Editor’s Note: This initial review in progress is based only on the PlayStation 5 version so far, with the PC version experiencing launch issues.

Although Bleach is the flashiest member of the shonen anime “big three,” standing shoulder to shoulder with mega popular series like One Piece and Naruto, it has long suffered from middle child syndrome when it comes to arena fighter adaptations. Bleach Rebirth of Souls aims to break the cycle of run-of-the-mill anime fighters this series has previously been part of, delivering a unique action game that attempts to raise the genre to greater heights. Even though I still have a lot left to play before my final review, having only spent 10 hours with it since I received review code just before the Ultimate Edition went live yesterday, it’s evident that developer Tamsoft has a deep respect for the anime. Every detail of its crisp character models is meticulously crafted, and the combat feels like it’s been lifted straight out of the show, with a depth that begs to be explored. However, the story mode, where I’ve spent most of my time so far, plays like a laughable attempt at a visual novel that was hobbled together as a last-second afterthought.

Bleach Rebirth of Souls opens with a tutorial that puts its best foot forward – its combat. It’s easy to get overloaded with a bunch of confusing anime jargon as it explains how its health bar, counters, and super moves work, but here’s the quick way to understand things: This is a 3D arena fighter with Super Smash Bros.’s life stock system, Sekiro’s stance-breaking swordplay, and Bleach’s unique visual flair. Unlike other arena fighters, which often have combat so shallow you only need to find a single combo or spam super moves to win matches, Bleach’s combat feels like a challenging game of tug-of-war – one where victories are clinched rather than mindlessly stomped out of opponents.

Each sword swing feels snappy and weighty as you teleport around the screen, ambushing your enemies from behind and breaking their guard. It never gets old to see large blocks of text wrap around freeze-framed characters with every successfully landed counter and super move. Even when you play Rebirth of Souls on its Standard Mode button layout, which streamlines things by letting you dish out flashy auto combos, it still harbors complex and unique mechanics specific to each character that warrant further exploration. That could be Uryu’s long-ranged bow attacks or Yoruichi’s in-your-face brawler style. Variety like that is important as I both decide on a main and try to understand how to defeat different characters.

As a massive fan of the anime and manga’s stunning artistry, stirring character development, and shocking plot twists, I had high hopes that Rebirth of Souls could deliver a worthwhile story mode. Sadly, I’ve been disappointed big time. By and large, cutscenes in an anime fighter should act as a sparkly reward at the end of battle, meant to bring the momentum of a fight to a thrilling climax. Cutscenes in the story modes of Naruto and Dragon Ball Z’s games are sometimes so well animated that they could serve as a substitute for watching the actual shows. That is not the case with Bleach. If anything, they nearly bring things to a screeching and embarrassing halt.

The look of its combat may have a lot of tender love and care put into it, but the story moments between that action instead play out like a cheap visual novel. Outside of a few pre-rendered cutscenes, the SparkNotes version of the anime this story mode attempts to tell is a rushed, hobbled mess. Instead of being greeted by bombastic scenes where my favorite characters clash, I was met with Machinima-looking animations where in-game models would fart out energy waves at each other and stiffly fall to the ground. Even the emotionally heady scenes lose all sense of tension as its characters move around like clumsy action figures with limited points of articulation in bright, low-poly arenas. What’s more, exciting moments like sword clashes and beam struggles lose all of their gravitas as these scenes incessantly cut to black with bright slashes on the screen that look less like a creative choice for dramatic effect and more like a placeholder for an animation that wasn’t added in time.

If this was a genuine attempt to resemble a visual novel, it definitely missed the mark, as it feels more like an unfinished first draft – and with review codes arriving so close to launch, it’s hard not to see this as an intentional hope that fans will buy-in based solely on the goodwill of the franchise. Which is a shame, because both its English and Japanese voice cast are putting in work with their vocal performances and the character models are faithful recreations that do look great in action. As if Bandai Namco took pointers from Invincible season 2’s joke about how animators cut corners to make more scenes, Rebirth of Souls put all of its focus on the fights, and every moment outside of them looks like a fan-made animators first crack at recreating the anime as a result.

But although the story mode has yet to wow me in the 10 hours I’ve spent with it so far, there’s still more to play with — namely, the online and offline versus mode — before I can settle on a final verdict. As it stands right now, Bleach Rebirth of Souls’ combat goes above and beyond a run-of-the-mill anime arena fighter, with a dense battle system and tons of love put into making each of its characters feel unique. That makes it all the more disappointing that its crisp character models, vibrant sword slashes, and stylish typography accompanying each super move feel wholly at odds with the animation in its unevenly crafted cutscenes. Instead of making me want to play through the anime’s sprawling story myself, it’s only encouraged me to revisit the source material so that the emotional climaxes actually land. But despite not delivering on that lofty promise, I’m keen to see if the versus modes will pick up the slack as I work toward my final review.

As any younger sibling who grew up on Mario platformers knows, Luigi is gaming’s ultimate Player 2. Nintendo’s green-capped member of the Mario Bros. has lived a lifetime in the shadow of his older twin Mario, only stepping out for a taste of solo stardom in his ghostbusting Luigi’s Mansion series.

