Ahead of the 10th March 2026 (aka Mario Day), Nintendo has announced it will be expanding the Switch Online + Expansion Pack service for the Switch and Switch 2.
These three titles arriving on Mario Day include two Virtual Boy games and one Game Boy Advance title, with all of these titles requiring users to have access to the Expansion Pack tier. For the Virtual Boy, we’ve got Mario’s tennis outing, and Clash draws on the original Mario Bros. title. As for GBA, Nintendo has added Mario and DK’s puzzle-platformer.
Here’s every title included in this latest ‘Nintendo Classics’ update:
Virtual Boy
Game Boy Advance
Image: Nintendo
Japan has received the same three titles in this week’s update. Once again, you’ll need to have access to the Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription tier to play them. You can find out what other games are available on this service in our full guide here on Nintendo Life.
What do you think of these latest games for the Nintendo Classics service? Let us know in the comments.
“Enemy DUGTRIO used Fissure. It’s super effective!”
I’m six years old, and I’m staring at Pokémon Yellow on my Game Boy Color screen, dumbfounded. This was my first time fighting Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket, and he managed to one-shot my Blastoise with a move — a word — I’d never seen before. Fissure? What’s that, a fish of some sort?
That wasn’t the first, nor the last, time Pokémon introduced me to language. The series has a bit of a reputation for using lots of words, but besides the over-tutorialisation of modern-day ‘mon, it’s never really bothered me. Pokémon is a series I’ve grown up with and, alongside reading books, taught me to love words.
Imagine asking your parents at six what ‘Guillotine’ means (pronounced extremely incorrectly, of course) after a Krabby just hammered you with its big claws; besides reading French Revolution textbooks or slicing paper, when else will that come up? I kept pestering every time I saw an attack I had no understanding of. What on earth is an ‘Aurora Beam’? And what does it mean to ‘Constrict’ something?
Image: The Pokémon Company
After consulting my parents and eventually diving into pocket dictionaries, I discovered that these names are absolutely deliberate – most of the time. Constrict is a move that can reduce your speed, and that makes sense, because you’re wrapping up a creature in something. Aurora Beam is just a beam of colourful lights, but absolutely a reference to the Northern or Southern Lights, hence the Ice-typing. And we all know what a Guillotine is, right?
From taking ‘Recoil’ damage to learning about cell movement with ‘Kinesis’, Pokémon Yellow kept throwing new words and meanings my way. At six, I was curious but introverted, with Pokémon acting as my gateway to adventure and my love of RPGs. And I wasn’t just falling head-over-heels for the cute critters and aimlessly wishing Pokémon were real creatures – I wanted to use those words and meanings I was learning about in-game in real life.
Pokémon battles were both a chance to demonstrate my understanding of type match-ups and a place where I could learn not just the art of battle, but the art of language.
In Pokémon Silver, I found out what it meant to ‘perish’ thanks to Misty’s Lapras. In Pokémon Sapphire, I was astonished when my Combusken ‘flinched’ after a Whismur’s attack. I learned about Aromatherapy, too – and no, it doesn’t cure all ailments in real life, unfortunately.
The older I got, the less I relied on questioning family and flicking through hundred-page books to find out the meaning, because animations got better in the jump from Game Boy to GBA. I understood that Teeter Dance — the signature move of Spinda, a clumsy, wobbly Pokémon — meant that the opponent was swaying in an attempt to confuse my Gardevoir, because that’s what the game was showing me, as best as it could in 2003.
Of course, it goes way beyond Pokémon attacks and moves. Items weren’t just functions in-game but tools to help me understand the meaning of things. The series became an ‘Antidote’ (yes, Yellow was the first time I saw that word) for my anxiety and nervousness, and an ‘Elixir’ for my curiosity. Suddenly, things I didn’t like didn’t need to “go away”; I could ‘Repel’ them.
I would’ve encountered most of these words in later life, of course, but as an impressionable child, learning about functional and flowery language in a video game supplemented my love of reading and writing. I wouldn’t have known so early on in life that Fuschia was a shade of pink or a type of flower without spending dozens of hours in the Safari Zone or skipping through town to defeat Koga or Janine.
