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.

Death Howl is one of those unique strategic roguelikes that someone could play for 15 minutes for five hours straight, and it means the Switch version couldn’t come soon enough. I thoroughly enjoyed this brutal game when I played it on the PC. But there’s something about the nature of it that makes the gameplay loop and narrative beats feel highlighted so well here.

As a quick refresher, Death Howl is a strategic roguelike with a nearly monochromatic kinds of color palettes and melancholy story. Based on Scandinavian folklore, we follow a grieving mother named Ro searching the other side for her dead son Olvi who was stolen away from her. This means traversing different areas, facing all sorts of entities and beasts with abilities she gathers. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGF-v--wGhk

The narrative is fantastic. There are so many themes running through it. Revenge is a critical one, since there’s a central stag figure associated with her son’s death and apparent abduction. Not to mention she’s angry with Death itself over the loss. Coming to terms with the situation is another, since this is a journey about grief and clearly she’s going through the bargaining and depression stages while also being angry about everything and denying that this is a situation that can’t be undone. But there’s also this veil of uncertainty over everything. Due to the use of symbolism and design choices, Ro is an unreliable narrator and there are gaps in our knowledge as players. Which means part of the motivation that keeps us going is to finally know the truth of it all. Having the game on the Switch makes it easy to keep going so we can absorb the information and take in what possible truths could be hinted at as we play.

The Switch also makes for a good way to appreciate the art direction in Death Howl in the same way that the Steam Deck and other handheld gaming PCs do. This is a strategy game with sprite-based designs, an isometric perspective of the board, and limited color palettes for each region. Actual spirit designs play with shading and color options to depict details that wouldn’t otherwise be possible with the limitations. When there are effects from actions and spell usage, we see intricate animations. While it is possible to view these and take away the excellence, I feel like having it in handheld mode where you could really take a moment to look closer at details.

It also helps that the Switch port is a great version of Death Howl. Given how text-heavy it is for cards and combat, the color and font choices make it clear even when the lettering is little. It’s almost always clear and legible. Pair that with the great controller-based scheme carried over from the PC release, and it is quite comfortable to play.

Handhelds are a good fit for roguelike games, and the artistic direction, narrative, and gameplay of Death Howl make it feel especially strong on the Switch. It’s a great port that plays well on the system. The nature of the storyline makes it a perfect game to play in a darkened room. Since the gameplay encourages deck experimentation and strategic decisions, you can really get cozy and experience it. It feels exceptionally at home here.

Death Howl is available on the Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. 

The post Death Howl’s Gameplay and Narrative Help It Fit on Switch appeared first on Siliconera.

Square Enix shared a special PV video on YouTube that ended with the phrase “NieR: Automata to be continued.” This suggests we could see a new NieR: Automata project, though the vagueness means it is uncertain if it could be related to the anime adaptation, a game, or book. Additional statements also confirmed current sales figures for that game and NieR Replicant. 

First, here’s the “NieR: Automata to be continued” announcement video suggesting a new project like a game or other form of media is in the works. It’s specifically designed to honor the fact that this game passed 10 million units sold physically and digitally worldwide. That applies to the Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC versions of the game. At the 5:48 mark of the PV, the screen scrambles and the ominous text suggesting more is in development shows up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wyn1b_5bw-M

Square Enix also shared new key art on social media honoring the sales milestone. That features 2B at the forefront, with 9S right behind her and A2 at the back.

As for the new sales figure update for NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139, that wasn’t accompanied by a special video. Square Enix just took to social media to share the update. It’s now at two million copies sold worldwide digitally and physically. That takes into account the PS4, Xbox One, and PC copies.

There is a piece of art shared to commemorate that, however.

NieR: Automata is available on the Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC, the anime is on Crunchyroll, and Square Enix’s books division handled a number of spin-off books worldwide.

The post Square Enix Video Says ‘NieR: Automata to Be Continued’ appeared first on Siliconera.

Some Pokemon Day 2026 reveals appeared ahead of the actual event on February 27, 2026, and it involves Switch releases of Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen and a Pokemon Presents showcase stream. The presentation will air first at 6am PT/9am ET/3pm CET, and the digital GBA games will show up on the eShop after.

In the case of the Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen Switch releases, there are a few details about these versions. They will be $19.99 each, and the eShop pages for both are live. These will be the exact JRPGs we remember. However, if you want different languages, like English, French, or Spanish, those will be separate purchases instead of an option you select from a menu in-game. (Italian and Japanese aren’t available in the North American eShop.) The Sevii Islands will be present in-game. If you want to battle or trade other people, it is only going to be possible via local multiplayer, and there is no Pokemon Home support at launch. They are both confirmed Switch 2 compatible.

Here’s the official trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8c_C4vfUMo

As for the Pokemon Presents 2026, there are fewer details about that. We know the time and date. We know it will be on Twitch and YouTube. Presumably, these two Switch versions of the GBA JRPGs will also appear in a spot during it as a reminder of their release after the stream as well.

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen will come to the Switch and be playable on the Switch 2 on February 27, 2026, and they are also available on the GBA. 

