Switch eShop News
News Technos The World: Kunio-kun & Arcade Collection Announced For Switch
12 games in one package
To kick off the new year, Arc System Works has announced Technos The World: Kunio-kun & Arcade Collection for the Nintendo Switch and multiple other platforms. This information was shared in the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu. This new collection will launch in Japan on 24th April 2025 and first-print editions will...
News Rare Konami GBA Gem 'Ninja Five-O' Gets February Release Date
Ninja Five-Two
Konami has announced that GBA action platformer Ninja Five-O will be launching on Switch in just over a month's time, on 25th February 2025. Pre-orders are live on the eShop right now, priced at USD $24.99 / GBP £19.99 (or your regional equivalent). The physical version is being handled by Limi
News Balatro Dev Urges Fans To Buy More Indie Games As Title Hits 5 Million Units Sold
Keep it up!
Balatro has now officially sold 5 million copies since its initial launch on 20th February 2024. This number is a significant increase over the 2 million units previously reported in August 2024. The reason for this will likely be two-fold: since then, the game has been released on mobile devices and also received multiple awards at
Wake up, Sleeper
Citizen Sleeper was, coincidentally, one of 2022's sleeper hits. With its combination of top-tier writing and decision-based gameplay, this table-top-inspired RPG and space adventure pulled us into its airlock and wouldn't let us out until we had played through the emotional damage of witnessing every possible outcome (and yes, that...
News Metal Slug Tactics Updated On Switch, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
New features and a load of bug fixes
Publisher Dotemu has release a new patch for Metal Slug Tactics, introducing a few choice features and enhancements while squashing a load of nasty bugs for an improved gameplay experience. Released on 5th November 2024, we awarded Metal Slug Tactics a score of 7/10 and said that "Excellent art and animation,...
News Team Cherry Reconfirms Hollow Knight: Silksong Is Actually Real In Small Development Update
After weeks of rumours
The Hollow Knight: Silksong community has been ablaze in recent weeks with theories and rumours aplenty about when the hotly-anticipated sequel will finally release. While none are yet to come to fruition, Team Cherry has provided a tiny development update, just to reassure everyone that the game actually does exist and it...
News Guilty Gear Strive Estimated Switch File Size Revealed
Bringing the fight to Switch next week
The Switch 2 is all the focus this week (well, mostly), but there are still some great games on the way to the Nintendo Switch in 2025. Apart from Donkey Kong, which rolled onto the original hybrid system this week, next week sees the arrival of the Arc System Works fighter Guilty Gear Strive. If you are...
News Stardew Valley Creator Releases New Patch For Nintendo Switch Version
Kicking off 2025 with some bug fixes
It's a new year and Eric 'ConcernedApe' Barone has already rolled out a new patch for the Switch version of Stardew Valley. This new update does only appear to be a small one, but it's an important fix - addressing multiple bugs that were popping up for players on Nintendo's hybrid device. Here's the full...
News Nippon Ichi's 'Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero' Scores Free eShop Demo
Update: Out Now
Nobody expected Nippon Ichi Software to announce a sequel to the 2004 PS2 strategy RPG 'Phantom Brave', but over 20 years later, the company did just that. Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero sets sail on Switch on 30th January, and for those who want to see what it's all about before release, NIS America has announced that a free demo will...
News Laika: Aged Through Blood Is Finally Switch-Bound Later This Month
Motorbike metroidvania..? Yes, please
Publisher Thunderful has announced that Laika: Aged Through Blood, the critically-acclaimed 'motorbike metroidvania', will finally be gracing the Nintendo Switch on 30th January 2025. Originally scheduled to launch over a year ago on 11th January 2024, the game was delayed just one day prior, with Headup –...
News Broken Sword 'Reforged' Team Teases Another Remaster Might Be On The Cards
The mystery continues... maybe
Last year, we had a great time with Revolution Software's 'Reforged' remaster of the classic point-and-click adventure Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars. "It sure would be neat if the rest of the series received such a treatment," we thought to ourselves, "if only Revolution had something up its sleeve..." As it...
News Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP Is Getting A Sweet Photo Mode Update Very Soon
Smile, Juliet
The Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP developer Dragami Games has not only continued to address various issues with multiple patches but it's also adding additional content to the game. With this in mind, Dragami Games company CEO Yoshima Yasuda has now announced the team will be adding a photo mode "soon". Nothing else was detailed, but...
News Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind Adds Online Play In Latest Update
Better late than never
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind made its debut on the Switch eShop in December last year but was missing one key mode on the Switch. Fortunately, online play has now finally arrived in the latest update - allowing players to "connect with friends" and punch some putties (together). Here's the developer's official...
