If you’ve been into gaming for a few decades, you’ll have fond memories of Saturday mornings diving into the latest? releases on Nintendo 64. While the likelihood of you having a Nintendo 64 still available to play is slim, the Switch offers a limited number of titles from the iconic console. 

It’s been 28 years since the Nintendo 64 first hit TV units across the world, and 22 years since the final game was released for the console in North America (Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, for those interested). Th?at’s a long time to go without playing some of the classics that were available during the console’s six-year tenure??. 

However, if you’ve got a Nintendo Switch Online+ Expansion Pack membership, there are a few of those classics available to play. While some of them are definitely more niche, here are 10 of the best titles available to play. Apologies in advance if this list reminds you that we're a??ging up a little too fast...

Super Mario 64

I can’t begin this list without mentioning Super Mario 64. It was one of two games that were released alongside the launch of the N64 in North America (alongside Pilotwings 64), so it’s one of the first games that springs to mind when I think back to queuing outside my local video game store to get t??he console on launch day in 1996. 

I don’t feel like I need to explain Super Mario 64 too much, but just in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last 39 years, let me give you the TLDR (which goes for most of the games): Mario is invited to visit Princess Peach, only to?? find Bowser has infiltrated and ??kidnapped her. Cue a mad dash across the realm to locate and rescue the Princess, and take down Bowser. 

Pokémon Snap

If you want an updated version of this classic 1999 Pokémon title, then you can get New Pokémon Snap, which was released specifically for the? Switch back in 2021. However, nothing q??uite touches the original in terms of nostalgia and classic design. There’s something really special about curling up and snapping shots of Pokémon as remembered from childhood. 

What tips the original over the successor, personally, is the lack of pressure to complete tasks. Admittedly there isn’t much in the new ?one either, but if you face a lot of pressure on a daily basis, being able to simply focus on taking photos rather than needing a reason to is ac??????????????????????????tually really nice. 

Paper Mario

First reaching North America in 2001, Paper Mario is the first in a series of six games (or seven, if you count Paper Jam) to feature Mario and associated characters in their â€?.5Dâ€?forms. Again, the plot is familiar to all Mario fans - Bowser has Princess Peach, and Mario must battle through the Mushroom Kingdom to get her back and kick some overgr?own turtle butt. ;

What makes the Paper Mario series incredibly special, and especially the first, is not only the ar??t style but the puzzles and cooperation with other characters as well. The RPG elements and turn-based combat moments are tense, but not overly so. 

GoldenEye 007

GoldenEye 007 is an absolutely guaranteed memory for anyone who grew up in the 90s, whether you actually played or simply ?knew other people who did ?and desperately wanted to but your parents thought it was too graphic. The idea of the latter is laughable now, considering the current gaming graphics we’ve become so used to, but the 90s were a different time. 

Regardless, the cover art of GoldenEye 007 is enough to trigger some childhood memories for most, featuring Pierce Brosnan as Bond and Izabella Scorupco as Natalya Simonova. It’s based on the story from 1995’s GoldenEye, and as Bond, it’s up to the player ??to take down a criminal syndicate and prevent them from using a satellite weapon. It?? also had multiplayer options, which would usually result in an argument or two. 

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Released in 1998, Ocarina of Time was the first of the Zelda game series to?? feature 3D graphics. It is, arguably, among the best and most iconic video games of all time, and at the time of release, it received far m??ore pre-orders than any other game before it. 

As with most other Zelda titles, you take the role of Link and ha??ve all of his usual weapons in your arsenal, including the iconic sword and shield. The story is hard to explain if you’ve never played, but in short, Link must awaken the five Sages, defeat Ganondorf, and protect the kingdom of Hyrule. 

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards was released in 2000, and as with the previous Ocarina of Time, The Crystal Shards was the first Kirby title to have 3D graphics. For most people of a certain age, Kirby is one of those games that invokes a huge amount of nostalgia and has come to ??many platforms in the time since it was first released, including the Wii, Wii U??, and now the Nintendo Switch. 

