It’s hard to believe it’s already June, but here we are—only a few weeks away from the official start to summer. That means plenty of deals are available on outdoor essentials to get you through the long days ahead, including grill accessories, power stations, tool kits, and lawn mowers. Maybe you'd rather hang out indoors to escape the heat? Well, controllers, PS5 games, and even Apple’s latest MacBook Air are all discounted today. With Father’s Day coming up, many of these items also make great gifts for the father figures in your life. TL;DR: Deals for Today2025 MacBook Air (13-inch, M4)The Last of Us Part II Remastered for PS5SteelSeries Stratus Duo Wireless Gaming ControllerLowest Price EverAnker USB-C Charger (Nano 65W)Lowest Price EverJBL Bar 700Fremo TP300 Portable Power StationLowest Price EverCraftsman VERSASTACK Mechanics Tool SetThe Last of Us Part I for PS5Lowest Price of the YearPlayStation DualSenseJLab Talk Pro USB MicCuisinart 13-Piece Wooden Grill Tool SetFive Nights at Freddy's: Tales from the Pizzaplex Graphic Novel Collection Vol. 1Lowest Price EverEGO Power+ LM2135SP 21-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower KitLowest Price EverCharmast Portable Charger with Built in CablesBeyond these great deals, the Pokémon Destined Rivals TCG just dropped on Friday, leading a bunch of chase cards to crash. While some cards have regained value over the past couple of days, pre-order remorse is still alive and well. But whether you want to grab just a single card or a sealed pack, now might be a good time to buy. A pre-order for the Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy bundle is also available at Walmart before the launch in a couple of weeks. 2025 MacBook Air (13-inch, M4)2025 MacBook Air (13-inch, M4)Apple’s newest MacBook Air model, which came out only a couple of months ago, already has $160 slashed off its list price, making it under $840. With it comes a powerful M4 processor offering a 10-core CPU and GPU paired with 16GB RAM for a performance boost from previous models. This laptop can zip through everyday tasks and supports Apple Intelligence. Of course, the 13-inch Liquid Retina display is stunning, but this Air model supports a dual monitor setup as well. The camera also got an upgrade this time around, as it’s now 12MP and supports Center Stage and Desk View features. SteelSeries Stratus Duo Wireless Gaming ControllerSteelSeries Stratus Duo Wireless Gaming ControllerWhile the SteelSeries Stratus Duo Wireless Gaming Controller was already a great budget option at its starting price of $50, the $15 price tag after using the code: STEELSERIES makes it a wildly cheap gamepad. Sure, this controller won’t offer the flash and customizations of higher-end offerings, but it gets the job done with Hall Effect triggers, quality hardware, a 20+ hour battery life, and ergonomic design. Pairing with a PC is simple using the lag-free wireless dongle, and Bluetooth support is available for playing on the best gaming phones. The Last of Us Part I and II for PS5The Last of Us Part II Remastered for PS5The Last of Us Part I for PS5PlayStation’s Days of Play sale isn’t only happening at the PlayStation Store; plenty of other retailers, including Amazon, are getting in on the action by dropping the prices of a bunch of PlayStation products. The Last of Us Part I and Part II for PS5 are both down to the low, low price of just $30. So, get ready to join Joel and Ellie on a harrowing journey across the post-apocalyptic United States. Anker USB-C Charger (Nano 65W)Lowest Price EverAnker USB-C Charger (Nano 65W)Skip the hassle of having multiple charging bricks to top up devices and opt for this all-in-one solution from Anker instead. It’s an absolute steal right now at just $30, for 46% savings. It comes with two USB-C ports capable of charging speeds up to 65W, which is plenty to charge most laptops and tablets quickly, while a USB-A port is available with up to 22.5W power delivery. Just be prepared for those outputs to lower when charging three devices simultaneously. JBL Bar 700Lowest Price EverJBL Bar 700Kick your home theater setup up a notch with a new sound bar. JBL’s Bar 700 is back on sale for its lowest price ever, knocking $350 off the price tag. This audio system features a 5.1-channel soundbar and a 10-inch wireless subwoofer for a cinematic experience delivering next-level sound with booming bass. With Dolby Atmos support, you’ll be placed right in the center of the action of your favorite movies, shows, and games. The built-in Wi-Fi with AirPlay, Alexa Multi-Room Music, and Chromecast support also makes listening to your favorite music simple. Fremo TP300 Portable Power StationFremo TP300 Portable Power StationSummertime brings storms that can knock out power, and in case of emergencies, backup electricity is a must. Rather than grabbing a gas-guzzling generator, a portable power station that uses a lithium-ion battery is a simpler and safer solution for temporary outages. Fremo has an awesome power station that’s $120 off, costing just $150. It offers a 231 Wh capacity battery and five output ports for charging, including a USB-C, USB-A, AC, and car port. 300W of charging power is divided between those outputs, providing enough juice to top up phones, tablets, laptops, and cameras. It only weighs 6.2 pounds too, making it a portable