NintendoUp!
Goodbye, Nintendo | Why Im Switching to the PS5
updated
In this in-depth 30-minute spoiler discussion, I’m joined by fellow longtime DK superfan @arichDKC to unpack what this means for the upcoming 3D platformer Donkey Kong Bananza on the Nintendo Switch 2.
To be honest, neither of us has been overly hyped for this new DK game... Could this unexpected twist shift our entire perspective on the game? Find out in the full video.
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Make sure to subscribe, like, and comment for more videos like this.
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#DonkeyKongBananza #NintendoSwitch2 #DonkeyKong
In this video, we dive into the gameplay footage and give our honest, passionate reactions to this strange, controversial release. Does it really warrant the attention in the middle of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, or is this just a "woke DEI" misfire?
No other Nintendo channel is going to be this honest with you. Get your dislikes ready for that. Fake positivity is sure popular on YouTube.
Thanks to @ArichDKC for joining me in this discussion.
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Important Note: This video was recorded BEFORE the price ($20 USD) and release date (August 14th, 2025 exclusively on the Nintendo eShop) were revealed.These facts wouldn't have drastically changed our opinions, but it might've added some positivity.
The video was also recorded before we knew Nintendo changed the Mii characters to be genderless.
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Make sure to subscribe and comment if you'd like more content from us.
#DragXDrive #nintendoswitch2 #nintendo
I’ve made it no secret that I’ve not been excited for the new Super Mario Odyssey sequel, Donkey Kong Bananza, but today’s Direct really didn’t do anything to expand my "you know what." In fact, it made it even smaller.
I really don’t mean this as a joke: if you aren’t a Donkey Kong fan, you might really enjoy (or love) this game. As a longtime Donkey Kong fan, however, this Nintendo Direct was actually a depressing thing to watch happen.
As usual, people in the comments will tell me I’m not allowed to have an opinion. But I’m not saying you can’t like this game — I just don’t have any excitement for it at all.
#DonkeyKongBananza
#NintendoDirect
#DonkeyKong
#NintendoSwitch2
#Reaction
Because for a while now, they’ve been crying a little too much.
And while I’m all in my feels over here - I’m not here to bash anyone who simps for @thebackgroundnpc and loves her! Seriously, I mean that.
In this video, I’m diving into how my personal relationship with click baiters has shifted, not just because of the Switch 2, but because of how the YouTube algorithm has been operating as a whole.
From rage bait to locking away valuable insight, it’s been a weird few years. And as someone who grew up apathetic to YouTube and its slave wages, it’s been kinda easy for me to stop caring completely.
In this one, we chat about:
Asmongold’s TheBackgroundNPC
Gary Bowser the hero
The Switch 2 and $80 Mario Kart World
Our lord GilvaSunner
And Nintendo Online… just being pretty cool
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This is a reaction video that falls under fair use. Everyone is entitled to their opinions.
Original video:
youtube.com/watch?v=Gv01Auwd6oo
"Switch 2 is the last straw… I’m done with Nintendo 😞"
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#nintendoswitch2 #gamingnostalgia #gamingcommentary #nintendo #reaction
In this review, we break down the good, the bad, and the baffling decisions behind this bizarre piece of corporate vomit. Is there anything here worth your time or money? Let’s find out.
Don’t forget to subscribe for our upcoming Mario Kart World review, and a lot more Nintendo Switch 2 coverage.
Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Alternative title:
Review: Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour - This Could’ve Been an Email
#NintendoSwitch2
#WelcomeTour
#GameReview
If you want to know what I think of the game, subscribe for NintendoUp’s full review of this game (coming soon).
Lots of Nintendo Switch 2 coverage is on the way, with our Mario Kart World review in the works, Switch 2 Pro controller review, and more.
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Note that “Camera” accessory content (there’s not much) and handheld gameplay (just ~10-15 minutes of stuff) cannot be included here. This is not a 100% playthrough as I simply don’t want to 100% this game. Find out why in my full review.
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This video contains 100% my own gameplay with some limited commentary.
#nintendoswitch2 #welcometour #playthrough #gameplay
Subscribe for more! Plenty of Switch 2 videos on the way. Leave a comment with your thoughts and suggestions.
#supersmashbrosultimate #metroidprimeremastered #mariokartworld #gamecubecontroller #nintendoswitch2
Full review of the GameCube app coming soon.
Subscribe, like, and comment for more.
#nintendoswitch2 #gamecube #gamecubecontroller #nintendoswitchonline
Nintendo Switch 2 launched worldwide June 5th, 2025 for $449.99 USD. Mario Kart World is the obvious launch game choice, and we’ll have videos about Mario Kart World, the Switch 2 Pro Controller, the GameCube controller, and much more in the coming days. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing.
Timestamps:
0:00 Unboxing Begins
0:14 HDMI Cable & AC Adapter
0:24 Nintendo Switch 2 Dock
0:35 Switch OLED Dock vs. Switch 2 Dock
0:51 Ethernet Port on Switch 2 Dock vs. Switch OLED Dock
1:04 Switch 2 Dock Weight vs. OLED Dock
1:15 Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con 2
1:27 The New C-Button for GameChat
1:41 Switch 2 Joy-Con Drift Returns?
1:53 Magnetic Attachment
2:03 Mouse Mode on Joy-Con 2
2:13 Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 Weight vs. Original Joy-Cons
2:29 Joy-Con 2 Wrist Straps & Grip Controller
2:41 Switch 2 Pro Controller Tease
2:57 The Nintendo Switch 2
3:07 Nintendo Switch 2 Size and Weight vs. Switch OLED & OG
3:33 Switch 2 Screen Size vs. OLED & OG Screen Sizes
3:51 Switch 2 Bezels & Screen Specs
4:15 Switch 2 LCD Screen vs. Switch OLED Screen
4:33 New USB-C Ports on Switch 2
4:51 Switch 2 Battery Size and Estimated Play Time
5:02 Switch 2 Power Button & Microphone
5:17 Headphone Jacks Galore
5:31 MicroSD Express Card Slot
5:41 SanDisk MicroSD Express Card (256 GB)
5:51 Internal Storage of Switch 2
6:07 Game Card Slot
6:17 Switch 2 Console Feel vs. Switch OLED & OG
6:39 Steam Deck OLED Comparison Tease
6:49 Switch 2 Menu
6:59 Wii, Wii U, & 3DS Menu Comparison
7:12 No Music For You on Nintendo eShop
7:25 What’s Coming Next?
8:03 Conclusion
If you liked this video, please consider leaving a like, comment, and subscription. Many more Nintendo Switch 2 videos are on the way.
#nintendoswitch2 #nintendoswitch2unboxing #switch2
There’s been a tsunami of misinformation painting Karl as some kind of "good guy." In this video, I present undeniable proof that he knowingly deceived his legions of rats, and that I'm the true hero of this story.
Oh, and one more thing: I hold the true world record on GoldenEye 007’s Dam level. There. I said it.
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This video is a comedy parody, and is not endorsed by anyone involved. This video is fair use with transformative, unique commentary on public information.
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Credits:
NintendoUp.com (all video and audio editing, writing, voice over, etc.)
Billy Mitchell (King of Kong) and others for their X posts ("tweets") and Discord messages.
#billymitchell #karljobst #speedrunners #parody
*It's still probably not worth $99 USD.
Chapters:
0:00 Alarm Music Previews
1:47 Full Alarm Testing
Watch our Nintendo Alarmo full review: youtube.com/watch?v=DpCeE-qAxlA
Visit nintendoup.com for more news and exclusive content.
#nintendoalarmo #alarmo #animalcrossing #animalcrossingnewhorizons
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This video is a parody and not endorsed by anyone involved.
***
Credits:
NintendoUp.com (all video and audio editing, writing, voice over, etc.)
Billy Mitchell (King of Kong) and others for their X posts ("tweets") and Discord messages.
Hall of the Mountain King by Kevin MacLeod • Edvard Grieg | http://incompetech.com
Music promoted by free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
#billymitchell #karljobst #drama
We're done when Billy Mitchell says Karl's done.
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This is a parody music video for comedic purposes, and is not endorsed by anyone involved.
***
Video By:
NintendoUp!
Song:
"The Flame" by Video Vault
#billymitchell #karljobst #musicvideo
This music video covers the legendary feud between arcade icon and Video Game King of Eternity, Billy Mitchell, and YouTube defamer and former speedrunner Karl Jobst (now bankrupt).
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This is a parody music video for comedic purposes, and is not endorsed by anyone involved.
***
Video By:
NintendoUp!
Song:
"The Flame" by Video Vault
#billymitchell #karljobst #musicvideo #drama
He came after my name, my kingdom, and worst of all — my HOT SAUCE. This time, there will be no mercy. Leave your best idea in the comments for how I should humble Jobst next. The winning suggestion may get a royal thumbs up (pending my lawyer's approval).
