Microsoft recently announced that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is climbing from the sweaty price of $20 US per month to an eye-watering $30. The “real” gamers around the internet already have a joke for it: “Xbox 360 dollars per year.”

But while the jokes write themselves, determining if Game Pass is still of value to me at this new price has taken far more energy. Yes, the company has also added new incentives and moved some features around, but do these additions create value, or just even more confusion? Let’s break things down a bit.

Currently, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes access to all Microsoft-published games–as well as many other titles–on their respective release days. It also includes a subscription to EA Play, Ubisoft Classics, and will soon include Fortnite Crew. With Ubisoft Classics coming in at $80 per year, EA Play at $40 per year, and Fortnite Crew at $144 per year, the total value of these subscriptions is $264, which definitely helps sweeten spending $360 a year on Game Pass–if you actually use them.

Let’s talk about the subscriptions that come with Ultimate and what they mean. First, there’s Ubisoft Classics. If you look at the Ubisoft Classics website, the standard subscription tier costs $7.99 per month, but only offers PC play. Ubisoft Classics’ Premium tier, however, features both PC and Xbox play for a total of $17.99 per month. Xbox claims that its version of Ubisoft Classics adds $7.99 per month of value per platform, meaning those playing on both PC and Xbox receive the greatest benefit. With the Game Pass version of Ubisoft Classics, you get access to a rotating menu of games in their standard editions rather than the 100-plus games–often in their Premium editions–that are promised in Ubisoft Premium. You’re getting access on PC and Xbox, yes, but to a smaller library of games, in Standard editions instead of Premium. Microsoft wants you to think of this as a $15.98 value each month, but with all these caveats, it’s hard to take the quoted “$7.99 a month per platform” value seriously.

EA Play, meanwhile, is more straightforward. Through EA, the subscription costs $5.99 per month and offers 10-hour trials on new games and “unlimited access to a collection of top EA titles,” and it seems as though that’s what Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is offering as well.

However, in their standalone versions, both of these programs offer discounts on Ubisoft and EA games respectively; there’s no word on whether those discounts would apply to Game Pass subscribers. We’re guessing they won’t, though, because as part of the price increase, Xbox also eliminated the game and DLC discounts that previously were included as part of the service.

Fortnite Crew is a bit more complex. If you stay subscribed to Fortnite Crew all year long, you gain access to all battle passes all year, and receive 1,000 V-Bucks per month (12,000 total in a year) and 12 sets of unique Fortnite Crew outfits. But while this might sound like a good deal, even if you play a lot of Fortnite, it still isn’t worth the value. That’s because not all the rewards you get for being a Crew member are created equal–Fortnite battle passes and Crew rewards are full of throwaway items you probably won’t care about to fill out their offerings. These rewards mostly aren’t the cool genre-bending collaborations like Scooby-Doo or Power Rangers, they’re generic, non-copyright-infringing characters and songs.

A promotional image from Fortnite’s Scooby-Doo-filled Fortnitemares event.

You’d have to love the Crew outfits, use the Jam Tracks, and play LEGO Fortnite modes–along with completing the Battle Passes–to really get your money’s worth. The short version is that Fortnite Crew is $144 for about $100 worth of V-Bucks, some skins you probably won’t use, some LEGO pieces you probably won’t use, and Jam Tracks that you may or may not even care about.

Regular Fortnite players (myself included) will often buy a Crew Pass to complete a season’s Battle Pass and earn the corresponding bonus V-Bucks. But as an ongoing subscription, you have to be extremely invested in Fortnite to justify Crew on its own merits.

Now, when speaking purely in terms of Microsoft-published games, Game Pass admittedly makes a pretty strong case for itself. This year alone has brought us Avowed, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Gears of War Reloaded, and I’d be remiss not to mention that Ninja Gaiden 4, Call of Duty Black Ops 7, The Outer Worlds 2, and Keeper are all just around the corner. This also doesn’t include the various third-party games that come to Xbox Game Pass on Day One–games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Hollow Knight: Silksong. But again, the exact “value” here is subjective–you’d have to play a lot of those games for the math to actually add up.

Coincidentally, a study published by Circana shortly after the Game Pass price hike found that most US game players purchase two or fewer new games a year. Sure, there is a lot of nuance to this statistic, but at the same time, when the majority of gamers report they spend around $140 a year on new games, does the average player truly find value in spending $360 a year just to temporarily gain access to a handful of them?

