Fast Fusion 1.3 “Pure” update announced, patch notes
Posted on 4 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch 2 | 0 comments
Fast Fusion’s “Pure” update, which was previously teased, has now been officially announced. Players can access version 1.3 starting on June 26, 2025.
The update is highlighted by three new tracks: Apline Trust, Sunahara Plains, and Zenshoh Habitat. While they’re based on courses from Fast RMX, they have new graphics and changed layouts. There’s also the new “Pure” rendering mode that doesn’t use upscaling plus more.
Here’s the full rundown:
More: Fast Fusion, Shin'en, title update, top
Street Fighter 6 review for Nintendo Switch 2
Posted on 4 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments
System: Switch 2
Release date: June 5, 2025
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
When Nintendo revealed Switch 2 earlier this year, of all the games announced to be releasing alongside the system on launch day, it was Street Fighter 6 that had me the most excited. The original Nintendo Switch missed out on some major releases in the fighting game genre; outside of Smash Bros. Ultimate and some iffy Mortal Kombat ports, the pickings were slim for those seeking a flashy modern, 3D fighting game (although we did get what felt like roughly a thousand retro fighting game collections.) These titles have always felt like such a natural fit for handheld play to me, so when Street Fighter 6 released to near universal critical acclaim on other platforms a few years ago, I was eager to someday play it on a console where I could hone my skills at home or on the go. Fortunately, while Street Fighter 6 had to make a few compromises to make it onto Nintendo Switch 2, for the most part this is an excellent way to enjoy Capcom’s premier current-gen fighting game.
More: Capcom, highlight, Street Fighter 6, top
Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai says large-scale game development is “unsustainable”, thinks generative AI can help
Posted on 4 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 0 comments
Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai has weighed in on the current state of large-scale game development and the possibility of improving the situation with generative AI.
ITmedia was able to speak with Sakurai about various topics during an interview, and towards the end of the discussion, he was asked about his thoughts concerning the future of the games market. The outlet mentioned how development is only increasing in scale while the indie market is also growing.
More: interview, Masahiro Sakurai, top
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment story and character predictions
Posted on 4 months ago by Ethan in Features, Switch 2 | 0 comments
The big Nintendo Switch 2 presentation in April announced a ton of new games: Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, Kirby Air Riders, plus new trailers for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Lost in all the hype was Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, which just about flew under the radar in comparison to the Direct’s big reveals. In a similar vein as Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Age of Imprisonment is meant to serve as a direct prequel to Tears of the Kingdom. We don’t really know much about the game otherwise, but we figure it’s a good time to make some story and gameplay predictions before it releases later this year. We’ll be discussing spoilers for Tears of the Kingdom and Age of Calamity, so keep that in mind before you continue.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds reveals SpongeBob DLC, confirms TMNT and Avatar
Posted on 4 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch, Switch 2 | 0 comments
Following a previous leak, SEGA just announced that SpongeBob SquarePants is coming to Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds along with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Avatar. News about the game just dropped at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.
A first look at SpongeBob, along with his buddy Patrick, was shown in a trailer today. The DLC will also feature a Bikini Bottom stage to race on.
More: SEGA, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, top
Nintendo Switch 2 hardware review
Posted on 4 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch 2 | 0 comments
When the original Nintendo Switch launched in 2017, it shook up the very notion of what a gaming console could be, offering unprecedented versatility by allowing players to experience true console-quality gaming both at-home and on the go. Eight years later, the experiment has proven a success. Switch is one of the best-selling gaming systems of all time, boasting a staggering library of both first and third-party games, so it makes sense that Nintendo would choose to iterate on the platform rather than reinvent the wheel for its next console. Enter the Nintendo Switch 2, which finally landed in the hands of players nearly eight years after the launch of its predecessor, boasting more power, a bigger screen, and a few quirky new features.
Mario Kart World dev comments on why non-Mario characters aren’t included
Posted on 4 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 0 comments
Mario Kart World has a ton of playable characters, but they’re all strictly from the Mario universe and not from any other Nintendo franchises. If you were hoping to see the likes of Link from The Legend of Zelda or Isabelle from Animal Crossing returning from Mario Kart 8, you might be left disappointed. But according to producer Kosuke Yabuki, that was never in the cards to begin with.
Ouest-France recently spoke Yabuki and this was one of the topics that came up. He indicated that other Nintendo characters wouldn’t be the right fit and there was already plenty of possibilities with Mario alone.
More: interview, Kosuke Yabuki, Mario Kart World, top
Gex Trilogy review for Nintendo Switch
Posted on 4 months ago by Richard in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: June 15, 2025
Developer: Limited Run Games / Crystal Dynamics
Publisher: Limited Run Games
The Gex series is one that has been out of the limelight for a long time. While seen as unique and unconventional in his pomp, Gex has faded into obscurity. The gecko is best known these days as a bit of an internet meme, seen more in the ilk of Bubsy than of Sonic or Crash Bandicoot. Even still, the character had several big-time game releases and was the poster boy for Crystal Dynamics for quite a while, and that team has gone on to make some truly brilliant titles. Over time, the franchise has become increasingly less accessible, and so people who may want to try out Gex’s titles to see if maybe time has treated him too harshly. Thankfully, Limited Run Games has seen that cult desire for the wise-cracking TV addict to make a comeback, and have obliged with a trilogy collection of three adventures with the very first entry plus Gex: Enter the Gecko and Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko. In the past, I had only played Gex 2, and I was very young at the time, so when this collection was announced, I was very excited to play it again, as well as what came before and after. How do they hold up nearly three decades later?
More: Gex Trilogy, highlight, Limited Run Games, top
Donkey Kong Bananza amiibo support confirmed, new figure with Pauline [update: Amazon pre-orders]
Posted on 4 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch 2 | 0 comments
June 18: We’ve just received word that Donkey Kong Bananza is getting amiibo support, and as part of that, a new figure with Pauline is on the way.
By using the Donkey Kong & Pauline amiibo, you’ll unlock Pauline’s Diva Dress. Discs will be twice as likely to appear when defeating an enemy if you’re using it.
More: Amiibo, Donkey Kong Bananza, top
Here’s how Mario Kart World could improve Free Roam mode
Posted on 4 months ago by Ethan in Features, Switch 2 | 0 comments
Today, we’re going over some improvements Nintendo could implement to further improve Mario Kart World’s Free Roam mode.
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.
