Category: Nintendo News

Bandai Namco’s fighting game Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO made its way across to the Switch and Switch 2 late last year, and this week, it receives a new update for these platforms.

The Japanese company has outlined what to expect on its official website. This update includes multiple changes and adjustments to game modes – starting with a new “limited-time mode” called Extreme Warrior Attack. In this mode, players will battle characters with “significantly increased strength”.

Apart from this, in the “Battle Together” Versus mode, all stages can now be selected. Just make sure you’re playing on Switch 2 to access this:

“All stages become selectable only when either the Nintendo Switch™ 2 version or the Nintendo Switch™ version is played on a Nintendo Switch™ 2 console with the update data applied.“

There are also some other changes and adjustments in this update. This includes new selectable scenarios, cut scenes, and text options in the Custom Battle mode. And last, but not least, Bandai Namco says this update has apparently “improved usability and overall system stability” when playing on Nintendo’s platforms.

In case you missed it, a new “major” DLC for Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO was announced last month. It will add more playable characters, new stages, and a new single-player mode. More details about the Switch 2 and Switch versions of this DLC (and other planned content) will be shared in the future. For now, here’s a look, and below this is the roadmap for 2026, outlining what else is on the way.

Bandai Namco has also announced it’s currently working on a new Dragon Ball project, and it’s currently set to arrive in “2027”.

Have you tried out Sparking! ZERO on the Switch or Switch 2 yet? Looking forward to more new content? Tell us below.

Bethesda has surprised Skyrim fans on the Switch 2 this week with a new update, which adds a “60Hz mode” and allows players to prioritise either the game’s visuals or performance. The frame rate has also been locked to 30Hz in the visual mode, and the patch improves other aspects, such as the FPS performance drops in certain areas of the game.

The tech comparison YouTube channel ElAnalistaDeBits has now taken a look at Update 1.2 – sharing a side-by-side video of the visual mode running alongside the game’s performance mode. In some scenes, it’s also shared footage of the existing update (Version 1.1, which was limited to 30fps).

While it might not look quite as impressive as it does in the visual mode, as you can see, the performance mode makes the experience smoother. According to this same video comparison, the game aims for 60fps in this mode, and while there is a solid frame rate in some segments, it can also be seen slightly dipping from time to time.

In terms of the compromises in performance mode, there appears to be less detail in terms of shadows and foliage. Other more noticeable things include more pop-in. Still, if you haven’t already tried out this mode, it is worth a look, and might just end up being the mode you prefer playing on.

If you’re still not sure if now is a good time to revisit (or jump into this title) on the Switch 2, we’ve shared our own comparison video on Nintendo Life, which you can see in our previous story covering the patch notes for Skyrim’s Update 1.2.

How are you finding the 1.2 update for Skyrim on the Switch 2? Let us know in the comments.

Following the launch of Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Switch 2 Edition last month, Nintendo has now released its second update for the title this year.

It addresses multiple issues and makes some adjustments on both the Switch and Switch 2. There are also some updates specific to the Switch 2 version of the game. This includes an issue with clouds that’s now been resolved, and also an update to the controller vibration intensity.

Here’s the full rundown, courtesy of Nintendo’s official support page:

Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Version 3.0.1 (18th February 2026)

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

• Fixed an issue where the game would run slower than normal after exiting the island hotel to an outdoor area.
• Fixed an issue where, when asking Resetti to clean up the island, fences that were put away or in storage could change into different customizations or be duplicated, and some cleaned-up items could disappear.
• Fixed an issue where Timmy and Tommy would sometimes stop following the player inside Nook’s Cranny.
• Fixed an issue where items could pop out of a rock before the shovel made contact when hitting it.
• Fixed an issue where, after playing with another player on a slumber island, home remodeling or relocation could become unavailable on the slumber island.
• Fixed an issue where the Camera app installation sequence could play when redeeming the Island Designer license at Nook Stop.
• Fixed an issue where some items were displayed in incorrect positions in the catalog used for photo studios and hotel decorating.
• Other adjustments and corrections were made to improve the game play experience.

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

• Fixed an issue where clouds near the horizon could appear misaligned outdoors on the island, causing parts of the sky to show unnaturally.
• Adjusted controller vibration intensity to match the level when playing on Nintendo Switch.

