Mario Paint is the latest Nintendo game to be added to the Nintendo Switch Online library.
A SNES classic, Mario Paint encourages all forms of creativity, including art, music, and animation, and — up until now, anyway — was entirely unplayable for anyone who didn't have the game and the console system from the first time around.
Interestingly, the 1992 OG release permitted players to plug in a mouse controller, which could be why Nintendo has chosen to resurrect the long-lost classic; one of Nintendo Switch 2's most hyped features was its new mouse controls, making this a natural, and exciting, game to add to the NSO library.
Nintendo says that Nintendo Switch players who've yet to upgrade to the new system can also get involved if they have an OG Switch and "a compatible USB mouse (sold separately)."
Nintendo Switch Online is a subscription-based online gaming service for the Nintendo Switch gaming platform. Memberships include online functionality, allowing you to compete or cooperate with friends, as well as a collection of classic Nintendo games spanning four decades, including titles from the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, and, most recently, the new GameCube library. A free seven-day trial is also available.
The GameCube library currently includes The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and Soulcalibur 2. Further titles thought to be joining the service include Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi's Mansion, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, and more. Most recently, Super Mario Strikers was added to the library of GameCube classics.
Nintendo Switch 2 is off to a strong start, with 3.5 million consoles sold, but an analysis on the console's launch week sales paints a mixed picture of how well games not made by Nintendo are now selling.
"The Nintendo Switch 2 is a vital upgrade over the original Switch if that's the only way you've been able to play games for the last eight years," we wrote in IGN's Nintendo Switch 2 review, awarding it 7/10, "but improvements that are mostly playing catch-up and a big price jump make this sequel system about as exciting as a long-overdue phone upgrade in the larger scheme of things."
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
Ubisoft's next big patch for Assassin's Creed Shadows is available today, July 29, 2025, and the publisher has now given a detailed rundown of everything included.
As previously announced, Title Update 1.0.7 adds New Game Plus mode, which will unlock as soon as you hit the credits after completing the game's story. From here, you have a couple of options: either to restart the game from scratch, or pick up the action from when Naoe first arrives at the game's hideout. Either way, your hard-earned gear, skills, allies and hideout progression will carry over.
Whether you're playing New Game Plus or not, there's a level cap increase from 60 to 80, and a boost in the Knowledge Rank cap from 8 to 10, allowing you to counter the game's higher-level enemies with the ability to unlock more skills. You can also now upgrade gear at your Forge to level 4, too.
Sweat your way through Shadows' story a second time via New Game Plus and you'll unlock a gold katana and long katana for Naoe and Yasuke, respectively, and also snag the last of the following three new achievements/trophies, which this update also adds:
Finally, Ubisoft has rebalanced some of the game's money and resources. Players will likely be happy to see a boosted amount of Mon now given from selling items, while purchased items cost less. You'll also get more resources from dismantling items and from end of season chests.
Ubisoft is set to continue updating Shadows for the forseeable future, with a further patch due in early September that will add the ability to fast-forward the time of day and better unfog the world map when synchronising viewpoints. Assassin's Creed Shadows' first major expansion, Claws of Awaji, then arrives on September 16 as the game's first paid add-on — though it will be free for anyone who originally pre-ordered the game.
Find today's full patch notes below:
Ubisoft recently announced that Assassin's Creed Shadows has now hit 5 million players — and it sounds like a version of the game for Nintendo Switch 2 is on the way, too.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
When WWE came to Netflix on January 6, 2025, “sports entertainment” gained its widest reach to date. The deal that brought Monday Night Raw (and, outside the U.S., every WWE production) to streaming was a handshake between two PR-savvy pop-culture juggernauts, and Netflix’s new documentary series WWE: Unreal is where their art and commerce meet. It’s also where the latter frequently wins out, grinding the tensions that inform creative endeavors into a fine dust and sweeping them under the rug. Touted as a behind-the-scenes saga and the first ever peek into pro-wrestling writers’ rooms, Unreal promises an exclusive exposé. But that is, to quote the wrestling lingo that’s become everyday vocabulary in our hyper-online, always-engaged era of fervent fandom, a work. Unreal is pure marketing, a five-episode ploy to court new viewers for Raw, SmackDown, and the Royal Rumble. Even that pledge to put the writers in the spotlight goes mostly unfulfilled.
The first season of Unreal tracks several wrestlers, matches, and ongoing storylines from WWE’s debut on Netflix through its annual springtime flagship, WrestleMania – “wrestling’s Super Bowl,” as numerous stars and executives remind us. Some faces, like Hollywood mainstays John Cena and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, will be familiar to newcomers. Others, like Australian goth queen Rhea Ripley and electric Samoan sensation Jey Uso, haven’t yet broken through to the mainstream, but their broad appeal makes them the perfect subjects for this speed-run through the WWE basics, aimed at telling even non-fans what they already know: that wrestling, while hard-hitting and high-flying, is scripted entertainment. “Our business is about telling stories,” says former competitor and current Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque= in the first episode, inadvertently tipping his hand towards the fiction of WWE: Unreal itself.
