If we’ve learned anything from watching the IT movies and the spin-off series, Welcome to Derry, it’s that Derry, Maine is about the last town on Earth anyone should ever visit. Around every corner lurks a creepy, homicidal clown who loves to season his victims with the sweet taste of fear, and that’s not even counting the more mundane but still terrifying evils lurking in this cursed town.

Now that IT: Welcome to Derry has ended its first (but apparently not only) season on HBO Max, the time has come to break down the most horrifying moments featuring Pennywise the Dancing Clown or his various other supernatural manifestations. Check out our ranked list, and let us know your favorite Pennywise scares in the comments below.

Warning: This article contains full spoilers for both IT movies and IT: Welcome to Derry Season 1.

11. Patrick In the Sewer

As seen in: Stephen King’s IT (2017)

How quickly the bully becomes the bullied. This brief but intense scene almost makes us feel a little bad for budding psychopath Patrick Hockstetter (Owen Teague). Patrick chases poor Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor) into the sewers, eager to cook him with a homemade blowtorch; instead, Patrick discovers the demonic clown living in Derry’s underbelly, and learns that once you enter the sewers, it’s not so easy to find your way out again.

10. Return to the Neibolt Street House

As seen in: Stephen King’s IT: Chapter Two (2019)

We get that the Losers Club members lost many of the memories of their childhood ordeal, but you’d still think they’d retain enough to remember one vital lesson: Never go into the house on Neibolt St. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what the adults do in the sequel, and for their trouble, they’re greeted by the severed, crab-like head of poor Stanley Uris. If any moment in the IT series owes a debt to the great John Carpenter, it’s this one.

9. The Sewer Showdown

As seen in: IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 5 (2025)

Welcome to Derry takes its sweet time actually showcasing Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise the Dancing Clown, but the villain certainly makes up for lost time in Episode 5. No sooner do Clara Stack’s Lilly and friends follow Miles Ekhardt’s “Matty” into the sewers (an obvious no-no) than their friend reveals himself to be a horrifying clown monster in disguise. Even as the friends scatter into the tunnels in sheer terror, we see the Air Force’s ill-fated mission completely collapse. Worst of all is seeing Pennywise worm his way into Dick Hallorann’s (Chris Chalk) mind and open the terrible box he’s kept sealed there for decades.

8. The Flooded Basement

As seen in: Stephen King’s IT (2017)

Basements are pretty creepy on the best of days, but especially so when you’re talking about old New England houses. This scene really plays on that fear as Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher) ventures downstairs to find his basement is flooded and hiding the ghost of his dead brother Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott). That’s when Pennywise chooses to make his stomach-churning entrance.

7. Marge the Slug

As seen in: IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 4 (2025)

Few things in horror are more squirm-inducing than scares involving eyeballs; the sheer thought of damaging or losing an eye gives almost anyone the ick immediately. Welcome to Derry’s fourth episode zeroes in on that universal truth when IT manipulates poor Marge (Matilda Lawler) into thinking she’s become a human slug. Watching her lose her mind and attempt to saw off her own protruding eyeballs is not a scene for the squeamish.

6. Georgie’s Death

As seen in: Stephen King’s IT (2017)

The first IT movie opens with a scene that’s very much a statement of intent for the series. We see young Georgie joyfully enjoying the rainy weather with his paper boat, only to happen across a not-at-all creepy clown hanging around a storm drain. In a tamer horror franchise, Georgie’s age would render him immune to any severe consequences, but this is IT, so of course he gets his arm ripped off and is then dragged into the sewer to become the first of Pennywise’s many victims in the movie.

5. Eddie Meets the Leper

As seen in: Stephen King’s IT (2017)

By no means should anyone ever venture inside the dreaded house at 29 Neibolt St., but even wandering around outside can be extremely hazardous to your health. Eddie (Jack Dylan Grazer) learns that the hard way when he walks by the house and encounters Pennywise manifesting as a terrifying leper (Javier Botet). For a kid raised to be a pathological germaphobe, there can be no greater monster.

4. The Hall of Mirrors

As seen in: Stephen King’s IT: Chapter Two (2019)

While most fans agree that IT: Chapter Two is a big step below its predecessor in quality, it does boast one of the most inventive and scary scenes in the series when the adult Bill Denbrough (James McAvoy) finds himself trapped inside a funhouse hall of mirrors. The sheer claustrophobia of that situation would be enough to mine some real fear, but the film goes the extra mile by forcing Bill to watch as Pennywise torments and ultimately eats a young boy who’s also trapped in the maze.

3. The Movie Theater Massacre

As seen in: IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 1 (2025)

As mentioned, the original IT movie starts off by making it clear that no one is safe from Pennywise, not even innocent young children. The first episode of Welcome to Derry goes one step further in its efforts to hammer that point home, closing with a grotesque, horrifying scene where Lilly and her friends are locked inside a movie theater while monsters devour them one by one. Just when we thought the series had introduced 1962’s answer to the Losers Club, It goes and eats most of them for dinner.

2. Inside the House at Neibolt Street

As seen in: Stephen King’s IT (2017)

Once again for the cheap seats: Never go inside the house at 29 Neibolt Street for any reason! The first movie really nails that down when our young heroes venture inside this dilapidated structure and encounter the full scope of Pennywise’s horrors. We’re especially creeped out by the scene where Richie (Finn Wolfhard) is trapped inside a bedroom full of unnerving clown dolls, only to encounter the real Pennywise emerging gleefully from a coffin.

1. Matty Goes Hitchhiking

As seen in: IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 1 (2025)

Welcome to Derry really makes a strong case for itself in its very first episode, delivering some of the franchise’s best scares to date. That includes the best of them all, in an early scene where Matty opts to hitch a ride out of town rather than deal with his abusive home life one minute longer. Unfortunately for him, he winds up stuck inside a ghost car alongside a family of demented ghouls and a mother proudly giving birth – very graphically, we might add – to a demon baby. This is why they always say it’s not safe to hitchhike.