option for camping trips, while the built-in flashlight ensures easier navigation of darker spaces. Craftsman VERSASTACK Mechanics Tool SetLowest Price EverCraftsman VERSASTACK Mechanics Tool SetLooking to grab a gift for the car lover in your life? The Craftsman VERSASTACK Mechanics Tool Set is down to its lowest price ever, costing just $99 for 50% savings. Not only do you get a massive 230-piece tool set full of all the sockets, wrenches, ratchets, and bits needed to fix up a vehicle, but you can also enjoy the peace of mind knowing you’ll enjoy the high-quality craftsmanship for years to come. It also comes with a durable 3-drawer box to keep things organized. PlayStation DualSense ControllerLowest Price of the YearPlayStation DualSenseThe controller that comes packaged with the PlayStation 5 is at its lowest price of the year, setting you back under $55 for 27% savings. This wireless gamepad is comfortable to use, compatible with a range of gaming devices, and full of reliable controls. Haptics and adaptive triggers are baked in, amplifying your playing experience further. Plus, you can remap buttons, customizing the controls to give you a leg up in certain games. JLab Talk Pro USB MicJLab Talk Pro USB MicKick your game streams up a notch, as the JLab Talk Pro USB Mic is on sale for over 77% off on Woot, making it just $34.99. This plug-and-play microphone is easy to set up and features four directional patterns. Whether you’re looking to record podcasts and music or take phone calls and do ASMR, it’ll be the perfect partner. Sound quality will even be optimized for whatever you’re recording, and the mic features volume and gain controls, ensuring you come across crystal clear. Cuisinart 13-Piece Wooden Grill Tool SetCuisinart 13-Piece Wooden Grill Tool SetSummer means it’s grilling season, so it’s always a good idea to have a grill tool set on hand. Right now, Cuisinart has a great deal on a high-quality set for just $23.99. The reputable brand includes all the barbecue essentials in the kit, like a spatula, grill fork, cleaning brush, and tongs. Each of the tools features a sturdy wooden handle and stainless steel for a premium look and feel, while a case is included for safe storage. If you’re on the hunt for a Father’s Day gift, it also makes a great gift for those hard-to-buy-for dads and father figures. Five Nights at Freddy's: Tales from the Pizzaplex Graphic Novel Collection Vol. 1Five Nights at Freddy's: Tales from the Pizzaplex Graphic Novel Collection Vol. 1If you’re a fan of the horror video game, Five Nights at Freddy’s, a new graphic novel series from the creator, Scott Cawthon, is already discounted to the low price of just $8.90. This volume brings some horrifying and detailed comics to the story from the bestselling series Five Nights at Freddy's: Tales from the Pizzaplex, featuring the under-construction section of Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex, a Tube Maze, and some chaos. EGO Power+ LM2135SP 21-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower KitLowest Price EverEGO Power+ LM2135SP 21-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower KitIt’s lawn mowing season, and battery-powered lawn mowers are beginning to take the reign from their gas-powered counterparts. You might think that these electric mowers offer less oomph, but the EGO Power+ LM2135SP 21-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit will prove you wrong. It’s self-propelled, has a multicut blade system, and runs for 60 minutes on a single charge. A second battery is even included, so you can keep mowing while the other battery charges. Right now, you can grab this kit for its lowest price ever, $599.99. That’s 43% off. Charmast Portable Charger with Built in CablesLowest Price EverCharmast Portable Charger with Built in CablesPortable chargers are great and all, but if you forget the right cord, they’re pretty useless. Charmast fixes this problem by offering a 10,000mAh power bank with USB-C, Lightning, and MicroUSB cables built in, so it’s ready to top off just about any device. Plus, there’s a USB-A cord for charging up the power bank. Each of the cables also has a slot for storage on the portable charger, preventing anything from getting snagged when on the go. Now is the time to buy, too, as it’s back to its lowest price, costing just under $20. Pokémon Destined Rivals Sealed Products and Single CardsDestined RivalsBooster BundleDestined RivalsBooster BoxDestined RivalsElite Trainer BoxDestined RivalsPokemon Center Elite Trainer Box (Exclusive)Destined RivalsHalf Booster Box$199.99 at TCG PlayerDestined RivalsBooster PackDestined RivalsSleeved Booster PackDestined Rivals3 Pack Blister [Zebstrika]See it at TCG PlayerDestined Rivals3 Pack Blister [Kangaskhan]Destined RivalsBuild & Battle BoxAfter the best market value on Pokémon Destined Rivals sealed products? Some great deals are available from TCG Player, as big box stores continue to hike up the prices. Cynthia's Roserade - 184/182Team Rocket's Moltres ex - 229/182Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex - 231/182Team Rocket's Murkrow - 200/182Shaymin - 185/182Ethan's Ho-Oh ex - 230/182Team Rocket's Crobat ex - 234/182Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex - 240/182Ethan's Adventure - 236/182Misty's Psyduck - 193/182Misty's Lapras - 194/182Team Rocket's Giovanni - 238/182Team Rocket's Meowth - 203/182Rotom - 197/182Ethan's Typhlosion - 190/182Hydrapple - 188/182Blaziken - 192/182Rapidash - 189/182Kangaskhan - 204/182Jamming Tower - 243/182Clamperl - 195/182Team Rocket's Houndoom - 191/182Cynthia's Garchomp ex - 241/182Levincia - 244/182Cynthia's Garchomp ex - 232/182Team Rocket's Nidoking ex - 233/182Team Rocket's Ariana - 237/182Crustle - 186/182Yanma - 183/182Arven's Mabosstiff ex - 235/182Team Rocket's Raticate - 202/182Team Rocket's Crobat ex - 242/182Team Rocket's Orbeetle - 198/182Team Rocket's Spidops - 187/182Arven's Greedent - 205/182Team Rocket's Weezing - 199/182Ethan's Ho-Oh ex - 239/182

