Lego Super Mario - Soda Jungle Maker Set (598 Pieces)

$25 (was $55) | Retired

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If you're shopping for a Lego Super Mario fan this holiday season, check out Amazon and Walmart's deal on the adorable Soda Jungle Maker playset. Normally $55, the 598-piece building set is down to just $25 at both retailers as part of early Black Friday sales. It's extremely rare for a Lego Mario set to receive a discount of this size. We can't recall the last time a retailer sold one of the Mario playsets for over 50% off its MSRP.

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Battlefield Studios has outlined the many changes coming to Battlefield 6 this week with the launch of the new 1.1.2.0 update on November 18, including the promised changes for aim-assist. You can see the full patch notes down below.

Aim-assist is also seeing changes that will make it feel more similar to the game's open beta. That should make aim-assist "feel smoother and more predictable," according to Battlefield Studios. The aim-assist changes apply to "all input types," including controller and mouse-and-keyboard setups.

"As we got closer to launch, we revisited aim-assist tuning based on internal testing and the full range of maps and combat distances coming with release. Our goal was to make aim-assist feel more effective beyond mid-range fights which was one of our focuses within Battlefield Labs and open beta," the developer said. "At launch, we increased slowdown at longer ranges, but once the game went live, we saw that this made high-zoom aiming feel less smooth and harder to control.

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Hot off the heels of its introductory set Origins, Riot Games is already expanding on their popular League of Legends trading card game Riftbound with a new set. The set, titled Spiritforged, is set to expand the mechanics of the approachable yet deep card game in new and exciting ways.

Glorious Executioner and Spinning Axe cards.

First up, are the new Equipment cards. These are a new subtype that can be attached to units to make them even more powerful. The best part about Equipment? Even if your unit is killed in battle, they stay in play for you to equip another unit providing a great deal of value.

One of the most exciting new pieces of Equipment is Draven’s signature Spinning Axe. This piece of equipment can be played as a Reaction instantly, and provides a +3 bonus that’s sure to catch opponents off guard. Combine this with Draven, Glorious Executioner's effect to draw a card every time he wins a combat and your opponents won't know what hit them.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 developer Treyarch is reminding players what playlists do and don't have skill-based matchmaking (SBMM), stating it's "committed" to its current approach.

In a post on X, Treyarch said it was following discussions surrounding Black Ops 7 multiplayer, and wanted to "assure everyone of a few things." Those few things are that the game's Open playlists and Quick Play use what Treyarch calls "open matchmaking," where skill is "minimally considered."

They also feature persistent lobbies from match to match that, when combined with Quick Play, results in what Treyarch states are "unique interactions that we are monitoring to improve over time."

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Last month Xbox president Sarah Bond confirmed that Microsoft is developing a next-gen Xbox console. Bond has reiterated that statement several times as Microsoft faces rumors that it's getting out of the hardware business. Now, Bond is once again hyping up the next incarnation of Xbox by calling it "a powerful experience."

While speaking with Fortune, Bond said, "Hardware is absolutely core to everything that we do at Xbox, because we know that our most valuable players, the people who love Xbox, love the hardware experience. That's why we’re working on our next-generation hardware. It's going to be a powerful experience, and one that also enables people to take their library with them."

Bond shared her belief that players want the freedom to choose to play their games on Xbox, PC, or the cloud, and that the next Xbox will give them the option to do so. She made similar comments while promoting the ROG Xbox Ally in October.

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Donkey Kong & DK Jumbo (387 Pieces)

$23.10 (was $35) | Retiring Soon

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Donkey Kong fans can score a bananas deal on DK's Lego Mario Kart playset at Amazon. As part of the retailer's early Black Friday 2025 sale, Donkey Kong and DK Jumbo is on sale for only $23.10 (was $35). This is a new all-time low price for the 387-piece Lego Super Mario set. Over 60% of available units have been claimed at the time of writing, so this deal is unlikely to be available beyond today (November 17).

