Among other things, the redesigned layout of the eShop now better matches the user’s color theme of choice as long as the theme system setting has been set to “Basic Dark”. Along with this, User-Verification PINs can now be used to access the eShop and even use saved payment methods. General usability improvements for the eShop don’t just stop there. While watching full-screen videos in the eShop or News sections, users can now rewind or advance 10 seconds by pressing the ZL and ZR buttons, respectively.

The eShop has also seen a major performance boost thanks to the addition of a new eShop app. Previously, the Nintendo eShop, when accessed through the Nintendo Switch, just opened up a browser window where web pages were slowly loaded in. The latest update has turned the eShop into a native app for the Switch, bringing it more in line with the eShop experience on the Switch 2.

Updates to the eShop should come as no surprise, since Nintendo has also continued to support the older console with the release of new games. Among these is the upcoming Rhythm Heaven Groove, which is coming to the console on July 2nd. The title will be the first entry in the Rhythm Heaven series since 2016’s Rhythm Heaven Megamix on the Nintendo 3DS. Third-party support is also continuing in some form, with icy city-builder Frostpunk being confirmed for the platform.

The Nintendo Switch has been an immensely successful console, with the company revealing in its financial report last month that it had hit almost 156 million life time units sold, with 550,000 of these being sold in the last quarter alone. Even on the software side of things, the Nintendo Switch remained strong, selling 27.98 million units in the same three-month period.

In the meantime, the Nintendo Switch 2 has continued its steady rise in sales, with the financial report noting that the company had sold almost 20 million units as of March 31st. Of these, 2.49 million units of the Switch 2 were sold in the previous quarter alone. When it comes to software sales, 10.78 million units of Switch 2 games have been sold. Despite the success, however, Nintendo has lowered its sales forecast for the 2027 fiscal year.

“For Nintendo Switch 2, sales were more concentrated in the launch year in comparison to previous hardware systems. Reflecting strong launch-year sales and price revisions, we expect FY27 sales units to decline year-on-year. Even so, we believe this represents a solid level of adoption for Nintendo Switch 2 in its second year after launch.”

Sales of the Switch 2 are likely to continue growing thanks in large part to planned price hikes that will come into effect from September 1st onwards. The console will be priced at $499.99/$679.99 CAD/€499.99 in the US, Canada, and Europe, respectively.

“Regarding sales of the Nintendo Switch 2 (Multi-language Version) at the Nintendo Store, we temporarily suspended sales after identifying multiple orders suspected of involving bulk purchasing or reselling,” announced the company (via machine translation). “To ensure the product reaches as many customers as possible, we will now limit sales to customers who meet the following criteria. We appreciate your understanding.”

The conditions listed by Nintendo have been designed around the idea of making sure that people who are buying the consoles are interested in actually playing games on it, rather than just hoarding it to potentially sell it at higher prices in the secondary market. A new buyer will only be able to get a Nintendo Switch 2 if their total Switch play time was 50 hours or higher as of May 31st. Meeting this condition grants them eligibility to buy a single multi-lingual Nintendo Switch 2. The company has also noted that those who already own a Switch 2 will not be eligible for the offer.

It is worth noting that Japan is the only country where two models of the Nintendo Switch 2 are available – the multi-lingual model that is available worldwide, and a cheaper Japanese-only model exclusive to the country, of which the language settings can’t be changed. Interestingly, the recent price hikes of the console in Japan were only applied to the Japanese model of the Switch 2, raising its price from ¥49,980 ($310) to ¥59,980 ($375). The multi-lingual model retained its ¥69,980 ($435) price tag.

When the pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 first started last year, an informal survey conducted by social media users had indicated that Japanese gamers were more likely to pick up a Japanese-only model of the Switch 2 thanks to the fact that it was considerably cheaper than the multi-lingual model. However, considering the nature of the survey, it is best to take this data with a grain of salt.

More recently, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa spoke about the decision behind raising the prices of the Nintendo Switch 2 in just about every market. During an earnings report last month, he revealed that the company would have avoided the price hikes if the increases in manufacturing costs were likelier to be temporary. He ultimately said that the decision was made “not due to any one specific factor.”

“Regarding Nintendo Switch 2, the basic approach to our dedicated video game platform business remains unchanged: first expand on the hardware installed base, and then drive software sales,” he said. “If the increase in costs were seen as something temporary that would subside relatively soon, then we could have pursued other options, such as working to improve productivity and expand the installed base while maintaining hardware prices.”

