Image: Nintendo LifeWho had the return of Survival Kids on their bingo cards for 2025? Let alone as a launch title for a brand new Nintendo console? Amidst a storm of third-party ports and first-party giants, Survival Kids quietly sneaked into the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct back in April 2025. And when we saw the Konami logo, something clicked — oh, it's that Survival Kids. The original Game Boy Color game launched way back in 1999 and was just added to the Game Boy app on Nintendo Switch Online. A GBC sequel, the Lost In Blue trilogy on DS, and a Wii game followed, but the series of survival RPGs has been dormant ever since. Until now.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube815kWatch on YouTube In a partnership with Unity Games — in what is the developer's first-ever game — Konami is flipping the script with this new entry. And, ahead of its Switch 2 release on 5th June, we had a chance to send Richard Jones, Creative Director at Konami Digital Entertainment, some questions about the surprise return of this cult classic series. Available today Nintendo Life: Konami has an extremely deep and rich back catalogue full of games and series that have lain dormant for years. Why did the team choose to bring back Survival Kids? Richard Jones, Creative Director at Konami Digital Entertainment: The reason we wanted to bring Survival Kids back was because the idea of being shipwrecked on an island is such a universally known story throughout the world and throughout generations. It harks back to stories like the Lost Boys from Peter Pan, Swallows and Amazons, or Treasure Island. There's something incredibly evocative about kids having adventures on remote islands. Thematically, the idea of kids on an island having fun and adventures is exactly what video games are about. The opportunity to update this game and play with some of the new Nintendo Switch 2 features was just very exciting. So, it just seemed like a really interesting theme to explore – where we could have fun and turn it into a game for all of the family. A sensation that goes back to everyone’s childhood, like running around the playground pretending to be pirates or whatever. How things change in over 25 years... — Images: Konami That idea of combining childhood adventure with modern co-operative gameplay felt like the perfect way to make something both nostalgic and new. We saw an opportunity to build a game that was more accessible, multiplayer-focused, and designed for families and friends to enjoy together. I think that’s why we liked the theme and thought there was a really good opportunity to update and reinvent it in a new, interesting way for modern audiences. You're working with Unity in what is the company's first fully developed video game. How did that partnership come about? I met with Unity a few years ago at Gamescom. It came to light that they were putting together a team for in-house development. I happened to be looking for external studios to work on a Konami IP, and it seemed like we were on the same sort of trajectory – same ideas around scope, budget, and timescale. So, we carried on talking and started exploring which IPs we’d be interested in working on. We quickly realised we were creatively aligned, and that led naturally into working together. Once we met the team at Unity, we realised what an experienced group of people they’d put together. Everyone throws around words like 'industry veteran,' but these were actual veterans – proper experts in their field with years and years of experience shipping all kinds of games. We knew immediately we were in safe hands – the developers and artists really knew their stuff, and we knew we could work really well with them. Are any of the original developers involved, or has Konami reached out to them about the new project? We love the original Survival Kids games – I remember working on Survival Kids (Stranded Kids, as it was called in the UK) when I first joined Konami. It’s a fantastic game, but we wanted to completely redesign it from the ground up. We had a different vision for what this game should be based on its premise. We wanted it to be more fun, more accessible – something people could play together. From the start, it was always about surviving together. this is very much a respectful reimagining based on the original’s premise - not a direct continuation. It was always going to be a group of kids on an island, working together to solve puzzles in fun ways. Rather than being a really hardcore, punishing RPG like the original, this is a lighter, more inclusive experience. So yeah, this is very much a respectful reimagining based on the original’s premise - not a direct continuation. The original Game Boy game is a single-player survival venture with resource management. How do these aspects translate into multiplayer? We wanted to use the idea of cooking and gathering food as something you could do communally. That was one of the really early ideas – we wanted people to come together around the cooking pot. We explored different iterations — should it be a campfire, should it be something else — and landed on a cooking pot. Everyone can throw bits of food in, and you get this communal pot of soup. Everyone gets something out of it. Rather than linking hunger or exhaustion to failure, we tied stats to improving your character. So, for example, if there's a really tall climbing net, you can’t just climb it straight away – you need to cook and eat food to build up stamina. That way, it encourages cooperation without punishing players. You're cooking to get stronger, not to avoid death. Image: Konami So it keeps that survival theme - but reframes it around teamwork and progression, not punishment. It’s a more approachable, co-op-friendly way to explore the same ideas. It’s all part of the shift from surviving alone to surviving together. What can returning fans expect in terms of new gameplay elements? The game is completely new, so it's a fresh experience. The original had a fairly hardcore, punishing survival design, but this version is less about failure states and more about creating time and space for people to have fun together – whether that’s in split-screen mode, using GameShare in the same room, or online with GameChat. this version is less about failure states and more about creating time and space