From the drive-thru mishap in “Boy-Scoutz ’n the Hood” to Homer’s clown-car joyride in “Homie the Clown,” Krusty Burger is about as ubiquitous as a Duff at Moe’s. So it’s only fitting that LEGO, in its infinite wisdom, has immortalised this bastion of corporate mediocrity in brick form. Behold Set #10352: a fully-furnished Krusty Burger oozing with enough nostalgia to clog up my heart quicker than a Partially Gelatinated Non-Dairy Gum-Based Beverage.

Right out of the box, you assemble Homer’s car (yes, the one decked with Krusty decals from “Homie the Clown” Season 6, Episode 15). Remember Homer’s immortal vow? “I’ll kill that Krusty Burglar for stealing my burgers!”? Well, the designers didn’t forget either: a tiny poster warns of the Krusty Burglar, and one cash register displays “$6.15,” a cheeky nod to S6E15. It’s the sort of sly wink that makes you feel like you’ve won the trivia jackpot at Luigi’s.

Meanwhile, Maggie’s scanner comes pre-set to “$847.63” (the very sum she rings up during the opening credits of The Simpsons Movie). Then, slide into the dining area and you’ll spot the Krusty’s Kidz Zone ball pit while across the way sits the poster for the glorious Ribwich.

And hey, hey, don’t overlook the Mother Nature Burger advert (a flashback to the eco-friendly fiasco in “Bart vs. Thanksgiving,” where Homer’s dietary curiosity led to ecological chaos and a very angry turkey). Lastly if you lean in close, you can practically hear Sideshow Bob muttering “An aha! moment, I do believe” as he plots his next burger-related mischief.

Behind the counter is where the real action happens. Expect to singe a whiny teengaer's claw hand in a fry station with a broken ice-cream machine, a prep area stacked high with Krusty Burgers (that minimalist LEGO ethos on full display: one tan brick, two studs, and you’ve got yourself a patty), plus an employee loo. There’s even a drive-thru window, complete with a menu board demanding “700 Krusty Burgers” ala “Boy-Scoutz ’n the Hood” (Season 5, Episode 8), when Krusty’s oil-rig franchise ran wholesale orders to the scouts. It’s these tiny flourishes that transform a simple build into a pilgrimage for fanatics.

Now, you might ask: why build Krusty Burger when LEGO has already given us the Simpsons’ house and the Kwik-E-Mart? True, the Evergreen Terrace home debuted in 2014 and Apu’s neon oasis arrived in 2015, but Krusty Burger has always been the unsung hero of Springfield’s commercial landscape. Unlike Moe’s Tavern, where happiness is just a flaming drink away, Krusty Burger’s corporate ubiquity means it’s always been a blank canvas.

LEGO designer Ann Healy scoured dozens of episodes, including “One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish” (Season 2, Episode 11) where Homer’s dietary adventures almost ended in pufferfish calamity, to nail the perfect canon layout. She joked in our exclusive chat, “If I counted all the times Krusty Burger appears, I’d need a Duff to calm my nerves,” which is about as Swartzwelder-worthy as it gets.

The build itself is straightforward enough that even Kent Brockman could do it live on air without missing a beat, yet detailed enough to prompt a Marge-style raised eyebrow of approval. Piece by piece, you construct the drive-thru lane, the iconic red-and-white façade, the slanted roof… and before you know it, you’re hosting your own “Mmm, corporate grease” luncheon for seven minifigures: Homer, Bart, Lisa, Farmer Krusty, Sideshow Bob, the Squeaky-Voiced Teen and Officer Lou. Pretty generous stuff.

And speaking of attendance, the minifigs themselves are dead ringers. Sideshow Bob looks ready to sweep the floor with his coiffured hair, while Farmer Krusty’s blue overalls and straw hat perfectly recall his ill-fated “Cletus‒style” dalliances. Bart’s skateboard fits right into that Kidz Zone, and Lisa’s expression captures her eternal conflict over processed cheese and its effect on the environment.

Ten years have passed since the last minifigure-scale Simpson set hit shelves, and in that decade LEGO’s fan base has swelled like Comic Book Guy’s waistline after a two-for-one promotion. We deserve more playsets—Moe’s Tavern, the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, maybe even a diorama of the Android’s Dungeon. But for now, Krusty Burger stands supreme: 1,635 pieces of nostalgia, wit, and corporate satire, retailing for A$329.99 (plus whatever you paid the Squeaky-Voiced Teen for that extra soft drink).

So whether you’re a fan who can recite the entire script of “Last Exit to Springfield” or you simply know that a Krusty Burger is the best steamed ham on the market, this set is your grease-covered Graceland. Here's hoping LEGO is inspired to release more landmarks from this universe. And here's also hoping I don't have to sell my kidneys to acquire the original Simpsons House set as I didn't have the good sense to buy it back in 2014.

LEGO The Simpsons: Krusty Burger, Set #10352, retails at LEGO AU for $329.95, and it is composed of 1635 pieces. You can purchase it here.

Adam Mathew is our Aussie deals wrangler. He plays practically everything, often on YouTube and would like to thank Kevin Wong for his far superior photography skills.

This Legend of Zelda canvas wall art is the perfect gift for any Zelda fan. It recreates the timeless Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai, but with a fun Wind Waker twist. It's the same exact art, but now Link and the King of Red Lions are sailing in the foreground. It's silly, fun, and a great mash-up of the famous painting and one of the best Zelda games of all time. If you're looking for a great Legend of Zelda gift for yourself or the Nintendo fan in your life, this is definitely worth considering.

The Legend of Zelda Great Wave off Kanagawa Canvas

There are 16 different versions of the print, with five main configurations. There's regular gallery wrapped, black-framed, 3-piece, 4-piece, and 5-piece versions to pick from, so you have plenty of variety to find the right one for your nerdy interior decorating. Each of the divided versions come in medium and large versions, and the gallery wrapped and black-framed styles come in five sizes.

They vary in price between $39.99 and $29.99. The 24 by 18-inch gallery wrapped version is 7% off, now at $69.99 while the 4-piece medium is also 7% off, bringing the price to $129.99.

Now is the perfect time to pick one of these up, since The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker has gotten a second wind (nailed it) on Nintendo Switch 2. You can access the game on the Nintendo Switch Online GameCube app along with Soul Calibur 2 and F-Zero GX, with many more to come. The Wind Waker is one of my personal favorites, and we gave the 2002 original a 9.6, saying that it's "a masterful achievement -- a shining example, in fact, of how video games should be made and a case study for developers wondering what makes a compelling game".

See more Legend of Zelda gifts

Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.

The weekend is officially here, and we've rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for June 28 below:

Steam Summer Sale - The Best Deals Today

The Steam Summer Sale is officially live, and this is easily one of the best times of the year to score deals on PC games. Many of the biggest RPGs to release on PC in 2025 are discounted, including Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, and more. Plus, you can score incredible games like Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy or Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy for under $6.

Twin Peaks: From Z to A Blu-ray Set for $52.51

We’re past the halfway point of 2025. Crazy, I know. To help you avoid the existential dread of that realization, think about the plus side: a batch of new arrivals on all your favorite streaming services!

Next month, Disney’s streaming service will be wrapping up the MCU’s Ironheart, celebrating Sharkfest, and getting plenty of new additions from the Disney Channel. Here’s a look at what’s coming to Disney+ in July.

Everything Coming to Disney+ in July

July 1

• Ironheart Season 1 (episodes 4-6)
• Critter Fixers: Country Vets Season 6 (12 episodes)
• Lost Treasures of Egypt Season 5 (10 episodes)

Disney+ is kicking off July with the final three episodes of the MCU’s latest series. As IGN’s review of the first three episodes explains, “Riri was previously introduced as the tech prodigy whose vibranium detector kicks off the plot of 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ironheart is her origin story.” The streaming service is also picking up the latest seasons of two Nat Geo series.

July 2

• Miraculous Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir Season 6 (8 episodes)
• ZOMBIES (Sing-Along Version)
• ZOMBIES 2 (Sing-Along Version)
• ZOMBIES 3 (Sing-Along Version)

Next up, Disney+ is getting the first eight episodes from the latest season of the Miraculous Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. The season is still airing on the Disney Channel, so more episodes will likely arrive in August.

In anticipation of the newest Zombies movie (spoilers for below, I know), the streaming service is also getting special “Sing-Along” versions of the original Disney Channel trilogy.

July 6

• Investigation Shark Attack Season 1 (6 episodes)
• Shark Quest: Hunt for the Apex Predator Season 1 (2 episodes)
• Sharks of the North
• Sharks Up Close with Bertie Gregory
• Super Shark Highway Season 1 (6 episodes)

Sharkfest! Disney is teaming up with National Geographic to stream a big batch of series and documentaries highlighting, well, sharks. Expect constant reassurance that Jaws wasn’t as accurate as your child self believed.

July 9

• Ancient Aliens: Origins Season 1 (12 episodes)
• People and Places: Shorts (Premiere)

A brief interruption from the shark-themed festivities, though maybe not too far off-topic depending on your perspective. Ancient Aliens: Origins aired on the History Channel last year. Meanwhile, People and Places was originally a Disney series in the 50’s that’s getting revived for 12 new short-form episodes.

July 10

• Summer Baking Championship Season 1 (8 episodes)

Disney+ is picking up the first season of Summer Baking Championship, a reality competition show which originally aired on the Food Network back in 2024.

