The Nintendo Music mobile app for Switch Online subscribers has been updated today with the original Pikmin soundtrack.
This GameCube classic made its debut in 2001/02 and the soundtrack was composed by Hajime Wakai, who is known for his work on not only the Pikmin series but also The Legend of Zelda and Star Fox. The album comes loaded with a total of 33 tracks and has a runtime of one hour.
Here’s every song included:
Nintendo Music Update – 29th May 2026 – Pikmin (GameCube)
Pikmin Title Screen
They Carry, Fight, Multiply and Get Eaten
Choose a Ship’s Log
Prologue
The Impact Site
Onion Discovered!
First Encounter
Ship Parts Discovered!
Ship Parts Recovered!
Nightfall
Today’s Report
Bird’s-Eye View
The Forest of Hope
Ship Parts Appear!
Powering Up the Ship
The Forest Navel
A Boss Approaches
Due to My Carelessness…
The Distant Spring
It’s Now or Never. Time for Lift Off!
Escape, Only to Crash
Life as a Pikmin
The Final Trial
The Final Boss
Ship Complete!
The Ship is Complete. To Space!
Escape! Next Stop… Hocotate!
Complete Shipwreck Records
Staff Credits
Creature Records
Take on the Challenge
Challenge Results
New Record!
Once again, to listen to this soundtrack on the Nintendo Music app, you’ll need to have an active Switch Online subscription. The Pikmin 4 soundtrack is also available on this service.
The original Pikmin game is also available on Switch and is supported on the Switch 2. Unfortunately, the game isn’t currently available on Switch 2’s ‘Nintendo Classics’ GameCube library.
Will you be revisiting this delightful soundtrack? What else would you like to see added? Let us know in the comments.
With the help of Fangamer, Team Cherry has today lifted the lid on not one but two physical editions for the Switch 2.
First up is Hollow Knight: Silksong – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. This includes the Nintendo Switch game and the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade pack. It can also be played on Switch. However, the Sea of Sorrow DLC is not included, but will be available to download for free.
Image: Team Cherry / Fangamer
This will set you back $45 / €49 (or your regional equivalent) and pre-orders are now available. It’s expected to ship on 16th October 2026 and comes with reversible cover artwork, a 32-page game manual, and a mini folded poster.
Next up is Hollow Knight – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. This includes the Nintendo Switch game and the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade pack. It’s also playable on Switch. The standard edition costs $39 / €45, will ship on 16th October 2026 and pre-orders are now live. It comes with reversible cover artwork, a 28-page game manual and a mini folded poster.
Image: Team Cherry / Fangamer
Hollow Knight is also available physically as a Switch release, and there’s a collector’s edition including additional items.
Will you be getting any of these physical editions? Let us know in the comments.
Switch 2’s Joy-Con seem to be faring much better than on the original Switch, which was plagued with stick-drift issues since its launch in 2017.
At the time of writing, there are seemingly no widespread issues with sticks becoming faulty and drifting during gameplay.
Still, you may find yourself in need of replacements regardless. Perhaps your sticks no longer work thanks to some accidental damage, or maybe you just want to future-proof your console with some Hall Effect or TMR (Tunnelling Magnetoresistance) alternatives – the sticks do, after all, use similar technology to the original Switch.
Either way, this guide will show you exactly how to crack open your Joy-Con 2 and replace the analogue sticks. It goes without saying that if you’re not feeling confident about disassembling your controllers, seek a professional to help you out. Otherwise, crack on.
How to prepare
The process for replacing your Joy-Con 2 sticks is mostly the same for the left and right controllers. There’s an important additional step we’ll need to take with the right (red) Joy-Con later, and this will be made clear with specific steps and images.
Let’s start with what you’ll need:
Replacement analogue sticks (see the end of the guide for options)
A small Phillips (crosshead) screwdriver
A small tri-wing (‘Y’-shaped) screwdriver
A pick, plastic spudger, or small flathead screwdriver to help pry apart the Joy-Con casing
A small pair of tweezers
A receptacle to keep the tiny screws safe while you work
Once you’ve got everything sorted, you should be ready to begin.
