Category: Nintendo News

Phew, we’re finally at the last (for now) generation! Pokémon turns 30 on 27th February, and in honour of this momentous anniversary, we’ve run a series of polls leading up to the big day, asking you to vote for your favourite Pokémon from each generation. The nine winners will then go head-to-head in a final poll at the end of the month.

We’ve covered a generation a day, with each poll open for five days. And now we’re at number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine…

Before we get the poll including candidates from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet and their DLC, voting, let’s see what Team NL thinks of the monsters from this final (for the moment) generation…

So, for the last time before the grand finale. we’ve got 120 Pokémon listed in National Dex order (use the search bar to quickly find a specific one). And remember, you can only choose one!

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Thanks for voting! That’s the last of the Gens, but keep an eye out for the final showdown between the nine winners in a week or so’s time.

And if you missed Gens 5, 6, 7, or 8, those polls are still live:

After years of waiting, we are finally getting some classic Pokémon on Switch! Nintendo and TPC surprised us all with the announcement that FireRed and LeafGreen will arrive on the Switch eShop immediately after the annual Pokémon Presents on 27th February (with a swanky Special Edition coming to Japan).

We’re ecstatic, of course, though it does leave us with an almighty large decision to make, almost as hard as choosing our starter: which version are we going to buy?

For lifelong Pokémon fans out there, it’s a decision that you have literally made before, probably some 20 years ago in front of a store shelf, but that doesn’t mean that it’s any less pressing this time around. Some people will pick up both versions just because they can, but for many of us, this is a one-and-done deal.

With this in mind, we thought it was only fair that we remind you of the versions’ Pokédex differences here, so you can make an informed decision when they finally drop.

As ever, the games’ biggest distinguishing feature is which Pokémon are/aren’t available to find in the wild, so here’s a list of version exclusives (in Pokédex order), to jog your memory:

FireRed Version-Exclusive Pokémon

• Ekans
• Arbok
• Oddish
• Gloom
• Vileplume
• Psyduck
• Golduck
• Growlithe
• Arcanine
• Shellder
• Cloyster
• Scyther
• Electabuzz
• Bellossom
• Wooper
• Quagsire
• Murkrow
• Qwilfish
• Scizor
• Delibird
• Scarmory
• Elekid
• Deoxys (Attack Forme)

LeafGreen Version-Exclusive Pokémon

• Sandshrew
• Sandslash
• Vulpix
• Ninetales
• Bellsprout
• Weepinbell
• Victreebel
• Slowpoke
• Slowbro
• Staryu
• Starmie
• Magmar
• Pinsir
• Marill
• Azumarill
• Slowking
• Misdreavus
• Sneasel
• Remoraid
• Octillery
• Mantine
• Magby
• Azurill
• Deoxys (Defence Forme)

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Of course, all of the above can be obtained in either version with a Trade at the Pokémon Wireless Club in the Pokémon Center. The Switch versions of FireRed and LeafGreen will support this feature via local wireless connection and not via WiFi, so if you don’t have a nearby pal with all the missing monsters you’re after, the wrong version decision might keep you from one of your favourites for a while.

So, with the exclusives fresh in your head, which version will you be getting on Switch? You can share your pick with us in the following poll.

Which version got your vote and why? Let us know in the comments.

Welcome back, lovely people, to the Nintendo Life Mailbox.

This month’s been a surprisingly busy one for games, and we’re all on tenterhooks, waiting to see if RE9 is any good. Perhaps all that excitement was too distracting, as correspondence (and, indeed, correspondents) have been few and far between. So, prepare yourself for a slight, ‘Lite’ edition of our monthly letters page feature!

Got something you want to get off your chest? We’re ready and waiting to read about your game-related ponderings. Each month we’ll highlight a Star Letter, the writer of which will receive a month’s subscription to our ad-free Supporter scheme. Check out the submission guidelines at the bottom of this page.

So let’s open it up, poke around the bills, and see what the postie’s brought us this month…

Nintendo Life Mailbox – February 2026

“thrives when parallel” (***STAR LETTER***)

Hello, Nintendolife!

