Category: Nintendo News

Last weekend, YouTube revealed two Switch game trailers were part of the top viewed gaming video list in 2018. This weekend, Twitter has now shared its own list of the most-tweeted video games in the US this year. Interestingly, four Nintendo franchises featured. These included Pokémon, Super Mario, Super Smash Bros. and Splatoon.

Once again, Epic’s free-to-play battle royale Fortnite took out the top spot and there was also a mention of Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, Overwatch and a few popular sports titles. Take a look at the full list below:

• “Fortnite”
• “Call of Duty”
• “Overwatch”
• “Pokémon”
• “EA Sports Madden NFL”
• “NBA 2K”
• “Super Mario”
• “Super Smash Brothers”
• “Splatoon”
• “Grand Theft Auto”

As Twitter didn’t clarify, we’re going to guess the Nintendo games being talked about in most cases were Splatoon 2, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Super Mario Odyssey / Super Mario Party and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! / Pokémon GO.

Are you at all surprised to hear these Nintendo titles were some of the most tweeted about games in 2018 or did you expect this after hearing about all the successful game sales throughout the year? Tell us below.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an incredible game, both in terms of critical acclaim and sheer size. Few aspects of Link’s latest sprawling adventure exemplify this as well as the sheer number of shrines – miniature dungeons focused solely on puzzle solving.

Finding all of the shrines in Breath of the Wild is a massive undertaking, especially when you take time to consider that many of the shrines are hidden. Fortunately, we here at Nintendo Life have invested a great deal of time in uncovering every single shrine you can find in Hyrule.

We’ve sorted all of the shrines by the section of the map they’re located on. As you may already know, you can unlock additional sections of the world map by climbing towers and activating them using Link’s Sheikah Slate.

Because of that, we’ve decided to list each shrine belonging to a tower’s map section below, along with handy screenshots showing where you can find each of these. It should be easy to walk through each area and find all of the shrines. Below that, you’ll find some basic details or even some more detailed stuff for the trickier shrines in the group.

Akkala Tower Shrine Map

1. Dah Hesho – This shrine can be found on the cilff south of the circular island in Lake Akkala, which lies northwest of Kaepora Pass.
2. Katosa Aug – “Kosha Aug Apparatus” – You’ll find this shrine to the east of East Akkala Stable and south of North Akkala Foothill.
3. Ke’nai Shakah – Head to the northern part of Ulria Grotto, in the southeast of the Akkala region. You’ll need to paraglide into a cave from above to find it.
4. Ritaag Zumo – This shrine is found at the end of the spiral-shaped Rist Peninsula. You’ll need to complete the “Into The Vortex” side quest to activate the shrine. This involves carrying an orb to the shrine itself. This is easier said than done as you’ll be subject to a lot of ranged attacks during your trek.
5. Tu Ka’loh – Found on Lomei Labyrinth Island in the northeast. You’ll need to paraglide from the mainland to reach it. Finding your way through isn’t that difficult but if you want to take the easy route (and you have enough stamina) then you canhe labyrinth, you can climb a wall and walk along the top of the labyrinth to reach the shrine.
6. Tutsuwa Nima – This one is found in the Spring of Power, a small body of water south of the North Akkala Valley. To activate it you must have Dinraal’s scale.
7. Ze Kasho – “Ze Kasho Apparatus” – Paraglide off the top of Akkala Citadel Ruins to the northwest; the shrine is found in the hills.
8. Zuna Kai – This shrine is located atop a tall stone pillar in the middle of Skull Lake in the northwest of Akkala. You’ll need to find a high spot, then paraglide over, grab on and finish the climb. If it’s raining then you might have to wait until it dries up as it’s quite a tricky ascent.

Central Hyrule Tower Shrine Map

1. Kaam Ya’tak – “Trial of Power” – From the top of Central Tower, paraglide down to the southwest and head towards Mount Daphnes; the shrine is on the east side of the mountain.
2. Katah Chuki – This one lies northeast of Mount Gustaf, in the southeastern section of Quarry Ruins.
3. Kaya Wan – “Shields from Water” – Head west from Wetland Stables. The stables are close to Crenel Peak, near the eastern bank of the Hylia River.
4. Namika Ozz – This shrine is found in the northeast section of Central Hyrule, right in the middle of the Crenel Hills.
5. Noya Neha – This shrine is found on the island which lies north of Quarry Ruins. It’s located on the southern slope of a hill in the southwest corner. Locate the side which is overgrown with thorns and burn them away with fire. You can then use a bomb to shatter the rocks and reveal the shrine.
6. Rota Ooh
7. Saas Ko’sah – This one lies in northern section of Castle Hyrule, which makes it quite a tricky one to find due to the risk of attack. Climb the mountain on the northwest side of the fortress – you’ll should see a part of the moat where the water flows into the castle – head towards that then, once inside, locate a stone brazier and light it.
8. Wahgo Katta – “Metal Connections” – This shrine is located on Whistling Hill, which is right next to the Riverside Stable.

