Some of the games getting these updates are The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (version 1.4.0), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (version 1.8.0), Pikmin 3 Deluxe (version 1.1.2), Super Mario Bros. Wonder (version 1.0.2), Kirby’s Dream Buffet (version 1.0.0a), Kirby Star Allies (version 4.0.0a), Super Mario 3D All-Stars (version 1.1.2), Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (version 2.2.1), Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain (version 1.2.0), and ARMS (version 5.51), among others.

All of these updates revolve around giving these games improved performance for the new console over how they ran on the original Switch. Along with performance boosts, quite a few games are also getting access to new features, including GameShare and even support for HDR displays.

The Switch 2 will be hitting store shelves on June 5.

Patch notes for Nintendo Switch games to run on Switch 2:

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Version 1.4.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Added support for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.
• Added support for the Portuguese (Brazil) system language setting.
• Because Portuguese is not a supported voice language, the voice content will use the language you select in the in-game options.
• Added support for the Sidon, Tulin, Yunobo, and Riju amiibo.
• Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch:

General

• Added support for the Portuguese (Brazil) system language setting.
• Because Portuguese is not a supported voice language, the voice content will use the language you select in the in-game options.
• Added support for the Sidon, Tulin, Yunobo, and Riju amiibo.
• Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Version 1.8.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Added support for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.
• Added support for the Portuguese (Brazil) system language setting.
• Because Portuguese is not a supported voice language, if you select the Match System Settings option in the game, the voice content will use English.
• Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch:

General

• Added support for the Portuguese (Brazil) system language setting.
• Because Portuguese is not a supported voice language, if you select the Match System Settings option in the game, the voice content will use English.
• Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe – Version 1.1.2

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Partially alleviated an issue that occurs when playing on Nintendo Switch 2 where the entire screen flickers during some scenes in the game, such as when a day starts and ends.
• We will be releasing an update in the near feature to fix this completely.
• Note: An update addressing the problem above has not been distributed for “Pikmin 3 Deluxe Demo ver.” However, we plan to perform the same fix as the full game in a future update.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Version 1.0.2

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Several adjustments have been made to improve gameplay on Nintendo Switch 2.

Kirby’s Dream Buffet – Version 1.0.0a

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Several adjustments have been made to improve gameplay on Nintendo Switch 2.
• Note: The version number in the lower right of the software title screen is still Ver. 1.0.0. The version number displayed in the software menu on the HOME Screen will display 1.0.0a if the update is applied.

Kirby Star Allies – Version 4.0.0a

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Several adjustments have been made to improve gameplay on Nintendo Switch 2.
• Note: The version number in the lower right of the software title screen is still Ver. 4.0.0. The version number displayed in the software menu on the HOME Screen will display 4.0.0a if the update is applied.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars – Version 1.1.2

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Several adjustments have been made to improve gameplay on Nintendo Switch 2.
• Note: The software update is required to play on Nintendo Switch 2.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 – Version 2.2.1

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Several adjustments have been made to improve gameplay on Nintendo Switch 2.

ARMS – Version 5.51

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• Frame rate: Optimized for Nintendo Switch 2 for smoother movement (even when playing with 3 or more players). Note: HDR-compatible display required when playing in TV mode.
• *Compatible with Ver. 5.4.1 for “local communication” and “LAN play”. Not compatible with Ver. 5.4.0 or earlier for “local communication” and “LAN play”. Please be aware of the versions of each other’s update data.

Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain – Version 1.2.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Added support for GameShare.
• Party Mode content can be played with up to 4 users.
• The user who will host the GameShare session should select “GameShare” on the mode selection screen after launching the software. They can then choose to use GameShare with Local Users or with GameChat members.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker – Version 1.4.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) support for improved image contrast and brightness. Note: HDR-compatible display required when playing in TV mode.
• Added support for GameShare.
• Two people can play all the courses, and each person can have their own unique display that is easier to see.
• The person sharing can press the – button on the title screen or course select screen or go to “Partner Adventure” in the pause menu and select “GameShare + Local Play” or “GameShare + GameChat.”

