Category: Nintendo News

It has been quite the week for Nintendo news, eh?

Things kicked off with a sneaky look at Zelda Movie’s Link (or is it?), then the floodgates opened on Splatoon Raiders news, as we got a release date, price reveal, and a first look at three new amiibo. It was Yoshi’s turn after that, as we shared our hands-on thoughts of The Mysterious Book and checked out the new overview trailer, then, to cap it all off, the Mario Galaxy continued to take the box office by storm.

As if all that wasn’t enough, we shared our reviews of Vampire Crawlers (8/10), ZPF (6/10), Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta (7/10), GRIDbeat! (8/10), and Alien: Rogue Incursion Evolved Edition (7/10).

Will we Nintendo Lifers be playing any of the above this weekend? Let’s find out…

Jim Norman, Features Editor

I have been dying for an excuse to play Lorelei and the Laser Eyes ever since I missed it a couple of years back, and the new Switch 2 Edition is calling my name. I only just put my notebook away after wrapping up Blue Prince, but I guess it’s time to get it back out again.

Otherwise, I’ve got something secret and exciting on the back burner that you’ll hear more about next week. Oh, the mystery!

Gonçalo Lopes, Contributor

I am still on the fence about the Neo Geo AES+ and will continue to revisit some of the SNK games I already picked up over the years. Did I ever mention I played every single Metal Slug game multiple times to get screenshots for Bitmap Books? I got such an overdose of the game that I still can’t quite get back into the series, but hopefully that will clear when the new game shows up. Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream must be really amazing, but I am still not “living the dream” because my copy has not shown up at the time of writing… fingers crossed it still happens before Monday. I am on the home stretch of GBA’s Shonen Jump’s One Piece, same for Star Fox 64 hard routes.

My game of the week is Pragmata. I reckon I am halfway into this moon ordeal, and it is quite amazing how Capcom put so many intricate, “human” details on Diana’s character. Truly, we are being spoiled for choice on Switch 2.

Gavin Lane, Editor

Having jogged through the brilliant Thank Goodness You’re Here! this week, I’m excited to put some more hours into Pentiment while resisting tapping that Pragmata icon on my homescreen. I’m also diligently avoiding Vampire Crawlers because no, absolutely not. Thou shalt not have me again, fiend!

I’ve had Shenmue III on my mind recently, too. Several years ago I abandoned poor Ryo in Hong Kong near the start of the second game after polishing off the first. Is now the time to dust off the Dreamcast and crack on before the Enhanced third entry lands on Switch 2? Could my old console handle it? Powered on, it already sounds like a leaf blower, but perhaps wheezing its way through Shenmue II is a fitting way to go out. We’ll see! *eyes Vampire Crawlers

Mai Ladyman, Video Producer

I’ve had some time to catch up on some Pokopia lately because I am ashamed to say that I’ve not finished it…..yet. My aim this weekend is to finish it so I can finally get some work done on my different towns and also my Cloud island with my pal who recently got herself a Switch 2. Aside from being a flailing Ditto, I have an itch to return to Yoshi’s Story! Since chatting with Jim about Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, I have a craving for an old favourite of mine. I do love me some Yoshi.

Kate Gray, Contributor

I’ve been playing Tomodachi Life and Pokopia and Slay the Spire 2, but I’ve reached a point with all of them where I’m thinking “hmm… what now?”

I had a nice chat with a man at a games shop and he recommended trying out some AAA-type games on Switch 2, a thing I was absolutely not going to do because the last time I played one of those on a Nintendo console, it was the Wii U, a console that was perfectly designed to make those games look like garbage. But apparently the new Resi runs pretty nicely? And Final Fantasy VII? And I REALLY don’t want to buy a PS5, so… maybe that’s what I’ll be doing this weekend on the Switch 2!

Ollie Reynolds, Reviews Editor

I’m probably going to spend the next couple of days hopping between Alien: Rogue Incursion, Pragmata, and the newly-released demo for Bubsy 4D. I briefly tried the latter recently and, yeah, Fabraz doesn’t disappoint. The way you can string together different moves to navigate the environment is excellent.
Pragmata is proving to be a good time, but I must admit, it hasn’t quite kept my attention as much as I thought it would. Nothing against the game, I just haven’t had enough time to really absorb myself in the experience. Hopefully I can remedy that this weekend.

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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!

Sega has announced a new ‘Sega Universe’ initiative in Japan, which will see the company celebrate the anniversaries of classic game series with all sorts of projects.