This letter in particular is probably gonna be a bit different, since it’s less focused on Nintendo and more on a different console.
As I mentioned the last time I wrote here, recently, through this website’s recommendation, I got into the Trails series. I’ve been really enjoying it, but after Sky 1st, there was a break of a few games in between the next game playable on Switch 2, since at the time, Zero and Azure weren’t fully functional. So, I decided to pick up a Steam Deck to play the series.
Now that the groundwork and backstory has been laid, let me just say that I have come to realize that the Steam Deck and the Switch 2 complement each other perfectly. If there’s a subpar Switch port, you can play it on Deck. If the game needs just a bit more processing power, you can play it on Switch 2. Need to just boot into a game? Switch. Want to overcustomize and use mods? Steam Deck. Got a group and just want to play some party games? Switch 2 all the way, baby.
Whenever the Deck came out, I was hesitant to buy one. The only discourse about it you heard was “oh, its the Switch killer!” But through using it on my own, I’ve come to realize that it thrives when parallel with the Switch, not competing with it.
I feel like sometimes we tend to forget in the gaming community that every console has its place. Nintendo focuses in on larger, higher-budget games, and without it I wouldn’t have found Octopath, Ace Attorney, or Trails. But Steam gives so many really small indie games so much more visibility. Without it, I wouldn’t have found 100% Orange Juice (which I really hope arrives on Switch soon, it’d be a perfect fit!), Super Ledgehop, Sora, or all the other really small games I play.
In short, I love both my Steam Deck and Switch 2 and hope we can see them appreciated on their own merits. Next letter might be a 1000 word rumination on Trails and asking Alana for her personal opinions on each, we’ll see.
Bluelink

Happy to hear you’re enjoying Trails! The Steam Deck is a fine machine. I imagine that for many the barrier to entry is justifying two fairly pricey portable systems, so it’ll be fascinating to see how the Steam Machine fits into the hardware landscape. If Sony continues closing its best studios and Microsoft keeps stepping on rake after rake, could Switch 2 and a Steam Machine become this generation’s ‘Wii60’?

(I spent longer than I care to admit trying to crush ‘Switch 2’ and ‘Steam Machine’ into a snappy portmanteau. See what you can do in the comments, lovely people.) – Ed.

“if only”

Dear Nintendo Life,
With the revealing of the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, I have to ask…What is the point of an online multiplayer mode that you can only play with friends? I thought that the whole point of online multiplayer was that you’re like me and you don’t have any friends, let alone friends who actually play video games! If I can go online to race against strangers in Mario Kart, why can’t I go online to race against strangers in Super Mario Bros. Wonder? It’s a shame because the competitive multiplayer modes in Super Mario Bros. Wonder look like they could be fun, if only they were playable.
Person With No Friends But Still Has Self-Worth

It feels like the brief for this particular NS2 Edition was ‘We need a Mario game on shelves when the Galaxy Movie comes out,’ and whacking Rosalina in Wonder did the job.

We’ve all had fun with strangers online. We’ve all had fun playing video games with strangers online, but I wonder (heh) if these minigames will have real longevity. As with a lot of S2 upgrades, for me they’ve been an excuse to revisit and 100% games I already played, not something I’m pumping dozens of hours – Animal Crossing notwithstanding. – Ed.

“sterile experience”

Nostalgic for 8th Gen Nintendo

As a Nintendo Fan my whole life, I feel like the WiiU/3DS era was the time where Nintendo was the most fun. Customizable themes on the 3DS, rotating eshop music on the WiiU, checking Club Nintendo every month for the new rewards…it’s these little things that made the Nintendo experience have so much whimsy and charm in contrast to the sterile experience we get nowadays. Even the excitement of getting a new console, the Switch 2, is diminished slightly because you boot it up and it’s the exact same experience as the Switch. Maybe they don’t prioritize the “little” things anymore, but I sure miss it.
Dave Driver

A splash of colour on the Home screen wouldn’t go amiss, and those Club Nintendo bonuses were neat, although My Nintendo Store does get bits and pieces. I agree, the Switches aren’t quite as homely.

