All right! I made it to the second month of completing this monthly blog! I didn’t finish quite as many games this month compared to last but that’s just the way it works out sometimes. It wasn’t due to me playing less. But enough of that, let’s see what I played this month. Again, any games I’m still playing into April (such as Pokemon Pokopia) won’t be listed below.

Gimmick! 2

Started: 03/02/26…Finished: 03/08/26…Beat: Yes…Time Spent Playing: 6 hours, 20 minutes

System: Switch…Release Date: Sept 5, 2024

Gimmick! 2 released on Switch in 2024 as a sequel to the 1992 NES game Gimmick!, which I had never played or even really heard of before. I first became interested after seeing other gamers online praise it, and when it dropped to $2 on the eShop I decided to give it a try. At first glance it looks like a cute and simple platformer starring a blob-like character, but it quickly reveals a surprising level of difficulty. Your main abilities are jumping and throwing a star, which can defeat enemies, activate switches, or be used creatively for advanced platforming tricks. The game can be tough, with frequent deaths, but generous checkpoints keep the action moving and prevent frustration. I finished the five worlds with a 55% completion rate, skipping many of the challenging hidden treasures, but still found it to be a simple yet enjoyable platforming experience.

Resident Evil Village

Started: 02/27/26…Finished: 03/08/26…Beat: Yes…Time Spent Playing: 20 hours, 40 minutes

System: Switch 2…Release Date: Feb 27, 2026

I picked up the Resident Evil Generation Pack which consisted of Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil Village (8), and Resident Evil Requiem (9). I decided to play Village first since I had played 7 several years before. Village plays much like the classic Resident Evil games, with exploration, locked paths, puzzles, and careful resource management that always seems to give you just enough ammo to survive. The game features five main areas, though the first felt the most substantial, and a map system makes it easy to track where you’ve been and what you’ve missed. Jump scares, moments where avoiding enemies is smarter than fighting, and several unexpected plot twists kept the experience exciting. I finished with the game clock reading over 15 hours and found it to be an awesome experience overall.

The Big Bell Race (UFO 50)

Started: 03/09/26…Finished: 03/09/26…Beat: Yes…Time Spent Playing: 0 hours, 30 minutes

System: Switch…Release Date: Aug 7, 2025

UFO 50’s The Big Bell Race, the collection’s 19th game by its fictional timeline, acts as a semi-sequel to Campanella, the 17th game. Instead of navigating an obstacle course, you race the same boost-driven spaceship around small, single-screen tracks against identical ships in different colors. Controls remain the same, steer and boost with no brakes, while track items provide weapons and boost zones for speed advantages. Ships can take three hits before exploding, though finishing a lap restores some defense, and races last only a minute or two across 7–8 laps. A championship consists of eight races where points determine the winner. It ended up being the easiest game in the collection for me. I won the championship on my first try rolling the credits in about 15 minutes and swept all eight races to earn the cherry (platinum) in my next attempt, The Big Bell Race is a fun but very easy experience.

Resident Evil Village: Shadows of Rose

Started: 03/09/26…Finished: 03/14/26…Beat: Yes…Time Spent Playing: 4 hours, 50 minutes

System: Switch 2…Release Date: Feb 27, 2026

Shadows of Rose is the story DLC for Resident Evil Village. The first half of the DLC felt bland, taking place in a small mansion area that seemed underwhelming compared to the base game. Enemy variety was also lacking, with only a couple of unimpressive, bullet-sponge types that didn’t feel threatening. The second half improved significantly, shifting into a more fantastical setting that felt unexpected for a Resident Evil game. These sections emphasized puzzles and stealth, often leaving the main character without a weapon and forcing her to hide from enemies. This change of pace helped develop the main character’s story and made the experience more engaging. It ultimately ended the DLC on a strong note for me.

Mario Tennis Fever

Started: 02/12/26…Finished: 03/19/26…Beat: Yes…Time Spent Playing: 27 hours, 20 minutes

System: Switch 2…Release Date: Feb 12, 2026

Mario Tennis Fever was generally well-reviewed, though many reviewers criticized its Adventure mode. I have to agree. I found the Adventure mode tedious and overly tutorial-heavy. I was glad to see it end after 4 hours. But as a single-player-focused gamer, the story mode is not what I’m interested in. To me, the core appeal lies in the tennis gameplay. That gameplay delivers, offering a fun and challenging experience with 38 characters and 30 fever rackets to mix and match. The fever rackets are risk/reward and not a win button which I really appreciated. I spent most of my time playing Star Cup which provided an engaging challenge. The lack of recognition for winning the Cup with different characters was disappointing although I still did it with nearly half the roster. There are several difficulties to choose from and the hardest “Ace” was too much for me. Additional single-player content, especially Tower Control and its 100 extra challenges, added depth and variety. Overall, the game succeeds where it matters most, with enjoyable and strategic tennis gameplay.

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE

Started: 03/12/26…Finished: 03/29/26…Beat: Yes…Time Spent Playing: 33 hours, 30 minutes

System: Switch 2…Release Date: Mar 12, 2026

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE is a remake of the 2003 PlayStation 2 game and the third Fatal Frame title I’ve played. The series is different in that you use a camera as your weapon, damaging ghosts by photographing them, with “fatal frame” shots dealing maximum damage when taken at the last second. The game’s story centers on a disturbing twin sacrifice ritual in an isolated village, told mostly through journals and notes that are found. It can be confusing but I was still able to get the main gist of it. Exploration takes place in an abandoned village with several enterable houses (similar to manors in Resident Evil) where you find upgrades, better film, and earn points from encounters to improve your camera. The early game is the weakest part due to slow, underpowered combat, but once upgraded the ghost battles become extremely fun and satisfying. After finishing the game in about 21 hours, I replayed it immediately to put another 12 hours into a second playthrough. I rarely play games twice but I loved the experience enough to not want it to end.

Nintendo Switch Online (NSO)

I always like to keep one NSO game in my rotation. I will usually only play each game a week or two and then move on to the next. My goal isn’t necessarily to beat the games on NSO but to either briefly revisit or gain the experience of what they offer.

Teleroboxer (VB)…Time Spent Playing: 3 hours, 5 minutes…Beat: No…Previously Played: No…Finished: 03/07/26

Teleroboxer is like playing Punchout in 3D. There are 7 fighters to get through. Each fighter’s strategy varies widely. I was able to get through 5 of the fighters. This game is tough largely because the controls felt counterintuitive to me. Even after 3 hours I still had to think about the controls instead of simply reacting. Regardless, still enjoyed the time I put into it figuring out each of my opponents.

Mario’s Tennis (VB)…Time Spent Playing: 3 hours, 0 minutes…Beat: No…Previously Played: No…Finished: 03/13/26

Of the few VB games that were ever released, Mario’s Tennis was near the top of the games I wanted to try out. This game is tough! Faults on serves, routinely hitting the ball out of bounds during match play, missing the ball due to bad timing, this is all stuff the modern Mario Tennis games have eliminated. I could only win on easy and was somewhat competitive on normal. Regardless, it’s still a fun game of tennis even if it is basic.

Galactic Pinball (VB)…Time Spent Playing: 3 hours, 5 minutes…Beat: No…Previously Played: No…Finished: 03/20/26

Playing pinball in a virtual world always sounded neat to me and Galactic Pinball is a cool experience. Four tables, all spaced themed, each have objectives to try to accomplish on the table that will reward points and sometimes even a mini-game. In the end it is just pinball though with the goal to keep the ball, or in the case of this game, hockey puck, in play as long as possible. Fun to check out the depth of the tables for a week but I had my fill after a few hours.

Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness (GCN)…Time Spent Playing: 3 hours, 5 minutes…Beat: No…Previously Played: No…Finished: 03/27/26

I was uninterested in Pokemon when Pokemon XD released in 2005 so I had never played this game. I did not realize how much of an RPG this game seems to be. In the first few hours I went on simple quests to progress the story and battled other trainers. I mostly enjoyed seeing which Pokemon would make an appearance and if I recognized them. At 3 hours, I barely got a taste but came out pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed what I did see.

I originally wrote this blog in 2022, four years ago. As I was revisiting it recently I realized that while some of the pics still reflect what it looks like today, there have also been some changes. I decided to update the blog to reflect what it looks like today.

For as long as I can remember one of my dreams was to have a room dedicated to gaming. It seemed the cards just never aligned to make it happen. Either I didn’t have the space, didn’t have the money, or didn’t have either one. It wasn’t until around 2019 that having a gaming room finally became a reality. Now that I finally have one, I figured I would show it off a little. Let’s take a look!

These are the consoles I currently have out. They aren’t all hooked up but the cables/plugs are ready so any of them can be hooked up and ready to play in about 30 seconds. I recently attempted to get them all hooked up at once but it was going to be too expensive for what I was comfortable with. Instead, I just make the connections whenever I want to play. I have a RetroTink 5X that I use to hook up all the retro consoles to my TV. It even makes the older games from the NES and SNES era look incredibly good on a modern tv. Currently, the system I play most, and it’s not even close, is Nintendo Switch 2, which you can barely see hiding behind the Switch OLED. The Switch 2 will continue to be my main console until the next Nintendo console releases.