Watch the full 4 minute 41 second video on NintendoUp's YouTube channel.
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This video is a parody and not endorsed by anyone involved.
***
Credits:
NintendoUp.com (all video and audio editing, writing, voice over, etc.)
Billy Mitchell (King of Kong) and others for their X posts ("tweets") and Discord messages.
Hall of the Mountain King by Kevin MacLeod • Edvard Grieg | http://incompetech.com
Music promoted by free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
#billymitchell #karljobst #drama #parody
The next Mario Movie is coming soon, with an April 3rd, 2026 release date, followed by a live-action Zelda movie in 2027.
#MarioMovie
#SuperMarioWorld
#Nintendo
He came after my name, my kingdom, and worst of all — my HOT SAUCE. This time, there will be no mercy. Leave your best idea in the comments for how I should humble Jobst next. The winning suggestion may get a royal thumbs up (pending my lawyer's approval).
***
This video is a parody and not endorsed by anyone involved.
***
Credits:
NintendoUp.com (all video and audio editing, writing, voice over, etc.)
Billy Mitchell (King of Kong) and others for their X posts ("tweets") and Discord messages.
Hall of the Mountain King by Kevin MacLeod • Edvard Grieg | http://incompetech.com
Music promoted by free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
#billymitchell #karljobst #drama
Join me in the grown-up world of gaming, where we can headshot each other in Call of Dooty. Grow up and be an adult, and maybe I'll see you there.
It's time to pack it up. This channel is going the way of the Virtual Boy, but fear not: a new era of Sony PlayStation 5 gaming awaits.
Smell you later...forever.
Subscribe! youtube.com/@NintendoUpDotCom?sub_confirmation=1
Watch this video for context:
youtu.be/We0vXVy08p8
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This video is a joke/parody/spoof in case you (unfortunately for you) cannot tell.
***
#Nintendo #PlayStation #PlayStation5 #NintendoSwitch #comedy
From profile icons quietly erasing history, DKCR HD’s lazy handling to coincide with the opening of Super Nintendo World, to the sudden Switch 2 trailer drop on the same day of Returns HD’s release, it all points to one thing: Nintendo is done with the old Donkey Kong.
NintendoUp takes a closer look at the questionable development choices behind Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, Forever Entertainment’s role, and why Bananza feels like a strange tribute by developers who only half understand Donkey Kong.
Is this really the future of DK?
Watch our full roast of Donkey Kong Bananza here:
youtube.com/watch?v=uoxxL87pX4Q
Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more videos like this one.
#DonkeyKong #Nintendo #DonkeyKongBananza #nintendoswitch2
In this retrospective and review, NintendoUp! revisits and ranks Twilight Princess HD in comparison to the other 3D Zelda games. We’ll explore everything from the game's darker story, Link’s transformation into Wolf Link, the incredible dungeon design, Midna's unforgettable role, and how the HD remaster improves the experience.
Whether you're a longtime Zelda fan or ready to discover Twilight Princess for the first time, this video will show why it remains one of the most emotional and ambitious entries in the entire Zelda franchise.
This is the second episode of our "Best Zelda Games" series, with three more videos on the way. Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the bell so you’ll be notified when new episodes drop.
Watch the first episode, “Skyward Sword: The Last Great Zelda Game?” here: youtube.com/watch?v=1ItWSD01Oqs
Time Stamps:
0:00 Intro
0:21 Overview
0:56 Wii U Version Differences
2:29 Story
4:05 The Game World
6:49 Music
7:55 Graphics
9:51 Dungeons
11:00 Conclusion
Games featured in this video:
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD for Nintendo Wii U
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for Wii and GameCube
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for Wii and Nintendo Switch
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for Wii U and GameCube
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
#twilightprincess #zelda #nintendo #LegendofZelda #retrogaming
Twilight Princess Retrospective Review
Transcript:
Welcome back to NintendoUp’s series of the five best Legend of Zelda games. Previously, we covered The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, which came in at number 5. If you haven’t watched that video, you should do so first.
Without further ado, let’s get right into the next game in the series: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD.
Overview
A decidedly darker Zelda game, Twilight Princess took Zelda into a grittier realm while retaining the series’ charm. With the introduction of Wolf Link, players could experience a transformation mechanic akin to Majora’s Mask’s Goron, Zora, and Deku forms, that added some depth to exploration and combat.
The game boasts some of the best dungeons in the series, such as the atmospheric Snowpeak Ruins. Midna, the best companion in series history, provided a deeper emotional connection than prior games, making the story one of the strongest in Zelda canon.
Wii U Version Differences
Unlike some other remakes or ports of past Zelda games, Twilight Princess HD is the definitive way to play the game. There’s really no reason, in my opinion, to go back and play the GameCube or Wii versions. This is a simple high definition port with some minor but welcome improvements.
First of all, the graphics are slightly improved, with the biggest difference being the game runs at 1080p HD instead of standard definition. The textures and lighting are better, along with the character models and environmental detail.
Although the Wii version had motion controls for sword combat, they were rather weak compared to its sequel Skyward Sword. For that reason, it was better to play Twilight Princess with button controls on the GameCube or Wii U, and the Wii U version had the GamePad for off-screen inventory and map management with its touch screen.
In terms of new additions, first there was Hero Mode—or a higher difficulty setting—in which enemies dealt double damage with no heart drops. There was also amiibo support for refilling items and unlocking the Cave of Shadows mini-dungeon, which was an exclusive Wii U area where players could fight off waves of enemies as Wolf Link. To unlock it, you’d need to use the Wolf Link amiibo. Although the rewards for completing the Cave of Shadows weren’t super compelling, it was still fun to have something new to do.
There were also other minor quality of life improvements, including faster loading times for opening chests or transforming into Wolf Link. And, since the Wii U GamePad had a gyroscope, aiming your bow was actually better than on the Wii.
Story
The story of this game is up there with the very best the series has to offer. It starts off a bit slow, but it picks up around when Midna (Link’s impish companion) is introduced.
Basically, Link has to save Hyrule from the dark influence of the Twilight Realm, a mysterious dimension that corrupts the region after seeping into the world. This dimension is where Midna came from, along with one of the main villains, Zant.
After the long prologue which introduces the characters, Link is pulled into a dark portal, transforming into a wolf…for some reason. Imprisoned in Hyrule Castle, it’s there where Link meets Midna, who frees Link and proceeds to ride on his back and complain for the entirety of the time he’s in wolf form.
Midna promises to help Link save Princess Zelda, who has been imprisoned by Zant, provided that Link does what she wants.
Don't forget to watch the FULL video on my regular YouTube page (none of this "shorts" nonsense):
youtube.com/watch?v=TVE7-E9McjM
Like, comment, and subscribe if you want more.
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This is a fan-based PARODY. No statements in this video should be taken as factual, even if certain statements are true. Billy Mitchell did not appear in, or endorse this parody video, in any way. Nor did Karl Jobst or his fans.
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William “Billy” Mitchell, an American gamer who had held world records in Donkey Kong and Pac-Man going back to 1982, as recognised by the Guinness World Records and the video game database Twin Galaxies, brought the case against Karl Jobst, seeking $400,000 in general damages and $50,000 in aggravated damages.
Jobst, who makes videos about “speed running” (finishing games as fast as possible), as well as gaming records and cheating in games, made a number of allegations against Mitchell in a 2021 YouTube video. He accused Mitchell of cheating, and “pursuing unmeritorious litigation” against others who had also accused him of cheating, the court judgment stated.
#billymitchell #karljobst #gamingdrama #defamationcase
Watch the FULL video:
youtube.com/watch?v=TVE7-E9McjM
This video exposes Karl Jobst's seedy past as an F-Tier pickup artist. Needless to say, Billy Mitchell destroys the competition—as always.
Does "Billy Mitchell always have a plan"? Yes.
Like, comment, and subscribe if you want "Part 2."
****
This is a fan-based PARODY. No statements in this video should be taken as factual, even if certain statements are true. Billy Mitchell did not appear in, or endorse this parody video, in any way. Nor did Karl Jobst or his fans.
****
Background details per The Guardian:
A professional YouTuber in Queensland has been ordered to pay $350,000 plus interest and costs to the former world record score holder for Donkey Kong, after the Brisbane district court found the YouTuber had defamed him “recklessly” with false claims of a link between a lawsuit and another YouTuber’s s*****.
William “Billy” Mitchell, an American gamer who had held world records in Donkey Kong and Pac-Man going back to 1982, as recognised by the Guinness World Records and the video game database Twin Galaxies, brought the case against Karl Jobst, seeking $400,000 in general damages and $50,000 in aggravated damages.
