March 6, 20253 min readNASAs Voyager Probes Lose One Instrument Each as Power WanesNASAs twin Voyager probes, which launched in 1977, are the longest-running missions to send data home. But as their power supplies wane, scientists are saying goodbye to one instrument on each spacecraftBy Meghan Bartels edited by Clara Moskowitz NASA/JPL-CaltechNASAs most distant observers are losing steam as the toll of spending nearly five decades in space adds up. Scientists have announced that they will turn off one additional instrument on each spacecraft to conserve energy.The twin Voyager probes launched in 1977 to take advantage of a once-in-176-year alignment of the outer planets. That task wrapped up within a little more than a decade, but still the spacecraft trek outward: currently, Voyager 2 is more than 13 billion miles from Earth, and Voyager 1 is more than 15.5 billion miles away. At this point, the Voyagers are tasked with studying the interstellar medium found beyond the influence of the sun.Scientists will have observations from one less instrument on each spacecraft moving forward, however, NASA officials announced on March 5. Mission managers turned off Voyager 1s cosmic ray subsystem experiment on February 25, the agency wrote, and will do the same for Voyager 2s low-energy charged particle instrument on March 24. These instruments observe fast-moving charged particles called cosmic rays, as well as ions and electrons, in interstellar space. Both deactivations are purposeful energy-saving measures.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.The Voyagers have been deep space rock stars since launch, and we want to keep it that way as long as possible, said Suzanne Dodd, Voyager project manager at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), in the March 5 statement. But electrical power is running low. If we dont turn off an instrument on each Voyager now, they would probably have only a few more months of power before we would need to declare end of mission.NASA officials have also decided that, in 2026, they will turn off Voyager 1s low-energy charged particle instrument and Voyager 2s cosmic ray subsystem, according to the statement. Their goal is to ensure that at least one instrument on each spacecraft remains operational into the 2030s.Each Voyager spacecraft launched with a nuclear power source made of plutonium. It was the sensible choiceengineers knew all along that the probes would be traveling much too far from the sun to rely on solar power. Each spacecrafts plutonium core produces a little less juice each year, howeverannually losing about four watts, equivalent to a low-power light bulb.The spacecrafts computer, communications system and instruments all require energy to operate, so scientists are faced with a tough choice: hand select where to save power by sacrificing particular instruments or risk overdrawing the power supply and losing the whole spacecraft. And no one wants to see either Voyager end any earlier than it has to.The Voyager spacecraft are iconic. Voyager 2 launched first; three weeks later Voyager 1 followed suit and zipped ahead. Voyager 1 flew past Jupiter in 1979 and past Saturn and its largest moon, Titan, in 1980. Voyager 2 followed suit, observing Jupiter in 1979 and Saturn in 1981, and then became the first and so far only spacecraft to ever fly past Uranus or Neptune, respectively doing so in 1986 and 1989.At that point the vehicles had run out of planets to observe, but both were still essentially healthyso NASA decided to follow along for the ride. The Voyagers explored the outer reaches of the suns influence. Then, in 2012 and 2018, respectively, each entered interstellar space, giving scientists the first-ever close-up observations of the cosmos beyond our solar system. Today Voyager 2 is nearly 140 times as far from the sun as Earth is, while Voyager 1 is 166 times as far.A signal from Earth takes 19.5 hours to reach Voyager 2 and more than 23 hours to reach Voyager 1, making any troubleshooting for the probes a painfully slow process. And there has been a lot of troubleshooting recently. Voyager 1 spent early 2024 collecting only partial data after a serious communications issue began in November 2023, for example, while Voyager 2 was unable to communicate with Earth for a couple of weeks in 2023.But for NASA, the troubleshooting is well worth it. Every minute of every day, the Voyagers explore a region where no spacecraft has gone before, said Linda Spilker, Voyager project scientist at JPL, in the recent statement. That also means every day could be our last. But that day could also bring another interstellar revelation. So, were pulling out all the stops, doing what we can to make sure Voyagers 1 and 2 continue their trailblazing for the maximum time possible.

