https://www.thegamer.com The Nintendo Switch is both a home console and a handheld gaming system in one package, with various versions offering better specs for dedicated enthusiasts. Tue, 01 Aug 2023 20:00:20 GMT en-US hourly 60 Square Enix has developed and published some of the most well-known video game series ever, including Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. It’s unsurprising that the video games the company continues to produce are expected to have this same high quality.

]]> Wed, 02 Aug 2023 06:30:19 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/square-enix-nintendo-switch-games-best/ Nintendo has a habit of announcing a highly-anticipated sequel and then neglecting to mention anything more about that sequel for years afterward. It has officially been more than six years since Metroid Prime 4 was announced and Nintendo hasn't mentioned anything about it for a very long time. What might give all you Samus fans hope that the project isn't dead is Detective Pikachu Returns got treated the same way, and that sequel now has a release date.

]]> Tue, 01 Aug 2023 20:00:20 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/detective-pikachu-returns-pre-order-guide/ While playing Pikmin 4, you read the word “dandori” a lot. Though there doesn’t seem to be a direct English translation from its Japanese origin, Pikmin uses it to mean effectively planning how you will use your time. In the game, that means choosing where you will send your Pikmin in order to maximize your troops’ efficiency. If there’s a dirt wall in one area of the map, and a buried treasure in another, it doesn’t make much sense to throw all of your Pikmin at the wall, wait for them to finish, then move on to the buried treasure. Good time management means juggling dozens of the little creatures, balancing a variety of tasks at once, and not leaving any of your Pikmin idle.

]]> Tue, 01 Aug 2023 17:30:20 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/pikmin-4-dandori-battle-challenge-night-expeditions-caves-switch/ A successor to the Nintendo Switch is reportedly launching in 2024, with development kits already in the hands of key partners. There have been a million and one Switch 2 rumours for the past half a decade now, but it finally looks like there’s some meat to this story. Understandably, people are excited. But one thing that keeps cropping up as much as better specs and backwards compatibility is achievements. People are begging Nintendo for them, but they just aren’t necessary.

]]> Tue, 01 Aug 2023 16:45:19 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-2-doesnt-need-achievements/ The Nintendo Switch 2 is coming next year. At least, that’s according to a recent report from VGC claiming that key partners are already in possession of development kits prior to a scheduled 2024 launch. Given the Switch OLED released a couple of years ago and the base model all the way back in 2017, a successor to the hybrid console has been a long time coming.

]]> Tue, 01 Aug 2023 16:30:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-2-release-date-specs-games-news/ The developer behind The Last Hope made no attempt to conceal the game it took, uh, inspiration from when it was released on Nintendo Switch. Because that's the point, it seems. It's almost definitely there to dupe someone who thought they were getting the non-existent Switch port of The Last of Us. One of the characters even looks exactly like Ellie and everything.

]]> Tue, 01 Aug 2023 16:16:39 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/the-last-of-us-hope-rip-off-removed-from-nintendo-eshop-copyright/ 2023 is jam-packed with new life and farming sims, and even for an avid fan of the genre, it can be a lot to keep up with. However, one particular title that has caught my eye is Fae Farm, which the team hopes will offer a unique appeal to players with its magical fairy theme.

]]> Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:30:21 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/fae-farm-interview-isaac-epp-cosy-doesnt-have-to-mean-simple/ In a year packed with excellent video games, Disney Illusion Island was one title I wasn’t fully on board with. While not a must-buy like Tears of the Kingdom, it’s a game I’m bound to pick up in a few months when I have the time and money. Although, with how stacked the rest of the year is, that might be a while yet.

]]> Mon, 31 Jul 2023 14:31:21 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/disney-illusion-island-looks-like-co-op-game-ive-been-waiting-for/ Nintendo's next console is reportedly launching in the second half of 2024 and development kits have already been sent to key partner studios. While we don't know what this new console will look like or be called, sources close to its development say that it's a portable hybrid like the Switch.

]]> Mon, 31 Jul 2023 13:19:41 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-next-gen-console-2024-dev-kits-report/ One of the main critiques levied against the Xbox Series S is that it's holding gaming back--it's a weaker budget console that serves as an in-between for last and current-gen hardware. That means devs have to optimise games not only for the Xbox Series X but also for a much weaker system, all without sacrificing performance and quality. However, Larian Studios CEO and Baldur's Gate 3 creative lead Swen Vincke says that "the platform is perfectly fine".

]]> Mon, 31 Jul 2023 10:56:51 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/baldurs-gate-3-xbox-series-s-current-gen-holding-back-larian-studios-ceo/ In Majora's Mask, you can take a quest to protect Romani Ranch from aliens. Unlike the usual goblin-types with swords and shields--you know, standard high fantasy stuff--you have to stop floating, ghost-like enemies with light beams who are trying to abduct cows. So, of course, someone decided to bring that vibe back in Tears of the Kingdom with a fully-functioning UFO and Majora's iconic Mask.

]]> Sat, 29 Jul 2023 12:30:21 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-majoras-mask-ufo-build-reddit/ At one point in time, Nintendo consoles were known for mainly offering a slew of party games alongside the occasional larger first-party title, such as a Mario or Zelda game. They didn't, however, have a lot of the biggest and longest games on the market. Epic RPGs, for instance, more commonly arrived on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

]]> Sat, 29 Jul 2023 06:31:21 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-longest-single-player-campaigns/ Yesterday, an update to the Red Dead Redemption website suggested that a remaster of the original 2010 game is in the works. Now, the same source shares evidence that this remaster could be coming to Nintendo Switch, finally making the Rockstar series playable on a Nintendo platform.

