A hot potato: Upscaling has become a topic of contention since Nvidia and AMD introduced DLSS and FSR, with some users viewing the functionality as a crutch for unoptimized games. After unveiling new GPUs that rely heavily on image reconstruction and frame generation for their claimed performance gains, Nvidia revealed a data point suggesting that almost all RTX GPU users activate DLSS, meaning to indicate that upscaling has become the norm. Nvidia held a lengthy presentation at CES 2025 outlining the past and future of its DLSS neural rendering technology. One slide included a data point claiming that over 80 percent of users with RTX 20, 30, and 40 series graphics cards use DLSS on games, vindicating the company's extensive use of AI in video game rendering.While the slide does not specify how Nvidia collected the data, if accurate, it suggests that gamers have overwhelmingly embraced machine learning-based upscaling. The presentation also highlighted that over 500 games and 15 of 2024's top 20 titles support DLSS. However, it did not clarify whether most RTX 40 series owners specifically use frame generation, which is part of the DLSS suite but is a separate step than upscaling.Upscaling technologies like DLSS, FSR, and XeSS render games below a display's native resolution and use advanced techniques to reconstruct the missing pixels, significantly boosting performance. Analyses from TechSpot and other outlets demonstrate that the increased frame rates often far outweigh the minor reductions in image quality. Nvidia's newly revealed DLSS 4 aims to minimize these visual flaws even further by using GenAI transformer models.However, as games like Remnant II, Alan Wake II, and Monster Hunter Wilds now list upscaling as part of their system requirements, debate persists over whether the visual trade-offs are justified.Additionally, Nvidia is promoting frame generation, which interpolates AI-generated frames between traditionally rendered ones without reducing latency, as a key feature of its RTX 50 series cards.Nvidia's CES presentation also outlined future plans for neural rendering, which will integrate AI-assisted techniques into internal rendering pipelines instead of just resampling the final rendered frame. In the coming years, DLSS could enable games to process more detailed materials, hair, facial expressions, and other assets with minimal performance costs.Nvidia has previously argued that as performance gains from conventional rendering and semiconductor die shrinks slow down, enhancing visual detail and frame rates will increasingly depend on technologies like neural rendering and frame generation. These currently address the substantial computational demands of 4K resolution and ray tracing. // Related StoriesMoreover, AMD's and Intel's efforts to play catch-up with Nvidia instead of providing alternative solutions further validate the growing importance of AI rendering. Team Red unveiled FSR 4 upscaling at CES, too, which mimics Nvidia's machine learning approach and achieves noticeably better results than FSR 3.Similarly, late last year, Intel introduced new GPUs that support frame generation using XeSS 2. The shift toward AI-assisted graphics will potentially require new approaches to technical analysis and benchmarking.

SpaceX nailed the landing of its first-stage Super Heavy booster during the seventh test of its mighty Starship rocket on Thursday, but the upper-stage Starship spacecraft suffered what SpaceX likes to call a rapid unscheduled disassembly (in regular-speak, it blew up) soon after stage-separation.A short while later, clips started appearing on social media apparently showing bits of the uncrewed Starship falling back to Earth near the Turks and Caicos Islands about 1,600 miles (2,600 km) east of the rockets launch site near Boca Chica, Texas. SpaceX chief Elon Musk reposted one of them, saying: Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed! However, it was later reported that the FAA had to divert a number of flights in the area to ensure aircraft were kept away from the descending debris. Its also currently unknown if any of the debris reached land or if all of it landed in the sea.Recommended VideosSuccess is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed! pic.twitter.com/nn3PiP8XwG Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2025Please enable Javascript to view this contentAnother video showed events from a different angle:Starship Flight 7 breaking up and re-entering over Turks and Caicos pic.twitter.com/iuQ0YAy17O Alex D. (@adavenport354) January 16, 2025Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn, the spaceflight company said in a post on X. Teams will continue to review data from todays flight test to better understand root cause.It added: With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and todays flight will help us improve Starships reliability.During the live-stream commentary on SpaceXs X account, Dan Huot said that the Starship spacecraft successfully separated, adding: We did see that hot staging maneuver and we did see all six of Ships engines on the way uphill during its ascent, but as we were getting to the end of that ascent and burn we saw engines dropping out on telemetry, and we have since lost contact with the Ship. At this point, we are assuming that the ship has been lost.Meanwhile, SpaceX managed to bring home the first-stage for a second time, achieving a spectacular landing back at the launch tower using giant mechanical arms to secure the booster above the ground. The breathtaking maneuverallows SpaceX to reuse the rocket multiple times, thereby reducing launch costs. Once fully tested, NASA and SpaceX will use the Starship for crew and cargo flights to the moon, Mars, and beyond.Editors Recommendations

Elon Musks space company was conducting the seventh flight of its Starship rocket. The explosion temporarily disrupted air travel.

