Pokémon Pokopia has been available on the Switch 2 for over a week now, and if you’re still getting your head around the basics (or haven’t got the game just yet), this quick and easy tutorial about how to make a ‘real’ house for you or your Pokémon offers some handy advice.
We’re not referring to assembly kits here – we’re talking about your very own custom-made house from the floor to the roof.
So, what will it take to get the job done? As our senior video producer Alex Olney explains in the short and simple video above (note: there are some minor gameplay and environmental spoilers), all you’ll need is a door and some connected blocks to get the game to register an “empty house”.
The walls only need to be one block in height, and you’ll need some floor space, but you don’t even need a roof. And that’s it! Just remember, if you remove any blocks, you’ll need to add them back to ensure the build is classed as a home.
Image: Nintendo Life
After the building phase is complete, you can furnish the space to fulfil the living requirements (that’s three items of furniture for a Pokémon, or a Ditto Flag to make it your home), and you’re good to go!
If you want to learn more about Pokémon Pokopia and how it works, or are just finding the whole thing a tad overwhelming with everything on offer, be sure to check our extensive list of guides here on Nintendo Life. We’ve got tips, the game’s Pokédex, details about the habitats, and much more.
Have you built a house in Pokémon Pokopia yet? Let us know in the comments.
Blimey, it’s mid-March already, and Mother’s Day in the UK, no less. Shoutouts to all mothers and motherly types out there who also like to read Nintendo-related correspondence on a Sunday. We love and salute you all!
It’s time for 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.
Let’s sit back with a warm beverage and go through our dispatch box…
Nintendo Life Mailbox – March 2026
“Miyamoto draws closer” (***STAR LETTER***)
Dear Nintendo Life, As Shigeru Miyamoto draws closer to retirement, he’s been focusing on non-video game projects, like theme parks and movies. I can’t help but speculate that when people look back at this, it might be seen as a tragedy. Instead of using decades of experience to create his greatest interactive masterpiece, Miyamoto is spending his time on non-interactive projects. Imagine if Michelangelo spent the last years of his life folding napkins instead of working on his magnum opus. Very profitable napkins, but still—just napkins. Of course, Miyamoto has made mistakes; he is only human. But with mistakes comes the opportunity to learn from them. What games could Miyamoto be helping to create if he wasn’t working on non-game projects? Contemplator
I get the disappointment, but I don’t see it as an ‘Oh man, imagine what James Cameron might have done if he didn’t spend the last 20 years making Avatar movies!’ situation. Whatever the field, people at that level, at that stage of their career, can’t be cajoled into doing something that doesn’t interest them.
If Miyamoto wanted to get his hands dirty directing something, he could, but he’s been in this overseer role for ages now. Institutionally, his fingerprints are all over Nintendo’s output and will be long after he’s gone, and I’d argue that’s more important and ‘one more masterpiece’. – Ed.
“blast that ‘x'”
What do you think happened to the first-party published indies? The 3DS era gave us the Pushmo, BoxBoy, and Dillon series Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball, Pocket Card Jockey, HarmoKnight, NES Remix, and some Kirby minigames. The first half of the Switch era gave us Snipperclips, Flip Wars, Part Time UFO, The Stretchers (which I just discovered was made by the Little Nightmares people), Good Job, some Kirby (Fighters 2 and Super Clash), and another BoxBoy. After that, we basically just got another Kirby (Dream Buffet) and Nintendo World Championships.
I’m not counting: – live service games with numbers in the title – retro games like the FireRed and LeafGreen or the first Fire Emblem – AA games like Famicom Detective Club or Drag & Drive (blast that “x”) – games that should have been free: you know who you are
And I understand that Cadence of Hyrule was a bit of an isolated incident. Arguably, some of the pressure of “drop the price” could have been alleviated if there had been a first-party Snipperclips-type game for this launch window.
Do you think they just figure we’ve had enough time with Game Builder Garage by now to take care of ourselves? Did some key behind-the-scenes figure leave? Do they not want to price something in a way that will de-normalize $70 and $80 games? Is there a sense that HAL and GameFreak (who made many of those) have now “grown up” such that GameFreak is now making a AAA PS5 game? What’s your hard-hitting journalistic hunch? Thomystic
It’s just changing times and fortunes. 10 years ago, Nintendo needed to court indies to ensure a flow of good software on its platforms, especially games which showcased a console’s features. When Switch launched, they had to demonstrate how this hybrid system could be all things to all people, and Snipperclips, in particular, helped establish the easy co-op concept.