The story of The Crystal Shards involves Kirby having to reassemble a sacred crystal that has been shattered by Dark Matter. If you’ve ever played a Kirby game, you’ll know what to expect - explore 2.5D levels and devour your enemies to gain their powers. However, The Crystal Shards also introduced Power C??ombos, allowing yo?u to mix and match powers to create new and much more powerful ones. 

Banjo-Kazooie

As far as platformers go, Banjo-Kazooie borders on being wildly underappreciated. The first in a line of five titles, Banjo-Kazooie was released back in 1998. Banjo, the honey bear in fetching yellow shorts and always in possession of his trusty backpack, was first introduced in 1997 as part of the cast of Diddy Kong Racing. Kazooie, the B?reegull who can be found sheltering inside the aforementioned backpack, was introduced in this?? game and the pair became a beloved duo. 

Together, Banjo and Kazooie must track down Banjo’s kidnapped sister, Tooty, who has been kidnapped by the evil witch Gruntilda. Gameplay is a mix of delightful (although often frustrating) platform levels, puzzles, and boss fights. Th??ere’s something incredibly satisfying about collecting music notes and Jiggies that open doors to new worlds. 

Yoshi’s Story

Yoshi’s Story was released in North America in 1998, and is a fruit-eating joy to play regardless of age. While most of the other titles on this list are adventuring games with someone to rescue, Yoshi’s Story provides something different: the endless frustration of trying to be be??tter than you were before. There is an element of adventure and storytelling, but it arguably takes a back seat to beating your own high score.

There are two modes in Yoshi’s Story: Story Mode and Trial Mode. To unlock new le?vels in Trial Mode, you must first complete the levels in Story Mode, and completing them requires the apparently simple task of eating 30 fruits. But of course, it’s not that simple. Each type of fruit is worth a different amount of points, with Melons giving the most, and there are also Lucky Fruits that offer a bonus. 

Perfect Dark

Perfect Dark is described as a “spiritual successor�to GoldenEye 007, runs on an upgraded version of the same game engine, and was developed and released three years later in 2000. Perfect Dark came not only with a solo campaign mode but also multiplayer options such as co-operative and deathmatch modes. It's making a comeback as well, but it remains to be see??n whether a remake can touch the no??stalgia of the original.

As Joanna Dark, you must complete objectives while avoiding or eliminating opponents to eventually stop an extraterrestrial conspiracy by a corporation known as dataDyne. As with GoldenEye, there are many weapons to choose from, but now these weapon?s all have additional useful features. The K7 Avenger, for instance, w??ill detect threats such as nearby explosives. 

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

Released two years after Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask hit shelves and TV screens in 2000 and features the same 3D graphics that premiered in the previous title. Majora’s Mask is�Confusing, to say the least. The gameplay involves a 3-day cycle that must be replayed, u??sing knowledge learned from previous cycles to perform better during subsequent ones. 

One of the best features of Majora’s Mask is the transformations provided by the c?ore masks that Link can use - a Deku Scrub, a Goron, and a Zora. Each transformation provides Link with different, incredibly useful abilities, and you’ll need to think?? carefully about which form you take to complete puzzles and quests throughout the story. And did I mention that Link can control time and the moon is enough to give any kid nightmares for weeks?

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When you buy the Nintendo Switch Online subscription, you get a slew of retro games through the pla?tform's online library of older titles. Of course, there ??is a step above just the regular ole service with the higher tier, the Expansion Pack. However, you don't have to pony up for more just to play some treasured classics.

For those of you looking to sample some of Nintendo's retro librar?y, I've got some? suggestions on where to start with the now 100-tile collection of classics. These are the best games for the base Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

The 10 best games to play on Nintendo Switch Online

Since we're excluding Expansion Pack titles, the following games are from either the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Game Boy, or Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). If a game you like from these catalogs and they aren't on the list, fret not �these are just t??he best of the best in a massive library beloved by many of us.

10. Tecmo Bowl (NES)

Sports games and Nintendo don’t go hand-in-hand now unless Mario is involved, but Tecmo Bowl is an exception. Despite being a game from the late �0s, this one still holds up a lot better than most modern American football games. It’s simple enough to break into even for the folks not quite so s??ports savvy and there's no overly convoluted s??et of controls just to get your players moving.

