Games

Just as the Mario Day digital game deals go live, Nintendo is readying gamers for the upcoming release of Princess Peach: Showtime! with a FREE demo on the eShop and a fresh new trailer. We have had a chance to play through the first five stages of the game recently at a press event, and now everyone can give the upcoming first-party Nintendo game a try via the eShop. Head below for more details, some FREE pre-order bonuses for the game, and the new overview trailer Nintendo just dropped. 

Update: Both Best Buy and Amazon have now kicked-off early Mario Day digital game sales.

While we are still a few days away from Mario Day proper, the celebration has already begun and the Mario Day game deals start today! After LEGO was the first out of the gate with its Mushroom Kingdom festivities, Nintendo followed shortly after with an official announcement of its own festivities leading up to the March 10 worldwide holiday. The “Mega Mushroom-sized list” of upcoming events kicked off with a bonus Switch Online trial and the Mario Day 2024 eShop sale goes live right now (or very shortly). All of the details are down below. 

Update: The Series S toaster is now live once again at $40 via Walmart after going out of stock for a couple months. 

A new Xbox toaster has arrived. After folks trolled Microsoft way back at the launch of its current-generation consoles about the Series X looking like a fridge, the Xbox Series X mini fridge was made a reality, and now, the Series has been made into a toaster. Like an actual toaster that works and imprints your breakfast toast with the Xbox logo I mean. You can buy one right now at Walmart for $40 too. Head below for more details on the official Xbox toaster. 

As promised with an official announcement earlier this week, today’s Xbox Partner Preview Game Showcase is about to kick-off. Xbox hosted its first Developer Direct showcase of the year back January, giving gamers their first good look at the new Indiana Jones game, among other things, but today it is turning its attention to its Partner Preview show. We will be getting about a half hour of “fresh looks” at new games coming to Xbox and Windows and it all starts very soon. Follow along with the show down below. 

After announcing it was bringing Horizon Forbidden West Complete to PC earlier this year – it releases on March 21, Sony has now taken to its official PlayStation Blog to announce the PC version of Ghost of Tsushima. The Director’s Cut of Sucker Punch’s gorgeous samurai-meets-ninja action game is now officially ready to land on PC in a couple month’s time. Sony has been slowly but surely bringing its exclusive titles over to PC battlestations for a few years now and it looks as though that trend will continue through 2024 as the complete version of the critically acclaimed open-world samurai action adventure game is set to launch come May. Hit the jump for more details on the PC features and pre-order details for Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut. 

After the unveil of the special edition Dune and SpongeBob Xbox consoles, and just ahead of tomorrow’s Partner Preview Showcase, today Microsoft is debuting its new Fallout Xbox Wireless Controllers. Microsoft is expanding its vault of Xbox Design Lab options with the all-new Fallout Xbox Wireless Controller featuring the beloved Vault Boy and iconography from the series. Head below for a closer look. 

Mario Day 2024 is fast approaching and Nintendo has now taken to its official site to debut some of the official promotions, celebratory activities, and more. As we detailed previously, Mario Day, or MAR10 Day, will be kicking off well ahead of March 10 and Nintendo has now unveiled some official deals on first-party Mario games as well as a special gift card promotion with console purchases, and a host of bonuses for Switch Online users. Head below for more details on the official Nintendo Mario Day 2024 deals and more. 

A new SpongeBob Xbox Series X console is on the way, and this isn’t just some contest – you’ll actually be able to buy one. Xbox, Best Buy, Paramount Game Studios, and GameMill are now officially joining forces to serve up the new special edition Series X console with a matching controller completely decked out in SpongeBob art. According to today’s official announcement via the Xbox Wire, the special Best Buy Drop will be available for purchase later this week. Head below for a closer look and more details. 

Welcome to our countdown to Mario Day 2024! After launching what many feel is the best 2D Mario game of the modern era with Super Mario Bros. Wonder last fall, Nintendo has already released Mario’s first “new” title of the year with Mario vs. Donkey Kong, and now we are just 10 days away from the world-famous plumber’s global holiday. Affectionately known as Mar10, every year on March 10 Nintendo and the gaming world come together to celebrate the mustached hero in a big way, and the countdown to Mario Day 2024 starts today!