Club House Games: 51 Worldwide Classics – Version 2.0.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Added Korean as a supported language.
• Added support for GameShare:
• You can play 34 kinds of games with up to 4 players.
• The user who will host the GameShare session should select “GameShare” from the main menu, then “Via GameChat” or “Play With Local Users”.
  The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch:

General

• Added Korean as a supported language.
• Several other adjustments and revisions have been made to improve the gameplay experience.
• Note: Update data with the above content will also be distributed for the demo “Clubhouse Games: Guest Pass” as Ver. 2.0.0d.

Game Builder Garage – Version 1.1.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• Added support for Joy-Con 2 mouse controls. Up to 8 Joy-Con 2 can be used. (As up to now, 1 USB mouse can be used, as well.)
• As a result of improved processing speed, there may be some changes in behavior in games that were made previously on Nintendo Switch.
• Note: An update is also available for the Game Builder Garage Demo version to support the content above (Ver. 1.1.0).

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe – Version 1.2.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury – Version 1.2.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• Frame rate: Optimized for smoother movement on Nintendo Switch 2 (including Bowser’s Fury).
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) support for improved image contrast and brightness (Bowser’s Fury only). Note: HDR-compatible display required when playing in TV mode.
• Added support for GameShare.
• You can play “Super Mario 3D World” with up to four people. Press R on the course select screen for “Local/Online,” and then choose “GameShare + Local Users” or “GameShare + GameChat.”
• In “Bowser’s Fury,” two players can play, with one controlling Mario while the other controls Bowser Jr. Once you can control Mario, press the + button to open “Menu,” and then choose “Local/Online,” and then choose “GameShare + Local Users” or “GameShare + GameChat.”
• Note: Does have local user compatibility with Ver. 1.1.0. Does not have local user compatibility with Ver. 1.0.0. Please be careful of the update version on each player’s system.

Super Mario Odyssey – Version 1.4.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality.
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) support for improved image contrast and brightness. Note: HDR-compatible display required when playing in TV mode.
• Added support for GameShare.
• Two players can play, with one controlling Mario while the other controls Cappy.
• The user who will host the GameShare session should select “Resume 2P” on the title screen or “Two Players” on the Pause menu, then select “GameShare + Local Play” or “GameShare + GameChat”.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – Version 1.1.0

The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:

General

• Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs for improved image quality. Note: HDR-compatible display required when playing in TV mode.

Nintendo has revealed its Q3 earnings for fiscal year 2021, detailing software sales for the quarter ending December 31st 2020. It announced that Animal Crossing: New Horizons had sold 5.14 million in this period with cumulative sales topping 31.18 million units. Super Mario 3D All-Stars has also performed very well, selling 8.32 million units since launch.

Other noteworthy sales figures include Paper Mario: The Origami King at 3.05 million unis sold; Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit selling 1.08 million units; and Pikmin 3 Deluxe topping 1.94 million units sold. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continues to be a sales juggernaut with 8.64 million sold in this period (total sales now being 33.41 million). Ring Fit Adventure sold 5.95 million in the same time frame and is now at 8.68 million cumulative sales.

Overall, software sales hit 75.85 million, which is an increase of 43 percent year-on-year. This quarter should be especially lucrative for the Switch with exclusives like Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury and Bravely Default 2 out in February. Stay tuned for more details and figures from the company’s quarterly report.

Sadly enough, Pikmin games aren’t really major sellers (which would explain why Nintendo doesn’t highlight the franchise nearly as much as it should), but the recently released Pikmin 3 Deluxe certainly seems to be doing well for itself- especially in Japan. It enjoyed a solid debut in the region, selling over 170,000 copies in its launch week, and now, it has become the highest selling Pikmin game in Japan to date.

As Nintendo Everything points out in compiled sales data, Pikmin 3 Deluxe has sold 513,225 in Japan- an impressive figure for a game that launched less than three months ago, and belongs to a series that hasn’t historically been a major seller. It has overtaken the original Pikmin’s sales. The GameCube title, which came out back in 2001, has sold 502,996 to date.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe’s sales are also well above twice as many as what the original game managed on the Wii U. To date, the original Pikmin 3 has sold 232,313 units. It seems the trend of Nintendo’s first party re-releases enjoying significantly stronger sales on the Switch as opposed to their relatively lower numbers on the Wii U is continuing.

