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IOI Partners, the publishing division of IO Interactive, and Build a Rocket Boy have concluded its publishing agreement for MindsEye. Read more View the full article

Bethesda’s open-world sci-fi RPG Starfield is leaping to a new star system. And by that, we mean PlayStation 5, which happens on April 7. Starfield first launched for Xbox Series X/S and PC in September 2023, and centers on players controlling a space miner who pilots a customizable ship to visit explorable planets within the Milky Way galaxy to solve an ancient mystery. The PlayStation 5 version will include every post-launch update as well as the upcoming Free Lanes update, which goes live for everyone on the same day. Gameplay takes advantage of the DualSense controller’s adaptive triggers to add a unique feel to different weapons, and the controller’s light bar will indicate the health of both your character and your starship. The touchpad can also be used as a shortcut for switching between points-of-view, opening the map, and using the hand scanner. Starfield on PS5 comes in two editions: a $49.99 Standard Edition that only consists of the base game and a $69.99 Premium Edition. Standard Edition owners can also purchase an upgrade to the Premium version for $24.99, which includes the following extras: Teran Armada Story DLCShattered Space Story Expansion1,000 Creation CreditsConstellation Skin PackDigital Artbook & Original SoundtrackYou can read our review of Starfield here, as well as the latest update on Bethesda’s next RPG, The Elder Scrolls VI. View the full article

French publishing giant Ubisoft has appointed Tencent and 2K veteran Julien Bares as general manager of its newly-formed Creative Houses 3 and 5. Read more View the full article

Arc Raiders and The Finals dev Embark Studios has "mutually agreed to part ways" with co-founder and CCO Rob Runesson after allegations of sexual misconduct. Read more View the full article

Nintendo released firmware updates for both Switch and Switch 2 last night, version 22.0.0 on both platforms, and they add a few interesting features. The headline feature is that Switch games running on Switch 2 can now be run in "Handheld Boost Mode". On Switch, games played in handheld mode run at 720p, but in docked or TV mode, they run at 1080p. This new Switch 2 setting allows Switch games to basically run in TV mode while playing handheld on Switch 2, boosting their resolution to 1080p. There are some asterisks, though. The setting screen for turning on Handheld Boost Mode on Switch 2 Since the games are being tricked into running in TV mode, "some instructions may be incorrect or fail to operate correctly." The mode also means that the touchscreen will not work. "Handheld Mode Boost may prevent Nintendo Switch software from using the system's touch screen, and will cause attached Joy-Con 2 controllers to be treated as a Nintendo Switch 2 Pro." It's also worth noting that this mode must be turned on manually. It is not turned on automatically by default following the update. You can read more about that specific update here. You can also now add notes about the people on your friends list, but don't worry – they won't see the notes. Other updates include some menu animation changes, GameChat improvements, rewind and fast-forward options for eShop trailers, improved accessibility options, and more. You can read the full list of updates here. And you can read about the Switch updates here, which are fewer, but also include the ability to add notes about your friends. View the full article

The crown prince of Saudi Arabia's Electronic Gaming Development Company (EGDC) has acquired a 5% stake in Capcom. Read more View the full article

Developer/Publisher Finji has announced that its beloved 2022 puzzle adventure game Tunic is heading to Switch 2. When? We don’t know, but it is happening. With Tunic celebrating its 4th anniversary today, Finji posted a social media message stating, "Tunic is 4 years old today! The perfect day to let you know that a Switch 2 update is on the way! We're working hard on it - stay tuned!" Tunic is already available on the original Switch, so we're curious to see what the added horsepower of the Switch 2 can add to the experience. If you missed Tunic the first time around, it stars a fox adventurer who unravels layers upon layers of secrets in a vibrant world. That's about as much as I'll say about the game, as Tunic is a game that is much more than meets the eye and should really be experienced with as little prior knowledge as possible. But if you really want a little more insight into what to expect, be sure to check out our video review below. You can also read our 9.75/10 review of Tunic, in which reviewer and former GI editor Jill Grodt called the game “a stunning achievement that manages to embody the best of nostalgia while being completely refreshing.” Be sure to also check out this deep-dive feature about the making of Tunic, and this preview for Finji's upcoming game, Usual June. Tunic is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. View the full article

Hasbro CEO, Chris Cocks, believes the video game industry needs to "think about things differently." Read more View the full article

Google Play has announced a slew of new features to improve the discoverability and purchase appeal of its PC and mobile games. Read more View the full article

Claim your Crime Boss: Rockay City Chase Character Pack Steam Key for free. Each pack unlocks Shaman Chase, new weapons, ... View the full article

In a bombshell ruling, a court has ordered Krafton to reinstate former Unknown World CEO Ted Gill, return control of the early access release of Subnautica 2, and extended the terms under which he and his team can secure its contentious $250 million bonus. Read more View the full article