Nintendo is best when it gets weird, and given that Switch 2 is so familiar and we’re seeing so many enhanced versions of old games, I’m hoping for some big software swings this gen. Rhythm Heaven is coming soon, although even that is familiar. Fingers crossed for some more personality and…, erm, what’s the opposite of ‘sterility’? Fertility? Filth?…

Ahem. Well, I’ve got myself all worked up now. – Ed.

Bonus Letters

“May I share a detailed report of these issues along with our pricing?” – Lucy

Nah, you’re alright, Lucy. – Ed.

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That’s all for Feb! Thanks to those who wrote in, and get those keyboards tapping if you want more priceless bants next month.

Got something you’d like to get off your chest? A burning question you need answered? A correction you can’t contain? Follow the instructions below, then, and we look forward to rifling through your missives.

Nintendo Life Mailbox submission advice and guidelines

• Letters, not essays, please – Bear in mind that your letter may appear on the site, and 1000 words ruminating on the Legend of Heroes series and asking Alana for her personal ranking isn’t likely to make the cut. Short and sweet is the order of the day. (If you’re after a general guide, 100-200 words would be ample for most topics.)
• Don’t go crazy with multiple correspondences – Ideally, just the one letter a month, please!
• Don’t be disheartened if your letter doesn’t appear in the monthly article – We anticipate a substantial inbox, and we’ll only be able to highlight a handful every month. So if your particular letter isn’t chosen for the article, please don’t get disheartened!

How to send a Letter to the Nintendo Life Mailbox

• Head to Nintendo Life’s Contact page and select the subject “Reader Letters” from the drop-down menu (it’s already done for you in the link above). Type your name, email, and beautifully crafted letter into the appropriate box, hit send, and boom — you’re done!

HYYAAGGHH! *cough*, Sorry about that. Hello there, folks! Welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl!

That little Hylian slip-up might be a hint of things to come, but first, let’s take a look at what happened last time, when a trio of covers for the Game Boy Color’s Rayman went head-to-head (to-head). The votes were pretty evenly split, but it was the red European cover that walked away with 49% and the win. The green North American variant followed behind with 31%, while Japan brought up the rear with 21%.

With The Legend of Zelda series celebrating its 40th anniversary this weekend, we’re taking a look at the only BAB contender we haven’t touched on before: Link’s Awakening. Now yes, BAB fans, we did look at the GBC’s DX version back in 2019, but the OG release came with regional covers of its own, don’t you know.

Europe and North America went down the same route this time, so we’ve got a duel between East and West. Let’s crack this egg open!

North America / Europe

We’ll admit, this design is very similar to what you’ll find for the GBC version in North America, but it’s worth checking out again, all the same. It’s a classic format for the series, with the title and sword/shield symbol pasted against a gold-y beige backdrop. Perhaps not the most stunning design out there, but it has become somewhat synonymous with Zelda over the years.

Japan

Much like the DX version, the Japanese variant for the original GB release swaps in original art of Link, Marin and Tarin against the backdrop of Koholint Island. Link’s springing into action in this one, leaping through the air with his sword held aloft, while the other pair lounge around behind. It’s bright, fun, and colourful — an almighty departure from the Western cover, no?

Thanks for voting! We’ll see you next time for another Box Art Brawl.

Capcom is gearing up for the release of Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection on the Switch 2 next month, and today, it has released a brand new trailer.

It’s officially titled “Go Forth” and gives hunters another look at what’s on the way when the game arrives on 13th March 2026.

“There’s something out there beyond anything we can imagine, and that something is the source of the Encroachment. As calamity closes in from all angles, it’s your duty to pick up the torch and see it through.”

Alongside this, Capcom has also shared a developer walkthrough with the game’s lead gameplay designer Wakahara, which runs for 13 minutes. It covers all parts of the gameplay including battles, the areas you’ll explore, and the Rangers in the game.

“Discover more about Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection in this developer walkthrough with Lead Gameplay Designer Wakahara! From the story and your role within it, to creating your character, advanced battle tactics, egg hunting, Habitat Restoration and more, you’ll be ready to ride on when the game launches on March 13!”