It’s also worth noting that we can’t rely on Microsoft to release that many games next year or the year after. It might happen, but again, we’re talking about potential value.

To get the greatest value out of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you’d almost have to use it to the exclusion of other gaming services, and that’s not how the majority of gamers are using the service. Personally, I tend to like Microsoft-published games; by the end of the year I’ll have played five of the above Microsoft-published games, along with a bunch of other third-party Game Pass games. I also play Fortnite a lot and tend to play games on my Xbox rather than my PlayStation. I’m one of the rare cases that can maybe justify that “Xbox $360” price tag. But even then, I hesitate.

In earlier days, Game Pass felt like a steal: You only had to play one or two games to justify the cost. Everything else was just gravy. With this price increase, though, the math becomes far more complex–to the point that it feels like you’re talking yourself into giving your wallet to a guy who says he’ll definitely bring it back and not to worry. And if that doesn’t get you, the changes and transient nature of the service will.

Game Pass was the best deal in console gaming. Now, it’s a deal in console gaming–but only under very specific circumstances.

Are you wondering about how to get the Master Ball in Pokemon Legends: Z-A? This item is a series staple, as it allows you to catch any creature without fail. Of course, getting it requires quite a bit of effort.

How to get the Master Ball in Pokemon Legends: Z-A

The Master Ball comes from Mable’s Research. The NPC herself can be found in the Pokemon Research Center in the southern part of the map. You can’t miss it since a main quest takes you there fairly early in the campaign.

Mable’s Research rank and Master Ball reward

The Pokemon Legends: Z-A Master Ball can be yours upon reaching Rank 49 in the Mable’s Research tab. You don’t actually need to revisit Mable every time. You can just open the menu and press the X button to obtain rewards as you level up.

You need to reach Mable’s Research level 49 just to receive the Master Ball.

Mable’s Research requests and tallies

Hitting level 49 to get the Pokemon Legends: Z-A Master Ball is no small feat, as it’s going to take you dozens of hours. That’s because the points themselves come from requests/tallies. Here’s what you can expect:

• You need to complete your Pokedex by catching unique species–i.e. one of each type. We’ve got you covered in our Pokedex/Pokemon locations guide.
• The above goes hand-in-hand with surveying Wild Zones–i.e. catching all the Pokemon in each habitat.
• The “Catching X-type” tallies grant points as you capture Pokemon that belong to a particular type/element. A good idea is to buy a lot of cheap Poke Balls so you can catch low-level critters like Pidgey (Normal/Flying) and Budews (Grass/Poison) to fulfill multiple tallies.
• You also have to unlock dozens of Mega Evolutions.
• Other objectives and actions, such as resting on benches, winning battles, and smashing Mega Crystals also help boost your rank.
• And, yes, you might want to find a buddy who wants to do a Link Trade for the extra points.

Wild Zone 20, which becomes available after beating the main story, has various starter Pokemon that you didn’t pick earlier in the campaign.

Which Pokemon requires the Master Ball just to get captured?

Since the Master Ball guarantees as 100% capture rate, it’s usually reserved for Pokemon that are extremely hard to catch. A good example is Mewtwo from the classic Gen 1 titles.

In this game, however, you really don’t need it for Legendary Pokemon. Ultra Balls are enough, and even if you fail, you replay the encounter without issues. So, for the most part, you could use the Master Ball if you discovered a Shiny variant of a Pokemon that you really like. Alternatively, you could just keep it in your inventory forever. That’s totally up to you.

That does it for our guide on how to get the Master Ball in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. If you’re looking for all sorts of creatures for your team, we’ve got a best early-game Pokemon guide that you can check out.

Preorders are finally live for the long-awaited open-world action RPG Crimson Desert, which is launching for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on March 19, 2026. Those who plan to purchase the physical version can secure early copies of the $70 standard edition and $90 Deluxe Edition at multiple online retailers, and there’s a massive Amazon-exclusive Collector’s Edition featuring a dragon battle diorama available for $280. Those who preorder the game will also get some cool early bonuses and other exclusive content.

Crimson Desert Preorder Bonuses

Crimson Desert Preorder Bonuses

Preordering any version of Crimson Desert gets you the Khaled Shield in-game equipment as a preorder bonus. This is offered with all physical and digital preorders on all platforms.