Everything pictured is my original consoles and they all still work. The lone exception is the Wii U, which, incredibly, has broken on me 5 times. I would send it to Nintendo, they would send me a refurbished unit. Repeat the process what seemed like each year. The Wii U I have now works, but it’s not the console I brought home on launch day. The console sitting beside the NES that many may not recognize is a Colecovision Flashback. Colecovision was my very first system. Unfortunately, that’s the one system I no longer have. However, I would not recommend the Flashback. It’s not good unless you have a CRT to hook it up to.

This is where it’s at…the games. I’m lucky in that I learned very early to take care of my stuff. What you see here is all original in that these are what I bought when the consoles were active. Nothing from eBay, nothing used, all bought new by me during the time I was playing the console. After selling my Colecovision in 1990 I soon regretted it. It was a valuable lesson. I’ve never sold or traded in any of my games since, even if I didn’t necessarily like it. Today I buy all digital so I don’t expect this physical collection to ever get bigger. Let’s take a look in more detail…

This is where it began. My NES collection. I would land my first job working part-time in a pizza restaurant while owning this console so I had some spending money while in high school. Most of these I bought on my own, although a few were gifts. I can also remember buying games based solely on the box art and screen shots on the back. What a time!

As soon as the SNES released, I bought it. You can tell I had money to burn as I bought a lot for this system. My dad would buy me Madden every year for Christmas, that’s why there are so many. This is the system where I really started to get into RPGs. Still bummed Super Mario World didn’t come with a box if you got it with the system.

N64 was the first system I preordered. This is my favorite era of gaming. I know that most of the games don’t hold up as well today but something about these games just takes me back to that time. Playing in 3D worlds was simply mind blowing. Nothing in gaming I experience in the future will ever top the first time I played Mario 64.

I bought too many games for GameCube. This was the first time I began finding games heavily discounted online, and I took advantage. I played all of these. But looking now, there are some questionable games in there.

While the Wii sold incredibly well for Nintendo, it’s probably my least favorite Nintendo console. Don’t get me wrong, I still played the heck out of it. But I got tired of the motion controls quickly. Regardless, I still bought a bunch of games for it.

After the Wii, the Wii U was a much better console for me. However, most of the gaming population didn’t think so. I supported Wii U until the end. Because of Nintendo’s Deluxe Rewards, I began to buy games digitally for a time, which is why it appears I didn’t buy as much. I did buy a lot, but some of the games are digital.

Here’s my Switch collection. Much like the Wii U, I bought a lot of games digital. The last couple years of Switch I bought every game digital. The Switch may be my favorite Nintendo console. I’ve had a ton of fun with it. Also not pictured are Switch 2 games. That’s because I haven’t bought any of them physical. I have yet to touch a NS2 cartridge!

I didn’t own any handhelds until the GBA released. For whatever reason I always considered handheld gaming inferior to consoles so I was late to the handheld party. I picked up the GBA the day it released, then later upgraded to GBA SP.

After the GBA, I’ve been a day one owner of the Nintendo handhelds, just like the consoles. Here’s the DS collection.

The 3DS was an awesome machine. I also bought some of the 3DS games digitally. Fire Emblem Awakening was hard to find at release, so I caved and bought it digitally. It was my first digital purchase of a game I could have bought physically. After that it became much easier to buy digital.

Finally, my neglected Sega Genesis Collection. Genesis was always the red-headed step child compared to my SNES. It never had a chance with me. Judging by many of the games I bought for it, I could have done much better. I swear that Barbie game belonged to my daughter!

My gaming mags. Most of these are either Nintendo Power or Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM). I don’t have full runs of either one as I’d let my subscriptions expire here and there. I’m still adding to the collection today through current subscriptions to Nintendo Force and Game Informer. Looking through old gaming mags is a trip down memory lane. If someone is still making a gaming mag, I will buy it.

My wife put this all together. She hung the shelves, spaced the controllers, it was all her idea. And she doesn’t even game!

Lots more controllers located in various areas of the room.

This is located beside my TV and the consoles. The poster is always rotating. I usually display the latest poster I receive from Nintendo Force magazine if I like the game. The Mario hats are 3D printed, a gift from my daughter. Of course I had to have the NES and SNES minis.

This is the top of the magazine shelves. I never got much into the amiibo. The ones pictured are all I have. I bought one of the LABO kits just so I could experience what it was all about. I also recently bought the NSO Virtual Boy. The poster is Zelda related.

There isn’t room to display everything. Some of it sits at the top of a closet. As you can see, I’m not big on throwing away boxes.

Of course I’m not throwing the handheld boxes away either. Ever.

The glorious TV. I splurged on this. LG 55” class CX OLED 4K. I figure I game so much it was worth it. It was really expensive at the time but I have absolutely no regrets. I’m still amazed how good games look on this thing even 6 or 7 years later. Screen shots never do it justice.

And of course no gaming room is complete without one of these bad boys!

That about wraps it up. The place I come to play each day. I feel very fortunate, but I waited decades for this as well!

I think this makes my third attempt to create a blog summarizing my thoughts on all the games I have played over a given period…and actually sticking with it. My first two attempts were both on a weekly cadence and encompassed everything I had played during the week. It didn’t take long for it to become more work and less fun. A week can go by quick and suddenly it was time to do it again. I didn’t last long either attempt. I’m going to try a different approach this time. For one, the plan is to create this blog on a monthly cadence instead of weekly. Second, I’m only going to talk about the games I finished (or quit playing) instead of everything. So the games I played in February but are carrying over into March won’t get a mention this month. I’m hoping a monthly cadence will keep it fun and keep me motivated to keep writing. We shall see! So what games did I finish up in February 2026?

Dragon Quest II Remake

Started: 01/04/26…Finished: 02/05/26…Beat: Yes…Time Spent Playing: 55 hours, 55 minutes

System: Switch 2…Release Date: Oct 30, 2025

After finishing Dragon Quest 1 Remake, I jumped straight into Dragon Quest 2 Remake and found it very similar but larger in every way. The sequel took nearly twice as long to complete, featuring a much bigger world—where the original game’s map is just a small portion—and expanding to a four-member party with more complex battles. Visually and musically, the two games feel almost identical, which I appreciated since both look and sound great. I liked being able to save up to 30 NPC conversations for later reference, though even with that feature I still occasionally felt unsure of where to go next and had to briefly rely on objective markers. Exploring the world was rewarding, with some genuine surprises, and while I spent a little time grinding out of caution, I ultimately finished over-leveled. The final boss initially seemed overwhelming until I discovered a key spell that made the fight manageable. Overall I came away very satisfied and eager for a similar remake of Dragon Quest 4.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

Started: 01/15/26…Finished: 02/07/26…Beat: N/A…Time Spent Playing: 29 hours, 30 minutes

System: Switch 2…Release Date: Jan 15, 2026

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Nintendo Switch 2 update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, especially after putting 440 hours into the base game over the course of the first year. I had barely touched the Happy Home Designer DLC when it released since it didn’t appeal to me at the time. The Switch 2 Edition’s main draws for me were the hotel addition and the ability to create new islands. However, starting a new island felt too overwhelming and the hotel content was fairly short-lived. Even so, I put nearly 30 additional hours into the game, much of it revisiting older content and finally giving the Happy Home Designer DLC a proper chance, which I ended up enjoying more than expected. While I wish the hotel addition had offered more, the update successfully pulled me back in without consuming months of my time again. I didn’t want to change anything on my island which probably limited my desire to keep playing. Overall, it reminded me why Animal Crossing is such a joy.

Dispatch

Started: 02/07/26…Finished: 02/14/26…Beat: Yes…Time Spent Playing: 7 hours, 55 minutes

System: Switch 2…Release Date: Jan 29, 2026

I picked up Dispatch after hearing positive word of mouth and comparisons to the Telltale Games style of narrative games I’ve enjoyed. Despite controversy over censorship in the Switch 2 version, mostly minor visual edits like black bars over cartoon nudity, it didn’t affect me enough to deter me from purchasing on Switch 2. The game is primarily story-driven, in which the story makes up about 70% of the experience, with eight 1-hour-long episodes centered on a powerless former superhero coordinating active heroes across the city. The narrative was excellent, featuring memorable characters and engaging choices, which sometimes pulled at the heartstrings. There are also quick-time events but they are optional and felt low-stakes. About 25% of the game involves strategically dispatching heroes to missions based on their strengths, though I often felt like I was guessing. The remaining 5% centered on a hacking mini-game that I felt was the weakest part. But overall the strong storytelling made it a very enjoyable and memorable experience.