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The Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii has been recording atmospheric carbon dioxide levels since 1958FRED ESPENAK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARYThe level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere measured by a weather station at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii increased by 3.58 parts per million in 2024 the biggest jump since records began there in 1958.Were still going in the wrong direction, says climate scientist Richard Betts at the Met Office, the UKs weather service. AdvertisementThe record increase is partly due to CO2 emissions from fossil fuel burning and other human actions, such as cutting down forests, hitting a record high in 2024. Adding to this were a large number of wildfires, fuelled by record-smashing global temperatures boosted by the El Nio weather pattern on top of the long-term warming.Betts is forecasting that atmospheric CO2 levels as measured at Mauna Loa will this year rise by 2.26 parts per million (ppm), with a margin of error of 0.56 ppm either way. Thats a lot less than the 2024 record, but it will take us above the last possible pathway for limiting the increase in global surface temperatures to 1.5C above preindustrial levels.You could regard it as another nail in the coffin of 1.5C, says Betts. Thats now vanishingly unlikely. Unmissable news about our planet delivered straight to your inbox every month.Sign up to newsletterThe level of CO2 in the atmosphere is the most important measure when it comes to climate change, because rising atmospheric CO2 is the main factor driving both short and long-term warming. The first ongoing measurements of CO2 levels were made at Mauna Loa.Because this station has the longest time record and is also located far away from the main anthropogenic and natural emissions and sinks of CO2, it is often used to represent global change in CO2 concentrations, says Richard Engelen at the EUs Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service.With observations from satellites, however, it is now possible to directly measure the average global level of atmospheric CO2. According to CAMS, it rose by 2.9 ppm in 2024. That isnt a record, but it is one of the biggest increases since satellite observations began.The reason for this larger increase needs further investigation, but it will be a combination of rebounding of emissions in large parts of the world after the covid pandemic in combination with interannual variations in the natural carbon sink, says Engelen. The carbon sink refers to the oceans and ecosystems on land, which have been soaking up around half of the CO2 emissions caused by humans.It has long been predicted that, as the planet warms, less of this excess CO2 will be soaked up. Whether this is the start of that is the concerning thing, says Betts. We dont know.At Mauna Loa, the increase in CO2 is higher than the average global level due to the large number of wildfires in the northern hemisphere in 2024, says Betts. It takes time for plumes of CO2 from sources such as wildfires to mix evenly into the atmosphere around the world. The fire emissions in the northern hemisphere were particularly large last year, he says.Although it now looks certain that global warming will pass the 1.5C limit, Betts thinks it was still right to set that as a target. The Paris Agreement was carefully phrased to pursue effects to limit warming to 1.5. It was recognised at the outset that it would be challenging, he says. The idea was to have this stretch target to motivate action, and actually I think that was successful. It did galvanise action.Topics:climate change

SpaceX's Starship rocket exploded during a test Thursday.The Federal Aviation Administration issued a warning after the explosion, calling the area "dangerous."After the explosion, some flights near Turks and Caicos were diverted, per Flightradar24.Flights near the Turks and Caicos islands were spotted diverting to avoid debris after SpaceX's Starship exploded on Thursday.SpaceX was conducting its seventh test flight of its unmanned Starship mega-rocket from its Starbase launch site near Brownsville, Texas. The launch occurred around 5:30 p.m. ET.The Starship's Super Heavy Booster, which boosts the Starship spacecraft, successfully touched down back to the launchpad, marking another milestone in SpaceX's goal to create reusable boosters.However, the upper stage of the system, Starship, was lost in what the company called a "rapid unscheduled disassembly."Videos on social media appeared to show debris light up the sky near Turks and Caicos as it fell back to Earth.Dean Olson, who captured footage of the Starship debris while in the area, told Business Insider that he heard the sound of constant "thunder" for about a minute after witnessing the explosion.SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said in an X post on Thursday night that the rocket "had an oxygen/fuel leak in the cavity above the ship engine firewall."Musk wrote that the leak "was large enough to build pressure in excess of the vent capacity.""Apart from obviously double-checking for leaks, we will add fire suppression to that volume and probably increase vent area. Nothing so far suggests pushing next launch past next month," he added.The Federal Aviation Administration issued a warning after the explosion, calling the area "dangerous" and warning of "falling debris of rocket Starship.""The FAA briefly slowed and diverted aircraft around the area where space vehicle debris was falling," an FAA spokesperson said. "Normal operations have resumed."Flight data from Flightradar24 showed several aircraft near the Turks and Caicos Islands diverting from destination routes.One flight was an Airbus A320-232, operated by JetBlue, headed to San Juan, Puerto Rico, from Fort Lauderdale, according to the website. The flight was diverted back to Fort Lauderdale International.JetBlue and SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.SpaceX's Starship mega-rocket has exploded in two of its previous tests.In November 2023, the Super Heavy booster exploded as it returned to Earth while the Starship continued to climb toward space.

