Author: Game Infliction

Kirby has been so many different things since he first floated into our lives in 1992. Besides his dozens of transforming copy abilities, he’s been split into four differently-colored Kirbys, turned into yarn, warped into a ball we controlled on the DS touch screen, and so much more. And now that he’s hopped back on the Warp Star with the release of Kirby Air Riders on Nintendo Switch 2, we thought it was the perfect time to look back at the history of the pink puffball. Here are IGN’s top ten Kirby games of all time.

10. Kirby and the Amazing Mirror

Two iconic Nintendo heroes were split into four different versions of themselves on the Game Boy Advance: Link in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords and Kirby in Kirby and the Amazing Mirror. The latter is a 2004 GBA platformer that took advantage of the system’s link cable functionality to allow four players to adventure together, calling each other on a cellphone to regroup if they ever got split up. Just make sure the batteries don’t run out! And even if you played Amazing Mirror on your own, it stands out thanks to its lite Metroidvania setup. Rather than adventure through linear levels like pretty much every other Kirby platformer, Amazing Mirror’s branching paths let players explore levels in different orders at their own pace.

9. Kirby’s Dream Land 2

Before becoming an industry celebrity thanks to the Super Smash Bros. series, Masahiro Sakurai directed the humble Kirby’s Dream Land on Game Boy. Back in those days, Kirby was white instead of pink (at least on the North American box art), and he didn’t have copy abilities! But the 1995 Game Boy sequel, Kirby’s Dream Land 2, improved on everything the first game set up, bringing Kirby Adventure’s copy abilities into the fold, and introducing the iconic rideable animal friends like Rick the hamster. It’s a classic example of a bigger, better sequel, and our pick for the best game in Kirby’s original Dream Land trilogy, even though we really love the pastel art style of Dream Land 3 on Super Nintendo.

8. Kirby: Triple Deluxe

Kirby’s debut outing on 3DS took full advantage of the handheld’s screen, as Kirby: Triple Deluxe (a wordier way to say Kirby: 3D) sees Kirby platforming in the foreground and background in very unique ways. Its main hook is the Hypernova ability, which makes Kirby suck harder than he’s ever sucked before, essentially turning his stomach into a black hole. This is used in all sorts of clever puzzles, including one level where Kirby eats an entire train like it’s a light snack. It also introduced one of my favorite subgames in the series: Dedede’s Drum Dash, a rhythm game where Kirby’s best frenemy bounces to the beat in stages set to familiar Kirby tunes.

7. Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland

Kirby’s Adventure is an important entry in the franchise, as it’s responsible for introducing copy abilities. And it wasn’t just two or three; Adventure came out swinging with more than 20 different powers for Kirby to steal from enemies, setting the blueprint for every Kirby game to come. It also established both minigames and Kirby’s longtime rival, Meta Knight, as staples for the series. This NES classic got remade as Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land on the GBA in 2002, which we’re picking as the definitive version because of its improved controls and additional content it brought with it, like the bonus Meta Knightmare mode, where you can play the whole campaign as Meta Knight — another new wrinkle that would become commonplace in future Kirby games,. But shoutout to the NES Kirby’s Adventure cover, where Kirby is literally eating the box art and revealing the endless void that lies underneath.

6. Kirby’s Epic Yarn

Kirby’s Epic Yarn is probably the easiest game on this list – which is saying a lot, given the general approachability of almost all of the Kirby series – but it’s also one of the most charming. Developed by Good-Feel instead of series steward HAL Laboratory, Kirby’s Epic Yarn transforms the pink sphere into, you guessed it, yarn, completely changing the aesthetic and overall gameplay. There aren’t traditional copy abilities – instead, this Kirby simply morphs himself into a yarn submarine, car, or parachute as he travels with the adorable Prince Fluff through an arts and crafts-themed world. It’s relaxing, beautiful, and fits in right alongside the best Kirby games despite being so different.