9. Metroid (NES)

The Nintendo Switch was made for sidescrolling games, namely Metroidvanias. So, why not take a trip back to the late '80s and see the game that started it all? The original NES Metroid definitely shows how dated it is, but it doesn’t mean it’s a bad game. It’s loads of fun and will have you hooked from the moment you discover the out-of-the-way or less obvious path forward. The movement takes some time to get familiar with, but if you stick around?, it’s well worth putting that effort in.

8. Donkey Kong Country (SNES)

After b?eing the fellow who would hold Pauline captive in the 1980s, Donkey Kong would eventually get his own 2D sides??crolling adventure where he’s the good guy. He’s also accompanied by Diddy Kong, who you can swap to on the fly if the situation requires it. 

Its gameplay is akin to the Super Mario games in that you can jump on enemies�heads to defeat them. You can also throw things or use a close attack to deal damage. Still, it provides its own kind of fun that shows the quality ??of the 16-bit era. What a glow-up, good guy story for t??he Kong.

7. EarthBound (SNES)

It’s wild to look back on this game and see the Mother series only started to take off in western regions after Ness and Lucas became a staple in the Smash Bros. franchise. Still, now that the '90s RPG has become popular and made available for NSO subscribers, EarthBound still holds up. So, to all of you hungry for more Mother releases, the oldest? western release is at least far more available now t??han it was back then.

6. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)

Fans of top-down games, especially the Zelda games, have to have played this at some point. A Link to the Past is one of the better, if not the best of the games in this style. The first Legend of Zelda game was exceptional in so many ways, but A Link to the Past is ju?st more mem??orable, more fluid, and overall more fun.

5. Tetris (Game Boy)

If you want to break away from the highly competitive nature of Tetris 99, you can always fire the OG Tetris up on the Game Boy app. It plays a lot differently than modern Tetris because pieces automatically snap the mo??ment they make contact on the surface. 

You’ll also be unable to see an outline of where your pieces will drop, so there’s a challenge within itself right there. Tetris on the Game Boy is based o??n classic rules, but it’s still such a fun time rega??rdless.

4. Super Metroid (SNES)

If you want even more Metroid that’s faster-paced and ??has more fluid gameplay, then the third game of the series will p?rovide just that. It’s just an overall better time than the original game, with just the right amount of difficulty that won’t have you pulling your hair out.

3. Kirby Super Star (SNES)

There’s something about the older Kirby games that j??ust have more charm and character to them. They’re simple enough and follow the whole “pink blob eats enemies and takes their powers�aspect of the game. Then there are the minigames on the side to take a break between the main story that just feels like a good kind of padding.

E??ven though Kirby games are doing just fine and are still prevalent in today’s market, it’s a fun trip down memory lane to see the early days of his adventures.

2. Killer Instinct (SNES)

Killer Instinct is an awesome fighting game that acted as healthy competition against Mortal Kombat in the '90s. While not as gory, it still had great, over-the-top action, spor?ting a roster of ten wildly different and memorable characters. For the time, it was impressive, and so fun to play, even for those who aren’t into fighting games. 

This is the game that introduced the “c-c-c-combo breaker!�and the echoed “ultra!�sound effects that we all still use from time to time. No?velties aside, it’s such a great addition to the lineup of current games on the Switch’s SNES library.

1. Super Mario World (SNES)

Super Mario World is touted as one of the best 2D Mario games of all time because of the mechanics, the music, and just how much exploration it has. This is the game that introduced the Cape Feather, which is iconic for all the wild verticality that you can perform. It also has the hilarious P Balloon that inflates Mario or Luigi and lets them fly in all eight directions for a short ??time. You can’t forget the d??ifferent Yoshis with their own respective abilities, either.

Most people will play this game from start to finish, but there is more than me??ets the eye once you clear the Switch Palaces or revisit previous levels with proper power-ups. If you never played this game in any way, you have to.

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Earlier this week in Scotland, dozens of families were disappointed by the Willy Wonka Experience Glasgow. While the bare-bones event left a lot? to be desired, the actors put on the best show possible to try to show attendees a good time, and one has become a video game star.

