Tag Archives: Nintendo Switch

Game News

Hello Kitty Party Land Launches 29 October — 145 Sanrio Characters and 45+ Mini-Games on Switch

Leave a comment

Bandai Namco and Sanrio have dropped a fresh pre-order trailer for Hello Kitty Party Land, and it’s confirmed: the party game arrives on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on 29 October 2026. With over 145 Sanrio characters and more than 45 mini-games, this is shaping up to be the ultimate year-end multiplayer pick for Singapore fans of all ages.

Hello Kitty Party Land – Pre-Order Trailer — via Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube

What Is Hello Kitty Party Land?

Hello Kitty Party Land is a family party game set in a colourful Sanrio-themed town. Players create a custom avatar, choose a Sanrio character as their companion, and then compete — or cooperate — in a mix of board game rounds and rapid-fire mini-games. It supports one to four players in both local multiplayer and online play, making it just as fun on the couch as it is over the internet with friends elsewhere in Singapore or across the region.

Beyond the competitive modes, the game layers in side activities — fishing, avatar dress-up, and sticker collecting — giving it the kind of casual depth that keeps players coming back between sessions. It’s published by Bandai Namco and marks the debut title from Sanrio Games, the brand’s in-house games label.

Board Game Mode: Spin, Move, Repeat

Hello Kitty Party Land board game mode showing four players on a flower-shaped spinner tile
Image courtesy of Sanrio/Bandai Namco

The backbone of Hello Kitty Party Land is its board game mode, which will feel immediately familiar to anyone who’s spent time with Mario Party. Four players move around themed boards, triggering mini-games at key spots and racing to collect stars before time runs out. The boards are set across different areas of the Sanrio town — each with its own Sanrio character host — and the petal-shaped spinner dice add a distinctly Sanrio flavour to every roll.

Sanrio companions appear throughout the boards, offering buffs, surprises, and character-specific interactions, keeping the game fresh across multiple sessions. The structure runs on an in-game day countdown, with each turn advancing the clock toward the final tally.

45+ Mini-Games Across Sports, Food, Music and More

Hello Kitty Party Land cooking mini-game with four player avatars and Hello Kitty in a kitchen
Image courtesy of Sanrio/Bandai Namco

With over 45 original mini-games on offer, variety isn’t a concern. The trailer spotlights a range of themes — a competitive food-prep challenge hosted by Hello Kitty, a group jump-rope game overlooking a swan lake, and quick-reaction sports rounds. Some mini-games pit all four players against each other; others are fully cooperative, asking the whole group to work together to beat a shared target.

Named mini-games confirmed so far include Hello Kitty’s Speedy Peeling, Little Twin Stars’ Stellar Fishing, and Cinnamoroll’s Home Run Derby. Each mini-game leans on the personality of its Sanrio host, giving characters like Pompompurin and Kuromi their own distinct flavour of chaos.

Meet 145+ Sanrio Characters — Including Some Deep Cuts

Hello Kitty Party Land jump rope mini-game with four player avatars jumping over a glowing rope
Image courtesy of Sanrio/Bandai Namco

This is where Hello Kitty Party Land stands out from other party games: the sheer breadth of the Sanrio IP on display. More than 145 Sanrio characters appear across the game, from the mega-popular faces — Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, My Melody, Kuromi, Pompompurin, Little Twin Stars, Badtz-Maru — to a long tail of obscure mascots that most fans will encounter here for the first time. Sixteen of these characters are available as playable in-game companions, while the rest show up as mini-game stars, board inhabitants, or sticker collectibles to discover.

For Singapore’s Sanrio community — where Cinnamoroll and Kuromi merchandise consistently sells out at local pop culture stores and conventions — that depth of roster is a genuine draw. The sticker collection system gives completionists a reason to keep playing long after the boards are memorised.

Pre-Orders Now Open for Singapore Nintendo Switch Players

Hello Kitty Party Land launches on 29 October 2026 for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 — meaning every Switch owner in Singapore can pick it up, regardless of which console they’re on. Digital pre-orders are live now on the Nintendo eShop; a physical edition is also confirmed, available at major game retailers when it launches. SGD pricing has not yet been confirmed — watch for an update closer to release.

The October 29 date lands just as Singapore’s year-end school holiday period begins, making this a strong candidate for family gaming sessions and holiday gift lists alike. Given how popular Sanrio characters are across all age groups here, expect Hello Kitty Party Land to move fast at retail.

