If you enjoyed building simple (or complex) vehicles to solve puzzles in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, then you’ll absolutely love what PS5 open world Where Winds Meet is cooking.

The game, which launched globally last month, is getting a massive update in China which will see it incorporate mechanics where you can build simple cars, boats, and aircrafts.

It works similarly to Nintendo’s flagship franchise, where you combine components to construct your makeshift machines. For example, a plank of wood paired with four wheels and an engine will give you a basic car. Add steering to give yourself more manoeuvrability.

You’ll be able to save builds and share them with other players, while the blueprint for a helicopter-type aircraft known as the Flying Chicken will serve as the mode’s tutorial, and will be given to all players for free.

We must stress that Where Winds Meet has been available in China for over a year now, so the global servers you’re likely to be playing on are many months behind. That means you shouldn’t expect this feature to roll out globally for quite some time.

The good news is that dev Everstone Studios should have ample time to test out the feature and refine it, meaning we should hopefully get a more polished version of the system when it eventually releases overseas.

As an aside, the mobile edition of Where Winds Meet is scheduled to release on 12th December will full crossplay across all platforms. Pre-load is available on iOS and Android now.

Furthermore, the wuxia outing has now attracted nine million players across all platforms in just two weeks, making it another incredible success story.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection has been a pretty steady Steam performer since it was introduced to the platform back in 2019; especially over the last three or four years where it regularly hits about 10k concurrent players at peak times. Over this past weekend though, the collection peaked a little higher than usual; hitting a Steam player count not seen since late 2021.

Yep, over the weekend, Halo: MCC surpassed 12k players on Steam for the first time since December 2021. To be specific, the title brought in 12,306 players on Sunday, November 30th - in what's turned out to be the game's most popular day on the platform in almost four years. The game is currently discounted pretty heavily as part of the Steam Black Friday sale, which may have contributed to this.

Of course, this isn't a huge increase on the norm, but it is interesting to see the game hit this 3-4 year high over the weekend. Halo Infinite recently got its final major update, so maybe some of those players are moving over to MCC now? Maybe it simply had a small bump from that Black Friday sale we mentioned? Either way, the collection enjoyed a successful weekend it seems.

If you'd like to take a look at what's included in said final Halo Infinite update, we'll chuck a link to that news down below, alongside last year's feature on how Halo: MCC has turned things around massively since 2014. It's been quite the decade for Xbox's big Halo collection!

At the end of last week, the developers beyond the critically panned MindsEye released Update 6 for the game, adding "enhanced gameplay" alongside a Free Starter Pack that means anyone can now try it for free on multiple platforms.

Specifically, the MindsEye Free Starter Pack features the Robin Hood campaign mission along with 14 ARCADIA missions, and it'll be updated regularly with new ways to play. To access it on Xbox, you'll need to find the MindsEye page on the Xbox Store and then look for the "free trial" button.

• MindsEye (Xbox Store)

In terms of Update 6, you can see some Xbox Series X footage below which shows how the game unfortunately still runs at 30FPS even to this day, but remains a good-looking title and is certainly less buggy than it was at launch.

And you know what? I personally quite like MindsEye. There's fun to be had here with the free trial at least, and it's dropped to as low as £10 at some retailers here in the UK, while it's also half price in the Xbox Black Friday Sale 2025.

I'm not saying you definitely should buy it, but I also don't think it's as bad as everyone says!

It's been quite an underwhelming Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025 from a console perspective for Xbox fans, with just a few small discounts scattered around for the two systems, but that's still managed to make some people happy!

Over on the Xbox subreddit, there are a few people showing off their new Series X and Series S purchases, although it's unclear what specific deals they've taken advantage of here. As mentioned last week, many of the Black Friday deals were in the UK, although we spotted a handful (including refurbished models) in the US.

Here's a look at two of those posts from over the weekend:

Beyond consoles, we've also seen a lot of deals for Xbox controllers over the past few days, both directly on the Microsoft Store and at other retailers. As a result, it seems a fair few people have been picking up some new pads!

Xbox Design Lab seems to have been popular as well, especially thanks to its free engraving offer.

And of course, there are other deals dotted around for things like Xbox Expansion Cards (although nothing too impressive there) and physical games, as well as the big digital Xbox Black Friday Sale 2025 that ends later this week.

