There’s a huge price drop on one of the most popular board game classics. Walmart is offering the Pandemic board game on clearance for only $14.12, a hefty 70% off the original $45 MSRP. Get free shipping for Walmart+ members or on orders $35 or more (otherwise you have to pay a $6.99 shipping fee). The price of this game dropped to about $16 last week, but this deal is even better.
Pandemic Board Game for $14.12
Pandemic was released back in 2008, but the gameplay is so fundamentally intuitive and engaging that it’s still one of the best beginner board games you can get right now. For new or casual board gamers seeking a cooperative experience rather than a competitive one, there are few games that offer it quite as well as Pandemic. Each player will be assigned one of six potential jobs, such as the Dispatcher, which can move other players around the map, or the Medic, which can remove extra diseases from their location; you and the other players will need to work together to cure and eradicate four deadly diseases that are quickly spreading around the globe. This board game is worth it at MSRP, it’s practically a must add to your collection at this bargain price point.
If you’ve replayed the game enough times, there are also many different thematic expansions to keep it fresh. If you’ve run it completely dry and nothing you can add on can convince you otherwise, we have plenty of other recommendations on fantastic board games that might whet your appetite.
Developer Awaceb has given us a release date for its lovely open-world adventure game Tchia, and it’ll be gliding onto the eShop on 27th June 2024.
Originally released on PC and PlayStation back in 2023, the Switch port of Tchia was announced in March 2024. Pre-orders are also available on the Switch eShop right now for $29.99 (or your regional equivalent). Alternatively, you can grab the Oléti Editionfor $34.99, which comes with the added Kepler Customization Pack — this gives you four costume sets for Tchia and four kits to decorate your boat with.
Critically acclaimed RPG Grandia HD Collection is out now.
Two timeless adventures with iconic casts of characters.
E nhanced UI, visual improvements to cinematic videos, updated language support, and more.
I am excited to announce that the remaster of the classic role-playing series, Grandia HD Collection, has launched on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S! Whether you are returning to these iconic games or entering these worlds for the first time, the series’ dynamic attack system, rewarding magic and skill progression, and immersive storylines offer dozens of hours of heroic adventures.
Getting You up to Speed on All Things Grandia
The Grandia HD Collection brings two role-playing games that have defined the genre for decades to come to contemporary audiences.
Grandia
Grandia follows Justin, a young adventurer who fatefully inherits a magic stone and thus sets out to uncover the mysteries of a lost civilization. In his search, he attracts all types of attention. Some good, in that he meets other adventurers who aid him along on his quest. However, some are bad, like the Garlyle Forces who work to keep him from unraveling the truth of the past.
Meet the Crew
Justin – Driven by his curious and fearless nature, Justin often dives headfirst into situations without thinking. He possesses the mysterious Spirit Stone—an artifact passed down through his family—which plays a pivotal role in his adventures.
Sue – Justin’s childhood friend from the town of Parm. She often joins him on his misadventures, bringing to them her courageous optimism and unexpected maturity that balances out Justin’s impulsiveness. She is almost always accompanied by her flying ball of fluff Puffy, who is as mysterious as he is adorable!
Feena – The most well-traveled of the bunch, Feena has an independent spirit and impressive skillset that garners the respect of those around her, especially Justin. As the journey unfolds, players delve deeper into her multifaceted character and mysterious past.
Grandia II
Grandia II acquaints us with Ryudo, a Geohound who does odd jobs to get money alongside his loyal eagle companion, Skye. One fateful day, he receives a request from the Church of Granas to serve as a bodyguard to one Elena, Songstress of Granas. Together, they bring out pieces of each other that neither of them knew existed amidst their journey to rid the world of Evil in the form of Valmar, God of Darkness.
Meet The Crew
Ryudo – A mercenary with a tough exterior and noble heart. He takes on various jobs for money—despite the moral implications—and is accompanied by his trusted bird companion, Skye.
Elena – The epitome of innocence and purity, Elena’s world is opened wide when she begins to journey alongside Ryudo.
Millenia – Uninhibited, playful, and mischievous, Millenia is a force to be reckoned with. Her origins and the nature of her existence cause her relationship with the party to take many interesting and unexpected turns.