The Switch 2s Joy-Cons were definitely new (YouTube)The Friday letters page asks who is to blame for the PlayStation obsession with live service games, as readers discuss the new look for Donkey Kong.To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.ukShort but goodSo I think the Switch 2 reveal was good. I know some people were disappointed it was too short, and only showed one game, but there was never any chance it was going to show many games. We knew that going in and I think as an introduction to Switch 2 it worked fine. Everyone in my office watched it and they all seemed to be impressed and intrigued.None of them had any idea it was on the way but a few then realised how long it had been since the first one had come out and agreed it was about time for a new console.Im not sure that was the best Mario Kart 9 footage they couldve shown but it does seem to be open world to me, so thats interesting and definitely something I want to know more about. Especially as the games success is all built around being simple and accessible for casual players.Maybe the trailer couldve had a bit more pizzazz a voiceover wouldnt have hurt or some kind of memorable music but I think it did its job fine. Its not Nintendos fault there were leaks and if there hadnt have been I think it wouldve been unanimously accepted as a good thing.OnibeeScreen grabberBeen watching with fascination at the unfolding events for the Switch 2 reveal and the hype train surrounding it. Nintendo hasnt had this much hype since, err the original Switch!Seriously though, all this speculation has been free advertising and a masterclass in carrot-dangling and drip feeding. After all, what else has anyone been talking about for the last few months?Now weve seen the hardware, fingers crossed it can live up to that build-up. A question that still remains to me is, will it be an OLED screen?Thats a bit of a deal maker for me, as the quality of the one on the OLED Switch is incredible compared to the normal model.Going forward, Im really looking forward to the games reveals now and sincerely hoping for good support from the likes of Capcom, EA, and even Microsoft! If the machine can have the power of a portable PlayStation 4 then it should, with careful programming, be capable of great results and it would be great to see more impossible ports.ZiPPiGC: Every rumour seems to agree its an 8 inch LCD screen and that making it OLED wouldve made it too expensive (which you could infer means an OLED version will be along in two or three years).Minimum effortThat was a very bare bones Switch 2 reveal from Nintendo. It does make me wonder if it wasnt the original plan to say anything now but because of all the leaks they cut and pasted the opening two minutes from the proper April reveal.I like the look of the hardware though. A bigger, more powerful Switch with some extra functionality is good for me. As others have pointed out its not really the hardware where Nintendo needs to innovate most this gen but the software, with many of their IP needing a fresh take like with Zelda and Breath Of The Wild.Looking forward to the April Direct though, so much still to find out. But will be tuning out of the Switch 2 news until then.SimundoEmail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.ukIts never too late to changeI like the new Donkey Kong design. Im with those that never liked Rares take on him and the new Rare characters were even worse. 40 years is a long time to go without ever really having a proper Nintendo sequel but Im perfectly fine with the new 3D Super Mario being focused on him.I also like his look in the new Mario Kart, seems much more expressive than the current version which is basically always pulling the same face. I dont see how you add Diddy Kong and the others to the mix though, since they dont seem to have been redesigned. They werent in the movie either, but I dont think they were on screen much with him, so you dont really get the contrast.Higson Do you like his new look? (Nintendo)Taking sidesI always liked Shuihei Yoshida and cant help thinking that he mustve been pushed out of Sony, no matter what he says. He couldve been at Sony till he retired, and I bet they did see his job in charge of indies as a demotion, even if he still enjoyed it.It does make me wonder what happened with Jim Ryan though, did he jump or was he pushed? More importantly, was he for live service games or against them? If Shu was pushed, or even just encouraged to leave, and he was against live service games then maybe Ryan was as well? Maybe he was warning them against it and it was this new Hermen Hulst guy that was all for them.Its really impossible to tell because neither of them has really spoken about it