GameCube games coming exclusively to the Switch 2's exclusive online library is one of the best features of the new console. To make those membership costs just that little bit easier, UK retailer ShopTo has NSO at 35% off right now. As you get your Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in, this is an absolute bonus bargain to consider.

While some Nintendo Classics catalogues are unlocked with the base online subscription, you'll also need the Expansion Pack to play GameCube titles on Nintendo Switch 2. What's more, while you can subscribe to a monthly model for just Nintendo Switch Online, the Expansion Pack is only available on the 12-month plan, so make a note when purchasing.

While not every character is getting the time they deserve this season, The Wheel of Time is doing an excellent job of combining plots from several of Robert Jordan’s books to keep the action moving while further weaving together the heroes as they grow as people together. Case in point: “The Shadow in the Night,” in which an old friend returns to lead a raunchy musical number while the Forsaken fight amongst themselves. It’s an episode that uses major tone shifts to great dramatic effect.

I’ve been critical of how much attention has been paid to Liandrin thus far, but I did enjoy the opening of “The Shadow in the Night,” which shows how the Aes Sedai pledged herself to Ishamael out of sheer desperation. Combined with Lanfear’s supposed interest in breaking her oaths, the examination of choice and redemption makes the villains a bit more sympathetic. It also demonstrates the strength of one of the season’s new characters, Faile, who showed her strength by fleeing when her parents tried to recruit her to join the Dark. (The other Liandrin-related piece of “The Shadow of the Night” I enjoyed is how little her costume changes in her dream of being Amyrlin – she’s Red Ajah to her core.)

The Wheel of Time has some very powerful villains, but they all have their own agendas. That’s giving the heroes a bit of an edge as two of the five Black Ajah in Tanchico die due to infighting this week. Moghedien is pulling the exact same trick that Siuan Sanche did with Min, disguising herself as a servant to go ignored among Aes Sedai since they’re just as arrogant in Tanchico as they were in Tar Valon. Her performance is too over the top, but I appreciate the symmetry in the plots.

Perrin’s storyline is the weakest part of this season, but that’s only partially the show’s fault: The character often feels like he’s too far from the real action in the books, too. But it’s not all bad: Hopefully Perrin hooking up with Faile will stop him from brooding about his wife’s death, putting an end to the worst plot invented for the show. Perrin revealing that the Horn of Valere has already been found by unveiling a goofy drawing of Mat is a great callback to the season 3 premiere, and much better than the way that information is shared in the books, where he actively hides the fact that Faile’s quest has already been completed. This section of the story also promises to pick up some steam soon with the return of Padan Fain, who has been one of the show’s best villains thanks to Johann Myers’ deeply off-putting performance.

Also making an exciting reappearance this episode is gleeman Thom Merrilin, one of the standout characters of season 1. Thom is hilariously desperate to avoid being swept up in the antics of a ta’veren but forced to intervene when he sees the daughter-heir of Andor is in trouble. It’s not surprising that Elayne would know how to sing; it's more shocking that she proves her skill by performing the local equivalent of “Baby Got Back”: “The Hills of Tanchico,” a raunchy tune that gets all the ladies in the bar jiggling their breasts. The Wheel of Time has done well by taking a page from The Witcher and breaking up its epic fantasy with a rousing, catchy musical number.

The whimsy of that scene provides a brutal contrast to what happens to Elayne and Nynaeve next, as Moghedien traps them in her web with compulsion. Zoë Robins and Ceara Coveney do a great job selling the spell’s power by dissolving into giddy giggles as they divulge all their deepest secrets to the Forsaken. It’s especially tragic for Nynaeve, who voices a revelation about hating her power that would be really important for her character growth if she could remember it.

Rand might be an outsider among the Aiel, but his interest in farming is genuine and his continued bonding with Alsera over her squashes helps charm Avienda. Rand’s guide may have been showing her contempt for her job by letting him break etiquette by grabbing Alsera’s tiny spear, but Rand comes out looking good, showing he’s learned the way to properly make amends. It’s an incredibly sweet scene that makes the tragedy at the end of the episode even more agonizing.

Egwene and Rand finally find a time to chat about their doomed relationship and Lanfear in a phenomenal demonstration of contrast between the two characters. Egwene shines throughout “The Shadow in the Night” as she demonstrates her relentless determination: She lies to the Aiel Wise Ones about being an Aes Sedai, and responds to almost being killed by Lanfear by immediately restarting her dream-control exercises. But she really unleashes on Rand, who stoically accepts her fury and explains his realization that even though he might be the most powerful and important man in the world, he’ll still never be enough for Egwene.

The touching moment and the building fury Rand feels when he learns what Lanfear’s been doing to Egwene is interrupted by an attack led by Samael, presumably the surprise Lanfear told Moiraine about earlier in the episode. When the Forsaken were all set free at the end of season 2, I was worried that some of them wouldn’t be given the attention they deserve, and that’s the case here. Samael is easily dealt with once Rand finally gets to unleash some of his power.

While the Aiel don’t blame Rand for Alsera’s accidental death, the child was a rare source of joy for Rand. He’s desperate to believe the Dragon Reborn should be able to fix anything, and seeing him acknowledge his limits is heartbreaking. It’s a testament to Josha Stradowski’s acting abilities how well he alternates between the brink of mania and cold acceptance. When Rand asked about Moiraine’s vision of Rhuidiean, all he really wanted to know about was who he might kill. This death will likely just further his belief that he’s too dangerous to be around.

Lord of the Rings legend Elijah Wood is arguably one of the most famous faces in all of fantasy filmmaking because of Peter Jackson’s beloved adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel series. But according to the actor, his iconic performance didn’t exactly yield the big bucks.

“Because we weren’t making one movie and then renegotiating a contract for the next, it wasn’t the sort of lucrative scenario that you could sort of rest easy for the rest of your life,” Wood recently told Business Insider at the 2025 Texas Film Awards.

The actor also noted that the company who made the picture, New Line Cinema, took “a real gamble” by shooting all three films back to back — but that risk was only made possible by offering the cast “not massive salaries.”

Mario Kart World will launch with at least 60 different playable characters and outfits when it releases on June 5th, 2025.

We recently got hands-on time with the Switch 2 launch game, and you can check out our impressions of Mario Kart World here. As part of playing it, we got a good look at the character select screens and noted down all of the starting drivers and the alternate looks for each. Here they are:

• Mario
• Luigi
• Peach
• Daisy
• Yoshi
• Toad
• Bowser
• Koopa Troopa
• Wario
• Waluigi
• Rosalina
• Pauline
• Donkey Kong
• Shy Guy
• King Boo
• Birdo
• Baby Mario
• Baby Luigi
• Baby Peach
• Baby Daisy
• Baby Rosalina
• Bowser Jr.
• Toadette
• Lakitu
• Dry Bones
• Goomba
• Nabbit
• Wiggler
• Hammer Bro
• Cow
• Mario (All-Terrain)
• Mario (Cowboy)
• Luigi (Pro Racer)
• Luigi (Gondolier)
• Peach (Touring)
• Peach (Yukata)
• Daisy (Swimwear)
• Daisy (Oasis)
• Bowser (All-Terrain)
• Yoshi (Food Slinger)
• Yoshi (Matsuri)
• Toad (Burger Bud)
• Toadette (Soft Server)
• Donkey Kong (All-Terrain)
• Bowser (Biker)
• Bowser Jr. (Biker Jr.)
• Koopa Troopa (Runner)
• Lakitu (Fisherman)
• Pauline (Aero)
• Rosalina (Pro Racer)
• Waluigi (Mariachi)
• Wario (Biker)
• Birdo (Vacation)
• Shy Guy (Slope Styler)
• Baby Mario (Swimwear)
• Baby Luigi (Work Crew)
• Baby Rosalina (Sailor)
• Baby Daisy (Explorer)
• Baby Peach (Touring)
• King Boo (Aristocrat)

Quite the list! Looks like we'll be doing a lot of racing (and throwing food around?) when Mario Kart World launches alongside the Nintendo Switch 2. Although impressions are positive around the look and open-world ambitions the game, questions have been raised around its $80 price tag.

