CD Projekt Red has finally announced the long-rumoured third expansion for The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, titled Songs of the Past.
Developer Fools Theory, which previously worked on The Thaumaturge and is currently conjuring up a remake of the original Witcher game, is joining CDPR to create the new DLC. It’s scheduled to launch in 2027 for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, but unfortunately there’s no Switch version in the pipeline.
We’re not surprised, mind you. With the Switch 2 in full swing, the original console is looking exceptionally long in the tooth these days, and there’s currently no sign of a potential ‘Switch 2 Edition’ for The Witcher III (as much as we’d love one).
Still, considering the game was marketed as a ‘Complete Edition’ back in the day, we can’t help but feel a bit deflated at the notion of a completely new expansion skipping the Switch entirely. We’ve got our fingers crossed for a Switch 2 upgrade at some point in the future. Even if the new expansion doesn’t come with it, we reckon The Witcher III will look and run great on the successor console.
What are your thoughts on this, dear reader? Do you reckon we’ll get a Switch 2 upgrade for The Witcher 3 at some point? Let us know with a comment.
This follows a release on Steam back in 2025, though Arika notes that the Switch version will include a few adjustments to the gameplay. This includes the following:
– The difficulty of MASTER mode has been adjusted. As a result, some title names have been changed. – The difficulty of SHIRANUI mode has been adjusted. As a result, some title names have been changed. – CPU Level 0, which was selectable in the Steam version’s SHIRANUI mode, has been removed. – Implemented in accordance with AI learning policy guidelines. – Replay save data now has approximately 16MB storage limit, equivalent to several hundred replays depending on the mode. – Players can now delete replays directly from the menu. – A message will now appear when replay storage reaches its limit. – Only one USB keyboard connection type is supported. (The Steam version supports up to 6 connection types.)
Otherwise, this is the same experience through and through. You’ve got the usual Normal and Marathon modes, but also Asuka mode which makes Tetronimos drop at high speed, and Konoha mode, where everything is bloomin’ massive – it looks cool!
The Grand Master series got its start all the way back in 1998 in Japanese arcades. The second entry followed in 2000, and a third in 2005. This means there was a whopping 20-year gap between the third and fourth entries.
Western prices have not been confirmed at the time of writing, but those in Japan can expect to part with JPY 2,800 for the new game.
What do you make of this one? Will you be picking it up? Let us know with a comment.
Over the years, the Switch has become home to several Fatal Fury ports, including a couple of cheeky additions to the SNES Switch Online library.
So if you’re someone who has yet to dive into the series or perhaps fancy picking up an entry or two, it might be wise to brush up on your Fatal Fury history to really appreciate what it is you’re getting into.
Enter Bitmap Books. After its stellar work in chronicling the history of both King of Fighters and Metal Slug, the publisher has turned its attention to SNK’s most important fighting franchise with Fatal Fury / Garou Densetsu: The Ultimate History.
The opening section of this 468-page tome, written by Robert Jones, dives into the series’ inception and evolution, culminating in a look at the latest entry, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, which has sadly yet to grace a Switch.
There’s a lot to unpack here, though, from how original Street Fighter creator Takashi Nishiyama jumped ship from Capcom to join SNK and craft that game’s true ‘spiritual successor’ with Fatal Fury, to how the development team closely studied Street Fighter III during the creation of Garou: Mark of the Wolves, a game that many hold to be the pinnacle of the franchise. Jones packs the section with interesting quotes to peruse from key creatives, with some gorgeous key art and screenshots included to add context.
Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life
The bulk of the book focuses on the vast array of artwork accumulated over the decades when creating the Fatal Fury games. Each entry is afforded roughly 40-50 pages consisting of concept art, key art, marketing materials, screenshots, animation frames, and more.
The quality is staggering, and I genuinely had to catch my breath a couple of times when I came across a particularly stunning two-page spread of gorgeous, vibrant pixel art.
Toward the end of the book, we’re also treated to an extensive interview with key developers from the franchise, conducted by James Mielke and Joy Mielke with bespoke illustrations provided by Rachel Cunningham. A few of the responses and remarks delivered here are a little dry, but there’s still plenty of stuff to sink your teeth into, including information around the cancelled Garou: Mark of the Wolves 2.
The visuals are the true star of the show, however, and the quality of this hardback really helps enhance the images. The lithographic prints are razor-sharp throughout, with many stretching to the very edges of the pages.
Similarly, the sewn binding allows you to lay the book down flat while open to really appreciate those gorgeous two-page spreads (along with a lovely fold-out look at South Town, a prominent location in the series).