properly in public, which is weird for something thats meant to be the whole future of the company.ArnieCommitment issuesI just wanted to thank to both yourselves and Ali K who responded to my queries regarding gaming on Netflix. Pretty sure you both covered my main questions regarding performance and using touchscreen controls (I can only shudder to guess how these must work on GTA: San Andreas!).I guess with the majority of games being fairly low budget indies, that they run well on a modest tablet, which is what I will be using. Thank you again for your heads-up about including Netflix games in the mobile round-up, this is one of the few sections I usually skip on your site, as I long since gave up playing games on my mobile.Do Netflix ever release in advance a list of games coming up for release? I had a brief search and couldnt really find anything conclusive, more just rumoured games. I am surprised they havent made more of a song and dance about their selection seeing as you mentioned there are some top titles available and even on the app the gaming section really isnt given huge prominence.DuckOfDeath82PS: Thanks for the tip of Into The Breach. Luckily, I picked this up a few years ago on the Switch (thanks to your review) and lost many, many an hour of my life!GC: They occasionally run news stories on their blog but we dont think theres a release schedule or anything like that. Its hard to gauge their commitment though as we noticed quite a bit of Netflix Gaming advertising over Christmas and yet only a few months before that they shut down one of their in-house developers.Superstar castingThinking of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, which had both Sean Bean and Patrick Stewart in it, I wonder what famous voices will be in The Elder Scrolls 6? Im guessing a lot of ex-Game Of Thrones people. Charles Dance was already in The Witcher 3, so I bet most of them would be up for it.Its kind of fun to have such famous people in games but I have to wonder how cost effective it is. Theyre rarely advertised as being in them, so does the enormous cost of paying them really get justified by more people buying the game because theyre in it?TaclePortable upgradeHow powerful does an Xbox handheld need to be? Can it just be as powerful as the Switch 2? Because if Nintendo can get away with pushing out PlayStation 4 tech, why cant Microsoft? Also, If you do enough digging you will see the plethora of options of handhelds and retro devices on the market, there are tons available to consumers. And I have owned every Xbox console.I have no interest in the Switch 2 or what Sony does. So even as an Xbox Series X owner, an Xbox handheld is still of interest to me, as I have bought into their ecosystem. But, like I said, its going to be competing against a lot of options. So, Im wondering how Microsoft will approach the handheld market because they are going to need something really special and unique to stand out. And right now, given their track record, that seems up for debate.I know of two families that own Xboxes but havent upgraded to Xbox Series X, as they dont see the point, as its enough for them to just be in the Xbox ecosystem and still playing Xbox 360 games on the Xbox one. Apply that on a larger scale and you can see how Microsoft struggled to sell Xbox Series X/S. So I think thats what the handheld needs to be.It needs to be that special bridge between generations that makes people upgrade or act as a stepping stone to the next gen. Its also got to compete with the Switch 2 and treat it as a competitor. And its also got to have unique titles for the Xbox handheld that only it can do. Oh, and Xbox Prime sounds fine if only that was the real name. But sadly, I fear Microsoft will pick something silly like Xbox Series X2+ or some other nonsense.stephenGC: Its the same for Sony. Half of all active PlayStation gamers are still using a PlayStation 4.Inbox also-ransFinally, the Nintendo Switch 2 is announced but now we have to wait till April for any more news? I thought it said February when I first saw the American trailer!RenfieldI am definitely all for an open world 24-player Mario Kart game. But could they have chosen a more boring track for the teaser? It looked like Kalimari Desert in Mario Kart 64 (great track, mind!).DoomsayerMore TrendingEmail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.ukThe small printNew Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Readers Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.You can also leave your comments below and dont forget to follow us on Twitter.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Adam Scott, Britt Lower, John Turturro, and Zach Cherry star in the Apple TV+ sci-fi show.

