It’s been a busy week for Nintendo and its fans, that’s for sure. With Switch 1 in a definite ‘wind-down’ mode over the past few months — though still delivering goods like Xenoblade Chronicles X, to be fair! — last week’s Switch 2 Direct brought new goods, new faces, but also new questions.
In fact, it’s the lack of clarity around some aspects which has left us feeling a tad more confused than we should about things like game-key cards and NS2 Edition upgrades. There’s contradictory information flying around from customer service agents and official Nintendo Store reps who have presumably been briefed and have an official Q&A doc to hand – but somehow they don’t seem to be on the same page.
Highway to Hell: Diablo IV Releases Its First Roadmap
Summary
The first roadmap for Diablo IV is here, showing what’s to come for 2025.
Game director Brent Gibson talks about the coming seasons in the Age of Hatred, and more.
Sanctuary is what it is thanks to communication, so please keep that feedback coming!
Diablo wouldn’t be what it is today without our players — Sanctuary belongs to you as much as it belongs to us. Every shred of feedback, every heated debate, and every shared moment in-game fuels the fire that drives how we continue to grow our game together.
Today, our team released our first roadmap for Diablo IV, showcasing what’s going to come for the rest of the year. Transparency is our guiding star with its reveal, and we’re excited to pull back the curtain and deepen our conversation with you, our community, by providing a view of the path ahead.
Click to expand.
In the above image, you can see the next three Diablo IV seasons of 2025 — Belial’s Return, Sins of the Horadrim, and Infernal Chaos — and their respective themes of power. Alongside those seasons, we’ll be making significant, permanent updates and improvements to the base game, ranging from existing systems, keyboard and mouse support for console, and much more.
You also see that we are bringing two IP collaborations into Diablo IV this year! While I won’t spoil anything here, I will say we are personally extremely excited about this, and we are thrilled to be working with universes that resonate deeply with the dark themes of the Diablo universe.
Additionally, our second anniversary is coming up! Details are coming soon, but we’re very eager to celebrate two years of slaying alongside our players.
Finally, this year is all building toward our next expansion, arriving in 2026. Plus, Leaderboards will be making their Diablo IV debut, so you can earn recognition for your achievements.
Your thoughts on what lies beyond are crucial. We’re so thankful to be building Sanctuary alongside you, so if you have any thoughts around what you see here, please feel free to share them on our forums or on social media via X and Instagram. See you in Hell!
– Diablo® IV for Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S
– Diablo® IV: Vessel of Hatred – Standard Edition for Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S
Start demon-slaying today with the Diablo® IV – Expansion Bundle. Fight back endless hordes of Hell across beautiful but tormented regions of Sanctuary, traverse the campaign solo or with friends, and uncover the latest chapter in the new expansion, Vessel of Hatred.
Diablo® IV is the ultimate action-RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish dungeons, and legendary loot. Embark on the epic campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through a gripping story in a beautifully dark world, or explore an expansive end game: battle iconic bosses for powerful loot, fight back the encroaching onslaught of Hell in Helltides, master the Forge to create your ultimate weapons and progress powerful characters, with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms.
Uncover the next chapter of Diablo® IV in Vessel of Hatred. Continue your fight to thwart the diabolical plot of the Prime Evil, Mephisto. Battle as the all-new Spiritborn class, empowered by mystical Spirits. Expand your map to the new region of Nahantu and traverse through its lush jungles. Recruit new Mercenaries, take on new enemies, dungeons, a new PvE co-op challenge, and more. Plus, explore base game updates that introduce new power and continue to enhance the world of Diablo® IV.
Battle.net® account required. Internet connection required.
Diablo® IV: Vessel of Hatred – Standard Edition includes:
– Vessel of Hatred for Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S
Uncover the next chapter of Diablo® IV in Vessel of Hatred. Continue your fight to thwart the diabolical plot of the Prime Evil, Mephisto. Battle as the all-new Spiritborn class, empowered by mystical Spirits. Expand your map to the new region of Nahantu and traverse through its lush jungles. Recruit new Mercenaries, take on new enemies, dungeons, a new PvE co-op challenge, and more. Plus, explore base game updates that introduce new power and continue to enhance the world of Diablo® IV.
Diablo® IV base game required to play. Battle.net® account required. Internet connection required.
Diablo® IV is the next-gen action RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish Dungeons and legendary loot. Embark on the campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters throughout a beautifully dark open world and a gripping story. Dive into an expansive End Game where players can meet in towns to trade, team up to battle larger-than-life World Bosses, unlock robust character and loot customization, and uncover tons more action-packed activities to explore with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms.
