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With so many great games coming down the pipeline, now’s a great time to hop on the Xbox Game Pass bandwagon. If some titles joining the catalog this year have caught your eye and you’re itching to join in on the fun, we have good news: Amazon’s offering a 15% discount on a one month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership right now, so you can save a few dollars when signing up.

You can learn more about that deal, what’s coming soon to Game Pass, and the big releases still to come below.

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• Best Xbox Game Pass Deals
• What’s Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass?
• What Games Are Leaving Xbox Game Pass?
• Biggest Games Releasing on Xbox Game Pass

Best Xbox Game Pass Deals

Preorders for the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 officially open in the U.S. on April 9, and retailers are already vying for your business with special incentives. Best Buy has committed to a midnight launch and in-store pickup, but Walmart is making an even bolder promise: free delivery by 9 AM local time on launch day, June 5, for those who preorder through the retailer.

This ambitious claim, currently displayed on Walmart’s video games landing page, could sway buyers considering other major retailers like Best Buy, Target, or GameStop. If getting your hands on the Switch 2 as early as possible is a priority, Walmart’s offer might be hard to resist.

Several versions of the Switch 2 preorder listings are now available to view at Walmart before preorders go live next week, including the base console for $449.99 and a special, limited-time Mario Kart World bundle offer for $499.99. That’s a $30 saving compared to buying the console and game separately, as the beloved racer will retail for $79.99 in the US.

Monster Hunter Wilds gets its first Title Update tomorrow, including quests encouraging competition for fast clear times. In light of that, Capcom is ensuring players know it will take action against cheaters engaging in any sort of fraudulent activity.

In a post from the Monster Hunter account on X/Twitter, Capcom issued the stark warning: “To ensure a fun and fair experience for our players, we will take action against accounts participating in fraudulent ranking activity, such as the use of cheating or external tools. Accounts deemed to be in breach of this may be suspended, or have restrictions placed on them, such as being unable to receive rewards from these quests.”

Not cheating is one thing, but Capcom also warned that players participating in multiplayer hunts with cheaters could also result in an invalid quest completion time and the “right to rewards” revoked for everyone in the party.

“Please take caution to avoid playing multiplayer with those who are engaging in prohibited activity, or those you suspect of such,” Capcom said. The company encouraged players who find themselves in a quest where fraudulent activity is taking place to report the cheaters.

These quests will ultimately offer some neat rewards in the form of cosmetic pendants. Some will be doled out to all participants, and others are granted based on Completion Time or the hunter’s ranking. So it makes sense that Capcom is cracking down a bit harder on potential cheaters and suspect behavior, if it could result in issues with rewards and completion times.

The Time-Based Competition Quests go live with Title Update 1, and will all be organized through the new Arena Quest Counter in the Grand Hub in Suja. You’ll need to complete the special tutorial mission to unlock the Grand Hub first, so make sure to beeline there once Title Update 1 goes live tomorrow in Monster Hunter Wilds. Check out the Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1 patch notes for more.

To help get your Monster Hunter Wilds adventure started, take a look at what Monster Hunter Wilds doesn’t tell you, and a guide to all 14 weapon types in the game. We’ve also got a detailed MH Wilds walkthrough in progress, a MH Wilds multiplayer guide to explain how to play with friends, and if you’ve played one of the open betas, here’s how to transfer your MH Wilds Beta character over.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

GameCube games coming exclusively to the Switch 2’s exclusive online library is one of the best features of the new console. To make those membership costs just that little bit easier, UK retailer ShopTo has NSO at 35% off right now. As you get your Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in, this is an absolute bonus bargain to consider.

While some Nintendo Classics catalogues are unlocked with the base online subscription, you’ll also need the Expansion Pack to play GameCube titles on Nintendo Switch 2. What’s more, while you can subscribe to a monthly model for just Nintendo Switch Online, the Expansion Pack is only available on the 12-month plan, so make a note when purchasing.