Kencana Valley Compound / K-Thengono Design StudioSave this picture! Indra WirasHospitality Architecture, Mixed Use ArchitectureKecamatan Megamendung, IndonesiaArchitects: K-Thengono Design StudioAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:880 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Indra Wiras Lead Architects: Kelvin Thengono More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!A Wooden Wedding Compound: Marrying Tradition with Modernity K-Thengono Design Studio was tasked with designing the Kencana Valley wedding compound, comprising a modest chapel, a family villa, a bridal villa, a service building, and a bridge. The chapel's design approach draws inspiration from the distinctive curved rooflines of Sundanese architecture, native to the Bogor region where the compound is located. Its organic-shaped roof, crafted from glulam arches and clad in meranti and sirap ulin wood, frames picturesque views of Mount Pangrango, creating an idyllic backdrop for wedding ceremonies.Save this picture!Reflecting the traditional architecture, the 3-bedroom family villa was elevated above the ground, adapting to the site's hilly terrain and preserving the land's natural features. The wooden beams, made of locally sourced aliwowos wood known for their strength, were strategically arranged using handcrafted joints in a grid pattern of 3.5-by-3.5 meters and left exposed as part of the interiors.Save this picture!Entering the villa, guests are welcomed by a glass-walled living area, offering expansive views of the surroundings. Meanwhile, woven rattan panels shield the bedroom and service area for privacy. Adorned with nyatoh wood panels for walls and floors, the villa's interiors also feature andesite accents and a pool lined with natural stone from Sukabumi. Custom-made carved teak cabinets, brass bathroom fittings, and other wooden details add a luxurious touch to the villa's natural aesthetic.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The bridal villa mirrors the family villa in design but on a smaller scale. Positioned to overlook the rice fields and the mountain, this single-story structure provides a private retreat for the bride and groom just steps from the chapel. Linking the compound to the main street is a bridge framed by bamboo arches that mirror the curved design of traditional Sundanese baskets, serving as a functional pathway and a scenic photo backdrop.Save this picture!This project allowed the studio to explore various wood types and construction techniques, highlighting a thoughtful integration of vernacular architecture and local materials with modern design practices.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Kecamatan Megamendung, IndonesiaLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officePublished on January 17, 2025Cite: "Kencana Valley Compound / K-Thengono Design Studio" 16 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025786/kencana-valley-compound-k-thengono-design-studio&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

ShareWe may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more Mike EpsteinYour home theatre is immaculateequipped with a giant screen, surround sound, and an HDMI cable hungry for console content. Youd spend every waking moment there if you could. But more than youd like, the outside world calls, whether its the morning commute or a walk to the dog park with your pet pooch. But youre smart; you planned ahead. You bought a Nintendo Switch OLED console (read our full review here) and can easily change it into handheld mode for fun anytime, anywhere. And now, with the Nintendo Switch 2 (and its backward compatibility) officially confirmed for a 2025 release, youre revisiting the age-old question: what to play? Sure, you could just continue whatever game you were playing at home, but there are some games that are just better in the bite-sized chunks and unfamiliar confines that the world at large brings. Each situation calls for the perfect game, and while the list of best Nintendo Switch games is long, you can easily find the title for you with a little help. So, if youre looking for road trip games or public transit timewasters, weve got you covered with the best Nintendo Switch on-the-go games you can buy right now.For a quick fight before the flight: Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade ClassicsFor a long layover: Fire Emblem: Three HousesFor the backseat for a few hours: HadesFor killing time in line with friends: Super Smash Bros. UltimateFor babysitting your friends kids: Stardew ValleyFor sitting on a bench in the park: Mario Golf: Super RushThe best Nintendo Switch games for portable playA great game is a great game no matter where you play it, but certain games tend to lend themselves to certain amounts of playtime. For example, an excellent RPG like Octopath Traveler or Dragon Quest XI Definitive Edition SCapcoms Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a love letter to fighting game fans who have been clamoring to play these long out-of-print titles. The collection includes Marvel Vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes, The Punisher, X-Men: Children of the Atom, Marvel Super Heroes, X-Men Vs. Streetfighter, and Marvel Super Heroes Vs. Street Fighter. There are two astounding features that set this collection apart from most retro compilations. First, getting