What the unacquainted may not realize – and what the series hopes they won’t – is that for the longest time, any film or documentary with WWE’s stamp of approval has rewritten history. Unreal is no exception: Its attempt to pull back the curtain happens entirely on WWE’s terms, resulting in a sterile depiction of the creative process with few meaningful struggles or butting of heads – as though each match and storyline were destined to be perfect from its inception. This removes the backstage friction that provides much of the promotion’s allure, making Unreal a passive experience.
The major problem with this framing is one that ardent fans will immediately recognize. Since the 1990s – and especially in the modern age of social media – being attuned to wrestling has meant following the ins and outs, the breaking news from journalistic sources, the nuggets of rumors and juicy gossip wherever one can find them. By and large, pro-wrestling fans love this razor-thin line between fantasy and reality, and how contract disputes or real-life animosity between wrestlers shows up on screen in ways the company may not always be able to help. With Unreal, WWE tries to capitalize on this form of engagement, but attempts to exert control where it otherwise can’t, reframing every moving part and possibility as a known quantity.
Thankfully, that’s not always the case; the third episode, titled “Worth the Wait”, gestures towards the vulnerabilities, creative anxieties, and tensions that inform the storylines of female WWE superstars including up-and-comer Chelsea Green and weathered veteran Charlotte Flair. However, Unreal very quickly drops each of these threads in favor of an uncanny, robotically smooth version of events. For instance: Green’s intriguing onscreen struggle, as a Canadian, to get booked on a major Canadian show is entirely forgotten the next time WWE is seen returning to Canada. Of the male competitors, only Cena is afforded the chance to be emotionally exposed, as he discusses aging and competing in his final year before retirement. In true WWE fashion, very few storylines feel complete, and no other company exists in the wrestling landscape – even though several of the featured wrestlers came up through rival promotions like AEW.
Unreal’s structure is straightforward, cutting between the in-ring action, backstage coordination, and subsequent interviews. This occasionally yields entrancing moments, like when the directors in the production truck are forced to keep up with story turns that were closely guarded all the way up to air, resulting in the creative highwire act of live editing on the fly. But this is just one of several components in the making of WWE that receive a scant few minutes of screentime in Unreal. More often, it does what any wrestler might when delivering a “promo” on the mic: using the guise of storytelling to very explicitly sell you something. Give an embittered character a few, uninterrupted minutes on air, and they’ll threaten to beat up their opponent at a designated time and place, not-so-subtly reminding you when to purchase the next pay-per-view event. Unreal, meanwhile, tracks the timeline of each episode with an onscreen calendar where Monday night is marked “Raw” and every Friday is marked “SmackDown,” training us to remember when to tune in next.
It’s understandable that WWE would want to expand its audience, given the company’s now worldwide, instantaneous reach. But that results in Unreal spending way too much time explaining the rules or various match types. It’s a bore for anyone remotely familiar with wrestling – who, as it happens, is exactly the kind of person who might be interested in a behind-the-scenes documentary in the first place. Nonfans aren’t likely to be swayed by a process-oriented instructional video; they’re going to decide if wrestling is worth their time based on wrestling itself.
There’s a whole lo-fi cottage industry tracking this kind of stuff on YouTube, where ravenous fans gather to lap up the latest wrestling scuttlebutt. WWE: Unreal is, in comparison, far too polished and pristine to inspire this type of devotion, lacking any real drama beyond seeing how the next corporate decree translates into ratings. It’s the rare TV show to inspire this thought: They should’ve left it to the amateurs.
Look, I should probably be finishing some of my backlog, but with discounts this deep across every major platform, what’s a few more download queues between friends? I've dipped into today's sales and walked away with a mix of modern bangers, cult classics, and a few unexpected favourites that all punched well above their asking price. Whether you're Team DualSense, docked on the Switch, or glued to a clicky mechanical keyboard, there’s gold in these discounts.
In retro news, I'm marking the 21st birthday of Sid Meier's Pirates!, an arrr-rated remake of an '87 classic I smashed repeatedly on PC. Think: a 2.5D, top-down Sea of Thieves, and you're not far off the mizzenmast as fencing, naval battles, sniffing out treasure, and harnessing winds/avoiding reefs are your bread and butter gameplay. The long-term hook (so to speak) lay in its trading and RPG-lite elements, plus the addiction of building a multi-ship armada and a bad-arse rep. Top game. Would replay.
Aussie birthdays for notable games.
- Sid Meier's Pirates! (PC) 2004. Get
- King's Quest (PS3/4.X360/O) 2015. Get
- N++ (PS4) 2015. Get
Contents
On Switch, Skyrim is dirt cheap and still weirdly impressive. Fun fact: there's a hidden Easter egg where you can find a Notched Pickaxe in reference to Minecraft creator Markus Persson. Meanwhile, The Witcher 3 Comp. Ed. still holds its own as one of the greatest fantasy RPGs ever made. Its Switch port shouldn’t run as well as it does, but somehow it does.
