out Star Fox Assault, released in 2005 and developed by Namco. Taking place after the events of Star Fox Adventures, it garnered reasonable reception, though our own 6/10 review noted that the occasional on-rails segment proved disappointing.
It’s another duel this week as North America and Europe take on Japan, so enough waffling, let’s get to it.
Oof, so the Western design is really nice, right? The composition, the action shots, the vehicles, the cool Fox McCloud pose… It all works really well. There’s a good use of colour too, with the green lasers really standing out nicely from the otherwise intense use of orange in the background.
Japan opted for more characters, showcasing Fox, Falco, Krystal, Peppy, and Slippy, with a bunch of ships down at the bottom. It’s a bit more abstract in its approach than the Western design, but we do like that it manages to fit so many things into such a compact space yet still make it work.
Which region got the best Star Fox Assault box art? (1,038 votes)
North America / Europe64%
Japan36%
Thank you for voting! We’ll see you next week for another edition of Box Art Brawl!
Alongside a new trailer today, the developer and publisher has now confirmed this time-travelling adventure will be launching for both platforms on 17th September 2026. The new and rather lengthy video on display showcases the playable characters, chain skills and much more!
Cross the boundaries of the cosmos as Aldo, on a quest to save his sister Feinne from the clutches of evil. Cross timeless paths, forging deep connections with over 18 memorable companions. Complete ally quests to deepen your relationships and unlock special kinship quests.
The epic narrative features full English voiceover in the main story from the returning ensemble of Another Eden: The Cat Beyond Time and Space (available on mobile & Steam), the multiverse time-travelling JRPG that has brought timeless tales and epic battles to millions of players since 2017.
Strategically command a party built around character roles and synergies to confront formidable creatures in fast-paced turn-based battles. Activate Another Force to unleash a slew of devastating attacks and turn the tide of battle.
Be it the past, present or future, expect endless possibilities with the New Game+ mode. With your existing experience, progression, and gear in tow, prepare to cross time once again with a mysterious new character in search of ten new and unforgettable endings.
As mentioned in our announcement post, this title has been brought to life by the acclaimed director and writer Masato Kato (known for his work on Chrono Trigger, Xenogears and Chrono Cross), and the music is composed by the renowned game composer Yasunori Mitsuda (Xenogears, Chrono Cross).
“Masato Kato, the creator of numerous RPG classics, presents an epic adventure spanning the past, present, and future! The main story is a richly woven tale with full voice acting, accompanied by a main theme song composed by Yasunori Mitsuda and music incorporating traditional folk instruments and an orchestra by Procyon Studios! Strategic command battles rely on building parties around characters’ roles and synergies to unleash additional skills! Use the power of Another Force to execute devastating attacks and edge closer to victory! After completing the main story, another adventure awaits with New Game+! All of the characters retain their strength for this new journey as actions and choices determine which of over 10 endings will unfold!”
Image: Wright Flyer Studios
Will you be giving this title a go when it arrives on Nintendo’s platforms later this year? Let us know in the comments.
If you’re a fan of short and sweet experiences such as Toree 3D and Macbat 64, physical distributor Super Rare Games has announced the Toree & Friends Collection for Switch.
This package contains a colourful mix of fast-paced platforming, quirky characters and nostalgic-style adventures. Players can expect “5 titles featuring 9 vibrant games” on one game cartridge.
This release, priced at $40.92 / £31.00, will also come with a full-colour manual, exclusive sticker set, and 3-card trading pack. The estimated shipping date is June 2026, and pre-orders go live next week on 9th April 2026. There’s a maximum of two copies per order, and there are total of 4,000 copies available, so get it while you can.
Of course, you can also play these titles right now, as they’re all available on the Switch eShop for an incredibly low price.
Would you be interested in this collection? Let us know in the comments.
The new “free-to-start” battle title Pokémon Champions is out next week for the Switch on 8th April 2026, and to help build some excitement, The Pokémon Company has released a new “world overview” trailer.
