Image: Nintendo LifeI suspect many of my fellow parents can relate to this, but when you have your first child, a whole bevvy of problems that never existed before are suddenly thrust upon you.Do we have enough nappies?Oh God, she missed the potty again.No, you cant sit there Daddy, my Peppa Pig toy is sitting there.Granted, a lot of these arent necessarily problems as such, rather minor inconveniences that, along with frequent moments of unbridled joy, make up the weird and wonderful world of parenthood. I do, however, have a bit of a bone to pick with Nintendo; specifically with its approach to game difficulty in the last mainline Mario, Super Mario Bros. Wonder.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube Before having a child, the idea of lowering a games difficulty had honestly never really entered my mind. If anything, I would crank the difficulty up wherever I could in the hope that it would both extend my overall playtime and provide a unique sense of accomplishment. Halo on Legendary? No problem. Bayonetta on Climax? Is that all you've got?This all changed, however, when my daughter expressed interest in playing Mario Wonder. She watched the Super Mario Bros. Movie and became somewhat obsessed with the characters especially Princess Peach. Shes only three, so I knew immediately that if Im going to let her play, Id need to make sure it was as approachable as possible, despite my own proclivities.As you might know, however, Super Mario Bros. Wonder essentially locks its lower difficulty setting to specific characters: Nabbit and four Yoshis. So when the character select screen came up, I gently tried to explain this to my daughter, knowing full well how the conversation would go.Now listen, if you go for one of these characters, the game will be a bit easier for you and youll have a lot more fun.I want to be Princess Peach thoooough!That might be a bit trickier. If you go for the purple rabbit, itll be better.No, Princess Peach!"You'll play as Nabbit and you'll LIKE IT!"Sigh. Anyone whos had the pleasure of raising a three-year-old knows that its borderline impossible to change their mind once their heart is set on something. In this case, Princess Peach is my daughters favourite character from the movie, so of course shes going to want to play as her. This meant we'd have to do without the perks including invincibility that come with Yoshi or Nabbit.Wonder's Badge system would have potentially eased certain tricky scenarios, but they're not a comprehensive replacement for proper difficulty optionsSo how did it go? Well, rather predictably, not well. The opening stage Welcome to the Flower Kingdom was doable, but it went rapidly downhill from there. I knew that changing to Yoshi or Nabbit wasnt suddenly going to make the game a cakewalk; after all, while both characters boast unique abilities that would theoretically make most scenarios easier, theres still the task of actually navigating the levels. Given my daughters age and inexperience, even that would no doubt prove quite the challenge.Still, it seems baffling to me that Nintendo would create a game aimed at children and families and not offer any optional difficulty settings for the majority of its 12 playable characters. No offence to Nabbit, but no child wants to play him when the likes of Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach are sitting right there; especially when the Illumination movie had such an immediate, profound influence on my daughter's perception and preferences.And yes, I know Wonder's Badge system would have potentially eased certain tricky scenarios, but they're not a comprehensive replacement for proper difficulty options, in my eyes.I wish I could say that I managed to convince her so she could enjoy the game, but she was exceptionally stubborn in her desire to play as Peach. And honestly? I'm quite proud of that. It makes me think that perhaps, way off in the future, she'll be playing her games on higher difficulties just like me... Or she just loves Peach and wants to play as her yeah, that's probably it. In the end, though, she gave up and went back to playing with her Peach plushie.Yeah... She never got this far.Games like Celeste have proven that even the most challenging of experiences can be accessible to almost anybody when it has the right options in place. Quite frankly, I think with invincibility turned on and unlimited stamina applied, my daughter could probably have more fun with Celeste than she did with Mario Wonder and I consider the latter to be much easier on its default settings.So come on, sort it out Nintendo. You've made some strides with difficulty and accessibility options over the years, but you've clearly got a long way to go. Applying blanket difficulty settings to a tentpole Mario title seems like the most basic of tasks when your goal is to reach as many potential players as possible, but as ever, the company stubbornly things its own way.Forcing those who want a breezier time to play as a specific character, though..? Nah, that ain't it.

Image: Nintendo LifeXenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is coming to Switch on 20th March and its release marks the arrival of one of the most anticipated Wii U ports on Nintendo's hybrid console.The series has gone from strength to strength on Switch, with XC2 and XC3 bringing new fans into the Xenoblade fold as well as wowing critics. The arrival of this one completes the set on Switch, but this is so much more than an also-ran - we're incredibly excited to see XCX get the Definitive Edition treatment!If you're hoping to find the best deals and cheapest prices for the game, as well as details on any special retail bundles and Xenoblade Chronicles X pre-order bonuses, you're in the right place.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube Below, we're keeping track of the best pre-order options available across the US and UK. Happy shopping!On this page: Where To Pre-Order Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition On SwitchPlease note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.Pre-Order Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive EditionBest Buy in the US has a mini metal poster with the game's key art up for grabs with all pre-orders, although quantities are limited.If you pre-order from the Nintendo Store in the UK you can bag a free metal keyring as well as the game.Buy Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive EditionUSAUKStandardEpic BundlePre-Order Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition With eShop CreditIf you'd rather own the game digitally, you can buy it from the Nintendo Switch eShop. We stock Nintendo Switch eShop credit vouchers at our very own store if you'd like to top up your account and support our work here at Nintendo Life at the same time, you can buy some below.Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition costs $59.99 / 49.99 on the Nintendo eShop:Buy Nintendo eShop CreditUSACANUKEURJPN The year is 2054Are you suiting up in your skell for this one? Let us know in the comments.Up Next: Console BundlesRelated GamesSee AlsoShare:222 Growing up with a ZX Spectrum and a Sega Master System and his exhaustive knowledge in the fields of SEO and digital marketing, Darren's organisational prowess helps steer Hookshot's portfolio in the right direction. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesNintendo Expands Switch Online's SNES Library With Three More TitlesIncluding a special Super Famicom release...Mario Kart 9: Full Character Roster List - Every Racer Confirmed So FarEvery character in Switch 2 Mario KartSilksong Fans Think They've Narrowed Down The Big AnnouncementIs the cake a lie?Nintendo Believes In "Giving Proper Credit" After Backlash Over Donkey Kong Country Returns HDSo why the omission?Sega Launches Its Own Free Account Service With Unique Member RewardsSign up! Y'know, if you want

This review was originally published in April 2009. We're updating and republishing it to mark the arrival of the game in the Nintendo Switch Online SNES library.Every so often a game comes along that makes you take your thumb off the fire button and don your thinking cap. But who wants to have to spend a lot of time thinking just to get through a game, you say? Well, one thing that's abundantly clear from playing Sutte Hakkun is that you're going to either love this game or hate it.This late-gen Satellaview/Super Famicom collaboration between Nintendo and indieszero presents one of the most unique and innovative puzzle/platforming experiences ever found in a video game, with simple controls and mind-bending puzzles found in each insane level. As much fun as the game is, however, later levels belie the happy, colourful visuals and feel more like a college thesis than a video gaming experience - you'd better hope that you haven't destroyed too many brain cells if you have any hopes of ever beating this brain buster.The premise of Sutte Hakkun is quite simple: you take on the role of the drinking bird Hakkun, and, using your pointed beak, you must suck in various blocks, move them to where you want them, and then spit them out. You can also suck in coloured Nectars and inject the translucent blocks with it. These various Nectars each have their own unique characteristics: Red Nectar will make the blocks move up and down, Blue Nectar makes them move side to side, and Yellow Nectar makes them move diagonally.Trying to figure out these combinations proves the biggest challenge in reaching the Rainbow Shard placed somewhere in each level. Your job is to locate all of the Rainbow Shards strung across the island and reconstruct the shattered Rainbow of Happiness, thus restoring peace to the land. Sounds simple, right?Hakkun can walk left and right and can also jump a short distance. The problem is that the game generally places the platforms out of reach this is where the translucent blocks come into play. You'll have to move them around by sucking them in and then spitting them out to get to previously inaccessible areas. You must then figure out which colour Nectar needed to get the correct movements from these blocks.As if this wasnt enough, you also have a creature called a Makkun which can be injected with Nectar and given special characteristics. The early stages give a nice smooth introduction as to how the game plays, but the challenge quickly increases.Controls are super smooth and perfectly built for the type of action you'll encounter in each level. Once you get a handle on the mechanics, Sutte Hakkun plays like a well-oiled machine. You can also pull up the submenu if you're stuck and it will provide hints. (Note. The NSO version is in Japanese, so navigating menus may take some trial and error!) This should really only be used as a last resort, as figuring out these tricky levels is really the whole point.The visuals in the game are sharp, but not very detailed that's not what this game is about. The colours are all very vibrant and the use of the translucent characters, enemies, and blocks provides a strong contrast that makes these bright hues stand out even more. Sure, there are no fancy Mode-7 effects or rotating polygons to marvel at, but you'll be too busy trying to figure out how to reach the Rainbow Shard in each level to worry about any lack of visual flair.Sutte Hakkun's music is almost as eccentric as the visuals. They're all very upbeat and happy tunes, and the way they blend into the background as you're thinking things through keeps them from ever becoming too repetitive, even when you find yourself stuck on the same level for ages. The sound effects are subtle as well, yet perfectly implemented, fitting the game's oddball theme like a glove. It's clear that a lot of time and effort were spent figuring out how to approach the audio/visual presentation of this unique puzzler and this extra effort really paid off in the end product.