You could get through the book in one go if you wish, but it’s the kind of volume you’ll want to keep on your shelf or table — anywhere within arm’s reach — for years to come, ready to peruse at a moment’s notice, or to showcase to your jealous friends when they pop over.
In short, it’s another triumph for Bitmap Books, and a worthy purchase whether you’re a longtime fan or a complete newcomer with an appreciation for historic series and excellent artwork.
Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life
Thanks to Bitmap Books for providing a sample for review.
Will you be picking up a copy of Fatal Fury / Garou Densetsu: The Ultimate History? Let us know your thoughts with a comment.
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.
007 First Lightis, according to IO Interactive, coming to the Switch 2 at some point in the Summer. So while we wait, a bunch of reviews have now gone live for the game on other platforms, so we thought it would be good to see what folks make of it so far.
Now, our understanding is that outlets received codes for this one quite late, and so a lot of the go-to sites have posted in-progress reviews for the time being. We’ve got a few scored ones lying around though, so we’ll do our very best to present a decent spread of opinions.
So let’s get cracking:
VGC (5/5) – “007 First Light might just be the best James Bond game ever. The way IOI has translated the Bond fantasy into a 14-hour globetrotting epic is masterful. It’s a game full of spectacle, humour, action, and romance. Everything James Bond should be. New Bond owners Amazon must ensure this franchise continues.”
The Guardian (5/5) – “I have no doubt that this was made by excitable Bond geeks throwing “what if” moments at a whiteboard. What if you got to explore Q Lab watching underlings test malfunctioning prototypes? What if you were tied to a torturer’s table and had to talk your way out? What if you found yourself at 15,000ft with no parachute? And what if you had access to John Barry’s classic scores and could deploy a staggering needle drop out of nowhere?
“Very few fans get to play in the sandbox of their obsession like IO has here. As far as Bond video games go, nobody has done it better.”
Vice (5/5) – “007 First Light is easily the best James Bond game since GoldenEye and is also one of the better Bond stories told in the last decade. IO Interactive has created a game that is a culmination of all of their best mechanics over the years. 007 First Light has the addicting sandbox gameplay of the Hitman franchise while also having an incredible narrative that matches the quality of Naughty Dog and Rockstar Games. James Bond is finally back and is better than he’s been in years.”
Game Rant (8/10) – “007 First Light is one of the more content-rich James Bond games we’ve ever had, and it should only get better with future updates. What’s on offer at launch is a solid, polished James Bond adventure with a memorable story and exciting action that should please most fans of the franchise.”
Restart.run (7/10) – “If you do decide to take up First Light, I expect what you will find is a fantastic foundation for future updates and a likely sequel that will truly impress, nestled within a sincerely fun and well-designed stealth game that takes what Hitman provided and improves upon it. What you will not find is a game that is able to conceal or minimize all its flaws. It instead presents them to you fully emblazoned on its chest and at often interminable length. And all that left me shaken, not stirred.”
Push Square (score pending) – “I’m not quite finished with 007 First Light just yet, but overall I’d say it’s exactly what I was hoping for. The characterisation of this young Bond and his associates is really strong, and the globetrotting story lets you explore some great locations. It really shines in its sandbox missions, but shootouts have their moments too, and the whole thing weaves together really quite nicely. I’m really interested to see how the final few missions shake out, but beyond some technical quibbles and uncertainty on the driving, I’m pretty happy with IOI’s new vision for James Bond.”
IGN (score pending) – “007 First Light has made a fabulous first impression, and I’m certainly already quite comfortable to say it’s the best Bond has been since GoldenEye. I’ll be updating this review as soon as I’ve finalised the story and experimented with TacSim mode, which allows us to replay previous missions with extra challenges to earn new rewards.”
Kotaku (unscored) – “First Light’s biggest problem is its own scale and form. It’s a game from an incredible team playing against type, one which has a tendency to obscure its own strengths and overplay its weaknesses. Sometimes it wants to sand down its rough edges and be everything to everyone, but all of its best moments are where it stalwartly refuses to where other studios would fold. It’s too expensive for its own good, it’s smarter than it has any right to be and so much dumber than you wish it actually was. It’s not going to change your life, but it’s still a fun time at the movies, or rather, in front of your PS5 for a weekend or two. It is, for good and for bad, a James Bond film that you can play. Mission accomplished.”
So far, 007 First Light is sitting at 88 over on Metacritic, which is great to see. We’ll have to judge it for ourselves and decide whether it can hold a candle to GoldenEye 007, but we’re thrilled that folks seem to be enjoying it so far.