Dueling Peaks Tower Shrine Map

1. Bosh Kala – “The Wind Guides You” – This shrine is close to Proxim bridge. Amber and a Soldier’s Claymore are bonus items.
2. Ha Dahamar – “The Water Guides” – This one is right next to Dueling Peaks Stable.
3. Hila Rao – “Drifting” – This one is close to the river and is surrounded by flowers. Don’t step on any of them to complete the side quest “Watch out for the Flowers” and gain access.
4. Lakna Rokee – Gaining access to this shrine requires you to fulfil several side quests in Kakariko Village, making it one of the most time-consuming in the game. The first is the main quest line involving Impa which earns you the Champion’s tunic. Complete “Find the Fairy Fountain” quest set by Pikango. “Flown the Coop” involves finding Cuccos for Cado – one is on the roof of the armour shop, other can be found after you’ve racked up 17 hours in the game. “By Firefly’s Light” involves talking to armour shop owner Lasli in her home at around 22 hours game time. You then have to collect 5 fireflies – these can be found in the village and in the forest past the shrine next to the village. Take the fireflies to Lasli’s house and place them in front of her before the night is over to complete the quest. After you’ve done this return to Impa and she should offer you a shrine quest called “The Stolen Heirloom”. Wait until nighttime and keep an eye on the two guards standing outside Impa’s house. After a while one of them will walk away – follow him at a distance and complete the quest to reveal the shrine.
5. Ree Dahee – “Timing is Critical” – This one is near the Dueling Peaks, close to the river. You’ll have to climb to reach it.
6. Shee Vaneer – This one lies across from Shee Venath (see below). Make sure you’re wearing warm clothing as it’s very cold on the peak.
7. Shee Venath – Climb to the top of the Dueling Peaks mountain (make sure you’re wearing warm clothing). Jump from the top and paraglide towards the hidden entrance. The trick to solving this puzzle is visualising a pattern from Shee Vaneer.
8. Ta’loh Naeg – “Ta’loh Naeg’s Teaching” – This one is inside Kakariko Village.
9. Toto Sah – “Toto Sah Apparatus” – This lies west of Hickaly Woods. Next to the river you’ll find a breakable stone structure. Drop a remote bomb into the river from a rock a little upstream so that it flows downstream to the structure. Explode the bomb at the right time to destroy the sealed gate and reveal the shrine.

Eldin Mountains Tower Shrine Map

1. Daqa Koh – Head south from Goron City in the direction of the Goron Hot Springs and you’ll find a railroad path. Just before you reach the path to Death Mountain you’ll see the glowing orange rocks of the shrine.
2. Gorae Torr – This one is located in the Gut Check Rock area. Use the winds to get yourself up onto the rock but make sure you have good climbing gear. You’ll have to complete the quest “The Gut Check Challenge” set by Bayage, located nearby.
3. Kayra Mah – This shrine is located just south of Gorko Lake, in the Gorko Tunnel. Head to a hut in the west part of Goron City and chat with Bladon to activate the “A Brother’s Roast” quest. He’ll tell you to go to Goron Tunnels – southwest of Gorko Lake – to find his sibling, Gonguron. Take the road to the southeast and follow the road signs if you get lost. Upon locating Gonguron you’ll need to find a rock for the roast in Gortram Cliff. Once you give it to the brothers they will reveal the shrine for you.
4. Mo’a Keet – This one lies east of Foothill Stable, on the road that leads to Eldin. It’s just off the road, on a hill.
5. Qua Raym – “A Balanced Approach” – In the southwesternmost lava lake – Goronbi Lake – there is a small island. Glide down from the tower to access it.
6. Sah Dahaj – “Power of Fire” – Glide east from Eldin Tower and drop downwards once you cross Lake Intenoch. Close to Cephla Lake – near the enemy base – you’ll find the shrine. Inside, knock over the torch to set fire to the dry vegetation in the first room, then shoot the ropes holding the torches in next room. In the final room you need to shoot the rope holding the torch which is above the crate – this will allow the stone slab to fall on the button which opens the final door.
7. Shae Mo’sah – This one lies on the road north from Goron City.
8. Shora Hah – This shrine is located on the Isle of Rabac. You’ll need at least two pieces of the Flamebreaker armour set to get here as it’s incredibly hot. Use your bombs to push the mine cart across the rails into the lava.
9. Tah Muhl – “Passing the Flame” – Head southeast from the Mo’a Keet Shrine and Foothill Stable. The shrine can be found southwest of the mountain, hidden by rock formations. This shrine forms part of the shrine quest “A Landscape of a Stable”.