Despite the Willy Wonka Experience Glasgow being a complete disaster for everyone involved, those watching the chaos unfold online have latched onto one of its key characters. The Unknown is a creation of whatever AI writing program was used to create the script for the event. This evil chocolate maker lives in the walls, presumably of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, and is a terrifying sight to behold, unlike Willy Wonka-inspired Xbox Series X. That's exactly why the character is being?? sl?owly added into as many games as possible by fans and creators online.

The Unknown is slowly making its way into your favorite video games

During the Willy Wonka Experience Glasgow, the actor playing The Unknown did a fantastic job of stepping into the shoes of an evil chocolate maker who lives in the walls. Their shuddering movements and terrifying mask scared everyone at the event as they emerged from behind a mirror. A clip of their arrival has gone viral and become the i?ns??piration for many of its video game renditions.

Pixel environment artist Zaebucca posted a piece of art on Twitter that reimagines the battle between Willy Wonka and The Unkown in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land.

While Kirby is battling Nightmare, their post on the image, "Final showdown between the Legendary Pink Vacuum Cleaner and the Unknown, from the beloved classic "Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land" (2002?)" is a reference to another bonkers part of the event's AI-generated script. In it, Willy Wonka was meant to suck up The Unknown with a? hoover, which the actors weren't provided with at the time and w??ere instructed to improvise somehow.

One of the more terrifying versions of The Unknown comes courtesy of Bonfire on Twitter, who created a Minecraft skin of the character. I'm pretty horrified every time I meet an E?nderman so if this was a canon ??in-game enemy I'd never play it again.

Dead by Daylight fans want a Willy Wonka Experience Glasgow skin for The Unknown Killer

Perhaps the funniest part of these video game renditions of the Willy Wonka Experience Glasgow's The Unknown is that the next Killer being added to Dead by Daylight is also called The Unknown. Another of the studio's original Killers. Releasin?g on March 12 with the All Things Wicke?d Chapter, The Unknown is a folklore cryptid who has been kidnapping and killing people in the forests around Greenville for centuries.

Developer Behaviour Interactive revealed the cryptid with a skin that's way too baggy for its body before the Willy Wonka Experience Glasgow began disappointing customers. Fans on the Dead by Daylight Subreddit have latched onto the creepy chocolate maker more than most because they think it would be perfect for one of the Killer's skins. Th?e question is whether the organisers are either willing to show their faces to create a collaboration with Behavior Interactive. They may want to remain anonymous, leaving the developer open to using the AI ?accident of a character.

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When Nintendo announced that Game Boy Advance games would appear on the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack service, I felt a tinge of excitement in my soul. Not because I love Game Boy Advance games, though that is certainly true. Rather, because I could never wrangle together the peripherals and people needed to make many of the system’s unique multiplayer experiences work. So when I saw this morning that Kirby & The Amazing Mirror would be coming to Nintendo’s subscrip??tion service next week, I couldn’t help but smile.

For the uninitiated, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror is a unique curiosity of a game. On one hand, it is as much a Kirby platformer as any. It has all the copy abilities and cute characters you could ask for. But instead of the traditional level-by-level structure, it veers towards a Metroidvania format. Maybe nowadays that’s an overdone concept, but for 2004, that was pretty awesome! And moreover, it has full four-player co-op. I could nev??er organize a multiplayer run through this game back in the day, but when this update launches next week, ??I might finally have that chance.

More multiplayer Game Boy Advance games, please!

As much as I love seeing strong single-player games like Fire Emblem hit the Switch Online service, I really hope we see more multiplayer games like Kirby & The Amazing Mirror. Those experiences are so hard to preserve these days, so having the ability to set them up so easily brings a ton of value to Switch Online as a service. I know that, technically, you could already play Mario Bros. or Mario Kart Super Circuit to this? point. But co-op games? Now that’s my j?am.

There are so many gems to unearth on this system that would be great fits for Switch Online. Shining Soul 1 and 2 were hack-and-slash RPGs built around multiplayer co-op. Sonic Advance 3 was experimenting with multiplayer almost two decades before Sega would revisit the concept with Sonic Superstars. And then there's The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords, which�I mean, it’s The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords.

