Koei Tecmo announced the Atelier Ryza series is returning with a Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack that will bring the three games to platforms it previously appeared on and the Switch 2 for the first time. It will launch in 2025. There will be new and old content, and Gust will go over details in a livestream at 5am PT/8am ET/9pm JST on August 4, 2025.

The announcement confirmed this Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy collection will include the games Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout, Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy, and Alchemist of the End and the Secret Key. The initial reveal teased new allies will be present. The first trailer for this collection started with Ryza acting as a teacher in front of a group of kids, then acting as a narrator as footage from all three games played. It also seemed to perhaps include a Serri tease.

We do know some details about this release, though! All DLC will be included, which happened with past pack releases in the series. The official website also addressed the issues of physical copies. In Japan, Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack will be digital-only for the Switch 2 and PC versions. The US and UK English sites says it will only be sold digitally for all platforms.

Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack will bring all three games to the Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, and PC in 2025, and the showcase discussing it will air worldwide at 5am PT/8am ET/9pm JST on August 4, 2025.

The post Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack Includes Switch 2 Debut appeared first on Siliconera.

Nintendo started to announce in regions like Europe and Japan that it will end its Nintendo Switch Game Voucher program for Nintendo Switch Online members. The last day to buy tickets is January 30, 2026, and the last day to use them will be January 29, 2027. The North American site hasn’t updated to state if it also will be shutting down at that time.

How it worked is someone who subscribes to the Nintendo Switch Online service could spend $99.98/£84.00/9,980円 to get a pair of voucher tickets. This would allow you to get two first-party original Switch games from the official list of applicable titles. Due to the cost of these normally, it typically could mean you’d get them at a discount.

The company did clarify some details about the end of this promotion. The list of games that are eligible to be used with Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers won’t be changed, and new titles will be added even after the end of the program. You can stock up in advance, but you can only hold up to eight of these voucher tickets at a time. Note that these tickets are only good for a year after purchase, so it would be wisest to wait until the day before the cut-off to ensure they last as long as possible.

This marks the second promotion Nintendo will end that rewards people who make purchases on Switch games. The My Nintendo Gold Points program got shut down in March 2025. That allowed any player, not just a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber, get Gold Points that could be used toward bonuses like currency on game purchases. 

And of course, the company famously ended Club Nintendo back in April 2015. That was replaced with My Nintendo, which isn’t as comprehensive or in some ways impressive.

Sales of the Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers program for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will end in regions like Europe and Japan on January 30, 2026, and any purchased ones can be used until January 30, 2027. 

The post Nintendo Switch Game Voucher Program Ends in 2026 appeared first on Siliconera.

The Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop series are a staple that kids worldwide grew up with if they had access to Nintendo systems. From the original game on the DS in 2005, released worldwide, to five later 3DS entries that didn’t make it outside of Japan, they showed up as handheld minigame staples. Tamagotchi Plaza is a revival of of the series appearing worldwide and, while it does fill an early launch niche for the Switch 2, I can’t help but feel like this installment is lacking. 

Tamagotchi Planet Prince Tamahiko abducts the player from Earth in Tamagotchi Plaza for a very important mission. His Tamahiko Town is competing to be the host of Tamagotchi Fest. It’s a bit run-down, with shops not really catering to and pleasing visitors as they did in the past. To help bring the event home and help bring peace to Gotchi King (who is a giant egg) and his family, you need to revitalize the shops via playing minigames tied to them to properly serve customers and upgrade them. You can also upgrade parts of the town square to make the town more appealing.

There are 15 shops in the Switch 2 version of Tamagotchi Plaza, with five locked away until you essentially perfect other shops. Given we have ten right away and three of these extra shops are combination ones that combine elements from two existing experiences, not getting immediate access isn’t too bad. I will say that I wish Hyde and NicoLabo made the two Switch 2 exclusive Sushi and Shuriken Shops available immediately. Given they’re tied to a paid Upgrade Pack and might be the reason someone picks one version over the other, it feels like there shouldn’t be any additional gatekeeping. Also, I found the Sushi Shop is one of the most clever and best paced inclusions, and hated that I needed to spend so much time even getting it.