Faron Tower Shrine Map

1. Kah Yah – This one is on the beach near Mount Dunsel, in an region called Palmorae Ruins. Talk to Garini to start the quest “A Fragmented Monument”. The first fragment is easy to find as it’s close to Garini, near three palm trees. The second is on Palmorae Beach – look for some barrels in the sea and inspect the rocks nearby. The third one is a the furthest point of the crescent-shaped Soka Point. Return to Garini, then stand on the orange shrine plate and hit crouch.
2. Korgu Chideh – This one is on Eventide Island in the southeast. The glide towards it takes a while so make sure you have high stamina or food which restores your stamina.
3. Muwo Jeem – “A Modest Test of Strength” – On the mountain peak you can spot this shrine in the distance.
4. Qukah Nata – This is one of the game’s secret shrines. To complete it you’ll need to find Kaas and trigger the quest “A Song of Storms”. The shrine is located near Calora Lake. If it’s raining you can use the Cryonis rune on the waterfall and climb up, step by step. Kiss should be waiting at the top.
5. Shai Utoh – “Halt the Tilt” – This one is found at Ubota Point, behind the stable. Find a breakable stone structure and blow it up to reveal the shrine.
6. Shoda Sah – This one is hidden behind the Riola Spring waterfall. A hidden path leads to the entrance.
7. Tawa Jinn – This one lies in-between Hany Pond, Rabella Wetlands and Uteh Marsh. There are five large bones and the three pressure plates which show its location. You’ll need to place three spheres onto the pressure plates – defeat the guards first.
8. Yah Rin – You’ll find this shrine above Lurelin Village.

Gerudo Highlands Tower Shrine Map

1. Dah Kaso – “A Minor Test of Strength” – There’s a set of bridges – known as the Digdogg Suspension Bridge – that connect the tall stone outcrops. The shrine is located near the bridge that links to the two large stones, near the water and the raft. There’s a sleeping Hinox nearby.
2. Joloo Nah – You’ll find this one north of Mount Naboroo and east of Koukot Plateau.
3. Keeha Yoog – On the east side of Gerudo Summit there’s a mural with lighting bolts on it and a mound in the middle. Shoot the center with a Shock Arrow to expose the shrine.
4. Kema Kosassa – “A Major Test of Strength” – This is found on Mount Agaat, north of Risoka Snowfield.
5. Kuh Takkar – This shrine is on Laparoh Mesa. Reaching it involves lots of climbing in cold weather, wear something warm and bring a torch, or flint and firewood – the shrine is covered in ice.
6. Sasa Kai
7. Sho Dantu – “Two Bombs” – Climb atop Gerudo Tower and paraglide to the west, then land and continue until you see a shrine mound in the middle of a circle of Luminous Stones. Destroy one of the stones with a bomb to get the Luminous Stone ore and then place it on the mound.

Great Plateau Tower Shrine Map

1. Ja Baij – “Bomb Trial” – This is the first shrine you’ll face, and is easy to locate.
2. Keh Namut – “Cryonis Trial” – This one is found on Mount Hylia. You’ll need food to warm you up.
3. Oman Au – “Magnesis Trial” – This lies north of the Temple of Time.
4. Owa Daim – “Stasis Trial” – This one is in the ruins south of the Temple of Time.

Hateno Village Tower Shrine Map

1. Chaas Qeta – “A Major Test of Strength” – You’ll find this on Tenoko Island, one of the smallest islands the game. Climb the high peak nearby and paraglide down to it.
2. Dow Na’eh – This shrine is hidden behind a large waterfall.
3. Jitan Sa’mi – On Mount Lanayru you’ll find the Spring of Wisdom, guarded by Naydra. Shoot it in the eyes which cover its body to release it, then shoot once more to get the Naydra Scale.
4. Kam Urog – This is another secret shrine. In the area full of stone heads, keep an eye out for Calip. He will set you “The Cursed Statue” shrine quest. Wait until 9pm then shoot the stone head that glows to reveal the shrine; Blood Moon nights hold the glowing effect for longer, too.
5. Mezza Lo – You’ll find this one on Rabia Plain. It is one of Kass’s secret shrines, so you’ll need to complete quest “The Crowned Beast” to access it. Find a deer, mount it and then stand on the pressure plate to reveal the shrine.
6. Myahm Agana – “Myahm Agana Apparatus” – This one is easy to find – it’s at the entrance to Hateno Village. Inside the shrine you’ll need to use the Switch’s motion controls to tilt a massive maze, but it’s possible to bounce the ball off the top of the maze and onto the slope, if you’re quick enough.
7. Tahno O’ah – “Tahno O’ah’s Blessing” – Look for the bare spot without any trees on the eastern part of Madorna Mountain. Blow up the stones to reveal the shrine.