5. Kirby Air Riders

Kirby Air Riders is only a few days old, but it’s already one of the all-time franchise greats. After more than two decades away, Masahiro Sakurai returned to the franchise he created to take another crack at Kirby Air Ride, which was a fun but somewhat underbaked experiment back on the GameCube. And Sakurai didn’t let any part of this second chance go to waste, creating a definitive sequel that feels like the ultimate realization of its simplistic one-button racing formula. Air Riders is packed with modes, unlockables, and tons of little details that show how much love and attention went into its development. The racing is frantic and fun, but the star of the show is still City Trial; the battle mode / collectathon hybrid that’s a wonderful throwback to local multiplayer modes from the N64 and GameCube days. Its unconventional controls aren’t going to be for everyone, but if you go along for the ride, you’ll find a fantastic Kirby game that’s brilliantly unique.

4. Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe

Return to Dreamland on Wii was the first traditional home console Kirby platformer since Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (which we love but narrowly missed out on our top 10). It delivered the classic Kirby adventuring fans were craving, but introduced fun new copy abilities like Leaf and Water, had multiple well-hidden collectibles to track down in each level, tasked players with mastering every copy ability in its challenge rooms, and a lot more. Most importantly, it’s a blast in local multiplayer, allowing up to four friends to play the entire campaign together as either Kirby, King Dedede, Meta Knight, or Bandana Waddle Dee. Return to Dreamland got a fantastic deluxe treatment on Nintendo Switch, adding a bonus epilogue and a ton of returning subgames from across the series, complete with dozens of achievements to chase, so we’ve gone with that version here.

3. Kirby Super Star Ultra

Sakurai is known for stuffing his games full of side modes that all build around the same gameplay foundations, and that tradition started in Kirby Super Star, the Super Nintendo classic that hosted a small handful of bite-sized adventures to run through. These were repackaged and expanded upon in the excellent DS remake, Super Star Ultra, which brought everything back and added even more, continuing the tradition of a Meta Knight campaign established in Nightmare in Dreamland. Super Star’s biggest strength, though, is its sheer variety: collecting every last treasure in The Great Cave Offensive, racing to eat more treats than Dedede in Gourmet Race, or infiltrating the Halberd as terrified crewmates discuss the best way to stop Kirby. Every mode offers its own flavor, and it all comes together to create the strongest game of Kirby’s early days.

2. Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Every game series takes a different approach when transitioning from 2D to 3D, and fittingly for this franchise, Kirby kept things delightfully simple by keeping its formula largely intact as it made the jump. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a fantastic realization of classic Kirby platforming in a 3D space. Kirby hops, floats, and dodges just like you’d think he would, and the upgradeable copy abilities work seamlessly. Its most memorable new addition is Mouthful Mode, which lets Kirby wrap his enormous mouth around a car, staircase, or even a vending machine, making for fun puzzle platforming that proves this isn’t just a retread of Kirby’s greatest hits. The Forgotten Land also takes some inspiration from the 3D platforming greats, such as Super Mario and Banjo-Kazooie, by sprinkling hidden collectibles and secret objectives across every level, and it’s a joy for completionists to hunt down every last Waddle Dee to send back to town.

1. Kirby Planet Robobot

The best Kirby game of them all is Kirby: Planet Robobot, an unassuming sequel to Triple Deluxe on 3DS that turned out to be his finest adventure. That’s largely thanks to the Robobot armor, a hulking mech suit Kirby pilots across the campaign, complete with its own unique copy abilities. While Triple Deluxe’s Hypernova and Return to Dreamland’s Super abilities felt more like gimmicks relegated to setpiece moments, the Robobot armor is seamlessly integrated into the stages, leading to fantastic puzzles with the most depth, variety, and challenge in the series, especially if you’re trying to collect everything. Robobot expands upon Triple Deluxe’s foreground and background platforming and features some of the coolest settings in the series, as a mechanized Planet Popstar is just a great idea that ties each world together. Robobot is an absolute treat, and we can only hope that Nintendo rereleases it on Switch or Switch 2 sometime soon so more people can experience the best Kirby game of them all.

There you have it – IGN’s top ten Kirby games of all time. Would you inhale this list, or spit it out? Are we leaving off your favorite? Drop a comment and let us know. For more Kirby, check out our review of Kirby Air Riders, or our Nintendo Voice Chat podcast that posts new episodes every Friday on the IGN Games YouTube channel and your favorite podcast app. And for everything else Nintendo, stick with IGN.

Logan Plant is the host of Nintendo Voice Chat and IGN’s Database Manager & Playlist Editor. The Legend of Zelda is his favorite video game franchise of all time, and he is patiently awaiting the day Nintendo announces a brand new F-Zero. You can find him online @LoganJPlant.