While Tamagotchi Plaza is a minigame collection, it doesn’t exactly function how ones you might expect would work. Aside from the Switch 2 Sushi Shop and Shuriken Shop, which both use mouse controls either for assembling and surving sushi or tossing shuriken at targets, these don’t feel very gimmicky. There’s no overuse of motion controls. There aren’t guaranteed multiplayer experiences. If anything, many of them feel like they should all use touch-screen controls like the DS Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop series or mouse controls. Like the Dentist Shop involves selecting the tool, then using the joystick and A button to brush, drill to drill, tweezers to pull out bugs, and fill them. The Manga Shop means fulfilling requests to create two panel stories customers request. Galette Shop involves looking at the crepe ingredients and making orders. There are a lot of shops that involve selecting items from menus, possibly moving or arranging them, and hoping you did the right things.

I say hoping, because there are no instructions for shops. Once you visit one for the first time, it “reopens.” You’re then thrust into assisting customers. Some situations are very self-explanatory. The Night Pool has you wait for a visitor to request an item or drink. You make it or get it in the menu, then hand it to them. The Rap Battle is a brief rhythm game. The Personal Trainer minigame is something of a button masher that involves going at the speed the customer needs by checking responses. The Tailor means matching parts and patterns to the example. But some of these do involve some nuance, like the Eyewear Shop or Dentist. And the Manga Shop will straight up have a customer ask for a manga featuring ________ character, but there are no labels on any of the possible images! So good luck if you can’t recognize Gozarutchi or Violetchi on sight! 

A lack of tutorials and instruction is a common theme throughout Tamagotchi Plaza. You’re told in the beginning you can swap your chosen partner at any time. The game never tells you how. If you don’t go to places like the Committee Room or investigate, you might not realize you can customize areas and develop the town square. It’s also a bit user friendly in other ways, as you need to walk to every shop. No clicking a location on a map and immediately being able to head into that minigame!

Tamagotchi Plaza also suffers from the past Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop issue of the quality of the minigames widely varying. Manga Shop is a novel idea, but can take far too long to complete a request for the amount of money you get. The Night Pool is more boring than entertaining. Dentist is probably one of my favorites, but that’s because it doesn’t deviate much from the original. Rap Battle has potential, but it’s incredibly short and the actual raps both aren’t that clever and don’t really involve any “battling.” You can get gotchi currency to upgrade elements, but none of the customization items feel all that exciting. It can feel more tedious than entertaining, and I feel like adjustments to minigame execution, some design changes to improve pacing, and more motivation to take part could have helped.

It isn’t necessarily that Tamagotchi Plaza is bad, as I do think it could be fun for kids or someone who really loves Bandai Namco’s virtual pet line. There are just some awkward decisions made that make it a little uncomfortable to play at times. And even if you do overcome that and work things out, it can feel like there’s not too much to do. Especially since you can’t even bring it out as “the early Switch 2 multiplayer minigame collection” due to how few games actually involve more than one person. For the right person, it could be fine, but it caters to a very specialized (and probably forgiving) audience.

Tamagotchi Plaza is available on the Switch and Switch 2. 

The post Review: I Wish There Was More to Tamagotchi Plaza appeared first on Siliconera.

The Switch 2 launch included the return of a Square Enix JRPG series, with the company reviving Bravely Default: Flying Fairy for an HD Remaster. It marked the return of a 13-year-old classic and added range to the new console’s library. To learn more about this welcome return, Siliconera spoke with Producers Tomoya Asano and Naofumi Matsushita about the project.

Jenni Lada: When did Square Enix decide it would return to Bravely Default for an HD remaster? 

Tomoya Asano: Around spring 2022, the team members discussed what would be the best way to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the series and show our appreciation to all our fans who have supported us. Masashi Takahashi, who was the assistant producer for the original version, even pressed us on this, saying, “It's the 10th anniversary, you know!” (laughs) We considered various directions, like making a new game or a remake or remaster, but we decided, “Let's make the first Bravely Default game easily playable for today's gaming environment.” So, I consulted Matsushita-san, saying, “Matsushita-san, we only have six months until the 10th anniversary. Do you think we can pull it off?” Of course, there was no way we could. (laughs)

Naofumi Matsushita: Just as we were having that discussion, it was announced that the Nintendo eShop for the Nintendo 3DS would be closing in March 2023. I was tasked with handling this occurrence for the title, and we received an overwhelming response not only from players in Japan, but also from overseas, with many saying, “Please don't close it yet. We want to use the online features.” I was deeply moved to learn that there were so many passionate fans who still wanted to play the game. I thought it would be wonderful to release a title that would bring joy to these fans, so even though we couldn't make it in time for the 10th anniversary (laughs), we renewed our determination to create a remastered version.