Hebra Mountains Tower Shrine Map

1. Dunba Taag – You’ll find this one in Tanagar Canyon, just south of Tama Pond. Paraglide down to the place where the canyon curves, near the windmills.
2. Gee Ha’rah – You’ll find this south of Kopeeki Drifts, which is northwest of Hebra Tower. There’s is a pair of huge stone doors here; head backwards up the hill to locate some large rocks. Throw one of these down.
3. Goma Asaagh – Paraglide down from the tower towards the southwestern side of Hebra Peak and you’ll spot this shrine. Make sure you have the tools to light a fire as you’ll need to melt some ice to get in.
4. Hia Miu – This one lies northwest of Icefall Foothills. Paraglide down from the nearby mountains.
5. Lanno Kooh – This lies west of Hebra Tower and southeast of Hebra Falls. You’ll need to swim across a really cold lake, so make sure you’ve got the gear (or food) to stay warm.
6. Maka Rah – At Lake Kilsie, which lies south of the Sturnida Basin, there’s a pier. The shrine is just visible through a crack in the nearby wall. Blow up the rocks to ride a wind gust across the water and then follow the rocks until you get to the last wind gust will fly you upwards to an entrance which allows you to access the shrine.
7. Mozo Shenno – This is on the east side of Biron Snowshelf. You’ll have to paraglide to it from a nearby mountain.
8. Qaza Tokki – This shrine lies within the North Lomei Labyrinth. The shrine quest is called “Trial on the Cliff”. The fastest way to get it is to paraglide down from the nearby mountain and search for the yellow Electric Chuchu. Just a bit above their location is the entrance to the shrine. There are chest to claim if you want to do things the hard way and tackle the maze.
9. Rin Oyaa – “Directing the Wind” – Glide north from Hebra Tower, glide northward and follow the road on the ground.
10. Rok Uwog – This ons is west of North Tabantha Snowfield.
11. Sha Gehma – You’ll find this in the north section of Tabantha Tundra.
12. Shada Naw – This shrine lies north of Selmie’s Spot, close to Hebra East Summit.
13. To Quomo – Head to the Hebra North Summit to find this shrine. You’ll be faced wth two stone doors with a snowball nearby. The idea is to roll the snowball so it smashes the doors – you’ll need to create some ice pillars to pull this off.

Lake Hylia Tower Shrine Map

1. Ishto Soh – This is east of Daval Peaks. You’ll need to use your paraglider to fly towards it.
2. Ka’o Makagh – “Metal Doors Open The Way” – On a hill above the stable.
3. Pumaag Nitae – “A Minor Test of Strength” – This lies between Finra Woods and Pagos Woods.
4. Shae Katha – This lies north of Dracozu Lake, behind the statue of Goddess Hylia in the Spring of Courage. You’ll need one of Farosh’s scales.
5. Shoqa Tatone – Talk to Loone in northwest Puffer Beach to start “Guardian Slideshow” shrine quest. You’ll need to take photos of three different Guardians – walking, flying and small. Take the orb you get and put it in the mound to reveal the shrine.
6. Ya Naga – “Shatter the Heavens” – This one is found in the middle of Hylia Island in Hylia Lake. From Lake Tower, head northwest and paraglide from there. Once inside you need to place a remote bomb on the top of the block then drop a normal bomb into the tube that runs underneath it. Detonate the bomb in the tube and then quickly switch to the remote bomb and detonate that – it will blow up the blocks above. You can then roll another bomb under, get on top of the block and detonate it.

Lanayru Wetlands Tower Shrine Map

1. Dagah Keek – Starting at Zora’s Domain, take the bridge that runs northwest. You’ll eventually find Veiled Falls, and a secret shrine pressure plate. Swim up the waterfall using Zora’s armour then paraglide when you reach the top – you can then dive onto the plate by pressing the attack button.
2. Daka Tuss – “Sunken Scoop” – You can spot this one quite easily.
3. Kah Mael – On Tingel Island you need to find a large rock. Shift it with Stasis to expose the shrine below.
4. Ne’ez Yohma – This one is easy to find – it’s under the Throne Room of King Dorephan on Zora’s Domain.
5. Rucco Maag – This shrine is on Samasa Plain, south of Ruto Mountain.
6. Shai Yota – Locate Kass just south of Horon Lagoon and complete the quest “Master of the Wind”. The shrine will then be revealed in Horon Lagoon.
7. Sheh Rata – This shrine is found on an island which lies between Crenel Peak and Zelo Pond. Burn away the bushes to enter it.
8. Soh Kofi – Paraglide north from Lanayru Tower, across the water.

