GameCube will be available for Switch 2’s ‘Expansion Pack’ tier.
The Nintendo Today! mobile app has been sharing additional footage of the GameCube games on the way to the Switch 2’s online expansion pack at launch, and the latest video is a look at SoulCalibur II.
This Namco fighter originally made its debut on consoles in 2003, with each version featuring guest characters. PlayStation 2 got Heihachi Mishima from Tekken, Xbox got Spawn, and GameCube as you might recall got Link from The Legend of Zelda. You can see him in action in the footage above (thanks, Universo Nintendo).
Lara Croft returned earlier this year on the Switch and multiple other platforms with Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered.
Now, a few months later, this collection has received its very first patch which includes visual touch-ups, general fixes, new outfits unlocked, and much more. Here are the full patch notes shared on Aspyr’s website:
Sorry, everyone! We were a little distracted by yesterday’s Mario Kart World Direct and had to push the latest numbers from Famitsu aside for a little while. But have no fear, we’re back to provide the latest look at the Japanese charts.
Much like last time, it has been a pretty quiet week in the wake of Nintendo opening the floodgates on Switch 2, but Super Mario Party Jamboree has still managed to find itself on top with an additional 6,146 sales — just imagine the numbers once the + Jamboree TV expansion drops.
Just when we thought we were starting to get a grip on what would and would not be on Switch 2 cartridges, publisher Marvelous comes in with another bombshell (thanks for the heads up, @Wario64).
In a recently published Q&A section regarding the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 edition of Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, Marvelous started to unpack what the game’s physical copy actually entails. According to the site, the red Switch 2 cart contains the full Switch 1 game and the Switch 2 Upgrade Pack, but it can be inserted into and played on either console.
An interview with GungHo America’s Senior Graphic Designer about the nostalgic logo, how it played into the new one, and the package design.
An in-depth look at the logo history of Lunar Remastered Collection.
To celebrate the release of Lunar Remastered Collection, out today for Xbox One (compatible with Xbox Series X|S), I sat down with our Senior Graphic Designer, Amy Nguyen, and talked to her about how this remaster’s logo came to be. I asked her about her inspirations, her design process, and more!
Hi Amy! Thank you for taking the time to chat with me. Can you tell us about your artistic background and some notable projects you’ve taken on while at GungHo?
Hello! I’ve had the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects, from designing the assets for one of our title’s national tournaments to collaborations with world-renowned IPs. The recent port of Grandia on consoles in 2024 was my first big project as the creative lead.
What was your initial reaction when you were asked to design the logo?
When I was presented with this project, I was excited and a little bit nervous about working on the Lunar logo, as it plays a key role in representing the game’s brand identity. I began with a few different variations, and once I had a clearer idea of where I wanted to take the logo, it then became a cycle of receiving feedback and applying that feedback until we landed on the final design.
Regarding your design process and how this version ended up becoming the official logo, did you consider the original logos when designing the new one?
I always start off by conducting some preliminary research. Since we are releasing a remaster, I wanted the main logo design to reflect the brand image of Lunar that longtime players have held dear to their hearts. Using that as my foundation, I brainstormed and sketched out as many ideas as I could think of. I went through several variations of the logo, from slight tweaks to large changes. In the end, we decided to move forward with the above logo as the final design; the iconic red of Lunar with the inner shine, paired with new gold accents as a nod to the remastered qualities of the games.
The logo went through quite a few iterations before the final one was decided. Where did you draw inspiration from when designing each version?
My primary focus was on maintaining the nostalgic shape language and color of the original “Lunar” text, as well as incorporating the fact that it is a remaster. We made most of the sketch variations to test out various design directions to narrow down what we liked and didn’t like. For example, variations two and three focused on color, mixing the red from Lunar: Silver Star Story with the blue from Lunar 2: Eternal Blue. Variations six through eleven and 17-18 focused on different accents, specifically the dragon sword and the ribbon from Lunar 2: Eternal Blue‘s Sega CD logo, along with visual elements from the games, such as a blue star. Finally, 12-16 tested out different shape languages for the font, from adding dragon accents to exaggerating the arcs and lengths of some letters. Eventually, a mix of one and five became what is now the official logo!
Are there any details on the final logo design that you’d like to highlight?
I personally love the extended tail in the ‘R’ of “Remastered,” which reflects the original Lunar logo’s ‘R’. For selected letters in “Remastered Collection,” such as the R, E, and N, I exaggerated the serifs a little more to refine the shape language and make it more interesting.
Original Lunar artist, Toshiyuki Kubooka, contributed two new key visuals to remaster. What were your impressions and how did they inform your design process for the packaging?
