Nintendo – Gaming Master

US: The next Switch Online Game Trial is EA Sports FC 26

admin — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:46:29 +0000

Nintendo of America has announced the latest Game Trial for Nintendo Switch Online members and it is the popular football game from EA, EA Sports FC 26. You can play the game from 18th June until 24th June and if you enjoy your time with it you can pick up the game with a 80% discount on the Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 eShop. That specific sale will be running until 1st July.

Play your way with an overhauled gameplay experience. Put your dream squad to the test in local and online multiplayer, lead your club through challenges based on real-world scenarios, and develop your own player for the pitch.

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Sega Wants To Know Your Thoughts About Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds

admin — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:55:28 +0000

Image: SEGA

Although Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has been cruising along at a steady pace for many months now, Sega is apparently eager for feedback.

It’s released a new user survey this week, asking fans to help it improve the title. It’s also noted at the beginning how these responses will be used to assist the game’s development.

SEGA: “Thank you for playing Sonic Racing CrossWorlds. We’re conducting a survey to help us improve the game. We’d love to hear from you!”

Apart from the usual questions such as age and your playing habits, it also asks questions about the modes you play in CrossWorlds, how long you’ve played, and even your World Match Rank. To answer these questions, you can either pick a response or type your own response.

At the end of the survey, there’s also a section to leave “any other comments or feedback” about the title, and whatever else you may want to pass on to Sega. This survey is available until the end of June, so if you want to have your say about the game, fill out this form while you can.

This survey follows the recent announcement Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds would be getting a second year of content and updates. This will include Season Pass 2 and six new DLC packs starting with Godzilla and Evangelion.

Ahead of Sonic’s birthday celebrations later this month, a physical copy of Sonic Frontiers: Definitive Edition has been spotted.

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Ubisoft has no plans to delist original Rayman Legends after Rayman Legends Retold launch

admin — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:38:50 +0000

According to Ubisoft, the original Rayman Legends is staying put – it will not be delisted from digital storefronts.

Some fans may have been concerned that the game would be removed later this year. That’s because Ubisoft will be launching Rayman Legends Retold towards the end of 2026. This is a full remake of the original game with updated graphics, new content, and more.

Sometimes when a remaster or remake arrives, publishers will remove the original title. Thankfully though, we won’t have to worry about something similar here. Ubisoft confirmed on social media that the original Rayman Legends will still be available to purchase once we see Retold out there.

Right now you can grab Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition on the Nintendo eShop. A physical version is available as well.

For those wondering about Rayman Legends Retold, we have the following information:

Embark on a bold reimagining of the acclaimed platformer, filled with new content and narrative twists. When a shadowy villain spreads corruption across the Glade of Dreams, journey through its charming worlds solo or in up to 4‑player couch co‑op in a fast‑paced, side‑scrolling adventure where every stumble and surprise adds to the delightful chaos.

Leap, glide, and punch your way through worlds bursting with charm and delightful surprises. Craving a change of pace? Dive into unforgettable musical stages, where every move must sync with the beat for a rhythm‑powered thrill.

Immerse yourself in a world brimming with life, reimagined with stunning visuals. A rich selection of iconic levels returns alongside a mysterious sixth realm and 4 new musical stages. Saddle up for epic dragon rides and test your skills in the Cave of Trials.

Join Rayman and his friends on their most ambitious adventure yet, facing a new foe stirring trouble from the underworld. Voiced cinematics and an expanded soundtrack by Christophe Héral and Grant Kirkhope bring the journey to life, blending original themes with new compositions.

Play the entire adventure in up to 4-player couch co-op, racing for Lums or knocking each other off to claim every last Teensy. Kung Foot also returns with improved controls, power-ups, and customizable rules for hours of frantic competition.

Rayman Legends Retold comes to Nintendo Switch 2 on October 1, 2026. In case you missed it, we have hands-on impressions here and plenty of gameplay here.

