Support Nintendo Pow Block and Boss Rush on Patreon

This week on Nintendo Pow Block, Stephanie Klimov joins Edward and Corey to discuss a recent interview with Yuji Horii sharing Dragon Quest XII updates, Hironobu Sakaguchi’s new dark fantasy game following Fantasian: Neo Dimension, and rumors of Xbox titles like Forza Horizon 5 coming to Switch 2. They also cover Fantasy Life i possibly launching on PlayStation, leaks about Switch 2 game cases, and its confirmed backward compatibility. To wrap up, they answer community questions on Xbox’s multiplatform strategy, third-party support for Switch 2, and recent Nintendo Switch Online updates.

Listen to Nintendo Pow Block:

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Music | Amazon Music | YouTube

Find more links and episodes on the Spotify for Podcasters Landing Page

---

Time Stamps:

0:00 – Welcome to Nintendo Pow Block

8:58 – Housekeeping

13:55 – Snacktendo!

26:17 – Playing With Power and Weekly Pickups

Edward:

• Playing With Power
  • deBlob
  • deBlob 2
  • Forza Horizon 4 (Xbox)
  • Vampire Survivors
• Weekly Pickups
  • N/A

Corey

• Playing With Power
  • Disney Dreamlight Valley
  • Disney Speedstorm
  • Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
  • Super Mario Party Jamboree
• Weekly Pickups
  • Super Mario Party Jamboree
  • WarioWare: Get It Together

Stephanie

• Playing With Power
  • Game Builder Garage
  • Okami HD
  • Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket
• Weekly Pickups:
  • Earthbound Strategy Guide

1:04:58 – FamiNEWS!

1:05:28 – JRPG Legends Yuji Horii and Hironobu Sakaguchi Are Not Retiring Anytime Soon

JRPG legends Yuji Horii and Hironobu Sakaguchi are not planning to retire anytime soon. In a recent Famitsu interview about Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and Fantasian: Neo Dimension, Horii said he will always be a game designer. Horii is currently working on Dragon Quest XII, which will have a darker story and new combat system. Sakaguchi, the creator and “father” of franchises like Final Fantasy, Blue Dragon, and Lost Odyssey, shared that he has been working on a dark fantasy game for over a year with composer Nobuo Uematsu. While he could not give many details, he hopes to make good progress in the next two years. Both developers are still giving us plenty to look forward to in the future.

Source Link: Famitsu via Games Radar

1:12:41 – Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is No Longer a Nintendo Exclusive, reveals Level-5

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time has faced multiple delays, but a new update suggests it may no longer be a Nintendo-exclusive. A PlayStation Store listing briefly appeared for PS4 and PS5 versions before being removed, hinting at a broader release. The Switch version is still set for April 2025, with the PlayStation listing suggesting a possible launch date of April 23.

Source Link: Push Square

1:21:31 – Shovel Knight is Back in Yooka-Laylee Remaster

Playtonic Games has released a trailer for the Yooka-Replaylee remaster, featuring Shovel Knight as an NPC with a new quest line and challenges. Although not officially confirmed, the game is strongly implied to be coming to the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, based on hints from the official website.

Source Link: Nintendo Life

1:22:51 – Another Week, Another Xbox on Switch 2 Rumor

Xbox is expanding its strategy by bringing first-party titles like Forza Horizon 5 to PlayStation, with rumors suggesting a possible Switch 2 port. This follows the trend of Xbox releasing games like Sea of Thieves, Hi-Fi Rush, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on multiple platforms. Phil Spencer has emphasized that Xbox will continue supporting PlayStation, Nintendo, and Steam, with speculation that Halo: The Master Chief Collection could be next as well as a slew of other games that we discussed last week.

Source Link: Nintendo Life

1:36:48 – Switch 2 Box Sizes May Have Leaked

Although the release date for the Switch 2 hasn’t been announced yet, reports indicate we may already know the size of its physical game cases, which could be bigger than those of the original Switch and more similar to PlayStation and Xbox packaging. While Nintendo has yet to reveal specifics about the game card, the system will be backward compatible, allowing it to play both physical and digital Switch games, with more details expected at the Direct in April 2025.

Source Link: Reddit

---

1:38:25 – PAK Watch!

GAMES:

2/5 – While Waiting – Presented by the team behind critically acclaimed “Moncage”, this is a transformative adventure exploring the art of waiting. Clear the game by doing nothing, but discover the power of acceptance and patience in numerous situations from birth to death. Learn to embrace life as you wait.

2/5 – Mechanita – Puzzle your way through a steampunk world of precision platforming and roving robots! Get ready for a steampunk-themed adventure in Mechanita, a side-scrolling platformer packed with brainteasing pixel art stages!

2/6 – Civilization VII – The award-winning strategy game franchise returns with a revolutionary new chapter. Sid Meier’s Civilization® VII empowers you to build the greatest empire the world has ever known!

2/6 – Jumping Ninja – Find your warpath and go all the way. Remember that true strength is not in your body, but in your mind. Every step brings you closer to your goal. Make lightning decisions. There’s no time to wait and doubt. The sharpness of your mind is also a weapon, and you must know how to use it. Move through levels without stopping and take out your enemies without regret. Face challenges without fear!