The more reliable Hall Effect tech being implemented in the most sought-after third-party controllers has become very popular among gamers everywhere, and for good reason. No one likes stick drift and no one wants to just throw their hard earned cash down the drain when the sticks on the controller they just bought start going haywire for no good reason. Much like we have seen from brands like GameSir and the ever-popular CRKD Nitro Deck Switch controller, 8Bitdo – another popular brand in the third-party gaming accessory space – is now onboard with new tech, bringing upgraded thumbticks to a range of its Switch and multi-platform controller lineup. Check them out below. 

Update: Pre-orders on the new Arcade1Up Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 X-Men ‘97 Edition Deluxe Arcade Machine have now dropped down to $499.99 shipped on Amazon. 

Arcade1Up’s latest home cabinet creation is now up for pre-order covered in art directly inspired by X-Men 97’ and the upcoming continuation of the series. The ‘90s era X-Men animated series – the best X-Men ever if you ask me – debuted in 1992 and wrapped up in 1997, some 27 years before the series is set to continue on Disney+ starting next month, and Arcade1Up is celebrating the next season of the series with its latest Deluxe Marvel Vs Capcom 2 cabinet. Pre-orders are now live on what is one of the nicest looking models in the brand’s lineup for me and you can get all of the details on the upcoming release down below. 

Update: The latest CRKD Nitro Deck+ is now readily available for purchase on Amazon at $69.99 shipped.

The Nitro Deck has been one of the most popular and, for some, best Nintendo Switch accessories out there for some time. But CRKD is back today with a brand new new version known as the Nitro Deck+ featuring the same wrap-around controller for Switch with new features around every corner, including HDMI output support. The brand has released the debut announcement trailer for the new Switch gamepad, so head below and check it out alongside more details on what the new plus model brings to your on-the-go and at-home Nintendo gaming setups. 

Update: Joining the freebie pre-order bonuses detailed below, Geek Alliance is now offering the best price yet on Princess Peach: Showtime! pre-orders at $49.99 shipped. That’s $10 of the regular $60 price tag and the lowest straight-up cash discount we have seen ahead of release on March 22. Now, you won’t get the pre-order bonus here and there’s also no guarantee it arrives on day one, but again it is the best cash deal yet. 

Nintendo’s next major first-party release after Mario vs. Donkey Kong is the debut of the new Princess Peach Showtime!, and it’s now time to take a look at some pre-order bonuses. When the game first went up for pre-order there were no actual bonuses available just yet here in the US, but both Walmart and Best Buy now have some extra goodies you can score for pre-ordering the game before it launches in mid March alongside the new official all-pink Joy-Con. Head below for more details. 

After a brief delay and promising of the upcoming Spider-Man 2 update would hit on March 7, Insomniac is still on track for release and has now given more details on what to expect. The update was originally supposed to hit by the end 2023 before being officially pushed back into 2024. But developer Insomniac has now taken to the official PlayStation Blog to give more details on what to expect come March 7, 2024 when the major Spider-Man 2 update lands for webslingers everywhere. Everything is waiting down below. 

Update: The Elden Ring – Shadow of the Erdtree Edition is now up for pre-order on Amazon at $79.99 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. 

Update: Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC officially releases June 21, 2024 at $39.99 alongside a new collector’s edition, pre-orders start today. 

Ready your swords Tarnished, we are heading back to the Lands Between soon. FromSoftware expanded its brilliant and nail-biting Soulsborne formula out into the open world with Elden Ring and today it is finally ready to unveil the reveal trailer for Shadow of the Erdtree. The highly-anticipated first real look at gameplay in the upcoming expansion is set to go live today at 10 a.m. ET, and you can check it all out down below. 

Update: The new STAR WARS: Battlefront Classic Collection for Switch is now live on the eShop with a nice pre-order deal at $31.50 (Reg. $35). It launches on March 14th (also coming to PlayStation and Xbox).

