Latest news with #GameCube
WIRED
a day ago
- Entertainment
- WIRED
Mix Up Your Gameplay With Our Favorite Controllers for the Switch 2
The launch of Switch 2 brings with it a selection of retro GameCube games for subscribers to the Nintendo Switch Online service. As it did for the NES, SNES, N64, and even Sega Genesis/Mega Drive when games from those platforms joined the library, Nintendo has released a perfect recreation of the original controller, allowing you to play those classic games as authentically as possible. For anyone who was gaming when the GameCube was first around, it's slightly surreal to now have a perfect recreation of the original controller that's wireless but not the bulkier WaveBird model. It's no bad thing, though, and decades-old muscle memory will soon kick in. Younger players might find the unusually-shaped controller odd at first, with its tiny nub of a C-Stick and its chunky, rounded shoulder triggers, but after a few laps of F-Zero GX , you soon realize how perfectly tailored the controller was for its games. For the modern update, Nintendo has tweaked the design slightly, incorporating controls specific to the Switch 2–namely the Home, screen capture, and C buttons—at the top of the pad, and added a tiny new ZL button on the left-hand shoulder. That helps make this GameCube pad broadly compatible with some modern Switch and Switch 2 games, though not a perfect match—the Start button here mimics the Switch 2's plus (+) button, there's nothing to replicate the minus (-) button, and it lacks newer features such as clickable thumbsticks. However, availability is a problem for this controller. It's only available directly from Nintendo's online store, can only be purchased if you have an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription, and is limited to one unit per account in the US, but two per account in the UK. AccordionItemContainerButton Ultimate authenticity for GameCube games Partial compatibility with modern games Not every Switch 2 game requires the motion controls of the Joy-Con 2s, which is why the console comes with a basic grip frame, allowing you to slot the two individual controllers into either side for one, more conventionally arranged, joypad. While that will do in a pinch if you want to play games sitting on the couch, with the console docked to your TV, the official Nintendo Charging Grip offers a few noteworthy upgrades. One is simply the power delivery feature—connect a USB-C cable into the top of the Charging Grip and you can game for as long as you like, or leave the combined unit to charge when not playing. It comes with a 1.5-meter USB-A to USB-C cable, allowing you to connect this to the ports on the side of the Switch 2's dock for charging. It also incorporates the new GL and GR buttons on the underside, as found on the Switch 2 Pro Controller. As with that pad, they can be customized on a per-game basis, but in my tests, it doesn't seem to remember settings between play sessions. Still, it's a handy feature, and remapping controls is quick and easy. Being able to quickly attach and detach the Joy-Con 2s is also great for any games that switch between various control modes. In terms of design and ergonomics, it has some weaknesses, though. A translucent shell is an odd decision given nothing else about Switch 2 takes that approach, while the front of the grips—where the base of your thumbs rest—is flat rather than rounded, with an edge that can dig in after a while. It also lacks the 3.5-mm audio jack of the Pro Controller, but given that this is less than half the price, it makes for a good halfway house. AccordionItemContainerButton Power delivery Customizable GL/GR buttons Good price No audio jack Pointlessly translucent Doesn't remember GL/GR mapping between sessions
The Verge
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Fast Fusion scratches the hyper fast F-Zero itch
The Switch 2 technically launched with an F-Zero game, as F-Zero GX was available on Nintendo Switch Online's premium tier as part of the GameCube lineup. But if you're looking for a new F-Zero or Wipeout, the console has a spiritual successor that costs just $14.99: Shin'en's Fast Fusion. Fast Fusion pits you in futuristic sci-fi hovercraft races where you fly forward at hundreds of miles per hour. Races are all about managing boosts by collecting coins to build your boost meter and driving over boost zones on the tracks themselves. (You can boost into opponents to make them spin out to earn some extra coins, which never gets old.) The game looks great — it's the first time I've been really wowed by the Switch 2's graphics. The tracks are thrilling, with rolling hills and tight turns that sometimes make you feel like you're on a roller coaster, especially when you're barreling ahead at super-fast speeds. They all feel distinct, too: In one, you'll drive over a sandy desert as whale-like creatures jump above you. A course in space forced me to dodge meteors falling on the track. One stage set around a volcano was filled with magma. There's no online multiplayer, so you're probably going to be competing mostly against computer opponents. They can be tough, even at the lowest difficulty — sometimes it even feels like they can unfairly rubber-band ahead of you. But as I got more familiar with the tracks, knowing when to boost, and learning where to find alternate rounds, I found I was better at keeping up. Fortunately, you don't have to get first place in a cup to get a good chunk of in-game currency you can use to buy new tracks or vehicles. And you can play local multiplayer, if you want to take on your friends at home. If you tire of cups, there are a few other fun modes to play and earn money from. My favorite was 'Super Hero Mode,' where you have to get first place in a track without blowing up — with the added twist that your boost meter is also a shield meter, similar to F-Zero. It creates an exciting risk-reward dynamic, and I wish there was a mode where you had to complete a whole cup that way. The game's vehicles are much less interesting than the levels. They all looked pretty generic to me. You can pay a small fee to 'fuse' vehicles together to make better racers, though I honestly couldn't tell that much of a difference between the different options. Fast Fusion isn't exactly the same as F-Zero, and I really wish Nintendo would make a brand-new entry in that series. (F-Zero 99 doesn't quite count. Sorry, Wes.) And I'm not getting my hopes up for a new Wipeout game anytime soon. For now, Fast Fusion scratches the high-speed sci-fi racing itch, and it's a great showcase for what's possible with the Switch 2 — and what a new F-Zero might, someday, possibly look like. Fast Fusion is available now on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Stuff.tv
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Stuff.tv
The 14 best Mario games of all time: where is your favourite?
