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Today’s Nintendo Direct brought news of the welcome return of Donkey Kong to Switch. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is headed for release on January 16, 2025. The new version looked great in its reveal trailer today, which showed off DK and his little buddy, Diddy Kong, making their way through a slew of jungle-themed environments, collecting bananas, popping barrels, and even riding Rambi the Rhinoceros. The new remaster is set to include 80 levels, which means it will also have all the extra levels that appeared in the 2013 3DS port. The trailer also reveals plans for two-player local cooperative play. Check our the new trailer for yourself below. ...

Disney Illusion Island was one of our favorite platformers from last year, thanks to its charming visuals, engaging combat-free design, and toe-tapping soundtrack. If you haven't checked it out yet, today is a great day to do so, thanks to the free update that adds a brand-new chapter of gameplay. Mystery In Monoth sees Mickey and friends lend a helping hand to Monoth's greatest detective, the trench coat-clad Dash Dolphin. In addition to what appears to be new levels packed with platforming challenges, players will get to experience some mystery-solving as well by collecting clues and evidence and connecting them using a classic bulletin board with thumbtacks and red string. You can return to the land of Monoth to snoop and sleuth when the Mystery In Monoth update drops later today....

During today's Nintendo Direct, developer Mistwalker announced that its popular RPG Fantasian would be making the leap to Switch later this year in an enhanced version called Fantasian Neo Dimension. The title arrived as an Apple Arcade exclusive in 2021 and currently holds an 80 out of 100 on reviews aggregate site Metacritic. It also won the award for Mobile game of the Year at the 25th Annual DICE Awards.  Mistwalker was founded in 2004 by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, who produced Fantasian. The studio frequently collaborates with longtime Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu, who also worked on Fantasian as the composer. To date, Mistwalker has released multiple critically acclaimed games, including Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, and The Last Story. Fantasian uses similar turn-based design conventions as were found in many of the most classic Final Fantasy games. The...

Nintendo kicked off its June 2024 Nintendo Direct presentation with the surprise reveal of a new Mario & Luigi game. This is the first new entry (there were some remakes a few years ago) in nine years. The game is subtitled Brothership and is apparently a "seafaring adventure" that will include new evolved "Bros moves". The game is coming to Nintendo Switch November 7. A big question mark that remains is who is the developer? The series was created by and developed by AlphaDream, but the studio closed down in 2019.  ...

Yars Rising is the successor of the 1982 Atari classic Yars' Revenge. However, on the surface, it has little to do with the original game created by Howard Scott Warshaw. After all, one is a 2D space shooter while another is a modernized sci-fi Metroidvania. However, with homages to Atari and gaming's past galore, all developed by a renowned studio like WayForward, this release could be one to look forward to when it arrives on its newly announced September release date. Taking control of a hacker named Emi (codename Yar), players must blast, hack, and sneak their way through various areas. As she progresses, she unlocks new powers that allow her to take out enemies more easily and, in true Metroidvania fashion, access new areas. Yars Rising is published by Atari and pays homage to the company's past, including bosses...

Developer Playground Games has announced its next wave of Forza Horizon 5 content will be focused on newer innovations in the realm of automobiles. This means that players will have the opportunity to drive around Mexico in a 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, 2023 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N, 2021 Toyta GR Yaris, 2023 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo S, and 2023 Kia EV6 GT. However, for many, those are unlikely to be the highlight of this batch of releases. Available tomorrow, Forza Horizon 5 is bringing several iconic vehicles from Universal Studios films and TV shows. The Universal Icons Car Pack adds KITT from Knight Rider, Jurassic Park's 1992 Jeep Wrangler Sahara, and a distinct version of the Delorean Time Machine from each Back to the Future film in the trilogy. Each Time Machine features a unique look and visual effects once...

Elden Ring fans are likely counting down the seconds until the release of its hotly anticipated Shadow of the Erdtree expansion this Friday. For those planning to dive into the experience the millisecond it becomes available, developer From Software has one request: no spoilers. In an X post, the developer shared a short message kindly requesting players to be cool to each other and not go out of their way spoiling the expansion's content online. The message reads: Greetings, Tarnished. With the release of the expansion of Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree, please be mindful of spoilers for those who want to tread into the Realm of Shadow with nothing but their determination and their minds unclouded.  Thank you for your cooperation. Despite this reasonable request, if you're worried about spoilers and don't plan on shutting yourself inside on...

A live-action Totally Spies! TV series is in the works at Prime Video and Will Ferrell is onboard as an executive producer....

Embracer has shut down Pieces Interactive, the developer of the Alone in the Dark reimagining that arrived earlier this year. The studio is the latest to be closed by the troubled company over the last 10 months.  Pieces Interactive’s website now only features a graphic listing “2007-2024 Thanks For Playing With Us” and a short blurb detailing its history:  Pieces Interactive released over ten titles on PC, Console and Mobile since 2007, both our own concepts such as Puzzlegeddon, Fret Nice, Leviathan Warships, Robo Surf and Kill to Collect, as well as work for hire titles such as Magicka 2 and several DLCs for Magicka. Our client list includes Paradox Interactive, Koei Tecmo, Arrowhead Game Studios, Koch Media and RaceRoom Entertainment. In 2017, Pieces Interactive were acquired by Embracer Group after working with the expansion for Titan Quest, Titan Quest:...

Nintendo has announced its previously confirmed summer Direct will air tomorrow, June 18. The roughly 40-minute presentation will focus on games slated for the second half of 2024. The Direct begins at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET. Nintendo also reiterates that this presentation will not mention the Switch successor console. Join us for a #NintendoDirect livestream focused on #NintendoSwitch games coming in the second half of 2024! There will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during this presentation. 📅 June 18 🕓 7:00 AM PT ⏳ Roughly 40 minutes Watch it here: https://t.co/rYjTHHpayb pic.twitter.com/uAs6JYu31A — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) June 17, 2024 With the next Switch console slated to launch by March 2025, this is likely one of, if not the, last Direct focused entirely on the current Switch. The company's fall calendar currently only has Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time as...