This week we're looking at what happens when Game Freak steps outside the world of Pokémon with Beast of Reincarnation, before getting hands-on with Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls.

Ed has also dug out his PS3 to revisit Final Fantasy XIII. Has one of the series' most divisive entries aged better than its reputation suggests? We discuss its linearity, battle system, soundtrack and why some parts hold up considerably better than others.

Elsewhere, we chat about Sonic Dream Team and Sonic Frontiers, the new Pokémon Pokopia DLC, Final Fantasy XIV on Switch 2, Star Wars Galactic Racer, what actually makes a great "summer game", and GTA VI's unusual Netflix reveal.

Plus, Ben makes a rather embarrassing discovery about Horsea.

Timestamps

00:00 Cold Open

00:19 Intro

03:42 Taskmaster Charity Special

10:43 Beast of Reincarnation

17:32 Sonic Dream Team & Sonic Frontiers

19:22 Star Wars Galactic Racer

20:49 Pokémon Pokopia DLC

30:41 Final Fantasy XIII Revisited

48:03 Final Fantasy XIV on Switch 2

54:10 What Makes a Summer Game?

01:01:41 Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls

01:06:15 GTA VI's Netflix Reveal

01:11:40 Outro

▼ Swapping Joysticks ▼

● All previous episodes available at http://swappingjoysticks.com

▼ Ben's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/biggusbennus

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/biggusbennus.bsky.social

● Follow on Instagram - http://instagram.com/biggusbennus

● Join the Discord - http://discord.gg/biggusbennus

▼ Ed's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/ed_nights

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/ednights.bsky.social

We weren't expecting Splatoon Raiders to become one of our favourite games of the summer, but Nintendo surprised us. We also dive into 007 First Light, discussing why IO Interactive might have nailed the James Bond formula while still making something very different to Hitman.

Elsewhere we chat about our recent trips to Barcelona and Copenhagen, cinema arguments (what's new?), the other games we're currently playing, and answer your comments on you've been enjoying recently.

Timestamps

00:00:00 Intro

00:12:43 007 First Light review

00:36:48 Splatoon Raiders impressions

00:59:20 Nintendo's future for Splatoon

01:00:30 What we've been playing recently

01:21:50 Your comments: What are you playing?

01:24:27 The biggest releases in August

#SplatoonRaiders #007FirstLight #NintendoSwitch2

▼ Swapping Joysticks ▼

● All previous episodes available at http://swappingjoysticks.com

▼ Ben's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/biggusbennus

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/biggusbennus.bsky.social

● Follow on Instagram - http://instagram.com/biggusbennus

● Join the Discord - http://discord.gg/biggusbennus

▼ Ed's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/ed_nights

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/ednights.bsky.social

We've both been hooked by how incredible Forza Horizon 6 is. Ed, a non-racing game fan, and Ben who does dabble in them are loving this latest installment. Plus, we've both watched the latest Kylie doc and have mixed views.

We also chat about games we're still playing 10 years later and ones we really ought to go back and finish.

00:00:00 - Intro

00:17:00 - Kylie Minogue documentary

00:27:20 - Forza Horizon 6

00:52:05 - SAROS

00:56:12 - What games we ought to go back and finish

01:12:20 - Are you still playing the same type of games now?

01:15:40 - Outro

#ForzaHorizon6

▼ Swapping Joysticks ▼

● All previous episodes available at http://swappingjoysticks.com

▼ Ben's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/biggusbennus

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/biggusbennus.bsky.social

● Follow on Instagram - http://instagram.com/biggusbennus

● Join the Discord - http://discord.gg/biggusbennus

▼ Ed's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/ed_nights

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/ednights.bsky.social

In between challenging SAROS runs, Ed's played and completed Mixtape in one sitting and he's got a lot to say about it (and all the topics surrounding it). He's also get very strong opinions about the new Star Fox designs and Ben's been in a Satisfactory shaped hole that's swallowed every second of his time.

We also chat about game difficulty and which games respect your time.