March 6, 20255 min readAthena Makes It to the Moon, but Uncertainties RemainAthena has landed on the moon, but the overall status of the spacecraft remains unclear. The missions plans include studies of what lies beneath the lunar surface and a whole lot moreBy Gayoung Lee edited by Lee BillingsIntuitive Machines IM-2 mission lunar lander, Athena, entering lunar orbit on Monday, March 3. Intuitive Machines/Flickr/(CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)Athena, a commercially built spacecraft that is loaded with cutting-edge technology and science experiments, has landed on the moon. But mission controllers at Intuitive Machines, the company that built and operates the spacecraft, have yet to confirm its exact status, although the available data as of this writing suggests Athena is still operational.If and when Intuitive Machines can conclusively declare that Athena has reached the moon in good health, it will have joined Firefly Aerospaces Blue Ghost, another commercial lander that made its moonfall on Sundayupping the tally of active U.S. lunar surface missions to two. The back-to-back feats are considered important precursors to future crewed missions to the moon under NASAs ambitious Artemis program.Unlike Blue Ghosts 45-day voyage to the moon, Athenas lasted for little more than a week. The spacecraft launched on February 26 and entered lunar orbit on March 3. From there it orbited the moon for about three days (while sending back live beauty shots). It then started its descent from orbit for landing early in the morning on March 6. And at 12:15 P.M. EST, Athena began its final maneuvers toward the surface, a process that was initially expected to last for around 15 minutes. While most of the landing procedures unfolded without issue, no decisive announcements were made about the state of the vehicle as of 12:31 P.M. EST, which was when it was supposed to land. For the next 20 minutes, the mission room bustled with activity as scientistsand Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemusjoined operators in trying to figure out what was happening.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.We can confirm Athena is on the surface of the moon, declared Intuitive Machines communication director Josh Marshall, somewhat tersely, at around 12:52 P.M. EST, 20 minutes after the intended touchdown time, during a livestream of the landing attempt. We are working to figure out the orientation of the vehicle, which is important because those are our antenna systems that will determine how much signal were going to have and when data about the exact condition of Athena will be available.The livestream, held at Intuitive Machines facility near NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston, ended abruptly without a conclusive declaration of Athenas overall health.In some ways, the landing attempt was a chance at redemption for Intuitive Machines after Odysseus, Athenas predecessor, suffered a skewed lunar touchdown that hindered its surface operations. Until further data can be confirmed, Intuitive Machines will be hoping Athena will evade meeting similar fate. Merely by reaching the surface, however, Athena has already brought humanity the closest weve ever been to the resource-rich lunar south polespecifically, to Mons Mouton, a plateau that may be a landing spot for future Artemis astronauts as well.Assuming that Athena functions normally after its landing, it will deploy a particularly rich array of technology demonstrations. For instance, NASAs PRIME-1 (Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment 1) is a two-part instrument consisting of a drill and a mass spectrometer that will chemically analyze samples of lunar soil to search for the water ice and other volatile substances thought to exist in abundance in the crater-pocked terrain of the lunar south pole. Once such reservoirs have been scouted out, subsequent missions might potentially mine them for manufacturing potable water, breathable air and even potent rocket fuel. And then theres the Micro Nova Hopper, also developed by Intuitive Machines with NASA funding, which will seek to demonstrate a new mode of lunar locomotion with a series of incremental hops toward a nearby 20-meter-deep, permanently shadowed crater.Other payloads include Nokias Lunar Surface Communications System (LSCS), which uses a 4G/LTE system to establish a cellular network between each element of the mission, and a laser retroreflector array (LRA), a small device for accurately pinpointing Athenas location on the lunar surface. These payloads, like the lander they rode to the moon, reflect an extensive partnership between NASA and private industry under the space agencys Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.For the next 10 days, both Athena and Blue Ghost are planned to operate around the clock at their respective locations: Athena is near the south pole, and Blue Ghost is around Mare Crisium, a crater on the moons northeastern near side. The landers will also be there during a total lunar eclipse, as seen from Earth, as the moon passes through our planets shadow and gains a bloodred glow on the night of March 13 and the early morning of March 14.Despite the setbacks in establishing communications, Athena may be considered the third successful lunar landing of NASAs CLPS initiative. (The first CLPS mission, Astrobotics Peregrine lander, suffered