We've got an explainer on why the Switch 2 costs so much here, as well as everything announced from yesterday's Nintendo Direct in one handy place.

Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.

For the last several years it’s felt like Nintendo just hasn’t cared that much about Donkey Kong. As Nintendo gifted pretty much every one of its cherished characters their best outing ever on Switch, the great ape who once stood high atop the girders of Nintendo’s essential arcade cabinet faceplanted hard on the concrete with a litany of ports, remakes, and remasters. But on Switch 2, Nintendo is finally giving one of gaming’s biggest icons the love he deserves with a brand new, flagship, launch window 3D action-platformer, and if the first 30 minutes we spent with Donkey Kong Bananza are any indication, Mario’s original rival is looking poised to stand tall once again.

It’s hard to talk about Bananza without referencing that darn plumber as just seconds after jumping into its Underground World, the significant parallels to Super Mario Odyssey became abundantly clear. While Nintendo hasn’t confirmed the developers of Bananza, after playing it we’re willing to bet Odyssey developer Nintendo EPD Tokyo is behind it.

Bananza’s setup will feel instantly familiar to anyone who’s spent hours throwing Cappy and collecting Power Moons. DK is joined by an adorable assistant (this time in the form of a purple rock who talks and sings) to scour self-contained explorable sandboxes for Golden Bananas, some of which are found by completing story missions while others are sprinkled across the landscape just waiting to be found. As you explore, you find isolated linear challenge rooms that dial back the exploration in favor of testing your combat and platforming abilities. There are other collectibles to find too, like gold presumably playing the role of coins, dozens of fossils (which we didn’t find a use for during our demo) and currency we’re hoping will be used to outfit Donkey Kong in the local flavor. Even the UI is reminiscent of Mario’s globetrotting adventure! So if you were disappointed the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct lacked a big, flashy 3D Mario, I'm here to tell you that Donkey Kong Bananza feels like the sequel to that formula we’ve been clamoring for, it just happens to star the giant monkey instead.

Wrecking Crew

Like the best Nintendo games, Donkey Kong’s brand new moveset completely suits him as a character and feels right the moment you step into his shoes (okay, big hairy feet). Bananza is furiously fast and delightfully destructive as Donkey Kong can demolish most of the terrain in his path, and we spent our demo transforming the lush opening area filled with grass, trees, and lakes into DK’s personal chaotic excavation site. DK punches forward, upward, and downward, instantly destroying most materials and oftentimes carving a makeshift path to follow that can lead to entirely new areas. At one point I was punching through a mountain just for the heck of it and a valuable collectible fell into my lap, so there’s definitely value to breaking ground everywhere you can – it may lead to a groundbreaking discovery.

If pulverizing every stone wall in sight sounds overwhelming, it really didn’t feel that way in the moment, which is likely due to how much fun we had controlling Donkey Kong. In addition to turning everything to rubble, Donkey Kong can also pick up giant stone boulders from the ground, walls, or wherever, and hurl them to obliterate nearby enemies. Or, he takes a page out of Link’s book and can use the stone slab to boogie board at a rapid pace across the landscape. There are surely dozens of unique moves and chain combos waiting to be discovered and I can imagine how much fun speedrunners will have trying to master DK’s moveset, which already feels ripe with expressiveness and possibility.

Bananza’s central theme of exploration via destruction was present throughout every second of our demo, even down to the map screen. Instead of a simple top-down overview of the landscape, the map here is a fully-rendered 3D model of the entire area in its current state, meaning when you pause to get your bearings, you can see all of the walls you’ve punched and caves you’ve carved. It’s like the Hero’s Path feature in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom cranked up to 11, and it felt like an incredibly impressive touch.

That map helped us track down challenge rooms which rewarded us either with Golden Bananas or a ton of cash. And unlike Odyssey, there’s no more wondering if you have a Moon left to find and going inside to wait for Cappy to tell you, because the entrance to each bonus room tracks how many Golden Bananas you’ve found and how many more are waiting within. We saw three of these rooms in Bananza’s opening area, with each focusing on either platforming, combat, or destruction: we had to monkey bar our way through an obstacle course, take down three stone enemies before time ran out, and blast through as much gold ore as possible to take home a big payday. They were all fun and unique and left me excited to see what other challenges are in store.

I also think Bananza is on track to be one of the most gorgeous Nintendo games I’ve seen. It really does take advantage of Switch 2's hardware – the environments are beautiful and DK’s animations are wonderfully expressive, and I left feeling like the next generation of first-party Nintendo games had truly arrived.

Donkey Kong Bananza is out July 17 for $69.99, and I might destroy my entire house if I have to wait that long to play it again.

Logan Plant is the host of Nintendo Voice Chat and IGN's Database Manager & Playlist Editor. He played the entire Donkey Kong Country series earlier this year and is so excited for a brand new DK game. It's way overdue!

Mario Kart World is the first new home console Mario Kart game in a decade. We went hands-on with this Nintendo Switch 2 launch title and played a ton of it across several different modes, so let’s break it all down!

The Massively Interconnected Open World

Mario Kart’s biggest new addition centers around a huge, new Forza Horizon-style world filled with tons of courses to race against friends and enemies on. Instead of just having a series of tracks you select from a menu (although you’ll have that option too) Mario Kart World features a massive playground you can explore at your own pace on your own or with friends. You use this place to cruise around for fun or launch into races, Grand Prix tournaments, and more. It’s also packed with collectibles and hidden secrets and areas, and while we don’t know just yet what the rewards will be for finding things hidden throughout this world, we’re hoping it’s stuff like karts or costumes, or that you’ll be able to spend coins in some kind of shop for cool cosmetic stuff. Poking around here between races led me to what looked like a strange Peach-themed coin, stacks of smaller, regular coins, a huge evil cloud, a ton of grind rails to practice on, hidden back alleys and pathways, and so much more. It’s grand, utterly gorgeous, and incredibly smooth. We got used to how great Mario Kart 8 looked, but this one is even prettier and more stylish, with better draw distance, more detailed characters and environments, and generally just a ton of stuff happening at once.

Mechanically, everything felt really tight and satisfying so even if there isn’t a ton of reward for exploring it’s still really fun to explore. But knowing Nintendo, they’ll definitely be reasons to poke around here. In general, the gameplay feels like a slightly tighter and more forgiving version of Mario Kart 8, so if you spent a ton of time there you’ll feel right at home here. When your kart gets smashed by an item or another player, your recovery time is snappier and you’re back in the competition quicker than in previous Mario Kart games. When an opponent cuts you off and steals an item box right before you can get to it, don’t stress it because they respawn almost immediately, giving you a chance for instant green shell vengeance. Gliders have been replaced with planes, underwater sections have been replaced with Wave Race-like boating areas, and you don’t customize your kart anymore, at least in the version I played. There were a lot of preset kart options to start with and presumably many more to unlock, though, so it seems like having lots of ways to show off your kart or character won’t be limited.

Characters, Costumes, and Crazy New Power-Ups

You can play Mario Kart World with up to 24 human players at the same time and there are tons of returning characters from the Mario series, although none from other Nintendo games like Mario Kart 8 had. It’s safe to say that Mario Kart World will be THE Mario Kart game for years to come, though, so who knows which characters from other series will show up here eventually. My favorite new character was Cow from Moo Moo Meadows, who is here to get revenge for all the times you drove into his family on the N64, probably. Most characters have different costumed versions you can choose from the character select screen, but where things get a bit more complicated is that you can also change their costume mid-race by finding certain power-ups that appear to alter your stats. Lots of these items are food-based so you’ll get to see Cow eat a burger. Look, it’s his first time driving a kart and it’s crazy out there. Go easy on him.