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Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Switch 2 was 2nd most popular game during Summer Game Fest period

admin — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:35:12 +0000

Summer Game Fest and the proceeding conferences such as the Xbox Game Show, and of course the Nintendo Direct, helped brighten up summer. There were plenty of big reveals at each showcase and you may be wondering what games shone the brightest when it came to media attention and trailers etc. Data firm LevelUp has revealed that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for the Nintendo Switch 2 was the second most talked about and viewed trailer during the Summer Game Fest period.

Here’s the top ten best performing games revealed this summer:

God of War Laufey
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake
Resident Evil: Veronica
Marvel’s Wolverine
Gears of War E-Day
Kingdom Hearts IV
Persona 6
Final Fantasy Revelations
Spyro: A Realm Beyond
Until Dawn 2

Every game scored across trailer performance, press coverage and community engagement, then merged into a single comparative index

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Best Nintendo Switch 1 & 2 Football Games

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:27:24 +0000

We hear a large international football tournament has just kicked off, so what better time to revisit this list, shove a slice of orange in its mouth, and give it a spritz of the ol’ magic spray, hmm? 30 60 years of hurt never stopped us dreaming!

We’ve subbed a few younger players into the squad — which now features Switch 2 players — and many of the games below are on sale right now, to boot. Enjoy! *blows whistle*

Football is the world’s most popular sport, from the elite level of child-like millionaires with dazzling skills and impressive diving techniques, to actual children on playgrounds using jumpers for goalposts.

Being a football/soccer fan who owns a Switch (or Switch 2), however, can be slightly confusing. Nintendo’s system somehow misses out on the ‘Premier’ games while getting bombarded with loads of smaller releases, and it can be hard to know which ones are worth a kickaround.

We haven’t reviewed every football game on Switch 1 and 2, so let’s be upfront and say that some will be missing on this list that may be worth checking out. However, we’ve reviewed enough of them to share a winning 11 (plus five subs) of the better ones here — oh yes, how very clever of us — and there’s plenty of variety to be found. If you want simulation, tactics, comedy, or arcade action, there’ll be something here for you.

So, let’s have a look at the best football games on Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, in alphabetical order. Grab your jumpers, set out your goals, and enjoy!

We kick off with a particularly fun entry, as this was made by critically acclaimed game maker Dan Marshall, who happily admits to knowing nothing about football. So this is ultimately a comedic outsider’s take on the beautiful game, and it’s rather good.

Behold the Kickmen costs less than a cup of coffee and leans heavily on humorous writing and absurdist takes on the rules — the pitch is round, the ball can bounce off the sides, scoring gets you a ‘big sloppy kiss’ from the referee who is called the ‘Umpire’, and much more madness besides. As an inexpensive and silly time, it is definitely worth a look on Switch.

This series is rather popular in Japan, spanning all sorts of media and games for decades; in the West? Not so much. That’s why it was a pleasant surprise to get Captain Tsubasa: Rise Of New Champions last year, and it’s actually a very solid game while being a pretty unique take on the sport.

You can play through a couple of story segments, and there’s Vs CPU and online play after that – though getting online games may prove tricky. It’s a wacky take on football, with all sorts of dodges, combos and stamina bars to pay attention to; this isn’t the typical game of Soccer.

It looks terrific and offers an entertaining time with a completely over-the-top take on the sport.

Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.

Also available on Switch 1, long-time readers will be aware of the love-hate (mainly hate) relationship we’ve had with the FIFA series over the course of the Switch’s life. And for a long time, FIFA 19 has occupied a spot on this list, even if it (and future games) were missing key modes from their counterparts PS4 / PS5 and Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S. You can’t even get them on digital storefronts, now.

However, after years of lazy, half-hearted Legacy Editions, EA Sports finally delivered a football game on the Switch that offers full feature parity with other consoles. A much-needed engine upgrade trades frame rate for fidelity, but starting with EA Sports FC 24, Switch owners finally had a port they can be proud of, rather than feeling like an afterthought.

Every single feature is here, and even though there’s an fps drop from 60 to 30, we at last had a triple-A football game to kick off with on Switch. The latest version, EA SPORTS FC 26 is the pick of the bunch, but 24, 25, and 26 all play a beautiful game.