Quick tip before you start, though: it’s good practice to place screws and components on your desk in the order in which they were removed. This will help with reassembly, as you can simply work backwards.
So let’s get started.
How to replace your Joy-Con 2 sticks
1. First, remove the two small screws located above and below the blue strip using a tri-wing screwdriver.
When removing screws, be sure to ensure the screwdriver is ‘sitted’ properly and press down firmly when turning. Stripping away the metal is easy and can make this whole process much more difficult.
Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life
2. On the opposite side, you’ll need to remove the plastic strip. Insert a pick into the opening just below the bumper and pry the top of the strip off. Slide the pick down the side of the casing, slowly pulling it away from the controller.
Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life
3. Under the strip, you’ll see two more screws. One requires a tri-wing screwdriver, and the other a crosshead. Remove these.
4. Insert your pick into a small seam, holding the back cover in place. Again, slide it down and pry it away slowly. Eventually, you’ll be able to use your fingers to pull the cover off, but don’t yank it as this may damage the battery and rumble motor wires.
5. Use your fingers to disconnect the rumble motor wires (blue and white), being careful not to damage the wires with your nails.
Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life
6. Disconnect the battery connector holding the red and black battery wires. You may want to use a pair of tweezers here, as the connector may be too small to grasp with your fingers.
7. Remove the release button.
Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life
8. Insert a pick between the bumper and trigger buttons, and pry the trigger towards you until it pops out.
Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life
9. Under the trigger, you’ll see a bracket used to house the release button. Use a crosshead screwdriver to remove the two screws, then pull the bracket off.
10. Use a crosshead screwdriver to remove three screws holding the midframe in place. Two of these are located to the right of the battery, and one can be found just below the bumper.
Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life
11. Pull the bumper button out.
Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life
12. You’ll see a trigger board above the battery. Remove the single screw using a crosshead. Once this is out, gently pry the board up until it pops out. It will remain attached for now thanks to the ribbon cable.
13. Carefully remove the entire midframe with your fingers.
14. Now to remove the trigger board. You’ll see a locking flap keeping the ribbon cable locked in place. Lift this up, then use tweezers or your fingers to gently remove the board.
15. Now do the same with the ribbon cable connecting the analogue stick.
Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life
16. Use a crosshead screwdriver to remove five screws, keeping the main board in place.
Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life
17. This is where the process diverges for the left and right Joy-Con.
17a. Let’s start with the left (blue) Joy-Con. Insert a spudger underneath the board and lift it up until you can get your fingers underneath. Lift the whole thing up and over, being careful not to damage the ribbon cable for the analogue stick along the way.
As you’re lifting, you’ll see a piece of black tape stuck connecting the board to the analogue stick. Gently pry it away from the analogue stick as you’re lifting the board, being careful not to break it.
There will be two more ribbon cables keeping the board attached. You don’t need to remove these, but be careful not to crease or break them.
17b. Now for the right (red) Joy-Con. Those two ribbon cables I just mentioned will need to be removed here, since their shape will not allow the board to be lifted over. Lift the locking flaps for both and pull them out with tweezers. Now remove the board completely.
18. Use a crosshead screwdriver to remove the two screws holding the analogue stick in place. Once they’re out, you can remove the stick and insert your replacement.
19. Now work your way back through each step of this guide to reassemble your Joy-Con 2. Be careful when reattaching any ribbon cables; make sure the locking flap is up, then flip it back down when the cables are attached.
FAQs
Where can I find replacement Joy-Con 2 sticks?
There are quite a few options available online already, but we’ve only used one so far, and so that’s the one we’ll be recommending.
