The holiday season is coming to a close, making it an ideal moment to consider if you received all that you desired. For those who possess a Switch or Switch 2, there remains an opportunity to indulge yourself with attractive sales on some of this year’s finest games available on the eShop. This encompasses not only the newest favorites but also older titles that warrant a place in any portable gaming collection.

Currently, Nintendo is not providing major discounts on its exclusive games. While well-known titles like *Mario Odyssey* and *New Super Mario Bros. Deluxe* have been marked down by $20, it’s probable that many gamers already have these timeless classics. Nonetheless, there are some significant discounts on Switch 2 titles, including *Street Fighter 6* for only $20 (50% off), *Star Wars Outlaws* at $40 (a $20 cut), and *Cyberpunk 2077* for $40 (reduced from $70).

For those who only have a Switch, here’s a list of the top deals currently up for grabs on the eShop for games that work on both consoles:

– **No Man’s Sky** – $24 (60% off)
– **Divinity: Original Sin 2** – $25 (50% off)
– **Hollow Knight: Silksong** – $16 (20% off)
– **Hades II** – $22.50 (25% off)
– **Ball x Pit** – $12 (20% off)
– **Prince of Persia The Lost Crown** – $12 (60% off)
– **Death’s Door** – $5 (75% off)
– **Hollow Knight** – $7.50 (50% off)
– **Hades** – $7.50 (70% off)
– **Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster** – $15 (70% off)
– **Tactics Ogre: Reborn** – $20 (60% off)
– **Monster Hunter Rise** – $8 (80% off)
– **Mega Man Legacy Collection** – $5 (66% off)
– **Final Fantasy VII** – $6.39 (60% off)
– **Sifu** – $10 (75% off)
– **Dead Cells** – $12.50 (50% off)

While the reductions on *Silksong* and *Hades 2* are not steep, they remain appealing considering their original prices. For newcomers, it would be wise to acquire the original titles—*Hades* and *Hollow Knight*—at a mere $7.50 each, both incredible bargains.

*Ball x Pit* offers a relaxed experience suited for casual gaming, whereas *No Man’s Sky* persistently broadens its universe with updates. The *Mega Man Legacy Collection* serves as an excellent way to prepare for the imminent launch of *Mega Man 12*.

A notable mention is *Divinity: Original Sin 2*, now at its lowest price ever and enjoying a free upgrade for Switch 2. It’s a perfect time to immerse yourself in this rich tactical RPG, paving the way for the next chapter in the series. Additionally, *Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster* is a beloved classic priced at only $15, making it essential for RPG fans. If you appreciated the *Final Fantasy Tactics* remaster, you might want to get *Tactics Ogre: Reborn*, which offers a comparably captivating experience.

As the season changes, these sales provide an excellent chance to enhance your gaming library at a fraction of the cost.

### A Late-Night Adventure in Detroit Metro Airport: The Pizza Cat Vending Machine Experience

Last week heralded an exhilarating journey to New York City, where I had the opportunity to visit the Kotaku office and engage with both current and ex-staff members. The experience in the city was wonderful, but my return to Kansas City took an unexpected turn, resulting in a seven-hour layover at the Detroit Metro Airport. While the wait was less than favorable, it led me to uncover a rather peculiar and fascinating vending machine—the Pizza Cat.

Upon arriving in Detroit around midnight, my wife and I swiftly sorted our new tickets for Kansas City and nestled into a comfy corner of our terminal. With time to spare before our flight, I took off to explore the airport. I wandered through a largely abandoned area filled with various vending machines, where I came across the Pizza Cat—a vending machine that promised hot personal pizzas in merely five minutes.

My stomach rumbled in anticipation. Faced with the option of more chips and jerky, the thought of hot pizza was alluring. As I approached the machine, I found I was not alone; a man with a large suitcase had bravely ordered his cheese pizza before me. I watched with interest as the machine sprang to life, producing a freshly crafted pizza soon after. Our brief interaction ended with the man offering a bemused shrug as I assisted him in balancing his belongings and hot pizza before he hurried off to savor his meal.

Encouraged, I decided to give the machine a try, selecting a pepperoni pizza. After a brief wait, I retrieved my long-awaited meal, only to notice a younger man who had just finished his own pizza, declaring that it was “pretty good, actually!” His praise was intriguing but left me feeling uncertain.