Grapezard Member Nov 16, 2017 8,377 Round 1's vote was Entei (24.8 %) versus Raikou (14.3%) versus Suicune (60.9%). It was a Suicune sweep. Round 2 is cute vs. cool. The original vs. the copy. Mew - Cute - Elusive - The ancestor to all Pokemon (ish) - Lives under a truck Mewtwo - Edgelord - Built in a lab, destroyed said lab - Game Freak's special boy who got 2 mega evolutions   Shane M Avenger Jan 1, 2018 780 Thorold, Ontario, Canada Mew   Baphomet Member Dec 8, 2018 21,836 I love both but I like Mew more, simple but very cute design.   Falchion Member Oct 25, 2017 44,377 Easily Mew and especially shiny Mew.   TaySan SayTan Member Dec 10, 2018 36,640 Tulsa, Oklahoma Mew is more cute :D   Darryl M R The Spectacular PlayStation-Man Member Oct 25, 2017 10,582 Mew   SanTheSly The San Symphony Project Member Sep 2, 2019 8,074 United Kingdom Mewtwo is basically the first ever Superboss/Final Challenge/Best Weapon I ever experienced in an RPG in my life so I have to give it to the edgelord.   Zebesian-X Member Dec 3, 2018 25,277 Gotta be Mew. Such a simple, effective design. Combine that with how elusive and mysterious it felt (nobody I knew had a non-action replay mew), and you've got an easy winner   Stencil Mailing His Own Damn Business Member Oct 30, 2017 13,499 USA Mew. So iconic, the simplicity is a master class in character design. I have a Mew tattoo in the works.   Lotus One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 123,929 Mew for sure   strait Member May 12, 2025 19 Grapezard said: - Built in a lab, destroyed said lab Click to expand... Click to shrink... Well, he never asked to be created and was going to be forced to be a tool of destruction.  Last edited: Today at 11:02 AM z_rgb Member May 23, 2024 25 A mean, 0 doubts. Mew. Because of everything.  Joe Member Oct 25, 2017 9,747 I still can't believe they've had the self-control not to go for a Mewthree. Anyway, Mew wins. Lives under a truck!  Zebesian-X Member Dec 3, 2018 25,277 Joe said: I still can't believe they've had the self-control not to go for a Mewthree. Anyway, Mew wins. Lives under a truck! Click to expand... Click to shrink... Pokemon Legends: MewThree is gonna sell 50 billion copies   RochHoch One Winged Slayer Member May 22, 2018 21,288 Voting for the Pokemon equivalent of Freeza   Saikyo Member Oct 25, 2017 2,540 Today, we are all Mewtwos   Lotus One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 123,929 I love how Mew to this day is the most unbothered Pokémon ever   Mekanos ▲ Legend ▲ Member Oct 17, 2018 48,526 Mewtwo is my #3 favorite pokemon, and Mew isn't #1 or #2. Mew doesn't even chart.   Forerunner Resetufologist The Fallen Oct 30, 2017 18,757 Mewtwo GOAT Mew is lame  Ouroboros Member Oct 27, 2017 16,092 Mew is such a dork, I love it.   Dark Knight One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 21,310 I like Mew, they are a real cutie.   super-famicom Avenger Oct 26, 2017 30,500 I prefer Mew, but I like to think that Mewtwo needs a friend/family so I'll vote for them.   Scarlet Spider One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 6,130 Brooklyn, NY Mewtwo. Such a tragic powerhouse of a Pokémon.  Lotus One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 123,929 super-famicom said: I prefer Mew, but I like to think that Mewtwo needs a friend/family so I'll vote for them. Click to expand... Click to shrink... A vote isn't a friend or family tho :P  HiLife Avenger Oct 25, 2017 44,345 The cuter option always wins.   Phendrana Member Oct 26, 2017 7,911 Melbourne, Australia Hard choice. I would say I prefer the design of Mew, but it's really Mewtwo that makes both of them so iconic. In a vacuum Mew would honestly be a fairly standard (though very cute!) mythical Pokemon. It's Mewtwo's existence that adds this whole extra mythology and significance to the pair. And I don't think the inverse is true; Mewtwo would still be an incredible and pretty unique design amongst Legendaries even without its backstory and relation to Mew. I'll give it to the clone.  W1ckedEvoX Member Oct 27, 2017 397 You know that scene in Dragon Ball Super where SSBlue Vegeta is holding up SSRose Black by his hair?? Yea, Mew is Vegeta and Black is Mewtwo. Thats my answer lol.  Joe Member Oct 25, 2017 9,747 Phendrana said: Hard choice. I would say I prefer the design of Mew, but it's really Mewtwo that makes both of them so iconic. In a vacuum Mew would honestly be a fairly standard (though very cute!) mythical Pokemon. It's Mewtwo's existence that adds this whole extra mythology and significance to the pair. And I don't think the inverse is true; Mewtwo would still be an incredible and pretty unique design amongst Legendaries even without its backstory and relation to Mew. I'll give it to the clone. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yeah, I think this is a good point  Thornquist Member Jan 22, 2018 1,536 Norway Pokemon was always best before the anime retconning it all around "cuteness". Mewtwo all the way. Still the best legendary by a country mile.  Lady Bow Member Nov 30, 2017 11,799 Mewtwo has bars and the fits   Lotus One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 123,929 Phendrana said: In a vacuum Mew would honestly be a fairly standard (though very cute!) mythical Pokemon Click to expand... Click to shrink... Mew would always still have the mystique of being the first Mythical plus the whole implied ancestor of all Pokémon lore, Mewtwo is definitely not required to find it intriguing  Vito One Winged Slayer - Formerly Undead Fantasy Member Oct 25, 2017 18,513 I love both but Mewtwo will always be my favorite Pokemon. W1ckedEvoX said: You know that scene in Dragon Ball Super where SSBlue Vegeta is holding up SSRose Black by his hair?? Yea, Mew is Vegeta and Black is Mewtwo. Thats my answer lol. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Lol. Funny you give this example because the very next episode, Black owns Vegeta.   closer Member Oct 25, 2017 5,556 mew is cooler but mewtwo is funnier   Red Hunter Member May 28, 2024 1,506 Mewtwo   Rustyspider13 Shinra Employee Member Nov 16, 2023 3,602 Mewtwo is the OG superboss for me.   Nike Dunk Member Apr 24, 2024 160 Edge forever, Mewtwo is that guy   steviestar3 One Winged Slayer Member Jul 3, 2018 5,441 I like both but Mew is really just a backstory element that exists to flesh out Mewtwo. It's good at that and it's a cool Pokemon in its own right but it doesn't compare to the full package of design/lore/gameplay integration that is Mewtwo in RBY.   W1ckedEvoX Member Oct 27, 2017 397 Vito said: I love both but Mewtwo will always be my favorite Pokemon. Lol. Funny you give this example because the very next episode, Black owns Vegeta. Click to expand... Click to shrink... LOL that is true! I shoulda elaborated more…that Mewtwo isn't an original and can't tap into the true potential blah blah lol Edit: need to point out I LOVE both of them tho  Corrupt Shinra Employee Member Oct 31, 2017 919 mewtwo but with his original armour on   xpownz ▲ Legend ▲ Member Feb 13, 2020 2,907 goddamn the results   J_Viper Member Oct 25, 2017 27,133 Beren One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 4,997 Mew is my favorite Pokémon, so Mew!   level Member May 25, 2023 1,367 Mew. Mewtwo is given this "badass" persona but Mew can kick its ass in a second.  Busaiku Teyvat Traveler Member Oct 25, 2017 17,881 Mew is cute, so them.   fontguy Avenger Oct 8, 2018 17,176 I feel Mewtwo would be the more dependable romantic partner.   A.M. Community Resettler Member Oct 25, 2017 1,221 Under a mountain of blankets. Send cute otters. The Mew card that you received with the movie ticket is still my favourite pokemon card. But I vote Mewtwo. He secluded himself to a cave and still, your ass barges in and disturbs him. Red is rude as hell.  the anbu master Member Apr 25, 2025 29 United Kingdom Mew: his personality in the first movie is adorable   King Alamat Member Nov 22, 2017 9,318 Mewtwo because I unironically think edgelord designs are peak.   Vidiot Member Oct 27, 2017 4,949 Mewtwo.   jokkir Member Oct 25, 2017 9,136 Mew. Lives under a truck and no one found him there yet  

10 incredible new tabletop games for you to play in summer 2025 Lucy Orr Published May 16, 2025 2:00pm Pokémon TCG is in for a hot summer (The Pokémon Company) GameCentral looks at the most exciting new summer tabletop releases, including adaptations of Final Fantasy, Assassin’s Creed, and Citizen Sleeper The tabletop games industry has become an unlikely victim of Trump’s tariff trade war. Just after it was recovering from Covid supply chain issues it now sees itself hit with manufacturing issues and an uncertain future. It’s so bad that board game developer CMON has already shut up shop and Stonemaier, famous for the hugely successful Wingspan, is suing the Trump administration. Meanwhile Cephalofair, developer of fan favourite Gloomhaven, can’t even get their product on to the shelves, as it’s stuck in China. While I don’t expect any empty shelves at the UK Games Expo this month, there’s definitely panic in the air. Although one company that doesn’t seem to be too concerned is Games Workshop, who have always manufactured most of their products in the UK – although accessories and terrain for your favourite Warhammer army might become harder to find in the future. After everyone got into it during lockdown, the tabletop industry was riding a huge boom, with recent industry projections of the market doubling to around £20 billion by 2030. But US tariffs have left the industry reeling and could see the price for tabletop games around the world rise significantly. Despite the doom and gloom there’s plenty of exciting new products already out this year and many more on the way from massive brands such as Pokémon and Disney, as well as new Kickstarters that you can print yourself, thereby completely bypassing any manufacturing issues. There’s also never been a better time to support your local board game shop or Dungeons & Dragons club, as their overheads rise, so here’s a selection of games you might find on their shelves right now and those coming soon, that I’m excited to play during the summer break. Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy Square Enix’s iconic Final Fantasy franchise is stepping onto the cardboard battlefield with Magic: The Gathering, and the result is as gloriously nostalgic as it is mechanically exciting. The Universes Beyond initiative brings beloved characters, summons, and settings into Magic’s gameplay, with Cloud Strife leading the charge. The Final Fantasy Starter Kit offers two pre-constructed 60 card decks, packed with flavour and function and perfect for newcomers attracted by the sight of a Chocobo or Moogle. Each deck includes five rares, a foil mythic legendary, deck boxes, and digital codes for Magic: The Gathering Arena. But the real draw? The cards themselves. They are stunning. Cloud channels Final Fantasy 7’s environmental and emotional themes, with equipment-focused synergies that feel spot-on. Stiltzkin the Moogle is a flavourful support piece for donation strategies and the terrifying Tonberry arrives with Deathtouch and First Strike, which is fitting for a creature that’s haunted players for decades. With gorgeous full art treatments by amazing artists such as Takahashi Kazuya and Yoshitaka Amano, underpinned by clever mechanical call backs, this crossover is more than fan service, it’s a lovingly crafted bridge between two gaming giants that’s bound to fly of the shelves. £15.99 on Amazon – releases June 13 Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team: Typhon There’s a possible future where Games Workshop is the final tabletop company left standing, as they dodge tariffs and take down licence infringers like a particularly vicious swarm of tyrranids. You too can act out this future in Kill Team: Typhon, which delivers the chaos of Warhammer 40,000 in a claustrophobic, subterranean brawl between flesh-rending Tyranid Raveners and a desperate Adeptus Mechanicus Battleclade. The latest Kill Team box looks stunning and turns up the tension with asymmetric forces: a lean, elite brood of Raveners – deadly melee predators that can tunnel through terrain – versus a jury-rigged Mechanicus strike team, built from repurposed servitors and guided by a technoarchaeologist scouring ancient relics. But this isn’t Helldivers 2. The Raveners can be customised into deadly variants like the Tremorscythe and Felltalon, each armed with bio-engineered weapons designed for close-quarters carnage. On the other side, the Mechanicus bring massed, lobotomised firepower: breachers, gunners, medics, and overseers to allow for some tactical coordination. Also included are Hormagaunts, the swarming Tyrranids shock troops and new Tyranid-infested terrain – always the standout feature of these kill team boxes, in my opinion, and perfect for narrative or larger 40K battles. Typhon embraces Kill Team’s strength: cinematic asymmetry and high stakes. Price TBA – releases June Scalpers are going to love this (The Pokémon Company) Pokémon Trading Card Game Scarlet & Violet – Destined Rivals Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box This red and black box is going for gangbusters on eBay, before it’s even supposed to be out. The Scarlet & Violet Destined Rivals set reintroduces the beloved Trainer’s Pokémon mechanic, but now with a twist where players can align with iconic duos like Arven’s Mabosstiff and Ho-Oh ex or Cynthia and Garchomp ex. Or fall in with Team Rocket under Giovanni’s command, fielding heavy hitters like Mewtwo ex. It’s a rich throwback to the Gym Heroes era, with cards that spotlight specific trainer and pokémon bonds, each emblazoned with the trainer’s name. The expansion includes 83 cards branded under Team Rocket, 17 new Pokémon ex cards (10 of which are Trainer’s Pokémon ex), and a trove of high rarity collectibles: 23 illustration rares, 11 special illustration rares, and six hyper rare gold-etched cards. But the pre-launch hasn’t been all Sunflora and Jigglypuffs. Since its full reveal on March 24, pre-orders have sparked a frenzy amongst scalpers, with sellouts and early store hiccups are already marring the rollout. Still, between the nostalgia bait and villainous charm, Destined Rivals is shaping up to be one of 2025’s hottest trading card releases. RRP £54.99 – releases May 30 Finspan One game I just can’t put back on the shelf at the moment is Finspan; who’d of thought fish could be so much fun? Since Wingspan took flight in 2019, it’s become a modern classic: part art piece, part engine builder, and a benchmark for gateway games. Finspan, the third entry in the series, swaps feathers for fins, inviting players to explore marine ecosystems across oceanic zones in a beautifully illustrated, medium-lightweight game that last about 45 minutes. Mechanically, Finspan is more accessible than Wingspan, thanks to forgiving resource generation and a gentler deck structure. Strategic depth is still there, whether you chase high value fish, go wide with schools, or balance both. It’s more of a solo puzzle, and less about blocking opponents, which might suit more casual groups. Replayability is strong, and with one to five player support it scales well. The art is stunning, and the fish facts make you feel like a would-be marine biologist. But I missed the funny components (no birdhouse dice tower), so this is