News The Switch eShop Is A Nightmare, So We've Made Our Own "Better eShop"
Fixing what Nintendon't
Recently whilst twiddling our thumbs waiting for Switch 2 to be announced, we got thinking about the state of the current Switch's eShop. It's long been bemoaned for being painfully slow and containing a 'large shedful' of shovelware titles. After pondering what could be d
News The Adorable 'Lil Gator Game' Is Getting A "Huge" Expansion
Is it Big Gator Game now?
Playtonic Friends and MegaWobble have announced a surprise expansion to one of the cutest hidden gems of 2022, Lil Gator Game. In The Dark promises to be a "huge" expansion, introducing new characters and doubling the size of the base game. The original was a breezy affair, but we're delighted to have the opportunity to...
Review Blade Chimera (Switch) - A Ridiculously Fun, Combat-First Metroidvania
Slice to kill
The problem with the term ‘Metroidvania’ is that it’s a far broader genre classification than some give it credit for. Depending on where they fall on the spectrum between the exploration-heavy Metroid series and the combat-centric Castlevania series, it’s possible for two games to both be considered Metroidvanias while...
News Rusty Rabbit, From The Creator Of Psycho-Pass, Is The Most Bonkers Metroidvania Ever
Just hoppy
NetEase Games and NITRO PLUS have announced that action platformer Rusty Rabbit will be launching on Nintendo Switch on 17th April 2025 (via Gematsu). Now, on the surface, you might notice the gruff-looking, middle-aged rabbit that chain smokes carrots and think: "huh!". You might be entertained as he rides around maze-like maps in a...
News Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Estimated File Size Update
Make some space for the Kongs
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD rolls onto the Switch next week and Nintendo appears to have updated the estimated file size of the eShop download. According to the eshop, this new version (including the Wii and 3DS content) has dropped from 9.0GB to 8.3GB. As we previously mentioned, the sequel
News Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom Has Been Nominated For Another Award
Fingers crossed
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has been nominated for another award. This time it's up for 'Adventure game of the year' at the 28th annual DICE Awards. The other nominees include 1000xRESIST, Animal Well, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Th
Guide 126 Games You Should Pick Up In The Nintendo Switch eShop Holiday Sale (Europe)
Every game we scored 9/10 or higher
The eShop Holiday sale ends this Sunday in Europe, so here's your last reminder to get spending! Until the next sale, anyway... Nintendo has officially kicked off its Switch eShop Holiday Sale in Europe, bringing beefy discounts to thousands of games until 12th January 2024. And yes, we said "thousands"...
News House Of The Dead 2: Remake Blasts Onto Switch This Spring
Eataly
Forever Entertainment has announced today that House of the Dead 2: Remake will finally make its way over to Switch in Spring 2025 — that's only a few months away! Initially announced with its predecessor's remake back in 2019, this one has felt like a long time coming. What's more, aside from some rogue age ratings that popped up online...
News So, Have You Pre-Ordered Donkey Kong Country Returns HD For Switch?
DK and Diddy are back next week
Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong are back next week in Donkey Kong Country Returns HD for the Nintendo Switch. All this time after the 2010 Wii release, we're now getting the 'HD' version - which also includes the bonus levels from the 2013 3DS version. Along with this, everything you know and love about the Retro Studios'...
News By 'Eck! PowerWash Simulator's Upcoming Wallace & Gromit DLC Looks Cracking
Feathers McPhwar
Ever one to snatch up a DLC crossover, Square Enix has today announced that PowerWash Simulator will be getting taken on a Grand Day Out later this year with the arrival of the 'Wallace & Gromit Special Pack'. We still don't have a precise release date for this one just yet, though the above reveal trailer showcases some of the...
Video 15 Exciting New Games Coming To Nintendo Switch In January 2025
Donkey Kong, Star Wars and much more
It's a new year and that means brand new games are already on the way! January isn't always the most happening month of the year, but in 2025 there's plenty to be excited about. Our senior video producer Zion Grassl also bought a PS5! Back to the upcoming releases on the Switch though, there's Donkey Kong, Star...
News Wacky Exploration Game 'Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip' Blasts Onto Switch Next Month
Beep! Beep!
Here's one for the alliteration fans out there: Super Rare Games has announced that it's bringing snekflat's weird and wonderful exploration game Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip to Switch on 13th February. Terrific! This one launched on Steam last year and has since gone on to rack up hundreds of 'Overwhelmingly Positive' r
News Arcade Shmup 'Strania -The Stella Machina- EX' Makes The Jump To Switch This Month
Mecha excited
G.rev, the Japanese developer behind various shoot 'em ups like Kokuga and Border Down, has announced that it is bringing yet another rare arcade shooter to the Switch as Strania -The Stella Machina- EX lands digitally on the Nintendo hybrid on 23rd January. Originally released on Xbox 360 and in arcades by exA-Arcadia (on its ROM...