]]> Fri, 28 Jul 2023 09:03:21 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/red-dead-redemption-remaster-nintendo-switch-release/ Ever since Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released on the Nintendo Switch, a lot of people have been glued to the console, decorating their islands and interacting with their favorite villagers. The game can be super relaxing and is a ton of fun to just kick back and play, but after months of working on your island, you may be looking for something else to play.

]]> Thu, 27 Jul 2023 20:30:23 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-games-recommendations-not-animal-crossing/ Nintendo is and always has been pretty quirky. With the power its consoles have to compete with via what PlayStation and Xbox now bring to the table, Nintendo needs to be different now more than ever, It does that in a variety of ways. Whether it be through massively popular exclusives like Pokemon and The Legend of Zelda, combining a handheld console with a home one like it has done with the Switch, or giving players interactive figures to collect called amiibos.

]]> Wed, 26 Jul 2023 20:00:22 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/how-use-amiibos/ Whether you're planning on taking your Nintendo Switch with you when you're traveling or just want somewhere to keep it safe in storage, there are plenty of carrying cases to choose from. You can opt for something practical that stores all your accessories as well as the console itself, or you can go for a case that expresses your love for one of your favorite games.

]]> Tue, 25 Jul 2023 18:01:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-nintendo-switch-carrying-cases/ A few weeks ago Nintendo shadow dropped Pikmin 1+2 HD onto the eShop alongside a demo for Pikmin 4. Suddenly, two forgotten GameCube classics had a new home on Switch with a handful of modern bells and whistles. Except there was a catch - they each cost $30.

]]> Mon, 24 Jul 2023 16:30:19 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-virtual-console-switch-gamecube-pikmin-mario/ The Nintendo Switch has been out for a while now, and it's still one of the best gaming consoles, especially for playing while out and about. A staple genre in the video game realm is racing, and the Switch complements this genre perfectly with its ability to take games with you wherever you go.

]]> Mon, 24 Jul 2023 05:00:20 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-racing-games-on-the-switch/ Gamers are horny. Millennials and Zoomers are less prudish than the older generation when it comes to openly expressing their sexuality, which means the internet is home to thirst traps, horny posting, and frank conversations about the fictional characters we develop an attraction towards. Inevitably, we also end up touching on their balls, or a notable lack of them in the case of Tears of the Kingdom’s Link. He’s trans in my head so it makes sense.

]]> Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:30:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/tears-of-the-kingdom-is-too-afraid-to-show-us-links-balls/ Pikmin 4 is great, and it might even be the strongest game of the series. However, in this advancement it can’t help implement new mechanics and means of approachability that dilute the once-challenging gameplay formula. Most of these features I never used once during my review playthrough, or felt confused about what exactly they’d add to the experience if I did. Nintendo takes it too far in one direction with no going back.

]]> Thu, 20 Jul 2023 16:15:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/pikmin-4-new-features-night-expeditions-oatchi-difficulty/ All it took was seeing the words ‘Dread XP’ in the publisher section to get me to buy Fishing Vacation on the Switch. Well, that and it only cost $2. The $2 part is probably what stopped me dead in my tracks because, if you’ve read anything else I’ve written, I consistently buy strange games that make no sense. If your game is under $5 and looks batshit, there’s a good chance I’m going to regret buying it.

]]> Thu, 20 Jul 2023 15:30:22 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/2-dollar-switch-game-best-favorite-horror-game-year-2023-fishing-vacation/ I would like to preface this article by making it clear that I’m not very good at maths. Every little thing about this hypothetical scenario is going to be defined by some diabolical napkin science bullshit fuelled by morbid curiosity and easy access to any answers I might require through a quick Google search. I’ve also never buried or even seen a dead body myself, promise, so please don’t put me on a list for exploring the long held question of how many Pikmin it would take to carry one. If I ever was to need help disposing of a dead body, hypothetically of course, I know I’d call on these lil’ dudes because they’re hella loyal.

]]> Thu, 20 Jul 2023 14:00:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/how-many-pikmin-would-it-take-to-carry-a-real-dead-body/ It's pretty much expected that we're going to see a more powerful Nintendo Switch successor announced within the next year or so, as the system is now in its seventh year on the market. That's well over the time frame in which Nintendo usually launches a new console, which speak volumes about the system's success and how badly the company wants to get the next one right.

]]> Thu, 20 Jul 2023 00:28:51 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-fans-roasting-fake-switch-2-leak/ Pikmin 4 understands the overwhelming appeal of scale. We explore a tiny version of our world filled with household objects like Game Boys and alarm clocks which, at this size, could easily crush us to death. Microscopic insects and similarly insignificant wildlife we’d previously wipe underfoot are capable of swallowing us whole or throwing us across the environment like insignificant ragdolls. Virtual experiences like this are simultaneously enthralling and terrifying.

]]> Wed, 19 Jul 2023 13:01:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/pikmin-4-review/ "Do you want me to fuck up? Do you want me to step in the shit a little bit?" insider Jeff Grubb asked on his podcast. "Metroid Prime 2 remaster probably is coming out relatively soonish".