As we move closer to Switch 2, we’re celebrating another console generation of Luigi and Player 2s everywhere with a complete list of every Luigi game on Switch.

How Many Luigi Games Are on Switch?

There are 17 games on Switch that let you play as Luigi. He’s the main character in only two games (Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD and Luigi’s Mansion 3) and the co-lead in one (Mario & Luigi: Brothership).

Every Luigi Game on Switch

Luigi’s Mansion 3 (2019)

Luigi’s first starring role on Switch was in Luigi’s Mansion 3, the third entry in the character’s only solo series to date. Luigi’s Mansion 3 sees our timid hero and his green gooey clone team up with Professor E. Gadd to battle ghosts and save his friends from King Boo’s haunted hotel.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD (2024)

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a remake of the 2013 Nintendo 3DS game Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon. This second game in the spooky series sees Luigi ghostbusting his way through the mansions of Evershade Valley to once again capture King Boo and save his brother.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership (2024)

Sure, it’s not exclusively a ‘Luigi game,’ but Mario & Luigi: Brothership certainly puts the brothers on even footing. Brothership is the first release in the Mario & Luigi series since Paper Jam in 2014. Players take on the role of both brothers, who must traverse puzzles and platforming challenges to restore the kingdom of Concordia.

Every Other Game You Can Play as Luigi on Switch

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017)

The first Switch game to feature Luigi as a playable character was Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Luigi appears as a middleweight racer with a well-balanced stat distribution that slightly favors speed and handling. His appearance in an ad for the original Wii U version of Mario Kart 8 spawned the Luigi Death Stare meme.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (2017)

Luigi next appeared in the Nintendo-Ubisoft collaboration Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. The tactical RPG features both Luigi and Rabbid Luigi, a Rabbid who dresses (and often behaves) like his human counterpart, as possible party members.

Mario Tennis Aces (2018)

Luigi hit the court as one of 16 playable launch characters in 2018’s Mario Tennis Aces. As is often true for Luigi in Mario sports games, he’s a balanced, “all-around” character in Aces. His specialty shot, Pipe Cannon, blasts him into the air to set him up for a powerful spike.

Super Mario Party (2018)

Luigi is one of 20 playable characters in Super Mario Party. The younger of the Mario Bros. has appeared alongside his brother in every Mario Party game to date, including the two others further down this list. This is the first Mario Party game released for Switch and Nintendo’s ninth best-selling game on the platform, according to the company.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018)

Luigi appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an unlockable character. He is one of 12 characters to be playable in all five Smash games. According to LumiRank’s 2025 tier list, which compiled the opinions of 93 ranked Smash players, Luigi is an A+-tier fighter and the 18th best overall.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2019)

Luigi is a playable character in the 2019 platformer New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. This is an expanded version of NSMBU for Wii U that includes the expansion New Super Luigi U. Luigi stars as the main character in this expansion, which incorporates his higher jump, remixes levels from the base game, and adds a 100-second timer to each level.

Super Mario Maker 2 (2019)

Alongside Mario, Toad, and Toadette, Luigi is one of four playable characters in Super Mario Maker 2. The level-building platformer allows players to create their own Mario levels using assets from Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros. U, and Super Mario 3D World.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury (2021)

Like the original Wii U release, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury can be played entirely as Luigi. Here, he controls similarly to Mario, albeit with a slightly higher jump and slightly less traction, making him play a bit more ‘floaty’ and ‘slippery’ than his red-capped counterpart.

Mario Golf: Super Rush (2021)

Luigi hit the links with Mario and friends in Mario Golf: Super Rush. One of 22 playable characters, he boasts decent control and excellent speed stats, making him a great option for Super Rush’s new Speed Golf mode. His special shot, Ice Flower Freeze, freezes the ground upon the ball’s impact, creating a hazardous area for opponents.

Mario Party Superstars (2021)

Luigi returns for the second iteration of Mario Party on Switch: Mario Party Superstars. Unlike Super Mario Party before it, Superstars is not an original game but rather a modern collection of minigames, boards, and mechanics from the series’ past.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football (2022)

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football, the latest Mario soccer/football game, features Luigi as one of 16 playable characters. Luigi is a well-balanced footballer who excels in technique, a skill that determines a character’s ability to dribble, curve their shot, and shoot accurately.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (2022)

Luigi (and Rabbid Luigi) returned for Ubisoft and Nintendo’s tactical sequel, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Luigi is labeled a Sneak Attacker due to his ranged weaponry and low health.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)

Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the latest 2D Mario platformer, features Luigi as a playable alternative to Mario. The difference between the two characters here is purely aesthetic, as the Mario Bros. play identically to one another.

Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024)

Unsurprisingly, Luigi is playable in Super Mario Party Jamboree, the biggest and arguably best game in Nintendo’s flagship party series. In addition to being a playable character, Luigi appears as part of Jamboree’s new Buddy mechanic, where he has the chance to change a player’s dice rolls from their initial numbers to 10s.

What’s Next for Luigi?