I probably could have held off on writing this until what I like to call “Black Friday proper“, on Nov. 28. But I’ve already seen several top offers fall into the shadow realm, never to return. And, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that my top Black Friday picks will soon meet a similar fate.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s still some brilliant offers up for grabs, with some of 2025’s best games dropping to $30 or less, while plenty of other big PS5, Xbox, and Switch releases from the past couple of years are also heavily discounted right now (at least for now).

That’s been massively helped by Walmart, which has stocked up on some of the best Black Friday discounts going this year. Yet, with retailers like Amazon and Best Buy still refusing to auto price-match most deals, once Walmart sells out, we likely won’t see some of these low, low prices again for a while.

So, writing this article, I am.

You might have already seen my $20 or less roundup, which is still packed with heavy hitters from the last few years, and perfect if you want maximum bang for your buck. Some are so good, they even feature in this article as well. But, I’ve also tried to keep things as fresh as possible for returning readers.

I’ve also got you covered if you’re looking for a more comprehensive roundup of the best video game deals for Black Friday. With that out the way, my advice is to snap up the following games up ASAP, cause once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

“GTA 6 ALERT – EXTREMELY SERIOUS SITUATION,” reads the X / Twitter post from the Zap Actu GTA6 account. The supposed gameplay clip of Rockstar’s upcoming surefire blockbuster is brief, but, if true, a shocking leak indeed.

Of course, it’s not true. It’s not a leak. It’s not even real gameplay. It’s yet another AI-generated GTA 6 “leak” video viewed by millions that remains live across social media, which seems unable to do anything about it beyond the odd community note.

The tweet below, published yesterday, November 25, has gone viral, securing 8 million views in just over 24 hours. Below it, a community note warns against its authenticity, but that appears to be doing little to dull its impact. And it is far from the only one. The same Twitter account responsible for this “leak” has published a number of similar clips in recent months, some of which which have a huge number of views, all in a desperate bid for followers and Discord members.

🚨🚨 GTA 6 ALERT – EXTREMELY SERIOUS SITUATION 🚨🚨

A new and highly disturbing leak has just surfaced on TikTok before being taken down only minutes later — but the damage is already done. The video allegedly showed a real gameplay moment where the player is controlling Lucia,… pic.twitter.com/iSD4duGEPu

— Zap Actu GTA6 (@zapactugta6) November 25, 2025

Based on the replies, many Twitter users are taking these leaks at face value. It’s a problem GTA 6 has faced for some time now, which probably comes as little surprise given the intense excitement and thirst for new information on what is expected to be the biggest entertainment launch of all time. But it is far from the only video game to suffer from this problem. Indeed, video games are not alone in this, either.

Last month, IGN reported on physicist Brian Cox, who went public with complaints about YouTube accounts that had used AI to create deepfakes of him saying “nonsense” about comet 3I/ATLAS. Similarly, Keanu Reeves recently hit out at AI deepfakes of the John Wick star selling products without his permission, insisting “it’s not a lot of fun.” In July, it was reported that Reeves pays a company a few thousand dollars a month to get the likes of TikTok and Meta to take down imitators.

In 2023, Tom Hanks warned fans that an AI version of his likeness was being used without his consent in an online advert for a dental plan. Last year, Morgan Freeman thanked fans who alerted him to AI-generated imitations of his voice online after a series of videos created by someone posing as his niece went viral. And in May this year, Jamie Lee Curtis was forced to appeal to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in an Instagram post because she couldn’t get the company to pull an AI-generated ad that featured her likeness for “some bullshit that I didn’t authorize, agree to or endorse.”

What is the solution here? In July, YouTube was said to be preparing to update its policies to crack down on creators’ ability to generate revenue from “inauthentic” content, which is made easy to produce on a massive scale with generative AI. While propelled forward by the great YouTube algorithm, you’ve probably stumbled across a fake trailer or two. The hope was that YouTube would be able to crack down on the channels that pump out this sort of low-effort content, but a cursory glance at YouTube shows this has yet to happen.

Without legislation forcing content built by generative AI tools to include labels clearly marking it as such, or laws preventing deepfakes without permission, fans will continue to be misled by bad actors. And as generative AI technology improves, so it will become harder to distinguish between the fake and the real.