July 11

• Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story
• ZOMBIES 4: Dawn of the Vampires

Did I mention Jaws? Disney+ is getting the latest documentary about the making of Jaws the day after it premieres on Nat Geo, and soon after the iconic film’s 50th anniversary. Also, for the kids, here’s that new Zombies movie, featuring more songs and some good ol’ vampires.

July 17

• America's Funniest Home Videos Seasons 13-15 (67 episodes)

Ah, yes. The pre-social media platform for “viral videos” that harkens back to another era. Disney+ is getting three seasons of America’s Funniest Home Videos that originally aired from 2002-2005.

July 22

• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+ (Premiere)

The iconic Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is getting rebooted for the younger generations. Most of the original voice cast is returning for the new series, which is streaming on Disney+ the day after premiering on Disney Jr.

July 23

• Kiff Season 2 (6 episodes)

Like most things on this list, the animated buddy comedy wrapped up its second season live on the Disney Channel before coming to Disney+.

July 26

• BBQ Brawl Seasons 1-2 (14 episodes)
• Theme Song Takeover Season 4 (6 episodes)
• Ultimate Summer Cook-Off Season 1 (4 episodes)

Disney's picking up several reality series from the late 2010s and also getting the most recent batch of Theme Song Takeovers, a Disney Channel classic. You can watch most existing Theme Song Takeovers over on YouTube.

July 28

• Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time Season 1 (5 episodes)

A Nat Geo documentary series featuring first-hand accounts about the catastrophic 2005 hurricane and its effect on communities within New Orleans.

July 30

• StuGo (Premiere)

StuGo follows a group of middle schoolers who believe they’re heading to summer camp when they get trapped on a remote island by a mad scientist. The Disney XD series aired earlier this year and makes its way to streaming at the end of July.

July 31

• Project Runway Seasons 1-4 (51 episodes)
• Project Runway Season 21 (Two-Episode Premiere)

Disney+ is getting the first four seasons of the competition series Project Runway on the same day as the two-episode premiere for Season 21. Fashion!

What's Coming to Hulu, ESPN+, and Max?

If you have one of the Disney+ streaming bundles, you might also see new additions from Hulu, Max, and/or ESPN+ on your homepage. In July, Hulu will be bringing back The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and getting some comedy classics like Home Alone and Bridsemaids. On the anime side, Hulu's picking up the first season of Dragon Ball DAIMA and streaming new episodes of Dan Da Dan Season 2.

Max (which will become, once again, HBO Max) is getting Sinners, one of the biggest movies of 2025, with other highlights including Napoleon Dynamite, Get Out, and A24's Opus. Meanwhile, ESPN+ will be streaming the rest of Wimbledon, two UFC Fight Nights, and the WNBA All-Star Game hosted by the Indiana Fever.

Blythe (she/her) is an SEO Coordinator at IGN who spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.

If you're looking for DTI codes, IGN's got you covered! In this article, you'll find a list of all the active and working Dress to Impress codes in June 2025 that you can redeem for free rewards and bonuses in DTI, including outfits and accessories like hats, bags, and jewelry.

Active Dress to Impress Codes (June 2025)

Here are all the active Dress to Impress codes in June 2025 and the free rewards you get for redeeming them:

• Your unique Twitch Cyberpunk Wings code - Head to our How to Get the Twitch Cyberpunk Wings Code guide for more details
• ANGELT4NKED - Helmet
• 3NCHANTEDD1ZZY - Wand
• ELLA - Skirt
• 1CON1CF4TMA - Sweater dress
• B3APL4YS_D0L1E - Doll accessory
• MEGANPLAYSBOOTS - Boots
• CH00P1E_1S_B4CK: Streetwear outfit set
• S3M_0W3N_Y4Y: Axe
• KREEK: Bear hat
• LANA: White shorts, shirt, and legwarmers
• LANABOW: White bow
• BELALASLAY: Black jacket with pink halter top
• LANATUTU: White dress
• IBELLASLAY: Red, green, and blonde hairstyle
• M3RM4ID: Orange mermaid set
• TEKKYOOZ: White handbag
• LABOOTS: Black boots
• ITSJUSTNICHOLAS: Black jacket
• ASHLEYBUNNI: Bunny slippers
• LEAHASHE: Sweatshirt and sweatpants
• KITTYUUHH: Black cat
• C4LLMEHH4LEY: Puffy dress and bear headband
• SUBM15CY: Necklace and eyelashes
• D1ORST4R: Bag and bow

All Expired Dress to Impress Codes

Below, you'll find a list of expired DTI codes that no longer work and can't be redeemed as of June 2025:

• LNY2025
• HAPPYNEWYEAR
• Your unique Easter 2025 Easter Bunny Set code
• UMOYAE
• FASHION
• BADDIE4LIFE
• Your unique April Fools' Day 2025 Flamethrower code
• M0T0PRINCESSWAV
• CUPIDSCLOUD
• SWEETHEART (was only redeemable between February 15 and February 16, 2025 at 8AM PT)
• YEAROFTHESNAKE
• NY2025
• WINTERUPDATE (was only redeemable between 8 AM - 11 AM PT on Saturday, 14 December!)
• 4BILLION
• CHOOPIE10K
• THEGAMES
• EYELASHES
• REWARD4CLASS1C

How to Redeem Dress to Impress Codes

Follow the steps below to redeem Dress to Impress codes and claim free rewards in DTI:

1. Open the Dress to Impress Roblox Experience.
2. Click on the handbag icon on the left-hand side to open the DTI Codes menu.
3. Enter your code in the "Type here..." field.
4. Check for any spelling mistakes or errors.
5. Click the checkmark icon to redeem the code.

Why Isn't My Dress to Impress Code Working?

If the code you're trying to redeem in DTI isn't working, it's likely because of one of two reasons:

• The Dress to Impress code is expired
• There's a spelling mistake in the code

When inputting a DTI code in Roblox, make sure it's spelled correctly (for example, a capital I isn't a lowercase l, 0 and not O, and vice versa) and that there are no spaces before or after the code. We'd recommend copying and pasting codes straight from our article to ensure they're correct as we've tested and verified that the codes on this page are working ourselves.

If your DTI code still isn't working after checking for typos, it's more than likely expired and can no longer be redeemed in Dress to Impress.

How to Get More DTI Codes

To get more Dress to Impress codes, the best way is to join the official DTI Discord server. While we check for new codes daily, the quickest way to know about new Dress to Impress codes is to follow the Roblox experience's official Discord server where updates are posted in real time.

You can also check the Dress to Impress X account and the official DTI Roblox Group page.

Are There Any Upcoming DTI Codes?

Part two of the Dress to Impress Summer Update is set for July 5, 2025, so it's possible we'll see new DTI codes then. As always, we'll keep you updated as soon as any new codes drop, so bookmark this page!

What is Dress to Impress in Roblox?

Dress to Impress is a popular dress-up Roblox Experience available on PC, console, and iOS and Android mobile devices. In it, you put on your best outfit to complete a specific theme and walk the runway in a bid to earn votes from other players and become a top model. As you gain votes, you gain ranks and can access more clothing and accessories, so make sure you're truly dressed to impress! Also, for toy lovers and collectors, you can now pre-order a mystery pack of 2 Dress to Impress minifigures right now for $30 at Walmart.

Warning: This piece contains spoilers for F1.

Well here’s something I wasn’t expecting to say before this weekend: the Formula One movie is one of the best films released so far this year. 2025 has had some solid hits, such as Sinners, The Assessment, 28 Years Later, and Final Destination Bloodlines (really!), and now we can add F1 to the list. Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski is back with yet another meat and potatoes studio crowd-pleaser starring an aging movie star who proves he’s Still Got It™ via a fast-moving vehicle as metaphor for masculine self-actualization, this time replacing fighter jets with, you guessed it, Formula One race cars. It’s the kind of movie that knows exactly what it wants to be and executes it with care and precision.

Let’s delve into the film’s spoilery details and how F1 proves that Kosinski is one of the best blockbuster directors currently working.

A Fine-Tuned Machine

What makes F1 being as good as it is something of a surprise is that it’s essentially one giant advertisement. Yes, it’s telling a story about Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a has-been Formula One racer who gets a second shot at glory decades later as part of a failing F1 team, but given how involved the real-life FIA is in the film (Ferrari F1 racer Lewis Hamilton even has a producing credit on it), it’s hard to argue that trying to widen the appeal of the Formula One World Championship isn’t one of the primary motives for the film getting made in the first place. In the same way that Top Gun: Maverick is a piece of slickly-produced Air Force propaganda, F1 is a $200 million dollar branding exercise for the world’s premiere racing league.

That said, one of my cardinal beliefs is that you can make a good movie out of anything, and F1 proves that and then some. In the same way that similarly corporate productions like Lord and Miller’s The LEGO Movie or Greta Gerwig’s Barbie transcended their cynical origins as glorified toy commercials by hiring smart creatives to lead the charge (hell, this is the Transformers brand’s entire thing), F1 sees Kosinski and Maverick screenwriter Ehren Kruger jumping back into the mode that brought them so much success on their previous effort: the proverbial “dad movie,” with a disciplined directorial style and one of the few remaining bankable stars serving as a signal to the audience that they’re in for the kind of old school movie-making sensibility we used to take for granted.