The Gulikit TMR Sticks can be purchased via Amazon in the UK and US for £16.99 / $19.99. Like all TMR sticks, they use a non-contact sensing method, meaning there’s no friction between materials and therefore minimal risk of stick-drift in the future. They’re also said to be more accurate and power-efficient.
As for how they feel to use, well… they’re practically identical to the regular Joy-Con 2 sticks, as far as we can tell. That’s kind of what you want, right? They look identical too, except for a different colour ribbon cable, so don’t go getting them mixed up!
Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.
I’ve followed the installation process, but the sticks and/or buttons don’t work
Chances are you’ve just got one of the steps wrong. Don’t panic!
Go back through the process again step-by-step until you identify the issue. You may have forgotten to connect one of the ribbon cables, or maybe it hasn’t been pushed in far enough.
Unless you completely break one of the components, all of the steps detailed are reversible.
So, what if I completely break something?
Well, as we said earlier, if you’re not confident about disassembling your Joy-Con 2, then don’t do it. Seek out a professional to help you.
Although the process is easier than we had anticipated (though still terrifying), things can still go wrong. It’s fiddly, and messing around with a bunch of ribbon cables can be tricky.
If your original sticks don’t work, buying a new set of Joy-Con 2 or Switch 2 controller is a completely viable (if expensive) option. Remember, too, that you can contact Nintendo directly for repairs if your Joy-Con are still under warranty.
Atari has announced a Switch 2 Edition of theme park simulator RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic, alongside an upgrade path for owners of the Switch version – and they’re both available on the eShop today.
The new version offers mouse controls and “enhanced resolution”, according to a press release, with the upgrade path retailing for £4.50 / $5.00. The standalone Switch 2 edition, meanwhile, will cost £26.99 / $29.99.
Based on 1999 and 2001 PC fan-favourites RollerCoaster Tycoon and RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic features 95 scenarios from across the two games and their expansions, plus a handful of quality-of-life features.
The Switch 1 version received a positive 8/10 in Alex’s review back in late 2024. It was dinged for a lack of touch controls, which was remedied in a patch about a month later, alongside new options for visual settings and cursor control speeds.
Is the resolution bump and mouse controls enough for you to consider a Switch 2 upgrade? Let us know in the comments.
It’s a promise that has felt like a long time coming, but Activision has today revealed a first look at Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, and yes, it’s coming to Switch 2 on the same day as other platforms.
This all-new entry in the series will launch on 23rd October 2026 — weeks before GTA 6 shakes things up — and sees a squad of South Korean soldiers fight to survive a surprise attack.
The Switch 2 version marks the first time in over a decade that the series has appeared on Nintendo platforms. Developer Infinity Ward has teamed up with Digital Legends for the release, with pre-order information going live at some point this summer.
Here’s a brief rundown of the game’s campaign, accompanied by a handful of screenshots (not from the Switch 2 version, naturally):
Fight as Private Park, a young South Korean soldier facing live combat for the first time alongside his squad. What begins as a routine patrol descends into chaos when North Korea launches a full-scale invasion, forcing Park and his unit into a desperate fight through collapsing cities and counteroffensives. The Campaign drops players into the chaos, pressure, and split-second intensity of ground-level combat.
At the end of 2022, Microsoft entered a “10-year commitment to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo” as a part of the year’s much-discussed Activision Blizzard merger. The rumour mill has been working overtime in the months since, with the latest rumblings pointing towards a 2026 release — hey, it was right!
We’ll be keeping an eye out for more information about what we can expect from MW4 on Switch 2 as we head into the summer months.
Will you be checking out Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on Switch 2? Let us know in the comments.
Video game designer, director, and overall legend Yu Suzuki — he of Hang-On, Out Run, and Virtua Fighter fame — needs no introduction, especially to arcade-era, blue-sky Sega fans.
Shenmue, his epic action adventure series, probably doesn’t either, but seeing as the upcoming Shenmue III Enhanced marks the cult series’ debut on a Nintendo platform, it’s worth a brief recap. Starting life as a Virtua Fighter RPG on Sega’s Saturn, 1999’s Shenmue would become the most expensive game ever made at the time the project eventually came to fruition on the ill-fated Dreamcast.