Expiring Recent Deals
Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.
Over on Series X, Mass Effect Leg. Ed. is so discounted you’d be daft to pass it up. Shepard’s saga is still the high watermark for branching narrative RPGs. Also, Alan Wake 2 may be Remedy’s best work to date. The sheer Lynchian weirdness of the live-action interludes still lives rent-free in my brain.
Xbox One
Deep space dogfights and dusty cowboy revenge tales headline the Xbox One cuts. If you’re still running last gen, these are well worth the controller drift.
Expiring Recent Deals
Or just invest in an Xbox Card.
On PS5, WRC delivers ridiculously good rally handling and may be the best Codemasters package in years. Crisis Core Reunion is also a standout, with its revamped visuals and combat doing proper justice to Zack’s underrated journey.
PS4
Square Enix tactics and top-tier indies for a steal. Red Dead still rocks on PS4 too, if you’re chasing outlaw immersion on a budget.
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PS+ Monthly Freebies
Yours to keep from Jul 1 with this subscription
Or purchase a PS Store Card.
And on PC, Dead Space Rem. is peak horror sci-fi. It nails the remake brief without feeling like a nostalgia cash-in. Also, Palworld remains one of the most chaotic survival-crafting time sinks I’ve played all year. Pikachu with a glock? Sure, why not. I'll play that for a few hundred more hours.
Expiring Recent Deals
Or just get a Steam Wallet Card
Licensed bricks and blocky bananas abound. This week’s LEGO stash has Minecraft critters, One Piece nostalgia, and Peely in minifig form. Yes, really.
Expiring Recent Deals
Adam Mathew is our Aussie deals wrangler. He plays practically everything, often on YouTube.
Getting a group of friends together to learn and play a board game can be a daunting task. Not only does it require everyone in-person, but between setting up, learning the rules, and actually playing through the game it can end up taking multiple hours. Thankfully, there's an online solution that solves many of these issues.
Board Game Arena might be one of the best-kept secrets, despite having more than 10 million registered players. Still, the flexibility to play many of the most popular games today whenever you desire makes it a must for board game enthusiasts. With a massive catalog spanning every genre, it's got plenty to offer for both casual and hardcore players alike. Check out our full breakdown below to learn more about Board Game Arena, some of the included games, pricing, and what devices are supported.
Board Game Arena is a website that allows you to play more than 1,000 popular board games—completely free. What's the catch? Surprisingly, there isn't one. It really is as good as it sounds. A metaphorical board game buffet just waiting to be devoured.
The browser-based website is pretty lightweight, allowing it to run seamlessly across desktop and mobile devices. You can play games in real-time with players from across the world or set up a turn-based match that lets players take turns when it's convenient for them. While this significantly increases the time it takes to complete a game, it's a flexible option that's perfect for those with a busy schedule who can't dedicate the time it takes to sit down and play longer games.
Most games include a step-by-step guided tutorial, which is the perfect way to learn a new game that doesn't require combing through a massive rulebook. Many also have links to educational videos if you prefer to learn by watching.
The best part about Board Game Arena is that the entire experience is automated. That means no more worrying about the rules or players potentially cheating. Each game features a simple interface that clearly indicates which moves you can make at any given moment. This also helps games move along at a brisk pace, as there's no setup, teardown, or fiddling with components.
Players can create digital tables and indicate the number of opponents they are looking for before starting a match. Generally, finding players is quick, with tables often filled in a matter of seconds. Some games even include expansion content, which you can decide to enable when setting up your table.
Each game features a built-in text chat option to interact with your friends or opponents. And, if you want to host a virtual game night and get the full experience, optional voice and video chat are also available.
Because many board games require a lot of time and commitment, Board Game Arena leverages a reputation system for all players. Anyone who takes too long to make a move or leaves a game before it's finished receives a penalty. This allows you to quickly identify potential problem players and avoid matching with them to ensure a positive play experience.
For players looking to test their ability, Board Game Arena also offers ranked matches and tournaments for every game. This is a great way to face off against some of the best players in the world and improve your skill.
Board Game Arena is available in two tiers: free and Premium. The free tier only requires that you create a free account in order to access the catalog of games. However, you'll quickly find that many of the most popular games have the "Premium" badge on them, which means you can't start a table unless you have a paid subscription. If you're patient, though, you can wait for another premium member to set up a table and join for free.
But, to experience the best of Board Game Arena without any restrictions, you'll want to sign up for a Premium account. Like most game subscription services, you can pay monthly or yearly, with the latter being a bit cheaper in comparison. Board Game Arena's is priced at $5 per month or $42 per year (which works out to about $3.50 a month). For less than the price of a new board game you can experience more than 1,000—with more added every week.