You can check out the Japanese sales figures for the Pikmin series below. It’s also worth mentioning that these figures only account for physical sales data, so the sales numbers for Pikmin 3 Deluxe are likely much higher, especially given the uptick in digital sales over the last year thanks to the pandemic.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is out now for the Nintendo Switch.

1. [NSW] Pikmin 3 Deluxe – 513,225
2. [NGC] Pikmin – 502,996
3. [NGC] Pikmin 2 – 483,027
4. [WII] New Play Control! Pikmin 2 – 237,064
5. [WIU] Pikmin 3 – 232,313
6. [WII] New Play Control! Pikmin – 170,866
7. [3DS] Hey! Pikmin – 157,007

Pikmin 3 Deluxe launched for the Nintendo Switch at the tail end of last month, with Nintendo bringing yet another overlooked and underappreciated Wii U classic to a wider audience through a Switch re-release. Reception to the game has been predictably strong (while sales have also been impressive), and to highlight some of that strong reception from reviewers, Nintendo have released an accolades trailer for the game. Take a look below.

In our own review of Pikmin 3 Deluxe, we said it’s “unmissable for series fans, and an excellent opportunity to jump back in for those who’ve already dabbled with Pikmin in the past”, and concluded that “Pikmin 3 Deluxe improves what was already a great game in small but smart ways.” You can read our full review through here.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is available now on Nintendo Switch. Let’s hope the game’s strong critical and commercial performance compels Nintendo to finally move ahead with a new numbered sequel in the series. It’s been a long time coming.

Famitsu has released the latest weekly charts for video game software and hardware sales in Japan, and as far as the former is concerned, the top 10 is dominated largely by new releases. Debuting in first place is Pikmin 3 Deluxe, which sees impressive sales of over 171,000 units across the week.

Meanwhile, Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster claims both the second and third spots, with the Switch version in second place with over 52,000 units sold, and the PS4 version not far behind with over 48,000 units sold. In fourth place is Ubisoft’s open world title Watch Dogs: Legion, which sees sales of over 40,000 units.

GreedFall, Spiders’ action RPG, recently saw its launch in Japan, and debuts in seventh place, selling over 13,000 units, while Kamen Rider: Memory of Heroez for the Switch is the sixth debutant in the top 10, slotting in at No. 8 with over 11,000 copies sold.

On the hardware front, the Switch rules the roost once more, selling over 86,000 units, which is up from over 64,000 units sold last week.

You can check out the full software and hardware Japanese sales charts for the week ending November 1 below.

Software sales (followed by lifetime sales):

01. [NSW] Pikmin 3 Deluxe – 171.349 / NEW
02. [NSW] Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster – 52.481 / NEW
03. [PS4] Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster – 48.830 / NEW
04. [PS4] Watch Dogs: Legion – 40.962 / NEW
05. [NSW] Ring Fit Adventure – 29.086 / 1.746.352 
06. [NSW] Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 24.009 / 5.909.746 (+4%)
07. [PS4] GreedFall – 13.292 / NEW
08. [NSW] Kamen Rider: Memory of Heroez – 11.683 / NEW
09. [NSW] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – 9.569 / 3.238.517
10. [NSW] Pokemon Sword / Shield – 9.421 / 3.783.145

Hardware sales (followed by last week’s sakes):

Nintendo Switch – 86,985 (64,768)
PS4 – 3,150 (3,137)
Nintendo 3DS – 1,467 (608)
Xbox One – 36 (47)

[Via ResetEra]

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is another in that ever-growing lineup of games, and true to form, it provides the best way to play this underappreciated Wii U gem. Combining the best of both its predecessors – the time constraints of the first game and the more exploration-heavy nature of Pikmin 2 – Pikmin 3 on the Wii U was in many ways the culmination of the franchise up until that point, and was unfairly let down by the low sales of its consoles and the relatively niche nature of the Pikmin franchise itself. Now, over seven years later, on the Nintendo Switch, Pikmin 3’s greatest strengths stand out just as much as they did years ago, thanks to a combination of the game’s own unique strategy gameplay, a number of minor tweaks and quality of life improvements, and some new content to dive into. 