Image: Ys Net
Pioneering a new style of game dubbed ‘FREE’ — ‘Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment’ — by Suzuki and his team, Shenmue’s depth of interaction, emotion, freedom, and sense of place in a recognisable, modern world was revolutionary in its time and inspired a passionate following.
The sequel would appear on Dreamcast in 2001 and Xbox the following year, before Sega put the series on ice. That was until 2015, when the creator crowd-funded the next chapter in Ryo Hazuki’s journey to avenge his father.
Developed by Suzuki’s studio, YS Net, with Sega publishing, Shenmue III launched in 2019 to the general delight of longtime fans – and the bemusement of many new players who lacked the enthusiasm and/or context for its very particular way of doing things.
With a sense of unfinished business, Shenmue III is returning in Enhanced form on Switch 2 courtesy of new publisher ININ Games. This isn’t a total overhaul, but rather a polished version incorporating quality-of-life feedback and some visual enhancements.
We were offered an email interview with the series originator and Shenmue III director; here follows Suzuki-san’s responses and thoughts on a series he’s been working on on-and-off for 30 years…
Nintendo Life: Let’s quickly go back to when you were first developing Shenmue 3. Continuing the series while updating it for modern-day systems and staying true to its roots must have been a tightrope walk! From a design perspective, was it difficult to find the right balance and juggle 18 years of player expectation?
Yu Suzuki: Rather than making it too modern, our focus was on adjusting only the parts that needed it while preserving what makes Shenmue feel like Shenmue. It is not easy to meet every expectation, so our priority was keeping a firm grip on the core of the series.
I hope players will feel that the game has become easier to play while still preserving the atmosphere
Crowdfunding worked well for Shenmue 3 but comes with challenges. How did you find the Kickstarter experience? Would you do it again?
With Kickstarter, there are stretch goals, so the scope of the project can change significantly depending on the pledge amount. At the same time, crowdfunding also has challenges that differ from normal development, such as accountability to backers and managing expectations.
Whether I would do it again would depend on the circumstances, but I think it was extremely meaningful as a way to connect directly with the fans.
How close did Shenmue 3 come to what you originally envisioned?
We could not realise everything, but I believe we were able to convey the story, the world, and those things important for Shenmue. There were limitations during development, but within those limits, we put in as much as we possibly could. In particular, I think we were able to preserve the sense of daily life in Bailu Village and Niaowu, and the feeling that this was a continuation of Ryo’s journey.
Which tweaks are you most excited for players to see in Shenmue 3 Enhanced?
What I would especially like players to see are both the visual and the quality-of-life improvements. We have added improvements to provide players with a smoother experience, such as cutscene skipping, camera settings, and QTE adjustments. I hope players will feel that the game has become easier to play while still preserving the atmosphere of the original.
Several of the additions (health restorations before fights, expanded QTE timings, etc.) seem designed to streamline progression. Are all these the result of fan feedback, or were some of these options planned for the original version?
Much of it is based on feedback from the fans. Adjustments such as health recovery and extended QTE input times are not meant to change the essence of the game, but to allow more players to enjoy it comfortably all the way to the end.
What resolution and frame rate will Shenmue 3 target on Switch 2? Will it be locked or variable?
[Note. For this question, the answers came from developers at ININ, not Suzuki-san.]
The most reasonable target so far seems to be: 1920×1080.
We could do a variable of 60-120, but right now trying to push so that we would have 60~fps, and it’s not looking like it will be possible to push much above this, so I think 60 locked would be more reasonable for this.
The resolution is already set to this at the moment, and both options for frame rate can be easily achieved if needed.
Naturally, now we’re getting the third entry, Switch players might be curious about the first two as well. Is a re-release something you’d be interested in if SEGA were amenable?