Jobst, who makes videos about “speed running” (finishing games as fast as possible), as well as gaming records and cheating in games, made a number of allegations against Mitchell in a 2021 YouTube video. He accused Mitchell of cheating, and “pursuing unmeritorious litigation” against others who had also accused him of cheating, the court judgment stated.
#billymitchell #karljobst #gamingdrama
This video also explores Karl Jobst's seedy past as an F-Tier pickup artist. Needless to say, Billy Mitchell destroys the competition—as always.
Does "Billy Mitchell always have a plan"? Yes.
Like, comment, and subscribe if you want "Part 2."
****
This is a fan-based PARODY. No statements in this video should be taken as factual, even if certain statements are true. Billy Mitchell did not appear in, or endorse this parody video, in any way. Nor did Karl Jobst or his fans.
****
Background details per The Guardian:
A professional YouTuber in Queensland has been ordered to pay $350,000 plus interest and costs to the former world record score holder for Donkey Kong, after the Brisbane district court found the YouTuber had defamed him “recklessly” with false claims of a link between a lawsuit and another YouTuber’s s*****.
William “Billy” Mitchell, an American gamer who had held world records in Donkey Kong and Pac-Man going back to 1982, as recognised by the Guinness World Records and the video game database Twin Galaxies, brought the case against Karl Jobst, seeking $400,000 in general damages and $50,000 in aggravated damages.
Jobst, who makes videos about “speed running” (finishing games as fast as possible), as well as gaming records and cheating in games, made a number of allegations against Mitchell in a 2021 YouTube video. He accused Mitchell of cheating, and “pursuing unmeritorious litigation” against others who had also accused him of cheating, the court judgment stated.
#billymitchell #karljobst #parody
🎮 Su*c*de Squad: Kill the Justice League
🎮 Skull & Bones
🎮 Concord
This video is all in good fun—Reggie did not endorse this.
Like, comment, and subscribe for more funny, and informative, videos. Yeah, a mix.
Alternative title: Top 5 Reggie Fils-Aime Kills (Part 2)
Alternative title 2: Don't Mess with Reggie Fils-Aime (Part 2)
Subscribe, like, and comment for more videos!
#concord
#gamecomedy
#gamingshorts
#reggiefilsaime
🎮 Star Wars Outlaws
🎮 Dragon Age: The Veilguard
This video is all in good fun—Reggie did not endorse this.
Like, comment, and subscribe for more Reggie-fueled chaos!
Alternative title: Top 5 Reggie Fils-Aime Kills (Part 1)
Alternative title 2: Don't Mess with Reggie Fils-Aime
Subscribe, like, and comment for more videos!
#nintendomeme
#gamingshorts
What might be going on with Rosalina and Pauline? Why are they holding hands?
Also check out our Donkey Kong Bananza commentary for the new Treehouse: Live gameplay:
youtu.be/uoxxL87pX4Q
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Mario Kart World New Gameplay Commentary
Treehouse: Live gameplay analysis.
#mario
#nintendoswitch2
Some games are surprisingly small, while others push the limits. Should you buy a large microSD Express card or save your money? Let’s find out.
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Read the full article here:
nintendoup.com/how-big-are-switch-2-file-sizes-heres-your-answer
We’ve been wondering if Switch 2 games will feature massive file sizes, necessitating the need for its 256 GB internal storage (versus 32 GB and 64 GB on the Switch and Switch OLED). As it turns out, Switch 2 game file sizes are roughly equivalent to regular Switch game file sizes, if first-party Nintendo games are any indication.
Oddly, Kirby actually weighs 0.1 GB less on the Switch 2, indicating the pink puff has gone on a diet for his Switch 2 upgrade.
The only major outlier is Mario Kart World, which is a hefty 23.4 GB compared to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe‘s 11.3 GB. That’s almost half the size of the Switch 2’s kart racer. Yes, it’s a world of difference. I’ll see myself out now.
Overall, most gamers probably won't need a big microSD card, and you might be able to hold off on buying one completely until years down the road.
File Sizes
Mario Kart World – 23.4GB
Donkey Kong Bananza – 10GB
GameCube Nintendo Classics – 3.5GB
Super Mario Party Jamboree – 7.7GB (Switch 1 – 5.3GB)
Kirby and the Forgotten Land – 5.7GB (Switch 1 – 5.8GB)
#mariokartworld #nintendoswitch2 #microsdexpress
Watch the full video for all the details.
With backlash over the $449.99 USD price point, plus the threats of new tariffs under Donald Trump, now’s the time for Nintendo to rethink the Switch 2 system lineup.
What do you think? Will you be buying the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5th? Let me know in the comments below!
Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe.
#nintendo #gamingnews
With backlash over the $449.99 USD price point, plus the threats of new tariffs under Donald Trump, now’s the time for Nintendo to rethink the Switch 2 system lineup.
What do you think? Will you be buying the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5th? Let me know in the comments below!
Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe.
#nintendoswitch2 #nintendo #gamingnews
What did they DO to Donkey Kong?! That tongue is an abomination. A total redesign fail. Whoever approved DK's tongue sticking out 24/7… we just wanna talk. Our childhoods? Ruined. Our sanity? Hanging by a vine. 😤
This is a clip from the Roast of Donkey Kong Bananza. Watch the full 28-minute roast for commentary and jokes on the latest Treehouse gameplay for DK Bananza:
youtube.com/watch?v=uoxxL87pX4Q
#donkeykongbananza #donkeykong #nintendoswitch2
This is a clip from the Roast of Donkey Kong Bananza. Watch the full 28-minute roast for commentary and jokes on the latest Treehouse gameplay for DK Bananza:
youtube.com/watch?v=uoxxL87pX4Q
#donkeykongbananza
This is a clip from the Roast of Donkey Kong Bananza. Watch the full 28-minute roast for commentary and jokes on the latest Treehouse gameplay for DK Bananza:
youtube.com/watch?v=uoxxL87pX4Q
This is a goof and/or spoof comedy video. You won't get any rocks in the mail.
#donkeykongbananza #nintendo #comedy
Is the illuminati involved in Donkey Kong Bananza? Is Donkey Kong related to Bigfoot, or does he just enjoy Big Foot Pizza? All these questions and more are definitely answered in this video.*
Viewer discretion IS advised. Contains strong words you won't like if you're a baby.
@ArichDKC and I are huge, long-time die hard Donkey Kong fans. We will be buying the game no matter what, so don't worry, Nintendo will be getting our money. That gives us the right to roast the game a little.
*Not a guarantee.
Reggie from Nintendo, who invented the Big Foot Pizza, did not endorse this video.
#donkeykong #donkeykongbananza #gamecommentary
Some games are surprisingly small, while others push the limits. Should you buy a large microSD Express card or save your money? Let’s find out.
*****
Read the full article here:
nintendoup.com/how-big-are-switch-2-file-sizes-heres-your-answer
We’ve been wondering if Switch 2 games will feature massive file sizes, necessitating the need for its 256 GB internal storage (versus 32 GB and 64 GB on the Switch and Switch OLED). As it turns out, Switch 2 game file sizes are roughly equivalent to regular Switch game file sizes, if first-party Nintendo games are any indication.
Oddly, Kirby actually weighs 0.1 GB less on the Switch 2, indicating the pink puff has gone on a diet for his Switch 2 upgrade.
The only major outlier is Mario Kart World, which is a hefty 23.4 GB compared to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe‘s 11.3 GB. That’s almost half the size of the Switch 2’s kart racer. Yes, it’s a world of difference. I’ll see myself out now.
Overall, most gamers probably won't need a big microSD card, and you might be able to hold off on buying one completely until years down the road.
File Sizes
Mario Kart World – 23.4GB
Donkey Kong Bananza – 10GB
GameCube Nintendo Classics – 3.5GB
Super Mario Party Jamboree – 7.7GB (Switch 1 – 5.3GB)
Kirby and the Forgotten Land – 5.7GB (Switch 1 – 5.8GB)
#mariokartworld #nintendoswitch2 #donkeykongbananza
We're optimistic, but there's mixed emotions right now that might cool down later down the road.
Here's some background info from DK fansite DK Vine:
It's been a long road to get here. "Donkey Kong EPD" is real, is coming to the Switch 2 in just over three months, and was Nintendo's big closing game in today's Nintendo Direct. No matter how you might personally feel about the trailer or the Switch 2 itself, let that sink in for a minute. Donkey Kong is truly back.
I first started mentioning whispers I'd been hearing about Nintendo internally developing Donkey Kong, after the first attempt at doing a 3D Donkey Kong post-Retro Studios fell through, on the Kongversation nearly seven years ago. I got louder about it with time, until bigger news sites ran with the story around the time of E3 2021. When it didn't materialize in Nintendo's presentations that year, most people in the broader Nintendo fandom moved on. DK Vine readers knew better. Something was clearly happening with Donkey Kong, from the theme park to the increased prominence as a standalone brand or via its historical ties to Mario. Nintendo really wouldn't just let the series sit dormant after the Vicarious Visions game fell through, would they? Surely we wouldn't just be getting re-releases from here on out?
