From blowing up mako reactors to saving Disney princesses from the heartless, the Japanese RPG genre has a lot in store for anyone who decides to dive into it. 2025 Japanese RPGs include creating your very own weaponry with alchemy in the Atelier series and marrying your favorite villager in Rune Factory.

Here is a look at the diverse lineup in store for fans of the genre in 2025 and perhaps beyond, including remasters of long-beloved treasures. As more games get announced this year, we will update the list.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & The Envisioned Land

• Publisher: Koei Tecmo
• Release Date: March 21
• Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC (via Steam)

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & The Envisioned Land, from developer Gust and publisher Koei Tecmo, explores a stunning anime-inspired world that sees alchemy as an omen rather than a blessing. As Yumia, you'll likely change the minds of many of this land as she tries to figure out what happened to a fallen society that saw its downfall due to alchemy. This RPG revolves around the alchemy mechanic, letting you create bases, battle items, and exploration equipment. For those who don't like the turn-based mechanics in past entries, this takes more of a real-time element to its combat. Atelier Yumia is one of the most anticipated March 2025 releases.

Lunar Remastered Collection

• Publisher: GungHo Online Entertainment America
• Release Date: April 18
• Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC (via Steam)

Two beloved JRPG classics are finally coming back to modern consoles and PC on April 18 with the Lunar Remastered Collection. It includes the first game, Silver Star Story, and the sequel, Eternal Blue. Similar to Square Enix's Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, the Lunar Remastered Collection improves the visuals and audio, in addition to quality-of-life improvements.

According to a PlayStation Blog interview with the game's producer, Matthias Pergams, the new collection includes an adjustable Battle Speed-Up option and a toggleable option for a unified inventory system in the first Lunar game. You can also customize each character's AI during battle. These improvements should help modernize the classic JRPG. The game also supports both English and Japanese voice acting to suit your preference.

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time - May 21

• Publisher: Level-5
• Release Date: May 21
• Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC (via Steam)

Famed developer Level-5 is back with a new entry in the Fantasy Life series, The Girl Who Steals Time. This game takes a more relaxing approach to the JRPG genre, as you fish, cook, and shape your island to how you see fit. It's like Animal Crossing and an RPG had a baby. You'll be able to switch between 14 different jobs as you play through this game. If you want to experience this action RPG with friends, you can certainly do that through online multiplayer with up to four people. Get ready, as you'll be exploring an open world teeming with monsters.

Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3

• Publisher: CyberConnect2
• Release Date: May 29
• Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (via Steam)

CyberConnect2 is delivering the final chapter in the Fuga: Melodies of Steel trilogy on May 29. The children are on a journey to save their friend Malt as they board a tank called the Taranis that was once thought to be lost. The developer says on the game's Steam page that the battle system has "undergone substantial changes." You can now exploit enemy weaknesses and "deal escalating damage with every hit" when you utilize a weakness combo. You can also utilize assist attacks on your quest for victory.

Those new to the series might be able to try the third entry without playing the last two. The Steam page says, "It's not necessary to play Fuga: Melodies of Steel or Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 to enjoy Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3." Hopefully, that is true.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma

• Publisher: XSEED Games, Marvelous, and Marvelous Europe
• Release Date: May 30
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch and PC (via Steam).

On the very next day, you'll be able to play the 2025 Japanese RPG Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma on Nintendo Switch and PC. In this entry, you'll be exploring a new Japanese-inspired country called Azuma. You'll be practicing Earth Dancer powers and taking down evil throughout the land to hopefully bring back hope to its residents. In what the publishers XSEED Games and Marvelous call a reimagined experience on the game's Steam page, we'll be rebuilding an entire village and farm to our hearts' content in between action-RPG battles outside.

As you fight monsters and start up a new society, you'll be able to romance the various characters that reside in your village. You may even marry one of them. The Steam page says the scenes between these characters and your protagonist will be voiced. They can also go to battle with you.

Digimon Story Time Stranger

• Publisher: Bandai Namco
• Release Date: 2025
• Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (via Steam)

After almost a decade, a new entry of the Digimon Story is nearly upon us, as it currently has a vague 2025 release date. Like past entries of the series, you'll be battling other Digimon in the turn-based affair as you try to collect all of the digital monsters. The game takes place between the Digital World and the real world as you try to figure out the reason behind the planet's collapse.

An even wackier twist is that we'll be venturing through time and parallel worlds in an effort to change fate itself. The Steam page says there will be "an incredible variety of Digimon" and "deep customization options" that "provide limitless ways to approach the challenges of battle."

Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian

• Publisher: Koei Tecmo
• Release Date: 2025
• Platforms: PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC (via Steam)

Not much is known about the secondary Atelier adventure coming out in 2025. The trailer showcases an open world with multiple biomes, like a cave of diamonds and an open field. It has all new protagonists and features a narrative set in the canon of Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator. Damn, what is with these long names, Koei Tecmo!? Regardless, unlike Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator, this entry will be an offline title.

Edge of Memories could be considered a 2025 Japanese RPG

• Publisher: Nacon
• Release Date: Q4 2025
• Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (via Steam)

While this game is technically from a French developer called Midgar Studio, we're still counting Edge of Memories as a JRPG as it has hired some significant talent from Japan. It includes the likes of character designer Raita Kazama (Xenoblade Chronicles X), writer Swako Natori (NieR), and Mitsuru Yokoyama, the combat designer of Final Fantasy XV. The majority of the soundtrack is from Cédric Menendez. However, the final theme is by Yasunori Mitsuda, who has been a composer on JRPG classics like Chrono Trigger and Xenoblade Chronicles.

Edge of Memories is an action RPG that has you stringing fast-paced combos and customizing your companions to "inflict more damage at crucial moments" by "[using] their skills wisely." There is also a rage system involved in the combat. Additionally, Edge of Memories supports Unreal Engine 5 anime-inspired visuals.

The post All notable upcoming Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) in 2025 appeared first on Destructoid.

2024 is already looking to be an interesting year for gaming, with several remakes and remasters arriving in early January and brand-new releases making the waves later on. 2023 was an exciting time, gaming in 2024 was slightly underwhelming, and it's only a matter of time before we learn what 2025 entails.

It is very easy to forget the sheer volume of games that launch throughout an entire year. One month alone can have dozens of releases, let alone the rest as game development teams announce their plans.

If you’re looking to plan ahead or tell others about an upcoming release, we have an ongoing list of games confirmed to launch in 2025. We’ll also continue updating this list as we learn about new releases and delays.

Updated March 20, 2025: Updated with new titles, both within the indie and AAA space, announced throughout March.

January 2025 game releases

• Beyond Citadel (PC) - January 2
• Wuthering Waves (PS5) - January 2
• Click Mage (PC) - January 6
• Chocolate Factory Simulator (PC) - January 7
• Desktop Mate (PC) - January 7
• Sea Fantasy (PC) - January 7
• Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana (PC4, PS5, Switch) - January 7
• My Summer Car (PC) - January 8
• The Last Flame (PC) - January 9
• Freedom Wars Remastered (PC, PS4, PS5, Switch) - January 10
• Airborne Empire (PC, Early Access) - January 13
• Dreaming Isles (PC) - January 13
• Heroes of Hammerwatch II (PC) January 14
• Hyper Light Breaker (PC) - January 14
• Turnip Boy Robs a Bank (iOS, Android) - January 14
• Aloft (PC) - January 15
• Age of Darkness: Final Stand (PC) - January 15
• The Roottrees are Dead (PC) - January 15
• Age of Water (PC) - January 16
• Assetto Corsa EVO (PC, Early Access) - January 16
• Blade Chimera (PC, Switch) - January 16
• Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (Switch) - January 16
• DreadOut Remastered Collection (PC, PS4, Switch) - January 16
• Dynasty Warriors: Origins (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - January 16
• Football Coach: College Dynasty (PC) - January 16
• Morkull Ragast's Rage (PC, Xbox Series X/S) - January 16
• Cyclopean: The Great Abyss (PC, Early Access) - January 17
• Skystead Ranch (PC) - January 17
• Tales of Graces f Remastered (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - January 17
• Helskate (PC) - January 20
• Into the Emberlands (PC) - January 20
• Needy Streamer Overload (PS4, PS5) - January 21
• Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - January 22
• Gravelord (PC, Early Access) - January 22
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (PC) - January 23
• Guilty Gear Strive (Switch) - January 23
• Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - January 23
• Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S) - January 23
• Synduality: Echo of Ada (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - January 23
• Space Engineers 2 (PC, Early Access) - January 27
• Cuisineer (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - January 28
• Eternal Strands (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - January 28
• Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos (PS4, PS5, Switch) - January 28
• Tails of Iron II: Whiskers of Winter (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - January 28
• The Stone of Madness (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - January 28
• Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. (PC) - January 28
• Warside (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Switch) - January 28
• Ropuka's Idle Island (PC) - January 29
• Cardfight!! Vanguard Dear Days 2 (PC, Switch) - January 30
• Hello Kitty Island Adventure (PC, Switch) - January 30
• Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero (PC, PS4, PS5, Switch) - January 30
• Sniper Elite: Resistance (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S) - January 30
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (PC) - January 30
• The Headliners (PC) - January 30
• Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - January 31
• FlyKnight (PC) - January 31
• Foundation 1.0 (PC) - January 31
• The Sims Legacy Collection (PC) - January 31

February 2025 game releases

• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - February 4
• Rift of the NecroDancer (PC) - February 5
• While Waiting (PC, Switch) - February 5
• Border Pioneer (PC) - February 6
• Keep Driving (PC) - February 6
• Stray Path (PC) - February 6
• Momodora: Moonlit Farewell (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - February 6
• A Game About Digging a Hole (PC) - February 7
• Astral Throne (PC) - February 7
• Civilization VII (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - February 11
• Mind Over Magic (PC) - February 12
• Urban Myth Dissolution Center (PC, PS5, Switch) - February 12
• Warriors: Abyss (PC, PS4, PS5) - February 12
• Amber Isle (Switch) - February 13
• Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart (Switch) - February 13
• Warriors: Abyss (Switch) - February 13
• Tomb Raider IV–VI Remastered (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - February 14
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II (PC, Switch) - February 14
• Avowed (PC, Xbox Series X/S) - February 18
• Lost Records: Bloom & Rage - Tape one (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - February 18
• Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog (PC, PS4, PS5, Switch) - February 20
• Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S) - February 21
• R.E.P.O. (PC) - February 26
• Crystar (PS5) - February 27
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection (PC, Switch) - February 27
• Monster Hunter Wilds (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - February 28

March 2025 game releases

• Age of Mythology: Retold (PS5) - March 4
• Everhood 2 (PC, Switch) - March 4
• Grimoire Groves (PC) - March 4
• Two Point Museum (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 4
• Bao Bao's Cozy Laundromat (PC) - March 6
• Desktop Cat Cafe (PC) - March 6
• Dragonkin: The Banished (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 6
• Fragpunk (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 6
• Grimoire Groves (PC) - March 6
• Sorry We're Closed (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - March 6
• Split Fiction (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 6
• Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch) - March 6
• The Sims 4: Businesses and Hobbies (PC, PS4, Xbox One) - March 6
• Rogue: Genesia (PC) - March 7
• Sugardew Island (PC) - March 7
• Rise of the Ronin (PC) - March 10
• MeMic (PC) - March 11
• Wanderstop (PC, PS5) - March 11
• Metal Bringer (PC, PS5) - March 12
• Beyond the Ice Palace 2 (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - March 13
• Bionic Bay (PC, PS5) - March 13
• Dungeons of Hinterberg (PS4, PS5) - March 13
• Matcho (PC, PS5) - March 13
• Midnight Murder Club (PC, PS5, Early Access) - March 13
• On Your Tail (Switch) - March 13
• WWE 2K25 (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S) - March 14
• MLB The Show 25 (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - March 18
• Assassin's Creed Shadows (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 20
• Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind] (PC, PS4, PS5, Switch) - March 20
• Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition (Switch) - March 20
• Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - March 21
• BLEACH Rebirth of Souls (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 21
• Breakout Beyond (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - March 25
• Steel Paws (Android, iOS) - March 25
• JDM: Japanese Drift Master (PC) - March 26
• Spilled! (PC) - March 26
• AI Limit (PC, PS5) - March 27
• Atomfall (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S) - March 27
• Bubble Ghost Remake (PC, Switch) - March 27
• The First Berserker: Khazan (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 27
• inZOI (PC) - March 28
• PolyPine (PC) - March 31
• Post Trauma (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 31
• Psycho Patrol R (PC, Early Access) - March 31
• The Chef's Shift (PC) - March 31
• TinyCraft Town (PC) - March

April 2025 game releases

• Koira (PC, PS5) - April 1
• The Last of Us Part II (PC) - April 3
• South of Midnight (PC, Xbox Series X/S) - April 8
• Tiny Garden (PC) - April 8
• Commandos: Origins (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - April 9
• Descenders Next (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S) - April 9
• Gedonia 2 (PC) - April 9
• Blue Prince (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - April 10
• All in Abyss: Judge the Fake (PC, PS5, Switch) - April 10
• Crashlands 2 (PC, Android, iOS) - April 10
• Star Overdrive (Switch) - April 10
• The Talos Principle: Reawakened (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S)- April 10
• Lost Records: Bloom & Rage - Tape two (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - April 15
• Bionic Bay (PC, PS5) - April 17
• Koira (PC, PS5) - April 17
• Mandragora (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - April 17
• Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - April 17
• Rusty Rabbit (PC, PS5, Switch) - April 17
• Bokura (PS4, PS5) - April 18
• Lunar Remastered Collection (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch) - April 18
• Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - April 23
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - April 24
• FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - April 24
• Super Technos World: River City & Arcade Classics (PC, PS5, Switch) - April 24
• Tempest Rising (PC) - April 24
• The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- (PC, Switch) - April 24
• Days Gone Remastered (PS5) - April 25
• Forza Horizon 5 (PS5) - April 29
• Faun Town (PC) - April 30
• Dave the Diver: Ichiban's Holiday (PC, PS4, PS5, Switch) - April
• Haunted House Renovator (PC) - April
• Magic Inn (PC) - April
• Ratatan (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - April
• Super Mini Mart (PC) - April

