Is Nintendo the Last Hope for Physical Games? | Nintendo News Recap

Is Nintendo the Last Hope for Physical Games? | Nintendo News Recap

Physical games media has been on the decline for some time, but PlayStation announcing the end of production is a major blow for collectors. With Xbox reportedly following suit, we examine what this means for digital ownership, what will happen to video game retail spaces, and how we think Nintendo will proceed when it comes to keeping physical games alive or not. We also look into a possible leak of a new Metroid title (Metroid Ravenous) and a rumor suggesting it might not be the only Metroid game in the pipeline. Finally, we round up the early reviews for Rhythm Heaven Groove to see whether Nintendo's latest rhythm game lives up to the series' reputation. Quick Headlines: Switch 2 becomes the second-fastest selling console in U.S. history, First 4 Figures unveils a new Elephant Mario statue, Mario Kart World adds two new Knockout Tours, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie streams on Peacock this month, Kirby Air Riders gets another amiibo, Nintendo's president hints that Nintendo DS games could eventually come to Nintendo Switch Online, and Nintendo Music keeps growing with another wave of additions. Time Codes: 00:00:00 Opening 00:09:37 PlayStation (and Possibly Xbox) to Stop Producing Physical Game Discs 00:19:11 Metroid Ravenous Title Leak & Rumors of a Second Unannounced Game 00:23:35 Rhythm Heaven Groove Review Roundup 00:25:32 Quick Headlines: Switch 2 Sales, Elephant Mario Statue, DS on NSO, and more 00:32:28 Out This Week Subscribe to Podcasting With Power for more Nintendo discussions, news, and deep dives! Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podwithpower Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/podwithpower.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.com/@podwithpower Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/podwithpower

Gaming is Getting VERY Expensive | Deep Dive

Gaming has always been an expensive hobby, but it feels like a bubble is about to burst. The Steam Machine pricing is giving us some serious sticker shock, Nintendo is charging a premium for physical games, and Grand Theft Auto VI's $80 price tag has us wondering if that will soon be the norm across the industry. In this week's Deep Dive, we look at the recent price increases of the Switch 2, the (9-year old) original Switch, and the (7-year old) PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles. Didn't prices use to drop over time? Just how sustainable is all of this for these companies, and can gamers keep up? Time Codes: 00:00:00 Opening 00:02:33 Buying Consoles and Hardware in 2026 00:22:10 Steam Machine Pricing 00:32:44 Adjusting Classic Nintendo Console Prices for Inflation 00:40:16 Game Prices and GTA 6's $80 Price Tag Subscribe to Podcasting With Power for more Nintendo discussions, news, and deep dives! Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podwithpower Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/podwithpower.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.com/@podwithpower Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/podwithpower

Did GTA 6 Just Hand Game-Key Cards a Rare Win? | Nintendo News Recap

In this week's Nintendo News Recap, an unlikely source has Nintendo fans rethinking the Game-Key Card controversy: Grand Theft Auto VI. Now that the physical release of GTA 6 is confirmed to be a code in a box, gamers are starting to realize that a physical cartridge you can lend or resell, even without any actual game data, might not be so bad after all. Does the argument hold any water, or are they still as vile as some would have you believe? We also look at Nintendo's new R&D center in Kyoto and why we think that's a good sign for the company's future. And now that Star Fox is out in the wild, we roundup some critic reviews and discuss the vibes surrounding a game we've been eager to try for ourselves! Quick Headlines: Unreal Engine Lighting Update for Switch 2, new Nintendo-inspired hardware from 8BitDo, Rhythm Heaven Groove's eShop demo, daily Splatoon Raiders comics on Nintendo Today!, Star Fox plushies are coming to the US, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment on Nintendo Music, and a Star Fox event in Tetris 99 Time Codes: 00:00:00 Opening 00:18:17 Discless GTA 6 Makes Game-Key Cards Look Better 00:26:48 Nintendo's New R&D Building in Kyoto 00:28:45 Star Fox Review Roundup 00:31:59 Quick Headlines: Unreal Engine, 8BitDo, Star Fox Plushies Subscribe to Podcasting With Power for more Nintendo discussions, news, and deep dives! Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podwithpower Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/podwithpower.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.com/@podwithpower Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/podwithpower

Nintendo's GOATs: Which Games Do These 15 Things BEST? | Deep Dive

What elements make Nintendo games so special? Instead of trying to rank Nintendo's greatest games overall, we're taking a different approach. We picked 15 different gameplay categories and crowned the single Nintendo game we think does each one better than every other game the company has ever made. From stealth and storytelling to collectibles, progression, music, puzzles, world design, and much more, every category sparked plenty of debate. Some of our picks are obvious classics, and others might surprise you! Whether you're a lifelong Nintendo fan or just looking for a fresh perspective on some of the company's greatest games, this episode is packed with fun arguments and plenty of opportunities to disagree. Be sure to let us know in the comments which Nintendo games you think deserve the crown in each category! Time Codes: 00:00:00 Opening 00:03:24 Exploration 00:10:53 Platforming 00:17:55 Movement 00:22:28 Stealth 00:25:47 Combat 00:30:06 Boss Battles 00:35:40 Puzzle Design 00:41:53 Progression 00:45:13 Collectibles 00:50:18 Level Design 00:56:30 Atmosphere 01:01:18 Storytelling 01:04:16 Music 01:09:52 Multiplayer 01:12:37 Replayability Subscribe to Podcasting With Power for more Nintendo discussions, news, and deep dives! Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podwithpower Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/podwithpower.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.com/@podwithpower Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/podwithpower

Xbox Is Imploding... How Does Nintendo Avoid Doing The Same? | Nintendo News Recap

Xbox is (once again) struggling, withe reports of layoffs and studio closures coming in the near future. In this Nintendo News Recap, we discuss how we think they got there, what that says about the industry as a whole, and why Nintendo always seems to avoid these kinds of situations. We also look at data suggesting that Nintendo's June Direct was the most-watched summer showcase, even beating out SGF Opening Night! We discuss a long-awaited (and perhaps too late) update to the original Switch's eShop, and we round up reviews for The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. Quick Headlines: Switch Online Bonus Offer, Europe Gets a Pokopia Switch 2 Bundle, Nintendo is Fighting Scalpers in Japan, Standalone Xenoblade 2 Torna Expansion Gets a Free Update, Star Fox's New Graphics Brought 64's Art Director to Tears, and Dispatch Removes (Some) Censorship Time Codes: 00:00:00 Opening 00:05:22 What is Happening at Xbox? 00:24:21 Nintendo Direct Most Watched Summer Showcase of 2026 00:27:21 Switch 1 eShop Gets MUCH Faster 00:29:36 Adventures of Elliot Review Roundup 00:35:17 Quick Headlines: Switch Online Offer, Torna Gets Free Update, Dispatch Removes Censorship 00:43:14 Out This Week Subscribe to Podcasting With Power for more Nintendo discussions, news, and deep dives! Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podwithpower Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/podwithpower.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.com/@podwithpower Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/podwithpower