Category: Nintendo News

When the Switch 2 arrived last June, Nintendo introduced a special “Welcome Offer” for GameChat, which allowed users to access these features for free for a “limited-time”.

As we get closer to the end of March, it means there’s now just over a week left to try out these features without having to pay to access them (thanks for the reminder, Nintendo Everything). After 31st March 2026, you’ll need to purchase a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Fortunately, it’s just the standard subscription (no Expansion Pack tier required).

If you’re not familiar with GameChat, it allows you to use voice and video chat, share your screen and more while you play games with other people online. You can get started by pressing the C Button on your Switch 2 controller. And if you need more help, check out our guide here on Nintendo Life.

“Everything starts with the GameChat menu on the Nintendo Switch 2 console, which can be accessed either from the icon on the HOME Menu or by pressing the C Button on the Joy-Con 2 (R), the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller or the Nintendo GameCube controller. Once you’ve gone through the initial setup, you can create your own GameChat session and invite friends to it, or join a session you’ve been invited to.”

Have you used GameChat yet? How are you finding it so far? Vote in our poll and let us know in the comments.

It’s been quite a busy start to the year with a lot of major games releasing on not only the Switch 2, but across all platforms. Now that February is over, Circana’s Mat Piscatella has shared data for the “Top Best-Selling Platinum Games” on Nintendo platforms in the US for this same month.

The new Switch 2 exclusive Mario Tennis Fever took out the top spot, with Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined and Pokémon Legends: Z-A in second and third place. Capcom’s new releases Resident Evil Requiem and the Generation Pack (which includes Requiem) also featured on the charts.

Keep in mind, Nintendo’s first-party titles do not factor in digital sales, and these charts do not share specific sales data for each game.

Across all platforms, Resident Evil Requiem led the “Top 20 Best-selling Premium Games” in the US for February 2026 and debuted as the “best-selling video game of the year”.

“Resident Evil: Requiem debuted as the best-selling video game of the year. It also ranked 1st in February across the PlayStation, Xbox and the aggregated PC storefront charts.”

Earlier this week, Capcom announced Requiem had already sold more than six million units since its release on 27th February 2026. Meanwhile, Mario Tennis Fever placed 11th on this month’s charts covering all platforms, and Pokémon Legends: Z-A dropped from 16th place to 19th place.

Alongside this sales update, Piscatella has shared some additional data for February 2026, revealing Switch 2 hardware drove 22% year-on-year spending growth in the US, and this offset year-on-year declines across other platforms (including the original Switch). In saying this, PS5 once again led the market in unit and dollar sales for the month.

“PlayStation 5 again led the hardware market in both unit and dollar sales. Nintendo Switch 2 repeated its January performance ranking 2nd across both measures.

Piscatella also mentions how Switch 2 is trending ahead of the Switch after nine months in this particular market.

“With nine months in market, the life-to-date installed base of Nintendo Switch 2 is trending 45% ahead of the original Nintendo Switch (November 2017 was the ninth month in market for Nintendo Switch).”

Did you purchase Mario Tennis, Resident Evil Requiem or any of the other new releases last month? Let us know in the comments.

Oasis Management Company, a Hong Kong-based investment firm, has reportedly acquired a significant stake in Japanese media giant Kadokawa.

As reported by Automaton, the firm now owns an 8.86% stake in Kadokawa after purchasing over 13 million shares. Kadokawa famously owns the likes of FromSoftware (Elden Ring), Spike Chunsoft (Danganronpa) and Acquire (Mario & Luigi: Brothership) in the games industry, but also has a massive hold on multiple entertainment sectors.

So why is this significant? Well, according to Automaton, Oasis notes that the purpose of such a significant investment is so it can engage in “important proposal activities”, which generally means it wishes to influence how companies operate in an effort to boost shareholder returns.

With Oasis specifically, it infamously approached Nintendo back in 2014 and urged the company to invest heavily in free-to-play games for the likes of Android and iOS. The entire letter is still visible online to this day (thanks, Dr. Serkan Toto), in which you can read utterly baffling lines like “Just think of paying 99 cents just to get Mario to jump a little higher”, or “unfortunately, I have to go through the trouble of buying a Nintendo device (one that is sold at a loss) to access Mario”.

So with this in mind, who knows what plans Oasis has in store for Kadokawa? We’re not filled with confidence, that’s for sure.

What are your thoughts on this move from Oasis Management Company? Should FromSoftware fans be worried? Let us know.

If you’re reading this, then you’ve probably already seen the Pokémon: Winds and Waves trailer with its underwater exploration and probably-important cloud. You’ve marvelled at the tropical setting, sighed with relief at the 2027 release date, and admitted that Gecqua would be a cooler hang than Pombon. Pomeranians are delusional, yappy monsters who believe that they own your apartment. Gecqua is just a stoner with cool contacts and too much eye shadow who wants to order KFC.

If you know more about Winds and Waves than that, then you’ve probably looked up spoilers and will no doubt don a knowing smile as you read my predictions for these highly anticipated Pokémon games.