This is only the beginning for Diablo® IV, with new events, stories, Seasons, rewards, and more looming on the horizon.
Battle.net® account required. Internet connection required.
Diablo® IV is the next-gen action RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish Dungeons, and legendary loot. Embark on the campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through beautifully dark settings and a gripping story, or go rogue through an expansive End Game and shared world where players will meet in towns to trade, team up to battle World Bosses, or descend into PVP zones to test their skills against other players – no lobbies necessary – with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms.
This is only the beginning for Diablo® IV, with new events, stories, seasons, rewards, and more looming on the horizon.
Battle.net account required. Internet connection required.
There’s drama in the PC gaming, meth cooking world, and it’s all about whether or not the latest Steam craze, Schedule 1, is getting sued by the publishers of Drug Dealer Simulator, Movie Games. After some review bombing of its titles Movie Games has now come forward to clarify the situation, stating that currently, there is no lawsuit against the creators of Schedule 1.
Movie Games suggested that the confused reports were probably the result of attempts to translate the news from the original Polish source of the information, but added that it was investigating the similarities between the games.
“Due to repeated opinions that Schedule I is very similar to DDS, we were obliged to request a legal analysis from an intellectual property specialist. It has indicated that there might have been an infringement by the Schedule I developers in relation to Drug Dealer Simulator,” said Movie Games spokesperson Michal P (AKA Movie Games head of marketing Michał Puczyński) in a Discord post on Sunday.
“Now we are obliged to follow up further, but we are yet to contact the Schedule I developers. Our goal at this point is discussing the situation with them and we have an open approach.”
Drug Dealer Simulator was released in 2020 and like Schedule 1, focuses on the mechanics of producing and selling illegal substances. While the subject matter is similar, Drug Dealer Simulator leans into a more realistic look while Schedule 1 has a look that screams “what if I designed Rick and Morty while having a nervous breakdown?”
Michal P went on to assure gamers that “it is not our intention to prevent TVGS from selling or developing their game.” He also made clear that Drug Dealer Simulator’s developers, ByteRunners, had no role in the decision to investigate.
“Overall, our goal is to support all devs, but we need to consider our legal obligations if law specialists determine that there are grounds to claim infringement. We even contacted TVGS via email just before the release, when the game was already huge, and wished them all the best – but that was before that legal analysis. Back then no one expected it to be needed, not to mention that it would bring these results.”
So good news for Schedule 1 addicts who, at least for now, go back to growing Coca Leaves for completely innocent reasons.
Rachel Weber is the Senior Editorial Director of Games at IGN and an elder millennial. She’s been a professional nerd since 2006 when she got her start on Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK, and has since worked for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror movies, horror games, and French Bulldogs. Those extra wrinkles on her face are thanks to staying up too late finishing every sidequest in RPGs like Fallout and Witcher 3.
The latest update for Schedule I – the memey baggy slinging simulator that’s actually a deceptively moreish co-op factory game – is now in open beta. It’s named v0.3.4, which sounds like it has deep number mythology behind it, but developer Tyler is calling this the game’s ‘first proper update’. As with his plans for all updates, it’s going to be floating around in a beta for a few days first. You can find the full update notes here, alongside instructions to access the branch.
A new report from Eurogamer indicates that Switch 2 pre-orders at GAME retail stores in the UK simply won’t be a thing, with the firm instead possessing a “small allocation” of consoles available via its official website.
It’s yet another indication of how GAME is downsizing its operations after numerous controversial decisions over the last year or two. Most GAME stores have now been moved to concession locations within Sports Direct, another brand firmly in the grip of the wider Frasers Group retail conglomerate.
The Sunless Cell: How Bungie Revived a Fan-Favorite Mission for a Modern Destiny 2
Episode Heresy – Act III arrived in Destiny 2 last week, the final instalment of the three-part series continuing the story of Destiny 2 following the events of The Final Shape. One activity that Guardians will encounter this season is a revival of a classic mission from the original Destiny.
The Sunless Cell is a strike that first appeared as part of The Taken King expansion for the original Destiny, almost a decade ago. Of course, a lot has changed in terms of Destiny 2’s narrative and technological scopes – this content must stay true to its gameplay roots while also working in the modern sandbox of Destiny 2. Thankfully, this is a dance that Bungie has done many times now, and the studio is now a dab hand at the art of bringing back past content back and ensuring that it stands tall as a compelling addition to Destiny 2’s current storyline.