]]> Wed, 19 Jul 2023 09:18:54 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/metroid-prime-2-nintendo-switch-remaster-coming-soon-insider-jeff-grubb/ The Borderlands series is getting a compilation game, bringing a bunch of releases into one package. This is according to a list of games that have just been given an age rating in South Africa, listing "The Borderlands Compilation: Pandora’s Box" among the titles submitted for classification.

]]> Tue, 18 Jul 2023 17:06:01 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/borderlands-compilation-pandoras-box-leaked/ In Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, we don't get to see what the people of Hyrule do in their spare time. They're mostly cowering or preparing for war with unstoppable demonic forces as a blood moon summons the recently dead back to life for another bout of raids--there's hardly room for a nip to the cafe and a trip to the movies. However, with so many tools in the sandbox to play with, one TotK player has created a basketball hoop to pass the time between shrine delves and Bokoblin torture.

]]> Tue, 18 Jul 2023 09:39:45 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-basketball-hoop-twitter-clip/ If something is popular, you can all but guarantee there is going to be a bootleg produced to make some extra pennies, copyright be damned. Whether it’s the shoddily produced Minions merchandise seen down at the local market or laughably cheap films thrown straight onto big streaming services, the brightest creative sparks will always be replicated to their detriment.

]]> Mon, 17 Jul 2023 15:30:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/the-last-hope-nintendo-switch-digital-foundry-bad-game/ A 15-year-old girl from Virginia went missing in August of last year, but after 11 days, she was found in Tolleson, Arizona. And it's all thanks to her Nintendo Switch.

]]> Mon, 17 Jul 2023 13:15:34 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-missing-girl-found-fbi-ip-address/ Launched in March 2017, the Nintendo Switch is designed for both docked and handheld play, allowing you to either connect it to your TV for a traditional console experience or take it with you to play on the go. The Switch’s versatility allows you to choose how you experience the plethora of games available on the system, depending on how you prefer to play.

]]> Sat, 15 Jul 2023 13:30:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-nintendo-switch-games-to-play-in-handheld-mode/ Considering some of the contraptions we saw in Tears of the Kingdom hours after it launched (looking at you, giant robot with a flamethrower penis), it just goes to show how deep this game runs that two months later, we're still seeing new things. Things like a little food stand for Ganondorf as Link is about to face him in the game's final boss fight.

]]> Sat, 15 Jul 2023 12:00:19 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-players-ganon-fight-shop-trip/ Physical releases for games are slowly becoming a niche market as digital-only releases steadily become the norm in the gaming industry. There are pros and cons for both physical and digital-only games, and choosing between the two is subjective, depending on your preference. That said, one cannot deny that a handful of amazing games, specifically from indie game developers, chose to go with a digital-only release.

]]> Fri, 14 Jul 2023 20:45:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-downloadable-only-games-nintendo-switch/ The Nintendo Switch was released in March of 2017. Since then, a new version released, called the Nintendo Switch OLED. This newer model boasts a better screen, providing an enhanced gaming experience. If you don't have an OLED, you may be wondering if it's worth the hefty price tag.

]]> Fri, 14 Jul 2023 09:15:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/is-nintendo-switch-oled-worth-buying/ Amazon Prime Day is here, and that means deals, deals, deals. But with so many listed, knowing what to look out for can be a chore. We've curated some of the best deals for you to snap up as the online retailer has some choice sales heating things up.

]]> Thu, 13 Jul 2023 01:00:54 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-prime-day-day-deals-console-controller/ Prime Day continues. Yes, that's right, despite the word day being right there in its name, Prime Day actually runs for two days, you lucky lot. Bad news for those of you who did all your spending on day one, not knowing there was a day two, and now you're about to see a whole new smattering of deals you absolutely can't pass up on, like the one below for Octopath Traveler 2.

]]> Wed, 12 Jul 2023 09:19:54 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/octopath-traveler-2-33-percent-off-consoles-amazon-prime-day/ The base-building genre of video games is vast, especially considering that there are a lot of games that have building mechanics but don't focus on base-building for the majority of the game. If you have a creative idea for building a structure or settlement, then there are tons of different video games that you can use to express yourself.

]]> Wed, 12 Jul 2023 06:30:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-base-building-games-ranked/ Another Prime Day is finally here which means there are deals to be had when it comes to video games, and one of the biggest deals kicking off the two-day event in that arena comes courtesy of Nintendo. There are four different Mario games for Nintendo Switch availble for 50 percent less than they usually retail for if you're a Prime subscriber right now, and if you own a Switch and have ever had to pay for one of its flagship games, you know how big a deal that is.

]]> Tue, 11 Jul 2023 09:04:36 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/mario-games-50-percent-off-amazon-prime-day/ Tears of the Kingdom players have used its sandbox to complete elaborate puzzles in completely unique, mind-boggling ways, while ushering in the industrial revolution, torturing Koroks with Saw-like traps, and devising electric-powered vehicles that never run out of energy. But aside from the practical and the... horrendous (sorry to every Korok out there), there's the spectacle. Some players have found ways to fashion rockets into fireworks, creating beautiful displays of fluttering lights in the night sky.

]]> Sun, 09 Jul 2023 15:50:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-firework-show-reddit/ The Nintendo Switch has incredible games, from Super Mario Odyssey to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to smaller indie titles such as Dead Cells and Golf Story. While these premium paid games are worth your time and attention, what if you want to try out something less expensive, namely, free-to-play games?