However, PS5 players also get a set of exclusive in-game armor for preordering the standard, Deluxe, or Collector’s Editions of the game on Sony’s console. Physical and digital PS5 preorders are eligible for the bonus equipment. Here’s what’s included in the PS5 preorder bonus:

• Grotevant Plate Helm
• Grotevant Plate Armor
• Grotevant Cloak
• Grotevant Plate Gloves
• Grotevant Plate Boots

Crimson Desert Deluxe and Collector’s Editions

If you’re looking for something to play while biding your time until Crimson Desert’s launch next year, consider downloading its spiritual predecessor, Black Desert Online. While Black Desert Online is an MMORPG–rather than a single-player action RPG like Crimson Desert–both games share similar fast-paced battles and high fantasy worlds. Black Desert is one of the most popular MMORPGs on the market, offering a massive world to explore, frantic action-based combat, and gorgeous graphical fidelity. The base game is just $10 on Steam, but it’s important to note Black Desert is designed around microtransactions and other in-app purchases (something that Crimson Desert will seemingly not be burdened with). Nevertheless, if you’re sticking to the basic gameplay and character apparel, it should be a cheap way to stay busy until March.

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There’s no shortage of retro handhelds and consoles with Atari’s branding, but the newest flagship device from My Arcade aims to offer the definitive portable experience. The Atari Gamestation Go is a 7-inch handheld with over 200 games and a few unique control methods, including a paddle, trak-ball, and even a numeric keypad. Retro enthusiasts interested in the Gamestation Go may want to secure one soon. Preorders for the $180 portable are sold out on Atari’s website, but you can still snag one from Amazon ahead of its October 31 launch.

The Atari Gamestation Go releases the same day as the the Pac-Man Edition of the cartridge-based Atari 2600+. Take a closer look at the Gamestation Pro below.

My Arcade Pocket Player Pro Handhelds

The Pocket Player Pro is a series of portables with 2.75-inch color displays, ergonomic form factors, and wrist straps. Each Pocket Player Pro retails for $45, though you can get deals on several models right now. Notably, the Atari Pocket Player Pro includes 100 preloaded games and is up for grabs for only $40. The Pocket Player Pro can be recharged via USB-C or powered by four AA batteries.

• Atari (100 games) — $40 ($45)
• Galaga (2 games) — $40 ($45)
• Ms. Pac Man — $37 ($45)
• Mega Man (6 games) — $40 ($45)
• Pac-Man — $29 ($45)
• Space Invaders — $40 ($45)
• Street Fighter II (2 games) — $37 ($45)
• Tetris — $45

My Arcade Pocket Player Pro | Pocket Player | Pixel Pocket Pro

My Arcade Pocket Player Handhelds

There’s also the standard Pocket Player handhelds, which is a bit confusing, but one of the core differences is that the Pro models have better ergonomics and improved controls. That said, the regular Pocket Player handhelds typically have at least three built-in games, which makes deciding on which Pac-Man handheld to buy a bit trickier. Then there are instances like Tetris, where the regular Pocket Player is only $25, while the Pro model is $45. There’s also a vertical form factor version of the classic puzzle game called Tetris Go Gamer for $26 (was $35). Screen sizes vary in the Pocket Player line, but most are 2.75 inches, just like the Pro versions. By the way, the Tetris Pocket Player–technically called the Tetris Gamer V–has 200 bonus games.

• All-Star Arena (307 games) — $35
• All-Star Stadium (307 games) — $40
• Bubble Bobble (3 games) — $34
• Contra (2 games) — $55.45
• Data East (308 games) — $40
• Don Doko Don (3 games) — $35
• Galaga (3 games) — $40
• Gamer V (220 games) — $25
• Ms. Pac-Man (3 games) — $45
• Pac-Man (3 games) — $39
• Tetris (201 games) — $25

My Arcade Pixel Pocket Pro Handhelds

My Arcade just launched its latest series of budget handhelds called the Pixel Pocket Pro. As shown in the image above, the Pixel Pocket Pro has a stylized aesthetic with ridged corners designed to resemble the blockiness of pixel art. Pixel Pocket Pro handhelds have 2-inch color displays, run on three AAA batteries, and include keychain clips. Some of the Pixel Pocket Pro handhelds, including the Atari model with 25 games and Tetris, have horizontal form factors, while others like Pac-Man and Galaga have vertical orientations.