For more on IT: Welcome to Derry, check out IGN’s review of the season finale and see all the easter eggs for the Stephen King multiverse.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Spoilers follow for Stranger Things Season 5 and the Broadway/West End play, Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

We only have four more episodes to go until Stranger Things is done forever, and speculation is running high. Who will die? Who will live? And how important is the series’ spin-off Broadway show, The First Shadow, to the end of the series? While we may not know the answers to the first two questions yet, we have a pretty good idea about the answer to the last one, based on what happened in the first half of Season 5. The answer is “very important,” particularly in explaining Will’s (Noah Schnapp) power-up, where Max (Sadie Sink) is hiding, and even giving some serious clues about how the Hawkins gang might finally beat Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).

That’s a lot to unpack, and if you don’t live in New York or London, your first question might be: Wait, there’s a Broadway show? There sure is, and the live-action play written by Stranger Things writer and co-executive producer Kate Trefry is crucially tied to the overall history laid out in the series and sets up a number of plot points in the final season.

In the play, we catch up with Henry Creel (aka, the kid who will eventually become Vecna) when he and his family move into what is later known as the Creel House in Season 4 of Stranger Things. Over the course of the play, we discover just how Henry got his psychic powers, how he met Dr. Brenner (Matthew Modine on TV), and even get to see a tiny little version of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown on TV) meeting Henry for the first time.

But the play doesn’t even start with Henry. There’s actually a prologue set in 1943 that depicts the United States performing experiments in what they call “Dimension X,” as they attempt to turn submarines invisible during World War II. Unfortunately for them, they get attacked by Demogorgons, and then the action switches to 1959 Hawkins. Dimension X sounds like the Upside Down, right? Well… not exactly. There’s actually a lot of debate about the difference between the two, particularly because neither the stage play nor the TV show have been explicit about how it all works, though franchise masterminds, the Duffer Brothers, have promised that all will be explained “pretty early on” in the upcoming batch of episodes.

As far as we understand now, there’s the “real” world; a place that’s been called the Hellscape – aka the area Henry Creel was sent to between dimensions where he was electrocuted by lightning strikes and got real gross looking in Season 4; and Dimension X, which is where Henry met the Mind Flayer again. Meanwhile, the Upside Down is an as-yet undefined extra area – either a parallel dimension, or a bridge between the Hellscape and Dimension X, or something else entirely.

Did we just say, “met the Mind Flayer again?” This is one of the wildest twists in the play, and has huge repercussions for the TV series as well. As you may recall from the first batch of episodes that dropped on Netflix for Season 5, Max Mayfield – or at least her mind – reappeared in a strange, sunny reality that seems to be made up of Henry Creel’s memories. She’s been hiding out in one of them – a cave that Henry is clearly too terrified to enter, which is where Max breaks down how she’s alive and what happened to her to Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher). While we don’t see that cave in The First Shadow, we do hear all about it.

Dr. Brenner’s father was the only person to survive the submarine experiment in 1943, passing his knowledge on to his son. Brenner the younger established something called the Nevada Experiment, which was meant to try and access Dimension X, but one scientist went rogue, stole the equipment, and headed to – you guessed it – a cave in Nevada. Remember the spyglass Holly was using in Season 5? That’s the same spyglass Henry used to explore the cave system, dropping it just like Holly does when she runs away scared in the TV episodes. In Henry’s case, however, he and the rogue scientist are accidentally sent to Dimension X for 12 hours; there, Henry was infected by the creature later known as the Mind Flayer, and not only gained his psychic powers, but was tortured, corrupted, and driven insane by the cloud creature. So rather than Henry creating the Mind Flayer, as we’re shown in Season 4 of the TV show, the Mind Flayer – or at least an aspect of it that exists in Dimension X – created Henry, and therefore Vecna.

To be 100% clear: If you thought Henry had naturally occurring psychic abilities, you were wrong. It all comes from the infection that happened to him over those 12 hours he was missing in Nevada, which is why he’s so scared of the caves. That’s where he was driven insane. That’s where he turned evil. That’s where it all went wrong.

The twists don’t stop there, though. Thanks to Henry reconnecting with Dr. Brenner in the second act of The First Shadow, Henry’s blood containing the infection from the Dimension X Mind Flayer is harvested and injected into prospective mothers as part of the MKUltra program codenamed Indigo. There are at least 10 psychically powered babies born in that program, including – you guessed it – Eleven.

So again, to be ultra-clear – MKUltra clear, if you will – the world of Stranger Things isn’t a Firestarter or X-Men situation where some folks are born naturally with psychic abilities. Instead, they all come from the infection Henry contracted in Dimension X. This also means that if the Mind Flayer in Dimension X was destroyed or cut off, there would potentially be no more psychic powers on Earth, including those used by Vecna and Eleven.

That said, it’s possible there could be still another twist, with Eleven being the lone exception. In the play, we’re shown a family tree with all the program kids branching off from Henry, except Eleven, who he meets in the closing moments of the show. It’s possible that Eleven could be something different than Henry and his “children...” or not. Who knows?

In a roundabout way, though, this also explains how Will shockingly got powers in the final moments of “The Sorcerer.” As we saw at the beginning of Season 5, young Will was pumped full of goop during his first trip to the Upside Down, connecting him to the Hive Mind that is ostensibly controlled by Vecna. But as explained in The First Shadow, Vecna’s power comes from Dimension X. Will does not have powers on his own, because they all – Vecna, Eleven, Will, even Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) – come from the same central source. In Will’s case, he is very specifically drawing from Vecna’s power… but it all goes back to Dimension X.

There are other aspects of the play we need to discuss. When Max first describes traveling through Henry’s memories, we see a scene of Hawkins High School featuring younger versions of the parents from the TV show, and the reveal of a leaflet advertising a performance of Oklahoma featuring, among others, Henry Creel. In a nutshell, that’s the main plot of The First Shadow, following a production mounted by Joyce (played on TV by Winona Ryder), starring Henry and Patty Newby, Bob’s (played on TV by Sean Astin) sister. Henry and Patty sort of fall in love, with Patty ultimately leaving Hawkins to find her mother in Las Vegas, which is why she hasn’t appeared on the show yet. So Joyce, Hopper (played on TV by David Harbour), and Bob (RIP) all knew Henry back in high school, and even worked on a play with him. Will that ever get mentioned? It did look like Joyce wanted to shout “Henry, come on,” in that final sequence in Season 5’s fourth episode before he flipped her into the air.

