There’s nothing like a good sale to remind me that my wallet fears September more than tax season. Every platform is putting up tempting discounts and some of the titles are impossible to ignore. If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably start adding these to cart faster than you can rationalise the backlog. And I fear that you and I are destined to do this discount dance for the whole entire week...
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This Day in Gaming 🎂
In retro news, I’m writing in a big 20th card for PlayStation Portable, the handheld powerhouse that I personally played the absolute analogue nub off at launch. To do so meant dropping 429 dollarydoos (A$699 today) on a Value Pack, and then I was on-the-go gaming like never before with its 4.3-inch LCD screen. Yes, the PSP's UMD load times were not ideal, and Memory Stick Duos were pricey for such low-capacity MBs, but I felt more smitten than bitten with Ridge Racer, WipEout Pure, and the sheer addiction of Lumines. Top machine.
Aussie birthdays for notable games.
- Vib Ribbon (PS) 2000. eBay
- PlayStation Portable launch, 2005. eBay
- Lumines (PSP) 2005. eBay
- Ridge Racer (PSP) 2005. eBay
- WipEout Pure (PSP) 2005. eBay
- Jetpack Joyride (iOS) 2011.
Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch
On Switch, Unicorn Overlord is my standout. It’s Vanillaware at their most gorgeous, with a hand-painted look that somehow makes strategy feel romantic. Also worth noting, Street Fighter 6’s Nintendo port is surprisingly slick considering Capcom once swore this series would never go handheld.
- Street Fighter 6 NS2 (-31%) A$64 All the uppercuts you can handle plus years of DLC fighters. A knockout deal, literally.
- Red Dead Redemption (-57%) A$29.90 Cowboy hats, train heists, and more horse poop physics than anyone asked for.
- The Last Campfire (-90%) A$2.20 Cozy indie puzzler that'll warm your heart while confusing your brain. Cheaper than a servo sausage roll.
- Scribblenauts Mega Pack (-90%) A$4.40 Solve problems by writing literally anything. Try summoning a hippo with a jetpack, it works.
- Lego Marvel Super Heroes (-89%) A$6.50 Smash, build, quip. It's Marvel, but with bricks and way more slapstick.
- Unicorn Overlord (-41%) A$55.90 Tactical RPG from Vanillaware with more glitter than your average fantasy quest.
Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.
Exciting Bargains for Xbox
Over on Xbox Series X, Kingdom Come II Gold Ed. has me itching to return to Bohemia. The first game was so committed to historical accuracy that even sword swings carried stamina cost. Meanwhile, Mafia: The Old Country is a love letter to the series’ mobster roots, offering Easter eggs to classic missions fans still talk about today.
- Kingdom Come II Gold Ed. (-35%) A$97.90 No dragons, no magic, just historically accurate mud and very pointy swords.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (-41%) A$64.90 Another year, another CoD, but hey at least the explosions are discounted.
- Seagate Expansion 1TB (-29%) A$218 Stop deleting stuff just to install another 100GB shooter. Future you will thank present you.
- Borderlands 4 (-17%) A$99 Same cel-shaded chaos, just with bigger guns and louder jokes. Bring friends for maximum mayhem.
- Mafia: The Old Country (-12%) A$79.10 Forget GTA-this is about family, loyalty, and looking great in fedoras.
Xbox One
- The Crew Motorfest (-34%) A$65.60 Cars, planes, boats... basically, if it moves, you'll race it. Hawaii never looked so fast.
- SpellForce III Reforced (-52%) A$30.70 Can't pick between RTS and RPG? Neither could these devs. Surprisingly, it works.
- Forza Horizon 5 (-50%) A$49.40 Mexico's biggest street party, but with way more Lamborghinis than tacos.
Or just invest in an Xbox Card.
Pure Scores for PlayStation
On PS5, Epic Mickey: Rebrushed deserves all the attention. Warren Spector’s original concept had Mickey wielding a chainsaw before Disney gently steered him toward a paintbrush. Then there’s Astro Bot, a joyous platformer that doubles as a showcase of PlayStation history, filled with cheeky nods to obscure hardware.
- Ghost of Yotei (-21%) A$99 Set in the lands surrounding Mount Yōtei, Ghost of Yōtei takes place more than 300 years after the events of Ghost of Tsushima.
- Visions of Mana (-41%) A$58.60 JRPG melodrama, shiny hair, and more magical forests than Bunnings' garden aisle.
- Epic Mickey: Rebrushed (-63%) A$37.10 Mickey with a paintbrush causes chaos. It's basically Disney graffiti with platforming.
- Astro Bot (-24%) A$84 The PlayStation mascot you didn't know you loved is back, cuter than ever.
- Lost Soul Aside (-19%) A$89 Action so stylish you'll need sunglasses indoors. Somewhere between Final Fantasy and Devil May Cry.
PS4
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 (-25%) A$56.20 Kickflips, grinds, and the sweet sound of breaking shins. Nostalgia never looked this slick.
- Red Dead Redemption (-48%) A$39 Rockstar's outlaw saga makes a strong showing on PS4. Ride into legend.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (-19%) A$89 Because you can never have too many Black Ops. Boom, headshot.
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
PC players can’t look past Red Dead Redemption 2 Ult.. Modders have already turned Arthur Morgan into everything from a wizard to a cyberpunk cowboy, and the community keeps growing. I’d also recommend Persona 3 Reload, a faithful retelling that finally modernises one of Atlus’s most beloved RPGs without losing its melancholy soul.
- Metaphor: ReFantazio (-45%) A$63.20 Atlus goes medieval, but don't worry, it's still weird in all the right ways.
- Red Dead Redemption 2 Ult. (-80%) A$29.90 One of the greatest games ever made. Also one of the slowest. Bring patience (and a horse brush).
- Hogwarts Legacy: Del. Ed. (-80%) A$19.90 Explore Hogwarts without needing a letter from an owl. Just don't expect Quidditch.
- Slay the Spire (-66%) A$12.50 Card game crack. One more run always turns into five.
- Persona 3 Reload (-55%) A$48.50 Social links by day, dungeon crawling by night. Yes, you can date your classmates and save the world.
Or just get a Steam Wallet Card
Adam Mathew is a passionate connoisseur, a lifelong game critic, and an Aussie deals wrangler who genuinely wants to hook you up with stuff that's worth playing (but also cheap). He plays practically everything, sometimes on YouTube.