THE BEST Games

The members of Epic Symphonic Rock shared footage from one of their concerts, in which they performed a enveloping, larger-than-life orchestral medley of tunes from the Mario Bros. game franchise. Mega Man fans, they’ve got you covered too.

Once Upon a Workbench worked with his friends to build his kids one of the coolest playhouses we’ve ever seen. The build was inspired by Link’s house in the Nintendo Switch game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. If you have similar ambitions, you can purchase the plans for $60.

Want to create your own platform, puzzle, or shoot-em-up games? While the Unity engine is most often associated with 3D gaming, it’s also quite capable of making 2D games. This series of 11 online courses will teach you everything you need to build your own games in a snap. Grab this great deal today in The Awesomer Shop.

Beyond the addictive gameplay, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2’s best feature is its custom park creator tool, which has inspired some great fan-made levels. Skramblez put his world-building skills to the test with a skatepark that looks just like Peach’s Castle from Super Mario 64 – with a few extra rails, ramps, and pools.

It’s been a while since we got a Wipeout game, but it sure looks like players have a new one now. Despite having a different name, Pacer features the same breakneck, futuristic racing combat, and looks like a blast. It features eight single-player modes and online multiplayer. Out now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Hadouken! Teenage Engineering has teamed up with Capcom to create two pocket-sized sound makers, the PO-133 Street Fighter, and the PO-128 Mega Man. The Street Fighter model is a micro sampler with a built-in mic, while the Mega Man version is an 8-bit synthesizer. Both include sounds based on the games.

It’s going to be a while before we get a new Grand Theft Auto game with next-gen graphics. In the meantime, modders have turned to applying graphical upgrades to GTA V, like this incredible photorealistic footage of the 2013 sandbox shooter posted by OreoShaman. Check out some nighttime driving footage here.

Kamui Cosplay created one of the most amazing game weapon replicas we’ve seen – a detailed, lightweight version of Bolvar Fordragon’s Hammer from Shadowlands. It has 451 LEDs inside, plays game sounds, and even makes smoke. It also changes from orange to blue Lich King mode when shaken. Check out the full build video too.

People have joked that the monolithic design of the Xbox Series X looks like a fridge. So some folks from the Xbox team decided to roll with the idea, and modded some full-size refrigerators to look just like the console. iJustine unboxed one fridge, while Snoop Dogg filled his with gin and juice, naturally.

One of the most memorable bits of music in the history of video games has to be the background track that plays while you sit in the lobby of Nintendo’s Mii Channel. Musician Beanzo decided to pay tribute to this catchy little ditty with a fun four-part viola cover.

The latest Replicade mini arcade machines are based on Atari’s classic Asteroids. The 12″ tall game has an ultra-sharp display for the game’s B&W vector graphics and has every detail, including Atari’s “owl eyes” coin slots. Choose from a 3500-unit original version and a 500-unit Overhaul Edition with blue cabinet molding.

(Gore) Originally pitched on Kickstarter in 2017, this first-person horror adventure looks like someone splattered guts all over a spaceship designed by H.R. Giger. While this 13-minute gameplay trailer is short on story, it’s got creepy environments, squishy sounds, and tension for days. Coming to Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC in 2021.

PC gamers have been able to build amazing and vomit-inducing thrill rides with Planet Coaster for a few years now. Soon, console gamers can join in the fun too, with a new version slated for release on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Drops 11.10.2020. Gameplay demo here.

Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming service lets you play more than 100 Xbox games on Android devices. To get the most out of mobile gaming, you need a proper controller. Nacon will offer two designs – the tablet-style MG-X, and the MG-X Pro, which looks like a stretched-out Xbox controller. Both models drop in early 2021.

The guys behind BoardGameTables.com have created a fun, family-friendly game that anyone can play in about 15 minutes. In Kabuto Sumo, players take on the role of some badass beetles, and attempt to push their opponents out of the ring. Each wrestler disc has a unique shape and a special power that affects their moves.

Home arcade company Arcade1up has created a tabletop gaming system that lets you play digital versions of board games like Monopoly, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, and more. It will come in 24″ and 32″ versions, both with a touchscreen with tactile feedback, and Wi-Fi connectivity for downloading games and other content.

This DIY handheld gaming system offers gamers an opportunity to learn about electronics. The system features a 2.42″ monochrome widescreen and comes with 200 Arduboy games pre-loaded into its memory. Advanced users can even program their own games for it. Available with or without a tool kit.

LittleBigPlanet’s burlap protagonist is back, but this time, the game isn’t about custom level creation at all. The PS5 launch title is a 3D-platformer packed with vibrant and complex levels, while still retaining LBP’s co-op game dynamics, including both local and online multiplayer modes.

The opening theme music from Halo is best known for its epic, choral sound. But in the hands of the Mariachi Entertainment System, it’s a bit more festive – at least once the horn section kicks in.

As we move more and more towards digital downloads and streaming, there’s less need for packaging. Ahoy looks back at the days when computer games mostly came in oversize packages with bold box art, and started to standardize on a form factor back in the early 1990s. Despite the dry subject matter, Ahoy makes it interesting.

Ernest Cline presents the follow-up to his beloved bestseller. After the events of Ready Player One, Wade Watts makes a discovery in Halladay’s vaults – an advancement that could make OASIS even more wondrous – and addictive. Expect a heaping helping of pop culture references when the book hits on 11.24.2020.

We’re only a month from the release of Sony and Microsoft’s latest consoles, and both brands have been more liberal about showing the inner workings of their systems than before. Sony mechanical design VP Yasuhiro Ootori disassembles a brand new PS5, and explains each of its components. English subtitles available.

Back in the day, there was this great video game called Battle Chess, in which chess pieces fought to the death on the board. This clip from CGI animator lotsalote envisions what a next-gen version of that game might look like, as individual chess pieces explode violently on impact with their opponents.

Oculus goes all-in on wireless VR gaming with the latest version of its standalone Quest head-mounted display. It’s smaller and lighter, has upgraded hardware for smoother gameplay, 50% more pixels, and improved Oculus Touch controllers. It also works as a PC VR headset with an optional Oculus Link cable.

The music video for the Talking Heads track Once in a Lifetime is one of the most memorable clips of the 1980s. Using Valve’s Source 2 engine, Corey Laddo managed to perfectly replicate the clip, replacing the lanky and awkward David Byrne with the mysterious G-Man from the Half-Life series. Here’s the original for comparison.

Super Impulse makes teensy replicas of classic arcade games. New for Fall 2020 are versions of BurgerTime, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mappy, and a special Hello Kitty Pac-Man. They’ve also got a tiny Pop-A-Shot if you’re into boardwalk basketball. Keep an eye on Amazon, Wal-Mart, and Target for these latest releases.