And if this isn’t already enough, there’s also the free trial version of the game you can download from the Switch eShop right now. Save data will also carry over to the full game.

Will you be checking out Monster Hunter Stories 3 when it launches on Switch 2 next month? Let us know in the comments.

It’s a new year, and following new releases in January 2026, Circana’s Mat Piscatella has now shared chart data for the “Top 10 Best-Selling Premium Games” on Nintendo platforms in the US for this same month.

As you can see, Square Enix’s latest Switch 2 release Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade has debuted in second place, below Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and ahead of Donkey Kong Bananza. Keep in mind Nintendo’s first-party titles here do not factor in the digital sales, and these charts do not include specific sales data.

Final Fantasy VII Remake also went from 225th place in December to 9th place in January – cracking the “Top 20 Best-Selling Premium Games” in the US for January 2026. This was thanks to the combined efforts of the Switch 2 and Xbox releases. Pokémon Legends: Z-A has dropped from sixth place to 16th place in the “Top 20” this month.

Piscatella has provided some additional information about hardware performance, revealing Switch 2 spending was able to offset year-on-year declines across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Switch. In saying this, PlayStation 5 still led the market.

“Hardware spending increased 16% when compared to a year ago, reaching $248M. Nintendo Switch 2 spending was able to offset year-on-year declines seen across PlayStation 5 (-17%), Xbox Series (-27%) and Switch (-79%).

“Despite sales falling compared to a year ago, PlayStation 5 led the hardware market in both unit and dollar sales during January 2026. Nintendo Switch 2 ranked 2nd across both measures.”

In case you missed it, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth recently got a release date for the Switch 2. There’s also a demo you can check out for the first game via the Switch eShop, and if you want to know even more about it, be sure to read (or watch) our review here on Nintendo Life.

Did you pick up Final Fantasy or any other Switch 2 or Switch games last month? Let us know in the comments.

In the lead up to Pokémon’s 30th anniversary celebration, Nintendo officially lifted the lid on the return of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.

They’re arriving on the Switch eShop on 27th February 2026, and ahead of this release, Nintendo has shared not only an official trailer but also some direct screenshots, showing off how both games will look on its hybrid system.

As we previously mentioned, Nintendo has also confirmed these Switch releases contain the same content as the original releases, with some modern solutions to the connectivity features. You can also play these titles while using the GameChat feature.

If you somehow haven’t played these monster-catching RPG before, as you can see below, it’s a mix of adventure, exploration and battling wrapped up in some lovely pixel artwork! So, without further ado, here’s a look:

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen preorders and now live, and you can also preload these games on your Switch, if you’ve already purchased them. If you haven’t already bought them, they’ll set you back £16.99 / $19.99 each (or your regional equivalent).

You can check out the trailer and a side-by-side opening video in our previous coverage here on Nintendo Life.

Are you looking forward to the return of these games? Have you already purchased them? Let us know in the comments.

Update [Sun 22nd Feb 2026, 1:30am]: First 4 Figures has now shared its first proper look at the Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom “Exclusive Edition” Link statue. As you can see in the video above, it’s got LED light-up functions for the right arm and base.

Once again, pre-orders will open on 26th February 2026 and the price for this statue will be revealed on the same day.

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Original Story: Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda series celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, and it appears First 4 Figures will be joining in on the fun.

In a new announcement this week, the statue maker has given its followers on social media and YouTube a “sneak peek” of a new Tears of the Kingdom – Link statue. If it looks familiar, it’s because the standard edition is already available at “GameStop and other major retailers”.

This particular statue, which is limited to the First 4 Figures website, is an “exclusive edition” – so expect it to be a little fancier than the rest and possibly have additional features such as LED functionality. The full reveal of the 9″ painted PVC statue will take place “soon”, and pre-orders are set to open online on 26th February 2025.

If you sign up to the First 4 Figures newsletter, you’ll also get $10 off the full price when pre-orders go live. Pricing and other details will be revealed on launch day, so when we hear more, we’ll let you know.