missing some of that Wingspan magic. Finspan is a fantastic entry point to the series and an accessible and fun addition to the franchise. It’s not as perfect as Wingspan, but it swims confidently in its own current. Could we see whale and crustacean expansions? I hope so. RRP £41.99 – available now Star Wars Unlimited – Jump To Lightspeed While you might have missed the Star Wars Celebration in Japan last month, and be bereft over the end of Andor Season 2, don’t worry – there are plenty of alternatives for Star Wars fandom. Fantasy Flight Games is revving its hyperdrive with Jump To Lightspeed, the fourth set for trading card game Star Wars Unlimited. A dramatic shift from previous ground-focused releases, this set propels players into orbit, with an emphasis on space combat and a host of gameplay refinements. Headlining the release are two new Spotlight Decks, each featuring a classic rivalry, such as Han Solo vs. Boba Fett. These 50-card preconstructed decks introduce Pilots, a brand-new card type that changes how space units operate. Pilots can be deployed to enhance ships with improved health and damage dealing abilities, offering fresh tactical depth. The set also debuts the Piloting keyword, a hyperspace mechanic, and five special rarity cards per deck, including one new Leader per Spotlight release. It’s a sleek continuation of Unlimited’s mission, with deep strategy wrapped in Star Wars flair. Fantasy Flight isn’t just releasing a new set; they’re effectively entering year two of the game with a soft reboot, that smartly rebalances and refreshes. For new and returning players, the standalone Spotlight Decks offer a refined on-ramp into the meta, while the stellar art and fan favourite make this one of the best sci-fi trading card games around. RRP: £34.99 – available now An indie tabletop game adapting an indie video game (Jump Over the Age) Citizen Sleeper: Spindlejack I was gutted I didn’t manage to nab some physical Cycles of the Eye Data-Cloud dice from Lost in Cult, before they sold out, so I was ecstatic to see the shadow drop of Citizen Sleeper: Spindlejack, especially as it’s completely free. It’s a lean, solo tabletop role-player set in the neon-drenched corridors of the Far Spindle, part of the Citizen Sleeper universe. Released on May 5th (aka Citizen Sleeper Day), it’s a print-and-play experience that trades dense narrative for kinetic delivery runs and tactical movement through a crumbling space station. Inspired by Kadet, the courier from Citizen Sleeper 2, Spindlejack casts you as one of the eponymous daredevils: airbike mounted messengers who dodge cargo haulers and urban decay to deliver sensitive payloads in a haunted, half-dead network. The draw? Not just the cryo or reputation, but the thrill, the competition, and the culture. Using your 10 six-sided dice, a pencil, and some printed sheets you’ll chart courses across randomly generated intersections, upgrade your bike, and edge toward Spindlejack legend status. Designed by Gareth Damian Martin, with stylish, gritty art from Guillaume Singelin, this is a tight, systems-focused dive into a beloved sci-fi setting. No campaign scheduling. No group required. Just you, your dice, and the Spindle’s rusted arteries. For fans of Citizen Sleeper or those craving a focused, atmospheric solo experience, Spindlejack is a no-brainer. DIY or DIE. Available now Disney Lorcana has become a certified hit (Ravensburger) Disney Lorcana – Reign Of Jafar Set 8 and Illumineer’s Quest: Palace Heist The internet has been on fire with the announcement that forthcoming Lorcana sets are to include Darkwing Duck and The Goofy Movie cast, emphasising that Disney Lorcana has become something of a juggernaut since its 2023 debut, captivating collectors and competitive players with a blend of nostalgic charm and evolving mechanics – judging scandals aside. During the Next Chapter of Lorcana livestream earlier this month, Ravensburger dropped major news. The autumn 2025 set, Fabled, will introduce Lorcana’s first ever set rotation, a sign the game is maturing into a competitive force. To support this shift, Fabled will include reprints from earlier sets, while also debuting two new rarity levels: epic and the ultra-rare Iconic. Reign Of Jafar, the game’s eighth set, sees Jafar rise as the new central villain, corrupting Archazia’s Island and bringing a darker twist to the narrative. Familiar faces like Mulan, Stitch, Rapunzel, and Bruno return, alongside new cards and accessories, including updated sleeves and deck boxes featuring classic Enchanted artwork. The new Illumineer’s Quest: Palace Heist PvE box expands on the beloved Deep Trouble, letting players face Jafar co-op style. Expect pre-built decks (Amethyst Amber and Ruby Steel), booster boxes, and enough lore-packed cardboard to fuel your summer break. £16.99 starter pack – releases May 30 The Lord Of The Rings: Fate Of The Fellowship While Finspan might be missing a dice tower, Fate Of The Fellowship more than makes up for that with a dice tower Barad-dûr. This is a one to five player co-op strategy game that builds on the Pandemic System but adds enough fresh features to feel distinct, deeper, and more precious than ever. Players take on the roles of Fellowship members and allies, racing to protect havens from surging shadow troops and helping Frodo sneak past the Nazgûl en route