But what exactly goes into this process? Destiny 2 Design Lead Baldur Tangvald and Designer J. Valencia spoke to Wire to give us a look at the decision-making behind the revivals, choosing the right content from over ten years of story, and how to make it work for both old and new fans alike.
“First we start by looking at aspects that make the strike unique or memorable, any standout moments or encounters, and how the strike flows,” Valencia explains. “Then we take the skeleton of the original strike and update encounters and mechanics to fit Destiny 2’s current sandbox experience, which allows for higher combatant density and new enemy types, while keeping the experience of the original.”
Old Ground, New Tricks
Episode Heresy revolves heavily around the Hive – an ancient race in Destiny’s universe that spawned many of its antagonists and enemy types. One major location is the Dreadnaught, a sprawling area crawling with Hive, which also serves as the setting for Heresy’s ongoing The Nether activity as well as the original unless Cell strike. “Heresy’s heavy focus on the Hive within the Dreadnaught made this strike seem like a particularly good inclusion to serve as a beat in the story,” Valencia added. “Early on in development we wanted to maximize the amount of space we could incorporate into The Nether activity with our efforts to update the Dreadnaught. The Founts area near the start of the strike had good space for combat and plenty of nooks and crannies required for The Nether, so we felt it was a good opportunity to expand on Heresy’s arena activity, tell a stronger story, and inject some freshness into the strike playlist all at once.”
A Fan Favorite
The original Sunless Cell strike was a firm favourite among Destiny’s earliest players, and while it now feels simpler than a lot of modern Destiny 2 strikes, some of its combat beats still feel unique and memorable today. In the original version, the boss fight against Alak-Hul, The Darkblade took place in total darkness, and as Tangvald recalls, “created a hectic cat-and-mouse game with the boss that felt different and refreshing.”
“The glow of Cursed Thrall heads and little Hive crystals in the pitch-black space gave it an extra cool vibe,” he adds. “This unusual environmental element made for an interesting new set of combat pressures and challenges, and it very effectively communicated a sense of fear and danger. It’s a knife fight in a dark closet, and there wasn’t another strike boss quite like it.”
Bungie’s goal with the reprised version of the strike was to not only bring it in line with the modern Destiny 2 player experience, but also to weave in some of the new Hive variants that have been introduced to the narrative. The strike’s original boss, Alak-Hul has been replaced by a powerful new Darkblade working alongside the mysterious Taken. Instead, Guardians must take down a powerful new Darkblade.
“Sunless Cell’s boss fight is one of its most unique parts, making the Guardian feel hunted by Alak-Hul in the darkness,” Valenica says. “And although that feeling is still there in this reprise, the Guardians must now also contend with the Taken enemies inside the cell and prevent this new adversary from being Taken itself.”
“While the story surrounding the Guardians infiltrating the Sunless Cell has been updated to match the story and fit into the narrative for Heresy, I feel like the structure of the strike is still faithful to the original while throwing in a couple of surprises and making it challenging for today’s sandbox.”
What’s more, Destiny’s decade-long tenure means that, in some cases, those who started out as fans of the game are now actively working on it themselves, with a hand in reinventing and reinvigorating their own fan-favorite moments for other players to experience for the second, or even first time.
“About ten years ago I was singing praises for this particular strike during my [interviews to join Bungie],” Tangvald tells us. “We’re all excited to have it back, have strived to honor it and embrace its unique elements, and we hope that you enjoy it as much as we do!”
Destiny 2: Heresy is available now, play it on for free on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Dive into the world of Destiny 2 to explore the mysteries of the solar system and experience responsive first-person shooter combat. Unlock powerful elemental abilities and collect unique gear to customize your Guardian’s look and playstyle. Enjoy Destiny 2’s cinematic story, challenging co-op missions, and a variety of PvP modes alone or with friends. Download for free today and write your legend in the stars.
AN IMMERSIVE STORY
You are a Guardian, defender of the Last City of humanity in a solar system under siege by infamous villains. Look to the stars and stand against the darkness. Your legend begins now.
GUARDIAN CLASSES
Choose from the armored Titan, mystic Warlock, or swift Hunter.
• Disciplined and proud, Titans are capable of both aggressive assaults and stalwart defenses. Set your hammer ablaze, crack the sky with lightning, and go toe-to-toe with any opponent. Your team will stand tall behind the strength of your shield.
