When I watch a great pro match of a fighting game like Marvel vs. Capcom 2 or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, my reaction is equal parts awe and bafflement. The sheer speed and hyper-kinetic action flies by so quickly that I can only make sense of a percentage of what I'm seeing, and the people who have mastered the chaos must be a different species. Kirby Air Riders is like that: a bubblegum colorful confection of speed, agility, and action that feels overwhelming, but still fun to play.

My hands-on experience at Gamescom started with some tutorials showing the ropes of handling your ride. The ride accelerates automatically, which may seem like it suggests simplicity, but there's still a lot of finesse and fine control to handling your ride. Nailing a drift around a corner takes precise timing, and when you take a jump you can get a speed boost with a clean landing--which means tilting your racer slightly to land parallel if you're coming up on a hill. Those mechanics felt approachable and easy to grasp during the limited time of a demo, but had enough depth that the skill ceiling looks high.

This is a sequel to Kirby's Air Ride, but the shift to Air Riders is a significant one. There's a particular emphasis on the characters themselves and their unique powers, and this is where I could most keenly sense Masahiro Sakurai's experience with the Smash Bros. series. It feels like an evolution of that, and bringing that spirit of balancing different power sets into a new racing context.

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Ubisoft isn't done supporting The Division 2 just yet, as the company has announced The Division 2: Survivors, which is described as an "updated take" on the game's survival-extraction elements. Ubisoft also shared the latest update on The Division: Resurgence.

Development on Survivors is only just beginning, Ubisoft said, noting that The Division veteran Magnus Jansen is leading production as its creative director.

Not a whole lot is known about The Division 2: Survivors, but Ubisoft said it wants to develop it alongside the community. It is "as much your baby as it is ours," executive producer Julian Gerighty said. "We strive for transparency during its development."

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David Hayter is always down to play Snake--whether it's Naked or Solid. But the voice actor does wish he had the chance to re-record lines for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, the remake of the 2004 PS2 game.

Speaking with Inverse, Hayter explained that he believes he could have improved some of his dialogue from the original game for the remake. "I do feel that I'm a little better of an actor now than I was then," said Hayter, with a laugh. "It was fine back in the day, but I would have loved to bring some of the knowledge that I've picked up over the past 20 years to it."

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Later this month, Konami's Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will bring a modern upgrade to Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, a game over two decades old. And if the new remaster does well, it may not be the last time Konami revisits an older Metal Gear Solid game.

When asked about other potential MGS remakes, Delta producer Yuji Korekado told Game Informer, "At the moment, we are focused on delivering Delta in the best possible way to the current generation, and once this game is released, if the fans feel they would like to see more from playing the game, then we would like to consider lots of other games in the future. For now, this is it."

"We are always thinking about what we could do for the Metal Gear series," added producer Noriaki Okamura. "But in regards to remaking future titles, currently we're just focusing on the now, and we thought what would be the best way to reach both the old fans and potential new fans as well."

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The Borderlands series is well known for many things, including its emphasis on co-op, unique visual style, and humor, but it is also quite famous for its distinct player characters, who often use advanced tech or psychic superpowers to lay waste to enemies. Harlowe, one of Borderlands 4's new playable characters, is no different, and Gearbox has finally provided some insight into how they play.

Harlowe has a bunch of toys at their disposal considering their past as a combat scientist for Maliwan, one of the Borderlands universe's weapons manufacturers. They seem to be particularly great at using this high-tech weaponry for crowd control, often debuffing or straight up incapacitating enemies to create advantages for themself and their team.

For example, one of Harlowe's main abilities is the Chroma Accelerator, which fires an unstable ball of energy that drifts forward and plows through crowds, all the while dealing cryo damage to anyone it floats past. Harlowe players can also detonate it an anytime to deal radiation damage or seemingly wait for it to burst on impact. This skill can be further upgraded to bounce haphazardly between enemies, store damage overtime to be dealt when it eventually explodes, and it can even be given a greater gravitational pull.