While not every character is getting the time they deserve this season, The Wheel of Time is doing an excellent job of combining plots from several of Robert Jordan’s books to keep the action moving while further weaving together the heroes as they grow as people together. Case in point: “The Shadow in the Night,” in which an old friend returns to lead a raunchy musical number while the Forsaken fight amongst themselves. It’s an episode that uses major tone shifts to great dramatic effect.

I’ve been critical of how much attention has been paid to Liandrin thus far, but I did enjoy the opening of “The Shadow in the Night,” which shows how the Aes Sedai pledged herself to Ishamael out of sheer desperation. Combined with Lanfear’s supposed interest in breaking her oaths, the examination of choice and redemption makes the villains a bit more sympathetic. It also demonstrates the strength of one of the season’s new characters, Faile, who showed her strength by fleeing when her parents tried to recruit her to join the Dark. (The other Liandrin-related piece of “The Shadow of the Night” I enjoyed is how little her costume changes in her dream of being Amyrlin – she’s Red Ajah to her core.)

The Wheel of Time has some very powerful villains, but they all have their own agendas. That’s giving the heroes a bit of an edge as two of the five Black Ajah in Tanchico die due to infighting this week. Moghedien is pulling the exact same trick that Siuan Sanche did with Min, disguising herself as a servant to go ignored among Aes Sedai since they’re just as arrogant in Tanchico as they were in Tar Valon. Her performance is too over the top, but I appreciate the symmetry in the plots.

Perrin’s storyline is the weakest part of this season, but that’s only partially the show’s fault: The character often feels like he’s too far from the real action in the books, too. But it’s not all bad: Hopefully Perrin hooking up with Faile will stop him from brooding about his wife’s death, putting an end to the worst plot invented for the show. Perrin revealing that the Horn of Valere has already been found by unveiling a goofy drawing of Mat is a great callback to the season 3 premiere, and much better than the way that information is shared in the books, where he actively hides the fact that Faile’s quest has already been completed. This section of the story also promises to pick up some steam soon with the return of Padan Fain, who has been one of the show’s best villains thanks to Johann Myers’ deeply off-putting performance.

Also making an exciting reappearance this episode is gleeman Thom Merrilin, one of the standout characters of season 1. Thom is hilariously desperate to avoid being swept up in the antics of a ta’veren but forced to intervene when he sees the daughter-heir of Andor is in trouble. It’s not surprising that Elayne would know how to sing; it’s more shocking that she proves her skill by performing the local equivalent of “Baby Got Back”: “The Hills of Tanchico,” a raunchy tune that gets all the ladies in the bar jiggling their breasts. The Wheel of Time has done well by taking a page from The Witcher and breaking up its epic fantasy with a rousing, catchy musical number.

The whimsy of that scene provides a brutal contrast to what happens to Elayne and Nynaeve next, as Moghedien traps them in her web with compulsion. Zoë Robins and Ceara Coveney do a great job selling the spell’s power by dissolving into giddy giggles as they divulge all their deepest secrets to the Forsaken. It’s especially tragic for Nynaeve, who voices a revelation about hating her power that would be really important for her character growth if she could remember it.

Rand might be an outsider among the Aiel, but his interest in farming is genuine and his continued bonding with Alsera over her squashes helps charm Avienda. Rand’s guide may have been showing her contempt for her job by letting him break etiquette by grabbing Alsera’s tiny spear, but Rand comes out looking good, showing he’s learned the way to properly make amends. It’s an incredibly sweet scene that makes the tragedy at the end of the episode even more agonizing.

Egwene and Rand finally find a time to chat about their doomed relationship and Lanfear in a phenomenal demonstration of contrast between the two characters. Egwene shines throughout “The Shadow in the Night” as she demonstrates her relentless determination: She lies to the Aiel Wise Ones about being an Aes Sedai, and responds to almost being killed by Lanfear by immediately restarting her dream-control exercises. But she really unleashes on Rand, who stoically accepts her fury and explains his realization that even though he might be the most powerful and important man in the world, he’ll still never be enough for Egwene.

The touching moment and the building fury Rand feels when he learns what Lanfear’s been doing to Egwene is interrupted by an attack led by Samael, presumably the surprise Lanfear told Moiraine about earlier in the episode. When the Forsaken were all set free at the end of season 2, I was worried that some of them wouldn’t be given the attention they deserve, and that’s the case here. Samael is easily dealt with once Rand finally gets to unleash some of his power.

