Gaming

Image: CapcomWe finally made it to the weekend — well done, everyone! After the silence of last week, things started to pick up in Nintendo news this week. The big hitter was previews going live for Ocarina of Time on Switch 2, which seems to be really rather wonderful. We also got a new overview trailer and shared over 20 minutes of gameplay footage from Link's latest.

Image credit: Eurogamer/Funselektor Labs Inc. I'd nearly forgotten Over the Hill's predecessor, Art of Rally, was a racing game. But that's not meant as a slight. It's just that, for all the happy hours I poured into it, I don't recall doing a single race. Instead, it was the aimless meandering, the soothing rhythms of exploration and absent-minded collectible hunting in its free-roam mode that held me transfixed. So the fact Over the Hill completely jettisons the racing stuff and leans entirely into the meditative bit - it even starts with a golden Buddha statue running you through the basics, which probably tells you everything you need to know - is exactly my kind of thing.

It comes at the end of an episode that, for all intents and purposes, is pure setup. Spike (James Marsters) lounges morosely in his crypt, harmless after having a chip installed in his brain that prevents him from hurting humans. Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) kicks down his door and announces that she’s done with him. She’s killing him once and for all. “Do it,” Spike says. “End my torment.” It’s standard Spike melodrama. As Buffy gears up to stake him, she holds back, and Spike kisses her. They stare at each other in shock, and Buffy does the unthinkable. She kisses him again and tells him that she wants him. Spike says that he’s in love with her. And then he wakes up, horrified. “Oh God, no. Please, no.” Roll credits. It’s a dream sequence that foreshadows much of Spike and Buffy’s dynamic, which goes to some of the darkest places in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and rarely runs both ways. 26 years ago, “Out of My Mind” aired on The WB. Written by Rebecca Rand Kirshner and directed by David Grossman, it’s the fourth episode of the fifth season, and it lays the groundwork for many plot threads explored in the coming episodes. Despite the Spike and Buffy kicker, the episode is about

Cult of the Lamb has continued to receive all sorts of updates since it launched on the Switch, and now developer Massive Monster has shared some massive news. The title, where you start your own cult and build up a loyal following, will be getting a Switch 2 version next week on 22nd October 2026.

Saturday's are for having your mind read. Or, at least, this Saturday is because I'm seeing Derren Brown's new show. I'm a little self-conscious about it, not because I'm worried the mentalist will hypnotise me and make me profess a false love for consoles over PC games but because my partner and her family have never seen me at a magic (or magic adjacent show). Reader, I am an awful audience member for conjurors, illusionists, and psychics.

A few of the things that have us hooked this week. Hello and welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little about the games we've been playing. This week, Connor plays a classic, and ticks it off his bucket list; Sherif isn't sure about a first-person shooter foray into Soulslikes; Matt visits a South Pacific island volcano and Jim Henson's Labyrinth, all in one game; and Bertie discovers that playing D&D with kids is enormously entertaining.

Image: Xbox (via Pure Xbox)Aspyr Media, the team behind the recent Lord of the Rings and Middle-earth ports for Nintendo platforms, has apparently got a remaster of Shrek 2 in the pipeline. This announcement has seemingly been leaked ahead of schedule via an official Xbox Store listing. A GTA 6-style promotional trailer has also surfaced online. This action-adventure game was originally released in 2004 on multiple platforms including the GameCube. The Game Boy Advance also got its own version. As for this remaster, according to the now-removed store listing, it will apparently include improved graphics, new features, and up to four-player co-op (local and online). Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube853k

Here on Nintendo Life, we first heard about the laid-back co-op farming sim Coral Island back in 2021, when it successfully hit its Kickstarter goal. Now, after overcoming some roadblocks, it seems it's finally getting a Nintendo release. This announcement was shared this week during The MIX Fall Showcase, with Stairway Games and Balor Games officially confirming a Switch 2 version will release alongside the free "Kids Grow Up" 1.4 Update in winter 2026.

Mark your calendar to get these special event items Pokémon Pokopia has limited-time events that feature unique items and Pokémon throughout the year. These events are only accessible on specific dates, but you don't need to fret too much about FOMO, as you can time travel to access these. The events vary, and as of writing this, there are only eight events. One is a short April Fools' Day event, two focus on mini games, and the five others involve helping special event Pokémon collect items in exchange for unique furniture and decor. Below we list out the known events in Pokémon Pokopia. We'll continue to update this guide as more events get added to the game.

