Sega has reignited its old rivalry against Nintendo in a spicy trailer for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds that doesn't hold back on its comparisons with Switch 2 launch title Mario Kart World.
In a voiceover for CrossWorlds' "Come Race on Our Level" trailer, Sega highlights the differences between the two games, hyping up its game's multiverse-spanning racetracks and cross-platform gameplay. The same voiceover then noticeably sounds bored when referencing the other game's ability to "roam around on the open world" — a clear nod to Mario Kart World, whose open-world gameplay has garnered a mixed response from fans.
What looks to be actual footage of Mario Kart World is even featured in the trailer — although Sega has pixellated the video, presumably to avoid getting sued.
The excitement levels from both games are represented visually with a sleek and speedy racecar for Crossworlds, compared to a dusty, old-fashioned RV for Mario Kart World. One shot shows it stall next to a cow (a likely nod to the game's breakout Cow character) and a tortoise — an animal not known for its speed.
"We all know that kart racing game," the trailer's voiceover states. "It's great, we don't need to show it to you. But what if you could blast through and race on a whole other level? What if you could warp across different dimensions, fully customise and build out your machine and compete head-to-head across different platforms?
"Or, er, what if you want to... roam around on the open road..."
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds launches for PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Switch 1, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on September 25, just six months after the arrival of Mario Kart World on Switch 2.
A Switch 2 version of CrossWorlds is also on the way, but curiously not this month. Could this be Sega knowing it would do better to leave more of a gap between CrossWorlds and Mario Kart World on Switch 2, or has Nintendo suggested it would rather Sega not release a direct competitor so soon?
Whichever is the case, here's hoping Nintendo still has a sense of humor when it sees this.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Pocketpair has said it’s now heads down getting Palworld ready to leave early access and officially release its 1.0 update at some point in 2026.
In a video message, communications director and publishing manager John “Bucky” Buckley said Palworld will officially exit early access and release the Ver 1.0 update in 2026, making a significant milestone for the game. Palworld will launch proper alongside what sounds like a huge update, which Pocketpair is now focusing on.
This, Bucky said, means the rest of this year will be a little quieter for Palworld, although a winter update is still planned.
📢About Palworld Ver. 1.0
— Palworld (@Palworld_EN) September 16, 2025
Hello everyone.
Palworld will officially release (Ver. 1.0) in 2026.
We are currently developing a massive amount of content for this milestone, and also planning some surprises for the rest of 2025.
Please watch the video below for more details: pic.twitter.com/rpP5gmLtjs
“It’s no secret that Palworld has a lot of quirks and jank, and we want to take the time to properly address those before releasing the game,” Bucky explained. This “cleanup” starts this year, with 1.0 coming next year.
“We think taking the time now to fix those problems will ultimately lead to a better game,” Bucky continued. “It means things will be a little quiet from us for the rest of this year.” Related, the upcoming winter update won’t be as big as December 2024’s Feybreak update, although Bucky teased “a few surprises.”
1.0 will be a “major milestone," Bucky continued, “and we have a truly massive amount of content planned for the 1.0 update.”
Meanwhile, Pocketpair is “experimenting with other ideas for games,” although Bucky insisted “most of the company’s focus is on Palworld.” We will hear about these smaller teams and their ideas soon, he said.
Of course, the Palworld news comes as Nintendo and The Pokémon Company’s high-profile patent lawsuit against Pocketpair soldiers on. Nintendo has been busy obtaining patents — some of which IP lawyers said should never have been granted — as it develops its case. Meanwhile, Pocketpair has vowed to defend itself in court, and continue to update Palworld along the way.
The case involves three patents granted by the Japan Patent Office: two related to monster capture and release, and one related to riding characters. All three patents were filed in 2024, after Palworld came out. However, they are actually derived from earlier Nintendo patents dating from 2021. In other words, it seems that once Palworld came on the scene, Nintendo filed divisional patents that were geared to fight specifically against Palworld’s alleged infringement of the original patents.
Since then, Pocketpair has made changes to Palworld’s disputed mechanics. The November 2024 patch removed the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pokéball-like Pal Spheres (now Pals just materialize next to you when summoned). In May this year, another Palworld update changed how you can glide in the game — instead of directly grabbing onto Glider Pals, now you just simply use Pal-buffed Glider equipment. Then, in July, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company reworded one of the patents in the case.
At GDC in March, IGN sat down for an extended conversation with Bucky following his talk at the conference, 'Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop.' During that talk, Buckley went into candid detail about a number of Palworld’s struggles, especially the accusations of it using generative AI (which Pocketpair has since debunked pretty soundly) and stealing Pokemon’s models for its own Pals. He even commented a bit on Nintendo’s patent infringement lawsuit against the studio, saying it “came as a shock” to the studio and was “something that no one even considered.”
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Amazon has officially locked in the dates for its second Prime exclusive shopping spree of the year, Prime Big Deal Days, also known as "October Prime Day", will run from October 7 to 8.
Unlike July’s marathon four-day blowout (because apparently 48 hours wasn’t enough chaos), this one’s dialing things back to the “classic”, but still misnomered, two-day format.
These days, October Prime Day sits comfortably in the shopping event big leagues, right behind July’s extravaganza and Black Friday in both size and hype. And, true to form, it’s still members-only; if you don’t have Prime, you’re not getting in the club.
Many of the discounts won’t reappear until Black Friday, so if you’ve got your eye on something shiny, this could be your first (and possibly best) shot at snagging it.
October Prime Day has turned into the perfect warm-up act before Black Friday brings full-on deal-induced carnage. Amazon loves to throw out discounts in October that mysteriously vanish come November, which makes this sale more than just a filler, it’s basically a cheat day for bargain hunters.