Would you be interested in a statue like this? Tell us in the comments.

Pokémon turns 30 on 27th February, and in honour of this momentous anniversary, we’re running a series of polls leading up to the big day, asking you to vote for your favourite Pokémon from each generation. The nine winners will then go head-to-head in a final poll at the end of the month.

We’re covering a generation a day until we’ve ticked off all nine, leading up to the ultimate showdown. Each poll will be open for five days.

It’s the penultimate Gen before we’re up to date (at least at the time of writing), with Sword and Shield and Legends: Arceus‘ selection to peruse at your leisure. Before we dive in, let’s catch up with Team NL for their hot underdog picks.

Moving right along, we’ve got 96 Pocket Monsters this time, listed in National Dex order (use the search bar to quickly find a specific Pokémon). As ever, you can only choose one!

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Thanks for voting! Keep an eye out for the final generation tomorrow as we cruise towards Pokémon’s 30th anniversary.

And if you missed Gens 4, 5, 6, or 7, those polls are still live:

We all pulled a ‘Wait, Mario is how old??‘ last year as the prized plumber and the NES celebrated their 40th anniversaries, and what do you know, we’re about to do it all over again for little old Link.

Yes, The Legend of Zelda is 40 years old today (in Japan, at least). On 21st February 1986, Nintendo introduced the world to the fantasy land of Hyrule, complete with legendary princesses, magical triangles, evil pig men, and a little boy in a green nightcap. It was the first time anyone had heard Koji Kondo’s iconic title theme — apparently substituted in at the eleventh hour after Nintendo discovered Maurice Ravel’s ‘Boléro’ wasn’t up for grabs — or read the words “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this”. Without it, many of our favourite games of all time simply would not exist. So yes, we think this is a birthday worth acknowledging.

We’ve all heard the stories about Shigeru Miyamoto’s inspirations for the game, as he set out to replicate the feeling of exploring the woods and caves outside of his childhood home as a boy. And that’s exactly what he did.

Nintendo’s big player from the year before, Super Mario Bros., was all about moving from left to right, something that vaguely resembled the ‘quick fix’ arcade experience for a new home console generation, the culmination of everything Nintendo had learned to that point.

Zelda was different. Launching with the Famicom Disk System (also 40 today), there was an open world at your disposal, items waiting in every dungeon, and rarely any set instruction to ‘go here next”. It’s easy to overlook just how revolutionary and fresh the format was.

The story, by comparison, was something a little more familiar. Drawing inspiration from classic fairytales and high fantasy worlds established by the likes of Tolkien, Takashi Tezuka’s story of good overcoming evil is a timeless one. An elf-like boy embarks on a quest to collect some magic rocks, overthrows a power-hungry prince, rescues the princess and restores peace to the land. We’ve all heard it before, but you can’t knock its simplicity. And hey, did Tolkien ever write anything with a follow-up ‘Second Quest’ for those who have finished the first one? Oh wait…

Remarkably, it still feels good today. We’re not going to sit here and say that the original TLoZ packs quite the same open-world magic as a Breath of the Wild, Elden Ring, or Red Dead in 2026, but play any of them after experiencing this first slice of Hyrule, and you’ll spot Nintendo’s fingerprints everywhere.

Fortunately, it’s always been pretty easy to get your hands on the original game in the four decades since its launch. Be it through re-released GBA or GameCube packages, Virtual Consoles, Nintendo Switch Online, special edition Game & Watches or Animal Crossing retro systems, we’ve never been too far away from a way to dive into The Legend of Zelda, and every format will be someone’s first.

And so, as we inflate our big ‘4’ and ‘0’ balloons, hang a banner, and let out a celebratory “HYYYYAAA”, we thought we’d throw the reminiscing to you lovely lot. The Legend of Zelda has been playable in so many different forms, but which was your first experience with it?

We’ve listed each and every platform variant in the poll below, from the Famicom Disk System all the way up to NSO. Let’s see where it started for everyone!

On which system was your first encounter with The Legend of Zelda? Share your first playthrough memories with us in the comments below.