the rights cleared for all of the Marvel characters, which is a lot more difficult now than it was in the pre-Marvel Extended Universe era. Each title is oozing with creativity and allows you to create dream faceoffs with dozens of characters in the Marvel and Capcom character rosters. I mean, how often would you see Mega-Man and Spider-Man face off against Wolverine and The Hulk?Second, and most importantly, the immense effort taken to present these games with as many options as possible to give players an authentic experience with modern amenities. If you want to enable scanlines to replicate the experience of playing on a CRT TV or arcade cabinet, theres a setting for that. If youd like to play the Japanese versions of these games, complete with changes to a games box art in the main menu, you can. If you want to play any track from a games soundtrack, theres a digital jukebox. A move list in the options menu makes the games more accessible for non-fighting game players like myself. You can even customize the action for each button if it makes the games more comfortable to play. What makes this collection so fun to play is that theres an enormous amount of depth, regardless of the size of each games roster. Putting in dozens of hours to memorize the move list of your favorite character will pay off immensely, especially if you plan to face off against players online. That said, you dont need to be a fighting game master to appreciate the creativity that went into the creation of each title.For a long layover: Fire Emblem: Three HousesThe latest in the high-quality strategic RPG series offers great satisfaction behind the sometimes-unforgiving difficulty.While the Fire Emblem strategy RPG series has an excellent pedigree, its not for the faint of heart. There are multiple storylines, and dozens of different units to add to your army, and the battles in this strategy RPG can be very unforgiving. You will losea lot. You will get frustrated. And then you will realize that you were making a mistake, you will fix that mistake, and you will win, and it will feel awesome. The game is portioned off into separate battles with story segments and army upkeep options in between, leading to easily chunked 30-45 minute game sessions.Nothing is more boring than a long layover in an airport, but Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a brain-testing, beautifully rendered way to knock out your stay in Terminal A. Both the challenging gameplay and the intricate story can be a bit of a double-edged sword. If losing frustrates you to the point of not wanting to play, the Fire Emblem series is not for you. The plot of Three Houses is very engaging if you like Game of Thrones-style conflicts between clans or nations, but there are a lot of characters to keep track of, and ultimately only a few of them are important to the central story. So if you dont like superfluous side stories and characters, theres less to love here. If youre already a fan of strategy RPG series like Disgaea, Final Fantasy Tactics, or Valkyria Chronicles, you probably dont need to be convinced to get the newest Fire Emblem game. If youre a strategy RPG neophyte, Fire Emblem is one of the most polished and rewarding examples of the genre, and perfect for mid-length gaming sessions where your body is forced to be in one place but you want to take your brain to faraway lands.For the backseat for a few hours: HadesThe roguelike indie darling and Game of the Year 2020 winner is beautiful with an addictive reward curve.A road trip when youre not the driver is an exercise in killing time. As a kid, maybe you played Eye Spy or other social games. Inevitably, these games become repetitive, and when they repeat they become less fun. You can only spy something green so many times. Luckily, we now have video games to supplement the road trip experience, and we have game design that turns repetition into sweet rewards. Few games got the attention of Hades in 2020. A hit on both PC and Switch, its a new pinnacle for dungeon-crawling roguelikes.The roguelike genre is built on the idea of runs: gameplay sessions that start fresh and end when your character dies. But instead of simply starting back from nil, the next fresh run is informed and improved by the last, offering carry-over power-ups or currencies that allow each successive run to be deeper, opening up new and more powerful things to kill you once again. Hades adds a mythological setting with familiar elements to anyone whos watched Clash of the Titans or read up on the Olympians, making it seem both fresh and familiar. What all this means for gaming on the go is that Hades is the kind of game thats easy to put down, but you wont want to. Youll die often, and each death can be the end of your session, but because youll get to carry over your rewards, youll want to start another run immediately. This makes the experience perfect for car trips, where pit stops and side destinations can break up the available gameplay time in odd chunks. Hades fills slots of many sizes extremely well, and dying never feels bad, so stopping playing never feels bad. Eye spy a Nintendo Switch game with universal praise that cant be strongly recommended enough.For killing time in line with friends: Super Smash Bros. UltimateThe ruler of party brawlers is also the king of killing time, assuming you have some friends with you and