And Amazon’s not the only one itching for your wallet. Best Buy, Walmart, and Target will almost certainly roll out their own “totally coincidental” sales the week of October 6, all designed to one-up each other and prove they, too, can sell you an air fryer for half off. In short, there’ll be no shortage of places to impulse-buy stuff you didn’t know you needed.
Amazon’s already rolling out some early Prime Day deal bait; including discounts on Amazon devices like Fire sticks, alongside offers on Pokemon cards, PS5 hits like Madden NFL 26, iPhone 17 accessories, and more.
There's also exclusive member benefits like $15 off a purchase of $55+ when shopping in-store at Amazon Fresh, $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval for Prime Visa, and even free McDonald’s 10-piece Chicken McNuggets Meal once per day between September 15 and October 5. Holy diabetes, Batman!
But the real fun begins once October Prime Day officially kicks off. Sure, you’ll get the usual boring-but-practical discounts on batteries and cat food, but the real treasures are the highly anticipated (but not yet confirmed) 3-for-2 offers on 4K Blu-rays, books, and other physical media. Yes, physical media is alive and well, and Prime Day is one of the best times of the year to pad out that collection.
On the tech side, keep an eye out for AirPods Pro 2 price drops now that the AirPods Pro 3 are stealing the spotlight. And don’t sleep on refurbished and “Used - Like New” gaming gear either, last time around, the PlayStation Portal plunged to $125 and the PS5 Pro dipped to around $500. If history repeats itself, those kinds of deals could be back on the table, and well worth feasting on ASAP.
Amazon also has a habit of dangling free memberships and perks during Prime Day, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for deals on subscriptions like Audible, Kindle Unlimited, Amazon Music Unlimited, and Prime Gaming.
For September 2025, Prime Gaming members can already grab free PC games including Sid Meier's Civilization IV: The Complete Edition, the Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft series, and Into the Breach, but we'll let you know about any incoming updates for October soon as well.
But the best freebie of all? That’s reserved for younger shoppers. Amazon’s “Prime for Young Adults” deal is basically a cheat code if you’re between 18 and 24, or a student.
You get a six-month trial for $0, then a half-price subscription at just $7.49 per month or $69 per year. No stripped-down version either, this is the full Prime experience.
That means Prime Video with upcoming tentpoles like Fallout Season 2 (December 17) and Gen V Season 2 (September 17), all the usual fast shipping perks, and Prime Gaming bonuses like monthly freebies, in-game loot, and a Twitch sub for whichever streamer you’ve irrationally decided to support this month.
Do the math and that free trial alone saves you almost $90. Honestly, it’s one of the best Prime deals Amazon ever offers. And yeah, I’m bitter I aged out of it.
But also, be smart about signing up for any subscriptions: Turn off auto-renew, set a reminder if you need to, and make sure you’re not paying a penny more than required.
Black Friday might still seem like the king of sales, but which is actually better: Prime Day or Black Friday? There's only one way to find out, FIGHT!!! (While I hate explaining a joke, that was a Harry Hill's TV Burp reference, for those too young or too American to understand my sense of humor).
Er, yeah so October Prime Day! Amazon, Target, Walmart, and the rest of the retail Avengers are lining up right now to swing the discount hammer before November even arrives. But here’s the big question: are these “Prime” deals actually worth it, or is Black Friday still the heavyweight champ?
Both sales events love dangling shiny big-ticket temptations, think Apple Watches, iPads, and 4K TVs, and it’s not always obvious which one cuts deeper. Tariffs bouncing back into play this August haven’t exactly helped either, making deal-hunting feel like a contact sport.
The catch with Prime Day is, well, you need Prime. That’s $14.99 a month or $139 a year (or £8.99 per month or £95 a year in the UK) unless you’re a fresh-faced newbie who can grab the 30-day free trial and scoop up all the October 7–8 bargains (or, as I mentioned, even a fresh faced under-24 y/o who can bag zero-cost six month trial as well).
Black Friday, meanwhile, simply wins out on scale. Everyone piles in, from mega-retailers to random shops desperate to clear stock, which means fierce competition and sweeter prices on big-ticket tech like gaming consoles and laptops. That’s why Black Friday still tends to edge out Prime Day in that department, even if rival sales have started muscling in on Amazon’s turf.
On the flip side, Prime Day is laser-focused on Amazon, which makes it perfect for grabbing the retail giant's own toys. Fire TVs, Echo speakers, Kindles, and they’re typically discounted ahead of time as well. So if you’re already paying for Prime (or you’re happy to burn that free trial), you can bag some hefty savings without waiting for Black Friday chaos.
Only for the UK, or access via a VPN
Amazon has also nailed down its UEFA Champions League broadcast schedule for the rest of the year in the UK, just ahead of the opening round of fixtures:
As with previous seasons, one match will air exclusively on Prime Video every Tuesday of a Champions League gameweeks, with Prime members getting access at no extra cost.
Of course, if you’re outside the UK, this is where a VPN comes in handy. Got one? You’re sorted. Don’t? Then check out our top VPNs for streaming in 2025.
Amazon’s first live game of the League Phase will see Thomas Frank make his European debut with Europa League champions Tottenham Hotspur facing Villarreal on September 16. Liverpool follows on September 30 in their opener against Galatasaray.
And if you’re in the US, you also can catch Champions League action on Paramount+, which is currently running a limited-time deal: 50% off an annual subscription until September 18, available to both new and existing subscribers.
Robert Anderson is Senior Commerce Editor and IGN's resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.
I keep telling myself I'll resist but these discounts are like a siren song. Four platforms, four dangerous rabbit holes, and more ways to sink my free time than I have hours. Still, I'd rather be broke and happy than miss out on the awesome bundled gems in today's haul.