Golfaria (UFO 50)

Started: 02/15/26…Finished: 02/21/26…Beat: No…Time Spent Playing: 2 hours, 35 minutes

System: Switch…Release Date: Aug 7, 2025

Golfaria is the 19th game in UFO 50 I’ve played. This game blends adventure with golf, leaning much more toward exploration than traditional golfing. You move through the world by hitting a golf ball, entering new areas and underground passages by sinking shots into holes. While the concept is creative, the overall structure didn’t click with me as much as I’d hoped. The large, mapless world and confusing underground connections made exploration feel disorienting, especially with a top-down view that made it hard to judge terrain. Managing a limited number of swings, expanded by finding hidden clubs or replenished by finding birds (eagles), added challenge, but the lack of a shot landing indicator made each swing feel like guesswork. Permanent upgrades, of which I only found one, seem to be the keys to progressing in this game. I imagine with a few upgrades the game gets really good but starting out I found Golfaria to be frustrating and not too much fun.

Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo

Started: 02/08/26…Finished: 02/23/26…Beat: Yes…Time Spent Playing: 17 hours, 10 minutes

System: Switch…Release Date: Mar 9, 2023

I discovered Paranormasight after seeing its sequel in a February 2026 Nintendo Direct, and when I found the original on sale for $5, I bought it immediately. It’s a visual novel focused almost entirely on story and player choice, with stationary exploration and no voice acting, which is a bummer. The plot follows four main characters on separate timelines that gradually intersect as you switch between them to unlock each other’s progression. The dark story centers on curse bearers competing to gain resurrection power, each with their own motives. You can freely jump between timelines to alter decisions, leading to multiple endings and even some clever fourth-wall breaks. I really enjoyed unraveling the mystery and plan to try the sequel as well.

Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit

Started: 02/01/26…Finished: 02/28/26…Beat: Yes…Time Spent Playing: 41 hours, 15 minutes

System: Switch…Release Date: Sept 6, 2024

I played Ace Attorney Investigations 2 (AAI2) through the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection, which also includes its prequel. After replaying the original to refresh my memory, I found AAI2 picks up right where the first game left off, featuring strong continuity, returning characters, and references to earlier games. Like its predecessor, it focuses on investigating crime scenes and cross-examining suspects as Miles Edgeworth, with less courtroom time but the same satisfying “Objection!” driven structure. The new Mind Chess mechanic, where you strategically break down witnesses reluctant to talk, initially felt like guesswork but became a fun side mechanic once I understood the characters’ tells. As always, the intricate storytelling, clever explanations, humor, and a compelling character arcs kept me hooked. My only issue is that reading-heavy games tend to put me to sleep more easily now than they did in my 20s. However, I still plan to keep buying new Ace Attorney games.

Nintendo Switch Online (NSO)

I always like to keep one NSO game in my rotation. I will usually only play each game a week or two and then move on to the next. My goal isn’t necessarily to beat the games on NSO but to either briefly revisit or gain the experience of what they offer.

Super Mario 64 (N64)…Time Spent Playing: 3 hours, 0 minutes…Beat: No…Previously Played: Yes…Finished: 02/07/26

Super Mario 64 is one of the few games I remember clearly from my early gaming days, having bought it at N64 launch. I collected about 30 stars during this revisit. Even today it’s as fun as it was when it released, despite a wonky camera, because the controls still feel incredible. I’ll never forget how mind-blowing that first leap from 2D to 3D felt in 1996.

Balloon Kid (GB)…Time Spent Playing: 3 hours, 5 minutes…Beat: Yes…Previously Played: No…Finished: 02/15/26

Balloon Kid is a 1990 Game Boy sequel to Balloon Fight, it features tricky, tap-based balloon controls, auto-scrolling stages, boss fights, and surprisingly catchy music. I spent a week perfecting my skills to reach the final stage without save states but eventually had to use rewind to finish that final stage. I found it a fun retro challenge that’s exactly the kind of addition I like seeing on NSO.

Virtual Boy Wario Land (VB)…Time Spent Playing: 8 hours, 0 minutes…Beat: Yes…Previously Played: No…Finished: 02/27/26

Wario Land is the first Virtual Boy game I dove into and to say I came away impressed is an understatement. Clever use of depth made this game a blast to play through. It’s a short game made up of 14 levels. I played through it twice, making sure to grab all the collectibles with the help of rewind the second time. I had heard this game is good but it exceeded my expectations.

And that was my month. I finished playing more games than usual for one month. Sometimes it works out that way. I’m hoping I keep the incentive to continue this blog for March!

Nintendo sent out their yearly summary in early January showing Nintendo gamers all of their stats for 2025. It’s something most of the game makers have been doing for years now. Although I track a lot of these stats on my own, it’s always fun to review what you played the previous year. I was also happy to see Nintendo wait until January to send this out. Every year prior it was sent in December meaning the December stats were never included. That never made sense to me considering this is supposed to be a YEARLY review.

I’m a little late creating this blog. At first I wasn’t going to but after thinking some more I figured it would be nice to have this summary as a reference point for myself years later. So what did Nintendo tell me about my gaming habits in 2025?

The review starts off acknowledging I started playing Switch 2 in 2025. Well of course! I’m a Nintendo guy so just about any game system they release I will be buying. I preordered Switch 2 and it was delivered to me early in the morning of launch day, June 5th. I have been playing it regularly ever since.

I played 55 games which spanned 1,249 hours. Doing the math, that averages to 22 hours per game! But wait, that doesn’t tell the true story. I play the retro games on Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) throughout the year. The stats count each retro system as one game. So if I played 8 SNES games on NSO last year for a total of 27 hours (which I did), then that all gets counted as one game I played for 27 hours. While the total hours seem to be accurate, the number of games is not. In summary, I definitely did not average 22 hours per game.

My top games per hours played: Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition (144 hours), Hades II (73 hours), and Nintendo GameCube (69 hours). Xenoblade X is no surprise. I played that game over a few months leading up to the release of Switch 2. I had played the original but loved revisiting this world. Hades II was kind of a surprise to me. I knew I played it a lot but didn’t think it would be enough to make the top 3. It’s another phenomenal game. Nintendo GameCube…this is what I was referencing above. This is actually made up of 6 games: F-Zero GX, Zelda: Wind Waker, Super Mario Strikers, Chibi-Robo, Luigi’s Mansion, and Wario World. Of these Chibi-Robo was the most played by far at 29 hours.

Action is definitely not my favorite genre. Normally it’s Adventure or Role Playing that leads the way. I’m not sure which games skewed this stat. But Shooting and Party being at the bottom definitely rings true.

My hours played each month makes complete sense. At the beginning of the year I was playing Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X. Beginning in May I quit playing PS5 so the time I dedicated to Nintendo began to increase. I quit playing Xbox Series X in September and that’s when my Nintendo time really began to increase. It was all by design. I knew early in the year I wanted to get back to mostly Nintendo and with Switch 2 releasing in June, it was easy to make the transition. I’m sure I’ll go back to Playstation and Xbox on occasion but Nintendo is where my passion lies and it’s in that ecosystem I love spending my time in.

While it’s kind of neat to look at the top game played for each month, it’s sometimes misleading. Often times games that would have led the way don’t due to time being split over two months instead of just one. Regardless, here is the breakdown of my monthly game leaders and their hour counts compared to my total hour counts.

The only game that came out on top for at least two months was Xenoblade Chronicles X which managed it in April and May. For all other games it was a one month run at the top and then something else. That aligns with my play style. I generally purchase a game, play it to beat it, and then move on to the next game. Unless it’s a really long game, I would not expect to see many games last more than one month at the top.

Then came the big surprise with the Nintendo Year Year In Summary, a wrap up for the entire time of playing Switch beginning with its launch in 2017! I put my top played games into chart form for easier viewing. I also hope Nintendo provides these totals every year so I can watch new games rise to the top and some of these begin to slip down.

A few observations: I already knew Animal Crossing would be far and away my #1 played game. I played it daily for the entirety of its first year before finally letting it go. Next, the NSO apps all make an appearance. I imagine most people only play games on NSO the day they are released, and only for a few minutes. I make sure to always have one NSO game in my rotation throughout the year and the stats above prove it! NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, GBA…they all made the list above. I checked the two that didn’t: GameBoy – it’s actually tied with Splatoon 2 at 78 hours. I guess Splatoon 2 was ahead by mere minutes. GameCube just released in June of 2025 and is already at 69 hours so it will definitely make this list next year if there is a total list. Finally, all four of the Xenoblade Chronicles games made the cut, with three of them reaching the top 10!

And that’s a wrap. My currently plan is to largely spend my time in the Nintendo ecosystem in 2026. That’s where I have been for nearly 40 years and where I’ll probably be as long as I am able!

This marks the fourth year in a row I’ve created this blog. While I’m always appreciative if anyone actually gets any enjoyment out of reading this stuff, my main purpose for writing these is to memorialize my year in gaming for myself. I would absolutely love to be able to read about my gaming habits in back in 2003, or 1989. But I wasn’t writing about games back then or taking notes on what I played. All I can do is continue what I’ve started a few years ago and hopefully I can really appreciate these 20 years from now.

