Dave The Diver Is Getting A Free Switch 2 Upgrade “Soon”, Says Mintrocket

Can’t wait to dive in again.

Developer Mintrocket has seemingly confirmed that a free upgrade is on the way “soon” for Dave The Diver on Switch 2.

This comes via a recently-posted 2nd anniversary video on YouTube in which the developer responded to a comment from our very own community member ‘PikaPhantom’, simply stating “we will be providing free Switch 2 upgrade soon!”.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Grow a Garden Codes (June 2025)

Want codes for Grow a Garden? Well, a code redemption system is finally here! It was added to the popular gardening experience as part of the Lunar Glow event. This big change means it’s likely there will be codes released in the future, so IGN will now keep you covered as and when new codes are released!

Working Grow a Garden Codes (June 2025)

I’m sorry to say that even with the new Bizzier Bees update, there still currently no active Grow a Garden codes! As soon as new ones are announced, we’ll update this article to include the new ones. For now, check out all there is to do in the new Bizzier Bees and Friendship Update.

Expired Grow a Garden Codes (June 2025)

Unfortunately, these codes have now expired:

  • LUNARGLOW10 – This gave players 3x Seed Packs.

How to Redeem Grow a Garden Codes

Now that there’s a code redemption system in the Roblox experience, here are the steps you need to follow to use Grow a Garden codes:

  1. Launch the Grow a Garden Roblox experience
  2. Look in the top left corner to find the Settings cog next to the icon of the backpack
  3. Click settings and scroll down to the bottom
  4. Copy and paste codes from this article into the Redeem Codes box
  5. Press claim and enjoy your goodies!

Why Isn’t My Grow a Garden Code Working?

There are usually two reasons why a code isn’t working. It’s either because:

  • The code is expired
  • The code has been entered incorrectly

If a code has been entered incorrectly or is expired, it will say the “code is invalid.” To stop this from happening, we’d recommend copying and pasting the code directly from this article. We check and test each of the codes before we add them to our articles. However, when copying them, you can sometimes accidentally include an extra space somewhere, so always double check there’s no additional spaces!

Where to Find More Grow a Garden Codes

If new codes are added to the game, we’ll update this article, so you can always check back here and keep up-to-date with the latest codes. Grow a Garden has its own dedicated Discord server where codes will be announced, as well as game updates.

What is Grow a Garden in Roblox?

Grow a Garden is a new Roblox experience that’s become incredibly popular since it launched. The gardening simulator allows players to show off their green fingers, as you buy seeds and plant a variety of crops from basic carrots to exotic dragon fruit trees.

As fruit and vegetables finally sprout, you’ll be able to harvest them to sell for Sheckles. To go from a beginner gardener to a pro worthy of awards, you’ll want your crops to experience mutations that increase their value. This can happen randomly, with Gold and Big mutations being down to chance, while weather events like snow can increase your luck of a Frozen mutation. There’s also gear, and even pets now, that can affect how fast your crops grow, their value, and more.

When is the Mega Harvest Update in Grow a Garden?

Grow a Garden hosts new events each weekend, where players can come together and try out the fresh content for the ever-expanding game. The next update is planned for Saturday June 28, 2025 and is being called the Mega Harvest. While we don’t know much yet besides the fact that the Summer Harvest event is being extended, we can guess that there will be new seeds, new pets, even more craftable items to come.

Lauren Harper is an Associate Guides Editor. She loves a variety of games but is especially fond of puzzles, horrors, and point-and-click adventures.

Beat ‘Em Up Classic Double Dragon Gets A Modern Revival On Switch This October

A fusion of “belt-scroll action and fighting games expertise”.

Last year, Arc System Works lifted the lid on Double Dragon Revive, but one thing missing at the time was a Nintendo version.