Donkey Kong and DK Jumbo was one of five playsets released in January to kick off the Lego Mario Kart series, but it will be the first one to leave the race. Lego is officially retiring DK Jumbo, so Amazon's Lightning Deal could be the last big discount for the figure and kart building set. It's also the only Donkey Kong Lego set still in print (for now).

Donkey Kong and DK JumboAll Donkey Kong Lego Sets:

• Donkey Kong & DK Jumbo (387 pieces) -- $23.10 ($35) | Retiring soon
• Dixie Kong's Jungle Jam (174 pieces) -- $16.50 ($27) | Retired
• Donkey Kong's Tree House (555 pieces) -- $60 | Retired
• Diddy Kong's Mine Cart Ride (1,157 pieces) -- $90 ($110) | Retired
• Rambi the Rhino Expansion Set (106 pieces) -- $11 | Retired

Dixie Kong's Jungle Jam

Lego discontinued the original four Lego Super Mario Donkey Kong expansion sets last November. They were sold out for months at all major retailers before Amazon randomly restocked the series a few months back. The discontinued Donkey Kong sets have effectively become exclusive to Amazon. While you're picking up the DK Jumbo deal, check out Amazon's discount on Dixie Kong's Jungle Jam. The 174-piece playset is on sale for only $16.50 (was $27). Interactive Lego Mario, Luigi, and Peach figures from the Super Mario starter sets play Donkey Kong music when on stage with Dixie Kong.

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The legal battle between the former leaders of Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds and publisher Krafton has taken another turn. In new documents filed with the court, Subnautica director and designer Charlie Cleveland, Unknown Worlds co-founder Max McGuire, and ex-CEO Ted Gill allege that Krafton executives turned to AI as part of a bid to get out from under a $250 million bonus that would have been due if Subnautica 2 met certain financial goals.

At the heart of the latest filings are exchanges between Krafton CEO Kim Chang-han and the company's head of global operations Richard Yoon that were obtained via discovery. As reported by Kotaku, the documents allege "Kim turned to artificial intelligence to help him brainstorm ways to avoid paying the earnout. ChatGPT likewise advised that it would be 'difficult to cancel the earn-out.'"

The founders also alleged that Krafton refused to produce those ChatGPT conversations and stated that they no longer exist. However, there is a series of messages between Kim and Yoon that appear to suggest that Krafton's inability to renegotiate a lower payout for the bonus led Yoon to say "it might be easier to take over [Unknown Worlds]," than to obtain better terms.

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Indie MMORPG Ashes of Creation, first announced in 2016, is finally coming to Steam. While the game once it fully launches won't have an upfront box cost, developer Intrepid Studios announced it will begin selling access to the game's alpha and beta tests for $50.

That's actually a discount, as alpha access currently costs $100 on the official Ashes of Creation website. Come December 11, however, that price will go down to $50 to coincide with the game's arrival on Steam.

Intrepid makes clear it doesn't have a specific end date for early access, but that following alpha testing, the game will move into two beta periods before releasing in full. Following early access, Ashes of Creation will require a monthly subscription to play.

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Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition

$40 (was $75) for Nintendo Switch 1/2

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Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition

$40 (was $75) for PS4/PS5

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Some of Square Enix's best JRPG remakes, remasters, and retro compilations are featured in Amazon's early Black Friday video game sale this week. Most notably, Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition is on sale for only $40 on Nintendo Switch and PS4. The $35 price cut is the biggest discounted yet for Square Enix's stellar Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters. The Anniversary Edition comes with a Final Fantasy character sprite sticker sheet.

The six-game Final Fantasy compilation has been one of the most popular Switch and PlayStation game deals during major sales events since its launch last fall. If you're interested, we'd recommend snagging this deal soon; the Switch version, in particular, tends to sell out during promotions.

