Issue #20 – January 2025.
Welcome back as we open up the Nintendo Life Mailbox once again.
Here we are in 2025, ready to thrive, and Nintendo has kindly given us all some good news: ‘Switch 2’ is indeed Switch 2, it’s looking sexy… and watch this space. We’re paraphrasing, but that’s the gist.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Stephen King once famously wrote that there were three levels of terror: the gross-out, when blood and guts are everywhere; horror, as King put it, “the unnatural, spiders the size of bears, the dead up and walking around, it’s when something with claws grabs you by the arms”; and terror: “when the lights go out and when you feel something behind you, you hear it, you feel its breath against you, and you turn around, there’s nothing there.” King believed terror was the finest emotion of the three, and it’s the one he always tried to evoke in his readers. And make no mistake, terror is an emotion. Horror is something you experience. Terror is the work of the mind, the imagination of what’s absent, of what might be under the rug or around the corner. It is what you live through. Karma: The Dark World has its share of horror, yes. But it is primarily concerned with terror. And more to the point, it is good at it.
There were times during my roughly two-hour demo when I was playing at night, with headphones off, and I had to pause and take a breath. Horror games don’t generally “scare” me. I don’t jump, don’t yell, don’t scream. I know the tricks. But it was two in the morning and I was tired and alone and wearing headphones and something had wormed its way into my brain, and when I had to climb into that vent to enter that blocked-off, red-tinged room, I decided that was enough for the evening.
Karma is full of little moments like that, where you don’t want to go forward, don’t want to bear witness, but you must. Karma is set in an alternate-history 1976, and you’re stepping into the shoes of Roam Agent Daniel McGovern. Daniel is what they call a Nightcrawler. An employee of the omnipresent Leviathan Corporation’s Thought Bureau, he spends most of his time inside other people’s heads. As my demo started, he was being sent to investigate Sean Mehndez, who was accused of stealing something from the Winston Research Institute. You’re to investigate that, as well as an “unusual incident” that took place in the clerical office around the same time. It sounds, as Daniel notes, fairly routine. It isn’t.
Karma’s world is explicitly dystopian, and you’ll notice how wrong everything feels right off the bat. Some people have televisions for heads. Everyone has a social level, and every minor infraction is recorded, catalogued, tracked, and held against you – even things as seemingly insignificant as having a stain on your work uniform or applying makeup during work hours. Telescreens requiring user IDs, shaped like floppy disks, are tied to social level and hang in every room. Leviathan’s all-seeing eye is watching you. None of this stuff was explained in the demo I played. It didn’t need to be; you understand it immediately, the way you understand a weight hanging around your neck, the same way you understand a noose. This world is wrong, which only adds to what’s to come.
Karma is a first-person game, which only adds to the dread that creeps into you as you play. You are always aware of what you can’t see, what you have to look away from to progress, what might happen if you do. Daniel’s investigation starts off innocently enough. You explore the Research Institute, piecing together what has happened and solving simple puzzles. You need an ID to open the storage room, so you piece together the code by reading a diary entry and using that to find the clue you need in the world. But soon, The Horrors ™ start to creep in. “Don’t look back” appears scrawled on a wall when you flick off a lightswitch. If you do, you’ll see… something, a man, a shape, a ghost, appear and then vanishes. When you examine the recordings of infractions, some…thing with too many legs seems to be in the image. Something is deeply wrong here.
Karma builds dread in more subtle ways, too. Musical stings that appear and then vanish as suddenly as they came, seemingly at random. The lighting of a room. The destroyed area you’re to investigate. It always feels like you’re moving towards something, witnessing something, and often, you won’t want to. Daniel even moves slowly, lumbering, like he knows he shouldn’t be here, that advancing will lead him to a place he doesn’t want to go.