Also possibly of note: In The First Shadow, Bob is hosting a pirate radio show out of a mobile rig he built that he carts around school. Well, on the TV series, Season 5’s fifth episode is titled “Shock Jock.” Though the online speculation around the episode has pointed to Robin (Maya Hawke) and Steve’s (Joe Kerry) show on WSQK, and the fact that they pointed out one could get electrocuted by the radio tower in the first episode, is it possible the shock jock of the title isn’t either of our ’80s kids getting literally shocked – it’s Bob Newby circa 1959? Given the subsequent episode is titled “Escape From Camazotz,” which references a key location in A Wrinkle in Time and suggests Holly and Max will try to flee Henry’s mindscape (which is a whole other explainer), it’s possible we could be getting some flashbacks to specific events from The First Shadow in the next episode. That could definitely establish how Joyce and Hopper know Henry, as well as why they haven’t brought it up yet. Regardless, this seems to be too important a detail not to bring up in some capacity, particularly as that otherwise extremely confusing flyer was seen on the TV series. This brings us nicely to how this whole thing might directly set up how to beat Vecna: They don’t.

If you’ve been paying attention to what we’ve laid out so far, most of what’s happened on Stranger Things isn’t Henry’s fault. He was corrupted by the Dimension X Mind Flayer, used and abused by Dr. Brenner, and even tried to escape the influence of the creature in the play thanks to his love for Patty. Joyce and Hopper know him as a weirdo, but not a bad one (at least not initially), and there’s every chance this is what Max and Holly will discover once they more fully explore his memories. Certainly it seems incredibly likely they’ll find out what happened to Henry in the cave in Nevada, and discover that he has been infected… and can potentially be cured.

There’s a running theme throughout Stranger Things that love is far more powerful than hate. That’s true in The First Shadow as well, though in that case, hate – at least with Henry – ultimately wins. In the TV show, it’s looking increasingly likely that the way to beat Vecna isn’t to kill him, but to bring him back to humanity, cut him off from Dimension X, and save the day. Beat him with love, not hate? That would definitely be worth the price of admission.

It may be the season of giving, but there are things you don’t always want to receive. A computer virus is one of them. Unfortunately, cybercriminals don’t take breaks for the holidays, which means you need to do everything in your power to protect yourself against these perpetual naughty listers. Cybersecurity software is the easiest way to ensure you and your family stay safe online, and Webroot is a solid all-in-one software option. See more info below and how to save big before New Year's Day on this cybersecurity option.

Get Half Off Webroot's Total Protection Cybersecurity Plan

Give, or better yet, treat yourself to the gift of clean floors this holiday season with a brand-new robot vacuum. These machines have come a long way from bumping into furniture and suctioning up socks while attempting to clean up your space. Now, you’ll find options that navigate your home with ease, mop, self-empty, and more for a truly hands-free clean. The vacuum brand Narwal is an innovator in the space, developing some incredible robot vacuums, some of which I’ve even been lucky enough to test out myself.

If you or someone you love has been eager to get a robot vacuum or upgrade an older model, Narwal has brilliant options for a range of needs, and it’s a great time of year to buy. Although Narwal’s Black Friday sale is now over, Narwal is still offering incredible discounts at near-Black Friday prices on Amazon right now for a limited time.

Everything from its wildly capable, full-of-all-the-bells-and-whistles flagship Flow model to the Freo X10 Pro, is up to 40% off for a limited time at Amazon. That’s up to $460 in potential savings, just $40 more than the Black Friday savings offered earlier.

For Budget Shoppers: The Narwal Freo S Vac and Mop Combo is Under $300

Finding the perfect gift for someone who only likes tech stuff can be a challenge. Partially because the best tech gifts tend to be inherently expensive. If you're buying someone new technology for Christmas this year, it has the potential to be the only gift that truly gets them excited while also blowing a massive hole in your budget.

There are exceptions to this, of course. Plenty of high-quality tech and gaming accessories are surprisingly affordable and practical. If you're looking for ideas of what to get the tech nerd in your life this year, we've rounded up 10 gifts we love and recommend buying in 2025 to help get you started.

1. Ecoflow Rapid Pro Power Bank

Steelseries' Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 wired mouse is, as we said in our review, the budget master: cheap, reliable, well-built, and precise in twitchy FPS games. There’s a reason it’s one of our favorite gaming mice. For the past week I've been testing the Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 wireless, and the differences are more substantial than an absent cord.

This wireless version is far heavier, mainly because you have to insert AAA batteries. It has no customisable RGB, its click latency is higher, and it's quite a lot more expensive. On the other hand, its sensor has a higher maximum DPI, and it promises hundreds of hours of battery life in the right condition.

SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2 Wireless – Design and Shape

This is a heavy, heavy mouse, and it'll be too heavy for some people. With both AAA batteries inserted, it weighs just shy of 110g – double many lightweight gaming mice. The mouse works fine with one battery, dipping the weight below 100, but it's still beefy.

As somebody who prefers lighter mice, the Rival 3 Gen 2 still felt smooth, and still glided fine on its PTFE feet. I could still whip it around my mousepad and make precise adjustments when needed, and neither my hand nor arm ached while using it.

But there's no denying it required more effort. I was constantly reminded of its heft – it certainly didn't feel like an extension of my arm, and I enjoyed using it less than the 77g wired version, which I tested for comparison. I could feel the difference when I took one battery out, and I preferred it, but it's still hard to wholeheartedly recommend the Rival 3 Gen 2 wireless to anyone who's used to lightweight mice.

Its sensor sits lower down the body than for most mice. The further forward a sensor is, the more it will move to match fine adjustments of your fingers. A low-down sensor means your fingers need to move further to make the sensor travel the same distance. Combine that with its weight and you have to put more effort than normal to make those small adjustments.