The gaming hours referenced throughout this blog were tracked by me using an external time tracking app. These are actual hours spent playing. I don’t use in-game clocks or system level clocks because they aren’t as accurate as you think. Games weren’t paused with the timer running while I ate or scrolled social media for an hour. These are hours spent actually playing the games.

2025 saw a significant shift in my gaming habits from the prior five years although I only have the stats for the past three listed here. I’m fortunate enough to own all 3 of the major current consoles: Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. I’ve been a Nintendo guy since the Super Mario Bros captured my imagination in 1987 so their console is always going to be my platform of choice. But since purchasing the Xbox Series X and the Playstation 5, both in late in 2020, I made sure to always have games from those systems in my rotation as well. With the release of Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025, I really wanted to get my focus back on Nintendo. I started the year having all 3 consoles in my rotation but by the end of the year I was playing Nintendo Switch 2 almost exclusively. While the total number of hours remained consistent with prior years, the shift to Nintendo is apparent.

This is the first year since tracking that my total hours have dipped from the previous year. It had to happen sometime although 2025’s hours are still in my typical range. If you do the math, I averaged over 4 hours per day in 2025 which really doesn’t seem possible. That’s not something I’m particularly proud of but if I wasn’t gaming I’d probably just be passively binging Netflix, YouTube, or watching sports. From my perspective gaming is better.

So let’s dive in and relive exactly what happened in 2025 starting with Playstation 5.

Playstation 5

For the most part I play all of my Playstation games via PlayStation Plus. It has been a couple years since I have actually bought a game. I knew my Playstation Plus subscription would be expiring in June, the same month the Switch 2 was set to release. I made the decision early in the year to not renew. I felt I had played most of what I wanted to on the service and as I’ve mentioned, I wanted to devote more time to Nintendo anyway. I ended up playing 7 games this year on my Playstation 5 before the subscription ended. By hour count, God of War: Ragnarok (44 hours) lead the way followed by Forspoken (22 hours). My Playstation 5 was not played from June through December.

I don’t plan to renew to PS Plus anytime soon. I do plan to only purchase games on PS5 I can’t get on Nintendo Switch 2, or if the Switch 2 edition isn’t a good version. I already have a list of games that meet this criteria with the top two being Baldur’s Gate 3 and Astro Bot. I’ll try to get to them when Nintendo has a month or two with not a lot happening. That’s bound to happen at some point, right? Maybe.

Xbox Series X

Similar to Playstation Plus, I play all of the games on my Xbox Series X via Game Pass. My Game Pass subscription expired in December. I had also made the decision to not renew this service either. Although I had access to Game Pass through most of December, with the exception of one game, I quit playing my Xbox in September. It all came back to me wanting to devote more time to Nintendo’s ecosystem and Nintendo released a lot of games in the fall. I was able to play 12 games on Xbox this year, completing 11 of them. My top two games by hour count were Avowed (75 hours) and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (42 hours).

I imagine at some point I will resubscribe to Game Pass because they put all of their games on the service. Although there are a few available now I would like to check out such as The Outer Worlds 2 and Starfield, they are mostly long games. I just don’t have the time for them right now. I’ll wait until some shorter games I want to play are added to the service as well.

Nintendo Switch/Nintendo Switch 2

I’m going to lump Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 together. After the Nintendo Switch 2 launched in June, I never used my OLED Switch afterward. It was all Switch 2. I played 27 games on Nintendo systems this year. It’s actually 28 if you count UFO 50 but since that game is a collection of 50 games that I devoted a lot of time to, I’m going to give that its own section in this blog. These figures also do not count anything on NSO which will also have its own section. My top 3 games by hours played were Xenoblade Chroncles X: Definitive Edition (144 hours), Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (83 hours), and Hades 2 (75 hours).

Going into 2026 it’s going to be all Nintendo Switch 2 for me. I can’t wait to see what Nintendo has in store for us. I plan to play through all the Nintendo games that have been announced at this point.

UFO 50

UFO 50 is actually a collection of 50 games that released on Switch Aug 7th. Most of these 50 games would be right at home costing $10-20 on the eshop. They are really good and it’s surprising they are all included in this one game for one low price. I knew upon buying this that it would take me a long time to get through all 50. I’m not necessarily trying to beat them all but my plan it play all of them extensively to get a good idea of what they are about. That means I’m typically spending hours with each game, not 10 or 15 minutes. In 2025 I played 16 of the 50 games and actually got to the credits on 8 of them. My plan is to get through the other 34 in 2026, or more likely get through what I can and probably finish up in 2027. UFO 50 is amazing and I’m in no rush to get through it.

Nintendo Switch Online

Finally we come to NSO games, one of my favorite services from Nintendo. I try to keep one NSO game in my rotation at all times. 2025 wraps up the 7th year in a row I’ve made it a point to always be playing an NSO game. Wario World is the 204th NSO game I’ve played during those 7 years. I love trying out games on this service or revisiting games I haven’t played for 20 years. Typically I’ll try to put around 3 hours each week into whatever NSO game I’m playing. If I really like it I’ll keep it around for two weeks before moving to the next game. This year I played 34 games on NSO (down from 38 games in 2024).

2025 saw GameCube added to NSO and a couple of those games I played to the end meaning I played them much longer than I typically would an NSO game. That probably contributed me to playing overall less games compared to 2024. The system breakdown for 2025 ended up as: 8 Super Nintendo, 6 GameCube, 6 GameBoy Advance, 4 Genesis, 4 Game Boy, 3 Nintendo 64, and 3 Nintendo Entertainment System. I just love playing this stuff. I got to the credits on 8 of the games this year which is an increase over last year (4). Next year Virtual Boy is going to be added and you better believe I will be trying out each one of the Virtual Boy games. I already have the overpriced Virtual Boy replica that is required to play them preordered.

So that’s a wrap on my 2025 gaming habits. Will I continue to stay in the Nintendo ecosystem in all of 2026? We shall see!

Most people who are my age that began gaming in the 80s or 90s and find themselves still gaming 30 or 40 years later have a similar story. We cut our teeth on systems such as the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo, or Sega Genesis. We have fond memories of playing games too much on weekends, gaming with friends, or getting games as gifts for birthdays or Christmas. We think back to all the games and systems we have owned over the years and wish we still had them. But we don’t. Games were either lost, sold, traded in for new games, put in yard sales when we went to college, or put in attics to mysteriously vanish when we went back to retrieve them 20 years later. All we have are the memories of what we used to have.

I’m one of the fortunate ones. I began gaming on Colecovision and when I got the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987 I quickly sold my Colecovision to a friend. It didn’t take long for me to regret that action. But while I lost the Colecovision I learned a valuable lesson that, if at all possible, I wanted to keep my games. So from the time I sold it to the present, I still have every game I have ever bought. I have not sold, traded, or given any games away, even if I didn’t necessarily like them. Not only that but I’ve kept them all in great shape so all my games from NES to Wii U that I have are complete in box (I’ve since gone digital). Today I can walk into my gaming room and see them all lined up on a shelf. I get a lot of joy simply knowing they are there because video games have been such a large part of my life and many of them I associate with specific memories or periods of my life.

But while I still have everything, all the games just sit on the shelves. I rarely play them. I’m much more focused on modern day games and buy plenty each year to keep me busy. Although I game multiple hours per day, it’s still not enough time to play the games I’m interested in that release in the current year. There’s limited time to try to play something from yesteryear. If I do play something older it’s always on a modern console, such as Nintendo Switch Online where you can play select classic games with ease. Trying to hook up my older consoles is not convenient, and when I do take the time the games look absolutely horrible on my modern 4K OLED TV since they weren’t made for it.

One of my dreams was to have a dedicated gaming room which finally came to fruition 6 or 7 years ago. But I also always wanted to have all of my systems hooked up and ready to go. If I wanted to play Who Framed Roger Rabbit? on my NES I wanted to simply insert the cartridge and press the button to play. Banjo-Kazooie on my N64? Pop it in and flip the switch to play. I didn’t want to have to plug in and rearrange cables to make it work. At one point I did have a CRT television (the best way to play classic systems) but it was so big and bulky that it took up too much room for the amount of time I played it. The picture wasn’t good anyway. I got rid of it and resided myself to the fact my old games would simply be games on a shelf.

About a month ago I ran across a device that I had not heard of, the RetroTINK. Essentially, this device will allow you to hook up older consoles to it and it somehow outputs them on modern TVs so they look great. This is exactly what I had been looking for! But they aren’t cheap. The model I wanted, the 5X would allow you to hook up consoles beginning with NES up through Wii. It cost over $300. That’s a lot of money and I thought about it for days. It’s not that I couldn’t afford it but I knew with my gaming habits I would never get $300 of play out of it. I’m much too focused on modern games. But I kept thinking about it and how it would be great to have access to my old consoles. After about a week I made the decision to go for it. I wanted to be able to play any of my games if the urge struck. So I placed the order.