While the Aiel don’t blame Rand for Alsera’s accidental death, the child was a rare source of joy for Rand. He’s desperate to believe the Dragon Reborn should be able to fix anything, and seeing him acknowledge his limits is heartbreaking. It’s a testament to Josha Stradowski’s acting abilities how well he alternates between the brink of mania and cold acceptance. When Rand asked about Moiraine’s vision of Rhuidiean, all he really wanted to know about was who he might kill. This death will likely just further his belief that he’s too dangerous to be around.

For the last several years it’s felt like Nintendo just hasn’t cared that much about Donkey Kong. As Nintendo gifted pretty much every one of its cherished characters their best outing ever on Switch, the great ape who once stood high atop the girders of Nintendo’s essential arcade cabinet faceplanted hard on the concrete with a litany of ports, remakes, and remasters. But on Switch 2, Nintendo is finally giving one of gaming’s biggest icons the love he deserves with a brand new, flagship, launch window 3D action-platformer, and if the first 30 minutes we spent with Donkey Kong Bananza are any indication, Mario’s original rival is looking poised to stand tall once again.

It’s hard to talk about Bananza without referencing that darn plumber as just seconds after jumping into its Underground World, the significant parallels to Super Mario Odyssey became abundantly clear. While Nintendo hasn’t confirmed the developers of Bananza, after playing it we’re willing to bet Odyssey developer Nintendo EPD Tokyo is behind it.

Bananza’s setup will feel instantly familiar to anyone who’s spent hours throwing Cappy and collecting Power Moons. DK is joined by an adorable assistant (this time in the form of a purple rock who talks and sings) to scour self-contained explorable sandboxes for Golden Bananas, some of which are found by completing story missions while others are sprinkled across the landscape just waiting to be found. As you explore, you find isolated linear challenge rooms that dial back the exploration in favor of testing your combat and platforming abilities. There are other collectibles to find too, like gold presumably playing the role of coins, dozens of fossils (which we didn’t find a use for during our demo) and currency we’re hoping will be used to outfit Donkey Kong in the local flavor. Even the UI is reminiscent of Mario’s globetrotting adventure! So if you were disappointed the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct lacked a big, flashy 3D Mario, I’m here to tell you that Donkey Kong Bananza feels like the sequel to that formula we’ve been clamoring for, it just happens to star the giant monkey instead.

Wrecking Crew

Like the best Nintendo games, Donkey Kong’s brand new moveset completely suits him as a character and feels right the moment you step into his shoes (okay, big hairy feet). Bananza is furiously fast and delightfully destructive as Donkey Kong can demolish most of the terrain in his path, and we spent our demo transforming the lush opening area filled with grass, trees, and lakes into DK’s personal chaotic excavation site. DK punches forward, upward, and downward, instantly destroying most materials and oftentimes carving a makeshift path to follow that can lead to entirely new areas. At one point I was punching through a mountain just for the heck of it and a valuable collectible fell into my lap, so there’s definitely value to breaking ground everywhere you can – it may lead to a groundbreaking discovery.

If pulverizing every stone wall in sight sounds overwhelming, it really didn’t feel that way in the moment, which is likely due to how much fun we had controlling Donkey Kong. In addition to turning everything to rubble, Donkey Kong can also pick up giant stone boulders from the ground, walls, or wherever, and hurl them to obliterate nearby enemies. Or, he takes a page out of Link’s book and can use the stone slab to boogie board at a rapid pace across the landscape. There are surely dozens of unique moves and chain combos waiting to be discovered and I can imagine how much fun speedrunners will have trying to master DK’s moveset, which already feels ripe with expressiveness and possibility.

Bananza’s central theme of exploration via destruction was present throughout every second of our demo, even down to the map screen. Instead of a simple top-down overview of the landscape, the map here is a fully-rendered 3D model of the entire area in its current state, meaning when you pause to get your bearings, you can see all of the walls you’ve punched and caves you’ve carved. It’s like the Hero’s Path feature in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom cranked up to 11, and it felt like an incredibly impressive touch.