for people to have fun together The whole point was friends and families gathering, solving puzzles, overcoming obstacles, and having fun. There are still challenges linked to the environment and items - and you can try speedrunning if you want, but at its heart it’s about playing together and enjoying the experience as a group. We want players to come away with a smile on their face at the end of a session. Was it always your goal to be a Switch 2 launch title? Will players be able to use GameShare between Switch 1 and 2? When we started the pitch and early design work, we didn’t even know about Switch 2. But during pre-production, speculation about the new console started to emerge, and it aligned closely with our schedule. We made some educated guesses – assuming the console would have a similar audience, and continue to target ways to play socially. We took a few leaps of faith early on, designing with those assumptions in mind - and they turned out to be close enough. Once we started designing around that, it all made sense – and we reached out to Nintendo to get dev kits and approval. Once they saw what we were doing, I think they realised it was a natural fit. So yes, it now supports new social features like GameChat but also GameShare with compatibility between Switch 1 and Switch 2. (EN: It's since been revealed that you can play Survival Kids via GameShare with up to two additional Switch 1 and/or Switch 2 consoles) Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube815k Are you taking advantage of Switch 2 features like mouse mode or 120fps? We looked into mouse mode, but it didn’t really add anything meaningful to our gameplay. Instead, we focused on features like GameShare and GameChat, which made much more sense for the co-op experience. We also had to be mindful of performance – we’re supporting split screen and GameShare simultaneously, which puts constraints on frame rate. Those trade-offs were intentional - made to ensure a smooth, stable multiplayer experience across all supported modes. With games like Overcooked and Moving Out gaining popularity, how will Survival Kids stand out in a crowded multiplayer launch lineup? Games like Overcooked were definitely in our minds when we started this – the idea of co-op chaos is something we really liked. We approach it slightly differently – using real-time physics, for example. Things like logs rolling away from you or two players struggling to carry a heavy object. It’s deceptively simple, but ends up being chaotic, funny, and memorable - the kind of co-op experience where things go wrong in the best way. What sets Survival Kids apart is its tone - it’s light-hearted, session-based, and designed for friends and family to pick up and play. And it’s one of the few titles launching with full GameShare and GameChat support right out of the box. Image: Konami This interview has been edited lightly for clarity. Thank you to Richard Jones at Konami for taking the time to speak to us! Survival Kids washes onto the Switch 2's shores on the console's launch day, Thursday 5th June. Let us know if you're looking forward to this. Every game coming to Switch 2 on launch day Related Games See Also Share:0 0 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 Articles Pokémon Legends: Z-A's Switch 2 And Switch 1 Prices Have Been Revealed And we're pleasantly surprised Nintendo Updates Switch 2 Backwards Compatibility List Doom Eternal, NBA 2K25, and more to get an update Nintendo Appears To Have Updated Mario Kart World's Switch 2 File Size Some other file sizes have also changed Fantasy Life i Gets Switch 2 Release Date With Paid Upgrade Path For Switch 1 Players And it's coming launch day Title: Survival Kids System: Nintendo Switch 2 Also Available For: GBC Publisher: Konami Developer: Unity Games Genre: Adventure Players: 1 Release Date: Nintendo Switch 2 5th Jun 2025 — $49.99 5th Jun 2025 — £44.99 Series: Survival Kids Official Site: nintendo.com Where to buy: Buy on Amazon

This soundbar is a versatile addition to any entertainment setup. Credit: Amazon/Mashable Photo Composite Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Learn more about how we select deals. SAVE $30: As of May 30, get the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar for $89.99, down from its usual price of $119.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 25%. Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Soundbar $89.99 at Amazon $119.99 Save $30 A good soundbar can totally change the way you experience your favorite media. Whether you're adding one to a TV that has weak built-in audio or need a centerpiece for your home entertainment system, you can use a soundbar to create unique and powerful soundscapes. And the good news is that you don't have to spend as much as you paid for your TV to do it, especially with a deal that's available from Amazon right now.As of May 30, get the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar for $89.99, down from its usual price of $119.99. That's $30 off and a discount of 25%. You May Also Like You can pair this soundbar with just about any TV, and it'll add another dimension of audio to whatever it is that you're watching or playing. It has dual speakers that can create a 3D virtual surround sound effect thanks to its DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Audio support. Even though it's smaller and more compact than others in this price range, it can still bump.It's simple to set up, with an HDMI cable that you can just plug in to get your audio up and running. This sound bar is just 24 inches long and 2.5 inches high, so it's an ideal fit for just about anywhere. And of course, if you have a Fire TV already, it can work with the remote you already have. Mashable Deals Want more hand-picked deals from our shopping experts? Sign up for the Mashable Deals newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up! If you're ready to enhance your audio setup or replace what you've already got, this deal is well worth keeping an eye on. Grab it before it goes back up to its regular price. Topics Amazon Brittany Vincent Brittany is fueled by horror, rainbow-sugar-pixel-rushes, and video games. Until her dying breath she'll be wielding a BFG made entirely of killer drive and ambition. Check out her work at PfhorTheWin.com. Like a fabulous shooter once said, get psyched!