Game News

Kazuma Kaneko’s Tsukuyomi Hits Steam Tomorrow — SMT Artist’s Deckbuilder Goes PC

Leave a comment

If the name Kazuma Kaneko means anything to you, ears up: the legendary visual artist behind Shin Megami Tensei, Persona, and Devil Summoner is bringing his own tactical deckbuilder KAZUMA KANEKO’S TSUKUYOMI to Steam on 24 July — and it supports English, making it fully accessible to Singapore players on PC from tomorrow.

KAZUMA KANEKO'S TSUKUYOMI key art featuring Kazuma Kaneko and the game cast
Image courtesy of COLOPL

A Demon-Infested Tower in Modern Tokyo

The setup is quintessentially Kaneko. In Tokyo, 20XX, a colossal megastructure called THE HASHIRA has been severed from the rest of the city by a plasma barrier. You play as Izayoi Tsukuyomi — an NCO agent of a national defence organisation — tasked with infiltrating the isolation zone, climbing a tower overrun by supernatural entities called Jinma, and uncovering the truth at the summit.

Izayoi Tsukuyomi arriving at THE HASHIRA in KAZUMA KANEKO'S TSUKUYOMI
Image courtesy of COLOPL

Combat is turn-based card battling with a strict three-card hand limit: each fight deals you a fresh hand from your deck, and you spend Ability Points to play cards drawn from a roster of mythological creatures and warriors. Winning grants new Jinma Cards to expand your deck; lose, and the roguelike structure sends you back to square one — though EXP and Level carry over between runs, giving each attempt permanent value.

Colopl first released the game on Nintendo Switch on 23 April 2026. The PC version arriving tomorrow brings English, Japanese, Korean, and Traditional/Simplified Chinese text — no regional lock-out for Singapore-based Steam accounts.

KAZUMA KANEKO’S TSUKUYOMI — Launch Trailer via KAZUMA KANEKO’S TSUKUYOMI on YouTube

Devil May Cry 5 Drops In — Dante, Nero, and Vergil as Cards

KAZUMA KANEKO'S TSUKUYOMI x Devil May Cry 5 official collaboration announcement
Image courtesy of COLOPL / © Capcom

The crossover that launched alongside the Switch version carries over to PC. Dante, Nero, and Vergil from Devil May Cry 5 appear mid-story as boss encounters; defeat each one and they join your roster as powerful Jinma Cards with abilities adapted straight from DMC5 mechanics:

  • Dante — activates a Stylish Rank system: the more hits landed in a single turn, the higher your rank climbs and the stronger your hand becomes.
  • Nero — his Exceed card gains attack power by sitting in your hand at turn end, rewarding a patient hold strategy.
  • Vergil — Concentration stacks attack power up to ten stages each time a combo card effect chains, punishing enemies that let him build tempo.

Each character can trigger their Devil Trigger or Sin Devil Trigger under specific battle conditions, and their signature weapons — Devil Sword Sparda, Red Queen, and Yamato — appear as exclusive Divine Gear items. The crossover is included in the base game on Steam; no separate purchase needed.

What the Steam Version Adds

Tomorrow’s PC launch also brings the second DLC pack, “The Divine Artist K’s True Manifestation Set – Part Two”, releasing alongside the base game and adding new cards for combat. It is bundled in the Special Digital Deluxe Edition; the standard edition is priced at approximately USD 25.

Boss dragon encounter in KAZUMA KANEKO'S TSUKUYOMI card combat
Image courtesy of COLOPL

One thing worth flagging honestly: the Steam page discloses that TSUKUYOMI utilises generative AI for its images, videos, and music. Kaneko serves as creative director and character concept lead, but the card art is AI-generated under his supervision rather than drawn in his signature hand. Singapore players who care about this should factor it in; those here for the SMT-adjacent tactics and the DMC5 collab will find the systems hard to resist either way.

Where to Find It

KAZUMA KANEKO’S TSUKUYOMI launches on Steam on 24 July 2026. The US storefront lists the title as region-restricted there, so Singapore-based accounts should see it correctly. The Nintendo Switch version is already live. For fans of JRPG and tactical game news, this is one to bookmark before tomorrow morning.