Hyrule Ridge Tower Shrine Map

1. Maag No’rah – There’s a Bokoblin camp on the slope north of Lindor’s Brow which boasts a tall crow’s nest. Defeat the enemies then climb to the top of this nest – on the nearby mountain you’ll see rocks you can destroy. Under these lies the shrine.
2. Mijah Rokee – On Washa’s Bluff you need to stand on the pedestal with no clothing or armour on and wait for the Blood Moon. The shrine will then appear.
3. Mogg Latan – “Synced Swing” – This shrine is right at the top of Satori Mountain so make sure you’re prepared to do some climbing. The shrine is on the southern peak.
4. Shae Loya – Follow the road from Hyrule Ridge to Hebra, near Tabantha Great Bridge. Look for Tabantha Bridge Stable and then head towards the tall hill nearby.
5. Sheem Dagoze – This one is south of Hyrule Ridge and west from Jeddo Bridge. Make sure you complete the “Two Rings” quest first. You’ll need to shoot an arrow through two stone hoops in a single shot.
6. Toh Yahsa – Head towards Thundra Plateau from the tower. In the center of it, you have to place four balls into their matching colour holes. You’ll need to use Stasis to move them.
7. Zalta Wa – Fly from the tower towards the east and head for the Breach of Demise canyon.

Tabantha Frontier Tower Shrine Map

1. Akh Va’quot – “Windmills” – Due south of the Heabra Mountains you’ll find a lake as well as Rito Village and the shrine.
2. Bareeda Naag – This lies south of Rito Village. Make sure you have a lit torch and wait until about 11AM. Hold the torch near the center of the glowing mound.
3. Kah Okeo – “Wind Guide” – This shrine is hidden under a huge slab of rock, so use Stasis to remove it.
4. Sha Warvo – This one is north of Rito Village, in Dronoc’s Pass.
5. Tena Ko’sah – “A Major Test of Strength” – Near the Tabantha Great Bridge is where you’ll find this shrine, amid the ruined Ancient Columns.
6. Voo Lota – This is west of Rito Village in the area known as Warbler’s Nest. Once you’ve beaten the Divine Beast Vah Medoh and have found all of the sisters, you’ll have to head to Warbler’s Nest for a musical test. Stand in the section flanked by five statues and use a Kokoro leaf to blow air into the rock which matches the note – one “finger” denotes red, two is yellow, three is green, four is blue and five is purple.

Gerudo Desert Tower Shrine Map

1. Dako Tah – This one is in the middle of the stone structures in the Great Cliffs area. It’s easier to find at night.
2. Daqo Chisay – “The Whole Picture” – This is right next to Gerudo Town. A chest with a Thunderblade inside lies within.
3. Dila Maag – “Dila Maag’s Blessing” – Glide from the Wasteland Tower to the southeast and you’ll spot the South Lomei Labyrinth. The Barbarian Armour is your reward for completing this maze.
4. Hawa Koth – This is in the southeastern section of the map, inside the Gerudo Great Skeleton / Dragon’s Exile.
5. Jee Noh – “On the Move” – Head east from the Wasteland Tower and you’ll spot this shrine close to the road.
6. Kay Noh – “Power of Electricity” – Take the path that runs past the Gerudo Canyon Stable and climb the rocks to the south.
7. Kema Zoos – “A Delayed Puzzle” – This one is west of Karusa Valley and northwest of West Gerudo Ruins. The shrine is found in a massive skeleton.
8. Korsh O’hu – “Korsh O’hu’s Blessing” – This one lies in the East Gerudo Ruins, east of Palu Wasteland. Speak to Rotana outside Gerudo Town to start “The Seven Heroines” quest (he’ll give you some Snow Boots). Head to the circular formation at the bottom of the mountain southwest of Wasteland Tower. You’ll see the Seven Heroines statues there. Each statue has a symbol which links to one of the nearby metal balls somewhere on them. Place the balls in the appropriate basin using your Magnesis rune. The final ball can be found in the hands of the third statue from the left. Climb up the status nearby and use Magnesis to move the ball. The shrine contains a Flamespear.
9. Misae Suma – This one is southeast of Gerudo Town, where you’ll find a large rock formation. To get inside you need to finish the quest “The Perfect Drink”, which involves gaining entrance to Gerudo Town by dressing as a woman. To get the ice to Furosa without it melting, use Stasis and hit it to move it – if you carry it, it will melt. Once you’ve done this quest, jump on the rock formation to reveal the shrine.
10. Raqa Zunzo – Head to the Sand Seal Rally spot south of Gerudo Town after you’ve defeated the nearby Divine Beast. Win the sand seal challenge to get the orb which is used to activate the shrine – you won’t be allowed near it otherwise.
11. Suma Sahma – This lies between Mount Granajh and Daval Peak. Roll a snowball into the puddle, then wait until the sun passes over and casts a shadow on the nearby contraption.
12. Tho Kayu – This one is in the Toruma Dunes, with the Molduga mini-boss nearby.