Putting the substantial weight to one side, there's lots to like. I always worry about build quality with cheaper mice – no worries here. This is a solid mouse with good bones. I can squeeze it, twist it, and prod it without any creaking or signs of weakness.

You can buy it in four colours: black, white, lavender or aqua. I tested the white version and enjoyed the arctic look against my black mousepad.

The main body of the mouse slides back to reveal the battery compartment. It requires a decent level of force, making it virtually impossible to open accidentally, and it feels tight and secure when shut. You can also slide the small USB dongle – which enables low-latency 2.4GHz wireless connection – into this compartment, where it sits snugly, and there's a sturdy switch to flick between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connections.

The shape is identical to the wired version. It's almost symmetrical, but the left side is more angular to accommodate the bend of your thumb. Its low profile is comfortable in fingertip or claw grips. I tried it in palm grip and the right-hand ridge sat awkwardly against my pinky finger.

Its left and right clicks are bouncy, responsive, and perfectly spammable. When I really hit them hard, both for testing and in a panic during rounds of Arc Raiders, they sound loud, echoey and cheap, but under normal conditions they sound light and crisp.

The side buttons are annoyingly thin and there's almost no gap between them, but despite that I never misclicked. The addition of a DPI switch button – positioned smartly so you can't accidentally nudge it – is welcome, and the scroll wheel is just fine for a budget mouse. It feels a little loose and rattly, but never caused me any problems.

SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2 Wireless – Performance and Gaming

We loved the SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2 wired's gaming performance. It showed that, for most people, you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a mouse. On paper this wireless version is different in two noticeable ways. Its sensor has a higher maximum DPI but its click latency – the time between your physical click and it registering on your PC – is longer.

Huge DPI numbers are often pointless. The 8.5K DPI sensor on the wired one felt good, and I honestly couldn't feel much of a difference with this 18K one. And a 1.9ms click latency is still low enough for me to not feel the delay. So in reality it will perform just as well as the wired version: no better, no worse.

I tested it in a variety of games including Arc Raiders, Cyberpunk 2077, Fortnite, and Blue Prince for a mix of casual clicking and flicky shooting. It was responsive and accurate, and I felt my mouse movements, including small adjustments and rapid flick shots, were reflected on screen. It never held me back during multiplayer matches.

Its max 1,000Hz polling rate – the number of times the mouse reports its position to your PC – falls short of high-end performance mice, but in my experience you get diminishing returns as polling rate rises. As I move up to 2,000Hz and 4,000Hz I can, just about, feel a difference in smoothness and responsiveness. It helps that I have the set-up to take advantage of a higher polling rate, including a recent graphics card and a 240Hz refresh rate screen. But the difference is small and staying at 1,000Hz is absolutely fine for most players, especially those on a budget.

You can also lower the polling rate or switch to Bluetooth to save lots of battery (which I'll discuss more in a moment). Cutting the polling rate to 500Hz felt fine for a singleplayer game like Blue Prince, as did playing on Bluetooth: you lose some performance but you don't really need it, and the extra battery life is more than worth it.

The mouse's weight will, I feel, be the biggest factor in whether you enjoy gaming with it or not. If you're used to a lightweight mouse it might throw off your aim, at least initially before you get used to it.

SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2 Wireless – Battery Life and Software

Steelseries makes lofty claims about battery life: 175 hours via the 2.4Ghz connection or a staggering 450 hours over Bluetooth. Connecting to Bluetooth was always easy and instant, and it's an excellent option for low-stakes singleplayer games. You'll need to buy new batteries when they run out so being able to squeeze hundreds of hours from each one is brilliant.

On 2.4Ghz connection, you won't get 175 hours unless you lower the polling rate. Again, in singleplayer games like Blue Prince that's completely viable but in multiplayer games, playing below 1000Hz can hamper your performance. If you stick to 1000Hz you'll get roughly 100 hours of life, in line with other modern gaming mice. Just make sure you stock up on AAA if you're going to use it long term.

I like that Steelseries lets you take out one battery to cut the weight to less than 100g. You half the battery life, but for me the improved feel was worth the sacrifice and, ultimately, it's the same total life on two AAA batteries.

As for software, the SteelSeries GG app looks intimidating at first but is actually quite simple and intuitive. The fundamentals – DPI adjustment and polling rate – sit alongside other settings that are explained clearly, such as a battery-saving mode, cursor smoothing on Bluetooth, and separate sensitivity for X and Y-axis movements.

What it lacks is the complex RGB customization of the wired mouse. The only lighting on the Rival 3 Gen 2 wireless is on the scroll wheel, blinking blue for Bluetooth connection and cycling colours when you change DPI, and you can't change them in any way. If you really care about RGB then the wired version is your best bet.

The best possible gift you can buy for a gamer is more games. The newest video games don't come cheap and they have the potential to provide hours and hours of entertainment. But what do you get for the gamer in your life who already has all of the games they could ever want?

If you're looking for some great gift ideas for 2025, I've got you covered with 10 of the most popular gamer gift options of the year.

1. Nintendo Switch 2

It's the last Friday before Christmas, and the last thing you want to be doing at this point is walking into a brick-and-mortar store. There's always something you'll forget to pick up for Christmas, but my team and I have got your last-minute gifting covered.

TL;DR: Deals for Today

Best-Selling Magic: The Gathering Booster Boxes and Commander Decks are still on offer from yesterday, but maybe you'd fancy a cheeky discounted Yu-Gi-Oh! booster pack instead? I've also got Donkey Kong and LoZ: TOTK amiibo deals, perfect for a solid stocking filler.

Still looking for a good PlayStation 5 deal outside of Black Friday? We've found a PS5 Slim (Disc Edition) with a copy of Black Ops 7 for $469.99, saving $149.99 with free shipping. And of course, we couldn’t leave Pokémon TCG out, the Pikachu Ultra PRO Pikachu-themed playmat is down to $9.99 from $26.99.

Side note: Are you following IGN Deals on TikTok yet?

MTG Deals

Edge of Eternities only released in August, but it’s already available in a great bundle deal that’s ready-made for multiplayer Commander nights. The same goes for the Lorwyn Eclipsed Commander Deck Bundle. One of the standout deals right now is the Commander Masters Play Booster Box, which is currently over $100 cheaper than market value. That said, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is also under market value on Amazon at $159.99, making it a solid pickup for fans of Universes Beyond.

