[Let’s Talk] Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics impressions
Posted on 1 month ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk, Switch, Switch 2 | 0 comments
There was a big addition to Nintendo Switch Online this week, which was the Virtual Boy. Many years after the hardware’s original release – arguably the biggest failure in Nintendo’s history – it’s back and you can play select games right now – sort of.
With most classic systems – be it the NES or GameCube – you can play as soon as you download the relevant app. With the Virtual Boy, however, Nintendo has been promoting the purchase of an accessory – either a dedicated option that replicates the original system or a cardboard alternative. This is because the hardware was originally made for stereoscopic 3D.
Have you experienced Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics yet, or do you not have any interest? If you’ve played the games, what are your impressions? Let us know in the comments.
Physical vs. digital games on Nintendo Switch 2 – advantages and disadvantages
Posted on 1 month ago by Ethan Gnau in Features, Switch, Switch 2 | 0 comments
It’s 2026, and with each passing year, physical media is phased out just a little bit more – which is why it’s so important that we try to preserve it! Of all three major video game companies, Nintendo has generally made the best effort to preserve its own physical media – with just one exception. Indeed, despite rising manufacturing costs, most of Nintendo’s first and second party offerings are available physically on Switch 2 with no strings attached. And even though that should be kind of a baseline expectation at this point, it’s refreshing to see at least some companies trying to sell physical media. So today, we’re talking about the advantages and disadvantages of physical and digital media, and of course going over the dreaded Game-Key Cards while we’re at it.
Mario Tennis Fever review for Nintendo Switch 2
Posted on 1 month ago by Ethan Gnau in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments
System: Switch 2
Release date: February 12, 2026
Developer: Camelot
Publisher: Nintendo
In many ways other than the obvious, Switch 2 has marked a new era of sorts for Nintendo. The Switch generation, while no doubt one of the company’s greatest, had its fair share of flaws – and one of those flaws was its lackluster sports games. Time and time again, we saw Nintendo-published sports outings launch with minimal content, receive free updates for a few months, and then fizzle out and fade from conversation. This issue reached a boiling point with Mario Strikers: Battle League, which had solid core gameplay, but next to no content to speak of. Mario sports have been pretty quiet since then, but now we’ve got another new entry in the Mario Tennis series with Mario Tennis Fever on Nintendo Switch 2. This title promises all sorts of chaotic tennis action, and it most certainly delivers on that promise. But how does it hold up in other areas?
More: Camelot, highlight, Mario Tennis Fever, top
Nintendo needs to bring back this budget-friendly franchise
Posted on 1 month ago by Ethan Gnau in 3DS eShop, Features, General Nintendo | 0 comments
In many ways, the Switch era marked a new beginning for several of Nintendo’s publishing partners. Nowadays, Intelligent Systems pretty much does three things: Fire Emblem, Paper Mario, WarioWare, and little else. And it makes sense – these are all big sellers. It’s actually been ten years since Intelligent Systems has worked on any other IP, which also means it’s been ten years since we’ve received a new Pushmo game.
When you talk about dormant Nintendo franchises, you usually bring up something like Wario Land, Kid Icarus, Punch-Out, or Star Fox. Pushmo doesn’t often enter the conversation, and perhaps this is because it received many titles over the course of the Nintendo 3DS’ life. The franchise has unfortunately been completely silent on Nintendo Switch, and there aren’t any signs that it will ever come back.
All of Pokemon’s DLC ranked, from best to worst
Posted on 1 month ago by Ethan Gnau in Features, Switch, Switch 2 | 0 comments
Believe it or not, things used to be much worse from Pokemon fans. You’d buy a copy of Pokemon Diamond or Pearl, only for Platinum to come out at full price later on. Not only did you have to spend $40 all over again, but you had to play the entire game over again. That warrants the incredibly tedious process of trading over all your Pokemon, one-by-one. And while many of the third version titles are the definitive versions of their respective regions – Emerald, Platinum, and Black 2 and White 2 – it never feels good having to restart your adventure from scratch. Thankfully, it seems this trend is just about over and done with. Since 2019, Pokemon has opted to develop and release DLC for its main series titles instead. With this system, you can continue your adventure in a new sub-region without having to start over. And today, we’re ranking every single Pokemon DLC to see which one comes out on top.