The PlayStation 5 Pro is one of the most powerful consoles on the market right now, and today, Sony has unveiled a selection of recent releases that will be taking advantage of the machine's processing power. These games use the upgraded version of PSSR (which stands for "PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution"), which analyzes the pixels in each frame of gameplay and upscales the image to allow for finer detail. The upgraded PSSR made its debut with Resident Evil Requiem last month, but now it's rolling out to eleven more games. The video above is included in the PS Blog post. You'll likely need to view the video on a high-resolution display to see the finer differences. Today's blog post, written by Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications' senior director Sid Shuman, reads, "With this latest evolution, image reconstruction is more precise, motion stability is improved, and developers have greater flexibility to balance performance and fidelity on PS5 Pro." The blog continues with a list of games taking advantage of the feature, along with quotes from each developer that worked on it, and sample screenshots. Games added to the upgraded PSSR list today include Silent Hill f, Silent Hill 2 (2024), Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Control, Alan Wake 2, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Rise of the Ronin, Nioh 3, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Dragon's Dogma 2. The upgrade will be a part of the next PS5 system software update, which began rolling out today at 10 a.m. Pacific time. Additionally, Assassin's Creed Shadows and Cyberpunk 2077 will get the upgrade via patches to be released "in the coming weeks," while Crimson Desert will launch with upgraded PSSR this Thursday, March 19. While the above games are specifically built for the upgraded PSSR, the blog post also clarifies that you can try it with any game in your library by activating the feature in the Screen and Video section of the settings menu, though results will vary. View the full article

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards honor the best and brightest across film, television, and video games, and the nominees for the 2026 Game Awards have been revealed. The annual awards show is set to take place on Friday, April 17, at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, England (which you can watch on YouTube), and it will celebrate 42 games nominated across 17 categories. The highly-celebrated RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads the pack with 12 nominations, followed by the superhero narrative comedy Dispatch at 9 and the open-world action game Ghost of Yōtei at 8. Here is the full list of nominees: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best GameArc RaidersBlue PrinceClair Obscur: Expedition 33DispatchGhost of YōteiIndiana Jones and the Great CircleAnimationBattlefield 6Death Stranding 2: On the BeachDispatchGhost of YōteiHades IIHollow Knight: SilksongArtistic AchievementClair Obscur: Expedition 33Death Stranding 2: On the BeachDispatchGhost of YōteiHollow Knight: SilksongSouth of Midnight Arc Raiders Audio AchievementArc RaidersClair Obscur: Expedition 33Death Stranding 2: On the BeachDispatchGhost of YōteiIndiana Jones and the Great CircleBritish GameAtomfallCitizen Sleeper 2: Starward VectorMafia: The Old CountryMonument Valley 3Powerwash Simulator 2Two Point MuseumDebut GameBlue PrinceClair Obscur: Expedition 33Consume MeDespeloteDispatchThe Midnight Walk Blue Prince Evolving GameFallout 76Helldivers 2Hitman World of AssassinationNo Man’s SkyVampire SurvivorsWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2FamilyDonkey Kong BananzaIs This Seat Taken?Lego Party!Mario Kart WorldPowerwash Simulator 2Two Point MuseumGame Beyond EntertainmentThe AltersAnd RogerCitizen Sleeper 2: Starward VectorConsume MeDespeloteS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Dispatch Game DesignBall x PitBlue PrinceClair Obscur: Expedition 33Ghost of YoteiHades IISplit FictionMultiplayerArc RaidersDune: AwakeningElden Ring NightreignLego party!PeakSplit FictionMusicClair Obscur: Expedition 33Death Stranding 2: On the BeachDispatchGhost of YōteiHollow Knight: SilksongIndiana Jones and the Great Circle Ghost of Yōtei NarrativeThe AltersBlue PrinceClair Obscur: Expedition 33Death Stranding 2: On the BeachIndiana Jones and the Great CircleKingdom Come: Deliverance IINew Intellectual PropertyThe AltersArc RaidersClair Obscur: Expedition 33DispatchSouth of MidnightSplit FictionPerformer in a Leading RoleAaron Paul as Robert Robertson in DispatchBen Starr as Verso in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Erika Ishii as Atsu in Ghost of YoteiTom McKay as Henry of SkalitzTroy Baker as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Performer in a Supporting RoleAlix Wilton Regan as Lea Florence Monad in Lies of P: OvertureCharlie Cox as Gustave in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Jeffrey Wright as Chase in DispatchKirsty Rider as Lune in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Troy Baker as Higgs in Death Stranding 2: On the BeachTechnical Achievement Arc RaidersDeath Stranding 2: On the BeachDoom: The Dark AgesGhost of YoteiIndiana Jones and the Great CircleSplit Fiction For more on the BAFTA Game Awards, you can read the winners of the 2025 edition here. View the full article

Since Lego DC Super-Villains dropped in late 2018, the Lego Batman franchise has laid as dormant as a bat during the daytime. Legacy of the Dark Knight, the series' upcoming entry, is one of my most anticipated games of the year, and while the wait has felt agonizing, it turns out I won't have to wait as long as I feared. In a brief new trailer, WB Games has announced that Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight's release date is moving to be a week sooner: the game now launches on May 22. This change also means that people who purchase the pricier version of the game will get access sooner, as well. The deluxe edition comes with all the game's DLC, as well as 72-hour early access, meaning you'll be able to play starting May 19. DLC includes the Legacy Collection (three packs, each with new costumes for all 7 playable characters), which is available at launch, and the Mayhem Collection, which adds new levels where you can play as The Joker and Harley Quinn. You can see the full details in the graphic below, but note that the release date in the top left corner has since changed to May 22. Legacy of the Dark Knight takes the Lego Batman aesthetic and mashes it with the gameplay of the beloved Arkham games. It features overhauled combat, an open world to explore, and even difficulty levels for those who want more of a challenge than the kid-friendly Lego titles usually provide. Its story mode comprises of highlights from across Batman's history, including references from the aforementioned Rocksteady games as well as scenes from the animated and live-action film and TV adaptations. For more on the game, check out our hands-on impressions from Gamescom. For other news on highly anticipated games launching sooner than announced, you can read about how Capcom's Pragmata is also releasing one week earlier. View the full article

