Recent shadowdrop release Super Bomberman Collection brings back some classic Bomberman games, some for the first time outside Japan, and we’re happy to see it! But if we’ve learned anything from modern retro compilations, the quality is extremely dependent on execution. So how does this one do?

The package contains the five Super Bomberman games, all originally released on the Super NES and Super Famicom, as well as two bonus Famicom games. The later Super titles didn’t originally release outside Japan and have received localizations here, which is a nice touch! Frankly, though, these are fairly language-agnostic games and you probably would have been fine.

Putting these five games together in one collection might feel a bit redundant! And it is, to a degree. The advantage is in two ways. The first? Historical value. The game makes it easy to look at what power-ups are added in each one, and preserving all five is good regardless. The second is that you can choose your favorite variant. Each of these changes does color the experience, and through either taste or nostalgia, you’ll likely have a favorite.

If you’re having trouble deciding, though? We’d recommend going straight to 5. It has almost all the things from the other games, and there are options to configure it however! And as such a late Super Famicom game that other staff at Hudson were probably already working on Mario Party during development, it really takes advantage of the hardware. If it drops the ball on anything? Maybe it’s aesthetics. It’s trying really hard to do a robot/sentai thing in a way that a lot of the selectable characters feel same-y.

It’s also true that each of these games has a solo campaign. The franchise’s bread and butter is its competitive play, but there’s a dedicated group of people who really embrace the single-player arcade levels. And these are good ones! We’ve spent a while playing, and we are undeniably bad at them but there’s a puzzly element to taking on risky opponents in an optimal order.

When it comes to gallery modes in retro compilations, our usual stance is that it’s a great effort of preservation! But we don’t spend a lot of time with that stuff. Super Bomberman Collection’s “unbox” mode feels a lot more robust, though. With the detail and ability to virtually open the box and pull out the manual, it captures a bit more of the nostalgia of the originals.

While it doesn’t have built-in functionality for this sort of thing, Super Bomberman Collection takes advantage of system-level multiplayer features like Switch 2’s GameShare and Steam’s Remote Play Together. How well does it work? Better than you’d think! We spent our time testing it out on Switch 2, and didn’t experience any of the frequent connection issues we usually get. What’s more, it’s the sort of game that can weather some minor hiccups if you get them, and it also doesn’t look too bad in the windowed GameShare screen.

Super Bomberman Collection, developed by Red Art Games and published by Konami, is out now on Switch 2, Switch, PS5, Xbox Series and Steam. Physical editions of the game will launch on August 25, 2026.

The post Super Bomberman Collection Is a Multiplayer Blast appeared first on Siliconera.

There's now a mod for Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties which swaps out the likeness of actor Teruyuki Kagawa. Kagawa's casting in the remake, which saw him lend both his voice and likeness to secondary villain Goh Hamazaki, caused fan backlash due to a 2022 report from Shukan Shincho detailing sexual assault allegations against the actor.

Kagawa apologised at the time, but didn't specify what he was apologising for or confirm the events reported in the article. Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties director Ryosuke Horii recently said Kagawa's casting was the result of developers RGG Studio having "tried to think of someone who makes you go, 'This guy's a creep'".

Read more

Video game updates are an incredibly funny thing, mostly because I come from a time where they weren't a thing at all, apart from the odd second printing that patched some things here and there. Which is why my humerus has been particularly tickled by the news that a new Assassin's Creed Shadows has arrived today that, amongst a couple of other things, add in the ability to simply let you jump.

Read more

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight has become the latest game to have its initially listed recommended RAM requirement yanked down by a substantial amount, following in the footsteps of fellow 2026 release 007: First Light.

Read more

This is probably a sentence that could be said literally any day of the week, but a new cosy farming sim is on the block, this time taking the form of Starsand Island. The flavour on this occasion is of the anime variety, with some slightly goofier farming mechanics (i.e. turning your watermelon patch into one singular, 10 foot tall watermelon), some very Pokemon Legends: Arceus looking combat, and some appropriately cute animals to hang out with. And there's skateboarding! But never do launches go all that smoothly, as developer Seed Sparkle Lab have had to do a dash of damage control regarding some concerns over the game.

Read more

WARNING: Major story spoliers for Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, as well as the original Yakuza 3, lie ahead.

It’s natural to spend a lot of time thinking about what games could have been, had different decisions been made. Whether the change is preferable to the reality often doesn’t come into it, the fantasy of another possible world is the draw.

Despite that, few studios choose to make major shifts - at least as far as the main stories of those games go - when they remake their previous games. This won't necessarily be a philosophical decision: the remaster or remake has to sell. Games which get revisited are ones players deeply love, and the suits will inevitably see tweaks to their fundamentals as an unnecessary risk. Old Oblivion is loved, so Bethesda adopted a rubber glove approach to the Oblivion remaster. They limited changes to modernising visuals and snipping away some annoying features. It's akin to polishing up a holy relic, rather than replacing the gemstones or changing the engravings.

