Category: Video Games

Review: Fairy Tail 2 (Switch) – Hurt By Its Breakneck Pace, But Still A Step Up

Second time’s the charm?

A few years ago, Gust Studios—the popular Atelier RPG factory—decided to do something a little different by putting out a licensed RPG adaptation of the Fairy Tail anime and manga. It wasn’t a particularly great game, but it wasn’t too bad either, and it obviously did well enough with its audience that a sequel was greenlit. With Fairy Tail 2, we’re pleased to say that Gust has crafted an overall stronger RPG, although it also makes many of the same mistakes its predecessor did.

Fairy Tail 2 picks up shortly after the events of the first game, and centres mostly on an adaptation of the climactic Alvarez arc. We say ‘adaptation’ here because the developers took a lot of liberties in changing the story from its original telling—fans may be divided over the tweaks and omissions here, but it overall still feels like a consistent and interesting story, albeit one that will appeal most to longtime fans.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Best Pokémon TCG Deals Today (December 2024)

Pokémon TCG can be an expensive hobby to keep up with. But, we highly encourage you to slow down before making any big purchases at full price, as there’s always an opportunity to save a Pokédollar or two.

There are plenty of top Pokémon TCG discounts to consider today so take a gander at what we’ve picked out as the best of the best. TL;DR, the Amazon “Holiday Exclusive” Paradox Fury Premium Collection has dropped to its lowest price ever and will arrive before Christmas.

Best Pokémon TCG Deals Today

My favorite in the sale is undoubtedly the Paradox Fury Premium Collection, hitting an all-time low price at Amazon (according to camelcamelcamel). It’s exclusive to the retailer, and at a handy new price, $49.77, compared to its original listing for $67.99, it’s the perfect gift to the Pokemon trainer in your life (or for yourself!).

Otherwise, it’s hard to not mention the Grand Adventure Collection, which hasn’t been discounted but is now back in stock at Target for a limited time. This will likely sell out before the end of the day, so act fast. To find out what’s next for Pokemon TCG, check out our full schedule breakdown of 2024, and now 2025.

Best Pokémon TCG Card Sleeve Deals

Don’t forget to stock up on trading card sleeves if you’re making some big purchases. Here’s a bunch of great options, all discounted right now at Amazon as well. Typically, collection boxes include four or more booster packs along with variants of standard Pokémon cards not available in regular booster packs or theme decks. So, there’s plenty of cards to sleeve, or pack away neatly for storage.

Pokémon TCG Pocket News

In other Pokémon new, TCG Pocket is a certified hit for Creatures Inc. and The Pokémon Company, having earned an estimated $200 million in its first month.

It follows the standard mobile and free to play game model, flooding players with rewards in the opening few days before soon drying up, with spending real world money the only real way to re-experience that early thrill.

The mobile game recently added the most challenging event so far and tasks players with winning consecutive battles against other players. The Genetic Apex SP Emblem Event 1 will be active until December 16 and offers a wealth of rewards including 24 Pack Hourglasses (allowing for two extra packs to be opened) and 1,850 Shinedust.

Why Should You Trust IGN’s Deals Team?

IGN’s deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don’t try to trick our readers into buying things they don’t need at prices that aren’t worth buying something at.

Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN’s Deals account on Twitter.

Christian Wait is a UK-based freelancer for IGN, you can follow him @ChrisReggieWait on Twitter/X.

Valve are now selling refurbished Steam Deck OLEDs at up to £110/$130 off – if you can find them in stock

The Steam Deck OLED has joined Valve’s Certified Refurbished programme, offering a much cheaper way of getting your hands on the best handheld PC around. Provided you don’t mind it being in someone else’s first, anyway. As with official refurbs of the original Steam Deck, “certified” Steam Deck OLEDs are formerly-broken models that have been returned to Valve, fixed up and tested in-house, then put back on the market at steep discounts. You’re looking at £389/$439 for the 512GB spec and £459/$519 for 1TB, down from £479/$549 and £569/$649 respectively.

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RPS Asks: what are you favourite games for the winter malaise?