Microsoft's Gaming Copilot AI assistant will be available on current-gen Xbox consoles this year. Read more View the full article

This year's GDC Festival of Gaming saw a 30% decline in visitors, resulting in a total of 20,000 attendees. Read more View the full article

Warner Bros Montréal has reportedly been affected by an unspecified number of layoffs. Read more View the full article

Today is Pi day, and in honor of the occasion lets talk about the cake alternative as it appears in video games. We originally posted this feature on 2015's Pi day, which was extra special since the date was 3.14.15 – Pi to first four decimal places. This year isn't quite as special, but it's still an occasion to celebrate. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildThe pie in Breath of the Wild doesn't offer a great health boost, but it looks like a real edible pie and it's one of those dishes whose required ingredients (apple, cane sugar, goat butter, and Tabantha wheat) make a lot of sense. Best or worst? Best! It looks great and I made it myself. Had to go all the way to the Slippery Falcon in Rito Village to get the ingredients. That's all the way across town! Final Fantasy XVIn Final Fantasy XV you spend a lot of time making Ignis cook things for you because he is always coming up with a new recipe, but I just want to get something straight here. Looking at a recipe means you found a new recipe. It doesn't mean you came up with a new recipe, and I will never forgive him for that lie. Anyway, you can make Horntooth meat pie in Final Fantasy XV. Best or worst: Worst. Look, I like Ignis a lot. He's a great cook and a good friend, but that doesn't look like a pie, and I can't imagine Horntooth meat is great. I am getting a stomach ache just thinking about it. Fallout 4Fallout 4's perfectly preserved pie requires a decent amount of luck in order to acquire. It is a thing of beauty in a world ravaged by destruction and is a worthy goal, despite NPC Mel saying, "I don't trust anything that looks that perfectly preserved after 200 years," in regard to the pie. Perfectly Preserved, and perfectly delicious. Happy #PiDay pic.twitter.com/c4KEXk79g1 — Fallout (@Fallout) March 14, 2019Best or worst? Best. Who cares that it will probably exist in your stomach in that preserved form for another 200 years? It's worth it. ClayfighterBonker, the insane clown who chose the singular version of his name likely to avoid a lawsuit with this guy, uses a pie as a weapon. He's made of clay, but is still designated human for some reason and chooses to throw aluminum foil pans full of cream instead of fireballs when it comes to defending himself. There's a chance he could be making a return soon with the return of the fighting franchise he hails from. Best or worst? Best. Using a pie as a weapon is a fantastic idea. Injustice: Gods Among UsMuch like Bonker above (not to be confused with Bonkers – it's a very important distinction) Joker uses pie as weapon in the context of a fighting video game. To be fair, he actually uses it as more of a distraction so he can hit people in the face with a crowbar and then shoot them. It's well known that Joker doesn't give anything less than 110% when it comes to bodily harm. Best or Worst? Worst. A clown? Using a pie as a weapon in a fighting game? It's been done, thank you very much. Oddworld: Abe's OddyseeOn Oddworld, the only means of food manufacture is to consume the creatures of the planet. Crop farming and vegetarianism are foreign concepts to most of the planet's inhabitants. Initially, Abe doesn't seem to mind. He even rubs his belly in anticipation of eating a Paramite Pie. When he's next up on the chopping block, however, he decides to stand up for something. Best or Worst? Worst. I don't know what a paramite tastes like, and I am glad I will never get the chance to learn because they're fictional. The Misadventures of P.B. WinterbottomIn The Adventures of P.B. Winterbottom, players control the titular Winterbottom as he tries to collect pies, at any cost. He even manipulates time, fracturing the continuum in the process in order to obtain his delicious treats. He can be somewhat selfish in this regard, but he truly demonstrates that he understands the importance of consuming pie through the course of the game. Best or Worst? Best. The whole game is about trying to track down a pie. If you play this game you will have a craving for pie by the end. For more list features about round things, here's one about clocks. View the full article

The latest cover is live now for digital readers, so the cover team Marcus and Eric join Charles on The Game Informer Show this week to break it all down. Alongside those three, we invited GI contributor and freelance reporter extraordinaire Nicole Carpenter to talk about her recent feature on Love And Deepspace, as well as her reporting on recent Nintendo rumblings. Then, we've got some reviews to get into! Charles played Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, and Marcus has some final thoughts on WWE 2K26. It's another feature-length episode of The Game Informer Show, so grab a cold beverage and tune in! The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry.Check out the podcast here: Listen to "Invincible VS Cover + Love And Deepspace w/ Nicole Carpenter" on Spreaker.Follow our hosts (and guest) on social media:Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7)Charles Harte (@chuckduck365)Eric Van Allen (@seamoosi)Nicole Carpenter (@nicolecarpenter)Jump ahead using these timestamps:00:00 - Intro / Love and Deepspace26:47 - Invincible VS Cover Story 1:00:19 - Nintendo Lawsuit 1:14:04 - Monster Hunter Stories 3 1:34:11 - WWE 2K26 View the full article

