Gaming NPR explores the latest in games and gaming culture — from the latest digital titles to what's on our tabletops.

Gaming

Friday May 21, 2021

New Game 'Never Yield' Is A Speedy, Stylish Side-Scroller With Tons Of Replay Value

In "Never Yield," you play as Wally, a mysterious kid who's stolen an important package Aerial_Knight hide caption

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Aerial_Knight

Games

New Game 'Never Yield' Is A Speedy, Stylish Side-Scroller With Tons Of Replay Value

May 21, 2021 • The new speedrunning game from Detroit developer Aerial_Knight combines a Black cyberpunk aesthetic with clear, compelling mechanics for a game you'll want to play over and over again.

Hear 'Land of the Rising Moon,' from 'Never Yield'

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Wednesday May 12, 2021

Today, we're talking about our three favorite video games, which are available to play on the Nintendo Switch and beyond. Angela Hsieh/NPR hide caption

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Angela Hsieh/NPR

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Three Of Our Favorite Video Games

May 12, 2021 • Sometimes, we dive deep into a new piece of pop culture to grapple with its themes, its relevance and its meaning. But sometimes, you just want us to recommend stuff to watch, read or play. Today, we're recommending three great video games you can pick up and play on the Nintendo Switch and other consoles.

Three Of Our Favorite Video Games

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Friday April 30, 2021

Channel Your Inner Wildlife Photographer And Chill Out With 'New Pokémon Snap'

In the Pokémon Snap games, you're not capturing mons and forcing them to fight — you're taking pictures of them in their natural habitats. Screenshot by Kaity Kline/Nintendo hide caption

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Screenshot by Kaity Kline/Nintendo

Games

Channel Your Inner Wildlife Photographer And Chill Out With 'New Pokémon Snap'

April 30, 2021 • After years of begging by fans online, Nintendo has released a sequel to the classic N64 game Pokémon Snap — it's a peaceful playthrough that has you taking pictures of monsters, not capturing them.

Wednesday April 7, 2021

'Disco Elysium: The Final Cut' Is A Grimly Gorgeous Genre-Bender

At the start of Disco Elysium, you wake up in a crummy hostel room, without your memories — and without your pants. ZA/UM hide caption

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ZA/UM

Games

'Disco Elysium: The Final Cut' Is A Grimly Gorgeous Genre-Bender

April 7, 2021 • In Disco Elysium, you play as an unnamed detective figuring out the story behind a dead body in a windswept, wintry city. The new Final Cut edition features extra quests and a fully-voiced script.

Saturday March 27, 2021

A Year Of Falling Stars, Evening Swims And Friendship: Animal Crossing Turns One

Wish on stars in Animal Crossing: New Horizons and the next morning, jewel-bright star fragments will wash up on your beaches. Screenshot by Amal El-Mohtar/Nintendo hide caption

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Screenshot by Amal El-Mohtar/Nintendo

Games

A Year Of Falling Stars, Evening Swims And Friendship: Animal Crossing Turns One

March 27, 2021 • Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out a year ago and quickly became the game of the pandemic era, offering a candy-colored fantasy world where the occasional bug bite is the worst that can happen.

Friday March 26, 2021

The Latest Chapters In Gaming's Favorite Farm Story Wither On The Vine

Pioneers of Olive Town is flawed, but the actual farming is soothing and engaging. Screenshot by Kaity Kline/Marvelous/Xseed Games hide caption

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Screenshot by Kaity Kline/Marvelous/Xseed Games

Games

The Latest Chapters In Gaming's Favorite Farm Story Wither On The Vine

March 26, 2021 • Harvest Moon: One World and Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town are the latest installments in a beloved, long-running series of farming sims — but fans may want to stick with older games.

Thursday March 11, 2021

Microtransactions Are Great For Game Companies, Less So For Players

One of the suits of armor available in Assassin's Creed: Valhalla — if you're willing to pay real money. Screenshot by Elijah Smith/Ubisoft hide caption

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Screenshot by Elijah Smith/Ubisoft

Games

Microtransactions Are Great For Game Companies, Less So For Players

March 11, 2021 • Microtransactions are small in-game purchases that grant you mostly cosmetic upgrades — but sometimes, they can affect game play. And some gamers say they're becoming increasingly intrusive.