That map helped us track down challenge rooms which rewarded us either with Golden Bananas or a ton of cash. And unlike Odyssey, there’s no more wondering if you have a Moon left to find and going inside to wait for Cappy to tell you, because the entrance to each bonus room tracks how many Golden Bananas you’ve found and how many more are waiting within. We saw three of these rooms in Bananza’s opening area, with each focusing on either platforming, combat, or destruction: we had to monkey bar our way through an obstacle course, take down three stone enemies before time ran out, and blast through as much gold ore as possible to take home a big payday. They were all fun and unique and left me excited to see what other challenges are in store.

I also think Bananza is on track to be one of the most gorgeous Nintendo games I’ve seen. It really does take advantage of Switch 2’s hardware – the environments are beautiful and DK’s animations are wonderfully expressive, and I left feeling like the next generation of first-party Nintendo games had truly arrived.

Donkey Kong Bananza is out July 17 for $69.99, and I might destroy my entire house if I have to wait that long to play it again.

Logan Plant is the host of Nintendo Voice Chat and IGN’s Database Manager & Playlist Editor. He played the entire Donkey Kong Country series earlier this year and is so excited for a brand new DK game. It’s way overdue!

Mario Kart World is the first new home console Mario Kart game in a decade. We went hands-on with this Nintendo Switch 2 launch title and played a ton of it across several different modes, so let’s break it all down!

The Massively Interconnected Open World

Mario Kart’s biggest new addition centers around a huge, new Forza Horizon-style world filled with tons of courses to race against friends and enemies on. Instead of just having a series of tracks you select from a menu (although you’ll have that option too) Mario Kart World features a massive playground you can explore at your own pace on your own or with friends. You use this place to cruise around for fun or launch into races, Grand Prix tournaments, and more. It’s also packed with collectibles and hidden secrets and areas, and while we don’t know just yet what the rewards will be for finding things hidden throughout this world, we’re hoping it’s stuff like karts or costumes, or that you’ll be able to spend coins in some kind of shop for cool cosmetic stuff. Poking around here between races led me to what looked like a strange Peach-themed coin, stacks of smaller, regular coins, a huge evil cloud, a ton of grind rails to practice on, hidden back alleys and pathways, and so much more. It’s grand, utterly gorgeous, and incredibly smooth. We got used to how great Mario Kart 8 looked, but this one is even prettier and more stylish, with better draw distance, more detailed characters and environments, and generally just a ton of stuff happening at once.

Mechanically, everything felt really tight and satisfying so even if there isn’t a ton of reward for exploring it’s still really fun to explore. But knowing Nintendo, they’ll definitely be reasons to poke around here. In general, the gameplay feels like a slightly tighter and more forgiving version of Mario Kart 8, so if you spent a ton of time there you’ll feel right at home here. When your kart gets smashed by an item or another player, your recovery time is snappier and you’re back in the competition quicker than in previous Mario Kart games. When an opponent cuts you off and steals an item box right before you can get to it, don’t stress it because they respawn almost immediately, giving you a chance for instant green shell vengeance. Gliders have been replaced with planes, underwater sections have been replaced with Wave Race-like boating areas, and you don’t customize your kart anymore, at least in the version I played. There were a lot of preset kart options to start with and presumably many more to unlock, though, so it seems like having lots of ways to show off your kart or character won’t be limited.

Characters, Costumes, and Crazy New Power-Ups

You can play Mario Kart World with up to 24 human players at the same time and there are tons of returning characters from the Mario series, although none from other Nintendo games like Mario Kart 8 had. It’s safe to say that Mario Kart World will be THE Mario Kart game for years to come, though, so who knows which characters from other series will show up here eventually. My favorite new character was Cow from Moo Moo Meadows, who is here to get revenge for all the times you drove into his family on the N64, probably. Most characters have different costumed versions you can choose from the character select screen, but where things get a bit more complicated is that you can also change their costume mid-race by finding certain power-ups that appear to alter your stats. Lots of these items are food-based so you’ll get to see Cow eat a burger. Look, it’s his first time driving a kart and it’s crazy out there. Go easy on him.