So, have you been grabbing anything in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales for 2025? Is it just games for you, or perhaps a controller or even a console? We'd love to hear about your purchases down in the comments.

Limited Run Games announced Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition way back in June 2024, and while a good chunk of time has passed us by since then (including a rather buggy release of its platforming predecessor), the release date is almost upon us!

Tomba 2 will arrive on the Switch eShop on 15th December for $19.99 (or your regional equivalent), marking the first time that the 3D PlayStation platformer has been available on Nintendo systems.

For those who didn't try this one out in the early 2000s, Tomba 2 took the same jungle platforming precedent as the first game in the series, but moved things into the wonderful world of 3D. With the now-chiselled Tomba given an extra dimension to play with, the game packed in new weapons and power-up costumes on top of a huge number of fresh missions and events.

This Switch 'Special Edition' throws in a museum gallery mode, and the chance to rewind and save at any time, so while the polygonal visuals remain, there are at least some ways to get around the game's less favourable nostalgic elements.

Here's a rundown of the new release's key features and a handful of screenshots:

• Gorgeous 3D graphics that instantly transport you to Tomba's world
• All new weapons, items and costumes to collect and use against the Evil Pigs
• A massive 137 different missions to complete
• New exclusive features such as rewind and save anywhere
• A museum filled with rare artwork and much more

Images: Limited Run Games

While the original Tomba would go on to be a perfectly acceptable slice of throwback platforming on Switch, it launched in such a state that some of us found it essentially unplayable on the hybrid console. Let's hope that things get off to a smoother start with its sequel.

Has it really been eight entire years? Yes, it really actually has, so sit up and pay attention at the back.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which as every Xenoblade nerd worth their salt knows is actually the third game released in the series, dropped into existence on this very day back in 2017, and it's a bit good. We gave it a well-deserved 9/10 in our review, so it's a bona fide banger as officially ordained by the bona fide banger squad™.

To celebrate this eighth birthday (they get big so quickly these days), Monolith Soft has been sharing a lovely bit of artwork over on its social media. Which is great.

For reference, here's the Google translation:

On this day in 2017, "Xenoblade 2" was released.
#MonolithSoft's Development History #WhatDayIsItToday
https://monolithsoft.co.jp/games/

Yes, happy birthday. Very good. Now pulls out ice-cream machine gun make with the Switch 2 version, wiseguys. Come on. Open your jackets, show us the goods. Where is it?

Unfortunately, it seems this writer's dream of an all-new, 60fps, 4K, enhanced-graphics, 100%-more-volumetrics-version of XC2 especially for Switch 2 might have to wait just a little bit longer. Unless they drop it later today (there's still time!).

Indeed, as much as we're just having a bit of birthday banter, it has been something that's been asked for repeatedly and rather loudly from franchise fans since Nintendo's new console dropped. With so many games getting boosts from the Switch 2, you may have hoped this epic action-RPG might have brute-forced itself into a better situation, even without an official upgrade.

However, unlike Disaster Report 4, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, and a whole bunch of other games that got nice free boosts on the Switch 2, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, whilst a little more stable in its 30fps now, still suffers from issues and hasn't benefited in any meaningful way. It's still a gorgeous, absolutely must-play thing, make no mistake, but it feels like it could be more.

This is a series, too, that really does tend to sing extra-specially loudly when it's unshackled from any technical limitations. We've all seen how improved the first game and Xenoblade Chronicles X have been in their revamped, Definitive forms. So it stands to reason that we're all chomping at the bit to see Alrest and the Driver of the Aegis looking and feeling their best in a Switch 2 upgrade of some sort.

Anyway, in the meantime, happy 8th birthday, Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Enjoy your day. Just don't come down here dressed like that for your 10th.

A PS2 on-rails shooter game based on the popular manga/anime series Gunslinger Girl is set to get a fan translation from the translation team at Hilltop Works, allowing players to experience the title with English subtitles.

Gunslinger Girl, in case you're unfamiliar with it, originally started life as a manga that was serialized inside the shōnen magazine Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh in 2002, and was later adapted into two different anime series named Gunslinger Girl and Gunslinger Girl -Il Teatrino-.