• Warlocks weaponize the mysteries of the universe to sustain themselves and destroy their foes. Rain devastation on the battlefield and clear hordes of enemies in the blink of an eye. Those who stand with you will know the true power of the Light.
• Agile and daring, Hunters are quick on their feet and quicker on the draw. Fan the hammer of your golden gun, flow through enemies like the wind, or strike from the darkness. Find the enemy, take aim, and end the fight before it starts.
COOPERATIVE AND COMPETITIVE MULTIPLAYER
Play with or against your friends and other Guardians in various PvE and PvP game modes.
• Exciting co-op adventures teeming await with rare and powerful rewards. Dive into the story with missions, quests, and patrols. Put together a small fireteam and secure the chest at the end of a quick Strike. Or test your team’s skill with countless hours of raid progression – the ultimate challenge for any fireteam. You decide where your legend begins.
• Face off against other players in fast-paced free-for-all skirmishes, team arenas, and PvE/PvP hybrid competitions. Mark special competitions like Iron Banner on your calendar and collect limited-time rewards before they’re gone.
EXOTIC WEAPONS AND ARMOR
Thousands of weapons, millions of options. Discover new gear combinations and define your own personal style. The hunt for the perfect arsenal begins.
105 GB hard drive storage space required as of November 10, 2020. Subject to change. Requires broadband internet. After November 10, 2020 see www.destinythegame.com/size-requirements for current requirements prior to purchase.
Destiny 2 may contain flashing patterns and images that may produce adverse effects for a small percentage of people sensitive to them.
Bungie, Inc. makes no guarantee regarding the availability of online play or features and may modify or discontinue online services with reasonable notice at any time. Using the software constitutes acceptance of the Destiny Software License Agreement available at www.bungie.net/sla.
If you have ever found yourself in an unfamiliar room, staring at a closed door and wondering what lies beyond it, then you are already familiar with the mysterious driving force of Blue Prince. Will this door lead to a twisting passageway? A quiet bedroom? Or a grand ballroom?
My name is Tonda Ros, an indie developer with a love for atmospheric games, and for the last eight years, I have been working on a game about a large manor and its many mysterious doors. Blue Prince was formed from big ideas from very different worlds. It has elements of mystery, strategy and discovery, merging the world of a first-person puzzle adventure with the drafting mechanics of a tabletop card game. It also launches April 10 as a day one PlayStation Plus Game Catalog title.
But how exactly does the game work?
Floor plan drafting
When my own journey began almost a decade ago, I had one simple idea: “Every door is a choice.” In a way, these five words sum up the entirety of Blue Prince. The estate of Mount Holly is not an ordinary house. This is a manor of shifting rooms and ever-changing expectations. And in this house, each door you open can lead to one of three different rooms. The choice is up to you.
Do you want a storeroom to gain useful tools? A library to search for more clues? Or perhaps simply a long hallway, to grant yourself even more doors to continue your exploration? As you make your decision and open the door, you are instantly met with the room of your choosing.
Constructing a shifting house
Ironically, the process of creating this game is a lot like playing Blue Prince. Both the player and I are attempting to construct a shifting house of many rooms. A mansion that is full of challenges that we cannot foresee at the onset of our adventure. And to create this house, we build rooms, one at a time – door by door, blueprint by blueprint. The rooms we choose to draft are of course, entirely up to us. As we create, we are also able to explore, traveling from room to room in search of answers and clues.
Where the player’s adventure begins to differ, however, is at the end of each in-game day. When you awake tomorrow, you will find the house you have been exploring will have a completely different layout. You will find doors that lead to new rooms. You will find different items, different clues and different puzzles. You will make new discoveries, and each day you will learn more and more about the strange rules that govern this mysterious house.
Shifting puzzles
Designing puzzles for a game taking place in an ever-changing mansion was a bit of a challenge. One player might find a puzzle in the mansion, and the very next room they draft might contain a clue for it.. For another, it may be dozens of rooms before they discover the secret. The beauty, of course, is this is actually what makes the experience special. The rooms you draft, the items you find, and the order in which you make discoveries all contribute to an adventure that will be wildly different from every other playthrough.
Additionally, there is no puzzle in the game that must be solved. Like most things on the estate, there are always alternate avenues of progression to find and various solutions to the challenges you face. If you can’t figure something out in the game, don’t be afraid to move on. Exploring the manor will eventually lead you to the answers you are looking for, as most challenges in the game cannot be solved without finding more information and clues in other areas of the estate.