And, as it turns out, every town in Kanto is named after a colour or shade, which is then matched in-game (on the GBC, at least) by the town’s hue.
As the series evolved alongside me, so did its use of language. Even as a teenager, I was still discovering terms and descriptions that I wouldn’t have otherwise stumbled upon unless I was knee-deep in a novel. Sinnoh’s Mt. Coronet, for instance – when will I need to use the word ‘coronet’? It didn’t matter; it just gave me another tool in the arsenal for when I would eventually sit down and write professionally and need to use a word other than crown. How often do I use ‘Pastoral’ (à la Pastoria from Diamond & Pearl)? Not a lot, but it’s a lovely string of letters, isn’t it?
Image: The Pokémon Company
Now, as an adult, that fascination for language and naming conventions has never left me. Every new gen, I love to dive into Pokémon names to understand why they’re called Alomomola or Typhlosion. I’m sure I would’ve gone down the scientific naming conventions of fish and Hawaiian words, or the mammalian order of Eulipotyphla routes eventually, right?
Gen 1 may have started things off simply with Ekans, Arbok, Pidgey, Spearow, and the like, but there’s so much creativity throughout the whole series. Ariados pulls from Ariadne, the tragic Greek figure who used a ball of twine to help Theseus escape the labyrinth. You have literal palindromes in Girafarig and Farigiraf, mirroring their physical designs. Pawniard, Bisharp, and Kingambit are all named after chess pieces of increasing standing. Even just names that are fun to say — like Salazzle, Krookodile, Mimikyu — are joyous expressions of language.
I also want to confess that, until a few years ago, I completely missed the pun staring me in the face of Sudowoodo’s name. An absolutely genius choice, and the localisation team should be proud of themselves (as should the original Japanese team for calling this fake tree Usokkie).
At some point, my love of Pocket Monster names bled into my nicknaming process. My kid self would settle for names like Croc the Feraligatr or Blaze the Torchic, but by Gen 4, I was going by creature colours, Italian words for balloon or winter, or types of flower that closely matched ‘mon designs.
Of course, I still have to name someone after my cat, and occasionally I’ll let myself repeat names – I’ll never top Crumpet the Krookodile, after all. But these creatures, who become my partners for hours, deserve to have names that mean something.
I’ve never lost that appetite for language that Pokémon introduced me to. I knew that stringing together a sentence of fancy words learned in a Pokémon game wasn’t going to win me friends, but at six, playing Pokémon Yellow made me realise that video games were more than just things to play. They could be good. They could teach you things. Play is a part of it, but learning — and experiencing — can be fun.
Have you learned something from Pokémon? Do you enjoy ‘mon names and moves? Let us know in the comments.
It’s fair to say that we were unimpressed with Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game when it arrived (precisely when it meant to) on Switch last year. It was buggy, ugly and, worst of all, boring. But Weta Workshop has tried to put some of that in the rear-view mirror, as it has today announced that a Switch 2 version will arrive on 25th March — which just so happens to be Tolkien Reading Day.
This Switch 2 version will be available as a free upgrade for anyone already with the S1 base game, so there’s no need to worry about second breakfast purchasing this time around.
The dev hasn’t shared any specifics for what this Switch 2 version entails at the time of writing, but we’d have to assume that improved performance, visuals, and stability are at the top of the list. Looking at the new footage in the reveal trailer (above), things are certainly looking a bit smoother on the new hardware, but it’s perhaps not quite as night-and-day as we would have hoped.
Hey, hopefully it’s a step in the right direction. We don’t want to have to go there and back again only to discover that things are still messy.
Will you be checking out Tales of the Shire on Switch 2 later this month? Let us know in the comments.
Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen is a difficult game to evaluate. Re-released on the Nintendo Switch eShop to celebrate Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, this 22-year-old Game Boy Advance remake of the original Pokémon Red & Blue feels like a lacklustre way to celebrate one of the largest media franchises known to man. On the other hand, I’m just happy to have a more convenient way to experience this nostalgic romp through Kanto again, catching personal favourites like Cubone along the way.