At a time when many big budget movies are, to steal a phrase from Darth Vader, choking on their aspirations, it’s refreshing to sit in front of F1 and feel like everyone involved was simply trying to make the best movie they could. There are no misguided franchise ambitions, premature sequel teases, nostalgic callbacks to better movies from years ago, distracting metatextual conceits, or a sense that the movie is compromised by committee. It’s also not seeking to outsmart the genre it’s working with, something that’s plagued recent films like Glass Onion or Joker: Folie à Deux. F1 is about as classic a sports drama as you can get, just with outstanding execution. The combination of unpretentious script, charismatic cast, fantastic racing sequences, and Kosinski’s sharp storytelling instincts ensure that the movie always stays, well… on track.

If all the pieces work well, it doesn’t matter if you have no previous investment in Formula One (I didn’t!). F1 is incredibly engaging entertainment either way. In many ways it’s reminiscent of another Pitt film: 2011’s Moneyball, which turned work meetings about baseball statistics into riveting drama by sheer force of will and strong nuts and bolts craft. F1 conveys what newbies need to know about the sport without derailing the story at hand, and that’s a rarer feat than you’d think in today’s cinematic landscape.

F1 Ending Explained

If you guessed that F1 ends with a high stakes Formula One race, then give yourself a gold star. After being recruited to flailing F1 team APX GP by owner and old friend Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), Sonny Hayes finds that the team is a disaster behind the scenes. With only half a season, or nine races, to turn things around, Sonny butts heads with APX’s young superstar Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) and team technical director Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon). After many ups and downs, including Sonny convincing Kate to change her car design to facilitate a more aggressive racing style and a near-fatal crash on Joshua’s part, all roads lead to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race and the team’s last chance for glory. No points for guessing that the team wins the race.

F1 is about as straightforward as big movies get nowadays, but that winds up being a significant asset. With so many of today’s blockbusters feeling half-formed or somehow embarrassed by their genre expectations, F1 sticking to convention proves that making these kinds of movies doesn’t have to be so complicated. Everything the movie needs to make the final race a cathartic moment for the audience is perfectly established: the high stakes for everyone involved, Sonny’s desire to recapture the feeling of “flying” that he describes to Kate after they start a romantic relationship, Joshua accepting that his ego is more at fault for his failures than his teammates, the audience wanting to see APX board member Peter Banning (Tobias Menzies) put in his place after sabotaging the team for personal gain, and some truly exceptional camerawork and editing.

That’s not to say that movies shouldn’t try to put their own spins on formulas or throw in twists on tired premises. Of course they should. But finding a new way to effectively engage the audience within the boundaries of genre expectation will always be more satisfying than trying to be clever and flouting those expectations with wild abandon. Understanding that principle has been Kosinski’s greatest strength across his career, from 2010’s cult favorite Tron: Legacy, to the underrated 2013 original sci-fi entry Oblivion, to the billion dollar success of 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick. His next best strength is getting out of his own way and making his name on reliable craft over flashy sensibilities. Not that we don’t love our idiosyncratic auteurs like M. Night Shyamalan or Guillermo del Toro, but solid journeyman work is just as respectable and difficult to actually pull off.

We’ll see how audiences take to Kosinski’s latest, but as we head into a summer movie season set to be dominated by dinosaurs and superheroes, F1 stands as one of the year’s best surprises so far. Hollywood’s struggles with production mismanagement, VFX quality control, and fatally flawed franchise attempts are well-documented, but movies like F1 show that you can still deliver quality entertainment within the system. You simply need a director who knows what their movie is and what it’s not, and takes that mindset all the way to the finish line.

Carlos Morales writes novels, articles and Mass Effect essays. You can follow his fixations on Twitter.

Want codes for Grow a Garden? Well, a code redemption system is finally here! It was added to the popular gardening experience as part of the Lunar Glow event. This big change means it's likely there will be codes released in the future, so IGN will now keep you covered as and when new codes are released!

Working Grow a Garden Codes (June 2025)

I'm sorry to say that even with the new Mega Harvest Update there are still no active Grow a Garden codes! As soon as new ones are announced, we'll update this article to include the new ones. For now, check out all there is to do in the new Mega Harvest Event.

Expired Grow a Garden Codes (June 2025)

Unfortunately, these codes have now expired:

• LUNARGLOW10 - This gave players 3x Seed Packs.

How to Redeem Grow a Garden Codes

Now that there's a code redemption system in the Roblox experience, here are the steps you need to follow to use Grow a Garden codes:

1. Launch the Grow a Garden Roblox experience
2. Look in the top left corner to find the Settings cog next to the icon of the backpack
3. Click settings and scroll down to the bottom
4. Copy and paste codes from this article into the Redeem Codes box
5. Press claim and enjoy your goodies!

Why Isn't My Grow a Garden Code Working?

There are usually two reasons why a code isn't working. It's either because:

• The code is expired
• The code has been entered incorrectly

If a code has been entered incorrectly or is expired, it will say the "code is invalid." To stop this from happening, we'd recommend copying and pasting the code directly from this article. We check and test each of the codes before we add them to our articles. However, when copying them, you can sometimes accidentally include an extra space somewhere, so always double check there's no additional spaces!

Where to Find More Grow a Garden Codes

If new codes are added to the game, we'll update this article, so you can always check back here and keep up-to-date with the latest codes. Grow a Garden has its own dedicated Discord server where codes will be announced, as well as game updates.

What is Grow a Garden in Roblox?

Grow a Garden is a new Roblox experience that's become incredibly popular since it launched. The gardening simulator allows players to show off their green fingers, as you buy seeds and plant a variety of crops from basic carrots to exotic dragon fruit trees.

As fruit and vegetables finally sprout, you'll be able to harvest them to sell for Sheckles. To go from a beginner gardener to a pro worthy of awards, you'll want your crops to experience mutations that increase their value. This can happen randomly, with Gold and Big mutations being down to chance, while weather events like snow can increase your luck of a Frozen mutation. There's also gear, and even pets now, that can affect how fast your crops grow, their value, and more.

When is the Mega Harvest Update in Grow a Garden?

Grow a Garden hosts new events each weekend, where players can come together and try out the fresh content for the ever-expanding game. The next update is planned for Saturday June 28, 2025 and is being called the Mega Harvest. While we don't know much yet besides the fact that the Summer Harvest event is being extended, we can guess that there will be new seeds, new pets, even more craftable items to come.

Lauren Harper is an Associate Guides Editor. She loves a variety of games but is especially fond of puzzles, horrors, and point-and-click adventures.

The biggest Amazon shopping holiday is nearly here. The dates for Prime Day 2025 have officially been set for July 8-11 and many early deals are starting to arrive as the sale gets closer. With Prime Day taking place so soon after the Fourth of July, however, you may be wondering if Amazon is planning on offering up deals even earlier this year.

While it's certainly possible that Amazon could drop a Fourth of July out of the blue, I don't anticipate that the retailer will do so in 2025. Last year Amazon surprised us with Fourth of July savings, but that was because Prime Day didn't take place until later in the month in 2024. With the longest Prime Day ever happening less than a week after the American holiday this year, I just can't imagine Amazon will join in on the Independence Day sales this time around.

Expect Amazon to Price-Match Fourth of July Sales

While I don't expect Amazon to have a specific landing page for Fourth of July sales in 2025, I do think they will end up offering discounts regardless of that fact. The retail giant almost always price matches other retailers when they lower prices on items that are also available on Amazon and will likely to continue to do so this year. It's likely because of this that other major retailers like Walmart and Target have announced their July sales for around the same time as Prime Day this year, rather than before.

So if you are planning on doing any shopping over the holiday weekend, Amazon is definitely worth considering for a lot of different items. The obvious exception to this is if there are sales on items exclusively outside of Amazon. For example the Ikea Summer Sale going on right now is specific to that retailer because Amazon isn't in the business of selling Ikea furniture. But if you're looking to buy a new TV from any of the major brands, the prices will most likely be the same.

Amazon Already Has Early Prime Day Deals

In addition to price matching, Amazon has also already started rolling out its early Prime Day discounts. Some of the best overall deals happening now are primarily on Amazon-owned subscriptions and products. This includes everything from an Audible subscription to a Luna wireless controller. Prices on these products and services are as low as they've gone all year and will likely remain discounted until Prime Day ends on July 11. Unlike any price-matched discounts, most of these deals are only available for those with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Outside of these early Prime Day deals, Amazon also tends to offer various other unique promotions in the lead-up to the main event. You can likely expect various buy one, get one free sales on things like books, movies, and various grocery items to pop up the week before. For example, there was a recent jigsaw puzzle sale that I found that would easily fly under your radar if you didn't know to look for it.

So, should you wait for Prime Day?

If you are looking toward upcoming sales events to find the best savings this year, Prime Day is probably going to be your best bet before Black Friday. That being said, some Fourth of July sales are still likely to have better discounts than the Amazon-centric sale that comes after. Things like barbecues, clothing, and TVs are all likely to be at their lowest prices of the year around the Fourth of July and having Prime Day shortly after these sales end is really just an extension of that. If you find a good deal on something you need right now and can verify it's at its lowest price of the year, there's really no reason to wait.

Alienware's new mainstream gaming laptop for 2025 is dubbed the "Alienware Aurora" and comes in two 16" models: the 16 and 16X. The 16X is the superior of the two variants and it is on sale right now. Ahead of its 4th of July Sale, Dell is currently offering the Alienware Aurora 16X gaming laptop equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU and GeForce RTX 5070 mobile GPU for $1,899.99 with free delivery. This is $400 less than the launch price just a few months ago.