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Once again, this follows the release of the Switch 2 Edition last month. If you haven’t already got it, it’s a paid upgrade for existing Animal Crossing Switch owners. Here’s a sample of what we had to say about it in our Nintendo Life review:

“Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is perfectly fine. It makes things a bit prettier, has a few more options to take advantage of the console’s new features, but all in all, it’s not an especially exciting upgrade.”

There was also a free 3.0 update released alongside the Switch 2 release, which added new content and features to both versions of the game.

In case you missed it, Nintendo also updated the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom this week.

Have you downloaded this latest update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons yet? Let us know in the comments.

At the end of last year, the popular farming and lifestyle sim Stardew Valley got released on the Nintendo Switch 2 in the US.

The creator ConcernedApe has now rolled out the first major update for the title in 2026. It’s a bug fix patch addressing multiple issues, including some improvements to mouse mode on Switch 2 and some fixes for GameShare.

Here is the full rundown via social media:

Stardew Valley – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Update (19th February 2026)

– Fix for bug where crafting certain items could remove incorrect ingredients from the inventory.

– Improved mouse mode on Switch 2, with the option to disable it entirely.

– Fixed some graphics corruption in Switch 2 GameShare.

– Ensure network maintenance messages appear on co-op startup.

– Obey parental controls when joining Switch 2 GameShare sessions.

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ConcernedApe also notes how there is a patch for the game on the original Switch which fixes the same crafting bug.

The game’s creator has also provided an update on the European and Japanese release of Stardew Valley – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. These locations will apparently receive the game and upgrade on their respective eShops in “a few weeks”. The bug fix patch above will also be included.

If you are eager to jump into the Switch 2 Edition right now but aren’t located in North America, you can still access the free Switch 2 upgrade for the Switch version from the US eShop. You’ll just need a Nintendo account for this region.

To find out more about the Switch 2 Edition of Stardew Valley, be sure to check out our review here on Nintendo Life.

Have you tried out the Switch 2 Edition of Stardew Valley yet? Let us know in the comments.

Cast your minds back to the Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase earlier this month. One of the most surprising games featured during the presentation was Tokyo Scramble, a stealth-horror hybrid where you have to escape from dinosaur-esque creatures. And you can do so alone or with the help of friends via GameChat and GameShare.

Not only was the announcement a surprise, but so was the release date — 11th February 2026, just less than a week after the Direct. Well, that’s cool! Plus, the game was developed by one of the co-devs of Ender Lilies and Ender Magnolia. Sounds interesting, right?

Unfortunately, just a week after release, it seems like people aren’t too hot on the game. We haven’t managed to check it out ourselves, but looking at reviews and discussion online, opinions range to “a neat experiment” to “campy” to “very rough”.

With only three critic reviews on Metacritic — all of which score the game at 5 or below — and an average score of 37 on OpenCritic (after 11 reviews), Tokyo Scramble’s big reveal doesn’t seem to have paid off.

Take Monster Vine’s Spencer Legacy’s thoughts on the main gameplay element, for example: “The stealth mechanics that serve as the very core of Tokyo Scramble are more irritating than compelling, especially since you die in a single hit.” Technical issues and poor writing hampered what was otherwise a game with “some neat ideas”, with the outlet landing on a 2/5 score.

Azario Lopez over at Noisy Pixel similarly sees the potential, but says Tokyo Scramble takes the “campy moments… too far”. Again, mechanics, gameplay, and visual issues hinder the experience a lot, with Lopez concluding: “I respect the ambition behind trying something strange and new, especially for a fresh IP, but ambition alone doesn’t carry a game this far”, scoring it a 4/10.

It’s not all bad, of course; Fernando Lorde at Brazilian outlet Nintendo Blast awarded the game a 7/10, praising that ambition, while acknowledging that (translated via Google): “it feels like a melting pot of ideas and mechanics lost in a feverish teenage dream about relationships and subterranean monsters.”

Outside of reviews and the odd Reddit thread about the game, online chatter seems pretty muted about the game overall. But the consensus seems to be that Tokyo Scramble is a swing and a miss for most, though if you like campy, ambitious experiences, you might find something to love.