Woodland Tower Shrine Map

1. Daag Chokah – Take the path from the nearby Keo Ruug Shrine. You’ll pass underneath a hollow tree to Tasho. Talk with him to trigger “The Lost Pilgrimage” quest. You then have to follow another Korok to reach the shrine’s location.
2. Keo Ruug – “Fateful Stars” – You’ll want to tackle this one as soon as you enter Korok Forest. It’s to the right of the Master Sword.
3. Ketoh Wawai – This shrine is in an area called Thyphlo Ruins. You need to complete the quest called “Shrouded Shrine” to reveal its location. Light a torch and look for the bird-shaped braziers – follow the direction of their beaks.
4. Kuhn Sidajj – This shrine is found by following a Korok located southwest from the first shrine. This triggers the “Trial of Second Sight” shrine quest – use the Magnesis rune to find the right path and place a Rusty Shield in the tree’s mouth. Take the chest it gives you as a reward and place that in the other tree’s mouth.
5. Maag Halan – Near the Keo Ruug Shrine you’ll find Damia, who gives you the shrine quest “The Test of Wood”. Fight the enemies which stand in the way of you and the Mido Swamp.
6. Mirro Shaz – “Tempered Power” – North of the small Pico Pond is where you’ll find this shrine.
7. Monya Toma – “Drawing Parabolas” – You can see the glow of the shrine if you look south-east from Hebra Tower.
8. Rona Kachta – This one lies east of Mount Drena.

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So that is our walkthrough of all of the shrines you can find in The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild. This guide remains a work in progress so if you think we’ve missed something or you have a better description of how to reach a certain shrine, post a comment below and we’ll try to include your input.

The humble Game Boy is probably older than many of the people reading these words right now, but it nonetheless remains an utterly iconic piece of consumer tech. Since the start of the Game Boy line way back in 1989, the range has undergone several revisions and has sold millions of units all over the globe. Despite the fact that handheld tech has progressed to the point where Nintendo’s monochrome marvel seems laughably primitive, there exists a modest demand for the original hardware, surrounded by a vibrant and growing community which seeks to improve the system with more modern features.

We’ve covered this kind of modding before on Nintendo Life, but we’ve recently become acquainted with a company which seeks to create the ultimate Game Boy system; a console which combines the comfy form factor of the original DMG-01 with the amazing AGS-101 screen from the Game Boy Advance and the ability to play every single Game Boy game – be it black and white, ‘Color’ or Advance.

That company is Jellybelly Customs, run by Matt Whitehead, and the product is the Game Boy DMG-102. This all-in-one wonder system can play the entire Game Boy software library, has an amazing backlit screen, rechargeable battery, loudspeaker and amplifier. Whitehead has fully desoldered the guts of a GBA SP and attached them to a totally bespoke PCB which neatly fits inside a DMG shell via a series of 3D-printed components to achieve a modification that is free from messy wires and unsightly blobs of hot glue – it’s so good, you’d swear it had just rolled off Nintendo’s production line. You can even opt for the ‘Pro’ model which replaces the D-Pad with an illuminated micro-switched joystick, a custom-made copy of the one seen on SNK’s Neo Geo Pocket.

As luck would have it, Whitehead’s base of operations (his garage) is situated around 15 minutes away from where Nintendo Life is based in the UK, so we naturally invited ourselves over for a little chat, which you can view below.

Whitehead – who admits that Jellybelly Customs is more of a hobby than a business – grew up with the classic ‘brick’ Game Boy and says that his love of the console’s form factor encouraged him to pick the DMG-101 as the foundation for his new wonder-machine. After buying a faulty system a few years ago he decided to learn how to fix it, and this started the ball rolling. Since then, he has invested in all manner of equipment to aid his work and now designs and produces his own PCBs, packaging and even custom buttons and other items. In short, he’s not only resurrecting broken systems (he also fits swanky new LCD screens to Game Gear consoles), he’s improving and enhancing them for a new generation of fans.

If you fancy investing in one of these unique systems, you could have a long wait – Whitehead admits that as a one-man operation, he’s struggling to keep up with demand. However, having inspected his work, we can attest to its quality – and we’ve got our fingers crossed that Santa will leave a shiny new DMG-102 under the tree for us this Christmas. It’s like 1989 all over again.

There’s apparently been a recent and slightly odd discovery in the Wii release, Super Paper Mario. It’s all tied to the 2009 South Korean version of the game. YouTube channel GamingIntus, which was able to sift through the files, found unused levels and content that had no resemblance to anything else in the game.

About halfway through the video, you can see non-interactive human-like cats in these unused levels. As noted by Gaming Reinvented, these character models look out of place in Mario’s world. What’s incredibly weird about this discovery is how these models and levels are only present within the Korean version of the game, which was released more than two years after the original Japanese game.

It’s hard to believe additional unused content would have been added into this more recent version. GamingIntus believes Intelligent Systems might have been working on a different title until it got a Paper Mario reskin, but that doesn’t really explain why the content can only be found in this particular release. Take a look for yourself below:

What do you make of these recent findings? Tell us below.