Board Game Arena features some of the most popular board games available today, including: engine-building games like Wingspan, Splendor, and Res Arcana; family games like Azul, Ticket to Ride, and Harmonies; cooperative games like Pandemic, Sky Team, and The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-Taking Game, and many, many more. The best part—new games are added weekly, so there's always something to look forward to and play.
For more experienced players, there are plenty of longer, more strategic games that typically need a well-versed group to play including Terraforming Mars, Ark Nova, and Terra Mystica. While these games can take hours in-person, the instant setup and automated turn structure helps them move much faster than their real-world counterparts, making this the ideal way to play many of these heavier games.
Although most games require two or more players to enjoy, Board Game Arena has a vast catalog of solo games for players who prefer that format. Many modern games also include a solo variant, allowing you to play against an automa and learn the strategy without the pressure of additional players.
Even if you only have a few minutes to spare, Board Game Arena also features dozens of quick board games that can be played on your phone to give you your fix. The beauty of its massive catalog is that you can choose the perfect game based on how much time you have available.
Since Board Game Arena is browser-based, it's available on just about any modern device that can access an internet browser. While you can play games on mobile, I find that some games' visual aspects don't scale well for the smaller screen. Your best bet is to play on PC, Mac, or even a tablet as each of these can fit more visuals and information on the screen.
Matthew Adler has written for IGN since 2019 covering all things gaming, tech, tabletop games, and more. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.
It might be hard to keep Marvel's upcoming movie and TV slate straight -- it's a lot to absorb, we know, but the biggest news in recent memory is surely that Robert Downey, Jr. himself is returning to the MCU. No, not as Tony Stark, but rather as one of the most anticipated Marvel villains -- Doctor Doom!
How the former Iron Man could now be the Fantastic Four's greatest villain remains unclear at the moment, but we do know that he will be the centerpiece of the next Avengers movie: Avengers: Doomsday, which will apparently bring together the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and even the X-Men (plus a bunch of other folks!).
Until we know more, all we can do is watch our newsfeeds and wait, and hope, and speculate about what's next for Marvel. Hey, that's how it works for us nerds! We've done our best to wrangle and rein in all of the many MCU movie and TV shows that are in the works in one easy place for you to reference and learn about what's next. From the movies to the Disney+ shows, here's a quick rundown of everything on the MCU horizon.
Come join us in the Multiverse and click on through the slideshow below for a glimpse (or read on for more)...
For those keeping track, here's the full lineup of upcoming Marvel movies and shows:
Here are some of the most definite Marvel movies and shows in the MCU's Multiverse Saga that are currently in the works:
Black Panther writer-director Ryan Coogler produces this Disney+ animated series which is focused on the wider world of Wakanda. The four-episode series will feature the stories of Wakandan warriors from history.
Following an introduction in the first season of Marvel's What If...?, Marvel Zombies will be a new animated series that "reimagines the Marvel Universe as a new generation of heroes battle against an ever-spreading zombie scourge." The show will be directed by executive producer Bryan Andrews.
At San Diego Comic-Con 2022, it was revealed that Marvel Zombies will not only feature undead versions of Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, Ghost, Abomination, Captain Marvel, and Okoye, but it will also include new heroes that are very much alive like Yelena, Kate Bishop, Red Guardian, Jimmy Woo, Death Dealer, Shang-Chi, and Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel. The series will hit Disney+ just in time for Halloween 2025.
Tom Holland confirmed he's donning the red and blue tights once again for a fourth live-action Spider-Man movie set in the MCU. The sequel will begin filming in Summer 2025 for a July 2026 release. Shang-Chi's Destin Daniel Cretton is directing this time around. We don't know much about the plot of the fourth movie yet, though Holland teased that the latest script "really lit a fire in me."
As for future solo films, during Spider-Man: No Way Home's press tour, producer Amy Pascal said that the thinking is that there will be at least three more Spider-Man films starring Tom Holland. It should be noted, however, that has not yet been confirmed by Sony or Marvel.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 began production in New York City in February, 2025, right before the debut of Season 1. Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio continue their roles as Daredevil/Matt Murodock and Kingpin/Wilson Fisk, respectively, as the Devil of Hell's Kitchen continues to deal with the fallout of Season 1, including a major Daredevil character death and Fisk's ascension to mayor of New York City.
Deadline reported in October, 2022, that a WandaVision spin-off called Vision Quest was in the works with a writers room opening up. The possibility of Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) showing up on the Vision show was not ruled out in the report. Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas will oversee the Paul Bettany-led series, which is now expected to release in 2026.
With Season 1 concluding in February, 2025, after featuring the likes of Charlie Cox's Daredevil, Dr. Octavius, Chameleon, Speed Demon, Scorpion, Butane the Pyromaniac, Harry Osborn, Amadeus Cho, and many other familiar faces, a second and third season of the show have been confirmed to be in the works.
Jon Bernthal's Punisher has been introduced to the MCU proper as part of Daredevil: Born Again, but that won't be the last time we see him. Marvel is currently developing a standalone special featuring the character, in the vein of the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and Werewolf By Night. Bernthal is writing the special alongside We Own This City's Reinaldo Marcus Green.