The revelation that Donkey Kong's design was changing in what we now know to be Mario Kart World was the final clue, indeed the tipping point, for us to feel confident that Donkey Kong EPD was indeed on its way. And the best part? We no longer need to refer to it as such! Because as we saw at the conclusion of the Switch 2 Direct, the game is titled Donkey Kong Bananza. Be sure to catch the pun and train your spellcheckers to not constantly change that on you. (This morning had already led to humiliation on social media).
The first 3D Donkey Kong game since Donkey Kong 64 in 1999, Donkey Kong Bananza takes the hero of the DK Isles to Ingot Island, a new locale that appears to be a major mining facility. With an emphasis on excavation, rock smashing, and destruction, it might feel more like Digger T. Rock than Donkey Kong Country. That's compounded by the lack of any recognizable characters in the trailer, save for Donkey Kong himself. Why, instead of Diddy perched on his shoulders, does he now have a sentient rock pal in a situation that's vaguely reminiscent of Cappy from off of Super Mario Odyssey? Where are the Kremlings... or even the Tiki Tak Tribe, Snowmads, or Cob Cock? Are these three primates, and the organization VoidCo (a name spotted throughout the trailer and screenshots, including across the body of DK's living pebble lump Rock "The Dwayne" Johnson), the baddies of the game? Yes!
But beyond the initial Jungle Beat vibrations much of the fandom is rightfully feeling at the moment, there are actually a few familiar elements if you look closely enough. Including a Gnawty carved into a boulder, as seen in this blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment from the trailer. To put this into perspective, Gnawties haven't appeared or even been outright referenced in a brand new Donkey Kong adventure since... once again, Donkey Kong 64 in 1999! For the sake of symmetry we'll ignore the homage in Donkey Konga 2.
Additionally, a moment in the trailer that made everyone sit up and take notice was the portion of the game that pays homage to the original Donkey Kong Country. This 2D sidescrolling section not only includes neon-tinged Barrel Cannons (that also appear elsewhere in the trailer), but the classic Rare ACM-style palm trees that were one of the series defining visual hallmarks from 1994 through roughly 2003. With the preeminence of Retro's jungle aesthetic on merchandise and in the theme park, I never thought I'd see foliage with such a sickly plastic sheen ever again!
That alone tells us that while most of this game appears to be new, we've also seen a very small amount of the journey Donkey Kong has in front of him. Returning characters or cameos are still very much within the realm of possibility, especially given that it's a full 3D adventure. It's obviously okay to be disappointed or let down with what we've seen, especially considering the hopes and dreams the fan community has placed on this day for over half-a-decade. But who knows? Like Donkey Kong, I'm dug in and willing to keep PAN PANing for those nuggets of gold. In the meantime, Donkey Kong is finally home at Nintendo EPD, and this is more than just a new game. It's a new beginning.
#donkeykongbananza #donkeykong #donkeykongcountry
Does "Billy Mitchell always have a plan"?
This is a fan-based parody. No statements in this video should be taken as factual, even if certain statements are true. Billy Mitchell did not appear in, or endorse this parody video, in any way. Nor did Karl Jobst or his GoFundMe fans.
Background details per The Guardian:
A professional YouTuber in Queensland has been ordered to pay $350,000 plus interest and costs to the former world record score holder for Donkey Kong, after the Brisbane district court found the YouTuber had defamed him “recklessly” with false claims of a link between a lawsuit and another YouTuber’s s*****.
William “Billy” Mitchell, an American gamer who had held world records in Donkey Kong and Pac-Man going back to 1982, as recognised by the Guinness World Records and the video game database Twin Galaxies, brought the case against Karl Jobst, seeking $400,000 in general damages and $50,000 in aggravated damages.
Jobst, who makes videos about “speed running” (finishing games as fast as possible), as well as gaming records and cheating in games, made a number of allegations against Mitchell in a 2021 YouTube video. He accused Mitchell of cheating, and “pursuing unmeritorious litigation” against others who had also accused him of cheating, the court judgment stated.
#billymitchell #karljobst #donkeykong
Background details per The Guardian:
A professional YouTuber in Queensland has been ordered to pay $350,000 plus interest and costs to the former world record score holder for Donkey Kong, after the Brisbane district court found the YouTuber had defamed him “recklessly” with false claims of a link between a lawsuit and another YouTuber’s su*c*de.
William “Billy” Mitchell, an American gamer who had held world records in Donkey Kong and Pac-Man going back to 1982, as recognised by the Guinness World Records and the video game database Twin Galaxies, brought the case against Karl Jobst, seeking $400,000 in general damages and $50,000 in aggravated damages.
Jobst, who makes videos about “speed running” (finishing games as fast as possible), as well as gaming records and cheating in games, made a number of allegations against Mitchell in a 2021 YouTube video. He accused Mitchell of cheating, and “pursuing unmeritorious litigation” against others who had also accused him of cheating, the court judgment stated.
The court heard Mitchell was accused in 2017 of cheating in his Donkey Kong world records by using emulation software instead of original arcade hardware. Twin Galaxies investigated the allegation, and subsequently removed Mitchell’s scores and banned him from participating in its competitions.
The Guinness World Records disqualified Mitchell as a holder of all his records – in both Donkey Kong and Pac-Man – after the Twin Galaxies decision.
The judgment stated that Jobst’s 2021 video also linked the December 2020 suicide of another YouTuber, Apollo Legend, to “stress arising from [his] settlement” with Mitchell, and wrongly asserted that Apollo Legend had to pay Mitchell “a large sum of money”.
The judgment noted multiple versions of the video were published, with the allegations removed or addressed, before Jobst issued a retraction video in July 2021, two months after the original. The first video was viewed by more than 500,000 people, including 200,000 in Australia, the court heard.
Judge Ken Barlow found Jobst had made five defamatory imputations about Mitchell, including that Mitchell had required Apollo Legend pay him a large sum of money and thus implying he “in essence, hounded Apollo Legend to death”.
Barlow found this was “based on a fallacy” – and that Jobst, in not making further inquiries before publishing the video, had been “recklessly indifferent” to if it was true.
Jobst denied the imputations had been made in the video. He argued Mitchell had a pre-existing bad reputation because he had been previously exposed as a cheat, the court heard.
Barlow found Mitchell did have an existing reputation as a cheat and for suing people who alleged he was a cheat, and found that Mitchell had expressed joy when he believed – incorrectly – on an earlier occasion that Apollo Legend may have died. But Barlow found Jobst had severely damaged Mitchell’s reputation and caused distress.
He described Jobst as having a “self-aggrandising and perhaps self-protective tendency not to admit error and not to back down once he has taken a stance”.
Barlow framed Jobst’s actions as a “crusade” against Mitchell, stating that he was trying to “[show] his audience that he is the knight who slew the Mitchell dragon”.
The judgment summary noted that the court was not called on to decide, and did not decide, if Mitchell had cheated in his world record scores.
The court awarded Mitchell $300,000 in damages for non-economic loss, and an additional $50,000 in aggravated damages due to Jobst’s publishing the video twice, mocking Mitchell’s complaint about it, failing to apologise and withdraw the allegations, and his “clear malice” towards Mitchell.
Jobst was ordered to pay more than $40,000 in interest on the damages from the date of publication, as well as Mitchell’s costs.
Mitchell had previously sued Twin Galaxies in the US in a case which settled in January 2024. As part of the settlement, Twin Galaxies published a statement that Mitchell had “produced expert opinion that the game play on the tapes of Mr Mitchell’s record game plays could depict play on an original unmodified Donkey Kong arcade hardware if the hardware involved was malfunctioning, likely due to the degradation of components”.
#billymitchell #karljobst #donkeykong
Will Zelda’s fresh adventure win out, or will Sonic’s proven track record shine? What does the data show?
In this video, we'll give box office predictions based on factual box office data, discuss past video game movie adaptations, and more.
Let me know in the comments—which movie do you think will win?
******
With the announcement that the live-action Legend of Zelda movie will be releasing March 26th, 2027, it’s become apparent that two titans will be going head-to-head—not only in the same month, but just one week apart.
Yes, the highly successful Sonic the Hedgehog film series will be getting a fourth installment on March 19th, 2027. Mathematicians will notice that’s just one week before the release of Nintendo’s high-budget, Avi Arad-produced Legend of Zelda movie.