May 2025 game releases

• Freeride (PC, Switch) - May 1
• Captain Blood (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - May 6
• Metal Eden (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - May 6
• Revenge of the Savage Planet (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - May 8
• The Midnight Walk (PC, PS5) - May 8
• Doom: The Dark Ages (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - May 15
• Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch) - May 16
• Dune: Awakening (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - May 20
• Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time (Switch) - May 21
• Blades of Fire (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - May 22
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown (PC) - May 22
• Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch) - May 23
• to a T (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - May 28
• Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - May 29
• Elden Ring: Nightreign (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S) - May 30
• Lost Soul Aside (PC, PS5) - May 30
• Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma (PC, Switch) - May 30

June 2025 game releases

• Five Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic (PC, PS5) - June 13
• Tron: Catalyst (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - June 17
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (PS5) - June 26
• Date Everything! (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - June
• Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road (PC, PS4, PS5, iOS, Android, Switch) - June
• Stellar Blade (PC) - June

July 2025 game releases

• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - July 11
• Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition (PC) - July 15
• HUNTER×HUNTER NEN×IMPACT (PC, PS5, Switch) - July 17
• Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - July 29
• Last Spartan: Glory Over Madness (PC) - July

August 2025 game releases

• Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - August 28
• Shinobi: Art of Vengeance (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - August 29

September 2025 game releases

• Hell Is Us (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - September 4
• Borderlands 4 (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - September 23

October 2025 game releases

• Directive 8020 (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - October 2
• Double Dragon Revive (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S) - October 23

Games with unknown release dates (2025)

• Absolum
• A.I.L.A
• Another Farm Roguelike: Rebirth
• ARC Raiders
• Astrobotanica
• Big Walk
• Biped 2
• Bits & Bops
• Bugtopia
• Candy Shop Simulator
• Cauldron
• Coffee Talk Tokyo
• Crimson Desert
• Crown Gambit
• Darwin's Paradox
• Dave the Diver: In the Jungle
• Demonschool
• Discounty
• Digimon Story Time Stranger
• Dispatch
• Doom (SNES)
• Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake (PC)
• Dreams of Another
• Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping
• Dying Light: The Beast
• EDENS ZERO
• Fantastic Haven
• FBC: Firebreak
• Flappy Bird
• Floatopia
• Game of Thrones: Kingsroad
• Goblin Cleanup
• Grand Theft Auto 6
• Grimshire
• Hello Kitty Island Adventure (PS, PS5)
• Herdling
• Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era
• Hotel Barcelona
• inZOI (PS5, Xbox Series X/S)
• Jump Ship
• Killing Floor 3
• Lies of P: Overture
• Little Nightmares 3
• Mafia: The Old Country
• Mecha Break
• Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
• MindsEye
• Mio: Memories in Orbit
• Mistfall Hunter
• Monaco 2
• Morsels
• Moth Kubit
• MOUSE: P.I. For Hire
• Nanuka: Secret of the Shattering Mood
• Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
• Ninja Gaiden 4
• Nivalis
• One Move Away
• Paralives
• Perfect Dark
• Pixelshire
• Pokémon Champions
• Pokémon Legends: Z-A
• PowerWash Simulator 2
• Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale HD Edition
• Rematch
• Ritual of Raven
• Rooster
• Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker
• Shadow Labyrinth (Pac-Man)
• Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope DX
• Showa American Story
• Slay the Spire II (Early Access)
• Solasta II (Early Access)
• Sonic Racing CrossWorlds
• Sonic Rumble
• Splitgate 2
• Stalcraft: X Operations
• Sleight of Hand
• Solarpunk
• SOPA - Tale of the Stolen Potato
• Star Overdrive (PC, PS5)
• StarRupture
• State of Decay 3
• Stick it to the Stickman
• Streets of Rogue 2
• Subnautica 2 (Early Access)
• Squeakross: Home Squeak Home
• Terminator: Survivors
• Tinkerlands
• Tiny Bookshop
• Townseek
• Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
• Trident’s Tale
• The Legend of Baboo
• The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu
• The Outer Worlds 2
• Time Flies
• Vampires: Bloodlord Rising
• Wheel World
• World's Worst Handyman
• Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
• Youtubers Life 3: Stream Together

Games with unknown release dates (2026)

• Blackfrost the Long Dark 2 (Early Access)
• Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss
• Fable
• Rootbound
• Onimusha: Way of the Sword
• Saros
• Screamer
• The Witcher 4
• Tides of Annihilation

The post 2025 Video Game release date calendar appeared first on Destructoid.

Nihom Falcom remake Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter has gained an excellent English voice cast as announced on Tuesday. It includes the likes of Matt Mercer (Overwatch, Critical Role), Cristina Vee (Hunter x Hunter), and Stephanie Sheh (Your Name), among others.

Your Name star is in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter voice cast

The publisher of the JRPG reimagining GungHo Online Entertainment published a trailer for Trails in the Sky 1st revealing both the Japanese and English voice actors. This seemingly confirms dual-audio support. The full cast so far includes the following:

• Estelle Bright - Stephanie Sheh
• Joshua Bright - Johnny Yong Bosch
• Scherazard Harvey - Michelle Ruff
• Olivier Lenheim - Matthew Mercer
• Kloe Rinz - Cristina Vee
• Agate Croner - Ben Pronsky
• Tita Russell - Brianna Knickerbocker
• Zin Vathek - Vic Chao

Stephanie Sheh is a long-time voice actor, who has worked on the award-winning Your Name, in addition to Sonic x Shadow Generations, and the Sailor Moon series. Johnny Yong Bosch, who plays the protagonist's brother, was once a Power Ranger but has since transitioned to voice acting in the likes of Demon Slayer, Devil May Cry 5, and the Dragon Ball series.

Cristina Vee and Matthew Mercer are also standout members of the English voice cast for Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter. Vee has performed as Killua in the magnificent Hunter x Hunter series, in addition to the adorable Tulin from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Mercer, meanwhile, has entertained many with his voices for Leon Kennedy in the Resident Evil series, Overwatch's Cassidy, and Like a Dragon's Goro Majima.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a full reimagining of the first tale with new visuals and now voice acting. It tells the tale of Estelle and Joshua Bright, who are trying to get higher up on the totem pole in the peacemaking guild. However, they take more than they can handle with one mission, which spirals out of control. Interestingly, once you're out battling threats in this RPG, you can choose between turn-based and real-time action combat to suit your tastes.

Whatever your gameplay style, you'll be able to pick up Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter sometime this fall for PS5, Switch, and PC (via Steam).

The post Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter gains stacked voice cast appeared first on Destructoid.

The March 2025 games lineup is going to feel like a Pheonix Down for RPG lovers with standout games like Atelier Yumia and The First Berserker: Khazan to look forward to. There's also a collection of remasters for beloved RPGs from Konami that may finally see the light of day on modern platforms.

Missed out on releases from last month? Check them out here.

Assassin's Creed Shadows (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, iOS)

Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Quebec and others
Price: $69.99
Release Date: March 20
Trailer

To start us off, the epic open-world RPG Assassin's Creed Shadows takes us to feudal Japan on March 20. Many have requested this location in the series for decades and they're finally getting it. We'll explore gorgeous scenery and enjoy a dynamic world along the way as Ubisoft says that there will be "unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments" on the Steam page.

There are two main protagonists in the game, including the more aggressive up-front warrior Yasuke and the more tactical, stealthy Naoe. Both may provide entertainment for those who want one or the other in the Assassin's Creed series. The storyline seems to matter as well. "Something I noticed throughout my preview that I wholeheartedly didn’t expect, is that your choices seem to actually matter, even if Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t immediately highlight that," said our preview, which explains more.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC)

Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Developer: Gust
Price: $69.99
Release Date: March 21
Trailer

Despite the overly long name, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land features an exciting open-world RPG to explore on March 21. You'll craft items to help you on your journey through alchemy, breaking down objects in the environment to proceed, and fighting enemies in turn-based action. An interesting mechanic thrown into the mix is that your synthesized items can be turned into different shapes like swords and spears that can give you the upper hand in battle. Atelier Yumia is a big deal for Xbox fans as this will be the first game in the series to arrive on Microsoft's platform.

The First Berserker: Khazan (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)

Publisher: NEXON
Developer: Neople
Price: $59.99
Release Date: March 27
Trailer

The First Berserker: Khazan is another RPG in March, which seems to be catering towards the Souls-like crowd with vicious combat, difficult bosses, and a neat cel-shaded art style. This also seems to be for Dungeon Fighter Online fans as this game takes place 800 years before that particular game. You'll have all manner of weapons at your character's disposal as you carry on through the difficult action title, such as dual-wield swords, spears, and greatswords, which all seem engaging to use. There's currently a demo on Steam you can play to get a sneak peek of what's in store.

Split Fiction (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)

Publisher: EA
Developer: Hazelight Studios
Price: $49.99
Release Date: March 6
Trailer

It Takes Two and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons developer Hazelight Studios is back at it with its co-op formula in Split Fiction and this time, it will be crossplay between all platforms. That means if someone buys the PS5 version, their pal can then try out the game as a partner for free on Xbox Series X|S, PC, or another PS5. InSplit Fiction, Hazelight Studios is treating us to a platformer filled with levels inspired by a mix of sci-fi and fantasy-themed worlds.

Two writers get stuck in a virtual reality universe created by their narratives and must find a way to escape. While strangers at first, the two grow a friendship that will likely be tested. Hopefully, the game lives up to its predecessor and The Game Awards GOTY winner, It Takes Two. Maybe this is one of the March 2025 games that will be nominated for Game of the Year this winter.

Suikoden I & II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC)

Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Price: $49.99
Release Date: March 6
Trailer

After many years of waiting and paying extortionate prices for the original games to resellers, Suikoden fans and those interested in trying this series can finally pick up these two classics on modern hardware. Despite being decades old, the second game's story sounds current to this day. "Its characters pursue their causes — often fighting for their homeland in an extension of a war that’s touched generations — with vigor and grim nobility," said a prior Destructoid article by Ray Porreca in 2018. "More than any other role-playing game of its era, Suikoden II acknowledges and builds upon the underlying humanity of its cast."

These classic RPGs will gain a bunch of modern enhancements to improve your experience. It will have HD background illustrations, updated effects that "breathe new life into the pixel art animation," according to the Steam listing, and new environmental sound effects. There's also an auto-save feature and battle fast forward functionality. It's probably the highlight out of the many March 2025 games for those who like retro.

Honorable Mentions

An indie game that should be everyone's radars is Wanderstop. It is a "cosy" game by the creator of The Stanley Parable, that comes with a twist. You play a warfighter who finds work at a tea shop, creating cool drinks by obtaining resources around the area. However, she doesn't want to be there, and the story seems to grow from that premise.

Also, those birds in the screenshot above look quite angry, wouldn't you say?

Other March 2025 games you should look into include:

• Two Point Museum (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - March 4
• Carmen Sandiego (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - March 4
• Everhood 2 (Switch, PC) - March 4
• Sugardew Island (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - March 7
• Wanderstop (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - March 11
• WWE 2K25 (PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - March 14
• MLB The Show 25 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch) - March 18
• Bleach Rebirth of Souls (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - March 21
• Killing Floor 3 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - March 25
• Atomfall (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Onne, PC) - March 27

The post March 2025 is a joyous month for RPG lovers, here’s why appeared first on Destructoid.

The Baked Carp is a simple two-star dish in Disney Dreamlight Valley that will keep your character going throughout the day when consumed. However, you can also sell it for quite a few Star Coins and get some Dreamlight tasks completed while doing so.

Where to find Baked Carp Disney Dreamlight Valley ingredients

To create Baked Carp in Disney Dreamlight Valley, you'll need to collect the following ingredients:

• Carp
• Butter

Both are relatively easy to find within the original valley of the game. Thankfully, you won't need any DLC like The Storybook Vale to access them. Carp can be fished from the waters of the Forest of Valor and Sunlit Plateau. It may take a while to find this fish as Salmon (which can be used to make Apple Cider Glazed Salmon) and Perch end up on the other side of the line more often than not. You'll need to fish within white water ripples in these biomes.

Make sure to take a friend with you who has the fishing specialty. It was only natural for Goofy to be great at fishing due to his summer trip with his son Max in The Goofy Movie. With this fishing specialty, you have a chance to double your catch, and it increases your friendship level with valley residents.

Butter can be easily bought from Remy at his restaurant Chez Remy. From behind the stove, you can purchase the ingredient for 190 Star Coins on a stand.

How much does Baked Carp sell for?

Once you have both ingredients, head to any cooking station at your house or Chez Remy, for example, and throw them into the pot. You'll magically have Baked Carp ready to serve. You can sell it for 767 Star Coins or eat it for 1,894 Energy.

The post How to make Baked Carp in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid.

There are plenty of Sonic Racing CrossWorlds to choose from, and some of the hedgehog's friends are making their first appearance in the kart racing franchise. Sage from Sonic Frontiers, for example, will be playable for the first time.

Sonic Racing CrossWorlds features many Sonic the Hedgehog characters

Sonic Racing CrossWorlds features many residents from the world of Mobius, the largest roster so far for any Sonic racing game with 23 racers at launch, according to a website image leak from Sonic Paradise. Fansite Sonic Stadium confirmed the following are in the game:

• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Knuckles the Echidna
• Miles "Tails" Prower
• Amy Rose
• Shadow the Hedgehog
• Dr. Eggman
• Rouge
• E-123 Omega
• Storm
• Wave
• Jet
• Charmy
• Espio
• Vector
• Blaze
• Silver
• Cream
• Zavok
• Zazz
• Big the Cat
• Metal Sonic
• Egg Pawn
• Sage

Will there be Sega characters in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds?