My theory, should you choose to accept it, is that Winds and Waves will take a page from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and will thus boast three realms of travel. Harnessing the abilities of various Pokémon, you will traverse not just sea and land, but the sky as well.

The cerulean underwater wonderland revealed in the Winds and Waves trailer is nothing like the Depths of TOTK. It doesn’t seem to mirror the land above it and it gives off a less murdery vibe. It does, however, suggest an aquatic vastness waiting to be discovered. Imagine the underwater routes of Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, but with intricately rendered algae barricades to Whirlpool out of the way, and swarms of schooling Wishiwashi.

This supports the consensus that WaW will lean into open-world magic. We’ll probably have to summon a Pokémon’s Dive ability to launch ourselves under the waves and enter a shimmering universe where TMs, boss-level Pokémon, and (hopefully) environmental puzzles await.

But why stop with Dive? If WaW truly hopes to become the best open-world adventure in the Pokémon franchise (admittedly a low bar to cross), it might encourage other forms of travel. Pokémon’s abilities could become like Link’s Rauru-blessed abilities in TOTK. Your character would be a human prepubescent instead of an elf with a six-pack, and you would use Abras instead of Ascend to Teleport through ceilings, but it could be fun! Is this a wacky idea? Maybe! But I am as delusional as a Pombon and I like to think big.

HMs have been key to surpassing story obstacles and furthering the narrative in past games. In Winds and Waves, a similar arsenal of moves would not just further the narrative but expand the possibilities of exploration. Trick Room instead of Recall could slow down fast-moving objects in the overworld. Psychic instead of Ultrahand could create bridges and dismantle physical barriers. I’m realising that I’ve only listed Psychic-type moves so far, so to avoid a world full of resentful and bleary-eyed Psychic-type ability servants, let’s argue that Magnet Rise or Strength would replace Ultrahand.

Of course, Scarlet and Violet encourage climbing, swimming, and gliding with Koraidon and Miraidon, but a single Pokémon can only do so much before it unionises and demands paid vacation. A proper Pokémon trainer must learn to be a cool boss who knows how to delegate. You get an ability … You get an ability … You get an ability!

Similar to the Specialties in Pokopia, any move could become a tool of exploration in Winds and Waves. These wouldn’t necessarily have to mirror TOTK abilities. Camouflage could hide you from overleveled wild Pokémon. Flamethower could melt down ice barricades. Blizzard could stave off global warming. Solar Beam could replace fossil fuels in all the world’s major cities. I have gone on a tangent.

We haven’t even talked about the sky yet. All of the signs indicate that the environment of Winds and Waves will be less barren than the Coen Brothers-directed open world of Scarlet and Violet. We can also surmise that there will be several large islands in this tropical paradise. But has anyone confirmed that these islands are only on the ground? The Gen 10 games are called Winds and Waves, after all, and to earn that Winds part, these games must take to the skies.

One well-timed Fly could rocket players into the sky, where Gyarados-shaped clouds harbour cottony platforming and colonies of Talonflame. A Bounce could zip you to the next cloud island where an Alpha or the game’s Legendary awaits. The other Legendary, perhaps, lies deep within the Mariana Trench, waiting to be released from a watery cave. There might even be three Legendaries: one in the sea, one in the substrata, one in the sky.

Winds and Waves could take even more inspiration from TOTK if it wanted. What if, like with Koroks, you had to solve actual puzzles to find Gimmighoul instead of walking in circles until you trampled upon their stupid, tiny heads? The majority of Pokémon players are older than ever; we can handle puzzles.

What if you could assemble Pokémon, Power Rangers-style, to create WMDs? Instead of using Ultrahand to build a Boeing prototype out of rotting wood and a fan, you could attach your Pikachus to a Charizard and glide around zapping Drifloon out of the air. Also, the Pokémon series could use more drag queens. Import Great Fairies but make them all Gardevoirs with heavy contouring.

Again, if you already know this is all wrong, then congrats on your omniscience! I only expect a holy trinity of three distinct environments because the formula of TOTK is baked into my brain. Plus, like many other longtime Pokémon fans, I have high hopes for Winds and Waves. We’ve already seen what is possible in open-world engines. We want this series to embrace what is possible and take the franchise to new heights — perhaps literally.

Also, there has to be a reason for that cloud, right?

Nintendo is working on a new Switch 2 revision to comply with European Union rules around the ability for owners to replace batteries in consumer electronics themselves, according to a new report from Nikkei.

The Japanese outlet reports that this move is specifically targeted at the European market, although “Nintendo may also implement similar policies in Japan and the United States if consumer awareness of the right to repair increases”.

With past Nintendo handhelds, it has been possible to easily access and replace batteries. However, both Switch 1 and 2 have batteries housed within the consoles’ shells and aren’t replaceable without opening the system with specialised tools. Likewise with the Switch 2 Pro Controller, which teardown site iFixit called a “p*ss-poor excuse” for a controller, highlighting how its battery isn’t user-replaceable. We’ve reached out to Nintendo for comment.