a propellant leak after its January 2024 launch that prevented it from reaching the moon at all.) In all, CLPS has booked $2.6 billion for various payloads and launches through 2028, each intended to incrementally progress U.S. readiness for a crewed lunar return. Currently, 14 different companies have been selected by NASA to deliver different payloads of science and technology experiments to the moon. For example, some of Blue Ghosts payloads are demonstrating how to clean hardware caked in hazardous moon dust and how to run radiation-hardened computers on the lunar surface.With each CLPS mission, the United States is leading the way in expanding our reach and refining our capabilities, turning what was once dreams into reality, said NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro in a press release that immediately followed Athenas departure from Earth.The U.S. is not alone, however, in its commercial efforts to rekindle lunar exploration. Japans Resilience lunar lander, built by the private company ispace, launched alongside Blue Ghost in January but is taking a much slower trajectory toward its destination. This launch marked a first in spaceflight history: never before had three landers been simultaneously bound for the moon. Meanwhile other nationsmost notably Chinacontinue their own programs of lunar exploration, with an eye toward independent human landings there.Besides NASAs sheer spending power, another key factor behind the sudden spate of moon landings is the private sectors greater agility compared with the space agencys generally slower process of mission development. Odysseus, for instance, left for the moon only about a year prior to Athena, giving Intuitive Machines little time to troubleshoot what went wrong with Odysseuss landing to prevent similar issues from befalling Athena. Intuitive Machines and Firefly Aerospace alike will each have about the same amount of time to respectively prepare for IM-3 and Blue Ghost Mission 2, missions that will involve the successors to their currently active spacecraft on the moon. The fact that the teams behind Athena and Blue Ghost managed to turn around technological revisions so quickly is an impressive feat, given the increasingly heated competition between the U.S. and China to take the lead in this 21st-century moon race.These science and technology demonstrations are more than payloadsthey represent the foundation for future explorers who will live and work on the moon, Petro said in NASAs recent press release. By partnering with American industry, we are driving innovation, strengthening our leadership in space, and preparing for sending humans farther into the solar system, including Mars.

Prime Gaming members get 20 more games in MarchSaints Row 3! Mafia 2! Other stuff!Image credit: Amazon News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on March 6, 2025 March is here, meaning the first tentative whiff of spring is in the air. But also, another month means the usual refresh across gaming's various subscription services. And if you're a Prime Gaming member, you'll probably be wanting to know Amazon's announced 20 more titles coming to the service this month - including Mafia 2 and Wolfenstein: The Old Blood.March's offerings - as is customary for Prime Gaming - arrive over the course of several scheduled content drops, with four games available right now. There're some good 'uns in this initial list too, with Saints Row: The Third Remastered and Mafia 2 (in its Definitive Edition guise) both available for your immediate amusement.Then, glancing further ahead in March, Prime Gaming subscribers can look forward to an eclectic bunch of other winners, including Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (which is available for both PC and Xbox), acclaimed indie game Mutazione, and narrative adventure Syberia: The World Before. That's alongside ancient Rome mystery The Forgotten City, Deus Ex: Invisible War, and charming park management game Let's Build a Zoo.The full list of March's titles (plus the stores they can be grabbed from) are below. Available nowSaints Row: The Third Remastered [GOG Code]Mafia 2: Definitive Edition [GOG Code]Crime Boss: Rockay City [Epic Games Store]Naheulbeuk's Dungeon Master [Amazon Games App]13th MarchWall World [Amazon Games App]Syberia: The World Before [GOG Code]Endling - Extinction is Forever [Amazon Games App]Dark Deity: Complete Edition [GOG Code]Beholder 3 [Amazon Games App]20th MarchWolfenstein: The Old Blood [Xbox and PC via Microsoft Store Code]Mutazione [GOG Code]Figment 2: Creed Valley [Amazon Games App]Legacy of Kain: Defiance [GOG Code]Mortal Shell [Epic Games Store]27th MarchThe Forgotten City [Amazon Games App]Deus Ex: Invisible War [GOG Code]Session: Skate Sim [Epic Games Store]Let's Build A Zoo [Epic Games Store]Gamedec - Definitive Edition [GOG Code]The Wisbey Mystery [Legacy Games Code]Alongside all the above, Prime Gaming subscribers in the UK, US, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, the Netherlands, and Poland get access to a rotating selection of titles via Amazon's cloud gaming service, Luna. This month, these include WRC Generations Fully Loaded Edition, Overcooked! 2, Spitlings, The Jackbox Party Pack 3, and Strange Horticulture. That's in addition to Luna regulars Fallout New Vegas: Ultimate Edition, Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition, Fortnite, and Trackmania.

