AU Deals: A New Jamboree Switch 2 Low, Freebies Worth Owning, and Your Cheapest Airfare to Mafia’s Old Country - Joystick Press | Games

If you’ve ever gone online for “just one quick browse” and ended up with a shopping cart that could bankrupt a small nation, we’re kindred spirits, friend. My deals haul for today is brimming with must-plays across every major platform, each one more tempting than the last. I’ve been lucky enough to spend time in most of these worlds (Mafia: The Old Country included), so trust me–and my mate Reilly–they’re worth it.

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I’m igniting a 9-candle cake for Transformers: Fall of Cybertron using a crackling burst from an Energon grenade. Why does it still hold a place in my chest (alongside the Matrix of Leadership)? Chalk it up to a blend of tight shooting mechanics, varied character abilities, and seamless transformation between robot and vehicle forms. Also, a playable Grimlock in the campaign.

While this 2016 re-release didn’t shake up the formula, it gave us a crisp, modernised way to relive one of the tightest Transformers tales around. The solo campaign had blockbuster moments and fan-fave bots, sure, but it was Escalation mode that ate up my hours. Four player co-op against relentless waves, pooling Energon to unlock weapons and doors, backing each other up when ammo ran dry. It was peak synergy. This wasn’t just a love letter to G1 fans. Truly, one of the best cooperative shooters of its time, hiding inside a licensed game.

Aussie birthdays for notable games.

– Choplifter III (SNES) 1994. eBay

– AvP: Extinction (PS2,XB) 2003. eBay

– Tales of Xillia (PS3) 2013. eBay

– Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (PS4,XO) 2016. eBay

– Batman: The Enemy Within (NS,PC,PS4,XO) 2017. Get

Contents

Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch

On Nintendo, Mortal Kombat 1 delivers a cinematic brawler experience that pushes Switch hardware in surprising ways, while Zelda: Link’s Awakening is a gorgeous reimagining of the Game Boy classic, complete with a dreamy tilt-shift art style.

Super Mario Party Jamboree Ns2 (-20%) – A$88 – The Switch’s ultimate party package, stacked with new boards, minigames, and mayhem. Perfect for family battles or late-night gatherings with mates.
Mortal Kombat 1 (-67%) – A$19.70 – Brutal, cinematic fighter with a fresh timeline twist. Gorgeous visuals meet crunchy kombos for series veterans and newcomers alike.
Zelda: Link’s Awakening (-13%) – A$69.90 – Charming remake of the Game Boy classic with stunning diorama visuals, clever dungeon puzzles, and quirky island characters.
Yoshi’s Crafted World (-14%) – A$69 – Whimsical platformer with reversible levels, papercraft worlds, and a relaxed co-op mode perfect for casual players.
The House of the Dead: Remake (-90%) – A$3.70 – Arcade rail-shooter reborn with updated visuals and classic B-movie zombie chaos. A bit meh, but cheap.
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom (-75%) – A$14.70 – Gorgeous hand-drawn adventure blending Metroidvania exploration with shape-shifting puzzles and nostalgic Wonder Boy charm that I adored.

Expiring Recent Deals

Pokémon Legends: Z-A (-13%) – A$78
Unicorn Overlord (-43%) – A$54.50
Borderlands 3 Ult. (-41%) – A$47
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (-29%) – A$49.90
Capcom Fighting Col. 2 (-11%) – A$49
Street Fighter 30th Col. (-67%) – A$13.10

Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.

Exciting Bargains for Xbox

For Xbox Series X, Doom Eternal remains one of the most fluid and aggressive shooters ever made, with a soundtrack that could scare your neighbours. Watch Dogs: Legion offers a unique recruitment system where literally anyone in London can be a playable character.

Battlefield 6 (-41%) – A$89 – Large-scale warfare with destructible environments, tactical vehicles, and chaotic 128-player battles. The beta’s been amazing for me.
Mafia: The Old Country (-12%) – A$79 – Story-driven crime drama set in a lovingly recreated, prohibition-era city. I’m already hooked.
The House of the Dead: Remake (-90%) – A$3.70 – Classic zombie-blasting arcade shooter with a modern facelift. Cheap but not essential.
Doom Eternal (-75%) – A$13.70 – Relentless FPS action where speed, aggression, and glory kills are the keys to survival. Some say the peak of the series.
Watch Dogs: Legion (-85%) – A$14.90 – Open-world hack-em-up letting you recruit anyone to fight back against London’s surveillance state. I’d play it for the spy class alone.
Biomutant (-75%) – A$13.70 – Post-apocalyptic kung-fu fable with mutant animals, martial arts combat, and a sprawling open world. Wasn’t a me thing, admittedly.

Xbox One

Yoku’s Island Express (-85%) – A$4 – Pinball meets platforming in this breezy island adventure with charm to spare.
Lego DC Super-Villains (-90%) – A$8.90 – Play as the bad guys in a comic-inspired romp across Gotham and Metropolis. Top-notch co-op.
Wreckfest (-75%) – A$12.20 – Smash-em-up racing with soft-body damage, destruction derbies, and chaotic tracks. I smash this with a FFB wheel on the reg.