We also noticed a bunch of characters that appear as racers against you but you can’t choose yourself just yet, like the Piantas from Super Mario Sunshine and the Conkdors from Super Mario 3D World, so we suspect they’ll be unlockable and the roster will only get bigger. There’s also some great new items like throwable hammers and a question block that gives you a ton of coins in a row. Some classic items even have altered functionality, like lightning not lasting as long or blue shells having cartoon phrases pop up when they hit you, but the coolest new upgrade we noticed is that every throwable item now automatically drags behind your kart without you having to hold down a button to do it. It’s one less thing to worry about, which is nice because you now have so many new things to worry about!

Knockout Tour, the Non-Stop Six-Race Fortnite-Style Battle Royale

Knockout Tour is the biggest race mode ever included in this series and it feels awesome. You start out in the open world, driving around and hanging out with friends while your race populates with 23 other players. Then, you’ll all choose a set of interconnected Grand Prix tracks you want to race on. Once the race kicks off, you need to stay out of the bottom four in each segment or you’ll get eliminated and booted back to the open world. So, the field is culled each lap from 24, to 20, to 16, all the way until there are only four racers left for the final segment. It’s incredibly fun and the tracks, endless items, kart racers, and general chaos make every race feel absolutely frenetic. Think the final lap of Baby Park on Mario Kart: Double Dash where it’s chaos and clutter everywhere, but with the aggressive goal of making sure you’re taking down others constantly to advance.

This mode was incredibly fun. Going from 4th place to 12th place in a Mario Kart game has been a thing for ages, but going from 2nd to 22nd because a series of bad luck or poor decisions put you behind the pack is a brand new feeling, and watching that happen and then getting instantly eliminated from the entire race (or doing it to somebody else) is absolutely hilarious. Generally, this feature adds some much needed urgency and aggression to Mario Kart and it’s utterly thrilling. Nintendo has been experimenting with this elimination style gameplay with lots of their franchises in the past few years, like Mario 35 and F-Zero 99, but it feels like such a perfect fit for Mario Kart and we suspect it’s gonna be a massive hit with both kids and the streamer crowds. Knockout Tour modes last much longer than a typical race, assuming you don’t get knocked out of the whole thing super early.

But Wait.. That Price!

Mario Kart World is $80! Everything we’ve seen and played is awesome and we can’t wait for it, but nothing about this game so far really screams “eighty dollar product.” Nintendo experimented with a $70 price tag on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and we suspect we’ll spend just as much time (or more) playing Mario Kart World throughout the Switch 2 lifespan, but it’s hard not to feel cynical about about this price, like Nintendo knows that Mario Kart 8 was the best-selling Switch game and one of the best-selling games of all time and that the successor will be a guaranteed hit, so hey, might as well upcharge us. If it came with a year of Switch Online or some sort of season pass of unlockable content it’d be a slightly easier pill to swallow, but as far as we know it doesn’t. Getting the game bundled with a Switch 2 drops the price down to $50 and since it will be there on the system’s launch day that’s likely how most players will get it, but still, the whole thing definitely stings a bit.

Regardless, Mario Kart World feels like the definitive Switch 2 launch game and will certainly be one of the defining games of the Switch 2 generation. The new open world format and Knockout Tour modes are massive new additions to the franchise, the visuals are gorgeous, the gameplay is a blast, and we can’t wait to play more, even if we wish it was a few bucks cheaper.

Brian Altano has been playing Mario Kart for 30+ years, and it's crazy that 10 of those years were spent with Mario Kart 8. We haven't seen Battle Mode for Mario Kart World yet, but he's still holding out hope that Block Fort can come back. Bring back Block Fort!

Nintendo has confirmed the Switch 2 uses DLSS and ray tracing technology, but has yet to go into detail on how exactly, or show them off.

Nvidia DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is an AI-powered technology that uses machine learning to upscale lower-resolution images in real-time, enhancing both performance and image quality in games.

This week’s hour-long Nintendo Direct revealed much about the $449.99 Switch 2, but Nintendo has kept technical information to a minimum. Even in the official Nintendo Switch 2 tech specs there is only confirmation that the console uses a “custom processor” made by Nvidia, and no more detail.

In a hardware-focused roundtable Q&A in New York yesterday, attended by IGN, Nintendo representatives confirmed the Switch 2 uses DLSS, but did not specify which version of the tech, or whether it had been customized for Switch 2.

Takuhiro Dohta, senior director of the Programming Management Group Entertainment Planning & Development Department, at Nintendo’s Entertainment Planning & Development Division, confirmed:

“We use DLSS upscaling technology and that's something that we need to use as we develop games.

“And when it comes to the hardware, it is able to output to a TV at a max of 4K. Whether the software developer is going to use that as a native resolution or get it to upscale is something that the software developer can choose. I think it opens up a lot of options for the software developer to choose from.”

It was a similarly vague response when Dohta confirmed the Switch 2’s GPU is capable of ray tracing. “Yes the GPU does support ray tracing,” he said. “As with DLSS, I believe this provides yet another option for the software developer to use and a tool for them.”

And what about the GPU itself? Tetsuya Sasaki, General Manager at Nintendo’s Technology Development Division, and Senior Director at its Technology Development Department, chimed in to say Nintendo prefers not to get in the weeds on things like the GPU.

“Nintendo doesn't share too much on the hardware spec,” he said. “What we really like to focus on is the value that we can provide to our consumers. But I do believe that our partner Nvidia will be sharing some information.”

In January, the internet spotted a patent, filed July 2023 but published for the first time earlier this year, that describes AI image upscaling technology that would help keep video game download sizes small enough to fit on a physical game cartridge while offering up to 4K textures. The patent describes technology similar to Nvidia's DLSS, or PlayStation 5 Pro's PSSR, to upscale images using AI.

For more, check out everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, and what the experts have to say about the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World’s $80 price tag.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Nintendo has responded to questions around its decision to go with an LCD screen for the $449.99 Switch 2, rather than an OLED screen, as it used for the OLED version of the OG Switch.

Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch wide color gamut LCD screen capable of outputting at 1080p (1920x1080). In size terms, this is a big upgrade from Switch 1's 6.2-inch screen, the Switch OLED's 7-inch screen, and the Switch Lite's 5.5-inch screen.

There is also support for HDR10 and VRR up to 120 Hz, which means games can jump up to 120fps if they and your setup allow it.

But it’s the quality of the screen itself and the image players see that has sparked discussion among Nintendo fans. During a hardware-focused roundtable Q&A in New York yesterday, attended by IGN, Nintendo representatives were asked why the company went back to an LCD for the Switch 2, which could be seen as a “downgrade” from the OLED Switch.

Tetsuya Sasaki, General Manager, Technology Development Division and Senior Director, Technology Development Department at Nintendo, said the company did not take the decision lightly.

“Now there's a lot of advancements that have been made in LCD technology during development,” Sasaki explained.

“We took a look at the technology that was available to us now and after a lot of consideration we decided to stick to LCD.”

Sasaki then made the point that the Switch 2 supports HDR, which the OLED Switch does not.

“Even with the OLED version of Nintendo Switch, we didn’t have compatibility support for HDR, but that's something we have the support for now,” he said.

We’ve got plenty more from the Switch 2 hardware Q&A, including Nintendo’s responses on Joy-Con drift, and what it has to say about the Switch 2's GPU and graphics tech.

And, in case you missed it, check out everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The wait between new seasons of Rick and Morty can often be punishing, but fans have always had Oni Press' Rick and Morty comics to help tide them over. Oni has built up quite a library of Rick and Morty adventures over the course of ten years. If you're not sure how to dive in or where to start with these spinoff books, that's where the Rick and Morty Deluxe Omnibus Library Set comes in.