Key Destinations
On your journey, you’re bound to visit many enticing cities. Here are just a few of the places you will come across on your travels:
Grandia
Port City of Parm – Our protagonist Justin’s hometown. The century of adventurers has ended, and the century of the industrial revolution has begun. Once a port of departure for adventurers, Parm City has now developed into a metropolis with two faces, the birthplace of modern industry and a center of trade. This city, where the pleasant sea breeze and the smell of coal coexist peacefully, is full of bright energy of residents striving for a better tomorrow. Order in this city is protected by the Garlyle Force, the Industrial Foundation’s private army. As a port city, Parm’s main food source is fish; the city is comprised mainly of metal houses with sparse vegetation.
Gumbo – A charming village facing the Sea of Mermaids located in a volcanic region with an everlasting summer climate. The land of love with a beautiful emerald green sea, white sand coastline, and many frogs. This is truly a place of relaxation, especially for young lovers. However, a dragon settled on the top of the volcano and began absorbing the volcano’s power, subsequently cooling the surrounding area.
Grandia II
Cyrum Kingdom – A vast colorful kingdom that finds itself along the coast. In the center of this kingdom sits Cyrum Castle, the key to the Cyrum people’s dark history. In Valmar and Lord Granas’ historic battle, the Cyrum people—or People of Darkness as they were once known—served Valmar. However, once he was sealed away, they renounced their commitment to darkness.
St. Heim Papal State – thehome to Pope Zera and impressive Granas Cathedral.
This cathedral sits atop a looming mountain overlooking St. Heim. The Granas Cathedral is the largest church to Lord Granas, making it a place of religious significance for his followers.
What’s New
Embrace the collection and unlock your childhood nostalgia—now with enhanced UI, sprite, and texture art details. Watch cult-favorite cinematics, now visually improved along with widescreen support. The collection also has updated language support for English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified and traditional). You can also play the games in entirely English or Japanese audio!
The Grandia series is known by its loyal fanbase for its unique Skill Point system, turn-based combat, incredible world-building, melodic compositions, and more.
The highly-anticipated Grandia HD Collection for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S are here! Get your hands on two games that changed the landscape of RPGs forever, in beautiful HD graphics.
GRANDIA: Dive into the captivating journey of Justin and his allies as they race against the sinister Garlyle Forces. Unravel the mysteries of a forgotten civilization and immerse yourself in an RPG hailed as a timeless classic, inspiring generations of games to come.
GRANDIA II: Step into the shoes of Ryudo, a jaded Geohound with a heart, as he embarks on a magical quest alongside a group of unlikely allies. Their journey is riddled with twists and turns as they seek a divine weapon to save the world. Delve deep into this tale where the line between good and evil blurs, and everything is open to question…
You might have heard about a game called Wingspan, which went from being acclaimed in the hobby space to selling a massive million-plus copies in retail. It did so not only by being a fun board game but thanks to its accessible and appealing theme where players manage a bird sanctuary. It was not without its critics, particularly over its slightly repetitive structure, and those concerns have fed into the design of a more complex re-skin, Wyrmspan, where players represent mighty dragon wranglers in a fantasy setting.
What’s in the Box
The original game was famous for its high production values–that’s another key plank of its wide appeal–and while Wyrmspan isn’t quite as pretty, it doesn’t disappoint in that department either. It has a collection of multicolored, speckled resin eggs just like its predecessor, a slew of punch out cardboard resource tokens and two neat plastic storage boxes to keep them in. The coins are cardboard but are silvered, which is a lovely touch.
Players each get a selection of wooden cubes and an adventurer piece in their color, along with one of five boards to track their growing menagerie of dragons, which is where most of the game state will get tracked. There are three other shared boards, one to track the round and its associated bonuses, another is a dragon guild board with four different bonus tiles to sit in the middle, and the final one organizes the dragon and cave decks.
The dragon deck is enormous–almost 200 cards–each with its own distinctive art. While the dragons are impressive, it’s not on a par with the luminous illustrations of real-world birds in Wingspan. And the graphic design generally verges on the bland, with most of the boards being empty space printed with generic fantasy-style fonts. Not that that matters so much once they’re covered in face-up dragons.
Rules and How It Plays
If you’re familiar with Wingspan you’ll already have a good grasp on how to play Wyrmspan–there’s a boxout in the rules that should make learning it a cinch–but there are some key differences. Players start each of four rounds with six coins, and each of the game’s three actions–excavate, entice and explore–costs a coin to perform. Sometimes an action will cost an additional coin or give you a coin back, so the number of actions you can take each turn varies.