Assassin's Creed Shadows details PS5 Pro enhancements, including "extended" ray tracingAhead of this month's launch.Image credit: Eurogamer/Ubisoft News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on March 6, 2025 With Assassin's Creed Shadows' release finally almost upon us after multiple delays, Ubisoft is rattling through its remaining announcements - with its latest update detailing the various enhancements PS5 Pro owners can take advantage of come launch on 20th March.As per a post on the PlayStation Blog (hence the absence of details relating to the Xbox version), Assassin's Creed Shadows features a choice of three different graphics modes - Performance, Fidelity, and Balanced - and can played at up to 2160p and 60 FPS on both PS5 and PS5 Pro when Performance mode is selected.In all cases, ray tracing is supported, but your machine and selected mode will determine exactly what kind of raytracing you can expect. PlayStation 5's Performance mode, for instance, features "selective" ray tracing, which Ubisoft defines as computing "global illumination for diffuse lighting in the Hideout portion of the game".To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Eurogamer goes hands-on with Assassin's Creed Shadows.Watch on YouTubeStandard raytracing, meanwhile - applied in Fidelity or Balanced modes on PS5 and Performance mode on PS5 Pro - is "used to compute global illumination for diffuse lighting throughout the game world". And that just leaves PS5 Pro's "extended" ray tracing, which computes "global illumination for diffuse lighting and reflective surfaces throughout the game world" when applied in either Fidelity or Balanced modes.The full breakdown of supported resolutions, frame rates, and ray tracing options per console and mode is as follows:PS5 Performance Mode2160p upscaled, 60 FPS, Selective Ray TracingPS5 Fidelity Mode2160p upscaled, 30 FPS, Standard Ray TracingPS5 Balanced Mode (requires 120/240hz display and HDMI 2.1)2160p upscaled, 40 FPS, Standard Ray TracingPS5 Pro Performance Mode2160p upscaled, 60 FPS, Standard Ray TracingPS5 Pro Fidelity Mode2160p upscaled, 30 FPS, Extended Ray TracingPS5 Pro Balanced Mode (requires 120/240hz display and HDMI 2.1)2160p upscaled, 40 FPS, Extended Ray TracingAssassin's Creed Shadows - which left a positive impression on Eurogamer's Katharine Castle earlier this year - launches for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 20th March. But if you're looking for a more granular release breakdown, Ubisoft has detailed its global launch times too.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereThe Grand Theatre is an awesome Baldurs Gate 3 custom campaign that takes players to a horror-themed rock concert. Released in its 1.0 form, the brilliant campaign is far from done as a brand-new update is coming that will add a wealth of additional content.Alongside other campaigns in development that add additional companions, The Grand Theatre is adding brand-new experiences to BG3. However, the mods upcoming update might house its most exciting content yet.Baldurs Gate 3 mod brings back BG2 bossAs revealed on Discord, The Grand Theatre Version 1.1 is targeting an April 2025 release date.Modder Moezilla revealed that the new update will bring a full questline for three of the games six quests, new items to use and a bunch of additional dialogue to consume. But theres also an awesome return of a character from Baldurs Gate 2.As revealed in the Discord announcement, The Grand Theatres 1.1 update will bring back Kangaxx the Demi-Lich, a powerful boss from the second game. In the now two-decade-old RPG, players were tasked with reassembling and then destroying the Demi-Lichs body in an awesome story moment.Of course, its not known how the boss fight will play out in the new Baldurs Gate 3 custom campaign, but its incredibly exciting. After all, the brilliant combat of Larians game blows BioWares classic out of the