Contents
In retro news, I'm asking the Human Torch to light 15 candles on a cake baked for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, the action-RPG brawler I adored playing in 4P co-op. This was a full-blown superhero buffet, letting you smash through enemies with a roster that felt like it had leapt right off the comic shop shelves with a Civil War storyline front and centre.
The fusion system was the big add here (pairing up heroes for devastating combo moves that were both flashy and strategic). Beyond that, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 didn't reinvent the wheel, but it gave fans the superhero team-up game we always wanted. Also, its bonus skin selections remain superior to the meh recolourings we got in 2019's MUA3.
Aussie birthdays for notable games.
- The Sims 2 (PC) 2004. Sequel
- Guitar Hero 5 (PS2/3,Wii,X360) 2009. eBay
- Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 (X360) 2009. Sequel
- Bubble Bobble Neo! (X360) 2009. Sequel
- Phantasy Star Portable 2 (PSP) 2010.
- NHL 11 (PS3,X360) 2010. Sequel
- PlayStation Move (PS3) 2010. eBay
- PlayStation 4 Slim launch, 2016.
On Switch, Tears of the Kingdom is still the gold standard for player creativity. I spent hours building functional mechs out of wood and Zonai parts, and then immediately crashed them into rivers. Meanwhile, Metroid Prime Remastered proves how ahead of its time Retro Studios was. Back in 2002, they actually taped a GameCube controller to a camera rig to test immersion.
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Over on Series X, Resident Evil 4 is survival horror perfection. Fun fact: Leon's hair physics were so tricky that Capcom had to dedicate an entire internal memo to "strand discipline." Farming Simulator 25 also deserves mention, not only for its meditative gameplay but because the devs modelled actual tractor engines in a sound studio for authenticity.
Xbox One
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PS5-wise, Dead Space is an all-timer for sci-fi horror. The zero-G sections alone felt revolutionary back in 2008. On the opposite side of tone, Spider-Man: Miles Morales is joy distilled into web-swinging. Insomniac actually sent animators to Harlem to nail its vibe.
PS4
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PC players should grab Metaphor: ReFantazio, which brings together the Persona dream team. Its announcement caused Atlus's site to crash under fan traffic. And Streets of Rage 4 kept the beat-'em-up flame alive with hand-drawn art so detailed you can see enemies sweat.
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Adam Mathew is a passionate connoisseur, a lifelong game critic, and an Aussie deals wrangler who genuinely wants to hook you up with stuff that's worth playing (but also cheap). He plays practically everything, sometimes on YouTube.
OnePlus is best known for making killer mid-range smartphones, but it's also sneakily had some of the best earbuds around. They're moderately priced and jammed with extra features – and last year's Buds Pro 3 fixed some audio issues for clean, booming sound. The new OnePlus Buds 4 try to follow that same trend. They have lots of party tricks – specifically tuned sound profiles, 3D spatial audio, adaptive switching between noise cancelling and transparency mode – for a reasonable price. They're $129.99/£119.99 on paper but you may find them around $100/£100 if you buy them directly from OnePlus. So has OnePlus done it again, or are the Buds 4 a rare misstep?
The OnePlus Buds 4 look disappointingly generic with its pebble-shaped. From end to end, it's larger than most cases but it is, at least, thin enough that I could slip it into my pocket without it bulging out from my clothes. The lid shuts with a loud, satisfying snap, but it will creak and wiggle from side to side if you push it. After my few weeks of testing I noticed some minor scuffs and scratches on the surface: it's certainly not flimsy, but it doesn't feel premium.
The earbuds have a lick more personality, with a curved indented touch area on the side and metal-effect circle near the bottom of the stems. More importantly, they’re light yet they have a snug fit so they don’t dislodge, even when I was running. They come with rubberized tips of varying sizes for your ears, but the default ones felt comfortable – I wore them for hours without needing to take a break. IP55 certification shows they're water and dust resistant (although not waterproof). Not every set of mid-range earbuds can say that, and I wore the Buds 4 in the rain and during sweaty workouts without worrying.
The touch controls mostly work well, consistently recognizing my gestures. Furthermore, the customization of single, double, and triple taps is generous, like all of the customization for the Buds 4. (I'll talk about the OnePlus HeyMelody app later in this review in more detail). Sliding your finger up and down for volume control feels intuitive, but it was fiddly at first. It was too easy for my finger to slip off the stem of the bud or to midjudge the angle, which often registered as a tap, pausing my music. It was fine once I got used to it, though.
Battery life is about average and I got between five and a half and six hours of continuous use from a full charge while using active noise cancellation (ANC), which is perfectly acceptable at this price. The case will recharge your buds three times before you need to plug it in, which adds up to somewhere between 22 and 24 hours of play with ANC enabled between plug-ins, or about 45 hours without ANC. While not particularly spectacular, these are good numbers.
It lacks wireless charging, however: I can't ding it too hard for that but some similarly priced buds have it, such as the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS. It does, however, charge quickly, and 10 minutes was enough for several hours of juice. More importantly, the audio quality, and the flood of customization available, is where the Buds 4 starts to shine.
For the price, the Buds 4 sound excellent. I tested them on a variety of music genres as well as podcasts, films, audio books, and live sports, and they sounded loud, balanced, and natural. They are slightly bass heavy, and in some songs it nearly drowned out other elements, but it never ruined anything for me (and it’s quite easy to adjust the EQ in its software to tune it to your liking). Remember that these are mid-range earbuds, so audiophiles looking for the absolute best sound quality will need to spend more money – but you can still feel the thump on bassy songs, the crisp splash of cymbals or snare drums. Vocals, whether sung or spoken, sound rich and true to life.
They support Low Latency High-Definition Audio Codec (LHDC), a technology that can stream high-resolution audio over Bluetooth, which can give you more detailed sound. Most mid-range buds don't have this, so it feels like a bonus. You'll need a compatible Android device – the list is quite small, but includes OnePlus' phones – and a streaming service that supports hi-res audio, such as Tidal (Spotify doesn't), so whether you notice the benefit depends on other factors you may or may not have access to.