Another Version of 1993’s SNES Original

Star Fox 64 told the same story as the SNES original, but widened the tone and presentation, and it’s this version where the upcoming remake traces its lineage. In the years between, Star Fox 64 3D brought a like-for-like port for the 3DS, while 2016’s Star Fox Zero rebooted the same narrative beats through questionable Wii U game design. This year’s Star Fox – a title notably simplified, without suffixes nor numbers, suggesting a launchpad for future entries – is a ‘cinematic’ take, retaining original stage layouts but bringing overhauled graphics, controls, and character models to the iconic, on-rails arcade shooter.

Redesigned Character Models

Among Star Fox’s most polarising modernisations is its character models, redesigned to look realistically grizzled and roadworn compared to Fox McCloud’s cartoonish turn in the recent Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Still, the rest of Team Star Fox joining leader McCloud comprise sarcastic piloting ace Falco Lombardi, experienced strategist Peppy Hare, and care-free mechanic Slippy Toad, with their portrayals here a thorough facelift over their N64 appearances. Community reaction is far from unanimously positive, but Star Fox 64 art director Takaya Imamura appears to have warmed up, describing McCloud and his crew’s modern looks as matching his original, then-unattainable vision.

Audio Significantly Overhauled

Along with introducing cinematic flair to Star Fox’s visuals, Nintendo is also overhauling the game’s audio and music, where a re-recorded orchestral score, remastered sound effects, and new voice acting aim to modernise the experience without losing its arcade punch. Meanwhile, a dynamic audio engine presents spatial audio positioning, enhancing immersion while supporting your peripheral vision during especially busy encounters.

Arwing Starfighter: Your Primary Gameplay Vehicle

Whereas Star Fox’s audio and visuals receive the greatest uplift, your return voyage across the Lylat System will once again be in the command of the Arwing, Team Star Fox’s versatile starfighter. Designed for deep space transitions and atmospheric flight alike, the Arwing shifts and somersaults with the agility of a mosquito, and comes loaded with a laser cannon which can be charged for a homing shot. Well-timed barrel rolls create projectile-absorbing electromagnetic shields, while smart bombs deal massive, area-of-effect damage, proving a worthy secondary option for tackling bosses and clearing clustered enemies.

Landmaster Tank Returns for Ground Assaults

While aerial combat dominates, certain missions pull perspective down to ground level where you’ll take charge of the Landmaster, a heavily armoured, all-terrain tank. The Landmaster’s stages slow the pace slightly, focusing your attention on managing incoming threats from air and land alike as you scuttle across unsteady territory. Equipped with an Arwing-like laser cannon, the Landmaster also packs target lock-on missiles plus a hint of the starfighter’s manoeuvrability in rolls and hovers.

Blue-Marine Submersible Missions

Alongside the Landmaster, also returning from Star Fox 64 are the sub-aquatic missions featuring the Blue-Marine, a specialised submersible deployed in the deep-sea trenches of underwater stages. These sections emphasise limited visibility, bringing a slightly more methodical approach to shooting. So, whilst the Arwing’s laser is loaded here, the Blue-Marine is equipped with “Light Bomb” torpedoes which must be locked-on before launching, illuminating the surrounding ocean as they shoot toward enemy ships. And, the laser isn’t the only carry-over from the Arwing; the Blue-Marine can also execute the starfighter’s signature, forcefield-emitting barrel roll.

New Cutscenes Expand the Story

While the core narrative is indeed familiar, the remake brings all-new cutscenes in the form of never-before-seen mission briefings and backstory elements, all designed to flesh out Star Fox’s universe and characters. Clearly part of the broader cinematic push in which Nintendo frames this latest version, these additions should also deepen your emotional stakes by expanding upon Team Star Fox’s motivations.

Branching Paths and Stage Variety

Whilst Star Fox follows a linear path through outer space, taking in a diverse range of planets, asteroid belts, space stations, and nebulae, the precise direction you’ll take depends on your performance. See, depending on enemies destroyed or objectives completed, the route you take through the Lylat System may change, leading to secrets and hidden paths on subsequent playthroughs. This branching structure is central to the game’s replayability, but the remake expands on these systems through another game mode, too.

Challenge Mode Incentivises Replay

Yes, beyond the main campaign, Challenge Mode encourages you to revisit completed stages with specific objectives in mind. These range from achieving high enemy kill counts, to defeating multiple opponents with a single projectile, fully upgrading your armoury, and more. It’s a thoughtful way to engage with the game’s arcade structure, potentially widening the pool of players by offering incentives to replay levels beyond simple score chasing.

Expanded Battle Mode

Multiplayer returns in the shape of Battle Mode, a four-versus-four dogfight between Team Star Fox and Team Star Wolf, fought across one of three arenas. Each stage introduces its own rulesets, with zone control, crystal collecting, and cargo transport objectives layering on top of blasting each other’s starships. You can jump into matches locally, connect online through matchmaking, or organise private sessions with your friends, with GameShare support allowing anyone to participate in local multiplayer, even if they don’t own the game.

