The Blog

Today, SQUARE ENIX revealed new details regarding the overarching story and key characters featured in the upcoming role-playing game DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: The Dark Prince. Additionally, fans of the closely connected DRAGON QUEST IV: The Chapters of the Chosen story will also see the return of several iconic locations throughout Psaro’s adventure to becoming the Master of Monsterkind. DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: The Dark Prince launches worldwide on December 1, 2023, exclusively on Nintendo Switch.

Offering fans an alternate depiction of the events during DRAGON QUEST IV: The Chapters of the Chosen, DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: The Dark Prince explores the untold story from the perspective of Psaro himself, the enigmatic prince of monsterkind, who swears revenge against the ruthless and cruel Master of Monsterkind, Randolfo the Tyrant.

Psaro’s mother, Miriam, is a human and his father is the Master of Monsterkind, Randolfo the Tyrant, making Psaro the demi-human prince of Nadiria, the monster world. Sadly, Miriam is gravely ill, and Psaro ventures into Nadiria to ask his father to cure her sickness. Randolfo rejects his pleas outright and proceeds to curse Psaro so that he may never harm a creature of monster blood directly, kicking off Psaro’s quest to take revenge against his father’s cruelty and rule over Nadiria himself.

Key figures players will meet throughout Psaro’s adventure in DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: The Dark Prince, include the following:

Randolfo the Tyrant, The Uncompromising Ruler of All Nadiria: Psaro’s imposing father, his archnemesis and the Master of Monsterkind. He has governed the chaos of Nadiria for many years with an iron fist.

Dolph the Destroyer, Nadiria’s Most Vicious General: Randolfo the Tyrant’s eldest son, rumoured to be the most powerful fighter in all Nadiria. Possessed of unmatched strength, he is widely believed to be his father’s chosen successor to the Nadirian throne.

The Zenith Dragon, The All-Seeing Dragon God: The Dragon God who watches all-knowingly over the world’s affairs from Zenithia, a castle in the clouds.

Healie, A Boy in Search of an Old Friend: A naïve young boy who travels the world in search of a long-lost companion. He didn’t always look like this though…

Ludo, An Elusive and Enigmatic Youth: A mysterious young man with a penchant for peculiar poetry. He has a habit of appearing in unexpected places and seems to know Psaro all too well…

Percival, Army Captain Devoted to His King: An army captain who is fiercely loyal to his liege lord and will carry out even the most barbaric orders without a second thought.

General Chayne, Trusted Keeper of Diabolic Hall: Keeper of the fortress known as Diabolic Hall. This hardened warrior seeks to use his immense power to stop Psaro from achieving his ambition.

Miriam, Psaro’s Sick Mother: Psaro’s human mother. She lives in the human world of and has come down with a mysterious illness.

The Chosen Heroes of DQIV: In DQIV, the Chosen Heroes set out to stop Psaro and end his cruel ambitions in order to save the world. It would seem their actions will influence this story too, and judging from their grim expressions, the threat they face is surely a dire one…

Players will also be able to visit memorable locations from DRAGON QUEST IV: The Chapters of the Chosen. As to the role these locations play in the story, players will have to find that out for themselves! Some of these settings include:

Rosehill: Psaro’s base of operations is the sleepy village of Rosehill, where monsters and dwarves live together in harmony. It may be small, but Rosehill is home to shops and a church, as well as the Altar of Amalgamation and a paddock where monsters can relax. It’s the perfect place for a budding monster wrangler to blossom.

Diabolic Hall: The monster stronghold.

Zenithia: Where the Zenith Dragon observes the world.

Several other locations from DQIV will also feature prominently!

DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: The Dark Prince is now available for digital pre-orders and pre-purchase exclusively for Nintendo Switch via the Square Enix official store and at retail. Players who pre-order or pre-purchase the game will also receive the Head Start Set which includes:

• Stardust Earrings x1
• Scholar’s Specs x1
• Bonus Ball x5

Gotham Knights originally released for PC/Xbox/PlayStation back in October of last year. The game saw rather modest reviews, and a lukewarm public reception. It’s clear the game didn’t find much of an audience when it first launched, but it seems it might soon get a second chance on Switch.

The Singapore Ratings Board has just added a listing for Gotham Knights, and Switch is mentioned among the platforms. We’ve certainly learned about games heading to Switch via ratings boards in the past, and that could again be the case here. That said, this could also be an error in the listing itself, so we’ll keep an eye out for updates.

Gotham Knights is an open-world, action RPG set in the most dynamic and interactive Gotham City yet. Patrol Gotham’s five distinct boroughs in solo or in co-op and drop in on criminal activity wherever you find it.

UPDATE: Gotham Knights has also been rated for Switch release by the ESRB.