The games highlighted on the official website include:

As noted by our colleagues at Time Extension, this doesn’t necessarily guarantee new games in these franchises. It could just be merchandise and other themed celebrations.

The official Sega Universe description also notes how its classic IP goes “beyond games” – expanding into entertainment and many other areas:

“Games and characters born in the past. Transcending generations and borders, they continue to live on in the same universe—even today. Beyond games, expanding into film, music, fashion, and even further forms of entertainment. While changing form, the experience is constantly updated. Everything created here remains in someone’s memory and is passed on to the next generation.”

You can find out a bit more about this new initiative on Time Extension. This announcement follows Sega’s video game revival of Shinobi over the past year, with more on the way.

If we hear any significant updates about this new initiative, we’ll provide an update.

Do you have any history with these game series? How would you like to see Sega revive these classics? Give us your thoughts in the comments.

Apart from the news Final Fantasy XIV Online is on its way to the Switch 2 this August, Square Enix also announced Evercold.

This is the sixth expansion for the popular MMORPG and was revealed during Naoki Yoshida’s keynote address at FFXIV Fan Festival 2026. It’s currently set to launch in January 2027 on PC, Mac, Steam, PlayStation and Xbox platforms.

The description attached to the video above also confirms it’s “coming to” the Nintendo Switch 2.

This same trailer kicks off the Godless Realms Saga story arc and offers a glimpse into the adventures the Warrior of Light will experience on the fourth. Here’s what you can expect from this upcoming expansion and you can find out more on the official game site.

• Two new jobs: tank and physical ranged DPS
• Level cap increase from 100 to 110
• New cities
• Distinctive new areas
• New gigantic constructs and other monstrous threats to overcome
• New allies to encounter
• New dungeons
• New trials
• A new raid series
• A new Ultimate raid
• PvP updates
• Ongoing content updates, including new gear and crafting recipes, updates to the Duty Support System and more

During the same reveal, Yoshi-P also announced an “unprecedented” battle system overhaul, with Reborn and Evolved modes coming to FFXIV Online alongside the launch of Evercold.

“Reborn Mode will be based on the current combat system and job mechanics, while Evolved Mode offers greater emphasis on job identity.”

Additionally, there’ll be expanded updates to the game’s design, including a seasons overhaul (updating how players earn rewards and improve their characters), an armoury update, and expanded character customisation.

Square Enix has also revealed XIV is crossing over with the Japanese anime Evangelion. Here’s a bit about it and what you can expect from it:

“The exciting new alliance raid series is a crossover with the hugely popular Japanese anime, EVANGELION, and will be created in collaboration with khara, Inc., best known for its work on the EVANGELION series. Since EVANGELION’s first television broadcast in 1995, the anime’s mysterious and profound storyline, alongside its innovative and stylish visual expression, has had a profound influence on numerous creators around the world, with the iconic franchise later expanding its library with multiple animated films and a comic adaptation.”

What do you think of the latest expansion reveal for Final Fantasy XIV Online? Let us know in the comments.

Resident Evil Requiem, the latest mainline entry in Capcom’s iconic survival horror franchise, is an absolute juggernaut.

Released on 27th February 2026, the game has now gone on to sell more than 7 million copies. It’s comfortably the fastest-selling entry in the series, and at this rate, it’s entirely possible that it could go on to become the highest-selling too. Chuck in a few tempting discounts here and there over the next few years, and we reckon it’s entirely plausible.

This news comes directly from director Koshi Nakanishi, who posted an Instagram story depicting two celebratory cakes showcasing the 7 million copy milestone (thanks, Push Square). One is styled after Leon, and the other Grace.

Obviously, we don’t have a view of what the platform split is at this stage, so it’s difficult to say exactly how much the Switch 2 contributed to the overall total. We reckon PS5 probably sold the lion’s share, with PC coming in a close second.

Still, what a monumental performance either way! Capcom’s new IP, Pragmata, also got off to a decent start, selling more than 1 million copies within just two days. The Switch 2 version of the game launched today in Japan, so it’ll likely get a nice boost over the next weekend, too.

What do you make of Requiem’s ongoing success? Let us know with a comment in the usual place.

Those who enjoy a bit of in-game pic snapping, rejoice! Koei Tecmo has released the second Dynasty Warriors: Origins Switch 2 update of the year, and an all-new Photo Mode is one of the additions.