In 2022, new EU rules forcing manufacturers to standardise phone chargers led to Apple abandoning its Lightning power connectors in favour of USB-C for iPhones sold in the region. Multiple hardware versions for different territories are typically deemed impractical, and all new iPhones sold globally now have a USB-C port.

It’s unclear whether the Switch 2 revision would be labelled as a new version of the console, or if it would be a ‘silent’ revision similar to the Switch 1 which launched in 2019 offering improved battery life and closing a security hole in the original Switch’s Nvidia chipset. We’ll let you know as soon as we hear more.

The latest Nintendo Download update for North America arrived yesterday, and it’s brought new games galore to the eShop in your region. As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy!

Switch (2) eShop – Highlights

MLB The Show 26 (Sony Interactive Entertainment, 13th Mar, $59.99) – Compete and leave your mark in MLB The Show 26. Discover new Road to The Show mechanics, deeper Franchise experiences, enhanced customization options and true-to-life on-field action. Compete in the officially licensed Men’s NCAA College World Series, rising from a promising high school talent to one of the all-time MLB greats immortalized in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Deadzone: Rogue (Prophecy Games, 17th Mar, $19.99) – Step into a forsaken space station in this fast-paced roguelike shooter where every run is a heated fight for survival. Battle through shifting, procedurally generated corridors overrun with biomechanical creatures solo or with friends online1. Scavenge and combine experimental weaponry to grow stronger and evolve with every encounter. Harness powerful gear, wield the elements in high intensity combat and push deeper into the station’s heart to uncover secrets. Plus, use Joy-Con 2 mouse controls for smooth loot and shoot action! Fight, revive, adapt and carve your own path through the void – can you survive long enough to conquer the Deadzone?

Switch 2 eShop – New Releases

BANG! BANG! BANDITS Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (NIPPON COLUMBIA, 19th Mar, $39.99) – BANG! BANG! BANDITS, the party-style gun shooting game that the whole family can enjoy, is now available as the Nintendo Switch™ 2 Edition! Set in a bright and pop world with simple controls anyone can master, this title has been further powered up by the performance of the Nintendo Switch 2. With new support for GameShare, you can now easily play together not only with those nearby but also with people far away. Furthermore, the visuals have evolved to be even more beautiful and vivid! Enjoy an even more thrilling gameplay experience on a high-impact screen with silky-smooth motion.

Cozy Grove – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild, 12th Mar, $14.99) – Welcome to Cozy Grove, a life-sim game about camping on a haunted, ever-changing island. As a Spirit Scout, you’ll wander the island’s forest each day, finding new hidden secrets and helping soothe the local ghosts. With a little time and a lot of crafting, you’ll bring color and joy back to Cozy Grove! Cozy Grove is synced to real world time, and provides 30-60 minutes of new quest content each day. After that, you can fish, craft and decorate to your heart’s content!

Dread Delusion (Dread XP, 17th Mar, $19.99) – Carve your own path through the flying continents of a shattered land. Explore floating islands under a strange sky in a hand-crafted open world. The world is broken. Its surface seethes with an undead curse, while humanity clings to flying continents in the sky. From mushroom forests to undead mausoleums, strange places and people await you. But will you find a way to heal this world – or seek power and profit for yourself? Dangers lurk at every turn, but fighting is never the only option. Uncover a rich, interactive narrative through the game’s quests, or pick a direction and explore by yourself. Carve your own path. Towns offer a needed respite for a weary traveller to sleep through the night, trade goods, accept quests and speak with the locals. A keen mind or charming wit can prove just as useful as a sword; and your decisions will shape how the story unfolds.

Switch eShop – New Releases

All Motors Racing Simulator (Pix Arts, 20th Mar, $15.99) – Experience the ultimate racing challenge across every terrain and weather condition imaginable. From sun-drenched circuits to snow-covered mountain passes and rain-slicked city streets, test your skills behind the wheel of 37 meticulously crafted vehicles.

Ariana and the Elder Codex (Idea Factory, 24th Mar, $29.99) – About Ariana and the Elder Codex The Librarian Ariana’s mission is to repair the Seven Hero Codices, which have been altered. Due to the terrible damages, magic has vanished from the world. By utilizing special Librarian magic that allows her to enter Codices, Ariana seeks to mend the books to bring back magic. Can Ariana safely repair each tome and unravel the mysteries hidden within the Library?

Aroma Love Ready! (Wise Games, 19th Mar, $7.99) – You run your own perfume store as the owner of a perfume store. A sudden accident has involved you in the investigation of your own resurrection from the dead. The truth gradually emerges with three employees – a love affair about perfume. Harvest the memories of your own heartbeat in the game!