Image: NintendoLate last year, it was reported that several PlatinumGames veterans had seemingly left the studio. While only Bayonetta Origins' Abebe Tinari confirmed this news, it looks increasingly likely that Astral Chain director Takahisa Taura has followed suit, potentially forming a new company in the process (thanks, Nintendo Everything).Initial rumours about Taura's PlatinumGames departure arose after the director (alongside several other Platinum vets) removed all mention of the studio from his social media bios. Adding fuel to the fire, one fan on Twitter noted that Taura's Facebook profile has been updated with a new place of work: Eel Game Studio.We know very little about this studio or Taura's role in it at the time of writing, though its registration info (as flagged on ResetEra) states that it was established in late 2024 and is based in Tokyo. We know, shocking.That's not to say that fans aren't already piling on the speculation, mind you. Earlier this week, a Reddit user (who swiftly deleted their account) took to the PlatinumGames forum, claiming to have information about 'Astral Chain 2'. According to their story allegedly sourced from "someone who previously worked at Platinum Games" a sequel was in development at Platinum, but conflicts from within the studio and from Nintendo meant that the project was eventually rebooted with the Big N at the helm (studio head Atsushi Inaba said that the series was under Nintendo's control back in 2021).It's an elaborate read, but one that almost makes sense the longer you go with it if you can get past the suspicious account deletion and the "Platinium" typo in the topic, that is:If (and it's a big if) Astral Chain's director truly has left PlatinumGames and has since formed a new studio, there's every chance that a full sequel could be in the works. We're reading all this with a hefty pinch of salt, naturally, but it's fun to dream.Taura joined the likes of Metal Gear Rising's Kenji Saito, The Wonderful 101's Masaki Yamanaka and the aforementioned Abebe Tinari with the bio updates late last year, seemingly confirming a huge blow to the studio's talent.That said, it would be foolish to count PlatinumGames out. Just yesterday at Xbox's Developer_Direct 2025, the studio popped up with Koei Tecmo's Team Ninja to reveal Ninja Gaiden 4 for Xbox, PlayStation and PC. No, a Nintendo version hasn't been announced (yet), but it's clear that work is still underway from the Bayonetta developer, regardless of how many of its veterans may have left. He's moved to a PlayStation teamHideki and seekThe Bayonetta developer PlatinumGames is backDo you hope to see an Astral Chain sequel in the future? Let us know in the comments.[source facebook.com, via nintendoeverything.com]Related GamesSee AlsoShare:01 Jim came to Nintendo Life in 2022 and, despite his insistence that The Minish Cap is the best Zelda game and his unwavering love for the Star Wars prequels (yes, really), he has continued to write news and features on the site ever since. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesRound Up: Video Game Industry Reacts To Nintendo's Switch 2 AnnouncementHere's what everyone thoughtNintendo's Share Price Dips Following Its Big Switch 2 RevealNo need to panic, thoughNintendo's Switch 2 Announcement Reportedly Impacted Steam Deck SalesThe surprise reveal got everyone's attentionNintendo's Average Salary Crowned The Second-Highest In Western Japan Last YearDespite the annual salary falling a little

Image: SEGAIt has been roughly three months since Sonic X Shadow Generations arrived on Switch, and while the release was (fittingly) quick out the gate, shifting one million copies in its opening weekend, SEGA's latest sales update shows that it's still got some life left in it.Shared in a press release on the SEGA website, the company announced that Sonic X Shadow Generations has since sped past two million sales accounting for both physical and digital downloads. This total combines unit sales across all platforms, though we'd assume that Switch players have made up a healthy portion of the updated total if the UK charts breakdowns are anything to go by.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube Reflecting on Generation's renewed success, SEGA clarified that it has "focused on transmedia development as an important strategy" in growing the Sonic IP, "which involves the global expansion across various media verticals and merchandising".As if to prove its transmedia tactics in action, the press release concludes with a flex of Sonic the Hedgehog 3's box office total to date ($425 million worldwide) and a note that the mobile game Sonic Rumble will launch later this year. No mention of the Knuckles series, then? Probably for the best.In case you missed it, we had a smashing time with Sonic X Shadow Generations last year, calling it "a monumental return to form for both hedgehogs". You'll find our full review below: The best 3D Sonic game..? Yes2024 marked a year-long celebrationWhat do you make of Sonic X Shadow Generations? Are you excited to see more "transmedia development" from SEGA? Let us know in the comments.[source sega.co.jp]Related GamesSee AlsoShare:02 Jim came to Nintendo Life in 2022 and, despite his insistence that The Minish Cap is the best Zelda game and his unwavering love for the Star Wars prequels (yes, really), he has continued to write news and features on the site ever since. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesSilksong Fans Think They've Narrowed Down The Big AnnouncementIs the cake a lie?Nintendo Believes In "Giving Proper Credit" After Backlash Over Donkey Kong Country Returns HDSo why the omission?Sega Launches Its Own Free Account Service With Unique Member RewardsSign up! Y'know, if you wantStardew Valley Creator Releases New Patch For Nintendo Switch VersionKicking off 2025 with some bug fixes'Sonic Jam' Skin Is Now Free For All Owners Of Sonic X Shadow GenerationsJust download it from the eShop

A drop of over 16%.EA's share price has taken a bit of a tumble after the publisher announced it woud be revising its financial outlook following disappointing sales of EA Sports FC 25 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard.In just a single day, the company's share price dropped by more than 16% from 142.35 USD to 118.58 USD. Things are levelling out somewhat at the time of writing, but it certainly marks one of the most volatile downturns in the company's history.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Executive joined the company in 2002.Nippon Ichi Software has announced that its president and CEO, Tetsuhisa Seko, has sadly passed away at the age of 54.Born on 21st January, Showa 46 (1971 which, despite NIS stating his age as 55, would make him 54 at the time of his death), Seko joined the company back in March 2002 after previous stints at SNK Co., Ltd and Toshin Co., Ltd.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Image: ValveThe Steam Deck is very much focused on the PC market, but even it's seemingly been unable to avoid the excitement of the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement last week with a reported slump in sales revenue.As highlighted by Twisted Voxel (via Steam Deck HQ), the Steam Deck is regularly trending at the top of the "top sellers" chart on Steam, but between 14th January - 21st January, Valve's portable PC hardware dropped from the top three to the 47th spot. This is supposedly its "lowest global ranking since its launch in 2022". At the time of writing, it's now back up in second place on the charts - so it's business as usual.This is just an observation (and we sincerely doubt the Steam Deck's future is under threat), but it goes to show how Nintendo had everyone's attention last week with its surprise (and highly-anticipated) reveal. Realistically, it seems Nintendo should be in quite a strong position with the Switch 2, considering the Switch has now shifted more than 146 million units worldwide.The Steam Deck remains a great device if you're a user of Valve's Steam service and is arguably the standout of portable gaming PCs currently on the market - allowing you to immediately download and play your existing library of digital games on the go.Interestingly, Nintendo might be drawing some inspiration from PC hardware, following what appears to be the discovery of an optical sensor on the side of the Switch 2's left Joy-Con. The official Switch 2 trailer also seemed to showcase mouse-style Joy-Con controllers.The Switch 2 announcement looks to have impacted Nintendo's share prices as well, which reached an all-time high. 1-UpFlexing that backward compatibilityBehold the Nintendo Steam OLED... no, that's not rightWhat are your thoughts about this? Would you still consider a Steam Deck now that the Switch 2 has been revealed? Do you already own these devices? Let us know in the comments.[source bsky.app, via twistedvoxel.com, steamdeckhq.com]See AlsoShare:00 Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesRandom: Donkey Kong Country's Artist Reacts To Nintendo's Redesign"Everything changes!"Poll: What Do You Think Of Donkey Kong's Redesign In Mario Kart 9?Got whiplash?Round Up: Video Game Industry Reacts To Nintendo's Switch 2 AnnouncementHere's what everyone thoughtVideo: We've Spotted Some Secrets In The Nintendo Switch 2 Reveal TrailerSwitch sleuthingNintendo: Switch 2's Backwards Compatibility Feature Is The "Best Direction" For ConsumersSwitch is already "played by many consumers"