For physical media fans, Tom Cruise's final outing (maybe?) as Ethan Hunt is now available to preorder on 4K. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is getting a 4K steelbook and a standard 4K UHD release, both complete with Blu-ray and digital copies of the film as well. A release date is still to be announced for it, but by securing your copy now you can be ready for a watch (or re-watch) once it's officially available. Below we've listed where you can preorder the 4K steelbook and standard 4K right now. Special features aren't announced yet, but we'll make sure to detail them as well once they've been revealed.Preorder Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning 4K SteelbookRelease Date TBDMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning [4K UHD Steelbook+ Blu-Ray + Digital]$52.99 at AmazonSteelbook: Amazon | Target | Walmart4K UHD:Amazon | Target | WalmartWhile The Final Reckoning is exciting to watch on the big screen, it's sure to be a treat for a movie night at home as well. IGN's Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning review from Clint Gage said, "its action is reliably thrilling and a few of its most exciting sequences are sure to hold up through the years," even if "The somber tone and melodramatic dialogue miss the mark of what’s made this franchise so much fun for 30 years." If you simply can't wait to watch it, check out our breakdown of how to watch Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning to see where it's playing at a cinema near you.If you're on the hunt for even more 4Ks and Blu-rays to stock up your collection with, there are plenty more alongside the latest Mission: Impossible that are worth keeping on your radar in the coming months. Our breakdown of upcoming 4K UHDs and Blu-rays can point you in the direction of what's releasing soon so you can plan ahead for what movies and shows to pick up next.More Upcoming Physical ReleasesThe Last of Us: The Complete Second Season - Steelbook (4K UHD)See it at WalmartFinal Destination: Bloodlines - Limited Edition Steelbook (4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital)See it at AmazonSmall Soldiers - Steelbook (4K UHD + Digital)See it at AmazonJaws 50th Anniversary Edition - Steelbook (4K + Blu-ray + Digital)See it at AmazonCaptain America: Brave New World - Steelbook (4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital)See it at AmazonSinners (4K UHD + Digital)See it at WalmartA Minecraft Movie - Limited Edition Steelbook (4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital)See it at AmazonDan Da Dan: Season One - Collector's Edition (Blu-ray)See it at AmazonHannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

May 20, 2025Ravie LakshmananCloud Security / Vulnerability Cybersecurity researchers have discovered risky default identity and access management (IAM) roles impacting Amazon Web Services that could open the door for attackers to escalate privileges, manipulate other AWS services, and, in some cases, even fully compromise AWS accounts. "These roles, often created automatically or recommended during setup, grant overly broad permissions, such as full S3 access," Aqua researchers Yakir Kadkoda and Ofek Itach said in an analysis. "These default roles silently introduce attack paths that allow privilege escalation, cross-service access, and even potential account compromise." The cloud security firm said it identified security issues in default IAM roles created by AWS services like SageMaker, Glue, EMR, and Lightsail. A similar flaw has also been unearthed in a popular open-source framework called Ray, which automatically creates a default IAM role (ray-autoscaler-v1) with the AmazonS3FullAccess policy. What's concerning about these IAM roles is that while they are intended for something specific, they could be abused to perform administrative actions and break isolation boundaries between services, effectively allowing an attacker who has a foothold in the environment to move laterally across services. These attacks go beyond bucket monopoly attacks, which revolve around a scenario where a threat actor could take advantage of predictable S3 bucket naming patterns to set up buckets in unused AWS regions and ultimately gain control over the contents of the bucket when a legitimate customer starts using services like CloudFormation, Glue, EMR, SageMaker, ServiceCatalog, and CodeStar. "In this case, an attacker who gains access to a default service role with AmazonS3FullAccess doesn't even need to guess bucket names remotely," the researchers explained. "They can use their existing privileges to search the account for buckets used by other services using the naming patterns, modify assets like CloudFormation templates, EMR scripts, and SageMaker resources, and move laterally across services within the same