Black Friday is just around the corner and with that comes a plethora of deals on televisions, movies, and electronics. Walmart recently released what it has in store for the day, so shoppers can plan their trips accordingly. In most states, Walmart's doors open on Thursday at 6 PM, so if you're in the market for a new television and movie to watch, you'll be in luck.
Walmart has a couple of extremely cheap TVs available, including a 39-inch Element Smart TV for $125; however, this is not a 4K TV. The best bang for your buck comes from LG. Walmart has a 49-inch 4K Smart TV available for $328. Like most Black Friday deals, these may not be top-of-the-line televisions for your 4K gaming. You can check out television reviews on our sister site CNET to see if these deals are right for you.
While the retailer lacks sales on 4K movies, Walmart has a ton of Blu-rays and DVDs on sale this upcoming Black Friday, many of which come with codes for digital copies. You can get Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, and Alien Resurrection together on Blu-ray for $10. For more recent releases, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Baby Driver, Logan, and War of the Planet of the Apes are all sold separately for $10 each. Finally, Walmart has a wide selection of $6 Blu-rays and $2 DVDs as well, and we listed some of the better ones below.
Below, you'll find a list of Black Friday deals in TVs, movies, and tech that we think might be up your alley. You can check out the complete listing of deals on Walmart's website. If you're interested in what the retailer has in the way of gaming, check out all of Walmart's Black Friday gaming deals. Otherwise, we have breakdowns of other retailers through the links below:
Black Friday 2017 is almost upon us, and it's time to start planning your shopping. Many retailers have released their ads well in advance of the big shopping day, giving us an early look at the deals we'll soon be able to take advantage of. Xbox One has no shortage of deals, both on hardware and games. Below, we've rounded up a comprehensive list of all the deals announced so far. We'll continue to update this post as Black Friday gets closer and we hear about more sales.
Whereas things are fairly simple for those in the market for a cheap PS4, you'll have many more options to consider when purchasing an Xbox One. At the cheap end, you'll be able to pick up a basic Xbox One S 500 GB with no bundled games for about $190 at a number of retailers, ranging from Walmart to Toys R Us. However, there are some key differences--a Target doorbuster deal will throw in a $25 gift card for $190, while buying one at Kohl's will get you $45 in Kohl's Cash. Alternatively, there are a wide variety of bundles with different games and freebies, as laid out below. What you won't find are deals on Xbox One X.
If you're looking for controllers, again, many retailers will offer a standard discount of $20, bringing the cheapest options to $40. Different Xbox Live Gold subscriptions will be discounted, with perhaps the best option being a three-month membership for $10 at Best Buy. Microsoft will offer a one-month membership to its Xbox Game Pass service for $1, and a variety of headsets will be discounted.
You can check out our comprehensive list of physical Xbox One deals below. As noted above, this is an evolving list--we'll update it as we find out about more deals. Amazon has not revealed its offerings yet; meanwhile, the Xbox Store Black Friday sale has just begun for Xbox Live Gold members (everyone else will get access on November 21) and includes hundreds of games, all of which you can see here. In the meantime, check our what we know about below, or see what's available on other platforms and at specific retailers through these links:
With Black Friday 2017 a week away, GameStop has still yet to join the ranks of retailers releasing their ads early. Fortunately, the ad has now leaked online, giving us an early look at the many games, consoles, and accessories that will be on sale. And although GameStop sales often are not especially great, this year's Black Friday offerings are, in many cases, the best that have been announced so far.
According to a leaked ad posted on BFAds, in terms of consoles, GameStop is the lone retailer we've seen with a PS4 Pro 1 TB deal--you'll be able to pick up the 4K-capable console for $350. Similar to other stores, it will have the standard PS4 1 TB on sale for $200, but it's also throwing in a $50 gift card. On the Xbox One side, you can get the 500 GB Xbox One S for $190, just like at many other stores. GameStop will also take $50 off all Xbox One S 1 TB systems; for instance, that brings the Middle-earth: Shadow of War bundle down to $300. Nintendo Switchis shown in the flyer and will presumably be in stock on Black Friday, but it'll available for the standard $300 price. GameStop will be among the retailers to sell the special green Zelda-themed 2DS bundle. Provided you're okay with a mail-in rebate, you'll be able to effectively get a used Xbox 360 for free.
A variety of accessories are also set to be discounted, including the PlayStation VR Gran Turismo Sport bundle for $300; a standalone PSVR headset will go for $200. PS4 DualShock 4 controllers will sell for $38, and the PS4 Gold wireless headset will be $65. The GameStop-exclusive red Xbox One controller will be among those on sale for that system; it'll cost $55. Three- and six-month Xbox Live Gold memberships will be $10 off. Several Razer PC accessories, including the BlackWidow Chroma V2 keyboard ($130) and DeathAdder Elite mouse ($50) will be discounted alongside various Switch accessories.
Below, you'll find our comprehensive list everything GameStop will have on sale; we'll update this post as necessary with any changes when GameStop officially releases its ad, or if anything changes with the delayed PowerPass program. For much more, including console-specific roundups, check out all of our Black Friday coverage through these links:
It took a bit longer than some other retailers, but Toys R Us has finally given us a look at its Black Friday 2017 deals. The retailer's ad has been released, and while its focus is on toys, as you'd expect, there are also quite a few deals to be had across PS4 and Xbox One, as well as some for Nintendo Switch and 3DS.
In terms of hardware, we're seeing similar offers to elsewhere. The Switch console itself is not listed, nor is Xbox One X or PS4 Pro. However, the older models of those two consoles are on sale. You can pick up a 1 TB PS4 for $200, or a 500 GB Xbox One S for $190. In both cases, you won't get any bundled games. The LucidSound LS20 wired headset, which works with both consoles, will be on sale for 50% off, dropping its price to $40. Select controllers for Microsoft and Sony boxes are $20 off, bringing the cheapest options to $40.
A number of games are on sale as well, although frustratingly, the ad only lists the amount you'll save--not the actual price. In our comprehensive list of deals below, we've calculated the sale price using the currently listed MSRP on the Toys R Us website. In some cases, this results in prices that are markedly higher than what the competition is offering, while other prices are roughly in line with what you'll find at places like Best Buy and Walmart. In other words, some of the actual prices may end up being lower than what we've listed, but you can at least get a sense of what the possible costs will be. None are likely to end up higher than what we've laid out.
You can find the full list of games, consoles, and accessories in Toys R Us's flyer below or on its website. The ad doesn't make it clear if it will have more games on sale than those included. Also of note is the special green Zelda 2DS, which is launching on Black Friday at select retailers, is not shown, so you may need to head elsewhere if you're interested. For a complete rundown on Black Friday deals, hit the links below to check out our other sale roundups.
The Microsoft Store may not be the first retailer that comes to mind when thinking about Black Friday deals, but Microsoft's retail branch does frequently have some worthwhile offers. This year is no exception, as the store--like many others--has released its Black Friday ad in advance of the big shopping day. As you'd expect, you won't find any PS4 or Nintendo Switch discounts here, but those in the market for Xbox One or PC games or hardware have some options.
In terms of consoles, you have a variety of Xbox One choices, although you won't find any promotions tied to the newly released Xbox One X. But if you're interested in an Xbox One S, you can actually place an order prior to Black Friday; the Microsoft Store will roll out offers throughout next week. On Sunday, November 19, it will take $50 off the price of the special edition 1 TB Minecraft Xbox One S bundle (bringing it to $350) and throw in a pair of free games. One of these is from a limited selection of older titles (such as The Division and The Crew), but the other includes new releases like Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: WWII, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, Forza Motorsport 7, and Assassin's Creed Origins.
A similar but cheaper option involves the 500 GB Xbox One S Starter bundle, the primary feature of which is three months of Xbox Game Pass. It will also be $50 off (bringing it to $229) starting on November 19 and gets you two free games, one from each of the aforementioned pools. Other Xbox One bundles will also be $50 off on November 19. The cheapest option arrives on November 23; for $189, you get a 500 GB Xbox One S and a free select game: your choice of Watch Dogs 2: Gold Edition, Steep, Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection, Just Dance 2018, or Hasbro Family Fun Pack.
In terms of games, quite a few will be on sale starting on November 23, but exact pricing remains unknown in most cases. Forza Motorsport 7 will be $40, Call of Duty: WWII will be $50, and a month of Game Pass will be $1. There will also be a variety of games "up to" 50% off, including Shadow of War, Assassin's Creed Origins, and Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition.
On November 23, Xbox One controllers will be up to $20, making the cheapest option $40. A number of laptops will be on sale, while the Lenovo Explorer mixed reality headset drops to $299 (from $399) on November 19.
Below, we've laid out all of the deals we know about at this point. Due to the way Microsoft has explained some of these, we can't be sure about the exact pricing for many of the games, so we'll have to wait until the sales go into effect to know the specifics. You can see all the Microsoft Store deals here. For more, check out our roundups of Black Friday deals at other retailers:
Xbox One S 1 TB limited edition Minecraft system (with Creeper-themed controller)
Choice of free game (Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: WWII, Shadow of War, Forza 7, Assassin's Creed Origins, Destiny 2, FIFA 18, Madden 18, Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, and more options)
Choice of second free game (The Crew, Hasbro Family Fun Pack, Just Dance 2016, The Division, Watch Dogs)
$10 off extra Xbox controller
Save $50 on Xbox One Starter bundle (MSRP: $279)
Xbox One S 500 GB system
Xbox One controller
Xbox Game Pass three-month subscription
Xbox Live Gold three-month subscription
Choice of free game (Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: WWII, Shadow of War, Forza 7, Assassin's Creed Origins, Destiny 2, FIFA 18, Madden 18, Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, and more options)
Choice of second free game (The Crew, Hasbro Family Fun Pack, Just Dance 2016, The Division, Watch Dogs)
$10 off extra Xbox controller
Save $50 off select Xbox One S bundles (MSRP: $249 - $399)
Eligible bundles include 500 GB and 1 TB systems with a variety of bundled games
Choice of free game (Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: WWII, Shadow of War, Forza 7, Assassin's Creed Origins, Destiny 2, FIFA 18, Madden 18, Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, and more options)
Choice of second free game (The Crew, Hasbro Family Fun Pack, Just Dance 2016, The Division, Watch Dogs)
$10 off extra Xbox controller
Available November 23:
$189 Xbox One S bundle
Xbox One S 500 GB system
Choice of free game (Watch Dogs 2: Gold Edition, Steep, Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection, Just Dance 2018, or Hasbro Family Fun Pack)
$10 off extra Xbox controller
Accessories
Available November 23:
Xbox Game Pass one-month subscription -- $1
Xbox Live Gold three-month/six-month subscriptions -- $10 off
Select Microsoft accessories -- 25% off
Turtle Beach Elite 800x wireless headset -- $200
Xbox One Minecraft Creeper controller -- $55
Xbox One controllers -- up to $20 off (lowest MSRP: $60)
Black Friday 2017 is still a week out, but Microsoft has kicked off the Xbox Store's big annual sale. There is a huge number of games discounted as part of it, although for now, only Xbox Live Gold members will have access before the sale expands to include everyone next week.
As you'd expect, the bulk of the offers are available on Xbox One, where you'll find hundreds of games discounted. There's also a ton of DLC on sale, but for our comprehensive list, we've focused on games, special editions, bundles, and season passes, rather than individual DLC packs. In many cases, these prices aren't the best ones available this Black Friday; physical copies are often cheaper, as you can see in our roundup of all the Xbox One Black Friday 2017 game deals. But if you're looking for the convenience of digital games, the premium may be worth it.
Below, you'll find our comprehensive list of all the Xbox One games, bundles, and season passes on sale. We've also included a limited selection of Xbox 360 games that support backwards compatibility on Xbox One. The full list is available on the Xbox website. For deals on hardware and accessories, as well as physical games, check out our full Xbox One Black Friday 2017 deals roundup. You can also see all of our Black Friday coverage through the links below.
There have been rumors for months that a Green Lantern would appear in Justice League. With the movie finally out, it's safe to say that those rumors panned out--sort of.
In a flashback scene describing an ancient battle between the forces of earth--Amazons, Atlanteans, and humanity--and the villain Steppenwolf, an unknown Green Lantern does appear. The hero is promptly taken out in the same scene, his Power Ring flying away to find a new wielder, so it's not exactly a major role. But the fact he's there at all is a big deal for Green Lantern fans who've been waiting for a movie to do it justice since the lame 2011 Ryan Reynolds version.
The Justice League scene leaves no question about it: That's definitely a Green Lantern. We reached out to Warner Bros. PR and learned a few more details about him:
"We do see 'a' Green Lantern in that scene, but a generic one (not any of the popular ones we know in the comics). That battle was the teaming up of the different beings on Earth at the time: Humans, Greek Gods, Atalnteans, and Amazons (of which Robin Wright's character, Wonder Woman's aunt, was one, since it took place before she died in the Wonder Woman movie)."
The other major characters in the scenes--including one who appears to wield lightning powers, and another with a powerful-looking bow and arrows--are actual Greek gods, according to PR; Zeus and Artemis, to be specific.
Rumors about Green Lantern in Justice League originated from an early trailer in which Steppenwolf muses on the fact that there are "No protectors here--no Lanterns, no Kryptonian. This world will fall, like all the others."
Things escalated further when a Big Bang Theory contest to attend the Justice League premiere featured the Green Lantern logo alongside those for Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, and Cyborg.
Fans hoping for Green Lantern to play a surprise major role in Justice League might be disappointed by this relatively minor Easter egg, but hey--at least it's something. And, fingers crossed, it might pave the way for more Green Lantern in the DCEU.
The biggest shopping day of the year, Black Friday 2017, is quickly approaching, and those in the market for new games, consoles, or accessories will find a ton of discounts across every major platform. In particular, a huge selection of titles will be on sale at various retailers this Black Friday, including some of this year's biggest releases, such as Destiny 2.
If you're looking to pick up Bungie's popular shooter on either PS4 or Xbox One, you'll have a lot of options to choose from. Based on the Black Friday ads that have been released, the best price offer will be at GameStop; the game retailer will have the title for $27 with a free Cayde-6 figure. Elsewhere, Best Buy and Target will both sell Destiny 2 for $30, while Toys R Us will have it for $35. However, no sales on the PC version of the game have been announced so far.
If you'd prefer to get Destiny 2 digitally, you'll also find some sizable discounts on Bungie's new title in the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store. Both services have already begun their Black Friday sales, though at the moment only PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold members can take advantage of them. The standard version of Destiny 2 is available in both digital stores for $39. If you're also planning to pick up its DLC, you can purchase the game and expansion pass bundle for $67.49. Meanwhile, the Destiny 2 Digital Deluxe Edition (which also includes the expansion pass and other exclusive content packs) is available for $75. Those without a PS Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription will gain access to the sales on November 21.
If you're still unsure if Destiny 2 is worth picking up, you can read more about it in our full Destiny 2 review. The game's first expansion, Curse of Osiris, is slated to release for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on December 5. Bungie offered some new story details and a look at other content from the upcoming DLC in a recent livestream. Additional streams for Curse of Osiris will take place on November 21 and 29.
You can see the complete list of Destiny 2 deals for PS4 and Xbox One below. We'll continue to update the list as more Black Friday ads and prices are revealed. You can also find all of our other Black Friday 2017 coverage through the links at the bottom of this roundup.
Destiny 2 PS4/Xbox One Black Friday Deals
Best Buy -- $30
GameStop -- $27
PlayStation Store [PS Plus members-only until November 21]
Destiny 2 standard edition -- $39
Destiny 2 game + expansion pass bundle --$67.49
Destiny 2 Digital Deluxe Edition -- $75
Target -- $30
Toys R Us -- $35
Xbox Store [Xbox Live Gold members-only until November 21]
In the new Justice League movie, Jason Momoa's Aquaman can control water (to a degree), is able to swim really fast, and apparently possesses something approaching super strength.
But can he talk to fish?
This is, of course, a question that the movie itself asks, by way of Ben Affleck's mildly bemused take on Batman. But Aquaman's answer--something vague about "currents"--isn't exactly satisfying. That's why, when given the chance, we asked him ourselves: Does Aquaman talk to fish or not?
"Not yet," Momoa replied.
"It's more complicated than that," Ezra Miller, Justice League's Flash actor, chimed in.
We were hoping for an answer slightly more complex than a Facebook relationship status, so we pressed Momoa for more.
"I think he can hear them and they can hear him," the actor explained. "On a larger level, when he was a kid, he knew he had something special, because he could hear them, and they could hear him."
That may well tie in with some of Justice League's deleted scenes, including ones involving Willem Dafoe's character, Nuidis Vulko, who was cut from the movie entirely. Momoa described some of Aquaman's lost backstory during the interview.
"[Zack Snyder and I] were kind of trying to establish that he was taken down there as a boy, and he was an outcast, he was a half-breed, and he was built up as a young boy, because he was fed all these ideas by Vulko--that he was the rightful king," he said. "And he gets down there, and he's a half breed, he's impure, and I'm just made to feel like I'm this disease. So after that, I was like, 'f*** you, f*** you, I'm on my own.'"
It sounds like we'll learn more about all that in 2018's standalone Aquaman movie.
"We'll see Atlantis in Aquaman," Momoa teased--and it's going to be a big deal, the actor promised.
The upcoming live-action Pokemon movie Detective Pikachu has its first confirmed cast member. It has been reported by Variety that Justice Smith, best known for the Netflix musical drama The Get Down, will star in the film.
Smith received much acclaim for his role in The Get Down, where he played the teenage lead, Ezekiel "Zeke" Figueroa. Although it wasn't picked up for a second season, Smith followed the show with a role in next summer's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
Detective Pikachu is to be directed by Goosebumps' Rob Letterman, with a screenplay from Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Alex Hirsch (Gravity Falls). Production on the movie is currently scheduled to begin in London in January. Last month, it was reported that big names were being considered to voice Pikachu, including Hugh Jackman, Mark Wahlberg, Ryan Reynolds, and Dwayne Johnson.
Detective Pikachu will be based on the Japanese video game Great Detective Pikachu, in which the Pokemon character features as a master detective. Imagine Sherlock Holmes but with Pikachu. Unlike the character's primary appearances in Pokemon games, the detective version of Pikachu speaks, which explains why producers are considering actors with such familiar voices.
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon launch for 3DS on November 17, and while the two games are largely based on the previous Sun and Moon versions, they set themselves apart from last year's titles with a host of new content. Along with an expanded story that sheds more light on the mysterious Legendary Pokemon, Necrozma, the pair introduce a handful of new features and even Pokemon to the series.
If you've already played Sun or Moon and are unsure if the upcoming titles differ enough to warrant a return trip to Alola, we've rounded up all of the new Pokemon, moves, and features Nintendo has announced thus far to give you a better idea of what's new in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. You can read more about the games in our Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon review. And if you're unsure which version is right for you, we broke down the major differences between Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
New Pokemon
Ultra Beasts
In the original Sun and Moon versions, Ultra Beasts are powerful, unidentified Pokemon that traveled to the Alola region from other worlds through wormholes. Naturally, they once again play a major role in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and this time the games introduce a couple of new ones to the series.
At least three new Ultra Beasts appear in the titles: UB Burst, UB Assembly, and UB Adhesive. The former two are exclusive to a specific version. The jester-like UB Burst only appears in Ultra Sun and is a Fire/Ghost-type Pokemon that learns an exclusive move called Mind Blown. UB Assembly, meanwhile, is a defense-oriented Rock/Steel-type Pokemon that's exclusive to Ultra Moon.
The third new Ultra Beast, UB Adhesive, is a Poison-type that is said to be able to understand humans if it spends enough time among them. It first appears with the Ultra Recon Squad, a mysterious new group of trainers that travels to Alola through a wormhole. Which members of the Ultra Recon Squad you encounter depends on the version you're playing.
Dusk Mane / Dawn Wings Necrozma
While the mysterious Legendary Pokemon Necrozma appeared in the original Sun and Moon versions, it plays a much larger story role in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. Depending on which version you pick up, it merges with the games' mascot Pokemon, Solgaleo or Lunala, to turn into its new Dusk Mane and Dawn Wings forms, respectively.
Along with taking on a new appearance and typing, Necrozma is able to use Solgaleo and Lunala's signature attacks when it merges with the two Legendaries. Dusk Mane Necrozma is a Psychic/Steel-type and can unleash Sunsteel Strike, while Dawn Wings Necrozma is a Psychic/Ghost-type and can use Moongeist Beam. Both forms also have the ability Prism Armor, which reduces the damage Necrozma takes from super-effective attacks.
Dusk Form Lycanroc
Depending on which version you played, the Rock-type puppy Pokemon Rockruff would evolve into one of two possible forms in Sun and Moon; in the former game, Rockruff would become Midday Form Lycanroc, while in the latter it would evolve into Midnight Form Lycanroc. Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduce a third possible variant, this one called Dusk Form Lycanroc.
Like its name implies, Dusk Form Lycanroc is a cross between its Midday and Midnight forms. It has an orange and white coat and can learn both forms' signature attacks, Accelerock and Counter. It also comes with a different ability, Tough Claws, which increases the power of attacks that make direct contact with an opponent. Dusk Form Lycanroc is exclusive to Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and so far, the only way to obtain one is to purchase either game by January 10; do that and you'll receive a special Rockruff that evolves into Dusk Form Lycanroc as a free gift.
New Features
Team Rainbow Rocket
In addition to the Ultra Recon Squad, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduce another new villainous group called Team Rainbow Rocket. Nintendo hasn't revealed many details about the team, but we know it is led by Team Rocket boss Giovanni and is made up of the leaders from every previous enemy team, including Archie and Maxie (Team Aqua/Magma from Ruby/Sapphire), Cyrus (Team Galactic from Diamond/Pearl), Ghetsis (Team Plasma from Black/White), and Lysandre (Team Flare from X/Y).
Ultra Wormholes
Ultra Wormholes were an important story element in Sun and Moon, allowing the Ultra Beasts to arrive to Alola from other worlds. In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, you'll actually be able to travel through these wormholes atop either Solgaleo or Lunala and visit the worlds the Ultra Beasts come from. You'll also be able to encounter other powerful Pokemon by traveling through Ultra Wormholes, including previous Legendaries such as Mewtwo and Ho-Oh, neither of which appeared in the original Sun and Moon versions.
Beyond encountering Legendary Pokemon, you'll also use Ultra Wormholes to travel to a new area known as Ultra Megalopolis. Nintendo hasn't revealed many details about the mysterious city, but it has been described as "a world that has had its light stolen by Necrozma" and will undoubtedly play an important role in the games' story.
Battle Agency
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduce several new areas to the Alola region, as well, one of which is a new battle facility called the Battle Agency. As in the Battle Tree, players can take part in a series of three-on-three Pokemon battles against a gauntlet of AI opponents; however, you can only take rental Pokemon into battle. The variety of Pokemon you can rent at the Battle Agency increases the more you use the games' communications features with other players.
Move Tutors
The reward for winning battles in the Battle Tree and at other facilities across Alola is Battle Points, or BP, which can be spent on a range of rare, competitive battling items like Mega Stones. In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, you'll also be able to spend your BP on new moves for your Pokemon, including some that they cannot normally learn through leveling up or with TMs.
Rotom Dex
The Rotom Dex plays an expanded role in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. In the new games, you'll be able to form a bond with your Rotom Dex the more you interact with it, which in turn will affect its personality. If you develop a strong enough bond with your Rotom Dex, you'll unlock its own unique Z-Power, which allows you to use a second Z-Move during battle.
Your Rotom Dex also has a new feature called Roto Loto, a slot machine-style mini-game that you can play at any time to get new items. The items can have a variety of different effects; some increase the amount of experience or money you earn for a period of time, while another temporarily decreases the amount of time it takes for Pokemon eggs.
New Z-Moves
Mega Evolution was one of the most notable features introduced in Pokemon X and Y, but in Sun and Moon, it was largely replaced with Z-Moves. At the start of your journey, you're given a Z-Ring, a special bracelet that allows your Pokemon to perform these ultra-powerful moves once per battle when it is equipped with a particular Z-Crystal.
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon expand on this by introducing a handful of new Z-Moves to the mix, many of which are exclusive to a particular Pokemon. In the new games, the Pikachu lookalike Mimikyu can use a new Z-Move called Let's Snuggle Forever when it's equipped with Mimikium Z. All three forms of Lycanroc can also use an exclusive Z-Move, Splintered Stormshards, while the Fighting/Dragon-type Kommo-o gets its own signature Z-Move called Clangorous Soulblaze.
The Legendary cover Pokemon Solgaleo and Lunala get their own exclusive Z-Moves in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, as well, which can also be used by Necrozma when it takes on its two new forms. Solgaleo and Dusk Mane Necrozma can use the Steel-type attack Searing Sunraze Smash when equipped with Solganium Z; Lunala and Dawn Wings Necrozma can unleash the Ghost-type Z-Move Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom when they hold Lunalium Z.
Mantine Surf
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduce a new mini-game called Mantine Surf. When you summon Mantine, you can use it to manually surf between the different islands of the Alola region. You can also perform a variety of tricks while surfing, which will increase your high score and reward you with BP.
Totem Stickers
Like last year's games, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon eschew traditional gym battles for island trials--different challenges that culminate in a battle against a Totem Pokemon. What sets these monsters apart from regular Pokemon is their size; Totem Pokemon are much larger than normal ones and are surrounded by an aura that boosts their stats.
This time around, you'll be able to add your own Totem-sized Pokemon to your team thanks to new Totem Stickers. These collectibles are hidden throughout the entire Alola region, and you'll be able to get your own giant Pokemon depending on how many Stickers you collect. Some of the Totem-sized Pokemon are exclusive to a specific version; Ultra Sun players, for instance, can get a giant Lurantis, while those with Ultra Moon can get a Totem-sized Salazzle.
Only one week remains until Black Friday 2017, which means you'll soon be able to find a ton of discounts on video games, consoles, and accessories across all platforms. That's also true for 3DS, which will see a number of its recent and older releases go on sale, including the mainline Pokemon series.
The newest Pokemon titles, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, launch one week ahead of the big shopping day, and while there won't be any notable deals on those games at major retailers this Black Friday, you'll be able to find some nice discounts on the series' previous 3DS installments. Based on the ads that have been released, GameStop will have the best offer for those still looking to pick up Pokemon X and Y or Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Each of those games will be available for $20 apiece, or you can pick up three of them for $40--effectively netting you one of the games for free.
Best Buy will also have discounts on Pokemon X, Y, Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire. Each title will cost $20; however, there won't be an additional offer as is the case with GameStop, so if you're looking to pick up more than one version, that remains your best choice. Target, meanwhile, will have doorbuster deals on Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire for $25 each.
While Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon won't be on sale, you'll be able to find discounts on the original Pokemon Sun and Moon versions at some retailers. Both Best Buy and Walmart will sell the two titles for $29 each. That's a good price if you've yet to pick up one of the seventh generation titles and you're not interested in the new features and Pokemon in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
You can check out the complete list of Pokemon deals for 3DS below. We'll continue to update this as more Black Friday ads are revealed. You can also find all of our other Black Friday 2017 coverage and roundups through the links at the bottom of this story.
Pokemon 3DS Black Friday Deals
Pokemon X/Y
GameStop -- $20 (or 3 for $40 with Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire)
[UPDATE 3] Battlefront II is officially out now. Industry analyst Daniel Ahmad of Niko Partners weighed in on the news on Twitter, pointing out that microtransactions and loot boxes are not going away. "They're already accepted," he said. "All that's happening is EA tweaking the system to make it 'fun and addictive" instead of 'intrusive and predatory."
[UPDATE 2] VentureBeat is reporting that EA CEO Andrew Wilson spoke with Disney CEO Bob Iger over the phone today before the Battlefront II changes were announced. The report doesn't mention what they might have talked about, though a chat about Battlefront II's loot crate system seems more likely than discussing plans for the weekend.
[UPDATE] EA released a statement on Battlefront II's microtransactions, confirming they have been removed, but only temporarily. "We've heard the concerns about potentially giving players unfair advantages," DICE boss Oskar Gabrielson said. "And we've heard that this is overshadowing an otherwise great game. This was never our intention. Sorry we didn't get this right."
All in-game purchases for Battlefront II are now removed, with all progression now exclusively tied to gameplay. EA is bringing back microtransactions "at a later date," but not until the studio has time to make unspecified "changes to the game." More details on this changes will come later as DICE considers more feedback and date. One possibility is that Battlefront II's microtransactions will return as cosmetic only, as is the case in Overwatch and other games, though this is just speculation.
"We have created a game that is built on your input, and it will continue to evolve and grow," Gabrielson explained.
As it stands, all of Battlefront II's DLC maps will be free, though there is no word as of yet about if today's announcement changes anything. The removal of the game's microtransactions comes just hours before Battlefront II is due to launch everywhere on November 17, though as mentioned, it's been available for some already.
Microtransaction systems are commonplace in AAA games today. In fact, it is rare for a big game to not have a microtransaction system. What's different about Battlefront II's system is that players could spend real money for the chance to unlock items and weapons that actually affect gameplay, and that's part of the reason why players got so stirred up. Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto Online also offers microtransactions, and they make parent publisher Take-Two lots and lots of money.
The original story is below.
It looks like big changes may be in the works for Star Wars: Battlefront II's microtransaction system. It was discovered today that you can no longer purchase the game's virtual currency, Crystals, with real money.
Accessing the Crystals purchase page on Xbox One today yields the screen below. As you can see, it does not give you the option to buy Crystals. However, you can still purchase them through the Xbox.com store, at least for the time being (though that may have something to do with Microsoft, not EA, controlling that page). We're working to confirm the situation on PlayStation 4 and PC. Keep checking back for more.
Star Wars: Battlefront II's microtransaction/loot crate system has been highly contentious and controversial running back to when players discovered how the system worked in October's open beta. Loot boxes come with random items, but instead of things that are cosmetic only, they can also contain game-affecting things like deadlier grenades or cloaking abilities that give players a theoretical advantage.
Earlier this week, DICE held a Reddit AMA in which it responded to, among other things, concerns about Battlefront II's microtransactions. The developer said microtransactions are available as an optional way to potentially speed up your progression. Everything that you can get in a loot crate can also be obtained via gameplay.
"Regarding microtransactions, we want players to enjoy their progression through the game and want gameplay to be fair along the way," the developer said. "Microtransactions are there for player choice, but won't be a requirement to play or succeed at the game. And like everything else, we'll continue tweaking and tuning until we achieve these goals."
Black Friday is right around the corner, and like many other retailers, Target has released its ad well in advance to let people plan ahead. There are quite a few game deals to be had in its sales circular, although the heavy focus is on PS4 and Xbox One; there's nothing for PC gaming fans to take advantage of, and seemingly little for those on Nintendo platforms.
Nintendo Switch is only featured on the back page, where it's listed at its regular price of $300. There's no sign of PS4 Pro or Xbox One X, although the older iterations of those consoles will be on sale. You can pick up a 1 TB PS4 for $200, while a 500 GB Xbox One S drops to $190 with a bonus $25 Target gift card. Target's ad lists both of these console deals as doorbusters, a term it liberally uses throughout--it even applies to the special green Zelda 2DS. We've designated doorbuster deals as such in the lists below; it's unclear how limited stock will be, but some of these offers may run out shortly after Target stores open their doors.
On the accessory side, the most notable deal is PlayStation VR for $200. This is just the headset itself, meaning you would still need to purchase the PS4's camera in order to use it. Still, that's an attractive option for those uninterested in the camera and bundled game you can get on sale for $300 or $350 elsewhere. Additionally, all PS4 DualShock 4 controllers drop to $40, while a selection of Xbox One controllers will also be $40. The ad states that "all" Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus memberships will be $10 off, but only the $60, 12-month cards are pictured. It's unlikely you'll get $10 off the cheaper, short-term subscription cards.
As for games, there are quite a few on sale. However, it's unclear if certain deals apply to all platforms--for instance, Just Dance 2018 is $30 on Switch, which may or may not also be true of Xbox One and PS4 versions. The ad also states there will be more games available at the various price tiers, so at this point we don't know everything that's discounted.
Below, you'll find the comprehensive list of everything we know will be on sale on Black Friday at Target. Store time openings vary by state, so check with your local store to be sure. You can also check out our in-depth lists of other retailers' Black Friday deals through these links:
With Black Friday around the corner, Walmart has also released its full flyer for the big shopping day. There are a ton of game deals to take advantage of, particularly for those with a PS4 or Xbox One, with these offers becoming available on Thanksgiving evening (November 23) or Black Friday itself, depending on when your state allows stores to begin opening. Nintendo Switch and 3DS offers are also available, although PC gaming fans unfortunately won't find anything.
In terms of hardware, the offers are similar to what we've seen elsewhere. Switch is in stock, but at a regular price ($299), while there's no sign of Xbox One X or PS4 Pro. However, you can pick up a 1 TB PS4 for $199, or a 500 GB Xbox One S for $189. Neither of these systems comes with any bundled games, although Walmart will also take $50 off "any" Xbox One S, so you'll be able to pick from other bundles that have what you want. Walmart will also be among the retailers to offer the special green Zelda: Ocarina of Time 2DS bundle.
In terms of accessories, DualShock 4 PS4 controllers drop to $39 each, including the Walmart-exclusive Crystal Blue color. Xbox One controllers are also available for $39, including some special edition versions. Third-party, wired Switch controllers will be available for $17, while the Gran Turismo Sport PSVR bundle will be $299. You can also get a wired PS4 or Xbox One headset, the Turtle Beach Recon 50P, for $25.
You'll find a complete rundown of everything on sale--or as much as we can glean from the flyer--below. You can check out the full flyer, and find out when your local store is opening, on Walmart's website. For more, check out our roundup of deals at other retailers:
We'reabout a week out from Black Friday 2017, and numerous stores have revealed the deals they'll have on offer this year. That includes Best Buy, which actually had a pre-Black Friday sale where it offered BF prices in advance of the proper day. But it's Thanksgiving evening and the day after where the full selection of deals will be available, and we've rounded up everything you can expect to see discounted across PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, and 3DS--and even a single, solitary deal for those looking for something new to play on Wii U and Wii.
In a trend we're seeing at a number of retailers, there isn't a wide array of hardware deals. Switch will be in stock but at its regular price of $300. Neither the PS4 Pro nor Xbox One X will be on sale, with the sale prices instead coming on the older hardware. A 1 TB PS4 can be had for $200, but that doesn't include any free games. On the Microsoft side, you can get the Madden 18 Xbox One S 500 GB bundle for $230, and as a bonus, you'll receive a free Xbox One controller. A free controller is also available with another bundle, which swaps in Forza Horizon 3 in place of Madden.
Controllers and accessories will also be discounted. The PlayStation VR Gran Turismo Sport bundle drops to $300. All PS4 DualShock 4 controllers will be $40, including the Red Crystal color version that is only available at Best Buy. Xbox One controllers will also be available for $40, although some will cost more--presumably the special edition colors and designs. Those looking for a headset will have several options, including the Turtle Beach XO Three wired headset (which works with Xbox One, PS4, and PC) and Turtle Beach Recon 150 (which also works with those devices) for $40 each. Astro headsets will be up to 25% off, while a handful of Switch accessories (including a Joy-Con charging station) will be $20 each.
Below, you'll find a comprehensive list of everything we could find on sale at Best Buy. Some specific pricing was not shared and the exact time your local store opens will vary. You can check out the full details on Best Buy's website. For more, check out our roundup of the details at other retailers:
November is here, and it's going to be a big month for subscribers to Amazon Prime. The service's streaming video component is beefing up its library heading into the end of the year with original TV shows and movies--including the critically acclaimed The Big Sick.
The big news for Amazon in November comes in the form of a secret agent, though. As with Hulu, a large piece of the James Bond film library is now available--practically every film from 1962's Dr. No through 2002's Die Another Day. The one omission is the original Casino Royale, which starred David Nivens as 007.
Another major arrival to Prime is three Thursday Night Football games, taking place throughout the month. Matchups featuring the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, and Pittsburgh Steelers will be available live exclusively through Amazon Prime Video.
One of the biggest shopping days of the year, Black Friday, is coming up in just a few short weeks. Advertisements from various retailers are now being leaked for the shopping bonanza, and now Costco's ad scan has come online courtesy of Bestblackfriday.
The store is selling the 1 TB PlayStation 4 bundle with Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: WWII for $290, which is $100 off its normal price. If you're looking for just a new PS4 and no games, the 1 TB system is down to $190. On the Xbox front, the 500 GB Xbox One S Sports Bundle--which comes NBA 2K18, Madden NFL 18, two controllers, and a three-month Game Pass membership--is available for only $300. Additionally, you can get the 500 GB Xbox One S system with an extra controller and three months of Game Pass for only $220.
Go to Bestblackfriday to see Costco's full Black Friday ad. There are also deals on TVs, computers, and pork loin because you can get basically anything at Costco. Black Friday 2017 is officially Friday, November 24, though some stores start their deals early. Costco joins Kohl's in offering PS4 and Xbox One deals on Black Friday, and we expect to hear from many more retailers in the coming days. Keep checking back with GameSpot for lots more on Black Friday 2017 and all the best gaming deals.
Looking for a new Xbox One or PlayStation 4? Retailer Kohl's is offering the consoles for a very nice discount on Black Friday. Ad scans from the store's Black Friday sale have been posted online, and some of the featured "Doorbuster" deals include a new 500 GB Xbox One S with a $45 Kohl's gift card for only $190. If you're looking for a PS4, Kohl's has the 1 TB PS4 with a $60 gift card for just $200.
Another option is the 1 TB Halo Wars 2 Xbox One bundle that comes with a copy of the game and two controllers for $330. It normally sells for $350. Additionally, Kohl's will sell PS4 and Xbox One controllers for $40 on Black Friday. That's not an amazing deal; while the gamepads officially go for $60, you can regularly find them discounted to around $45-50. Still, a deal is a deal. Additionally, Kohl's has the $100 Sony wireless Gold headset for only $70.
You can see the full 64-page Kohl's Black Friday ad scan on its website. Black Friday ad scans from all the other big stores should be coming soon, so keep checking back with GameSpot to see more about what you can get on the cheap this shopping season.
Black Friday 2017 is officially Friday, November 24, though some stores start their deals early. We'll report back with more details as they become available, but don't expect the newest Microsoft console to see many deals. You can read more about whether that's worth paying full price in our Xbox One X review.
Sony has launched the next set of free games for PlayStation Plus members. We're now well into November, and subscribers can download a total of seven titles across PS4, PS3, and Vita. That's one more than usual, as Sony is again offering a bonus PlayStation VR game following the headset's recent one-year anniversary. As usual, PS4 owners have the widest and best selection of games, but you've got something to look forward to regardless of platform.
PS4 owners with PS Plus have four games in total to nab for free right now: strategy game Worms Battlegrounds, the gorgeous (but hard-to-describe) Bound, and PSVR shooter Until Dawn: Rush of Blood; the latter will be available for longer than the other games, as it's not a part of the standard monthly lineup. Additionally, Cross-Buy provides PS4 players with a fourth title at no cost, the action RPG Dungeon Punks.
All of the standard PS Plus freebie can be claimed until December 5, when they'll return to their regular prices. By adding them to your library before then, you can play them for as long as you remain a Plus subscriber. Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, meanwhile, remains free until January 3. You can see the full list of this month's PS Plus freebies and grab them from the links below. Additionally, a Black Friday sale will begin soon ahead of the actual big shopping day, with PS Plus members getting early access.
The next pair of Pokemon games, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, launch on 3DS this month, marking the series' final installments for Nintendo's dual-screen handheld. The titles are based on last year's Sun and Moon versions but tell an "alternate" story that revolves around the mysterious Legendary Pokemon Necrozma.
While the core adventure remains the same across both versions, each game has some some distinct elements, so you may be unsure of which to pick up. We break down the biggest differences between the two versions below to help you decide which one to play. For more, you can also check out our Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon review and breakdown of the new Pokemon (and everything else) in Ultra Sun and Moon.
Which Version Should You Get?
We recently had the opportunity to interview the developers of Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and one of the topics they weighed in on is which version players should pick up.
"In essence there's no real problem with whichever one you buy, you're going to get a really good experience of Pokemon," said Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon director Kazumasa Iwao. "But one point users might want to consider is that the Pokedex in Pokemon Ultra Sun is based on the Pokedex in Pokemon Sun and the same for Ultra Moon and Moon. So if something the players are really looking for is Pokedex completion, they might find it better to go for the opposite version this time round in order to help complete their Pokedex. So if they bought Pokemon Sun, they might want to choose Pokemon Ultra Moon this time."
However, those who care more about the games' narrative may want to consider sticking with the same version this time. As producer Shigeru Ohmori explained, "[I]f you're looking for a story-based experience then those who played Pokemon Sun may want to go for Ultra Sun as there are some small details that remain consistent throughout the two that might appeal to people looking for a story-based game."
General Differences
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon tell the same story and feature the same cast of major characters, but there are some slight differences between the two titles that will make the experience unique depending on the version you choose to play. As in the original Sun and Moon, the two games are set 12 hours apart. Ultra Sun will reflect the time that is set in your 3DS clock, while Ultra Moon will be 12 hours ahead--meaning if you play during the day, it will be night in the game.
Additionally, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduce a mysterious new group called the Ultra Recon Squad. This team arrives in Alola through an Ultra Wormhole and has some sort of connection to the Ultra Beasts; in one trailer, the group can be seen commanding the new Ultra Beast, UB-Adhesive. You'll encounter different members of the Ultra Recon Squad depending on which version you play. In Ultra Sun, players will cross paths with Dulse and Zossie; in Ultra Moon, players will meet Phyco and Soliera.
Ultra Recon Squad, from left to right: Dulse, Zossie, Soliera, and Phyco
Version-Exclusive Pokemon
As with every pair of Pokemon titles, the primary difference between Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon is the kinds of Pokemon you can encounter in each version. While both games feature most of the same monsters, each one is also home to a handful of exclusive Pokemon that cannot be captured in the other version. Below you'll find a list of all the version-exclusive Pokemon that have been confirmed so far:
Ultra Sun-Exclusive Pokemon
Alolan Vulpix
Alolan Ninetales
Houndour
Houndoom
Cranidos
Rampardos
Cottonee
Whimsicott
Tirtouga
Carracosta
Rufflet
Braviary
Lurantis (Totem-sized)
Passimian
Turtonator
Ultra Moon-Exclusive Pokemon
Alolan Sandshrew
Alolan Sandslash
Electrike
Manectric
Shieldon
Bastiodon
Petilil
Lilligant
Archen
Archeops
Vullaby
Mandibuzz
Salazzle (Totem-sized)
Oranguru
Drampa
Legendary Pokemon
The Alola region is also home to a diverse array of Legendary Pokemon, and thanks to the appearance of Ultra Wormholes in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, players will be able to encounter Legendaries from past regions, as well. Every single Legendary Pokemon from previous gens returns in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, though as is the case with regular Pokemon, some can only be encountered in a specific version. Here's the list of all the version-exclusive Legendaries that appear in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
Ultra Sun-Exclusive Legendaries
Ho-oh
Raikou
Groudon
Latios
Dialga
Heatran
Reshiram
Tornadus
Xerneas
Buzzwole
Kartana
Dusk Mane Necrozma
UB-Burst
Ultra Moon-Exclusive Legendaries
Lugia
Entei
Kyogre
Latias
Palkia
Regigigas
Zekrom
Thundurus
Yveltal
Lunala
Pheromosa
Celesteela
Dawn Wings Necrozma
UB-Assembly
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon release for 3DS on November 17. Along with an expanded storyline, the games introduce many new features and characters, including a new surfing game and Team Rainbow Rocket, a villainous supergroup comprised of the leaders from past teams. Players who purchase either title by January 10, 2018 will receive a free gift: a special Rockruff that evolves into the new Dusk Form Lycanroc.
Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday week, there are several new additions coming to Netflix for your streaming pleasure. Among the titles being added this week are the movie Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, new seasons of Longmire and Spirit: Riding Free, plus the documentary Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton, which goes behind the scenes of the Andy Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon. Most importantly, this week will see the release of the first season of Marvel's The Punisher.
The Punisher is the Netflix's latest entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and follows the story of Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) as he sets out to avenge the death of his family. The character was originally introduced in the second season of Daredevil, as he worked both with and against Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) in his fight against the Hand. The Punisher is out now for streaming, and if GameSpot's review is any indication, it was worth the wait.
The sixth and final season of Longmire will also be released on Friday. The modern western first debuted on A&E in 2012, where it ran for three seasons. After its initial cancellation, the series was picked up by Netflix and has run an additional three seasons. The final season will consist of ten episodes, giving Longmire an opportunity to wrap up the stories it tells with its characters.
You can take a look at all of Netflix's new offerings for the week below. You can also see everything the streamer is gaining and losing in November.
November 12
Long Time Running
November 13
Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
November 14
DeRay Davis: How To Act Black (Netflix Original)
Hickok
November 15
Lockup: State Prisons: Collection 1
November 16
9
November 17
A Christmas Prince (Netflix Original)
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton (Netflix Original)
Longmire: Final Season (Netflix Original)
Luna Petunia: Season 3 (Netflix Original)
Marvel's The Punisher (Netflix Original)
Mudbound (Netflix Original)
Red, White, Black, Blue Odyssey
Santa Claws
Shot in the Dark: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
Spirit: Riding Free: Season 3 (Netflix Original)
Stretch Armstrong & the Flex Fighters: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
Justice League had a troubled production--that's no secret. It's inevitable that some material gets left on the cutting room floor in any production, but for a movie that went through re-shoots, a director change, and who knows what else, that's bound to be extra true.
During interviews with GameSpot, several Justice League stars dished on some of the movie's biggest deleted scenes.
Back to Atlantis
In Justice League, Aquaman actually spends most of his time on land. But in earlier versions of the movie, he had more to do under the sea.
That's where Willem Dafoe's character, Nuidis Vulko, would have come in--if he hadn't been cut from Justice League entirely.
"There's a place where [Aquaman] goes down to, and it got cut out of the movie," Momoa said. "He knows spots where he can go and he can see these statues, the remnants of [Atlantis]. There's Vulko--obviously we'll have way more scenes with Vulko, Willem Dafoe--in [the 2018 standalone] Aquaman. There just wasn't enough time in this movie."
Momoa went on to describe Dafoe's character in greater detail.
"Vulko's his connection to Atlantis," he said. "I think what Zack [Snyder] and I did, we were kind of trying to establish that he was taken down there as a boy, and he was an outcast, he was a half-breed, and he was built up as a young boy, because he was fed all these ideas by Vulko--that he was the rightful king. And he gets down there, and he's a half breed, he's impure, and I'm just made to feel like I'm this disease. So after that, I was like, 'f*** you, f*** you, I'm on my own.'"
He explained some of Aquaman's backstory, too--what the rightful King of Atlantis has been up to all these years.
"He hates Atlanteans, he cannot stand being on land. He just--he's stuck in the tide. That's what Zack wanted," Momoa continued. "He was a blue collar worker. The guy worked in very lonely places, on oil rigs, he'd weld, and he could just be in peace, and he could exist on there and no one would know his secret. But there's things where ships went down and he couldn't save enough people, and he lost friends. The humanity side of him can't deal with this power that he doesn't know how to control yet."
Mama's Boy
For his part, Ray Fisher's Cyborg gets a good amount of screen time dedicated to exploring his relationship with his father and his newfound powers. One thing we don't see in Justice League: Victor Stone's mother.
That wasn't always the case, though, Fisher told GameSpot.
"There were some things that you'll probably end up seeing later on, that didn't make it into this version of the film," Fisher said. "There's a scene with Victor Stone, when he still was Victor Stone, and his mother, that was really special to shoot."
He said Justice League feels like an origin story for Cyborg, despite being an ensemble film.
"It does feel like an origin, particularly to people who don't know as much about Cyborg," he said. "We pretty much know the history of the Flash...And then you've got Aquaman, who's half man, half Atlantean. I think those stories have been told for so long, it's kind of like just knowing Batman or Superman's origin, or Wonder Woman's origin."
That's probably true--introduced in 1980, Cyborg is the "youngest" member of the new Justice League. So why the cuts?
"You're shooting and testing, and when you're putting it together, you're seeing how cohesive you can make the story," Fisher said. "Ultimately this is a team story, and, while there is some Cyborg material that we don't see here, I'm just happy that my teammates get to shine as well."
"What is great about this film going forward is you'll be able to see him rebuild himself mentally the same way that his father rebuilt him physically," Fisher teased. "And it's a process that's going to take time."
One More Punch Line
Finally, while Justice League is easily the funniest DC movie yet, it could have been even funnier. Ezra Miller, who plays The Flash, shared one joke that didn't quite make it into the final film.
"There's a line that I miss from the film, that I wish was in there," Miller described. "[Aquaman] throws that thing against the wall in the Batcave, and [Batman's] original line was--I think now he just says, 'Hey. Don't do that.' But the original line was, 'Hey. Don't do that. A lot of my shit explodes.'"
Ezra and Momoa cracked up at this, and Momoa parroted the line after Miller said it. So why was it cut?
"Because, I think, that we only got a certain number of curse words," Miller explained.
All you need to do is watch an earlier Justice League trailer to know that there's much more that was cut. What about Superman's black suit, which actor Henry Cavill teased on his own Instagram in 2016? That and more didn't make it into Justice League.
Bethesda's RPG The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim launches this week on Nintendo Switch. One of its cool features is that classic Zelda items such as the Master Sword, the Hylian Shield, and Link's Champion's Tunic are all in the game, if you have the right Amiibo.
You can tap Zelda Amiibo figures once per day for a chance to get those items. We got our hands on all of them, and you can see them in action in the video above.
The list of compatible Zelda Amiibo figures covers all the major ones, including Smash Bros. series Link, Breath of the Wild Link, Ocarina of Time Link, and many more. Sheik, Revali, and Ganondorf are also among the compatible figures. You can see a full rundown of support Amiibo figures here on Nintendo's website.
Skyrim for Switch also supports non-Zelda Amiibo figures. You won't get the Zelda gear, but tapping them on your console gets you a loot chest, so that's something, and it's even better if you're an Amiibo collector. Skyrim for Switch comes with the base game and its three expansions: Dragonborn, Dawnguard, and Hearthfire. It can be played with motion controls, allowing you to swing weapons, pick locks, or aim your bow with the Joy-Cons.
Skyrim was first released in 2011 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, before coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in October 2016 through the Special Edition. A version of the game for the PS4's PlayStation VR also launches on November 17.
Having trouble finding a SNES Classic? Retailer Walmart has announced that the mini console will be in stock this week, November 15-17. Units will be available starting at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET each day, which means you have a total of three chances to purchase one. [Update: It's Friday, making today the last of the three confirmed allotments of SNES Classic Editions that Walmart will sell. Systems went quickly during the first two sales, and demand for the system remains high, so you'll need to be fast if you want one.]
There is a limit of one per customer, and Walmart says supply is going to be "limited." It appears the units will be available on Walmart's website, though it remains to be seen if there will be units available in-store as well.
As part of the most recent Destiny 2 server maintenance, Bungie has released the latest update for the shooter. As you might expect, given that it's dubbed "The one before Curse of Osiris," it's primarily concerned with resolving some lingering issues with the game, rather than introducing any new content or features.
Hotfix 1.0.7 is available now on Xbox One and PS4. It adds an announcement about the upcoming Curse of Osiris DLC expansion, fixes an issue that caused Faction Rally Tokens to be handed out through the clan perk Venture Capital, and resolves a crash during the Taken Blight Public Event. Additionally, it makes some improvements to the companion apps and website; the Progress section of the mobile apps now have Factions and Collections listed, while the help search should be better across the board.
Those playing on PC have also received an additional hotfix update, version 1.0.7.1. This addresses a problem that would cause players to receive the Buffalo error; that's hopefully something you should now see less often. Separately, Nvidia has released a new driver that is said to provide significant improvements for Destiny 2 performance.
The latest pair of Pokemon games, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, arrive for 3DS this week, marking the series' final installments on the dual-screen handheld. Not quite sequels nor remakes, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are more accurately described as the definitive versions of last year's games, Sun and Moon, changing some of their story elements and introducing new features, Pokemon, and characters to make the experience a bit different from their predecessors.
Ahead of their release, reviews for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon have begun appearing online, and critics agree that fans of the original games will enjoy this return trip to the Alola region. We've rounded up a sample of reviews and their scores below. For a wider look at what critics think of Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, be sure to visit GameSpot sister site Metacritic. We've also put together a guide of the differences between Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon to help you decide which version is right for you, and a rundown on the new Pokemon--and everything else--in Ultra Sun And Moon..
Games: Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon
Developer: Game Freak
Platform: 3DS
Release date: November 17
Price: $40 / £40
GameSpot -- 8/10
"Though they aren't very different from their predecessors, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon make enough changes to stand apart as the definitive version of the seventh generation games. An overly complicated story is offset by charming details that bring even more life to the most vibrant Pokemon region to date, and small fixes iron out the shakier parts of the original journey. If you make it through Alola a second (or even first) time, you'll be rewarded with a fun-filled and uplifting Pokemon adventure with its own share of spoilery surprises in store." -- Kallie Plagge [Full review]
IGN -- 9/10
"I was fine with the lack of of mid-gen Pokemon expansions over the past few years, but I'm glad Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon exist as Pokemon's swan song on the Nintendo 3DS. These upgraded versions not only have everything I enjoyed about Sun and Moon, but augments them in important ways by making small but meaningful changes to the story, expanding the selection of available Pokemon, and even making some small tweaks to the world. Unless you played through both Sun and Moon extensively and have already collected every Legendary Pokemon, it's easy to recommend to any Pokemon fan." -- Casey Defreitas [Full review]
EGM -- 8/10
"Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon serve as the definitive editions of Pokemon Sun and Moon, and that means that if you have strong opinions already about the original games, there's not much in the new ones that will likely sway your mind either way. Systems are a little more convenient, cutscenes a little more polished. A new selection of available Pokemon can make completing your Pokedex that much easier, while a few fun new minigames, plot changes, and the occasional new area to explore leave fun surprises in store for those who have memorized every inch of Alola. Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon don't do much to push the series as a whole forward--but given the giant leaps that the original Sun and Moon already took, maybe they don't need to." -- Emma Schaefer [Full review]
Destructoid -- 9/10
"I already got my fill of Pokemon Sun and Moon, as you can clearly see from my completed 'dex, but that didn't stop me from reliving it all over again with Ultra. Just keep in mind that if you're hoping that the entire 'leveling process' is going to be different this time, and that you'll be entering a completely brave, new world--you're going to be disappointed." -- Chris Carter [Full review]
Game Informer -- 8.5
"With Pokemon's confirmed Switch future, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon could be Pokemon's final core installment on a dedicated handheld system. As a revisiting of the excellent Sun and Moon, it feels like a good note to close the generation on, but if you had your fill with Sun and Moon, don't worry--you aren't missing anything important." -- Kyle Hillard [Full review]
It's a packed week of releases for Nintendo Switch. A total of 15 games launch for the console this week, and they include some particularly noteworthy titles if you're looking for something new to play on Nintendo's console.
Arguably the biggest release this week is the Switch version of Skyrim, which launches today, November 17. On top of the base adventure, it includes all of Skyrim's DLC expansions: Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn. The game also features new motion controls and is compatible with Legend of Zelda Amiibo, which can unlock signature items from the series like the Master Sword, Hylian Shield, and Link's Champion's Tunic. We acquired all of the items and captured footage of them in action.
Surprisingly, while Thursday is typically the busiest day of the week in terms of Eshop releases, this week it only brought two titles to the service: the latest ACA Neo Geo game, Karnov's Revenge, and the retro-style RPG Antiquia Lost. The bulk of this week's releases launched on Tuesday, and they included some particularly notable ports like Rocket League, LA Noire, and Batman: The Telltale Series, as well as the charming Ittle Dew 2+ and Rime.
A handful of other titles are also slated to arrive in the Eshop alongside Skyrim on November 17. Rounding out this week's releases is the gravity-switching 2D platformer VVVVVV; the intense 2D shooter/action game Rive: Ultimate Edition; and the top-down shoot-'em-up Xenoraid, among others. You can find the full list of this week's releases below.
Microsoft has added another handful of titles to Xbox One's backwards compatible catalog. Four more Xbox 360 games are now available to play on the current-generation console.
As always, if you already own the disc, you can simply pop it into your Xbox One and begin playing; games that you own digitally will be waiting in the Ready to Download section of My Games and Apps. All four titles are also available to purchase from the Xbox Store.
A new selection of deals is now available in the PlayStation Store in the US. This week doesn't see any publisher-specific sales, though PS4, PS3, and Vita owners can still get some interesting games at a discount.
On PS4, players can pick up two of Two Tribes' fun titles, Toki Tori 2+ and Rive, for very cheap. The former runs for $3.74, while the latter is $5.09. You can also purchase a bundle of the two game together for $8.09. In addition to that, the retro-inspired RPG Citizens of Earth is available for $3, while River City Melee: Battle Royale Special drops to $8. Some other PS4 games on sale include Blade & Bones ($9.74), Tokyo 42 ($16), and Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition Duke Nukem Bundle ($40.49).
Most of these deals are only available for a limited time and run until 11 AM ET on November 21. You can find the full list of discounts available this week on the PlayStation Store. There are also some great retail and digital PlayStation deals for Black Friday next week. You can find full breakdowns of all the other Black Friday offers at retailers through the links below:
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