Infused with flickers of Konami’s old Pro Evolution Soccer magic, you could do a lot worse than eFootball Kick-Off if you’re looking for an offline, single-player (or co-op) football game on Switch 2. This particular ‘Kick-Off version is a Switch 2 exclusive, in fact.

Its World Tour mode is relatively light, but it’s fun enough, and the game’s budget price point matches its ambition – though this targets 60fps compared to EA’s 30.

With any luck, this will only be the starting point for eFootball’s presence on Switch 2, and Konami will hopefully follow this up with a more fully-featured game, or a straight crossplay-enabled port of the main free-to-play live service title.

Judged on its own merits, though, as it stands, only EA Sports FC offers better (albeit less smooth) football gameplay on Switch 2.

Football Manager is responsible for many lost jobs, flunked degrees, and failed relationships; never has a glorified spreadsheet been so enthralling and addictive. There are probably therapy groups for those who have sunk thousands of hours into the series, carefully crafting mighty squads to take Newport County AFC to Champions League glory.

The Switch versions of the tactical sim series are based on the ‘Touch’ titles initially released for phones and tablets. Some actually prefer this semi-skimmed version of the series, as it strips away a little of the complexity of the full-fat main games. It’s still detailed enough while arguably taking the series closer to the simpler times of the ‘Championship Manager’ days, and is a great way to pass time on the Switch.

If you can figure out the quirky physical controls, along with how to get your 4-3-2-1 formation humming, you can sink plenty of hours into Football Manager 2026 Touch.

Football Managers 2018, ’19, ’20, ’21, ’22, ’23, and 2024 Touch were once available on Switch, but only 2026 is available at the time of writing (the last one we reviewed was ’24).

Golazo! is definitely one for those with nostalgia for the classics of the ’90s; this game is literally set in 1992. You choose from international teams and compete across a few modes, with the options keeping things relatively simple.

It’s bonkers in its way, though, with unlockables including bizarre customisation options for players. It’s very coin-op and arcade-style in terms of gameplay, is particularly fun in multiplayer and has a ‘VHS’ filter for that authentic ’90s look.

Not perfect but a good time, albeit the bizarre absence of Scotland among the playable teams irritated our reviewer, for obvious reasons…

Having more content does not necessarily equal a better game, but there’s no denying that Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road’s massive wealth of modes, options, and gameplay variety make it feel like the franchise’s most premium experience yet.

Between a fun and heartfelt story mode, a second story mode that includes the highlights of all previous games, and a bunch of additional side content along with robust PvP systems for longevity, it really does feel like you could play Victory Road forever.

At the end of the day, though, it all comes down to that core loop of teambuilding and playing football matches, and Victory Road’s take on the series’ trademark RPG-esque customisability and intuitive action on the pitch feels just as fresh and stylish as ever.

Proving that there’s little that the portly plumber can’t turn his hand (or foot) to, Next Level Games’ Mario Smash Football (or Super Mario Strikers in the US) offered solid soccer action in a colourful package with Mushroom Kingdom residents brightening up the beautiful game and adding a little flair and excitement to proceedings – no nil-nil draws here!

The polar opposite of the simulation style that ‘proper’ football games were going for, this is a fast-paced five-a-side frenzy that did well enough to get a similarly satisfying sequel on Wii.

Now playable on Switch 2 if you’ve got a Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscription, it’s a great alternative if Mario Strikers: Battle League is too rich for your blood. And here’s a fun fact: it started out life as a soccer-platformer hybrid in the prototype stage.

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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Switch 2 Rating Surfaces Online

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 08:40:26 +0000

Image: Bethesda

Earlier this year, Bethesda announced it would be bringing The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered to the Switch 2 in 2026.

Now, in an update, the game’s Deluxe Edition has been rated by the ESRB. There’s also a rating for the standard version of the game. It’s got a mature rating and contains blood and gore, sexual themes and violence.

Image: ESRB

This title was originally announced for the Switch 2 in February. As noted in our previous story, Bethesda confirmed the game would be distributed physically as a code-in-box release at a later date.

Keep in mind, there’s no specific release date for Oblivion Remastered on the Switch 2 just yet, but hopefully, this is a sign that the title isn’t too far away. This same game was released for Xbox, PlayStation and PC in April 2025.

