Author: sick skills

Developer Mimimi Games and publisher Daedalic Entertainment have unleashed Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun on the Switch 2, with an appropriately sneaky launch trailer to mark its release.

In our recent review, we called Shadow Tactics “a fantastic real-time tactics adventure that wows with top-notch gameplay, fantastic looks, and a set of delectable missions that challenge you to get into your ninja groove and bring the best out of a team of shadowy assassins”.

The release on Switch 2 comes with some of the most compelling mouse controls intrepid reviewer PJ O’Reilly has seen yet, making this a particularly good option for fans of the hybrid console who are into tactics games, shadowy or otherwise. Check out the trailer above for a better look.

If you’ve missed any news about the game until now, here’s another look at the key features:

– Best-in-class console version, featuring Switch 2 mouse-mode support for unmatched precision
– The Ultimate Edition includes the full 25+ hour main campaign and the Aiko’s Choice add-on
– Fully optimized for Switch 2, with improved loading times and polished performance
– HD (1080p) gameplay at 30 FPS in handheld mode and 4K output at 30 FPS in TV mode

Shadow Tactics is available on the Switch 2 eShop for £32.49 / €39.99 / $39.99, while its standalone add-on, Aiko’s Choice, can be bought for £15 / €19.99 / $19.99.

Will you be picking up Shadow Tactics on the Switch 2? Let us know your thoughts with a comment in the usual place.

Team Cherry has been gradually churning out the updates for Hollow Knight: Silksong since it launched last year, and now, the game’s getting one “last significant update” before the arrival of Sea of Sorrow.

As shared in a recent blog post from the devs, ‘Patch 5’ launched on PC earlier this week, with a console release “coming soon”. The big additions this time around are the implementations of Traditional Chinese and German language options, but there is a boatload of tweaks and fixes to check out, too.

The full patch notes for the catchily-titled ver. 1.0.29926 were shared on the Team Cherry website, and we have gathered them together for you to check out below:

Hollow Knight: Silksong Ver. 1.0.29926

– Added new Traditional Chinese localisation.
– Refined German translation to improve clarity and consistency with English version.
– Allowed Silk Soar through top scene exits.
– Fixed various instances of specific enemies being able to get stuck out of bounds.
– Fixed various instances of Hornet being able to be pulled out of bounds by enemies.
– Fixed Last Judge’s death explosion doing 3 damage (now 2).
– Magma Bell now protects against all fire-type explosions.
– Fixed another instance of Shrine Guardian Seth being able to push Hornet through a wall.
– Fixed an instance of Lace (Cradle) getting out of bounds. Also various small fixes to prevent some rare, odd behaviours during the fight.
– Fixed certain tools unintentionally being down-bounceable in specific instances.
– Fixed Border Caves bounce-pods giving Silk & Health for certain Crests.
– Fixed Snitch Pick not doing its 3rd hit of damage when in a memory.
– Fixed issues with Wood Wasp colliders sometimes lingering longer than intended or not reactivating on respawn.
– Fixed Choruses in Underworks not playing their full Needolin text.
– Fixed an instance of Thread Rakers being able to get stuck out of bounds.
– Savage Beastfly’s summoned minions now die when the boss is killed.
– Far Fields Savage Beastfly is now stunned when hit by the hanging bomb rock.
– Fixed an instance of tool quantity not updating correctly when unequipping Shell Satchel.
– Fixed a rare instance of Lavalugs getting frozen in place.
– Fixed fast travel unintentionally clearing Hunter focus.
– Various minor fixes and tweaks.

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We’ll be keeping an eye out for when this one arrives on Switch 1 and 2, and we’ll update you as soon as it’s live.

As a reminder, the Sea of Sorrow expansion is set to arrive later this year, adding new areas, bosses, tools and more to the already stellar base game. Oh yes, and it’ll be absolutely free!

What do you make of the latest Silksong update? Let us know in the comments.

The open-ended alchemy puzzle game Opus Magnum arrived on Steam back in 2017, and it has since gone on to rack up over 3,000 ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ reviews. IGN‘s Tom Marks hailed it as “one of the best puzzle games I’ve ever played”, while PC Gamer described it as “one of the very best puzzle games of the year, if not the decade”. In short, it was rather popular.

Well, surprise! This beloved little machine builder is now available on the Switch eShop in an all-new ‘Complete Edition’.

For those who missed this one at launch, Opus Magnum comes from SpaceChem developer Zachtronics, and tasks you with building various alchemy machines via the Transmutation Engine. You have to juggle moving parts, chemical combinations, and a machine that just keeps on moving, as you fulfil requests for everything from medicine to weapons.

The Switch version bundles the De Re Metallica prequel DLC in with the base game, giving us another 17 puzzles and three new glyphs to play with.