Game News, Manga Anime

Hypnosis Mic ARB 2nd Period Is Out on Switch — All Six Divisions, New Stories, and One Banger Anthem

Leave a comment

The rap empire just expanded. Hypnosis Mic: Alternative Rap Battle 2nd Period hit Nintendo Switch in Japan on 16 July 2026, and it is the biggest the franchise’s portable rhythm game has ever been — all six divisions, a new season of story content, and a fresh group anthem that is already on repeat. No English version has been announced, but the Switch is region-free, which means Singapore fans have options.

All Six Divisions Finally Under One Roof

The first Switch instalment (1st period, released December 2024) covered the original three divisions: Buster Bros!!! from Ikebukuro, Mad Trigger Crew from Yokohama, and Fling Posse from Shibuya. 2nd period brings the rest in: Matenrou from Shinjuku, and — for the first time on Switch — Osaka’s BAD ASS TEMPLE and Nagoya’s Dotsuitare Hompo.

BAD ASS TEMPLE division characters from Hypnosis Mic Alternative Rap Battle 2nd Period
Image courtesy of Idea Factory / Hypnosis Mic

If you have been waiting for Sasara Nurude, Kuko Harai, and Rosho Tsutsujimori to get their Switch moment, this is it. With all six divisions present across both games, the complete HypMic character roster is now playable and fully voiced on Nintendo Switch.

KILLER SCRATCH!! Rhythm Mode and Three Exclusive Stories

The gameplay structure mirrors 1st period: the KILLER SCRATCH!! rhythm mode has you tapping along to the HypMic track catalogue, layered over a visual novel story. 2nd period pushes the story content harder than its predecessor — it includes the Main Story Season 2, a selection of popular event narratives reproduced with full voice acting, and three brand-new story scenarios written exclusively for this Switch release that are not available anywhere in the smartphone app.

For fans of the Division Rap Battle anime who have never touched the mobile game, the Switch entry is a clean, fully voiced way in. Developer Altoplus and publisher Idea Factory have kept the presentation tight, and the visual novel segments carry the same character depth that made the anime work.

Opening Theme: “Diggin'” by Division All Stars

Diggin' single artwork for Hypnosis Mic Alternative Rap Battle 2nd Period on Nintendo Switch
Image courtesy of Idea Factory / Hypnosis Mic

The new opening theme “Diggin'”, performed by Division All Stars and composed by Machi Def and DJ dip, released alongside the game on 16 July — the group’s first all-cast track in approximately a year. It is playable as a KILLER SCRATCH!! rhythm stage and is available across all major streaming platforms. The music video debuted on the official Hypnosis Mic YouTube channel the same evening.

Division All Stars “Diggin'” Music Video — via Channelヒプノシスマイク on YouTube

Pricing, Editions, and How to Import

Buster Bros!!! Ikebukuro division characters in Hypnosis Mic Alternative Rap Battle 2nd Period
Image courtesy of Idea Factory / Hypnosis Mic

Three editions are available through Japanese retailers and the Japanese Nintendo eShop:

  • Standard (physical or digital): ¥8,580 (approximately S$78)
  • Deluxe Edition: ¥10,780 (approximately S$98) — includes a special booklet and exclusive artwork cards
  • Twin Pack (1st period + 2nd period bundled): ¥14,960 (approximately S$136) — the best value entry point for newcomers picking up the Switch series for the first time

No English localisation has been announced. Nintendo Switch cartridges are region-free, so Singapore fans can import the Japanese physical version through retailers like AmiAmi or CDJapan, or purchase digitally through a Japanese Nintendo Account. Hypnosis Mic has consistently drawn crowds at Anime Festival Asia Singapore, so the local fanbase already knows the import routine. A companion promotion runs in the smartphone app through 5 August, offering in-game bonus stickers and items tied to the launch.

Further ahead, the new Division All Stars album Trick or Repeat — twenty tracks across two discs in the limited edition — arrives on 2 September 2026 for fans who need more after clearing the game. Check our Manga & Anime section for ongoing coverage of the HypMic franchise and other anime-adjacent game releases.

Rose Belmont, protagonist of Castlevania: Belmont's Curse
Game News, Game Preview

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Preview Roundup — Critics Call It a “Potential GOTY Contender”

Leave a comment

The hands-on preview embargo for Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse lifted this past weekend (July 17–18), and early impressions from the press have been overwhelmingly positive. Kotaku put it bluntly: “the game f***ing rules.” GameRant called it a “potential GOTY contender.” Eurogamer said “superb.” For a franchise celebrating its 40th anniversary, it’s the kind of reception Konami fans have been waiting years to see.