The most memorable moment of my time with Karma came after I found the evidence of Mehndez’s crime. When I went to return it via the pneumatic tubes that dispensed my orders, I saw Mehndez walking, like a ghost, through the hallway. I followed him, and he led me into a dark room, with a single door. When I entered, I found myself in what I can best describe as Twin Peaks’s Black Lodge: red curtains everywhere, mannequins, a family around a table. It took me a moment to realize I was seeing Mehndez’s memories – his life, his fears, maybe. Something. I read about his daughter, saw her room, and then when I returned, they had moved in front of the TV, and eventually, they led me to an elevator going down. I descended.
What followed was one of the most disturbing sequences I’ve ever experienced in a horror game. Alarm clocks hanging from the ceiling, going off. Bodies covered in some sort of black goo, mannequins splattered with blood, lying haphazardly along gurneys. I learned about what had happened to Mehndez, to his wife, his daughter. I watched their home disintegrate; I put my hand into a computer and watched a man, strung up by his arms, explode; I entered an office and watched it go mad, the mannequins inside cowering in fear. At one point I turned around, tried to go another way, and they were all suddenly behind me, hands up, forcing me to go forward. Sometimes, the greatest horror is to be forced to watch. And I thought of Revelation. And a voice said “come and see,” and I looked.
I saw those mannequins hover, saw the black goo cover the floor, saw Mehndez’s home disintegrate further, learned what befell his family. And the curtains around me, always the red curtains. Then back into the office, answering the ringing phone, previously silent. “War. Peace. Freedom. Slavery. Ignorance. Strength,” said the voice on the other end. I recognized the words. Orwell. 1984. Big Brother is watching you. And I followed them, followed them until I reached an office where I could walk through the screen and see the big eye that had been watching me, and I saw that eye sprout more eyes, and I watched it follow me as I climbed stairs supported by nothing, and I saw three doors leading nowhere, and another phone, and I answered it, and someone, a woman, told me that she was sorry, that none of this was supposed to happen. And I entered the door in front of me, and something came after me, something I barely glimpsed but that horrified me all the same, and I fell. And then Daniel woke up, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
Was it real? Had it happened? Had Daniel imagined it? Did it matter? Like him, I had experienced it and I will remember those images, real or not. We can be haunted by what seem like dreams, by the unreal, the uncanny, the wrong. It is where horror lives. In the mind. There was more to my demo past this, but terror is best experienced, so I will end here, and say Karma: The Dark World beckons you to come and see. And if developer Pollard Studio can deliver that feeling, that dread that compels, that horrifies, that you feel, for the rest of Karma: The Dark World’s runtime, then it is a journey that I will be happy to live through. My eyes are open.
“Additional titles will support online play after release”.
We’re now roughly a month out from the release of Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection on the Switch and Konami has this week released an “official trailer” showcasing what this new bundle has to offer.
Once again, it will include 14 games – starting with the original Game Boy generation and following on with Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance era titles. This latest trailer not only offers a look at this library but also introduces some new features including “online play”.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Have you been waiting to dip into Pokémon TCG Shrouded Fable? Now’s the time to rip open some packs thanks to the Elite Trainer Box dropping to under £40 on Amazon right now. This set has jaw-dropping cards, including Pecharunt ex and a lineup of stunning SIRs and IRs. For players and collectors, this expansion delivers playable cards and art that deserves a spot in your binder.
It’s easier than ever to hunt for The Loyal Three and heavy hitters such as Persian IR and Cassiopeia SIR. We’ve got the deals and my take on some of the best cards in this set. Brilliant artwork will always hold its value and look the best in a trainer’s binder. I’ll die on this hill, so let’s dig in:
There’s plenty of illustration rares to catch in Shrouded Fable, but these are my favourites. Here’s what each one is going for by singles value at the time of writing, which should give you a few reasons to grab an ETB or five and get some Shrouded Fable opened.
SIRs are usually more valuable than IRs due to their rarity and playability, but it also comes down to their artwork and is anyone actually likes the Pokémon. Here’s my favourites, good luck pulling these (pocket) monsters:
Okidogi ex 090/064: At around £20, the price for Okidogi ex has dropped by around £5 since launch. This means we can expect £20 to be around the going rate until Shrouded Fable goes out of print.