Now, during the company’s latest showcase this week, a Switch version has been confirmed for release alongside other versions of the game on 23rd October 2025.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Here’s the 10 Most Valuable Pokémon 151 Cards That I’m Still Chasing in Sealed Boosters

Although it’s been well over a year and a half since the Pokémon TCG’s 151 expansion of the Scarlet & Violet set came out, stock demand is higher than ever, fueled both by nostalgia for the original Pocket Monsters featured and the ongoing scarcity of cards.

Even rare cards from packs that are readily available can still be worth quite a lot of coin, but the Pokémon TCG’s regular lack of supply to meet the demand has certainly made certain cards especially pricey.

From the least-expensive to the most wallet-busting, these are the ten most expensive Pokémon TCG cards you can pull in the S&V 151 set right now (ready for any potential special restocks during Amazon Prime Day, and rival sales at Walmart, Target, and more).

TL;DR – 10 Most Expensive S&V: 151 Cards

For those who just want to jump straight in, the ten most expensive cards in the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet 151 set are just here, determined by their current market value on TCGplayer. The top five are all worth at least $40, with the top three going above $50.

Compared to some other sets, that’s all-in-all fairly reasonable… unlike the $500 plus you’re looking at for the rarest Destined Rivals singles right now!

While other recent sets have more expensive cards in general amongst their top ten, the special illustration Charizard ex is still among the priciest cards in the recent TCG right now, regularly floating between $170 and $185.

10. Ivysaur – 167/165

Glancing at 151’s full-art holofoil of Ivysaur, it’s not hard to understand why it’s a pricey contender to start off this list. Drawn by Yoriyuki Ikegami, who has been working on the TGC since the Crown Zenith days, this Ivysaur is a beautifully drawn card featuring the Seed Pokémon in a forest, staring into the water and seeing its former self as a Bulbasaur staring into the water.

It’s a vibrant, colourful card with a bit of emotion under the surface. Plus, this is a solid card for gameplay as well. Its 100HP makes it a bit tanky for a Stage 1 card. While it’s three-Energy Vine Whip dealing 80 damage feels standard, Leech Seed being able to heal and pepper damage at the same time is a nice bonus.

9. Charmeleon – 169/165

We’re back to a Stage 1 illustration rare, but this time of a Charmeleon drawn by Miki Kudo, a long-time Pokémon TCG artist who’s been around since the 2016 Generations set.

When looking at all three full-art versions of the Charmander evolution chain, you can see that Kudo has gone for a mountainous theme, respective to what’s thought of as a Fire Pokémon’s natural habitat.

In terms of gameplay, needing to discard an Energy each time for the already costly Fire Blast may seem cumbersome, but its 90 damage could quickly turn the tide depending on early game situations. That said, it shouldn’t be much trouble anyway if you plan on evolving it quickly.

8. Bulbasaur – 166/165

The first of the illustration rares beyond the standard 165 cards in 151, this Bulbasaur is another Ikegami card that captures what Pokémon fans love about the original Grass starter.

While collectors can enjoy its adorable face, sitting under a tree and loving life, also having Leech Seed as an attack with 70HP makes it a pretty reliable Basic Pokémon that can at least take a hit or two at the start of a match.

7. Alakazam ex – 201/165

The first among the pricey ex cards of 151 is Alakazam ex, who can quickly stack some serious damage, both by using its Mind Jack to take advantage of your opponent’s benched Pokemon, and Dimensional Hand to deal damage from your own Bench.

Drawn by Shinya Komatsu, it wouldn’t be surprising if this Alakazam ex’s design is one of your favourites among 151 like it is mine. Set in the back of a home with potion bottles and books everywhere, testing its psychic abilities with those iconic spoons, it’s a thoughtfully done yet cosy sort of card that shows Komatsu understands Alakazam’s genius and drive to gain the edge in battle.

6. Squirtle – 170/165

The illustration rare of Squirtle is where 151 starts to get pricier, but it’s not hard to understand why when you look at its artwork and who illustrated it.

Placing the Tiny Turtle Pokémon in the ocean water at the beach, this Squirtle was drawn by Mitsuhiro Arita, a veteran artist who has been working on Pokémon cards since the TCG’s very inception and has drawn almost 700 of them.