Read more

Having suddenly appeared on the Nintendo eShop, Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green are coming to the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 next week on 27th February – that’s Pokémon Day, which will have a traditional stream with new announcements, for which this was no doubt meant to be a surprise.

The games are priced pretty highly, set at £16.99 / $19.99, but also have the quirk of having distinct versions released for every language that they were shipped in.

The reason for this, per the eShop store page, is that “Because this version replicates the way the game was originally released, each language version is separate and there are no in-game options to change the language.” That’s an unnecessary complication for modern gamers, and honestly doesn’t make too much sense, but it hopefully won’t catch too many people out.

These Game Boy Advance remakes of the original game are rare enough to be prized possessions amongst game collectors, if you can find an original cartridge – it will be a great way to mark the Pokémon franchise’s 30th anniversary, that’s for sure.

The remakes updated the originals with the graphics of the GBA era – also making it so that Green was the pairing to Red, instead of Blue as it had been for the original western release – and added the Sevii Islands to visit, while bringing some other improvements like a contextual tutorial, save game recaps, and ties to the other Game Boy Advance and GameCube Pokémon games. Fire Red and Leaf Green also came with a special wireless adapter for local link play, and since wireless is now built into everything you own, this will also be supported on Switch.

Most importantly for the here and now, these games will have support for Pokémon Home added to them, so Pokémon caught in this game can be brought through to the newer titles.

With no build up or fanfare, Nintendo and Monolith Soft have just released Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition…. edition, a paid upgrade to the game that brings technical improvements for the new generation hardware. Check out the trailer:

The Switch 2 Edition upgrade is a fairly straightforward technical boost, now with a 60fps target through the game and 4K docked and 1080p handheld resolutions. We don’t know if Monolith has leant upon upscaling techniques or variable resolutions to get there, but this should make for a sharper looking, more responsive game in general.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition can be bought all together on the Nintendo eShop or with a $5 / £4.19 upgrade for existing owners of the Switch release. A physical release will be available from April 16th.

One of the last Wii U cult classics to be ported to the Nintendo Switch, Xenoblade Chronicles X arrived in March of last year. With it still fresh in Monolith’s memory, it’s understandable why they would return to this first, but fans of the series will understandably be pining for a similar Switch 2 Edition treatment to be given to Xenoblade Chronicles 2, 3 and the Definitive Edition of the Wii original. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 would probably receive the greatest benefits, as Monolith’s first effort with the Switch did have its struggles.

In our review of the Switch 1 release, Dom said, “With a smattering of improvements as it jumps to Nintendo Switch, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition offers up an epic sci-fi tale set in one of the very best open worlds.”

Bethesda has released update 1.2 for Skyrim on Nintendo Switch 2, fully addressing the woeful performance that blighted the game’s latest port. It follows on from an update shortly after its December release that quickly removed the frame rate cap to improve latency, but now tackles this with a full 60fps performance mode, fixes to visual glitches, and more.

The game performance is the most significant improvement, a new toggle under the Display settings letting you prioritise visuals or performance. This tweaks visual settings and resolution targets in order to deliver 60fps, which from anecdotal online accounts seems to be pretty solid. Additionally, the 30fps visuals have been locked back to this frame rate and the graphics tweaked to give steadier performance.

It’s a huge shame that the game couldn’t have had this degree of performance and refinement at its original release, as it led to a lot of bad reviews – we ended up having to give it a 5/10 because of the issues. However, it does give a glimmer of optimism for the Fallout 4 port to Switch 2 which is set to drop next week.

The Skyrim Switch 2 Update 1.2 patch notes are as follows

Features:

• Added a 60 Hz mode under Display settings that allows players to toggle between “Prioritize Visuals” or “Prioritize Performance”.
• In addition, frame rate has been locked at 30 Hz in “Prioritize Visuals” mode for smoother gameplay.

Crashes and Performance Fixes:

• Fixed a crash that occurred when reading “The Crimson Dirks Vol. 4” book for the “Tilted Scales” quest in German.
• Fixed an audio-related crash.
• Fixed a crash, infinite load, and game freeze that sometimes occurred when rapidly selecting “Load” multiple times in the pause menu.
• Fixed a crash that occurred when the “Transmute Ore” spell was repeatedly cast outside of the Haltered Stream Camp.
• Improved FPS performance drops that occurred in the following locations:
  • during the Hide and Seek quest in Kynesgrove
  • during combat at Secunda’s Kiss
  • when discovering the “Drelas’ Cottage” location
  • when engaged in combat with a giant at the Talking Stone Camp.