Video Game Movie Performance
While the Sonic movies have been highly successful, with the third film (2024) grossing almost 500 million dollars worldwide at the box office, the second (2022) grossing just over 400 million, and the original (2020) grossing over 300 million, Nintendo’s history at the box office isn’t too bad either.
In fact, The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) grossed over 1.3 billion dollars at the box office. Yes, that means the film outperformed all three Sonic movies combined.
However, the other (kinda) Nintendo movie, Detective Pikachu (2019), “only” grossed 433 million dollars worldwide, about on the level of the second and third Sonic movies. This is kind of surprising considering just how popular Pokemon is. However, both of these movie series are live-action. Sonic and Pokemon were competing against Mario, an animated movie.
Live-Action vs. Animated Video Game Movies
The Legend of Zelda film will be live-action, not animated, which means it’s possible that it could gross the same as Detective Pikachu and Sonic, and not approach Super Mario Bros.-level success.
Other live-action video game movies, like 2021’s Mortal Kombat, haven’t done as well. Mortal Kombat only made 84 million worldwide, while 2018’s Tomb Raider did better with 274 million worldwide. Sony’s Uncharted film in 2022 starring Tom Holland grossed over 400 million, which puts it right in line with the Sonic movies.
Outside of Mario, there’s actually not that many animated video game movies to compare with the live-action ones. There’s Angry Birds (2016), which grossed over 350 million worldwide, but little else.
Wreck-it-Ralph (2012), which is kind of like a Donkey Kong adaptation (but not really), grossed nearly 500 million dollars worldwide. The 2018 sequel did even better with 530 million dollars.
Okay, so with this limited data, it seems like animated video game movies do perform better than live-action video game movies. The Super Mario Bros. Movie, however, is doing most of the heavy lifting in this assumption.
Since both Zelda and Sonic are live-action, Sonic 4 may do okay against the new Zelda movie. After all, this is the fourth installment in a successful series that grosses more money each installment, with the third film being the highest-grossing live-action video game movie ever made. It wouldn’t be outrageous to assume the fourth Sonic movie will gross around 500 million dollars at the worldwide box office.
Zelda's Box Office Forecast
So…what will Zelda make at the box office?
You might assume Zelda will do better than Sonic because it’s more popular, but actually if you add up all the Sonic video game sales, they’ve sold 12 million more copies than the Zelda games. While we as Nintendo fans think Zelda is extremely popular, it’s not actually in the Top 10 best-selling video game franchises. Mario, however, is at the top, which likely accounts for its 1.3 billion result at the box office.
It also helps that Mario appeals to all ages, whereas Zelda tends to appeal to a slightly older audience. For that reason, as well as the fact it’s live-action, I don’t think Zelda will do as well as the Mario movie. However, if the film is great, there’s always the chance it could outperform due to word of mouth.
The Warcraft movie, a live-action adaptation of the popular Blizzard PC game, did relatively well with 439 million dollars at the worldwide box office. However, you’ll notice that since its 2016 release, the film never received a sequel. That’s because, while it is the fourth-best performing video game movie ever made, it still wasn’t enough to convince Blizzard that it was successful. They wanted to do Lord of the Rings (2002-2004) style numbers, and I assume Nintendo is trying to repeat the same success as Lord of the Rings as well. They’re even filming the Zelda movie in New Zealand.
Read the full article:
nintendoup.com/zelda-movie-vs-sonic-who-wins-the-2027-box-office
#ZeldaMovie #SonicMovie #zelda
In this new review, I break down the Version 3 update, what’s improved, and why Alarmo still isn’t the premium $100 experience it should be.
*******
Article:
The Nintendo Alarmo was released for Nintendo Switch Online members nearly half a year ago. In that time, Nintendo has added a couple of new alarms: namely, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Bros. However, up until now, Nintendo hadn’t really addressed any of the major issues with the alarm that I detailed in my original review.
With the recent release of Version 3.0, Nintendo has finally improved some of the complaints I had with the original software. Obviously, there’s no fixing hardware complaints such as the screen not being OLED (and, yes, for $100, you bet your a** it should have been OLED), but there is room for software improvements.
And in version 3.0, I’m happy to report that Nintendo Alarmo is now not a total embarrassment…but it’s still not worth $100.
First of all—and Nintendo deserves no credit for taking half a year to introduce this—but you can now preview alarms before you set them. It’s absolutely astonishing it took Nintendo this long to fix this issue, because it was so annoying to test alarms before this update. Again, this is a $100 alarm, and for that price you should expect it to be a premium experience, and not missing obvious and easy-to-implement features.
But, it’s better late than never.
Secondly, you can now set sleepy sounds to play for any length of time between 1 and 60 minutes. While this is certainly welcome, you still need to set your bed-time to play sleepy sounds (you can’t just play them whenever you want, outside of a defined bed-time).
I don’t understand why there’s a 60-minute limit. Sometimes it would be nice to have ambient Nintendo music playing throughout the day. Would it kill Nintendo to just let you set Sleepy Sounds to play for any length of time you want? Why is there any limitations to begin with? I’m not going to pretend that this is a difficult issue to address. This should be easy for a multi-billion-dollar company.
Finally for the big improvements, you can now set an alarm for each day of the week. In my first review, I complained that you couldn’t set multiple alarms. But my complaint isn’t actually solved in this new update. My problem was that I wanted to set multiple alarms throughout the same day. Or, in other words, I wanted the freedom to set unlimited alarms whenever I wanted. You know…like a f****** smart phone, tablet, computer, or other smart alarm.
Sure, being able to set your alarm every day of the week is a welcome improvement, but why the he** is there any limitations to begin with? This is a $100 f****** alarm clock, and it can’t even do basic things that pretty much any piece of tech can do.
There are other minor improvements in this update, like being able to dim the screen a little bit more, and you’ll now be able to view the MAC address of your Alarmo even when you’re not connected to the Internet. Because I know everyone was just clamoring for that improvement.
Yeah, Nintendo, don’t give us a way to check the weather, or set multiple alarms, or listen to ambient music…just let us view the MAC address offline. That’s what we need. That’s what we paid $100 for.
Anyway, Nintendo Alarmo remains a perplexing device. Instead of just fixing the glaring issues completely, Nintendo has decided to take half measures—which to be honest is even more infuriating than if they just didn’t update the device at all. Nintendo: if you’re going to through the trouble of updating this thing, why even enforce any limitations? Just correct the problems once and for all.
Nintendo will probably improve things further, but based on this update, I don’t think Nintendo Alarmo will ever be great software-wise. And in terms of hardware, well, there’s nothing Nintendo can do.
I mentioned in my original review that Nintendo would need to add multiple new alarms per month to make this thing worth it, and clearly they haven’t done that. So, based on Version 3.0, Nintendo Alarmo is still not worth $100, and while objectively it is a better device than it was in late-2024, I’m somehow more disappointed in this thing now than I was back then.
Thank you for watching, and don’t forget to subscribe for more honest Nintendo content.
#NintendoAlarmo #Alarmo #AlarmoUpdate
From its unique motion controls to its memorable music and classic Zelda structure, Skyward Sword still holds up. This video will explore what makes Skyward Sword special, and why modern Zelda games aren't appealing to many Zelda fans.
This is the first episode of our "Best Zelda Games" series, with four more videos on the way. Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the bell so you’re notified when new episodes drop.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:00 The Motion Controls
3:13 Switch Version Differences
4:04 Story
4:48 The Game World
6:00 A Sky Full of Nothing
7:14 Music
8:01 Graphics
9:13 Dungeons
10:44 Conclusion
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Article:
In this video series, we’ll be ranking the best Zelda games ever made. That means Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are automatically disqualified.
Yes, despite Rolling Stone crowning Breath of the Wild the best video game ever made, I don’t even think it’s in the Top 5 Best Zelda games, let alone the best video game ever.
Don’t get me wrong: when I first played Breath of the Wild, I thought it was a…”breath” of fresh air (sorry). The large open world where you could go literally anywhere was exciting for a Nintendo game, but I soon found out that open worlds with little to do in them except collect literal **** wasn’t my thing.
In fact, I’ve only played a couple of open world games that truly impressed me, and those were games with enormous budgets like Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA V (and to a lesser extent, Skyrim). Game developers need to spend a fortune to make open world games compelling, and while Nintendo did spend a lot of time and money on Breath of the Wild and its sequel, I guess it still wasn’t enough to impress me much in the long run.
As the years went on, I found myself not wanting to replay the two most recent 3D Zelda games. In fact, I’ve not even finished Tears of the Kingdom, which makes it the first Zelda game in history I quit playing. Instead, I prefer literally all other 3D Zelda games.
Notice I said “3D” Zelda games, because in my opinion the 3D Zelda games are better than the 2D iterations. I have nothing against 2D games, and I even grew up with the Super Nintendo where there was almost nothing but 2D games. But, I only started playing Zelda with the Nintendo 64 generation, so I may be a little biased in preferring the 3D games.