What made the company decide to choose the Switch 2 as the platform for Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster? 

Asano: As we were adjusting the development schedule, it just so happened to coincide with the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, so we were fortunate with this good timing.

What kinds of challenges did you face when turning the 3DS StreetPass elements into ones that would be tied to online interactions? 

Matsushita: From the initial planning stage, we had the concepts of “don’t change the game experience” and “improve playability” in mind, so replacing “StreetPass” with “Passing Souls” within the towns was a top priority, and we spent a lot of time discussing and adjusting this in the early stages of development.

Since Bravely Default II already had a similar online system in place, there wasn’t a large hurdle to implementation in itself. However, after implementation, adjusting the frequency of other players appearing in the towns, how they appear and disappear, and organizing and integrating the information obtained, were somewhat more challenging.

Did you consider adding any extra content to Norende as part of the development process? 

Matsushita: Since it was already planned to fully develop the map of Norende Village from the start, we felt confident about its volume based on feedback from fans of the original game and didn't consider adding to this. However, we did make some adjustments to the rewards given when it was unlocked to balance the gameplay.

Which Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster quality of life change did you consider most important and your priority for the Switch 2 release and why? 

Matsushita: Rather than deciding the priority features from the start and implementing them, our approach was to bring in features that would be convenient for people playing for the second or third time, drawing from the entire series, and we gradually implemented these features as the specifications were finalized as part of the UI revamp process. This ranged from small details like recommended character level displays in dungeons and implementation of Sets, to larger features, like double playback speed when autoplay is enabled, once the events were getting finalized. We all played and assessed the feel of the game before implementing features. The development studio, Cattle Call, is very passionate about the original game, so we were happy to receive many enthusiastic suggestions from them as well. 

Although we were nearing the end of development, we were able to add features such as a ‘Heal All’ button and a tent feature with adventurers in dungeons (albeit at a high price). This was only possible thanks to everyone’s proactive cooperation, so I was personally very moved.

The new additions for the Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster are minigames involving Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 mouse controls. How did the team come up with the ideas and concepts for both? 

Matsushita: When it comes to Bravely Default, one of its main selling points is its use of various features of the hardware, so if we were going to release it on new hardware, I wanted to include something unique to it. Cattle Call, who oversaw developing the remastered version, was also very enthusiastic, so we decided, “Let's try making something that uses the mouse controls.”

Asano: As creators, it's fun to be able to create something using new features on new hardware. I think everyone is eager to experience what it's like to use a mouse with both hands, so I'm glad we were able to include these minigames at launch.

Matsushita: We came up with many ideas for minigames with Cattle Call, but we decided that rather than just increasing the number of minigames, we would focus on making more substantial minigames, which led to the two minigames included in this release. The rhythm game “Luxencheer Rhythm Catch” was one we quickly decided on. A rhythm game using both hands for mouse control seemed like a unique experience, and we thought the gameplay would be easy to grasp from the screen.

We created “Ringabel's Panic Cruise” with the concept of making a game using double mouse controls that was unlike anything else out there.

Ringabel’s Panic Cruise reminds me a lot of the Japanese train simulations. Did you look to any of those types of games when developing this minigame? 

Matsushita: Actually, we had been developing the game based on the previously mentioned concept from the very beginning, so there were no specific titles we referenced for the airship. Initially, we tried displaying a mock cockpit in the foreground while controlling the airship itself from an objective viewpoint, similar to the main game. However, after experimenting with various approaches to enhance the sense of controlling the airship, we felt that a first-person perspective would be more suitable, and after some trial and error, we settled on the current design.

From the desire to add more movable mechanics to the cockpit or create more confusion through the controls, ideas like orders, radios and levers emerged, leading to the name of that minigame. Ringabel always has a tough job; thank you for your hard work. 

Oh, one thing that could be considered somewhat having a reference was the shield mechanics in the Default Mode during boss encounters. Based on my experience working as an Assistant Producer on Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors, I thought it would be fun to incorporate a shield mechanic using dual mouse controls. Rather than implementing it exactly as it was in Swords, since this is an airship, I decided to add visuals for the shields and make them combine to form a reflect shield, drawing inspiration from Dragon Quest Swords to create a look, gameplay, and feel unique to this game. We thought, “if there's a Default Mode, we need a Brave Mode, too!” which led to the introduction of the cannon mechanic.