Thursday February 18, 2021

Nintendo's 'Super Mario 3D World' Gets Another Chance On The Switch

Super Mario 3D World allows online multiplayer in a beautifully designed environment. Nintendo hide caption

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Nintendo

Games

Nintendo's 'Super Mario 3D World' Gets Another Chance On The Switch

February 18, 2021 • The original Super Mario 3D World was one of the many good Wii U games that never got a chance, because no one bought the console. Now, it's getting a new lease on life as a Switch re-release.

Thursday January 14, 2021

For The Kid In Your Life, 3 Video Games That Play Like Storybooks

Explore Nordic forests (okay, and some monsters) in Röki. Polygon Treehouse hide caption

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Polygon Treehouse

Games

For The Kid In Your Life, 3 Video Games That Play Like Storybooks

January 14, 2021 • Explore alien worlds, Nordic forests, and European countrysides in these point-and-click games — which may not have been designed specifically for kids, but will definitely keep them entertained.

Thursday January 7, 2021

Sweater Design? Gin Rummy? Typing? These Are The Mario Games You've Never Heard Of

Super Mario no Sweater let you design a sweater and send away to have it made for real. Screenshot by Brittany Vincent/Royal Industries Co. Ltd hide caption

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Screenshot by Brittany Vincent/Royal Industries Co. Ltd

Games

Sweater Design? Gin Rummy? Typing? These Are The Mario Games You've Never Heard Of

January 7, 2021 • Everyone who's ever played a video game knows Super Mario Brothers — but did you know Nintendo's iconic goofy plumber also taught typing, dealt gin rummy and even helped program sewing machines?

Thursday December 31, 2020

Run, Die, Repeat: How Roguelike Games Helped Us Get Through 2020

When nothing else works, you can lose yourself in the simple repetition of a game like Into the Breach. Subset Games hide caption

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Subset Games

Games

Run, Die, Repeat: How Roguelike Games Helped Us Get Through 2020

December 31, 2020 • Video games can offer immense, immersive open worlds — but for some players, the small-scale grinding repetition of the games known as "roguelikes" is a better way to pass the time.

Thursday December 24, 2020

In 2020, Indie Games Were A Well-Deserved Distraction

This is not a representation of what 2020 felt like — it's a screen shot from Dead Cells. Motion Twin hide caption

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Motion Twin

Games

In 2020, Indie Games Were A Well-Deserved Distraction

December 24, 2020 • 2020 is almost over — and if you're anything like us, you spent a lot of time this year escaping into video games. Here are five favorite independent games that helped us get through the year.

Tuesday December 22, 2020

In 'Cyberpunk 2077,' The Only Truly Punk Move Is Not To Play

CD Projekt Red

Games

In 'Cyberpunk 2077,' The Only Truly Punk Move Is Not To Play

December 22, 2020 • CD Projekt Red's hotly-anticipated new game turned out to be a buggy mess — but beyond that, it's just a bad game that doesn't do justice to the gritty, anti-corporate nature of its source material.

Thursday November 26, 2020

'Genshin Impact' Is Free-To-Play Fun — If You Can Resist Opening Your Wallet

Genshin Impact has a huge world to explore, and a surprising amount of content for a free-to-play game. Screenshot by Kaity Kline/MiHoYo hide caption

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Screenshot by Kaity Kline/MiHoYo

Games

'Genshin Impact' Is Free-To-Play Fun — If You Can Resist Opening Your Wallet

November 26, 2020 • The exploration and combat game Genshin Impact has earned some favorable comparisons to Nintendo's Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but like many free-to-play games, it's good at getting you to spend money.

Thursday November 19, 2020

It's Not Easy Porting Games To The Nintendo Switch — But Developers Do It Anyhow

Nintendo's Switch console is less powerful than competing consoles, but offers a more interesting gameplay experience. Drew Angerer/Getty Images hide caption

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Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Games

It's Not Easy Porting Games To The Nintendo Switch — But Developers Do It Anyhow

November 19, 2020 • Nintendo has long prioritized interesting gaming experiences over graphical firepower, but the popularity of its consoles means developers are willing to make the effort to rework games for them.