A Sega press release has confirmed that the game will feature "iconic characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog and Sega universes," so it would make sense to see heroes like Billy Hatcher, Like a Dragon's Kazuma Kiryu, and Persona's Joker join the fray. We also saw a past track, inspired by After Burner, return in the gameplay reveal trailer.

It would be cool to race in areas like Persona 5's Momentos and Like a Dragon's Kabukichō in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.

What is unique about this game?

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is an exciting sequel to the series. It lets players drive through portals into different worlds in the blink of an eye. At one point, you'll be racing under dinosaurs, and the next, you might be drifting around a corner in a stadium. It's a unique take on the kart racing genre. We'll also be able to drive monster trucks and hoverboards Sonic Riders-style in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.

It seems to be a decent alternative to the next Mario Kart entry, especially for those who can't afford a Nintendo Switch 2.

The post All confirmed Sonic Racing CrossWorlds Characters appeared first on Destructoid.

General sentiment has been down on Overwatch since the number 2 was added to it. A lot of the reasons why are completely valid. But it always felt like a Bizarro-world take that one of the problems was the REMOVAL of Loot Boxes. Blizzard's corrected that now.

In a massive presentation announcing most of Overwatch 2's plans for the year, Blizzard discussed a lot of upcoming content. New heroes, new modes, and a new Perks system for the main game all look to be fundamentally interesting additions. Many fans are excited, be it in the YouTube comments or on the Overwatch subreddit. They're even happy to see the return of Loot Boxes.

Loot Boxes have been a controversial topic for more than a decade, ultimately ending up with a lot of games axing them due to a number of factors. One of the largest being the overwhelmingly negative response to their inclusion in games. However, Blizzard's removal of them in favor of a more typical Battle Pass was met with a tidal wave of comments like "I can't believe I miss Loot Boxes," primarily due to the poor reward system implemented with the Overwatch 2's many changes.

The interesting part of this is the fact that Loot Boxes won't be for sale, at least not in most Western markets. There is a lot of speculation that the whole thing returning was done for the game's return to China, in partnership with NetEase. The sentimental and legal conversations around Loot Box-type mechanics over there is very different. But for the rest of us, these will be regularly earned rewards. You can obtain them from weekly objectives and during events, as well as part of the Battle Pass. Free versions of the pass will reward 1 Legendary Loot Box, guaranteeing one of the highest-quality skins in the game. If you buy the Pass, you'll have an additional 2 Legendary boxes to pick up on.

While it's easy to be skeptical upon hearing this news, this seems like a good thing overall. Extra rewards for players are never a bad thing. Nobody really wants to pay for voice lines and sprays, but getting them as random rewards just feels better. This seems like a fundamentally solid compromise and a beneficial addition as the game tries to right its course moving forward.

The post Overwatch 2 is returning to Loot Boxes, and everyone seems excited appeared first on Destructoid.

There are a total of 16 romanceable characters in Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma for you to fall in love with. 14 of them come with the game, and two will arrive later in the form of DLC; here's everyone you'll be able to flirt with and possibly marry in this farming RPG.

All Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma bachelors

Subaru

Subaru can be one of the main protagonists of the game but can be romanced if you pick the female option Kaguya. Voiced by Brandon McInnis (Fire Emblem: Engage), he's an easy-going fella who has a strong sense of justice and will fight for his friends. He left his village to save his homeland of Azuma, and he's a childhood friend of Kaguya.

Murasame

Murasame is a muscular samurai who wants to become the world's greatest swordsman. He is a master of the Munen Muso sword style, which frees him from empty thoughts. It doesn't seem like he has many other hobbies as he "spends his days training and keeping his sword in good condition," according to the Rune Factory website.

Mauro

Mauro is an adorable treasure hunter who hails from a faraway land. He's in Azuma on a hunt to find a legendary treasure. He seems to be a crybaby who has a "sentimental soul," according to the official website.

Kurama

Kurama's the proclaimed god of autumn and the wind and has a cool head on his shoulders. He seems to be the one that everyone goes to for knowledge as he is well-versed in a wide variety of subjects, says the official website. He "excels at every game imaginable" because of his tactical nature.

Fubuki

Fubuki is the Half-Beast God of Winter and Water and is warmhearted towards his friends. He is a "somewhat anxious soul who hates to hurt others," according to the developer Marvelous.

Kai

As the Oni God of the Underworld, Kai does seem a bit scary due to his mighty power and being the leader of the Oni. However, he treats his friends well. He always hides behind a mask to obscure his face. Maybe we'll see it as the story unfolds.

Ikaruga

This mystic is the leader of the Jingasa Corps, and despite having this role, he is surprisingly mild-mannered. However, don't let his personality fool you, "he stops at nothing to achieve" his personal goals, according to the official website.

Cuilang

Hailing from the Autumn Village, Cuilang is a mechanical expert who is fairly antisocial. Despite this, he helps anyone in need of his abilities. You'll need the Seasons of Love DLC pack for this character.

All Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma bachelorettes

Kaguya

Kaguya can also be a main protagonist for the game but can be romanced if you pick the male option Subaru. She is a childhood friend of Subaru. She's similar to Snow White because she loves to interact with animals and involves herself with nature. Like Subaru, she's a calm presence, but according to the official website, "she despises evil and resents any acts of injustice." She's voiced by Suzie Yeung (Final Fantasy VII Rebirth).

Iroha

This friendly woman is the owner of the teahouse in Spring Village. According to the official website, she wants to revitalize Spring Village and return it to its former glory.

Hina

Voiced by Mela Lee (Mortal Kombat 11), Hina is a half-human half-fox who arrives in the village alongside Mauro. She is an archaeologist, which goes hand-in-hand with Mauro's treasure-hunter instincts. She wants to help others in whatever way possible.

Ulalaka

As the God of Spring and Mirth, she tries to spread positivity across the land. She is supposedly kind and gentle to everyone who comes across her.

Matsuri

Matsuri is a carefree God of summer and swords who enjoys physical activities. She prefers to deal with her enemies with brute force instead of using the blade.

Kanata

Kanata is a god of light and the heavens, who is serious and intelligent. According to the official website, she is "prone to flights of fancy."

Clarice

She's a mysterious leader who traveled to Azuma for an unknown goal. She is unlike other characters in the game as she's a "cold, battle-hardened soldier who fears little," according to the official website.

Pilika

This quiet huntress hails from the far north region of Azuma. She is great at hunting but also "feels deep respect for every living thing," says the official website. She's a DLC character that requires you to get the "Seasons of Love" DLC pack.

Hopefully, one of these romanceable characters in Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma can lift your spirits in between farming and battling.

Are there same-sex relationships in Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma?

It has been confirmed that the characters in Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma will fall in love with the protagonist, no matter the gender you pick. This allows for same-sex relationships and marriages in this RPG. Despite this, it might take you a while to romance these characters as the previous entry, Rune Factory 5, is one of the longest Switch games you can play.

The post All romanceable characters in Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma appeared first on Destructoid.

The Super Smash Bros. series was at first a love letter to Nintendo fans, but it grew into a celebration of video games in general with later entries. This fighting game franchise in and of itself has a storied history, starting with mascots brawling in a field and leading all the way up to Nintendo's infamous "Everyone is here!" cry with the marketing of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Here are all of the Super Smash Bros. games ranked based on content, gameplay, and character selection, among other factors.

6. Super Smash Bros.

The first Super Smash Bros. laid the groundwork for the incredible fighting game series we have today, but unfortunately, due to its age, it is the worst entry. There aren't as many characters or stages, and the controls on the Nintendo 64 controller feel stiff in comparison to later consoles' entries.

Most of the stages, despite a lack of them, all stand out. Saffron City is an exciting stage for Pokemon fans as it brings out random pocket monsters into the fray, like the exploding Electrode. The Donkey Kong-inspired stage, Kongo Jungle, is also thrilling as you can be sent to your demise or saved by the barrels below, just like the original game Donkey Kong Country (one of the best SNES games ever). The single-player content, however, is lacking, with no adventure mode to speak of, just the arcade-style Classic Mode. It's always fun to break the targets and launch the Polygon Fighters out of the arena, though.

5. Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

At first, some were skeptical that a portable Super Smash Bros. would even work, but it flourished on the Nintendo 3DS. I remember playing against my friends on the bus while heading to college, taking them down with a Mario fist spike. It ran well and even had its own stages separate from the Wii U version. The roster is absolutely stacked, with characters like Pac-Man, Shulk, and Palutena joining the mix. Cloud Strife and Bayonetta also participated in the battle as DLC.

Unfortunately, just like the Nintendo 64 version, the game suffers from a lack of single-player content. It has a Classic mode of course, but it also had an unsatisfactory selection of 3DS exclusive modes called Smash Run and StreetSmash, which lacked engaging gameplay and replayability. All-Star mode is also included but feels too similar to the Classic Mode (Arcade).

4. Super Smash Bros. Brawl

This game arguably gets too much hate from the fanbase and added a lot to the Super Smash Bros. format we know and love today. It made the game slower, making it more accessible for newcomers to the series. There is a cool Stage Builder mode, which was basic but began our sense of creativity as to where these fighters could bring their next battle. It introduced the Final Smash and Assist Trophies into the mix. Final Smashes look incredible on screen as Mario blasts the screen with an astonishing wave of fire. Assist Trophies allowed for more obscure characters to show up that wouldn't have a chance to make it on the roster, like Waluigi.

What took our breath away was The Subspace Emissary, which features elaborate CG cutscenes and branching paths where players choose which characters to continue with. It was so cool to see characters like Snake, Pit, and Mario interact with each other and form relationships. It also had a sense of drama, especially between Ness and Lucas, as one gets taken in as a trophy by the bad guys. It's a shame we've never had a story mode like this again, which series director Masahiro Sakurai says is due to players uploading cutscenes to YouTube.

3. Super Smash Bros. Melee

To be completely transparent, Super Smash Bros. Melee has never been my personal favorite. The physics feel too loose and fast for my liking, making it hard to play. I did grow up playing Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, so that could be why. However, I can't deny that it has a strong lineage within the competitive community. Many enjoy the fast-paced combos, and the stages are undeniably fantastic. It's exciting to watch players compete in this game as they make wombo-combos and let loose on each other.

Some of the most iconic stages derive from this GameCube game. The Fountain of Dreams is still one of the most beautiful stages to exist in a fighting game, while Hyrule Temple is perfect for four-player matches with its grand set-up. Super Smash Bros. Melee also introduces players to the Adventure Mode, which has you exploring a platforming section based on the Mario series. This later inspired the Subspace Emissary we know and love today.

It's exciting to watch players compete in this game as they make wombo-combos and let loose on each other. I also have to give a shoutout to the incredible introductory cutscene that showcases all of the major characters.

2. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is when the series really got a handle on its identity despite it lacking an original name. It had the perfect balance between Super Smash Bros. Brawl's slower but precise controls and Super Smash Bros. Melee's speed. The roster expanded to more third-party characters, including iconic heroes like Final Fantasy VII's Cloud Strife and Street Fighter's Ryu. The upgrade to full HD was like night and day, really making each of the character models and stages shine. Additionally, the online was smoother than the pitiful attempt that Brawl made.

This Smash Bros entry also added the ability to play with eight players at once, which was a thrilling chaos that only this series now provides. You could even connect a 3DS and play games that way if you so wanted, in addition to Wii remotes and GameCube controllers. It's honestly very accessible to play, and I played a lot of this during college between classes.

The hype behind who will join the roster next in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U was so exciting, and Nintendo even let us vote for who we want to see in the game. Bayonetta ultimately got called up, but Sora was the #1 pick by fans, who was later added as the last Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC. The amiibo support that was introduced with this version also brought a new collectible element and has you training them by fighting them.

1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate truly lives up to its name. Every character from the series' past joined, even including Metal Gear Solid's Solid Snake, who was absent from the Wii U entry. The roster is so huge! Now, you could have Pichu fight Mega Man while Pac-Man chomped away at Mario. It is a true love letter to video games as you play on iconic stages like Kingdom Hearts' Hollow Bastion and Mega Man's Wily Castle. It has more than 100 stages available, and all of them could be changed to Final Destination or Battlefield versions, making them tournament-legal.

There is so much content to find in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. You could finish the World of Light adventure mode that will take you hours upon hours to complete with a fun premise of getting new gimmicks to each fight with the spirits you find and unlock. Classic Mode has a scaling difficulty, giving you more rewards for harder runs. 1,068 tracks are available in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, letting you customize the music in the background. Player-created Mii skins and stages are also in abundance.

The online wasn't perfect when it came out, but has made improvements since then. Unlike Brawl, games were finally playable, especially if both players had solid internet speeds. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is nearly a perfect game, and it's hard to imagine how Nintendo will top it. I haven't even scratched the surface with the other content there is in this 9.5/10 rated game from our review. Nevertheless, it would be great if Subspace Emissary returned in the next entry with a more involved storyline than World of Light, so fingers crossed.

The post All Super Smash Bros. games, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

The rare Sorcerer Hat Hermit Crab Disney Dreamlight Valley ingredient can help you make two kinds of fish dishes in Chez Remy or your home's stove. You can even make some furniture at the crafting station with this ingredient, such as the Agrabah Chair, the Autumn Mage Scarecrow, and more.

Sorcerer Hat Hermit Crab Disney Dreamlight Valley ingredient location

The Sorcerer Hat Hermit Crab in Disney Dreamlight Valley can only be retrieved with the A Rift in Time DLC. Otherwise, it can't be obtained. Head over to The Bind in Storybook Vale. Look around the water and try to spot orange ripples in the water. Thankfully, I was able to find one fairly quickly. Get your fishing rod out.

It may be difficult to catch the Sorcerer Hat Hermit Crab, but after four or five rhythm beats, you should be able to catch this little guy. If you have a friend who has the fishing specialty, you'll have a chance to grab two of the Sorcerer Hat Hermit Crab while also leveling up their friendship meter.

If you decide to sell the Sorcerer Hat Hermit Crab to Goofy at his stall, you can get 800 Star Coins. You can also consume it raw for 1,500 Energy.