Since planning and development were already well underway, I later asked Asano, “Can we have shields and cannons coming out of the airship?!” He replied, “If it's interesting, you can do whatever you want.” I remember being very happy to hear that.

Hearing that, the designers also got amped up and drew some great artwork (laughs). The mechanics are actually positioned differently for the Eschalot and the Grandship, and we deliberately had different artists draw the cockpit and cannons to give them a different look and feel. We hope you'll take a close look at all the details.

What would you like to do next with the Bravely series, now that Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster helped reintroduce it to new audiences? 

Matsushita: Unfortunately, at this time, we have no news to share regarding plans for new titles in the Bravely series. My apologies. For those who enjoyed this game, although there is no direct connection, Bravely Default II is also available on Nintendo Switch, so we hope you will give it a try.

If you enjoyed this Bravely Default title, which is a cornerstone of the Asano team, we hope you will also take an interest in other works by the team. While you explore our past works, we hope to continue exploring new possibilities for the future.

Your feedback is a great source of motivation for us, so we sincerely appreciate your continued support.

Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster is available on the Switch 2 worldwide.

The post Interview: Developing Bravely Default HD Remaster for Switch 2 appeared first on Siliconera.

The release date and price of the physical Nintendo Switch 2 version of Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time have appeared on the official Level 5 webpage for the game. As Level 5 announced earlier this year, the physical editions are Japan exclusive, and there’s no information as of yet regarding a Western release.

The Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game will cost 7978 JPY ($54.45). It’ll come out on August 7, 2025 in Japan. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch and PS5 versions cost 7678 JPY ($52.40), and are already available. If you have a physical copy of the Nintendo Switch version already, you can pay 300 JPY to upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2 edition. However, if you play the Switch 2 version on a Switch console, the graphics and such will still be the Switch version’s.

Aside from news of the physical release, Level 5 also announced Photo Mode. It’ll appear later this month. You’ll be able to customize it with poses, emote, and angles. As well, Level 5 will hold a contest to see who can take the best picture. Information on that contest, including what the “awesome prizes” are, will come out later.

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC.

The post Fantasy Life i Switch 2 Physical Version Dated appeared first on Siliconera.

The remake of Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar is on the way, and Marvelous shared a new Japanese trailer going through some of the gameplay elements and showing how Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar will look. 

This trailer is rather brief and under six minutes. It begins by showing what Zephyr Town looks like in this installment. This is the first time it appeared in full 3D. It shows the bazaar briefly, a market that’s since fallen out of favor and become rather unpopular. We then see the avatar walk into town. First a male one is shown, and then it shifts to show the female version of the player character. Some of the town’s residents appear after that, including the two new romance options Arata and Diana. 

From there, gameplay on the ranch is highlighted. We can grow crops in fields in front of the house. It’s also possible to raise cows, chickens, sheep, and alpaca. After that, we get to see how the winds in Zephyr Town allow us to process items at windmills to make things like perfume from flowers and cheese from milk. It’s possible to use a glider to more quickly get around the area. After that, we see how the weekly bazaar is the means of selling our produce and products or buy from others. Since there’s no shipping bin, this is our means of getting funds to grow our farms and do more.

Toward the end of the video, we get to see how we can interact with townsfolk. This could also mean finding love with certain bachelors and bachelorettes. It’s also possible to raise a family and have a child once married.

Here’s the full trailer:

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar will come to the Switch, Switch 2, and PC on August 27, 2025, and the original Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar appeared on the DS worldwide.

The post Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar Trailer Highlights Gameplay appeared first on Siliconera.

Split Fiction ended up being a critical darling from the It Takes Two and A Way Out developer Hazelight Studios when it debuted early in 2025, and it made its Nintendo debut when the Switch launched on June 5, 2025. It’s enjoyable on every platform. Clearly, it’s a win for everyone with the new system. After multiple sessions playing it, it’s a fine showcase title for the system to highlight the power of the system, online capabilities, and GameChat functionality.