It's another Friday the 13th! We received them in back-to-back months which is probably nothing to worry about and definitely not a bad omen. I am not worried. Are you worried? Like last month, we're actually not spending a whole lot of time with scary games this weekend (though there is one, actually), but rather playing the newest from Klei and spending time in the world of Monster Hunter. We might also be doing a little bit of 'rasslin. We wrote about them last week, so no need to retread, but we're also still playing and enjoying Pokémon Pokopia, Slay the Spire 2, and Marathon. Which all leads us to this. It's time for the weekend and our usual recommendation of games and things you should check out! But before that, here's a recap of the biggest stories of the week: ‘It Probably Went Too Far’ Say Donkey Kong Bananza’s Creators On The Elephant Transformation’s Destructive PowerThe Coolest Games We Saw At GDC 2026WWE 2K26 Review - More Money, More ProblemsXbox Shares New Hardware Details For Next Generation Console, Project HelixThe Big List Of Upcoming Video Game RemakesMonster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Review - Beauty And The Toothless Beast Rotwood Matt Miller After a long period in early access, Rotwood has made its way to Switch 2 and PC. The roguelite brawler draws easy comparisons to both last year's Absolum and the hugely successful formula evident in Hades, as you tackle increasingly complex runs into fantasy-themed battles. For those with longer memories, the game may also recall the glory days of Castle Crashers. The tone here is light and the art style is cartoony and inviting, but the gradual upgrade of abilities, gear improvement, and solid battle system make it one that feels like it has longevity. If you've been looking for a co-op adventure with low stakes, brisk pacing, and ease-of-play, Klei Entertainment's new release could be just the ticket. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Charles Harte Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection isn't a revolutionary turn-based RPG, but it’s charming tone and gorgeous art style certainly make it a pleasant way to spend a few dozen hours. Like the prior games in the series, instead of just slaying wild monsters, you’re hatching them from eggs to recruit them to fight by your side. Combat (especially in the late game) can sometimes drag on, but I can't deny that I greatly enjoyed spending hours and hours just roaming around the game’s various open zones collecting eggs and gathering items. If you’ve been looking for a lengthy JRPG to sink your teeth into, Twisted Reflection is certainly packed with enough content to entertain for dozens of hours. Diehard fans of Monster Hunter will especially love seeing new and old favorites adapted into the turn-based style — I'm particularly fond of the Canyne that I rode as often as possible, partially as an ode to my memories of playing Monster Hunter: Rise. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake Kyle Hilliard Full disclosure – I didn't particularly like Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake. But here's the thing about my opinion... it's not your opinion. You might love it! And it's certainly not a broken game. I was frustrated by it, but it looks great and it is scary, which makes it a pretty great game to play on Friday the 13th. My suggestion is to lower the difficulty and enjoy the mood and story and not get hung up on the photography combat like I did. Or you can go play Resident Evil Requiem if you haven't already. Or play it again. That's an option, too. WWE 2K26 Marcus Stewart I have my issues with WWE 2K26 that you can read all about in my review, but when I don't have to engage with the content that bugs me the most, it's still a fun time. With the Road to Wrestlemania in full swing, 'tis the season to throw down in 2K's annual wrestling sim. And if you hate the game's sim-style gameplay, I highly recommend going into the menus and turning off all of the mini-games, stamina, and weight detection to make it closer to an arcade experience. Now that the review period is over, I'll continue unlocking Ringside Pass content and will dive deeper into one of my favorite activities: creating custom wrestlers and alternate superstar attire. I've already made snazzy alternate attires for my favorite tag team, the Motor City Machine Guns, based on their 2009 and 2021 looks, and I'm thinking of making some more CM Punk attire designs despite having a boatload of them already. For non-wrestling fans, this is how we like to play dress-up without the physical dolls. I'll probably also continue booking shows in MyGM while knocking out a few podcasts. View the full article

Claim your free Sabaton Collection in World of Warships, available for both new captains and veteran players. View the full article