Alienware Aurora 16X RTX 5070 Gaming Laptop for $1,899.99

Although it’s been well over a year and a half since the Pokémon TCG’s 151 expansion of the Scarlet & Violet set came out, stock demand is higher than ever, fueled both by nostalgia for the original Pocket Monsters featured and the ongoing scarcity of cards.

Even rare cards from packs that are readily available can still be worth quite a lot of coin, but the Pokémon TCG’s regular lack of supply to meet the demand has certainly made certain cards especially pricey.

From the least-expensive to the most wallet-busting, these are the ten most expensive Pokémon TCG cards you can pull in the S&V 151 set right now (ready for any potential special restocks during Amazon Prime Day, and rival sales at Walmart, Target, and more).

TL;DR - 10 Most Expensive S&V: 151 Cards

For those who just want to jump straight in, the ten most expensive cards in the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet 151 set are just here, determined by their current market value on TCGplayer. The top five are all worth at least $40, with the top three going above $50.

Compared to some other sets, that's all-in-all fairly reasonable... unlike the $500 plus you're looking at for the rarest Destined Rivals singles right now!

While other recent sets have more expensive cards in general amongst their top ten, the special illustration Charizard ex is still among the priciest cards in the recent TCG right now, regularly floating between $170 and $185.

10. Ivysaur - 167/165

Video games are more expensive than ever nowadays, and even a small sale can make the world of a difference. With the recent release of Nintendo Switch 2, many players are jumping into the Nintendo Switch ecosystem for the first time, and there are dozens of amazing games waiting for them. There is no bigger Nintendo franchise than Super Mario, and the Nintendo Switch received many of the plumber's best entries to date. Today, you can save on select Mario games like Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, and more. It's not every day that Nintendo games go on sale, especially from the Super Mario series, so don't miss your chance to save with these limited summer deals.

The Best Deals on Mario Games for the Switch Today

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury brought one of the best Wii U games to Switch, and it's better than ever with a brand-new expansion. The base game has 12 different worlds to explore, with both local and online co-op available for up to four players. New to this version of the game is Bowser's Fury, an entirely unique experience that features 100 different Cat Shines to collect.

Even at $41.99, Super Mario Odyssey is well worth the price of admission. It's still arguably the best Mario game to date, featuring a giant sandbox to explore, hundreds of collectibles, and an unbelievable soundtrack. For 3D platformer fans, Odyssey is nothing short of a masterpiece, and it's a game you can replay time and time again.

Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is another game that was given a second life on Nintendo Switch, having first released on Nintendo 3DS in 2013 as Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. Finally, there's also the Ubisoft-developed Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. This sequel to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle improves on nearly everything from its predecessor, with all sorts of humor and chaotic battles awaiting.

If you're buying for your Nintendo Switch console, the eShop will be your best bet. However, if you wish to purchase a key to either gift to a friend or redeem on your console, Humble Bundle has the same Mario games on sale for similar prices.

The Steam Summer Sale Is Also Live Now

In addition to Nintendo's sale, Steam has also launched its annual summer sale on PC games. If you're looking to find some discounts outside of Nintendo, this is one of the best times of the year to do so. Below is a quick roundup of some of the best discounts in that sale as well.

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.

Alienware released a new flagship gaming laptop this year - the Area-51 - and it brings to the table a host of upgrades over the m-series laptops including a sleeker redesign, current generation components, and better cooling potential. Ahead of its 4th of July Sale, Dell has dropped the price on an Alienware 16 Area-51 gaming laptop equipped with the new Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 mobile graphics for only $2,949.99 with free delivery. The RTX 5080 (mobile) has proven to be slightly more powerful than even the previous generation's flagship RTX 4090 (mobile).

Alienware 16 Area-51 RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop for $2,949.99

Need codes for Anime Shadow 2? We've got all the latest active codes so you can earn rewards like boxes, Trait Shards, and more. You'll especially want to redeem the codes with Gold Boxes so you can get gems for gamepasses!

Working Anime Shadow 2 Codes (June 2025)

Here are all the current active codes you can redeem in Anime Shadow 2, as well as the rewards you'll get from them:

• NINJA - 3 Bankai Shards, 7 Small Boxes, 1 Mystery Box, 1 Gold Box (NEW)
• SUMMER - 1 Luck Potion, 1 Damage Potion, 1 Coins Potion, 7 Small Boxes, 1 Mystery Box, 1 Gold Box
• UPDATE1 - 5 Small Boxes, 1 Mystery Box
• 100KLIKES - 7 Small Boxes, 3 Mystery Boxes
• ContentCreator - Code exclusive to content creators given the role by the developer.
• 100HOURS - Requires having 100 hours in Anime Shadow 1.
• 5MVISITS - 7 Small Boxes, 3 Mystery Boxes

Expired Anime Shadow 2 Codes (June 2025)

The below codes have unfortunately expired and will no longer work. We've included them here so you know not to bother trying to redeem them:

• FIX
• SUMMERQOL
• TOWER
• TOONRISE
• ICHIGU
• GEAR7
• OFFLINEFARMING
• UPDATE0.7
• FORGIVENESS
• UPDATE0.5
• UPDATE0.4
• LimitedCode
• UPDATE0.3
• UPDATE0.2
• UPDATE0

How to Redeem Anime Shadow 2 Codes (June 2025)

Knowing how to redeem codes in Anime Shadow 2 isn't too hard but just in case you're not sure where to look, we've put together this section. Follow these simple steps to start getting those rewards:

1. Launch Anime Shadow 2 on Roblox
2. Press the red Shop button on the left side of your screen.
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the shop.
4. Then, enter your code into the "Enter Code" box and click Redeem when you're ready.

Why Isn't My Anime Shadow 2 Code Working?

If you're having trouble redeeming a code, there are two common reasons why it may not be working:

• The code is expired
• The code has been entered incorrectly

If a code has been entered incorrectly or has expired, you'll see a message that says, "[CODES] Invalid/Expired Code". In order to avoid this, we recommend copying and pasting the code directly from this article. As long as you don't accidentally get an extra space in there when copying it, it should work if it's active. We make sure to check and test every Anime Shadow 2 code before we add them to this article.

Where to Find More Anime Shadow 2 Codes

One of the best ways to get new codes is coming back to this page as we frequently update it with new and active codes. Otherwise, you can search for codes on your own by checking out the dedicated Discord server for Anime Shadow 2.

What is Anime Shadow 2 in Roblox?

Anime Shadow 2 is a sequel to the original where you collect characters heavily inspired by different anime to fight for you. As you defeat enemies, you'll gain gold that you can then use to summon even more characters to build out your team. Eventually you'll move onto different worlds inspired by Demon Slayer, Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, and more.

Jeffrey Lerman is a freelance game journalist for IGN who has been covering games for over a decade. You can follow him on Bluesky.

This year, Flexispot has kicked off its 4th of July Sale extra early with discounts across its entire site as well as tiered coupon codes. Flexispot has established a reputation for producing quality electric standing desks with premium features at a fraction of the price compared to other reputable brands. We like Flexispot because it offers quality electric standing desks with all the features you'd want at a fraction of the price compared to other more well-known models. We rated Flexispot's highest- end model, the E7 Pro, the best overall standing desk of 2025.

Since then, the company has branched out to other types of furniture, including office chairs, sofas, recliners, and even mattresses. These are, in a nutshell, well-made replicas of other far pricier products, and if you prioritize value over brand loyalty, then you're bound to save a lot of money by picking up one of these deals.

Flexispot 4th of July Coupon Codes

• $30 off orders $500+ with code "J4FS30"
• $60 off orders $800+ with code "J4FS60"
• $100 off orders $1,000+ with code "J4FS100"
• $200 off orders $2,000+ with code "J4FS200"

Featured in this article

You can quickly browse through all of the listed products on sale above. For more information on each product and why they are worth your consideration, read through below.

Flexispot E7 Pro Desk starting at $399.99

Our favorite standing desk for 2025

Flexispot E5 Desk starting at $179.99

Flexispot E7 Desk starting at $299.99

Flexispot E7L L-Shaped Desk starting at $499.99

Flexispot C7 Ergonomic Chair for $349.99

Flexispot Japanese Joinery Bed Frame starting at $349.99

Flexispot Premier Hybrid Mattress starting at $349.99

Flexispot Lotus Electric Rocker Recliner starting at $519.99

Amazon Prime Day is one of the biggest sales of the year, second to only Black Friday. Although this shopping holiday was created by Amazon, it has ballooned into a much wider event. Most major retailers have already announced some sort of rival sale in 2025, and July is shaping up to be a great time to find savings this year.

I've been browsing Amazon Prime Day deals since the very first one back in 2015 and I always try to make at least one major purchase. This year, however, I'm planning on spending a lot more if the deals are actually good. The uncertainty around tariffs that are supposed to resume in August has me thinking it's probably better to buy now rather than wait for prices to go up later.

If you're hoping to plan your shopping ahead of time, we already know quite a few things about Prime Day 2025. Unfortunately, there are also still a lot of unknowns as the start date approaches.

When Does Amazon Prime Day Start in 2025?

The first thing you need to know are the actual dates for Prime Day. Amazon has announced that its Prime Day sale will start on July 8 and run through July 11 this year. This is a break from tradition as Amazon has made the switch from a two-day event to a four-day event. It's the longest Prime Day Amazon has ever had.