[Let’s Talk] Your favorite Nintendo Switch 2 / Switch announcement this week
Posted on 1 month ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk, Switch, Switch 2 | 0 comments
Last week’s Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase delivered a bunch of news for Switch 2 and Switch, but only a few days later, we’ve gotten another round of announcements. That’s because Sony hosted a new PlayStation State of Play. During and after the show, third-parties released trailers confirming that a number of these new games are bound for Nintendo platforms.
There were quite a few heavy hitters announced for the first time, focusing on returning franchises. The lineup includes Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition (which you can play right now), Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2, Legacy of Kain: Ascendance and Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered, and Brigandine Abyss.
Out of the revealed titles, which one is your favorite? Which games do you have your eyes on? Let us know in the comments below.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership has one of Mario’s best villains, and here’s why
Posted on 1 month ago by Ethan Gnau in Features, Switch | 0 comments
I’ve talked a lot about Mario & Luigi: Brothership here, and today, we’re continuing that trend with a write-up on one of its best characters. By now, we all know the game suffers from a dire flaw in the form of its horrendously slow pacing, and for me personally, that’s going to prevent me from going back to the game in the future. That’s on top of the fact that its technical performance is severely lacking on the original Nintendo Switch, which becomes especially prevalent during the endgame.
From the way I talk about Brothership, you probably get the impression that I don’t like it very much. So then, why am I still talking about it over a year later? For all of its flaws, I feel like Brothership’s ideas and themes come together in a notably cohesive way at the end of the game – and it makes it extremely memorable, even though the rest of the story runs at a snail’s pace. Part of the reason Brothership’s ending remains so memorable is because of its new villain. Major spoilers within, so be warned!
More: Acquire, highlight, Mario & Luigi: Brothership, top
Animal Crossing: New Horizons still has a major flaw, even after the 3.0 update
Posted on 1 month ago by Ethan Gnau in Features, Switch, Switch 2 | 0 comments
Not too long ago, Nintendo released a fairly large new update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons – the first in almost four years. It adds all sorts of new features, from Splatoon and Zelda items to a brand-new resort hotel to classic games you can play within your town. It also makes some really helpful quality-of-life changes: you can access crafting materials from your storage no matter where on your island you are, and you can craft multiple items all at once. Between these changes and the ability to access your storage anywhere via the storage sheds, it’s so much easier to fully decorate your island now than it was when the game first launched almost six years ago. That being said, Animal Crossing: New Horizons still has one major flaw that may well never be fixed – tool durability.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties review for Nintendo Switch 2
Posted on 1 month ago by Richard Ford in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments
System: Switch 2
Release date: February 12, 2026
Developer: RGG Studio
Publisher: SEGA
With Nintendo now a certified home for the Yakuza/Like A Dragon franchise following the releases of Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut, Kiwami and Kiwami 2, Switch 2 players get to experience a new adventure in the series day-and-date with other console users for the first time. This is thanks to RGG’s latest remake title Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, a shiny new version of the early PS3 title Yakuza 3 with a brand new campaign added onto the package. Seen as a bit of a black sheep in the franchise for taking a less action-focused story in favor of a slower, more character driven plot, for me personally it is my favorite entry. The reaction to the announcement of this remake was mixed to say the least, but I was super excited to play a cleaner, more polished version of a game I was already fond of. There’s quite a lot to unpack here, so let’s start with the plot.
More: highlight, SEGA, top, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined developer interview: Square Enix on the RPG classic’s return
Posted on 1 month ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Interviews, Switch, Switch 2 | 0 comments
After it originally released on PlayStation, Dragon Quest 7 came to Nintendo 3DS about a decade ago with a remake. Square Enix has now decided to revisit it once more with a second remake, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined for Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch, which features its own visual style and makes various gameplay adjustments.
Alongside the launch of Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, we caught up with producer Takeshi Ichikawa to learn a bit more about the project. Aside from talking about the game itself, Ichikawa spoke about why it’s the right time to bring back the RPG again.
You can find our full discussion below.