Making matters more difficult, FireRed & LeafGreen come as a separate purchase — $19.99 USD / £16.99 — rather than part of the GBA Nintendo Classics emulator which adds suspend saves and filters to many classic titles which are ‘free’ for NSO Expansion Pack subscribers.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)
Some have speculated that FireRed & LeafGreen are not part of this because Pokémon HOME functionality is coming, allowing you to transfer your Pidgeys and Mr. Mimes into other games. If suspend points were possible, it’d be easy to catch ‘em all, breaking part of what makes this classic title so special and threatening the larger Pokémon ecosystem by, like — I don’t know — farming Master Balls and shiny Eevees.
Regardless, it makes sense that FireRed & LeafGreen were chosen to celebrate 30 years of Pokémon. We’ve visited Kanto many times before, but Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee adopted a Pokémon GO-style catching mechanic and reworked the story into something more modern, while the original Red & Blue have bugs, confusing design choices, and a plodding pace that only the most nostalgia-hungry trainers can withstand.
FireRed & LeafGreen sit happily in the middle of the other Kanto quests. They retain many of the original’s classic mechanics while working out kinks like the infamous glitch that saw Psychic-types immune to Ghost-types, among many, many more egregious issues.
What’s more, they introduced late- and post-game areas with the Sevii Islands that include some Generation II and III Pokémon. The final area of these islands also includes the Trainer Tower, which features a bunch of different battle challenges to put your team to the test as a true post-game experience.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)
All that is here in this Switch re-release, plus access to Birth and Naval Island, home to the legendaries Ho-Oh, Lugia, and Deoxys. These were only accessible via real-world events before, so this all comes together to make this more or less the definitive edition.
If you don’t care about completing the National Pokédex, that is. Currently, it appears you won’t be able to catch ‘em all from other regions because you had to trade from other games — specifically Ruby/Sapphire and Emerald — in the original 2004 release and that simply isn’t possible at the moment.
Regardless, I consider this version definitive for a different reason: playing on my large monitor or handheld on my Switch 2 is far superior to the GBA’s tiny screen or the backwards-compatible DS. Stomping Brock and Misty with my Bulbasaur has never been so easy to see; here, the sprites are crisp despite the upscaling, and I enjoyed looking more closely at some finer details on these simple yet iconic Pokémon sprites.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)
FireRed & LeafGreen still could’ve looked much better. Many have already decried the black bars that frame and shrink the screen to better match the original aspect ratio. After the first hour or two this stopped bothering me, but I do understand where people are coming from when they cite this as proof that this re-release is lazier than a drowsy Slowpoke. If expanding the field of view wasn’t feasible, they could’ve at least added some cutesy frames to toggle between.
A lack of online functionality is also a bummer. Trades are local only, so if I want to evolve my Haunter into a Gengar, I’m out of luck because what Millennial that grew up with Pokémon has friends that live nearby nowadays, am I right?
While the black borders didn’t bother me, the lack of new features did. I would’ve loved to see Game Freak add some kind of challenge or remix to the game, such as reworked Pokémon spawns or NPC trainers with full, competitive teams rather than two Kakuna that only use Harden. A Master Quest, if you will. This would’ve gone a long way toward making the price point more digestible.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)
That said, playing through LeafGreen again has given me a fresh perspective on how far modern Pokémon games have come. I have been highly critical of the more recent entries, but going back in time to the GBA version of Kanto rewarded me with newfound appreciation for the mechanics in the modern titles, as well as for how things used to be.
You see, FireRed & LeafGreen were released before the Physical and Special Move split, meaning Dark-type attacks like Bite are all Special moves, while Shadow Ball is a Physical move because that’s what all Ghost-type moves nonsensically are.