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kXenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition will land on the Switch this March, and ahead of this Wii U title's return, pre-order deals are now going live in North America.If you're planning on picking up a physical copy, you might want to check out Best Buy, as it will be offering a fancy mini metal poster and stand featuring the game's key artwork. If you've already pre-ordered from this store, this should be added to your existing order.This item is available in limited quantities, so be sure to act fast if you're interested. If we hear about a similar offer in other locations, we'll be sure to let you know.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube Image: NintendoAs previously revealed, there will also be some early purchase bonuses if you end up ordering a digital or physical copy of the game. This includes an "exploration support pack" containing the survival armor series, advanced storm assault rifle, 11 augments, advanced iron knife, and 100,000 credits. Here's a look:Image: NintendoApart from this, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition will come with enhanced visuals, added story elements and more. Check out our previous coverage here on Nintendo Life for more information about this upcoming release: The year is 2054It's UncontrollableFarewell, friendWill you be pre-ordering this game? What do you think of this particular pre-order bonus? Let us know in the comments.Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.[source bsky.app, via gonintendo.com]Related GamesSee AlsoShare:20 Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesRandom: Donkey Kong Country's Artist Reacts To Nintendo's Redesign"Everything changes!"Silksong Fans Think They've Narrowed Down The Big AnnouncementIs the cake a lie?Nintendo Believes In "Giving Proper Credit" After Backlash Over Donkey Kong Country Returns HDSo why the omission?Sega Launches Its Own Free Account Service With Unique Member RewardsSign up! Y'know, if you want

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kLast December, the quirky RPG OFF was announced for the Switch. At the time we mentioned how Undertale and Deltarune creator Toby Fox often cited this game as a huge influence on his own work, and now in an update, it's been revealed he'll be contributing to the soundtrack of this "improved version".Publisher Fangamer goes into detail in its latest PR about how Toby Fox came to be involved in this project:Fangamer: Fangamer reached out to Alias Conrad Coldwood to reuse the original soundtrack in the new version, but ACC felt nervous about signing and proved hard to reach. He did state that he doesn't mind his music will not be reused and that he has no issues with a new soundtrack.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube Mortis Ghost, the developer, asked Toby Fox if he was interested in helping on OFF's soundtrack. Both recognise that the soundtrack contributed a lot to the game's atmosphere and core memories of the fans, so it wasn't an easy challenge to deliver the same experience.Toby ended up handling a lot of boss tracks and was also assigned... the normal battle theme. Pepper Steak, the most famous song from the original OST, is well-loved by fans with millions of listens across various platforms.Toby Fox has also shared some details about his involvement - mentioning how the experience was quite the challenge, and revealing how he called on the Japanese composer Camellia (Beatmania, Dance Dance Revolution) to help out:Toby Fox: "I'm gonna be honest, just feels like I got assigned to take a bullet in the back for everybody else. I looked up almost every jazz song from the 1920s, I commissioned Carlos to make an entire fake jazz song for me so I could cut it up into samples, I tried making like 6 entirely different songs, but nothing I could come up with on my own felt quite right.In the end, I summoned Camellia to help me out by re-remixing my first track into multiple versions, and ultimately I think it will feel pretty cool as you go through the game."You can read the full interview with Toby on the 'Off the RPG' website.Toby also apparently did this music for free and will be uploading all of his tracks for free when the game is released this year. You can listen to 'White Meat' - the new battle theme for OFF by Toby Fox & Camellia in the video below:Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kIf you want to find out a bit more about this upcoming release, check out our original post here on Nintendo Life: With a physical edition to bootAre you excited about Toby Fox's involvement in this "improved version" of OFF? Let us know in the comments.Related GamesSee AlsoShare:01 Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesRandom: Donkey Kong Country's Artist Reacts To Nintendo's Redesign"Everything changes!"Silksong Fans Think They've Narrowed Down The Big AnnouncementIs the cake a lie?Nintendo Believes In "Giving Proper Credit" After Backlash Over Donkey Kong Country Returns HDSo why the omission?Sega Launches Its Own Free Account Service With Unique Member RewardsSign up! Y'know, if you want