PlayStation 5 Slim Console + Call of Duty Black Ops 7

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Tactical Edition (PS5)

Amiibo Deals

Yunobo unlocks the Sage of Fabric for Link’s Paraglider in Tears of the Kingdom, and it can also give out Cobble Crushers, various rocks, and ores. The Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo unlocks Pauline's Diva Dress cosmetic early in Donkey Kong Bananza, doubles the drop rate of music discs, and gives explosive golden KONG tiles. Buying both together is cheaper than the standard amiibo price, making them perfect stocking fillers for Switch 2 players.

Konami - Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game: Doom of Dimensions Sleeved Booster

Ultra PRO - Pikachu Playmat for Pokémon

Apple iPad Air (M3) Wi-Fi

MSI SHADOW GeForce RTX 5070 12GB GDDR7 PCI Express 5.0 Graphics Card 3X OC

LEGO Ideas Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory

49" Samsung Odyssey G9 (G91SD) Gaming Monitor

Acer Predator Helios Neo 16" OLED Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5070 Ti Gaming Laptop

Sony WH-1000XM5 + Free WF-C700N Earbuds

iBuypower Element SE AMD Ryzen 7 8700F RTX 5060 Ti Gaming PC (32GB/1TB)

Baseus Blade 20,000mAh 100W Slim Power Bank

Metal Gear Solid Deta: Collectors Edition (PS5)

8Bitdo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller

Samsung P9 256GB MicroSD Express Card

eBay "Holiday Rush" Sale

The best Black Friday deal on Sony's newest flagship wireless noise cancelling headphones has returned. eBay (via either Buydig or Electronic Express) is offering a brand new pair of Sony WH-1000XM6 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones for just $358.20 after you apply off coupon code "HOLIDAYRUSH". That's a 20% discount off the $450 list price. eBay estimates free delivery before Christmas. Both retailers are authorized Sony resellers, so you get the full manufacturer's warranty.

Meta Quest 3 / 3S Deals

Deals aside, should you get a Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S? Here's a specifications comparison table so you can make up your own mind:

Amazon Buy 1 Get 1 50% off Book Sale

So the quarter-bound The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion Tolkien Illustrated Editions are must-buys in this sale for me, and they are 44% and 46% off, respectively, before the buy one, get one deal comes into play. So that's a total of $191.29 down from $243.63. Bear in mind, at MSRP, both of these books come to $445. That's an insane deal on its own. Other highlights for me are The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia and A Game of Thrones hardback box set.

Sonos Refurb Sale

When it comes to big-brand gear, I'd always go for a solid refurbished or open-box deal over brand-new products. If it's a brand or retailer worth its salt, these products are pretty much new anyway but can't be sold as such, as they're a customer return or something similar.

With Sonos refurbs, you're getting the same one-year warranty you would with a brand-new alternative, plus they get delivered as new with all the leads and gubbins you'd usually get. It's literally a no-brainer when you're getting over 55% off a Sonos Arc soundbar, for example.

Pokémon TCG Single Card Price Crash

Pokémon TCG stock levels are getting better and better across the board, which means there's more chance of buying off store shelves and a much bigger chance of scalpers losing out. It's a win-win, especially for Pokémon card collectors, as single cards are finding a new floor when it comes to market values.

It's the best time this year to snap up some of those grails you've been eyeing up, so I've found the top 5 chase cards in every Pokémon TCG expansion and base set from the previous Scarlet and Violet era, as well as Mega Evolution, the current era of Pokémon cards. There's some serious bargains to be had here, and I reckon we'll see prices tick back up when Ascended Heroes launches early next year, so don't wait around.

Best Pokémon TCG Sealed Deals

The best deal here for me is the Mega Charizard X ex Ultra Premium Collection that's currently at market value on Amazon and close to MSRP.

• 4 x Phantasmal Flames
• 4 x Mega Evolution
• 4 x Destined Rivals
• 4 x Journey Together
• 2 x Surging Sparks

The main pull of this UPC is the Mega Charizard X ex Mega Attack Rare and Oricorio ex SIR promo cards, which, frankly, are the best couple of promo cards we've had in a big box collection for a while. It also contains Mega Charizard X-themed card sleeves, deck box, damage counter dice, playmat, and a metal coin.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A and More Deals

Need to get Pokémon Legends: Z-A sorted for Christmas? Here's the cheapest way: the Nintendo Switch 1 version of Pokémon Legends: Z-A for $44.99 on Woot, then upgrade it to the Switch 2 version for $9.99 via the Amazon digital code service. You're saving $15 compared to buying the usual Switch 2 copy of Legends: Z-A.

Woot also has more discounts on top Pokémon Switch games, such as Legends: Arceus alongside Scarlet and Violet. It's a great time to build up your library if you've got a few Pokémon-sized gaps on your shelf.

Pokémon Squishmallow Deals

Nothing beats cuddling a Squishmallow, and I'll admit that to anyone. Well, getting a $69.99 massive 20-inch Sprigatito Squishmallow for $37.99 definitely beats that feeling, but there's some great deals on the best Pokémon plushies right now (in my opinion, which is correct).

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.

As one of Nintendo's most iconic characters, Mario is everywhere on the Switch. The plumber has had multiple releases every year since the system first came out with no signs of stopping, even as we head further into the Switch 2 era. Some of the best Mario games ever have launched on the Switch, like Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

From 3D platformers to the newest versions of Mario Kart, here's every Mario game available on the Switch and Switch 2, as well as upcoming Mario games set to launch on the new system.

How Many Mario Games Are There on Nintendo Switch?

A total of 21 Mario games have been released for Nintendo Switch. This spans from the launch of the system in March 2017 to the present day. Below, we've compiled each of the original Mario titles available on Switch. Keep in mind that this list won't include games that are a part of Nintendo Switch Online.