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Mega Man Funko Fusion Figure

$15 | Releases December 15

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Funko Fusion didn't set the world on fire when it released last year, but at least it's giving us some cool Funko collectibles. We've already seen figures based on Battlestar Galactica, Shaun of the Dead, and The Thing, and soon we can add Mega Man to that list. The Mega Man Funko Fusion figure is now available to preorder for $15 ahead of its December 27 release date. The figure will come in a standard version that captures the hero's original blue design, and a rare Chase variant that gives the character a zombified makeover. Alongside the Blue Bomber, Funko also announced Funko Fusion figures based on Colonel Sanders, Invincible, and Five Nights at Freddy's.

Mega Man Funko Fusion Figure $15 | Releases December 15

This new Mega Man Funko Fusion vinyl figure features Capcom's retro icon in his classic blue armor and helmet, with a blue energy blast firing from his arm cannon. Like all Funko Pops, this one does not have any articulated joints, but it should make for a fun addition to your game room or home office. If you're lucky, you might land the Chase variant of the Mega Man Funko Fusion, which "zombifies" the character, turning his eyes white, his skin pale, and adding flecks of green goo across his armor. Like all Chase variants, there's about a 1/6 chance to find it.

Preorder at Amazon Mega Man Funko Fusion Standard and Chase Variants

The vinyl is arriving alongside the Funko Fusion: Deluxe Edition video game, which adds several new, exclusive characters to the game. Our Funko Fusion review gave it a 4/10, though folks looking for a quirky cooperative game with constant references to pop culture icons will probably find something to enjoy about the adventure. The main reason to pick up this new $40 Deluxe Edition is for all the new playable characters from several popular movies and TV shows. Here's a look at the new characters in the Deluxe Edition:

• Wicked: The Wizard, Madame Morrible, Elphaba, Glinda, Prince Fiyero, and Shiz variants of Elphaba and Glinda
• Universal Monsters: Dracula, Bride of Frankenstein, Invisible Man, Wolf Man
• The Office: Michael, Dwight, Jim, Pam

The Funko Fusion standard edition is also available for $20 on PS5, PS4, Switch, and Xbox Series X. While the base version lacks the additional content and characters from the new Deluxe Edition, it does include Mega Man in its playable roster.

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Lego Super Mario World: Mario and Yoshi (1,215 Pieces)

$119 (was $130)

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Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi has received a rare discount at Amazon and Walmart. Normally $130, the 1,215-piece pixel art display model of Mario and Yoshi's Super Nintendo character designs is on sale for $119. This is the first deal on this Lego Nintendo display model for adults since the set launched last October. Even though the discount is only $11, we expect both retailers will either sell out or raise the price back to $130 soon.

Lego Super Mario World: Mario and Yoshi (1,215 Pieces) $119 (was $130)

Lego Super Mario World: Mario and Yoshi is a 1,215-piece set that authentically captures the pixelated aesthetic from the Super Nintendo era. It's a fun build to piece together and a fitting display piece for all Super Mario fans, but especially those with a fondness for the 16-bit character designs.

The completed model is 15.5 x 10 x 4 inches and features several interactive components. There's a dial behind Yoshi's head that extends his tongue. The crank on the side of the base creates a more elaborate animation. Yoshi's legs move to make it appear as if he is running. Adding to the illusion is the figure's quick bouncing motion. Yoshi's head inches forward and back, and Mario's cape sways gently, just as it does in the game.

It also has an Action Tag, so if you own one of the Adventures with Lego Super Mario starter courses, the Interactive figures (Mario, Luigi, or Peach) will react.

Lego did a wonderful job making the instructions easy to follow. I used a combination of the physical instruction booklet and the Lego Builder app on iPad. The square pieces used to create the "pixel art" are numbered in the booklet, which was extremely helpful for me as someone with colorblindness.

Though technically part of Lego's 18-plus "for adults" line, kids who have assembled sets in the 1,000-piece probably won't have any issues.