It was created by the Japanese author Yu Aida and had a story that focused on an agency based in Italy, which masquerades as a rehabilitation centre for young girls who have experienced traumatic injuries, but is secretly modifying its patients to act as a covert anti-terrorism unit. The star of the piece is a young girl named Henrietta, who is the only survivor of a fatal attack on her family, who is later brainwashed, given a prosthetic body, and ordered to carry out the agency's orders.

The video game adaptation was released in 2004 and was developed by Dimps. It was published by Bandai and Marvellous Entertainment in three volumes, exclusively in Japan, with each of these volumes featuring an extra disc containing episodes from the show.

Something interesting to note is that this is actually one of three projects Hilltop Works is currently working on behind the scenes, with the team having previously announced translation projects for the WonderSwan title Cardcaptor Sakura and the PS2 title Rowdy Princess.

Each of the three titles has a different translator assigned to the project, with SnowyAria being the person assigned to handle Gunslinger Girl's translation, while Hilltop himself is handling the programming side of things.

If you're interested, you can follow the project's progress on Hilltop Works' Patreon account.

Takenobu Mitsuyoshi is famous for his vocal contributions to classic Sega titles like Daytona USA and Sega Rally Championship, and has revealed to Time Extension contributor Ollie Barder that his legendary career as "the guy who sings" happened almost by accident.

In a new interview with Forbes, Mitsuyoshi talks about how he joined Sega and how he secured his position in video game history thanks to his unique contribution to 1994's Daytona USA.

"I think the turning point was probably when I implemented my own singing in Daytona USA," he says. "To be honest, up until then, I had never thought of my voice, my singing, or even the title 'vocalist' as something that could stand on its own as a job, or something I should try to make into one. At that time, we were tasked with creating a driving game that would surpass a rival title in every possible way, and it was simply that we saw only one option: to add vocals."

Mitsuyoshi's voice is what you hear on Daytona USA's iconic tracks, with examples like 'Let's Go Away', 'King of Speed' and 'Sky High' becoming part of Sega folklore. At any other company, someone might have stepped in and suggested that Mitsuyoshi's placeholder vocal parts be re-recorded by a professional singer before the game was deployed in arcades all over the world, but thankfully, that didn't happen.

"When I made that choice, it never even crossed my mind to bring in another singer," he explains. "So once the prototype of Let’s Go Away was implemented, my voice was recorded as data on the game board, and eventually it crossed oceans and reached the ears of players all over the world. I had no idea that would happen. But from that point on, people around me gradually began to see me as 'the guy who sings.'"

Mitsuyoshi's status was cemented further when Yu Suzuki launched his second 3D fighting game:

"Around the same time, Virtua Fighter 2 was released, and the company was running all kinds of promotional campaigns. One of those ideas was to create a vocal album inspired by the game. Yu Suzuki, who was the producer of the game back then, said to me, 'Why don’t you sing a few songs?', and that became my very first job as a vocalist."

Daytona USA is just one of Mitsuyoshi's memorable outings as a singer; he's also responsible for the famous "Game Over, Yeah" jingle found in 1995's Sega Rally Championship – a vocal clip which keeps surprising him to this day:

"Honestly, I never imagined that this jingle would end up leaving such a lasting impression on players all over the world. At last year’s GDC, I happened to have lunch with a game industry professional who’s also a big Sega fan. He told me, “When I hear the ‘Game Over Yeah’ jingle after I fail to finish a course, the song somehow lessens the frustration for not being able to finish. It was more like an encouraging ‘Yeah!’, as if it’s saying, ‘Don’t worry about it, cheer up!’ It actually made me want to keep playing.

Now, after hearing such a thoughtful and heartwarming interpretation of that, I almost feel bad admitting this, but the truth is: I actually didn’t have a clear reason for adding that ‘Yeah’. As far as I remember, it was simply because it sounded good and fit the atmosphere of the jingle’s melody line.

That said, ever since Virtua Racing, I’ve had a personal rule: for the ‘Game Over’ jingle or sound, I must sing the words ’Game Over' as lyrics. So in Daytona USA, you’ll hear me repeating “Game Over” in exactly that way."

We have some good news for English fans of Bandai Namco's Idolmaster series.

A new fan translation patch is currently in the works for The Idolmaster SP, the 2009 entry in the idol raising simulation/rhythm series for the PlayStation Portable.