The risk of its Withdraw attack and the two-Energy cost of a 20-damage Skullbash doesn’t make it the best gameplay-wise. And yet, with the amount of jaw-dropping detail put into Squirtle and the ocean waters themselves, this can more be considered a work of art than a playing card.

5. Charmander – 168/165

Now that we’ve reached Kanto’s Fire-type starter, it’s the illustration rare Charmander that turns out to be the most valuable among the original three, compared to Squirtle and Bulbasaur.

Also illustrated by Miki Kudo, you can see its design is much like Charmeleon’s in a mountainous canyon, but this time at the bottom. The crowning touch for this theme is further down this list, but its duo Fire attacks, one dealing damage and another removing a troublesome Stadium card, this Charmander is a must for any Kanto-based Fire deck when its full evolution chain has been added.

4. Zapdos ex – 202/165

Conjured up by the artistic talents of Shiburingaru, who has been of part ot the Pokémon TCG since 2022’s Brilliant Stars, 151’s Zapdos ex is stunning, with a majestic illustration featuring the electric bird soaring through the sky with its fellow Legendaries, Moltres & Articuno.

Its ability and moveset are nothing to overlook either. Along with Voltaic Float giving it flexibility for an easy retreat, Zapdos’ Multishot Lightning attack gives it the capability to shred through your opponent’s benched Pokémon as well as those active.

3. Venusaur ex – 198/165

A vivid and colourful card design, even more so than its pre-evolutions, this Venusaur ex looks both peaceful and intimidatingly stoic at the same time. Another card by Yoriuki Ikegami, it’s fitting for the fully evolved Grass-type starter.

Also like Bulbasaur and Ivysaur, it’s fairly tanky as well with 340HP, paired with it being able to steadily heal your team and inflict Poison plus Confusion to your enemies too.

2. Blastoise ex – 200/165

The second most expensive card in 151 is this resplendent vibe of a Blastoise ex card. Another by veteran Mitsuhiro Arita, there are multiple reasons this special underwater-themed card has drawn quite a high price.

As well as its very pretty illustration facing the final Squirtle evolution underwater, it’s just as Venusaur ex, with the ability to deal more damage. While its HP isn’t as high, its Solid Shell reduces damage, while its Twin Cannon attack can deal up to 280 damage at a time at the cost of two Energy cards, even though you have to discard Energy cards each time you use it.

1. Charizard ex – 199/165

At over $173 in market price in writing, the 199 full-art Charizard ex is both the most expensive in the Pokémon TCG’s 151 set, but also the most exquisite in terms of design. The crowning jewel of Miki Kudo’s illustrations, this Charizard completes the trilogy: starting with Charmander at the bottom of the mountainous canyon, Charmeleon slightly higher up, and Charizard itself soaring above with a fiery volcano in the background.

That, combined with the natural nostalgia for the practically priceless Charizard from the base set, is arguably why this is the most expensive card in 151 by over $100. Although its Brave Wing and Explosive Vortex attacks make it a strong damage-dealer, you might want to keep this one in a special case rather than a tournament deck if you manage to pull one.

Just like in other current sets such as Prismatic Evolutions, Destined Rivals, and even the upcoming Mega Evolution set, 151 has plenty of rare holofoil cards that have driven up a high market price on sites like TCG Player. In this case, though, it’s all of the full-art holofoil editions of Kanto favourites, also known as “illustration rares”.

Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.

The Nintendo Summer Sale Has Rare Discounts on Mario Switch Games Today

Video games are more expensive than ever nowadays, and even a small sale can make the world of a difference. With the recent release of Nintendo Switch 2, many players are jumping into the Nintendo Switch ecosystem for the first time, and there are dozens of amazing games waiting for them. There is no bigger Nintendo franchise than Super Mario, and the Nintendo Switch received many of the plumber’s best entries to date. Today, you can save on select Mario games like Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, and more. It’s not every day that Nintendo games go on sale, especially from the Super Mario series, so don’t miss your chance to save with these limited summer deals.