This creates fun little build challenges for certain Pokémon, such as my Flareon that has a higher Physical Attack stat than Special, despite Fire-type moves being exclusively the latter. It’s not as easy as slapping Flare Blitz on it and calling it a day; instead, I had to grind the slot machines in the Rocket Game Corner not for a Dratini or a Porygon, but rather a Shadow Ball TM that turned my Flareon into a Psychic, Ghost-deleting menace.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)
Here, there’s no way to sneak up on Pokémon and backstrike them with a Poké Ball for a higher chance of capture. No Alpha or overlevelled Pokémon roam wide-open spaces or are visible on the map. You can’t send Pokémon out to auto-battle, collecting crafting items as they amass experience. You can’t freely learn and remember moves at any time or even withdraw Pokémon whenever you want, and the 151 original Pokémon make the adventure feel cramped compared to the 400+ available in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet.
I mean none of this as a negative. It’s charming to go back to something so simple and concise as the series continues to explore new mechanics, and it’s a great way to remember 30 years of Pokémon.
What’s more, my time with LeafGreen allowed me to appreciate how the series has evolved as a whole because — to be honest — I wouldn’t want a new Pokémon game in this classic, linear style. For that, we now have easy access to FireRed & LeafGreen.
HMs still suck as much as a Bugcatcher’s Caterpie, though.
Conclusion
All told, this FireRed & LeafGreen re-release is undoubtedly a lazy way to celebrate 30 years of Pokémon. For the asking price, Game Freak and The Pokémon Company could’ve included some extra goodies, like a hard mode or online functionality.
Still, this is the most convenient way to experience the charm of the original Kanto adventure, and going back in time to see how much the Pokémon series has grown gave me a newfound appreciation for all the catchin’ I’ve done over three decades, and all that there is to come. Now give us Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver, please.
The March 2026 Indie World showcase brought us 15 minutes packed with glorious, smaller titles, heading to Switch 1 & 2 in the near future — there were even a handful that arrived today. Our wishlists are already booming, but if you missed out and want to see what was announced to add to yours, then we’ve got you covered.
Below, we have listed every announcement, reveal and trailer from the March Indie World. We’ve also linked the full presentation and a poll so you can share your thoughts on it.
Shall we dive in? Yes, indieed…
Nintendo Indie World Showcase March 2026 – The Full Presentation
Just in case you missed out on the show (or if you just want to watch it again), you’ll find the full Indie World presentation below.
Every Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase February 2026 Game Announcement & Update
Now then, onto the news. Below, we have listed every announcement in the order it was made, accompanied by the relevant trailer and blurb text.
Travel across a colorful dystopian Japan in this off-the-rails extreme action-adventure platformer game. Flip, trick and grind a fast-paced train while racking up points and facing off against bizarre bosses. Take back the tracks with nothing but skill, speed and style as you ollie and kickflip through volcanoes, meadows and oceans.
One day in doggy heaven, a Welsh Corgi named Bong-gu catches a whiff of his human dad in the afterlife. Sniff, bark, run and jump as you embark on a touching narrative adventure as Bong-gu to reunite with his dearly departed dad in a story of relationships, farewells and reunions.
Swing into action, reach out and offer your friends a helping hand … or lose your grip and send them tumbling to the deadly void below in this fiendish online and local multiplayer game for up to four players. Grab your pals and play couch co-op together, or play locally and online with GameShare. Explore new gameplay twists, from weightless space to cookery chaos and much more across eight themed worlds.
Live the double life of a fearless adventurer and a crafty merchant! Dive into vibrant dimensions brimming with shiny loot and pesky enemies. Each run becomes a tactical puzzle of how much loot you can carry back and how far you dare to explore. After each escapade, put your hard-earned treasure on sale. Set your prices, grow your shop, entice returning customers and make your mark among a ragtag community of castaways.
Welcome to Woodo, a cozy puzzle game where you assemble wooden scenes piece by piece like a 3D coloring book. Place objects in their correct spots and watch each scene slowly fill with color and life, revealing charming animations and small surprises through handcrafted dioramas. Play at your own pace while the narrator’s voice keeps you company as you settle into a world that comes together one piece at a time. The Nintendo Switch 2 version also supports Joy-Con 2 mouse controls for smooth gameplay.
