Latest news with #Mario
Express Tribune
43 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Nintendo confirms Mario and Princess Peach are just friends
Nintendo has officially clarified that Mario and Princess Peach are 'just good friends,' putting to rest long-standing fan speculation about a romantic relationship between the two iconic characters. According to the Nintendo Today app, the duo are described as 'good friends who help each other out whenever they can,' sparking lively reactions across the internet. The update was brought to light by X user @KirPinkFury, who shared a screenshot of the description. For decades, fans have interpreted Mario's repeated rescues of Princess Peach as expressions of love. However, this official clarification now reframes their bond as one of mutual support rather than romance. Social media responses have ranged from amused to sympathetic. One viral comment joked, 'Bro been jumping through lava for 30 years just to get hit with 'thanks buddy',' while another quipped, 'Did bro really get friend zoned after trying to rescue her for literal years?' Amid these reactions, even X's AI assistant Grok offered a humorous take, calling the revelation 'Mushroom Kingdom gossip.' Grok noted that Nintendo's stance helps preserve storytelling flexibility and downplays romantic interpretations from titles like Mario Party, suggesting they're more fan invention than canon. Nintendo has yet to comment on other character pairings such as Link and Zelda, whose relationship has long been hinted at as romantic. With the Nintendo Today app now a source of lore updates, fans are likely to keep a close eye on future posts. However, the app remains unavailable in certain regions, including South Africa, leaving some fans temporarily out of the loop.
Qatar Tribune
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Juventus sign Joao Mario from Porto on five-year deal
PA Media/dpa London Defender Joao Mario has joined Juventus from Porto. The 25-year-old right-back had been at the Portuguese club since the age of eight but has signed a contract with the Bianconeri until June 2030 after a fee of 12million euros (approximately £10.4million) was agreed. Mario made his debut for Porto five years ago after coming through the youth ranks and went on to make 181 appearances, scoring five times. He has also been capped three times by Portugal, with his first appearance coming in November 2023 against Liechtenstein. A statement on concluded: 'Welcome to Juventus, Joao. We can't wait to see you on the pitch!' Porto paid tribute to the defender on their website, saying: 'With Joao Mario's departure for Italy confirmed, FC Porto would like to thank him for all his dedication over the last 16 seasons and wish him all the best for this new stage in his career.'
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers has got wings. Real ones. The cursed heroine of this Soulslike game wakes up with a bad case of amnesia, and then starts sprouting feathers...
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers (PlayStation, Xbox, PC, £44.99) Verdict: A Soulslike with soul Meet Wuchang. Or, as she might be wondering, who-chang? She's woken up in Ming dynasty China with a bad case of amnesia and an even worse case of feathers sprouting from her arm. It's something to do with a curse that's spreading around the land, turning people into monsters, the usual. Only Wuchang has the power to fix things. If Wuchang had played any games in the past decade, she'd know immediately who she is and what's going on. For Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is yet another Soulslike release, inspired by the gameplay established by the Dark Souls series. It's got the same try-try-and-try-again combat, with each enemy encounter turning into a whirl of dodges, parries and slashes. It's got the same challenging bosses, godlike creatures who will test your skills to their limits and beyond. It's got the same system of bonfires — sorry, here they're shrines — at which you revive yourself after inevitably coming a cropper. Which would all be too familiar were it not for Wuchang's (the game's) more singular qualities. The first and most noticeable of these is its setting. Imperial China looks stunning here, a place of hills, cliffs, foliage and — crucially — colour. It's much nicer than the grim greyness of most other games in this genre. Another is how you can make Wuchang (the person) your own — and not just with the increasingly skimpy costumes you can collect for her, poor girl. There are so many options around weaponry, abilities and upgrades that it's often overwhelming, but — once you understand what's what — you can approach this game's fights in a hundred different ways, even switching between them on the fly. It's an exhilarating experience and one that passes the major test for Soulslikes: is there enough here to keep you pressing on, to keep you wanting to master the punishing combat? Yes. The arm feathers may be a bit gross, but this game has wings. Super Mario Party Jamboree: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV (Nintendo Switch 2, £66.99 or a £16.99 upgrade for those who own the original) Verdict: It's party time Rating: Hang on. Didn't I already review this game? Back in October last year? Well, yes and no. This is indeed the same Super Mario Party Jamboree that first came out nine months ago, featuring the same mix of boardgame mechanics and minigame madness. You move your Mario or Luigi or Peach or whoever around a board before competing in quick, frenetic games that have you doing things like slicing vegetables in time with the beat. Except, this time, it's been upgraded and expanded for the Nintendo Switch 2. This means additional minigames that make use of the new console's features, such as its mouse-style controls. Can you drag files into the right folders like you would on a computer desktop? But quickly?! It's fun, I promise. The best additions, though, are for those who have the separately available camera for the Switch 2. In fact, this might be the first game that really shows off what the camera can do. Take the new mode called Bowser Live, in which the eponymous lizard has you and your friends performing for his amusement. With the camera, you and your friends are actually there on the screen. Up to four of you. Your whole bodies. And your gyrations and gesticulations are registered in the game, as you collectively try to punch question mark blocks or balance falling Goombas on your heads. It may sound like the sort of thing Xbox was doing years ago with its Kinect accessories. But this Nintendo version is so straightforward and so technologically sophisticated that it's hard not to be won over.
