You probably don't need me to tell you Rayman Legends is an absolute classic. And despite it being over a decade old at this point, the celebrated 2D platformer - with its sumptuous hand-drawn art and wildly imaginative action - still looks and sounds and plays phenomenally today. So it feels a bit odd that, of all the Rayman games Ubisoft could have revisited and remade as the character celebrates his 30th anniversary, it's this one. But here we are anyway with the newly revealed Rayman Legends Retold, coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PC on 1st October!
We’re more perplexed by the why than the how (Embark)
Rather than create an unofficial Switch 2 version of Arc Raiders, one fan has used their technical know-how to run it on a far less powerful Nintendo device.
Thanks to the increased power of the Nintendo Switch 2, there’s little reason for third party releases to skip it, like they did with the Switch 1. Especially when even the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 runs well on it.
Even so, there remain plenty of popular games that aren’t available on Nintendo hardware, such as extraction shooter Arc Raiders, which was a certified hit at launch and successful enough to get the CEO of developer Embark Studios a promotion within parent company Nexon.
In lieu of a dedicated Switch 2 port, one fan has concocted a way to play the game on Nintendo hardware. Rather than the Switch 2, though, they’ve chosen a much older Nintendo console: the 3DS.
No, we don’t get it either, but it’s bafflingly amusing all the same. Redditor YeezysKanye2020 has shared images (but sadly no video) of themselves playing Arc Raiders on a New Nintendo 3DS XL, one of the handheld’s later revisions.
As a reminder, this 3DS model comes with an additional C-stick (albeit a very small one) on the right hand side, that the original didn’t have, making it better suited for camera control.
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The New Nintendo 3DS moniker seems ironic nowadays, as it first launched over 10 years ago in 2014. The original 3DS first appeared in 2011.
You wouldn’t think a game released in 2025 would work particularly well on 12-year-old hardware but, in response to a doubtful comment, YeezysKanye2020 explains that the frame rate is fine and it’s the controls that are the bigger issue.
Technically speaking, YeezysKanye2020 is cheating since the game isn’t running natively on the 3DS. It’s instead being streamed with the use of a PC app called Moonlight, which is why they’re able to play the game using the new Steam Controller instead.
It should also come as no surprise that all this is only possible because the 3DS itself has been modified, so it’s not as if you can replicate this without messing with the handheld’s internals.
Despite being discontinued in 2020, the 3DS has remained a niche favourite among hobbyists, so much so that even after Nintendo shut down the online servers, a small community succeeded in staying online in certain games for over 200 days.
Embark Studios has never commented on officially bringing Arc Raiders to Switch 2, but it’s unlikely there are any technological barriers preventing it. The bigger problem, from their perspective, is whether the demographics make sense.
Nevertheless, Microsoft and Activision are releasing their next Call Of Duty game for Switch 2, alongside the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S… although it remains to be seen how well it’ll run.
How well do you expect Call Of Duty to run on Switch 2? (Activision)
Hello and Happy New Year - is it okay to say that now? I'm not sure where the cut-off point is. Some people still have their Christmas trees up. We had ours out before New Year. Welcome back to What We've Been Playing! Or as I like to call this particular edition of it: What We Played Over Christmas, because it's been a couple of weeks since we've talked.
Alongside its latest financial results, Nintendo has also released a dedicated app for the Nintendo Store that’s free to download.
Although it’s appeared to wean off making new mobile games (aside from that new Fire Emblem one it randomly dropped in September), Nintendo has shown a vested interest in releasing new apps for its most dedicated customers.
In the past 13 months, it’s launched its own music streaming service, Nintendo Music, and the Nintendo Today app, where it shares daily news updates, fun factoids, artwork, and even surprise game announcements like the Switch 2 port of Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Now, there’s a Nintendo Store app so you can always browse and purchase new games even when away from your Switch or Switch 2. However, it’s become popular with fans because it also offers a breakdown of all your activity on Nintendo hardware.
It obviously doesn’t cover every Nintendo console, only stretching back as far as the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, but it’s surprisingly comprehensive, detailing literally every single game or app you so much as used once, even demos.
Aside from charting when you first played each game and when you last played them, it provides estimates for how many hours you’ve spent on them. In some cases, the app even tracks how long each of your play sessions were.
For 3DS and Wii U games, though, it does cut things off after February 2020. So, if you’ve ever gone back to those consoles in the past five years, that playtime won’t be included.
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Even so, this has prompted many Nintendo fans to share their own play activity on social media so they can look back on their habits and see which games they spent the most time on.
I guess I didn’t have 3DS on this account ;~; y’all would have seen some disgusting Monster Hunter numbers lol
If you’re interested in seeing a record of your play activity, the Nintendo Store app is completely free to download on both the Apple and Google Play stores. You don’t need a Nintendo Switch online subscription, but you do need to link it to your Nintendo account to use its features.
Once you’ve linked your account, just tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner of the home page, then scroll down to the bottom to find the play activity tab.
If you want to see your play activity for 3DS and Wii U games, you’ll also need to link your Nintendo Network ID to your Nintendo account. Nintendo has a guide on how to do this on its website.
Interestingly, this app isn’t actually new. Nintendo launched it back in 2020, but it was exclusive to Japan and called My Nintendo. It also wasn’t strictly just an online store and doubled as a news app, sharing updates and live showings of any Nintendo Directs, but it lacked the activity tracker.
For its international launch, Nintendo’s given it an overhaul, though it still shares news on upcoming releases and lets you manage a wishlist for any games you’re interested in.
The app’s launch comes alongside Nintendo’s latest financial results, which further cement the Switch 2 as a huge success for the company. So much so that Nintendo’s shifting its ‘primary development focus’ to the new console.
As such, it’s unclear if there’ll be any further cross-gen releases for both the Switch 1 and Switch 2. At the time of writing, the only cross-gen game on Nintendo’s schedule is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on December 4.