Each year in March, the game development community descends upon San Francisco, California, for the annual Game Developers Conference. This year, Game Informer is in attendance, taking meetings with the teams behind some incredibly exciting games, including sometimes getting new hands-on experience with them. Here are some of the coolest games we've found at the show, both on the show floor and in behind-closed-doors meetings. At Fate's End PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC Coming off its most celebrated title yet, Spiritfarer, Thunder Lotus Games is gearing up to release what feels like a culmination of its lineage with At Fate's End. Gorgeous art style? Check. Engaging combat? Also check. A story that will make you sob uncontrollably? It remains to be seen, but the studio tells me that if you cried at the story of Spiritfarer (as many of us did), it's entirely probable you'll do the same with At Fate's End. The story centers on an estranged family that is dealing with what seems to be the aftermath of their mother's passing. It would appear that every family member handled it differently, and it's causing friction. The team tells me it's a tale about family therapy, and even some of the early dialogue I experienced felt like a bit of a gut-punch. For instance, a sister of one of the protagonists has developed a resentment for our playable character because she ghosted the family during her mother's funeral, and what follows is a palpable display of anger. Combat is akin to that of Sundered, one of Thunder Lotus' most underappreciated projects, including what appears to be intricate enemy patterns, but with various evolutions, including the ability to obtain new abilities through reconnecting and rectifying with your family. I didn't play an incredible amount of At Fate's End, but what I did play leads me to believe that we might have another incredibly special game from the folks at Thunder Lotus when it arrives sometime in 2026. Blighted Switch 2, PC From the team behind Guacamelee, Nobody Saves the World, and Severed comes Blighted, an isometric action-RPG that pulls inspiration from Metroidvanias and Soulslikes. Going on a quest to reclaim the memories and powers of your people, who have been consumed by an evil, power-hungry villain, your hero must sacrifice part of their own humanity en route to saving what's left of their village. With grotesque boss battles that grant new powers, stamina, and parry-based combat, and an absolutely gorgeous art style that recalls some of Drinkbox's most visually striking aesthetics, Blighted feels like the natural evolution of the beloved indie studio's works. For more, be sure to check out our full preview. Blighted comes to Switch 2 and PC this fall. Chaos Agents PC, Consoles and Mobile TBA From Magic: The Gathering creator Richard Garfield and the team at Popularium comes an autobattler-royale called Chaos Agents. The game arose from Garfield's desire to present an "unsolved metagame" to players. The team loved the accessibility of the autobattler genre, but wanted better multiplayer features that encouraged more engagement and prevented what felt like a long wait for an inevitable conclusion. The solution Popularium found was to inject that autobattler genre into the battle-royale space. Using one-of-a-kind Agents (with their skills, looks, and names rolled when you acquire them) across five different species, you drop your characters onto the field. Each character begins with various elements that you can activate to improve their attributes, which progress round by round over the course of the match. Each of the 20 rounds takes about 50 seconds with a 30-second break to level up your Agents between them. During that time, you can also strategize what you want your Agents to prioritize (KOs or Shard collections), as well as at what health level they should run away from the action to avoid elimination. With three win conditions – last person standing, most KOs, and most Shards gathered – Chaos Agents also provides different builds multiple ways to win. I've never been the biggest fan of either the autobattler genre or the battle-royale space, but I'm intrigued enough to keep an eye on Chaos Agents when it fully launches on PC later this year. Darwin's Paradox PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC The Konami-published, ZDT-developed puzzle platformer starring an octopus named Darwin is cute, charming, and, perhaps most important of all, clever. Controlling Darwin, I breezed through the opening tutorial, which took place primarily underwater. I learned about the smooth swimming controls, as well as Darwin's ability to camouflage and blast ink to conceal himself in the face of dangerous predators. Plus, the little guy can suction-cup his way onto land and climb various surfaces. After the initial stage, I was treated to a tutorial showcasing the narrative thrust of the adventure: Aliens have kidnapped his fellow octopi, and it's up to Darwin to go on an adventure to save them. But he wasn't immune to the abduction, as he was transported to what appears to be a dump, and with rats everywhere, I needed to avoid the blood-thirsty rodents, which included puzzles involving moving platforms, moveable boxes, and all-out sprints to safe zones as the rat mischief closed in on my location. The puzzles I encountered were quite simple, but they showcased the potential of what could await in the final game. I went into my brief demo of Darwin's Paradox not quite sure what to expect, but I came away intrigued by what might await me when I embark on this eight-legged adventure on April 2. Invincible VS PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC I've been looking forward to Invincible VS ever since I got my hands on it just before it was announced. With the pedigree of Quarter Up (consisting of several members of the team that brought us 2013's Killer Instinct) and Skybound (the team that delivers the beloved comics and excellent Prime Video show), I was confident even before I played it. Each time I get more time with Invincible VS and its ever-expanding roster of fan-favorite characters, I'm more excited for the gloriously gory, technically proficient, and visually stunning tag-team fighter. For more on Invincible VS, check out our cover story here. Screenbound Xbox Series X/S, PC In one of the most clever concepts in recent memory, Screenbound puts you in the same game from two different perspectives to create a fun puzzle-platformer and action title with an extraordinarily unique twist. The main game has your character traversing a 3D space in the first-person, but thanks to their Q-Boy (a clear homage to the Game Boy), you can also see what you're doing from a 2D perspective. Sometimes, this means finding secrets that you wouldn't have seen otherwise, while other times, you can spot obstacles and objects invisible to you in the world. Just like the Game Boy, the Q-Boy has different cartridges, which serve as the game's worlds. The first cartridge is a platformer, so in the 3D world, you're platforming in first-person, while in the Q-Boy, you're playing a side-scrolling platformer. Meanwhile, the second cartridge is an action/adventure game akin to The Legend of Zelda, with the 3D world being a first-person game where you can slash at enemies with a sword, while the Q-Boy features a top-down 2D game similar to the NES and Game Boy Zelda games. Screenbound delivers such a clever twist, requiring you to monitor both screens while navigating the world, while providing distinct gameplay styles across cartridges. I can't wait to see if the team comes up with any additional styles and how intricate the interplay between the 3D and 2D gameplay becomes as the adventure progresses. Screenbound arrives in the latter half of 2026. Sound System PC, Consoles TBA Guitar Hero and Rock Band ruled my life for a long stretch of time. I poured thousands of hours into those franchises, and probably even more dollars as I accumulated as much DLC as possible. I even played competitively in tournaments for a couple of years. Today, I still mourn the loss of the genre, which is why I was exhilarated to meet with Echo Foundry Interactive, a team consisting of former developers of Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and other rhythm games, to see their upcoming title, Sound System. Sound System plays much like the classic Guitar Hero games that introduced the Western world to the guitar-driven rhythm-based genre, with five-lane note highways, background animations, and plenty of engaging rock songs to strum and hammer-on/pull-off your way through. Echo Foundry is taking a smart approach, delivering master recordings of indie songs, while licensing more popular (and expensive) tracks so they can include covers of them in the tracklist – a move the team tells me will help keep costs down and make previously inaccessible songs attainable. On top of a large list of songs included at launch, as well as a robust post-launch DLC plan, Sound System also includes a built-in custom song creator, meaning you can upload any song and create your own chart for it. For example, I watched the creators upload one of the most iconic rock songs that fans have been clamoring for since the inception of Guitar Hero and design how they think the intro should go. It will certainly take time and knowledge, but I could see a community forming around this feature and sharing charts for sought-after songs. Sound System is set to arrive on PC sometime this year, with the team investigating bringing it to consoles sometime after that. Super Meat Boy 3D PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC The original Super Meat Boy gave me a feeling I've been chasing ever since. However, with original designer Edmund McMillen departing Team Meat many years ago, and subsequent releases failing to reach the heights of the 2010 smash hit, I worried the series would never feel the same again. That was until I played Super Meat Boy 3D. I played the Switch 2 version, experiencing the first world of Team Meat's latest platformer, and I came away feeling like Super Meat Boy 3D is the best way to bring the formula from 2D to 3D. Based on the first world, many of the core elements of the original are perfectly transposed; it even begins with an homage to Super Mario 64, which was Mario's first foray into the 3D space. From there, I played through the easy early stages to help me get my feet under me. That confidence didn't last long, as I was soon watching Meat Boy getting skewered, sliced, and splattered all over the latter courses in the first world. Thankfully, restarts are quick, and you still get the series' iconic joint replays where you watch all your failures play out alongside the successful run. Since the game takes place in 3D, I had to retrain my brain on how to approach certain levels; one in particular had me navigating a level full of thorns from a side perspective. After numerous failed attempts where I was trying to air-dash around instead of thinking in 3D, I was reminded that it's on a 3D plane, even when some of the levels swing the camera out to the side. Once I was told that, I started sliding on the wall to slow my ascent, making the level much easier. I have a feeling the more difficult levels past World 1 won't be so simply solved. I entered my Super Meat Boy 3D demo with a level of apprehension, but I emerged excited to play the full game when it arrives this spring. Which of these games are you most looking forward to? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! View the full article