The Bayonetta developer PlatinumGames is back.As we enter 2025, Koei Tecmos Team Ninja (known for its work on series like Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive) has acknowledged its 30th anniversary.In 4Gamer.nets round up on Japanese developers 2025 ambitions, Team Ninjas Fumihiko Yasuda mentioned how the team hoped to release titles fitting for the occasion. Heres exactly what he had to say:Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Including a special Super Famicom release...Nintendo has released its first Switch Online game update for 2025 and it adds three more titles to the SNES library including a Super Famicom release.These titles include the SNK fighting game Fatal Fury 2 (1993/94), Culture Brain's action RPG Super Ninja Boy (1992), and the action puzzle title Sutte Hakkun (1997) - a Nintendo title originally released on the Super Famicom add-on, the Satellaview.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Image: United LabelThe latest Nintendo Download update for North America has arrived, and it's bringing new games galore to the eShop in your region. As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy!Switch eShop - HighlightsSTAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles (Aspyr, 23rd Jan, $19.99) - Take back the Theed Palace in this fast and furious lightsaber action game set in the STAR WARS galaxy! You will have the power of the Force and your trusty lightsaber to help you ward off legions of battle droids, destroyer droids, assassins and other creatures from STAR WARS: Episode I The Phantom Menace. Jump into side-scrolling arcade action with fan favorite characters like Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi and more. Play solo or bring a friend along with you for the entire 10-level campaign in couch co-op mode! - Read our STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles reviewSubscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube Cuisineer (Marvelous (XSEED), 28th Jan, $29.99) - This roguelite game combines delectable dungeon crawling and fast-paced restaurant management elements into one cute and tasty mix. Dive into dungeons and cook up a storm as Pom, an adventurer-turned-restaurateur! Food-focused action challenges you to build your dinner the hard way: by dungeon-diving for materials and ingredients. Work with local artisans to customize your kitchen and tailor your dining hall to the needs of loyal patrons eager to experience the rare recipes youve cooked up.Switch eShop - New ReleasesAchilles: Legends Untold (Dark Point Games, 23rd Jan, $24.99) - Discover an extraordinary adventure in a dynamic Action RPG with souls-like combat. Explore the mythical world of ancient Greece, where youll assume the role of the fearless warrior, Achilles.Aquarun (Afil Games, 22nd Jan, $4.99) - Dive into the vibrant world of AquaRun, a fast-paced 2D pixel art platformer that tests your reflexes, precision, and determination! Inspired by the best of hardcore platforming games, AquaRun challenges you to guide a fragile yet determined character through 40 meticulously designed levels filled with relentless obstacles, devious traps, and tricky platforms.Arcade Archives ESCAPE KIDS (HAMSTER, 16th Jan, $7.99) - " ESCAPE KIDS " is a sports-action game released by KONAMI in 1987. ESCAPE KIDS has only one rule: run faster than everyone else. Use the RUN and SUPER JUMP buttons to win the future superhero race.Car Heist Simulator Thief Mechanic (VRKIWI Games, 25th Jan, $7.99) - Car Heist Simulator - Thief Mechanic invites you to test your skills in the world of car theft, where careful planning and agility are the keys to success. In this game, youll explore various locations, each with unique features and security levels.Casual Sport Series: Tennis (Revulo Games, 24th Jan, $5.99) - Choose from an array of vibrant characters, each with their own unique flair, and compete on beautifully designed courts. With stunning visuals, smooth animations, and colorful environments, every match is a feast for the eyes, making each rally as engaging to watch as it is to play.Cats Visiting Lunar New Year (AGE Zero, 23rd Jan, $3.99) - Welcome to Cats Visiting Lunar New Year, a festive and charming hidden object game celebrating the Chinese New Year!Codename: Ocean Keeper (RetroStyle Games, 17th Jan, $12.99) - Welcome to Ocean Keeper, a mining roguelike shooter with a top-down view. Play as a Miner whose spaceship has crashed on a planet, filled with underwater monsters. Find resources and artifacts for purchasing valuable upgrades.Courageous Reasoning Nori 9 Reasoning Tournament Sticking Nori (HERO GAME, 16th Jan, $1.50) - Courage and others will participate in the deduction competition. Will they be able to emerge victorious?Cycle Chaser H-5 (Ratalaika Games, 24th Jan, $5.99) - Do you have what it takes to defeat the rampaging alien forces? Burn through waves of impenetrable foes with a sleek arsenal of weapons.Dance of Cards (Pineapple Works, 23rd Jan, $9.99) - Dance of Cards is a tactical gambling RPG where you try to survive seven days of a deadly cruise by playing poker. With no option to escape, they are forced to accept the rules and put their lives at stake for a fleeting hope of salvation.Doll Style: Underground Design and Dress (Cooking & Publishing, 16th Jan, $3.99) - Are you ready to create the coolest and most urban looks? Design unique and comfortable outfits that will make your girls shine in their everyday life. Explore a wide variety of clothes, hairstyles and accessories to mix and match in original ways. Unleash your creativity and become the most trendsetting stylist on the street!Dragon Takers (KEMCO, 23rd Jan, $14.99) - The Dragon Army, commanded by the ruthless Drake Emperor Tiberius, marches ever closer to total conquest of the world. The once-mighty nations stand divided, each struggling in isolation as their lands fall one by one under the growing shadow of the army. Amid the chaos, a young man named Helio, from the humble village of Haven, faces his end in a vicious dragon attack. However, just as hope fades, a mysterious power awakens within him.EGGCONSOLE ZANAC MSX (D4 Enterprise, 23rd Jan, $6.49) - Released in 1986 in Japan, ZANAC is a vertically scrolling shooting game. Players pilot the ZANAC fighter to battle the runaway system. ZANAC utilizes both normal shots and special bullets to fight.Escape from Nightmare: Horror Tales (Megame, 23rd Jan, $4.99) - Explore the gloomy corridors of abandoned premises, full of dangers and secrets. Each step can lead to new tricks or unexpected finds. Unravel the history of this cursed place, collecting notes left by previous inhabitants. The atmosphere of the game is filled with tension and fear. Discover dark secrets and show your courage to survive this terrible test.Escape Game The Resort Facility (Regista, 23rd Jan, $4.99) - This game is an escape-the-room game (mystery-adventure game). Point the screen with a cursor to solve riddles, and story goes on.Folk Hero (Smart Space Solutions, 23rd Jan, $11.99) - Folk Hero is an action-slasher with rogue-lite elements set in the world of Slavic fantasy. Explore the ever-changing island, find treasures, combine weapons and artifacts to defeat mythical enemies. Challenge your skills! One life, one try.Golden Rails: Valuable Package Collectors Edition (Ocean Media, 16th Jan, $6.99) - After being chased by bandits and losing some valuable packages, postman Philip turns to his new friends, Jack and Jill, for help in delivering all the remaining packages to their rightful owners. But it's not just a simple delivery task - the bandits are still on the loose and willing to do whatever it takes to get their hands on the rare and valuable packages.Gravitators (eastasiasoft, 23rd Jan, $9.99) - Old-school challenge and style collide with modern advancements and mission design in Gravitators, a twin-stick shooter that puts you in control of 4 different ships as you defend mankind against invasion!GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- Nintendo Switch Edition (ARC SYSTEM WORKS, 23rd Jan, $59.99) - State of the art 2.5D fighting game is coming to Nintendo Switch! Guilty Gear -Strive-, the latest entry of the Guilty Gear series with more than 3 million users worldwide, finally arrives as Guilty Gear -Strive- Nintendo Switch Edition!How to Start Yoga: A Beginners Guide (Cooking & Publishing, 16th Jan, $2.99) - Immerse yourself in the world of yoga with this comprehensive guide, designed to inspire you to improve your physical, mental and emotional well-being. Learn how to increase your flexibility and mobility through a selection of postures explained in detail, from chest openings to gentle stretches. Discover simple techniques that will help you reduce stress, improve sleep quality and look after your postural health.Hunter Simulator : Wild Hunting (16BIT, 24th Jan, $9.99) - Step into the heart of the wild with Hunter Simulator: Wild Hunting, where breathtaking landscapes meet the ultimate hunting challenge. Traverse vast open worlds, from dense forests to towering mountains, as you track elusive prey in an unforgiving environment.Infernitos (Afil Games, 23rd Jan, $4.99) - Take on the role of a mischievous imp chef tasked with crafting devilishly delicious dishes for picky demon patrons. In this fiery puzzle adventure, youll navigate a blazing kitchen, skillfully pushing and delivering dishes to satisfy your infernal clients.Master Of Bow (Zakym, 24th Jan, $4.99) - This charming pixel art puzzle game offers 30 increasingly challenging levels across 3 unique biomes. Deliver dishes by skillfully solving puzzles with a wicked twist!Motorbikes Pro 2025 (Baltoro Minis, 17th Jan, $4.99) - Step into the world of archery where precision and skill are your greatest allies. In Master of Bow, take on the role of a master archer and challenge yourself to hit a variety of targetsfrom straw big targets and wooden smaller moving targets to flying balloons and mannequinsNeptunia Riders VS Dogoos (Idea Factory, 28th Jan, $39.99) - This dimension is different from Gamindustri... Choose from 6 playable characters, scour the land on your trusty bike, and collect as many variants of Dogoos as possible to win! As players progress through 15 Dogoo-filled stages, Uzume must find a way to snap her friends out of their weird fascination with Dogoos! The Dogoo Bounty HunterOsman Gazi (UMURO, 23rd Jan, $9.99) - Take charge of the army with Osman Gazi and witness the foundation of the Ottoman Empire. Play the story of an epic heroism inspired by real people and events. Lead your people! All comrades like alps, balas and chicks are fighting under your leadership.PicoMix by NuSan (Potico Games, 16th Jan, $14.99) - PicoMix by NuSan features games made by creator NuSan over a 8 years period of time. Its a compilation of works in multiple genres, like platform, puzzle, crafting, or base building for a total of about 20 fun games and experiments, some will provide hours of interesting challenges while others can be completed in a few minutes.Portal Balls (Zakym, 24th Jan, $4.99) - PicoMix by NuSan features games made by creator NuSan over a 8 years period of time. Its a compilation of works in multiple genres, like platform, puzzle, crafting, or base building for a total of about 20 fun games and experiments, some will provide hours of interesting challenges while others can be completed in a few minutes.PUNYAN (G-MODE, 16th Jan, $6.99) - PUNNYAN is a falling puzzle and merge game to enjoy together with cute cats living on the Nyanten Island! The game is easy to play with simple controls, but with the addition of original rules, a new puzzle experience awaits you, requiring a deep strategy!Ravenswatch (Nacon, 23rd Jan, $29.99) - Ravenswatch is a top-down roguelike action game that combines intense real-time combat with deep gameplay and high replay value. After the success of Curse of the Dead Gods, Passtech returns with a new formula and game experience that can be played solo or with up to four players in co-op.ROBOT ANARCHY (Infinite Zone, 29th Jan, $4.99) - Prepare for heart-pounding action as you blast through waves of deadly machines across a series of diverse and gripping levels. The game offers a unique mix of intense gunfights, puzzles, and secret areas that keep you on your toes. Built using old-schoold 90's technology to deliver an authentic experience.Save The Doge (NOSTRA GAMES, 23rd Jan, $4.99) - Solving the puzzles and saving the little puppies is the best way to spend your time. Draw the lines accurately, so the angry bees can't even touch our beloved dog.Sliding Cubes 2048 Mania (Zakym, 24th Jan, $3.99) - Immerse yourself in this addictive puzzle game where strategy is key! Merge colorful cubes with matching numbers to create higher-value cubes, like combining two 2s to make a 4, and so on. Your goal is to score as high as possible while keeping the board clear. If more than 20 cubes fill the board, its game over.Strania -The Stella Machina- EX (G.rev, 23rd Jan, $14.99) - The all-out robot action-shooting game "Strania -The Stella Machina-", reminiscent of the good old days of arcade games, has evolved into the EX (Extra) version and will become available on the Nintendo Switch!SUMMER GIRLFRIEND (CyberStep, 16th Jan, $19.90) - With a single sentence from his grandfather, Yuuichi Yagami starts to think about romance for the first time in his life. However, for someone like Yuuichiwho's only ever focused on his family and friendsthe idea of romance is completely foreign and feels like an impossible challenge.Sword of the Necromancer: Resurrection (Grimorio of Games, 23rd Jan, $24.95) - Return to the world of Sword of the Necromancer like never before! Resurrection is a 3D remake of the original game, completely reimagined with new graphics and gameplay mechanics. Dive into an adventure full of emotions, strategy, and action, with an artistic style inspired by the classics of the 6th generation console era, now brought to the modern age.Symphonia (Headup Games, 23rd Jan, $19.99) - In the realm of Symphonia, music acts as a source of life and energy. But since the founders and their orchestra vanished the inhabitants are divided, and the world slowly falls into silence. What if there was a way to gather a new orchestra? That's the question Philemon, the mysterious musician in Symphonia, will have to answer.Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter (United Label, 28th Jan, $24.99) - As Arlo, young heir to the Warden of the Wastes, journey through the vast, snow-ravaged lands of the North in an epic quest to overcome the Dark Wings once and for all. Hunt down giant beasts. Unite disparate clans. Upgrade your settlement. And discover a terrible secret of blood and crownThe Bakery Tales (Loneminded, 24th Jan, $4.99) - The Bakery Tales is a delightful bakery management game where you take the reins of a cozy shop in a bustling town. Choose your menu from a selection of recipes, carefully manage stock and ingredient levels, and ensure smooth operations by hiring and managing staff.The Exit Project: Backstreets (NOSTRA GAMES, 23rd Jan, $9.99) - Do you realize that you are in a very strange place? Everything around you seems normal and ordinary, but look closely. What do you see? Step by step, you're back in the same place you started. Try it again. Look carefully around you. Back again? Then you missed something.Vermitron (Clickteam, 24th Jan, $7.99) - They're Coming! Get ready to defend your lovely Flower from invading insect! Prepare your Bug Spray, Call your Holo-Pet, Fortify base and don't forget your mission: Find the Watering-Can! Vermitron is an Retro styled Arcade Twin-Stick shooter with Tower Defense elements inspired by the classic titles like Robotron, Smash-Tv, Gauntlet or PSSST from ZX-Spectrum.Witch It (Barrel Roll Games GmbH & Co. KG, 16th Jan, $19.90) - Explore and hide within humble villages, exotic islands, and peculiar forests brimming with secrets and surprises for you to discover. Each map contains a variety of prop arrangements, keeping matches unique and exciting every time you play!Worlds of Aria (Ishtar Games, 23rd Jan, $14.99) - Lead your own DnD like adventuring party on an epic exploit narrated by Laura Bailey. Invite your friends for free to the group with the Friends Pass, or strike out on your own. Collaboration, betrayal, and the luck of the dice what wild escapades will you and your companions embark on!What will you be downloading this week? (110 votes)Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles9%Cuisineer5%Achilles: Legends Untold3%Aquarun 0%Arcade Archives ESCAPE KIDS5%Casual Sport Series: Tennis 0%Codename: Ocean Keeper 0.9%Cycle Chaser H-5 0%Dance of Cards 0%Doll Style: Underground Design and Dress 0.9%Dragon Takers 0%Eggconsole Zanac Msx4%Folk Hero 0%Gravitators 0.9%Guilty Gear -Strive-: Nintendo Switch Edition14%Hunter Simulator : Wild Hunting 0%Infernitos 0%Master Of Bow 0%Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos2%Osman Gazi 0%PicoMix by NuSan 0%Portal Balls 0%Punyan 0%Ravenswatch4%Robot Anarchy 0%Save The Doge 0%Strania -The Stella Machina- EX3%Summer Girlfriend 0.9%Sword of the Necromancer: Resurrection4%Symphonia3%Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter13%The Bakery Tales 0.9%The Exit Project: Backstreets 0%Vermitron 0%Witch It 0.9%Worlds of Aria3%Nothing for me this week25%So that's your lot for this week's North American Nintendo Download. Go on, be a sport and drop a vote in the poll above, and comment below with your hot picks!