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
LEGO brings Nintendo's classic Game Boy back in brick form
LEGO and Nintendo have made a brick-built Game Boy , and it's hitting all the right nostalgic notes. Available for preorder today (US only for now) and shipping October 1, the 421-piece set recreates the iconic 1989 handheld at near 1:1 scale for a surprisingly reasonable $59.99. The set doesn't just look the part, it perfectly nails the details that made the original Game Boy special. From the fuchsia A and B buttons to the classic D-pad, every element feels authentic. LEGO even included printed tiles instead of stickers for all those tiny labels we remember, like "Dot Matrix With Stereo Sound" and the Nintendo branding. At 5.5 by 3.5 inches, this LEGO Game Boy matches the original's dimensions almost perfectly. To appease adult collectors (it's recommended for 18+), who probably would have had the original Game Boy back in the day, the set also comes with its own display stand. It doesn't play games, but it still feels alive by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Libas Purple Days Sale Libas Undo Here's where things get clever: while you obviously can't play actual games on plastic bricks, LEGO included swappable lenticular screens that create the illusion of movement when you tilt the device. Watch the Nintendo logo drop during the boot sequence, see Mario run through World 1-1 of Super Mario Land, or enjoy that bittersweet beach scene from Link's Awakening. Speaking of games, the set comes with brick-built cartridges for both Super Mario Land and Link's Awakening that actually slot into the back like the real deal. There's even a separate stand to display whichever cart you're not "playing." Nintendo's even recreated that wonderfully cheesy 1989 Game Boy commercial using the LEGO set, complete with the "Now you're playing with brick power" tagline. Because if you're going to lean into nostalgia, why not go all the way?
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Best Nintendo Switch 2 games in 2025
Nintendo Switch 2 is in the early stages of its lifecycle, which means the competition to be named the best Nintendo Switch 2 game isn't quite as intense as it's sure to be a little ways down the road. However, it's already amassed a solid library of worthwhile games, and it's growing every week. Exclusives are the lifeblood of any console, and on Switch 2, there's a small handful that are certainly worth playing. This includes Donkey Kong Bananza, which is such a delight, it might be the first Switch 2 system seller. Then there's Mario Kart World, which reworks the kart racer series in some interesting ways while still offering the friendship-ruining Mario Kart experience we all love. The Nintendo Switch 2 also offers portable versions of some of the biggest blockbuster games around, including Cyberpunk 2077 and Hogwarts Legacy. And we can't forget the upgraded version of fan-favorite Switch 1 games like Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild. Determining the 'best' Switch 2 games is highly subjective; not every game on this list will appeal to every player, but below are the games that I believe every early adopter should at least consider playing on Nintendo's new console. So, these are the best Nintendo Switch 2 games you can play right now. You would probably assume that the first flagship 3D platform for Switch 2 would star Mario, but instead, Nintendo opted to build a game around his old foe, Donkey Kong. It was a stroke of genius. Donkey Kong Bananza isn't merely a traditional Mario platformer with a DK skin; instead, it's an experience built around the oversized ape. Levels are almost fully destructible, letting you smash up, down and sideways to discover hidden collectibles as you explore colorful levels from a snowy mountaintop to a dusty canyon-sized desert. Plus, the story, which pairs DK with a young Pauline, is simple but sweet. Oh, and completionists will be pleased to know there are hundreds of shiny objects to find, and each one feels rewarding to uncover. There's a good chance you already have a copy of Mario Kart World, as Nintendo released a Switch 2 bundle including the game for launch. But if you picked up just the console and are wondering if the latest entry in the kart racer phenomenon is worth buying, the short answer is, absolutely. It's less content-rich than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but World makes some big changes to the formula, including the inclusion of a vast, but somewhat empty, open world. Fundamentally, it offers the same great Mario Kart racing action that the series has done for decades, but with new moves like wall riding and rail grinding. The new Knockout Tour mode is also fantastic and sees 48 players compete to be crowned the winner battle royale style. Yes, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour probably should have been a pack-in title. It's a collection of micro-games, tech demos and information packets that explain how Nintendo designed the Switch 2 hardware. It makes a great introduction to the system, and the central setup of the whole tour taking place inside a building-sized Switch 2 is pretty novel. There's also a lot to see, with a 100% playthrough likely to take you