Mario Archives

AppWizard

March 1, 2026

One of my favorite Next Fest demos turned out to be this speedrunner’s delight modeled after 3D Sonic games, which just added ranked multiplayer races

The Rollin' Rascal demo was recently updated during the Steam Next Fest, appealing to fans of Sonic the Hedgehog's early 3D adventures. It features a vibrant world with expansive levels, momentum-based physics, and online modes, including ranked multiplayer competitions. The races include item boxes similar to those in Mario Kart, but the online community is currently sparse. The demo has some imperfections, such as camera glitches and a lack of enemy variety, but shows promise for future development.

AppWizard

March 1, 2026

EA Sports FC 26 Tops the Swiss Charts, Minecraft Takes 2nd

EA Sports FC 26 has been the top-selling game in Switzerland for eight consecutive weeks. Minecraft has moved up to second place, while Mario Tennis Fever has dropped to third. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Galaxy 1+2 are now in fourth and fifth places, respectively. Pokémon Legends Z-A has risen to sixth place, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons remains in seventh. Reanimal has fallen to eighth place, while Donkey Kong Bananza and The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild have returned to the top ten, now in ninth and tenth places. The top 10 best-selling games in Switzerland are: 1. EA Sports FC 26 2. Minecraft 3. Mario Tennis Fever 4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 5. Super Mario Galaxy 1+2 6. Pokémon Legends Z-A 7. Animal Crossing: New Horizons 8. Reanimal 9. Donkey Kong Bananza 10. The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

BetaBeacon

February 28, 2026

Don’t buy a new phone just for gaming, last-gen flagships still perform just as well

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra and its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor perform similarly to the last year's Xiaomi 15 Ultra and its Snapdragon 8 Elite in popular Android games and emulators. The newer processor offers slightly lower power consumption and potential future-proofing for upcoming games, but overall, there is not a significant performance difference between the two models.

AppWizard

February 26, 2026

I Thought A Minecraft Movie Had The Domestic Box Office Record For 2025 In The Bag, But The Crown Has Now Been Stolen

Jared Hess’ A Minecraft Movie, which premiered last April, grossed 4.1 million in the United States and Canada. It has been surpassed by Byron Howard and Jared Bush’s Zootopia 2, which has grossed 4.2 million since its Thanksgiving release. Zootopia 2 had a larger opening weekend, earning 0.3 million compared to the original Zootopia's 1.1 million, and has already surpassed the original's total of 1.3 million. Globally, Zootopia 2 has exceeded 0.8 billion, while A Minecraft Movie grossed 1.2 million worldwide. The only film surpassing Zootopia 2 this year is the animated Chinese film Ne Zha 2, which has crossed the billion mark. Upcoming animated films include Hoppers, Toy Story 5, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Hexed, and Minions & Monsters.

AppWizard

February 23, 2026

New report says older games like CS2 and League of Legends take up 35% of PC playtime, but Roblox reigns supreme

The gaming industry is experiencing significant changes, with a few major titles dominating player engagement. The "big five" PC games—Counter-Strike, Fortnite, Minecraft, League of Legends, and Roblox—account for 35% of player hours, while older titles make up about 10%. In 2025, newly released games, including annual franchises like Call of Duty, represented only 14% of player hours on Steam. A large portion of PC gamers, 45%, engage with games that are one to seven years old, and 41% play titles that are eight years or older. Despite challenges, industry revenue has been maintained or grown through price increases rather than expanding the player base. Roblox has emerged as a significant market driver, representing over 4.5% of non-China spending and accounting for 67% of net growth in 2025. Developers on Roblox are earning over 0 million annually, with a 70% year-on-year growth. Titles like Grow a Garden have surpassed engagement metrics for Blizzard's games, and others have outperformed Valve's Dota 2. The anticipated release of GTA 6 could signal a new era, although its 2026 launch is uncertain.