As you might have guessed from the title, this cinematic introduces trainers to the world of Pokémon. It shows off the Battle Arena within Frontier City, where trainers face each other in “fierce battles day and night” in a race to the top. In this battle, we get a look at Caraway and Kajima.
Caraway is the owner of the Battle Arena, where trainers will compete:
“She’s interested in discovering new talent and helping Trainers become the strongest they can be.”
Image: The Pokémon Company Image: The Pokémon Company
And Kajima is the mayor of Frontier City:
“He promotes Pokémon battles as a form of entertainment to expand the pool of competitors and get more people interested in Pokémon.”
Image: The Pokémon Company Image: The Pokémon Company
As previously mentioned, Pokémon Champions will be available on the Switch, and Switch 2 users will also get a free update at launch featuring enhanced visual performance. This will follow with a mobile release at some point later this year.
We’ve given this list a little spring clean adding the excellent Despelote. Enjoy!
A Switch 1 or 2 is the perfect console if you travel a lot, for work or pleasure. The consoles’ portability make them the perfect choice if you’re spending any time at all in planes, trains, and automobiles.
Of course, you may choose to pass the time playing a trusted standby, or grinding through your favourite RPG, but if you’re after a wholesome, bite-sized game to chew on and digest entirely in a single sitting, you’ve come to the right place. Maybe you’ve got no travel plans at all and you just want an amuse-bouche in between sweeping epics. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of smaller experiences on the eShop, and we’re here to help you find the best short games on Switch.
All of the games below can be completed in a few short hours — potentially in one gaming session, subject to skill and battery life. So, whether you’re jetting off on holiday or squeezing in a whistle-stop business trip, you can travel safe in the knowledge that the following short Switch games will keep you company on your trip, and you’ll have them wrapped up by the time you return. Who’s got the patience to wait until hour 30 when a game supposedly ‘gets good’, eh?!
A passionate love letter to a bygone age, 198X celebrates 2D, arcade-based gaming brilliantly and wraps it up in some of the best hand-drawn art we’ve seen in years. The soundtrack is also exceptional, and, in terms of pure presentation, it’s really hard to fault what’s on offer here.
You can finish it in around an hour, but the experience will remain with you for long after the credits have rolled. While we’re sure many people will consider the game’s shortness a cardinal sin, we… don’t. If you’re a fan of ’80s and ’90s gaming, appreciate lush 2D artwork, and desire an experience which firmly lodges itself in your consciousness, this is it.
A Short Hike is a fat-free experience from top to bottom – or should we say bottom to top? It’s the kind of game that makes us sigh with happiness when we recall our time with it, and even having played it through to its ostensible conclusion multiple times, we know for a fact there are still things to see and do on that mountain.
It’s something of an apotheosis – a milestone in indie games akin to Cave Story or Spelunky. The very best bits of multiple game genres, stripped of all padding and bloat, mixed perfectly into a delicious video game stew that only gets richer the more you play.
An exploration in every sense of the word, A Short Hike is cute without being twee, challenging without being obnoxious, and emotional without being cloying. A landmark game for all ages. Don’t miss this one.
Abzû is certainly a standout release on the eShop, offering up an experience that breaks from the norm of goal-based gaming in favour of something that’s more focused on simply existing in a world and enjoying all its little intricacies.
Those of you who appreciate casual adventures like taking a walk in a forest will be sure to enjoy what Giant Squid has to offer, as the dreamlike visuals, entrancing orchestral score, and deliberately sedate pace do a fantastic job of drawing the player into this alien world. Abzû isn’t a game about winning, but about the journey you take getting there.
The Nintendo eShop would be a considerably more exciting and interesting place if it were packed full of games like Ape Out. It’s a refreshingly original experience that more than deserves a place in any Switch owner’s library.