That Split Fiction works on the Switch 2 is impressive. It’s a constant split-screen multiplayer title that could be taxing due to the level of activity on-screen at once, the detailed environments, and potential constant online interaction. The original Switch wouldn’t have done it justice on its own. But here we are, with consistent frame rates and solid performance. 

I found myself impressed with the online capabilities of Split Fiction on the Switch 2 too. Connecting to another person happens rather swiftly. There are frequent save points, which help with tricky encounters or an unfortunate incident when online falters. The experience felt quite stable the majority of the time, with no noticeable lag. I even tried it in Handheld mode, so I wasn’t relying on the power of the game when docked and, while that does make the on-screen images even smaller, it still worked perfectly. 

Split Fiction is a fantastic example of showing how well the Switch 2 GameChat feature can work too. This is a game which involves a lot of communication between players. You need to constantly touch base with one another to find solutions, work out timing for actions, and cooperate to both successfully complete objectives. Like one boss might require one person to snatch the weapon away, then the other to grab that weapon to attack. Or people might need to throw switches to work out timing so both can progress. The way the system isolates the player’s voices to ensure they are crisp and easily heard, then handles chat so there are no disruptions and no lag so you’re constantly in perfect sync with one another.

There are a few things I’m not a fan of in Split Fiction on the Switch 2. The first is that needing to make an EA account to play online, even if you’re not going with cross-play and both people own the game on the system, is frustrating. I get the need in certain situations and at least it is a one-and-done setup situation.  

Another issue is that service interruptions seem pretty frequent. In one session that lasted about three hours, this happened twice. Both of us had stable internet connections. The situations weren’t dire in-game. But all of a sudden everything cut out. GameChat wasn’t affected, so it wasn’t on Nintendo’s end. At least we were immediately to jump in almost exactly where we left off each time, thanks to the save system and opportunities that let us hop right into our roles again. 

Split Fiction really feels like it prioritizes that one-on-one, working together experience that can be so enjoyable on consoles, and putting it on the Switch 2 shows how capable this new console is. It’s capable of something impossible on the original Switch! It’s utilizing GameChat in a really helpful way! It’s giving us a chance to accomplish goals together in a challenging environment that still doesn’t feel too punishing. It’s a strong game to help bolster a solid launch library. 

Split Fiction is available for the Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. 

The post Split Fiction Fills a Gap on the Switch 2 appeared first on Siliconera.

Nintendo shared more Donkey Kong Bananza details ahead of launch, with the latest reveals coming in an overview trailer on YouTube highlighting gameplay. It spends almost nine minutes going over the characters, story, and unusual elements added in this installment.

Things begin by explaining Donkey Kong was working on Ingot Isle unearthing Banandium Gems. When things go awry and those are stolen by Void Company, he ends up underground and meeting a young girl named Pauline. The two end up heading to the planet’s core, a place that can allegedly grant a wish, with him hoping to find bananas and her hoping to get home. They go through multiple underground worlds, digging into different layers. 

After establishing the concept , it shows how DK can run, jump, climb, and smash through environments. This means destroying areas or digging into the ground. Some footage also showed some enemies affecting the environment too. It also highlights how Pauline’s voice can be used to make DK transform. This can unlock the Kong Bananza form, which allows terrain that could normally not be destroyed to be wrecked. Zebra Bananza form turns him into a zebra that can run faster. Ostrich Bananza can glide. Banandium Gems can unlock Skill Points for new skills or abilities for DK. 

Around the halfway point, the VoidCo opponents come up. We get a glimpse of the major enemies and some bosses. This points out how they’re locking away entry points to lower layers.

Here’s the latest “Donkey Kong Bananza Overview Trailer” highlighting different gameplay elements.

The last time Nintendo talked about Donkey Kong Bananza, it highlighted the cooperative elements and revealed the Oddrock sidekick is actually Pauline in new gameplay reveals. A second player can join in either locally or over GameShare and GameChat. If the latter option is chosen, then only one person needs a copy of the game. 

Donkey Kong Bananza will come to the Switch 2 on July 17, 2025. 

The post Latest Donkey Kong Bananza Trailer Focuses on Gameplay appeared first on Siliconera.

The Animal Crossing: New Horizons snow globe gachapon that lets you fill the toy with water to make your own will be re-run in Japan starting in the first week of July 2025. It’ll cost 400 JPY ($2.80) per attempt. [Thanks, Inside Games!]