All the habitats that require limited-time items Pokémon Pokopia has limited-time events that occur for a few days before disappearing, though you can time travel back to them, if you miss out on any. Some events feature Pokémon and habitats you can only unlock via the event, so you'll want to make sure you're paying attention to any guests who are the "talk of the town. " You can swap through your regular and event Habitat Dex/Pokédex by using the right trigger on the respective menu. If you're looking for the regular habitats and Pokédex, check out our Pokopia Habitat Dex list and Pokédex. Update (Oct. 15): We've updated this guide with the information from the "Pumpkaboo's Sweet Surprises" event.

How to find Pumpkaboo and Gourgeist in Pokémon Pokopia The "Pumpkaboo's Sweet Surprises" is Pokémon Pokopia's first Halloween event, and it adds a whole list of items that you can use to add a spooky touch to each region. Before you can get your hands on them, you will need to trick your Pokémon friends and get their treats. If you want to celebrate Halloween in Pokémon style, we can help you by explaining how to complete the Pokémon Pokopia "Pumpkaboo's Sweet Surprises" event. In addition, you can also find the lists of all the rewards and habitats you get from it in this guide.

Nothing hits quite like a good mystery. Whether it's a seemingly impossible murder, a missing person, or a conspiracy set against the backdrop of a small town, the best TV mysteries keep you guessing right up until the credits roll. They're the kinds of shows that make you scrutinize every passing detail and second-guess each new character. Still, despite the overriding conviction that you cracked the case long before the detectives, it’s almost always someone you least expect. That’s the power of an insightful mystery series. Some of the greatest examples use their central investigations to explore complicated emotions, ranging from grief and loneliness to rage and guilt, while others hang their hats on more refined themes, focusing instead on institutional corruption and generational trauma. The most effective mysteries peer into the darkest recesses of human nature, showcasing some of the ugliest kinds of villains the world could ever imagine. These days, there's no shortage of excellent mystery shows to get lost in.

Telltale Games has announced the Nintendo Switch version of The Wolf Among Us Remastered "needs a little bit more time". In an official statement shared on social media, it mentions how this remaster starring Sheriff Bigby Wolf will "launch as planned on October 29 for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC", and the "Nintendo Switch version will follow at a later date".

Orphans of Mossflower set to arrive 15 years after author's death Beloved fantasy novel series Redwall officially returns in 2027

Michael McWhertor is a New York-based journalist and editor with more than 20 years of experience covering games, industry events, technology, movies, and TV. GTA 6 won't 'directly' address Trump or COVID-19, Rockstar says

Update [Sat 17th Oct 2026, 1:30am]: Here's your reminder this "final content drop" for Year One of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is now available. It adds the paid Avatar Legends Pack featuring Aang and Katara. You can purchase it individually or unlock it in the paid Season Pass. The Avatar Legends Festival is also currently underway and runs until 18th October 2026. You can see what's ahead for Year Two of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds in our previous post here on Nintendo Life:

Director Naoki Hamaguchi took to social media to share another bit of insight about the next entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy. He confirmed that we’ll still need to keep an eye on Cloud and the crew’s stamina when climbing the mountain and cliff to the North Crater location past the Great Glacier in FFVII Revelation, just like we did in Final Fantasy VII on the PlayStation. Recommended Videos The Great Glacier mountain and North Crater cliff are one of the locations in the original Final Fantasy VII and presumably in FFVII Revelation as well. In the PlayStation version of the game, stamina and temperature management come up once you leave Icicle Inn and complete the snowboarding minigame, as you can pass out and be sent back to a major NPC’s cabin to regroup and restart if you aren’t careful.  With regards to the cliff climbing section, you’ll need to move upward despite cold temperatures. When you reach a safe platform, you then need to have Cloud try and warm himself up to get his temperature up so his stamina doesn’t run out and he winds up back at a start again.

The franchise has slipped from its lofty perch in recent years, but there was a time when the launch of a new Call of Duty game was a huge event. The anticipation was never quite on the level of Grand Theft Auto 6, but the series reliably mattered in a way that many other games did not. When Microsoft purchased Activision, some of us assumed we wouldn’t have to wait long before being able to play all of those classic games on Xbox Game Pass. Why else would Microsoft drop that kind of money on the company, if not to leverage its library of classics? But Call of Duty has made only a weak showing on the subscription service since then, with many of its most iconic games still available only for purchase. With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launching Oct. 23, here are eight Call of Duty games somehow still missing from Game Pass. We’d love to see them get added soon. Released: Nov. 9, 2010 After Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, it was unclear how the franchise might top itself. Then came Call of Duty: Black Ops, with an energetic campaign that included outrageous moments such as an attempted assassination of Fidel Castro.