Excavate lets you play cave cards from your hand into one of three different dragon habitats on your player board. You’ll need to have a cave card to get dragons into anything other than the initial slot, and playing a card also nets you a bonus printed on the card, such as additional resources or card draws. Entice allows you to play a dragon from your hand into an empty cave. This will cost you resources like meat and gold, printed on the dragon’s card, in addition to the coin. Dragons are a major source of victory points, and most have other printed effects.
Some dragons have an ability when played, others at the end of a round, but for most you’ll need the third action type, Explore, to get the most out of them. This is the most complex action, in which you send your little adventurer meeple into any inhabited caves, gaining benefits depending on which habitat you’re exploring and what dragons you’ve got played there. The Crimson Cavern will let you get food resources to spend on dragons, while the Golden Grotto and Amethyst Abyss will net you cave and dragon cards, respectively, from a face-up selection. The more dragons in a given habitat, the deeper you can go and the better the rewards will be.
The dragon deck is enormous – almost 200 cards – each with its own distinctive art.
You’re thus immediately caught in a classic board game dilemma: you need food and cave cards to play dragons, but without dragons, it’s hard to get food and cave cards. There’s nothing for it but to bite the bullet and take some pathetically weak explore actions while you try and build a strategy, but the big question is what aspects are you going to favor, and which can you neglect?
Decisions here will be heavily impacted by what dragon and cave cards you start with. For example, some cave cards give you food tokens, so you might feel you can wait on populating your Crimson Cavern. And this is where the additional complexity of Wyrmspan begins to bear fruit over its predecessor. The extra concepts ensure there’s a lot more interplay in effects between the cards in your hand and the actions you can take, ensuring there’s more strategy and tactics in your choices.
Perhaps the most notable of these new features is the dragon guild board. You can earn moves on this board in various ways, and each earns you a small bonus from the space you land on. However, for each half-cycle you get to pick a larger bonus from the tile in the middle, many of which include big end-game scoring bonuses. The rewards you get here are substantial enough to build a strategy around, and with four different middle tiles together with that colossal stack of dragon cards there’s a ton of variety to explore during repeat plays.
This is where the additional complexity of Wyrmspan begins to bear fruit over its predecessor.
Other particularly noteworthy changes include the removal of the random food roll of Wingspan in favor of a free choice of food resources and the swapping out of action cubes for the coins resource. While the latter might sound like a small change it has a big impact, because now cards can earn or cost you coins, changing the amount of actions you can take in a turn, which you have to factor into your planning. It even introduces a bigger element of timing into the game, as if you have more or less actions than other players it will change the urgency with which you feel you might have to take things from the shared boards, like the selection of face-up dragons and caves.
Hatchlings, a specific subtype of dragon card, add to this sense of time-based pressure. They can be awkward to put into play because they require milk, a resource that’s otherwise largely useless. But once on your player mat, each visit from an adventurer yields a bonus until the third, which offers an extra-impressive benefit. This imparts a real sense of urgency to try and get these whelps played, to make sure you’ve got time for enough visits to trigger the bonus and enjoy its effects.
However, timing your plays effectively to get what you need before others do is about the only level of player interaction you’ll find in the game. For most of it, you’ll be preoccupied with building your own dragon-powered game engine, not caring what your opponents are doing. Thankfully, this is a fully absorbing task on its own, thanks to all the different ways in which card effects overlap, and the sheer amount of in-game variety takes up some of the slack left by the lack of in-game interaction.
World of Warcraft’s grand nostalgia tour of old content is going strong, with Blizzard announcing that in addition to World of Warcraft: Classic adding the Cataclysm expansion, it’s running a new event that will send players back to 2012’s Mists of Pandaria expansion.
The event is called World of Warcraft Remix: Mists of Pandaria, and it will be available to all WoW subscribers as a separate playable game regardless of whether they play retail, classic, or both. Players will create new characters and level at super speed from 10 to 70 through the Mists of Pandaria expansion, playing through quests, dungeons, raids and other events as they were back in the day, but with a twist. Powerful items will be more readily available than before and with new customization options, and any collected items can be used as cosmetic upgrades in the main retail game.