Did I take this news story just as an excuse to talk about multiplayer Game Boy Advance games? Maybe. This is just a mom?ent in gaming history that I just thought was gone for so many years, so I'm happy to see it again.

Regardless, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror is a great addition for those who sprung ??for the Expansion Pack add-on. Subscribers ca??n experience this game on September 29.

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Typically, Nintendo Switch Online game updates come in two flavors. There are the exciting updates that bring all-time classic titles to the service. And then there are the weird updates that add a mix of obscure titles that seem to exist as curiosities at best. This month's update maybe veers clo?ser to that second camp, but it’s such a crazy mix of games that I mostly feel confusion over any kind of disappoi?ntment.

Across the Game Boy, NES, and SNES apps, Switch Onl?ine owners can now access three Japan-exclusive titles and, weirdest of all, an obscure licensed game. Here’s the rundown:

• Kirby Star Stacker (SNES)
• Quest for Camelot (Game Boy Color)
• Downtown Nekketsu March: Super-Awesome Field Day! (NES)
• Joy Mech Fight (NES)

I really cannot get over seeing Quest for Camelot on that list. It was one of those movies that was in the pop culture conversation so briefly that I only really remembered its signature song. I have no idea how the game holds up, but seeing the Titus logo on it doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence. The Wikipedia page for the game states under “Receptionâ€?t?hat “Adam Cl??eveland of IGN summarized the game as ‘bad,’â€?which, hey, who am I to argue with Adam Cleveland of IGN?

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDB_vr-0KJs

A good time for Japanese games

Meanwhile, it does appear that the other titles on this list have some merit. Downtown Nekketsu March is part of the Kunio-kun series, best known in the United States for River City Ransom. Additionally, Joy Mech Fight was famously one of the ten Nintendo titles that Destructoid’s Zoey “I’m gonna play it�Handley said should be localized. I can’t bel??ieve Nintendo reads Destructoid. There is literally no other explana?tion for this that I am willing to listen to.

You’ll probably want to look up guides to help navigate some of the menus in these titles. I mashed the A button in each to get into gameplay, but that's not the best way to enjoy games. This fortunately isn’t a problem you’ll have with Quest for Camelot though. You’ll only have to contend with the fact that the game is - in the word of Adam Cleveland of IGN - “bad.�/p>

All four games are available now for Ninten??do Switch Online subscribers.

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Get your Old MacDonald on

Nintendo has added four more titles to its ever-expanding catalog of classic releases, which are available now to all Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. Simply download the game??s of your choice from the eSho??p and you're all set to go with some old-school Nintendo action.

The SNES portion of the Switch Online catalog receives a zillion hours of playtime with the addition of Natsume's farming RPG Harvest Moon. Initially released in 1996, this release is the very first entry in the tightly-held Story of Seasons franchise, and tasks the player with building and maintaining a farming economy, tucked away in a quaint country corner. The player must plant crops, rear livestock,? trade with the market, and mix with the populace in order to build a sweet little life for themselves and the townsfolk.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=e80uqBEgxSI

The Game Boy Color receives two new titles. First up is the 2000 release Blaster Master: Enemy Below, which once again sees hero Jason piloting the powerful SOPHIA ATV in another dungeon-exploring mission against invading alien beings. The second release sees the return of our favorite pink puffball, with action-puzzler Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble. T?his title was renown for implementing accelerometers in the GBC cartridge, which allowed the player to control Kirby with the literal movement of the handheld itself. ??Gameplay consists of top-down, maze-running action, akin to that of Super Monkey Ball.

Finally, we have a great oddity in the form of 1986 Famicom release Mystery Tower, which is essentially the Famicom port of Tower of Babel. This NSO addition marks the first official release of this port of Namco's p?latform puzzler outside of Japan, and thus is a pretty cool addition to the Switch Online library. Players control explorer Indy Borgnine as they attempt to navigate the titular tower.

Harvest Moon, Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, Blaster Master: Enemy Below, and Mystery Tower are all ??available to download now on Nintendo Switch for all Nintendo Switch O??nline subscribers.