Visuals Issues Fixes:

• Viewing water planes from a distance or within menus caused them to shift up and down.
• Distant aspen trees appeared with a blue tint.
• Transitioning out of caves caused an outline of the entrance to linger during the fade-to-back loading screen.

User Interface Fixes:

• Switching between mouse and controller mode while in dialogue or the Help menu, caused different options to be highlighted.
• Switching between mouse and controller mode while in help menus or user hints, did not dynamically update callout prompts.
• The “Ready/Sheathe” option was missing from the Joy-Con 2 Mouse Controls menu.
• The “Delete” prompt remained grayed-out within the Load menu when swapping between mouse and controller mode.
• Deleting a save in the Save/Load menus reset the highlighted selection to the top of the menu list.
• While in mouse mode, the cursor remained stuck within a smaller section of the screen when changing between docked/undocked modes or interfacing with GameChat.

Controls Fixes:

• The “Eagle Eye” Archery perk remained active after switching between mouse and controller mode.
• Holding down the Right Joystick while reassigning a button caused that button to disappear from the Controls list.
• The Joy-Con 2 controllers provided haptic feedback while in mouse mode.
• Buttons became unresponsive when controls were remapped while moving the Joy-Con 2 controllers in mouse mode.
• Rotating the map in mouse mode was slower and less smooth than in controller mode.

Audio Issue Fix:

• Scrolling SFX continued to play while holding up or down on the Left Joystick or buttons at the top or bottom of the Save/Load menus.

Localization Fixes:

• “Amiibo” appeared as plural in Spanish.

Miscellaneous:

• Added new translations for the features listed above and UI updates.
• Updates were made to the game credits.

Source: a social media hellhole we won’t link to.

There’s a lot of people wishing that the mid-2020s were more like the mid-1990s, but I don’t expect many were doing so for a chance to experience the Virtual Boy’s brief heyday. Yet here we are, with Nintendo releasing both a plastic recreation and a jazzed up cardboard edition of the Virtual Boy to go alongside the console’s addition to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. It’s playable with Switch, Switch OLED and Switch 2, so we’ve done just that.

The plastic shell of the Virtual Boy has been recreated in a charmingly accurate fashion from a distance, but you see plenty of fakery when you pay closer attention. All of the physical controls, sockets and sliders of the original Virtual Boy – the IPD slider, the volume wheel, controller port and all the rest – are now just surface details, and like a treasure chest that reveals itself to be a Mimic in a D&D campaign, the red shell at the top of the body now opens up to reveal a cavernous maw, eager to consume your console.

Far more accurate are the backward tilted legs, sturdily holding the headset in place, and stubbornly allowing just a single adjustment. There’s no up or down here, just a tilt back and forward, and it means that you have to really lean in to get your Virtual Boy on. If potential eye strain weren’t enough reason for Nintendo to suggest regular breaks, then bad posture and possible back pain were another. While remaining authentic to the original is admirable in some ways, it means this remains an annoyance for anyone that isn’t my cat. I found that the box the Virtual Boy came in brought the headset up to a sensible viewing height for me.

Another slight disappointing element is the inelegance of Nintendo’s solution to the difference in shape and size of the Switch and Switch 2. Another detail on the underside of the Virtual Boy is that the protuberance that the stand grabs onto is also a basket to catch and support the console, the inside having a funnel and hinged flap to ensure it’s in roughly the right place, with a little bit of wiggle room. The basket is screwed onto the body of the Virtual Boy, and it’s sized for the Switch 2 by default, with a separate plate for the original Switch and Switch OLED included in the box.

I’d argue that’s overkill, and a needless faff for Switch 1 owners, when really a plastic insert would have done the trick. Heck, in a pinch when wanting to swap back and forth and compare screens, I just shoved my little finger in to give a modicum of support, and a plastic wedge could have made this more easily universal, in my opinion.

Another problem with the baskets? There’s no space for a USB-C charging cable or any kind of power pass through. Switch 2 could, I suppose, play with the top lid cocked open for the top charging port, letting outside light leak in more easily. In general, now you’re playing with (battery) power.

What really matters is what’s happening inside the headset, and you’ll have to peer into this mysterious box to see it. Back in 1995, Nintendo had to pull some remarkable mirror-waggling tricks to get the single-colour LED strips to trick your eyes into seeing images, but in 2026, it’s the standard VR headset method of viewing a screen through distorting lenses. In both case, however, you look through a thick red filter, cutting out all of the other colours that the screen can display.