Noise cancellation is impressive. You can adjust its strength to block out more or less sound, or let it adjust automatically. I mostly left it on maximum because I only used it when I wanted to hear as little background noise as possible. My ultimate ANC test is a particularly screechy section of the London Underground, and while the Buds 4 couldn't drown out the squeal of the tracks completely, it cut more than most other earbuds I've used. At the gym, it blocked out all the public music so I could hear my own without having to crank the volume up, and when I was listening to an audiobook in a cafe, it drowned out all background conversations.
On the other end of noise control is transparency mode, which uses the built-in mics to boost external noise. This worked just as well as the noise cancelling: I used it for safety when walking on busy roads, or at home, when I was working but still wanted to hear people around me. It only amplified meaningful sounds, and the background fuzziness you sometimes get with transparency modes is absent here.
Between noise cancelling and transparency modes sits one of the Buds 4's flagship features: an adaptive mode which flicks between the two depending on your background noise. I love the idea of just choosing one setting and never having to think about it again, but it's just not good enough to do that. The change between the two can feel abrupt, but my bigger complaint is that it's too stingy with the noise cancelling. In my gym it resisted adapting to the blaring background music where ANC would’ve been the right switch: I could hear every line of every song, interfering with what I was listening to. I admire the ambition, and hopefully OnePlus can improve on it next time.
All of the Buds 4's many tools and tricks are built into OnePlus phones, but for everyone else they're in the HeyMelody app. It failed to realize my buds were connected a couple of times, but the problem never lasted long and the app worked fine on the whole. It's simple, easy to navigate, and devoid of annoying pop-ups.
It's pleasingly packed with ways to tune the sound of the Buds to your taste. Dimming bass, for example, is simple with BassWave. It's a sliding scale that lets you remove bass or, if you want, crank it up to absurd levels. At maximum it sounds forced and unnatural, but if you're gentle it works well. One of the Buds 4's other signatures is the grandly titled Golden Sound which claims to test your ears and tune sounds specifically to your "ear canal structure." It seems futuristic but most of the testing is moving a slider until you can no longer hear a series of beeps. Based on my results, it told me it would amplify frequencies at the mid-range.
I was skeptical, but I must admit music did sound fuller and more vibrant afterwards. When I turned it off, it sounded flatter. If you don't like the results you can add a custom six-element equalizer, giving you precise control over the sound profile you want.
And then there's OnePlus 3D audio, which I liked less. Turning this on should make you feel like you're surrounded by noise – for music, it sounded different with louder vocals, but I can't say it sounded more immersive. For podcasts, it sounded more like a studio with a little more reverb, which I liked but also had some strange artifacts and wonky noise levels. Ultimately, I left it off.
Whether you enjoy any of these options or not, there's no denying that this is a generous toolset for mid-range buds. Most people will, I think, like the default sound, but if you don't, you're almost guaranteed to find a combination of adjustments that work for you. And there are a few more peripheral extras, too. Dual connection lets you connect to two devices at once, so I could flip between watching YouTube on my laptop and my phone instantly without having to disconnect and/or reconnect. AI translation instantly translates foreign languages for you, but it's specific to OnePlus phones.
I wasn't impressed by Gaming Mode, which reduces latency when you're playing phone games. I tried it in PUBG Mobile, but the sound of gunshots still lagged behind the on-screen action, although some have reported it works better with OnePlus phones. If you want the best gaming earbuds, you're still going to need something specifically designed for it with proper low-latency modes whether it be a robust wireless protocol or a 2.4GHz receiver.
Ahead of the holiday season, Lenovo is offering the lowest price I've seen for one of its RTX 5070 Ti equipped gaming laptops. Right now you can get the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 10 gaming laptop, equipped with an OLED display and RTX 5070 Ti GPU, for just $1,764.99 after you apply coupon code: "EXTRAFIVE". That's a total of $705 off in combined savings. Lenovo Legion laptops are well-rated thanks to their excellent build quality, powerful components, and robust cooling.
Update: I recommend upgrading to 32GB of RAM for only $45 more.
This particular configuration is equipped with a 16" 2560x1600 165Hz OLED display, Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU, 16GB of DDR5-5600MHz RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The Legion Pro features an aluminum top lid and a sturdy plastic bottom chassis. The display is an absolute stunner thanks to the true OLED panel with a razor sharp 2.5K 189ppi resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, HDR 1000 True Black certification, and 100%DCI-P3 color space. This new 2025 model has also been updated with the Wi-Fi 7 standard. Connectivity options include a Thunderbolt 4 port with DisplayPort 2.1, a USB Type-C port with up to 100W of Power Delivery, an RJ45 ethernet port, and an HDMI 2.1 port. The 80Whr battery can charge to 80% in just 30 minutes.
The Legion Pro 5 is equipped with the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX Arrow Lake-HX processor, which boasts a max turbo frequency of 5.4GHz with a whopping 24 cores and 40MB total L2 cache. According to Passmark, this is second most powerful Intel mobile CPU available right now and goes head to head with AMD's Ryzen 9 9955HX.
The Legion Pro 5 laptop offers a more substantial cooling design than the Legion 5 (non-Pro) and is able to accomodate more powerful GPUs like the RTX 5070 Ti. That's important if you want to be able to play games comfortably on the display's enhanced 2560x1600 resolution. The RTX 5070 Ti mobile GPU is a substantial upgrade over the 4070 Ti. In fact, it offers gaming performance on par with the RTX 4080 and takes the lead in any games that support DLSS 4 with multi-frame generation (the RTX 4080 only supports DLSS 3). You'd have to pay hundreds more to upgrade to an RTX 5080.