Last year's launch of Nintendo Switch 2 ushered in a new era for the most iconic name in video games, and while Nintendo was building its nascent platform, it chose a game about destroying everything in sight to be one of its flagship titles. That game was Donkey Kong Bananza, which arrived from the team that released another game that helped bring Nintendo into a new era in 2017: Super Mario Odyssey. Donkey Kong Bananza stood alongside Mario Kart World, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Kirby Air Riders, and others to announce the Switch 2's presence as a continuation of Nintendo's most successful home console of all time. However, despite a busy release calendar full of recognizable and anticipated titles, Donkey Kong Bananza, with its trademark destructible environments and enemies, stood above the rest, earning a 9 out of 10 from Game Informer and taking home the award for the Best Nintendo Game of 2025. Fresh off their panel at the Game Developers Conference, in which they spoke about the impact of using voxels, small three-dimensional units of data, to accomplish the levels of destruction on offer in Donkey Kong Bananza, we sat down with producer Kenta Motokura and programmer Tatsuya Kurihara. In addition to talking destruction, we also dove into the redesign of Donkey Kong, the presence of elephants in both Super Mario Wonder and Donkey Kong Bananza, and how development started on Switch 1. Coming off such a beloved game like Super Mario Odyssey and turning to the gameplay style of Donkey Kong Bananza, what were the initial ideas behind making everything destructible, and how did you determine if it was even technically feasible? Kenta Motokura, Producer: My boss, Mr. [Yoshiaki] Koizumi came to me and asked if we could create a Donkey Kong game using the same team that had worked on Super Mario Odyssey. I felt there was a lot of potential in using voxels, and so that was something that, as we talked to our engineers, wanted to see what they could do with the idea as well. Tatsuya Kurihara, Programmer: This idea that using voxels to create destruction was something that, from the early stages, we felt had a lot of potential to be fun, but when it came to whether it's technically feasible or not, that's a different story. And to be honest, early on, we weren't sure if it was going to be feasible, and that's something that we worked through as we created and worked on the game. KM: We had a lot of different ideas for how to approach this, and did a lot of prototyping and really layering those one on top of another to create an overall experience, but the end goal is, of course, to pull all this together into something that feels like a comprehensive game. That was where we wanted to end with Donkey Kong Bananza. Kenta Motokura, producer of Donkey Kong Bananza When this idea was pitched of, "It would be fun to create all of this destruction," was there ever a conversation of how much should be destructible, and then when the answer was "pretty much everything," what was the reaction? TK: The idea of wanting to have everything destructible was something that we kept in the forefront of our minds as we're developing. And so, those [things] that we felt we might not be able to destroy, we kind of put to the side and try to make sure everything we put into the game as we're making it is actually destructible. As we were developing dev documents or pitching ideas, when something comes in that's unbreakable, something would, at some point, would be like, "Can we just make this breakable?" KM: Whenever you are trying to approach a new endeavor, it's really important that you create a deep, shared understanding across the whole team from the very beginning. That doesn't really end after just one conversation, so you have to have a lot of ongoing conversations throughout the process to make sure that you're bringing everyone along. So we would have each of these individual episodes where someone would model something in Maya and they would say, "Oh, should this be made of voxels?" And we'd say, "Yeah, let's do it!" And then they'd bring us another one and they'd say, "This too?" and we'd say, "Yeah, let's do it!" But every time you create new levels, new objects, new prototypes, and you start to play with those, then the team starts to understand the vision for the whole, and you see the alignment come together. It seems to be that, in this era in particular, Nintendo is so about experimentation and brainstorming fun ideas. I had that conversation with [producer] Takashi Tezuka and [director] Shiro Mouri about Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and them coming up with all the ideas for Wonder Effects. It sounds like there was a similar, amazing environment of experimentation within the Donkey Kong Bananza team, as well. KT: For Donkey Kong Bananza, just like Super Mario Bros. Wonder, there was a lot of prototyping that was done. That ranges from what kinds of fun gameplay experiences we can provide and create using voxels, to what types of destruction [we can] bring to the game, to what kinds of bosses and enemies we want to see. This might be a split opinion across the team, but for myself, personally, when we're prototyping, I tend to lean heavier into the chaos side of things and try these prototypes out. KM: Whenever we're prototyping something, usually we're starting with the theme – some sort of central idea – and then it's about, "How do we raise the function to the level of that theme to fully express it?" For some people on our team, the idea of going beyond the regulations of what we would normally do in creating something is a really fun moment of freedom for them. The central idea is that if that prototype, then, is fun, it will go into the game. I really think that motivates the team to think along those lines. Tatsuya Kurihara, programmer of Donkey Kong Bananza While on the topic of the environment of experimentation, Donkey Kong Bananza also encourages the player to experiment. When you were playtesting, did you notice that the game was pushing you to experiment not only as a developer, but also as a player? KM: Certainly. I think that when we're playing, we need to hold two different kinds of understandings at the same time: one as makers, and another as players. We try to keep that in mind: this idea of, "How will the player want to play?" And we don't want to get too far away from that concept. We want to make sure that all of the reactions and the interactions within the game are along those lines. TK: For myself as a game developer, when I get to the phase of playtesting, I feel like I put