The Rick and Morty Deluxe Omnibus Library Set collects the first 100 issues of Oni's comics in chronological order. Those issues are reprinted in a set of five slipcase hardcover books that total over 2000 pages. As if that weren't enough of a selling point, the set also includes a brand new comic from writer Kyle Starks and artist Troy Little called The Unreprintable Rick and Morty #1. As the title suggests, this story is exclusive to the Omnibus set and won't be reprinted elsewhere.

With the Rick and Morty Deluxe Omnibus Library Set Kickstarter campaign now live, IGN can exclusively debut a new preview of The Unreprintable Rick and Morty #1. Get a closer look in the slideshow gallery below:

The creators featured in the Rick and Morty Deluxe Omnibus Library Set include:

• James Asmus (Survival Street)
• C.J. Cannon (Aggretsuko)
• Delilah S. Dawson (Batman: The Brave and The Bold)
• Marc Ellerby (Doctor Who)
• Ryan Ferrier (D4VE)
• Tony Fleecs (Stray Dogs)
• Tom Fowler (Refrigerator Full of Heads)
• Zac Gorman (Bee and Puppycat)
• Sarah Graley (Our Super Adventure)
• Tini Howard (Catwoman)
• Sam Maggs (Star Wars Adventures)
• Stephanie Phillips (Grim)
• Kyle Starks (Peacemaker Tries Hard!)
• Lilah Sturges (Jack of Fables)
• J. Torres (Teen Titans Go!)
• Josh Trujillo (Blue Beetle)
• Magdalene Visaggio (Vagrant Queen)

In addition to The Unreprintable Rick and Morty #1, Starks and Little have also collaborated on an epilogue story called The Unreprintable Rick and Morty #2. This 8-page story will be limited to just 500 copies.

Backers of the Rick and Morty Deluxe Omnibus Library Set will have numerous bonus items to choose from, including exclusive variants of Rick and Morty #1, art prints, Rick and Morty trading cards, hand-drawn remarques, and even original artwork. The Kickstarter campaign is live now, with backers receiving special discounts if they pledge within the first 24 hours.

For more Rick and Morty fun, you can watch the entire Rick and Morty panel from LA Comic-Con 2024, and find out why fans are calling the Season 7 finale the "best episode in years."

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Anyone who owns a Nintendo Switch will know about Joy-Con stick drift. It’s when the Joy-Con Control Sticks stop responding correctly, or suffer from "drifting."

Complaints about Joy-Con drift were so loud that Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa apologized for the "inconvenience" and launched a free repair program. Nintendo of America boss Doug Bowser has talked about the "battle against" Joy-Con drift, insisting Nintendo was making continuous improvements. It was such a big problem that parents in the U.S. tried to sue over Joy-Con drift in a class-action lawsuit, although Nintendo ended up fending that off.

In 2022, a UK consumer group alleged Nintendo Switch's Joy-Con drift issue was caused by a fundamental design flaw. A report from Which claimed that, even after just a few months of use, the Joy-Con's plastic circuit boards show significant wear on the joystick slider contact points, causing Joy-Con drift.

This week, Nintendo fully unveiled the $449.99 Switch 2 in a Nintendo Direct, showing off the new Joy-Con 2 and its extra functionality. In Nintendo Switch 2 tech specs published by the company, there is no detail on the sticks themselves. So as of now, we don’t know for sure if Joy-Con 2 use the hall effect sensors Nintendo fans are desperate for.

As Switch 2 producer Kouichi Kawamoto described in a new 'Ask the Developer' interview, the Switch 2's Joy-Cons have “larger and more durable” analog sticks “with smoother movement.”

It was a similarly vague response when Nintendo was asked about Joy-Con drift improvements at a hardware-focused roundtable Q&A in New York yesterday, attended by IGN.

Tetsuya Sasaki, General Manager at Nintendo’s Technology Development Division, and Senior Director at its Technology Development Department, told the assembled media that the new Joy-Con 2 controllers were redesigned “from the ground up,” but failed to say anything specific about drifting.

“As you may have witnessed and felt, the new Joy-Con 2 controllers for the Nintendo Switch 2 have been really designed from the ground up, from scratch, and they've been designed to have bigger movement and also smoother movement,” Sasaki said.

In the 'Ask the Developer' interview, Kawamoto talked about the new Switch 2 Pro Controller and its sticks, saying they’re "quieter."

“Aside from the color, the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller may look indistinguishable from the previous controller at first glance, but it was also redesigned from scratch,” Kawamoto explained.

“In particular, the left and right control sticks are quieter and don’t make noise, even when they’re moved quickly to the edge. Also, they glide very smoothly, so we've taken to calling them ‘smooth-gliding sticks.’ (Laughs)”

Sasaki added: "As they’re calling them ‘smooth-gliding sticks,’ we made efforts to reduce the feeling of bumping when you tilt them. In fact, there's been a long-running project at Nintendo with the grand ambition of developing the ‘pinnacle of all controllers,’ and we’ve been researching it hard for a long time now.”

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, of course. We won’t know how the Switch 2 Joy-Con hold up under strain perhaps until years after the console comes out. But hopefully, based on what Nintendo is saying now, Joy-Con drift will be a thing of the past.

For more, check out everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, and what the experts have to say about the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World’s $80 price tag.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

After years of speculation, months of leaks, and weeks since its official reveal, the Nintendo Switch 2 finally has a price and a release date… And we’ve actually held it and played it. Read on for our first impressions of the Switch 2’s build quality, screen, mouse mode, and more. Since two of us here at IGN got to spend a ton of time with it, we figured we’d both take turns telling you all about it, like we’re two friends sitting next to you on a couch. Hey buddy! Wanna hear about Nintendo Switch 2?

Switch 2 Screen: LCD vs OLED (and Docked Performance)

Brian Altano: Let’s start with the Switch 2 screen since it’s the thing you’re gonna look at the most, unless you plan on playing entirely in docked mode or you drop your device on the floor and decide to never pick it up again, which would be weird and rude. Unlike the first Nintendo Switch, Switch 2 won’t have an OLED option at launch (admittedly kind of a bummer!) but it’s probably so Nintendo can keep costs down and eventually get us to upgrade to a Switch 2 OLED in a few years, so hey, it sort of makes sense for now. That said, Switch 2 has a 1080p screen in handheld mode which immediately looks way better than Switch 1’s 720p non-OLED screen did. Colors pop and look vibrant and most of the games we played run smooth and at a consistent framerate in handheld mode, so it’s not a total dealbreaker here.

Plus, Switch 2 is capable of 4K and HDR docked, or up to 120FPS in some games (just never all of those things at once) so you’ll get better looking and playing games this time around either way, plus better looking upgrades of many of your old Switch games. We walked into our hands-on preview expecting to miss the OLED display but walked out completely satisfied with the Switch 2’s LCD, so it’s not the end of the world for Nintendo fans.

Logan Plant: Even better though, the games we played docked looked great on televisions, including the Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of original Switch games like Tears of the Kingdom, Breath of the Wild, and Metroid Prime 4. This is the version of Breath of the Wild we wanted at launch, with no noticeable slowdown whatsoever in moments that taxed the original Switch hardware, like when Link set everything on fire and it felt like my Switch was going to burst into flames. The Switch 2 dock has a built-in fan, so that should help keep things cool and maintain performance in TV mode. Switch 2-exclusive games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza looked gorgeous too, and both feel like great showcases of Nintendo’s timeless art direction running great on newer hardware. We’re a little worried about the listed battery life of 2 - 6.5 hours, but that number honestly makes sense given how good the performance was in handheld mode.

Until we really get some significant time with the console along with finished versions of the games, it’s tough to say exactly how long the battery will last, but one thing that almost certainly won’t change before Switch 2 launches on June 5th is the actual design of the hardware itself...