We all get it now, though. Indie World Showcases are still useful for maintaining dev relationships and highlighting the breadth of quality, but does Nintendo need to be publishing them like they did a decade back? I’m sure we’ll see them get behind more smaller, experimental things, but we’re at a stage where every week there’s more quality indie games launching than there is time to play them. – Ed.
Image: Gemma Smith / Nintendo Life
“dropdown”
Why is Senran Kagura Burst on 3DS always in the dropdown menu under games? It was out in 2013. Is there an in joke I missed, or is this page really popular with Nintendo Life readers? Alan
Ah, yes. We’ve joked about this on staff before, Alan. The games on that tab are ordered by popularity based on weekly page views, and for reasons unclear, SKB is an evergreen hit with fans across the internet.
In fact, I see from poking around in the backend (ahem) that it’s currently the 9th all-time most viewed game page on the entire site. Just above Smash Bros. Ultimate. Why? It’s a mystery, like the changing of the seasons and the tides of the sea. – Ed.
“frankly to the point of joyful tears”
Third Parties are bringing the party
As we stumble ever closer to the one year anniversary of the Nintendi Switch 2 launch, it’s become evident that Third Party support has been utterly vital to sustain excitement for this new console.
Nintendo’s first party efforts have been pretty solid, some neat titles, but nothing earth shattering. Donkey Kong Bananza is the only title of theirs in the last year that truly blew me away, frankly to the point of joyful tears at points
But since then, it’s been Third Party all the way baby. Most recently Square and Capcom have showcased what the Switch 2 is capable of with FF7 Remake and Resident Evil Requiem.The latter is genuinely jaw dropping at times, not lagging too far behind PS5 standard graphics.
And then coming down the track super soon there’s Indiana Jones, FF7 Rebirth, Pragmata and 007 First Light.
We’ve also had some ace Indies: Hades 2, Silksong, Blue Prince and Minishoot Adventures to name a few.
It’s odd isn’t it? Nintendo have struggled historically to garner Third Party support, but with Switch 2, for me at least, Third Party games have been the beating heart that’s kept things ticking along for the Nintendo Switch 2’s maiden year.
And long may it continue. If RE9 can come day and date alongside its PlayStation and Xbox releases for Switch 2, what else is possible? Maybe, we don’t need to worry how long the next big Mario and Zelda take to cook, because Capcom and Square are cooking up a storm already. YoshiTails
Agreed, you love to see it. After years of Switch ports — impressive and otherwise — arriving years down the line, it’s been a thrill with Requiem to be there day one with the rest of the world.
After leaning heavily on Switch 2 Editions since launch, you’d assume Nintendo has some big games in the chamber for the second half of the year. In the meantime, plenty to be getting on with while we wait for Rhythm Heaven. – Ed.
Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
Bonus Letters
“I’m going to say something totally crazy: I honestly believe Bubsy would be a more interesting Smash Bros fighter than Waluigi.” – HappySmurf
I’d rather have Q*bert, myself. – Ed.
“Inquiring Minds wants to know: which Nintendo characters do you lovely folks at Nintendo Life Towers (and in the comments) think would like the film K-Pop Demon Hunters, and which ones do you believe would hate it (on a scale of *One* to *Gold-Ten*)?” – Inquiring Minds
Bowser and Daisy are huge fans. Waluigi enjoys it, but I wouldn’t let him borrow your phone, lest he pollute your algorithm with unsavoury searches. Toad finds the whole thing massively overrated, but Strategy has a Bruno Mars-esque swing to it that even he cannot dislike. – Ed.
“The majority of those scripts were actually for Splatoon” – HalloweenPeachy
Yeah, I heard that 50% of scripts on the Hollywood blacklist were Splatoon-related. – Ed.
Image: Damien McFerran / Nintendo Life
That’s all for this month! Thanks to everyone who wrote in, whether you were featured above or not.
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’sContact pageand 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!
Howdy, hoopers! Welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl.
Before we check up for this week’s one-on-one, let’s remind ourselves what went down last time. It was an East vs West battle, as we matched up two covers from the GameCube’s Tales of Symphonia. Alas, it was not a close one. The European / North American design pulled in a whopping 85% of the vote, leaving Japan with the remaining 15%.
This week, to celebrate the arrival of MAR10 Day (and Bam’s historic NBA performance), we’re checking out Mario Hoops 3 on 3 — or Mario Slam Basketball, for those in Europe. This cracking little hooper launched on DS back in September 2006, meaning we’ve been waiting almost 20 years for a sequel now. Sigh.