It's been well over 40 years since Mario – first called 'Jumpman' in those simpler days – first leapt into our hearts in the original Donkey Kong, and we've savoured nearly every moment since with the loveable action-plumber. He's appeared in hundreds of games now, spanning all manner of genres, platforms, and styles, but Nintendo's impressively mustachioed mascot has an incredible legacy for quality: his core games, in particular, have consistently defined and redefined genres, not to mention single-handedly made pricey gaming hardware into essential purchases. To keep things focused, we're only including Mario platformers here, with all 2D and 3D games considered. If we started factoring in the plumber's love of sport, go-karting, tactical combat and papercraft, we'd probably be here all day. But check out our guide to the best Nintendo Switch games for the entire Mario experience. 14. Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins (1992, Game Boy) Play The original Super Mario Land is a landmark Mario game as the first one to be released on a handheld system. It's still fun to revisit today, but we'd lean towards the wonderfully weird follow-up. Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins was the game that introduced us to Wario, who is the main antagonist here, and can only be fought once Mario has collected the titular six golden coins. With an overworld that lets you tackle the various themed zones in any order, and power-ups such as the Magic Carrot, which turns Mario into Bunny Mario and is every bit as fun as it sounds, Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins is an oddball classic. 13. Super Mario Maker (2015, Wii U) Play True, this isn't a typical Mario game in the sense that creation is the defining element, but Nintendo did a fantastic job of making the process fun, accessible, and totally perfect for the Wii U GamePad. And believe it or not, this is some of the most fun we've had playing classic-flavoured Mario stages in some time. The wealth of player-created challenges can keep you going for some time, and Nintendo's own quick-hit creations are loose, silly, and completely fab. A sequel, Mario Maker 2, was released for Switch in 2019, but we thought this game was at its best when you can tweak your levels on the GamePad. 12. Super Mario Sunshine (2002, GameCube) As the first 3D entry to follow the utterly brilliant Super Mario 64, the GameCube's Super Mario Sunshine couldn't help but be let down by expectations – not to mention the seeming reliance on a weird new gimmick. Yet Nintendo's creativity overcame any concerns, naturally, as the FLUDD water-sprayer – used to clean up gunk around the sunny island – unlocked great new platform gameplay elements. 11. New Super Mario Bros. (2006, Nintendo DS) Play What's old was made new again (obviously) with New Super Mario Bros, which put a modern twist on the classics for the Nintendo DS. By and large, the game stuck to the old playbook: side-scrolling challenges in themed stages, albeit with 3D graphics instead of the old sprites. But newer elements, like the ground pound and super-sized Mario power-up, helped give it a fresh, exciting feel. Follow-ups – including New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe on Switch – have worn the premise a little thinner; the first is still our favourite of these. Read: The 10 best gaming controllers ever – ranked! 10. Super Mario 3D Land (2011, Nintendo 3DS) Play It was Nintendo's task to make the visual depth capabilities of the 3DS handheld seem like more than a mere gimmick, and the company nailed it brilliantly with Super Mario 3D Land. Essentially a blend of the 2D and 3D branches of the franchise, the game nimbly bounces between free-roaming and fixed-camera segments while being a total blast throughout. And the 3D effect not only made the game look amazing, but also informed the gameplay too. 9. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010, Wii) Nintendo rarely makes direct sequels to its Mario games, but when the idea is as good as the original Super Mario Galaxy it's very much a case of more is more. Galaxy 2 has less of a story focus than its predecessor, but that means it takes less time to get to all the glorious gravity-manipulating platforming Nintendo serves up, and this time Yoshi is along for the ride. This is also a game for the Mario hardcore, with some of the later levels really testing your skills. It's very hard to choose between this one and the original, which we may or may not revisit in a bit, but both Galaxy games see Nintendo at its creative peak, and it's a crying shame that you can still only play the first one on Switch. 8. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (1995, SNES) To some, Super Mario World 2 will always be the 'whining baby' game – it's the one in which Mario is a little infant being shepherded around by Yoshi, and if he pops off your back, the sobbing and waterworks kick in immediately. Yet there's a totally awesome platformer built around it: a smart, strategic spin on the classic 2D design that feels very different, yet is just as satisfying. And the hand-drawn look is still marvellous. An updated version – technically a separate game but very similar to the original – called Yoshi's New Island was released for the 3DS in 2014. 7. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (2021, Switch) Play Super Mario 3D World was one of the Wii U's best games, but the Switch port that inevitably arrived later is undeniably the best version of the game. You get a perfect port of Super Mario 3D World, the ultimate realisation of the 2D-meets-3D Mario game design that Nintendo started exploring with Super Mario 3D Land, with deliriously inventive stages that are even more fun in multiplayer, but that's not all. The Switch version also came with a brand new standalone Mario adventure called Bowser's Fury. This remixes 3D World's assets in an open-world environment in which you're being hunted by a Kaiju-sized Bowser. It's a scrappy, fascinating little game that has you hopping between a series of themed islands in any order you like, and could give us an insight into what Nintendo has in mind for its next full-length Mario adventure. 6. Super Mario Odyssey (2017, Switch) Play Given all the hype around Super Mario Odyssey, its 7th place finish here might seem disappointing. But just look at the legendary games that land before it – not to mention the brilliant ones it just topped! Indeed, Super Mario Odyssey is another truly excellent 3D entry in the series, acting as a long-overdue successor of sorts to Super Mario 64 while bundling in an absolute wealth of new ideas. By and large, it sticks to Nintendo's 3D Mario template, but thanks to Mario's new companion Cappy, you can inhabit loads of different creatures in the world. That makes it perhaps the most diverse 3D platformer in the franchise, and every intensely weird bit of it is pretty wonderful. 5. Super Mario Bros. (1987, NES) How do you rank one of the most important and influential games of all time? We were tempted to put it up top, but on a list like this, the competition is stiff (yet so very friendly). Super Mario Bros. essentially defined the platformer template for countless games to follow, with each side-scrolling sprint delivering the right blend of challenge and fun. Later games took the design to new heights, but the original remains utterly essential. 4. Super Mario World (1992, SNES) Released alongside Nintendo's 16-bit juggernaut, Super Mario World was the culmination of the series in its classic state. It took advantage of the new hardware for improved graphics and a superb soundtrack, but also expanded the game design with fresh power-ups, level themes, and everyone's favourite rideable dinosaur, Yoshi. Best of all, it was huge, delivering an engrossing adventure to get lost in with your shiny new console. 3. Super Mario Galaxy (2007, Wii) Play If you needed proof that the Mario platform design can be twisted into pretty much any wild, winning concept by Nintendo's geniuses, then Super Mario Galaxy is it. The outer space theme and globe-like, camera-twisting stages showed that Shigeru Miyamoto and crew could still reinvent the game, and it truly is one of the most joyful, boundlessly creative games we've ever played. Why do we place it above the sequel? Well, Galaxy did the whole planet-hopping thing first, and got nearly everything right. It's a bit more forgiving too. Plus you can play this one easily today in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection on Switch, which gives the game an HD lick of paint. 2. Super Mario Bros. 3 (1991, NES) Play Can you believe that Super Mario Bros. 3 came out on the same system as the original game (and the weird mess that is Super Mario Bros. 2?). It's such a huge advancement in terms of gameplay design and aesthetic, and the impact was incredible. Some 30 years later, it holds up as a paragon of platform game design, with some of the most memorable stages you'll ever play and creative power-ups aplenty. Plus, it set much of the thematic tone still used in the series today. 1. Super Mario 64 (1997, Nintendo 64) Some might call it heresy to not pick a 2D game for the top slot here, but over 25 years later, we're still in awe of Super Mario 64. It not only brought the most important series in gaming into the third dimension, but once again set the template for the entire genre. And best of all, Super Mario 64 did it with so much infectious and imaginative charm that it still holds up strong today. It's a legendary game in a series absolutely stocked with them. Roll on Super Mario Holographic 8 on the Nintendo 5D MegaBrain VR... Read: Mario: How a plumber inspired today's gamers and creators
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sony wouldn't have "delivered the power" of the PS2 without "the specter of the Dreamcast," says former Sega and Microsoft exec: "Every incumbent needs a challenger to punch them in the face"