About 2 weeks later I received it and began to test it out. As for the RetroTINK itself, it works as advertised. NES and SNES games looked crisp on my TV. GameCube and Wii games also looked great. N64 is a different story and I’m still working on what I need to do with that system. But as I was excited to finally fulfill my dream of having all my consoles hooked up, I began to realize there were going to be several additional expenses to make this happen. It was at that point, the point I’m at today, where I’m wondering at what cost do I really want to make this happen? Is it really worth it?

Switchers: You can only hook up one system at a time to the RetroTINK. I knew that going in. What I didn’t realize is how expensive the switchers are that have all the inputs I would need. My plan was to buy a switcher, hook all of my consoles up to it, then run that to my RetroTINK. After seeing the prices for quality switchers I quickly decided I would just have to plug whichever console I wanted to play to my RetroTINK anytime I wanted to play something. We are talking hundreds of dollars for these switchers.

NES: As mentioned, the games look great…when my NES works. This thing is 38 years old so of course I have the blinking red light problem. I know all about cleaning the games and the 72 pin connector. Or simply replacing it. Getting a replacement (which I have done before) isn’t that expensive, $15-20. But it will continue to be an issue after a period of time. There is a product called NintendDrawer you can install in your NES that eliminates the blinking red light for good. But it’s $60.

SNES: My Super Nintendo fires up without a problem. The problem is with my controllers. It seems the start buttons on both of my controllers no longer work. Sometimes if I press really hard I can get it to work. I cracked one open and tried to clean the contact but it still doesn’t work well. So I guess I need to find a new SNES controller.

N64: As I alluded to above, the N64 is the one system that I don’t see much of an improvement with when using RetroTINK. It’s still a blurry mess. I’ve read accounts of other people who say the N64 looks great using RetroTINK. I think the problem may be the S-video cable I’m using with it. I’m assuming it’s a cheaper brand and I need to get a quality S-video cable. But again, that’s more money.

GameCube: I don’t have component cables for my GameCube and they are crazy expensive to buy today. However, I do have component cables for my Wii and since the Wii accepts GameCube discs I just use the Wii. I think I’m good when it comes to GameCube besides having to go through the Wii to use it, which admittedly is not really convenient or part of the original dream.

Wii: The Wii fires up as expected and my controllers are fine. I think I’m good with Wii.

Wii U: I wrote this blog several days ago but didn’t publish it. In the time since I wrote it I had to completely rewrite this Wii U section because the situation keeps changing. The Wii U does not use the RetroTINK because it already outputs HDMI. However, it recently quit outputting video to the TV. The GamePad still works, it just won’t display on the TV. At first I thought my Wii U was broke and was making plans to purchase another one. But after literally hours of research and testing I think I have figured out the problem. Due to limited HDMI ports in my TV, I was using the same HDMI cord between the box my Wii U connects to and the RetroTINK. I just plugged the HDMI cord into whichever one I was using. Turns out my TV remembers connection details to the point if I try to use my Wii U after the RetroTINK, it won’t work because my TV is trying to use RetroTINK details to make the connection. The only way to get it to work it so unplug my TV for 15 minutes to clear everything. Same thing if I use my Wii U and then try to use the RetroTINK. It has been a headache figuring this out. But there are solutions using connection boxes…that cost more money.

Now I’m left wondering, how far do I go with this? It would be nice to have everything working as it should. But even if it is working, how much am I actually going to use it? Is it worth it? The ultimate dream to have them all connected simultaneously is already dead. In the end I’ll probably end up spending whatever is needed to at least make these consoles work. But I can’t help but feel I’m throwing money at a dream instead of something I’m truly going to use.

As we start another year all gamers naturally look at the release schedules to gauge what is expected to be released in 2026 to keep us busy. I’m no different and looking at my wishlist today reminds me how much of 2026 is already spoken for. I have a lot of games that interest me. I always like to write these so I can take a look at the end of the year to see what actually released, and what I actually played. Here’s what I’m looking forward to playing this year on Nintendo Switch 2.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

This one is coming in only a few short weeks as I’m writing this. It’s a free update so I’m absolutely going to check it out. I haven’t played Animal Crossing for several years now. I’m not convinced what has been announced so far will have any staying power with me. But here’s hoping it surprises me.

Dispatch

Dispatch has already released on other systems but lands on Switch 2 in late January. It’s an episodic adventure in the same vein as the Telltale games which I love. I only know that it has something to do with superheroes, is funny, and has received extremely high praise from those who have played it.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined

I played Dragon Quest VII on 3DS and boy is it a long game. But looking at the art style used in this remake I can’t resist jumping back in. Plus the developers have already mentioned the game has been streamlined to make it flow a little quicker. Maybe it will “only” take me 80 hours to play through instead of 100!

Mario Tennis Fever

I have most of the Mario Tennis game, with the latest one being Mario Tennis Aces on Switch. I still think the original Mario Tennis on N64 has never been topped. I’d like to see them move away from special shots and focus more on the tennis mechanics. Or at least add a mode to accommodate that. But this is a Mario game after all so I know there will be crazy moves.

Resident Evil Requiem

It has been a while since I’ve played a modern Resident Evil game so I’m looking forward to this. In addition, Resident Evil 7 & 8 are coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on the same day. I plan to pick up all three since they are being bundled at an unbelievable price. I played through Resident Evil 7 several years ago and still remember the uneasiness that game made me feel. I’m curious to see if it still holds. I can’t pass up this three for one package.

Pokemon Pokopia

When I first saw the trailer for this I wrote it off. But as I’ve seen and read more I think this may have potential. Pokemon crossed with Animal Crossing crossed with Harvest Moon? I’m eager to learn more and maybe see some impressions but I’m keeping it on my wishlist for now. I’m hoping it’s one of those games that provides a ton of value for those willing to put in the time.

NSO – Virtual Boy

Like 99.9% of everyone else, I never bought a Virtual Boy back in the day. I have never even played one. I feel like it’s a gap in my Nintendo history. I couldn’t believe when this was announced during a Nintendo Direct. I’ve already secured a preorder for the overpriced Virtual Boy replica that will be needed to play these games. I’m excited to try out each and every one of them. Along with Virtual Boy, I’m also looking forward to all the new classic games that will be added to NSO in 2026.

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake

I’m looking forward to this based on the Fatal Frame name alone. I’ve played a couple of Fatal Frames in the past on Nintendo systems and enjoyed each of them. The camera mechanic in which you basically need to take pictures of ghosts to damage them really appeals to me. Throw in a spooky story and some kind of mansion to explore and I’m ready to jump in!

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection

I bought the first Monster Hunter Stories for 3DS and although I had a good time with it, I definitely felt some fatigue near the end. I skipped Monster Hunter Stories 2 as it appeared to be more of the same. But looking at the trailers for this third game, it seems much more open world oriented. I got Breath of the Wild vibes from it. I want to see more but so far I’m interested.

Super Mario Bros Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

I’m giving the benefit of any doubt to Nintendo that there is more to this update than has been announced so far since they did hint to stay tuned. What has been announced has been multi-player focused which doesn’t interest me in the least. I’m waiting to hear what the updates are for single player. As of today I’m confident there will be some good single player content with this but that has yet to be confirmed. Come on Nintendo, don’t let me down!

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream

I played Tomodachi Life on 3DS and had a blast with it. It’s one of those games in which the more you put into it the more you will get out for it. I’m curious to check this version out. One concern I do have is we all had Miis saved to our 3DS to use in the prior game. That’s not the case with Switch 2. Using Miis I was familiar with was instrumental in the enjoyment I got out of the prior game. I’m interested to learn more about how this will work with this version.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book

I love the art style this game is using. While there have been, what some would consider, weaker Yoshi games released, I’ve actually enjoyed them all. Sure some are better than others but they are all worth playing in my book. I expect this game will have plenty to satisfy my gaming tastes.

Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave

All we know about this game is it’s a new Fire Emblem and it’s coming in 2026. I skipped the last Fire Emblem, Engage. I’m ready to jump back into this series and will almost certainly pick it up day one.

Professor Layton and the New World of Steam

This is the only game that was on my 2025 list of games I was looking forward to that didn’t actually make it out. So it will carry over to my list this year. Although I have played a lot of Professor Layton games it has been many years since I played the last one. I’m ready to jump back in and solve some logic puzzles.

Rhythm Heaven Groove

Nobody expected this game to be announced, or I certainly didn’t. I have Rhythm Heaven Megamix on 3DS and had a nice time with it. I am curious to see how much content will be included in this and if it’s a full $60 game. Regardless, I want to show support for games like this even getting made nowadays. I feel we need more quirky games like this.

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales

This is one of those HD-2D rpg Square-Enix games that I’m a sucker for. I played a little of the demo and that was enough to convince me. Admittedly I don’t know a ton about this but I’m here for it.