The particulars of this film were in flux after Marvel has parted ways with Jonathan Majors in the wake of his being found guilty of assault and harassment. Will his character, Kang the Conqueror, continue to appear in the MCU in some way? It seems unlikely. Originally called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, we learned at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 that the next Avengers film is now called Avengers: Doomsday, and it will feature the return of Robert Downey, Jr. himself as Doctor Doom (somehow)! Avengers: Secret Wars will bring an end to The Multiverse Saga and Phase 6 of the MCU a year later.
In March 2025, Marvel revealed the full Doomsday cast via a livestream, with surprises including Channing Tatum's Gambit and a number of other fan-favorite X-Men. Following Marvel's latest delay, Avengers 5 will be released in theaters on December 18, 2026.
Avengers: Secret Wars will mark the end of both Phase 6 of the MCU and the entire Multiverse Saga that encompasses Phases 4, 5, and 6. It will arrive almost exactly a year after Avengers: Doomsday on December 17, 2027. It will also be the big screen adaptation of the beloved Secret Wars comic run that saw the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men team up to stop an unimaginable threat.
Blade will be returning to the big screen, starring Mahershala Ali... or at least we hope he will. The thing is, besides a quick voice cameo in Eternals, we have yet to learn anything more about Ali's Blade. Marvel originally revealed a November 3, 2023 release date at SDCC 2022. Since then, however, the film has pushed back to February 14, 2025, as production reportedly halted due to Ali's dissatisfaction with the script and the departure of director Bassam Tariq. The date then shifted to November 7, 2025, and most recently the film was reported to be taken off the release calendar. But Marvel boss Kevin Feige says they're still working on the film, which after some back and forth, will now be set in the modern-day.
At one point, Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed the first film, was said to be returning to write and direct Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 2. "We're in very early stages of brainstorming and figuring out what direction we want to go," he told IGN back in 2021. "But yeah, we'll be kind of simultaneously working on a lot of these things from now until we start shooting."
The thing is, the filmmaker eventually got the gig to direct Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which obviously took priority over Shang-Chi. Still, Shang-Chi will appear in Avengers: Doomsday, so another solo film is certainly still possible.
Don Cheadle could be back as James Rhodes -- War Machine -- for Armor Wars, which was originally designed to be a TV series on Disney+. The project was initially described as "a classic Marvel story about Tony Stark’s worst fear coming true: what happens when his tech falls into the wrong hands?" However, in September of 2022, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the project was being reshaped into a movie rather than a TV series. We haven't heard much about it since then, so it's possible this is one that winds up never coming together now that Disney and Marvel are easing back on how many MCU films and shows they make.
The first season of X-Men '97, the revival of the original X-Men: The Animated Series from the 1990s, continued right where that storyline left off. Original voice actors from the first show returned to their characters, including Wolverine's Cal Dodd, Rogue's Lenore Zann, Beast's George Buza, and more. The show was well-received by fans and will be back for at least two more seasons, though it's currently unknown when that may be.
Note: This story was updated on 7/28/2025. It was originally posted on 7/29/2021.
Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.
This August will see the release of some awesome new LEGO Star Wars sets. From large-scale display models to smaller playset builds geared more towards the younglings, there's something for everyone. Some of these ideas have already been released as sets in the past, but modern LEGO design sensibilities keep them coming back after retirement. I welcome this, since the secondary LEGO market can be a bit rough, and I'm all for affordable and accessible hobbies. Also, there are a bunch of characters that are getting the minifigure treatment for the first time. This batch of sets will see one of the very few releases of Kaminoan minifigures, as well as new Jango and Boba Fett, Asajj Ventress, and Clone Trooper Figures.
Some obvious standouts are the new massive AT-ST Walker (75417) and the Wicket the Ewok (75430) display models. Of the entire batch, the Walker is the one I'm looking forward to the most personally. At 1,513 pieces, it's sure to be one of the most accurate recreations of the iconic mech we've seen to date. The Wicket set joins countless other buildable display figures like C3-PO (75198) and the Battle Droid with STAP (75428) as another super accurate and to-scale set depicting a fan-favorite character in brick form.
Then there's the new version of Jango Fett's Starship (75433), which also includes a sweet Lama Su minifigure, the first time this cloner has been shrunk down to LEGO size. The set overall is a smaller version of the massive 2,970-piece Jango Fett's Firespray-Class Starship (75409), so if you're on a budget or tight on space, it's a great way to get Jango's ship and stay practical.
Finally, I would be silly not to call out the V-19 Torrent Starfighter set (75432). Asajj Ventress is one of my favorite characters from The Clone Wars, and her new minifigure here will be a fine addition to my collection. I'll also never pass up a reason to get more Obi-Wan in his Clone Wars armor, so this is one I'll be tracking down once all eight of these sets start to ship out on August 1.