• All-Star Sports (18 games) — $30
• Atari (25 games) — $30
• Galaga (3 games) — $30
• Mega Man (6 games) — $30
• Ms. Pac-Man — $30
• Pac-Man — $30
• Space Invaders — $30
• Tetris (8 games) — $30

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Ghost of Yotei wastes no time drawing you in. Set amid the beauty of feudal Ezo, its tale of revenge soon gives way to something deeper–a journey of healing and reflection for its protagonist, Atsu.

Revenge and grief are still powerful motivators in the game, and these are grim themes that PlayStation gamers might be familiar with, thanks to titles like The Last of Us Part 2 and God of War Ragnarok. So what is it about the cycle of violence and anguish that makes it so appealing to developers, who have all put their own stamps on these ideas?

Speaking to GameSpot, Ghost of Yotei lead writer Ian Ryan and creative director Jason Connell explained how Atsu’s quest might have started with revenge in mind, but over the course of the game, evolved into something greater.

“It’s about healing–revenge just sets it off”

“I feel like there are a lot of different types of games–that even within Sony–that don’t touch revenge at all, but there are some that are about revenge,” Connell said. “I can’t really speak to why they do it, but I will say some of the reasons why we chose it, and I think some of those will have overlap and I bet some of them won’t have any at all. So, for example, it’s hard to imagine that any other Sony game has been looking at a bunch of samurai films with revenge [themes] and decided that it was something that they were inspired by. But I could imagine that the second reason, we were going for a game that was going to be very open, a lot of freedom.”

“I’ve seen people play 40 or 50 hours and haven’t gotten to the second Yotei Six member. That is by design. Like we’ve made the game to be this way, but that really meant that we needed a very simple narrative hook that could get you, propel you into Atsu’s journey, and some people are just going to go do it and find out it’s a lot more than that. It’s about healing–revenge just sets it off. And the people that don’t, like, at least you understand that it’s not like a hyper-complex thing to understand early on.

“And I do imagine that it can probably be appealing to storytellers, because storytelling is hard enough as it is, but you put it inside of a giant video game. Both progression, open-world exploration, and all these other competing elements can be really challenging. So the simplicity of it is really beautiful, and I think there’s probably something that’s very attractive to creators.”

“We wanted to kind of plant that fire in the player”

Ezo is a land of unrivaled beauty in Ghost of Yotei.

Ryan added that themes of revenge were useful in that they allowed players to hit the ground running, keeping them engaged from the very start of the game. “It’s similar in that as we’re approaching the story and we know it’s going to be so wide, that we just want the player to be able to keep that, track that in their head, and, and not lose sight of that kind of overriding objective and emotional core to what Atsu is going through, even as she’s following the golden bird to do any number of of side stories,” Ryan said.

“We also wanted a smaller opening overall so that players could engage in the gameplay and get to the open world early. And part of that means also that we wanted to players to lock into and relate to that core overriding goal. It is just such a visceral, human desire that does have deep roots everywhere.”

“Everyone can relate to it–just to varying degrees–and so we wanted to kind of plant that fire in the player and create that connection with Atsu, that they could carry it out into the open world even if they decided not to engage in the revenge quest for 30 hours, because ultimately going off and doing other things is a form of healing and not getting into that obsession.”

Connell and Ryan had lots more to say about the game, and if you’re interested in exploring just how the memorable roster of villains–the Yotei Six led by Lord Saito–helped shape the game, you can watch the video above for fascinating insight on Ghost of Yotei’s development.

“Ghost of Yotei is shaped by Atsu, its new protagonist, as you’re propelled on a gripping tale of revenge amidst the backdrop of Feudal Japan’s contrasting beauty and violence,” Richard Wakeling wrote in GameSpot’s Ghost of Yotei review.

The stellar remasters of Final Fantasy X, X-2, and Final Fantasy XII are available for great prices for Nintendo Switch at Amazon. The Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster collection and Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age are $25 each. Final Fantasy XII is marked $15 off, but you’re saving even more compared to the digital editions, which are $50 each on the Switch eShop. Both games are sold and shipped directly from Amazon.

These Final Fantasy remasters aren’t always in stock at major retailers. The Zodiac Age, in particular, is often only sold by third-party sellers for higher prices. It’s possible that Amazon received a new shipment thanks to the release of Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, which takes place in the same world as Final Fantasy XII.