The Best Deals on Mario Games for the Switch Today

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury brought one of the best Wii U games to Switch, and it’s better than ever with a brand-new expansion. The base game has 12 different worlds to explore, with both local and online co-op available for up to four players. New to this version of the game is Bowser’s Fury, an entirely unique experience that features 100 different Cat Shines to collect.

Even at $41.99, Super Mario Odyssey is well worth the price of admission. It’s still arguably the best Mario game to date, featuring a giant sandbox to explore, hundreds of collectibles, and an unbelievable soundtrack. For 3D platformer fans, Odyssey is nothing short of a masterpiece, and it’s a game you can replay time and time again.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is another game that was given a second life on Nintendo Switch, having first released on Nintendo 3DS in 2013 as Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon. Finally, there’s also the Ubisoft-developed Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. This sequel to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle improves on nearly everything from its predecessor, with all sorts of humor and chaotic battles awaiting.

If you’re buying for your Nintendo Switch console, the eShop will be your best bet. However, if you wish to purchase a key to either gift to a friend or redeem on your console, Humble Bundle has the same Mario games on sale for similar prices.

The Steam Summer Sale Is Also Live Now

In addition to Nintendo’s sale, Steam has also launched its annual summer sale on PC games. If you’re looking to find some discounts outside of Nintendo, this is one of the best times of the year to do so. Below is a quick roundup of some of the best discounts in that sale as well.

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.

How KreatureKind Uses Deckbuilding to Talk About Sustainability

How KreatureKind Uses Deckbuilding to Talk About Sustainability

KreatureKind key art

Summary

  • KreatureKind is out now on Xbox Series X|S.
  • Find out how to master the game through arguments.
  • Seven playable characters with unique ability cards and combinations.

Be Kind. Be Clever. Be Radical.

I started making KreatureKind because I wanted to tell a different kind of story – one where kindness prevails, and where changing the world means not only rolling up your sleeves but also opening your heart.

In a world that sometimes feels too loud and too cynical, I hope KreatureKind offers a space to slow down and play with purpose. The game offers an optimistic outlook on activism, sustainability and building a better future together, as well as provides you with a toolbox for how to approach people with which you disagree.

There’s definitely a challenge to be found in the game – plenty of tough choices, synergies to discover, and high-stakes showdowns. But underneath it all is a message I believe in: Kindness is powerful. And sometimes, it’s radical.

KreatureKind characters

Emotional, Rational, or Factual

To maximize your success in KreatureKind, you first need to understand how the HP bars differ slightly from those in other games you may have played.

Since KreatureKind is about debates rather than physical fighting, HP stands for Hypothesis Points. The bars are divided into segments, individually called Hypotheses, which come in three colors – pink for emotional, green for rational, and blue for factual. They represent what is stopping the character from agreeing with and joining your cause. Pink means that they are currently vulnerable to emotional arguments. They are also resistant to factual arguments for the time being, and rational arguments made by the characters have increased effectiveness (it’s their current Focus). Think of it as a rock-paper-scissors situation.

KreatureKind deck sample

Keep an eye on your own current Focus, and which type of argument your opponents are Vulnerable and Resistant to. It’s important to plan the order of the cards you play, because their effect normally doesn’t pass over between hypotheses. In the example below, Riley is trying to convince her brother Ricky that she has to leave their home town in an effort to save magic. You can finish the encounter in two rounds, but you have to play your cards in a specific order. (Please note that this is early in the game, before Resistance and Focus have been introduced. The card order is scripted in this encounter, to introduce the mechanics in a controlled way.)

KreatrureKind card battle

On your first round, you are given the choice between a defensive healing card and three offensive ones – one green and two blue. Since Ricky’s current hypothesis is blue, the two blue cards are most effective against him. Saving the green card for last will take 3 HP off the next hypothesis rather than two.

