Word is there's quite a lot of influenza going on out there, which means some of you might be grateful for some cheap indoor diversions. Gaming may not be the cure for common pestilence, but the discounts I've arrayed before you will feel like the prescription for stupidly-priced fun and adventure. Case in point: those many-multi-hour (yet highly reduced) Final Fantasies...

In retro news, I've made a big cake with a 25 on it for Ape Escape, the first game to explicitly require a DualShock controller. In these modern times where the dpad is a vestigial limb, it's difficult to explain just how exciting it was to transition from that clunky cross to twin analog sticks. Cameras could be controlled like we were Spielberg. Platforming through a 3D space could be done with a finer degree of accuracy. Using the right stick to swing our weapons was...way less intuitive than just pressing a button.

This Day in Gaming

Aussie birthdays for notable games.

- Ape Escape (PS) 1999. Get

- Spider-Man 2 (GC,PC,PS2,XB) 2004. Reboot

- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 (PC,PS3,X360) 2009. Sequel

- Fight Night Round 4 (PS3,X360) 2009. Sequel