We eight scribes from RPS are,
Bearing jokes, we wrote in the past,
Christmas crackers, god we’re knackered,
After twelve months of graft.
O, reader of wonder, loved the most,
Why not subscribe to Supporters posts?
January leading, still proceeding,
See you once we’ve munched our roasts.
But first, time to enjoy your lovely joke!
Thumbnail and I.
I love browsing the eShop, and the clicky sounds as you scroll across it.
The pleasing crispness of the chick! sound goes so well with the Joy-Con button feel. There’s that camera shutter snap! if you scroll across a game’s gallery in quick succession, and on Switch 2 there’s a thumb-cheek pop! when you hover over a 2-wide box. Genuinely, big fan.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Most anticipated? Oh reader, you gentle, innocent child. Hark at you, ambling in here with supple joints, eyes clear as springwater, and the scent of hope in your hair. I have grown old, dear reader. I no longer feel this emotion called “anticipation”, anymore than I remember the taste of strawberries in the Shire. Years of waiting for another Legacy of Kain game have broken my spirit. My heart is a sponge of sorrow. My beard coils round my ankles like a listless cat. All has become grey.
When I looked back on 2025 to assemble my advent calendar votes, I was surprised how many of them were smaller titles, especially in a year that saw both a new Silent Hill and Doom hitting the shelves. But then I remembered this year the Steam algorithm’s whispered in my ear like the Green Goblin Mask to Norman Osborn, guiding me to lovely indie gems (and telling me to squash that Spider-Man).
Metroid mania.
Nintendo has been marketing and promoting the recent release Metroid Prime 4: Beyond in all sorts of ways, and in case you missed it, it released a few extra offerings recently.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Update: Digital Foundry investigates.
As the holiday celebrations get underway, Atlus has this week delivered a new update for Persona 3 Reload on the Switch 2.
We noted in our review here on Nintendo Life how the “biggest drawback” of P3R when it launched in October on the new hybrid system was the 30fps performance. Thankfully, the latest update (Version 1.03) comes with some performance improvements.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
It’s no secret that Dragon Quest is one of the most important RPG series of all time. Inspired by Wizardry, the Enix-published Famicom game has inspired thousands of famous RPGs. The genre simply wouldn’t exist the way it does today without Dragon Quest.
Last year, Square Enix finally released Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, the long-awaited remake of Erdrick’s adventure. Today at Amazon, you can save over 60% off an Xbox Series X copy, which is perfect for collectors and new adventurers alike.
As its name implies, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake utilizes Square Enix’s HD-2D art style, which looks absolutely incredible. The blend of modern art design with crisp 2D sprites is endlessly charming, and the lighting systems in place really do wonders. Despite being the third game in the series, it is recommended that players begin with Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake before jumping ship to I & II. This is due to Dragon Quest III being a prequel.
In addition to the new visuals, DQIII HD-2D Remake also packs in numerous new features. For one, there is brand-new story content involving Ortega, the father of the protagonist. You also gain access to the new Monster Wrangler vocation, which is a ton of fun to try out. Beyond this, much of the game has voice acting, and an orchestrated soundtrack helps bring the world to life.
If you’re a fan of both turn-based combat and the RPG genre, you owe it to yourself to experience one of the medium’s defining entries. At $22, this is a steal for a game that easily packs in 60+ hours of content.
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.
The upgrade is available now in the US.
Stardew Valley – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition got a surprise release on Christmas Day, but has admittedly experienced some teething issues. The creator Eric ‘ConcernedApe’ Barone was quick to acknowledge this, mentioning how fixes would be rolled out as soon as possible, and he’s now shared another update.
For fans located outside of the US that can’t even see the Switch 2 Edition of the game on their local eShop, there’s no need to worry, as it’s on the way. Barone notes how he’s holding off on the release of the Switch 2 Edition in other locations until the next patch is ready. This update is apparently “coming soon” and will resolve a crafting issue, and includes mouse control improvements.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Amazon has been dragging its feet when it comes to charging realistic prices for trading card games, especially with Pokémon TCG. Magic: The Gathering is playing out differently, however. We’re seeing healthy competition between Amazon and TCGPlayer during today’s price check, so there’s plenty of options to explore at the best prices.
Today’s highlights also include preorders for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Lorwyn Eclipsed, plus a scary movie exclusive pre-order you won’t want to miss.
With Amazon, you’re getting Prime delivery, with products shipping out either the same day or landing at your door within 24 hours. Whilst you don’t get the same speedy shipment with TCGPlayer merchants, you’re likely buying from them for the cheaper price points and big savings over big-box Amazon. Let’s get into it:
Commander Masters is the best set to get into if you love playing Commander and getting hold of legacy card reprints that are ideal for the format. It’s not cheap, but Amazon currently has the best pricing for Set and Draft booster boxes.
If you missed out on the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set when it dropped earlier this year, the game edition of Cloud Strife’s Commander Deck, Limit Breaker, is at market value on Amazon right now. That just means you’re getting it for a fair price compared to the secondary market, whilst being able to take advantage of that sweet Prime shipping.
TCGPlayer is still holding the top spot for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box preorders. It’s a full $20 cheaper from its merchants right now, a saving worth getting over Prime shipping. The same goes for the Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box, a full $30 cheaper over Amazon’s price.
Fair enough, Amazon has its preorder price guarantee, but that only counts if they drop the price before release. You can’t price match other retailers with this guarantee, so if you see a steep discount on a preorder elsewhere, take your chances.
From now until January 7, or while supplies last, a Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2025) can be yours for no cost, and a trade-in isn’t required.
It’s great to see popular sets like Surging Sparks and Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Boxes crop up for less on Amazon, with the former being below market value alongside the Destined Rivals triple booster.
It’s strange to see Silver Tempest sealed product showing up on Amazon right now. Perhaps we’ll see more Sword & Shield-era reprints on store shelves? Regardless, TCGPlayer has the Silver Tempest Elite Trainer Box for far less than Amazon, and the same goes for the Prismatic Evolutions ETB.
TCGPlayer also has the best deal on Destined Rivals Booster Bundles, currently sitting at $52.50. That means you get double the booster packs compared to the three-pack booster deal in the last section for less than double the price. TCGPlayer really has the no-brainer deals right now.
Amazon is offering 19% off the Scream 4K UHD pre-order right now, set to release on February 17. A classic!
Considering we’ve just entered a memory chip shortage across the board, with even DDR4 RAM going for silly money, getting an RTX 5060 build with 32GB DDR4 for $1,079 is a great deal. You’ll have solid 1080p gaming with either an Intel i5-14400F or AMD Ryzen 7 5700 processor to boot. Personally, I’d go for the Crystal build. It costs the same and gives you far more room for bigger GPU upgrades down the line.
If you’re looking to go all-in with 4K gaming out of the box for under $3,000, the $2,799.99 Aqua build comes with a gorgeous clear white and blue case, complete with CPU liquid cooling, an RTX 5080, 32GB DDR5, and the absolute beast that is the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of “Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior”. Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
Who runs the world? Girl(bug)s!
If you haven’t yet made it to the end of Hollow Knight: Silksong — one of our favourite games of 2025 — then be warned, there are major spoilers for the entirety of the game below…
Many insects are matriarchal creatures. For termites, honey bees, praying mantises, ants, and spiders (shh, I know they’re arachnids), their colonies and societies are led by females or defined by female-controlled structures. They range from groups driven by female workers to matriarchs responsible for breeding and raising the entire colony.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
