A practical guide to what to play this weekend across Switch 2 and PS5, from The Duskbloods network test and Oblivion to Big Walk, The Sinking City 2, Marvel Tokon, and short-session standouts.
Image: gamesradar.com
The weekend choice is unusually loaded, and a little messy
The most concrete development shaping Switch 2 games this weekend is The Duskbloods network test. Nintendo Life’s 22 August weekend feature had multiple staffers planning to try FromSoftware’s Nintendo collaboration, but the same discussion also carried the practical caveats that define this weekend: one editor questioned whether he would actually manage to log in, another hoped to return only if the test times worked out, and the same staffer mentioned needing a wired connection while sharing a household TV.
That makes this a strange August weekend for both Switch 2 and PS5 players. There are recent releases to start, live tests to squeeze into, big RPGs demanding uninterrupted hours, and small-session games better suited to a family visit, a football-results afternoon, or a half-hour before bed. Nintendo Life also reported this week that Nintendo confirmed a revised UK price for Switch 2, putting the console over the £400 threshold. For anyone still deciding whether to buy into the platform, that price context changes the weekend question from “what should I boot up?” to “which games actually justify the hardware right now?”
On the PlayStation side, Push Square’s Issue 647 weekend column is quieter but useful in a different way. Its staff are chipping away at The Sinking City 2, Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters, and Big Walk, while some commenters are using the weekend for older favorites, DLC, and portable sessions. Read together, the two weekend threads point to a clear buyer’s-guide answer: choose based on session length first, then platform, then novelty.
For Switch 2 owners, The Duskbloods is the hot ticket if the test behaves
If you have access to The Duskbloods network test, that is the obvious “start now” pick on Switch 2, with one large asterisk. Nintendo Life describes the test as having kicked off this week, with previews appearing online and new information about the collaboration between FromSoftware and Nintendo. Its staff interest is high, especially because Hidetaka Miyazaki’s games carry expectations around scale and atmosphere, but Nintendo Life’s own weekend comments underline that this is a network test rather than a normal weekend purchase.
That distinction matters. The confirmed facts are that the test is active during this weekend discussion window, that Nintendo Life staff were trying to play it, and that availability may depend on login success and scheduled windows. The interpretation is that The Duskbloods is best treated as an appointment game. Do not build your entire weekend around it unless you are comfortable with queues, test instability, or simply missing a window.
If it works, it is the weekend’s sharpest curiosity. Nintendo Life’s Ollie Reynolds framed the central question as how FromSoftware’s usual scale and grandeur translate into a more PvP setup. That is the useful lens for players too. Go in to learn the pace, readability, and pressure of the test, not to “finish” anything. If you only have short windows, check the schedule before promising the TV to a family member. If your setup is shared, The Duskbloods is the least flexible Switch 2 pick here.
The safer Switch 2 starts are Oblivion, LEGO Party, Madden, and smaller dips
If the network-test uncertainty sounds exhausting, Nintendo Life’s own weekend plans offer steadier Switch 2 routes. Jim Norman said he would be diving into The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, hoping it scratches the big fantasy-world itch in a way Skyrim did not for him on Switch 2. That is a strong pick if you want one game to carry the whole weekend, but it is also the wrong choice if you only have twenty-minute bursts. Oblivion is a “make tea, clear the evening, forget the clock” game by its nature, and the source framing supports that expectation without needing to overstate technical claims the provided material does not cover.
For a shared living-room weekend, LEGO Party is the cleaner recommendation. Nintendo Life’s Gavin Lane wrote that his kids were enjoying it after a family Ocarina of Time playthrough, and that it could be a bigger hit than him monopolizing the TV for The Duskbloods. That is exactly the practical use case: when other people are in the room, a party game beats a network test that may need focus, scheduling, and a stable setup.
Nintendo Life also reviewed EA Sports Madden NFL 27 on Switch 2 this week and scored it 8/10, while Project Neon on the Switch eShop received 7/10. Those scores do not tell us everything about performance or long-term value, but they do identify two recent Switch-side releases with review coverage rather than simple store-page noise. Madden is the easier weekend fit if you want repeatable sports sessions. Project Neon is worth a look for players browsing the eShop for something current, though the provided source material does not give enough detail to make a stronger mechanics-based recommendation.
There is also a lovely low-commitment option in Nintendo Life’s weekend chat: replaying Super Mario World without activating the Switch Palaces. Alex Olney described it as a marginally different way to play a game he already knows deeply. For platformer people, that kind of self-imposed route is weekend gold because it changes texture without requiring a new purchase.
PS5 has the stronger new-release spread if you want something fresh today
For PS5 games this weekend, the most useful divide is between recently released August games and staff picks still moving through review pipelines. AOL’s August release roundup lists Beast of Reincarnation for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on August 4, and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls for PS5 on August 6. Those are already out by the August 22 weekend window in the provided timeline, making them the clearest “buy and start now” PS5 options from the source set.