"Pikmin 3 Deluxe provides the best way to play this underappreciated Wii U gem."

Of those, the changes that make the most impact are, surprisingly enough, not the additional content, but the quality of life tweaks, which work to strengthen the foundations of what’s already an immensely enjoyable game. Pikmin 3’s core loop and its blend of strategy, action, and exploration remains as fun and engaging as ever, but with the Switch release’s minor tweaks and improvements here and there, the moment-to-moment gameplay has become even easier to get addicted to. For instance, controlling Pikmin 3 Deluxe feels smooth and seamless, with the option to either control the game solely with button inputs, with gyroscopic aiming, or a combination of both.

Most notably, the lock-on mechanic has been made much snappier and much more responsive. Rather than having to aim with your cursor and then press the lock-on button, you now simply lock on to enemies with a press of the right trigger, and cycle through enemies by pressing it repeatedly. Switching between enemies and objects that you’re locked on to becomes much easier as a process, allowing the moment-to-moment gameplay become more fluid, which is especially important in a game such as this one. 

You can now also bring up a menu during gameplay that allows you to sort your Pikmin or cycle between leaders of groups, while charging now also much more intuitive, thanks to greater control over the direction of the charge and over which Pikmin exactly will be charging at enemies. There are also Badges to collect in Pikmin 3 Deluxe, which is essentially an in-game achievements system, and collecting more Badges increases your rank as a player. This one in particular doesn’t have any major impact on the experience, of course, but the game-wide progression still acts as a nice little bonus.

"Pikmin 3’s core loop and its blend of strategy, action, and exploration remains as fun and engaging as ever, but with the Switch release’s minor tweaks and improvements here and there, the moment-to-moment gameplay has become even easier to get addicted to."

Difficulty has also been addressed in Pikmin 3, most notably with a selection of three difficulty options, with Normal being the easiest of the bunch and the one that’s friendliest and most accessible to newcomers, and Ultra Spicy, with its stricter time limits and more durable enemies, serving as the perfect difficulty to jump into for Pikmin veterans who’re looking for a bit of a challenge. Interestingly enough, you can also press up on the d-pad at anytime to get hints and tips from the game about where you should be going and what you should be doing. It’s a small addition, and one that many players probably won’t engage with all that much, but if you’re a newcomer to the series, it will probably be a pretty handy tool. 

As far as content is concerned, on top of the base game (and of course) and its post-launch DLCs, Pikmin 3 Deluxe also adds new Side Missions. Putting players in the shoes of series darlings Olimar and Louie, these missions act as a prologue and an epilogue for the main story. More content is always good to have, and given the core strengths of Pikmin 3 as a game, it would have been impossible not to enjoy these Side Missions.

That said, I routinely found them to be much less engaging than the main story. The focus on exploration is noticeably tapered back in these missions, especially seeing as exploring the environments when you actually have the time to do so can be so rewarding in the story missions. Meanwhile, Pikmin 3 also adds a co-op mode- though it’s a bit disappointing that it entails local split-screen gameplay only. Here’s hoping that feature gets added in after launch at some point.

"Visually, Pikmin 3 isn’t necessarily going to win any awards for its technical proficiency, but thanks to the game’s beautiful and colourful look, it’s still a rather good looking game."

Visually, Pikmin 3 isn’t necessarily going to win any awards for its technical proficiency, but thanks to the game’s beautiful and colourful look, it’s still a rather good looking game. It is a shame that there doesn’t seem to be an option for 60 FPS gameplay in here, while the resolution is also the same as what it was when the game launched for the Wii U. That said, to its credit, Pikmin 3 does keep its frame rate steady and strong. 

Pikmin might not be a heavyweight franchise like The Legend of Zelda and Mario, but Pikmin 3 is the perfect game to illustrate the fact that this series deserves more love and recognition than it has traditionally enjoyed in the past. At this point, there’s no telling when Pikmin 4 will launch, or if it even exists anymore- but Pikmin 3 is an excellent reminder of this series’ greatest strengths. Naturally then, Pikmin 3 Deluxe, which is the best way to play this game, is unmissable for series fans, and an excellent opportunity to jump back in for those who’ve already dabbled with Pikmin in the past. I do wish that the game had more visual and performance enhancements to speak of, but Pikmin 3 Deluxe still excels in the one area that counts most- the fun factor. 