water, and a reimagining of Kangaxx could be something truly special.Players of The Grand Theatre custom campaign will be able to engage in early QA sessions before the actual release date. Additionally, modder Moezilla is looking for additional fans to help bring the campaign to life.For more Baldurs Gate 3 articles, read about the mod that adapts Heroes of the Storm characters as feats, or read about how Laezel actress Devora Wilde was paranoid about her performance until release. Baldurs Gate 3Platform(s):macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Adventure, RPG, Strategy10VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

Australian and South Sudanese model Adut Akech has, momentarily, exchanged haute couture for cuddles. She and her husband, Samuel Elkhier, welcomed their first daughter, Imani, in December. Theres nothing I can compare the feeling to, but it is just the most amazing thing Ive ever experienced in my entire life. I just cant imagine what life was like before her, says Akech. The new mom focused on the essentials when designing the space they designated for the baby, embracing a sense of minimalism. I havent really been focusing so much on the material side of things, she explains. Ive found this middle ground where less is more. Thats the world that Im in now.I felt like the babys room needed to be light and airy and just a pretty, peaceful space. When you step in, youre like, ah, says Akech.Photo: Tim HirschmannAnd who wouldnt trust Akechs style instincts, given her experience in fashion? Since she debuted at Yves Saint Laurents Paris Fashion Week show in 2016, she has walked for iconic houses that include Chanel, Prada, and Versace. She has also been featured on numerous Vogue covers and is a global brand ambassador for Este Lauder. Throughout this, she has traveled extensively, drawing design inspiration, particularly, from hotels in Paris and Rome.Crate and Barrels Gustav Marble Floating Shelves house baby items that honor the rooms palettewhich consists of earthy pinks that are feminine but not girly.Photo: Tim HirschmannBabylettos Sunday Power Recliner and Swivel Glider in shearling creates a cozy moment for mother and childas accented with Pierce and Wards Lampshade Pendant and Schoolhouses Cylinder Stone Side Table.Photo: Tim HirschmannThe muse of Karl Lagerfeld and Pier Paolo Piccioli (until recently, Valentinos creative director) was indecisive about where to give birth. She first considered Dubai, UAE, then Adelaide, Australiawhere Akechs family moved when she was a child after fleeing their native Sudan and spending years in a refugee camp in Kenya. In October 2024, Akech and Elkhier finally chose to instead nest in Akechs modern, four-bedroom home in Los Angeles. This meant they had less than two months to finish the baby room before welcoming Imani.Babyletto Sunday Shearling Power Recliner and Swivel GliderSchoolhouse Cylinder Stone Side TableExpeditiously, Akech connected with Babyletto, the Los Angelesbased brand that specializes in furniture for babies and beyond. Babyletto introduced Akech to Studio Keetas Kristina Khersonsky. Collectively, they created a baby room that feels feminine but still fresh. The palette consists of pinksbut earthy pinks. When we started talking about what she was envisioning for her nursery, she didnt necessarily want the tried-and-true baby girl pink nursery. She wanted something more ethereal and feminine. She definitely did want to do something in the pink hue, but not so on the nose, which is why our tones lean a little bit more clay or maybe slightly terra-cotta, Khersonsky shares.From there, Akech and Khersonsky covered the walls in an oversized floral mural wallpaper. We went with this flower theme, but its not an obvious flower in your face. It still has the touches of green and the amazing limewash on the ceiling, which Im so happy we did, says Akech. (The ceiling paint is called Portofino.)