Expiring Recent Deals

Borderlands 4 (-17%) – A$99
Monster Hunter Wilds (-35%) – A$74.90
Gotham Knights (-83%) – A$19
Witcher 3 Comp. (-70%) – A$24.80
Sonic X Shadow Generations (-39%) – A$49

Xbox One

Or just invest in an Xbox Card.

Pure Scores for PlayStation

On PS5, Octopath Traveler is a retro-styled RPG with a layered battle system and a distinctive “HD-2D” look. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth continues to reimagine a genre-defining story with jaw-dropping visuals and an expanded Midgar.

Mafia: The Old Country (-12%) – A$79 – Narrative-led gangster saga drenched in period detail and moody atmosphere. I’m early hours, but loving.
Octopath Traveler (-60%) – A$36.30 – Gorgeous HD-2D RPG with eight interwoven stories and strategic turn-based combat.
Prince of Persia The Lost Crown (-60%) – A$23.90 – Metroidvania adventure with acrobatic combat and stylish time-bending abilities. I was sceptical as an OG fan. Fears: unfounded.
Sonic Frontiers (-70%) – A$29.90 – Blue blur’s first open-zone adventure with sprawling islands and high-speed exploration.
Final Fantasy Vii Rebirth (-40%) – A$68.90 – Massive RPG sequel expanding the remake with new areas, party members, and cinematic battles. Goregous on my PS5 Pro.

PS4

The Outer Worlds (-75%) – A$9.90 – Satirical sci-fi RPG where corporate greed has colonised the stars.Confirmed to me that Obsidian still rule.
Disco Elysium Final Cut (-70%) – A$17.90 – Groundbreaking narrative RPG with unmatched dialogue depth and strange, grimy intrigue.
Diablo III: Eternal Col. (-67%) – A$32.90 – Loot-heavy action RPG where demon-slaying never stops. I co-op’d the crotch out of this via 4P single-screen. You should too.

Expiring Recent Deals

Tales of Arise (-68%) – A$32.20
Horizon Forbidden West (-35%) – A$81.30
PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC (-25%) – A$41.10
DualSense Midnight Black (-9%) – A$109
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 (-18%) – A$74
Cyberpunk 2077: Ult. (-35%) – A$69

PS4

The Last Of Us Rem. (-60%) – A$10
New Super Lucky’s Tale (-37%) – A$25.10
Crash N.Sane Trilogy (-34%) – A$46
Secret of Mana (-58%) – A$25

PS+ Monthly Freebies
Yours to keep from Aug 1 with this subscription

Lies of P | PS5, PS4
DayZ | PS4
My Hero One’s Justice 2 | PS4

Or purchase a PS Store Card.

Purchase Cheap for PC

Finally, on PC, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is Capcom’s most ambitious open-world RPG to date, while Return to Monkey Island revives Ron Gilbert’s iconic point-and-click series with charm and wit.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 (-66%) – A$36.50 – Epic fantasy RPG with towering beasts, dynamic combat, and a vast open world. Quirky with its baked-in laboriousness. Worth the slog IMO.
112 Operator (-100%) – FREE – Dispatch emergency services across sprawling cities in this intense sim.
Road Redemption (-100%) – FREE – Road-rage combat racer inspired by classic Road Rash.
Civ III (-100%) – FREE – Genre-defining 4X strategy from the early 2000s.
Thief Def. Ed. (-100%) – FREE – First-person stealth adventure set in a gothic industrial city. Milestone worth owning.
Tin Hearts (-100%) – FREE – Emotional puzzle adventure guiding toy soldiers through intricate contraptions.
Return to Monkey Island (-70%) – A$10.90 – Witty point-and-click adventure reviving Guybrush’s swashbuckling hijinks. Worth every non-penny.

Expiring Recent Deals

Humble WB 15 Games Bndl. (-98%) – A$20.50
Death Stranding Dir.’s Cut (-50%) – A$27.40
Darksiders Triple Pack (-85%) – A$17
Tomb Raider GOTY (-85%) – A$4.40
Resident Evil 3 (-79%) – A$12.80

Or just get a Steam Wallet Card

Legit LEGO Deals

Moana’s Adventure Canoe (-46%) – A$49
Avatar Floating Mountains: Site 26 (-36%) – A$92
Jurassic World Dinosaur Missions (-31%) – A$69
Star Wars: Ahsoka Chopper C1-10P (-28%) – A$129

Expiring Recent Deals

Minecraft TNT Jungle House (-22%) – A$39
Minecraft Illager Desert Patrol (-15%) – A$17
R2-D2 Model Kit (-30%) – A$139
Ahsoka’s Jedi Interceptor (-29%) – A$49.90

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.