The post Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen and Pokemon Presents Dated appeared first on Siliconera.

"Since the last round of EMTERR ‘stabilisation’, they’ve been trying to force us lifers out," the phantom line engineer tells Zero Parades protagonist Hershel Wilk. "We can’t be fired, not easily, but they can take away the work that made us stay in the first place,” he continues. “I have two options. I could falsify my reports and declare line 9 safe for construction anyway, or I could quit. Either way, the company can’t lose."

Approximately 15 minutes later, I’m talking to a monkey sat atop a pile of goods in a random abandoned house. "YOUR PRESENCE IS WEAK. FATE DELIVERS ME AN UNWORTHY ADVERSARY," it says, before declaring its name to be the KING OF TRADE. Immediately, one of the voices in Herschel’s inner chorus, dubbed Statehood, starts shouting back about needing to defeat the forces of capitalism.

Both of these are scenarios I ran into while playing the Next Fest demo of the spy CRPG finally emerging from ZA/UM, following years of reported bad times and discord at and around the Disco Elysium studio. Both of them feel simultaneously like encounters you could plausibly have run into in the original Disco, and like they could just as easily be pale imitations dressed up to resemble that first game’s much quoted trenchcoat of surrealist detecting.

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Back when Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown was announced, we knocked it for offering zappy muzak in place of the TV show’s official theme. Gamexcite and Daedalic have added the theme, now, and I sort of wish they hadn’t. “Help!” I screeched to my bedroom walls, as the rousingly sorrowful opening bars wafted from the speakers like nitrous oxide. “A videogame is making me feel something! It is making me feel like 31 years have passed, and I can still remember Neelix getting drunk on water. I still remember the Doctor’s first words. I still remember blowing up the Caretaker Array rather than using it to insta-warp home.”

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Sharpen your fangs and chuck out all of the garlic bread in your house, Castlevania's back with a new game co-developed by the folks who made roguelike-Metroidvania Dead Cells. Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is the name of this fresh bout of vampire whippage set in medieval Paris, which publishers Konami have teased is just the first of many Castlevania things they have coming as the series turns 40.

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Look at all the mess lying around. You can't move for discarded detritus on the planets of No Man's Sky. Good news, then, that the space sandbox's latest update delivers a gravity gun and interstellar rubbish collection lorries that'll help clean those worlds up a bit.

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The developer behind voxel sandbox Allumeria claims Microsoft have withdrawn a DMCA takedown filed against the game over alleged copyright infringement. According to an email posted on Discord by Allumeria developer Unomelon on February 10th, the strike accused their work of using content from Minecraft without Microsoft's permission.

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Nintendo Switch 2 owners may have avoided a price hike at launch, but that could be about to change. A major component shortage is now pushing costs up across the gaming industry in 2026. The Switch 2 already launched in June 2025 at a higher price than the original Switch, and nobody wants to see it go up further.

According to Gaming Bible, a combination of tech industry problems looks set to force Nintendo into raising prices for the Switch 2 this year. Accessories for the console have already become more expensive, even though the console itself has stayed at its launch price. Nintendo has been managing manufacturing costs against tariffs, but a new and bigger problem has now emerged.

The main issue is a widespread RAM shortage affecting technology manufacturing right now. AI data centers are consuming huge amounts of memory, and companies that used to supply RAM to console makers are now sending most of their production to large AI facilities. This has left companies like Nintendo, and even the makers of the Steam Deck, struggling to get the memory they need.

The RAM shortage driven by AI demand is making it harder for Nintendo to hold the line on Switch 2 pricing

RAM is not only scarce, but its price has also risen sharply. Nintendo has been absorbing these extra costs to keep the Switch 2’s price stable so far, but it is unlikely they can continue doing this as the year goes on. A well-known leaker called CentroLeaks recently commented on the situation, sharing information that suggests price hikes are on the way.

The problem is widespread enough that it could even affect the release of the PlayStation 6, with rumors pointing to a possible delay as late as 2029. This shows just how serious the RAM shortage is across the entire gaming industry, not just for Nintendo. Nintendo has also been in the news recently after a thumb in one of its ads sparked an AI controversy, showing that the company has had no shortage of attention in 2025.

According to Bloomberg Nintendo is considering raising the price of Switch 2 later this year due to memory shortages and Sony is considering delaying PS6 to either 2028 or 2029.https://t.co/Bax6MimBGp

— Centro LEAKS (@CentroLeaks) February 16, 2026

It is not yet clear exactly how much Switch 2 prices will increase, but the jump could be large enough to make the console difficult for many families and gamers to afford. The current pricing window does appear to be closing, based on everything pointing in that direction right now.

For anyone who has been thinking about buying a Nintendo Switch 2, getting one sooner rather than later may be the smarter move. Those curious about the Nintendo Switch 2 gaming experience may find it worth acting on now before costs rise. The longer people wait, the more likely they are to feel the impact of these rising costs.