AOL describes Beast of Reincarnation as an action RPG from Game Freak, set in a post-apocalyptic Japan and starring Emma with her stray dog companion, Koo, against corrupted beasts and rogue machines. The outlet also says its combat draws inspiration from Sekiro. That gives PS5 players a straightforward recommendation: pick Beast if you want a demanding action game with a heavier mood and a weekend-long learning curve. The Game Freak connection is interesting because the source frames it as a darker turn from the studio best known to many readers through Pokémon, but the practical takeaway is about temperament. This is probably not the game to start while distracted.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is the cleaner short-session PS5 choice among the dated August releases. AOL lists it as a PS5 game released August 6, developed by Arc System Works, and describes it as a 4v4 tag brawler with cinematic combos and a comic-splash visual style. If your weekend is built around quick matches, lab time, and trying character combinations, that structure fits. It is also easier to pause after a few rounds than a sprawling RPG or investigative horror sequel.
The Push Square picks are good weekend signals, but some are still review-adjacent
Push Square’s staff choices are valuable because they show what PlayStation-focused writers are actually touching this weekend, but a few of them come with natural caution. Aaron Bayne said he wanted to chip away at The Sinking City 2 and liked what he had played while recording footage for the site’s video review. That is a positive staff impression, but in the provided material it is not a final scored recommendation. Treat it as a promising pick for players already interested in gloomy investigation and horror-adjacent pacing, not as a settled verdict.
Sammy Barker said he had started Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters and was looking forward to playing more, while also noting he doubted the review would be done before Gamescom. Again, the useful reading is practical rather than definitive. If you are already curious about an anime sports game, it has current PS5 attention. If you need a firm review before buying, wait.
The most intriguing Push Square short-session signal is Big Walk. Stephen Tailby said he had made a start on it and wanted to keep going between review sessions. The source material does not describe its mechanics, so it would be irresponsible to sell it as a specific kind of co-op or traversal experience here. What can be said is that it is being used exactly like a weekend side game: something to dip into between larger obligations. If your question is what to play this weekend without taking on a second full-time hobby, Big Walk belongs on the PS5 shortlist.
If you can wait a few days, two August releases may change the answer
The weekend of August 22 sits awkwardly close to a pair of late-month releases that may be worth waiting for, depending on your taste. AOL lists Star Wars Zero Company for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on August 27, describing it as a tactical, turn-based game reminiscent of XCOM, with players commanding mercenaries across 150 planets. If your PS5 craving is strategy rather than action, starting something huge this weekend could be a mistake. Clear a smaller game now and leave room.
Switch 2 players have an even bigger wait-or-play decision. AOL lists Elden Ring Tarnished Edition for Switch 2 on August 28, saying it includes the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion and new armor sets. The outlet frames the port as FromSoftware’s vast world arriving on Nintendo’s handheld console, but the provided material does not include technical performance details, pricing, or upgrade information. The confirmed release date in the source is close enough that Souls-curious Switch 2 owners should think carefully before buying another long RPG this weekend.
This is where The Duskbloods becomes both tempting and useful. If the network test works for you, it can scratch the FromSoftware itch for a weekend without committing you to a new purchase before Elden Ring Tarnished Edition lands. If it does not work, Oblivion Remastered is the better “I need a world now” option, while LEGO Party, Madden NFL 27, Fortnite’s new season, or a classic platformer replay keep the weekend light before August 28.
How to choose what to play this weekend
If you are searching for the best weekend games August 2026 and you own both systems, start with your available attention. A full evening alone points toward Oblivion Remastered on Switch 2, Beast of Reincarnation on PS5, or The Sinking City 2 if you are comfortable buying before the cited Push Square review context is complete. A shared couch points toward LEGO Party on Switch 2. A competitive itch points toward Marvel Tokon on PS5 or Madden NFL 27 on Switch 2, with the latter carrying Nintendo Life’s 8/10 review score this week.
If your weekend is fragmented, avoid the games that ask for scheduling or deep focus. The Duskbloods is the most exciting Switch 2 conversation piece, but Nintendo Life’s own staff comments make clear that login access and test timing are part of the experience right now. Big Walk, Super Mario World challenge runs, Fortnite’s new season, and sports or fighting-game sessions fit better around family visits, travel, and half-hour gaps.
For players still deciding whether to buy a Switch 2, the UK price context matters. Nintendo Life reported that the revised UK price puts the console over £400, while its best-games guide describes the Switch 2 library as a mix of exclusives, ports, and Switch 2 Editions that improve existing games. That is a healthy library shape, but this particular weekend’s must-play Switch 2 item is partly dependent on a network test. If you already own the hardware, there is plenty to play. If you do not, PS5 has a stronger set of dated August releases available right now, and Switch 2 has Elden Ring Tarnished Edition arriving on August 28 according to AOL’s roundup.
My pick for discovery-minded players is simple: try The Duskbloods if you can, keep LEGO Party or a Super Mario World variant ready when the schedule fails, and use PS5 for Marvel Tokon or Beast of Reincarnation if you want a clean new-release start with no test-window anxiety. That is the sanest answer to what to play this weekend: pick the game that fits the shape of your actual weekend, not the one making the loudest noise online.