Review Freedom Wars Remastered (Switch) - A Fair Reprieve For One Of PS Vita's Best
Free from Vita jail
Like Nintendo’s own Wii U, the PS Vita has seen a good chunk of its best games migrate to alternative platforms in the years since the system itself veered into the realm of ‘commercial failure’. One of those games is Freedom Wars, a third-person action title created by Dimps that, at the time, was one of the most...
News New 'Tails Of Iron 2' Trailer Brings The Violence Ahead Of Switch Release
Sequel launches this month
A new trailer for Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter has been revealed ahead of the game's upcoming launch on 28th January 2025. Boasting the voiceover talents of Doug Cockle (The Witcher III), the new trailer showcases a boatload of gameplay highlighting the glorious violence and stunning 2D visuals. As for the game...
News Mario And Zelda Modders Are Using Their Skills To Develop A New N64-Inspired Platformer
And it looks like it's heading to Switch!
After a little slice of something Super Mario 64 flavoured? Perhaps with a side of Banjo-Kazooie collection? Well, Kero Quest 64, a new Kickstarter project, might have you covered (thanks,
News New Freedom Wars Trailer Showcases The Upcoming Remaster's Fresh Features
Vita Vendetta
We are mere days away from the arrival of the former PlayStation Vita exclusive, Freedom Wars, on Switch. Ahead of its 10th January release date, Bandai Namco has shared a new trailer, setting up the story and showcasing all the fresh features we can expect to find in Freedom Wars Remastered. The trailer serves as a good starting...
News Carmen Sandiego Can Be Found On Switch This March
You won't need to look far
The Carmen Sandiego reboot, announced last year by Gameloft, has a release date, and you won't need to search the world for it, as it's coming to Switch on 4th March 2025 (thanks, Gematsu). The game will be released digitally first before a physical version follows in April 2025, which will celebrate the iconic s
News Triangle Strategy Is Back Up On The Switch eShop
No need for salt
Just over a month after it disappeared from the Switch eShop, Triangle Strategy is available to buy once again on the storefront. Square Enix announced earlier today that the HD-2D strategy RPG is back and ready for you to spend your hard-earned pennies (or gold points) on if you haven't already. And, as we suspected, the game's...
Review Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP (Switch) - This Choppy Remaster Of A Cult Gem Doesn't Bring Any Cheer
Sunshine, lollipops and chainsaws everywhere
Cutting a bloody swathe through an army of the undead, Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP joins Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered on Switch. Both games complement each other as flawed but enjoyable examples of Grasshopper Studios' beloved catalogue. An idiosyncratic collaboration between Suda 51 and filmmaker...
Random Balatro Dev Spreads Some Indie Love In His List Of 2024 Highlights
And the LocalThunk Award goes to...
Balatro was one of our games of 2024 and the vast majority of us at Nintendo Life Towers have poured more hours into its poker roguelike gameplay loop than we care to admit. But what were the games that caught the attention of its developer, LocalThunk? With 2025 finally here, the dev took to Twitter to share some...
News PlatinumGames Is Celebrating 15 Years Of Bayonetta With Year-Long Event
Umbra-lievable
PlatinumGames has announced that it is conducting a year-long event focusing on the original Bayonetta after the game recently celebrated its 15th anniversary. Originally launched in Japan on 29th October 2009 with a worldwide release following in January 2010, it spawned two mainline sequels, one spin-off entry, and a whole bunch of...
News "I Was Honestly Surprised" - Yoshio Sakamoto On Nintendo's Approval Of Emio
Title deals with dark, mature themes
One of the biggest surprises of 2024 was undoubtedly the release (and accompanying marketing campaign) of Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club. It marked the first proper new entry in the Famicom Detective Club franchise since 1989, bringing with it a whole bunch of dark, mature themes that we don't...
News Freedom Wars Remastered Estimated Switch File Size Revealed
Returning next week
The former PlayStation Vita exclusive and action RPG Freedom Wars Remastered is launching next week on the Switch eShop and if you're planning on downloading this one, you might be interested to know the file size. According to Nintendo's official website, it will require around 4.6 GB of free space on your system. If you want a...