After eight years of development, I am finally at the end of my journey, and I am eager to hand over the keys to you so you can start your own. If you will allow me one final word of advice: the less you know about this game going in, the better. In this article, I have only given you a broad sense of the basic mechanics of my game and how I approached designing them. I will leave the evolution of these mechanics and the story of Mount Holly for you to discover yourself. But don’t worry, you won’t have to wait long. The doors of Blue Prince open April 10.
After eight years, the Nintendo Switch is approaching its final days, and from its ashes will rise the Switch 2. But before you put away your Switch in the closet for one last time, you should make sure you haven’t missed your chance to play some overlooked gems.
While everyone with a Switch has probably played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and, of course, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, there are dozens of other Switch games that still shine bright on Nintendo’s hybrid console that you may have heard of, but didn’t get around to play.
We get it, time is limited, budgets might be tight, and there are too many games. But go back and check out these Switch games before the Switch 2. You won’t regret it.
20. Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
An origin story for everyone’s favorite demon-slaying witch, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a gorgeous puzzle platformer presented in a beautiful storybook art style. But fans of Bayonetta’s action combat will still find classic, button-mashing combos here too. Ultimately, Bayonetta Origins is a worthy addition to the series that may have been overlooked given its prequel nature and drastically different art style.
19. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
The Dynasty Warriors/musou-genre is a perfect template for all manner of crossovers, including The Legend of Zelda. While The Age of Calamity might not be considered canon to the events of the beloved Breath of the Wild, there’s something incredibly gratifying about taking on the role of either Link or any of the other Breath of the Wild Champions and defending Hyrule from thousands of invading enemies. If you’re a fan of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom but haven’t ventured into Age of Calamity, it’s worth a trip back in time.
18. New Pokemon Snap
For years fans have dreamed of a long-awaited sequel to the Nintendo 64 title Pokemon Snap. And they got their wish in 2021 with the New Pokemon Snap for the Nintendo Switch. It’s very much a situation where New Pokemon Snap gives you more of everything you loved in the original, from more Pokemon to take snapshots of to plenty of secrets hidden throughout the various biomes you’ll traverse. While the original N64 Pokemon Snap game has its diehard fans who no doubt eagerly played the sequel, new fans deserve to check out one of the most beloved and unique Pokemon spinoffs ever.
17. Kirby and the Forgotten Land
After 13 games, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the first fully 3D Kirby game in the entire series, and it takes full advantage of the additional dimension. While Kirby is still able to suck in enemies and objects to gain their powers, the new 3D environments are fully explorable, letting Kirby roam free for the first time. This makes new abilities like turning into a straight-up car especially useful for exploration. While Kirby has always been a reliable mainstay in the Nintendo stable, it’d be a shame to let the Switch era pass without playing one of the best Kirby games in the series.
16. Paper Mario: The Origami King
There’s a reason why the Paper Mario sub-series is so beloved. Between the charming art style and the puzzle RPG style gameplay that departs from the platformer action of the mainline Mario games, the Paper Mario series is for anyone who has a soft spot for unique aesthetics. And thanks to a fully explorable open world, The Origami King might be one of the most beautiful Paper Mario games in the whole series. While combat isn’t as satisfying as past games, The Origami King makes up for it with visual splendor.
15. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
We’ll scream it from the treetops until everyone finally listens – Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is one of the best 2D platformers of all time, and more people need to play it! It’s not for the faint of heart though, as Tropical Freeze’s fast-paced platforming challenges will test even the most hardened Super Mario players. You’ll frantically climb up crumbling icebergs, bounce across jiggly cubes of jello, and do so much more on DK’s quest to retake his home island. It’s rare – and extremely fun – to face this much difficulty in a Nintendo game, and Tropical Freeze makes it worth your effort by pairing its challenge with gorgeous graphics, an amazing soundtrack, and incredibly tight controls. All platformer fans owe it to themselves to try out this modern run-and-jump masterpiece.
14. Fire Emblem Engage
The most successful Fire Emblem game of the Nintendo era was Fire Emblem: Three Houses, but you shouldn’t overlook the second Switch game, Fire Emblem Engage. Narratively, Engage isn’t as cohesive as Three Houses, but it makes up for it by bringing back fan-favorite characters from past Fire Emblem games through “the multiverse.” What’s more, tactics RPG fans will likely find Engage is actually more of a throwback to old-school SRPGs, with smaller maps for tighter combat situations and a difficulty that can ramp up to punishing levels if you’re feeling like you want to really test your strategic acumen.
13. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore
A Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem crossover but set in the backdrop of Japan’s idol music culture? Sign me up. While this might not be what anyone might have expected when it was announced Atlus would develop a Fire Emblem SMT crossover, the poppy, colorful mashup that we got deserves your time thanks to a breezy mix of Fire Emblem and SMT RPG combat and a bubblegum art style that’s worth the trip, despite the localization toning down some of the heavier themes around fame and fan culture.
12. Astral Chain
Astral Chain is one of those experiences that you need to play to truly understand its greatness, though anyone who has played any of Platinum’s other action games will at least have an idea of what to expect. The combat is fluid and flashy and has enough variance when swapping between the summonable living weapons (called “Legion”) to keep things interesting from start to finish. Meanwhile, the bosses are challenging enough to test your mastery over each of these unique Familiars. Outside of the high-octane combat, you’ll be exploring the cyberfuturistic world and investigating incidents and solving cases. And then there is a whole Astral Plane to explore that is filled with platforming, battles, and puzzle challenges to overcome, and which feel almost like old-school dungeons from other Nintendo franchises. The only thing keeping Astral Chain from being more widely recognized is its exclusivity to the Switch.
11. Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope
While Rabbid Peach might have turned heads as a funny meme, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is no joke. This strategy RPG that combines the world of Mario and Ubisoft’s Rabbids is pure fun thanks to the action-focused combat that lets you combine different characters and upgrades for some massive combos. Whether you’re a Mario fan who’s never played a Rabbids game, or more rare, the Rabbids fan who never played a Mario game, these two unlikely flavors turn out to be pretty great together.
10. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Unlike Paper Mario: The Origami King, The Thousand Year Door is a ground-up remake of the beloved GameCube release. But as it’s one of the most beloved Paper Mario games in the whole series, its redone visuals, music, and gameplay improvements mean it’s now one of the best Paper Mario games of all time. Come for Mario’s swashbuckling treasure hunt to save Peach and the town of Rogueport, but stay for all the charm and gameplay excellence the Paper Mario franchise is known for. If you’ve never tried out one of Mario’s paper-based spinoffs, this is where to begin hands down.
9. F-Zero 99
F-Zero fans weren’t sure how to feel when the series’ long-awaited return after 20 years of dormancy was a 99-player battle royale, but F-Zero 99 surprised us all and – thanks to a healthy amount of post-launch content updates – has turned into a top-tier entry. Racing against 98 players is exhilarating, and even though some of F-Zero’s trademark precision is gone, it’s replaced by the thrill of slamming into your opponents to devastate their health bar while taking careful precautions to preserve your own. And strategically planning when to use the faster – but limited – Skyway can lead to incredible comeback finishes that get your blood pumping. F-Zero 99 wasn’t the game anyone was asking for, but it was somehow the one we needed to get the series back on track.
8. Pikmin 3 Deluxe
Pikmin 3 was such a delight when it was released; it had been nine years since Pikmin 2 and many fans wondered when the franchise would make a return. Thankfully it did and though it wasn’t the massive upgrade like we eventually got in Pikmin 4, the game looked great and was a fun addition to the franchise that expanded it in important ways. Pikmin 3 introduced two new Pikmin types (Rock and Winged), better controls of your non-Pikmin protagonists (all of which were new to the franchise), and a solid amount of extra content to sink our teeth into. This was all made even better with Pikmin 3 Deluxe on Switch, which added even more content, co-op for the story mode, and the Piklopedia, which was notably absent in the original release. Pikmin 3 in general is also one of the funnier entries in the franchise as the three leaders you control all have distinct personalities, and it was always a treat to see how they would describe Citrus Lumps (Oranges) or Cupid’s Grenade (Cherries). Pikmin 3 Deluxe may not be at the top of most Pikmin fans lists but it is still worth exploring to collect fruit and make that sweet sweet juice. No Pikmin collection would be complete without it.
7. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
It makes sense that Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker was one of the first games Nintendo brought over to the Switch from the Wii U. This is a delightful, ingenious little puzzle platformer where Captain Toad must reach the end of the level without being able to jump. The reason? His backpack is too heavy. It’s not the most complex platformer, but every level is a delightful brain teaser, and great to play in short bursts and on the go. A perfect Switch game, basically. While the Wii U was full of overlooked gems in its own right, this is one of its biggest treasures that made its way to the far more popular Switch, and where it deserves its own recognition.