Three Distinct Difficulty Modes

To accommodate both veterans and newcomers – to the Star Fox series and shmup-style arcade shooters alike – the remake includes three distinct difficulty settings. Available from the outset, easy difficulty stretches your shield gauge, with enemies dealing less damage. The challenge scales from there, through normal difficulty to an unlockable expert mode, where surviving high enemy damage, impactful collisions, and permadeath yields specific medal rewards and leaderboard access.

Mouse Controls and Co-Op Play

One of the remake’s modern additions is mouse-style aiming support, offering a more precise targeting method if that’s your preference. This control scheme also enables a two-player co-op mode, where one player manoeuvres the Arwing while the other focuses exclusively on shooting, providing a clever way to encourage collaboration on the Switch 2 which wasn’t possible in earlier versions.

N64 Controller Compatibility

For purists, the remake supports the N64 controller, allowing you to experience Star Fox with a control layout, game feel, and overall aesthetic that’s tied closely to the 1997 original. While most of you will likely opt for modern control schemes, the N64 controller option caters to nostalgia, proving, perhaps, impossible to ignore for diehards who grew up with Star Fox 64.

GameChat Avatar Integration

Star Fox also integrates the Switch 2’s Character Avatars, which allow you to switch up your look to match a character from the remake in GameChat. Tracking eye and mouth movement, facial expression, and head direction via a compatible camera, there’s an undeniable uncanniness to the appearance of these avatars, but it’s just a bit of cosmetic fun designed to enrich online interactions.

Switch 2 Exclusive

Star Fox releases on June 25th, and it’s a Switch 2 exclusive at launch. Taking advantage of the Nintendo’s latest hardware to deliver visual and audio overhauls means it won’t be available on the original Switch; is this another point of contention amongst the community who would prefer a sequel?

Naturally, humanity couldn’t just use it peacefully, and battles quickly broke out, with the Vesselai emerging as those who could wield Anima offensively. You play as a student of Leukos, who is seemingly training alongside others to become a Vesselai. They can imbue Anima crystones into their weapons to amplify their powers (and also record their emotions).

Otherwise, school life consists of combat drills and excursions into the wild against animals. Various characters have their own thoughts on it all, from one admitting that Vesselai must kill others to another riding a dragon, discussing its purifying flame. There’s yet another with anger management issues who dual-wields blades, and an enemy faction who opposes the students.

The structure of the world is also interesting – almost like it takes place on a space station of sorts with artificial biomes. Regardless, you can traverse it with mounts, which should cut down on exploration time. As always, stay tuned for more details on Xenoblade Genesis in the coming year.

For many, Ocarina of Time doesn’t need an introduction. Released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64, it received countless accolades and is considered one of the best games ever made. To this day, it still stands tall on Metacritic with a whopping 99 Metascore. Besides being the first fully 3D Zelda title, it introduced pivotal features like the Z-targeting system and a mount for traversing the overworld.

Of course, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a remake. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D launched in June 2011 for the Nintendo 3DS, featuring the GameCube version’s Master Quest dungeons. It also sports a new Boss Challenge mode and Visions, which provide hints.

At this point, it’s unknown whether the remake will offer all this, or if it will follow the original to a T, albeit with revamped graphics. Rumors claim it’s launching near the holidays, which could mean November or December, but we’ll need to wait for more details.

Referring to the protagonist as The Mechanic, the trailer reveals that the player, along with the three members of pirate musician group Deep Cut, are hunting for treasure across Spirhalite Islands. Setting forth on a mission will present players with a variety of different obstacles, including the ever-aggressive Salmonids. Players will have to make use of their paint-based weaponry to take on the Salmonids.

Players will be aided by a member of Deep Cut piloting a mech dubbed the Exploration Bot. Through this Exploration Bot, they can help your efforts by, among other things, attacking enemies, launching you into the air for extra height, and using special moves. There will also be gadgets, like an auto-firing turret, or a melee attack, and even a spinning-ink aura. Alongside regular Salmonid enemies, players will also have to take on boss fights.

Splatoon Raiders will also feature a progression system, with the player earning experience to eventually level up, getting better stats in the process. Along with this, players will also be able to customize and level up their gadgets by making use of skill points and crafting materials.

More details about Splatoon Raiders will be revealed in a special direct that revolves entirely around the title, slated for June 30th. The Nintendo Today app will also feature daily comics that provide more narrative details that lead up to the events of Splatoon Raiders. Along with this, Nintendo has announced a special Splatfest in Splatoon 3 with Splatoon Raiders being the main theme.

The sports available in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort are boxing, archery, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, bowling, basketball, golf, thumb wrestling, skateboarding, power cruising, prop plane, and jump rope. Players will have the choice between creating and playing as high-definition Sports Miis, or the traditional Nintendo Miis.