Paris and Notre Dame cathedral at dusk in Castlevania: Belmont's Curse
©Konami Digital Entertainment

Forty Years of Legacy, Reimagined in 1499 Paris

The preview builds drop players into a dark, beautifully rendered 15th-century Paris, set 23 years after the events of Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. You play as Rose Belmont, daughter of the legendary Trevor Belmont, on a mission that threads directly into the franchise’s gothic mythology.

Crucially, Evil Empire and Motion Twin — the studio behind Dead Cells — have confirmed that Belmont’s Curse contains no roguelite mechanics. This is a pure Metroidvania: a hand-crafted world, permanent progression, and deliberate exploration. Rose’s moveset centres on seven distinct weapon types and the Arcana Whip, which doubles as a grappling hook for both traversal and combat. IGN praised the whip mechanics specifically, noting how fluidly it extends Rose’s reach in tight platforming sequences and mid-boss encounters. A tarot-based spell system and a Relic passive-ability layer round out the build options.

Rose fighting on the docks with Notre Dame in the background
©Konami Digital Entertainment

Boss Design That Demands Attention

Two bosses from the preview build — The Fallen and a reimagined Joan of Arc — drew widespread praise. Both were described as multi-phase encounters with striking visual design, using Paris’s rooftops and Notre Dame cathedral as dramatic backdrops.

Konami Producer Tsutomu Taniguchi and Evil Empire Creative Director Emmanuel Nouaille told the PlayStation Blog (July 17) that the team wanted every boss to feel “worthy of the Belmont legacy” while introducing entirely new narrative threads. PC Gamer called the overall package “a very solid Metroidvania with tremendous potential.”

Boss fight with golden flames and Paris skyline in Castlevania: Belmont's Curse
©Konami Digital Entertainment

Singapore Pricing and Pre-Order Details

Singapore players can pre-order now on the PlayStation Store ahead of the October 15, 2026 global release:

  • Standard Edition: SGD 35.50
  • Midnight Edition (adds Soundtrack + Digital Artbook): SGD 42.60
  • Pre-order bonus (all editions): Alucard Style Costume

The game launches simultaneously on PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Gameplay screenshot from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse
©Konami Digital Entertainment

We covered the initial Nintendo Switch confirmation and October release window earlier this month. The preview coverage this week makes it clear that Belmont’s Curse is shaping up to be one of the biggest titles of the 2026 holiday season — and one of the most anticipated Castlevania entries in years.

Images: ©Konami Digital Entertainment. Preview quotes sourced from PlayStation Blog, Kotaku, GameRant, Eurogamer, PC Gamer, and IGN.

GameTrader.SG AI Access - use GameTrader with your AI assistant
Guides, News

Post Your Games by Chatting: GameTrader Adds AI Access

Leave a comment

Clearing your shelf usually means the same routine: snap a photo, open the sell form, pick the platform, type the description, set the price. From today there’s a shortcut — you can just say it. GameTrader.SG now plugs into Claude and other AI assistants, so searching the marketplace, catching up on the blog and posting a game for sale can all happen in a chat window.

The feature is called AI Access, and it’s built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP) — an open standard that lets AI assistants connect to real services instead of guessing from memory. It’s free for every member, and it’s live now.

What you can actually do with the GameTrader AI assistant

Once GameTrader is connected, your assistant can reach the real marketplace and the real blog. In practice that means three things:

  • Search listings — “Find PS5 RPGs under $40” or “show me Nintendo Switch games from sellers in the East.” It filters by platform, price, genre and seller, same as the site.
  • Read the blog — “What’s the latest gaming news on GameTrader?” and you get summaries of our newest articles.
  • Post a game — “List my Elden Ring, PS5, pre-owned, $45.” The listing goes live under your account, no form involved.

It’s the same marketplace either way. A listing created through an AI assistant shows up exactly like one posted on the site, and buyers reach you through the usual chat.

Reading is open to everyone, posting needs a token

Searching listings and reading the blog need no login and no setup beyond adding the connection — anyone can do it. Posting is different, because a listing has to belong to a real account.

For that you grab a personal access token from your token page and paste it into your AI app’s settings once. That token is what tells GameTrader the listing is yours.