to Mount Doom. Unlike previous Pandemic adaptations, Fate Of The Fellowship leans hard into narrative mechanics. You’ll juggle four resources – stealth, valour, resistance, and friendship – across a sprawling map as you battle despair and shifting objectives. Each player commands two characters, with asymmetric abilities and layered decisions every turn. With 24 rotating objectives, a constant threat from the Eye of Sauron, and a cleverly tuned solo mode, designer Matt Leacock has crafted his richest Pandemic variant yet. I’ve seen plenty of tabletop gamers saying this will be their must-play at UK Games Expo. RRP £69.99 – releases June 27 Assassin’s Creed Animus Animus brings the Assassin’s Creed universe to the tabletop in a wholly fresh, narrative-driven experience. Up to four players select historical eras, each tied to a legendary assassin like Ezio or Eivor, resulting in distinct, asymmetric playstyles, unique objectives, and specialised mechanics. Rather than a miniatures skirmish, this is a competitive, timeline-jumping adventure where players dive into ancestral memories via the titular Animus. Strategic stealth and precision matter: while one player might rush to the end, victory favours those who stay synchronised with their ancestor’s memory by completing tasks efficiently and, of course, stealthily. While there’s still not much information about this game at the moment, Animus looks to employ modular and evolving dynamics driven by interactive card play. Players can impact each other’s timelines, which will hopefully keep the experience reactive and organic. With deep lore integration, and Ubisoft’s full support, this could the most ambitious Assassin’s Creed tabletop title yet. Crowdfunding starts summer 2025 Some like it Hoth (Days of Wonder) Star Wars: Battle Of Hoth Days of Wonder, the studio behind tabletop classic Ticket To Ride, has unveiled its next major release, with Star Wars: Battle Of Hoth. Designed for two to four players, aged 8 and up, this fast-paced board game runs around 30 minutes per session and leans on the accessible, card-driven Commands & Colors system. More Trending Players will face off as Imperial or Rebel forces across 17 scenario-driven missions, with options to escalate into campaign mode. Leader cards introduce familiar names like Vader, Luke, Leia, and Han to influence the tide of battle. Although it should be easy to learn, concerns linger about the scope of the battlefield. A cramped board could reduce tactical play to simple dice duels, something fans of strategic depth may find frustrating. Questions also remain about unit range and movement dynamics. Still, Battle Of Hoth promises cinematic nostalgia and the potential for layered tactics, and all for a very reasonable price. RRP: £49.99 – crowdfunding starts summer 2025 Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Oh it’s fun to have good news! The latest set from the Pokémon TCG, Scarlet & Violet Destined Rivals, is a top-notch collection of cards bursting with Team Rocket antics, which sports (in my limited experience, at least) pull rates I don’t believe we’ve seen in this era. Having torn open 55 packs, I have a generous spread of rares and ex cards the likes of which I’ve not seen since S&V began. Also, unlike the awful previous set Journey Together, it’s an excellent collection of Trainer Pokémon to really charge up the live game.Suggested ReadingWhat’s Coming Out Beyond Pokémon: The Indigo Disk | The Week In Games Share SubtitlesOffEnglishview videoSuggested ReadingWhat’s Coming Out Beyond Pokémon: The Indigo Disk | The Week In Games Share SubtitlesOffEnglishYou know, if you can buy it.While it’s delightful to report that The Pokémon Company has really knocked it out of the park with Destined Rivals, unfortunately this hasn’t coincided with addressing the wild shortages of cards for regular customers. It’s a problem that only just repeated itself with last week’s website-crashing launch of the next sets, White Fire and Black Bolt—the first ever split-set English-language collection—that looks likely to be as impossible to buy as just about everything else this year. Or, if you do, you’ll be paying way over MSRP to scalpers, and please don’t do that.However, smart players will know that the best way to get cards for any set is to attend a pre-release event at their local store or club, where everyone receives seven or more packs, generally for less than $30. Those are taking place Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18, although I hear that even these were booking up fast weeks ago. If you can, I really recommend making the effort for Destined Rivals. It’s a bunch of fun, and if the 55 packs I opened are an accurate sample (thanks to The Pokémon Company for sending them over), you’re likely to pick up a good handful of super-pretty full-art cards.Image: The Pokémon Company / KotakuSo why am I so excited for this set? It’s a combination of things. It’d be silly to pretend that the first appearance of Team Rocket in the game in 25 years isn’t a big part of the thrill, and the set is rammed full of the nefarious group and their signature monsters. Among the Pokémon boosted by Team Rocket are Moltres, Zapdos and Articuno, along with newcomer Spidops, classics like Meowth and Mewtwo, and that most evil of Pokémon, Flaaffy. Meanwhile, for the forces of