Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition: Nintendo Switch 2 Review

Developed by FromSoftware
Published by Bandai Namco
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2

Four years after its initial release, the painfully hard Elden Ring gets a porting to a handheld console that can handle its needs and its depth.

With a fixed 30fps rate, the game plays solidly on the Switch and makes a strong case for diving into this world of pain all over again. And while some of the environmental details on the game are a bit softer due to the fact of the lower frame rate, there's no sign of rate drops during the gameplay.

This time, the Lands Between stand out as you get to navigate them, facing enemies that initially seem unbeatable and threats that seem insurmountable. Including the base game and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, this package is the complete one and one which will see you pouring hours once again into the Souls-like RPG that plays out.

Once again, the words "You Died" will haunt your life and irritate the heck out of you as you try to negotiate your way through the world of Elden Ring. Made in collaboration with George R R Martin of Game of Thrones' fame, the third person perspective Elden Ring sees you roaming around an open world of the Lands InBetween, some time after destruction of the famed Elden Ring.

For those unfamiliar with it, you are one of the Tarnished, a warrior being who roams the land, trying to reunite the shards and facing all manner of conflicts as you do so.

It's not an easy game to master, and in truth the opening sequences and gameplay of Elden Ring will help you decide whether you are in or out. But patience gradually sees you rewarded as you pass through the lands - with or without the help of messages left by other players scattered throughout. (Be warned, not every message left is helpful, and some are downright obnoxious).

While boss fights remain incredibly tough, Elden Ring has given you a chance to remove yourself from the combat, go off and do other things and level up and then head back to defeat them. It means the Souls formula has been refined and it doesn't hinder your progress in the game throughout. It's a smarter touch that means the once seemingly uncrackable formula can offer new players enticed by the accolades an in rather than leaving them frustrated.

With extra cosmetics on offer and a solid port being made for the Switch 2, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition is well worth the time - even if it still proves to be horrendously hard for those unable to master its basics.

Rayman Legends Retold trailer secrets revealed

A new trailer for the incredible looking Rayman Legends Retold has been released, revealing secrets of the upcoming release, which is due in December.

The new gameplay trailer shows a 3D look for the beloved platformer from 2013, and still retains the original look and feel of the beloved Ubisoft title.

The Rayman Legends Retold release happens on December 3 and pre-orders for the title are available now.

Watch the Rayman Legends Retold trailer below.

Samsung partners with Echo to help Kiwis spring clean their e-waste

Samsung New Zealand has partnered with Echo to host free drive-through collection events this year, giving Kiwis an easy way to declutter unwanted electronics and close the loop on e-waste for a more circular and sustainable technological future. For the first time this year, they're expanding it to Wellington as well, after clearing 76,000 kgs of e-waste in Auckland alone just last year!

Last year, Samsung New Zealand’s e-waste collection drive saw over 3,000 cars across two Auckland locations and diverted an impressive 76,000 kgs of e-waste from landfills, which removed approximately 21,996kgs of greenhouse gas emissions. A wide variety of electronics from computers and TVs, to heat pumps and whiteware, will be accepted and to thank participants for recycling their e-waste responsibly, Samsung will be providing $100 e-vouchers to spend on samsung.com/nz[2]. 

 

Members of the public can drop their items at either locations and dates listed below:  

 

Auckland Locations

Saturday, 3 October 2026

Location: Smales Farm, 74 Taharoto Road, Takapuna, Auckland

Time: 9:00am - 3:00pm

 

Saturday, 17 October 2026

Location: First Presbyterian Church, 2 Coles Crescent, Papakura, Auckland

Time: 9:00am–3:00pm

 

Saturday, 31 October 2026

Location: Eden Park Stadium, Main Bus Hub – Gate M

Entry via Sandringham Road, Kingsland, Auckland

Time: 9:00am–3:00pm

 

Saturday, 14 November 2026

Location: North Harbour Stadium, Stadium Drive, Albany, Auckland

Time: 9:00am–3:00pm

 

Wellington Locations

Saturday, 7 November 2026

Location: QV House, 22 Nevis Street, Petone, Lower Hutt, Wellington

Time: 9:00am–3:00pm

 

Saturday, 28 November 2026

Location: Hnry Stadium, 105 Waterloo Quay, Pipitea, Wellington

Time: 9:00am–3:00pm

NBA2K27: PS5 Review

Developed by 2K Games
Published by 2K Games
Platform: PS5

Get ready to hustle on court, because the basketball sim is back for another year's action, with some improvements and sadly some of the same issues.