Munkidori ex 091/064: At roughly £18, this Monkey hasn’t climbed at all really since launch.
Fezandipiti ex 092/064: The Fez ex’s value dropped from £35 at launch to around £26, but it’s still a stunning card.
Pecharunt ex 093/064: We’re looking at £15 to £20 on this one right now, with highs going up to as much as £25 at launch.
Cassiopeia 094/064: At the time of writing, Cass sells between £30 and £40, which is an excellent price for THE chase card of this set. Similar to Persian IR, this card used to double its value back in November 2024.
The Elite Trainer Box is your starter kit for Shrouded Fable. It includes nine booster packs, a full-art Pecharunt ex promo card, and accessories like themed sleeves and damage dice. It’s priced right for anyone looking to rip open packs with a shot at secret rares. The storage box keeps your collection neat, while the sleeves help protect any high-value pulls.
This set highlights Kingdra ex with a beautiful full-art promo and foil cards for Horsea and Seadra. It also comes with five booster packs, giving you extra chances to pull something special. The Kingdra ex card alone is worth the purchase if you’re a fan of aquatic Pokémon or just love cards with bold artwork.
The 3-Pack Blister is the way to go for anyone on a budget. Three booster packs and a Pecharunt foil promo make this an easy pick for testing your luck without spending much. It’s small but mighty, offering solid value and the potential to pull a card that could make your week.
Six booster packs in one bundle at £23.95 is a strong deal. This set is excellent for building up your collection or hunting specific cards from Shrouded Fable. It’s straightforward, affordable, and gives you plenty of chances to land something rare without buying a larger box.
Once you start pulling shiny hits, keeping them safe is a must. The 9-Pocket Portfolio holds up to 252 cards and features bold artwork of Pecharunt and the Loyal Three. At £12.99, it’s perfect for showing off your collection or keeping everything organized after a pack-opening spree.
A “Walmart exclusive”.
Last Mario Day, Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed a new Mario Bros. animated movie was on the way and would be arriving in 2026.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
It’s Yamper!
The Build-A-Bear plush Pokémon line continues to grow with the arrival of the Electric-type Yamper. This Pokémon was first sighted in the Galar Region during the Sword and Shield generation.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The weekend is officially here, and we’ve rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Saturday, January 25, below:
Metroid Prime Remastered is one of the best adventure games available on Nintendo Switch, and you can pick up the physical copy from Walmart this weekend for only $30. Starring Samus Aran, you’ll take control of the feared bounty hunter and explore the planet Tallon IV. If you have yet to experience the Metroid Prime series, this is the perfect starting point, especially with Metroid Prime 4 on the way later this year.
Walmart has a great deal on this ASUS Vivobook S 14 that is packed with features. This laptop has a 14″ OLED screen, with a Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 as its processor. Compared to the last generation, this chip delivers up to three times the performance per thread, which is an excellent jump. Also included inside this laptop is 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM, a 1TB PCIE Gen 4 SSD, and more. For $799, this is a fantastic laptop deal that likely won’t last for long.
Amazon has the Meta Quest 3S 256GB VR Headset with Batman: Arkham Shadow for $349 today. This headset is perfect if you’re just entering the VR space, and it’s equipped with everything you need to experience all the latest games out there. In our 9/10 review, we stated, “Raw processing power, full-color passthrough, and snappy Touch Plus controllers make the Quest 3S a fantastic standalone VR headset that also brings entry-level mixed-reality gaming to the masses for – arguably – the very first time.”
Twin Peaks is one of the most beloved projects of the late David Lynch, inspiring countless creatives across TV, film, and even video games. Currently, a reprint of the Twin Peaks: From Z to A Blu-ray set is up for pre-order at Amazon, and it’s discounted to $55.29 for a limited time. This 21-disc set includes all three seasons of Twin Peaks, the Twin Peaks: Fire Walks With Me film, and over 20 hours of special features.