I am a Winter baby. My birthday is very close to Christmas, and so you’d think this might make me immune to the serotonin-sapping effects of the greyest season in a “I was born of the cold. Moulded by it” kind of way. No such luck, I’m afraid. So, since there’s only so many Vitamin D supplements and delightfully festive lunchtime Gin and Tonics one can consume, I figured I’d ask: what are your favourite comfort games for the bleaker months? The special places you can always rely on for an escape when the weather outside is frightful, and the Cosy Fireplace Ambience 4K (10 hours) keeps getting interrupted by adverts for crypto scammers and War Thunder.

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You can now scan and steal paint jobs from any car in Cyberpunk 2077, plus more customisation with the 2.2 update

While it’s always worth starting a new game of Cyberpunk 2077 just to hear Judy say “his own choomba shot him!” for the thirtieth time, there’s now a slightly more tangible reason to start a new journey into Night City’s open world. Update 2.2 went live yesterday, bringing with it a host of fixes, as well as some deeper customisation options for both your character and vehicles. The base game is also 55% off on Steam until the 18th of December, with the Phantom Liberty expansion at 20% off, or both in a 48% off bundle. Cyberpunk is on sale often enough, although these current discounts line up with the cheapest it’s ever been on Steam. Again: worth it for the line.

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New Toy Fighter ‘Knock Off’ Revives Childhood Memories On Switch In 2025

“Set in a nostalgic world where action figures come to life”.

The former Kickstarter fighter Knock Off: Battle for Imagination is apparently on its way to the Nintendo Switch in Q4 2025.

This information was shared during the Latin American Games Showcase, with the game’s aesthetics already drawing some comparisons to old school fighting game releases such as ClayFighter. As you can see, it brings together a bunch of toylike fighters inspired by cartoon series and franchises of the ’80s and ’90s.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

The Stylish Anker Zolo 10,000mAh Power Bank Can Fast Charge Your Switch for Under $20

For a limited time, Amazon has brought back one of its best power bank deals from Black Friday. The Anker Zolo 10,000mAh 30W USB Power Bank is back down to only $15.59, a 40% discount from its original $26 price. This is an excellent deal for an Anker-branded 10,000mAh power bank that can fast charge a Nintendo Switch console at its maximum rate. The Zolo is compact, can completely recharge a Switch console more than once, and has a couple of unique nifty features, like a built-in USB cable and a discrete digital display. Plus, it’s decked out in a rare pastel blue, pink, and white color schemes.

Anker Zolo 10,000mAh USB Power Bank for $15.59

There are two reasons why this power bank is a great battery backup for your Nintendo Switch console: capacity and charging rate. A 10,000mAh (37Whr) power bank can charge a Nintendo Switch OLED from completely empty to full about 1.9 times. Provided you fully charge your Switch from the get-go, that nearly triples your total playtime. At the same time, a 10,000mAh power bank still maintains a pretty small footprint; for example, this particular model is about the size of an iPhone and weighs under 8oz. The Anker Zolo power bank also boasts a 30W charging output over USB Type-C. The Nintendo Switch console accepts a maximum charging rate of 18W. That means this power bank will be able to charge your Switch at the same rate as the official Nintendo charger.

The Zolo has a built-in USB cable, however it’s not retractable. Instead, you plug it into itself so that it forms a secure loop that’s strong enough to be used like a lanyard. I have this power bank myself and I can tell you the loop is quite sturdy. There’s also a separate USB Type-C port that be used for either input or output. Finally, there’s a simple digital display that shows you the remaining battery charge as a percentage.

TSA-Approved

Note that the TSA requires all power banks to be brought in carry-on bags; power banks are not allowed in check-in regardless of capacity. The Anker power bank’s 10,000mAh capacity is well below TSA’s 27,000mAh carry-on limit, so it can be brought onto planes. It’s also low-profile enough that no one will take notice in the first place. If a TSA official actually does take the initiative to test the wattage on your power bank, you’re well in the clear.

For more options, check out our picks for the best power banks of 2024. If you’re looking for more Nintendo Switch accessories that might be on sales check out the best Nintendo Switch deals today.

Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn’t hunting for deals for other people at work, he’s hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Round Up: Every Game From Wholesome Snack 2024 Coming To Nintendo Switch

Preparing for a cosy 2025.

With The Game Awards just two days away, we’re getting a deluge of new game announcements and showcases, and one of today’s headliners is the Wholesome Snack: The Game Awards Edition.

The 35-minute presentation showcased tons of cuddly, cosy games, alongside a couple of tearjerkers and some surprise DLC announcements.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com