KreatureKind Card battle 2

Next, while still in a green hypothesis, starting with the green card and using the pink and blue ones after that will bring down the rest of Ricky’s HP to 0. Starting with a blue or pink card, on the other hand, will leave one HP in the segment and forgo part of the following card’s effect.

The goal is to always give you interesting choices – even with simple cards. Should you receive a hand that isn’t particularly useful in the current situation, you still need to consider if you want to play them anyway. Discarding playable cards decreases that character’s Attention, meaning opponents are less likely to target them. Great in some situations, less desirable in others.

Ability Cards – the Core of Each Activist

Each of the seven playable characters in KreatureKind has a unique balance of offensive and defensive argument cards. Offensive ones affect opponents’ HP, and defensive ones may return HP to your own characters, or add Block or Prep. Block shields incoming effects, and Prep deals removed HP right back to the casting opponent.

Argument cards are not the only types of cards in KreatureKind, however. What truly makes each playable character unique is their set of yellow Ability cards.

KreatureKind screenshot

In the screenshot above, Luca’s two Ability cards use “Curse” cards (in keeping with his love of pranks). If you go all-in on this tactic, you can all but make the opponents work for you. The other characters take on roles akin to a tank, healer, a DPS character, etc. Most of their Ability cards are cast just like any other, and their unique effect is clear on the card.

KreatureKind screenshot

Other Ability cards have 1-3 Slots on them, which can be filled by other cards. Typically, the card’s effect will be boosted based on how many slots you fill. In the example above, the selected card goes from a single-target to effectively becoming an AOE, depending on how many other cards you use. In some cases, the sacrifice may seem far too great, as the effect may not be enough to justify. However, the same card can be invaluable during another turn. Choose wisely!

A World Worth Saving (and Hanging Out In)

Beyond the cards and the tactics, KreatureKind is an optimistic game about activism and good vibes.

Along with an amazing cast of freelancers, I have filled the game with vibrant, hand-drawn art, a flow-inducing lofi soundtrack, and a cast of lovable weirdos who bring the world to life. You’ll meet cryptids, mythological creatures and barely copyright-dodging fantasy monsters, as well as a few good old dorky humans. They all belong to one of the seven magical factions (who cast spells through the means of for example cooking, programming and dancing), and each gives you a unique dialogue before and after the encounter.

Oh, and some drink Human energy drinks. Because they are monsters.

KreatureKind screenshot

Play KreatureKind on Xbox

Whether you’re a card game veteran or just here for the vibes, we hope you find a faction you love, a monster you want to hug, and maybe even a cause worth fighting for – with words.

KreatureKind

Valiant Game Studio, Aurora Punks

$16.49

Magic is disappearing forever, unless your brave group of activists can save it!

After centuries of increasing magic use, the world’s mana well is running dry. If entirely depleted, magic will be gone forever.

This does not go unnoticed by Riley and her friends Mitra and Yui. They set out from their hometown, trying to convince people and monsters to use mana more consciously. Along the way, they meet and team up with other like-minded people. Who could resist Tau the cook’s warm hugs, Quinn’s epic role-playing sessions, or Finley’s thought-provoking games? Perhaps they will even befriend the world famous rockstar Luca! Each of the activists contribute to the cause with their unique sets of debate skills, which they hone along the way.

Easy to learn, hard to master
KreatureKind offers unique gameplay, which is approachable to beginners while still giving seasoned players a proper challenge. If you’re new to this kind of game, you’ll figure it out. Played every card battler on the market? These monsters will still give you a run for your money!

Discover, unlock, upgrade
Supercharge the seven playable characters by unlocking and upgrading cards! The mysterious former activist’s shop may just have the card you need to succeed. For a permanent boost to your team member’s debate skills, plushies give you the edge that will tip the scales in your favour.

Go on campaign
Win the game by convincing KreatureKind’s seven magical factions to join your cause! Enjoy exploring vibrant villages, forests, and cities filled with troubled creatures and charming NPCs. Debate your way through the randomly generated maps and persuade each of the faction leaders to support you.