San Diego Comic-Con 2025 just wrapped up over the weekend, and while we didn't get any huge Star Wars movie news, Lucasfilm Publishing dropped tons of new details on what fans can expect in the near future. Some notable teases include Industrial Light & Magic: 50 Years of Innovation, a hardcover book that celebrates the storied history of the iconic visual effects studio. Then there's Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: Bad Batch #2: Rogue Agents. That's a lot of colons. This comic book features the return of Clone Force 99, and is notably published by Dark Horse Comics and not Marvel. Finally, Star Wars: The High Republic is finally coming to a close with The Finale, which starts very soon on July 30.
Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.
San Diego Comic-Con once again offered us a glimpse into the future of movies and TV shows, and we are very excited about a lot of these projects. However, this isn't about us, because we need your help.
What were your favorite movies and TV shows from SDCC, and which left you wanting more? Was the promise of seeing how John Cena's Chris Smith jumps from the DCEU to the DCU enough to make Peacemaker Season 2 top your list? Is IT: Welcome to Derry just too terrifying for you, meaning you need to hide it near the bottom of the list so it won't keep you up at night?
We've selected 25 of the biggest movies and TV shows that made a splash at SDCC, and we've entered them into a Tier List you can check out below. Where these projects fall is entirely up to you, as we'd love you to rank these entrants from the best of the best to the worst of the worst. Our scale goes from S all the way down to D, and there is space to fill in the others in between.
Does the promise of the Spinal Tap gang returning to the big screen after 41 years make the upcoming sequel worthy of an S? Can you not wait to see who follows Korra as the next Avatar in Avatar: Seven Havens? Do you think Spartaus: House of Ashur will be too violent for your taste? Let us know below!
For more, check out the biggest trailers of SDCC and which movies and TV shows we here at IGN are most excited about!
The new school year is just around the corner, meaning it might be time to upgrade your devices to ensure your equipment isn't what's holding back your study goals. iPads are known for their versatility, performance prowess, and portability – features students juggling classes, jobs, and internships can benefit from. Whether you’re looking for something to access digital textbooks, somewhere to jot notes, or even take online classes, iPads are the best tablets for the job. Take a look at our favorite iPads for students in 2025. From undergrads to med students, there’s a great iPad model to suit your needs.
Not all iPads are created equal, coming in different sizes and prices and offering various capabilities. At the top of the pack performance-wise is the mighty iPad Pro, which perfect for students in creative or STEM majors who require a device to run more intensive programs. It is expensive, so if you don’t need that much power, the mid-range iPad Air is a great all-around option. Plus, if you slap a keyboard on either of these powerful tablets, they can be a viable laptop replacement.
Need something a little more pocketable? The iPad mini might be for you. Even the budget-friendly iPad A16 is ready to take on daily tasks and is great for streaming shows during your limited free time. No matter which iPad you go for, all come running on the familiar and reliable iPad OS. Take an in-depth look at our favorite iPads for students below:
Apple’s mid-range Air model is the ideal iPad for most college students. Coming out earlier this year, it runs on an M3 processor, bringing a slight performance boost over the older M2 model. With that chip, which now supports ray tracing, this tablet is an absolute productivity beast offering plenty of snappiness for multitasking and using of all the essential apps students spend much of their time with, including Google Docs, Gmail, and YouTube or Netflix – only after finishing coursework, of course. The Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) support is also great for getting creative or notetaking.
The display remains virtually unchanged from its predecessor. In our review of the iPad Air M2, we found the LED screen with its IPS panel to be crisp and bright, making for easy viewing from most spaces. However, dark scenes outdoors on a sunny day can be a bit harder to distinguish.
The iPad Air doesn't have the stunning OLED display of the iPad Pro, but it features similar cameras that are surprisingly great by tablet standards. The landscape-oriented front-facing camera’s 1080p resolution and host of features will keep you in frame and sharp when FaceTiming friends and family back home or attending online classes. The audio quality of the stereo speakers with spatial audio is so-so – though you shouldn't expect much from a tablet – but it does get serviceably loud if you're without a pair of headphones.
Coming in two sizes – an 11-inch and 13-inch model – I tend to gravitate towards the extra screen real estate on the 13-inch iPad Air, especially for those after a full laptop replacement. Regardless, both have a sleek aluminum chassis that remains ultralightweight for easy carting around. The base storage is still relatively small at 128GB, but an easy and cost-effective solution to add more space is grabbing a great external hard drive.
The classic iPad finally got a revamp this year. While it still doesn’t offer the performance prowess of the Pro or Air models, it has received a few nice upgrades while maintaining a fair $349 starting price. The most notable change is the processor. It’s now running on the 30% faster A16 Bionic chip, helping the tablet cruise through daily tasks and scrolling socials. Its base storage also doubled, coming with a 128GB capacity. It's not massive, but that should be enough space for essential apps, downloaded study playlists, and even a decent collection of photos and videos without relying on the cloud.