There are just two covers to choose between this week, so let’s dribble down and meet them.
Oof, talk about covers that go hard. The North American design wastes no time showing us what this one is all about. We’ve got Mario dunking on DK, Luigi showing off some slick shell handles in the background, and… is that Peach with a bomb? All of that on a lush beach court. What’s not to like, eh?
The European and Japanese covers are a little more stripped back, by comparison, but there’s something eye-catching about their simplicity. A slightly different Mario dunking model still takes centre stage, though the NA court has been replaced by a block red background. Giant “M-A-R-I-O” letters adorn it, each containing a different Hoops character to flex the game’s roster.
Which region got the best Mario Hoops 3 on 3 box art? (21 votes)
North America67%
Europe / Japan33%
Thank you for voting! We’ll see you next week for another edition of Box Art Brawl!
Although rumours about a new expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt have been swirling about, don’t expect to hear anything from CD Projekt’s other game, Cyberpunk 2077.
In response to a fan asking about future DLC, the official Cyberpunk 2077 social media account has ruled out “additional DLCs or expansions”, mentioning how there are “no plans”. However, if “anything changes” in the future, the team would be sure to provide an update. Admittedly, it’s not first time it’s said it’s done with this particular game.
“We have no plans for additional DLCs or expansions. If anything changes, we will inform you all!”
So, to be clear, you’ll just have to make do with what’s already on offer in Night City in the foreseeable future. In saying this, CD Projekt already has more projects in the pipeline for the Cyberpunk universe, including a sequel, but it won’t be showing up any time soon.
This update about Cyberpunk’s future follows previous reports about a Cyberpunk expansion that was supposedly cancelled.
Cyberpunk 2077 finally got a Nintendo release last June, alongside the launch of the Switch 2. This Ultimate Edition comes with the base game and the Phantom Liberty expansion. In our review here on Nintendo Life, we called it a superb port of an incredible RPG.
Have you taken a trip to Night City yet? How would you feel if this is it for Cyberpunk 2077? Let us know in the comments.
Remember how the Japanese accessory maker HORI released racing wheels that were compatible with the Switch title Mario Kart 8 Deluxe? Well, a Mario Kart World ‘Deluxe’ model and ‘Mini’ model will be released later this month for the Switch 2.
According to online retailer listings, both of these wheels will go on sale on 23rd March 2026. The Deluxe model will be around $130 USD and the Mini model will set you back $80 USD (or your regional equivalent), with pre-orders now available.
While they might not look much different to the Switch versions, which are already compatible with the Switch 2, these slightly updated wheels now have a ‘C’ button for GameChat (previously the ‘assign’ button on the existing models). There are also Mario Kart World logos included on each wheel!
Here’s the description of the Deluxe and Mini, along with a look:
Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe for Switch 2
“Go big in racing with the HORI Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe for Nintendo Switch™ 2. The larger deluxe version of the Racing Wheel Pro is ideal for Mario Kart World, and compatible with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and other racing game titles. The ergonomic wheel design with textured rubber grips, pedals and paddles, and convenient onboard controls are built to create an immersive racing experience. Adjust the Dead Zone and 7 levels of sensitivity for smoother handling. Switch between 270- and 180-degree steering outputs. Assign functions to the programmable buttons with ease. Includes the C button for GameChat (*Internet, Nintendo Account and Nintendo Switch Online membership (sold separately) may be required for chat features). Compatible with Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch – OLED Model.”
Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Mini for Switch 2
Enjoy speeding through Mario Kart World with the HORI Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Mini for Nintendo Switch™ 2. It is also compatible with Mario Kart 8 and other racing games. The compact ergonomic wheel features, pedals, racing paddles, and convenient onboard controls for an immersive racing experience. Assign functions to the programmable buttons with ease, including the Item button – the Mario “M” mark – in the center of the wheel. Includes the C button for GameChat (*Internet, Nintendo Account and Nintendo Switch Online membership (sold separately) may be required for chat features). Compatible with Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch – OLED Model.
Of course, like the existing Hori wheels for Switch, these latest ones for the Switch 2 should also be compatible with other racing games on the Switch 2. And as noted in the description above, the wheels are compatible with the original Switch and OLED model.
What are your thoughts about these products returning for Mario Kart World? Do you already have the original wheels? Let us know in the comments.
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Hello everyone, and welcome to this newfangled concept called ‘the weekend’. It’s a strange one, but we’re here for it.