Altano: One of my biggest issues with the original Nintendo Switch was the build quality. Joy-Con drift aside, the system itself just felt a bit wobbly at times. Joy-Con and anything else you attached to the console felt loose, the kickstand was flimsy, and the launch dock literally scratched the screen. That all feels largely improved with Nintendo Switch 2 from what we played so far. Overall the system feels much more sturdy and much less like a fancy toy like Switch 1 did, with sleek ergonomic design and no Joy-Con wobble. It’s got a nice weight to it and holding it side by side with a Steam Deck (which we literally did) makes it feel lighter and less bulky. Sticks, triggers, and buttons all feel great too, as does the d-pad. We didn’t get to play any 2D games like twitchy sidescrolling platformers or classic fighters, but the d-pad feels like it will hopefully be better for them. Buttons have that nice clicky feel they had on Switch 1 but feel slightly softer and are slightly bigger. This is definitely a system aimed for an older audience than the first Nintendo Switch, and not just because of the premium price tag. It doesn’t even have a fun, kid friendly alternate colorway available at launch like Nintendo usually does, just dark gray with some muted colors hidden inside the Joy-Con 2.

Plant: Speaking of the Joy-Con 2, the sticks feel nice and smooth to rotate, but Nintendo isn’t saying yet if they’re Hall-effect joysticks, which was a frustrating omission from the hardware overview in the Direct. Presumably they’ve done whatever it takes to avoid Joy-Con drift again this time around, but until players really start putting the Switch 2 through its paces, there’s no real way of knowing if Mario will slowly start walking to the left as time goes on and wear and tear impact the performance of your controllers. In general, the new and improved Joy-Con 2 controllers look better, feel better, and the way they snap on and off feels immensely satisfying. Brian and I took turns clicking them on and off the Switch 2 unit dozens of times which probably made us both look like we were a little bit crazy, but it really is a noticeable upgrade. When we first heard they’d be using magnets to attach the Joy-Con there were a lot of concerns they’d be flimsy, but so far they’re the total opposite.

Then there are the brand new mouse control options for certain games, which worked surprisingly well – especially with the haptic feedback with each “click” of the shoulder button. In select games, you can turn the Joy-Con sideways and drag them across a flat, smooth surface to mimic the functions of a PC mouse, and it feels like a classic “weird, innovative, and very fun” Nintendo design decision. We used these controls in a variety of ways like aiming in Metroid Prime 4, playing air hockey in Mario Party, and trying out tech demo-like minigames in the odd new Switch 2 Welcome Tour game, and they were largely responsive. Metroid smartly lets you swap back and forth between pointer controls and mouse controls seamlessly without having to go into settings to change them, and I could see mouse controls becoming the preferred way for a lot of people to play Prime 4 – as long as you have easy access to a flat surface. It can sometimes feel awkward – I wish the Joy-Con 2 was just a bit wider as a mouse and I occasionally had to crane my pointer finger or thumb at a weird angle to hit a face button – but the improved aiming precision felt worth these small concessions. The Joy-Con 2 straps even have mouse feet – those little rubber bumpers on the bottom of your PC mouse that I had to Google the name of because I’ve gone my entire life never needing to know what they were called until today.

The Kickstand, C-Button, Built-in Mic, and Accessories

Altano: There are also some less immediately noticeable additions on Switch 2 that you’ll probably end up using for a bunch of things. The new kickstand feels significantly improved over the launch Switch model from 2017. It can practically lay flat and move to almost any viewing angle and doesn’t feel like it’s going to instantly snap off. I think I still slightly prefer the Switch OLED’s flat panel kickstand over this one, but time will tell. Meanwhile, we didn’t get to launch anything with the new C-button tucked under the right Joy-Con 2’s home button, but it’s a nice inclusion and is largely used to pull up Game Chat and video interactions. We did get to play some Mario Party minigames with the new camera peripheral, though, which is sold separately for $50. It placed fuzzy versions of us into warp pipes and cropped out our backgrounds like we were on a Zoom call, except instead of our bosses getting mad at us for the typos in this article, Bowser breathed fire on us. Other third-party cameras will be supported by Switch 2 in case you have a couple of those sitting around and don’t want to buy a new one on launch day alongside a $450 Switch 2 and an $80 Mario Kart World (or $50 if you get the $500 bundle with the console, but you see my point).

Plant: Then there’s the Switch 2’s built in microphone which we literally only tested by seeing which of our Mario Party teams could yell the loudest, but ideally you’ll use it for much more normal things like casual voice chat between Switch 2 friends while you’re sitting on the couch. You’ll also be able to hear them talk via the newly added headphone jack on the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller (or just regular in-game audio… Right, Nintendo? Right?!) and it’s just one of the many things that feels better about the new Pro Controller. It’s even got programmable GL and GR back buttons, a feature that has become pretty common with controllers on other consoles, and while we didn’t get to assign functions to them during our preview, they were nice and clicky. It’s also got amiibo support and new Zelda and Street Fighter amiibo were announced this week, so if you collect amiibo, get ready for your third console generation of buying amiibo.

Is Switch 2 Worth the Upgrade?

Altano: Okay, so it’s tough to say if this system will do Switch 1 numbers worldwide. Switch 1 had a ton of factors in its favor, like a $300 price tag and an open world Zelda at launch, a mountain of Wii U ports that were brand new games to most people, and a global pandemic that made a bunch of people get back into video games for the first time in a while. But Switch 1 is the second best-selling video game console ever made so hey, that’s a lofty goal. Ultimately it’s a steady software lineup that keeps Nintendo consoles successful, but factors like press make a big difference too, and a $450 launch price might be a bit steep for people wanting to impulsively buy a new system for themselves or their kids or for people who are just happy enough with their original Switch model. But tech wise, Switch 2 solves a lot of the problems that Switch 1 had. A bunch of older Switch games look better on it, it’s got a really fun new and exclusive Mario Kart game, and holding the console made me want to take it home immediately. I’m a longtime Nintendo fan so I was probably always going to be there on day one but this system feels like the kind of thing I want to play games on and travel with for years to come.

Plant: Switch 2 is a more premium product and the price tag reflects that. It’s also a better version of a great thing, and it’s trying to pull off a bunch of cool new tricks at the same time, like mouse controls. Obviously we’re both buying Switch 2 on day one, and I did really love our hands-on time with the console. But I’ll be honest and say I have some concerns about if the general public is willing to adopt a $450 Nintendo console with an $80 Mario Kart. It’s a big ask for a company that traditionally targets families and younger players, and I feel like the high cost of entry limits the Switch 2’s potential to take off in the way its predecessor did. But for those of you that do decide to take the plunge, you’ll be getting what’s shaping up to be a great hybrid console that makes a ton of worthwhile improvements on the original Switch and adds some fun bells and whistles for good measure.

Nintendo Switch 2 is out on June 5th for $450. We’ve got tons more Switch 2 coverage ahead here on IGN, including hands-on with Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza.

Brian Altano and Logan Plant are two of IGN's biggest Nintendo superfans, and you can hear them geek out about Switch 2 and Nintendo games on Nintendo Voice Chat.

If you've been hunting for Scarlet & Violet Prismatic Evolutions booster packs without getting fleeced by scalpers, Amazon’s latest offer is a tough fallback. This six-pack booster bundle is listed at $59.99—more than double the expected MSRP of around $27. That’s a staggering 122% markup, and with demand still outpacing supply, even Amazon has hiked its prices well above retail.

Retailers have been steadily getting their preorder operations for the Nintendo Switch 2 in place, but the UK's Argos has jumped the gun by letting you preorder a Nintendo Switch right now, including either the console on its own or the Mario Kart World bundle with the game included as a download code.

Although payment is instant, we expect these to go fast. If you miss out, you can register your interest at Amazon UK, Currys, and Smyths—the former of which you can request an "invite" to preorder the individual Switch 2 console or the Mario Kart World bundle.

