Magic Puzzle Company makes some really cool jigsaw puzzles. They all have 1,000 pieces, and feature highly detailed and colorful art from a variety of artists. But what makes them special is that each one ends with a fun twist, or “magical surprise.” For Black Friday weekend, all of the company’s puzzles are half off on Amazon and Target. That brings each one down to $12.49 – a terrific deal on some gorgeous and clever puzzles.
Magic Puzzle Company Puzzles Are $12.49
So far, Magic Puzzle Company has released five “series” of puzzles, each of which have four puzzle. If you’ve never done one of their puzzles, it doesn’t really matter which one you get – just go by whatever one looks best to you.
As for the twists at the end, the company says they combine “the traditional jigsaw puzzle experience with ideas from the worlds of tabletop games and magic.” I’ve only completed one of the puzzles, but it was a neat little trick – definitely more interesting than when you complete a standard jigsaw puzzle.
One thing to note: when you order, make sure you look at the delivery estimate, especially if you’re buying a puzzle as a present for someone. Availability is limited, and some of the shipping times are slipping to mid-December or even January. That said, the same sale is running on both Amazon and Target, so you can check the other retailer if the one you want will arrive too late.
Puzzle fans often overlap with board game fans (it must be the tabletop setting), so you’ll probably be pleased to know there are lots of board games on sale for Black Friday as well. Everything from family-friendly games like Jenga to more advanced fare like Wyrmspan (from the makers of Wingspan) is on sale.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.
Cyber Monday is coming up fast, but that doesn't mean that Black Friday deals are slowing down. Amazon is offering the TheraGun Therabody Massage Gun at a new low price of $109.99. This massage gun usually comes with a price tag of $159.99, so you're saving a cool $50 overall with this discount.
Black Friday Deal: TheraGun Therabody Massage Gun
For those struggling with muscle aches and pains, the TheraGun comes with three different attachments to help target points in your body that need the most help. Its start-up is simple and easy as well, as it features one button that offer three different speeds for you to choose from, and its battery life keeps it going for up to 120 minutes. The discount even applies to multiple colors: the Navy model (which is pictured above), Sand, or Black.
Amazon's Black Friday sale is stacked with so many more discounts worth checking out right now, too. We've broken down some of the best deals available in Amazon's Black Friday sale so you can stock up on some of these discounted items while they're still available. Keep in mind that many of these deals may not last for long beyond Cyber Monday, so now's the time to stock up and save on the items that interest you.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
Since 1986 the Metroid series has gone from 2D to 3D (and back to 2D) and to consoles and portables, with plenty of Samus appearances and cameos in other games along the way. It’s responsible for co-creating the Metroidvania genre, leading to games like Hollow Knight and Ori and the Blind Forest and dozens more. And hey, it's even dabbled in pinball and soccer.
With Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on the way, it’s the perfect time to look back on this incredible series. Here are what we consider the top 10 Metroid games, judged by the all-important factors of level and map design, progression, innovation, and lasting legacy.
10. Metroid 2: Return of Samus
These days, one of the most basic functions expected of a Metroidvania game is map screen that slowly reveals itself as you explore its maze-like network of corridors and hidden rooms. But back in 1991, when Metroid 2: Return of Samus arrived on the Nintendo Game Boy, that wasn’t exactly standard practice yet. That makes Metroid 2 feel a bit on the obtuse side, especially since its main focus is sending Samus to SR388 on a planet-wide quest to hunt down every last Metroid left with no real way to track their locations.
But if you persevered and played along with your own hand drawn map (or one tucked inside an issue of Nintendo Power) you were rewarded with a pocket-sized Metroid game complete with all of Samus’ signature moves and weapons from the NES game, even if the benefits of portability also meant playing on a fuzzy little puke-green Game Boy screen. Still, from its big character sprites, tense chiptune music, and lonely, claustrophobic setting, there’s something really special about Metroid 2. And for people wishing Metroid 2 had a few more modern features, 2017’s excellent 3DS remake from MercurySteam totally delivers on that front, but hey, we’ll talk about that one more in a bit.
9. Metroid
Inspired by the 1979 sci-fi film Alien as well as previous Nintendo hits like Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda, the original Metroid game was unlike anything else at the time. Sure there had been tons of space shooters and platforming games released by the time Metroid arrived in 1986, but none of them had ever brought so many elements of those genres together in the same place, complete with a huge map with horizontally and vertically scrolling screens. What made Metroid especially unique at the time was the way its protagonist Samus controlled and explored through unique power-ups, like the ability to turn into a ball and explore hidden tunnels, or the “screw attack” jump that allowed you to rapidly flip up walls and corridors, tearing through ugly space monsters along the way.
It also established grotesque creature villains like Kraid, Ridley, and Mother Brain, all of whom continued to show up in Metroid games for decades to come. And it concluded with one of the most clever NES game ending sequences ever: a frantic escape from a ticking time bomb after defeating the game’s main boss. And perhaps one of the coolest surprises was its multiple endings, several of which revealed that bounty hunter Samus Aran was a woman the entire time, a concept that was pretty uncommon for video games in the mid ‘80s. So much of what makes modern Metroid games so incredible can be traced back to the revolutionary original NES game, and the same can be said for the entire Metroidvania genre as a whole.
8. Metroid: Samus Returns
Metroid: Samus Returns took all of the promise of the original Game Boy game Metroid: Return of Samus and completely rebuilt it from the ground up and presented it in full color, glasses-free 3D, complete with totally overhauled graphics, newly remade music, and a much improved combat system that gave Samus an uppercut style melee attack to knock back enemies between bursts of arm cannon blasts and morph ball bombs.
It’s still ultimately a remake of a fairly one-note Metroid game, but finally having a map (viewable at all times thanks to the 3DS’ second screen,) snappy, fluid player movement, and offensive options against adversaries makes Samus Returns feel distinctly like its own thing. After Team Ninja’s wobbly and unsatisfying Metroid: Other M in 2010, fans were justified in worrying that another outside developer handling the Metroid franchise wouldn’t exactly lead to the best results, but MercurySteam proved it had what it takes to make a very good Metroid game. And, eventually, it would even make a great one.
7. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
While nowhere near as revolutionary as its predecessor, Metroid Prime 2 is a rock solid sequel that introduces a really cool light and dark parallel dimension mechanic; a classic Nintendo gameplay trope established in The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past’s light and dark worlds that allows you to explore alternate versions of the same levels to hunt for power-ups and suit upgrades that help you better survive in each one. With that concept Prime 2 also introduced Dark Samus, a character that sounds exactly like what you’d expect: a dark, evil version of Samus, which unsurprisingly turned out to be really cool. So cool, in fact, that Dark Samus went on to become an assist trophy and eventually a fully playable character in the Smash Bros. games.
Prime 2 also introduced a pretty barebones Metroid multiplayer mode that felt like a response to the success of games like Halo at the time, and while four different colored versions of Samus strafing in circles while they shoot at each other might not seem like the most interesting thing to do in a Metroid game, it was somehow entertaining enough to work in short bursts between trying to one hundred percent the main campaign.
6. Metroid Fusion
After an eight year hiatus from Metroid games (the series skipped over the entire Nintendo 64 generation, after all) the year 2002 brought us two new entries in the series across the GameCube and the Game Boy Advance, the latter of which was a classic 2D sidescrolling Metroid game with gorgeous pixel art and an endlessly replayable campaign. Metroid Fusion built on all of the excellent gameplay established in the SNES classic Super Metroid, and although it didn’t quite hit the same highs, it’s still a very awesome game on its own, held back only by its slightly more linear exploration and overly talky commanding officer character, Adam Malkovich.
Still, Metroid Fusion immediately stood on its own as a tight, briskly paced Metroid game that instantly became a huge hit with the speedrunning community thanks largely to its multiple ending unlocks that appear depending on completion time and percentage finished. Samus came back in a big way in 2002 and reminded people that Metroid was here to stay as one of the best video game franchises ever created.
5. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
By 2007, the Metroid series had gone 2D, 3D, had touch screen controls, and had become a rumble pack-infused pinball game, so obviously the natural next step was a Nintendo Wii motion and pointer controlled game, as was tradition at the time. Luckily, Metroid Prime 3 largely avoided many of the frustrations and pratfalls that several other franchise sequels stumbled on during the awkward "waggle era" of gaming that we’ve largely moved on from as a species. And while some of the motion control implementation in Prime 3 felt a little finicky at times, pointing a Wii remote at the screen to blast away at enemies was immensely satisfying.
