It's been a while, was Smash Run always just City Trial?

Other items of note from today's Kirby Air Riders Direct:

We're just out here breaking all the rules today. You don't even have to shake anything to Plasma.

Kirby Air Riders will allow other racers to enjoy the privileges Kirby has enjoyed for more than three decades.

During a demo of Kirby's ability to inhale enemies, it was confirmed that the other available characters will have a functionally identical "Capture" ability to use abilities from monsters that spawn in the environment. The abilities will be tied to the B button rather than the controversial Y button.

A move the game's creator describes as "unfortunate".

In a Nintendo Direct focused purely on the upcoming Kirby Air Riders for Nintendo Switch 2, creator Masahiro Sakurai revealed that the sequel to the Gamecube original would feature a second button function. In addition to the B button which is used for the game's drift mechanic (similarly to A in the original Kirby Air Ride), Y now allows you to use a new charge ability.

The coveted "pre-American Thanksgiving" slot has returned.

We now have a date and a developer for Kirby Air Riders from today's dedicated Direct.

The Direct's last scene showed that the green flag will fall on November 20 for the racing game. It was also confirmed during the Direct that Masahiro Sakurai's Sora Ltd would be reuniting with Bandai Namco (in lieu of HAL Laboratories) to develop Air Riders as well, following the collaboration for the last three Smash Bros. games.

The Dreamcast, independent Sega, crowdfunding for AAA games... Everything Ryo touches dies.

Everything coming to Switch apparently includes Lucky Hit.

Publisher/distributor ININ Games have announced that an enhanced version of 2019's Shenmue III would release on a version of the Switch alongside the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series releases. No date was given but more details are expected at this week's Gamescom event.

Sakurai just cannot resist the siren call of a long show.

The third Nintendo presentation in four weeks has been announced and it's a single game show for something we know little about.

Kirby Air Riders 2 will be getting a dedicated Direct tomorrow (August 19) at 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT. The notice posted in the Nintendo Today app confirmed the show would be 45 minutes long.

Dodged a blue-coin shaped bullet there.

The GameCube library for NSO Expansion Pack subscribers with a Switch 2 is getting another drop next week.

Nintendo posted a trailer tonight for Chibi-Robo revealing the game would be added in an update on August 21. As a reminder, the drop occurs worldwide simultaneously in a way that it should appear the evening of the 20th for North America.

Live from somewhere in the 905.

There shouldn't be any question as to the biggest game of the week - for the first time since Wii U day 1, we can ask if you're ready for some football as Madden NFL 26 comes to Switch 2. Yes, even more than a first party game in Drag x Drive, in Nintendo's relatively inexpensive attempt to try something different with mouse controls on the S2.

153 million consoles + paucity of dev kits = lots of original Switch games.

The original Switch will still be picking up games into next year from independent developers as shown in today's Indie World.

The first Indie World had a few more things come over from the home office in Japan.

Although the Indie World did have an expected focus on original Switch games, some developers were able to secure Switch 2 dev time for games.

So technically, there's 52 games and a demo in here.

Indie World shows are usually known for their shadowdrops and today was no exception as three games will be available shortly.

It's a relative quickie.

Last week partners got the spotlight, and now it's the indie developer's time to shine.

An Indie World presentation has been announced for this Thursday (August 7). Like last week's Partner Showcase, it will air at 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT.

The 15 minute (approx.) presentation will cover releases for both Switch and Switch 2.

The only Switch 2 thing this week is the Drag x Drive trial. Oops, spoilers.

A week that somehow manages to be "not too busy" and "way too much for the first week of August" at the same time leads off with Gradius Origins (as featured in the March Switch 1 Direct), a game whose lasers are needed to take down the final boss of NES Pro Wrestling. For a different form of shooting,... Read more...

One simple number to blame for this: 20500.

The United States is joining Canada in the group of North American countries who will see price increases due to "market conditions", or tariffs.

Nintendo of America issued a statement today that a "price update" would go into effect on Sunday, August 3 for Switch hardware, certain Switch accessories... Read more...

Enjoy the next six months while you can, people who want to crow about the Wii U outselling Switch 2.

Nintendo issued their first fiscal quarterly results of the Switch 2 era this morning, and looks to maintain the momentum of the new system going into the key shopping seasons.

All monetary figures quoted in yen, with a comparison based on current market rate of US$1 = ¥150.345 provided for clarification only.

Party on the Court

During Nintendo's Partner Showcase today it was announced that NBA BOUNCE will be coming to Nintendo Switch on September 26th. The game, developed by Unfinished Pixel and published by Outright Games is an arcade sports title that emphasizes casual and fun basketball matches. You can play the game... Read more...

naaah na na na na na na naaah

After a long stretch of time since the last original title, fans of the Katamari series are being blessed this year with Once Upon A Katamari, a completely new title that was featured in today’s Nintendo Partner Direct. In this game, the King of all Cosmos has casually thrown a scroll through space... Read more...

Reminder: This gets into a Partner Showcase because it's published by Koei Tecmo in Japan.

Although it was a Partner Showcase, there was a trailer for one first party title outside Japan.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment had a trailer in the showcase, showing off the traditional hack-and-slash combat with the Heroes and some of the Tears of the Kingdom-style building. A teaser for what may have been Fi was also shown.

From one of the best board game publishers comes the most extra campfire making sim.

The Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase today had some quirky titles, but Chillin' by the Fire is perhaps one of the strangest showcases for Nintendo's new hardware. Releasing today for Nintendo Switch 2, in Chillin' by the Fire, you can build a campfire to your heart's content. Guide and direct the... Read more...

It's the baby, gotta love it.

The twisted tale of Goodnight Universe got a release date in today's partner showcase.

November 11 will see the launch of the "emotional adventure" on both Switch 2 and Switch. Originally shown in April's Nintendo Direct, the game stars a six month old child with unusual psychic powers.