How to cook with this crab

The Sorcerer Hat Hermit Crab can help you make the four-star meal Arcane Garlic Crab. You'll need the following ingredients:

• Garlic
• Sorcerer Hat Hermit Crab
• Salt Crystal
• Any spice (Cinnamon, Basil, Oregano, etc)

Garlic can be retrieved from the grounds of Everafter's The Wild Woods and Teapot Falls. It can also be acquired in the Forest of Valor.

Salt Crystals can be picked up by fishing in areas outside ripples in The Wild Woods, Teapot Falls, The Fallen Fortress, and The Beanstalk Marshes.

You can easily get a spice like Oregano from The Plaza in the main valley, where our adventures began.

Bring all of these ingredients together at any cooking station from your home or Chez Remy by throwing them into the pot. You'll then have the Arcane Garlic Crab to sell for around 1,380 Star Coins or eat it for 3,393 Energy, depending on the ingredients you choose.

The post Where to find Sorcerer Hat Hermit Crab in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid.

Your wallet will be taking a critical hit by the end of the February 2025 games lineup as it includes epic RPGs like Avowed and the highly anticipated multiplayer title Monster Hunter Wilds, which is likely to be a mega-hit on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S. Monster Hunter Wilds will be the first game in the series to include crossplay, likely adding to its value for fans.

Avowed (Xbox Series X|S, PC)

Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Price: $69.99 (on Xbox Game Pass from day one)
Release Date: February 18
Trailer

Famous RPG developer Obsidian is launching its next fantasy roleplaying game, Avowed, into the wild on February 18. This game is a new action RPG that takes place in the acclaimed Pillars of Eternity universe but doesn't necessarily require you to play those games to get into this experience. You'll be investigating a plague that has afflicted the Living Lands, and it is up to you to thwart it with your melee and magical skills. Back in November, our preview called the game a "masterpiece in the making."

"Its accessible mechanics make it a welcoming experience for newcomers to the genre, while its diverse combat tactics provide a satisfying challenge," said the article by Kristina Ebanez. "In just a few hours, I found myself lost in its expansive world, filled with a variety of activities." Hopefully, it can deliver, despite its limitation to 30 frames per second on Xbox Series X|S. It's one of those February 2025 games to be excited for, regardless.

Civilization VII (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch)

Publisher: 2K
Developer: Firaxis Games
Price: $69.99
Release Date: February 11
Trailer

The next entry in the legendary strategy series Civilization VII is heading to PC and consoles simultaneously on February 11. Starting with any leader, you can start your own civilization, build its cities, and create new technologies to make your civilization competitive against others. You'll have to deal with each Age as time progresses, adding new gameplay mechanics to learn and adapt to. The leader you choose, like Benjamin Franklin or Lafayette, has a unique ability, and according to the Steam page, "can further be improved with customizable attributes earned through gameplay." They are no longer tied to a specific society.

"Firaxis probably could have gotten away with a safer approach with this installment, opting for just better graphics," said our 9/10 review. "Instead, it boldly revamped a lot of the core systems to make the entire game more streamlined for both newcomers and veterans alike."

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)

Publisher: Deep Silver
Developer: Warhorse Studios
Price: $69.99
Release Date: February 4
Trailer

Gamers can live out their medieval fantasy in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, the sequel to the crowdfunded hit. You'll be playing as Henry in this 15th Century Europe-inspired land, forming choices and clashing blades with thy enemies with steel. This open world game is advertised to feature "bustling cities" and "lush forests" as you explore the historic-themed areas.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 seems to be the first big critical hit of 2025. It currently has an 88 Metacritic score from 53 different outlets for its PC version. "Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one I often dreamed of existing when I was growing up watching a ton of medieval-time movies and TV shows," said our review. "One where you get to actually make decisions, and have complete control over your choices, right or wrong." It also says that the game has "such a satisfying and rewarding combat system," despite some bugs along the way.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC)

Publisher: Sega
Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Price: $59.99
Release Date: February 21
Trailer

The wacky adventures of Goro Majima continues in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii as he forgets who he is and becomes a captain of the sea. After getting shipwrecked and saved by a kid named Noah, he finds himself on the high seas taking on modern-day pirates and criminals along the way in an eccentric adventure that features dual-blade action and a customizable ship. It may put the extremely dull Skull and Bones to shame as it also features naval combat.

As this is a spinoff, fans are expecting the game to be shorter than the mainline Like a Dragon/Yakuza titles. Thankfully, it will be around 1.3-1.5x longer than Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, according to a Famitsu interview (via GameRant) with Ryu Ga Gotoku boss Masayoshi Yokoyama, so there will be quite a lot of content to scour through.

Monster Hunter Wilds (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)

Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Price: $69.99
Release Date: February 28
Trailer

You can mark your "Proof of a Hero" when Monster Hunter Wilds finally launches on February 28 for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC with crossplay support. As you'd expect from past titles, we'll be taking on terrifying beasts, using their body parts and fur for new armor, and protecting the world from foes beyond our comprehension. This time, it all takes place in the Forbidden Lands, which has drastically changing weather than can dynamically alter our gameplay experience. "Not only will hunters have a multitude of weapons and armor to choose from, but the art of the hunt itself has evolved as hunters learn to anticipate monsters’ behavior and familiarize themselves with their environment," explains the Steam page.

You'll be able to get a sneak peek of the action when the second open beta begins on February 6 and ends on February 9. Another starts a week later on February 13 and runs until February 16. When the game fully launches, it's likely going to be one of the most popular February 2025 games.

Honorable mentions from February 2025 games lineup

As you can see, there are many games to look forward to in February 2025, and your wallet's probably cowering in fear. Unfortunately, other notable releases are coming this month. They include:

• Rift of the Necrodancer (PC) - February 5
• Ailuri (Switch, PC) - February 7
• Jump King Quest (PC) - February 12
• Afterlove EP (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - February 14
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II (PS4, PS5, Switch, PC) - February 14
• Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - February 14
• Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - February 18
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection (Switch, PC) - February 27
• PGA Tour 2K25 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - February 28

The post February 2025 is a packed month for video games, here’s why appeared first on Destructoid.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is all about interacting with lovable Sanrio characters and turning them from acquaintances to your best friends. What better way to befriend them than to invite their friends and family to join the party?

One character you can invite is Cappuccino, Cinnamoroll's best friend who enjoys napping and snacking. As long as you have a cabin full of food prepared for him, he'll visit throughout the year to liven up the island. Here's how to get Cappuccino to visit your island in Hello Kitty Island Adventure.

How to invite Cappuccino as an Island Visitor in Hello Kitty Island Adventure

The two requirements for inviting Cappuccino to your island are waiting until he begins traveling and building a cabin that meets his requirements. Currently, Cappuccino will arrive in Hello Kitty Island Adventure on February 6, 2025, giving you only a few days after My Melody's reminder to prepare a cabin for him.

Before Cappuccino visits your island, you'll need to prepare a cabin with the following requirements:

• Must have two Bakery items.
• Must have two Coffee items.
• Must have two Pizza items.
• Must have two Soda items.

You're good to go as long as you meet these four requirements. You can use any cabin available in Hello Kitty Island Adventure, but I'd recommend spots like Spooky Swamp, Mount Hothead, or Cloud Island if you have it unlocked. You can also upgrade a cabin or two if you want Cappuccino and other visitors in more populated areas like Seaside Resort.

How to meet Cappuccino's Cabin requirements in Hello Kitty Island Adventure

Unlike other visitors who want specific furniture types or food, Cappuccino is all about food. That said, you'll need to unlock the oven, espresso machine, pizza oven, and soda machine. The oven is available early on in your playthrough, but the others require exploring each region and befriending Hangyodon, Retsuko, and Pompompurin.

Once you unlock each machine, you'll be ready to create two of each dish. Although any that have these four tags are solid additions to your cabin, here are some easy early-game ones I recommend:

Although these are a few recommendations for easy recipes, you can use any oversupplied items. For example, if you have a ton of Sugarkelp from befriending Keroppi, you can turn it into Sugarkelp Cakes, Dessert Pizza, or Sweet Soda. Even if a recipe fails, the default options work for Cappuccino's cabin requirements, allowing you to experiment and discover new recipes.

Once you have every item, unlock any cabin you wish using some spare Strawberry Crates before placing everything down. After satisfying his cabin requirements, you'll have to wait a day for Cappuccino to visit, so don't worry if he doesn't appear right away.

The post How to get Cappuccino to visit in Hello Kitty Island Adventure appeared first on Destructoid.

It feels like the announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2 was a long time coming. We've been anticipating it for a few years now, especially with the OG Switch now very much reaching the end of its lifecycle.

In fact, sales of the hybrid console suggest everyone's on tenterhooks, just waiting for the arrival of the Switch 2. In a recent financial report, Nintendo said that sales have decreased once more, with net profits down by 31.4% year-on-year.

A further statement in the report says that sales from the company's "game console business decreased by 31.7% year-on-year to 895.5 billion yen." Nintendo even saw a decrease in "mobile and IP related income," which is being blamed on a decrease in sales on the likes of The Super Mario Bros. Movie that was released in April 2023.

Switching over

Despite even sales of the Nintendo Switch OLED edition dropping when compared to the last financial year, it wasn't all bad news. Sure, sales of Nintendo first-party games also dipped somewhat, but the likes of Super Mario Jamboree and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe have now sold 6.17 million and 5.38 million units, respectively.

In fact, according to the report, Jamboree's "cumulative global sell-through" exceeded 5.6 million copies within the first eleven weeks of its release. This means it surpassed the "pace of sales" when compared to other Switch games like Super Mario Party and Mario Party Superstars.

However, the decline in sales overall won't come as a great surprise to many. It seems fairly clear that the gaming industry is just now waiting for the release of the Switch 2.

Nintendo announced the follow-up system recently, but we don't have a release date for it yet. We've been told it's coming sometime this year and that more details are to follow at the next Nintendo Direct, which is scheduled for April. No doubt, sales of the original Switch are only going to decline as we go forward.

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Iron and ingots are two of the most important resources you'll find in Hello Kitty Island Adventure. You'll use it in numerous crafting recipes, including ones for quest items and valuable gifts for villagers. Fortunately, there are two easy ways to farm iron early in your playthrough.

Best ways to get Iron in Hello Kitty Island Adventure

Typically, the main way to get iron in Hello Kitty Island Adventure is to travel around Mount Hothead and pick it up off the ground. However, there are two better methods to obtain iron quickly and consistently:

1. Use the Nul Collection Box to get 14 Iron every 24 hours.
2. Play the Gemstone Match House minigame in Gemstone Mountain.

The best strategy for maximizing your iron farming is to activate the Nul Collection Box in Seaside Resort as soon as you log into Hello Kitty Island Adventure. Once you do, you'll have 24 hours to play in the Gemstone Match House or roam around Mount Hothead for extras.

Nul Collection Box

The Nul Collection Box is one of the best ways to get resources around Friendship Island if you don't want to go around and grab them yourself. After progressing through the main story enough to complete Meet the Island Beings and Terra Nul, you'll equip one of the island's Nuls with a Collector Hat, allowing you to use the Collection Box to get various materials. You'll obtain the resources — in this case, 14 iron — after 24 real-world hours.

Overall, if you want to prepare for the following day or don't have enough time to play Hello Kitty Island Adventure, the Collection Box is one of the best ways to get any resource with little effort. However, the Gemstone Match House is a great alternative if you prefer active gameplay and item-collecting.

Gemstone Match House

The Gemstone Match House is located in Gemstone Mountain, north of Spooky Swamp. You'll find it above the Gemstone Town mailbox in a building with a yellow roof.

The main purpose of the Gemstone Match House is farming resources like iron, Shiny, and a few miscellaneous collectibles using Game Tickets. In exchange for one Game Ticket, you'll swap up to two pairs of grayed-out crystals, lighting them up in hopes of matching two of the same type. A successful match gives you another chance to match, letting you chain them if you find several.

Each successful match gives you either two irons, Shiny, or other rewards like furniture and music. Iron is by far the most common prize you'll get from this, letting you get upward of eight to ten with one Game Ticket if you get lucky with your matches. Even if you don't find any matches right away, the puzzle won't reset, letting you memorize their locations and create some chains.

The Gemstone Match House is a fantastic way to get iron quickly if you have enough Game Tickets to play a few rounds. Game Tickets also spawn on the ground daily, so you can grab more the next day if you run out.

How to make Iron Ingots in Hello Kitty Island Adventure

Before you can craft ingots using your newly acquired iron, you'll need to find its crafting recipe blueprint in Gemstone Mountain. The ingot crafting blueprint appears on a small barrel near the Gemstone Match House.

Once you collect this ingot blueprint, head to Chococat's crafting table to find the recipe. You'll need three iron for every ingot you create, so be prepared to farm the Gemstone Match House and ask the Nuls to collect some iron for you occasionally.

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The Seafood Salad Disney Dreamlight Valley recipe is a fantastic healthy option for your friends like Donald and Mulan. You'll only need two ingredients to create this dish, thankfully.

Seafood Salad Disney Dreamlight Valley ingredients

To create the two-star meal Seafood Salad, you'll need two ingredients. They include:

• Any Seafood (Squid, Lobster, etc)
• Lettuce

Lettuce is easy to find. You can buy the seeds for 3 Star Coins from Goofy's Stall in the Peaceful Meadow. You may also be lucky and be able to purchase the actual ingredient itself. Thankfully, the seeds don't take long to grow after being planted and watered. The growing process takes just three minutes.

You can use any seafood for this dish. One important thing to note, however, is that fish don't count towards the Seafood Salad. You'll need to catch lobsters, squid, basically anything without fins. Clams, Oysters, and Scallops are the easiest to find as they can be picked up from the sand at Dazzle Beach.

If you want the dish to be more valuable, however, you may want to find Lobsters instead. You can find the crustacean in the Glade of Trust within orange ripples. Use your fishing rod and try to catch the lobster.