Better than that, though, Prime 3 also capped off the excellent Prime trilogy with a more beautiful and breathtaking world that added more verticality and cool new traversal methods, along with “hyper mode” which gave Samus the option to go full on attack frenzy at the expense of her health. Metroid Prime 3 was a fantastic send off for the Prime franchise at the time when none of us had any idea it wouldn’t get a sequel for eighteen years. Unless, of course, you count the 3DS game Metroid Prime: Federation Force... which we definitely won’t, even if it did tease Metroid Prime 4 in its secret ending. True story.
4. Metroid: Zero Mission
The second Metroid game on the Game Boy Advance is also a remake of the first Metroid game ever released, with a stunning new 16-bit pixel art overhaul, taking notes from Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion to improve the original NES game in just about every conceivable way. Every boss fight feels bigger and better, the improved soundtrack rocks, and hey, there’s even an actual map now! And if you ever get nostalgic for the original, it’s unlockable here, too.
On top of that, multiple difficulty options made their way to Zero Mission, along with new cutscenes, a time attack mode, and a gallery of images that you can uncover by performing specific criteria. While the original NES game was revolutionary at the time and still has its charm today, Zero Mission is truly the best way to experience the game that started it all for the Metroid series.
3. Metroid Dread
While the remake Samus Returns for the 3DS was MercurySteam’s first effort at a Metroid game, Metroid Dread was a totally original adventure that added a whole new twist, creating one of the most tense and exhilarating Metroid experiences to date. Being constantly hunted by E.M.M.I, the fast, hulking, and intelligent killer robots ready to end Samus’ mission in seconds, meant that the typical explore-at-your-own-pace gameplay of the traditional Metroid mission was frequently replaced with tense and dangerous urgency.
MercurySteam also took the melee combat and parrying system from Samus Returns and improved it, making close quarters fights feel better than ever, which, with the snappier controls and increased player speed, allows Metroid Dread to go pound-for-pound with the best modern Metroidvanias. Dread is also the toughest game in the series since the original NES Metroid, but manages to never feel cheap or padded thanks to its brilliant map design and liberal checkpoint system. In an ideal world, MercurySteam is giving us a new 2D Metroid every few years while Retro Studios continues to make 3D Prime games, giving us the best of both worlds for this legendary series.
2. Metroid Prime
On the N64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, and Donkey Kong 64 all proved that once 2D Nintendo franchises could successfully make the jump to 3D, but unfortunately, this era didn’t involve a brand new 3D Metroid game, or really, any new Metroid game at all. But in 2002, Retro Studios did the unthinkable: it successfully transformed the classic feel of Super Metroid into a stunning, atmospheric, and revolutionary first-person action platforming game with fantastic shooting mechanics and an incredible world to explore. From seeing small drops of condensation build around Samus’ visor to the first time we stepped into the icy Phendrana Drifts as the camera panned out and the piano music swelled, we knew we were experiencing something magical.
Everything from morph ball exploration to suit upgrades and an ever evolving arsenal of weaponry and traversal tools made their way into our hands in Metroid Prime after the franchise had been largely dormant for eight years. Boss fights and explosive set pieces brought the series to epic new heights, setting the stage for future Metroid Prime games for years to come. At the time, standard first person shooters were a dime a dozen, but there was really nothing like Metroid Prime. Not only that, but twenty years later, Prime still holds up well, as proven by the Nintendo Switch release of Metroid Prime Remastered.
1. Super Metroid
Almost three decades later and after a wide variety of experimentation across various genres, perspectives, and control methods, Super Metroid still remains the greatest Metroid game of all time. In fact, Super Metroid set the bar so high that the team behind it couldn’t figure out how to top it during the entire Nintendo 64 era, so the Metroid series just took that generation off like it was a victory lap. Super Metroid still feels amazing and is still enjoyed by new players and hardcore speedrunning obsessives alike.
But why? Well, it's perfectly paced and has some of the most rewarding exploration, meticulously crafted level design, pulse pounding music, and some of the best looking pixel art of all time. Like several of its most successful Super Nintendo contemporaries, it took everything that worked in the previous NES installment and improved it, making one of the greatest and most iconic sidescrolling action games ever made. Super Metroid helped define both the future of the series and the genre as a whole. It’s a master class in game design and one that both indie and triple-A game developers have been citing as an inspiration for nearly thirty years now. It’s not only the best Metroid game, it’s one of the best video games ever made.
And there you have it, the top 10 Metroid games leading up to the launch of the highly anticipated Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Once the new instalment releases it will join a lineup of fifteen games with Metroid in the title, all of which I made sure to give a nod to in this article, even if only ten of them made the list. So what’s your favorite Metroid game ever made? Which game do you wish made the list or got bumped higher or lower? Are you a diehard defender of Metroid: Other M or Federation Force? Did you play hundreds of hours of the Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt demo when the Nintendo DS launched like I did? Morph ball bomb into the comments below and tell me all about it.
Warning: This review contains full spoilers for South Park Season 28, Episode 4!
South Park definitely doesn’t have the best track record with holiday episodes this year. The Halloween-themed “The Woman in the Hat” turned out to be the first real misfire of Season 27/28, bringing an abrupt halt to all the momentum the series had established up to that point. And now Thanksgiving proves just as difficult a nut to crack, with “Turkey Trot” also falling short of the mark. Not the most auspicious setup for the big season finale, to say the least.
The one advantage “Turkey Trot” has over “The Woman in the Hat” is that it doesn’t struggle as much in tying together the two halves of the episode. This week kicks off with the cash-starved Chamber of Commerce resorting to (what else?) Saudi Arabian funding to bankroll their annual 5k run. That dovetails neatly enough with the show’s latest Trump Administration spoof, as Secretary of Defense War Pete Hegseth shows up to rescue the imprisoned Peter Thiel at his boss’ behest.
It also helps that this episode makes more of a meal out of lampooning Hegseth than “The Woman in the Hat” did with its very brief, surface-level spoof of Stephen Miller. The show is every bit as scathing as it was with officials like Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem (who also makes a return appearance to commit more acts of canine murder). It’s amusing to see Hegseth portrayed as a glorified YouTuber in perpetual search of content. The fact that he comes equipped with his own theme song and spends half the episode getting pushed around by Sgt. Yates just makes the spoof that much better.
But beyond satirizing Hegseth himself, this episode doesn’t have a lot else going for it. The Turkey Trot storyline itself falls pretty flat after the initial Saudi Arabia reveal. It becomes one of those cases where the show repeatedly seizes on the same handful of beats long after the novelty is gone. How many times do we need Cartman to rehash the same race science joke? Haven’t we seen him try to exploit his fellow students for his own selfish ends 1000 times before? Maybe some viewers might appreciate a slightly more traditional storyline involving the South Park kids, but this just feels like something that’s been done before, and better.
At the very least, there was potential to dig a lot deeper on the Saudi Arabia front. Perhaps this episode would have been better off if that were the sole focus, rather than bringing Hegseth and the military into the fray. Having him launch an attack on the Turkey Trot race is a neat enough way to tie things together, but it doesn’t end up yielding as much humor as you’d expect. It’s all a fairly anticlimactic way of tying things up, right down to the overly predictable twist of Tolkien accidentally winning the race and proving Cartman correct.
Sidebar - The show once again proves its gaming bona fides by showing Tolkien playing Arc Raiders, but then it immediately cancels that out by suggesting he was playing on an Xbox 360. That’s a minor detail, but it still bugged me watching Cartman carrying such an ancient console through the streets.
In the end, this episode only manages to make it feel all the more like the series is spinning its wheels right now. Apart from Hegseth winding up in the jail cell right alongside Thiel, nothing here really serves to advance the larger narrative of these two seasons. I’m still struggling to understand what the point of that Cartman “6 7” subplot even was, given how abruptly it's been swept under the rug. And there’s absolutely nothing this week regarding Trump and Satan’s baby or the new love affair between Trump and J.D. Vance. “Turkey Trot” winds up being a real momentum killer right before the big finale. There’s an awful lot of ground to cover and loose ends to tie up in only one episode. We’ll soon see if the South Park crew are up to the challenge.
Steam is running a Black Friday sale for the first time ever this year. Yet despite some of its great deals, key platforms Green Man Gaming and Fanatical are both having Black Friday sales of their own. Below are some of the best you can find this weekend.