The year 2024 saw our kitchens become multiuse workhorses, making permanent the many functions demanded during the pandemic, whether that was dining, gathering, or working. But what about kitchen trends in 2025? This year, expect a rise in bespoke layouts, seductive natural materials, and integrated appliances that cater to specific lifestyle needsbecause with every family comes a unique set of requirements. Now more than ever, kitchens are embracing that sense of individuality.Our clients are seeking an aesthetic that is more personal and maybe more about craft, jettisoning the futuristic seamless kitchen for a range of different looks, including colorful palettes and natural materials, says designer Lisa Odyniec, cofounder of San Franciscobased ES-LO Design Studio. Members of the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) agree, reporting that thoughtful designs that prioritize functionality with a personalized touch are one of several key kitchen trends in 2025. This year, in alignment with larger interior design trends, personality will certainly be on display in designs for this heart of the homebut a kitchen that works best for its residents is most important. Below are some of the trends designers predict this personalized approach will manifest.Concealed kitchensFor this Jessica Schusterdesigned home in New York Citys Chelsea neighborhood, a cooktop and hood range blend in seamlessly with the quartzite surround of the kitchen. Schuster worked with Eric Sheffield Architect and Coleman Contracting on the project.Photo: William Jess Laird / Styling: Brittany AlbertAlthough the kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the house, designers are seeing an increase in homeowner requests to hide it. Panel-ready appliances that disappear into the cabinetry make for a cleaner design, allowing homeowners to focus on more fun elements throughout the room, such as unique pops of color, mixing and matching textures, and personalized accessories that add character to the space, explained AD PRO Directory designer Hilary Matt in a 2025 kitchen design forecast for Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove. Noam Dvir, cofounder of New York architecture and interiors firm BoND, has seen this trend extend beyond the typical refrigerators and dishwashers to the range.We used to see large industrial size hoods in kitchens, then microhoods (microwave doubling as a hood), and more recently, hoods disguised inside the upper cabinets, or even integrated into the cooktop, Dvir says. This makes the kitchen appear more like a sophisticated millwork piece. For the cooktop, both he and Odyniec recommend Pitt cooking burners, which can be installed directly into the countertop to create an uninterrupted surface that is also easier to clean.Because our kitchens do far more than just feed us, this polished look allows the spaces chosen materials to make a bigger design impact while encouraging its flexibility. New options for hardware and appliances make it possible to mask the kitchens functionality, making it a backdrop for other uses, adds Odyniec, who has designed in-plane retracting and pocketing doors to enclose a coffee bar and specifies touch-latch ovens and refrigerators for kitchen cabinet continuity.Focus on entertainingNicole Cohen designed a dual kitchen for this lowcountry residencein it, a cheery prep kitchen peeks out from behind the more stately show kitchen.Photo: Nicole Cohen / Styling: Mariana Marcki-Matos

According to a new study by the Angus Reid Institute,7 in 10 Canadians (71%) support a moratorium on the sale of Tesla electric vehicles in Canada.The same study found that the vast majority of Canadians (79%) have an unfavourable opinion of Tesla CEO and Trump special government employee Elon Musk, including 69% whose views are very unfavourable.Canadians overwhelmingly negative opinions of Elon Musk come alongside broad support for targeting Musks company Tesla by stopping sales of the brand in Canada. This may be complicated by Tesla having multiple manufacturing facilities in Ontario, which perhaps underscores the challenges tariffs pose.71% of Canadians support a moratorium on Tesla sales in CanadaThe Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from Feb. 27 to March 3, 2025, among a representative randomized sample of 2,005 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum.For our latest in news, please visit theNewssection.

Image: Nintendo Life / Reef EntertainmentOne night in 1993, I saw Terminator 2: Judgment Day for the first time. I was nine and I remember negotiating with my folks to stay up and watch the VHS with a Chinese takeaway. I remember the sweet-and-sour chicken, chow mein, and prawn crackers. I remember the lighting and the layout of the living room. I remember the clanking iron and the low-buzzing drone that represent the two different Terminators. What a night!This was peak '90s living and a formative life event - and one of two reasons that Terminator 2D: No Fate is my most anticipated game of the year right now.Putting aside the questionable parental judgement with the extra British 'e' this time to let a nine-year-old watch a 15-rated flick with multiple stabbings, fire-torn playgrounds, and vivid depictions of flesh blasted from bone by nuclear blast wave (let's file it under, 'Hey, it was the early '90s, so basically the '80s'), it was a moment that cemented a love of cinema, too.The