We’ll be sure to relay the final release date for First Light on Switch 2 as soon as this is communicated from IO Interactive.
Pretty good so far, right? Will you be picking up 007 First Light on Switch 2, or will you opt for a copy on a different platform? Let us know.
The Pokémon Company is showing no signs of returning to the series’ classic formula any time soon, so indie devs have stepped up to fill the gap. We’ve seen a whole host of games set out to capture those early-gen vibes on the eShop in recent years, and today, another is joining the party.
Team17 and Beehive Studios have today released LumenTale: Memories of Trey, a creature-catching RPG that instantly put us in mind of some Gen IV or V good times.
It’s got everything you’d expect from a genre throwback: 140 Animon to collect, type weaknesses/strengths, training, battling, and an art style that combines classic pixel art sprites with 3D environments. It’s not pure Pokémon, to be clear — there appears to be more focus on cooking and crafting here, and a mechanic that lets you attack on the fly — but the vibes are all present and correct.
Here’s a brief rundown of the game’s key features, and a handful of screenshots:
Travel an expansive world: Journey across the rich and cultural world of Talea, filled with secrets, quests and regions as unique and diverse as the Animon you encounter.
Collect and train Animon: Discover and capture 140 Animon, each with elemental affinities and assigned one of five different emotional attributes that can offer advantages in battle.
Unique art cards: Increase the chances of finding your perfect Animon, or the rare Lost variants, to build the ultimate team. Trade these locally or online through the Animon Trade Station.
Cooking and crafting: Rest at fountains throughout the world to cook food from found and bought recipes, and craft resources to support your journey.
The Anispace: Train your Animon in the Anispace, a dedicated area offering a change of pace from adventure. Craft or purchase furniture from local vendors and customise it to make the perfect home for your creatures.
LumenTale is available in both a Standard and Deluxe Edition (which throws in the Deluxe DLC with the base game) on the Switch eShop. It’s another one of those Kickstarter success stories, which we love to see, so here’s hoping that it can stand apart from the crowd in the rapidly growing Pokémon-like genre.
What do you make of LumenTale? Will you be checking it out on Switch? Let us know in the comments.
Summer Game Fest is mere days away at this point, and it seems that some potential announcements may have sneaked out early thanks to ratings from Korea.
As covered by Gematsu, the headliner here is Lego Skylines from publisher Paradox Interactive which, as the title alludes, is likely a Lego-inspired take on the Cities: Skylines building games. Further details are unavailable at the moment, but a debut trailer during Geoff Fest is probably on the cards. As for a potential Switch 2 release, well… we’ll see.
Another rating is for a known entity: Persona 4 Revival. Developer Atlus has been pretty quiet about this one since its initial announcement last year, so a fresh reveal at Summer Game Fest would be a nice little treat. This wasn’t confirmed for the Switch 2 at the time of its reveal, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see it on Nintendo’s console.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy has also received a fresh rating, and given it’s a title already available on multiple systems, it seems likely that a port for the Switch 2 is in order. Indeed, a previous rating from Taiwan indicated that the game would come to Switch 2, so this just adds further fuel to the fire.
And finally, ratings for both Gears of War: E-Day and Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve have also been discovered. It seems unlikely that either of these will hit the Switch 2, but we don’t think a port of the latter is entirely out of the question.
Even if these aren’t scheduled to appear at Summer Game Fest, it’s a tidy little line-up of titles. As ever, we’ll be sure to let you know which are heading to the Switch 2 as soon as we hear more.
Which games mentioned here takes your fancy? Let us know with a comment in the usual place.
Star Fox is, at the time of writing, less than a month away from launch. Can you believe that? We didn’t even know about it a month ago!
Yes, the remake is inching toward its release on 25th June 2026, and if you’re in the UK, you can take advantage of a pretty sweet deal from Currys. As is customary from the retailer these days, it’s offering a 10% discount on pre-orders for Star Fox.
This means that while the base price of £44.99 is more expensive than the digital version at £41.99, that cheeky 10% discount takes it down to £40.49. Boom – physical cheaper than digital.
Image: Currys
This isn’t the only game you can do this with, either. Rhythm Paradise Groove is priced at £29.99 on the Currys website, which is already cheaper than the digital version at £33.99. Add the 10% discount and the price drops down to an almost-criminal £26.99.