King of Swing (and of the charts).We've got an updated look at the Japanese software charts courtesy of Famitsu and, given the arrival of a new Nintendo joint, there was never any doubt about who was going to be in first place.Yes, much like in the UK, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD has swung its way to gold in its debut week after shifting an impressive 107,093 copies. But just look at all the other newbies that DK had to beat to nab the gold! Dynasty Warriors: Origins on PS5 posted a less impressive debut but still managed 63,805 copies to land in second, and Switch took the lion's share of Tales of Graces f Remastered's sales, which arrived in third.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kAfter first catching our eye at the 2023 Gamescom Future Games Show, musical platformer Symphonia has finally finished tuning up and is ready to make some noise on Switch today.Developed by Sunny Peak and published by Headup, Symphonia is a non-violent platformer where you play as an adorable little violinist, determined to bring life to the musical machinery of the realm. Looking at the above launch trailer, the musical themes go deep, with instruments being integral to your exploration and puzzle-solving.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube It's an interesting-sounding concept and one that is all the more appealing thanks to the game's hand-drawn art style. Those Hollow Knight thorns/spikes feel a little overused by this point, but it's increasingly becoming an indie shorthand for 'do not touch this ledge' and we're okay with that.You can find a rundown of the game's key features and a handful of screenshots below.- Experience and overcome great platforming challenges with all of Philemon's abilities- Discover various environments that combine music and machinery- Enjoy the performance of the Scoring Orchestra Paris, recorded specifically for Symphonia and written by composers Olivier Esman and Alexandre Bucas-Franais- Play the violin to activate level elements and bring life to the realm- Gather musical Prodigies and play breathtaking concerts to bring music, joy, and glory back to the landImages: Headup GamesSymphonia is now available on the Switch eShop for 16.99 / $19.99. AK-xolotl! Bloomtown! Dome-King Cabbage!Does this one look up your street? Let us know in the comments.Related GamesSee AlsoShare:01 Jim came to Nintendo Life in 2022 and, despite his insistence that The Minish Cap is the best Zelda game and his unwavering love for the Star Wars prequels (yes, really), he has continued to write news and features on the site ever since. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesThe Switch eShop Is A Nightmare, So We've Made Our Own "Better eShop"Fixing what Nintendon'tStardew Valley Creator Releases New Patch For Nintendo Switch VersionKicking off 2025 with some bug fixesTeam Cherry Reconfirms Hollow Knight: Silksong Is Actually Real In Small Development UpdateAfter weeks of rumoursCeleste Dev Makes "Difficult Decision" To Cancel New Game EarthbladeFollowing "a disagreement about the IP rights of Celeste"