By the way, you should hang out with a valley friend who has the fishing specialty on them. Not only will their friendship level progress, but they have a chance to double your catch, so you can get two lobsters with one cast.

Create the dish

Head to any cooking station within Chez Remy or your house and chuck both ingredients in the pot. You'll then have the Seafood Salad ready to eat. If you have Lobster in your dish, you can sell it at Goofy's Stall for 1,245 Star Coins or eat it for 2,865 Energy.

Have spare lobsters in your bag? You can make an awesome Lobster Roll. It probably won't beat the one I had in Boston though!

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Hello Kitty Island Adventure features a massive map full of treasures, villagers to befriend, and mysteries to solve. Some areas require having several stamina wheels to access. The only way to permanently increase your stamina is to eat Stamina Apples after collecting their slices.

Here's how to find all the Stamina Apple Slices in Hello Kitty Island Adventure.

How to make Stamina Apples in Hello Kitty Island Adventure

Making a Stamina Apple in Hello Kitty Island Adventure requires collecting five Stamina Apple slices and using them at Chococat's crafting table. When you obtain your first five slices, Chococat will automatically assign you a quest, Fantastic Fruit, letting you unlock the apple's crafting recipe. Without talking to Chococat first, you won't be able to make a Stamina Apple even if you have enough slices.

There are two ways to get Stamina Apple slices in Hello Kitty Island Adventure:

1. Open Golden Chests around the map.
2. Befriend villagers around Friendship Island.

Early on in your playthrough, the easiest way to get Stamina Apple slices is to befriend a few characters. After eating your first apple, you'll have enough stamina to explore most of the map, giving you access to most locations outside of ones that require more stamina or are locked behind certain quests.

You can find 25 Stamina Apple slices during your Hello Kitty Island Adventure, giving you up to five extra stamina wheels. Let's take a look at every Stamina Apple Slice friendship level requirement and map location.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure Stamina Apple Slice friendship levels

You can also obtain up to 15 Stamina Apple slices by befriending villagers in Hello Kitty Island Adventure. While some are available as early as friendship level three for some characters, others require reaching late-game levels of 20 or higher. Here's the complete list of villagers who give you Stamina Apple slices and their level requirements.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure Stamina Apple Slice map locations

The remaining 10 Stamina Apple slices in Hello Kitty Island Adventure are tucked away in golden treasure chests around Friendship Island. Some are accessible early on, while others require a few stamina upgrades. Here are all 10 Stamina Apple slice chest locations:

Seaside Resort

The first Stamina Apple slice location in Seaside Resort requires completing the main story quest Power Up the Gate and entering the Beginners Bridge puzzle chamber. After befriending Chococat, you'll craft a Power Crystal Sensor that leads you to several puzzle rooms, including one directly west of his crafting station. This chamber houses the first golden chest and Stamina Apple slice.

The second location within Seaside Resort requires traveling to Hopscotch Islands. These islands are directly northwest of the main Seaside Resort area, with the golden chest on top of its highest point. Although you can get here without flippers, having them available makes this trip much easier.

With these two locations out of the way, it's time to travel to Spooky Swamp.

Spooky Swamp

Spooky Swamp has one golden chest location directly south of the Ghost Tour Ride's mailbox. If it's your first time in the swamp, you'll have to travel to the northernmost section until you start seeing railway tracks before heading west onto a raised cliffside. The chest containing the next Stamina Apple slice is nestled next to a tree and some peculiar blue-gray rocks.

Rainbow Reef

Rainbow Reef has two Stamina Apple slice chests, with the first chest only being accessible if you have flippers. The second requires the snorkel and either the Mermaid Outfit or extra stamina from apples.

Starting with the easier of the two, teleport to either the Moon Island or Cozy Islands mailbox and start swimming toward their middle point. If you zoom into your map, you'll find a tiny gray circle, indicating the stone platform housing your next golden chest. Head to this spot to find another Stamina Apple slice.

The second chest is a little trickier, requiring at least three stamina wheels or the Mermaid Outfit. Directly north of Kelp Maze and south of Gemstone Mountain is a massive trench with a blue Power Crystal and a golden Stamina Apple chest at the bottom. Using your snorkel, descend to the very bottom to find the next chest.

Gemstone Mountain

Next is Gemstone Mountain, a region north of Spooky Swamp with three Stamina Apple slice chests. The first is the easiest of the three, located on a cliff south of the Oasis Mailbox and Pompompurin's Dessert Boat. Although you don't need an extra stamina wheel for this location, having one from now on will help you in the next few locations.

Our next destination is tricky to navigate, as it requires traveling to the entrance of Icy Peak in Gemstone Mountain. Icy Peak is the mountain and cave system in the area's northeast corner. Fortunately, we won't have to enter this dangerous area, as the next stamina apple chest is east of the entrance's Mailbox along the cliff's edges.

I'd recommend having an extra stamina wheel or two for this climb, as it's very easy to run out even if you take the long route along the main path. With enough parkour skills, though, you can get away with doing this without extra stamina.

Our final Stamina Apple slice location in Gemstone Mountain requires venturing directly into Crystal Caves. You can find this cave system below the Icy Peak Entrance mailbox, with its entrance surrounded by purple crystals.

Before entering the cave, make sure you've unlocked the snorkel and either the Mermaid Outfit or some extra stamina. You only need one extra wheel, but having a second will make swimming much easier. Once you head inside, jump into the water directly south of you and swim all the way down until you spot the golden chest next to a puzzle chamber.

Mount Hothead

Last on the list is Mount Hothead, which holds two more Stamina Apple slices. If you haven't completed story quests like Enraging Ruins and Fire Up the Volcano, you'll need at least two extra stamina wheels to access these chests. In most cases, these will be the last two slices you collect outside of friendship-level ones.

Once you've acquired some stamina upgrades, climb up the mountain past Retsuko, the pizza oven, and the Mount Hothead mailbox until you reach the levels below the Upper Ruins entrance. You may have to get a little creative with climbing up, but a good rule of thumb is to look for ledges to rest on if your stamina gets low.

If you already have the Upper Ruins entrance mailbox unlocked, jump down to the right-most platform directly below it to save time. Either way, head up (or down) Mount Hothead until you find the golden chest next to a rope fence in front of one of the ruins' entrances.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure's final Stamina Apple slice location is deep within Mount Hothead's caves. More specifically, you'll need access to the Lava Caves, which you can access either through the Caldera mailbox if you've visited before or by climbing up the mountain. Completing Enraging Ruins and Fire Up the Volcano will make this much easier, but you can get through here without the quest if you haven't met Retsuko's friendship requirements.

Regardless of your strategy, you'll initially find the Lava Caves entrance directly east of the Caldera mailbox. Much like the rest of Mount Hothead, you'll encounter several ledges that make traversing this area possible, albeit tricky if you accidentally fly or step on lava. Hug the walls, land on as many safe ledges as possible, and conserve some stamina to fly around the molten rock spots for the best chance at getting past these rooms.

After the first room, you'll have a break from moving along a minecart track and running around safe paths. Shortly after the minecart ride, you'll encounter an area in the top-left corner of the map, requiring you to travel north across the lava river and enter a small cave entrance to access the final golden chest.

The post All Stamina Apple Slice locations in Hello Kitty Island Adventure appeared first on Destructoid.

The Apple Cider Glazed Salmon Disney Dreamlight Valley recipe is a tantalizing meal for any of your Disney friends like Minnie or Goofy. This three-star dish can be created from ingredients you can find in the original valley, no DLC is needed.

Apple Cider Glazed Salmon Disney Dreamlight Valley ingredients

To create Apple Cider Glazed Salmon, you'll need the following ingredients:

• Salmon
• Apple
• Sugarcane

You can fish for Salmon in the Sunlit Plateau or the Frosted Heights. If you have some of the DLC, you can also catch it from The Grasslands or The Promenade. They are caught from white ripples in the water as they are a common fish to obtain. Bring a friend from the valley who has the fishing specialty attached to them. For example, I had Mirabel with me. Catching fish with a person with this specialty increases their friendship level and gives you a chance to double your catch.

Apples can be picked from trees in the Plaza. There is one tree that's right next to my house in the game, making this fruit easy to grab.

Lastly, Sugarcane seeds can be bought from Goofy in Dazzle Beach. He sells them for 5 Star Coins each. They'll take seven minutes to grow once you've planted and watered them.

Let's bring this dish together

Now you have all of the ingredients, you can now bring them together in any cooking station. Head to your home or Chez Remy (Remy's restaurant, which also sells Butter, Eggs, and more). Throw all three ingredients into the pot, and you'll have the Apple Cider Glazed Salmon ready to serve. C'est magnifique!

You can sell the Apple Cider Glazed Salmon for 271 Star Coins or eat it for 1,572 Energy. It may also be a dish that a villager requests at Chez Remy. If you give it to them, their friendship level rises significantly. If you keep cooking three-star dishes, this will contribute to your Dreamlight tasks.

The post How to make Apple Cider Glazed Salmon in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid.

Unlocking important tools in Hello Kitty Island Adventure requires collecting specific resources and crafting them. One material you need for zip lines and the snorkel during Kuromi's Deep Diving quest is Spark, an item that's surprisingly easy to make once you learn its recipe.

How to unlock Spark crafting recipe in Hello Kitty Island Adventure

Before crafting Spark, you'll need to unlock its recipe by completing Pochacco's level four friendship quest, A Zipline Adventure. The two of you will ask Chococat for help fixing broken ziplines around Friendship Island, revealing that you need Spark to power them up. Chococat will then give you a Spark crafting recipe blueprint, unlocking access to this material for the rest of your playthrough.

How to craft Spark in Hello Kitty Island Adventure

Now that you can access Spark's crafting recipe, you'll need three Light Stones for one you craft. Light Stone is Kuromi's bonus material from gifts. The better the gift, the more stones she'll give you.

Here are some of the best gifts to give Kuromi if you're looking to stockpile some Light Stones:

• Spicy Pumpkin Latte
• Pumpkin Spice Soda
• Jack-O-Lantern
• Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin

The best choice depends on how far you are in the game. If you're still early in the game, giving Kuromi pumpkin pie is your best bet. Later, Spicy Pumpkin Latte and Pumpkin Spice Soda will become your go-to as you get more resources and unlock the Espresso and Soda machines.

Once you give Kuromi a few gifts and receive some Light Stone, bring it to Chococat's crafting bench to make some Spark.

How to use Spark in Hello Kitty Island Adventure

One of the most important uses of Spark is crafting a Snorkel to dive underwater. Alongside this, any crafting recipe for cooking stations you unlock through friendships also requires Spark, among other items, to create. Generally speaking, any item you'd expect to use electricity, like Holograms, will use Spark in their recipes.

You'll also need Spark to repair ziplines around Friendship Island. While the zipline in Seaside Resort is the first you'll encounter, you can also find some connecting Spooky Swamp to Gemstone Mountain and the mountain to Mount Hothead. Keep a few Spark on hand if you run into any of these during your travels.

The post How to find Spark in Hello Kitty Island Adventure appeared first on Destructoid.

There's a ton of content in Hello Kitty Island Adventure that takes place underwater. You can find an entire city in the water, with one character, Hangyodon, residing within it. You'll need a snorkel to reach this region, but making one requires traveling around the map for various resources.

How to unlock Deep Diving in Hello Kitty Island Adventure

Crafting a snorkel and unlocking diving underwater requires completing Kuromi's friendship level six quest, Deep Diving. During the mission, she'll let you borrow her snorkel to dive underwater in the swamp and grab her locket. Although she won't let you keep it, she'll give you a crafting recipe that allows you to make your own.

Below is the snorkel's crafting recipe:

• Rubber (10)
• Spark (2)
• Ingot (2)

Once you have all three items, head to Chococat's crafting table to create a snorkel, completing the Deep Diving quest and allowing you to dive underwater anywhere on Hello Kitty Island Adventure's map.

How to find Rubber

Rubber is an abundant resource all around Seaside Resort. You'll find Rubber on the ground as you explore this area, appearing as dark purple balls along pathways and hills. They also respawn regularly, giving you tons of opportunities to pick some up as you play.

How to craft Spark

Spark is trickier, requiring you to complete Pochacco's level four friendship quest, A Zipline Adventure. Pochacco discovers a broken zipline during this quest and asks for your help repairing it. You'll both ask Chococat for assistance, giving you a Spark crafting recipe.

Creating one Spark requires three Light Stone, a resource Kuromi gives you whenever you give her a gift. Since you need level six friendship to unlock the snorkel, you'll likely have plenty of these already. If not, find Kuromi and give her some gifts before heading back to your crafting station and making two Spark.

How to find and craft Iron Ingots

Next up are ingots, which you can craft using three Iron. It is found in Mount Hothead, a region northwest of Seaside Resort. The easiest way to get here early on is to go to Moon Island and swim to the southernmost dock connected to Mount Hothead.

Iron spawns regularly along rocks in Mount Hothead rather than grass or sand. Although it isn't as common as rubber or sticks, you can still find several around rocky areas that appear as small ore-like stones. If you have a couple of stamina upgrades, you can also climb the mountain for more spawns.

You will also need an ingot crafting recipe, which you'll find next to a cabin in Gemstone Mountain. You can access this area using bridges connected to Spooky Swamp and Mount Hothead. Spooky Swamp's ziplines also act as a quick and easy way to reach this area. If you finished the zipline quest from earlier, you can visit one northwest of the Ghost Cart Ride and use it to access Gemstone Mountain directly. From here, you'll find the recipe on a barrel north of the Gemstone Town mailbox.

The post How to get a Snorkel in Hello Kitty Island Adventure appeared first on Destructoid.

Sanrio is near and dear to my heart. Although this world of Hello Kitty and her friends only recently entered my life, I have several friends and family who adore these guys. I've lost count of the times my siblings have mentioned Hello Kitty, Kuromi, or Cinnamoroll in random conversations.