Before we dive into what we’re playing, let’s see what’s been going on this week, hm? First of all, Nintendo joined hundreds of other companies in North America in suing the government for its extensive use of tariffs. The lawsuit has since been paused, but only pending the results of another case from the Court of International Trade.
Finally, it’s been announced that Goro Abe, long-time WarioWare director at Nintendo, has left the company in favour of a role at the Osaka Electro-Communication University.
Gonçalo Lopes, Contributor
I got both Resident Evil Requiem and Planet of Lana II on their home stretch and both are current personal GOTY favourites. One week late Pokémon Pokopia finally showed up and I’m scared on how many hours disappeared on my first play… I might need to take this one on carefully. The rest of the weekend will be spend debating if I should get a new gaming desktop. Things are gonna get really bad out there thanks to this RAM crisis and I want to make sure that I get a future-proof, no compromises work/play environment at home. Game of the week is Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. While the main branch grind fest of the Monster Hunter series was perfectly fine for a college student life, at this particular point of my professional life I simply can’t take on such activities. Capcom kindly streamlined the whole thing into a more traditional JRPG series, so I consider the “Stories” spin-off much more manageable. Plus, we get new cool amiibo along with it. Add another excellent Capcom game on Switch 2.
Gavin Lane, Editor
Having finally finished up Star Trek: Voyager – Across The Unknown, I’m tempted to start another journey, but I must resist and crack on with something else. Top of the list is Terminator 2D: NO FATE, a hulking great Collector’s Edition of which was very kindly sent my way a couple weeks ago courtesy of Reef, a good excuse to finally catch up with it. Elsewhere, the NS2 Edition of Hollow Knight is tempting me to push up my 86% completion stat, and I still need to get back to Skate Story. Love that soundtrack.
All of the above is liable to go by the wayside, however. Following the barnstorming success of Katamari Damacy with my kids, I took a cheeky look at the eShop to see if We Love Katamari was on sale. Turns out I already own it, possibly due to a previous sale. So that’s the weekend — and potentially the rest of 2026 — dusted. Have a good one, folks.
Kate Gray, Contributor
Pokopia.
I was not expecting this game to be so fascinating, game-design-wise. You can absolutely see where it’s borrowed ideas from other games — the blocks of Minecraft, through the filter of Dragon Quest Builders, of course; the social dynamics of Animal Crossing (and the SFX, too); the tone of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon… but it all comes together in a really clever, original way. That’s great game design! Good artists borrow, great artists steal, right? And they be stealin’. But in a really smart way. It makes me want to be more brazen about stealing ideas for my own game design — not in an evil way, but as a collaborative process. We’re all just trying to make great games for each other, and we can share that knowledge and creativity with each other to further the medium!
Also it’s just a really good dopamine machine. Hence why I haven’t slept a whole lot lately.
Ollie Reynolds, Staff Writer
I’m playing a lot of Pokémon Pokopia at the moment, and I’m absolutely loving it. I genuinely think you could make a strong case for this being the best Switch 2 exclusive right now – it’s just so polished and engaging.
This apparently didn’t offer up enough cosy vibes, however, so I’ve been playing Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar on the Switch 2. It’s so lovely! Like Pokopia, all of its core mechanics feel very polished and pleasantly streamlined, and it’s a joy to play.
Alex Olney, Video Producer
It’s hard to imagine being able to peel myself away from Pokopia this weekend, but if I do, I’ll almost certainly be having another pop at Blue Prince. Frankly, there are too many games these days, Nintendo. Please eliminate three.
Those are our plans for the coming weekend. Now it’s your turn to tell us yours, so make sure to get busy with our poll, and let us know all about your weekend gaming plans in the comments!
The final design of the C Button — Image: Nintendo
In the end, the ‘C’ button on Switch 2’s Joy-Con was revealed as a way of communicating and chatting with friends and family members.
Now, in a newly translated article via Nintendo Everything, Nintendo has apparently explained why it gave this function a “dedicated button”. It was to make communication as simple as possible, and a dedicated button meant only a “single action” was required to start a conversation.
As for the icon and the final name of this button, apart from being associated with words such as “chat”, “communication” and “conversation”, the ‘C’ was selected to harmonise with the “existing A and B button layout”. Nintendo has even shared a look at some of the other icons it considered before the ‘C’ button was selected:
Icon design proposals in place of the C Button — Image: Nintendo
To make use of the Game Chat feature on the Switch 2, you’ll need to have an active Switch Online subscription. In saying this, Nintendo is currently running a “GameChat Welcome Offer”, so until 31st March 2026, you can use GameChat features for free.