The annual iteration of these games (EA FC Sports also) makes the release schedule feel like it's beholden to a date, rather than a necessary update. And given the last few years have seen criticism of microtransactions and little change for regular fans, the pressure's somewhat on 2K to deliver a new title that's worthy of the annual release date.

While graphically the game still looks impressive and continues to maintain the 60fps visual leap that previous releases have pioneered, it's mainly the gameplay which people want to focus on - and which will attract newcomers to the franchise as well.

Improved defense and dribbling means that on-court action is smoother than it's ever been, meaning games feel like realistic battles with players trying to one up each other from the tip-off. Adding in realistic touches that mean both dunks and layups are not guaranteed to slide into the net means that the game's added a level of chance to proceedings that makes gameplay feel a little more like it could go either way.

Improved AI also means that defence is a bit tougher to crack this time around, with the emphasis being more on passing than just racing through the teams and delivering a lay-up. It's a welcome touch to ensure previous players don't feel like they can just phone it in.

Granted, those mechanics are using meters to help you achieve the desired result, but by creating a possibility that things could go wrong, NBA2K27 gives the basketball sim a gameplay realism that's matched by its graphics.

Thankfully a more refined MyCareer narrative and the Eras game mode also help ensure the game's got something new to offer for its 2027 season as well. Coupled with the fact it lets you play during certain eras of the sport (from the Stephen Curry era to the Lebron James times), there's a real sense of place and timing throughout and it's more than enough to keep regular players and newcomers equally engaged.

Once again though microtransactions raise their ugly head, with progression being locked behind certain pathways - it's once again a sign that 2K Games isn't really listening to its community and preferring to pay attention to its wallets.

Overall though, NBA2K27 shows good progress and a solid reason for existing in the annual release cycle - it's got solid on-court action and an impressive array of content for anyone who's looking for a good basketball sim.

Win a double pass to see Street Fighter in cinemas

To celebrate the release of Street Fighter in cinemas October 15, thanks to Paramount Pictures New Zealand, you can win a double pass!

About Street Fighter

Set in 1993, estranged Street Fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) are thrown back into combat when the mysterious Chun-Li (Callina Liang) recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament: a brutal clash of fists, fate, and fury. But behind this battle royale lies a deadly conspiracy that forces them to face off against each other and the demons of their past. And if they don’t, it’s GAME OVER!

Helmed by director Kitao Sakurai, Street Fighter is set to bring the battle from the arcade to the big screen with Hadoukens, roundhouses, and all your favourite characters.  

Win a double pass to see Tad and the Magic Lamp at the movies

To celebrate the release of Tad and the Magic Lamp at the movies from October 8, thanks to Paramount Pictures New Zealand, you can win a double pass!

About Tad and the Magic Lamp

Tadeo and Sara are now the parents of Olimpia (Oli), an adorable and intrepid two-year-old girl. And Momia isn't taking it well at all that he's no longer the center of attention.

While on vacation in London, Sara tracks down a unique object: the magical lamp from *One Thousand and One Nights*. And Momia, consumed by jealousy, makes a wish: to travel back in time to when he was young and everyone loved him. 

Tadeo and Sara must join forces to prevent Momia from changing the course of history and bring the group--including Jeff, Belzoni, and Ramona--back home. This new adventure will take them across the Atlantic Ocean from the mythical lost city of Paititi to Greece, and from there to the heart of the Middle East, all the way to the very cave of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.