So, between Switch, Switch OLED and Switch 2, which console gives the best Virtual Boy experience? With this plastic Virtual Boy? I’d have to say the Switch 2. The simple fact is that it’s a higher resolution screen, allowing it to display the 384×224 of a Virtual Boy screen in a smaller space, so you can take in the full image more easily as it appears further away. Each console displays at 1:1 by default, and I feel that with the Switch and Switch OLED in particular, this makes it too large within the headset so that I’m occasionally moving my viewing angle to see if I’m missing something in the corners – and when this is a 3D effect, messing around like this and shifting focus can give you a real headache.

It’s a big difference. The Switch 2 puts Wario Land into a 35mm wide postage stamp per eye, before passing through the lenses, while the Switch comes in at 41.5mm and the Switch OLED at 46.5mm. It’s a huge difference, and it makes the pixel grid much, much more visible. You can adjust the zoom within the emulation, to at least shrink the image size, if not the pixels on the Switch OLED – Switch 2, meanwhile, has a wider zoom range and can go up to 1.3x in size to effectively match the Switch OLED at 45mm. I’ve never used an original Virtual Boy, so cannot say what is most authentic, but I’d personally rather see more of the game view than less.

OLED does have its advantages, though, with the cardboard edition in mind. With an OLED panel, any pixel on the screen that’s not in use is off. It’s pitch black. Meanwhile, the backlights of the Switch 2 and Switch bleed through the black and make it a dark blue, to my eyes. The red lenses cut out all but the red light, helping to even the playing field with the plastic Virtual Boy, but the cardboard one doesn’t have the red filter, which can make the Switch OLED king in this scenario.

And so we come to the games. The game selection menu passes through the filter in an ominous red hue, but this is actually a bit of a lie, as it’s rendered in full colour by the console. The games themselves are all-red all of the time, though. Seven games are featured on day one, from 3D Tetris to Golf, Red Alarm, Teleroboxer, and the most noteworthy by far, Virtual Boy Wario Land.

Coming a year after his debut as a protagonist on the Game Boy, Virtual Boy Wario Land pioneered multi-plane platforming, with Wario able to use jump pads to bounce to parts of the world further away from the camera, and really pushed the number of parallax layers featured to give the environments its 3D depth. There’s smaller details too, like blocks having multiple layers to them, even little grassy fronds on the ground having a couple layers, giving added depth here, and the sprite scaling as things move in and out of the screen is really nicely done. Practically the first thing you encounter are spiked balls swinging towards your view, and it shows the smoothness of this.

Teleroboxer does a similarly good job with the boxing robots you fight having lots of layered sprites to create a canny 3D effect, and The Mansion of Innsmouth has the classic first person 3D dungeon crawling aesthetic as you move through corridors, while blasting monsters with an on-screen cursor. But for true 3D, you’ve really got to look to Red Alarm, a Star Fox style rail shooter with the world rendered in red wireframe – with just a single colour, this was probably the best path to take, but does mean you can see enemies through obstacles.

And then there’s 3D Tetris, which takes the notion of the block-dropping puzzle and makes it feel like Star Trek’s 3D chess. The classic tetromino shapes are put to one side, and you’re instead given other blocky assortments, layering them down on multiple flat layers. It can be tricky to make out how things are being placed with the shifting 3D view of the Tetris lasagna you’re making, and it’s odd to have split blocks to drop as well. Thankfully the right of your view has a simple 2D representation of the layers and where each block will land. It’s a bit of a cheat, but makes this more playable.

The main problem with the Virtual Boy’s game line up is that it never had the chance to mature. 1995 means that we were still getting experiences and ideas from the SNES or Game Boy, in part thanks to the single colour displays, and it was a time when sports games like Golf and Mario’s Tennis were… well, they were just fairly standard golf and tennis games. Neat to see, but not exactly ground-breaking.

All in all, the Virtual Boy for Nintendo Switch feels authentic (even if closer inspection does make it appear more toylike), and does a solid job of rendering the console’s small selection of games. It is a shame that, when this costs £67, Nintendo didn’t push on to remake the Virtual Boy controller, improve the ergonomics of using the headset, or even build in the ability to charge and play at the same time. That high price means that Virtual Boy will remain a retro curio for Switch owners and gaming history enthusiasts.

Straight away, there are multiple things I don’t like about Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. I didn’t like them when I reviewed the Macintosh release in 2014, and I don’t like them now. But with the initial shock of Lara’s dark turn a decade out of the way, it’s easier to enjoy the game for what it is. (And it’s why we’re publishing a review so far behind its November 2025 release.)

Should I get my personal gripes out of the way first? This is not a Tomb Raider game, at least not in the classic sense. The series reboot from Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix removed pretty much everything that made Lara unique and made her…well, “gritty” is probably the official term, but aren’t all action gaming heroes gritty?