Fly into a frantic, handcrafted world with crisp, twin-stick, shoot-’em-up action in this modern twist on the classic 8-bit adventure formula. Fight your way from the shiny overworld to the deepest caves, improve your ship and overcome dungeon bosses in intense, bullet-filled battles to rescue your friends. Explore lush caverns, ancient temples and sunken cities where each environment is full of treasures, challenges and secrets.
From the makers of Lost in Random and Fe comes the award-winning dark fantasy adventure built entirely in real life clay and animated in a stop motion style. Become The Burnt One, befriend a lost lantern creature named Potboy, and use his flame to light your way through a handcrafted world of wonder and horror.
Choose your weapon, master a diverse combat system and refine your builds in this stylish side-scrolling co-op action brawler from Klei Entertainment, the studio behind Don’t Starve. Battle corrupted beasts through dangerous forest arenas, and play solo or with up to three friends locally or online. Progress comes from increasing your skill as much as your loot, with challenging boss fights that demand practice and proficiency.
From the developers of BAFTA award-winning game The Artful Escape, Mixtape unfolds in a narrative-driven adventure of three friends exploring the greatest hits of their teenage experience, from the first kiss to the last dance. Inspired by classic coming-of-age movies and featuring eclectic gameplay and a varied soundtrack of popular music from artists including DEVO, The Smashing Pumpkins and more.
Battle through a deadly, psychedelic Western nightmare to reclaim the memories of your people in this exploration-driven action RPG from the creators of Guacamelee! and Nobody Saves the World. The evil Sorcisto has consumed your village and infected the world with a deadly Blight. As the lone survivor of his rampage, you must fight through surreal, hostile environments to defeat powerful bosses and recover the memories of your people … before your own Blight overtakes you. Play solo or with a friend via local or online multiplayer, as you uncover the mysteries of this twisted world.
Step into a forsaken space station in this fast-paced roguelike shooter where every run is a heated fight for survival, solo or with friends online. Battle through shifting, procedurally generated corridors overrun with biomechanical creatures. 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?
Establish your new farming life and embed yourself in an idyllic town with some seriously unsettling vibes. Your peaceful life is put at risk when you discover someone in town is a supernatural serial killer.
The chaotic co-op railroad builder returns, bigger and wilder than ever. Work together in online multiplayer to gather resources, craft tracks and guide a constantly moving train without letting it derail.
Set off on a new photo adventure, spurred on by your awakened passion for discovering and photographing mysterious “events” known as TOEMs. Jump and climb across new regions, lend a hand to new faces and create lasting friendships along the way.
Step into the quiet glow of a late-night konbini (convenience store) set in a 1990s town inspired by Japan, and discover the hidden joy in daily routines. Stock shelves, explore the colorful neighborhood, and meet charming customers with stories of their own that you can help shape.
Turn an empty camper van into the home of your dreams in this cozy, off-the-grid exploration game. Play solo or in online multiplayer that supports up to four players and craft workstations, gather energy from natural sources, upgrade and customize your vehicle, grow crops and explore a colorful world.
Command over 100 unique characters in this rhythm roguelike action game that blends musical timing with side-scrolling combat. Play solo, or in local and online multiplayer for up to four players.
Welcome to Mt. Holly, a peculiar manor with ever-changing rooms. This genre-bending, DICE award-winning game is filled with mystery, strategy and puzzles that weave together with every room explored. Chart a path through chambers that harbor secrets and challenges to find the enigmatic Room 46. Be aware: The mansion resets every day, and every doorway becomes a new choice. Plus, smoothly navigate Mt. Holly with Joy-Con 2 mouse controls. Unravel the truth day by day, step by step and room by room.
Japanese Indie World March 2026 Bonus Announcements
As well as all of the games outlined above, the Japanese Indie World showcase also packed in a handful of games that did not appear in the Western presentation — including a shadowdrop that’s available worldwide.
Below, we’ve listed all of these extras.
