The Cheapest Official Controllers I've Seen in Ages, Monster Hunter Wilds Chopped to a New Low, and More!

There’s no better time to clear your wishlist than mid-year, when sales come as thick and fast as Mario Kart blue shells. From haunting strategy RPGs to nostalgic space oddities, this idle Thursday's discounts run the full genre gauntlet. I’ve even spotted a few brand-new preorders already getting the price-drop treatment. With no more ado, let’s get amongst it.

This Day in Gaming ?

In retro news, I’ve used a Fire Flower to ignite a 17-candle cake for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, that chaotic crossover must-own for Wii. Brawl was a glorious celebration of Nintendo’s legacy, bringing together icons like Mario and Link and absolute dream additions like Sonic and Solid Snake in a frenetic, four-player free-for-all that my mates and I played the absolute nunchucks off.

What set Brawl apart was the sheer volume of unlockable content and a Subspace Emissary mode offering a surprisingly deep solo campaign, complete with side-scrolling levels and cinematic cutscenes. It also added layers to the Smash formula: slower physics, floatier jumps, and the divisive but game-changing tripping mechanic. Lastly and for the first time, online play let us clobber friends (and foes) across the globe. Truly a landmark love letter to gaming history that still holds a special place in my collection.

Aussie birthdays for notable games

- Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) 2008. Sequel

- C&C 3: Kane's Wrath (X360) 2008. Get

- Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword (DS) 2008. eBay

- Doom Resurrection (PC) 2009. Get

- Shovel Knight (3DS,PC,WiiU) 2014. Get

- Nier: Automata (XO) 2018. Get

Contents

Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch leads the charge with Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes (44% off), a musou spin-off where you play as the mysterious Shez, not Byleth. Fun fact: Shez’s name is never fully explained, though fans suspect it’s a pun on “shezlong” since they rarely sit still. Also worth grabbing is Darkest Dungeon (70% off), a stress-inducing gothic roguelike where permadeath is life for masochists like me.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes (-44%) - A$45
Star Wars Heritage Pack (-32%) - A$77
Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 (-85%) - A$11.90
Darkest Dungeon (-70%) - A$9.80
Observer (-85%) - A$6.70
UnMetal (-75%) - A$7.50

Expiring Recent Deals

Pokémon Legends: Z-A (-13%) - A$78
Sonic x Shadow Generations (-35%) - A$49
Inside (-90%) - A$2.90
Front Mission 1st: Rem. (-66%) - A$17.80
Sniper Elite 3 Ult. Ed. (-80%) - A$10.50
Overcooked! All You Can Eat (-66%) - A$19.30

Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.

Exciting Bargains for Xbox

On Xbox Series X, Metaphor: ReFantazio (57% off) brings together the Persona 5 dream team for a dark political fantasy that’s already got Atlus fans buzzing. Then there’s PGA Tour 2K25 (47% off), which adds Topgolf mode and some cheeky mid-swing trash talk.

Official Controller Black (-29%) - A$64
Monster Hunter Wilds (-59%) - A$47
PGA Tour 2K25 (-47%) - A$64
Split Fiction (-23%) - A$54
Metaphor: Refantazio (-57%) - A$49

Xbox One

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (-22%) - A$85.90
Sniper Elite: Resistance (-23%) - A$69
Sonic Racing: Crossworlds (-18%) - A$89

Expiring Recent Deals

Seagate Storage Expansion (1TB) (-40%) - A$209.50
Warhammer: Space Marine 2 (-54%) - A$49.90
Tekken 8 (-53%) - A$39.90
Monster Hunter Wilds (-36%) - A$74
Sonic x Shadow Generations (-35%) - A$49
BioShock: The Col. (-80%) - A$17.90
Octopath Traveler (-60%) - A$35.90
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut (-70%) - A$17.90
Borderlands Leg. Col. (-80%) - A$17.90

Or just invest in an Xbox Card.

Pure Scores for PlayStation

Over on PS5, The Last of Us Part II Remastered (41% off) includes the roguelike No Return mode. It was designed by Naughty Dog’s younger developers to sharpen combat instincts and break up narrative pacing. Starship Troopers: Extermination (73% off) lets you yell "I'm doing my part!" while gunning down endless waves of bugs. I'd still play Helldivers 2 over it, though.

Monster Hunter Wilds (-59%) - A$47
The Last of Us Part II Rem. (-41%) - A$44
Starship Troopers: Extermination (-73%) - A$19
Split Fiction (-23%) - A$54
NBA 2K25 (-80%) - A$24

PS4

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (-22%) - A$85.90
The Witcher 3 Comp. (-80%) - A$15.50
Diablo III: Eternal Col. (-67%) - A$32.90
Psychonauts 2 (-80%) - A$18.10

Expiring Recent Deals

Gran Turismo 7 (-57%) - A$54
Death Stranding 2 (-21%) - A$99
Tales of Arise (-68%) - A$32.10
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Ed. (-31%) - A$79
Monster Hunter Wilds (-36%) - A$74
Resident Evil Village (-19%) - A$44.40
Sonic x Shadow Generations (-35%) - A$49
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Rem. (-35%) - A$25.90
The Last of Us Part II (-17%) - A$49.90
The Yakuza Rem. Col. (-29%) - A$39

PS+ Monthly Freebies
Yours to keep from Jun 1 with this subscription

NBA 2K25 | PS5, PS4
Alone in the Dark (2024) | PS5
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk | PS5, PS4
Destiny 2: The Final Shape | PS5, PS4

Or purchase a PS Store Card.

Purchase Cheap for PC

And on PC, don’t skip It Takes Two (75% off), a BAFTA-winning co-op gem that somehow makes marital therapy fun. Also: We Love Katamari Reroll+ (75% off), originally directed by Keita Takahashi, who famously made his own baby wear a tiny Katamari helmet.