…Or, maybe they’re just better—period.
Keep in mind, for this series, I’ll be using port or remake versions of games if I think they’re better than the originals. With all that background info out of the way, let’s get started with the first of the five BEST Zelda games.
Skyward Sword (2011, 2021)
The Motion Controls
Originally released on the Wii in 2011 and later remastered for the Switch in 2021, Skyward Sword for the Wii innovated motion control in video games. To this date, it is sadly the best motion control video game ever made, with only Wii Sports Resort and Red Steel 2 coming close on consoles. I say “sadly” because motion controls are awesome, and I don’t care about the whiners in the comments who will disagree with me.
(By the way, I’m aware VR games such as on the Meta Quest 3 carry the torch of Wii era games, but that’s a different video).
Skyward Sword is heavily reliant on motion controls, with the Wii MotionPlus accessory allowing for precise swordplay with its added gyroscope which complemented the accelerometer in the original Wii Remote. Unlike traditional button-based combat, gamers had to swing the sword realistically using their own arms to attack in a specific direction to counter enemies that actively blocked or reacted to attacks. This added a layer of strategy to combat, making even basic fights feel more important. To date, there’s no other Zelda game like it.
Switch Version Differences
The HD version on Switch introduced button-based controls as an alternative to the motion controls, but I will make fun of you if you use buttons in Skyward Sword. Unless you have a great accessibility reason, the game should be played with motion controls.
Don’t get me wrong: the Switch Joy-Con’s motion controls aren’t as good as the Wii Remote motion controls. That’s why I’m ranking the Wii version of Skyward Sword slightly higher than the HD version. While the HD version had some welcome improvements—namely the graphics and frame rate—along with less annoying dialogue interruptions and other quality of life improvements, the Wii Remote Plus motion controls are more important to me.
However, I can understand if some gamers prefer the Switch version for the 60 frames per second frame rate, save improvements, and other enhancements.
Read the full article:
nintendoup.com
Skyward Sword review.
#zelda #skywardsword #nintendo #retrogaming
*It's still probably not worth $99 USD.
Watch our Nintendo Alarmo full review: youtube.com/watch?v=DpCeE-qAxlA
Visit nintendoup.com for more news and exclusive content.
#nintendoalarmo #alarmo #supermariobros
Lasting roughly 20-25 minutes, the demo contains three levels from the first world and some content not present in the full game. This video contains commentary and a full playthrough of the demo.
Did you try the demo or buy the full game? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Full Review:
nintendoup.com/review-donkey-kong-country-returns-hd-for-nintendo-switch
"This demo lets you play in modern mode with extra hearts and expanded item storage. The full version of the game includes original mode, a more challenging way to play, with fewer hearts and limited item storage.
In the demo version of the game, you'll receive some special items to help you reach the end of the level!"
#DonkeyKongCountryReturnsHD #NintendoSwitch #donkeykong
Some, like DOOM: The Dark Ages, seem very likely—while others are a long shot. But if they do make it, they’d be amazing to play on Nintendo’s next-gen portable console.
0:00 Introduction
0:33 – DOOM: The Dark Ages
The DOOM series has had a strong presence on the Nintendo Switch, with DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal both making their way to the system. With the improved hardware of the Switch 2, I’m hoping DOOM: The Dark Ages will have much better performance and visuals, making it a must-play first-person shooter.
2:02 – Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
The Like a Dragon/Yakuza series is one of my all-time favorites, and it’s time for more of these games to come to Nintendo systems. While Yakuza Kiwami made it to the original Switch, there are so many better entries in the series that deserve a spot on the Switch 2. The latest entry, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, looks incredible, and I really hope it (along with future Like a Dragon titles) makes its way to Nintendo’s next console.
3:07 – Fable 4
This one is a long shot, but I would love to see Fable 4 on the Switch 2. The Fable series has never been on a Nintendo (or PlayStation) system before, but Microsoft has been open to bringing more of its games to different platforms lately. While Fable 3 was disappointing, the first two Fable games were amazing, and I’m cautiously optimistic that Fable 4 will bring the franchise back to its former glory. If it does, a Switch 2 port would be welcome.
4:36 – Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO
As a huge Dragon Ball fan, I’ve loved so many of the DBZ games over the years, from Budokai to Legacy of Goku and beyond. Sparking! ZERO is essentially Budokai Tenkaichi 4, and it looks incredible. With a massive roster of over 200 characters, it’s the ultimate way to recreate iconic Dragon Ball battles. I already have it on Xbox, but I’d love to play it portably on the Switch 2. Given how many DBZ games have come to Nintendo platforms, I think this one has a strong chance.
6:19 – Persona 3 Reload
Persona 3 Reload is one of my favorite JRPGs ever, and I was blown away when I played it on Xbox Game Pass. I’ve played Persona 3, 4, 5, and even Tokyo Mirage Sessions on Wii U, but Persona 3 Reload might be the best in the series. Since almost every Persona game is already on the Switch, it would be shocking if Persona 3 Reload didn’t make it to the Switch 2. I also hope we get Metaphor: ReFantazio, which isn't a Persona game but shares a similar style. The social elements, incredible story, and turn-based combat make these games top my wishlist.
8:05 – Conclusion
What Games Do You Want on the Switch 2?
These are just five third-party games I hope come to the Switch 2, but there are so many more that would be nice to have. Let me know in the comments what games YOU want to see on Nintendo’s Switch 2!
Also, keep in mind none of these games are first-party titles (like Mario Kart 9, the only officially announced first-party game). Let me know if you'd like a first-party Nintendo game wishlist video from NintendoUp in the future.
#nintendoswitch2 #top5games #persona3reload
In this video, NintendoUp ranks all five mainline Donkey Kong Country console titles. We'll breakdown what makes each of these 5 games unique—and find out which one takes the top spot!
What Are the Top 5 Best Donkey Kong Country Games?
For such a long-running franchise, there’s not actually that many Donkey Kong Country games. Sure, the Super Nintendo was spoiled with 3 of them, but then there was a 14-year gap until Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii.
Luckily, Donkey Kong fans got the 3D collectathon Donkey Kong 64 and other spinoffs during the long wait, plus a bunch of ports and remakes of the SNES games. And, yes, even a Game Boy spinoff trilogy which featured new levels. Those games, called Donkey Kong Land 1, 2, and 3, are good, but none of them are better than the console Donkey Kong Country titles.
When all is said and done, there’s only 5 main Donkey Kong Country games released for home consoles.
With the new release of the rather disappointing DKCR port for Switch, I thought it would be time to finally figure out which Donkey Kong Country game is the best. So without further ado, let’s find out.
Donkey Kong Country 3
Donkey Kong Country 3 is a great game, and just because it’s last on my list doesn't mean it isn’t one of my favorite games. I have great memories playing this game as a child.
I can recall one of the best nostalgic moments of my life was playing this game after watching an episode of the old Pokemon anime, and then finding out that school would be cancelled due to a snow storm. There was something about the atmosphere of playing the waterfall level, combined with nothing but good feelings and good news, that contributed to such a memorable moment for me that has stayed with me for decades. So, yeah, I have special feelings for this game.
That being said, I really hoped after Donkey Kong Country 2, that Donkey Kong would finally be playable again. Instead, we got Kiddy Kong. Or, more appropriately, Dinky Kong as he’s known in Japan.
Look, Dinky Kong isn’t bad, but I don’t understand why he exists. As far as I know, he has barely shown up since this game, so he feels like one of the many characters from the TV show Dexter that appear for a few episodes, then just disappear forever.
Nothing about Dinky Kong is better than the OG, Donkey Kong, so I wish they just brought Donkey Kong back.
As far as the levels are concerned, Donkey Kong Country 3 has great atmosphere. Maybe even better atmosphere than the original game. I love the snow levels and the new penguin enemies. There’s just something fun about stomping on penguins. I don’t know, maybe I’m a simple man with simple needs.
But despite some great level themes, like the factory levels, there’s also the kind of boring mill levels. Don’t get me wrong, the first time I played a mill level, I liked it. But they got boring after a while, and the scenery just didn’t work for me. As mentioned, though, there’s lots of good stuff. Hell, maybe I’ll do a separate video just on Donkey Kong Country 3.
The music was composed by Evelene Fischer, or Novakovic now, and the tunes are pretty good. I’ve already done a Top 10 video for the best music from Donkey Kong Country 3, so here I’ll just say that David Wise actually composed the music for the GBA port of the game. There’s some debate on which is better, but I’ll just say this: Donkey Kong Country 3 for GBA is the only version which features a song by Alabama 3, the composers of the Sopranos theme song, called “Ain’t Goin to Goa.”
Okay, maybe that’s a joke, but maybe not.
