During the marketing campaign that led up to its release, Free Roam was Mario Kart World’s big selling point. At the time, we didn’t know how many secrets it would hold – in fact, we didn’t know much about it at all other than the presence of numerous P-Switch missions. In the end, it turns out Mario Kart World’s Free Roam mode only has P-Switches, ? Block Panels, and Peach Medallions that offer exclusive stickers as rewards. Though I personally am a fan of Free Roam’s relaxed, slow-paced nature, it’s clear that it isn’t exactly what every Mario Kart fan was looking for. Uncovering the open world’s many hundreds of collectibles is fun and satisfying, but there are a number of improvements Nintendo could have made to make Free Roam feel more substantial.

More: highlight, Mario Kart World, top

Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut review for Nintendo Switch 2

Posted on 1 month ago by Richard in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments

System: Switch 2
Release date: June 5, 2025
Developer: RGG Studio
Publisher: SEGA

In the very recent past, it looked like there was no future for Yakuza/Like A Dragon games on Nintendo hardware. After the poor sales of the Japan-exclusive Yakuza 1&2 HD Edition collection on Wii U, then RGG Studio head and series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi decreed that the series had no market with Nintendo fans and weren’t going to release their games on those systems. This remained the case for a long time, until a massive staff reconstruction in 2021, when Nagoshi and other notable developers left the team. New studio leader Masayoshi Yokoyama decided to test Nintendo Switch waters October last year with a release of the Yakuza 1 remake title, Yakuza Kiwami. To RGG Studio’s and SEGA’s surprise, the game sold tremendously well and less than a year later one of the most acclaimed titles in the series has a new edition for Nintendo Switch 2’s launch: Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut.

More: highlight, SEGA, top, Yakuza 0 Director's Cut

Donkey Kong Bananza Direct live stream

Posted on 1 month ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Switch 2, Videos | 0 comments

The next game-specific Nintendo Direct is almost here with the Donkey Kong Bananza presentation happening soon, and we’re sharing the official live stream. You’ll be able to tune in at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET / 2 PM in the UK / 3 PM in Europe.

If you have any sort of interest in the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 title, you may want to watch the event. Nintendo will be sharing more information during the 15-minute live stream.

More: Donkey Kong Bananza, highlight, Nintendo Direct, top

[Let’s Talk] Which Nintendo Switch games have you tried on Switch 2?

Posted on 1 month ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk | 0 comments

Nintendo Switch 2 launched last week with a bunch of games, but one of the system’s big selling points is its backwards compatibility. Almost every game released on the previous console is supported. Nintendo has even come out with a few free updates that offer bonuses like improved frame rate, enhanced resolution, and more. We’ve also seen Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom with new editions. But that’s not all, as many Nintendo Switch 1 titles automatically run better on Switch 2 – at least ones that had uncapped frame rates and dynamic resolution.

So while you’ve probably been playing a lot of Mario Kart World, have you tried out any specific Nintendo Switch games on Switch 2? Which titles have impressed you? Let us know in the comments.

More: highlight, top

Here’s what we could see in Kirby Air Riders

Posted on 1 month ago by Ethan in Features, Switch 2 | 0 comments

2025 is a great year for racing games! Everybody’s talking about Mario Kart World right now, but the new Kirby Air Riders is also coming out sometime in 2025. It’s directed by Masahiro Sakurai, and it’s actually the first Kirby game he’s directed since the original Kirby Air Ride on GameCube over 20 years ago. Though Kirby Air Ride was met with mixed reviews on launch, it’s since become something of a cult classic. It’s beloved for its addictive City Trial mode, and the crazy part is that the entire game was developed in three and a half months. According to Sakurai, Kirby Air Riders has been in active development since April 2022, which means it’s had over three years to cook. In other words, Kirby Air Riders might be a bigger game than we realize – which makes sense, given it’s had over ten times the development time of the original game!

More: highlight, Kirby Air Ride, Kirby Air Riders, top

Fast Fusion review for Nintendo Switch 2

Posted on 2 months ago by Richard in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments

System: Switch 2
Release date: June 5, 2025
Developer: Shin’en
Publisher: Shin’en

I love anti-gravity racers. My very first one was F-Zero GX, one of the two games I picked up with my GameCube in 2003, when I was six. I was addicted. I put dozens upon dozens of hours into the game, with its difficulty level only encouraging me to play more. My dad saw how much I loved it, and he owned a PlayStation 2 at the time. As a gift, he gifted me WipeOut Fusion the following year. A similar style of game, and another one I fell in love with, albeit not to the same extent. Still, as the years went by, F-Zero and WipeOut became series with infrequent releases at best. An itch formed within me for a new futuristic space racer, and unbeknownst to me, there was another one making the rounds from Shin’en.

More: Fast Fusion, highlight, Shin'en, top

[Let’s Talk] First Nintendo Switch 2 impressions

Posted on 2 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk, Switch 2 | 0 comments

The launch of a new gaming system is always an exciting time. These days, it’s even more exciting in the world of Nintendo. In the past we’d see a new Nintendo device every few years – it’d be split between the release of handheld and home console. But because those two things are now combined, the wait for Nintendo hardware is longer than ever before. Now after more than eight years, Nintendo Switch 2 is finally here.

Nintendo was clearly looking to build on what worked so well the last time around. That means we again have a system that can be played either on the TV or on the go. Still, the added power is certainly welcome, and there are some new features such as mouse support and GameChat functionality.

If you picked up a Nintendo Switch 2 this week, how are you feeling about it so far? What are your first impressions? Which games have you played? Let us know in the comments.

More: highlight, top

Mario Kart World review for Nintendo Switch 2

Posted on 2 months ago by Ethan in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments

System: Switch 2
Release date: June 5, 2025
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo

Nintendo Switch 2 is finally here, and with it comes the first new main series Mario Kart game since Mario Kart 8 on Wii U way back in 2014. Mario Kart World promises to be the next evolution of the franchise, boasting a huge world for players to explore. For the most part, this feels like more of a novelty than a huge step forward – but it’s an added bonus in a game packed with content and attention to detail. Mario Kart World is truly a remarkable masterwork of graphics, music, details, and gameplay – and it’s one you should absolutely try out if you’re planning on getting a Nintendo Switch 2 (and are either okay with the price tag or are purchasing the bundle).

More: highlight, Mario Kart World, top

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma review for Nintendo Switch – also coming to Switch 2

Posted on 2 months ago by Elias in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments

System: Switch (reviewed) / Switch 2
Release date: June 5, 2025
Developer: Marvelous
Publisher: Marvelous

In the far eastern region lies the misty country of Azuma – a once-prosperous land now choked by elemental blight and fractured runic energy. After a cataclysmic impact disrupted the flow of life itself, Azuma’s crumbling terrain and brittle fields whisper of a world in quiet ruin. And as is tradition in the Rune Factory series, an amnesiac hero shows up right on cue. But this time, their role is more than just farmhand-turned-savior – they’re the Earth Dancer, a chosen conduit of divine power, tasked with uncovering the truth behind the dying gods of the land.

More: highlight, marvelous, Rune Factory: Project Dragon, top

[Let’s Talk] What are you playing? – June 2025

Posted on 2 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk | 0 comments

A new month started up today (or in a few hours if you’re in the US). Now that we’re in June, we want to know what you’ve been playing.

Have you gotten on the Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time bandwagon? Are you going through other games like Capcom Fighting Collection 2 or biding your time until Nintendo Switch 2 launches? No matter the case, let us know in the comments below.