Of course, we’re just going by what others have said, so we’d love to hear from any of you lovely readers who have actually played the game — or are even a little bit interested in it! Do you think Tokyo Scramble is a misunderstood gem? Perhaps the camp and clunk have won you over? Or are you disappointed you jumped in head-first?

Vote in our polls below and let us know in the comments what you think of this unusual Switch 2 surprise!

The Virtual Boy app for Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack launched this week, giving many Nintendo fans the very first chance to play these games in an official capacity.

Some older die-hards may have an original VB knocking around or might have sampled its monochrome delights sometime over the last 30 years, but for many players — especially in Europe, where the system never launched — this is likely their first taste of Nintendo’s other Boy.

Yes, we all know this curio was a commercial failure, but its slight library still contains worthwhile experiences, and the promise of more games (including two that were completed but shelved and have languished in Nintendo’s vault for three decades) makes NSO an ideal venue to dip into the catalogue without forking out for original hardware. Granted, at $99.99 / £66.99, the VB Switch accessory isn’t cheap either, but an original Virtual Boy in decent, working order will set you back a lot more than that.

At launch, there are seven games, with a further nine scheduled throughout 2026 (including Mario’s Tennis, the first entry in that long-running series):

We’ve got retro reviews written in the early 2010s for all of the games above, but we’re keen to get your thoughts from a 2026 perspective. Now you’ve had the opportunity to play these games, what review score would you give them? Let us know how the launch batch fares for you in the polls below.

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Thanks for the ranks. If you haven’t had a chance to give them all a thorough play just yet (hey, they only dropped yesterday!), you can rate them as usual via their individual game pages whenever you like, and the polls above also appear at the bottom of our retro reviews.

We’ll be publishing the resulting dynamic, real-time ranking of the VB Nintendo Classics line soon, but if you just can’t wait, you can check out the order as things stand in our ranked list of all 22 Virtual Boy games, NSO or no.

And as always, let us know if you’re enjoying seeing red in the usual place.

The next Sonic the Hedgehog movie is set to be a big one, with even more classic characters coming back, one of which is everyone’s favourite pink hedgehog, Amy Rose. And we now know which Hollywood star will be voicing the iconic character

Revealed by The Hollywood Reporter, Kristen Bell, best known from Veronica Mars, Frozen, The Good Place, and Gossip Girl, will be taking up the piko piko hammer.

She’ll be joining Ben Schwartz (Sonic), Colleen O’Shaughnessey (Tails), Idris Elba (Knuckles), and Keanu Reeves (Shadow) — assuming these all return — among many other star-studded names, when Sonic the Hedgehog 4 speeds onto cinema screens on 19th March 2027.

In fact, Schwartz shared a rather adorable photo of the pair on his instagram account earlier today, accompanied by this sweet little celebration: “WE HAVE OUR AMY ROSE!!! And I could not be more excited!!! Please welcome the incredible @kristenanniebell to the @sonicmovie family!!!”

Amy was expected to appear in fourth Sonic movie after a very brief cameo during Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Metal Sonic is also rumoured after he featured during the same cameo, but we don’t have an official announcement for his return yet.

And it seems like everyone is coming back for the sequel: Jeff Fowler will remain in the director’s chair, while Neal H. Moritz and Toby Ascher of Original Films and Toru Nakahara are also on-board as producers.

And the Sonic series isn’t stopping at another numbered movie, either. Late last year, Variety reported that a new ‘Sonic Universe’ spin-off is in the works for 2028. So the blue blur is steadily becoming a multi-media monster.

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What do you think of Amy Rose’s casting? Let us know in the comments.

Nintendo launched its dedicated GameCube NSO pad alongside the Switch 2 last year, undoubtedly providing the best experience for docked play. However, much like the N64 pad before it, the controller doesn’t do much to help with handheld play, where the Joy-Con 2 button layouts simply can’t capture the feel of the original hardware.

Enter abxylute’s N9C, a Switch 2 grip that launched on Kickstarter today and was almost immediately fully funded, which looks as close as we’ll ever get to a GameCube pad built for handheld play.