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.
This review is based on a screening which took place at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will be released in select theaters on November 26 and on Netflix on December 12.
After a brief sojourn in a galaxy far, far away, acclaimed director Rian Johnson has spent the past eight years working on the macabre misadventures of Daniel Craig’s detective Benoit Blanc. As a Netflix film, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will get a limited theatrical release, but it will ultimately be seen by most audiences on the small screen. That’s a shame, since it looks great and would likely go over well as a late autumn crowdpleaser. It’s also the first movie in the series that’s a straightforward murder mystery instead of a subversion of one, which winds up being the film’s best attribute.
The film starts off not with Blanc, but with our functional main character: Reverend Jud Duplencity (Josh O’Connor), a down-on-his-luck young priest assigned to aid a small, insular parish led by the domineering Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). Wicks is an elder firebrand who keeps his small group of churchgoing regulars in check with rants and deceit, leading Jud to take no small umbrage with the man. But when, after a sermon, Wicks collapses with a blade in his back, there is no obvious way for someone to have killed him, even though all eyes fall on Jud for having the most obvious motive. Enter Craig’s Benoit Blanc, who finds what might just be his most perplexing case yet.
As a general supporter of Johnson’s films who was severely disappointed in the second film in this series, Glass Onion, it’s good to see the director back in strong form with Wake Up Dead Man. It doesn’t beat Knives Out for emotional resonance – O’Connor’s layered but understated turn as Jud doesn’t quite generate the same amount of pathos as Ana de Armas’ Marta did in the first film, but gets close – but it does wind up being the best mystery of the bunch. The answer here is not obvious and the method of how the killing and subsequent machinations were achieved is actually inventive. And while not every plot beat or line of dialogue is perfectly executed, Johnson’s command of his directorial style is as capable as it’s ever been.
This is especially true of the film’s visuals. Johnson’s films, all of which have been photographed by long-time collaborator Steve Yedlin, always look fantastic, and Wake Up Dead Man is no exception. Although the marketing may have oversold the film’s alleged “Gothic” influence, which amounts to no more than two or three standout moments, the earthy, green-brown color palette and use of lighting and framing conjures a genuinely cozy atmosphere in its early segments. This makes the darker turns later on feel like an invasion of a sanctified space, and since the film is about a small church unravelling after the death of their pastor, it’s a potent parallel.
Yet if Wake Up Dead Man is a stronger film than its predecessor in terms of plot, it shares the same weaknesses in terms of character. Craig is as watchable as he’s ever been and both O’Connor and Brolin do their jobs admirably, but like with previous Blanc films, Johnson stuffs his cast with capable performers and then fails to give half of them anything to do. Talented actors like Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott and Cailee Spaeny are technically in this movie, but they don’t leave an impression because the screenplay doesn’t afford them much room. This is doubly frustrating because every member of Wicks’ parish is given at least a hint of a motive, but the movie doesn’t develop many of them beyond a cursory setup, leaving these characters stranded as they search for a purpose the film never bothers to provide.
Also, Johnson hasn’t completely curbed his worst inclinations as a writer, sneaking in several cheeky references to things like Star Wars, his deal with Netflix, and discussing the tropes of classic murder mystery novels like John Dickson Carr’s The Hollow Man. Most of these gags feel like Johnson playing to the audience instead of the characters acting in-character, which hurts the movie’s verisimilitude. It’s not a dealbreaker by any means, but if Johnson intends to keep going with this series, it’s a tendency he’d be wise to drop. Still, the auteur filmmaker following up Knives Out’s novel inversion of the classic whodunnit formula and Glass Onion’s sadly leaden and poorly structured plot with a real-deal murder mystery without any gimmicks was exactly what the series needed.
reMarkable is well regarded for its best-in-class digital notebooks. The flagship tablet - the reMarkable Paper Pro - accurately mimics the sensation of writing on real paper thanks to a combination of a textured display, instantly responsive E-ink technology, and a custom-designed pressure-sensitive pen. However, with a spacious 12" screen size, the Paper Pro can be a bit cumbersome to carry around on a daily basis. Fortunately, reMarkable was aware of this and just released a smaller, more pocketable version, dubbed the reMarkable Paper Pro Move. It features all of the technologies that make the Paper Pro great and acts as the perfect paper replacement, but with a more compact 7" screen size.
The reMarkable Paper Pro Move was officially unveiled on September 3. It starts at $449 for the basic model with the standard Model Marker and no folio. Options include a more advanced Model Marker Plus and a slim folio made of your choice of mosaic weave, polymer weave, or premium leather. Since the Paper Pro Move is priced $130 less than its full-sized sibling, it's potentially a better option for anyone who hasn't owned a digital notebook and wants to test the waters.
The Paper Pro Move is a compact tablet that measures 7.7" long, 4.26" wide, and only 0.26" thin. As a comparison, it's very similar in size to the newest Apple iPad Mini. It's also lightweight at just over 8 ounces. The display is made of textured glass and the chassis is mostly aluminum. The 7.3" Canvas Color display is based off E-Ink Gallery 3 technology with a 1696x954 resolution. That averages out to a respectable pixel density of 264ppi, which is necessary to produce crisp and clear text. The display also features adjustable front-lit illumination for reading in dim conditions. The battery lasts up to two weeks, but if it ends up being depleted and you're in a rush, a 10 minute top-up will give you three days of power.
reMarkable's claim to fame is in its writing capabilities. The Paper Pro Move also does a superb job of mimicking the feel of pen on paper. The Model Marker stylus simulates nine different writing tools - including ballpoint pens, markers, and highlighters - for you to choose from. The Model Marker Plus adds on eraser functionality. Handwritten notes are accurately translated into typed text with a single tap. Unlike physical media, you'll never run out of paper and you'll be able to resize, undo, cut, copy, or create perfect lines and circles to your heart's content.