They also removed the tombs, mostly. The original games (most of which are now available for the Switch) were set in magnificently constructed tombs that tested your dexterity and puzzle-solving skills much like a classic Zelda dungeon. Sure, there were tigers and dinosaurs and bats to kill along the way, but the action mainly served to break up the challenging puzzles. That’s been flipped in Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, where the tombs have been relegated to sidequests. You stumble upon them in the jungle and spend a few minutes inside, but they feel like they’re getting in the way of the game instead of being the game. They’re like the shrines in Breath of the Wild.

All of this is driven by a coming-of-age story about archaeology graduate Lara and her desire to sail into the Dragon’s Triangle to search for the lost kingdom of Yamatai. This is one of those islands protected by malevolent weather patterns. They tear up Lara’s ship, scattering the survivors and forcing Lara to reunite with them and find a way off the island. I’ll leave the rest of the story to your discovery, but will say it’s all pretty hammy (and acted out accordingly) in the way that makes some of those made for Syfy Channel movies so fun to watch.

So, I’m clearly down on the development decisions. But those are all a matter of personal preference, and they don’t really affect the gameplay, which is quite thrilling when it kicks into gear.

Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is billed as an action/adventure, but the word “survival” should be included. From the very start, Lara has to hunt for food, craft her own tools, and get up from falls that, in an actual human, would break multiple bones and deliver concussions that even the NFL couldn’t ignore. In the aforementioned tombs, you often can’t locate the hidden treasures because you haven’t yet developed the right tool or skill to access them.

Instead, you follow Lara through the plot points and action sequences. These are fun, and often quite intense; a solid mixture of combat, button mashing, button timing, and stealth. Everything moves along at a great clip when it’s not being slowed down by cutscenes and material grinding. And although every plot twist is met with a “well, of course,” the game still provides some segments of incredible impact. In one segment in particular (and if you’ve played the game, you know to what I’m referring), the gameplay, tension, cinematography, music and, yes, acting, are so expertly delivered that ​​it’s likely to stick with you for as long as you’re playing games. It’s moments like this that helped me look past what I wanted the game to be and to appreciate it for what it is.

Having played this game before, I already knew all of this. So, what does the Switch 2 bring to the table? Not as much as I’d hoped. The game plays at 60fps, but the visuals themselves still feel like they’re a generation behind. This is exacerbated on the original Switch, where 30fps is the best you’ll get. These benchmarks on both systems are achieved in handheld mode, too, which is fantastic. Maybe that’s why Aspyr didn’t take full advantage of the Switch 2’s hardware to give us visuals closer to the other modern console releases.

What they did take advantage of were gyro and Joy-Con mouse controls, neither of which add anything to the gameplay. The mouse functionality actually interferes with it, I’d argue. The game is much easier to play with Pro Controller, so don’t even bother taking the Joy-Con off of the system.

Aspyr also made the great decision to aggressively price the game; both the Switch and Switch 2 version of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition are only $19.99. Oddly, there’s no upgrade price between the two. Considering the Switch 2 version really just offers better framerates and enhanced visuals, there’s therefore no reason to get it again if you’ve already played it on the Switch.

But it is a game worth playing if you never have (or haven’t since the original release). Lara Croft purists such as myself may be put off by this… “modern” version of the gaming icon? “Gritty?” “Vulnerable?” Pick whatever term you want from Screenwriting for Dummies, I suppose. It may define the character, but it doesn’t define the gameplay. For that, “entertaining” is an apt choice.

The post Review: Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (Switch 2) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Late ’90s Paris—an auspicious time and starting point for my all-time favorite globetrotting graphic adventure: Broken Sword. This Reforged version is “substantially enhanced,” with improvements varying in quality, especially for purists like myself. But with options to play the original (and, in my eyes, virtually flawless) game, it makes any of my gripes inconsequential. Reforged offers the best of both worlds.

I readily disclaim my nostalgia for this game, having first played it in my late teens on the Sony PlayStation. Despite some long load times, that 1998 port introduced me (and other console gamers) to what would become a long-running series. Nintendo players may know the game from even later ports on the GBA (see my retro review in PNM Issue #32) or the Director’s Cut versions on DS and Wii. The latter were popular with those unfamiliar with the original game and just getting into the genre. That’s much less so with existing fans (for reasons too numerous to discuss here), but Revolution Software has acknowledged this, excising those weaker updates to focus on the superlative original.

Broken Sword is a story-driven game with an explosive start, literally. There is a bomb blast at a sidewalk cafe, and American tourist George Stobbart gets caught in it. His early motivations may seem limited (not unheard of for this genre). Is it a sense of justice stemming from his law studies and/or survivor’s guilt? More likely, he’s just an inquisitive man on vacation looking for adventure without an itinerary or restrictions on his time and expenses. Being able to partner with a pretty photojournalist certainly helps, too.

