Would the Lady of the Canyon and the Queen of the Mushroom Kingdom be besties if they met in real life? Do you have the new Thomas the Tank Engine train sim game on your radar? Are you holding out for Starfield on Switch 2? It’s the latest edition of Morning Checkpoint, where we take the art of the talk show interview seriously.
I checked in on that copy of Pokémon Yellow I mentioned yesterday and one of the old super squads is still intact. Now who has a Game Link Cable and wants to battle me during my lunch break?
What do Princess Peach and Joni Mitchell have in common?
I will never cut the cord. Television forever. pic.twitter.com/e1VC5Vk645
— Vaughn Sterling (@vplus) March 18, 2026
That’s what Anya Taylor-Joy of Queen’s Gambit fame, who’s seemingly slated to be playing both women in upcoming movies, was asked earlier this week by host Craig Melvin on NBC’s Today Show. Did he piss off one of his producers or was that just what came out of his head when he tried to ad lib the interview? Here’s the full exchange:
Melvin: You’re rumored to be playing Joni Mitchell, speaking of throughlines. One of the, arguably, most singularly important women in music over the last generation or so. Princess Peach, one of the most iconic women in gaming history. What’s the connection there?
Taylor-Joy: What’s the connection between Joni…
Melvin: And Princess Peach, yea.
Taylor-Joy: And Princess Peach…
*Brief pause that lasts a lifetime*
Taylor-Joy: They’re both singular. You can’t touch them. They’re in a league of their own.
This is why live television still rules.
People are losing it over a new Thomas the Tank Engine game
Thomas & Friends: Wonders of Sodor arrived this week and a trailer posted by the PlayStation UK account quickly racked up millions of views. It looks like your standard train conducting sim reskinned with characters from the children’s show. “Who on earth is the target market for this?” posted one hater in response. PlayStation wrote back, “Skyrim fans.”
Double Fine’s new party game Kiln is out next month
The pottery brawler is launching on April 23. It began life back in 2017 during a game jam and has been baking in the background ever since. The goal is for teams to craft pots and then use them to carry water to put out the enemy team’s kiln. There’s also lots of smashing each other’s stuff.
The devs behind 1000xRESIST are teasing a new game
The sci-fi visual novel adventure was one of 2024’s best games and an impressive debut from the indie team behind it. Sunset Visitor said it has something “special” coming soon that will be revealed at the Triple-i Initiative indie gaming showcase on April 9.
A treasure trove of classic Japanese games are coming to modern platforms
The recently announced Jaleco Arcade Collection Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 includes dozens of arcade games from the ’80s and ’90s. The wares include robot shooter Cybattler, side-scroller Saint Dragon, and fantasy action game The Astyanax.
Capcom is all in on PC gaming
CEO Kenzo Tsujimoto believes the platform will trump consoles in the future. Is he bullish on Steam Machine or just the overall decline of bespoke living room gaming hardware? “I believe that the PC will further establish itself as the world’s leading gaming platform, which will serve to increase the value of the PC market,” Tsujimoto said in the Resident Evil publisher’s recent annual report (via Tweaktown).
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance adds Sonic boss
The indie action platformer has new DLC that adds famous Sega characters as new encounters, including Dr. Eggman, Golden Axe‘s Death Adder, and Yakuza‘s Goro Majima. It’s $10 and arrives on April 3, but the base game, which is well worth your time, is getting a free update then as well to add a new hardcore mode.
What about Starfield on Switch 2?
Bethesda’s latest RPG was finally officially announced for PlayStation 5 alongside a big patch, but there’s still no news on the rumored Switch 2 port. Podcaster NateTheHate says it’s still in the works but more difficult to complete than expected.
ICYMI:
Watch this:
I beat PATH OF PAIN with ONE FINGER – the ending was so scuffed because I panicked and forgot my buttons, but it’s done!! For anyone curious, L3 is jump except when the analog stick is directly down in which L3 becomes attack ♡ pic.twitter.com/aZTkfovzx8
— Gloomshadows (@GloomShadows) March 19, 2026