The ver. 1.0.6 update was released yesterday for Switch 2. While the chance to snap up pictures of your warriors in battle is undoubtedly the headline addition for players like this writer (what can I say? I love the screenshot button!), the patch also introduces a new protagonist armour set and a new spear weapon.

The full patch notes were shared on the Dynasty Warriors website, and we have gathered them together for you to check out below:

Dynasty Warriors: Origins Ver. 1.0.6 (23rd April 2026)

• Added photo mode.
  To access photo mode, open the menu on the world map or during battle and press the − button.
• Added the Lion Dragon Armor for the protagonist.
  You can try on this armor by selecting Change Outfit at your current base.
• Added the Gold Serpent Spear.
  A letter will arrive at your current base after you have obtained a weapon in the lance category.

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It adds to a game that we were already really rather impressed with at launch. Despite the 30fps lock and a shoddy English dub, we described Warriors as “a super-solid port of a fantastic reboot for the franchise” in our 9/10 review.

Will you be checking out this update? Let us know in the comments.

Since Nintendo is so keen to push its dedicated Music app, we honestly weren’t expecting to see any official soundtracks added to Spotify anytime soon.

Stranger things have happened though, and to celebrate Super Mario’s 40th anniversary, the OSTs for both Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 are now available on Spotify for a limited time.

Here’s the lovely Nintendo Life alumni Felix summing up our thoughts perfectly:

And here’s the official Spotify description:

“Celebrating the Super Mario Bros. 40th anniversary, for a limited time, enjoy a special selection of music tracks from Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2.”

In the meantime, you can head on over to this Spotify playlist where you’ll find a total of 130 tracks spanning both games. It’s not clear exactly how long these will be available, so if you haven’t got Nintendo Music and are keen to listen to some classic Galaxy music, maybe check it out sooner rather than later.

Finally, a special playlist for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is also available, and if we’re being honest, the music was quite possibly the best thing about the sequel – magnificent stuff.

What the heck, right? Will you be checking out the Mario Galaxy music on Spotify? Let us know with a comment.

How does that old phrase go, “you cut one head off Hydreigon, two will take its place”? It’s something like that. Either way, on a totally unrelated note, you remember that shameless Pokémon rip-off ‘Pickmos’ that was removed from Steam a few weeks back? Well, there’s another primed and ready to fill its place.

Olympus Rangers is an upcoming PC creature battler from developer Mechano and publisher Jandusoft. Its debut trailer launched yesterday (thanks for the heads up, IGN) and it looks… familiar.

Maybe it’s the opening shot of the Scarlet & Violet-esque setting, the round battle arena or the numerous creatures that have a faint whiff of ‘legally distinct’ about them, but Olympus Rangers feels very Pokémon.

According to its Steam page, this one will see you heading to the Olympus battle arena with your ‘Olys’ creatures in tow, ready to take on opponents in a series of turn-based battles. There are 60 different Olys to choose between (it doesn’t look like there’s any exploring or catching to be found here), with designs ranging from ‘sparky Rapidash’ to ’round Greninja’.

All of the creatures, their moves and your avatar are fully customisable — the trailer actively encourages modding, and even has a database where you’ll be able to upload designs — and battles can be played out in either 2D or 3D, which, we must admit, is an idea we wish Pokémon would take on board.

There’s still no official release date on Olympus Rangers just yet, though we’d be surprised if Nintendo and The Pokémon Company aren’t at least taking a cursory glance over some of those creature designs and battle mechanics. Maybe the modding and battle focus will be enough for this one to actually make it to launch, eh? We’ll just have to wait and see.

What do you make of this latest Pokémon-like? Do you reckon it’ll make it to launch, unnoticed? Let us know in the comments.

Shortly after the Switch 2 launched, we reviewed a handful of cases for the new console, one of which was the Belkin Charging Case. At the time, we admired the idea, but unfortunately the execution was a bit lacklustre, earning it a score of 6/10.

So now, as we approach the one-year anniversary of the console, Belkin has launched the Charging Case Pro, a more premium option at $99.99 / £69.99 that takes the basic functionality of its predecessor and improves upon it in every way. In short, if you can stomach the price, this might be one of the finest cases you can get for your Switch 2.

Focusing on the case’s charging functionality first, the power bank has been given a bespoke design to work seamlessly with both the case and your Switch 2. With the original, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Belkin had taken a bog-standard power bank and just chucked it into the case, but this upgraded model is infinitely more practical.

For starters, the power bank fits snugly into the case’s interior via magnets, sitting flush with the fabric on either side so that your Switch 2 lies directly on top with almost no wriggle room. Plugging the console in is a doddle: simply lift the outer hinge upwards, bringing the USB-C port up with it, angling it so that you can slot the Switch 2 into place with ease.

