The latest addition to the Nintendo Switch Online Subscription service is ‘Missions’ and ‘Rewards’.

When accessing the section, you will see available missions related to things you’re probably already doing as part of your subscription. By participating in these missions, you’ll earn yourself platinum points. These can then be redeemed for items in the Nintendo store as usual, but in addition, there will be new member-exclusive icon elements for you to collect and create new user icons. There will be a different theme each month, and each and every week, the icon elements will be refreshed. 

Nintendo does warn that there may be a delay between completed missions and points showing in your account, particularly during busy periods, so if they don’t show straight away, check back later. 

Survival game Stranded Deep, which was initially released in 2015, has surprised Switch e-shop users by showing up on the storefront today, 31 August 2021.

The game appeared on Playstation 4 and Xbox One last year but the developer did not announce or reveal its plan until the game showed up.

The game allows players to experience terrifying encounters to test their survival skills.

The backstory of the game is that you were in a mysterious plane crash and you are stranded in the Pacific Ocean.  You are alone and cannot call for help.  You must build, craft, survive and escape the ocean. 

You can explore underwater and on land, you find to hunt for supplies, craft tools and build yourself a shelter.

This surprise launch has certainly not given gamers any time to research the game, but we are sure that you will enjoy the game anyway.

To celebrate the 35th Anniversary of Super Mario, Nintendo did several special releases this fall to commemorate this incredible classic. September saw the release of the Super Mario 3D All-stars which included an omnibus collection of Mario games that were originally released for either the Nintendo 64, Gamecube and Wii. Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy can be purchased as one package either in a physical or digital version but is only available until 31 March 2021!!

Other note-worthy Mario releases this year, released as of October, are the Super Mario Bros 35, which is designed like a Tetris 99 model and pits other players against each other in a battle royale. This game is free to NSO subscribers and offers a fun new way to ‘Mario’. Additionally, October saw the release of Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. This Mario Kart version is similar to the Mario Bros 35 in that you are also competing against other players and like 35, offers a fun new remix of a classic game.

Give more than just chocolate eggs this Easter, treat someone (or yourself) with a fantastic Easter gaming offer. Here are a few of the best, from consoles to stand alone games, there’s a lot to get hold of if you are looking for great deals.

Nintendo 2DS Handheld Console with Mario Kart 7 – £69.00

the Nintendo 2DS is a streamlined version of the Nintendo 3DS, and this offer includes it with Mario kart 7 pre-installed on the console. This is available from ebay and Tesco for just £69.00

YO-KAI WATCH – £15.95

A great game to go with the 2DS offer, Yo-Kai Watch is available for just £15.95, new from amazon.

Battlefield Bad Company 2 – £1.67 

An Xbox 360 great that can also be played on Xbox One. Battlefield Bad Company 2 is available for just £1.67 from music magpie.

Microsoft Xbox One S 500gb Console with Forza Horizon 3 – £183.60

Available from amazon.de, an Xbox One S 500GB with Forza Horizon 3 for just £183.60. A great price for microsoft’s primary gaming console. 

Nintendo Wii U games come on optical disks, Wii U’s own unique game medium to be exact. But like any disk they can easily pick up dirt and light scratches, hampering their ability to load games.

Fortunately the disks can be cleaned relatively easily with a few house hold items. Here are the simple steps to clean a Wii U disk, from Nintendo.

1. Dampen a clean, soft, cotton cloth with water.
2. Use straight strokes and wipe the disc (non-labeled side) from the inside rim to the outside rim.
3. Using a dry part of the cloth, repeat step 2 to dry the disc.
4. After all of the water is gone, let the disc sit for at least two minutes to completely dry before inserting it into the Wii U console.
5. Do not use solvents such as: benzine, window cleaner, paint thinner, anti-static aerosol spray or abrasive cleaners to clean your disc.
6. Do not use machines designed to clean discs or remove scratches. These types of devices have been known to damage the surface of the disc.
7. After cleaning, be sure to store your games properly. Storing games in cases other than the ones they came in, or storing them outside their cases, may damage the disc.