Yu Suzuki: Of course, if SEGA is positive about it, I think there would be great meaning in bringing the first and second games to more players. I would like people who became interested through Shenmue III to experience the beginning of Ryo’s journey, and would be very happy if the series was more accessible.
Shenmue has been a part of your life for three decades now and fans are still so passionate. You’ve created several iconic series, but what do you think it is about this one that inspires such devotion?
I think Shenmue is not simply a game where you follow a story, but an experience where you feel as though you are “living” in that world. The people in the town, the passage of time, casual conversations, and every detour remain in the player’s memory. I think the reason fans have such strong affection for the series is not only because of Ryo’s journey, but also because they feel they themselves spent time in that world.
Looking at the gaming landscape now, are there any games you particularly admire where you can see Shenmue’s influence?
When I saw Animal Crossing, I felt it was “FREE” in the sense that it allowed a high degree of freedom, which is also one of the concepts of Shenmue. I do not know whether it was influenced by Shenmue, but I think it is a wonderful game.
On a scale of 1 – 10, what would you say are the chances we’ll see more Shenmue? If not in game form, would you continue the story in other media (in the anime, for instance)?
Yes.
Is there any message you’d like to send to Nintendo Life readers about this upcoming release and the future of the series?
I am sincerely grateful to all the readers of Nintendo Life and to everyone who continues to support Shenmue. With Shenmue III Enhanced, we want to preserve the appeal of the original while making it easier to play and enjoyable for even more people. I would be happy if first-time players took their first steps with Ryo, and for long-time fans who have patiently waited to experience Ryo’s journey once again.
Thanks to Suzuki-san for his responses. Shenmue III Enhanced is launching sometime later this year, with physical Switch 2 and PS5 versions available to pre-order from ININ.
Let us know if you’ll be revisiting Bailu Village or if you’re considering picking up Ryo’s journey for the first time.
The latest Japanese charts are in from Famitsu, and before we get to another week of huge Switch 2 sales, it’s time to see how Nintendo’s latest fared on the software side of things.
Yes, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book flutter jumped into the top 10 this week with almost 40,000 units to its name. It’s a perfectly respectable number, but still only enough to land it in second, behind the unstoppable force of Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Switch 2
3,316
123,414
9
Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Switch 2
2,900
199,883
10
Kirby Air Riders
Switch 2
2,866
533,134
Hardware sales are the big news this week, as Switch 2 has stepped up a gear once again and sold a whopping 247,880 units. That’s yet another bump from last week’s ~218,000, as more people presumably sought to nab the console ahead of the region’s price hike on 25th May. We still have a little while to go before the price increases come West (1st September), but it’ll be interesting to see if the numbers similarly spike in the run-up.
Elsewhere, the PS5 Digital Edition has seen a little bump this week, overtaking all Switch 1 systems to land in second. It’s not enough to win the SKU race, mind you, with the PS5 models combining for 8,673, while the three S1 options came in at 9,539.
It’s fair to say that Pragmata has been quite the success for Capcom since it launched earlier this year. It sped past 2 million copies sold in its first 16 days, and it sounds like the studio might be willing to return to the IP down the line. It’s far too early to say what’s next for the series, of course, but that doesn’t stop us from wondering what the future might hold, so it was only a matter of time before the big sequel discussion would pop up.
This is the topic that was put to Pragmata’s director, Yonghee Cho, and producer, Naoto Oyama, in a recent interview with GamesRadar. Naturally, neither had anything concrete to say on the matter — Oyama gave the typical response of being “focused on Pragmata itself” — but that didn’t rule out sequel talk completely.
“Of course I’d love to see a sequel,” Cho answered, “but I’m not the only one who decides, so unfortunately I can’t really comment beyond that”.
According to GamesRadar, the PR team present in the interview encouraged Cho to clarify that this was his “own personal opinion on the matter”, with producer Oyama laughingly adding, “Please don’t take that line out of context”.