Battle Puzzle 2048 – Maidens of Steel (EpiXR, 19th Mar, $2.99) – Battle Puzzle 2048 – Maidens of Steel brings a fierce twist to the classic 2048 puzzle game! Slide tiles to combine matching numbers, unleash devastating combos, and clash with a striking lineup of anime warriors and heavily armored battle maidens. Each opponent has her own tactical skillset—some block tiles, others absorb attacks, while a few unleash chaotic battlefield effects.

Blastoids (GS2 Games, 19th Mar, $4.99) – Team up or go solo, unleash powerful upgrades, and conquer unique modes like Paint, Minefield, and Invisibility as you clear every foe and push to the next level. This is a fast-paced couch co-op action game for 1 to 4 players, built for old-school living room fun. Play solo or with friends, clear enemy-packed stages, and experiment with wild power-ups and game modes that keep every match fresh. Battle through 30 different stages, each filled with enemies to wipe out before you can advance. Treasure chests scattered around the arena grant new abilities—boost your speed, increase your power, or even slip straight through walls to outsmart your opponents.

Castle Tycoon Simulator (Downmeadowstreet, 20th Mar, $4.99) – Build your legacy from the ground up! In Castle Factory Tycoon, you aren’t just a king—you’re an industrial mastermind. Transform a small plot of land into a sprawling, impenetrable fortress by mastering the art of the forge.

COIN PIT (RoVi Ninen, 14th Mar, $2.99) – COIN PIT is a brutal rogue-lite descent into debt, luck, and self-inflicted ruin — where every spin tightens the chains. Locked inside a rusted iron chamber you built with your own greed, you face a trembling slot machine and a merciless ATM demanding payment after every round. Spin the reels to scrape together your last coins, twist charms and trophies into devastating combinations, and bend the rules in your favor. Break the system, survive another turn, and search for a way out before the pit swallows you whole.

Cowboy Kart (Cascadia Games, 20th Mar, $9.99) – Giddyup and get ready for some cowboy kart racing, ya’ll! It’s old school racing I the old west. Hurl horseshoes, drop cow-pies, and toss some TNT in this wily and wild game from another era. Supports up to 4 players split-screen.

Crabwave (Afil Games, 19th Mar, $3.49) – Catch the wave of tranquility in Crabwave, a relaxing puzzle where a stylish crab surfs across islands, bringing life wherever he goes. Connect water streams, plan the perfect route, and plant coconuts to transform beaches, reefs, and mangroves into vibrant paradises.

Cup Heroes: Champion’s Starter Pack (QubicGames, 14th Mar) – Step into the whimsical world of Cup Heroes, where everyday cups turn into mighty heroes on an epic quest to save their beloved Queen! How to Play: – Control Your Heroes: Navigate your heroes through various obstacles and puzzles. – Save the Queen: Your ultimate goal is to rescue the Queen who has been captured by evil forces. – Unlock and Upgrade Characters: Collect coins and gems to unlock a diverse cast of characters, each with unique abilities. Upgrade their skills to make them even more powerful and adaptable to different challenges.

Cyanotype Daydream (Laplacian, 12th Mar, $27.99)- This is a pure love story between a young man and a girl who gave everything to the world. Three separate stories begin at random, ultimately converging into a single narrative. We embraced the strengths of the visual novel format to create a maddeningly intense tale of pure love that lingers long after the final line.

Defending Camelot (eastasiasoft, 18th Mar, $7.99) – Defending Camelot is a tower defense RPG where you’ll take the role of King Arthur and strategically deploy your troops to fend off waves of menacing fiends. Choose from cards representing each unit type, placing archers and warriors of various classes on the battlefield to meet the threat head-on, while farmers and other support units earn coins to purchase more units or deploy magic to strengthen units’ defenses.

Enter the Dodgeball (Affility, 19th Mar, $2.22) – The ball is coming. Scared of getting hit? Now is the time to be brave. Don’t look away. Bend both elbows and catch it in front of your chest! Amazing. Yes, you can do it. You did it. You really did!

Escape from DUCKNESS (globalgamestudio, 19th Mar, $3.99) – A hardcore tactical extraction shooter where survival is everything. Enter a dangerous warzone inspired by intense extraction-based FPS gameplay. In Escape From DUCKNESS, every raid is high risk and high reward. Fight armed enemies, secure valuable loot, and extract before you lose it all. This is not an arcade shooter. This is tactical survival. Plan your loadout carefully. Choose the right weapons, armor, and equipment for each mission. Every bullet matters. Every sound can reveal your position. Smart movement, positioning, and timing are the keys to survival.

Flight? Youth! (Infinity Loop, 14th Mar, $2.50) – Overview “Flying? Youth! ” is a story-driven visual novel. Follow the protagonist and experience a unique story with the heroine, Lee Nayoun. The game features both a Happy Ending and a Bad Ending — try to discover them all! Story No one wants to be friends with me — probably because of my intimidating look. One day, a girl with a cat-shaped hairpin asks for help saving a stray cat. And then. . . she says something completely unexpected: “I want to fly in the sky! Please help me! ” Huh? Flying? Like in a hot air balloon? ! No, seriously—stop chasing me! ! ! A bubbly, balloon-like romantic comedy about a couple of free-spirited “flying teens”!