In addition to the Amazon sale, both Walmart and Target have announced competing events in July. The dates are slightly different and include varying start times depending on each retailer's membership plan. I'll break down those start dates for you below:

Walmart Deals Start Date - July 8-13

Walmart announced its Deals sale that starts the same day as Prime Day. However, Walmart+ members will be able to access the sale a day early on July 7. A Walmart+ membership is free to try, but early access usually requires paying the monthly subscription fee to activate.

Target Circle Week - July 6-12

Target also announced Circle Week, which starts a little bit earlier than Amazon's sale and runs a little bit longer. Similar to Prime Day, Circle Week is only available to those with a Target Circle membership. It's free to sign up, but the paid Target Circle 360 subscription will get you access to the sale on July 5, a whole day earlier.

Does Amazon Have New Deals Every Day of the Sale?

A lot of Prime Day deals will be available for the entirety of the sale, but some are more limited to specific windows of time. Amazon announced that Prime Day 2025 will be offering something new called 'Today's Big Deals' which will feature brand-specific sales that will launch at midnight each day. Amazon has stated these themed drops will come from brands like Samsung, Kiehl's, and Levi's and only last the duration of the day or until the deal runs out. This new type of sale is separate from the usual lightning deals available during Prime Day.

Which Early Deals Are Worth Shopping Today?

Amazon has already kicked off early Prime Day deals, and they are pretty much the same discounts we see every year. The best offers are on a mix of Amazon's own subscription services and devices. Examples include Audible and Kindle Unlimited subscription with extended free trials, as well as price cuts on select Amazon devices. On such deal of note is the Luna Wireless controller deal that includes a Luna+ free trial. I've gathered up some of the best early promotions going on right now above and will update the list as new official Prime Day deals arrive.

Do you have to be a Prime Member to shop Prime Day deals?

Amazon Prime Day is a sale meant exclusively for those with an Amazon Prime membership. That being said, there are still discounts that non-Prime members will be able to access during the event. These will be discounts on the products that Walmart, Target, and Best Buy will likely also have discounts on, so you won't necessarily need a membership to still find worthwhile savings. Though you will be locked out of any lightning deals Amazon has during the sale.

What Deals to Expect on Prime Day

While Amazon has yet to detail any specific discounts, I've covered the sale enough that I can make an educated guess about what to expect in 2025. Outside of the Amazon device deals that are already live ahead of the event, here's a snapshot of what categories are most likely to get discounts.

Video Games

There a quite a few great times to buy video games throughout the year, and Prime Day is absolutely one of them. Although you may have to shop around a bit to find the best price, you'll be able to find plenty of deals on popular games for the Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X. For PC games specifically, you'll want to look for the Steam Summer sale, which runs from now until July 10 this year.

I'd expect to see prices on popular games from last year and early 2025 drop under $30, with even older games under $20. Amazon recently started offering first-party Switch games again, but most of the deals on Nintendo exclusives will still probably be at other retailers.

Subscriptions

Although Amazon is most known as an online retailer, it also has a variety of subscription services. Prime Day is usually a great time to find discounts on streaming services via Prime Video, or even just longer free trials of Audible and Kindle subscriptions. Amazon is already offering a few extended free trials to Prime members before Prime Day even begins.

In addition to services like Audible and Kindle Unlimited, Amazon also has free games for Prime members you can already take advantage of. These deals will stick around throughout the sale.

VR Headset Deals

Although you shouldn't expect any discounts on the new Xbox edition of the Quest 3S, you can for sure expect some sort of discount on the standard Meta Quest 3 and 3S this year. These deals were some of the most popular discounts on Amazon for Black Friday last year and we expect to see similar pricing for Prime Day this year.

The most recent Meta Quest 3 deal we saw dropped the price of the 3S by $50, and that same deal will likely return. It's also possible we'll see the same discount on the PSVR2 headset from Days of Play sale earlier this year, but it's not as likely as the Quest 3 deal.

Gaming Accessories

While Black Friday is usually a better time to find discounts on popular gaming accessory brands, Prime Day is likely going to be the best time to find those discounts this year. That's largely because tariffs have already caused some major players to increase prices (Microsoft, for example). With harsher tariffs still set to resume in August, gaming accessory brands are almost certainly going to be affected.

In terms of deals you can potentially expect this year, it will likely be very similar to the PlayStation Days of Play sale for PS5 controllers and headsets. Xbox controllers will also probably get some sort of discount, though maybe not as low as earlier this year. Third-party accessories will most likely have the lowest prices, so keep an eye out for those brands when looking for Nintendo Switch 2 accessories.

TVs

Last year, Amazon discounted multiple quality OLED TVs for Prime Day. We expect to see similar deals this year, alongside great deals for anyone looking for a new gaming TV. You can expect to see TVs of all sizes on sale, from as small as 32 inches to as large as 85 inches. With Prime's free two-day shipping, your brand-new discounted TV can arrive just days after you buy it. All in all, it's one of the very best times to buy a TV outside of Black Friday and Super Bowl season.

As to what specific deals to expect, it's worth highlighting the popular LG C4 has already dropped to its lowest price for 2025. This $300 discount is a good example of what type of price reductions we'll see on last year's models for brands like LG, Sony, and Samsung.

Kitchen Applicances

Any appliances for the kitchen are always a safe bet for Prime Day sales. This includes stand mixers, air fryers, microwaves, and more. In prior years, Prime Day has also had fantastic deals on coffee makers, with hundreds of dollars worth of savings at times. Overall, if you're in need of new kitchen equipment, Prime Day is one of the best days of the year to save some cash.

Price wise, you can most likely expect roughly a 30-50% markdown on these types of smaller appliances. This varies by brand of course, so don't expect some of the higher-end products to have the same level of discounts. You'll most likely be able to get a Keurig for under $40 though.

Apple Products

Apple products are pretty much a given for Prime Day. We expect to see AirPods Pro discounted, alongside AirPods Max and other Apple headphones. Additionally, it's likely Amazon will discount a few iPad models, which makes Prime Day a perfect time to pick up a new device before Apple's big hardware event in the fall.

The newest iPad generations have already been discounted by $50 since they've been released, so you can expect that same pricing or slightly lower for Prime Day. The same goes for the latest AirPods models, which were recently heavily discounted. Major retailers tend to compete with Apple pricing during the event, so it's good to shop around to see who as the lowest prices on any given day.

Vacuums

Vacuums are a hot item every Prime Day. This includes both stick vacuums and robot vacuums, which are great for any household. Big name brands like Dyson and iRobot tend to show out for Prime Day, so we expect to see some quality deals from notable brands this July.

In the past, we've seen some older iRobot Roomba vacuums drop under $100 and that will likely be the case once again. Bissell will also usually have more niche options, like an upholstery cleaner for $90 or less, which are always best-selling items during these types of sales.

LEGO Sets

Amazon is one of the best places to buy LEGO online, and Prime Day is one of the best times to buy LEGO sets every year. There will most likely be some massive discounts on some of the most expensive LEGO sets on the market, and you can even expect some of the cheaper LEGO sets to get discounts during that time, though it won't always be listed as a Prime Day deal.

Amazon also tends to have a lot of excess stock in recently retired sets it's trying to unload. So some of the less popular sets from previous years can sometimes get a discount before they start going up in value again. We're already starting to see some early LEGO deals arrive at Amazon, like the Pixar Up House set that just dropped in price for the first time this year.

School Supplies

Considering it takes place during the middle of summer break, Prime Day is undoubtedly a great time to find discounts on back-to-school supplies. Things like clothing, writing utensils, and backpacks will all receive discounts during this time. If you're hoping to find a cheap Pokémon backpack for your kids, this is the time to do it.

It's worth noting that Target has set it sights on being the main destination for back-to-school discounts this year by claiming it will be offering "2024 prices" on things like notebooks, colored pencils, crayons, and more. Amazon will most likely match these prices.

Gaming Consoles

I don't think video game console deals will be as good as Black Friday last year, but I do think there will be at least some discounts on PS5 and Xbox consoles for Prime Day. It's consistently one of the best times to buy a PS5, a Nintendo Switch, or an Xbox console.

As for what discounts to expect, I'd guess something close to a modest $50 off on the main consoles. The PS5 Pro got its first discount during the Days of Play sale this year and it was right in that range. I'd expect to see some deals on the Switch now that the Nintendo Switch 2 is here, but those will probably be outside of Amazon.

Gaming PCs

The summer is arguably one of the best times of the year to buy a gaming PC or build one yourself. Black Friday tends to have better prices on the PC components themselves, but retailers like Amazon and Walmart will always have solid discounts on budget gaming PCs during the summer months. This is especially true during Prime Day when Amazon tends to discount brands like CyberPower and Asus.

Don't expect to find any real discounts on newer PCs with the latest and greatest Nvidia GPUs, but you should definitely be able to find something less powerful for under $1,000. I'd also expect to see price cuts on some of the more popular gaming handhelds now that the market has grown. The Legion Go, for example, recently got its biggest price cut.

4K and Blu-ray Movies

Amazon has become one of the last places you can find physical media at good prices, and Prime Day is one of the best times to buy. Last year we saw a ton of popular Blu-rays get discounts and Amazon has only increased the frequency of sales in 2025. The most recent buy one, get one 50% off sale for Father's Day is a good example of that.

As for what deals you can expect on Prime Day, it really depends on what you're looking for. Movie collections will likely see the biggest discounts, so things like The Lord of the Rings collection or the Dune franchise will likely be at or near their lowest prices. The only thing that isn't likely to be on sale are preorders for newer 4K releases like Thunderbolts* or The Minecraft Movie.