Anyway, I need to move on from DKC 3 or this video will be an hour long, but let me know in the comments if you’d like a full video about each Donkey Kong Country game.
Donkey Kong Country
The original Donkey Kong Country is a classic, and without it we wouldn’t even have this video, and the world would be a darker place for that.
So many characters were introduced in this 1994 Rare re-imagining of Donkey Kong. We of course got Diddy Kong, but also Candy Kong, Cranky Kong, Funky Kong, and all the animal buddies like Rambi, Enguarde, Winky, Espresso, and Squawks. While not every animal buddy has had success after the Super Nintendo, they still hold a place in every Donkey Kong fan’s heart.
And who could forget about the Kremlings? Oh… Nintendo, that’s who.
King K. Rool remains the ultimate villain of the Donkey Kong series, and I loved his final boss fight in this game. It was such a fourth-wall breaking tease.
This game was also the first to feature the beautiful David Wise music we’ve all come to love, and basically every other staple of the franchise for many decades.
Read the full article on NintendoUp.com
Credits:
DKC 2 Symphony
@BenZimmermannMusic
DKC 3 GBA HD Arrangements
@drawnquartered1284
#donkeykongcountry #nintendoswitch #retrogaming
This bare-bones, lazy port by Forever Entertainment does little to enhance Retro Studios' 2010 Wii classic. Yet, despite the credit omissions, lack of improvements, and questionable design choices, the brilliance of the original game still shines through.
Watch our in-depth breakdown of this disappointing Nintendo Switch update.
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:30 - Background: Donkey Kong's Return
3:07 - It's the Same Game
4:48 - The Positives
5:36 - Great Graphics?
6:21 - Okay Enemies
7:16 - Controls
8:05 - Story
9:00 - Replay Value
10:50 - Music & Sound
11:59 - Difficulty
13:09 - Better Presentation?
14:37 - Loading...
15:11 - Missed Opportunities
1) 15:47 - Better Graphics
2) 15:56 - Consistent Fur Textures
3) 16:18 - Redone Soundtrack
4) 16:29 - Updated Samples
5) 16:43 - New Levels
6) 17:00 - Characters
7) 17:12 - Return of King K. Rool
8) 17:35 - Better Load Times
9) 17:52 - Added...Something!
18:00 - Unforgivable Injustice
19:36 - Verdict
Article: nintendoup.com/review-donkey-kong-country-returns-hd-for-nintendo-switch
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a bare-bones, lazy, and disrespectful port by a shovelware developer. Yet, despite Nintendo and developer Forever Entertainment doing everything in their power to prevent this: I still enjoyed playing the game. That’s a testament to the talent of the original developers, who were unforgivably removed from the credits of this shameless cash grab.
Background: Donkey Kong’s Return
I’m a huge fan of Donkey Kong, and Retro Studios. I loved every game they released (with Metroid Prime 2 being my least favorite, and the original Metroid Prime being at the top). When Retro unleashed Donkey Kong Country Returns in 2010 for the Nintendo Wii, it was a joyous occasion. Not only was Donkey Kong Country back after 14 years since the last Super Nintendo game, but it was being developed by perhaps my favorite developer ever (at the time).
Donkey Kong Country Returns did not disappoint me at all, and neither did the 3DS port developed by Monster Games which added a few new levels in a 9th world (the original game had 8 worlds and one secret level). We’ll talk about why I loved the game in detail later in the review.
Retro later went on to develop the excellent sequel Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for the Nintendo Wii U (which was later ported to the Nintendo Switch with a Funky Kong mode). Many consider Tropical Freeze a better game than Returns. I’m not one of those people, but I love both games. I just think Returns is better due to more level variety, and the fact that Tropical Freeze’s levels run a tad too long (this may sound like a weird complaint, but it’s true).
Sadly, ever since Tropical Freeze’s release in 2014, Donkey Kong seemed mostly neglected by Nintendo.
For perspective, it was 14 years between release of Donkey Kong Country 3 and Returns, but in that time there were lots of ports and spin-offs like DK Jungle Climber (for Nintendo DS), the racing game Barrel Blast (for Wii), and so forth. Hell, there was even a Nintendo-developed Donkey Kong Jungle Beat game for Nintendo GameCube and Wii.
In contrast, it’s been 11 years since Tropical Freeze’s release until now, and the only Donkey Kong games we’ve gotten in those 11 years are ports of the two most recent games for Nintendo Switch.
With that in mind, when Donkey Kong Country Returns HD was announced in a Nintendo Direct on June 18th, 2024, I was excited to replay one of my favorite 2D platformers ever made. At the same time, I was perplexed it wasn’t a new game. Surely, I thought, this port would at least feature new levels or enhancements to make the long wait for a proper new Donkey Kong game a little more endurable. Right?
It’s the Same. Damn. Game.
Well, it turns out I was wrong about this port. Not only does it not feature any new levels, but it also doesn’t really have any enhancements over the Nintendo 3DS version developed by Monster Games. In fact, it seems like a direct conversion of that 3DS port, with the only “major” change being Donkey Kong’s fur.
Look, I get it. “Don’t fix what isn’t broken.” That’s a fine bit of advice, and maybe I’d agree with it if there weren’t already two different ways to play Donkey Kong Country Returns. Forever Entertainment could have, and should have, done something new with this version of the game.
Fans have plenty of ways to replay the original game if they want to. And, hell, nothing was stopping Nintendo from offering both the original experience and something new in one cartridge.
Sure, this version of the game looks better than the Wii and 3DS originals—but just barely...
Read the full review on NintendoUp.com
#nintendoswitch #gamereview #donkeykong
Sorry, Pokémon, Mario, and Metroid fans...a "shovelware" developer may have you beat this time with a licensed anime game.
Article: nintendoup.com/the-best-game-boy-advance-game-is-a-licensed-dragonball-z-game
The Game Boy Advance is home to some truly amazing games. Titles like Golden Sun, Pokémon, Super Mario Advance, Sonic Advance and Metroid Fusion are just the tip of the iceberg. Among these classics, there are timeless RPGs like Mario and Luigi and ports of Final Fantasy. But did you know that there are two action RPGs on the system that shine just as bright?
Dragon Ball Z: Legacy of Goku II alongside its sequel, Buu’s Fury, are exceptional RPG experiences that many other Nintendo websites fail to mention.
While there are no shortage of contenders for the title of “best Game Boy Advance game,” Legacy of Goku II and Buu’s Fury stand out for their incredible replayability and sheer fun factor, especially for fans of Dragon Ball (and, frankly, if you’re not a fan, what’s wrong with you?). Personally, I’ve played these two games to completion about 20 times a piece. For someone like me, who rarely revisits games after the credits roll, this speaks volumes about their quality.
Why Replayability Matters
I typically move on after beating a game, but the ones I revisit share a special quality—games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, Super Mario World, and Super Mario Galaxy all fall into this category. These are legendary titles, and I place Legacy of Goku II and Buu’s Fury in the same league for their sheer replay value. It’s not like there’s hundreds of hours of content; it’s only that the games are so entertaining.
Though I wouldn’t claim they match the technical or artistic brilliance of something like Super Mario Galaxy, they’ve carved out a special place in my heart. Even when I have access to all the Mario and Zelda games, I often find myself choosing these action RPGs instead. It’s all about the mood I happen to be in.
The Redemption of a Flawed Predecessor
The original Legacy of Goku game, while nostalgic, is objectively not…great. It has balance issues that make it a chore to play. Even after applying a mod to improve the gameplay by reducing the attack power of the wolf enemies that roam the game world (among some other needed tweaks), it pales compared to its sequels.
That said, Legacy of Goku II and Buu’s Fury take everything fans loved about Dragon Ball Z and turn it into an engaging handheld experience. Developer Webfoot Technologies (who are mostly known for shovelware) really got their act together for the sequels. These games capture the anime’s essence and deliver it in a format you can take anywhere.
I remember playing these games, and watching friends play, at school. When we came home, we’d sometimes even plop the cartridge into the Game Boy Player on the GameCube and play the game on the big screen, often reading the dialogue aloud. The dialogue was so close to the anime that it was like reading a television script (but far more fun).
The Magic of the Bruce Faulconer Soundtrack
One of the standout features of these games is the music. The Legacy of Goku series is among the few Dragon Ball Z games to include Bruce Faulconer’s iconic American soundtrack. For fans of the US broadcast, this music is more than background noise—it’s a defining part of the experience. I’d be so bold to claim that without the Faulconer score, these games would be missing half the experience of the American show.
Sadly, it’s unlikely we’ll see another Dragon Ball Z game with this soundtrack, making these titles even more special for fans like me.