For me, this was a blind playthrough of Hello Kitty Island Adventure. Although I'd known about the Apple Arcade version through several friends, I'd never played it myself, making this a fresh start rather than a direct comparison. I mainly thought the characters were cute, but playing this has since made me develop an unexpected appreciation for them and the Sanrio universe, leaving me satisfied for a while.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure (PC, Nintendo Switch [Reviewed], iOS)
Developer: Sunblink
Publisher: Sunblink
Released: January 30, 2025 (Switch/PC)
MSRP: $39.99

When I first booted up Hello Kitty Island Adventure, I was half expecting to see the Switch get yet another game about small animals occupying an island and going about their business. There was a part of my mind that feared it'd be the same game, either simplified or changed to be less appealing, giving my first few minutes a peculiar feeling of unease. Thank goodness, it only took a few minutes for me to realize there was more to this adventure than just a quick copy-paste.

Instead, Hello Kitty Island Adventure immediately greets you with the game's main cast, and Hello Kitty herself guides you through your first few minutes. Things start simple: you're on a plane with each Sanrio character, giving you an opportunity to talk to each one and learn more about their thoughts on your upcoming adventure. It's a nice way to introduce you to their world without shoving lore and exposition in your face. Or, well, you can skip this part entirely if you just want to hop onto the island and get started right away.

Speaking of the island, this map is massive. Its scale isn't apparent at first, but as you run around and discover the world around you, you quickly realize just how much is here and how much each character will rely on you in the days to come. It's sometimes overwhelming while equally exciting, especially if you prefer exploration over menial tasks.

Don't worry, though. There's plenty of questing to do if that's your thing. The only thing that overwhelmed me more than the size of this map is how many quests Hello Kitty Island Adventure tosses your way within the first few hours. Beyond story missions, you'll get all kinds of friendship quests, random side adventures, and even daily tasks to keep you playing. It's easy to log on, blink a few times, and suddenly realize you spent the past few hours doing fetch quests for the characters. There are even minigames and puzzles everywhere to get your brain going and unlock some neat little trophies.

Are these quests full of grand adventures and entertaining moments, or are they mostly mindless chores and fetch quests you can finish on auto-pilot? If anything, it feels like a mix of both. Advancing through the main storyline is satisfying, especially as you open more areas of the map and meet new characters. Between that are hours of farming materials, raising your friendship with the Sanrio cast, and occasionally having to wait a real-world day to make meaningful progress because you're one friendship level away from unlocking another quest. It's much less noticeable early on when progression is simple and quick, but it starts to drag later on at times.

On the topic of friendships, Hello Kitty Island Adventure has a peculiar system that I'm mixed on. Every day, you can give up to three items to each character to raise their friendship levels. The points you get change depending on the item's tags and a character's preferences, so giving the same item to Hello Kitty and someone like Tuxedosam will have different effects.

This game relies heavily on gift-giving for progression, with nearly every quest locked behind a specific level. You're also limited to three gifts daily for each character, forcing you to wait until the following day unless you reset your counter with a rare item. There's a part of me that likes thinking about what gifts I want to give someone without feeling tempted to speedrun the game in a few days, but another part that gets overwhelmed by the need to give out dozens of items every day. Needing several days to unlock one quest can suck sometimes, but with how much content is available, I barely noticed it until I progressed later in the game.

Even as friendship limitations make questing a little awkward sometimes, the interactions between you and each Sanrio character make things fun and interesting. They all have the same personalities and cartoony animated expressions I'd expected from them, but there's something about their style and attitudes that makes me smile every time I play. Sunblink nailed their look, personalities, and overall vibes, even if the lack of voice acting is a missed opportunity.

I'm pleasantly surprised by how much Hello Kitty Island Adventure lets you do outside questing and chatting with other characters. It has your standard skills like cooking, crafting, and fishing with some more advanced activities you unlock later down the line. A lot is locked behind quests and friendship levels, but unlocking these opens up many opportunities to explore the island in different ways without following linear paths or going into autopilot the entire time. I don't know about you, but I tend to sidetrack from quests a lot to cook some food or fish for a couple of hours, even if it doesn't help much with progression. The only difference this time is that everything you do in this game helps in some way, mostly with gifting or crafting quest items.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is a wonderful game that distinguishes itself from the crowd and stands tall as a densely packed, enjoyable experience. Although it can use improvements in some areas, the Switch version of Hello Kitty Island Adventure is absolutely worth picking up if you've been looking for an Animal Crossing-like game to try out and either don't have an iPhone or are on the fence about getting an Apple Arcade subscription and prefer one-time payments. It plays well with no major performance issues — at most, I found a slightly long loading screen. Considering the game's size, though, I can easily forgive this.

With updates coming out every month and recurring events changing things up, every day feels different on this island. I'm looking forward to seeing how Hello Kitty Island Adventure's future unfolds.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Hello Kitty Island Adventure appeared first on Destructoid.

As you befriend Kuromi in Hello Kitty Island Adventure, she'll show you a Green Power Crystal that activates a nearby Haunted Mansion. Upon entering, you'll find several doors you need to activate to reach the top floor and advance through the Re-Haunt the Spooky Swamp quest.

Although this goal sounds simple, you'll instantly find a peculiar quest objective titled "Survive the Haunted Mansion." In short, you need to solve puzzles within ten rooms to light up their respective lights. Here's how to complete all ten haunted mansion rooms in Hello Kitty Island Adventure.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure Re-Haunt the Spooky Swamp quest guide

After inserting the Green Power Crystal into a nearby pedestal and activating the haunted mansion, you'll find a door leading deeper into the building. From here, you'll find a total of ten numbered rooms along an ascending staircase, each holding puzzles that range in difficulty and complexity. You'll also spot a treasure chest near the mansion's entrance containing a witch costume you'll need later in this quest.

Here's the solution for all ten haunted mansion rooms during Hello Kitty Island Adventure's Re-Haunt the Spooky Swamp quest.

Spooky Swamp Haunted Mansion - Room one

The first haunted mansion room is by far the easiest, acting as a small maze with a second door at the end. If you move forward in this room, you'll eventually run into a mirror blocking the way to the exit. Instead, you'll need to head back to the room's entrance, turn right, and head up past the chairs.

From here, you'll have two paths leading to the exit. Take the bottom path and run up to complete the first of these ten rooms.

Spooky Swamp Haunted Mansion - Room two

The second room acts a little differently, featuring disappearing floor panels rather than invisible mirrors. On the ground, you'll see raised square panels that, when stepped on, teleport you back to the room's beginning. Run through the corridor while avoiding these squares to reach the exit and complete the second room.

Spooky Swamp Haunted Mansion - Room three

Now that you know how invisible mirrors and floor panels work, it's time to complete a room that combines both. The third room will start you in front of several dining tables, with mirrors and squares appearing throughout the path between the start and exit. From the beginning, head right and travel up past the first set of tables before moving to the middle and running straight into the doorway, completing the third room.

Spooky Swamp Haunted Mansion - Room four

Room four is much trickier than the last three rooms, requiring you to enter the correct door. The catch? There are 11 doors to choose from. If you want to figure out this puzzle without hints, head through each door individually until you find the correct one leading to a green-lit entrance.

If you've already tried this, you'll find the correct door on the second floor to your left. It's the door to the left of the mirror. Entering this will complete the room instantly, teleporting you in front of the fourth entrance and preparing you for the halfway point.

Spooky Swamp Haunted Mansion - Room five

It's time for another puzzle in room five. This time, we have a two-part puzzle involving colored buttons and levers to your left. Finding the button solutions requires solving the levers, so we'll start there.

To your left, you'll find four grey levers in a square that, when pulled, will turn green. To complete this puzzle, activate each lever in clockwise order until you've pulled all four to turn them all green, unlocking a door that leads to the button solution.

Once you read the door passcode pedestal, step on the red and green buttons to finish the puzzle, unlock the exit and officially mark the halfway point in the Haunted Mansion portion of the Re-Haunt the Spooky Swamp quest.

Spooky Swamp Haunted Mansion - Room six

Remember those levers from the previous room? It's time to repeat this puzzle but with a two-by-three grid of levers. Although the method before won't work, that's alright because this solution is even simpler: activate two levers in opposite corners to complete the puzzle and open the next exit. Make sure to open the treasure chest outside of room six's exit before heading to the next area.

Spooky Swamp Haunted Mansion - Room seven

It's time to test your maze skills with room seven. If you move forward in this room, you'll see four purple bookshelves blocking the way to the exit. You'll need to clear these away using levers found throughout the maze.

There are four levers to find in the maze. Here are the steps to finding the first one:

1. From the entrance, head forward and turn right at the first intersection.
2. Head down at the next intersection before right and immediately running up the next corridor.
3. At the My Melody painting, turn right, head up, and turn left to find the first lever.

Once you activate the first lever, your first bookshelf will disappear, opening a new path. Retrace your steps and approach this new entrance before following its snake pattern to the bottom of the room. You'll find the next lever here, opening a new path directly north of the previous one. Head here to start searching for the third lever.

Fortunately, this next one is also simple. Starting from the second bookshelf's location, head left through the path until you reach the wall before going up, turning right, and activating the next lever. This will open the bookshelf on the opposite side of the hall, unlocking the route to the final lever.

Here are the steps to finding the fourth and final lever of the room:

1. Head right through the third bookshelf's corridor until you reach a wall.
2. Head up slightly before turning right.
3. Head down at the first intersection, following the snake pattern until you find the lever.

Now that the final bookshelf is gone, head through the door to complete room seven. We're now on to the eighth room, which, fortunately, is slightly simpler than this one.

Spooky Swamp Haunted Mansion - Room eight

We're back to disappearing floor panels with room eight of Hello Kitty Island Adventure's haunted mansion. If you try to walk straight forward in this room, you'll step on a trap panel and be sent back to the beginning. Don't worry; there's an easy way to solve this one.

In this room, you'll also find two buttons that, when stepped on, reveal which panels are trapped and which are safe to traverse. Starting from the panels next to the left button, take the following path to reach the exit:

1. Walk up from the button until your character stands next to a small window.
2. Walk right until you stop in front of the exit door.
3. Slowly move diagonally from this spot and walk right until you reach the wall.
4. Move up to the clock before running left and exiting through the door.

Of the ten rooms in this mansion, room eight is one of the most challenging, with the next being noticeably easier. It's time to pull some more levers.

Spooky Swamp Haunted Mansion - Room nine

Upon entering the ninth room of the haunted mansion, You'll first find two levers and three paths, two of which have their floor removed. Pulling the right lever will lead you to a dead end, while the left creates a path to the next section of the room.

You don't have to do anything else once you reach the second set of paths. Instead, head down the right-most path and exit the door before entering the final puzzle room of this mansion.

Spooky Swamp Haunted Mansion - Room ten

Two branching paths will greet you in the tenth and final puzzle room. Heading right brings you to a dead end, while running up leads you to a lever. Pulling this activates parts of the floor that were previously inaccessible, allowing you to advance through the room. Don't move right from here, or you'll fall off the map and have to start over.

Instead, return to the entrance and go down the right path from before. With the lever activated, you now have a full path to the opposite side of the room, leading to another lever. You'll now be blocked off from the left side of the map and instead have a pathway in the center of the room to travel down for a third lever. Pull this to unlock another path.

With a new path leading north of your current spot, run up, and be careful you don't accidentally fall into the small one-tile gap in the floor. Before reaching this edge, turn right and follow the wall before pulling the fourth lever. Although you have more tiles leading to the door, it's not quite enough to get you out of the room.

Although you've already pulled every lever in the room, you can still activate them again to change the floors. With this in mind, head to the center lever again and pull it before running to the bottom right and activating it. You'll now notice a long path around the room's perimeter that, although long, leads to the exit door.

After leaving this room, you can access the haunted mansion's final room. You'll find another Green Power Crystal for a nearby Ghost Tour Ride here. Although the journey up this mansion was long, you can make the exit short by using the "0" labeled lever to the left of the final room, bringing you to the bottom of the stairs next to the exit.

Completing the Re-Haunt the Spooky Swamp quest

Congratulations, you've successfully survived the Spooky Swamp's Haunted Mansion. To complete Hello Kitty Island Adventure's Re-Haunt the Spooky Swamp quest from here, head north and follow the map marker to where Kuromi is and activate the Ghost Ride podium. You'll have a brief chat with the group before learning more about the ghost ride and your next objective.

Although the Ghost Ride is partially active now, you'll need to clear away some dense fog before it becomes fully operational. You'll find levers around the area to turn on lamps that, once activated, will clear some of it away.

Getting rid of the fog and riding the Ghost Ride will lead you to discover a Secret Cave in the Spooky Swamp. Within the cave, you'll spot a treasure chest containing a Spooky Witch Hat and a third Green Power Crystal. It's time to unlock one last podium.

Unlike the previous locations, this one requires you to dress up as a spooky witch. By now, you'll have two parts from the mansion and this cave. After equipping them through your inventory, head south toward the quest market and talk to the Nul before inserting the final Green Power Crystal. After one final conversation, you'll unlock a new crafting recipe and complete the Re-Haunt the Spooky Swamp quest.

The post How to survive the Haunted Mansion in Hello Kitty Island Adventure appeared first on Destructoid.

The Nintendo Switch is getting a lot of attention again, especially with the January 2025 announcement of the Switch 2's development. With the Switch 2's release later this year and new titles coming out for various beloved series, this year is already looking exciting.

Whether you've been watching the latest updates for games announced years ago or are looking forward to unexpected launches later in the year, there's plenty to look forward to in the coming months. Let's check out some of the most highly anticipated games on Nintendo Switch and the Switch 2 in 2025.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Starting things off is one of the most highly anticipated Nintendo games of the past few years, Metroid Prime 4. Initially announced at E3 2017, with its development restarting in 2019, it wasn't until June 2024 that we got an official announcement trailer revealing a 2025 release date.

Although Metroid Prime 4's trailers haven't dove too deep into the game's lore or specific mechanics, knowing it still exists is enough to stir up some hype. There's no word on its exact date yet, but between the overwhelmingly positive reviews on Metroid Dread, Metroid Prime 3's launch all the way back in 2007, and Metroid Prime Remastered coming out two years ago, knowing the window for the fourth's release already ramps up the anticipation beyond belief.