I was dazzled by the detail that Mr. Kubooka put into the composition of the overall key visual for each game. It was a refreshing twist to previous Lunar art to see a darker background with a collaged composition. As for the front packaging, the layout was simple to complete, since the original key visual almost perfectly fit within the cover. There were only a few areas with slight placement changes, just to ensure everything was within the safety zone.
Flipping over to the back cover, I understand you had a little more freedom with its design. What was your thought process in the assets you chose and the layout?
One of the first things I knew I wanted to do was add some of the pixel sprites onto the back cover because pixel graphics have a nostalgic charm and portray a lot of personality in each character despite the limited canvas size. To pair with the sprites, I added some screenshots to show a general overview of what the game content looks like. Design-wise, I made sure to tie in elements of the “Remastered” part of the logo, such as the gold coloring and the font, to keep everything on-brand. For the background, I wanted to make the sections distinct enough to showcase the two different games while maintaining the unified feeling of it being a collection, so I added a gradient transition. With all of the assets and composition in mind, this was the final layout I ended up on.
What is your favorite aspect of the package design?
The opportunity to work with Mr. Kubooka under his art direction, along with the collaboration that designing the package fostered for each section. I worked on the design and visual aesthetic of the overall package but had a lot of support from GungHo’s Marketing and Production teams, and from original developer Game Arts as well. Overall, this package design is a culmination of everyone’s hard work that came together to make something that I hope you will all enjoy!
Dive into the enchanting worlds of LUNAR: Silver Star Story Complete and LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Complete, two beloved JRPGs that have captured the hearts of gamers for generations.
LUNAR: Silver Star Story introduces Alex, an aspiring Dragonmaster who bands together with his friends to combat the perilous emergence of the Magic Emperor and stop him from taking over the world.
LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue picks up a thousand years later, and follows Hiro and his friends as they set out in search of the Goddess Althena alongside an enigmatic girl named Lucia. On this grand quest, fend off enemies like Borgan and White Knight Leo, who hunt down the group to eradicate what they deem to be the “Destroyer of Lunar.”
This definitive remastered edition features enhanced graphics, audio, and quality-of-life improvements that will satiate that hunger for 90s nostalgia–better than you remember! Embark on these two adventures with updated language support, now available in English, Japanese, French, and German.
Last week, we asked you embark on Joel, Ellie, and Abby’s full journey in The Last of Us Complete using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:
Wulfsychicshares Joel walking away from the guitar, in focus in the foreground
FranTGPshares a detailed shot of Ellie’s iconic tshirt
PattyGnandshares Ellie making funny faces at Joel in the mirror
ipecartsshares older Ellie staring down heavily at a gun in her hand
Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?
THEME: Nature SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on April 23, 2025
Next week, we’re feeling earthy. Share plants, trees, and all things nature from the game of your choice using #PSShare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.
To cap off two weeks of questions, confusion, and occasional answers about Nintendo Switch 2 pricing, pre-orders, DLC, Switch 2 Edition upgrades, controllers, and more, here’s another weird scenario to add to the pile. According to an FAQ from Marvelous on the upcoming game Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, at least some Nintendo Switch 2 physical cartridges will be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 1.
This comes from this Marvelous FAQ, which includes the following:
What is the physical “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition”?
The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is a red 64GB game card that includes, in full, the Nintendo Switch game and the Upgrade Pack.
There’s no need to download the full game: simply insert the card into either a Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 console, and the correct version will launch automatically.
Like most modern titles, there may be small updates or patches available at launch to provide minor fixes and improvements, but rest assured: the complete game is on the game card, ready to play from day one.
This suggests you can purchase the Nintendo Switch 2 edition of Guardians of Azuma, and slot it into a Nintendo Switch 1 to play the Nintendo Switch 1 edition of the game if you so choose. If this is indeed the case, this is the first time we’re hearing of the ability to play certain Switch 2 cartridges on the Switch 1.
We’ve known for a while that most Switch 1 games will be compatible with Switch 2. We also know that games that are exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2 (Mario Kart World, for instance), or Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of Switch 1 games (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition, with all the upgrades), won’t be playable on the Switch 1. But the question of whether you can just take Switch 2 cartridges and plug them into the Switch 1 to get the Switch 1 version of the same game has been up in the air so far. Some players have spotted an image in the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour that suggested a tiny “notch” in the plastic of Switch 2 cartridges might prevent that from being the case, but whether that notch is preventative or not remains to be seen.
It’s also unclear as to how exactly many games this will apply to. We know that first-party and some third-party physical Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will include both the base game and the Switch 2 Edition upgrades on the cartridge, while other third-parties may choose to release Switch 2 Edition games as download codes in physical packaging. Additionally, some boxed Nintendo Switch 2 games will not actually have the game on the cartridge, but instead will contain a game-key card that will allow you to download the game once you insert it.