6. Game Builder Garage
No one talks about Game Builder Garage and it’s such a damn shame. If something like this had existed when I was a kid, I would have devoured it, throwing myself fully into its interface and creating gobs and gobs of bespoke games to play and show off. Nintendo basically built a simplified game engine to teach people, well, how to build games. It’s right there in the name! But it’s not a coding tutorial, nor is it a simple level-editor like Super Mario Maker. You progress through Game Builder Garage by completing charming lessons on building different types of games and what those types of games involve, basically building algorithms with the charm of a Nintendo-created interface. If you’ve ever installed a game engine on your computer only to throw your hands in the air after a few YouTube tutorials, buy this game. Play it through. Build a few games in it. Then move onto something bigger. You’ll be ready.
5. Xenoblade Chronicles Series
Across four games, Monolith Soft has created some of the biggest, most beautiful open worlds ever realized on the Nintendo Switch. Xenoblade Chronicles 1, 2, and 3, as well as the spinoff Xenoblade Chronicles X, are what happens when you take old-school Japanese RPG sensibilities and marry them to modern-ish technology. The results are sweeping, operatic stories about warring civilizations, ancient gods, cool robots, and cooler swords, with a breathtaking open world to explore fully. Combined, the Xenoblade games will likely take hundreds of hours to finish… and it’ll be worth every minute.
4. Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe
Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is the perfect counterpart to The Forgotten Land, which we already celebrated on this list. While The Forgotten Land is a 3D adventure primarily focused on single player, Return to Dreamland Deluxe is one of the pink puffball’s strongest 2D outings, with the best multiplayer the series has ever seen. Tearing through levels and enemies with four Kirbys on screen is a blast, and Return to Dreamland’s huge amount of levels and collectibles to find will keep you and your friends entertained for a long time. It might be the best way to introduce new gamers to platformers too, as you only fail if player 1 dies and players 2-4 can seamlessly drop in and out at any time. The Deluxe Switch version also adds an entirely new epilogue and a wide selection of returning subgames from across Kirby’s history, complete with achievements to chase and costumes to unlock.
3. Ring Fit Adventure
Unlike some of the other games on this list, Ring Fit Adventure was a best-seller for Nintendo. The question though is how many of you stuck with it through the very end and not just until you forgot about your New Year’s resolution? Well you better get back to it, because while it’s an ingenious way to get active, the actual RPG-element of Ring Fit Adventure is no joke. Using the fitness ring to venture forth and defeat a “bootilicious” evil dragon sounds absurd, but Ring Fit Adventure does its absolute best to keep you engaged every literal step of the way. Power up your character and your body in Ring Fit Adventure if you haven’t already.
2. Metroid Dread
The Nintendo Switch has quietly become the home to Metroid games. Between older Metroid games available on Nintendo Switch Online and a splendid remaster (more on that in a moment), Samus rules the Switch. Nothing showcases this more than the Switch’s original Metroid game, Metroid Dread. A throwback to the older, 2D Metroid games, this 2.5D search-action game breathed new life into the series by reminding fans just how scary these games can be, thanks to the terrifying E.M.M.I. machines that hunt Samus relentlessly through the claustrophobic corridors of Dread, earning the name and more. While Metroid might not immediately come to mind as an overlooked franchise, consider that Metroid Dread — while one of the best-selling Metroid games in the series — has only sold 3 million copies, which is less than games like 1-2-Switch.
1. Metroid Prime Remastered
With Metroid Prime 4 looking increasingly likely to be Nintendo Switch’s swan song (and maybe even a Switch 2 launch title), what better time to check out where it all started? But make no mistake, Metroid Prime Remastered on Switch isn’t just a simple re-release. The graphical overhaul needs to be seen to be believed.
Metroid Prime is one of the best video games of all time. Anyone who says different is just trying to get a rise out of you. Locked away on GameCube (and eventually the Nintendo Wii), this absolute classic seemed like it was destined to live on only in our fondest GameCube memories. But then one day, out of the blue, Nintendo said to us all “friends, today you can play a remastered version of one of our most incredible and important games, and you can play it on your Nintendo Switch.” And wow, did they ever hit it out of the park with this one. It’s not just some up-res version of the GameCube version, or even the Wii version. It’s a proper remake, graphically upgraded to modern standards with tweaks to the controls and gameplay to make it feel right at home on the Nintendo Switch. Better still, unlike so many modern remakes, it was only $39.99! Unheard of in an era where games from the last generation get a shiny coat of paint and a $70 price tag. Everything that made the original special made its way to the modern era expertly. The sense of isolation, exploration, and tension all made the leap to HD brilliantly. And yet Metroid Prime Remastered was by all accounts a sales disappointment. Really, I’m just disappointed in you for not having played it. Yes, you.