Notably, this isn’t World of Warcraft: Classic. Remix uses character talents, classes, and abilities from the current retail version, and characters will be able to be carried over at the end of Remix into the main game. Blizzard is teasing that the new Mists perks and upgrades will “enhance” current character abilities, so it will be interesting to see what, for instance, a Demon Hunter or a Dracthyr can get up to when plopped into the Timeless Isle.
This Remix event seems to be taking cues from a number of other successes World of Warcraft has enjoyed recently. Like battle royale mode Plunderstorm, it’s a limited-time event separate from the main versions of the game with rewards that can carry over. Like Classic, it’s an effort at revisiting a specific point in Warcraft history, but like Season of Discovery, there are a number of new twists. Blizzard seems poised to capitalize on a fan-favorite expansion here, and perhaps remind players of some of its key lore points ahead of the next retail expansion, The War Within. Could the Sha play a role in the Worldsoul Saga? What about Y’Sharrj? We’ll have to wait and see.
It’s a busy time in World of Warcraft right now. Limited-time battle royale event Plunderstorm is chugging along as the current main expansion, Dragonflight, winds down with upcoming closing event Dark Heart. The next expansion, The War Within is planned for release later this year. And in Classic, Cataclysm just got a release date of May 20, with a pre-patch on April 30.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Last time, you decided that shopkeepers annoyed when you don’t buy anything is better than security cameras following your every move. So rather than an implied surveillance which doesn’t actually have consequences, you wish to be actively scolded for things you’ve not done. Alright reader dear, I’m noting that in your psychological profile. Onwards! This week I ask you to choose between soaring through the sky or making something else soar. What’s better: gliding powers or Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s Unmaking Arrow?
Vampire Survivors is officially come to PlayStation platforms. Announced during today’s Triple-I Initiative showcase, Vampire Survivors’ devs confirmed that the wildly popular roguelite will be releasing this summer. It was previously released on PC, Switch, mobile, and Xbox.
Additionally, new Vampire Survivors DLC was revealed, this time featuring characters from Contra. They include Brad Fang from Contra: Hard Corps, better-known as the wolf with the gun grafted to his arm. The new DLC will be out May 9.
Developing…
Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
Revealed at the Triple-I Initiative just now, Vampire Survivors is getting another cool DLC, this one a crossover with classic Konami run ‘n’ gun Contra. It’s called Operation Guns. Get on board. Trailed with, as is now traditional, a cool animated trailer that suggests the game is a Saturday morning cartoon and not a top down pixelated nightmare that will flush out any latent photosensitivity lurking in your skull (complimentary), Operation Guns is arriving on May 9th, so about a month away.
When it comes to relaxing games, you probably already have a reasonably sound idea of what these might look like and entail. Perhaps it’s a jaunty farm sim like Stardew Valley or Story of Seasons, a laid-back puzzler like Unpacking, or even a cute adventure like A Short Hike. The point is that many of us have preconceived notions of what a relaxing game should look like, but if Ryan Janes’ ‘The Most Relaxing Video Games’ book is anything to go by, then blissful relaxation can potentially be found in the most unlikely genres imaginable.
Published by White Owl, an imprint of Pen & Sword Books (which has also published books from the likes of Kirk McKeand and Chris Scullion), ‘The Most Relaxing Video Games’ immediately struck us as being geared toward those who perhaps don’t consider gaming to be their primary hobby. Indeed, for those of us at Nintendo Life, our first glimpse of the book consisted of casually flicking through the pages while muttering “Yep… Yep…” under our breath as we cross checked each entry with our own internally curated list.
A variety of destruction modes across 40 different locations.
Customize and upgrade over 70 vehicles, from sports cars to unconventional options like tanks and school buses.
If you’re a fan of classic games like Carmeggedon, Wreck Fest, and Burnout Paradise, Trail Out’s own brand of destruction is right up your alley. From the creative minds at Good Boys indie game studio and publisher Crytivo comes the explosive racing game Trail Out, now available on Xbox! The game explores different avenues of destruction through a variety of modes, including Roulette and even Zombies. You will build your own vehicles, upgrade them, and destroy them and your opponents in a story campaign and free races.
Imagine this: you’re behind the wheel of your customized ride, tearing through destructible environments, battling it out with fierce competitors, and leaving a trail of chaos in your wake. That’s the thrill of Trail Out.