As for the games, you can immediately preorder the physical version of Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza right now at Smyths—alongside accessories like the Nintendo Switch 2 camera & Stealth Travel Kit case.

On each product Amazon page, you'll be able to quickly register your interest before quickly getting a confirmation email. From then, you can be invited to purchase a Nintendo Switch 2 from Amazon UK anytime within the next three months—covering you for the system's 5th of June, 2025 release date.

The link to purchase that Amazon will send to you will last for 22 hours, so be sure to keep checking your emails so you don't miss out. Amazon hasn't provided an exact day and time as to when the first round of pre-orders will start, but we're assuming the first invites could be sent out as soon as Tuesday, the April 8, as that's when preorders will be open on the UK Nintendo store.

You can also go to Currys and register your interest in a Nintendo Switch 2 just like you can with Smyths, though preorders for games and accessories don't seem to be available just yet. It hasn't provided any further information on when invites will be sent out either, but Currys & Smyths are both solid retailers to have as a back-up if you don't get an Argos pre-order in or an Amazon invite right away.

Compared to the Nintendo Store, however, Amazon's, Currys', and Smyths conditions appear to be a lot more relaxed for sending Switch 2 preorder invites.

For example, the Nintendo store will only send initial invitees to those based on conditions like being a Nintendo Switch Online player for a continuous two years before 31/3/2025, having higher playtimes with purchased/paid Nintendo Switch games (not free-to-play games like Fortnite, it seems), and opting in to share usage information with Nintendo.

On Amazon's side, it merely seems to be a ballot system where invitees are selected at random. With Currys and Smyths, it looks like it will simply be a case of sending out an email when pre-orders are opened, followed by a queued ordering system. This was the method Currys used when taking PS5 pre-orders, and it worked without any site crashes at least.

This means you could be in for a longer wait from these alternative retailers, but it's a lot less frustrating if you're certain you don't meet the strict requirements to order from Nintendo directly.

On the other hand, if you weren't planning to have the funds for your Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order taken until near-dispatch in June—which is usually the case for retailers like Amazon—Argos may not be the best option for you since we have confirmed you'll need to pay right away.

Still, if you've already got the money necessary, Argos is currently the best option to secure your pre-order immediately.

Here's our first look at Nintendo's newly designed Nintendo Switch 2 game boxes.

While the OG Nintendo Switch's game covers simply boasted a small Nintendo Switch logo in the top left-hand corner, the Switch 2's branding is far more prominent, with a red band stretching across the entire width of the case and a larger Nintendo Switch 2 logo.

There's also a change for Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives, too. While Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive game covers don't have any further information or branding on them, covers for games playable on both the original and Switch 2 systems all include a clear statement about Switch 2's upgrade information.

For instance, The Nintendo Switch 2 edition of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild includes the text: "Includes the Nintendo Switch game and the Nintendo Switch upgrade pack. Upgrade pack also available separately."

Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games, some of which cost $79.99, clearly mark the boxes as such to let buyers know what they're getting.

You can see the new designs for yourself in the slideshow below:

There's now also a QR code on the bottom right of all game covers that takes you swiftly to the official Nintendo website.

At last, the Nintendo Switch 2 has a release date. It's coming on June 5, 2025, with prices starting at $449.99. A bundle is also available with Mario Kart World included for $499.99, although if you want to buy Nintendo's signature racer separately, it's $79.99.

Missed the presentation? Worry not — you can catch up on everything shown at yesterday's Nintendo Direct right here, and here's a handy list for every game confirmed for Nintendo Switch 2.

Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

CD Projekt Red has confirmed the install size for Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 is 64GB. That's smaller compared to Xbox or PS5 (100-110GB), but for Switch 2, 64GB is a whopping 25% of the console's confirmed 256GB of internal storage.

Launching on the same day as the Switch 2, June 5, Cyberpunk 2077 will be available as a physical 64GB game card or as a digital download from the Nintendo eShop.

Nintendo also recently confirmed that several new Switch 2 game cards won’t always carry an actual game, but instead contain a key for a game download. This isn't the case for Cyberpunk 2077.

But, this also begs the question: how quickly will a Switch 2's internal storage fill up?

Switch 2's 256GB internal storage is a big step up from the original Switch’s 32GB. However, early signs already suggest Switch 2 games will be much larger.

Cyberpunk 2077, like we've mentioned, is a 64GB download. By comparison, one of the biggest games on the original Switch, Tears of the Kingdom, was just 16GB. The Switch 2 version—and other titles like the $80 Mario Kart World—will likely demand significantly more space.

The obvious solution? Expandable storage. PS5 has it, Xbox has it, and the Switch has always supported it. But unlike the original Switch, which accepted standard microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC cards, the Switch 2 is locked to microSD Express. That means your old microSD cards won’t work, and more importantly, you’ll need to buy new, notably pricier memory cards.

As you can tell, IGN’s deals team has already tracked down the best prices on Switch 2-compatible microSD Express cards, including 128GB ($44.99), 256GB ($49.99), 512GB ($99.99), and 1TB versions ($199.99) options from SanDisk and Lexar. However, some are already being snapped up in bulk and are now listed as "temporarily out of stock" on Amazon.

Nintendo is also partnering with SanDisk and Samsung to release its own branded cards, though if history is any indication, expect them to be more expensive than identical third-party versions. It’s also possible more manufacturers will jump into the microSD Express market now that the Switch 2 is driving demand, but whether that leads to lower prices remains to be seen.

For more on Switch 2, you can catch up on everything from the Nintendo Direct right here, and read our full guide on how to secure your preorder for the Switch 2 on April 9.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Senior Editor, Commerce, for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.

There’s a fine line between “I deserve this” and “this was a financial mistake,” and today’s deals are absolutely walking it. I’m looking at In Stock Pokémon bundles that practically dare you to stop at just one. Humble Choice is finally delivering a lineup that doesn’t feel like leftovers, and the Assassin’s Creed collectibles over in the IGN Store have officially moved from “maybe someday” to “I’ve added it to my cart twice already.”

Prismatic Evolutions Booster Bundle Is Back In Stock

In my opinion, these are the kinds of deals that are actually worth talking about — not the 7% off a charger you didn’t need to begin with. This is six-pack booster bundles available now, games I’ve had on my wishlist for too long, and statues that will silently judge you from a shelf while looking really, really cool. If you're going to buy stuff, at least let it be stuff that makes you happy and mildly ashamed.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet - Prismatic Evolutions Booster Bundle

Pokemon TCG: Stacking Tin (Q1 2025)

Humble Choice April 2025

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet - Paldean Fates Booster Bundle

PureArts Assassin's Creed Preorders

Pokemon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box

INIU Portable Charger, Slimmest 10000mAh 5V/3A Power Bank

INIU Power Bank, 20000mAh 65W USB C Laptop Portable Charger

Great On The Go Humble Sale

INIU Portable Charger, 22.5W 20000mAh

Metaphor ReFantazio - Gallica - Statue

INIU Power Bank, 25000mAh 100W USB C Laptop Portable Charger

INIU Portable Charger, Smallest 22.5W 10000mAh Power Bank

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet - Surging Sparks Booster Bundle

Insignia - 55" Class F30 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV

Outright Games Game On! Bundle

Insignia - 65" Class F50 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV

Death Stranding 2 - DHV Magellan - Model Kit

LG - 65” Class UT70 Series LED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV (2024)

Samsung - Galaxy Watch Ultra Titanium Smartwatch 47mm LTE

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet—Journey Together Elite Trainer Box

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates Booster Bundle

Best of Boomer Shooters 4: Badda Bing Badda Boom

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box

Street Fighter TCG Alpha Warriors Dreams Preorder

Pokémon TCG: Paradox Clash tin: Iron Leaves ex or Walking Wake ex

Pokémon TCG: 3 Booster Packs & 1 Random Foil

Amid the furore around the $449.99 price of the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World's $79.99 price tag, there is shock at Nintendo’s decision to charge for the console’s tutorial game, Welcome Tour.

