Sure we only know about some ports, remakes, and a Peach game, but this is year 8 of a console and a new one is coming. Right?

This time last year, we only knew about five video games confirmed to be coming out from Nintendo on the Switch in 2023. Those comprised four games in the first five months and an unidentified Pikmin release. We had all sorts of chatter back then about nothing of importance hitting the Switch after... Read more...

Or how not to launch a spinoff.

2015 was a year of transition for Nintendo for a variety of reasons. The Wii U was definitively a sales bomb, regardless of how well received Splatoon and Super Mario Maker were when they launched to critical and fan acclaim that year. The 3DS was doing okay, but as the system entered its fifth year... Read more...

Time will tell if this year's EA Sports soccer game be more than just another Legacy Edition on Nintendo Switch.

Back in 2017, FIFA was featured as a core part of Nintendo's initial Switch marketing campaign. You could play some footie on the road. It's portable soccer! But after a decent outing in 2017, EA Sports' notable soccer franchise stalled. After a few minor tweaks in 2018's FIFA 19, every ensuing year featured a "Legacy Edition" - essentially just the same game as the 2018 release but with new rosters. This was an annual disappointment.

In recent memory, Nintendo never reveals their full year as of January 1.

I felt a major sense of deja vu recently. "Nintendo has nothing for this year!" "Switch is going to be barren after May." "We only know of five games Nintendo's bringing to Switch!" "When's new hardware?"

Those kinds of sentiments fill the Nintendo discourse every time the calendar changes years.... Read more...

A lengthy list of games played and games not played.

For close to a decade, I’ve kept a running list ranking my favorite games of the year. I add new games as I play them, idly tinker with it once every month or two, and sometimes make big swings when a game turns sour over time or I find myself returning to it more than I expected. It’s a fun exercise... Read more...

Square's busier than Nintendo on their own platform from now until February. Who knew?

It seems like every week, another Square Enix game is announced for release soon. A third Voice of Cards game came out the day of the September 13 Nintendo Direct and wasn’t mentioned in the Direct, likely because at least 5 other Square Enix games already had a chunk of time in the 40-minute presentation.... Read more...

How does the day-one roster for Mario Strikers: Battle League compare to the two previous Strikers games?

I have not played Mario Strikers: Battle League yet, but after seeing the roster of playable characters - or rather, the reaction to the roster - I was curious to see how exactly the roster stacks up to the two previous Mario Strikers games and if the absences of Daisy, Diddy Kong, and more are worth... Read more...

The Switch shattered 100 million units, but what does that mean for the sales of Nintendo video games? We try to sort it out.

Nintendo Switch has the momentum of the runaway freight train. Why is it so popular? A big reason is the games, but Nintendo has generally always had the games. The Switch just managed to hit the perfect sweet spot between approachable and deep as well as casual and hardcore. It appeals to everyone and is limited only by its dated specs and janky online.

Building around at the speed of sound.

After how proprietary elements of the LEGO Mario sets have become, I was looking forward to diving into the straightforward and old-fashioned stylings of the recently released LEGO Ideas Sonic the Hedgehog Green Hill Zone Set. Coming from the LEGO Ideas subset, this is a project that started from... Read more...

This got out of hand.

For the past five or so years, I’ve kept a running list ranking my favorite games of the year. I add new games as I play them, idly tinker with it once every month or two, and sometimes make big swings when a game turns sour over time or I find myself returning to it more than I expected. It’s... Read more...

Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis are (nearly) here, so it is time to rank these games.

With the launch of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games on October 25, the world of Nintendo Switch Online’s retro games libraries just got way bigger and, with the addition of Expansion Pack, a little more complicated. As of now, you can pay a little bit of money for NES and Super Nintendo games... Read more...

Turns out removing developers and features from previous games isn’t great.

I remember realizing when playing a demo for Final Fantasy XV that Square Enix wasn’t going to make a Final Fantasy in the style I wanted ever again. I longed for the sublime sprite work of Final Fantasy on Super Nintendo. I wished for the flurry of intriguing and mostly excellent turn-based adventures... Read more...

Alternately: here’s some of the best games we’re losing on DSiWare.

Excitement rushed over me as I swung by the GameStop near my college to pick up my Nintendo DSi preorder on April 5, 2009. I was happy to finally try out that Rhythm Heaven game everyone imported on Game Boy Advance, which had no DSi features; Nintendo just thought why not drop a niche game on the... Read more...

With Nintendo buying the Luigi's Mansion developer, Neal ranks all of their previous releases.

Nintendo is in the process of acquiring Vancouver-based developer Next Level Games, whom they have been working with since the GameCube era. Astute fans will recognize them from their work on Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon and 3. Some others might remember their Punch-Out and Mario Strikers work. The... Read more...

Let's celebrate the Mario Game & Watch with the sad, cold reality of the world right now. Happy 35th!

While pre-orders seemed to have been confusing, the Super Mario Bros. Game & Watch has arrived. Best of luck trying to find out when your retailer of choice tosses them up for pre-order online. Please be safe in your travels to do in-store or curbside pick-up. Wear a mask. Do your thing.

Nintendo... Read more...

It might cost upwards of $600 to collect'em all, so let's needlessly try to figure out what might be the coolest of the add-ons.

I won’t include the Adventures with Mario Starter Course ($59.99) in the ranking since that’s basically your entry point. It’s needed to do the fun LEGO Mario stuff. This kit has 231 pieces and includes the fancy Mario figure as well as a Goomba and Bowser Jr. You get a hero, a minion, and a boss all in one set. There’s also a coin block, a pipe, some obstacles, and a flag. It’s got the basics.

Following up a disappointing game in the final days of the Wii U was a tough job but somebody had to do it.

Paper Mario: The Origami King is on its way to Nintendo Switch soon, and with all the news swirling around about Mario and his pop-up adventures, I’ve reflected on my own experiences with the 20-year-old franchise. I actually started collecting these thoughts before Origami King was announced, as... Read more...

Nintendo did not tease the release of Metroid Prime 4 in 2020 or reveal plans about a new 2D Metroid.

At the end of the Paper Mario: The Origami King reveal trailer - after the release date was revealed and the excitement seemed over - there is a video stinger showing Paper Mario wearing a papier-mâché Samus Aran helmet, running around miming firing a gun. "Huh. There's something you don't see every day," says Olivia, Mario's new origami companion. "He certainly looks intimidating! Is he...battling something?"

The absence of Skinny Mario and the Mystery Mushroom leave a gaping hole in Mario’s creative soul.

Super Mario Maker was a pure delight when it launched on Wii U in 2015. While it was ultimately too late to save the system, the game perfectly used the GamePad as players could make their own levels and check out a slew of creations online. The sublime experience of creating was dotted by so much... Read more...

Though that doesn't mean Nintendo's E3 2019 will be devoid of delays.

This morning, Nintendo shined a light on their playable E3 2019 plans. If you're heading to Los Angeles for E3, you will be able to check out show floor demos of Pokémon Sword and Shield, Luigi's Mansion 3, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, and more. Missing from that list of playable titles is a hotly anticipated 2019 game: Animal Crossing.