Flying Aces: Legend of the Red Baron (GS2 Games, 17th Mar, $19.99) – Accept hair-raising missions to destroy enemy bases while avoiding getting shot down by the hail of bullets! Choose over 30 different aircraft and fly dozens of missions to knock down enemy Zeppelins and observation balloons while dodging enemy aircraft! Go on reconnaissance missions to photograph enemy movements and bring back accurate pictures for your bombers.

Ghost Master: Resurrection (Mechano Story Studio, 14th Oct, $29.99) – The classic Ghost Master returns from the depths of the underworld, resurrected in a glorious rebirth of terror and intrigue. This faithful remake of the beloved original brings back the essence of the classic, now infused with stunning new graphics, a powerful new engine, and refined mechanics that will leave you screaming for more.

HestiaFort (SmileForeverStudio, 19th Mar, $2.70) – Shuri, the people of the sky, became a messenger of the golden dragon of the king of the sky and headed for HestiaFort. In HestiaFort, there is a Red Bird. Together with Shuri, run through HestiaFort to meet the Red Bird. In this game, you will avoid the red ball and aim for the blue circle. Run and fly through stages to reach the goal.

Kuky Adventure (Brainium Games, 19th Mar, $4.99) – Help Kuky, a curious character who gets lost in the Candy World and must travel through colorful environments to find the way back home. Along the journey, collect candies and face strange sugar-made enemies such as marshmallows, cookies, and other living, dangerous sweets.

M.A.D. Cows (Cascadia Games, 13th Mar, $3.49) – Militant. Armed. Domestic. Cows! For centuries, the aliens mutilated cattle with little to no consequence. Finally, the cows had enough. They organized. They trained. Now they are ready. . . for their revenge! M. A. D. Cows is an exciting, retro, action platform game. Mow down aliens. Buy better guns. Rescue cows, dogs, raccoons, and more.

Machine Gun Fury (ESDigital Games, 20th Mar, $5.39) – On a bold and potentially dangerous mission to revive the classic Arcade military shooter. Fully loaded with addictive top-down and side-scrolling run-and-gun gameplay, pixel-perfect 2D graphics, explosive SID soundtrack and massive destruction! Fight on foot and in heavily armed vehicles. Do you miss the days of the Arcade military shooter? Single-handedly blasting your way through entire armies of enemy soldiers, rescuing good guys, and blowing lots of stuff up! ! Relying on just your reactions, your fast trigger finger and a limited grenade supply. Do you pine for the golden age of run-and-gun shooters? If the answer is yes, Machine Gun Fury is here!

Master Detective: Logic & Mystery Puzzles (TT, 19th Mar, $6.99) – Master Detective: Mystery Deduction — A Thrilling Suspense Case-Solving Mystery Game is a detective game where you tap on “suspicious spots” in illustrations based on the given clues to solve each case. Testimonies from victims, scattered evidence, suspicious behavior… Can you see through it all?

Minima (Upscale Studio, 13th Mar, $6.99) – Meet Ian, an 11-year-old dreamer whose imagination brings his room to life. Minima invites you to experience an interactive story told through light, sound, and discovery. Explore a world of childhood memories, gaze through Ian’s telescope, peek into his glowing tent, and discover the simple magic hidden in everyday things. Its warm colors and handcrafted design take you on a peaceful, nostalgic journey through a child’s eyes.

Mistfall Ruins (Downmeadowstreet, 21st Mar, $4.99) – Enter Mistfall Ruins, an enchanted forest where ancient stone structures rise through drifting mist. Wander through glowing woods, winding paths, and forgotten clearings as you explore the glorious Ruins of Mistfall. Each ruin tells a story of a lost age, hidden deep within the forest. Discover different regions, uncover secrets, and seek out every ruin scattered across the land. Mistfall Ruins is all about exploration, atmosphere, and wonder — rewarding curiosity and careful discovery.

Moonlight in Garland (Violet LeBeaux, 23rd Mar, $14.99) – Move to a new* apartment in the bustling city of Garland! Make friends, find work, and decorate your new home. Work with your neighbours and the city council to improve your local community while you settle in to city life. Welcome to Garland, you’re gonna love it here!** *Apartment quality may vary… **Loving it not guaranteed.

Moto Rush Reborn (Baltoro Games, 20th Mar, $9.99) – Rip through retro-futuristic Tokyo highways in a demonic pursuit of speed and power! Lane split through heavy traffic and dominate tracks filled with obstacles on an action-packed mission to overcome possession. Uncover the truth behind your curse through scattered collectible manga pages. Are you fast enough to outrun your demons?

Mr. Stackman (Soroka Games, 14th Mar, $1.99) – Mr. Stackman is a simple arcade survival game where blocks keep falling from above. Move your character, stack the blocks, and try not to get crushed. Build your way up, stay in safe spots, and survive as long as you can while the game gets faster and harder. Easy to understand and quick to play, Mr. Stackman is perfect for short sessions and high-score challenges.