UPDATE 2: Gotham Knights has also been rated for Switch release in South Korea.

Nintendo has really been leaning into storytelling with their commercials lately, giving us unique perspectives on the people who play their games and what the various franchises mean to them. Today is another example of this approach, and the focus in Mario.

Less than one month away from Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s release, Nintendo has shared a commercial that highlights the various classic Mario games you can play through a Switch Online subscription. Not only have these games stood the test of time, they also hold a lot of great memories for adult players around the world.

If you’ve never played some of these timeless Mario adventures, now would be a great time to do so. Jump in and see what made these 2D classics so beloved, and then take that knowledge with you into Super Mario Bros. Wonder next month!

Following the release of the original game earlier this year, Cyber Citizen Shockman 2: A New Menace makes its way to Nintendo Switch today. The TurboGrafx-16 game is available on the Switch eShop for $5.99.

Initially released in 1992, Cyber Citizen Shockman 2: A New Menace is bringing its nostalgic flavor of platform action to consoles.

Join bionic heroes Arnold and Sonya on their mission to defend the world from an alien invasion. Jump, fly and blast your way through levels full of robotic alien baddies, take down epic bosses, and save your allies from the clutches of evil.

Key Features

• Platform action shooting gameplay
• Co-op 2-player mode
• Battle huge bosses
• Different shader options to adjust how the game looks!
• Sequel to Cyber Citizen Shockman

ESDigital Games and Lofty Sky Entertainment are delighted to announce that they have embarked on a long-term publishing partnership - beginning with the console release of the stunning graphic novel adventure Shuyan Saga. The game will be coming to Switch today!

Set in an ancient Chinese martial arts fantasy universe, Shuyan Saga tells the tale of rebellious Princess Shuyan, who embarks on a life-changing journey to become a true disciple of Kung Fu, and to stop the evil Guer horde from destroying the Five Kingdoms.

With Canadian actress Kristin Kreuk (Smallville, Beauty and the Beast) taking on the starring role of Shuyan, Shuyan Saga tells an authentic kung fu story through over 1,400 gorgeous art panels coupled with thrilling 3D action combat - featuring over 300 combat animations, referenced from motion captured Kung-Fu techniques of Shifu Longfei Yang, Master of the Shanxi Praying Mantis Style.

The Shuyan Saga experience is further bolstered by beautifully illustrated panels from Chinese comic book master Daxiong, known for his work on Dark Horse’s Star Wars comic and Justice League for DC, among others! Daxiong’s stunning artwork is perfectly matched by the game’s original soundtrack, composed by award-winning composer Aaron Tsang.

Shuyan Saga was originally released for PC, iOS and Android platforms in 2017, and has now been re-imagined for the console release - featuring optimised combat controls and support for a number of additional languages, including French, Italian, German, Spanish, Brazilian, and Korean.

Water, earth, fire, air… these elements are yours to command when Avatar: The Last Airbender: Quest for Balance launches on Switch today.. Experience the epic adventure of the award-winning, original Nickelodeon series Avatar: The Last Airbender, as you join Aang on his journey to master the elements in this solo and co-op action-adventure game.

Relive unforgettable moments from the Avatar series while navigating fun and challenging puzzles based on the four elements. Explore key locations across the four nations as you interact with iconic characters, complete side quests, upgrade your abilities, and defeat the adversaries from the Fire Nation. Made with family play in mind, journey solo or together in exciting two-player local and online co-op as nine different characters.

Key Features

• Embrace Your Destiny and experience Aang’s original adventure. Replay any of the 18 thrilling chapters whenever you choose to relive your favorite moments from the series.
• Explore the World of Avatar as you travel to the four corners of the elemental lands solo, or in local and online co-op, as nine different playable characters, including Aang, Toph, Sokka, and Katara.
• Master the Elements by completing complex puzzles utilizing bending and the unique abilities of water, earth, fire, and air.
• Restore Balance to the World by using your upgradable elemental abilities and a mix of bending-based combos to defeat the adversarial soldiers of the Fire Nation.

Today, Merge Games and IMC Toys have announced that ‘Cry Babies Magic Tears: The Big Game’ is making its way to Switch today.

With more than 4.5 million loyal fans and 10M+ units sold in the last 2 years, ‘Cry Babies’ is one of the best-selling toy ranges for young girls in Europe and USA. The beloved animated series, now on its sixth season, boasts more than 5.2+ billion views across YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and a host of local stations and streaming platforms worldwide.

Physical versions of ‘Cry Babies Magic Tears: The Big Game’ will also be heading to all good retailers including Signature Edition Games for Nintendo Switch.