Can anything meaningful be done? Last month, the Japanese government made a formal request asking OpenAI to refrain from copyright infringement after Sora 2 users generated videos featuring the likenesses of copyrighted characters from anime and video games.

Sora 2, which OpenAI launched on October 1, is capable of generating 20-second long videos at 1080p resolution, complete with sound. Soon after its release, social media was flooded with videos generated by the app, many of which contained depictions of copyrighted characters including those from popular anime and game franchises such as One Piece, Demon Slayer, Pokémon, and Mario. Despite the prostetations of the Japanese, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has declared Sora 2 videos using copyrighted characters “interactive fan fiction.”

Zap Actu GTA6, meanwhile, doesn’t seem bothered by any potential backlash, and is posting even more fake GTA 6 “leaks.” Their latest, published just a few hours ago at the time this article went live, already had 220,300 impressions. In their Discord, which is slowly gaining new members, one person who joined today questioned everything they were doing, saying: “If it’s AI, that’s disrespectful to the fans, friend @ZapActu.” ZapActu has yet to respond.

If you’re hunting for the best offers this week, we’re actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Nintendo’s latest console, the Switch 2, is steadily building a library of amazing games, but which are the best? Well, here are what we think are the 15 most essential games to spend your time with on the handheld/home console hybrid.

As for our criteria, we’ve chosen not to go with just any game that is available on the Switch 2, and instead have selected only those that have been specifically created for Switch 2 and were not previously available on the original Nintendo Switch (well, with one single exception). Basically, we’re not counting upgrades of years-old Switch 1 games, such as Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, or Kirby and the Forgotten Land, etc, but you will find the odd multiplatform in this list that’s arrived on Nintendo hardware for the first time

Does that make sense? I do hope so. Anyway, let’s get on with it and reveal our picks for the Top 15 Best Nintendo Switch 2 Games.

15. PowerWash Simulator 2

PowerWash Simulator 2 is very much a sequel that abides by the mantra, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. A relaxing set of levels that are ever-expanding in size and complexity, scrubbing and soaking this new bunch of impossibly grimy vehicles, buildings, and furniture is the perfect way to spend a relaxing evening in with your Switch 2. It’s just good, clean fun.

14. Pokémon Legends: Z-A

With Legends: Z-A, it finally feels like Pokémon is really finding its feet when it comes to adapting the series’ classic template for a 3D world. Not just another monster-battling RPG, Z-A makes the bold decision to remove turn-based combat completely and replace it with a much more dynamic real-time system. It may take a little getting used to, but it is a genuine evolution of the now 30-year-old formula that is more than welcome. With improved performance thanks to the Switch 2’s superior power, the best way to play this latest Pokémon adventure is on Nintendo’s latest console.

13. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

Koei Tecmo returns for another bite of the Hyrule Warriors apple, following up 2020’s Age of Calamity with Age of Imprisonment, which serves not only as a muso action spectacle, but also a prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Its story may not reach the heights of the best of the Zelda series, but the satisfaction found in its combat is undeniable, and this time the hardware can keep up with the action. All that makes it one of the best Switch 2 exclusives so far.

12. Ball X Pit

Brick-breakers are practically as old a video game genre as you can find, but none have ever quite done it like this. Ball X Pit borrows from the kaleidoscopic pixel mayhem action of Vampire Survivors and translates that score-chasing sensation into a selection of superpowered balls of wild variety that can be bounced off against enemies until they all fall down and clear the path along its steadily scrolling screen. Throw a light bit of settlement management into the mix, and you’ve got one of the hardest Switch 2 games to put down.

11. Kirby Air Riders

A sequel to 2003’s Kirby Air Ride certainly wasn’t on our Switch 2 bingo card for this year, but perhaps even more surprising is that it’s genuinely great. Perhaps that shouldn’t come as a shock, though, due to legendary Kirby creator and Smash Bros. supremo Masahiro Sakurai being behind the wheel of this combative racing game that borrows as much from Smash as it does Mario Kart. Looking for a bit of chaos? Try out Kirby Air Riders on your Nintendo Switch 2.

10. Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

A cosy combination of action-adventure RPG and life sim management, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time hits a perfect sweet spot for the Nintendo Switch 2 in the absence of a brand-new Zelda adventure or Animal Crossing town to spend time in. We’re going to bend our rules ever so slightly here, as it did first release on the original Switch and other consoles on May 21, 2025, before making its way to Switch 2 as a day one game with enhanced visuals, but we think it’s worth it to shout out a treat of a series that has been criminally underplayed.