The new patch covers the game's three separate releases — Perfect Sun, Missing Moon, and Wandering Star — each of which came on a separate disc and featured a different set of idols — and will mark the first time the game has received a full English fan translation, building on the partial translations that were previously released between 2009 - 2014 by TLWiki.

It is the work of a team that includes BonillaP and Soutaisei/相対性 and, according to the project's website, will feature translated dialogue for the idols that were previously left unfinished in TLWiki's translations. This includes Wandering Star's Ami & Mami Futami, and Missing Moon's Azusa and Ritsuko.

That's not all, either, as the team has also stated it plans to translate the various in-game e-mails from reporters, stylists, and fans, as well as other parts of the game previously left untouched.

The patch is expected to be released this Winter, and will be available to download from the project's website, which is where you'll also find updates on its progress.

You can watch a trailer for the upcoming patch below:

Gregg Mayles recently announced his departure from Rare after 36 years, which means the brains behind such classics as Battletoads, Donkey Kong Country and Banjo-Kazooie is no longer with the legendary British studio.

While he's very much focused on his future, Mayles is equally keen to promote his past, and has been digging into his personal archives to unearth material related to Banjo-Tooie, which recently celebrated its 25th birthday.

Among the paperwork you'll find scripts, unfilmed TV commercials, lost special moves, maps and unused abilities, but the item that made me smile the most was a fax from Nintendo's Japanese HQ which cleared the game for release in that region.

The author of the fax was none other than Shigeru Miyamoto himself, who has written in English, 'Splendid game' – along with a smiley face giving the all-important thumbs up.

I now have a vision in my head of Miyamoto adding personalised messages to all of the approval faxes which emanated from NCL's offices. We certainly lost something in the move to email, if you ask me.

I'm sure Mayles will be showing off more material related to the game, so be sure to follow him on social media.

Edia has announced another compilation of Telenet Japan games. This time, focusing primarily on Wolf Team's Zan series of Japanese-set simulation titles, which see players stepping into the role of a warlord tasked with commanding an army around a battlefield (thanks, Gematsu, for the spot!).

In the past, the collection of games has regularly been likened to Koei's Nobunaga's Ambition series of strategy games, and typically shares a similar focus on military affairs, such as arranging your troops into formations, gathering intelligence, and handling other aspects of war.

The series first debuted back in 1989 with the release of Zan: Kagerō no Toki on the PC-98 and Sharp X68000, and was later ported to the PC Engine Super CD-ROM² in 1991. It has also received a handful of sequels and spin-offs over the years, including titles for everything from the Sega Game Gear to the Super Famicom and Sega Mega Drive.

Image: Edia

This new collection, however, only includes three games in total, all of which were previously released for the Super Famicom. These include Zan II: Spirits (May 29, 1992; Super Famicom), Zan III: Spirits (March 11, 1994, Super Famicom), and Sangokushi Seishi: Tenbu Spirits (June 25, 1993; Super Famicom). The first two games are set in Japan, while the third game is a spin-off based in the Three Kingdoms era of ancient China, and is heavily influenced by the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

The collection, which has been announced for Nintendo Switch, will launch in Japan next year on March 12, 2026, and will cost 6,800 yen (7,480 yen with tax), with a special edition (featuring a soundtrack CD and artbook) also being offered for 9,800 yen (10,780 yen with tax).

If we had to guess, the likelihood of this coming to the West is pretty slim, but we're glad to see more Super Famicom games being brought back and given another opportunity to find a greater audience.

Square's Secret of Mana (known as Seiken Densetsu 2 in Japan) is one of my personal favourites in the SNES library, so when I heard the news that a fan-made attempt to bring it to another of my beloved consoles – the PC Engine – is underway, I was understandably excited.

As is the case with many of these unofficial porting projects, it pays to keep expectations in check. Developer kaffeeware / not_again admits this is just a demo at the moment, and they haven't even had the chance to test it on real hardware personally.

Images: kaffeeware

To that end, they're looking for volunteers to help iron out any early bugs on original PC Engine/TG-16 systems – and early reports are quite positive.

It seems that kaffeeware's main focus at present is ensuring that the character-swapping mechanic and groundbreaking radial menu system are both working as intended, and beyond that, we could potentially see the project grow in scope.