One deliberate design decision worth explaining: you never type your GameTrader password into a chat. AI assistants are built to refuse passwords and tokens handed to them in conversation — which is exactly the behaviour you want. So the token lives in your app’s configuration, where the assistant can use the connection without ever seeing the credential itself.

Setting it up takes about two minutes

The full walkthrough, with copy-paste config for each app, is on the AI Access setup guide. The short version is three steps: get your token, add GameTrader to your AI app, start chatting.

If you use Claude Code, it’s a single line in your terminal:

Adding GameTrader to Claude Code
Adding GameTrader to Claude Code is a single terminal command. Image: GameTrader.SG

If you use the Claude Desktop app, you paste a small block of JSON into Settings → Developer → Edit Config, then fully quit and reopen the app:

GameTrader MCP config for Claude Desktop
Claude Desktop uses a small block of JSON in its config file. Image: GameTrader.SG

Either way, your token page prints both versions with your own token already filled in, so it really is copy, paste, done.

Then just talk to it

Once connected, there’s nothing new to learn. You ask for what you want in plain English:

Example prompts for the GameTrader AI assistant
Once connected, you just ask in plain English. Image: GameTrader.SG

A quick tip: if your assistant says it can’t see the GameTrader tools, fully quit and reopen the app. AI apps read the available tool list once when they connect, so reloading the window isn’t enough.

What to know before your first listing

Three practical things, so nothing surprises you:

  • Photos still come from the site. Listings posted through an assistant start with the default image, because AI apps can’t upload files. Add your own photos afterwards on GameTrader and the listing looks completely normal.
  • Treat the token like a password. Anyone holding it can post listings as you. Keep it in your app’s settings, and never paste it into a chat message. If it ever leaks, tell us and we’ll invalidate it.
  • Support varies by app. Claude Code and Claude Desktop are tested and working. Other MCP-capable apps can read listings and the blog; whether they can post depends on whether they support custom connection headers yet.

We’ve also put the common questions in one place:

GameTrader AI Access common questions
The common questions, answered on the AI Access page. Image: GameTrader.SG

Try it on your next clear-out

If you’ve got a stack of games waiting to be listed, this is the fastest way we’ve built to get them up. Grab your token, connect your assistant, and describe the pile — the listings appear on GameTrader as you talk.

Start here: gametrader.sg/mcp. And if you’d rather keep using the sell form, nothing has changed — it works exactly as before.

Game News

Ao Oni 2 Hits Switch and Steam on 6 August — Cult Horror RPG Returns with New Seaside School Scenario

Leave a comment

The Blue Demon is back on modern platforms. Ao Oni 2 launches on Nintendo Switch and Steam on 6 August 2026, bundled with a brand-new companion scenario in a two-in-one package priced at ¥1,200 (approximately S$13–14). Developer Game Studio Inc. and publisher LiTMUS Co., Ltd. confirmed the August date earlier today — and for anyone who grew up watching Let’s Play videos of the original cult horror RPG, this is a genuine nostalgia moment.

Two Complete Horror Scenarios in One Package

Ao Oni 2 gameplay screenshot — exploring the school interior
Image courtesy of LiTMUS Co., Ltd. / Game Studio Inc.

The ¥1,200 bundle includes two fully separate scenarios:

Ao Oni 2 is the direct sequel to the original, picking up the same premise: protagonist Hiroshi and his friends are trapped in an abandoned building, puzzles must be solved, and the Blue Demon must be evaded. The sequel expands the room count, deepens the puzzle design, and adds new monster variants — all with higher production values than the original freeware release.

Ao Oni: Seaside School is the new addition. Hiroshi’s group takes a summer coastal school trip and wakes up imprisoned in the cells of an abandoned seaside building. Players must uncover the dark truth behind an incident that once shook the school while finding their separated friends and evading mutated Ao Oni species, some of which now take the form of twisted sea creatures. The scenario introduces a first-for-the-series stage-selection system — four stages playable in any order, with difficulty that scales based on which you tackle first, creating multiple distinct strategy routes per playthrough.

Both scenarios include a 17x speed mode, the fastest the series has shipped, up from 15x in the previous game.

Watch the Official Trailer

Ao Oni 2 Official PV — via ゲームスタジオ (Game Studio Inc.) on YouTube

Why Ao Oni Has a Cult Following in Singapore

Ao Oni 2 screenshot — tense encounter in a darkened corridor
Image courtesy of LiTMUS Co., Ltd. / Game Studio Inc.