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. It's no secret that Sega's beloved Dreamcast console paved the way for some of the best retro games of all time, but that's not all it did – it also set the stage for console behemoths like the iconic PlayStation 2 from Sony. Speaking in a recent interview with The Game Business, Peter Moore, former Sega president and Xbox executive at Microsoft, explains as much. First describing how "the Dreamcast passed the baton to the Xbox 360, which, with Microsoft's resources, was able to take the Sega Dreamcast and build upon it," Moore goes on to say that the 1998 console from Sega laid the groundwork for another system, too – the PlayStation 2. When asked about the looming threat of the PlayStation 2 over the Dreamcast, a threat that other consoles like the original Xbox and Nintendo's GameCube would go on to face, Moore openly admits that it was "not going to be able to survive against the juggernaut that was the PlayStation 2" – but that doesn't mean it didn't help usher in the new device from Sony or an era of online gaming that hadn't yet been touched before the Dreamcast. "Every incumbent needs a challenger to punch them in the face, right? And you know, from the perspective of what Sega was, it was keeping PlayStation honest – they would not have delivered the power of the PlayStation 2 without the specter of the Dreamcast," details the former company lead. "They needed to step up their game."It seems Sega's console, while not as long-lived as the PlayStation 2, was the push Sony needed to succeed. Online gaming has changed quite a bit since the late 90s and early 2000s, of course, but Sega and its influence on the industry remain timeless – as Moore puts it, the Dreamcast was a true "trailblazer" thanks to its capacity to support online you a fan of the 1998 console yourself? Here are some of the best Sega Dreamcast games ever to explore.
Metro
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Games Inbox: Will Wii games come to Nintendo Switch 2?
The Wednesday letters page wants new Fallout games set in different countries, as one reader hopes for the return of Watch Dogs. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ Wii emulate With the talk of N64 and GameCube on Nintendo Switch Online I wonder what people think the chances are of the Wii, and maybe even Wii U, being added to the service? Game Pass and PS Plus get all the attention, but I think Nintendo's subscription service is much better value, at least for me. As far as I know it's successful and I'm not surprised, because who wouldn't want access to all of Nintendo's hits at the press of the button? Except it's Nintendo and it's never that simple, since many games and console aren't on there. I hope we don't have to wait for the Switch 3 to get Wii games though. It might not be many people's favourite console, but it's got games like Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, Mario Kart Wii, the best version of Resident Evil 4, Super Paper Mario, Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, and a bunch of other stuff that isn't on any format. I don't see it happening for a few years, not until they've filled out the GameCube selection a bit more, but I do think it's inevitable. Onibee Reduced Fallout It is kind of crazy how few Fallout games there've been in the modern age. It's enough to make you think the series isn't that popular but then how do you explain the TV show? I would like to see a new one, and be perfectly happy if it wasn't by Bethesda, but then on the other hand it is kind of good that at least one franchise hasn't been hammered into the ground. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. I'd love a Fallout: New Vegas 2 but I'd also like to see one that wasn't set in the US. I know Todd Howard said that would never happen but the reason for doing it make much less sense than GTA. The London mod proves how good it could be, although you probably need people from the place it's set to make it. Olliephant Heavenly fun Sony get a lot of stick for their live service disasters, and not without reason, but I would just like to say that Helldivers 2 is really good. I don't know if it's worth putting up with all the failures for, but that's kind of Sony's fault if they're okay with pouring all that money down the drain. I would absolutely recommend it to Xbox owners, since it's coming to their consoles next month. It's not the most original game but it's changed a whole lot over the months and unlike a lot of these sort of games there's not been many big controversies and other players are mostly pretty chill in my experience. Some of the recent additions have bene the best and I can't imagine stop playing it anytime soon. Mookster Email your comments to: gamecentral@ Reputational damage I don't know if Microsoft cares or not, but I have never seen such negativity aimed at Xbox than in the last week or so. I don't mean in the console wars sense but just with people furious with Microsoft for laying off so many people and cancelling all their games. A lot of the anger seems to be aimed at the obsession with AI and also the complete unreliability of execs like Phil Spencer. I'm sure he's not going to give up on the gravy train he's sorted out for himself at Xbox but how he will ever have the nerve to front another video or livestream I do not know. Microsoft is just a corporation and there's only one thing they're interested in. That should be obvious, but I think over the years some people have tried to pretend to themselves it's not. Wotan Better with friends I agree that my big hope for Resident Evil Requiem is that it has co-op or that there's some kind of other spin-off game that does. I'd really love for co-op to become big again and I don't really understand why it ever went away. Games like It Takes Two and Split Fiction are really good and super popular