When you're done, reMarkable makes it easy to file your notes away in an efficient and legible manner. The Paper Pro Move comes pre-loaded with a variety of lined and dotted templates, to-do lists, and weekly planners to keep your thoughts organized. Your finished notes can be sorted into separate folders and tagged for easy search queries. Your notes are saved in the cloud and accessible from other devices through reMarkable's mobile and desktop apps. Both locally stored and cloud files are encrypted, but you can also set up an optional passcode if you need more security.
Although reMarkable's digital notebooks are unsurpassed in their digital writing functionality, they're not really the best option if you're purely looking for a universally compatible digital reader. That's because you cannot easily view MOBI/AZW or DRM-protected EPUB content. That includes any eBooks available on Amazon Kindle as well as Libby, which is used by most public libraries. The reMarkable OS also doesn't support third party apps, so there's no way to download a Kindle or Libby app like you would on a standard tablet or mobile device. As we stated in our 2025 list of the best e-ink tablets, "The Remarkable Paper Pro is the perfect paper replacement with bold colors and best-in-class handwriting." However, if you're looking strictly for an e-reader, then you're best off sticking with a Kindle tablet, Apple iPad, or your smartphone.
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.
Alienware's new mainstream gaming laptop for 2025 is dubbed the "Alienware Aurora" and comes in two 16" models: the 16 and 16X. The 16X Aurora is far and away the laptop I would recommend for anyone who has a vested interest in gaming. It uses less plastic, boasts a higher quality display, and is equipped with a more powerful CPU and GPU. Naturally, it's usually considerably more expensive. Usually, it's also more expensive. However, right now there's an excellent deal that actually drops the price to below the price of an equivalently configured 16 (non-X) Aurora.
The Alienware 16X Aurora is the model that serious gamers should consider over the 16 Aurora, especially right now when a comparable 16 Aurora is about the same price. There's little argument here; just look at all of the upgrades:
Compared to other Alienware laptops, the 16X Aurora is designed to look less like a gamer's laptop. It boasts a sleek, understated design with the absence of extraneous visual-only embellishments or unnecessary RGB lighting outside of the keyboard illumination. This is a solidly built machine with a metal (magnesium alloy) chassis and anodized aluminum lid and bottom shell. Under the hood, the 16X Aurora still packs a punch with powerful gaming components and a robust Cryo Chamber cooling system. It's much more affordably than an equivalent Alienware 16 Area-51 laptop, which costs $1,200 more. The Alienware 16X Aurora also weighs 1.6 pounds less and has a 30% thinner profile.
The Alienware 16X Aurora laptop is also equipped with a very powerful CPU as well. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX boasts a max turbo frequency of 5.4GHz with a whopping 24 cores and 40MB total L2 cache. According to Passmark, this is the second most powerful Intel mobile CPU available right now and goes head to head with AMD's Ryzen 9 7945HX3D.
The mobile RTX 5070 GPU performs about 5%-10% better than the RTX 4070 that it replaces. That's not a very big generational improvement, but the RTX 5070 also supports multi-frame generation, which means the margin will widen in games that support DLSS 4.0. If you want a significantly better performing Nvidia GPU, you'll have to pick up an RTX 5070 Ti or RTX 5080 laptop. Currently the Alienware 16X Aurora doesn't have an option to equip these GPUs, so you would have to pony up $900 more for the Area-51.
Check out our Best Alienware Deals article with all of Dell's currently ongoing deals on gaming laptops and desktop PCs. Not everyone is the DIY type. If you're in the market for a prebuilt gaming PC, Dell is one of the best brands we'd recommend. Alienware desktops and laptops feature solid build quality, top-of-the-line gaming performance, excellent cooling (further improved on the newer models), aggressive styling, and pricing that is very competitive with other pre-built options. Best of all, there are plenty of sales that happen throughout the year, so it's not difficult to grab one of these computers at considerably less than their retail price.
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.
The Nintendo Switch is going out in a blaze of glory, with some exciting games launching to make way for the console's successor, the Switch 2. Whether they’re exclusively developed for the Switch or ported over from other platforms, these upcoming Switch games will likely wrap up the Switch era while also being compatible with the Switch 2.
In the second half of 2025, we'll hopefully be getting our hands on well-known in-development titles as well as a host of new games announced at the most recent Nintendo Direct. Here are all of the new Switch games we can look forward to this year.
The highly-anticipated Trails in the Sky remake officially has a release date. Well, at least the first chapter. The RPG from Nihon Falcon kicked off the Trails sub-series back in 2004, and the remake introduces quality of life improvements using the same engine as Trails of Daybreak.
The evil Magatsu has thrown the kingdom into turmoil. You play as Towa, who must seek Guardian companions and push back Magatsu’s influence in this roguelite we called "twin-stick Hades" in our hands-on preview.
Gabby’s Dollhouse has been a hit with the kids, having just wrapped up its 11th season from DreamWorks Animation. The game adaptation has you working with Gabby and friends from across magical worlds to prep the best party ever.
There’s never enough roguelikes, in my opinion. Join a wacky wizard cult and explore procedurally generated dungeons in this sidescroller with a comedic edge.
Sonic's back, and he's bringing some friends along for the ride. Sonic Racing: Crossworlds seems to be an ultimate crossover game, blending chaotic kart racing mechanics with a pretty insane slate of characters. Look forward to vehicle customization and a variety of environments across each track (and universe).
The Agatha Christie adventure game series goes all the way back to 2005. This new release adapts, as you can imagine, Death on the Nile, a detective novel the author originally published in 1937.
A slightly cuter alternative to the annual 2K releases, NBA Bounce lets you join one of 30 NBA teams and work your way up from rookie to legend on the court.