If you’ve never met the Blue Demon: Ao Oni is a freeware horror puzzle game created by Japanese indie developer noprops in 2008, built in RPG Maker XP. The recipe is deceptively simple — a group of students, a haunted building, one monster, and a set of puzzles standing between you and escape. Its minimalist pixel-art presentation and deeply unsettling ambient score turned it into a viral sensation on Niconico Douga and early YouTube, logging over 50 million views by 2013. Global YouTubers — including PewDiePie and Markiplier — and a wave of Southeast Asian content creators brought it to audiences across the region. The franchise grew into anime, manga, light novels, three live-action films, and multiple game releases, with the series totalling 34 million downloads across platforms.

For Singapore players who caught the Let’s Play wave in the early 2010s, Ao Oni 2’s arrival on Switch and Steam is the series finally moving off free browser releases and onto mainstream storefronts. The accessible price point keeps it welcoming for newcomers too.

Physical Edition Lands in October

Ao Oni 2 promotional visual — Ao Oni: Seaside School new scenario
Image courtesy of LiTMUS Co., Ltd. / Game Studio Inc.

Beyond the August 6 digital launch, a physical Nintendo Switch edition releases 8 October 2026 with an early-purchase bonus: the Ao Oni Horror Pencil Set (青鬼ホラーえんぴつセット). Physical copies will be available first at Japanese retailers; regional import availability will depend on the usual import channels.

Ao Oni 2 launches digitally on Nintendo Switch and Steam on 6 August 2026. Check the Steam page to wishlist it now. More game news at GameTrader.SG →

Game News, Game Preview

Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters Arrives 28 August — World Youth Arc on PS5, Switch & PC

Leave a comment

Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters is arriving worldwide on 28 August 2026 — and if you grew up watching Tsubasa Ozora bend physics on a football pitch, Bandai Namco and developer Tamsoft’s sequel is shaping up as the biggest Captain Tsubasa game yet. The follow-up hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, bringing the beloved World Youth arc to life with over 110 playable characters and some of the most over-the-top super moves we have seen in a sports title in years.

Japan national team in Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco

Two Story Modes: Build Your Own Footballer or Play the Legend

Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters offers two distinct single-player campaigns. New Stars Mode is the bigger deal for newcomers — you create a fully customisable footballer and join Japan’s national youth squad, experiencing the World Youth arc alongside Tsubasa from the perspective of your own character. You build bonds with the established cast to unlock their signature moves, and your choices shape how the journey unfolds.

Legendary / Advanced Mode takes the canon further with original storylines not found in Yoichi Takahashi’s manga, developed under the creator’s personal supervision. Think of it as an official what-if expansion to the source material — Takahashi is directly involved, so the power fantasy stays true to how he writes his characters.

Two players contest a tackle in Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco

Watch the Story Trailer

CAPTAIN TSUBASA 2: WORLD FIGHTERS – Story Trailer — via Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube

22 National Teams — Including Asia

One of the best things about the World Youth arc for an Asian audience is that the stage is genuinely global. Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters ships with 22 national teams, and the roster is not just a European-heavy selection — Asian sides are represented, meaning Singapore fans who grew up cheering for different Asian squads in the original anime will find familiar strips on the pitch. Screenshots show Japan facing Saudi Arabia, among other matchups.

Japan vs Saudi Arabia in Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco
Asian team striker unleashing a super move in Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco

Super Moves That Make Real Football Look Boring

This is not a FIFA-style simulation and it never pretended to be. Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters packs 150+ new super moves — volleys wrapped in lion spirits, hurricane shots, goalkeeper blocks that look like the final round of a fighting game. The new Chain System rewards sustained possession by ramping up your shot power and charge speed, making every well-built attack sequence feel increasingly dangerous. Goalkeeper duels now have their own tactical depth too: you wear down a keeper over the course of a match by testing their trajectory-reading and positioning, rather than simply hammering the shot button.

Character unleashing a lion-spirit super move in Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco

Editions, Pricing and Where to Pre-Order

Three editions are available for pre-order now across all platforms:

  • Standard Edition — base game
  • Deluxe Edition — base game + season pass bonus + three DLC character packs
  • Ultimate Edition — everything in Deluxe plus the Ultimate Pack

The Steam base price is listed at USD 59.99 (approximately S$80+ at current rates). SGD pricing at local game retailers is to be confirmed closer to the 28 August launch. The game also carries 100+ music tracks composed by Tadayoshi Makino and a Collection Mode housing in-game movies, music and a character gallery for fans who want to spend hours with the lore outside of a match.