Returning to our corner, I opened the pizza box to unveil a thin, slightly greasy personal pizza. While the crispy crust appeared promising, the texture of the slices was somewhat soft and rubbery. The bland dough and minimal sauce left much to be desired, though the cheese was satisfactory and the pepperoni provided a welcome boost of flavor. Compared to the delicious pizzas from NYC I had relished just a day before, this airport offering was lackluster.

However, the convenience of a $13 personal pizza at such an hour was not lost on me. For those who find themselves stuck at the Detroit Metro Airport in the middle of the night, the Pizza Cat vending machine offers a quirky option. Though it may not achieve accolades for culinary excellence, it does fulfill the promise of a hot pizza pie—and for that, it merits a nod. So, if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, lower your expectations, seek out the Pizza Cat, and enjoy a slice of convenience amid the travel mayhem.

As the holiday week draws to an end, some of us on the east coast of the United States are eagerly anticipating a few inches of snow (and hopefully no rain). I’m likely not the only one excited for a peaceful weekend where I can manage to find an hour or two of enjoyable game time before the year-end celebrations and the rush back to the grindstone in 2026. If you’re seeking suggestions on what to play, here’s what we at *Kotaku* are planning to enjoy this weekend.

## *Cast n Chill*

**Play it on:** PC, Switch (also available on Switch 2 edition)
**Goal:** Capture the mythical King Salmon of Safety Cove

It’s that peculiar, transitional week between Christmas and New Year’s, a period when many of us, myself included, have a strong inclination to do as little as possible. And as if designed specifically for this occasion, *Cast n Chill* has recently come to Switch and Switch 2, allowing me to engage in something when I feel like playing while also *not* playing at all when I genuinely wish to do nothing. You see, *Cast n Chill* is a fishing game featuring an idle mode; if you’re not in the mood to actively play, you can let your little pixel-art fisherman handle the rod and reel independently, catching fish and selling them for cash, enabling you to return to the game with some extra money to spend on new fishing rods, boats, licenses, and the like.

However, what truly makes *Cast n Chill* so enjoyable is, well, how *chill* it feels, regardless of whether you’re actively playing. The landscapes around its various fishing locations are incredibly picturesque and richly detailed, and the natural sounds that accompany your time on these serene lakes and rivers are so calming that hearing them in the background while I sit here at my desk makes me feel as though a small part of me is out there on the water as well. Naturally, time spent with *Cast n Chill* counts as screen time, but it also serves as a genuine reminder that there’s an entire world of beautiful forests, crystal-clear lakes, and vast starry skies to appreciate, and that sometimes simply soaking in that beauty is a more worthwhile use of our time than anything that might appear on a productivity spreadsheet. – Carolyn Petit

## *Unbeatable*

**Play it on:** PC, PS5, Xbox
**Goal:** Give it another opportunity

As the end-of-year season concludes, I’m reflecting on a game I played and quickly became disillusioned with: *Unbeatable*. The opening hours of this anime-inspired rhythm game seemed badly tutorialized and its music failed to captivate me, but now that I have some free time, I feel that if any game I tried this year warranted a kind second chance, it would be this one. I have a passion for rhythm games, committing crimes, and *Unbeatable*’s punk vibe. Even if its narrative doesn’t ultimately engage me, there’s likely much enjoyment to be had in its arcade mode if I can discover songs that connect with me. What else am I going to do this holiday weekend? – Kenneth Shepard

## *The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered*

**Play it on:** Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC
**Goal:** Relish some nostalgic RPG vibes

*The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion,* Bethesda’s expansive open-world RPG from the Xbox 360 generation, will always be a Christmas game for me. I have vivid recollections of playing it on my Xbox 360 next to a crackling fireplace after tearing open my presents from Santa. So, I felt compelled on Christmas Eve to download this year’s remastered version of *Oblivion* and dive back in. I doubt I’ll complete this playthrough—I rarely finish Bethesda RPGs despite going back to them repeatedly—but it was delightful to spend a few hours back in Cyrodil during the holidays. – Zack Zwiezen

## *Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2*

**Play it on:** PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
**Current Goal:** Escape the Trosky zone

I purchased *Kingdom Come 2* for PS5 during Black Friday when it was half price, driven by a nagging suspicion that it might secretly be the best game of 2025, or at least among the top five. I didn’t engage much with the first game due to boredom and bugs and never revisited it. However, several Very Smart People™ in my life persuaded me that the sequel fulfills the promise of the original and could be the best first-person immersive sim RPG available. So far, I have no reason to doubt them, but I’m still in the early stages. I’m currently preparing for the