Amazon also has a tendency to price-match any movie sales that happen outside of Prime Day. One such example is the Criterion Collection sale at Barnes & Noble that has already started.

Books and Comics

It shouldn't be too much of a surprise that Amazon is one of the best places to buy books online in 2025. The retail giant got its start as an online bookstore, after all. In addition to discounts on services like Kindle Unlimited and Audible, Amazon will also have some of the best deals on actual physical copies of book during Prime Day.

As to what you can expect from the sale, it's probably best to look back toward the major book sale Amazon offered back in April of this year. It included some of the lowest prices of the years on popular box sets and even some illustrated editions. We've already started to see some of these deals arrive for Prime members, like this discount on the Silmarillion Collector's edition that just went live this week.

Tips for Shopping Amazon Prime Day Deals

With Prime Day less than a month away, it's a good time to start making a plan for what you want to get out of it this year. Here are a few Prime Day tips I'd suggest you consider ahead of the event:

1. Set a Budget - Keeping track of how much money you can actually spend is important to avoid overspending. When everything is on sale, it can be easy to buy more than you really should just because things are at their lowest price of the year.
2. Make a Shopping List - Knowing exactly what you're trying to find discounts on is a great way to avoid making unnecessary purchases. This can also make it easier for you to compare prices between retailers or set price drop alerts ahead of time.
3. Compare Prices - Although Amazon tends to automatically price match on most things, it's still good to compare prices to other retailers before you buy. You can also use the website CamelCamelCamel to compare prices against Amazon's historical pricing.
4. Find Unbiased Reviews - Amazon reviews have gotten somewhat better in recent years, but you should still do research outside of the site before making a decision. Seek out unbiased reviews on expensive purchases before you buy.
5. Be Wary of Sponsored Products - Search results in Amazon include sponsored sales that may not be what you're looking for. Look for the little 'sponsored' tag before you click. You may want to scroll past those.
6. Make Sure to Clip Coupons - One of the easiest ways to save money on Amazon that many folks seem to miss is coupon clipping. There are a ton of coupons available for Prime Members, and all you need to do is check a box on the product page for additional savings.

Jacob Kienlen is a Senior SEO Strategist and Writer for IGN. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he has considered the Northwest his home for his entire life. With a bachelor's degree in communication and over 8 years of professional writing experience, his expertise is spread across a variety of different topics -- from TV series to indie games and popular book series.

A massive sale on The Criterion Collection has officially kicked off at Barnes & Noble. Yes, the 50% off sale. If you’re a certified collector, you probably saw it coming. If you’re a fan of Closet Picks interviews, now’s your chance to feel like you’re in one. Honestly, if you just plain like movies, these deals are worth checking out.

The 50% discount applies to more than 1,700 DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K UHD editions. From what I can tell, that's a huge chunk of the collection with a release date before July 27, 2025, which happens to be the final day of the sale. The only limit between now and then is what stays in stock, so good luck.

50% Off The Criterion Collection at Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble typically runs these 50% off sales two times a year: once in the summer (that’s this one) and once more over the winter holidays. Otherwise, the only real big discounts on The Criterion Collection are flash sales, and there’s only been one of those so far in 2025.

That makes these Barnes & Noble sales something pretty much any physical media collector looks forward to each year. One Redditor stocked up on gift card deals in preparation for the event.

It's that time, friends: Barnes & Noble Criterion Collection 50%-off sale time! Barry Lyndon in 4K?? Let's gooooo https://t.co/z2OOFzxums pic.twitter.com/eHfwszPbqQ

— IGN Deals (@IGNDeals) June 27, 2025

To help you parse through the hundreds of movies available, Barnes & Noble has kindly organized the sale into various categories. Some of these categories are by product type, like Box Sets, while others highlight certain eras in filmmaking history and even specific themes.

Good news for anyone as indecisive as I am: You don’t have to make your decision in a day. The sale is running for a full month, until July 27. The discounts apply online and in stores, so if something goes out of stock or you’d rather avoid shipping costs, definitely check out your local Barnes & Noble. There’s also always the rather strong chance Amazon matches these prices, though I’d consider that a last resort.

What About Preorders?

Barnes & Noble notes that the sale excludes “titles released after 7/27/25,” which, for what it’s worth, means the discount applies to preorders releasing in July. That doesn't mean everything else is full price; most preorders releasing after that are still 30% off.

What Is The Criterion Collection?

Founded in 1984, The Criterion Collection is a distribution company that publishes "important" films in DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD formats with a range of a special features. According to the company’s website, “Criterion has maintained its pioneering commitment to presenting each film as its maker would want it seen.” The company has restored films dating back to 1921 and continues to give the "Criterion treatment" to new releases like Flow and Anora.

Blythe (she/her) is an SEO Coordinator at IGN who spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.

Not everyone is the DIY type. If you're in the market for a prebuilt gaming PC, Dell is one of the best brands we'd recommend. Alienware desktops and laptops feature solid build quality, top-of-the-line gaming performance, excellent cooling (further improved on the newer models), aggressive styling, and pricing that is very competitive with other pre-built options. Best of all, there are plenty of sales that happen throughout the year, so it's not difficult to grab one of these computers at considerably less than their retail price. This page includes all of the best deals that are currently available.

Dell and Alienware Coupons

Dell and Alienware Gaming PC Deals

Dell and Alienware Gaming Laptop Deals

You can quickly browse through all of the listed products on sale above. See below for our favorite picks.

Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5070 Ti Gaming PC

Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 Gaming PC

Dell Tower Plus RTX 5080 Gaming PC From $1950

Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5070 Gaming PC

Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 Gaming PC

Alienware x16 R2 Gaming Laptops

Alienware Area-51 Gaming Laptops

Alienware's new flagship gaming laptop - the Alienware Area-51 - brings to the table a host of upgrades including a sleeker redesign, current generation components, and better cooling potential. They can be equipped with the new Nvidia GeForce Blackwell cards in RTX 5060, RTX 5070, 5080, and 5090 variants. Both the 16" model and 18" model, equipped with the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and powerful GeForce RTX 5080 graphics, are on sale right now. Orders are expected to ship out in mid June, so get your reservation in now to prevent any additional delays.

New Releases: Alienware Aurora 16 and 16X Gaming Laptops

Director and Writer Matt Reeves and Co-Writer Mattson Tomlin have finished their The Batman Part 2 script.

The highly anticipated update for the Robert Pattinson-led, long-in-development The Batman 2 arrived in the form of a new picture Reeves shared on X/Twitter. At first glance, the post looks like a simple black-and-white photo of the director sitting next to Tomlin. The DC duo is only part of the tease, though, with the real news being that it looks like there’s a script featuring a familiar bat-shaped logo placed on the table in front of them.

Partners in Crime (Fighters) ⁦@mattsontomlin⁩ pic.twitter.com/smItoTOdEQ

— Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) June 27, 2025

Reeves and Tomlin stop short of confirming that The Batman 2 script is actually finished, but Variety was able to confirm that the script is indeed complete. Today's update isn't much of a surprise, as last week, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn told EW that he was expecting to see a script for the Pattinson-led sequel before the month was out.

“We feel really good about it,” Gunn said at the time. “Matt's excited. I talk to Matt all the time. I'm totally excited about it. So we can't wait to read the scripts, but we haven't read it yet, if that's your question.”

The Batman showed moviegoers a grittier take on Gotham City when it premiered in March 2022 and quickly became a favorite among comic book movie fans, new and old. It fared well with critics (we gave it a 10/10) and fans alike and performed well at the box office, too. Box Office Mojo reports that the 2022 Batman movie managed to glide away with a global total of $772,245,583.

After generating so much hype, it should come as no surprise to hear that fans have had a hard time waiting to see how it will continue. Even as Max spinoff show The Penguin helped with the wait by telling a side story centered on Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobb, DC has had its hands full trying to find a suitable follow-up to that original story.

Gunn, meanwhile, has been happy to let Reeves and company take their time.

“People should get off Matt's nuts because it's like, let the guy write the screenplay in the amount of time he needs to write it,” he told EW. “That's just the way it is. He doesn't owe you something because you like his movie. I mean, you like his movie because of Matt. So let Matt do things the way he does.”

Following some lengthy delays, The Batman Part 2 is scheduled to drop into the theaters October 1, 2027. In other Caped Crusader news, we know that the upcoming Batman DCU film, The Brave and the Bold, won’t feature Pattinson’s take on Bruce Wayne and will instead feature a completely new version of the character. With two major Batman movies on the way and so many details yet to be fleshed out, Gunn has said that the character is his “biggest issue in all of DC right now.”

For more on the Gotham crime-fighter and The Batman Part 2, you can read about all of the other DC movies planned for the future. You can also check out our walkthrough for how you can watch every Batman movie in chronological order.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

When it was first announced that Remedy, the developer behind seminal single-player epics like Alan Wake and Control, was working on a multiplayer shooter, I was equal parts confused and excited. This is a studio with a knack for creating inimitable worlds, so revisiting one in a less expected way seemed like an intriguing experiment worth checking out. Now, after 15 hours of blasting through FBC: Firebreak’s striking levels, upgrading my loadout, and fighting off a plethora of infected monsters, I feel about as confused and excited as I did at its initial announcement. This is an imaginative jaunt that struggles to make its mark in a fiercely competitive genre, but it’s one that’s at least left me with plenty of war stories to share.