The post How KreatureKind Uses Deckbuilding to Talk About Sustainability appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Fast Fusion Review

Following in the jet trail of futuristic racing games like F-Zero and Wipeout, Fast Fusion’s blistering speed has all the hallmarks of what has made the Fast series so fun since its 2011 debut. Every muscle in my body tensed up as I blazed through its handful of sci-fi courses, boosting my way to the finish line while using the new jumping mechanic to find shortcuts. As one of only a very small handful of current Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives, this is a dazzling technical showcase for the power of Nintendo’s newly minted system – but annoying progression choices and minimally inventive changes to a well-worn formula dull some of Fast Fusion’s shine.

If I had a dollar for every racing series that added the ability to jump as part of its arrival on Switch 2, I’d only be two bucks richer, but it’s still weird that it happened twice. That jump option is also just about the only thing Fast Fusion and Mario Kart World have in common: where the latter takes things in a bold new direction with its open world, here developer Shin’en sticks to what it’s done well since Fast Racing League on Wii. There are a few new bells and whistles to mess with as you tear through its fifteen courses ( three of which were added in its first update on June 26), but this flavor of hypersonic speed will largely be very familiar to anyone who has played past entries.

Fans of F-Zero or Wipeout will also know the drill: Fast Fusion is set in a distant future where the only speed is fast and every road is dangerous. High-tech racing machines careen through obstacle-laden courses at blinding speeds. The Fast series sets itself apart with a unique boost system, where driving over boost pads or through other elements of the course will give you an extra push as long as you switch your vehicle to the corresponding orange or blue color. Making that swap only takes the press of a button and rewards you with a satisfying burst of speed. Fast Fusion knows how good it feels to go faster than the speed of sound, and it leans into it as its highly detailed, staggeringly impressive environments melt into a blur as you carve through them.

You can also collect orbs to fill up an independent boost meter, and switching as you weave between tight turns before boosting through a straightaway to shave nanoseconds off your time adds just enough to focus on without becoming overbearing. But that has always been true of the Fast formula, and Fast Fusion’s jump button breaks from tradition in a smart but ultimately not too impactful way. Shin’en used this change to add more complexity to its courses with alternate paths stacked on top of each other, but I wish the Munich-based studio had leaned into the change even more, as it doesn’t amount to much more than adding small shortcuts and an extra way to dodge some obstacles.

These are still fun, but I feel like there’s just a bit too much rigidity in how and where you can use the jump to put yourself ahead. It has a ton of range, and you can cover some massive gaps with the right timing, but I never felt rewarded by pushing these mechanics to the absolute limit or mastering them beyond jumping where it felt natural or obvious.

This is easily one of the most impressive-looking Switch 2 games available right now.

The mechanical changes from 2017’s Fast RMX on the original Switch to Fast Fusion mirror the similarly incremental jump in graphical power between these hardware generations, leaning into one or two specific improvements rather than attempting a complete overhaul. This is easily one of the most impressive-looking Switch 2 games available right now, with incredible lighting and gorgeously smooth visuals while playing in 4K docked, but it’s missing some of the initial wow factor that Fast RMX had. Don’t get me wrong, it still looks stunning, but the generational jump just isn’t nearly as exciting or surprising.

Thankfully, Fast Fusion does at least offer a decent selection of different graphics settings, making it easy to favor framerate, graphical quality, or a balance of both. I usually went for the second-best quality setting that promised 4K output and some high-fidelity lighting while maintaining a consistent 60 frames-per-second, but then opted for a higher framerate choice when playing in splitscreen. I love that Shin’en decided to include this option, really letting me juice my Switch 2 for every last drop of processing power it has.

