Check Out These Sublime Soundtrack Samples From Octopath Traveler II

42 song previews are available.

Can you believe we’re only just over a month away from Octopath Traveler II‘s release? Well, ahead of the game’s launch on 24th February, Square Enix has shared some previews of the game’s soundtrack over on its Japanese site (via NoisyPixel). And my goodness, if there’s one thing we can be sure of, the music sounds like it will be special.

Was there any doubt, with Octopath Traveler composer Yasunori Nishiki returning to the help? Of course not. And from every single trailer we’ve had so far, the music has sounded magnificent. But Square Enix wants to hammer that home and has shared 42 samples (!!!) of the upcoming soundtrack. That’s the first two discs of this behemoth six-disc OST.

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Guide: Best Zombie Games On Nintendo Switch

Undead and docked.

Every decade or so, something big happens to bring zombies back into our lives. Whether it was the release of George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead in 1978, the publication and subsequent adaptation of The Walking Dead, the hugely popular ‘Zombies’ mode in the Call of Duty series, or the meteoric rise of The Last of Us, we love a date with the undead.

This fascination with these brain-munching beings has inspired games by the boatload. Yes, there are the two aforementioned series, but the list of great zombie games goes on. The Switch, for the most part, has steered clear of these big titles. There are a lot of zombie games on the console for you to sink your teeth into, but the number of them that we would actually recommend playing? That’s a much shorter list.

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Digimon World: Next Order Frame Rate, Resolution And File Size For Switch Revealed

Out next month.

Digimon fans will want to make some space on their Switch with the arrival of Digimon World: Next Order next month. This new version of the 2016 PlayStation Vita release comes with a brand new ‘Beginner’ mode on Switch and also other features like the ability to run faster.

Additionally, there are improved specs. As highlighted via a translation, the official Japanese game website has revealed the title is “largely a 60 FPS experience”, but can drop to 30 FPS in certain circumstances. In terms of resolution, the game will run at 1080p docked and 720p handheld. In contrast, the PS4 version runs at a consistent 60 FPS, with a resolution of 1080p.

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Poll: Box Art Brawl: Duel – Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge

Revenge is sweet.

Hello folks, welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl!

Last time, we took a look at Metroid Prime: Hunters on the Nintendo DS and the end result was pretty unanimous. The vast majority of you prefered the western design over Japan’s, with North America and Europe winning with a whopping 86% of the vote! Clearly, the more abstract approach from Japan just didn’t sit well with folks.

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Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris DLC 1 Launches On Switch Next Week

“Step back into the virtual world”.

Following the launch of Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris last September, Bandai Namco has now locked in the release date of DLC 1 “Blooming of Forget Me Not” – announcing it will be launching on the Switch on 18th January (that’s next week).

This DLC contains an increased max level, new story, divine beasts, new maps, dungeons, weapons, outfits and much more:

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The Simpsons Hit & Run Soundtrack Is Out Now On Spotify And Apple Music

Can we have the game now as well?

There have been a number of stories over the years about possibly reviving The Simpsons Hit & Run – a Grand Theft Auto-like title set in the fictional town of Springfield. While we don’t seem to be any closer to a comeback, earlier this week fans of the 2003 title noticed how the game’s soundtrack has now been uploaded to services like Spotify and Apple Music:

Unsurprisingly, it’s got some wondering if the game might return in the near future. Back in 2021, Matt Selman – an individual who worked on the animated show since 1997 – mentioned how he would “love” to see Hit & Run revived, but said it would be “complicated” to bring back (via IGN):

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Video: Watch This Splatoon 3 Pro Team Collect 241 Golden Eggs In A “World Record” Salmon Run

Mr. Grizz must be happy.

Splatoon might be primarily known as a competitive shooter, but since the release of the second game, Nintendo has expanded upon the original concept with its cooperative wave mode Salmon Run. If you do enjoy putting in a shift for Mr. Grizz, you might want to check out the above IGN video.

It’s a detailed breakdown of a world-record Salmon Run focused on a group of pro Splatoon 3 players (Brian, Gungee, Marty and Reyko) who were able to gather a whopping 241 golden eggs. What’s perhaps even more impressive is the fact it’s been done using an online connection – so the team has to factor in latency issues.

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Feature: Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider’s JoyMasher On Dev Nightmares And Changing Direction

“It was originally supposed to be more linear, like Dracula X”.

Publisher The Arcade Crew and developer Joymasher have just launched their latest retro-inspired title Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider, an homage to classic 16-bit action platformers like Shinobi III and Hagane: The Final Conflict. The game is a remarkably authentic retro experience that puts the focus firmly on quick, replayable sessions with hidden items and branching pathways. We were particularly enamoured with the game in our review, awarding it a solid score of 9/10; be sure to check that out if you’re interested in adding Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider to your Switch collection.

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Soapbox: All Fish Pokémon Are Bad, And There’s A Good Reason Why

Go (away) fish.

I’ll start this with a confusing admission: My favourite thing in the world is a trip to an aquarium. I could spend days gazing through the curved glass of a tank, watching sharks glide past me, pressing my hand against the smooth, white underbelly of a stingray, and taking note of the clownfish darting in and out of the swaying mass of a sea anemone. Aquariums are my happy place. They’re fascinating, beautiful, entrancing, and for a kid who grew up pretty far away from the ocean, basically magic.

So why do I dislike fish Pokémon so much? It’s precisely because they have nothing in common with those actual fish in an aquarium, or in the sea. Let me explain.

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Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (January 14th)

Game on.

With the Christmas chocolates finally dwindling in number, we think it’s fair to say that 2023 is well under way. And as the year kicks off, so too do we see the return of gaming news — nature is healing, people!

This week at Nintendo Life, we have been welcoming in the new year with open arms, looking to the months ahead and talking about some of the upcoming big games. We prepared for some of the titles which are right around the corner as we ranked the best narratives in the Fire Emblem series and asked what is next for Final Fantasy on Switch after the pixel remaster? Then, of course, we looked on to Zelda, pondering which games we should all replay before Tears of the Kingdom comes out.

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