These water globe toys first appeared in Japan three years ago in 2022. Back then, it cost 300 JPY (around $2.60 at the time) per attempt, so you’ll be pulling for these toys at an inflated price. Each snow globe globe depicts a different seasonal scene from the Animal Crossing: New Horizons island once filled with water, complete with some popular villagers. There’s also one of the Island Representative standing at the Airport, as well as one using the promotional art depicting island life. This makes for a total of six variations.

As a note, you’ll have to put the water globe together yourself, and it doesn’t come in a capsule, making it a more sustainable type of gachapon. After filling the globe part with water, you’re supposed to set it on the stand. Then, you can display it.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out in 2020 as the fifth installment in the Animal Crossing series. The village the player lives in and gets to develop is on a deserted island, and they can go “scout” more villagers by flying to other islands from the Airport. It is one of the best-selling games on the Nintendo Switch, especially since it came out during the COVID-19 quarantine and was used as a replacement for social interactions.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is readily available on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.

The post Animal Crossing: New Horizons Snow Globes Return appeared first on Siliconera.

Bandai Namco announced it is teaming up with Nintendo to bring back The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild keychains. They first appeared in gashapon machines in Japan in October 2023, and now they’ll be back in capsule machines the first week of July 2025 in the country.  

The price for a try remains the same. It costs 300円 (~$2) again. The lineup remains identical too. Two of the keychains are chibi versions of Link equipped with. bow and arrow, though in one instance he’s wearing his cloak. The Master Sword will appear as one item, and so will the “Z” from the logo with the Master Sword going through it. The final design is a more traditional take on Link armed with the bow and arrow with standard proportions, though it only involves a silhouette. Of those five, only the Master Sword in the stone isn’t a keychain.

Here’s a closer look at each one of them:

At the time they originally debuted, these The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild keychains only appeared in Japan. However, Bandai Namco now has Gashapon storefront locations in the US and Canada too. This means we could end up seeing them worldwide. The past Pikmin gashapon line appeared in capsule machines in Illinois, as an example. 

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild keychains debut in Japan this week. The game is available on the Wii U and Switch, with an upgrade available for Switch 2.

The post Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Keychains Come Back appeared first on Siliconera.

D3 Publisher announced it will release Yuke’s Full Metal Schoolgirl, a game about cyborg schoolgirls fighting back against the unjust employer Meternal Jobz, worldwide. The game will launch on the Switch 2, PS5, and PC on October 23, 2025. While it is made by the Earth Defense Force developer, Oneechanbara is referenced via OneeChanbara Origin Aya and Saki costumes for Full Metal Schoolgirl leads Akemi and Ryoko as early-purchase free DLC, according to the PlayStation Blog. 

This is an alternative future type of game, and it suggests an abusive company called Meternal Jobz rose to power in Japan. It is not only a toxic workplace to its employees, but everyone in the country. Akemi and Ryoko are the two schoolgirls that invade the company’s 100-story skyscraper to “fire” the CEO at the top. The game will feature some roguelike elements, as you’ll find weapons and MODs that transform her as you fight hordes of enemies, but you lose everything except materials and money if you die and need to restart at the first floor.

Here’s the first trailer:

And here’s how the Full Metal Schoolgirl characters Akemi and Ryoko look when dressed in the OneeChanbara Origin Aya and Saki costume DLC.

Full Metal Schoolgirl will come to the Switch 2, PS5, and PC on October 23, 2025.

The post EDF Developer Yuke’s Making Full Metal Schoolgirl Stars Cyborgs appeared first on Siliconera.

When I played Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, it ended up being on the original Switch. It’s a fantastic installment that does some cool stuff and feels much stronger than Rune Factory 5 did. (Frankly, I think it should have been considered Rune Factory 6.) Some issues regarding performance and balancing thoughts made me think it wasn’t quite at a masterpiece level yet. Since the Switch 2 launch, I fully transitioned over to continuing my adventures there and reloading an older save so I have a file where Subaru is a bachelor option for my avatar. Playing the game only there for so long now left me convinced Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is absolutely best enjoyed as a Switch 2 experience, and its upgrade pack is worth it. 