good, Cynthia, Misty, Ethan and Arven all join, again bringing back some favorites like Milotic, Gyarados, Psyduck and Ho-oh. It’s a real crowd-pleaser.Secondly, those pull-rates. When I get these boxes of cards from TPCi, I sit down and open them with my 10-year-old. It’s a really solid way of gauging the levels of satisfaction, his spirit draining out of him when we’re tearing through a set like Journey Together and just getting endless bulk. But with Destined Rivals, even my Pokémon-uninterested wife wanted in, so fun was it to have a strong chance of finding an exciting card. Where Journey Together only had 31 full-art cards, Destined Rivals has an amazing 62! Double! Admittedly, that’s on top of a wild 182 regular cards (included ex), making this the biggest set since Surging Sparks, but with—in my admittedly unscientific sample—a seemingly much better chance of finding the special stuff.We were especially lucky to pull the Team Rocket’s Ariana Special Illustration Rare, along with one of my chase cards, the Illustration Rare of Misty’s Psyduck. No Mewtwo, sadly, but we also got 12 regular ex cards (only two duplicates), and 11 full-arts! If you include ex in the figures, that’s a pull-rate of almost one in two! Remove the regular ex cards and you’ve still got one in five for something Ultra Rare or better. Those included the wildly gorgeous Rapidash by Rond, Mori Yuu’s extraordinarily detailed Clamperl, the delightful Team Rocket’s Murkrow (with Ariana and the Pokémon staring at one another in front of a skyline of skyscrapers) by Akira Komayama, and the splendidly silly Team Rocket’s Raticate by Mekayu (the artist who gave us the glorious Drampa from Temporal Forces).Image: The Pokémon Company / KotakuAnd thirdly, the game itself! Journey Together was supposed to be the reintroduction of Trainer Pokémon to the live game, but it was such a damp squib. This time, things are really going to get mixed up! Team Rocket arrive with an array of brand new tricks and cheats, and while people are obviously going to build decks around Misty and Ethan, it’ll be the baddies that once more prove the most fun.There’s the addition of Team Rocket’s Energy, which provides two energy to any Team Rocket Pokémon, and can be either Dark or Psychic or both! Meanwhile, Team Rocket’s Venture Bomb lets you flip a coin to find out if it’s going to do 20 damage to any of your opponent’s Pokémon, or 20 specifically to your own Active Pokémon—but being an Item card, you can do this silliness as many times as you have cards in a single turn. Giovanni, meanwhile, offers a classic evil move: you can play him to swap out your current Active Pokémon, but also do the same to your opponent, and choose which of their benched Pokémon goes in. Team Rocket’s Great Ball lets you flip a coin and then pull either an Evolution or Basic Pokémon from your deck depending on the result. And then Stadium card Team Rocket’s Watchtower renders all Pokémon without abilities! That’s going to destroy so many players’ tactics!Oh, and there’s a card called Team Rocket’s Bother Bot, and while its ability is fascinating—you can flip one of your opponent’s prize cards, then pick a random card from their hand, and then choose if you want them to swap them over—I’m mostly mentioning it because I find its name very funny.Then the Team Rocket Pokémon themselves do some real mischief. Arbok, for instance, stops your opponent playing any card with an ability (unless it’s a Team Rocket), and also does 30 damage to every single Pokémon your opponent has on the board. Articuno can prevent all attack effects just by being on the bench. Dottler lets you look at the top five cards on your opponent’s deck, and then put them back in your preferred order! Ha!Nidoran ♀ and ♂ offer their usual teamwork options, but super-powerfully. Once you’ve evolved to Nidorina, you can do an attack that lets you search your deck to evolve any two of your benched monsters, and then Stage 2's Nidoqueen will do 180 damage for one energy if you have a Nidoking in play. Oh, and Ampharos, Flaaffy’s ultimate form, has an ability that means any time your opponent evolves a Pokémon, they automatically put 40 damage on it! That’s monstrous.Image: The Pokémon Company / KotakuIt’s going to be so interesting to see how people manipulate these new additions into the meta, not least when yet more cards are deliberately designed to mess up current favorite decks—Mimikyu lets you steal Tera Pokémon attacks, for instance. I think this should finally offer the shake-up the game needs in its third year of this era, before (and this is still just a rumor, but quite a likely one) next year’s switch to Mega Pokémon instead of a fourth year of S&V.Now, as I’ve said, my sample of 55 packs isn’t big enough to be indicative, and perhaps we just got weirdly lucky. But I have high hopes here. We’ll get a proper idea when the likes of Danny Phantump have put together their pull-rate data. Either way, there’s such a wealth of beautiful cards in the set, so much incredible art to collect, and a bunch that’ll make the live game so very interesting. Which is pretty much all I can ask for from a Pokémon TCG set. Other than, you know, being able to buy it. Which is going to be very, very hard to do.Destined Rivals officially releases on May 30, with pre-release events taking place this weekend, May 17-18..