Coming off the heels of Shadow Labyrinth's edgier take on the Pac-Man franchise, we're going back to basics. Pac-Man World 2: Re-Pac introduces enhanced graphics, expanded levels, and tons of quality of life improvements to the action platformer that originally released in 2002.
The next Final Fantasy (adjacent) game to arrive on Switch, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles tells the story of a noble boy and his childhood friend who become entwined in the series' classic civil conflict: The War of the Lions. The game features over 20 jobs to try out, including plenty of Final Fantasy classics, and quality of life improvements like an autosave feature.
Any fans of the Wii generation will be pleased to learn both Super Mario Galaxy games are getting bundled into a new edition for Switch and Switch 2, now up for preorder. These are, in my opinion, some of the best games of all time. Our 10/10 review of Super Mario Galaxy 2 seems to agree, saying the 3D platformer "perfectly captures that classic video game charm, the reason why most of us got into gaming from the start."
Pokémon Legends: Z-A (October 16, 2025)
One of the most anticipated Nintendo releases is the next mainline Pokemon game, which comes after a rare "skip" year in the franchise. Pokémon Legends: Z-A is set in Lumiose City, a town within the Kalos region that features "Wild Zones" for catching new Pokémon. Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile are your starter options, and while they may be familiar faces, expect battles to be a little more... dynamic.
If you ever wanted to completely crash out at the office, Quit Today could help you let off some steam. The beat ‘em up, which released on PC earlier this year, is focused on the workplace as you kick your coworkers’ butts to submit your resignation.
You read that right. Plants vs. Zombies is back with a new game PopCap describes as a "chance to reacknowledge the series' roots." With new HD character models and a multiplayer feature, I think this one's well worth checking out for anyone who enjoyed (or, in my case, got slightly addicted to) the original garden defense game.
I was a big fan of Bandai Namzo’s puzzling Katamari games on the PS2, so it’s great to see the series returning with a new entry almost 15 years later. Use your katamari, essentially a magic ball, to collect objects and recreate the universe in this journey across time.
A spread of Mortal Kombat games from across the arcade, Game Boy, and PS1 generations. We’re talking Ultimate Mortal Kombat, Sub-Zero, Tournament Edition, and plenty more (feel free to check out the full line-up). Unlock secret characters at the touch of a button and beat up your friends in online play. The collection also includes an “interactive documentary” about the franchise’s development history.
Move aside, Sonic, because the PAW Patrol is also getting a racing game. Play as the iconic Pup Pals, each with their own unique skills, to win races or just cause some mayhem in Adventure Bay.
Experience the original Terminator 2 movie, arcade style. The run-and-gun adaptation takes its inspiration from the likes of Contra and Metal Slug.
Goodnight Universe puts you in the position of being a six-month-old baby with psychic powers. I know, living the dream. While all you want is your parents' love, a tech corporation has other plans.
The "final announcement" from the most recent Nintendo Direct was a new Octopath Traveler game from Square Enix. For the first time in the series, you'll be able to customize your own character, who is tasked with rebuilding the town of Wishvale while also seeking vengeance against its destroyers. Of course, you'll have plenty of party members to recruit for help.
Yes, it’s real. We finally got a release date for Metroid Prime 4. Now available to preorder, the game sees Samus arrive on a planet where she discovers a new slate of psychic powers and a bounty hunter dead set on taking her down. You can learn more about this one in our hands-on preview.
Dragon Quest is really going at it with the remakes. It started with HD-2D remakes of the first three games, and now we’re skipping a few installments to go straight to Fragments of the Past. This next ‘revamp’ goes for “Reimagined,” and features a pretty substantial overhaul of the graphics and gameplay from the original JRPG released in 2001.
There are plenty more Nintendo Switch games in development that don’t have a solid release date yet. Here are some more Switch games we know are on the way:
Most upcoming Switch games will be supported on the Switch 2, but we're already seeing announcements of Switch 2-exclusive games. You can check out our full guide on Switch 2 games, but in the meantime, here's some highlights of what you have to look forward to on the new console:
Today’s roundup is stacked with some of the biggest Nintendo Switch 2 releases of 2025, covering every confirmed first-party game and amiibo on the calendar.
Whether you’re eyeing Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the double-pack of Super Mario Galaxy titles, or Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, every major release is now open for preorder.
On top of that, Kirby fans can look forward to Kirby Air Riders and a fresh wave of themed amiibo arriving in November. It’s rare to see such a complete slate of first-party releases lined up this early, which makes today’s deals list worth bookmarking if you plan on building out a Switch 2 library.
But that’s not all, today’s roundup also features Pokémon TCG deals that fall below market value. In several cases, Amazon’s pricing has dipped under TCGPlayer’s, which is usually the lowest benchmark for sealed product.
For example, the Unova Poster Collection is $39.98 on Amazon versus $28.77 on TCGPlayer, and the Prismatic Evolutions Mini Tin is $33.28 at Amazon compared to $24.87 on TCGPlayer. Those kinds of gaps show which items are trending under market value right now, and they’re the deals most collectors will want to move on quickly.
AliExpress is offering an outstanding deal on a popular entry level electric bike. Right now the Amyet V9-G60 Electric Bike with 1,000W (1,500W peak) motor and 48V 20AH battery is on sale for just $477.47 after you apply $100 off coupon code "USDEAL100" during checkout. You're buying it from Amyet's official store on AliExpress. It ships free locally from the United States and arrives within 1 to 2 weeks. You'd be hard pressed to find a new electric bike for under $500 stateside, especially one that has a 1,000W motor (the least expensive bikes cost more and are usually rated for 750W). The same bike is priced at $500 plus $165 shipping on Amazon, so you'd paying nearly $200 more buying it from there.