Nicole Collard is your non-playable support—a shutterbug George admires and builds chemistry with as the adventure progresses. While she may seem passive (especially compared to George, who is actively traveling historical and cultural crossroads), she has some fun surprises up her sleeve that I won’t dare spoil for first-time players. The relationship between her and George builds organically.

Their initial search to learn more about the deceased cafe victim and his killer (disguised as a clown) soon leads to a mystery whose origins lie in the Middle Ages, the scope and threat of which are hard to imagine. The Knights Templar make for a popular topic in books, movies, and more now (and rightly so), but decades ago, not as much. Broken Sword was a pioneer that encouraged many gamers to learn more about history.

Truly tying all these threads together is the plethora of side characters (and George’s interactions with them). There is no such thing as a lesser NPC in Broken Sword, as even those of limited importance still leave a positive impression. Even seemingly mundane exchanges lead to entertaining, often funny, and memorable results. It’s one of the reasons the Director’s Cut faded after its honeymoon period, as gamers let the devs know these nonessential interactions were, in fact, essential insofar as their contribution to the game’s charm and challenge. Are you showing the greasy tissue you found in the sewer to every character you meet? If not, you’re missing out.

The character vocals impressed the heck out of me in my younger years. Now I better recognize some voice actors in dual roles and their stereotypical accents. Nonetheless, I’m still impressed. Highlights include Rolph Saxon as George and most of the Irish dialects. Modulation stands out, and with subtitles on, you won’t miss a beat. Of course, the vocals are only part of the audio package. The late Australian composer Barrington Pheloung’s orchestral score lives on, chiming in at leading points during the cinematic adventure, making it even more music for your ears. My lone musical issue (though small enough to have no impact on my score) is that the fiddle player in the Irish pub seems slightly off, with overly loud music and choppy transitions between tunes. Some of this may simply stem from growing up with the PlayStation version, where the character got removed (he gives no dialogue). You can do a quick settings adjustment, though, and perhaps a patch will polish this or grant the option to remove it entirely.

But beyond the audio, it’s the game’s visual presentation likely to attract the attention of most players (as well as the most in this review). The original Don Buth Studios art has been redrawn in high definition, and you can flip between both styles instantly with the tap of a button. The joy I get from combing through each screen and studying every change, no matter how small, might be hard for many to understand, but it’s real all the same. Reforged is at its best when staying faithful to the timeless beauty of the original, making subtle enhancements feel natural. A few of the earliest examples are the animated intro, which has never looked better. Now, some cars travel along the city streets, which feels right. Another is the cafe where the explosion took place. While always appearing blown up, it now has even more damage at the site where the bomb sat. Again, it feels right. One more is the character of Flap, described by George as a “gorilla” gangster. He’s gained a few inches to better match his brawny description.

Reforged is less successful when it deviates more than is needed from the original. For example, while I appreciate the autumn foliage lining the block of Nico’s apartment, other color choices in the redrawn scenes feel more like “Paris in the Spring.” The lighting can also be too much or too little—the Hotel Ubu chandelier in one instance and the sewers in another. In the effort to create realism, some details and grittiness that shone through in the original get lost. The redrawn Crune Museum (a singular instance, thankfully) barely resembles the original, especially during the daytime scenes. Warm colors and textures are replaced by something best described as if Sam’s Club built a museum in their Tire & Battery Center; it’s an odd choice. 

Thankfully, these gripes are ultimately nullified with the inclusion of the original presentation accessible on the fly (something the Director’s Cut predecessor lacked on Nintendo hardware). Of course, less experienced Broken Sword players, like my wife, might prefer the new version, and I understand that. Heck, I often prefer the new version myself. But don’t hesitate to compare and tinker with settings, especially if playing in handheld mode, where the original shines brightest.

The puzzles reflect the time of the original release. In 1996, the percentage of the global population having cell phones and Internet access was small enough to be counted on one hand. Calling from public telephones and getting info from print is George’s way. You’ll manage a good-sized inventory and talk to everyone you meet about everything you can think of. Those coming from the Director’s Cut version may find it jarring to have more options to work with, but the extra challenge also brings extra charm. However, I’d think long and hard about picking the “Story” experience over “Classic,” at least at the start. Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged having the option is great, but will you soon regret the hints and hotspots? 

You can die attempting to solve certain puzzles, but autosaves (and manual ones) lessen having to replay too much. Thankfully, the cursor works very well, even at the default setting, which is paramount for some puzzles that require quick timing or can lead to death. You can also play in handheld mode with a capacitive stylus. Impatient gamers may welcome the option for speedier movement. That said, except for the previously mentioned puzzles built around quickness, Broken Sword isn’t a fast-paced game and is best enjoyed at a pace to savor everything it offers. Oh, and did I mention among point-and-click games, Broken Sword has a puzzle that is the GOAT?

Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged respects the fans who helped make it a commercial success. But it also invites new players to discover the game (and, by extension, the franchise) that, for many, has become the genre leader. Don’t be turned off by the awful menu icon, the spoiler screenshot in the listing, or any other marketing blunders. The game itself is outstanding.

It’s the compelling interplay of thrilling story, memorable characters, enjoyable puzzles, and stunning presentation that ensures Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged will become a top choice for a new generation of players. Let’s hope the sequel (and the rest of the series) finds a home on Nintendo hardware. It’s 2024, and my game of the year is a graphic adventure first released in 1996. Go figure.

Switch 2 version notes:

Peruse the eShop, and you’ll also see Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. The full game is $29.99, which remains a fair deal. But, if you already own the original, the DLC is just $4.99 ($2.99 on sale). Hard to complain about that.

But what are you actually getting if you go the Switch 2 route? Well, you’re getting an already great-looking game, now 4K docked or 1080p in handheld mode. These are pretty sweet upgrades, and I was able to pick out some new details that I overlooked last time.

The other new addition is mouse controls. Given that’s how Broken Sword was first conceived, these are natural. Comfortable and working as expected, their integration serves as an example for other Switch 2 games.

The post Review: Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

The press kit for GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition goes out of the way to point out the analog trigger capabilities of the Switch 2-compatible GameCube controller. I can confirm that: 1.) this is, indeed, the better way to play, and 2.) if you’re the type of racing gamer who cares about such things, this is definitely the game for you.

Well, provided you’re OK with a little melodrama. GRID Legends has an extensive story with live-action cutscenes. The game begins with various drivers discussing an accident on the track, caused by the shady American. We learn of the struggling Team Seneca and a mysterious rookie driver who just may save the company. It’s all tremendously goofy, but in a way that perfectly fits the game’s arcade action. Better, the actors present the material with a knowing wink; they have some subtle fun with their parts.

The story is smartly woven into the action. Your first “race” requires you to simply finish a few laps with a banged up car. No pressure there, and good, because GRID doesn’t give you much of an explanation on the game’s controls. In the second race, you’re not expected to win. The team just wants to see you do well enough by beating a certain racer. Do so, and you advance. Fail, and time resets for you to try again. It’s clever.

On the track, the call for an analog controller stems from the game’s use of ZL and ZR to accelerate and brake. With the digital controls of the Joy-Con or a Switch 2 Pro Controller, you’ll be doing a lot of tapping to keep at the speed you want. With the analog buttons of the GameCube controller, you can more easily control your pace or the abruptness of your brake. It’s just a better way to race, providing more realistic controls. Note, though, that the game doesn’t really need them; although a far cry from Mario Kart World, the racing here still leans further into arcade than sim.

Gameplay requires you to drive intelligently. The AI drivers may come at different levels, but all are adept at preventing you from speeding past them. And with the tightness of the tracks, your lanes to do so are quite thin. Thankfully, learning to control your car and be patient with it comes quickly. It’s not long before you’re hugging walls without slamming into them. Once you’re fully into the game’s flow, races become consistently rewarding. And if you do continue to struggle, a healthy set of difficulty settings will help you push through.

GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition looks great, too. The tracks/environments are lushly detailed, and the racing action can either run at 60fps in Performance mode or 30fps in Graphics mode while docked. Handheld mode gets an additional Balanced option that retains a good portion of the visual effects at 40fps.

Most impressive of all, however, is the number of racing options available throughout the game. With all of the game’s previous DLC included, you get touring cars, stadium trucks, drift cars, and more. You’ll race street circuits, arenas, and off-road tracks around the world, many of which are based on real-life circuits. In all, there are over 100 cars to drive on well over 100 tracks.

There’s even a freakin’ demolition derby. It’s not the type I used to frequent at the annual county fair, but it’s still fun. And of course, there’s a race creator and Career, Team, and Free Play modes to accompany the featured Story mode.

It all combines to create a solid racing experience that really highlights the capabilities of the Switch 2. The lack of multiplayer will certainly be an issue for many, but there’s still so much to do and learn in GRID Legends that it’s sure to keep racing fans entertained long after the drama is over.

The post Review: GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition (Switch 2) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

When IO Interactive first unveiled 007 First Light’s gameplay, its experience with the Hitman titles was immediately apparent. Observing your environment for opportunities, using tools to distract or take down guards, employing stealth, the list goes on.