The Best Black Friday Deals at Green Man Gaming
Green Man Gaming has sales running for multiple publishers, including PlayStation, Bethesda, and Konami. Of these, one of the best deals available is The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered for $28.47. This Virtuos-developed remaster was made in Unreal Engine 5, allowing Oblivion to be recreated with striking visual fidelity.
Another Bethesda game on heavy discount is Doom: The Dark Ages, which released this past May. This prequel takes place before both Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal, with multiple new gameplay features that make this entry stand out. That's just $29.75, a more than 50% dip from its $69.99 list price.
And for the multiplayer fans, Borderlands 4 is down to $48.71, while NBA 2K26 is now over 60% off.
The Best Black Friday Deals at Fanatical
Fanatical also has some solid deals, including Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds for $43.74 and ARC Raiders for $34.39. Both are excellent multiplayer games that can quickly become an everyday staple when playing with friends or hopping in for a quick match or race.
If you missed out on last December's Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Fanatical is selling that for just $41.99, down from its usual $69.99. Troy Baker's performance as Indiana Jones is one to remember, and the Order of Giants DLC is a fun addition to check out after rolling credits on the base game.
Lastly, Resident Evil 4 (2023) is down to $13.59, a 66% drop. This remake took one of the greatest action games ever made and brought it to modern platforms with new enhancements, voice acting, and gameplay updates.
More Black Friday Gaming Deals
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.
The best Black Friday deal on the Sonos Era 100 speaker isn't actually at the Sonos store, or even at a big box retailer like Amazon, for that matter. Instead, you'll have to head over to Sonos' official eBay Store. There, you can pick up a certified refurbished Sonos Era 100 for just $134 with free shipping.
Sonos refurbished products come like new, in pristine packaging with all the original accessories. They even come with the same one year warranty as a brand new product. This is Sonos' official seller account so the reconditioning, packaging, and shipping is all done in-house.
Sonos Era 100 Smart Speaker for $134
Certified refurbished with 1 year Sonos warranty
The Sonos Era 100 is a direct improvement over the now discontinued Sonos One. This is a small standalone powered speaker that pumps out great sound for its small footprint. Sound quality is equivalent to the portable, battery-powered Sonos Move, which features similar internal components: two tweeters, a mid-woofer, and three class-D digital amplifiers. The Era 100 also supports Dolby Atmos when paired with an Arc or Beam soundbar. It has a built-in microphone for voice control, using either Sonos' own voice assistant or your choice of Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
You can also get a discounted price on a new unit for Black Friday
These deals are part of a greater Sonos Black Friday Sale. Check out more deals on soundbars, speakers, and headphones, including the lowest prices of the year on the Sub 4 and Sub Mini to complement your soundbar.
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.
HP just unloaded a last minute Black Friday deal on one of its most powerful gaming laptops. The Omen Max 16 RTX 5080 gaming laptop is just $1,699.99 after a $1,300 instant discount and an additional $100 off with coupon code "GOBBLE100". This is indisputably the least expensive RTX 5080 equipped laptop for Black Friday. The RTX 5080 is an absolute monster of a mobile GPU that surpasses the previous generation's top performer, the RTX 4090.
HP states on the page that this "Flash deal" ends tonight at midnight PT.
Omen Max 16 RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop for $1,699.99
New for 2025, the Omen Max 16 is an upgrade to the Omen 16, both in terms of build quality and cooling potential. Unlike the Omen 16, the Omen Max 16 is almost entirely constructed of aluminum, including both the top lid and chassis. The exception is the palm rest, which is still plastic so that it doesn't get too toasty for your hands. The Omen Max 16 also features a new Omen Tempest Cooling Pro design that combines vapor chamber cooling, redesigned fan configuration, and an improved thermal interface material to maximize heat transfer. Not only does this keep the Omen Max 16 cooler during gaming marathons, it also allows for the current-generation graphics cards to perform optimally without throttling.
This particular configuration features a 16" 2560x1600 display, AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 CPU, GeForce RTX 5080 mobile GPU, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Both the memory and storage can be user-upgraded. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 is a 12-core, 24-thread Zen5 CPU with a 5.1GHz max boost clock. It's a great chip for gaming, although gamers can largely ignore the dedicated NPUs that are used to boost AI productivity (hence the Ryzen "AI" name).
The GeForce RTX 5080 mobile GPU is better than the RTX 4090 mobile
The Omen Max 16 can accommodate an RTX 5080 mobile GPU without throttling it. The RTX 5080 is roughly 15%-20% more powerful than the RTX 4080 GPU that it replaces. In fact, it's slightly more powerful than the RTX 4090, which was the previous generation's flagship card. It will run even the newest demanding games like Ghost of Yotei, Battlefield 6, and Borderlands 4 at frame rates of 60fps or higher on the 1600p display. You could even enable ray tracing and still get playable frames, something that was unheard of in laptops just a few years ago.
Check out this amazing Omen Max RTX 5070 Ti laptop deal
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
The Tomtoc Slim is one of the best compact Nintendo Switch 2 cases, and now it's at its lowest price ever for Black Friday. Amazon is asking just $25.89 after a 30% off instant discount – that's for the black, white, or gray color options. This is a much better deal than the official $39.99 Nintendo Switch 2 case, which Nintendo hasn't discounted on even the most prestigious of deal days.
Black Friday Deal: 30% Off Tomtoc Slim Switch 2 Carrying Case
Tomtoc is known for its great mobile electronics cases, including for gaming handhelds like the original Switch and Switch Lite, Steam Deck, and Asus ROG Ally. Its signature feature is the raised indent patterning for each handheld's unique analog joystick and button layout. This is mostly an aesthetic touch, but it helps set Tomtoc cases apart from the boring monochrome design you'll see for nearly every other case out there, including Nintendo's own.
The Tomtoc is a hardshell case with a felt inner lining. It has an interior flap that can fit up to 12 game cards, a buckle strap, and durable YKK zipper that's smoother and easier to use than the Genki Sleeper case. This is a slim case designed for as minimal of a footprint as possible, though, so there's no room to fit bulkier items like a charger.
Need something bigger?
If you're looking for something roomier, Tomtoc also has a sling-style case that fits many gaming handhelds, Switch 2 included. The padded compartment is made to accommodate a wide range of handhelds, so don't expect a molded fit. But there's plenty of room here to fit extra controllers, a charger or power bank, and more.
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.
Did you treat yourself to a brand new Nintendo Switch 2 console this holiday season? If so, you certainly don't want to scratch it up as soon as you start playing on it. Why not get some cheap insurance with a screen protector to protect the fragile display. For the remaining hours of Black Friday, Amazon is offering a two-pack of amFilm Nintendo Switch 2 Tempered Glass Screen Protectors for just $5.24 after you apply coupon code "FEPXXLZY".
Nintendo Switch 2 Screen Protector Black Friday Deal
You probably paid at least $450 (plus tax) for your Nintendo Switch 2, so a $5 screen protector is only about 1% of that cost, and there's two of them in a pack. For me, a screen protector is an absolute necessity. My young kids have their own Nintendo Switch consoles and I need to change out screen protectors every 3 months or so. Thanks to the protection, the screens themselves are still in perfect condition.
These screen protectors are perfectly sized to fit your Switch 2 console. They're made of 0.3mm thin tempered glass with 99.9% transparency. They're scratch resistant with a 9H rating with an oleophobic coating and a matte finish to reduce fingerprints. They also don't interfere with touchscreen sensitivity. What more can you ask for?
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.
Amazon has some of the best DIY book nooks on sale during its massive Black Friday sale. There are seemingly endless themes to slot onto your bookshelf, each perfect for fans of specific genres and aesthetics. Brands like Funpola and Cutebee have their buildable nooks on sale for between 15% and up to 40% off, so if you've been looking for a way to add some style to your bookshelves, now's the time to do so on the cheap. You can also check out the Black Friday book deals going on at Amazon while you're at it.
Book Nooks On Sale For Black Friday
Book nooks function similarly to book ends, in that they can slot in between books on your shelf to fill gaps and keep your books upright. But unlike bookends, most book nooks are buildable model kits that are a blast to put together if you like working with your hands. The book nooks on offer at Amazon for Black Friday come in all kinds of sizes and themes, so if your collection is mostly sci-fi, the Funpola Endless Dimensions book nook would look pretty awesome slotted in with your favorite series, and so on.