]]> Sat, 08 Jul 2023 22:30:15 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/free-multiplayer-games-switch/ The Nintendo Switch has been a powerhouse console for stone cold classics. While the list is topped by two Zelda games in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, the Switch has a selection of exclusives that rival any console in existence. You've got Super Mario Odyssey, Animal Crossing New Horizons, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses - all games that, along with Zelda's efforts, could put forth a credible argument at being the best in their iconic series. Pokemon's major efforts (Let's Go, Sword & Shield, Legends: Arceus, and Scarlet & Violet) all fall short of that claim, but they are at least somewhat experimental in ways Pokemon games have often failed to be. In the mix of these future classics though is Ring Fit Adventure, and it's a shame it never gets a mention.

]]> Sat, 08 Jul 2023 18:00:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/ring-fit-adventure-2-nintendo-switch-2-pro-sequel/ Following the launch of Tears of The Kingdom, I accidentally set the Legend Of Zelda fandom on fire. Not on purpose, given most of this misunderstanding was down to headlines eager to take my interview with voice actor Patricia Summersett out of context. She touched on giving a voice to Zelda, her growth throughout Breath of the Wild and Age of Calamity, alongside a deeper dive into her ambiguous relationship with protagonist Link. Their bond could be love, friendship, or a connection that defies conventional description. That’s why it’s so beautiful.

]]> Sat, 08 Jul 2023 15:00:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/tears-of-the-kingdom-link-zelda-romance-relationship-canon/ What’s the best fighting game of all time? Street Fighter 6? Sure, that’s alright. Mortal Kombat 11? Great game, if you’re into it. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? Not bad at all. War Gods? You don’t even know what that game is, stop lying. Yes, these are all great fighting games. Except for War Gods. Which is terrible. Just painful. Awful way to waste your limited time on Earth. I give it a 7.9 out of 10.

]]> Sat, 08 Jul 2023 13:30:15 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/greatest-fighting-game-all-time-steam-sale-snk-capcom-match-millennium-neo-geo-pocket/ The Nintendo Switch launched in 2017 and quickly became one of the company's most popular bestselling consoles, due in part to its ability to be played as both a home console and a handheld gaming device. In 2021, Nintendo launched the OLED model of the Nintendo Switch, which improved on the original console in various ways.

]]> Fri, 07 Jul 2023 14:00:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-vs-nintendo-switch-oled-comparison-buy/ After the longest wait between Pikmin games in the series history (that's a theme we're probably going to have to start getting used to with pretty much everything), Pikmin 4 launches this month. Hitting digital and physical shelves on July 21, 2023, if you simply can't wait that long, the demo is available to play for free on Nintendo Switch right now.

]]> Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:52:15 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/pikmin-4-pre-order-guide/ Walking simulator is often used as a demeaning term for adventure-style games that put a heavy focus on narrative and atmosphere, and less on gameplay or heavy interactivity. However, when done right, walking simulators can outclass their limitations and offer some of the most powerful stories and experiences in gaming.

]]> Fri, 07 Jul 2023 09:30:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-nintendo-switch-walking-simulators/ Mortal Kombat 1 has just revealed a whole host of returning fighters during its first-ever Kombat Kast. We got to see Smoke, Cyrax, Sektor, Frost, and Rain.

]]> Thu, 06 Jul 2023 17:09:25 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/mortal-kombat-1-kombat-kast-smoke-rain-roster/ The Nintendo Switch is a unique console compared to its PlayStation and Xbox counterparts for a number of reasons. While its exclusives and the ability to play it on the go are the two big ones, its accompanying amiibo figures are another. Not used by all Switch owners which is a shame as not only do they often unlock fun extras in certain games, but they're also decorative whenever they're not being used.

]]> Wed, 05 Jul 2023 14:01:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-mario-amiibo-figures/ One of the main reasons the Nintendo Switch has become so popular over the years is that it blends a handheld system with a home console, allowing it to be played on the go or on the TV. This means that people with different tastes can browse through the massive selection of games available on the Nintendo Switch and easily find something for themselves.

]]> Wed, 05 Jul 2023 05:00:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-best-visual-novels/ There are a number of reasons why you may want to change up your Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons. The biggest reason is the unfortunate occurrence of stick drift, which the Nintendo Switch is especially known to be plagued with. However, drift might not be the only reason you may want new Joy-Cons. Maybe you want a better grip than the stock Joy-Cons provide, or maybe you just want a change in colour too. Whatever your reason, there are plenty of options available.

]]> Tue, 04 Jul 2023 16:01:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-third-party-nintendo-switch-joy-con-controller/ The Nintendo eShop gets pretty weird if you delve deeply enough. Filter for prices that are just higher than free and under ten dollars, and you’ll find yourself in very dodgy territory. Among perfectly serviceable indies and older classics on sale, you’ll find a real glut of terrible games. Most of these are bug-ridden, badly-designed versions of popular genres that already exist: truck simulators, boxing games, hunting simulators, racing games, and more are par for the course.