If you'd like to try out the demo and offer feedback, you can download it here.

It's the final month of the year, and we're mere days away from one of the most anticipated video games of 2025. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is the clear headliner of December, but if that isn't your cup of tea, there's some other games that might be worth picking up. Let's see what's in store.

December 1

Marvel Cosmic Invasion | PC, PS5, PS4, XSX|S, NS

December 2

Assassin's Creed Shadows | NS2
Red Dead Redemption | PS5, XSX|S, NS2, Mobile
Sleep Awake | PC, PS5, XSX|S
Rising Heat | PC

December 3

Let it Die: Inferno | PC

December 4

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond | NS2, NS
Octopath Traveler 0 | PC, PS5, PS4, XSX|S, NS2, NS
Blood: Refreshed Supply | PC, PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, NS
Sonic Racing: Crossworlds | NS2
Elden Ring Nightreign: The Forsaken Hollows Expansion | PC, PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO

December 5

Nicktoons and the Dice of Destiny | NS2

December 8

Angeline Era | PC
Microsoft Flight Sim 2024 | PS5
Skate Story | PC, PS5, NS2
Yakuza 0: Director's Cut | PC, PS5, XSX|S
Yakuza: Kiwami | PS5, XSX|S
Yakuza: Kiwami 2 | PS5, XSX|S

December 9

Unbeatable | PC, PS5, XSX|S
Dome Keeper | XSX|S
Farming Simulator: Signature Edition | NS2

December 10

Montezuma's Revenge | PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, NS
Mutant Football League 2 | PC, PS5, XSX|S

December 12

Terminator 2D: No Fate | PC, PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, NS

December 16

The Rogue Prince of Persia | NS2, NS

December 20

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - From the Ashes Expansion | PC, PS5, XSX|S

Remember when Microsoft committed to putting Call of Duty on Nintendo platforms amidst all of the ActiBlizz drama a few years back? Well, we've not really seen much activity in this space since, but after confirming that this move was still in the works back in the summer, one of the COD dev teams is now seemingly hiring for Switch development of some sort.

Over on LinkedIn, Sledgehammer Games — who most recently developed 2023's Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 — is hiring for a Senior Technical Artist role. What makes this particular job listing different, is that within the finer details, Sledgehammer notes that a bonus for this role would be someone with "AAA Mobile or Switch experience".

In this case, then, it's looking like COD 2027 could be making its way to Nintendo platforms; presumably the Switch 2 given the system's gulf in power from Switch 1. Yep, developer Infinity Ward is supposedly helming next year's COD, so it may be that the one after that is where the series' makes its Nintendo Switch debut.

Of course, there's also chance that Infinity Ward is working on something similar and just hasn't mentioned it anywhere - but for now, that remains to be seen. All we know is that Sledgehammer Games seems to be making moves towards Call of Duty Switch development, which will hopefully apply to the franchise by 2027.

In case you missed it, this week Nintendo released a new update for its Switch mobile app, bumping it up to Version 3.2.0.

This latest update features some notable changes, including notifications displaying what software friends are playing, and the ability to send friend requests to players you've spoken to in GameChat sessions.

Here's the full rundown via the App Store, including some iOS-specific updates:

Nintendo Switch App - Version 3.2.0 (27th Nov 2025)

What's New:

• The app no longer supports iOS versions prior to iOS 16. iOS devices must have iOS 16 or later to be compatible with this app.

• The notification you received when a friend comes online has now been updated to include the name of the software they're using, if applicable.

• You can now send friend requests to users you chatted with in a GameChat session.

• You can now copy the hashtags for a software title. This can be done from the details for a screenshot or video.

• You can now create a Nintendo Switch App album in the iOS Photos app. To use this feature, enable it from Settings in this app.

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the order of screenshots and videos to change when downloading several at once.

• Other small bug fixes have also been made.

If you've not downloaded this app yet, it's designed to enhance the online gameplay experience for the Switch and Switch 2. It allows you to use more friend features and game-specific services for compatible titles.

Nintendo also recently released a new storefront app in select regions for Android and iOS.

Dark Horse and Square Enix are celebrating three decades of the Mana series with an English version of Legend of Mana: The Art of Mana - 30th Anniversary Edition book.