Do you have someone who loves diving through dungeons, exploring magical worlds, doing random voices, or just wants something you can do with your family and friends this holiday? Luckily for you, there are some great Black Friday deals going on right now on Dungeons & Dragons goodies, and get ready for that special holiday one-shot with your friends or just to give your family something to play and do instead of talking about politics and all those other awkward conversation topics.
'Tis the season for great deals and bundles, and Dungeons & Dragons has some great ones. For brand new DnD players, or a group that has been showing interest in trying out the game, there is no better gift than the brand new Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set that was released earlier this year. With a bunch of dice, an easy-to-understand card-based gear system, and three distinct types of adventures (one focusing on combat, exploration, and roleplaying) this is a wonderful jumping-in point and is on sale now!
Shop Top DnD Deals
For folks that simply want to upgrade to the new 2024 version of 5th Edition, Wizards of the Coast is offering a bundle that includes the brand new versions of the Monster Manual, Player’s Handbook, and Dungeon Master's Guide. With enhanced monster stat blocks, reworked classes, and new tools for the DM, these books are great to add to your shelf, and all three still work with all existing 5th Edition books as well.
For experienced players and DMs, there are sales on some truly classic adventure modules, including the Tomb of Annihilation and the Curse of Strahd, both of which every D&D group should experience at least once in their lifetime, as both are such quintessential stories for the game. If a more modern and topical quest is more your and your friends’ style, then the Stranger Things: Welcome to The Hellfire Club Adventure Game is also on sale. This special box, featuring the heroes that the characters from the Stranger Things series play as, will let you finish the campaign that Eddie never got to back in the last season.
Of course, to play those games, you will need some dice too, and thankfully, some dice are also on sale. Grab yourself multiple sets of dice so you and your friends can all start new characters with fresh, untainted new dice, or grab that special player in your life a sweet metal spinning dice. This nifty contraption is all your dice in a single, pocket watch-like package that spins and gives results.
What makes a good D&D Gift?
When it comes to my general philosophy and approach to getting a TTRPG gift for a friend, there are three things I consider. First, is the person a Game/Dungeon Master (the person who does the actual running of the game, aka GM or DM) or are they a player (someone who takes part in the story)? Lastly, I try to figure out how they play, asking myself “do they play online with folks,” or “do they get together in person with a regular group to play”?
For the Dungeon Masters
For the GMs, I would look toward campaign or adventure books, like the Curse of Strahd and Tomb of Annihilation books. These are self-contained stories that provide the person running the game with all they need to run a great multi-session story for their players.
If you know they run a bunch of games in person, then surprise them with a really nice GM Screen (a divider that separates the players from the GM and their notes), such as the Wymwood DM Screen.
Another solid option for your GM friends is a nice dry-erase grid rollable map and markers. These are powerful tools to allow them to quickly draw out the dungeon of the week or dense forest that they are sending their players into that night during the game.
Or if they already have all of that, then giving them some sweet new miniatures to send at the heroes is a great last option, and WizKids has an incredible line of D&D-specific colored miniatures you can get, and currently has a holiday bundle available too!
Gifts for Heroes
If you are looking for gifts for the heroes themselves, I have some general suggestions for you, too. For the newer releases like the Heroes of Faerun, Wizards of the Coast is making it easier to tell which books are more geared towards DMs and which ones are for players, and in the player’s cases, you will want to seek out ones with either the “Player's Expansion" label or “Rules Expansion” found on books like the upcoming Eberron: Forge of the Artificer book releasing in December. These books add new classes, spells, feats, and more for players to try out and make characters with.
If you are looking for a more personal touch though, a fun gift idea for that special D&D player in your life may be a gift card to heroforge.com, a site that allows you to build a custom small character miniature and either buy a physical version of it (including a fancy metal version) or the 3D file so they can print it themselves on their own 3D printer at home.
Roll the Dice
Finally, if none of those ideas are speaking to you, then you can always get the person dice. Us folks who play TTRPGs will never have enough dice (don’t listen to us if we say we don’t). It seems like nowadays, with the hobby's explosion in popularity, you can find whatever sort of dice you want, be it any color, aesthetic, theme, shape, or whatever you could imagine. Want a set of dice with little ice cream cones in them? You can buy them. What about dice cut from Amethyst – yes, the gemstone kind of Amethyst. Those are out there too!
Handcrafted Dice Brands
A whole industry has rolled out from the shadows based completely around luxury and handcrafted dice such as Dispel Dice, Baron of Dice, Artisan Dice, and Die Hard Dice just to name a few, with most of them hosting their own holiday deals right now. Pretty math rocks will always be a great gift for players and game masters alike.
See more Dice we rounded up in our DnD Holiday Gift Guide below:
Hopefully, with these recommendations, you’ll find your inspiration and the perfect gift for that role player in your life. If all else fails, you can always just offer to play in a one-shot with them or run a one-shot for them, too!
Scott White is a freelance contributor to IGN, assisting with tabletop games and guide coverage. Follow him on X/Twitter or Bluesky.
TCGPlayer is joining in on the Black Friday and Cyber Monday fun with their Cyber Weekend event.
Starting on November 28 at 9 am ET, trainers will get 10% back in store credit on their TCGPlayer account from whatever they buy.
This promotion will be running until December 1, 11 pm ET. So if you've been waiting for your favorite chase cards to go down in value to snap them up, this is it.
TCGPlayer does these promotions once or twice a year for a big holiday like Black Friday and Halloween, but this 10% credit offer comes while Pokémon TCG is finding a new floor.
That much is clear just by looking at the most recent Pokémon TCG set, Phantasmal Flames. But more on that later, long story short, this is a great time to pick up chase cards.
But which chase cards should you buy on TCGPlayer's Cyber Weekend? Well, I've handpicked some of the best cards from Mega Evolution, Scarlet and Violet, and the Sword and Shield eras of Pokémon TCG for you to catch.
The Best Modern Chase Cards to Look Out For
Scarlet and Violet has been one of the best era's in recent memory for chase cards with multiple banger sets, and yes I know Evolving Skies from Sword and Shield was insane, more on that later. 151, Black Bolt/White Flare, Destined Rivals, Prismatic Evolutions and Twilight Masquerade collectively hold the most expensive chase cards of this era.
That's great and all, but it means more money spent on catching the best cards going. Then the latest era, Mega Evolution is off to a flying start with its base set and Phantasmal Flames expansion bringing back Pokémons most popular gimmick from the main games. There's a lot to focus on, just the carousel above will proove that much, but just focus on what stands out to you and what fits into your budget.
So the top 5 cards here value wise are Umbreon ex SIR, Mega Charizard X ex SIR, Mega Charizard X ex Gold Hyper Rare, Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex SIR and Mega Lucario ex Gold Hyper Rare. Even though Mega Evolution sets have dropped in value significantly since launch, they're still putting out some of the most valuable cards in modern Pokémon TCG.
Umbreon is never going to be knocked off the top spot, not even Charizard can do that, but it's going to be the best time to snap it up on TCGPlayer. Let's do some quick math; 10% of $1,294.99 is $129.49, which is going to be the minimum cashabck you'll recieve after purchasing Sunbreon. That means you could put that credit towards Roaring Moon ex SIR from the same set and grab it for $42.14 instead of $171.63. Oh, then you'd also get another 10% cashback from that purchase which is $17.16. It's the best kind of snowball i've ever seen.
But even with the cashback, Sunbreon will still cost a fortune regardless of how good the deal is, so let's pick out something that you're other half won't kill you (as much) for. Greninja SIR ex from Twilight Masquerade absolutley pops and is easily one of the best artworks in the Scarlet and Violet era. Whilst you might think $325 is steep, this card was touching $380 just a week or two ago. So getting $32.50 back as 10% cashback to effectively get this card for $292.50. Now that's a great investment, which is also the near-mint price.
The Best Scarlet and Violet Promo Cards To Catch
The Scarlet and Violet era has also been a very strong era for promo cards. This means anything from a STAFF stamped card to a Pokémon Center stamped card found inside Pokémon Center-exclusive Elite Trainer Boxes.
One of my favorites from the Scarlet and Violet era is the Paldea Evolved Pokémon Center exclusive Elite Trainer Box (Takes a deep breath). It features Pikachu alongside the Paldea starter Pokémon in a "Let's go suit shopping" pose that has the power to cause genuine cardiac arrest. A stunning card.
Now considering the exclusive Elite Trainer Box is currently going for $500 sealed right now, the $119 price tag for the card is actually quite cheap. And when you consider the $11.90 cashback you'd get off buying the card, that's not a bad deal at all.