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I want it

I'm a pretty huge fan of Magolor in the Kirby mythos. He's formidable and cute! Just like Meta Knight, it's a fantastic combination of shonen-level anime appeal. Frankly, he needs his own game (but I'll have to settle for his own mode for now). However you feel about him, you can enjoy one of Kirby's greatest frenemies on a canvas bag as a My Nintendo US reward.

Here's?? the full description of ??the bag from Nintendo:

"This sturdy canvas pouch has a zipper closure, so it’s the perfect place to store treasured items. Featuring t?he ?powerful pink puff Kirby and the mysterious cosmic traveler Magolor."

So it's a bag.

It's 500 Platinum Points (which is on the median/low end for many rewards), so if you want it, get it! Although rewards generally stay up for a decent amou??nt of time and occasionally come back in stock, nothing is guaranteed on My Nintendo: especially with supply chain woes continually rearing up.

As a reminder, if you want physical rewards, you can find our full Platinum Point guide here, which has been updated with details on weekly missions: bookmark it for when you need quick points for a reward. A handful of points is incredibly easy to get, as that’s basically just 15 minutes with Super Mario Run, or a quick sign-on to the 3DS or Wii U 3Shop. Also remember that any shipments are bundled together, so you can pay a flat rate for multiple items instead of payin??g it each time. Just know that items go out of stock on My Nintendo frequently, and some are never restocked.

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It "might've been something that's maybe slightly too steep"

Did you play through Kirby and the Forgotten Land yet? What did you think of the final boss? Well, director Shinya Kumazaki thinks that maybe things were a little too intense at the end there. IGN spoke to Kumazaki at GDC, and he had some re?ally interesting things to say about the difficulty curve as a whole.

On the concept of difficulty, he notes:

"When you're thinking about maybe your childhood experience playing video games, there might have been games where you just feel like it's impossible to beat because it's so difficult. And I think the idea is that to be able to provide something that you can enter easily and is approachable, but also provide that sense of achievement in that you might have an experience where you're playing a game as a younger self, or even now. There comes a moment?? when you achieve something or you did something and you're like, ‘Okay, I can get it now. I did it.�And that sense of achievement is ?as a result of the person playing the game �their skill level is going up, and also becoming used to how to play that game."

All of this leads to the point in the curve where it reaches its apex: which is arguably the final boss in Forgotten Land. On th??e efficacy of that realization of said apex, he notes:

"For the first time in the Kirby series, we provided two different difficulty levels to really try to also provide an option for the experienced gamer audience to get a more fulfilling gameplay experience. And I think we were able to do that. But perhaps the steep uphill curve towards the end of t?he game, especially the final boss, might've been something that's maybe slightly too steep, and perhaps we can look into maybe balancing it out a little bit. That's something that I want to continue to explore"

I get it. Given how accessible Forgotten Land is at its core, I can see how the boss design (not just the final boss)?? could scare away some folks.

What a finale!

Without spoiling anything, the final boss (really, the final area as a whole) of Kirby and the Forgotten Land is wild. Once everything started going down I laughed at the absurdity of it all, and had an amazing time navigating it. It was one of the highlights of my Kirby-game-playing career, dating all the way back to the original on Game?? Boy during road trips as a kid.

I'd love to see the series experiment more with this (or even a spinoff somehow with a different character), but given how streamlined Kirby games are supposed to be by design: I get the need to pause to reflect on what tact the f??ranchise should take going forwa??rd.

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Cute pink ball in the side pocket

Nintendo Switch Online has updated its library of old-school releases, offering up hours of '80s/'90s entertainment for its subscribers �The March release, which is live right now, includes titles from the NES, SNES, and Game Boy libraries, and includes an appearance from your favorite pink pal, Kirb??y!

NES

From the 8-bit console's enormous back catalog of releases, we are offered the NES port of Atari's iconic 1982 shmup Xevious. Titled Xevious The Avenger, this vertically scrolling shmup was initially released on the Japanese Famicom in 1984, and was, at the time, one of the very first third-party titles in Nintendo history. It was incredibly successful on release, which lead to a ??stock shortage wi??thin its launch week!