Guilty Gear -Strive-

At long last, we're getting a Guilty Gear game on the Nintendo Switch. Although the original got ported to Switch in 2019, we haven't seen other entries go far beyond PC, PlayStation, and traditional arcade machines until now. It's even available right now, launching on January 23, 2025.

We may have had Guilty Gear Strive on PC and PlayStation for a few years now, with Xbox arriving shortly after, but there's something satisfying about having plenty of options to choose from. If its original launches didn't drive up the anticipation, the possibility of more Guilty Gear ports coming in the future after this is enough to feel hyped.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition

It's already been almost ten years since Xenoblade Chronicles X originally launched. What better way to celebrate its 10th anniversary than to launch a remaster the same year a new Nintendo Switch is releasing? Although it doesn't quite match the exact date, you'll be able to try this latest entry even earlier on March 20, 2025.

Whether you're looking to relive old memories of the original Chronicles X or loved Xenoblade 3 so much that you're optimistic about the remaster's enhanced features, everyone's anticipating this to carry the torch well.

The next Mario Kart entry

It's been a while since there's been this much hype for a new Mario Kart game, and it isn't even from an official announcement trailer. Instead, its initial appearance is in the first Switch 2 teaser, paving the way for speculation on what this title is and whether it's Mario Kart 9. There's no word from Nintendo on what this entry is, but knowing a Mario Kart 9 release in 2025 could be on the horizon certainly sparks some excitement.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure

Sanrio fans, it's time to rejoice as Hello Kitty Island Adventure expands to the Nintendo Switch and PC on January 30, 2025. Although it's been around on iOS since 2023, you'll be able to meet Hello Kitty and her friends in this cozy Animal Crossing-like game at the beginning of the year, with PS4 and PS5 versions coming out later in the year. If you're a fan of Hello Kitty, this one is for you.

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy

As a long-time Danganronpa fan, I instantly recognized its style and almost thought we were getting a sequel. I pushed those thoughts aside quickly, especially after seeing The Hundred Line Last Defense Academy's grid-based fighting and twist on a familiar apocalyptic storyline.

Not much is known about it yet, but Too Kyo Games has confirmed it'll launch on April 24, 2025, giving us a few months to learn about this new world and its inhabitants.

Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered

Remember last year when we got a remastered collection of the first three Tomb Raider games? If you were hyped for that, Aspyr has another surprise with a second collection targeting the fourth, fifth, and sixth installments. Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered is coming quickly, arriving on the Nintendo Switch and several other platforms on February 14, 2025.

This is one of those collections I'd gift to a friend or family member so they can go on a nostalgia trip, especially considering how unpolished these were compared to the first three games. I'm looking at you, Angel of Darkness.

Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game

I'll come right out and say it; I'm a sucker for relaxing, cozy games, especially if it's in a world like Middle-earth. Exploring the pleasant day-to-day side of Hobbit life is a nice change of pace, and we'll all be able to experience it on March 25, 2025.

While some of us love to take trips down nostalgia lane, dream of more games from our favorite series, or take on some fighting games, others get just as hyped over farming, cooking, and fishing all day in their games. Either that, or you're a Lord of the Rings fan, which is just as good of a reason to feel excited to try a new game.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A

It wouldn't be a year of growing anticipation for Switch games without including an upcoming Pokemon game. Although there's no confirmed release date yet, Game Freak and The Pokemon Company have confirmed that the latest installment to the series, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, is coming out sometime in 2025.

Currently, little information is provided about Pokémon Z-A's new gameplay mechanics and story outside of its taking place in Lumiose City, Kalos. However, we'll likely see Mega Evolutions return, much like in Gen 6, where this setting was originally introduced, so that alone is worth getting excited over.

Capcom Fighting Collection 2

2025 may seem like another year of remakes, remasters, and collections, with Capcom Fighting Collection 2 being among the ever-growing bunch. This is another one with no confirmed release date yet, but we know these early 2000s entries will arrive sometime this year.

Here's the full list of games included in the collection:

• Capcom vs. SNK Millenium Fight 2000 Pro
• Capcom vs. SNK 2 Mark of the Millenium 2001
• Project Justice
• Capcom Fighting Evolution
• Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper
• Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein
• Power Stone
• Power Stone 2

First the Marvel vs. Capcom Collection, and now this gem. This one is another opportunity to experience a trip down memory lane or learn more about the Golden Era of fighting games through some of the most well-known entries of their time.

The post The 10 most anticipated Nintendo Switch games of 2025 appeared first on Destructoid.

The Eggplant Puffs Disney Dreamlight Valley recipe helps you make a delicious three-star meal. It could potentially be a dish that one of the villagers like Simba or Jack Skellington could request at Chez Remy as well.

Eggplant Puffs Disney Dreamlight Valley ingredients

To create the tasty Eggplant Puffs for your friends in Disney Dreamlight Valley, you'll need the following three ingredients:

• Eggs
• Cheese
• Eggplant

Honestly, this is one of the easiest dishes to make in the game. Both Eggs and Cheese can be purchased at Chez Remy after completing the rat's quests in the Ratatouille realm in the Castle. Cheese is 220 Star Coins, while Eggs are 180.

Eggplant seeds are available at Goofy's Stall in the Frosted Heights, which is admittedly quite difficult to reach if you don't have the Dreamlight. You can rack that number up by completing duties and finishing quests from characters along the way. You can also craft Dreamlight by finding Dream Shards in the ground.

Back on the topic, however; Eggplant seeds are 95 Star Coins, but if you're lucky (and you don't want to wait), the ingredient itself might be available for 462 Star Coins.

What is this meal worth?

Once you've gained all the ingredients, go to any cooking station like Chez Remy. Add the Eggs, Cheese, and Eggplant into the pot. You should have the Eggplant Puffs ready to go. They might be the flattest texture you can find in the game, but hey, they can be consumed for 1,941 Energy or sold for 991 Star Coins at Goofy's Stalls. You can also make Ratatouille with Eggplant and other ingredients.

The post How to make Eggplant Puffs in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid.

Aquamarine in Disney Dreamlight Valley is a rare precious gem that can be used to make items like Ariel's Crafting Station and the Blue Light High Beach Torch. You can find it in two different biomes within the original valley.

Aquamarine Disney Dreamlight Valley locations

You can find the pretty gem Aquamarine from two different spots in the Titular Valley any day of the week:

• Dazzle Beach
• Forest of Valor

Before you venture out, make sure to bring a Disney friend who has the Mining specialty. Talk to them, and there should be a pickaxe symbol to the left of the "Let's Hang Out!" option. You'll want to do this as you have a chance to get the gem twice, saving you loads of time in the long run.

Next, head to either Dazzle Beach or the Forest of Valor and start striking the rocks with your Royal Pickaxe. It doesn't matter if the gems show or not; there is a chance they'll drop as a reward regardless. Once you've broken all of the rocks in one area, move on to the next. Keep alternating to let the rocks respawn.

What can you make with Aquamarine?

Once you've acquired enough Aquamarine gems, you can start to create decorations for the village. Ariel's Crafting Station, unfortunately, doesn't arrive until you reach Friendship Level 7 and unlock a particular quest.

To make a Blue Light High Beach Torch that would fit in with Dazzle Beach's environment, you'll need the following:

• 5 Fiber
• 3 Sand
• 5 Softwood
• Aquamarine

You can create five pieces of fiber at the Crafting Station by using one piece of Seaweed. You can catch Seaweed by using the fishing rod outside the water ripples at Dazzle Beach. Use your shovel to pick up Sand at the beach. You can also get Sand by breaking the shells. Lastly, Softwood is found in the Plaza, Peaceful Meadow, Forest of Valor, and the Glade of Trust underneath or near trees.

You should also try to find another gem, the Topaz, while you're around the original valley.

The post Where to find Aquamarine in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid.

Even when it is out of season, the Gingerbread House in Disney Dreamlight Valle has a lot of value to the wonderful Disney friends around you, like Mickey and Goofy. Here's how you can make it.

All Gingerbread House Disney Dreamlight Valley ingredients

To make a Gingerbread House, you'll need the following ingredients:

• Wheat
• Egg
• Vanilla
• Sugarcane
• Ginger

Wheat can be bought from Goofy's Stall in the Peaceful Meadow. It's super cheap as the ingredient itself is 2 Star Coins, while the seeds are 1 Star Coin. Both may be available at the stall. The seeds grow within a minute after getting planted and watered.

Eggs can be purchased at Chez Remy for 220 Star Coins after finishing the Ratatouille realm quests in the castle.

Vanilla is found within the Sunlit Plateau. Look at the ground, and you'll find a green plant with small yellow/white petals growing from within the grass. Pick it up, and you'll gain Vanilla for the recipe.

Sugarcane is found at Goofy's Stall in Dazzle Beach. You can buy its seeds for 5 Star Coins each. You can also make Cheesecake with this ingredient.

Lastly, Ginger can be found growing in the Forgotten Lands. This ingredient can be picked up like Vanilla. The green plant with regular, slightly lengthier leaves on it gives you Ginger.

Now it's time to make the 5-star dish

Once you have all of the ingredients, go to any cooking station at your house or in Chez Remy. Throw in all five ingredients together, and then you'll have a Gingerbread House in your inventory. You can sell it to Goofy's Stall for 545 Star Coins or eat it for 1,460 Energy points.

The post How to make a Gingerbread House in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid.

The Miracle Growth Elixir in Disney Dreamlight Valley lives up to its name as it instantly grows vegetables like Pumpkins and Lettuce. Thankfully, it's fairly easy to make by finding Vitalys Crystals and more from the game.

Miracle Growth Elixir Disney Dreamlight Valley ingredients

To create the awesome Miracle Growth Elixir in Disney Dreamlight Valley, you'll need the following ingredients:

• 10 Vitalys Crystals
• 10 Rich Soil
• 500 Dreamlight

Vitalys Crystals are found within a cave around the Sunlit Plateau called the Vitalys Mine. Look for the waterfall near a stone bridge to find it. You'll first want a companion with you, who has the Mining specialty, so the process becomes faster. Mine at the rocks that have a blue streak to them. Hit them with the pickaxe, and you have a good chance to get a Vitalys Crystal. Having a companion with you gives a chance of getting another Vitalys Crystal.

Rich Soil is gained by digging up the soil at any location, especially within the Plaza. This is a random drop. Having a digging specialty companion with you may help with the process too.

Dreamlight is gathered by completing quests and finishing Duties like taking a picture or collecting enough apples. You can check your objectives on the menu. It's under the first section "Dreamlight." You can also craft Dreamlight with Dream Shards.

How to use this elixir

Once you have all of the ingredients, go to any crafting station near your house or in Scrooge's store. You can find the Miracle Growth Elixir from the list of options.

Make sure to pick the correct potion. Once it's made, use it from your inventory menu. Then, equip the water can. Spray it on the crops you want to see grow instantly. You only have a few limited uses so pick your crops wisely.

The post How to make Miracle Growth Elixir in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid.

The Amethyst in Disney Dreamlight Valley gem is a precious resource used for multiple quests and can help craft a special object to decorate your environments. Here's how to find the Amethyst so that you can help villagers like Ursula and Nala with their friendship quests.

Amethyst Disney Dreamlight Valley locations

Amethyst in Disney Dreamlight Valley can be spotted in two different locations within the original valley:

• Frosted Heights
• Forgotten Lands

Thankfully, you won't need any of the DLC to get this material. Head over to the Frosted Heights or Forgotten Lands and use your pickaxe to strike the rocks in the area. Also, take a buddy with you with the mining proficiency to gain bonus rewards from striking each rock. You'll also get that friendship level up.

How to Make a Purple Wrought Iron Streetlamp

Once you've gathered Amethyst, you can create a Purple Wrought Iron Streetlamp. To make that, you'll need the following:

• Two Glass
• Five Iron Ingots
• One Amethyst

You can create Iron Ingots at the crafting table by mixing Iron Ore and Coal Ore. You'll get those materials from mining rocks (and the number of resources grows when hanging out with a friend who has the mining specialty). Glass can be formed by crafting Sand and Coal Ore. Dig at the sand of Dazzle Beach with your shovel to get the resource.

If you don't want to make a Purple Wrought Iron Streetlamp, you can also sell Amethyst for 500 Star Coins at any of Goofy's stalls.

The post Where to find Amethyst in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid.

Hey, gamer, are you ready for some $60 re-releases of old games? I know – perhaps unironically – that I am. I love playing games I’ve already played, preferably when they look slightly better than I remember. Again, totally sincere here. This is something I do more often than I’m comfortable with.

At the time of writing, very little has been said about what games will be coming to the Switch 2. There will probably be new games, but will there be old ones? Also probably! Nothing has really been announced, but we can speculate. So, let’s do that.

Now, Nintendo has said that the Switch 2 will be backwards compatible, and while they say there will be exceptions, I’m going to guess this will be a rarity. I’m assuming, perhaps over-optimistically, that most games will still be supported. So, we’re not going to talk about Switch games we want to play on our Switch. Instead, let’s talk about titles that Nintendo hasn’t given a glow-up to that will perhaps be given a second look when the new console comes around.

Chibi-Robo

My heard breaks for Chibi-Robo. The 2007 GameCube title is among the many that I won’t shut up about, but it’s gotten a raw deal. It wasn’t all that popular at launch, to begin with, but then its sequels kind of failed to follow-up on it. Okay, not all of the sequels. Okaeri Chibi-Robo: Happy Richie Ōsōji for the Nintendo DS was a pretty faithful and enjoyable sequel, but if you can’t tell by the moniker, it never got released in North America.

Anyway, maybe if more people had a chance to play it, more people would love it. A good way to find out would be a re-release on Switch. Unfortunately, it would be too late for its developer, Skip Ltd., which seems to have disbanded. The key staff from there is currently working on a spiritual follow-up, KoROBO, which is just legally distinct Chibi-Robo. So, I guess worst case scenario, we’ll maybe get KoROBO on the Switch 2.