some extra controllers.Lines are back! Yes, there are live events. There are tickets. There are big in-person sales of cool gadgets (including the upcoming Nintendo Switch OLED). If youre the type to spend a couple of hours in line to make sure you get the best seats or the best gear then you probably already know to bring a camp chair, something to block the sun, and several bottles of water. But if you do these types of activities with friends, I also recommend you bring a Nintendo Switch and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. There are very few games that bring together a group of friends (as well as tear those friends apart) like the Super Smash Bros. series.The Super Smash Bros. franchise, old enough to legally drink at this point, features all the best Nintendo characters beating each other up. What was once a schoolyard debate has become one of the top fighting franchises. For the past few games, Nintendo has invited in other famous video game characters like Solid Snake, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man, and Ryu from Street Fighter. With the Switchs ability to play locally in tabletop mode, friends can beat each other up while you wait for the box office or doors to open, assuming you have a few extra JoyCons or Pro Controllers. But why stop there, as Smash Bros. tabletop action is also excellent for a picnic in the park, a day at the beach (as long as you protect your system from sand and seaspray), or an outdoor BBQ. Tabletop mode in general is a surprisingly wonderful way to play the Switch, and one of the main benefits of the traditional Switch over the Switch Lite. If fighting is less your thing and racing appeals to you more, you can get the same competitive fire from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as well. Both games, however, become significantly less fun if you play them single-player, so make sure youre among good company.For babysitting your friends kids: Stardew ValleyYou can live the idyllic country life in the confines of your Switch screen.It takes a village to raise a child. And even if you dont have your own, you may end up caring for some in the short term. Its a high-tension environment as you ensure their needs are met, they stay happy, and their messes are cleaned up. Finally, theyre down for the night and look like little angels sleeping in their beds, and youre left to wait for their parents to come to relieve you of your duties. Or maybe youre simply looking to wind down before you head to bed yourself. Stardew ValleyStardew Valley started on the PC but has been ported to every major home system. Its a combination of farming simulator Harvest Moon with the socializing and task-oriented village life in the Animal Crossing series. You inherit your grandfathers farm, which has fallen into disrepair. Its your job to get the farm up to snuff, expand the business, interact with townsfolk, and even get married and have kids if you so wish. The game is entirely open-ended. If you want to spend 20 minutes picking and planting carrots, you can. If you want to take advantage of the radish markets fluctuations to grow your bank account, you can do that too. Stardew Valley is the warm bath of video games, so in any situation in or away from home, it can be used as a panacea for frayed nerves. The game time invested is entirely up to the player, so its good as a quick fix or a long wind-down. There are even some multiplayer elements if you have a partner or roommate who also likes low-key rural tending of land.For sitting on a bench in the park: Mario Golf: Super RushFun, cartoony golf with some Mario twists.Ive always found video golf relaxing. From the original NES Golf to the Everybodys Golf series on PlayStation consoles, to some fun mobile golf games, aiming for new personal bests with simple gameplay while enjoying some lush, green courses within the game world have always set me at ease. Thats why I can heartily recommend the newest Mario-starring sports game, Mario Golf: Super Rush, as a lovely option to play while sitting on a bench in the park. Enjoying the breeze through your real hair while enjoying the virtual breeze through Luigis mustache is a great time, made better by new game modes Speed Golf and Battle Golf.While traditional lowest-score-wins modes are available, Speed Golf and Battle Golf, which are playable against the CPU or in multiplayer, offer a first-to-finish approach to golf, where careful shots go out the window in lieu of super-rushing to the pin. Battle Golf makes the experience even more mad-cap by having multiple possible holes to claim, with a first-to-three condition to win. These modes are really what set Super Rush apart, making the game feel less like a new iteration and more like a whole new game compared to previous Mario Golf games. While the story mode could definitely have used some more depth, and the online options (no tournaments?) could be beefed up, spending time in the sunshine is well-spent with Mario Golf: Super Rush. Feed the birds while making a birdie.Want to play at home and roam? Heres what to consider before you Switch it up Handheld gaming at Nintendo actually predates home gaming, with the one-game-per-system Game & Watch line debuting in 1980, three years before the Famicom (renamed the Nintendo Entertainment System for non-Japanese markets) was released in Japan. Since then, Nintendo