After the launch of Mario vs. Donkey Kong and just ahead of next month’s release of Princess Peach Showtime! (here’s our early hands-on impressions), it’s time for the first Nintendo Direct showcase of 2024. Earlier this week, Nintendo announced it would host a Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase and we are now just minutes away. While two of the big first-party releases are already on the table, it’s time to find out what’s on the slate for the remainder of the year and beyond on Nintendo Switch. Head below to follow along with today’s Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase.

Well, both Xbox and Sony have broadcasted their first game showcases of the year, and you know what that means – Nintendo is next. Rumors of the next Direct showcase had surfaced just before Microsoft’s Phil Spencer confirmed select Xbox exclusive titles were indeed coming to PlayStation 5 and Switch, but Nintendo has now officially confirmed the first Direct showcase of the year. After the launch of Mario vs. Donkey Kong and just ahead of Princess Peach Showtime! making its worldwide debut on March 22, Nintendo and its development partners will take the stage in two day’s time. Head below for the details. 

It appears as though the folks over at Respawn Entertainment are currently in the process of developing a first-person Star Wars Mandalorian game, according to Insider Gaming. Respawn has been responsible for some of the more compelling AAA experience set in a galaxy far, far away as of late with the Star Wars Jedi series, so fans of the epic sci-fi franchise could be in for a real treat with this new take on The Mandalorian saga. Everything we know is waiting down below. 

Just before it unveiled its limited edition Dune Xbox gear, Microsoft announced that it would be broadcasting what sounds like a very special edition of the Xbox podcast. Hinting at details on the “future of Xbox,” Phil Spencer and friends are expected to be hitting the airwaves very soon with what could be some exciting (for some) news on the future of its gaming platform, exclusives titles, and more. More details below.

While the first Nintendo release for Switch hits later this week with the new Mario vs. Donkey Kong – FREE playable demo available now – the new Princess Peach Showtime! will be following closely behind. The brand new IP will see the titular princess star in an entirely new experience that is set for release in just over one month’s time now, and Nintendo just dropped a brand new trailer to show off more of what players can expect. Head below to check out it. 

Pilots will be heading to the captivating world of Arrakis as part of a new Microsoft Flight Simulator expansion. Ahead of the release of Dune: Part Two next month, the Xbox and MFS team have announced a partnership with Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures that will take players “beyond Planet Earth into the harsh deserts of the world of Dune” alongside a new custom Xbox Series S with Dune-themed Ornithopter Stand and “world’s first floating Xbox controller.” Hit the jump for more details. 

Microsoft has now officially announced an upcoming Xbox business update event for later this week. After getting a good look at some upcoming big-time game releases for the platform, not the least of which was the first gameplay footage for the new Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Microsoft is turning its attention to the big picture this Thursday. Many are expecting to hear about the company’s vision for the future of Xbox moving forward and, more specifically, about rumors involving Xbox exclusives landing on the other two major platforms. More details below. 

CRKD’s Nitro Deck wrap-around controller for Nintendo Switch has become quite popular over the last little while and the brand is now ready to expand its lineup of gaming accessories with the new NEO S. The gamepad looks to be heavily-inspired by the old squared-off form-factor of the classic NES controllers, just with more than its fair share of wild designs and some modern accoutrements in the form of the popular Hall effect stick tech and more. Head below for a closer look. 

BundleHunt today is launching its first macOS app bundle sale of the year. As we really only see a few times each year, you’ll be able to save on over 40 different apps for your Mac, all of which start at just $1. The whole catalog arrives with support for macOS Sonoma and comes with lifetime access. That makes this a perfect time to score some top-rated picks to elevate your workflow or score some new software for your new M3 MacBook and more. Head below for a few details on our top picks or dive into the entire sale here.

Update: The Final Fantasy VII Rebirth FREE demo has now been officially confirmed for release today on PSN. You can download it right now. In addition to the demo available today, a section of the game’s Junon region will be playable in the demo at some point between today and the game’s release later this month starting on February 21.

During last week’s State of Play many expected to see some new footage or details on the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – the second-half of the long-awaited ground-up remake of the legendary RPG – but Sony decided to host a dedicated showcase for the game instead. That stream is scheduled for later today at 3:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET with over 19 minutes of new details and gameplay footage for the upcoming remake ahead of its official release on February 29, 2024. But as we await for the show to kick off, news has hit of a FREE demo for the experience at the ready alongside pre-orders on the Deluxe edition and more. Hit the jump for all of the details. 