Keeping in with the Pikachu theme, one of my favorite promos from Scarlet and Violet that I actually own is Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat. This costs even more than the ETB at $547.99 right now, which is a big drop from around $647 just days ago. I've written about the full story behind this infamous card previously, but this is a fantastic time to get this card thanks to the extra $54.79 you'll get in cashback this weekend.
The Best Sword and Shield Chase Cards You Can't Miss
Yes, we're about to talk about Evolving Skies, well done for waiting until the end of the article. I remember walking into stores on release and not being able to move for Evolving Skies boosters, premium collections and Elite Trainer Boxes, often below MSRP. It's frankly insane how much this set it worth compared to how available it used to be.
It's the home of the most valuable Sword and Shield era chase cards for the most part, including Moonbreon, Rayquazza VMAX Alt Art, Umbreon V Alt Art, Dragonite V Alt Art, most of the Eeveelution VMAX Alt Arts and the stunning Rayquaza V Alt full art.
Apologies for just going mad listing cards, but this is why it's costing north of $2,000 just for a Booster Box. Of course you'd also get $200 in cashback which is awesome, but just wow. If you're looking to get some big chase cards for a steal in TCGPlayer's Cyber Weekend, start with Evolving Skies.
Sword and Shield isn't just about one set though, Fusion Strike, Lost Origins and Silver Tempest also have some god tier level grails. The Secret Alt Art of Gengar VMax for example is currently $730, which is over double the worth of the next Fusion Strike chase card down the line, Espeon VMAX Secret Alt Art, running at $329.58 right now.
If you're looking for an amazing chase card that isn't going to require a remortgage, Lugia V Alt Full Art from Silver Tempest is a banger. Other than me being really proud of myself getting it for under $150 earlier this year, the mood in this card thanks to Lugia jumping out of the ocean in the middle of a storm over a fisherman is stunning. Hands down the best Lugia Pokémon Card ever printed.
TCGPlayer Subscription
If you're planning on snapping up quite a few Pokémon cards in the sale, this is a great time to become a TCGPLayer subscriber. It costs $8.99 a month and gives users free delivers and 1% cashback regardless of the time of year.
Whilst this climbs to 3% after a years membership, subscriber will get a boosted 13% cashback over cyber weekend on top of their usual cashback. For longtime members, this could equate to 16% cashback, which is frankly insane.
For even more card recommendations in TCGPlayer's Black Friday/Cyber Weekend sale, check out our brand new Riftbound and Magic: The Gathering roundups as well.
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.
Woot has dropped its own Black Fridaysale, offering discounts on Nintendo Switch 2 games and accessories, plus an extra 20% off to those who use the Woot app to make their purchase. So you can save even more on the Switch games that catch your eye.
To make use of this bonus offer while it's available, follow these steps:
Visit the Woot deal page for the game you're hoping to buy from the links above
Add it to your basket with the initial discount
Log into your Woot account to sync your basket
Log into Woot app to check out for your extra 20% off
These games aren't the only Switch-related items that Woot's offering at a discount, either. Right now you can also grab a pair of Switch 2 Joy-Cons for just $72 thanks to this 20% off bonus offer, which is well below the $99.99 Nintendo charges for them.. These are just the beginning of what Woot's offering, though. Make sure to have a look at the full 'Video Game Mega Sale!' here to see what else is on offer. If you've already gotten a great deal on a Switch 2 console, now's a great time to save on some games for it.
For even more video game deals available during Black Friday this year, have a look at our individual roundups for PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo's Black Friday sales to see what deals have caught our eye for each platform right now.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
Seems I blinked too hard and whoops, suddenly we’ve speedrun from the start of 2025 to the final boss fight of December. If you’re a fellow TV binger like me, you already know this month is peak season for planting your butt in your couch groove and letting the remote do the heavy lifting. To support that noble quest for maximum loafing, I’ve whipped up a curated hit list across the six big streaming services.
So without further faffing about, here’s every festive flick, binge-worthy series, and sneakily brilliant original you can throw on. Pick your provider, press play, and treat yourself to a well-earned holiday hibernation.
TV litter pick:The Copenhagen Test S1 – 27 Dec : A spy-fi drama about intelligence analyst Alexander Hale (Simu Liu) who discovers his brain has been hacked, giving an unknown enemy access to his senses.
Movie litter pick:It’s A Wonderful Life – 1 Dec : An oldie but an absolute Christmas classic about a guardian angel showing a hope-challenged man what life would be like without him.
What notable movies are coming to Binge?
It’s A Wonderful Life – 1 Dec
How To Make Gravy – 1 Dec
Beverly Hills Ninja – 1 Dec
Desperado – 1 Dec
Robin Hood: Men in Tights – 1 Dec
The Great British Bake Off Christmas – 1 Dec
What notable series are coming to Binge?
Spaced S1-2 – 1 Dec
Gold Rush S16 – 5 Dec
Scrubs S1-9 – 5 Dec
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills S15 – 5 Dec
The Game S1 – 8 Dec
Celebrity Pottery Throw Down Festive Specials – 16 Dec
TV litter pick:Stranger Things 5: Volume 2 – 26 Dec : No spoilers here. After an unwieldy, exposition-heavy first episode, the Duffers found their groove again in Vol. 1. I, for one, can’t wait to see where the fight against Vecna heads to next.
Movie litter pick:Wake Up Dead Man: Knives Out – 12 Dec : Rejoin detective Benoit Blanc as he investigates a "perfectly impossible crime" at a small-town church alongside an earnest young priest, Jud Duplenticy.
TV litter pick:Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures: S3 – 8 Dec : Follows the young Jedi Kai, Lys, and Nubs as they team up with new droid companions, Beepers, Dozer, and Gigi.
Movie litter pick:Back to the Future – 1 Dec : An oldie but a goodie. Back to the Future is a masterclass in tight, efficient storytelling where every detail serves a purpose, from the opening scene to the final payoff.
TV litter pick:Born to be Wild – 19 Dec : Follows six endangered young animals—an elephant calf, two cheetahs, a ring-tailed lemur pup, a moon bear cub, Iberian lynx kittens, and rescued African penguins—from their early stages of life through their eventual release back into the wild.
Movie litter pick:F1 The Movie – 12 Dec : Former Formula One driver Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), is pulled out of retirement 30 years after a career-ending crash to mentor a talented young rookie.
TV litter pick:Fallout S2 – 17 Dec : Lucy journeys to the post-apocalyptic city of New Vegas. This new season will delve deeper into pre-war events, character backstories, and introduce new factions and conflicts in the Mojave Wasteland.
Movie litter pick:Merv – 10 Dec : A contemporary comedy about ex-couple Russ and Anna, who discover that Merv - the dog they share custody of - has become depressed and needs a road trip to recover.
TV litter pick:Sunny Nights – 26 Dec : A comedy drama series centred on siblings Martin and Vicki Marvin, an American brother-sister duo who relocate to Sydney hoping to establish a spray tan business.
Movie litter pick:Minari – 28 Dec : A Korean-American family that moves to a farm in rural Arkansas in the 1980s to pursue the "American Dream". But the arrival of a problematic grandmother from Korea adds another layer to the family's dynamic and their struggles.
Amazon is offering Magic: The Gathering Spider-Man Collector booster boxes (12-packs) for just $349.99 (originally $455.88), saving you over $100 for a chance to crack open some of the hottest Magic cards in awhile. The Spider-Man expansion isn't the only set getting a price drop on Amazon either; Avatar: The Last Airbender and Tarkir: Dragonstorm sealed products are on sale, as well.
Spider-Man Collector Booster Box Discounted For Black Friday
While the MTG Spider-Man set wasn't the most well-received in terms of mechanics and playability, collector booster packs like this offer a nice chance to open some expensive chase cards. These packs, which contain 15 cards just like a regular booster pack, may seem pricey, but compared to normal booster packs, they tend to come with with more foils, which are shiny, holographic versions of every card available in the set. They also often come with very sought-after alternate prints of existing cards and a higher chance for Rare or Mythic Rare cards.
For individual cards, I'd recommend checking out online card retailer TCGPlayer. From today until December 1, it's running a Cyber Monday deal on everything it sells – for every purchase you make, you get 10% cashback in store credit, or 13% back if you're a subscriber. So if you're a long-time player looking for metagame staples, this is a good opportunity to get more than you were expecting to finish some decks.