Admittedly, it wasn’t in the best state on arrival, but received multiple updates to improve the overall experience. Here’s what Push Square had to say about the PS5 version on release:

“Oblivion Remastered is a welcome reminder of just how special the 2006 RPG can be. Performance issues and tedious design elements aside, Virtuos and Bethesda deserve real credit for bringing Oblivion back in such a way that doesn’t detract from the original vision, and the meme-worthy identity that it’s fostered over the years. This is, arguably, the definitive Oblivion experience — or at least it will be, once the awkward wrinkles have been ironed out.”

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The Walking Dead Is Getting The Beat ‘Em Up Treatment On Switch 1 & 2

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:52:30 +0000

Ah, The Walking Dead… a franchise that, rather fittingly, just won’t die. As such, Odaclick Game Studio and Trailmark Games have announced a new 2D beat-em-up called The Walking Dead: Streets of Survival.

Coming to Switch and Switch 2, Streets of Survival is a similar endeavour to Odaclick’s previous effort The Karate Kid: Street Rumble, which actually wasn’t too bad. We awarded it a score of 7/10 back in 2024 and praised its visuals and combat.

This new jaunt looks to offer a similar experience, albeit with lots of zombies and Walking Dead characters like Rick Grimes, Daryl Dixon, and Michonne, with iconic villain Negan cropping up as a key enemy. Familiar environments will also appear, such as the Sanctuary, Hilltop, Alexandria, and more, so those looking to explore the world from creator Robert Kirkman will be well catered for.

Let’s check out the key features:

– Hard-Hitting Beat-’em-up Combat: Use brutal melee abilities, crowd-clearing ranged attacks, or a mix of the two in fast-paced skirmishes. Enjoy responsive, crisp, and satisfying fighting gameplay while surviving the apocalypse.

– Overwhelming Walker Swarms & Ruthless Enemies: Battle through creeping armies of the undead and dangerous gangs of Saviors that force you to fight for every inch of ground and adapt as new threats emerge.

– Face Iconic Bosses: Take on powerful, fan-favorite walkers like Winslow, the Well Walker, and more. The Saviors provide their own challenges as you throw down with Negan and Simon in intense, multi-phase boss battles that test your skill, strategy, and killer instincts.

– Replayable Arcade Challenge: Master each character’s moveset and tackle multiple difficulty levels in an experience built for repeat runs and escalating challenges. Or jump in with an optional Easy Mode for casual play.

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Star Fox 64 Art Director Says Remake’s Visuals “Bring Tears To My Eyes”

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:13:16 +0000

Image: Nintendo

If you’ve played the Star Fox demo on Switch 2, then you’ll know that it’s an absolute visual feast, updating the N64 original to a degree we simply never thought possible (ball’s in your court now, Ocarina).

One person who’s been open about how much the update has impacted him is none other than Takaya Imamura, the art director for Star Fox 64 and the developer largely responsible for the series’ overall presentation.

Speaking on X, Imamura-san explained how the N64’s limited hardware made it difficult to convey the differences between pre-rendered graphics and real-time CG at the time. As such, he says that the improved visuals for the Switch 2 version “brings tears to my eyes”.

Here’s what he had to say (machine translated):

“Back in the Nintendo 64 days, it was a struggle to get people to understand the difference between pre-rendered graphics and real-time CG. Many people thought the beautiful cutscenes on the PlayStation were simply a reflection of the console’s capabilities.

“That’s why, with Star Fox 64, we aimed to create demo scenes and presentations that were just as impressive as pre-rendered graphics, while still pursuing the unique appeal of real-time graphics. In that sense, the improvements in graphics this time around really bring tears to my eyes.”

Previously, Imamura-san stated that although he likes the design of Fox McCloud in the new game, he personally prefers the movie version. No, there’s no Star Fox Movie – as a reminder, the character actually crops up in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie; a surprise Nintendo itself revealed prior to its release with an official poster.

Even if you’ve yet to play the demo, hopefully the trailers and footage so far has demonstrated just how much of an upgrade this is. In terms of gameplay, it’s largely the same experience that we all went through back in 1997, though some additional content has been added to beef up the overall package.