All Mario Switch Games in Order of Release Date

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017)

The first Mario game on Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, brought together all Mario Kart 8 had to offer on Wii U in one package. The game has gone on to receive a handful of new characters and 48 new tracks through the Booster Course Pass DLC. It is the best-selling title on the Nintendo Switch, partially thanks to a Black Friday bundle that has been discontinued.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (2017)

A unique partnership between Ubisoft and Nintendo, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle brought together the worlds of Super Mario and the Rabbids. A turn-based strategy system was implemented to allow you to control Mario and friends around each map to take down enemy Rabbids.

Super Mario Odyssey (2017)

Super Mario Odyssey is a revolutionary release that reinvented and transformed the 3D Mario formula forever. You travel with Mario across all sorts of kingdoms to stop Bowser's plans to hold a wedding with Princess Peach. The big new feature of Super Mario Odyssey is the addition of Cappy, Mario's trusty cap. With Cappy, you can capture and transform into all sorts of enemies, allowing for a wide variety of gameplay. It's arguably the best Super Mario game to ever be released.

Mario Tennis Aces (2018)

Mario Tennis Aces was the first Mario sports title to release for Switch. The game had a large focus on its Adventure Mode, which was the first story mode in a Mario Tennis title since the Game Boy Advance's Mario Tennis: Power Tour. Content was released frequently after launch, with a total of 30 unique characters available to choose from.

Super Mario Party (2018)

The first Mario Party title for Nintendo Switch is Super Mario Party, which was coined as a refresh of the beloved series. Contrary to Mario Party 10, this game brought back to turn-based boards for the first time since Mario Party 9. Over 80 minigames are available with a handful of modes to play with friends.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2019)

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe hit Switch in early 2019. This package combines New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U into one bundle. Between the two games, there are a ton of levels available for you to play through. Additionally, new playable characters Toadette and Nabbit were added to this Deluxe package.

Super Mario Maker 2 (2019)

The exciting follow up to the hit Wii U title, Super Mario Maker 2 implemented new tools like slopes, on/off blocks, seesaws, vertical areas, water levels, and more. Additionally, a style based on Super Mario 3D World is available to create courses with, allowing for items like the Cat Powerup and Clear Pipes to be used. A Master Sword powerup was even added, which transforms you into Link.

Mario & Sonic at The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (2019)

A staple series with each year of the Olympic Games, Mario & Sonic at The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 released for Switch in November 2019. A story mode featuring Mario, Sonic, Bowser, and Dr. Eggman is available, in addition to online play with events. A total of 32 different characters are available to choose from. It's one of the many Switch Sonic games worth adding to your collection.

Paper Mario: The Origami King (2020)

The main Paper Mario release for Nintendo Switch was released in July 2020. Paper Mario: The Origami King features a unique puzzle battle system that involves rotating rings to line up enemies. Like previous Paper Mario titles, The Origami King was developed by Intelligent Systems.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020)

A collection of three 3D Mario titles, Super Mario 3D All-Stars was a limited release that celebrated the 35th Anniversary. It bundles together Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy into one package. Both Sunshine and Galaxy received substantial resolution upgrades with this collection's release.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (2020)

You might have forgotten about this game, but Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit hit Nintendo Switch in 2020. The game utilizes AR technology to allow you to create Mario Kart tracks in real life with RC cars. The game combines the environment around you with the world of Mario Kart, featuring coins, powerups, and other racers to go up against.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (2021)

The Wii U's 3D Mario title made its way to the Switch in 2021, with an enhanced version of Super Mario 3D World. A new mode, Bowser's Fury, was added as a part of the package. Bowser's Fury brought a brand-new take on the 3D Mario formula, opting for one large, open sandbox environment.

Mario Golf: Super Rush (2021)

Developed by Camelot, Mario Golf: Super Rush released in June 2021. A story mode is featured, where you level up your Mii character across different courses. Multiple new modes were introduced with Super Rush, like Speed Golf where you run across the course to hit the ball into the hole as fast as you can. It's one of the best golf games on the Switch.

Mario Party Superstars (2021)

Mario Party Superstars is a classic take on the Mario Party formula, bringing back older boards from the Nintendo 64 titles. One hundred minigames were featured in this release, with returning favorites from prior games. Additionally, Nintendo and NDcube finally opened up online play for all modes.

Mario Strikers: Battle League (2022)

The first Mario Strikers game in more than 15 years, Mario Strikers: Battle League was developed by Next Level Games and released in June 2022. Plenty of new characters and abilities were made, with eight-player multiplayer added as well. The highlight of Battle League is the Strikers Club, which allows you to create clubs with up to 20 other players and take on competing clubs.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (2022)

The sequel to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope completely revitalizes the combat system. The game opts for an open approach to combat rather than the Grid system found in Kingdom Battle. New characters like Rosalina and Edge join the battle in an action-packed adventure that spans the cosmos.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the latest 2D Mario game in the Super Mario Bros. series. It introduced the Wonder Flower, a unique mechanic that allows everything you know about a Mario level to flip on its head and surprise you. A total of 12 characters are playable through more than 100 unique levels.

Super Mario RPG (2023)

Released in late 2023, Super Mario RPG, is a remake of the classic SNES title of the same name. The wacky and colorful title recreates each of the unique characters, environments, and battles with exquisite detail. Even composer Yoko Shimomura returned to recreate the magical original soundtrack with modern orchestration! If you are looking for a good game like Paper Mario, this is basically the original Paper Mario.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2024)

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a remake of the 2004 GBA game of the same name. It's a puzzle-platform game that brings the the Donkey Kong and Mario franchises together once again for entertaining gameplay.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2024)

The Nintendo Switch remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is the most faithful remake of the original GameCube sequel to Paper Mario that released in 2004. The graphics are upgraded to give the characters and their environments a bigger pop of color, but the comedy threaded into the game's plot remains a classic. It's arguably the best Paper Mario game there has ever been.

Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024)

The third Mario Party game of the Switch generation, Super Mario Party Jamboree is the series' biggest entry to date with 22 playable characters, seven game boards, and over 110 minigames across its various single- and multiplayer modes. Jamboree notably intrdouces the Jamboree Buddies mechanic, which allows you to compete for companions through more complex minigames called Showdowns.