AppWizard

February 22, 2026

Nintendo reveals Europe’s best-selling digital games for January 2026

In January 2026, the top eShop downloads in Europe for the Nintendo Switch 2 were: 1. Minecraft 2. Nintendo Switch Sports 3. Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade 4. Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition 5. Donkey Kong Bananza 6. Super Mario Party Jamboree 7. Pokemon Legends Z:A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition 8. Super Mario Bros. Wonder 9. Stardew Valley 10. Animal Crossing: New Horizons 11. Grid Legends 12. Suika Game Planet 13. Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 14. Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV 15. Mario Kart World For the original Nintendo Switch, the top downloads were: 1. Minecraft 2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 3. Nintendo Switch Sports 4. Stardew Valley 5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons 6. Pokemon Legends: Z-A 7. Super Mario Party Jamboree 8. Among Us 9. Hollow Knight: Silksong 10. Hollow Knight 11. Super Mario Bros. Wonder 12. Wobbly Life 13. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe 14. Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 15. It Takes Two

AppWizard

February 20, 2026

New Game Release Dates: The biggest games coming soon for PS5, Switch 2, Xbox, and PC

2026 will feature a significant lineup of game releases. Notable titles scheduled for release include: March 2026: - World of Warcraft: Midnight – March 2 (PC) - Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered – March 3 (PS5, Xbox, PC) - Scott Pilgrim EX – March 3 (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC) - Marathon – March 5 (PS5, Xbox, PC) - Pokémon Pokopia – March 5 (Switch 2) - Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection – March 13 (PS5, Switch 2, Xbox, PC) - WWE 2K26 – March 13 (PS5, Switch 2, Xbox, PC) April 2026: - Goat Simulator 3 – April 1 (Switch 2) - Pragmata – April 24 (PS5, Switch 2, Xbox) - Diablo IV – Lord of Hatred – April 28 (PS5, Xbox, PC) May 2026: - Forza Horizon 6 – May 19 (Xbox, PC) - 007: First Light – May 27 (PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, PC) - LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight – May 29 (PS5, Switch 2, Xbox, PC) June 2026: - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – June 3 (Switch 2) July 2026: - Granblue Fantasy: Relink – July 9 (PS5, PS4, Switch 2, PC) - Digimon Story Time Stranger – July 10 (Switch, Switch 2) August 2026: - Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls – August 6 (PS5, PC) September 2026: - Phantom Blade 0 – September 9 (PS5, PC) November 2026: - Grand Theft Auto 6 – November 19 (PS5, Xbox) Other notable games expected in 2026 include: - Marvel's Wolverine (Fall 2026) - Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition - Fable (Fall 2026) - Silent Hill Townfall - Subnautica 2 This information will be updated regularly to reflect the latest offerings for PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, and PC.

BetaBeacon

February 19, 2026

Nintendo’s new My Mario app now live: FREE on iOS, Android, and the eShop

Nintendo has launched a new My Mario toy and collectible lineup in the United States, which includes exclusive items available at the Nintendo Store in New York and San Francisco. The lineup also includes the My Mario app, available for download on iOS, Android, and the eShop. The app offers interactive activities with Mario for users of all ages.

AppWizard

February 16, 2026

The best Smash Bros.-like on Steam just added a character who can shop for items and go fishing in the middle of a match, in case you thought fighting games were too one-note

Rivals of Aether 2 is an upcoming sequel to the original game, set to be released on April 7, 2026. Shovel Knight will return with unique gameplay mechanics, despite not being part of the new character roster. The game will feature a diverse lineup of characters, including a folding chair-flinging ant wrestler and a magnet-powered dinosaur. Newcomer Slade, from the turn-based spinoff Dungeons of Aether, will also be included.

AppWizard

February 12, 2026

Logitech G reveals gaming couples enjoy higher relationship satisfaction

A survey by Logitech G and Antenna Insights involving 1,500 participants aged 18 to 45 found that couples who game together at least once a week experience a 47.3% increase in relationship satisfaction, compared to 24.0% for those who play together infrequently. Nearly 44% of respondents enjoy gaming with their partners, while 22% play infrequently and 34% do not game at all. Couples who game weekly spend about 17 hours of quality time together each week, which is approximately 3.8 hours more than those who game occasionally. Reasons for enjoying gaming together include teamwork (52%), stress relief (47%), and closeness (46%). Other benefits noted are quality time at home (39%) and playfulness in the relationship (36%).