Final Fantasy Games for Nintendo Switch 1/2

Final Fantasy games for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2

• Final Fantasy I-VI Collection: Anniversary Edition — $65 ($75)
• Final Fantasy VII + VIII Remastered — $40 | December 9
  • UK Edition — $35.24
• Final Fantasy IX — $40 | December 9
  • Asia Edition — $48
• Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster — $25 ($50)
• Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age — $25 ($50)
• Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles — $50
  • Amazon Exclusive Edition includes free poster.
• Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (Switch 2) — $40 | Jan. 22, 2026
  • Preorder includes Magic: The Gathering Booster Pack
• Theatrhythm Final Bar Line — $29 ($40)

Final Fantasy fans can get every mainline single-player game through Final Fantasy 12 on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 in physical format. Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition includes Pixel Remasters of the first six entries in the series.

Earlier this month, Square Enix announced US physical edition releases for three classic Final Fantasy games that were previously only available as imports: Final Fantasy VII and VIII Remastered Twin Pack is available to preorder for $40 at Amazon; Final Fantasy IX is also available to preorder for $40. Both physical editions launch December 9. It’s worth noting that the FF7/8 Twin Pack’s European edition is available on Amazon for around $35 right now. The Asian edition of Final Fantasy IX, on the other hand, is pricier than the upcoming US edition at $48.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, the long-awaited remaster of the original FFT, released in September for $50. If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, the Amazon-exclusive edition comes with a double-sided poster.

Looking ahead to 2026, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 on January 22. Square Enix priced the Switch 2 port at $40 and is bundling it with a Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Play Booster Pack.

For more Nintendo Switch RPG deals, check out Amazon’s discounts on the Xenoblade Chronicles series, which was inspired by Final Fantasy XII.

Fans of classic Final Fantasy games should check out Amazon’s deal on The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy Box Set. Normally $200, this three-book box set is discounted to an all-time low price of $91.34. The collectible set of hardcover books showcases the artwork by beloved Final Fantasy designer and illustrator Yoshitaka Amano.

The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy Box Set

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If you’ve been hanging around in a field hoping for the Great Pumpkin to appear, then you’re going to be waiting a long time. The only spooky pumpkins coming your way this year are in Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival, the pumpkin-carving MMO that’s back online after its planned hiatus

Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival was created by Whippoorwill Ltd aka Adam R. & Dawn B., and the game sends players into a literal ghost town where they can take part in the in-game Halloween festival and pumpkin-carving contest. Players can win prize ribbons from other players who dole out awards to their favorite pumpkins. The game also encourages players to wander around the small town and customize their ghost avatar.

Previously, Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival was limited to 200 players at a time. This year, the game has added support for 800 simultaneous players. There are also new areas to find, including the Ghost Town Cinema, which plays classic silent movies. Some of the other activities in town include exploring a haunted and a hayride.

Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival can be downloaded at its official site for PC, Mac, and Linux. Players can name their own price, but if they choose to pay $2 or more, they get a version of the game that includes hats for ghosts. According to Adam R., the game has already set a record this year with 24,000 pumpkins created by players since the game’s return earlier this month.

The team behind the game has also said that Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival will be taken down a week or two after Halloween, presumably before its inevitable return in 2026. If you’re looking for something scarier, GameSpot put together a list of the horror games you can play for the Halloween season. Other titles are also having in-game tie-ins for the spooky season.

Metroid Prime 1-3: A Visual Retrospective releases in less than two weeks, and if the newly unveiled sample pages are any indication, fans of the legendary Nintendo franchise are in for a treat. Piggyback has shared three images showcasing some of the artwork inside the book. The new images also provide a closer look at the hardcover book’s clothbound finish and metallic cover art. Check out all three images below:

Metroid Prime 1-3: A Visual Retrospective (Piggyback)

Metroid Prime 1-3: A Visual Retrospective will be published October 28, roughly a month prior to Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’s December 4 launch on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. You can preorder the book for $46.49 (was $50) at Amazon. With Amazon’s preorder price guarantee, you’ll automatically get any price cuts offered between the time you order and launch.

Piggyback is best known for the beautiful strategy guides for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild. Like the Zelda guides, Metroid Prime 1-3: A Visual Retrospective is an official book designed in partnership with Nintendo.