writing, cinematography, performances, editing, effects every aspect of the production is masterfully welded into a whole that fuses weighty themes to a romping action blockbuster. Jurassic Park is the only other film of its scale that comes close, and it lacks T2's emotion, John Williams' ability to stir notwithstanding. James Cameron really delivered the total package.Image: Reef EntertainmentOkay, enough of the 40-something waxing lyrical about a '90s blockbuster - he'll be mansplaining Mad Men next. The point is that my impressionable child mind was struck by the movie, and its marketing machine was ready to terminate the funds in my Fat Willy's Surf Shack wallet. I quickly got my hands on a T-800 endoskeleton figure and an Arnie. Not the one with the skin you moulded over the endo - that remains on the bucket list with the Ghostbusters HQ.Naturally, the licensed tie-in game, which came out at the end of '93, was in my sights. Mega Drive kids had two options (well, three if you include The Terminator, but I wouldn't see that film for several years and had no desire to play as some random 'Reese' dude). There was T2: The Arcade Game or Terminator 2: Judgment Day.The former was a celebrated 16-bit port of Midway's coin-op, but I didn't have a Menacer and controlling a light-gun shooter with a pad wasn't appealing; the latter was a side-on affair with driving bits in between. I went for the latter, which brings me to the second reason I'm looking forward so much to T2D: retribution. I'll be back... I need to change my pantsMovie-based licensed titles get a bad rap, and games like this are the reason. Lesson learned, although the wisdom gained was little comfort to the nine-year-old who'd scraped together his meagre funds and wasted them on a total turd.Developer Bits Studios handled both the Genesis and SNES versions, plus the earlier, different Game Boy iteration. I never played the SNES iteration, but it appears to be largely the same with tweaked audio due to the Super NES' sound chip. Both versions reviewed poorly, although I don't remember reading reviews. If it had that cover, it had to be passably entertaining, right?Wrong. Images: World of LongplaysIt's hard to describe how crushing the disappointment was and how quickly it came. The Terminator can notionally jump, but it's more of a skip and it looks and feels comically bad. The animation is generally okay in isolation and, graphically, the game isn't terrible, but the controls are stiff, slow, and grimly unsatisfying. The pew-pew gunplay lacks heft, enemy fire is hard to avoid, escorting John and Sarah around the dreary stages is as exciting as that sounds, and avoiding the stalking T-1000 is displeasingly difficult.And then there's the driving sections. Switching to an isometric viewpoint, at first you burn around LA at unmanageably high speeds on your bike, following a HUD compass while exploding cop cars give chase, ramming and bouncing off you, picking away health as you attempt to stay in a lane and avoid other traffic. Looking at playthroughs on YouTube (see below), it doesn't look too bad nothing out of the ordinary for a game patently designed to be too tough to complete with a single rental but these sections were interminably dull and difficult as a kid.This will be a familiar story to many; Genesis/SNES T2 is rightly regarded as a prime example of a low-quality cash-in. It has its apologists, but back in the day even those of us who'd blown six months' worth of game budget on it couldn't kid ourselves.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube798kA life lesson about movie-based games wasn't the only schooling the game gave me. More recently, it's highlighted the dangers of nostalgia. Despite the chronic, ingrained disappointment, there is a part of me that now thinks back on the game fondly.Part of it is the insidiousness of the iconography that every licensed game trades in. I love T2 and the cover looks great; there's a lizard-brain response that makes me regret selling it to fund an N64 a few years later. Rationally, I know reacquiring a copy off eBay would be stupid. And yet...*looks at the going rate on eBay... aaand then closes eBay tab*I prefer to believe that my Stockholm syndrome is caused by the music. Specifically the soundtrack - the rest of the audio is guff.Credited to Sahid Ahmad, there are only four tracks in total (one each for the intro and arrival scene, another for the side-on stages, another for the driving sections), but the tune that blasts for 90% of the game is a winner. Not great enough to salvage the game, but enough to have the MP3 in my iTunes library. Yes, plenty more 40-something dude traits where they came from! Curating a music collection ripped decades ago is an unshakable habit.Going back now, T2 (the game) isn't totally without merit. The intro where Arnold arrives naked and walks to The Corral, his nether regions hidden first by a wooden railing and then a wheelie-ing biker, is cute. I enjoy the onscreen representation of your status and objectives with animated text that gives a sense of Terminator 'vision' without the first-person red screen. And... oh, no. That's it. Sorry, rule of three.Note the accurate 'Hayvenhurst Av' on the bridge there Images: Reef EntertainmentHOWEVER. Bitmap Bureau's upcoming neo-retro take offers salvation (oof, apologies for evoking bad memories with that word) for those of us burned 30 years back. The developer leans into