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Nintendo Combats Scalpers With New Switch 2 Purchase Requirements In Japan

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 08:04:30 +0000

Image: Bandai Namco

Nintendo’s Japanese branch has announced it’s placed new purchase requirements on the Switch 2, after discovering “multiple orders” suspected of scalping consoles.

The notice specifically highlights the Switch 2 “multi-language” model sold on the Nintendo Store in Japan. To purchase one of these units, customers will now be required to have “50 hours or more” of play time on the original Switch (as of the end of May 2026) before they can purchase this new unit.

As further noted, this does not include the hours spent on demo software or free software, and Nintendo is also limiting Switch 2 orders to one purchase per Nintendo account. Here’s the full translated notice about this via social media:

Nintendo: Regarding sales of the Nintendo Switch 2 (Multilingual) on the Nintendo Store, we have temporarily suspended sales after identifying multiple orders suspected of hoarding or similar activities.

To ensure we can deliver the product to as many customers as possible, we will now limit sales to customers who meet the following conditions. We appreciate your understanding.

Please note that there are no changes to the purchase conditions for the Nintendo Switch 2 (Japanese/Japan-only).

・As of 11:59 PM on Sunday, May 31, 2026, you must have played the Nintendo Switch for 50 hours or more.
*Excludes demo versions and free software.
*The purchase limit is one unit per Nintendo Account.

In case you missed it, Nintendo’s new price for the Switch 2 will come into effect this September in Western markets. In Japan, the new prices have already been applied as of May 2026. The company is also increasing the price of the original Switch hardware in Japan as well as its Switch Online subscription in this location.

The reasoning for these price increases are due to “changes in market conditions” and “global business outlook”. This isn’t isolated to Nintendo, either. Every major player in the console space has announced price increases in recent months in response to global supply shortages and other market factors. It’s even ignited rumours about next-generation hardware delays.

You can find out more about the new prices for the Switch 2 and original Switch in our previous story here on Nintendo Life:

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Crystal Dynamics Comments On Its Use Of AI In Tomb Raider: Legacy Of Atlantis

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 06:03:42 +0000

Image: Crystal Dynamics

Update [Fri 12th Jun 2026, 4:55am]: Crystal Dynamics’ “experience director” Jeff Adams has now commented on the use of generative AI in the upcoming release Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis. He reiterated how it’s used as a “tool” to help the team “get the right answers faster” and noted how “the finished product in the final game will be human-crafted”.

Here’s his comment in full via Polygon:

“At Crystal Dynamics, we see AI as a tool that can help our team get the right answers faster. In early level development, we might have the idea for an in-game object. But we might not be sure if we want to take the time to have devs build it. What we can do is use a generative AI tool to visualize it in the world. If it works, we can move it into our traditional pipeline. From there, the team can concept it and build it. At the end, all the finished product in the final game will be human-crafted. We want to make it as easy as possible for our team to be able to make high-quality experiences. That’s what the fans deserve.”

Original Story: [Thu 4th Jun, 2026 04:30 BST]: Following the news Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis would be coming to the Switch 2, fans of Lara Croft have spotted an “AI-generated content disclosure” on the game’s Steam page.

Crystal Dynamics has now released an official response about its use of AI in this reimagining of the original 1996 release.

A representative of the developer shared the following comment with Eurogamer, explaining the goal to “empower” teams with these tools. According to the same reply, “all finished content” in the company’s products is apparently “human-crafted”.

“At Crystal Dynamics, we leverage AI tools to help our teams iterate on ideas faster and more efficiently, while ensuring that all finished content in the final product is human-crafted. Our goal is to empower the creativity and flexibility of our developers to deliver the highest-quality experiences for players everywhere.”

The disclosure on the Steam game page mentions how AI-assisted tools were used during development to “support some early exploration and temporary development content”. And “any AI-assisted assets were either replaced or refined by humans” to “maintain the creative and artistic vision” of the developers.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis will launch for the Switch 2 next year on 12th February 2027. You can find out more about the gameplay (and see it in motion) in our previous story here on Nintendo Life.

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