On Monday, Sony announced the first State of the Play of the year, and we are just minutes away now. After getting a good look at some upcoming Xbox titles last week, it’s now time for PlayStation to step into the spotlight with what will be quite a lengthy showcase highlighting some of the upcoming titles to grace the platform this year and beyond. There are over 15 titles on the slate today, and you can follow along with this afternoon’s State of the Play showcase down below. 

After being teased just ahead of the holidays, third-party gaming accessory maker PDP has now officially unveiled its new guitar gaming controller. While not unlike some of the guitar controllers we have seen in year’s past, the brand is looking to provide Rock Band 4 players and the upcoming guitar controller support for Fortnite Festival with a fresh high-tech solution by way of its new wireless Riffmaster guitar controller. Head below for more details. 

Microsoft has now taken to the official Xbox Wire to officially unveil the first new Xbox controllers of the year. This time around we are getting an entirely new batch of gamepads by way of the Vapor Xbox Wireless Controller Collection. The collection includes a new design available inside of the Xbox Design Lab – the online custom Xbox controller editor – and the new Xbox Wireless Controller – Dream Vapor Special Edition (this one is now available for pre-order). Head below for a closer look and more details. 

The first PlayStation State of Play of 2024 is scheduled for this week. After getting a lengthy gaming showcase from the folks over at Xbox with the first look at the new Indiana Jones game, it’s now PlayStation’s turn. Sony has taken to the official PlayStation Blog today to announce the next State of Play showcase, and we are just about 48 hours away from showtime. Kicking off this Wednesday, Sony is now ready to get its gamers stoked for what’s to come with a look at over a dozen PS5 and PS VR2 titles. Head below for all of the details. 

Amazon is now offering the HORI Pokémon: Pikachu & Friends Nintendo Switch Vault Case for $19.99 with free shipping for Prime members or in orders over $25. Regularly $25, this is a straight up 20% price drop and the lowest price we can find. While we did see it drop to an $18 low last summer, today’s deal is on par with the holiday offer last year and matching the best since. Featuring a bright, glossy, and officially-licensed design with all of the most popular pocket monsters on the outside, you’ll find a turquoise green treatment and Poké Ball aesthetics on the inside. Designed to carry your Switch safely on-the-go, it protects your console with a hard shell frame alongside enough space to house up to 10 game cards and some smaller accessories. More details below. 

Well, we aren’t even a month into 2024 and we already have our second report on what could be the next-generation Nintendo Switch console, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch Pro, or whatever it might be called. After a CES 2024 press release mentioned the upcoming console by name, a fresh report from Bloomberg suggests Nintendo next Switch console is indeed coming this year with a new display. Head below for the details. 

Following the announcement of Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding landing on iPhone and Mac later this month, Backbone has now officially unveiled its new Backbone One Death Stranding Limited Edition Controller. The brand debuted the second-generation version of its popular USB-C iPhone 15/Android controller back in November (shortly before we went hands-on), but it has now teamed up with Kojima Productions to reveal its sweet new golden translucent special edition model. Check it out below. 

Update: The new Pastel Pink Joy-Con are now up for pre-order at Amazon, GameStop and Best Buy.

A new set of official pink Joy-Con are on the way. Nintendo has just taken to its official X (Twitter) account to reveal the next special edition Joy-Con release. Set to launch alongside the release of the Princess Peach game, a brand new set of pastel pink Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers will be available at select retailers in about two month’s time. Head below for more details and a closer look. 

The first major Nintendo Switch release of the year is quickly approaching as Mario vs. Donkey Kong is set to hit store shelves in just a few week’s time. The launch will mark the return of the classic series in glorious fashion with loads of new stages and worlds, gameplay mechanics, and more, with a complete ground-up re-imagining of the original title from back in 2004. And we are now tracking the first straight-up cash discount on pre-orders. Head below for more details. 