So essentially, when you purchase a Nintendo Switch 2 boxed game at retail, you might be getting any of the following:
A physical Nintendo Switch 2-exclusive game cartridge that only works on the Switch 2
A Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game that has a Nintendo Switch 1 version on the cartridge, as well as a Switch 2 upgrade, that may or may not be playable on both Switch 2 and in its base version on the Switch 1
A game-key card that doesn’t have the game on it, but allows you to download the game in question (and may or may not also be usable on the Switch 1 as well)
A physical box with a download key for the Switch 2 that may or may not work on the Switch 1 as well
If all this has your head spinning, you’re not alone. It’s been a confusing ride trying to sort out what, exactly, you’ll be purchasing when you buy boxed Nintendo Switch 2 games, and Nintendo has been hesitant to step in and clarify things just far. We reached out to Nintendo for comment on Marvelous’ FAQ, specifically asking if it’s true that some Switch 2 cartridges will be playable on Switch 1 and if so, which. We’ll update this story if more information surfaces.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Invincible: The Dice Game is 44% off at Amazon right now. The push your luck card and dice game by Mantic Games is a fun, pick-up-and-play experience for two or more players. It comes in a relatively small box, making it a good small gift or game to take on camping trips to pass the time. With season 3 of Prime Video’s Invincible animated show now over, this sale is the perfect opportunity to spend more time with these characters and the Invincible universe.
Invincible: The Dice Game Deal on Amazon Today
Players are looking to join the Guardians of the Globe by assuming the role of new recruits, taking on other heroes and fighting various villains. Earn enough reputation points, and you win. Be warned, however: your resources are limited to the amount of dice available in your pool, so strategy is the name of the game. Rounds go by fast, giving you ample opportunity to try out every path to victory!
In our review of Invincible season 3, we said “Invincible’s third season makes for a fun and interesting, but not always satisfying, watch. A lot happens in these episodes – Mark wrestles with the ethics of killing, other characters die or nearly die, and new villains arrive from other galaxies or dimensions – even though little of it feels conclusive. The door is left open to several possible developments – especially when it comes to Mark’s evolving morality.” Season 4 of the popular Image comics adaptation will likely arrive in 2026.
Marvel is suiting up for another Swimsuit Special comic book release, and it looks like NetEase Games’ Marvel Rivals will join in on the summer fun with some of its own swimsuit skins.
Details on what could eventually result in the arrival of long-awaited Marvel Rivals swimsuit cosmetics were shared in a recent post on the Marvel website. It promises that Marvel will return to the fan-favorite series come July 9 with Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes, and Rivals #1. The story will give Earth’s Mightiest Heroes a much-needed break from the stresses of saving the world, but more importantly, the comic book giant teases that the run will include a sneak peek at designs for Marvel Rivals.
“Roxxon Comics is at it again when they release their own UNAUTHORIZED SWIMSUIT SPECIAL,” a description for the Marvel Swimsuit Special says. “Wasp is on the case and seizes the opportunity for Marvel’s heroes to do their OWN swimwear fashion shoot all over the world! But fear not, True Believers, we know what you’re REALLY here for! This super-sized special features splash page after splash page of gorgeous art, but with a story so you can pretend you’re ‘reading it for the articles…’”
Unfortunately, Marvel doesn’t share much about when these summer designs will launch or which characters will be included in the collection. It’s also important to note that today’s post doesn’t outright confirm that these skins will specifically be part of a swimsuit set, but considering the special’s subject matter, it would make sense to at least see some summer cosmetics included. We’ll learn more about the Marvel Swimsuit Special in the months ahead, so let’s hope future news comes with more information about how it ties into Marvel Rivals.
Marvel Rivals launched in December and quickly became a popular distraction for multiplayer fans across PC and consoles. Its competitive nature and vast character pool have had players scheming up new ways to rise through the ranks, but while many focus on improving their performance, others are far more concerned with NetEase’s plans for post-launch support. One idea that has attracted the attention of armies of fans is the hope they may one day see a Marvel Rivals swimsuit collection come to the game, and now, we know that their prayers will likely soon be answered.
Regarding launch timing, there are a few clues we can look at when guessing when swimsuits may be included. We know that Marvel Rivals Season 2 brought Emma Frost and the Hellfire Gala to the hero shooter experience just last week. With the season set to end in about three months, we can guess that the new outfits should launch with Season 3 sometime around July or August. It’s a window that makes sense based on both NetEase’s previously promised schedule while letting fans soak up the sun just before summer comes to an end.
Also launching alongside Season 3 is NetEase’s new post-launch plans. Instead of three-month seasons, Marvel Rivals fans can look forward to snappier seasons that last only about two months. That means at least one new playable hero will be included every month for the foreseeable future. For more on Marvel Rivals, you can read up on the April Fools’ Day emote that let Venom twerk. You can also click here to learn more about how NetEase made an infamous Moon Knight meme canon.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