The Apple iPad (11th Gen) looks nearly identical to its predecessor, offering a familiar, high-quality design with a lineup of fun, bold colors. In fact, almost all the iPad cases and accessories from the last generation work perfectly with the latest model, since it's an identical weight and size. While the chip on this iPad won’t be ideal for creative work, the Apple Pencil (USB-C and 1st Gen) support would come in handy when jotting down notes for class.
The Liquid Retina display looks fantastic, especially given the price. It’s responsive, bright, and the perfect size for reading textbooks and researching, but the lack of an anti-reflective coating could hinder some outdoor study sessions. (The solution is to just get a anti-glare screen protector.) Tucked behind the display is a front-facing landscape camera with features like “CenterStage,” keeping you centered in the frame if you move around during presentations in online classes.
If you’re looking for an even cheaper iPad option, the 10th generation iPad could be a great alternative. However, it’s tougher to find in stock than the 11th gen.
When medical students begin doing rotations, an iPad Mini is an invaluable tool. Rather than jotting down notes in a notepad, the iPad mini comes in a similar size but is loaded with far more capabilities. It’s only 8.3 inches – a perfectly pocketable size for a lab coat that you can pull out to do an Anki session. It’s also not much heavier than even the biggest iPhone, weighing well under a pound. Plus, compared to other iPads, the iPad Mini can be used in one hand for easier handling if you're reading.
The biggest upgrade to this 7th-generation iPad Mini is its processor. It’s now running on an A17 Pro chip, the same one found in iPhone 15 Pro. That silicon might not have the oomph of Apple’s M-series processors, but given the size of the device and 8GB of RAM, it should have plenty of power. Running productivity and notetaking apps when on the job, along with anatomy and medical apps for studying in your free time will feel nice and snappy. Apple Intelligence is also supported. Loading the iPad Mini with apps and notes shouldn’t be an issue either, as the base model doubled storage from its predecessor.
Admittedly, the 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display will feel small when coming from a laptop or other iPad model. Still, the screen is sharp, responsive, and easy to see even under the bright fluorescent of a hospital or classroom. The screen’s support for both the Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) should make for a breezy notetaking experience, while the cameras work perfectly fine when hopping on a quick video call. Unfortunately, the front-facing camera remains in portrait mode over landscape. Most of Apple’s other tablets have made the switch.
After our review of the iPad Pro, we can now confirm it's hands down the most powerful and stunning iPad available, and in the design and STEM worlds that’s what you want. It’s M4 processor is the same one found in the best MacBooks. The chip has a minimum offers 9 processing cores and 10 graphics cores, and that's paired with a 8GB or 16GB RAM. Given we’re recommending this device for students who need to use more computing-intensive programs, grabbing the beefier 16GB RAM model with more storage is a great choice.
Complementing those top-notch internals is a breathtaking OLED display, the first in an iPad. It hits up to 1,600 nits peak brightness in HDR for some next-level, true-to-life visuals. Color accuracy is equally great, ensuring edits look uniform and spectacular no matter where they’re viewed. The screen also comes in two different sizes, 11 and 13 inches, and given the type of work the device will be used for, bigger is better, in our opinion.
Though the iPad Pro is packed with powerful hardware, it remains incredibly thin and light, making for a perfectly portable device. Just be sure to slap a great iPad case on it, as the chassis is a bit flexible. Adding Apple’s Magic Keyboard even turns the device into the perfect laptop replacement, while grabbing the incredible Apple Pencil Pro with its unique features for artists is a great idea. But if you don’t want to drop another $129, purchasing an Apple Pencil alternatives is a great way to save a few bucks and still take advantage of sketching.
Since their inception, iPads have completely changed the tablet game, acting as powerful, portable computers. The best iPads for students can serve various purposes, from notetaking, reading, and research tools to full-on laptop replacements ready to cruise through whatever tasks are thrown their way. If you’re after your first iPad for school or want a replacement, here's what look for:
iPads range in size from 8.3 inches up to 13 inches. For students looking for a reading tablet that also works great for notetaking on the go, the most pocketable and smallest iPad, the Mini, is the way to go.
The sweet spot between portability and plenty of space to draft documents and consume media is an iPad between 10 to 11 inches. That size range is where you’ll find the true tablet experience, and Apple has three iPads that fit the bill: the iPad, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.
The 13-inch iPad size – available on the Air and Pro models – is ideal for productivity, and the extra screen space will serve students in creative and STEM majors well. Slapping a keyboard on the iPad makes it a viable laptop replacement. However, the larger screen means this tablet is slightly less portable than the others.
Since it's not the most current generation of the iPad, the 10th generation iPad is the most budget-friendly – if it's in stock. Otherwise, there will often be awesome deals on the newer 11th generation iPad during popular deal times like Prime Day and Black Friday. By going for a lower-cost option, sacrifices to power and screen quality will be made, but students can still easily run many of their favorite apps.