Pre-orders are live now on Steam, PlayStation Store, Xbox, and Nintendo eShop. For more upcoming gaming releases, check our Game News section or browse the full Game Previews archive.

Game News, News

FF Resonance Pixel Trailer: Lid, Nichol, and Four New Visions Revealed

Leave a comment

Square Enix dropped the Pixel Trailer for Final Fantasy Resonance today, and it is the most detailed look yet at Lancarse’s HD-2D RPG since the game’s initial reveal last month. Two brand-new party members stepped into the spotlight, the Vision roster ballooned to more than ten classic Final Fantasy heroes, and a pair of new world regions opened up — all arriving on PS5, Switch 2, Switch, and PC on 22 October 2026.

If you missed the original announcement, we covered all the essentials when Square Enix first unveiled the game. Today’s trailer is a genuine follow-up with substantial new reveals.

FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE – Pixel Trailer — via Square Enix Asia on YouTube

Two New Party Members Join Rain’s Crew

The big character news in the Pixel Trailer is a pair of new playable faces neither of the earlier reveals mentioned.

Lid hails from Dirnado, the continent famous for its airship technology. She is an engineer who built her own mechanical chocobo companion — called Mechabo — from scratch. Completing Lid’s subquests unlocks new skills for Mechabo, making her side content worth chasing for gameplay reasons as well as story ones.

Nichol comes from Olderion, a naval nation protected by the Wardens of the Waters clan. He is described as a careful strategist, though the trailer makes clear his more cautious nature constantly runs up against his adventurous companions. Together, they round out a cast that now also includes the original trio of Rain, Lasswell, and Fina.

Rain and party on a grassy field in Final Fantasy Resonance, showing HD-2D character art
Image courtesy of Square Enix

Four More Visions — Cecil, Bartz, Squall, and Zidane

The Vision system — which lets party members equip crystallised essences of legendary FF heroes for stat boosts, unique abilities, and devastating Resonance finishers — now has four new confirmed entries from across the series’ history:

  • Cecil Harvey (FFIV) — Versatile kit covering light and dark attacks alongside healing, making him a Swiss-army-knife Vision for tricky encounters.
  • Bartz Klauser (FFV) — Fire and ice sword skills built for staggering enemies; a strong pick for triggering the Resonance combo window quickly.
  • Squall Leonhart (FFVIII) — Damage that scales with consecutive standard attacks, rewarding aggressive play that avoids abilities.
  • Zidane Tribal (FFIX) — Debuffs enemy vitality and speed while buffing his own stats; useful for drawn-out boss fights.

These join the previously confirmed roster of Cloud, Terra, Tidus, Y’shtola, Shantotto, and the Warrior of Light — already one of the broadest cross-series casts in any Final Fantasy title.

HD-2D town exploration in Final Fantasy Resonance with pixel characters and moogles
Image courtesy of Square Enix

The World of Lapis Opens Up

Two new locations were shown for the first time:

Dilmagia (Machinopolis) is a steel-forged industrial city and the birthplace of airship technology, home to successive generations of engineers who all share the name Cid — a classic FF nod that fans will appreciate immediately.

Olderion (Aquapolis) is a coastal naval hub protected by the Wardens of the Waters clan and, according to the trailer, watched over by a deity of water. Nichol’s home region, it also holds the esper Titan, who unleashes Gaia’s Wrath when summoned.

Airship soaring over the lush 3D world map of Final Fantasy Resonance
Image courtesy of Square Enix

Combat Depth: Stagger, Resonance, and a Colosseum

The trailer fleshed out what happens after you land a stagger: knock out the entire enemy party’s stagger gauges in a single turn and you trigger a Resonance with your equipped Vision, dealing an especially destructive burst of damage. This gives turn order and target selection real strategic weight — you want to build toward that Resonance window rather than just mashing the strongest skills available.

Espers received more detail too. Confirmed summons now include Ifrit (Hellfire), Shiva (Diamond Dust), and Titan (Gaia’s Wrath). Each fights alongside the party for three turns before unleashing their signature attack.