This is the first time this book has been published in English and will give fans a "deeper look" at the action RPG. Here's some additional PR:

"A full-color art book giving fans a deeper look at the action roleplaying game, Legend of Mana. This will be the first time the book has been published in English and will include art created for the game’s original release in 1999, as well as art crafted exclusively for this book by Yukata koyama, Shinichi Kamoeka, Masaki Takahashi, HACCAN, and Kanta Kamei.

"This 80-page special 30th anniversary edition art book contains Legend of Mana’s vast Lands and Artifacts, character pixel art, Mystic Cards, boss monster illustrations, and more. Fans can take a deeper look into the materials and illustrations created when the original version of the Legend of Mana game was released, including newly drafted selection screen art, character designs, and background art."

As mentioned, this book includes 80 pages in total. It will be available in hardcover and is scheduled to arrive in bookstores on 28th July 2026 for $29.99 (or the equivalent). Pre-orders are now available on the Dark Horse website and other sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The Video Game Library (via Instagram) has also cleared up some confusion about the "30th Anniversary" subtitle:

"The book itself was originally published in 2021 in Japan (30 years after Seiken Densetsu). This is the long-awaited English localization"

Would you be interested in this book? Let us know in the comments.

Nintendo released a new firmware update for the Switch 2 earlier this week, and it's now been followed up with compatibility fixes for select Switch titles.

Apart from the update for NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa Edition, several other titles have reportedly received compatibility fixes. Here's the rundown via Nintendo Everything:

• DOOM + DOOM II

• Guardian Tales

• NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa Edition

• Skies Above

• Sugardew Island

• Super Mega Baseball 4

• Timespinner

Apart from this, some problems with certain other titles have also been identified. This includes an issue with Sports Party, where waiting on the title screen for half a minute can apparently create an issue. Resident Evil 4 and Blade of Darkness also supposedly have some progression issues.

In case you missed it, Nintendo recently launched a dedicated search page, allowing users to check the compatibility of Switch software on the Switch 2.

Will you be revisiting any of these Switch titles on the Switch 2? How are you finding them after this latest update, and what other games would you like to see updated for Nintendo's new system? Let us know in the comments.

The Analogue 3D has been updated to version 1.1.9, introducing a range of fixes and improvements for the FPGA-based N64 system.

As well as some fixes, this update features "substantial" updates to the Analogue 3D's 'Overclock' mode for titles like Perfect Dark and GoldenEye 007.

Here are the full patch notes, taken from the Analogue site:

General

• Enhanced device support for SD connect mode

Core

• Substantial upgrades to Unleashed mode Overclock for CPU-bound games such as Perfect Dark and Goldeneye 007

• Fixed frame overflow issue

  • Bomberman Hero (PAL)

  • Super Smash Bros.

OS

• Added manual region selection in the configure menu

• Added 'Disable Texture Filtering' feature in the configure menu

• Adjusted timing for switching between virtual Controller/Rumble Paks

• Fixed occasional issue with truncated Library titles

• Fixed occasional issue with Library ordering

• General stability improvements

Controllers

• Fixed inconsistency issues via USB

Publisher Fireshine Games and developer Pugstorm dazzled us with the gorgeous survival sandbox game Core Keeper back in September last year, and today they have announced that more is on the way in the shape of a swanky new Switch 2 Edition.

Arriving on 28th January, you can expect this one to feature beefed-up graphical fidelity and frame rate (targeting 60fps), as well as a bunch of visual tweaks in the lighting, shadow, water quality and particle effect departments to keep things looking super sleek.

What's more, the Switch 2 version will include native eight-player co-op — a substantial step up from the original's four — and anyone can get involved with a session, even if you're playing on Switch 1 (assuming the session is being hosted by a S2 player, of course).

And the best part of all: this Switch 2 Edition upgrade will be completely free for those who already own the game on the old hardware!

The good news doesn't end there either. Fireshine Games and Pugstorm have also announced that the free 'Volt & Voltage' update will be arriving on all systems on the very same day. This packs in a new biome to explore, fresh enemy types and bosses, and a bunch of cool new weapons. It promises to be a rather beefy one, so if you've been looking for an excuse to dive back in, this might just be the perfect opportunity.