Pricier iPad models like the Pro and Air see an uptick in performance prowess, storage, and features, so your experience running apps and completing tasks will be speedier and more fluid. The iPad Pro is the most expensive iPad model, costing upwards of $2,500 depending on specs. That’s a lot for college students. Therefore, we’d only recommend grabbing the Pro if you truly need the power and graphical abilities. The iPad Air is significantly more affordable than the Pro, and when you add in its lightweight, sleek design, and fast processor, it’s easy to see why it’s our favorite iPad for students.
Apple also often offers education pricing and student discounts, so be sure to see if it’s running any promotions on the iPad model you’d like to purchase. This back-to-school season, Apple is adding a pair of AirPods (or another eligible accessory) with an iPad or computer purchase.
All iPads are versatile machines with useful features for students, but starting with a strong internet connection is key. Each iPad delivers WiFi support for a reliable wireless connection, which should work great around campus. It’s possible to purchase iPad models with cellular support, but we don’t think that's a necessary additional expense for students.
When FaceTiming relatives back home or attending online classes, a great front-facing camera is essential. As for the main lens, students should be less concerned. That extra camera is great when you just need to snap a quick pic for reference later, but smartphones always look better and are far more convenient to handle than the ones on tablets.
Solid-sounding integrated speakers can also come in handy when you’re sick of using your wireless earbuds. The iPad Air and iPad Pro are superior in this regard, though almost no tablet is capable of producing incredible audio for things like movies and music. However, if you want to tune out the world when working from your tablet at the library or on the quad, IGN expert Nick Woodard's review of the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC was overwhelmingly positive, meaning these earbuds are a great alternative to the pricier AirPods Pro 2.
Unfortunately, connectivity options on iPad models are limited. For the most part, you’re just getting a USB-C, some of which have DisplayPort capabilities. At least Bluetooth support is strong on all models for connecting wireless accessories.
The amount of storage necessary for students depends on what the iPad is used for. If its primary purpose is to run some apps, take notes, and stream a some videos, you can get by with that 64GB of storage. Luckily, it’s easy and cheap enough to connect the device to a cloud storage service for additional space to save your photos, videos, and documents. The 11th gen iPad that came out earlier this year now comes with 128GB of base storage, which is great upgrade. The only iPad to offer 64GB of storage out of the box is the 10th gen iPad, which is getting harder to come by.
If downloading the best iPad games and top shows is a high priority, upping to 128GB or 256GB is a good idea. However, STEM, graphic design, film, and other creative majors could benefit from saving projects locally and need extra space for bloated software, and should therefore seek 512GB or more storage space. Of course, grabbing a great external USB-C drive is also always a great idea.
The best iPad accessory that a student can arm their tablet with is a case or cover. Chances are good that it’ll be sliding in and out of bags often, so something to keep the chassis and screen protected ensures you don’t brick it. Students could also benefit from a portable charger during busy days shuffling between classes, while the compatible Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil prove useful when taking notes. Beyond that, all the basics, like AirPods and a USB-C charger come in handy.
Many of the best Android tablets are Samsung-made, and while iPads are great, Samsung is giving Apple a run for its money. iPads tend to provide a more fluid, smooth experience consistently, espeically if you already have an iPhone. For students looking for a creative powerhouse, the Pro can’t be beat. However, pricing is a bit more restrictive and some find iPadOS limiting. Samsung, on the other hand, offers a wide range of Galaxy Tablets at different price points for more flexibility – some of which keep up with the iPad – but performance can still be a mixed bag, depending on the model and specs chosen.
Ultimately, when it comes to students deciding between the two, it’s more a matter of personal preference. If you’re all in on the Apple ecosystem, an iPad is the way to go, and if you’re dedicated to Android devices, Samsung makes more sense.
Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer for IGN based in Los Angeles who spends most of her time updating tech buying guides.
If you're looking for an affordable power bank that will fast charge your brand new Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck, or Apple iPhone 16, then check out this new deal that just popped up. Amazon is currently offering the Iniu 10,000mAh Power Bank with up to 45W of Power Delivery and a USB Type-C cable lanyard for just $10.28 after you clip the 45% off coupon on the product page. It will more than double your total Switch 2 playtime and has enough power output for you to play and charge simultaneously. Iniu power banks have solid reviews and are less expensive than Anker models.
This Iniu power bank holds a 10,000mAh, or 37Whr battery capacity. If you factor in 80% power efficiency, here are the approximate number of times you can fully recharge each gaming handheld:
The Iniu power bank has three output ports: one built-in 45W USB Type-C cable, one 45W USB Type-C port, and one USB Type-A port. The 45W of Power Delivery is enough to charge the Nintendo Switch (18W) and Steam Deck (40W) at their fastest rate. This power bank is also a solid choice for charging your Apple iPhone 16, since ChargerLAB has shown that the maximum charging rate caps at about 30W, even for the Pro Max model.
The built-in cable is a popular feature on newer and generally pricier power banks because you no longer have to bring along your own USB Type-C cable. In this case the cable can charge both your electronic device and the power bank itself.
For more options, check out our favorite portable power banks for traveling.
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.
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