The most obvious reason for this involving performance. When I played Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma on the Switch, I felt everything was fine, but somehow the combat feels even more responsive on the Switch 2. The fact that I did go through the final fights and areas on the original system, then went to an older save to go through them again after taking steps to unlock Subaru, only helped showcase how much I missed out. I main dual blades as Kaguya. Yes, it could be that I was playing segments I already went through and mastered combat. Yet I can’t help feeling things were more responsive and the game ran better against these major opponents and hordes of enemies. In turn, I got better at responding to those attacks and retaliating. I found I would trigger dodge windows more frequently and be able to counter, even though I hadn’t unlocked nodes to increase windows in the skill tree. 

But there were also sections and animations that assured that no, in some ways this couldn’t be attributed to my “getting good” and Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma did feel that much better on the Switch 2. There are malevolent infestations in towns, the open field, and dungeon areas. Some of these with motions and animations attached to them, such as the red, fire-spitting flower or green, poison-fog plant, played out with an incredible amount of lag and at a lower frame rate depending on your distance from them and amount of action nearby. That’s gone on the Switch 2! All effects look and run perfectly. It’s fantastic.

Of course, there’s also notion that, in general, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma looks better on the Switch 2. It’s a really pretty game with some great character designs, and I appreciate the execution of some enemy appearances too. It looks absolutely fine on the original Switch. But I will say that the models for all allies and NPCs do look better here. It’s a crispness that really suits the vibrancy and tone of each village and region. 

Also, I have to say that I do like the Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma mouse controls in the Switch 2 version. I’m spending a lot more time in the postgame working on villages. Before, I just plopped things down as-needed to get points or boosts to stats for my avatar. Now I’m actually planning things out and engaging in more terraforming. That ability to pop off the Joy-Con 2 when I’m in Handheld mode, because of course that’s how I play Bokujou Monogatari games, quickly arrange a thing, then pop it back on to go back to traditional controls is fantastic. It’s well-suited for the experience. 

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is a wonderful entry in the series that offers a lot, but I’m really surprised at just how much better it feels on the Switch 2. So much so that if I’d reviewed it on this platform, rather than the original Switch, I think it would have merited a higher score. The extra power of the console helps so much with regular exploration and combat. Also, once you hit a point at which you get more invested in designing each of the four villages, that extra control option is quite nice. It really showcases the difference between one generation and the next and value of the upgrade pack.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is available for the Switch, Switch 2, and PC.

The post Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma Feels Best on Switch 2 appeared first on Siliconera.

Puyo Puyo Tetris is an extraordinary game. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2? Also exemplary! Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S being a Switch 2 launch title is a great idea! But what would have been better is it being an upgrade pack, rather than a full $39.99 additional game. What’s here still remains one of the best puzzle games I’ve ever played, but the additions and multiplayer opportunities don’t feel worth that kind of investment.

As a quick summary for those who missed past versions of the game on the 3DS, Switch, Wii U, PS3, PS4, Vita, Xbox One, or PC, Puyo Puyo Tetris mashes up the two classic falling-block puzzle games together. This can mean just playing Puyo Puyo or Tetris, though there are opportunities when you can be constantly swapping between boards with the two or they’re fused together. The storyline puts characters from Sega’s Puyo Puyo universe in with original Tetris ones. It’s incredibly entertaining and quite challenging. The Switch 2 version of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is nearly identical to the previous release, save for mouse controls and Doubles mode appearing.

With the mouse controls, you use the Joy-Con 2 as a mouse to choose where to place items. If you’re playing, it’s supposed to be a means to offer an additional option and perhaps more accuracy. If you’re watching someone else play, it’s a way to use your cursor to suggest what they should do with their Puyos or Tetrominos. It’s… fine? I didn’t have any trouble using that option. However, I’ve been playing Tetris with standard controls since the Game Boy release. Ditto for Puyo Puyo since Sega sold it here as Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine. It seems serviceable and could be fun for some, but I’m too ingrained in my ways. My muscle memory can’t adapt to it at this point in my life.

The other addition is Puyo Tetris Doubles. This involves four people playing against each other, with two on one team and two on the other. Each pair handles one board, with both folks placing pieces at the same time. It’s fine, but the nature of Puyo Puyo meant that I only felt like it worked when Tetris ended up being involved. The nature of the chains in the other game can get a bit personal, and it’s too easy to mess up a possible combo there. It’s a fun idea and okay for silly, casual competitions. It’s not my favorite competitive option in the collection.