Image: The Pokmon CompanyIt must have been tough for chocolate lovers to get any chocolate when Willy Wonka was hiding golden tickets inside the wrappers.Joking aside, that's more or less been the vibe from Prismatic Evolutions, the just-released, mega-hyped Pokmon card set thats memorable for its heavy representation of the fan-favourite Pokmon Eevee, and all its evolutionary forms. The 180+ card set was smoke-signaled by The Pokmon Company a little under four months out from its January 2025 release, and fans have anticipated it as the de facto set to look out for, largely due to its similarity to the most popular TCG expansion from the companys previous card generation, Evolving Skies.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube Not only has this made the set impossible to find on the shelves, but a confluence of issues has made opening them feel awful, and way less fun than youd think, even if youre lucky enough to find any packs in the wild.How Prismatic Evolutions intensified Pok feverTo understand why this particular set has started in-store riots and website crashes, here are the key details to know.Broadly, Pokmon trading cards have experienced a resurgence after COVID lockdowns in 2020 inadvertently reignited the hobbys popularity. This, in turn, created a strong re-seller market, which continues to this day.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kIn short, The Pokmon Company loves to make cards (it released six expansions in 2024), and people still love to buy, play, and resell them (they bought 12 billion of them last fiscal year).MSRP packs are basically free money at a scale never before seen in this hobbyWhats pertinent to note here is that in between each generation of Pokmon video games (roughly every three to four years), The Pokmon Company likes to make structural changes to the card game. And in between every card expansion release (roughly every two to four months), it is known to tinker.Hidden among those subtle changes are the reasons why this new set is growing in infamy.The Alt Art explosionDuring the 2020-2023 Sword & Shield-era of cards (eras are typically named after the most recent video game in the series), Pokmon revitalised a type of rare card referred to as Secret Illustration Rares (SIRs), but which are often colloquially referred to as Alternate Arts, or 'Alt Arts'.The most sought-after of these textured, artistically bold cards can fetch hundreds of dollars straight out of the pack, with one notable standout going for almost triple the price of the next most valuable: the Umbreon Vmax, or 'Moonbreon', as many refer to it. Though the price fluctuates a lot, its a card thats consistently reselling at over $1,400 (as of the beginning of 2025)!Image: The Pokmon CompanyGenerally though, the existence of expensive cards is nothing too out of the ordinary, right? While $1,400 is a wild price for a relatively new trading card, keep in mind that it took years of supply and demand cycles for it to reach that height; it spent the majority of its existence hovering around the $150-$350 range when the set was more readily available. And in general, Id argue a sign of a healthy collecting hobby is a culturally-agreed-upon 'main chase'.But the compounding problem is that Alternate Arts have set the new standard for what people want to chase, and how they want to do it. Both fans and The Pokmon Co. have caught on big time.While youd be a fool to cite pre-release card prices a measure you could set your clock to crashing within days (if not hours) upon release the most sought-after Umbreon in this new set has already sold a few dozen times on eBay at a ludicrous range of around $1,200-$2,100 raw and that resale price has been growing, not falling.And thats only Umbreon; many other cards in this set are selling for hundreds of dollars apiece, as well. Its clear people feel they previously missed the boat on these special rarity cards. And unfortunately, thats creating massive waves not only on the resale prices of each card, but more vitally, on all sealed products.Image: The Pokmon CompanyWhile a single Pokmon card pack retails for $4.49, Prismatic packs have spent nearly a week fluidly reselling for around $10-$20 and for much longer, if you count illegal pre-release sales. The Elite Trainer Boxes (a box that contains nine packs, plus additional playing materials) retail for $49.99, but are selling for well over $100 apiece. Plus, given that Prismatic is whats known as a 'special' set, there are no traditional 36-pack booster boxes available to buy to offset demand.Put another way, MSRP packs are basically free money at a scale never before seen in this hobby. Right now, you can easily double, triple, maybe quadruple your money if you were to find some at the store for MSRP.Its so lucrative, that more people than ever are not even thinking about collecting Pokmon cards as a hobby; sealed items are being treated as a speculative currency. (More on the reseller market in a minute.)Pokmon Co. has clearly switched up pull-rate logicGiven all these big chases, it seems like this would still be an exciting set to open up if you only had some, right? Maybe, but TPC has made changes that have made this set, for lack of a better word, feel worse:Illustration Rares are alternated out, in favour of "Master Ball" reskinsPull rates are seemingly similar to those of non-Special setsThere are nearly triple the amount of cards in the rarest tier compared to Evolving SkiesAn extraordinarily rare tier has been added, wreaking havoc on pricesFirst, this important tidbit: between the Sword and Shield and Scarlet and Violet (SV) card generations, The Pokmon Company added another opportunity 'slot' among the 10 additional cards you get in a pack. (A slot simply means the placement inside the pack where you can expect to see a certain type of hit among the 10 cards.) Adding this was also how TPC justified an increase from $3.99 to $4.49 a pack, MSRP.This change was met with a bit of scepticism at first, but it was a smart move. You now drastically feel the difference when opening up older packs, which feel brutally stingy, while SV sets feel brimming with potential.However, Prismatic Evolutions has ditched a lot of the rare card types in favour of relatively straightforward 'reskinned' versions of common cards, meaning that instead of a full-surface, unique artwork coming up in a rare slot, your extremely lucky pull might look identical to a common card, but with added texture. And sure, the Master Balls are a great addition, but the packs feel far more muted.Meanwhile, the fact that this is a 'special' set heavily implied it would stick to standards from special sets prior; not only that it wouldnt be sold by the booster box (it isnt), but that it would dispense hits at higher, or at least more varied rates.Well, it doesnt. Pull rates of all rarities appear to be no better than any regular SV set before it. If you really want to get into the weeds, and then some, Youtuber Danny Phantump has a great analysis of Prismatic pull rates.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWhich cascades into the next problem: there are 32 freaking Alt Arts in Prismatic Evolutions!For reference, the Pokmon set the famous Umbreon VMAX hails from, Evolving Skies, featured a then-hefty 11 cards of the highest rarity tier, which was nearly the most of any SW:SH set; most feature around half a dozen or fewer Alt Arts. SV sets have been increasing the Alt Art totals ever since, but Prismatic takes the cake.The vast majority of people are hunting the nine Eevee cards. But factoring the math of pulling any Alt Art shaking out to be very roughly a 1:50 gamble, that means youd expect to find between only three to five Alt Arts per the equivalent of a case of booster boxes (thats six boxes). You could easily open up one hundred packs and get one, two, or zero Alternate Arts, let alone any Eevee ones. Thats currently an average of $1,500 of pack value. Yikes.And finally, one of the coolest additions in Pokmon card history has so far rendered the whole set prohibitively expensive: 'god packs'. For the first time in English, borrowed from Japanese sets before it, any Prismatic Evolution pack has the potential of being stuffed with only the nine Eevee Alt Arts inside, plus an Eevee Master Ball. (There also exist 'demi-god' packs, which will net you three random Alt Arts in one pack.)Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kBecause we cant have nice things, the still-very-early resale value of all the Eevee SIRs combined (plus Eevee Master Ball) is fluctuating near or above $5,000. To put that into gobsmacking perspective, that's the same price-neighborhood as a first-edition base set booster pack, the literal first print of the first set of Pokmon cards ever made.So, whats $20 to buy a pack if you might make $5,000? You almost certainly wont, but the possibility is what dictates the price.A perfect stormThere are other reasons this set is blowing up, the most obvious being that Prismatic, along with Surging Sparks before it, is (almost) the first SV sets to highlight the most popular Pokmon, as opposed to introducing newer ones.But consider these things, too: the Pokmon TCG Pocket app released in October, and has been a runaway hit, bringing many back to the hobby. Crypto is also broadly rising, which traditionally inflates hobby markets as it goes up (not to mention a million other socio-economic, globalisation factors). And if you think demand is high now, wait until a Pokmon game is announced for something called the 'Switch 2'.The signs this was going to be an issue are so plentiful, its enough to make you think The Pokmon Company is creating this problem on purpose. Yet for its part, the company issued a very rare public statement vaguely declaring they would fight the supply problems:Image: The Pokmon CompanyAll of this leaves the hobby in a seemingly unforced, delicate spot.Sure, business from sales will be amazing short-term, and artistically, we now have this very cool set that features the original 151 Pokmon in a Mucha-esque art style. But it costs so much money to play, it leaves you with an existential crisis over opening even a single pack. If you find a three-pack at the store for $15, why not sell it for $30-$50? Let alone if you find several.And the set has pull rates so pedestrian that it feels ruinous to open what equates to hundreds of dollars worth of packs just to hit absolutely nothing, which is quite common. Would you rather have 20 packs, or a Switch 2? In this way, Pokmon cards no longer feel like a raffle, they feel like a lottery.Thats a fundamental problem so bad, its unsustainable. There is no such thing as an 'average' demographic for $20 packs and $5,000 chases. For certain, there arent tons of people building decks using cards from packs with those prices. And even if prices fell some, which they will, thats still way too high. The Pokemon Company is looking down the barrel of a permanently shifted demographic.Image: Gemma Smith / Nintendo LifeAnd look, its one thing to simply point at high prices and say, Bad! I understand a successful game and business realistically allow for people to chase cards and create hype. Rare chases are good, and fun. However, manipulating and maintaining a demand thats so much higher than supply, over a product with utterly dejecting hit rates?Well, lets put it in a way Pokmon fans will appreciate: what would happen if the next mainline video game cost $150 and the only monsters findable were the 1-in-4,000-chance, shiny Pokmon? Its simple: people would get bored of looking and stop playing. "The technology is not going away, and people know what it can do"Related GamesSee AlsoShare:01 Alan is a feature writer who has contributed to Kotaku, Nintendo Life and other prominent gaming sites. He has a background in psychology research, the science of creativity, and over 30 years of Nintendo gaming behind him. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesPokmon TCG Pocket's New Expansion And Trading Feature Arrive Next WeekBring on the Smackdown

We're inclined to agree.Just days after Moon Studios' lead Thomas Mahler expressed his desire to see the Banjo-Kazooie franchise in the hands of a "really talented developer", original composer Grant Kirkhope has taken to social media to say that he has "zero hope" in a potential new entry (thanks, Eurogamer).He then went on to say that a new entry probably wouldn't work anyway, as "die hard fans would instantly hate it and slag it off no matter how good it was". A few hours later, however, he backtracked on this statement and said that "the Banjo fanverse is a wonderful thing".Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Image: Jim Norman / Nintendo LifeUpdate [Thu 23rd Jan 2025, 2:30pm]:Well, that was speedy. The Pokmon Company has announced that reservations for the upcoming pop-up Pokmon Center in London are now fully booked, and it's looking into ways to improve the process in the future.If you were unlucky enough to grace the pop-up's booking site yesterday, then it's likely that you will have seen some of the problems on display. Just minutes after the reservations went live, the site was met with crashes, lengthy load times and a whole host of other issues which meant huge waves of fans were unable to book a slot.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube In the meantime, other fans found ways to bypass the website's security and nab tickets that way, leading to a further influx of site visits when the method was shared online.To put it lightly, the community wasn't impressed. In response to the debacle, The Pokmon Company published a statement stating that "some fans will be disappointed that they could not reserve a slot", but pledging that it is "investigating ways to improve our online registration processes".As many have pointed out in response to the above tweet, TPC has struggled with online registrations for years, particularly when it comes to the pop-up Pokmon Centers. We have seen crashes and wait times like this every year in recent memory, so the changes are going to have to be pretty drastic if we actually see some improvements in 2026 and beyond.Until then, congratulations to all those who managed to grab a slot and commiserations to those who were let down by the site rest assured, you were not alone.Original Story: With the Pokmon European International Championships right around the corner, reservations for London's pop-up Pokmon Center are now live.The store will be up and running throughout the event at ExCel London from 20th-23rd February 2025 , and, much like previous years, you need to book a slot if you want to shop.Reservations are now available through the Pokmon EUIC website, where you can now bagsy a slot from 10am GMT on 20th Feb until 5pm GMT on 23rd Feb. As ever, these slots are likely to fill up fast (heck, the site already seems to be struggling with the influx of users), so be sure to get in there sooner rather than later if you have a limited window to grab some merch.We have already had a peek at some of the exclusive merch that will be appearing in the pop-up store this year, but you can expect to see much more when the event officially opens its doors next month.While 2024 saw some improvement in the Pokmon Center's organisation, it's worth bearing in mind that the booking system has been far from seamless in the past remember when attendees were advised to arrive an hour before their reserved slot back in 2022? so be prepared for some serious queues if you are lucky enough to attend. Arriving next monthPlease don't catch 'em allHave you managed to book yourself a Pokmon Center slot? Let us know in the comments.[source pokemoncenter.com, via x.com, x.com]See AlsoShare:01 Jim came to Nintendo Life in 2022 and, despite his insistence that The Minish Cap is the best Zelda game and his unwavering love for the Star Wars prequels (yes, really), he has continued to write news and features on the site ever since. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesPokmon Cards Return To U.S. McDonald's Happy Meals TodayScalper no scalpingUK Charts: Donkey Kong Barrels Past The Competition To Claim GoldNo monkeying aroundPokmon Trading Card Game Pocket Details New Trade Feature, Arriving This MonthNew booster packs are also being addedBuckle Up, Animal Crossing Is Heading To 'Sea Life UK' In February'Ello 'ello, got some bells, guv'nor?