]]> Mon, 03 Jul 2023 14:30:15 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/the-last-of-us-weird-nintendo-switch-clone-is-far-from-the-only-one/ Borrowing elements from other games and paying homage to titles from the past is pretty common. However, a The Last Of Us clone that popped up on the Nintendo eShop last week, and is somehow still there, takes that a little too far. The Last Hope – Dead Zone Survival is clearly a little more than just inspired by Naughty Dog's critically acclaimed PlayStation exclusive, and its appearance on Switch has been generating a lot of attention.

]]> Mon, 03 Jul 2023 09:09:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/shameless-the-last-of-us-ripoff-nintendo-eshop/ Tears of the Kingdom has a few new Sage abilities (they're a little controversial), but it doesn't bring back all of Breath of the Wild's tricks. You can't summon bombs out of thin air anymore, and you can't shoot up into the sky with your glider on command. The alternative is to build a machine or strap a rocket to your shield, which probably violates a few health and safety codes.

]]> Sat, 01 Jul 2023 14:00:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-revalis-gale-alternative/ When you picked up your Nintendo Switch, it technically came with everything you need to make it work, as it should. However, there are a lot of things out there that can potentially make your Switch experience better, easier, and maybe even a little bit more fun. Yes, the ability to play the same console on your TV and in your hands on the bus is pretty neat, by why not get even more out of it?

]]> Fri, 30 Jun 2023 20:00:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-nintendo-switch-accessories/ Nintendo Directs can be hit and miss. Sometimes Nintendo will hit us with a long list of games that blow our minds, other times it will show us seven farming games in a row and be done with it. The last Direct was somewhere in-between those two extremes, and how you felt coming out of it likely depended on just how much you love Mario.

]]> Fri, 30 Jun 2023 17:09:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/super-mario-rpg-pre-order-guide/ Who doesn’t love a good whodunnit? When it comes to mysteries, old tropes go down just as well as fresh ideas with would-be sleuths — fake suicides, murder plots, locked room mysteries, government cover ups, and enough red herrings to open a fishmongers. Not to mention the Bowsette-like death god who is obsessed with boobs and regularly vomits up clues in a rainbow splurge.

]]> Thu, 29 Jun 2023 23:00:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/master-detective-archives-rain-code-review/ An interesting throughline of the FTC/Sony vs. Microsoft courtroom battle has been seeing all the ways the FTC has tried to frame Nintendo as an outlier that shouldn’t be part of the console war conversation. All kind of arbitrary distinctions have been made, from the processing power of the Switch to its portability, to the fact that it started its current console generation before the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, to doubting that Call of Duty would even appeal to the “standard Nintendo audience”, whatever that is. PlayStation boss Jim Ryan said yesterday that he doesn’t view Nintendo as a direct competitor. This seems absurd to me. Both the Switch and the PS5 are computers you play video games on - a lot of the same video games. Is Nintendo’s gaming hardware really that different from Sony’s?

]]> Thu, 29 Jun 2023 22:20:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-perfect-form-next-gen-switch-2/ Spoiler warning for Tears of the Kingdom

]]> Tue, 27 Jun 2023 16:30:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/tears-of-the-kingdoms-master-sword-moment-will-go-down-in-history/ As I stood in a crowded room alongside fellow journalists where we all stared dumbfounded at a talking horse on a giant television screen feeding us instructions, it felt like I was joining a cult. We obediently followed directions, took hold of the Joy-Cons handed to us, and slowly competed in fun new games. Nintendo has made a fittingly bizarre sequel to its underwhelming Switch launch title that far better understands the modern appeal of party games. This is less a showcase of the hardware and more of a sanitised Jackbox Party Pack with a far more absurdist visual direction. Better yet, it works.

]]> Tue, 27 Jun 2023 13:00:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/everybody-1-2-switch-preview/ If you played Mario Golf for Game Boy Color or Mario Golf: Advance Tour, you were likely astonished at how you were treated to a vast, single-player adventure that you couldn't find in the game's console equivalent at the time. A Mario Golf handheld game made long road trips enjoyable if you were burnt out on Pokémon or Zelda.

]]> Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:45:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-switch-golf-games-nintendo/ More than six years on from its launch, rumors continue to swirl suggesting Nintendo is hard at work on the successor to the Switch, the best-selling home console in its history. However, with sales still strong, and 125 million consoles sold so far, Nintendo has hinted it's in no hurry to launch whatever's next, hence the near radio silence when it comes to official information on the project.

]]> Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:41:20 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-hints-new-console-not-priority-switch-success/ I’ve never been able to get over how messed up Pikmin is. You crash-land on an alien planet and within minutes have enslaved a race of adorable little creatures to murder the local wildlife, pillage resources, and even throw themselves into the inevitable jaws of death if it ensures the survival of the Hocotatians. Olimar is a monster.

]]> Mon, 26 Jun 2023 13:00:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/pikmin-4-preview/ Remember when shiny Pokemon were good? My brother ran into a bright green Golbat in FireRed when we were kids, and promptly switched off his Game Boy because something had clearly gone wrong. He didn’t want to lose his precious Charizard in some kind of corrupted save (we’d been burned before by a dodgy copy of Emerald), so bye bye bat.