夢物語の街 “Whisper of the House” (Switch 1) – May 2026
A relaxing and soothing tidying and interior decorating game. As you help the townspeople with various requests – moving, tidying up, cleaning, etc. – you may unexpectedly have an impact on their lives or discover little secrets… (translated via Google)
Öoo (Switch 1) – Today
A Bomb Caterpillar’s Big Adventure! “Öoo” is a charming yet mysterious exploration puzzle platformer where you discover creative ways to use bombs!
Little Witch In The Woods (Switch 1) – 2026
Little Witch in the Woods tells the story of Ellie, an apprentice witch. Explore the mystical forest, help the charming residents, and experience the daily life of the witch.
Schrodinger’s Call (Switch 1) – 28th May 2026
When the world is coming to an end, who would you want to speak to one last time? Schrödinger’s Call is a visual novel that lets you experience the pain and salvation of human connection, as if you were turning the pages of a picture book.
Japanese Rural Life Adventure (Switch 1) – Today
Japanese Rural Life Adventure is a relaxing slow-life simulation where you can experience the charm of traditional Japanese countryside living, all in a beautifully crafted pixel-art world.
Magical Girl Witch Trials (Switch 1) – 9th July 2026
Thirteen girls awaken, only to find themselves in a prison. What awaits them: a Witch Trial. Help them prepare for the trial by exploring the prison in order to find the witch hidden amongst them. Find the witch, learn what kind of magic she holds, dispel the lies, and prepare for the execution.
Homura Hime (Switch 2) – 2026
Homura Hime is an anime-style 3D action game merging exhilarating thrills with the tension-filled gameplay of bullet hell. Players dodge hails of projectiles, unleash combos that blend close-quarters and ranged attacks, and utilize dodges and parries to withstand the fierce onslaught of demons.
Poll – How Would You Rate It?
And just when we thought our backlogs could get any bigger! Not a bad lineup, eh? You can let us know what you made of the Indie World March 2026 Showcase, and your favourite announcements from it, in the following polls.
How would you rate the Nintendo Indie World Showcase March 2026, on a scale of 1-10? (935 votes)
10 – Outstanding5%
9 – Excellent12%
8 – Great14%
7 – Good17%
6 – Not Bad9%
5 – Average12%
4 – Poor8%
3 – Bad4%
2 – Terrible3%
1 – Abysmal8%
I still haven’t watched it, but yay! Indies! Voting!9%
What were your favourite announcements from the Indie World Showcase March 2026? (1,741 votes)
Denshattack! (Switch 2)11%
My Little Puppy (Switch eShop)4%
Heave Ho 2 (Switch 2)2%
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault (Switch 2)7%
Woodo (Switch 2)4%
Minishoot’ Adventures – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2)10%
Developer and publisher Klei Entertainment has announced released its new game on the Switch 2 as part of Nintendo’s Indie World presentation.
Yes, Rotwood is a gorgeous roguelike action brawler with more than a few nods to 2025’s Absolum (and that can only be a good thing!). With support for up to three additional players either via local or online connection, you’ll face off against an onslaught of vicious foes across seven unique locations.
With a keen focus on learning combos, button mashing won’t do the trick here, so like any good side-scrolling beat ’em up, you’ll need to spend some time learning the ropes and finding the most efficient way to deal with your enemies.
Klei Entertainment is, of course, well known for its work on the survival title Don’t Starve, and also released the well-received Griftlands for the Switch back in 2021. During the same year, it agreed to be acquired by Chinese company Tencent, though the studio stresses that it retains control over its games.
Are you keen to try out Rotwood on the Switch 2? What do you make of the trailer? Let us know with a comment.
Drinkbox Studios, the celebrated developer behind the likes of Guacamelee!, Severed, and Nobody Saves The World, has announced that its upcoming title Blighted will be heading to the Switch 2.
Currently scheduled to launch in Autumn, Blighted is a Hades-inspired action game with an isometric viewpoint and lots of vicious enemies to pummel into the ground. As a lone-survivor, you’ll travel the deadly land and gain ‘Blight’ as you kill more and more creatures. The more you accumulate, the harder the combat will become, making each encounter more satisfying and rewarding.
Drinkbox is well known for its exceptional art style, and Blighted looks no different. The environments in particular are seriously impressive; full of colour and personality. We can only hope that the gameplay matches up.
