The best Pokemon in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Season 3 Ranked Battles
Posted on 2 weeks ago by Ethan in Guides, Switch, Switch 2 | 0 comments
A while back, we wrote a guide on the best Pokemon to use in ranked battles online in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s second season. Garchomp, Xerneas, and Metagross were all centralizing threats, but now Pokemon has thrown a wrench into the metagame by allowing Zygarde in Season 3’s ranked battles. Theoretically, that means you’ll be seeing a whole lot of Zygarde in high-ranked matches. So if you want to win in Season 3 ranked, a Zygarde counter is an absolute necessity – and while all of Zygarde’s counters crumple in the face of its Complete Form, they can cause it a great deal of trouble before it transforms. There are spoilers afoot in the full guide, so keep that in mind before you continue. On that note, entering ranked battles in general will also spoil you on the same thing, so keep that in mind as well.
More: Game Freak, highlight, Pokemon Legends Z-A, top
Kirby Air Riders review for Nintendo Switch 2
Posted on 2 weeks ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments
System: Switch 2
Release date: November 20, 2025
Developer: Bandai Namco / Sora
Publisher: Nintendo
Kirby is a versatile little fellow – outside of his core 2D (and as of late, 3D) platforming adventures, Nintendo’s most rotund character has starred in a battle royale, puzzle games, fighters, and more. His big 2003 debut into the racing genre, Kirby Air Ride, now receives a sequel over twenty years later that feels more like an expanded remake at times, revisiting the original concept but expanding and improving upon it at seemingly every turn. It’s also wholly unlike most other racing games, and its diversity of game modes, breakneck pace and Super Smash Bros-esque flair make it feel more like a party game at times. While not all the pieces of Kirby Air Riders are equally compelling, and I’m not sure the game will have the staying power for me personally that I had hoped, I was certainly never bored while playing—and often, the adrenaline from the game’s more intense moments had me on the edge of my seat.
More: Bandai Namco, highlight, Kirby Air Riders, top
SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide review for Nintendo Switch 2
Posted on 2 weeks ago by Richard in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments
System: Switch 2
Release date: November 18, 2025
Developer: Purple Lamp
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Are ya ready kids? Everyone’s favorite absorbent and porous fry cook is back in a new 3D platforming adventure. With Battle for Bikini Bottom and The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Game both considered cult classics of the GameCube era of gaming, and this style of SpongeBob game making a return through developer Purple Lamp’s remake of Battle for Bikini Bottom: Rehydrated, and wholly original title The Cosmic Shake, I was very excited to see what was to come next. I thoroughly enjoyed the Rehydrated return to platforming for SpongeBob, but I was a little more mixed on The Cosmic Shake, which felt to me like it had too much back-tracking in its design and only having SpongeBob be playable felt like an odd decision at the time. However, it was a very ambitious game and a strong base to build off for the next entry and before you can stop on your right foot (don’t forget it!) and bring it around town, THQ Nordic has already cooked up a new original game with a supernatural twist. The story?
More: highlight, Purple Lamp, THQ Nordic, top
Every Pokemon generation gimmick ranked, from Z-Moves to Mega Evolution
Posted on 3 weeks ago by Ethan in 3DS, Features, Switch, Switch 2 | 0 comments
Since the release of Pokemon X and Y in 2013, new games in the series have had a battle “gimmick” of some sort to keep things fresh. It all started with Mega Evolution in X and Y, which was then expanded upon in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Then we got Z-Moves in Pokemon Sun and Moon, followed by Dynamax and Gigantamax in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Then we’ve got Terastallization in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and that’s where we’re at right now. We’re almost certain to see another new gimmick introduced in the tenth generation of Pokemon, which is getting closer and closer by the day given that Scarlet and Violet released three years ago already. So today, we’re taking a look at all of these battle gimmicks and ranking them from best to least best. None of the gimmicks are outright terrible – they’re all inspired and thematically appropriate for their regions, but some are certainly better than others.
