Nintendo

The Switch Gets An Excellent 2D Zelda Clone Today

Nintendo has not yet released a two-dimensional Zelda game for the Switch, but Blossom Tales is as close as you’re gonna get. If you’re looking for a new action-adventure to scratch that Link to the Past itch, this one’s for you. Blossom Tales, which came out for Steam earlier this year but is now on…

Nintendo Power Comes Back In Podcast Form

Nintendo Power magazine ceased publishing at the end of 2012. It was a nostalgic time full of sad goodbyes and fond memories. Its last cover was even a call-back to the first issue, where Mario pounds his fist triumphantly into the air while standing on a mushroom. But today, on the five-year anniversary of its…

Breath Of The Wild iMessage Stickers Make Texting An Adventure

There is nothing you have to say that cannot be said with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s new animated iMessage stickers. Released today on iTunes for $1.99, the official Breath of the Wild sticker set features 24 animations to use in place of ponderous words while texting with your friends or loved…

Wii U Games, Ranked By Probability Of Switch Ports

After Zelda, Mario Kart, Pokken, and now Bayonetta, which Wii U games will end up on Nintendo Switch next? Here are the most (and least) likely suspects. Nintendo hasn’t been shy about porting its Wii U games to Switch, and for good reason: Wii U had a few excellent games, but it was also the…

Breath of the Wild‘s DLC Boss Has A Funny Weakness

Breath of the Wild’s new DLC focuses on Hyrule’s past, telling stories of Link’s companions and the ancient world that came before them. The final boss, a centuries old foe, has a surprising weakness. The Champions’ Ballad’s final challenge is a boss fight against Monk Maz Koshia. The ancient Sheikah tribe warrior employs a variety…

Dragon Quest Builders comes to the Switch on February 9. The Minecraft-style building RPG was one of several Kotaku writers’ favorite games of 2016, and we’re ready to play it all over again in 2018.

Splatoon Player Becomes A Ninja Squid

In last night’s Splatoon 2 exhibition match between Eclipse and Saikai on InkTV, one squid decided to hide and wait in ink, until the perfect moment came to spring their trap. Saikai was pushing up on Eclipse’s turf with the Rainmaker when, as their teammates fell, Eclipse player “10sion” dove into the safety of their…

Splatoon 2’s Lobby Ain’t What It Used To Be

Splatoon 2’s hub world of Inkopolis is a place to relax, try out new gear, and share awesome art. When the game launched in July, it was a metropolis brimming with positive illustrations. Five months later, it looks like a shitpost disaster town. The quality of art in Splatoon 2 has long been dependent on…

New Ocarina of Time Glitch Lets Players Roll Through Fire and Water Temple

Throughout Link’s adventure in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time he must find new tunics in order to survive the extreme heat and cold. These items have been considered essential for completing dungeons, but speedrunners have found a risky way to never use them thanks to a new glitch. In order to survive the…

The Nintendo Switch Gave Me Back My Video Games

For the longest time it felt as though video games were growing up with me. When I was a kid, video games felt like they were for kids. They were platform games with furry animal mascots. They were as vibrant and sugary as the cordial I guzzled whilst playing them. Even zeitgeist games like Street…

The Switch’s Screen Is Great For Pinball

Zen Studios’ Pinball FX 3 might not look as good on the Switch as it does on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, but neither of them play the long game like this. Zen’s community-driven video game pinball platform made its Switch debut this week. The latest iteration of Pinball FX allows players to earn…

New Clam Blitz Mode Highlights The Best and Worst of Splatoon 2

While Clam Blitz is very fun, it’s hampered by Splatoon 2‘s glaring flaws. Clam Blitz, which was added to Splatoon 2 today, isn’t complicated to play, but is confusing to explain. In this game mode, you have to pick up golden clams that are scattered across the map and put them in the enemy’s basket.…

Zelda Breath Of The Wild’s Newest DLC, According To Nintendo Switch Players

Switch owners are sharing all sorts of hilarious clips of the new Champions’ Ballad DLC on social media through the built-in video capture feature. As always, there are some kick ass Breath of the Wild moments, alternative shrine solutions, and a bevy of Hyrule hijinks. Here are some of our favorite clips and GIFs. Bike…

Switch Accessory Turns Your Joy-Cons Into A Very Good Dog

When the Nintendo Switch was revealed last year, one of the most significant observations was how much the Charging Grip with a pair of Joy-Cons attached looked like a robot dog. Hyperkin’s Pupper Switch controller attachment follows that line of thinking to its adorable conclusion. Pupper is a charging controller grip, so players can slide…

Mario And Bowser Get Along Much Better As Build-A-Bears

Look at those smiling faces. They’ve had their difference in the past, but now they’ve bonded over the shared trauma of being stuffed and sold to children at the mall. Bowser and Mario join Yoshi, Toad, Luigi and Peach in Build-A-Bear’s new Super Mario collection this weekend. If you’d rather order online, you can get…

The State Of The Nintendo Switch In 2017

For all the video game industry’s noisy hype about groundbreaking technology, it’s still rare that a device comes along and actually breaks new ground. In just nine months, the Nintendo Switch has done just that. The world of games feels different now than it did one year ago. In the summer of 2016, the Switch,…

Breath of the Wild‘s Champions’ Ballad DLC Hides A Ton of Secret Dialogue

In Breath of the Wild’s main game, you don’t get to see much of Mipha, Revali, Urbosa, or Daruk. If you play through the new DLC, The Champions’ Ballad, you do get some new cutscenes,though it still might not feel like enough. Turns out, you can challenge the Divine Beasts again in the DLC for…

An Infamous Creepypasta That Explored The Dark Side Of Pokémon Fandom

By now finding a “haunted” cartridge is a scary video game story cliche, but one series in sells the tale better than the rest. Pokémon’s piracy problem, coupled with fan’s’ hunger to see a mature monster-collecting game allowed “Pokémon Black” to become one of the most famous Pokémon creepypasta to ever dwell on the internet.…

The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild: The Champions’ Ballad: The Kotaku Review

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s second piece of downloadable content, The Champions’ Ballad, is a distillation of everything the game does well. Its collection of puzzle shrines holds some of the most inspired moments of the series, culminating in a wonderfully complex final dungeon. It is a strong end to the DLC…

Why Some Video Games Are In Danger of Disappearing Forever

Years of neglect are eroding gaming history. Cartridges rot in garages, companies hoard demos that they will never release, and obscure titles fade into the ether. Some games may even be lost forever. What is happening? The biggest threat to game preservation is the degradation of physical media. Over time, game data and features literally…