Image: Team17Team17 Group has announced that it is rebranding the company to 'everplay group plc'.The announcement states that the change represents an "evolution" of the group following its addition to the London Stock Exchange in 2018. The name 'everplay' is designed to reflect its purpose to "never stop playing", along with its "creative drive to deliver a lifetime of play".If you're concerned about what this means for the iconic 'Team17' name, then worry not. Everplay states that the branding for the developer, video games label, and publisher will remain, allowing it to continue operating as it does today.In addition, astragon Entertainment, a developer and publisher of simulation games, and StoryToys, a developer and publisher of educational apps, will also retain their current branding. Everplay notes that the change will mitigate any potential confusion between the Team17 division and the group at large, stating that it "allows for strengthening the Group and a simplification of the business in the marketplace".Steve Bell, CEO of everplay, stated the following:I am excited to be unveiling our new Group brand today, which we believe better represents our business which has evolved greatly since the IPO and reflects our DNA to never stop playing. This rebrand not only creates an ideal backdrop to foster greater cross-collaboration internally but also reflects our aspirations to expand our reach across complementary sectors within the broader indie market.Fundamentally, we want to create pioneering and captivating experiences that enrich and inspire players around the world, and I firmly believe everplay will become synonymous with creating games that deliver a lifetime of play.The rebranding is expected to come into effect from early February. This is warDo you have any thoughts on this rebranding announcement? Are you glad that the Team17 name remains in place? Let us know with a comment.Share:120 Nintendo Lifes resident horror fanatic, when hes not knee-deep in Resident Evil and Silent Hill lore, Ollie likes to dive into a good horror book while nursing a lovely cup of tea. He also enjoys long walks and listens to everything from TOOL to Chuck Berry. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesNintendo Is "Very Upset" About The Switch 2 Leaks, It's ClaimedFormer employees Kit and Krysta discuss company secretsRound Up: Video Game Industry Reacts To Nintendo's Switch 2 AnnouncementHere's what everyone thoughtNintendo's Share Price Dips Following Its Big Switch 2 RevealNo need to panic, thoughNintendo's Average Salary Crowned The Second-Highest In Western Japan Last YearDespite the annual salary falling a little

As buggy and choppy as it was on Nintendo Switch, I LOVED Tales Of Kenzera: Zau.It was a truly moving story, had some decent elements in combat and conveyance that made me feel really invested. The framerates were not consistent, but the game still had the feel of guiding a nimble young warrior through a powerful journey, which it was, emotionally and otherwise.I truly want to see more Tales Of Kenzera, be they more myths and stories like Zau, or more focused on the amazing afro-futuristic setting bookending the game's story.The bookend segments of the futuristic main character were very touching and well thought out, and the setting was much like the Marvel movies' images of Wakanda, which I also liked.

1-Up.It was all doom and gloom last week as Nintendo's share price took a slight tumble immediately after the long-awaited Switch 2 reveal. But, ever ones to hit the rebound hard, the Big N has bounced back in style, temporarily hitting the company's highest recorded share price since listings began mamma mia.As flagged by Automaton, Nintendo stock temporarily rose to a tasty 9,775 JPY on 23rd January, setting a new all-time high for the company and reportedly beating the previous record (immediately before the Switch 2 reveal) by 371 JPY. While things dropped a little throughout the day, the shares ended up closing at a 1.65% increase on yesterday's figures.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)Always two, there are. No more. No less. Master Yoda's wise words may have rung true for the Sith, but it couldn't be further from the rate at which Star Wars games were being pumped out in the early 2000s.Some showed promise (Episode I: Racer, Battle for Naboo) while others were as dull as The Phantom Menace's trade agreements (Obi-Wan's Adventures). The vast majority fell into a vague middle ground, a place neither Dark nor Light, where games passed the time well enough but wouldn't occupy enough space in the mind to distract from the next cinematic entry.One such title was Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles, an action-platformer/beat 'em up that loosely re-trod the juicy bits of Phantom's plot a year after its cinematic debut and threw in some combo-focused combat and Padawan-level platforming for good measure. It was far from the worst tie-in the film would be treated to, but certainly not the kind of game you'd think would ever get the remaster treatment.Well, surprise! Aspyr has once again stuck its hand into a grimy sack of 'Forgotten Star Wars Games' and pulled this out. As with Racer, Force Unleashed, and, most recently, Bounty Hunter, the studio has once again turned in a by-the-numbers remaster with minimal additions and visual flare. The nostalgia is strong with this one but, as we quickly learned, a game needs to do more than simply play Duel of the Fates to stop itself from feeling horrendously dated.For the most part, Jedi Power Battles is the same game we played on PlayStation and Dreamcast (not the GBA version) back in 2000. After reading an obnoxiously long end-user agreement, you pick a hero from the original game's complete lineup (Plo Koon fans, rise up!), and slash, shoot, and... Force? your way through 10 chapters set in familiar locales from the 1999 movie.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)Aspyr's remaster presents the full roster and all 10 story levels unlocked and fully playable right from the beginning alongside the original's four minigames and arcade-style cheat codes (for those who really want to play with big heads). Playing through each of the story beats unlocks an additional 13 characters for your next playthrough, including the likes of Jar Jar, several Tusken Raiders and Droids, Ishi Tib, and Weequay Star Wars B-Tier, no doubt, but a nice addition nonetheless.Having the full game open to you from the jump is a welcome change we're still haunted by memories of the Droid onslaught in Theed Palace and two-player co-op means there's still the chance for some local lightsaber laughs if you happen to have a fellow Jedi nearby with a hankering for nostalgia.This is particularly true for the four minigames and one-on-one Training mode. Mario Party and Smash it ain't, but the former helped break up the gameplay loop with its game-specific controls (like the button-mashing Kaadu Race! and Gungan Roundup's objective of herding a terrified Jar Jar into your opponent's goal), while the latter lets you duel it out like a classic fighter helped by a decent number of combos for each character.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)However, unlocks and obscure cameos aren't enough to hide the fact that Jedi Power Battles' main story is very much of its time. With the exception of the time trial-based Palace Cliffs and the top-down speeder shoot 'em up Streets of Theed, the level structure grows quickly repetitive. Constantly inputting combos makes the combat feel sluggish, while button-mashing makes every encounter feel identical. Most enemies can be dispatched with a well-timed block to send their bullets right back at them; those that can't always manage to inflict unfair damage while your hero plays out their attack animation.The ones that really hurt are the instances when the game doesn't load an enemy sprite until you're right on top of it, or when a foe clips into the nearby environment, but still manages to fire its blaster with one leg morphed to a nearby plant pot. It's something that occasionally plays out to comedic effect (we properly belly-laughed at the number of Droids that fell to their death by trying to follow us around a tight bend), but the "Aww, 2000 gameplay, what are you like!" nostalgia can only get you so far.Being hit by an enemy is one thing, but the game really shows its age in the platforming challenges. This is by no means an 'open world' and the path to the goal is always clearly signposted, but it took a good bit of time for us to get back into the 2000s headspace. It was a time when double-jump momentum was non-existent, depth perception was all over the place, and cameras would stubbornly remain in one spot while you blindly leapt to the screen's edge, hoping to find a ledge.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)All that said, we had fun with it. If you've got affection for this era of games and this trilogy of Star Wars films, you won't have a bad time with this.Performance on Switch is overall pretty strong, with minimal frame drops throughout the main campaign. The aforementioned clipping and sprite loading issues were increasingly a nuisance, however, particularly in the final chapter where you are required to destroy a series of panels to progress past hazardous fans. In the original release, these panels were clearly signposted with a red button, but no such button, nor panel, appears in the remaster. Instead, you bump into an invisible object, blindly attack in its general direction, and wait for an explosion visual to tell you the path is clear. Without knowledge of the original release, we're not sure you'd ever work that one out, Force-sensitive or not.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)As was the case in Bounty Hunter and Battlefront, Aspyr has loosely updated the visuals and controls here to bring things in line with the present day. For the control scheme (easily swapped between 'Modern' and 'Classic'), it's mostly just a case of swapping 'Jump' from 'A' to 'B', and the visual changes appear just as simple. The characters and environments show a good amount of extra detail compared to their PlayStation days, granted, but the polygonal models and limited textures are still harsh on the eye.Perhaps an option to toggle between old and new graphics (as Aspyr included in Tomb Raider I-III Remastered) might have made the visual tweaks a little more impressive, but if you're hoping to see improved animations and recognisable character silhouettes at a glance, these aren't the upgrades you're looking for.ConclusionFor those who enjoyed the original release back around the turn of the millennium, Star Wars: Episode I - Jedi Power Battles is just about the safest remaster you could imagine. The instant level unlocks and expanded character roster are both nice touches, but Aspyr's limited improvements leave this feeling very of its time. If you can get past the sluggish combat, painful platforming, and performance 'quirks', then this is a fun trip down memory lane; if you can't, then prepare for a lesson in what games felt like a long time ago.All levels unlocked from the get-go let's you get straight to the funExpanded character roster provides more combat opportunitiesIt has nostalgic charmMinigames are a fun twist on the standard gameplayRepetitive combat encountersOutdated and often painful platforming challenges'Clipped' sprites and models can make things unfairly difficultNot Bad 6/10