Friday has arrived and so has a fresh batch of discounted iOS game and app deals. Today’s app deals join the Best Buy 3-day sale as well as offers on Apple’s official iPhone 15 MagSafe silicone cases and more right here. As far as the apps go, highlights on sale today include titles like LEGO Bricktales, Rogue Hearts, Castle of White Night, Orderly – Simple to-do lists, and more. Head below for a complete look at today’s best iOS game and app deals. 

Microsoft is just minutes away from hosting its first Developer Direct showcase of the year. Officially announced last week via Xbox Wire, the first 2024 Developer Direct broadcast of the year is set to feature an “inside look at some of the highly anticipated games coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Game Pass, presented by the game creators themselves.” Follow along with us down below. 

Update: The new Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race Wheel & Pedal System is now available for purchase at Best Buy and elsewhere. 

After being teased earlier this week, Turtle Beach has officially unveiled its new VelocityOne Race Wheel and Pedal System. Just after we had a chance to go hands-on with the brand’s new premium and more traditional Stealth Ultra Xbox gamepad, pre-orders are going live today on the new Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S racing controller system. Hit the jump for a rundown of the specs and feature set of the new VelocityOne kit. 

While we await the launch of Mario vs. Donkey Kong next month, Nintendo has now announced the next additions to its growing Switch Online game library. The first update of 2024 for Switch Online will see a pair of new titles land in the Game Boy Advance library – Golden Sun and Golden Sun: The Lost Age. Head below for more details. 

Switch gamers had some fantastic first-party releases to keep busy in 2023 with both The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and the fantastic Super Mario Wonder landing on store shelves, not to mention the Super Mario RPG remake. But the first major Nintendo release of 2024 is now on the horizon with Mario vs. Donkey Kong set to land on Switch consoles everywhere next month. And Nintendo has now released a new trailer to get gamers stoked for the upcoming spin-off crossover title. 

Well, as the Nintendo Switch 2 rumors continue into 2024 (let’s be honest, they aren’t going to stop until Nintendo unveils next-gen hardware), one company might have (and I stress, might have here) outed the existence of an upcoming new Nintendo console and its release window. Nintendo Switch 2 rumors, or whatever the next machine will be called, stretch back for years, but a CES 2024 Altec Lansing press release just mentioned it by name. Head below for more details. 

A new DualSense PlayStation 5 controller could be on the way. While rumors of a new PS5 Pro console continue, some of which suggesting we could see a launch or reveal sometime this year, retail listings have recently been spotted from a pair of outlets suggesting we could be seeing a new PlayStation 5 controller with upgraded specs and an included charging station coming down the pipeline in an official capacity from Sony. Head below for the details. 

We are about to get our first good look at the new Indiana Jones game and more as Microsoft has now announced an upcoming Developer_Direct Xbox event. With a new year comes new games and Xbox will be the first out of the gate with its debut showcase of 2024 to give gamers a look ahead at what’s to come. Now scheduled to go live next week, Microsoft has taken to the official Xbox Wire to give gamers some details at what to expect from the first major Xbox showcase event of the year. Head below for the details. 

Note: The images on display here appear to be prototypes and do not officially represent the final product.

Alongside all of this week’s CES 2024 product announcements, Hyperkin is now ready to debut its new SEGA handheld console. Pulling inspiration from the classic Genesis Nomad of yesteryear, the new Hyperkin Mega 95 combines some of the design sensibilities of the Nintendo Switch to provide an all-in-one SEGA gaming system that works both at home on the big screen and in portable mode. Hit the jump for a closer look and more details. 

We are now tracking the first deals on those see-through PDP Sonic Switch controllers that launched last summer. Amazon is offering the Tails Seaside Hill Zone and Sonic Green Hill Zone models down at $29.99 shipped. Regularly $40, this is a solid 25% price drop and the lowest we can find. Both of today’s discounts mark all-time lows and the first notable deals we have tracked on Amazon. Alongside the officially licensed treatment and a complete Pro Controller-style button layout, the real standout feature here is the see-through grip with a floating 3D figurine inside. From there you’ll find artwork pulled from the new Sonic Superstars game (currently on sale for $30), a 3.5mm headphone jack, built-in volume controls, and LED lighting effects “you can change using the ABXY buttons.” Get a closer look in our launch coverage and down below.