AWS account." Put differently, an IAM role within an AWS account with AmazonS3FullAccess permissions has read/write access to every S3 bucket and modifies various AWS services, effectively turning the role into a powerful method for lateral movement and privilege escalation. Some of the identified services with the permissive policy are listed below - Amazon SageMaker AI, which creates a default execution role named AmazonSageMaker-ExecutionRole-<Date&Time> when setting up a SageMaker Domain that comes with a custom policy equivalent to AmazonS3FullAccess AWS Glue, which creates a default AWSGlueServiceRole role with the AmazonS3FullAccess policy Amazon EMR, which creates a default AmazonEMRStudio_RuntimeRole_<Epoch-time> role that's assigned the AmazonS3FullAccess policy In a hypothetical attack scenario, a threat actor could upload a malicious machine learning model to Hugging Face that, when imported into SageMaker, can result in the execution of arbitrary code, which could then be used to seize control of other AWS services like Glue by injecting a backdoor capable of stealing IAM credentials of the Glue job. The adversary could then escalate their privileges within the account, ultimately breaching the entire AWS environment by looking for buckets used by CloudFormation and injecting a malicious template to escalate privileges further. In response to the disclosure, AWS has addressed the issues by modifying the AmazonS3FullAccess policy for default service roles. "Default service roles must be tightly scoped and strictly limited to the specific resources and actions they require," the researchers said. "Organizations should proactively audit and update existing roles to minimize risk, rather than relying on default configurations." The findings come as Varonis detailed a vulnerability in a utility used for mounting Azure Storage that comes preinstalled on Microsoft Azure AI and High-Performance Computing (HPC) workloads and allows an unprivileged user on a Linux machine with this utility installed to escalate their privileges to root. "It involves a classic privilege escalation method involving a SUID binary that is part of the installation of AZNFS-mount, a utility for mounting Azure Storage Account NFS endpoints," security researcher Tal Peleg said. "For example, a user could elevate permissions to root and use those permissions to mount additional Azure Storage containers, install malware or ransomware on the machine, and attempt to move laterally in the network or cloud environments." The flaw, which affects all versions of the utility up to 2.0.10, has been addressed in version 2.0.11 released on January 30, 2025. Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post. SHARE    

The Pokémon TCG market is moving, and not quietly. With Black Bolt and White Flare coming in hot, many Black and White-era cards are suddenly on every collector’s radar again. We're seeing massive jumps on cards that have sat stable for years, all because Gen V is back in style. If you're looking to trade, cash in, or just gawk at how weird card prices can get, I’ve got you covered.Here are five cards that are flying and five that are faceplanting. Some of these are smart buys. Others? Let’s say I wouldn’t want to be the one who paid full price three weeks ago.Pokémon Card CrashersImage Credit: IGN Photo Composite / The Pokémon CompanyLeafeon ex from Prismatic Evolutions dropped 21% since mid-April, from $467.85 to $369.96. Still expensive, sure, but that's a big chunk of change to evaporate in just a few weeks. If you bought high, I’m sorry. If not, maybe give it a few more dips before you pounce.And then there’s Eevee ex, also from Prismatic. Down 28%, now sitting at $172 after peaking above $240. Honestly, I think Eeveelution fatigue is real. There are just so many of them floating around that even good cards are struggling to keep their value.Salamence ex - 187/159Leafeon ex - 144/131Iron Crown ex - 158/131Lillie's Clefairy ex - 184/159Eevee ex - 167/131Lillie’s Clefairy ex from Journey Together has slid 26% this month, from $212 to $158. I still like this card a lot, but the dip is noticeable. Early adopters probably paid more than they should have, and now the market's correcting like it just remembered what money is.Salamence ex is rough. It's down a staggering 63% since late March, from $242 to $90.50. That’s not a correction, that’s a full-on crash landing. I wouldn’t be shocked if it dips further. Might be worth watching, but I wouldn’t touch it yet unless you’re in it for the art.Lastly, we’ve got Iron Crown ex from Prismatic, down 19% just this month. It was sitting around $84 and is now at $67.75. That’s not terrible, but it’s still part of a clear trend. The set had a big debut and now the shine is fading fast.Did you catch last week's crashers and climbers? Read the most