Black Friday is almost here, and while it's possible I might storm the shelves at Best Buy or Walmart, the chances aren't so high. I'm a bit nostalgic for those early days when it was impossible to buy games through the Internet or choose from an infinite supply of digital copies, but it's also a strategy I would never go back to.
The lines… the memories… the desperation to get there first…no thank you!
I'm perfectly happy buying games through digital retailers nowadays, and I have a lineup of games I know will keep me busy for the rest of the year. After I bought Octopath Traveler, I promised not to buy a $60 video game for the foreseeable future, and that's an oath that has held up so far and probably will until Dragon Quest XI comes to the Switch. Black Friday should help me catch up on a lot of games I've missed out on over the last few months
Here's what I intend to pick up this holiday season. Share your wishlists in the comments below.
Dragon Ball FighterZ
The latest Dragon Ball fighting game has been tearing up the charts as one of the year's highlights and easily the peak of the franchise's polarizing video game history. After dethroning heavy contenders like Street Fighter V and surpassing favorites like SoulCalibur VI in all the big fighting game tournaments earlier in the year, the game finally came to the Nintendo Switch in September, the version I've always intended to pick it up for.
Reviews have called it an amazing port that looks flawless when placed next to the other home console and arcade versions.
Looks like I'll be battling with Goku and friends instead of all of my longtime favorite Nintendo characters this holiday season. The cheapest I can find it on Black Friday is $25 at Walmart, which is more than half of the normal asking price. Yes, please!
Valkyria Chronicles 4
I doubt I would have enough time to sink into this game as I would like, but SEGA's long-awaited fourth entry in the Valkyria Chronicles franchise is on my radar this holiday season. Fan reaction has been pleasant with loyalists to the original happy to see the franchise get back to its roots. Some of the awkward humor has caused controversies since it launched, but the strategy gameplay has been refined to the point where you can't win by just barraging enemy lines with scouts and light rifles…
…man, if that all it took to win wars…
Valkyria Chronicles 4 is cheapest at GameStop, where its Black Friday sale has already kicked in at $39.99. Not the best of sales, but it's a decent price for a game that should provide fans with what they are looking for and strategy gamers who want a bit of anime graphics and storytelling with their deep tactical gameplay.
eShop Odds and Ends
The Nintendo eShop is where I do the bulk of my video game shopping these days. I pick up physical copies of major releases but have no inkling to do so for indie games. Cartridges are just so cumbersome, and the discounts you can get on the eShop are hard to argue against.
Most of the indie games I want to buy are rebuys from consoles I've owned in the past. I won't pay anything over $5 for them, depending on the game. Original titles though, I'm willing to dish out a bit more on.
I've got my eyes on:
Subset Games' sophomore strategy game following the success of FTL: Faster than Light has been almost as triumphant. Everyone loves this game, from the strategy gameplay to the randomized battles to the writing from veteran developer Chris Avellone.
At its base price, Into the Breach is only $15, so waiting for Black Friday seems like a steal for the amount of playtime you can get from this title.
Hailed by fans around the retro-world as the best throwback since Shovel Knight, I've had this game on my wishlist since it launched… and I'm a bit tired of seeing the permanent 15% discount there. If it doesn't drop in price for Black Friday, I might just pick it up to make that disappear.
As for the game, it's a wonderful, self-referential look at both the 8-bit NES days and the 16-bit SNES days, a fun blend of action, exploration, and everything that powered the best games from those eras.
My dream of turning the Nintendo Switch into an ideal retro-gaming platform would hardly be complete without the original NES Mega Man games. Since I already own it on the Nintendo 3DS, I don't want to pick up Mega Man Legacy Collection at full $14.99 price. If it drops significantly over the holidays, it'll definitely wind up in my digital collection.
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 is fine, but I'm not overly rabid of all the games on it besides Mega Man 9, not nearly as much as the original classics.
And if I pick up Valkyria Chronicles 4, I'll have to snag up the original as well. At $19.99, it's already a good price, but seeing how I already own this game on the PlayStation 3, I want to pick it up for less on what I think will be the ideal console for it.
TechnoBuffalo LLC (dba TechnoBuffalo.com) has affiliate partnerships with various companies. These do not at any time have any influence on the editorial content of TechnoBuffalo. TechnoBuffalo LLC may earn a commission from these links.
Add magic to your living space with these string lights
String lights add personality and soft light to your living space. Here are some of the best.
Disguise your little one with the help of a themed costume
From roaring lions to hoppy bunnies, costumes speak to every child's unique spirit. And we've collected our favorite options.
The Galaxy S20 Ultra's Space Zoom camera is amazing and a bit creepy
The Galaxy S20 Ultra supports up to 100X zoom, which Samsung calls Space Zoom, but is it any good? Can a phone really product usable photos at 100x zoom? We've got our Galaxy S20 Ultra already so join us to find out!
Use a chess clock to keep track of move and play times
These chess clocks feature dual clocks for players to control their own timers, and loud alarms so everyone knows when time is up. These clocks can be used for other 2-person games, like checkers, that may benefit from a game timer.