More Magic: The Gathering Items On Sale
Be sure to have a look at our handy Magic: The Gathering gift guide for more deals and inspiration for that card player in your life. In it we cover everything from accessories, playmats, dice, sleeves, and so much more. And if you're a big fan of the Final Fantasy expansion, Amazon's Black Friday sale on playmats has some of the most iconic character mats at discounted prices as well.
Sonos doesn't discount its popular speakers very often, so it's a wise investment to jump on a good sale when you see one. The Sonos Arc was discontinued last year to make way for its successor, the Arc Ultra. It's no longer available new at Sonos direct, however for Black Friday you can pick up a certified refurbished model for just $399. That's $500 less than its original retail price of $900. It's a heck of a better value than picking up the Arc Ultra, currently "on sale" for $879.
Sonos refurbished products go through rigorous testing; they come with all accessories, manuals, and documentation and are reshipped in "pristine" packaging. Most importantly, Sonos includes the same 1-year warranty as buying new. I like when retailers offer the same warranty as new because that means they have faith in the reliability of their refurbs.
Sonos Arc Soundbar (Refurbished)
The release of the Arc Ultra doesn't make the Arc any less of an outstanding speaker. The 45" soundbar houses eleven precisely engineered internal speakers, including three tweeters and eight midwoofers each paired with Class-D amplifiers. It's capable of room filling audio by itself, but you'd still benefit from a separate subwoofer to round out the low end. Unlike the Sonos Beam, which only has virtual height channels, the Arc has two physical height channels for true Dolby Atmos support. The Arc also has a built-in microphone for smart assistant compatiblity, including voice control.
Save $120 off the Sonos Arc Ultra for Black Friday
If you care more about getting the superior speaker, even if it might not be as cost-efficient, then the Arc Ultra might bhe the soundbar for you. This imposing 46" soundbar houses 14 total speakers, including five tweeters (plus two upward-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos supported height channels), six midwoofers, and a four-motor, dual-membrane Sound Motion woofer for impressive low-end that the original Arc lacked. The Arc Ultra uses AI enhancement technology to isolate and boost the clarity of dialogue and voices. It also has a built-in microphone so that it can be controlled using voice commands from the Sonos app or your favorite smart assistant. Check out our own Sonos Arc Ultra review.
This deal is part of a greater Sonos Black Friday Sale. Check out more deals on soundbars, speakers, and headphones, including the lowest prices of the year on the Sub 4 and Sub Mini to complement your soundbar.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
The force is strong this Black Friday, and I've managed to force grip the best prices for Star Wars: Unlimited TCG moving into Cyber Weekend for young apprentices and masters (Not acolytes, we don't talk about that in my articles).
TL:DR: Star Wars Unlimited Black Friday Deals
The fight for the best deal isn't in a galaxy far far away though, it's on Amazon and TCGPlayer, and I've compared deals on sealed products from the two so you have a good idea on what this trading card game is running you right now.
With TCGPlayers Cyber Weekend cashback event going live starting Black Friday, it's also going to be the best time of year to snap up your favorite chase cards from Star Wars: Unlimited. More on that below,so let's get into it:
10% Cashback TCGPlayer Cyber Weekend Event
If you're going to start destroying opponents bases like an absolute Sith or Rebel, you're going to need to build out your deck with the best leader and aspects that match your base. Of course there's flashier variants such as Serialized cards, which can get really expensive. But if you're look to turn you deck into something flashier or just fancy having come chase cards graded or in your binder, it's nearly the best time of year to do so.
Starting from from 9 a.m. ET on November 28 to 11 p.m. ET on December 1, you can get 10% cashback as in-store credit on anything on site, not just Star Wars: Unlimited. If you're a TCGPlayer subscriber, this bumps up to a maximum of 16%, 13% if you're a new sign up plus free delivery.
Legends of the Force Sealed Deals
This is the third set for Star Wars: Unlimited following Sparks of Rebelion and Shadows of the Galaxy, which suprisingly is based around Jedi and Sith including legends characters. There's plenty of top-tier duels from animation and cinematic Star Wars stories, alongside fan-favorite force abilities details in card mechanics. Naturally this set is packed with force-based synergies, combat manipulation and leader strategies.
TCGPlayer looks the cheapest across the board with the exception of the Darth Maul and Qui-Gon Jinn decks. Amazon also has a good deal on the Intro Battle Hoth set, which is great for begginers to live out the opening of The Emwpire Strikes Back.
Top LOTF Chase Cards
Anakin Skywalker - Champion of Mortis is naturally going to be one of the most expensive cards in the set, and quite a deep cut from The Clone Wars series. It's also a high-impact card once deployed, naturally an aggressive light side leader and unit.
Grogu - Mysterious Child is more of a support unit for light-side decks, focusing on healing, defense and synergy with other force users. It's best played in control decks, and Grogu cards in general will likely spike with the release of Mandalorian and Grogu film dropping next year.
Baylan Skoll - Enigmatic Master makes for a solid midrange or control Darkside lewader and unit. It's good at resource manipulation, efficient dueling and board stabilization. Want to put a tactical edge to your dark side deck? Baylan is your man.
Ezra Bridger - Attuned with Life pushes card advantages and focuses on Force synergies and flexibility. Force-user tempo and value-based decks will make Ezra feel right at home. Plus with Ashoka Season 2 coming, there's every chance we'll see a spike in Ezra Bridger card values.
I don't really need to explain why a serialized Yoda card is worth $500, but in terms of gameplay, Yoda - My Ally is the Force is a great card. It's a classic control/value Light-side Force user that's great for dueling and has fantastic synergy with Force and upgrade cards.
Secrets of Power Sealed Deals
Secrets of Power is the latest Star Wars Unlimited set, with over 260 new cards and a general theme around political power struggles, espionage and manipulation. In this set, starfighters and Force users are overshadowed by spies, schemers, saboteurs and politicians. The new "Plot" keyword mechanic can be played once your leader deployed and pretty much turn resources into extra cards in your hand. Play's like Deploying Palpatine at 7 resources to bring out multiple units and extra plot cards that have been panked is a powerful tempo strategy.
TCGPlayer is cheaper across the board here with the booster box, Padmé and Chancellor Palpatine decks.
SoP Top Chase Cards
Queen Amidala — Championing Her People focuses on hand manipulation, specifically revealing or discarding an opponents hand. it has great synergy with the Padmé Amidala leader card by being solid at revealing command and heroism cards.
Cassian Andor — Climb! focuses on Stealth, Sabotage, tactical manipulation and repositioning, with some great synergy when it comes to other cards based on the Andor series.
Karis Nemik — Freedom is a Pure Idea is a good engine and support unit and works great with small rebel unit. The main play here is buffing combo-heavy deck and helping win over time by building value.
Zam Wesell - Inconspicuous Assassin is a ground unit, and when upgraded she gains Grit, which equates to a +1/+1 for each damage on her. Jar Jar Binks - Mesa Propose... is one of the new Plot cards in Secrets of Power that gives another friendly unit +2/+2 for a phase.
Spark of Rebellion Sealed Deals and Top Chase Cards
Spark of Rebellion was the launch set for Star Wars: Unlimited and is still ridiculously proper for it's easy-to-learn gameplay mechanics, making it ideal for newcomers to the trading card game. It focuses on the original Star Wars trilogy, Rebels vs. Empire and also features Jedi Survivors whilst going deep into Imperial Special Forces.
Once again TCGPlayer is the cheapest for sealed product, with the chase cards being showcase cards of fan favorite characters Boba Fett, Leia Organa, Emperor Palpatine, Sabrine Wren and Han Solo. It's simply a banger of a set that brings original and new fans together by addressing everything that's going on around the time of A New Hope.
Jump to Lightspeed Sealed Deals
Jump to Lightspeed is focused on starfighter combat and pilots, with the latter being a central game mechanic. They're used to attach to ships, boost ship performance, enable special actions whilst flying and trigger new keyword interactions. It expands Star Wars: Unlimited without bloating overall gameplay.
In a shock to absolutley no-one, TCGPlayer is the cheapest place to pickup Jump to Lightspeed sealed product during Black Friday.
Top JtL Chase Cards
Of course Boba Fett is one of the most valuable Pilots here, I love to see it. It's just a shame Slave 1 didn't rock up in the top 5 chase cards of Jump to Lightspeed. However there's two Millenium Falcons, because of course their is. We've also got Grand Admiral Thrawns Chimaera Star Destroyer, which is an absolute vibe in itself.