and with something like Resident Evil you don't even need to design the whole game around it, it's just an option. So many other games could benefit from this. How does Assassin's Creed Shadows have two completely different characters but no co-op. It seems such a missed opportunity. Grant GC: To be fair, Resident Evil 5 and 6 were very much designed around co-op. It's just if you're playing on your own the other character is AI controlled. The good news is that Shadows is supposed to be getting a co-op mode next year. Superhero fantasy I really hope the new Superman movie is good because I feel the whole concept of the character has not been done right for what seems like forever, at least in TV, movies, and games. The sad reality is that people don't want a hero that is good anymore. Or at least they've been made to think they don't. They want them to be grim and gritty and as we saw with the Snyderverse that just doesn't work with Superman. I think it's very depressing though that while we take laser beam eyes and freeze breath for granted the idea of a powerful person doing good is somehow the thing we can't believe and seems unrealistic. That's understandable when you look at the news but that's why Superman is a fantasy: absolute power being used only for good. As your article pointed out there's absolutely no reason Superman couldn't work as a video game. He's got plenty of bad guys on his power level (more than probably Batman has) and most of them are never seen outside of comic books and cartoons. Also, games, for some reason, are better at portraying heroic superheroes than movies. Peter Parker and Miles Morales in the Spider-Man games are, as I think GC said, 'morally perfect' and that doesn't even really fit the characters. That's meant to be Superman's trademark, and maybe Captain America, so there's absolutely no reason not to give it a proper try. If this new movie is a hit, then hopefully that's exactly what they'll do. Xero No one's watching Does anyone remember the Watch Dogs series? The second one is one of my all-time favourites, but the third one was so bad I don't think there's ever going to be another one. I know encouraging Ubisoft to make more sequels is not exactly the done thing, but I'd much rather have another game, that got back to complexity of the second one, than more Assassin's Creed or Far Cry. I get they're not exactly in the mood for taking risks at the moment but between that and Splinter Cell it seems that all their best games are being left on the shelf. Homer Lara laughs You know when it's the beginning of a journey you feel a sense of excitement and wonder of discovery. You're unsure of what lies ahead but it remains a journey to undertake; a wondrous road lies in wait. The journey is with fraught challenge, prevalent dangers lurking within, and a memory to cherish, for years to come. I've myself had the pleasurable journey of undertaking a playthrough of the rebooted Tomb Raider trilogy and just tonight I've completed Shadow Of The Tomb Raider. The trilogy is complete and I'll say this, I've always said Lara Croft is my favourite female video game character. I grew up playing the original titles, on PC actually. My older sister's computer was home to my memories of playing Lara Croft, when she wielded the dual pistols and donned her iconic brown and green outfit. It was childhood memories without equal. Today I'm 27 years old and I've completed Tomb Raider as a grown adult. To say this franchise means so much to me is an understatement. It's my childhood and it really is a testament to Square Enix that they have provided me with new memories. That will last a lifetime. Spoken as a long life fan, I'm eagerly awaiting news regarding a new instalment. There're many more tombs to be explored and raids to be carried out. On a final note. I'd like to ask GC if they can help me decide between two PC releases. Assassin's Creed Shadows or Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. I know they both scored 7/10. Which is a superior experience though? Here's to a wonderful trilogy and Lara Croft. Shahzaib Sadiq GC: They're very different games, so it depends what you're interested in, but we'd say Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 was overall more impressive. Inbox also-ransJust heard that Soma is coming to Nintendo Switch (so should work on Switch 2) this month. One of my favourite games ever and would totally recommend it to someone that wants a really clever sci-fi horror game with no combat. Lentz You know what I'd like? A new X-Files games. Now the two leads are too old for it I'd love to see them voice their characters while they were in their prime. There were two games when it was out and the Resident Evil style one was actually pretty good. Blaineday More Trending Email your comments to: gamecentral@ The small print New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers' letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader's Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot. You can also leave your comments below and don't forget to follow us on Twitter. MORE: Games Inbox: What will be the setting for GTA 7? MORE: Games Inbox: What will be the first Mario Kart World DLC? MORE: Games Inbox: Are video games too expensive for young people?