NO-SKIN (Feardemic, 19th Mar, $6.29) – NO-SKIN is a horror roguelike with experimental artstyle and storytelling, strategic gameplay and deep mysteries. Face the horrors that the house hides behind every corner and discover who the No-Skin Man truly is.

OUTBREAK FALL: BIOHAZARD (Eclipse Interactive, 19th Mar, $4.79) – Civilization has collapsed. The infection is out of control. In OUTBREAK FALL: BIOHAZARD, you become a heavily armed survivor fighting to endure a city consumed by chaos. This fast-paced first-person shooter throws you into a ruined urban battlefield filled with aggressive infected creatures and constant danger. Explore devastated streets, abandoned buildings, and burning districts as you search for resources and battle relentless enemies. Armed with modern and futuristic weapons, you must rely on precision, awareness, and fast reactions to survive. The infected are unpredictable, relentless, and always advancing. Every encounter pushes your combat skills to the limit.

Overpowered 2 – Crux of Fate (eastasiasoft, 24th Mar) – Within these walls, your fate rests in the hands of luck. Overpowered 2 – Crux of Fate is a survival shooter where you’ll have to surround yourself with the most powerful weapons you can find in order to fend off relentless waves of enemy monsters! But as you will soon discover, in this arena your luck increases with each failed attempt, and your determination will ultimately be rewarded! Enter a dark arena where everything is out to kill you.

Pie Pie Cafeteria (Afil Games, 20th Mar, $3.49) – Welcome to Pie Pie Cafeteria, an irresistible puzzle where round little desserts meet, collide, and transform into increasingly delicious treats. Inspired by the Suika style, dive into a charming café where combining identical sweets is the key to fulfilling orders, earning extra time, and keeping everything under control before the mess overflows.

Quick Brain: Number Hunt (TT, 19th Mar, $6.99) – “Where’s ◯?” is a brain-training game where you search for the target number hidden among a screen full of colorful digits. The rule is simple: find the specified number—that’s it! Ignore distracting sizes, colors, and layouts, and rely on your focus and observation skills to lock onto the correct answer.

RUBATO (Headcannon, 20th Mar, $19.99) – RUBATO, an experimental, 2D physics-based take on the collect-a-thon genre! The year is 12,012. Multiquadrillionaire monopoly “GSSAI CO.” has been in power of the universe for centuries after a world-ending bioweapon was unleashed onto the masses. And now? The solar system has been destroyed by unknown celestial forces. A weapons development program run by the Earth subsidiary of “GSSAI CO.” is fast progressing. And the world’s denizens are disappearing. That is until one man screws up a game of pool.

Rushing Beat X: Return of Brawl Brothers (Clear River Games, 19th Mar, $20.69) – Completely overhauled for modern audiences, RUSHING BEAT X: Return of Brawl Brothers delivers non-stop beat-em-up action for one or two players. Take control of heroes Rick Norton and Douglas Bild as they band together with an expanded roster of four additional characters, battle to discover the hidden plans of the deadly Zeekus virus and attempt to discover the evil genius’s master plan. Once dormant, the Rushing Beat franchise reawakens with RUSHING BEAT X, insisting that beat ’em-ups still have new tricks to offer modern gaming audiences. This latest instalment contains a host of new moves, new weapons and new allies. Gamers traverse stunning locations, spanning shopping malls, slums, subways and research facilities battling to uncover the truth and once again save the city from certain doom.

Samurai Simulator: Kensei Warrior (Testagamercreations, 20th Mar, $3.99) – Step into the role of Takashi Hayato, a samurai turned ronin after the murder of his lord. Set in feudal Japan during the Sengoku era, the game follows a journey of revenge, honor, and difficult choices. Master skill-based katana combat with light and heavy attacks, blocks, parries, counterattacks, and executions. Use stealth to strike from the shadows or face enemies head-on in intense duels. Archery supports combat, offering tactical options in battle. Progress through story-driven levels set in villages, temples, mountain paths, and enemy strongholds. Your actions shape the Honor Karma System — follow the Path of Honor to gain survivability, or the Path of Blood to embrace raw power. Karma influences gameplay bonuses and determines the final ending.

Shop Farm Tycoon (ASI GAMES TECHNOLOGIES, 20th Mar, $3.99) – Welcome to Shop Farm Tycoon, a relaxing and addictive business simulation where your goal is to build the most successful village shop! Start with a small countryside store and transform it into a thriving local market. Grow fresh crops on your farm, craft useful products, and stock your shelves with goods that villagers love. Harvest ingredients, manage your inventory, and serve customers quickly to keep them happy. The better your service, the more your shop will grow! Expand your store, unlock new products, upgrade your equipment, and decorate your shop to create the perfect village marketplace.

Spot the Spy Guy (Trefl S.A, 20th Mar, $3.49) – Spy Guy is a brilliant detective who travels around the world looking for hidden clues. This time, he needs your help to find identical pairs! Can you help him?

