Weekend Gaming Vibes: What’s on Your Playlist? (February 1st)

Well, folks, another week is nearly at an end (and one week closer to Nintendo’s April Release!), which means it’s the perfect time to unwind with some delightful gaming. To start, let’s review a couple of this week’s most captivating stories.

First on the agenda, Nintendo announced Donkey Kong’s fresh look with new merchandise, while we discussed what fans are hoping to see in the forthcoming Mario Kart for Switch 2. We also showcased some rather unsavory shovelware, featuring a Wukong imitation on the Switch eShop and an AI-generated affront to Mario Strikers on Xbox.

Digital Foundry recently examined the DLSS capabilities of the Switch 2, so we’re once again recognizing the team’s impressive work in this area. Meanwhile, those looking to purchase games from the Japanese eShop might want to secure vouchers online, as Nintendo has confirmed it will no longer support foreign payment methods.

Ollie Reynolds, Staff Writer

I’ve reached Halo 2 in my expansive ‘Legendary’ run of the core Halo series. In my opinion, this might be the most punishing installment on Legendary difficulty, and the Elites are especially unforgiving. If I can get through this one, everything else should hopefully be a breeze by comparison.

On the Switch, I’ve chosen to dive back into some Metroid. I’m currently playing through Metroid: Zero Mission via NSO, and I plan to move on to Metroid Fusion afterwards. If I’m feeling particularly adventurous, I might even give Super Metroid another shot.

Jim Norman, Staff Writer

It’s a busy launch week for me, so I’m going to try my best to make strides on a couple of newcomers. Citizen Sleeper 2 is already consuming my time and, honestly, I’m struggling to put it down due to a few dilemma elements that have really snagged my attention. If I manage to pull myself away, I might move on to Laika’s incredibly challenging chicken battle to… unwind? That’s not quite right.

Either way, see you all on the flip side!

Alana Hagues, Deputy Editor

I’m kicking myself for not playing 1000xRESIST last year — I picked it up during a sale but got swept up in the hectic end-of-year chaos. It’s absolutely phenomenal, and I’m only on chapter four. It’s truly a unique game, folks.

On a cozier note, we’ve officially begun our cooperative playthrough of Tales of Graces f Remastered, but on PS5. My partner hasn’t played it before, and I haven’t touched it since 2012, so I’m excited to see how it has aged. Lastly, I’m building my new home in Hello Kitty Island Adventure, a game I’m beginning to think will consume my life for the remainder of 2025. I will return to Citizen Sleeper 2 later in the year—apologies!

Gonçalo Lopes, Contributor

I missed out on Freedom Wars when it released on Vita, so I made sure not to let this remastered edition pass me by. Additional progress in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom should bring me closer to finishing the game. It’s fantastic to finally have Turbo Overkill on Switch. I’m still engaged with Guilty Gear -Strive- and Strania -The Stella Machina- EX. My physical Switch copy of Ninja 5-O also arrived, costing a significantly greater amount compared to the original GBA outing (trust me, don’t look it up on eBay).

Game of the week is Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter. I really enjoyed the original, and this time there is a truly excellent “easy mode” option that mitigates the incredibly hardcore combat nature of the series. Hopefully, this gets a physical release down the line.

Kate Grey, Contributor

I’m on another detective game spree, so once I finished Rise of the Golden Idol, it was straight into the newly launched game The Roottrees are Dead, which was much more my speed. I’ve now created a meticulously organized spreadsheet of names, info, and rumors, which has been quite enjoyable to assemble. I feel like a real detective! After I finish that, I will move on to the spin-off, Roottreemania.

I’m also playing Dragon Age Origins for the first time to entertain my Dragon Age-loving friend while she completes her PhD, and it’s surprisingly enjoyable—the graphics have aged poorly, sure, and the option for your character to complain each time you ask them to do something is bewildering, but the writing is top-tier.

Oh, and I’m playing Hello Kitty Island Adventure, of course… because I’m working on it and I want to keep up with all the stories!

Nile Bowie, Contributor

Hello, everyone! Last week, I started Dredge for the first time and totally got hooked. The game strikes a fascinating balance between laid-back fishing mini-games, exploration, and deep storytelling—it really hit the spot for me. I’ll be diving into more of Dredge this weekend.

I’m also close to finishing some levels in Kirby’s Return to Dream.