Super Mario Party Jamboree was also one of the select games that got an enhanced edition for the Switch 2. This enhanced edition is called "Jamboree TV" and incorporates the Switch 2's mouse, voice, and camera features... to varying results.

Mario and Luigi: Brothership (2024)

The most recent Mario game isn't just dedicated to one brother: Brothership launched in November as the first mainline "Mario and Luigi" game from Nintendo since 2015's Paper Jam. With a fresh new artstyle, gibberish voicelines, and even some turn-based combat, Brothership lets you take control of both brothers to restore the land of Concordia. And while our Mario and Luigi: Brothership review did say the game "feels designed specifically for ages six to 12 rather than ages six to 66," that could make this game a great gift or entry point for younger gamers.

Mario Kart World (2025) *Switch 2 Exclusive

The newest Mario game brings us into the world of the Switch 2: a new Mario Kart game launched alongside alongside (and bundled with) the new console on June 5. Mario Kart World introduces free roaming, weather conditions, and double the amount of racers on each track. That means tons of playable characters, including the Moo Moo Meadows Cow.

Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2025)

Originally released during the Wii generation, Super Mario Galaxy was, in my opinion, an absolute peak moment for 3D Mario. This peak was somehow surpassed with Super Mario Galaxy 2, which we described as "the pinnacle of Mario games" in our 10/10 review. Now, both games have made their way to Switch consoles in a new bundle with boosted resolution quality, UI improvements, and an in-game music player. Yippee!

These days, streaming services are a dime a dozen. Disney+ remains one of the most popular services, largely because of the amount of exclusive content. You'll not only have access to dozens of Disney and Pixar films and TV shows, but the entirety of the collected Marvel Cinematic Universe and every Star Wars project pre- and post-acquisition. Depending on the subscription tier or bundle you pick, you can also experience Hulu and ESPN Unlimited content as well, making this the best bang-for-your-buck streaming services around.

I think it goes without saying that Disney+ is a particularly good gift idea for any Disney adult in your life. If you suddenly remembered it's Christmas next week and are looking for last-minute gift ideas, why not help a friend or family member cut down on their subscription bill? We've gathered everything you need to know on how to give a subscription out to your loved ones and how the process works.

How to Give Disney+ as a Gift

How to redeem a gift card

1. When you're ready to redeem, visit the disneyplus.com/commerce/gift webpage
2. Enter the gift card number, security code, and ZIP and they're ready to go. If they're a first-time subscriber, they'll have to create an account.
3. Select the desired Disney+ or bundle plan.

Does a Disney+ Gift Card Work With Streaming Bundles?

There are a handful of different Disney+ bundles available, and luckily the gift cards work towards these as well. So if you're wanting to grab Hulu, ESPN, and HBO Max to bundle and save, you can do so to save a few bucks. Our explainer guide on how to get or switch to one of these bundles is a useful tool for how to decide what to pick.

How Much Should You Gift?

Here's a conundrum: Cooperative board games have wide appeal, but they tend to have a singular problem. Because everyone around the table wants to win, rather than genuine cooperation, there’s a tendency for groups to accept plans suggested by the most experienced or able player. Of the various ways to prevent this, the most successful has been to give players hidden information they’re not allowed to communicate.

The most extreme example is 2018 game The Mind where players aren’t allowed to talk at all, and simply have to rely on their innate sense of timing to lay cards in the correct numeric order. Take Time belongs in this group, but it’s trying to use a set of novel, simple mechanics to chart a worthwhile course between no communication at all, and heavyweight cooperative planning.

What’s in the Box

Take Time’s tiny box belies a wealth of goodness within, which you can sense by its weight. First up there’s a player deck of numeric cards, 24 in all, embossed in gold and set against fetching, complimentary shades of white and dark blue. Beneath there are a set of 12 envelopes, also embossed in gold and set with luminous art pieces depicting colorful, stylized scenes from nature. It’s a salutary lesson in how simple yet highly effective graphic design and artwork can elevate everyday game components into something glorious and eye-catching.

Most of the envelopes contain four clock discs, each with six points. While these are thinner cardboard and lack the gold that elevates the cards and envelopes, they’re still delightful things, carrying more of that rich, stylish nature art in slightly more muted colors. You’ll be playing cards at each of the points, and as soon as they’re on the table, the whole thing springs to life visually. The final component is a set of punch tokens which contain a clock hand and several cogs. They’re chunky and a little drab compared to everything else in the box, but that’s fine: they take a back seat during most of the play time.

Rules and How It Plays

The core game rules are very simple. Each player gets a hand of number cards which come in two colors that run from 1 to 12. In the center of the table is a clock face with six segments. One of these will be the starting segment and your goal, as a group, is to play cards so that the total in each segment runs from lowest in the starting segment and ascends to the highest in the final segment. The catch? Most of your cards must be played face down, and you’re not allowed to talk about your plays while making them.

So, you start to make logical deductions about what people are likely to have played. It’s up to the players – without discussion – to decide who’s going first so, intuitively, someone with a low card will likely play into the starting space and the group will understand that is probably a one, or a two. If the next player plays into the next space, it’s a good bet they’ve played a two (ties count as being part of the ascending order) or a three. Cards played straight into the final space are probably high, and so on. On this basis you can begin to figure your way around the puzzle, although deciding where to play your limited number of face-up cards is still an interesting choice. If no one reaches to open the play, for example, then it’s likely nobody has a low card so starting with a face-up mid-range option might be wise.

Each pack contains four clock faces and, from the very first challenge, there are additional requirements to frustrate you. That first face, for instance, requires the first segment to have a single white-color card in it, and the last segment can contain no more than three cards. So you can’t just dump high-values into that final space mindlessly and call it a day, as once you hit the three-card limit there’s a good chance the penultimate space might end up containing a higher total.

Take Time’s tiny box belies a wealth of goodness within.