FBC takes place six years after the events of Control, and invites you back to the wonderfully strange architecture of The Oldest House under wildly different circumstances. Instead of saving the day as the reluctant director Jesse Faden, you and up to two friends control a trio of wildly underprepared first responders attending to oddball emergencies that would make even the most battle-hardened OSHA officer wince. If a sentient sticky note infestation is turning the workers into monsters, or radioactive leeches have infested a quarry and need to be thrown into a furnace on wheels that resembles Team Fortress 2’s Payload, it’s you and your team that receive the call. It’s a hard job, but someone's gotta do it!

You thought that was it? Think again. On top of completing the task at hand, you’ll face off against the hordes of Control’s interdimensional antagonist, The Hiss, which seems to have taken up permanent residence in The Oldest House. And, on top of that, once you’ve finished your Jobsite shift, your team will also have to trek back to the elevator you arrived in and survive until it reaches your station. It seems like a lot to handle on paper, and it would be if played solo. But, with the help of two other players, these surreal tasks begin to feel like just another day at the multiplayer office – that is, if your office also includes menacing floating helmets, safe rooms and molten furnaces.

When playing as a full team, which feels like the optimal setup for FBC, each player gets to wield their own ‘Crisis Kit’, which mimics the class systems found in other cooperative shooters. There are three available, with each Kit offering a unique skill that can expedite key tasks during a job. In the sticky note-laden Jobsite, Paper Chase, using the globule-hurling Splash Kit will let you douse the yellow notes to make them more vulnerable, while someone with the Fix Kit can run around bashing the soggy slips with their trusty wrench whenever they’re not using it to fix light boxes which illuminate contaminated areas. With all that going on, the Jump Kit operator can then keep Hiss agents at bay by using their secondary fire rocket jump to fly around the map. This meant that as I dipped between roles while figuring out my favourite Kit, I always felt like a key player in my team’s success.

That’s also due in part to the fact that gunplay is mirrored across all three kits. When you start your campaign, you’ll have a choice of two weapons: a Submachine Gun and a Double-Barrel Shotgun. Both provide more than enough firepower to take down basic enemies in close-quarter duels and offer a decent introduction to FBC’s approachable but limited combat. As you get into more complex levels, you’ll naturally start to unlock increasingly powerful choices like Machine Guns, Pump Action Shotguns, or my personal favourite, the humble Revolver. The rinse and repeat process of taking out hordes of possessed office workers can feel dull at times. Fortunately, FBC’s relentless array of flashy particle effects and vibrant lighting features ensures there’s at least something striking to look at as you work through its objectives.

There aren’t too many constraints on the composition of your cohort, as you always have alternative means to completing Kit-specific tasks. That wrench might make repairs a simple button press, but they turn into a surprisingly stressful rhythm game without it, where you tap Q and E (or L1 and R1) in sequence without making errors to progress a meter. Like much of FBC, what seems straightforward is not, and the surprise here is that if you make errors while button-mashing, you take additional damage. This process starts out cute, but grows quickly tiresome in emergencies, and eventually my team negotiated our roles to include all three kits – nothing makes you miss your Splash Kit operator more than burning to death while trying to extinguish a fire they could have ousted in seconds.

As of right now, there are five total Jobsites, with each site being split into three Clearance Levels that can be completed all at once or in segments. The visual identity of each mission is wildly different and wholly unique, and beyond what I’ve mentioned already, there’s also chubby pink foam-filled turbine halls and dimly lit office spaces consumed by frost anomalies. Unfortunately as much as the chaos is exciting at first, it’s not long before you run out of new zones to take in and enemy variants to fight – which right now includes little beyond tanks, grunts, and aerial attackers. In this way, FBC can feel a little bare.

That said, the inclusion of tweakable Corruption and Difficulty levels ensures that what’s here has reasonable replayability nonetheless. Take the level Hot Fix, for example: your main job in it is to sort out malfunctioning heat fans by zapping and whacking them with the Jump and Fix Kits while someone uses the Splash Kit to keep you both from igniting – easy, right? Well, once you push the Corruption slider to the max, you’ll need to complete that task with random level modifiers popping in, like a Globe that lowers the zone’s gravity or an evil flying Stapler that wildly increases enemy health. Now your team isn’t just avoiding being burned to a crisp; you also need to make perfect shots and watch your footing, too. The addition of these Corrupted Items frequently provided a fresh challenge and delivered some unbelievably frustrating and hilarious multiplayer moments. In retrospect, I wish I’d clipped the audio of my friends screaming, “Where’s the stapler, I’ve got to kill the stapler now!”

If you find yourself in trouble when under attack, each zone is equipped with healing decontamination showers and ammunition bays where you can restock and take a beat. Though true to FBC’s chaotic modus operandi, these essential zones can falter and break, which then requires either a kits or that button pressing minigame to get them back online. The bays also move around as you revisit levels, meaning you won’t be able to rely on your memory to find safety, either. While I can appreciate that this kind of mayhem might not appeal to everyone, I found the unpredictability to be quite moreish, especially when the confusion led to flash arguments in our Discord chat. Thankfully, if – or, more likely, when – it all goes up in flames, depending on what difficulty setting you choose, you’ll have a series of lives to use before it’s actually game over.

Perhaps what’s most disappointing, however, is that while FBC is a Remedy game, it doesn’t feature the same Easter Egg-ridden worldbuilding that always intrigued me about the studio’s other games. You won’t find Alan Wake cowering in a cell or a stray note about Mr. Door – at least, not in my experience so far. That’s not to say there isn’t anything curious to gawk at, and there are hints of the tonal brilliance of the Remedy Connected Universe in the sarcastic posters and redacted notes littered around these maps, as well as the sporadic lore dumps delivered via voice over when you’re waiting in the lobby. But when I went looking for more serious depth beyond the tasks at hand, I came back disappointed. It might be the nature of the genre, but it was still a bummer when I realised investigating the nooks and crannies would never reward me with any lore or secrets, and would instead just leave me open to getting swarmed by bad guys.

Beyond moment-to-moment healing and ammo drops, you can turn the tables more permanently by investing in FBC’s approachable perk and gear upgrade trees. As you attack the primary goal for each Jobsite and explore shelters, you’ll find Lost Assets and Research Samples, which act as upgrade currencies. And, thanks to a post-launch patch (v1.2), Lost Assets are now more visible and have a lot more purchasing power than when I started playing.

I started to feel more adept in FBC once I got into a rhythm of splitting my cash between practical upgrades in the Requisition tree and passive perk upgrades in the Research tree. As a shoot first and ask questions later kind of player, FBC allowed me to specialise with upgraded weaponry and meaningful perks to match, such as the ammo-hoovering Shop Vacuum that allowed me to stock up fast as I darted between zones. What’s more, a Perk will become “Resonant” when upgraded to its maximum level, which means it applies to the other players in your party when they’re in proximity to you, allowing your once-fragile group to share the benefits of an experienced party member and overwhelm Hiss forces. Still, despite these smart ideas, FBC doesn’t ultimately have a wide enough variety of upgrades to work towards in the long term, making it feel like a dubious investment. The heart of what’s here is promising, it just lacks the scope to make a big enough impact, which is a huge shame.

FBC also relies so heavily on team dynamics and coordination that it can alienate people who are matchmaking with strangers or riding solo. During my playtime, I consistently queued up with friends with whom I’ve already established a rapport, which meant that not only could we yap about what upgrades to choose and build our arsenal together, we could also laugh and poke fun when things inevitably went wrong. Without that kind of solid social backing, FBC’s stressful, sometimes unclear objectives become frustrating kick-off points rather than communal goals.

Please Don't Feed the Children is now streaming on Tubi.

If you’re going to a stranger’s house for safety in the aftermath of the apocalypse, it’s important to knock on the right door. In Please Don’t Feed the Children, Tubi’s new original horror movie directed by Destry Allyn Spielberg, a group of orphans gets more than they bargain for when they stumble upon Clara, an isolated housewife played by Michelle Dockery. What starts as a novel – if dubious – spin on the end of the world quickly becomes a bland, overcooked nothing burger, no thanks to Paul Bertino’s one-dimensional screenplay and Spielberg’s unsteady direction.

It starts with news audio explaining the premise: a deadly virus is “turning people into cannibals,” and the world now sees children as a threat, since “most under 18 are asymptomatic when bitten.” Our main character, Mary, played by Fear the Walking Dead’s Zoe Colletti, is trying to flee the country after escaping from a prison camp for children. A chance meeting has her banding together with five other orphans, but their trip to the border is waylaid by a dead car and a bad injury, causing them to knock on Clara’s farmhouse door.

We haven’t even gotten to the real action, and this story is already wearing thin. Why would a virus discriminate based on age? Once a child turns 18, are they somehow no longer a threat? Are all of the orphans even minors? Two of the boys look well past teenhood – one of them so much so that he easily masquerades as an adult on their journey.

It’s also difficult to situate Please Don’t Feed the Children in a particular place, and this is a movie where geography matters. For quite some time, it’s unclear what border the orphans are fleeing to. An old brochure with a palm tree implies Mexico, but Clara and Mary have a conversation about Belize. (Which – what? Belize borders Mexico and Guatemala.) Towards the very end, it becomes apparent that Clara lives in New Mexico, but that only raises more questions. Namely, how did a posh British lady end up living on a farm in New Mexico?