Nintendo revealed Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour during its Nintendo Direct. It’s a game set to launch alongside the Switch 2 in June, and offers a guided tour of the console itself in video game form.

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is described as a "virtual exhibition" of the new hardware. Per Nintendo, "through tech demos, minigames and other interactions, players will get to know the new system inside and out in ways they may never have known about otherwise."

The Nintendo Direct showed footage of a small player avatar exploring a super-sized Switch 2, reading about the different features and facts about the console. It also includes mini-games such as Speed Golf, Dodge the Spiked Balls, and a Maracas Physics Demo.

While Nintendo has yet to announce a price for Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour in the U.S., it has confirmed a price of ¥990 yen in Japan, which currently converts to approximately $6.76.

Still, fans are bemoaning the fact it costs any money at all. “This is a literal tech demo of your console, why would you make people pay for that?” said redditor Trabless.

“Audibly laughed when they called this a paid title,” added KMoosetoe. “Hope nobody buys this bulls**t.”

"When they were showing it I was like, 'Nice. A neat little thing to get you familiar with the system,' " commented Opening_Proof_1365. "As soon as they said paid I literally laughed out loud and said, 'why would someone pay for that?' "

Many are now pointing to Sony’s various PlayStation console pack-ins, saying Nintendo should have followed suit. Astro's Playroom, for example, comes pre-installed on every PlayStation 5 console, serving additionally as a free tech demo for the DualSense controller.

“Yet PS5 came with a free game just to showcase the capabilities of the DualSense,” Radical_X75 said. “I thought this was the same until they said this is paid. It makes no sense.”

“Steam Deck came out with Aperture Desk Job,” added Zanytiger6. “Nintendo is crazy for charging for a tour of a console you just purchased for over $400.”

Pricing is the hot topic following the Nintendo Direct, with some baulking at the Switch 2 price and the $79.99 cost of Mario Kart World, among other Switch 2 games. For more context, be sure to check out IGN’s article revealing what the experts have to say about Nintendo’s Switch 2 and Mario Kart World pricing.

And, in case you missed out, check out all the news announced during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

BAFTA — the UK's independent arts charity celebrating excellence in film, games, and TV — has just revealed the most influential video game of all time... and it's probably not what you think it is.

BAFTA polled the British public to discover that while games like GTA, Tetris, World of Warcraft, Minecraft, Doom, and Half-Life 2 do make the list, the top as ranked by the number of votes received is Shenmue.

Action-adventure game Shenmue released in 1999 on Dreamcast. It follows Ryo Hazuki's quest to avenge his father's death in what BAFTA calls "a detailed open-world setting that truly captures the essence of Yokosuka in the ‘80s."

"Pioneering first-person shooter" Doom secured the runner-up prize, whilst 1985's Super Mario Bros. took the bronze.

Half-Life and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time round out the rest of the top five, respectively.

Interestingly, games like Grand Theft Auto 5, Halo, and Fortnite are conspicuously absent.

“I am deeply honoured and grateful that Shenmue has been selected as the Most Influential Video Game of All Time," said Yu Suzuki, creator of the Shenmue franchise.

"At its inception, we set out to explore the question, 'How real can a game become?,' aiming to portray a world and story unprecedented in scale and detail. This distinction serves as a powerful reminder that the challenge we embraced continues to resonate with and inspire so many people even today. It is truly the greatest of encouragement.

“Above all, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the fans around the world who have continued to love and support Shenmue," Suzuki added. "Your passion and encouragement have guided this journey every step of the way. And the story is not over yet, there is more to come! Thank you very much!”

Here's the full list of the top 21 most influential games of all time, as voted by the public:

1. Shenmue (1999)
2. Doom (1993)
3. Super Mario Bros. (1985)
4. Half-Life (1998)
5. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
6. Minecraft (2011)
7. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (2025)
8. Super Mario 64 (1996)
9. Half-Life 2 (2004)
10. The Sims (2000)
11. Tetris (1984)
12. Tomb Raider (1996)
13. Pong (1972)
14. Metal Gear Solid (1998)
15. World of Warcraft (2004)
16. Baldur's Gate 3 (2023)
17. Final Fantasy VII (1997)
18. Dark Souls (2011)
19. Grand Theft Auto 3 (2001)
20. Skyrim (2011)
21. Grand Theft Auto (1997)

The 2025 BAFTA Game Awards are set to take place on Tuesday April 8, 2025. Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, Astro Bot, and Still Wakes the Deep lead the nominations with 11, eight, and eight nominations respectively. Thank Goodness You're Here! also received seven nominations, Black Myth: Wukong six, and Helldivers 2 is up for five awards.

2024 BAFTA Game Awards winners included Baldur's Gate 3, which secured five wins, including Best Game, with other wins for Alan Wake 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and Viewfinder.

Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Amid the furore caused by Nintendo’s decision to charge $79.99 for Switch 2 exclusive Mario Kart World, it has emerged that some of the Switch 2 Edition games announced during the Nintendo Direct also cost $79.99.

A Switch 2 Edition of a game goes beyond backwards compatibility. For example, Super Mario Party Jamboree’s Switch 2 Edition comes with a new suite of content called Jamboree TV that takes advantage of the Joy-Con 2 mouse controls, Switch 2 microphone, and the Switch 2 USB-C camera that will be sold separately. Along with upgraded resolution up to 1440p in TV mode and better frame rate, there are new minigames and online functions as well.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’s Switch 2 Edition, meanwhile, supports mouse controls with Joy-Con 2, and multiple display modes such as Quality Mode, which runs at 60fps in 4K when docked, or 1080p at 60fps on handheld; and Performance Mode, which runs a 120fps in 1080p when docked, or 120fps in 720p in handheld mode. All modes support HDR.

The Switch 2 Edition of Kirby and the Forgotten Land’s Star-Crossed World gets new story content, while The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom gain additional support for the Zelda Notes service in the Nintendo Switch App that provides game help. Some games, like Pokemon Legends: Z-A, only feature performance and resolution bumps as part of the Switch 2 Edition label.

Dang. $80 for Mario Kart World, huh?

Today's Nintendo Direct and subsequent information dump answered many, many burning questions we've been asking about the Nintendo Switch 2, such as launch line-up and release date. Among those was the question of price, not only for the system itself but also for the games and accessories we're going to need alongside it. And it's a good thing that the rest of the Direct was so enjoyable, because Nintendo needed to do some work to justify some of these prices.

• Nintendo Switch 2 by itself: $449.99 USD
• Nintendo Switch 2 with Mario Kart World bundled in: $499.99
• Mario Kart World by itself: $79.99
• Donkey Kong Bananza: $69.99
• Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller: $79.99
• Nintendo Switch 2 Camera: $49.99
• Joy-Con 2 Controller pair: $89.99
• Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip: $34.99
• Joy-Con 2 Strap: $12.99
• Joy-Con 2 Wheel pair: $19.99
• Nintendo Switch 2 Dock Set: $109.99
• Nintendo Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector: $34.99
• Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case: $79.99
• Nintendo Switch 2 AC Adapter: $29.99

Phew! That's a lot to dish out to play Nintendo games, even assuming most people are just going for the console, a game or two, and maybe a spare controller. Most notable in that list of prices is what's going on with the console itself. $450 isn't far off what a bunch of analysts told me the system was likely to cost when I asked them earlier this year. They predicted $400, but a few said it could likely go higher depending on various economic and technological factors.

But even more interesting is Mario Kart Tour. It's $80. That makes it the most expensive we've ever seen a AAA game cost without belonging to some sort of Deluxe Edition, and it's certainly the highest Nintendo's ever gone. You can buy it in a bundle with the system to get $30 taken off the game price, but the $80 price tag has a lot of Nintendo fans concerned at the rapidly rising prices of games and what this may mean for the future. Didn't we just see games start to go from $60 to $70 a few years ago? That hurt bad enough without bumping it up even higher so soon after.