Splatoon Raiders

This is the one game on this list that isn’t confirmed for 2026. However, outside of Metroid (specifically Prime 4) and Zelda, Nintendo generally doesn’t announce games years before they release so I have a good feeling Splatoon Raiders will release this year. I passed on Splatoon 3 so I’m eager to get back into the Splatoon universe. This one is supposed to be single player focused which really has be intrigued.

That’s over 15 games I’m interested in. Add in the fact there will most certainly be 2026 releases we don’t even know about yet and I still have a couple 2025 games to get to and this year is going to be a busy year for me on Nintendo Switch 2. This is why I love playing games on Nintendo systems. They almost always deliver and there is always something to look forward to. Let’s go!

In 2024 I made the decision to start buying Nintendo games I was interested in at launch instead of waiting for a sale and then many times just never getting to them. Nintendo is by far my favorite game developer so it makes sense for me to prioritize those games. More often than not I’m not disappointed. I had a great time doing this in 2024 and wrote about it here.

I decided to keep it rolling in 2025. Unlike 2024, I didn’t buy EVERY game published by Nintendo this year depending on how you classify new games. But I did buy and play through most of them. Below is a list of every game Nintendo published in 2025 and my experience playing them, or in some cases the reason I passed. Nowadays it’s tough to know what to count as far as new games. Do you count Nintendo Switch 2 Editions? DLC? I just decided to count everything so I think everything is accounted for below. With the launch of Nintendo Switch 2, I felt 2025 was a great year for Nintendo gaming.

Game #1: Donkey Kong Country Returns HD

Release Date: January 16

Started: 01/16/25…Finished: 02/20/25…Time Spent Playing: 31 hrs 35 mins

This was a remake of the 2010 game released on Wii which I also own and beat back in the day. There wasn’t much added to this version besides prettier graphics, the option to not use motion control (which was a huge bonus for me), and a ninth world to play through that was included in the 3DS version that I had never played. A “modern mode” was also added which provided an extra heart of life which I took full advantage of. While playing through this I remembered almost nothing from my 2010 play through. It might as well have been a new game. I played for 100%. If I finished a level and was missing a hidden puzzle piece or one of the K-O-N-G letters, I jumped back in and replayed the level. Searching for the hidden collectibles is what made this game for me. I found it very satisfying to locate all of them. Even playing on modern mode the game is still tough. Sometimes frustration would set in after failing a level for the 20th time. But I got through them all at 100%! The only thing I didn’t bother with were the time trials. I felt Donkey Kong Country Returns HD was a solid start to 2025. Let’s keep it going!

Game #2: Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition

Release Date: March 20

Started: 03/20/25…Finished: 05/26/25…Time Spent Playing: 146 hrs 5 mins

After nothing was released in February, Nintendo released a big one in March, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. This is a remake of the 2015 Wii U game which was my favorite Wii U game evidenced by the 222 hours I put into it. I knew I wouldn’t sink that much time into this version but couldn’t wait to explore this world all over again. I forgot how great this game is. It places exploration above all else and exploration in video games is my favorite thing to do. The fact I didn’t get my skell (mech) until after I had put 50 hours into the game made me appreciate the benefits of obtaining one even more. The skell allows you to fly and visit locations that are impossible to reach on foot. It also exemplifies just how large the world you are exploring actually is. The game is comprised of quests, quests, and more quests. Checking the box when completing each one was especially satisfying. There were many times I just didn’t want to put the game down. I had no problem making my way through this with the goal to have it finished before the Switch 2 launched. I completed the game including the added content, Chapter 13 with a couple weeks to spare and then continued to dabble a little. My survey rate, which is an indicator of how much you discovered, was just a little under 85%. Xenoblade Chronicles X is an amazing game and for me the perfect game to make the last couple months before Switch 2 released go a little quicker.

Game #3: Mario Kart World

Release Date: June 5

Started: 06/05/25…Finished: 07/30/25…Time Spent Playing: 57 hours 15 minutes

Finally! After a long first half of the year with only 2 games, the Switch 2 launched and the floodgates opened! I would have rather had a meaty single player experience with the launch of Switch 2 than Mario Kart. But I understand why Nintendo chose Mario Kart to bundle with Switch 2 instead. At first I was a little underwhelmed. I liked it but at the end of the day it just felt like more Mario Kart. But the more I played the more I really began to take to it. The AI has been beefed up in this version compared to other versions. I primarily play single player and it was much tougher for me to get the golds and 3 stars in World than in the previous games. Knockout Tour is a blast. It’s essentially 6 races combined into one long race and I really enjoyed the length of those races. Free Roam is a mixed bag. The world you are given to explore is huge with hundreds of collectibles and P-switch missions to find. But the game doesn’t assist the player in finding any of it. At first I didn’t like that aspect. Then I began to appreciate it as always having something to come back to since it would be extremely tough to ever find them all. I began by just finding all of the hidden question mark panels in each area (which the game does track) and then completing the P-switches and collecting Peach medallions as I found them. Later in the year the game was updated to assist the player with tracking collectibles. It really extended the game for me and was relaxing to chill as I looked for them and listened to Mario tunes. After taking it out of my rotation on July 30 with exactly 50 hours invested, I still put an additional 7 hours in the game throughout the remainder of the year.

Game #4: Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour

Release Date: June 5

Started: 06/05/25…Finished 06/24/25…Time Spent Playing: 11 hrs 30 mins

“I’m not paying $10 for a game that should have been a pack-in” is the most common thing you will hear when this game is brought up. Should it have been included free with Nintendo Switch 2? Probably. But I wasn’t about to let $10 come between me and the experience of playing through this game. After putting 11+ hours into it I’m so glad I purchased this. However, I’m not going to claim it’s all roses. The game will often make you feel like you are taking a mandatory compliance training for your employer, including meaningless quizzes after each section. That’s the part I didn’t like. But I learned so much about Switch 2 playing this, such as why certain features were added or why buttons are placed where they are. Many are things I would have never even considered. I found a lot of it fascinating and wouldn’t mind seeing something similar for Nintendo’s older consoles. The thought process that goes into making a console like this is phenomenal. What this game really did though was open my eyes to the possibilities of mouse controls. I was largely uninterested in mouse controls before playing this. Now I’m looking forward to seeing how it’s applied to future games. There are over a 150 medals to earn in the various mini-games of Welcome Tour. I didn’t come close to earning them all. Some are beyond my skill level. But as far as being a neat side game to play along with Mario Kart, I have few complaints.

Game #5: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

Release Date: June 5

Started: 06/05/25…Finished: 08/22/25…Time Spent Playing: 53 hours 15 minutes

I put over 200 hours into Breath of the Wild when it released on Switch. As much as I love the game the thought of starting over is too much of a time commitment for me. However, I really wanted to check out the NS2 version of BotW due to the Zelda Notes app that was added. This app allows you to see things on the map you missed the first time including hundreds of those Koroks. I felt this would be the perfect excuse to get back into the game and have purpose, but not be committed to playing the whole thing over. And that’s exactly what Zelda Notes provided. Not only does it show you missed Koroks, but it shows missed major enemies, shrine quests, side quests, stables, shrines, and just about anything else you can think of. I would drop into a section of the map and just slowly navigate to the areas and find everything I had originally missed. After taking a few days to get acclimated with the controls playing this game became one of my favorite ways to relax. Over a period of two and a half months of putting 5 or 6 hours in per week, I eventually cleared the map, including all 900 of those koroks. I had a great time revisiting this world. Eight years later and the game is still phenomenal.

Game #6: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

Release Date: June 5

Started: 09/15/25…still playing…Time Spent Playing: 7 hours 15 minutes

I wanted to do the same thing with Tears of the Kingdom that I did with Breath of the Wild, play the game without actually starting over. This meant my goal was to use the Zelda Notes app to hunt for everything I missed during my initial play through. When I first viewed the map and what I had missed, I was shocked at what I saw. There were so my icons of items I had missed I could barely even see the map. It was a ton, much more than BotW. I had played Tears of the Kingdom for 196 hours during my play through so I couldn’t believe it. I started out with intentions of playing Tears of the Kingdom 5 or 6 hours per week like I did Breath of the Wild. But the Nintendo release schedule got really busy in the fall so I had to put this game on hold. Every once in a while I would put an hour into it but this is going to have to be a 2026 project for me. I’m looking forward to it!