2/6 – Malu The Princess – Embark on an exciting journey with Malu in Malu the Princess! After her crown is stolen, Malu sets off on a thrilling adventure to reclaim her royal treasure. Traverse through 40 challenging levels in this precision platformer, where sharp reflexes and skill are your best allies.

2/6 – Momodora: Moonlit Farewell – “Momodora: Moonlit Farewell” is the latest installment in the Momodora series. Join Momo, High Priestess of the village of Koho, as she embarks on a divine mission to save her people from imminent destruction at the hands of the demon hordes summoned by a malevolent bellringer.

2/6 – Timothy and the Tower of Mu – Timothy’s grandfather is dead. But legends tell of a tower so high that disappears above the clouds, built by a god. If someone manages to climb it to the top, a wish is granted. Timothy, armed with hope and courage, decides to face this deadly test and bring back to life his grandfather.

2/6 – Big Helmet Heroes – Discover the hilarious world of Big Helmet Heroes, a 3D beat ’em up combining combat and adventure. Find 29 adorable heroes hidden in fantastic kingdoms and choose your favorites to save the princess. Play alone or with a friend, and try to overcome the formidable challenges that await you!

2/6 – Moons of Darsalon – Teams of darsanauts got lost during their mining missions on the different moons of the planet Darsalon. You need to complete several rescue missions in which you will have to lead them to the closest base station. They will use their own AI to follow you and to obey your commands.

2/7 – Macross: Shooting Insight – Introducing an all-new Macross game, the latest entry in the landmark science fiction franchise! Embark upon a galaxy-spanning mission to rescue the missing songstresses!

2/8 – Space Cleanup: Cosmic Robot Disinfector – In Space CleanUp: Cosmic Robot Disinfector, you take control of a high-tech android tasked with a vital but messy job: cleaning up space stations after intense alien battles.

GAME UPDATES:

• Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket Expansion Space-Time Smackdown is Now Here with 155 Brand New Cards. 
• Rollercoaster Tycoon Classic now has touch controls for the Switch version
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate Punkyard Jam DLC adds Casey Jones to the Fight
• Conan the Barbarian added to Mortal Kombat 1 as DLC
• Among Us DLC in Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz
• Hatsune Miku comes to Rocket League and Fortnite

NINTENDO SWITCH ONLINE UPDATES:

NINTENDO 64:

• Ridge Racer 64 

NINTENDO MUSIC UPDATES:

• Super Mario Bros. Wonder
• Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest
• Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie’s Double Trouble
• Wii Sports
• F-Zero X
• Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!
• Splatoon 2
• Wave Race 64

---

1:50:39 – Question Block! Community Write-Ins

Remember, you can submit questions, comments, concerns, or topics for Nintendo Pow Block through our community Discord or via our free Patreon tier! Each Thursday, we post a thread for the upcoming recording, so keep an eye out and jump into the conversation. You can also leave your inquiries in the pinned comment on the most recent episode on YouTube.

1:51:29 – Benefits of Xbox on Switch 2 for Both

Name: Sam Hall via YouTube
Question: The Xbox on Switch conversation has been a hot topic, especially on some of the Xbox podcasts I listen to (including Xbox Casuals!). What are the biggest positives for both sides as this starts to happen? What are the benefits for Xbox in particular? Thanks for the great content. 

1:58:19 – Major Third Party Franchise on Switch 2

Name: Steven Myers via YouTube
Question: What are some of the major third party franchises you expect to see on the Switch 2? Like, real support, not just ports or remasters of old games, like the full blown same games you’ll see on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Looking forward to this answer.

2:06:15 – Are Recent NSO Updates Enough?

David Lasby via Discord
Question: What do you think of the latest NSO releases? Are they doing enough?

---

2:11:56 – Final Thoughts

Thank you for watching or listening to this episode of Nintendo Pow Block. You can catch new episodes Wednesday on your podcast service of choice, on YouTube, or on our free Patreon tier. Remember if you’re watching the video, subscribe on YouTube, like the video, and leave a comment. If you’re listening, leave us a rating and a nice review. Get this show ad-free along with other perks like early access to Expansion Pass, Video Game Book Club, become a Patreon Producer, exclusive content, and more by heading to our Patreon at Patreon dot com slash Boss Rush Network. Follow us at Boss Rush Network and at Pow Block Podcast on all major social media platforms including Bluesky. And find all of our content, including reviews, daily Banters, features, and more on our website at Boss Rush dot net. Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you next time! Bye everybody!

---

FOLLOW OUR HOSTS:

Edward Varnell is the Cofounder of Boss Rush Media, the host of Nintendo Pow Block, and the Director of Nintendo Content for The Boss Rush Network. You can connect with Edward on Bluesky, on X/Twitter and on Instagram.

Corey Dirrig is the Founder and President of Boss Rush Media. He is the host of The Boss Rush Podcast, Nintendo Pow Block, Tower Casuals: The Destiny Podcast, and cohosts a variety of other podcasts and content. You can follow Corey on Bluesky, on X/Twitter, and on Instagram or connect with him on LinkedIn for Business Inquiries.

Stephanie Klimov is the Vice President of Media and Developer Relations of The Boss Rush Network, the cohost of The Boss Rush Podcast, and leads the Boss Rush Spotlight initiative. You can connect with Stephanie on X/Twitter or on Instagram.

---