Once the difficulty begins to scale, you’ll start making use of the game’s most ingenious aspect. Although you can’t communicate while you’re playing cards, you’re allowed to plan and strategize before anyone has looked at the cards they’ve been dealt. Initially this looks of limited value: how can you plan when you don’t know what values anyone has at their disposal? But there are still things you can do. The card colors are public knowledge, for example, as it’s reflected on the card backs, so in that first clock you can quickly see how many white cards have been dealt and whether you’re likely to have a low-value card to play into its first segment.

But that’s not all. The rules are purposefully vague about what you can discuss in this phase, only explicitly disallowing “codes or signals” during card play. This leaves cunning players with a wealth of ways to approach the game and increase the group’s chances. No spoilers, but once you understand the game flow you can be surprisingly creative in terms of forming a plan, and when imaginative proposals pay off on a difficult clock it is incredibly satisfying. But remember that you have to adhere to the dictum that you must not communicate in any way, even with devised codes, during the card-play phase.

If you’ve played a limited-communication cooperative game before, such as Hanabi, or Take Time’s spiritual predecessor The Mind, you’ll know this rule is hard to enforce. Sometimes a player forgets, and blurts something out by accident, or the preceding player will instinctively react to a play with a wince or a knowing smile, all of which gives out useful information. Some players find this vagueness troublesome: if that’s you, be aware that Take Time has nothing to ameliorate this issue. If not, it can actually be quite fun to watch how different groups interpret and enforce “no communication.” It’s a cooperative game, so it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re on the same page.

Curiously, the game has no final fail state. If you mess up on a clock face, you get to have an additional face-up play for each failure to a maximum of three, and then you keep going until you either succeed or give up. In the latter case, you place the clock into the delightfully named Sleeve of Regrets and move on. To win overall you must go back and ensure you pass all 40 tests although once you’ve at least attempted them, you can open a final sleeve for additional replayability. But how you actually approach this is up to you: Take Time is more interested in being surprising and fun than it is in whether a group wins or loses. It’s clearly supposed to be a cozy, cooperative time to be enjoyed together.

Although you can’t communicate while you’re playing cards, you’re allowed to strategize before anyone has looked at their cards.

From the initial clock face, you may be wondering how any of the subsequent puzzles get hard enough to make you want to skip them. Each new face introduces new rules and wrinkles, but these never become overwhelming. After the first three faces, for instance, you’re not allowed to have any segment total higher than 24. Later, some segments disallow certain cards, while others force you to draw new cards, and an increasing proportion will have one or more placement rules. The design has a fantastic knack of pulling the rug out from strategies you’ve become used to. If your new clock disallows laying your lowest cards on the first segment, and your highest on the last, working out how to get them in ascending order suddenly becomes a whole lot more challenging.

Amazingly, the lack of an absolute loss condition does little to undermine the excitement and thrill of play. Even with good communication and a full three bonus cards, there’s easily enough uncertainty about what’s around the clock to require thoughtful consideration before late cards, and ramp up the tension ahead of the final reveal. A group win is always gratifying, and it doesn’t take many losses before any given face begins to assume a daunting prospect, propelling you toward discussing new approaches, and offering ever-sweeter satisfaction when you finally take the win.

Where to Buy

• See it at Amazon
• See it at Asmodee

I'm what you might call a chronic last-minute gifter. Gifts just aren't one of my core love languages and I almost always forget to get something for other people until it's almost too late. Because of this, I have ample experience with picking out last-minute gifts that don't necessarily feel like I didn't put enough thought into them. Finding the perfect gift for someone right before christmas is an art, and I can help you craft a masterpiece.

The first thing to remember is that gift cards have a time and a place. There are some people on my list who are absolutely going to get a gift card this year, but that's because they prefer being able to make their own purchasing choice rather than leaving it up to me. For everyone else, it's all about trying to find something that feels thoughtful and doesn't require shipping.

1. Books

It's the perfect time to grab your trunk and check out of Hogwarts to move on to something new. If you don't plan on re-reading all seven books any time soon, there's nothing to fear as there are plenty of other brilliant books that will sate your appetite for fantastical storytelling. From magical school murder mystery novels to spell-teaching academies in the clouds, to low stakes fantasy to a boarding school for kids rejected from the mythical portals that once welcomed them; you'll find something to love in our list. So pick up your magic wand, settle into a comfy spot, and get ready to find some new favorite titles like Harry Potter worth reading in 2025 and beyond.

1. The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton

If you're looking for that feeling of being a new student at a magical academy, this is the perfect book for you. The Marvellers will make you feel like a little kid again, as Dhonielle Clayton guides us into the enchanting world of the Arcanum, a global magic school sitting high in the clouds. Ella is the school's first conjurer and she couldn't be more excited, but Arcanum isn't all that it's promised and there are secrets and mistrust behind the gilded doors. Clayton crafts a world you want nothing more than to join, but never shies away from the grim realities that would impact even the most magical of spaces. Ella is a dynamic lead and you'll come away from the Marvellers desperate to read more and rejoin Ella in her new magical world.

2. Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan

Rick Riordan's epic fantasy series has always been a great counterpoint / companion to the Boy Who Lived and is overall a fantastic coming-of-age story. Introducing readers to a world where the children of gods live among us, the first book follows Percy Jackson the son of Poseidon who must go on a dangerous journey to find a thief who has stolen Zeus' lightning bolts and clear his own name. These inclusive, thoughtful stories do a great job balancing the fantastical with the everyday featuring a hero with ADHD and Dyslexia and dealing with the sometimes hard realities of growing up. Riordan began writing these stories for his son, but the immersive, sprawling world he's created has become a favorite for readers around the globe and once you pick them up it's easy to see why.

You can check out our full guide to the Percy Jackson books in order or even check out the Percy Jackson series on Disney+ for more of this. The second season of the show has started on Disney+ as of December 2025.

3. Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

Impossible Creatures is a fairly new series from author Katherine Rundell that has some serious Harry Potter vibes as a british children's fantasy novel. The story follows a young boy named Christopher who discovers a hidden archipelego of mythical creatues while visiting his grandfather. If you liked how well Harry Potter slowly introduced you to a hidden magical world through the perspective of a seemingly ordinary human, then this series is absolutely worth a try. There are only two books so far, but it has already been picked up by Disney for a live-action adaptation.