Game #7: Donkey Kong Bananza

Release Date: July 17

Started: 07/17/25…Finished 08/31/25…Time Spent Playing: 65 hours 0 minutes

Donkey Kong Bananza is the game I would have preferred to have at the launch of Nintendo Switch 2. However, it released about 6 weeks after the launch so the wait wasn’t too bad. This game is amazing. There are basically 16 worlds to explore each of which may be made up of several layers. There is a ton of content. Smashing the terrain looking for the hidden bananas and fossils was my favorite thing to do in this game. There are over 700 bananas to find. The maps in this game are very detailed and reflect any destruction you have caused. I found it fun to transform into forms which would allow for new abilities to perform in the worlds. As far as a single player action/adventure game, this is exactly what I wanted. I was a little disappointed that the post game focused on action instead of exploration but I can’t complain at all. The further I get away from having played the more I think of turning it on just to play again. Donkey Kong Bananza is a game I’d like to dabble in a little each year just to remind myself how fun this game is. This game delivered and is another shining example of why I prefer Nintendo made games to all other companies.

Game #8: Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV

Release Date: July 24

Started: N/A

This game breaks my streak for purchasing all first party Nintendo published games, a streak that had gone back to 2023 and I believe reached 19 games. Before this the last game I passed on was WarioWare: Move It which released on 11/03/23. Ironically, Super Mario Party Jamboree is one of the games I purchased in 2024 largely because of the streak. I had a great time with Jamboree putting over 40 hours into it, almost all single player. The reason I’m passing on the NS2 Edition at this time is that most of the updates just don’t seem appealing to me. I don’t have the camera so all of that integration is meaningless to me. I’m not interested in voice control mini-games. I would be interested in the mouse mini-games but that’s literally the only thing that appeals to me in this package. The fact it only costs $20 for the upgrade means I am tempted. But for now I’m going to pass.

Game #9: Drag x Drive

Release Date: August 14

Started: 08/14/25….Finished 09/20/25…Time Spent Playing: 26 hours 30 minutes

There were 3 games in 2025 that really surprised me in how much I ended up liking them versus what I expected going in. Drag x Drive was the first one. This is a game people love to hate on. It’s basically a wheelchair basketball game. I’ll admit there aren’t a lot of modes to play through. But the main game is very fun, assuming you can get over the steep learning curve of controlling your character with mouse controls. I feel mouse controls are essential in that it’s a huge part of this game. Adding stick controls would make the game so simple that interest would probably fade even quicker than it already has. Games are only 3 minutes. When paired up with teammates willing to pass, the games can be intense and fun. When Drag x Drive clicked, it really clicked. To me that’s what it’s all about. Is the game fun? My response was a resounding yes! The game was only $20 so I don’t necessarily expect a $60 experience. I’m happy I didn’t listen to the masses and decided to jump in with an open mind looking for a new experience. I do think a lot of people didn’t even try the demo or did not give themselves a chance to adapt to the mouse controls since they do take some practice. It’s a bummer that people are so negative about this game because there is a lot of fun to be had here. I think it’s important that Nintendo continue to try new things even if they aren’t successes on a large scale.

Game #10: Kirby and The Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition: Star Crossed World

Release Date: August 28

Started 08/28/25…Finished 09/13/25…Time Spent Playing: 11 hours 55 minutes

I’m not the biggest Kirby fan but I enjoyed The Forgotten Land a lot. This DLC adds 12 new levels along with a boss fight to play through. The additional levels are all pretty good and are set up the same as those in the base game in that there are 5 objectives to complete, most of which are optional. I played for 100% so if I cleared a level but missed something I jumped back into it. Most of the levels took me anywhere from 2-4 runs to find it all. There were three new abilities known as mouthful mode included in this content. My favorite was the gear which allowed Kirby to climb walls. This was a great excuse to jump back into Kirby and the Forgotten Land. This DLC was great to add to my rotation as a side game as I focused on longer more complex games. I had a good time with it.

Game #11: Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC

Release Date: September 12

Started: N/A

I decided to pass on the dlc. What I was hoping for was new worlds to explore. But this is a rogue-like dlc that really doesn’t appeal to me. I haven’t completely written it off but I’m in no hurry to check it out. What I’ve read from people who have played is that it’s really good with a lot of content. I may check it out someday, but with constant new releases, probably not.

Game #12: Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2

Release Date: October 2

Started: 10/02/25…Finished 11/08/25…Time Spent Playing: 39 hours 0 minutes

Technically I only bought half of this game. Digitally you can buy these two games separate which is what I opted for. I passed on Super Mario Galaxy 1 simply because it’s included in 2020’s Super Mario 3D All-Stars which I already have for Switch. I beat the game when I revisited it in 2021. Despite it now being available in 4K, I didn’t feel the need to do it again so soon to having already played it. But Super Mario Galaxy 2 I was very interested in. Wow, Galaxy 2 reminded me how fun Mario games are to play. I don’t think I had played through this since the original version on Wii released. Every locale, of which there are a ton, is a blast to play through. New mechanics are introduced throughout to keep the gameplay fresh. Yoshi is included in this game and I enjoyed controlling him as well. Once you collect 120 stars the green star challenge unlocks which provides the player with 120 additional stars to find while replaying the levels. Many of them are cleverly hidden and difficult to get to. Finding those green stars was my favorite thing about this game. I collected 240 stars but stopped just shy of the max of 242. I remembered the agony I went through to get that last star on the Wii and had no desire to try it again! Nope, I’ll keep my memories of Galaxy 2 extremely positive.

Game #13 Pokemon Legends: Z-A

Release Date: October 16

Started 10/16/25…Finished 11/30/25…Time Spent Playing: 62 hours 10 minutes

Pokémon Legends Z-A is the second game on this list that really surprised me. I don’t have a ton of experience with Pokémon but did play and really enjoyed Pokemon Legends Arceus. With Z-A I was a little concerned going in that the entire game taking place in the city would get stale. I should not have been concerned. While admittedly I would prefer an open world to play in, there is so much to do in the city that it never got boring. Completing your Pokédex, working on main story missions and side quests, leveling up your Pokémon, clearing out the Wild Zones, figuring out the puzzle inspired construction zones to find treasures, to simply experiencing the story, I was never at a loss for what I should try to do. I really liked the story and completing the objectives that would pop up on the map. Some may see it as busy work but I always look at side questing as exploring every nook and cranny in a game. I actually considered trying to catch them all at one point. But a couple that were tough to catch mainly due to low catch rates convinced me otherwise. I don’t want to try 30 times simply because of a 3% success rate. Being relatively new to Pokemon, most of the returning creatures are new to me. I kind of wish I had the nostalgia like others do but I missed out on that a long time ago. I enjoyed this game a lot as evidenced by the time I put into it. When the next Pokemon game releases I am sure I will be there.

Game #14 Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

Release Date: November 6

Started 11/06/25…Finished 12/11/25…Time Spent Playing: 51 hours 50 minutes

I loved Hyrule Warriors on Wii U. I liked Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity on Switch but remember feeling fatigue from it. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. Fortunately, I finished the game feeling a lot better about it than I did Age of Calamity. While the Warriors games all play roughly the same, there is something to be said just demolishing hundreds and hundreds of enemies. For a couple weeks it became my comfort food, something to relax to. Being back in the Tears of the Kingdom universe was awesome. They incorporated so many details from that game into this one such as Zonai devices and fighting in underground areas. While the battles largely play the same during each mission, two things kept them interesting. First were the boss fights which could really push back. Each boss has tells to look for so you can counter their powerful moves and it felt great to pull that off. Second, each playable character has their own objectives to meet so I always had secondary goals to complete during battles. Every playable character in this game felt great and those that were in Tears of the Kingdom had moves sets that stayed true to their traits in that game. There wasn’t a bad character among them. I played well into the post game trying to complete the map which would periodically fill with tons of objectives. This game was really fun to play.

Game #15: Kirby Air Riders

Release Date: November 20

Started: 11/20/25…Finished 12/19/25…Time Spent Playing: 36 hours 30 minutes

The third game that surprised me on this 2025 list was Kirby Air Riders. In previous years I probably would have passed on this game. I think Kirby games are fine but they are never games I truly look forward to. When the original Kirby Air Ride released on GameCube I passed on it thinking it was too simple for my tastes. But since I’m a lot less discerning these days about the Nintendo games I buy, I picked this up on day one. What a great decision! This game is awesome! It took me a few hours to warm to it but once I did I couldn’t stop playing. There is a ton of content in this game and if you enjoy unlocking things in games Kirby has you covered. Each main mode, of which there are 5, has 150 missions to complete each with a reward. Each mode!! The modes I spent the most time with were the story mode and the two racing modes, Air Ride and Top Ride. My favorite thing to do would be go to the mission board, pick out a mission to complete, and then go to the track and try to complete it. Completing the missions will show you just how deep this game can be. I liked all of the tracks. They each have distinct characteristics and really stand out from one another. I never really took to City Trial. It was fine but often chaotic. I always preferred to be racing although the limited time events they would have in City Trial always enticed me to play it. I’m still amazed at how much this game drew me in. I probably would have loved the GameCube version back in the day too.