Shadows of the Galaxy Sealed Deals and Top Chase Cards
If you're more into the dark underbelly of Star Wars, this set is for you. It focuses on bounty hunters and the criminal underworld set in the Star Wars Galaxy, with a big focus on the Outer Rim. Specifically you can expect cards to be themed around appearances from The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Solo: A Star Wars Story and the underworld storylines from Rebels.
Amazon is the best place to buy the booster display box and starter set with Shadows of the Galaxy, with top chase cards including Cad Bane and Han Solo.
Twilight of the Republic Sealed Deals and Top Chase Cards
Twilight of the Republic focuses on the Clone Wars era, bringing in Ashoka Tano and General Grevious as new leaders to Star Wars: Unlimited. There's new keywords too such as "Coordinate", with new token units like Battle Droids and Clone Troopers (also known as canon fodder). The sets starter set is a good way to jump into the TCG whilst learning some of the newer mechanics over Sparks fo the Rebellions basic gameplay.
Amazon is the place to go for Twilight of the Republic sealed product this Black Friday. Yoda, Anakin Skywalker and even Quinlan Vos rock up in the top 5 chase cards in Twilight of the Republic, with welcome additions such as Cancellor Palpatine and Captain Rex all recieving their own showcase cards with a nod to The Clone Wars animated series art style.
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.
Black Friday sales are well underway, with every retailer competing for the attention of physical media collectors. Amazon is running its usual '3 for 2' sale on books and movies, while the Crunchyroll Store has launched a 40% discount across most home video releases. Between the two, there are some pretty ridiculous discounts on anime Blu-rays.
Amazon has more offers, sure, but even Bezos can't match Crunchyroll's discounts on exclusive releases, like the incredibly overpriced Blu-ray release for Cyberpunk Edgerunners. After scrolling through all of the Blu-ray sales I could find, I can now report back with the best anime deals for Black Friday 2025.
Anime Blu-ray Deals Actually Worth Getting
The best deals are split between full collections of older classics and individual seasons of newer releases. I prefer the big collections, but that might be because I’m reaching unc status in my anime taste. Along those lines, we’re seeing all-time low prices on the OG Naruto series, Ouran High School Host Club, Soul Eater, and Samurai Champloo.
If there’s one series I check any time there’s a sales event, it’s the 1997 adaptation of Berserk. Life-changing stuff, I know. Amazon has knocked a couple dollars off the standard Blu-ray, but the better deal is actually the Crunchyroll-exclusive version of the Blu-ray steelbook (particularly if you tack on the Crunchyroll member discounts).
On the newer wave, the collector’s editions of both Chainsaw Man and Dan Da Dan, which include tons of extra merch, have reached new all-time low prices. The Cyberpunk Edgerunners Blu-ray is still ridiculously overpriced in North America (and not even available on Amazon), but if you're desperate for those storyboards, the Crunchyroll Store has given it a 20% discount.
Anime Movies Hitting All-Time Low Prices
While there aren't quite as many doorbusting discounts, at least some anime movies are included in the Blu-ray deals. New all-time low prices are limited to a spread of Studio Ghibli movies, Naoka Yamada's The Colors Within, and, for whatever reason, most of the Evangelion Rebuild movies. Many tears have been shed across this group.
Crunchyroll Knocked $20 Off Annual Mega Fan Subscriptions
If you’re also on the streaming wave, Crunchyroll dropped a Black Friday deal seemingly out of nowhere. $20 off a full year of Mega Fan Crunchyroll is pretty much nothing, I know, but it does give you access to the extra 15% discount in the Crunchyroll Store as well as 12 months of unlimited anime streaming. If you’d already pay for it, might as well get it for cheaper.
It's time to retire that bike of yours and upgrade to electric! Just a few years earlier you wouldn't be able to find an electric bike for under $1,000. Although there are still plenty of premium brands that still sell ebikes for well above this threshold, it's no longer an accurate blanket statement.
For Black Friday, several eBikes are down to egregiously low prices, some well under $500. Chinese brands offer excellent value for what you get, as long as you don't overpay for one of their entry level ebikes. That's why it's best buying directly from the manufacturer off AliExpress instead of going through Amazon or a personal website where they'll just charge you more money to make up for all the marketing fees and other BS.
The deals below stand out for the following reasons: 1) they're a lot less expensive than buying the exact same bike off Amazon, 2) they're all shipped from a local US warehouse so you don't need to worry about tariffs or shipping delays, and 3) they're sold by reputable vendors with plenty of reviews and sales to back them up.
Amyet V9-G60 1000W Electric Bike for $420
The Amyet V9-G60 boasts a 1,000W (1,500W peak) brushless motor that can push the bike at speeds up to 32mph. The 48V 20AH (960Whr) battery can last up to 70 miles on a single charge (the actual distance is dependent on other factors like your speed, terrain, elevation, etc). Other features include a lightweight aluminum frame, Shimano components for its 7-speed transmission, dual suspension, and 20" wheels with 4" fat tires for a more comfortable ride. The bike comes 90% preassembled and includes a one-year warranty. It's also pretty mod-friendly in case you wanted to do your own upgrades.
Luckeep X1 Lite 750W Electric Bike for $435
The X1 Lite's 750W (1,500W peak) brushless motor can hit a top speed of about 28mph. The 48V 15AH (720Whr) battery can last up to 50 miles on a single charge. Like the Amyet V9-G60, it also features a lightweight aluminum frame, Shimano 7-speed transmission, and 20" wheels with 4" fat tires, and is covered by a 12-month warranty. The feature that sets this bike apart is its ability to be folded in half with the wheels stacked next to each other. This design makes it much easier to fit in a smaller space. A little engineering magic is needed to make sure that the frame maintains its rigidity and so this feature isn't commonly found in entry level bikes.
UrLife E20 Lite 750W Electric Bike for $276
The UrLife E20 Lite is the least expensive ebike in this roundup as well as the lightest. Whereas the Luckeep X1 Lite weighs 70 pounds and the Amyet V9-G60 tops the chart at 77 pounds, the E20 Lite comes in at a modest 60 pounds. It's also equipped with a tamer 750W brushless motor with a peak rating of 1,000W, so the top speed is limited to a still respectable 20mph. The 48V 13AH (624Whr) battery, while being the smallest capacity battery in the roundup, has the best range at up to 80 miles, most likely because of the lighter weight and less power-hungry motor.
HeyBike has an office here in the United States, but they are actually a Chinese brand similar to the other listed above.
Electric Scooter Deals Starting at $109
The LADPED electric scooters are solid entry level options that are meant for adults. Both models are equipped with a peppy 350W brushless motor that can push the scooter at speeds of up to 19mph. The LP80 is equipped with a 36V 10.5aH battery that lasts up to 18 miles on a single charge. The LP60 has a much smaller 36V 5.2AH battery that will give you half that range. Both scooters weigh about 34 pounds (the LP60 is a bit lighter because of the smaller battery) and can be folded for easier transport and storage. They're equipped with standard 8.5" maintenance free honeycomb tires which are good for smooth, paved surfaces.
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.
With streaming prices rising steadily, it makes sense to own your favorites outright, if you ask me. And now’s the time to grab as many as you want. In all the year, there’s no better time to stock up on physical movies and TV shows than Black Friday. Right now you can pick up 4K UHDs and Blu-rays on sale for all-time low prices at places like Amazon, Gruv, and Target.
Featured in this Article
Here’s a loooong catalog where you can find all of the 4K and Blu-ray deals we’re highlighting in this article. For a more categorical approach to the mountain of deals, read on below.
Movies on Sale
While some newer movies are on sale for excellent prices (lookin' at you, Superman), most of the deeper discounts are on older movies. Thankfully, many of those older movies are stone-cold classics. We're talking Jurassic Park, Intersteller, Reservoir Dogs, and the like. You can bulk up your 4K movie collection right now for way cheaper than most any other time of year.
Movie Collections on Sale
If you want to top off your physical movie collection even faster than buying films one at a time, grab some of these collections. And they're not just any collections – these are some of the best movies ever made. The Lord of the Rings trilogy in 4K should be on any film buff's shelf. So should The Dark Knight trilogy. And while you're at it, you can add the Indiana Jones and Matrix movies as well.
TV Shows on Sale
Why buy two hours' worth of entertainment when you can buy a hundred hours? That's the question posed by TV shows on disc. You can binge some of these shows all week and still have seasons left to go at the end. Shows like Game of Thrones, Friends, Dragon Ball Super, and Twin Peaks are all on sale now for the lowest prices they've been all year. Grab them before Black Friday ends.