Difficult, frenetic gameplay, strong art direction, and an even stronger jazz drum soundtrack make this the sort of memorable game that you’ll likely keep coming back to over and over for another few runs in arcade mode. Ape Out gets a strong recommendation to anyone looking for a distinct and unforgettable game for their Switch collection; it’s a bit of an acquired taste, but well worth your time.
Before I Forget is a short, beautiful experience that nevertheless approaches a challenging and rather sombre subject. It takes creative bravery to share a game that represents the impact of dementia, and to do so sensitively and as accurately as possible; it achieves this goal.
We not only suffer the disease with Sunita, but engage with the successes and joys of her life. Before I Forget finds a careful balance that is to be commended.
It looks like The Witness and it plays a bit like StreetPass Garden, but Botany Manor blooms into something that’s not only entirely its own, but also something quite special. Don’t let its cosy aesthetics fool you — Botany Manor is packed with nicely challenging, well-designed puzzles, and isn’t afraid to tackle heavy subjects, too.
This one might be a little too much for a single session depending on how quickly you pick up the beat-based mechanic, but unless you’re a speedrunner, you won’t find a faster Zelda game.
Brace Yourself Games crafted a unique entry which fits in perfectly with the rest of the family. A transfusion from Crypt of the NecroDancer gives the old top-down template a fresh spin, but it still manages to feel like Zelda, like a celebration – specifically of the franchise’s music, a part of the series destined to take a back seat as the majesty of Hyrule is increasingly conveyed through the scale of its world rather than melodies from the days when the ‘kingdom’ was a walled garden.
Cadence of Hyrule is not just a brilliant game; it’s a brilliant Zelda game.
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With its distinctive presentation and light-touch mechanics, Despelote builds a mesmerising feeling of a community brought together by a fleeting football obsession. The historic moment of Ecuador’s journey towards World Cup qualification grounds the story in time and place, perfectly capturing the author’s salad days. Whether you play, watch, or avoid football, this is a beautifully-told story you can enjoy.
Donut County is perfect if you’re looking for a short, relaxing, funny puzzle game. It’s an enjoyable experience that has just enough charm to justify its existence, and although some might find the relatively high price tag a tough pill to swallow for three hours max of content, it’s a tasty little treat that you can devour in a single sitting. Short and sweet, indeed.
Another one where your skill will really dictate how short it is, this is an excellent port of a game that feels like it’s found a natural home on Switch, thanks to a plethora of control options and the console’s natural facility with vertical orientation. Short of popping your 4K TV on its side, Switch offers the very best way to play Downwell. Its roguelike structure and twitch platforming might not be for everyone, but you should really give it a chance.
For our money, it’s a modern classic that should be in everyone’s collection.
Firewatch is just as engrossing and enchanting on Switch as it was the first time around. From the warm glow of its forests in the morning summer light to the subtle tension of exploring a rocky gorge in the isolating silence of night, Shoshone National Forest is a character in its own right.
With a story that’s both funny and heartbreaking – and enhanced by some brilliant performances by its two central actors – this is an essential purchase, irrespective of whether you’re playing it for the first time on Switch or simply using it as an excuse to revisit an old favourite.
Florence is an evocation of the beauty, sadness and hope that comes from any human connection we make in our lives, whether with art, nature or another person.
It’s a succinct and incredibly successful exploration of moments you’ll recognise from your own life, and the way it mirrors thoughts and feelings through small gameplay mechanics makes it one of the most affecting experiences we’ve enjoyed on Switch, or any other platform.
With tight controls, retro-styled minimal art style and a superb sense of progression, Gato Roboto is the perfect Metroidvania to play whilst you’re waiting for an actual Metroid or appropriate Castlevania game. Only its difficulty leaves a bit to be desired at times – anybody with a lick of experience will likely breeze through it in no time, and its quality is such that you may end up wishing it lasted a little longer.
Nevertheless, it’s chock full of meaningful upgrades, secrets, and spectacular boss battles to keep you joyously busy for a few hours.