Black Myth: Wukong was one of the biggest games of 2024, and for a limited time, you can score a physical PS5 copy of the game for just $54.99 at Woot. There are over 100 bosses to defeat throughout Black Myth: Wukong, with a variety of collectibles, enemies, and locations to discover. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “Despite some frustrating technical issues, Black Myth: Wukong is a great action game with fantastic combat, exciting bosses, tantalizing secrets, and a beautiful world.”
The Pyra & Mythra 2-pack amiibo has been one of the hardest to find in recent years, with very limited availability at launch and no reprint on the horizon—unitl now. GameStop has opened pre-orders for a Pyra & Mythra amiibo reprint, making now the perfect time to harness the power of the Aegis and secure these amiibo for your collection. This 2-pack is set to release alongside Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition on March 20.
If you are a recent PS5 Slim or PS5 Pro owner, it’s likely you have ran into some trouble looking for in-stock PS5 Disc Drives. These sell out quickly each time they are restocked, but Target has the item available right now for $79.99. If you’ve been looking for a PS5 Disc Drive, grab one before they’re gone.
We’re at the point in Pokémonia 2025 (Thanks, Prismatic Evolutions) where trainers are looking for ways to not pay over the odds for ripping open booster packs, which is where I come in. My gameplan for 2025 is to keep an eye on what cards are worth picking up for each set on store shelves and get my Pokémon TCG following some bargains. As much as I’d love to guarantee chase cards and pulls, that’s not how it works, but what I can guarantee is more fun spending your pocket money trying to find Pokémon to add to your collection without getting ripped off on the secondary market. Pokémon is working to get new stock out ASAP, which we’re already seeing the results of, albiet slowly.
The name of the UK Pokémon TCG deals game today is Paradox Rift, that’s still knocking around online and in store. There’s plenty of products to choose from, with Elite Trainer boxes being the best value for money right now, but why open this set in particular?
Here are some of my favourite pulls from Pokémon: Scarlet and Violet – Paradox Rift. This isn’t about the newly coined “pokéinvesting” term; it’s about showing everyone how to enjoy Pokémon cards to ensure everyone has their fair share of going in-store, ripping packs with friends and family and having fun with the hobby. Let’s get into it:
It’s hard to see why Paradox Rift was such an oferlooked yet, but it seems other trainers are catching on to its illustration and Secret Art Rares in 2025, This stunning Yveltal card has jumped from around £10 around October 2024 straight to around £25 looking at recent sold listings, so this would be a great card to look after on a trainers binder.
Another epic card showing Groudon doing what he does best, teraforming Earth whilst wiping out life, Nice lad. He’s currently going for around £80 right now, which is a steep climb from £39 back at the end of November. Those UK deals are looking better and better now, right?
The Cheesestrings dude is well at home in Paldea now, so he shall now be known as Gholdengo. This card is currently going four around £25, which has gained an extra £10 from around October last year. I think this will be a slow burner alongside Ghimeghoul Secret art that has matches artwork. It’s a set of art cards that trainers will want to focus on pulling regardless!
Garchamp is a beast, just look at that incredible artwork. The best part is that whilst the value of Garchomp ex – 245/182 is rising, it’s still at a reasonable £30. It’s value are more than double since October 2024, which means it’s going to be a solid pull that will slowly climb up in value as Paradox Rift goes out fo print and off store shelves in 2025.
Roaring Moon ex has suprised me value wise, kicking off at around £5 mid-2024 and just about double to around £10. Personaly I think this has potenial to hits the £40 mark in 2025 thanks to the Pokémon popularity due to it being able to knock any Pokémon out in one hit and a powerful stadium card-based 220 attack. Playable or not, the artwork just rocks.
Here’s some links to the Pokémon TCG: Paradox Rift products on sale online right now. Feel free to also check stock in your local bricks and mortar stores too. Half the fun of collecting is showing off and making friends through trading, right?
The Roaring Moon Elite Trainer Box is as fierce as its namesake. Packed with nine booster packs and an exclusive full-art foil card featuring the mysterious Roaring Moon, this box is a must for fans of Pokémon’s darker, more primal vibes. The themed sleeves, dice, and other premium accessories tie the set together, making it a collector’s dream and a player’s powerhouse. For just £42.12 on Amazon, it’s the perfect mix of flair and functionality.