Images: Fireshine Games

In our review of the original Switch 1 release, we called Core Keeper "a wonderfully engaging and mysterious survival sandbox that is tough to put down once it gets its hooks in you," and it's certainly one to watch if you're a fan of Minecraft or Terraria. Bring on even more in January!

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond marks a completely new story where the legendary bounty hunter Samus Aran is unexpectedly transported to the unknown planet Viewros. As you've probably already seen, she's also joined by a team of Galactic Federation soldiers.

In the same recently published article on Nintendo's Japanese website, there's an official introduction to the team of soldiers who have also been transported to the same location. Throughout this new adventure, Samus will work and fight alongside all of these characters to return home alive.

If you don't want any spoilers, you might want to navigate away from this page right now. Below is a look at each of the Galactic Federation soldiers and a description. Apart from MacKenzie's description (based on the in-game logbook which has already been shared online), the other descriptions are translated from Nintendo's website. Here's what you can expect:

Myles MacKenzie

Image: Nintendo

"Myles MacKenzie is an engineer with the Galactic Federation. His duties include the maintenance and repair of several vehicle types and programming software used for weapons development. He is known to be extremely talkative, even while alone. Although his restless energy and curiosity make him prone to danger, his excessive caution is enough to keep him from harm. He has a strong moral compass and work ethic, making him a reliable problem solver no matter the situation."

Tokabi

Image: Nintendo

"A solitary hunter who volunteered for the federal army in search of a stable life . He always carries a talisman in the shape of a tiger, and believes that it is its protection that has allowed him to escape from difficult situations."

Sergeant 'Duke'

Image: Nintendo

"A veteran who has survived countless battles with the Space Pirate army, his stubborn personality often leads to conflicts with his superiors, but his sincere and compassionate nature make him a reliable presence on the battlefield."

Private First Class 'Armstrong'

Image: Nintendo

"Private First Class of the Galactic Federation Forces. Possesses exceptional structural knowledge and operational skills with vehicles, mastering them intuitively. Her bright and proactive personality leads to frequent problem-solving successes, and she holds an admiration for Samus Aran."

Android 'VUE-995'

Image: Nintendo

"A combat android belonging to the Galactic Federation Army. It pilots fighter jets, armored vehicles, and bipedal manned combat mecha on behalf of humans . It is not equipped with a program that allows it to have emotions , but there are cases where pseudo-emotions can be generated."

Samus and the team

Nintendo has also shared some more screenshots, cinematics and gameplay of Samus with the team, which you can see at the top of this page, and in the screenshots and video below:

Images: Nintendo

Images: Nintendo

Images: Nintendo

Whether you're a veteran of the series or just starting out, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will have a difficult to match your skill.

In a new article on the official Japanese Nintendo website, the difficulty settings in Samus' new mission on Planet Viewros have been detailed. When you start this adventure, you will be able to select from either a 'casual' or 'normal' mode.

Casual mode will lower enemy HP and reduce the amount of damage Samus takes, and is recommended for first-time players. And as you probably guessed, normal mode offers the standard Metroid Prime experience. If you want a tougher challenge, once normal mode is cleared, you'll unlock hard mode.

If you've played previous entries such as Metroid Prime Remastered, these difficulty settings shouldn't come as a surprise.

The same post has also detailed how players will also be able to adjust certain other in-game settings. This includes the ability to fine-tune the sensitivity of the analog and mouse controls, which can help if you're struggling with movement or aiming.

You'll also be able to adjust the screen display and volume settings to your liking. You can see what else Nintendo has revealed about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond in our previous coverage.

Just two weeks to the day after its PS5, PS4 release, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is already on sale on the PS Store. This is a separate offer from the huge PS Store Black Friday sale, and it's only live until midnight on Tuesday, 2nd December 2025.

Between now and then, you can save 15% on the base version of the game, making it £59.49 / $59.49.

This is an incredibly quick turnaround from a full-priced release to a sale, with the game having only been available for 14 days.

Compared to past entries in the series, Black Ops 7 has been selling poorly and below the expectations of Activision. Its main competitor, Battlefield 6, is comfortably outselling it, and it's recording the franchise's worst launch in history in some countries.