Similar to CRKD’s Nitro Deck range, this is a grip that sits around the Switch 2 screen, substituting the usual Joy-Con placement for one half of the ‘split’ pad. It attaches via the console’s bottom USB-C port to keep the button inputs super snappy, boasts swappable joystick gates for both 8-way and circular options, supports gyro controls and has four extra buttons on the back for you to remap as you please.

Most importantly, however, it nails the look of the GameCube pad. Sure, anything in that shade of purple is bound to bring the nostalgia, and the d-pad and stick tops are a little off from the original design (if we’re really being picky), but it’s difficult to knock that face button placement when we start to think about the prospect of Wind Waker on the go.

If those violet tones are enough of a throwback for you, and you can do away with the GC’s asymmetrical button layout, abxylute is also launching its N6 grip for a slightly more conventional look. This one packs in hall-effect joysticks, front-facing speakers, remappable buttons, gyro support and more. It might not be quite as nostalgic as the N9C offering, but it certainly looks comfier for extended handheld play sessions than the standard Joy-Con setup.

This one comes in either black or purple colourways, so you can choose how much of a throwback you want.

As we mentioned, both grips are only up for Kickstarter support at the time of writing, though early backers will have access to “a Super Early Bird price before full retail availability”. You can pledge $618 HKD (around £59 / $79) for one of the N6 grips with an expected April 2026 delivery, or $696 HKD (roughly £66 / $89) for a N9C unit with an estimated June delivery during this early period

What do you make of these grips? Would you consider picking either of them up? Let us know in the comments.

We really liked Goodnight Universe, Nice Dream’s follow-up to GoodbyeWorld’s award-winning Before Your Eyes. But for the Switch 2 version, there was one big thing absent that players on Steam had — camera support. Eye-tracking and facial recognition is a big part of the game, but with the feature missing at launch on the hybrid console, we just had to be patient.

Fortunately, for those of you who have been holding off or who have been dying to replay the game as-intended, camera support is finally here! So, as long as you have the Switch 2 version of the game and a compatible USB camera (or the official one), then you’re game.

Accompanied by a cute little visual to show you the best way to set up the camera for optimal eye-tracking magic, today’s update also includes a little visual fidelity boost for the newest console.

As for setting the camera up, publisher Skybound Games recommends you play using this method in a well-lite space, with the camera positioned around 18-24 inches in front of you, with your face fully visible. You’ll be able to test this all in-game before you start.

Well, time for us to dust the ol’ Switch 2 camera off then. If you happened to miss Goodnight Universe last year, then prepare yourself for a beautiful narrative adventure.

The game has you control a six-month-old named Isaac — that’s the age where you don’t really understand anything and you’re trying to get to grips with limbs, movement, all sorts of weird things! Oh, Isaac is also developing psychic powers, and a tech corporation has found out about that. So that’s just an extra thing on top of everything else. Fun!

We scored the original release a 7/10 back in November 2025, but even without the camera implementation, we thought the game was solid: “Isaac’s supernatural adventures are as entertaining as they are heartwarming, and though it isn’t terribly long, it makes full use of every moment.”

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Have you played Goodnight Universe yet? Will you be grabbing the game now it has camera support? Cry out in the comments and let us know.

Pokémon turns 30 on 27th February, and in honour of this momentous anniversary, we’re running a series of polls leading up to the big day, asking you to vote for your favourite Pokémon from each generation. The nine winners will then go head-to-head in a final poll at the end of the month.

We’re covering a generation a day until we’ve ticked off all nine, leading up to the ultimate showdown. Each poll will be open for five days.

It’s Day Five, and Gen V (or 5 if the Roman numerals are a bit fancy-pants for your tastes) is up, meaning ‘mon from Unova and Pokémon Black & White and Black & White 2. Let’s check in with Team NL for their underdog picks.

Let’s crack on. We’ve got a chunky 156 new Pokémon this generation, listed in National Dex order (use the search bar to quickly find a specific Pokémon). As always, you can only choose one!

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Thanks for voting! Keep an eye out for further generations in the coming days as we cruise towards Pokémon’s 30th anniversary.

And if you missed Gens 1, 2, 3, or 4, those polls are still live: