AU Deals: Big Digital Discounts and Quietly Brilliant Gems Across All Platforms Today - Joystick Press | Games

Sometimes a bargains haul comes along that perfectly aligns with my bad habit of adding more to my backlog than I clear. This idle Tuesday’s mix is an irresistible blend of heavy hitters and cult curios that deserve a spot in anyone’s library. As per always, I’ve found myself revisiting old favourites and even picking up a few oddities I’d somehow missed.

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I’m celebrating the 42nd birthday of Mario Bros., the arcade cabinet that launched a plumbing empire. Partially inspired by some of Joust‘s mechanics (and an Italian-American landlord hounding Nintendo for rent), Mario Bros. was a non-scrolling arena affair that was quite addictive, especially in simultaneous two-player. Interestingly, it was made by a tiny team of just five people, all of whom were credited in its great, great, great, (great) grandchild, Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Sadly, we rarely see such a lineage occur in modern game development, given how lay off happy this bloody industry has become.

Aussie birthdays for notable games.

This Day in Gaming

Aussie birthdays for notable games.

– Mario Bros. (ARC) 1983. Get

– Warlords III (PC) 1997. Get

– Trials HD (X360) 2009. Sequel

– Hacknet (PC) 2015. Get

Contents

Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch

On Switch, Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival still has me grinning like an idiot, and I swear drumming along to J-pop is a proper cardio workout. Meanwhile, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy remains one of the most cleverly written series ever, with its sharp courtroom drama and over-the-top character animations.

LEGO Jurassic World (-55%) – A$26.90 A solid LEGO adventure that gene-splices JP nostalgia with fun building action. Effortlessly leaps generation gaps in one double-jump bound.
Taiko no Tatsujin Rhythm Festival (-40%) – A$41.60 Perfect for parties or solo jam sessions, this rhythm game’s varied soundtrack keeps me coming back for more.
LEGO Skywalker Saga (-39%) – A$54.90 Covers all nine Star Wars films with LEGO’s trademark humour and charm. Sith hot value at this price.
Darkwood (-75%) – A$5.40 Creepy top-down survival horror that nails atmosphere and tension. A steal for fans of indie horror on Switch.
SNK 40th Ann. Col. (-65%) – A$21 A massive collection of SNK’s classic fighters and arcade gems. Not gonna lie, there’s some filler. But bona fide classics also await.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy (-67%) – A$13.10 Courtroom drama and quirky characters make this visual novel series a must-own that I don’t think you’ll object to at all.

Expiring Recent Deals

Monster Hunter Rise (-75%) – A$14.90
Broforce (-87%) – A$2.90
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (-34%) – A$46
Romancing SaGa 2 NS2 (-30%) – A$59.40
Stray (-25%) – A$33.70
Pokémon Scarlet (-14%) – A$69
What Remains of Edith Finch (-75%) – A$7.40=

Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.

Exciting Bargains for Xbox

Series X gets the spotlight with 40K Space Marine 2, a power fantasy where bolter fire and chainswords feel just right. And then there’s Wild Hearts, which gave me a genuine Monster Hunter alternative with some creative monster designs I still think about.

40K Space Marine 2 (-54%) – A$49.90 Brutal third-person shooter with kick arse co-op. If you like grim sci-fi, this is a solid single-player deal, too.
Forza Horizon 5 (-50%) – A$49.90 One of the best open-world racing games around, and this price makes it an absolute key turn.
Cyberpunk 2077 Ult. Ed. (-36%) – A$77 The Ultimate Edition packs in all expansions and fixes. Worth it if you’ve been cy-curious since those iffy launch results.
Wild Hearts (-86%) – A$14.90 Monster hunting with a fresh twist, offering great value at this historic low price.
Sonic X Shadow Generations (-35%) – A$40.40 Classic Sonic action meets new adventures. This sale is a good chance to catch up with the blue ‘n’ black blurs.

Xbox One

LEGO Marvel Col. (-50%) – A$44.50 An older Collection packed with superhero fun, perfect for casual play or Marvel fans looking for hours of kleptomania.
Monopoly 2024 (-60%) – A$20 The classic board game gets a 2024 refresh. Won’t blow your mind, but a great price for family game nights.
SpellForce III Reforced (-52%) – A$31 A solid RTS-RPG hybrid with a dedicated community. This sale makes it an accessible entry point.

Expiring Recent Deals

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X Headset (-32%) – A$271
Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kol. (-12%) – A$79
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (-47%) – A$58.50
Monster Hunter Wilds (-35%) – A$74.90
PGA Tour 2K25 (-51%) – A$59
Grand Theft Auto V (-58%) – A$25
Borderlands: The Handsome Col. (-52%) – A$33.80
Call of Duty: MW2 (-55%) – A$49
DOOM Anthology (-65%) – A$48.90

Or just invest in an Xbox Card.

Pure Scores for PlayStation

Over on PS5, Tales of Arise had me hooked with its gorgeous anime visuals and surprisingly heartfelt story arcs. Resident Evil 4 needs no introduction, but its remake really is the gold standard for how to modernise a classic.

Ghost of Yōtei (-21%) – A$99 Looks like atmospheric action with haunting visuals so far. I dug (and replayed) GoT so much, a quick-draw preorder for feels quite likely for me.
Crisis Core FF7 Reunion (-42%) – A$48.90 Classic FF7 story told with fresh mechanics and visuals. I very much appreciated this updated experience.
Mafia: The Old Country (-12%) – A$79 A narrative-driven crime drama with solid gameplay. Not the deepest discount but still tempting.
Tales of Arise (-68%) – A$32.30 A standout JRPG with beautiful art and a strong story. Worth it for this much gold.
Resident Evil 4 (-35%) – A$64.90 The classic horror-action game remastered. Absolute top-tier Resi action that is even more phenomenal in PS VR2 (like, system-selling good).
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza (-25%) – A$74.90 Quirky open-world action with a tropical twist. A fresh Yakuza experience well worth the doubloons IMO.

PS4

Gran Turismo 7 (-27%) – A$61 The definitive racing sim on PS4. This discount makes it a solid pick for my fellow (yet incredibly patient or late to the grid) petrolheads.
Dragon Ball FighterZ (-53%) – A$47.10 Intense fighting action with a stellar roster. Great deal for anime loves and folks who wish to bring back the biff of their ’00s, Cheez TV watching youth.
Armored Core VI (-55%) – A$45 Mech combat returns with depth and style. I was surprised by how much I dug this non-Souls FromSoftware title.

Expiring Recent Deals

Battlefield 6 (-41%) – A$89
Dragon’s Dogma 2 (-29%) – A$76.80
Rise of the Ronin (-28%) – A$89.90
Helldivers 2 (-17%) – A$49.90
Grand Theft Auto V (-58%) – A$25
The Witcher 3 Comp. (-80%) – A$15.50
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (-28%) – A$79
Katamari Damacy Reroll (-75%) – A$11.20
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (-65%) – A$12.50

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

PC-wise, Pillars of Eternity: Definitive Ed. delivers deep role-playing from Obsidian at their best, while Wasteland 3: Colorado Col. offers sharp writing and tactical combat that blends post-apocalyptic grit with absurd humour. These are the sorts of games that keep me up far later than I plan.

Hogwarts Legacy (-79%) – A$18.80 A magical RPG that lets you explore Hogwarts. A rare low price for Potterheads and RPG fans.
SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL Keyboard (-45%) – A$81.40 Reliable gaming keyboard with good features at a solid discount.
Razer Huntsman Mini 60% Keyboard (-42%) – A$139 Compact mechanical keyboard with fast switches, perfect for tight setups.
Wasteland 3 Colorado Col. (-75%) – A$17.60 A deep tactical RPG with tons of content.
Pillars of Eternity: Def. Ed. (-75%) – A$11.50 A critically acclaimed RPG with massive depth and story. Good book stuff that I couldn’t put down easily.
Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Ed. (-50%) – A$14.40 Classic D&D RPG experience refreshed for modern systems. Great pick for tabletop fans. Still a must-play.

Expiring Recent Deals

Mafia: The Old Country (-12%) – A$79.10
NieR Automata YoRHa Ed. (-65%) – A$16.60
NieR Replicant ver.1.22’ (-65%) – A$31.40
Diablo IV + Vessel of Hatred Bndl. (-50%) – A$54.90
GRIS (-80%) – A$4.30
Need for Speed Unbound (-93%) – A$6.90

Or just get a Steam Wallet Card

Legit LEGO Deals

Expiring Recent Deals

Super Mario Kart (-27%) – A$22
Animal Crossing Isabelle’s House (-50%) – A$35
Botanicals Sunflowers (-35%) – A$15
Grogu with Hover Pram (-34%) – A$99

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.