For post-game players, the Pixel Trailer revealed a Colosseum with tiered difficulty fights that reward progressively better items — higher leagues pit you against iconic FF bosses. There is also the Twelve Legendary Arms system: twelve exceptionally powerful weapons obtainable only by hunting sealed monstrosities scattered around Lapis. Weapon crafting with the Vision character Aileen (who needs adamantite, found in crypts and side content) rounds out the late-game loop.

Rain and party facing the armoured Sworn Six antagonists on a grand staircase in Final Fantasy Resonance
Image courtesy of Square Enix

How to Pre-Purchase Before 22 October

Final Fantasy Resonance is available to pre-purchase now on Steam and the PlayStation Store. The Standard Edition is priced at USD 49.99, the Digital Deluxe Edition at USD 59.99. Pre-purchase before 6 November 2026 to receive the Blessed Cuirass and Mist Ether bonus items. SGD pricing has not been confirmed at the time of writing; check the Steam or PlayStation Store listings for local pricing once live.

The game launches across PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, and PC on 22 October 2026. Check our Game News section for any further reveals before launch.

News

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Confirmed for Nintendo Switch — October 15

Leave a comment

Switch owners were left wondering when Konami first announced Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse earlier this year — the reveal trailer pointedly omitted the Nintendo Switch logo while confirming October 15, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. That uncertainty ended today: Konami’s official Castlevania social media account confirmed the Switch version launches simultaneously on 15 October 2026, day-and-date with every other platform. No delay, no timed exclusivity — everyone gets it at the same time.

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse official key art featuring Rose Belmont and cast of characters
Image courtesy of Konami

Who Is Rose Belmont?

Belmont’s Curse centres on Rose Belmont, daughter of the legendary Trevor Belmont, wielding the Belmont family’s sacred whip, the Vampire Killer. The setting is Paris in 1499, twenty-three years after the events of Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse — and fans of the Netflix animated series will recognise the familiar timeline. A dark conspiracy lurking beneath the city’s streets pulls Rose into a conflict that echoes the battle her father fought a generation earlier.

The whip is not just a weapon here but a traversal tool: Rose can swing between anchor points, scale walls, and close gaps using the same weapon she uses to stagger and destroy enemies — a satisfying loop that keeps movement and combat intertwined.

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse – Rose Belmont swinging with the Vampire Killer whip in a gothic interior
Image courtesy of Konami

Bosses Become Power — The Arcana System

The game’s signature mechanic is the Arcana system: when you defeat a major boss — Death, Medusa, Carmilla, Joan of Arc, and others — their essence is sealed into a tarot card that grants Rose new abilities. The loadout you build through these Arcana, combined with seven categories of weapons and equippable Relics, lets you shape your playstyle as you push deeper into the Metroidvania-style map.

It’s a design philosophy that should feel immediately familiar to fans of Dead Cells — and that’s no coincidence.

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Release Date Trailer — via Konami on YouTube

The Dead Cells Team Brings Their Expertise

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse – atmospheric platforming scene in crimson-lit Paris rooftops
Image courtesy of Konami

Evil Empire and Motion Twin — the studios behind Dead Cells and The Rogue Prince of Persia — are developing Belmont’s Curse for Konami. That pedigree matters: Evil Empire has spent years iterating on tight action-platformer feel, expanding Dead Cells with a consistency that is rare in the live-service era. Applying that expertise to the Castlevania formula, under the supervision of Konami and for the series’ 40th anniversary, is about as encouraging a creative pairing as you could wish for.

The gothic art direction, visible in the screenshots, leans into vivid colours over the grimdark palette many modern titles default to — closer in spirit to the classic SNES-era Castlevania games than to more recent takes on the franchise.

What About Switch 2?

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse – Rose Belmont fighting a towering boss in a candlelit grand hall
Image courtesy of Konami

Konami has not announced a dedicated Nintendo Switch 2 version. The game will be playable on Switch 2 via backwards compatibility — meaning Singapore players who have already upgraded to Nintendo’s new console can still pick it up at launch without waiting for a native port. Whether a Switch 2 edition with enhanced visuals follows later has not been addressed.

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse releases on Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam and Microsoft Store) on 15 October 2026. Physical pre-orders opened in Japan following today’s confirmation — digital pre-orders are expected to follow on the Switch eShop. For more game news, including our coverage of other upcoming Switch and Switch 2 titles, head to our news section.