]]> Sun, 25 Jun 2023 14:30:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/shiny-pokemon-getting-worse/ The second game I ever owned was Pokemon Silver. I won a Game Boy Advance that came with Super Mario Advance 2, and I trotted down to Birkenhead market to double my collection with a handful of silvers in my pocket. I knew all my friends were playing Pokemon, so I selected the one I could afford, a second-hand copy of Silver, and I played it until the clock ran out. That’s 999:59 hours of sweet Pokemon action, with my trusty Typhlosion, who I called Pkmn Pink for some reason, by my side for it all. I don’t even know what I did for all that time, but I certainly didn’t complete the PokeDex because all my friends had long since moved on to Ruby, and refused to dig out an old game for an old console in order to trade me Growlithe and Mankey.

]]> Sat, 24 Jun 2023 16:30:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/struggling-to-care-about-pokemon/ Nintendo has been on the cutting edge of consoles for as long as they've been in business, shifting the industry time and time again with consoles like the SNES, 3DS, Wii, and now the Nintendo Switch. Being a console you can play while at home or on the go, the Nintendo Switch is focused on uncompromised gaming no matter where you are.

]]> Sat, 24 Jun 2023 13:30:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-games-biggest-file-size-gb/ Xbox games boss Phil Spencer finally gives us a clearer idea of how Call of Duty will perform on the Nintendo Switch, admitting that it won't compare to other platforms. This comes after Microsoft and Nintendo reached a deal to ensure Call of Duty releases on at least one rival platform, albeit one far less powerful than Xbox's own hardware.

]]> Sat, 24 Jun 2023 11:41:38 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/xbox-finally-admits-call-of-duty-will-run-worse-on-switch/ There are a lot of ways to get Nintendo's attention--put an emulator on Steam, develop fan-made games, mod Zelda, and the list goes on. What you probably shouldn't do is buy a Switch OLED on credit, sell it at a loss, purchase Nintendo stock, and then attend a conference, as this guy did.

]]> Fri, 23 Jun 2023 10:12:37 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/splatoon-3-fan-nintendo-shareholder-meeting-male-poses/ It's no secret that the Nintendo Switch is one of the best portable consoles of all time, but as its library grows and memory cards continue to fill it's time to look at the smaller titles the system offers. Games that will only run you a few megabytes tops, yet still pack a ton of fun that the larger titles have.

]]> Thu, 22 Jun 2023 23:30:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/smallest-nintendo-switch-games/ Gamers are strange creatures. They’re also a tiny bit obsessed with conspiracy theories too, since the reveal of Super Mario Bros. Wonder at this week’s Nintendo Direct has a few paranoid that the iconic Charles Martinet has been replaced as the beloved plumber’s voice.

]]> Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:15:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/super-mario-wonder-charles-martinet-mario-voice/ Super Mario Bros. Wonder has an aesthetic of something old, something new, bringing the style of the classic Mario game manuals into 3D alongside radical redesigns that see characters more closely resemble their 2D counterparts. It's a welcome change, but it goes deeper than that, as fans have noticed a couple of references to an old tie-in anime movie called Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen! (or Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach).

]]> Thu, 22 Jun 2023 09:19:48 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/super-mario-bros-wonder-anime-reference-peach-hime-kyushutsu-dai-sakusen/ The queen hath returned - Princess Daisy is back. Despite being a classic Mario character, Princess Daisy has long been disrespected by the series as a whole. She's nowhere to be seen in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Mario Strikers: Battle League reduced her to DLC when she's obviously more sporty than Peach and Rosalina, and Smash has her as a glorified Peach palette swap. It's tough being the ruler of Sarasaland. But Daisy fans like myself can rejoice - in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Princess Daisy will finally be playable in a mainline Mario game.

]]> Wed, 21 Jun 2023 15:23:12 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/princess-daisy-playable-debut-super-mario-bros-wonder-october-10-release-date/ WarioWare is getting a brand new game on November 3 called Move It. It's a fitting name since the game is all about getting physical with the Nintendo Switch joy-sticks.

]]> Wed, 21 Jun 2023 14:41:21 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/wario-ware-move-it/ Last year, Ubisoft released a sequel to Mario + Rabbids, but CEO Yves Guillemot said the game underperformed financially because they chose to release it on the Nintendo Switch instead of waiting for a new console.

]]> Wed, 21 Jun 2023 09:10:53 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/mario-rabbids-sparks-of-hope-nintendo-ubisoft-one-per-console/ ‘Say no to violence’, the 12 year old declares as she whips out a gun and fires at the woodland critter before her. You don’t expect someone so regal to be packing, especially in a classic pixelated turn-based RPG with a traditional fantasy setting, but that’s all part of the humour of the Rhapsody series. The more I played, the wilder things became. Crea, the gun-toting girl, is accompanying her best friend, Princess Kururu, in her quest to find true love, but you’re in for just as much comedy as you are emotional twists in this port from the past.

]]> Tue, 20 Jun 2023 13:30:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/rhapsody-marl-kingdom-chronicles-preview-disgaea-precursor/ Getting into a long-running series with such a large fan base can be daunting, but a preview event for Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless seemed like the perfect opportunity to find out once and for all whether Disgaea was my cup of tea. More importantly, I wanted to know whether a newcomer like myself could gel with it coming in so late.

]]> Tue, 20 Jun 2023 13:00:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/disgaea-7-vows-of-the-virtueless-preview-not-too-late-for-newcomers/ Happy Pride Month! We’ve been writing about a bunch of different things to celebrate the occasion here at TheGamer because we’re a horde of deplorable fruits, but not everyone carries the same level of enthusiasm for all things LGBTQ+. This is especially true for the massive corporations of our world. While they might change their profile pictures on social media to a colourful version of their logo for the entire month, it can be ever so easy to see through the cynical intentions of rainbow capitalism.