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Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi is one of only eight Lego Nintendo display models designed for adults. Earlier this year, Lego launched a 1,972-piece Mario Kart display model for $170. The elaborate build features Mario's iconic red kart and the first realistic Lego replica of the character's modern 3D look.

Lego Game Boy (421 Pieces)

$60 | Releases October 1

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On October 1, exactly one year after Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi's launch, Lego's highly anticipated Game Boy replica will be available at major retailers and the Lego Store. The 421-piece display set only costs $60 and includes two buildable cartridges, three lenticular screens, multiple display stands, and several interactive features. Check out our Lego Game Boy preorder guide for more details, and keep in mind multiple retailers are sold out already.

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If you backed Hollow Knight on Kickstarter in late 2014, developer Team Cherry has confirmed that you will receive a download code for Hollow Knight: Silksong. This promise also marks the first Kickstarter update in six years for the upcoming metroidvania game.

The only caveat is that keys for Hollow Knight: Silksong will only be available on PC, Switch, and Switch 2. The game will also launch September 4 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Game Pass. "We'll be reaching out in the (very) near future to find out your platforms of choice and the best email addresses to send your copy/s. Keys will be provided as either PC (Steam and DRM free) or Nintendo Switch (Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2)," Team Cherry said in the Kickstarter update.

For those curious, the previous Kickstarter update was a post right after E3 2019 talking about a demo for Hollow Knight: Silksong. Funnily enough, the Gamescom demo playable this week seems to be nearly identical to the experience from E3 2019 (an event that no longer exists). GameSpot did get hands-on time with Hollow Knight: Silksong at Gamescom.

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Team Cherry has finally, at long last, confirmed that Hollow Knight: Silksong is not only a real game, but that it will be available to play on September 4. That is soon. The game will be available to buy outright at launch, but will it also come to any subscription services, like Xbox Game Pass?

Yes, Hollow Knight: Silksong will be on Game Pass.

Microsoft and Team Cherry have confirmed an Xbox Game Pass release for the highly anticipated game. It will be available via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, so subscribers can play it across console and PC. Alternatively, people can get Silksong via PC Game Pass for PC-only access.

It's possible Silksong could come to the less-expensive Game Pass tiers, like Game Pass Standard and Game Pass Core, at some point down the road--but this is not confirmed. If it ever does, it likely wouldn't be soon.

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A decade is a long period of time, but for Metal Gear Solid fans, it's an eternity. Fortunately, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater launches at the end of the month, bringing a classic from the original series into the modern age of gaming. But beyond that? Expect the future of Metal Gear Solid to be handed over to a new generation of developers.

Metal Gear veterans Noriaki Okamura and Yuji Korekado recently spoke about how they were preparing to hand over the franchise to a younger team if Konami ever decides to produce a brand-new Metal Gear Solid game.

"One of the reasons why we brought in a lot of fresh meat--all the new, younger developers--is because, not only did we want to give them a chance to figure out how to create and develop a Metal Gear game, but also give them a chance to experience the game themselves,” Okamura said to Rolling Stone. "And we’ll still be here for a while, but right now the goal is to build a team that could carry on the legacy on our behalf and could produce, hopefully in the future, more exciting games."

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SanDisk Gameplay 512GB microSD Express Card

$78 | Only at Walmart

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If you haven't picked up a microSD Express Card for your Nintendo Switch 2, you should check out the 512GB SanDisk Gameplay at Walmart. The SanDisk Gameplay has the same specs as the $120 SanDisk card found at Amazon, Best Buy, and even Walmart. The key difference between the two is price: The SanDisk Gameplay 512GB microSD Express is just $78.