Well Black Friday is officially underway despite it starting over a week ago across the internet, but not every deal is what it seems. Mega Venusaur ex is getting it's own Premium Collection because it's the best start Pokémon (fight me), and it's available on Amazon right now, but hold that thought.
Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box
The problem is it's $80 price tag, just yesterday it was $63.75 down from $79.99, now it's down from $94.90. In a period of time when we're forced to buy sealed product for more than MSRP (In this case, $39.99), it's my job to make sure you're paying a little premium as possible.
TCGPlayer also has listings available for Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection starting from $61.59. They're also having a Cyber Weekend event that gives buyers 10% cashback as account credit on any purchase.
If you're a subscriber, this bumps up to 13% on-top of your existing subscriber cashback for a total of 16% cashback between now and the end of Cyber Monday. That means you'll get from $6.15 to $9.85 cashback credit just for buying this collection at the best price currently. Win-win, right?
Inside the Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection is:
Mega Venusaur ex is actually pretty playable when combined with Meganium from Mega Evolutions (There's an awesome looking Stamped promo version too), with it's ability allowing it to transfer energy between Pokémon combined with Meganium's ability that doubles Grass energy in play. That means Mega Venusaurs Jungle Dump attack, costing four grass energy, can be set up and used in one turn if you play this strategy right. That's 240 damage set up instantly, and is frankly mad.
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.
Walmart's Black Friday sale has been all over the place so far, but there's one clear highlight: For a limited time, new subscribers can pick up one year of Walmart+ for half the price. So instead of paying $98, you'll pay just $49 for the first 12 months of your subscription.
This may not seem like a streaming deal at first glance, but once you factor in the benefits of a Walmart+ membership, this discount starts to look pretty great. With a membership, you'll get a choice between a Peacock Premium subscription or a Paramount+ subscription in addition to free shipping and grocery delivery. Now that we know Peacock isn't bringing back their killer Black Friday deal from last year, this is one of the best Black Friday streaming deals for anyone who shops at Walmart.
Streaming Service Savings Breakdown
Paramount+ does have a Black Friday deal, dropping the monthly price to $2.99, but it only lasts two months. Peacock had one of the best Black Friday deals last year, offering a full year with ads for $19.99, but we haven't heard a peep from the service in 2025. So with that in mind, I think it's worth breaking down the savings you'll get on just those subscriptions with this deal:
Peacock Premium (no ads) - $109.99 annually (Save $60.99 with Walmart+)
It's pretty clear just looking at the prices that choosing the Peacock Premium subscription will net you the most savings. But it's worth noting that Walmart+ actually gives you the option to change your subscription for free every 90 days. So if you start with Peacock Premium, you can switch to Paramount+ about three months in. With an annual subscription you can swap services up to four times before the year is up.
What's on Peacock?
Peacock isn't as well known as a Netflix or Disney+, but it does have some good originals. Most recently there is The Paper, a spin-off series from the creators of The Office. There's also the popular mystery series Poker Face that I binged myself and loved. Peacock also has exclusive rights to movies from Universal and Focus Features (including things like Jurassic World Rebirth). If you've never had a Peacock subscription before, it has a surprisingly deep catalog of things for you to stream.
What's on Paramount+?
Paramount+ is the home of pretty much anything Paramount. That means you'll find things like the Mission: Impossible movies, Transformers, and the entirety of the Star Trek Universe. It is also the new home of South Park, meaning it's the only place you can stream new episodes of season 28 as they air. You'll also find a roster of Nickelodeon shows spanning decades, from SpongeBob and iCarly to Rocko's Modern Life. Walmart+ only gets you access to a basic subscription, however, so you'll need to deal with ads. (And if you want access to shows like Yellowjackets or Dexter, you'll need a Paramount+ Premium plan that includes Showtime, which is, obviously, not included in this Walmart+ deal.) There is currently a free trial of Paramount+ you can try if you want to test it out before committing to an annual subscription.
We are through much of Black Friday and the best Meta Quest deal is still one that I first spotted last week. The Meta Store on eBay is offering refurbished Meta Quest 3 512GB VR headsets for just $359.99 after a 20% off coupon code "CYBERWEEK20". Better yet, it comes with an extended 2 year warranty supplied by Allstate. Since these headsets are reconditioned and shipped by Meta itself, it's not much different from buying a brand new one. Although there are other Meta Quest deals, none are as enticing as this one.
Refurb Meta Quest 3 for $359.99
Includes extended 2 year warranty
The Meta Quest 3 is the best standalone consumer-oriented VR headset and is a significant upgrade compared to its less expensive Quest 3S sibling. The two share the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, Touch Plus controllers with inside-out tracking, and mixed reality passthrough. However, the Quest 3 has a higher resolution, higher FOV display with a much wider focused sweet spot thanks to its superior pancake lens design. The Quest 3 also has much more onboard storage. I own it myself (and I reviewed it for IGN) and have logged over a thousand hours in Beat Saber alone.
TL;DR:
Quest 3 has sharper resolution (2064x2208 vs 1832x1920)
Quest 3 has better lens array (pancake vs fresnel)
Quest 3 has wider FOV (104°/96° vs 96°/90°)
Quest 3 has higher storage capacity (512GB vs 128GB)
Same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor
Same Touch Plus controllers
Same 120Hz refresh rate
Same Mixed reality passthrough functionality
Same tetherless and tethered functionality
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.
There are a lot of different versions of the Harry Potter books. There's the original hardcovers, paperbacks with stencilled edges, and even a full-on Hogwarts trunk filled with the books you can buy. If you're looking for a gift to buy the Potter fan in your life while Black Friday deals are on, it can be a little overwhelming to decide exactly what set of books is worth purchasing for their collection. If you're buying for someone who has already read the entire series multiple times over, however, I'd suggest going with the illustrated editions that Amazon currently has in its buy 2, get 1 free book sale today.
Surprise, surprise, though, there are actually two different illustrated editions to choose from! There's the larger hardcovers (illustrated by Jim Kay) and the interactive illustrated editions (from MinaLima). Of the two, only the interactive illustrated editions are all included in Amazon's promotion.
Harry Potter Interactive Illustrated Edition Sale
Amazon's buy 2, get 1 free sale is pretty straightforward. All you need to do is add three items to your cart and the least expensive of the three will be discounted from the final price at checkout. Since there are currently four of the illustrated interactive editions available, you'll need to choose which three to add to your cart to get the discount. Whatever you choose, you'll be looking at an additional $21 off by purchasing three at once. Since each of these books is already reduced in price, that comes out to $89.90 for the full collection of four if you buy them all at once.
As you may have noticed, only the first four books in the series have gotten the interactive illustrated treatment so far. The first three books feature illustrations and papercraft from MinaLima while the Goblet of Fire was taken over by Karl James Mountford (Illustrator) and Jess Tice Gilbert (Designer). This discrepancy between artists is due to MinaLima announcing that she wasn't going to continue with the project. The most recent edition, The Goblet of Fire, was the first new book in this line of special editions since 2023 and was released a only a month ago in October 2025. The change in artists means that there are still plans to finish giving the rest of the series the same treatment in the coming years.
What is the "Interactive" element of these illustrated editions?
I actually own all of the MinaLima editions and have had the chance to read through them myself. The interactive element here refers to papercraft hidden within the pages. These are essentially illustrations that spin, open up, or can be played with in some way. It actually makes for a really fun experience as you make your way through the story. The only issue I've had with it is that it's not really meant to be used too heavily. The paper elements are obviously quite fragile and this isn't a book that you're supposed to be reading over and over again. As a collector's item and an occasional read, however, they are pretty cool. For an idea of what to expect you can check out some of the interactive elements featured in my copy of The Sorcerer's Stone.
Is Now the Best Time to Buy These Books?
Right now, this is the best deal on these books anywhere. It's certainly possible that prices could drop further on Cyber Monday, but it's unlikely that this buy 2, get 1 free promotion will still be around by then. Amazon recently dropped a bunch of new book deals for its Black Friday sale, so this is as good as it's going to get.
That being said, Amazon's "3 for 2" sale offers a unique opportunity to save on the entire collection. Even if Amazon further discounts the individual titles, you'll most likely end up saving the same amount as you would purchasing now. This type of deal is especially great for buying full collections at once, which we've seen with the the Lord of the Rings illustrated editions and popular book box sets that are eligible for the discount.
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