myself more in the shoes of a player. This was something I did back in Super Mario Odyssey, as well, where I would combine all these skills and techniques and tricks to try to get to this one place that doesn't look like I'm supposed to be there, but I try. When it comes to Donkey Kong Bananza, I would try things like getting together a bunch of voxels and creating a pathway to get to this area that, again, I'm not potentially supposed to go to. And so, even during development as a developer, I try to make sure that I have fun and play the game as a player to experience and be able to craft that experience for the player. KM: I remember some moments in Super Mario Odyssey where there was some terrain where players might be able to get up that particular area, and we would say among the team, "Okay, don't fix that, because people might do it and enjoy it." A few years ago, I had a similar conversation with [producer] Eiji Aonuma for Tears of the Kingdom when I asked him about how people can use the Ultrahand ability to bypass something in a way that was intentionally designed to be completed in a different way. You hinted at how you feel on the topic, but what is your philosophy on seeing players approach and complete parts of the game different from how you envisioned it? KM: When you have people playing the game, you want there to be clear lines of play that are understandable; they know what they're supposed to be doing, but not necessarily how. You don't want to make it entirely inscrutable. You want to give them the freedom and the opportunity to use their own will and own ideas to create the conditions that lead to success. One of my favorite parts about the destruction was that it wasn't just a convention used in the environment, but with many enemies and bosses as well. Did the idea of playing off the destructibility come after the idea of making the level so destructible, or did extending that concept to the enemies go hand in hand with the levels' destruction? TK: It was pretty early on in development, because when we cast our goal to create everything voxel, everything destructible, then, you know, naturally the enemies will have to also be destructible voxels, so it was very early on in development. So then, the idea of brainstorming and ideation of what the boss encounter is going to be like is with the understanding and premise that they're going to be voxels. And with this understanding, how do we make an interesting, fun, engaging boss encounter? The Bananza Transformations go together with the core destruction, often taking it to new levels – even beyond what Donkey Kong can accomplish in his normal form. How did you go about prototyping and making it so they were balanced and not causing too much destruction? Or was it more of "the crazier, the better"? TK: I think we can agree the most destructive transformation is the Elephant Bananza, and honestly speaking, it probably went too far. But at the same time, it's fun, it feels good. And that's what matters most. KM: Because our goal is to make playful destruction possible within the game, we wanted a slightly different structure than what you would have found in, say, traditional Mario games, where you have to encounter or have in your possession items to be able to transform. We wanted, in the case of Donkey Kong Bananza, for Donkey Kong to be able to transform anytime to up the destruction. A couple years prior, we had Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which also famously included an elephant transformation for its heroes. Did you already have an elephant in Bananza at that point and did you see that and go, "Oh no, they beat us to it"? KM: To be honest, the fact that we both had elephants was a complete coincidence. When I think about how the elephant transformation works in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, it's clear to me that there were different goals for what they were trying to accomplish, even though it's the same animal transformation, so I didn't worry about it too much from that perspective. However, if they were vacuuming out blocks in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, I would have been a little bit worried! [laughs] How did this level of destruction alter the way you designed levels when compared to something like Super Mario Odyssey? KM: I would say that, fundamentally, the idea of how a player gets from point A to point B in a 3D platformer is still the same. When you have a game in which all of the terrain is breakable and the player might be encountering new things that are hidden inside, there are moments of discovery. I think that there's a really big potential in a game like this for those moments of discovery and more surface area that can be explored – even the inside of – than a game like Super Mario Odyssey. But we have to think about the placement of all of these elements, and not even just the ones that are visible: the ones that are hidden, as well. And that brings a different kind of challenge into level design where you really have to have all of these placements correct throughout the world and inside of it. I imagine there's probably some interesting, new approaches on the tech side, as well. TK: Different from a 3D platformer like Super Mario Odyssey, you've got to think about what can break, and also what's inside when you break that, so I imagine it was a lot of work for the level designers. So, in order to support the work of the level designers have to do to create those little discoveries or things that can be found after breaking the terrain, we added features to the level editor that made it easier for them to do that. There's also a feature that we added to the level editor that's basically like a "break all" button that basically breaks everything and shows you what's hidden inside. Those are some of the things that we implemented and changes we made to our approach. Donkey Kong Bananza does a great job of encouraging the player to break as much stuff as possible, but was there every a worry that players wouldn't engage with the destruction as much as you hoped? KM: No, we didn't have too much concern about that point exactly. The reason for that is, if I think of destruction compared to making something, I think it's an easier action to undertake. You'll see that with kids at play; it's very difficult for them to create something beautiful, but they have a fantastic time destroying things. And we want that cycle of destruction to continue; we want people to stay in that gameplay loop. So, we put a lot of thought into, "Which object should we have? Where should we place