So what's happening here? Why are the Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart World priced the way they are? Will we see more game price hikes in the future? As usual, I asked expert analysts to explain it to me. Here's what they said.

Why $450?

Even though most of the analysts I spoke to today were the same folks who predicted a $400 price point when we chatted in January, no one seemed surprised at the $50 extra on the end of the announcement today. Collectively, the six I spoke to offered various reasons for the higher-than-expected price, largely agreeing on the fairly simple confluence of multiple factors: tariffs, manufacturing costs, and competition.

Joost van Dreunen, NYU Stern professor and author of SuperJoost Playlist, calls the $449.99 pricing a "strategic balancing act" on Nintendo's part that reflects a mixture of increased manufacturing costs as well as ongoing uncertainty as to whether or not, and if so, what, tariffs the Trump administration in the United States is going to levy on electronics. "Nintendo appears to be building in a buffer against these potential trade barriers while ensuring they maintain their traditional positive margin on hardware."

Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis wasn't surprised by the $450 price, and said it made sense given the Switch OLED's $350 price tag. But he also shared an interesting speculation in his response related to van Dreunen's point about tariffs, relating to why Nintendo didn't announce the price in the Nintendo Direct itself today. "My view is that they probably had a range of pricing for the US market in play up until the last minute due to the uncertainty on import tariffs."

Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games, threw in another factor: Sony. "Nintendo probably factored in possible tariffs, the current inflationary climate in the world and the US$700 Sony dared to charge for the PlayStation 5 Pro last year."

James McWhirter, analyst at Omdia, also mentioned the PS5 Pro as well as the Xbox Series X, both of which he pointed out sold better than their cheaper alternatives (the Xbox Series X surpassed the Series S recently in the U.S.). But he also pointed out an interesting discrepancy in how the Switch 2 is being sold in Japan versus the United States. In Japan, it's releasing a Japanese-language system for 49,980 yen ($333.22), while its multi-language system runs 69,980 yen ($466.56). Why? McWhirter has a fascinating explanation as to the existance of this region-locked system, its pricing, and the discrepancy between it and the pricing of the system in the U.S.:

Japan is a key market for Nintendo - our console hardware data reveals that Japan accounts for a quarter (24%) of the Nintendo Switch installed base in 2024, compared with just 2% for Xbox Series X/S and 9% for PlayStation 5.

If Switch 2 pricing in Japanese Yen was aligned with the U.S. Dollar price, it would dramatically weaken Nintendo's position in Japan, representing a doubling in the list price over the classic LCD Nintendo Switch model. Yet if Nintendo continued to rely on region-specific pricing that is significantly cheaper in USD terms, they would face an issue with grey imports to other territories.

Nintendo’s answer is to navigate this situation with two models – they are offering a substantially cheaper but price competitive 50,000 yen Nintendo Switch 2 model that only includes Japanese language support only.

Meanwhile, an international language model at 70,000 yen is being positioned to protect the Japanese market from grey imports from other territories – smart considering there are no other major console markets with a not insignificant number of people proficient in the Japanese language.

Mario Kart World, at a Premium

Okay, that covers the console itself, so why has Nintendo hiked the price of Mario Kart World into the stratosphere at $80? When I asked the analysts I spoke to, I assumed it was related to tariff concerns. Perhaps Nintendo was worried about potential tariffs but also didn't want to raise the price of the console too high, so a more expensive flagship game was their solution to offset costs?

Partially. The experts largely concluded that tariffs may have played a role, with Mat Piscatella, analyst at Circana, suggesting that the higher game pricing was a bit of future-proofing on Nintendo's part. "While pricing for a product can always be lowered over time, it's extremely difficult and painful to raise pricing on a product once it has been announced or released. This is purely my own speculation, but this pricing is most easily explained by trying to be conservative given the current chaotic market conditions."

But the experts also told me there was more to it than that. McWhirter told me that this was Nintendo taking advantage of a critical moment of change in the games industry to test the waters on what the market will tolerate as far as game pricing goes. And it's using its most successful game series ever on that trial run, because Nintendo knows if any game can succeed at that price, it's Mario Kart. If it doesn't work out, it can always drop the price, either directly or indirectly through methods like Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions.

Van Dreunen said something similar, adding, "The timing aligns with the broader industry's gradual price increases for premium content, as we've seen with other publishers moving to $70 base games. Nintendo may be leapfrogging this intermediate step, calculating that the massive built-in audience for Mario Kart will tolerate a higher price point for what appears to be a significantly expanded experience compared to previous entries."

McWhirter also pointed out that not only could this higher cost for Mario Kart World be mitigating things like tariffs or manufacturing costs, it also could be helping balance out other, invisible costs. There's those pesky manfacturing costs, for one, with McWhirter noting that the 3D NAND flash memory from supplier Macronix experts suspect Nintendo is using in Switch 2 game cards is pricey. But there's also the cost of migrating so many first-party titles to Nintendo Switch 2, and the slow build the console will see in its first three years when its blockbuster exclusives are reaching a much smaller audience than was available on the Nintendo Switch.

Other experts brought up other factors. Harding-Rolls made a compelling point about Nintendo otherwise not aggressively pursuing in-game monetization, and needing to account for inflation somehow. And he added: "Nintendo has a bit of a history of pricing games higher than other platforms when coming to the market later than other platforms - in this case PS5 and Xbox Series. I remember back in the day N64 titles being more than PS1 titles for example. Some of that is related to cost of goods, but Nintendo also likes to follow its own approach and price based on its own appreciation of value."

Rhys Elliott, games analyst at Alinea Analytics, said that the discrepancy in physical and digital pricing is a clear move from Nintendo to push consumers toward digital games, especially when paired with the Virtual Game Card announced last week.

"PlayStation and Xbox have already pushed their platforms to become digital-first, driven by strategies like multi-game subscriptions, digital-only consoles, free-to-play’s rise, and platform holders pushing consumers to digital versions via perks (like extra cosmetics and the ability to pre-load a game so it’s instantly ready to play at launch)," he said.

"So PlayStation and especially Xbox are very digital-first. But Nintendo is different, more 50-50. In the last nine months of 2024, 51% of Switch software sales were digital. The number was even lower in the holiday period (43.4% digital for calendar Q4), as always. For consumers, a unique value proposition of physical games is the preowned and rental markets. But Nintendo’s reliance on physical impacts its bottom line, hence the nudging. Nintendo does not gain revenues from physical renting and resales. After all, a copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe could be sold on the reseller market 100 times or rented 100 times, but Nintendo would only capture revenues from that first sale. A digital-only market means more revenue and price control for Nintendo."

Finally, I asked this question of Toto, who referred to the jump from $60 games to an $80 Mario Kart World as "quite bold." His explanation was short and sweet:

"Tariffs could play a role, but I think it is much simpler: Nintendo is charging this price because they feel they can and that people will pay."

Who's Buying?

Everyone I spoke to agreed that even though the Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart World pricing is a bit of a shock, it's not going to affect sales of the console. At least... not at first.

"Based on what we're seeing across the market, sales to higher-income or more affluent households likely won't be impacted by this pricing," Piscatella told me. "And, of course, we have the price insensitive super enthusiasts that will do and pay whatever it takes to acquire the Switch 2 at launch. Therefore, because of the limited quantities that will be available during the launch year, I do not anticipate this pricing to hinder year one sales volumes.

"The true test will come in year two, as supply is likely to become more readily available, and the addressable market will be forced to widen. So, we'll have to see what happens over the next 9-12 months."

McWhirter's response was similar, saying that Omdia's current forecast has the Nintendo Switch 2 being outpaced in sales by the original Switch by 6 million units by the end of 2028.