However, it quickly became apparent that James Bond would venture into other areas, including action-filled set-pieces, fast-paced driving and extensive CQC. “Forward momentum” is a mantra from the development team. In a new cover story interview with Game Informer, gameplay director Andreas Krogh discusses how it combines with all the systems to make you feel like Bond.

“Forward momentum is one of these things where we just wanted to…Bond is really a character that thinks on his feet a lot, and we want to bring that into all our mechanics, both stealth and combat.

“In combat, you see this in the way of us having a range of features that kind of closes the gap to enemies. So part of our close combat system is rushing an enemy, but also the ranged combat is like, okay, you might not have a million ammo for your guns, and that means you run low on ammo.

“You have to pick up new ammo. How do you get new ammo? You get it from the enemies that are in front of you. So move forward to them. Use some of your closing the gap abilities. Disarm enemies. You get a new gun. Shoot that dry, throw your gun to the next one. Then he’s staggered. It’s easier to run up and take his gun again, or take his ammo and carry on from there and shoot more.”

That same “velocity” is something that the team is also trying to implement into the stealth – a significant departure from Hitman, where you would usually observe and then mull over your choices. It’s less about “letting you be in a cover to think for a long time” and more letting you “cover to observe your options once you have that, then use one of them, basically and probably one of them will create a situation that you can use for something else and carry on from there.”

Even the environment itself plays a role in all this, especially with the enhanced destruction. “Basically, it’s also in the environment interactions, where if you explode something, maybe something crumbles that creates a new path for you. Like showing you new options all the time because doing something will kind of drive you towards that option, which we then try to always make you go forward, basically in any given encounter.”

Thus far, we’ve seen Bond rush towards an enemy, knocking them over the edge and using their body to break his fall, and destroy a walkway which can be used to venture forth. However, you can leverage the environment in more subtle ways, like luring enemies into a room and then locking them in by lasering the doorknob.

With 007 First Light out on May 27th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch, it feels like we’re only scratching the surface of what players can accomplish as Bond. Stay tuned for more updates and check out the latest story trailer here.

Among other big releases like Resident Evil Requiem, Marathon, Pokémon Pokopia, and Slay the Spire 2, it’s easy for some games to get lost in the crowd. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is keeping its head above water, though, and Capcom has released not only a new trailer but a developer walkthrough to hype players up.

The former showcases even more new monsters, including Ibushi and Narwa (Monster Hunter Rise), Malzeno (Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak), and Ajaraka (Monster Hunter Wilds). However, arguably the most interesting tease is Lao-Shan Lung, who’s alive but crystalized. Surely the massive first-generation Elder Dragon wouldn’t suddenly come back to life and wreak havoc, right?

As for the walkthrough, it sees lead game designer Daisuke Wakahara outlining everything you need to know about the role-playing game, from the story and setting to the combat mechanics. While the traditional rock-paper-scissors approach returns, you also have the Wyvernsoul Gauge. Depleting it will stagger a monster, and once all stocks are gone, players can unleash a Syncho Rush for massive damage.

There’s plenty more to learn about, including Habitat Restoration, so it’s well worth the watch. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection launches on March 13th, with a free trial available for Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, and Xbox Series X/S now.

The latest edition of revered UK gaming magazine EDGE is now available at all good newsagents and is purchasable online. There’s a number of high-profile reviews in the latest edition including Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, Cairn, Reanimal and much more. ResetEra member WadiumArcadium has published the latest scores and you are free to debate amongst… Read More »Latest EDGE review scores for February 2026

Source

It looks like the next big unannounced project from the team at Bandai Namco is Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3. The news wasn’t actually announced by the company, but was spotted by eagle-eyed fans who noticed that the company had a YouTube playlist which was titled Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3. Bandai Namco has now removed the… Read More »Bandai Namco accidentally leaks Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 via YouTube playlist

Source

The recent update to the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Skyrim Anniversary Edition is apparently a huge improvement with Digital Foundry seeming very pleased with what they have played. You may remember that the game had numerous issues at launch which have thankfully now been fixed. The game still looks a little rough around the edges… Read More »Skyrim Nintendo Switch 2’s Version 1.2 update is apparently a big improvement

Source

Nintendo has apparently started refunding those who have asked for their money back for the disappointing Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade. There have been numerous videos on the subject on YouTube with many reporting that the game looks worse than it did without the upgrade with poor textures issues and upscaling… Read More »Nintendo seemingly offering refunds for poor Xenoblade Chronicles X Switch 2 upgrade

Source

It would seem as though Nintendo is being stringent with regards to who gets development kits for its Nintendo Switch 2 system as Arkaden reports that some smaller developers are still awaiting the kits to bring their games to the platform. The publication spoke with a number of smaller developers with one saying that they… Read More »Some developers are apparently still trying to get Nintendo Switch 2 dev kits

Source