Here’s a rundown of the game’s key features and a handful of screenshots:

Design Machines – Design and build machines that carry out alchemical processes using a variety of components including programmable arms, customizable tracks, and more esoteric devices like Van Berlo’s wheel and the Glyph of Animismus.
Open-Ended Puzzles – Compete against your friends and the world to build the simplest, fastest, and most compact solutions to the game’s challenges.
Rich Story – Intrigues and dark plots swirl around the city’s ancient Houses. Alchemists, who hold the power to create almost anything known to science, are highly sought— and highly dangerous.
Solitaire Minigame – Alchemical engineering takes focus and concentration. Take a break with Sigmar’s Garden, an original alchemy-based solitaire game. Every game is winnable, but not every game will be won…
De Re Metallica – An expansive prequel to Opus Magnum that includes 3 new glyphs, 17 new puzzles, and a new solitaire variant called “House Colvan.”

Opus Magnum: Complete Edition is now available on the Switch eShop for £22.50 / $29.99, and there’s even a 20% launch discount until 19th March, bringing it down to £18.00 / $23.99.

Will you be checking this one out on Switch? Build your thoughts in the comments.

If you like Monopoly and also happen to be a fan of Star Wars, you might want to be on the lookout for this new Ubisoft-published title, Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains.

This new crossover will be arriving for the Switch 1 and 2 on 11th June 2026 (as well as multiple other platforms) and will include a “dynamic, team-based twist” on the classic Monopoly experience you know (and maybe) love. Of course, you can also expect to see a wide roster of iconic characters from the galaxy far, far away.

The full reveal of this title will take place on 29th April 2026. For now, here’s some PR and you can see some screenshots below:

“Developed by Behavior Interactive, Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains transports players into the Star Wars galaxy with a custom Monopoly board packed with iconic locations from across the saga. Classic Monopoly gameplay is reimagined with thrilling cinematic moments, themed spaces, and dynamic elements that refresh the experience from start to finish. Players can choose from a wide roster of Star Wars heroes and villains, from Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia to Darth Vader and Darth Maul. Each character brings unique abilities that shape your team’s strategy and can turn the tide in your favor with every roll of the dice.

“With competitive 2v2 and 3v3 modes, available online and via couch co-op, traditional gameplay is transformed into an action-packed, strategic showdown where teamwork and hero combinations play a pivotal role. Every turn carries high stakes as properties change hands in an instant, while dynamic GO events introduce game-altering twists. With evolving team strategies, and a few surprises, there’s always a reason to jump back in for one more round.”

If you are eager for some monopoly action on the Switch right now, there are some existing titles available via the eShop. You can also get a Star Wars fix on the Switch 2 with Ubisoft’s other title, Star Wars Outlaws.

When we hear more about this new Star Wars-themed Monopoly title in April, we’ll provide an update. Would you be interested in a game like this? Tell us below.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is almost here, and in a promotional teaser today, some Nintendo characters you might not have expected to see have been spotted.

Yes, after featuring at Super Nintendo World, on the back of football shirts, and popping up in their very own animated short last year, it looks like…spoiler alert…the next outing for Nintendo’s tiny plant-style creatures known as Pikmin could appear in Mario’s movie sequel next month.

The latest short only runs for 10 seconds, but alongside Mario, Toad and Peach, you can also see characters such as R.O.B., a Ninji, and Wart, and at the six-second mark the original yellow, red and blue Pikmin appear on screen.

Nothing else has been shared about the Pikmin featured here, or what exactly to expect from them. Still, it’s great to see this particular Nintendo series potentially getting some extra publicity as part of Mario’s upcoming movie.

This follows the little plant creatures also popping up in a recent trailer for the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.

Pikmin creator Shigeru Miyamoto has always had a soft spot for these little creatures, and has previously spoken about how he considers them to be Nintendo’s most “global characters”, so Pikmin appearing in places you might not expect is on brand.

What are your thoughts about this Pikmin sighting? Let us know in the comments.

Nintendo has already been quite active this week, rolling out a new Switch 2 firmware update and “Handheld Mode Boost” option, and adding to this it’s now announced a new update for Splatoon 3.

According to Nintendo of America’s official support page, this is scheduled to be released locally in this region on 18th March 2026 (so very soon). It bumps the game up to Version 11.1.0 and includes balance adjustments to the game’s matchmaking and multiplayer.

The development team has also shared some details about the next update after this one – revealing it will focus on “changes to the balance of battles”. For now, here are the full details about the latest update due out this week:

Splatoon 3 – Version 11.1.0 (Releasing March 18, 2026)

All changes apply to both Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch.

Changes to Multiplayer

• Specifications for some main weapons have changed.
  