Image: NintendoNintendo has received a nomination for the upcoming 36th Annual GLAAD Media Awards for its trans representation in 2024's Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Switch remake (thanks, Eurogamer).The game, launched on 23rd May 2024, featured the inclusion of dialogue from the 2004 GameCube version that had originally been altered for its release in the West. Focused on Mario's ghost companion Vivian, the change effectively restored the character's trans identity.The Thousand-Year Door joins nine other nominees in the 'Outstanding Video Game' catagory, alongside Blumhouse Games' wonderful horror title Fear the Spotlight, which explored the relationship between the title's two protagonists, Amy and Vivian.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube Here's the full list of nominees:- Caravan SandWitch (Studio Plane Toast / Dear Villagers)- Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare / Electronic Arts)- Dread Delusion (Lovely Hellplace / DreadXP)- Dustborn (Red Thread Games / Spotlight by Quantic Dream)- Fear the Spotlight (Cozy Game Pals / Blumhouse Games)- Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine / Square Enix)- Minds Beneath Us (BearBone Studio)- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Intelligent Systems / Nintendo)- Sorry Were Closed ( la mode games / Akupara Games)- Until Then (Polychroma Games / Maximum Entertainment)The winner of last year's GLAAD award for 'Outstanding Video Game' was Larian Studios' Baldurs' Gate III. Viva la Vivian!Not folding yetWhich game would you like to see win this year's award from the list of nominees? Let us know with a comment in the usual spot.[source glaad.org, via eurogamer.net]Related GamesSee AlsoShare:03 Nintendo Lifes resident horror fanatic, when hes not knee-deep in Resident Evil and Silent Hill lore, Ollie likes to dive into a good horror book while nursing a lovely cup of tea. He also enjoys long walks and listens to everything from TOOL to Chuck Berry. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesNintendo Asks Wii U Owners To Refrain From Using "Unauthorised" Online ServicesUpdate: Pretendo respondsThe Switch eShop Is A Nightmare, So We've Made Our Own "Better eShop"Fixing what Nintendon'tRandom: Donkey Kong Country's Artist Reacts To Nintendo's Redesign"Everything changes!"

Update: Worldwide release confirmed.To kick off the new year, Arc System Works has announced Technos The World: Kunio-kun & Arcade Collection for the Nintendo Switch and multiple other platforms. This information was shared in the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu.This new collection will launch in Japan on 24th April 2025 and first-print editions will include a bonus soundtrack. There's no word about a local release, but we'll let you know if we hear anything. It's also mentioned how this collection will include "convenient features" like saving and loading to enhance experience, as well as some additional bug fixes.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Following "a disagreement about the IP rights of Celeste".The Celeste developer Extremely OK Games has made the "difficult decision" to cancel the "2D explor-action" game Earthblade.This new project was originally revealed in 2021 and now in a blog update it's been revealed the new game was cancelled "late last month". This follows conflict within the team "centered around a disagreement about the IP rights of Celeste".Read the full article on nintendolife.com

A special collab.Last week, Marvelous announced Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma would be launching on the Nintendo Switch this May.Now, in another update during a livestream event, it's been revealed there will be some special collaborative DLC with the action-farming sim Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kAspyr is apparently launching a new Star Wars bundle alongside the release of Jedi Power Battles this week.The "Prequel Pack" includes Aspyr's latest release bundled with the existing releases Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, Star Wars: Republic Commando, and Star Wars Episode I: Racer. No pricing details have been revealed just yet.Aspyr: "The battle begins with the launch of the STAR WARS: Prequel Pack tomorrow on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Steam!"You can still purchase these games individually, and some of them are also available in other bundles like the Heritage Pack.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power BattlesTake back the Theed Palace in this fast-and-furious lightsaber action game. You will have the power of the Force and your trusty lightsaber to help you ward off legions of battle droids, destroyer droids, assassins, and other creatures from STAR WARS: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.STAR WARS: Bounty HunterBring in your bounty, dead or alive. In this classic third-person action-adventure, you'll become Jango Fett, Prime Clone of the Grand Army of the Republic, hired to capture a deranged Dark Jedi.STAR WARS Republic CommandoThe squad is your weapon. Welcome to the Clone Wars: Chaos has erupted throughout the galaxy. As leader of an elite squad of Republic Commandos, your mission is to infiltrate, dominate, and ultimately annihilate the enemy.STAR WARS Episode I RacerTake control of a podracer speeding through flaming methane lakes, Tusken Raider assaults, anti-gravity tunnels, and much more in a pulse-pounding, do-or-die fight to the finish line.Be on the lookout for our Nintendo Life review of Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles later today. Here's the launch trailer:Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794k MandaboreThe Race of SkywalkerSuper TroopersWould you be interested in a bundle like this? Let us know in the comments.[source gamespot.com]Related GamesSee AlsoShare:00 Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesThe Switch eShop Is A Nightmare, So We've Made Our Own "Better eShop"Fixing what Nintendon'tSilksong Fans Think They've Narrowed Down The Big AnnouncementIs the cake a lie?Nintendo Believes In "Giving Proper Credit" After Backlash Over Donkey Kong Country Returns HDSo why the omission?

It's a good'un.When Astro Bot launched in September 2024 for the PS5, many lauded the game's quality and compared it favourably to some of Nintendo's very best 3D platformers.During the recent New York Game Awards 2025 event, ex-president of Nintendo of America offered his own opinion on the game after it won the award for 'Best Kids Game', jokingly stating "I have to admit it, Astro Bot almost outdid Nintendo at its own game".Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube793kAtelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land sees the Atelier series reaching new heights with a huge open-world style map and a deep focus on exploration. And in today's new trailer, Koei Tecmo has detailed many of the game's new and returning features.Focusing on the new to start with, Atelier Yumia sees the titular alchemist explore a vast and "seamless" open-world, meaning she has multiple ways of getting around. This includes the ability to double jump, a motorbike that she can just magic out of thin air, and... a gun?Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube793kWatch on YouTube Out in the world, you'll need to keep an eye on your energy, a resource that helps with both exploration and crafting. While exploring, you can craft simple recipes by using your energy, but it also allows you to take reduced fall damage while jumping down from large cliffs.Images: Koei TecmoEnergy is also consumed when you enter 'manabound areas', locations that are overrun with dense mana. This slowly drains your energy and also restricts the type of movement you can do in any given area. Fortunately, there are ways to restore energy in the world, such as picking up Alstahlia Flowers and finding landmarks.Dotted around the world are dungeons, where Yumia will need to solve puzzles to progress. Inside these dungeons, you'll find rare materials and 'memory vials', the latter of which will help you discover even more secrets.Images: Koei TecmoCombat has also shifted into real-time action here, with attacks (essentially, items that you craft to use in battle) assigned to face buttons. You can also swap between characters mid-battle, and change between short and long-ranged mode. The aim is to stun the enemy to deal a huge amount of damage.One feature we're very excited about doesn't involve exploring or battling, however. New to Atelier Yumia, you can now build your own base, which seems to consist of different builds. Basically, you can make your own town, and that'll dish out even more rewards for Yumia and friends.Images: Koei TecmoThat's a lot to pack into a four-minute trailer, but it looks like Atelier Yumia, Gust, and Koei Tecmo are going big here. The game looks fantastic, and we loved the Atelier Ryza trilogy, so we're excited to see where the series can go from here.Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land launches on Switch on 21st March 2025. Will you be crafting your way through the spring season? Let us know in the comments. Plans to double employee numbersWe could have envisioned thisRelated GamesSee AlsoShare:02 Alana has been with Nintendo Life since 2022, and while RPGs are her first love, Nintendo is a close second. She enjoys nothing more than overthinking battle strategies, characters, and stories. She also wishes she was a Sega air pirate. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesRandom: Donkey Kong Country's Artist Reacts To Nintendo's Redesign"Everything changes!"Round Up: The Reviews Are In For Donkey Kong Country Returns HDWorth going bananas over?

Pika your slot.With the Pokmon European International Championships right around the corner, reservations for London's pop-up Pokmon Center are now live.The store will be up and running throughout the event at ExCel London from 20th-23rd February 2025 , and, much like previous years, you need to book a slot if you want to shop.Read the full article on nintendolife.com