Years on from its 2013 release, there’s no denying the cultural and developmental impact Fullbright’s Gone Home has had on the game industry. Both as a near-perfect exercise in interactive storytelling and an example of how to handle complex and very real ideas in a game, only Life is Strange has ever come close to matching its significance.
While there still isn’t much ‘game’ to be found in this 2018 Switch port, the story you unravel through exploring an empty home will stay with you long after you’ve put down your console. Essential.
The Switch’s eShop is saturated with bucketloads of high-quality content. This is great in one way, of course, but stumbling across hidden gems within it will get tougher as time goes on. Gorogoa is one such gem; a puzzle game quite unlike any other that deserves your attention.
It is a little on the short side, but the creativity that has been put into its design, and the effect it will have on you during your time exploring its gorgeous world, is something that you’ll want to experience. If you’re looking for something new to try, this would be an excellent choice.
Now fully aware of fire-hungry crawling monsters lurking in the shadows, I jump out of my skin at scuttling sounds behind me. I swing around and breathe a sigh of relief. It is just my house, which has sprouted legs and is dutifully following me on my odyssey to Moon Mountain.
First released on PS5 and PC in May 2025, The Midnight Walk can easily be compared to the work of Tim Burton. Its mix of stop-motion horror and heartfelt charm recalls The Nightmare Before Christmas and Frankenweenie. Developers Klaus Lyngeled and Olov Redmaln have fostered this style over multiple titles, most recently 2021’s dice-based adventure game Lost In Random. With this beautifully grotesque walking simulator, the MoonHood co-founders deliver a fascinating, sweet, and often terrifying journey through a bizarre world.
A melting pot of Nordic folklore, religious ideology, and the original creations of its developers, A Midnight Walk puts you in the charred body of the Burnt One. A gruff narrator tells their tale as if it’s already unfolded, an epic and doomladen narrative that starts off mysterious and only gets more complex as you push through this dark fairy tale. Crackling voice notes are stored in rusty snail shells that litter your path, building the world and slowly expositing the purpose of your journey.
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld/Undocked)
Early on you meet Potboy, the one (literal and metaphorical) source of light in your trek. This little guy follows you through the world, lighting the way, opening doors and solving puzzles. He is an adorable presence and, while he is never in much peril, you feel like protecting him is integral to your quest.
There are other characters littered along the road, like the mysterious soothsayers that give you purpose by sending you to Moon Mountain. The Soulfisher sits by campfires and imparts sage wisdom. Best of all is Housy, your humble abode. Inside lies a warm hearth and all of your collectibles, outside the shack skitters around on spider legs and is almost as cute as Potboy.
Not all characters are benevolent, however. This isn’t a walking simulator where you are never under threat. The Burnt One spends a good portion of their journey to Moon Mountain hiding from crawling beasts that crave your fire.
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld/Undocked)
Evading monsters involves sneaking around, hiding in closets, and using fire to distract them. Getting through these sections is never particularly taxing, and the puzzle mechanics shift often enough to keep things fresh across this eight hour experience. Despite how easy it can be to shake these beasties off, they are always terrifying. In The Midnight Walk, everything around you conveys menace. When the threat is not real, it is implied. Most characters do not seem to want you around, and even the friendly ones only have grim portents to share.
Yet through all the gloom all is Potboy, your helpful little adopted child. He scrambles around, igniting things to help you on your way. You’ll occasionally come across coal that can be fed to him, which elicits a squeak and a merry little dance. He remains a positive presence throughout this bleak and oppressive tale.
For such a dark and abstract world, this game is certainly a looker. Every step of your five(ish)-hour journey is filled with elaborate nightmares and dreamscapes, creating a living world that feels aware of your presence and reacts accordingly. The stretches between monster evasion are just as nerve shattering, when everything around you feels alive it’s difficult to know what wants to eat you.
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
Characters move in jerky, stop-motion animation, while the environments constantly shift, growing and receding as you pass through them. All these assets began as real clay models before being 3D scanned. This tactile creative choice shines through as a unique and engaging aesthetic.