recent updates from our weekly column.Pokémon Card ClimbersImage Credit: IGN Photo Composite / The Pokémon CompanyI’ll start with Reshiram from Black & White, which has absolutely rocketed. It was sitting at a modest $33.92 in mid-March, and now you’re lucky to find one under $240. That’s a 150% leap for a card that’s over a decade old. I’ve seen faster elevators, but not many. With all 156 Unova Pokémon getting fresh prints soon, I think Reshiram’s still got room to climb.Then there’s Zekrom EX from Next Destinies, which has gone from $34.63 to nearly $392 since March. It’s another reminder that Full Art cards from the EX era aren’t just collectible, they’re volatile. In a good way, if you got in early. I’d still grab this if it fits your binder, because it's only going to get more attention once White Flare drops.Zekrom EX - 97/99Reshiram - 113/114Dialga GX - 125/131Sprigatito - 196/193Vileplume GX - 4/236$10.03 at TCG PlayerI’m also watching Sprigatito from Paldea Evolved. The IR version has quietly crept up from $17.98 in January to $21.95 today. It’s not a moonshot, but compared to the general slump of modern IRs, it’s doing surprisingly well. Plus, it’s a smug little cat and people love smug cats.Now for Dialga-GX from Forbidden Light. This one was hanging out around $14 just two months ago, and it’s shot up to $74.99. I wouldn’t call it graceful, but it’s definitely gaining traction. GX-era cards are getting more attention lately, and Dialga's age plus playable nostalgia make it a solid hold in my opinion.Don’t laugh, but Vileplume-GX from Cosmic Eclipse is up too. It was stuck at $6.83 for what felt like forever, and now it’s over $10. It’s not exactly a gold rush, but it’s one of those oddball rares that sneaks up when no one’s looking. You’ll thank yourself later if you pull it out of a bulk box and it suddenly pays for lunch.Pokémon Card Sealed Boosters151 Booster PackDropped by 8% since beginning of MayUnless you're dead set on grabbing the promo cards and poster in the 151 poster bundle, grabbing booster packs from TCG Player is where it's at (Or just the poster and promos seperately). Currently sitting at $10.33 a pack, it's obvious that Amazon is now going above MSRP and secondary market value. If you're not bothered about opening packs and just want 151 chase cards, here's some of my favorites as well.Charmeleon - 169/165Bulbasaur - 166/165Alakazam ex - 201/165Squirtle - 170/165Charizard ex - 183/165Charmander - 168/165Zapdos ex - 202/165Venusaur ex - 198/165Blastoise ex - 200/165Charizard ex - 199/165If you've dedicated your life to pulling chase cards yourself, here's what we can find in stock right now. Just watch out for pricing over MSRP, we're in a weird spot as Pokémon trainers right now, so don't pay more than what you have to. If you're desperate for some big box retailer products, here you go. Just make sure to be savvy before buying, as 9 times out of 10 TCG Player will be cheaper in this climate.151 Poster Collection$40.97 at AmazonPokémon Trading Card Game Classic$290.67 at AmazonTerapagos ex UPC$219.99 at AmazonPrismatic Evolutions Booster Bundle$84.48 at AmazonPrismatic Evolutions Surprise BoxHoliday 2024 Calendar$54.27 at AmazonMimikyu ex Box$49.99 at AmazonAzure Legends Tin$39.77 at Amazon2024 Trainer’s Toolkit$33.50 at AmazonShrouded Fable Mini Tin$16.00 at AmazonHere's the Pokémon TCG full Release Schedule so far for this year, too, so you don't miss anything. Buying singles is the cheapest way to collect right now, but don't feel like you have to "Catch Em' All!".Destined Rivals Sealed Product Preorder UpdatesWith Destined Rivals dropping May 30 and preorders currently sold out everywhere, it's a good time to keep on top of the secondary market to find the best prices. Best Buy will restock on May 23 via a special "Best Buy Drops" preorder event on its app, just like the recent Black Bolt and White Flare expansions preorders. Destined RivalsBooster BundleSee it at TCG PlayerDestined RivalsBooster BoxSee it at TCG PlayerDestined RivalsElite Trainer BoxSee it at TCG PlayerDestined RivalsPokemon Center Elite Trainer Box (Exclusive)See it at TCG PlayerDestined RivalsHalf Booster BoxSee it at TCG PlayerDestined RivalsBooster PackSee it at TCG PlayerDestined RivalsSleeved Booster PackSee it at TCG PlayerDestined Rivals3 Pack Blister [Zebstrika]See it at TCG PlayerDestined Rivals3 Pack Blister [Kangaskhan]See it at TCG PlayerDestined RivalsBuild & Battle BoxSee it at TCG PlayerBest Buy has also confirmed it will have Booster Box stock online on May 30, alongside ETBs, Booster Packs, and more in store for launch.You could also just wait a few months for more solid stock, but like I said in my preview, this set is one of my favorites in the Scarlet and Violet era, and well worth picking up ASAP.Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.