it, exactly?" That was a lot of deliberation for us. TK: Another thing we kept in mind as we were creating the game was to create an environment where players don't hesitate to break anything or destroy anything. For example, if a player decides to just keep digging themselves underneath, and if they find themselves stuck and can't go any further, they'll think, "I'm just not going to dig anymore." So, to prevent that, we gave DK the ability to climb. So, all of the abilities and settings around the game are really to encourage the player to rain destruction. I think a lot of people look at it as a game that would only be possible on the Switch 2 rather than the Switch 1 given the levels of destruction. Was there ever a version in development for the Nintendo Switch 1, and how different was that version? TK: We had initially began development on this game as a game for the Nintendo Switch. As we progressed with development, it was then decided to make this a Nintendo Switch 2 game. But throughout all of that process, the core idea of destruction hasn't changed. When it came to the power specs for Nintendo Switch 2, we got to the point where we needed to decide where we were going to use that spec. And we decided, "Well, this is a game about destruction, so let's take all of that and pour it into destruction." So, you know, figuring out ways to make the destruction even more grand and even more fun. When you learned about the Nintendo Switch 2's upgraded power and the decision was made to move Donkey Kong Bananza to Switch 2, how much of a relief was it when you realized you'd have much more power to work with? TK: It was certainly great. I just had more memory to work with when dealing with the voxels, and that was certainly welcome. The reveal of Donkey Kong Bananza was such a surprise for so many people. A lot of people were expecting the next 3D Mario to be revealed at the Switch 2 event, and then suddenly it's Donkey Kong in front of everyone. What was it like for you to see people so surprised and excited that a new Donkey Kong game is coming, particularly since it had been so long since a 3D Donkey Kong had been released? KM: Honestly, I didn't have any idea how people would react prior to the announcement the whole time I was working on it! So, when I finally got to see people's reactions and they were happy, I was really overjoyed. Especially considering that Donkey Kong has such a long history as a character and so many fans, I wanted to make sure that I was making those people happy. That was really gratifying. Considering so many legendary studios and developers have worked on Donkey Kong video games, dating all the way back to Shigeru Miyamoto, and then the years with Rare, and then Retro Studios, how did you go about creating a new entry that has a very unique identity, but still respects and preserves the lineage of all those games? KM: For us, the process of creating a Donkey Kong game and thinking about the Donkey Kong character really started with a lot of research. So, we looked at all these previous titles, sometimes from different studios, to think about what sort of characteristics each brought to the idea of Donkey Kong. And so, we were thinking about how the character appeared in each of those games, as well as what sort of images people had of the character over the years when we were trying to decide how Donkey Kong should be in Donkey Kong Bananza. I think what we ended up with was, in one sense, like a summary of all of those images and those ideas from the past. One thing that stood out for me as kind of interesting about the character is this sort of dichotomy he has where, like, [on] one side he's kind of wild, and on another side, he's kind of goofy and approachable. And so that, along with the fact that he takes on new challenges, as well as these previous titles have done, emboldened us to think about new technology, and that helped to define the themes that I was then able to present to the team. Mario Kart World One of the things that has occurred in the Nintendo Switch 2 era is that when we saw that very first look at Mario Kart World, we noticed we had a new Donkey Kong character model that looks a bit different from the version that started showing up in Donkey Kong Country in the '90s. Did the Donkey Kong Bananza team initiate that redesign, or was that planned for Mario Kart World first? KM: I think it was all a through line of that thinking and that research that I was just talking about with the concept of what Donkey Kong is, or how he should be in this game. And so, that conversation about, "Which characteristics are we going to bring forward in this character?" was something that was really deeply informed by, in a sense, the parent of Donkey Kong, Mr. Miyamoto, as well as conversations with Mr. Koizumi, who's worked on Donkey Kong titles, to come up with, "What's the appropriate expression for this character? What's the most important thing? Is it his strength?" for example. That carried through to design, as we were able to express each of those beats. That was the origination of this basic model for Donkey Kong as a character in Donkey Kong Bananza, and that was something that was transferred to Mario Kart World for use in that project, as well. Was there a moment of, "We've got to get on the phone with them and let them know before they get too far into development"? KM: No, I think there was a natural order of things, actually. You know, what we were talking about at the time was, how best to position these things for Nintendo Switch 2 to communicate the charm and the value of the system. But I think on the Mario Kart World side, the had their own ideas about how they wanted to express Donkey Kong as a character, even beyond the model. It seems that reception for Donkey Kong Bananza has been largely positive from my perspective. How has the reception been for you, and does this indicate that we might not have to wait so long for another mainline Donkey Kong game? KM: I guess maybe what stands out to me is the idea, first of all, that Donkey Kong, as a character – and this is true for Mario as well – really are a part of Nintendo. And so, for us, it's almost like we're borrowing them to create software with. For me, being able to see people have fun once again with the character of Donkey Kong helps me communicate the potential for that character. I have a sense of relief knowing that's something that people can enjoy in the future as well. Unfortunately, I can't talk about any specifics of future plans at this time. [laughs] View the full article

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