The SanDisk Gameplay is only sold at Walmart. Due to its exclusivity and low price, the card has sold out numerous times in recent weeks. It's in stock as of August 22. The SanDisk Gameplay is one of only two 512GB microSD Express Cards priced under $100 right now. The other one is from Walmart-owned budget tech brand Onn. The 512GB Onn microSD Express is only $65.77. If you don't think you need 512GB of extra storage, Onn's 256GB model is only $35.77, roughly $25 less than the officially licensed Samsung 256GB microSD Express Card.

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Pokemon TCG Pocket is getting another new expansion on August 28. The update is called Secluded Springs, and it will highlight Pokemon from the Johto region, including a powerful legendary trio.

In Secluded Springs, players will encounter fan-favorite Pokemon as they were originally discovered in the Pokemon Gold and Pokemon Silver video games, including the powerful Legendary trio: Raikou, Entei, and Suicune. In addition to Johto, the expansion also features Pokemon from the Hoenn region. Some of the new cards can be seen in the trailer below.

According to the official Pokemon website, Suicune will appear on a new binder cover and display-board backdrop, and both will debut on Sunday, August 31. Players can also expect a variety of in-game events to pop up throughout September.

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2017's Hollow Knight just reached a new all-time peak concurrent-player record on Steam, and the achievement came just after developer Team Cherry announced the release date for its sequel, Silksong.

Hollow Knight reached an all-time peak concurrent record of 23,819 on Steam today, August 22. Measuring a game's popularity by Steam concurrent numbers is never a perfect or complete encapsulation of a game's popularity, and Hollow Knight being an exclusively single-player game that doesn't rely on people playing at the same time muddies the waters as well. But what is evident here is that Hollow Knight's popularity on Steam is growing in the wake of the big Silksong reveal.

Hollow Knight's previously Steam concurrent record of around 20,000 players was achieved in May 2022. All of this data comes from SteamDB.

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NBA 2K26 is just a week out from launch for those who preorder or purchase the early-launch editions. When it gets here, players should expect to find that what was once the community's biggest complaint has been scrubbed out of the game, according to its gameplay lead. Earlier this week, gameplay director Mike Wang told me in a chat from NBA 2K Community Day in San Francisco that 2K26 was designed from "day one" to eliminate what players most often found had plagued the game: "RNG"--short for random number generation--or what often felt like randomized outcomes.

The community, Wang told me, "felt like they didn't have control over the outcomes of the shot or whatever it was on the court. That's the biggest thing we addressed. Like, from day one, one of the points of emphasis was to make sure that [for] everything in the game, there's a skill aspect to it, or it's completely driven by skill, so that the gamer had the ability to dictate whether they did something right or wrong.

SGA follows his nearly perfect season by being on the cover of NBA 2K26.

"That's probably most felt in shooting. Shooting is such a touchy subject. We're doing green-or-miss [mechanics] again," he explained, describing the way a perfectly timed shot will always go in, while a shot that misses the on-screen green timing window never will. This mechanic frustrated some players in 2K24, leading to the team creating different difficulty, or "shot timing" profiles for players to choose at will in last year's game, but this created its own set of issues by pitting players with different profiles against one another.

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Sam Fisher hasn't starred in a Splinter Cell video game in over a decade, but he's getting his comeback this fall. Netflix has released a new trailer for Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, an animated series that sends Sam on another mission, and it's set to debut on October 14.

Michael Ironside voiced Fisher in most of the Splinter Cell games, but the leading role in this series will now be filled by Liev Schreiber. There aren't a lot of story details in the trailer beyond Sam kicking some butt and taking names. But the trailer does pause long enough to focus on the grave of Douglas Shetland, one of Sam's friends whom he was forced to kill when he went rogue. If the animated series is following the plot of the games, this would set the story somewhere around the Pandora Tomorrow/Chaos Theory period.

The other cast members currently confirmed for the series are Janet Varney as Anna "Grim" Grímsdóttir, Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Zinnia McKenna, and Joel Oulette as Thunder. John Wick co-creator Derek Kolstad is the head writer and producer for Deathwatch, and the animation was provided by Sun Creature Studio and Fost.