News Pokémon Unite Adds Another Pokémon To The Roster This Month
Galarian Rapidash arrives
The free-to-play MOBA Pokémon Unite is still adding new Pokémon and the next one joining the roster will be Galarian Rapidash. This psychic/fairy-type evolves from a Galarian Ponyta and was originally introduced during the Pokémon Sword and Shield generation. This new pick in Unite is scheduled to join the fray on 23rd...
News Konami Shows Off New Suikoden I & II HD Remaster Gameplay
Out on Switch this March
Another major release arriving on Switch this March is Suikoden I & II HD Remaster. Konami previously showed JRPG fans the opening trailers and now it's back with some more gameplay footage. It's a short scene but highlights a moment where your party is bolstered with more characters. Here's a look: When this...
News Inti Creates Plans To Announce "Several Titles" In 2025
With a special focus on "2D action games"
2025 is just kicking off and various video game companies and industry figures have been sharing their plans for the year ahead. As for the Japanese developer Inti Creates, it hopes to announce “several titles” this year. Unsurprisingly a major focus will be placed on its signature style "2D action...
News Nintendo Highlights Multiple Switch Games Launching In 2025
It's going to be an action-packed year
To celebrate the new year, Nintendo's UK branch has shared a list of games coming to the Switch in 2025. Yes, even though the "successor" system is scheduled to be announced at some point soon, it seems there will still be plenty of focus on the current hybrid device. It all kicks off this month with Donkey...
Guide 161 Games You Should Pick Up In Nintendo's 'Hits For The Holidays' eShop Sale (North America)
Reminder: It wraps up on Sunday
Just a reminder that Nintendo of America's holiday eShop discounts finish this Sunday night, so if you were waiting for payday to come around before diving back into this monstrous sale, the clock's a-ticking. Well, until the next time 3,000+ games are discounted. Carry on! Nintendo of America has kicked off its...
News Antonblast Has Recouped All Production Expenses In Less Than A Month
"WE ARE PROFITABLE!"
Developer Tony Grayson of Summitsphere has announced that the Wario Land-inspired platformer Antonblast has recouped all production expenses less than a month after its release. This means, of course, that the game is now turning a profit which, according to Grayson, means Summitsphere will now have the ability to produce "a...
"We will be taking on many new challenges"
It's a new year and Hamster Corporation is already back at it with more weekly 'Arcade Archives' releases on the Switch eShop. To kick things off, it's released Athena's 1989 side-scrolling action title Castle of Dragon. You'll go forth with the "power of love" as two young kings set out on a journey to...
News Toby Fox New Year Message Reminds Us Deltarune's Next Chapters Are Launching This Year
It's a catchphrase now
Following his end-of-year newsletter update in December, game developer Toby Fox has kicked off 2025 with a special post on social media. Not only does it wish fans a happy new year, but it also jokingly issues another reminder about Deltarune Chapter 3 and 4 and how they will both be launching at some point this year! Here...
Video Antonblast Switch eShop Review - Is This Wario Land-Inspired Indie Worth It?
Yes, it's a blast
We're still recovering from the New Year celebrations here on Nintendo Life, but in case you missed it - the Wario Land-inspired platformer Antonblast finally made its debut on the Switch last month after some last-minute delays. While we've already shared our written review, our video review has now gone live and our lovely...
Review Star Trek: Legends (Switch) - Competent Combat But Fails To Engage
Fire at Will
As a mischievous omnipotent being once said, Star Trek isn't about mapping stars and studying nebulae, but charting the unknown possibilities of existence. The voyages of the starships Enterprise et al. are journeys of self-discovery. It's about the people we meet on those strange new worlds and what they teach us about ourselves. It's...
News Graveyard Keeper Physical Switch Release Surfaces Online
Back from the dead this March
The Lazy Bear Games and tinyBuild Switch eShop release Graveyard Keeper appears to be finally getting a physical release on Nintendo's hybrid platform. According to some new listings on sites like Amazon, the Stardew-style and graveyard management sim title will score a hard copy release in March 2025 with Atari...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects & Readers' Choice (December 2024)
Our picks for the best eShop games in December
As we sit upon the cusp of 2025, we're looking back one last time at 2024 — and our eShop Selects for December! Stuffed full of games? Need some more eShop delights? Well, we can help bring you up to date with the best games we reviewed that released on the eShop in December. As always, the rankings...
Review Palia (Switch) - One Year On, Is This Life Sim Worth Playing?
Has a promising sprout bloomed?
Editor's note: This article was originally published in December 2023 as a review in progress. We had hoped to return to Palia once it hit version 1.0, but it's still not there at the time of writing. Therefore we're revisiting one year on to see how things have changed with some new text up top and a score below. A...
