Nintendo

Things You Should Know Before Starting Mario Odyssey

Mario Odyssey is out today, and it’s by far the most expansive Mario game I have ever played. After putting more than 60 hours into the game over the past week, I thought I’d put together a list of things I wish I had known about Odyssey going in. This piece originally appeared on Kotaku…

Zelda: Breath of The Wild’s Second Expansion Is Still On Track For This Year, Nintendo Says

Despite Nintendo’s recent, conspicuous quiet on the topic, the second expansion for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is still coming soon, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime told me this afternoon during a quick chat in midtown Manhattan. We talked about that and a host of other topics, including the demise of…

Here’s 5 Soothing Minutes Of Mario Dancing

It’s been a long week, but the weekend is coming up and we’ve got a bounty of new games to help you unwind. For your enjoyment, here’s 5 calming minutes of Mario dancing from Super Mario Odyssey, complete with waterfall.

Super Mario Odyssey’s Not-Quite-Optional Motion Controls Are Aggravating In Handheld Mode

The motion controls in the new Nintendo Switch Super Mario game are largely optional, but one key collectible early on indicates that the developers expect you to use them. Those motion controls are far easier to input when the Switch is connected to a TV than when it’s running in handheld mode. The push for…

Super Mario Odyssey: The Kotaku Review

For Mario, 3D used to mean freedom. In 1996, Super Mario 64 broke Nintendo’s mascot from the shackles of having to run in a straight line, letting the player choose their own path. But for quite some time now—no matter how 3D the graphics may have been—Mario’s adventures have reverted back to running on a…

Atlus On Why Shin Megami Tensei V Is A Nintendo Switch Game

When Atlus revealed Shin Megami Tensei V earlier this week, the game’s debut trailer had a Nintendo Switch logo. We’ve known this since it was teased earlier this year. In a recent Weekly Famitsu interview, producer Kazuyuki Yamai discussed why the game is a Switch title. One reason is that the Switch is “charming.” When…

In Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp you can just be brown. The first time you could select your skintone was in the spin off, Happy Home Designer, and it’s coming back for the upcoming mobile game. No Mii Masks, no tanning—you can just be brown. Thank god.

I’m Playing The Animal Crossing Phone Game, And It’s Pretty Good

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp isn’t supposed to be out until November, but for some reason Android owners [Update: and iOS users too] in Australia can download and play the game right now. And hey, I’m an Android owner in Australia, so let me show you how this thing actually works. Like Super Mario Run, Pocket…

One Of The Creepiest Pokémon Ever 

It’s Spooky Weekhere at Kotaku, and what better time to look back at Parasect, one of the most unsettling Pocket Monsters to date. The Bug/Grass type evolves from Paras, and its name appears to be a portmanteau of “parasite” and “insect.” Hence, Parasect. What makes Parasect so unsettling is that it’s been taken over by…

Animal Crossing Coming To Phones As A Camping Game

Animal Crossing is coming to phones, with Nintendo tonight announcing Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. [Update: We’ve played it, here are some impressions]. As the name might suggest, instead of taking place in a town, Pocket Camp puts you in a campground, where you run around doing chores for animals so you can build furniture and…

The Nintendo Switch Now Supports GameCube Controllers

The recent 4.00 Nintendo Switch update has a secret: It brings GameCube controller support to the Nintendo Switch. By connecting a GameCube controller via the Wii U adapter, the Switch console will now read it, allowing players to use the controller with seemingly any Switch game. Is it too early to start assuming that a…

Fire Emblem Warriors: The Kotaku Review

Playing Fire Emblem Warriors feels a bit like herding a pack of ravenous lions. Countless enemies clash against heroes in glorious combat that mixes strategy and absurdity. It’s occasionally overwhelming but if you can tame the mayhem, the result is beautiful. The new game, which is out on the Switch and New 3DS, is part…

The Deluxe Edition Zelda Encyclopedia Looks Like An NES Cart

Due out in April from Dark Horse, The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia is a 320-page tome covering the characters, places and things from the first 30 years of Nintendo’s RPG series. The newly-revealed $80 deluxe edition looks very familiar. Covered in gold foil paper with embossed, debossed and textured features, the deluxe hardcover edition of…

There’ll be a Nintendo Direct on October 24 at 11pm Eastern, this time for the Animal Crossing mobile game. “There will be no updates on any other topics including other mobile, Nintendo Switch or Nintendo 3DS software,” says Nintendo.

Shin Megami Tensei V Revealed With A Trailer

Today in a livestream, Atlus has announced Shin Megami Tensei V, the latest entry in the Shin Megami Tensei series. The game was teased this past January. Slated for the Switch, Shin Megami Tensei V is set in present day Tokyo, and you can watch the trailer below: This year marks the 25th anniversary of…

Nyko’s Portable Switch Dock Is Great, Provided It Doesn’t Kill Your Console

Earlier this month Nyko released its Portable Switch Docking Kit, a $50 alternative to Nintendo’s official $90 dock. Mine works great, and charging the Switch in tabletop mode is very handy, but a handful of users are reporting the device has killed their console’s charging port. The Switch dock Nyko has released is slightly different…

The Switch’s New Video Capture Function Isn’t Great

Thelatest system software update for the Nintendo Switch added the ability to capture gameplay video, but don’t get too excited. It only works in four games currently, and the results aren’t great. Owners of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, ARMS, and Splatoon 2 can now hold down the…

In Putty Pals, out today for $9.99 on the Switch eShop, a pair of blobs jump, glide, swing and bounce off each other in order to make a treacherous journey home. It’s a clever, lighthearted platformer built for co-op play. If you’re looking for something to play with a friend, it’s an excellent choice.

New Nintendo Switch Update Adds Video Recording, Save Transfers

The newest update for the Nintendo Switch is a surprisingly solid one, adding (or at least half-assing) a bunch of features that owners have been crying out for since the console’s launch earlier this year. First up is the ability to record video. All you do is hold down the screen capture button instead of…

Nintendo Reveals The Truth About Mysterious Famicom Cartridge Holes  

If you’ve ever seen an original Famicom cartridge, you probably wondered what those little holes on the top edge were. Were they ventilation holes? Part of the manufacturing process? Something to put string in? Nintendo has reportedly explained their meaning, saying they’re nothing more than a design element. First released in 1983, the Famicom (and…