The Iron Valiant Elite Trainer Box delivers for trainers who prefer their Pokémon sleek and futuristic. It includes nine booster packs, a stunning full-art foil card of Iron Valiant, and a collection of accessories that feel like they’ve been pulled straight out of Paldea’s future. At £44.89 on Amazon, this box is a little pricier but worth it for anyone hunting for the aesthetic of high-tech dominance.
If you’re serious about your pulls, the Paradox Rift Booster Display Box is where it’s at. With 36 booster packs, this box gives you the best odds of pulling those elusive Special Illustration Rares or Secret Rares. It’s perfect for building your decks, trading, or feeding that pack-cracking addiction. You’re not just buying cards—you’re buying the thrill of the hunt.
Sometimes, you want a quick shot of Pokémon TCG magic without committing to a full box, and the Paradox Rift Sleeved Booster Pack is perfect. Whether hunting for a specific card or just looking for a casual unboxing experience, these single boosters are an affordable way to scratch the itch. Grab a couple, rip them open, and see what fate has in store.
The Build & Battle Stadium is for trainers who like to jump straight into gameplay. It comes with two Build & Battle Boxes, each loaded with a pre-built deck, booster packs, and promo cards. Add in the extra accessories, like damage counters and dice, and you have everything you need for an epic showdown with a friend. It’s a great pick to play competitively without spending hours fine-tuning a deck.
Still looking for where to buy Prismatic Evolutions? Here’s where to find all of our links that we update to give you all the best chance of finding them
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.
Optional escapades.
If you’ve played a handful of video games, chances are you’ve lost yourself in the side content more often than the main game.
Sidequests are a procrastinator’s dream. Don’t want to finish the main story? Worried about missing some fantastic rewards or lore dumps? Well, thank goodness there are tons of people across the world that need help rescuing their pets, doing their shopping, or trying to tell their neighbour that they’re in love with them.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
If you’re looking for DTI codes, IGN’s got you covered! In this article, you’ll find a list of all the active and working Dress to Impress codes in January 2025 that you can redeem for free rewards and bonuses in DTI, including outfits and accessories like hats, bags, and jewelry.
Here are all the active Dress to Impress codes in January 2025 and the free rewards you get for redeeming them:
Below, you’ll find a list of expired DTI codes that no longer work and can no longer be redeemed as of January 2025:
Follow the steps below to redeem Dress to Impress codes and claim free rewards in DTI:
If the code you’re trying to redeem in DTI isn’t working, it’s likely because of one of two reasons:
When inputting a DTI code in Roblox, make sure it’s spelled correctly (for example, a capital I isn’t a lowercase l, 0 and not O, and vice versa) and that there are no spaces before or after the code. We’d recommend copying and pasting codes straight from our article to ensure they’re correct as we’ve tested and verified that the codes on this page are working ourselves.
If your DTI code still isn’t working after checking for typos, it’s more than likely expired and can no longer be redeemed in Dress to Impress.
To get more Dress to Impress codes, the best way is to join the official DTI Discord server. While we check for new codes daily, the quickest way to know about new Dress to Impress codes is to follow the Roblox experience’s official Discord server where updates are posted in real time.
You can also check the Dress to Impress X account and the official DTI Roblox Group page.
Currently, we don’t know of any upcoming DTI codes now that the Winter Update is here. We’ll update this once any information on new codes is shared.
Dress to Impress is a popular dress-up Roblox Experience available on PC, console, and iOS and Android mobile devices. In it, you put on your best outfit to complete a specific theme and walk the runway in a bid to earn votes from other players and become a top model. As you gain votes, you gain ranks and can access more clothing and accessories, so make sure you’re truly dressed to impress!
Meg Koepp is a Guides Editor on the IGN Guides team, with a focus on trends. When she’s not working, you can find her playing an RPG or making miniatures.