Your favorite ‘Cry Babies’ characters are ready to play! ‘The Big Game’ is a friendly and fun adventure perfect for young players. Join Lady, Coney, Dreamy and friends in an all-new adventure as they take part in an exciting tournament around multi worlds inspired on Cry Babies series to win the fabled Golden Pacifier. Each victory takes them to a new world from their popular animated series.

From Baby Bottle Valley to Fantasy Mountain, Tutti Frutti Bay, Icy World and finally to a new planet, Planet Tear! Along the way they’ll play hide and seek, dance, dress up, explore mazes and solve puzzles. They can even stop to take a bath! Despite the glittering prize, the Cry Babies always work together to help each other succeed!

Whateverland, the hand-drawn, point-and-click adventure game from Caligari Games, was originally slated to launch for Switch in 2022. For whatever reason, that never came to be. The good news is that the game has finally arrived on Switch as of today. You can even try out a free demo as well!

Whateverland, a world where morally grey souls are banished and transformed in a darkly comical way into forms befitting their souls’ selfish desires, ends up being the perfect place for professional thief Vincent. Stranded in this weird place, Vincent must seek an escape out of a makeshift society full of people no one would ever (willingly) get a drink with alongside a newfound–and not-so-helpful–sidekick Nick.

Discover new puzzles, storylines, and endings with nonlinear progression. Branching narratives and a morality system stretch beyond the bounds of good and evil with lots of grey to play with. Vincent’s skills as a thief can help get what he needs or wants, but at a potentially steep price. Vincent’s choices lead him down different paths containing more than 20 mini-games, with not all of them discoverable on a single playthrough.

Lead a team of small bug-like creatures that spawned from burned books, called the Bookashes, each bearing different abilities in battle to score a goal before the other team in Bell and Bones, an easy-to-learn hexagonal grid strategy game that’s popular in the world of Whateverland. Thanks to the Kickstarter’s reaching its stretch goal, fans who can’t get enough of this game-within-a-game can enjoy a standalone version at a later date.

The Whateverland experience combines a number of familiar influences, including point-and-click adventure classics and the best titles from the genre’s modern revival, with entirely hand-drawn art inspired by masters of the bizarre such as Tim Burton. Experience each storyline and mini-game with fully-voiced English language dialogue, told to the sound of an original jazz and polka inspired soundtrack performed and recorded by a sextet.

The highly-anticipated sequel to the hilarious and action-packed beat’em up game featuring Bud Spencer and Terence Hill, slaps its way to Switch today.

The iconic movie duo’s humor and chemistry are perfectly captured in this new, fully dubbed adventure, delivering a nostalgic experience for fans and newcomers alike. With an improved combat system mimicking their hilarious fistfights, a dedicated party mode, cooperative puzzles, and the original soundtrack from movie composers Oliver Onions, slaps and laughs are guaranteed!

The new episode includes many great features:

• A brand-new, explosive & ludicrous story adventure
• Enhanced combat system: Both heroes now have signature abilities and unique power-ups
• Anything can be a weapon! You can now use objects from the environment to beat the daylight out of enemies.
• The story can be enjoyed with your bud(dy) in 2-player couch co-op
• Tons of competitive minigames are included throughout the story to break up the pace
• The dedicated party game mode (minigames only) for up to 4 players lets you compete and chase those high scores
• Beautiful, hand-drawn pixel art for pixel-perfect slapping
• New music from Oliver Onions, the original movie composer, to harmonize with the sound of slapping
• Neither dumb nor mute: The game now includes voice dubbing in English, Italian, German and Spanish
• And lots of beans (and bananas)

Farmland, a title from Homa, is launching on Switch today. The title arrives with a limited-time 60% discount, dropping the price all the way down to $2.

Take care of the plants, watch them grow and harvest the crops! Your quest is simple… sow the seeds, harvest the crops, sell your products to the merchants and expand your farm to become the best farmer you can be!

Take part in other very satisfying activities. Go fishing, milk all the cows, shear the sheep and much more! If you need a little help on the farm, invite a friend to play together on the split screen! Put on your funny skins, hop on your bikes and share the responsibilities.

When is Stardew Valley going to get its long-in-development Ver. 1.6 update? We don’t have an answer to that, but we do have the latest tease in a long string of hints at what’s to come.

Stardew Valley developer ConcernedApe took to X to share the screenshot above, which is definitely a sneak peek at something planned for the game’s Ver. 1.6 update. Absolutely no details were shared alongside this image, leaving fans to speculate wildly.

Some Stardew Valley diehards think this money-hungry parrot is tied to “JojaMart” and “Ginger Island,” but that’s all conjecture at this point. Hopefully fans get to find out what’s up with this bird in the very near future, and we also learn just when the Ver. 1.6 update will drop.

Those holding out for the physical release of Pikmin 1+ 2 on Switch, your day has arrived. While the titles have been available digitally, you can now head to retailers to snag both games in one packaged release.