Overall, while Nintendo has done a reasonable job of shielding customers from price increases up to this point, the scale of the RAM shortage makes further delays to a price hike seem unlikely. The combination of AI-driven demand pulling memory supply away from gaming hardware and the added pressure of tariffs creates a difficult situation for the company to manage through 2026.

Planet of Lana II, Wishfully’s followup to their tremendous puzzle-platformer original, punched our news mouths with a double hit of announcements last week. First, it’s got a release date of March 5th 2026, a mere three weeks from now, and second, there’s a Steam demo coming even sooner, on February 11th. An embargo lift means I’m now at liberty to share my thoughts on said demo, and can report that it’s exactly the same as the demo given to press last year, and as such, you can already read what I said about it here and here. Still, eh? Release date, eh?

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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.

Thinking about No Man’s Sky beings images of flight, space, and starships. So when Massively OP’s MJ learned that the new expedition was based on the ground — and only the ground — she was intrigued. It turns out that for this one, the task is to clean up a planet. Now that’s something MJ […]

While Massively OP’s MJ already celebrated on Star Trek Online’s 16th anniversary, the actual event had not started yet. Now that it is running, she obviously has to celebrate again! But this party won’t be all fun and games (despite Q’s meddling). Starting with the new episode Curse of Phrygia then moving on to The […]

The Neverness to Everness closed beta is winding down, but Massively OP’s MJ is slipping in before the doors completely close tomorrow. She is interested in seeing what the game is all about, and of course, showing it off to you! Join us in live at 8:00 p.m. as Massively OP’s Stream Team takes a […]

This week’s Massively Overthinking is inspired by a tweet I saw from SMITE, of all games, where the Hi-Rez devs asked players to propose one god to delete from the game. Obviously, this is not a serious proposition, but in the aggregate, the answers can kinda show a trend in what people are tired of, […]

The irony of returning to Project Gorgon’s tutorial isle is that the story is based on returning to said isle after already completing and leaving — which is exactly what Massively OP’s MJ did in the past! How Inception-esque is that? Now she’s determined to work her way off (again) and experience the rich new […]

Resident Evil Requiem for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, and PC, and Tales of …

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If you’re looking for speedy shmup action, Revolgear Zero has you covered. It offers a solid variety of enemies and weapons in which to take them down effectively. Co-op play makes the game even more fun, but glitches prevent me from giving as broad a recommendation as I first thought.

What little story there is doesn’t really get a proper mention until the closing credits (evidently, there are six endings). All you have until then is the cryptic “Grant a new legend to the cosmic warriors who survived the fiercest  battles.” But when I was asking myself what was happening, I also had to remind myself that this genre doesn’t need a coherent tale attached to it.

Revolgear Zero has four levels of difficulty, covering a wide range of gamers. Whether you’re looking to ease your way in or you want threats to the extreme, the game has you covered. As somebody who was reaching for his glasses and pausing to crack his knuckles, after a few minutes of play, guess which difficulty I started with?

Difficulty assistance comes in the form of co-op. I appreciate this, as a surprising number of shmup games overlook co-op for unknown reasons. But beyond an aid to the challenge, it’s just so much more fun flying, shooting, and strategizing with a buddy. So much that I’d add or subtract half a point to my final score depending on whether you’re going solo or with a friend.

I touched on enemy variety briefly in my introduction. You’ll see mechanical ones (large and small), organic threats, and even the stages themselves, soon proving a potential danger. Some scroll both vertically and horizontally, with portions of the background damaging you with a touch. At certain points, you will be less focused on shooting than on finding a safe spot to camp out and wait for your opening.

As far as the weapons, I won’t waste time trying to describe each in my limited word count. Firstly, because many are variants that most shmup fans are already familiar with. Secondly, because half the fun is experimenting with different combinations and loadouts. It’s one of the game’s strengths, figuring out your own favorite combos, which likely will differ if you’re playing alone or with a friend. They also change depending on the stage, whether you’re in more open areas or tight spaces. Earning weapon upgrades (collect every coin you can) and being able to flip between them on the fly can be the difference between victory and a game over.

Visually, Revolgear Zero starts a tad bland in the sky, but gets much better the further you advance. It introduces a much greater variety of colors, different effects, parallax, and more. It’s not a cutting-edge look by any means, but it is a pleasing one. The music rocks, complementing the graphics to deliver an aesthetically pleasing audio/visual package. There’s no slowdown either, even when the screen is filled with bullets and coins.

Unfortunately, there are game-crashing bugs. More than once, the game shut down after finishing a stage. Once, I was prompted to share the info with Nintendo. The second one was the generic “There was a problem, and the software needed to close.” Revolgear Zero is still a good release, but my recommendation comes with caveats. It’s not a must-own.

Revolgear Zero goes beyond the token shoot’ em up in many ways. Its weapon system has depth, and what it lacks in length, it makes up for in replayability. It’s a fun game to play solo, and even more fun in co-op. I’ll keep an eye on Bikkuri Software and hope their next Nintendo release will have its glitches ironed out.

The post Review: Revolgear Zero (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Total worldwide shipments and digital sales for NieR: Automata have exceeded 10 million units, Square …

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