Have you made use of this button and feature on the Switch 2 yet? Let us know in the comments.
Making this particular IP one of the main titles for the Switch 2’s launch window was arguably a risk for Nintendo but it’s paid off, with the title shifting more than 4 million units worldwide and becoming the second best-selling Switch 2 title to date. It’s also received a bunch of awards since then.
Inevitably, it’s led to the questions about what’s next for DK. While producer Kenta Motokura can’t share “any specifics of future plans” for Donkey Kong right now, he mentioned during the same chat with Game Informer, how relieved he is, as “seeing people have fun once again with the character” (and the success of Bananza) has reminded him of the “potential” of DK, and proves fans will welcome back the king of the jungle with open arms whenever he returns.
Game Informer: It seems that reception for Donkey Kong Bananza has been largely positive from my perspective. How has the reception been for you, and does this indicate that we might not have to wait so long for another mainline Donkey Kong game?
Kenta Motokura: I guess maybe what stands out to me is the idea, first of all, that Donkey Kong, as a character – and this is true for Mario as well – really are a part of Nintendo. And so, for us, it’s almost like we’re borrowing them to create software with. For me, being able to see people have fun once again with the character of Donkey Kong helps me communicate the potential for that character. I have a sense of relief knowing that’s something that people can enjoy in the future as well. Unfortunately, I can’t talk about any specifics of future plans at this time. [laughs]
Although there are no signs of what’s next for DK, at the start of this year, Nintendo actually rolled out a surprise update for Donkey Kong Country Returns HD for the Switch, enhancing the experience on the Switch 2 and also adding Dixie Kong as a playable character.
Bananza also got a paid DLC expansion DK Island & Emerald Rush last year, which allows players to participate in regular in-game events.
What would you like to see next for DK and the rest of his pals? Have you played the Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza yet? Let us know in the comments.
Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler role-playing series, which originally started life as a Switch exclusive in 2018, has this week announced another massive sales milestone.
In a post on social media, the company confirmed the series has now shipped seven million copies worldwide. This combines the physical and digital sales. To celebrate this, the team has shared a special illustration by Maika Minami.
“The Octopath Traveler series hits 7 million copies shipped and digitally sold worldwide! Celebrating with a special illustration featuring a rainbow of the lucky number 7 by Maika Minami. Thank you, travelers.”
Image: Square Enix
The previous Octopath Traveler sales milestone of six million copies was announced on December 2024. So the series’ sales have been bolstered by the more recent December 2025 release Octopath Traveler 0 on the Switch, Switch 2 and multiple other platforms.
If you haven’t already played this latest entry, we called it a victory lap for the beloved series, awarding it nine out of ten stars. There’s even a demo where save data carries over to the full game.
Have you played Octopath Traveler 0 yet? What about the other entries? Let us know in the comments.
Although Nintendo’s focus is slowly shifting from the Switch, it’s still got some first-party titles planned for the original hybrid system. One of these games happens to be Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, and it’s out next month.
Ahead of this launch, we’ve now got an official ESRB rating. Unsurprisingly, it’s been rated ‘E’ for “Everyone” (the same as the 3DS release) and contains “comic mischief” and “mild fantasy violence”. Apart from this, there’s also a rating summary, which gives us a little more insight into what to expect from this new experience.
Apart from the ability to create and customise Mii, and construct shops and landmarks, you’ll also be able to participate in minigames and turn-based combat against. This particular mention of fighting slimes mixed with “fantasy” themes already has some fans convinced an RPG-style experience (drawing on Tomodachi Quest, Miitopia, or at least something similar) is returning. There’s some toilet humour in there, too.
“Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB with Comic Mischief and Mild Fantasy Violence. This is a simulation game in which players create, customize, and help Mii characters live and thrive on an island. Players can construct shops and landmarks, build relationships with other Miis, and complete various minigames. Minimal acts of cartoony violence are occasionally seen: fight clouds of character fighting; turn-based combat against a slime enemy. The game includes brief instances of bathroom humor: Miis emitting flatulence, accompanied by a cloud effect; a character near a toilet stating, “Ugh! I forgot to think before I sniff.”
So, now that we’ve got this rating it seems Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream really is on track for its 16th April 2026. If you want to find out more about what else is in this new entry, check out our guide here on Nintendo Life detailing new features such as Mii and island customisation as well as the Palette House.
Will you be getting this game when it arrives on the Switch next month? Let us know in the comments.