If you’re looking to stock up on sealed Pokémon TCG product, TCGPlayer remains the most reliable place for market-low pricing across the board. The vast majority of booster packs, tins, and trainer boxes are sitting cheaper there than on Amazon, often by $5-$15.
Bundles like the White Flare Binder Collection and the Shining Fates Collection Pikachu V Box are up to $40 off, deals that everyone should be snapping up right now. It’s worth keeping an eye on these dips, since Amazon tends to fluctuate prices more often than dedicated TCG retailers.
While TCGPlayer is often the go-to marketplace for low Pokémon TCG prices, a handful of sealed products are currently cheaper on Amazon, making them below market value and worth grabbing. Right now, the Black Bolt Booster Bundle is available for $50.01 on Amazon, while the White Flare Booster Bundle has dipped under $46.
Collectors looking for nostalgic sets can also snag the Team Rocket Tin at $41.24, or the Paradox Pokémon Stacking Tin at $26.32. Even seasonal products like the Trick or Trade BOOster Bundle (2024) are under market at $21.22, and the Unova Mini Tin rounds out the list at just $19.99.
Silver Tempest has proven to be one of the most collector-driven sets of the Sword and Shield era, with prices pulled between nostalgia, competitive play, and limited supply. The clear winner is Lugia V (Alternate Full Art) 186/195, which has surged 68% since July to $427, cementing itself as the set’s chase card.
Trainer Gallery standouts like Rayquaza VMAX TG20/TG30 and Blaziken VMAX TG15/TG30 have also doubled or tripled in value thanks to strong artwork and nostalgia, while even Lugia VSTAR continues climbing on competitive strength. At the same time, cards like Regidrago V (Alternate Art) and Alolan Vulpix VSTAR have cooled as the meta shifted away from them, with values slipping back toward the $12–$14 range.
The market for XY-era Mega Evolution Pokémon cards is heating up fast ahead of Pokémon Legends: Z-A and the upcoming Mega Evolution TCG set. Collectors aren’t waiting for modern reprints, they’re chasing the originals, and prices are showing it. Some cards have exploded in value, while others have steadied after sharp climbs, creating both momentum plays and entry points for buyers. Leading the surge is M Rayquaza EX (Shiny Full Art - Ancient Origins), which has skyrocketed over 426% this year, from $275 in January to $1,450 today.
M Gengar EX (Secret Rare - Phantom Forces) isn’t far behind, up nearly fivefold to $415, cementing its place as one of the most sought-after Megas. Other heavy-hitters include M Rayquaza EX (Full Art - Roaring Skies), now at $656, M Charizard EX (X - Flashfire) climbing past $349, and Primal Groudon EX (Shiny Full Art), which has more than doubled to $349. These climbers show how nostalgia, unique mechanics, and iconic artwork are driving a collector frenzy.
But not every Mega Evolution is running away in price. Some cards have plateaued after strong early-year gains, leaving a rare buying window before the next spike. M Mewtwo EX (Full Art - BREAKthrough) climbed from $37 to $145 but has leveled off in recent weeks, while M Alakazam EX (Full Art - Fates Collide) sits steady just under $100 after jumping from $28 earlier this year.
Even Charizard is showing signs of cooling, M Charizard EX (Generations) and M Charizard EX (Full Art - Evolutions) have tripled since January but are holding in the $190-$200 range for now. These pauses don’t signal weakness; rather, they reflect consolidation before the broader Mega Evolution wave hits with new set releases. For collectors and investors, the message is clear: the grails are climbing fast, but the plateaued cards may be the smarter pickups before Mega hype takes over the market again.
The Crown Zenith market has been showing two very different stories this month. On one hand, several Galarian Gallery Ultra Rares are slipping as hype fades, with fan-favorites like Leafeon VSTAR and Suicune V dropping more than 20% from their peaks.
On the other hand, the gold Secret Rares are climbing steadily, led by Giratina VSTAR and Arceus VSTAR, as collectors chase the scarce, high-end pieces of the set. This split reflects a maturing market: casual collectors are less interested in mid-tier Eeveelutions and V cards, while serious players and investors are doubling down on the big four golds.
Among the crashers, Leafeon VSTAR has fallen from nearly $50 to the $43 range, and Glaceon VSTAR is down 26% since February, hovering in the mid-$30s. Deoxys VMAX has slipped under $37, while Suicune V and Raikou V both lost more than a quarter of their value since spring. These are still striking artworks, but set fatigue and limited competitive relevance are pushing prices down.
Meanwhile, the climbers are commanding all the attention. Giratina VSTAR (Secret) has surged nearly 20% since July to $180, making it the definitive chase of Crown Zenith. Mewtwo VSTAR is also up more than 30% this summer, with its Charizard battle artwork driving collector demand. Rounding out the gains, Arceus VSTAR, Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR, and Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR are all trending higher as well, thanks to their powerful abilities and limited supply. Taken together, the set still holds broad collector appeal, but it’s clear the market is consolidating around the golden Secret Rares as the safest long-term holds.
Nintendo’s 2025 first-party lineup is shaping up to be one of its strongest in years. Pokémon Legends: Z-A is set to arrive in October, followed closely by Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 bundled together for Switch 2.
Then in December, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond lands with its own set of new amiibo figures, alongside Kirby’s big return in Kirby Air Riders. Between new entries in cornerstone franchises and fresh collectible amiibo launches, fans will have plenty to keep their Switch 2 libraries stocked through the holidays.
The third-party slate for Switch 2 is just as impressive, with several big franchises making the jump to the new hardware. Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection launches in December with a full set of classic fighters, while Borderlands 4 and Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake hit this fall.
Beyond that, titles like Hades II, Octopath Traveler 0, and Cronos round out the lineup for RPG fans. Whether you’re into fighters, shooters, or sprawling JRPGs, the Switch 2’s preorder catalog already feels packed, and today’s deals cover every one of them.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
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