Staying Faithful to the Anime
The Legacy of Goku series sticks closely to the anime’s storyline, condensing it to fit within the constraints of a Game Boy Advance cartridge. Many lines of dialogue are lifted straight from the show, and the gameplay incorporates elements like training and leveling up that reflect the anime’s themes.
That’s not to say the games stay strictly to the anime canon, as throughout the games you will encounter movie characters like Broly and Cooler that never appeared in the television series. These artistic liberties are actually welcome and keep the game fresh. If the games were just a word-for-word retelling with no side content or unique NPCs to discover, things would grow stale. To be honest, I wish the games went further and included every movie character to fight.
Read more: nintendoup.com/the-best-game-boy-advance-game-is-a-licensed-dragonball-z-game
#dragonball #gba #dragonballz #underratedgames
NintendoUp! breaks down the controversial topics surrounding Punch-Out!!, from its "offensive" stereotypes to the game's underwhelming sales. Was it simply a victim of changing times, or did the criticisms punch it out of existence? Watch to find out!
Article: nintendoup.com/did-wokeness-deliver-the-final-blow-to-punch-out
We all know Punch-Out!! is dead. There hasn’t been a new installment since the excellent 2009 Wii game of the same name (I still remember renting that game from a local store). And now, we might know why the franchise is dead.
Imran Khan, a presenter for Kinda Funny Games, recently stated on the Reset Era forum that the franchise is dead for the following reason:
The story I was told, and bear in mind this could just be the perspective of one person and no one else, was that there was significantly more backlash against the characters of the Wii game than they expected. And this team spent a lot of time assuring Nintendo that they weren’t leaning into bad stereotypes that would get called out this time, so everyone just kind of furrowed their brow and called it done. Especially since other games from that team had much, much higher sales potential.
Keep in mind Imran Khan extracted this information out of someone from Next Level Games (the developer behind Punch-Out!!) who they “got drunk at a bar.” Journalism, folks.
Punch-Out!! came out during a time when “problematic” TV shows like The Office were still on the air (let’s not pretend people would allow the same kind of comedy show to release in 2025). It was during a time when Apu from The Simpsons was still Apu and nobody cared. I like to call it the “normal” times.
Alright, some of this isn’t my type of comedy—but it was deliberately absurd for comedic effect.
Granted, I’m not a teenager anymore. For today’s teens, 2025 is normal, and so are all the garbage Star Wars movies from Disney. I remember when people were hating on the Star Wars prequels when I was a kid, and all I could do was shake my head and wonder why. The prequels were my generation’s Star Wars, and they were normal to me (and trash to older, cynical men).
What’s really unsettling are full-grown adults who used to be completely different people up until 2015 when a certain “orange” dude was running for president. Then, suddenly, everyone became super sensitive and overly defensive about every little thing as if to compensate for the man in the white house. I’m not giving my political opinions here; I’m merely pointing out the shift in attitude.
I saw a gaming website I once liked turn into a weird place. People who used to joke about truly offensive stuff (even beyond my comfort zone) became enlightened social justice warriors overnight, “defending” the very people they had made fun of the night before.
(continued on website: nintendoup.com/did-wokeness-deliver-the-final-blow-to-punch-out)
Cancel Culture
#punchout #gamingculture #drama
Exciting new details have emerged, including a patent that seemingly confirms the upcoming console will feature 4K upscaling with Nvidia DLSS and ray tracing support. With the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 approaching, it's likely that we'll see the Switch 2 officially unveiled sooner than expected, making this an exciting time for Nintendo fans.
Chapters:
0:00 Switch 2 Reveal Next Week?
0:55 Switch 2 Patent "Confirms" 4K and Ray Tracing
Article: nintendoup.com/the-switch-2-will-probably-be-unveiled-in-a-week
On Christmas Eve 2024, we wrote about a rumor that the Switch 2 reveal would be on January 8th, 2025. Now, it’s looking more likely that rumor was true, with the new announcement that accessory maker Genki is set to appear at CES 2025 to discuss “any Switch 2 info.”
The 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) starts January 7th, 2025 in Las Vegas. Genki will be showing off and discussing their products there from 10 am to 2 pm. This is including any products they have lined up for the Switch 2.
Genki has stated they’d be “happy to discuss any Switch 2 information” they have, including “the stuff” they’re developing for it.
After all these leaks, Nintendo is seemingly close to revealing the Switch 2 officially. Whether it’s on January 8th or not, it’s at least likely to be this month.
Sorry, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (releasing January 16th), your time in the spotlight looks to be running out. The Switch 2 reveal is coming soon.
(For those of you who don’t know, “genki” means “energetic” or “healthy” in Japanese. So “I’m feeling rather genki” means…well, you get it).
Article 2: nintendoup.com/switch-2-will-likely-support-nvidia-4k-ai-upscaling-ray-tracing
An NVIDIA employee looks to have confirmed that the Tegra239 chip will be powering the Switch 2.
Per r/GamingLeaksAndRumors, that would mean the Switch 2 has the following specs:
T239 SoC
8-core CPU – likely to be ARM Cortex A78C/A78
Ampere-based GPU that may incorporate some Lovelace features (source)
The 2nd generation Nintendo Switch graphics API contains references [to] DLSS 2.2 and ray tracing support (source)
The Important Details
The most interesting tidbits here are the mention of DLSS 2.2 and ray tracing. Ray tracing is a very expensive technology that requires powerful hardware. Frankly, the results have never been that impressive on the Xbox Series S (which is certainly on or above the power level of the Switch 2) so I doubt it’s anything to get excited about.
DLSS 2.2 upscaling, however, could be useful for those of you who game on a 4K TV (I don’t).
Furthermore, a new patent which was recently published corroborates the use of Nvidia’s 4K AI upscaling technology for the Switch 2. This would allow for smaller file sizes (to fit on a Switch 2 cartridge) while employing DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) to increase the resolution of a game from, for example, 1080p to 4K.
The example given is that a game with native 4K textures might need a 60GB download, but a 1080 native version might only need 20GB (which would allow it to fit on a 32GB Switch Cart, the current max size Nintendo produces for Switch 1). The idea being to do a 4X upscale on the device in realtime.
What Does This All Mean?
Laura Kate Dale speculates Nintendo wants to make sure third-party porting is easy on the Switch 2. I concur. Therefore, you should (hopefully) be seeing a lot of titles come to PS5, Series X, and Switch 2…at least for the first couple years. And, of course, with compromises.
However, The Verge’s Tom Warren has stated the console won’t be as powerful as the PS4 Pro as previously believed by many.
Frankly, it’s hard to compare since the Switch 2 will be using modern mobile technology that the PS4 Pro lacks. The PS4 Pro didn’t have Nvidia DLSS or Ray Tracing, and was bottlenecked by a rather weak CPU (but it had a strong GPU).
In real life use, the Switch 2 could certainly seem like it’s more powerful than a PS4 Pro even if it’s not. And what’s more important—technical specs or the final result on screen?
#switch2 #nintendoswitch2 #ces2025
Research/Writing by NintendoUp!
Video Editing by nintendoup.com
Narration by NintendoUp.com
This parody video was "inspired" by DYKG...yeah, "inspired." That's it. :)
Sources/Further Reading:
Iwata Asks, 2010: Astro Bot
Thank you to Shigeru Miyamoto for making Astro Bot. RIP to Iwata. And RIP to Super Smash Bros...shame it got demolished by PS All Stars.
#astrobot #memes #thegameawards
This video will rank my favorite Nintendo Switch games of the year in a tier list, and ultimately award the best game of 2024. We'll also take an honest look at the year as a whole, and look to the future of Nintendo.
https://NintendoUp.com
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
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0:57 Luigi's Mansion 2 HD
2:10 Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition
2:52 Princess Peach: Showtime
3:54 The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
6:43 Mario and Luigi: Brothership
8:23 Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble
9:23 Tetris Forever
9:49 Sonic X Shadow Generations
11:10 Another Code: Recollection
12:19 Famicom Detective Club
13:28 Super Mario Party Jamboree
14:14 Freedom Planet 2
14:40 Braid: Anniversary Edition
15:03 Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Remake
15:54 Fantasian: Neo Dimension
17:06 World of Goo 2
18:06 Bakeru
20:27 Castlevania Dominus Collection
22:03 Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GBA Remake)
22:50 Endless Ocean: Luminous
23:51 Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Game Collection
24:51 Hatch Tales
26:21 Shin Chan Shiro and the Coal Town
27:02 Shin Megami Tensei Vengeance
29:00 Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
29:57 Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind
30:27 Yakuza Kiwami
32:30 Pizza Tower
33:08 Penny's Big Breakaway
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34:53 Tier List Breakdown
37:17 Year in Review: 2024
38:55 Game of the Year Selection
40:30 Conclusion
42:47 The Future
#thegameawards #nintendoswitch #goty2024