In our Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 PS5 review, we gave the game a 6/10 and concluded: "The most ridiculous Call of Duty has ever been, all of Black Ops 7’s multiplayer strengths are overshadowed by the silliest campaign in the franchise’s history."

Are you tempted to pick Black Ops 7 up at £10 / $10 cheaper? Let us know in the comments below.

Xbox's big Black Friday sale has been live for more than a week now, featuring some massive AAA titles from a broad range of publishers and developers. One game that seemingly missed the Black Friday boat — mostly due to its very recent release date — was Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, but Microsoft has decided to put it on special discount for the coming weekend only.

Yep, live now on the Xbox Store (and indeed PlayStation Network), Black Ops 7 is currently 15% off; the game's first digital discount. The new Call of Duty title is on offer until December 1st, a few days before Xbox's main Black Friday sale ends on December 3rd.

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Cross-Gen Bundle (Xbox Store)

This perhaps isn't the best sign for the game's initial sales performance, given that it only came out two weeks ago today, but it is only 15% off - and the promotion runs for just three days in total. Either way, the sale is live now on both Xbox and PSN if anyone wants to grab a digital copy of the game.

Little Rocket Lab is a sweet pixel art automation game from No More Robots and Teenage Astronauts. It arrived on Steam and Xbox last month, and we have been wondering when a Switch release would follow ever since. Well, it's coming real soon. What's more, there's a Switch 2 Edition in tow.

Little Rocket Lab - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, and its Switch 1 counterpart, will be available on the eShop from 10th December for £15.99 / $19.99 (or as a free upgrade for those who make the jump between systems down the road), and it boasts some pretty slick performance on the new hardware. Alongside the promise of boosted resolution, Teenage Astronauts have also got things running at a sweet 120fps — so you know those conveyor belts are going to be looking smooth as anything.

It's not necessarily the kind of game that we can imagine being drastically impacted by a triple-figure frame rate, but S2 Editions hitting those upper reaches are always a welcome sight.

For those curious, this is a chilled little factory-building game, where you set out to transform your rundown family home into a prime site for rocket construction. To do so, you'll have to lay down transport, delegate machinery, and make the most of your surrounding resources, all while keeping the locals happy.

You'll find a brief rundown of the game's key features and a handful of screenshots below:

Clever Contraptions: Use drills, furnaces, automated bots, cranes, complex assemblers and far more to help the town’s struggling locals!
The Heart of Community: Build lifelong friendships with townsfolk, learn the depths of their lives, and become the heart of the community
Invent, Invent, Invent!: Devise and formulate new machinery, energy sources and mechanical pals to help you on your journey to the stars
Cozy Organisation: Lose yourself in the comforting hum of well-oiled machines, made by your hands, and working just as intended
Build a Rocket Ship: Support a struggling town while building a rocket ship!

Images: No More Robots

The first half of December is looking particularly rammed at the moment, but if you're after something to kick back with between the stresses of Metroid Prime 4 and Assassin's Creed Shadows, this might just end up fitting the bill.

November might not be in the rear-view mirror yet, but Nintendo's already feeling festive with its new range of Animal Crossing: New Horizons in-game Christmas jumpers (or sweaters, if you'd prefer).

If you want to deck out your New Horizons avatar in the holiday gear, you can pick up all three custom designs by heading to the company's official Ninten Island via Luna's Dream Address service (Island code: DA-6382-1459-4417), or by using the kiosk at the back of the Able Sisters' shop and entering the following Design-ID codes:

• Jingle Sweater: MO-T2XL-S43L-9JTW
  

  

  Image: Nintendo

• Bells Sweater: MO-5KL7-989R-MTP5
  

  

  Image: Nintendo

• Wreath Sweater: MO-DP24-0WP7-6D2J
  

  

  Image: Nintendo

Once you've saved the designs, you'll be able to bosh them on a sweater of your own via the Custom Designs app on your NookPhone.

It sounds like the perfect way to ease yourself back into Animal Crossing: New Horizons before the game gets all manner of additions next year. As a reminder, the New Horizons - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition will arrive via a £4.19 / $4.99 upgrade path on 15th January, adding mouse mode and higher resolution alongside the chance to play online with more friends at once. On the same day, the free ver. 3.0 update will drop for Switch 1 and 2 users, including crossover content, a new hotel resort and more.