The next time you’ll be able to play as Luigi is a new Mario Kart game, expected to release alongside the Switch 2, that features double the usual amount of racers. Yes, that means 24 racers on each track. Otherwise, I’m sure Mario will bring Luigi along for whatever his next adventure is. Plenty more games are rumored to be releasing with Nintendo’s next console generation, and the next updates will likely come out of a Nintendo Direct scheduled for April 2.

Jordan covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.

Some of you may have fond memories of a 1986 game called Fireball Island, which was notable for incorporating physical obstacles into play, in the form of marbles that rolled down random paths on the 3D board, knocking over player figures. That got a middling 2018 rework in the form of Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul-Kar (see it at Amazon), but if you want similar game concepts at a cheaper price, married to a blockbuster movie licence, then Jumanji Stampede is the game for you. And right now it’s on sale at Amazon for just $9.06, which is less than the cost of lunch.

Save 46% Off Jumanji Stampede

BioWare has almost entirely moved on from Dragon Age: The Veilguard, but that isn’t stopping its remaining team from sneakily adding a small DLC weapons pack to the game.

Dragon Age fans gathered in shock after the RPG’s Steam page was updated to include free add-on content in the form of the Rook’s Weapons Appearance Offer yesterday. It’s not much but still more than welcome considering EA had previously signaled that Dragon Age: The Veilguard wouldn’t receive much support in the future. As its fifth patch promised that future updates would largely focus on tackling game-breaking bugs all the way back in January, brand-new content feels like a bit of a miracle – even if it’s not much.

Strangely, the Rook’s Weapons Appearances bundle is only available to those who currently own the game and those who purchase it on PC by April 8, 2025. There’s no description of what is specifically included in the bundle either, though players have worked out that it grants access to a set of Watchful skins that can be accessed in their Rook’s in-game room. It’s unclear if the offer will become available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S versions of the game.

“Even if these appearances aren’t the most, uh, beautiful things ever,” one Steam review says, “they do give spooky eldritch horror vibes!”

“It’s cosmetic DLC, but it’s essentially free DLC for a game that’s practically no longer getting newer content,” one Redditor said. “I’ll live with that.”

Dragon Age: The Veilguard launched to positive reviews from critics in October but, according to EA, failed to “resonate with a broad enough audience.” Lead members of its team announced they would be leaving BioWare in late January as much of its staff was either laid off or moved to other roles within the company. At the time, EA told IGN that the studio had shifted to put its “full focus” on the next Mass Effect.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard joined the lineup of PlayStation Plus March 2025 titles, just four months removed from its launch. No other plans for its future have been announced.

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).

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is out now for the Nintendo Switch, and European fans are picking up their copies, turning them over, and getting a bit of a surprise when they see the PEGI Rating lists “Sex” among the labeled content warnings.

As spotted by NintendoLife, fans noticed a difference between the Wii U and Switch versions of Xenoblade Chronicles X. While the original Wii U version from 2015 is rated PEGI 12 for Violence and Bad Language, the Definitive Edition on the Nintendo Switch retains a PEGI 12 rating but adds Sex to its labels.

Naturally, the addition of that label has spurred confusion. As one fan on X/Twitter put it bluntly: “WHAT DID THEY ADD??”

WHAT DID THEY ADD?? pic.twitter.com/hUVx0qjOge

— molly! (@starfallblossom) March 20, 2025

The label didn’t escape the notice of players across various forums, who promptly began to jokingly speculate about the actual content differences. “First game came out before they invented sex,” one user said.

Granted, there are outfits that can be a little form-fitting, but the outright “Sex” label was a little surprising. As it turns out, the answer might be fairly mundane.

Over on the PEGI website, the ratings board specifically notes the PEGI 12 rating is for “moderate violence, use of bad language and sexual innuendo.” The content-specific issues dive deeper into the details; here’s the passage, with the innuendo portion bolded for emphasis:

This game contains depictions of non-realistic violence towards human characters. Throughout the game the player and their party will be struck and hurt by enemies. Human characters grunt in pain and can be knocked back or down to the ground with no visible blood or injury. This game also features depictions of realistic violence to fantasy characters. One cut-scene in the game depicts a character impaling an alien creature, accompanied by blood effects. This game contains the use of bad language including ‘bastard’, ‘piss’ and ‘asshole’. Players can choose text and voice lines for characters to use in combat. Some of the female options have sexual innuendos, such as: “I’m going in for a quickie”

The Wii U rating notes none of this, though users on Reddit have noted that Xenoblade Chronicles X’s script did contain at least a few mentions of reproduction and suggestive language. Considering the PEGI rating itself has changed, this seems like a reflection of the ever-changing decision-making around ratings boards and labels, rather than some notion of a drastically tone-altering addition in the Definitive Edition’s expanded content.

For our review of Xenoblade Chronicles X, we gave the updated version of Monolith Soft’s sci-fi open-world RPG a 9, saying: “Xenoblade Chronicles X was already one of the Wii U’s best games, and this Definitive Edition does more than enough to justify another trip to planet Mira.”

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.