Preorder Metroid Prime 4: Beyond + Amiibo

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches December 4 on Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch. The Switch 2 version is available to preorder at Amazon, Walmart, and other major retailers for $70. The original Switch version is up for preorder for $60. If you want to upgrade to Switch 2 to play Metroid Prime 4 in 4K resolution, Amazon has both Nintendo Switch 2 console bundles in stock. The newly launched Pokemon Legends: Z-A Bundle and Mario Kart World Bundle are available for $499 each.

• See Metroid Prime 4 + Accessories at Amazon
• See Metroid Prime 4 + Accessories at Walmart

Nintendo is also releasing three new Amiibo for Metroid Prime 4. Two different Samus Amiibo figures launch November 6, while Sylux releases December 4. All three figures have sold out several times since preorders first opened. At the time of writing, Walmart has all three Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Amiibo in stock. You can also still get the Metroid Dread Amiibo 2-Pack featuring Samus and E.M.M.I. for $24.88 (was $30) at Amazon.

• Samus & Vi-O-La Amiibo — $40
  • Preorder at Walmart
  • Preorder at Amazon
• Samus Aran Amiibo — $30
  • Preorder at Walmart
  • Preorder at Amazon
• Sylux Amiibo — $30
  • Preorder at Walmart
  • Preorder at Amazon
• Metroid Dread Amiibo 2-Pack — $24.88 ($30)

More Metroid Games

Metroid Prime Remastered

If you haven’t played Metroid Prime Remastered, we’d highly recommend checking it out ahead of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. It’s one of the very best games for Nintendo Switch and will serve as a good primer (sorry) for Beyond. For classic side-scrolling Metroid, check out Metroid Dread for Switch and Metroid: Samus Returns on 3DS. The latter is a great remake of Metroid II that flew a bit under the radar because it launched in 2017 after the Switch hit the market. Dread and Samus Returns were developed by MercurySteam.

• Metroid Prime Remastered (Switch) — $40
• Metroid Dread (Switch) — $53 ($60)
• Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS) — $45

Nintendo Switch Online members can play the first five Metroid games on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Metroid, Metroid II, and Super Metroid are available with the Switch Online Individual membership ($20/year). To get the Game Boy Advance games–Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission–you need the Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership ($50/year).

And if you want to play all of these Metroid games with a controller themed around the franchise, PowerA recently launched an officially licensed wireless controller featuring Samus Aran and a galactic background. You can also grab a pair of wired Metroid-themed earbuds packaged in a drawstring bag with Metroid artwork. Finally, PowerA also has a brand-new crossbody bag featuring Metroid Prime Trilogy artwork and will release a hardshell Metroid Prime 4 carrying case for Nintendo Switch 2 on October 30 for $20. The carrying case matches the new controller.

More Nintendo Guide & Art Books

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom / Breath of the Wild Official Strategy Guides

Amazon has deals on the hardcover editions of Piggyback’s other recent Nintendo books. We’ve included a list of those below. And if you’re looking for more official Nintendo art and lore books, you should check out Dark Horse’s series of Zelda and Super Mario books. Most notably, you can get The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia for $20 (was $40) and The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia for $18 (was $40).

Piggyback’s Zelda Guides:

• Tears of the Kingdom Collector’s Edition Guide — $25 ($45)
• Tears of the Kingdom Paperback Guide — $18.74 ($30)
• Breath of the Wild Expanded Guide — $19.43 ($40)

Nintendo Art & Lore Books:

• The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia — $18 ($40)
  • Deluxe Edition — $57 ($90)
• The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia— $20 ($40)
• The Legend of Zelda: Arts & Artifacts — $23.42 ($50)
• Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Creating a Champion— $20 ($50)
  • Hero’s Edition — $78 ($110)
• The Art of Super Mario Odyssey — $28.49 ($50)
• Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia — $22.22 ($50)
• Kirby: Art & Style Collection — $17.48 ($30)
• Metroid Prime 1-3: A Visual Retrospective — $46.49 ($50)

Earlier this month, Microsoft announced a substantial price increase for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. If you’re a subscriber in the US, you will now be charged $30/month, a $10 bump from the previous $20/month rate. The new price is effective immediately, so you may have already paid the increased rate if you were billed already this month. That said, there is a way to avoid the price increase: prepaid codes. The price of prepaid membership codes hasn’t changed–at least not yet. Over at Amazon, you can get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-Month Membership codes for $55 (was $60), which breaks down to $18.33/month. Based on Microsoft’s new subscription price, you’re saving $35 across three months.