Just like Formula 1 or NASCAR, futuristic corporations have a mechanical horse in the race. Instead of racing bounty hunters and samurai clashing on the track, you’re controlling faceless cars made or sponsored by different manufacturers. That sterile, far-flung futuristic vibe has the same somewhat empty, tech-demo-like feeling you see in those videos of Unreal Engine fan mockups where a beloved character runs around a grey box and the comments are begging some publisher to, “Please hire this man.” But Fast Fusion moves so quickly that you hardly have any time to pay attention to those basic-looking spiky balls rolling around the course unless you’re doing your best to steer around them.

Separated by standard racing stats like top speed, acceleration, and boost, Fast Fusion’s garage has a great selection of vehicle configurations that cater to tons of different playstyles. Maybe you’ll aim for a high boost stat, which rewards you for precisely switching between blue and orange when driving over boost pads or through color-coded zones. Alternatively, a high acceleration stat makes it easier to get your zero-G legs, allowing you to catch up to the herd more quickly as you contend with Fast Fusion’s somewhat punishing wipeouts. I usually went for a blend of high top speed and boost once I got used to each course, dodging obstacles and nailing hairpin turns while optimizing routes that allowed me to boost as much as possible.

Finding that perfect build isn’t easy at first because you start with a paltry three vehicles, and are forced to use the in-game currency won by completing races to expand your stable of zero-gravity racers – and eventually fuse them together. Fusing vehicles results in goofy corporate merger names and better vehicles with improved stats. You’re all but required to unlock higher-grade vehicles and fuse them to compete at the highest speeds and difficulties Fast Fusion will throw at you.

Each fusion is nebulously graded on a lettering system, which I still haven’t completely deciphered even after a dozen hours of racing. But as far as I can tell, it rewards saving up cash to unlock the most expensive vehicles you can and kit-bashing two high-ticket rides together more than anything else. Frustratingly, fusing racing machines removes the option to use either of the original, pre-fusion vehicles. I get this from a flavor perspective, but it doesn’t make sense within the context of an arcade-y racing game where you want to unlock many different options. Fusing and de-fusing cost in-game currency, making its artificial scarcity all the more annoying; this wouldn’t be as much of a problem if you didn’t also need to use that currency to unlock new cups to compete in. To make things even worse, Fast Fusion forces you to unlock the second, third, and fourth cups in each speed class, which doubles as a difficulty setting.

What it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality.

I understand that Fast Fusion isn’t meant to be as forgiving or easy to pick up as a kart racer; gating higher difficulties behind reaching the winners’ podium in every cup would make sense. But obscuring cups I’ve already completed by making me unlock them at every difficulty – while also making me buy nearly every car and then additionally pay to fuse them into better ones – unnecessarily stalls Fast Fusion’s economy. It’s like putting training wheels on a Harley.

Side modes can at least make for fun alternate ways to earn extra cash beyond just repeating the same cup over and over again, like the sudden death-style Hero Mode where your vehicle’s boost and health are linked. That’s neat, but I wish the challenges offered in these other modes had a little bit more going on. Instead, they’re mostly just slight tweaks to a normal race with no change to the courses themselves, which doesn’t alleviate the repetitive grind of unlocking everything.

Compared to 2015’s Fast Racing Neo, Fast Fusion is smaller – but what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. Most courses offer clever designs that had me white-knuckling my controller, from a fun series of shortcuts on Yama Crest to dodging tornadoes on Tempesta. This laser-sharp focus on great levels is probably the best and most interesting part of Fast Fusion. Every time I’ve booted it up, I’ve found a new, satisfying way to shave a few seconds off of a lap I thought I’d mastered. Boost orbs make for compelling breadcrumbs in that pursuit, encouraging you to find new ways to approach a turn or hinting at a hidden path or more efficient way to handle an obstacle.

I’ve found a bunch of PC gaming deals that are even better than Steam’s Summer Sale

Steam’s Summer Sale is legendary, but it doesn’t always mean you’re getting the lowest price. As much as we all love watching our wishlist light up with discounts, some of the best deals are actually happening off-site. Fanatical and Green Man Gaming have been busy undercutting Valve’s storefront with bigger savings on the exact same Steam keys.

Read more