]]> Mon, 19 Jun 2023 16:30:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-pride-month-eshop-sale/ Last week, Atlus finally confirmed what platforms Persona 3 Reload is coming to, noticeably leaving out the Nintendo Switch. Many took this to mean that it isn't coming to the hit handheld, but a new trailer and store listing seems to say otherwise.

]]> Mon, 19 Jun 2023 10:46:56 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/persona-3-reload-nintendo-switch-game-retailer/ When Nintendo unveiled the Switch, people were excited, to say the least - excited, but cautious. After the Wii U's rocky life and less-than-desired sales, this could have been another disappointing attempt at something new. However, as is well known today, the Nintendo Switch quickly became one of the most popular consoles available, and still dominates the industry.

]]> Sat, 17 Jun 2023 23:30:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-best-games-of-all-time-ranked/ Amiibos are a funny thing. Odds are most people who own a Nintendo Switch aren't only uninterested in the figurines, but many of those millions might not even know what they are. As well you know, since you're here reading this, that's a real shame. That's because not only do amiibos let you own miniature versions of some of your favorite characters, but they have in-game functions.

]]> Sat, 17 Jun 2023 18:01:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-super-smash-bros-amiibo-figures/ As the Nintendo Switch is a hybrid console capable of being played in both handheld and docked mode (with the exception of the Switch Lite), it isn't expected that the system would be particularly powerful in the graphics department. However, there have been many games released on the Switch that prove it can compete with the others.

]]> Sat, 17 Jun 2023 00:00:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-best-graphics-games/ The Nintendo Switch is a fantastic console for all sorts of gaming sessions, including action games, lengthy RPGs, and even first-person shooters. Being such a portable device, it's a versatile console built for many experiences. Given the success of the Switch, it's no surprise that the system offers a variety of games for fans of mystery and puzzle games.

]]> Fri, 16 Jun 2023 13:30:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-best-mystery-games/ Nintendo has cultivated a passionate fanbase of casual gamers through accessible consoles and colorful, tightly designed games. The Switch continues this trajectory with its affordable price and hybrid functionality, making it the perfect console to introduce new players to the exciting world of interactive media.

]]> Wed, 14 Jun 2023 19:30:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-nintendo-switch-lgbtq-games/ A gaming headset can seriously improve your gaming experience, but narrowing options down can be difficult. Gaming headsets can also get expensive very quickly. There's a mass of choices out there but what are the best options when you don't want to spend too much? Whether you're playing on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, or Nintendo Switch, a pair of headphones can accentuate the audio and better immerse you in the game. The PS5, for example, has its Tempest 3D sound engine to simulate surround sound, while the Xbox Series X/S has something similar with its Spatial Audio.

]]> Wed, 14 Jun 2023 16:00:19 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-budget-gaming-headsets/ In a game full of stunning moments, Link’s airborne pursuits are easily one of Tears of the Kingdom’s most irresistible thrills. Seamlessly plummeting from the lofty heights of Hyrule’s sky islands back to earth and beyond into the Depths is an intoxicating display of sheer aerial panache. It’s an enthralling recreation of heading to ground at a blistering 300mph.

]]> Mon, 12 Jun 2023 16:15:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-skydivers-review-freefalling-physics/ A pet peeve of mine in any farming sim is juggling between multiple tools in quick succession. You have to clear the ground, till the soil, plant the seeds, and then water the saplings. While I realise one tool couldn’t possibly encompass all of this, it gets tedious when you’re flipping in and out of inventories or blitzing through buttons to find the tool you need.

]]> Fri, 09 Jun 2023 22:00:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/fae-farm-preview/ There aren't many games where I can pinpoint the exact moment I first played and fell in love with them. Super Smash Bros is one such game. Old enough to remember a time when everything you needed to know about anything wasn't available at your fingertips, I had no idea there was a game out there on where you could pit characters from different video games against one another, especially since until that point in my life I had only owned a Mega Drive and a PlayStation.

]]> Wed, 07 Jun 2023 17:01:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/super-smash-bros-online-play-bad-fit-sakurai-nintendo/ Four top professional Pokemon players have been banned from competing in the Pokemon Trainers Cup, Korea’s answer to Nationals. The best participants in official VGC competition in Korea this season had reached the finals, known as Top Four, and agreed to only use Pokemon knowing the move Metronome to protest against the Korean circuit prior to the ban. As it stands, there will be no winner of the Trainers Cup this season, and all four players have had their World Championship invitations retracted.

]]> Wed, 07 Jun 2023 16:30:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/pokemon-players-metronome-ban-korea-nashvgc-interview/ Nintendo getting Breath of the Wild to run smoothly on Switch was a modern miracle. Somehow, Nintendo has now proven miracles can be improved upon. Six years later, it has effectively told us that thing we collectively agreed was the pinnacle of video game development was just a warm-up. A dry run as it swiftly moved on to Tears of the Kingdom. I truly believe whatever comes next, likely on the Switch's successor, will make my head explode.

]]> Wed, 07 Jun 2023 15:00:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-proves-stop-giving-pokemon-pass/ The massive world laid out for you in Genshin Impact is just begging to be explored. Secrets are hidden around every corner, rewarding you for going off the beaten path and allowing your curiosity to guide you.