The game performs well on both large and small screens, though playing undocked reduces the atmosphere considerably, and also the sense of dread.
What remains effective in both modes is the audio design. A VR version of The Midnight Walk was developed in parallel and the directional audio carries over surprisingly well. A key mechanic is the ability to close the Burnt One’s eyes and listen for activity around you, sometimes while being pursued by something that wants to gobble you up. This is yet another way that the game pulls you into its world, whether you want to be there or not.
Conclusion
The Midnight Walk is an intoxicating journey through a beautifully twisted nightmare world. The Burnt One’s quest to Moon Mountain is an atmospheric, bleak, and surprisingly sweet story that’s worth experiencing.
Hello there, lovely people. (Hey, Alex is off right now, so I’m nabbing the catchphrase.)
It’s been a Mario-filled week with the launch of a certain record-breaking motion picture. Yes, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie came out fire flowers blazing this week. Reviews followed in the footsteps of its predecessor, with critics failing to be wowed while audiences packed the multiplexes. The most surprising thing? The size of that Yoshi popcorn bucket.
But it’s Saturday now, so let’s check in with Team NL and co. to find out about their weekend gaming plans…
Jim Norman, Features Editor
My brain is Pokopia, , and more Pokopia at the moment. I have been on holiday all week, soaking up the sun and chilling in the sea, but where does my mind keep going? “Hmm, I bet if I put four patches of grass on the shoreline, I’d attract something special”.
I can’t stop. I won’t stop. If this isn’t in my GOTY top five come December, we will have had a very strong year indeed!
Kate Gray, Contributor
I’ve been playing an awful lot of Pokopia. I’ve even managed to technically use it to “work” because I built one of the houses from Moonstone Island! Wow. That means it’s basically a business expense, right?
Which does mean I’ve been neglecting my AYN Thor, despite setting it up to play all the Prof Laytons and handheld Zeldas (or handheldas). Send me your niche DS and 3DS game recommendations, please! And I mean niche, I’ve been a Nintendo journalist for long enough that “Pullblox” ain’t gonna cut it.
Gavin Lane, Editor
This week I have been mostly perusing the eShop sale and wondering what gems I could pick up cheap and add to the backlog. What I should do is pick one, like Abzu or Death’s Door, which I bought years ago and finally play it. I’m also keen to play Kena: Bridge of Spirits, but let’s see where the weekend takes me.
Mai Ladyman, Video Producer
As per usual, my current games are a bit of a mishmash. It’s been somewhat of a Mario week since picking up Super Mario Wonder last week and watching the new movie! I’ve really been enjoying the game and with it being my first Mario in quite some time, I can’t believe what I’ve been missing. My backlog has been creeping up on my again but it’s worth it as I’ve also added Hello Kitty Island Adventure to the pile.
On a completely different end of the games list though, I finally purchased a PS5 Pro before the price hike and have been replaying The Last of Us Part 2. To say my dreams have been filled with Clickers and Talking Flowers is an understatement.
Gonçalo Lopes, Contributor
April is here and so is proper weather. Regardless I am spending most of the weekend inside playing Mine’s side story in Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties. It has been a while since I’ve been on the Virtua ring but I am quite hooked on Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage, whether reusing old combos or mastering new characters, its all bliss.
Playing Deadzone: Rogue online was the right choice since it makes the robotic baddies far more manageable (as in they have more than one target to shoot at). Out of nowhere Com8com1 latest offering Go! Go! Mister Chickums is one of the finest single screen arcade titles I’ve played in recent memory. Don’t skip it!
Game of the week is Star Fox: Assault. With all the Artemis II and Mario Galaxy Movie (which I have yet to see) hype going on, I did consider coming back to Star Fox Zero because it remains a really nice and unique entry in the franchise (plus I do have my Wii U still assembled). Instead I went back to score chasing on the GameCube’s Namco-developed title. This would have been a fantastic time for Nintendo to re-release the game on the Switch 2 Nintendo Classics GC app. Always remember: Use bombs wisely!