the idea in its Making T2D video, with designer/programmer Mike Tucker calling it "the T2 game we should have had back in our youth". With a run-'n'-gun focus reminiscent of Contra, plus some beat 'em up, stealth, vehicle, and on-rails sections, it seems to be capturing the energy and excitement of the source material.Ponying up for Arnold's likeness is apparently and understandably beyond the scope of the project, and we haven't seen Eddie Furlong either, but the appearance of Robert Patrick, Linda Hamilton, and Michael 'Old John' Edwards is heartening. The playable characters have different gameplay styles to suit the scenes, and Bitmap discussing the challenges of integrating those elements into a coherent and satisfying whole highlights, perhaps, one of the reasons Bits Studio struggled back in 1993.Images: Reef EntertainmentWe've been getting brilliant neo-retro games on Switch for years now, games which play on the nostalgia of people who grew up during the end of the last century, players who want a modern-feeling experience infused with old-school spirit and sentiment. Nostalgia is tricksy, for sure, and it's easy to get cynical, especially when an old property you don't have a personal connection with is reprogrammed to empty your proper, adult, non-Surf Shack wallet.But I just can't be cynical about this one. It looks fantastic, the devs seem to be pouring their hearts into it, and it may well heal a 32-year-old gaming wound come September. Take that, Skynet.There you go, not a single "I'll be back" in there! Let us know below if you think they're going to make it. Bitmap Bureau, I mean. They're not all awful, honestScratch that nostalgia itch with these Switch neo-classicsRelated GamesSee AlsoShare:241 Gavin first wrote for Nintendo Life in 2018 before joining the site full-time the following year, rising through the ranks to become Editor. He can currently be found squashed beneath a Switch backlog the size of Normandy. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesNintendo Confirms Removal Of Switch Online SNES GameSuper Soccer will "no longer be available"Stardew Valley's New Update For Nintendo Switch Is Now LiveUpdate: Creator acknowledges "error" in Switch patchNintendo Discounts Several Games On Switch For MAR10 Day (North America)"I'm a slasher... of prices!"Nintendo Switch Online Announces Removal Of Super Famicom TitleGoodbye, Super SoccerStunning New Physical Edition Of Stardew Valley Is Now Available At FangamerIncludes comic, poster, art cards, and more Title:Terminator 2D: NO FATESystem:Nintendo SwitchAlso Available For:PS4, PS5Publisher:Reef EntertainmentDeveloper:Bitmap BureauGenre:Action, ArcadePlayers:1Release Date:Nintendo Switch 5th Sep 2025 5th Sep 2025Series:TerminatorAlso Known As:T2DWhere to buy:Pre Order on Amazon Buy eShop Credit:

The U.S. Secret Service, working with a coalition of international law enforcement agencies, has taken down and seized the website of Garantex, a Russian cryptocurrency exchange accused of being associated with darknet markets and ransomware hackers.On Thursday, the official Garantex website was replaced with a notice saying the exchanges domain has been seized by the Secret Service following a warrant by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.This is the latest action taken by Western governments against the Moscow-based exchange.Last month, the European Union also sanctioned Garantex as, saying it is closely associated with EU-sanctioned Russian banks. This was part of a package of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.In 2022, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned Garantex, alleging that more than $100 million in transactions done on the exchange are associated with illicit actors and darknet markets, including the notorious Russian ransomware gang Conti, and the darknet market Hydra.The takedown notice, seen by TechCrunch, said that the operation was conducted in coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Europol, the Dutch National Police, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt or BKA), the Frankfurt General Prosecutors Office, the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation, and the Estonian National Criminal Police.TechCrunch reached out to all these organizations for comment. At the time of writing, only the FBI responded, declining to comment.TechCrunch also reached out to Garantex via the official email addresses listed on the site before the seizure, as well as through the companys Telegram account. Garantex did not respond to these messages.TechCrunch verified the website seizure notice by analyzing Garantexs internet-facing domain records. As of Thursday, Garantexs web domain is now pointing to servers known to be controlled by the Secret Service. The same server is also host to several other website seizure notices carried out by the Secret Service in recent years.Following the seizure, Garantex made no mention of the law enforcement operation in its official Telegram channels. On Thursday morning, Garantex announced that it was suspending all services, including cryptocurrency withdrawals, according to a machine translation of the announcement.The decision came after stablecoin issuer Tether froze $28 million worth of its cryptocurrency on Garantex.We have bad news, Garantex wrote. We are fighting and will not give up! Please note that all [Tether] in Russian wallets is currently under threat.