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Lego Botanicals Mini Bonsai Trees (709 pieces)

$45 (was $65)

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Lego Icons Fountain Garden (1,302 pieces)

$70 (was $100)

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We're inching closer to Black Friday, but you don't have to wait until November 28 to start shopping. Several retailers are already slashing prices on popular items, including plenty of Lego sets. Two of the most enticing offers for the Lego Botanicals Mini Bonsai Trees and Lego Icons Fountain Garden sets, which are seeing limited-time deals at Amazon. With Amazon's discount, you can gab the Mini Bonsai Trees set for $45 (was $65) and the Fountain Garden display for $70 (down from $100)--though these are selling out fast, and inventory likely won't last until Black Friday.

Lego Botanicals Mini Bonsai Trees (709 pieces) $45 (was $65)

This set is listed at its lowest price ever. You'll get to build three miniature trees--a ginkgo bonsai tree with yellow leaves, a black pine bonsai tree with green needles, and a wisteria bonsai tree with lilac flowers. The trees are quite tiny (standing around seven inches tall and just a few inches wide), which should make it easy to fit them onto your desk, bookcase, or other shelf or end table around your home.

Foliage bricks are interchangeable in this set, allowing you a bit of freedom to customize their appearance. And to help you display the set, you'll get to build two display stands of varying height, adding some verticality to the otherwise tiny trio of plants. Instructions are included with the set, though it's also compatible with the Lego Builder app if you'd prefer a more detailed walkthrough.

See at Amazon Lego Icons Fountain Garden (1,302 pieces) $70 (was $100)

For something that'll take a bit longer, the Lego Icons Fountain Garden is a better fit. It clocks in at over 1,300 pieces, and once completed, you'll have a tiny diorama featuring trees, shrubs, a fountain, and a few elegant structures scattered throughout a verdant garden. It's slightly customizable, thanks to slots in the diorama base that let you swap out various components, so you can decorate as you see fit.

All in all, the set includes a two-tiered fountain, two cypress trees, grape vines, four pergolas, tiled pathways, a luna moth, a bird, and a frog figure. It's about 11.5 inches wide when completed, which could make it a fun piece of decor for a table or bookcase.

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Of course, these are far from the only two Lego sets on sale ahead of Black Friday. A long list of others are seeing generous price cuts, including everything from the Lego Christmas Tree and Mini Orchid to the Japanese Zen Garden and Lotus Flowers. We've put together a long list of our favorite deals below--but if nothing catches your eye, be sure to check back closer to Black Friday. More discounts are bound to spring up in the coming days, and we're likely to see some of the best prices of the year.

Best Lego Black Friday Deals 2025

• Lego Botanicals Bonsai Tree (878 pieces) -- $40 ($50)
• Lego Botanicals Chrysanthemum (278 pieces) -- $24 ($30)
• Lego Botanicals Flower Bouquet (756 pieces) -- $48 ($60)
• Lego Botanicals Happy Plants (217 pieces) -- $18.39 ($23)
• Lego Botanicals Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree (474 pieces) -- $60
• Lego Botanicals Mini Bonsai Trees (709 pieces) -- $45 ($65)
• Lego Botanicals Mini Orchid (274 pieces) -- $24 ($30)
• Lego Botanicals Orchid (608 pieces) -- $40 ($50)
• Lego Botanicals Petite Sunny Bouquet (373 pieces) -- $24 ($30)
• Lego Botanicals Plum Blossom (327 pieces) -- $24 ($30)
• Lego Botanicals Succulents (771 pieces)-- $40 ($50)
• Lego Botanicals Tiny Plants (758 pieces) -- $40 ($50)
• Lego Botanicals Wildflower Bouquet (939 pieces) -- $48 ($60)
• Lego Cherry Blossom (430 pieces)-- $13 ($15)
• Lego Christmas Tree (784 pieces) -- $27 ($45)
• Lego Creator 3-in-1 Flowers Watering Can, Rain Boots, Birds (420 pieces) -- $24 ($30)
• Lego Daffodils (216 pieces) -- $12.74 ($15)
• Lego Disney Encanto Isabela's Flowerpot (641 pieces) -- $24 ($40)
• Lego Icons Dried Flower Centerpiece (812 pieces) -- $44 ($50)
• Lego Icons Fountain Garden (1,302 pieces) -- $70 ($100)
• Lego Icons Poinsettia (608 pieces) -- $40 ($50)
• Lego Icons Tranquil Garden (1,363 pieces) -- $88 ($110)
• Lego Ideas Insect Collection (1,111 pieces) -- $64 ($80)
• Lego Lotus Flower (220 pieces) -- $13 ($15)
• Lego Roses (120 pieces) -- $10 ($15)