Unusual Friends Bundle (Ratalaika Games, 20th Mar, $11.99) – Cat Souls: In Cat Souls, you will be playing as Ruby, an energetic cat with a strange ability. Like all cats, Ruby has more than one life, but not all of them can use their past souls as a platform. Ruby and her friend went on an adventure and successfully found the mythical Hourglass of time! Sadly the end of that adventure is the beginning of a new one. Enemies appeared out of nowhere, and our protagonists tried to run but… only Ruby managed to escape. But she still has 7 lives!

Virtual Ties Isekaijoucho Träumerei (ENTERGRAM, 19th Mar, $34.99) – After returning from Tokyo to the island where he once lived, Yu Kirishima, the protagonist, reunites with his childhood friend, Sekai Minase. Sekai, who had once dreamed of becoming an idol, now seems to have lost her sparkle and is on the verge of giving up on that dream. Wanting to see her smile again, Yu makes a proposal…

Wonders Puzzle (Pix Arts, 20th Mar, $5.99) – Slide puzzle pieces across the board, connect them together, and watch charming images come to life — one satisfying move at a time. Easy to pick up, surprisingly hard to put down. 150 levels take you from breezy warm-ups to genuinely tricky configurations that demand sharp thinking and sharper planning.

So that’s your lot for this week’s North American Nintendo Download. Drop a vote in the poll above, and comment below with your hot or tepid picks…

Nightdive Studios has confirmed that a new update for System Shock on Switch 1 and 2 is now available for download, bringing huge improvements to the game’s performance.

Patch 2.1 has been applied across all available platforms to nuke any nasty bugs, but it’s Nintendo’s consoles that receive the most TLC. Performance has been stabilised, with Switch 1 now running at up to 900p when docked and 720p in handheld, both of which target 30fps.

On the Switch 2, resolution is 1440p while docked and 1080p in handheld mode, with both now running at a consistent 60fps. We’ve quickly tested it out ourselves on Switch 2 in preparation for this article, and we can confirm that the frame rate is a massive improvement over the initial release in 2025.

Justin Khan, producer at Nightdive Studios, said the following:

“System Shock Version 2.1, the ‘Parity Patch,’ marks nearly ten years since the System Shock Remake project began. This patch represents countless lessons learned, the dedication of a small but determined team, and our commitment to refining the experience across every platform. Thank you for sticking with us through the ups and downs of that journey.”

So yes, it’s been a little while coming, but System Shock is now finally providing the polished experience that fans deserve. Though we’re unable to revisit individual reviews, you can probably bump our initial 5/10 score up a few notches now.

Finally, right? Will you be (Night)diving into System Shock now that it’s been improved? Let us know with a comment.

If you’ve been in the market for an Analogue 3D, then chances are you’ve already seen 8BitDo’s accompanying 64 Bluetooth Controller. Although originally only available in black or white, 8BitDo now has a variant that pays homage to the original N64 grey colour scheme, so now seems the perfect time to check it out and see if it’s worth your money.

Coming in at £34.99 / $44.99, the 8BitDo 64 is actually slightly more affordable than Nintendo’s own N64 wireless controller for Switch Online (£39.99 / $54.99). In terms of core functionality, however, the two are about as close as you can get. 8BitDo has essentially taken all of those inputs (including the new ‘ZR’) and rearranged them into a more modernised layout.

It’s not the first to do this — no doubt you’ve seen Retro Fighter’s Brawler64 knocking about too — but this is arguably the one that feels the most ‘Nintendo’ in its design.

Seriously, this really feels like something Nintendo itself could have put together as an alternative to the classic ‘M-shaped’ pad from the ‘90s, which is testament to 8BitDo’s care and attention. The weight (226g vs approx 233g for the official pad), the texture of the shell, the size of the buttons, the D-pad; it all comes together wonderfully to emulate the feel of a first-party accessory.

The only major thing that’s different here — besides the obvious change in shape and layout — is the analogue stick. The original N64 pad used a spindly, digital joystick, but naturally this just isn’t the standard in 2026. Instead, 8BitDo has opted for a Hall Effect stick that retains the octagonal gate; functionally, it feels more in line with the left analogue stick on the GameCube pad, with the added peace of mind that it probably won’t be drifting anytime soon. It also clicks in to simulate an ‘L3’ input, which feels a little weird, but you might well find some use for this outside of the N64 NSO catalogue.

My biggest gripe with the analogue stick is that it’s a tad sensitive compared to Nintendo’s. Moving the aiming reticle around on GoldenEye 007 is a little fiddly as a result; not egregiously so, but it’ll certainly take a bit of getting used to.

The D-pad is fantastic. Compared to the original, it doesn’t ‘wiggle’ quite as much, and whether you prefer this or not will come down to personal preference. Inputs are responsive, however, with minimal accidental diagonals when testing it out in the settings.