Nintendo hasn’t yet provided any details about the kinds of multiplayer modes that will be available in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. However, considering its reliance on motion controls, the title is likely to focus more on local multiplayer rather than online, since any additional latency would do quite a bit of harm to the overall gameplay experience.

The announcement trailer capped off with a more extended look at the thumb wrestling sport, which made use of the JoyCon 2’s motion controls as well as its trigger buttons, with the ultimate goal being to hold down the opponent’s thumb for three seconds.

Interestingly, Nintendo Switch Sports Resort marks the first entry in the series since 2022’s Nintendo Switch Sports, which in turn was a direct follow-up to 2013’s Wii Sports Club. Nintendo Switch Sports featured quite a few of the sports from earlier in the franchise, including bowling, tennis, and golf, among others.

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is slated for release on October 22nd, and pre-orders are slated to go live later today.

Along with the update itself, Nintendo has also announced the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass, which will bring with it even more content, like new towns. One of the towns released through the Expansion Pass is Bubbly Basin – an entirely underwater town where players can find new furniture, outfits, and friends. The Expansion Pass will be available through the Nintendo eShop later today.

Late 2026 will see more new features added to Pokémon Pokopia as part of the expansion pass, with a third set of content slated for release in 2027.

As for the free update, it will give players the ability to expand their towns into new underwater frontiers, and in the process, further enhance their friendships with water-based Pokémon. The new underwater regions can be accessed through the use of a new move, Dive, and along with exploration, players will also be able to build entire structures underwater.

Pokémon Pokopia was released on Nintendo Switch 2 earlier this year, and has gone on to become a major hit, selling more than 2.2 million copies in just the first four days of its release. Since then, several reports have noted that the game has led to an increase in Nintendo Switch 2 hardware sales, and even Koei Tecmo raised its profit forecasts for FY 2026 thanks to its work on Pokémon Pokopia.

A new Direct has been rumored for some time now, but a new Treehouse: Live! is unexpected. This further fuels rumors that Nintendo could announce a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2, allegedly launching near the holiday season. Little else is known about the title aside from it reportedly being a full remake instead of a remaster like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD.

Other notable titles that could appear include Star Fox launching on June 25th; Rhythm Heaven Groove on July 2nd; and Splatoon Raiders, out on July 23rd. Nintendo Switch Sports is also reportedly set to be revealed, and we could see the announcement of a new 3D Mario, though that will have to wait until 2027 for launch.

Of course, you should also expect plenty of third-party developers. Order of the Sinking Star creator Jonathan Blow teased something new for the puzzle game this week and it could very well be a release date following the Nintendo Switch 2 version’s reveal. As always, stay tuned for live coverage.

While Grubb wasn’t able to go into too many details about what we might see at this Nintendo Direct, or even what time it will be aired, he noted the usual caveats of time zones being a major factor for when fans of Nintendo will be able to see the supposed Direct before mentioning that it will go live on Tuesday morning.

Grubb’s recent statement ties into his claims from last month about Nintendo planning a Direct for mid-June. At the time, he said that the company would likely wait until after the biggest of the shows – Summer Game Fest – had wrapped up before going ahead with its own showcase. There are also no details about whether this Direct will be focused on first-party releases or if it will also include games from third-party studios and publishers.

If this rumored Nintendo Direct is focused on first-party games, it is likely to be headlined by the official announcement of a remake of the seminal The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Rumors from a few months ago have indicated that Nintendo is looking to release it near the Holiday season.

A 2026 launch for a remake of Ocarina of Time would be quite fitting, since the year also marks the 40th anniversary for The Legend of Zelda as a whole, with the first entry in the franchise having come out all the way back in 1986 on the NES. As for why the company would pick Ocarina of Time to remake rather than the original, it likely comes down to the fact that the action-adventure title has only been released on the Nintendo 64 in 1998, with a remake coming to Nintendo 3DS in 2011. Considering the legacy of the game, introducing it to a wider modern audience would likely be a no-brainer for Nintendo, especially with a movie based on the franchise being in the works.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time also has tremendous legacy behind it, with many considering it to be one of the greatest games ever made thanks to its combination of the at-the-time relatively unique open structure in a 3D game, its mastery over 3D gameplay thanks to the introduction of Z-targeting, and its gameplay structure that, while an evolution of the one from A Link to the Past, would go on to become the foundation of most The Legend of Zelda games moving forwards until the 2010 release of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

A remake of Ocarina of Time would also open the doors for Nintendo to potentially bring its immediate sequel – 2000’s The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask – to a wider audience as well, since the original was developed using Ocarina of Time’s engine and assets.