]]> Tue, 06 Jun 2023 19:15:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/genshin-impact-uncover-the-secret-of-the-uninhabited-island/ Leveling up is one of the most rewarding parts of an RPG like Genshin Impact. Unlike most RPGs, though, there are a ton of different ways to become more powerful in the game, which can sometimes distract you from focusing on your individual character's level.

]]> Tue, 06 Jun 2023 18:15:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/genshin-impact-character-exp-farm/ NetherRealm is finally lifting the lid on Mortal Kombat 1 in two days during the Summer Game Fest with a gameplay reveal, but Ed Boon is teasing even more than that. "Some making their way back into action..." he tweeted with a dragon emoji, attaching a photo of the Mortal Kombat 4 roster.

]]> Tue, 06 Jun 2023 09:29:28 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/mortal-kombat-1-roster-tease-ed-boon-twitter/ Sitting comfortably in the top five best-selling consoles of all time, not only is it entirely likely many of you Nintendo Switch owners have either suffered from the dreaded Joy-Con drift or simply need a new controller, but it's also likely many Switch owners don't know the options they have available. Yes, you can cough up for some new Joy-Con straight from the source, but before you do, it's worth checking out what other options you have.

]]> Mon, 05 Jun 2023 20:00:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/best-controllers-nintendo-switch/ The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom looks set to become the most successful Zelda game of all time. In just three weeks, it's made its way into the top three best-selling Zelda games in the UK - and that's without taking digital sales into account.

]]> Mon, 05 Jun 2023 16:00:42 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-sales-best-seling-game-uk/ Breaking news: I still can’t stop playing Tears of the Kingdom. I played over 80 hours for my review, and after restarting to take it all in slower, my personal playthrough is slowly creeping towards the same milestone. This time around though I still have three temples yet to clear while side quests, shrines, and a general sense of freeform discovery take precedence. Every moment is being savoured, but deep down I know the time will come to leave this classic behind.

]]> Sun, 04 Jun 2023 18:00:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-sequel-expansion-dlc/ Do you reckon Link ever gets hungry? Not so much these days, as Breath of the Wild let him fill his belly with Mighty Bananas and delicious kebabs every time he needed healing, but before he made his way onto the Switch? A good meal was hard to come by.

]]> Sun, 04 Jun 2023 17:00:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-pizza-cheese/ Last night, Aspyr confirmed what many of us had already suspected: DLC for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 on Switch has been cancelled. This DLC would have ported the huge restored content mod to console for the first time, allowing players on Switch to experience KOTOR 2 the way the original devs intended. Now, amidst pushback from fans, one of the creators of this mod has rushed to Aspyr's defence, suggesting this isn't the studio's fault the DLC was canned.

]]> Sat, 03 Jun 2023 15:52:08 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/kotor-2-dlc-mod-restored-content-cancelled-not-aspyrs-fault/ When I say that PlayStation will never make a game like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, I’m immediately opening myself up to criticism. I can already feel my inbox filling up with, “you’re a Nintendo shill!”, “Cory Barlog’s gonna kill you in your sleep!” and “I hope you get socks for Christmas!”, to which I say: read the headline, no he’s not, and socks are great.

]]> Sat, 03 Jun 2023 14:30:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/playstation-will-never-make-a-game-like-tears-of-the-kingdom/ Tears of the Kingdom is a special game. It’s nowhere near perfect, but it’s special. I think a large part of that for me is because it’s a Zelda game. Zelda is one of my favourite series of all time, and jumping into Tears of the Kingdom’s close recreation of Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule is like jumping into the warm embrace of a grizzly bear. You know it’s only a matter of time before it mauls you to death, but right here and now, in this moment, you’re happy.

]]> Sat, 03 Jun 2023 14:00:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-permanently-altered-gaming-habits/ Everybody 1-2-Switch has been announced. The 1-2-Switch sequel was known to be in development and was reported to be pretty awful according to early playtests--so much so that Nintendo wasn't sure what to do with it.

]]> Fri, 02 Jun 2023 14:51:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/everybody-1-2-switch-sequel-revealed/ I’ve been trying to create the experience of gaming with XR glasses for years, even before such a thing even existed. As a chronically-ill person (shoutout to my sick gamers) I spend a lot of my playtime in bed, and I’m always looking for ways to make that more comfortable. When I was a teen, I had glasses with two sets of mirrors in them so that when I looked straight ahead they would reflect down towards my feet. This allowed me to lay flat on my back and see my Nintendo DS in my lap. No more holding my arms above my head until I lose my grip or nod off and the DS falls in my face. More recently, I attached a goose-neck mount to my nightstand that I can bend 90 degrees to hold my Switch directly over my face.

]]> Thu, 01 Jun 2023 21:32:42 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/playing-tears-of-the-kingdom-with-these-xr-glasses-was-a-dream-come-true/ You can finally transfer Pokemon from your old games to Scarlet & Violet, over six months after the controversial Gen 9 games were released. Except, don’t send over your smallest Pokemon, because they’re broken. And exclusive moves like Origin Pulse have generic animations. Oh, and your Pokemon’s moves will all change, including those incredibly rare ones from limited events that you’ve taken care to transfer from game to game for generations so that you don’t lose them.

]]> Thu, 01 Jun 2023 16:31:15 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/pokemon-home-subscription-service-messy-broken-expensive/