has been the dominant force in the handheld market, with huge hits such as Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo 3DS all taking the lions share of gaming eyeballs and gamers pockets. When the Switch debuted in 2017, it upended the previous Nintendo strategy of distinct home and handheld systems, combining the lines into one. The Nintendo 3DS line was officially discontinued in September 2020, leaving Switch as the only in-production line of Nintendo systems.There are currently three versions of the Switch: The standard $299 Switch, which comes with a dock, is both a home console and a portable one, while the Nintendo Switch Lite is a handheld-only version of the console that costs $100 less. Then theres the Nintendo Switch OLED, an upgraded version of the standard Switch with all the same features but more memory, a bigger and better screen, and a better-designed kickstand for tabletop play. This version retails for $349$50 higher than the standard Switch. But no matter which version of the console you buy, the games library is great, and playing away from home is easy and fun.Do I need any accessories to best enjoy my Switch on the go? For short trips, or if youre headed somewhere with access to a power outlet, you dont really need a backup battery. But for long trips and especially all-day multi-transfer plane trips, theyre a must. A good-enough power block can be had for $35, with higher-end models that double as AC adapters or have built-in solar and wireless charging hitting the mid $100s. Also, a carrying case is highly recommended to protect the Switchs screen from inadvertent scratches while it bounces around in your backpack or shoulder bag. Carrying cases also tend to have snug spots for game cards, JoyCon controllers, and cables; a place for everything and everything in its place. Though not 100 percent necessary, a set of switch grips can also make the system a little easier to hold onto, and that more solid feeling can be had for as little as $20. Further screen protection is available in the form of either hard plastic screen covers or soft clear decals that go over the Switch screen. There are even car seat mount kits to put the screen on the back of a headrest if your tykes spend a lot of time gaming on the way to your grandmothers house. If youre interested in digital games over physical games, youll definitely need an upgrade to the Switchs internal memory, and an SDXC card of at least 128GB is recommended. If youre like me, though, the backup battery and carrying case are enough.Are other games not good for playing away from home?The games in this roundup are presented for the situations they best fit, but, in general, the best Nintendo Switch games are a joy to play both at home and on the go. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildSuper Mario OdysseyThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Bros. Wonder not that far behind). While they arent discussed above, these games are simply an auto-include for any Switch collection and are games that can be played for 10 minutes or 10 hours.Can I try before I buy?While recommendations, reviews, and ratings are an excellent jumping-off place, never forget the value of trying a game out for yourself! Demos are available for select games on the Nintendo eShop. Sadly, demos as a whole have become less and less common for games as press hype has replaced try-before-you-buy strategies for driving sales. If you cant play a demo, however, you can often find videos on YouTube or Twitch featuring in-depth gameplay, which can give you a better idea of whether a game is right for you, how much playtime is required for a basic session, and how the game might fit into your gaming schedule. Also, if youre the type to abandon a game early on, physical copies are probably the way to go over digital, as physical games can be resold to another gamer or traded into many stores, both brick-and-mortar and online, for credit. An abandoned digital game has no such possible return on investment.FAQs Q: Can you take the Nintendo Switch in the car? Q: How do you charge a Nintendo Switch on a road trip? Q: Can you Switch without the internet? SDXC card if youre not going to buy physical games. For a quick fight before the flight: Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade ClassicsFor a long layover: Fire Emblem: Three HousesFor the backseat for a few hours: HadesFor killing time in line with friends: Super Smash Bros. UltimateFor babysitting your friends kids: Stardew ValleyFor sitting on a bench in the park: Mario Golf: Super RushThe Switch is made to be versatile. Even games with playtimes or styles that arent conducive to playing while out and about have a suspend function that lets you pause the game longer-term and resume it later. That means that marquee titles like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Pokmon SwordShield are great for either environment. The Switch digital game store also features a ton of smaller-scale indie titles that are incredibly fun, like Baba Is YouShovel Knight: Treasure Trove. Whether at home or on the go, the best games for Nintendo Switch offer a lot of options. Getting the most out of your current Switch, or the sequel you plan to get, requires you to think of it less as a set-top box and more as an endless source of portable potential, so get out there and get gaming!