around 10 hours. If you want to get a better understanding of the ingenuity that went into making your Nintendo Switch 2 console, it's a worthwhile experience, and at $10, it feels appropriately priced. Though Nintendo could have gained a lot of goodwill and avoided some online backlash by making it free, ala Wii Sports. Cyberpunk 2077 is one of gaming's great redemption stories. Released in late 2020, it was heavily criticized for omitting promised features and being a technical mess, but developer CD Projekt Red has spent the last five years improving the game and releasing the essential expansion Phantom Liberty. Now the complete sci-fi action-RPG experience is available on Switch 2, and it's currently the best place to play Cyberpunk 2077 on the go. If you're unfamiliar with this one, it comes from the same developers as The Witcher, and sees you play a mercenary named V in the seedy and crime-filled Night City. Your goal is to become a legend of the underworld, or die trying. Packed with well-written quests, memorable characters and a near-unrivalled sense of atmosphere, Cyberpunk 2077 is now considered a masterpiece for very good reason. Consider this a dual-entry, as both The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and its predecessor, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, have never looked or run better than they do via their new Nintendo Switch 2 Editions. Both 100+ hour games have been fully remastered for the Switch 2 with improved framerate performance and superior image resolutions. These were already must-play masterpieces, and now, thanks to Nintendo's new hardware, they are somehow even more essential. If you have to pick one, I'd recommend opting for Tears of the Kingdom, solely because its Ultrahand ability, which lets you cobble together vehicles and structures to complete puzzles and explore the world, is so enjoyable it's hard to return to BOTW without it. However, you really should play them both if you can. Hogwarts Legacy on Nintendo Switch 2 is a great showcase of the improved power of the hybrid console over its predecessor. This open-world adventure set in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is available on Switch 1, but it's a seriously compromised experience with ugly textures, a crawling framerate and loads of additional loading screens. Hogwarts Legacy on Switch 2 is much closer to the flagship version found on other platforms, even if a few restrictions remain in the name of squeezing the large RPG onto a portable device. It's a must-play for Potter fans, and lets you attend and explore the iconic wizarding school as you unravel a sinister goblin plot. And yes, you do get sorted into one of the four houses, so best hope you're not put in Slytherin. Sonic Generations was already considered one of the Blue Blur's best games of the modern era, and this remastered package adds a new chapter that lets you play as everybody's favourite motorcycle-riding anti-hero hedgehog, Shadow. Blending 3D sections with more traditional side-scrolling levels, Sonic X Shadow Generations is a true celebration of Sonic's past and present, and with the recent blockbuster movies bringing the gaming icon to a whole new audience, it's a perfectly timed package. It's also well-suited for the portable nature of the Switch 2 as levels can be completed in short bursts, making it ideal for pick-and-play fun. Even when running at blazingly fast speed, Sonic x Shadow Generations runs very well on Nintendo Switch 2. If you've collected a large library of the best Nintendo Switch games, you'll be pleased to know that the Switch 2 offers pretty robust backwards compatibility. In short, yes, you can play Switch 1 games on Switch 2, but with a few caveats. Switch 2 supports both physical Switch 1 game cards and digital software, which can be (re)downloaded via the Nintendo eShop. Nintendo reports that over 15,000 Switch 1 games can be played on Switch 2 with no issues found 'during basic compatibility testing.' There are select games with 'issues that prevent progress' on Switch 2, and while this list represents a tiny fraction of Switch 1's library, it does include popular games like Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Overcooked! All You Can Eat. Meanwhile, certain titles like Ring Fit Adventure, 1-2-Switch, Nintendo Switch Sports and Nintendo Labo are playable on Switch 1, but require a set of Joy-Con controllers, as they are not compatible with the Switch 2's stock Joy-Con 2s. (Note: The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con VR Kit is not compatible, as the larger Switch 2 unit doesn't fit into the cardboard holder.) Overall, the vast majority of Switch 1 games function without issue on Switch 2, and Nintendo has given some first-party titles a performance boost via a free update. These include Pokémon Scarlet/Violet, Splatoon 3, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. The full list is on Nintendo's website. Nintendo Switch 2's library is growing pretty rapidly, but it's great that you can enjoy Switch 1 games on the new console as well. This lets you circle back to play old favorites or critically acclaimed titles you missed, or if you're brand new to the Switch platform, you've got a lot of excellent games to catch up on.
