I spend an embarrassing amount of time watching prices move, partly out of professional duty and partly because I hate paying full price. This week’s crop finally rewarded the obsession. There are a few deals here that feel less like discounts and more like apologies. Happy hoidays and even happier savings to you all.

Contents

• Retro
• Nintendo
• Xbox
• PlayStation
• PC
• PC Gear
• LEGO

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I'm celebrating the 29th birthday of Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, arguably gaming's greatest seasonal freebie. Mind you, last year's Christmas level update for Astro Bot sure does come a close second.

Sega threw Chrissy NiGHTS in with my purchase of a select Sega Saturn game, and it was basically a little advent calendar whose content shifted in sync with my console's internal clock. Beating a level (reskinned in a wintry and/or outright Christmas theme) earned you limited chances to solve a tile-matching puzzle to unlock 25 "Presents." The best of the bunch? A mini-sandbox level starring Sonic the Hedgehog that ends with a satisfying Eggman scrambling. I adore this demo disc and replay it every year without fail.

Aussie birthdays for notable games.

- Link: The Faces of Evil (CD-i) 1993. eBay

- Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon (CD-i) 1993. eBay

- Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams (SAT) 1996. eBay

- Art Academy (DS) 2009. eBay

Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch

• Hollow Knight (-50%) A$8.70 A masterclass in atmosphere and map design from Team Cherry, and still one of the best examples of how far patience and polish can carry a small studio.
• Borderlands 3 Ult. (-50%) A$44.60 The full loot-shooter package with every major expansion included, and far better paced now than it was at launch.
• Gris (-82%) A$4.20 A wordless platformer about grief and recovery, elevated by art direction that still gets cited in design talks years later.
• Immortals Fenyx Rising (-85%) A$8.90 Ubisoft Quebec’s playful take on open world design, packed with myth jokes and puzzle shrines that clearly learned from Breath of the Wild.
• The Witcher 3 Comp. (-75%) A$19.90 Still one of the strongest RPG narratives ever made, and borderline witchcraft that it runs this well on Switch.
• Rogue Legacy (-90%) A$1.60 A roguelite that popularised generational progression, and remains dangerously moreish in short bursts.

Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.

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Exciting Bargains for Xbox

• Nightreign Sekker's Ed. (-60%) A$34 A lavish physical release for Elden Ring fans who enjoy maps, art books and a bit of shelf flex.
• Diablo IV (-73%) A$30 After multiple seasonal overhauls, Blizzard’s action RPG finally feels tuned for long term play rather than launch week spikes.
• Like a Dragon: Ishin! (-58%) A$42.30 A historical spin-off that swaps neon streets for samurai drama, while keeping the series’ trademark absurd side stories intact.
• Blasphemous (-80%) A$7.40 Grim, pixelated soulslike combat inspired by Spanish religious art, and far more unsettling than its screenshots suggest.
• Dredge (-60%) A$13.90 A fishing loop that slowly reveals cosmic horror, built around risk management rather than reflexes.

Xbox One

• Assassin's Creed Valhalla (-61%) A$39 A sprawling Viking epic best enjoyed as a slow burn, with side arcs that often outshine the main plot.
• Red Dead Redemption 2 (-75%) A$22.40 Rockstar’s most meticulously detailed world, where even minor NPC routines feel authored with obsessive care.
• Xbox Wireless Controller Carbon Black (-26%) A$74 Still one of the most comfortable controllers around, and a sensible spare if yours has survived too many rage quits.

Or just invest in an Xbox Card.

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Pure Scores for PlayStation

• Kingdom Come Deliverance II (-50%) A$57.40 A hardcore medieval RPG sequel that doubles down on historical accuracy, right down to combat techniques drawn from manuscripts.
• Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales (-48%) A$49 Shorter than the first game but packed with confidence, and still one of the best showcases for PS5 performance.
• Triangle Strategy (-60%) A$36.30 A tactics RPG that prioritises political storytelling, with choices that genuinely lock and unlock narrative paths.
• Hogwarts Legacy (-85%) A$14.90 A richly detailed wizarding sandbox that rewards exploration, especially if you enjoy poking behind every moving staircase.
• Yoku's Island Express (-90%) A$2.40 A joyous mashup of pinball tables and platforming that feels hand built for smiling through a single sitting.

PS4

• Neo The World Ends With You (-53%) A$39.90 A stylish sequel that modernises its combat systems without losing the series’ fashion obsessed identity.
• NieR Replicant Ver. 1.22 (-50%) A$44.90 A melancholy RPG remaster that contextualises Automata, filled with narrative tricks that still catch players off guard.
• Persona 5 Strikers (-55%) A$45 A surprisingly faithful sequel that swaps turn based combat for musou action while keeping character chemistry intact.

Or purchase a PS Store Card.

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Purchase Cheap for PC

• Dead Island 2 (-90%) A$7.40 Weighty melee combat and absurd gore tech combine into a zombie game that knows exactly what it wants to be.
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (-50%) A$52.40 A confident continuation that expands the remake project, layering character moments between bombastic set pieces.
• Kena Bridge of Spirits (-70%) A$17.90 A debut from former animators that looks like a Pixar film, but hides a tougher combat edge than expected.
• Death's Door (-80%) A$5.90 Tight isometric combat and a surprisingly sincere story about burnout, told through a sword wielding crow.
• Overcooked All You Can Eat (-75%) A$14.20 Chaotic co-op perfection that stress tests friendships, now bundled with every kitchen and quality of life upgrade.

Or just get a Steam Wallet Card

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