What’s nice is that the actual USB-C port is movable on its own, too. Sitting perpendicular to the case’s base, you can raise it to a 45-degree angle, which means that when it’s time to remove the Switch 2, you can easily lift it up slightly and pull it out without potentially causing any damage to the port. Clever stuff.

The outer hinge of the power bank is also stable enough to act as a stand, letting you play in tabletop mode whilst it’s still sucking up that sweet portable power. If you want a bit more space, you can also remove the power bank from the case entirely and still charge your console whilst it’s in use.

Knowing how much charge you have is key, though, and Belkin has delivered here. too. The case itself has a little opening on the front through which you can see the power bank’s display unit. At the press of a button — or when you plug in the Switch 2 — you can instantly see how much charge is remaining, designated by a percentage. Naturally, you’re not going to get any indication of how much charge your console has, only the case itself.

To the left of the power indicator is the USB-C slot to charge the power bank. Annoyingly, Belkin has opted not to include any charging cable, though any cable with a USB-C port will work perfectly fine. For the price, mind you, we would have expected it to include its own cable, and this feels a bit stingy.

Belkin states that the case can charge the Switch 2 “up to 1.5 times”, and that sounds about right based on my tests. That might not sound like much at a glance, but unless you’re someone who plays your Switch 2 continuously until the battery drains completely, you’ll find that the power bank will restore your console’s battery multiple times until you need to eventually plug it in.

To give you an idea of roughly how long you can expect the case to charge up your Switch 2, I plugged mine in at 80% and it took half an hour to get back up to 100%. Certainly not the speediest, then, but it’s about what I’d expect.

The Charging Case Pro also comes with a total of 12 slots to store your Switch 1 and 2 cartridges – pretty standard stuff. You’ve also got a mesh storage area, which is easily large enough to hold a fairly lengthy cable (once you’ve got your hands on one), while Belkin has also included a teeny-tiny pouch in which to store an AirTag, Moto Tag, or similar location device.

As for the build quality, the outer fabric is rock solid, meaning you should be protected against most day-to-day activities and accidental drops. The interior feels soft, yet similarly rugged, and the carrying handle doesn’t feel like it’s going to start fraying anytime soon. It feels like the same material as your average car seatbelt, if that helps. The only downside I’ve noticed so far is that the power bank display unit may attract scratches since it’s completely exposed.

Given the sheer size of the case and what it’s packing, it’s significantly heavier than most options on the market, coming in at roughly 815g on its own and roughly 1.3kg with the Switch 2 plugged in. This is definitely something to consider if you’re someone who travels frequently, and you’ll need to decide whether the charging capabilities trump the lightweight convenience of other cases.

Conclusion

With the Charging Case Pro, Belkin has learned from its mistakes, providing an excellent way to take your Switch 2 on the go whilst keeping it charged. The redesigned power bank fits perfectly into the case, keeping your console snug whilst also providing an elegant way to play in tabletop mode.

The lack of a charging cable feels like a pretty stingy decision on Belkin’s part, and you might not be taken with just how heavy the case is when your console is stashed away, but otherwise, this is comfortably one of the best options on the market right now.

The sample used in this review was provided by Belkin.

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We’ve known about an upcoming Sableye event in Pokémon Pokopia for a good while now (thanks to the joys of time jumping), but The Pokémon Company has today made it official.

The ‘Sableye’s Gem Hunt’ event kicks off next week on 29th April at 5am and will run until 14th May at 4:59am (local time). As the name suggests, this one is all about Sableye, with that creepy adorable little Dark/Ghost Type appearing outside completed Pokémon Centers with a hankering for gems.

Much like the previous Hoppip event, Sableye will ask for your help to collect a special item — Red Crystal Fragments — which you’ll be able to find on a Dream Island with a little help from Drifloon. Cashing them in back at the Pokémon Center will reward you with exclusive items, building kits and more.

Of course, it’s also your first chance to meet and befriend Sableye in Pokopia, and that’s a reward of its own!

As we mentioned up top, in-game time-travelling has meant that we’ve known about the upcoming event for a while. Heck, if you want to jump the gun and get started on it now, you can! Anyway, it’s always nice to get the official word from TPC, and at least those who aren’t calendar hopping don’t have long to wait now.

Will you be checking out the Sableye event next week, or have you cleared it already? Let us know in the comments.