9. Mario Kart World

Mario Kart World takes some risks as it barrels out of the confines of the series’ familiar circuit surroundings and out onto open roads for the first time. A mixture of colourful and expansive courses and open-world time trials and challenges, World changes up the Mario Kart methodology in the most impactful way since Double Dash hit the GameCube. A day one Switch 2 release, it’s destined to be one of the console’s most-played games for the rest of its lifespan.

8. Split Fiction

Hazelight Studios has become the go-to place for co-op games over the past few years thanks to A Way Out, It Takes Two, and, now, Split Fiction. You and a friend take control of authors Mio or Zoe, who dive in and out of sci-fi and fantasy worlds conjured from their creative imaginations. It’s a feast of varied gameplay design and a true test of teamwork. Available to play both online and locally, it’s a great fit for the Switch 2 and its pair of detachable Joy-Con controllers.

7. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

Being able to play CD Projekt Red’s dense and detailed sci-fi RPG on a Nintendo handheld seems like it should almost be illegal, and yet you can do exactly that. Now a far cry from the state it arrived in during the rockiest of launches, Cyberpunk 2077 has been retooled and refined into the fantastic open-world action RPG that it is today, with the vibrant Night City playing host to a tale of underworld revolutions and corporate-level betrayals. When you also throw in the magnificent Phantom Liberty expansion as part of this ultimate edition, then you’ve got one of the greatest RPGs of recent years in the palm of your hand, whenever and wherever you want it on Switch 2, even if it may not run quite as smoothly or look as stellar as it does on other platforms.

6. Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake takes two classic RPGs and brings them into the modern age to beautiful effect. Both games are given a welcome facelift here, but successfully retain the retro magic that made them both so beloved when they were first released way back in 1986 and 1987, respectively. Nearly four decades on, they’ve never been more playable, and are among the best games you can now play on your Nintendo Switch 2.

5. Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles

A remaster of 1997’s Final Fantasy Tactics, 2025’s The Ivalice Chronicles has recently become the definitive way to play one of Square’s most acclaimed RPGs. Its tactical battling system is as tight as it ever was, with some welcome tweaks only making it kinder to engage with, along with a graphical boost that still captures the charm of the PlayStation original. Now fully voiced-acted, its story full of intrigue and conspiracy is ready to be enjoyed by a whole new generation of players, and is a perfect fit to be enjoyed in the Switch 2’s handheld mode.

4. Deltarune

A chapterised follow-up to Toby Fox’s beloved cult-classic, Undertale, Deltarune picks up where its predecessor left off in terms of subverting the RPG genre and delivering something wholly singular. Heartfelt and often hilarious, its story captivates from start to finish, with its unorthodox approach to battling just one of the many ways it surprises through inventive gameplay systems. To say much more would be a spoiler. With more chapters still planned to be released as free updates, Deltarune promises not only to be one of the Switch 2’s best games right now, but long into the future, too.

3. Hollow Knight: Silksong

It was also going to be difficult to live up to the hype that built up during Hollow Knight: Silksong’s long, long development, but somehow, developer Team Cherry didn’t disappoint. Hornet’s snaking metroidvania world is littered with unwelcoming locations filled with even less inviting enemies and pesky platforming, but it is one that also begs to be explored. Yes, it’s punishing, but equally as rewarding, with secrets lurking in hidden corners and behind every challenging boss fight. The satisfaction found throughout is nearly unparalleled on the Switch 2.

2. Donkey Kong Bananza

Donkey Kong Bananza finally gives Nintendo’s most famous ape a 3D platformer that can proudly sit alongside its Mario counterparts. In turn, it also gave Switch 2 owners one of the very best games to play on their new consoles. A delectably destructive smashathon, DK Bananza borrows elements and ideas from Super Mario Odyssey, but breaks them down and reshapes them into a Donkey Kong context brilliantly. With numerous worlds begging to be sculpted in your image, and hundreds of precious bananas to be uncovered, platformed, and puzzled their way to, it’s a real showcase for what this new generation of Nintendo can look like, while never once forgetting to root itself in that decades-old wild creativity.