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Microsoft has announced that the next Xbox Partner Preview event is coming up this Thursday, November 20. The event promises news and updates on partner titles, including information about games like 007 First Light, Tides of Annihilation, Reanimal, and "other great games" coming to Xbox platforms.

Every game shown during the Xbox Partner Preview is part of the Xbox Play Anywhere program, and that means they can be played across console, PC, and handhelds with one purchase.

The event also promises "brand-new reveals and Game Pass announcements."

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The delay of Grand Theft Auto 6 to November 2026 disappointed the general public, but Rockstar's release date shuffling also has a significant impact on competing game development studios.

Speaking to The Game Business about a variety of industry hot topics, Arrowhead Game Studios CEO Shams Jorjani spoke about how GTA 6's delay affects his studio's planning and work on Helldivers 2.

"It gives us a stay of execution," Jorjani said, adding: "Us and everyone else."

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Arc Raiders is out now and putting up big sales and player numbers, and it's achieved strong results thus far amid debates and discussions about how the PvPvE game implements AI technologies. Now, industry executive Shams Jorjani, the CEO of Helldivers studio Arrowhead, has weighed in with his thoughts on the matter, imploring people to consider the nuance and perspective of the matter.

He told The Game Business that what he's observed is that people commenting on AI tend to fall into two camps: people and studios who are leaning into AI enthusiastically and other developers who say "the very fabric of their being is being threatened and therefore all AI is bad AI."

"Maybe, could it be, that reality is somewhere in the middle? Could it be?" he said, as reported by GamesRadar.

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The live-action Legend of Zelda movie is around 18 months from theaters, but recent leaks from the set in New Zealand may have spurred Nintendo to share a behind-the-scenes glimpse from the film.

Through the Nintendo Today app, Nintendo released the first official pictures of the two primary cast members, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Bo Bragason, in costume as Link and Princess Zelda, respectively.

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link in The Legend of Zelda.

Ainsworth's best-known role to date prior to this film was lending his voice to Disney's live-action remake of Pinocchio. He has also appeared in Netflix's adaptation of The Sandman, as well as the streamer's horror show, The Haunting of Bly Manor.

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Sea of Stars

$25 (was $40)

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They just don't make RPGs like they used to, and if that's a sentiment you feel in your bones, then you'll want to check out this early Black Friday deal on Sea of Stars, an old-school RPG that harkens back to a classic era of gaming. The game is currently on sale for $25 (was $40) for Switch, PS5, PS4, and Xbox Series X at Amazon. With a big story expansion on the way for it, now might be the perfect time to check out this critically acclaimed RPG.

Sea of Stars $25 (was $40)

Sea of Stars is love letter to the 16-bit RPGs of the SNES and Sega Genesis, offering a sweeping fantasy adventure with turn-based combat, nostalgic pixel-art aesthetics, and a few modern flourishes. This physical version of the game also includes a double-sided poster featuring artwork by lead concept artist Bryce Kho.

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"Sea Of Stars is a classic SNES-era turn-based RPG that holds up next to the titans of the era," Jason Fanelli wrote in GameSpot's Sea of Stars review. "There are bits and pieces of those classics scattered throughout this game, but Sea Of Stars doesn't just rest on the laurels of its predecessors. In a crowded year of big-budget AAA releases, Sea Of Stars has an impeccable sense of craft that helps it stand tall alongside them."

The Sea of Stars Art Book is also on sale for $31.59 (was $50). Featuring Kho's elegant artwork, the 272-page hardcover book explores the characters, worlds, and lore of the game through dozens of illustrations. The cover features metallic accents, highlighting the game's protagonists, Valere and Zale.