We also noticed a bunch of characters that appear as racers against you but you can’t choose yourself just yet, like the Piantas from Super Mario Sunshine and the Conkdors from Super Mario 3D World, so we suspect they’ll be unlockable and the roster will only get bigger. There’s also some great new items like throwable hammers and a question block that gives you a ton of coins in a row. Some classic items even have altered functionality, like lightning not lasting as long or blue shells having cartoon phrases pop up when they hit you, but the coolest new upgrade we noticed is that every throwable item now automatically drags behind your kart without you having to hold down a button to do it. It’s one less thing to worry about, which is nice because you now have so many new things to worry about!

Knockout Tour, the Non-Stop Six-Race Fortnite-Style Battle Royale

Knockout Tour is the biggest race mode ever included in this series and it feels awesome. You start out in the open world, driving around and hanging out with friends while your race populates with 23 other players. Then, you’ll all choose a set of interconnected Grand Prix tracks you want to race on. Once the race kicks off, you need to stay out of the bottom four in each segment or you’ll get eliminated and booted back to the open world. So, the field is culled each lap from 24, to 20, to 16, all the way until there are only four racers left for the final segment. It’s incredibly fun and the tracks, endless items, kart racers, and general chaos make every race feel absolutely frenetic. Think the final lap of Baby Park on Mario Kart: Double Dash where it’s chaos and clutter everywhere, but with the aggressive goal of making sure you’re taking down others constantly to advance.

This mode was incredibly fun. Going from 4th place to 12th place in a Mario Kart game has been a thing for ages, but going from 2nd to 22nd because a series of bad luck or poor decisions put you behind the pack is a brand new feeling, and watching that happen and then getting instantly eliminated from the entire race (or doing it to somebody else) is absolutely hilarious. Generally, this feature adds some much needed urgency and aggression to Mario Kart and it’s utterly thrilling. Nintendo has been experimenting with this elimination style gameplay with lots of their franchises in the past few years, like Mario 35 and F-Zero 99, but it feels like such a perfect fit for Mario Kart and we suspect it’s gonna be a massive hit with both kids and the streamer crowds. Knockout Tour modes last much longer than a typical race, assuming you don’t get knocked out of the whole thing super early.

But Wait.. That Price!

Mario Kart World is $80! Everything we’ve seen and played is awesome and we can’t wait for it, but nothing about this game so far really screams “eighty dollar product.” Nintendo experimented with a $70 price tag on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and we suspect we’ll spend just as much time (or more) playing Mario Kart World throughout the Switch 2 lifespan, but it’s hard not to feel cynical about about this price, like Nintendo knows that Mario Kart 8 was the best-selling Switch game and one of the best-selling games of all time and that the successor will be a guaranteed hit, so hey, might as well upcharge us. If it came with a year of Switch Online or some sort of season pass of unlockable content it’d be a slightly easier pill to swallow, but as far as we know it doesn’t. Getting the game bundled with a Switch 2 drops the price down to $50 and since it will be there on the system’s launch day that’s likely how most players will get it, but still, the whole thing definitely stings a bit.

Regardless, Mario Kart World feels like the definitive Switch 2 launch game and will certainly be one of the defining games of the Switch 2 generation. The new open world format and Knockout Tour modes are massive new additions to the franchise, the visuals are gorgeous, the gameplay is a blast, and we can’t wait to play more, even if we wish it was a few bucks cheaper.

Brian Altano has been playing Mario Kart for 30+ years, and it’s crazy that 10 of those years were spent with Mario Kart 8. We haven’t seen Battle Mode for Mario Kart World yet, but he’s still holding out hope that Block Fort can come back. Bring back Block Fort!

If you’ve been hunting for Scarlet & Violet Prismatic Evolutions booster packs without getting fleeced by scalpers, Amazon’s latest offer is a tough fallback. This six-pack booster bundle is listed at $59.99—more than double the expected MSRP of around $27. That’s a staggering 122% markup, and with demand still outpacing supply, even Amazon has hiked its prices well above retail.