Ollie Reynolds, Reviews Editor
Despite my issues with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, I can’t deny that it’s got me hyped for a potential new Star Fox game. For now, at least, I’ll settle for the classics, so I’ll be playing a bit of Star Fox on SNES and Lylat Wars on N64 via the NSO apps.
Elsewhere, I’ve been playing a lot of Guilty Gear -Strive- on the PS5. I do have it on the Switch, but it sounds like ArcSys might be leaving the system behind when the big 2.0 update lands on the 9th. Also, the Hit Box Ultra works like a dream on PS5. Have a good one!
Those are our plans for the coming weekend. Now it’s your turn to tell us yours, so make sure to get busy with our poll, and let us know all about your weekend gaming plans in the comments!
If you’ve been wanting to try out the System Shock Remake and happen to have access to a Switch 2, Nightdive Studios has now released a demo on the eShop.
This follows an update for the title on Switch 1 and 2 last month, which included some massive performance improvements on both platforms and should make the experience much more enjoyable than was at launch.
As we mentioned in the previous post:
“Patch 2.1 has been applied across all available platforms to nuke any nasty bugs, but it’s Nintendo’s consoles that receive the most TLC. Performance has been stabilised, with Switch 1 now running at up to 900p when docked and 720p in handheld, both of which target 30fps.
“On the Switch 2, resolution is 1440p while docked and 1080p in handheld mode, with both now running at a consistent 60fps. We’ve quickly tested it out ourselves on Switch 2 in preparation for this article, and we can confirm that the frame rate is a massive improvement over the initial release in 2025.”
So, now is a great time to jump back in, or you can give this game a go for the first time with the Switch 2 demo.
The rhythm roguelike Ratatan was originally planned for the Switch, but in an update this week, developer Ratata Arts has announced it will no longer be coming to Nintendo’s original hybrid platform or the PlayStation 4. Fortunately, it’s still on the way to the Switch 2.
The team, which was also behind the music and rhythm series Patapon, shared the following update via the game’s Kickstarter page. It notes how the projected number of units the team could sell on “legacy hardware” would not justify the licensing fees necessary to complete those SKUs.
It also wanted to make the “highest possible quality game”, so the focus is on a smaller number of platforms. Here’s this update about the cancellation of the Switch and PS4 versions in full:
We looked at a wide variety of different methods to try to make this possible. While developing the game we again reviewed different options to release on these platforms and were able to add Switch 2 as an option. We were trying to balance the best possible user experience while covering a large amount of platforms as an indie team.
In deciding the best way to use limited money to make a full online title, sometimes you have to prioritize different platforms. After lengthy discussions with our publisher Game Source Entertainment, we have decided that the projected number of units we could sell for legacy hardware would not justify the licensing fees necessary to complete those SKUs. We can replace either of those SKUS with Steam, Switch 2, PS5, or Xbox Series X. For anyone who does not have one of the above hardwares, we will begin a support ticket to look at what options we have.
In looking at those options it became clear that we wouldn’t be able to make the highest possible quality game while also developing for a large number of different platforms. So we have decided to focus on a smaller number of platforms to achieve maximum quality. We know there are a lot of backers who looked forward to this on their platform of choice and we are deeply sorry for being able to do everything. That being said, we will continue to look into what options we have to see if those platforms are options in the future. For now, however, please allow us to focus on this more manageable set of platforms.
As mentioned, for anyone who backed the game, the team will replace these legacy versions with any of the other versions of the game (including the Switch 2 release).
What are your thoughts about the Switch version of this title being axed? Will you be checking out Ratatan when it arrives on Switch 2? Let us know in the comments.
Nintendo is celebrating The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in all sorts of ways, and as part of this, a new event has now officially gone live in its free-to-download mobile runner, Super Mario Run.