It would be harder to get stuck on these confounding details if the plot wasn’t so obvious. We’ve got a group of refugees in the clutches of a woman who says her daughter succumbed to the virus and her husband is out at work. She’s clearly hiding something. The virus turns people into cannibals. Gee, I wonder what will happen?

Bertino’s no-kids-allowed take on pandemic paranoia is ultimately just a backdrop for much more pedestrian storytelling, a mishmash of previous movie and TV depictions of doomsday. Maybe Spielberg could have made more of this mediocre tale, but she, too, relies on tired horror tropes, disposing of the horniest characters first and reducing Mary to a flat final girl. The small thrills Please Don’t Feed the Children does offer – a Christmas-themed jump scare, a dip in a bucket of blood – aren’t enough to make it stand out.

Spielberg’s timid direction also contributes to the movie’s muddiness and hobbles its capable performers (who also include Giancarlo Esposito as a police detective searching for the missing kids). She seems to have forgotten that old moviemaking axiom: Show, don’t tell. The camera, guided by cinematographer Shane Sigler, doesn’t offer a clear view of some key props and spaces, and a few scenes are too dimly lit to see much of anything at all. Though the winsome Dockery and Colletti lead her cast, Spielberg gives them little more to do than rage and cry, respectively. This is especially vexing for Dockery’s character – after all, what’s more chilling than a horror villain who always minds their manners?

Please Don’t Feed the Children has a few things going for it – the costuming and production design are, weirdly, great! – but this first feature definitely doesn’t feel like it comes from a descendant of filmmaking royalty. The already middling story is further diluted by wishy-washy visuals and one-note characters. This movie isn’t boring, exactly, but it is confusing. Once you piece together the extremely predictable story, you’re left to sit and wonder how it all went wrong.

Before Amazon Prime Day kicks off for 2025, a handful of items have already started having their prices reduced early. One such item is J.R.R. Tolkien's Silmarillion Collector's Edition, a nice hardcover printing of the iconic account of Middle-Earth pre-Hobbit. It's currently 56% off, sitting pretty at $15.51 - its lowest price we've ever seen. Also on sale is the massive and beautiful hardcover Silmarillion Deluxe Illustrated Edition, which includes over 50 paintings, drawings, and maps by J.R.R. Tolkien himself.

The Silmarillion Collector's Edition Is at its Lowest Price Ever For Prime Day

Following in the jet trail of futuristic racing games like F-Zero and Wipeout, Fast Fusion’s blistering speed has all the hallmarks of what has made the Fast series so fun since its 2011 debut. Every muscle in my body tensed up as I blazed through its handful of sci-fi courses, boosting my way to the finish line while using the new jumping mechanic to find shortcuts. As one of only a very small handful of current Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives, this is a dazzling technical showcase for the power of Nintendo’s newly minted system – but annoying progression choices and minimally inventive changes to a well-worn formula dull some of Fast Fusion’s shine.

If I had a dollar for every racing series that added the ability to jump as part of its arrival on Switch 2, I’d only be two bucks richer, but it’s still weird that it happened twice. That jump option is also just about the only thing Fast Fusion and Mario Kart World have in common: where the latter takes things in a bold new direction with its open world, here developer Shin’en sticks to what it’s done well since Fast Racing League on Wii. There are a few new bells and whistles to mess with as you tear through its fifteen courses ( three of which were added in its first update on June 26), but this flavor of hypersonic speed will largely be very familiar to anyone who has played past entries.

Fans of F-Zero or Wipeout will also know the drill: Fast Fusion is set in a distant future where the only speed is fast and every road is dangerous. High-tech racing machines careen through obstacle-laden courses at blinding speeds. The Fast series sets itself apart with a unique boost system, where driving over boost pads or through other elements of the course will give you an extra push as long as you switch your vehicle to the corresponding orange or blue color. Making that swap only takes the press of a button and rewards you with a satisfying burst of speed. Fast Fusion knows how good it feels to go faster than the speed of sound, and it leans into it as its highly detailed, staggeringly impressive environments melt into a blur as you carve through them.

You can also collect orbs to fill up an independent boost meter, and switching as you weave between tight turns before boosting through a straightaway to shave nanoseconds off your time adds just enough to focus on without becoming overbearing. But that has always been true of the Fast formula, and Fast Fusion’s jump button breaks from tradition in a smart but ultimately not too impactful way. Shin’en used this change to add more complexity to its courses with alternate paths stacked on top of each other, but I wish the Munich-based studio had leaned into the change even more, as it doesn’t amount to much more than adding small shortcuts and an extra way to dodge some obstacles.

These are still fun, but I feel like there’s just a bit too much rigidity in how and where you can use the jump to put yourself ahead. It has a ton of range, and you can cover some massive gaps with the right timing, but I never felt rewarded by pushing these mechanics to the absolute limit or mastering them beyond jumping where it felt natural or obvious.

The mechanical changes from 2017’s Fast RMX on the original Switch to Fast Fusion mirror the similarly incremental jump in graphical power between these hardware generations, leaning into one or two specific improvements rather than attempting a complete overhaul. This is easily one of the most impressive-looking Switch 2 games available right now, with incredible lighting and gorgeously smooth visuals while playing in 4K docked, but it’s missing some of the initial wow factor that Fast RMX had. Don’t get me wrong, it still looks stunning, but the generational jump just isn’t nearly as exciting or surprising.

Thankfully, Fast Fusion does at least offer a decent selection of different graphics settings, making it easy to favor framerate, graphical quality, or a balance of both. I usually went for the second-best quality setting that promised 4K output and some high-fidelity lighting while maintaining a consistent 60 frames-per-second, but then opted for a higher framerate choice when playing in splitscreen. I love that Shin’en decided to include this option, really letting me juice my Switch 2 for every last drop of processing power it has.

Just like Formula 1 or NASCAR, futuristic corporations have a mechanical horse in the race. Instead of racing bounty hunters and samurai clashing on the track, you’re controlling faceless cars made or sponsored by different manufacturers. That sterile, far-flung futuristic vibe has the same somewhat empty, tech-demo-like feeling you see in those videos of Unreal Engine fan mockups where a beloved character runs around a grey box and the comments are begging some publisher to, “Please hire this man.” But Fast Fusion moves so quickly that you hardly have any time to pay attention to those basic-looking spiky balls rolling around the course unless you’re doing your best to steer around them.

Separated by standard racing stats like top speed, acceleration, and boost, Fast Fusion’s garage has a great selection of vehicle configurations that cater to tons of different playstyles. Maybe you’ll aim for a high boost stat, which rewards you for precisely switching between blue and orange when driving over boost pads or through color-coded zones. Alternatively, a high acceleration stat makes it easier to get your zero-G legs, allowing you to catch up to the herd more quickly as you contend with Fast Fusion’s somewhat punishing wipeouts. I usually went for a blend of high top speed and boost once I got used to each course, dodging obstacles and nailing hairpin turns while optimizing routes that allowed me to boost as much as possible.

Finding that perfect build isn’t easy at first because you start with a paltry three vehicles, and are forced to use the in-game currency won by completing races to expand your stable of zero-gravity racers – and eventually fuse them together. Fusing vehicles results in goofy corporate merger names and better vehicles with improved stats. You’re all but required to unlock higher-grade vehicles and fuse them to compete at the highest speeds and difficulties Fast Fusion will throw at you.

Each fusion is nebulously graded on a lettering system, which I still haven’t completely deciphered even after a dozen hours of racing. But as far as I can tell, it rewards saving up cash to unlock the most expensive vehicles you can and kit-bashing two high-ticket rides together more than anything else. Frustratingly, fusing racing machines removes the option to use either of the original, pre-fusion vehicles. I get this from a flavor perspective, but it doesn’t make sense within the context of an arcade-y racing game where you want to unlock many different options. Fusing and de-fusing cost in-game currency, making its artificial scarcity all the more annoying; this wouldn’t be as much of a problem if you didn’t also need to use that currency to unlock new cups to compete in. To make things even worse, Fast Fusion forces you to unlock the second, third, and fourth cups in each speed class, which doubles as a difficulty setting.

I understand that Fast Fusion isn’t meant to be as forgiving or easy to pick up as a kart racer; gating higher difficulties behind reaching the winners’ podium in every cup would make sense. But obscuring cups I’ve already completed by making me unlock them at every difficulty – while also making me buy nearly every car and then additionally pay to fuse them into better ones – unnecessarily stalls Fast Fusion’s economy. It’s like putting training wheels on a Harley.

Side modes can at least make for fun alternate ways to earn extra cash beyond just repeating the same cup over and over again, like the sudden death-style Hero Mode where your vehicle’s boost and health are linked. That’s neat, but I wish the challenges offered in these other modes had a little bit more going on. Instead, they’re mostly just slight tweaks to a normal race with no change to the courses themselves, which doesn’t alleviate the repetitive grind of unlocking everything.

Compared to 2015’s Fast Racing Neo, Fast Fusion is smaller – but what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. Most courses offer clever designs that had me white-knuckling my controller, from a fun series of shortcuts on Yama Crest to dodging tornadoes on Tempesta. This laser-sharp focus on great levels is probably the best and most interesting part of Fast Fusion. Every time I’ve booted it up, I’ve found a new, satisfying way to shave a few seconds off of a lap I thought I’d mastered. Boost orbs make for compelling breadcrumbs in that pursuit, encouraging you to find new ways to approach a turn or hinting at a hidden path or more efficient way to handle an obstacle.