How ironic that on the week of the Switch's birthday, it's getting the omae wa do shindeiru treatment. (NANI????)

Things we missed last week: Taito's Don Doko Don was the ACA release.

It's the Switch's birthday this week, and surprisingly there isn't a first party game on the list unless you count the Fitness Boxing series. But even the new entry, Fitness Boxing: Fist of the North Star, is self-published by... Read more...

They're actually skipping it, not just "not doing a live dog and pony show" like a decade ago.

Nintendo has officially confirmed news rumored at the end of January: it will not have a presence at the revived E3 expo.

In a statement to VentureBeat, Nintendo said "We approach our involvement in any event on a case-by-case basis and are always considering various ways to engage with our fans.... Read more...

So now we get children's card games, does Scorch season bring card games ON MOTORCYCLES?

Details are rolling out for the "Fresh" season of Splatoon 3, which will include a new major functionality.

It has been announced that the promised update for online Tableturf card battles will be included with the update due around March 1. Lobbies appear to hold up to eight players, though the games are still 1v1.

And some bug fixes.

A new update has been announced for space exploration game, No Man's Sky which released on Nintendo Switch last year. The Fractal update will bring Nexus missions to the Switch version for the first time. Previously this feature was only partially available on Switch preventing users from completing... Read more...

This time it's on paper, but it still requires Microsoft to spend a nearly-nice amount of money.

It's official - if Microsoft acquires Activision Blizzard King, Nintendo platforms will get Call of Duty day and date.

Microsoft president Brad Smith announced the agreement's formal signature late last night, calling it a "binding 10 year legal agreement" for the popular nationalist shooter series to be on Nintendo systems day and date with Xbox platforms. The deal reportedly contains "full feature and content parity".

20 minutes seems like a lot of time, but it's the same as we got last year.

The 27th anniversary of Pokemon is not getting marked quietly.

A Pokemon Presents video has been announced for Monday, February 27 at 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT / 1500 CET. It will run for about 20 minutes.

A similar announcement in 2022 included the reveal of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, plus updates for Pokemon Legends: Arceus and Pokemon Go.

The main thing that sucks is that I don't know when I'll get to any of the games coming out this week.

Things we missed last week: The Archives title was Namco's Grobda. Also, the Bill and Ted "collection" (NES game, Game Boy game) dropped from Limited Run Games on Friday for prices all ending in .69 (dude!), and as to whether that's worth it for two LJN games... well, that's your call. I mean, this... Read more...

Remember, it is pronounced "tah-TAY".

Tetris Effect Connected is loading up all versions ahead of its release on another platform next week, including a feature only feasible on Switch.

The 2021 release will add four new modes to the game next week: "Zone Marathon", "Classic Score Attack", "Endless Master", and "Endless Purity". The update will come around the game's February 23 release as a launch title for the PlayStation 5's virtual reality add-on.

Version 1.2: Random Poke Balls and busted Tera Raids out, more options for boxes in.

Details have emerged for the next major patch for the fastest selling game in Nintendo history.

Scheduled for release "later this month" (February), early patch notes indicate version 1.2 will add fixes to the following functions:

If they keep removing info from the release we'll have to bring my Pointless friend Richard in for the proceedings.

The monthly sales survey from the NPD Group has ended a six year tradition with the January report.

All rankings/data based on dollar sales in the United States from January 1 - 28; third parties may elect to contribute eShop sales data as applicable.

The first hardware race of the year went... Read more...

The line at this bar will eventually get you 300+ varieties of liquor, including three "One Winged Angel"s.

Things we missed last week: Card-based puzzler Magical Speed enters the Archives, I successfully called my shot on a Direct which brought WBSC eBaseball - POWER PROS - and Metroid Prime: Remastered, and speaking of 10s Novectacle (The House in Fata Morgana) have released a game called Seventh Lair... Read more...

Another Apple Arcade exclusive comes to Switch!

Having previously released as an Apple Arcade exclusive in 2020, PixelJunk Scrappers will be making its way to Nintendo Switch as PixelJunk Scrappers Delux later this year. Players take on the role of a team of trash collectors in a near-future, sci-fi setting. The Switch release will feature local... Read more...

Retro Studios led the charge on the remake of their 2002 release, but a variety of outsourcing companies also helped with development as well.

The surprise announcement and release of Metroid Prime Remastered during the Nintendo Direct on February 8 brought up a few questions alongside the delight of the shadowdrop. Retro Studios was announced as the developer of the remaster, but what does that mean for the development of Metroid Prime 4, which Retro started development on around early 2019.

Wait, there's MORE?

Other news items from today's Nintendo Direct:

Boy, this is an awfully good day for DS games we thought we'd never see again.

A DS adventure classic will be returning to Nintendo systems after more than a decade this summer.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, the 2010 DS game directed by Ace Attorney series lead Shu Takumi, will be remastered for a Switch release this summer.

The original game involves playing as a ghost who has to discover not only their memories following their death, but also who was responsible for their death.

Persona Q and Persona Q2 are back on the menu?

A trio of games thought trapped on the DS due to their controls will live on in Switch form.

Atlus has announced that the first three Etrian Odyssey dungeon-mapping RPGs will come to Switch on June 1. Each game will be sold individually for US$39.99/C$52.99, or the trilogy will be sold in one package for US$79.99/C$105.99.

One of these is brand new, while the other's been around for a while.

A couple of Nintendo's biggest sellers have confirmed DLC details today.

Splatoon 3 has announced their plans for paid downloadable content, which will come in the form of an expansion pass scheduled to be available for preorder today. The first part will be available in March and consists of an... Read more...

You can finally engage Camilla.

Revealed in today's Nintendo Direct, Hector from Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, Soren from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, and Camilla from Fire Emblem: Fates are all joining the cast of legacy characters in Fire Emblem Engage. Players who have purchased the Expansion Pass will be able to play a chapter from their respective games and unlock their abilities as Emblems in the full game.

One of these shouldn't be a surprise if you follow Nintendo Directs.

In addition to Metroid Prime, other items released during today's Nintendo Direct:

Donald's not done Xenoblade 3 yet and you're dropping two Monolith JRPGs at once?

The last major series from MonolithSoft before their acquisition by Nintendo is coming to Switch in the summer.

Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean (2003) and Baten Kaitos Origins (2006) will be remastered for Switch release this summer. The original was published by pre-Bandai Namco, but Origins and the remastered collection are published by Nintendo.