Reintroduce yourself to the plantlike Pikmin and strategic gameplay that this charming series is rooted in. From finding a way home to collecting treasure, Olimar (plus Louie in the Pikmin 2 game) must partner with a parade of Pikmin to survive the harshest of conditions. Both games support optional motion controls for more options when guiding your floral friends.

Meet Captain Olimar and a capable cast of red, blue, and yellow Pikmin on a dire mission across a larger-than-life planet. Olimar must guide his loveably-leafy companions through obstacles, in battle, and when collecting his missing ship parts. Your oxygen will only last 30 days, but the Pikmin provide a glimmer of hope that you may make it home.

Swap between Olimar and Louie to divide and conquer in Pikmin 2. Tasked with helping pay off their employer’s debt, the pint-sized pair teams up with Pikmin (including purple and white Pikmin) to collect treasure on, you guessed it, a strange planet. Time ticks away on the surface, but cave systems let you take your time to let your strategy blossom.

• Play the first two Pikmin™ games on the Nintendo Switch™ system and revisit original Pikmin plucking gameplay
• Grow and guide the loveable Pikmin and explore a strange world in two different adventures
• Meet the Pikmin and use their miniature might to collect your ship pieces and return home in the Pikmin™ game
• Swap between Olimar and Louie and meet pluck more Pikmin on a treasure hunt in the Pikmin™ 2 game
• Both games support optional motion controls for another way to grow and guide your plantlike platoon

In Air Twister, get ready to experience the exhilarating 3D shooter crafted by the legendary game designer Yu Suzuki, the mastermind behind Shenmue, Space Harrier, Virtua Fighter, and Out Run. Immerse yourself in a symphony of classic gameplay and a mesmerizing soundtrack and transport to Yu Suzuki’s creative worlds. Today brings us a new look at how Air Twister is coming along, thanks to a TGS 2023 presentation. You can watch the entire stage segment for the game above.

Air Twister is Yu Suzuki’s return to his arcade roots: an easy-to-learn, pick-up-and-play shooter with an inspired design and an extraordinary soundtrack by symphonic rock legend Valensia, who contributed a truly out-of-this-world soundtrack that has never been heard before in a video game.

Air Twister also presents quirky and unique moments that you will not find in any other contemporary game. There’s just something special about fighting a huge glowing space squid from the back of an armored flying fish while, at the same time, a lush glam rock solo reaches its crescendo. “Air Twister” is a game that has to be seen and played and heard to be believed!

The game consists of 12 differently designed stages, full of novel enemies and huge boss monsters that you fight with five weapons while speeding through highly detailed and imaginative 3D worlds. With each playthrough, you unlock more features and gameplay items to help you in future attempts.

From a technical perspective, Air Twister presents fast, detailed, and lovingly crafted 3D graphics based on the “Unreal” engine. Princess Arch moves automatically through the 3D landscapes while being surrounded by strange enemies and tons of fancy graphics effects.

Publisher Nexon, and developers Neople, Arc System Works, and Eighting have announced Battle Mage, a new DLC character heading to DNF DUEL. Battle Mage is voiced by Nanami Yamashita and she’ll make her in-game debut sometime in December 2023.

Prepare to encounter the brilliant and noble goddess of war, the guardian of light and justice. Immerse yourself in the captivating origins of elemental power with Battle Mage!

DNF Duel flawlessly reinterprets the iconic classes from the classic Dungeon and Fighter RPG. Whether it’s the lightning-fast and flashy gunshots of the sly Ranger or the uninhibited raw power of the frenzied Berserker, each character’s iconic traits have been heightened and reworked.

First 4 Figures is back with another statue for Banjo-Kazooie fans, and this one focuses on a transformation that’s absolutely perfect for the current season.

One of the many transformations Banjo and Kazooie undergo in the original game is turning into an adorable Pumpkin in Mad Monster Mansion. This transformation lacks notable attacks or abilities, but its small size enables it to enter narrow passages that would typically be inaccessible to Banjo and Kazooie.

First 4 Figures proudly presents their latest resin collectible, Pumpkin Banjo! This is the fourth “transformation” statue to release in the Banjo-Kazooie™ lineup. The base of Pumpkin Banjo replicates the skull plinth that Banjo steps on for Mumbo to perform his transformation magic on the duo.

Banjo-Kazooie™ - Pumpkin Banjo includes:

• High-quality resin statue of Banjo in Pumpkin form
• Swirling blue and yellow Mumbo magic
• Skull plinth replica base
• Limited edition numbering
• Authentication card

You can pre-order the First 4 Figures Banjo-Kazooie ‘Pumpkin Banjo’ statue for $245 through this link. The statue is set to ship out sometime in Q3 2024.