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Resident Evil's next entry, Resident Evil Requiem, arrives next year, but it's very different from its original idea. While it'll have the trademark horror and aesthetics, Requiem was originally designed as an online open-world multiplayer game before Capcom decided to return it to a single-player format. However, not everything was completely reformatted from the ground up.

"There are some remaining elements, but we can't disclose what [they are]," producer Masato Kumazawa told Press Start, explaining that while the multiplayer project was shaping up to be a good game, it wasn't scary enough.

"Looking at the game when it was multiplayer, the horror part was very mild," he continued. "However, in that build, we made a game that was fun to play, but we looked deeply into this game and wondered if a fan of the franchise would really like this, so we thought they probably wouldn't enjoy it as much."

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Development on Cities: Skylines 2 is changing hands after publisher Paradox Interactive and developer Colossal Order have "mutually decided to pursue independent paths."

In a forum post, Paradox announced Cities: Skylines' development would be moving to one of its internal studios, Iceflake. The studio will take over "all existing and future" development updates for Cities: Skylines 2 and continue development on the game's long-delayed console versions.

As for Colossal Order, the studio will deliver a few more updates before Iceflake fully takes over. Those will include a major update that will add bikes, Old Town buildings, and other improvements. A beta version of the game's editor with mod-asset support will also arrive before the end of the year. Iceflake will then take over the franchise at the start of 2026.

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Sonic Colors celebrated its 15-year anniversary on November 16, 2025. Below, we look back at how the game shifted the nature of Sonic games with new gimmicks.

Sonic Colors marked a significant turning point in Sonic the Hedgehog's gaming career. Four years prior, the franchise had hit a horrifying low with Sonic the Hedgehog 2006. Two years after that, Sonic began a slow and shaky climb from rock bottom with 2008's Sonic Unleashed. And in 2010, Sonic Colors finally brought the blue hedgehog back into gamers' good graces, becoming the best-received 3D title since the Adventure games of the late '90s and early 2000s. Things were finally starting to look bright again for the franchise--but with the good came the bad as well.

Up to that point, 3D Sonic games had learned more heavily into their narratives, with the Sonic Adventure duology and Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 standing out as significant examples. For Colors, the plot was scaled back considerably, harkening back to the simpler stories of Sonic's classic games. In fact, like most of the classics, Colors foregoes an opening cinematic completely. Once the player moves beyond the title screen, they're immediately dropped into the first level. Only then does the story begin to take shape: Sonic and Tails have made a trip to space to investigate Eggman's Interstellar Amusement Park, a creation of the mad doctor designed as penance for his evil misdeeds in the past.

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It's not every day that a billionaire gets a new superyacht and the chance to unveil a new video game console. But Valve co-founder Gabe Newell experienced just that last week. On November 12, Newell received his new luxury boat--a diesel-electric yacht that's over 360 feet long--from Oceanco. It's named Leviathan and was delivered the same day that the Steam Machine was revealed.

The Leviathan has a hospital, science lab, dive center, hot tub, basketball court, and 15 "gaming stations." That's not all for video games, either, as there are two racing simulators to take for a spin on the superyacht. It's unknown if a Steam Machine is on board--or even some form of Half-Life 3.

"Yachts have great potential to serve as platforms for scientific research," said Newell. "It's about recognizing that you're part of a broader community and ensuring the yacht's presence adds value to the communities around it."

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The new line of Rog Ally devices made by Asus in partnership with Microsoft and Xbox have exceeded expectations, and Asus is now undertaking efforts to ramp up production to meet demand.

Asus management said during the company's latest earnings briefing that the new Xbox-branded devices have seen an "extremely positive" response from the market, "exceeding expectations."

Some balked at the $600 and $1,000 price-points for the Rog Xbox Ally and Rog Xbox Ally X devices, but Asus said the market has spoken and there is demand for "premium, higher-end models" of the Rog Ally.

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