1. Hades 2

A Switch 2 console exclusive, Hades 2 somehow manages to improve on its masterful predecessor as developer Supergiant Games evolved the idea of its narrative-led roguelike action to God-tier levels. Melinoë’s journey to the depths of the underworld and the heights of Mount Olympus is layered with detail, whether it be in its intricate weapons and skill systems, or the majesty of its striking art direction that pops both on a big TV screen or on the Switch 2’s handheld display. The peak of its genre, Hades 2 is hard to tear yourself away from, and, simply put, the most fun you can have on your Nintendo Switch 2 right now.

And those are our picks for the best Switch 2 games that you can play right now. What have been your favourites so far? Let us know in the comments! Hungry for more Nintendo? Then check out our list of the Top 100 Best Nintendo Games of All-Time.

Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.

NBA Jam has remained one of the most iconic basketball video games since its release in the ‘90s, but Tim Kitzrow, the actor behind its announcer, says he only made “like $800-and-change” when recording his lines.

The voice behind “boomshakalaka” opened up about his history as a sports gaming voice actor during a recent conversation with The Escapist. Kitzrow’s career includes voicework for NFL Blitz, MLB Slugfest, and even themed pinball machines, but it’s his work on the over-the-top NBA video game that many believe has stood the test of time.

While many lines from his play-by-plays likely still ring in the minds of ‘90s gamers who dropped coins into the original arcade experience, it’s “boomshakalaka” that is remembered by most today. Despite its staying power, Kitzrow looks back at the string of syllables as more of “a gift from the gods” than a carefully considered quote.

“A fellow in the studio, John Carlton, was listening to Sly & The Family Stone,” he explained. “The song I Want to Take You Higher. The chorus is ‘boom shaka-laka-laka, boom shaka-laka-laka’.”

Kitzrow continued: “He goes, ‘Hey Tim, say boomshakalaka’. Now, me being a basketball guy – I watched every game on TV with Marv Albert – I’d never heard anyone say ‘boomshakalaka’. I’m just trying to get the reference, like, ‘What the hell are you talking about? This is not a basketball term.’ I said, ‘What is this?’ He goes, ‘Just say boomshakalaka… like that.’”

Now, 32 years later, boomshakalaka is still the kind of celebration basketball fans love to quote. At the time, though, Kitzrow’s work on NBA Jam seemed like any other voice acting gig. Without an agent and his pinball work usually netting “a few hundred bucks at best,” he says his work on Midway’s sports video game seemed like any other job.

“It was $50 an hour,” Kitzrow said. “Same as the pinball. I’d go in, do a couple of sessions – maybe 15 hours total – and that was it. I wasn’t smart enough, savvy enough to know the business, to go, ‘Gee, these games make a lot of money, maybe I should make more than $50 an hour.’”

It wasn’t until after NBA Jam launched to tremendous success that Kitzrow realized he may have been denied an easy layup.

“When the game came out and I found out it made a billion dollars, that’s when I realised I’d made like 800-and-change, maybe something like that,” he said with a laugh. “I thought, ‘Well, I’m probably being underpaid. I might want to raise my rate.’”

NBA Jam went on to receive numerous re-releases on various platforms. The series eventually saw releases from Acclaim Entertainment and EA, too, including 2003 and 2010 reboots, in addition to its Midway run.

Kitzrow returned to provide his work as one of the most excited announcers in games in many of the offshoots as they arrived through the years. He also managed to bring back some of his most iconic lines for a sports-themed Easter Egg in Bethesda Softworks’ Rage 2. Next, football fantasy fans can expect to hear him in Mutant Football League 2, which leaves early access with a full launch for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S December 10.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

The creator of the original Thomas the Tank Engine mod for Skyrim has now put Thomas in Morrowind, apparently in defiance of legal pressure from Mattel.

Really Useful Cliffracers, a recently released mod for Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, replaces cliff racers (flying creatures found in Vvardenfell) with Thomas the Tank Engine. It’s the work of modding superstar ‪Trainwiz‬, who created the infamous 2013 Thomas the Tank Engine mod for Skyrim that spawned a meme that endures to this day.

Recent comments from ‪Trainwiz‬ both on Nexus Mods and social media suggest that Thomas the Tank Engine owner Mattel has applied legal pressure, but Trainwiz‬ has modded Thomas into Morrowind anyway.