And out of context we won’t take it. This is far from a confirmation that a sequel is in the works — heck, Cho makes clear that he’s not the only one with a say on the matter — but still, it’s nice to hear that the director would be on board if (and that’s a big if) the opportunity should manifest itself down the line.
We certainly hope that there’s more to see from Pragmata in years to come, because we had a wonderful time with the game on Switch 2 last month. “The adventures of Hugh and Diana stand as another excellent Switch 2 port from Capcom,” we said in our 9/10 review, “and hopefully mark the beginning of a new blockbuster franchise”.
Let’s just let the devs have a little break before diving straight back in, shall we?
Would you like to see a Pragmata sequel in the future? Let us know in the comments.
Nintendo’s latest surprise app, Pictonico!, is now live on iOS and Android, and we’d wager that a few of you have already dived in to see what this silly little picture game is all about.
There’s a vague WarioWare energy to Pictonico, which sees you putting your photos through a series of surreal minigames as quickly as you can. These minigames might task you with making a face eat a kebab, lick a lolly pop, or get its hair nice and lathered up, and you’ve got to do it all before the timer runs out.
If you’re only playing the free demo, that’s as far as the minigame selection goes (yep, just the three), but there are an additional 80 challenges split between two ‘Volume Packs’ for those who want to pay extra.
It all seems like a harmless bit of fun so far, even if the free stuff is a little more restrictive than we had initially expected. We’ll be sharing our full thoughts on the game once we’ve spent a little more time with it, but until then, we’re keen to find out what everyone makes of it so far.
You can share your first impressions of Pictonico in the following poll, but be sure to take to the comments afterwards to add a little more detail.
What do you make of Pictonico! so far? (377 votes)
I love it, it’s amazing!9%
It’s pretty fun18%
Eh, it’s okay11%
I’m not a fan9%
Get it off my phone, what a waste of time!11%
I still haven’t tried it out, but I love a good poll41%
Brace for impact, punctuation fans, because after being announced for Japan earlier this month, Spike Chunsoft has today opened pre-orders for the Western edition of STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT, confirming that it’ll be coming to Europe and North America on 29th October.
For those who missed the initial 2024 announcement, Re:Boot follows Elite as the second remake of the acclaimed Xbox 360 visual novel. This one boasts remapped visuals and new narrative content (hello, new ending scenario!), with an entirely remade score by composer Tsuyoshi Abo.
Here’s a brief rundown of the new features and a handful of screens from Spike Chunsoft:
An Easier-to-Read Scenario Based on the scenario from STEINS;GATE ELITE, the story has been refined to be more evenly paced, with an overall smoother reading experience. Additionally, along with new dialogue and narrative text, a brand-new worldline and ending scenario have been added, bringing players a story never before seen. The game features a substantially expanded volume of text, delivering a richer story experience. All voices and music are newly recorded! All in-game voices have been re-recorded. Furthermore, all in-game background music has been remade by composer Takeshi Abo. Refined Graphics All characters, backgrounds, and event still images have been redrawn from scratch, resulting in a major visual revamp. Compared to the original Xbox 360 version, the number of event still images has approximately doubled, while the number of background visuals has increased by roughly 20%! A vast amount of visuals delivers an even more immersive experience. Dynamic Character Expression with E-mote By utilizing the next-generation animation tool “E-mote”, characters are brought to life with vivid realism. From subtle changes in facial expressions to natural breathing, these nuances take immersion in the story to new heights.
The game is now available to pre-order in both a Standard and Steelbook Edition on Switch 1 & 2, both of which come with a sticker bundled in — because the backs of our laptops aren’t full enough already. Hey, looking at the box art, it seems to be a full on-cart release, too.
Image: Spike Chunsoft
Re:Boot launches in Japan at the end of August, so it’s nice to hear that we won’t have much longer to wait before it heads West.
Will you be checking out this one on Switch (2) later this year? Let us know in the comments.