Going back to the shape, the 64 pad shares a lot in common with the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C, and this seems to be the standard for most of the company’s pads. The D-pad now sits diagonally below the analogue stick to the right, allowing you to quickly swap between the two with your thumb. Meanwhile, the ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’ inputs retain the same layout as the original. Up on top, ‘L’, ‘R’, and ‘Z’ are positioned in the standard shoulder button positions.

You’ve also got the new ‘ZR’ input from the Switch’s N64 pad, which for the NSO catalogue at least, brings up the app menu in-game. Weirdly, it’s just labelled ‘Z’ here, exactly the same as the left input, though its functionality is fundamentally different. It makes for a brief moment of confusion as you look at the buttons and labelling.

Once you’re up and running, though, you really won’t notice. Zooming along in F-Zero X feels just as natural as ever, utilising ‘Z’ and ‘R’ to slide sideways and attack your rivals. There’s a part of me that wishes the two inputs on the right — that’s ‘R’ and ‘Z’ (‘ZR’) — were swapped around given how much more you’re likely to press ‘R’ during gameplay, but this is ultimately a minor nitpick. You could always remap them in the NSO app. Overall, I’d say 8BitDo has done a fantastic job in adapting the admittedly bizarre layout of the N64 pad into something more accommodating for newcomers and younger players.

Connecting the 64 pad to the Switch 1 or 2 is painless. It’s compatible with the latter right out of the box, but I’d encourage you to regularly check for any available updates regardless. As far as I can tell, there’s no wake-up functionality for Switch 2, so hopefully this is added at a later date.

It’s also worth noting that the controller is recognised as an N64 pad when connected, so while you can remap inputs in the N64 NSO app, you can’t do any system-level remapping. Finally, battery life is estimated at 36 hours on a single charge, and from my experience with it, I’ve barely had to plug it in – it’s a beast.

The model I received is not only compatible with Switches, but also PC, Android, and of course, the Analogue 3D (and a small toggle on the back of the device can change its connectivity settings). There is, however, a 2.4G model at the same price that’s primarily designed to work with your original N64 with an included dongle. You’re sacrificing Switch compatibility for this, but it’s an option if you’re looking for a replacement.

Conclusion

The 8BitDo 64 is a great alternative to Nintendo’s official N64 pad for the Switch. If pressed, I’d probably still recommend the latter for a truly authentic experience, but given the higher price of that, you can’t go wrong with this. It provides a more recognisable layout for newcomers, but somehow retains the ‘feel’ of the real deal.

It’s not perfect. The duplicate ‘Z’ labelling is a bit odd, and the overly-sensitive analogue stick may take a bit of getting used to, but if you’re after an affordable way to play the N64 app on Switch with ‘proper’ controls, look no further.

The samples used in this review was provided by 8BitDo.

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Put your hand up if you remember The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!. Whether you do or you don’t, you’ll be able to catch up with the series from 30th March 2026 when it lands on MeTV Toons in the US.

Yes, although the announcement doesn’t specify whether all of the episodes will be available, we’re going to assume they will. So you’re looking at a total of 65 adventures starring the likes of “Captain” Lou Albano and Danny Wells in the live-action segments, along with guest stars like Cyndi Lauper, Magic Johnson, Vanna White, and more.

Honestly, it’s quite nice to see this coming to a more traditional TV channel rather than some streaming platform. It takes us back, y’know? Granted, we can’t watch it here in the UK, but we’re happy for those who can (shh, don’t mention YouTube). Either way, the network confirms that the show will be broadcast on weekday mornings, so it could be the perfect way to start the day.

Super Show was originally broadcast toward the end of 1989 and was primarily based on Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2. A follow-up, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, was broadcast in 1990, with a third simply titled Super Mario World in 1991.

Overall reception toward the show was pretty mixed, and most would agree that it doesn’t hold up too well these days. Still, many still view it as a cult classic, and we’re thrilled that it’s being made available on MeTV Toons.

Will you be checking out The Super Mario Bros. Super Show on MeTV Toons, or are you beyond traditional TV networks these days? Let us know with a comment.

Pokémon Lego is now officially in the wild, and if you’re hoping to see some minifigures (or something similar) in the future, you might be in luck.

A new set leak has reportedly surfaced online and it supposedly reveals a…spoiler alert…minifigure scale version of Eevee. This Pokémon will apparently be part of an expensive Poké Ball diorama set and is expected to launch later this year in August.

Here’s a look at Eevee via the Lego news and rumours subreddit (note: the image includes a watermark on it):

When the Pokémon Lego line launched in February, a large Eevee build was included (you can see this at the top of the page).

As for this smaller “pre-molded Pokémon”, assuming it’s the real deal, the diorama set it’s believed to be attached to is rumoured to cost $260 and will contain 2,239 pieces.

This follows Lego’s recent reveal of a proper minifigure for Mario earlier this month. You can see all the Pokémon Lego released so far in our previous coverage here on Nintendo Life.

Would you be interested in collecting smaller-sized Lego Pokémon? Let us know in the comments.