00:00:00 - Intro

00:04:29 - Mixtape

00:32:13 - Satisfactory

00:46:47 - Star Fox

00:56:12 - Game difficulty Q of the Week

01:15:40 - Outro

▼ Swapping Joysticks ▼

● All previous episodes available at http://swappingjoysticks.com

▼ Ben's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/biggusbennus

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/biggusbennus.bsky.social

● Follow on Instagram - http://instagram.com/biggusbennus

● Join the Discord - http://discord.gg/biggusbennus

▼ Ed's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/ed_nights

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/ednights.bsky.social

There's only one game we've been playing this week and it's a good one - SAROS. Ed's even had a chance encounter with Rahul Kohli himself and has obviously whizzed past Ben in the game.

We also chat about games where the sequels are better than the original, as well as looking ahead at games coming out this May.

Your weekly dose of gaming news, views and inane chatter.

00:00:00 - Intro

00:13:41 - SAROS

00:42:55 - Sequels better than the original

00:57:29 - Games coming out this month

01:04:14 - Outro

▼ Swapping Joysticks ▼

● All previous episodes available at http://swappingjoysticks.com

▼ Ben's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/biggusbennus

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/biggusbennus.bsky.social

● Follow on Instagram - http://instagram.com/biggusbennus

● Join the Discord - http://discord.gg/biggusbennus

▼ Ed's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/ed_nights

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/ednights.bsky.social

Your weekly dose of gaming news, views and inane chatter.

00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:32 - Final Fantasy XIV - EverCold announcement

00:31:42 - SAROS very early impressions

01:05:01 - Pragmata

01:21:10 - What you've been playing

01:27:27 - Outro

Thank you to PlayStation for the SAROS code.

#SAROS

▼ Swapping Joysticks ▼

● All previous episodes available at http://swappingjoysticks.com

▼ Ben's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/biggusbennus

● Follow on Bluesky -

https://bsky.app/profile/biggusbennus.bsky.social

● Follow on Instagram - http://instagram.com/biggusbennus

● Join the Discord - http://discord.gg/biggusbennus

▼ Ed's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/ed_nights

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/ednights.bsky.social

We've both started new games this week - Ed's a couple of hours into Pragmata, and Ben's had a few cursed hours of playing Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream. We also chat through some surprising BAFTA Games Awards winners and this week's discussion is all about physical v digital games.

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:09 - BAFTA Games Awards Winners

00:17:58 - Pragmata

00:26:00 - FC Pro 2 update

00:28:20 - Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream

00:43:10 - Pikmin 1

00:45:03 - Digital v Physical games

01:06:07 - Outro

▼ Swapping Joysticks ▼

● All previous episodes available at http://swappingjoysticks.com

▼ Ben's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/biggusbennus

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/biggusbennus.bsky.social

● Follow on Instagram - http://instagram.com/biggusbennus

● Join the Discord - http://discord.gg/biggusbennus

▼ Ed's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/ed_nights

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/ednights.bsky.social

Ed’s become a bit of a platinum hunter - he’s picked up Mass Effect 2, 3, and is close to finishing Returnal. Ben’s fully leaning into his weird management sim phase and is now hooked on CURE - A Hospital Simulator. We also have a go at predicting next week’s BAFTA Games Awards and judge your top 9 games of all time.

00:00:00 - Intro

00:15:15 - BAFTA Games Awards

00:35:42 - Mass Effect 2 & 3

00:40:28 - Returnal

00:44:47 - FC Pro 2 update

00:47:00 - CURE - A Hospital Simulator

00:53:43 - Judging your top 9 games

01:22:20 - Outro

▼ Swapping Joysticks ▼

● All previous episodes available at http://swappingjoysticks.com

▼ Ben's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/biggusbennus

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/biggusbennus.bsky.social

● Follow on Instagram - http://instagram.com/biggusbennus

● Join the Discord - http://discord.gg/biggusbennus

▼ Ed's links ▼

● Follow on Twitch - http://twitch.tv/ed_nights

● Follow on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/ednights.bsky.social