The No More Heroes spin-off Travis Strikes Again is one of the first titles arriving on the Switch in 2019. The Grasshopper Manufacture release is essentially a bunch of mini-games starring Travis and Badman, who find themselves trapped inside the Death Drive Mark II – a phantom console from the ’90s.

In the previous trailer, we got a look at the “Electric Thunder Tiger II” video game and the latest clip shows off the “Life Is Destroy” game, set in suburbia. It will include more high-tempo hack-and-slash gameplay and requires Travis Touchdown and Badman to take down Mr. Doppelganger.

Take a look at the new trailer above, and in case you missed it, view the trailer for the first in-game game below:

In addition to all of these different games, there will be a season pass for two DLC packs. For more details about this, check out our previous post.

Are you excited about this game after viewing the latest trailer? Tell us below.

For a game about digital card battles, Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission looks rather dramatic based on the new six-minute trailer Bandai Namco released at Jump Festa 2019. This second official clip about the Dimps developed title runs through the basics of the game in Japanese while showcasing plenty of new footage.

If you missed the original announcement, the game described as a “super card battle adventure” includes more than 1,160 cards and 350 Dragon Ball characters from the long-running series. There’s also a glimpse of the new villain Cirrus, the game’s story mode, seven-verse-seven battles and the creation mode. The game appears to be filled with plenty of customisation options as well. As previously noted, this iteration is based on the existing arcade version.

Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission will launch in Japan on 4th April and is expected to make its way across to the west after the title was rated by the Australian Classification Board in November. According to a recent Play-Asia tweet, the Asia release will include English subtitles, meaning local fans can consider importing a copy of the game.

Take a look at the trailer above and tell us if you’re interested in playing a Dragon Ball themed card game on the Switch.

We last heard about Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age S in September, when the name for the title was officially confirmed at the 2018 Tokyo Game Show. At the time, the series creator Yuji Horii said the Switch version would take much longer for Square Enix to develop, but could not lock in when exactly it would arrive.

What we know now – if it wasn’t already evident – is that the game won’t be released in 2018. At Jump Festa 2019, Square Enix simply announced the game would launch within Japan next year (2019). This version will include over 200 voiced characters, excluding the main character and as previously revealed is powered by Unreal Engine 4.

In addition to providing the year of the game’s release, Square Enix also teased it was preparing a surprise Dragon Quest XI S announcement for the first day of 2019. The official website is now open as well and below is a short trailer for the game:

More details about the upcoming Switch release will be revealed during a Square Enix “Dragon Quest XI Channel S” live stream on YouTube and Niconico in January. This broadcast will feature the creator of the series, producer Hokuto Okamoto and multiple other individuals involved with the project.

In the meantime, what do you think the surprise could be? Leave a comment below.

When he’s not paying off a loan to Tom Nook, Liam likes to report on the latest Nintendo news and admire his library of video games. His favourite Nintendo character used to be a guitar-playing dog, but nowadays he prefers to hang out with Judd the cat.

© Gonçalo Lopes

Ever since the launch of Nintendo Switch back in March 2017 gamers have been faced with the difficult decision as to go digital or stay physical.

Naturally there are pros and cons to each of these choices. Digital means the game can be always available on your system, without the need to carry around extra carts, however, often comes at an ironically higher price tag for the privilege. Physical, on the other hand, comes with a pretty box you can display on your shelf, doesn’t take up as much system space and can be resold when you’re done.

Just from surveying our own team we know that everyone seems to have their own take on this matter, some are strict and stick to one format or the other, whereas some make the decision on a game by game basis.

We thought it would be interesting to see how you, the Nintendo Life community, feel about the matter by answering the following questions:

So there we have it. Do you prefer digital or physical for any other reasons? Let us know in the comments below.

As regular readers will know, each Saturday we all get together to discuss our weekend gaming plans and see what our fellow community members are up to. This week is a little different, however, with many of us taking a little time away to celebrate the holidays and enjoy time with friends or family, or even taking some much-needed alone time for a bit of peace and quiet.

As such, this week’s ‘What Are You Playing?’ feature is dedicated to the holidays, all wrapped up in a super-special bumper edition. Feel free to read through the Nintendo Life team’s entries, and then tell us about your own plans via the poll and comments below. Enjoy!

Darren Calvert, operations director

As Christmas is a time for spending with the family, I’m sure I’ll be having lots of games of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with my munchkins aged 7 and 10. They’ve been practising tirelessly since it came out on the Switch earlier this month, so I’m sure I will get beaten mercilessly as I resort to button-mashing to survive.