Retailers have been steadily getting their preorder operations for the Nintendo Switch 2 in place, but the UK’s Argos has jumped the gun by letting you preorder a Nintendo Switch right now, including either the console on its own or the Mario Kart World bundle with the game included as a download code.

Although payment is instant, we expect these to go fast. If you miss out, you can register your interest at Amazon UK, Currys, and Smyths—the former of which you can request an “invite” to preorder the individual Switch 2 console or the Mario Kart World bundle.

As for the games, you can immediately preorder the physical version of Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza right now at Smyths—alongside accessories like the Nintendo Switch 2 camera & Stealth Travel Kit case.

On each product Amazon page, you’ll be able to quickly register your interest before quickly getting a confirmation email. From then, you can be invited to purchase a Nintendo Switch 2 from Amazon UK anytime within the next three months—covering you for the system’s 5th of June, 2025 release date.

The link to purchase that Amazon will send to you will last for 22 hours, so be sure to keep checking your emails so you don’t miss out. Amazon hasn’t provided an exact day and time as to when the first round of pre-orders will start, but we’re assuming the first invites could be sent out as soon as Tuesday, the April 8, as that’s when preorders will be open on the UK Nintendo store.

You can also go to Currys and register your interest in a Nintendo Switch 2 just like you can with Smyths, though preorders for games and accessories don’t seem to be available just yet. It hasn’t provided any further information on when invites will be sent out either, but Currys & Smyths are both solid retailers to have as a back-up if you don’t get an Argos pre-order in or an Amazon invite right away.

Compared to the Nintendo Store, however, Amazon’s, Currys’, and Smyths conditions appear to be a lot more relaxed for sending Switch 2 preorder invites.

For example, the Nintendo store will only send initial invitees to those based on conditions like being a Nintendo Switch Online player for a continuous two years before 31/3/2025, having higher playtimes with purchased/paid Nintendo Switch games (not free-to-play games like Fortnite, it seems), and opting in to share usage information with Nintendo.

On Amazon’s side, it merely seems to be a ballot system where invitees are selected at random. With Currys and Smyths, it looks like it will simply be a case of sending out an email when pre-orders are opened, followed by a queued ordering system. This was the method Currys used when taking PS5 pre-orders, and it worked without any site crashes at least.

This means you could be in for a longer wait from these alternative retailers, but it’s a lot less frustrating if you’re certain you don’t meet the strict requirements to order from Nintendo directly.

On the other hand, if you weren’t planning to have the funds for your Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order taken until near-dispatch in June—which is usually the case for retailers like Amazon—Argos may not be the best option for you since we have confirmed you’ll need to pay right away.

Still, if you’ve already got the money necessary, Argos is currently the best option to secure your pre-order immediately.

Here’s our first look at Nintendo’s newly designed Nintendo Switch 2 game boxes.

While the OG Nintendo Switch’s game covers simply boasted a small Nintendo Switch logo in the top left-hand corner, the Switch 2’s branding is far more prominent, with a red band stretching across the entire width of the case and a larger Nintendo Switch 2 logo.

There’s also a change for Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives, too. While Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive game covers don’t have any further information or branding on them, covers for games playable on both the original and Switch 2 systems all include a clear statement about Switch 2’s upgrade information.

For instance, The Nintendo Switch 2 edition of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild includes the text: “Includes the Nintendo Switch game and the Nintendo Switch upgrade pack. Upgrade pack also available separately.”

Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games, some of which cost $79.99, clearly mark the boxes as such to let buyers know what they’re getting.

You can see the new designs for yourself in the slideshow below:

There’s now also a QR code on the bottom right of all game covers that takes you swiftly to the official Nintendo website.

At last, the Nintendo Switch 2 has a release date. It’s coming on June 5, 2025, with prices starting at $449.99. A bundle is also available with Mario Kart World included for $499.99, although if you want to buy Nintendo’s signature racer separately, it’s $79.99.

Missed the presentation? Worry not — you can catch up on everything shown at yesterday’s Nintendo Direct right here, and here’s a handy list for every game confirmed for Nintendo Switch 2.

Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.