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Double Fine's next game is out in October, but beyond that, don't expect to see the studio announce Psychonauts 3 or Brutal Legend 2 in the near-future. Studio development chief Tim Schafer recently spoke about what's next for the developer after it launches its puzzle-adventure game Keeper, and he confirmed that the studio has multiple original IP in development.

"I'm working on other stuff," Schafer said to IGN. "The studio is doing multiple projects right now, and they're all original IPs, because we did Psychonauts 2 and that will hold us for sequels for a while."

Development on Keeper is being led by Double Fine's Lee Petty, and this allowed Schafer to focus his efforts on these new projects. That doesn't mean that we'll never see a Psychonauts threequel--after all, the game between the first and second games was 16 years--or another Brutal Legend game, but for now, the developer is interested in creating brand-new games instead. Back in June, Schafer also commented on how he was developing new games instead of Psychonauts 3.

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In the menagerie of 1990s animal video game mascots, Bubsy might rank somewhere between Aero the Acrobat and Sparkster from Rocket Knight Adventures (the latter having a small resurgence last year with the rerelease of the Sega Genesis games). Now it's Bubsy's turn to get a new spin for a new decade in Bubsy 4D, and it actually looks good.

Over on Bluesky, the developer Fabraz showed off more of the game's mechanics, switching Bubsy back and forth from his hairball form, dashing through obstacles, then back to regular form, climbing and clawing his way over walls and other nefarious traps. The cel-shaded colors pop and set it apart from the other games in the franchise.

The wise-cracking bobcat is returning to his platforming roots after 2019's auto-runner, Bubsy: Paws on Fire, but this time he's not taking on the Woolies but an army of sheep robots: The BaaBots. Bubsy 4D also includes a customizable wardrobe, including the Bubsy 3D skin.

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Advance Wars: Dual Strike is celebrating its 20-year anniversary today, August 22, 2025. Below, we revisit the user-generated-content features of the game that were ahead of their time.

The rain drenched my infantryman's helmet as he marched forward. He could barely make out the jagged silhouettes of the grey buildings 100 feet ahead, but it would only be a moment until he reached them. Or so he thought--until the ambush fell. Tanks, recon trucks, and bazooka-wielding foot soldiers poured out of the fog and into my trenches, cutting through my defenses before I could even get my bearings.

For me, Advance Wars: Dual Strike was a grid-based chess match where every piece could explode, but the single-player campaign felt like squaring off against a row of toddlers still figuring out how pawns worked. The missions were charming, but I wanted something sharper. Dual Strike's other modes, especially Versus, were where the real battlefields waited, ready for me to customize my way into intense engagements--including horrific defeats like the one I just described. This mode was both a canvas for my tactical creativity and an early sign of where the game industry would go in the future.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong finally has a release date, and it's soon, with the long-awaited game slated to arrive on September 4. There is a lot of hype and pent-up demand for Silksong, and with that in mind, three developers have opted to delay their releases that were scheduled close to Silksong.

Developer Panik Arcade has announced that CloverPit, a roguelike that's described as the "demonic lovechild of Balatro and Buckshot Roulette," is now set for release on September 26. CloverPit was originally going to launch on September 3, but Panik Arcade is pushing it back.

"Silksong is the most anticipated and wishlisted game on all of Steam and we think people will love this game and play it right at launch (including us) but that also means it will overshadow all games launching close to it. So if we stick to our original date we would risk the launch of CloverPit a fair bit," the developers said.

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Unlike past Call of Duty games, this year's Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will not allow players to choose a difficulty level for the campaign. Associate creative director Miles Leslie said that the difficulty scale for Black Ops 7 is "baked in" as opposed to being something a player can choose.

The reason for this comes down to how Black Ops 7's campaign can be played in co-op.

"We've built it for solo or four-player squads as well. You cannot pick a difficulty like past games. We've baked it in because you have to approach a co-op campaign differently, and we wanted to make sure the missions felt right for solo players," Leslie told IGN.

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