This game was reviewed on the Nintendo Switch.

We’re in that time of the year where major game releases are going to be coming in thick and fast. There were a few of those last week, some of which managed to break into the top 10 in the latest weekly UK boxed video game sales charts, in spite of numbers that were less than stellar (via GamesIndustry).

The biggest new release was Watch Dogs: Legion, which debuted in second place in the charts. Physical launch sales are down 54% from Watch Dogs 2, though with digital sales having grown in that time and next-gen versions of the game also due out soon, the open world title will likely end up enjoying stronger sales overall. FIFA 21 still clings on to the top spot, unsurprisingly, as it did last week, and the two weeks before that.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe also debuted in the top 10, coming in at No. 7, and actually enjoying stronger launch boxed sales than the Wii U original- 16.5% more, to be precise. Then there’s The Dark Pictures: Little Hope, Supermassive and Bandai Namco’s second game in their horror adventure anthology series. It debuts at No. 9, with sales being 47% lower than the physical launch sales of last year’s Man of Medan.

You can check out the full top 10 for the week ending October 31 below.

1. FIFA 21
2. Watch Dogs: Legion
3. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
5. Minecraft (Switch)
6. Super Mario 3D All-Stars
7. Pikmin 3 Deluxe
8. Ring Fit Adventure
9. The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
10. Minecraft Dungeons

Along with gameplay for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, the recent Nintendo Treehouse Live also contained substantial footage for Pikmin 3 Deluxe. It also announced a demo for the Wii U port, which is now available. Progress made in the demo will also transfer over to the full game so it may be worth checking out.

Defeating the demo’s will unlock the new Ultra-Spicy difficulty in the full game. Other new features include Side Stories that feature Captain Olimar and Louie in new prologue and epilogue missions. Story Mode also sees split-screen co-op support along with the returning Piklopedia. The latter adds a new entry whenever a new creature is discovered.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is slated to release on October 30th for the Nintendo Switch. Along with improved visuals, it includes all of the previously released DLC like the Collect Treasure Pack that brings four additional missions. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.

While many are hyped for the release of Sony and Microsoft’s next generation consoles, one can’t forget that Nintendo is still very much doing their own thing. They have two first party titles coming this holiday season, one of which is an enhanced re-release of a Wii U title, Pikmin 3 Deluxe, and the other is the Zelda spin-off action title, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. Now, it looks like tomorrow, we’ll get a peek at both.

Via the official Nintendo of America Twitter, it was announced that Nintendo Treehouse Live would be making a surprise return soon, tomorrow in fact. Both of the before mentioned titles will be highlighted. For Pikmin 3 Deluxe, it simply says there will be a “deep dive,” and for Age of Calamity it will be a new stage and gameplay details. We just got the reveal of a young Robbie and Purrah for Hyrule Warriors, so who knows what we may see.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe will release on October 30th while Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity releases November 20th. Both titles will be exclusive to the Switch. Nintendo Treehouse Live will air on October 7th.

#NintendoTreehouseLive returns on 10/7 at 10 a.m. PT with a livestreamed presentation featuring two segments. Tune in for a #Pikmin 3 Deluxe deep dive and a new stage and gameplay details for #HyruleWarriors: Age of Calamity. https://t.co/232xssTxZ4 pic.twitter.com/xdcFjCydC9

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 6, 2020

October is generally a month for spookiness as the Halloween holiday generally looms everywhere, but Nintendo is going the opposite direction for the month’s end with Pikmin 3 Deluxe. The game is an enhanced re-release of a Wii U title with new content and all previous DLC. Today Nintendo has set out to educate everyone on what a Pikmin is.

In a new humorous trailer, we get to see a reintroduction of the little critters in a series of vignettes and animated sequences that show how you play the game. If you aren’t familiar, you basically take the cute little guys and throw them around, killing them as you battle other bigger creatures. Even if you are familiar with the games and how to play them, you’ll sure to get a nice chuckle out of it. The game will include all previous DLC as well as new side stories for you to explore.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is set to release exclusively on the Nintendo Switch on October 30th.