SNES

For the 16-bit counterpart, we're taking to the table for a spot of pool with Data East's Side Pocket, a top-down billiards simulator based upon the 1986 arcade of the same name. The home version offers more modes and revised gameplay, as well as a bevy of rad, 16-bit portraits as well as photo-style portraits of the player characters and various "babes", which were designed to give the home edition an edgy, The Color of Money vibe.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBZVeqD3nRc&ab_channel=NintendoofAm?erica

Game Boy

This month's Game Boy offerings feature two gaming icons. The first, BurgerTime Deluxe, is a handheld edition of Data East's classic 1982 arcade, and sees a chef negotiate a maze of platforms in order to make the perfect burger �fending off attacking foodstuffs with his trusty pepper. The second Game Boy addition is Kirby's Dream Land 2, the sequel to the legendary and highly acclaimed 1992 release, Kirby's Dream Land. This adventure sees our ever-hungry friend attempt to recover the stolen Rainbow Bridges from King Ded?ede, possessed by an evil phenomenon known as "Dark Matter".

Xevious The Avenger, Side Pocket, BurgerTime Deluxe, and Kirby's Dream Land 2 are all available n?ow via the Nintendo Switch? Online service.

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Hiiiiiii again!

My review: Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe is Kirby's Return to Dream Land, with more stuff. You'll probably dig it because Return to Dream Land ruled. Goodnight everybody!

[caption id="attachment_364232" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe (Switch)
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: February 24, 2023
MSRP: $59.99

Whoa, this thing is 60 bucks?! Well, you probably want a full review. It's worth 60 bucks. Goodnight again! But seriously folks, it's worth it. Over a decade ago, it could be tough to explain to people why I was originally so drawn to Kirby's Return to Dream Land, and barely anyone even asked. Maybe it was because it released at the tail-end of the Wii's lifecycle, but people barely talked about it back then, or since, in my circles. Hopefully tha??t'll ?change with this re-release on Switch.

If it had to describe it in brief why this game works so well, I would say that it's just a plain old "clean" Kirby experience. There's not a lot of nonsense here, and the hook of fixing up newcomer Magolor's ship is a tad more interesting than "Dedede or some other upfront big bad most be stopped again." There are a few hiccups that are still present. I'm not a big fan of the "Super Ability" mechanic (where Kirby basically goes Super Saiyan in select sections and destroys everything on-screen with the press of a button), especially in multiplayer where the other three characters are taking a backseat. But those sections are usually at the end of an already great stage, and bookended by a dimensional challenge room that you can? ope?n up with said Super Ability.

That's the beauty of the Kirby formula. Most of the lows you'll encounter are over in a flash, and it's time to move to the next thing. With the ability to have four players tap in as Meta Knight, King Dedede, Bandana Waddle Dee (or any number of Kirbys), it also becomes a ligh??tning rod for a relaxing multiplayer affair. Drop-in/out support further adds to the laid back feel of this packed game, made for pretty much ever??yone.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExWoeRuFWo8

Return to Dream Land has a tight collective of copy abilities too, backed-up by the fantastic additions of Mecha and Sand �which are completely new to the Deluxe/Switch edition �as well as the returning ability of "Festival," which was added from Kirby Star Allies. Sand in particular became a new all-time favorite of mine, and I found myself going for it frequently when I had the choice in pre-boss-?battle rooms. It has just enough simplicity to it with the right amount of flair, as it's a mixture of short and mid-range sand flinging and grabbing; to the point where you need to be in the thick of fights with a more active playstyle. A few existing copy abilities have been tweaked too to give them more mechanical options.

More Deluxe-specific tweaks include a "Helper Magolor" option, which saves you from pits like Beat in the Mega Man series: perfect for youngsters or first-timers who might sap the collective extra life pool. The addition of masks in Return to Dream Land Deluxe (which are like aesthetic optional collectibles you can paste on your face) is a cute idea, barring the f?act that some of them look like you're wearing oth?er character's skin (my wife had a field day picking out the most disturbing combinations).

