Every so often the bargain gods smile upon us, and today's crop of bangers feels extra generous. I'm not talking filler discounts either, these are games that have eaten months of my life and still tempt me back for more. Consider this my excuse for a cheeky top-up on an already overloaded backlog.
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This Day in Gaming 🎂
In retro news, I'm making this Flame Djinn ignite a 22-candle cake for Golden Sun: The Lost Age. TLA wasn't just more of the same, it was a sprawling continuation that dared to demand we carry our precious save files over from the first game. On the Game Boy Advance, that felt pretty monumental, like a JRPG bridging two cartridges into one epic saga.
I remember launch week vividly, juggling link cables with friends to swap across our 28 Djinn and then debate which party build was best. This marvellous sequel took the series deeper into elemental puzzle-solving and layered combat, a kind of handheld alchemy that made the GBA feel like a powerhouse. Well worth a Switch buy.
Aussie birthdays for notable games.
- Exhumed (SAT) 1996. Redux
- Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (PC) 2003. Get
- Golden Sun: The Lost Age (GBA) 2003. eBay
Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch
On Switch, Super Mario Odyssey remains the gold standard of 3D platforming. I still remember Shigeru Miyamoto revealing that Mario's hat originally had eyes to make him easier to animate, and somehow that quirk turned into a whole mechanic. Meanwhile, Animal Crossing: New Horizons deserves credit for keeping half the world sane during 2020. Did you know it outsold every prior entry combined within six weeks of release?- Super Mario 3D World (-20%) – A$64 – Four-player chaos meets giant angry cat dad.
- Super Mario Odyssey (-20%) – A$64 – Mario hat-naps his way around the globe.
- Disney Illusion Island (-50%) – A$29.95 – Mickey and mates save the day, again, in a Saturday morning cartoon come to life.
- Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes (-50%) – A$39.95 – Dynasty Warriors, but everyone’s got anime hair and tragic backstories.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons (-27%) – A$58 – Move to an island, pay off debt to a raccoon, and call it “relaxing.”
Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.
Exciting Bargains for Xbox
Over on Xbox Series X, System Shock is a remake with history. It was one of the first titles to blend FPS mechanics with RPG depth, paving the way for Deus Ex and BioShock. If cyberpunk horror is your thing, it remains unmatched. Then there is Assassin's Creed Valhalla, where I gleefully spent hours getting lost in its fishing and settlement systems instead of assassinations. Ubisoft even snuck in an Easter egg referencing Thor's hammer long before players could actually wield it.- EA Sports FC 26 (-28%) – A$79 – Same beautiful game, shinier boots, new number slapped on.
- Ghostrunner 2 (-64%) – A$20 – Cyber ninja slices neon baddies faster than your broadband.
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (-56%) – A$43.76 – Pillage monasteries, drink mead, make Thor jealous.
- Sonic Origins Plus (-52%) – A$28.71 – Blue blur does loops so fast your eyeballs spin.
- System Shock (-29%) – A$39 – Classic “evil AI ruins everything” simulator, remade to still haunt your sleep.
Xbox One
- Assassin’s Creed Origins (-66%) – A$34.06 – Bayek stabs crocodiles in the neck, historically accurate or not.
- Kingdom Hearts III (-79%) – A$20.61 – Keyblades, Donald Duck, existential anime yelling.
- Alien: Isolation (-25%) – A$45.13 – Hide in a locker, cry quietly, hope the Xeno gets bored.
Or just invest in an Xbox Card.
Pure Scores for PlayStation
For PS5, Hitman World of Assassination showcases IO Interactive's creativity, letting you improvise with everyday objects in outlandish ways. A favourite memory of mine is orchestrating an "accidental" grape press tragedy in Mendoza. Octopath Traveler II is a different beast, with its stunning HD-2D engine. Fun fact, that art style was so beloved Square Enix built an entire division around it.- Hitman WoA (-46%) – A$57 – Murder’s never looked this fashionable, especially at a price like this.
- The Witcher 3 Complete (-30%) – A$49 – Toss a coin, but less of them than usual.
- Star Wars Outlaws (-74%) – A$29 – Han Solo vibes without Harrison Ford’s fees.
- Octopath Traveler II (-36%) – A$54.48 – Eight heroes, one massive JRPG excuse to avoid sunlight.
- Far Cry 5 (-66%) – A$34.16 – Cultists, chaos, and exploding trucks. The Montana tourism board was thrilled.
PS4
- Lost Judgment (-65%) – A$35.11 – Punch thugs by day, solve murders by night.
- Cris Tales (-66%) – A$23.76 – JRPG where you save the world yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
- Valkyria Chronicles 4 (-40%) – A$28.98 – Anime tactics with tanks and far too much crying.
PS+ Monthly Freebies
Yours to keep from Sep 2 with this subscription
- Psychonauts 2 (PS4)
- Stardew Valley (PS4)
- Viewfinder (PS5/PS4)
Or purchase a PS Store Card.
Purchase Cheap for PC
Finally, on PC, Borderlands 4 brings Gearbox's trademark mayhem with more guns than any reasonable human could catalogue. The franchise once held a Guinness World Record for the most weapons in a video game, clocking in at over 17 million. And why not pair it with Capcom Fighting Collection 2, a showcase of classics rebalanced for modern play?- Borderlands 4 (-15%) – A$93.46 – Gun bazillion simulator returns, now with even more loot jokes.
- Don’t Starve Mega Pack (-52%) – A$26.16 – Die horribly in the wilderness, this time with friends.
- Commandos 2 – HD Remaster (-64%) – A$10.71 – Tiny soldiers sneak around, shout “sir yes sir,” still get shot.
- Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (-25%) – A$41.20 – Lowest price ever for old-school fisticuffs. Quarter-circle forward never goes out of style.
- SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Headset (-27%) – A$218.26 – Hear footsteps before your enemies rage-quit Discord.
Or just get a Steam Wallet Card
Legit LEGO Deals
- Spidey and Gobby’s Raptor Battle (-51%) – A$44
- The Bat-Pod Bike (-42%) – A$69
- Mario Kart – Shy Guy (-37%) – A$19
- 2 Fast 2 Furious Skyline (-36%) – A$159
TikToker goes viral for changing homeless mother’s life with unreal gifts