When the wider family come over, I’m sure we’ll be having a few games of Super Mario Party to pass the time with the kids. It’s a lot more fun than Monopoly anyway. I’m hoping we can find time for lots of races together in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe also, I’m quietly confident of holding my own in Mario Kart still. After a few laps of Sherbet Land we’ll all be in the festive mood. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Dom Reseigh-Lincoln, reviewer

This Christmas I’ll be taking a well-earned break, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be catching up or completing some of the games I’ve missed on Nintendo Switch. So I’ll be finishing up Manticore: Galaxy on Fire, Attack on Titan 2 and Armello. I’ll likely be returning to my two portable loves – Paladins and Warframe – while continuing to shoot hoops and grind for VC in NBA 2K19. I’m nothing if not productive. Merry Christmas, all!

Gavin Lane, contributing writer

Christmas used to be a time to sit down with something shiny and new, but now it’s my chance to flush the backlog and catch up with things I missed throughout the year – Switch has made that list quite substantial in 2018! So, while I’ll be dipping into Overcooked 2’s free DLC with the family, I’ll hopefully get to chill the beans with Firewatch and ABZU once everyone is snoozing after overindulging on mince pies. I’m also determined to start Wolfenstein II so I can polish off those spoiler-filled GOTY podcasts that have been languishing unplayed on my phone since 2017 before tucking into this year’s editions!

Have a great one everybody!

Glen Fox, guides editor

So I haven’t had much chance to play my Switch the past few months, as I’ve been an absolute heathen and have been mildly addicted to Black Ops 4, Elder Scrolls Online, and Guild Wars 2. I’m going away for Christmas though, so will have my trusty Switch to keep me company.

I’ve missed a couple of gems that I’d like to dig into, like Pokémon: Let’s Go, Warframe, and Hollow Knight. No, I simply don’t like Smash Bros. so I won’t be playing that – it’s just the way it is. No doubt I’ll double-dip into Splatoon 2 and stuff like that too.

This is also my last one of these as I’m leaving Nintendo Life in January to pursue a different line of work. I’d like to say a huge thank you to the supportive and lovely staff, and to the readers who make this site and community as awesome as it is. It’s been a pleasure writing for you all and I’m sure you’ll see my name crop up occasionally as freelance. Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Gonçalo Lopes, contributing writer

As 2018 comes to an end, you will find me doing the most cliché possible Nintendo thing one would expect: plugging in my SNES Classic and enjoying some sweet retro-gaming sessions for the holidays. The Super Nintendo reminds me of simpler times, exquisite memories, family and friends who are no longer among us. I honour all of those with a big smile from ear to ear you will rarely find among adults nowadays, caused by such simple pleasures as completing The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, finishing F-Zero on Master difficulty, enjoying the soundtrack in Secret of Mana, turning Dracula do dust in Super Castlevania IV or just replaying the ice levels of Donkey Kong Country over and over again. Oh yes, I will also re-watch Die Hard between SNES gaming sessions! Maybe this time Hans gets away with it…

This was yet another incredible year as part of the Nintendo Life crew, one I could never have imagined in my wildest optimistic expectations. I do not know what the future holds in 2019 (hopefully a new F-Zero to go along with Metroid Prime 4), so allow me to take this opportunity to wish YOU, fellow gamer reading these humble words: Happy Holidays, tons of awesome video games, and all the joys this life has to offer.

Liam Doolan, news reporter

This Christmas I intend to play a lot of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!. When I’m not in either of these games, I’ll be attempting to wrap up multiple other titles before 2018 comes to an end. This includes Diablo III: Eternal Collection, Katamari Damacy Reroll and my most recent eShop purchase, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero.

As none of these games are actually Christmas-themed, I’ll have to go elsewhere for my appropriately-themed fix. Maybe Rocket League’s Frosty Fest will be able to help me out. Else I’ll build a snowman in Minecraft.

Ryan Craddock, staff writer

As horrifying as the concept sounds, I’ll likely be spending the majority of my Christmas break away from games for once – even working here at the Nintendo Life Factory of Dreams and Magic™ can take its toll after a while. Having said that, I have been working towards unlocking as many Super Smash Bros. Ultimate characters as possible for any potential games with family when I go to visit, so I doubt my gaming break will last for long.

Similarly, I’ve already planned to pack Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Party, and maybe even Pokémon, Let’s Go, Eevee! for the odd multiplayer session (or in Pokémon’s case, just to show off my collection). Now that I think about it, it doesn’t sound like I’m having a break from gaming at all, does it? Ah well… Happy holidays, everyone!

Steve Bowling, US editor

The holiday means we have a long break ahead and things will be a little quieter than usual. For me, that means it’s time to sink my teeth into some of the Switch’s more time-consuming games. Over the holiday I’ll be playing Octopath Traveler and Valkyria Chronicles 4. I’ve been curious about Octopath since its reveal and have somehow managed to remain spoiler free so far, but I have a feeling I’ll be working on both of these games well into the new year.

As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to leave a vote in the poll above and a comment below with your gaming choices over the holidays. Whatever you plan to do this year, we hope you have a wonderful time!