OK, so onto the new stuff. One big draw of this re-release is the post-game mode Magolor Epilogue: The Interdimensional Traveler. Unlocked after clearing the core game for the first time (which will take you roughly five hours), this new mode will take you a few more hours to finish, and deals with Magolor's redemption arc, who is playable (and full four player support, with everyone using clones of Magolor). I wouldn't go in expecting anything really crucial lore-wise (which is kind of a given for a Kirby game), but it's a fun little few-hour romp that puts you in the driver's s?eat of Magolor himself, with some tricks of his own.

[caption id="attachment_364233" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Little Mag can levitate, toss fireballs, chuck bombs, trigger a Shinku Hadoken blast special, and so on. At first you'll have very little in terms of powers at your disposal, but you'll quickly change that as you earn level/skill-up currency through collectibles and simply clearing stages. Those stages are designed with his abilities in mind, but sadly, the vast majority of enemies (even bosses) are reskins.? That said, it makes up for that shortcoming in other ways. It has an addictive low floor/high ceiling formula, where you can technically clear everything without much trouble; but earning the Platinum ranking for each stage could take some time. When combined with the progression system, it's a nice little extra on top ??of everything else. About that!

Merry Magoland is another new addition, which makes it way easier to play through the?? minigames present in the original, with some extras. My loc??al group got sucked into Merry Magoland pretty easily, as it provides 10 distinct subgames to play with friends, with some variants/extras/additional difficulty settings. Think of stuff like the classic Samurai Kirby reaction time game, a shooting gallery (with reticles to boot), and so on. Every few levels we'd swap between the two and have a bit of friendly competition.

"Extra" mode also returns from the original (which is a riff on the series' popular second, tougher challenge-like run), as does the arena challenge series. It's neat how both the core game and Merry Magoland feed into each other too, as you can earn stamps for the latter in the former, and use mask rewards in any mode. Both even have a easy-access "swap to the other mo??de" button when you're in both hubs. Synergy!

[caption id="attachment_364234" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe is going to be a hard sell at full price for folks who already felt like they got everything they needed out of the original release: but if you remotely like Kirby and haven't picked any series entries up in a while, it's hard to go wrong with this one. HAL Laboratory has perfected the formula over the past three decades or so, cramming in tons of stuff to do and catering to a more hardcore aged-up Kirby audience: without forgetting the original ethos of the franchise. Ho??pefully with the Switch's high install base,?? it'll get the attention it deserves this time.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe appeared first on Destructoid.

Available after clearing the story

One of the Deluxe features has been announced for Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe. In today’s Nintendo Direct, Nintendo revealed that an epilogue chapter will be added to the remake of 2011’s Kirby’s Return to Dreamland.

Ti?tled Magalor Epilogue: The Interdimensional Traveller. Magalor has lost all his powers, and you’re going to have to help him get them back and return to his home dimension. You’ll collect magic points to upgrade and unlock his powers. Up to four players will be able to play together across the over 20 stages.

The Magalor Epilogue will be available after beating the story mode. Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe will be available on Februa??ry 24th. A demo will be available today.

The post Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe will feature a new beefy epilogue appeared first on Destructoid.

You must be this Puyo to ride

Here's a healthy dose of cuteness for your Thursday lunchtime, as Nintendo has released a colorful new trailer for the incoming release Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, which will?? launch?? on the Switch platform later this month.

The trailer, titled "Welcome to Merry Magoland", invites us into the almost sickeningly adorable theme park, described by the enthusiastic narrator as an "out of this world destination for general merry-making". The theme park will provide Dream Land Deluxe players with a selection of fun mini-games, ?a few of which are new, while many of which have been recreated from their original appearance in some of Kirby's classic prior adventures.

//ww?w.youtube.com/watch?v=zJav9cmudMA&ab_channel=NintendoofAmerica

These multiplayer showdowns will include shooting galleries, bomb-tossing silliness, and even an amusingly stoic samurai showdown. The all-new "Booming Blasters" �essentially a Kirby-themed variant of the top-down carnage depicted in games such as Bomberman �/em> looks to be a particular highlight. It's not all for naught, either, as while players enjoy games and explore the park, they will also earn stamps that can be traded in ??for new Copy abilities as well as various e??xclusive dress-up masks.