Key Features
Total Car Carnage: Experience heart-pounding action as you unleash chaos with destructible cars that shatter, crumble, and explode in spectacular fashion.
Dynamic Environments: Immerse yourself in the thrill of the chase amidst destructible environments where every building, barrier, and obstacle is fair game for demolition.
Endless Excitement: Choose from a variety of adrenaline-fueled game modes, including intense battle royales, high-speed pursuits, and unpredictable challenges.
Customization Galore: Take control of over fifty unique vehicles, from sleek sports cars to monstrous tanks, and personalize them to suit your racing style.
Uncharted Territories: Blaze a trail across fifty diverse tracks, from bustling city streets to rugged off-road terrain, each offering its own set of challenges and surprises.
What truly sets Trail Out apart from the rest? It’s the player-centric experience that puts the power in your hands. Over 70 vehicles await your command, each one a canvas for your creativity and racing prowess. Whether you prefer the sleek lines of a sports car or the sheer mayhem of a tank, the choice is yours to make.
But here’s the kicker: These cars aren’t just vehicles; they’re your ticket to total domination on the track. Start with a humble rust bucket and transform it into a racing marvel in the junkyard. Earn cash from races and loyal fans who’ll dish out special requests, propelling you towards unlocking new rides and upgrading existing ones. From custom paint jobs to personalized license plates, every detail is yours to mold to perfection.
And let’s not forget the wild cards in your arsenal. Ever dreamed of tearing through the competition in a school bus or unleashing chaos in a Mario-inspired Kart? Trail Out makes it possible, with unconventional options that add a whole new level of thrill to the race.
You got the car of your dreams? Well, let’s now embark on a thrilling journey through fifty diverse locales in Trail Out, each presenting its own set of challenges and surprises. From sprawling metropolises to adrenaline-pumping arenas, every location offers a unique racing experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
But be prepared for the unexpected as you navigate through these dynamic environments. Whether you’re sliding across icy terrain, dodging aggressive vehicles, or facing off against wild animals, each map is filled with obstacles to test your skills.
But fear not, because destruction is your ally. Cut through buildings, smash barriers, and leave a trail of chaos in your wake to create shortcuts and gain the upper hand. And with every structure you demolish, you’ll not only gain valuable time but also attract more fans to cheer you on to victory.
Tired of Storylines and Campaigns?
Choose from eight action-packed modes, each offering its own unique challenges and opportunities for destruction. Dive into Derby Classic Mode for a pure battle royal experience, or test your skills in Derby Domination by earning points through skillful collisions with opponents.
Experience the fast-paced chaos of Cross Mode, where intersecting tracks invite intense clashes, or take control of a police cruiser in Hunter Mode and deploy spikes, traps, and missiles against your rivals. And don’t forget about the excitement of Roulette Mode, where fate decides your next challenge and vehicle.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. Explore thrilling stunt modes like Bowling and Darts, race against the clock in No Time Mode, or face off against bosses in Catch Me Up Mode. And for those craving even more destruction, Trail Out offers the ultimate challenge with Dead Out Mode, where you’ll battle hordes of zombies and equip your cars with guns for epic boss battles.
Now, let’s not forget about the fans. In Trail Out, you’ll earn fans as you race, and these loyal supporters will not only send you cash but also make special requests to fuel your racing dreams. It’s like having your own cheering squad on the sidelines!
Grab your controller, buckle up, and get ready for the ride of a lifetime. Trail Out is now available on Xbox, and trust me, you won’t regret it.
The game contains the following DLCs: Legendary Cars, Luxury Life, Steel Wheels
Welcome to the festival of explosive races, TRAIL OUT!
You’re in for a mad race in different parts of the world, your main goal is to live to the finish line and take the main cup of the festival! Exploding cars, flying and screaming drivers, the hype from the fans, and unseen destruction around the entire track – it’s all waiting for you here! Relive the story of racer Mihalych, a simple story where you’ll try to take the main cup of the festival by defeating all the bosses in unique battles.
You are expected: Up to 50 cars in different classes, different eras, and different conditions 50 different tracks, from big-city tracks with lots of destruction, derby arenas and to dangerous tracks
The game contains the following DLC’s:
Legendary Cars
Luxary Life
Steel Wheels
Hunt 007 Special
