Category: Features

[PAX East 2026] HANDS-ON & INTERVIEW – “Brigandine: Abyss” demo was punishing but has potential

by Danreb Victorio | Events Features PAX East Previews | 0 Comments | 13 May 2026

Our appointment with NIS America during PAX East was one of the opportunities I was most looking forward to, as I got to play Brigandine: Abyss behind closed doors, and it turned out to be quite a humbling experience. Typically, such a punishing demo would make me lose interest, but I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something worthwhile here, especially after the talk I had with the developer after the play session.

“Dead as Disco” early access — Is it worth it?

by Andrew Farrell | Features | 0 Comments | 08 May 2026

What do you get if you take Batman: Arkham’s combat, mix it with a rhythm game, and throw it into several short levels? Well, you get Dead as Disco, that’s what! The game has just entered early access and is set to stay there for at least a year as it receives new combat mechanics, levels, and bosses to fight. At launch, there are five levels, in addition to the endless mode available in the demo. The game has a long way to go and is sure to receive lots of additional polish, but is Dead as Disco worth it in early access?

[MagicCon Vegas 2026] Expansion for today and tomorrow’s community

by Marie Ablaza | Features | 0 Comments | 07 May 2026

MagicCon Vegas 2026 showcase didn’t just tease new cards. It outlined a broader strategy: expand Magic’s reach through crossovers, experiment with new formats, and lower the barrier to entry without losing depth. From “Universes Beyond” spectacles to entirely new ways to play, MagicCon Vegas 2026 felt less like a preview and more like a mission statement.

GAAS UPDATE – “Apex Legends” is making things exciting again with the new Overclocked seasonal update

by David Rodriguez | Epic Games Store Features Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Steam Xbox One Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 06 May 2026

I’ve been playing Apex Legends since the day it launched and I will say the new Overclocked update for season 29 is probably the most excited I’ve been for more Apex in over a year or two.

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with Steam’s first AAPI Games Sale

by Danreb Victorio | Features | 0 Comments | 01 May 2026

May is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States, and in celebration of this special month, Steam will be running a 10-day activation from May 1 through May 10 featuring games by and about made by development teams with a focus on the AAPI diaspora. Assisting with the spotlight for these titles, developers, and publishers in AAPI in Gaming, a community platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of the Asian American and Pacific Islander diaspora in the video game industry.

Hands-On + INTERVIEW – “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” Director Naoki Hamaguchi talks Switch 2 performance

by Myles Obenza | Features Nintendo Switch 2 Previews | 0 Comments | 28 Apr 2026

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was one of 2024’s best games, earning SmashPad’s #6 spot on our Top 10 Games of 2024. It originally released on the PlayStation 5, eventually seeing a PC release in January of last year. But this June, both Xbox and Nintendo gamers will get the opportunity to play the gargantuan Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy’s sophomore outing. I recently had the opportunity to test the Switch 2 version of Rebirth for about half an hour, and even chatted digitally with game director Naoki Hamaguchi about porting the game to Nintendo’s handheld hybrid console, the concessions made, and what we can expect in the future.

INTERVIEW – Filipino fast food giant, Jollibee, brings Filipino flavor to FFXIV FanFest

by Danreb Victorio | Events Features | 0 Comments | 23 Apr 2026

Those who know me on a personal level know that I’m really proud of my Filipino roots. I spent over a decade helping develop and lead youth programs geared toward Filipino-Americans and eventually parlayed that into a job with Ayala Land, one of the biggest and most respected real estate developers in the Philippines before I eventually landed in the gaming industry. That said, Jollibee is something my family helps itself to more than occasionally.

And then there’s Final Fantasy.

FEATURE – Spray painting at “The Rogue Prince of Persia” event was both fun and complicated

by Chris Penwell | Events Features | 0 Comments | 09 Apr 2026

The Prince looks amazing in graffiti art.

INTERVIEW – “Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection” devs talk about who the collection is for in addition to other gaming influences

by Danreb Victorio | Features | 0 Comments | 26 Mar 2026

A quick Q&A with Game Director Koji Oda and Producer Shingo Izumi about Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection, and it was great hearing about what why the Star Force games got the Legacy Collection treatment, along with who its for, how it’s been improved, and what kind of nuances we might expect to see in the upcoming Mega Man: Dual Override.

40 Years of Mario: SmashPad’s Favorite Mario Games

by SmashPad Staff | Features Nintendo 3DS Nintendo DS Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Wii Nintendo Wii U | 0 Comments | 10 Mar 2026

The SmashPad staff celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Mario franchise by unveiling their Top 10 favorite Mario games.

FEATURE – Nioh 3’s difficulty is great for newcomers but a double-edged sword for fans

by Andrew Farrell | Features | 0 Comments | 05 Mar 2026

Nioh 3 is the fastest selling game in the series thus far, having moved over a million units this month alone, but it also does a lot to open the series up to new players that hadn’t yet experienced the games. However, these changes, which seem to be good for broad appeal, are also leaving diehards with a sour taste in their mouths.

The Legend of Zelda: SmashPad’s Favorite Games

by SmashPad Staff | Features Nintendo 3DS Nintendo DS Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Wii Nintendo Wii U | 0 Comments | 02 Mar 2026

Nintendo seems to have forgotten about The Legend of Zelda’s 40th anniversary, but we haven’t. SmashPad staffers and contributors were asked to provide their Top 5 Zelda games. We’ve taken those lists and turned them into the staff’s Top 10.