But the biggest reason I think Sega needed to take the Switch upgrade pack route with Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is that nobody is playing. Literally. I have been trying since basically launch to get people into matches to test out this version. Make sure online multiplayer is working well. Maybe see how the Joy-Con 2 mouse control option handles when spectators are around and such. I’ve only found a handful of matches even when trying to play around the same times folks in Japan would be online. There isn’t the audience out there like there was for the original game and sequel’s debut, and I can’t help but think a $5-10 upgrade pack could help remedy that.

I love Puyo Puyo Tetris and feel it's a fantastic puzzle game. Any installment is great! But when it comes to the Switch 2 and Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, it feels like Sega misstepped. Given the nature of the additions, it should have been an upgrade pack add-on for the original game. Or, failing that, maybe held back in favor of a whole new entry? Like I'd love a Puyo Puyo Tetris 3. But what's here doesn't seem like enough to really set this update apart.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is available on the Switch 2.

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I didn’t want to spend more than $20 per each amiibo, and I felt shock when I started to see the price tag for these teeny Nintendo accessories creep up. For the amount of use I get out of them, quality of the items, and general size, I basically stopped buying after getting the Noah and Mio Xenoblade Chronicles 3 set. But I caved for the Sidon amiibo, since The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom character is among my favorite from those entries. Due to that decision, I’m starting to think the new amiibo design and direction might make it worth the extra investment.

The Sidon The Legend of Zelda amiibo is $29.99, which makes him at least $10 more than these figures used to be. ($15 if we count the older designs that used to be $14.99.) However, there are some additional design elements that immediately cause it to stand out from older ones without even removing the character from the packaging. Sidon is taller than older amiibo by a few centimeters. He’s in a more stable position on the base with less translucent plastic holding him in place, and there are more tiny plastic accents present in places like his crown. 

Once out of the package, I found the paint job on the Sidon amiibo to be superior to that of other figures. There’s a lot of fine detail work on the character, from the spots on his tail, the webbing between his toes, the color of his fins, his fingernails, and his silver jewelry accents on his crown, belt, necklace and and gloves. This is especially evident when posed next to his sister Mipha, as the paint on his ankles and wrists is far more delicate than hers and exposes the skin and fabric, and his trident is more detailed. His trident was a bit droopy compared to hers, but that was coming out of being slightly bent in the packaging. 

I think the difference is especially striking when he’s posed alongside a Zelda amiibo from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. While the most impressive parts of her paint job involve the barrette in her hair and the gold accents on her shirt, it’s not a great figure! There’s not much definition on the gloves or boots with mine, her eyes aren’t that detailed, her boots are bland, and the pose isn’t very adventurous. Sidon is much more dynamic in comparison and, even though his more aquatic elements do hide his eyes a bit, they’re more intricate and his facial features are better defined. 

The only downside is, as I mentioned before, the trident. The paint on it is great. I love that the size is so large that it falls off the backside of the amiibo base and it extends as far as it does. I’m just a little annoyed that the packaging meant it’s a bit bent at the moment. I hoped leaving it out on a shelf for a while would be enough for it to perhaps straighten out. However, it does seem it will need a bit of outside intervention to fix that issue.

I’m sure this is probably a slippery slope, but The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom Sidon amiibo is pretty great. It convinced me that maybe these new ones could be worth a little extra. At the very least, I’d be more willing to consider them on a case-by-case basis. 

The Sidon The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom amiibo is available.

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We knew Super Mario Strikers would join the Switch 2 GameCube Nintendo Switch Online library, as it showed up during the April 2025 Direct announcing those games. Now we got an exact release date. The soccer game will join the service on July 3, 2025, and anyone with the Expansion Pack subscription tier will gain access to it. 

Super Mario Strikers is a soccer game that turns Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Daisy, Donkey Kong, Wario, and Waluigi and makes them captains of teams with special abilities. Power-Ups can appear on the field to affect the game. In addition to being able to set up a custom match for a bracket or league, you can go through Cup or Super Cup Battles and Grudge Matches.

Here’s the official Switch 2 trailer showing what we can expect from Super Mario Strikers on the system.

There are a number of other games we know are on the way, but don’t have dates for yet. Nintendo teased Chibi-Robo, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Luigi’s Mansion, Pokemon Colosseum, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, and Super Mario Sunshine will show up in the library too.

The Switch 2 Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack GameCube library will get Super Mario Strikers on July 3, 2025. 

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