Finally, Splatoon Raiders is just £1 more expensive than its digital equivalent at £42.99. But again, if you add that pre-order discount, the price goes down to just £38.69. And yes, if you’re wondering, delivery for the respective release dates is free.
Now, we’ve found ourselves frequently favouring digital games these days – we just find it much more convenient in certain situations. But honestly, with retailers like Currys somehow undercutting the digital prices on first-party titles, it makes absolutely zero sense not to take advantage of it.
And so now begins the mercifully short waiting game.
Will you be grabbing Star Fox when it launches in June? Are you opting for physical or digital? Let us know.
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.
Nintendo has announced that BALL x PIT has become the latest title to receive a free trial for Switch Online subscribers.
Available for members in Europe from now until 1st June 2026, you can download the Switch version for absolutely nothing, while the Upgrade Pack to enhance the game for Switch 2 is also free. Boom!
It’s the full game too, of course, so if you have literally no plans over the next handful of days, you could probably make some decent progress before the trial period ends.
So if you’ve seen the odd trailer here and there, or maybe you caught our own 9/10 review but have yet to take the plunge, this could be your moment, friend.
Reviewer Roland Ingram said:
“Ball x Pit is a tremendous brew of so many ideas it ought to collapse under the confusion. However, it operates in such perfect balance that it appeals both to the one-more-go instinct and to more cerebral planning and creativity. Kenny Sun Studios set itself a heck of a challenge but, fortunately, hasn’t dropped the ball.”
“Hasn’t dropped the ball”, that’s a good one there from Roland.
Anyway, give it a go – we think you’ll enjoy it.
Will you be taking Ball x Pit for a spin? Or have you already had your fill? Let us know with a comment in the usual place.
Yesterday’s bank holiday Monday meant that the UK charts are coming in a little later than expected this week, but here they are, and we’ve got a whole podium of newbies!
Nintendo’s latest managed to nab one of those podium spots, of course, with Yoshi and the Mysterious Book debuting in third. Forza Horizon 6 presented an unusually high ranking for Microsoft in second, but it wasn’t enough to beat Mr. Vengeance himself, as LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight claimed the top spot. How about some more news on that Switch 2 version, eh?
This shake-up at the top has meant that Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream slipped down to seventh this week, while last week’s S2 bump for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was clearly a temporary one, with the game being bolder chased from second all the way down to 17th.
Here’s the full top 40, with platform breakdowns for games available on Switch, Switch 2, and other consoles:
Although Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO got a release on the Switch and Switch 2 last year, Saiyans on the hybrid platform have had to wait on some paid DLC.
In an update, it seems the launch date for the Daima Character Packs 1 & 2 and Shallot Character Pack have now been locked in for a release later this week on 27th May 2026 (thanks, Nintendo Everything).
Here’s what to expect from each pack, along with a look:
DAIMA: Character Pack 1
New warriors from the Dragon Ball DAIMA anime series join the battle! – 8 Playable Characters: • Goku (Mini), Super Saiyan • Vegeta (Mini) • Vegeta (Mini), Super Saiyan • Vegeta (Mini), Super Saiyan 2 • Vegeta (Mini), Super Saiyan 3 • Glorio • Panzy • Majin Kuu ‐ Goku (Mini) Technique-changing Outfit • New costume for Goku (Mini) that changes his moves *Goku (Mini) Technique-changing Outfit is different from Pre-Order Pack Goku (Mini). *Ownership of Pre-Order Pack Goku (Mini) is not required. *Equipping the Goku (Mini) Technique-changing Outfit costume on Goku (Mini) will not alter his appearance. *Equipping the Goku (Mini) Technique-changing Outfit costume on Goku (Mini) will transform his Ultimate Blast into Aura Impact.
DAIMA: Character Pack 2
New warriors from the Dragon Ball DAIMA anime series join the battle!
– 6 Playable Characters: • Goku (Mini), Super Saiyan 4 • Goku (DAIMA), Super Saiyan 4 • Vegeta (DAIMA), Super Saiyan 3 • Majin Duu • Third Eye Gomah • Giant Gomah
Shallot (Dragon Ball Legends)
Shallot from the mobile game DRAGON BALL LEGENDS joins the battle!
1 Playable character:
– Shallot
Enjoy new battles with the main character of DRAGON BALL LEGENDS, designed by Akira Toriyama!
These updates will eventually be followed by more DLC later this year. You can find out more about this in our previous story. And if you want to know more about Sparking! ZERO check out our review of the Switch 2 version.
Will you be checking out any of these DLC packs? Have you played this title on the Switch or Switch 2 yet? Let us know in the comments.