Now, let’s check out the key features:
Intense combat: combat in Blighted is nuanced and deadly. Carefully time your attacks to weave through enemies, chain together combos, and perform powerful finishers.
Harness your Blight: the player’s Blight serves as a dynamic difficulty system that constantly changes the enemies, the player, and the world around them.
Consume memories: absorb the brains of defeated bosses to gain their memories and become more powerful.
Unlock mysteries: pay careful attention while exploring to unlock the many deep secrets of Blighted’s world.
Surreal world: explore vibrant, psychedelic landscapes and meet bizarre creatures and characters on your journey.
Co-op multiplayer: optionally team up with a friend in fully playable local or online co-op.
Haunting original score: Blighted features new music by Jim Guthrie, the acclaimed composer of Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, Below, and Nobody Saves the World.
What do you make of this one? Will you be picking up Blighted when it launches later this year? Let us know with a comment.
Pokémon is celebrating its 30th anniversary in all sorts of ways, and one of the most in-demand products is the “Beginning Pikachu” plush, available at the Pokémon Center.
At the moment, this retro Pikachu inspired the Pokémon’s pixel design and look from the Game Boy generation, is exclusive to Japan, but it’s already sold out. Scalpers haven’t helped the situation, but thankfully, this anniversary item is returning.
As highlighted by VGC, The Pokémon Company has confirmed it will be restocking this item as a pre-order purchase, so in other words, Pokémon fans won’t be forced to pay extreme resale prices and can instead wait for an official Pokémon Center restock to come through.
The key chain, which is based on the same retro Pikachu design, will also be getting restocked in-store and on the website.
Select 30th anniversary merchandise has been made available on the Pokémon Center locally, but at the moment, there’s no sign of this retro-inspired Pikachu plush. So, if it is released here, based on this update, it seems there could be a chance of restocks.
Would you be interested in this Pikachu plush? Let us know in the comments.
Following last week’s reveal of the next major Pokémon game Pokémon Winds & Waves (and a release window for the battle title Pokémon Champions), The Pokémon Company has officially announced it will be winding down Pokémon Scarlet & Violet‘s seasonal Ranked Battle content.
The final season for the Switch game “Season 41” will officially kick off on 1st April 2026. After this goes live, Ranked Battles will no longer receive updates. This season will run until the game’s servers are taken offline, and there will be no monthly rankings or rewards for rankings.
Image: The Pokémon Company
This announcement follows the recent conclusion of Season 39 and the start of Season 40. Trainers can now collect rewards for Season 39. As for Season 40, it runs from now until 31st March 2026. You can see the full ruleset for this season on Serebii.net.
If you haven’t already tried out Pokémon Scarlet & Violet on the Switch 2, these titles received a free upgrade last June.
Did you participate in Scarlet & Violet’s Ranked Battles? How do you feel about Season 41 being the final season. Let us know in the comments.
Nintendo revived the Game Boy Advance titles Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen on the Switch last week, and while they offer the same classic experience, there are some notable changes.
If you’re planning to catch one of the Gold and Silver legendary beasts on your adventure, it seems you’ll no longer have to worry about the infamous roar glitch. According to multiple player reports and information via datamines, this glitch is not present in the Switch eShop versions.
As mentioned on Serebii.net, in the original GBA releases, Entei and Raikou (but not Suicune) will sometimes use the move “Roar” if trapped, and it results in the Pokémon never being encountered again in the same playthrough.
So, catching one of these legendaries in the Switch versions hopefully just got a little bit easier. As a reminder, the legendary that appears in the playthrough is based on the starter pick. So Raikou for Squirtle, Entei for Bulbasaur and Suicune for Charmander.
One other notable change in the Switch eShop releases is the confirmation that you’ll now get the Mystic Ticket and Aurora Ticket after entering the Hall of Fame. These tickets were previously available via Mystery Gift distributions at in-person events.
Are you revisiting these games now that they’re available on the Switch? Have you caught one of these legendaries yet? Let us know in the comments.