F-Zero GX

A few years ago, I’d opine Nintendo’s treatment of F-Zero in the same way I would with Chibi-Robo, but recently, the company has remembered that it exists. They’ve put many of the classic titles on their Nintendo Switch Online service and even released a (sort of) new entry: F-Zero 99.

However, many point to the 2003 GameCube title, F-Zero GX, as the best the series has to offer. It’s certainly extra, but then, what else would you expect from the crew that would go on to develop the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series? While a true follow-up would be the best-case scenario, a port would also be appreciated. The game deserves more respect.

The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker

It was long rumored that the two Wii U Legend of Zelda remakes, Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD, would make their move to the Switch. They didn’t. So, we’re still waiting.

On the other hand, if they do decide to port it to Switch 2, I’m hoping that they, at the very least, allow you to undo the desecration they did to the lighting style. The original version had a striking, unique cel shading that evoked the look of a cartoon, which helped support the stylized art. Wind Waker HD sort of smoothed that over, then added a metric tonne of bloom. It looks, uh, good. It just doesn’t have the same effect. It felt like an HD fan mod, like the art team didn’t really care about artistic intent.

It’s not the end of the world, and I’m not sure if that’s, like, a difficult thing to change. I don’t know how these shaders are implemented. I just know that whenever I think about playing Wind Waker again, I’m left wondering whether I should play the GameCube or Wii U version, and it would be nice to have one without compromises.

Lost Kingdoms Collection

Armored Core VI reminded a lot of people that FromSoftware made games before Demon’s Soul. And while I’d love a King’s Field Collection… There’s no but on that sentence, I’d love a King’s Field Collection. But I’d also love a Lost Kingdoms Collection.

The two Lost Kingdoms games were strange RPGs where you used cards to cast magic. Neither was spectacular, but both are unique in their own way. Unique enough that they should be experienced. Unfortunately, they sold about as well as tires made of bread, so not many people tried them out. Relatively speaking. Now’s a good time. People will eat anything FromSoftware touched. In fact, maybe we should bring back Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor.

Battalion Wars

Speaking of Battalions, I’m sure I’m not the only one who loved that strange little Advance Wars spin-off, Battalion Wars. It was this weird in-between of squad-based tactics and real-time strategy. You could take control of any of your units, and the vehicle controls were a bit like Halo’s.

We got a sequel on Wii, Battalion Wars II, but I swear that game is, like, 95% tutorial for some reason. Every level seemed to be a tutorial. That was kind of the Wii for you. In an effort to make things accessible to everyone, they usually made things fun for no one. So, I’d take a collection, but it’s maybe not necessary.

Cool Riders

Cool Riders should just be on everything. But, right now, it’s not on anything. Unless you count arcade. It is an absolutely incredible perversion of OutRun (seemingly having been intended to be titled OutRiders). You choose from a cast of weirdos on tricked-out bikes and fly through a fever dream distortions of places from around the world. It takes the OutRun formula and tweaks its nipples, turning it into a high-speed blur of over-stimulation. You need to play it, that might not be an option for you right now, so shovel it onto the Switch 2.

Star Fox Zero

Okay, now do it right this time. Star Fox Zero feels like one of the most tragic victims of Nintendo’s need to over-innovate. Or, possibly, it’s specifically Shigeru Miyamoto’s need. So, rather than just being a standard on-rails shooter, it required you to aim with the gamepad screen while flying with the stick. It sucked. 

As much as I detested the waggle rolling in Donkey Kong Country Returns, I got used to it in a small way and could live with it. It wasn’t ideal. The dual-screen controls of Star Fox Zero were cement shoes; they sank the whole game.

The game itself is fine. Somehow, I got through it. Even without the dual-screen controls, it wouldn’t be spectacular, but it would be far better than the series has seen since Star Fox 64. So, it would be nice to get an updated version on the Switch 2. The only upgrade needed would be the deep-sixing of the second-screen aiming.

Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller

Hey, Sega. Instead of making a live service multiplayer Crazy Taxi that no one wants, maybe just re-release the best one. Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller not only included a new level set in a version of Las Vegas, it also took the better levels from the first two games and edited them slightly to balance them for the new skills in your repertoire.

For extra credit, Sega could just include all the levels from all the games. But let’s slow down. Wouldn’t want to distract them from building platforms where they can sell endless skins.

Rule of Rose

It’s tempting for me to put my beloved Chulip on this list, but maybe that’s too predictable. How about Rule of Rose? It’s an incredibly unique take on the survival horror genre during its heyday on the PS2. For its main antagonists, it turns to the real monsters of the world: children. You play as Jennifer, a young woman who gets tormented by a group of orphans.

Its humanity manages to come through all the abstract weirdness of the game. Beneath the grimy horror is a story far more tragic than it is terrifying. It’s less about monsters, and more about what causes a person to become a monster. And I don’t mean some sort of virus. I mean fear of losing something.

Unfortunately, Rule of Rose had a pretty big setback in the fact that its combat is terrible, even by survival horror standards. It’s the hit detection that really drags it down. Even if this was improved slightly in a Switch 2 port, it would go a long way in making the game more palatable than it was at its 2006 release.

Metal Max 2 Reloaded

Metal Max is the best series to have barely touched North American shores. To date, of the series’ mainline seven games (not counting remakes), only two have been localized in English (Metal Saga and Metal Max Xeno). I’d take pretty much any out of the series to hit the Switch 2, but Metal Max 2 Reloaded is generally considered to be one of the high points of the series.

The games are JRPGs that center around tanks. The acquisition, upgrading, and utilization of tanks. You can always get out of your tank, but – and I hope this isn’t news – there are a number of advantages a steel-armored machine of war has over your squishy human flab. Metal Max 2 Reloaded is a DS remake of an SNES game. Yet, despite its vintage, it is an extraordinarily sprawling adventure across a post-apocalyptic world packed to the gills with bizarre monsters. It would be the perfect introduction to anyone who hasn’t experienced Metal Max before.

The post 10 games we want to see get a Switch 2 port appeared first on Destructoid.

It's official: the Nintendo Switch 2 is releasing in 2025, and Nintendo has already given us a sneak peek of what to expect. Although Nintendo hasn't confirmed a list of games that will be released on this upcoming system, we have at least one that's likely to arrive, with plenty of speculation on future titles.

All confirmed and rumored games available on Nintendo Switch 2 release

Starting with the official Nintendo Switch 2 announcement trailer, it looks like a new addition to the Mario Kart franchise — likely Mario Kart 9 — is all but confirmed for a Switch 2 launch title. Although there's no release date for the console or game yet, with a new Mario Kart game usually releasing every two to four years, we're due for another soon. It was only a matter of time before we got word of one.

The other most likely candidate for a game releasing on the Switch 2 is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. While it was initially announced as early as 2017 at E3, Nintendo restarted its development, with some speculation that this second console had something to do with it. With a predicted 2025 release date, it'd be no surprise if Metroid Prime 4 ends up being among the first series to launch on the Switch 2.

Let's check out some other potential Switch 2 games we might see in the next year or two:

• A new Super Mario entry
• A new Legend of Zelda entry
• Halo: The Master Chief Collection
• Pokémon Legends: Z-A
• Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
• Past game remakes/ports

In particular, we'll likely see various remakes and ports from the previous Switch or from other consoles and PCs to carry to the Switch 2. The main candidates for this early on are The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, but only time will tell where the releases will go from here.

The post All Switch 2 launch titles confirmed and rumored appeared first on Destructoid.

It was difficult to be a Nintendo fan during the Wii years. The initial hype around its motion controls died pretty quickly when it became clear its real-world application was extremely limited. Worse, Nintendo seemed to be looking to gain favor with a broader audience and it seemed that its output suffered.

What sucked most was that it felt like motion control was being shoehorned into everything. Mostly because they were. I think 2010’s Donkey Kong Country Returns is exemplary of this. Retro Studios did an admirable job continuing Rare’s legacy, but the absolutely baffling decision was made to incorporate controller shaking. In particular, you had to shake the controller to get DK to roll. Rolls were necessary as a form of attack, but more importantly, rolling was used to extend jumps. Precise jumps, specifically. Jumps that you would see in the hardest levels. And it didn’t matter how simple the motion was, it was unreliable.

There was no reason for it, it could have easily been bound to the same button as “pick up/grab,” you know, just like it was in earlier games. You couldn’t turn it off. The mere fact that it had to be this was frustrates me to even talk about, but actually playing the most difficult levels with this hamstringer drove me insane.

So, anyway, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD doesn’t use motion controls and is better for it.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (Switch)
Developer: Retro Studios, Forever Entertainment
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: January 16, 2025
MSRP: $59.99

Technically, you could play Donkey Kong Country Returns without motion control on the 3DS already with Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, but I feel like this sort of game needs a bigger screen.

The original Donkey Kong Country series was a heavy-hitter on the SNES, practically putting Rare on the map. If someone tells you that those games were only loved for their graphics and had standard gameplay, they were clearly in a Genesis household. Rare may have fronted with the lavish 3D-to-2D sprites, but the level design was top-notch. Sometimes maddeningly so. Loads of variety across its worlds.

After Nintendo and Rare had split, it seemed unlikely the series would continue in any form, so it was a surprise to see it again in 2010, and even more surprising to find out that it’s every bit as good as the original trilogy (motion control frustration aside). Honestly, while I prefer the vibes of the SNES titles better, the levels in Donkey Kong Country Returns reach offensive levels of creativity. From riding rockets to avoiding giant rhythmic hammers, it’s a master class at setpieces. It provides a stiff but fair challenge across its eight (main) worlds, and constantly finds new ways to surprise.

One of the first things that greets you when you start up a new game is a difficulty setting. There are two, and they’re hilariously named “Modern” and “Classic,” which made me wonder what year this is. “Modern” is easier because I guess COVID caused our thumbs to atrophy and our patience to thin. You have three hearts by default, and Cranky’s shop carries more items.

Beyond the fact that something from 2010 is considered no longer modern, I find it amusing that there’s an easier difficulty because Donkey Kong Country Returns already has difficulty options. It caused a bit of discourse at the time, even before the Dark Souls Easy Mode debate. There’s the Super Guide that plays the level for you if you screw up a few too many times, something that became insulting after the motion controls let me down during difficult segments. There are also potions that make you invincible for a while. But, yeah, extra difficulty options never hurt. I just wish they didn’t also make me feel old and worried for the new generations at the same time.

The story of Donkey Kong Country Returns is somewhat divorced from the original series, which was an escalating fight against an insane lizard. Donkey Kong’s banana horde is stolen again (as Cranky Kong points out, “So, who hasn’t stolen your bananas at this point?”), but this time, it’s by a strange army of tiki idols that can hypnotize the wildlife. Thankfully, DK’s advanced primate brain is immune to hypnosis, so he sets out to reacquire his bananas, assumedly before they turn brown.

Much of Donkey Kong Country Returns feels like a re-tread of the first game. You have all the barrel blasting and mine carting that made that title stand out. Moreover, the heaps of tantalizing secret items that are dangled just out of reach make a return. While it’s a linear platformer, Retro Studios followed Rare’s example of sticking extra challenges and hidden nooks to find as you race to the goal. More importantly, you’re rewarded for searching things out, with additional levels awarded, mainly for collecting all the KONG letters.

The view is zoomed out a lot farther, and climbable surfaces have been added, which allows levels to have a lot more verticality to them. This also means that minecart sections require fewer split-second reactions. Personally, I never had a problem with the minecarts in the SNES game, but I know some hate those levels, so maybe this is less vexing? If it’s not, you’re going to hate the rockets.

Alongside the minecart segments, there are levels where you ride a rocket barrel through a forced scrolling section. These require you to press the jump button to pull up and raise your altitude, so it requires a bit more awareness than, say, a scrolling shoot-’em-up. It requires a feel for the responsiveness of the rocket, and there are some really narrow parts that might end up frustrating. I loved the rocket segments each and every time; they may be my favorite part of the whole experience. There’s something to be said about the simplicity, but Retro Studios was still able to put in some incredibly thrilling segments around your rocket-propelled journey.

The bosses are a bit more of a mixed bag. Each one is heavily pattern-based, and there’s a lot of variety between them. Unfortunately, that same variety means that some are better than others. I had difficulty even figuring out what I had to do on some of them. Adding to that, the collision detection in Donkey Kong Country Returns is questionable a lot of the time, and this seems to manifest most when it comes to bosses. I’d find myself taking damage when I was clear of danger to the point where I captured a video of one moment, then viewed it and confirmed that the two models didn’t intersect. What the hell? I’m not sure if the shaky collision was this way in the original version. It’s only a minor annoyance overall; it just seems like an out-of-place loose thread in an otherwise tight and polished game.

The graphical glowup in Donkey Kong Country Returns is pretty understated. It’s mostly what it says on the tin: a higher-resolution version of the original. Donkey Kong has some added fuzz, but it’s clearly set before Tropical Freeze since he hasn’t yet discovered the amazing conditioner that gave him his incredible coat in that game.

The best comparison I can give is to say it’s like Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD. Nothing has really changed art-wise. The lighting is better, but it’s far from astounding. The textures are sharper, but they haven’t really changed. Backgrounds are largely untouched. It’s not the same magnitude of upgrade that Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door got, it’s largely just Donkey Kong Country Returns with more pixels.

It was nice to revisit the game. I find that with platformers, unless they’re extremely unconventional, they kind of get sectioned away in my brain. Even when they’re particularly well-executed, as is the case with Donkey Kong Country Returns. But actually sitting down and playing them, I find I can still appreciate them.

And while Donkey Kong Country Returns HD doesn’t revolutionize the game, it still manages to become the definitive version of the title. If you haven’t played it before, you owe it to yourself to try it out. Retro Studios outdid themselves. They took what came before and expertly expanded and improved on it. It’s an astounding display of creative level design that is near unmatched in sidescrollers. And now you can play it without having to shake your controller.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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