These are our favorite Switch games that we think more people should check out before the coming of the Switch 2. Heck, with the Switch 2’s backward compatibility, it’s probably the best time to try them now and pick up the journey when the Switch 2 is released.
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably also told yourself this would be the month you don’t buy more Pokémon cards. Same. And yet here we are, staring down another lineup of Elite Trainer Boxes and tins like they’re life choices we already regret but will definitely make again.
Scarlet & Violet sets keep dropping bangers, both visually and competitively, and unfortunately for our wallets, some of these boxes are actually worth ripping open.
Pokémon TCG: Azure Legends Tin – 5 Packs
This one’s weirdly solid. You get five booster packs from a really good mix of sets — Surging Sparks, Stellar Crown, Temporal Forces, and Obsidian Flames — and one promo featuring either Kyogre, Dialga, or Xerneas. It’s basically Pokémon’s version of a loot box, and yeah, I bought two. Between the chase cards across the included sets (Pikachu ex, Terapagos, Raging Bolt, take your pick), the odds of hitting something fun are actually decent. I don’t even like tins, and I’d still grab another one.
Pokémon TCG: Stacking Tin (Q1 2025) – 3 Packs, Stickers (Random Design)
I wasn’t expecting much. I bought it for the sticker sheets and the vague promise of a Surging Sparks pack. And it delivered. Three packs, one of which might cough up something like Pikachu ex or Latias ex, and a tin I now use to hold exactly nothing. I can’t even be mad. There’s a tiny chance you’ll pull a Milotic ex or Ceruledge ex if you get lucky with the packs, and if you don’t? Well, you paid twenty bucks to roll the dice and got some vaguely useful storage in return. That’s more than I can say about half the cereal I’ve bought this year.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Paradox Rift: Elite Trainer Box – Roaring Moon
I got this one for the sleeves and stayed because Roaring Moon ex is basically what happens when a Pokémon decides it’s done playing fair. If your goal is to end games in one violent swing and look great doing it, this is your guy. Paradox Rift doesn’t have as many chase cards, but the ones it does have— like Iron Valiant ex and Groudon— feel like they were drawn by someone who knows we’ll all stare at these like cave paintings in 30 years.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Temporal Forces: Elite Trainer Box: Walking Wake
The Walking Wake Elite Trainer Box comes with a full-art Flutter Mane and nine more Temporal Forces packs to roll the dice again on the best art of the Scarlet & Violet era. This version leans into the ancient side of things, and I picked it up mostly to increase my odds of pulling Walking Wake ex. Is it playable? Debatable. But it looks like it wandered out of a dream I had after eating too much sushi. With vibrant blues and prehistoric drama, the vibe alone was worth the price. Also, the sleeves are clean, and I pretend I care about those.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Temporal Forces: Elite Trainer Box: Iron Leaves
Iron Leaves ex pulls off the rare combo of being both playable and beautifully drawn. It looks like it’s mid-leap out of a sci-fi anime, which is exactly the kind of energy I want from my pulls. The other heavy hitters — like Iron Crown ex and Gouging Fire ex — either hit like a truck or look like they’re about to. Raging Bolt ex steals the show, though. It’s loud, dramatic, and perfectly balanced between “meta staple” and “thunder god cosplayer.”
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box
Shrouded Fable can quietly slip in cards like Houndoom (the kind of illustration that makes you lower your voice in reverence) and Persian, which looks like it’s plotting something appropriately cinematic. The promos and sleeves are nice, but I really wanted this box for the Illustration Rares that don’t just look cool — they tell a story. Fezandipiti ex, for example, is the Swiss Army knife of support attackers, and Cassiopeia is straight-up character drama in a foil rectangle. The art direction in this set is borderline pretentious, and I mean that as a compliment.
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.
A little pigeon, huh? And she’s your pal! Well, isn’t that great. Tenstack are a tiny Swedish studio on a mission to make “digestible games so people won’t choke playing them”. They’re currently making a new small game every 3 months, the latest of which is Little Wings Deliveries. It’s under a fiver, under an hour, and is maybe the third or fourth game at this point to have a skateboarding pigeon in. I do not mind. I have a headache. The soothing coos and soothing faceplants of a skateboarding pigeon are just what I need right now.
– Standard Edition for Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S