[Let’s Talk] Kirby Air Riders impressions
Posted on 3 weeks ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk, Switch 2 | 0 comments
The rollout of notable Switch 2 games continues, and this week Nintendo brought out Kirby Air Riders. About two decades after the original on GameCube, a sequel to the racer has released. This is also the first title we’ve seen from director Masahiro Sakurai since Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in 2018.
If you’ve picked up Kirby Air Riders thus far (or played the recent demo), what are your initial thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.
Features we want to see in Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ 3.0 update
Posted on 3 weeks ago by Ethan in Features, Switch, Switch 2 | 0 comments
Animal Crossing games have a tendency to make a resurgence long after their original release date. We first saw this with Animal Crossing: New Leaf in 2013 – it was received incredibly well on launch, but nonetheless received a huge major update in 2016 that added amiibo support, the campground, and all sorts of new items. Now, the same is happening with Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which had supposedly received its final content update in late 2021. Yet in 2026, it’s receiving a new 3.0 update that adds even more new content. This no doubt means the next new Animal Crossing is a few years off, and that this update is meant to hold us over for a while longer.
Knowing Nintendo, it’s entirely possible that the new features shown for the 3.0 update are the only ones we’ll be getting. That being said, the trailer never specifically mentioned that the 3.0 update would be the final content update for the game – not that that matters, given that they’ve broken such a promise before – but at the risk of being too ambitious, we’re listing some additional features that we want to see in future updates to New Horizons.
Why all four Xenoblade Chronicles games need Nintendo Switch 2 Editions
Posted on 4 weeks ago by Ethan in Features, Switch 2 | 0 comments
If you’re at all familiar with JRPGs, then you’ve definitely at least heard of the Xenoblade Chronicles series. And if you’ve only heard of them and haven’t played them, you should definitely change that as soon as possible – or, potentially, wait just a little longer. Recently, Monolith Soft shared a recruitment video on Twitter, and fans noticed that the included footage of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 looked a little bit different than they were used to. Some pointed out different lighting and different textures, though in our opinion this isn’t doesn’t necessarily confirm a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the game – even if the textures and frame rate really are improved, it could just be a development build. Regardless, this got us thinking about simple changes that Switch 2 versions of all four Xenoblade Chronicles games could use.
[Let’s Talk] The Super Mario Galaxy Movie trailer reactions
Posted on 4 weeks ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk | 0 comments
This week, Nintendo hosted a special Direct to air the debut trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. A teaser was shown in September, but this was really our first proper look at the film.
Going into it, we did have some idea about what to expect. Since they’re based on the Super Mario Galaxy games, the foundation was there. However, it does look like Illumination has gone in a different direction as other titles are being referenced, including Super Mario Odyssey’s Sand Kingdom.
The other big news was our first look at Rosalina and Bowser Jr. They will be voiced by Brie Larson and Benny Safdie respectively.
So what are your initial thoughts on The Super Mario Bros. Movie? Let us know in the comments below.
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The best Pokemon in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Season 2 Ranked Battles
Posted on 4 weeks ago by Ethan in Features, Switch, Switch 2 | 0 comments
A while back, we wrote a guide on the worst Pokemon to use in online ranked battles in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. As helpful as that knowledge is, it doesn’t actually help you score wins against other trainers, so this time we’re talking about the strongest Pokemon you can possibly use in competitive battles. This also assumes they’re fully EV and IV trained, which thankfully is fairly simple to do in this game.
More: Game Freak, highlight, Pokemon Legends Z-A, top
Indika review for Nintendo Switch
Posted on 1 month ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: November 17, 2025
Developer: Odd Meter
Publisher: 11 Bit Studios
Indika on Nintendo Switch is an interesting title. It’s one of those rare games that I can only say feels like the moment you go to open the door of a cleaning closet, not sure what you’ll find – like it’s your first day on a new job. Developed by Odd Meter, this short, narrative-focused adventure blends dark humor, surrealism, and religious introspection into a package that constantly shifts between the sacred and the absurd. On Nintendo Switch, that experience becomes rather intimate, and sometimes uncomfortably so, as you guide a young nun through a world that is half bleak fairy tale and half spiritual fever dream.