  Weapon	Change Details
  Splattershot Nova Annaki Splattershot Nova	Increased the speed of shots by approximately 25% without changing the flight distance.
  Flingza Roller Foil Flingza Roller	Adjusted the damage-falloff rate based on distance for vertical swings, allowing them to deal 50.0 damage/100 damage farther than they did before.
  Octobrush Octobrush Nouveau Cometz Octobrush Orderbrush Replica	Reduced the amount of ink consumed when swinging the brush by approximately 10%.
  Bamboozler 14 Mk I Bamboozler 14 Mk II	Increased movement speed while charging or firing by approximately 13%.
  Bloblobber Bloblobber Deco	Increased damage from 30.0 to 32.0.
  Douser Dualies FF Custom Douser Dualies FF	Reduced the time between doing a Dodge Roll and being able to take another action by approximately 1/30th of a second.
  Tenta Brella Tenta Sorella Brella Tenta Brella CRE-M	Reduced the amount of ink consumed by launching the canopy by approximately 23%.
  Dynamo Roller Gold Dynamo Roller Starz Dynamo Roller	Lessened the effect of the ink-consumption reduction when equipping the Ink Saver (Main) ability.

• Specifications for some special weapons have changed.
  

  Special Weapon	Change Details
  Ultra Stamp	Decreased the radius of the 220.0 damage area of the explosion at the point of impact when throwing the stamp by approximately 10%.

• Points required for some special weapons have been changed.
  

  Weapon	Before	After
  Splattershot Hero Shot Replica Order Shot Replica	210	200
  Sploosh-o-matic	180	190
  Splash-o-matic	200	210
  Luna Blaster Neo	180	190
  Blaster	180	190
  Custom Blaster	180	190
  Rapid Blaster Pro Deco	190	200
  Dynamo Roller	190	200
  Inkbrush Nouveau	180	190
  Heavy Splatling Order Splatling Replica	200	210
  Dapple Dualies	170	180
  Splat Dualies Order Dualie Replicas	190	200

Changes to X Battles

• Changed the system for matchmaking so that, rather than having players with similar X Power at that time battle each other, now players whose final X Power will likely become similar after accumulating matches will be paired for battles.
• Changed the systems for matchmaking and team division to make it less likely to result in skill disparity between teams, even in time zones or regions where there are not many players.
• In the Tentatek Division, players with X Power less than 2000.0 and players with X Power of 2000.0 or higher may now be matched together.
• Changed the matchmaking system to allow battles against more different weapons than before.

This update focuses on making changes to matchmaking and multiplayer balance.

For X Battles, we have changed the systems for matchmaking and team division.

First of all, rather than simply gathering players with similar X Powers at that point in time, we have made it so that it will instead gather players whose final X Power will likely become similar after accumulating matches.

With this change, extreme matches will be less likely, even immediately after the start of the season or immediately after finishing calculation.

Also, when matchmaking is taking a long time, it will gradually soften the criteria for determining a “similar level of ability,” but we have changed these criteria and the system for team division to ensure that the level of ability of players on both teams will be symmetrical, even in time zones and regions with fewer players.

Additionally, we have changed the pairing system for the weapons that players may battle against.

Up until now, weapons have been divided into several groups, and the system more frequently paired weapons belonging to the same group for battles.

We have changed this system to make it so that players more frequently battle with weapons of similar preferred ranges, regardless of group, in order to reduce the likelihood of a player’s weapon always being pitted against weapons with a longer (or shorter) preferred range.

As for multiplayer balance, we made changes based on the battle data from version 11.0.0.

Among the weapons that were upgraded in version 11.0.0 or were greatly affected by changes to the battle system, we made changes to slightly reduce the performance of some weapons that the battle data showed have become highly impactful.

For some of the weapons that did not receive much benefit from the battle-system changes, we have made changes to slightly raise their performance and make them easier to wield.

The next update will focus on changes to the balance of battles.

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If you haven’t already tried out Splatoon 3 on the Switch 2, it actually received some updates for this platform last year, enhancing the experience. This included smoother animations and much more.

You can find out about the existing updates for Splatoon 3 in our previous coverage here on Nintendo Life:

What do you think of the latest update for Splatoon 3? Let us know in the comments.

The Pokémon Company is no stranger to a collaboration, and its upcoming crossover is for all those who assumed Minccino can come in a Grande size with cream and syrup.

That’s right, Pokémon is teaming up with coffee brand Grind on a new range of products. The collection will consist of “drinks inspired” by the world of ‘mon — best not to think too deeply about that one — as well as other goodies.

Honestly, we’re still not completely sure what, exactly, the collaboration will entail at the moment. What we do know is that it will arrive in Grind stores from 24th March, and there’s even a special launch party in London to mark the occasion (tickets for which are already sold out, naturally).

We love Pokémon, and we love coffee, so what’s not to like about this one? Hey, it’s finally a crossover that Detective Pikachu can get behind.

Will you be checking out this collaboration later this month? Let us know in the comments.