1-Month prepaid codes are sold for $20 at Amazon, so you’re saving an additional five bucks every three months with Amazon’s deal. Amazon’s prepaid codes can be redeemed by existing and new subscribers with a US Xbox account. Once you enter a prepaid code, your next billing date is pushed. So if you redeem a 3-Month Membership in October, you won’t be billed again by Microsoft until January.

The discount on prepaid codes becomes more glaring if you buy multiple. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can be stacked up to 36 months. For instance, if you were to buy four prepaid 3-Month codes, you’d save $140 on a full year of Game Pass Ultimate. Here’s a breakdown of the savings from buying Amazon’s prepaid code deal versus subscribing directly through Microsoft. Note: The numbers in the Amazon column are based on the 3-Month Membership deal, but even if the price jumps back to $60, you’re still saving a ton of cash.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: Microsoft Store vs. Prepaid Codes

It’s unclear how long retailers will stick with the old $20/month rate. Amazon’s $55 deal is new this week; earlier this month, Amazon was charging $60. For what it’s worth, Amazon has historically held out longer than other retailers when prices have changed in the past. The retailer was selling the 3-Month Membership code for $45 long after Microsoft increased the price of Game Pass Ultimate to $17/month. The latest price change for Game Pass Ultimate is by far the biggest of the three price hikes the service has experienced over the years. While this is a disappointing for subscribers, it also means it’s more important than ever to take advantage of prepaid code discounts.

If you aren’t a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, now’s a pretty good time to become a member. Multiple AAA games are coming to Game Pass Ultimate on launch day in the coming weeks, including Ninja Gaiden 4 (October 21), The Outer Worlds 2 (October 29), and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (November 14).

Additionally, Microsoft and Asus just launched the first Xbox handheld. The ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally are available now for $1,000 and $600, respectively. Check out our buying guide for details on each of these handheld PCs. Both devices can play the Game Pass Ultimate library natively, so members have a built-in catalog of hundreds of games out of the gate.

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Are you planning on searching for an Eevee in Pokemon Legends: Z-A? This creature is one of the most popular in the entire franchise. It’s not just because they’re unbelievably cute. It’s also because they’re got multiple evolutions that fulfill roles depending on the chosen type/element.

Eevee location: Streets and rooftops

If you’re really lucky, you can get an Eevee early in the game while you’re exploring the rooftops of buildings in Lumiose City. One particular location that we know of is the top of the triple scaffolding in the southern part of the city. It’s near Bleu Sector 7/Nouveau Cafe Truck No. 2.

The Eevee at this location isn’t particularly high level, but you need to defeat them in battle nonetheless. Moreover, we suggest using an Ultra Ball to improve your chances of capturing them.

Note: If you fail to catch the Eevee, it will disappear. You can pass the time by resting on a bench, though it’s not guaranteed to respawn on the next day-night cycle.

You might spot an Eevee on rooftops, but they won’t always respawn.

Eevee location: Wild Zone 19

If you’re keen on catching an Eevee in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, then there’s one location that has a guaranteed spawn:

• The location is Wild Zone 19 in the northeastern corner of the map.
• Wild Zone 19 won’t be available until you progress further into the campaign. That means beating a bunch of Z-A Royale trainers and tackling main quest objectives.
• There will always be at least one Eevee during each day-night cycle/transition. This creature should be around level 48 to 50.
• If they’re in a section between thorny vines, then you have to burn those using a Fire-based attack. Otherwise, you won’t be able to catch them.
• As usual, you need to use an Ultra Ball to have a better chance of capturing them.

Wild Zone 19 will always have at least one Eevee.

Eevee evolutions

What makes Eevee a special creature is that they have multiple evolution paths:

• Flareon – Use a Fire Stone.
• Glaceon – Use an Ice Stone.
• Vaporeon – Use a Water Stone.
• Jolteon – Use a Thunder Stone.
• Leafeon – Use a Leaf Stone.

Use different elemental stones to further evolve your Eevee.

That does it for our guide on where to find an Eevee in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. If you’re searching for another series favorite, you can head over to our Pikachu location guide. We also suggest reading our best early-game Pokemon guide if you need to set up your team.