Game #16: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Release Date: December 4

Started: 12/04/25…Finished 12/24/25…Time Spent Playing: 39 hours 15 minutes

I like the Metroid games but I don’t consider myself a huge fan. While I was excited to see Metroid Prime 4: Beyond announced EIGHT years ago, I didn’t spend one day of those eight years bummed it was taking so long. With that being said, I did pick it up on day one curious to see how I would like it. After a few hours learning the structure of the game, I was hooked! The core gameplay element of any Metroid game, earning new abilities to unlock paths to new areas, is here in full force. That’s what makes a Metroid game to me. There has been a lot of complaints about “annoying humans” you interact with during the game. I didn’t really find them annoying at all. They also didn’t ruin any perceptions of being isolated. In the end it was still Metroid to me. Another common complaint is the large open world desert. I didn’t know how I would take to it but after playing I appreciated it. Anytime I got to the desert it was an opportunity to relax and simply ride the motorcycle collecting green crystals. I rather enjoyed it. I also appreciated how the game assisted in 100% item completion toward the end game if that’s something that interests the player. It did me. I always look at item cleanup near end game as an opportunity fully explore the world. It’s my favorite part of any Metroid game. While I spent 39 hours with the game my game clock was around 24 hours. Obviously, I was in no hurry. I finished this game feeling very positive about it. It was a nice game to end my 2025 Nintendo experience!

Game #17: Pokemon Legends Z-A – Mega Dimension DLC

Release Date: December 10

Started: N/A

As I stated above, I had a great time playing through Legends Z-A. I was set to buy this DLC up until the day it released. I held off buying it that day because the release trailer included some very high leveled Pokemon and I had concerns about having to grind to get to those levels. I wanted to see some impressions. My understanding now is that it’s not an issue. However, the reviews for the DLC weren’t great. I saw something about a timed element having been added to the battles which did not appeal to me. But more importantly to me, there were some non-Nintendo games I was itching to get to. I ultimately decided to pass on the Mega Dimension DLC.

And that’s it! I love entering each year not knowing a lot of what Nintendo has planned. They always surprise and rarely disappoint when it comes to my tastes. Looking back at 2025, I was able to play through all of the released Nintendo games with the exception of 2 DLCs and 1 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. As 2026 opens, I expect I will continue to play through just about anything Nintendo decides to release. What can I say? I’m a huge fan and they make the games I enjoy the most!

I can remember something from the launch days of every Nintendo console. Ok, I got the NES for Christmas in 1987, not launch. And I got the SNES the first time I saw it in store at which time I don’t think there were actual launch days. But I still remember specific moments from each of those days along with the launch days of Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii, Wii U, and Switch. Ironically, the Nintendo system I have the least memories of launch day is the most recent until a few days ago, Nintendo Switch (NS1). So I wanted to document my Nintendo Switch 2 (NS2) launch day details while they are fresh in my memory and before they are lost forever.

I had preordered my NS2 from Walmart. When I made the preorder Walmart was guaranteeing a June 5 delivery before 9am although they didn’t say what would happen if they didn’t meet the guarantee. However, after preorders were complete there was never another mention of deliveries before 9am. I didn’t preorder from Walmart due to the guarantee but rather Walmart was the only preorder I could get the night they went live. When my order finally moved from “Placed” to “Order Being Prepared” on the Walmart app, it said the delivery would take place on June 5 prior to 10pm. That’s a big difference from 9am although I wasn’t too concerned because I was just glad I had gotten a preorder to begin with.

Because I didn’t trust Walmart to get the order to me early, I did not take the day off work. It would have sucked to use Paid Time Off only to be waiting around all day for the system to arrive. Plus, on that day I was working from home so even if it did show up early I could still unbox it and start all of the downloads. I wouldn’t fully dive in to a game but I could still check it out. My work days are often slow so having to work wasn’t a big concern. Additionally, my work day typically ends at 2pm.

On June 5 the alarm woke me up at 5:25am as usual for work. One of the first things I did was check the Walmart app. It had not changed from the day before and indicated the order was still being prepared. I knew if the 9am guarantee was upheld the NS2 was already at my local Walmart and a Walmart employee would be dropping it off at my house DoorDash style. Otherwise I expected it to be put on a delivery truck early morning and I would receive it in the afternoon. I began working and then checked the app again at 6:10am looking for any updates. I got the update I was looking for. The order was in transit from Walmart to my house! Although I only live 5-10 minutes away from Walmart, the driver still had 4 stops to make before getting to me. I spent some time watching him drive his route as he slowly got closer. I was going to get this thing super early…awesome!

Finally the driver made his last stop before me. It was literally 45 seconds from my house. But as he left instead of taking the direct route he ended up taking a longer way which took about 5 extra minutes. I’m not sure why he did that but it wasn’t a big deal. He got to my house, left the items at the door and left. I went to the door to get my goodies, one of those moments where you feel on top of the world and life is just great after waiting so long to obtain something that you are seconds away from picking up. I may have even done a couple of fist pumps into the air walking to the door. As I opened the door and picked everything up I thought the driver may have left some items by mistake. There were three packages and I only ordered two items. Turns out Walmart included a bottle of Coke and a full size can of Cheddar Cheese Pringles as a thank you gift. Not only did Walmart uphold the 9am guarantee with ease (I got it at 6:45 am), they included a thank you gift. Impressive! Any future system launches like this will see me making Walmart the priority place to get it.

I began unboxing the system. Although I had not watched a lot of NS2 videos prior to launch, I still knew what to expect so there weren’t any surprises with the hardware. With the NS1 I used the Satisfye Grip for most of its lifecycle. It’s just so much more comfortable to hold when you have something to grip. I had already bought a Satisfye Grip for NS2 but it has not released yet. I wondered since the NS2 is larger if I would really even need a grip. It only took 5 seconds of holding the NS2 to know I want a grip to go with it. It’s more comfortable than holding NS1 due to its increased size but a grip is still the way to go for me.

A concern I had regarding the NS2 was knowing everyone would be getting it on the same day. This meant the eshop would be getting hit hard as people updated their system and bought games. I wondered if the eshop would go down, or if it would take a long time to download games. Fortunately, none of that was an issue. Mario Kart World took me 29 minutes to download which I was fine with. I opted to not do a system transfer and plan to just transfer the games I’m actually playing to NS2. I downloaded the following: Mario Kart World, Fantasy Life i which I am currently playing on NS1 along with Portal 2, another game I’m currently playing. I also downloaded the NSO GameCube app and Zelda BotW NS2 Edition, bought Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, and bought the NS2 update for Fantasy Life i. All downloaded relatively quickly and the eshop seemed to be fine all day. Well done Nintendo!

Since I was technically working at my desk, all of my first impressions came from using NS2 as a handheld. The first game I tried was Mario Kart World. It looked beautiful on the NS2 screen. Due to work I was really only trying it out rather than diving into it. I played maybe 5 minutes. Next I wanted to try Portal 2 because that game has some long loading times on NS1. I wanted to see if NS2 made it faster. However, three times in a row the game crashed while trying to boot up. I knew there would be games with compatibility issues but Portal 2 wasn’t on the list of known games. I would learn later that day that booting it up while in airplane mode would get you into the game. I did that and it worked. I was happy to see the loading times were improved, I’d estimate twice as fast on NS2.

The rest of my day while at work I mainly just checked out some of the features of NS2. I really didn’t want play Mario Kart World or Zelda: BotW much before being able to hook the NS2 up to my 4K OLED television. However, it’s wall mounted so I need my wife’s help to get it off the wall while I make the connections. She didn’t get home until 4:30pm that evening. Once she helped me and I got everything situated, I finally got to sit down and dive in at around 5pm. But with it being a new console it was hard to focus on one game because I kept wanting to jump around and experience anything new on it. While waiting for my wife UPS delivered a package around 4pm. I didn’t think much of it because my wife gets packages almost daily. But when I went to get it the package was addressed to me. It turned out to be my GameCube controller from Nintendo! That was very unexpected because when I checked online earlier that day it indicated the controller had not even shipped yet.

Ultimately I played one circuit of Mario Kart World (which I later realized I accidentally played on the guest account I had made instead of my own) and played some of the free roam mode. Mario Kart is a game that I will play a lot but I’m not going to play hours each day. I played Zelda: BotW using the Zelda Notes app on my phone and was hugely impressed with the package. This is what I had the most fun doing on launch day. Next I played a little of Fantasy Life i which looks a little better on NS2 but loads a lot quicker. I also played some F-Zero GX on the GameCube app with my GameCube controller. It’s awesome to see the GameCube games on the 4K tv with no fuzziness. Although I bought Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour I didn’t try it on launch day.

All in all while it was a fun day, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel somewhat a little lackluster. The reason for this is I spent most of the day playing games I’ve already played on NS1. The only new game I played was Mario Kart World and as mentioned above it’s not a meaty single player experience. I generally attribute at least one of those type games to most console launches. But I got everything I ordered, the NS2 is exactly what I hoped it would be, and I have zero doubts the NS2 will provide me with thousands of hours of fun over the next several years. I’m glad the gaming industry can now quit focusing on the NS2 hardware and we can start focusing on what is most important, the games.